Thanks everyone for the reviews!
Whispers: The 'slayer vibe' will be explained soon, and trust me, I have a LOT planned for Faith in Sunnyhell.
lil badass: I can't stand cliffhangers either, but I can't seem to stop writing them!
Andi: I have to beta my own work, so updates may be a little long in coming. But I fully intend to finish this!
bones19: I'm glad you love it, and I hope you haven't exhausted youself by reading it all in one go.
mygodI'mdrowning: Don't worry too much about Faith being a softie... it's all part of the plan... ;)
Hugo: It's funny how a little smiley face can brighten my day. Thanks!
Shelley: Thanks, and I'm glad you love it!
jazzman31: Thank you! I love hearing what people think of my stories.
xSwayx: Thanks!
cheeruplittleemokid: I'm glad you liked the cliffy, and can I just say that I love your user name?
M Kennedy: I hate cliffhangers too ;).
Creed
Chapter 11
Surprise was the most evident reaction among them, Buffy noticed, although disdain ran a close second. She had feared this, had known that the scorning insults would come soon, and that she would have to stand up for Faith, which meant opposing all her friends. It was not a scenario she was looking forward to. Walking through the doorway, she kissed Dawn and was startled when her sister threw her arms around her neck.
"Good to have you back," she said, and Buffy nodded.
Giles stepped forward and embraced her. "Yes. We've all missed you terribly."
Faith stepped inside, and everyone's attention was immediately returned to the brunette. The air seemed to turn cold and Buffy fidgeted uncomfortably. Straightening, she told her friends that Faith was staying with them. They did not argue like she expected them to, and simply murmured their assent. The two Slayers exchanged a look of confusion, but said nothing. Buffy led the brunette up their stairs, dropping her suitcase on her bedroom floor. She turned to Faith who hovered in the doorway.
"I can make a bed for you on the floor," she offered. "I would let you sleep on the couch, but I think Giles is staying there."
"That's fine, B."
They stood watching each other nervously, both uncertain where they stood and unsure of how to act. Circumstances had changed since they had stood in the same room together last; back then, Faith had been acting in an attempt to have her boyfriend turned evil and ultimately kill her. Now, it was with the haunted, hesitant indecisiveness of trying to redeem herself that Faith stood opposite her.
Buffy offered her a tight smile and slipped passed her into the hallway, leaving Faith alone in the bedroom. She sat down on Buffy's bed, lifting Mr Gordo and speaking softly to him:
"What happens now, huh?"
She got no reply and hugged the stuffed animal to her chest, before realizing what she was doing and hastily dropping it like it was a hot poker. Her soft, brown eyes hardened once more and she stood, fists clenched. Since when did she cuddle with stuffed toys? She scowled, wondering when she'd turned soft. Then she moved to follow the blonde, dreading the awkward days to come.
The coldness gave way to awkwardness, and the awkwardness gave way to wary acceptance of her presence. Faith was so terrified of being sent back to prison and losing Buffy that she covered her bad girl demeanour with a quiet, watchful façade. Instead of jumping at every chance to make someone squirm she said nothing. She didn't play on their weaknesses or embarrassments. She dutifully helped Buffy with the housework, sometimes walking Dawn to school and cooking dinner with the two wiccan lovebirds in the evenings. She was soon banned from the kitchen after her non-existent cooking skills were discovered. Who knew that chocolate sauce was not to be used on roasts? Giles visited often, and she couldn't decide whether to be glad or wistful that he only came to see Buffy. He refused to look her in the eye and although she knew she had earned his mistrust, she couldn't help but feel a bit angry that he was avoiding her.
Xander was the most opening hostile, but that was to be expected. She had played him, used him and discarded him as thought he was nothing more than a piece of trash, and she knew she deserved his dislike. Faith was determined to regain the friendship they'd had her first few months in Sunnydale. Anya was cold to her at first, but Faith suspected it had something to do with her having slept with Xander before she had, and soon enough the ex-demon and brunette Slayer found common ground. It was somewhat of a relief to find someone who didn't dance around topics, who wasn't afraid to say what was painfully obvious, even if the other's refused to speak about it. Faith came to yearn for the days when Anya and her could talk, when she could cut the bullshit for an hour or so.
But it was the nights she loved, and the nights she hated. She patrolled after dinner, covering with the excuse of needing time to herself and hoped the others believed she was out clubbing. She did it quickly and without enjoyment, as her mind was never on the job. It was with a certain blonde and the memories of the two of them slaying together. It was with the night that stretched in front of her; a night where she would lie on the floor and listen to Buffy's breathing and wish that she could slip into the bed with her...
Faith was fairly certain Buffy knew how she felt. She was surprised that the blonde hadn't kicked her to the curb already, and couldn't help but hope that maybe she felt something, however small. She couldn't help but believe that she wasn't completely disgusting, that she could have something that may make Buffy want her back. Buffy hadn't shown any signs of the emotions that churned through Faith, but the tiny hope wouldn't remain quiet.
A week had passed since her arrival with Faith in tow, and it was exactly seven days when Giles requested Buffy's presence in the living room after dinner. Then he dropped the bombshell on her.
"You're broke," Giles said, attempting to soften the blow with a gentle voice. It didn't work.
Buffy stared at him blankly, as though she couldn't comprehend what he meant.
"Broke?" she repeated dully, blinking rapidly as the force of what it meant crashed into her. After everything she'd been through, after nearly dying, losing her Slayer strength and embellishments, running away to LA and finding comfort in the same girl who had almost killed her... It was too much. She was broke. Broke.
"Broke," Dawn repeated, and Buffy wondered why her younger sister had known before she had.
"When did this happen?" her voice sounding small and detached.
"I received notification from the social services while you were in LA." His eyes flickered nervously away from her and she gripped the hand rest tighter.
"What else?"
He cleared his throat and caught her eye. "They're threatening to take Dawn away."
"That's not going to happen," she said, calmly and firmly.
"Look, Buffy..." he began.
"No," she repeated. "They are not taking her away." Looking up and meeting his eye, she asked: "What do I have to do?"
"I can cover for you for another month or so, but you may need to get a job."
"Then I'll get one."
"Where?" he asked. "You haven't got a degree..."
"What does that matter? I can get a job as a salesperson or something. It's not like I need a degree for that."
"I suppose..."
"It's settled then. I'll start searching for a job in the morning."
Faith listened from the hallway, wondering if this was what Buffy had been reduced to. She had once been a hero, but now she was only an ordinary woman who had a sister to care for and no money. Faith felt a quick rush of frustration and anger that had been building inside her ever since she'd come to Sunnydale. She clenched her fists, ignoring the sting of her nails piercing the skin on her palms. She had to control herself.
Bad things always happened when she didn't.
To Be Continued...