The Dawning of Faith
Chapter 4
"Right there with ya, B, right there with ya. Let's go raid Giles' stash, the kiddies can get along without us for while, and I want to get out of here before the pillow fight starts."
"Sounds like a plan, lead on McFaith." They slipped from the kitchen and went into the room used as an office, Faith moved a few books out of the way.
"Scotch or gin?" she asked.
"What does he have the most of?"
"Scotch," answered Faith.
"Scotch then, you want soda?"
"Nah, this stuff is pretty good. Giles knows his booze," Faith admitted.
"Among other things. Where did you and Dawnie go, anyway?"
"Little club downtown, nice place, good music, and the management keeps the assholes out. I tell you, little sister can dance!" Faith informed her.
"Yeah, she can. Hasn't had much chance to, unfortunately. Thanks again for bailing me out, Faith."
"What are friends for?"
"Are we friends? Can we be friends now, after all that's happened between us?" asked Buffy as she sipped her drink.
"I'd like us to be," Faith answered, "it feels good to be a part of something. I mean part of something not quite so demonic and evil. I was jealous back then, and scared, and I guess I had a chip on my shoulder. Screw it, water under the bridge. We've got a job ahead of us with these girls now, and new ones all the time."
"Yeah we do, Giles is bringing in two more with him. Think there's any instructor material in the bunch from Sunnydale?"
"Amanda," answered Faith, "she's tough, and she's patient. Kennedy is a little full of herself, she's good, but she's not a good teacher. We can't baby the girls, but they don't need to be bullied. I figure we let Amanda get the real newbies settled in and started, and you and I will handle the more advanced ones. Kennedy and a couple others will make good team leaders, the more experienced girls won't be intimidated by them."
"You've really thought about this stuff, haven't you?" Buffy asked, a little surprised. Faith shrugged.
"It's important, and to tell you the truth, Buff, I don't want to be on my own anymore. Right here is all the family I have, so I can't screw this up. I figure I've used up at least 7 of my nine lives. Besides, I've got to teach Dawnie how to use that thing without getting either of us killed," she grinned. Buffy raised her glass to Faith, took a sip, and then sat it down on the desk. She walked over to Faith and held out her hand.
"Friends," Buffy said. Faith took the offered hand, and the two slayers looked long at each other, their minds going back over their often violent history together. Faith pulled Buffy close and hugged her.
"There's room for both of us," Faith said, "but you're still the slayer. Sometimes there has to be just one."
A shadow passed by the slightly open door, but neither of them noticed it.
"Are they fighting?" Dawn asked anxiously, when Willow joined her in Dawn's room.
"Nope, shakin' hands, drinkin', and hugging," Willow replied happily.
"What kind of hugging?" Willow raised an eyebrow, looking thoughtfully at Dawn's face.
"Something you want to talk about, Dawnie?" Dawn blushed, and worried her lower lip with her teeth.
"There's nothing to talk about, not really, not yet," she answered.
"This nothing has to do with Faith though, right?" Willow pressed.
"Maybe."
"I thought so, I'm a little worried about this Dawn, Faith is kind of – well – she's not really the type to commit, I don't think," Willow finished lamely.
"You mean you think she's a slut," Dawn said bluntly.
"Well, she does have a rather colorful past. I just don't want to see you get hurt, sweetie."
"I know about her past, we all have pasts, don't we, Willow?" Dawn asked pointedly.
"Yeah, we do. You're right Dawn, we all need to move forward, and Faith has really been working hard since she came back with me. Come to think of it, she and Buffy work well together with the girls. Buffy didn't even freak when she read the note Faith left about going out with you."
"She was probably too busy freaking about forgetting my birthday," Dawn said with a grin.
"Oh yeah, she – that was sneaky, Dawnie," Willow complimented.
"It's all right, it didn't bother me too much, I know everyone is busy. Shoot, I nearly forgot it myself, and I had a great time with Faith. Buffy got me this neat scythe too! Best birthday ever," Dawn told her seriously.
"So, does Faith know how you feel?"
"Well, she may have figured it out when I asked her to kiss me, but I'm fairly certain that she got the idea when I offered to give her anything that she would let me." Willow stared.
"Oh. Yeah, that would do it. What did she say?"
"She said, and I quote: 'just so you know though, I'm not gonna sneak off someplace with you and have sex, Dawn. That's just not gonna happen.' " Dawn replied.
"Huh. Is she not into girls? 'Cause I get a little vibe off of her now and then, and I thought…" Dawn was giggling a bit, and Willow stopped talking.
"She really is hot, isn't she?" Dawn asked confidentially. Willow cast an exaggerated look around the room and over her shoulder.
"Only if you like them dark, gorgeous, dangerous, and sexy as hell," she temporized. "How long have you felt like this, Dawnie?"
"I guess it started when you brought her back, I was cold to her at first, like we all were. But she took it, and she stepped up, and she stuck it out and she fought like a lion. I'd have to say it started then," Dawn told her. Willow's mouth was open a bit, and her gaze was far away.
"I can see how that got your attention," Willow mumbled. "So she didn't turn you down because of the girl thing?"
"She said that as far as she was concerned that "sexy is sexy", and I'm not sure she exactly turned me down." Willow's face encouraged her to continue. "She said that I was Buffy's sister, and that mattered, and that this was new for her, and that she knew for sure that I was more to her than just someone to fuck. Does that sound like she turned me down?" Dawn asked anxiously.
"I'd have to say that it doesn't. I don't know what she really feels of course, but it sounds like she at least really cares about you. I can't tell if she might be in love with you though, or what she might do about it if she is."
"But you could, right? I mean, you could do a spell of some kind, and see how she really feels, couldn't you?" Willow reached out and stroked Dawn's hair, smiling wistfully.
"I could, yes, but I won't. I won't help you make the same mistakes that I made with Tara. People's memories and feelings are to be respected, Dawnie, the more magic you learn, the more important that becomes."
"I can see that, I'm just nervous not knowing how she feels about me, and then there's the whole Buffy thing. She's gonna totally freak, I mean not only am I in love with a girl, but it's Faith of all people – " Dawn's mouth slammed shut, then dropped open wide.
"That's the first time you've said that out loud, isn't it?" Willow guessed. Dawn nodded slowly. "Feel weird?"
"It feels wonderful!"