Title: Finding Faith

Chapter: 10 - Who's the Boss?

Author: Jo Soulliere

Content/Pairing: Buffy/Faith (Various others possibly)

Spoilers: Some conversation/scenes from the episode "Touched" Season 7

Disclaimer: I own none of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Characters or places. Most likely, I don't own anything else in this story either... All the Buffy stuff belongs to Joss Whedon. Give him the Credit.

Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews :) ... This chapter is mostly just filler, no serious drama's taking place.

Now, On with the show:

Previously:

Dawn walked up to Buffy and spoke softly to her."Then you can't stay here. Buffy, I love you, but you were right. We have to be together on this. You can't be a part of it." The blonde slayer stood there blinking her eyes in disbelief at her sister. "So I need you to leave. I'm sorry, but this is my house, too."

Buffy looked around at everyone in the room. Suddenly she realized she was defeated. And although it hurt, she realized a part of her was relieved that she wasn't the one in charge of everyone else's lives anymore. She turned and walked out the front door without saying another word.

"Ding dong, the witch is dead." Rona said from where she now sat on the couch.

"Shut your mouth." Dawn growled in a low angry voice at the potential.

Faith looked around at everyone in disbelief. "You're just kicking her out like that? Out of her own house... Where the hell do you expect her to go? She's only one woman, it's dangerous out there for us right now, and you're sending her out there to face it all alone." She walked toward the door. " Well guess what... I'm not. You kick her out, you've lost me too. She may need to slow down a little right now, but if you wanna be so ungrateful to someone who's done so much for you, for all of you..." Faith sighed. "You can get through this thing on your own." Then she turned and walked out the door following after Buffy.


Everyone stood unable to move, staring at the front entrance as Faith walked out and didn't look back. Everyone was in shock. They never in a million years thought that both Slayers would walk out on them. A few silent moments passed before everyone started chattering frantically amongst themselves.

"What are we going to do? We can't get through this without at least one of them, we aren't slayers." Amanda said.

"We might not be Slayers. But we're potentials. We can handle this." Kennedy was saying. "We just need to come up with a plan.

"Oh, my god. I should go get Buffy, and bring her back." Dawn was saying to Giles in a hushed voice, as everyone else in the room argued about what they were going to do.

"No, no. She's going to be fine. Really it's for the best." Giles said resting a hand on Dawn's shoulder. "This isn't your fault. No one expected Faith to follow her out."

"Really?" Dawn replied. "Then why do I feel like this?"

"It's only natural that you should, um, feel this way. She is your sister, and you're concerned about her. Given the situation she might be slightly reluctant to return so quickly, even if you did chase after her."

"Who has idea's?" Kennedy was asking the group.

"Man, I think we should just get out of town. We can't take down the First and Caleb. We can't even take out one of those ubervamps by ourselves." Rona said seriously.

"No, we're not going anywhere. We're in charge of ourselves now. Without Buffy or Faith here, we finally have some say in how and when we lose our necks." Kennedy told her.

"Maybe you don't have to be so blunt about the losing of the necks bit." Wood responded making a cutting motion with his hand in front of his neck for demonstration purposes.

"No, let the girl speak the truth. We're all on death's door repeatedly ringing the doorbell like maniacal girl scouts trying to make quota." Anya said emphatically.

"We just have to find some way of having constructive dialogue without going completely mad." Giles told them.

"Do you know the parliamentary procedure? 'Cause that's a convenient way of organizing—" Amanda tried to suggest.

"Please do not mention parliamentary procedure." Vi responded to the suggestion.

"I second that." Caridad agreed under her breath.

"Maybe we should break down into small groups so it wouldn't be so chaotic." Wood suggested.

Xander shifted uneasily in his seat. "You know, I'm thinking that everyone here shouldn't have a say."

"You guys, I think we're wasting time arguing about how to argue." Willow said as she rolled her eyes at everyone. "Giles is the Watcher. He knows more about this sort of stuff than any of us. I think we should let him decide what to do."

Everyone stopped talking and looked at Giles who took off his glasses and began cleaning them as he cleared his throat. "Well, um... Uh, first I think we need to appoint someone to the position of leader. However, since the appointed person won't actually have the speed or strength of a slayer, they will need to consult with me before they make any final decisions about anything." He said as he put his glasses back on.

"Who do you suggest we put in charge of our lives? Whose going to be the one to lead us all to our horrible and bloody deaths?" Anya asked.

Giles let out a sigh at Anya's lack of tact. It was something they should all be used to by now, but time and time again he found himself surprised by the words that fell freely from Anya's lips, usually innocently enough. Sometimes the ex-vengence demon just didn't realize the effect that her blunt words could have in the hearts and minds of people who have never been anything other than mortal. "Well, I believe it should be one of the potentials, since uh, one of them will be the next chosen, if anything were to happen to Faith. Given my time observing the girls in their training, I believe Kennedy would be the best choice."

"Kennedy...?" Anya said not really sounding as though she were convinced. "Sure, I guess that makes sense."

"It does make sense. Kennedy has been here longer than most of the other girls. She's strong. She's familiar with the weapons. She leads the other girls in some of their training exercises. Clearly she has the potential to be a leader." Giles said, declaring his reasons for choosing Kennedy.

"Okay, so Kennedy's the one we look to for directions now." Wood said.

"I think we need to start by gathering some information." Giles continued. "So, what do we know this far?"

"Well, we know we're basically the last humans left in Sunnydale." Xander replied.

"And that all the evil in town wants us dead." Caridad added.

"I don't want to die." Vi said in an uneasy tone with concern covering her face.

"Don't worry. It's far more likely you'll live long enough to watch most of your friends die first." Anya replied to the comment, then looked pointedly at the young girl and added. "And then you'll die."

"We also know that Caleb told Buffy that everything's going down at the seal." Kennedy threw in. "I think we should head—"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. So, we know we've got a lot of enemies. We'll start there." Giles cut her off. "So, who exactly do we have to deal with?"

"Well, there's the First, who we can't touch." Dawn said.

"Then there's our friend the reverend I-hate-women." Xander responded.

"Who's basically untouchable." Anya said in her usual 'why are we even bothering' tone.

"There's the 'roid-rage vamps, who are pretty much the worst. And the—" Dawn continued.

"The bringers. They seem to be the weakest." Willow stated.

"You think we should attack the bringers?" Giles asked looking at the redhead.

"Or, you know. Kidnap one." The witch shrugged her shoulders. "Just a suggestion."

"And what? Hold it ransom?" Kennedy asked sarcastically. Willow looked at her girlfriend with a hurt expression in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'll get the magazines and start ripping out the letters now. "Dear Mr. First, if you want your Bringer back... well, we'll be surprised because you got, like, 3 million of them. So please disregard this letter. Yours sincerely—" Xander said joining Kennedy in the ranks of sarcasm.

"No, hold on a moment." Giles interrupted him. "Willow might have a point. We could find a bringer and make it talk. We could then find out information about the First and Caleb." He said giving Willow an encouraging smile. Willow sat there looking gratefully back at him, the corners of her lips turned upward in a small smile of appreciation for his support.

Wood was standing off to the side of the group listening mostly, taking everything in, before he decided to speak. "How do you think we should catch one if they don't want to be found?"

"OK, I'm not sure this is such a good idea. Why try and get information when we already know about the seal? Why don't we send a team to the high school? Do some recon and—" Kennedy stated objecting to the plan.

"No." Giles stated firmly giving her a stern look.

Kennedy sat back raising her eyebrows. "Just like that? You're not even listening."

Willow rested a hand on the brunette's arm. "Sweetie, you're pushing too hard."

"I thought things would be different now, but you keep shutting me down." Kennedy continued her tone making clear her frustration. "I thought you said that I'd be in charge, doesn't that include making plans?"

"You will be in charge, once we have a plan. You will be leading the other potentials. However, since you aren't actually a slayer as I pointed out before, I believe it would be best to let myself and the others decide on the best course of action. We have far more experience with planning than you do." Giles said calmly, his tone challenging the young potential to question his authority again.

Buffy was walking quietly down a dark, mostly deserted street by herself. She passed by a house where a family was packing the last of their belongings into a minivan and getting ready to leave town. A feeling of defeat washed over her again. She wrapped her arms around her body giving the appearance of giving herself a comforting hug. She looked slowly around the empty neighborhood. "I suppose this place will do." she said quietly to herself as she walked up to a house that looked deserted, opening the front door she entered the house. A moment later she was surprised to find a man blocking her path, holding a shotgun aimed directly at her.

"Don't move. Get out of my house." The man said trying to sound threatening.

"Hey." Buffy said, greeting the man as she reached up and easily took the shotgun from him. "I thought the place would be empty. I was looking for a place to crash. You know, you really should leave."

"You can't just kick me out of my own house." The man replied indignantly, his voice raising slightly.

Buffy shrugged at the man. "Why not? It's what all the cool kids are doing nowadays." She walked passed the man and headed into the kitchen. " This is not your house. It's not your town. Not anymore." She said calmly, sadness crashing through her voice. She opened the refrigerator door and looked inside. "Got any Tab?" She called to the man who had apparently left some moments before without so much as a goodbye. Guess I can't blame him... I did just walk into his house and pretty much kick him out after all. She thought as she headed back to the hallway that lead to the kitchen.

Buffy drew in a deep breath and let it out as she reached the hallway, stopping just before she reached the stairs that lead to the upper level of the house. "Faith..." She said in surprise seeing the dark slayer standing in the doorway. "I didn't realize you had followed me." She said quietly.

"Why wouldn't I?" Faith said walking toward her. "I"m not leaving you out here to fend for yourself."

"Why not? After the things I said to you, and about you, back at the house. I would have expected you to be the president of the 'we hate Buffy' club, now." she responded turning and slowly walking up the stairs.

"Do you want me to hate you? Is that what you want? Would that be easier for you? Apparently you really don't know me at all." Faith said following behind Buffy as she spoke. "The things you said, hurt me. But, the things I said were true Buffy." She reached out lightly touching the blonde slayer's shoulder as the reached the top of the stairs and entered the first bedroom on the right. Buffy turned to look at her. "I have fallen in love with you. I can't just turn my back on you. Not this time." Faith finished, smiling sadly at her girlfriend.

"So, you just walked out on all of them?" Buffy questioned.

Faith shrugged. "There's more of them than there are of us. They have a witch. They should be safe for a while. Ungrateful bastards. They can't just kick you out of your own house like that, B. I told them, if they're kicking you out, then... I'm following you." She finished looking into the older girls eyes.

Faith held out her hand to Buffy, who stood there looking down at it for a moment, then stepped forward sliding her arms around Faith's middle, holding tightly to the other girls body. Faith wrapped her arms tightly around the blonde, she lifted one of her hands cradling the back of the older girls head. "Faith, I didn't mean to say those things earlier. I was pissed, and I was lashing out."

Faith pressed her cheek against the top of Buffy's head. "Well, I'm not going to say that it's okay that you said those things. Because it's not. And, you really have to understand that I'm not going to continually allow you to say things like that to me and look past it, whenever we have a disagreement about something."

"I know." Buffy said quietly. "I don't expect you too."

"I do forgive you though. This time, at least." the dark slayer said turning her head, pressing her lips to the older girls forehead.

Buffy pulled away and walked toward the bed, catching Faith's hand in hers as she turned. Faith followed behind her willingly. The blonde sat on the bed, motioning for Faith to join her. The younger girl stood there looking at her for a moment then sat on the edge of the bed looking at her girlfriend. "What are we going to do?" She said after a few moments of neither of them saying a word.

Buffy shrugged slightly. "I don't know. Right now, I don't really care. I was thinking maybe I'd just go to sleep, and... maybe I"ll wake up dead. Again. Once it's all over." Buffy said sounding half serious.

"That's so not funny." Faith scolded, frowning as she looked into her girlfriends eyes. "You will not be dying again. Not if I can help it."

"You should go back and help the others." Buffy said quietly.

"I'm not leaving you out here by yourself." Faith said firmly leaving no room for argument. But that didn't stop the blonde slayer from continuing.

"You're not leaving me out here by myself. I'm asking you to go back and protect them. Keep them safe. Dawn, Xander, and Willow... Giles. The girls. Make sure nothing happens to them. They need a leader, Faith. They need a slayer. They don't want me, and you're capable of taking care of them in my absence." Buffy said.

"I don't like the thought of you not being there with us. Anything could happen to you when you're out here alone." Faith insisted.

"I know. But, I'm more capable of taking care of myself than they are. Than any of them. Including Willow. She's too afraid to use magic right now. Even if it is to save her own life and everyone else's."

"I swear I didn't want it to go this way—" Faith said softly.

"I know." Buffy replied. "But, Faith... Don't be afraid to lead them. Whether you wanted it or not, their lives are yours."

Faith let out a long slow sigh. "I suppose you're right. Look, I'll go back, but only because you asked me to." Faith stood up and stepped closer to her girlfriend leaning over her, capturing her lips with her own. "I'll be back, try not to get into any trouble." She said as she walked toward the door.

"Faith..." Buffy called after her. Faith stopped and turned around to face the blonde with a questioning look on her face.

"Yeah?"

"Just so you know... I do love you, too." Buffy said sincerely.

Faith gave her a brilliant smile and walked back to the bed, taking Buffy's hands she pulled the older girl to her. She leaned in wrapping the senior slayer in her arms, kissing her passionately. For a few long moments their tongues danced back and forth, battling for dominance. Each slowly massaging the surface of the soft, velvety body of the other. Buffy let her hands slowly start wandering over the firm, warm body of her girlfriend. Faith moaned into her mouth, pressing herself unconsciously into her girlfriend's body. Finally the dark slayer pulled away. Both of them were breathing heavily. Both of them burning with desire. Neither of them wanting to let go.

"I really should go check on the others." Faith said, her voice shaky with desire.

"You really, really should." Buffy whispered.

Faith lowered her head, capturing Buffy's lips in a quick kiss, then she pulled away and headed toward the door. "I'll be back tonight, once everyone's gone to bed." She smiled at Buffy and then disappeared out the bedroom door, descending the stairs.

A/N: it took me a little longer to get this one out that I thought it would. I'm sincerely sorry for that. I'm going to try to have the next chapter out tomorrow.