Faith and Second Chances 6: How to Go On?
author: Lucinda
rating: pg13
main characters: Riley, Faith
disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
distribution: TNL, Wic, Paula, Cat - anyone else ask first.
set in season 4, just after the body-switching has been reversed.
* * * *
When Riley first woke up, he couldn't figure out where he was. He was on a bed, but it didn't smell like his dorm room, the shadows didn't fall in the right places, and there was the faint sound of something whirring outside of the room. He blinked, his whole body feeling stiff and gritty, and tried to think back.
Forrest was dead.
Riley shuddered, and curled inwards, his knees coming up over his stomach and his arms curling around them. Forrest was dead, all because of some stupid demons. All because they hadn't been careful enough. His friend was dead. He closed his eyes as the horrible scene replayed itself, and tried to ignore the fact that the bed sheet under his cheek and eye was growing damp.
"Hey in there. Feel up to some coffee? Maybe some orange juice?" Faith's voice called into the room.
Raising his head slightly, he could see her in the doorway. Grimacing, he asked. "Is there an option of just shoot me now?"
For a moment, Faith tensed, and then she entered the room. "No, there isn't. The only person in this house with a tendency to shoot people is you, and you didn't bring any of your toys with you."
"Faith..." Riley blinked, remembering a bit of what he'd learned of her past. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."
"You meant that you feel bad, and wish that it was over, that the pain would stop." She sat beside him, her hand resting on his shoulder. "I get that, I really do. But it takes time."
"How long?" He looked at her, wondering what sort of answer Faith would have.
She had a sad smile as she wiped his forehead with a scrap of cloth. "A long time. I lost... I lost someone who'd become my second mother. It still hurts, but not quite as bad. More like a bone deep bruise than being cut down to the bone now. But.... it's getting better. Eventually, loosing Forrest won't hurt as bad."
"And in the mean time?" Riley looked at her, noticing the way that she seemed so comfortable, so relaxed.
"In the mean time... go take a shower, you stink." She smiled, standing up and offering a hand.
Riley took her hand, half expecting her to fall onto the bed with him, which wouldn't precisely be a bad thing. Instead, he was pulled to his feet. The sheer strength that it required reminded him that Faith, like Buffy, was a Slayer. "Okay, a shower it is."
"Absolutely. Take a shower, we'll see if we can find you something clean." Faith teased, giving him a gentle push towards the bathroom.
He shuffled towards the door, pausing to look back at her. "So, eventually, this will be easy?"
"What sort of drugs are you on, soldier boy?" Faith looked at him, one eyebrow raised as she folded her arms just under her breasts. "This is life. Life is never easy, unless you're a plant. It won't be easy, but it will be easier."
"Damn. Here I was hoping that one day, I'd wake up and everything would be simple. I'd be able to tell the bad guys from the good guys at a glance, I'd know all the answers, and nobody..." Riley faltered, the rest of the words that Buffy had once used echoing in his mind 'and nobody ever dies.'
Faith shook her head. "Sorry. I'd like that too. No more mistakes, no more regrets... No more painful losses."
"I guess..." Riley paused, trying to figure out how a life like that could even happen. "It'll never happen, will it?"
"Nope." She sighed, and put one hand on her hip. "You go shower, I'll have Steve make the coffee and I'll throw you together some food."
"You can cook?" Riley blinked, a half smile on his lips.
"Better than Steve." She lifted her chin for a moment, a teasing smile firmly in place. "But that's not saying much. Don't expect anything fancy. It'll be hot, but not fancy."
"For today, hot's good enough." Riley turned, going into the bathroom. It was starting to feel like he might be able to move on, to continue to survive, despite the pain. And a good share of it was from Faith's help. Huh. Hadn't this started because he'd wanted to help her?
end How to Go On?
author: Lucinda
rating: pg13
main characters: Riley, Faith
disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
distribution: TNL, Wic, Paula, Cat - anyone else ask first.
set in season 4, just after the body-switching has been reversed.
* * * *
When Riley first woke up, he couldn't figure out where he was. He was on a bed, but it didn't smell like his dorm room, the shadows didn't fall in the right places, and there was the faint sound of something whirring outside of the room. He blinked, his whole body feeling stiff and gritty, and tried to think back.
Forrest was dead.
Riley shuddered, and curled inwards, his knees coming up over his stomach and his arms curling around them. Forrest was dead, all because of some stupid demons. All because they hadn't been careful enough. His friend was dead. He closed his eyes as the horrible scene replayed itself, and tried to ignore the fact that the bed sheet under his cheek and eye was growing damp.
"Hey in there. Feel up to some coffee? Maybe some orange juice?" Faith's voice called into the room.
Raising his head slightly, he could see her in the doorway. Grimacing, he asked. "Is there an option of just shoot me now?"
For a moment, Faith tensed, and then she entered the room. "No, there isn't. The only person in this house with a tendency to shoot people is you, and you didn't bring any of your toys with you."
"Faith..." Riley blinked, remembering a bit of what he'd learned of her past. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."
"You meant that you feel bad, and wish that it was over, that the pain would stop." She sat beside him, her hand resting on his shoulder. "I get that, I really do. But it takes time."
"How long?" He looked at her, wondering what sort of answer Faith would have.
She had a sad smile as she wiped his forehead with a scrap of cloth. "A long time. I lost... I lost someone who'd become my second mother. It still hurts, but not quite as bad. More like a bone deep bruise than being cut down to the bone now. But.... it's getting better. Eventually, loosing Forrest won't hurt as bad."
"And in the mean time?" Riley looked at her, noticing the way that she seemed so comfortable, so relaxed.
"In the mean time... go take a shower, you stink." She smiled, standing up and offering a hand.
Riley took her hand, half expecting her to fall onto the bed with him, which wouldn't precisely be a bad thing. Instead, he was pulled to his feet. The sheer strength that it required reminded him that Faith, like Buffy, was a Slayer. "Okay, a shower it is."
"Absolutely. Take a shower, we'll see if we can find you something clean." Faith teased, giving him a gentle push towards the bathroom.
He shuffled towards the door, pausing to look back at her. "So, eventually, this will be easy?"
"What sort of drugs are you on, soldier boy?" Faith looked at him, one eyebrow raised as she folded her arms just under her breasts. "This is life. Life is never easy, unless you're a plant. It won't be easy, but it will be easier."
"Damn. Here I was hoping that one day, I'd wake up and everything would be simple. I'd be able to tell the bad guys from the good guys at a glance, I'd know all the answers, and nobody..." Riley faltered, the rest of the words that Buffy had once used echoing in his mind 'and nobody ever dies.'
Faith shook her head. "Sorry. I'd like that too. No more mistakes, no more regrets... No more painful losses."
"I guess..." Riley paused, trying to figure out how a life like that could even happen. "It'll never happen, will it?"
"Nope." She sighed, and put one hand on her hip. "You go shower, I'll have Steve make the coffee and I'll throw you together some food."
"You can cook?" Riley blinked, a half smile on his lips.
"Better than Steve." She lifted her chin for a moment, a teasing smile firmly in place. "But that's not saying much. Don't expect anything fancy. It'll be hot, but not fancy."
"For today, hot's good enough." Riley turned, going into the bathroom. It was starting to feel like he might be able to move on, to continue to survive, despite the pain. And a good share of it was from Faith's help. Huh. Hadn't this started because he'd wanted to help her?
end How to Go On?