When Xander finally returned, Giles was very skeptical. "Were you followed Xander?" "No, I checked and double checked. I realized what a stupid idea it was to leave the hideout. I've been overly paranoid ever since. I'm pretty sure no one followed.", Xander said. Giles was good at spotting a lie, and Xander didn't seem to be lying. The problem was though, he could believe he was telling the truth, but just be mistaken. Giles decided to risk it. He needed this

base. It was time to stop worrying and get back to business. "I'm guessing that Mesmotto is either on his way to, or already in Sunnydale.", Giles said. Xander looked on attentively. Giles noticed something. "Mesmotto must be stopped", he said. "Yeah, no kidding", Xander answered. "Mesmotto", Giles said again. "Yeah?", Xander replied confused. Giles heart dropped. Someone had been in his head. Someone had

removed the trigger to say "My name is Xander Harris, and I'm insecure with my masculinity" that Buffy had installed earlier. Giles froze. "Xander, you've been hypnotized by someone, haven't you?", he asked in fear. Xander smiled a big dopey grin, "Oh yeah, actually I have. Faith was at my apartment. I'm her slave now. She didn't follow me though" Giles was livid with himself for allowing such a crisis.

His self loathing was interrupted by a tapping at the window. He turned to see the source of the noise. Much to his displeasure, it was Faith. Giles knew he was in for a battle of the mind. He could try to run, but it probably wouldn't work. Xander would try to stop him. He wouldn't be able to, but he would slow him down enough to allow Faith to spring into action. Giles had no chance of beating a slayer in hand to hand combat. He had to concentrate, and stay mentally

tough. Faith stared him down as she opened the window. He felt chills go up his spine. She looked different than the last time he saw her. She was less like a troubled young girl and more like a seductive, sensuous, beautiful woman. Giles noticed a stirring in his pants as he watched her cat like movements. NO!, he thought. He couldn't let himself think like that, he had to be tough. He closed his eyes tight, looking at Faith's beautiful body would only assist in bringing him under.

"Well, well, it seems like the stuffy old British Gentlemen is sporting some wood", Faith taunted as she started to enter. "I won't let your charms affect me Faith", Giles said. "Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?", she asked. She knew how to get to people. "You know, I was thinking today about the last time we hung out...", Faith said, "You left me at a hideout, as you tried to take your precious Buffy to a safer place."

Faith took off her mink jacket and gleefully strolled around the room. Xander watched in total adoration. Giles tried not to watch at all. "I'm sorry you got captured Faith, that was not my intent", Giles said, he meant it too. "Please, Gi-Gi, don't apologize, it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Having Mesmotto take me, being his slave, it was the biggest high ever .... for a while. I'm not sure if I still want to go that route

at this point, but I'll tell you one nice bi-product of my time with him.... I've developed some kick ass hypnotic powers!", Faith said, even though she knew Giles was already aware of that fact. Giles was struck by what she said. Mesmotto's influence seemed to be wearing off. Why was that? Buffy had been trying so hard to shake him, and it seemed to be getting tougher all the time. Faith was rebellious, but Giles didn't think that she was any

Giles eyes were still slammed shut, so he couldn't see the look on Faith's face. It wasn't anger, it was sadness. Faith had cornered the man, about to either kill him or enslave him... either way ending life as he knew it. Yet, in the face of this personal danger, all he could think about was helping and protecting Buffy. He loved that girl so much. Faith had never had someone care about her like that. As it had all her life, Faith's sadness quickly changed to anger, and jealousy.

"We'll see how much you care about her in a minute", Faith said with scorn. She decided it was time to launch a hypnotic attack. "Giles, I want you to relax and hear my voice inside your mind. No matter how much you try to fight it, my voice is seeping inside your mind, relaxing you with each word. My words create suggestions and feelings you can not resist. I want you to imagine two ropes on each of your eyelids. They are attached to a pulley

at your eyebrows. With each number I count, those ropes start pulling on your eyelids, opening your eyes. 1 feeling the strain, 2 starting to open, 3 pulling, 4 starting to see, 5 halfway open, 6 looking at me, 7 looking at me, 8 seeing me, 9 seeing only me, 10 your eyes are open, and you see only me. You can not look away.", Faith said. Giles' eyes were indeed open now, and Faith was all he could see. He knew he was going down, but he wouldn't go down without a fight.

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