Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own them. I just play with them.
Author's note: Hi again. Well, the story continues. A few of you thought I was premature in revealing the slayer identities to each other. You may well be right, but I hope in the next few chapters it will become clear why now, and so forth. If not, oh well… I screwed up.
Anyway, this chapter is Faith. It is her POV totally. Enjoy, review please.
Summer of faith
Chapter 4
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I am sitting here, across from Annie. We came here to the Hungry Heart to continue our little discussion. And I'm just a little more than pissed. I mean, who the hell does she think she is? Sneaking around, spying on me. And then, knowing I am a slayer, not telling me SHE is a slayer, too. Grrrrrr. And I am still trying to wrap my head around this. I mean, there is one chosen one. One slayer. Yadda, yadda ,yadda. But here is another one, in the flesh. And…from what I understand there is a third one in Sunnydale. Up the coast. What? Are we gonna start having conventions now? Secret handshakes. Christ, this is just too damned confusing .
And to top it off, Little Miss Milk and Cookies isn't talking. She is getting blotto. Shit-faced. The girl who looks like only mountain pure spring water passes her lips is tossin' em back like a trucker. She vaporized her first two drinks, and is working on a third. I mean, ok, first drink I can understand… something to calm down after that lil scene back in the alley. But she looks like she is trying to get drunk now. Why the hell does she do this? Why won't she just be straight with me? Why the games. Every time I just think I am getting a clue about her, she pops something new on me. Damn her, I should just walk outta here, and outta her life. She is nothin' but bad news. So… come on Faith…get up…go…let's motor, girl. Get in, get some, get out. That's my motto. Did one, didn't get any of two, time for three. So…why do I sit here like my butt is glued to this chair?
Buffy: Faith?? (softly, a little blurred)
Faith: What?(growly)
Buffy: 'm sorry
Not saying anything, just glaring at her
Buffy: shudda tole ya
Faith; Damn straight you shoulda told me. What? Annie, what…
Buffy: Buffy
Faith: What?
Buffy: My name's Buffy
Faith: Oh, so you were lying to me about that, too??
Swell. Just what else is she lying about?
Buffy: No, not lying. (concentrates hard…it is so cute, that little wrinkle in her brow. FAITH Dammit, you're mad here). Elizabeth Anne Summers… that is my full name
Faith: (dripping sarcasm) Faith DeMarco. So pleased to meet you(pause) How do ya get Buffy out of Elizabeth or Anne?
Buffy: My cousin, Celia. When we were kids, everyone called me " Bethy ". But Celia couldn't quite say Bethy…so she started calling me "Buffy" and it stuck.
I see her face cloud over. She starts to get tears in her eyes
Faith: Annie...er...Buffy…what is it? What's wrong?(shit, a couple of tears, and I am all not angry. Grrrrr)
Buffy: I miss her. She's dead. She died when we were like 11, some blood disease. Couldn't help her
Oh, god
Faith: Annie...Buffy(damn, I am just gonna call you B till I get this straight) B. I'm sorry…I didn't know.
I reach out to her, and take her hand. She kinda stiffens, then relaxes
And I watch her as the tears start to come faster. And it all starts flowing out
About Merrick , her first watcher. Who told her about being a slayer. And died in her arms. About how she defeated a master vampire, but burned down the school gym in L.A. in the process. How, after that, her parents divorced( it had been bad for years, but this was the final straw). Her guilt over that. How her mother picked up , and moved them to Sunnydale( Ahhh…so there * is * only 2 of us). How she hoped that she had escaped her destiny, but it was sitting there waiting for her. How she met Giles, her watcher, who is like more than her watcher to her( I know that one) and her "scoobies"…Willow, the computer nerd becoming a witch(That's a weird combo), Xander, willow's best friend … goofy, but there when you need him…Cordelia…Queen C… rich girl snob bitch that somehow got involved with it all. And finally … Angel…
Angel, Vampire with a soul(whaaaat?). Started out as all mysterious and stalky, then…oh my god, she fell in LOVE with him? A dead thing? A Fang ganger? But evidently no ordinary fang-boy, this one. And how they were in love, and how she lost her virginity to him( This sounds like a bad soap opera). And how, in one moment of perfect happiness, he lost his soul. And Went all evil. And tortured her friends, and her watcher, and her mom…all to get at her, to distract her, to kill her. And how fang-boy killed Jenny Calendar…Computer teacher, techno pagan, gypsy and Giles' love ( oh, this IS a soap.) How Angelus( Angel's evil name?) brought about a demon, Acathla, to destroy the world. And how, after she saw Angel regain his soul, she sent him to hell by running him through with a sword, to stop Acathla's spell.
I sit here stunned. I am so confused, and half this stuff is just too damned outrageous to buy. Except I know the truth. And I have to believe her, with what I have seen.
And there is more. She can't face her friends, not after what happened. She blames herself for the whole thing. If not for her, no lost soul, no Angelus, no torture, no dead teacher…so she believes. And she fought with her mom just before killing Angel, who said if she left the house, not to come back. Oh, god. And she ran…cause she couldn't deal with any of it anymore. She ran to hide, to try to forget being a slayer. Just trying to be normal girl.
And the tears are wracking her body, and she is sobbing and looking so small, and so sad. And I want to just hold her, take her in my arms and tell her everything is alright, it is not her fault, it will all be ok. But I don't dare. I will just freak her. So I sit, holding her hand, squeezing it to try to comfort her a little.
I need a drink.. a lot of drinks. I order another round, and though I think she has had enough, I order her one too. Maybe a little oblivion is what she needs right now.
And I to try to distract her, I start telling her about me. About my childhood, with my dear old Alkie mom. Who didn't give a rats ass about me, as long as she got the next bottle. And about her parade of boyfriends. Some indifferent to me, some not so indifferent(ugh). How some touched me in ways that you shouldn't touch a kid. And how good old mom deserted me, abandoned me when I was 12. And how I got adopted … by my Watcher.. How she cared for me, and trained me. And I clung to her, because she was like my mom and dad… all I had in the world.
How I learned about my destiny at 15, when I was activated. How, shortly after, Kakistos attacked me, and my watcher. I wounded him, but I had to watch when he tore my watcher apart. How he has pursued me since, and I am still on the run from him. Admitting I am scared, really scared, that he will catch me.
And I am staring at my hands, trying to control my emotions. Trying to understand why I just bared my soul to her. I have never done that, to anyone, ever. Looking up, I see her staring at me. Her eyes… her eyes tell me she understands. She understands my pain. And her face …just says …oh god… I can't stand this…I am getting blubbery….
And she just gets up, a bit woozily, and comes over. And I am in her arms, she is hugging me tight. I'm in heaven; I am in hell. Feeling her arms around me is pure bliss; knowing it is only because she feels sorry for me is pure pain. And I break it off cause in the end it hurts too much.
Faith: I'm fine(shrugging her off)
Buffy: 'K ( looking hurt…oh, damn her. Stop making this worse)
B makes her way back to her seat, and plops down in it… hard. After a second or two, she starts to giggle
Faith: What's so funny?
Buffy: I'm drunk!!!
And I start to laugh
Faith: You were drunk two drinks ago, Blondie. You are blotto.
Buffy(indignant) I –am- not- blotto
Faith: Oh, yeah?( holds up 3 fingers) how many fingers?
Buffy( counting out loud). One… two…lots(giggling)
Faith: Ok, cuttin you off, Blondie, you are way past blotto
Buffy: Am not! Wanna drink, wanna dance. Wanna PARTEEEE (she is getting loud).
Faith: Nuh…uh. Time for you to go home, Little Ms. B
Buffy: No, Buffee wanna PARTEEE
Faith: No. Time for all good little slayers to go to bed
Buffy give me a look, and I realize what I just said!
Faith: ummm… I .. I .. mean to sleep. To go to bed to sleep. Nothing else, sleep is all. No other bed stuff….
Buffy: ( laughing) you sound jus' like Willow when she's all nervous(giggles). Do I frighten you, Faithy?(gives me an evil grin)
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Faith: Of course not. You are just drunk, and I am taking you home...to sleep!
Buffy: wanna partee , wanna PARTEEEE!!!!
Faith:(Growls) enough with you, B.( goes over, grabs Buffy in a fireman's carry, and starts to head out of club) you are such a pain, I swear!
Buffy: (calling out to anyone) Bye, bye! Bye BYE!
As I am leaving , some of the women give knowing smirks
" Hey, she is straight! She doesn't …." But they just nod…
What the hell am I explaining it to THEM for, anyway?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
So, here I am, carrying little Ms. Cheerleader home. I am walking pretty fast, when all of a sudden I feel her paddling my butt!
Buffy: (giggling) you gotta cute butt
Faith: Stop that, B. knock it off !!!
Blushing big time here. Then it is
Buffy: Buffee feel funny…urrrghhh
Oh, shit…I find somewhere to set her down, just in time to watch it all come up. Icky . I hold her head til she is done, and she looks like death. She starts to get up, but whoozes…so, I lift her up and start carrying her, this time in front of me…don't need barf on the clothing. She flings her arms around my neck, and rests her head on my chest…and I look up and think " WHY DO YOU HATE ME SO???" Damn, this sucks.
We finally make it back to her place. She fumbles for her keys in her purse while I am holding her. She finally finds them, and after missing the lock a few times, I set her gently down; leaning her against the wall so she doesn't fall down while I steady her with one hand. And using the other to unlock the door. She starts to slide down the wall, so I know walking is out of the question. I pick her up again, and head towards her bed.
As I am about to set her down, she opens her eyes and says
Buffy: Hello, Faithy(she giggles)
God, that breath could kill
She takes her fingertip, and starts to draw a line from my throat down my chest. I am like…so shivering. And feeling a bit woozy, and blushing
Faith: Knock it off, B. Time to sleep
And she does it to me again, 'cause she then plants a kiss on my neck, and I almost drop her!!!!
Buffy: Mmmm, you smell nice
Faith: and you are drunk. Time for sleep
Buffy:(giggling, pulling at the top button of my blouse) wazz in here?(she peeks down my blouse) ooo girly stuff(giggling)
I am like getting all tingly and butterflies are attacking my tummy, and I am so getting upset
Faith: enough!!!
Buffy: ( looking at me with a come hither look) ya sure?
DAAAAMMMMMMNNNNN
God I want her- God I want her- God I want her
But not this way, not now. Not when she is vulnerable, and drunk. Not like this.
Faith: Enough, Ms. B. Time for bed
I lay her down on the bed, and extract myself from her arms. I cover her up, and give her a small kiss on the forehead.
Faith: Sleep well, Ms. B. I will see you tomorrow.
I walk to the door, getting ready to leave when she calls out to me:
Buffy: Faith. PLEEAAASEE don't leave me! I don' wanna be 'lone
I turn and see her face. It is pleading, and needy
I know if I get in that bed, I know if I sleep with her now, it will screw everything up
Any tiny dim chance I might have with her, would be lost.
And I don't want just a roll in the hay with her. I want more. Much more
Cause… oh god, I am falling for her. DAAAAMMMNNNN
But I just can't leave her alone. She looks so lost and small and …so helpless.
So I sigh. And I grab a chair…
And I go to the bed, and sit by her, and hold her hand.
While she drifts off to sleep.