See the first chapter and/or some previous chapters for disclaimer, pairing, setting, dedication, rating, and so on...

PART 16: Having doubts...

CHAPTER 22

Giles walked in to see Buffy hugging Dawn. "Buffy," Giles merely stated looking tired then noticing the sword in Dawn's hand.
"Well, I couldn't just sit there, besides, I've fought along side Buffy when you were away," Dawn stated after she turned to see Giles frowning at her. The old watcher just looked at her and lightly smiled. Dawn had grown up, that was for sure. He then turned his attention back to Buffy.
"There doesn't seem to be that many casualties," Giles stated looking at the blonde slayer. Buffy breathed in. She needed to get the others rounded up so they could get a head count and so she could explain, to those who weren't present, what has happened so far.

Upstairs...outside Willow's room...

Faith stood outside the closed door as Willow cared for Christine with Fred's help. She couldn't help but feel guilty. The brunette leaned her back to the door thinking. Man, Christine had some bad luck. It seemed that one thing after another kept happening to the poor girl. No wonder she broke down earlier. Faith sighed as she stood up. There was nothing she could do now. Other then wait.

Inside Willow's room...

Willow put her hands down after casting a spell. Fred, who was knelling not too far away, stared in admiration at the witch. "I just don't get it," Willow stated after a moment. Fred was thrown back to reality.
"What?" the shy brunette asked. Willow looked at her sighing.
"I just...feel...nothing but pain when I tap into her," the redhead stated looking back down at the potential. "But she's strong. But it seems that she also has adapted Faith's slayer healing when they were connected."
Fred looked down at Christine. She at lest had color in her face now. "Maybe that's how she got the scythe," the brunette stated. Willow looked at her. "I mean they're connected right? And she seems to have slayer healing? That scythe is for a slayer. Maybe it recognized Christine as a slayer due to the connection she has with Faith," Fred concluded looking back up at the redhead. Willow smiled at her.
"What?" the brunette asked, thinking maybe something was wrong.
"Just you...you always amaze me," the redhead stated causing Fred to blush and look away.
"Oh no...I'm just..." the shy brunette started to say but Willow cut her off.
"Smart?" the redhead finished for her. Fred looked at her. Willow's smile was so warm, so inviting. The brunette couldn't help but melt a little at that smile. Fred knew that she had grown to have a crush on the witch, which surprised her at first. But...after a while, the shy brunette just gave into it and how she felt. She couldn't help it.
Willow and Fred looked at each other for a moment till the redhead looked away. "I just feel bad...keeping her secret...you know?" Willow asked looking back at Fred. The brunette moved a little closer to the Wicca.
"I know...but...it's what she wants," Fred said sadly as she looked down at Christine again.
"I know...but I just wish...that there was something I could do...that we could do," Willow said slumping at bit. "I mean here is this poor girl, who has gone through enough hell already, is called as a potential, comes here, gets connected in a prophecy, finds out she's going to die, breaks up with her girlfriend heartbroken and not wanting to hurt her, gets beat almost to the point of death..." the redhead said trailing off. Willow realized that Faith probably felt the same way when she first became a slayer. Then it made sense. Willow looked back at Christine reaching out and brushing some hair off her face.
"I guess all we can do...is just help," the redhead stated, drawing her hand back away from the girl who was trying to mend. The brunette nodded in an agreement. There wasn't mush they could really do.
"Hey," Fred said getting Willow's attention. "I'll go get Kennedy. I bet she would want to see her."
Willow nodded as the brunette got up and went out the door. The Wicca just couldn't understand why all of this had to happen to Christine. The redhead knew that the potential would never want pity but she just couldn't help it. Willow knew that she was the only one Christine talked to when she couldn't talk to anyone else.
The redhead was just afraid that Faith would figure it all out. And she knew that the brunette slayer knew something was up. But Willow was going to do her best for Christine...for she didn't have much time.

Downstairs...

Fred passed by the living room, which was pretty well picked up. Buffy sat on the couch as she talked to Dawn, Andrew, Spike, Giles, and Wood. Fred figured she was updating them. Xander and Anya were trying to help clean up the house. The brunette walked out back, for she couldn't find Kennedy inside.
Faith stood with a shovel near the back with Kennedy next to her. They were burying the potentials that died in the attack. Six graves were dug, with the bodies placed carefully in them. Kennedy and Faith started to cover them. Fred stood there for a moment taking in the scene. It really hit her then how important this battle was. She always knew...but right there, in that moment...it hit her head on.
She stood a little bit longer as the potential and brunette slayer finished up. She walked on out towards them. "Kennedy?" Fred asked as she got closer. She glanced at Faith, whose face was emotionless.
"Yeah?" the potential replied turning around.
"I thought I would come get you. I thought maybe you would want to see Christine...I mean she's not awake or anything but..." Fred was saying as she trailed off. Kennedy looked at her for a moment.
"I..." she started. Faith nudged her.
"Go ahead," Faith instructed. Kennedy looked up at the dark slayer. After a moment, the potential handed the younger slayer her shovel as she followed Fred inside the house. Faith stood there watching them go as she held the two shovels. The brunette slayer then lightly let go of them and they fell to the ground.
Faith never told them but...when she was on the ground, just before Christine axed Caleb...she felt her. She didn't know it was her at the time...but it was clear later that it was Christine. Faith felt this pain. This horrible pain and then heard screaming in her head. Not till after Christine collapsed, did Faith register that it was her.
The potential had gathered all the strength she had left to get back to them. She was in so much pain that she was trying to hold it in...yet she found it in her to get to them. Faith sighed as she picked the shovels back up. She looked through the back window and saw Buffy talking to the others, filling them in.
The brunette couldn't help it, but in that moment...she felt alone. She felt as though she was carrying that weight again. Faith really was doing fine due to what she shared with Buffy. And she did love her. But what would happen if Faith didn't make it through this battle? What if Willow was wrong again and she was going to die? What if Buffy didn't make it?
Faith shook her head. No. Buffy would make it. She was stronger then that. The brunette looked back up at the older slayer as Buffy was still talking. Faith was tired. It had been a long day...and she was emotionally drained. Buffy then made eye contact with her. She felt the younger slayer and knew she was around but she always felt that. It was obvious due to them being both in the same house. As Buffy was talking she looked out the window, and there, with the saddest expression, was Faith. The older slayer smiled at her but Faith just looked at her so sadly and quickly looked at the ground. After a second, the brunette walked away not looking back....

TBC...man, I've been busting my butt trying to update things, lol. Thank you for the reviews! I am glad that some people actually like this weird fic, lol. Been busy but been trying to get updates in. I'll try to update again soon...