Eighteen: Break Out
One Year Later
'She's dead, Faith.'
Those words, they wouldn't stop playing over and over in her mind. She tried to shut it out but she dreamt about it every single night since she'd been told.
It couldn't be true...
They had told her that there was a bright purple light, it looked like it was buzzing with electricity.
Dawn was supposed to be the sacrifice but Buffy had sacrificed herself in order to save her little sister and the world. Yet again.
She was dead.
They'd had the funeral and that was it. All over.
Faith felt numb, hollow. She wondered how Angel must be feeling.
She paced about in her cell, her cellmates, getting irritated with her.
Her anger had been through the roof lately.
She had hit out at anyone who even so much as a gave her a funny look.
Her cellmates were getting sick of it.
"Faith, sit down for fuck's sake." One said, letting out a breath as she did.
Faith scowled down at her as the blonde flipped through a magazine.
"Shut up, Lisa. You have no idea what shit I'm dealin' with."
Lisa rolled her eyes.
"We heard; blondie died."
Faith felt her eyes fill up and she clenched her teeth in an effort to stop them from falling.
"It's sad but shit happens." Lisa added.
Faith couldn't contain herself any longer.
She flew at Lisa, grabbing her by the front of her tank top and pushing her into the wall, the magazine went flying from her hands.
"Shit happens?! Do you have any idea what that girl meant to me?! Do you even care?! No, of course you don't, cause' the only thing you've ever loved is that fucking loser of a boyfriend!"
Lisa stared at Faith in total fear.
The other girl had seen the damage that Faith could do and had done, and she had no desire to find out first hand what that felt like.
"Alright! I'm sorry, Faith! I'm sorry!"
Faith looked at her hands which were balled into fists in the girl's tank top and she frowned down at them, then released Lisa, letting her drop back down onto the bed.
"I need to...I need some air." She muttered distantly as she headed outside.
It was still dark so technically, Faith couldn't go outside but she needed a walk outside of her cell at least.
She passed the visiting rooms and thought of Buffy.
That was the last time she'd seen her.
She shook her head and carried on walking.
Faith looked up as a new girl came in and saw the door shut behind her.
Why was she in here?
She had to get out, she had to get to Sunnydale.
Buffy wasn't there anymore but for some reason that didn't matter. She just wanted to be near her and she didn't know why or if what she was thinking made any sense but she couldn't stay in here.
Suddenly, she ran, bolting for the door and kicking it open as a guard came through.
She throat-punched him and kept running, knocking out any guards that stood in her way and by sheer will of determination, she was free.
...
Faith had changed into jeans, a grey hoodie, black leather jacket and boots and was now back in Sunnydale.
She made sure to keep her hood up and her head down.
She didn't want anyone knowing she was back.
She made her way to one of the cemeteries and walked through all of them before she finally found Buffy's gravestone.
She sucked in a breath and knelt down in front of it.
She took a quick look around before speaking;
"Hey, B. I got out early for good behaviour. Nah, you know that's a lie. I just...I couldn't be in there anymore, ok? To find out that you were-that you are..." Faith bit her lip as tears formed in her eyes again.
"I can't believe you're gone, B. It wasn't supposed to be this way, y'know. I was meant to get out, come see you and we'd start saving the world together again. Y'know, the Chosen Two."
Faith chuckled.
"Well, that's how the movie version would've gone.
What am I supposed to do now? Now that you're not here anymore, it doesn't feel right. You know the strange thing? I knew something was up even before I got the call. I've been told that slayers have a bond, a connection, I never believed that with you and me despite my feelings an' all but...I felt something, like something had been cut-like the connection had been cut. I told myself it was because I was in prision and you were here but...I think I knew. The call just confirmed it, I guess."
Faith sighed and hung her head.
She traced Buffy's name in the stone and let the tears fall as hard sobs wracked her body.
The last time she'd cried this hard was when Angel had been there to save her and she'd broke down. She'd felt like she was breaking then but now, this was something completely different.
"So I guess...you're up in Heaven now, with old pets and relatives. I hope you're happy, Buffy. I really mean that. Cause right now? I'm a mess and I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore. Do I go back to prision? Do I keep running? What should I do?"
Faith waited as though she would get an answer but she shook her head and slowly stood up.
"I can't go back. I wanna stick around here for a while. If the cops show up, I'll run. I will go back, B, I promise...but I can't, not yet."
Faith touched the stone once more and then turned away.
...
The dark haired slayer had kept her promise. She'd stayed in Sunnydale. She'd helped out when the scoobies seemed to be in way over their heads and she'd done it all without them knowing. She'd kept a low profile and the cops hadn't shown but she still didn't relax. She'd had to pay the guy at the motel extra just to keep his mouth shut but it was a neccessary evil.
It had been nearly a year and Faith was out one night, taking one of her walks where she wouldn't run into anyone. She liked to take a walk just before dawn, that was when it was quietest and she could think and oh boy, had she done a lot of thinking.
Faith kept walking, past the Bronze, down a few side streets until she stopped.
She could hear something moving, walking into things; could be a drunk but still, her slayer senses were on high alert and she produced her stake from under her jacket.
She crept around the side of the wall and peered down the dark alley.
She frowned.
There was definitely something moving down there.
She moved closer until the figure stumbled into a bin and fell to their knees.
Faith put her stake back. She was right, it was a drunk.
She turned away when something stopped her.
"Faith?"
The dark haired woman turned at the voice and looked into the darkness.
Great, now she was hearing things because the figure wasn't even looking in her direction.
She shook her head and turned away again.
"Faith...is that you?"
Faith frowned again and glanced over her shoulder. Slowly, she pushed her hood back and stared at the figure she thought she would never see again.
"Buffy?"
The figure moved towards her, under the sickly yellow glow of the street lamp and Faith's lips parted in shock.
"Buffy... I thought-I thought you were-"
"Dead? I was." Buffy replied but she was still looking around as though she wasn't aure of where she was.
"Why am I...why am I back here? I was-I was in-"
Faith reached out to her.
"Hey, it's ok. You don't have explain yet. Let's just uh..." Faith paused as she looked at Buffy's dirt covered dress.
"Let's get you cleaned up."
Buffy nodded and Faith found herself putting an arm around the other slayer and helping her towards the motel...
Faith pushed the door open and let Buffy inside.
Buffy looked around Faith's room as though she didn't recognize it. Maybe she didn't. It still wasn't clear on how she had come to be back in the first place.
"The showers' through there and I'll get some clean clothes for you." Faith told her.
Buffy nodded and went towards the shower.
"Buffy?"
She stopped and looked back at Faith.
"You ok?" The dark haired slayer asked.
Buffy forced a tiny smile and nodded, then went into the shower and shut the door.
Faith went through her things; things she'd bought through-out the year she'd been in Sunnydale, and found a pair of sweat pants and matching top.
She shrugged.
It would have to do. Of course they were black, she imagined the Buffy would have picked them out in a brighter colour, maybe baby blue or God help her, even pink!
Faith smiled a little and went to the door, knocking lightly on it.
"Uh, B? I got you some clothes."
There was a pause, the sound of the door unlocking and a hand as Buffy reached out for them.
Faith handed them to her and Buffy muttered her thanks before shutting and locking the door again.
Faith sat on the bed, switched on the tv and waited for the other slayer to re-appear.
It didn't take her long and she emerged from the bathroom in Faith's tracksuit.
The dark haired girl smiled.
Buffy looked clean and fresh faced but the haunted look in her eyes didn't go away.
"Hey, you look better." Faith said, trying to cheer her up.
"Thanks." Buffy said softly as she tucked a strand of wet hair behind her ear.
"Come, sit down. Tell me what happened." Faith offered, patting the space beside her.
Buffy sat down and looked at her.
"How come you're back in Sunnydale?"
Faith looked a little sheepish.
"I got a call, they told me you were dead...I couldn't be in there anymore, B. So I got out and got the first bus to Sunny D."
Buffy only nodded. No judgement, nothing.
"So, what about you? What do you remember?"
Buffy looked down at the bed.
"Everything." She said sadly.
"You wanna fill me in?"
"Are these sheets clean?" Buffy asked distantly.
Faith was thrown by the odd question until she realised what the other girl was saying.
"Oh yeah, I haven't...I mean, I change them once a week. I know it's the motel guy's job but he can barely get off his ass to switch the 'No Vacancy' sign on."
Buffy smirked a little at Faith's wit.
"You haven't changed."
She'd said something similar to her when she'd visited her in prison and Faith had told her otherwise.
"No, I really have, but I gotta know, B. Why are you back? Not that I'm not happy about it but I just wanna know."
Buffy's lips set into a grim line.
"I heard Willow's voice... They did some kinda spell and the next thing I know..."
Faith followed Buffy's gaze to her knuckles which were now turning into pink gashes.
"You were digging your way out of your own grave..." Faith finished for her, that same distant tone that Buffy had, clear in Faith's voice.
Buffy nodded.
Faith licked her lips.
"Damn, B. I shoulda been there for you."
"You didn't know."
That still didn't make Faith feel any better.
"You've been gone almost a year...and I heard you got sucked into some electric vortex, where did you go?"
Buffy looked like she about to cry and Faith wished she hadn't of said anything.
"Shit, B, I'm sorry. If it's too painful, you don't have to answer that, I didn't-"
"Heaven."
Faith looked at Buffy with a small, confused frown on her face.
"What?"
Buffy looked at Faith and tears streamed down her cheeks.
"I was in Heaven, Faith. And now I'm back here. They brought me back to hell and I was in Heaven."
Faith licked her lips.
"Shit."
Buffy started crying openly and Faith did the only thing she could think of, she pulled the other slayer into a tight hold, rubbing her arms, trying to comfort her.
Buffy cried like that until she fell asleep.
Faith watched her, making sure she was alright and once she was satisfied that she would sleep right through, she quietly got off the bed and slipped on her jacket. She left a quick note;
BE RIGHT BACK X
Faith quietly shut the door behind her and then pursed her lips.
Someone had some explaining to do.
She knocked loudly at the Summers' residence until someone opened.
It was Xander.
He looked very shocked to see her and who wouldn't be? She was supposed to be in prison.
"Faith!"
Faith pushed her way in.
"Where's Red?" She barked.
Xander frowned at her.
"Is there a reason for this visit?"
"You're damn right there's a reason! You guys played with some powerful magic and now Buffy's back!"
Xander stared at her for a long time before she waved a hand in front of his face.
"Hey, stay with me! Where's Red?" She asked again.
The girl in question came downstairs and had the same expression on her face that Xander had.
"Faith! What are you-"
"What did you do?!" She roared.
Willow frowned in confusion.
"I don't know what you mean, I-"
"You brought Buffy back! Why?! She was free, Red!"
Both Willow and Xander exchanged looks and then focused on Faith.
Small smiles came onto their faces and Faith raised her eyebrows at them.
"You think this is a good thing?"
"Well...we thought that she could be in some hell dimension somewhere." Willow explained.
"Yeah, well she wasn't."
Willow frowned.
"Where was she? Where is she?"
Faith suddenly felt very protective.
"She's safe and she'll tell you where she was when she's ready."
Xander chimed in.
"Well can we go and see her?"
"No." Faith snapped.
Xander smirked at the brunette.
"You think she wants to be looked after by you of all people?"
"I'm not the one who-never mind. I can protect her, ok? She'll come around when she's ready until then...just deal with it." Faith told him as she turned and walked back towards the door.
"So we're supposed to be ok with that fact that she's staying with you? A murderer?"
Faith's fist clenched at her side as she fought to hold back her anger at him.
"It's better this way. She doesn't feel pressured with me."
"Is this about your little crush?" Xander said with a sneer.
Faith paused and turned back around for the second time.
"What?"
"Oh come on, Faith, don't go all shy on us now. You have a crush on Buffy. It's pathetic, almost sad even, but you can't help how you feel."
Faith nodded and got in his face.
"Yeah, I bet that's how you felt when you knew Buffy wanted to fuck a vampire rather than you, huh?"
He faltered for a little while before coming back with one of his own digs.
"The difference is, Faith, I've moved on. I'm with Anya now. You haven't moved on. You're still sniffing around her, hoping somethings' changed or that it will. Now that's pathetic."
Faith couldn't help it, she punched Xander in the face and he fell back.
Faith instantly regretted it and she shook her head as Xander slowly sat up, Willow helping him.
Blood dripped from his nose.
"Now you see why we don't want Buffy with you?" He snapped.
Faith backed towards the door.
"I'm...I'm sorry." She muttered.
The door shut behind her and she ran back to the motel and to Buffy.