Another Time, Another Day
by KC Hights
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All characters belong to WB and now UPN. I don't own
anything, I'm poor too, so please don't sue me.
Author's Notes: Just wanna say a quick thanks to Shamrock, Tera, Phil for
supporting me, and my baby Mal for inspiring me, and breaking me free
from writer's block - I love you sweetie. For Anne, CJ, Em,
Rochelle, Steven, Sway, and the rest of the OT gang, I miss you all,
and it feels damn good to be writing again.
Feedback: Please oh PLEASE!! Yes I'm still begging. Feedbacks are
what the fanfic writers crave like a drug.
[16:05, Saturday]
The moldy cell reeked of piss and rotten things that I couldn't quite place my nose on. I lay on the bunk, on the stained rug of rusty metal and dried blood where I've spent the past waking hours just waiting. Waiting to find out the truth of what happened five days ago, waiting for some kind of reassurance that I...wasn't the one who killed Buffy Anne Summers.
Five years ago, I committed a crime that left my hands unclean. A careless act of mine ended the life of a man, and awakened the demon that resided within me. Buffy, whose name I've reduced to a single syllable "B", was there when it happened. Though I couldn't quite recall, which was it - the murder itself or the obvious expression of disgust and disapproval from B that unleashed the raging beast within.
Growing up South in an abusive family influenced my sarcastic and defensive character, which seemed to have provoked a sense of responsibility in my fellow sympathetic slayer. It is a heart-breaking fact that I've devoted most of my energy trying to convince myself of the slightest possibility that her concerns for me were more than just pity.
Before the little `accident' I was almost certain of the chemistry between us. The way she danced and pressed her body onto mine revealed a similar obsession and frustration that I've intentionally kept hidden at the back of my mind. The occasional touch of her hand on my back, and the smell of her hair in my face as we danced intimately, was a slow, but sweet torture.
But my mistake altered what I could have had, or so I had been convinced at the moment.
For a while after that, I became B's biggest nemesis. I set out with the intention to harm and destroy everything she had. What justified my actions was the obvious jealousy I felt when I realized that she would kill for Angel, that she would kill ME for Angel. And so this so-called jealousy eventually intensified and manifested itself into anger and hatred, which didn't subside one bit after eight-months in a coma that she had gracefully granted me.
The distant mumbles followed by the sound of footsteps caught my attention as the familiar voice of my salvation entered through the gates.
"Why did you do it, Faith?" He whispered as he stopped directly in front of me, our distance separated only by that of the bars of the tiny cell.
"I didn't kill her. You out of all people should believe me."
"Then tell me what happened. Tell me why they said they found your fingerprints on the murder weapon and traces of you all over the crime scene." Angel burst out, his hands clung onto the cold metal bars as he urged me to answer.
"I can't tell you what I don't remember. All I know is that I didn't kill B."
"I just want to know the truth." He said coldly, but there was an unexpected calm in his voice.
"So do I. And I'm telling you it wasn't me. Angel, listen to me. You're the one who saved me, who believed in me when everyone else didn't. You saved my soul. The path to redemption is a rocky road. Remember? From that point on I swore to you that I would do anything to keep myself out of trouble, and most of all, keep myself away from here, from this jail. I know B and I have been having a rough time lately, but trust me, I would never do something like this."
"That's not up to me to decide."
"Angel-"
"Hey," the officer in charge shouted as he entered the room along with four other guards. "Sorry to interrupt," he continued and nodded politely at Angel, "It's time to get going. Court's order, we're transferring her to maximum security."
I watched them as they placed the cuffs on me and pushed me a step forward, commanding me to move.
A team of police officers along with Angel escorted me out and onto the streets of Los Angeles. I inhaled deeply and was relieved to be granted some fresh air. I looked up and saw a crowd of curious citizens that I'd managed to gather. No more than thirty of them were already jam-packed on the narrow path leading to the police car that was located not so far from the building.
The news reporters greeted me as soon as I walked out; flashing their cameras at me, and hollering out numerous questions that I couldn't possibly comprehend, never mind answer.
As I took another step forward under the protection of Angel, I caught a glimpse of Xander who stood in the crowd with anger written all over his face. I opened my mouth and attempted to shout at him in hopes of persuading him of my innocence. But I watched in that brief second as he took out a pistol and fired at me.
Once, twice, three times. The loud bang echoed in my ears as I began to lose control of my legs and fell back. I choked and gasped for air and felt my lungs fail at my request. The sharp pain in my chest had forbidden me to do what was necessary among the living. Angel was holding onto me now, I could feel his arms around my body. As my vision began to fade, I distinctly noticed the sorrow on his face and smiled at the thought of being grieved by him.
And then there was nothing but darkness.
[Flashback]
"...I love you Faith."
I watched as the tears came flowing from her eyes, her lips mouthed those words that were barely audible. I held her tightly in my arms, letting her blood soak through my shirt, knowing that this would be the last.
"I love you too..."
She closed her eyes slowly as if she was falling asleep and I felt her relax against my hold.
I didn't cry.
The silence filled the room. I kissed her softly on the forehead and then allowed myself to rest my head against hers as I rocked her gently in my arms.
I shut my eyes open and gasped for air, agonizing over the constriction within my chest. But it was when I brought my hand over my heart did I noticed I wasn't bandaged, nor was I lying in a hospital. Oddly enough, I was in the same cell that they've locked me, sleeping on the same bunk with the same foul smell, and suffocating over the pain that wasn't even there.
Confused by what I could and couldn't remember, I sat up quickly and called for the guard who stood at the end of the hall.
The approaching footsteps came to a rest once they'd reached outside my cell. A largely built woman with blond hair stared at me impatiently as she waited for me to speak.
I opened my mouth but was unaware of what exactly that I wanted to ask. She looked at me and sighed before she said, "Are you just nervous? Your trial isn't up for another hour. Why don't you get some more rest, huh?"
I paused for a brief second and was unable to process what I'd just heard. The trial. The trial was held this afternoon, and I was to be transferred to maximum security.
"Hold on a minute," I caught her just before she turned her back on me.
"Look, I ain't got all day, what do you want?"
"What day is it today? Saturday? Sunday? Or what?"
"It's Friday, August 10th. What's gotten into you?" and with that said the guard walked away.
I watched her disappear out of my sight as if I had failed to comprehend a single word she had just said. No, it couldn't possibly be true; I was killed, shot in the chest twice. But why did this all feel like some kind of déjà vu?
[Flashback]
Panting, she pivoted on the spot and swung her leg into a full motion sidekick, knocking down the vampire behind her.
"B," I called for the older slayer and tossed the stake at her just in time for her to dust the second vampire.
I held up my arm and blocked another left hook from the vamped biker in front of me. Pushing his arm to the side and quickly sliding forward, I reached for the stake in my back pocket and drove it into his chest. I watched as the nasty-looking vampire turned into a pile of dust.
"Thanks Faith."
I looked over my shoulder and saw the now grinning slayer walking towards me. She had the same beautiful smile she wore the very first time I laid my eyes on her.
"Man, I guess I was really lucky that you came along huh. How did you happen to come along? I thought you were staying over at Giles' tonight."
"I erm, I couldn't sleep, and I know those vamps'd follow me right to Sunnydale," I shrugged, and avoided looking at her eyes. "I ran into them the first night I was released from ja..." my voice fell and I never finished the word.
Jail. That was where I was for the past three years. I looked down at my feet, sighing softly as the silence between us grew loud.
Maybe coming back to here wasn't such a great idea after all.
She spoke first; the gentleness in her voice surprised me. But then again, it didn't. When I arrived early this morning, Buffy and the old gang welcomed me like never before. I guess the years did a lot for all of us.
"Faith," she said my name softly, reaching a hand over to my shoulder as she took a step closer, "it's all in the past now. That night when you...I mean, we both know it was an accident. And I know I've never said this to you before but, I'm sorry I hadn't been a good friend when you needed me..."
Slowly lifting my head, I met her gaze, her emerald eyes captivated me intensely, and I could no longer deny that Buffy was the sole reason for my existence.
Three years and there was not a single day hadn't I regretted what I'd done wrong, not a single night where I didn't miss her. That look in her eyes, the sound of her voice, her smile, her touch, if only she knew the time we spent together was the best time of my life, if only she could ever love me back. And here I was trying to fool myself.
I stood there without a word, and she continued.
"...and then Angel made me realize that I'd been way too harsh on you before," she inhaled deeply. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, Faith," she paused and lightly squeezed my shoulder, "I'd like it very much if we could start things over."
[11:47, Friday]
I spent the next hour in silence, my mind racing with thoughts. I glanced over to see a spider crawling on the toilet bowl under the dim light. The black spider had cast a web between the sink and the corner of the cell and for no particular reasons that single creature had my attention.
I didn't notice when the two guards arrived outside my cell. The butch blond whom I had met a while ago returned with another guard beside her. They unlocked the door and proceeded to cuff me.
It was time for judgment, I scoffed, and I'd never thought it'd be here so soon.
...to be continued...