Long Time Gone
by lemons
Rating: G

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I am nothing.

I didn't think I'd ever see her again. I almost didn't see her, in fact, I had turned away from the counter after ordering my morning latte and scone and there she was. She looked different, of course. The years had been kind to her, kinder than they had to me I think. She was sitting at one of those small round tables coffee shops fancy. In her hand was a book she seemed absorbed by. I wouldn't have noticed her, but she had swung her hair away from her face just as I looked in her direction. And there was no mistaking her, even after all these years.

Angel had told me she was around. I thought she would probably stay in L.A. and help them out. I guess she made her way back to Sunnydale instead. Just as I was formulating what I could say to her in my head I noticed she wasn't alone. There was a little girl with the curliest chestnut brown hair scooting closer to her. She seemed to be about three or four years old. She was holding a picture book to her chest while maneuvering her little body as close as she could to the woman seated beside her.

She looked up at me and smiled. Her dimples seemed to go on forever. My mind couldn't process fast enough what my eyes were seeing. They had the same eyes. This little girl was a carbon copy of the woman sitting next to her. Angel hadn't told me about this. I wonder why he would leave out that little tid bit?

The girl placed her small hand on the woman's forearm and shook it lightly. The woman stopped reading and looked down with the most open expression of love I had ever seen. I realized the little girl was pointing directly at me as the woman's eye shifted my direction. Her face immediately closed itself off as she saw me. I don't think she ever thought she would see me again, either. We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. I couldn't believe that I was seeing her again. Everything in the room disappeared and all I could think was that I had missed her.

I felt myself walking toward her not knowing what could be compelling my legs to move. I stopped short of her by a few feet as I felt a small hand place itself in my own. I looked down at the little girl with the dimples. She was smiling up at me, her eyes held so much joy at seeing me. I couldn't help but smile back down at her. She seemed to know me.

"I'm Emma and I'm four," she said holding up four pink, chubby fingers.

"Well, hello, Emma. It's good to meet you. I'm Buffy," I said. Her eyebrows knitted together with a look of what could only be called adult concentration.

"I know that silly. My mama told me all about you. She has a picture of you, you know."

I looked up at her mother who had found something much more interesting to look at on the floor.

"She told me she didn't think you would be happy to see her, but I told her that since you were a superhero I had to meet you." My cheeks flushed as Emma starting pulling me closer to the table. What would I say to her? It had been almost seven years since I told her that I could never forgive her for what she had done to me, my family and my friends. But here she was in the flesh and a mother no less.

As we reached the table she stood up as a gentleman would to offer a lady his seat. She was still looking away from me. Her nervousness was apparent by the flush creeping up her neck. I sat in her seat as she lifted Emma into her arms. She placed the girl on her lap as she sat in the empty chair.

I reached for her placing my palm on her arm. I could feel her tense with the touch, but I had held this in for so long. It seemed like a weight lying in the center of my chest and I wanted it gone. It wasn't until I had seen her that I realized how much I had lost when I sent her away. She had been someone who could understand the destiny laid up on us as young girls. She could genuinely feel the pain of having such an awesome responsibility. I had missed her so much, but thought it was just an ache that would pass with time. I hadn't the sense to associate her departure with the gaping whole in my heart.

I kept my hand on her squeezing lightly trying to comfort her for all those years I had left her to face her demons alone. I knew now what she had done to me I had returned to her in kind.

"Faith, this is awkward, but it is good to see you again." My mouth had gone dry getting out those few words. I meant them with all my heart. I just hoped she knew.

"Is it?" The words came out low and husky with a bit of hesitation. Emma patiently waited for us to stammer out whatever it was we had to say to one another. She just kept looking from me to her and back again.

"Yes, it is good. I hadn't thought I would ever see you again. I didn't think I wanted to, but now that I have, well, yes it is good." She looked up at me then. Her eyes had softened since I saw her last. The hard edge she had once was gone. With Emma sitting in her lap enfolded securely in her arms I could tell she was finally loved. It looked good on her.

"I was really nervous, y'know, but I knew I would have to come back sometime so why not now? Besides, Em really wanted to meet you."

"And the Scoobies, Mommy!" Emma could no longer contain herself. "You said I could meet Red and the X-Man, too." She looked directly at me as she said, "They're your sidekicks, right, B?"

She really was carbon copy of her mother. Faith smiled at her daughter and I smiled at Faith. "Yes, they are my sidekicks, Emma, but let's keep that between us. They like to be more like equal partner superheroes. So it's better that we let them think that, okay."

"Buffy, we won't be here long so you don't have to worry about anything. I just wanted Emma to meet you guys then we are heading back to Boston."

"Mommy, I don't wanna go to Boston. I want to stay with the Scoobies. You said you would think about it." Emma huffed out the last part crossing her arms to Faith.

"Sweetie, we don't want to get in their way. They have bad guys to capture. We can't help them with that, honey." Emma leaned into her mother's body letting out a long breath. I guess they have had this conversation before.

"Faith, you can stay as long as you like. There is no rush. We haven't seen each other in such a long time. I don't think you have anything to fear in Sunnydale. Will and Xander have long since gotten past what happened and so have I. So let's see what comes, okay? Besides, what do you mean you can't help? You're a superhero, too, remember the Chosen Two. We're both sitting here you and me, girlfriend."

She winced a little as I said that. Maybe bringing up the past wasn't such a great idea, but we did have some good times in between the whole going evil thing.

"Mommy, you're a superhero?!"

...to be continued...