25
It came out of nowhere.
"You can't be serious." Faith said, a frown furrowing her brow.
"Why not? They're ready."
"Ready my ass! B, we've only been training em for a few months!"
Buffy folded her arms, a determined look on her face. A look that Faith had seen before and she knew that was fighting a losing battle by arguing with the other slayer.
"They're ready and besides, I have a plan."
Faith's dark eyes widened.
"Oh you have a plan! Well that makes everything fucking fantastic!"
Buffy rolled her eyes.
"No need to be sarcastic, this will work. I just need to get Willow on board."
Faith looked more confused than ever.
"Red? What's she got to do with all this?"
"I need to talk to her." Buffy said, more to herself than to Faith and she brushed past the other slayer as if she wasn't there.
"B? I need a little more." Faith argued.
Buffy stopped and looked back at her.
"What do you need to know?"
"Uh, the plan? What you're planing on doing? I thought we were a team."
"We are."
"It doesn't feel like it right now, B! We're supposed to be in this together!"
The blonde pursed her lips and huffed.
Faith lowered her voice, trying to get her anger under control.
"I just mean that I need to feel like we're communicating here. I've got your back, you know that but...but I need to know that you trust me."
"I do trust you." Buffy replied softly, her lips curving up into a barely-there smile.
Faith licked her lips and stepped forward, taking Buffy's hands in her own, forcing the other slayer to unfold her arms and slacken her defiant pose.
"Then tell me what's going on."
Buffy sighed, finally relenting.
"I believe that there is some way to harness my power and give it to each girl. Make them all like we are. Give them a fair chance at this because Faith, if they go down there as they are, they're not gonna stand a chance."
Faith nodded gravely, knowing Buffy was right.
"Ok...so what do we do?"
...
Faith turned as she watched Buffy fall.
She couldn't believe it. She was watching the woman she was in love with staggering before her.
They had just begun something, she wasn't sure what it was or even if it was going anywhere but now as she watched Buffy fall to her knees, she wanted more than anything to find out what they could be, no matter how short their relationship might be.
"Buffy!"
Faith ran and slid to her knees as a vampire swung his sword down, it clashed sharply with a short sword as Faith raised it to shield a fallen Buffy from further harm.
She then jumped up and kicked it back, buying herself a little more time as the battle raged on around her.
"Faith..."
"Faith looked down, saw the cut on Buffy's head as she struggled to look up at the brunette.
Buffy pushed the Scythe towards Faith.
"Take it. Protect them." She wheezed.
As the blonde moved, she saw the gash the in the other slayer's side and her eyes widened.
"B..."
"You have to take it...go!"
Faith shook her head, unable to accept what she was seeing.
The woman she had feelings for was dying in front of her, but this was Buffy! She couldn't just die like this!
Faith picked up the Scythe and let out an almighty roar as she slashed at two uber vamps, cutting their head clean from their bodies and watching them explode into dust.
The potentials kept fighting on, unaware of what had happened to one of their leaders.
Faith cleared a path to the stairs that lead back up into the basement of the school and went back, finding Buffy laying on her back, groaning and squeezing her eyes shut against the pain.
Faith looked around and called out to one of the potentials who turned as she threw the Scythe their way. They caught it and then Faith turned her attention back to Buffy.
"B, come on. Time to go."
Buffy groaned as Faith knelt down and lifted the blonde slayer into her arms.
Spike had appeared, the mysterious chain around his neck as the place started to crumble.
"No..." Buffy mumbled as Faith moved her slightly to hold her securely.
As she headed for the stairs, the fight still going on, Faith looked to Spike and paused.
He was glowing and the jewel around his neck was lighting up and getting brighter and brighter.
Faith looked at him and then at the woman in her arms.
Spike nodded his head once as he glanced down at Buffy.
"Go. Get her out of here."
Faith nodded and went past him.
"And Faith?"
She stopped and turned on the stairs, halfway to the top.
Spike looked sad. Buffy had chosen Faith. First Angel, now Faith. At one time, it had been him but clearly not anymore.
"Look after her. She looks tough but she...she's gonna need you."
Faith nodded, the serious expression never leaving her face.
"I'll take care of her."
With that being said, Faith climbed the rest of the stairs and fought her way through the school and out onto the waiting school bus.
After a little while, most of the potentials appeared too.
Faith was only focused on Buffy, as selfish as that sounded it was true.
"Go! Go!" She shouted once the doors were shut and everybody was on board.
Robin Wood looked down as Faith sat on the floor, an unconscious Buffy laying in her lap.
"Is she gonna be ok?" He asked.
Faith smoothed the blonde slayer's hair back and nodded.
"She'll be fine. Just get us out of here."
He nodded and pushed the bus to go faster, leaving a slowly crumbling Sunnydale behind.
Faith didn't look back, instead she kept stroking Buffy's hair.
"It's gonna be fine, B. I promise."
A/N- Sorry it's a short one but I'm half way through writing chapter 26 so not long to wait.
Friction between the two slayers will occur but can they get past it or is this the end of the road for Buffy and Faith?