Nasedo turned to face the new threat and paled when he saw what was coming towards him. He had no time to prepare before the vampire was on him.

Isabel watched, horrified, as the two grappled and lurched about the room. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't be. She glanced at Valenti who had pressed himself against a wall and was holding another gun, clearly not sure who to shoot. The stranger who had attacked Nasedo was… What was he? At first she thought it was just his expression, that she'd been startled by his arrival and overreacted, but that wasn't it. His face was twisted into some kind of gruesome, feral mask.

Nasedo finally managed to place a hand against the stranger's chest.

"AAAauwk!" His attacker hit the ground, mouth open wide in shock and pain, but not dead. He writhed on the ground making strangled noises. Nasedo didn't have time to gloat though.

A gout of white gas caught him in the face and another stranger, a shorter man in glasses and a suit followed up on his advantage. "You're not the only one who can 'bring the heat' demon!" He carried what looked like an insecticide canister, but it was wrapped in heavy towels and looked like it had been modified in some way.

"Sheriff!" Isabel called from the kitchen door and waved him over out of the line of fire. He made his way quickly, apparently having realized he was out of his depth. "What the hell's going on?" she demanded.

"You're asking me?" he glanced at her incredulously. Isabel leaned out of the door, trying to determine what the man was doing to Nasedo. Whatever it was it was working. The shape-shifter was staggering, coughing violently and wheezing. Isabel sniffed the air, but there was no scent. The temperature in the room had risen slightly though. She gasped and drew back in sudden realization. "Steam!"

"What?" Valenti looked from Isabel, who was backing away across the kitchen to the bizarre battle going on in the front room. "What about steam?"

"How did he know? He's killing Nasedo."

"With a portable sauna?"

***********************************************************************

Faith drew a shuddering breath and sat up slowly. "I'm alive," she sounded as if she didn't believe it. Not merely incredulous, but bordering on sarcastic, her tone made Max smile.

"Yes, you're alive."

"But I was-. I'm sure I was… Why else would-?" She glanced at Liz, who was sitting on her heels looking dazed. "Liz? That's your name right?" Liz nodded dumbly and Max looked between the two, confused.

"Do you two know each other?"

"Yeah," Liz nodded as she got shakily to her feet and helped Faith up. "We do." Before either Faith or Max could say more there was a new commotion inside. They ran to the window and looked in.

"What is he doing here?" Faith asked, shocked at seeing her former Watcher squaring off with the thing that had just killed her. He wasn't doing too badly it seemed. The demon was staggering, barely able to hold it's feet. Then Spike was there.

"Now, now," He seized Nasedo and held him still. "Take deep breaths mate. It's good for the sinuses." He spotted Faith as she stepped through the window followed by Liz. Max hesitated outside. "Faith! You're alive!"

"Looks that way." She nodded at Spike's prisoner. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all." He threw the weakening creature in her direction. Faith seized him by the shirtfront and shook him hard enough to rattle his teeth, then she reconsidered.

"Here Liz. Your first." She shoved Nasedo toward the still dazed girl.

"What? I-I don't..."

"You know how. You remember."

It was as if Liz was watching from outside herself, but was still able to know and feel everything that was happening. She felt the bone in his jaw almost shatter at the force of her blow. Seizing him in a choke hold as he spun around she gave his neck a short, violent twist, then released him. Slowly, Nasedo toppled to the ground, dead.

Liz stood for a moment looking down at him before it penetrated her mind exactly what had just happened. An almost instinctive reaction. Where had that come from? She wondered as her knees gave way and she started to lose consciousness. She wasn't sure if Max caught her or not.

He almost didn't. Slow in reacting, shocked by what they'd all just seen he barely caught her and lowered her to the ground. He looked up at Faith. "What happened? Why? How?"

"Well, well," the pale man in the duster chuckled as he looked down at Max. "It looks like your girl friend was right." He turned to Faith. "You were dead. So," he glanced back at Max, puzzled. "What does that make you?"

"Not human, clearly," Wesley pushed his glasses up his nose. "Are you of the same species as this one?"

"Um, not exactly." He didn't see any point in pretense, given that he'd healed the one called Faith and everyone present knew it. "What about you two? What is this about?" The tall, pale man leaned over and sniffed curiously, ignoring his question. Max wanted to step away from him but would not leave Liz.

"Hmph, smells sort of like the dead one, but there's human in him too. A half-breed." He shrugged dismissively. Max and Isabel stared at him, uncomprehendingly, and Valenti looked back and forth between Max and the stranger.

"That true?" Valenti asked at length.

"Not exactly. There's a lot we don't understand about it. What about Liz?" he demanded, changing the subject and getting back to what concerned him most. "What just happened?"

"Well," Wesley said after a moment. "We shouldn't jump to conclusions. It is entirely possible that-"

"No conclusions to jump to Wes," Faith interrupted. "We had us a long talk." She tapped the side of her head. "Up here. I've done that before, made a connection like that, but only with another Slayer."

"Slayer?!" Max demanded. He looked down at Liz, who was beginning to regain her senses, and helped her up. "What are you talking about? Why did-"

"Don't yell at me," Faith groused. "It's his fault." She nodded at Valenti. "I could have taken him if Wyatt Earp here hadn't distracted me." She glared at him. "Hope you're happy. Not only did that hurt more than you would believe, but you've screwed up her life too."

"What are you talking about?" Then he remembered who he was talking to and stepped forward with a pair of handcuffs.

"Oh. Right." Faith made a face, but much to everyone's surprise, held out her wrists. Valenti turned her around and cuffed her wrists behind her.

"Faith?" Wesley looked startled.

"Hey, don't look so surprised Wes. I only broke out when those Council slugs tried to kill me. Now you can get 'em off my back. Just tell them what happened here." When he blinked, not immediately understanding she rolled her eyes. "Wake up Wes. Tell them I died." His face cleared.

"Ah, of course. That would satisfy them."

"Bloody hell," Spike muttered. "What am I supposed to do?" Several pairs of eyes turned toward the vampire. Spike was actually pouting at the loss of his playmate.

"Shrivel up and die?" the ex-Watcher suggested shooting him a disgusted look. Spike matched it with one of his own.

"And just what is your story?" Valenti looked at Spike. Things were moving way to fast for him. He felt what little control he had over the situation slipping away. "What planet are you from?" Spike burst out laughing.

"He isn't an alien," Wesley interrupted with a slight smile. "He's a demon, vampire to be specific. To the best of my knowledge there are no 'little green men.'" Before Valenti or anyone else could comment on this they were interrupted.

"Oh my God! What is this?!" Everyone turned to see Philip and Diane Evans staring at the scene in their living room in open-mouthed horror.

"Hi mom." Max said, starting to feel as overwhelmed as the sheriff. The man in the duster laughed.

"Oh this just gets better and better!"

"Shut up Spike," Liz and Faith said in unison, then glanced at each other, surprised and a little disturbed.

"Mom, dad, just try to stay calm," Isabel started. "Everything is-"

"Calm?" her father interrupted incredulously. "There's a dead… thing on the carpet!" Everyone looked down at once. In the confusion they had actually managed to forget about Nasedo and had completely missed the point where his body reverted to its natural appearance.

For a long time no one said anything. Finally Faith let out a sigh, summing up the situation for everyone. "Well. This sucks."

"Oh?" Wesley asked as he studied the corpse with a detached, clinical interest.

"I hear sirens." That got everyone's attention.

"Oh dear."

"What is going on here?!" Philip Evans demanded turning to the Sheriff.

"Ah, well."

"He's here to arrest me," Faith spoke up. She nodded toward the corpse on the floor. "I'm here to kill him." She looked down at the body. "I don't know why he was here. The sirens are getting closer. Um, listen up. Girl with a plan. Mr. Evans, do you want your living room turned into a circus? FBI, media and UFO nuts in general?" Philip Evans shook his head dumbly.

"Then," Max interrupted, "maybe we should get rid of that?" Faith nodded and Spike grinned.

"Right! A rousing game of hide the corpse." Faith rolled her eyes.

"Spike, stop being an ass and help Wesley get close-encounters-boy there into the closet." Spike obligingly picked up Nasedo by the shoulders while Wesley grabbed his legs.

"I don't think that's legal is it Phil?" Diane Evans looked, like most of the Roswell residents, dazed and confused.

"Maybe not Mrs. Evans," Liz said looking at her meaningfully. "But it's better than what the FBI will do to everyone here if he," she nodded toward the body disappearing into the closet, "is found here." Her voice trembled slightly as she remembered what Pierce had put Max through. Diane looked at her questioningly, but saw that, for whatever reason, the notion terrified the girl.

"O-okay honey." She patted Liz' shoulder comfortingly and glanced at her husband, who was only slightly more in command of his faculties. He glanced at her and nodded. "So what do we tell-" She remembered the sheriff and looked at him.

"Easy," Faith said. "Tell them I busted up the place when he tried to arrest me."

"That's believable," Wesley said bitterly as he closed the closest door, ignoring Spike's indignant "Hey!" as the sirens turned the corner up the street. Faith looked at him and then at the ground.

"Wes. I-I'm r-"

"Don't. Don't you dare apologize." His voice was calm and level, but the way he glared at his former Slayer made her swallow her words.

"She is." Liz came back momentarily from the dream world she'd been drifting through. With an effort she came back from her exploration of the newly acquired memories and met the ex-Watcher's eyes. "She really is sorry for what she did to you." Liz shuddered and looked at Faith a little fearfully. "It wasn't about you."

"What do you mean?" Wesley wasn't sure whether to be confused or offended.

"It was Angel." Liz concentrated a moment, ignoring or unaware of the strange looks she was garnering. "She knew hurting you would make him angry. She wanted him angry. She wanted him to-."

"Stop it! I gave you those when I thought I was dying. Just stop it!" Now the looks were moving back and forth between Liz and Faith. Max put his arms around Liz and she gratefully accepted his comfort. It was almost a relief when the sheriff's deputies arrived.

Valenti did an admirable job, with Wesley's help, of filling in the deputies. They hustled Faith into a squad car, only puzzling briefly when Faith looked back at Wesley and said, "Don't forget what you agreed. Tell the Council I'm dead." The sheriff said he would explain later and that he would finish up taking statements.

"Okay," he looked around the room when the car pulled away. "Want to tell me what's going on?"

"Better question," came a muffled voice. "Does someone want to let me the hell out of here?" Isabel opened the door and Nasedo tumbled to the floor. Spike didn't bother stepping over him as he came out. "What the hell's the idea?"

"Well you did say 'hide the corpse,'" Wesley reminded him.

"Ha bleedin' ha."

The Evans' just looked at each other. What was that about? "What's that supposed to mean?" Philip Evans asked.

"Not important right now," Wesley stepped forward, trying to make himself the center of attention. "At the moment, what is important is seeing that this creature is properly disposed of." He took to studying the body while he talked.

"There is only a little information on this species. The contention that they are aliens does not surprise me. In fact, it may be possible. The earliest account of them is only 103 years old. Shape-shifters or not, one would expect more encounters and thus more information if they had evolved here. Given the incredible diversity of sentient races on this planet however, it is not impossible that they've been… lost in the shuffle."

"What do you mean? What diversity?" Max asked, saving his parents from having to do so.

"He means demons," Spike said, "like me." He changed his face and everyone backed away from him slowly, all except Liz and Max. "There's a lot more walkin' around on this planet wearin' human faces than just little green men you know." He was looking at Max when he said this for some reason. Max kept his face stony, revealing nothing.

"Don't be afraid of him," Liz said glancing at the others. "He can't hurt anyone."

"How do you know?" Diane Evans asked.

"Faith gave me her memories. Don't ask," she quickly added. "I don't understand it myself. But I remember that Spike's been neutered." The vampire winced at the term. "He can't bite anyone or even hit. A vampire that can't hurt humans is.."

"Reduced to an irritant?" Wesley suggested.

"Hang on a minute. Can we get back to the Slayer part?" Valenti asked. "What is that about? What's going to happen to Miss Parker?"

"Nothing." Wesley straightened and smiled. "If you have all of Faith's memories, then you know that there is already an active Slayer. A very effective one I might add." Liz nodded. "I see no reason to involve you in a Slayer's traditional duties, and certainly, I see no reason to let the Council know about you."

"I don't want you to." Liz accessed Faith's memories of the Council and shuddered. "I mean, I know what Faith knows and I… I don't want that life, any part of it."

"Understandable. The path a Slayer walks is difficult and dangerous. If I can spare you that, I will."

"Who says she's gonna have a choice?" Spike snorted. "Have you forgotten those Council blokes'll start lookin' for her as soon as they hear Faith died?"

"I know the Council's methods. There is a fairly simple way of warding her."

"Wouldn't be doin' her any favors. Slayer is a magnet for trouble." He gave her a look that was almost sympathetic. "It'll come lookin' for you whether you're ready or not." Liz' eyes widened fearfully and she looked at Max who tightened his grip and looked at the ex-Watcher questioningly.

Wesley sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, Spike has a point."

"Meaning what?" Max asked. She had stayed close to him since she had killed Nasedo, happy to have his arms around her. Now she pressed closer, as if she never intended to leave the circle of his arms and the protection they offered.

"Meaning," Spike rolled his eyes. "You're going to have to be ready to fight."

"That's my business," Valenti told the vampire coldly. "I won't have civilians-"

"By a Slayer's standards mate, you are a civilian."

"He's right," Wesley said, and winced at having to agree with the vampire again. "You aren't equipped to deal with the things that a Slayer faces on a daily basis."

"Daily?!" Liz squeaked.

"Come here Liz, and I'll show you what I mean." He moved across the room apparently intent on some item on the bookshelf. After a moment's hesitation Liz moved away from Max, though it was the last thing she wanted to do. Philip, Diane, and the sheriff were talking in low tones, so they missed what happened next. Their attention was drawn back to the scene by a loud clap and startled cry.

"Hey!" Max cried and was across the room in an instant, his fist driving into the ex-Watcher's gut. Wesley doubled over gasping and Max turned to find Liz staring at the knife held between her palms, inches from her face.

Wesley found himself shoved back against the mantel. "What did you do that for? You trying to kill her?!"

"Of course not," Wesley gasped. "Merely proving a point."

"Proving a point?" Liz said incredulously. "You threw a knife at me!"

"Hilt first," he pointed out. "And you caught it." The knife was suddenly buried in the mantel, half an inch from his head. "Good shot." Max stared at Liz, as did everyone else.

"Why did I do that?" Liz' eyes were fixed on the tiny distance between the knife and his cheek. She hadn't wanted to kill him, just frighten him the way he'd frightened her. The action had seemed to follow automatically.

"Instinct dear girl," Spike said smiling. "Violence is what being a Slayer is all about. Also I suspect Faith's influence may have something to do with it." He sighed. "She would have made a fine vampire. A real blood lust that one has. Slave to her impulses, sort of like my dear Dru."

"Shut up Spike," Wesley said testily as he straightened his suit and addressed Liz. "If nothing else, you're going to have to learn to control your reflexes. You didn't even think about throwing that knife did you?"

"No." Her voice was weak, scared and Max again folded her in his arms. "I don't want this."

"Too bad," Spike sneered. His tone immediately annoyed her and she seemed to perk up as she focused on him. "No one asked me if I wanted a bloody chip in my head that keeps me from killing humans," Spike pointed out, then stopped as he saw everyone staring at him. "What?" He shrugged off their baffled looks and continued. "The point is, it's there and I have to deal with it. You don't see me crying in my beer about what I can't change." Liz considered that for a moment and nodded reluctantly. Rude as he was, the vampire was making sense, then something jumped out at her from Faith's memory.

"What were you doing when Faith found you in L.A.?"

"Hey. I may have been suicidally depressed and drunk out of my gourd, but I was NOT crying."

"I don't understand any of this," Philip Evans said to no one in particular. "Let me see if I can get the facts straight." He moved around the room. He stopped in front of Spike.

"You're a vampire, like Dracula." Spike rolled his eyes, but nodded, making a show of exaggerated patience. "You drink blood. You're vulnerable to sunlight, crosses and stakes." Again Spike nodded.

"Don't forget holy water and beheading," Wesley added helpfully. Philip nodded and moved on.

"Faith is a Slayer."

"Vampire Slayer," the ex-Watcher added. "Although she kills any type of demon that threatens humans."

"And now, in some way, Liz has become one too." Spike nodded.

"Ya see, when one Slayer is killed, another is activated. Very efficient actually."

"When did Faith die?"

"Just a few minutes ago." Wesley saw Max tense and decided to edit events a bit. "Slayers heal quickly and completely. Being knocked through the window would have only annoyed Faith. They're very hard to kill. I'm guessing that this fellow," he indicated Nasedo's body, "did something specifically intended to stop her heart." He smiled at Max. "Your son is quite resourceful. This would make the second time CPR has revived a 'deceased' Slayer."

Philip Evans turned to his son and smiled, his pride evident. Max just nodded, careful not to show his relief. "What about… that." He looked at the corpse as if it might get up and attack them, maintaining a safe distance. "Is he a demon or an alien?" Spike shrugged.

"When they act like that does it matter? Alien, demon, whatever. He's a corpse now."

"Indeed, this creature has killed two people that we know of, and probably many more."

"All right then," he was more than happy to leave the subject lie. "What's your story?" He looked at the man who'd just thrown a knife at his son's girlfriend. Wesley took a deep breath.

"Until recently I was a member of the Watcher's Council. It is the Council's duty to find and train Slayers and to provide them with the knowledge they need to do their jobs effectively. A Slayer needs to know how to kill a vampire, zombie, Ferral demon or what have you, before actually taking one on. It is our duty to protect the Slayer as best we can by ensuring that they are ready for the battles they will fight."

"You were a Watcher you said."

"Yes," he sighed. "The Council and I had a difference of opinion." He shook his head sadly, reflecting on the memory. "I told them Buffy would react badly if they refused to help save Angel, but they didn't listen. Then they blamed me when she quit. Actually, I was quite happy to pass on her last message to them." Spike eyed him curiously, not having heard this part of the story before.

"What message was that?" the vampire asked.

"Bite me." Spike burst out laughing.

"So now you work for a P.I.?" Valenti finished, eyeing the still chortling vampire cautiously. Wesley nodded.

"That's right."

"What does this have to do with Liz?" Max demanded. "What's happened to her?"

"We covered that," Spike rolled his eyes. "Don't worry though," he said before Max could respond. "I've been thinking on it." He looked back and forth between Wesley and Liz. Neither one liked the look on his face. It was almost as if they could see the light bulb over his head. "I think maybe I'll stay in Roswell a while. Help her find her feet."

"What?!" Wesley stared, shocked. "What makes you think I would allow that?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe the fact that you can't prevent it? Chip or no chip you're no match for me. If I feel like staying and seeing that the little gel doesn't fall on her first stake, there's nothing you can do about it."

"Maybe there's something I can do?" The knife was airborne again. Spike caught it negligently, and Liz stared at her hands. They had acted almost of their own volition. She began to tremble violently, terrified at the thought of not being able to control her own reactions.

"Next time, write me a letter you're going to do that. It'll come as more of a surprise. Oh and this is a knife, not a stake. Stab a vampire with this and all you'll get is a pissed off demon." He looked down at the blade. "Make that a pissed off demon with a knife. You need me." Liz looked at the ground, unable to muster any type of argument.

"You've made your point Spike, but you can't expect that Angel will take this sitting down."

"He doesn't have to know." He saw the look on Wesley's face and shrugged. "If he has a better idea, I'm open to suggestions. Why don't you toddle back to La la land and ask him? Maybe he'll have you train her." Spike snapped his fingers and shook his head. "Oh that's right. Look what happened to the last Slayer you trained. I suppose you could always call the Council."

"I think Spike's right." All eyes in the room turned to Liz.

"Liz, he's a vampire. Even if he can't hurt anyone isn't he… y'know evil?" Liz nodded, acknowledging Isabel's objection, but she looked determined.

"Doesn't mean he's not right. If I can't learn control I'll hurt people without meaning to. I couldn't stand that. I think I could learn a few things from him." Spike gave her a genuine smile.

"Absolutely. I can help you with that control. I can teach you to fight. Teach you all I know about demons and magic and such, and I can piss off a few old acquaintances by doin' a really good job at it." He was warming to the idea quickly. "This'll be fun and it'll really annoy that great poof Angel. Imagine his reaction when he finds out. At age 127 William the Bloody changes professions. Goes from killin' Slayers," his grin widened at Wesley's incredulous expression, "to training them."