A/N: Special thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story, it has made writing it a real pleasure. I'm not planning a sequel, but I do have an idea for a longer Fuffy fic that I may decide to do.
Of course, my beta, Midnight Oasis still and always will rock.
Chapter 6
Buffy wandered into the Sunnydale High School Library, still wearing the jacket Faith had loaned her from the night before. Officially, it was to return the jacket, but secretly Buffy enjoyed wearing the leather that smelled of Faith and had lain close to her skin. Allowing a small indulgence of fantasy including Faith and leather, the blonde Slayer was rudely interrupted when an anxious Giles exited his office.
'What's up, G?' Buffy wrote, imitating Faith but surprisingly didn't get a rise out of the Watcher, who addressed her seriously.
"I have been doing some research that suggests that today has some astrological significance, which may prompt the initiation of several rites that could result in any number of catastrophic results."
'In American teenager?' Buffy wrote, slightly amused despite her Watcher's grave tone.
"Bad people might do bad spells," Giles replied succinctly in an aggravated tone. "I need you to check out this address – there have been some strange activity surrounding this building for the last few days."
'You mean right now?' Buffy wrote, her surprise showing in her writing. 'Shouldn't I wait until schools over, or at least for Faith?'
Giles shook his head. "There's no time."
Buffy nodded slowly, and made her way out of the library, sending her Watcher a few questioning glances. Once Giles was sure his Slayer was gone, he went back to his office and made a quick phone call.
"She's on her way."
((((((0))))))
Faith took one last look around the apartment, not exactly sentimental about leaving the dirty motel room, but it had been her home for longer than a lot of other places – and it was the place where a lot of her fantasies about Buffy took place. The brunette smirked slightly at that last thought, momentarily allowing one of her old fantasies to play through her mind. Shaking her head angrily at her subconscious attempt to delay the inevitable, she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. Throwing it open with a vengeance, she was surprised to find Sam standing outside.
"What the fu...?" Faith started angrily before the older girl cut in.
"Is Buffy here?" she asked anxiously, peaking around Faith, looking for the blonde slayer. Faith frowned at the question, but before she could answer Sam continued, "When was the last time you saw her?"
"Last I saw of B she was going inside her house, now what's going..."
"She's disappeared."
"What the fuck do you mean she's disappeared?" Faith shouted, worry written all over her face.
"She left for school this morning, but Giles phoned and says that she hasn't shown up," Sam said anxiously, nervously wringing her hands. Faith looked at the clock on the wall: 11:00. Buffy could possibly have been missing for as long as two hours – in Slayer's terms that could be a lifetime. Tossing her bag haphazardly on the bed, she turned back to Sam.
"Go back to the school, I'll find B," Faith told the girl before leaving without waiting for an answer. Sam watched the brunette charge off and allowed a small smile to cross her face.
And then there were two.
((((((0))))))
Buffy glanced at the sheet up paper in her hand, looking at the surrounding buildings trying to get her barring. The blonde Slayer still wasn't sure why Giles had felt it necessary to do this now, but like any teenager Buffy wasn't going to lose an opportunity to skip out on school without having to worry about getting caught. Finally finding the right building, she cautiously peaked inside, but relaxed when her Slayer senses told her the building was empty. Entering, she grimaced at the dirt covering everything in the abandoned warehouse, again wondering why she was here. Looking around at the completely empty building, Buffy figured her Watcher had been worried for nothing. But one more glance at the floor revealed something peculiar. Kneeling down, she traced the red markings.
With a start, the Slayer realized she knew these markings from somewhere, but she just couldn't place where. Intent on remembering as she was, she failed to notice the arrival of a second person until she heard the slamming of the door. Quickly jumping up and falling into a defensive position, she eyed the figure warily as it was still immersed in the shadows. The figure started moving quickly towards the Slayer and into the light; Buffy barely had time to register the person's identity before she was swept up in a huge hug.
"Jesus Christ, B, you gave me a heart attack. What the hell were you thinking going off on your own like this?" Faith berated the older Slayer, looking her over for injuries while Buffy just stood their confused. Ignoring or not noticing the blonde's confused state, Faith grabbed her hand and began pulling her towards the exit. But to both of their surprise, even using their Slayer strength they weren't able to open the door.
"What the fuck?" Faith muttered under her breath, putting even more weight on the door. Buffy went back to examining the markings, thinking they might have something to do with the sealed door. She sighed heavily in frustration at the almost-familiar symbols, causing Faith to follow her sister-slayer's actions. Faith's faced mirrored Buffy's, as she looked at the markings herself; she had seen these exact symbols before but from where. Growling slightly to herself at the situation, she turned to her partner.
"What the hell are you doing here anyway?"
The blonde blinked in confusion. Hadn't Giles told Faith that she was going to be here? Why else would the brunette have followed her?
Cautiously, she sent the word 'Giles' through their Slayer link.
"Yeah, Giles is going to get a real kick out of these doodles but you still shouldn't have come here without telling anyone," Faith replied angrily, her worry from earlier making her testy.
Giles sent.
It took a moment for Faith to register what Buffy had replied; but Sam had told her that Giles hadn't seen Buffy.
"You're saying that Giles sent you here?" she asked, wanting confirmation – which she got with a nod from Buffy. Which meant this entire situation was a setup between Sam and Giles (and probably Joyce). But to what end?
And what do these blasted markings have to do with it?
"Don't worry Faith, we'll get out of here."
Faith nodded absently – then froze; that hadn't come through their Slayer link.
"Buffy?" Faith asked incredulously, turning to look at her sister-slayer who also had an astonished look on her face.
"Did I just think that out loud?" Buffy wondered, gasping when she heard her own voice without having moved her lips. "But what could be causing..."
Simultaneously, the Slayers looked at the markings and remembered why they had seemed so familiar.
((((((0))))))
"Girls, I realize that you would rather be out partying but evil doesn't take a night off simply because you wish to 'get jiggy with it'," Giles lectured, placing several large volumes in front of the grumpy teenagers.
"First of all, no one says 'get jiggy with it' anymore – secondly, why do we have to do the book learning, that's what a Watcher is for," Buffy whined as Faith poked the dusty books distrustfully.
"There may come a time when you come across these symbols while out in the field and you won't have the luxury of my input."
"I really don't think we're going to be coming across demons performing a 'trustworthy' spell, G-man," Faith said sarcastically, as she opened the book randomly. Buffy looked over at the page curiously.
"You never know, Faith. A Trustworthy Spell is drawn during alliance negotiations between demons to ensure that none of the parties are deceiving the other. It not only forces those inside to speak the truth, but even their thoughts are projected out loud for all to hear. It also forces anyone asked a question to respond promptly and truthfully."
"Oh, my mom is never going to get a hold of this," Buffy remarked, causing Faith to start laughing. Giles sighed and started mumbling under his breath about American teenage girls, which sent the Slayers into another fit of laughter. Faith set the book aside and promptly forgot about it.
((((((0))))))
"Oh God, we got to get out of here," Faith said, and quickly returned to her attempts to open the door. Buffy followed her sister-slayer, a small frown on her face; she was silently offended that Faith didn't want to tell the truth to her.
"Why don't you want to talk to me?" Buffy asked, getting the hang of thinking what she wanted to say, somewhat relieved to finally have a better method of talking to Faith – even if it wasn't going to last long.
"Because I'm afraid of what I'll say," Faith replied promptly, cursing the spell under her breath. She went back to hitting the door, her actions a lot more desperate than before. Buffy's frown deepened even more.
"What don't you want to tell me?"
"That I'm leaving."
Faith sighed in relief that she hadn't blurted out that she loved Buffy, but that relief vanished when she saw the expression on Buffy's face. Buffy's eyes had widened in surprise, and she shook her head a little as if she couldn't believe what she heard. But as the news sunk in, her beautiful green eyes seemed to cloud and a dejected look crossed her face. The blonde lowered her head so that Faith couldn't see her face anymore, but the brunette wouldn't let her hide as she gently lifted Buffy's face up. Twin lines of tears ran down the blonde's face and Faith was stunned at the sadness she saw in the depths of those beautiful eyes.
"Why are you crying?" Faith asked, unable to stop herself.
"Because you're leaving. Because..." A war of emotions crossed the older Slayer's face as she fought answering before her jaw tightened and a determined glint entered her eye. Faith felt her heart began to race in anticipation of what Buffy was about to say. The world disappeared and all she was aware of was the blonde girl in front of her, who looked like she was about to go into battle. So Faith asked again.
"Why are you crying?"
"Because I love you."
All of Faith's mental processes froze as those four words kept repeating themselves over and over in their mind: because I love you. Faith never thought she would ever hear someone utter those words to her, especially not someone she loved in return. Love was a fantasy that the naive and stupid tell themselves to blind themselves to just how screwed up the world was. That's what Faith had always believed since she was old enough to stop believing in fairy tells.
At least, until a gorgeous blonde Slayer entered her life.
The same blonde Slayer that was currently taking Faith's inability to say anything was taking it as a sign of rejection. Buffy began to turn away when a hand wrapped around her waste and within moments she found herself being held by two strong arms. Startled, Buffy looked up to see the brunette staring down at her with a small smile on her face. Buffy's breathe caught at the emotion she thought she saw in those dark eyes.
"Ask me," Faith asked softly.
"Why are you leaving?"
Faith leaned in and stopped an inch from Buffy's lips and whispered, "Because I love you." She placed a gentle but heartfelt kiss on Buffy's lips and the older girl felt her heart swell, even though she was still confused. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, and as they separated Buffy looked up at the other girl questioningly. Taking a stray piece of hair and pushing it back behind Buffy's ear, Faith answered the blonde's unasked question.
"I was leaving because I love you. I'm staying because you love me."
Faith had always thought that Buffy had the most beautiful smile, but all previous ones were nothing compared to the smile on Buffy's face then. Her entire face seemed to glow with it's own light and in Buffy's eyes Faith finally saw what had always been there: love. Smiling just as huge, Faith brought her face for another kiss.
Unlike the gentleness of the first, this kiss seared through both Slayers as they let the pent up passion for each other loose. Buffy opened her mouth slightly, inviting Faith who promptly slipped her tongue inside. The two continued to kiss heavily, tongues swirling and hands roamed from hair and down the back and arms, then up again. Finally, the need for air was too desperate and they broke the kiss, breathing heavily as they rested with their foreheads pressed together. A small flash of light blinded the Slayers for a moment and when they could see again they noticed the absence of the markings.
Buffy looked sadly at Faith who, knowing why the older Slayer was suddenly depressed, kissed her softly.
"It's okay, B. I don't need to hear it from your lips to know you love me. Your eyes," Faith leaned downed and gently kissed each of Buffy's eyelids, "your hands," taking each of Buffy's hands she placed a small kiss on each palm, "and your lips," she returned to those lips she was quickly becoming addicted to, "tell me you love me."
A shocked Buffy could only stare at Faith in wonder as the normally hard Slayer revealed a softer and romantic side of herself that Buffy never knew existed. Feeling embarrassed by her sentimentality, Faith broke eye contact gestured towards the door.
"Um, the door will probably open now."
Grinning, Buffy took Faith's hand in hers and she sent a small message through the Slayer link.
You. Me. Bed. Now.
Allowing herself to be dragged along, she made a small mental note to thank Sam and Giles for the intervention.
((((((0)))))
The following sex scene has been cut due to policy. If you wish to read the unedited version email me and I'll send it to you
Buffy was the first to wake a few hours later, raising her head slightly off Faith's chest to watch the sleeping girl for a moment. Smiling softly at the younger girl who looked so peaceful as she slept, Buffy wished she could wake her girl having the words 'I love you' being the first thing she heard. Even though Faith didn't seemed bothered by that fact, it still saddened the blonde that should would never be able to say those words out loud.
Looking down at the girl she loved with all her heart, she mouthed the words she so wanted to say.
But to her surprise she heard a whisper; making sure that Faith was still asleep and it wasn't her voice Buffy had heard she got up slowly and made her way to the bathroom. There she received a surprise. The scar that had once marred her smooth neck had disappeared. Disbelieving, she touched her now smooth throat with her left hand, the right caressing the same spot on the mirror. Thinking back, she remembered the moment she had climaxed and the sharp feeling of pain and pleasure. The feeling of pleasure had overwhelmed everything else, and she wasn't exactly in the position to do any thinking, so Buffy had forgotten the moment of pain.
She opened her mouth to say something, only to find she didn't know what to say. Smiling at the irony of the situation, Buffy heard a movement from the bed and looked to see a slowly waking Faith. Taking a deep breath, Buffy walked back to the bed and laid down beside her lover, one hand tracing small patterns on Faith's flat stomach while she propped herself up on her elbow. Waiting for Faith, waiting ... hopefully ... to say the words she needed to say.
((((((0))))))
Faith groaned as she felt herself leaving the peaceful state of sleep she was in. The bed shifted as a new weight settled down and Faith suddenly remembered who else was in her room with her. She opened her eyes to see a smiling Buffy tracing patterns on her stomach – something no one had ever down before (mainly because Faith kicked them out) and closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the feeling. The bed shifted again as she felt Buffy lean in to give the barest caress of lips on Faith's own before they moved to her ear. Faith shivered as she felt Buffy's breath when she felt those talented lips move.
"I love you."
For a moment Faith thought she had imagined those words, but then she heard it again – this time stronger. And again. And again.
Opening her eyes, Faith whispered in wonder, "How?"
Buffy shrugged, before smirking and saying mischievously, "Sexual healing?" Buffy squeaked as Faith flipped her over and kissed her passionately. Before they both got too heated Faith broke the kiss and gave a smirk of her own.
"You can say that again."
THE END