A/N: Thank you so much for all your reviews guys n girls. It really means so much and makes me want to put out a good story. Keep them coming, they rock! This was a pretty hard chapter to write – not cos I didn't know what I wanted to say, just cos it was hard to say it right. Dialogue heavy scenes are really hard to write sometimes. You feel like you're going on and on. So any thoughts on this will be welcomed. Cheers again peeps. Enjoy……
Chapter 5 – Hey Jude
Previously………
"I want to know why you left" Faith replied, her breath catching in her throat.
Without hesitating, Buffy responded, "Because I was in love with you"
Faith couldn't speak. She could barely breathe. Had she just heard that right? Did Buffy actually just say those words to her? Buffy was staring at her. Staring right into her, and she knew she had heard it right. Just as she began to try and say something she was cut off by a yell coming from down the beach.
"Buffy! Hey Buffy!" yelled a woman approaching them and waving.
Faith felt like she was in some sort of dream, she couldn't quite get her head to focus. Then reality came crashing back with the sound of Buffy muttering "Damn" as she watched the woman come nearer.
Buffy stood up and gave a small wave, looking very uncomfortable. Faith could see the girl was extremely attractive. She appeared to be wearing the tiniest cut-off denim shorts that Faith had ever seen, and this only served to accentuate her very long and very tanned legs. Her hair was long, blonde and had that tousled thing going on and this coupled with the flowery bikini top she wore, served to create the whole 'surf-chick-goddess' look.
Faith didn't like her.
"Hey baby, what you doing out here so early?" the woman said as she approached them. Or at least that's what Faith thought she said as all brain-function seemed to cease working as she witnessed Buffy being pulled into a passionate kiss by the stranger.
Buffy quickly pulled away and stepped back. This earned a strange look from the girl, questioning with her eyes what was wrong. Buffy turned to see Faith still sitting on the sand, looking at them with a look on her face that was almost unreadable.
"Well seeing as B's being so rude" said the girl, and Buffy heard Faith's breath hitch in her throat. The girl moved around Buffy and put her hand out for Faith to shake, "I'm Jude, pleased to meet you" she said, flashing Faith a dazzling white smile.
Buffy's chest began to tighten as more moments passed without Faith responding. She saw her look at Jude's hand, then to her face and then over at Buffy. Finally Faith cleared her throat and shook her head slightly as if to shake herself out of her stupor. "Hey Jude" she said, standing up and wiping the sand off of herself, "I'm Faith". Faith took the other girls hand and shook it lightly, which Buffy observed, was kind of un-Faith-like.
"Not like I haven't heard that one before" Jude said, letting out a funny sounding laugh that earned her an odd look from Faith, and caused Buffy to grimace.
"Umm…sorry, not heard what one exactly?" Faith asked.
"You know, 'Hey Jude'? The Beatles song? I get it all the time" Jude replied.
Faith looked over at Buffy who was looking somewhere between embarrassed and ill.
"Uh yeah, right" said Faith, casting her eyes back to the taller girl, "Total unintentional reference on my part"
"So do you guys work together or something?" Jude asked, smiling all the while.
Buffy stepped over beside her, shooting Faith an 'I'll answer this one' look, "No babe, Faith's an old friend. She just swung into town last night"
"Is that why you weren't in work last night? Jude asked, taking Buffy's hand, "I came by the club but your boss said you'd left. Bobby seemed kind of pissed actually now I think about it"
"Yeah, I left in a bit of a hurry" Buffy replied, casually trying to drop the girl's hand, "We had some catching up to do. I'll sort things out with him later" her eyes shifted to Faith who still seemed to have a sort of expressionless look on her face.
The breeze picked up and blew Buffy's hair back from her face and the other blonde girl gasped, "My god, what happened to your head B?" her hand gingerly going to touch near the stitches.
"What? Oh right, that" replied Buffy, frowning as she saw Faith turning away and picking her jacket up, "It's nothing, I just tripped up last night. You know me, clumsy Buffy"
"Did you go to the hospital? Why didn't you call me?" Jude asked, worry evident in her voice.
Buffy looked away from Faith and smiled at the other girl, "I'm fine Jude, really" she said, trying to sound reassuring, "No need to worry"
"Ok, well if you're sure" Jude said, "You got that freaky super fast healing thing anyway so hopefully that'll kick in" she said, smiling again.
Buffy heard a snort coming from Faith's direction and was just about to speak again when Jude beat her to it.
"Ok, well I have to run baby. The boat's leaving in five minutes and Sharky will kill me if I hold him up again" she said and leant in to give Buffy a soft kiss on the lips, "Take it easy on that little head of yours ok?" turning to Faith with the same beaming smile as before, she said "And it was great to meet you Faith. Hopefully we can hang out later, maybe you can dish some dirt on little B here, she never tells me anything about her past" she finished, winking at Buffy who looked like was verging on throwing up.
"Uh yeah, sure. Although I don't have too much dirt on B….." Faith hesitated, "on Buffy" she said pointedly, emotion flitting across her features, "Good to meet you too Jude"
Jude started to back away, picking up pace as she went.
"Don't get up to too much trouble girls!" she shouted back at them, "And don't forget about tonight B! The boat leaves at nine! Hey Faith, you should come!" and with that she turned and started running away towards the marina, her long wavy hair flying out behind her.
The two slayers were left in silence, staring after the departed girl.
Faith had no idea where to begin. She was standing shell-shocked. Or at least how she imagined being shell-shocked would be. In fact, she would probably choose actual shell-shocking over this. So she started with easy.
"Tonight?" she turned and asked Buffy.
Slowly Buffy met her eyes and Faith wondered if she herself looked as ashen-faced as the other girl.
"Huh?" replied Buffy blankly.
"Tonight, what's happening with tonight" Faith said, gesturing in the direction Jude had gone.
"Oh, right, yeah. That tonight" Buffy replied, pushing her hair out of her face, "It's this thing…..a party thing. On the boat that Jude works on. Yeah cos she works on a boat. Taking tourists on cruises, seeing the wildlife. Yeah it's a good job, she really enjoys it. Lots of time outdoors, she's a real outdoorsy type. Always doing some sort of outdoor activity. Can't sit still. So yeah the party, it's a private party on the boat. Some actress has hired it out or something. Lots of free champagne and schmoozing, that sort of thing…."
"Buffy?" Faith said, "Breathe"
"Shit yeah, sorry. Babble much" Buffy said, her cheeks flushing red.
"I…..I don't know what to say" Faith said, scuffing the sand with her boot.
"That's got to be a first" Buffy said, smiling at the brunette.
Letting out a big laugh, Faith said "Yeah I think it just might be"
The laughter dying away, Faiths eyes met with Buffy's. What perfect green eyes, she thought to herself, just as Buffy was thinking the same thing about her brown ones. Buffy took a step towards Faith and tucked a strand of hair behind the brunette's ear.
"Faith I….." she began but halted as the sound of a cell phone ringing permeated the air.
"Hang on a sec" Faith said, reaching into her jacket and pulling out the phone, "Hello? Oh hey Red"
Buffy's eyes went wide at hearing this. She could faintly hear her old friend speaking through the phone.
"Uh yeah….ok" Faith said, "Uh huh, right…….what? Right….no problem…….I'm on it……I'll call you later…….Yeah yeah mom, always do" she said sarcastically, sliding the phone shut.
"Willow?" Buffy asked in a small voice.
"The one and only" Faith replied, noticing the tears in Buffy's eyes.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Buffy said, "About being with me?"
Faith shifted her weight, "I guess I thought you didn't want me to. For the moment at least. I just had a feeling"
"Thank you" Buffy responded, hastily wiping her eyes, "I mean it's not like I don't want them to know, it's just……"
"I know" Faith said, "You just want to do it in your own time"
Buffy took a step towards the other slayer again.
"Listen B…..Buffy" Faith said, frowning and stepping back, "I really have to go right now. Something I gotta sort out"
Buffy looked visibly deflated, "You have to go right now?"
Faith nodded, "Yeah I do. It's important"
"Can I help?" I mean….do you need anything?" Buffy asked.
"No I got it. Listen I'll see you later ok?" Faith said moving away.
"Well I have that boat thing later. I uh…..do you want to come?"
Faith considered this for a moment, "Ok, I don't know why I'm saying this but yeah, ok. I'll see you there. With your girlfr…..with Jude, yeah……right, cool"
Buffy went to say something but Faith began to walk away.
"The boat leaves at nine from the marina" Buffy then said after her, "Don't be late"
"I won't be" Faith replied, turning round briefly to look back at Buffy.
"Oh and Faith, it's kind of a stupid pretentious thing, so it'll be pretty dressy"
Faith smiled at the blonde girl, "I'm a hearing ya on FM. No worries, I'll dig out my ballgown"
Buffy watched as the brunette girl walked away, "Till tonight then" she said to herself.
To be continued…………..