Zada
Zada was annoyed. No, not annoyed, infuriated. That stupid Faith girl had come back and talked to Zac about when she'd broken them up. And now they were back together. And Faith had her own place. And Zac had been there. Well that was just not on. Something had to be done about that girl.
The problem at hand. She was a Slayer. Well, Slayers had to go off on all sorts of missions, didn't they? And this particular Slayer had that particular vampire friend in LA. The bad one. Who was now good. Angelus. Maybe it was time to send Faith to LA for awhile, and while she was gone, Zada would just take her place and shake things up. After all, Zac would hate Faith if Zada played her cards right.
Going to a payphone, she dialled the operator and got Faith's number. Grinning evilly, she called Faith and shifted her voice into Angelus's.
"Yo?"
"Faith? It's Angelus."
"Ok."
"I need you in LA for a bit. Um... lots of bad stuff is happening. And yeah. So come now."
"I'm on my way."
Zada hung up triumphantly and watched as Faith came running out of her house. Zada waited until Faith was out of sight, then went to the door and shifted her finger into a master key and opened the door and walked inside.
Faith and Piper
As soon as Faith picked up her phone she knew it wasn't Angel. And the person giving their name as Angelus was a bit of a giveaway too. Plus, Faith and Angel's bond would've let her know if he had turned to Angelus. Still, it didn't hurt to be cautious. Faith left her house and went down to the Manor, figuring if someone wanted her out of Tulsa that badly, they were probably watching her own place, so it was best to play along. She let herself into the Manor.
"Hey Faith!" Piper grinned. "Miss us already?"
"Something like that." Faith explained the story and Piper frowned in confusion, but gestured to the phone.
Faith picked up the handset and dialled the familiar number for Angel Investigations.
"Angel Investigations, we help the helpless. Gunn speaking."
"Gunn, it's Faith. Angel around?"
"Yeah, sure, I'll just get him."
Seconds later, Angel was on the line. "How can I help you, Faith?"
"Did you just call me?"
"No, why?"
Faith told the story again, this time to Angel. When it was over, he assured her that he hadn't called. Faith knew this anyway, so she said goodbye and hung up.
"Hmm." Faith paused. Maybe the person who had broken Zac and her up before, in Faith's body was back again. And if that was true, more than likely, having failed, they would do it again. Acting on a hunch, Faith made her way back to her house just as the sun went down. She could see from the street that her lights were on, and she knew for sure that they hadn't been whyen she left. Obviously someone was in there. But who? Couldn't really be anyone, because she'd locked up and the only person who had a key was herself.
She crept to the window and peered in and saw... herself. Dancing in her living room.
"Ok, this is just creepy."
Faith backed away and headed back to the Manor, deciding she should call Zac and give him the heads up in case he went round to visit her and met the other her. Confusing.
Zada
As soon as Zada stepped into Faith's house, she smelt a combination of things. Zac's cologne. Faith's perfume. That new house/paint smell. Sex. Chicken. She shifted into Faith, just in case anyone decided to stop by. Hopefully Zac would stop by. Then she could break up with him again... but this time, hurt him bad enough for him to need to have sex as a rebound thing. That was where Zada, in her real form, would step in.
She started singing and dancing around in the living room.
"Well the day has come to where I've never thought of anyone
Quite as much as I think of you
As the days go by I never wonder why
I just know it's true..."
She stopped and grinned evilly, running into Faith's room and going through her stuff. She pulled out her clothes.
"I was right, this chick is a slut."
Zada pulled out a black dress and held it against her body. Well, Faith's body. She decided to wear this one when she broke up with Zac.
Faith
Faith walked into the Manor again and explained the full story to Piper, Phoebe and Paige. After she had finished that, she pulled out her cell phone and called Zac. Damn voicemail again.
"Hey Zac, it's Faith. Listen, you know how a few weeks ago someone broke up with you, and you thought it was me, but it wasn't? Well, she's in my house right now. And she tried to get me out of Tulsa, no doubt so could cause trouble in my body. Look, I know this is confusing, but I'm at the Halliwells at the moment. So as soon as you get this message, come to the Manor. I love you."
Zac
It was a couple of hours later before Zac checked his voice mail. He tapped his fingers, considering.
"Or... the impersonator could have been the one who left that message..."
He thought about it some more, but decided that this impersonator wouldn't be go to the Halliwells. A few minutes later he was at the door. On the way, however he had prepared a question, just to be sure.
Piper and Faith
Piper opened the door to see Zac standing there. "Come in. She's through here." Piper led Zac to the living room where Faith was sitting on the couch, whittling a stake.
"Hey Zac." She looked up and smiled.
Zac
Zac eyed Faith suspiciously.
"How do I know you're really you?" he hurried on. "I mean, sorry if you are you, but you know what they say, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me."
Faith and Piper
Faith's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.
"Ok... um. Well... that's a good question and I'm glad you are checking... what would I know that she wouldn't? Oh yeah, we did it in every room of both this house and my house. Is that ok?"
Piper let out a disgusted cry. "Oh geez, I knew you did it in your house... when did you do it in here?"
Faith grinned and Paige sighed. "We kinda kept it from you, thinking you wouldn't be too happy."
"Ew."
Zac
Zac laughed.
"Okay, I'm going to believe you this time," he said with a silly grin. "So, have any ideas?"
Faith
Faith shrugged and motioned for him to join her on the couch.
"Clearly she has something in mind. She'll probably call you or something, I assume, because she tried to trick me into going to LA. So I guess... go over and see what she does?"
Zac
"Well, obviously, she wants to break us up... so maybe I should..." a malicious grin crossed Zac's face. "Maybe I should be evil and go over and when she tries to break up tell her... ooh... I have two ideas now... I could either tell her that I want to be Faith's slave forever or I could threathen to kill myself."
His eyes glittered.
Faith and Zada
Faith put the stake on the table, grabbed Zac's collar, kissed him then released him.
"Hmm, you decide. You're so hot right now... well always... but yeah, you know? You're hot when you're evil."
***
Zada put the dress on and squealed. She was going to make Faith pay for stealing her lover.
She picked up the phone and found Zac's number in Faith's phone book, and dialled for Zac.
Zac
Zac thought it over.
"Nope, I'll go with the suicide thing. Much more fun. And besides, the other method would involve me sleeping with her and I don't think I would want to."
He rubbed his hands together gleefully.
"And anyway, I even think I know how I could make her think I am gonna kill myself."
Then his phone rang.
"Hello?"
Faith and Zada
Zada grinned in delight. "Hey Zac, it's Faith, you wanna come over? I think we need to talk."
***
Faith frowned. "Yeah, I don't want you sleeping with her even if she is me." She looked confused. "Ok, I know what I was trying to say..."
Zac
"Oh sure. In fact I was just on my way over," Zac said.
He hung up and turned to Faith, and kissed her.
"Don't worry, Faithy, I'm not interested in sleeping with another woman. I'll see you soon."
He got up and headed to his van.
Faith and Zada
Faith frowned. "I don't like this. What if I kill him?"
Piper looked at her.
"Oh you know what I mean..."
***
Zada opened the door to see Zac standing there. Before he'd arrived, she'd gone through Faith's stuff, to see if there was anything new about their relationship that she could learn. Turns out... Faith doesn't keep written records. But, Zada knew she looked good in this dress.
"Hey you."
Zac
Zac felt his blood boil (figurative speaking) at the sight of this imposter wearing Faith's clothes. But he made a determined effort not to let it show.
"Hey sweetie," he said, nearly killing himself to call someone else that.
Wow, he didn't think it would be this hard.
Zada, Faith and Piper
Zada grinned and pulled him inside the house.
"You might wanna sit down for this, k love?"
***
Faith paced back and forth until Piper pushed her down on the couch.
"Stop pacing!"
"What if... what if he has to sleep with me. Her. Whatever! Maybe I should go over and watch. Yeah, I'll do that. Yeah."
"Look, we'll take my car and drive over, ok?"
"Ok!" Faith pulled her cell phone out and wrote a text message to Zac saying 'hey we're waiting outside my house in piper's car. be careful. i love you.'
Zac
Zac checked his phone as he sat on the couch.
"Oh, just Tay telling me not to be late getting home," Zac rolled his eyes. "Mom's on the warpath. Again."
He reached over and stroked Zada's cheek.
"She just doesn't get it."
Zada, Faith and Piper
Faith and Piper pulled up outside her house. Faith jumped out and looked into her window. "Piper!" She whispered urgently.
Piper rolled her eyes and hopped out of the car. "What?"
"She's wearing my dress! And she's touching him! That's it, I'm going in."
Piper grabbed her arm. "Faith..."
"Fine."
***
Zada pulled away from Zac and stood up.
"Um look, this really isn't working at all. I don't love you. Because you're too young and to be honest, I've been cheating on you. A lot. Remember all those times I went to LA? Well, I was there sleeping with Angelus's friends. Yep."
Zac
"What? No!" Zac said.
He made the colour look like it was draining from his face by lowering the temperature of it.
"Dang it Faith!" He cried. "Why do you keep doing this to me? You love me, you hate me. I... I..."
Zada, Faith and Piper
"Wow, I'm really breaking his heart," Faith whispered to Piper.
"What?"
"Oh you know what I mean."
"Yeah. I just like being annoying. This is like a soap opera. We should've brought popcorn."
"Wow, I'm a bitch, ain't I? Well, she is."
"The resemblance is uncanny."
***
Zada rolled her eyes, inside her heart breaking for Zac. He looked so sad, why would he be upset about losing Faith? She couldn't be that good. She was a slut. And most likely was cheating on him. She had to be. They couldn't be happy.
"Zac, get over it. You're what? 12? Deal with it. I need someone my age or older. Better looking. Who will treat me better. If you wanna know the truth, you were just around for sex."
Zac
"I was just in it for the sex?" Zac repeated. "Oh, Faith, surely you don't believe that?"
Zac took Zada's hand and looked deep into her eyes.
"Please don't leave me Faith. I couldn't live without you."
Heh, who needs acting lessons?
Zada, Faith and Piper
Zada groaned. This wasn't working. Ok. Let's try again.
She reached out and slapped Zac hard.
"I don't want you. Go away."
***
Faith was about to jump through her window when Piper pulled her back.
"Don't even think about it."
"She hit him!"
Zac
Zac put on the best hurt expression he could muster up.
"I... I..."
He stood up, eyes welling with tears and chewing his lip.
"I won't love anyone but you, Faith, ever. I... I couldn't live..."
He backed towards the kitchen.
Zada
"Zac, you don't love me. And I don't love you. In fact, I can't stand you. Yep, I do. So if you don't mind... go find someone else. Someone younger than you... maybe your age."
Zac
Zac fled into the kitchen and came out with a big, sharp knife. He stared at Zada with a wild look on his face.
"I would rather die than live without you, Faith," Zac said and made as if to stab himself.
Zada
Zada was panicking. Ok this was not good. No, he wouldn't do it.
"No, you don't wanna do that. Besides... I don't care."
Zada made a move to grab for the knife.
Zac
Zac drove the knife towards himself. Just as it tore through his shirt, he melted the metal of the knife and cooled it right after so that it wouldn't burn him. It was a very precise motion and he would have prefered to have practiced beforehand, but no time was no time.
When the knife was down to the hilt, Zac made a gasping noise. He started at Zada, blinked, and started stumbling backwards.
Zada, Faith and Piper
Zada shifted back into her true form and ran to Zac.
"Oh my god, what did you... hey!"
She realised he wasn't bleeding at all.
***
Faith stood up. "That's my cue, right?"
Piper shrugged. "Can I go home?"
"Yeah." Faith went to her front door and kicked it open.
Zac
Zac swiftly grabbed Zada's arm.
"A shape shifter, huh? Well, that's explains a few things. You're sure as hell lucky that I knew you weren't the real Faith otherwise I may have really killed myself!"
He glowered at her and went on as he got up, still gripping Zada's arm.
"You also lucky I don't hit girls."
Faith and Zada
Faith strutted into the room. "Well, lucky I do hit girls then."
Zada looked up worried, but then straightened up, looking confident. "I love a good entrance."
Faith cocked her head. "How are you at death scenes?"
Zada looked scared and tried to back away, but failing because Zac was still holding her arm. "I didn't think that you were..."
Faith advanced on her. "That's right... you didn't think."
Zac
Zac looked from Zada to Faith and back again. He let go of Zada.
"It was you she impersonated," Zac said to Faith, sitting glaring at Zada. "You can deal with her."
Faith and Zada
Faith grabbed Zac and kissed him, then released him and looked savagely at Zada.
"So... you obviously wanted a fight."
"No, I didn't..." Zada looked afraid and turned to Zac, hoping he's step in.
"Well, you impersonated me."
"Yeah, but I..." Zada looked around desperate and when she thought Faith was distracted, she slapped her.
Faith turned and backhanded Zada. "You hurt me, I hurt you. I'm just a little more efficient."
Zada's eyes filled with tears and she looked to Zac for support.
Zac
"What are you looking at me for?" Zac asked.
It was weird but for once he wasn't interested in watching a cat fight. Maybe it was because he had matured beyond that. Or maybe he just knew that Faith would have no problem pounding the shapeshifter into dust and he wasn't really sure he wanted to see someone bashed half to death.
Or maybe a large puddle of mud would have done the trick.
Zada and Faith
"I'm sorry." Zada was crying.
"See, I don't think you are."
"Well... I wouldn't've done it if I didn't think it could work, I mean, honestly, let's think about this, you're younger than her, Zac, you need someone like... well... me."
Faith snorted. "Just get out."
"What?"
"Do you want me to kick your ass? Get out!"
"I'm just... why are you letting me go?"
"Because I don't do that anymore. I'm the good Slayer. So get out before I change my mind."
Zac
Zac said nothing. He didn't even look at Faith or Zada, just walked over to the windows and looked outside.
Zada
Zada got up and looked at the door, then at Zac. She called out suddenly.
"TARYN!"
Taryn teleported in, looking pissed off. Her eyes widened as she grabbed Zada's hand. They ported out.
Zac
"Well, hopefully that's the last we ever see of her," Zac said.
Then he gave Faith a sly grin.
"How's about you and me celebrate?"
Faith
Faith went over to Zac, kissed him gently.
"I say we party... in my room."