The Path To Redemption
Chapter 11
Author: twin who likes to travel
Rating: PG-13
Summary: This is the rest of what happened in the morning after Dawn's birthday, and Buffy and Dawn tell the group in Scotland something important after their two and a half months vacation.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Reviews: I would like them. Constructive criticism is ok.
Author's note: I get the idea of what I have Buffy and Dawn tell them from the Angel season five episode, Damage.
Around 9:00 AM, the dining room
The only ones left when Buffy entered was the Scooby gang.
"Well, Buffy, you look…relaxed," Xander said nervously and received giggles from Willow and Dawn.
Buffy just glared at him for a few brief moments before cracking a smile.
"Where's Faith?" Dawn asked with concern, "I…"
"Who cares?" Willow snapped, interrupting Dawn.
"I do. I was hoping to say goodbye to her before we leave," Dawn explained calmly.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I need to get some breakfast before we leave. Is there anything left, Will?"
"I whipped up some for you after we caught you…with Satsu."
"You're never going to forget that, are you?"
"Nope, not for awhile anyway," Xander replied before receiving more glares.
Willow smacked him in the chest as the sisters walked into the kitchen to grab the food. They returned a few minutes later and sat down next to their friends. Everyone remained silent until both Summers were done.
"Will, can I ask you for a favor?"
"Sure, Buff, what's up?"
"Before you go back to Brazil, do you think you could…teleport Faith's clothes over here? I mean if she's going to be staying here while we're gone for who knows how long, it would be nice for her not have to wait too long for something else to wear. I know she's not your favorite person right now, but it would be a nice thing to do."
"When has she been?" the redhead spat, shocking her best friends with that outburst but angering Dawn.
"I agree with Will here, Buffy," Xander chimed in while Buffy acted unaffected in front of the other three at sensing Faith getting closer.
"Both of you, shut up!" Dawn ordered as she stared at Willow and Xander. Willow looked hurt while Xander looked confused. Dawn continued when it got quiet, "Did you already forget what you talked about with Buffy on the school bus that day, whether it was vocally or telepathically? You said you wanted to give her an opportunity to earn your trust and have a second chance to become her friend since it didn't seem to work too well the first time. How do you expect that to happen if you're constantly ganging up on her? History will just repeat itself, but without the killing."
"But, Dawnie, she said…"
"I remember what she said, Will. I believe she was being honest when she was just kidding in the hopes of calming you down. It's not like she's the first to make a mistake during an attempt at humor," Dawn reminded them before pausing temporarily and directing all of her attention to the only guy in the room. Then it went back to the witch, "If she apologizes, will you accept it?"
"If it's truly sincere," Willow informed before sighing.
"And don't forget she saved my ass twice before we even left Los Angeles."
Faith had heard the entire conversation from the moment the sisters came back into the dining room until Dawn's last statement. She expected what she heard from the older three but was sincerely touched by the youngest member defending her. Faith thought to herself as Dawn talked about being saved. She means her sweet, virgin, jailbait ass. Faith quietly and swiftly moved back to the stairs. Then she headed to the dining room loud enough for them to hear her. She heard Dawn warn them that she was coming and quickly thought about what to say when they saw her again.
"Good, ya haven't left yet."
"Nope, Dawn wanted to say goodbye. And so did we…right?" Buffy responded.
"Sure," her friends stated unconvincingly, making the blonde gaze back in a disapproving expression.
"I mean yes we do," Xander spoke more cheerfully while Willow smiled hesitantly.
"Cool, I kind of wanted to say something to the four of you too."
"What is it?" the redhead questioned with the same amount of hesitance.
"I wanna apologize for how I said what I said last night after you broke up with…you know. I honestly meant it as a joke. I can see now how it might not have come off as well as it could or should have. If it means anything, I think you should consider yourself lucky."
"How so?" Willow challenged suddenly.
"At least you've had a lot of people really care about you. I never had that until Angel and Robin. That's if you don't count the Mayor. And after some time in prison, I stopped counting him. I think you will find someone, Red. It might take some time, but you're still young and hot too. Just because you have some rough times it doesn't mean ya should stop tryin'. I may never fall in love," Faith told her and stopped for a second to chuckle, "But it doesn't mean I'll stop tryin' either."
"Did Faith Lehane just make a joke about her and love?"
"I guess so, B."
The rest smiled when Faith smirked. But once again, Dawn sensed something else was going on in Faith's head.
"Ouch," Dawn squeaked almost loudly as she put her hand over her heart.
"What's wrong, Dawnie?" her sister questioned with concern.
"It felt like something or someone hit me, but I don't see anything."
"I ain't sayin' a word about that because I wasn't even close to her," Faith claimed, making the rest of them smile.
"What did you want to say to me?" Xander cut in.
"I can tell you're still hurting a little bit about what happened to Anya. I know she was an ex-demon, but she was still pretty cool though. When you're ready, I think I know someone who would be interested."
"Who?" they all gasped.
"Vi. I've seen her checkin' ya out. Just be careful since she can kick your ass."
"Uh, Faith."
"Yeah, Red?"
"I apologize too. Before I leave, I'll teleport the rest of your clothes and anything else of yours that needs to be, so you won't have to wait for anything."
"Wicked," Faith told her before surprising both Willow and Xander with very brief hugs. Then she whipped around to face the sisters, "Now for you two. Buffy, ya don't need to worry. Vi and I will whip the rest of the slayers here and any others that show up into lean, mean, slayin' machines."
"That's great."
"I'll make ya proud, B. Dawn, I promise your room will still be in good shape when you get back. Both of ya keep in touch, aight? I'm gonna find the rest of the newbies and Vi so we can have a trainin' session. Then Vi, Giles, and I can decide who's going on patrol and other stuff."
Before either girl could say another word, Faith hugged them as well. Then with a wave and a smirk, the brunette disappeared.
"Who the heck was that?" Buffy declared before laughing.
"The new and improved Faith," Dawn guessed with a slightly beaming smile.
"I guess so. I just hope this one sticks around for awhile," Xander commented as he made sure all the bags they needed were there, "Are we ready to go?"
His best friends held back a giggle at him apparently missing how Dawn was smiling at where Faith had stood less than a minute ago. Willow teleported all of Faith's possessions to Dawn's room in the castle. The four of them gave each other hugs before leaving themselves.
September 6th; around 10:00 AM, Scotland time; the Watcher's Council headquarters/ slayer training school.
Buffy and Dawn returned from their two and a half months vacation well relaxed and happy. But Buffy could see that despite the happiness, her sister was a little worried.
"So did you have a good time with me showing you the world?"
"Yeah, didn't you?"
"Definitely. But you're worried about Faith?"
"Yes, aren't you?"
"Actually, I'm not. Giles said he's seen the way she's become 'Take Charge' girl. I'm curious to see how right he is."
"Me too, but…"
"But you think she's not going to like what we have to tell her, I mean all of them."
"Yeah," Dawn confided as she attempted to be alright, but Buffy sensed something else.
"Do you have a crush on Faith now?"
"What? Of course not," Dawn denied, "But I think of her as a friend. I mean we talked frequently while we were here and she was in Cleveland and during our vacation. And I even sent her a few postcards."
"Ok, so you're not crushing on her, but you care about her?"
"Yes. If someone's your friend, you normally care about them. It's just…What do you think she's going say or do when she finds out we're moving to Italy?"
"I think she'll be glad to see us and that we trusted her. As for Italy, I think she will be happy for us."
"But it's going to be hard to become really good friends if we're too far apart to hang out with each other frequently."
"Well, it's not like we'll NEVER see her again. We can always get together during the holidays and birthdays, ok?"
"You're right."
"One more thing, Dawnie."
"What is it?"
"I know you just said you're not crushing on her, But I don't think it would be a good idea to start crushing on a girl who will possibly never fall in love," Buffy mentioned before she giggled a little.
"You think that's funny? That someone could never fall in love?"
"What are you getting upset about? You said you're not crushing on her and Faith even joked about it."
"I don't think it's funny. I think it's sad."
"Maybe, but I still think you shouldn't get involved with someone who could break your heart if you were gay or bisexual. She broke Robin's. And she's probably straight."
"Let's go find everyone," Dawn muttered as she walked away from her sister.
"Promise me, Dawnie, no falling in love with Faith."
"I promise," Dawn vowed but could already tell that it could happen anyway.
About five minutes later, the girls had found Giles in his office and followed him to the training room where the girls would most likely be. They entered silently and watched closely as the brunette gave out commands like a drill sergeant, just as Kennedy had done in Sunnydale but without the trash talk. It surprised them that Faith had chosen words of encouragement instead of insults. The Summers women spun a little to glimpse at their mentor. They hadn't seen him smile like that in awhile. They turned their attention back to the girls. As Faith was commanding the girls, Vi was getting prepared for a sparring session. A few seconds later, the girls shifted at one of Faith's demands and noticed the two girls behind Faith. They instantly came to a halt.
"I didn't tell you to stop. So why did you?" Faith argued.
It was answered when the girls silently indicated for their leader to look behind her.
"Yo, B and D, when did ya get back?" Faith asked as she hugged Buffy, "I thought you'd be gone for another couple of weeks. Ya know, round it out to about three months."
"About five minutes ago," Buffy confessed while Faith broke the hug and focused on her sister, "The school Dawn will be going to starts up in a little under two weeks. It gives us just enough time to do everything we need to before then."
"Ok," Faith stated and admitted during the hug she shared with Dawn, "I missed ya, D."
"What about me?" Buffy questioned curiously.
"You, not so much," Faith smirked and continued at what she assumed was a sort of fake pout on the blonde's face, "Just kidding. Everyone, these beautiful women behind me are Buffy and Dawn Summers."
Buffy and Dawn weren't too sure about what to say at several girls gawking and gasping at them.
"What have you been telling them, Faith?" Buffy almost growled.
"That you used be a stuck up, tight ass with no sense of fun, unless it involved shopping of some kind," an unknown slayer announced without a second thought.
Before Buffy could respond, she heard laughing all around her. She scanned to see Giles, Dawn, Vi, and some of the new girls laughing. She glared at the girls and Faith. Faith shook it off, but it shut the newbies up and slightly scared a few of them.
"Anything else?" the blonde requested.
Dawn and Buffy smiled as a blonde about a few rows back timidly raised her hand like she was in a school classroom.
"What's your name and what did she say?"
"My name's Tina, and sh-she s-said y-you w-were the l-longest l-living s-slayer s-so f-far and th-that y-you l-led the f-fight against The First."
The smile Buffy let out got rid of the fear the girl had shown.
"And that she kicked it with the both of you," the first girl cut in with a smirk.
"Kicked it?"
"You know…hooked up. She said that both of you were like animals in the sack."
"WE NEVER HAD SEX WITH HER!" Buffy yelled in anger before glaring at Faith, who was laughing loudly, "What are you laughing about? Lying like that isn't funny."
"Geez, chill, B. I only told them to say that when you got back because it would rile you up. I know that little fling you had with Satsu was just out of curiosity. And I'm pretty sure your little sister is straight. But then again maybe she's bi-curious too."
"Yeah, Buffy, calm down," Dawn agreed.
"Did she really say that?" Buffy directed to the girls behind Faith, who all nodded simultaneously at her.
"What's your name, little miss smart ass?" she demanded from the girl who had spoken without saying her name.
"Kelly," the African-American girl asserted.
'Well, KELLY, I advise you wait awhile before you make remarks like that."
"I've been around here for almost three weeks."
"She's right, B. I warned them that only I could be the resident smart ass though. It's one of the rights that come with being a leader. Kelly, give me twenty push ups NOW! Megan, watch her and count to make sure she does them all."
Buffy and Dawn were stunned by how the snap of Faith's fingers immediately got the girl and a slightly taller girl with blue and green streaks in her hair to do what Faith had told them.
Faith whipped around and replied in excitement as they heard Megan counting, "I'm so loving this, B. I totally get it now when Ken said that this kinda stuff got her worked up and made the sex with Red so hot."
"Seeing you all 'take chargey' is kind of sexy," Buffy described before she could stop herself.
This brought several gasps and complete silence.
"You really think so?" Faith prodded and smirked when all Buffy could do was blush.
"What do you think, D?"
"I a-agree. Hey, I just noticed something."
"What's that?"
"When we came in, you weren't talking like you normally do."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're saying you more often than ya and adding g's at the end."
"Oh, well, I decided that if I was going to lead, I should try to speak more correctly. Do you like it?"
"Yes, but you can still talk like that to me occasionally. I kind of like hearing it sometimes."
"Sure thing. Is there anything else before I let Vi lead the sparring session?"
"Yes. We have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"
"It doesn't matter, yo," Faith relented as she winked at Dawn.
Buffy giggled at how now Dawn was the one blushing.
"Ok, the good news is that if you want to keep leading the girls here, you can."
"And the bad news?" Faith inquired reluctantly.
"Buffy and I are leaving," Dawn divulged a little sadly.
"Leaving?" Faith gasped, "Does this mean you're quitting slaying?"
"No, it means that Dawnie and I are moving to Rome, Italy. We really liked it. I will still slay, but Dawn's going to finish high school and decide what she wants to do with her life. Hopefully, it's something away from the supernatural."
"Oh," Faith sighed before facing the other girls again, who were standing around and listening to the trio talk, "Kelly, you still have five more to do. Megan, make sure she does them. The rest of you are dismissed to go to where Vi is for a sparring session. Megan and Kelly will join you after Kelly's done. Nothing too rough, we only want to see how much you have progressed since you've been here. They're all yours, Vi."
Giles and the sisters watched as the redhead waved them over to the mats.
"Where are you going, Faith?" Dawn quizzed as Giles and Buffy waited for her response.
"I'm going to get something to drink and go up to my room…I mean Dawn's. I want a few minutes alone."
"What's up with her?" Buffy added and looked at Giles when Faith shuffled away after that.
"I have no idea," Giles insisted while heading to his office with Buffy following him.