Smoothing a hand down her dress, Buffy opened the bathroom door and stepped hesitantly into the hallway. A quick glance showed the body of the Hellhound was missing. Faith stood in front of the trophy case, peering at the glittering awards and team photos. "Anything interesting in there?" she asked quietly as she walked closer. Her heels clattered loudly on the tile floor.
"Nah. Just a bunch of jocks and cheerleaders." Faith hadn't turned around. "Except, what's with this one trophy?" She pressed a finger to the glass, pointing to one cheerleading award.
Buffy didn't even need to look. "That's Amy Madison's mom." She moved in close, almost pressing into Faith's back, and looked at the trophy. The little gold washed arms remained stiffly in the air. The eyes, though, glowed with malice, staring straight back at them.
"Name ain't familiar." Faith shrugged before giving a last look at the award. She turned, coming nose to nose with Buffy. Her eyes widened, and Buffy saw her throat move as she swallowed hard. "Wow. You look…" Her voice trailed off, and warm brown eyes slid down Buffy's body.
The visual caress sent goosebumps all over Buffy's body. Her skin tingled, and a blush tinted her cheeks. "I look what, Faith?" Buffy cleared her throat, trying to clear whatever was causing her voice to sound so hoarse.
"Beautiful." Faith whispered, mesmerized.
"Thanks." Feeling suddenly shy, Buffy blushed and ducked her head. A smile curved her lips at the compliment. Faith thought she was beautiful. The night didn't seem so awful anymore. Peering up through her lashes, Buffy caught the dazed expression in Faith's eyes. "Let's go in. Giles and Will are probably worried by now." She caught the other girl's hand and stepped slowly away.
Her words snapped Faith out of her trance-like state. "Go in?" She shook her head. "B, I ain't going in there."
"Of course you are. Where else would you go?" Buffy held Faith's hand tighter, feeling her try to pull away. "You so aren't leaving Sunnydale. I mean, come on, how dumb do I look?" Dimples popped out, and Buffy groaned. "Don't answer that. Please. Just pretend I never said it."
Faith chuckled. "Just this once, B, I'll give you a pass." She sobered quickly. "I won't leave," she stated quietly. "I'll patrol, make sure you and the Scoobs have a very uneventful dance, OK?"
Buffy shook her head. "Not OK," she disagreed. Knowing Faith was going to freak, she rushed on, "I want you to come to the dance with me. You can hang with Giles and…and drink punch and eat all the food the Student Council made."
"Sounds like a blast, B." Faith rolled her eyes, and Buffy smiled.
"OK, so maybe not big on the Fun o'Meter." Faith had to go to the dance. Buffy needed her there. Her stomach twisted at the thought of walking through the doors without the other Slayer beside her. She frantically searched for a way to convince Faith. "You said earlier I stood you up for Homecoming. Well, I'm dressed and ready tonight. Let me make it up to you." She held her breath, waiting for a response.
It was working. Faith looked like she didn't know what to say. Buffy pushed a little.
"Please, Faith?" Her voice drifted up at the end, giving it a breathless quality.
She bit back a triumphant grin when Faith's eyes dilated at her tone. The brunette's head bobbed jerkily.
"Thank you, Faith." Buffy stepped back, noticing for the first time the blood staining Faith's shirt and jacket. Damn. She couldn't go in like that. "Give me just a minute, alright?" When the other Slayer looked ready to speak, Buffy hurried on. "I just need to get something, and I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere." Unconsciously mimicking Faith's earlier request, she pleaded, "Promise?"
"Yeah, B. I'll just hang out here with the weird trophy." Faith was returning to normal. Buffy knew she had to hurry before the brunette bolted.
Spinning on one narrow heel, Buffy trotted down the hall. Pushing open the double doors to the gym, she slipped inside, keeping close to the wall. This wasn't the time for a splashy entrance. She'd save that for when she brought her escort in, too. Buffy scanned the crowd until she saw Giles and Wesley sipping punch by the food table. Dodging teens and decorations with equal skill, she snuck through the crowd. "Giles!"
He turned immediately at her voice, face brightening into a full smile. "Everything taken care of?"
"Yep." Buffy smiled. He was so predictable. Ask about the demons. Now he'd find a way to make sure she wasn't hurt.
"Anything of interest? I'll need to make a note in your Diary, you know." Right on cue.
Briefly wondering if it was a law in England that you couldn't act like you cared, Buffy shook her head. "Nope. Four 'hounds came. Four 'hounds died." Her official Slayer duties out of the way, Buffy got down to more important things. "I need your help, Giles."
He straightened, looking concerned. "Of course. I thought you said everything went well."
"It did." Buffy wiped her sweating hands on her dress. "Um, Faith is here. She helped with the Hellhounds and I talked her into staying and coming to the dance. Her clothes…" She hesitated. "They got all bloody in the fight. You wouldn't happen to have an extra shirt with you, would you?"
"I'm afraid not." Giles sounded upset, as if he should have known he'd need an extra change of clothing.
Wesley chose that moment to stop his examination of the dancers. "Buffy!" The Slayer closed her eyes. She didn't have the time or the patience to deal with him right now. "When did you get here? You know, you are required by the Slayer's Handbook to report directly to me-"
"Wes, shut up." Her voice wasn't loud; however, the tone was just this side of a growl. He blinked behind his glasses, falling silent. Looking at her new Watcher, Buffy grinned evilly. "Giles, do you think Wes might be able to help?"
At first, the older man didn't seem to understand. It didn't take him long to catch up. Eyes lighting with delight, he smirked over the rim of his punch cup. "Perhaps you should ask, Buffy. I'm sure with the proper – persuasion, you can convince him."
Sensing danger, Wesley took a step back, hands raised. "Now, see here – "
Buffy cut him off before he could go into full Rant Mode. "Come with me." She grabbed his arm and pulled him behind her as she hurried back toward the doors.
"Buffy!" he squealed, stumbling and struggling to get free.
Ignoring his squawks of protest, Buffy moved through the gym with a purpose. Wesley moving in her wake, she returned to the hallway and heaved a sigh of relief. Faith was still there, staring at the trophies.
"About freaking time, B. What? Did you stop for a slow dance with Xan?" Faith glanced over her shoulder. "Great. I hung around for this?" Buffy saw her tense when she caught sight of Wes.
"He'll be leaving soon." Shoving the Watcher in Faith's direction, Buffy ordered, "Take off your shirt and jacket, Wes. Faith needs to borrow them."
"I beg your pardon?" He finally shook off her hand and stood up, yanking his sleeves down over the cuffs of his white shirt.
Buffy glared at him, foot tapping an impatient rhythm on the tiles. "You heard me. Faith is going to the Prom with me. She needs something to wear. Give her your shirt and jacket. You can keep the tie and pants. Her jeans will work as long as she has the rest of your gear."
Wesley was still not getting the point. "I'm a chaperone for the dance, young lady. It is my duty to this school-"
"Strip or I'll knock you out and do it myself." Buffy's voice was dangerous. She paced forward, standing firmly in the Watcher's personal space. "Your choice.."
"Well, I…" Grimacing, he began unfastening the studs on his shirt.
Faith watched the scene, caught between laughter and disbelief. Wes was such an ass. He continued to splutter protests while he undressed. When he stood in just pants and suspenders, Buffy grabbed the clothes and thrust them at Faith. "You sure you wanna do this, B?" she asked, praying the answer was yes.
"No, Faith. I just wanted to see Wes do a strip tease." Faith grinned at the bite in Buffy's voice.
"He ain't much to look at," Faith commented, smirking. "Just look." She pointed to the furiously blushing Watcher. "No muscles at all. Geeze, Wes, don't they lift weights or anything in England?" She grabbed the clothes from Buffy. "Be right back."
She ducked into the bathroom, pulling off the bloodstained shirt and tank top. Hesitating because the clothes were new, and a gift, she finally shrugged. There wasn't anything handy to help with the bloodstains. Tossing them into the trash, she washed her hands before putting on the stiffly starched shirt. The sleeves dangled over her hands, and she rolled them up after fastening the cuff links. The tails fell almost to her knees. Damn. With a sigh, Faith shoved the excess material into her pants. There wasn't much she could do about the jacket besides turning up the cuffs.
Peering into the tiny mirror, Faith sighed. She looked like a little kid in her daddy's clothes. B was out of her mind, taking her to this dance. Hell, she was in worse shape. What the fuck was she doing even considering it? Staring into her reflection, Faith knew exactly what was happening. She was trying to live a dream. Buffy on her arm; Buffy wanting to take her out, show her off, even with the rest of the gang in attendance. Taking a deep breath, Faith pushed open the door and stepped into the hall.
Buffy met her immediately. "Wow." She smiled, and Faith grinned back. "Very, very nice."
Basking in the approval, Faith held out her arm. "Ready to go in, B?"
"You bet." A warm hand wrapped around Faith's forearm. "You lead; I'll follow."
Faith snorted, walking them toward the gym. "Sure, B. Like I believe that. You've got the whole 'I'm in charge here' thing down pat. If I tried to lead you anywhere, you'd kick my ass."
Blonde hair rested briefly against Faith's shoulder. "It's a special occasion, Faith. Just for tonight, I'll let you pretend to be in charge."
They went through the door laughing. A good thing, since airplane-sized butterflies had suddenly appeared in Faith's stomach. She stiffened, almost coming to a halt when she spotted the crowd on the dance floor. "B-" she choked out. She couldn't do this.
Giving the lie to her claim to follow Faith's lead, Buffy continued smoothly into the large space, pulling Faith along with her. "Look, there's Willow."
Great. Red's gonna have Oz go all wolf and eat me. Faith braced for the encounter.
"Buffy!" Willow smiled and pulled Buffy in for a hug. "And Faith." Willow's smiled looked less welcoming and more menacing when she spotted the brunette Slayer hovering in the background. "I thought you were leaving tonight."
Hands deep in her jeans pockets, Faith shrugged. "Got a better offer." She didn't elaborate. If Buffy wanted to explain her presence at the dance, so be it. Faith was content to let it go.
Willow stared at Faith before taking Buffy's hand. She led the blonde away, leaning in close and talking rapidly into Buffy's ear. "Looking good." Oz gave Faith a tiny smile. "Suave."
"Thanks." Faith bounced on her toes. This was even worse than Homecoming. At least back then, the gang hadn't hated her. She was sure Willow was trying to convince Buffy to send her packing. "You and Red having a good time?" she asked, eyes glued on Buffy and Willow. If it looked like Willow was getting too intense, Faith was stepping in.
"Yes." As usual, Oz didn't waste any words. He stood calmly, hands in his pockets.
Unable to stand and wait for the fireworks sure to come, Faith made a decision. "Tell B I needed a drink. I'll be back with the old folks at the punch bowl when Red's done with her." She wove through the throng of party-goers, sighing in near-relief when she spotted Giles. "Hey, G-man."
"Ah, Faith. I see Buffy was able to persuade Wesley to help with your wardrobe." He gave a quirky smile and toasted her outfit with his cup.
"Yeah." Faith grinned at her former Watcher. "B's got wicked skills when it comes to getting people to do things." Her smile dimmed. Like getting me to come to this freaking dance. Lost in thought, she jumped a little when a cup and hand appeared in front of her.
"Drink?" Giles inquired.
Taking the cup, Faith sipped the contents and grimaced. "Got anything stronger?"
Giles started to answer when a dull booming echoed through the gym.
"Can I have everyone's attention, please?" A tall, thin boy spoke into a microphone from the stage at the front of the gym. Faith watched in amusement as he repeated his request four times before the din of conversation from the dancers ended. "Thanks. It's time to start the awards ceremony." He cleared his throat, pulling a crumpled envelope out of his pants pocket. "The first award is the Senior Class Clown."
Tuning out the voice, Faith leaned dispiritedly against the table behind her. Just like last time, Buffy had disappeared. Peering into the hoard of teens, Faith couldn't locate the other Slayer. "Everything alright, my dear?"
"Five by five." The response was automatic.
Giles moved until he stood pressed against her shoulder. "I'm fairly certain the phrase was meant to be used differently; however, I believe in this instance, it's an indication you are doing fine." He hesitated, but Faith remained silent. "If that's the case, I don't believe you."
Cheers and clapping interrupted their conversation. When the noise receded, Faith responded bitterly, "If Wes had been as smart as you, I might not be so fucked up." She stopped there, not wanting to unleash the anger still simmering inside.
"Wes is a bloody fool." Giles sounded disgusted with his younger colleague. "That's beside the point, however. Are you doing alright, Faith?"
Faith considered the question. Was she? She idly watched the awards ceremony while her mind raced. Images and emotions from the past nine months tumbled in her memory. The anger and stupid choices were all eclipsed by a pair of hazel eyes, and the feel of a hand willingly gripping her arm. "I'm getting there, Giles." Faith was so inner-focused, she didn't see the surprised reaction her use of the Watcher's name garnered.
An arm wrapped tentatively around her shoulders.
"Feeling brave tonight, G-Man?" Faith arched an eyebrow and smirked when he dropped his arm and quickly stepped away. "Just because I decided to help you and the Scoobs out with the Ascension don't mean I'm getting soft."
"Of course." His eyes twinkled behind his glasses. "More punch?"
"Only if you added a bottle of Jack to the bowl." She winked at his scowl. "Whatever." The sound of Buffy's name over the speakers caught her attention. The tall kid on stage had been replaced. A short, stocky boy stood nearly on his toes to reach the microphone.
"Is Buffy Summers here tonight?" he asked the crowd. Faith saw heads turn, the murmur of conversation rising. At the far end of the gym, she glimpsed Buffy. Her date for the evening seemed confused by the sudden attention. Faith tensed, ready to kick ass if the situation got ugly.
The kid on stage must have seen Buffy, too. His shaky voice echoed in the gym. "This is actually a new category. First t-time ever." Faith scanned the crowd. No one seemed ready to pounce on Buffy. She listened intently as he continued speaking. "I guess there were a lot of write in ballots." The microphone whined loudly as the announcer fumbled through his jacket, bumping into the equipment. "S-sorry," he mumbled, flourishing a piece of paper, "the Prom Committee asked me to read this."
A hush fell over the gym. Through a sudden path in the crowd, Faith watched Buffy as she looked at the stage. The blonde's face was carefully blank, as if she weren't sure what she should be doing or feeling.
"We're not good friends," the kid read flatly. "Most of us didn't take the time to get to know you." Fuck, that's harsh, Faith thought angrily. Then the meaning of the words hit here, and she frowned. She'd always assumed Buffy was the Golden Girl of Sunnydale High. The droop in Buffy's shoulders across the dance floor told her this kid wasn't lying. Faith swallowed against a lump suddenly blocking her throat and tuned back in to the words pouring from the loudspeakers. "…a lot of weird stuff happens here.'
Other voices shouted from the crowd. "Zombies!" "Hyena people!" "Snyder!" Chuckles rippled through the room. Faith stayed alert, seeing Buffy's tension even across the dance floor.
The award giver smiled at the laughter before reading more. "But, whenever there was a problem, or something creepy happened, you seemed to show up and stop it." Buffy had relaxed a little, and Faith took a deep breath. Maybe this wasn't going to end in a brawl. "Most of the people here have been saved by you, or helped by you at one time or another."
The words faded into the background. Faith caught a glitter in Buffy's eyes, and the blonde bit her lip. She took a step forward and then stopped. This was Buffy's night. She deserved the praise from her classmates. She listened to the clapping and cheers from the gathered students. The announcer spoke over the sound. "The Senior Class offers its thanks, and gives you…um…ah," he turned, grabbing an item from the table at the back of the stage, "this." A single spotlight beamed, highlighting Buffy. Faith watched, awed and wistful, as Buffy walked through the parting crowd toward the stage.
Buffy wandered forward, feeling the stares of her classmates. The light shining in her eyes gave the scene an ethereal glow. Dimly, she wondered if she were dreaming, imagining the whole thing. She reached the stage.
Jonathan smiled down at her, a glitter-encrusted umbrella in his hands. "Buffy, we just wanted to say thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Buffy Summers, our Class Protector." He nodded and guided Buffy the few steps to the stage.
The award was light, fragile. Buffy cradled it carefully, afraid it would crumple in her shaky grasp. "Thanks," she mumbled, the word rebounding explosively through the loudspeakers. Blinking against the spotlights trained on the stage, Buffy could see individual faces in the crowd. She clutched the award closer, smiling at the Scoobies as she picked them out of the throng. One face was missing. Faith. Heart pounding, Buffy peered over the heads of the Senior Class. Where was Faith?
Her smile turned into a grin. Draped in yards of expensive wool, Faith stood tensely next to Giles. Her dark eyes locked with Buffy's, and the blonde swallowed hard. Those eyes worshipped her. Stepping closer to the microphone, never looking away from Faith, Buffy spoke. "This award…it's not really mine, you know." She barely heard the muttering from the crowd. Instead, she watched Faith frown in confusion. "I appreciate your thanks, but I'm not the only person responsible for saving lives or helping with the weirdness at Sunnydale High. I'm just the person you see."
Pulling her eyes reluctantly from Faith's, she looked at the umbrella in her hands. "There are people you don't see. They're the ones who do most of the work. If you think about it, I'm sure you'll recognize them. They spend free periods and lunches in the library and listen to the whispered insults in the hall. This award should be for them."
Buffy paused. She wanted to say this right. Slowly, searching for words, she started up again. "I'd very much like to thank the people who make what I do possible. To Willow, who always has the answers." Buffy smiled at her best friend, seeing the tears streaking the freckled face. "Xander and Oz, my support crew. It's not always glamorous or really exciting, but you always have exactly what I need." Xander grinned goofily from his spot by Anya. And Oz…Buffy held back a laugh. Oz almost-smiled at the compliment.
"There are others who have earned your thanks, too." Buffy saw Giles shake his head. Damn it. She understood his reasons, but… "Again, you probably know who they are." Her eyes zeroed in on Faith. "It's time they knew just how much I appreciate all they do, all their sacrifices and hard choices, all their unwavering support. This award belongs to you, guys. Thank you so much."
On shaky legs, Buffy climbed down from the stage. Out of the spotlight, the gym filled with shadows and vague shapes. Smiling and nodding at the many well-wishers in the crowd, she kept moving. Buffy had one goal: Faith. Tonight, Jonathan and the Student Council had fulfilled one dream, thanks for doing her duty. She was on a path to fulfill another.
She reached the edges of the dance floor. Faith watched her approach, and Buffy could just see the pulse hammering in Faith's throat. Walking forward until she stood mere inches from the other Slayer, Buffy held out the award. "This is for you, too."
A snort greeted her largesse. "Right, B. Like these kids have any clue who I am."
"Who cares what they know?" Buffy tilted her head, watching Faith closely. Without the empathy, her only keys to Faith's real emotions were her eyes and her body language. "You're a part of the team, too. A huge part. One of the Chosen Two, remember?"
The question seemed to shock Faith. Her hands dropped to her sides, and her head came up. "I remember, B." Then, in a low mumble, "Wasn't sure you did."
Glancing quickly at Giles, who was studiously looking into his empty punch cup, Buffy handed over the umbrella. "Come on." She took Faith's hands, pulling the younger girl away from the table.
"Where to now?" Faith asked warily. "You're not taking me back to Red, are you? She didn't exactly drive up in the Welcome Wagon earlier."
"Forget Willow," Buffy instructed. "In fact, forget everyone. I want you to focus right here, on us." They'd reached the dance floor, and Buffy stopped, holding Faith close and peering up into her deep brown eyes. "I meant what I said on stage, Faith. That award isn't mine. It belongs to all of us. I didn't want to call down the wrath of Snyder or any of the Mayor's henchmen who might be here tonight by saying your name." Taking a deep breath, Buffy leaned in, gently brushing her lips across Faith's in a hesitant kiss. "Thank you for staying. I couldn't do this without you."
Faith trembled against her. "Buffy…?"
"Shhh." Buffy rested a single finger over Faith's lips. "Don't talk. Dance with me, Faith." She maneuvered the other Slayer's arms around her own waist before placing her own over Faith's shoulders, fingers playing with the tiny hairs at the nape of her partner's neck. A small grin crept out. "More kissing would be good, too," she whispered against the tanned flesh near her mouth.