Silver
by ForeverFaith
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: They’re mine? Oh. Damn, I knew I hated joss for a reason.
Notes: This is going to jump from the episodes Chosen to Dirty Girls and inbetween. The *now* parts are just one conversation between B/F during Chosen. Also, I’m mixing actually dialogue with my own and changing the story how I think it should have gone down. So basically it’s past and present.
Feedback: Only way I know if I should continue or not.
Now
"Are you scared?"
"I’m always scared around you, B."
Buffy looked away knowingly and down at her fidgeting hands. Funny, she didn’t even realize she had been fidgeting until now.
"C’mon Faith, you know what I meant."
The dark-haired slayer sucked in a breath and let it out again in a single moment. One moment. One breath.
She idly wondered how many more moments of breath she would be granted before tomorrow if, in fact, tomorrow was her last. Upon the inquiring look of the blonde lying next to her she realized she hadn’t yet answered said blonde’s question.
"I don’t know if I’m scared or not. I guess I’ll know when it all goes down."
Faith turned her head away from Buffy and looked towards the window through the small crack of curtains. "Are you?"
Buffy turned her own head and studied Faith. The way her hair fell over her shoulders and onto the pillow. The way the groove of her neck became more prominent as she gently strained it to look out the window. She spoke as she studied the girl beside her.
"In all honesty? I am."
Faith continued to study the outside world from within her temporarily safe haven. Everything seemed brighter, sharper in a way. The pale light of the moon transformed the usually colorful world into distinguished silver. A black salted dome hovered over silver trees and houses. Some things became harsher looking in the moonlight; some things became softer. A perfect blend of shadow and light. She thought of her and Buffy and smiled lightly to herself.
"You’re gonna miss it aren’t you?"
Buffy’s gaze traveled to Faith’s smirk.
"Miss what?"
Faith nodded her head towards the window.
"That. The trees, the grass, the moon. Your friends. Eating cereal out of a plastic mug.."
"I do not eat cereal out of a plastic mug!"
"Yes you do. I’ve seen you."
"….That stays between us."
"Consider it sandwiched."
Buffy smiled warmly at Faith’s profile. She would miss it. She’d miss her.
Faith continued to speak in an almost serene matter.
"You pretended you didn’t want in, B. That you didn’t wanna be a part of this world but I know you’re gonna miss it cause I will. This world’s been nothin but fucked up towards me but I’m still gonna miss livin in it. It’s actually…beautiful. Don’t you think?"
Buffy traced Faith’s jawbone with her eyes, following the prominent shape all the way to Faith's ear and down her neck. She slowly slid her hand across the clean sheets of the bed, feeling out the warmth of the other hand resting near its owner’s hip. She gently placed her hand on top of Faith’s and interlaced their fingers.
Faith tore her gaze away from the moonlight and looked down at the gesture before looking up at the blonde. Buffy smiled.
"Yes. It’s beautiful. I think I'll miss it the most. If I don't make it out tomorrow I’ll miss…I’ll miss you the most…Faith."
It took awhile before Faith decided to smile for the mere fact that she wasn’t really sure if she were already asleep or not. It took awhile, but Faith’s smile finally reached her eyes.
Then
The two slayers walked side by side through the darkened woods, patrolling together like old times past. The crunch of pine needles and small sticks followed the slayers as Faith continued to talk on while Buffy become increasingly more irritated.
"…I don’t know, I’ll work with them. Some of ‘em seem real eager. Fashion disasters? Yeah, but they’re ready to fight…"
"Why did you come back?"
Buffy stopped walking and turned towards Faith. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t resort back to the ease with which they used to talk. There was too much history, too many bad memories and she was mostly irritated at the fact that Faith seemed to ignore all of it and talk at her as if they were reunited friends instead of enemies.
In the mean time Faith stopped and her awkwardly friendly demeanor quickly changed to the defensive side.
"Willow said you needed me! Do you….am I getting you’re wanting me to be not here?"
Buffy quickly looked away and cursed the shame that started to crawl its way up her spine.
"No…that’s not what I meant. I’m glad you’re here. It’s…good."
For the first time since Faith and her had come face to face since the rogue’s incarceration, Buffy told the truth.
Faith looked the blonde up and down before her patented smirk came into play.
"You missed me then?"
"Faith.."
"C’mon B, don’t be shy. You missed me."
Buffy looked her counterpart in the eye and lied to her with entire sincerity, hitting Faith in the heart with dead accuracy.
"I didn’t miss you, Faith, and given the chance again I never will. You’re here to fight. You want to rekindle old times then do it right. Play back-up girl, just like you used to but leave the emotional reunion behind because I refuse to be hurt by you again."
With that the blonde walked off leaving an emotionally bruised Faith in the middle of the woods.
Now
Faith turned her body towards Buffy and held her hand tighter as she spoke.
"You'll miss me the most?"
Buffy smirked.
"Gosh, you ask that like you don't believe it."
"Uh, yeah that's cause I don't."
"You should. These past few weeks you've gotten to know me better than anyone in the house."
"It's long overdue in my book. If I had done things right the first time--"
Buffy sat up a bit, stone cold determination set on her usually soft features.
"We promised eachother we wouldn't do that anymore. No more 'ifs' or 'should haves'. We had this conversation remember? We're forgiven."
Faith shook her head slightly trying to push aside the strands of velvet hair that had fallen across her face.
"Just couldn't help it. If this is our last night together like this I want to make sure you know."
Buffy gave Faith's hand a light squeeze.
"I know, Faith."
Buffy took her other hand and tucked the strands of Faith's hair behind the girl's ear. They held each other's gaze unable to look anywhere else but at shades of chocolate and green. The double meaning of their last exchange not going unnoticed by either woman.
Notes: Uumm...just has a lot to do with the last few eps of BtVS. Only with this fic Buffy's never going to get booted from casa de summers! Switches back and forth from past to present (present being the night before Chosen).
Then
Buffy slammed the door behind her as she entered her home and threw her jacket on the couch, hitting an unsuspecting potential in the head.
"Hey! What gives?!"
The potential, whom Buffy did not even remotely know by name, took the jacket off her head and tossed the semi-expensive material to the ground, glaring at Buffy as if the action served her right.
The jacket went unnoticed however as Buffy was still simmering in her own juices. She paced back and forth, mumbling to herself as the potentials who inhabited the living room looked on as if she were crazy.
"Buffy, hey!"
Willow entered the room in full research mode. Her head was down as she studied the few computer print-outs she wanted to show Buffy.
"I think I found some things about the First you may want to know. There’s a report from Ohio that sounds.....Buffy? What’s wrong?"
Willow looked at her friend closely. When recieved no response from the blonde she looked around the room and was met with shrugs from the silent potentials. Silent accept for one.
"I think we’ve just hit meltdown..."
Rona sat on the couch and didn’t even bother to look up from the stake she had been sharpening as she spoke. Willow glared at her slightly before turning back to Buffy.
"Buffy what happened? Did you find anything? Wait...where’s Faith?"
"In the woods."
"You found something in the woods or Faith's in the woods?"
"She just kept talking! Like nothing ever happened between us! 'La di da I don't care'! How could she pretend like nothing happened?"
"I-I'm confused."
Willow looked on as Buffy continued to pace frantically around the room. Suddenly Willow's confusion turned into alarm.
"Oh...OH! You came back because you needed backup?! Did they spring a trap? They sprung a trap!"
Willow didn’t bother to stop talking, rather she just kept on rolling down the babble mountain.
"Guys! Heads up! Buffy and Faith need backup! The First threw out a surprise attack..."
As the potentials hurriedly got up to prepare for battle Buffy spoke loudly.
"Nobody sprung a trap! Sit down!"
A little frightened by her outburst, the girls sat back in their rightful seats. Vi could be seen sitting obediantly, hands folded and in her lap, back straight. Kennedy watched both girls wearily as she backed towards the couch and sat down while Rona hadn’t even bothered to stand up in the first place.
Willow looked at the blonde seriously.
"Buffy where’s Faith?"
"I told you Wil, she’s in the woods. I...I let her get the best of me again and I just...I left."
Buffy finished the sentence lamely.
"She tried to fight you?"
"No, look I really don’t want to talk about this."
"You just left her there? She has no where else to go Buffy!"
Willow started to become a little angry. In the short time that she had spent with the reformed slayer she had seen a difference. She had seen her risk her life for Angel and she had listened as Faith agreed to come to Sunnydale without the slightest arguement.
Although Willow’s acceptance of the dark slayer had not yet grown to like, she still couldn’t help but care about the girl.
Buffy stopped pacing and faced Willow.
"Since when did her well-being start becoming any of my concern?"
"Since she came here to fight for you! For us!"
Kennedy stood up and approached the two women, taking the opportunity to speak at Buffy.
"We need all the help we can get you know. You shouldn’t let your feelings get in the way of what has to be done."
Buffy turned her head and looked at the girl. A look that asked the oldest potential who the hell she thought she was. The blonde spoke slowly.
"Any feelings I had concerning Faith died years ago."
With that said the blonde dismissed the entire room and stalked her way up the stairs. Some of the potentials jumped in their seats as the room echoed with the strength in which Buffy used to slam her door.
When the vibration of the wooden frames surrounding the house quieted, Andrew came into the living room, apron vastened to his waist, hands on hips. The boy looked as though he was about to cry.
"Great, just...fabulous! Can somebody please tell me who just decided to use their slayer-sized PMS to ruin my soufle!"
Faith walked absentmindedly through the woods, weaving her way through trees and bushes. Why had she come back to Sunnydale? As if trying to reform in LA meant outstretched arms and open minds in Sunnydale; Land of Hell. The more she thought about Buffy's cruel words and harsh demenour, the angrier she became.
"Fuck you Sunnydale..."
She kicked her way through leaves and approached a tree. Staring at it coldly she let the thoughts start to take her over. Needing to release the cruel enegry she felt beginning to rise, Faith struck the tree with all her might, her knuckles scraping against the rough bark.
"Fuck you LA..."
Another punch.
"Fuck you scooby gang ..."
Punch.
"Fuck you redemption..."
Faith started beating on the trunk of the tree, yelling out everything and anything that came to mind. Crazed, she screamed out the last of her obscenities, and the real reason behind her outburst, at the top of her lungs.
"FUCK YOU BUFFY SUMMERS!!"
With the last phrase she punched the tree so hard a giant sized crater broke into the bark. Breathing heavily, Faith stared at the tree for a long while. A blank, almost dead look to her usually beautiful face.
After what seemed like an eternity, the brunette sucked in a quick breath and her entire demeanour changed, as if upon internal command she returned to reality. She furrowed her brow and cracked her neck slowly.
As her surroundings became more focused she felt a liquid warmth covering both her hands. Gritting her teeth and frowning, she looked down. They were covered in blood and the knuckles had been cut deeply.
Shaking her head she looked around and decided best if she headed back to slayer central. She no longer feared her reaction if she did come across Buffy on her way in, having released her rage. After all, she had already beaten the tree to a bloody pulp. Why lash out again?
The things you learn in prison.
Shaking her hands so some of the blood dripped to the ground the dark slayer walked her way out of the dark woods.
Now
"You know huh?"
Faith kept her hand laced with Buffy’s. The blonde’s thumb traced the soft skin of the darker slayer’s hand, tracing delicately over the tiny scars that decorated her knuckles.
"A part of me has always known I guess."
"Yeah. Guess that same part of me has known you knew."
Buffy grinned.
"I know you knew that I knew what you know."
"Ha, funny B. Wanna recite ‘Who’s on First’ next?"
"Nah, it’ll take up too much Buffy and Faith talk time."
Faith laughed softly.
"I’m kinda glad we’ve had time to just talk like this ya know? Almost makes me glad I got this wicked scar on my stomach."
Even in the moonlight Faith noticed Buffy pale and swallow slightly. The blonde looked away and withdrew her hand from Faith’s. A sudden flash of realization hit the brunette as the shame became more apparent on the other girl. Faith grit her teeth.
"Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that one..."
"No, it’s ok."
"No for real B, I meant I was glad that I got blown up so you had to start takin care of me!"
Buffy could not hold in the laugh that burst its way to her lips. Faith looked at her confused until the blonde cleared her throat and spoke with mock seriousness.
"Well, Faith...I’m uh, glad you got blown up too."
Buffy smiled at Faith. The brunette smiled widely when she saw the twinkle of amusement dancing in the blonde’s eyes against the moonlight. A silver star dancing in pools of green. Dancing for her. Faith’s mind reeled at the thought.
Her mind also decided to throw a thought her way that came way out of left field. Her smile faded and a slight frown took its place. Damn her mind!
Buffy rested a hand on her thigh.
"What’s wrong?"
"It’s nothing."
"Nothing doesn’t usually wipe a beautiful smile off your face."
Faith blushed sightly. Thank god she was turned away from the window so she could save the embarrassment for allowing such a red coloring to her face.
"I was just thinkin...while you’re here with me, keepin me company...someone’s lonely with a mad sized hole in his bed."
Faith looked up at Buffy who, in turn, looked away and sighed.
"Let’s not go there tonight, Faith."
"It may be our only night to go there, B."
Buffy looked over and unconciously leaned herself closer to the brunette. She spoke hopefully and almost out of breath.
"Do we have to spoil it? We don’t need to talk about him. Can’t...Can’t it just be you and me? Just us."
The blonde continued to speak as her face continued to make its way towards Faith’s, who’s breathing had also sped up.
"You and me. Against the world like it should of been....like it is..."
Faith’s eyes dropped from Buffy’s and focused on her lips. So close. The moment was nearing, getting closer. Buffy talked almost to herself as well as to Faith.
"You’re the only one who knows what it’s like. He could never...you’re just the only one Faith. You were made that way. Made to understand me. The chosen two..."
"B..."
"Sshhh."
There. The moment arrived.
Soft and hesitant lips met ready and willing ones. Buffy closed her eyes and kissed Faith with a gentleness the brunette had never experienced. Faith’s breathing hitched in her throat, the initial shock and emotion making it difficult for her to respond to the kiss. Buffy's kiss, starting off hesitant turned urgent. She scooted her body a little closer to Faith who still had yet to respond to her actions.
Buffy broke away and mumbled against Faith’s lips.
"Faith. Kiss me."
With a furrowed brow that Faith could not get rid of for some unknown reason, she kissed Buffy back.
One moment. One kiss. But for Faith, it still wasn’t beautiful.
As the slayers kissed upstairs in a soft bed, a vampire opened his eyes from a non existant sleep, turned to lay on his back stiffly, and mourned while staring blankly up at the ceiling.
Then
Faith hurried down the stairs to the Summers basement and took a seat towards the bottom. Looking back at the door with a weary expression, she leaned to her left and rested her body against the cold pavement of the basement wall.
Silence.
She reveled in the quietness of the darkened room as slight squeals and screams could still be heard from the tireless potentials upstairs.
It had been a week since Faith had returned to the house from the episode Buffy and her had shared in the woods. Willow went all out with the babble as soon as the red-head had opened the door and seen Faith standing there with bloody knuckles, apologizing for Buffy and ordering a potential to get a first aid kit.
Faith hadn’t said much upon her return, only sat on the couch and allowed people to fuss over her, something she usually would have hated if she weren’t so tired of everything. She had only seen Buffy a few times since that night and it was usually because the blonde was either leaving or entering the house. The one time they did have to patrol together it remained silent until the two had accidentally made eye contact and Buffy immediately made some excuse about checking on the potentials and walked off.
Faith didn’t care. She was tired of chasing after the blonde and trying to play it cool whenever Buffy would enter the room. She just didn’t care anymore. She was here to fight and nothing more. The blonde said it herself.
And that’s where Faith sat now, at the bottom of the basement stairs, pulling out a pack of smokes and lighting up, just not caring.
The brunette took a long drag and let the warmth of the nicotine envelope her body, comforting her senses and calming her down from everything that had happened since coming back to this place. She began to thank the powers that be for this moment of peace and quiet until someone spoke up and Faith quickly took back her thanks and started to cuss the powers out.
"You craving a moment alone in the dark, or can I bum one?"
Faith looked over and noticed Spike on his cot, half-naked and sprawled out on the clean sheets. As far as company went she realized it could’ve been worse. Standing and smiling, she took a drag from her cigarette and walked towards the vampire.
"Well, I guess you can smoke all you want—the big C not really an issue."
Faith held out her smoke, which the vampire readily accepted.
"Teeth get yellow. Gotta watch out for that."
Spike studied Faith’s bandaged hand as he put the cigarette to his lips.
"Get into a rumble on your last outing?"
Faith followed his gaze to her injured hand. She shrugged her shoulder and sighed.
"Yeah if you could call a phat oak tree a rumble. That bark can be scary ya know. And you woulda thought this would be all done and healed by now but sparring with an inexperienced potential after a run-in with a tree…well hello to the pain."
"Banged you up pretty good then."
Faith grinned. "You should see the potential…and the tree."
The vampire smiled, not really needing an explanation as to why Faith had decided to go postal on a tree.
"Anger can be a nasty thing."
"That is can."
The brunette nodded, leaning back against the staircase so she was facing the cot. She swiftly took out another cig with an elegance of a long time smoker, lit up and paused as she noticed the chains hanging on the wall behind Spike.
The vampire followed her gaze and smiled.
"Right. It’s not what you think."
"Hey to each his own man. This one guy I ran with made me dress up like a school girl, and he had this freakin bullwhip and I’d be like.."
"I got dangerous for awhile."
Spike looked the brunette up and down; still envisioning the tight body of the slayer all wrapped up in a schoolgirl’s skirt.
Faith nodded at him and hoisted herself up on a random piece of furniture, or more accurately a big block of wood, and took off her jacket. She spoke through her cigarette, which was placed in the corner of her mouth.
"Looks like you and me have somethin else in common."
"Yeah…you over it?"
"More or less."
"What’s the less?"
Faith’s eyes narrowed seductively and her lip upturned.
"Thinkin about lookin the guy up with the bullwhip.."
Spike merely grinned to himself and continued to puff away with his lack of breath on the ashen cig. The brunette noticed the momentary look of desire in the vampire’s eyes. Looking back up towards the stairs, Faith jumped off her block of wood and crossed over to the cot. She lay back against the wall, next to Spike, deciding to feed her own desires that were forced to lay dormant for far too long.
"I’ve met you before ya know."
"Yeah, you made a great impression on my chin."
"Not in the graveyard, before that. I was kinda wearin a different body.."
"Pity that."
"You seemed ok with it."
Faith grinned at him, looking him in the eye as if to silently convey her real meaning. Spike stared back for a moment before his face lit up.
"The body swap. With Buffy."
Faith’s smile widened more so at the memory of being inside the blonde’s skin than at the conversation at hand.
"She fill you in on that whole deal?"
The pride laced with the little bit of hope in Faith’s question didn’t go unnoticed by him. Not being one to fuel pride, Spike decided to dismiss her name.
"She told me it went down. Failed to mention who was driving her skin around."
"Shoulda known it wasn’t blondie behind the wheel…she’d never throw down like that."
Faith looked away from him, trying to mask the disappointment she knew was shining in her eyes. Of course Buffy would never throw down like that. Nor would she throw down with a girl for that matter, especially one who caused her so much pain for so long.
"Oh you have been away."
The brunette looked up sharply and studied Spike’s face.
"Wait…you mean you and B…"
"Not as of late."
Spike shifted on the cot and continued to speak to Faith with an air of arrogance as Faith’s eyebrows furrowed.
"Used to be she’d come find me for…comfort…time and again. But with the whole impending apocalypse an’ what not I figure she’s got more important things on her mind. No matter. I can wait. Right bloody did for a couple of years anyway.."
Spike looked over and stopped his ode-to-Buffy as soon as he noticed the look on the brunette’s face.
"You ok?"
Faith blinked a few times and the glazed over expression on her face quickly dissipated. She looked over at him and answered with her usual phrase, perfected over the years in its use and meant only to cover up her true feelings to any given situation.
"Yeah. Five by five."
Spike looked at her confused.
"Five what now?"
"Never mind, forget it."
He was about to say something further when both of them heard the door to the basement open and noticed a pair of slender legs descending the stairs. Faith was still too stunned to notice that her and Spike’s current positions on the cot didn’t look too good from an outsider’s perspective.
Buffy slowed her pace as she stepped off the last stair, her face beginning to scowl at the two other occupants of the room. She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her hip, tilting her head only slightly to emphasize her mood. A perfect ‘holier-than-thou’ pose.
"Hope I didn’t interrupt anything."
Faith would have laughed at Buffy’s entire demeanor if she weren’t so busy scooting away from Spike.
"Uh, yeah. You just know all the cool vampires."
Buffy looked at Faith and sneered slightly, shifting her gaze over to Spike to give him an equal look of disgust. She wasn’t exactly sure of who she was more jealous of, Spike or Faith. Buffy suddenly had a flashback of walking into Angel’s home only to find Faith in his arms. Two of the most prominent figures in her life, together, locked in a tight embrace. The blonde was never fond of dejavu.
She shook her head and couldn’t hold back the anger in her voice as she addressed Faith.
"The girl from the hospital woke up. You need to come with me, that is if you’re done with your little seduction scene."
"Buffy…"
But the slayer had already turned and headed up the stairs. Spike made a move to go after the blonde, but Faith grabbed his forearm and gave him a hard look.
"Don’t. I got it."
Something about the look in Faith’s eyes kept Spike glued to the bed. For the first time since Faith had come back to town, he let himself think that there might be something to the slayers’ past relationship that Buffy hadn’t filled him in on.
He watched as she stood and jogged up the basement stairs, chasing after the girl that, unbeknownst to him, always had the power to make Faith follow.
Now
Spike continued to toss on his dirty cot while something inside him stirred with the sickening knowledge that he was alone. Truly alone this time. Everyone in the house recognized him as a warrior, sure, but he was not longer with the one person who ever made him feel like his humanity had never been lost. With a grunt of frustration he stood from the cot and paced the room dramatically.
He had lost her. Lost her to another slayer. Lost her to another enemy…lost her to a girl. And lost her with his consent.
The frustration and regret built up in Spike until he turned to the punching bag that was positioned in the middle of the room. With a howl of pent-up emotional agony, he kicked the bag so hard that the fixture flew off its hinges and hit the far wall on the other side of the room.
Spike stood there, breathing hard and balling his hands into fists. He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes, forcing himself to gain control over his feelings.
With a fluid movement he punched his fist into his chest only once because for the first time he understood the true suffering of a soul’s forfeited love.
Faith broke away from the kiss when she heard a muffled crash come from deep within the house.
"You hear that?"
"No."
Buffy continued to caress Faith’s sides, up the middle of her chest and across her neck. She trailed kisses down Faith’s collarbone, but the urgency with which she left her touch made the brunette feel uneasy.
"B, stop."
For a moment Faith wondered if she was crazy saying those words to a girl she fantasized about touching for so long.
"No stopping, just kissing."
Buffy continued her assault on Faith’s neck. The brunette let her eyes shut and her head roll back slightly, getting lost in the feeling of the blonde’s lips invading her skin. She let her hands glide up Buffy’s shoulders before gently pushing her away.
Buffy looked at her confused.
"Why are you pushing me away? I thought…I thought this is what you wanted."
Faith swallowed hard, still trying to get a hold of her senses. Saying no to Buffy was possibly the hardest thing she ever had to do.
"This is all I’ve ever wanted since I met you, but Buffy I want you to want it to."
Buffy let out a short laugh, obviously confused.
"What’re you talking about? I wouldn’t have kissed you if I didn’t want it."
"Yeah but you don’t crave it."
Buffy furrowed her brow and pouted slightly, trying to understand the dark slayer. Her pout forced Faith to shut her eyes because if she stared at that mouth any longer she wouldn’t be able to control her urge to devour it.
"B, when I kiss you, it’s because I crave you. It’s because I need you and when I’m not touching you it feels like part of me is slippin away somehow. And when I kiss you like that, knowin you don’t crave me…it’s just not the same."
Buffy sat there for a few moments silently. She studied the face of her counterpart, Faith’s features darkened in the shadows of the room while hers shined in the silver moonlight. She idly wondered when it would stop. When her and Faith would stop being distinguished by dark and light, good and wrong, and simply start living together in a balance she so desperately wished for in all aspects of her life.
She lifted her hand and touched Faith’s cheek, her fingers tracing every outline of skin. Faith instinctively moved into the touch, closing her eyes.
So much pain. There was so much pain evident in that face, and Buffy realized in that moment, that all she wanted to do was make it stop. Make both their pain stop.
"Faith, look at me."
Faith obeyed and opened her eyes. The amount of emotion shining through made Buffy’s breath stop for a second before she continued.
"I know what you’re feeling because…because I’m feeling it too."
The echo of a long forgotten conversation between the two slayers was heard in the room. They thought back to the time where Buffy had said those words to Faith, long ago, and both realized they held the exact same meaning today as they did then.
Faith grinned and answered gently.
"Do you? So fill me in cause I’d like to hear this…"
They shared a smile of understanding, of knowing.
"I didn’t kiss you because you wanted it only. I’m not here to grant last wishes, Faith, or to do things I’ll regret later. The fact is I’m just doing what feels right for once. I don’t know how it’s going to end up tomorrow Faith, but I know that the only thing I’ll regret more than anything in the world…is if I don’t kiss you again, because for the life of me Faith I crave it."
Faith sat there in her shadowed part of the bed and looked at Buffy for a long moment. She saw the sincerity in those green eyes that reflected her own feelings.
In that moment, on this night, the last of Faith’s walls broke down to Buffy and the brunette let herself believe every single word she had just heard.
Then
"B wait up!"
Faith jogged a little faster until she caught up with the blonde. She took hold of Buffy’s upper arm in order to stop her but the blonde pulled away and spun around.
"Don’t touch me!"
"Shit, what is your problem?"
"Oh I’m sorry. Should I not have a problem with you seducing one of my fighters?"
"Is that all we are to you, B? Fighters? You know this may come as a shock to you but we are actually people…"
Faith looked towards the basement. "Well most of us anyway."
Buffy's voice rose as her feelings took hold of her.
"Look that’s not the point. The point is I don’t want you going around distracting anyone from what needs to be done. We have one hell of a fight coming up and I can’t have you making googly eyes at Spike."
"Oh that’s right. Sorry, I forgot you and that vampire were a 'thing' now. Guess old habits die hard, huh B?"
The petite woman stepped forward and made a move to hit Faith.
"Buffy you hit me and I’m gonna forget not to fight back…"
The blonde stopped and lowered her fist. She stood there and stared at Faith in the eye before speaking sadly.
"Why do you always do this to me?"
Exasperated, Faith answered.
"Do what?"
"Make me feel like I can’t control myself around you!"
Faith was about to answer with some smart-ass comment before she let the double meaning of those words hit her. She closed her mouth and the two slayers stared at each other.
Buffy could feel the tears form in her eyes as she looked at Faith, so before she granted the brunette the pleasure of seeing her cry, she turned and headed out of the house.
Once again Faith followed, but made no move to catch up to the blonde.
...to be continued...