Chapter 14.
"Do you want me to get that?" Willow shouted through to Faith in the kitchen.
She didn't answer, she was dancing around the kitchen with her headphones on, making pancakes for Willow, Tara and Dawn.
Willow decided to get the door, before the person on the other side banged a hole in it.
"Oh hey Xander, Anya, come on in. Faith's in the kitchen cooking up some breakfast, you want some?"
Xander shook his head and made his way to the sofa. He took a quick look around the living room.
"The Buffster not alive yet I take it?" he questioned.
Dawn shook her head. He wasn't surprised, she was in a hell of a state when he and Anya had dropped her off the previous night. It had taken five minutes to get her up the stairs, as she insisted on sitting down every other step for a rest. In the end Xander had put her over his shoulder, and carried her the rest of the way fireman style. She was asleep before they even reached the front door.
Faith returned from the kitchen, with a plate of pancakes in one hand, and syrup in the other.
"Tuck in guys, this is a Faith special!" she grinned.
"What's so special about them?" Anya quizzed. They looked like ordinary pancakes to her.
"It's special because I cooked them, that what's special babe!" Dawn giggled on the sofa, it was true, Faith wasn't generally found anywhere near the vicinity of the cooker.
Xander decided he would be the first to broach the subject. "So anyone have a chance to speak to her about last night? I mean she was kind of out of it!"
Before anyone had a chance to answer, a very ill looking Buffy staggered into the room.
"It's alive!" Faith shrieked, "At least it's moving, that must mean its alive, right!" she joked.
"Ow ow ow, volume down a touch please!" Buffy whined, holding her head and screwing up her eyes.
Willow scooted up on the sofa to make a space for the weary blonde.
"How you feeling Buffy?" she asked.
Buffy leant back into the sofa, pulling her knees up to her chest.
"Just fabulous," she whispered. "Assuming I don't move, think or, ow, speak." She rested her head on her knees.
"And I think I broke my ass? Did I break my ass last night?"
The redhead couldn't help but giggle. "Well you kinda fell over once or twice...and some. Possibly more?"
Buffy groaned.
"But it was a kinda subtle falling over, I don't think anyone noticed, honest!" Willow was a terrible liar, Buffy groaned again trying to remember.
Faith scooped a couple of pancakes onto a plate and waved them under Buffy's nose. "Want some Breakfast Buff?" She didn't get the sentence out before Buffy was running towards the bathroom, a very ill shade of green. Faith turned up the stereo to drown out the heaving sounds, coming from the bathroom.
"Shouldn't someone check on her?" Anya asked.
Dawn jumped up and ran to the bathroom, to look after her nauseated sister.
Xander turned his attention back to Faith.
"So Faith. How do you think it's gonna go tomorrow?" he quizzed.
"How do you mean?" She replied with a mouth full of pancake.
Xander knew he was going to have to tread carefully here. "Well I mean the whole Buffy, you and Spike sharing the same oxygen thing? You guys are back at work tomorrow right?" He stated diplomatically.
Faith nodded, swallowing her mouth full. "The way I see it he won't be breathing for long, not when I am through with him!" she stated firmly.
Xander cringed inwardly, this is exactly the response he would have expected from Faith. She didn't mess about, if you hurt one of hers, then you get the full wrath of a 'pissed off' Faith.
"Lack of oxygen will be the least of his worries, by the time I am done with that bastard!" She added, just in case anyone was in any doubt.
Xander leant forward slightly in his chair. "The thing is Faith, we don't know what really happened. I mean he....he may have had his reasons, you know?" he stuttered.
Faith crossed the room and knelt in front of the nervous man. "If your holding back Xander, and I find out. Spike won't be the only guy around here with an oxygen problem!" She spoke quietly and calmly, but there was a hint of menace in her voice. "What's the story?" She continued.
"There's no story, he didn't tell me anything about why he left." He replied. It wasn't as if he was 'lying' he thought to himself, Spike hadn't actually said a word.
"Cool!" she said as she jumped up. "In that case I am going to the store, we are out of beer."
Xander flopped back into his seat and let out a groan. Pissing Faith off wasn't a good plan, ever! He knew someone had to tell Buffy, but he really thought that person should be Spike, or anyone else for that matter, anyone but him. Buffy was one of his best friends, he really didn't want to be the messenger on this one.
Buffy re-emerged from the bathroom and slumped back onto the sofa. She didn't look too good, in fact it looked like she had a cat on her head, and last nights make up was still smeared down her face, but to be honest she didn't give a shit. She just wanted to curl up on the sofa with her friends, watch old movies and snuggle. That was her plan for the day.
"Feeling better?" Willow gave her friend a hug.
"A little, just keep those pancakes away from me!" She managed a faint smile.
The group settled around the television. Dawn and Xander fought over what film to put on. The conversation was kept well away from the previous nights events. Willow and Tara were trying to repack their suitcase for the fourth time. Willow had decided seeing as they were in California for the whole Christmas break, she should probably show Tara a bit more than just Sunnydale, so they were heading off in the morning for a week travelling around. The redhead felt a little bad, leaving her friend in the midst of a personal disaster, but she knew Buffy too well. When things went wrong she preferred to deal alone, rather than be surrounded by people who were trying to say the right thing, and failing miserably. Willow knew there was no right thing to say here, so she and Tara were off to LA in the morning.
The peace was shattered by Faith crashing through the door laden with bags.
"Some help would be nice here Xanman!!!" she shouted from the doorway.
The afternoon passed quietly and uneventfully and it was nearly five o'clock before Anya couldn't keep quiet anymore. She waited for Buffy to go to the kitchen before speaking up.
"So what's the deal here? Are we all gonna pretend like she didn't say that stuff last night, because frankly I don't think that's healthy!"
Xander shot her a look that would kill at 50 paces, it was too late.
"Stuff, what stuff?" Buffy questioned.
Willow jumped in to diffuse the situation. "It was nothing Buffy, you were a little drunk, I am sure he won't even remember."
"I said what stuff? What did I say?" Silence fell around the room until Anya spoke up.
" You said you were glad his parents were dead, glad he had the pain too. Or something like that, don't quote me." Xander kicked her hard on the shin. "Ow, What? She needs to know! She has to work with the guy tomorrow!" She stated the matter of the facts.
Buffy slid down the wall where she was standing and put her head in her hands.
"B! Don't sweat it, he totally deserved it!" Faith spoke firmly. "I am gonna kick his ass tomorrow, bastard!"
"No!" Buffy whispered.
Faith stood back surprised and observed the fragile woman sat in front of her.
"What do you mean no? He so totally deserves it!"
Buffy raised her head to face the furious girl.
"I said no Faith! He didn't deserve that!! Anya's right, we all have to work together, there's no way round it and god knows I have tried to find a way with Wesley" she sighed loudly.
"It's all in the past, all of it. If I can't deal with it, then where does that leave me! Before he came back I had all but moved on, so that's what I am going to do, move on!"
Faith stared at the blonde in disbelief. "So you are just going to let him get away with it! Are you crazy?"
Buffy knew she meant well, she was just looking out for her and she was grateful, even if she wasn't showing it.
"Yes Faith, tomorrow I am going to apologise and we are going to make a new start, and that means you too!! I need you onboard Faith."
The brunette shrugged her shoulders and nodded, "If thats how you want to handle it B, it's your call."
Spike sat at the desk in his hotel room, scribbling wildly on the notebook in front of him. His hand was bandaged from the previous night's argument with a corrugated iron fence and it was awkward for him to hold the pen, but it was easier than trying to type on his keyboard. He had given up trying that hours ago.
Xander had told him she hadn't meant those cruel words she had said to him, but Spike wasn't so sure. They were spoken with such venom, they cut straight through him. 'No she meant it alright,' he thought. 'Bloody bitch meant every word!!' he flung the notebook down and walked to the window.
"If she war she's bloody well got it!"
"Do you want me to get that?" Willow shouted through to Faith in the kitchen.
She didn't answer, she was dancing around the kitchen with her headphones on, making pancakes for Willow, Tara and Dawn.
Willow decided to get the door, before the person on the other side banged a hole in it.
"Oh hey Xander, Anya, come on in. Faith's in the kitchen cooking up some breakfast, you want some?"
Xander shook his head and made his way to the sofa. He took a quick look around the living room.
"The Buffster not alive yet I take it?" he questioned.
Dawn shook her head. He wasn't surprised, she was in a hell of a state when he and Anya had dropped her off the previous night. It had taken five minutes to get her up the stairs, as she insisted on sitting down every other step for a rest. In the end Xander had put her over his shoulder, and carried her the rest of the way fireman style. She was asleep before they even reached the front door.
Faith returned from the kitchen, with a plate of pancakes in one hand, and syrup in the other.
"Tuck in guys, this is a Faith special!" she grinned.
"What's so special about them?" Anya quizzed. They looked like ordinary pancakes to her.
"It's special because I cooked them, that what's special babe!" Dawn giggled on the sofa, it was true, Faith wasn't generally found anywhere near the vicinity of the cooker.
Xander decided he would be the first to broach the subject. "So anyone have a chance to speak to her about last night? I mean she was kind of out of it!"
Before anyone had a chance to answer, a very ill looking Buffy staggered into the room.
"It's alive!" Faith shrieked, "At least it's moving, that must mean its alive, right!" she joked.
"Ow ow ow, volume down a touch please!" Buffy whined, holding her head and screwing up her eyes.
Willow scooted up on the sofa to make a space for the weary blonde.
"How you feeling Buffy?" she asked.
Buffy leant back into the sofa, pulling her knees up to her chest.
"Just fabulous," she whispered. "Assuming I don't move, think or, ow, speak." She rested her head on her knees.
"And I think I broke my ass? Did I break my ass last night?"
The redhead couldn't help but giggle. "Well you kinda fell over once or twice...and some. Possibly more?"
Buffy groaned.
"But it was a kinda subtle falling over, I don't think anyone noticed, honest!" Willow was a terrible liar, Buffy groaned again trying to remember.
Faith scooped a couple of pancakes onto a plate and waved them under Buffy's nose. "Want some Breakfast Buff?" She didn't get the sentence out before Buffy was running towards the bathroom, a very ill shade of green. Faith turned up the stereo to drown out the heaving sounds, coming from the bathroom.
"Shouldn't someone check on her?" Anya asked.
Dawn jumped up and ran to the bathroom, to look after her nauseated sister.
Xander turned his attention back to Faith.
"So Faith. How do you think it's gonna go tomorrow?" he quizzed.
"How do you mean?" She replied with a mouth full of pancake.
Xander knew he was going to have to tread carefully here. "Well I mean the whole Buffy, you and Spike sharing the same oxygen thing? You guys are back at work tomorrow right?" He stated diplomatically.
Faith nodded, swallowing her mouth full. "The way I see it he won't be breathing for long, not when I am through with him!" she stated firmly.
Xander cringed inwardly, this is exactly the response he would have expected from Faith. She didn't mess about, if you hurt one of hers, then you get the full wrath of a 'pissed off' Faith.
"Lack of oxygen will be the least of his worries, by the time I am done with that bastard!" She added, just in case anyone was in any doubt.
Xander leant forward slightly in his chair. "The thing is Faith, we don't know what really happened. I mean he....he may have had his reasons, you know?" he stuttered.
Faith crossed the room and knelt in front of the nervous man. "If your holding back Xander, and I find out. Spike won't be the only guy around here with an oxygen problem!" She spoke quietly and calmly, but there was a hint of menace in her voice. "What's the story?" She continued.
"There's no story, he didn't tell me anything about why he left." He replied. It wasn't as if he was 'lying' he thought to himself, Spike hadn't actually said a word.
"Cool!" she said as she jumped up. "In that case I am going to the store, we are out of beer."
Xander flopped back into his seat and let out a groan. Pissing Faith off wasn't a good plan, ever! He knew someone had to tell Buffy, but he really thought that person should be Spike, or anyone else for that matter, anyone but him. Buffy was one of his best friends, he really didn't want to be the messenger on this one.
Buffy re-emerged from the bathroom and slumped back onto the sofa. She didn't look too good, in fact it looked like she had a cat on her head, and last nights make up was still smeared down her face, but to be honest she didn't give a shit. She just wanted to curl up on the sofa with her friends, watch old movies and snuggle. That was her plan for the day.
"Feeling better?" Willow gave her friend a hug.
"A little, just keep those pancakes away from me!" She managed a faint smile.
The group settled around the television. Dawn and Xander fought over what film to put on. The conversation was kept well away from the previous nights events. Willow and Tara were trying to repack their suitcase for the fourth time. Willow had decided seeing as they were in California for the whole Christmas break, she should probably show Tara a bit more than just Sunnydale, so they were heading off in the morning for a week travelling around. The redhead felt a little bad, leaving her friend in the midst of a personal disaster, but she knew Buffy too well. When things went wrong she preferred to deal alone, rather than be surrounded by people who were trying to say the right thing, and failing miserably. Willow knew there was no right thing to say here, so she and Tara were off to LA in the morning.
The peace was shattered by Faith crashing through the door laden with bags.
"Some help would be nice here Xanman!!!" she shouted from the doorway.
The afternoon passed quietly and uneventfully and it was nearly five o'clock before Anya couldn't keep quiet anymore. She waited for Buffy to go to the kitchen before speaking up.
"So what's the deal here? Are we all gonna pretend like she didn't say that stuff last night, because frankly I don't think that's healthy!"
Xander shot her a look that would kill at 50 paces, it was too late.
"Stuff, what stuff?" Buffy questioned.
Willow jumped in to diffuse the situation. "It was nothing Buffy, you were a little drunk, I am sure he won't even remember."
"I said what stuff? What did I say?" Silence fell around the room until Anya spoke up.
" You said you were glad his parents were dead, glad he had the pain too. Or something like that, don't quote me." Xander kicked her hard on the shin. "Ow, What? She needs to know! She has to work with the guy tomorrow!" She stated the matter of the facts.
Buffy slid down the wall where she was standing and put her head in her hands.
"B! Don't sweat it, he totally deserved it!" Faith spoke firmly. "I am gonna kick his ass tomorrow, bastard!"
"No!" Buffy whispered.
Faith stood back surprised and observed the fragile woman sat in front of her.
"What do you mean no? He so totally deserves it!"
Buffy raised her head to face the furious girl.
"I said no Faith! He didn't deserve that!! Anya's right, we all have to work together, there's no way round it and god knows I have tried to find a way with Wesley" she sighed loudly.
"It's all in the past, all of it. If I can't deal with it, then where does that leave me! Before he came back I had all but moved on, so that's what I am going to do, move on!"
Faith stared at the blonde in disbelief. "So you are just going to let him get away with it! Are you crazy?"
Buffy knew she meant well, she was just looking out for her and she was grateful, even if she wasn't showing it.
"Yes Faith, tomorrow I am going to apologise and we are going to make a new start, and that means you too!! I need you onboard Faith."
The brunette shrugged her shoulders and nodded, "If thats how you want to handle it B, it's your call."
Spike sat at the desk in his hotel room, scribbling wildly on the notebook in front of him. His hand was bandaged from the previous night's argument with a corrugated iron fence and it was awkward for him to hold the pen, but it was easier than trying to type on his keyboard. He had given up trying that hours ago.
Xander had told him she hadn't meant those cruel words she had said to him, but Spike wasn't so sure. They were spoken with such venom, they cut straight through him. 'No she meant it alright,' he thought. 'Bloody bitch meant every word!!' he flung the notebook down and walked to the window.
"If she war she's bloody well got it!"