The Missing Half

Chapter 4 – Explaining the Unexplainable

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Buffy or Angel related, we have Joss to thank for that.

The next morning, Faith woke up early and went down stairs thinking she could make breakfast for Buffy. It was the least she could do for giving her a place to stay for the night. So Faith bustled around the kitchen, and set up a few pans for eggs and pancakes.

Faith was nearly finished when the Summers' door opened and closed. Dawn was home. 'Well this should be interesting' Faith thought to herself. A few seconds later Dawn entered the kitchen, following the delicious smells to the food.

"Mmmm Buffy this is different---oh my god! Buffy! Buffy! Get down here now!" Dawn shrieked when she saw Faith. To Faith she said, "What are you doing here? If you touch my sister I'm gunna, I'm gunna…hurt you real bad." Dawn thought to herself. 'Oh yeah, real threatening, good choice of language you idiot.'

Faith knew that was coming, so she tried to calm her down. "Hey, hey now Little D. Don't go making up threats you can't hold by…I'm not gunna hurt anyone…I'm here 'cause---"

Faith was cut off Buffy who had run down stairs as fast as she could at Dawn's request. "Dawn, Dawn! Stop! SSHHH! It's ok, let me explain…she's not gunna hurt you."

Dawn quieted for a moment and then spoke, "Buffy. How do you know you can trust her? She tried to kill you. She belongs in jail." Dawn looked over at Faith and a wave of emotion and memories washed over her. Dawn had looked up to Faith before she turned against them. She was so happy when she first arrived in Sunnydale; Buffy had someone else to fight the baddies with. As the two had become better friends, Dawn saw Faith more often, and she had become like the second older sister to her. She never treated her like she was five, never tried to shield her from the outside world. Dawn respected Faith so much, and then she turned evil. Dawn remembered that feeling of betrayal, and the anger she felt at that time.

Buffy continued her explanation to her little sister; "Cordelia had a vision, a vision of Faith helping me fight the new evil here in Sunnydale. She made it clear that Faith was needed. I know that Faith did a lot of stuff, but we have to put it behind us for now. She's capable of so much more. So much good. Please Dawn, just try to believe she's changed. Please."

Faith, who had stayed pretty quiet during this exchange, turned to Dawn and began the apology that she owed so many people. "Look D, what I did back then was horrible, and to many, seems unforgivable, but I can't change the past. But I can keep history from repeating itself. I'm sorry Dawn, and I'm gunna make things right, no matter what it takes."

Dawn looked at the floor, then at Faith. "Alright, I guess I can give you a chance, because Buffy trusts you. I can too. But the minute you hurt Buffy, it's gunna be me who exacts her revenge this time."

Buffy snorted when she heard this. "Uh ya Dawn, what are you going to do. Whine on her? Slam a door in her face? Oh wait I know, throw her dirty looks until she gets so depressed she jumps off a building?"

Faith's face fell at that last threat. 'Jump off a building. Ha. Like I would ever do that…I was only put in a coma for 8 months for that very thing.'

Buffy saw Faith stop smiling and immediately regretted what she said. "OH! Faith I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that, I was just…making jokes…stupid Buffy…stupid! I should write a book about how to properly stick my foot in my mouth---"

"Hey B, it's ok, I mean, it is what is right?" Faith turned to finish cooking breakfast.

"Dawn, why don't you go upstairs for a little bit. Me and Faith have something to discuss." Buffy took a seat at the table and Dawn left to go to her room and write in her journal. Faith finished her cooking and placed the steaming food in front of Buffy.

"Thought ya might want something to eat," the Bostonian told Buffy.

"Thanks, Faith, this looks great. I didn't know you had any cooking talent."

"Well, as a kid, I used to always cook for my mom. I haven't actually cooked in a while, what with going all evil and being in jail." Faith explained. The two sat in silence while Buffy ate her breakfast.

When Buffy finished eating, Faith spoke up, "B, something's bugging me. I know you see this change in me, or whatever, but why? Why are you being so nice to me?"

Buffy got an uncomfortable look on her face, but she knew she had to tell Faith why she had that sudden change of heart. "Well I guess I just feel responsible. I can't help but to think it was because of me that you changed sides. When that thing went down with Finch, I wasn't exactly Support-o girl. I was so worried about getting in trouble; I never stopped to think about how you might feel. About how I would have felt if I was in your place. Of course you freaked, but I didn't understand your reaction then. After that everything went to Hell. The thing with Angel. Me coming for your blood. They were just rash actions not supported with enough thought. Then the coma, the body switch…it was too much. I couldn't deal with it. Just like I couldn't deal with the Finch disaster. When I heard you turned yourself in, I didn't know what to think. And then last night, you were just here. And I lost it."

Buffy paused and looked up at Faith and her healing face, the spilt lip and bruises slowly fading. She continued saying what needed to be said. "I'm sorry Faith, for losing hope in you when you needed me most. The truth Faith? I missed you."

Faith opened her mouth in shock as those words left Buffy's mouth. She had missed her. She was apologizing to her. To the girl that wrecked her life. "B? I missed you too." And with that, Buffy got up and gave Faith a hug. Faith ignored the dull pain in her bruised ribs and returned the hug. The two stood there holding each other, then broke apart and Faith asked the question they were both thinking.

"So, what next?"

They both knew what they wanted to do… "Shopping," they answered in unison and huge smiles on their faces.

………………

Upstairs Dawn was scribbling away in her journal:

"Alright. Guess what? Faith's back. I know I know, I shouldn't be writing here in my journal, I should be rounding up the troops and screaming and calling for help. Well, that's what I would be doing, but Faith is not here to kill us. Faith's changed. Wow no matter how many times I say it, it still sounds surreal. Faith has changed. This is more than I could ever hope for. Faith. The one who I trusted, then turned all 'Grr arrggg' is back. And hopefully someone I can trust again. I think it can happen. I'm willing to believe in her. Put a little faith in Faith."

A/N: Alright, the nw chapter's up! I'll keep updating as soon as possible. Reviews will REALLY help the process...thanks!