summary:

TITLE: It's An Unlikely World Part 3 AUTHOR: halfofone
RATING: NC17 for language mainly CODE: F/W with some B/F and W/T
FEEDBACK: Yup. Tell me the truth.
SUMMARY: This is a Buffy The Vampire Slayer fic. Faith is thrown together with an old enemy in prison.
WARNINGS: This jumps off from the end of BTVS season six and there are some spoilers. What happens next bears no relationship whatever to the events of season seven.
ARCHIVING: If you want ... I would quite like to know where.
DISCLAIMER: BTVS is the property of Mutant Enemy and Twentieth Century Fox. I'm just playing with their toys.
CREDITS: Not beta'd so beware and this is my first BTVS story.
PUBLISHED: 6 November 2003

disclaimer:

TPTB are many. In a perfect world I would be one of them but it's not and I'm not. No infringement of copyright/trade marks or other intellectual property is intended. This story was written for fun and not profit.

warnings:

Warning: This story includes same sex relationships between women. If you are offended by this or it is illegal where you live or you are underage then please read no further.

Full warnings, credits and disclaimers can be found in the contents page and chapter 1.

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She didn't have to wait long for Willow to wake. The Wicca flung out an arm and gave a little grunt of disappointment when she found nothing. Faith heard a single stifled sob and then there was silence but the shape under the blanket was shaking. The magick had definitely worn off.

"Morning," said Faith. There was no reply but the blanket moved as the Wicca turned over. Willow's head appeared; her eyes seemed huge in her pale face. She sat up slowly.

"That was quite a show you put on last night" the slayer added conversationally. Willow looked confused, maybe even scared and still she said nothing. Faith decided that perhaps a little plain speaking was called for. "Buffy told me not to let you use magic, guess I failed her again, but it was sure enlightening. You have a real talent for darkness kiddo."

Willow looked hard at an interesting crack in the wall. She started to speak in a small voice.

"I know ..... I'm .... "

"What? ... Sorry?" Faith interrupted with a small sneer. "It's too late for sorry magic girl. Sorry doesn't begin to cover it. Don't tell me you're sorry."

"Alright I'm not sorry" Willow snapped back.

"Didn't think so" Faith said smoothly and rose from her place on the floor and crossed swiftly to seat herself on the edge of Willow's bunk. "So what's to do Red?"

"Nothing." Willow drew up her legs under the blanket and leaned her head on her knees, hugging them tightly. Faith was mightily unimpressed and she let it show in her voice.

"No fucking can do Sabrina. You half kill me and then try to seduce me against my will. Neither of which leads to nothing."

"You're wasting your time Faith. I can't control this ... dark stuff ... inside me. There's nothing you or anyone else can do ... except avoid me," Willow mumbled, her face still hidden against her knees.

"And that's your solution is it Red?" said Faith. She gently shoved Willow backwards so the witch had to stop hugging her legs. Faith leaned over her and placed one hand under the wicca's chin, forcing the witch to look up at her. Nervous green eyes slid away from her.

"Avoiding you might work in the great outdoors Red," said the slayer, her hand cupping Willow's cheek until the witch resentfully met her gaze again. "But it's gonna be damned hard in a ten foot by eight foot and besides Buffy warned me not to let you screw with yourself or anyone else."

Keeping the eye contact, Faith dropped her hand from Willow's face. The witch couldn't detect any animosity in the slayer's cool dark gaze and that just wasn't right. Aggravated by Faith's inexplicable calm, she protested, sounding like a small frustrated child "Why aren't you angry? You should be angry, not all adult and calm. I treated you like, like ... " and Willow hesitated, lost, until Faith decided to help out.

"Like shit?"

Willow nodded and Faith began to warm to her subject and a little of the old Faith rose in her.

"Or maybe like some kinda convenient tool placed here for your use. Like a fucking toy, or better yet, a fuck-toy for you to play with." Faith's voice dropped low and hard. "I lose a friend and you help me out by beating me up and then trying to trick me into having sex with you. Isn't that like date rape? I know that technically we were not on a date but you get my drift. Oh I'm sorry ... is this too honest for you?"

Willow winced at the venom in the dark slayer's voice but she felt easier with it. Anger she could relate to and she replied with a little more cool. "I suppose you've about covered it though I may have overstated the not angry part."

Faith exhaled roughly and gripped the edge of the metal bed which groaned in protest as her fingers twisted the frame and for a few seconds there was no conversation, just the slayer torturing the bed however her voice was calm when she finally spoke again.

"Yeah I suppose I am angry Red but we are sharing this goddamned cell and I'm kinda tied to you. And I promised the blessed fucking B that I'd look out for you, so you and I are gonna deal even if it fucking well kills the both of us."

Faith sat back and folded her arms. They continued to eyeball each other, Willow's green eyes shading threateningly as she struggled to hold off the power that rose within. This time she succeeded and the watching slayer felt a little admiration. Faith had enough self-knowledge to know that if she had been given Willow's power there would probably have been a few cities levelled to the sweet earth by now.

After a while Faith spoke again, almost gently,"It's killing you isn't it? Being so special, so gifted and then finding out that it makes no fucking difference." There was a hint of sympathy in the deep brown eyes.

"What do you mean?" Willow whined, put out by the sympathy. "I still don't understand what you're talking about and why aren't you being all Faith-like and kicking my guts out or splattering my brains? That's what I deserve."

"Would it help?" asked Faith and lifted her fist mock threateningly. Willow nodded pathetically, she just wanted this to be over. Faith dropped her hand and shook her head.

"I don't think it'll help and I think you do understand." She yawned, unable to hold back her exhaustion or maintain this intensity. A mischievious quirk of her lips signalled a change of pace.

"Anyway I don't want your guts or brains all over the place. I mopped the floor yesterday and believe me, whatever anyone says, guts make lousy wall decorations ... " Enjoying Willow's obvious befuddlement, she continued anecdotally "... though I know a couple of demon restauranteurs who went for that kind of nineties Brit Art look and they had major hygene problems, not that their customers cared much, but the FDA came down on them and you do not want to mess with those guys ... shut that place down in a blink." Faith shook her head regretfully.

The wicca smiled reluctantly. Some things didn't change. Faith had always loved to tell tall stories and Willow had always believed them until Xander or Buffy would call Faith's bluff and the dark slayer would wink or laugh but never admit the lie.

Faith smirked with childish satisfaction. Willow was smart enough to be gullible; there weren't enough smart people in jail she thought wryly and grinned again. But enough with the nonsense. She went to place her hand on Willow's knee, then thought better of it when Willow flinched and the older girl's light expression quickly faded to suspicion. Instead Faith leaned forward to stare at the floor, saying awkwardly.

"I suppose what I'm trying to say Red is that you are who you are and if that ain't enough for you then you're fucked." The slayer grimaced self-consciously and grabbed the edge of the bunk again just to give her hands something to do. "Sheesh, I should get into the fortune cookie business," she exclaimed self-mockingly and glanced sideways at the witch, flashing a million watt smile.

In spite of her fresh burden of sadness and guilt, Willow couldn't help but return the infectious grin, albeit more weakly, nor could she help the comeback that rose to her lips. "Fortune cookies don't normally come with expletives."

"These would be the x-rated ones."

"Hmmm. Don't give up the day job Faith. Though I suppose that would really be a night job since you're a slayer even if you are, you know ... umm ... resting at the moment." Faith appeared bewildered so Willow tried to clarify. "You know, resting, like an actor without a job."

"I think I'm resting more like a serial killer who got caught," Faith responded dryly but she didn't sound upset. "But way to babble, Willow. I think there's hope for you." Faith raised her eyebrows and smiling mockingly in that way that seemed to light her dark eyes from inside. Against her will Willow felt a stirring of the old habitual optimism and it made her uncomfortable; she had been running on empty for too long. She was not going to be seduced by hope even if it came in the unlikely form of the dark slayer.

"You're really taking this redemption kick seriously but, if you don't mind me saying, I'm not buying it. I know what you're really like. I remember you at your evil, skanky best." Willow smirked coldly, pleased to see the humour fade from the slayer's face and she delivered another swipe. "Not that you were ever that impressive, you were always a lackey at heart; first Buffy's sidekick and then the demon mayor's lost little girl or whatever you were."

"Ouch!" Faith squealed. She placed a hand on her chest and slumped dramatically backwards. "Red!" she half-sobbed. "You almost hurt me, right here where my heart used to be." She leaned back on the lumpy prison mattress and laughed. "If you're trying to provoke me Red, you'll need more than that." Irritated again by Faith's annoying self-possession, Willow blackly contemplated a range of possible spells to punish the smirking slayer. Her dark thoughts were interrupted by Faith. The slayer sounded wistful. "It's a funny thing though. If I'm honest, I still care about him, the mayor I mean."

Willow was distracted from herself, even if she was finding Faith's rapid changes of mood hard to keep up with. "How could you have cared about him Faith?" she asked. "He was a monster. One of the bad guys. One of the guys you were sworn to destroy. What made you go to him?" She was genuinely curious about the relationship between the mayor and Faith. Why Faith had abandoned them and turned to evil, had been the subject of many Scooby conjectures and arguments: the psycho-slut theory being still the most popular.

"Originally?" Faith shrugged. "No very deep reason. I was scared and angry. All of you blamed me after I killed Finch. I mean it was an accident but everyone behaved as though I'd meant to kill him; all that shit with the Watcher's Council goons, everyone treating me like the psychotic problem outsider so I guess in the end I thought fuck it, if I couldn't join you, I'd find another team and beat the shit out of you all."

"But you tried to throw the blame on Buffy first ... "

"I didn't say I acted like a saint Red. Anyway I went to the mayor for a job and he welcomed me with open arms."

"I'll bet he did" Willow snorted derisively but Faith shook her head vehemently.

"Believe what you like Red but he was a total square, he really believed all that corn-pone shit about family values and he never touched me. He was generous to me, more than anyone I've ever known. He was only the second person I'd ever met who didn't treat me like trash."

"Oh yes, for a price. I mean he got what he paid for didn't he Faith? He needed a top-of-the-line assassin and he got you."

"I used to fantasise that I was his real daughter" Faith blurted. She knew Willow wasn't going to believe her and Faith felt foolish as hell talking about the Mayor like this. Still, a part of her needed to explain; somehow it was important to put her feelings on record with someone who had been there. "I know he was an evil would-be-uber-demon but I pretty much loved him like a dad. When I woke up and found out he was dead, it hurt bad, much more than I would have believed and I felt such a useless fucking failure." Faith found herself blinking back tears. "Fucking stupid I know but I let him down. I missed his big day and let him face her alone."

Twenty years of liberal upbringing couldn't be denied and Willow dropped the cynical front. She awkwardly patted the slayer's shoulder. "I'm sorry that you were hurt, but on balance I'm glad you weren't there. I mean a lot of kids died and I don't think you should be too burnt that you missed out on increasing the carnage." Willow made a small face. "His graduation speech was pretty bad too." The witch watched the younger girl carefully. Reassured by the absence of swearing and shouting, she said "I don't know if you're ready to hear this but we played on his feelings for you. He died trying to avenge you so I guess that means he really loved you."

"Damn," Faith swore lightly. "More information than I needed ... Damn." She slumped a little until her habitual defences kicked in to hide the unaccustomed exposure of frailty and the mocking smile returned. "Well that was a fun trip down memory lane now it's your turn." Willow's hand dropped sharply from her shoulder.

"Tell me about Tara," said Faith. "Seemed like a nice kid. I made her cry after about fifteen seconds which is a record even for me so she must have been very sweet or a bit backward. The stammer was cute though."

The witch's face paled to become almost luminescent in the chill darkness that was visibly and rapidly gathering around her slight figure, defying the thin dawn light creeping through the cell window. Rage burned in thunderous green eyes and Faith suspected she had made a very big mistake.

"Don't mention her again slayer." The witch's voice reverberated against the naked cell walls and Faith felt her spine turn to ice. Rationally, now was the time for fear and backtracking but instead she opened her mouth.

"Is this how Tara would want you to be?" she challenged recklessly while thinking to herself that she might be the slayer but this was digging herself a mighty big hole. Willow clenched her slender fingers into fists. Faith imitated the gesture and quirked an amused eyebrow. "Very butch," she taunted, "maybe her death was just the chance you needed to cut loose and let go with all that pent up power."

"Oh that's right" exclaimed Willow with bitter sarcasm. "You've found me out slayer. Heck maybe I even shot Tara, so I could have my evil magic way a..and do vile evil things. Shall I demonstrate? I ..."

"Don't get fucking smart Wicca and don't make threats that you don't mean. It seems to me that you aren't coping too well with all your power and freedom. What the hell are you doing in here if all you wanted was to rip your way to power?"

Willow's anger stalled and span into confusion. She hid her face on her knees again. The hellish aura began to dissipate and soon it was just Willow sitting there.

"I couldn't go through with it. I'm not strong enough. I'm not even good at being bad," she said desolately.

"Take heart Red, I think you're a natural ... "

"I don't want to talk any more."

"Humour me. There's nothing else to do and we have another hour before wake up at which point all hell is going to let loose. So again about Tara. Tell me how you met her? I can't quite see you hanging out in the lesbian scene."

After a few more moments of tense silence, Faith thought the witch wasn't going to answer but she did. Her words were slow and still muffled. "We met at a Wicca group ... in school ... we were the only two witches amongst a freaky bunch of wannabees. I knew she was special as soon as we met but it took me awhile to stop freaking ... eventually the hellmouth gave us a helping hand."

"Freaking about what?"

"You know ... about her being a woman and me liking her that way."

"You didn't know you were gay?"

"Not really. The odd dream about Buffy but nothing more than any other teenager." Willow noticed the open disbelief on Faith's face. "What? I checked up what was 'normal' in the psych books and it's normal to have dreams about your best friend. I suppose there was my perverted vampire double, she was definitely that-a-way, but even if I did occasionally wonder, Oz was there, my 'normal' boyfriend." Faith's eyebrow rose another inch and Willow faltered, "Well okay he was a werewolf, so not normal, but definitely male."

"Did you enjoy sex with him?" inquired Faith curiously and the shock on Willow's face was funny anyways. She couldn't resist teasing. "Of course I'm assuming you and dog-boy got that far."

"We did it," said Willow with a hint of adolescent insecurity. Faith might not be Cordelia but she was still representative of a type of girl who used to torment the younger Willow about her former dating inadequacies. "We did it a lot. It was good ... I mean really great."

"So you're bisexual. Like me then, only I prefer to think I just like fucking" stated Faith. Against her will, Willow laughed.

"Did you leave him for her?" Faith asked taking advantage of Willow's better humour and the witch sounded quite matter-of-fact when she replied.

"No, Oz left me first. He left Sunnydale to try and discover how to control the wolfie feelings inside him."

"So Oz left you to find his inner pooch and she was rebound-girl," Faith surmised with comic ultra-cynicism.

"It wasn't like that," Willow countered firmly, smiling again. "In the end I don't think it would have mattered if Oz had still been in the picture. Eventually it would have happened between us."

"That strong huh?"

"That strong."

There was a brief respite as both women thought about this for a few moments. Faith cracked first.

"Then along came gun-guy to destroy Paradise."

The slayer cringed, she hadn't meant to sound quite so unfeeling though her clumsiness didn't seem to faze Willow this time, who responded honestly. "Paradise was already a little dented" Before Faith could ask why, Willow replied "Magic. I couldn't keep away from it or maybe it couldn't keep away from me. Upshot: Tara left me."

Faith laughed. "That's funny. Most people break up when the magic goes out of their relationship." Willow wasn't laughing anymore, she looked hurt and Faith wiped the grin instantly.

"I'd treated her so badly, lying and playing stupid games. She forgave me and came back. We had just the one night. Then she died. I wish she had stayed away from me. I wish she had never come back."

"Sweet Jesus," Faith muttered, shaking her head. Willow kept talking.

"I suppose it wasn't murder technically, he wasn't even trying to kill her, he was trying for Buffy, he wanted to be the one who destroyed the slayer. Stupid fool! As if a nothing like him could kill the slayer. My magic could save the slayer, but not my sweet girl. God knows I tried." The witch hugged her knees harder. "I really tried baby," she murmured to the air, "but I killed him for you sweetie." Willow lifted her head to gaze emptily at the dark slayer, her death-pale face had regained the frozen remoteness that Faith was only too familiar with but the witch was now burbling maniacally. "She would have hated that; hurting or killing something to avenge her. Afterwards I sort of understood that I would have let her down again, that she would have ended hating me or even worse been frightened of me. A part of me thinks maybe it's better she's dead. It is better. It's better she's not here and I can't hurt her anymore."

Faith tried to interrupt. "That is the most fucked up, twisted crock of shit..... " but Willow rattled on, semi-demented.

"Don't you understand, that's why I have to stay away from everyone. So I won't hurt them. I wouldn't mean to but I can't help myself. I can't help myself and no-one else can help me."

"Shut the fuck up and listen to yourself Red," said Faith trying not to panic herself. "All ready with the self-pity and the shitty excuses for running away." Willow's manic expression crumpled into blankness and she dropped her eyes from the slayer and stared unseeingly at her knees.

Faith felt exasperation rising like a geyser; all this frigging soul-searching was too much like hard work, hitting things was easier and a hell of a lot more fun. She resolved to try once more, to think of something to say to regain a little bit of connection. After that she would fall back on mindless violence.

"Since we're talking about the good old days Red; I seem to remember you telling me one-time that I had made my choices and there was no use trying to make excuses and blaming everyone but myself? You made me feel like shit that day, I would've happily slit your throat if it hadn't been for the Mayor."

"Yay for Mayor Wilkins," droned Willow dully. "He must have known how much my life would suck."

"Probably did" said Faith . "He had a gift for seeing what people could become. He'd have been very impressed with your efforts."

"Gee that makes me feel a whole lot better," muttered Willow.

"Told you I could help," she flipped back, thinking that at least Red had responded semi-normally and the wicca's tired face did look a little better than a minute ago; resigned rather than totally empty.

The redhead rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"For what it's worth Faith, I didn't know what I was talking about back then. I know now that some things in life are just too hard to fight. We didn't help you much and I had no right to come off all morally superior and judgemental."

"Yes you did. You were right on the money Red even if you were a self-satisfied rich kid on her way to a fancy college," Faith couldn't resist the jab or the smirk that accompanied it. Willow frowned and Faith raised her hands in a gesture of apology. She began again. "I gutted a harmless old guy and convinced myself that he deserved it, that it was even all his fault. Nothing to do with me and anyway I was just following orders except that I was getting off on it. I was enjoying the violence and the killing, getting even with the nasty fucked-up world that had been so mean to me."

"What changed?" asked Willow, sounding only slightly interested. Faith hesitated to answer; this was something she wasn't even sure she had an answer for.

"Nothing. Nothing changed. I made different choices is all and when I made different choices, things just seemed to be different, and sometimes Red, I don't know if anything is really different - maybe I just have don't have the same chances to screw-up. Angel helped by not falling in with my half-assed destroy-myself plan; even B helped with her relentless self-righteousness -no chance of fooling myself with B around - but if I said I'd planned anything I'd be lying. All I knew then was that I wanted out of my old life, any way out. Perhaps I was just older and all my excuses seemed a little tired." She looked ruefully at Willow. "Sounds kinda weak. Not exactly a twelve-step plan for redemption."

"No I guess not, maybe you should lay off giving me advice until you have one."

"Red, I can't promise you that everything is going to be okay with you but then why the fuck should it be? Neither you or I was put here to lead a normal life."

"You don't say!" muttered Willow under her breath.

"Yeah, yeah, stating the obvious I know" said Faith, unabashed. "I can't sort your problems out - we have to get you out of this place. First, there is no way I can keep you out of trouble while you're here and second, you can't get the help you need to help yourself. B was damn clear that you had to go to England and visit with the witchy sisters and I mean to get you there. Are you going to co-operate or am I going to have to do this the hard way."

"There's an easy way?"

Faith looked non-committal and folded her arms. Willow stood up, agitated and began to pace the small cell. "So you're saying that if I don't follow your orders like a good little Wicca you're going to do what? Knock me out and carry me out of here over your shoulder, with you dressed as a nurse or a mailman or something and then we escape across the Atlantic in a rowing boat?"

"Good plan." Faith exclaimed. "Can I borrow that?"

"No! You can't!" shouted Willow. "It's a useless plan and I don't want to go to England; it's all cold and rainy there and they eat weird stuff. I've got everything under control right here ..." Faith looked at her disbelievingly and Willow became more flustered. "I'm not too sure how exactly but everything's under control."

"You mean like it was under control this morning? You know I'm sure I could come to enjoy being physically and sexually assaulted by you Red but I'm not sure when that particular snowflake in hell's time will come."

Whatever Willow had been about to say, she stifled it and looked at her hands, the floor anything accept Faith. Then she rubbed her forehead saying in a low remorseful voice. "Okay. I know you don't want me to say sorry about last night but I am ... I mean I really am sorry. I know I have no right to expect you to forgive me or to believe anything I say but it won't happen again I swear. I will never hurt you again in any way but please just leave me alone. I'll keep out of your way, I'll ask for a transfer to another cell, anything you want, just let me be."

Willow looked so helplessly contrite and frightened that Faith nearly lost control of her stern facade but she held on. The slayer was chilly. "Damn right it won't happen again Red and the best way to make sure of that is to get you out of here and let the frickin' coven straighten you out."

"You didn't want go to England and let the Watcher's Council 'straighten' you out, so why should I?" Willow snivelled plaintively.

"They were going to kill me Red. It was a little different."

"You don't know that. Maybe that's what they want to do to me or maybe they will brainwash me and I won't know who I am or they might lock me up forever in one of those dungeons they have over there."

"Willow you're in prison already. And do you really think B or Giles would let any of that stuff happen? And if the good guys screw-up, then I promise that I'll rip the head off anyone who tries to lay a finger on you."

"You would do that?" said Willow with a mixture of wonder and doubt.

"In a heartbeat. Now will you just fucking co-operate?"

"But what if I go all wiggy again? I might not be able to stop myself next time Faith. I'm scared that if I'm with Xander or Buffy or Dawn, I may hurt them again and I couldn't bear it. I nearly killed them and I didn't care, not even slightly. I can't risk that again."

"Hey don't worry. If you try and kill anyone then I'll rip your head off. Okay?"

"You wouldn't get the chance" said Willow sadly.

"Have a little faith," said her one-time nemesis. "I'd find a way."

Willow could not have given a rational explanation for her feeling, she just knew she trusted her old enemy. Faith allowed a huge grin to break through and the wicca reciprocated, if a little feebly. "Okay," she whispered quietly.

"Fucking great." Faith exclaimed and on impulse, she stood up and offered her hand. Willow took it awkwardly. They shook hands solemnly until Faith let go. She knew she felt damned foolish and Willow seemed pretty uncertain as well, neither knowing what to do next.

"Do you have an idea for getting out of here?" asked Willow, breaking the awkward silence.

"Yeah sure," Faith replied evasively, "but first ... umm Red? One last thing. I want you to swear to me that you will cut out the magicks completely until I get you safely to England and into the hands of the Charmed-alikes. No matter what happens, you don't utter one magic word or call on any magic power."

"I couldn't even keep that promise to Tara" Willow said sadly.

"That was then and this is now."

"How could you trust me?"

"I don't trust you, I'm gonna stick to you like flypaper. Now swear or I'll.... " Faith looked at her as though assessing her for weaknesses which she was.

"You'll what?" queried Willow nervously. Quicker than the eye Faith's hand shot out and her fingers danced over the witch's ribs. Willow squirmed away with a shriek.

"I'll tickle ya!"

"You wouldn't. You wouldn't dare."

Faith waggled her eyebrows and wiggled her fingers threateningly.

Willow started to panic. "I'll turn you into a hamster" she threatened, while backing away.

"Not scary" said the slayer. "Don't think I'd mind being your hamster Red. I'd be all small and cute and furry and you'd just be obliged to love me." Faith gripped Willows wrists with one hand and pinned her against the wall.

"Ugh, a Faith hamster. On second thoughts ... "

"Yeah?" Faith gently laid her free hand on the witch's stomach and flexed her fingers. Willow bit her lip, trying not to laugh or scream.

"I promise" she gasped.

"Damn! Too easy and I was always so good at torture," Faith deadpanned. "I was looking forward to it." She continued to hold Willow prisoner, gazing into the red-head's eyes from just a few inches, smiling as Willow stared back at her and then the witch returned her smile and for the first time, it was without reservation or sadness in the clear green eyes. Faith's breathing seemed to snag and an overwhelming awareness of the other girl's proximity and warmth flowed through her. Startled by her own reaction, the slayer released her hold and drew away, trying to hide her discomfit by saying as brightly as she could manage. "Another time then. For the tickle torture."

Willow shook her head emphatically. She was going to speak but was interrupted by loud voices, hurrying boots and the slide of metal bars. Even though the sound was at a distance both Faith and Willow could tell that it wasn't the normal sounds of the prison waking up.

"They've found her," said Faith.

"What will happen now?"

"Now come more questions. We stick with the same story. We left the showers at 8 and Manny didn't come back with us. We were screwing right up until the guards arrived last night so you know nothing, you saw nothing, you heard nothing, except me of course." Faith couldn't resist a lascivious smirk and Willow rolled her eyes.

"I think I understand, I only had eyes and ears for you. Egomaniac."

"You betcha. They won't believe you whatever you say so just keep it simple and don't go in for any fancy embroidery. Remember, they'll check your answers against mine. If we're lucky they will simply accept that she got into some kind of trouble after we left her."

"Okay. What about your other plan." Faith looked blank and Willow rolled her eyes again and prompted. "To get out of here ..... ?"

"That's sort of in development at the moment."

Given the derisory expression spreading over Willow's face, Faith was moderately grateful when the loud banging at the door started and it burst open. Two armed warders rushed in shouting orders.

"On your feet, hands above your heads, against the wall. Spread 'em."

TBC