Alright, next chapter. Was originally a sequal story before the merger. Hope you like. As always I don't own anything. Read and review :)
Willow looked up as the doors were pushed open by an overly cheerful Buffy.
"Just so you guys don't hear it second-hand, it's official I've come down with a very serious case of bladderitis infectioutis." She said, strutting towards them.
"Um Buffy I don't think that's an actual-" Willow started only to be cut off by Faith.
"Tell me you didn't!" She said, grinning emphatically.
Buffy nodded. "Yup, bladder infection. I'll probably be out for the rest of the day." Faith hopped down from the table and swaggered towards Buffy.
"Right on girlfriend." She said, giving the blonde a high-five. "Look at you, Big Bad B. What next? Gonna become a woman of the night? Am I gonna have to patrol the street corners of Sunnydale making sure you're not selling your body for money?" Buffy rolled her eyes as Faith looked her up and down.
"No, but you'd like that wouldn't you?"
The brunette shrugged, "I wouldn't be me if I didn't." Buffy laughed and punched her playfully in the shoulder.
"Hey Wills, what's up?"
Willow had, after her conversation with Faith, been watching the interaction between the two. Faith was right, The Scoobies really should have caught on sooner. It was so obviously blatant, I mean, hello?!
"Up? Nothing! Nothings up, not a thing." The red head caught a glimpse of Faith over Buffy's shoulder. The dark slayer silently pleading with her not to tell Buffy anything but Buffy was looking at her skeptically already.
"Alright dish." She said, hopping up on the table besides Willow. "What's the what?"
"Really Buffy, it's nothing." But Buffy was giving her the look that meant, 'I know you know something and I'm not giving up until I know too' and that look always worked with Willow. Only this time it wouldn't, it couldn't. Willow had no intention of telling Buffy what Faith had confided in her. No way, no how, un uh mister. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Faith. She was poised like a wild animal ready to strike. Her eyes were wide with fear. She was ready to either knock the red head on her ass or bolt.
"Wills, come on. You know you suck at keeping secrets from me so just spill already!"
"It's nothing!" Willow was starting to get nervous, she never held up well under pressure and what Buffy was doing was definitely pressure.
"Willow!"
She chanced a glance at Faith, who just barely shook her head, her jaw set, her eyes piercing into Willows. "I can't Buffy!"
"Just tell me already!"
"Faith's in love with you!" The frenzy which had been growing came to a sudden halt. Willow had shot a hand over her mouth the second the words came flooding out. Faith had clamped her eyes shut, as if willing herself to be anywhere but in that library at that moment. And Buffy was simply staring between the two, confusion evident on her face. After several tense moments Buffy shook her head as if coming out of dream, she laughed nervously.
"Sorry, what?" She asked Willow, as if it was all just a joke.
But Willow, who wouldn't move her hand from her mouth, just kept her head down shaking it back and forth.
When Buffy moved to touch her shoulder the red head jumped up, "I have to go," and practically ran from the library. The doors clicked shut, and the sound of Willows footsteps had all but faded away when Buffy finally chanced a look at the younger girl.
"Faith?" She asked softly. At this the brunette finally opened her eyes but made a point to look anywhere but at Buffy.
"Faith..." The blonde continued. "Faith, is it true?"
Faith, who had been staring pointedly at the ceiling closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath before finally settling her gaze on Buffy's startling green eyes.
"Yeah B...it's true."
Buffy's mouth formed a small 'o', and she nodded slightly.
"Wh...why didn't you tell me?" She asked softly.
Faith let out a nervous laugh. "Kinda trying to avoid a situation like this B." Buffy nodded again, she slowly moved from the table and came to stand in front of Faith. When she got closer to the younger girl, she saw that her jaw was clenched, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Buffy had never seen Faith cry, for anything. That fact alone was enough to make her own eyes well and prickle with tears. She took a shaky breath in and tried to meet the taller girls gaze.
"Faith...I can't."
Faith let her eyes fall shut as she nodded. She had known what the answer would be all along but it sure hurt like hell to actually hear it. "I know." And Buffy watched as a single tear slide down the younger girls cheek, it was too much for her and she tried to hold back the sob that was escaping her throat but it was no use. Tears started to cascade down her cheeks. Faith opened her eyes hearing Buffy's sob.
"Hey." She said softly, bringing a hand up to wipe away the blondes tears. Buffy brought her hand up to Faith's squeezing it lightly. Buffy looked up, her eyes clear and bright. And gorgeous, Faith thought. And before she realized what she was doing, her lips were grazing Buffy's ever so lightly. Buffy hadn't even begun to register the fact that Faith was kissing her, or the fact that she had started to kiss her back, or the fact that it was the sweetest, most gentle kiss she'd ever had, when Faith pulled back, resting her forehead against Buffy's.
"I love you." The words were barely a whisper, so soft that she was hardly sure she'd said them. But she had and Buffy had heard because she met her gaze again.
"Faith, I ca-"
"I know. I just...needed to tell you." Buffy nodded and the two slowly pulled apart, only their clasped hands now touching. Faith gave Buffy's hand a gentle squeeze before backing away towards the door, a soft, sad smile on her face. "Be seein' ya B." She said turning to open the door.
"Wait!" Faith's shaking hand, paused on the handle as she turned to regard the blonde. "Where are you going?" Confusion was written all over Buffy's face but Faith merely shrugged.
"Dunno."
"Well, when will I see you?" Buffy's voice was shaky, as if she already knew the answer.
"You won't."
"Faith, no!"
But it was too late, Faith was already out the door and by the time Buffy had raced out after her, the halls were clear, not a person in sight. Buffy sagged against the wall, and slid down to sit on the floor. She hung her head down, the tears flowing freely again.
It was a long time before she finally stopped, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. But something on the ground caught her eye. She bent forward to pick it up, it was a ring. A small smile lit up her face.
"Faith's ring." She said softly.
She stood up slowly, examining it closely. She jumped when the bell signaling the end of class suddenly sounded. People started pouring into the halls.
She took one last look at the ring before gently slipping it on her finger. She smiled.
"Perfect fit."
End
Please review :)
