"Waiting All My Life"
Disclaimer: I don't own it.
Pairings: Buffy/Faith; Willow/Oz; Xander/Anya
Summary: Takes place at the beginning of season 4, except they are already in college. Buffy and Faith sharing a house with Willow and Oz. Xander lives off campus in his own apartment with Anya. This is in place of The Freshen and all them up until…Wild at Heart. ITALIC/BOLDTHOUGHT; ITALICSPAST
AN: First Buffy/Faith story…R&R
Chapter 1: Blast From the Past
Buffy's house
There was something about being in love that make a person feel happy, and finally at peace with themselves. Almost like they have finally finished their lives work or something. Well at least that was the case for one Faith Spencer. She had never had anything. Well not until she moved to Sunnydale, California. Her dad had abandoned her when she was seventeen so she moved away. From Boston, that's where she used to live. And she feared that if she continued to live there she would run into him again and she never wanted that to happen. So she moved somewhere he would never go, a place she knew he had never heard of.
That place was Sunnydale. It was a small town about a mile or so outside of L.A. It's a small town, not a lot of people and it was homey. Everything her Faith hated. So she knew that he would never come her looking for her. She came to Sunnydale with no money, with no way of protecting herself. And that's how she met the love of her life…Buffy Summer. She was walking the town late one night, which she later found out was a bad idea, and that's when two guys out of nowhere jumped her. She was screaming and yelling trying to get someone's attention from the alley that they had dragged her into. But no one answered, which was strange. Either people didn't care or they had learned to not listen to the scream, she later found out that it was the later reason.
She thought it was the end of her that she wasn't going to make it out of the alley. That's until someone came in and grabbed the guys off of her. They were gone in a matter of seconds and standing above her was her savor. A blonde girl with the most beautiful hazel green eyes she had ever since, and she even found out if you looked in the right direction her eyes were brown. She was wearing a black leather jacket with a white t-shirt underneath and some jeans with holes in them. The fashionable holes not the ones that pants get when they're old. Everything from that night on was amazing. After she had met Buffy her entire life had change. She had learned about vampire and demons and even slayers. Later on she found out that she was also destined to be a slayer. Unfortunately she had to find this out when Buffy was killed by the Master, yet she was only dead for a second it was still long enough for her to be called. She finally felt like she belonged somewhere.
Faith was sitting on the couch in her new house, the house she shared with her love Buffy, Willow, and Oz. She was studying for one of her tests tomorrow. They had started college about month or so ago and she had her first test and to say she was nervous would be an understatement. Buffy and Willow were at the library studying, since they were in the same class they figured they could study together. Oz was with his bad practicing and he told them all that he didn't know when he would be home. Fait had decided to stay at home and study, she figured it would be easier for her to concentrate.
Faith said up on the couch and set her papers down on the table. She ran her fingers through her hair as she looked down at the paper. The words were starting to blend together as she looked at her notes. "Looks like it's time for a break," she said as she got up off the couch. She walked around the coffee table and made her way into the kitchen. Their kitchen wasn't that big since none of the really did any cooking. There was an island with a couple chairs around in but that was about it. Along with a refrigerator, a sink and a stove. They didn't have any cupboards or anything. So they ended up storing all their stuff on selves.
Faith walked past the island over to the shelves that held all the chips. She reached up onto the third shelve and grabbed a bag of Ranch Doritos. They were he favorite so Buffy always ended up buying at least three bags every other week. Faith then walked over to the fridge and grabbed a can of diet Pepsi. She grabbed her bag and her pop and made her way back over to the couch. Just as she was about to sit down her cell phone rang. When she looked at the caller ID, she noticed that it was a number she didn't know. So she proceed to hit the side of her cell phone that muted the ringer and she just let it go to voicemail. After all if she knew them they would leave a message and she would return it.
She reached over and grabbed her bag of chips and opened them. She took one and popped it into her mouth then she set the bag down beside her. She then took her can of pop and opened it. She took a sip and then set it on the table next to her phone. She then grabbed her noted and started to read them again. Just as she was getting back into the studying mode her cell phone rang again and when she looked at the ID she noticed that it was the same number from before. Deciding to forget and just study she hit the mute button once again. After a few minutes of silence the phone started ringing again and once again it was the same number. "What the hell?" Faith asked herself as she looked at her phone.Maybe it's Buffy calling from a different line…but that wouldn't make since I bought her, her own cell phone last Christmas.
She picked up her phone and flipped it open. She looked at the number again seeing if it would ring a bell but again nothing. "Hello?" she asked in an uncertain voice when she answered the phone.
"Hello is this Faith Spencer?" The voice asked and Faith said nothing instead she sat on the phone in silence. For some reason the voice on the other end of the phone made a chill run down her spin. "Hello is anyone there?" The voice asked when Faith didn't answer.
"Yeah sorry," Faith said after yet another pause. "Who is this looking for Faith?" she asked as she pretended she was someone else. "This is her roommate I could give her a message for you," she lied into the phone. She didn't know whom this person was and she was more than sure she didn't want to.
"Do you happen to know when Faith would be back?" The voice asked. "It is very urgent that I speak with her." The voice added after a pause.
Faith almost felt like telling the person that she was Faith and that she wanted to know what was so urgent about this phone call but she decided against it. "No I'm sorry I don't. But if you leave your name and number I'll make sure she calls you as soon as she gets home," Faith said into her phone. She was more that nervous about this person. She reached over to the coffee table and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. She wanted to know who this person was.
"Sure okay," the voice said and then they paused. "My name is William Spencer. I am Faith's father and I'm calling in regards to her mother." Faith froze. She didn't know what to say or what to do. This man had abandoned her a long time ago. He is the reason when she had to live on her own for months on end until she met Buffy and her friends. He is the reason she was deprived good father figure. "Hello are you still there miss?" he asked.
"Yeah I'm here," Faith said as she looked at the paper with her father's name on it. She didn't even remember writing it. "Your number please so she can call you back," she said into the phone. She didn't know if he could tell that her voice sounded shaky and nervous. She wondered if he knew that it was really her. She hated this guy with a passion but she loved and missed her mother.
"Okay the number is 555-1593," he said into the phone. "Now it is very important that Faith gets this message. Her mother is very ill and she wants to see her. We are here in Sunnydale and it would be nice to hear her voice." He paused after saying that and Faith didn't even know if she could move. Her mother was ill. That must be when she never returned from grandmas after my thirteenth birthday party. I always thought that it was just because she and dad were fighting and later on getting a divorce. I always thought she would come back for me but she never came. "And what's your name miss?" he asked when Faith didn't say anything.
Faith hesitated. She didn't know what to say, she didn't know if she should tell him that it was her and that she wanted to know which hospital they were at. Even though Sunnydale was a small town they did have two hospitals because of all the deaths and injuries. "My name…" she paused again and then smiled as only one name came to mind. "My name is Buffy Summers," she lied.
"Great thanks a lot Buffy…but I was just wondering something. Why are you answering Faith's cell phone?" he asked and Faith froze again. Was she busted?
"Because she forgot it here," Faith said with a smirk. "She leave the thing everywhere I'm more than surprised that she hasn't had to buy a new one yet," she said with a smile. It was the truth she did leave her phone everywhere. "Don't worry Mr. Spencer I'll make sure Faith gets your message," she said hurriedly.
"Oh please its Will, any friend of Faith's is a friend of mine," he said. "And thank you. Buh bye now," he added at the end. Faith closed her phone as quick as she could and just sat there looking at it and then looking at the number beside the phone with her father's name above it.
"I need a bath," she said as she got up off the couch and walked down the hallway to her right toward the bathroom. The bathroom was all the way at the end of the hall across from hers and Buffy's room. Willow and Oz decided that they wanted the first room in the hall. And then the room across from them was for Xander whenever Anya kicked him out of the house. Faith walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror at herself as she supported herself with her hands on the vanity. "This can't be happening," she said to herself.
Faith stood over the sink and continued to look at herself. Then she turned around and walked over to the bath turning it on. She kept her hands underneath it making sure that the temperature was just right. When everything was what she wanted she began to strip her clothes off. First thing off was her white tank top that she had been wearing. Then she slid off her shorts that she had put on when she got out of class. She stood in front of the mirror in nothing but her bra and underwear.
"Your ugly!" he would yell every time she went to change her clothes. "No one is ever going to love you, you are going to be along for the rest of your life. God I can't even stand to be around your anymore." He would yell. They shared a one-bedroom apartment and there wasn't a door on the bathroom so whenever she wanted to change her would be able to see her. She was never about to escape him and that's another reason it didn't bother her when he bolted and left her alone with nothing more than the clothes on her back.
"I'm not ugly," Faith said to herself but still she didn't find herself to be that convincing. She looked down at herself and a single tear ran down her face. Why did he have to call? She asked herself. She reached behind her and unclasped her bra and then she slid off her panties. She walked over to the bathtub and slid inside. The warm water engulfed her with joy. She loved the feeling of the warm water running over her body.
Faith pulled her hair into a bun so her hair would stay dry. Before it never bothered her when her hair got wet when she took a bath and it still doesn't but Buffy had gotten her into pulling her hair up and she couldn't stop nor did she want to. Faith looked ahead of her at the faucet as the water came pouring out of it. As she watched the water come out her eyes slowly began to close as she dipped herself into the water forgetting about her hair. She took a deep breath before she submerged herself in the water.
"You actually think someone will love you one day! Please Faith you're your mother's daughter. You're going to grow up to be just like her in every way. Nothing but a dirty whore! She thinks I don't know about what she does at night when she sneaks out of the house to go see him. She thinks I don't feel her weight lift from the bed or that I don't hear the bedroom door open and close. She thinks I'm stupid but I'm not. I KNOW EVERYTHING. Just like I know that you're going to be a whore just like your mother!" he always would yell at her. He would never talk in a normal civil tone. He was always yelling.
Faith lifted herself so that her head was up out of the water and she could breathe. Why is this happening to me? Why did he have to come back into my life? I mean I love my mother but I haven't heard from her in over seven years ago. If she were to die she would never have known. It wasn't like her mother would send her cards telling her that she missed me just as much as I missed her. I mean I would have been better off never knowing that my mother was ill, I would have been better off if I never heard from either of them again. Faith said up in the tub and reached over to turn of the water. She continued to stair at the wall in front of her. Why couldn't they just leave me alone?
As she sat there in the tub she heard the front door open and then close a few minutes after. She could hear the sound of bags hitting the floor. Then she heard the sound of footsteps in the kitchen. She wondered if Buffy even noticed that she was gone. Probably not Faith after all, all your stuff is still on the coffee table. That's when she heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. "Faith you in there?" she heard Buffy call out to her and a smile came to her face.
"Yeah I'll be right out," Faith yelled back. She heard Buffy say okay and then she heard their bedroom door close. Faith lifted herself out of the tub and then pulled the plug so all the water went down the drain. She walked over to the sink grabbing the towel and wrapping it around her body. She looked at her hair and noticed that it was a wet mess. She took another towel and wrapped her hair up in it. Then she walked over to the door and opened it walking out into the hallway. She looked down toward the living room and saw Willow. "Hey there Will," she said and Willow smiled and waved.
When Faith opened the door she saw the Buffy was looking through her closet. Which meant that she was getting ready got out for a good night's work. You see they are both bother slayer, the protector of the human race. They defend the earth against the forces of darkness. That's another thing Buffy taught when she met her during her senior year of high school. It made everything make a lot more sense. Buffy looked at her as she was in process of taking of her shirt. Faith closed the door behind her and then walked over and sat on their bed.
"Hey babe," Buffy said as she grabbed another shirt out of her closet and put it on as she turned around and looked at Faith. "You look bummed, what's wrong?" she asked as she walked over and sat on the bed across from her with her white blouse on.
"You're going to wear white out tonight…it's been raining all say," Faith said as she looked at what Buffy was wearing.
"Not a good idea?" Buffy asked innocently and Faith shuck her head. "Okay I'll change now you tell me what's up with you." She said and when Faith didn't respond Buffy turned around holding a black long sleeve shirt. "Come on Faith I know something is wrong with you. What happened while me and Will were at the library?" she asked as she put walked over to the bed not even bothering to but her shirt on. She sat in front of Faith with a pair of jeans on and her bra…after all Faith is her girlfriend she's already seen her naked. "Faith?"
Faith looked at her pleading. "I don't want to talk about it," Faith said. She was pleading with Buffy with her eyes bagging her not to make her talk. "This is something that I need to figure out on my own…okay?" she asked as she looked at her girlfriend. She could tell that Buffy was hurt when she said that she didn't want her help. Buffy was easier to read than she thought, she showed all her emotion in her eyes. "It's personal," Faith added. "It something you don't even know about me and its part of my past that I don't want you or anyone else knowing about me," she explained. "Please Buffy just this once turn your head in the other direction," she pleaded.
"Faith if its affecting you like this to where I notice than I want to help," she said. Faith knew she would say that. Buffy was the type of person that wanted everyone to be happy no matter what. She wanted everyone to get what he or she wants no matter the cost. "But if you think you can handle this on your own then I'll let you," she said with a pause. "You know where to find me when you wanna talk," Buffy added. Buffy leaned over and kissed Faith softly on the cheek. "I love you and nothing about your past will change that," she explained as she stood up and put her shirt on. "Now aren't you going to get ready so we can get back early?" Buffy asked and Faith hung her head. "Your not coming?" Buffy asked. "Why?"
"I have a big exam tomorrow Buffy, you know that. I need to study," she said. She got up and walked over to the closet grabbing come pajamas. "I thought you would have figured out on your own that I wouldn't be able to come tonight. After all you don't ever come when you have a exam the next day." She explains as she starts to get dressed. "You can handle one night without me."
"That's not the point and you know," Buffy said as she slipped on her shoes. "I can always handle night without you…I don't need your help with the slaying. Cause I'm the slayer…your just the…the…wannabe," Buffy said as she turned and walked out of the bedroom. She stormed through the living room and walked out the front door slamming it closed. Faith was right behind her but before she could get to the front door Willow stopped her.
"Don't," Willow said. "She needs time to cool off and so do you," Willow explained as she looked at Faith.
"You heard?" Faith asked ashamed.
"Every word," Willow added and she moved from in front of Faith and went into the living room. "Now come on I'll help you study for you exam tomorrow," she said as she sat down across from the couch and that's when she saw the paper. "William Spencer?" she said as she looked at Faith and she noticed the flinch. "Oh my God its your father. How did he get your number?" she asked but Faith didn't answer. "Faith…"
"I don't want to talk about it," Faith said as she turned on her heel and went into her bedroom. Slamming the door behind her in the process just like Buffy had.
The Cemetery
Buffy walked through the cemetery looking from something to kill. It was almost like the vampires knew not to mess with her tonight. Almost like they could sense the rage coming off her in waves. She didn't understand why she got so mad at Faith. Faith had been right. Whenever she has an exam the next day Faith goes out alone. But it was just the way she said it, she almost made it sound like she didn't want to be with her.
Buffy hung her head as she existed yet another cemetery. She was heading toward her fifth one and still she hadn't come across a single vamp and it was making her even angrier. "Forget it," she said to herself. "Might as well just head home nothings out tonight," she said as she started heading in the direction of the apartment but then she stopped.
I really don't want to go back and deal with her tonight. I know that if I back tonight we are going to get in another fight and one of use is going to leave the house even madder than when I left the house. Buffy looked around at where she was and smiled. I haven't seen mom in awhile. I guess I could go there for the night and talk to Faith in the morning. Buffy pulled out her cell phone and looked at the time. And its only eight so mom should still be up. We have a lot of catching up to do. I mean I only go to UC Sunnydale yet I don't talk to my mother that much. Buffy shrugged as she walked along the sidewalk. Then she passed an alley way and stop…it was the alley where she had first saved Faith's life.
She was lying on the ground shivering. Vampires can be nasty creatures, but they sure knew how to pick'em. Buffy looked down at the dark haired girl on the ground. A couple of vamps had dragged her into the alley and she had been screaming for help but no one even bothered to look in her direction. That's the bad thing about Sunnydale everyone has learned to ignore the screams. Buffy had been walking by on her way to Restfeild cemetery to begin her night's work when she heard the girl scream.
"Hi I'm Buffy," Buffy said as she introduced herself. The girl stood up and Buffy noticed that she was in fact taller that her. Not by much but taller no the less. She looked at the girl and took notice that she didn't have any bruises or scratches, which was lucky. She also took note of her beautiful brown eyes. They were unlike any other pair of eyes that she had ever seen. And she knew from this point on she would have trouble saying no to those brown eyes.
"My name's Faith," the girl said. "I'm new here," she said as she looked at Buffy. It was like an instant connection that each one of them felt.
"Really, do you have a place to stay?" Buffy asked her. She looked homeless but Buffy wasn't about to ask her is she was homeless person just passing through.
"Actually no, my father left me alone so I came here to get away from him. So I don't have any money," she explained.
"Why did he leave?" Buffy asked but then she stopped. "You don't have to answer that. Sorry I ask questions before my brain has time to process what I'm about to say. Anyways you can always come stay at my house. We have plenty of room," she said as she looked at Faith. "That way I'll get to know you better," she said and Faith smiled. And so it had begun.
Buffy noticed that she was now standing outside of her old house. She was so lost in thought that's she didn't even realize when she started walking away from the alley. Her memories of Faith always did that to her. They made her forget about what was happening around. Which could be either a bad thing or a good thing. Buffy walked up the sidewalk and toward the front door. She opened the front door and saw her mom sitting at the table.
"Hey mom," she said as she closed the door behind her. Her mom looked at her and smiled. Buffy had never seen her mom smile like that before, it was almost like she hadn't seen her in years. "You mind if I stay her tonight?" she asked.
"What happen you and Faith have a fight?" she asked. Her mother was always concerned about her. The thing with Faith wasn't something that came easy for her. It took her awhile to get used to the fact that her daughter was dating a girl. But eventually she did get used to it and accepted Faith as part of the Faith. After all Faith did tell her that she wasn't going anywhere.
"Kinda," Buffy said as she walked over to the table and sat next to her mother. "I don't know what happen exactly. First I was asking her about what was bothering her then we started fighting. I stormed out of the apartment and that was that. She didn't even follow me out." She paused. "Although I know why she didn't follow me out…Willow stopped her. She always does. But I know that I can't go back there tonight," she finished as she looked up at her mother.
"Why not sweetie?" her mom asked as she pushed away whatever she was doing to give her full attention to her daughter. That's why Buffy loved her mom so much. She was always willing to listen.
"Because I'm afraid that if I go back I'll say something I don't mean and lose her forever," Buffy said as she looked down at the table. "I'm afraid that we'll fight more and one of us will leave the house mad and something bad will happen," she explained. "I don't know what I would do if I lost her mom," she said as a single tear made its way down her face. "I don't know what I would do," she said as she buried her head in her hands. "I love her." She added.
"I know you do sweetie, I know you do," Joyce said as she took her daughter in her hands. She could feel Buffy shake as she began to cry harder. Tremors went through her every time more sobs came out. Joyce held her daughter tight. Well she did until Buffy pulled out of her arms and Joyce just looked at her. "Your room is still the same, nothing's changed. Except that you took you blankets and stuff so you'll have to get some out of the hall closet," she said with a smile.
"Thanks mom," Buffy said with a little laugh. Then she looked at her more seriously. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing not going home?" she asked. "I mean…"
"I know what you mean and yes I do think your doing the right thing. Maybe if I would have stayed at a friends house when me and your dad fought we might still be together," she said with a smile. "Buffy I know she loves you," she said. "And this little fight that you two are having, I know your going laugh about it later on…your going to laugh at how stupid your being," she said with a laugh.
"I hope so mom, I hope so," she said as she got up from the table. "Night," she said. As she was making her way to the closet she heard her mom say goodnight. Buffy walked to the closet and the stopped.
Buffy came walking into the living room with a pillow and blanket underneath her arm. "These are for you," she said as she looked at Faith sitting on the couch. "Sorry we don't have a guest room or anything," she said with a smile. She handed her the blankets and Faith just continued to smile. "Okay so my room is up the stairs to your left and it's the second door on the right," she explained. "The bathroom is the first one on the right," she said with a smirk.
"Thanks really. I don't know what to say your being so nice," Faith said as she looked at her. "No one has ever been this nice to me before," she continued. "Its nice," she added.
"Well get used to it cause I'm going to introduce to some super nice people tomorrow," she said with a smile. "Well I gotta get to bed I have school in the morning. See ya tomorrow. Good night Faith."
"Night Buffy," Faith said and Buffy smiled at her before she made her way up the stairs.
Buffy shuck away the memories and grabbed the pillow and blankets and made her way toward her room. As she walked into her room she walked toward the mirror. The mirror was full of pictures of her and Faith, Faith and Willow, her and Xander and then of all six of them, Xander, her, Faith, Oz, Willow and Cordelia. But the one that caught her eye was the one of her and Faith looking at each other by a tree at the park. She hadn't even known someone took a picture until Willow showed it to her later on. Faith was pushing hair out of her eyes and Buffy was playing with her fingers. They had been so lost in each other that day it was crazy.
Buffy turned to her bed and sat on it. That's when she put her head into her hands and began to cry once again.
…………………………..
AN: My first Buffy/Faith story I hope you like it. R&R. Oh and if you want it with pics just let me know and I'll email it to you. Thanks again.