Chapter 12: Step by Step

Joyce ran upstairs after she heard the door slam. Faith's music was incredibly loud. Joyce knocked on Faith's door and demanded an answer. There was no answer. She turned to Buffy's room and saw her daughter on her bed. She walked into the room and joined her.

"What happened?" Joyce asked. "Faith only plays her music that loud when she's upset."

"We had some words." Buffy said. "She didn't like it."

"What did you say to her?" Joyce asked.

"Mom, I'm trying." Buffy said. "She wasn't my sister in my dreams. I miss my real sister."

Joyce sighed heavily. "Buffy…" She said, "Dawn is not your real sister. Faith is. How many times do we have to go through this?"

"Mom, if you knew what it was like…" Buffy began to explain, but stopped. "It was so real."

"Those were only dreams." Joyce told her and took her hand. "You're home now."

"This doesn't feel like home." Buffy said and looked at her mother.

Joyce got off the bed and walked towards the door. "Buffy, this is your home. I don't know how else to convince you." She paused. "Don't be mean to Faith anymore. She's your sister and you two will act like sisters even if I have to put you both in one room and work it out." Joyce turned around and faced her daughter. "Am I making myself clear?"

Buffy nodded. "Clear."

Joyce turned around and closed Buffy's door. She heard her mother pounding on Faith's door. Buffy heard the music shut off and her sister's door open. Faith was in tears. Joyce walked into her room and shut the door. Buffy sighed heavily. She felt a little bad for what she said to Faith, but she felt like this was another dream. What if Buffy never woke up and this was all a dream? Buffy got up from the bed and opened her door. She pressed her ear against Faith's door and listened.

"She doesn't think I'm her sister!" Faith cried. "What am I supposed to do Mom?"

"Give her time, Faith," Joyce told her. "Buffy doesn't remember us from before the accident. It's going to take time."

Buffy walked away and saw Hank at the bottom of the stairs. She was a little startled and jumped. Hank looked at her and started to walk up the stairs. Buffy stared at him for a moment and then ran back into her room. She wasn't ready for any of this. Buffy closed her door and kept it shut. Buffy went to her desk and opened the drawers. There was nothing. There was nothing but normal things a desk would have. There was no holy water or stakes. Buffy went to her closet to search for weapons but all she found were clothes and shoes.

Buffy walked back to the bed and sat down. She was so stressed out. The only person that she could think of was Dawn. She missed her sister so much. Buffy put her face in her hands. This wasn't happening. She got up off the bed and looked at herself in her mirror. Buffy noticed that she looked the same. She walked around the room when she heard a knock at her door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Dad." Hank said through the door.

Buffy stopped in her tracks. She slowly walked to the door and pressed her body against it. She put her hand on the doorknob. Hank remained still. He didn't want to push her. Buffy sighed and thought, I'm gonna have to face him eventually. She opened the door slowly and looked at her father. Hank gave her a smile.

"Buffy, can we talk?" He asked her.

Buffy walked away from her door and sat on her bed. Hank entered his daughter's room and sat at her desk. He looked at her and said,

"I hear you two got into a fight."

"Yeah well, I have to accept that Faith is my sister." Buffy told him.

"Why is that so hard for you?" Hank asked.

"Dad, all of this is hard for me." Buffy said. "Even you."

"Even me?" Hank asked.

Buffy nodded. "You cheated on Mom."

"Buffy I would never." Hank said. "Your Mom and I are very happy. We may fight every now and then, but I will never stop loving your Mom."

"You disappeared on me." Buffy said. "You left the country."

"But I didn't." Hank told her. "Buffy, I know you've been having some trouble accepting this, but you have to let it go. This is your home."

"Dad, I'm trying." Buffy said. "I came down for dinner and everything."

"You have to try harder with Faith." Hank told her. "When you got hurt, she was devastated, and visited you at the hospital every day." Buffy looked down. Hank stood up. "Give her a proper chance."

With those last words, Hank walked out of Buffy's room. Buffy gritted her teeth. This was all so weird and upsetting. Joyce walked out of Faith's room and closed the door. She looked at Buffy and sighed.