Disclaimer: I do not own BTVS or Angel, all rights reserved Joss Whedon
Rating: 15+
Pairing: Faith/Buffy
Summary: Sequel to 'The Hero Gets The Girl' Set 5 years post THGTG, Will the death of a friend bring the slayers together, finally.
Notes: I figured I'd go a sequel, you should probably read the first one. Feedback is good. This is set in Faith's POV throughout, just to, you know, mess things up a little. ;)
I've been staring at this old dumpster now for probably too long, no matter how often I try to pry my eyes away from it, I just keep going back to it. It's so out of place in the crisp and clean English country-side, rolling hills which only break for an occasional lake. Nature is everywhere, and then there is a dumpster. I'm as out of place here as it.
I break away from the big green bin and look around me again, rows of white folding chairs, soft music humming in the background, and people breaking down. I go back to the bin again, it's my safety blanket. It's the only thing that doesn't make me breakdown as much as everyone around me, it's my anchor, or my distraction, whatever.
It was inevitable ya know, nobody, especially in my line of work, lives forever. It doesn't make it fair though. Slayers die young, we try and protect our friends and family, but it doesn't always work that easily, we can't protect them from everything. Least of all a car accident, but still, I always expected that I would go first, damn, it's like in the books or something.
Last time I saw Giles was 5 and a half years ago, at this home. It was only a short conversation, and it wasn't in the easiest of circumstances, but so much had changed. I realized how much I missed him, which clearly I would never admit. I relied upon him to be the stern father, and I realized after years of denying it; I really wanted his forgiveness and approval. He was a surrogate Father to all the Scoobies, that's a given, but me? The psycho slayer? It was never even a question; cos I never thought I deserved it. I looked up to him, and he tried to guide me, I spoke to him more in later years, than I did the other scoobies. And he was the best Father figure I ever had.
It hurts to think about it, all the things I wanted to say to him. So I stare at the bin.
The Scoobies are out the front in the aisles, Willow, Oz, Xander, Anya, Dawn, Peter, Cordy and even Angel, But no Buffy. I haven't gone up the yet, I can't face them, and figure it would probably be best for me to just stay out of their way. It's not that they hate me, its just, I was never really one of them, I was a distant friend and right now, they need their best friends.
I feel an old, familiar tingle run up my spine and before I even turn to look, I see B walking towards us all. She stops momentarily at my chair and looks at me.
"Thank-you for coming Faith" B says curtly, it's not that I don't believe her, I know she means it. But she seems so closed off to all this.
I nod to her an understanding and squeeze her hand briefly. She then walks up to all the Scoobies.
They all stand to greet her, welcome her and support her, she urges them that she is fine and takes a seat between Xander and Willow. Its now that I am spotted though, she must have told Red that I'm here and all of a sudden her, Xander and Dawn are searching the crowds looking for me. Red is the first to find me, she makes eye-contact with me and smiles, gesturing with her hand to come over. I wave and shake my head to the negative, pointing to the Minister who is about to start the service. We can talk later.
The Service was quick and dignified, Buffy made a speech that left everyone in tears. Mentioning how he was her moral compass and how he was the best Father a girl could want.
As I made my way to the gang, I notice that B is walking towards me, veering inside I guess. I stop her as she was about to walk past me, not even realizing I was there.
I stare into her eyes, the eyes of the only person that I have ever loved, and my heart breaks. She has been through so much, for so long, and she still thinks the world rests on her slender shoulders. Her eyes are laced with sadness, which is to be expected, but when she looks at me, she starts to break. I wipe a tear from her face with my thumb, letting my hand linger more than I should. She grabs my hand and pulls away from me a little.
"I just need to go inside" she says, looking towards the backdoor "I need to be alone for a little while" She looks back and me and opens and closes her mouth a few times, words failing her. I know what she was going to ask though.
"Can we catch up later?" I ask nervously "Red said it was ok for me to crash here for a while, is that ok?"
She stares at me for a while, for a real long while actually; I'm starting to get worried
"Yes, good, of course." She says as she shakes her head out of her reverie. She smiles at me and walks inside, alone.
………………………………………………..
I've been here chatting with the scoobs for about 90 minutes now. We're sat in the Library of the home, just catching each other up and talking about old times. It's strange though, cos as much as I don't fit in here, it feels really good to be here, with them. Angel and Cordy are married, have been for 3 years. Xander and Anya; married too. Willow and Oz are undefined, I'm thinking she may be back to drivin stick, but just hasn't admitted it, I smile at them both; they really do make a cute couple.
I stare towards the door, for the millionth time, wondering if now's the time to go talk to B. Red meets my gaze and just nods me towards the door, indicating to go see her.
I reach the top of the stairs and let my slayer sense tell me where to go, I reach the door to her room and stop for a second.
What am I doing here? All I want to do is talk to her; tell her everything will be ok. But why will that matter to her?
My doubts almost get the best of me and I turn to walk away. As soon as my head turns the door jerks open and B pulls me in, hands on her hips.
"So when you said 'Catch up later' you meant 'Get to know your door then chicken out'" She grins at me slightly
"I didn't chicken out" I reply defensively "I thought you were asleep." Lie. I knew she was awake.
"Uh huh. Come, sit down." She walks to the balcony and sits on a lounge chair with a glass of liquid in hand. The view is beautiful from here, England really is stunning. But my eyes don't leave her.
I walk over and sit by her side
"How you holdin up, B?" I ask, knowing the stupidity of my question.
"Honestly F?" She whispers and looks at me
"Always." I reply, knowing it was a rhetorical question, but feeling the need to answer anyway.
"I've had better weeks." She says "I miss him, and I love him, but he had a good life, and has gone to a good place." She admits solemnly "One shouldn't fear the reaper." Her joke not lost on either of us. But it does what it was intended to do, lighten the mood.
And I know that's all I'm going to get out of her on the subject. We both know what we need to say, but are scared to start.
"It's been a while." I start "How have you been the past 5 or so years." Our last visit was hard, I can still be quite stubborn and that day wasn't one of my finer moments. Things were said that shouldn't have been, things that weren't true.
"Five by Five." She replies snarkily "How's Robin?" She must have gone to the same place I did.
I sigh audibly
"Really B?" I reply, knowing she wouldn't really care "I wouldn't know; we broke up over 5 years ago."
Ha! That one stumps her. She stops fingering the glass she is holding and looks at me seriously.
"Why?" She asks
"You." Is all I reply.
She was right, all those years ago, I only accepted Robin's proposal to get back at her, in some reverse logic. I didn't love him. And he knew it.
"Get out."
What?
"What?" I reply, suddenly hurt. I stand to face her
She stands in front of me, not depressed Buffy, but Buffy the Slayer. Anger and tears shining in her eyes.
"Get Out!" She replies with more force
"Why?" I ask, shocked at her outburst, when really I shouldn't be. "You don't want me to leave"
"Over 5 years ago Faith!?" See, I knew she didn't want me to leave "Last time I saw you, I asked you, no begged you to stay, with me. Poured my whole soul out to you! And you said 'NO' because of Him. Because he deserved a shot." She replies all out crying now.
"Instead of staying with me, you left with him." She adds breaking down more
"And I needed to leave that day B" I say as I hold her arms "I needed to be strong, it wasn't about Robin, it never was, it was about me growing up." I tell her, taking her in my arms.
"We could have grown together Faith, don't you get that? I needed you." She says, sinking into my touch as I sit us back down, together.
"No, I needed to rely on me." I tell her "I needed to know I could do it alone. And while I was doing that" I stop, not knowing how to add this "I fell in love"
She tenses in my arms; I can feel her get angry again
"With you again, dumb-ass." I add lightly, hoping to diffuse the situation before she blows up. "Every day, everything I did, I realized how much I needed to be with you, how much I loved you."
"Why wait 5 years then Faith?" She asks, turning her head towards me slightly. Not angrily, but honest curiosity shining in her eyes.
"I was scared." I admit "I've never loved anyone like I love you. And I do Buffy, with all my heart, with every breath, I love you."
"I love you too." She says, and turns to look over the balcony again, sinking into a comfortable embrace.
After 5 or so minutes, she turns in my lap, to face me, I brush her hair out of her face and we stare at each other for a moment
"I forgot how beautiful you are Faith" As she brings those familiar words of the past back again, I grin and grab her hands lightly. Interlacing our fingers together, and bringing her closer to me.
Her forehead rests against mine, and our eyes lock.
"Does this mean you are staying?" She asks hopefully "Are we going to get a shot?"
"As long as you want me here, I'm here." I reply, sneaking in a kiss.
We stay kissing for about 10 minutes and I carry her to bed. Not for anything but sleeping, even I know now isn't the time for that, regardless of how much we both want it. And oh, we both want it.
We lay in bed facing each other, and she creases her forehead, and scoots closer to me.
"Faith?" She asks inquisitively
"Yeah?" I ask, curious.
"Does this mean the Hero gets the girl?" She whispers, tilting her head a little.
I grin at her a little, and run my hand through her hair. Why do I fall for the weird ones?
"Didn't you know babe? The Hero ALWAYS gets the girl."
As she succumbs to sleep, she smiles at me and yawns "The story is always better when that happens."
I may be a Sucker for Love, but I'm her sucker, and I always will be; Cos no matter what happens in life, I'm drawn to her, and she is drawn to me, written in the stars it may not be, but it's destiny none the less.
The End!
………………
Feedback is, like, good.