The Dawning
by Hose Jockey 20
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I make no money. All hail Joss and his band of mutants.
Spoilers: About S5 or so...
Author's Notes: I got bored, and I was talking to a friend on MSN, and she gave
me a challenge: write a story with Buffy and Faith finally getting together, and having Dawn
and Giles in cheerleading outfits. And you guys know me. Not one to back from a challenge.
So this is the outcome.
Thanks: All the people who read my stuff and gave feedback. You know who you are.
Dedication: Meh... I’ve no idea. To my friends and family, I guess.
Feedback: Please!
“So B, what we doin tonight?” asked Faith, lying on the couch in Buffy and Dawn’s house.
“To be honest, I’ve got no clue. Patrol, but after that...”
“Go to the Bronze?”
“Sure. I just have to get some cleaning done before Dawn gets home.”
“Yunno, you really should make the kid take some responsibility. I mean, she is a high schooler now. But that’s just my opinion.”
Buffy gave it some thought, and finally decided Faith was right. Ever since the former rogue was released from prison, she’d been helpful in anything from renovating the Magic Box, to patrolling, even to raising Dawn. Faith had finally grown up, Buffy realized. And she’d realized something else. She was in love with the brunette.
“You know what? You’re right, Fai. Right as always.”
“Fai?” asked the younger, obviously amused.
“If you can call me ‘B,’ then I can call you ‘Fai,’” declared the elder. “What, you don’t like?”
“Did I say that? I kinda like it, B. It has class.”
“I’m glad you think so,” replied Buffy. “I’m gonna call Giles and see if he’ll come and keep an eye on Dawn while we’re gone.”
“What, she’s not coming with us?” asked Faith in obvious surprise.
“No, I think you and I need some quality bonding time.”
“Riiight,” said a confused brunette.
“... and I want your room picked up by the time we get back, young lady.”
“Aw, Buffy,” whined Dawn. She was not happy. Not only did she not get to go patrolling or to the Bronze, she had to clean the house on top of it!
“And no whining! You’re a teenager, start acting like one,” scolded Buffy. Faith just stood by the door with Giles, obviously amused. This wasn’t exactly what she had in mind, but she was enjoying the show.
“But Buffy, I have homework!”
“What homework?”
“I have some new routines to practice for cheerleading.”
“After you finish with the housework, have at it. But I want this place in decent shape by the time we get back. C’mon Faith, let’s patrol.”
“Alright, let’s do this, girlfriend.”
“And thanks for coming over, Giles. I really appreciate it.”
"It’s my pleasure, Buffy. Now go patrol while I do some research. May I use your computer?"
“Of course. And you have free reign of anything in the house tonight.”
“Thank you,” replied the former Watcher.
The two Slayers left, leaving Dawn and Giles to their respective activities.
“Man, that was boring as all Hell,” complained Faith. “Only two lousy vamps. Hell, I coulda staked more shit in the clink.”
“Yeah, it was unusually slow tonight,” observed Buffy. The two were done patrolling, and were en route to the Bronze to relax. “It’s funny how that works, ain’t it?”
“What? The fact that we throw down with some big bad, beat the shit outta it, and all evil stops for about a month?”
“Yep. That’s exactly what I’m talking about. I guess the whole undead community is still in shock over how you and I defeated Glory. I’m still glad they let you out so we could fight that together.”
“Hell, even if they hadn’t let my ass out I woulda came anyway, B. You know how big ass shit like that gets me pumpin.”
“So you woulda broken out of prison just for me? I’m touched.”
“Well, you know me, B,” Faith replied with a grin. “Always doin shit for the people I like. I’m a regular martyr.”
“So you like me?” asked Buffy in mock surprise. Inwardly her heart jumped. Did Faith feel the same?
“You know I do, B. You and the big A helped me out a lot while I was in prison. Besides, that slayer thing. It’s kinda hard to ignore it, yunno?”
“I know what you mean,” mused Buffy.
They got to the Bronze with no further deep discussion, instead sticking to light banter. Unbeknownst to each other, both girls were wondering the same thing: how the other would react to their declaration of love.
“So here we are, B. Dance with me?”
“You know it.”
The two made their way out to the dance floor, where the speakers were blaring out DJ Panda’s “Energizer,” and started moving to the beat. 70 minutes later, the song ended, and the two went to take a rest. Most of the male population on the dance floor was disappointed, as the slayers were putting on quite a show. The raw energy they’d built up for slaying was exerted in their movements. Both anger and frustration were released in an intense display of dancing.
“That was fun,” commented Buffy as they sat together on the couch, sipping water.
“Yeah, it sure as hell was,” replied Faith.
“You tired?” asked Buffy with a glint in her eyes.
“Hell no!”
“Round two?”
“Ding ding.”
They made their way back out to the dance floor, arm in arm, and showed off moves the people there had never dreamed about. Slayer agility at its best, and most provocative. The two decided to take another break, and re-hydrate. It was Faith’s turn to go get the water, and she happily complied.
En route to the bar, she got lost in her deep thoughts about the blonde sitting over on the couch she’d just left. Faith knew exactly how she felt about Buffy, but it scared the piss out of her. The former rogue had had some serious trust issues in her past, namely whenever she opened up to somebody that person always hurt her. So she’d learned to put up mental walls whenever she felt it was necessary. Kinda like a barrier between herself and any potential pain or rejection. The only problem was that her walls broke down around Buffy.
“Well, I guess it had to happen sometime,” she thought out loud. “Sucks that I picked such a no-go for it, though.”
“A no-go for what?” asked Buffy.
“Huh? I thought you were back at the couch?”
“I was, but I had to come see what was taking you so long. Thought you ran into a vamp or something.”
“Nah, I was just thinkin.”
“So you never answered me. A no-go for what?”
This was the moment of truth for the former rogue. Should she just play it off, or take this as an opportunity to finally spill her guts? She opted for the former instead of the latter.
“Nothin.”
“Your ass. Tell me.”
_Well, there went ‘Plan A.’_ thought the brunette. _On to 'Plan B.' What’s ‘Plan B?’_
“Umm... can we go outside for this, B?”
“Okay, I guess.”
“Let’s motor.”
The two girls headed outside, and were greeted with the cool, crisp night air. They breathed deeply, satisfied with the fresh oxygen heading to their lungs. The duo stopped in a dark alley, and they both tensed. Not because of fear, but because of the task at hand.
“So...” started Buffy.
“Okay. I guess I ain’t got much of a choice in this anymore, do I?” asked Faith.
“Nope. So what is it?”
“B... Buffy. This is gonna take all the courage I got. But just hear me out.”
“Okay.”
“I’ve... I think... there’s something I have to tell you but I can’t find the words,” sighed Faith. This stuff was never her specialty.
“Oh? That’s funny, because there’s something I need to tell you, too.”
“Okay. How bout you go while I try to find words that aren’t as fucked up as I am.”
“No, this is your time, and I don’t want to take that from you. You go ahead.”
“No, you go.”
“You.”
“I’m asking you to go, B. Please?” She turned her brown eyes on the blonde, and Buffy melted under their gaze.
“Fine. I’ll go. But I just have to ask you something.”
Faith sighed in response and made a “go-ahead” motion with her hands.
“Did I ever tell you how I think that you are the most beautiful lady on the planet?”
Faith’s eyes widened in surprise, and she shook her head no.
“Really? I must be slipping then. So I guess it’s safe to assume that I never told you that I couldn’t love you any more than I already do?”
“Pretty safe assumption,” replied a stunned Faith.
“Hmm, there must be something I can do to make it up to you,” she whispered as she came within inches of the brunette’s face, cupping her cheek with her hand.
"Um, B? This is kinda-"
She was cut off by the blonde pressing her lips against hers, tentatively at first. Faith’s tongue gently pressed against Buffy’s lips, which she eagerly parted. The kiss was exploratory, and filled with passion. Faith gave a disappointed moan when the blonde broke the kiss off.
“So what was it you wanted to tell me, Faith?” asked Buffy suggestively.
“Simply this: I’m in love with you, Buffy.”
“That’s good, ‘cause I happen to be in love with you also.”
“Um, that’s a good thing.”
“Yes, it is. So now what?”
“Home. Bed. Oops, did I say that out loud?” asked Faith with a mischievous smile on her lips.
“Yes you did. But I’m not arguing,” replied Buffy. “Let’s go.”
The pair walked into Buffy’s house hand in hand, and immediately noticed the lack of both Giles and Dawn.
“Hmm, this doesn’t look good,” muttered Faith.
“No, it doesn’t. Giles? Dawn?”
“Oh bloody hell!” yelled the former Watcher from upstairs.
The pair looked at each other and sprinted upstairs, only to find both Dawn and Giles in cheerleading outfits.
“Oh. My. God,” was all Buffy could say. Faith however, was laughing her ass off.
“Wha-what in the hell?” she sputtered between fits of laughter.
“Um, yes, well, the thing is...” Giles trailed off, his face showing colors the girls had never seen before.
“He lost a bet to me, so I made him help with my routines,” Dawn grinned evilly. “The skirt thing was all my idea... we watched ‘Bring It On’ earlier, too.”
“You mean the movie with the hot brunette in it?” asked both girls at the same time.
Dawn and Giles gave them both a look, while the two slayers exploded into a fit of giggles.
“Er, um, I think it’s best that I be going at this point,” said a clearly embarrassed Giles.
He went into the bathroom to get changed, and Faith congratulated the younger Summers.
“That was wicked funny, D!”
“Wanna know the best part?”
“There’s something even better than that? Lay it on me!”
Dawn produced a Polaroid picture from her underwear drawer, of Giles in his cheer outfit doing the splits. As soon as Faith saw it, she lost it, laughing uncontrollably. Buffy’s reaction was much the same when she saw the picture.
A cough brought their attention to the doorway. Giles was there, back in his tweed suit.
“Um, I don’t really know why I’m saying this, but can we keep this between ourselves?"
“Sure G-man, as long as we get a free show outta this!” Faith said.
“Erm... I have no clue what to say at this point, so I think I’ll be on my way.” He scurried down the stairs and out the front door in record time, leaving the three girls in hysterics once again.
“Yeah, I think I should be goin too, B,” Faith said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “It’s gettin kinda late.”
“Stay with me?” asked Buffy.
“Well...” Faith pretended to consider it, while in reality, she’d already jumped at the opportunity. “Okay. But I don’t wanna be in the way or nothin.”
“Never. You’ll never be in the way, Faith. I love you, unconditionally. And you can stay here for as long as you want, too. I don’t want you spending another night in that roach motel. Starting tomorrow, you’re living here. We’ll pick your stuff up from there first thing in the morning.”
“But...” Faith started to argue, started to say that the motel was the only place where she belonged, but stopped when she realized it was a lie. She hated it there. “Okay. I guess this is home now. Thanks, B.”
“No, thank you. You’ve made my dream come true. Let’s go to bed.”
Faith nodded, as Buffy led her to their room. Dawn looked as they left her room, noting that the two had forgot she was there.
‘Faith’s living here now? This is gonna be so cool!’ she thought as she shut the door.
And as time would prove, she was right. The two Slayers got married, and got old enough to retire. They lived the rest of their natural lives and their afterlife together in happiness.