Forgot to put a little disclaimer in the teaser thingy. So here goes:
I do not on the characters or any part of the Buffyverse. it all belongs to
Joss. I just borrowed characters.
*Note ^'s = a person's thoughts
Still in the men's bathroom at the Bronze.
Faith panicked. ^Why am I panicking? I'm a slayer. I can handle this. Red just shouldn't have had that last shot... or two. B's gonna kill me. I'll never regain their trust now. Especially if Red gets hurt.^
Faith picked Willow up off the floor and starts to carry her out of the club.
^Geez Will, I never expected this to happen. I just wanted you to relax for one night of your life. Never meant to cause more problems. Maybe I should have waited a few days to come back here just like Fang said. But I gotta keep up this tough-guy rep. I don't wanna look like a big softy. Don't get me wrong, I care about Red an all, I just don't like people to know what's goin on inside my head. Gotta keep something just for myself. God Red, you look like you got a lot on yer mind for a girl passed out.^
^What'd she mean 'what I did to her?' I haven't done anything. I wonder what she and Kennedy fought about today. Maybe she thought I was Kennedy. Although, I am WAY hotter. What does she see in the little snob anyway? ^
"C'mon Red wake up!" Despite her slayer strength, Faith's arms were getting tired.
------------------ Faith snapped herself out of her thoughts as she made her way up the Summers' walkway.
She busted through the front door, careful not to bang Willow's head on anything. Several potentials and Andrew and Dawn were watching TV when she walked in.
"Oh my God! Willow!" Exclaimed Dawn. "What did you do to her?" Buffy was glaring at Faith while slowly walking down the stairs toward the two women and the newly gathered gaper's association. "Kennedy, take the girls downstairs for a short training session." "Buffy, you can't be serious, that's my girlfriend." Kennedy whined. "Kennedy, from the way you two were talking earlier, I don't think you're exactly who she wants so see right now." "Well you haven't exactly been her best friend lately. You've hardly noticed everything she's going through"
During their arguing neither woman noticed Faith take Willow over to the couch. Dawn went to get some ice. Andrew and the potentials moved their popcorn from the coffee table closer to the action so they could enjoy the angry display a little better. Faith approaches the women while Dawn attends to a still passed out Willow.
"Will you two SHUT UP!" Buffy and Kennedy look at Faith with surprise. "She had too much to drink. She got confused, upset and passed out. And I carried her home." "Well, why'd you let her drink so much?!" Buffy asked trying to find a reason to be pissed at Faith. "She was like that when I got there." Faith answered "She seemed fine but then she started mumbling weird things and-" "What was she saying?" Kennedy interrupted with urgency. "It was hard to understand her. She said something about a blonde monkey" Faith was not about to tell them what she had actually said. She didn't want to embarrass Willow or invade her privacy like that. Really, it was none of her business. She'd just been there at the right time I guess. "That's my Will. Always a way with words." "Your Will? Since when does she belong to you? You didn't even give her a chance to speak; you just jumped right in and kissed her. You've only known her for a few weeks. I'm workin on seven years here" Buffy retorted. "Excuse me, visiting hours are over, I must ask you all to leave the patient now." Proclaimed Dawn proudly as she shooed everyone out of the living room.
Andrew and the potentials made their way down the basement and Kennedy and Buffy and Faith reluctantly walked outside. "Wait..." Dawn said. The three girls turned around. "Faith, I need you to stay and carry Willow upstairs to her room."
Faith obliged and they left Kennedy and Buffy standing on the porch awestruck.
------------------------- ------------------------ Cut to Kennedy and Buffy on the porch.
"I can't believe Faith let her get that plastered." "You don't get it do you, Kennedy. Faith didn't let Willow do that, someone drove her to it. Something got Willow so upset that she drank herself stupid." "You can't blame this all on me Buffy, she's got a mind of her own you know. And how can you be all for Faith after what she did?" "I forgave Willow, I have to forgive Faith. I may not trust her all the way yet, but I know she wouldn't hurt Willow. Not after what she did to her. I think Faith wants to seek a little redemption. Yeah- I jumped to conclusions at first, but if Faith did something to Will she would have ran away. That's what she does when she's guilty." The two women sat there in awkward silence for a very long time.
"I wonder what's going on in there." Kennedy said. Buffy just sighed and went off to find Spike.
-----------------------------
Cut to Summers' house, interior: Willow's room.
"Thanks Dawn for getting those two out of her face. And mine. I'll let you be with the patient." Faith said as she turned to leave.
"Faith- You should stay. You were with her when she passed out. You can tell her what happened when she wakes up. I'm going to go downstairs and make some hot chocolate. Do you want any?"
"No. Thanks Dawnie. I'll let you know if we need anything."
Dawn started to go when, much to Dawn's surprise, Faith Pulled her into a hug.
"Wha- What was that for?"
"You didn't judge me like the rest of 'em. "
"Faith you can let go now.... Faith.... Faith? Are you... crying?"
Faith catches herself and wipes a tear from her cheek. "If you tell ANYONE I'll pound you." Faith said with a clenched fist raised to her chest.
"I won't say a word." and with that, Dawn left them alone.
-----------------------------
Several Hours later: about 5:00 a.m.
Faith is asleep in an armchair only a few feet away from Willow's bed. She is startled awake by small, weeping sounds.
"Red? You awake?" She whispered. "Red? Red. Willow? "
"She made me and I promised I never would." Willow said between sobs.
"You promised what Red? You're not making any sense." Faith stood and handed Willow a tissue.
"I don't want it." She waved the tissue away and continued to weep into her pillow. "I deserve this pain. I have to pay for what I did."
"Yeah, alcohol'll do that to ya," said Faith, even though she knew that's not what Willow was talking about.
Willow sat up a little bit. Her sobs are fewer now. "Faith, What happened tonight?"
"I don't know but I found you at the Bronze pretty drunk"
"I remember that part. We were talking and I said," Willow blushed "I said that you were pretty."
"It's ok Red, I tell myself that every day."
"I didn't mean it, it was just the alcohol talking."
"Can't take in back now. Too late. (in a sing-song voice) Red's got a crush."
"I do not."
"Do too"
"Uh! you're such a child!" Willow joked and smiled.
"There, I knew I could get ya laughing." Faith said proudly as she sat on the bed. "Are you ok?"
"I think so. I'm just trying to remember what happened. Will you tell me?"
"You were pretty far out there, Red. Well, you forgot who I was, you thought I was trying to hit on you. You said something about a girl"
"Kennedy? Yeah we got in a pretty heated argument and-"
"Not Kennedy. You said she was blonde. And you said that she'd turn me into a monkey if she knew what I did to you."
"I must have thought you were Kennedy."
"Eww. Don't ever do that again.
"I won't, I promise."
"Good... So who's the Blonde? You got a thing for B?"
"Tara. My Ex."
"Ohh Red if she's YOUR ex, she musta done somethin terribl-"
"She's dead."
Faith sat there in silence and lowered her head. She, for once, was speechless.
"It's a long story."
"Hey, I got time. No one else around here wants my company. And there's no way I can sleep in that armchair again."
Willow smiled softly and started telling Faith all about Tara and all they'd been through. She even told her about how Tara died and how she went crazy and killed Warren.
"So you didn't visit her grave until after you got back from England?"
"Right. It was just too hard."
"I understand," said Faith, remembering her first watcher.
"Then Kennedy came along. And I had a complete nervous breakdown. Well, actually it weas a spell that Amy did to--"
"I know... Dawnie told me. Last night you were in pretty bad shape. We didn't think you were gonna wake up until morning. Dawnie told me what happened last week and asked me to stay with you."
"Thank you. You don't have to stay anymore. I'm awake and safe now. No more liquor for me."
"Are you sure? I don't mind. Besides it's not morning enough to be awake yet."
"I don't wanna be a burden. I'm sure you have your own things to worry about, you know getting used to being an escaped convict and all's gotta be tough."
"It was at first, but I'm getting the hang of what society's supposed to be like." They both giggled and Faith grabbed a pillow from the bed.
"Where are you going?"
"To the floor, catch summore shut-eye."
"You don't have to Faith. There's plenty of room in the bed. I won't try to kiss ya or anything."
"OK" Faith climbed into the bed and Willow scooted over giving them both just enough room to coexist.
"Goodnight Faith."
"Night Red."
*Note ^'s = a person's thoughts
Still in the men's bathroom at the Bronze.
Faith panicked. ^Why am I panicking? I'm a slayer. I can handle this. Red just shouldn't have had that last shot... or two. B's gonna kill me. I'll never regain their trust now. Especially if Red gets hurt.^
Faith picked Willow up off the floor and starts to carry her out of the club.
^Geez Will, I never expected this to happen. I just wanted you to relax for one night of your life. Never meant to cause more problems. Maybe I should have waited a few days to come back here just like Fang said. But I gotta keep up this tough-guy rep. I don't wanna look like a big softy. Don't get me wrong, I care about Red an all, I just don't like people to know what's goin on inside my head. Gotta keep something just for myself. God Red, you look like you got a lot on yer mind for a girl passed out.^
^What'd she mean 'what I did to her?' I haven't done anything. I wonder what she and Kennedy fought about today. Maybe she thought I was Kennedy. Although, I am WAY hotter. What does she see in the little snob anyway? ^
"C'mon Red wake up!" Despite her slayer strength, Faith's arms were getting tired.
------------------ Faith snapped herself out of her thoughts as she made her way up the Summers' walkway.
She busted through the front door, careful not to bang Willow's head on anything. Several potentials and Andrew and Dawn were watching TV when she walked in.
"Oh my God! Willow!" Exclaimed Dawn. "What did you do to her?" Buffy was glaring at Faith while slowly walking down the stairs toward the two women and the newly gathered gaper's association. "Kennedy, take the girls downstairs for a short training session." "Buffy, you can't be serious, that's my girlfriend." Kennedy whined. "Kennedy, from the way you two were talking earlier, I don't think you're exactly who she wants so see right now." "Well you haven't exactly been her best friend lately. You've hardly noticed everything she's going through"
During their arguing neither woman noticed Faith take Willow over to the couch. Dawn went to get some ice. Andrew and the potentials moved their popcorn from the coffee table closer to the action so they could enjoy the angry display a little better. Faith approaches the women while Dawn attends to a still passed out Willow.
"Will you two SHUT UP!" Buffy and Kennedy look at Faith with surprise. "She had too much to drink. She got confused, upset and passed out. And I carried her home." "Well, why'd you let her drink so much?!" Buffy asked trying to find a reason to be pissed at Faith. "She was like that when I got there." Faith answered "She seemed fine but then she started mumbling weird things and-" "What was she saying?" Kennedy interrupted with urgency. "It was hard to understand her. She said something about a blonde monkey" Faith was not about to tell them what she had actually said. She didn't want to embarrass Willow or invade her privacy like that. Really, it was none of her business. She'd just been there at the right time I guess. "That's my Will. Always a way with words." "Your Will? Since when does she belong to you? You didn't even give her a chance to speak; you just jumped right in and kissed her. You've only known her for a few weeks. I'm workin on seven years here" Buffy retorted. "Excuse me, visiting hours are over, I must ask you all to leave the patient now." Proclaimed Dawn proudly as she shooed everyone out of the living room.
Andrew and the potentials made their way down the basement and Kennedy and Buffy and Faith reluctantly walked outside. "Wait..." Dawn said. The three girls turned around. "Faith, I need you to stay and carry Willow upstairs to her room."
Faith obliged and they left Kennedy and Buffy standing on the porch awestruck.
------------------------- ------------------------ Cut to Kennedy and Buffy on the porch.
"I can't believe Faith let her get that plastered." "You don't get it do you, Kennedy. Faith didn't let Willow do that, someone drove her to it. Something got Willow so upset that she drank herself stupid." "You can't blame this all on me Buffy, she's got a mind of her own you know. And how can you be all for Faith after what she did?" "I forgave Willow, I have to forgive Faith. I may not trust her all the way yet, but I know she wouldn't hurt Willow. Not after what she did to her. I think Faith wants to seek a little redemption. Yeah- I jumped to conclusions at first, but if Faith did something to Will she would have ran away. That's what she does when she's guilty." The two women sat there in awkward silence for a very long time.
"I wonder what's going on in there." Kennedy said. Buffy just sighed and went off to find Spike.
-----------------------------
Cut to Summers' house, interior: Willow's room.
"Thanks Dawn for getting those two out of her face. And mine. I'll let you be with the patient." Faith said as she turned to leave.
"Faith- You should stay. You were with her when she passed out. You can tell her what happened when she wakes up. I'm going to go downstairs and make some hot chocolate. Do you want any?"
"No. Thanks Dawnie. I'll let you know if we need anything."
Dawn started to go when, much to Dawn's surprise, Faith Pulled her into a hug.
"Wha- What was that for?"
"You didn't judge me like the rest of 'em. "
"Faith you can let go now.... Faith.... Faith? Are you... crying?"
Faith catches herself and wipes a tear from her cheek. "If you tell ANYONE I'll pound you." Faith said with a clenched fist raised to her chest.
"I won't say a word." and with that, Dawn left them alone.
-----------------------------
Several Hours later: about 5:00 a.m.
Faith is asleep in an armchair only a few feet away from Willow's bed. She is startled awake by small, weeping sounds.
"Red? You awake?" She whispered. "Red? Red. Willow? "
"She made me and I promised I never would." Willow said between sobs.
"You promised what Red? You're not making any sense." Faith stood and handed Willow a tissue.
"I don't want it." She waved the tissue away and continued to weep into her pillow. "I deserve this pain. I have to pay for what I did."
"Yeah, alcohol'll do that to ya," said Faith, even though she knew that's not what Willow was talking about.
Willow sat up a little bit. Her sobs are fewer now. "Faith, What happened tonight?"
"I don't know but I found you at the Bronze pretty drunk"
"I remember that part. We were talking and I said," Willow blushed "I said that you were pretty."
"It's ok Red, I tell myself that every day."
"I didn't mean it, it was just the alcohol talking."
"Can't take in back now. Too late. (in a sing-song voice) Red's got a crush."
"I do not."
"Do too"
"Uh! you're such a child!" Willow joked and smiled.
"There, I knew I could get ya laughing." Faith said proudly as she sat on the bed. "Are you ok?"
"I think so. I'm just trying to remember what happened. Will you tell me?"
"You were pretty far out there, Red. Well, you forgot who I was, you thought I was trying to hit on you. You said something about a girl"
"Kennedy? Yeah we got in a pretty heated argument and-"
"Not Kennedy. You said she was blonde. And you said that she'd turn me into a monkey if she knew what I did to you."
"I must have thought you were Kennedy."
"Eww. Don't ever do that again.
"I won't, I promise."
"Good... So who's the Blonde? You got a thing for B?"
"Tara. My Ex."
"Ohh Red if she's YOUR ex, she musta done somethin terribl-"
"She's dead."
Faith sat there in silence and lowered her head. She, for once, was speechless.
"It's a long story."
"Hey, I got time. No one else around here wants my company. And there's no way I can sleep in that armchair again."
Willow smiled softly and started telling Faith all about Tara and all they'd been through. She even told her about how Tara died and how she went crazy and killed Warren.
"So you didn't visit her grave until after you got back from England?"
"Right. It was just too hard."
"I understand," said Faith, remembering her first watcher.
"Then Kennedy came along. And I had a complete nervous breakdown. Well, actually it weas a spell that Amy did to--"
"I know... Dawnie told me. Last night you were in pretty bad shape. We didn't think you were gonna wake up until morning. Dawnie told me what happened last week and asked me to stay with you."
"Thank you. You don't have to stay anymore. I'm awake and safe now. No more liquor for me."
"Are you sure? I don't mind. Besides it's not morning enough to be awake yet."
"I don't wanna be a burden. I'm sure you have your own things to worry about, you know getting used to being an escaped convict and all's gotta be tough."
"It was at first, but I'm getting the hang of what society's supposed to be like." They both giggled and Faith grabbed a pillow from the bed.
"Where are you going?"
"To the floor, catch summore shut-eye."
"You don't have to Faith. There's plenty of room in the bed. I won't try to kiss ya or anything."
"OK" Faith climbed into the bed and Willow scooted over giving them both just enough room to coexist.
"Goodnight Faith."
"Night Red."