Disclaimer: Still not mine, never has been.
A/N: Yay! Thank you so much for the reviews!!! They made me all happy. Again I say that there's not much dialog, I sound like a broken record huh? But I've already written the fourth chapter and I can say that it has more talking, as does the fifth. The story gets better after this chapter. Just bare with me. Also I am keeping Buffy and Faith's relationship on the friend's level for now; don't want to jump straight into them being all cozy. But in time…Oh in time *Leaves sentence hanging as I think it is cool*
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Her eyes are shut she knows this, welcomes this action. The quiet that surrounds her though she tries to push away humming if ever so softly as her low voice fills the small room. Knees brought tightly to her chest, arms hugging them as her head rests on her knees. She's cursing the Warden. Wishing he'd drop dead. Though if looked upon she'd seem fairly content, placid. She's not. She's itching for a fight wanting to alleviate the emotions building within her. Though she knows she has to reframe. Her mind keeps screaming at her to suck it up, take what is dished to her. So she does. Sitting. Waiting. Humming. The Wardens words rotating within her head his unruly grin, piercing eyes. Oh, how she hates him.
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He looks upon her with merely a thought, nodding slightly to the unkempt guard to wait outside. He complies. Like a dog Faith thinks. A loyal mutt. The door closes softly and as though it was his cue to speak the Warden gives a small smile…grimace?
"I don't tolerate misbehaving in my prison Faith." His words are almost growled and she winces at the use of her name.
"I didn't do nothin'."
A break, he nods as though comprehending her words before taking a step closer. "I'm sorry you see it that way, Faith." Another step. "Guess we'll have to fix that."
She glares, knowing full well she's only enticing him further. Stands her ground as he continues to walk steadily ahead, eyes studying his movements.
"I think a month should do you, you're getting off lightly really." A chuckle. "Most the girls here would get two months, more if I felt they deserved it."
She almost halts breathing as he stops right in front of her, smile never leaving his dry lips.
"A month of what?" She manages to say, though still cringes at how unsure her voice had sounded. Lack of use she guesses. No one exactly makes attempts to initiated small talk around here.
He steps back if only a fraction, eyes cold with pure immorality. One word he speaks. And though she's heard it many times. It doesn't cease to make her stomach churn. To stop the raging bats that she swears are in there.
"Solitary."
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"Solitary…" She whispers if only to hear something other than the aching silence. Her mind replaying that moment over and over. She lifts her head. The darkness is around her. Shadows again dancing. Reaching for her yet she recoils further into the corner. Eyes alert though for what reason she isn't sure. Things seem different time has made her become wary. Expecting something to jump from the darkness and grab her. Though it never does. Yet she always stays alert just in case she's right. In case it's not just the solitary, the silence and shadows making her feel paranoid.
More humming. She continues making the soft buzz as she shuts her eyes. Head falling back against the hard wall, emitting a low thud. She thinks it has almost been a month. Hopes more than anything. Although she knows in truth that it's been barely a whole week, though never admits this never says it out loud.
The door creaks.
Or does it?
If it did nothing happened, nothing moved. Her eyes stay fixed upon the door a while passes, hours maybe, tick, tick. She blinks, misses nothing keeps watching. Tick, tick, tick. Her head lapses over with the time counting unheard seconds, watching, waiting, hoping.
The shadows shift and she blinks again. Motionless as she sits.
Hours slip past her or is it days? Probably not, though it seems that way.
Tick; tick…Another shift in the shadows she sits up straighter renewed hope, again watching the door with an intent stare. Humming unheard for so long. But she doesn't care about that anymore she needs to listen, keep quiet, wants to know what she's been hoping for. That a month has come and gone.
…Nothing.
She sighs and it almost startles her, the noise louder then what she had thought it'd be. Her head hits the wall again, dropping to the side as she bangs her fists against the ground. Not hard. Though warranted enough to state she was getting restless. She stays this way for a moment. Fists clenching, unclenching.
Clenching.
Unclenching.
Knuckles turning white.
Tick, tick.
Hitting the ground again, hands releasing then recoiling.
Head rolling to the other side, eyes shut knuckles still white.
Tick, tick…Boom…
A low grunt makes its way out of her throat catching slightly as she drops her head, a lone tear barely there though speaking more words, more emotions then she ever could. Hands raise and tangle within her dark hair sweeping their way through, she made a promise, she made a promise, she made a promise.
She made a Promise!
Tick, tick.
Again humming was heard, the clock in her head restarted lapping over, counting. Her eyes shut and her head rested back upon her knees, sleep danced on the edges of her consciousness allowing her to simply fall within the mass of it, though still humming, she only rested.
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Her body ached, pained with exhaustion, breathing hard as she hit over and over watching the punching bag strain and move under her steady hits. Sweat beaded above her brow covering slowly her whole body as she focused, eyes never leaving, never looking away. She could feel her arms getting weak the oncoming lack of energy fusing out. Her mind pushed past this refusing to stop.
Punch, punch.
A sound, Giles, his footsteps light as he watches her. Stopping a few feet in the doorway. She doesn't react keeps violently beating the bag, beating away her demons the ones that live inside of her. Anger, resentment, pain…
Guilt?
No, maybe just pity.
He clears his throat but she can't summon the restraint to stop. Doesn't want to look him in the eye, doesn't want to talk.
"Buffy?" It's spoken softly though holds a hint of worry.
Punch, punch.
"Buffy stop."
Kick, punch, sigh.
Her hands fall limply by her sides as she turns around to face him breathing berated, sweat dripping slowly down her chest, she's frowning, troubled emotions etched upon her face. He smiles hesitantly testing the waters and she returns it, however half hearted it is. He doesn't speak though walks closer to her, eyes brows rising in question. A silent gesture. An opening for her to talk.
And she does. Voice low. Solid.
"I saw Faith." It's only three words but they say so much, Giles gives her a nod.
"And?"
She shakes her head wiping the beaded sweat from her forehead. "She seems different."
His glasses are off now being cleansed with care as he focuses on that task. "Is it a good different, or a bad different?"
"I…I'm not sure yet, she's just…something has changed with her, inside her maybe, she seems lost…or maybe not lost exactly, broken? Remorseful? I-I don't know, she's just…"
"Different." Giles concludes, whether or not meaning to finish Buffy's sentence or just mauling the whole concept over, she didn't know. Her head nodded as she again wiped the sweat from her brow.
Silence.
It grew bigger as both stood still facing the other with seemingly a long train of thought running through out their heads. Not often did the topic of Faith come up. Hardly brought into any conversation. Left alone. Untouched. As everyone had their own thoughts and feelings on it. About her. If her name was mentioned it was said in a whisper, said in passing where no one really took much notice. Though every time someone uttered her name whether said in disgust, intrigue, wonder. Buffy heard it. Didn't miss a beat. Felt the small pang of remorse hit her.
A memory, vivid in its wake flashing before her eyes.
The knife, the blood, a pained expression that had mixed emotions one that belonged to Faith. She remembers being hit down, landing hard upon her back as she stared up at the rogue slayer watching her stumble slightly as she moved towards the edge. Why? Why the edge?
Her heart was in her throat constricting the words she wanted…No needed to say.
To yell to the other slayer as she merely fell. Body giving in. Limp. Falling, falling so far down. Faith slipping from her clutches, slipping from her life. A scream that never made it into the night one that haunted her dreams. She simply left. Ran away. Leaving the knife she once used against the dark haired girl, leaving a part of her she'd never get back.
This memory stained her dreams and when Faith's name was uttered it would stain her mind.
A cough. And the silence ends. Breaking Buffy from her thoughts as she looks up at Giles he gives her a patented smile and she can't help but sigh.
Eyes focusing on nothing trying to see her thoughts again, before she speaks.
"I have to get Faith out of prison."
And there's a short pause as both figures listen to how it sounds out loud, listens to the tone, trying to find fault, reason, a go ahead with what had been spoken. A second slips by and Giles nods.
"I see."
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Her eyes are again shut ears listening into the dark room. She swears she hears something though never looks, her mind playing tricks again the shadows looming above her, around her, suffocating every part of her till she just wants to scream. But she doesn't. Her breathing harsh as she grits her teeth. Not wanting to break. Not daring to falter. She opens her eyes and it's only for a second. Glancing around the dark small room in an attempt to ease her paranoia.
Nothing. She breaths out. Eyes shutting.
Urging the shadows to go away to stop making her stomach flutter with fear, she's a Slayer. Strong. Deadly. Powerful. Though the shadows can't be Slayed, can't be dealt with like some blood sucking vampire.
No.
They get inside of her making everything seem darker. Clouding her. Choking her. No mercy, none to speak of. She's been in here to long…far too long. She needs to escape! But she can't!
Won't
She made a promise.
She will not break it, if she does what good is she?
"I made a promise." She mutters her hands grasping her head as she clenches her teeth tightly. "I made a promise, I made a promise, I made a promise."
Words she's told herself over and over, day and night just a simple reminder, whether out loud or just thought in passing. These words echoed mindlessly it seemed. Their meaning fading yet she refused to give in. How could she? She had come so far. Done so much. Unseen by the people she did it for but at least she held herself with just a bit more pride.
A noise made her jump, visibly.
Though she stationed herself the same not moving to glance around, not wanting to be tormented by the shadows. Her voice raspy, low, but a whisper as she repeated the words. Chiding herself to just forget about where she was.
"I made a promise, I made a promise, I made a promise!"
There's only a short pause of silence as a soft hand touches her knee making her shift further into the wall, back pressed hard against it eyes not opening, fear embedded never leaving. Her voice is shaky as she ignores the contact, jaw firm.
"I made a promise."
Then filling the dark, hushed room a voice. One holding a softness that Faith can't quite understand. But neither the less finds herself slightly calmed.
"I know."
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A/N: I would love to get some feedback, I am running low on inspiration and want to know what you all think. Do I have to beg? … *Get's on knees, begs*
