Part 3
"You can't be serious" Buffy shook her head in total disbelief.
" FAITH!...You want to put me inside the body of Faith.... Again!" She shuddered at the ridiculous suggestion.
" NO WAY. Not in a million years, not if it's the last body on the face of the earth." She couldn't believe they could be so insensitive. Buffy was already having serious reservations about the whole body swapping idea, but the thought of becoming somebody she already knew? Yuck. That was way beyond gross.
" I don't understand your problem; it's the perfect body. This girl is at her physical peak, everything you specified. What's more, she's a vampire slayer just like you" Jordan couldn't understand why Buffy had rebelled so violently against the idea. When Saint Peter had suggested the plan it seemed the perfect solution to all their problems.
It would also solve the problem of having to call another slayer,
especially as the next girl in line was only three years old.
" Saint Peter himself recommended this swap, you really shouldn't dismiss it so out of hand."
" I can't just take Faith's body" Buffy walked towards her sister slayer, looking carefully at the dark-haired girl who had once caused her so much pain. Faith lay perfectly still on her prison cot, her eyes closed in a troubled sleep. Her appearance had changed greatly over the years she had spent in prison; the once strikingly beautiful girl had mellowed into an almost plain looking woman, slowly forgotten by the outside world.
Buffy had made a fragile peace with the girl shortly after she and Angel had reunited, Angel had already taken Faith's rehabilitation to heart and he was the one person who refused to give up on her. He visited the troubled slayer every month pushing her towards her own redemption, and to a great extent he was succeeding. Buffy had kept away from these visits knowing that, although the hatred between the two of them had passed, a friendship was never likely to happen.
" You seem to have forgotten that Faith is still destined to die it was always going to be this day. " The archangel spoke quietly trying to be as sensitive as possible.
" The date here is July 23rd It's 7.50pm. Faith has exactly ten minutes and twenty-three seconds left to live in this life, her calling was written long ago. Your date of birth and the date of your death are all that's really certain in the life of your soul. How you live the time in-between is up to you"
Buffy watched as Faith stirred, her face contort with pain.
"What's the matter with her?" she asked slowly moving closer. Buffy couldn't help feeling concerned for Faith's welfare, she hated seeing anybody suffer.
" She was involved in a fight an hour ago in the recreation yard, It wasn't her fault and she didn't retaliate. This girl has changed so much in the last few years and your husband played a large part in saving her soul. Because of Angel's help, Faith will be welcomed home with open arms, all indiscretions forgiven and forgotten"
Buffy watched as the dark haired slayer doubled over in agony.
"Faith was attacked and received massive internal injuries, she refused to call for help. She's dying Buffy and she knows it."
" Faith. Faith! " Buffy shouted trying to awaken the fading girl. Faith raised her heavy eyelids and for a moment Buffy swore she could be seen. But after a moment, Faith's eyes dropped again in resignation.
Buffy ran over to the cell door and shouted as loud as she could for help. When nobody came she tried again to wake Faith herself.
" Six minutes, Buffy" Jordan's voice reminded her of the painful choice she was being forced to make. Time was slipping by and they only had until the girl's spirit left her body and the few minutes before her death was discovered. If the transference wasn't made then, it couldn't be made at all.
" Faith, you awake in there? You have a visitor" an outside voice broke into the room startling Buffy.
" Not interested" Faith murmured without opening her eyes.
" Suit yourself girlie, I'll tell Mr. O'Connelly to leave then " the guard turned and started to walk away.
" No wait"
Faith tried to sit up; she clutched her side in agony but continued to get to her feet.
"Angel" Buffy gasped at the same time and her eyes lit up at the prospect of seeing her husband again.
" Tell him I'll be there, just give me a second" Faith staggered towards the door of her cell, her breathing becoming rapid as a new wave of pain washed over her. It was now excruciating.
" One minute and three seconds, Buffy. What's it going to be?" Jordan asked again as Faith dropped to the floor and whimpered in pain. Buffy's eyes brimmed with tears for her sister slayer; she fell to her knees whispering gentle words of comfort.
" I can't do this" Buffy couldn't take advantage of Faith's misfortune, it was just too wrong.
" Twenty three seconds" Jordan continued with the countdown.
Buffy looked up, her eyes pleading for understanding. Angel was only a few feet away and yet she couldn't bring herself to utter her agreement.
" Five, four, three, two." The countdown continued
Buffy watched as a shaft of bright light dropped into Faith's prison cell, the same light that had been present at her own death. She watched in wonder as the spirit of the dead slayer lifted up out of its body and pulled itself free.
" Hi B, thought it was you. When did you bite the bullet?" Faith grinned, a large smile covering her now beautiful face.
The two spirits embraced, clinging to each other in death as they should have done in life.
" It's time to go, Faith." Jordan nodded towards the light. Faith looked up and smiled again.
" What's it like? Is it pretty where I'm going?" the dark girl seemed to hesitate.
Buffy squeezed her arm softly and smiled back.
" It's very beautiful. You're gonna be just fine"
Faith drew comfort from Buffy's reassurance and smiled one last time.
" Maybe....maybe we can start all over again?" Faith asked unexpectedly as their eyes locked
" I'd like that" Buffy nodded, for all the pain that had come out of the last few days, Buffy realised that this meeting was a blessing. In other circumstances, they would never have had this chance to say goodbye. Fate had allowed the two slayers the opportunity to make a new peace and one day they would meet again as real friends.
The light then started to pull Faith into its presence.
"Hey! Five by five. See ya later, B." Faith moved up into its glow and vanished.
" Five by five, Faith." Buffy softly whispered back.
The mood was then broken by the sound of shouting coming from outside of the cell.
" Faith? Faith, are you all right in there? I'm unlocking the door" the prison guard's voice sounded slightly worried.
" Buffy?" Jordan looked at the girl and waited, there was simply no more time left
The key turned in the lock and the door started to open. Buffy's frightened eyes looked towards the door and then at what she knew was the empty shell that had once carried the essence of Faith.
" Do it"
*****
Buffy felt really strange, for the first time in what seemed like a
lifetime she felt... solid. It wasn't her body but it felt good being alive again. After being taken from Faith's cell she was led along a long corridor. It was only now that Buffy realised how depressing this place was. On reaching the visitors room she hesitated, she knew that on the other side of that door was her soul mate. Would he know her? Would he see her through Faith's eyes? A million questions flowed through her head as she pushed open the door and walked in.
The sight of Angel took her breath away, he looked dreadful. A week's growth of stubble told Buffy that he'd stopped shaving. His once glorious head of spiky hair was now flat and lifeless and when he finally raised his head to look at her his beautiful chocolate eyes were hollow.
" Hello, Faith. I've got some bad news to tell you and I thought I'd better come in person" Angel started to speak, his eyes never quite making contact. As he proceeded to tell the girl on the other side of the glass partition about the accident, Buffy listened in silence. Angel appeared so distant; he held his hands in his lap continually twisting his wedding ring as he struggled to retell the horror of the last week.
"We had her body cremated and I scattered her ashes out to sea. I guess she's travelling the globe now, as free as a bird and without a care in the world."
On the other side of the glass, Buffy's new heart was breaking at her lover's pain, she longed to tell him who she now was, but knew realistically that nobody would believe her yet. It would take time and a lot of hard work, if only Angel would really look at her.
Angel continued to speak, still their eyes never met. Buffy silently pleaded with him to look up, if only he really looked into Faith's eyes she knew he would see her, the real her. Angel had once told her years ago that the first time he had set eyes on her he had fallen in love with her, because he could see her heart. Buffy knew that if that was really true, he couldn't fail to miss her soul shining out of Faith's eyes.
When Angel eventually did look up Buffy shivered. The light that had always shone in his beautiful eyes was gone, simply gone. Even in the worst days of their relationship, when they were continually breaking each other's hearts, that light that she loved had still shone. But the man sitting in front of her now was an empty shell. It seemed as if Angel had just given up.
" Angel, please. I know it's too soon to be saying this but you will find somebody new one day. Somebody will ease the pain you're feeling now" Buffy felt slightly uneasy hearing Faith's voice speak her words.
Angel slowly shook his head
" I know you mean well Faith, but there's not another woman on this earth that can take away this pain. I know I'll never love like that again" Angel replied simply stating the truth as he saw it.
Leaning forward, Buffy raised her hand and rested it against the glass partition
" You will, just wait and see. Not today and not next week but someday. Don't close your mind to the possibility."
" Not for me, in over two hundred and fifty years there was only one girl that touched my soul. Not good odds" Angel tried to smile but it just hurt too much.
Buffy watched Angel's body language and became increasingly alarmed. He seemed to have no life left in him at all. After just one short week he no longer resembled the man she had loved all those years, this broken man wearing her husbands face was a stranger.
" What will you do?" Buffy was desperately afraid for his safety. Angel had worked so hard for his humanity and now it seemed this blessing had become a curse.
He lifted weary eyes and for a moment Buffy was sure he would see her, but she couldn't have been more wrong. Angel was blind, blinded by grief and bitterness and, in that state, he would never see anybody.
" Don't worry about me, I'll live today and then I'll live tomorrow. I guess I'll just carry on until there are no more tomorrows left." Angel suddenly looked very tired
" Goodbye, Faith." the words were clear and very final. He rose from his chair and without a backward glance he walked away.
Buffy stood up so quickly she knocked her chair flying. Banging her hands against the glass screen she called out his name over and over, but Angel never looked back.
She was then lead away from the visitor's room still crying Angel's name. Once back in Faith's cell the Archangel reappeared before her.
" You have to get me out of here; this body is no good if it's locked up in a cell twenty-four hours a day. Why didn't you think of that? I'll never be able to reach Angel from here. How on earth can I help him?"
Buffy was so distressed by the state of her husband she started
hyperventilating. Fighting for breath she continued to scream
" GET ME OUT OF HERE, GET ME OUT OF HERE, GET ME."
*****
" Buffy, Buffy. Calm down, you only had to ask once"
Buffy found herself back in heaven, no longer wearing Faith's body.
" I can't believe I let you talk me in to that, I would have been in that cell for the rest of my life. Have you seen the state of my husband? This is killing him" Buffy stormed off in pure rage.
" Where are you going? "Jordan's voice called after the angry young woman.
Buffy stopped and, looking back, she surveyed her surroundings. One set of pearly gates. One stairway only going up and an eternity of swirling clouds.
" Where am I going?" she asked glaring bitterly at the archangel " I'm going nowhere, I'm going nowhere fast" she replied and walked into the clouds.
TBC...
"You can't be serious" Buffy shook her head in total disbelief.
" FAITH!...You want to put me inside the body of Faith.... Again!" She shuddered at the ridiculous suggestion.
" NO WAY. Not in a million years, not if it's the last body on the face of the earth." She couldn't believe they could be so insensitive. Buffy was already having serious reservations about the whole body swapping idea, but the thought of becoming somebody she already knew? Yuck. That was way beyond gross.
" I don't understand your problem; it's the perfect body. This girl is at her physical peak, everything you specified. What's more, she's a vampire slayer just like you" Jordan couldn't understand why Buffy had rebelled so violently against the idea. When Saint Peter had suggested the plan it seemed the perfect solution to all their problems.
It would also solve the problem of having to call another slayer,
especially as the next girl in line was only three years old.
" Saint Peter himself recommended this swap, you really shouldn't dismiss it so out of hand."
" I can't just take Faith's body" Buffy walked towards her sister slayer, looking carefully at the dark-haired girl who had once caused her so much pain. Faith lay perfectly still on her prison cot, her eyes closed in a troubled sleep. Her appearance had changed greatly over the years she had spent in prison; the once strikingly beautiful girl had mellowed into an almost plain looking woman, slowly forgotten by the outside world.
Buffy had made a fragile peace with the girl shortly after she and Angel had reunited, Angel had already taken Faith's rehabilitation to heart and he was the one person who refused to give up on her. He visited the troubled slayer every month pushing her towards her own redemption, and to a great extent he was succeeding. Buffy had kept away from these visits knowing that, although the hatred between the two of them had passed, a friendship was never likely to happen.
" You seem to have forgotten that Faith is still destined to die it was always going to be this day. " The archangel spoke quietly trying to be as sensitive as possible.
" The date here is July 23rd It's 7.50pm. Faith has exactly ten minutes and twenty-three seconds left to live in this life, her calling was written long ago. Your date of birth and the date of your death are all that's really certain in the life of your soul. How you live the time in-between is up to you"
Buffy watched as Faith stirred, her face contort with pain.
"What's the matter with her?" she asked slowly moving closer. Buffy couldn't help feeling concerned for Faith's welfare, she hated seeing anybody suffer.
" She was involved in a fight an hour ago in the recreation yard, It wasn't her fault and she didn't retaliate. This girl has changed so much in the last few years and your husband played a large part in saving her soul. Because of Angel's help, Faith will be welcomed home with open arms, all indiscretions forgiven and forgotten"
Buffy watched as the dark haired slayer doubled over in agony.
"Faith was attacked and received massive internal injuries, she refused to call for help. She's dying Buffy and she knows it."
" Faith. Faith! " Buffy shouted trying to awaken the fading girl. Faith raised her heavy eyelids and for a moment Buffy swore she could be seen. But after a moment, Faith's eyes dropped again in resignation.
Buffy ran over to the cell door and shouted as loud as she could for help. When nobody came she tried again to wake Faith herself.
" Six minutes, Buffy" Jordan's voice reminded her of the painful choice she was being forced to make. Time was slipping by and they only had until the girl's spirit left her body and the few minutes before her death was discovered. If the transference wasn't made then, it couldn't be made at all.
" Faith, you awake in there? You have a visitor" an outside voice broke into the room startling Buffy.
" Not interested" Faith murmured without opening her eyes.
" Suit yourself girlie, I'll tell Mr. O'Connelly to leave then " the guard turned and started to walk away.
" No wait"
Faith tried to sit up; she clutched her side in agony but continued to get to her feet.
"Angel" Buffy gasped at the same time and her eyes lit up at the prospect of seeing her husband again.
" Tell him I'll be there, just give me a second" Faith staggered towards the door of her cell, her breathing becoming rapid as a new wave of pain washed over her. It was now excruciating.
" One minute and three seconds, Buffy. What's it going to be?" Jordan asked again as Faith dropped to the floor and whimpered in pain. Buffy's eyes brimmed with tears for her sister slayer; she fell to her knees whispering gentle words of comfort.
" I can't do this" Buffy couldn't take advantage of Faith's misfortune, it was just too wrong.
" Twenty three seconds" Jordan continued with the countdown.
Buffy looked up, her eyes pleading for understanding. Angel was only a few feet away and yet she couldn't bring herself to utter her agreement.
" Five, four, three, two." The countdown continued
Buffy watched as a shaft of bright light dropped into Faith's prison cell, the same light that had been present at her own death. She watched in wonder as the spirit of the dead slayer lifted up out of its body and pulled itself free.
" Hi B, thought it was you. When did you bite the bullet?" Faith grinned, a large smile covering her now beautiful face.
The two spirits embraced, clinging to each other in death as they should have done in life.
" It's time to go, Faith." Jordan nodded towards the light. Faith looked up and smiled again.
" What's it like? Is it pretty where I'm going?" the dark girl seemed to hesitate.
Buffy squeezed her arm softly and smiled back.
" It's very beautiful. You're gonna be just fine"
Faith drew comfort from Buffy's reassurance and smiled one last time.
" Maybe....maybe we can start all over again?" Faith asked unexpectedly as their eyes locked
" I'd like that" Buffy nodded, for all the pain that had come out of the last few days, Buffy realised that this meeting was a blessing. In other circumstances, they would never have had this chance to say goodbye. Fate had allowed the two slayers the opportunity to make a new peace and one day they would meet again as real friends.
The light then started to pull Faith into its presence.
"Hey! Five by five. See ya later, B." Faith moved up into its glow and vanished.
" Five by five, Faith." Buffy softly whispered back.
The mood was then broken by the sound of shouting coming from outside of the cell.
" Faith? Faith, are you all right in there? I'm unlocking the door" the prison guard's voice sounded slightly worried.
" Buffy?" Jordan looked at the girl and waited, there was simply no more time left
The key turned in the lock and the door started to open. Buffy's frightened eyes looked towards the door and then at what she knew was the empty shell that had once carried the essence of Faith.
" Do it"
*****
Buffy felt really strange, for the first time in what seemed like a
lifetime she felt... solid. It wasn't her body but it felt good being alive again. After being taken from Faith's cell she was led along a long corridor. It was only now that Buffy realised how depressing this place was. On reaching the visitors room she hesitated, she knew that on the other side of that door was her soul mate. Would he know her? Would he see her through Faith's eyes? A million questions flowed through her head as she pushed open the door and walked in.
The sight of Angel took her breath away, he looked dreadful. A week's growth of stubble told Buffy that he'd stopped shaving. His once glorious head of spiky hair was now flat and lifeless and when he finally raised his head to look at her his beautiful chocolate eyes were hollow.
" Hello, Faith. I've got some bad news to tell you and I thought I'd better come in person" Angel started to speak, his eyes never quite making contact. As he proceeded to tell the girl on the other side of the glass partition about the accident, Buffy listened in silence. Angel appeared so distant; he held his hands in his lap continually twisting his wedding ring as he struggled to retell the horror of the last week.
"We had her body cremated and I scattered her ashes out to sea. I guess she's travelling the globe now, as free as a bird and without a care in the world."
On the other side of the glass, Buffy's new heart was breaking at her lover's pain, she longed to tell him who she now was, but knew realistically that nobody would believe her yet. It would take time and a lot of hard work, if only Angel would really look at her.
Angel continued to speak, still their eyes never met. Buffy silently pleaded with him to look up, if only he really looked into Faith's eyes she knew he would see her, the real her. Angel had once told her years ago that the first time he had set eyes on her he had fallen in love with her, because he could see her heart. Buffy knew that if that was really true, he couldn't fail to miss her soul shining out of Faith's eyes.
When Angel eventually did look up Buffy shivered. The light that had always shone in his beautiful eyes was gone, simply gone. Even in the worst days of their relationship, when they were continually breaking each other's hearts, that light that she loved had still shone. But the man sitting in front of her now was an empty shell. It seemed as if Angel had just given up.
" Angel, please. I know it's too soon to be saying this but you will find somebody new one day. Somebody will ease the pain you're feeling now" Buffy felt slightly uneasy hearing Faith's voice speak her words.
Angel slowly shook his head
" I know you mean well Faith, but there's not another woman on this earth that can take away this pain. I know I'll never love like that again" Angel replied simply stating the truth as he saw it.
Leaning forward, Buffy raised her hand and rested it against the glass partition
" You will, just wait and see. Not today and not next week but someday. Don't close your mind to the possibility."
" Not for me, in over two hundred and fifty years there was only one girl that touched my soul. Not good odds" Angel tried to smile but it just hurt too much.
Buffy watched Angel's body language and became increasingly alarmed. He seemed to have no life left in him at all. After just one short week he no longer resembled the man she had loved all those years, this broken man wearing her husbands face was a stranger.
" What will you do?" Buffy was desperately afraid for his safety. Angel had worked so hard for his humanity and now it seemed this blessing had become a curse.
He lifted weary eyes and for a moment Buffy was sure he would see her, but she couldn't have been more wrong. Angel was blind, blinded by grief and bitterness and, in that state, he would never see anybody.
" Don't worry about me, I'll live today and then I'll live tomorrow. I guess I'll just carry on until there are no more tomorrows left." Angel suddenly looked very tired
" Goodbye, Faith." the words were clear and very final. He rose from his chair and without a backward glance he walked away.
Buffy stood up so quickly she knocked her chair flying. Banging her hands against the glass screen she called out his name over and over, but Angel never looked back.
She was then lead away from the visitor's room still crying Angel's name. Once back in Faith's cell the Archangel reappeared before her.
" You have to get me out of here; this body is no good if it's locked up in a cell twenty-four hours a day. Why didn't you think of that? I'll never be able to reach Angel from here. How on earth can I help him?"
Buffy was so distressed by the state of her husband she started
hyperventilating. Fighting for breath she continued to scream
" GET ME OUT OF HERE, GET ME OUT OF HERE, GET ME."
*****
" Buffy, Buffy. Calm down, you only had to ask once"
Buffy found herself back in heaven, no longer wearing Faith's body.
" I can't believe I let you talk me in to that, I would have been in that cell for the rest of my life. Have you seen the state of my husband? This is killing him" Buffy stormed off in pure rage.
" Where are you going? "Jordan's voice called after the angry young woman.
Buffy stopped and, looking back, she surveyed her surroundings. One set of pearly gates. One stairway only going up and an eternity of swirling clouds.
" Where am I going?" she asked glaring bitterly at the archangel " I'm going nowhere, I'm going nowhere fast" she replied and walked into the clouds.
TBC...