The Missing Half
Chapter 11 – The Healing Process
A/N: Thanks to all that have been reviewing! It means so much to me and my writing. We both say thank you.
(Faith's POV)
I woke up the next morning a bit confused. Confused for a couple of reasons in fact. One. When did I get into a bed? Last time I checked me and B were making our way home. Guess we made it there. Shit did B carry me all that way? Girl's gunna have some serious back problems.
Hmm, so confusion number two. Why the Hell is there an arm on top of me? Not that it's a bad thing. Kinda comforting in fact. Except that my ribs are throbbing and my body's a little sore. I turn my head expecting to see little Dawnie, asleep next to me. Kid's kinda cute…she normally doesn't give me them tingles like B does but –
Whoa! Hey now that is soooo not Dawn. Dawn isn't blonde. Or Buffy. Nope Dawn is definitely not Buffy. Yepso I'm a little more than confused now…since when does B play cuddle bunny with an ex-convict? I mean not that Dawn would either, but then again, she mighta thought I was one of her oversized stuffed animals in her sleep.
But B? Now this is just amusing. Oh well, I'm not gunna complain. I could get used to waking up with her next to me. Not that I'd ever let her know that. She might have a minor spaz attack.
So now I'm just lying here, next to the one person I always want but can never have. I can't believe I almost left her last night. Not doing that again. I gotta help her beat down the baddy. The whatever that made the earth try and eat me.
Speaking of which, the numbness in my body is starting to wear off and there's nice little pins and needles poking me. "Unngh" I groan. Ooops. Looks like my little noise woke B up. She opens her eyes and looks around, noticing her arm on my stomach. At first she looks kinda embarrassed. Red's a good color for B. But then she kinda just plays it off. Pulls her arm away, clears her throat, and sends a bright smile my way.
"Hey B, lookin' chipper this morning. I gotta say, definitely not a bad wake up. Sleep well?" She nods her head.
"Good morning to you too. Looks like you're traveling back from the land of the weak and wounded. How do you feel?"
"A little bit really sore. Gimme a bit and I'll be five by five. Apparently thanks to you. Uhh thanks B, for helping me out there last night…so I'm gunna go get some grub." I start to push myself up but Buffy gently pushes me back down.
"Nope. Don't even think about it Faith. Fall did a number on you last night. Breakfast in bed for you. Sit tight." Alright, I'm likin' this. Room service. Not gunna protest against that. Except my bladder's got other ideas. Gotta piss like a racehorse.
I gingerly push myself out of bed. Not as weak as last night but every step jars my bones. Oh fun…fun fun fun. I quickly do my business and walk back out of the bathroom. I'm just getting settled back on the bed when I decide I so do not want to spend the day in bed. I'm gunna go downstairs. Maybe watch a little TV.
Oh ya. Giles is back today. Buffy will wanna report to him. Might as well get my apology over with that I owe to him. Maybe the injured look will give me some puppy dog quality and pity points from him. Alright now to just get downstairs.
Oh man. One step at a time Faithy. One stupid step at a time. Finally I complete the grueling journey downstairs and stumble into the kitchen, effectively surprising the Summers sisters.
"Faith you should not be up right now! Ribs! Not completely together. In fact, they're kinda broken still!" Buffy's fussing about poor little me. Should I be flattered? Well ya, but I sure ain't gunna let her know that.
"Gee B," I snicker at that rhyme in my head, "Ya think I don't know! I'm not gunna be all cooped up. I spent eight months in a coma, then three months in jail. Need a little freedom. I'll take my breakfast here thank you." I sit my aching body into a chair and shot B a grin. "So what's on the menu."
Dawn replies, obviously pleased with herself for making breakfast. "We have scrambled eggs and pancakes. A very typical breakfast…you like?" I nod my head and she piles food onto my plate. "Good. So there. Food! Yay!" Dawn does a little nervous happy dance. Something's eating her. Oh ya last night. Kid might feel responsible.
"Look Little D, last night? No biggie. People make mistakes. Act on impulses. Can't say I haven't before. It's more like when haven't I." I stop for a second and remember all the after slaying satisfaction. If that doesn't scream impulse, don't know what does. "But Dawn, don't worry. I'm still here. Maybe a little bit three and a half by four, but in one piece. And me and Big Sis worked things out. Chill ok?" That did the trick. Bitesize is looking a little bit less guilty and comes over to give me a hug. A gentle hug. Thank god.
"I'm sorry Faith. I'm glad you're back." Dawn's words hit home. Looks like she needs me too.
I turn back to my food and dig in. Pretty good stuff. "Mmmm hmmm" I lick my lips. Buffy and Dawn take seats at the table and eat their food too.
When we're done, Dawn clears the table and leaves me and B there. "So B. What's on the agenda for today? A little rock climbing, maybe a swim in the ocean? Wanna spar?" I'm kidding around but Buffy gets this serious look on her face.
"Faith, you could have died last night. Had you fallen on a sharper rock, maybe a little bit on your neck, you wouldn't be sitting here right now. Why'd you do it Faith? You coulda saved yourself, and now your displaying more than just a few bruises." She trails off, something's up with her too. Whoa wasn't expecting that. That came out of the land of nowhere.
"Look B I'm fine see? Nothin' a few days if healing won't fix. I'll be up and bouncing around in no--"
"No Faith! You don't get it! You could be sporting a fancy new broken neck right now! You can't do that! You have to stop almost dying! I can't lose you again!" B's yelling now, but quickly drops her voice. "I can't lose you Faith, not now that I found you again." She's near tears at this point. I don't know what to say. So I push myself outta my chair and wrap my arms around her tightly. The pain in my body forgotten. I'm just holding her there and it's so clear to me now.
I love this girl more than I have thought possible.
(Buffy's POV)
I'm screaming now. I don't understand how she can joke about nearly dying. I know that's just how she is, but this is tearing me up inside. I came so close to losing her last night. I'm freaking out now. But then I feel her arms around me. She's the one who's hurt and she's comforting me. God her arms feel so good around me. So warm. So much like they're meant for me and only me. She leans over and whispers in my ear.
"I won't ever leave you B." My heavy heart seems to be lighter as we continue our embrace. I don't ever want this moment to end. But unfortunately, like all good things it does. And this time it's because of a little teenybopper named Dawn.
"Hey guys! I got my purse you ready to see Giles -- OH!" She looks embarrassed having interrupted something between us. "Oh um go on, with the hugging. It suits you guys well."
Faith slides her arms off my body and says. "Don't worry Bitesize, we probably should get going." She turns back to me and pats my back one last time and finishes what she was saying to me with as much sincerity she can muster. "Never. You're stuck with me."
She walks upstairs to change into something a little less big and sweater-y. I'm left with a still confused Dawn. "So, you guys really did work everything out huh? That's great. I'm happy. Really happy. As in peppy cheerleader happy. Go team Summers!" She pumps her fist weakly.
She definitely got the babbling thing from Willow.
Faith comes back downstairs smiling and wearing her trademark wifebeater. As she slowly walks out the door, I remember that she's still hurt. I go to put my arm around her to support her. She immediately puts her arms around my shoulder. Dawn hurries after us and we make our way to the Magic Box. This should be fun.
I turn to Faith and say "We've got some 'splaining to do huh?"
"You bet Lucy. Let's get this over with." We share a smile and push open the door to the Magic Box.
Time for World War III.
………………..
(Faith's POV)
Here goes nothing. Me and B push the door to the Magic Box open and I mentally brace myself for the assault that's bound to come. I look around and see Red and some blonde chick pouring over a book. Willow looks up and nods her head in Buffy's direction. In the corner by the bookshelves, Xander and another blondie, Anya I guess, are searching the shelves for, yep, you guessed it, more books. Turn my head towards the check out counter and there he is. Rupert Giles.
I remove my arm from B and carefully make my way to where he was standing. He still hadn't looked up. When I reach the counter, I ring the little bell for service and say, "Hey G-man, can I get a little help here?"
He looks up from his book, having recognized my voice and a look of fear crosses his eyes. He doesn't attack which is a good thing seeing as he could probably take me out right now.
The fear passes and he looks me straight in the eyes.
"Faith. Willow and Xander have already informed me of your arrival. But I must know, what the bloody hell do you think you're doing here?"
I wanna make this brief. No use in getting sappy on the old man. "Hey Giles, look, I'm reformed now. Not the psycho slayer that I was before. I know I tried to seriously put the hurt on some of the people you love. But I'm sorry. I'm here to help make up for all that stuff back then. Tell me how and I'm you're girl."
Giles got this superior look on his face, like he was staring at something dirty. B noticed and walked over, putting her arm around my waist. Good thing I feel like I'm about to fall over again. Too much walking I guess.
B looks Giles in the eyes and gets her resolve face on. "Look Giles. I have plenty of reason to trust in Faith. Since she's been back, she has done nothing but help. Hasn't stuck her toe outta line yet. In fact last night, she saved my life. Put her own in danger. Giles, just please, trust her, for me."
I guess Giles realized then that I wasn't up to full slayer power. He gave me the look-over and Buffy's words seemed to have struck a tender place in his heart. "Buffy, I trust your judgement, and if you say she's changed, then so be it. She gets a second chance in my eyes. For you and Dawn." Wow that was a bit easier than I thought. Guess he's gotten soft in his age. "We need her right now, with the impending apocalypse. Glad to have you back Faith." With that he smiles at me. Wow again. Not only does he accept me like that, but he's happy? Guess his beef with me wasn't as bad as the others.
"Thanks G-man. So what's the what? Wanna tell me why there was a huge Faith eating earthquake last night?" I ask him as B leads me to a table and helps me sit. I turn to her and softly say. "That bed's lookin' real good now."
"Well it seems that that was a preliminary event for the rising of the hell-beast described in Cordelia's premonition. The thing's trying to break its way out of Hell. I do hope it takes him a while. In the meantime, we must figure out what this thing is and how to kill it."
Giles finishes and goes back to more heavy duty reading. I look around again and see that blonde with Willow. Tara. Ya that's her name. Shit I said some pretty bad things to her back in B's body. Time for more damage control.
As I walk up to the two wiccans, Red steps in front of Tara protectively. How cute. "Look Red, I'm not gunna hurt your girl. I just need to talk to her 'k?"
"Willow, it's ok. Let her talk." Tara said. Gotta say I'm surprised. If I were her, I sure as hell wouldn't want to talk to me.
"So, um…Tara? I'm uh…sorry, for all those things I said to you before. When I was giving B's body the test-drive. You seem like a great person, and I definitely don't hold by any of those things I said…we cool?" That was harder than the G-man's I said some pretty nasty things to Tara, and I didn't even know her.
"Faith? I forgive you. We all make mistakes." Wow Red's lucky to have this girl. She's nothing but nice. "And Faith? I trust you." Those last words are a shocker. Of all the people here, she has the least reason to trust me. I look around…hmm maybe not. But still…
She must have seen the puzzled look on my face cos she explained herself a little more. "I c-can read auras. A-and yours. I-it's lighter now."
"Glad to know that Blondie. Thanks." I nod my head at her and make my way back to B. She takes the seat next to me and we just sit there. Apologies done with for the moment we stare at the books in front of us. Not wanting to open them. Books…hey I like a good read, but all these old texts…not my thing.
I look at B pleadingly and she understands. "Well Giles, looks like you got the book thing covered. I think I'll get Dawn and Faith home. I'll patrol later. Bye."
We get up and leave. When we're a good distance from the building, I turn to B and say; "Well that was Tension City. Glad to get out of there."
"Ya it will take them some getting used to. You being back. But you know what? They're gunna have to deal. Cos as far as I'm concerned, you're not going anywhere."
It's all worth it to be back here with her. All these "I'm sorrys" and stuff. You know its all just part of the healing process. And I've got B to help me.
A/N: Read and Review...you've already read so push that little gray button and review. Please? I will be eternally grateful ;)