Chapter 6: Gifts

BUFFY'S POV

We're in my office catching up for nearly four hours. I tell of my travels around the world collecting wayward Slayers and Faith describes her adventures with the PtB in other dimensions.

"Ok, just because you've been on some mission for good and picked up some more super powers along the way doesn't mean you can just waltz back into my life."

"I know." Faith looks down.

"Ten years is a long time, a lot's changed. I've changed."

"I know." She sighs, resigned.

"It really hurt when you left me in LA."

"I know." She rises. Turning from me she stuffs her hands in her pockets.

"Is that all you can say?" I'm starting to get irritated.

"Nope." Faith looks up grinning.

"You're funny, very funny." I laugh in spite of myself.

"Come on, you hungry?"

"Absolutely starved."

"Let's get out of here. I saw a nice place downtown when Ken and I were coming back this morning. What do you say? My treat..."

"It's a deal. Just let me check in with Kennedy. I'll meet you out front."

I tell Ken we're going out for dinner. She assures me all is fine and she's just waiting for her turn to talk to Emma, who's still with Willow. "Be easy on her Ken, she needs to come up to speed relatively quickly. There's a lot going on with her"

"I know, I read your notes. Don't worry Buff; we'll be pals in no time."

"She's kinda freaked by Will and Faith; somehow she can sense their power. She hasn't said anything but I think she's holding something back afraid we will punish her like they did at the hospital. I get the feeling she's very strong."

"You want me to keep an eye on her to see if she let's anything slip?"

"No detective Kennedy, I want you to be honest and open with her. It's important she trusts us and knows we're here to help." I stand laughing a little.

"Sure thing, Boss"

"Thanks Ken, I really don't know what I'd do without you."

Kennedy waves me away, looking back at her notes.

"Call me on my cell if you need me, ok?"

"Not doing it, go have a good time." She smiles as I leave.

KENNEDY'S POV

I can't help but smile. She hasn't looked this happy since, well, in a long time. I'm still reading over my notes when Willow brings Emma into my office. "Hi there!"

"Hi. Are you feeling better?" Emma asks.

"Yeah, the only thing really hurt was my pride, so nothing to worry about." I laugh as I look up to Will. "You guys all done?"

Willow gives me an odd look then says, "Well, for now we are. I'll see you later ok? Goodnight Emma."

"Goodnight Willow."

As Will leaves I watch Emma wait for me to begin. When I don't she glances up at me, "She doesn't trust me."

"Whoa, where is that coming from?" Shit the kid's right, but how... "She doesn't know you yet is all. None of us do, but I want to change that." I'm thinking I better find out what this girl is all about and soon. "So, it says here before going to the hospital in Durban you're originally from Camps Bay. What's that like?"

"It's beautiful there, right next to the water." She gets a dreamy look in her eyes, remembering where she grew up. "If you drive down the Cape, you can see the two oceans meet; the Atlantic so strong and blue, the Indian a radiant warm green. It's like the meeting of two worlds, rather like you and your witch I'd imagine."

My eyebrows pop up as I clear my throat. Now I'm not sure how I'm going to respond to that one on many levels so I pause for a moment. "You have a talent I see. Did you hide it from Willow?"

Emma bows her head then nods.

"Ok, so you tell me she doesn't trust you, but I think it's you who doesn't trust her."

She nods again.

"Emma, you can talk to me, a lot of the girls do. We were going to talk about getting your Slayer training going, but I think this is more important. Do you think you can trust me?"

She looks at me for a long while, as if reading me, it's kinda creepy. "I think so." She says it so thoughtfully. "It's just that she has so much power, it's pure and overwhelming. It scares me because I can see it takes a toll on her to control it." She looks away then begins again. "Now Faith's power is massive but, I'm not afraid of her because her control of her gifts is absolute." She stops again, regarding me for a moment then continues. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to be mean to your girlfriend. I think she's quite nice really, just a little scary with the magic." She is so apologetic; she really doesn't want to make waves.

I take a deep breath then slowly let it out. "I've known Willow very well for over ten years Emma, and she's never lost that control. There have been plenty of times where most people would have, but she knows how to control it. Even more important, who to go to for help if she feels she can't do it on her own. Now, I'm sure Will didn't think you were being mean, just that you were hiding something from her, but if you want I'll talk to her about what we discussed. Do I have your permission to talk to Willow? Because I really want your say-so before I do."

She thinks for a moment, "Ok"

"Good. Now, did you like sitting in on the Slayer classes today?"

"Oh yes, very much so."

"Do you think you can handle a couple of classes a week along with your academics?"

"I think so."

"Done then. Willow and I will map out a curriculum of all your classes for you over the weekend then you can start fresh on Monday. Sound like a plan to you?"

"Sounds fab can't wait to start." Her enthusiasm sounds genuine. "Thanks Kennedy, for listening, for everything really. I needed to talk and Buffy seems quite occupied with Faith at the moment." She gets up to leave.

"Anytime." I smile at her. I think I'm really going to like this kid; she totally picked up all the vibes flying around here. And once she starts talking she just lays it on the line, no messing around. "One more thing, you should tell Buffy about your gift, it's important for her to know."

She pauses at the door, "I will, soon."

LATER

BUFFY'S POV

We spend dinner talking about Angel and how he and the rest of the LA team managed to hold off the onslaught at the cost of their lives. How we had stayed put here as a back up and PtB sent Faith on her first mission. She tells me she tried to get to Venezuela afterwards to help Riley and Sam when the vamp infestation overran their camp but was too late. "I was still on the first assignment and I don't want to say it was more important, I know how precious everyone's life is. But I needed to finish that one first, there was no time left."

I could tell something else was going on there, but could also see she still blamed herself for not getting to both. "Hey," I place my hand on hers, "no one can be everywhere."

Faith sighs deeply then runs her hands through her hair, "Yeah, I know."

It was late when we get back but Ken and Will were up going over Emma's file and trying to sort out the best program for her. Not wanting to disrupt, I suggest a nightcap in the living room.

Faith is sitting on the couch when I return with an open bottle of wine and two glasses. "Hope you like Cab." I ask as I pour.

"Not much I don't like." She says still a little somber.

"Yeah, I remember." I smile as we touch glasses and sit back.

Faith looks at me, "Buffy, I have to tell you something else."

I close my eyes expecting her to say she's leaving again.

My eyes flash open as she says, "It's about Xander."

Looking up at her I furrow my eyebrows, "But he disappeared years ago..." my eyes got very wide, "You know what happened to him?" I grasp Faith's hand.

Faith rubs my hand and starts her story:

"My biggest reason for taking the deal with the PtB was so I could get a chance to really make amends to everyone's life I messed up. I'll tell you about the others if you want, but Xander needed to be dealt with quickly. You see, working for the Powers you get to see more than probably anyone should, so I don't know if you were aware of the level of depression he was in after Anya died."

"We all knew he took it really hard."

"It was more than that B, he was using, heavy."

"Using, what are you talking about?"

"Heroin."

"No way."

"Drinking just wasn't enough for him. Then some skell vamp turned him onto the drugs telling Xander he would be able to see her again." Faith stops to take a sip of wine and continues slowly, "When I found the vamp I literally ripped his head off with my bare hands." She's looking down swirling her wine glass, obviously not happy with her loss of control even after all these years.

"That was the first time I asked the PtB to leave this dimension. I searched and finally found an alternate universe where Anya was alive and actually destined to lead a long life. I asked them to let me bring him there, but they refused. They said his death would influence all of your lives and they wouldn't take the chance you guys could possibly go down a different road. But he was getting really bad, there was..." she pauses then looks up at me, "there was no time left." She sees my eyes grow wider, knowing I understand the choice she made she continues. "So I made another deal with them: I told them I'd stay with them if they let me bring him there and that I would make sure all your paths stayed true."

"Wait a minute; you changed stuff in our lives?" I break in.

"Not exactly" She answers a little cagey, "I guided events to their natural occurrence in each of your lives as if I hadn't taken Xander to the other dimension."

"Wow, that's a mouthful. It must have taken a ton of work." I look at her trying not to get bogged down in the fact that she's effectively tweaked our lives all this time and we never realized. "So that's why 10 years?" Realizing I'm still holding onto her hand, I intertwine my fingers with hers.

She looks at our hands then back up at me, "Yeah, I checked up on them before I came here." She laughs, "He thinks I sell insurance. Anyway, they're happy, have kids, the whole nine yards. He doesn't remember us, what happened in Sunnydale or here, the Powers insisted on it. But he's happy, it was a good deal, it was the right thing to do."

"Thank you."

We both jump hearing Willow's voice, immediately letting go of each other's hand.

"I didn't know what to do to stop him. I felt so helpless, but this is like a gift, you brought him to a place where he could have what he always wanted, a family." She looks down and holds Faith's gaze. "I can't thank you enough." Will turns to me, "I'm really sorry to barge in, I just wanted to say good night, I didn't want to interrupt, "she looks at Faith again, "then I couldn't."

"It's ok, Red. I'm glad you know he's happy.

"Will?" Kennedy came in behind her. Seeing the dazed look in eyes, "You ok?"

"Yeah, just saying goodnight" she takes her hand.

"Goodnight." Ken calls behind her as Willow leads her away.

We sit quietly for a while, just drinking our wine. Not saying anything because we really didn't have to. I can't imagine what she must have gone through these past ten years. She's sacrificed so much to make amends and I know she hasn't even begun to tell me half of what's happened to her.

When Faith gets up, I look at her questioningly.

"I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"Red reminded me that I have something for you. Why don't you give me a refill," she points to her empty glass, "and I'll be back in a second."

"Ok" I have no idea what she was up to, so I fill our glasses and wait.

She returns with a small brown bag. Sitting down, she holds it on her lap. "Now I told you I've been to other dimensions right?"

I nod, not sure where she's going with this.

"Well, time is one dimension I traveled though a lot. So when I knew I was coming here, I had to go back for some things." Faith reaches into the bag, "Now close your eyes"

I comply.

Once Faith makes a lot of noise getting whatever it is out of the bag, I feel the air move in front of my face. "Now open them."

I open my eyes to Mom and Dawn and me. It's the picture that was on the end table in my living room in Sunnydale. The house that was swallowed up with my other memories when the town was destroyed.

"Oh God." I gently reach out and take it. Tears start to flood from my eyes, I turn to her, "Do you have any idea..."

Faith becomes nervous, "Should I not have..."

I shake my head and touch the picture as if it's fine lace, "This is the best present any one ever gave me." I place it in my lap and reach out to touch her hand again, "Thank you."

Faith laces our fingers together and squeezes. "I have one more." With her free hand she removes another framed photo from the bag and gives it to me. This one was the original Scoobys: Me, Angel, Giles, Willow, Xander and Cordy.

"I can't believe it. Oz took this, it was my seventeenth birthday, we were all so young. We had just realized that we could photograph Angel if we used a digital camera." I look back and forth between the two photos then back at Faith, "I can never thank you enough for these. I just can't tell you how much it means to me."

"Everything was so fucked up before. I was such a disaster especially to you. I wanted to do something to make you really happy for a change, something special."

I lean my head on Faith's shoulder," You did, very much so," Looking at the pictures again, I sigh.

"You ok?"

I bend forward to put the pictures on the coffee table, then lean back into Faith. "Yeah, it's just we lost so many"

She puts her arm around me and draws me near, "But we found others too: Willow found Kennedy, Giles found Olivia, no matter what they say, Dawn found Andrew." We both laugh for a moment. "And I found you... again."

I look up at her, "Yes."

As I reach my hand to her face, she leans into me and a kiss that's been waiting 10 very long years. My thumbs caress her cheeks holding her mouth to mine before I slide my arms around her neck. As she pulls me into her arms she rains kisses over my eyes, jaw, lips. I can barely keep consciousness when Faith moans into my mouth as our tongues finally reunite; my Slayer senses are on total overload. The heat, the raw passion is like a rampant fire near out of control. I can feel my entire body reacting to hers. We break apart breathless, wanting, but also desperately needing to savor every second.

"Wow."

"Yeah" she agrees.

I lean my head against her chest and wrap my arm around her waist. Faith encircles me in her arms, holding me close. I'm fixated on the pounding in her chest, trying to separate it from mine, but can't. The rapid thumping has me hanging on its rhythm. I don't even realize I'm being lulled to sleep by the delicious sound of Faith's heartbeat in my ear until I faintly hear her call my name.

"Buffy?" she whispers. "I'm gonna go and let you beat this jetlag."

I tighten my hold on her then look up into those deep brown eyes, "Stay."

Faith takes a breath and lets it out very slowly.

"I promise I'm too tired to take advantage of you."

She laughs, "Do you?"

I disentangle myself from her and rise, picking up the pictures she gave me. She still seems to be thinking about what to do when I hold out my hand to her. Looking up at me, she takes it and follows me up to the third floor.

"Tank and boxers good?" I ask as I put the pictures on my dresser.

"Yeah."

I hand her one of each. Then grab my own and go into the adjoining bathroom.

"I put out a new toothbrush for you. Here at Slayer-Central there are always extras." I say as I walk back into the room.

Faith has already changed and is sitting on the edge of the bed. She smiles at me, "thanks." She takes her turn getting washed up.

When she comes out I'm lying in bed under the covers. She slips in next to me. I turn out the light and slide over to her. Faith gathers me in her arms, and I can't believe how right it feels, like I belong there. I turn to face her and through the dim light coming in from the window I take her in, not believing the past 24 hours have been real. She pulls me closer, kissing me softly. When we break apart I lay my head back on her shoulder.

Suddenly, I'm incredibly nervous. There's a slow current of energy flowing between us and I want this so much but I'm so scared. Once again I can't help the tumble of words from my mouth: "So, I know this is going to sound stupid, but I want to take this slow. Ok, I know we're in bed together after you've been here for like a day, but if you think about it, how much slower can this possibly be – what's it been like 14 years in the making? But what I really mean to say is I don't want to rush..."

"Shhhh." Mercifully, her fingers are on my lips stopping me from continuing. "Nothing is going to happen until you want it to happen." She kisses my forehead, "Go to sleep."

"K" I mumble as I snuggle in and for this first time in weeks I do.