Smells Like Teen Spirit

Summary: One thing changes on the path back home for Xander. Begins at the Zeppo episode.

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Willow stared at the wall for a long moment, hoping that she would not speak.

"…When Xander was possessed, he acted on his desires," Faith spoke suddenly, drawing a shudder out of her, "He acted without thought for the consequences, without concern for others save himself."

Faith walked over to Willow, standing above her, and the redhead stared at the wall.

"Freud said that the id was the wanting desire of a person, the thing in us that wants to eat, sleep, and fuck to our hearts' desires," she said, "The hyena is the id…and what you said about both Oz and Xander being yours was your own desire…you want them both."

Faith bent down in front of Willow, getting into her personal space, causing her to back up into her pillow.

"Xander loves you," Faith informed her, "And you left him because you couldn't make up your mind about which one to take. So, you want him available for you, at all times. We have a name back home for girls who do that shit…we call them skanks."

Willow cringed at the accusation, but said nothing.

"You will respect his choices, and you will not try and get him back," Faith said, "The only reason why I'm not telling either Oz or Xander about this is because they'll figure it out on their own."

Faith abruptly moved away from her, walking back to the door.

"You have Oz," Faith said, her back turned to her, "For however long he lasts. Be happy with that much."

"…Xander's not yours," Willow said weakly, trying to attack her.

Faith shrugged and said, "No, he's not. But he'll never be yours."

She opened the door and walked outside.

"He's too good for you," she closed the door behind her, leaving Willow to her thoughts and tears.

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Buffy walked back into school that Monday, tired, but happy. Willow seemed to have come to terms with Xander and Faith's…whatever it was, and she had recommitted herself to Oz, which pleased the musician to no end. Xander had been spending most of his time with Faith, which Buffy thought was very good for both of them. They seemed…happier together, not quite buddy-buddy happy, and not quite 'love' happy either. Either way, they were good for each other, and it made her happy to see that.

"Ah, Buffy," Giles greeted her that morning, his face bruised still from the fight that had ensued, "How are you doing after last week's events?"

"Pretty good," Buffy said with a smile, jumping to sit upon the counter where Giles was organizing his card catalogue, "Considering that we were all drugged up to our eyeballs for almost half a day."

"Indeed" Giles replied, frowning at that, "I must say, for hyenas they had a rather inventive plan to go from."

"Eh, all I know is that they were dead, and are dead now," Buffy said with a grin, "Except for that one girl, Heidi. What happened to her?"

"She fled after the battle, we believe," Giles said, "I suspect we've seen the last of her for a while."

"Yeah, most likely," Buffy agreed, coming off the counter as she did so, "So, wanna train?"

"Oh, must we," Giles asked with a childlike angst.

"Yep," Buffy said, far too perkily, "I'm very rested from that drug, and I need to burn off some excess energy. Break out the pads!!"

"Oh, God," Giles moaned, dreading the workout his arms and chest were about to receive.

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"What're we eating today," Faith asked with a grin as she hopped into Xander's car.

"Something that won't make my jaw or nose hurt," Xander said with a moan, "I'm still sore from Jack's punches, and I don't have Slayer healing."

"Oh, poor baby," Faith cooed, "Want me to kiss it and make it better?"

"That depends on what you intend to kiss," Xander said with a smirk.

"Whoa," Faith laughed, "Nice comeback from the X-man."

"I try," Xander replied, sighing as he did so, "Hey, Faith, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, what's up," Faith said, curious.

"Well, um," he seemed nervous now, and that made Faith all the more curious, "There's this dance going on at the Bronze next week, and little thing they're doing for Valentine's day, and I was wondering if you'd…maybe…wanna go…with me?"

Faith stared at him for a moment, causing him to squirm slightly, before shrugging and saying, "Sure."

"Really," Xander said in disbelief.

Faith moved quickly, got into his face, and laid a quick but steamy kiss on his lips, saying, "Really really."

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Heidi woke up with a groan. She had made it to the outskirts of Sunnydale when she had been cornered by a group of vampires. She had managed to dust three of them, but the last four had taken her down. Now, as she examined her surroundings, she saw that she was in a large office, with pictures of politicians and all sorts of official looking documents on the wall.

"It was once said that children are the future," she looked up at the desk and saw, to her surprise, Mayor Richard Wilkins, "I see the way children act today, and I shudder at the future."

"What is this," Heidi snarled at him, "What do you want!?"

"Children have no respect for their elders in this day and age," Wilkins said from behind his desk, looking down on her, "Now, this is not just a problem with the children, nor is it entirely their fault either. Parents are supposed to discipline their children, to teach them and guide them on the road to adulthood."

"What the fuck is this-" she started again, only to be backhanded by some invisible force, sending her to the floor.

"Children are not wise," Wilkins went on as though she had said nothing, "They are stupid, but this isn't of their own doing. Parents fail their children far too often in today's world. Your parents failed you, and now look at you. A murderer, and urchin, wasted potential on the streets, trying to gain petty vengeance."

Wilkins stood up from his desk and walked around to her, and Heidi shrank back in fear, knowing that he had more power than he let on.

"Oh, it's ok," Wilkins said, squatting down in front of her and lying a gentle hand on her face, smiling as he did so, "You've been given a great opportunity here. You can change yourself for the better. And you can kill them all, and fulfill your potential."

"Kill them," Heidi whispered, not daring to believe what she was hearing.

"Yes," Wilkins smiled that same smile again, "I'm offering you a place at my side, a job, if you will. Imagine it, Ms. Barrie…gainful employment, a pension plan, an apartment paid in my name…along with Mr. Harris's and his friends' heads on platters."

"I like the sound of that," Heidi said, her stomach growling.

"I know," Wilkins said with a grin, "Now, what do you say, my dear? Do you accept my offer?"

Heidi stared up at him for a long moment, then she smiled a hungry smile.

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A/N: I didn't think this one would go into another part, but it did. Sorry about how long this one took, but it took a long while to write itself.