Part IV
June 16, 1999
GRADUATION DAY
The Mayor twitched as the change came upon him. Before the horrified eyes of the watching audience, he metamorphosed into a huge snake, with thick, dark scales and yellow eyes that held a disturbing glint of human intelligence. The true demon watched as most of the students quickly, though cautiously, withdrew. It was unconcerned: the line of vampires waiting for them would prevent any escapes. A glint of light off of metal caught its attention: it looked down from its vantage point and saw a small figure holding a gleaming sword. . .Buffy Summers.
The former Mayor wished for that moment that his form still allowed him to smile. . .or snicker. Very well, then. If the Slayer was foolish enough to believe that such a tiny weapon could harm him now. . .then let her die like the fool she was. He reared up, locking eyes with the grim Slayer as he prepared to strike. . .he was so intent on his prey that he completely failed to notice the other figure sneaking up behind him. With an inward laugh, he abruptly darted his head forward to devour his arrogant foe. . .only to feel an agonizing pain rip through him.
The true demon stopped in mid-strike and bellowed: the sound caused all who heard it, whether demon or human, to wince at the sound. It turned to the source of the pain. . .and saw Faith Stevenson, the second Slayer. . .standing next to his side with an ichor-stained blade that was the twin of the one Buffy was holding. It reared back and struck at Faith, only to see the younger Slayer dart aside before the massive head could reach her. . .and then there was another stab of pain. It painfully turned and saw Buffy standing there, eyes cold, holding her own blade high as it dripped crimson.
The true demon reared up and looked at its opponents while trying to see how badly it had been injured. After a moment, it realized that the wounds, while painful, were clearly not life-threatening. . .it would just have to ignore the pain and pick off the Slayers one by one. . .then those nasty blades would be nifty souvenirs of its Ascension. It thought a moment longer, then picked Faith at random. With a vicious glare, it struck down at Faith with frightening speed.
Faith grinned as Buffy went in and wounded the demon again, but her eyes widened as the head did not slow down. She desperately dodged, but was unable to avoid a glancing blow from the huge head. She managed to roll with the impact and was quickly on her feet, ignoring the stabbing pain in her right side.
The demon grinned inwardly as it saw the Slayer recover: she wouldn't be able to take much more, and those sword strokes were not going to stop it, not any time soon. Suddenly, Buffy was standing next to her fellow Slayer, and both young women stood defiantly, swords raised as they glared up at the demon. It looked at them contemptuously and thought * All right, they're trying to bait me to attack so that they can roll aside and both attack me. . .well, I'll be ready for that * It struck again, ready to twist right to hit Faith or left to hit Buffy if and when they dodged.
At the last possible second, Faith performed a perfect forward somersault to the left, clearing the striking serpent's head, while Buffy dove low and to the right, barely avoiding being crushed by the descending head. Both quickly reached their feet, and with a simultaneity that seemed impossible, both drove their blades into the scales directly behind the creature's head.
The true demon felt its body go numb and slump to the ground: the only thing it could feel were the twin stabbing sensations just behind its head. It could hear a gentle chanting coming from the two women holding the blades penetrating it. . .a cold sense of suspicion began to surface within its mind. . .and that suspicion turned to fear as it began to feel warm, then hot, then finally, felt its flesh start to burn. A part of it admired the skill with which it had been manipulated. . .but mostly it was preoccupied with the agony it felt as it burst into flames. After a moment, there was nothing left but ashes.
Buffy and Faith stepped back from the conflagration, releasing the blades as they did so. They watched as the former Mayor of Sunnydale burned to a small pile of grey ashes, taking the weapons they had spent weeks training with along for the ride. Buffy smiled wistfully and commented, "Shame we lost the swords. . .I could get used to fighting with those. . .right, Faith?"
There was no answer, and Buffy turned to Faith. . .and was horrified to see her swaying and holding the bloody gash in her right side. Buffy ran up to her and took her arm, gently lowering her to the ground and whispering, "Oh God, Faith. . ."
Faith looked up at her, and her dark eyes laughed at the older Slayer as she whispered back, "We don't need no stinkin' swords, B. . .we're the Chosen Two. No one messes with our town. . ." Her eyes fluttered and closed, and Buffy knew panic for a long moment before checking Faith's pulse: it was strong. . . but she needed medical attention, and soon.
Buffy heard footsteps, and whirled with murder on her mind towards anyone who would dare threaten Faith. She relaxed when she saw Xander and called out, "What happened. . .I thought you were all dealing with the vamps?"
Xander grinned tightly and replied, "They all took off when Mr. Big and Scaly went up in flames. . .seems to have made an impression on them. We chased them for a bit, but they were quick enough to get back into the sewers. . .no point chasing them down there." He saw Faith and his eyes narrowed with concern as he commented, "Come on, Buffy. . .we'll get her to the hospital. . .she'll be O.K."
Buffy's heart lifted a bit at her boyfriend's reassurances, but the sense of dread remained as they took Faith to the emergency room, and it nagged at her as she watched the ER nurses wheel Faith away. All at once, the memories of Kendra dying in her presence came back, and this time there was no imminent crisis to force her to suppress the emotions. Xander sensed her need, and held her as she sobbed bitterly until she fell asleep in his arms. Xander gently rocked Buffy, his own concern for Faith prominent in his thoughts as he watched his love stir in uneasy slumber.
* * * * *
Faith found herself walking down a long corridor, the cool tile causing her bare feet to tickle. The oddness of that caused her to carefully examine her surroundings. After a moment, she realized that she was in a hospital. . .and was wearing one of those drafty hospital gowns that left certain parts of her anatomy exposed for the world to see. Not that she had anything in particular against exhibitionism. . .but it was a terribly impractical outfit. She looked around for a doctor or someone who would tell her what was going on, but the corridor was deserted: it seemed to be late at night. After a few moments, she saw a door marked "Staff Lounge." Hoping to find help, she burst through the swinging door. . .
. . .only to find herself back in the dark bar that had been the setting for her last Slayer dream. She looked down and saw that the hospital gown had vanished, replaced by her black leather pants and a T-shirt. She grinned and scanned the room, and was not surprised to see Ripper sitting across the room, looking at her and grinning. She walked over and sat down, noticing that a drink was waiting for her. She downed it quickly, closing her eyes in satisfaction as the warm glow of alcohol seeped into her body. She looked up at the young Englishman and commented, "You're becoming a regular in my dream life, Ripper. . .or is it more this time? I seem to remember that big snake ripping a nasty tear in my side. . .is this last call for me?"
Ripper smiled reassuringly and replied, "No, luv. . .you're just out for the count for a while until the docs finish sewing you up and making sure nothing more is wrong with you. . .you'd think that sooner or later they'd notice that you and Buffy seem to recuperate rather quickly, given your injuries. . .chalk up one for that thing that isn't just a river in Egypt."
Faith laughed, and responded, "I'm not complaining. . .I hate answering inconvenient questions." She signaled the bartender for another drink, winking at him as he brought it over to her. He smiled in appreciation and walked away, and Faith took a sip from the Screwdriver before asking, "So why am I here, Ripper? I'm not exactly going to be in fighting shape for a few days."
Ripper looked intently at her and replied, "A couple of reasons. . .first, the Powers that Be think that a little positive reinforcement is a good thing, particularly with the rough time you've had until recently." He leaned over to her and whispered, "Faith. . .you've done an extraordinary thing. . .the number of true demons that have been slain in recorded history can be counted on the fingers of one hand. . .with a couple left over for rude gestures. You should be very proud of what you have accomplished."
Faith felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the alcohol in her system, and turned away for a moment before turning back and responding, "I had a lot of help. . .Buffy's friends, Giles, Danielle. . .not to mention B. . .anything you say to me ought to be said to her, too. . .I owe her a lot."
Ripper gestured over Faith's shoulder, and she turned to see Buffy watching them from a corner booth. Faith smiled and gestured for the older Slayer to join them. Buffy stood up and walked over to the table, pulling up a chair and sitting down next to Faith. She looked at Faith for a long moment before giving her an uninhibited hug and whispering, "I was so worried. . .I'm glad you're O.K."
Faith was moved by the emotion in Buffy's manner and actions, and she returned the hug for a moment before withdrawing and inclining her head towards Ripper. Buffy turned and saw a rather lascivious look on Ripper's face. She rolled her eyes and retreated to her chair, giving the young Englishman a dirty look. Ripper sighed and commented, "What I said to Faith goes for you too, of course, Buffy. You went through a lot last year at this time. . .you've done a remarkable job of recovering and resuming your duties. . .the Powers are pleased. . .and grateful."
Buffy snorted and replied, "If they were so damned grateful, they might have sent a messenger who could go five minutes without looking at us like you were plotting out a threesome in Faith's old motel room." Her eyes turned cold and she snapped, "I'm amazed you had the time to come here. . .I'd figure that you'd be too busy staging your next orgy or black magic ritual to bother with anything of consequence." She savagely gestured at the bartender to bring her a drink: he hastily brought her a mineral water and retreated without a word.
Faith blinked at Buffy's visible anger and commented, "God, B. . .intense much?" She looked at the older Slayer, concerned, but Buffy sipped at her drink and stared at the wall, refusing to look at her.
"Which brings me to the other reason I'm here, Faith." Ripper calmly looked over at Buffy's turned back, then elaborated, "Buffy is still having issues about your intentions towards Rupert, Faith."
Faith blinked, then turned back to Buffy and asked, "Is he right, B? I thought we went through this last month. . .I thought you were O.K. with it." Buffy visibly tensed, but did not answer and still stared away from Faith.
"Don't be too hard on her, Faith." Ripper's voice remained calm, though there was the slightest hint of strain as he continued, "She doesn't have a problem with you. . .or with Rupert, really. . .it's me she doesn't trust."
Faith's eyes widened in comprehension as Buffy turned back to Ripper and snapped at him, "Can you think of any reason I should? Giles made it clear enough what he-what Ripper was like, and I got a close-up look at you myself during that stupid band candy screw-up. Breaking and entering, beating up cops, having sex with MY MOTHER on the hood of a car in public. . .do you really think I want to let you anywhere near Faith? Hasn't she gone through enough without that?"
Faith reached out and squeezed Buffy's shoulder, causing the older Slayer to look back at her as Faith commented, "B. . .I know you're trying to look out for me, and I appreciate it. . .but I'm not after Ripper. . .I'm after Giles, with all of the stuffiness and sense of duty that he picked up after he looked like the stud sitting across the table from us. I don't get what you're worried about. . ." She saw something glimmer in Buffy's eyes, and she whispered, "Oh."
Buffy looked away with a pained expression on her face, and Faith stared at her as she continued, "God, B. . .this is about Angel, isn't it? He became evil again after you slept with him, and you've seen what Ripper is like. . .you're afraid that somehow the inner Ripper will come out again, and that I'll be hurt. . .or that I'll have to hurt him." She squeezed Buffy's shoulder again and continued, "B. . .I know what happened with you and Angel sucked. . .and that whole candy thing was seriously freaky. . .but Giles isn't a vampire with a soul curse, and what are the chances of someone pulling that candy stunt again? He's a man. . .the same guy who did all of that stuff that Ripper did, but also the one who's saved our asses more times than I can count. . .the guy we count on. I'll take my chances on an occasional Ripper moment to take my shot with him, B. . .and if by some weird Hellmouthy moment we end up with the third coming of Ripper, we'll tie him up and figure out a way to deal with it." Buffy chuckled at that comment and turned back to Faith, who met her eyes calmly and concluded, "Think we could call this one settled, B? I've heard that stress is bad for the healing process."
Buffy turned and clasped hands with Faith, then glanced over at the third seat at the table. . .and found it was empty. She turned back to Faith, who nodded and commented, "He disappeared a while ago. . .this was never about him, B. . .it was about us." The younger Slayer squeezed Buffy's hand, then elaborated, "B. . .having a love life is nice, and I'm going to put some serious effort into getting through Giles' defenses, but I'm a Slayer. . . it's the reason I'm not on the streets of South Boston scrounging for my next meal. . .the reason I have friends. . .and family. The most important part of that is making sure things are O.K. between me and you. . .doesn't mean I'm not going to call you on it when I think you're out of line. . .but I care about what you think. . .I always have."
Buffy closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and looked at Faith, commenting, "Faith. . .I don't always get you. . .but, God knows, I trust you. . .and if I can't trust Giles, who can I trust? As for Ripper. . .I guess we can deal with that when the time comes." She winced, then requested, "Promise me one thing, Faith? If it does work out with you two. . .keep the public displays of affection within limits? I've had some rather traumatic experiences the last few years with my parental figures in that area. . .and I don't think I'm going to be getting therapy anytime in the near future to deal with it. O.K.?"
Faith chuckled and replied, "No problem, B. . .least I can do after you didn't freak out over the whole Xander thing." She saw Buffy's face twitch and form a perplexed frown, and asked, "What's wrong, B?"
Buffy blinked, then she smiled wickedly as she leaned in to whisper to Faith: "About Xander, Faith. . .you know more about this stuff than I do. . .is it normal for-"
Xander was disturbed from his reading of the sports page as Buffy stirred in her sleep. He looked down at her in concern. . .and was surprised to see a broad smile appear on her face as she slumbered on. He watched as the smile faded and Buffy drifted back into comfortable repose, then shrugged. Whatever had been troubling Buffy, it had passed, and the news was good about Faith. . .she would be O.K. too. He smiled softly at how things had worked out for the best, and softly stroked Buffy's hair as he continued to read.
. . .to be continued
As always, comments are welcomed and desired
June 16, 1999
GRADUATION DAY
The Mayor twitched as the change came upon him. Before the horrified eyes of the watching audience, he metamorphosed into a huge snake, with thick, dark scales and yellow eyes that held a disturbing glint of human intelligence. The true demon watched as most of the students quickly, though cautiously, withdrew. It was unconcerned: the line of vampires waiting for them would prevent any escapes. A glint of light off of metal caught its attention: it looked down from its vantage point and saw a small figure holding a gleaming sword. . .Buffy Summers.
The former Mayor wished for that moment that his form still allowed him to smile. . .or snicker. Very well, then. If the Slayer was foolish enough to believe that such a tiny weapon could harm him now. . .then let her die like the fool she was. He reared up, locking eyes with the grim Slayer as he prepared to strike. . .he was so intent on his prey that he completely failed to notice the other figure sneaking up behind him. With an inward laugh, he abruptly darted his head forward to devour his arrogant foe. . .only to feel an agonizing pain rip through him.
The true demon stopped in mid-strike and bellowed: the sound caused all who heard it, whether demon or human, to wince at the sound. It turned to the source of the pain. . .and saw Faith Stevenson, the second Slayer. . .standing next to his side with an ichor-stained blade that was the twin of the one Buffy was holding. It reared back and struck at Faith, only to see the younger Slayer dart aside before the massive head could reach her. . .and then there was another stab of pain. It painfully turned and saw Buffy standing there, eyes cold, holding her own blade high as it dripped crimson.
The true demon reared up and looked at its opponents while trying to see how badly it had been injured. After a moment, it realized that the wounds, while painful, were clearly not life-threatening. . .it would just have to ignore the pain and pick off the Slayers one by one. . .then those nasty blades would be nifty souvenirs of its Ascension. It thought a moment longer, then picked Faith at random. With a vicious glare, it struck down at Faith with frightening speed.
Faith grinned as Buffy went in and wounded the demon again, but her eyes widened as the head did not slow down. She desperately dodged, but was unable to avoid a glancing blow from the huge head. She managed to roll with the impact and was quickly on her feet, ignoring the stabbing pain in her right side.
The demon grinned inwardly as it saw the Slayer recover: she wouldn't be able to take much more, and those sword strokes were not going to stop it, not any time soon. Suddenly, Buffy was standing next to her fellow Slayer, and both young women stood defiantly, swords raised as they glared up at the demon. It looked at them contemptuously and thought * All right, they're trying to bait me to attack so that they can roll aside and both attack me. . .well, I'll be ready for that * It struck again, ready to twist right to hit Faith or left to hit Buffy if and when they dodged.
At the last possible second, Faith performed a perfect forward somersault to the left, clearing the striking serpent's head, while Buffy dove low and to the right, barely avoiding being crushed by the descending head. Both quickly reached their feet, and with a simultaneity that seemed impossible, both drove their blades into the scales directly behind the creature's head.
The true demon felt its body go numb and slump to the ground: the only thing it could feel were the twin stabbing sensations just behind its head. It could hear a gentle chanting coming from the two women holding the blades penetrating it. . .a cold sense of suspicion began to surface within its mind. . .and that suspicion turned to fear as it began to feel warm, then hot, then finally, felt its flesh start to burn. A part of it admired the skill with which it had been manipulated. . .but mostly it was preoccupied with the agony it felt as it burst into flames. After a moment, there was nothing left but ashes.
Buffy and Faith stepped back from the conflagration, releasing the blades as they did so. They watched as the former Mayor of Sunnydale burned to a small pile of grey ashes, taking the weapons they had spent weeks training with along for the ride. Buffy smiled wistfully and commented, "Shame we lost the swords. . .I could get used to fighting with those. . .right, Faith?"
There was no answer, and Buffy turned to Faith. . .and was horrified to see her swaying and holding the bloody gash in her right side. Buffy ran up to her and took her arm, gently lowering her to the ground and whispering, "Oh God, Faith. . ."
Faith looked up at her, and her dark eyes laughed at the older Slayer as she whispered back, "We don't need no stinkin' swords, B. . .we're the Chosen Two. No one messes with our town. . ." Her eyes fluttered and closed, and Buffy knew panic for a long moment before checking Faith's pulse: it was strong. . . but she needed medical attention, and soon.
Buffy heard footsteps, and whirled with murder on her mind towards anyone who would dare threaten Faith. She relaxed when she saw Xander and called out, "What happened. . .I thought you were all dealing with the vamps?"
Xander grinned tightly and replied, "They all took off when Mr. Big and Scaly went up in flames. . .seems to have made an impression on them. We chased them for a bit, but they were quick enough to get back into the sewers. . .no point chasing them down there." He saw Faith and his eyes narrowed with concern as he commented, "Come on, Buffy. . .we'll get her to the hospital. . .she'll be O.K."
Buffy's heart lifted a bit at her boyfriend's reassurances, but the sense of dread remained as they took Faith to the emergency room, and it nagged at her as she watched the ER nurses wheel Faith away. All at once, the memories of Kendra dying in her presence came back, and this time there was no imminent crisis to force her to suppress the emotions. Xander sensed her need, and held her as she sobbed bitterly until she fell asleep in his arms. Xander gently rocked Buffy, his own concern for Faith prominent in his thoughts as he watched his love stir in uneasy slumber.
* * * * *
Faith found herself walking down a long corridor, the cool tile causing her bare feet to tickle. The oddness of that caused her to carefully examine her surroundings. After a moment, she realized that she was in a hospital. . .and was wearing one of those drafty hospital gowns that left certain parts of her anatomy exposed for the world to see. Not that she had anything in particular against exhibitionism. . .but it was a terribly impractical outfit. She looked around for a doctor or someone who would tell her what was going on, but the corridor was deserted: it seemed to be late at night. After a few moments, she saw a door marked "Staff Lounge." Hoping to find help, she burst through the swinging door. . .
. . .only to find herself back in the dark bar that had been the setting for her last Slayer dream. She looked down and saw that the hospital gown had vanished, replaced by her black leather pants and a T-shirt. She grinned and scanned the room, and was not surprised to see Ripper sitting across the room, looking at her and grinning. She walked over and sat down, noticing that a drink was waiting for her. She downed it quickly, closing her eyes in satisfaction as the warm glow of alcohol seeped into her body. She looked up at the young Englishman and commented, "You're becoming a regular in my dream life, Ripper. . .or is it more this time? I seem to remember that big snake ripping a nasty tear in my side. . .is this last call for me?"
Ripper smiled reassuringly and replied, "No, luv. . .you're just out for the count for a while until the docs finish sewing you up and making sure nothing more is wrong with you. . .you'd think that sooner or later they'd notice that you and Buffy seem to recuperate rather quickly, given your injuries. . .chalk up one for that thing that isn't just a river in Egypt."
Faith laughed, and responded, "I'm not complaining. . .I hate answering inconvenient questions." She signaled the bartender for another drink, winking at him as he brought it over to her. He smiled in appreciation and walked away, and Faith took a sip from the Screwdriver before asking, "So why am I here, Ripper? I'm not exactly going to be in fighting shape for a few days."
Ripper looked intently at her and replied, "A couple of reasons. . .first, the Powers that Be think that a little positive reinforcement is a good thing, particularly with the rough time you've had until recently." He leaned over to her and whispered, "Faith. . .you've done an extraordinary thing. . .the number of true demons that have been slain in recorded history can be counted on the fingers of one hand. . .with a couple left over for rude gestures. You should be very proud of what you have accomplished."
Faith felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the alcohol in her system, and turned away for a moment before turning back and responding, "I had a lot of help. . .Buffy's friends, Giles, Danielle. . .not to mention B. . .anything you say to me ought to be said to her, too. . .I owe her a lot."
Ripper gestured over Faith's shoulder, and she turned to see Buffy watching them from a corner booth. Faith smiled and gestured for the older Slayer to join them. Buffy stood up and walked over to the table, pulling up a chair and sitting down next to Faith. She looked at Faith for a long moment before giving her an uninhibited hug and whispering, "I was so worried. . .I'm glad you're O.K."
Faith was moved by the emotion in Buffy's manner and actions, and she returned the hug for a moment before withdrawing and inclining her head towards Ripper. Buffy turned and saw a rather lascivious look on Ripper's face. She rolled her eyes and retreated to her chair, giving the young Englishman a dirty look. Ripper sighed and commented, "What I said to Faith goes for you too, of course, Buffy. You went through a lot last year at this time. . .you've done a remarkable job of recovering and resuming your duties. . .the Powers are pleased. . .and grateful."
Buffy snorted and replied, "If they were so damned grateful, they might have sent a messenger who could go five minutes without looking at us like you were plotting out a threesome in Faith's old motel room." Her eyes turned cold and she snapped, "I'm amazed you had the time to come here. . .I'd figure that you'd be too busy staging your next orgy or black magic ritual to bother with anything of consequence." She savagely gestured at the bartender to bring her a drink: he hastily brought her a mineral water and retreated without a word.
Faith blinked at Buffy's visible anger and commented, "God, B. . .intense much?" She looked at the older Slayer, concerned, but Buffy sipped at her drink and stared at the wall, refusing to look at her.
"Which brings me to the other reason I'm here, Faith." Ripper calmly looked over at Buffy's turned back, then elaborated, "Buffy is still having issues about your intentions towards Rupert, Faith."
Faith blinked, then turned back to Buffy and asked, "Is he right, B? I thought we went through this last month. . .I thought you were O.K. with it." Buffy visibly tensed, but did not answer and still stared away from Faith.
"Don't be too hard on her, Faith." Ripper's voice remained calm, though there was the slightest hint of strain as he continued, "She doesn't have a problem with you. . .or with Rupert, really. . .it's me she doesn't trust."
Faith's eyes widened in comprehension as Buffy turned back to Ripper and snapped at him, "Can you think of any reason I should? Giles made it clear enough what he-what Ripper was like, and I got a close-up look at you myself during that stupid band candy screw-up. Breaking and entering, beating up cops, having sex with MY MOTHER on the hood of a car in public. . .do you really think I want to let you anywhere near Faith? Hasn't she gone through enough without that?"
Faith reached out and squeezed Buffy's shoulder, causing the older Slayer to look back at her as Faith commented, "B. . .I know you're trying to look out for me, and I appreciate it. . .but I'm not after Ripper. . .I'm after Giles, with all of the stuffiness and sense of duty that he picked up after he looked like the stud sitting across the table from us. I don't get what you're worried about. . ." She saw something glimmer in Buffy's eyes, and she whispered, "Oh."
Buffy looked away with a pained expression on her face, and Faith stared at her as she continued, "God, B. . .this is about Angel, isn't it? He became evil again after you slept with him, and you've seen what Ripper is like. . .you're afraid that somehow the inner Ripper will come out again, and that I'll be hurt. . .or that I'll have to hurt him." She squeezed Buffy's shoulder again and continued, "B. . .I know what happened with you and Angel sucked. . .and that whole candy thing was seriously freaky. . .but Giles isn't a vampire with a soul curse, and what are the chances of someone pulling that candy stunt again? He's a man. . .the same guy who did all of that stuff that Ripper did, but also the one who's saved our asses more times than I can count. . .the guy we count on. I'll take my chances on an occasional Ripper moment to take my shot with him, B. . .and if by some weird Hellmouthy moment we end up with the third coming of Ripper, we'll tie him up and figure out a way to deal with it." Buffy chuckled at that comment and turned back to Faith, who met her eyes calmly and concluded, "Think we could call this one settled, B? I've heard that stress is bad for the healing process."
Buffy turned and clasped hands with Faith, then glanced over at the third seat at the table. . .and found it was empty. She turned back to Faith, who nodded and commented, "He disappeared a while ago. . .this was never about him, B. . .it was about us." The younger Slayer squeezed Buffy's hand, then elaborated, "B. . .having a love life is nice, and I'm going to put some serious effort into getting through Giles' defenses, but I'm a Slayer. . . it's the reason I'm not on the streets of South Boston scrounging for my next meal. . .the reason I have friends. . .and family. The most important part of that is making sure things are O.K. between me and you. . .doesn't mean I'm not going to call you on it when I think you're out of line. . .but I care about what you think. . .I always have."
Buffy closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and looked at Faith, commenting, "Faith. . .I don't always get you. . .but, God knows, I trust you. . .and if I can't trust Giles, who can I trust? As for Ripper. . .I guess we can deal with that when the time comes." She winced, then requested, "Promise me one thing, Faith? If it does work out with you two. . .keep the public displays of affection within limits? I've had some rather traumatic experiences the last few years with my parental figures in that area. . .and I don't think I'm going to be getting therapy anytime in the near future to deal with it. O.K.?"
Faith chuckled and replied, "No problem, B. . .least I can do after you didn't freak out over the whole Xander thing." She saw Buffy's face twitch and form a perplexed frown, and asked, "What's wrong, B?"
Buffy blinked, then she smiled wickedly as she leaned in to whisper to Faith: "About Xander, Faith. . .you know more about this stuff than I do. . .is it normal for-"
Xander was disturbed from his reading of the sports page as Buffy stirred in her sleep. He looked down at her in concern. . .and was surprised to see a broad smile appear on her face as she slumbered on. He watched as the smile faded and Buffy drifted back into comfortable repose, then shrugged. Whatever had been troubling Buffy, it had passed, and the news was good about Faith. . .she would be O.K. too. He smiled softly at how things had worked out for the best, and softly stroked Buffy's hair as he continued to read.
. . .to be continued
As always, comments are welcomed and desired