The Path To Redemption
Chapter 8
Author: twin who likes to travel
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Faith is thanked for saving Dawn a second time, their future plans are finalized, the Sunnydale team leaves L.A., and Dawn gets a year older.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Reviews: I would like them. Constructive criticism is ok.
Author's notes: This contains the last of the Angel crossover. I will go with both what happened in the comic books and what Andrew told Spike in the Angel season five episode "Damage" in regards to their future plans. Ltlconf, thanks for leaving a review so quickly. Sorry to disappoint you, but Faith flirts with Buffy for the last time in this chapter. She becomes more focused on Dawn, obviously. Minamot3, thanks for the reviews to all of the stories in this saga and adding this one to your alert list. Kim9988, ReadingWolf, iliketurtlesctfxc, kid2150, and hk-mp5kpdw, thanks for adding this story to your lists. I hope you leave a review before this story is over. Twilight Warrior 627, thanks for adding all of the stories in this saga to your lists. I hope to get some reviews from you as well.
Buffy managed to catch up with her as the brunette reached the door to the basement/ training room.
"Faith, wait."
"What's up, B?"
"I just wanted to…Um, what happened after I…"
"Fell asleep?"
"Yeah," Buffy answered while gazing at Faith.
"Nothing between us if that's what you're worried about. I put your bra back on you, put on my underwear, grabbed the rest of my clothes, and left."
"You know the only reason we got all touchy feely and stuff last night was because we were a little drunk, right?"
Faith surprised her by pushing the blonde's back to the basement door with her left hand and whispered into her left ear, "Keep tellin' yourself that, B. We did what we did because we wanted it. We both know that if you hadn't conked out, you woulda felt me here in more ways than one."
Buffy gulped as Faith pressed her right hand on the front of Buffy's pants. She was too stunned to speak when the same hand moved to her crotch and switched to a cupping motion. The blonde bit her lip to hold in a moan as she felt the force of the other slayer's hand making her nearly stand on the tips of her toes. The brunette then leaned in to kiss her as well. The kiss got Buffy to open her mouth enough for Faith to slide her tongue inside. It only lasted about ten seconds. Both girls could hear the blonde breathe heavily after that.
"F-Faith, w-we c-can't d-do th-this h-here," Buffy stuttered at the feeling of her pants being unbuttoned with two hands.
"Why?" Faith questioned while her right fingers pulled down the zipper of Buffy's pants.
"Because we could get caught and…and…," Buffy muttered and gasped as Faith's fingernails grazed over her underwear.
"We could always finish upstairs or on the other side of this door. I could…," Faith suggested before being interrupted by the blonde.
"You could what?"
"I could…," Faith began and described the next part in a whisper while her right hand slid into Buffy's pants and cupped her again.
"F-Faaiith…," Buffy replied as she grabbed Faith's wrist with both hands but didn't stop her.
"Or I could…," Faith added and finished the end in another whisper.
"Faith, please stop!"
"Because you wouldn't want them to know you'd liked it."
"I don't want to get caught," the blonde murmured before she pulled Faith's hand out of her pants and buttoned and zipped them up.
"So another time then?" Faith teased after Buffy stepped away from the door.
"Yes…I mean no. It's never going to happen between us. What happened last night shouldn't have happened. I guess we just let it get way out of hand. Do you understand?"
"Yes. It would have been amazin' though. Think it over, ok?"
"What about what they said in the kitchen?" Buffy quizzed as she ignored what the other slayer had said and nodded to the kitchen.
"They were tellin' the truth."
"Why didn't you put on the rest of your clothes before leaving?"
"Cause my room was just down the hall, and I thought I had time to get there before the rest of your friends and sister got back. I guess the lighter fell out of the pocket out my jeans."
"Now who's lying?" Buffy accused at the smirk from the other girl.
"Ok, maybe I wanted them to know that little miss perfect could do somethin' like that. Angel was right about what he said about ya years ago."
"And what was that?"
"One thing I learned about Buffy; she's always so cute when she's sleeping," Faith quoted from her memory.
Buffy attempted to speak but was interrupted this time.
"Somethin' else you wanna say, B?"
"Yeah, a few more things."
"What?"
"Why did you do all of that before I stopped you?"
"Because I like the reaction I get out of you when I do stuff like that. I also know that a little part of you liked it too. Not that you'd ever admit it. If you hadn't, you would have stopped me as soon as I started; but you didn't. What's the other thing?"
"Thank you," Buffy said honestly, making Faith smile for a second.
"For…"
"For saving Dawn again last night. I'm sorry we didn't believe you."
"No problem," Faith assured her as she held back a second smile before kissing Buffy suddenly on the left cheek, opening the door, and closing it behind her.
Ten minutes later, the hotel lobby
Giles and the Scoobies rounded up everyone, except Faith, for an impromptu meeting.
"I'll go get Faith," Dawn offered.
"No, I can get her," Buffy responded.
"Let me. I need to thank her for last night at the club," Dawn pleaded and reassured her at the expression of concern on her sister's face, "I'll be alright, Buffy, I promise."
Buffy let her go but still showed the same amount of concern.
"She'll be alright, Buff," Willow tried to convince her as Xander nodded along with the redhead.
Buffy mumbled into her ear and waited for the redhead's reaction. Willow agreed and quickly recited some words in Latin before strolling with Buffy in the direction of the basement. Xander got up and chased after them. When he saw where they were going, he trailed after them silently. The rest watched them leave and stared at each other in curiosity.
Another few minutes later, the basement/training room
Faith was busy hitting the punching bag with a variety of kicks and punches when she heard the door opening.
"Who is it?" Faith called out since she couldn't sense who it was for some unknown reason.
"It's Dawn."
"What do ya want? I'm kinda busy here."
"I just wanted to…"
"Talk about last night?"
"Yeah."
"So talk," Faith encouraged as she went back to hitting the bag and keeping her back to the younger girl.
"Could you turn around so you can see me when I'm talking to you?"
"Ok," Faith relented with a sigh before turning around and placed her hands on her hips.
"That's better."
"So?" Faith commented after a long enough pause from Dawn.
"I wanted to…to thank you for helping me out at the club. I'm sorry I didn't believe you and thought you were just jealous."
"Ok, but I'm not the one who got jealous last night, was I?" Faith chuckled.
"Jealous of whom, you and Buffy?"
"Not me and Buffy, just Buffy."
"What are you getting at?"
"That you wanted to be the one dancing with me like that."
"No, I didn't. Don't you think I could have been a little uncomfortable seeing you two like that?"
"Look me in the eyes and tell me that ya didn't want to be in Buffy's place."
When Dawn couldn't and was caught peeking at the scar on Faith's stomach as the slayer stretched a little, Faith smirked and spun around to prepare in hitting the bag again.
"Are we done?" Faith grunted after throwing a punch.
"Not yet. I also came down here to tell that Giles called a meeting for all of us."
"Give me a minute," Faith requested before wiping the sweat off her skin and gulping down some water.
"Ok," Dawn consented and waited on the bottom step for the slayer.
"What gives?" Faith groaned when the younger Summers didn't move.
"Can I ask you something?"
'Sure, it doesn't mean I'll answer it though."
"Never mind," Dawn grumbled after seeing the expression on Faith's face and noticed the tone she used.
"Dawn, wait," Faith advised as she sat down on the second to last step, "I'm sorry I kind of snapped at ya."
Dawn sat beside her and spoke, "Why did you turn on us back in Sunnydale years ago? We were your friends."
Faith nearly scoffed and answered, "NONE of you were my friends. Your mom was cool and all, but she only liked me because she thought I could take over for B. Xander only acted like he liked me because I'm hot, and so he could hear all my slayer stories. Oz didn't seem to care either way. Willow acted cool but got jealous cause B started hanging out with me more than her. B got jealous cause she thought you all started liking me more than her. Giles clearly liked her a lot more than me. Angel was too in love with ya sister to try at first. You had a crush on me or idolized me whatever. It was kind of cute at first. Then it got annoyin'. And don't even get me started on Cordelia. And yeah, I got a little jealous of you and B. It was only because ya two had so much, and I only had the slayin'."
"That's not completely true."
"YES, it is. I came to Sunnydale to meet the famous Buffy Summers. I thought I'd find someone who would treat me like an equal since we were both slayers. What I found was a stuck up, tight ass blonde that lied. She said she didn't like slaying, but I got her to admit that a small part of her liked it. I could see it her eyes. I wasn't treated like an equal. Never mind that the prophecy considered me 'The Slayer' since B and Kendra had both died. I was treated only like backup. None of ya ever thanked me for ANYTHING! Before helping Angel, the only time I was thanked was when I saved a girl during the body swap. I was never invited to those so called 'Scooby meetings' that Miss Post talked about. She reminded me that I couldn't trust anyone. B and her friends talked about how they tried to be friends with me, but they didn't try that hard. I knew the Mayor was evil, but at least he made me feel needed. That I wasn't just back up, and that he actually cared. Oh, and killin' Finch pushed me over the edge of sanity. That's why I turned on all of ya."
Dawn showed hurt and shot back, "If we were so bad then why did you call Angel a friend yesterday and save me last night?"
"The reason I called Angel a friend when Robin and I got here was because he's been there for me when nobody else was. He still thought he could help me. He was the first one I apologized to. It was him that helped me decide that I wanted to make it up to all of ya and to take responsibility for what I did. So I turned myself in to prove it. The reason I saved you is because I couldn't let the same thing happen to you that happened to me."
Dawn gawked at Faith, who groaned softly after that revelation, and yelped, "WHAT?"
Faith sighed and explained, getting Dawn's full attention.
"When I was around twelve and my mom was passed out drunk, one of her asshole boyfriends came into my bedroom and woke me up. I tried to fight him off, but he was too strong. He ripped my clothes off and raped me. It hurt so bad."
"How could that happen? Where was your dad?"
"I never knew him. He skipped out on me and my mom shortly after I was born. She blamed me for him leavin'. That's why she never loved me and barely cared. She didn't believe me when I told her I was raped. She was drunk most of the time. I never got any presents on my birthday or at Christmas time. While you and Buffy had parties, Mom was already drunk or getting drunk, and I was either in my room or out on the streets. When I became a slayer, I was gone. My first watcher let me crash at her place during the night."
"Why didn't you tell any of us this?" Dawn choked out as tears were fighting to get out at the same time.
"I ain't the type for sharin' feelings and all that crap, especially with people I don't trust. NOBODY cared enough to give me a head's up when The First declared war on the slayer line."
"Then why are you telling me now?"
"Cause yesterday was the first time any of you thanked me for somethin'. Well, not counting the time B claimed that she was happy I came back before the battle with The First."
Before Faith could stop her, Dawn burst into tears and collapsed onto the brunette. Faith wasn't sure on what to do. She kind of liked the feeling of Dawn that close to her, but the crying was making her uncomfortable. When Dawn looked at her, Faith gently wiped away the tears with the nearby towel. Dawn smiled at her. Suddenly, an invisible force seemed to draw them closer together. Their lips were less than an inch apart when they both immediately pulled away.
"I…We…," Dawn murmured before Faith cut her off.
"We should get upstairs before they come looking for us."
"Yeah," Dawn agreed as she stood, "Faith?"
"Yeah?"
"Even if the others don't trust you again or turn their backs on you a second time, I'll be here for you."
"Don't make a promise, ya can't keep."
"Just give me another chance like I am going to do for you."
"Ok."
Dawn didn't see that Faith had checked her out again as she climbed the stairs and grabbed the doorknob. Meanwhile, the Scoobies had spied on the conversation thanks to Willow. The spell in Latin had blocked Faith from sensing them nearby and let all three of them hear the conversation clearly. They switched between being angry, regretful, and curious. When Faith had revealed about her dad never being around and being raped, Buffy and Willow let the tears come. Willow had even softly whimpered, "B-Buffy!" The tears didn't stop until they heard Dawn cry. At hearing the girls agreeing to come upstairs, Buffy and Willow almost ran to the nearest bathroom. Xander simply marched back to the lobby.
After giving Faith enough time take a shower and get changed into some other clothes, Giles started the meeting. They affirmed that Robin, Faith, and some of the slayers would go to Cleveland and guard the hellmouth there. The rest would go to Scotland where Giles had acquired property to be used as possibly temporary headquarters for the new Watcher's Council and a training facility/school for the newly awakened slayers. When things were running at least a little more smoothly, some of the Scoobies would split up. Willow and Kennedy would head to Brazil, Xander would travel to help in rounding up some of the new slayers to be sent to Scotland, and Buffy and Dawn would take a vacation Buffy declared she earned. After the slayers got in some more training, they all packed up and relaxed until nightfall. The slayers then got in a final patrol of L.A..
The following morning, around 9:00 AM, the hotel lobby
Everyone began saying their goodbyes to the team assigned to Cleveland. They exchanged hugs and handshakes. When it came time for Faith to say goodbye to Dawn and Buffy, it got very quiet.
"I guess this is goodbye, B."
"Not forever, Faith. Here," Buffy declared while handing the brunette a cell phone, "Keep in touch, ok? It has all of our cell phone numbers in it already."
"Wicked," Faith exclaimed before putting it in her pocket and giving the blonde a handshake.
"I think you mean, 'Yes, I will.'"
"That too," Faith announced with her trademark smirk.
They watched silently as Dawn bit her lower lip and hugged Faith for a few seconds. Then Robin, Faith, and the small group of slayers left the rest standing there in the lobby. Buffy and Willow took a few minutes to say goodbye to Angel and his team before exiting the hotel as well. As the door closed, Angel sighed. About ten minutes later, the last five headed to Wolfram & Hart.
Sunday, June 22nd, Dawn's birthday, rural Scotland
Dawn was sleeping peacefully and dreaming about Faith when an excited blonde entered the room.
"WAKE UP, DAWNIE!" Buffy shouted as she jumped onto the bed, waking up her now aggravated, younger sister.
"What the hell, Buffy?" Dawn griped as she sat up and examined the clock by her bed, "It's only 8:00 AM. I thought we got to sleep a little later on the weekends."
"Why so grumpy? It's your seventeenth birthday."
"I know what day it is, thank you. Now get out."
"Why?" Buffy asked as her sister closed her eyes and tried to get back to sleep.
"Because I want to see if I can get back to that dream I was having before you barged in."
"Oops, sorry. Was it a good one?"
"Duh."
"So which guy were you dreaming about this time; was it Matt Damon again?"
"Yes," Dawn growled to hide the fact she had been dreaming about Faith instead.
"Well, get cleaned up, changed, and come downstairs for a special breakfast."
"Is everyone still coming for the birthday party?"
"I think so; you've missed them already, huh?"
"I know it's only been a couple of weeks; but when you see people on a daily basis, you get used to having them around. And when they aren't, you can start to miss them."
"I know. So can I expect to see you downstairs in around twenty minutes?"
"Yeah," the younger girl claimed before grabbing some clothes and heading to the nearest bathroom.
Dawn had been dreaming about the brunette for the past three days. Each dream seemed to end too fast in her opinion. Every time it started to get the slightest bit intimate, the alarm clock would wake her. She would have to lie to hide the fact her feelings for the brunette were getting stronger. They felt like the beginning stages of a crush. She knew this because of her past crush on Xander and the one that stopped after Spike attacked Buffy. She had never felt this way toward a girl before, and it made her curious. Was this only because Faith had saved the younger Summers twice in such a short time? Some times she thought it was. Other times she wasn't sure. Another thing she wasn't sure of is if the previously rogue slayer could ever feel the same for her.