Younger Years
by Faithful_14
Rating: R
Later that day Joyce got in the car, Buffy not far behind. They drove the ten minutes to the Child Services office. Buffy had been worried all night and now she was finally getting the chance to make sure her friend was all right.
As they pulled up she got out of the car quickly and raced into the building. Soon as she saw Faith she sprinted to her and swept her up in a big bear hug.
Faith was taken aback at first but she returned the hug. She was so relieved not to be put in some foster home.
"Buffy...oxygen becoming an issue..."
Immediately Buffy moved back so Faith could breathe. "Are you okay? I was so worried about you. Did your dad hit you?"
Faith smiled a bit, "B calm down, I'm alright."
Joyce came in behind Buffy and really got a good look at Faith for the first time. She couldn't help frowning; the girl had bruises, but was obviously comfortable with Buffy. She moved past her daughter and her new charge to shake Mrs. Dunbar's hand.
"I'm so glad you decided to take Faith, it's been hard for her and it's good she has a stable place to stay now," Mrs. Dunbar smiled and gestured for Joyce to enter her office in order to sign the paper work.
Buffy took a seat beside Faith. "Are you okay? Really?"
Buffy was genuinely concerned which Faith was not expecting; it gave her a warm feeling though. "Yeah...for the most part. Didn't sleep last night. But a...how's this gonna work?"
Right then Joyce and Mrs. Dunbar exited her office and both girls stood.
"Hi, Faith, I'm Mrs. Summers. Just call me that," Joyce extended her hand in greeting. Faith glanced at Buffy for confirmation and shook her new caretaker's hand.
"Now Faith is there anything you need from your house? If so we need a police escort, it's technically a crime scene now," Mrs. Dunbar asked.
Faith shook her head, "Yeah... I need to grab some clothes. There's only a few things but it's all I have."
Joyce held her hand up and said, "It's okay, we'll go shopping and get you new clothes Faith, I don't really think you want to go back in there."
Faith only nodded in agreement. She'd never met an adult that really cared about what she thought or felt. After they said good-bye and Mrs. Dunbar told them she'd be checking up on them periodically. Then they left.
"Mom, can we go get Faith new clothes and stuff now?"
Joyce checked the rear view mirror and pulled out of the parking space, heading toward the mall. "Sure."
They headed to Target and on their way in Buffy whispered something to her mother. Faith had no idea what and she was curious. But at the moment she was going to get some new clothes, something she hadn't had in a very long time.
When they were finished shopping Faith had new socks, underwear, shirts, jeans, shoes, and a watch. Faith was overwhelmed at the amount of money Mrs. Summers was blowing on her.
Before they were about to leave though Joyce turned to Faith, "This was Buffy's idea but she wants you to pick out a CD player and a few CDs."
Faith's face lit up with a grin as she ran to the electronics section. She picked out a Sony portable boom box and CDs. She got Metallica, Nirvana, The Misfits, and she silently hoped Buffy wouldn't notice the Backstreet Boy's CD in there. When she was done they checked out and head back to the house.
AUTHOR: Teremoc
Note: Ok if you've read this you'll know that it has a different author. So I
just hope that you enjoy it as much as you do the normal author's work,
she'll be back soon I promise :)
Dedication: Obviously Faithful_14 my girl, I love you with all my heart.
Buffy practically bounced out of the car and up the steps and if she had not of been called back by her mom, she would have kept bouncing at the door like she needed to use the bathroom real bad. It was an understatement to say that she was happy. Faith was out of that hellhole and living with her. What more could she want?
Joyce watched her daughter and smiled. She wasn't sure she had ever seen Buffy this happy before.
After they got all of Faith's new stuff inside, Buffy showed her around the house. Her new room, the bathroom, living room, kitchen and dining room. Buffy was so ecstatic that she even showed her the basement even though neither of them could figure out why and giggled about it.
The two girls sat with Joyce and chatted for a few hours, as she wanted to get to know the girl she had just taken into her house without knowing anything about except her daughter seemed to like her and had a friend in.
They decided that they would make things easy that night and just order out for dinner so they had a couple of pizzas delivered. Faith had tried miserably to keep the happiness off her face, as she knew that this was normal for most people, but at home, Faith was lucky if her mother had made her dinner, her parents had never gotten pizza so she just couldn't do it, and both Summers' women noticed and smiled themselves.
Once everything was cleared up, Buffy and Faith headed upstairs to unpack Faith's stuff. Once they got inside Buffy closed the door and gave the brunette another bear hug. This time however Faith didn't hesitate and hugged Buffy back tight.
"It's still so hard to believe I'm actually here and not with my parents anymore."
"You needed out of there Faith." Buffy pulled back out of the hug. "You don't mind being here right? Oh god I didn't even think about that. I am so stupid. If you don't..."
Faith started to hug her friend again to shut her up.
"Buffy, it's fine, really. I wanna be here. Here is good." Faith realized that she had started to babble as well and grinned. She was having trouble believing that Buffy cared enough about her and that Mrs. Summers would be cool enough to take her in even though she knew nothing about her except what Buffy had told her. Not to mention all her new stuff. When was the last time her parents bought her anything new? She couldn't remember.
Buffy grinned back and put on some music to listen to while they put away Faith's gear. They started chatting about everything, playing around and carefully looking at each other when they thought the other girl wasn't paying much attention to her.
Then Buffy started a tickle fight, which only ended when Joyce came in and told the two girls to keep it down. They then sat on Faith's bed for the next five minutes giggling trying to calm down.
Faith was settling in fine in her new home and was even doing a little better at school with the help of Buffy, which was a good thing as they had been informed by Mrs. Dunbar that if Faith got into any serious trouble at school there was a good chance that Faith would be moved out of the Summers residence and placed elsewhere, which neither Faith nor Buffy wanted.
Even though Faith was doing better at school and had even sort of become friends with Xander, Jesse, who for some reason she didn't know, wanted to date her. Willow who she knew was still giving her death-stares occasionally for 'stealing' Buffy away from her in the best friend capacity.
She would get taunted a lot and Buffy knew that she tried to stay strong and not let it show how much it did get to her but she could hear her in her room at night cry herself to sleep. *If she's like this now, how would she have been back at home?*
During this short time Buffy and Faith had grown extremely close. Playing around, teasing each other. Both girls had started to feel something more, though they didn't know quite what it was. One night about two weeks after Faith had moved in, she crept into Buffy's rooms and crawled into bed with her.
Buffy wasn't sure what was going on but had to admit she didn't hate it. As she wrapped her arms around the younger girl she felt Faith shaking a little and Faith buried her head into her shoulder.
"Shh. It's ok Faith." Buffy soothed softly as she held Faith close to her.
"I hate them," Faith sobbed as she cuddled closer into the blonde.
"I know you do. I know this is a stupid thing to say but try not to listen to 'em."
"I can't."
Buffy didn't say anything back to that simply kissed Faith's forehead and they both slowly fell asleep together.
This would continue on every night for about a week until Faith couldn't handle the taunting any longer.
AUTHOR: Teremoc
Buffy, Willow and Xander walked out of class talking and laughing about some film that they'd just been watching, about to meet up with Jesse and Faith for lunch.
"Oh my god, did you see that idiot?"
"Yeah he's like 'never go up to them like this' so what does he do? Walks up to the damn thing and gets bit."
Willow laughs, "yeah and then he's all like, 'why did that happen?'"
Willow and Xander continue to laugh but Buffy isn't paying much attention to them as she had spotted Faith and is staring at her. Slowly a frown starts to creep onto Buffy's face. Faith is chatting to a guy, but she doesn't seem too comfortable and is standing sort of strangely.
"You've suddenly gone all quiet Buffy." Willow looks to where the small blonde is staring. "Oh hey, there's Faith.. What's up with her Buffy? She looks sorta weirded out."
Buffy simply continued to look at Faith and mumbled something neither of her two companions could understand.
"Yeah," Xander chuckled, "she looks like she did when she hit Cordy that time. Remember Buff...?"
It suddenly dawned on Buffy what was wrong. Xander was right; she was standing like she had been when she'd punched Cordelia in the nose when she'd been aiming for her. Buffy knew that it would be an extremely bad idea for Faith to get in trouble at school so before Xander could finish his sentence, Buffy sprinted over to Faith, missing the jealous look on Willow's face.
"Faith! No!"
Buffy stepped in between Faith and Michael to try and stop Faith from hitting him, but she was a little late as Faith had already started her punch, and because she had never been taught, she couldn't control it enough to stop and ended up punching Buffy in the eye.
Before anyone could do anything the brunette took off leaving Buffy lying on the ground. Michael simply walked off muttering something about a psycho bitch as Willow and Xander ran up to Buffy.
"Buff, are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine Xander." Buffy said getting quickly to her feet, looking in the direction Faith went.
"I knew that girl was trouble. I mean just look at her.." Willow stopped what she was saying suddenly as Buffy glared at her.
"What the hell would you know about anything she's been through?"
"Well at least I don't go around punching my friends!"
"It's not like that! Damn! I have to find her."
"Then what is it like?" Willow's question however was lost on the blonde as she had already taken off after their friend. "How can she just stick up for her after what she just did?"
"I dunno Will, but she has been through a lot."
"That doesn't give her any excuse to go around beating into someone, especially a friend."
Xander put his arm around his best friend as he was smart enough to realise the she was not going to listen to anything he had to say anyway and started to lead her away to meet up with Jesse to tell him what had just happened.
Buffy ran after Faith and although the brunette had a head start Buffy still had her in her sight, if only just.
"Where is she going?" Buffy decided not to call out just follow her, which happened to be to the docks.
Buffy hid a little as she watched Faith crawl in behind a few old crates. The blonde realised that Faith had been here before, most likely often before.
She didn't go to Faith right away. She wasn't sure what she was going to say to her. She didn't just want to go up to Faith and not say anything so as she was trying to work it out, she heard Faith crying softly and she slowly walked over to where the brunette was, not caring she still hadn't worked anything out.
"Faith?"
"Leave me alone." Faith sniffed softly.
"I'm not going to do that. Come out please?"
"Why the hell for? I'm just a fuck-up who can't get anything right!"
Buffy moved into the space where Faith was. It was a little cramped but at least there was no-way that Faith could take off. "Faith, you're not a fuck-up."
"Ok fine I'm not, I'm a royal fuck-up and I'm gonna turn out just like my dad." Faith tried to stop crying.
Buffy looked Faith in the eye and was a little surprised when Faith looked back into hers. Without thinking about what she was doing, she placed one of her hands on the side of Faith's face and gently rubbed her cheek with her thumb wiping away the tears. "No Faith, you're not going to turn out like your father. You're like the strongest person I know to have lived with what you have and be like you are. You're sweet and caring and nothing at all like him. You've had to live through what a lot of those kids back there have nightmares about."
"But I couldn't handle it Buffy. I flipped and I'm always going to flip. I'm just like him..."
"No you really aren't. You had had enough and sure you may have handled it badly but anyone of us could have done the same. You're learning Faith, you didn't start a fight when all this started. To me, that's what matters."
Faith stopped crying but continued to sniff. "But I hit you Buffy. The only person I really care about."
"And I'll take a thousand more of them if it means it stop them taking you away from me." After saying that, Buffy leaned in close and pressed her lips to the other girl's gently. Pulling back a few seconds later.
Buffy looked at Faith who had her eyes open and was sitting impossibly still.
"Oh... um, I'm sorry." Buffy stated nervously.
Faith took a moment before grinning at the blonde, "Is there anymore where that came from?"
Buffy sat stunned for a second before grinning back, "Maybe."
They leaned in to kiss each other again and after a few minutes they pulled back and looked at each other, smiling, until Faith really took note of Buffy's eye and frowned. She reached up and tentively touched the bruise there and Buffy winced.
"Oh my god Buffy! Your eye is deep purple! I'm so so sorry."
Buffy kisses Faith again to calm her down. "It's ok Faith I told you I'll take more if it means I can stay with you, anyway it brought us closer together," Buffy smiled, "I'll wear it proudly."
"But what about your mom and Mrs. Dunbar?"
"I'll think of something, you ready to go back now?"
Faith simply nodded and the two girls crawled out of their spot.
While walking home Buffy thought up what she could give as a cover story for her eye.
Luckily they didn't get home too late.
"Mom, we're home."
"Hi Mrs. Summers."
"Hi girls... Oh my god what happened to your eye Buffy? Have you been in a fight?" Joyce rushed over to them.
"No mom I'm fine. I..." Buffy paused for a moment. "This is rather embarassing. I was printing something out in the computer lab when the paper got jammed real good. Instead of getting help I tried to pull it out but my hand slipped and I hit myself in the eye." This was also the story they told Mrs. Dunbar the next time they saw her.
Faith had to try and stop herself from laughing. It was one of the stupidest stories she had ever heard, but what made it funnier was the fact she could see it happening so clearly.
"Are you ok Buffy? Does it hurt much? You must have hit yourself pretty hard."
"Yes. Not really. Yes very. I'm fine I just wanna go upstairs and lay down."
"Ok if you want anything let me know."
The two girls went upstairs and laid down on Buffy's bed; Buffy on her back and Faith on her side next to her.
"Great story there B. Was pretty funny 'specically since I can see you being stupid enough to do it." Faith couldn't contain herself any longer and started laughing.
"Yeah, yeah laugh it up."
"Ok I will." Faith laughed harder.
"Well at least I thought something somewhat plausible up. I said I would think something up and I did."
"That you did."
"What is that meant to mean?"
Faith said nothing, simply leaned over and kissed the blonde.
Over the next few weeks Mrs. Dunbar made regular stops at the Summer's home to check up. Everything seemed to be going just fine. But on the first week of the second month she came with bad news.
She strode up the walk and rang the door bell; Joyce greeted her at the door. The two adults sat down in the living room and talked for a bit before it was time to summon Faith and Buffy.
Joyce called them down from upstairs and they came bounding down, giggling about something. But Faith stopped dead in her tracks at the entrance to the living room as she saw the somber look on Mrs. Dunbar's face.
"What's going..?" Buffy trailed off as she looked over Faith's shoulder.
"Faith we need to talk," Mrs. Dunbar said and slowly the two young teens sat down on chairs across from the couch. Taking a deep breath the social worker started, "Alright, your parents are on trial for substance abuse charges and child abuse charges but...we need you to testify against them. Mrs. Summer's already agreed to testify in your behalf as well as a few of your teachers, Mrs. Harris, Mr. Albertson, and your counselor Mrs. Donovan. They'll both be spending time in prison but your father longer, and we'll file a neglect case against your mother."
"What happens after that?" Buffy asked; Faith was sitting silently. Joyce threw her a look, it wasn't really their place.
"Well...then we'll find a more permanent home for Faith...we've been trying to track down relatives but it seems only one could be positively track down is an Uncle Raymond McGowan, he's one of your mother's brothers. The only one we could find." Silence descended up on the room.
"What if he can't?" Buffy broke in.
"We'd have to find a foster family." Silence again.
"I'll testify against them," Faith finally spoke up. It was her fate they were deciding and she wanted a say in it. Softly she added, "...I don't wanna go back to that..."
Buffy felt panic rise in her stomach, "Wait...where does her uncle live?"
"He lives in Chicago," Mrs. Dunbar said after looking down at some papers in her lap.
"What?! You can't do that!" Buffy exclaimed. Joyce quickly hushed her daughter. It was obvious neither of the girls were happy with the impending arrangement.
"Let's not jump the gun here; we don't know whether Faith's uncle will take her. She might end up in a foster home closer to Sunnydale but nothing's for sure yet," Mrs. Dunbar added.
After that meeting Buffy and Faith decided to take a walk to the park before the sun went down. They needed to talk. They walked to a park near the house in silence and once there they sat down on the play equipment Indian style across from each other. They both avoided each others eyes but slowly they did meet and they began kissing passionately, moving closer to one another. Gently pulling away Buffy sank into Faith, crying softly into her shoulder.
Tears fell from Faith's eyes as well. Quietly Buffy asked the ever daunting question, "What are we gonna do?"
Faith merely shrugged her shoulder slightly. "I dunno..."
The next few weeks went by all too quickly for the two girls. The trial was fast and relatively painless. But their fate was sealed; Faith's uncle would be her legal guardian until she was eighteen.
When the time came, their good-bye was tearful, even for Joyce. Faith made the journey by herself. Once there she wondered how living in the Projects, hundreds of miles away from Buffy was better than living with her abusive and neglectful parents.
Over the next year Faith found herself spending most of her free time hanging around Clark and Belmont Street. Even though it was way on the north side she found her way up from the south side. She finished out the school year in Chicago and that summer found herself a part time job at "The Alley". Great thing about Clark and Belmont was that there was excellent shopping if you shun the Gap and Abercrombie and Fitch.
Occasionally she would travel into Boys Town for some fun. Sometimes she'd smoke pot or drink. During the weekends she would check out cheap concerts at the Metro. She had made friends but it was nothing like what she'd shared with Buffy.
Her uncle was just like her mother. He was unemployed, recently, and neglectful. But Faith couldn't say she minded all that much. She had a job, went to school, got average grades when she applied herself, she ate, and had some extra cash stashed away.
But her existence, which is all it was, was very lonely. She missed Buffy. She'd call but all that'd happened was Buffy would start crying and they'd just be silent. It just wasn't worth it.
A year passed by and at the end of the summer between sophomore and junior year she'd saved up enough money, almost $2000. She decided to run away. Her uncle wouldn't notice she was gone for a few days and that gave her enough time to be halfway across the country to California.
So with a little over three weeks left of summer Faith packed up her things in a duffel bag and jumped on a Greyhound bus back to Sunnydale. She just prayed Buffy hadn't found someone else.
When Faith had finally reached her destination it was the middle of the night. The front or back door was out of the question. She then looked at the tree that reached out to Buffy's window. Slowly she climbed up the tree and jumped off onto the roof.
She squatted in front of Buffy's window and peered in. Only Buffy wasn't in bed as she should be. She heard people coming and ducked down as low as possible without falling. Then Buffy slowly came into view, with another person, a man. Very tall, dark, and handsome. They said good night and kissed.
Faith felt an extreme sadness come upon her. She began climbing down from the roof but she slipped and fell the last ten feet to the ground, into the bushes. Buffy and the man ran over to her, cautious, yet quickly.
"Faith?!" Buffy exclaimed when she realized who it was and helped the girl up.
"Hey B..." Faith said softly then looked at the man.
"Who's this?" the man and Faith said at the exact same time. They both looked to Buffy now.
"Oh...um...Angel, this is Faith. Faith, Angel..." Awkward silence fell upon the three. "Angel why don't you go? I'll see you tomorrow night." Angel merely nodded and left the two girls alone.
"So...who was that? Your boyfriend?" Faith asked quietly.
"Yeah..." Buffy responded. Then she pulled Faith into a hug, one which was awkward and unreturned. "Faith...a lot's changed since you left...okay let's get in the house, it's not safe out here." She went around the house through the back door and they quietly snuck up to Buffy's room.
Faith took a seat on Buffy's bed and the blonde began pacing the room. The brunette looked around; saw some pictures of them from the year before, maybe longer ago. "You gonna tell me what's going on?"
Sighing Buffy sat next to her on the bed, "Okay, I don't know any other way to say this... I'm the vampire slayer, one girl in all the world to fight the demons and the vampires. Life is pretty much slay evil, die young. That guy you saw me with was Angel, a two hundred and fifty year old vampire with a soul."
Faith sat and processed this for about a second before getting up, furious, "How stupid do you think I am Buffy?! You make up some crazy story about vampires and expect me to buy it?!" She stormed out of the Summers' house. Trying not to wake Joyce.
Buffy ran out after her, "Faith! Faith wait, please, it's the truth!" Faith continued to walk down the street, but Buffy quickly caught up with her. She grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her back.
"Let me go damn it!"
Buffy let her arm go and pleaded, "Please...Faith...it's the absolute truth. I could never lie to you," she was on the verge of tears. Faith stopped and watched her for a moment. Buffy continued, "Ya know that saying: absence makes the heart grow fonder? It's true...I never told you before but I love you..."
Faith was in a daze but she realized what was true in her heart. "Oh Buffy..." she walked toward her, taking her in an embrace, "I love you too." Then their lips met in a tender kiss, everything else momentarily forgotten.
When they broke apart Faith was suddenly thrown away from Buffy and to the ground with a sickening thud. Now Buffy was faced with a vampire, a big one. Faith groaned and rolled over onto her side, facing Buffy and the vampire as they fought.
After throwing a series of punches to the vampire's face Buffy pulled out a stake from her jacket and dusted him. Faith couldn't believe her eyes. Buffy rushed over and easily lifted the brunette and carried her back inside the house, up to her room. She gently laid Faith on the bed and checked her for wounds.
"What was that?"
"Vampire."
"So it's all true..." she mused as Buffy stripped her of her jacket and boots. They lay beside each other and Buffy began babbling on, Faith silenced her with a kiss. That night they made love for the first time. It was awkward and clumsy, but no less special.
Later that night Faith snuck back out of the Summers' house with Buffy escorting her. She doubted Mrs. Summers would be impressed finding them in bed together. She'd come back later that day and tell Joyce that she'd been allowed to go on vacation to Sunnydale. Uncle Ray couldn't come because he had to work.
That night, well, actually morning Faith lay in the gross bed at Sunnydale's motel and smiled to herself. She was in love. She knew she'd been gay since she was young, but it wasn't until she went to Chicago did she actually realize it consciously. Pride in June was insane, but also the most fun she'd ever had in her life.
She woke the next day around twelve in the afternoon. She showered, made herself presentable, and walked back to Buffy's house. She stood at the front door and knocked. Joyce opened the door and brightened as soon as she saw Faith. They hugged. "Hey Mrs. S..."
"Faith, wow, what are you doing here?" They separated.
"Vacation. Uncle Ray couldn't come, it was on short notice and he couldn't get off work."
"Aw that's too bad, I would have liked to meet him. But...Oh come on in," Joyce moved and shut the door as Faith walked in. "Buffy!" she yelled up to her daughter. *Oh Buffy will be so pleased* Joyce thought to herself.
Buffy came bounding down the stairs and immediately hugged her tightly. She had to act surprised, Joyce couldn't know about last night. "Hey Faith, what are you doin here?" she pulled back to look at the brunette in the light.
"Vacation, as I was just tellin' your Mom," Faith winked at Buffy so she knew to play along.
"Where are you staying? How long?" Buffy beamed.
"Sunnydale Motel, and I'm not sure," Faith had to think quickly on her feet, something she wasn't good at.
In order to keep Joyce from saying something Buffy cut in, "Oh Mom we can't let her stay in that crumby old motel, can she stay here? Please?" she begged with her best pouty face on.
"Alright," Mrs. Summers nodded and smiled.
"Okay let's go get your stuff!" The two girls left quickly and once out of Joyce's sight they kissed. "Mmm...glad you can stay at the house. But your room is being used for storage so you'll have to stay in my bed," Buffy grinned.
"Oh that's such a tragedy," Faith grinned back and kissed her girl long and deep. They walked back to the motel and got Faith's stuff, paid, and headed back to the house. But as they walked by the Espresso Pump they spied Willow and Xander.
"Hey guys, look whose back!" Buffy exclaimed she sidled up to their table.
"Faith, good to see you," Willow said and got up to hug the younger girl.
"Yeah, so what brings you back to Sunny D?" Xander smiled and hugged her as well.
Taking a seat she said, "Ahh...well I planned on running away for good that'd be pretty difficult to do here. So I guess I'm just visiting," she smiled. "Where's Jesse?"
Buffy, Willow, and Xander got quiet and their faces fell. "He um...died last year..." Xander offered.
"...it's okay guys, she knows...He was killed by a vampire..." Buffy added.
"Oh..." Faith said, "I'm sorry..."
After the awkward moment passed they began chatting about this and that. Catching up. But an hour later Buffy realized her mom was probably worried about her and Faith by now. They said good bye and that they'd meet up later at the Bronze after patrol.
Once Buffy and Faith got back to the house they threw her bag down in a corner and sat on the bed. Before long they were all over each other. It had only been last night they made love but there was urgency between them. The need to touch and be touched.
Clothing was strewn to the floor as they tumbled around on the bed. Buffy flipped them over so she was on top. Their chests heaved as they breathed heavily, both very turned on. Soon pants came off as well and they made passionate love.
Eventually Joyce knocked on the door and told them dinner was soon. They cuddled, basking in the wonderful aftermath. They dressed quickly and went downstairs to eat. Afterward Buffy told Faith she needed to go out. And talk to Angel.
Faith nodded and stayed in the house with Joyce, catching up, as Buffy went out. To break his heart. She headed off to the mansion, unsure of what to say. *Hi Angel I don't love you any more, I'm leaving you for Faith. Not gonna work Buffy* she chided herself.
She let herself in when she got to the large mansion on the hill and found Angel near the fire place, doing Tai Chi, with no shirt on. Buffy felt her knees slightly weaken, he was gorgeous, that was for sure. But she knew deep down things could never work between them. Besides, she had Faith now.
"Hey, Angel..." Buffy said quietly as he stopped what he was doing.
"Hi, Buffy," he grabbed his shirt and put it on, he knew it was awkward.
"I...um....wanted to tell you...that...um...I...d-don't need...help...patrolling tonight..." Buffy stuttered. She felt bad about having to do this and wasn't sure she could. She chastised herself for being such a coward. He wasn't going to start crying or beg for her to come back, he wasn't like that.
"Um...okay..." Angel trailed off, very confused about how Buffy was acting. "Is there something else you needed to tell me?" He took a seat on the couch.
"No...I...um...have to go...Bye," she quickly left. Leaving Angel behind, bewildered by her behavior.
"Bye..." he said quietly to no one after she left.
As Buffy walked back home she mentally berated herself, what was she gonna tell Faith now? She didn't know. So after she let herself back into the house she just decided to keep quiet about it, until someone asked. She just prayed no one would.
"Faith, you ready to go to the Bronze?" Buffy called upstairs.
"Yeah, just a minute," Faith yelled back. When she finally trotted down the stairs Buffy was mesmerized. Faith wore black leather pants that fit her shapely form beautifully and a red button up top, which showed off the top of her breasts nicely.
Buffy couldn't wait to get that off her. "Ready to go B?" she grinned. Noting the blonde's reaction to her outfit. Buffy mumbled something like a yes and they walked out. But she was still staring at Faith, who'd stopped, waiting to be led. "B?"
Buffy snapped out of her reverie, "Sorry, you just look so hot." Faith couldn't help a blush creep up her neck.
"We should get goin..." Faith said, turning to hide her embarrassment. Buffy came up beside her and linked their arms, headed towards one of Sunnydale's cemeteries. Once there they walked around, holding hands, patrolling for vampires. There were only a few, as summer's seemed to always be slow in the evil department.
As Buffy and Faith walked to the Bronze they chatted about this and that. Happy to be together again. Faith went on assuming that Buffy had broken it off with Angel. So they were free to be together. Once there they met up with Willow and Xander. They danced and caught up on everything that went on in Chicago and Sunnydale.
Faith told them about the Alley and how Pride was. Nobody seemed surprised by Faith's confession, they took it in stride. It was no big deal. Afterwards Buffy and Faith left to do one more sweep of the cemetery. Nothing was unusual, just a few vampires.
The next night they did the same, Buffy even took Faith over to see the high school again, not that she missed it much. But it was certainly better than school in Chicago. They spent the next few days bonding, making love, and talking. Life was finally good again for Faith. But she knew she'd have to leave. It'd be hard, but they'd been together again soon.
On Thursday night as they went patrolling though, they were in for a surprise. Buffy heard stone, most likely the concrete of a mausoleum breaking. "Faith stay here, I'll check it out." Faith nodded and stayed where Buffy told her to. She had a clear view of the mausoleum Buffy was going to enter in a minute though, so she could keep an eye on her lover.
Buffy snuck closer to the mausoleum and saw a huge demon tearing it up. He was at least six feet tall, more likely larger, a strange blue colour, that almost crackled with energy, and ugly from what she could tell. "Hey ugly, whatcha lookin for?" The demon turned around and growled fiercely. She readied her sword for attack but he extended his arm and a bolt of energy traveled to Buffy's sword and into her body. It threw her back fifteen feet to the ground with a thud.
"Buffy!" Faith yelled and ran to her girlfriend's side quickly. Buffy wasn't moving, or breathing it seemed. Faith was ready to panic when the demon came charging at her. She had no idea what to do but she grabbed Buffy's sword out of her hand and held it out in front of her. The demon ran straight into it, causing energy to run through the sword again, Faith dropped it quickly enough though and walked away shocked but unhurt.
She moved back to Buffy's side. She checked for a pulse and couldn't find any. "NO!" she cried. *This can't be happening, no! I can't lose her now!* She mentally berated herself for panicking and quickly started CPR on her girlfriend. She breathed into Buffy's mouth and prayed to whoever was listening that Buffy wasn't dead.
Five minutes passed by and still Buffy lay unmoving. Faith put her head down on Buffy's chest to listen for a heart beat. There was nothing. "No!" she yelled and kept up the chest compressions and breathing. Suddenly the small blonde coughed and began to wake up. "Buffy! You're alive!"
"More or less...ugh. What happened?" she tried sitting up but it was too difficult. She lay back down and looked up at Faith.
"That demon, he was using some kind of energy. The sword conducted it and it shocked you. I...I dunno...god I'm so glad you're alive," Faith hugged Buffy tightly.
"Oww...Faith let go a bit please..." Immediately Faith apologized and lessened her hold on Buffy. They both smiled, relieved that everything was now okay.
"Can you walk?" Faith asked as she tried helping Buffy up.
Buffy stumbled and Faith tried holding her up. "That would be a no..." Since the brunette couldn't exactly carry Buffy back home she let Buffy lean most of her weight on her and they hobbled back to the Summers' residence. Luckily it was after twelve so Joyce wouldn't be up to notice their arrival.
When they got in the house Buffy was able to walk a bit better and made her way up the stairs to her room. There was no first aid that could help her so she took some aspirin and she and Faith curled up to sleep. "That was really close...thought I lost you..." Faith trailed off sadly, tears in her eyes.
"I know baby...I know..." Buffy tried comforting Faith as best she could. She knew she almost died, maybe she did. But Faith had saved her. The petite blonde couldn't believe how lucky she was. She knew her Willow and Xander would have done the same for her, but Faith knew almost nothing of vampires and demons.
There were two days left until school began for the girls and Faith had to leave. She'd be forced to deal with Uncle Ray as well, which wasn't going to go nicely. But she didn't care, she had finally gotten Buffy. She smiled to herself as she packed up her stuff and got in the car with Buffy and Joyce.
Once at the bus station Faith hugged Joyce, "Thanks again Mrs. S. I really appreciate everything you've done for me." Joyce smiled back and nodded. She left the girls to say good bye and told Buffy she'd wait in the car.
"I don't want you to go..." Buffy said softly while staring at her feet.
"I don't want to either...But I have to. It'll be okay B; we'll see each other again real soon." Faith pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her softly.
"I gotta go baby, remember I love you," she smiled sadly and kissed her again.
"Bye..." Buffy began crying softly as Faith walked out the door and boarded her bus. After the bus left the blonde stood there staring at nothing, finally her tears subsiding. She collected herself and went outside and got back in the car to go home.
School started and vampires, demons, and other evil beings came and went. Buffy and Faith stayed in sparse contact. The brunette was changing addresses almost constantly so she could only send one way letters. And they didn't have a phone. Her uncle didn't make enough money for that.
A few weeks later Faith was at a friend's house and was able to use the phone to call Buffy. When she called the house Joyce picked up. "Hi, Faith. You're looking for Buffy? Well she's not home right now, I believe she's with that boy, Angel, I think his name was."
Faith began to fume. How could Buffy do this to her? She'd assumed the blonde had broken it off with Angel that day she was there and left her and Joyce alone. "Alright, um...just don't tell her I called okay?" she tried keeping the anger out of her voice. "Bye Joyce," she said quickly and hung up before she exploded.
"That bitch!" she yelled. Damon looked up from his guitar and passed the joint to Tom.
"What's up?" he asked.
"Buffy...my girlfriend...wait make that ex-girlfriend. She's been cheating on me. How could I have been so fuckin stupid?" she sighed and plopped down next to Julie.
"Aw it's okay Faith, right guys?" Damon said as he passed Faith the joint and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Everyone else in the room nodded and gave words of encouragement, some cursing Buffy.
Back in Sunnydale Buffy got back from patrolling with Angel and they said good bye. The slayer had broken it off a few days after Faith left. She couldn't avoid Angel any more and she had to put him down as gently as possible. Not lead him on. He took it hard, he brooded more than usual, which was a lot. But there was nothing she could do.
Time went on and Buffy heard nothing from Faith. Usually she got letters, their only form of communication but they were no more. She wondered if something had happened to Faith. She worried almost constantly. But soon something else would come along that would change her focus to more serious issues.
Three vampires by the names of Darla, Spike, and Drusilla had come into town and claimed ownership. It seemed to Buffy as if all other demon activity had been put on hold. Giles and the gang got busy on research and found some very disturbing information. Darla was Angelus' sire, Drusilla was driven mad by Angelus before being turned, and she then sired Spike.
For Angel this was an awful reminder of his past. They were now a dangerous trio, which if he hadn't been cursed with a soul, been an almost unstoppable foursome. They knew their history, but not their plans for the future. Buffy needed to find some information, she'd decided to keep patrolling and threatening vampires for info.
One night while Buffy was patrolling with Giles she was fighting a vampire when suddenly a dark skinned woman jumped in and dusted the vampire. Buffy was taken aback and once the dust settled she asked, "Hey, I didn't want him dusted yet. Who are you?"
"I'm Kendra, the vampire slayer," she said in a Jamaican accent.
"Huh? I'm the only vampire slayer," Buffy get ready to fight. This chick was insane. There was only one slayer and she was it.
"Then you must be Buffy. And this must be Mr. Giles," she nodded to acknowledge the Watcher's presence. "My Watching Mr. Daniels wanted me to say hello."
Giles couldn't help a smile, "Well that's nice to know. But...Buffy, when did you die?"
"I didn't! I don't know what she's talking about! I'm the only slayer."
"Not anymore," Kendra added.
Giles sighed, "Think Buffy, when could you possibly have died?"
"Hey I think I'd know if I died! Wait..." she thought a moment, "While Faith was here...I got attacked by some kind of demon. He threw some kind of energy at me...Faith said she couldn't feel a pulse. It must have stopped my heart," she mused.
"I do suppose that would explain it..." Giles took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Let's not stand here all night, we can patrol and Kendra you can explain why you're here."
They began walking through the cemetery again. "My Watcher was in contact with a coven of witches. They felt a dark power rising here in Sunnydale, and they sent me to help," the second slayer explained.
"Ah yes, that would be Darla, Spike, and Drusilla. It's a good thing you've come, now where is Mr. Daniels?"
"He's at the motel, he had some business with the Council to take care of. This has all come up fast, I've only been a slayer for a month. We haven't had much time for training but since the need for more help here was dire they sent me."
"The situation is not dire..." Buffy grumbled. She thought she had this all under control. Even though she was afraid of the vampire trio she thought she could handle it. Seemed everyone else thought otherwise. Later that night they went to the Sunnydale Motel to meet Kendra's Watcher Mr. Daniels.
The next day Buffy went to Willy's bar, a local haunt for vampires and demons. If you beat him up he could be a great source of information. Given that he heard all the talk of the demons in his bar. Kendra accompanied Buffy on the trip.
Soon as the slayers entered the bar all the patrons started to get up and leave. "Nobody move or you're dead." Everyone stopped and sat back down, tense. Waiting to make a run for it if the slayers went for them. "Willy, there you are," Buffy addressed him, pulling him up from under the counter. "I need some information."
"Please, slayer, don't hurt me, I don't know anything," he pleaded.
"Sure, if you don't tell us what you know about Darla, Spike, and Dru or I start killing your cliental and your business goes down the drain."
"Alright alright, put me down." She did and he straightened himself out. "They're in a warehouse down by the docks. I've heard the demons in here talkin' about them finally bringing hell to earth. Making it the way it was in the beginning."
"You wouldn't mind that would you? Get more patrons, make more money," Buffy added.
"Please slayer that's all I know, really."
"Alright, let's go Kendra."
"A...hey slayer...whose your friend?"
Buffy looked back at him and glared, "Another slayer if you needed to know."
He started mumbling in confusion as they left but just in case he didn't believe them Kendra moved over to a table and punched it into two pieces with her bare fist. Leaving no doubt in Willy or the other demons and vampires as they left.
Soon all the demon world would know that there were two slayers in town. But it wouldn't faze the trio. Spike had killed two slayers, Drusilla killed herself one, and no one knew how many Darla had, she wasn't one to brag.
Over the next week Kendra and Buffy trained hard with their Watchers. Not leaving much time for anything else, like school. But the world was depending on them so school could wait. Things were getting out of hand.
Darla loved to play games, as did Dru. And Spike loved the violence. Every night the bleach blonde vampire would go out and kill someone, and then leave the dead body on Buffy's front lawn. The gang was beginning to panic as the vampire trio formed a plan to bring hell on Earth. To bring back the demon's who first ran the world. As it should have been.
Not only did they torment Buffy, Darla tormented Angel as well. She came to him in his dreams, she followed him, invaded his every thought through magic. It was driving him crazy, just the way he'd driven Drusilla crazy as a mortal girl. One night he could take it no longer and made his way over to the old warehouse to kill them. But it was a big mistake, this all was planned and they ambushed him. Torturing him slowly and eventually dusting him.
Darla made sure to send Buffy a condolence card. Which had a picture of Angel bleeding and bruised, along with the words "Sorry For Your Loss" and the word 'not' scribbled in front of it. It made Buffy want to be sick.
The next day Buffy met Giles at the library with the rest of the gang. They knew they didn't have much information on how and when the vampire trio planned to bring hell to Earth. But Buffy couldn't take much more of this. Giles couldn't blame her either. She took Angel's loss hard. She'd still loved him, just not the way he would have liked.
The plan was to later that night go to the mansion, that they'd now taken over, and finish this once and for all. Giles, Mr. Daniels, and Kendra met at Buffy's house, Joyce was out on a gallery trip, and they headed over to the mansion together. Everyone was silent. This wasn't going to be an easy fight by any means.
They snuck in through the back door and found five other vampires with the trio. Body guards most likely. They were all circled around Darla, who was standing over some pedestal saying something in another language. Mixing something in a bowl. Spell ingredients for something. And by the looks of it, it was important.
"Kendra and I will take out Darla, Spike, and Dru. You two will get the other vampires. Try not to let anyone leave," Buffy said quiet but determined. As soon as Buffy gave the signal Darla turned and threw a ball of energy at them. Incapacitating then.
"Well hello slayer," Darla chuckled. "You're lucky, you all have a front row seat to the end of the world. Spike, be a dear and take their weapons."
"No problem," Spike smirked and unarmed the group of would-be heroes, then threw the weapons into the fire. Leaving the group completely helpless. Almost...
...continued in part 21...