Under the Mask
by BL
Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and other familiars from Buffy and Angel belong to Joss Whedon, the WB, Fox, and everyone else that owns them.
Spoilers: After Faith went to jail.
Note: I was sitting around and suddenly decided that I wanted to write a fic. I had read all these great pieces and decided I would take a stab at it. This is my first time and I would really like to know what you all think.
Feedback: Would greatly appreciate it.

LA jail

The plastic orange chair was digging into her back while she squirmed uncomfortably under the fluorescent lights. She had been escorted into the room and was now waiting across from a thick pane of glass, waiting for the girl who had caused her so much pain, both mental and physical. Finally she saw her, or at least saw a girl shuffle in with a guard roughly guiding from behind.

Buffy held her urge to rush at the glass and strangle this evil creature. Instead she sat with a look of contempt and utter loathing while Faith sat down across from her.

When Faith looked up, Buffy was taken back a little. Faith's eyes, instead of the twinkle of mischievousness, now held indescribable pain and sadness. Instead of the young girl, Faith looked like she had aged incredibly fast and had seen more than any should see at that age. Buffy softened for a second before the memories rushed back to the surface and the mask of hatred was back in place.

Faith picked up the phone and began to speak hesitantly, "B?"

All Buffy wanted to do was scream and hit the other girl until she bled, instead all she did was let out a curt, "Why?"

Faith sighed deeply. She had been expecting that question for a while now but somehow she always believed that the petite blonde always knew part of the answer. She looked back into cold, hazel eyes that looked back at her fiercely. She began to answer, "Well…I guess…I thought…don't you know already?"

At that point Buffy snapped, "KNOW!? OF COURSE I DON'T KNOW!!" She quieted down to a venomous whisper, "How would I know why a supposed friend snapped and became an evil hell bitch who was bent on destroying my life???"

She calmed a bit, "I always knew you were dangerous, always going solo and never needing anybody's help. I knew you were tough Faith but I thought at least you had some tiny bit of emotion. I thought you cared about us but I was wrong. You were a heartless bitch before and I realized it too late."

Faith sat there in shock. She then shook her head sadly with a sardonic grin on her face. She whispered sadly, "All this time I thought you knew, but you had no idea…."

"Knew WHAT??" Buffy asked with complete confusion.

"Knew…knew me, B, I thought you knew me. We were the chosen two, an unstoppable slaying duo. I thought you understood everything…I thought you saw through the façade of the tough girl act. You want to know the truth B?" Faith looked up with tears pooling in her eyes.

Buffy had sat silently the whole time and now all she could do was nod with a suspicious look on her face.

Faith laughed sadly, "The truth is, B, I'm not a tough girl like you all thought." She bowed her head down to get away from the piercing stare and to hide herself while she bared her soul. "My whole life, I never knew what love was. My family…I don't even know what a real family is. So I grew up being on my own, everything I did, I did on my own. And then I met you; B, and you showed me what I could have in this life. I could have friends and Mrs. S was like a mom to me, you know? Life was great and I felt like someone actually cared at least a little. This was pretty amazing considering that I had never let anybody in before. You know the whole get some, get gone thing? Well that was to save myself from the hurt. Leave them before they get a chance to hurt you. But you somehow got inside and made me drop that whole motto and I found out that I didn't care.

"But then there was the ummm….the accident….and all I remember was that look of disgust in your eyes. I had killed someone and I knew that things could never be the same. All the love and caring would be gone…you would….could never care for me again. And I had never dealt with that before. I never had love so there was nothing to miss and then I experienced it and it was ripped away from me."

Faith took a deep breath, "So that's why…I loved you and the thought of losing you was so terrifying that I ran away and hurt you instead. I didn't know how to let anybody in so I pushed before anybody could push me away." Faith slumped forward as if her energy was sapped from the huge emotional outpour. She then straightened up and walked away without giving Buffy another glance.

Buffy snapped out of her trance and walked outside. As the bright LA sun woke her from her daze, she walked with a determined step. She knew what she had to do. Faith wasn't going to accomplish anything in jail; she would just sit around and twiddle her thumbs. She was going to help Faith and show her what real love was like.

*****

Buffy strode into the Hyperion with determination in her step. She walked past a shocked Cordelia and immediately walked into Angel's office and sat down across from him.

"Buffy?!" Angel was shocked; she was the last person he had expected to see.

"Angel I have a matter to discuss with you." Buffy said with steely determination.

"Sure, what is it?"

"I want Faith out of jail."

"Buffy, we already discussed this. Violence is not going to solve anything, I am not going to let you take her out of there so you can get your petty revenge—" Angel replied with growing ferocity in his voice.

Buffy interrupted him, "While I thank you for the glowing vote of confidence, I don't want to get any 'petty revenge.' I want her out of there so I can help her redeem herself and I realize that she won't be able to accomplish anything in jail."

Angel had no idea what to say. One minute she wanted to kill Faith and now she wanted to help her. He would never understand the blonde slayer…but now was not the time to argue. He agreed with her and nodded his approval and both started to work on a plan to get the dark slayer out of jail.

*****

"Ok, here's what I was able to find out from my contact inside the police." Angel started to map out what he knew. "It seems that they don't have any solid evidence against her. The Mayor seems to have wiped out everything that could incriminate her and also wrote a statement that covers her whereabouts. The only thing that they can hold her on is the statement she gave. So, all we have to do is convince Faith to retract her statement and she should be out of there in no time."

"Great, that sounds simple enough, I am going to go talk to her now—" A hand on her arm stopped her mid sentence.

"Buffy, you have to understand that Faith is in there because of you. She has convinced herself that you wanted her in there. You can't just go up to her and tell her that you changed your mind and that you want her to get out now. She has convinced herself that this is the right path and I don't think it is going to be easy to convince her otherwise."

"Look Angel, I appreciate your help but I don't care if it is going to be difficult but she deserves to be out of there and I will not stop until she gets out. I found out…she told me…I know things now that I didn't before and I owe it to her to help her now. I was blind before but now I understand and I WILL help her." Buffy stared into his eyes with resolve.

Angel realized something at that moment, it was just a flicker but he had noticed it. Being more than 200 years old teaches you to be pretty observant and knowledgeable. Angel believed that Buffy would help Faith because she loved her and he knew that Faith returned that love. However, the pain of their relationship would require time to heal and he knew that they would not find happiness easily but this was a great first step and in time they would move on. Buffy would move on…without him…it was a fact that he needed to accept.

Angel nodded, "I know Buffy…if anyone can help her you can…and I hope you do for her sake…" Buffy walked away and heard the end of Angel's sentence that was barely a whisper, "…and yours too."

*****

Faith shuffled into the fluorescent room yet again. Who could be visiting me now? I just want to be left alone and cry in bed…I can't believe I told Buffy all of that…I've never told anybody that…

Faith's thoughts were cut short when she realized who had visited her, "B? You again? What are you doing here?"

Buffy studied the other slayer for a second and saw the young girl for the first time. She looks so vulnerable…How did I not see it before? It was all an act, I should have known…

"B?"

Buffy shook her head to clear herself of all thoughts and started to speak, "Faith, I want you to retract your statement."

Faith stared in shock and bewilderment. After a second she regained her voice, "What?! What are you talking about? I am not going to retract my statement, I killed a man and I deserve to pay."

"No, Faith. I agree that you do deserve punishment for what you did…but you will hurt more people by staying here…you could do so much more good if you come back to Sunnydale with me."

"No Buffy, I can't be trusted, if I come back with you…who knows when I'll snap again? You can't take that risk and I won't take the chance that I might hurt anybody again…that I might hurt…you." Faith finished in a whisper with her head bowed.

"Faith…Faith I want you to look at me." Faith slowly and reluctantly lifted her head. "I remember yesterday that you said you loved me…was it a lie?"

Faith quickly shook her head in denial, "Of course not…how could you think that I lied about that? After everything…after all the things…I never told anybody before…it was the truth."

"Ok then, if you love me then you will do this for me. If you don't then I'll let you know that you will be hurting me." And with that Buffy got up and walked out.

Faith sat there while she tried to process what had just happened. Should I retract my statement…No!…I deserve to be here…but I don't want to hurt Buffy again and she said that I would hurt her if I didn't retract…my God…what that girl does to my head? What am I going to do?

Faith continued to think about her options and it all came down to one thing. Buffy Summers. She did love the girl and she would do anything for her…she knew what she had to do.

*****

Buffy stood outside of the gates. It had already been two hours since the official trial where all charges against Faith had been dropped due to insufficient evidence. She stood there anxiously waiting for Faith to come out.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Faith stepped out into the bright light, blinking her eyes against the harsh sun. When her eyes fell on the anxious looking blonde she allowed herself an awkward smile. Buffy walked forward and grabbed Faith's hand.

"Come on, let's go home."

Faith wouldn't move and Buffy turned to figure out what the problem was.

"B…Buffy…before we go…I just want to know why…after all I did…I don't deserve anything…especially from you."

A sad smile appeared on Buffy's face, "Because Faith…I finally saw you…the real you." And with that she walked to the car.

Faith stood there stunned. Maybe things would work out after all. Faith promised herself that she would do everything in her power to make things right. She would show people the real her…the person under the mask.

...continued in Path to Forgiveness...