Follow Your Heart
Part 23
By DragonWriter17
PART 23
Author's Note: Thanks for bearing with me through the angst fest, folks! We are finally getting to some Fuffy happiness. Rated M for more than just language. Thanks, as always to my wonderful beta-reader, Lilly!
Still Tuesday
Fade To:
Summers Home - Same Time [Tue SD 3pm; England 11pm]
While Dr. Raine was at the hospital keeping an eye on Faith and updating Giles by phone, Buffy was at home on the sofa crying. Dawn and Tara found her there when they came home from school. They rushed to Buffy's side.
"Oh my god, Buffy, are you all right?" Dawn asked. "Did something happen to Faith? Is she okay?"
"No, she's not," Buffy answered, tears still streaming down her face. "She's completely given up hope. When I got there, she was refusing to go to therapy. I tried to make her go, but she knocked me down and...hit me." She looked up expecting to see judgment but didn't, just concern. She wiped away her tears and continued. "And I-I-I just let her keep going because I thought, hey maybe she just needs to vent, work off some frustration, you know? Plus, I knew I could take it, and maybe she'd feel better. But after a few punches, she just started crying. She said, 'Why are you doing this? Why are you still here?' And...that's when I did it."
"Did what?" Tara prompted.
"Told her that I love her."
"What did she do?" Dawn asked.
Buffy got up and began pacing as she spoke. "She totally freaked out. She moved away from me, wouldn't let me near her, said all I felt for her was just some leftover attachment and pity. I told her it wasn't, and I started to tell her about the night she was hurt, how we kissed and how I knew she felt the same way about me. But she said she didn't care about me, couldn't care about me, because...because..." She stopped in place, hugging herself.
Tara rose and stood next to the slayer, gently touching her arm, encouraging her to continue.
"Because it was all my fault," Buffy finally said. "That she was paralyzed because of me, because I kept pressing her after we kissed, even after she said no, that I lured her upstairs, where Willow—" She stopped for a moment and then started back up. "And she's right. I did do all of that. I put her directly in Willow's path. No wonder she hates me."
Dawn was now also at her side. "She doesn't hate you."
Buffy scoffed and moved a few feet away. "You didn't see her, hear her. I'm pretty sure she never wants to see me again."
"Sweetie, do you really think it would've made any difference to Willow where you two were or what you were doing?" Tara said. "She was completely under the Fury's control by then. She probably would have attacked Faith if she'd found you two downstairs eating popcorn and playing Parcheesi."
Buffy let out a small chuckle but then quickly sobered. "It doesn't matter whether it makes sense or not. It's what Faith feels. A-A-And I guess I'll...I'll just have to...live with that."
When Buffy began to cry again, Dawn and Tara moved in to comfort her, but Buffy raised her hands and stopped them, staving off her tears long enough to speak. "No, it's okay. I'm okay. Thanks for listening. I just..." She pointed toward the stairs. "I think I just wanna be alone for a while."
Dawn and Tara watched helplessly as Buffy hurried up the stairs to her room.
Once she was gone, Dawn made a frustrated growl. "Why do people always say they're okay when they are soooo obviously not?"
"It's just a defense mechanism," Tara said. "She just needs some space so she can process."
The two stood there a while, thinking deeply. Then Dawn broke the silence. "Do you think Faith really loves Buffy?"
Tara nodded. "Yes, I do. I don't think she ever stopped."
"Then why is she doing this to Buffy?" Dawn complained. "Why is she hurting her? And herself? I mean, they could be happy together."
"I don't know, but I'm sure she has her reasons."
"Well, what are we going to do about it? How do we fix this?"
Tara gave the teen a firm glance. " 'We' don't. This is between Buffy and Faith. I don't think we should interfere."
"Of course we have to interfere!" Dawn insisted. "We have a family obligation to interfere!"
"Dawn..."
"Tara, they're screwing it up. We can't let them do that," Dawn pleaded. "We need to go knock some sense into Faith."
"Talk some sense into Faith, you mean?" Tara tried to clarify.
Dawn waved her hand dismissively. "Whatever. But we need to do it now before things get worse. This is important, Tar. I don't know why, but it just is."
Tara couldn't see Joyce's presence whispering into Dawn's ear, nor did she feel the angel's hands on her own shoulders as Joyce gave them both the nudges they needed.
"I think so, too," Tara said, now resolved. "Let's go. We can talk strategy on the way. We'll need to check in with Dr. Raine, tell her what's going on."
Cut To:
Faith's New Room - A Short Time Later [Tue SD 4pm; England 12midnight]
Dawn and Tara arrived at Faith's room, ready to do their intervention. Tara stopped Dawn outside and reminded her, "Now remember what Dr. Raine said, we take this slow, okay?" Dawn reluctantly nodded.
Tara knocked, but there was no answer. She knocked again. "Faith, it's me, Tara."
Faith called out, "Go away. I don't wanna talk."
Tara looked at Dawn, unsure of what to do. Dawn just rolled her eyes and shoved into the room anyway. Tara got an "oh crap" look on her face and followed Dawn inside.
They found Faith sliding from her bed into her chair. Once she was in it, she wheeled around to face them with an annoyed expression on her face. Before she could say anything, Dawn stomped right over to her.
"You are a total pain in the ass, you know that?" the teen accused.
"Dawn!" Tara chided.
Faith was irked but puzzled by Dawn's words. "What?" she shot back.
"What is wrong with you?!" Dawn demanded.
Faith continued to be confused and gave a baffled shrug.
"I know you got a brain injury and all," Dawn said, "but did it really make you that stupid?"
Tara grabbed the teen's arm. "Dawn, I don't think this is the best way to—"
"What the hell are you talkin' about?" Faith replied angrily.
"Buffy!" Dawn answered, shrugging out of Tara's hold. "What do you think I'm talking about?" She walked over to the nightstand and picked up the photo booth pictures and showed them to Faith. "You finally get what you've always wanted, and now you're throwing it away?"
Faith snatched the pictures back. "It's for her own good."
Now Dawn was confused. "What?"
"She doesn't love me," the slayer explained. "She just thinks she does."
"You're wrong, Faith. She does love you," Tara said. "I can see it. It's real."
Faith's expression was anguished as she struggled to believe what Tara was telling her.
"It is," Dawn agreed, "and she's at home right now crying her eyes out because of it."
Faith shook her head and wheeled a few feet away. "Better to cry now than later."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Dawn asked.
"She shouldn't be saddled with somebody like me, especially now. There's no way that's gonna end well."
"Argghh!" Dawn said, now totally exasperated. "She doesn't care that your legs don't work!"
Tara stepped forward and took a gentler approach. "She doesn't, Faith. She really doesn't. So don't push her away. Let her love you."
Faith dropped her gaze and clenched her jaw repeatedly. "I can't."
"Why not?" Dawn pleaded softly.
Faith's head snapped up. "Because I deserve this, okay? I hurt people, I killed people, I helped a crazy man become a demon, and God knows what kind of hell on earth he would have brought. This is my punishment. I realize that now. It doesn't have to be hers, though."
"Don't you believe in forgiveness, in redemption?" Tara asked.
Faith didn't answer that question. She just said, "After everything I've done, I know I'm never gonna have the chance to be happy. And anybody who tries to be with me is gonna be just as miserable as I am."
"That's your head talking," Tara noted. "What's your heart saying?"
Faith grumbled and looked away, refusing to respond.
Tara touched Faith's arm. "Tell us, Faith. Please."
Faith looked back down, shaking her head. After a few moments, she let out a long breath. "It's sayin', 'Screw everything else. Be with Buffy. Even if...even if it's only for a little while'." She glanced back up.
Tara smiled at the slayer. "Maybe you should listen to your heart on this one."
Faith gave a snort of disgust. "My heart is a total moron, all right? It never even recovered from the last fall it took. Now it's wantin' to cliff dive all over again." She looked away for a moment. When she turned back, there were tears in her eyes, and her voice was choked. "Don't you get it? I wouldn't survive another Buffy heartbreak. I wouldn't." She cleared her throat and then gestured toward her wheelchair. "And with me in this chair and with everything that's happened between us, that's all we'd have to look forward to. I can't do it. I won't."
Faith turned her chair away from Dawn and Tara, letting them know that the discussion was over. Dawn started to say something else, but Tara stopped her and led her out of the room.
Once the door closed, Faith let herself cry, clutching the amulet around her neck. She wasn't alone, though. Joyce was there with her, lending unseen support.
When Tara and Dawn got into the hallway, they found Dr. Raine waiting outside. They met the doctor's eyes and shook their heads sadly.
Cut To:
Buffy's Room - Summers Home - Later [Tue SD 6pm; England 2am Wed]
A short time later, Dawn and Tara returned to the Summers home and related to Buffy what had just occurred.
"She's just being stubborn!" Dawn insisted, kicking the bed where Buffy and Tara were sitting.
"That's part of it," Tara said. "But she's also feeling very guilty."
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.
"She thinks that her paralysis is punishment for the crimes she's committed, that she's never meant to find happiness. She doesn't want you to share in her misery."
"Isn't that my choice?" Buffy said. "I mean, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if we were together." Suddenly she slumped, ducked her head, and gazed at her hands. "But then again, maybe she really can't love me, not when it's my fault she's in that chair."
"It's not your fault," Dawn sternly reminded.
"And she does love you, despite what she says," Tara added. "But she's terrified."
Buffy looked distraught. "Of me?"
"She still doesn't believe that your feelings are real," Dawn answered. "She's afraid of getting her heart broken again."
"Well...I-I-I'll just have to convince her, then." Buffy jumped from the bed, energized now that a course of action had been decided. "I'll go over there and tell her how it is and how it's going to be." She began to pace and entangle her hands. "I just need to figure out what I want to say. And wear." She stopped and turned with a look of horror. "Oh god! What am I going to wear? It needs to be something nice. I want to look good for this." She let out a worried whine and rushed to her closet.
Dawn rolled her eyes. "This might take all night."
Fade To:
Outside Faith's New Room - Night [Tue SD 8pm; England 4am Wed]
Luckily it didn't take all night. After speaking briefly with Dr. Raine in the conference room, Buffy hurried down the hallway and stopped in front of Faith's door. She nervously smoothed down the flowing sides of her lightweight mid-length skirt and needlessly adjusted her crisp, sleeveless blouse. After tucking away an errant strand of hair and adjusting the amulet at her neck, she closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, and then let it out. She straightened her posture and put on her resolve face.
"Time to spell it out for her," she said to herself.
Then she knocked on the door. When she heard Faith groan and call out a muffled "go away," Buffy slipped inside anyway.
Cut To:
Faith's New Room - Continuous [Tue SD 8pm; England 4am Wed]
When Buffy entered, she found the overhead lights off and just the bedside lamp on. She could hear Faith brushing her teeth and glanced in the bathroom where Faith sat in her arm-less, low-backed wheelchair, putting up her toothbrush and wiping her hands and face on a towel. She was already dressed for bed in a pair of flannel pajama bottoms and a large t-shirt. Faith turned her chair, switched off the bathroom light, then wheeled into the room, stopping halfway when she saw who was there.
Buffy knotted her fingers together nervously but stood tall. "Hey," she said with the tiniest of hopeful smiles.
"Hey," Faith replied, but not matching her smile.
After a long moment of awkward silence, Buffy finally took a few steps toward Faith. "Look, I-I-I know you told me to go away, but I have something I need to say."
Faith folded her arms over her chest. "Okay."
"First of all, I know you have feelings for me, so don't even try to deny it."
Faith raised an eyebrow in reaction to Buffy's proclamation but said nothing.
"Secondly, I know I hurt you in the past, and I am so sorry for that. I swear I won't hurt you now."
Faith's forehead creased in concern at the direction the conversation was heading. She remained silent as Buffy went on.
"I love you, and I'm going to prove to you that my love is real. Even if I have to do it as just friends, I'm gonna do it." Buffy folded her arms in a manner similar to Faith's. "So, you can give me the cold shoulder, tell me to get lost, scream at me all you want, but I am not letting you push me away. Not this time."
Faith uncrossed her arms and gave a sarcastic shrug. "Sooo...you're basically gonna stalk me until I give in, is that it?"
Buffy closed the distance and knelt in front of Faith's chair.
"If by 'stalk' you mean that I'm gonna be by your side no matter what, that I'm gonna be the kind of friend I should've been the first time around, then, yeah, I'm gonna stalk you. If someday you finally wake up and decide you want to be more than friends—and I will be praying every day that you will—then I'll be here. I'll wait for you, Faith, wheelchair and all, as long as it takes."
Faith wasn't aware of Joyce's presence next to her. All she felt was a lump forming in her throat. She swallowed it down and dropped her gaze to her lap. "Hey, it's your life," she said, trying to be nonchalant. "Can't stop you, I guess. You already wasted part o' one life dealin' with me. Don't know why you'd wanna waste a second one on me."
"Because I love you," Buffy reminded her, taking Faith's hands into hers and maneuvering to make eye contact with her. "I've loved you for a long time. I'm sorry it took me so long to figure it all out. I'm sorry I hurt you back then, when you were reaching out to me. I don't have an excuse other than the vague possibility of a Fury influence, but I'm pretty sure it was just me being screwed up in general."
Faith let out a small rueful chuckle and glanced away again. "Makes two of us."
Buffy smiled and started to pull her hands away, but then found that Faith wouldn't let her. She could feel Faith shaking. It was clear that Faith wanted to say something but was having trouble doing so. Buffy just stayed put and waited her out.
"I only push you away 'cause I'm scared," Faith eventually said.
Buffy nodded in understanding. Then she gently asked, "Scared of what?"
"Of this. Of us," Faith replied, lifting their linked hands. "I'm scared out of my mind."
"I'm scared, too," Buffy admitted. "But you know what scares me more?"
Faith shook her head.
"The thought of not having you in my life," Buffy answered.
Joyce leaned down and whispered into Faith's ear. "Follow your heart, Faith. It's what I told Buffy, and now I'm telling you. Just follow your heart."
Faith's eyes were glistening with tears as Buffy went on.
"I don't care about our past, all the ways we've hurt each other. I don't care about what anyone else thinks of us. And I especially don't care about this chair. What I care about is you. I love you, and I—"
Buffy's words were cut off when Faith suddenly pulled her forward and kissed her. Once Buffy got past her surprise, she eagerly returned the embrace. With years of pent-up emotions pouring out of them, they kissed with a desperate urgency. They didn't stop until the need for oxygen forced them to. As their bodies heaved for air, they just looked into each other's eyes.
"I love you, too," Faith told her, once she had caught her breath. "I still think you're nuts for wantin' to be with me, but...I can't fight it anymore. I just can't." She reached up and held Buffy's face in both of her hands. "God, I love you so much..."
Buffy was crying, moved to tears by Faith's confession. She didn't have words, so she just planted a joyous kiss on Faith's lips.
Pleased with herself, Joyce smiled and blipped away.
When they separated the next time, Faith said, "I'm sorry for yesterday, for hitting you, for what I said. I didn't mean it. I don't blame you for me bein' paralyzed. I was just tryin' to say anything to make you leave."
"Thank you," Buffy said in a choked voice, accepting Faith's apology. Then she kissed Faith once more.
Faith deepened the kiss, moving her hands to Buffy's body, pulling her close. Then, using her slayer arm strength, Faith lifted Buffy into her lap.
Startled by the move, Buffy stopped and looked at Faith. "Are you sure?" she asked, concerned about the physical arrangement of her straddling Faith's legs. "I don't want to hur—"
"It doesn't hurt, I swear," Faith assured her.
Satisfied that her position wasn't causing Faith any harm or discomfort, Buffy smiled and leaned down for another kiss. She tangled her fingers in the brunette's long, thick hair as she feasted again and again at Faith's mouth.
When Faith let her hands roam to Buffy's breasts, she heard the blonde begin to moan. Buffy leaned her head back against her own shoulders and arched forward, allowing Faith to make quick work of the buttons on her blouse. As soon as the shirt had been pushed off her shoulders, Buffy allowed it to slip from her arms and fall to the floor.
Faith ran her hands along Buffy's thighs then around her ass to the small of her back. She pulled her close and began laying down kisses along the tops of Buffy's breasts. Buffy caressed the back of Faith's head, occasionally pressing her even closer, as an encouragement to continue what she was doing. Soon Faith reached around Buffy's back and expertly undid the clasps of her bra. Buffy gasped in pleasure when she felt Faith yank off the bra and then latch her mouth onto her right breast.
Faith started with a slow suckling, taking almost the whole breast into her mouth. Then, focusing her attention on the sensitive nipple, she began an alternating pattern of tongue flicking and nibbling. With Buffy breathing hard, Faith moved to her mouth to the left breast, devouring it in the same way. When Faith began tweaking Buffy's right nipple at the same time, the blonde made a strangled sound in her throat and squirmed deliciously in the dark slayer's lap.
"Oh God...Faith...you're really...geyak...God, you're really good at that..."
Faith pulled away and chuckled, looking up at Buffy. "I got the maaaddd skilllzzzz..."
In complete agreement with that claim, Buffy leaned down and kissed Faith hungrily. Mid-kiss, she reached behind Faith's back and began tugging at her t-shirt. Once Buffy had maneuvered the shirt out of the waistband of her pajama bottoms, Faith lifted her arms so that Buffy could pull the shirt over her head.
After tossing the t-shirt aside, Buffy sat back and stared appreciatively at Faith's chest. She first touched the amulet that matched her own, then frowned briefly as she brushed her fingertips over the burns and bruises still healing from the impact of Willow's magic blast. Her expression slipped into a smile as she ran trembling hands over every inch of the dark slayer's upper body, lingering on her full breasts. Then she lifted her gaze to Faith's.
"You are so beautiful..." she told her.
Faith returned the smile and pulled Buffy to her for a lengthy series of passionate kisses. When Buffy felt Faith's hand sneak under her skirt, an involuntary tremor made her pull her mouth away from Faith's. Buffy braced her hands on Faith's shoulders and spread her legs to give her better access.
When she felt Faith's fingers slip past her panties and into her slick folds, Buffy let out a shuddering breath, "Oh God..." Once Faith brought her mouth back to Buffy's breast and then began a slow stroking of Buffy's center, those words became a mantra. "Oh God...oh God...oh God..."
Words eventually became impossible, though, and Buffy began rocking up and down in counter time to Faith's strokes. It didn't take long before Buffy stiffened, groaned in ecstatic release, and then let her body relax against Faith's. The dark slayer removed her hand from under the skirt and wrapped her arms around Buffy's body, pulling her close. Buffy hugged Faith's shoulders and head as she rode out the last few waves of her climax.
When Buffy's heart finally stopped racing, she leaned back so that she could look into Faith's eyes. She cupped the slayer's face with both hands. "Thank you," she whispered, with tears rolling down her cheeks.
"My pleasure," Faith whispered huskily before giving the blonde a warm kiss.
"While it's true that I will never look at wheelchairs the same way again..." Buffy said with a smirk, "...what'd'ya say we take this activity to the bed now?"
Faith gave a devilish grin as her answer.
When Buffy rose and headed for the bed, Faith wheeled her chair forward to follow her. When they got there, Faith backed the side of her chair into place at a slight angle and then latched the brakes against the wheels. With a quick arm vault, Faith transferred herself from the chair to the edge of the bed. Then she used her hands to adjust the position of her paralyzed legs so that she could sit correctly on the side of the bed.
Buffy touched the wheelchair and asked, "Is it okay if I move this?"
"Yeah, sure," Faith replied.
Buffy unlatched the brakes and wheeled the chair away from the bed. When she returned, she removed the rest of her clothing and then came to kneel beside the bed. She met Faith's eyes in an unspoken request, and Faith nodded in reply. Buffy reached around Faith's back and let her fingers catch the edge of Faith's waistband. Faith drove her fists into the mattress and straightened her arms into a lift, allowing Buffy to pull her underwear and pajama bottoms past her hips, past her ass, and with a bit more maneuvering, then completely off.
Using that same lifting technique, Faith scooted herself further back on the bed, where she once again used her hands to reposition her legs. Finally she lay back against her pillows, willing herself to ignore the feelings of weakness, vulnerability, and helplessness that came over her as Buffy watched her.
It pained Buffy to see Faith having to resort to such measures just to get into bed, but she kept those emotions hidden. Now was not the time to dwell on such things. Instead, she smiled sexily and crawled onto the bed and over Faith's body, straddling the other slayer's right leg. She reached over and turned off the bedside lamp, leaving the room only dimly lit by the light coming under the doorway and through the edges of the window blinds.
"You'll have to be patient with me," Buffy told her, " 'cause I've never done this with another girl before. So I don't really know what I'm doing."
Faith flashed her a grin. "You're doing great so far."
Buffy smiled gratefully, but then her expression became concerned. "Is there anything I need to know? I mean, do you even have feeling...down there?"
Faith was surprisingly enthusiastic in her reply. "Oh yeah, totally. That was one of the first things I checked out, believe me."
Faith's confession caused Buffy to blush and duck her head, but she still chuckled along.
Faith sat back up and took Buffy's hand and placed it at her hip. She dragged Buffy's fingertips along her skin. "See, I can feel that." Then she moved Buffy's hand to the top of her thigh. "That's where I start losing it."
Buffy sat back on her heels and ran her hands along the tops of Faith's thighs. Faith lay back down as Buffy explored.
"So everything above this line..." Buffy said.
"...works juuusssst fine," Faith finished.
Buffy waggled her eyebrows at Faith. "Oh goodie," she said in a sultry voice.
Buffy moved back up Faith's body until she was nose to nose with her.
"You'll tell me what to do, right?" Buffy asked. "I mean, if I'm way off track or something?"
Faith gave her a wink. "Don't worry—I'll point ya in the right direction."
Buffy smiled brightly and gave Faith a fervent kiss. "I love you," she said, her eyes beaming.
Faith touched Buffy's cheek and said, "I love you, too."
Buffy leaned down and kissed Faith, slowly and sensually. As their tongues explored, Buffy brought her knee against Faith's center, eliciting appreciative mid-kiss moans from Faith.
While keeping her knee in place, Buffy moved her attention to Faith's neck. She laid down a line of kisses that led straight to Faith's ear. Then, using the tip of her tongue, Buffy outlined the curves and contours of the slayer's ear. After a quick suckle of the earlobe, Buffy whispered a breathy 'I love you.'
Faith couldn't help but shiver. "Jesus, B..."
After snickering briefly, Buffy kissed her way down to Faith's breasts, lavishing them with licks and nips. By the time Buffy was done, Faith was panting for breath.
"Startin' to feel that 'good, down-low tickle'?" Buffy teasingly asked.
"Oh yeah!" Faith answered.
Buffy shifted her position so that she was lying on her side next to Faith. She trailed her fingertips down the slayer's body—across her collar bone, between her breasts, then around her belly button before making a tentative teasing dip into the slayer's wetness. After feeling Faith shudder and breathe even more raggedly, she entered Faith—easing one finger in then drawing it out across Faith's clit with agonizing slowness.
After Buffy's third trip in, Faith gripped the sheets and groaned, "Shit!"
Buffy immediately stopped what she was doing. "What?" she asked worriedly. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No!" Faith instantly answered, grasping urgently at Buffy's arm. "Don't stop." When blonde resumed her actions, Faith tried to explain. "You didn't do anything—Shit!—wrong. It's just that—Godgodgrrr!—I swear a lot...during sex...especially if it's—Fuck!—really good..."
That last part brought a happy grin to Buffy's face.
Then Faith growled desperately, "Gimme more...I need more..."
Buffy rose to kneel beside Faith so that she could put more strength into her efforts. She added a second finger to her penetrations and began a rapid, forceful thrusting.
"That't it, babe—hard and fast!" Faith encouraged her. "Fuck yeah!"
As Buffy kept up the pace and pressure, Faith could feel the climax gradually building. Thank God for a slayer girlfriend, she thought to herself. Strength and stamina. Shit, fuckin' shit, this is gonna be good.
When Faith's orgasm hit, she jerked in reaction and raised her upper body halfway off the bed, letting out a loud, long sound that was half grunt and half roar.
When Faith lay back down again, Buffy started to remove her hand, but Faith wouldn't let her. She covered Buffy's hand with her own and pressed the blonde's fingers against her swollen clit, squeezing out even more pleasure. When she had milked it for all she could, Faith released Buffy's hand and relaxed against the sheets.
Buffy curled up next to Faith, draping her arm across the other slayer's stomach. It took a minute or so before Faith got enough of her breath back to speak.
"God, I needed that," she finally said.
"So...I did okay?" Buffy asked.
Faith shot Buffy a look of disbelief. "Are you fuckin' kiddin' me? You did way better'n 'okay'!"
Buffy's face lit up in a huge smile. "Really?"
"Hell yeah!"
"Yaaaay!" Buffy cheered happily.
The two slayers basked in the afterglow for a short time, but it didn't take long before they were at it again.
Fade To:
Rehab Conference Room - Later [Tue SD 11pm; England 7am Wed]
Within the first few minutes of Buffy's entry into Faith's room, Dr. Raine hadn't heard the sounds of crashing furniture or doors being slammed, so she presumed a physical altercation hadn't occurred. Buffy also hadn't run out of the room crying, so perhaps the two were making progress, talking deeply about everything that had happened and how they felt about one another.
Those two needed each other, of that the watcher was certain. And most importantly, the world needed them together. She wasn't sure how she knew this, but she knew it was true just the same. She hoped they'd find their way to each other.
After leaving the hallway and returning to the conference room, Dr. Raine had kept herself busy with research and paperwork, wanting to give the slayers the time and space they needed, but now her curiosity was beginning to get the best of her. She wanted to know how things were going between Faith and Buffy.
Just then, her cellphone rang, and she answered. "Dr. Raine."
"Hey, um, it's Tara," she heard over the phone.
"Tara, yes, what can I do for you?"
"I-I-It's Buffy. She hasn't come home yet. Dawn and I were worried. Is she still there?"
"I believe so, but let me check."
Dr. Raine stayed on the line and walked the short distance from the conference room to Faith's door. She went to knock but stopped short when she could plainly hear the two slayers making love—loudly. The coupling was so loud in fact that both Tara and Dawn could hear it over the phone.
"Ahhh..." the watcher said before clearing her throat. "Um, yes, Buffy does appear to still be here. She and Faith are...ahem...engaged in some very...enthusiastic... um...discussion, as it were."
Dr. Raine had to pull the phone away from her ear when she heard both Tara and Dawn squeal in delight over the phone.
Fade To:
Faith's New Room - Later [Wed SD 1am; England 9am]
Sweaty and exhausted, the two slayers lay on their backs beside one another, catching their breath and letting their heartbeats slow down. They didn't say much, each lost in her own thoughts. While Buffy's were on the positive side, Faith's were beginning to darken, and she frowned at the ceiling.
Without even turning toward her, Buffy grasped Faith's hand and squeezed it. "What is it?" she asked softly. "Whatever it is, you can tell me."
"Just still in shock, I guess," Faith said. "I can't believe this is possible. I feel like I'm in a dream, and this is all gonna end when I wake up."
Buffy turned on her side so that she was facing Faith. She waited as Faith did the same. "It's not a dream," she told her as she stroked her arm. "It's completely real. And your paralysis...it's not punishment, okay? It was an attack. Plain and simple. Whatever we're going up against...it wanted you out of the picture—bad—and it failed. So now you need to get better because a battle's coming, and you're a part of it. I believe that. Do you?"
"I want to," Faith replied, "but it's hard when my legs just—"
"—aren't working," Buffy finished.
"I mean, the rest o' me is healin' up fine," Faith said, gesturing at her chest. "But my legs..."
"That's why you gotta stick with the rehab. No matter what, don't give up."
Faith nodded. "Okay."
Buffy smiled in gratitude and pulled the dark slayer against her, hugging her warmly. Faith returned the embrace, and soon the two were fast asleep.
Fade Out.
END OF PART 23