Disclaimer: I own nothing, not the poem (It's E.E. Cummings') or the Slayerverse. Thank you Joss, for that greatness.

The Missing Half

Chapter 20 – Human Snowplow

A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update! I've been busy lately with non-stop schoolwork and sports. Sorry this chapter isn't my best, but I hope you enjoy! Thanks to all those reviewers! You guys are my rocks!

(Buffy's POV)

My lips are chattering and the cold has frozen the tip of my nose and ears. But I'm better off than Faith is. She's still breathing, but it sounds so ragged, so uneven. I'm scared. I need to wake her up though.

"Faithy. Faith," I lightly whisper into her ear. "Baby, you need to wake up."

I'm not surprised when she doesn't move. Looks like we'll just have to try a little harder.

I lean closer to her and stroke her hair.

"Faith!" I demand, a little louder this time. "Faith! Wake up!" I raise my voice again and shake her shoulders gently.

Then I bend over and press my lips against hers. The coldness shocks me at first; it was like kissing Angel. But the warm blast of her breath let me know she wasn't like Angel. She is still alive and she is going to stay that way.

If all else fails…

(Faith's POV)

Where the Hell am I? I look around and see nothing. Just vast acres of blinding white light surrounded by more freaking white. I walk around slowly and hear the white crunching beneath my feet. Snow? No it's not cold. I'm about to have a minor freak out. Here I am walking around in crunching white stuff, no one around for miles. No Buffy.

So I'm walking around this place for a while. Ten, maybe fifteen, minutes pass of me making random circles. I have absolutely no clue what to do, and I'm getting bored. Bored slayers are not happy slayers. And I'm confused. I hate being confused. People think I'm dumb, they think that all Little Miss Faith thinks about is screwing, slaying, and stuffing my face with food.

Ok so I think about those things a lot. And Buffy. I think about her too. Slaying with her, stuffing my face full of food with her at her house, and well…you know. God what I wouldn't give to feel those lips on mine again. Her signature pouty Buffy lips.

I'm tired of walking around so I plop my butt down on the…whatever it is…and think. I picture myself back in B's arms. In the arms of an angel. My girl.

What the Hell is happening to me? In the arms of an angel? My girl? Before B, I was never like this. It was all rah rah rah! What's you're name? Don't care. Wanna get kinky? Sure. That was nice I gotta shower now.

She's turned me into a…a…little pansy girl! Ok so I know pansy doesn't normally go with girls, because girls are naturally sappy, but not yours truly. No way! She makes me want to write poetry! Sing! Do cartwheels! Hold her hand! Look her in the eyes and tell her…

That I love her. More than anyone before. More than anyone I will ever meet..

Damn. Now I've gone and depressed myself. I'm stuck in this white void of white nothings and I have the overwhelming urge to tell Buffy I love her. Again. Over and over. In a stalker way.

So I'm sitting here on the ground with my head in my hands, thinking abut how B's changed me into a living corny Hallmark card when I feel a slight breeze in my ear. I look up, but no one's around. Weird.

I go back to my brooding when I feel something different, like someone's stroking my hair. Ummm ook.

I try to ignore it, thinking that I'm just going a little crazy when something rattles my shoulder gently.

Then I feel it. That little electric tingle in the back of my mind I get when B's near. I look around but she's not here! Ok, someone's messing with me and I am going to…

Oh sweet lord. It's here. Lips. Buffy's lips. But not? I can feel it; her beautiful mouth pressed against mine, the electric sparks that come with our kisses. But she's not here. I start to kiss back, trying to deepen our kiss…

And suddenly I'm freezing my butt off.

(Buffy's POV)

So I'm kissing her, when all of a sudden, the kiss turns deeper, as if someone's kissing back and oh my God.

Faith is awake.

The change in pressure of the kiss and my realization of the fact that Faith woke up makes me break the kiss. I pull away and stare into her deep brown orbs. The ones I was afraid I wouldn't see again.

"Where's the dwarfs? All we need are Dopey and Grumpy and all of them and we got ourselves a fairy tale," Faith's raspy voice cuts through the silence.

I smile widely and retort, "Does that make me Princess Charming, my little Beauty?"

Faith grins, "If I'm Beauty, you're the Beast."

She coughs weakly and her skin turns paler. Coughing, I'm guessing, was not a healthy thing to do right now for her.

I immediately grab her hands in mine and rub them furiously, trying to warm her up. When Faith yelps in pain I stop rubbing and look at her, confused.

Faith's eyes get all wide and she looks down at her hand. The one clutched in mine. I slowly remove my hands and gasp at the sight. My Faith's beautiful hand is swollen and purple. Her fingers are bent in odd places. Not really normal looking at all.

"Oh baby I'm so sorry," I whisper, guilt washing over me in waves for having hurt her.

Faith breathes deeply. Regaining her composure. "It's ok B. Not your fault."

Something snapped inside of me. The girl I love is lying here broken, telling me it's ok, and not my fault. But it is. I shouldn't have let her leave the Magic Box like that, I should of…

"B, please, don't be sad. I'll be ok. I'm just so cold." She's shivering deeply, and her face seems to be contorting into pain. As if each movement hurts her.

Of course it does. I don't want to move her too much, in fear that I could further whatever injuries she may have. But I need to get her help quickly.

"Faith baby, hang in there ok? Try and stay awake." I'm so scared for her. Her eyes keep drooping, and her body's growing more limp in my arms. GODAMMIT! I wish I could walk, I don't know how much longer this is going to last, I can feel my legs a little more with each passing moment, it shouldn't be long now.

"B. S-so c-cold. T-talk t-to me?" Her pleading eyes look up at me, hopeful that I can help her stay awake.

My mind's searching for anything, songs, movies, stories, and poems…

A poem that's it. One instantly comes to mind, a poem by E.E Cummings. I start slow, unsure; I'm not much for reciting poetry. As unexpected as it sounds, that's more Faith's thing.

"I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)

I am never without it

(Anywhere I go you go, my dear;

and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)"

I gently squeeze Faith's uninjured hand and lovingly stroke her snow-matted hair.

"I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)

I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you"

I see Faith's eyes wide, blinking away tears.

"Here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;

Which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart"

My heart grows heavy, heavy at the prospect of living a life without her.

"I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)"

(Faith's POV)

Ain't my girl something special? Not only is she beautiful, but she can recite poetry too. Good poetry, not the "If I can't be with you I'm gunna rip out my heart and squeeze the beating object of my pain til I--"

Ok got a little carried away with that one. Must be the mind numbing cold that's creeped into very inch of my body. Probably a good thing cuz when I look at my body and see some of that red stuff…blood…I realize I should be in serious pain.

But the cold hurts more than anything does. Sapping my energy like stupid sapping energy stuff. Did I mention I'm cold?

"B, that was beautiful," I finally respond. "That'll keep me awake." My words are slightly slurred, spoken through frozen lips.

B just smiles sadly and strokes my hair, careful not to hurt me anymore. I wish my contact with her body could be more, I missed her so much. I wasn't even gone long, but it affects me more than any absence has ever affected me.

I look into her eyes and as I'm staring, a flash of relief passes through her bright greenies. "My legs!" she squeals. "I can feel them again!"

My face moves into confusion. Buffy explains to me.

"Faith? Honey, Aldinach, took some of my strength, but it's better now. I can get you fixed. You will be ok."

Without another word, my blonde heroine scooped me into her arms. A flash of pain struck my body. But as quickly as it came, it left.

B trudged through the snow, trying her best to move efficiently in the powdery death trap. I am honestly never going to love snow again.

She's making good progress, considering the conditions. I can see the edge of the cemetery in a short distance. It'll only be a few more minutes. I hope. I don't know how much longer I can stay awake. My eyes are drooping more, and I'm comfortable in my lover's arms. I could just sleep right…

"Faith!" Buffy's voice cuts into my near sleep. "Stay the Hell awake! You can not fall asleep on me."

I want to, but it's so hard. I feel safe now, something I hadn't felt while trapped in the demon's lair, then pinned under a mass of rocks. Yep, definitely hard to feel protected when you're getting the shit beat outta ya.

"Sorry B, I'm just so sleepy…" I trail off again, my eyelids falling closed once more.

Even as B continues to walk, she leans down and captures my lips in hers.

"Ok! Awake now!" I tease. If only it were true. As nice as it was, I'm back to the land of nearly asleep again.

I'm afraid of what is going to happen, what will happen if I fall asleep. Will it be another eight months before I wake up again? Will it be longer? Will Buffy still be by my side?

I try to stay awake, but I'm done.

"I love you Buffy…" I whisper lightly into her ear, as if it was the last time I was going to be able to say it.

My consciousness leaves me and I'm out.

(Buffy's POV)

"I love you Buffy…" Faith whispers into my ear.

I look down at her and see her eyes closing. No. NO!

Tears blur my vision and I pick up my pace, Sunnydale Hospital's not far away. I just hope her mind can stay awake, even though her body has left her dreaming.

I can't lose her now. I want her to live through this. Of course I do! I cannot possibly live without this girl in my arms. She brought back a light in my life that I was missing ever since Angel left. But this light is even brighter than the one we had.

What Faith and I have…is special. A slayer bond packed with an undying love for one another. A love I find so intense it's indescribable.

A love that makes my legs move faster with her in my arms. This scene feels so familiar, me carrying Faith, sprinting to get her to safety. Last time I went through this, it was because she saved my life. Now it's happening again because she tried to save the world.

Only to have it put I danger again by me. But I had to. To save her. The only one who can really help me defeat this hell thing once it rises up. She has to live, she has to help me, and she has to be with me, she has to love me.

Blood is pumping through my veins, heating my cold body, and moving me along.

The hospital is in sight now. Only a little longer. I push harder than I thought possible, practically melting the snow with my fiery steps…

Ok so that was a bit overdramatic, but I feel like I'm flying. Four more steps and I'm racing into the hospital, flinging the doors aside like it's nothing more than a piece of cardboard.

"Help!" I scream. I few nurses jump at my loud presence. I run over to an empty gurney and gently lay my love down. "Somebody, somebody help her now!" A doctor comes out of a room and immediately moves his stethoscope over Faith's chest.

"Breathing still, heart's still going, weak, but there."

"Doctor? She got trapped in the snow, I don't know how long she's been there, but she was asleep at first, I woke her up and then she fell asleep again, and she has to wake up again, will she wake up? Will she?"

I'm in full on panic babble mode.

"We need to get her warm first, and then tend to whatever injuries she's suffering. She has a chance…I'll try my best." The doctor gave me a reassuring nod, then called out. "Empty Trauma One! We need to get some blankets and a heating pad. Let's get her warmed up!" He called out authoritatively.

They wheeled Faith into the room and immediately set to work. I wanted to watch, but they pulled the curtains closed. I know I need to stay out of their way, let them work their magic, but it's hard. I need to help her somehow. Anything, just keep her from leaving me again.

I need to keep myself busy before I tear out every hair on my head so I pull out my cell phone and dial the number of the Magic Box.

After a few rings Anya picks up the phone. "Hello, Magic Box here. We've got the goods; you've got the money. How can we--"

"Anya put Giles on," I cut in.

"Oh hi Buffy, sure thing." I swear I hear genuine concern n the ex-vengeance demon's voice, but the thought slips away as Giles says a soft hello into the phone.

"Buffy," he calmly says. "Are you ok?"

I can't help it. I break completely. "Oh yeah, just peachy. Happy as a little girl with a new dollhouse. I found Faith, Giles. Oh I found her." There's a slight pause, and I continue. "I found her under a pile of rocks, trapped in the snow and rubble for God knows how long, almost freezing to death."

"Oh my, Buffy, are you...is she…"

"We're at the hospital, she was so cold Giles, and she was hurt too. Her hand, broken, and who knows what else…"

(Giles POV)

No. I've failed my slayer again. Faith does not deserve this, the second time since she's come back, she's been hurt. She may have been bad in the past, but what keeps happening to her…

And Buffy. My daughter. If she loses Faith…

I may be just some old git, but I know love when I see it. The way those two look at each other, it was obvious to anyone who saw the two interacting with one another.

I don't want Buffy to lose Faith; I don't want to lose Faith.

Not when we've just gotten her back.

"Buffy, she'll pull through, just believe…"

"Giles it's so hard too! If you had seen her, pale and shivering…Giles, she's not a weak person, but today, she couldn't walk, she couldn't even stay awake!"

I hate this. What slaying does to these poor girls' lives. It could kill Faith, which will only kill Buffy.

I want to comfort Buffy, but I can't find the words she needs to hear. She won't listen to them anyway…

"Giles, they're warming her up, and then…" a shrill beep cuts through the phone. "Oh God…Giles…no she's leaving me…" I hear hard sobbing, then the click of the phone going dead, as if dropped…

I need to get to the hospital.

(Buffy's POV)

I was talking to Giles and then...that long shriek of her monitor telling me something's not right.

I can vaguely see the outlines of people frantically rushing around her room.

I can't accept it.

I don't want to believe it…it's gone. Her heart, my heart, my Faith…

A/N: Want Faith to live? I suggest a review ;)