Disclaimer: I do not own Toy Story, and I am using it as a homage to Joss
and his Academy Award Nomination for his work on it's script. I am still
not making any currency-based prophet on this FanFiction: All reviews and
Ego-Boosts!
= = = ("Oh What A Beautiful Morning . . .") = = =
Faith woke up at Six AM sharp, just as she always did. She kept her eyes closed, expecting to hear the door-lock to click and the lights to turn on, but nothing happened. No voice rang out over the loud speaker, no sound of yelling women, and no empty feeling deep in side; growling of hunger and remorse. Instead, she felt a tingling numbness in her arm . . . which was caught under something foreign.
Opening one eye, she peered at the light weight that was cutting off her circulation. What she found was her arm gently (and slightly awkwardly) tucked behind Buffy's head, which was cradled into the crook of the brunette's neck. As Faith tried to pull away to look down at the blonde, she noticed something else. Buffy's arm was loosely slung, rather low, around Faith's waist. Deciding that the numbness was well worth not waking the blonde, she lay there, looking down into the older woman's face.
She'd changed since Faith had last really looked at her like this, all those years ago. The blonde now had a hardened resolve to her, a kind of unwavering commitment to whatever she was doing. She wasn't the carefree girl that Faith remembered, but she knew it had to be in there somewhere. She smiled as every few seconds Buffy would whimper slightly, and toss her head a little. It caused the soft tip of her nose to tickle the younger girls neck. It's a nice feeling, being nuzzled like this, Faith thought.
No sooner had she thought it that her sharp Slayer ears caught the sound of a person in the hallway. Pretending to be asleep, she closed her all but a sliver so she could just vaguely make out the shape of the room. The door opened with a slight squeak, causing Buffy to raise her head up from it's resting place. There, in the doorway, stood an all too smug Willow, a knowing smile dominating her face.
"I knew it . . ." she said in a quiet, almost sing-song voice. Buffy sat up more fully, and looked down at Faith and the way they were wrapped up around each-other.
"Well, what can I say . . ." Buffy said, voice scratchy as she stretched lightly, "I have a thing for brunettes." Willow laughed, Buffy flopped down onto her back, flat against the mattress. Due to the Slayers' entanglement, she odd movement cause the blonde's leg (which had been between Faiths) to press rather yummily into her crotch. Faith could feel her self turn bright red, and hoped the dim-light of the room would save her from embarrassment.
"The girls are up, getting ready for school," Willow said, giving the news of the morning. "Xander is getting doughnuts and coffee as we speak. Kennedy's in the shower right now, but you can have it when she's done." "Faith could feel the red-head's eyes on their twisted legs. "You two seemed pretty snuggly . . . So, just how right were my predictions last night?" Willow said, a laughing edge to her voice.
"I dunno, how correct were Faith's?" Buffy shot back playfully. To both girls' surprise, Willow bowed her head, and mumbled something that even Faith couldn't hear.
"Uh, yeah . . . about that. Buffy, can I talk to you later?"
"Yeah, sure, what's up?" she said, arching her back for a deeper stretch. Faith took in a silent shuddering breath, preying that both the girls would leave soon.
"Uh," Willow said quietly as Kennedy passed her in the hall, "I'll tell you later." The Witch seemed pretty down, so both slayers could tell it was serious.
"Alright. Save the shower for me?" Willow nodded and closed the door. No sooner had that happened that Buffy sat up. She smacked her mouth twice, and then fell face down on Faith again, snuggling in like when they'd been sleeping. The door opened again suddenly, and it was Willow, and even larger grin on her face.
"UP! If I have to get up and go to school, then you do too!" she said laughing. Buffy groaned and got out of bed. Walking out of the door, both girls laughed, leaving a very shell-shocked Faith in their wake. "Mmmm . . ." Faith half groaned, half moaned as she rolled over. Christ, is she trying to kill me?!, Faith wondered. She buried her face in the pillows and wrapped herself up in all the blankets, trying to calm her self down. Ugh, B, what are you doing to me?!
Faith took a few deep breaths and sighed as a certain smell assaulted her senses. It was pure Buffy. Little hints of grime and death and dirt among the smooth vanilla and oranges. It was a smell she remembered, and one she cherished. The light citrus smell mixed with the stale scent of Vampire dust was actually quite pleasing to Faith. Reminded her of a time when the blonde trusted her enough to stand that close to her. That was way before things got way out of control. But Faith had a strange feeling that maybe they could be that close again.
After taking one last deep breath, Faith turned face up again, flinging her arm over her eyes, and heard the shower shut off. She heard Buffy shuffling around in the next room, and smiled. She felt like she was home. And while that realization comforted her, she wondering if it was only because this may be the last bed she ever slept in. It wish it was, Faith thought, Though not quite in the way most would think. A few seconds later, the connecting door to the bathroom opened, and Buffy walked in. Peeking at her with one eye, she saw that the blonde was wearing only a towel, and Faith was now wearing a smirk.
"Hey there B." Faith said, just as Buffy let the towel drop. Quick as a flash, Buffy dropped to the ground, probebly reaching the floor before the sheet of terry-cloth did. Peeking her head up over the end of the bed, Buffy was bright red. Faith still looked at her with a smirk, with one eye peeking out from under her arm.
"Hey, Faith, Um . . . what are you - " Buffy stammered, but Faith cut her off.
"Looking at?" Faith guessed, her smirk turning into that of almost an evil grin. Buffy flushed, and she wrapped the towel back around her out of Faith line of vision.
"What I was going to say," she stated, getting back up, "was 'what are you doing awake'? I thought you were asleep . . ." Now Faith flushed slightly. She covered her eyes more fully with her arm this time and answered.
"I heard the shower," Faith lied, not wanting Buffy to know she had been awake long before her. "Also, years of conditioning at the 'Correctional Facility' . . ." Buffy nodded, and Faith glanced at her again.
"You gonna change or what?" she asked slowly.
"What?" Buffy looked like she had heard her wrong.
"Change? Are you going to change?" Faith said again, "Don't mind me, I've lived with nothing but women for the last three years, B. Nothing I ain't seen before . . ." Buffy blushed, and looked down at her towel. Faith covered her eyes again with her arm, and sighed. "You're gonna be late if you don't hurry."
She heard Buffy turn back around, and Faith watched the towel drop from the space between her forearm and upper-arm. She felt herself flush as the cloth hit the floor. The smooth pink skin of Buffy back was so soft and supple looking that Faith couldn't tear her eyes from it. Buffy hesitantly opened her drawers, and glanced back around. Not Faith was nervous, Slayers could often tell when they were being watched. She decided it would be safest to just close hers eyes, and let Buffy finish.
"So B," Faith said once Buffy told her she could open her eyes again, "What class you got with Red this morning?" Buffy looked confused.
"What do you mean?"
"You, Red, College . . . what classes you got so that you'd have to get up at the crack of dawn?" Buffy looked away and started packing her bag. "What did I say?" Faith asked slowly.
"Um, I don't . . ." but she didn't finish. She just kept packing her bag. Faith sat up more fully and looked at the blonde. Taking a deep breath, Buffy turned to her. "I'm not going to UC Sunnydale with Willow . . . I'm going to Sunnydale High with Dawn." Faith eyes bugged out of her head.
"WHAT?!" Faith yelled, shocked that the girl was 22 and in high-school.
"I work there!" she stated firmly, realizing what Faith had thought. Faith sighed, and laughed lightly.
"Good. I was worried you'd been pushed back. I knew you had graduated . . ." Faith trailed off, and looked at the blonde again. She was blushing.
"But then why are you there?" she asked. Buffy turned darker red, and whispered something that Faith couldn't hear. "You what?"
"Teach . . . Kinda." Faith's eyes went ever wider than before. Buffy had always hated school, it was one of the things they had in common and could gripe about. But how could she be a teacher and be so young? Willow hadn't even graduated college yet.
"What do you teach? PE?" Faith guessed. It was something that Buffy had a talent at; all things physical. Buffy laughed, and said that she wasn't actually a teacher. "Well, what are you then? A 'Professional Of The Custodial Arts'?" Buffy gave her a look, and Faith chuckled slightly.
"No." she stated firmly, "I'm a guidance consoler. I help kids with their problems." Faith didn't know how to respond.
"So . . . you're a shrink?" she asked slowly.
"Not exactly. I had to drop out of college after my mother died, and so I don't have a doctorate or a PHD. I'm just someone a little closer to the students' age, a person they can trust more than the actual Psychiatrist." Faith nodded.
"I get that. I wish they had one of those when I was in school." Buffy gave her a small smile.
"You know, it's not just the students that can talk to me. Willow, Dawn, and even some of the potentials vent about stuff to me." Buffy looked her a little harder. " . . . All Slayers Welcome." Faith chuckled a little.
"Yeah, sure. I'll get right to that." Faith said sarcastically. Buffy looked a bit surprised. "Hey, three years of required therapy. And most of the stuff I talked about was you, Sunnydale, and the shit I pulled with the Mayor. Just being here is good therapy. Like a 'Facing Your Fears' kind of a deal, ya know?" Buffy gave her a look as if to say; whatever you want to believe.
"Well, I'm here if you need me. And, don't not talk to me if I'm the one you're having problems with. I've had talks with Dawn where I wasn't her sister, but just a person she could talk to." Faith nodded, and lay back down on the bed.
"Yeah . . . I'll keep that in mind."
"Are you going back to bed?" Buffy asked. Faith nodded.
"Yeah. I haven't been allowed to sleep in for three years, I think I'm gonna take advantage of it."
"Oh, Okay. Um, I kinda had this thing planed, but I'll go take care of it." Buffy said quickly. Faith sat back up just as Buffy was walking out of the room.
"Wait!" The blonde paused. "What are you talking about?" Buffy flushed slightly, and stood in the doorway.
"Well, we need some help training all the girls. There are a lot of them, and with me away at work . . . and the fact that Spike can't train them out side, in the sun, with the rest . . . I kinda told Giles you'd help him. I can just tell him that you want to sleep - "
"No! It's okay B, I'll just - "
"Faith!" Buffy yelled, "Lie back down! I want you to sleep in. You should be able to. I'll just tell Giles to give them the day off, and tonight we can try something new. I think I have a plan . . ." Buffy looked down at the floor, her face scrunched slightly in thought, " . . . Yeah. I think I've got a plan." She smiled and looked back at Faith. "You just sleep."
"Are you sure? I can just get up . . . ?" Faith didn't want to put The Slayer's plans off. Buffy shook her head. "I'll probably be up by noon, I'm not all that tired."
"Well, I'll be at the School until about 3:30." Buffy pulled her bag higher on her shoulder.
"Maybe I'll stop by and see you. I'd like to see you working." Buffy laughed, and blushed. "I'll take you to lunch or something, we can talk about your plans for later or whatever." Faith smiled, and Buffy couldn't help but grin her self.
"Alright," she said quietly, "It's a date." Faith felt herself flush slightly, though strangely out of nerves. "Get some sleep, I'll go talk to Giles." Faith nodded and lay back down. Wrapping herself back up in the now cool sheets, Faith took a deep breath.
"It's A Date . . ."
= = = (Face Your Fears Kinda Deal) = = =
Faith stood outside for a few minutes, just marveling at it. The Strangeness of it all. Things were so different, and it seemed like it was now slapping here in the face. Wow, Faith thought, I had no idea how much things could change while I was gone. She took a deep breath and watched the small patch of girls sitting on the grass, laughing and talking, as though they didn't have a care in the world. And why should they, Faith asked, it's not like they know the world's about to end. Sighing in defeat, Faith walked up the stairs, and opened the door. Sunnydale High had really changed.
Walking into the front hall, she looked around. There were students all over, getting things out of their lockers, talking, just living. Faith smiled as she noticed she'd caught the eyes of a small patch of boys. She turned to face them fully, and grinned. They all looked away, pretending they hadn't been checking her out. They started talking quietly to themselves, saying how hot she was, not knowing Faith could hear. She slowly walked up to them, and they all hushed quickly, putting on their cutest faces. Faith chuckled, and put her own on.
"Hey," she said, voice low and throaty, "Do you know where the front desk is?" They all started stammering at once, so Faith couldn't understand a word of it. Luckily, one of them had pointed down the hall to the left, and Faith nodded. "Thanks guys." She said slowly. I'm such a tease, she thought. But she felt no shame in it. It had been funny, and the boys didn't seem to mind.
Walking down the hall, she looked into a few classrooms as she passed them. Looking in one, she caught a familiar face. Smiling and waving, she caught Dawn's eye, who was sitting next to that Potential who's name she could never remember. They smiled and waved, and Faith walked on. She finally found the front desk, and asked where she could find Buffy Summers. The middle-aged woman smiled, and pointed her through a set of doors nearby. Faith thanked her, and opened them quietly. As soon as she stepped through them, she heard a familiar voice coming form the nearest cubical.
"Got any threes?" Buffy asked.
"Nah, go fish." The kid replied. Faith carefully looked over the small wall, not wanting the blonde to see her. She was sitting at her desk, cards in hand, talking to a boy of about sixteen, with bruises on his face. She watched as Buffy took a card, and then turned back to the boy.
"So, do you and your family get along?" she asked, as though it was just a friendly question. The boy nodded, and moved a few of his cards around. "Who are you closest to?"
"My brother." He said, smiling slightly, "He and I hang out a lot. He's thirteen, goes to the charter school out by the suburbs. He's really smart so he got a scholarship. Got any fours?" Buffy shook her head.
"Go Fish. So what do you and your brother like to do together?" The boy took a card and thought for a second.
"Well, he and I both really like to play Basketball, so we sometimes he gets dropped off here after school and we'll play in the gym. He's on his school's team." The boy chuckled slightly, "His schools so small they don't have to try out! They just let everyone on the team. They even are guarantied court time, so that no one gets left out."
"Well, what are you laughing about?" Buffy said, putting down two cards, "You're our star-starter. Not like you really had all that much competition when you tried out." The boy laughed and nodded.
"I know, but I know he's really gonna want to play next year when he comes here for high-school. He might not make it as easily as I did." The boy looked up as the bell rang, and put the rest of his cards down.
"Same time next third period?" Buffy asked nicely. The boy nodded, and shook her hand. Buffy put the cards away as Faith knocked on the wall. Looking up, she smiled as she saw the brunette.
"Hey Faith!" she stood up, and walked out from behind her desk. "Giles tell you that I have odd lunch hours?" Faith nodded.
"Yeah, but It's cool, I think it makes sense."
"Yeah, the fewest student have fourth period free, so I take my lunch then in case a kid wants to talk to me during lunch. I think it was a good call." Faith nodded, and Buffy took her jacket off the back of her chair. Just then the door opened, and a man walked in.
"Oh, Buffy, taking your lunch?" he asked, smiling at her. Faith didn't like the way her was looking at Buffy, but she couldn't really explain why.
"Yeah, I'm going off campus. If any one asked for tell them that I'll be back for the lunch break?" he nodded, and looked at Faith. He had a slightly scrutinizing look on his face, and the brunette had the sudden urge to stomp on his foot.
"Buffy, who's your friend?" he asked, he was obviously trying to sound friendly.
"Oh! Robin, this is Faith, Faith meet Principal Wood." She held her hand out and he took it in his. She felt him squeeze it firmly, and so she cheated and squeezed back harder. He face tweaked slightly, and he pulled his hand back.
"Why am I reminded of the first time I shook your hand?" he said, turning to Buffy, looking wearily back at Faith. "Another sister?" he asked. Buffy laughed, a hint of flirting in her voice. Buffy quickly looked back at her, and lean into wood slightly and whispered.
"She's also a Slayer." His eyes widened slightly and he nodded. He suddenly stopped, and then looked between them, slight shock on his face.
"But I thought . . ."
"I died" she interrupted. "They called the new slayer, then she died, and then Faith was called. She's been working with us on and off for the past four years or so." Buffy gave Faith a small smile, and Faith blushed and looked away. Why is she saying shit like that, Faith wondered.
"Hey B?" Faith asked quietly, "How does he know about you?" Buffy smiled and blushed slightly, which made the brunette slightly uneasy.
"His mother was one. He's been kinda free-lance since then, but . . . he's working with us now. He's a huge help, but he stays mostly hands off lately." Buffy gave him a bit of a hard look, and then turned back to Faith. "Ready to go?" she asked lightly.
"Yeah, sure." Faith answered, and then out of nowhere manors sprung from her lips. "Hey, you wanna join us?" Faith asked Wood. He looked between then, and then back at his office. There was a student waiting out-side of it. Sighing slightly, he shook his head and the two of them made their way out of the school.
"So where do you want to eat?" Buffy asked, "The cafeteria is as bad as it ever was, so why don't we eat off campus?" Faith nodded. The school may look different, but she still had bad memories of the cafeteria, Buffy, and The Mayor.
"Yeah, Sure, Whatever's fine with me." Faith said coolly. They stated walking, and both were kind of quiet. Faith didn't know what to say. She hadn't been in this town for years, and she hadn't been Friends with Buffy for even longer. Suddenly, Faith was forced out of her thoughts by the blonde asking her a question.
"So, what do you think of the new school?" Faith smiled, and replied slowly.
"It's nice. I think it'll be alright, as long as the student have a Slayer stationed over the hell-mouth." Buffy smiled and nudged Faith with her elbow. "But what about Wood, huh? Did you ever hear of a Slayer having a kid?" Buffy looked ahead and smiled.
"Her name was Nikki, and she was the only one. I asked Giles about it. She was called kind of later in her life, about 19. She'd given birth to Robin before that." Faith nodded.
"I bet he hates it when you call him Robin." She said quietly with a grin. Buffy laughed.
"Why else would I do it? He's my boss, so I make a point to call him Principal Wood when I'm working. But, otherwise it's 'Robin'. All the others just call him Wood, but I think that makes him a little too Giles-y for my taste." Faith looked at her sideways, then back ahead.
"Why, you wanna get it on with him?" she asked as though it was off-hand. Buffy stopped and looked at her. Faith stopped walking herself, and put on a face of surprise.
"What?" Buffy asked, as though she couldn't hear. "Did you just ask if I was attracted to Robin?" Faith gave a look that screamed 'DUH'. "NO." she stated firmly.
"Why not?" Faith asked, as though defending him.
"Okay, so I did go out with him Once, but that was a bust. Besides, I think it's bad policy to date your boss. There was even this thing when he asked me out . . . he said that if I said no I would have to sign a waver stating that I knew my turning him down would not effect his opinion of my professionally." They both laughed, and started walking again. "Why? You think he's cute?"
"Ah, he's alright." She stated, not really thinking about it, "Nothing too great though. He seemed nice enough, albeit rather defensive." Buffy nodded, and they walked into a small sandwich place. They ordered their food, and sat down.
"So, how'd you sleep?" Buffy asked in a friendly tone. It made Faith pause slightly. They hadn't been friends in almost four years. And even then, they were kind of 'Friends-At-A-Distance'. Faith realized she probably look a gift horse in the mouth, but she'd have to know the Hows and Whys eventually.
"Uh, Fine. Kinda odd though. It was actually hard, which was weird. I dunno, I had this feeling like it was all just a trick, like maybe guards would show up at your house and make me get up anyway." Faith chuckled slightly, and Buffy held in a laugh. "But nice change of pace. How was work? Who was that kid you were talking to?"
"Pretty good. I had one class-ditcher that obviously just wanted to sit out on a test day, and then I had a girl that needed advice about a 'Friend', you know" Faith smiled and nodded, leaning back in her chair. "Then there was Christopher, or Chris. He sees me every 3rd period. He's got some family problems. They don't have much money because they put so much of it towards putting his brother in private school. He needs better counseling but they can't afford it and the school Psychiatrist 'Creeps Him Out'. Dr. Reddleson does that to people, he constantly sit on his hands while you have a session with him." They both laughed and started eating.
"So, um, B," Faith said, chewing slightly, "What's this plan you have worked up?" Buffy sipped her soda, and wiped her mouth, leaning in.
"I thought, you know, now that there's more of us we could maybe do some more organized stuff. I was thinking: You, Me, Spike, and Giles could create four different groups or stations. Like Spike could train them in actually fighting a vampire, hands on experience kind of a thing. Then Giles could be, like, the info station. Learning about what we're fighting and a bit of Slayer-Facts or History. Then you or I could do drills and sparring while the other does weapons and target practice. How does that sound?" Faith was surprised, it was actually a good plan. The last plan she's seen Buffy plan out had ended up with Faith putting a knife to Willow's throat.
"Wow, you really planned this out well." Faith nodded, and took another bite of her lunch.
"I think it'll be better this way. Also, smaller groups means more individualized attention. This way each one of them will be better prepared and we can work with the people that are having trouble with certain things." Buffy wrapped the rest of her sandwich up and leaned back slightly. "Then at night you and I and sometimes Spike can take the ready ones out to take on some real Vamps."
"Sounds good to me. I just hope I don't teach them something wrong. I haven't had training in forever, I might not know how to teach, ya know?" Buffy smiled.
"It easier then it looks." Buffy said smiling slightly, "I thought the same thing when this all started. I was so worried that I was still a student that I was scared to teach." Buffy sighed and looked out the window. "But being a Slayer . . . it's what I was built for, what I was born to be. It's not hard to teach what comes naturally." She looked back at Faith who was now looking down at her hands, folded neatly in her lap.
"I was never that great of a Slayer." Faith said quietly.
"Faith," Buffy stated firmly, Faith looked up. "You were a perfectly fine Slayer. You were just left to your own devices and that's never good for anyone but for a Slayer . . ." Buffy's face took on a look of sadness suddenly. "We're so isolated as it is. The feeling of being a alone is just, all consuming. Even with Willow and Xander and Giles. Even with Dawn, my own Sister . . . they help ease the pain slightly but . . . I can't imagine what you went through. I'm sorry that we didn't include you more than we did. Especially after what happened with your Watcher and then that Crazy Post lady." Faith nodded, and smiled sadly.
"It's okay B," she said quietly, "you don't have to rationalized what happened - "
"Bu - " Buffy tried to interrupt, but Faith wouldn't let her.
"No, B! Let me finish. I made some bad choices, I know that. I knew it then, and I know it now. Fear does weird things to people, like make them Crazy. I'm sorry for what I did, and I don't care if you're gonna kick my ass for saying it. I had to tell you, and I mean it, and I don't care if you don't believe me because I know you have no reason to." Faith rushed that last part out in a tight breath. "I was messed up, and I know I can never take back what I did, and I know I can never make up for it. I don't plan on it. I took a life, more than one, and I can't get them back. Doesn't mean I should stop saving as many as I can before mine is over. I know I may not have shown it very well back then, but I cared about you," Faith looked away, afraid she was saying too much. Taking a deep breath she continued.
" . . . All of you. You were my friends, even if we weren't all that close. I cared about you guys and I blew it. I want to help you. I want to show you that I'm sorry." She looked back at Buffy who was smiling.
"I know." She said quietly. She got up slowly, and Faith fallowed suit. Reaching in to her pocket the blonde pulled out twenty dollars and put it on the table.
"Oh, Uh, how much do I owe you?" Faith asked quietly, voice still slightly shaky.
"Don't worry about it. It's on me." She smiled and led them out of the small café. Faith smiled, and Buffy caught it, and questioning look on here face. Faith looked down at her shoes as they walked back towards the school.
"I think that the first time anyone bought me more than just a drink." Buffy smiled, and swatted Faith shoulder slightly. As they walked back Faith told Buffy about what was going on down in LA. A lot of the information took Buffy by surprise.
"So, Angel has a son?" she asked again, for about the fifth time.
"Yes." She stated again.
"With Darla?" she asked, still slightly blank in the face.
"Yes."
"But he staked her, I watched him do it. I was there. It was way back when I first came to Sunnydale." Faith sighed.
"I dunno the details of it, but that's what happened. Then she staked herself again right when Connor was born." Buffy nodded, still slightly confused.
"And now he's with Cordelia?" she asked slowly. Faith nodded. "And she was a Higher-Being for a while, but now she's some source of Great Evil?" Another nod from the brunette. "Wow, LA is one happening town."
"Tell me about it."
.
= = = (Ideas Into Actions) = = =
Buffy looked over the yard, seemingly happy with the arrangements that she had made. Spike was wearing a white shirt and the girls where practicing staking him with Bingo-Markers. From the strange, almost tie-dye pattern on the-platinum-dead's chest, they were getting in some good strikes but had pretty bad aim. Over by the chairs and pick nick bench Giles was showing them flashcards and diagrams, and answering the odd hand that might raise. She had sent her group to pick out whatever weapons they felt they were best at and to bring them out back when they were done.
Faith's group was going well, though moving rather slowly. But then again, Buffy thought, slow is the whole point of Tie-Chi. She watched as Faith and the other girls did the slow and careful movements, remembering when Angel had taught them to her. It was around the same time that she'd met Faith. It would seem that Angel had taught them to her too.
She smiled, and walked over next to Faith. The girl looked at her, and smiled as she joined them in their practice.
Slowly, the two super-girls waved the their arms in tight but smooth sweeps through the air. The potentials watched as they were so perfectly synchronized it seemed eerie. Buffy closed her eyes, and the older brunette followed suit. The girls that the older Slayer had sent to get weapons came back out, and stopped to watch their commander in arms. The whole yard seemed to stop and just stair in awe. Even with eyes close, and with the silence that filled the air, they moved into their steps and lifts with a kind of mystical perfection. Willow smiled as she saw the calm looks on their faces. She was glad that Buffy was so happy and at peace. It had been a while since the Witch had seen the blonde act so openly content.
"Slayer!" Spike called out. Buffy had been halfway through a movement, and the calling of her Nick-Name had thrown her off. She suddenly fell on top of Faith, who caught her, and the blonde try to almost frantically get up. Spike walked out into the setting sun-lit back-yard, and covered his eyes. Faith tried to help steady the blonde, and looked up suspiciously at the Platinum Vampire. He walked over to Buffy and tried to help her up, but pulled her arm out of his reach.
"I'm fine, Spike." She said with a slight edge. She dusted her self off, and the yard seemed to come back to life, thought it was still pretty silent. Looking around she caught the eye of almost everyone out there. "Okay, three girls from each group come with me, the rest stay here and work with Willow and Xander. Spike, Faith, you're coming with me, we're taking these girls out again." Faith nodded, but then thought of something.
"Okay, just let me grab some thing." She ran back into the house, and grabbed the package out of the refrigerator. Walking outside, Buffy eyed the rolled paper object under the brunette's arm. "Sorry, just didn't want to forget them . . ."
"What is it?" Buffy asked cautiously. Faith pulled them out, and unwrapped the butcher-paper slightly. Inside where white lilies and a few orchids. "Flowers?" Buffy asked, almost in a whisper. Faith laughed almost nervously.
"Yeah . . ." she pushed a bit of hair behind her ear. "I promised Joyce I'd bring her some last night. Didn't want to disappoint her, ya know?" Buffy smiled at her, slowing slightly. Faith actually blushed, and Buffy squeezed her arm slightly.
"Thank you, Faith." Faith nodded silently, and looked ahead. Spike was walking in the rear this time, and the brunette could feel his eyes burning into the back of her neck. Looking back, the vamp looked away. What is going on with that guy, Faith wondered. Buy flowers wasn't all that Faith did this morning. She'd also had a talk with Xander.
Seemed the Xand-Man had changed a lot too. He wasn't the same funny carefree guy that he was all those years ago. She could hardly believe that he almost got married, which Faith noted was still a very sensitive subject with the young man. But there were some things that Xander didn't tell her and she knew it. Faith was going to make a point to get the full string of facts out of Dawn as soon as she could get her alone. Looking ahead Faith saw that Kennedy wasn't as jovial as she had been the night before. She seemed to be the only girl that didn't dread going out to the Grave Yards. Walking a bit faster, she nudged the girl lightly.
"Hey Kenny, what's up?" She looked at her with s small tight smile, and shrugged. "That's it? That's all that you're gonna say to me?" the girl smiled slightly.
"No, I'll also say that you're scaring the crap out of some of the potentials." Faith looked confused. Kennedy sighed, and almost laughed.
"You're kidding me, right? You're a known and wanted MURDERER, living in a house with a bunch of fourteen and fifteen year-old girls. Not to mention the shit that happened with you and Buffy in the yard!" Now Faith turned around so she could walk backwards and face Kennedy while they spoke.
"Whoa Whoa Whoa!" she said quickly, "What thing in the yard? Is this about the whole stomping on a Vamp's knee-caps, because you'll learn that in almost any women's self defense class?" Kennedy shook her head, and pulled Faith in closer.
"Not that," she whispered, "The whole thing with Buffy's and your freaky Tie-chi thing." Faith smiled.
"You're kidding right?" she laughed slightly, "That's freaking them out? Ha Ha! That messed Red up some too. She hated how well Buffy and I knew each other and how well we got along. She didn't realized that there are some things that only another Slayer can understand. Red thought I was stealing her best-friend away, when really I was just bonding with her." Kennedy looked at her a bit off, and Faith realized that she was feeling conflicted. Willow had a problem with the way Slayers bond, and she wanted to sympathize with her girl-friend . . . but at the same time, she was a slayer (or a potential one at least), and she could understand how hard it is to find a person that can really 'Get' that part of a person.
"Kenny, I hope you never have to learn how hard it is to be a slayer, how dividing it is. And not just because it would mean that I died," Kennedy laughed and Faith continued, "Willow just had trouble understanding how she could be Buffy's best friend and not know and empathize with her about everything." The girl nodded, and Faith sighed. "She didn't realized that Buffy and I . . . as close as we were and as much as we could understand each other . . . we could never be as close as those two were and still are. We click, and really well, but just . . . I dunno . . . not the way they did, I guess." Faith caught the girl looking at her through the corner of her eye, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. " . . . What?" she asked her slowly.
"Nothin'." She said shortly, and the smirk grew to the point where she couldn't contain it anymore, so she sped up. Faith shook her head, confused, and felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Buffy.
"Hey, Faith," she said slowly, "Why don't you go and drop those off, and Spike and I will split up, alright?" Faith nodded. "I'll take mine and yours towards the large crypt where we found the Amulet that one time, and - Spike -!" she called, turning towards the Vampire, "Why don't you take your group down by where you found the Gem of Amarah?" He nodded, and signaled for a few of the girls to fallow. Faith walked off to where she remember Joyce had been, and watched Buffy and the rest of the girls head off towards the place that Faith had first started to meet her down fall . . . and the place she realized she cared about the blonde more then she'd like to.
.
.
= = = (Speaking Of The Past) = = =
As she walked back to the trail she wiped a tear away from her eye. She had told Joyce things, things that she had never said aloud before . . . and having said them seem all the more real. She didn't regret it, and she didn't lie, but she wished that maybe she didn't have these feelings at all. As she fallowed the slight vibrating feeling she got all along spine, she quickly found Buffy and was shocked to find her waiting out-side a crypt (with a closed door), that was full of the screams of young girls.
"Hey Faith," she said as though this was nothing. "Ready to split up, or do you wanna stick close again tonight?" Faith shook it off, and thought for a second.
"I think I'll stick close," she sighed, leaning against the crypt near Buffy, "This town sure has changed a lot since I was last visiting." Buffy laughed, and smiled absently. "What?"
"Well," she said, pushing off the structure lightly, "You're right. But you don't notice it until it's the most obvious thing before your eyes. You, as an out-side that's been gone for 3 years, seen it better that the rest of us. We were all here, we watched in change . . . you were kinda 'Away'." Faith nodded, and Faith suddenly pulled out a stake. "Come on, they're taking too long, there must be a problem. Faith pulled out her own stake and fallowed the blonde in.
" - And I shall feast upon the flesh of the young, and be young in turn!" The giant Vampire yelled as he swung and axe wildly. Buffy could be heard holding in a laugh as she charged him down, barely armed. Faith quickly fallowed.
"Watch out!" Kennedy yelled as they ran in with nothing more than sharpened wood. They went in swinging, and didn't stop. They punched, spin- kicked, and staked with amazing accuracy and skill, and with the same eerie summitry. As Faith dusted off her pants, she tossed her stake to Buffy, who caught it without looking. They smiled at each other for a second, and walked to the door. Buffy held out her arm, looking rather like Vanna White, ushering them out. They fallowed silently and Faith helped one girl to her feat. She supported the girl until Buffy closed the door behind them.
"Well," Buffy said, slowly, "Not the greatest, but also not too shabby." She took the girl Faith had been helping in her arms, and carried her with ease. "I think this was a clear sign you girls need to build confidence not only with your own weapons, but also when fighting against monsters who are armed." Shifting the girls weight slightly, she nodded to Faith, and they all started walking.
"So, hey," Faith asked the group, "Which one of you left that gash in his side?" she knew you'd catch more flies with honey than with vinegar so . . .
"Uh, that was me," said a quiet mousy-red-head. Faith was slightly reminded of Willow, "He tossed Ronna out of the way, and she ran into me, and my sword went into him . . ." she looked rather embarrassed.
"Hey, Don't worry about it," Buffy assured as they walked, a small smile on her face, "at least you wounded it." Most of the girls looked almost shocked at what Buffy had just said. Buffy just kept walking, and the rest fallowed silently.
"Let's go find Spike, and take these girls home. Give them the rest of the night off, what do you say?" there was slight cheering and Faith looked happy herself. They walked for a bit, and found Spike standing with his group out-side of a crypt not far in from the path. She waved him over, and the odd troop headed out of the cemetery. As they went, Buffy asked what the girls would want to do. They all said that they were too juiced up to go right to bed, and that wouldn't mind renting a movie.
"Well . . ." Buffy started slowly, shooting a blushing look at Faith, "We're not allowed back in our video story. We have a late charge of about $300 because of some movie that Dawn rented and left at someone's house for the entire Summer. But you're welcome to any movies that we have back at the house?" They all nodded and they made their way down Ravello Dive.
As they walked in and settled in the living room, Buffy headed into the Kitchen and offered to make food for the girls so they all didn't storm in at once. As the youngins' picked from a short list of Disney movies that were kept in the house, Dawn walked into the breakfast-nook as sat down at the counter. Buffy and Faith were making pop-corn and gathering sodas while they listened to the light banter from the other room.
"Why don't they have anything that isn't rated 'G'?" one girl asked.
"I don't mind, it'd be weird watching something good with a room for of adults." Came another.
"I bet Kennedy wouldn't mind watching something very Cruel-Intentions-y . . . you know, all snuggled up next to Willow!" the room filled with laughter as Kennedy tried to get them to shut-up to the extent of threatening their lives and cursing their mothers.
"What's got Kennedy so bugged?" Dawn asked her sister and Faith, "She's never denied anything when it's come to Willow before?" the Slayers looked at each other and then back at Dawn. They then quickly continued their microwaving. "Come to think of it," Dawn said slowly, "I didn't see Willow out there . . ."
"She's upstairs," Buffy said slowly. "She and Kennedy are in a bit of a fight right now. Don't talk about it and don't pry, okay Dawny?" Buffy warned her. "It's none of our business. Now get back in there and get them to lay of Kennedy, alright?" Dawn nodded and walked into the other room. Faith turned quietly to Buffy and whispered to her.
"So, I don't mean to 'Pry', but . . . What's up with Kenney? She'd been off a bit all day. SI this the Willow thing?" Buffy looked behind her and then back at Faith. She nodded. Faith was interested now. "So, what happened." Buffy reddened slightly, and then looked down at the floor as she waited for the last of the Pop-Corn to beep.
"It's Tara." Faith waited for the rest of it, but it seemed like nothing else was to fallow. Faith waved slightly and took a handful of pop-corn to snack on, indicating that the Blonde should continue. "Okay, this is a very private matter, so no talking - AND I MEAN NO TALKING!" She warn in a tight whisper.
"Yeah, yeah, out with it, okay? I promise, no telling." She said around a mouthful of her salty treat.
"Last night . . . Willow and Kennedy were . . . Intimate for the first time." Faith's eyes bugged out, a slight smile covered her closed lips. She swallowed and then spoke.
"But that doesn't explain the moody-ness. If anything that would put her in a good-mood, I'd think . . ." Buffy looked away, and Faith wondered what was wrong.
"That's what i would have thought too . . ." she said quietly. "But . . . . . what if it didn't go as planned?" No Faith was confused. What was Buffy trying to get at? Being the ever tactless person that she was, she encouraged Buffy to continue.
"B, i don't mean to be rude, but You plus Me plus Subtle . . . it just doesn't work. OUT WITH IT." Buffy sighed, and closed her eyes.
"It was not only the first time they had been intimate with each-other . . . it was also the first time that Willow had been with ANYONE since Tara died . . ." Faith thought she knew that the blonde was getting at, but wanted to be sure, so she just kept looking at her.
"And . . . ?"
"And . . ." Buffy said, voice almost silent, "She kinda . . . forgot."
"For got what?" Faith was loving this, seeing THE SLAYER squirm was still a favorite past-time of hers.
" . . . Who she was with?" Buffy said gently. Faith choked and sputtered, and tried to hold in a laugh. Okay, Faith thought, that certainly wasn't what I was expecting!
"You're kidding right?" Faith said trying to whisper and hold back a chuckle. Soon Buffy was blushing as well and couldn't hold in a bit of a laugh herself. Faith suddenly felt like a balloon. She'd seemed inflated with joy, as slight as it was. It was such a foreign feeling she almost couldn't place it at first. But as she looked at the pink and pleasant blonde before her she realized that it had to be happiness. She and Buffy had never been too Buddy-Buddy back in the day, and she was glad that maybe the older Slayer was starting to warm up to her. Just then, the Microwave beeped, and Buffy poured the kernels into the bowl.
"Look, Faith," Buffy said quietly, "I'm trying to get them to work this out, we need both Willow and Kennedy at their best for this fight to work. Will's Magic needs to be focused and not come from a place of sadness, and Kennedy is one of the best girls we have and she's . . .like . . . I dunno . . . A Man Among Men, you know?" Faith looked confused, and Buffy sighed. "Like, a King of Kings? The other girls look up to her." Faith nodded, and realized the point.
"So, you're trying to get them back together?" Faith asked slowly. Buffy nodded, and Faith continued. "And, what . . . you want me to help?" she asked, slightly surprised. Buffy colored slightly, but nodded as she took the several bowl of food into her arms.
"Look, Faith, She likes you. You're the only person that she's opened up to besides Willow and that would be very helpful. Also, you're a terrible liar so don't bull-shit her." Faith nodded after each comment, until the meaning of the last one struck her.
"Hey! I am NOT a bad liar!" she retorted, filling her arms with masses of sodas. Buffy laughed as they both piled into the living room. Xander and Dawn cleared a space on the couch for them, and the two slayer squeezed in. "So, What are we watching?" Faith asked, not really caring as long as it wasn't 'Glitter' . . . that was the only movie they showed while she was in prison.
"Toy Story." Rona replied, slightly disappointed from her position on the floor. Dawn gave a slight whimper, and the room turned to look at her. Instead of the disgusted look they all expected, they saw a hurt one. Taking a deep breath, Dawn shook it off, and quietly explained.
"Uh, it was a favorite of Tara's . . ." Buffy put her arm around her sister, and hugged her. Obviously Dawn was very close to the now deceased Blonde. From the floor Kennedy huffed, and Faith shot her a look. Kennedy actually recoiled. Sending her a look that screamed 'Grief is no joke', Kennedy nodded slightly and turned back towards the screen. Buffy put her hand on Faith's knee and mouthed a silent Thanks . . . But she never took her hand away.
After a several minutes, Faith was quite out of it. She was a huge lover of Cartoons, and she usually liked animated kids movies because they were almost the same . . . But she couldn't keep her head out of the clouds. Buffy's hand on her leg was doing weird stuff to her insides. She was still all 'Jumpy' from slaying, and Buffy had only removed her hand once to wrap a blanket around herself, Dawn, and her Sister-Slayer. The standard tingle from their Slayer connection was causing her brain to have misfires, and was obviously sending her blood-supply to places that shouldn't be worried with it right now.
Faith shook her head and tried to clear this garbled mess she called a brain. Buffy just looked at her and smiled. After another second, she laid her head down on Faith's shoulder. That did it. Her heart started pumping quickly, sending the much needed blood she needed in her addles brain back southwards. She was also sure that some of it was coloring her now warn cheeks. She felt Buffy shift lightly, and look up at her. Turning to face the blonde, the brunette put on a face of innocence. Buffy looked at her scrutinizingly for a few seconds then spoke quietly.
"Faith, are you feeling okay?" she asked, Faith noticed Dawn and Kennedy look at her quickly, then look away pretending not to be listening.
"Yeah. Yeah, B, I'm fine." She said quickly. Buffy wasn't biting.
"Are you sure? You're all flushed and you're hearts beating so fast it almost sounds like it's humming . . . ?" Faith nodded, and shook her head again, trying to get it to clear. One thing was obvious; she needed to put some space between herself and the blonde. Getting up gently, she wrapped her section of the blanket around the older Slayer.
"Yeah, B, I'm alright. I just have a bit of a head ache and the warmth from the blanket is making me a bit dizzy." Buffy nodded, and looked like she was going to get up to help her. "I'm just going to take some Advil and cool down a bit where it's a little less noisy."
"Do you want me to come with you?" she asked quickly, hands on the corners of the blanket. Faith shook her head and headed towards the kitchen.
"Nah, stay and enjoy the movie. I'll come back once my head quiets down a little." By head, she meant Lust, and the look on Kennedy's face seemed to testify that she already knew that.
Sitting down on the edge of the kitchen sink, Faith let the cool air from the open window wash over her, cooling her heated skin. What is she doing to me, Faith wondered. Was it ever this bad back when we hated each other? Faith stopped to think about it and realized that it was, though Faith knew she had never really hated the older girl. But, before even that, she remembered them dancing at the Bronze and the way the blonde's movements would make her feel. It was like something that had long died found the strength to live again.
She used to cherish those memories with Buffy. When it was dark, and she couldn't sleep. She would think of the way the older Slayer would smile and take her hand, pulling her close and laughing. She could almost see the way she'd sway to the music with perfect rhythm and a sort of dignified poise. She'd smile, and laugh, eyes barely closed, and link fingers with her Slaying partner. Smiling and closing her own eyes, Faith pulled the memories from the back of her mind, enjoying the way it gave her that happy- balloon feeling. She suddenly chuckled at a memory forgotten.
Faith thought of her first, and longest stay in Solitary. The prison they kept her in used the kind of sensory-deprivation-tank cells for it sometimes, or at least for the first two days. Faith had always had a short attention span, so the meditation techniques that she remembered from Giles' lessons didn't last long. Trying to think of something to keep her mind off the panic that was constantly under the surface, Faith remembered their dancing.
She'd started singing one of the songs that they'd danced to, and started doing the same movements she had done in her memory. With the Absolute darkness of the chamber weighing in on her, her thoughts almost became projections. In that cell, in that darkness, she could see Buffy there with her. Smiling, eyes just closed, laughing and pulling her close, free and uninhibited . . . and just Dancing. With a loud clang, Faith was pulled out of her memories by Dawn rushing into the room and knocking an empty soda can to the floor. The young Summers looked quite distressed. And on closer inspection she saw that there were tears welled in her eyes.
"Hey, Peanut, what's wrong?" she asked quietly. Dawn's head shot up. It would seem that the girl didn't even notice she was there. "Hey, what happened? What's going on?" jumping off the sink, she approached the girl. Dawn drew back, and leaned against the back door. She took some deep shuddering breathes, and braced her head against the hard wood behind her. Now Faith was really worried. "Hey, Dawny, tell me what's wrong?" Dawn looked at her, and the tears fell, though no sobs could be heard.
"It's Buffy . . ." she said quietly. Suddenly Faith's heart started racing again, panicked that something had happed while she'd been 'Cooling Off'. " . . . And Tara." Okay, Panic over, Faith thought.
"What do you mean, Kid?" she asked slowly. Dawn blushed and shook her head fiercely, wiping the tears away.
"You'll think I'm a dork . . ."
"No, you know I won't. Besides, you ran in here crying and I think I'm your friend, in my book that warrants an explanation." Dawn laughed slightly, thought it was a slightly tearful one. Nodding, she sat herself down in one of the stools along the counter.
"It's just a lot of bad memories . . ." she said quietly. Looking guiltily at Faith, she continued. "I hate that movie. I didn't always, but then, after Buffy died . . . I just couldn't watch it. When ever Tara would stay over and watch me, we'd watch it together, and that makes seeing it hurt all the more . . ." Seeing the look of confusion on Faith's face, Dawn tried to think about the best way to explain this.
"Uh, Dawny . . . what are you talking about? Why does Buffy's death make the movie upsetting?" Faith asked slowly, "I mean, I can understand the whole thing with Tara but - "
"Buffy told you that she died, right?" dawn interrupted. Faith nodded. "Did she tell you how many times?" Faith now looked suspicious, and shook her head No. "She's died three times. Twice was only for a second, but there was one time that lasted almost 150 days." Now Faith's eyes were almost falling out of her head.
"THREE TIMES?!" she asked in a loud whisper. Dawn blushed and nodded. "Okay, even for me, that's what we call 'Over-Kill'!" she took a deep breath and asked a question she wasn't sure she wanted to know. "Dawn," she asked, making sure to use her real name and a serious tone to her voice, "When were the dates of when she died?" Dawn thought for a second, and then looked back at the older brunette.
"Well, there was the one in early June when she was a Sophomore . . . then there was the really long one; the May before last (that lasted far to long and she came back wrong) . . . and then there was LAST May." At that, Faith shrieked.
"WHAT?!" Dawn shushed her, but Faith paid no mind. "What do you mean LAST MAY?!" Clamping a hand over Faith's mouth, the younger girl told her to be quiet again. There were calls to shut-up from the other room, and Dawn let go once she was sure that Faith would keep her voice down.
"Last May," Dawn said quietly, "Buffy was shot and taken to the hospital. She was shot right in the heart, and she died on the operating table. Willow was kinda drunk on Dark magic over Tara's death and she'd sucked all the power out of the building when she walked into it . . . the machines that were keeping her alive started to flicker and they couldn't save her. the doctors fled the room when Evil Willow entered so . . . she flat- lined. I doubt Buffy even knows she died. Willow used the dark magic to heal her and force her heart back to life. Xander was there and he was the one who told me . . . he was really shaken up about it." Faith looked like she had been slapped across the face with a dead-fish . . . and it Smelled.
"So, you're telling me, that Buffy had died a bunch of times and that she might not even know how many?" Dawn nodded. Faith stopped to think about this, and just as it was starting to make sense, she realized there was a piece that didn't "So, how does this fit into the Movie being upsetting?" Dawn's face fell again, and she suddenly became fascinated with the counter.
"When she Died two years ago . . . it wasn't just a death. It was real heroisms. She and I were on the top of this ten-story tower out in the industrial area of Sunnydale . . . she told me some stuff, and said good- bye." Faith watched as Dawn's eyes darkened, and the girl seemed to face into her self, though she kept talking. "She ran to the end of the platform, and just . . . Jumped. But it wasn't just a jump, it was the most beautiful Swan Dive I have ever seen. She had wanted to die, I kind of realize that now but . . . When I watch that movie, and Buzz gets up to prove that he can fly . . ." she started crying again, tears running down her cheeks.
"What, Peanut?" Faith asked quietly. She sobbed slightly, and looked up at the older girl.
"It's just . . . the way he jumps . . . and the fact that he's the hero and just - " her sobs prevented her from explaining the rest, and Faith quickly put her arm around her, assuring her she didn't have to talk about it anymore.
"Hey, Hey . . . no worries Dawny. Buffy's here now and she loves you, and she's not leaving again even remotely soon." Faith rubbed the girl's back and let her cry, allowing her to get it all out of her system. After some thought, Faith made a decision. Gathering her strength to ask, she turned to Dawn. The girl looked up at her expectantly. "Hey, Peanut?" she asked slowly, not wanting to upset the girl, "Do you think you could do me a HUGE favor?" Dawn wiped her eyes, and sniffled.
"What is it?" she asked quietly, almost afraid.
"Well . . . I just realized that there are a lot of things that I don't know about Buffy. I've been gone so long, and out of the loop for even longer and . . . I've already stepped on her toes a few times about a couple things." Taking a deep breath Faith asked the question she desperately wanted an answer to. "What's happened while I was gone? I've missed all these Massive Events and I just . . . I want to know what's happened, and it seems like you'd be the best person to tell me soooo . . . . ?" Dawn just kept staring at her as thought she didn't get it. "Do you think . . . Will you fill me in?" Dawn's eyes changed from sad to laughing.
"You want the short version, or the full summery?" she asked, voice slightly horse from tears. Faith smiled, and led them out the back door.
"The Full Summery!" she said solidly, "I want some good juicy details!" both girls laughed as they settled into the lawn chairs. Dawn ran a hand through her hair, eyes wide, and thought for a few seconds.
"Uh . . . where to begin?" she asked rhetorically.
"Why don't we just start with were I left of?" Dawn gave her a look as if to ask when that was. "About the time that Buffy and I had to take those Watcher-Psych-Exams." Faith filled in. Dawn smiled, and leaned back slightly.
"Well, Anya was Evil at the time, or at least trying to be, and in order to get her demon power back, she needed Willow to do a spell for her . . ." And so she talked, telling her a very detailed and very through break-down of the past four years. They sat out there, smiling and laughing, or silently holding in tears.
They continued on as the movie ended and people headed off to bed. They heard Buffy say that she was going to bed, and that Kennedy was going to sleep down-stairs tonight. But it didn't bother them; they were too wrapped up in the Past to deal with the Future. After the house had quieted, the two girls had finished their story-telling and both headed off to bed. Dawn slouched back into her room, and Faith headed for the shower.
Once cleaned and dried, Faith got into bed. She looked at the face of the sleeping blonde next to her, and felt awed. She'd never even heard of most of the hardships that Buffy had endured. And it all could have been a lot easier, Faith scolded herself, if you had been there to help her fight it . . . where you were supposed to be! Reaching over, Faith pulled the older girl into a gentle embrace. And for the first time that night, let a tear run down her cheek. This woman, this incredible woman, was really one in a forever.
To Be Continued . . . (Chapter Three - 'Dreams & Nightmares - In The Works!)
ENJOY! {P.S.: Please Review! It gives me a Happy!}
VixenRaign
= = = ("Oh What A Beautiful Morning . . .") = = =
Faith woke up at Six AM sharp, just as she always did. She kept her eyes closed, expecting to hear the door-lock to click and the lights to turn on, but nothing happened. No voice rang out over the loud speaker, no sound of yelling women, and no empty feeling deep in side; growling of hunger and remorse. Instead, she felt a tingling numbness in her arm . . . which was caught under something foreign.
Opening one eye, she peered at the light weight that was cutting off her circulation. What she found was her arm gently (and slightly awkwardly) tucked behind Buffy's head, which was cradled into the crook of the brunette's neck. As Faith tried to pull away to look down at the blonde, she noticed something else. Buffy's arm was loosely slung, rather low, around Faith's waist. Deciding that the numbness was well worth not waking the blonde, she lay there, looking down into the older woman's face.
She'd changed since Faith had last really looked at her like this, all those years ago. The blonde now had a hardened resolve to her, a kind of unwavering commitment to whatever she was doing. She wasn't the carefree girl that Faith remembered, but she knew it had to be in there somewhere. She smiled as every few seconds Buffy would whimper slightly, and toss her head a little. It caused the soft tip of her nose to tickle the younger girls neck. It's a nice feeling, being nuzzled like this, Faith thought.
No sooner had she thought it that her sharp Slayer ears caught the sound of a person in the hallway. Pretending to be asleep, she closed her all but a sliver so she could just vaguely make out the shape of the room. The door opened with a slight squeak, causing Buffy to raise her head up from it's resting place. There, in the doorway, stood an all too smug Willow, a knowing smile dominating her face.
"I knew it . . ." she said in a quiet, almost sing-song voice. Buffy sat up more fully, and looked down at Faith and the way they were wrapped up around each-other.
"Well, what can I say . . ." Buffy said, voice scratchy as she stretched lightly, "I have a thing for brunettes." Willow laughed, Buffy flopped down onto her back, flat against the mattress. Due to the Slayers' entanglement, she odd movement cause the blonde's leg (which had been between Faiths) to press rather yummily into her crotch. Faith could feel her self turn bright red, and hoped the dim-light of the room would save her from embarrassment.
"The girls are up, getting ready for school," Willow said, giving the news of the morning. "Xander is getting doughnuts and coffee as we speak. Kennedy's in the shower right now, but you can have it when she's done." "Faith could feel the red-head's eyes on their twisted legs. "You two seemed pretty snuggly . . . So, just how right were my predictions last night?" Willow said, a laughing edge to her voice.
"I dunno, how correct were Faith's?" Buffy shot back playfully. To both girls' surprise, Willow bowed her head, and mumbled something that even Faith couldn't hear.
"Uh, yeah . . . about that. Buffy, can I talk to you later?"
"Yeah, sure, what's up?" she said, arching her back for a deeper stretch. Faith took in a silent shuddering breath, preying that both the girls would leave soon.
"Uh," Willow said quietly as Kennedy passed her in the hall, "I'll tell you later." The Witch seemed pretty down, so both slayers could tell it was serious.
"Alright. Save the shower for me?" Willow nodded and closed the door. No sooner had that happened that Buffy sat up. She smacked her mouth twice, and then fell face down on Faith again, snuggling in like when they'd been sleeping. The door opened again suddenly, and it was Willow, and even larger grin on her face.
"UP! If I have to get up and go to school, then you do too!" she said laughing. Buffy groaned and got out of bed. Walking out of the door, both girls laughed, leaving a very shell-shocked Faith in their wake. "Mmmm . . ." Faith half groaned, half moaned as she rolled over. Christ, is she trying to kill me?!, Faith wondered. She buried her face in the pillows and wrapped herself up in all the blankets, trying to calm her self down. Ugh, B, what are you doing to me?!
Faith took a few deep breaths and sighed as a certain smell assaulted her senses. It was pure Buffy. Little hints of grime and death and dirt among the smooth vanilla and oranges. It was a smell she remembered, and one she cherished. The light citrus smell mixed with the stale scent of Vampire dust was actually quite pleasing to Faith. Reminded her of a time when the blonde trusted her enough to stand that close to her. That was way before things got way out of control. But Faith had a strange feeling that maybe they could be that close again.
After taking one last deep breath, Faith turned face up again, flinging her arm over her eyes, and heard the shower shut off. She heard Buffy shuffling around in the next room, and smiled. She felt like she was home. And while that realization comforted her, she wondering if it was only because this may be the last bed she ever slept in. It wish it was, Faith thought, Though not quite in the way most would think. A few seconds later, the connecting door to the bathroom opened, and Buffy walked in. Peeking at her with one eye, she saw that the blonde was wearing only a towel, and Faith was now wearing a smirk.
"Hey there B." Faith said, just as Buffy let the towel drop. Quick as a flash, Buffy dropped to the ground, probebly reaching the floor before the sheet of terry-cloth did. Peeking her head up over the end of the bed, Buffy was bright red. Faith still looked at her with a smirk, with one eye peeking out from under her arm.
"Hey, Faith, Um . . . what are you - " Buffy stammered, but Faith cut her off.
"Looking at?" Faith guessed, her smirk turning into that of almost an evil grin. Buffy flushed, and she wrapped the towel back around her out of Faith line of vision.
"What I was going to say," she stated, getting back up, "was 'what are you doing awake'? I thought you were asleep . . ." Now Faith flushed slightly. She covered her eyes more fully with her arm this time and answered.
"I heard the shower," Faith lied, not wanting Buffy to know she had been awake long before her. "Also, years of conditioning at the 'Correctional Facility' . . ." Buffy nodded, and Faith glanced at her again.
"You gonna change or what?" she asked slowly.
"What?" Buffy looked like she had heard her wrong.
"Change? Are you going to change?" Faith said again, "Don't mind me, I've lived with nothing but women for the last three years, B. Nothing I ain't seen before . . ." Buffy blushed, and looked down at her towel. Faith covered her eyes again with her arm, and sighed. "You're gonna be late if you don't hurry."
She heard Buffy turn back around, and Faith watched the towel drop from the space between her forearm and upper-arm. She felt herself flush as the cloth hit the floor. The smooth pink skin of Buffy back was so soft and supple looking that Faith couldn't tear her eyes from it. Buffy hesitantly opened her drawers, and glanced back around. Not Faith was nervous, Slayers could often tell when they were being watched. She decided it would be safest to just close hers eyes, and let Buffy finish.
"So B," Faith said once Buffy told her she could open her eyes again, "What class you got with Red this morning?" Buffy looked confused.
"What do you mean?"
"You, Red, College . . . what classes you got so that you'd have to get up at the crack of dawn?" Buffy looked away and started packing her bag. "What did I say?" Faith asked slowly.
"Um, I don't . . ." but she didn't finish. She just kept packing her bag. Faith sat up more fully and looked at the blonde. Taking a deep breath, Buffy turned to her. "I'm not going to UC Sunnydale with Willow . . . I'm going to Sunnydale High with Dawn." Faith eyes bugged out of her head.
"WHAT?!" Faith yelled, shocked that the girl was 22 and in high-school.
"I work there!" she stated firmly, realizing what Faith had thought. Faith sighed, and laughed lightly.
"Good. I was worried you'd been pushed back. I knew you had graduated . . ." Faith trailed off, and looked at the blonde again. She was blushing.
"But then why are you there?" she asked. Buffy turned darker red, and whispered something that Faith couldn't hear. "You what?"
"Teach . . . Kinda." Faith's eyes went ever wider than before. Buffy had always hated school, it was one of the things they had in common and could gripe about. But how could she be a teacher and be so young? Willow hadn't even graduated college yet.
"What do you teach? PE?" Faith guessed. It was something that Buffy had a talent at; all things physical. Buffy laughed, and said that she wasn't actually a teacher. "Well, what are you then? A 'Professional Of The Custodial Arts'?" Buffy gave her a look, and Faith chuckled slightly.
"No." she stated firmly, "I'm a guidance consoler. I help kids with their problems." Faith didn't know how to respond.
"So . . . you're a shrink?" she asked slowly.
"Not exactly. I had to drop out of college after my mother died, and so I don't have a doctorate or a PHD. I'm just someone a little closer to the students' age, a person they can trust more than the actual Psychiatrist." Faith nodded.
"I get that. I wish they had one of those when I was in school." Buffy gave her a small smile.
"You know, it's not just the students that can talk to me. Willow, Dawn, and even some of the potentials vent about stuff to me." Buffy looked her a little harder. " . . . All Slayers Welcome." Faith chuckled a little.
"Yeah, sure. I'll get right to that." Faith said sarcastically. Buffy looked a bit surprised. "Hey, three years of required therapy. And most of the stuff I talked about was you, Sunnydale, and the shit I pulled with the Mayor. Just being here is good therapy. Like a 'Facing Your Fears' kind of a deal, ya know?" Buffy gave her a look as if to say; whatever you want to believe.
"Well, I'm here if you need me. And, don't not talk to me if I'm the one you're having problems with. I've had talks with Dawn where I wasn't her sister, but just a person she could talk to." Faith nodded, and lay back down on the bed.
"Yeah . . . I'll keep that in mind."
"Are you going back to bed?" Buffy asked. Faith nodded.
"Yeah. I haven't been allowed to sleep in for three years, I think I'm gonna take advantage of it."
"Oh, Okay. Um, I kinda had this thing planed, but I'll go take care of it." Buffy said quickly. Faith sat back up just as Buffy was walking out of the room.
"Wait!" The blonde paused. "What are you talking about?" Buffy flushed slightly, and stood in the doorway.
"Well, we need some help training all the girls. There are a lot of them, and with me away at work . . . and the fact that Spike can't train them out side, in the sun, with the rest . . . I kinda told Giles you'd help him. I can just tell him that you want to sleep - "
"No! It's okay B, I'll just - "
"Faith!" Buffy yelled, "Lie back down! I want you to sleep in. You should be able to. I'll just tell Giles to give them the day off, and tonight we can try something new. I think I have a plan . . ." Buffy looked down at the floor, her face scrunched slightly in thought, " . . . Yeah. I think I've got a plan." She smiled and looked back at Faith. "You just sleep."
"Are you sure? I can just get up . . . ?" Faith didn't want to put The Slayer's plans off. Buffy shook her head. "I'll probably be up by noon, I'm not all that tired."
"Well, I'll be at the School until about 3:30." Buffy pulled her bag higher on her shoulder.
"Maybe I'll stop by and see you. I'd like to see you working." Buffy laughed, and blushed. "I'll take you to lunch or something, we can talk about your plans for later or whatever." Faith smiled, and Buffy couldn't help but grin her self.
"Alright," she said quietly, "It's a date." Faith felt herself flush slightly, though strangely out of nerves. "Get some sleep, I'll go talk to Giles." Faith nodded and lay back down. Wrapping herself back up in the now cool sheets, Faith took a deep breath.
"It's A Date . . ."
= = = (Face Your Fears Kinda Deal) = = =
Faith stood outside for a few minutes, just marveling at it. The Strangeness of it all. Things were so different, and it seemed like it was now slapping here in the face. Wow, Faith thought, I had no idea how much things could change while I was gone. She took a deep breath and watched the small patch of girls sitting on the grass, laughing and talking, as though they didn't have a care in the world. And why should they, Faith asked, it's not like they know the world's about to end. Sighing in defeat, Faith walked up the stairs, and opened the door. Sunnydale High had really changed.
Walking into the front hall, she looked around. There were students all over, getting things out of their lockers, talking, just living. Faith smiled as she noticed she'd caught the eyes of a small patch of boys. She turned to face them fully, and grinned. They all looked away, pretending they hadn't been checking her out. They started talking quietly to themselves, saying how hot she was, not knowing Faith could hear. She slowly walked up to them, and they all hushed quickly, putting on their cutest faces. Faith chuckled, and put her own on.
"Hey," she said, voice low and throaty, "Do you know where the front desk is?" They all started stammering at once, so Faith couldn't understand a word of it. Luckily, one of them had pointed down the hall to the left, and Faith nodded. "Thanks guys." She said slowly. I'm such a tease, she thought. But she felt no shame in it. It had been funny, and the boys didn't seem to mind.
Walking down the hall, she looked into a few classrooms as she passed them. Looking in one, she caught a familiar face. Smiling and waving, she caught Dawn's eye, who was sitting next to that Potential who's name she could never remember. They smiled and waved, and Faith walked on. She finally found the front desk, and asked where she could find Buffy Summers. The middle-aged woman smiled, and pointed her through a set of doors nearby. Faith thanked her, and opened them quietly. As soon as she stepped through them, she heard a familiar voice coming form the nearest cubical.
"Got any threes?" Buffy asked.
"Nah, go fish." The kid replied. Faith carefully looked over the small wall, not wanting the blonde to see her. She was sitting at her desk, cards in hand, talking to a boy of about sixteen, with bruises on his face. She watched as Buffy took a card, and then turned back to the boy.
"So, do you and your family get along?" she asked, as though it was just a friendly question. The boy nodded, and moved a few of his cards around. "Who are you closest to?"
"My brother." He said, smiling slightly, "He and I hang out a lot. He's thirteen, goes to the charter school out by the suburbs. He's really smart so he got a scholarship. Got any fours?" Buffy shook her head.
"Go Fish. So what do you and your brother like to do together?" The boy took a card and thought for a second.
"Well, he and I both really like to play Basketball, so we sometimes he gets dropped off here after school and we'll play in the gym. He's on his school's team." The boy chuckled slightly, "His schools so small they don't have to try out! They just let everyone on the team. They even are guarantied court time, so that no one gets left out."
"Well, what are you laughing about?" Buffy said, putting down two cards, "You're our star-starter. Not like you really had all that much competition when you tried out." The boy laughed and nodded.
"I know, but I know he's really gonna want to play next year when he comes here for high-school. He might not make it as easily as I did." The boy looked up as the bell rang, and put the rest of his cards down.
"Same time next third period?" Buffy asked nicely. The boy nodded, and shook her hand. Buffy put the cards away as Faith knocked on the wall. Looking up, she smiled as she saw the brunette.
"Hey Faith!" she stood up, and walked out from behind her desk. "Giles tell you that I have odd lunch hours?" Faith nodded.
"Yeah, but It's cool, I think it makes sense."
"Yeah, the fewest student have fourth period free, so I take my lunch then in case a kid wants to talk to me during lunch. I think it was a good call." Faith nodded, and Buffy took her jacket off the back of her chair. Just then the door opened, and a man walked in.
"Oh, Buffy, taking your lunch?" he asked, smiling at her. Faith didn't like the way her was looking at Buffy, but she couldn't really explain why.
"Yeah, I'm going off campus. If any one asked for tell them that I'll be back for the lunch break?" he nodded, and looked at Faith. He had a slightly scrutinizing look on his face, and the brunette had the sudden urge to stomp on his foot.
"Buffy, who's your friend?" he asked, he was obviously trying to sound friendly.
"Oh! Robin, this is Faith, Faith meet Principal Wood." She held her hand out and he took it in his. She felt him squeeze it firmly, and so she cheated and squeezed back harder. He face tweaked slightly, and he pulled his hand back.
"Why am I reminded of the first time I shook your hand?" he said, turning to Buffy, looking wearily back at Faith. "Another sister?" he asked. Buffy laughed, a hint of flirting in her voice. Buffy quickly looked back at her, and lean into wood slightly and whispered.
"She's also a Slayer." His eyes widened slightly and he nodded. He suddenly stopped, and then looked between them, slight shock on his face.
"But I thought . . ."
"I died" she interrupted. "They called the new slayer, then she died, and then Faith was called. She's been working with us on and off for the past four years or so." Buffy gave Faith a small smile, and Faith blushed and looked away. Why is she saying shit like that, Faith wondered.
"Hey B?" Faith asked quietly, "How does he know about you?" Buffy smiled and blushed slightly, which made the brunette slightly uneasy.
"His mother was one. He's been kinda free-lance since then, but . . . he's working with us now. He's a huge help, but he stays mostly hands off lately." Buffy gave him a bit of a hard look, and then turned back to Faith. "Ready to go?" she asked lightly.
"Yeah, sure." Faith answered, and then out of nowhere manors sprung from her lips. "Hey, you wanna join us?" Faith asked Wood. He looked between then, and then back at his office. There was a student waiting out-side of it. Sighing slightly, he shook his head and the two of them made their way out of the school.
"So where do you want to eat?" Buffy asked, "The cafeteria is as bad as it ever was, so why don't we eat off campus?" Faith nodded. The school may look different, but she still had bad memories of the cafeteria, Buffy, and The Mayor.
"Yeah, Sure, Whatever's fine with me." Faith said coolly. They stated walking, and both were kind of quiet. Faith didn't know what to say. She hadn't been in this town for years, and she hadn't been Friends with Buffy for even longer. Suddenly, Faith was forced out of her thoughts by the blonde asking her a question.
"So, what do you think of the new school?" Faith smiled, and replied slowly.
"It's nice. I think it'll be alright, as long as the student have a Slayer stationed over the hell-mouth." Buffy smiled and nudged Faith with her elbow. "But what about Wood, huh? Did you ever hear of a Slayer having a kid?" Buffy looked ahead and smiled.
"Her name was Nikki, and she was the only one. I asked Giles about it. She was called kind of later in her life, about 19. She'd given birth to Robin before that." Faith nodded.
"I bet he hates it when you call him Robin." She said quietly with a grin. Buffy laughed.
"Why else would I do it? He's my boss, so I make a point to call him Principal Wood when I'm working. But, otherwise it's 'Robin'. All the others just call him Wood, but I think that makes him a little too Giles-y for my taste." Faith looked at her sideways, then back ahead.
"Why, you wanna get it on with him?" she asked as though it was off-hand. Buffy stopped and looked at her. Faith stopped walking herself, and put on a face of surprise.
"What?" Buffy asked, as though she couldn't hear. "Did you just ask if I was attracted to Robin?" Faith gave a look that screamed 'DUH'. "NO." she stated firmly.
"Why not?" Faith asked, as though defending him.
"Okay, so I did go out with him Once, but that was a bust. Besides, I think it's bad policy to date your boss. There was even this thing when he asked me out . . . he said that if I said no I would have to sign a waver stating that I knew my turning him down would not effect his opinion of my professionally." They both laughed, and started walking again. "Why? You think he's cute?"
"Ah, he's alright." She stated, not really thinking about it, "Nothing too great though. He seemed nice enough, albeit rather defensive." Buffy nodded, and they walked into a small sandwich place. They ordered their food, and sat down.
"So, how'd you sleep?" Buffy asked in a friendly tone. It made Faith pause slightly. They hadn't been friends in almost four years. And even then, they were kind of 'Friends-At-A-Distance'. Faith realized she probably look a gift horse in the mouth, but she'd have to know the Hows and Whys eventually.
"Uh, Fine. Kinda odd though. It was actually hard, which was weird. I dunno, I had this feeling like it was all just a trick, like maybe guards would show up at your house and make me get up anyway." Faith chuckled slightly, and Buffy held in a laugh. "But nice change of pace. How was work? Who was that kid you were talking to?"
"Pretty good. I had one class-ditcher that obviously just wanted to sit out on a test day, and then I had a girl that needed advice about a 'Friend', you know" Faith smiled and nodded, leaning back in her chair. "Then there was Christopher, or Chris. He sees me every 3rd period. He's got some family problems. They don't have much money because they put so much of it towards putting his brother in private school. He needs better counseling but they can't afford it and the school Psychiatrist 'Creeps Him Out'. Dr. Reddleson does that to people, he constantly sit on his hands while you have a session with him." They both laughed and started eating.
"So, um, B," Faith said, chewing slightly, "What's this plan you have worked up?" Buffy sipped her soda, and wiped her mouth, leaning in.
"I thought, you know, now that there's more of us we could maybe do some more organized stuff. I was thinking: You, Me, Spike, and Giles could create four different groups or stations. Like Spike could train them in actually fighting a vampire, hands on experience kind of a thing. Then Giles could be, like, the info station. Learning about what we're fighting and a bit of Slayer-Facts or History. Then you or I could do drills and sparring while the other does weapons and target practice. How does that sound?" Faith was surprised, it was actually a good plan. The last plan she's seen Buffy plan out had ended up with Faith putting a knife to Willow's throat.
"Wow, you really planned this out well." Faith nodded, and took another bite of her lunch.
"I think it'll be better this way. Also, smaller groups means more individualized attention. This way each one of them will be better prepared and we can work with the people that are having trouble with certain things." Buffy wrapped the rest of her sandwich up and leaned back slightly. "Then at night you and I and sometimes Spike can take the ready ones out to take on some real Vamps."
"Sounds good to me. I just hope I don't teach them something wrong. I haven't had training in forever, I might not know how to teach, ya know?" Buffy smiled.
"It easier then it looks." Buffy said smiling slightly, "I thought the same thing when this all started. I was so worried that I was still a student that I was scared to teach." Buffy sighed and looked out the window. "But being a Slayer . . . it's what I was built for, what I was born to be. It's not hard to teach what comes naturally." She looked back at Faith who was now looking down at her hands, folded neatly in her lap.
"I was never that great of a Slayer." Faith said quietly.
"Faith," Buffy stated firmly, Faith looked up. "You were a perfectly fine Slayer. You were just left to your own devices and that's never good for anyone but for a Slayer . . ." Buffy's face took on a look of sadness suddenly. "We're so isolated as it is. The feeling of being a alone is just, all consuming. Even with Willow and Xander and Giles. Even with Dawn, my own Sister . . . they help ease the pain slightly but . . . I can't imagine what you went through. I'm sorry that we didn't include you more than we did. Especially after what happened with your Watcher and then that Crazy Post lady." Faith nodded, and smiled sadly.
"It's okay B," she said quietly, "you don't have to rationalized what happened - "
"Bu - " Buffy tried to interrupt, but Faith wouldn't let her.
"No, B! Let me finish. I made some bad choices, I know that. I knew it then, and I know it now. Fear does weird things to people, like make them Crazy. I'm sorry for what I did, and I don't care if you're gonna kick my ass for saying it. I had to tell you, and I mean it, and I don't care if you don't believe me because I know you have no reason to." Faith rushed that last part out in a tight breath. "I was messed up, and I know I can never take back what I did, and I know I can never make up for it. I don't plan on it. I took a life, more than one, and I can't get them back. Doesn't mean I should stop saving as many as I can before mine is over. I know I may not have shown it very well back then, but I cared about you," Faith looked away, afraid she was saying too much. Taking a deep breath she continued.
" . . . All of you. You were my friends, even if we weren't all that close. I cared about you guys and I blew it. I want to help you. I want to show you that I'm sorry." She looked back at Buffy who was smiling.
"I know." She said quietly. She got up slowly, and Faith fallowed suit. Reaching in to her pocket the blonde pulled out twenty dollars and put it on the table.
"Oh, Uh, how much do I owe you?" Faith asked quietly, voice still slightly shaky.
"Don't worry about it. It's on me." She smiled and led them out of the small café. Faith smiled, and Buffy caught it, and questioning look on here face. Faith looked down at her shoes as they walked back towards the school.
"I think that the first time anyone bought me more than just a drink." Buffy smiled, and swatted Faith shoulder slightly. As they walked back Faith told Buffy about what was going on down in LA. A lot of the information took Buffy by surprise.
"So, Angel has a son?" she asked again, for about the fifth time.
"Yes." She stated again.
"With Darla?" she asked, still slightly blank in the face.
"Yes."
"But he staked her, I watched him do it. I was there. It was way back when I first came to Sunnydale." Faith sighed.
"I dunno the details of it, but that's what happened. Then she staked herself again right when Connor was born." Buffy nodded, still slightly confused.
"And now he's with Cordelia?" she asked slowly. Faith nodded. "And she was a Higher-Being for a while, but now she's some source of Great Evil?" Another nod from the brunette. "Wow, LA is one happening town."
"Tell me about it."
.
= = = (Ideas Into Actions) = = =
Buffy looked over the yard, seemingly happy with the arrangements that she had made. Spike was wearing a white shirt and the girls where practicing staking him with Bingo-Markers. From the strange, almost tie-dye pattern on the-platinum-dead's chest, they were getting in some good strikes but had pretty bad aim. Over by the chairs and pick nick bench Giles was showing them flashcards and diagrams, and answering the odd hand that might raise. She had sent her group to pick out whatever weapons they felt they were best at and to bring them out back when they were done.
Faith's group was going well, though moving rather slowly. But then again, Buffy thought, slow is the whole point of Tie-Chi. She watched as Faith and the other girls did the slow and careful movements, remembering when Angel had taught them to her. It was around the same time that she'd met Faith. It would seem that Angel had taught them to her too.
She smiled, and walked over next to Faith. The girl looked at her, and smiled as she joined them in their practice.
Slowly, the two super-girls waved the their arms in tight but smooth sweeps through the air. The potentials watched as they were so perfectly synchronized it seemed eerie. Buffy closed her eyes, and the older brunette followed suit. The girls that the older Slayer had sent to get weapons came back out, and stopped to watch their commander in arms. The whole yard seemed to stop and just stair in awe. Even with eyes close, and with the silence that filled the air, they moved into their steps and lifts with a kind of mystical perfection. Willow smiled as she saw the calm looks on their faces. She was glad that Buffy was so happy and at peace. It had been a while since the Witch had seen the blonde act so openly content.
"Slayer!" Spike called out. Buffy had been halfway through a movement, and the calling of her Nick-Name had thrown her off. She suddenly fell on top of Faith, who caught her, and the blonde try to almost frantically get up. Spike walked out into the setting sun-lit back-yard, and covered his eyes. Faith tried to help steady the blonde, and looked up suspiciously at the Platinum Vampire. He walked over to Buffy and tried to help her up, but pulled her arm out of his reach.
"I'm fine, Spike." She said with a slight edge. She dusted her self off, and the yard seemed to come back to life, thought it was still pretty silent. Looking around she caught the eye of almost everyone out there. "Okay, three girls from each group come with me, the rest stay here and work with Willow and Xander. Spike, Faith, you're coming with me, we're taking these girls out again." Faith nodded, but then thought of something.
"Okay, just let me grab some thing." She ran back into the house, and grabbed the package out of the refrigerator. Walking outside, Buffy eyed the rolled paper object under the brunette's arm. "Sorry, just didn't want to forget them . . ."
"What is it?" Buffy asked cautiously. Faith pulled them out, and unwrapped the butcher-paper slightly. Inside where white lilies and a few orchids. "Flowers?" Buffy asked, almost in a whisper. Faith laughed almost nervously.
"Yeah . . ." she pushed a bit of hair behind her ear. "I promised Joyce I'd bring her some last night. Didn't want to disappoint her, ya know?" Buffy smiled at her, slowing slightly. Faith actually blushed, and Buffy squeezed her arm slightly.
"Thank you, Faith." Faith nodded silently, and looked ahead. Spike was walking in the rear this time, and the brunette could feel his eyes burning into the back of her neck. Looking back, the vamp looked away. What is going on with that guy, Faith wondered. Buy flowers wasn't all that Faith did this morning. She'd also had a talk with Xander.
Seemed the Xand-Man had changed a lot too. He wasn't the same funny carefree guy that he was all those years ago. She could hardly believe that he almost got married, which Faith noted was still a very sensitive subject with the young man. But there were some things that Xander didn't tell her and she knew it. Faith was going to make a point to get the full string of facts out of Dawn as soon as she could get her alone. Looking ahead Faith saw that Kennedy wasn't as jovial as she had been the night before. She seemed to be the only girl that didn't dread going out to the Grave Yards. Walking a bit faster, she nudged the girl lightly.
"Hey Kenny, what's up?" She looked at her with s small tight smile, and shrugged. "That's it? That's all that you're gonna say to me?" the girl smiled slightly.
"No, I'll also say that you're scaring the crap out of some of the potentials." Faith looked confused. Kennedy sighed, and almost laughed.
"You're kidding me, right? You're a known and wanted MURDERER, living in a house with a bunch of fourteen and fifteen year-old girls. Not to mention the shit that happened with you and Buffy in the yard!" Now Faith turned around so she could walk backwards and face Kennedy while they spoke.
"Whoa Whoa Whoa!" she said quickly, "What thing in the yard? Is this about the whole stomping on a Vamp's knee-caps, because you'll learn that in almost any women's self defense class?" Kennedy shook her head, and pulled Faith in closer.
"Not that," she whispered, "The whole thing with Buffy's and your freaky Tie-chi thing." Faith smiled.
"You're kidding right?" she laughed slightly, "That's freaking them out? Ha Ha! That messed Red up some too. She hated how well Buffy and I knew each other and how well we got along. She didn't realized that there are some things that only another Slayer can understand. Red thought I was stealing her best-friend away, when really I was just bonding with her." Kennedy looked at her a bit off, and Faith realized that she was feeling conflicted. Willow had a problem with the way Slayers bond, and she wanted to sympathize with her girl-friend . . . but at the same time, she was a slayer (or a potential one at least), and she could understand how hard it is to find a person that can really 'Get' that part of a person.
"Kenny, I hope you never have to learn how hard it is to be a slayer, how dividing it is. And not just because it would mean that I died," Kennedy laughed and Faith continued, "Willow just had trouble understanding how she could be Buffy's best friend and not know and empathize with her about everything." The girl nodded, and Faith sighed. "She didn't realized that Buffy and I . . . as close as we were and as much as we could understand each other . . . we could never be as close as those two were and still are. We click, and really well, but just . . . I dunno . . . not the way they did, I guess." Faith caught the girl looking at her through the corner of her eye, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. " . . . What?" she asked her slowly.
"Nothin'." She said shortly, and the smirk grew to the point where she couldn't contain it anymore, so she sped up. Faith shook her head, confused, and felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Buffy.
"Hey, Faith," she said slowly, "Why don't you go and drop those off, and Spike and I will split up, alright?" Faith nodded. "I'll take mine and yours towards the large crypt where we found the Amulet that one time, and - Spike -!" she called, turning towards the Vampire, "Why don't you take your group down by where you found the Gem of Amarah?" He nodded, and signaled for a few of the girls to fallow. Faith walked off to where she remember Joyce had been, and watched Buffy and the rest of the girls head off towards the place that Faith had first started to meet her down fall . . . and the place she realized she cared about the blonde more then she'd like to.
.
.
= = = (Speaking Of The Past) = = =
As she walked back to the trail she wiped a tear away from her eye. She had told Joyce things, things that she had never said aloud before . . . and having said them seem all the more real. She didn't regret it, and she didn't lie, but she wished that maybe she didn't have these feelings at all. As she fallowed the slight vibrating feeling she got all along spine, she quickly found Buffy and was shocked to find her waiting out-side a crypt (with a closed door), that was full of the screams of young girls.
"Hey Faith," she said as though this was nothing. "Ready to split up, or do you wanna stick close again tonight?" Faith shook it off, and thought for a second.
"I think I'll stick close," she sighed, leaning against the crypt near Buffy, "This town sure has changed a lot since I was last visiting." Buffy laughed, and smiled absently. "What?"
"Well," she said, pushing off the structure lightly, "You're right. But you don't notice it until it's the most obvious thing before your eyes. You, as an out-side that's been gone for 3 years, seen it better that the rest of us. We were all here, we watched in change . . . you were kinda 'Away'." Faith nodded, and Faith suddenly pulled out a stake. "Come on, they're taking too long, there must be a problem. Faith pulled out her own stake and fallowed the blonde in.
" - And I shall feast upon the flesh of the young, and be young in turn!" The giant Vampire yelled as he swung and axe wildly. Buffy could be heard holding in a laugh as she charged him down, barely armed. Faith quickly fallowed.
"Watch out!" Kennedy yelled as they ran in with nothing more than sharpened wood. They went in swinging, and didn't stop. They punched, spin- kicked, and staked with amazing accuracy and skill, and with the same eerie summitry. As Faith dusted off her pants, she tossed her stake to Buffy, who caught it without looking. They smiled at each other for a second, and walked to the door. Buffy held out her arm, looking rather like Vanna White, ushering them out. They fallowed silently and Faith helped one girl to her feat. She supported the girl until Buffy closed the door behind them.
"Well," Buffy said, slowly, "Not the greatest, but also not too shabby." She took the girl Faith had been helping in her arms, and carried her with ease. "I think this was a clear sign you girls need to build confidence not only with your own weapons, but also when fighting against monsters who are armed." Shifting the girls weight slightly, she nodded to Faith, and they all started walking.
"So, hey," Faith asked the group, "Which one of you left that gash in his side?" she knew you'd catch more flies with honey than with vinegar so . . .
"Uh, that was me," said a quiet mousy-red-head. Faith was slightly reminded of Willow, "He tossed Ronna out of the way, and she ran into me, and my sword went into him . . ." she looked rather embarrassed.
"Hey, Don't worry about it," Buffy assured as they walked, a small smile on her face, "at least you wounded it." Most of the girls looked almost shocked at what Buffy had just said. Buffy just kept walking, and the rest fallowed silently.
"Let's go find Spike, and take these girls home. Give them the rest of the night off, what do you say?" there was slight cheering and Faith looked happy herself. They walked for a bit, and found Spike standing with his group out-side of a crypt not far in from the path. She waved him over, and the odd troop headed out of the cemetery. As they went, Buffy asked what the girls would want to do. They all said that they were too juiced up to go right to bed, and that wouldn't mind renting a movie.
"Well . . ." Buffy started slowly, shooting a blushing look at Faith, "We're not allowed back in our video story. We have a late charge of about $300 because of some movie that Dawn rented and left at someone's house for the entire Summer. But you're welcome to any movies that we have back at the house?" They all nodded and they made their way down Ravello Dive.
As they walked in and settled in the living room, Buffy headed into the Kitchen and offered to make food for the girls so they all didn't storm in at once. As the youngins' picked from a short list of Disney movies that were kept in the house, Dawn walked into the breakfast-nook as sat down at the counter. Buffy and Faith were making pop-corn and gathering sodas while they listened to the light banter from the other room.
"Why don't they have anything that isn't rated 'G'?" one girl asked.
"I don't mind, it'd be weird watching something good with a room for of adults." Came another.
"I bet Kennedy wouldn't mind watching something very Cruel-Intentions-y . . . you know, all snuggled up next to Willow!" the room filled with laughter as Kennedy tried to get them to shut-up to the extent of threatening their lives and cursing their mothers.
"What's got Kennedy so bugged?" Dawn asked her sister and Faith, "She's never denied anything when it's come to Willow before?" the Slayers looked at each other and then back at Dawn. They then quickly continued their microwaving. "Come to think of it," Dawn said slowly, "I didn't see Willow out there . . ."
"She's upstairs," Buffy said slowly. "She and Kennedy are in a bit of a fight right now. Don't talk about it and don't pry, okay Dawny?" Buffy warned her. "It's none of our business. Now get back in there and get them to lay of Kennedy, alright?" Dawn nodded and walked into the other room. Faith turned quietly to Buffy and whispered to her.
"So, I don't mean to 'Pry', but . . . What's up with Kenney? She'd been off a bit all day. SI this the Willow thing?" Buffy looked behind her and then back at Faith. She nodded. Faith was interested now. "So, what happened." Buffy reddened slightly, and then looked down at the floor as she waited for the last of the Pop-Corn to beep.
"It's Tara." Faith waited for the rest of it, but it seemed like nothing else was to fallow. Faith waved slightly and took a handful of pop-corn to snack on, indicating that the Blonde should continue. "Okay, this is a very private matter, so no talking - AND I MEAN NO TALKING!" She warn in a tight whisper.
"Yeah, yeah, out with it, okay? I promise, no telling." She said around a mouthful of her salty treat.
"Last night . . . Willow and Kennedy were . . . Intimate for the first time." Faith's eyes bugged out, a slight smile covered her closed lips. She swallowed and then spoke.
"But that doesn't explain the moody-ness. If anything that would put her in a good-mood, I'd think . . ." Buffy looked away, and Faith wondered what was wrong.
"That's what i would have thought too . . ." she said quietly. "But . . . . . what if it didn't go as planned?" No Faith was confused. What was Buffy trying to get at? Being the ever tactless person that she was, she encouraged Buffy to continue.
"B, i don't mean to be rude, but You plus Me plus Subtle . . . it just doesn't work. OUT WITH IT." Buffy sighed, and closed her eyes.
"It was not only the first time they had been intimate with each-other . . . it was also the first time that Willow had been with ANYONE since Tara died . . ." Faith thought she knew that the blonde was getting at, but wanted to be sure, so she just kept looking at her.
"And . . . ?"
"And . . ." Buffy said, voice almost silent, "She kinda . . . forgot."
"For got what?" Faith was loving this, seeing THE SLAYER squirm was still a favorite past-time of hers.
" . . . Who she was with?" Buffy said gently. Faith choked and sputtered, and tried to hold in a laugh. Okay, Faith thought, that certainly wasn't what I was expecting!
"You're kidding right?" Faith said trying to whisper and hold back a chuckle. Soon Buffy was blushing as well and couldn't hold in a bit of a laugh herself. Faith suddenly felt like a balloon. She'd seemed inflated with joy, as slight as it was. It was such a foreign feeling she almost couldn't place it at first. But as she looked at the pink and pleasant blonde before her she realized that it had to be happiness. She and Buffy had never been too Buddy-Buddy back in the day, and she was glad that maybe the older Slayer was starting to warm up to her. Just then, the Microwave beeped, and Buffy poured the kernels into the bowl.
"Look, Faith," Buffy said quietly, "I'm trying to get them to work this out, we need both Willow and Kennedy at their best for this fight to work. Will's Magic needs to be focused and not come from a place of sadness, and Kennedy is one of the best girls we have and she's . . .like . . . I dunno . . . A Man Among Men, you know?" Faith looked confused, and Buffy sighed. "Like, a King of Kings? The other girls look up to her." Faith nodded, and realized the point.
"So, you're trying to get them back together?" Faith asked slowly. Buffy nodded, and Faith continued. "And, what . . . you want me to help?" she asked, slightly surprised. Buffy colored slightly, but nodded as she took the several bowl of food into her arms.
"Look, Faith, She likes you. You're the only person that she's opened up to besides Willow and that would be very helpful. Also, you're a terrible liar so don't bull-shit her." Faith nodded after each comment, until the meaning of the last one struck her.
"Hey! I am NOT a bad liar!" she retorted, filling her arms with masses of sodas. Buffy laughed as they both piled into the living room. Xander and Dawn cleared a space on the couch for them, and the two slayer squeezed in. "So, What are we watching?" Faith asked, not really caring as long as it wasn't 'Glitter' . . . that was the only movie they showed while she was in prison.
"Toy Story." Rona replied, slightly disappointed from her position on the floor. Dawn gave a slight whimper, and the room turned to look at her. Instead of the disgusted look they all expected, they saw a hurt one. Taking a deep breath, Dawn shook it off, and quietly explained.
"Uh, it was a favorite of Tara's . . ." Buffy put her arm around her sister, and hugged her. Obviously Dawn was very close to the now deceased Blonde. From the floor Kennedy huffed, and Faith shot her a look. Kennedy actually recoiled. Sending her a look that screamed 'Grief is no joke', Kennedy nodded slightly and turned back towards the screen. Buffy put her hand on Faith's knee and mouthed a silent Thanks . . . But she never took her hand away.
After a several minutes, Faith was quite out of it. She was a huge lover of Cartoons, and she usually liked animated kids movies because they were almost the same . . . But she couldn't keep her head out of the clouds. Buffy's hand on her leg was doing weird stuff to her insides. She was still all 'Jumpy' from slaying, and Buffy had only removed her hand once to wrap a blanket around herself, Dawn, and her Sister-Slayer. The standard tingle from their Slayer connection was causing her brain to have misfires, and was obviously sending her blood-supply to places that shouldn't be worried with it right now.
Faith shook her head and tried to clear this garbled mess she called a brain. Buffy just looked at her and smiled. After another second, she laid her head down on Faith's shoulder. That did it. Her heart started pumping quickly, sending the much needed blood she needed in her addles brain back southwards. She was also sure that some of it was coloring her now warn cheeks. She felt Buffy shift lightly, and look up at her. Turning to face the blonde, the brunette put on a face of innocence. Buffy looked at her scrutinizingly for a few seconds then spoke quietly.
"Faith, are you feeling okay?" she asked, Faith noticed Dawn and Kennedy look at her quickly, then look away pretending not to be listening.
"Yeah. Yeah, B, I'm fine." She said quickly. Buffy wasn't biting.
"Are you sure? You're all flushed and you're hearts beating so fast it almost sounds like it's humming . . . ?" Faith nodded, and shook her head again, trying to get it to clear. One thing was obvious; she needed to put some space between herself and the blonde. Getting up gently, she wrapped her section of the blanket around the older Slayer.
"Yeah, B, I'm alright. I just have a bit of a head ache and the warmth from the blanket is making me a bit dizzy." Buffy nodded, and looked like she was going to get up to help her. "I'm just going to take some Advil and cool down a bit where it's a little less noisy."
"Do you want me to come with you?" she asked quickly, hands on the corners of the blanket. Faith shook her head and headed towards the kitchen.
"Nah, stay and enjoy the movie. I'll come back once my head quiets down a little." By head, she meant Lust, and the look on Kennedy's face seemed to testify that she already knew that.
Sitting down on the edge of the kitchen sink, Faith let the cool air from the open window wash over her, cooling her heated skin. What is she doing to me, Faith wondered. Was it ever this bad back when we hated each other? Faith stopped to think about it and realized that it was, though Faith knew she had never really hated the older girl. But, before even that, she remembered them dancing at the Bronze and the way the blonde's movements would make her feel. It was like something that had long died found the strength to live again.
She used to cherish those memories with Buffy. When it was dark, and she couldn't sleep. She would think of the way the older Slayer would smile and take her hand, pulling her close and laughing. She could almost see the way she'd sway to the music with perfect rhythm and a sort of dignified poise. She'd smile, and laugh, eyes barely closed, and link fingers with her Slaying partner. Smiling and closing her own eyes, Faith pulled the memories from the back of her mind, enjoying the way it gave her that happy- balloon feeling. She suddenly chuckled at a memory forgotten.
Faith thought of her first, and longest stay in Solitary. The prison they kept her in used the kind of sensory-deprivation-tank cells for it sometimes, or at least for the first two days. Faith had always had a short attention span, so the meditation techniques that she remembered from Giles' lessons didn't last long. Trying to think of something to keep her mind off the panic that was constantly under the surface, Faith remembered their dancing.
She'd started singing one of the songs that they'd danced to, and started doing the same movements she had done in her memory. With the Absolute darkness of the chamber weighing in on her, her thoughts almost became projections. In that cell, in that darkness, she could see Buffy there with her. Smiling, eyes just closed, laughing and pulling her close, free and uninhibited . . . and just Dancing. With a loud clang, Faith was pulled out of her memories by Dawn rushing into the room and knocking an empty soda can to the floor. The young Summers looked quite distressed. And on closer inspection she saw that there were tears welled in her eyes.
"Hey, Peanut, what's wrong?" she asked quietly. Dawn's head shot up. It would seem that the girl didn't even notice she was there. "Hey, what happened? What's going on?" jumping off the sink, she approached the girl. Dawn drew back, and leaned against the back door. She took some deep shuddering breathes, and braced her head against the hard wood behind her. Now Faith was really worried. "Hey, Dawny, tell me what's wrong?" Dawn looked at her, and the tears fell, though no sobs could be heard.
"It's Buffy . . ." she said quietly. Suddenly Faith's heart started racing again, panicked that something had happed while she'd been 'Cooling Off'. " . . . And Tara." Okay, Panic over, Faith thought.
"What do you mean, Kid?" she asked slowly. Dawn blushed and shook her head fiercely, wiping the tears away.
"You'll think I'm a dork . . ."
"No, you know I won't. Besides, you ran in here crying and I think I'm your friend, in my book that warrants an explanation." Dawn laughed slightly, thought it was a slightly tearful one. Nodding, she sat herself down in one of the stools along the counter.
"It's just a lot of bad memories . . ." she said quietly. Looking guiltily at Faith, she continued. "I hate that movie. I didn't always, but then, after Buffy died . . . I just couldn't watch it. When ever Tara would stay over and watch me, we'd watch it together, and that makes seeing it hurt all the more . . ." Seeing the look of confusion on Faith's face, Dawn tried to think about the best way to explain this.
"Uh, Dawny . . . what are you talking about? Why does Buffy's death make the movie upsetting?" Faith asked slowly, "I mean, I can understand the whole thing with Tara but - "
"Buffy told you that she died, right?" dawn interrupted. Faith nodded. "Did she tell you how many times?" Faith now looked suspicious, and shook her head No. "She's died three times. Twice was only for a second, but there was one time that lasted almost 150 days." Now Faith's eyes were almost falling out of her head.
"THREE TIMES?!" she asked in a loud whisper. Dawn blushed and nodded. "Okay, even for me, that's what we call 'Over-Kill'!" she took a deep breath and asked a question she wasn't sure she wanted to know. "Dawn," she asked, making sure to use her real name and a serious tone to her voice, "When were the dates of when she died?" Dawn thought for a second, and then looked back at the older brunette.
"Well, there was the one in early June when she was a Sophomore . . . then there was the really long one; the May before last (that lasted far to long and she came back wrong) . . . and then there was LAST May." At that, Faith shrieked.
"WHAT?!" Dawn shushed her, but Faith paid no mind. "What do you mean LAST MAY?!" Clamping a hand over Faith's mouth, the younger girl told her to be quiet again. There were calls to shut-up from the other room, and Dawn let go once she was sure that Faith would keep her voice down.
"Last May," Dawn said quietly, "Buffy was shot and taken to the hospital. She was shot right in the heart, and she died on the operating table. Willow was kinda drunk on Dark magic over Tara's death and she'd sucked all the power out of the building when she walked into it . . . the machines that were keeping her alive started to flicker and they couldn't save her. the doctors fled the room when Evil Willow entered so . . . she flat- lined. I doubt Buffy even knows she died. Willow used the dark magic to heal her and force her heart back to life. Xander was there and he was the one who told me . . . he was really shaken up about it." Faith looked like she had been slapped across the face with a dead-fish . . . and it Smelled.
"So, you're telling me, that Buffy had died a bunch of times and that she might not even know how many?" Dawn nodded. Faith stopped to think about this, and just as it was starting to make sense, she realized there was a piece that didn't "So, how does this fit into the Movie being upsetting?" Dawn's face fell again, and she suddenly became fascinated with the counter.
"When she Died two years ago . . . it wasn't just a death. It was real heroisms. She and I were on the top of this ten-story tower out in the industrial area of Sunnydale . . . she told me some stuff, and said good- bye." Faith watched as Dawn's eyes darkened, and the girl seemed to face into her self, though she kept talking. "She ran to the end of the platform, and just . . . Jumped. But it wasn't just a jump, it was the most beautiful Swan Dive I have ever seen. She had wanted to die, I kind of realize that now but . . . When I watch that movie, and Buzz gets up to prove that he can fly . . ." she started crying again, tears running down her cheeks.
"What, Peanut?" Faith asked quietly. She sobbed slightly, and looked up at the older girl.
"It's just . . . the way he jumps . . . and the fact that he's the hero and just - " her sobs prevented her from explaining the rest, and Faith quickly put her arm around her, assuring her she didn't have to talk about it anymore.
"Hey, Hey . . . no worries Dawny. Buffy's here now and she loves you, and she's not leaving again even remotely soon." Faith rubbed the girl's back and let her cry, allowing her to get it all out of her system. After some thought, Faith made a decision. Gathering her strength to ask, she turned to Dawn. The girl looked up at her expectantly. "Hey, Peanut?" she asked slowly, not wanting to upset the girl, "Do you think you could do me a HUGE favor?" Dawn wiped her eyes, and sniffled.
"What is it?" she asked quietly, almost afraid.
"Well . . . I just realized that there are a lot of things that I don't know about Buffy. I've been gone so long, and out of the loop for even longer and . . . I've already stepped on her toes a few times about a couple things." Taking a deep breath Faith asked the question she desperately wanted an answer to. "What's happened while I was gone? I've missed all these Massive Events and I just . . . I want to know what's happened, and it seems like you'd be the best person to tell me soooo . . . . ?" Dawn just kept staring at her as thought she didn't get it. "Do you think . . . Will you fill me in?" Dawn's eyes changed from sad to laughing.
"You want the short version, or the full summery?" she asked, voice slightly horse from tears. Faith smiled, and led them out the back door.
"The Full Summery!" she said solidly, "I want some good juicy details!" both girls laughed as they settled into the lawn chairs. Dawn ran a hand through her hair, eyes wide, and thought for a few seconds.
"Uh . . . where to begin?" she asked rhetorically.
"Why don't we just start with were I left of?" Dawn gave her a look as if to ask when that was. "About the time that Buffy and I had to take those Watcher-Psych-Exams." Faith filled in. Dawn smiled, and leaned back slightly.
"Well, Anya was Evil at the time, or at least trying to be, and in order to get her demon power back, she needed Willow to do a spell for her . . ." And so she talked, telling her a very detailed and very through break-down of the past four years. They sat out there, smiling and laughing, or silently holding in tears.
They continued on as the movie ended and people headed off to bed. They heard Buffy say that she was going to bed, and that Kennedy was going to sleep down-stairs tonight. But it didn't bother them; they were too wrapped up in the Past to deal with the Future. After the house had quieted, the two girls had finished their story-telling and both headed off to bed. Dawn slouched back into her room, and Faith headed for the shower.
Once cleaned and dried, Faith got into bed. She looked at the face of the sleeping blonde next to her, and felt awed. She'd never even heard of most of the hardships that Buffy had endured. And it all could have been a lot easier, Faith scolded herself, if you had been there to help her fight it . . . where you were supposed to be! Reaching over, Faith pulled the older girl into a gentle embrace. And for the first time that night, let a tear run down her cheek. This woman, this incredible woman, was really one in a forever.
To Be Continued . . . (Chapter Three - 'Dreams & Nightmares - In The Works!)
ENJOY! {P.S.: Please Review! It gives me a Happy!}
VixenRaign