This story is the sequel to "Fighting the Darkness" and will focus more on Faith and Bruce/Batman than the other story did. I was editing the story and reread the final chapter and realized that there was a lot of story left that I could still tell. We know where they'll be in ten years, but it would be fun writing their stories. Cordy/Lex and more of Clark/Buffy would also be nice. You might want to reread the last chapter of "Fighting the Darkness" if it's been a while for you."
Disclaimer: I do not own BTVS or Angel or Batman or Smallville or any of the characters.
I know I already wrote the wedding, but this story will begin with Faith and Bruce's engagement.
This chapter is rate M for Mature.
Chapter 1: Faith is Surprised
******Night of Illyria Showdown******
Faith was on Bruce's plane feeling so wired. They didn't actually get to fight Illyria, but she'd gotten to spar with Oliver Queen and a few slayers.
"That was fun," she said to Bruce.
Bruce, however, didn't think it had been fun. It made him anxious when she got into fights, especially unnecessary ones at that. It took all his self-control to not intervene.
"Glad you had fun," he said, not looking up from his tablet.
Faith frowned. Something was wrong, but Bruce wasn't talking. She gave it ten minutes, and he was still basically ignoring her. Finally, she reached for his tablet, pulling it out of his hands.
"Hey!" Bruce exclaimed, glaring up at her. "I was reading that."
"I want to know why you've got a stick up your ass," Faith said, returning the glare.
"Excuse me?" he asked in a haughty voice.
"Don't take that snotty tone with me!" Faith exclaimed. "You're pissed about something, but instead of talking about it, you're going all cold and silent."
"I don't want to fight with you," he said calmly.
"Fight? Why would we be fighting? We haven't disagreed about anything in a while," Faith said. "But somethings got your panties in a twist, so spill it!"
"Give me back my tablet," he said, holding out his hand.
She kept it out of reach and shook her head. "Nope. Not until you tell me what's wrong," she said.
When he remained silent, she stood up. "Fine. Take your damn tablet," she told him as she tossed it in his lap. Then she headed back to the private room that he had on his luxury plane. Clearly, they needed space from one another.
Bruce looked down at the tablet that seemed so unimportant now, and then he watched her walk away. He winced as the door slammed to his bedroom. Of course, it was now her room, too. She had filled up every part of his life, and he barely recalled what life was like before she became so intertwined with his. Alfred had been his teacher, family, confidante, and closest friend his entire life. He had not realized how empty his life had been until he met Faith.
He loved her so damn much and could not fathom how he would survive her loss.
Slayers die young. Buffy and I are the oldest in centuries. She accepted her inevitable demise with a shrug. The idea that any day could be her last didn't keep her awake at night. Bruce doubted she even gave it much thought at all. To her, that was just the way things were. Her acceptance drove him insane and kept him up some nights. Adding to his stress, Xander had given him some of the watcher journals from previous slayers that hadn't been destroyed when their old headquarters had blown up. Bruce knew that Faith wasn't being dramatic. They did die young, but they didn't have to anymore. Buffy—with Willow's magic—had changed all the rules of the game.
Even though things were different, Faith still lived her life like it could end at any moment. She wouldn't plan for more than a few weeks at a time. Fear that he could lose her was eating away at him. He considered bringing in guards to watch over her when he was at work, but she would sense them. If he asked Xander to bring more slayers in, she would just feel obligated to take all the risk to protect them.
Slayers were hardwired to put themselves last. It was the most frustrating and maddening problem that he had ever encountered. Finally, he stood up, tossing the tablet onto the vacant seat. Bruce opened the bedroom door and found his lover pacing. When she looked up, her eyes were both angry and hurt.
He hated himself for upsetting her. "I'm sorry," he said.
"For what?" she asked, her confusion and irritation both apparent in her tone. "What is wrong? I can't handle you being upset and then shutting me out. It makes me think you're going to start pulling away. That's what Robin did. Have you finally realized how completely beneath you I am?"
Bruce felt a rush of anger at both her words and the mention of her ex. He moved quickly, grabbing her forearms. "Don't ever say that!" he growled. "I am not Robin, and you are not beneath me!" He pulled her into his arms, kissing her, hoping to convey how much he felt for her.
Faith, though, wouldn't let him stay in control and before he knew it, she had thrown him onto the bed, yanking down his pants. Before he could even raise up on his arms, she engulfed his dick into her hot mouth.
Groaning, his mind went white. She refused to release him until he had emptied himself into her mouth, and she swallowed him down without hesitation. Then before he could gather his wits, she had her tongue in his mouth.
Finally, he pulled back. "Faith, let's talk," he said.
"No. You know fighting makes me hungry and horny," she said. Then she fed him one of her perfect breasts, and he lost all thought for several minutes.
Eventually, he decided to satisfy her and flipped her onto her back, going down on her like he knew she liked. After two orgasms, he moved up slightly and slid inside of her. Her inner muscles clenched down on him and all thought fled. All he could do was hammer inside her until he was empty.
Even though he felt completely spent, he would not allow himself to drift off. This was too important, and she wasn't going to distract him with sex.
"We need to talk," he said, raising up on his elbow and turning toward her.
Faith snickered. "You are so the girl in our relationship," she said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.
"We just had mind blowing sex. You should be drifting off to sleep, but instead, you want to talk about your feelings," she said, grinning in amusement.
"I want to talk about why you don't value your life," he said bluntly.
Faith rose up, his words surprising her. "What? That's bullshit! Of course, I value my life!" she insisted.
"You are always taking unnecessary risks. You go for the fight, not the kill when you battle ancient, hard to kill vampires. You are always taking risks," he said.
"That's the job," she said with a shrug, looking puzzled. "You knew when we started this that I am a slayer. It's my sacred duty to take risks. You choose to fight because you care about the city. You can stop any time. I can't ever stop. I was chosen, and this is who I am."
"It's not all you are," Bruce said. "I get that it's your job. What I don't get is how little you seem to value your life. It's like you think you are going to die any day now. You don't plan for the future."
Faith shrugged. "It's my reality. B is stronger than me and has died three times if you count the time she was shot and flatlined," she said. "Sooner or later, something is going to take me out. That's just the way it is."
Bruce sat all the way up. "Says who? Willow and Buffy changed the rules. You don't have to do anything anymore, and you know it," he said.
Faith was getting pissed and jumped out of the bed, throwing on her clothes. "I don't get why you suddenly want to take issue with my calling. If it's too much for you, that's just too damn bad. I'm not ever going to stop being the slayer—not that it's possible anyway," she said. "I would never ask you to stop being Batman." She was both confused and caught off guard by the conversation he was insisting they have. Why was he upset about her calling? It's how they met.
"I'm not asking you to stop being a slayer," Bruce said, following her example by reaching for his shirt and putting it on.
"Then what the hell are you going on about?" Faith growled.
He waited until he was completely dressed to answer. "I love you, Faith," he told her as he moved to the other side of the bed to pull her back down on the edge of the bed. "I love you more than I have ever loved anybody or anything."
"Well, that's good since I love you, too," Faith said, frowning. What the hell was his problem then? She had never felt so confused before in her life.
He locked his hand into hers and brought it to his lips. "Knowing you and being loved by you has changed me for all time," he said as he kissed her hand. "I didn't realize how empty my life was until you came into it. That sounds cliché, but it's the truth. You have brought not just happiness to my life but joy."
Faith felt all her anger and frustration leave as his words melted her, and she flashed a smile. "It's the same for me," she admitted. "I didn't know it was possible to be this happy—I never have been. Nor have I ever met anyone that is as happy as I am. It's kind of freaky."
Bruce smiled. "Fear of losing you is keeping me up at night," he admitted. "You have to stop living your life like it could be over any day. You have to remember every time you go into a battle that I don't want to live in a world without you. You have to remember that my life would be utterly destroyed if you weren't in it. Taking unnecessary risks now is just selfish. You can't keep putting me through it."
Faith stared at him a long moment as she considered his words. It was humbling to see him be so vulnerable to her by sharing all this. He was such a strong and courageous man and yet he was so willing to strip himself bare for her this way. She admired the hell out of him because she knew that she could never start such a conversation. It was true that she often went for the fun instead of the kill because she loved to fight. Could she do what he asked? Honestly, Faith was unsure.
"I hear what you're saying," she said. "I will do my best to keep in mind what you said and work on being more careful. I just love to fight—it's fun to me. I don't see the risks that you do."
"Just promise me that you will quit planning to die," he said. "I want to plan a future with you. I want you to one day have my children, so you can't be dying anytime soon."
Shock filled her mind, and she knew it was probably reflected on her face. It couldn't be helped. She just never considered having a child, not since she was called.
"You want to have kids with me?" she asked.
"Don't look so surprised," he said, smiling as he brushed her hair back. "I know it's too soon, but yes, I hope to continue the Wayne line with you one day. I dream of having a little girl with that dimple of yours."
Faith had never been so touched by another person. She pulled him in for a long kiss, and then there was a knock on the door.
"Sir, we're nearly at our destination," she said.
"We'll pick this up later," Bruce told her, giving her a quick kiss and pulling her to her feet. They walked hand-in-hand to their seats to buckle in for the landing.
*****The Next Day*****
Xander and Faith were training at the mansion after Bruce left for the office.
"What's got you smiling so much?" he asked. He had been very pleased to see the changes in Faith since she began seeing Bruce. No longer did she work so hard to prove herself as Bruce's love and attention seemed to settle her in a way that he couldn't have predicted. There was a stillness to her that she didn't have before. The restlessness that always seemed a hallmark of a slayer wasn't as evident in her as it was in other slayers.
"Bruce. He's just so much sometimes," Faith shared. "I didn't think I'd ever find a guy like him or that a guy like him could ever love someone like me. Fuck, sure. But he's proud to be seen with me. Robin never really was you know?"
"Robin is often an idiot," Xander said. "You are Bruce's equal in all the important ways, Faith. This is America. Social classes aren't really that important to most of us. I mean, the way Bruce lives his life is a lot to get used to, but I am totally digging driving around in his limo and eating like a king!"
Faith laughed. "He does have the best food options. Alfred is a genius," she said.
"Anya says if I gain any more weight, she's going to make me start running with you," Xander told her.
"You should totally start running with Bruce," Faith suggested. "He does it the butt crack of dawn five days a week. He never runs on Mondays."
"Maybe three days a week I could try it," Xander said. It had been nice to discover how much he liked Bruce. They were very different, but they hit it off from the first day. Faith said he admired Xander immensely for what he did for Buffy when he was not even a man. Throwing his lot in with hers wasn't something Xander had to do. Of course, Xander felt very differently. A monster killed his best friend and nearly him and Willow. How could he not spend his life making sure as few people as possible lost their best friend?
While he was being discussed with his lover and her watcher, Bruce was trying to work, looking over some new specs Lucius had designed. Lucius Fox was his CEO and financial manager as well as the man who designed all his Batman toys. They had been working together for several years, and Bruce was grateful for his friendship and his brilliant mind.
Lucius soon could tell, though, that he was distracted. "Is something wrong?" he asked.
"Not really," Bruce answered. He debated how much to share. Besides Alfred, Lucius was his most trusted friend and ally. "I'm thinking about proposing to Faith."
Lucian offered a wide grin. "That's wonderful! I thought you and she seemed very tight at the last shindig I saw you two at. She's a very beautiful and funny woman," he said. "Tanya found her delightful."
"Thanks," Bruce said. "Your wife has good instincts. Faith's did not have an easy life, but she's my match."
"Does she know about your side job?" Lucius asked.
Bruce nodded. "She does," he replied, debating on revealing more. "She's the Blonde Bombshell. Her calling, though, is to destroy vampires and demons."
Lucius' eyes widened as he realized what he was saying. "She's a slayer?" he asked.
"She was called after Buffy died for a few minutes—it split the slayer line into two," Bruce shared. There was no point in mentioning her calling came after another's death. "That's a very guarded secret, so please keep it to yourself. She does not at all want the spotlight. It's been hard enough dating me." They weren't ready to tell the world about all the slayers Willow called with the magical scythe, so he wasn't about to reveal that to Lucius.
"Now her friendship with Miss Summers makes a lot of sense," Lucius said in bemusement.
"As does the time or two she's decked guys trying to grab her ass," Bruce said with a rueful smile. "She's a fighter. I wish you could see her and Buffy spar. It's a thing of savage beauty."
"I would love to see it," he said. "Have you bought her a ring?"
"No. She's got simple taste," Bruce replied.
"Maybe consult a friend of hers?" Lucius suggested.
Bruce nodded, thinking of Xander and Anya. "I might do that," he said.
After lunch, he texted Xander, asking if he would meet him at Anya's store to plan a surprise for Faith. Bruce knew from experience that if he didn't say that, Xander would immediately text Faith to meet there, too. Then he contacted the family jeweler. Since Anya had no employees yet, he didn't think asking her to close her store early would be a good idea.
"What's up?" Xander asked as watched Bruce get out of his limo with an older man that wasn't Alfred.
"Let's go inside, and I'll explain," Bruce told him.
"Hello," Anya said, greeting him. She and Bruce got along very well because Bruce was not only the most well-mannered human that Anya had ever had the privilege to meet, but he knew so much about growing her money. She had increased her portfolio by twenty-five percent since meeting him. "What can I get for you, sir?"
"Nothing. I needed your opinion on something, and Xander's. You, because you're a woman, and Xander because he knows Faith so well," Bruce explained.
"We are happy to help," Xander said.
"I want to ask Faith to marry me," Bruce shared. "This is Harold, my jeweler. Harold, this is Xander and Anya, friends of ours."
The man greeted them both while Xander held out his hand to congratulate him.
"This is great! Now you'll be a member of the Scoobies officially!" he told him.
Bruce smiled and gestured to the jeweler, who took the case he was carrying and opened it up. "I brought only the finest selections," he said.
Anya looked it over and dismissed the first three rows. "None of those," she said.
"Faith doesn't wear jewelry, but that doesn't mean she doesn't like it," Xander said.
"Women always like the jewelry their man gets them," Anya said, showing Bruce both her necklace and her engagement ring. "This isn't nearly as expensive as anything in that case, but it's pretty. Xander picked it, so I love it. She'll love whatever you get her."
"I want her to feel like a queen when I give her my ring," Bruce said. "She expects so little out of life."
Xander nodded. "You understand her well," he said. "I don't know much about diamonds."
"The more brilliant the diamond, the more rare," Anya explained. She picked up one, examining it closely. "This one here is gorgeous. A flawless two-caret oval shaped with more smaller, high quality diamonds around it and around the platinum band."
"It is beautiful," Xander agrees. "The square cut diamonds always look a bit gaudy to me."
"This one is simple with only a touch of extravagance," Anya commented.
"Excellent choice, madam," Harold said.
"I like it, too," Bruce said. "I'll bring her by your shop to pick out some earrings and other things to go with it."
"She'd probably appreciate a new knife more," Xander said, grinning.
Bruce nodded. "Probably so. However, the role of Mrs. Wayne will require her to look the part when in public," he said.
"You'll have to tell her that if you want her to agree to excessive jewelry," Xander advised.
"Most slayers don't have Buffy's shoe obsession," Anya said.
Harold's eyes widened in shock as he glanced at Bruce, who was frowning at Anya.
"Anya!" Xander scolded.
Anya realized what she had said in front of the jeweler and winced. "I meant slayer of fashion," she said, trying to cover.
Unfortunately, Buffy's name and title was too well-known at this point.
"Harold, I hope I can trust your discretion," Bruce said. "Buffy once died for a minute, and Xander resuscitated her. It split the slayer line, and Faith was called." He figured if he let the man know the partial truth, he wouldn't start speculating about the number of slayers.
"Of course, sir," Harold said. "Faith is clearly a worthy life partner for someone of your status." He had read the articles that questioned Bruce's attachment to the woman of a much different background. Now, though, it made perfect sense. Faith was a slayer; therefore, she was special enough to be the next Mrs. Wayne.
Of course, journalists couldn't find out much about Faith's background since Willow had wiped all records. The fact that she admitted to a reporter that she never went to school but earned a GED could be verified, but that was basically it. Bruce never told her about any of the articles her comment inspired.
Bruce agreed that the ring was perfect, and he thanked Harold for coming.
"I will get it sized and boxed for you," Harold said.
Now Bruce waited impatiently for the day he could propose.
It was hard for Xander to not call Buffy or Giles or Willow and tell them Faith's news, but he knew Bruce was very private. The man would never trust him and Anya again if they didn't keep it quiet, so he made a point of not calling anyone until Bruce proposed.
*****A Week Later*****
Faith had felt that Bruce was distracted all week, but they had dinner plans. She hoped it was just work, and he needed time to relax. Before they left for dinner, Bruce had presented her with a large square jewelry case.
"What's this?" she asked.
"I was looking through the Wayne family jewelry and came across this necklace. I knew it'd be perfect with this dress," Bruce said, opening it.
Faith's mouth fell open as she gazed down at the necklace. It had a large red ruby and diamonds all around it. "This is stunning and clearly worth a lot," she said. "No way am I wearing that!"
Bruce smiled. "It belonged to my mother, and I would very much like to see it on the woman I love. I know she'd like it, too," he said.
"Damn it," she grumbled. "You invoke your dead mother, and you know I can't say no!" She glared at him, but then she turned, holding up her hair. He put it on her neck and dropped a kiss on her shoulder. They were standing in their bedroom, so she examined herself in the mirror. "It is beautiful," she said. "Thank you." She pulled him in for a kiss. The man was so amazing, finding new ways to love her all the time.
"Pace yourself," Bruce told her with a smug smile. "I have a very nice evening planned."
Faith was excited to go out with him because every night with Bruce exceeded her expectations. The man had more layers than an onion.
She was pleasantly surprised to see his choice. Bruce took her to the nicest restaurant in town that also had a dance floor.
It wasn't the kind of dancing that Faith preferred, but Bruce wanted to hold her in his arms. He had planned it, so that the restaurant didn't take any reservations after 8:00pm, an hour after their reservations. If he had just rented out the place, she would've snickered at the waste of money. Not to mention, she thrived on the energy of other people, so he wanted to dance with her after they ate and then propose during dessert. By this time, the restaurant was eighty percent empty. There was no way they could get complete privacy, so he chose to control it as much as he could. Of course, she never noticed. Her dress was the red one he had ordered for her on their first date—he'd requested she wear it tonight. His necklace completed the ensemble.
"There's some guy over there taking our picture," Faith said. "Should I go break his camera?"
Bruce chuckled. "No, that's Alexander Knox from The Gotham Globe," he told her. "He's actually not so bad. I can introduce you."
"No," she said. "I just won't flip him off."
Bruce laughed at her remark, and she smiled up at him.
Alexander Knox snapped his camera—that was a beautiful shot. He didn't know what Bruce Wayne had planned, but he got an exclusive request to show up without any others knowing about it. Ever since Wayne began dating this woman, who was just flat out sexy as hell, the city had been excited, the gossip around the couple never-ending. She had no connections. She wasn't a model or actress, and not like Vicky Vale, his friend and colleague. The difference in Bruce Wayne, though, was obvious to any onlooker. For the first time, he appeared completely captivated by a woman. To see it made it really clear how much he went through the motions with all the other women. With Faith, however, his expression was open as he hung onto her every word. The feeling was obviously mutual because Faith grinned up at him in adoration or a heated look that made every man in the room jealous.
"Damn, Wayne has all the luck," Alex muttered as he took another photo.
"Are you ready for dessert?" Bruce asked her after they spent a half hour dancing.
"I am totally up for some fancy dessert. I'm thinking very rich white raspberry cheesecake," she said as they headed back to the place. She noticed that all the tables around her was now vacant. "Looks like the place is closing early."
"No, I just picked a slow night, so we can have less gawkers," he said.
"But you invited the reporter," she said, gesturing to the man at the bar across the room.
"I wanted to control the photos that might come out of tonight," Bruce said, not surprised she guessed correctly.
"Did I forget our anniversary?" she asked. "Wait, when is our anniversary? Do we go from the first night we banged or the first time we met?"
"I think we should celebrate them both," he said, reaching for her hand as the waiter approached.
"Are we ready for dessert?" he asked.
"We are," Bruce replied. Faith told him what she wanted.
"More wine?" he asked.
"I want a beer," Faith said.
"Two Sam Adams," he said, knowing it was her favorite imported brew.
"You spoil me," she said, leaning close to place a soft kiss on his lips.
"I try to," he replied.
He waited until she got through half the cheesecake, feeding him a bite before he pulled out his small jewelry box.
Faith, of course, was oblivious to his goal. "More gifts? I know you have more money than God, but damn, Bruce. Let's not get carried away with the jewelry," she told him.
Bruce chuckled. "This isn't just any jewelry. It's the most important one," he said, opening the box. Then he moved and knelt down beside her.
Faith was utterly stunned. She hadn't even suspected that he was planning such a thing. It was just a few short weeks ago that he'd been angry at her for taking too many risks. His distraction the past week made her wonder if things were about to fall apart. It hadn't occurred to her that he'd planned the perfect night to propose.
"I never knew I would meet someone like you," Bruce said. "Someone who challenges me, makes me crazy, and makes me laugh. The only woman I could ever imagine being the mother of my children. I love you so very much. Would you please consider becoming my wife? Will you marry me?"
Faith stared down at him, her small audience avidly watching. Her genuine surprise and delight was plain to see, and Alex Knox captured the moment with his camera.
"If you're sure?" she asked, feeling oddly vulnerable.
"I am very sure," Bruce said, holding the box for her.
Faith reached out to touch the ring. "It's so beautiful. Too much," she said.
"I need an answer," he said, still on one knee.
"Of course, I will marry you," she said, flashing him a dimpled smile.
He grabbed the ring out of the box and put it on as he pulled her to her feet and into his embrace.
The remaining diners and waitstaff clapped and cheered.
Alex Knox zoomed in on the kiss, and then her left hand as she hugged him.
Faith looked up, directly into the camera and laughed. "That's why you invited the reporter!" she exclaimed, pulling back to look at him.
"I thought controlling it was the best way to go," he said. "I hope you don't mind."
"I think it's ridiculous how obsessed this town is with you and your money, but I suppose I can deal," she said. "Buffy's hounded every waking moment now. She's hardly able to go slaying anymore."
"Let's go home," Bruce said. "I'll introduce you to my reporter."
He took her hand and walked toward Alex Knox, who was smiling at the newly engaged couple. "I am so honored that you chose me to be here, sir," he said, offering Bruce his hand. "Congratulations."
"Thank you, Alex. This is Faith, my fiancée," Bruce introduced.
Faith grinned. "I've never been anyone's fiancée before," she said.
"Neither have I," Bruce replied, smiling at her. He looked at Alex. "I want copies of all your pictures."
"Did you want to pick out the ones to publish?" he asked. It was a concession he would give them for allowing him to scoop all others.
"Not necessary. I just wanted a record of every moment of our evening," Bruce admitted. "I know the public likes this kind of thing. Lucius, my CEO, suggested it might be good to pick someone I trusted to do it."
"Always the mastermind," Faith said, giving him a fond look.
"Can I have a quote from the happy couple? When's the wedding?" he asked.
"As soon as possible," Bruce replied, flashing Faith a heated look. "I don't want her to think too hard about what being Mrs. Wayne entails."
"Who will be your maid of honor?" Alex asked.
"Oh, I gotta call B," she said to Bruce. "She's gonna be so happy that Alfred becomes a member of the family."
Bruce laughed. "Thanks, Alex. Send the photos to my office," he instructed.
Alex watched the happy couple leave. The bartender had to ask. "Who's Alfred?"
"Bruce Wayne's butler and the man who raised him after his parents died," Alex said. He made a note to research to confirm if B was Buffy Summer, the friend who often was photographed with her.
"That girl has won the lottery," a female server said.
All the males who were nearby disagreed.
Bruce Wayne was one lucky bastard.
"The rich have all the luck," Alex said. However, there was no malice in his comment. He genuinely liked Mr. Wayne, and his boss was going to be very happy.
Faith grinned at Alfred, who was waiting at the car. "Did you know he was going to propose?" she asked, showing him the ring.
"I had my suspicions," Alfred said, smiling proudly at the happy couple. "Congratulations to you both."
Faith hugged him before getting into the car.
"I had a photographer take some photos, so you can see how the night went in detail," Bruce said.
"Very good, sir," Alfred said, pleased.
Soon, there would be more Waynes to fill the very big house they lived in.
Alfred couldn't wait and begin planning the wedding as he drove them home.
*****Chapter End*****
I have written a lot of stories, but this might be my all-time favorite chapter I have ever written. I hope you like it as much as I do. I don't have a lot written in this story, but I wrote this chapter months ago and just couldn't wait any longer to share it. Please feel free to email me any ideas you'd enjoy seeing me write about in this sequel. Reviews are much appreciated. Thanks so much!