Trials and Complications
by faith_b
Rating: NC-17
"Can I come in?" Buffy asked, at the brunette's office door.
"Sure," Parker replied, giving the slayer authorisation to enter the room.
"I just came to apologise for what happened yesterday," Buffy explained, walking into the spacious room.
"You kidding?" Parker replied her, smiling. "Yesterday is a complete blur."
"You don’t remember it?"
"Not really," the brunette replied, his expression telling a different story. "Why don't you fill me in?"
Buffy smiled. She wore a pensive expression. "Let’s see," she replied him. "Well after you got really drunk, you got up on the table and started doing this weird dance."
The brunette’s smile grew wider. "Wow, that's, er, really embarrassing."
Buffy nodded.
"I can never look any of the other psychiatrists in the eye again," he told his colleague.
"I dunno," the slayer replied. "Give it a few days; I doubt anyone’ll even remember."
"That’s a relief," Parker replied, his eyes looking deep into the slayer’s hazel ones. Noticing the silence upon them, the older psychiatrist cleared his throat. "I was on my way to see you actually," he told her, looking around for something. "Oh," he triumphed, finding it. He held up the tickets in his hands.
"Tickets," Buffy observed, looking at the brunette.
"To the Christmas ice show in town tonight. I heard it was really fun and I thought you, me and Joyce could go," Parker clarified, handing her the tickets and adding, "They’re rink side."
"Wow, Parker. I don't know what to say," Buffy told him, taking the tickets and staring speechless at them.
"Hopefully 'yes' 'cause they cost me a fortune."
Finally bringing herself to speak, the slayer told her colleague, "I can’t accept these."
"Sure you can," Parker told her. "It'll be fun and you'll be helping me get over my skating fear."
Buffy smiled, recollecting the story. Her smile faded as she thumbed the tickets. "Can I think about it?" she asked him.
"Of course," he replied, optimistic and adding, "It starts at seven and hey, if you can’t come don’t worry about it. I’ll just put extra jackets on the seats next to me and tell everyone my friends went to the car."
"Ah, the old jacket trick," the blonde replied.
Parker stared at her, his eyes revealing his expectancy. "Hopefully I wont have to use it," he told her.
Buffy smiled. She held onto the tickets as her colleague stood silently in front of her. The two of their attentions, drawn by the intercom buzzing on Parker’s desk, they both turned to look at it. The brunette smiled, moving towards the device.
"I’ll leave you to it," the slayer told him, making a move to leave.
Parker nodded, pressing the intercom. He watched with a grin on his face as the slayer walked out of his office.
Buffy let herself into her home. Removing her coat, she was alerted by the light coming from the dining room. She walked inside to see her daughter seemingly doing her homework.
"Hi sweetie," she said, walking over and planting a kiss on the young girl's forehead.
"Hi mommy," Joyce replied, continuing her work.
Buffy looked over her child’s shoulder. "How're you doing?"
"Ok," the youngster replied, adding, "I’m a little hungry."
The slayer grew concerned. "You haven't eaten?"
"Nope," the blonde child replied.
"Where's Faith?"
"I don’t know," Joyce told her.
Buffy sighed. She walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge door. Seeing the refrigerator empty the blonde closed it. She returned to the dining room. "Honey get your coat," she told her daughter.
"Where are we going?" Joyce asked, standing up.
Parker looked up at the arrival of his date. "You made it," he stated, standing up and allowing Buffy and Joyce past and into the empty seats beside him.
"Hey Uncle Parker," Joyce greeted, beaming at the brunette.
"Hey Joyce." He reached beside himself, pulling out something. "Check it out," the man told the youngster, handing her a cap.
"Is this for me?" the blonde inquired.
"Uh-huh," Parker confirmed. "Do you like it?"
"I love it!" the child replied, putting the article upon her head.
Buffy smiled. "What do you say?" she prompted.
"Thank you, Uncle Parker," Joyce remembered.
"No problem," the psychiatrist replied.
"Wow," Joyce exclaimed, feeling the cap. She looked up at the one the tall brunette was wearing, noticing their similarity. "It’s just like yours!"
"Yeah," the brunette replied. He turned his cap around. "'Cept I’m wearing mine the cool way."
Buffy smiled at the display, enjoying the banter between Parker and her daughter.
"I wanna wear mine the cool way too," Joyce told him, turning her cap around.
Parker smiled. "Now we're all cool," he told her, a huge grin on his face.
Joyce looked to her mother. "Except for mommy, who doesn’t have one," she noticed.
Parker searched beside him, finding the other cap that he had bought. "Yeah she does." He handed the article to the slayer. "Here, I got you one too."
Buffy thanked her colleague and put the hat on. She turned as a sudden burst of music began playing. Excitedly remembering her days at ice shows as a youth, she gripped her daughter's hand, expectantly watching the rink.
Joyce beamed and turned as the start of the show was announced. The three of them sat and watched as the performance commenced and ice-skaters, one by one, filed onto the ice, each performing various stunts and acrobatics.
Buffy pulled up outside her colleague's apartment.
"Thanks again for the ride," he told her. "I can’t believe someone had the nerve to slash my tyres."
"It's no problem," Buffy replied. "Thank you for the show. Joyce and I loved it."
Parker looked to the child sleeping in the back seat. "She’s a great kid, y’know. I can see where she gets it from."
Buffy smiled. "Thank you."
Parker nodded. He went to leave, opening the door of the vehicle. Suddenly stopping, he turned to the slayer. "So I’ll see you tomorrow," he told her, leaning in and kissing the blonde's cheek.
Buffy remained silent, looking into the man's convincing blue eyes. She felt breathless as he leaned in for another kiss. Catching herself at the last moment, the slayer turned away from his advancing lips.
"Parker, I'm sorry," Buffy blurted out.
Confused, the brunette asked, "Why?"
"I'm seeing someone," the slayer confessed. She turned to the brunette, repeating. "I'm sorry."
Clearly hurt, the psychiatrist attempted to hide his emotion. Speechless, for a moment, he eventually replied, "Me too," letting himself out of Buffy’s car.
Overwhelmed with guilt, the slayer sat in her vehicle and watched as Parker walked up to his apartment, letting himself in. At a loss for what else to do, she started her car and headed home. Driving slowly, she questioned herself and replayed the event in her head. Convincing herself that she could not have behaved any differently, she parked on the road outside her home having found its driveway occupied by Faith's car.
"Joyce. Honey, we're home," Buffy told her daughter.
Joyce woke up. She looked around and recognising her surroundings let herself out of her mother's car.
Buffy used the remote's central lock before taking her daughter's hand and leading her home. She opened the door and let the two of them inside; the both of them almost immediately confronted by a worried Faith.
"Where've you guys been? I tried calling."
"Oh, my phone was off," Buffy replied.
"We went to an ice show," Joyce added.
"Yeah?" Faith asked, holding out her arms for the child. "Was it fun?"
"Uh-huh," Joyce told her, as the strong brunette lifted her up. "There were elves and Santa was there and there were funny dancers."
"You hungry?" the slayer interrupted the excited child.
The youngster shook her head. "Nope. Me and mommy went to dinner already."
Faith briefly looked to Buffy before turning back to the child in her arms. "So kiddo, you saw Santa?" the slayer asked her, taking the child upstairs.
Her guilt increasing, Buffy removed her jacket and hung it up. The slayer made her way to the kitchen, feeling even worse as she looked upon the neatly set table illuminated by candle-light with three dishes atop it. She opened the fridge to see it fully stocked. Melancholy, Buffy grabbed an alcoholic beverage, strongly craving one. The slayer made her way to the living room spending a mere ten minutes alone before Faith joined her. Buffy looked to her lover, having prepared a long rant laden with apologies. About to speak, she found Faith beat her to it, asking,
"So. Who's Parker?"
"Parker?" Buffy echoed, caught off-guard. "Er, a guy from work. You met him at the lecture yesterday."
Faith nodded. "You usually take out guys from work?"
"He had extra tickets to an ice show and asked if I wanted to go."
"And what, you forgot how to say 'no'?"
"I didn’t think I had to," Buffy replied in earnest and slightly offended by the suggestion.
Faith shook her head in disbelief, her rage clearly apparent. "This shit’s all starting to make sense now," she told her girlfriend, standing up.
"What is it?" Lieutenant Hammond asked, as he rushed into the meeting room having been summoned.
"Sir," he was told as he was handed a pair of headphones. "Listen."
Hammond put on the equipment, as the argument within the Summers' household continued. He listened to what sounded like one of the slayers shouting at the other.
"Faith, you’re acting like a child," he heard. "Now you're fucking callin' me stupid?" the argument continued.
Listening to the row until he was fed up, he ordered, "Turn it off,” with a huge smile plastered on his face. "This is unbelievable," he told the curious audio technician.
"Good news, sir?" the man asked.
"Very good," Hammond replied him. "But not quite good enough. We’re still gonna need the icing on the cake."
Christmas music blared through 'Greener’s gifts' as the customers within it bustled around the beautifully decorated store. Watching the gleeful shoppers, Faith sat at the counter, moping. She grit her teeth remembering the fight she had had with Buffy the night before. Despite her girlfriend’s assurances, she was convinced that the older slayer was sleeping with someone else. It had to be the reason for her behaviour. Distracted from her thoughts by the store phone’s ringing, she picked it up and answered.
“Faith?”
“Hey Ken,” the slayer answered.
“Hey. How are you?”
“You know me.”
“Yeah, I do. And I know that you're not ok. What's wrong?”
“Nothing K,” the slayer assured.
“Ok, I talked to Buffy,” Kennedy confessed. “She told me you two were fighting. What's going on?”
Angrily, the slayer asked, "Did she get you to talk to me?"
"No," Kennedy replied.
Faith continued, “Well seein' as B thinks it’s alright to broadcast our private life; she's cheating on me.”
“What?” came the reply.
“You heard, Ken.”
“Yeah, I heard it, but I don’t believe it. Buffy loves you.”
“That's what I thought but, hey, I was wrong.”
“That's why you guys are fighting?”
“What are we supposed to do, go out for dinner?” Faith sardonically replied. “Of course we're fuckin’ fighting.”
“So you’re gonna make it easier for her by driving her away?”
“What? No.”
“Say if she isn't cheating and you’re treating her like this….”
“She is,” the slayer returned.
“So you caught her?”
“I don’t have to. She's been seeing some guy from work,” she told Kennedy, qualifying, “They went to an ice show with J last night.”
“Oh, ok,” the brunette replied sarcastically. “So Buffy's cheating on you and took your seven year old daughter as a witness?" She paused before asking, "Faith, do you have any solid proof she’s not been faithful?”
Faith thought on it. Her silence answering Kennedy, the woman continued, “I didn't think so.”
About to answer, the slayer was caught off-guard when her name was uttered. Looking up, she beheld a familiar face. “Ken I gotta go,” she uttered into the receiver, dropping it and standing. She moved to the other side of the counter, hugging the woman there. “Mrs G. Good to see you.”
“Hello Faith,” the old woman replied her. “How are Buffy and Joyce?”
“Good,” the slayer replied, once their bodies had parted.
“Is Robert not here?” Mrs Greener asked, looking around.
“Nope,” Faith replied, returning to her position behind the counter. “It's just me today.”
The older woman nodded.
“So, what are you doing here?” Faith asked, quickly adding. “I mean, you don’t usually come down.”
“I thought I should come and tell you my news in person.” Mrs Greener paused before revealing. “I'm leaving Sunnydale and returning home.”
“No way,” Faith replied.
“I know. I love this place. But I’m getting old and I’d rather retire near my family.”
“Shit,” Faith exclaimed, in disbelief. “I’m gonna miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too,” the woman confessed. "Though you could always visit."
"Yeah?" Faith replied. "How far away is New Zealand?"
"It's a while. But my home there has plenty of spare rooms. You, Buffy and Joyce would be more than welcome to stay as long as you want."
"Thanks."
The both of them remained silent before Faith spoke up. “What’s gonna happen to the store?” she asked.
“I’m going to have to sell it,” Mrs Greener told the slayer. “Which is another reason I wanted to catch you. How would you like to own 'Greener’s gifts'?”
“Me?” Faith asked. “Nah, Mrs G, I could never afford this place.”
“I’m sure we could come to some sort of an agreement,” the older of them told the brunette. “There is no one I'd rather own this place, Faith. You've been here for a very long time and if anyone could do this place justice, it'd be you.”
Faith shook her head in disbelief. “This is amazing,” she confessed. “Thank you.”
“That's more like it,” Mrs Greener told the young woman.
Faith rushed into her home. “B!” she called, excited. “Buffy!”
“In here,” the older slayer replied, her voice coming from the sitting room.
Faith entered the living room. “B, you’ll never believe what happened,” the brunette professed, beaming. She looked at the sombre expression on her girlfriend’s face, her own smile fading. “You still mad about last night?” she asked, walking closer to her lover. “'Cause if you are, I'm sorry. I was a jerk. Yadda yadda yadda.”
Buffy’s expression failed to change. She looked into the eyes of the younger slayer.
Faith advanced closer. “Baby, I said I was sorry," she tried, looking as apologetic as she could.
“I just had a visit from a detective Kane,” Buffy informed her girlfriend. “New evidence has been discovered in the Riley murder case.”
Faith paled. “What evidence?” she asked.
“The murder weapon,” Buffy answered. She braced herself before adding, “A knife. He…er.. He said that your finger prints were all over them,” she forced. The blonde slayer remained silent, the expression on Faith’s face, confirming her greatest fear. She turned around, unable to formulate a thought.
“Fuck,” Faith muttered, momentarily covering her face with her hands and exhaling. “I dunno what to say B,” she confessed.
Buffy shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. “Tell me you didn’t do it,” she almost begged.
“I can't,” Faith replied.
“Dammit Faith, how could you?” the slayer asked, abruptly turning around in shock.
“I had to,” the brunette replied. “I did it for us.”
Buffy turned, tears running down her face. “When they questioned you, you looked me in the eyes and swore on your life you had nothing to do with it.”
“I know and I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?" she wiped her tears. "Faith… I don’t believe this…”
"What do you want me to say, B? I can't change what happened. We've both made mistakes."
"I've never killed anyone," the older slayer reminded the brunette.
"Yeah, but you had someone else's kid."
Buffy expression changed to one a mixture of both rage and disbelief. "How does that even compare?" she snapped.
"Why d'you think I did it?" Faith returned. "If you hadn't have had his kid, I wouldn't have had to get rid of him."
"How can you even...? What the...?" Buffy struggled to articulate.
Faith took a deep breath. "B, look, he was trying to take Joyce away. I couldn't let him do that." She moved to hold the blonde. "I had to."
"Don't touch me," Buffy ordered, stepping back. "You didn't have to do anything. You wanted to. You killed Riley because you were jealous that he got me pregnant and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I did that to you, but I won't keep paying for it. It happened."
"Just like this did."
Buffy shook her head. "No, Faith. It didn't just happen. Whatever made you kill him is still inside you. That jealousy that takes over you when I even just look at another guy. I can't go through life wondering what you're going to do next when you get the idea that I've been cheating."
"Do you blame me?" the other slayer tried.
"Yes," Buffy replied. "I've tried everything to make you trust me and if you can't, then I can't do this anymore."
Silently, Faith thought on Buffy's words. "I can't," she eventually replied.
Buffy sobbed. "Then you have to leave," she told her fellow-slayer.
Faith fought back tears and after glancing at the blonde slayer a last time, she left.
Faith laughed at the display atop her motel-room bed, as she returned from its bathroom. "How many's she had?" she asked, handing her friend another drink when she returned.
"I dunno. But I think she needs another," the woman replied her, turning to her victim. She lifted her friend's head from the pillow. "Jenna? Here," she called, placing the bottle to the drunken girl's lips.
Faith laughed as Jenna, shook her head and passed out from her intoxication. She looked to the woman holding the liquor. "Ash you're evil," she stated. "You know that, right?"
Ashley laughed, looking to the door when it was knocked upon. "You expecting someone?"
"No," Faith replied as she got up. She opened the door to see Buffy standing in the doorway, her appearance akin to one who had been crying for days. "B?" she asked in disbelief. "What's up?"
"Can I come in?" the older slayer asked, in little more than a whisper.
"Sure."
Beholding the blonde at the door, Ashley stood up. She greeted the woman, who hardly responded and stood almost as if waiting. "Er, Faith, I just remembered that I have stuff," Ashley excused. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Faith replied, gratefully as Ashley helped her drunken room-mate to her feet. "Jenna, we gotta go," she informed her friend, pulling the woman up.
Jenna groaned, carried to her feet by the brunette and almost dragged out of the motel-room.
Faith saw her guests to the motel room’s exit, anxiously holding the door open for them.
"Is that her?" Ashley inquired, glancing at Buffy who sat down on Faith's bed.
Faith nodded.
"She's hot," the brunette observed. "Make a proper move this time 'cause I for one am sick of hearing about your crush on this girl."
The brunette slayer smiled. "Later Ash," she replied, closing the door on her grinning pal. She turned to Buffy; her heart skipping a beat when she saw the blonde slayer perched on her bed.
Buffy looked up. "I'm sorry for just coming around," she apologised.
"It's cool," the younger of them replied, trying to maintain her tough-girl composure. "What's up?"
"Faith it's Riley...." Buffy tried, finding that instead of explaining, she burst into tears. She attempted to control herself, wiping her eyes whilst clarifying, "He... er... he left."
Faith moved to sit beside her. "Oh man, I'm sorry," she consoled, holding the blonde.
Her head pressed against the brunette's chest, the slayer found herself confessing, "I don't know what to do. It hurts so much."
Faith stroked the other slayer's hair tenderly. "It'll be ok," she assured her. "Man! He's a fuckin' jerk for doing this to you."
"It was my fault. I pushed him away," Buffy told her. "I always do that. Whenever anyone gets close, I push them away."
She paused, feeling Faith tense up. Buffy pulled back, looking the brunette in the eyes. "Oh. Faith. I'm -"
"Nah, it's cool," the younger woman interrupted. "B, you don't have to walk on egg shells around me."
"No, I shouldn't have... I didn't think."
Faith stood up. "It's cool," she repeated. She paused, before moving on to say, "Look, what I told you?... I don't want it to affect the way things are between you and me."
Buffy kept silent for a while; Faith’s confession a few days before having had plagued her mind since. Thinking on her fellow slayer's words, she found herself compelled to ask, "Did you mean what you said?"
Turning to look at the older woman in the face, Faith resumed her position aside the older slayer. "Every word." She stopped herself, almost deciding against revealing what she'd come to consider as vulnerability. Deciding to seize the moment, she admitted, "I'm totally freakin' in love with you."
When met with neither objection, nor reply, the young brunette found herself staring silently into Buffy's hazel eyes. Going with what felt right, she leant towards the blonde and kissing her. When met with no resistance, she slipped her tongue into Buffy's mouth, caressing the older slayer's tongue with her own. Catching herself, the young brunette pulled back. "Am I outta line?" she asked, suddenly fearful that she might have ruined the moment but feeling that she had to know.
No longer too concerned with questioning the situation, Buffy shook her head, prompting the brunette to resume kissing her.
Walking away from the movie theatre, Buffy took a deep breath. "Nice movie choice, Faith," she told her girlfriend, a little uncomfortable with the memories of the film.
"How was I to know 'Erotic Raider'd be a porn flick?" Faith replied, in her defence.
"Er, how about the title?" Buffy asked a little sarcastically.
"Well if you knew, why d'you agree to see it?" Faith returned.
Buffy couldn't help but smile. "Ok, you got me," she conceded.
Faith smiled, continuing to walk in the direction of the slayer's home. "I gotta admit, though, it was hot. I was so horny, I thought I was gonna die in there."
"It was ok," the older slayer replied.
"Oh c'mon," Faith pressed on. "Didn't it make you a little horny?"
Buffy felt her smile grow wider. "A little," she replied, much to her girlfriend's satisfaction.
Smiling appreciatively, Faith told the blonde slayer, "That should keep me warm tonight." The two of them walked side-by-side in almost silence until the reached Rovello Drive.
Having stopped at Buffy's front porch, Faith searched for words. "So that was it, our first proper date."
"It was nice," Buffy replied. "I liked it."
Faith nodded. "So," she said, at a loss for words. "I'll see ya." She leant in, tenderly kissing the blonde on the lips.
Once their lips had parted, Buffy took a deep breath. "Faith... do you wanna come inside," she asked, pausing to add. "It's just that Dawn's not home and mom's not in...."
"Sure," the brunette quietly replied, putting Buffy at ease. Entering the house after the older slayer, she looked around the Summers' property, brought back to reality when Buffy asked, "Are you hungry?"
"Nah, I'm good," Faith replied her, removing her jacket and hanging it on the banister.
"Me too." Buffy paused. Looking slightly nervous, she added, “I guess we'd better go upstairs."
Understanding, Faith felt herself almost succumb to her own nerves. All too aware that this was to be Buffy's first time with a woman and her third time with anyone, she felt the pressure mount as she climbed the stairs.
Upstairs, the brunette followed Buffy into her room, anxious as the older woman closed the door behind them. Tense, she felt herself relax as Buffy stood in front of her and peered up into her eyes. Allowing herself to do what naturally came to her, the brunette raised her hand to her girlfriend's cheek and running her thumb across it, she leant in and kissed her. Although at a slower pace than Faith would have normally opted for, her kiss was still a passionate one, her body temperature seemingly soaring.
Running her hand down Buffy's body, she felt the slayer take hold of her hand and guide it to the waist-band of her trousers. Accompanying her right hand with her left, Faith undid the older woman's trousers and broke their lip-lock to allow her time to remove the clothing.
Quickly shrugging out of her trousers and tugging her t-shirt over her head, Buffy could no longer wait to feel her girlfriend inside her again. She took hold of the brunette's shirt, drawing her closer and into a kiss. In her bra and panties and feeling over-dressed, Buffy reached behind herself in attempt to release her bra.
Understanding, Faith reached behind the blonde body and relieved her of her bra in a swift motion. She captured the slayer's lips once more and worked on ridding herself of her own clothing.
Removing her belt, the young woman was taken aback when Buffy suddenly broke the kiss. Rendering herself completely naked, the blonde slayer walked towards her bed, entering beneath the covers. She looked across at Faith and felt herself almost panting.
Undressing, the brunette slayer joined Buffy in bed. Kissing the blonde's mouth, chin and neck, she worked her way down the blonde's body. Working her right hand down the slayer's lean physique, she stopped her finger, allowing it linger just below the slayer's waist.
Aroused, Buffy pleaded with the younger slayer to provide her release as she felt herself getting wetter by the second.
Ignorant to her pleas, Faith kissed the older woman's breasts, determined to draw out their first session together.
"Faith, please," Buffy tried again, desperate to release the pent-up frustration the entire evening had caused.
The brunette carefully allowed her finger to travel further south. Finding the slayer's pussy to be already slick with arousal, she slipped a finger inside, moaning to find the channel tight around her finger.
Buffy rose to allow the finger better access, forcing Faith to lean on her free arm.
The brunette leant forward and captured Buffy's lips with her mouth whilst adding another finger into the already constricted space. She watched the blonde wince. "You ok?" she asked, her voice coming out slightly raspy.
Buffy nodded, beads of perspiration emerging.
The brunette slayer resumed kissing her lover, steadying herself on the hand that she had placed on the bed. Penetrating the older woman at a steady pace, she fingered Buffy and felt as the slayer came, her arousal coating her fingers. Allowing her lover to continue to ride her fingers until she could do so no more, the brunette found herself satisfied at the sight of her lover spent beneath her. Faith kissed the blonde's lips a final time and moved to lay next to her. Cuddling her, she held Buffy tightly and looked up to the ceiling, silently thanking the heavens.
Buffy moaned as she and her fellow slayer enjoyed a lip-lock at her watcher's home.
"Alright, alright enough of that," Giles interrupted upon entering and witnessing the slayers' inappropriate behaviour.
Buffy broke the kiss, the both of them turning to face her watcher as Faith wrapped her arms around her waist. "Who was on the phone?" the blonde asked.
Busying himself with the tidying up of his lounge and other various tasks, the watcher informed, "That was the representative from the council. She's here and has requested to see you both separately."
"Why?" Faith asked, her gaze still focussed on the blonde atop her.
"Just to assess you," Giles replied, stopping to remove his glasses. "See how well you're doing." After cleaning them, he replaced his glasses, adding, "Faith, she asked for you to go and meet her outside."
Rolling her eyes, the brunette removed her arms from around her lover’s waist.
"No," Buffy mock-protested, pouting. "I don't want you to go."
Faith smiled, kissing her girlfriend. "I'll be there about a second, babe. You wont even know I'm gone."
"Yes I will," Buffy argued. "You have to hurry, ok?"
"Yeah," Faith replied, kissing her again before leaving the watcher's home. Walking out onto the road, the slayer scanned the area. Locating a dormant car, she walked towards it.
"Faith?" the woman behind the wheel asked, as the brunette approached.
"Yeah."
"Hop in."
Admiring the vehicle, the young brunette entered the car.
"Hello Faith, I'm Faye Harris from the watcher's council," the driver introduced, starting the car.
"Hey, where we going?" Faith asked, looking around.
The council representative smiled. "I just thought we could go and do this at a cafe. I'm rather hungry."
"Oh. Cool," Faith replied, already taking a liking to the woman. She sat back in the passenger seat.
"Seat belt," Faye reminded.
Faith strapped herself in, watching as the woman accelerated onto the main road. She looked around, letting time pass as they drove down the streets of Sunnydale. Eventually tired of the quiet, she spoke. "So what's this whole thing about? You gonna talk to me and then B?"
The driver remained quiet.
With a silent 'okay then', Faith sat back and gazed out of the window. After some time had passed, she worriedly noticed that they had driven past a few cafes and headed past the main part of town and seemingly towards the harbour. Realising something was wrong, the slayer reached for the seatbelt release. Pressing it to no avail, the gravity of the situation dawned upon her. Preparing to snap it, she felt the car come to an abrupt halt and looked out of the window to find in surrounded by armed people pointing their guns at the passenger seat.
Standing in the hallway of her home, Buffy anxiously listened into the receiver of her phone. “Miss Logan cancelled her ticket earlier. She didn't board the flight."
"Are you sure?" the slayer asked, confused.
"Yes. She cancelled her ticket over the phone a few days ago."
"Oh."
"I hope that helps," the airline operator replied.
"Yeah, thanks," Buffy told him.
"No problem madam, bye."
"Bye."
Buffy dropped the phone. She walked into her empty living room, carrying her bottle of wine. She looked over at the bouquet of flowers she had brought that was lying on the floor and a tear spilled down her cheek. Overwhelming melancholy, she made her way into the kitchen to find a bottle opener. Finding a glass and taking it back to the living room, she opened the wine bottle and poured herself some of the bottled alcoholic drink. Knocking back the wine, she poured herself another not noticing she had almost finished the bottle, until her solo drinking session was interrupted by the doorbell. The slayer got up and stumbled to the door, swinging it open.
"Riley! Come in!" she told him.
"Buffy?" He asked, detecting a heavy scent of alcohol on her breath. He looked past her onto the living room to see an empty bottle of wine on the floor. "What's happened? Why have you been drinking?"
"Faith. She-she didn't-" the slayer started, a little woozy and about to toppled over.
"Whoa!" Riley exclaimed, catching his ex before she was about to fall. "We've gotta get you to bed," he told her picking her up and carrying her upstairs. The marine carried the petite woman up to her room. Tucking her in, the blonde smiled at the sight of the apparently passed out slayer. "Night, Buffy," he whispered, turning toward the door.
"Riley, wait," Buffy stopped him, opening her eyes and fighting against the drowsiness. "Stay. Please."
Riley returned to his ex-girlfriend's bedside, crouching beside her. "I'll stay as long as you want me to," he assured her.
Suddenly feeling the need to proclaim her emotions, Buffy found her propriety dissolve under the influence of the alcohol in her system. "I'm sorry about what happened at the club," she confessed. "I'm sorry everything's so messed up."
"It's ok," Riley told her, shushing the drunken blonde.
"It's not ok, Riley. Not at all. Because I still l-"
"Buffy you shouldn't say something you might regret," the Iowa native warned. "What about Faith?"
"I don't know. She's not here. She said she'd be here and she's not. She's probably found someone else. A normal girl…." She added, muttering. "Not me."
"Then she's crazy," Riley told her, in effort to comfort her and placing his hand on her cheek.
Feeling the warmth of his skin, Buffy closed her eyes, rubbing her face against the marine's palm. She subconsciously allowed a moan to escape. "I miss this," she confessed. "How you used to always make everything ok just by touching me." Her eyes flickered open as she stared into Riley's sincere blue eyes.
Slightly taken aback, the marine was fully co-operative as the slayer leant forward and captured his lips with her own.
Having put aside past events and deciding to look to the future, Buffy found herself, trying to get hers and Faith's relationship back on track.
The two of them passionately kissing, the blonde slayer suddenly jerked her head away from the other slayer’s. "Did you hear that?" she asked.
"Yeah, B," Faith replied. "But it's a road. Cars do that."
"Do you think they saw us?" the blonde slayer wondered, in reference to the car that had just driven past hers; which was parked on the road-side. She peered out of the window to see if there was sign of anyone else.
"Do you really care?" Faith asked, reaching behind her lover to rid her of her bra.
Feeling this, Buffy smiled, looking down. "About what?" she asked, laying down and capturing Faith's lips with her own.
Running her hand down Buffy's smooth back, Faith stopped to cup the slayer's firm ass cheeks, squeezing them and further spurning her lover's moans on.
"Where was I?" Buffy asked, reaching between their over-heated, aroused bodies, the slayer delved straight for Faith's pussy. "Oh yeah," she answered, immediately inserting two fingers.
Sitting back against the locked car door, Faith threw herself forward burying her face in Buffy's neck. She licked at it, as the blonde slayer massaged the inside of her cunt with her talented fingers. Feeling the blonde shift her attention to her clitoris, she knew it wouldn't be too long before she would climax.
Moaning Buffy's name and with a final thrust, Faith felt her orgasm flow through her and result in a slick clear coating on her lover's fingers. Feeling physically drained, she rest against the car door, wrapping her arms around Buffy when the slayer lay on top of her. Catching her breath, Faith smiled. "That was wild," she stated, panting and giving Buffy a kiss as if to say thank you. "You come up with the craziest things."
"You inspire me," the blonde replied.
"I used to think I was the sex-God," Faith told her. "But I happily hand the title over to you."
Buffy smiled. "It's all that stamina I picked up as a cheer-leader."
"You were a cheerleader?!!" the brunette asked.
"Yeah at Emory."
"Did you have a short skirt, jump around and yell stuff?"
"That's generally what cheerleaders do."
"Oh shit," Faith exclaimed, regretful and adding, "I wish I could have seen you."
"I still have the outfit," Buffy told her. "If you like I could show you a private cheer."
"Hell yeah!" the brunette replied, enthused. "But maybe tomorrow, you've got me spent."
Buffy smiled against her girlfriend's chest. "What about you?" she asked. "Any interesting high-school outfits?"
Faith thought on it. "I have an old jock-strap somewhere," she replied, adding. "But it's not mine."
"That's a relief," Buffy replied. "So whose is it?"
"Some guy I did back in high school. My first actually."
"What was he like?"
"He was the drummer from this band. I saw them play and after the set, thought he was cute and pounced on him." She paused, laughing. "He had the smallest cock; almost put me off guys for life." Allowing her laughter to subside, she asked her lover, "Was Angel your first?"
"Yeah," Buffy replied, remembering the moment she had decided to lose her virginity to the sexy vampire.
"Was he any good?"
"I can't remember," the slayer lied.
"Well it doesn't matter anyway. You're with the best now."
"Yeah," Buffy agreed, her smile returning.
Stood on the slayer's front porch, Riley paced. He looked Buffy in the eyes as he asked the blonde a question that had been plaguing his mind for days. "Who's the father?"
"It doesn’t matter," Buffy replied him.
"The lady at the hospital… She said that you named me as the father. It's mine isn't it?"
"And if it is?" Buffy asked, rhetorically. Her tone dismissive, she continued, "Riley, I really don't need you in the equation right now. The situation is complicated as it is."
"Then clear it up. Buffy, you near enough told me you still love me, why won't you give us another go? We can be together and raise this child. Maybe even have more."
Buffy remained silent for a while, turning her back to him. "You left me," she reminded him. "I waited for you every night after you'd left…. And you didn't come back. Even when my mom died."
"I didn't know," the marine sincerely replied.
"It doesn't matter. I still wanted you to just come back and tell me that everything would be ok."
"But I'm back now and-"
"It's too late." She paused before abruptly turning to him. "I-I'm sorry that I didn't just sit at home and wait for you to decide that it was time to come back. I moved on, Riley. And Faith has been there for me..."
"So that's it? You're just going to give up on us?"
"You did," Buffy retained.
Inside her home, Riley stood in front of the speechless slayer presenting her with a large brown envelope.
"You have Faith?" Buffy asked.
"Yes," the marine confirmed, his face full of sincerity.
Buffy grit her teeth. "Why?"
The tall twenty-something year old handed her the envelope he was holding as if in answer.
The slayer studied it and about to ask the obvious question, Riley answered, "Papers. Handing our child over to the military, where it will be raised by me and other agents into the armed forces."
Buffy looked at her ex in disbelief at his behaviour. "You expect me to sign these?"
"If you ever want to see Faith alive again, you will."
"What have you done to her?"
"Nothing yet, I thought I'd give you a chance." He brought out a pen, asking her, "So, what's more important to you: your child or Faith?"
Ignoring the question, the slayer attempted an appeal to the taller man’s conscience, Buffy told him, "What you're doing is wrong and you know it."
"Is it any worse than you wanting to deprive our child of its father?" Riley returned.
"But what you want to do is going to deprive it of its mother."
"No I'm not. I'm giving you the choice. You don't have to sign these papers."
"You wont get away with this," Buffy threatened, inarticulately adding, "It's not fair-"
"Life isn't fair, Buffy. If it were, I wouldn't have to be doing this. We would just be raising this baby together, instead of you being with that..." he stopped himself. Shaking his head he continued, "You could have had it all, Buffy. Now what do you have?"
Buffy signed the papers, replying, "Faith."
Having spent the night in the delivery suite Sunnydale's general hospital, Faith looked down at the new-born in Buffy's arms. She glanced up at the clock. "What's taking them so long?" she asked. "I wanna get home already."
"They're probably just dealing with the paperwork," Buffy assured her, continuing to tend to her baby. "I'm sure they'll be here soon."
Faith calmed and watched the tiny tot sleeping peacefully, its only movement the rising and falling of its chest. She glanced up as the door opened.
"Faith Logan?" she was asked.
The brunette looked from the woman entering the room to the man following behind her. She answered, "Yeah."
The woman held up a badge and faced her. "Sunnydale police. We'd like to ask you a few questions."
"What's going on?" Buffy asked, glancing from the officers to her brunette lover.
The officer turned to the panicking new mother and answered, "A Mr Riley Finn was found dead yesterday evening." She looked to Faith. "A witness placed you at the scene. We'd just like to ask you a few questions."
"Faith?" Buffy asked, looking at her girlfriend's seemingly unconcerned face.
"Don't look at me, babe. I dunno what's going on," Faith lied, standing up. "But I'm gonna find out." She followed the officers outside, stopping in the hallway "Do you guys mind if we do this here?"
"There's nothing to worry about Miss Logan. Just a few standard routine questions we'd like to go through at the station."
"Look, my girlfriend just had a baby," Faith appealed. "You guys think you can cut me some slack?"
The officer relented, much to the disapproval of her partner. She took out her notepad and pen. "Where were you yesterday evening between the hours of eight and ten pm?"
"I was here watching my girlfriend have a baby," Faith replied.
"And before that?"
Pausing as if to recall, the brunette answered, "We were at home."
Noting the young woman's responses, the officer then asked her, "What was your relationship with Mr. Finn?"
"He was a friend of mine and B's. We-"
"I'm sorry," the officer interrupted. "B?"
"Buffy," Faith clarified. "My girlfriend."
Making a note of this, the officer motioned for the brunette to continue.
Shaking her head, the slayer looked to the ground. "I can't believe he's dead," the brunette added, allowing her voice to trail off.
The officer looked to the seemingly distressed young woman. Adapting a more gentle tone, she asked, "Is there anyone that can confirm your whereabouts yesterday?"
"Yeah, B and like the entire medical staff here," Faith answered as she turned to see Buffy come out, holding Joyce in her arms. She wrapped her arm around the blonde's waist in a protective manner, forcing the officer to feel she should conclude.
"So you're telling me you spent the entire evening with your girlfriend at your home until you came to the hospital."
"Yeah," Faith replied. In an effort to remain convincing, she added, "Who was this person that said they saw me?"
"I'm sorry but I can't say," the policewoman replied, concluding, "That'll be all for now Miss Logan. We'll be in touch." She looked to Buffy. "Congratulations on your baby, she's beautiful."
"Thank you," Buffy replied, watching as the officers left. She turned as Faith walked passed her and into the hospital room. She followed behind her. "Why did you tell that officer that you were with me all evening?" the blonde slayer asked, her suspicion aroused.
"I didn't wanna have to be answering all these questions," Faith replied her.
Buffy paused. "Where were you yesterday?"
The brunette slayer's facial expression seemed mildly hostile. "Now I have to field off questions from you too?"
"No…it's just-" Buffy started, caught off-guard.
"If you gotta know," she interrupted. "I was out getting some stuff together for the baby." Forcing herself to calm, Faith moved towards her lover. "B, look at me," she told Buffy, holding her. "I swear to you; I had nothing to do with this."
Buffy smiled. "Ok." She walked over to the crib at her bedside. "I’m sorry. I just can't believe Riley's gone," she told Faith, putting Joyce down. "He never even got to see Joyce."
"Did you want him to?" Faith asked, embittered.
"Of course. She's his child too. And Joyce should have at least got to see her father. Now she'll never know him."
Looking at the sleeping baby, the brunette suddenly felt the guilt manifesting as a consequence of her actions. "Yeah," she quietly realised.
Faith's eyes suddenly opened and she shivered. Her forehead clammy, she wiped at it moving to sit in an upright position.
Feeling the motion on the bed, Buffy woke. Her eyes adjusting to the moonlight coming from the open window, she turned to see Faith sat up with the same horrified expression on her face that she had had the night before.
"Did you have the nightmare again?" the slayer asked, moving to hold her lover.
Faith gulped. "Yeah," she quietly replied. "Sorry I woke you."
"It's ok," Buffy replied, stroking the younger woman's hair. "I'm just worried about you."
"I'll be ok," the brunette assured her.
Holding each other, their attentions were drawn by the cries broadcast on the bedside baby monitor.
"I just fed her," Buffy stated, surprised at her baby's unrest.
"I'll go," Faith told the young mother, leaving their bed. She walked to the next room and to the cot within it. The slayer lifted the crying child from its cot and into her arms.
"Hey kiddo," she shushed. "What's the racket about?" She paced the room, jiggling the baby in her arms with each step. At ease, the baby quietened down, silently gazing upwards at the tired slayer. Faith placed Joyce down onto a nearby desk and removed her pyjama bottoms. Taking off the baby's diaper, she found it unsoiled. Nevertheless, replacing it with a new one, the brunette replaced Joyce's clothing and lifted the baby into her arms. "Guess you can feel it, huh?" Faith asked Joyce whose eyelids were beginning to feel heavy. "What I did. It's eating me up, kiddo." She slowly began to pace silently recalling her actions. "I'm sorry I robbed you of your dad, kid. But I swear to you, I'm gonna be a better parent than that son of a bitch could ever be." She stopped in front of the child's bed, looking down at the baby who was now, blissfully asleep. "I promise," she whispered, putting her down into the cot.
"Dr Summers, could you have these reports on my desk by tonight," Buffy was told as she was handed a stack of files.
Taken aback by the workload, Buffy desperately tried to regain the attention of her superior. "Doctor Kaye!" she called at the woman.
Doctor Kaye, turned to the younger psychiatrist. "Yes," she answered, the reply laden with contempt.
"I'm sorry, doctor, but my daughter is in a play today and I promised her I'd be there," Buffy explained. "Can I have these to you first thing tomorrow morning?"
"No," Doctor Kaye replied.
"I-I could ask Doctor Samuel to do them," the slayer tried.
"I gave Jason the day off," the superior of the two informed. "He looked like he could use one."
"But I just saw him and he was fine."
"Look, Buffy, if you want to be still working here tomorrow, you'll have those reports on my desk by tonight. I'm sure your lesbian partner can go to the play. "
"What's that supposed to mean?" the petite blonde asked, offended.
Dismissing the question, the older lady replied, "Just have the reports done," before leaving Buffy to stare after her.
Having heard the exchange, a fellow psychiatrist approached the slayer. "Here, leave them with me," he told her, taking the reports from her. "I'll make sure she gets them."
"Thanks," Buffy replied.
"You've got guts standing up to her like that," he complimented. "And even bigger guts for telling her you're gay."
Buffy's expression changed. "You know?" she asked her colleague.
"Everybody knows," the taller psychiatrist told her. "She was talking about it today at lunch. For what it's worth, I don't think she has the right to broadcast your private life, whether she agrees with it or not."
"Me neither," Buffy agreed, her resolve apparent.
Looking for the ringing cell phone in her car, Faith came to a stop at a traffic light indicating she do so.
"Here," Buffy told her, locating the device and handing it to her.
"Thanks," Faith replied. She found out the caller's id from the phone's screen and answered the call, cradling the phone to allow freedom of her hands to drive.
"Ash. ‘Sup?"
"I can't believe it. Faith is it actually you?"
"Yeah, sorry I haven't called; I've been real busy."
"I heard. A baby, huh?"
"Yeah," Faith replied.
"Pity I had to found out from everyone else, though. But I forgive you. You can make up for it by buying the rounds at the club Saturday, Miss big-shot manager."
"I can't," the slayer, replied her friend. "I'm taking J out this weekend."
"How 'bout Sunday?" Ashley tried.
"Can't," Faith repeated. "The whole weekend's our Q.T."
Frustrated, Ashley gave up. "You know what, Faith, call me when you're free," she told the older woman before abruptly cutting off the conversation. Unconcerned, Faith handed the phone to her partner, speeding up towards the clinic. Glancing over at her girlfriend, she noticed her unhappy expression.
"Babe, what's wrong?" she asked.
Having not even noticed that her unhappiness was obvious, Buffy sighed. "I'm just thinking about the party tonight," she replied. "I don't even know why we're going when everyone there's still mad about what happened."
"With that doctor bitch?" Faith asked, looking to see Buffy respond with a nod. "Nah. I'm sure everyone's glad someone finally said something." She pulled over at the clinic's driveway, bringing her jeep to a halt. "C'mon, we're here now and I'm with you. If anyone starts up, we'll bust some heads."
Buffy smiled, following Faith's lead out of the car and into the clinic. The two of them made there way to the meeting hall where an annual function was in full swing.
"Whoa," Faith exclaimed as she and Buffy entered the room full of people to see most of them staring at the blonde slayer. "Ignore it," she advised, taking hold of her lover's hand and walking over to the seating area. Finding the party continue as normal, Buffy took a deep breath.
Having busied themselves for most of the evening eating, drinking or dancing, Buffy looked to Faith, wanting to leave. Finding her girlfriend pre-occupied, the blonde slayer followed the younger woman's gaze.
"What's that bitch's problem?" Faith asked staring at one of the patrons. "She's been staring at us the whole night.
Buffy looked over and recognised the woman as her colleague. She turned to her girlfriend. "Faith would you grab me some punch, please?" she asked.
"Sure," Faith replied, leaving to get the beverage as Buffy made her way over to her gawking colleague. "Lissa if you have something to say, say it," she challenged.
"Ok, I will," the woman replied. "Way to go getting Doctor Kaye fired."
"I had to. She was prejudice."
"She was a damn good psychiatrist is what she was. Just because the two of you had your differences was no reason to go off and report her."
"Differences? You call the fact that she was a total homophobe, differences?"
Dismissing the slayer’s argument, the woman merely retorted, "All I know is that people would rather have a good psychiatrist than a ga-" stopping and catching herself in time.
"Gay one," Buffy completed, shaking her head at the shock of her colleague's audacity. Giving the woman a moment to retract the statement or apologise, when the slayer found her take a defiant stance, she left for fear of attacking. Able to just hear Lissa whisper, "See what I mean? She's just weird."
Buffy grit her teeth and continued walking, her anger diffusing when she reached Faith who was stood in line for the drinks.
"Where d'you go?" the brunette asked, upon Buffy's return.
The blonde sighed. "It doesn't matter," she replied, reaching the front of the line. She took two wineglasses from the drinks table and handed one to her fellow slayer. Imitating Faith who downed hers immediately, she was blind-sided by her lover's proclamation of love for the new song that was being broadcast, followed by the grabbing of her free arm and being dragged onto the dance floor.
Following Faith's lead, Buffy danced to the music, despite her thoughts being occupied by Lissa's words. A little disorientated, she found herself returned to reality by the shuffling about on the dance-floor around her. She looked around, seeing that those on the dance-floor had paired and hearing that the music had slowed. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable noticing all the heterosexual couples surrounding them, Buffy paled.
"Faith, do you mind if we go?" she asked.
"Sure, babe," Faith replied, concerned. "You ok?"
"Yeah," Buffy replied. "Let's just go."
Faith gripped at her lover's long blonde hair as she rode her talented face. Sitting up with the woman's head between her legs, the brunette slayer braced herself as she came screaming the name of the only person on her mind. She lay back and looked up at the ceiling feeling much worse than she had done when she had first stumbled into the dingy motel room with a blonde stranger.
"How was it?" she heard, as the woman lay next to her and covered the both of them in the sheet that reeked of their sordid affair.
Faith remained silent as the blonde reached down beside the bed.
"Do you mind?" she asked, pulling out a packet of cigarettes.
"Nah," came the reply.
The woman lit a cigarette taking a drag. She turned to Faith. "So," she started, exhaling smoke. "Who's Buffy?"
"No-one," Faith replied, bitterly.
"Huh," the woman commented. "Pretty special 'no-one' for you to be screaming their name while I was giving you some of my best work."
"Sorry."
"No, don't be. I get that a lot in my line of work."
Faith cringed.
"D'you want me to leave?" the blonde asked, taking another drag of her cigarette.
"Yeah," Faith replied, wishing to be left alone to reminisce.
Having tucked Joyce into bed after explaining to her why Faith was no longer living with them anymore, Buffy left her daughter's room. Closing the door, she walked over to her own bedroom. Alone in a room she'd once shared, the slayer put her hand to her face and fought back tears. Climbing into her bed, she looked to the phone at her bedside and picked it up. Deciding against making the call, she replaced the receiver. Covering herself the blonde lay back, prepared for another night of memories and tears.
Looking at the assortment of products in his friend's bathroom, Xander tried to figure out which one was the toothpaste.
"Hey Buffy!" the construction worker called out into the hall. "What does this white tube thing do?"
When met with no reply, the brunette proceeded to read, 'use twice daily for whiter brighter teeth.' Shrugging, the man decided to apply the paste to his toothbrush and brushed his teeth. Humming along, Xander was oblivious to his hostess who was sat quietly in her room.
Putting the finishing touches on her outfit, Buffy looked at herself in the mirror. The pain lessening each day, she took a deep breath, deciding she would remain strong for her daughter if nothing else. She looked up as Xander came to her doorway, knocking on the open door.
"Hey. How're you holding up?" he asked, dressed in the tight grey t-shirt he had borrowed from the slayer the night before.
"I'm ok," Buffy replied, walking towards her friend. "Thanks for staying the night; it meant a lot to Joyce. She really needs to be with familiar faces right now."
"Hey, no problem," Xander replied. He pulled the slayer into a tight embrace, assuring her, "You're doing great."
Appreciating the brunette's support, Buffy remained in his arms temporarily, suddenly alerted by his scent. She looked up and into the face of the construction worker. "Did you use my whitening kit?" she asked him.
"Why?" Xander asked her, flashing a cheesy, toothy grin. "Does it show?"
"We-I can smell it from here," Buffy replied, distancing herself from the brunette. "Xander that stuff is really strong. You don't wanna use too much and you've gotta wash it off straight away."
Releasing her, the brunette's face showed alarm. "Now you tell me," he exclaimed, rushing towards the bathroom to rid his teeth of the substance.
Shaking her head, Buffy left her room and walked into her daughter's. The slayer entered, heading for the hairbrush on her daughter's bedside table. "You ready?" she asked the youngster, picking up the tool and taking a seat on Joyce's bed. Patting the space next to her, she motioned for the child to sit beside her.
Joyce nodded, sitting down beside the slayer and allowing her to gently run the brush through her golden hair. The two of them sat in silence as Buffy straightened out the kinks in her daughter's hair. When finished, she stood up, located and handed Joyce her school bag. Leaving the room, bidding goodbye to Xander and gathering the rest of her things, Buffy allowed Joyce to lead her downstairs and into their car, following behind. Unlocking the blue convertible, she entered. Ensuring her daughter had strapped herself in with her seat belt and was secure; the blonde started her car and pulled out of the driveway. Minutes into the journey and breaking the silence, Joyce turned to her mother.
"Mommy is Faith coming to pick me up today?" she asked, remembering that the brunette slayer would always pick her up on a Tuesday.
"No sweetie, I will." The slayer paused, continuing when she decided that she would need to explain. "I know I usually have meetings, but you come first. I'll be picking you up everyday from now on."
Her gaze primarily fixed on the road ahead, she glanced at Joyce who just stared straight ahead. Feeling bad when she her daughter remained silent, Buffy searched for a way to lift her child's spirits. "Hey, your birthday's this week and we still haven't organised your party."
Her features showing elation, Joyce whooped. "I'm having a party?" she asked, excited.
"If you want to."
"Oh yay!"
"Do you know who you're going to invite?" Buffy asked, expanding on the subject topic change.
"Can I have anyone I want?" the blonde youngster asked.
"Anyone," Buffy repeated.
"Can Faith come?" the child returned.
Pausing briefly at the repeated mention of her former lover's name the blonde merely replied, "I'll ask her."
"Cool," Joyce replied. "And Tyler can come and Sarah and Randy and Jesse and Jamie and Tyler... Did I already say Tyler?" she asked, stopping to remember.
"Yes," the slayer answered.
"Ok."
Taking a moment to interject, Buffy added, "I'll ask your aunt Dawn. She might be able to take some time off."
"Yay, Aunt Dawn!" Joyce approved. "Oh and can Uncle Parker come? He's really cool."
Pulling up outside her daughter's school, Buffy parked her car. "We'll see," was the reply to her daughter's request. She released the seatbelt holding the child. "We'll talk more when you get back, ok?"
"Ok," Joyce agreed. She leant in to give her mother a kiss. "Bye mommy."
"See you later, sweetie," Buffy replied her, watching as her daughter left their car and closed the door. She made sure the child made her way safely into her school building before she started the engine and drove onto the main road, heading for her place of work.
"Lemme get those," Parker offered, bending to pick the papers that seemed to have just leapt from Buffy's grasp and into his pathway.
"Thanks," the blonde psychiatrist replied.
Gesturing as if to say 'no problem', Parker turned as if to be on his way, stopping when Buffy called,
"Parker, wait." She paused, attempting to look as sorry as she could. "About the other day," she told him. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Parker dismissed, clarifying, "I was just ticked off that you're with someone."
Looking into her colleague's sincere blue eyes, the slayer couldn't stop herself from asking, "What if I wasn't?"
With an expression showing his lack of understanding, the brunette psychiatrist asked, "What do you mean?"
"I'm not seeing anyone," Buffy told him, adding, "Anymore. We broke up."
"Why?" He asked, catching himself. "I'm sorry, that's none of my business." In an attempt to read his colleague’s expression Parker asked, "Are you ok?"
"You know what?" Buffy asked rhetorically, answering, "Yeah."
"Well anyway, I'm sorry," the man replied. Thinking about it he decided, "Well actually, I'm not.’Cause I really like you and the thought of you with someone else was killing me."
Flattered, the slayer smiled encouraging the brunette to continue his advances.
"In light of recent events," he declared. "What do you say we start over?"
"I'd like that," Buffy admitted.
"Great," Parker replied, grinning. "What are you doing this weekend?"
"I was supposed to be going out with a friend of mine," the slayer remembered. Deciding, "You should come... You could get to know everybody."
"Sure," Parker agreed. "Sounds like a date."
Buffy smiled. "Oh," she uttered, suddenly recalling an engagement. "Could you cover for me today? I've got to go and pick up Joyce from school later."
"Of course," the brunette replied, inquiring, "How is she?"
"She's ok. Much better now that she's having a party. To which, by the way, she wants you to attend."
"Me?" the brunette replied, taken aback.
"Yeah. She's crazy about you. It's uncle Parker this and Uncle Parker that."
Smiling the brunette admitted, "Well I'm crazy about her... and her mom."
"Stop, you'll make me blush," Buffy told her colleague enjoying the feeling of being wanted again. Succumbing to his charms the blonde slayer allowed herself to enjoy the attention dealt to her, fighting to ignore the guilt that for some reason still seemed to plague her conscience.
Pulling up outside Sunnydale Junior School for the second time that day, the slayer exited her vehicle. Walking across the road, she saw her daughter standing outside in conversation with Faith who was crouched down beside her. The slayer approached the two of them.
"I miss you too," she heard Faith tell the youngster. "But things aren't great between me and your mom right now." Feeling a shadow cast upon them the brunette looked up to see her ex-girlfriend approach. She stood to full height.
With an awkward silence upon them, "Hey," was all Faith could think to say.
"Hey," Buffy replied. She looked to her daughter acknowledging her with a smile and a, "Hi sweetie." Bending and holding out her arms for the child, she asked, "How was school?" holding her in a tight embrace.
"Fine," Joyce replied.
The blonde slayer gave her child a kiss before standing and looking again to Faith.
"I wasn't sure if I was supposed to pick her up," the brunette explained.
Buffy nodded appreciatively. "How are you?" she asked, no other question coming to mind.
"Good," Faith returned. "You?"
"Yeah," the blonde slayer answered, with a nod.
"J tells me you're throwing her a party," the brunette stated.
"Yeah, this Saturday. It'd be great if you could come."
"Yeah," Faith replied, trying hard to remain casual. "I'll try and swing by."
"Okay. Well we'll hopefully see you then," Buffy told her, taking hold of her daughter's hand and motioning to leave.
"Bye Faith," Joyce told the brunette.
"Yeah, later kiddo," Faith replied, watching the blondes leave her hand in hand. Feeling her heart break for the second-time in a short period, she reached for her keys and headed for her car.
"General, congratulations on your promotion," Hammond was told by a junior upon his arrival at the base.
"Well I owe it all to you, Major," the older of the two men replied. "Your plan worked like a dream."
"Yeah I just heard," the Major replied his superior.
The General shook his head as if dazzled. "I'm amazed though, how did you know it would work?"
"It was obvious," the younger man answered. "Buffy seemed unsure of their relationship. She was constantly holding back; like she was scared," he analysed, continuing, "Whereas... the other one, was very insecure about their relationship. I'm thinking rough childhood issues. They genuinely care deeply for each other and that manifests itself in the kid, but then again neither of them seems to know it. Add an excuse for them to break up and bam! I knew the two of them would go their separate ways - they just needed the opportunity."
"Oh, obviously," General Hammond replied sarcastically. He laughed, dismissing, "Anyway, good work, Major."
"Thank you, sir," the young man replied, cocking his head in a semi-bow.
Taking a much-needed deep breath, Faith stood outside the place she had once called home, holding a gift. About to press the doorbell, she was stopped when she heard someone walking up behind her.
"You forget your key?" the brunette was asked.
Turning around, she recognised, "Dawn."
"Hey Faith," the younger brunette replied, hugging the slayer. She pulled back adding, "Long time."
"Yeah," the older of them agreed. "How've you been?"
"Good," Dawn replied. "Hey, has the party started yet? I know Buffy said three but in Buffy-time that's really like... eight, right?"
"I dunno," the brunette answered. "I just got here."
"Okay," Dawn replied. "Well if we're late we've got the whole strength in numbers thing going. Plus, I had to come all the way from LA. You live here - she's gonna be way madder at you."
Faith made no attempt to speak, causing Dawn to feel uneasy.
"Let's just go inside," the younger brunette decided, ringing the doorbell. Waiting and looking expectantly at the door, the brunette beamed as her sister opened it.
"You made it!" Buffy exclaimed, throwing her arms around the younger woman. Pulling back, she looked Dawn over, complimenting, "You look great."
The slayer calmed as she caught sight of her ex. Not sure how to behave after her excited out-burst, she kept the smile and motioned for Faith to come in.
Hearing the commotion in the hallway, Joyce bounced outside from the decorated and crowded living room.
"Aunt Dawn! Faith!" she cried, rushing up to the latter.
Bending down, the brunette slayer took the child into her arms, giving her both a kiss and the gift she was holding.
Failing to hesitate, Joyce ripped open the outer packaging. "The new 'Death Fighters' game! It's the best! Thanks!" The eight-year-old threw her arms around the slayer, taking her by surprise.
Faith returned the embrace, reminding the child, "Yeah, but don't go playing it too late. You know how scared you get."
Interrupting the display by audibly clearing her throat, Dawn handed her present to her niece.
"Thank you, Aunt Dawn," Joyce told her, opening the package to see a golden crucifix.
"I figured with all the monsters and the demons in your life-" Dawn told her, looking to Buffy whose wide-eyed expression forced her to look around and remember the living room full of children. "From your computer games," the brunette added, despite the lack of attention from the guests.
"Thank you," Buffy returned.
"Yeah, thank you Auntie Dawn," Joyce echoed.
"No problem," the woman replied, giving the girl a kiss before standing up.
"Oh guess what?" Buffy asked her sister as she stood to full height. Prompted by Dawn's, "What?" She proceeded to answer, "Giles called. He said he'll be here in time for Christmas."
"That's great," Dawn agreed. "It'll be like old times."
Looking up from her crouching-position where she was helping Joyce put on her new chain, Faith motioned to ask about Christmas day arrangements, when she was distracted by a male voice announcing,
"Here we go."
The slayer fastened the chain and stood to face the man coming from the kitchen holding a large, lit birthday cake. Gritting her teeth, Faith recognised the brunette from the party at the clinic, as he walked past them into the living room and began singing 'Happy birthday' placing the cake on the table.
"Wow!" Buffy exclaimed, looking to the cake. Taking Joyce's hand and following behind Parker into the room of guests. They joined in the chorus, positioning themselves beside the cake.
Once finished, Buffy instructed her daughter, "Blow out your candles."
Getting ready to do so, Joyce was instructed to, "Make a wish." She watched whilst Dawn picked up and poised her camera before she blew out the candles on her cake, causing the adults and children around her to cheer. Posing for pictures, the blonde youngster smiled cheerily. She happily allowed her mother to begin cutting the cake, looking up to her brunette friend who knelt next to her.
"Have you opened all of your other presents?" Parker publicly asked the eight-year-old.
Joyce nodded.
"Good. I wanted mine to be the last," the psychiatrist explained, smiling. He spoke on to announce, "Now, I can't take all the credit 'cause your mom helped me set it all up. But if you go upstairs and into your room, I think you'll find the latest and finest widescreen TV with all the surround sound, digital picture quality etc and a certain console and games that a certain someone has been pestering her mom for."
"Really?" Joyce asked, her eyes lighting up. She turned to her mother. "Thanks! Can I go?" she asked.
"Sure," Buffy replied, smiling at the expression of joy on her child's face.
Joyce rushed upstairs beckoning for her friends to follow her.
Standing in the corner of the room, Faith watched as the children grabbed slices of cake and rushed past her, upstairs. She glanced at Buffy who was smiling after the youngster. What she had intended to be a mere glance becoming a stare, she listened as the blonde slayer thanked Parker for his gifts and grimaced at the sight. Feeling awkward standing in the corner of the room now absent of the children, she powerlessly watched as Buffy briefly introduced her sister to her colleague before making her way to the kitchen with Parker following her. At a loss of what to do, Faith was momentarily relieved when Dawn approached her.
"Okay, now Faith, what's going on?" the brunette asked her, as if in confrontation.
"What do you mean?" Faith asked for asking sake.
"Usually when I come here, I'd have to set the place alight to get you two to even glance in my direction; you're so into each other," Dawn explained. "Today you've hardly said two words."
"That's usually how exes are," the slayer dryly returned.
"Oh God, I thought as much," Dawn uttered, as her suspicions were confirmed. Her expression showing mixed emotions, she asked, "When did this happen?"
"A few weeks ago," Faith informed, bitterly adding, "And she's already all over this new guy."
"Him?" the younger brunette asked, pointing towards the kitchen. "No. He's all over her, the sleaze. Did you see him?" she asked, mimicking the psychiatrist's earlier behaviour. "'Joyce, have you opened all of your less important presents yet?’Cause I got you the latest finest most expensive TV'." As if just having given evidence, she emphasised, "Sleaze!"
"Preaching to the choir," Faith told her ex's sister. She shook her head. "I don't know why I even bothered coming today."
"What?" Dawn asked, taken aback. "It's Joyce's birthday."
Continuing in her rant, the brunette slayer asked, "Did you hear what Mr big-shot got her? My gift doesn't even compare to all that shit."
"Faith, can you hear yourself? It wouldn't matter if he bought her a planet; no one could replace you to Joyce. Did you see the look in her eyes when you came? Not to mention the one in Buffy's."
Faith's expression became one of questioning.
"Are you kidding? She was so happy you came – I could tell."
"Yeah?"
"Totally. I don't know what Buffy's playing at with this guy, but I'm going to find out and put a stop to this nonsense. Don't worry, the two of you will be back together before you know it."
"It's not that simple," the older brunette confessed. "You don't know why we broke up."
"I don't care, Faith," Dawn told her, shaking her head. "You two have been together way too long to let anything stand between you. Especially some pretentious long haired Mr Big-shot."
Faith smiled. "Thanks D," she returned graciously. Remembering herself, she added, "I gotta get back to work. How long're you in town for? We should hang out."
"I was gonna go back tomorrow," Dawn answered. "But I'm not leaving 'til all of this is sorted out."
Faith laughed, ascending the stairs. "I'm gonna go say bye to J. I'll see you around."
"Yep," Dawn replied, heading for the kitchen. "Leave it all to me."
Entering one of the home's three bedrooms, Faith looked around at the mass of brand new electronics filling the eight year old's room.
Joyce looked towards the door to see that the person who'd entered was Faith. Getting up from her position in front of her new TV and handing its controller to a friend, Joyce moved to be beside the slayer. "Faith, look!" Joyce told her, pointing to the wide-screen and its large speakers. "Isn't it cool?"
"Yeah. Looks like something out of a catalogue," Faith dismissed. She bent down to be at eye-level with the child. "Hey kiddo," she told her. "I gotta go back to work-"
"But you just got here," Joyce complained, interrupting.
"I know, but I only just snuck out so I could come see you. Don't worry, I'll be back tomorrow and we can do something, ok?"
Joyce nodded. "D’you promise?" she asked.
"Of course. I'll see ya."
Hugging her tightly, Joyce replied, "Bye Faith."
The brunette winked, smiling. She got up and let herself out into the hall, almost bumping into Buffy who was on her way up.
"Hey," Buffy said, meeting her. "Dawn told me you were leaving."
"Yeah," Faith replied, trying to remain cool in the presence of her former lover. She waited for the blonde to speak, time seemingly standing still as she noticed the other slayer's newly acquired radiance.
Unsure about how to phrase the question on her mind, Buffy decided to say, "I just thought that seeing as you're here and all, we could," she walked into her bedroom and picked up a box full of things. Holding it out for the brunette, she completed, "Get some of this stuff out of the way."
Faith took hold of the box full of items that appeared to belong to her. Having been taken by surprise by the scenario presented to her, she stood staring at the contents for a while, deciding, "You know what?" dropping the carton and allowing a second for the 'thud' as it hit the ground and tipped over. "Burn 'em."
Increasingly upset, the dark slayer left Buffy staring after her. Walking down the stairs, she felt the fine line between hurt and anger disappear as she collided with Parker, who having heard the crash upstairs was alerted and on his way upstairs.
"Hey, watch it," the man berated.
"What was that?" Faith asked him. Enraged, the slayer grabbed hold of the brunette by his shirt, pushing him and shoving him against the wall before dealing a left hook to his face. Pulling him down by his shirt, she delivered a knee to his groin, letting go of him as he fell to the floor. About to continue the assault, Faith stopped as she felt herself pulled back with great force.
Having removed the threat, Buffy knelt in front of a reeling Parker. "Oh my God, are you ok?" she asked him.
"Yeah," Parker forced out.
Angry, Buffy looked up to castigate her ex-girlfriend only to be met with the door slam as the brunette left.
Nursing his facial bruise with an ice pack, Parker smiled as Buffy sat aside him on the couch.
"They're all gone!" Buffy announced, throwing her head back as if exhausted. "Peace at last."
"For some," Parker returned. "I can still hear the buzzing in my head from Rocky's blow earlier. What is that woman's problem?"
"It's complicated." Buffy decided to answer. She took hold of the hand Parker was using to nurse his face. Feeling the ice in the pack having liquidised, she told him, "Let me get you an actual ice pack."
Taking hold of the blonde's hand, Parker told her, "No need. I can barely feel it anyway."
"We could always use the ice to cool down other places," the slayer told him, smiling. She allowed her smile to fade as the psychiatrist placed his hand on her cheek and leant in to kiss her. Their lips about to meet, the mood was interrupted by sounds of Joyce screaming in pain.
Rushing up to go and help her, Buffy found her daughter laid out on the stairs holding her ankle. "Mommy, I'm hurt," the child proclaimed.
Helping her daughter to her feet, Buffy refused her colleague's offer of assistance before taking Joyce upstairs. Once in the child's room with the door firmly shut, she asked, "Ok, what was that about?"
"I'm sorry, mom," Joyce confessed. "It's just that I saw you going to kiss Parker and I didn't know what else to do."
"You shouldn't be spying on mommy," Buffy told the child, slightly taken aback by her forwardness. "Besides I thought you liked Uncle Parker."
"I do," Joyce explained. "He's my friend. But I want Faith to come home and she won't if you and Uncle Parker are together."
Shaking her head in disbelief, Buffy looked to her child. "What am I going to do with you?" she asked rhetorically, holding her. Needing a subject change, she looked to her watch. "You've only got a few hours of your birthday left, what's say the two of us go downstairs, watch some movies and stuff our faces with loads of pizza and ice-cream."
Beaming, Joyce replied, "Cool!"
Taking her daughter's hand the slayer told the small blonde, "C'mon. Let's go say goodnight to Uncle Parker."
"Hey Dr Samuel," Parker called down the hallway of the Sunnydale clinic and stopping the psychiatrist in his tracks.
Whipping around the man acknowledged, "Dr Abrams, hi. Oooh, nasty bruise," he noticed.
"It's nothing. Anyway I just saw the rota," Parker explained his voice laden with sympathy. "You’re up for a double shift."
"Yep. It’s gonna be a long day."
"I feel for you," the brunette sympathised momentarily before asking, "Hey, how’s Colette?"
"She’s great," Dr Samuel replied, in reference to his girlfriend of eight months.
"D’you know what you’re getting her for Christmas?"
Sighing, the young psychiatrist screwed his face up as if having only just remembered. "God, Christmas. How much time have I got?"
Laughing, Parker replied, "Three days. But it’s cool, 'cause I know this great place. It’s a few hours away but they do beautiful jewellery for half the price - special closing sale."
"That’s too bad," the taller man replied. "I’m stuck here the whole day."
As if thinking about it, Parker paused, eventually deciding, "You know what? You go. I’ll do your shift tonight. Go pick Colette up something beautiful and spend the rest of the day with her."
"You serious?" Dr Samuel asked, in disbelief.
"Yeah. I have no plans today, so why not?" the brunette replied. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a card and handing it to his colleague, told him, "Here’s the address."
Reading it, the man smiled. Shaking his head, he told his fellow doctor, "You’re a good man, Parker Abrams."
Smiling, Parker returned, "Send Colette my best."
"Will do," the older man assured, heading both away from the brunette and from the clinic's back exit.
"Hey, where are you going?" Parker stopped him.
"Just heading to hand in my beeper and tell Dina about the swap."
"Here, I’ll do it," Parker offered with an outstretched hand. "You just get outta here before I change my mind."
Handing the blue-eyed brunette his beeper, Dr Samuel declared, "I’m gone." Leaving the premises.
Having just exited her car, Buffy was barely able to cross the road as she was met by her daughter who was running excitedly towards her from school.
"Woah!" Buffy called, upon the collision. She held the youngster. "How was the last day?" she asked.
"Good. Mom, can we give Tyler a ride with us?" Joyce asked, looking up at her mother and holding onto her friend, who had followed behind her.
"Hi Tyler. Where’s mommy or daddy?" Buffy asked the young boy.
"My mom’s over there," Tyler answered, pointing over to an approaching Mrs Thompson.
"Sorry to spring this on you, Buffy," the woman explained, reaching and joining the three of them. "I forgot that I was supposed to be giving the teachers here a talk now. Tyler’s dad’s at the house, so if you would just take him home, that would be so great."
"Can I stay at the Summers' house for a while though, mom?" Tyler interrupted.
"Sure," Buffy answered the question, assuring the boy’s mother, "It’s no trouble at all."
"Thank you so much," Mrs Thompson appreciated. "I’ll be there to pick Tyler up as soon as I can." She turned to her son. "Have a good time and behave yourself, ok?"
Buffy smiled as the child agreed, his mother thanked her again and rushed off. "Ok everyone, let’s go," the slayer announced, unlocking her car and making her way into it. Lifting her cell phone from the passenger seat to allow Joyce to sit down, she saw the message alert flash. Accessing her voicemail she listened as the clinic's secretary begged her to stop by the clinic. Sighing, the blonde slayer announced to those in the car, "Guys, we have to make a quick stop at the clinic, ok?" as she pulled out from her parking space and onto the main road.
Going through Sunnydale’s roads with moderate speed, within ten minutes, Buffy arrived at her workplace, parked her car and letting both her daughter and her friend out of her convertible, and locked it up. She entered the relatively newly built building and made her way to its reception.
"Oh, Dr Summers," Dina greeted with a relieved sigh, upon the psychiatrist’s arrival. "I was just about to start panicking."
"What’s wrong?" Buffy asked.
"Sorry to just call you up like that but we have a major problem. Dr Samuel just uped and left all his patients without even a word. Dr. Abrams offered to cover, but he has a pretty serious appointment he has to go to today." She continued to explain, "There are lots of patients in the waiting room with no-one to see them."
Looking around with her hand on her forehead, Buffy tried to think of a solution to the predicament, considering she was supposed to be baby-sitting. She turned to her daughter and guest. "Joyce, Tyler, you two wait here, ok? I'll be right back." She pointed to chairs next to the receptionists table and prompted them to each take a seat before making her way into her office. Sitting at her desk, the slayer picked up the phone and called the homes and cell phones of both Willow and Xander in turn. When met with no reply, she sighed and dialled the number to 'Greener's Gifts'. Preparing what she was about to say, she dishearteningly listened to the store's engaged tone. Buffy replaced the receiver and made another call.
"Rob, you still on the phone?" Faith asked, walking out into the store from her office.
Covering the receiver, Rob told his manager, "Five minutes, boss, I swear," before continuing his conversation.
Rolling her eyes, Faith faced a customer asking them, "What can I do for you?"
"Just this," the customer replied, handing the brunette a gift she had picked out.
"Would you like this wrapped?" Faith asked her, looking behind the woman to see Dawn entering the shop.
"Please."
Handing the purchase to her assistant, Faith told him, "Rob, gift-wrap and ring this up."
Telling the person to whom he was in conversation to, "Hold on," Rob took hold of the photo-frame and wrapping paper, watching with a grin as Faith beckoned a brunette into her office.
Faith closed the door behind Dawn as she took a seat.
"How's it goin', D?" she asked.
"Good," the younger brunette answered. "I spent the day with Buffy today," she stated, going on to add, "All we did was talk about you."
"Why?" Faith asked. "B made it pretty clear to me the other day that it was over between us."
"That’s not the impression I got," Dawn replied her sister’s ex. "As far as Buffy's concerned, you broke up with her. Now all she's trying to do is get her life back on track."
"Well then I’m not gonna get in her way."
"Faith, don’t you see that getting back together with you is getting her life back on track? She knows it too; it's just that she's too damn stubborn to admit it."
Understanding Dawn’s aim Faith figured out, nodding, "But I'm not."
"No. You’re the clever one, who's going to make the first move and show her the way. Starting with dinner tonight."
"I've got plans tonight."
"Cancel," Dawn pleaded. "C'mon. It’ll be just the four of us. A nice family dinner."
"I’ll think about it," Faith told her, picking up her mobile phone. "Right now, I need to go and pick up a new battery for this. It keeps dying on me."
"Great, I’ll go and get started on dinner. It’s going to be great," Dawn tried again, leaving the office and walking into the store.
Faith smiled at the brunette’s enthusiasm. "Wait up, I’ll give you a ride back to your place," she called to the younger brunette, looking around for her keys.
Covering the bottom of the receiver to the phone on which he was engaged in conversation, Rob leaned over to talk to his boss. "What would Buffy say?" he asked, smirking and shaking his head.
"About?" Faith returned, busy lifting objects on the counter and searching beneath them.
"You doing that hot brunette in your office."
Looking disgusted at the younger assistant, Faith replied him, "Man, that was B's sister."
Returning her look with one of his own, the blonde exclaimed, "You’re doing Buffy’s sister!?!"
Looking at her assistant in disbelief of the magnitude of his error, Faith merely ignored the question, deciding that an explanation would take too long. She located her keys and followed after Dawn.
Buffy huffed as she heard the 'engaged tone' at 'Greener's gifts' for the fourth time. Dropping the phone, she stood up and walked out into the foyer of the clinic to see the children in conversation with Parker.
Turning to follow Joyce's distracted gaze, the brunette turned to face an approaching Buffy. "Hey," he greeted. "What’s going on?"
About to answer, Buffy stopped, her attention diverted to the commotion erupting as the receptionist attempted to calm one of the clinic's patients.
"Hi Liberty!" Buffy called, remembering the patient's name. "You just go into my office; I'll be there in a minute." Watching the patient comply and make her way into her office, the slayer turned around.
"Buffy, what are you doing here?" Parker asked, the stress clearly showing on his colleague’s face.
"Dina called me in and told me that there was no-one to cover today."
"What?" Parker asked, looking around and locking eyes with the receptionist.
"I’m sorry, Dr Abrams, I know you asked me not to call her," Dina replied. "But you really do need to get that eye checked out and I didn’t want you to have to cancel your appointment if we had another option."
Calming the psychiatrist, Buffy added, "It’s ok. Really. I don’t mind. It’s just that I was supposed to be looking after the kids now and I really don't want to just leave them here for hours with nothing to do."
"Well if you want I could drop them off at your place," Parker offered. "Is there anyone there I can leave them with?"
"No, I’ve tried there already. But you can leave them with Tyler's dad at number sixteen twenty seven."
"Sure, no problem," Parker told her. "C’mon kids," he motioned.
"Thanks."
"Don’t mention it," the brunette replied.
Buffy watched as he took her daughter by the hand and lead the children outside. Smiling, she returned to her office.
Glancing at the clock, Buffy struggled to focus on her hysterical patient. "So then when I turned sixteen, I found that I had to get a new pet to keep myself occupied," the woman babbled, forcing Buffy to interrupt.
"Listen, Kayla," the slayer started. "Maybe you should take sometime to collect all of your thoughts. It's just that you’re paying for this session by the half hour-"
"Oh, that's ok," the young woman told the slayer. "I really don’t mind." When Buffy could find no other excuse, the woman continued. "So where was I?" She asked, continuing on to answer herself. "Oh yeah. Well when I was fourteen, I-"
"We already covered your fourteenth year of life," Buffy was forced to remind her. "Why don’t you tell me how your life is now?"
"Now?" Kayla asked. "Well now, it’s ok. My brother and I still live together. But he’s getting married in spring. His fiancée wants a real spring wedding. I told her that fall weddings were the best. They’re always so beautiful and the decor can be real earth tones-"
Her mind on other things, Buffy was alerted when her patient’s beeper began to buzz.
Picking it up, Kayla read the message. "Thank you for seeing me, Dr. Summers. I should leave you to get on with your things...”
Utterly relieved, the slayer stood up from her chair. Standing to go and shake her patient's hand she was taken aback when Kayla rushed out. Too tired to question the rash behaviour, Buffy glanced through her office window, noticing that it was getting dark. Leaving the room and locking up, she walked up to the front desk, calling the attention of the clinic's secretary.
"That was the last one," she told the woman.
"Yeah. Thank you so much. If you don't get doctor of the month this time, you'd better sue."
Buffy smiled. "Bye, Dina."
"Bye," Dina replied. Suddenly remembering to look through the sheet of messages on her desk, she called out, "Oh, a Mr. Giles called. He said to tell you that he should be arriving in town tonight."
"Thanks," Buffy told her, putting on her coat. She left the building and walked out to her car. Entering it and starting the engine, she drove along the dimly illuminated streets, tired from her day’s shift. Driving for a while to return to her home in Rovello drive, the slayer parked in her drive-way, locked up her car and walked across the street. Ringing the doorbell of the house bearing the number sixteen hundred and twenty seven, she waited until the door was answered. Faced by a slightly puzzled Mrs Thompson, the slayer greeted the older woman before telling her, "I’m here to pick up Joyce."
"Hi Buffy. Joyce isn't here," the retired teacher told the young blonde. "Should she be?"
"Oh. Did someone pick her up already?"
"I’m not sure. I only just got back. Let me ask..." her voice trailed off as she made her way inside. "Come in!" she called to Buffy before screaming, "Honey!"
"Yeah," came the reply of a male voice as Mr. Thompson followed the call into the reception room from the kitchen. "Hi Buffy," he greeted. Turning to his wife he asked, "Baby, what’s wrong?"
"Do you know who came to pick up Joyce from here?"
Thinking back the man replied, "Er, Joyce wasn’t dropped off here. Some guy just came and dropped off Tyler. I haven’t seen Joyce today."
"Oh," Buffy uttered, as if mistaken. "That was a friend of mine. He must have dropped Joyce off at my place."
Relieved, Mrs Thompson smiled.
"I'm sorry to have bothered you two," Buffy apologised.
"No problem, dear," she was replied as she was followed to the front door.
Embarrassed, "Bye," was all the slayer could reply as she was let out of the Thompson household. Making her way across the street, she used her keys and let herself into her home. Immediately noticing a large brown envelope which obstructed the door's closure, she picked it up and shut the front door. Subconsciously slipping her key underneath the flap of the brown casing and running it through, tearing the paper, she walked into the lit living room, calling out for anybody.
Hearing her sister’s call, Dawn made her way from the dining room and followed Buffy's voice to the living room.
"I made dinner," Dawn announced, causing the slayer to turn.
"Oh. Great," Buffy replied absent-mindedly, whilst pulling out the content of the envelope in her hand. She immediately recognised the document the envelope had concealed and felt sick as she heard her sister ask a question she dread, "Where’s Joyce?"
Having finally received a response to her bell-ringing, Faith smiled as the front door was opened. "Hey D," she chimed, recoiling as the door was stopped from opening by its chain. "Woah," the brunette uttered. "You expecting someone else?"
Melancholy, Dawn unlatched the door and let the slayer inside checking behind her. When finding nothing to put her mind at rest, she told the older brunette, "Something's happened."
"You burn dinner?" Faith replied, making jest of the situation whilst removing her jacket.
"No," Dawn merely answered. "It's Joyce. She's missing."
Not at all fazed, the slayer asked the younger woman, "You tried Xander?"
"And the police and every other person that we know who lives in Sunnydale," the twenty-four year old informed. "No-one's seen her."
Her expression now mirroring her concern, Faith entered further into the Summers' household. Trying to articulate, she asked, "Does B know? Who saw her last?"
"Yeah and Buffy. She didn't tell me much but she said something about letting Parker take her home and now she's missing."
"Parker!?! What the fuck?" The slayer asked. Her hurt masking her reasoning, she continued. "She's known this guy for two seconds and she let him take J?"
"She was working and he was going this way-"
"I don't give a shit what she was doing," the angry brunette returned, pacing. "She shouldn't have let that slimy son of a bitch touch her. And now she's missing?! I can't fucking believe this."
"Look Faith, I might be wrong. Buffy hasn't even been able to speak to Parker yet. They might just be held up somewhere. She's gone to his apartment, they're probably there."
Turning to face the younger woman, Faith told her dryly, "I don't even wanna think how bad *that* scenario could be. Do you have the address?"
"No, but Faith we can't panic," Dawn tried, adding, "For Buffy."
The brunette slayer attempted to calm herself whilst continuing to pace. "We-I can't just stay here," she eventually decided. "I have to do something." Searching around, she grabbed her jacket and letting herself out of the Summers' house, charged across the road to that of their neighbour's. Pressing the doorbell, the slayer waited impatiently for it to be answered.
"Hi Faith," the oldest of the Thompsons greeted when he came to the door.
"Hey Pete. D'you mind if I have a word with Tyler a sec?"
"Actually he's asleep."
"I know, I'm sorry. But you know I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important."
Appreciating this and deciding not to press further, Mr Thompson allowed the young woman inside. Leading her up the stairs, he asked, "What's going on?"
"I just wanted to have a word with him about today."
Accepting this, Mr Thompson allowed the woman into his son's room. Turning on a dim light, he walked to the child's beside. Shaking him gently, he uttered, "Tyler. Son, you have a visitor."
Tired, the eight year old opened his eyes and attempted to focus. His eyes adjusting to the light, he gazed up at his father and the brunette at his bedside.
"T, it's me, Faith," the slayer introduced as Tyler woke. "See Joyce hasn't come home yet and I wanted to see if you could help me find out where she is."
"Have you called the police?" Mr Thompson interjected from his position behind her.
"We're waiting to hear back from Buffy first. I'm just trying to get all the facts straight," the slayer replied before returning her attention to the child. "T, did you see where J went after school today?"
Looking wearily at the brunette, Tyler attempted to recall the day's earlier events. He nodded. "Buffy picked me and her up and took us to the clinic 'cause my mom had to stay back at school," he answered.
"Ok, so when you got to the clinic what happened?"
"Buffy had to go to do things in her office and me and Joyce were sitting in the place with the lady who answers the phones. Then…Parker came and he asked Buffy if she wanted him to take me and Joyce home and she said ok."
"So he took you home?"
"Yep. I told him that Buffy said that I could stay at your house for a while but he said that him and Joyce were going somewhere for a while that only two people could go and he knew the way. But he said that he would take me another day. Then he made me get out of the car."
Mulling over the details she had been given, Faith was unable to deduce anything. She pressed further. "What colour was the car?"
"It was black and shiny."
"Do you know what model?"
Tyler shook his head.
"Was it a big car?"
"Kinda. It was bigger than my mom and dad's car."
"Is it as big as my car?"
"Yeah," Tyler answered.
"Ok," Faith replied, drawing up a mental picture of the vehicle. "Er, when you were in the car, did you see anything weird?" the slayer quizzed further.
"Nope."
"Anything hangin' from the mirror?"
"No." The child paused, recalling the brief ride in the car. "There was a picture on the dash board."
"Yeah? What kind of picture?"
"It was from the Bulls."
"The Chicago bulls?"
"Yep."
"Anything else you can remember?" She tried, encouraging, "Anything at all?"
Tyler shook his head.
"Ok," Faith agreed. She stood. "Thanks T. You can get back to sleep now," she told him, making her way to his door.
"Oh," the child remembered, adding. "When Parker was on the phone he talked code; that was weird."
"What kind of code?"
"He said 'the journey is complete sir' but that was it."
Smiling compassionately, the brunette replied, "Thanks T. You remember anything else just call me, ok? Doesn't matter what time it is."
"Ok," Tyler replied, tucking himself in and covering his body with his duvet.
Faith let herself out of the boy's room. Thanking the child's father, she descended the stairs and made her way onto Rovello drive. Making her way back to her former home, the brunette tapped on the front door, finding it swung open by her former lover.
"B," was all she could say when faced with the older slayer.
Leaving the door open, Buffy returned to the living room, taking up a battle axe. About to pass the brunette on the way, Faith stopped her.
"Buffy, wait. What's going on? 'Cause I'm only getting a load o' half stories from everyone."
"They have her," Buffy returned. She reached into her pocket pulling part of a document that she had received earlier that evening, handing it over.
Taking it and skimming through the paper, Faith concluded that they must have been the contracts that Buffy was asked to sign, handing Joyce over to the military. At the bottom of the page, she found her suspicions confirmed when she recognised her ex girlfriend's signature lining the bottom.
Looking up to see Buffy near tears and shamefully watching her read it, she immediately tore the sheet in two. "This doesn't mean anything," the younger brunette concluded.
"It means they've taken her."
"Yeah, but we'll get her back," Faith returned. Thinking, she asked, "D'you have any idea where they might be?"
Buffy shook her head. "I've tried their old place but there's nothing there. I know they're probably still in town just not where."
"How d'you know?"
"My last patient today was this new girl who was transferred to the clinic the same day as Parker," Buffy answered. "I could tell she was stalling me; I just didn't know why. She left me about twenty minutes ago."
"Ok. If they've got what they came for, they've gotta be trying to clear out of here right now. Which means we need to be checking all the places a whole lot of people would be trying to get out from. The airport, airfield…station-"
"Docks," Buffy completed.
"Yeah," Faith agreed.
"The day I met Kayla," the blonde slayer added. "She sent me uptown on some hoax call and there was a surprise party waiting for me-"
"Okay, I know that area pretty well," the taller woman interjected. "I'll head there and do a couple of sweeps."
Agreeing, Buffy decided, "I'll try the docks and the station. Will you call me if you find anything?"
"Of course," Faith assured her. Taking hold of the open door and about to leave, she caught sight of the other slayer's disheartened expression. "Hey," she gently called. "We'll find her. I swear."
When Buffy nodded, the brunette leant in and gave her a kiss meant to comfort the slayer, but ending up being both longer and deeper than usually used to hearten. Pulling back, she locked eyes with the blonde and lightly smiling, left the house ahead of her. Deciding that she would have to deal with the previous event once Joyce'd been found, she dismissed the thoughts that kissing her ex had re-awakened and returned her focus to the missing child, heading for her car.
Bored and lonely, Joyce looked up when the door, to the almost empty room in which she was, opened and Parker entered. "You changed," Joyce observed, staring at the man in front of her dressed in uniform.
"Yeah," Parker replied. "This is what you have to wear here."
"Why?" the eight-year-old inquired.
The brunette smiled at the youngster. He explained, "Because you do. When you start out in the army you get given a green uniform. But, and this is really cool, as you grow up and you complete missions, you have silver arrows attached to your arm. See, look." He pointed at the arrows embedded on his jacket. "See these arrows? They mean that you're a Major."
"You're a Major?" Joyce asked, impressed and adding, "*and* a psychatrist?"
"The word is psychiatrist, Joyce," Parker corrected. "And yes, I am."
"Cool."
"Maybe one day you'll be a Major too," he told the impressionable youth. "You wanna be in the army just like your dad was, don't you?"
"My dad was in the army?" the blonde youngster asked.
"Yeah and he wanted you to be too."
"You knew my dad?"
"Sure. He was a great guy. He helped a lot of people and he loved you a lot… It's why he was murdered."
Saddened and with her question almost a whisper, Joyce asked, "because of me?"
Moving to hold her, Parker dismissed, "No. He's not here because someone didn't want him to be there for you."
"Who?" the eight-year old asked, near tears.
Crouching down to be eye-level with the blonde child and peering into her hazel eyes with his blue ones, he asked her, "You really wanna know who killed him?"
The youngster nodded emphatically, desperate to know the identity of the brute who had robbed her of the man her mother once loved. Looking up at the Major she pleaded, "Please. Tell me, Uncle Parker."
Having been unsuccessful scouring the town in her jeep, Faith pulled up outside a bar that she'd hoped she'd never have to enter again. Leaving her vehicle, the brunette, locked it and walked into the dank public house. Entering, she was immediately hit by odours, a mixture of cigarette smoke and rotting demon skin. Striding up to the bar, she was instantaneously noticed by the bar tender, who nervously shuffled under the gaze of the slayer.
"I already told your girlfriend," Willie started, putting his hands in the air defensively. "I don't know anything."
Grinning, Faith merely looked at the ageing man beckoning him over with her fore-finger.
Complying until just out of arms reach for the slayer, the bar-tender stopped. "Yeah?" he asked, quivering and feeling himself begin to perspire under the young woman's steel gaze. Startled when she lunged toward him, he let out a small whimper when she grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him towards her, the sound causing an eerie silence in the bar.
As if taking centre stage, Faith coolly explained, "We both know B has a habit of being too soft sometimes, Will." She reminded the brunette, "Me? Well I have this habit of killing people who don't tell me what I need to know."
"W-w-w-I'm not that kind of people," the bar-tender stuttered, uncomfortable in the position he was being forced to adopt. "Just tell me what you need to know and I'll help you, I swear. 'Cause-"
"What do you know about a group called the initiative?" the brunette asked, cutting Willie's bumbling short.
"The Initiative? They cleared out a while back," he blurted out, his face now turning red from the pressure the dark slayer was applying to his throat.
"They're back and I want to know where."
"I…I don't know," the brunette quickly answered, feeling his consciousness slipping. "I swear. I don't-"
"Think harder, Willie," Faith coaxed.
"Er… I… The docks. You tried the docks?" he spat with little energy, causing Faith to release the pressure on his wind-pipe a little. Taking a needed deep breath the bar-keep continued. "Or the air field. That's where they used to use."
"I've tried both," the slayer informed him. "They're both dead." She tightened her grip on his throat again. "Just like you'll be in seconds, if you don't give me something to go on, Willie." Raising her voice in a condescending tone, she added, "I know you can help me Will, you just gotta use that brain of yours."
Racking his mind, the bar-tender eventually realised, "The sewers."
Releasing her hold on him, Faith announced, much to his relief, "I'm listening."
Rubbing his neck, the brunette explained, "A couple of guys have been coming in complaining that a section of the sewers have been cut off. I didn't think anything of it 'til now."
"Where?"
"Uptown."
Cocking her head, slightly the brunette slayer teased, "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"
Willie let out an uncomfortable mock-laugh.
Satisfied, the young slayer motioned with her hand, ordering, "Hand over your piece."
"My what?"
"The gun you reached for when I came in, punk," Faith clarified.
Deciding that resisting would be futile, the bar-tender, reached underneath the bar and bent to search underneath it. Grabbing his double-barrelled handgun, he handed it over.
Thanking him and tucking it into her trousers, Faith left the underground hole and made for her jeep. The journey uptown a short one from Willie's bar, the brunette looked around for sewer access by way of a Man Hole or gate. Finding the former, she parked her car and left it at the roadside. Walking to the concealed sewer access, she easily lifted the large metal disc cover before using the ladder provided to climb down into the sewer. Replacing the disc so that it only half covered the entrance for sake of later convenience, she jumped from the ladder. Landing, the brunette walked a few feet before being faced by a barrier. Grabbing hold of two of the metal bars of the gate constricting entry, Faith prised them apart allowing herself room to move through.
Met with a split in the path, the slayer instinctively walked to the right, her eyes adjusting to the lack of moon-light illumination. Searching around the slayer came across the makings of used for ventilation. The need for ventilation in the sewers alerting her attention, Faith followed the large pipe around finding herself unable to continue when the pipe-end disappeared into a wall. A door beneath this, the slayer pressed her ear to it and she listened to a conversation seemingly between two men. Deciding against charging inside, the slayer found herself at a loss for another option when the door was swung open. Automatically drawing her weapon, Faith aimed her gun at the head of the advancing soldier. "Inside," she ordered.
Back-stepping, the young man obliged and entered the room.
Without taking her eyes from the man in front of her, the brunette kicked the door shut behind her as she entered the room. She proceeded to scan it, immediately noticing Joyce huddled in the corner. Relieved, she now acknowledged the other man in the room, glancing at him and yelling, "Keep your hands in the air," raising the gun at her captive's head, in a threatening manner.
Without hesitation the soldier's arms shot up into the air.
Not taking her gaze from the soldiers, Faith uttered, "J, come here to me."
When receiving no response. Faith looked towards the child, repeating herself again to no avail. "J," Faith tried again. "Kiddo it's me, Faith." She pressed the gun to the soldier's forehead asking him, "What's wrong with her?"
"Nothing," the man answered. "She's just a quiet kid."
Not accepting this, Faith rid the man of the weapon in his belt ordering him, "Walk."
Complying, the soldier took steps backward and towards the child in the corner.
When close to Joyce, Faith bent to look the child in the eyes ensuring she kept her gun poised at the body of the soldier. "Kiddo, tell me what's wrong-" she started, cut off by the commotion of one of the room's inhabitants dashing out.
A distraction having been created by the rapid exit of his colleague, the captive soldier took his opportunity and delivered a kick to the slayer's ribs, rushing to obtain his weapon.
Reacting quickly, Faith stood, poised her gun and fired two shots into the head of the marine, flooring him instantly. She turned as Joyce violently burst into tears.
Immediately going to hold her, the brunette apologised, "Kiddo, I'm sorry. But the people here wanna hurt you and keep you away from me and your mom," she explained, qualifying, "I won't let them. You hear me? I love you too much." Upon hearing running footsteps approach, Faith searched around for a way out, spying an air vent. Recalling that it led back to the exit, she moved to it and removed the steel casing. "We gotta get out of here," she informed Joyce as lifted the child into her arms, carrying her to the opening.
Scrambling into the tight opening, Joyce crawled through and found Faith crawling right behind her, the brunette only stopping to replace the cover behind them. "Kiddo, hurry," Faith told the youngster, realising that both herself and the child were doomed if they spent long in the metal encasing.
Running out of pipe, Joyce stopped crawling along the metal frame looking back at the slayer.
Understanding, Faith told the girl, "It's ok, kiddo, just jump."
Obeying, the eight-year-old threw herself down towards the ground, falling several feet and landing with her leg at an awkward angle, screaming in pain upon collision.
Distressed, Faith quickly followed. Unable to stop to console the child for the fear of being caught by their assailants, she picked Joyce up into her arms running.
"This is fubad," Joyce noticed under her breath, as she heard shots fired behind them.
"Yeah," Faith agreed, trying to remember the tunnel she had used at her arrival. Choosing one, she rushed down it, seeing the barrier that she had dented earlier. Rushing towards it she was startled when a new, steel one speedily emerged from the wall, threatening to block the two of them in. Reacting out of reflex, the slayer set Joyce down and used her arm to stop the barrier from closing. Hearing footsteps rapidly approach, she called out, "J, hurry!" holding the steel barrier from closing. "Listen to me," she told the blonde as she speedily approached. Putting her foot between the barrier and the door to be able to shrug out of her jacket, Faith replaced her hands in their original position, telling Joyce. "Run…straight through this hole in the bars and then up the ladder." Realising that only the youngster would be able to fit through the now small gap between the barrier and sewer wall, she continued, "My keys are in my jacket pocket… Get into my car and lock yourself in." Pushing as hard as she could, against the steel door's mechanism, she allowed Joyce to squeeze past. Hearing the approaching voices' increased audibility, she ordered, "Hurry!" When the child was through, Faith found herself unable to hold the door any longer, and let go as Joyce escaped through it. "I'm right behind you kiddo," she assured, no longer able to see her. "Run!" Looking around and deciding that she would have to find another way out. A notion quashed by the crew of fully armed initiative soldiers that appeared in front of her.
Entering the room, Parker walked up to the captive having just been briefed that his officers allowed the Cadet to escape, substituting her with the slayer. Carrying a vile of combination muscle relaxants, he approached the brunette pulling out the syringe from its container.
"Hi Faith," he greeted, injecting her with the bottle's content before dismissing the supervising officer from his post, pointing a long range, gun at the slayer. "Little present from your buddy David Gibbons. He told me to say hi."
Recalling the name, Faith felt as though she was losing control over her limbs. Slumping in the chair on which she was atop, she almost instantaneously felt powerless to do anything other than utter a, "Bite me," to the older man, causing him to laugh.
Looking to the door as it opened, the Major was greeted by a colleague who had come to deliver orders. "From the General," the soldier informed. "He's not happy that you have a civilian under capture and requests that you release her immediately."
Nodding, the Major dismissed the lower rank before returning to the side of the slightly drowsy slayer.
Fighting to stay awake, Faith looked up at the psychiatrist. "You heard your boy. Untie me, pussy."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"You deaf too?"
"No, I just didn't catch your reference to pussies," Parker replied. Clasping his hand to his jaw, he motioned as if he were putting two and two together. Looking to her Parker suddenly exclaimed asking, "Is that why you're so uptight? 'Cause you're not getting any of Buffy's?" In an attempt to strike a nerve, he answered his own question. "I understand. I mean I wouldn't wanna go without that for too long."
"Go to hell."
"It's ok. I know you don't really mean that. You're simply just angry 'cause I got into your ex-girlfriend's panties."
Pondering the notion momentarily, Faith smiled, sobering. "Buffy'd never fuck you," she dismissed. "She's got much higher standards than that."
"No?" the psychiatrist asked, his tone one of indifference. "But we were doing it whilst she was still sleeping with you. Didn't Buffy tell you that she was going to leave you before went and left her?"
Her grin failing to fade, Faith looked up at the brunette. Her expression one of nonchalance, she merely asked him, "D'you know why you're such a fucking loser, dick-head? I already had this conversation with B. She told me nothing happened with you and I believe her. So stop with the bullshit and wake me up when your boss kicks your ass for not letting me go."
About to administer a comeback to the slayer, Parker was interrupted by the entrance of a soldier. "We got her, sir," the man announced. "Picked her up about a block from here."
Turning to see the defeated expression on the slayer's face, Parker smiled. Ruffling her hair he asked, "You hear that? Joyce is coming with us." Elated, he ordered the lower rank, "Send word to the General and let's head out."
"What about her?" the soldier asked in reference to Faith. "The General ordered that the civilian is to be returned, unharmed."
"You tell the General that under section 61, a civilian no longer possesses rights when he/she commits murder. Especially that of one of our team." He turned to the brunette slayer, informing her more than the soldier, "I have plans for our little murderer.
Alerted by the doorbell, a relieved, Buffy ran for the door and threw it open. She calmed, immediately set upon by the arms of her former watcher.
"Oh Buffy, I'm sorry," Giles professed, holding her. "I tried to come as soon as I heard."
"Thank you. I'm glad you're here," the blonde slayer told him in earnest. "We need all the help we can get. We're researching the initiative."
Bemused, the older Briton asked, "Why?"
"They have Joyce."
"The initiative have Joyce?" the watcher asked Buffy, in shock. "Oh my God."
"Wait," the slayer uttered, turning to face her former watcher. "Then what were you talking about?"
"Me?"
"You said you came as soon as you heard."
"Yes, about Faith," the watcher answered.
Her concern growing the petite blonde asked, "What's wrong with her?"
"Oh Buffy I thought you knew," Giles replied, forcing Buffy to repeat the question.
"The watcher's council phoned me and told me that one of the slayers at the academy was called tonight. I rushed here as soon as I could…"
Taking time to process the information the older man had given her, his meaning finally sunk in. Crying out, Buffy sank to the floor.
Giles immediately ran to hold the fallen slayer, rocking her as tears streamed from her eyes.
Aroused by fluctuations on the ECG monitor, the renegade militia's medical staff rushed to the side of their patient. Peering down at her, they watched as the brunette made subtle movements.
"She's coming to," one of them observed.
"You're lucky. What kind of moron overdoses on Digoxin!?! If she hadn't have woken up, you would have had a hell of a lot of people to answer to."
Faith slowly opened her eyes, trying to take in her surroundings. Looking up to see two faces peering down at her, she abruptly sat up and attempted to release her arms from their restraints, cutting herself in the process.
"Easy," one of them ordered, seeing the blood pour from the fresh tear in the young woman's skin.
"What the fuck is going on?" Faith asked. "Let me go."
Pulling the needle from her hand she lunged at the man, her fist colliding with his face. The slayer immediately recoiled from the pain. Rubbing her fist, she winced as the man got up and nursed his face.
"That actually hurt," he told his colleague. "I don't think you gave her enough."
"Anymore and she'll be paralysed," the woman told him, having already administered the maximum advised dosage of sedatives and muscle relaxants to the brunette that she was allowed to.
"I'm thinking that's not such a bad idea," the other medic returned, still rubbing his jaw. He looked at the brunette, his scowl quickly fading as her expressionless young face staring down at the sheet in front of her, invoked compassion within him.
Faith looked at the face of her captors. Fighting back the tears that were emerging, she lacked the energy to do anything other than lay back and close her eyes. Having finally realised how she faced the prospect of possibly never being able to gaze into the hazel eyes of her heart's keeper again, she chose rather to commit to memory the moments they had shared together, minus the trials and complications that they had faced. The little things having prevented her from true happiness, ceased to matter to her. All that did was for her to strive to live, holding onto the hope that they might, should the fates allow, be united again.
Buffy returned home and smiled at the sight of her one year old child sprawled across Faith's mid-section, the two of them deep in slumber on their sofa. Hanging up her coat, she took a step forward, alerting the previously sleeping younger slayer to her presence.
Waking, Faith turned her head to see her girlfriend stood in the hallway. She smiled as the blonde walked to be at her side, leaning in to kiss her. Pressing her lips against the older slayer's, she could barely form a thought until their lips were parted.
"I thought I'd come and see how you two were doing," Buffy explained in a whisper.
"We're ok," Faith returned. About to speak again, she stopped as the baby atop her shuffled around. Both slayers remained silent hoping the baby would continue her slumber, but were disproved as Joyce woke and began to wail.
Immediately sitting up, Faith cradled the baby. "Hey…" she shushed, bouncing and holding onto the infant. "Look, mommy's home."
When this piece of information failed to either interest or quieten the baby, Buffy suggested, "Maybe she needs changing."
"Nah, I just did that," Faith informed her. She looked to the infant, asking her, "You're hungry aint you kiddo?"
Handing Joyce over to Buffy, she stood up from the sofa and walked to the kitchen. Re-heating pre-warmed milk, when she decided it was warm enough, the brunette took it and carried it to the living room. Squirting it into her mouth by way of testing the temperature, the slayer decided it was cool enough and put the bottle to the lips of the infant causing Joyce to change her attention from crying to suckling. The younger slayer released the bottle as the baby's mother proceeded to take over and feed the child.
Lying back, Faith rested against the sofa, tired from spending a day with the temperamental miniature human being. "Kid's got a great pair of lungs," the brunette stated truthfully. "I'll give her that."
"I know," Buffy agreed, briefly recalling that she had only had two hours sleep that night. She eventually decided. "But it's worth it. We have a mini-person who's ours."
Faith smiled. "Yeah" she agreed, adding, "And we get to raise her together and teach her stuff-" She yawned.
Buffy grinned. Lying on top of the brunette whilst cradling her child, she told the younger slayer, "Baby, sleep. We'll teach her stuff when you wake up."
Thankful, the brunette kissed her lover's neck wrapping her arms across the blonde's stomach. Feeling truly elated, she settled back and closed her eyes, holding onto the only family she valued in the world and vowing internally that only death would keep them apart.
...continued in Trials and Restorations...