Ch. 2
A/N: Okay so here is the second chapter in my first fic ever. Reviews are always welcome.
I'd like to thank my two very first reviewers: jeremy19 and Babbles4wTwillow you both made my day once I got notice of your reviews.
Special thanks again to Babbles4Twillow who pointed out some of the weaknesses in my story and lending me a hand or two in editing this chapter. Thank you so much.
Hope you guys like it. It's a longer chapter, so please bear with me. The guy who usually restricts my writing decided to go M.I.A.
Oh, one more thing. When long sections are italicized it usually means it's a dream unless it has Flashback written before it. I'm sure you guys know the drill.
Once again: I own nothing but the computer I'm typing this on. All the BTVS characters and related ideas belong to whomever has the rights to them.
As the beat up school bus pulled into the gates of the massive building, most of the new slayers began to wake from their much-needed sleep. Giles had been active through the entire night, making arrangements with Angel to meet up in L.A. The watcher had concluded that they would head to Angel's HQ and regroup there to give everyone the proper medical care and rest.
Giles had not planned on the complete destruction of Sunnydale. He had planned on the school being destroyed once again, and that had been true, but the entire town went down with it. He hoped now to be able to meet up with some of his connections and rebuild the Watcher's council to help the newly activated slayers. As Xander pulled into the parking spot, Giles looked toward the doors of the bus and saw a few people waiting for them.
"We are here," Xander announced, more as reassurance to himself than anything else. The poor Scooby had lost the love of his life in the battle and even though they had won, he felt defeated. He wanted to get off the bus and be away from all the tragedy if only for a few minutes. He opened the door and looked onto the bus to the waking slayers.
He saw Kennedy begin to wake Willow. He smiled sadly knowing that's what he would be doing as well if Anya had survived the terrible battle. With one last look towards Buffy, who was still asleep, Xander made his way off the bus.
Giles followed Xander out the bus, but instead of avoiding the strangers by their bus, Giles introduced himself to one of the men before him.
"Hello, I'm Rupert Giles," the watcher said as he extended his hand towards a well-built blonde man.
"Ah yes, Mr. Giles, I'm Mike Nicolson. Angel gave us orders to accommodate you in any way we can. We are at your service," the young man stated.
Giles felt a sense of relief knowing that he could get help for a bus of primarily wounded slayers. "Thank you Mr. Nicolson. We have several girls who need medical attention." Giles got straight to the point. He felt responsible for everyone on the bus.
"Yes sir. Please call me Mike," the young man said as he turned to his squad and began to order them to grab gurneys and wheel chairs.
Giles went back onto the bus and saw that mostly all of the girls had awakened. He looked towards Buffy and noted she was still sleeping. His slayer had been able to do much more than what anyone, including himself, thought possible. He felt very proud of the still very young slayer, who despite being a slayer had found a way to create a life with loveable people around her.
"All right girls," he said, only to be interrupted by Andrew.
"And boys," Andrew added as he pointed to Principal woods and him self.
"Girls and Boys," Giles corrected himself. "We are going to take all the severely wounded slayers out first then everyone else. Please, if you are able help out your fellow slayers, do so." With that, he made his way to help the first girl he saw in dire need of help.
Mike made his way onto the bus and helped Principal Woods, who had been another of the wounded warriors. After several trips by Mike's squad and the few capable slayers, the bus was almost empty.
Willow was half awake and waited patiently for everyone to exit the bus. She was still extremely exhausted and was glad Kennedy was there to help her out. The slayer picked her up gently in her arms and began to walk down the isle only to be stopped by an almost quiet plea.
"Buffy, she's still asleep. Baby, we need to wake her," Willow said as she pointed towards her still sleeping friend.
"Will, it's okay, let me take you inside and then I'll come grab her, okay?" Kennedy assured her girlfriend.
"Okay." Willow agreed. As Kennedy made her way off the bus, she spotted Faith, who had just helped set someone down on a wheelchair. Kennedy decided to pass on the task of helping Buffy off the bus to her friend.
"Hey Faith?" Kennedy said getting the older slayer's attention.
"Oh hey Ken, Is Willow all right?" she asked concerned, noticing Willow's unusually pale skin and half open eyes.
"I think she will be fine, she just used a lot of energy you know?"
"Yeah. I can imagine, so what's up?" Faith asked
"Well, could you do me a favor? Or more like do us a favor?" Kennedy asked, nodding her head towards Willow to indicate whom the 'us' was.
"Sure."
Kennedy smiled. "Can you make sure the sleepy beauty in there gets off safe and sound?" She jerked her head to point towards the bus.
Faith realized what Kennedy said and offered a different kind of help. "How about I take Red here off your hands and you go grab her?"
"Sorry Faith, I can't let go of my girl. Just go grab yours and we can talk about it later okay?" Kennedy didn't wait for Faith's reply. She knew that if she did she could have been picking her self off the floor along with Willow and a few of her own teeth. She smirked as she disappeared through the darken doors. 'She owes me big time' Kennedy thought to her self.
Reluctantly, Faith made her way back on to the bus and indeed saw the sleeping beauty before her. She looked so relaxed. Faith didn't want to wake her from the sleep the blonde needed. However, she didn't want to hold the slayer in her arms at that moment. She had had way too many hours to think about the green-eyed slayer and contact with her didn't seem to help her case. So she decided to wake her.
"B, wake up, we're here," she said in a soothing voice. She waited a few seconds without a sign of life from the sleeping girl. "Buffy, seriously, you need to wake up." Faith tried again this time while shaking her softly keeping in mind the injured state of the slayer.
"Buffy, I'm dead serious, you need to freaking wake up. Don't make me carry you out of this bus. Please?" The please came out more of a plea than a command. This seemed to finally cut through the thick blanket of sleep the older slayer was in.
"Faith?" Buffy questioned, blinking lazily trying to adjust her green eyes to the light.
"Yeah, B it's me," Faith said while she hovered above Buffy.
"Are we there yet? Why have we stopped moving?"
"Yes. We're here, B, now come on, lets get you inside," Faith said as she extended a hand out to Buffy.
"Okay," Buffy replied as she began to move off the seat. Unfortunately, due to the blonde's severe injury, she was in a weaker state than several hours ago. When she went to stand up, her legs gave out from beneath her.
"Woah B, I gottcha," Faith said as she quickly moved to stabilize the weak slayer. As Faith tightened her hold on the older slayer, she noticed Buffy relax against her strong body.
"Sorry, I must be weaker than I thought," Buffy apologized.
"Don't worry B, I got you. I wouldn't expect you to be able to hop off this bus with that injury anyways." Faith then proceeded to walk the two of them towards the exit. However, the very slow pace they were taking not only frustrated Faith but Buffy as well.
"Ugh! Faith, just go grab someone to carry me in. I can't do this. We will be in this bus till sundown if we keep going at this stupid pace my body decided to go on." Faith inwardly chuckled finding Buffy's frustration a bit adorable since the blonde slayer was more asleep than awake.
"Do you really wanna be carried off this bus?" Faith questioned.
"Yes!" Buffy replied, hoping that one of the seemingly strong men outside would carry her inside and away from Faith who at that moment was making her stomach feel sixteen again.
"Okay, B," Faith said and she picked up the blonde bridal style and walked them towards the stairs and off the bus.
Both of the slayer's body reacted to the contact that was made by Faith's actions. Faith had the feeling of wanting this to end as soon as possible while wanting this to never end as well. Buffy on the other hand, was more than adjusting to her once again unexpected hero. She pressed her head closer to Faith's chest and hid her face in the crook of the younger slayer's neck. The bright lights seemed to make Buffy sick, so she hid under Faith. This action alone caused Faith's body to go into overdrive. Buffy felt the jolt in Faith's body and felt the muscles pressed against her coil beneath her. This left Buffy wondering if there was a chance Faith was feeling the same thing she was.
Faith and Buffy made their way through the doors where the blonde man named Mike pointed Faith towards the elevator.
"Is she okay?" He said as he pressed the number 3 on the elevator.
"No," Faith replied, not wanting anyone to break the moment that the two slayers were having. Buffy seemed to have fallen asleep in the short time it took them to get into the building.
"Ma'am, we have our medical units ready on the third floor to take care of her." He said as the doors opened to a hospital-like scene. Two men approached Faith.
"Nicolson, what is the status if this young lady?" They asked
"I'm not sure." Mike turned his attention to Faith. "How is she? Do you know what kind of injury she has?"
Faith nodded "Yes, she has a deep stab wound in her upper abdomen." She made her way off the elevator and into what seemed a waiting area where she saw Angel waiting there along with Giles and Kennedy. As soon as Angel saw Buffy in Faith's arms he assumed the worst and rapidly made his way towards the two slayers and Mike.
"Faith, is she? Oh god is she hurt?" Angel asked half way wanting Faith to lie to him.
"Relax big A, she does have a nasty wound but she's Buffy." Faith said trying to believe her own words.
"Here let me take her," Angel said, taking a step closer to Faith who was very much still holding Buffy.
"It's cool. I got her." Faith said not wanting to let go of Buffy just yet. However, she saw the questioning expression from Mike and Angel which she quickly formulated a logical reason for her refusal. "It's better that we don't move her so much, ya know? Her wound is pretty bad." With that, Faith followed Mike and the other two men to a room. They left Faith in the room to retrieve some equipment.
Faith, finally forced to relinquish her hold on the blonde, set Buffy down gently on the bed. As she slipped her arm from beneath Buffy, the younger slayer opened her eyes and silently thanked Faith. Her eyes closed again and Faith was left to stare at a seemingly sleeping Buffy. She moved her hand to caress the blonde's face but was startled away when she heard Angel's voice.
"How did this happen Faith?" The vampire asked with a worried look on his face.
Faith looked at her mentor and motioned for them to step out. The two sat down on a couch next to the room of the wounded slayer. "So how bad is it Faith?" Angel asked again trying to find out if his girl was going to be okay.
"I'm not going to lie to you, the wound was pretty big and deep. That bastard caught her off guard." Faith said. She wished she could have been closer to the blonde during battle or have been the one to take the hit rather than the older slayer.
"There is nothing you could have done, Faith," Angel said, catching on to the train of thought Faith was on. He wrapped the younger girl in a tight hug. "I know this is difficult for you, showing emotion, but Faith it's part of this whole redemption road. I know what you are feeling and trust me it's okay." He finished off and then walked back into Buffy's room.
Faith stayed back on the couch thinking about Angel's words. 'Is it okay? Big A. I think I'm falling for your girl and you think that's okay?' she questioned and shook her head. She figured that Angel meant that caring for people and being worried for them were good feelings to have. However, she wanted to know if it was truly okay to posses and even nurture that feeling which she was harboring for Buffy.
Faith rested her head on her knees and prayed to whom ever was listening that her favorite blonde slayer would recover quickly. After an hour of silent pleas, Faith decided to check up on Willow, who had also been carried into the building. She spotted Kennedy and walked towards her.
"Hey, how's Red?" Faith asked as she peaked into the room the witch was in.
"She is okay, she was just really exhausted by the spell. The doctor said she will be fine once she gets proper rest." Kennedy informed the slayer and decided to inquire her friend about Buffy. "How is Blondie?"
Faith's expression looked worried "I'm not sure Ken, she was knocked out when I dropped her off. Angel is in there with her."
Kennedy, of course already knowing the feeling Faith had for Buffy, demanded her friend to go check on the slayer. "Go check on her Faith. There is no reason why you shouldn't be by her side. You two are the chosen two remember? Go be with her okay?"
Faith took Kennedy's advice and went to check on Buffy who was still being accompanied by Angel. Faith made her way to the doorway and momentarily watched the ex-lovers.
The two century old vampire held on to Buffy's hand as the blue-eyed slayer slept and unconsciously rubbed her thumb over the Vampire's hand. Faith watched the exchange happen and decided to grab some fresh air instead.
The sun was still shinning bright when Faith made her way out of the gates of the enormous building. She walked around a few blocks trying to clear her mind. The moment she had seen Angel's hand on Buffy's she felt a jolt of jealousy go through her. She knew very well that her unlikely mentor was still deeply in love with Buffy, and she knew that at the very least; Buffy cared deeply for him as well.
Faith knew she was in trouble the moment she saw Buffy again, when she made her way through the Summers' door. The feelings she had worked so hard to repress were set on a timer to explode. After the terrible trap that nearly killed her, Faith new that her feelings for the blonde where not only present but were threatening to consume her. Faith continued to walk until she stumbled upon a familiar face.
"Hey, Xander," Faith said, pasting a smile to her face. She knew of Xander's tragic loss and wanted to try and help him cope as best as possible, hoping she could distract her mind away from Buffy.
"Hey there, psycho," he said in a joking manner and partly taking a few steps back in case Faith decided to retaliate for the nickname.
Faith chuckled. "Don't test me, pirate," she said as she made a hook with one of her hands.
"How's Buff?"
"Well, last time I saw her, she was asleep holding Soulboy's hand," Faith said, momentarily looking down.
"Good. I'm glad she is okay. What about you?" He asked genuinely concerned for the slayer's well being.
"You know me X-man, I'm Five by Five," she responded shoving her hands in her pockets. The fake response didn't go unnoticed by the experienced Scooby.
Xander's past with Faith had been one for the books. She had used and abused him and he still had the occasional nightmare about the raven-haired slayer. However, he had decided to give her another chance since in his eyes (or eye), she had done more than enough to prove to him she was back on the good side for good. He was still a bit afraid of her, but wanted to give Faith an opportunity at redemption.
"You know you saved all of our asses back there don't you?" Xander confessed, "If you hadn't arrived, we might not be here right now."
"Nah, I think you guys would have been fine." Faith responded truthfully.
Xander looked at Faith square in the eyes. "You know that Buffy was out of control right? And if you hadn't shown up, she would have lead all those girls to their deaths."
Faith just stared back at him, lacking the words to say anything. Xander took that as a sign to continue on with his explanation.
"Buffy had been consumed by darkness since we brought her back to life. Did you know that? She died and we yanked her out of heaven," Xander said, very displeased with himself. "When she came back, she was broken, and we didn't know how to fix her, Faith." Xander let a single tear roll down his cheek as he continued.
"Then when you showed up I thought you were going to be trouble for her. She already had Spike to deal with and I didn't want more problems for her. She didn't need more confusion. I apologize for shunning you out like that and antagonizing you, Faith."
Faith gave him a small smile "Don't apologize, after all I did, you guys have every right to hold me an arms length away."
"You're right we can, but you don't deserve that Faith. What happened in the past is history. I saw the way you took care of those girls and the way you seemed to pull Buffy out of her own darkness." He smiled. "You made this victory possible, without you I would be with Anya, and as much as I would love that, I am still needed here and I thank you for making this happen Faith." Xander turned to face Faith completely. "I guess what I'm saying is that I forgive you Faith. I can see the change in you and god knows we all have had our moments of crazy. I hope you can forgive me as well."
Faith wasn't expecting this from Xander. Out of all the Scoobies, she believed that second from Buffy, Xander had been the most hurt out of her recklessness. The acceptance and compassion the man before her was displaying caused the younger slayer to let a few tears out.
Seeing Faith's tears, Xander took the cue to embrace the dark-haired slyer in his famous Xander bear hug. After a few minutes it took Xander and Faith to make their way back to HQ, the two Scoobies made their way into Buffy's room.
"Hey Xander," Angel greeted while still holding Buffy's hand.
"Hey," Xander replied as he made his way to the other side of Buffy's bed.
Faith entered behind Xander quietly and lingered in a corner away from the two men.
"I heard about Anya," Angel commented. "I'm sorry for your loss." Angel looked at Xander and saw the anguish the young man was in due to the loss of his lover.
"How's Buffy?" Xander asked trying to change the hurtful subject.
Angel, catching on, decided to respect Xander's silent plea. "She's going to be okay, the doctor said her wound luckily missed any major organs. With her super slayer healing she should be up and running around in the next day or two. I had the doctors give her some painkillers to keep her asleep so she can heal faster."
Angel caressed Buffy's face and before he could further torture Faith, Giles poked his head into the room.
"Angel, may I have a word with you please?" The watcher asked as he looked down at as small journal he was currently lost in. Angel released Buffy's hand and made his way out of the room to follow Giles.
Faith took this time to make her way to a chair next to Buffy's bed and silently thank who ever listened to her silent prayers.
Xander, on the other hand, decided to thank the powers that be out loud. "Oh Thank God!" He exclaimed and proceeded to place a gentle kiss on Buffy's forehead. "It would have uber sucked if she kicked ass and then wasn't alive to enjoy her victory," Xander said sarcastically. He then made his way to the door. "Keep an eye on her will ya? I'm gonna go check on Willow." Xander didn't wait for Faith's response. He knew that Faith would sooner lay her life on the line than have Buffy get hurt. As the door closed behind Xander, Faith's eyes closed and her hands reached out for Buffy's.
'Faith?' Buffy called out into the darkness. Buffy walked and walked but she seemed to be stuck wherever this place was. She just knew that Faith was somewhere around there.
Buffy continued to walk until she saw a light ahead of her. She walked to it and stepped through it, briefly being blinded by the increase in light. She blinked several times and took in the scene before her.
There was grass underneath her bare feet. A gentle breeze caressed her face and the scent of spring filled her nose. She looked up and saw a gigantic tree before her and her legs started to move towards it. She saw a figure standing by the tree, and as she got closer, she noticed it was Faith.
'Faith?' Buffy asked trying to get the younger girl to turn around. 'Where are we?' Buffy asked. Faith didn't respond instead she dropped something on the ground and while Buffy focused on what it appeared to be, a knife, Faith disappeared from her vision.
Buffy made her way towards the tree and reached down to pick up the knife. Her eyes grew wide when she realized it was Faith's knife. The knife used to put the younger slayer in a coma for months. Buffy immediately dropped it and took a step back. She began to lack air and blood started to soak her white shirt.
Faith had been watching over Buffy for a while now. Giles, Xander, and Kennedy had tried to pry the slayer away from Buffy but she wouldn't budge. Angel had also tried to replace Faith's post, but he was called away to deal with business and Faith had remained next to her blonde slayer. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Faith's limbo state of sleep was shattered by Buffy's small whimpers and shallow breaths.
"B, wake up," Faith tried to break through the obvious nightmare, but Buffy wouldn't open her eyes. "Buffy! Listen to me, you are having a nightmare wake up, come on let me see those beautiful green eyes." Faith pleaded as she rubbed Buffy's forehead.
Buffy was on the ground bleeding out when she heard Faith's distant voice call out to her.
"Faith!" Buffy mumbled out.
Buffy got up and leaned up on the tree. She closed her eyes wishing she could wake up somewhere else, but when she opened her eyes, she was still leaning on the magnificent tree.
'Come on let me see those beautiful green eyes' the tree said. Buffy blinked a couple of times and realized that a tree was talking to her, a freaking tree. She then proceeded to talk back to the tree.
"Where is Faith?" Buffy mumbled.
"I'm right here B," Faith responded and grabbed a hold of Buffy's hand and pressed it against her chest.
Buffy pressed her hand against the tree and noticed there was a carving on it in a shape of a heart and the heart seemed to beat. As she strained to look closer, darkness consumed her once again.
Buffy's eyes blew open, startling Faith, who was still in the process of letting Buffy know she was right there next to her.
Buffy blinked a couple times and as she regained her vision, she saw Faith holding her own hand over the younger girl's chest.
"Faith?" Buffy asked trying to make sense of her surroundings.
"B, it's me, I'm right here. You are in a hospital. Remember your wound?" Faith said trying to answer the questions she saw written on the confused blonde. She gently dropped Buffy's hand on the side of the bed and took a step back.
"Yeah, uber vamp got stabby with me." Buffy replied, recalling the events of the battle against the First. "Is everyone okay?"
"Five by Five, B."
"So where are we?" Buffy questioned again.
"We are In L.A. in Angel's HQ." Faith paused to gauge Buffy's reaction.
"Oh yeah, I thought I was dreaming. I thought I saw him." Buffy admitted shyly.
"Nope. That was real. But that dream of yours, was it a nightmare?" Faith inquired.
"I think so. You were there…" Buffy said as she became too distracted to notice the pained expression of the younger slayer.
At that time, Angel made his way into the room.
"Angel," Buffy said while she smiled warmly at the vampire. Buffy didn't know how to go about being around Angel, especially with this new realization that she may hold feelings for Faith. Faith had seemed the only way out of the bizarre dream she had been in. She avoided Angel's gaze as she thought about how she could possibly explain to Angel what was going on with her. She didn't want to hurt the old soul, but she knew that the love she had had for him was strictly platonic. That idea made her even more uncomfortable as she saw all the love the vampire still had for her.
"Buffy." Angel simply said and the two seemed to have lost their train of thought. By the time Buffy looked over to the spot Faith had been standing, it was empty.
- 2 Weeks later-
Most of the new slayers had recovered from their wounds and were happily exploring their new powers. Angel had kindly given them an entire floor to accommodate the small group. He also provided them with gym and training equipment.
Andrew was currently entertaining several of the slayers, retelling the story of the battle against the Mayor. The new slayers where all curious about Faith, who as Andrew said, was the rogue slayer. After Giles and Xander had both passed by and warned him to stop filling the girl's heads with junk, Andrew decided to organize an outing for the new slayers.
After much discussion with Giles and Buffy, they had agreed to let the slayers go out and have fun. The plan was to head out at 7pm and be back at HQ by midnight. A few hours before the outing was set to start, Faith was packing the few belongings she had into a small bag.
Faith had decided to leave HQ and find somewhere else to be. Over the course of the two weeks her feelings for Buffy had worsened. The worst part was seeing Angel look at her the same way she did. It killed her inside to think she was betraying her savior. She also saw the constant commotion Buffy seemed to be in because of her. They had been able to talk after Buffy had recovered. As Faith had promised, they were to talk about anything Buffy wanted.
FLASH BACK
Faith had just finished a training session with Kennedy, who, despite her new powers, moved like a pro and had made Faith work hard.
"Knock knock," Buffy said as she made her way into one of the smaller gym rooms Angel had provided for the slayers.
"Hey B, you're not training yet are you?" Faith asked more as a command than a question.
Buffy shook her head and placed her hand over her healing wound. "No. No. I just came by and wanted to talk to you for a bit." She moved closer towards the younger slayer.
"Oh yeah? What about B?" Faith asked already knowing exactly what Buffy wanted to talk about.
"You know what, Faith."
"Yeah. Okay. Well, shoot Buffy, a promise is a promise," Faith said repeating the words Buffy had said on the bus.
The two slayers made their way onto a bench and a moment of silence draped over the two.
"So? How are you liking the new slayers?" Buffy asked trying to break the ice
"They are all right. Except they kinda fear me more than they respect me," Faith answered honestly.
"Give them time."
Another moment of silence engulfed the room.
"Faith, Thank you for everything," Buffy said as she placed her hand on the younger girls forearm.
Faith didn't say anything and left the floor open for Buffy to continue to talk.
"When you showed up at my doorstep that night, I can't say I was happy about it. I didn't need more trouble to deal with. Then when my own sister kicked me out and put you in charge, my suspicions about you grew. I thought that you were still the old Faith," Buffy said looking at Faith's face to check for a reaction, but Faith's face didn't reveal much. So she continued. "When I showed up in that cave and I saw you unconscious, something clicked for me. I knew you had fought for those girls till you were no longer able. You protected them with your life Faith, and for that I'm thankful." Buffy squeezed Faith's forearm.
"You also were a key player in the victory against the First. I know of the visits the Mayor paid to you, and you still managed to push through and fight. When I got wounded and I passed on the scythe to you Faith, I meant it. I passed it on to you because I knew you would fight just as hard as I would. I trust you with not only the lives of all the new slayers and my family but I trust you with my own." Buffy placed a hand over Faith's cheek.
"Faith, you have already proved yourself so much, you don't need to anymore. The only thing I have to ask for is your forgiveness."
"B, there is nothing to forgive," Faith countered, as she placed her hand over Buffy's and guided the blonde's hand away from her face. She knew that Buffy carried the guilt for stabbing her that fateful night, but knew that Buffy was only doing what was right.
"No. Let me finish please." Buffy looked straight into Faith's chocolate brown eyes and tears started to form in her own green eyes.
"What I did was wrong. I shouldn't have been so blind as to turn my back on you and hurt you so badly. I hope that one day you can forgive me because I can't find the way to forgive myself."
"I have forgiven you, B, everything that happened was my own doing." Faith lifted her shirt to reveal her scar. "If it hadn't been for this," She pressed her hand against the scar. "I would not be here right now having a civilized talked with you B."
Buffy only stared at the scar she had branded the younger slayer with. Her eyes overflowed with tears. Buffy gently placed the tips of her fingers over Faith's scar and in a surprising move, seconds later, Faith engulfed the older slayer in a hug that became essential for their survival.
After a long moment of silence and contact the two slayers brought themselves away from the embrace to continue their conversation.
"Faith you confuse me," Buffy said totally catching Fait off-guard.
"Huh?" Faith asked, confused, still too fuzzy from the goose bumps her body was recovering from.
"You know when we first got here? And I was asleep for half the night?"
Faith nodded, prodding Buffy to continue. "I had a dream with it and you were in it."
Faith recalled the event and chuckled "You mean the nightmare? The dream was Angel wasn't' it?" She was still hurt about being in Buffy's dream only as the boogieman rather than a pleasant thought like Angel seemed to be.
Buffy looked at her sister slayer and saw a brief moment of sadness run across her face at the mention of Angel. She wondered if Faith thought that the dream she had with the younger slayer was thought of as a nightmare.
"No. It was a dream Faith. You were there and you helped me get out of this darkness I was in. You also had your knife. I think you carved something in a tree, but I don't know what it was. Then I wake up and you were there standing beside me. I think it was a slayer dream."
Faith looked even more confused.
"B, I think it might have been the drugs you were on.," Faith said trying to ignore the feeling at the pit of her stomach.
"You called out to me telling me you wanted to open my beautiful green eyes didn't you?" Buffy questioned and noticed Faith's body tense even more. Buffy sought out Faith's hand, but the younger slayer seemed to retreat.
"I think that maybe me sticking around isn't the best thing to do."
Buffy's expression changed and she tensed.
"What are you saying Faith?" Buffy asked more so for confirmation.
"I'm gonna head out in a bit to find my place in the world."
Buffy was shocked at Faith's plans and her lack of acknowledgement of Buffy's previous statement caused the older slayer to panic.
"Faith you don't have to go. Stay here with us, with me?" Buffy pleaded.
Faith looked into those beautiful blue eyes and was ready to stay when a certain vampire walked in.
"Buffy there you are," Angel said as he walked towards the two slayers. "I went to check on you in your room and you weren't there," he said letting the worry slip out of his body.
"Sorry. I had some catching up to do with Faith," Buffy replied trying to regain the composure she had lost during the conversation with Faith.
"Good afternoon Faith." Angel greeted the dark-haired slayer and then turned his attention back to the blonde slayer.
"I was wondering if you were going to go out with the girls tonight?" Angel said a bit nervous.
"I'm not sure. Why do you ask?" Buffy hoped that Angel would make a quick exit so she could convince Faith to stay with her.
Angel struggled with his words. Faith was watching him struggle and realized what he was trying to do. Her heart broke once the question came out of Angel's mouth.
"I know when we talked back in Sunnydale you said that maybe in the future and this might still be too close to that, but I was just wondering, Would you go out with me tonight?"
"Angel, I..." Buffy didn't know how to respond. She wanted to make things right with Angel but didn't want to lead him on. Right now she wanted more to be around Faith than anyone else. "I don't think we should do this." Buffy replied shocking Faith.
The younger slayer was sure that Buffy would go running back to Angel's arms if she were given the opportunity. She wondered if Buffy was refusing to go with Angel because somehow the Blonde was trying to spare her feelings. At the same time, Faith felt the sadness that threatened to consume her undead mentor and decided to help him out. She was sure that Buffy and Angel would end up together. She failed to notice how Buffy's body and through their slayer connection, seemed to call out for rogue slayer not Angel.
"Come on B, take this old man out," Faith said standing up and patting Angel on the shoulder.
"You really think so?" Buffy asked, wanting Faith to take back her request and instead stay there with her.
Faith's request had confused Buffy, who swore she had seen the same feelings she held for the younger slayer reflected back at her from warm chocolate brown eyes. Why would Faith want her to go out with Angel? Was Buffy wrong about Faith's feelings? Was Buffy the only one who had more than friendly feelings for the other slayer?
"Yeah B, after all I can't go out with you remember? I'm heading out in a bit." With that, she left the other two individuals in the room to plan out their evening. Faith was determined to let Buffy build a happy life with Angel.
End of Flash Back
A/N:
I thought about splitting this chapter into two or more chapters but then Jack advised me against it. He decided to appear a few minutes before I wanted to post the first half of this. This chapter kind of lets the dust settle from the last chapter and starts stirring some of it's own.
Hope you guys enjoyed it. New chapter should be posted in the coming days. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think.
P.S. You guys should check out Babbles4Twillow's story (Willow/Tara) it's really good.