Faith, Hope & Revelations
Chapter 11
Buffy absolutely didn't know what Faith was asking her to do. But she said yes. Her mother said that Faith would need them to take care of her for the next few days, and Buffy justified helping the other slayer bathe because of it.
"Yeah.. I... I'll start some water in the tub. It'd be easier if you took a bath, honestly," she said. "But I can help you." She swallowed. "Okay?"
Faith nodded. "Okay." She couldn't wait to peel off the hospital scrubs. She sat back down on the bed and stretched her legs in front of her. She'd woken up to a completely different world. A world where she had a second chance.. And Buffy, the golden girl, was into her. Like really into her. Enough to help Faith take a bath. She shook her head confused and waited for Buffy to come get her.
"The water's really hot," the blonde said, coming back into the room. "But.. It'll feel good. And.. I need to look at the wound on your neck." She helped Faith stand up, and they walked together to the bathroom. She was doing fine until she got in there. And then she started shaking.
Faith went to the tub and sat down on the edge. The steam of the bath spiraled up around her and fogged up the mirror. Buffy had added bubble-bath and the entire surface of the water was foamy. "Smells good," she said, "What'd you use?"
"Strawberries and cream bubble bath. It's.. my favorite."
The brunette nodded, and then tried to pull her shirt over her head. But her arms ached and her neck hurt and she groaned. Buffy stepped up, put her hands on the hem of the shirt and lifted it over Faith's head.
Buffy's breath caught in her throat when she saw Faith's bare chest. She had dried blood all down her left breast, and her abdomen. And she had a puckered scar on her stomach. Buffy touched it gently. Her mind flashed back to eight months prior. She remembered shoving the blade into Faith's stomach.. She remembered the face Faith had made as the metal sliced into her abdomen.. She remembered the way the brunette had toppled backward and hit the truck bed that drove beneath. The smaller slayer winced, and felt tears running down her cheeks.
"Hey," Faith said, "I'm better now, remember? All healed up and awake." She untied the drawstring on her pants and let them fall around her ankles. Buffy shielded her eyes, embarassed, and Faith climbed into the tub, sliding beneath the bubbles, into the hot, steamy water. The only part of her that stayed above the water was her head, her wounded neck towards Buffy.
"Do you need a washcloth? Shampoo? Soap?" Buffy didn't know what to do. She was standing there watching Faith take a bath and even though her heart was thudding wildly, she felt incredibly out of place and confused.
"I'm okay right now," Faith replied, relaxed. Her eyes were closed once again. "C'mere."
"What?" Buffy watched Faith's arms lift out of the water and rest on the edges of the rub. "Why?"
"Didn't ya wanna check on my wound?" Faith pulled her hair around her shoulder and bared her neck to the other slayer.
"Oh! Oh yes! I did." Buffy went up to Faith and knelt beside the tub. She peeled the tape off slowly, and pulled the bandage off, laying it on the floor by the tub. The wound wasn't that bad. It was bad, yeah, but it wasn't terrible. It looked like it had already healed a lot. Buffy stood back up, got a wash cloth from the closet and dipped it into the water. Faith just watched her. She ran it gingerly over the wound and wiped off all the extra blood. It wasn't bleeding anymore. Faith winced but she didn't say anything. "I... I think you're gonna be okay," Buffy said. "We're slayers, so we heal fast. And it already looks like it's been days since you were bitten."
Faith slid under the water, wetting her hair. Then she came back out, and reached for the shampoo. Buffy got it for her, squirted some in her hair, and started massaging it through Faith's hair. She was as soft as she could be.
"I'm sorry about.. About what I did," Faith said, her voice a whisper.
"So am I," Buffy said.
"I wouldn't blame you if you called the cops, got me taken outta here."
Buffy ignored her. She made sure all of Faith's hair was lathered up with Lavender shampoo, and then she said, "Dip," and pushed her back under the water. She worked her hands through Faith's hair under the water, and then pulled her back up.
Faith wiped the water out of her eyes. She looked at Buffy, watched her take the wash cloth and rub it over her collar bones, not daring to go any lower. Faith took a deep breath, "Get in here with me," she said.
The blonde slayer's heart flipped. "Wh-what?"
"You heard me," Faith said, her voice like silk, "Take your clothes off. Climb in here. I'll let some of the water out so it won't over flow. Just.. Get in here."
