Chapter Three: Protector
Author's Note: Ok, now I'm going to focus on Faith's little crush on Buffy.
We all know she has one hehe. Enjoy!
Buffy took Faith back to her house.
She knew the other girl was too scared to go back to her motel room and thought that maybe she would feel safer against this Kakistos with another slayer around.
"You can sleep here tonight." Buffy told Faith.
Faith gave her an uneasy smile. She was still shaken up from her fight with the older vamp.
"Thanks, B."
The blonde smiled and grabbed some blankets from the wardrobe.
"I'll sleep on the couch, you can have my bed."
Faith frowned at that suggestion.
"Nah, it's fine, B. I'll take the couch. Hell, I'll even take the floor!"
Buffy smiled and tossed the blankets to her.
"As long as you're comfortable."
Faith nodded as she caught the blankets and started making herself a make shift bed.
Buffy handed her a pillow too which Faith took with a small thanks.
Faith removed her boots and then settled down.
Buffy went into the bathroom, changed, and then climbed into her own bed.
They layed there in silence for a while until Buffy spoke up.
"We will kill him, Faith. I promise."
Faith's fist clenched in the blanket and her brow furrowed.
"I know. He just...I've never come up against anything as strong as him before." She said, her voice low and filled with barely concealed fear.
Buffy nodded even though she knew the other girl couldn't see her.
"He's never come up against two slayers before. Don't you think he's a little worried too?"
Faith shook her head slowly.
"No...he's not scared of anything."
Buffy's face was full of determination.
"He will be."
...
The same time the next night, Buffy and Faith went out to find Kakistos.
They sat in Restfield cemetery as though it were an ordinary night and they were on patrol.
Faith looked around, letting out a sigh every now and then.
"Remind why we're just sitting here and not tracking Kakistos?"
Buffy circled back on her pacing and looked at the other slayer.
"Kakistos wants you. So he will come to you. I thought it was a pretty good plan."
Faith rolled her dark eyes.
"Well yeah, so did I, about two hours ago."
Buffy's face scrunched up.
"Yeah...we have been here a while and got nothin'."
Faith allowed herself a small smile before she licked her lips and tried to gte serious again.
"Hey, B...uh- I just wanted to say thanks...Y'know, for all of this planning and shit."
The blonde stopped pacing and smiled at Faith.
"It's ok. We need this vamp dead anyway, right?"
Faith nodded.
"Right...but I mean-I dunno." She trailed off with a shake of her head.
Faith didn't normally latch onto people fast but something about Buffy, made her a little different than the rest.
Maybe it was the fact that she was a slayer too or maybe it was something that Faith was choosing to bury deep inside her until she felt she could come to terms with it.
She shrugged it off and tried to focus on her surroundings instead.
"So how much longer do you think we'll have to sit here?"
Buffy shrugged.
"For as long as it takes."
Faith nodded and then rubbed the stake inbetween her palms, feeling the smooth wood warming her hands.
"So...anyone special in your life, B?"
Oh that was smooth, Faith. Way to go! She chastised herself.
But Buffy only shook her head but Faith saw the sadness in her hazel eyes.
"There was someone...now there's not." She replied.
Faith nodded.
She wanted to ask what happened but she had a feeling she shouldn't go there so she kept her mouth shut.
"And you?" Buffy asked, trying to lighten her tone.
Faith crossed her arms and gave her a little smirk.
"Nah...haven't met anyone who could handle this." Faith said, gesturing to herself and putting on that fake arrogance she used to protect herself.
Buffy gave her a small smile.
"You're not so bad. Maybe a little reckless but-"
Faith raised an eyebrow at the blonde.
"You think you know me?" But she was playing and Buffy could tell by the grin on her face.
Buffy returned her grin.
"Not yet but maybe when all this with Kakistos is over and you stick around Sunnydale, I think we could become quite the team."
This caused Faith to smile more than she was used to on a daily basis and she bit it back, trying to look more casual.
"Yeah. Maybe."
A growl came from behind them and Faith let out a breath as Buffy muttered;
"About time."
They both fought the vampires that came for them but Kakistos was no where to be found.
More came and soon Buffy and Faith found themselves surrounded and back to back.
"So what now?" Buffy asked over her shoulder.
Faith looked around.
She was fairly confident that they could take them but then Kakistos appeared and her face paled.
"I...I don't..."
Buffy followed Faith's gaze and her own eyes widened.
"Ok. Faith, listen to me. We can do this, ok? You just have to trust me."
Faith nodded but Buffy could tell that the other girl wanted to run.
She didn't blame her.
Buffy had had to deal with the Master and now Faith was going to have to deal with Kakistos.
Buffy kicked out first, sending a vampire flying back into a tombstone.
Faith followed suit and lashed out at a vampire who decided to get a bit too close.
Kakistos watched, never taking his eyes off of Faith, which unnerved her.
Buffy got Faith's attention and nodded to the dark haired slayer.
'You can do this.' She mouthed.
Faith nodded but she still backpeddled when the older vampire came closer.
He grinned at her.
"Come, Faith. Let's finish this."
She glared at him and then lunged, tackling him to the ground.
He only laughed and threw her off of himself easily.
She landed hard but luckily, not on her damaged wrist.
Buffy was there in a heartbeat and dealt a sharp kick to Kakistos' leg, making him buckle for a moment before she turned and found a wooden spike sticking out of the ground.
It looked like it had been a cross at some point but where they had been fighting, it had become broken and now it was make shift weapon.
Buffy pushed him back until he was trying not to fall backwards.
"Faith, now!"
Faith looked up, saw her chance and pushed Kakistos onto the wooden spike.
She watched as he crumbled to dust before her eyes.
A small, relieved smile played on her lips and she looked up at Buffy.
For the first time since she'd met her, Faith's eyes were clear.
She went up to Buffy and stopped just in front of her.
To be honest, Buffy was expecting a hug but the other girl didn't seem like the hugging type.
"Thanks, B. You really came through for me there. I owe you one."
Buffy shrugged.
"It's another powerful vampire gone, and you owe me nothing. We're friends, right?"
Faith ignored the tugging in her stomach when she looked at the blonde.
"Sure. Friends."