Title: Come and Get Me
Disclaimer: This is purely for entertainment; none of the characters are mine.
Pairing: B/F
Rating: T

Chapter 2 – The Difficulty in Truth

Picking buses was something I'd learnt how to do from Faith, considering for weeks all we did was take them. And I gotta say I couldn't have imagined needing to take a bus so soon after we'd settled down and become as happy as we were. But as it rode at one-hundred kilometres an hour in the direction of my destination, all I could do was think of her. Finding out why they'd taken her, and getting her back. In that order.

Explaining to Giles came nowhere on my list, but I knew that I would have to if I was going to need someone to help me find him. And I was no where near ready to face him, let alone Willow or Xander, or even my Mom. They never even knew why I left.

Emptiness consumed me. My body was free of those comforting tingles I felt whenever I was in her presence, and instead all I felt was a stiff coldness. Emptiness. And so alone. It was weird not having her next to me. We hadn't spent this long apart since I left for Mexico and she told me she was heading for Sunnydale, to tell.

I felt my heavy eyelids begin to fall shut and my head rolled back against the headrest, but a scratchy pain troubled my insides and I couldn't sleep. Every time I felt myself falling asleep I was reminded of my bag next to me in the seat beside me, rather than her warm body giving me that comfort and peace I knew I would get from just being with her.

But eventually I felt myself falling into slumber and letting the rumble of the bus lull me into an effortless sleep. But then all of a sudden razor sharp rays of sunlight were burning into me, and I was breathing so heavily that my chest was wincing with pain. I couldn't see. And then I realised that I was running, and running and the truck was there, getting further and further away from me.

The bus going into a pothole jolted me from my sleep and I gasped, realising I had slept; but that I was on a bus and there was no Faith beside me. And as if on cue that same circle of thoughts whirred round in my troubled head again. Why did they take her? Was it to hurt me? What were they doing to her? Were they gonna hurt her? What if I couldn't find her?

I clamped my eyes shut and leant my head against the window, clenching my jaw and hoping that I would arrive in Sunnydale soon. But behind my eyes all I could see was the image of the truck moving further away from me, and my heart twisting and stomach knotting because I knew Faith was inside it.

Arriving back in Sunnydale was easier than I thought it would be. Night time was getting closer and closer and the sky was a light shade of pink, and the sun was much cooler than in Mexico.

I decided there was no need to go home first, all I was here for was to save Faith. But I had to go to Giles to be able to do that. He knew where the Council was…so I had to go to him.

When I tread those familiar Spanish steps and knocked upon that large exotic-looking door, I sucked in a breath I didn't know I was holding, knowing that in moments I would have to explain myself, and that would involve admitting to my Watcher that I was a killer.

And when he swung that heavy door back and gazed at me with an unreadable look in his eye, my stomach tightened, and I let go a breath I didn't know I was holding.

'Giles…'

Perhaps him hugging me tight for so long was a result of…missing me? Or worrying about me? Either way, he mumbled something quickly that I barely managed to pick up and frowned as he pulled me in.

'Where have you been?' he said quickly, pulling me gently towards the seating area of his downstairs and then sitting beside me as my legs folded to let me rest upon his couch.

My nervous eyes couldn't look at him to tell him, I couldn't even figure out a way to mumble to him.

'Are you okay?' he continued, calmly, his voice a further reminder that I was back in Sunnydale, accompanied by a familiar face.

But still, even though his words were unobtrusive, and caring, I couldn't bring myself to tell him, and when I tried to bring my gaze to his, I felt something inside tearing me away.

I pulled my hands in towards each other, and started fidgeting nervously, as if I was about to be scolded for stealing the cookies from the forbidden jar.

But he was patient. Shuffled a little closer towards me and moved a tentative hand upon my cold shoulder.

'Are you hurt?' he continued slowly. And when I didn't speak, he spoke again. 'Was it Faith?'

No. I shot a look at him and he sat up a little, knowing he'd hit a nerve.

'She did, didn't she?'

I swallowed. Definitely not. She would never…did he just assume that she did do something to me?

I shook my head hurriedly and turned to face him a little, my eyes piercing his now, and welling with tears quickly.

'I…' I swallowed heavily and exhaled nervously. 'Giles. I need to tell you some things,' I started, taking my time to make sure every word came out. 'There are some things that…'

He shook his head and squeezed my shoulder. 'No need, Faith told me everything, Buffy.'

My eyes widened. She what? She promised me she wouldn't…I could feel my heartbeat hammering through my chest even harder than it had been before, so hard I thought it just might burst.

'But it's okay, I called the Council, and they informed me today that they contained her and now she's safe, she won't do anymore people any harm. We couldn't have a rogue Slayer on our hands.'

Within him saying all of this, my eyes had further widened, my heart had stopped beating, I had built up some sort of rage inside of me and I had started pacing.

'Are you serious!'

'Buffy, she killed someone and then kidnapped you, who knows what's going through her mind and what she's further capable of.'

'No…' I mumbled, unable to believe all of what Giles had said to me. There had to be some explanation for all of this. Faith, a killer? A kidnapper? How did Giles even know where to find her…?

'Buffy, what's wrong?'

I froze in my pacing and looked at him, angry, hurt, annoyed, crushed; a million other things. 'We have to get her back, Giles.'

He shook his head quickly, looking directly into my eyes. 'It's too late.'

'What do you mean too late, why is it too late?'

'Well…she's going to be punished, sentenced…maybe destroyed as soon as she gets back into England.'

I couldn't explain the feeling that washed over me in that moment, but my legs must've given beneath me because next thing I was on the floor and sobbing hysterically, shaking, and my entire self was sinking so quickly I couldn't get a hold of myself.

'Buffy…' I felt Giles rush to my side and move to wrap his arms around me, but I flinched.

'Get off me,' I jeered, and he moved back.

'Buffy; Faith was dangerous, who knows what further damage…'

'No, no, you're wrong,' I choked through hysterical sobs, and in a huge effort managed to get myself up off the floor and move to the opposite end of the flat. 'No, oh god no, this can't be happening…' I mumbled through my own crippling sobs, and clutched onto the edge of the kitchen counter, further sobs escaping me.

'Buffy, she's a killer…'

'No Giles, you're wrong, you're so wrong, she didn't-she wouldn't-it was a mistake and she- oh…' It was useless trying to make him understand through my hysterical state, but even so, he took steps towards me, furrowing his eyebrows and removing his glasses from his face.

'We can't afford to make mistakes in this world, Buffy, and Faith has made one too many. I'm sorry.'

'No, nooo…' I sobbed cripplingly and sunk to the floor, still in disbelief.

'I'm sorry, Buffy, I know she's a friend, but she's killed, and she could kill again…'

'No; Giles, y-you're wrong; she-she's not…' I tried to explain through incoherent sobs. I wiped my eyes with my jacket sleeve and pressed my hand to my chest to calm myself down, and soon I was getting up again, trying desperately to contain myself, though shaking, and forcing myself to hold back sobs.

He approached me cautiously and furrowed his eyebrows. 'Buffy, no amount of denying will change…'

'I'm not denying anything, Giles, it's me, I'm the killer,' I slurred, the back of my throat burning still with my tears and my body shaking. 'It was me, I killed that girl.'

I was inwardly everlastingly grateful that Giles believed me; though it didn't help that I would still need to explain myself to him. He could barely make sense of what was going on and likewise from my direction. But we saved the thoughts and hurried to catch the next flight to England, anxious, frustrated, and desperate.

There was no way of telling how soon things would happen for Faith; but we knew that if we didn't hurry, we could be out of time, fast.

I was also inwardly grateful that we had to be seated separately. This way we wouldn't have to talk; not until later. That whole scene back at his house was still overwhelming me, all of the things he'd said, and vice versa; things she'd apparently said.

She saved my ass. Put the blame on herself. Why?

I couldn't make sense of it. To protect me?

Giles sat tight in his window seat, apprehensive and scared. No amount of thinking would verify who was guilty. But the phone call kept circling in his head. He had believed it was Faith because she'd admitted it. But so had I. And would it be her that he believed, just because he knew me more…and was supposed to protect me?

Everything from the plane journey to the taxi ride to the Council was a blur. My thoughts a mesh. That same circle of thoughts attacking me. My gut twisting and my mind wincing at that thought I tried so hard not to think.

And I failed to look at him. Even once. Silence wove itself between us and we stayed that way for almost the entire journey. And I realised from that that he was thinking. Perhaps formulating a plan in his head.

It was a kind of relief when he began to speak to me. At least now I knew he was at all. 'The normal procedure of these situations is that the defendant goes before a panel and they decide what happens. But since I suggested …erm…'

My gaze had found its way to him and I noticed now that he was unable to look at me. 'Suggested what…?'

He looked at me quickly and then continued. 'Since I…I informed the Council that she'd confessed…the fate of her sentence might be…lighter.'

'Than death? What, you mean like jail?'

He shrugged. 'Perhaps.'

I sighed and looked away from him, suddenly aware that we'd been riding in a freakishly expensive taxi for an enormous amount of time. 'Where is the Council?'

'It's…not far from here…' he told me, cleaning his glasses. 'Buffy…?'

My eyes turned to his once again and I waited to hear what he would say to me. 'I…I can see that you aren't ready to tell me what happened, and…I appreciate it if you want to take your time explaining to me. I mean, if you aren't ready to tell me…I understand.' That was kind of nice of him. But something told me that there was deeper meaning to this.

'Faith didn't do it,' I told him again, sternly this time.

'Yes, I understand that, Buffy.' The driver turned a corner and I looked out of the window to see where we were. Interesting, he started to slow and I peered up at the beautifully aged building. It looked like a Council. Not that I really knew what they looked like, but…this is kind of what I imagined.

I didn't have a chance to object or follow as Giles got out of the cab and told me to "stay there." I guess I should've listened to him. Not possible. Logic and reason go out of the window when love is involved. And I had to save her.

Whether or not they were holding her here I didn't know, but I knew that I needed to find out how to get to her. And if that meant checking out the place while Giles was gone; then that's what I would do. But that turned out to be a no-go when I saw him looking over his shoulder to check if I was still there. Twice, so far I'd counted he'd checked. Pissing him off was something I hoped to keep off the agenda, considering what was to come for us.

So for minutes I had to deal with the taxi driver oogling me through his rear-view mirror. Great. I pulled my jacket closed across my chest, and when he glanced over his shoulder at me, I tilted my head. Sorry. I'm not for sale.

Giles returned with a concerned look on his face and a sigh that was riddled with about a lifetime's worth of subtext. When he closed the cab door shut and leaned forward to the taxi driver, I realised this would most probably be a lot more difficult than I expected. 'Know of any good hotels around here that I won't need a mortgage for?'

The taxi driver drove on and Giles looked over at me. 'We're gonna have to try tomorrow morning.'

'Why?'

'Well…for one thing she isn't there, and another; they won't believe us if we tell them she didn't do it and ask for her back. She apparently attacked one guard and threatened to kill another whilst in the truck. She's already displayed her capability for violence to an innocent person, whether or not she's caused damage; that will go in her report.'

Damn in, Faith. I just couldn't get my head around this. One day I wake up to discover my girlfriend has disappeared because she's been kidnapped, next I find out she's confessed that she's a killer when she's not, then I find out she's pretty much proved that she's capable of hurting someone, to the very people that will no doubt off her.

I felt tears beginning to well in my eyes. If we couldn't bust Faith out of this situation in time, would we ever be able to save her?

We ended up staying in a small twin room in a reasonable but tiny hotel, and Giles told me to get some rest so we could get over there early the next day. I knew I was in for a night less sleep the moment he told me to rest. Goes without saying.

All I could think of was her. If she was okay and if we would be able to get to her. Hopefully tomorrow would tell.

TBC