The Missing Half
Chapter 10 – Let's Play Doctor, Babe
A/N: I don't own anything. Joss is boss to it all. I don't know much about medicine, so forgive me if parts of this are wrong.
(Buffy's POV)
The vampire stood in front of me. That stupid blonde British vamp named Spike.
"Oh looky who's crypt we stumbled into. Some neutered vamp's. Faith don't worry he's still all chipped."
"I'm not B. I know you could kick his ass. Hell I probably could even in this state of feeling stampeded upon." Ha. That's my sister slayer.
Spike seems to be unaffected by Faith's joke, but he is Spike. Wouldn't know how he was feeling even if I could read his mind. "Ya sure slayer. Look a' you. All weak and road killish looking. Couldn't fight an ant if he positioned himself under your boot. Buffy ya better just get your girl home. Looks like she's gunna pass out any second now. In other words, sod off." He turned away from us, sat on his couch, and flipped on the TV.
For once Spike was right. We definitely didn't have time to make with the arguing. Faith's arm around my shoulder was slowly losing its grip. "Faith, c'mon, let's just focus on getting you home and better. Can't fight this new evil with you dead. Besides, I need you, remember?" I lowered my voice for the last part.
Faith pulled her body closer to mine in an attempt to stay upright. She turned her head to look at me and said. "Of course B. Let's get with the leaving."
And with that, we left Spike's crypt and began to trudge home.
…………………
(Faith's POV)
We exit the annoying vampire's crypt and find ourselves somewhere in Restfield Cemetery. Thankfully close to the exit. I don't know how much longer I can stay awake. My head is still killing me and my body's just so tired. Stupid goddamn earthquake.
Me and B walked in silence for most of the way. Concentrating. She's trying to support most of my weight; I'm trying to not collapse. This quiet's kinda unsettling. So I attempt to create a conversation. Maybe it'll help me stay awake.
"So B, Spike a friend now? Cos he definitely didn't get with the killing there, or even attempt to take us."
"Friend? Naw. Just an annoying annoyance who just helps us to be…I dunno…he's got no reason he's just…"
"Annoying?" I finish for her.
"Ya, not my favorite neighborhood vamp. Not that I have one. Their all just soulless sucking things."
"Ya, Soulboy's just about the only vamp I ever liked. Tall, dark, and broody. He really saved me B. I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for him. And his words. Such kind words…" I feel myself making less and less sense. I really am tired.
"Hey B? Passing out now."
And once again, my world is black.
(Buffy's POV)
She's talking. Telling me how Angel saved her. I'm glad he did. I'm waiting for her to finish when she starts to trail away. Next thing I know she's gone completely slack. Her grip on me fell away completely. I don't let her hit the ground though. I tighten my arm around her waist and scoop her up in one swift motion. And once again I'm carrying her.
Thank the gods my house is only a short distance from here. I carry her the rest of the way, I can move faster now. I never knew I could run so fast while carrying someone. I would have beat them all if this were an Olympic category.
Finally I see my house. Never been as happy to see it as I am right now. Up the steps I go. Through the door. To my surprise, Dawn's sitting on one of the chairs by the door. I guess Willow brought her home.
She jumps up when she sees us and I see her face fall when she catches a glimpse of Faith.
"Oh my god Buffy! What happened? Faith! Is she…is she ok? Buffy, is she! Oh my god, oh my god, oh my---"
I cut her off. "Dawn, go get the first aid stuff. Some water and rags. And uh, I need that scalpel. Bring towels and stuff. GO!"
I walk over to our table and push its entire contents off with one seep of my arm. Then I gently place Faith on top of it. She really is a mess. Under the full light I can see her injuries more clearly than before.
Dawn comes back with a bundle of stuff in her hands. She pours it on to the table and stands by my side. "Buffy? Can I help? Tell me what to do." She's clearly shaken up. But she can help. Need all the hands I can get right now.
"Dawn, look. A few of her ribs are broken, and I need to set them so they heal properly." I try to explain what I'm gunna have to, and Dawn pales a little, then hands me the scalpel. "Just hand me the rags when I say so."
I take Faith's denim jacket off and throw it into the corner of the room. I peel her T-shirt off of her and gasp at the sight held before me. The skin above her ribs is bruised a deep purple and she has small cuts on her chest and abdomen. At the same time I can't help but to notice how fit she is. Her body is well toned and near perfection. I quickly shake the thoughts away and proceed to do what has to be done.
"Buffy what happened?" Dawn asks in a whispered voice.
"Not now Dawnie, just get the towels ready."
I feel around for the places the ribs feel broken and am somewhat relived to find that there are only two points of breakage. A lot better than my initial check. I brace myself slightly before I make the first cut. A line parallel to the broken place on Faith's ribs. I try and keep from completely freaking out as I move to slip my fingers into the skin and grab the broken bone between my two submerged fingers. I take a deep breath and snap the bone back into place.
I immediately pull my fingers out and order a slightly green Dawn to hand me the towels. I wipe away the blood and sew the skin back together. Within a few minutes the first bone is back in place and patched up. I am so glad she is asleep right now. I continue the process on the second and successfully set her bones.
When everything on her ribs is sewn up I place gauze on the cuts I made and wrapped her ribs tightly. Satisfied with myself for using my mediocre doctor skills Giles taught me, I turned Faith over gently and began to suture up her gash on her back. Then I take a wet rag and clean the blood and dirt off her body. I turn her over once again and clean her stomach and chest. As I'm gently scrubbing her stomach, my eyes notice something that makes a tear run down my cheek.
It's that scar. The one I gave her. It's just a thin line now. Slightly raised. I try to tell myself it's in the past. But I feel so guilty. I let Faith slip so far away from me. It's not gunna happen again.
I dab lightly at her face, and place a small butterfly bandage on her forehead. Her skin is bruised along her jaw and cheek. A small cut under her ear has already begun to heal.
Once I've finished patching Faith up I get a clean sweater and dress her in it. I pick her body up, savoring the warmth that radiated off her skin, and carry her upstairs to my mom's old room. I place her in the bed and tuck her in, carefully. I give her hand a slight squeeze and go back downstairs to clean up the mess I left.
When I walked in the dining room I saw that Dawn had already done most of the cleaning. I picked up the remaining rags and threw them in the laundry on the way to the living room where Dawn sat, huddled up on the couch.
Dawn looked up at me as I sat down next to her. "Buffy, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. If I hadn't run off like that, none of this would have happened. You and Faith would have been ok; she wouldn't be up there unconscious and banged up. I'm sorry." Her eyes were puffy and red from crying.
"Dawn, what you did was not right. I know you miss mom. I miss her too. But you know better than to run off into the night like that. Hello! Vampires! Demons! And the graveyard! That's like their gathering spot! Dawn, you could have been hurt worse. I can't lose you too."
I'm distraught by this point. Tears are leaking down the side of my face. This night has been too much. Dawn running off. Faith running off. Me trying to find Faith. The emotions…then that stupid earthquake that nearly killed her. Would have killed me if it weren't for her…I could be just as badly hurt as her right now. She saved me…
I'm balling now. Faith saved me. After all I put her through. Making her think I didn't trust her. Making her think I would turn my back on her again. She cares about me. I…I don't know. I'm so confused. Faith is so special. Tonight proves that.
Dawn has wrapped her arms around me now. I keep saying it. Out loud now. "She saved me Dawn. She saved me."
"She's special isn't she Buffy? Before, back when you were in high school and before all the bad stuff happened, we got pretty close. Some days when you were with the other Scoobies, she would come visit me, and we would talk about stuff. She didn't treat me like I was just a little girl, even though I was. She listened to me and seemed to care. When all this went bad, I guess part of my world crumbled. She was all I had besides you and mom. Buffy, she is going to be ok isn't she? Cos I don't wanna lose her again…" Dawn was crying again and I stroked her hair and hugged her tightly.
Faith did all that? I knew her and Dawn talked, but Dawn practically worships her. Faith is more than I ever thought she was. I wish things had gone differently back then. How did things get so screwed up?
"Ya Dawnie, I think she'll be ok. We'll take care of her. Dawn? She means a lot to me too. Just like you. I love you Dawn." I kissed my little sister on her forehead and we walked upstairs together.
When Dawn was ready for bed, I tucked her in. "Goodnight Dawn. It'll be ok, just sleep."
I went to my room and changed into my nightclothes. I lay down in my bed and tried to sleep, but knew that wasn't gunna happen. I fondled the necklace Faith gave me and continued to think about her.
So much has changed. We've changed. Faith clearly isn't the same person she had become before. She has been back for such a short time and already made so much happen. It's been four days since I've thought about Riley! I'm actually starting to wonder what I ever saw in him. He wasn't really anything special at all, just some soldier. Yeah he was there for me and he was nice, but there was just no…spark. And then he left. He has a dick, so of course he'd eventually act like one. Faith doesn't have one…
Whoa hey now bad Buffy! Where did THAT come from? But this little voice keeps trying to tell me something. I must be stupid I don't know…whatever not gunna be sleeping much while I lay here thinking. Might as well go check on Faith.
I get up from my bed and creep down the hall silently so as not to disturb Dawn. I get to Faith's room and peer in. She's still lying in the same position as before. She's breathing softly and seems to be in a deep sleep. I walk over to the bed and slowly climb in. I don't know why, but for some reason I don't wanna sleep alone tonight.
I watch Faith sleep and before I know it, I'm mimicking her actions.
A/N: As always, reviews are welcomed and appreciated!