Disclaimer: I Own Nothing.
Chapter 13
It had been a few days since the Spike incident and Buffy and Faith were avoiding each other like the plague.
Buffy who wanted nothing more than to get Faith to talk with her was now finding ways not to. Whenever they had to talk it would become awkward and the tension in the room could be felt by everyone.
All of them were curious about what had happened between the two of them but Faith wasn`t saying anything and Buffy was avoiding them.
Willow decided to corner her best friend one afternoon at the Magic Box while she was pounding away on the punching bag. Faith luckily wasn`t there today so she could confront Buffy without any interruptions.
She walked down the stairs to the training room and watched as Buffy relentlessly punched the poor punching bag. She seemed to be in her own world and didn`t even notice Willow.
Clearing her throat seemed to snap Buffy out of whatever was occupying her thoughts. She looked at Willow and gave her a questioning look."What`s up Wills?"She asked nonchalantly while taking off the tape around her hands.
Willow gave her a pointed looked and huffed slightly, "Don't you dare try and act all innocent with me Missy, "said Willow trying to sound intimidating. Buffy sighed and turned to look at her friend.
"I`m not trying to act all innocent, I don`t even know what you're talking about."She began to pick up her gym bag she brought with her and took out her towel."Yes you do, why have you been avoiding us? After Tara and I got back from that Wiccan meeting the other day you`ve been acting strange. What`s going on Buffy?"Asked Willow frowning in concern.
She sighed once more, not sure if she should tell Willow what had happened between her and Faith. Willow wasn`t a big Faith fan and who knows how she`ll react.
When Buffy took too long to answer her, she saw the hurt look that crossed her friends face and' feeling bad she decided she really needed to confide in somebody and who better than her best friend.
Sighing and sitting down on the work out bench Buffy took a deep breath and began."It`s Faith."Willow looked at her with raised eye brows, trying to tell her to carry on but she just sat there looking at Willow.
"I didn`t know we were playing charades?!"Said Willow somewhat excitedly."Okay you and Faith were patrolling and then you brought up past mistakes and you ended up fighting with each other which lead to the cuts on your head and lip?"She said as more of a question than a statement.
Shaking her head in the negative, and Willow realising that this was a stalling tactic on Buffy's part but continued anyway."Okaay, well did you guys run into Spike?"When Buffy nodded her head Willow smiled slightly thinking she was getting closer to the problem.
"Did someone end up getting their butts handed to them?"She asked somewhat playfully and when Buffy nodded her head once more she realised that this would take forever if Willow had to guess what had happened.
So deciding to take the plunge she spoke."Yeah, Spike was the one who got his ass handed to him by Faith. And the cut on my head and busted lip were compliments of Spike as well. He kind of cornered me in the cemetery the other day..."And then Buffy tried to not make any eye contact with Willow after this confession.
"What?!!"Shouted Willow and it came out sounding high pitched and shrill hurting Buffy's sensitive Slayer hearing ears."Buffy!!Why didn`t you tell me?!I knew he was up to no good!!I could`ve given you that protection spell and, "then her babbling mode began.
After Willow ended her babbling fest and breathing slightly heavier than normal she looked at Buffy with an upset expression."What did he do to you Buffy?"She asked now more seriously with her resolve face on.
`Damn Willow and the resolve face,' though Buffy mentally to herself."Nothing, besides getting in a few punches, Faith arrived before he could try anything and went crazy on him, beating him like a punching bag."
Her thoughts drifted to that night and remembered the look in Faiths eyes, it was the same look she had back when they use to go slaying and Faith use to beat the vampires up till they were unconscious. It was wild and filled with pure rage, it was the Slayer in its true form but it was dangerous to let go like that.
"Well that`s good, "said Willow snapping Buffy out of her thoughts of Faiths beating up Spike. She looked at her friend shocked."Since when are you a fan of Faith beating up people?"Asked Buffy staring at Willow wondering what she was thinking.
"First of all Spike isn`t people and he was attacking you and probably would have done something even more worse if Faith didn`t show up when she did. And why are you sticking up for Spike anyways."Asked Willow looking at Buffy with suspicious eyes.
"I`m not sticking up for Spike I`m just wondering since when are you and Faith all buddy, buddy?"
"We`re not buddy, buddy,"said Willow mocking Buffy," I'm just on her side because she saved my best friends life and now you're really avoiding the real subject here, "she said pointing an accusing finger at Buffy.
"Fine, whatever, Faith kind of saved my life but I also realised why Faith had been avoiding me that whole week after I was turned back."
"Well "asked Willow waiting for her to continue, Buffy rolled her eyes at Willows prodding and continued.
"She found out about what happened between me and Spike..."she trailed off and looked away, trying not to make eye contact.
Willow may have been seen as the nerdy computer geek in high school but she wasn`t blind to not see how Faith felt about Buffy. It was quite obvious since high school that the dark Slayer had feeling for her blonde friend.
And perhaps that was also one of the main reason Faith turned to the Mayor after the Allan Finch incident. Buffy definitely wasn`t blonde for no reason. [NO offence to any other blondes who may or may not be reading this you are all definitely the exceptions]
But that was Buffy. She`d get too caught up in her own life and problems and miss out on the most obvious things going on around her. The way Faith acted around her, the sexual innuendos and her tough girl exterior, but all she ever wanted was for Buffy to just see her. To really see her....
But now Willow thinks it's time to give Buffy a clue that she so desperately needs."So....?"She asked wanting to see if Buffy would continue or just avoid the question all together.
"Well we decided to end patrol early and head back home to get me cleaned up and she tagged along. We were upstairs in the bathroom with her cleaning my cuts and,"Buffy was nervous and she felt like she was sweating like a pig.
`Just tell Willow, it`s like ripping a band-aid off, easy and no pain, yeah right...`Rolling her eyes at herself she said,"And, w-well we were just sitting really close to each other, andwealmostkissed."She rushed out mumbling the last part hoping Willow didn`t hear it.
"What?!"She shouted in a high pitched and definitely not Slayer hearing friendly voice."You heard what I said Wills, "said Buffy sighing.
"Oh my god, Buffy!!What happened?!Was it good?!Are you gay?!You know with the girly loving?!"She shouted her eyes getting comically wider with all the revelations."Sssh!!"Shouted Buffy making sure no one else heard.
"Look, I don`t know what happened and we didn`t kiss. Almost is a BIG difference. And I`m not gay or whatever, because it`s Faith. I still drive stick. And then there are the after slaying factors to consider in which would make the almost kiss nonexistent and just some extra post slaying energy trying to get free."She ended her ramble with a huge breath.
"I thought you said that you didn`t get those things or as Faith would put it, the H&Hs and would only crave a non fat yogurt afterwards?"Smirked Willow. Buffy blushed ten shades of red."Fine I do get the `H&Hs` as Faith so eloquently puts it, but don`t you dare tell anyone. "She threatened Willow and then sighed heavily her cheeks still burning brightly.
"Okay, okay, that doesn`t matter right now, what does matter is why you seem so moody and sad lately? Do you have feelings for Faith?"Asked Willow hoping her friend doesn`t bite her head off for asking.
She hesitated for a second than laughed and said,"Ofcourse not Willow!!C`mon it`s Faith for gods sakes!!"
Little did Buffy know that as she said that a certain brunette was standing at the entrance of the training room with a broken expression on her face and took off immediately after hearing what Buffy said about her. None of them any the wiser.
"I mean she`s the `get some get gone` kind of girl. How can I even be in a relationship with someone who doesn`t do relationships."When Buffy saw what Willow was about to say she quickly added on, "not that I want to date Faith or anything."
Sighing Willow decided to drop the subject for now. She would get Buffy to admit to her feelings for Faith sooner or later or else the resolve face was going to be working overtime.
Suddenly Buffy began to groan and rubbed her forehead."What`s up Buff? Are you okay?"Asked Willow as they made their way back into the magic box."Yeah, I`m fine but I just remembered that Giles wanted me and Faith to checked out this underground crypt tonight."
Patting her friend reassuringly on her back Willow said, "Don't worry, Buffy it`ll be okay, "not realising that it wasn`t going to be okay for her blonde Slayer friend.
Shaking her head in defeat Buffy knew that she had no way out of this tonight. Giles would give her a lecture of epic proportions on her duties and responsibilities as a Slayer.' Hopefully this night ends fast and uneventful `she thought hopefully but knowing fully well that on a hellmouth that was asking too much.
Later that night, somewhere in the underground crypt...
Buffy and Faith had been underground for the pass hour and still they had found nothing. They both were becoming uncomfortable and awkward around each they`d bump into each other by accident in the cramped spaces in the long tunnels, they`d mumbled a `sorry `or a `my bad`.
It was becoming unbearable.
Buffy could easily see the tension in Faiths posture and so could Faith in Buffy. But there was something else going on with Faith but Buffy just couldn`t put her finger on it.
Finally when Buffy couldn`t take it anymore and was about to speak a scream filled with pure pain and torture ran through the tunnels pulling both Slayers into action. They followed where they heard the screams coming from.
Faith was in the lead and the screaming was still going on and from it you could tell that the person or whatever it was in a great deal of pain. They finally reached a door that was half way open.
Faith raised a questioning eye brow at Buffy asking her how they had missed this. But all Buffy could do was shrug shaking her head. Slowly they crept in closer through the door. What they saw were definitely the bad guys that Giles wanted them to find.
There was some kind of throne in the middle of the stone room they were in. One vampire standing on each side, thanks to their slayer senses and another two more standing infront of a cage blocking their view of whatever was screaming.
There definitely was something in that cage. A deep laugh rumbled from the throne and both Buffy and Faiths eyes landed on a vampire who was surprisingly better looking than that of your average vampire.
Dark jet black hair sleeked back and dark brown almost black eyes. He had the features of a Greek god but just paler. Dressed in a black suit and buttoned down black shirt all neatly tucked in. He was smiling evilly at whatever was in the cage.
The two vampires blocking Buffy and Faiths view finally moved and they could finally see what was happening. They were hidden behind some wine barrels and had a good side view of everything in the room.
What they saw in the cage was a woman. A woman with dirty blonde hair with some lighter and some darker streaks in it. She had barely any clothes on besides her underwear and was chained up on each side of her wrists to the cage sides.
She was a beautiful woman and both Slayers couldn`t deny that. But she was bleeding and they could see clearly from the gashes on her stomach, sides and back that they had been using a whip to beat her.
The vampire on the throne stood up and went inside the cage all the while smiling like the king of the world. He began to press and tear at her wounds causing her to scream out more in pain which seemed to give him pleasure.
"My, my, you`ve been a bad little puppy haven`t you, Rhaya."He made a tsking sound that scarily reminded the slayers of Giles when he was disapproving of something."My people tell me that you`ve been trying to communicate with the rest of your pack telepathically, are you trying to warn them to not to rescue their Alpha? Because if you were then I`d have to teach you more lessons in being a good little bitch."
He brought out a really big dagger from under a cloth on the table nearby. He began to carve into her skin and the sounds of her screams were becoming excruciating for the Chosen Two.
They took this as an opportunity, they were all distracted and staked the two standing at the throne quickly and silently or so they thought. The two standing near the entrance of the cage saw the Slayers and charged.
Faith rolled out of the way of an incoming kick to her side and blocked a punch that was being aimed for her head.' These vamps were fast `thought Faith as she ducked away from another kick flying her way. Then quickly gaining her bearings she grabbed his hand in a wrist lock and twisted his arm hard and from the snap heard, probably broke his arm in the process.
Buffy on the other hand was having the same thoughts but still had the upper hand. Only a swift kick to the ribs of the vampire caused him to double over and she used that as her opportunity to stake him and at the same time Faith staked hers.
It felt like De ja` vu` to the both of them, but they didn`t have the time to go down memory lane.
"Ah, if it isn`t the Slayers. It`s a great honour to meet you both."He said with a slight Russian accent that was almost gone and slowly walked out of the cage with bloodied hands. He began to wipe them with a handkerchief from his pocket.
"Two Slayers existing at the same time is unprecedented. Even I haven`t seen two Slayers co-existing at the same time in my lifetime and I`ve been around for a while, trust me, "he smiled at the slayers at what he must have thought was a charming smile.
Buffy pulled at face at that and said,"Okay, with the perverted smile that we did not find charming," "Damn B that was one long ass name. "Interrupted Faith with a slight smirk. Buffy just rolled her eyes at her sister slayer and looked over at the vampire before them.
"Oh where are my manners. I am Yurick Novak of the Russian Dynasty.""The who of the what now??"Asked Buffy looking utterly confused and so was Faith.
"Look I don`t give a fuck if you are the fuckin`second cousin of Hitler himself, "said Faith taking a step forward, "All I see is, me Slayer, "she pointed to herself, "you vampire, "she pointed to Yurick,"now let's get this party started with, because I aint gonna let you keep that girl chained up there any longer."
With that she attacked Yurick and he looked unperturbed. He moved out of the way like it was nothing. She tried punching him but she missed again. Buffy could see she was getting frustrated so she decided to try taking him out.
But he seemed to dodge everything Buffy threw at him. He wasn`t like any of the other vampires Buffy had faced before but there hasn`t been one she hadn`t defeated yet so she wasn`t going to give up.
They both fought equally as hard but Yurick kept throwing them off like they were untrained fighters or more like annoying insects. It reminded her of when she fought Glory but quickly pushed that to the back of her mind.
Suddenly he stops fighting them and has a strange look in his eyes."Well it`s been a blast but now I must leave you. You may have Rhaya over here, "he sneered but then grinned evilly when he took in her presence of being slumped over with blood pooling beneath her.
And just like that he glided past the Slayers and was gone before anyone of them could register what had happened. They were too busy looking at the girl lying lifeless on the floor.
From listening in on the previous conversation, they knew she was a werewolf.
Faith was the first one to break out of her trance and ran to the lifeless girl lying in a pool of blood. She removed the chains around her wrists and pulled off her leather jacket and wrapped it around the woman in her arms.
She had a pulse and Faith breathed a sigh of relief. She took a closer look at the she wolf and thought that she was even more beautiful up close and personal even with all the bruises and cuts. She moved away some dirty blonde strands of hair out of her unconscious face tenderly.
Buffy saw that and it sparked something inside of her, a something she was not going to acknowledge at this point in time.
"We need to get her back to your house, "said Faith making her way out of the room. Buffy followed her and said, "Wouldn't a hospital be better?"She frowned wondering what Faith was thinking."B, she`s a werewolf or are they called She Wolves? Whatever, the point is they`re gonna ask about what happened to her and are ya ready with an explanation or some excuse? Plus she`s half naked, "she unnecessarily pointed out looking at the unconscious girl in her arms.
"Could you stop gaping at her like that?!"snapped Buffy."God, your worse than Xander was when we were in high school, "she muttered angrily and started to walk away faster.
Faith frowned in confusion and was somewhat annoyed at Buffy's statement.' Who cares if she was staring? It wasn`t any of Buffy's business.' She thought angrily to herself and began to walk even faster than Buffy.
Rhaya was surprising very light and she suspected that to be due to loss of blood and all the torture she endured for who knows how long.
When they reached Buffy's house, Buffy was in a bad mood, with thoughts of either punching Faith till she was unconscious or slapping her continuously for not even realising how she was practically drooling over the lifeless Rhayas` body.
She angrily opened the door and entered the house. The lights were still on and Faith walked into the living room to put her down on the couch. Willow and Tara were there and Tara quickly left to go get the first aid kit.
Faith kneeled besides Rhaya checking her over for any fatal wounds and then Tara returned and Faith got to work patching her up. Buffy just stood at the entrance of the living room glaring at Faith then the unconscious she wolf.
Willow saw this and approached Buffy and whispered so only she could hear."Green is so not your colour Buff."She said smirking at the frown on Buffy's face.
"I`m not jealous!"She whispered harshly and Faith looked at her frowning slightly but luckily she didn`t hear what Buffy said and turned back to tending to Rhaya.
Buffy began to rant softly to herself forgetting for the moment that Willow was standing right next to her.
"Just look at her, touching her all over and copping a feel. Who does she think she is?!Like anyone wants to be felt up by Faith while they were unconscious. Okay maybe some would want to be, but it`s still wrong."`Yeah, some like you,' thought Willow smirking internally to herself.
"Well as soon as she wakes up she will definitely be putting on some more clothes...."
`Oh,this could get messy...`thought Willow to herself shaking her head nand then sighing.`This is going to be a long night...`
[Just for the story's sake, Rhaya looks similar to Shakira,inspired from the song She Wolf.]
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