The course of love seldom runs smoothly.
The Dawning of Faith
Chapter 14
"It scares all of us. But it's worth it," Buffy said as her eyes focused on infinity, "it's worth it."
"I'll keep that in mind," Faith said. "Buff?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I love you too. Funny how that worked out, isn't it? Not in a 'Willow' kind of way though, right? I mean, I'd be flattered, but…"
"No worries B," laughed Faith, "I told you my heart already belongs to someone else."
"Have you told them?"
"Her," said Faith. "Turned out to be a her, remember?"
"Then tell her," Buffy counseled, 'hell, tell everybody. Tell me?"
"I'm scared, Buffy. Just plain old scared," admitted Faith.
"Bullshit. You? Scared? Bitch, please!"
"True thing. I'm scared."
"Then you better Woman-up, Faith. Whoever she is, she can't wait forever, and likely she's scared too. You aren't exactly approachable, you know," Buffy told her.
"How do you mean, Buff?"
"You're a legend, Faith. All the girls know your story, most of it, anyway. More than a few of them have the terminal hots for you. You never noticed?"
"Can't say I have, no. Funny how I don't care, either, isn't it?" she speculated.
"Sounds like you're in love, to me," Buffy said smiling. "I don't know who she is, but she's lucky."
"You really mean that B?"
"I do. Wanna raid Giles again?"
"He's not home?"
"Nope. He's playing at a coffee house in that little town south of here, I wasn't supposed to tell," Buffy admitted.
"How far?"
"Half-hour, should we?"
"Hell yes! DAWNIE!" screamed Faith.
"What is it?" Dawn asked as she rushed into the room with her scythe.
"I told you she was good," Faith said.
"Wanna go hear Giles play?" Buffy asked Dawn.
"Really? The three of us?"
"Yup," confirmed Buffy. "Is Willow here?"
"She went to the club with Kennedy," Dawn told her.
"Then the rest of the Scoobies will soldier on without her. You can have two drinks, Dawn, if we can get away with it."
"I'm old enough for wine and beer here," Dawn said.
"Yes, you are. And you can have two," Buffy told her.
"You're one to talk, after that episode in Giles' study," grumped Dawn.
"Do you want to take your own medicine?" Faith asked her.
"Two is good," agreed Dawn hastily, "two is fine. I'll be right back, I need to take the potion off the burner and leave a note for Willow."
"All grown up…" Buffy sighed. "Whoever gets her heart had damn well better deserve it, and that's the bottom line."
"Yeah," Faith mumbled, "yeah, for real."
"Ready!" announced Dawn.
"You're driving, Dawnie. Faith and I are gonna make out in the back," Buffy laughed.
"Really?" Dawn gasped.
"No silly, not really," Buffy told her, "Faith isn't into blondes. Hello? That was a joke, people. Jeez, tough crowd. Anyway, you're driving, let's go."
Buffy grabbed Dawn's arm and the trio left in high spirits. All of them sat up front in the large sedan, and Buffy struggled in vain to find something worth listening to on the radio.
"Screw it," she said as she snapped the radio off, "we'll have music when we get there."
The coffee house was fairly full, but by a combination of beauty and sheer force the three women managed to grab a table near the small stage. Three glasses of a decent wine appeared, courtesy of a trio of frat boys who were way out of their league, but got points for effort. They at least had sense enough not to intrude.
"It's family night guys," said Buffy as she passed them on the way to the restroom, "but thanks for the wine. You'll like the show, promise, a real classic."
"They're all dykes," declared one of the frat boys.
"Can you blame them?" said another.
"Not so much, no. Yo! Another round here!"
"This is nice, the three of us out together," Dawn ventured.
"Yeah, it is. Buffy and I are getting along great," Faith told her. "Jesus, that feels so good."
"Even after she stabbed you?" Dawn asked her.
"Shit, I had it coming. I was evil Dawn. Not bad, not playful, evil.
"That's in the past. Here comes Giles!"
Buffy scrambled into her seat just as Giles reached out to adjust the mike. He saw them seated there, and gave them a tender smile.
"God, I love that man," Buffy sighed. Faith and Dawn exchanged looks, but kept quiet.
"Like a father! Like a father for God's sake," hissed Buffy.
"I dunno Buff," said Faith, her eyebrows arched high, "for an old dude he's pretty hot."
"Tell it," Dawn agreed.
"Oh shush, you two. Listen to the music."
"Thank you all for coming," Giles said warmly, "this first number is one I remember from my younger days, which is to say, long before most of you were born, however, I trust that the sentiment is still relevant. Ladies," he said as he nodded to the two women behind him who were singing backup.
"Great, old dude music," one of the frat boys cracked.
"Shut up, dickweed," suggested another.
Soft chords echoed through the room, and then Giles began to sing…
I know just how to whisper,
And I know just how to cry;
I know just where to find the answers;
And I know just how to lie…
I know just how to fake it,
And I know just how to scheme;
I know just when to face the truth,
And then I know just when to dream…
And I know just where to touch you,
And I know just what to prove;
I know when to pull you closer,
And I know when to let you loose.
And I know the night is fading,
And I know that time's gonna fly;
And Im never gonna tell you everything I've got to tell you but I know I've got to give it a try!
"Jesus H. Christ," whispered Buffy.
"Uh-huh," Faith agreed.
And I know the roads to riches,
And I know the ways to fame;
I know all the rules and then I know how to break 'em and I always know the name of the game!
But I don't know how to leave you,
And I'll never let you fall;
And I don't know how you do it,
Making lo-ove out of nothing at all.
(making love)
Out of nothing at all,
(making love)
Out of nothing at all,
(making love)
Out of nothing at a-a-all
(making love)
Out of nothing at all.
"I'm dying," Dawn announced.
"Move over," Buffy said.
Every time I see you all the rays of the sun are streaming through the waves in your hair;
And every star in the sky is taking aim at your eyes like a spotlight!
The beating of my heart is a drum, and it's lost,
And its looking for a rhythm like you.
You can take the darkness from the pit of the night, and turn it to a beacon burning endlessly bri –i- ght.
I've got to follow it!
Cause everything I know, well its nothing till I give it to you!
"Buff," said Faith.
"Yeah."
"Get him if you can."
"Can't. I know why Mom humped him on the hood of a cop car now, though."
"Huh?" Dawn said.
I can make the runner stumble,
I can make the final block;
And I can make every tackle, at the sound of the whistle I can make all the stadiums rock!
I can make tonight forever,
Or I can make it disappear by the Dawn;
And I can make you every promise that has ever been made and I can make all your de-mons be gone!
Faith's eyes met Dawn's, and the world disappeared.
But Im never gonna make it without you,
Do you really want to see me crawl?
And Im never gonna make it like yo-ou do,
Making lo-ove out of nothing at all.
(making love)
Out of nothing at all
(making love)
Out of nothing at all
(making love)
Out of nothing at a-all
(making love)
Out of nothing at all
(making love)
Out of nothing at a-all
(making love)
Out of - nothing - at all…
Giles looked up from his playing, his eyes sparkling, the smile on his face directed at the three young women so important to him. The dripping of a faucet behind the counter was clearly audible in the hush.
A middle-aged man in the room held up his lighter and flicked it on, and one by one those who remembered did the same, and those who did not were inspired to follow suit.
Giles stood and bowed, and the place went nuts.
He joined them at their table and smiled sheepishly.
"Was it too sentimental, do you think?" he ventured. He vanished under a pile composed of two Slayers and a budding witch.
"Drinks are on us, man," said one of the frat boys. "You and the ladies, anything you want." He walked back to his table.
"What in the world was that song?" Buffy asked.
"It was quite big in its day," Giles told them, "by an Australian group called 'Air Supply'. Sold positively mountains of albums. It became fashionable to deride them because most of their songs were rather tender. Extraordinary voices though, and I rather like the feelings it conveys."
"Uh-huh," Dawn agreed.
"Well, I have another number coming up, do take advantage of the young lad's generosity though," Giles went back to the stage amidst a storm of applause.
"It was kind of corny, wasn't it?" Buffy asked.
"Who cares?" Faith countered. "It was beautiful."
"Uh-huh," Dawn agreed.
"You okay Dawnie?" Buffy asked her.
"Not yet," Dawn said, "but I hope to be, someday."