A Look at the Past
by Baby Tears
Rating: NC-17
When they left Faith put her hands in her coat pockets and Buffy slipped one of her hands through Faith’s arm and then intertwined her fingers together. Faith just looked over at her and smiled. They walked like that in a comfortable silence for about a block before Faith broke the silence. “So… Where we going?”
“Well… I was thinking of going somewhere to get something to eat, then to the coffee shop to meet up with Willow, and Xander for some coffee. Then we’ll see what they want to do, but I was thinking the Bronze to dance a little… And after that we could go home but cut through the cemetery for a quick sweep and when we get home… Well let’s just see what happens there.” Buffy replied with another mischievous grin. Faith just quirked an eyebrow at her.
When they finally got to the coffee shop it was an hour and a half after they left the house. They walked in with an arm around each other’s waist and started looking for Xander and Willow. It wasn’t hard to find them, seeing as how Willow was all but jumping up and down and yelling their names.
They went over and Buffy immediately had an explanation, “Sorry we’re late, but Faith decided she wanted to eat half of the pizza shop.” She just turned and grinned at Faith. Faith mock glared at her and said, “Well, I’m not the one that ate a whole large pepperoni pizza by herself and then half of mine also.” Buffy turned bright red, while Willow looked at her in shock, and Xander looked at her in awe.
Faith and Buffy went and got their coffee, then Faith sat and talked with Xander and Willow while Buffy sat and listened. When she got bored she decided to say something, “Hey, you guys want to go to the Bronze now and dance or something?”
“Sure.” Both Xander and Willow replied immediately.
When they got to the Bronze Buffy grabbed Faith by the hand and started dragging her to the dance floor while she yelled back to Xander, “Hey could you go get us some water and then join us?” Faith shrugged at them and followed Buffy.
After Buffy and Faith left Xander leaned over to Willow to talk to her, “What do you say we just go get the drinks, and watch them, so they have some time alone.” Willow looked at him suspiciously and said, “Xander, you don’t want to give them time alone. You just want to ogle them while they're together.” Xander looked back surprised and replied, “Hey, a guy can dream can’t he?” Willow just shook her head and went to the bar to get the drinks.
About an hour later the slayers came over to the table. Faith sat on a stool, and Buffy stood in front of her, between her knees, and leaned back into her, while Faith wrapped her arms around her, hugging her from behind. They stayed like that for a while, until Buffy got bored again and decided it was time to go. “Hey, guys do you mind if we go? I mean we still have to run a quick patrol and I’m beat.” Xander and Willow shook their heads and said their goodbyes.
When the slayers got outside Faith slipped behind Buffy, wrapped her arms around her waist and put her head on her shoulder. “It’s a beautiful night tonight don’t you think?” Buffy asked, leaning back into Faith. “Well yeah if you don’t count all the vamps and demons.” Faith replied as she started trailing kisses down Buffy’s neck.
Buffy turned around and captured Faith’s lips in a searing kiss. After Buffy pulled away she kept a hold of Faith and said, “How about we run that quick patrol and get home now?” Faith grinned and replied, “Hell yeah!” Buffy quirked an eyebrow and shook her head.
They turned and started down the street arm in arm until someone passed and hissed, “Get a room lesbos. Y’all there’s kids of an impressionable age around. Y’all should be ashamed of yourselves.” Buffy just looked at the girl and tried to keep walking but Faith stiffened and turned toward the girl that had said it. She looked as if she were sixteen or seventeen and hard as a rock. Faith wasn’t going to put up with it, she had just gotten Buffy and she wasn’t going to lose her because of some stupid little kid. “Hey, I don’t see any kids around here unless you're talking about yourself, and besides that what gives you the right to judge us when you don’t even know us?” Buffy looked at her in surprise and said, “Come on Faith, lets go, we got better things to do, then waste our time here with someone as homophobic as her.” To emphasize her point she put her hand on Faith’s cheek to turn her head towards her and kissed her passionately. The last thing they heard was a disgusted mumble and the girl as she stomped off but they didn’t care as long as they had each other.
As they started walking down the street again Buffy wrapped her arms around Faith’s waist and whispered, “Thank you.” Faith stopped and looked at Buffy surprised and asked, “For what?” Buffy looked back at her and rolled her eyes before replying, “For everything… Sticking up for *US*… Not beating that girl up… For loving me.” Faith looked down at her feet then back up at Buffy. “B… I did what I thought was right. She didn’t have a right to judge us like that when she doesn’t even know us… And loving you comes easy, I’ve loved you for a long time I just didn’t do a very good job at showing it until now. As for not beating that chick up I didn’t think she was worth my time. Now can I have another one of them kisses before we get this patrol done and get home for things I know both of us will like better.” She grinned at Buffy. Buffy quirked an eyebrow and grinned back before capturing Faith’s lips for one last searing kiss. Buffy pulled away, “Race you home.” Faith started after her and yelled, “Hey no fair… you took off when I was distracted.”
Author’s Note: This part is kind of depressing so consider this a warning.
The next thing that Buffy knew was that Faith was yelling at her to stop. So she did just that and turned towards Faith. Then she saw the headlights but it was too late.
Faith felt a sudden surge of energy and ran faster than she ever had before. She got to Buffy just in time to push her out of the way but there was no time for her. So she turned as much as she could and took the impact on her side to protect her front and back. When Buffy looked up from her spot on the ground it was to see one of the worst things she could ever imagine happening. She saw Faith, her Faith, get hit and thrown into the air and heard her land with a sickening thud.
She went over to Faith’s side as fast as she could. When she got there Faith looked up at her, smiled, and whispered, “Hey B… You all right? You didn’t get hurt did ya? I’m sorry B.” Buffy’s eyes welled up with tears and she stroked Faith’s forehead to try and calm both of them down. “No Faith… I’m fine… You don’t have anything to be sorry for… Just don’t leave me… PLEASE, I just found you and I can’t lose you now.”
Faith brought her hand up to stroke the side of Buffy’s face, “Hey… You will never lose me… Even if I’m not here.” She moved her hand indicating everything around them. “I’m here always.” She said as she moved her hand back to Buffy and put it over her heart.
“Don’t you ever talk like that.” Buffy pleaded. As they were sitting there an ambulance showed up and one of the EMT’s started talking to Buffy, “Miss, you’re going to have to move so we can do our job.” Buffy got up and moved away a couple of feet. When they loaded Faith into the ambulance Buffy tried to get in as well, but they wouldn’t let her, “Hey, you listen to me… I’m going with her, even if I have to jump on the bumper… I’m going.” The EMT just sighed and moved over.
As they pulled up to the hospital everything started going by in a blur. They asked Buffy questions but she just answered on autopilot. She went to the waiting room and as she sat down, Xander and Willow burst into the room and rushed over to her. “Oh my god, Buffy we heard what happened… Everybody did… We came as soon as we could.” Willow offered as exclamation. Buffy looked up, offered a weak smile, and broke down in tears. Xander and Willow wrapped her up in a big hug and sat down to wait for the doctor.
Dedication: Faithful_chickie for the great advice, giving me the courage to post this and everything else she’s done. And to Liz for stealing my heart and keeping it safe I love you baby… :)
An hour went by before the doctor came into the room. Buffy was asleep, leaning against Xander, so Willow got up to talk to him. “Yes… Well… Ummm… She had a lot of cuts and bruises, and a broken arm and leg that we got cleaned and set. But she also had some internal bleeding, from how the car hit her. But we got that stopped thankfully and she’s going to be fine.” The doctor said and smiled at Willow. “Can we go and see her now?” Willow asked.
“Ummm… How about you come back tomorrow? She’ll probably be awake by then, and a little stronger.” Willow smiled and turned back toward Xander and Buffy. “Hey, Buffy… Faith’s ok, but we have to wait until tomorrow to see her.” She said as Buffy sat up. “No, I have to see her now.” Willow shook her head and kneeled in front of her. “Buffy let her rest… We’ll come back as soon as visiting hours start in the morning OK?”
Buffy hung her head and followed Xander and Willow out of the hospital. When they got to Buffy’s house, Buffy went up stairs to take a shower and change. As she came down the stairs she over heard Willow and Xander talking, so she stopped to listen.
“I know that Xander, but Faith has changed. You can’t tell me you can’t see how much they love each other.”
“I know, and I can see it. I just can’t help but worry about Buffy. I’m worried that Faith is going to change again, but worse than last time.”
Buffy couldn’t stand anymore so she walked into the living room and looked at Xander and Willow. “Hey, guys. I really appreciate all you’ve done tonight. But I’m really tired. You can stay here if you want to. You know where the extra blankets and other stuff is, but I’m going to bed OK?”
Xander and Willow looked up at her and nodded. With that she turned around, went upstairs, and got as comfortable as she could.
The next morning when Buffy woke up she sprung out of bed, and started looking around in a panic for Faith. Then the night before came back to her in a blur. She gathered up her clothes and jumped in the shower quick.
When she went back downstairs she looked in the living room but Xander and Willow weren't there so she went into the kitchen to find Willow drinking a cup of coffee and Xander eating a bowl of cereal. Both looked up and saw Buffy but remained silent.
Buffy walked over to the fridge and got a glass of orange juice, then turned around and forced herself to smile at Xander then at Willow. "You guys ready to go and see Faith?" Willow and Xander both just nodded their heads at Buffy.
When they got to the hospital they were surprised to find it empty other than a few doctors and nurses, but no visitors. The trio walked over to the information desk and asked where Faith's room was. When they arrived at her room they found Faith sitting up holding a conversation with a young male nurse. She looked over and noticed Xander and Willow then Buffy came out from behind them and she almost jumped out of the bed, but Buffy was at her beside before she could even begin to move.
Buffy grabbed one of her hands and brought it to her lips, kissing it gently, "I missed you so much, I mean I know it was only one night. Not even twenty-four hours and I already missed you. I mean that makes it sound like I'm obsessed which I'm not..." Faith placed a finger over Buffy's lips. "Shush, I missed you too."
Faith smiled at Buffy and pulled her close to her, kissing her passionately.
Buffy broke the kiss and looked at the nurse that Faith had been holding the conversation with and said, "GO get her doctor, I want to know when I can take her out of here." The nurse just nodded and walked out the door.
Faith turned to Buffy as the door closed after the nurse. "Come on, let's get out of here." Buffy looked at Faith and shook her head, "no, Faith. I want to make sure everything is okay. You had a really close call there hun." Faith just looked at Buffy dumb founded, until the doctor and nurse walked back into the room.
Everybody looked up with questioning eyes at the doctor. "Well, I suppose you all would like to know when Faith here can go home?" They all nodded. "You realize how lucky you are right?" Faith just shook her head and looked expectantly back at him. "Well there are a few other tests I would like to run and I want you to stay here until later this afternoon but I'm thinking you'll be out by early this evening."
Faith got a huge grin on her face and Buffy threw herself at Faith and hugged her so tightly she was afraid that she was going to hurt her. Xander and Willow just smiled and stepped out of the room with the doctor and nurse. Willow stopped the doctor as he walked past. "Did they catch who did did this to Faith?" The doctor just shook his head no and kept walking. Willow looked at Xander. "We can't let Buffy know. She'll go all 'psycho revenge slayer'." Xander just nodded at her. They went back into the room and saw that Buffy and Faith were just sitting together and looking at each other. Willow walked over to the bed while Xander just hung back by the door. "Hey, Buffy can we talk to Faith alone for a few minutes?" Buffy looked at Willow like she was nuts. "Please." Willow pleaded. Buffy looked at Faith, who in turn just shrugged. Buffy got up and walked silently out of the room.
Willow looked over at Faith, "Hey, do you know who did this to you?" Faith just shook her head. "No idea?" Willow tried prying a little more. "Nope, none at all. I was too busy trying to save B. It all went kinda blurry." Faith snapped. Willow stepped back and looked at Xander for help. Xander just shrugged.
Buffy came back in and asked, "done yet?" Faith said, "yeah, come here you," while she glared at Willow. Willow and Xander left unnoticed by the two slayers.
Xander and Willow walked in silence until they got outside. Willow stopped and Xander turned to look at her. "What's up Wills?" "We gotta find out who did this and not let Buffy find out about it." Xander just looked at his best friend in amazement. "Okay, Wills if you say so." Then he turned and kept walking.
Buffy looked at Faith who was looking out the window. "Hey what you thinking about?" Faith looked back at her. "Nothin' just wanna get outta here. You know me and hospitals." Buffy smiled at her lovingly. "I know but it's just gonna be a couple hours." Faith grinned. "You want me to stay here or leave you alone for awhile? I know you need your sleep." Faith looked back out the window. "Yeah go catch up to Red and Xander." Buffy looked at her and Faith just started shoowing her out. Buffy jumped down and ran outside, but by the time she got outside the hospital, there was no sign of Xander or Willow. She thought that was a little odd but just shrugged it off and started walking home.
Xander had gone home so Willow was on her own until tomorrow. So she decided to go to where Faith got hit. Nobody was there and it looked as if the scene had been thoroughly gone over already so there wasn't anything left to look at. She thought that it was odd but just kept walking around searching for something she knew was there, she just didn't know exactly what it was yet. But she was going to find out if it was the last thing she did.
...to be continued...