Thanks to those who have taken the time to review the first chapter and I hope you continue to read. This story is partially done and I actually took the time to work on it and have the majority of it finished as to not have updates take to long. If Captain B can refrain from beta'ing me into a meltdown with each chapter they'll be dropped fairly quick and i'll work on getting the rest of it done sooner rather than later if enough interest is shown. I SWEAR that's not review pandering :P
Home Sweet Home, I muse as I look around, uninterested in the surroundings and the people sitting at the table. Only squad leaders and senior Slayers, which actually means me and Buffy, are sitting in on this little meeting. My knee is jumping uncontrollably and I'm not sure if it's because of the fact that I haven't killed anything in about three weeks or that I'm nervous about seeing Buffy this morning. I didn't sleep well last night because after she left all I could think about was the way she acted. I want to talk to her about why she was all weird and shit, but I know she'll just deny it.
Me and Kennedy picked up my Jeep about an hour before this little meeting was supposed to start. The short trip to pick it up gave me just enough time to get in her shit for the stunt her and B pulled; going out on their own to get something on these new vamps we're dealing with. Even though Buffy told me that Kennedy only went after unsuccessfully trying to talk her out of it, it doesn't mean she's off the hook either.
Needless to say, it left me more than a little aggravated with her because the only thing she had to say about her actions, with a smartass smirk to boot, was 'Oh fuck off Faith, you would've done the same thing." Stupid brat. She's right though, I would've went along with B no matter how stupid it was. I know there's no talking Buffy out of shit sometimes when she has her mind set on something, but then again, I'll follow Buffy anywhere because of how I feel about her, what's Kennedy's fucking excuse?
When I arrived at the castle all of the juniors were happy that I was back, and it feels good every time I go away and come back how they all flock around. Until of course that shit starts to grate on my last nerve, especially with the smaller ones, or the teenagers.
I touched base with a few that I rounded up when I was searching for the newly called Slayers, and the ones that are still alive seem to be doing okay. But they are getting the best training, by the best bunch of super geeks, and the oldest living slayer with a complex, so I didn't have any doubt they'd be doing well. They started pestering me about how long I was gonna be around and if I would be teaching some classes so they could sign up. Damn, I must admit, it feels good to be home.
I sit at the table and wait for this thing to get rolling. My leg is still jumping slightly and my index finger is lightly tapping against the table. I'm not even sure why I have to be here because researching and planning really isn't my thing. All they have to do is point me in the direction of the shit that needs killed and I'm there. But of course I know why I am here and it's because she expects me to be. So for that reason I play the dutiful 'senior staff member that the girls look up to' and nod my head and give an occasional 'mmhmm' when it seems appropriate to appear as if I'm paying attention.
I'm also not sure why I'm nervous, it's not like we haven't done this a million times. I guess I'm just waiting for Buffy to show up, and giving how we left things last night, I'm not sure what to expect from her. I thought about that shit all last night after she left and I still can't wrap my mind around her reaction, it just seemed hella off even for a spaz like her.
Fortunately for me though, or it just may be misfortune, she walks into the room and my eyes are immediately are drawn to the door as she does. I don't see anyone else but her as she strolls in all businesslike and looks around the room. Her eyes fall on me and I give her a little up nod. Her face is void of emotion and she just looks away. Damn. She's still pissed and it fucks me up inside. I really need to get a hold of that shit. The fact that she can change my moods or make me feel a certain way with just a look can't be healthy after all this time. I watch her as she strolls further inside the room, and soon some of the other Scoobs fall in after her.
After SunnyD made a big hole in the earth, we all decided to trade one Hellmouth for another. And who knew that there were Hellmouth's simmering all over the place. And yes we, as in myself included, all made the decision together. It became our second chance to make a first impression.
The Scoobs got a chance to finally grow up and get out from under the thumb of the small town life that held them captive for so long, I'm sure the only vacation Red and Xander ever took was a sleepover down the street to each other's houses.
Dawn got a real chance at a normal college girl life, instead a ball of energy created to destroy the world. She got the chance to spend all her free time researching her actual college courses instead of demons and apocalypses. Now she's a full fledge Watcher and has gone back to researching demons and apocalypses, so I guess she's back where she started. But at least she had a choice and I can't say that I'm surprised that Squirt chose this. Now she's helping us fight the good fight and refusing to be labeled as the sister of The Slayer. Good on her.
It gave Giles the chance to build an organization and finally be a part of a bureaucracy he could be proud of and actually help the girls we have all taken responsibility of. It's also a paying gig which we're all loving. Apparently The Council was holding out on us and had money invested in a shitload of lucrative deals all over the world and some offshore accounts. So now I'm getting paid to do something I actually love, can't say it gets much better than that.
Most importantly though, it gave me the second chance to try and right the wrongs that I've done by fighting on the side of good, and to help the people that I've hurt. Plus, it gave me and B a real chance of actually being friends and working together. I must say, I look good in a white hat.
B also thought that with the newly called Slayers, it'd give her a chance at a normal life and it does to a point. She doesn't have to patrol every night or attend daily meetings to discuss the latest and greatest going on in with demon population. No, we have people for that now. Our people have people. However, you can't ignore the calling. For a Slayer, the urge to slay cannot be denied. It's what we're made for and were born to do. I know it and Buffy knows it.
It's why she usually finds herself out with me some nights when I'm home, tearing into any baddies we run up on. It's like a drug. It makes me high and gives me an adrenaline rush like I've never felt before, especially if she's there. B says she tags along to keep an eye on me and to make sure I don't get myself killed, because yeah, I still deliver wicked punishment and like to prolong the fight when I slay. What can I say, I always have a lot of energy to burn.
I always tell her I'm not one of the juniors and I don't need a babysitter. She never listens though, but I don't really mind. I love patrolling with her. It makes the rush that much better and she looks wicked hot when she fights. She's all raw, unadulterated power and energy when she's fighting. Then when it's over, she goes back to being dainty and prudish like she doesn't get off on that shit. But I always catch that familiar glint in her eyes when I'm caught gazing into them. She just gives me that adorable little half smile of hers and I break out the dimples and then we keep it moving and on to the next.
But when it's all said and done, we both go our separate ways, due in part to me needing to get as far away from her as possible. Then it leads to me finding the nearest club and warmest body to work off some post slaying stress and B suddenly remembering the honey she skipped out on to come slay with me.
A lot has changed since Sunnydale, but for the better. We all work together to keep the world in ignorant bliss while living life as normal as we possibly can.
"Faith!" I hear the squirt squeal as she enters the room. I smile and resist the urge to cover my ears and stand getting ready for the assault, and right on cue she rushes over and throws her arms around me. "When did you get back? Have you seen any of the freaky flying vamps out on your last mission? You looked perfectly tanned...are you laying down on the job? Did you bring me anything back?" She rambles off and my brows raise trying to keep up.
"Yeah Faith, did you bring us anything back?" I hear Xander ask from behind her looking like a kid on Christmasy crack and I can't help but laugh.
"I was too busy working on my tan to pick you guys anything up, but next time yeah?" I watch as both of their faces fall. I laugh at that, guess they're so use to me always bringing back goodies for them when I'm away. "Hey, blame it on the slave driver," I say throwing a nod over to Buffy, "I was ordered to lay low, didn't have time to look for anything."
"Yeah, she has a tendency to suck the fun out of things. It's inherited with being the oldest I guess," Dawn says and glares over at Buffy.
"C'mon now, isn't me being here enough for you two?" I ask looking between them both.
"Only if you and your place is compensation for coming back empty handed," Xander replies excitedly.
"Is this a sex thing? Because it sounded like a sex thing….and ewww much?" The squirt says and drops her arm from around me.
"It's always a sex thing with Xander," Buffy says as she interjects into the conversation and then she frowns slightly. "In fact, it's always a sex thing with this one too." She jerks her head in my direction and I smirk at her. "They both seem to have the minds of 13 year old boys."
"Hey 13 was a very good year for me," Xander pipes in. "I discovered a lot about myself that year."
"Yeah and I'm sure it was all you that was doing all the discovering. In fact I know it was all you because years later you still didn't know shit." I grin at him, and yeah it was a low blow, but it's something we can joke about now without it turning all bitter.
"Freaks," Dawn deadpans and she walks away.
Xander looks at her retreating form, confused, and back to Buffy. "Okay. Back to the sex thing. There's a sex thing? We have a sex thing? Because I'm okay with that if we do." He's looking at me now with his boyish grin in place and looking a little too hopeful. Yeah, not happening.
"No Xander, apparently you're not Faith's type anymore," Buffy chimes in sparing a glance at me.
"Huh? What's that mean?" Xander asks before I can say anything.
"To hear her tell it? It doesn't mean anything." And then B walks away.
Damn. She's on again about last night, and apparently she really is pissed about me being with a woman. What's up with that shit? It's like she said, her bestie is a fucking lesbian so what the fuck! I start after her to ask what's up her ass, but Xander stops me.
"So we're on for some gaming right? Unless of course you were thinking of saying yes to the sex thing, because have I mentioned that I'm okay with that?" He's rubbing his hands together with that silly grin still on his face.
"You know it," I tell him and pound the fist he holds out to me. Just because I'm pissed at B doesn't mean I have to take it out on him. "And that was to get our game on….not the sex thing dude," I clarify and watch the grin on his face fall a little.
"Okay, I'm good with that too. I've been schooling Kennedy on the new Madden and now she won't play with me anymore. Your place, tonight around seven sound good?"
"Wait why my place? Why can't we loaf around in your suite? It' because I have a bigger t.v. isn't it?"
"Yep, yours is bigger."
"That's what she said," I grin and give him pat on the back. He opens his mouth to say something else, but it snaps shut. I'm assuming from the lack of reply and some sexual visual he's having about mine being 'bigger' and what that possibly means especially after B's little comment.
"Right," he says before walking away quickly.
I chuckle as I sit back down and watch Buffy from across the room talking to some of the others. She laughs and nods at something one of them says before her eyes fall on me. She still has the smile on her face, even though I'm kinda pissed at her and I know the smile isn't for me, I can't help it, and smile back.
Finishing up whatever conversation she was having, she makes her way towards me and pulls out the chair beside me and sits down. I turn towards her to ask why she's still on about the chick thing, but she holds up a hand before I can speak.
"I'm sorry okay? I shouldn't have said that and before you ask, I'm still not weirded out about you being with another woman."
Another woman? What does that mean? Did I miss something? "Okay," I mumble before sitting back in my seat debating whether or not I should push her on this. I really don't want to fight with her and I know if I push, it's probably where it will lead.
She opens a folder and I peer over at it briefly. She's pretending to be interested in some type of class roster but I can feel the tension coming off her in waves. It shouldn't be like that between us, at least not anymore. We've gotten over that tense phase a long time ago. At least I thought we had.
Things weren't always rainbows and butterflies between me and Buffy. I think that's obvious and expected with our splintered past. When we decided to all stick together, after The First, I never got to apologize to her for all the shit I'd done when we were kids, and I knew she hadn't forgiven me for it.
I got the invitation from Giles, and Buffy wasn't exactly happy about it. Sure, she was grateful for the extra muscle for the fight with The First, but after the dust had literally settled, she thought I should go back to prison. Talk about a punch to the gut, and I wasn't exactly opposed to the idea either, but hearing her voice it was different. Don't get me wrong, prison sucked big time, but it was where I belonged, after all I was a murderer.
Dawn and Xander seemed to be cool with the idea of my hanging around as well. The kid just made me promise not to hurt her sister or anyone else again. That coupled with the threat of turning herself back into a ball of energy, throwing herself down my throat and making me explode from the inside. I swear I laughed hard at that, that kid is scary as hell when she wants to be. I made the promise to her though, idle threat aside because it's not like she could actually do that. Could she?
It wasn't until Willow got on Team Faith, something that even shocked the hell out of me, that B backed down. It took Red giving her a rundown and telling her all the double standards she was throwing at me. She explained how easily B was so willing to forgive and forget the things she'd done, and the fact that she filleted a guy alive.
She also threw at her the fact that she'd fallen in love with a vampire that murdered for centuries. Then she was fucking and caring about another regardless of him not having a soul, plus just being plain old evil and conniving. After trying to argue the facts and coming up empty, finally Buffy relented and said, 'Fine, I don't care…I'm over this'.
The argument wasn't over for me however, I knew going back to prison was the right thing to do. I needed to pay for my crimes on a 'human' level, and I deserved to live with those consequences. It took a few days for Giles and Willow to get through to me a little, plus they played the guilt card. They went on about how I had this responsibility to the newly called Slayers seeing as I was a Chosen One, and only Buffy and I could make them understand what it was like.
I mulled over it for almost a week and the decision wasn't easy, but then I thought about all the girls out there that were coming into all these wicked powers and not understanding why or what to do with them. I remembered what it was like for me to not have any proper guidance after my Watcher was killed and then after the fuck up with Gwendolyn Post and Wesley, I knew I owed it them to help them figure this thing out.
The thought of a bunch of mini Faith's running around out there either abusing their power or just lost as hell and flying in the wind with no direction, and I knew what I had to do. I pushed down my own need for redemption and decided to get on the savior train. It still didn't feel right though. When you've lived in the dark for so long, it's hard to step into the light without feeling ashamed and act like you deserve to be there, but more was riding on this than my need to be pay for what I've done.
Plus it was a chance to right a few wrongs by the people I'd hurt. I knew they wanted to trust and believe in me which is why they wanted me with them because face it, they could've gone on with their new slayer gig without me. It was also a chance for me to trust and believe in myself and others.
We all floated around together for a while, first in L.A. with Angel, which is where I was able to get my prison sentence reduced and with time served I was a free woman, and the little jailbreak I did was never even a factor. It didn't hurt that I had a vamp that was head of an evil law firm with connections to boot.
After L.A. we migrated to Dull As Fuck, Ohio. There was a Hellmouth there, so naturally it was the place that a Slayer….or Slayers needed to be. We were holed up there for a couple of years, kicking ass and taking names, but it was also the place where things finally came to a head between me and Buffy.
I knew she didn't approve of me being in the fold and she took every opportunity to tell me or show it. It wasn't until one night that she stumbled across me in the training room. Let the record show though, that I don't think it was by chance that she'd come down when I was by myself getting in a good workout after having to sit back and play teacher to a group of newbies on a patrol. Being a teacher meant I actually had to teach, meaning standing aside and watching the juniors tear into baddies while I had all this pent up energy inside of me waiting to be let loose.
After not being able to dust even a newborn vamp fresh from the grave, I found myself in the training room at four in the morning. That's where Buffy found me and decided she wanted to work out as well. I knew she was up to no good though and was looking for a fight. I tried to ignore her...really I did, but the tension between us was more than obvious. That and she kept throwing these little comments in that were starting to grate on my last fucking nerves.
I was wired up and just really done with taking her shit. In the beginning, I thought I deserved it, seeing as I was free and out living a life that I didn't think I really deserved. I tolerated her insults thinking she needed to get out her frustrations and didn't even throw anything back at her. Well not much of anything. How could I? I'd done so much shit to her back in the day, to all of them. The memories of it all probably would never stop stinging. I tied up and hit her mom, stole her body, sided with the bad guy to destroy the world, tried to kill her boyfriend; albeit a vampire, but still.
No matter what my own justifications where and what drove me to do all of those horrible things, I was the one in the wrong back then. But after all this time I'd put in sticking by her, busting my ass and risking my life while helping her train and gather the Slayers we were still doing this same song and dance.
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't looking for a medal or anything, after all I'm a Slayer and I was doing my job by doing what was right for the world and the people in it. But when it was all said and done, none of it really matter and B was the only one that couldn't see that I was different…or at least maturing and trying to be better. What's even more fucked up was that she was the one person that I needed it to matter to the most.
I'm not even sure how the argument started that night, but it wasn't until she said, 'I don't see how Willow would dare compare what you've done to me to what Angel has done. At least he didn't have a soul, what was your excuse?' That's when I had reached my breaking point. Not to mention I was so over her comparing me to Soulboy.
Angel and I are cool and all, after all he did help more than anyone ever has in my life. Not to mention he helped give me a clean slate, but I was sick of Buffy and it didn't stop me from finally saying to her what I've been dying to say where Angel and his tormented soul deal is concerned. I'd had enough, so I let her have it.
'Yeah B, Angel did have a soul, he had a soul when he fucked you and it caused him to lose it, and what did he do? He went all psycho vamp on your ass. He killed Giles's girl, stalked you…but that's nothing new because he stalked your ass when he had a soul. And guess what? You still forgave him even after you had to stab him and send his ass to hell. So I don't see where Angel and I are all that different because you stabbed my ass too! The fact that I didn't die and I'm a helluva lot stronger than you ever gave me credit for is what separates us.'
'There are a ton of things that separate the two of you. One of those things is Angel will always be better than you.' That was her weak response, but as weak as it was, it burned me to the core to hear her say that, because even after all the shit she'd put me through with all the good I was doing, or at least trying to do, she still couldn't see that I had changed. Stupid little fang banger.
'You know what the only difference was between me and Angel?' I asked her, and I hadn't realized it at the time of my rant that we had started gravitating closer to each other and we were now standing toe to toe.
With a grin on her face that made me want slap it right off and with a shitty chuckle she answered, 'What's the difference Faith? He made it look good?'
I clenched my fist and with a chuckle as evil as the one she'd just given me I answered. 'No B, you seem to think I'm a bigger bad than the vamps out there that fall at your feet, the only difference is…he got to fuck you.'
I was in her face and so close I can feel the heat and the rage coming off of her. I brought my face inches away from her with my lips close enough to kiss her. I didn't though, I'm not that stupid. 'Maybe if you weren't so uptight and would let me get between that hot little 'I fuck bad boys for fun' pussy of yours, you could forgive me too since that seems to be the only way.'
I grabbed her hip with one hand and pull her roughly against me and ran my other down the length of her arm. I was surprised that she hadn't pushed me away and clocked me, but the fact that she didn't only encouraged me even more. I moved my lips to her ear to speak directly into it, my voice all husky and dripping with sex.
'C'mon Princess, let's have a go just once…see if I can take away all that anger you're feeling towards me. I gotta tell ya B, it'll be wicked. I'll lick so good and make you come in my mouth while screaming my name…and when I come up looking like a glazed donut, I'll slide my fingers inside of you so deep and fuck you so good and hard, you'll be wondering just what the hell you've been doing all this time and why you haven't been doing it with me."
I felt her shiver at that and I pulled back to look at her with a sexy as hell smirk in place. Her eyes were narrowed but I could still see that her pupils were dilated and I wasn't sure if it was because she was disgusted by what I said or if it turned her on. I sure as hell was. If she would've given me the green light, I would've done exactly what I said right there in the training room, hell I wanted to do it to her. Needless to say, she didn't, and she shoved me away hard.
'Don't ever touch me again do you understand me? Who I sleep with is none of your goddamn business Faith, and you can rest assured that it will never be with you.'
That hurt. For so many reasons that fucking hurt. She'd rather fuck vamps who've fucked her over, or guys that she doesn't give a shit about, but the one person who would die for her, she treats like the fucking plague.
With my fists clenched, I felt like my blood was on fire. I wanted to hurt her, simply because she couldn't find it within herself to stop hurting me. So I hit the one sore spot I definitely know she has. Her one great, tragic, sad ass love story.
'No B, I don't get to touch you….that's reserved for the dead. But has it ever occurred to you that Angel's one moment of true happiness is when he was between your legs? You would think that with the great love that the two of you pretended to have that every moment he had with you he'd be truly happy. I mean he claims to love you right? Why couldn't just being with you be enough for him to be that happy all the time? Or maybe he was….maybe they got the curse twisted and it was a lousy lay that brought Angelus out instead…maybe it was Angel's moment of being truly pissed that was the soul breaker.'
I was on a rant, but what I was saying was something I'd always wanted to say to her because of the way I feel about her, and simply because that's the way it is. The fact that Angel got to kiss her, got to touch her…just be with her and see that cute little half smile of hers directed solely at him and know that she was his unconditionally would've been enough for me to lose my soul over.
But no, the only time he ever felt one moment of true happiness with her was when he fucked her. It's always made me sick and think that he never truly loved or deserved her. Apparently she didn't see it that way though, and neither did he.
My effort to piss her off and hurt her had reached hit it's mark and I know she was seeing red, because at that point she lashed out and punched me with as much Slayer force as she could manage. It hurt like a bitch too. It left my ears ringing and my vision cloudy, but that didn't stop me from attacking her back.
That night B and I hurt each other, probably more than we ever had before. Physically anyway. We both ended up in the infirmary, battered and bruised. The others weren't so happy with us, they expressed their disappointment thoroughly and I after my anger had cleared enough, I must say, I was quite disappointed in myself too. So there B and I were, holed up together in the infirmary. I think it was done on purpose, that we were in the same wing together.
I'm guessing the others thought we needed to talk things out and hoped that we wouldn't start fighting again. I just think they were stupid for sticking us together after what just happened. I guess they thought that with the position that we both were in, that the fighting, at least the physical part of it was over…for now anyway.
My shoulder had been dislocated…again, but that wasn't the worst of it. I had a concussion and a broken nose that her initial punch had caused, a few broken ribs and a broken collarbone. Buffy didn't fare any better though, some of the bones in her hand were fractured, that I blame all on her though. I'm sure she did that when she tried to knock my head off my neck.
She also had a concussion, a dislocated jaw, and a cut above her eye which blood had poured into, fucking up her vision during the fight and allowing me to deliver a blow that gave her a couple of broken ribs too. What a fucking pair we were, looking like we'd just survived an apocalypse that took place in a plane crash.
All of the past pain and suffering we'd caused each other had finally come to a head. Needless to say, once my anger subsided and I had a chance to really cool off, I felt lower than I'd ever felt before. Even though I meant what I said to her about Angel, her never being able to forgive me….and yes, especially about fucking her, I never wanted to hurt her that bad, not physically anyway. It tore me up inside to see the physical pain I had done so I bite the bullet and swallowed it down with my pride. Later that night after the ringing in my head went away, I hobbled over to the bed she was in and sat down.
She wouldn't even look at me and that hurt in a way that was more than physical. But what else could I expect, her to hug me and tell me it would get better? Yeah fucking right, if it were that simple we wouldn't have been where we were to begin with. So I just sat there for a long while just looking at her, trying to find the courage to say what I needed to say. All the while though, I kept thinking that even though she was all swollen and covered in bruises, she was the most beautiful thing I'd even laid eyes on.
After a while I guess she started to get pissed at me just staring at her because she finally looked at me and said, 'What are you doing Faith, trying to find a spot on me that you haven't hit?' I shook my head, still trying to find the words to say, until I just said what felt right.
'I'm sorry Buffy….and not just for what happened tonight, for….for everything,' I told her sincerely and then I laid a hand on her leg and gave it a little squeeze. I didn't have to, or even want to go into detail of what I meant when I said everything because I'm sure she knew. She narrowed her eyes at me and I was sure she was about to fly off the bed and start pummeling me again. She didn't though, she just laid there watching me until I got up and went back to my own bed.
We were only in the infirmary for two days after that because Slayer healing is a beautiful thing. Even though we were still broken up, the doc saw enough improvement to know that in a few weeks we'd be good as new. I was happy as fuck to get the all clear because even though it was a short while, the room was filled with so much fucking tension I felt like I was gonna choke on it.
That was when I decided that I couldn't be so close to her any longer and when I was 100% again I started taking on missions in places far away from her. I always came back though, because no matter how much pain we'd caused each other I just couldn't be away from her for too long. How fucked up is that?
A year later the move to Scotland came and we made that the new 'home'. It turned out that Scotland had a nastier Hellmouth than Cleveland or Sunnydale ever did, and the decision was made to motor. Leaving a capable Slayer cell in Cleveland, we made the trek. I still went away to help out in other places but still I made my home where she was.
It wasn't until about six months after the move, and well over a year after our big fight, that one night when we were celebrating avoiding the next apocalypse that she took my hand and pulled me aside. She had that cute as fuck little shy half smile on her face and she said, 'Thank you…and not just for what happened tonight with the avoiding certain death and world doom again….but for everything.' With that smile still in place she squeezed my hand a little before she walked away. I watched her for a long moment up until she turned back towards me and smiled again, then walked out of the room. If were a vampire with a cursed soul, I would've lost it.
Things started changing between us after that, it wasn't anything drastic, just little shit here and there with us at least being civil to each other. The air around us became easier to breathe and when we were in the same room with each other it wasn't filled with so much tension. Well, there was still some tension on my part, of the sexual variety that is. My desire for her was still on the front burner and blazing hot. But what else was new?
She stopped with the bitchy comments and trying her best to get under my skin. We even started hanging out a little, granted, the gang was always around at first. I think they were more on edge than B and I were and wanted to make sure we wouldn't start fighting again. We were good though, well…about as good as we could be with each other, while getting to know each other all over again. Sure, we argued sometimes, but it was usually about slaying related shit.
She even went as far to tell me that she thought I was taking on too many missions without giving myself a break. I kinda think she just missed me sometimes and didn't want to admit it. For her to even mention it though was enough for me to put some time between missions and to start being around more. It was a good call too, because that's when we actually started getting closer. We went out more, and without our band of merry men tagging along.
B and I figured that we were adult enough to not throw any punches at each other so we didn't need Slayersitters. After a while, things just got a whole lot easier and we grew into caring about each other and being friends. Let the record show though, I've always cared about her, even when it didn't seem like I did, and over time how I feel has only gotten stronger. Something I didn't even think was possible.
We could do shit like patrol, or just sit in a room and eat together in silence, and it was actually comfortable. I was able to be my usual self and flirted and joked around and didn't have to worry about her getting all uptight about it. She'd genuinely laugh and blush, and even flirted and joked back. When she was trying to have her way, she'd do that god awful adorable pouting thing she does that will probably be the death of me one day. We even made a promise that we would be more careful with each other. It was cute as hell the way she approached it and it became something that sort has become our 'thing'.
It was another night that I needed to work out some non-slaying frustrations after an uneventful training night for me and I found myself in the training room. When I got there B was there working out her own frustrations. I think it may have been because of bad break up number two since we'd been in Scotland. But it was the first time we'd found ourselves alone in a training room together since the all-out brawl we'd had.
When I walked into the room she waivered slightly on her workout, but she kept going. And just like that, the tension in the room got thick as fuck. We never talked about that night in the training room in Cleveland, but now here we were in a place similar and suddenly it started to rear its ugly head. I started to tape up my hands, getting ready to go pummel the punching bag when I finally noticed that she had stopped what she was doing and was staring at me. I knew it was on her mind, because hell it was on mine too.
After a few moments, I sighed and started out of the room because it was just too much. I didn't want that to be brought back up and undo whatever progress she and I had made. She stopped me from leaving though, and walked over and stood in front of me. Her face was red, she was breathing heavily and her skin glowed with the sweat she had worked up. She was sexy as hell in her little workout gear, all breathless and sweaty. This was so not the time to be thinking about wanting to get her naked.
'Promise me,' she said breaking me out of my untimely wicked thoughts.
I just looked at her and said, 'huh?'
She laughed and wiped some sweat from her brow, but she said it again, 'Promise me."
'Just what am I supposed to be promising you here B? I mean you could be asking for a limb or some other body part. Wait, body parts I'm willing to give ya, but only if it's on my terms.' I winked at her obviously trying to lighten the mood but I was ready and willing had she said the word but then I realized hell hadn't frozen over yet. At least I didn't think it had.
She slugged me in the shoulder lightly and looked away shyly with her patent smile in place before looking back at me. 'We're cool right?' She looked nervous which was making me nervous, but I nodded with a slight shrug. 'And we're all about raking over new leaves and all the other not so fun yard work, right?' I couldn't help the smirk that crossed my lips at that because she was just too damn cute in all her Buffy-ism glory. I nodded again though.
'Well good, because I like to think we got enough water under our bridge for you to trust me….or at least that you want to?' She looked hopeful when she asked.
Another nod from me, because honestly, I did trust her, or at least I was starting to trust that she didn't want to hurt me anymore and I sure as hell didn't want to hurt her.
'Okay then,' she answered with a beautiful grin that told me she was pleased with me agreeing. 'Promise me." She said again.
I nodded again and said, 'Anything.'
And just like that, knowing that whatever she was asking me to promise her, if it was in my power I'd do or give to her. That made her smile wider and as corny as it sounds, my heart skipped a beat knowing I put that smile on her face.
'We haven't always done right by each other or cared enough to at least try to, so promise me that we're done trying to make each other black and blue or hurt each other with words. I'm so over that if you are.'
I let her words roll around in my head for a moment because I thought that we had already gotten past that phase in our lives. I guess since we never actually talked about it and just let things happen naturally, it needed to be said out loud. Not that I really had to think about it all that much though, because I never wanted to hurt her like that ever again. Even though she gave as good as she got, it killed me seeing how much pain I had inflicted on her.
After staring into her gorgeous hazel eyes for longer than my heart could take, I moved closer to her and like I had the right too, I brought my hand up to the back of her head and placed a kiss on top of it. When I pulled back her face had reddened even more from the blush that had crept up over it and I'm sure I was blushing as well. We weren't all with the touchy feely then, but I had given her my answer, she knew it and she was satisfied with it.
"So you coming by the loft later to hang a bit?" I look at her, bringing myself back to the here and now and waiting to break the tension between us.
She looks at me briefly before turning her attention back to the folder in front of her. "Probably not, some of us still have responsibilities," she says and jots something down on the paper in front of her.
I peer over at what she's doing and suck my teeth. "It looks done to me."
"According to your standards, it probably would be, but we need to do something with the extra time the girls have now so I'm adding more classes to the schedules," she explains without looking at me. "Without being able to go out right now and put pointy things in the bad guys, they have way too much pent up energy. Idle Slayers that can't slay equal bad."
"Oh I'm sure they can find ways to burn off all that excess energy B," I point out and when she looks over at me I wiggle my brows to let her know what I mean, but I'm sure she could've guessed it without the special effects. She rolls her eyes at me and it makes me laugh a little. "You can't tell me you and ole boy toy aren't finding ways to get rid of your excess energy. Or maybe that's the problem and why you're taking it out on the girls with these extra classes. You're not getting it as good as you'd like," I tease her, but I'm dead ass serious because there's no way he's hitting that right.
"Faith," she says warningly and I can see she's blushing a little.
I chuckle at her tone, still ever the prude. "Relax B, it's not my fault your boy can't keep up. I bet you make him feed you low-fat yogurt when he's done and you're left all frustrated, dontcha? He probably falls asleep before you're even done eating."
I throw a dimpled grin at her when she whips her head around to look at me with a scowl. She glares for a moment before she turns back to the folder in front of her and starts scribbling something again.
"Okay, just for that little comment I'm adding you for four extra classes."
"What? Four extra!" I yell out and look over at her paper more closely and sure enough my name has been added to teach some classes, but I see her scribbling it down again and adding times to it. "Oh c'mon B, this is supposed to be my down time….remember?" I say with a whining tone.
"You weren't gone long and you said you didn't even get to kill those demons you were tracking. Did you really think you were going to get off that easy and just sit around and play video games?"
"Uh, yeah….I really did, now you've gone and fucked up my plans of being a bum," I tell her, but I smile to let her know I'm kidding. I'm sure she knew anyway, which is why she added me in the first place without asking.
"Well sorry to interrupt your plans at doing nothing Faith, but you have crossbows at eight tomorrow morning, I'm posting this schedule once we're done here." She goes back to scribbling on her schedule again. I can see that she just added that shit in to torture me, but I can't help but smile at the blush she's still donning.
"Whatever B, I'll be there, but only if you stop by tonight."
She chuckles a little, but doesn't look at me, "That's non-negotiable, your class is still on whether I'm there tonight or not."
"So what, you got plans or something B?" I probe trying to see what she's really up to tonight. "You planning on working off some of that energy tonight?" And there goes the brows again.
"That's none of your business," she replies with a small smile that I can see doesn't quite reach her eyes, and shakes her head. She's right, because not only is it none of my business, the thought of her getting it on with some dude is some shit I don't even want to be thinking about, let alone hearing her talk about.
"Besides, why do you even care if I'm there? You didn't even bother to let me know you were home," she frowns slightly when she says this, and just as I'm about to drum up a reply, she continues. "I'm sure with your little girlfriend there you won't even notice if I'm there or not anyway. She'll be there right?" She throws out there, and her tone was so condescending that it makes me pause for a second and just look at her curiously.
I still haven't said anything, mainly because I still trying to figure her out. I guess because I've decided to go all mute on her all of a sudden, she finally turns to look at me and finds me watching her. "What? You can drill me but I can't ask you about the woman you're getting all domesticated with?"
I let out a sound that's a cross between a snicker and a scoff. "Trust me B, there's nothing domestic about what me and her have been doing. In fact, I think….," I start but she promptly throws up her hand in a halting gesture.
"Okay stop…that's….that's enough Faith. I'm sure I don't want to hear you finish that sentence," she interrupts, shakes her head and turns back to start writing in her folder again.
I smile devilishly at her about to tell her she's probably right when more people enter the room and B picks her head up to look at them. Red walks over and sits across the table from us and gives Buffy an expectant look. Buffy just gives her a playful eye roll and shakes her head before giving her a small smile. Red then looks at me and she's all smiles before throwing up her hand to wave.
"Hey Faith! We're glad you're back….right Buff?" Buffy raises her head and gives her a warning look and Red eyes widening slightly. "Oh because everyone missed you a lot not just Buffy." I hear Buffy groan beside me and watch as Red's face falls a little. So B missed me, and she talked about it with Red? I can't help but be amused.
"And not just you know, Buffy…but all of us, because, yaay welcome back Faith." She throws a little punch in the air and I can't help but grin at her. She then looks over to Buffy and smiles guiltily before her eyes fall back on me and I raise a suspicious brow at her before she looks away quickly.
What the hell is wrong with these two? I won't ask though, because I know I won't get either of them to tell whatever secrets they're keeping. When her and Red start getting all hand and eye-signally, that means some girl talk is either in order, or they've had some girl talk. I can't help but be curious if said girl talk has included me. Probably not though, it's probably about Buffy's new flavor of the month. I swear they act like they're still in high school.
"You're all here…and before me, I must admit this is rather surprising," Giles says as he walks in carrying some old ass looking book and sits it on the table. They seem to be permanently attached to his hand whenever I seem him.
"Well damn, we've only been waiting….," I glance down at my nonexistent watch on my arm, "like forever for you to show up. Can we get on with it already? Places to go and all that good shit." I throw at grin at him.
"Ah yes Faith, welcome home. Good to see you made it back in one piece. Did you accomplish your task while you were away?"
"No dice G-man, the HBIC put me on ice and I was ordered to stand down on the mission." I tell Giles and I can feel B glaring at me over the comment, but I don't look at her. "So I'm hoping you got a bead on these new vamps so I can go wreck some shit….feeling all kindsa antsy here."
He looks around the room to confirm that all of the necessary people are here before nodding. "I take it you all know why we're here. Faith, I assume Buffy has filled you in on the situation we're dealing with?" I roll my eyes at him for asking me that because what part of what I just said to him makes him think that she hasn't.
Sensing my annoyance, he continues. "Yes, of course she has." I nod at him and he looks kinda embarrassed. "I've been in contact with the other Slayer Headquarters, and it appears that none of them have come across this new species of vampire at all."
"Wait so does that mean we're not grounded anymore? Us kiddies get to go out and play?" I get a little excited, hoping he agrees because I'm seriously itching for a good slay.
"I don't see any cause to not have things resume to normal Faith."
"Hell yeah," I announce loudly and some of the other Slayers in the room share my enthusiasm. It'd short lived though, I can see it written all over Giles.
"Whereas things can go on as normal elsewhere Faith, I err on the side of caution here in Scotland where we have had these sightings."
"So wait, the neighbor's kids can go out but we can't?" I frown slightly at the thought of still having to be held back. "That's bullshit! We're Slayers for fuck sakes, we need to be out there actively hunting these things instead of being holed up doing jack shit!"
"Faith, we've had girls die here, or does that not mean anything to you?"
I look over at Buffy at she looks at me all disappointed and like she wants to smack me. I have to frown at this because she has to be the dumbest person on the planet if she thinks that. "Of course I care, why would you even ask me some stupid shit like that?"
"Well then I think that's settled," Giles interrupts us before it turns into something ugly. "Whereas we should get back out and resume things to keep the local population of demons under control, we have to be careful and stay out of the general vicinity of where we've had girls taken."
I grumble under my breath and turn away from B's icy glare and slump back into my chair with my arms crossed over my chest. Yeah I'm sulking and I'm also still pissed.
"We don't know exactly how many of this new vampire species are still out there or how they came to be," Giles continues and I have to interrupt him.
"Hold on,…so you mean to tell me you brought us all here to tell us that we still don't have jack shit on these new vamps?"
Giles pulls his glasses off and rubs at his eyes. I can see that he's tired, he's probably been up around the clock trying to figure out the sitch here. Putting his glasses back on he turns to look at me. "Yes Faith, as you so animatedly put it, I'm afraid we still are coming up empty with this. Willow has been in contact with several covens, and I've discussed this with some contacts as well and we can't find an origin on them. Even Angel has expressed concerned seeing as in all his time on this earth he's never came across anything that we are describing. The fact that this isn't worldwide is indeed good news though. It means that we've isolated it to one region which so happens to be here and I," I hold up my hand to stop him again.
"Okay, like I said, we still don't know anything which means we're going to sit here and theorize on a bunch of shit we don't know. We're going to sit around and waste time reading your dusty ass books, eating donuts only to realize we aren't any closer to finding out where these bastards come from and if there are more of them lurking around out there because we're all sitting around with our tails tucked. Am I right?"
"That was quite a mouthful Faith, but yes, I suppose it's possible we still won't be any closer to knowing anything more for a while."
"Well fuck that," I stand up and gesture around the room, "Ya'll can sit around here if you want. Call a bitch when you know something concrete, or we come up with some sort of plan of attack." I start walking towards the door then. No one tries to stop me, but I hear the scraping of a chair on the floor as I make it to the door and open it.
"Well shit, if she gets to leave then so do I." It's Kennedy, I knew she'd be right behind me on the 'fuck it' train. I can hear a serious amount of chatter from the other squad leaders, followed by more chairs scraping across the floor. Even though I'm still a little pissed at Buffy and her comment, I have to laugh at this. Monkey see, monkey do I guess.
"Stop," B yells before anyone can actually make it out of the room, and just the tone in her voice has everyone stopping all movement. Even my ass stops to turn towards her, but she gives me a dismissive wave. "You can go Faith, you already know what's expected of you, besides, you'll do what you want anyway."
I narrow my eyes at her for that statement and I want to tell her to fuck off but I don't. "Not my circus not my monkey's B." And then I walk away. I can hear what she's saying though as I reach the door and head out.
"Before you all leave, I've made a tentative schedule of a few extra classes that I will be giving all of you and I expect you to make sure everyone on your squad attends at least two more of one of these classes a day. It's totally up to them which ones they want to join in on, but with all the down time I want to make sure everyone is doing something constructive with themselves until we can figure out a better patrol routine, one that keeps us all alive."
I'm about halfway down the corridor and I can hear footsteps closing in behind me.
"Damn, that's brutal…no wonder no one likes her," Kennedy jokes as she falls in step beside me as we make our way down the hallway.
I chuckle a bit but can't help but come to B's defense even though she was a bitch to me. "Yeah but she's right, we don't need baby Slayers sitting around with nothing to do, they need something to focus on. Especially the younger and newer ones, they need more structure and routine so they don't get lazy since we can't take them out right now like we normally would."
"Yeah, whatever…I guess she's right," Kennedy sighs.
"Of course she is, you think she'd have it any other way?" That makes Kennedy laugh and I laugh along with her.
"So where you headed?" She asks me.
"Its lunchtime, a Slayers gotta eat."
"I hear that," she laughs slightly. "So Xander says we're all getting together at your place tonight, he trying to get you to play that damn new football game he has?"
"Yeah he is, mentioned something about needing some competition since you suck at it," I grin and take a sideways glance at her.
"Oh c'mon dude, you know sport games aren't my thing." She whining now.
"Yeah mine either, but I can hold my own without the game being a total blowout." I can't resist the chance to rib her a little.
"Whatever, I'll bring over something more suitable so I can redeem myself against him and kick your ass a little too." She says and looks down at her watch.
"Keep dreaming junior, you've never been able to kick my ass….at anything." She shoots me a look because she hates it when I call her that. She thinks because she helped out with the First and leads a squad now that she's as good as me and Buffy. I think not. She can still hold her own though and is one of our best, even if she is still junior.
"Alright, I'm out. I need to get ready for a class in about an hour so I'll see you tonight," she tells me as she starts to jog away.
"Yo, you better make sure you check out B's little honey-do list because I'm sure your name is on it for a few extra classes too. Miss them and she'll have your head on a stake!" I call out after her.
"Yeah, yeah," she throws over her shoulder with a dismissive wave as she turns a corner and out of view.
I head towards the stairs and make my way towards the cafeteria and think about what I'm going to do with myself for the rest of the day. I don't have any plans for the rest of the afternoon and no classes scheduled with just getting back and all. My first thoughts are to find Buffy and let her know I don't appreciate her attitude, but I know it'll just end up with us fighting and I'm so not in the mood for that shit. I need to think of other ways to annoy the hell out of her.
I know, I'll interrupt and attempt to takeover whatever classes she's teaching later, that will surely piss her off. Gotta get my kicks some kind of way, even if it's at her expense. I guess she was right, an idle Slayer that can't slay does equal bad, I think with a grin.