Visitor
By LandminesLandslides
"You have a visitor," the prison guard said
"Is it Angel again?" Faith asked. Angel had been her only regular visitor in the prison cell that was now her home.
"Some blonde girl," the guard said, "They don't pay me enough to remember their names." Blonde? Faith only knew one blonde girl.
"I'll see her," Faith said reluctantly. She calmly walked over to the communication windows and her eyes confirmed her initial conclusion. She sat down and picked up the phone, watching as Buffy did the same thing.
"You're the last person I expected to see here," Faith remarked, "You come to see the beast locked up in her cage?"
"No," Buffy said, "I came to talk to you."
"I don't see what there is to talk about," Faith said, "You hate me."
"Yeah, I do," Buffy said, "I look at you and I see the person who came after the people that I loved, not to mention that you also took my body for a joyride while I was in your body getting hauled away by the Watcher's Council. You don't really deserve to have me come visit you like this."
"Yeah, I know," Faith said, "You, Red, the others. You guys were my friends. I had a chance to live in the light, but I traded it away for the darkness. I deserve to be here."
"It's a good thing that you can recognize that," Buffy said, "But the reason that I came here isn't to discuss the past."
"Look B, I-"Faith said, but Buffy stopped her.
"Remember what happens if you apologize," Buffy said, "I reach through there and beat you to death. Don't think that little window separating us is going to stop me."
"Fine," Faith said, "No apologies. What did you come here for?"
"I came here because you've also done good things," Buffy said, "When you were in my body, you came to that church to save those people. You didn't have to do that."
"What else was I going to do?" Faith asked.
"You tell me," Buffy said, "What were you planning to do when you found out that those people were in danger?"
"It doesn't matter," Faith said.
"Yes it does," Buffy told her, "You pulled yourself away from something. What was it?"
"Who cares?" Faith said, "One good deed isn't enough to erase the things I did. Even I know that, B."
"I care," she said, "Tell me what you were going to do."
"Fine," Faith said, "I was leaving town okay? I had bought a plane ticket and I was preparing to bail."
"I thought it was something like that," Buffy said, "But you didn't do that. You came to save those people and I can't think of any other reason than because it was the right thing to do."
"Yeah, you're right," Faith said, "That is why I did it, but it doesn't make any difference. Lives saved or no lives saved, I still have innocent blood on my hands."
"You did something else too," Buffy said, "You came here of your own free will. You confessed and in doing that, you saved Angel's life. That's something I can't ignore."
"It doesn't matter B," Faith said, "A couple of isolated good deeds. They didn't change anything. I am who I am. A monster, a vicious beast with a thirst for blood. I'm evil, and I'm prepared to stay in this prison cell until that changes." Buffy looked her in the eyes, scanning for signs of insincerity.
"I believe you," Buffy said, "I'm willing to believe that you're committed to this."
"I am," Faith said, "I'll rot in here for the rest of my life if that's what it takes."
"Glad to hear it," Buffy said, "When you feel that you've changed enough for it, I'll be waiting."
"I thought you didn't believe I can change B," Faith remarked.
"At first I didn't think there was even a small chance," Buffy said, "But I started thinking about it. There might, might be hope for you if you can make it through this. Like I said, I'll be waiting. But I also have something I want to say."
"Lay it on me B," Faith said, "Be brutal."
"As you wish," Buffy answered, "I'm putting a great deal of trust in you here, more than you deserve. If I find out that my trust is misplaced, that this is all part of some con that you're running, there won't be iron bars thick enough or prison guards strong enough to keep me from taking you out. You understand?"
"Loud and clear," Faith said.
"Good," Buffy answered, "Just so there's no confusion: This is the last chance you get from me. If you blow it, there won't be another one. Now it looks like I'm running out of time. I'll see you around, Faith." Faith nodded silently and watched as her former friend turned and left. Faith quietly returned to her cell, not even needing the usual prison guard escort, although the insisted on coming along anyway. Standard procedure, she supposed. Last chance. Two words she'd never expected to hear coming from Buffy. She'd never expected to get another chance from her at all. At that moment, Faith resolved herself. She wouldn't screw this up. She doubted things could ever be like old times again, but maybe when she got out, she could go for some kind of reasonable approximation. Once back in her cell, she flopped down on the bed and imagined the future…and what she imagined made her smile.