Back to the Old Playground
by Kigga
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I obviously don't own these characters...and if I did, the show wouldn't be on public television. *evil laugh* Joss gets all the credit for that.
Spoilers: Uhh, it's just my thoughts about what's gonna happen when Faith comes back to Sunny D.
Notes: The italics are Faith's thoughts, btw.
Feedback: Please, I'd love to hear what you think. Be honest though, you won't hurt my feelings, only help my writing.
She walked up the stairs and rang the doorbell.
I had been here before. It was Christmas...man that was a while ago. I can't believe it's been that long. What am I gonna say when I see you? What am I gonna--
"Faith?"
"Oh, hey B. Sorry, I'm a little out of it. How are you? How are things here? Everything going well? Anything--"
"Fath, calm down. It's just me," she reached out and gently stroked her arm trying to get her to relax.
Why did she do that? It only made me get more nervous and giddy.
She tried to think of a good way to end this moment...not that she wanted it to but it brought back too many memories...it was too painful.
"Hey, can I get a tour of the house?"
Buffy dropped her hands.
"Nothing's changed. Just lots of potential slayers sleeping in all the empty space we could possibly find."
"Potentials...right. Will was filling me in on some stuff but I could use a recap."
"Well here's how it is--"
Her voice, hearing it again was amazing. It had been so long since I had seen or heard her for that matter. I missed her. I missed what she did to me, how she made me feel, and I guess most of all I miss the good times we had together. "The good times that made us laugh outweigh the bad..." I hope me being here again means we don't have to say goodbye to yesterday...maybe we'll get to see forever.
"...so then Spike and I brought them all to..."
I wonder what she's told the rest of them about me...she seemed surprised to see me so maybe she didn't have time to give them the speech yet. It would be interesting to hear what she had to say now, after some time had gone by.
"...then we walked upstairs and found Chloe had hung herself."
Now this she had heard.
"Excuse me? She hung herself?"
"Yeah, it was horrible. I guess she couldn't take the pressure. It's been tough around here lately. This whole First Evil thing isn't just another evil that we're gonna annihilate. We're all sort of trying to deal with that thought in the back of our minds that we're not all gonna make it out of here alive."
"I definitely know what that's like..." Faith looked away, with a pained expression on her face.
"I'm sorry."
What? Did she just apologize to me? Did she just apologize to me? What for?
"What for? What are you sorry for?"
Buffy paused, realizing that she didn't really want Faith to know what she meant. "Nothing, don't worry about it. How was LA?"
"You always were a horrible subject changer." Faith rolled her eyes, "Come on, what are you sorry for? I've never heard you apologize to anyone before...especially not me..." Again she looked away.
"Hey Buffy, where should I put this--" he paused as he caught sight of Faith sitting on the couch. "This must be Faith?"
"Oh yeah I'm sorry." Buffy stood up. "Faith this is Spike, Spike, Faith."
"Nice to meet you, heard lots about you."
Spike gave her a skeptical look. "What's this one been saying?"
"Oh, only good things." Faith nodded reassuringly.
Spike rolled his eyes and continued with his earlier sentence. "Where should I put this now?"
"On the counter in the kitchen. Hey, I'm gonna go take a walk with Faith. We'll be back in a bit."
Buffy pulled Faith out the door before she even had a chance to object.
"Uhh, where we going B? And what was that all about? It seemed a bit awkward in there...."
"It's just...it's nothing. I just wanted to come out and...get some fresh air."
They walked for a while in silence. Neither of them knowing the right thing to say or do to break the silence.
"Faith?"
"Yes?"
"I was just wondering what it was like..."
Being away from you? Horrible.
"What what was like?"
"The whole prison thing. I don't wanna push but three years without you...I'm just curious about things."
"Oh, I've sort of tried to forget about that. I don't really know what to say about it. After all, it was prison, not exactly peachy, you know?"
"Right, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked..."
"Nah, don't worry about it. It's not a problem, just not sure what you want to hear."
Buffy chuckled, "Me neither."
"We're home!" Buffy yelled as they walked into the house again.
"Oh hey Buffy. We were wondering where you were," Willow said. Faith stepped up next to Buffy, and into Will's line of vision. "Ah, hello Faith."
I wanted to laugh so much, but I couldn't let them know I did this on purpose. This self-control wasn't like me at all. I wished that I could just reach out and hold B's hand...I had forgotten what this need felt like. I had forgotten the amazing self-control it took to even stand next to her.
"What did you need Will?" Buffy inquired notcing that she was staring at Faith.
"Oh umm, nothing in particular. Just wondering where you had gone." Another, much younger, brunette walked up next to Will and grasped her hand.
"What's going on guys? Who's this?" Kennedy said.
"Oh right, you two haven't met yet. Kennedy, this is Faith. Faith, this is Kennedy."
Faith smirked. "Nice to meet you. Will has so much to say about you."
Kennedy blushed and looked at Willow. "What could you possibly have to say about me?"
Nice to meet you, too.
"Well, we'll leave you two alone. Come on Faith, we've got lots to do."
Buffy's room was usually being occupied by tons of other potentials but at the moment, it was empty. They were sitting on her bed, reminiscing about "the old days".
"God, I've missed you B."
"You what?"
Faith chuckled at the stunned look on Buffy's face.
"I've missed you. I didn't really know if I should say that or not. I'm not a big on talking about my feelings but I thought you should know."
"I...I'm...well...I'm speechless. I never thought I'd hear you say that. Not to me."
"Guess I'm just full of surprises." Faith smirked.
"I guess so." There was a silence that was not exactly awkward but almost as if it was waiting for someone to speak. "I...I missed you too."
"Wow...speaking of surprises..." They both laughed. "Now there's something I think we both never thought we'd hear." Faith said, winking. They sat there for a while just savoring the moment. Finally, Buffy decided to break the silence.
"Thank you."
Anytime, hun.
"No, thank you."
Kennedy burst through the door, not knowing that the slayers were having a deep moment together. "Oh, I'm sorry did I interrupt something."
"No, it's fine. Don't worry about it." Buffy said hurridly. "We were just leaving anyways." They got up and walked out. As Faith passed Kennedy she gave her a look as if to say "Watch it young'en." Kennedy just stared at them as they walked down the stairs.
"You can change in my room or the bathroom, whichever you feel more comfortable with."
More comfortable? We're talking about changing in your house, B. Nowhere's exactly comfortable.
"Uhh, yeah I'm fine right here." Faith said with her clothes in her hand.
"Alright, I'll leave you alone then."
Aww, come on, you don't have to.
Faith seemed to be the last one to come down the stairs because everyone was congregated by the door, waiting to leave.
"We all here now?" Buffy said.
"Think so," Kennedy replied. Faith shot her a look but quickly remembered that she was supposed to be nice...besides, this other girl was the last thing on her mind. Kennedy, Will, Buffy, Dawn, Xander, Anya and Faith were all going out to dinner. Andrew and Spike were to stay there and watch the others. With the arrival of Faith, they departed. Spike closed the door behind them.
"Alright now, I'll be downstairs. Don't bother me."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Rona mumbled under her breath. Andrew walked into the room, juggling a huge stack of dusty boxes.
"Hey guys, you wanna play a board game?"
"Sure." "Alright." "Which games are there?"
"Uhhh, count me out." Spike continued walking towards the basement door.
"No, come on! It'll be fun!" They all urged him to stay. He wasn't quite sure why, but he liked the fact that they wanted him there. He walked back into the living room.
"Alright, one game."
"...and I'll have the house salad with the vinnegrette dressing please."
"Okay, I'll have the drinks right out and the food should be here in about 15 to 20 minutes."
"Thank you very much," Faith said handing the menus to the waiter.
"When did these manners come along?"
"I guess it just all comes with the part. I'm supposed to be good now, remember?"
"Ohh, right." Buffy said sarcastically as she smirked. She looked down the table and noticed that everyone was off in their own little world, hugging, arguing or just discussing the day's events. She looked back at Faith who had been staring at Buffy but quickly parted her gaze. "What were you looking at?" The smirk on Buffy's face still hadn't gone away.
"What? Me? I don't know what you're talking about." Faith joined Buffy in the smirking.
"Oh yeah right! Now matter how much redemption you go through, innocence will never be something you can pull off." Buffy laughed at the insulted, yet shocked look on Faith's face. She hadn't laughed in a long time, much less that type of laughter. That was something only Faith could bring out of her...
"Well you know, my parole officer seemed to buy it." Faith said, smirking again.
"You really are evil."
"Of course, but that's the way you always liked it, right?"
"Excuse me."
"Oh I'm sorry." Faith moved her elbow off of the table so the waitress could put down their food. By now everyone else had their food and was already digging in. "Well, I guess the whole having manners thing didn't spread to the rest of them eh?" Faith and Buffy chuckled as they began to eat.
Xander stretched as Willow and Kennedy offered to go get the car.
"We'll be right back then."
They all gave a general nod of concensus and began to discuss various things. Buffy and Faith had begun their own conversation once again.
"It must be weird to have to really be the big bad leader. I mean, you always were but with more of a gang behind you...That's not how it is anymore is it?" Faith inquired. Buffy just chuckled.
"No, that's not how it is anymore. I guess they use that phrase "chosen one" to mean something." Buffy said rolling her eyes.
"Well I kind of thought of us as the chosen two, but I know what you mean." Faith paused, seeing that Buffy was struggling with the words racing through her mind. "It's been a while, B, but I'm back now." She smiled and for the first time, pretty much ever, Buffy reached out and hugged Faith.
"I'm sorry that things had to be like this. It's hard to remember someone you didn't see for 3 years...not saying that you're forgettable because that would be a complete lie, it's just that--" Faith giggled as Buffy stopped her sentence abruptly. "I'm rambling aren't I? I'm sorry, it just that--"
"Don't worry about it." Faith managed to get out in between laughter and smirking. "I love it when you ramble."
Did I just say that out loud? I didn't mean to. Maybe this inner dialogue is too confusing and I should stop going off on a whole different train of thought right in the middle of a sentence. It's really not good for me and it's also extremely rude.
Buffy had a stunned look on her face but, as usual, Willow pulled up right then, breaking the awkward silence caused by this outward display of affection that Buffy had never ever seen from Faith before. Then again, she had to be honest...she wouldn't mind hearing more.
Walking up the stairs to the house Buffy paused and looked back, wondering where her fellow slayer was. She thought about what she was doing for a moment and almost kept walking. She hadn't stopped to check on others in a long time. She didn't want anybody thinking that she was growing soft. During all this time of hesitation Faith had already joined her and was pulling her up the stairs.
"I'm sorry, I'm a little out of it."
"Really? I couldn't tell," Faith snickered. "Come on!" she said dragging her into the foyer.
"Why are you so eager to get inside?"
"I dunno, guess I just like it in here." They both paused and it was as if something like a kiss should've come at that moment but then both of their spidey senses went off and they stopped for a moment. It was way too quiet!! They looked around and saw practically everyone was in the living room staring at them. "Enjoying the show?" Faith said with her usual sarcastic bite.
"Actually--"
"Retorical question, Spike. Don't answer that." Spike sat down with a look of shame, almost as if he had just been yelled at by his mommy or something. "Faith and I have lots of talking to do. We need to make sure we're both on the same page so that we can fight together...and things of that nature...ummm--"
"What she means is, we'll be upstairs."
Me to the rescue!
Faith grabbed Buffy's arm and in seconds they were gone.
"Well, I guess we're left here again." Spike said with a horribly fake, disappointed look on his face. "I guess we'll have to play another game!" A huge grin crossed his face as he saw the others groan and sigh. He was so evil, even if he hated the games, he'd keep playing just to torture them. It was fun because humans, usually, had to be nice. He took advantage of the human aspect of all of them...even the one he loved.
At the moment though, she came off rather unscathed...
"Stop it!" Buffy said, trying to stiffle her laughter and bat Faith's hands away from her.
"Aww, come on, you know you like it." Faith had a smirk on her face that could never be matched. The love in her eyes was trying to be masked by this devilish outside but she was doing a horrible job. Anyone could see just how much she loved Buffy.
"No, stop it. It's unfair because you're not as ticklish as me!!"
No, but there are so many more ways that you could get to me and make me squeal like a little girl. You just don't know them...yet.
"Alright, alright. I'll stop. But only because I could never resist that puppy dog face." Faith stuck out her tongue and quickly pulled a pillow up to her head for protection from the retaliation she knew was coming. This was suspicious...Buffy hadn't done anything to her yet...she peaked out from behind the pillow and got another pillow in the face.
"Gotcha!"
"I should've known it wasn't like you to just sit there and take this "torture", as you like to call it." Faith said, rolling her eyes. They sat there for a moment in silence just sort of absorbing the moment. It hadn't exactly sunk in for either of them yet. Faith snapped back to reality and pounced on Buffy tickling her as much as she could considering Buffy was doing the best she could to stop it.
"Stop iiiiiiiiiiit!" Buffy squealed. Then she decided that this just looked too pathetic, so she reached up and grabbed Faith's shirt, pulling her down on top of her. Faith collapsed onto her, while laughing uncontrolably. "Yeah, really funny, laugh it up!" Buffy shook her head.
"I'm sorry, B. You know I didn't mean to--" her sentence was cut short by laughter exploding from her.
"There isn't anyone who could change you and you're truly evil ways, is there?" Buffy said, raising an eyebrow.
"Well...there is this *one* person...but nevermind, it's nothing."
"No, come on I wanna hear this! Tell me who this wonder "person" is." Faith chuckled at the irony of this comment.
"It's just this amazing girl. She's so wonderful and I hadn't seen her in such a long time. But then the other day I went to visit her and she's changed a bit, but I still think she would be the only one capable of "changing" me, as you put it."
"So make with a name on this girl!! I wanna know all about her, but mostly where I can find her to bring her down here!"
Oh I wish I could bring her down somewhere too...*ahem*...excuse me.
"Well B, it's actually a funny thing." She paused. "I'm talking about you." Buffy's jaw hit the floor. She was speechless and didn't even have the cognitive skills to swallow, much less form a complete sentence. Faith noticed her stunned expression and decided to help her out a bit. "You alright? I'm sorry I kind of sprung that on you."
"No...it's just...I...talking...sorry."
"Breathe. Your brain needs oxygen to function, hun."
"Oh right, I forgot about that." Buffy hit Faith with the pillow again. They both laughed, and as that one moment ended they sighed. It seemed as if time slowed down and let them savor the great things that happened in each minute.
I could get used to this. I could get very used to this.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just stunned. I never thought I would hear you talk about me like that."
"I think there's a lot that you never thought you would her that I could say." Faith said, winking.
"Oh yeah? Like what?"
"Oh, nothing important. Don't worry about it." Faith began to fidget with the bottom of her shirt.
"Excuse me? Nothing important?"
"Well it's important to me, but--"
Oh great, think Faith, think! Say something intelligent that might get you out of this mess!
"It's just...I can't describe it. You probably don't wanna hear me sit here and gush about you."
"Actually, I'm just intrigued that you have anything to "gush" about. I wasn't aware you put thought into me outside of this town."
Oh babe, you don't even know the half of it.
"You'd be surprised."
"Well surprise me." Faith blushed. She didn't know what she was gonna say that wouldn't make Buffy want to back away slowly and call the police. She had put so *much* thought into Buffy, it wasn't even funny. In fact, sick would be the word some others used, but that was beside the point. She didn't want her to get the wrong idea. Then again, she didn't want her to find out the right one either.
"I don't know what you want to hear. I could go on for days. I've missed you B. It's plain and simple. You were a big influence in my life, and I'll never forget you. It just feels good being back here, back with you. It's a nice feeling." After this comment Buffy wondered just how many times Faith was gonna leave her speechless that night. "I'm sorry Buffy. I know this is a lot to take in."
"No, no, I mean, it is but...I think I can handle it. It's just sort of a weird thing to try and wrap my mind around. For years I've thought about how horrible your life must be in that place and now you come back and have all these good things to say about me, practically the one who put you there. I just don't get it."
"You didn't put me there, I did. Without you, I wouldn't have seen that that was a better path for me to take. Without you, I wouldn't be the me I am today. I couldn't be more grateful for everything that you've done for me."
"But what about--"
"I've put all that behind me. Sitting in an 8 by 10 cell for three years gives you lots of time to think about things. I can't tell you how many months I sat there, dwelling on the past. It just wasn't worth it, B. I figured I needed to live in the moment, because that was the thing I had control of."
"Wow Faith...I don't know what to say to that."
"You don't have to say anything. I just thought you should know that I thank you for being "the one who put me there", so to speak. I don't want you to be sorry for the past because we won't ever be able to do anything about that. It's just unnecessary worry, alright?" Buffy chuckled.
"Yes ma'am."
"Oh shut up." Faith said as she tackled her back down onto the bed. She paused, hovered over Buffy's body.
What a great moment to savor...I could stay here forever.
"What would you say if I told you I loved you?"
Okay, who's idea was it to say that!
"Huh?" As is the "huh" wasn't enough, Buffy's puzzled expression just added to the sentiment previously expressed.
"Nevermind." Buffy grabbed Faith's non-exsistant "collar" and flipped her over onto her back.
"Tell me, what you were trying to say."
"No need to get violent, B. All I was saying was that I love you." Faith kissed Buffy's cheek. Buffy let go and sat down on the bed next to Faith, who was now fixing her shirt.
"I can't believe you just did that." Buffy's hand was on her cheek touching the spot where Faith just kissed her, as if she wouldn't believe it unless she could feel it.
"I just kissed your cheek, B. I'm sorry if you're uncomfortable with that."
"No, it's just...you!" Buffy and Faith laughed as they both fell back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Engulfed in deep thought neither of them spoke until finally Faith decided to break the long silence.
"Did you ever miss me B?"
"What do you mean?"
"I think it's pretty straight forward. Did you ever miss me?"
"Well...I mean, as far as having another slayer here with me to fight vamps and stuff, yeah of course. You're a great slayer and--"
"That's not what I meant. The question is simple. All it needs is a yes or no response. Did you miss me?" Buffy paused for a moment and looked straight into Faith's eyes. Her expression was one of anxiety, you could see the thoughts going through her head, what should I say? yes or no, yes or no, yes or no.
"Yes." Faith reached over and pulled Buffy into a tight embrace.
"You too." She whispered into her ear. Faith leaned back against the headboard and Buffy situated herself lying across Faith's lap. For a minute Faith didn't know what to do.
Touch her, or not? Just play with her hair. Or tickle her some more.
A devilish grin crossed her face.
"What are you thinking, Faith? I know that that look doesn't just happen for nothing!" Buffy jumped up off of Faith's lap and was standing on the bed...but not for long. Faith tackled her legs, makng her fall on top of Faith. This time, Buffy had a hand up on Faith though. As Faith struggled to get out from under Buffy, she proceeded to tickle her. Faith was squirming and kicking.
"This is so unfair!" Faith managed to get out in between her laughs.
...to be continued...