I know, it's been forever, but real life had been super busy this summer. The next chapter of this fic will be up on Wed., Aug. 30. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed!

Title: Her Friend 54/100

Author: Polgara

Rating: PG

TtH Prompt: #36 Past

Fandom/Theme: Buffy/Stargate SG-1

Wordcount: 304

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters featured here. They belong to their respective creators and production companies.

Distribution: My site – Worlds of Possibilities, Wormhole Crossing, and TtH.

Spoilers: Takes place in season nine of SG-1, so definitely new characters and situations. Plus anything before is fair game. Everything of Buffy is fair game.

A/N: This was written for the tth100. Hopefully, all of these entries will be loosely linked together.

Series: Buffygate

Summary: Vala takes her turn by Buffy's bedside.

Her Friend

"Angel… Angel… I'm sorry," Buffy muttered in her sleep as she curled up on her side.

Vala sat with her friend so that she wouldn't be along when she awoke. She had already left her first true friend since she had been freed from Qetesh alone when she had needed her and she wasn't about to do it again. Buffy had gone through having to kill her first love and then two weeks of unknown torture without being secure in the knowledge that her friends cared about her.

All Vala could think about when Buffy had revealed her past was that she hadn't been worthy of the truth. That she had fallen short of being able to be a true friend so Buffy had concealed her true identity.

But as time passed, another thought had struck her. Perhaps Buffy was as afraid of telling people the truth or even ashamed, like Vala was about her time as a host. That it would make people look or treat her differently. Then they had performed spectacularly by living up to her fears. They had alienated her.

Vala leaned over to wipe off the moisture beading on Buffy's forehead.

"Sorry… I had to… no other way," Buffy mumbled to whatever dream she was having.

The thief's heart broke as she saw tears begin to leak out of Buffy's closed eyes.

"Spike… Should have believed me… Don't wanna leave."

Buffy's past was turbulent and she didn't need the grief from her idiotic teammates.

The dark haired thief made a vow that she would treat Buffy the same way she had before Buffy's past had been revealed. They would be friends and be united on the torture the boys front. Who cared if she had been chosen to fight evil? She was still Buffy, and her friend.