No Perfect World: Breaking Chains
by Net Girl
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Willow and Tara are all property of Joss Whedon, Mutant
Enemy, the WB (soon to be UPN), the actors, and the other creators.
Spoilers and Author's Notes: I guess everything including season 5. Except once
again… no Riley. Sorry I just hate the character, not the actor; coz
Marc Blucas is a great actor. And Joyce isn't dead, Dawn is there and
again NO KEY stuff.
Feedback: I'm an addict :-)
PROLOGUE
** County Jail; Los Angeles **
"You have a visitor."
A young girl looked up at the guard, she had been looking forward to this visit. Every time he would come to visit the young girl would have a smile on her face that you couldn't get off her. He was her only connection to the outside world and she liked his visits.
Talking to him would make her forget the reason why she was in there the first place, but only for a few minutes. The young girl wouldn't allow herself to ever forget why she was in there and neither would he… every time he had visited her he left with the words `Don't forget'. It was like he knew that she would forget it the times they talked to each other and he was right… if there was going to be a time to make amends, she could not forget it.
The guard had cuffed her and she followed her to the visitors area, when they came closer to the area the guard took a right turn instead of the usual left, "Hey aren't we supposed to go…"
"Don't talk," The guard said with a strict voice, "Keep walking." She said and so the young girl did. It didn't really matter to her where she was going, as long as he would be there to visit her.
After walking through a few doors they stopped in front of a door with the sign `Private Visitors Area'. She could already see him sitting at one end of the table, `How in hell did he pulled this off?' She thought to herself and entered the room, "Hey."
"Hey" he replied, "How are you?"
"You know me five by…"
"I know Faith… five by five."
"You?"
"I'm good."
"So Angel… how did you pull this off?"
"Not that hard… money talks…"
"That it does," Faith replied, "So WHY did you do this?"
"It's time…" Angel replied.
Faith backed away from the table and had a shocked look on her face, "No… I-I can't not now," the dark haired slayer replied, "It's too soon."
"Why do you think I came here in the first place?" Angel said, "It wasn't to make small talk… you know what we talked about, you have to face it sooner or later… better sooner than later."
"But why now…"
"Because I think you're ready for it… they may not be, but you are."
"If they're not ready what's the point in trying?"
"In a week you're out," Angel said and stood up.
"How… why would they let me go after what I did?"
"As I said, money talks" Angel replied, "Remember… One week to get ready…" Angel stood up and walked towards Faith. He put a hand on her shoulder and kissed her forehead, "Don't forget." He said once again before leaving… like he always did.
"I won't…"
** Sunnydale, California **
“Tell me again why I’m blindfolded,” Buffy asked her best friend.
“Well since I kinda already told you there was going to be a surprise party for your birthday… I’m not going to let you see where it is and you have to remember….”
“I know Will, act surprised,” Buffy finished for the redhead, “My birthday is going well, no demons or end of the world thingies.”
“Great!” Willow yelled, “You shouldn’t have said that, now it’s bound to go wrong. Don’t say a thing anymore and just keep walking.”
Buffy did what Willow said and kept walking. The redhead first tried to hide the surprise party, but it slipped out during a conversation between the two friends. And now she was trying her best to hide the place she was taking her, but Buffy already knew where they were heading. She had walked that route a thousand times and could walk that road with her eyes closed.
“We there yet?” Buffy asked to keep up her friends hope.
“Almost…” Willow replied, “Ok we’re here… remember… act surprised.”
“I know Will, just hurry up… I’d like to SEE my friends,” Buffy replied and smiled. Whatever was going on in their lives, they had always thrown a surprise party for her and she loved them for it. She had also grown fond of Willow’s girlfriend Tara, after her family visited she couldn’t help it but feel sorry for the girl.
“Ready?”
“Yeah.”
“Remember…”
“Yes Will, act surprised.”
Willow opened the door and softly pushed Buffy inside, she took Buffy’s blindfold off and told Buffy to keep her eyes closed. She flicked on the light and a loud ‘Surprise’ came from everyone in The Bronze. When Buffy opened her eyes, she couldn’t act surprised… she was surprised.
There he was, looking good as always… Angel. Something told her that he didn’t came especially for her birthday. When everyone had grown accustomed to the light they also saw what Buffy saw, she looked at Willow who was even more surprised then she was, “You didn’t ask him to come did you?” Buffy whispered to the redhead.
“I kinda did… I told him we had this party for you… but he told he had something to do and he would send a card, “Willow replied, “but something tells me he’s not here only for your birthday.”
“I kinda got that feeling too Will,” Buffy replied and walked to Angel, “Hey…”
“Hey…” He replied, “Can we talk?”
“Can’t it wait?” Buffy asked, “I mean, gang’s all here… my birthday?”
“Please Buffy,” Angel said.
“Party pooper,” Buffy said and gave him a brief hug, “So what’s the what?”
“Faith.”
“What!” Buffy yelled, “You come here on my BIRTHDAY to talk about FAITH?”
When Willow heard Faith’s name she rushed to her best friend’s side and gave Angel a look of death, “What the hell are you talking about?” Willow asked. It didn’t take long before Tara was at her lover’s side.
“Willow could I talk to Buffy please.”
“No… she can stay Angel,” Buffy replied, “And Tara too… what ever it is that you have to say you can say to the three of us.”
“Fine,” Angel said a little angrily and continued, “She’s coming back to Sunnydale, she’s staying in jail here for a week.”
“What?!” Buffy and Willow said.
“In that week you can do whatever you want, visit her, ignore her… help her make amends.”
“What the hell are you talking about,” Buffy yelled, “She’s not coming back here.”
“Let him finish,” Tara spoke for the first time. Even if she didn’t like the brunette slayer, she was willing to hear what Angel had to say. Buffy could see in her eyes that she was very curious on what he had to say.
“Thank you Tara.”
“Don’t thank me, just tell them what’s going to happen.” Now it was Willow’s turn to be surprised. She never knew her girlfriend could be like this.
“She is willing to change Buffy,” Angel spoke, “You may not see it, but I do. In the week she’s here in Sunnydale, do whatever you want. After that week, it’s up to you what’s going to happen… set her free or send her back to LA. She’ll be here in a week.”
After he finished talking all three women were dumbfounded and just stared at Angel. The vampire stepped forward and kissed Buffy on her forehead and then held his mouth close to her ear and whispered, “Remember.” Before they knew it he was gone again.
Buffy turned around and looked for her ex-lover, “Remember? Remember what?”
“What was that about?” Xander asked as he, Anya and Giles walked up to the three girls.
“Faith,” Willow said.
“She’s coming back to Sunnydale… well the jail anyway… and Angel just gave us the choice to help her or to send her back to LA” Buffy said and looked at Giles.
“He’s giving us the choice to get her back on the right path or ignore her and maybe even destroy her,” Tara said and looked at five very surprised people, “What?”
“When did you became so wise?” Xander asked pointing at her.
“Hey!” Willow said and grabbed her girlfriends hand, “She’s always been wise!”
“Thank you Will,” Tara said and then turned back to the others, “I just said what Angel said only… well… what he meant to say.”
“I’m sorry,” Buffy said, “But I can’t deal with this now… It’s my birthday, it’s supposed to be a happy time.”
“Well what are you waiting for then?” Anya said, “Dance!” She pulled Buffy with her to the dance floor and the rest did the same.
** Los Angeles County Jail, One Week Later **
“Angel?” Faith called out his name, “What are they doing, I thought I was free to go?”
“Not exactly Faith,” Angel replied, “You’re not entirely free, that is up to the people in Sunnydale.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re going to the Sunnydale Police Department,” Angel said, “Money talks Faith, but they don’t just let a murderer walk free.”
Faith cringed when she heard him call her a murderer, he had never done that before, “Angel?”
“What?”
“What’s going on?”
“I’m sorry Faith,” the vampire replied, “Things didn’t go as well as it planned. The only one who seemed genuinely interested in your redemption was that new girl… Tara”
“What?” Faith replied shocked, “After all I did to her…? The only one?” She finished with the voice of a disappointed child.
“Yes, I’m sorry Faith… just give it time.”
“Time is what I got a lot of.”
“I made sure no one will bother you when you’re in Sunnydale,” Angel said, “They’ll be the only ones allowed to visit you.”
“And you?”
“Buffy isn’t quite fond of me right now, besides… you have to do this on your own Faith.”
Angel walked to Faith and kissed her forehead, “Don’t forget.” He said one final time before leaving.
“It’s time,” one of the guards said and urged her to walk out of the room.
** Sunnydale; Magic box **
“It’s time?” Buffy asked puzzled when she looked at the piece of paper in front of her, “Time for what?”
“Does the note say where it’s from?” Willow asked her best friend.
“Nope, no name, no address… no nothing.”
“She’s here…” Tara said calmly.
“Who is here?” Willow asked her girlfriend.
“You guys really hate her don’t you!” Tara snapped towards her friends and saw the puzzled and pain filled eyes of her friends, “I-I’m s-sorry… I s-shouldn’t… I-I h-have to go.” Tara stood up and walked out of the Magic Box.
“Tara!” Willow called out her name and tried to ran after her but was stopped by Buffy, “Buffy… what?”
“Don’t Will, this is something I have to do,” Buffy replied and ran out after the blonde witch. “Tara wait!” She yelled.
Buffy looked around her but couldn’t find her, when she was about to go back she saw Tara going around a corner followed by two other people. She ran after the witch and saw just in time that it weren’t just people it were vampires, “Tara look out!” Buffy yelled and ran to the vampires.
One of the vampires knocked Tara down and then went after Buffy, “O no you don’t” Buffy said to the taller vamp and hit him on the nose. It didn’t take long to stake the first vampire, she tried to get the second one, but saw him running off right after she staked the first one.
“Tara!” Buffy yelled and ran towards the girl, “Tara… Are you ok?” Buffy asked as she helped the young witch up on her feet.
“Yeah, I’m fine… thanks,” Tara replied, “Listen Buffy… I’m sorry about earlier.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Buffy replied, “I’m just curious about one thing.”
“What?”
“Why did you stick up for her?” Buffy asked, “I mean… she did a lot of things to us, she tried to kill us.”
“W-when you and I first met… or well, me and Faith. I knew that it wasn’t you in your body,” Tara said, “And when she said t-those things to me…”
“What things?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Tara said and continued, “I could see in her eyes that she didn’t really mean it. I-I mean… she didn’t show it or anything, but I could see it in her eyes. They were filled with pain… I don’t expect you to u-understand…”
“I don’t…” Buffy said, “It’s just… she hurt me and the people I care about a lot… when Willow got kidnapped, I couldn’t think right… my mind just… you know…”
“I know,” Tara replied, “Willow is the kindest, most generous person in the world and I couldn’t imagine my life without her.”
“Tara listen to me,” Buffy said, “If there is one thing I know for sure is that Willow loves you… the way she looks at you, I haven’t found anyone with more love and pride in her eyes then Willow when she looks at you.”
“You think?”
“I know,” Buffy said with confidence, “Ok?” Buffy said and gave Tara a hug.
“Ok” Tara replied. Both girls were almost back at the shop when Buffy stopped Tara.
“Listen about Faith,” Buffy began.
“Give her a chance Buffy,” Tara replied with confidence.
“I don’t think I can,” Buffy replied with a hint of anger in her voice.
Tara opened the door, ‘Give it time’ she thought to herself and walked in the shop to get immediately hugged by Willow.
Tara put her arms around Willow’s waist and pulled her closer, “Are you alright?” Willow asked obviously concerned about Tara.
“I’m fine honey,” Tara replied and gave her a kiss and whispered, “Can w-we go… I-I’m really tired.”
Willow looked in Tara’s eyes and could see that she was really tired and turned to the rest of the gang, “Do you mind if we…”
Buffy already knew what she meant and stopped her, “Go we’ll talk later… ‘sides I’m kinda tired too and I still have to patrol.”
“Make it a short one,” Giles said and looked at the rest, “We’re all tired right now.”
“Thanks Giles,” Buffy said and walked out with Willow and Tara. As always when Willow stayed at Tara’s she escorted the two girls to Tara’s dorm and then do a swift swoop across the campus for vamps and then headed back to her own dorm.
She always walked a little behind Willow and Tara, but tonight it got her thinking why she always did that. Buffy always watched the two walking in front of her, holding hands, exchanging loving looks. She missed that, ever since that Parker guy she was in no need of something new and she still missed a loving arm around her or someone to exchange looks of love like the looks Willow and Tara were sharing.
“We’re here,” Willow said and turned around to face Buffy, “You ok?”
“Yeah I’m fine,” Buffy replied and gave Willow and then Tara a hug, “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Buffy watched her two friends walk inside and walked across the campus heading for her own dorm. It gave her some time to think about the situation.
Faith was going to be in Sunnydale for this week and it was up to them to either send her back to LA prison or set her free. If it was up to Buffy, Faith wouldn’t even see the welcome sign. ‘Why does Tara thinks she deserves another chance, after all she did,’ Buffy thought. She was near her dorm and no vamps in sight which gave her the perfect chance to think of these things.
‘She tried to kill Angel, Xander, Willow, my mom… she even tried to kill me. Why should I give her a chance… I gave her so many chances and she never accepted it, always turned around saying she didn’t need any help.’ Buffy wondered. She looked around and saw she was nearing her dorm.
She walked up to the door and looked around before entering the building. She could have sworn someone was watching her. She didn’t think of it and entered the building and walked to her room, ‘A good night of sleep… that’s what I need,’ Buffy thought of herself and walked in her room.
** Tara’s Dorm Room **
“Are you ok?” Willow asked her girlfriend.
“Yeah I’m fine, just a little tired,” Tara replied, “And you?”
“I’m fine, why shouldn’t I be?”
“B-because of Faith…”
“That… I don’t think of it and I don’t want to think of it,” Willow said, “All I want to think of right now is you and me.” Willow pulled Tara closer to her and kissed her neck, “Just you and me.”
“Are you going to visit her?”
“Huh?” Willow asked, “Visit who?”
“Faith…”
“No…”
“Why? Shouldn’t you at least see if Angel was right and find out she is willing to change.”
“I know she won’t change…,” Willow began, “She has done a lot to us and Buffy tried to help her a lot of times and so did Angel… and what did she do, she tried to kill them. If she was meant to do good then she wouldn’t be in jail right now.”
Willow loosened her grip on Tara and turned her back to her. That statement hurt Tara more than words ever could, “Willow… I-I’m s-sorry… I didn’t m-mean to…” Tara heard soft sobs coming from the redhead and placed a hand on her hip, “Willow…”
Willow turned around and faced Tara again, “Do you know how much she hurt Buffy and the rest… including me?” Willow asked and moved closer to Tara. She rested her head on the blonde’s shoulder and started to cry.
“It’s ok… cry,” Tara said and could barely hold back her own tears.
** Sunnydale Police Department **
“So this Faith, welcome to Sunnydale,” the female guard said.
“I’ve been here,” Faith said, “No need for welcoming me…” ‘I sure know some people that won’t’ she finished in her head and followed the guard to what was going to be her new cell. Her cell turned out to be a backroom somewhere in the police department, it had the necessary locks… but it looked a lot more pleasant then her cell in the LA prison.
“Close your mouth young lady,” the guard said when she saw Faith gaping at the room, mouth wide open.
Faith immediately did what she said, but still looked surprised, “Thank you for…”
“Don’t thank us miss,” the guard said, “You owe this all to some guy named Mr. A.”
‘Angel’ Faith thought.
“In you go,” the guard said and looked at Faith, “If you need anything, just ask for Missy… that’s me… the same guy also told me I should help you with stuff, I have no idea what he meant, but we’ll find that out with your stay here the next week.”
“Thank you Missy,” Faith said and sat on her bed and heard the door being closed. Faith looked around and smiled, ‘How the hell did he pull this off’. Faith thought and laid down on her bed. It was much better than the hard bed LA County Jail, this one actually had a decent mattress on it and good blankets AND a good pillow.
The moment she closed her eyes, Faith began to wonder about how long this would last. How long she would be able to sleep on a decent bed and have a little taste of normal life. Could it be ever possible that they would set her free.
Faith began to think how she got in this situation in the first place, how she was able to kill that guy and act like she didn’t care and push everyone away that tried to help her including Buffy. How could Buffy forgive her and set her free again, after all she did to her. She tried to kill Buffy’s best friends and even her boyfriend.
The brunette slayer thought of everything she had done and for the first time she really cared, ‘What have I done,’ she thought to herself and buried her face in her pillow. For the first time in a very long time, Faith allowed herself to do something Faith thought she would never do or be able to do… cry… Cry for everything that had happened to her and what she did to others.
** Outside Faith’s Cell **
The guards had placed video cameras to watch over the young slayer and see everything that she would do. Missy had to watch her the first night she was here and looked at the small television with images of the young girl.
“She’s beginning to learn,” Missy thought to herself and grabbed the book she was reading.
“That she is…” A voice said behind her.
“Mr. A,” Missy said and jumped up from her chair, “You scared the hell out of me!” Missy said with a louder voice.
“Call me Angel,” the vampire said and looked at the small television. With his index finger he traced the outline of Faith’s back and sighed, “Take good care of her Missy… she going to need some help.”
“I will,” Missy said and sat back down on her chair. She already knew Angel was gone, but whispered the words to herself as a silent promise, “I will…”
** Two Days After Faith’s Arrival **
‘I’m not doing this…’ Tara thought to herself as she stepped in the SPD building. Despite constant telling to herself that she wouldn’t go to see Faith she did it anyway. She walked up to one of the guards, “Excuse me miss, do you know where someone named Faith is?”
The face of the female guard lit up when she heard someone asking for the brunette, “Finally,” she said, “I’m Missy” the woman said and held out her hand.
“I’m Tara,” the blonde witch replied and took Missy’s hand, “Nice to meet you… do you know where Faith is?”
“Yes I do… very much so,” Missy replied.
“W-what do you mean?” Tara asked.
“I’m kinda assigned to her as her guardian angel by Angel… You know him right?”
“Yes I do,” Tara replied, “He really does think she can change…”
“Yes he does,” the guard replied and started walking to Faith’s cell, “Follow me.”
“Wait…” Tara said, “I-I don’t want to t-talk to her… I just want to see her… see if Angel is right.”
“Of course… follow me,” Missy replied and continued walking. They walked up to Faith’s cell, Missy let Tara in front of the door so she could look through the glass window, “This is how she’s been for the last two days."
Tara looked through the window and saw Faith sitting in a corner of the room knees up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Her forehead was resting on her knees and she was shocking a little, Tara couldn’t see what it was exactly but it looked like the young girl was crying, “Is she…?”
“Yes she is crying, she has been for the past two days,” Missy replied.
“How can she cry so much… wouldn’t her tears be dried out by now?”
“She has a lot to cry for…” Missy said and started walking away to leave Tara alone, “Door is open, take your chance now… before it’s too late.”
“Before what is too late?” Tara asked and turned around, but Missy was already gone. ‘Door is open, take your chance now… before it’s too late,’ Tara repeated the words Missy said and put her hand on the door handle, ‘No wait… I can’t do this’ Tara thought and took her hand of the door handle.
She started walking away from the door but something pulled her back to it. She could now actually hear Faith crying, before it had been soft sobs but nothing more. After a few seconds the crying had stopped and now she was hearing some kind of knocking, but not. These were much louder and harder then just knocking.
Tara looked through the window again and saw Faith hitting the wall she was sitting against just a minute ago. Tara cringed with every blow Faith gave to the wall, she didn’t want to disturb Faith by just walking in, but when she saw blood on the wall and dripping on the floor. Tara put her hand on the door handle again and was about to enter when Faith stopped hitting the wall.
She looked through the window again and saw Faith just standing there looking at her hand. After a few seconds faith collapsed to the floor and started crying again, it was a heartbreaking scene to see and Tara knew there was only one thing she could do.
Tara opened the door and walked in, Faith didn’t notice her and kept crying. Tara walked over to her and sat on her knees beside her. Tara put a hand on her shoulder and Faith looked up, her eyes were red and puffy, ‘How long has she been crying’ Tara thought to herself and looked at Faith.
The brunette slayer couldn’t believe what she was seeing and started crying again and laid her head on Tara’s lap and curled up like a little ball. Then Faith repeated the words she knew had to be said to a whole lot of people, “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.”
** Outside Faith’s cell **
Seeing Tara making an effort to help Faith made Missy have a good feeling about the situation. Maybe there was hope for the slayer after all this time. After about ten minutes she saw Tara standing up and walking out of the room again.
After a few seconds she was standing in front of her, “I’m not sure if I can ask this, but I n-need a copy of the surveillance camera.”
Angel had told her to give them whatever they needed, Missy stood up, “Which day?”
“The last three hours,” Tara replied and watched Missy putting a tape together of the last three hours, “Thank you,” Tara said and took the tape from the guard.
“No problem,” Missy replied and saw the girl walking out of the building, ‘Just get the girl back in the world,’ Missy thought and sat back on her chair.
** Tara’s Dorm Room **
Tara knew that she made a big mistake by not telling Willow she had gone to see if Angel was right and Faith was willing to change. That was one of the reasons she asked Missy for the tape, Tara believed that they had to see for themselves how Faith was doing and WHAT Faith was doing.
Neither of them would actually go to see Faith themselves, so she thought this was the best way to show them. Tara called everyone up and meet her at the Magic box, she told them it was about Faith and all reluctantly agreed to come… even Buffy agreed, but Tara still had her doubts if she would actually come.
Now all she had to do was prepare everything at the Magic Box, luckily all of them had been given a key by Giles and now it really came handy.
** Magic Box; one hour later **
Tara watched as she saw them coming in one by one; Giles, Xander, Anya, Willow and… ‘She’s not here’ Tara thought and had a disappointed look on her face. But she couldn’t keep it up, how could she be disappointed in Buffy. Faith had done things to her she couldn’t even begin to imagine.
“So Tara,” Xander began, “What’s the what about our rogue slayer?”
“Just watch,” Tara said and pressed the play button. Willow was about to say something, but didn’t when she heard someone crying. Her head automatically turned to see if one of the gang was crying, when she couldn’t find anyone she turned to the television.
For the next three hours they sat there in complete silence, the only thing what could be heard was Faith crying. Nobody said a word, not even when they saw Tara walking in Faith’s cell and kneeling beside the young slayer.
The next thing they heard was Faith saying ‘I’m sorry’ over and over again. After the tape ended nobody said a word and just kept watching the television screen. It continued like that for ten minutes and Willow was the first to speak, “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to visit her?” She asked with a hint of anger in her voice.
“Because… because I knew you w-wouldn’t like it,” Tara replied and took the tape out of the VCR.
“I don’t like it…” Willow said, “You could have told me… or at least you could have told Buffy.”
“Tell me what?”
“Buffy…” Tara said took her gaze to the floor not wanting to meet her eyes.
“She visited Faith,” Anya blurted out.
“What?!” Buffy asked surprised and a little angry, “You did what?”
“I need to see if…”
“If what? If Angel was right and maybe Faith could change?” Buffy said angrily, “Been there, done that… ever heard of that expression? It applies perfectly in this situation, we tried to help Faith and she denied our help and turned to the dark side. You have no right to judge us, you have no idea of what she’s done to us.”
“Hey!” Willow said angrily towards Buffy, but immediately turned her gaze away from her. Because she knew Buffy was right, but she wouldn’t allow anyone to scream at girlfriend like that.
“Forget it Willow,” Tara said, “She’s right… I don’t h-have any idea of w-what she’s done to you and I have no right to judge you… especially you Buffy.”
“Why did you go there in the first place?” Xander asked, “To see if she could change or because of something else?”
“See this blood?” Tara asked.
“Oh god, what did she do?” Willow asked immediately looking for injuries, “It's not your blood…” Willow said and took a step back realizing what she just said.
“She knows…” Tara said, “Yes darling, this isn’t my blood… it’s Faith’s.”
“Did you do something to her?” Anya said and a smile spread across her face.
“No I didn’t…,” Tara said, “I watched her through the window in her door… sobbing. When I walked away I heard her cry harder. I wanted to open the door and walk inside, but I didn’t and after a few seconds the crying stopped and I wanted to walk away again. Then I heard something banging against the wall and it was Faith, constantly hitting the wall with her fist until it started to bleed. Then she stopped and just looked at her fist, she collapsed and started to cry again… that’s when I went in.”
Tara was surprised she could get that all out without stuttering. She knew Giles, Anya, Xander and Willow had already seen the tape, but it wasn’t that good of a quality and she explained what happened to them again and also so that Buffy knew what happened.
“So she didn’t hurt you?” Buffy asked.
“No she didn’t” Tara replied and made herself look Buffy in the eye. The next thing Buffy said tore her heart out.
“Good,” Buffy said and walked to the exit, “Then I won’t have to kill her.” And she was gone.
Tara couldn’t believe what she just heard. She told her everything that happened and she still didn’t believe her… she did believe her, she just said that she wouldn’t kill her then, ‘That went well’ she thought and turned to Willow and took her hand, “I’m going back to my dorm… do what you like. I-I understand that you’re m-mad at m-me, I don’t b-blame you,” Tara said. She reluctantly let go of Willow’s hand and walked out.
Willow just stood there not knowing what to do, go after her or stay here and let the things she just heard sink in. She indeed was a little mad at her, not for going to Faith, but for not telling her that she was going to do that.
She sat down on the chair and just looked ahead of her. For the next ten minutes there was again complete silence in the shop, the only thing that could be heard was their breathing. Xander saw the pain in Willow’s eyes and looked at her, “Go,” he simply said. Willow looked at him and smiled. She stood up and ran out of the shop to Tara’s dorm.
** Summers Home **
Buffy sat on her room thinking of what had happened and was still angry at Tara, ‘How could she do this without letting us know about it,’ she thought and laid down on her bed. After a few minutes thinking about it she couldn’t stay mad at the blonde witch. Even if it was Faith she went to see, it was her own choice and no one had the right to judge otherwise.
‘I know I wouldn’t want anyone to do that,’ Buffy thought and picked up the phone. She dialed Tara’s number and then laid the phone back again, ‘She’s probably mad at me.’ Buffy thought and went downstairs, “Mom I’m going out for a while,” Buffy said.
“Take your sister with you,” Joyce yelled from the kitchen.
Buffy sighed, but said yes. Maybe her sister could take her mind off of the things that were happening, ‘Just hang on for five more days, Buff’ she thought to herself and waited for her sister to come downstairs, “You ready?” she asked when she saw Dawn coming down the stairs.
“Yes, where are we going?”
She knew with one word that could make her sister extremely happy, “Mall” she said and grabbed her jacket.
Dawn did a jump of joy and followed her sister out of the door.
** Sunnydale Police Department **
“How is she doing?”
Missy jumped up from her chair when she heard Angel again, “Could you stop doing that… please…”
“I’m sorry,” Angel replied and smiled.
“She has almost been crying non stop for the last two days,” Missy said and continued, “But there’s some good news.”
“What?”
“She had a visitor,” Missy replied.
“Who?”
“That blonde girl… Tara,” Missy said, “I want to show you something.”
“What?”
“What happened when Tara visited her,” Missy said and put in the tape.
Angel watched as Faith hit the wall until her hand began to bleed and she collapsed crying. Then he saw Tara coming in the room and kneeling beside the younger slayer. ‘There’s a beginning’ he thought to himself and thanked Missy.
“When will you be back?”
“This is the last time I’m going to visit before the end of the week,” Angel replied, “Take care of her…”
“I will,” Missy replied.
** Tara’s Dorm Room; Evening ***
Tara sat on a chair looking outside, full moon… it always seemed to be a full moon whenever there were some kind of problem. She looked up when she heard someone knocking on the door and looked at clock, ‘Ten o‘clock, who is out this late?’
She stood up from the chair and walked to the door, when she opened it she saw the last person Tara thought she would see… Willow…, “Can I come in?” the redhead asked with a shy hint in her voice.
Tara wanted to take Willow in her arms right then and there but she didn’t, “Sure, come in.” Was all she could say and moved aside so Willow could enter.
“We need to talk,” Willow said and sat on the bed and continued talking, “Yes I was mad at you,” the redhead said and looked at Tara who kept her gaze towards the floor. Willow sighed and went on, “I was mad at you because you didn’t tell me anything.”
“I w-wanted to,” Tara said, “but I w-was afraid to l-loose you… or Buffy as a f-friend.”
Willow sighed and looked at her girlfriend, “You would never loose me,” she said and cupped Tara’s chin, “You will never loose me, only of you were cheating… you aren’t cheating right?”
“No!” Tara said a little louder.
“Good, then you’re stuck with me,” Willow said and pulled Tara closer, “About Faith….”
“We don’t need to talk about her.”
“We have to…,” Willow said, “I need to… I don’t know if I’ll be able to forgive her, but if you want I can try.”
“I know you can’t just forgive her Willow,” Tara replied, “what she did… are you willing to try?”
Willow took a deep breath and said, “Yes I am.”
“Come with me,” Tara said and stood up taking Willow’s hand.
“Where are we going?”
“Faith…”
“No I can’t talk to her!”
“You don’t have to talk to her, just look at her.” Tara replied and pulled Willow with her. She knew it was sudden to do this, but it couldn’t wait… only four days left before they had to decide what to do with Faith.
** Sunnydale Police Department **
“So she’s got her own cell somewhere in the back?” Willow asked as she and Tara walked in the building.
“Yes she does and there’s this guard named Missy who kinda looks out for her,” Tara said and remembered the female guard.
“I don’t have to go in there right?”
“No you won’t honey…” Tara replied and opened the door. She already saw Missy standing at the door where they had to go through in order to get to Faith, “Missy!” Tara called out her name and the guard responded by smiling and a small wave.
“So this is Willow.”
“H-how did you?”
“Angel gave me pictures of you all. You and your friends are the only ones who can visit her,” Missy replied and opened the door, “This way ladies.”
“How has she been?” Tara asked Missy.
“The same,” the guard replied.
“Still crying?” Willow asked.
“I wouldn’t exactly call it crying…” Missy said, “She cries, but there are no more tears left… she just sits in the same corner and has her eyes locked on the wall, not moving a muscle… not even blinking.”
Willow frowned, the Faith she knew would have never cried, “And she’s been crying ever since she got here?”
“Yes she has,” Missy replied, “When Angel was here to check on her he said that until she came here to Sunnydale she had never cried before. Here we are.”
“Thanks,” Tara said.
“If you need anything just look directly in the camera… if you’re going in that is.”
“I’m not going in,” Willow said more coldly then she had intended to.
“I’ll be going then,” Missy said, “The door is open again,” she said and walked away leaving the two witches on their own.
Tara walked up to the door and looked through the window and saw exactly what Missy had described; Faith sitting in a corner of the room and just looking at the wall, not moving, not blinking… only breathing.
The blonde witch took Willow’s hand and pulled her closer so she could look through the window. The redhead couldn’t believe what she saw, the normal, strong and defensive Faith had turned in to a little child sitting like that, “This bad?”
“You’re seeing that too?”
“How can…” Willow stopped that sentence, she was either going to say ‘how can she do a thing like this’ or ‘how can we help her’. Willow wasn’t too sure on what to think, but took the biggest risk, “How can we help her?”
“Do you mean that?”
Willow sighed and answered her lover’s question, “Yes… but I’m not ready to put this all behind me and I’m not sure if and when I can forgive her.”
“That may just be the key,” Tara said.
“What do you mean?”
“Forgiving her,” Tara replied and put her hand on the door handle.
“What are you doing?” Willow asked when she saw Tara’s hand on the door handle.
“I’m going to help her,” Tara calmly said and opened the door, “I know you’re not ready to come in here… If you want wait out here.” Not really waiting for an answer Tara walked in the cell.
** Xander and Anya’s apartment **
“Has she ever cried?” Anya asked.
Xander and Anya went to their apartment right after Tara had showed them the tape and now they were both laying in bed just enjoying each other’s company, “Not that I know off,” Xander replied and kissed the top of Anya’s head.
“It’s kinda sad,” Anya said and put her arm around his waist, “She’s in there all alone crying and no one is there to comfort her.”
“Did you forget that she tried to kill me and the others?” Xander replied sarcastically.
“No… but I’m just saying if it was me there I sure like some company,” Anya said.
“I’m sorry,” Xander said and held Anya a little closer, “Tension you know.”
“I know,” Anya replied and gave him a kiss, “Go to sleep… it will be better tomorrow,” ‘God these feelings… I don’t want him to sleep, I want SEX!’ Anya thought to herself but let Xander sleep anyway.
** Sunnydale Police Department; Inside Faith’s Cell **
Tara walked up to Faith and sat beside her, not asking anything, just sitting beside her waiting for some kind of response to her. She never got one, Faith just kept looking at the wall in front of her. They sat like that for over an half hour when Willow decided she wanted to go home and walked in the room, “Tara? Can we go?” Willow said and already headed outside.
“Red?” Faith spoke up for the first time.
Willow stopped dead in her tracks when she heard Faith’s voice. The voice that first was all about fun and then threatening when Faith kidnapped her. Willow couldn’t move and just stood there staring at the door, know she could just open it and run away… for some reason she didn’t and just stood there looking at it.
“Red?” She said again and Willow turned around. Faith looked up and saw Willow standing in front of her. She turned away afraid that she would see her in this situation, but already knowing Willow had seen her.
Tara could see the mixed emotions on her face. She went over to Willow and took her hand, she started walking out of the room but Willow never moved. She just stood there looking at Faith who was still trying to hide from her.
Tara looked at her girlfriend and she knew Willow wouldn’t move the next couple of minutes. Tara knew she would be studying Faith and Faith’s behavior. The blonde witch stepped back and stood behind Willow. She put her arms around the redhead and rested her chin on her shoulder. For the next couple of minutes they both just stood there looking at Faith. Suddenly the young slayer stood up and moved to her bed and sat cross legged on it. The sudden movement made both wiccans jump a little.
For the first time Faith looked up and in Willow’s eyes. Willow didn’t turn away from her gaze but met Faith’s eyes. She wanted to know how they looked, what kind of emotions were in it. She was surprised of what she found… or rather what she didn’t find. No emotions at all just complete nothingness. Normally there would have been something in those eyes, but Faith seemed to have lost anything that could have giving away a hint of emotion.
“Nothing,” Willow said and looked at Tara, “There’s nothing in her eyes… not happiness, not sadness, no anger… nothing.”
“I know,” Tara replied and moved away from Willow. She walked up to the bed and crouched before Faith, “Faith… look at me.” Faith turned her gaze from Willow to Tara and a small spread across her face coming with that gaze. It was a happy child like smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes, “I know what she wants,” Tara said and looked at Willow.
“I told you I can’t give her that, not now,” Willow replied.
“No, but I can…” Tara said and turned back to Faith. The brunette slayer didn’t have that smile on her face, now there was sadness again and some lonely tears that fell down her cheek. Tara took a deep breath and in her mind she was repeating the words she wanted to tell Faith, ‘I forgive you… I forgive you, why is this so hard to say?’ Tara thought.
In a split second Tara decided that she would say it anyway, consequences of her saying that would come later, “Faith…” She said getting her attention, “I… I forgive you.”
Willow saw Faith’s face immediately lit up when she heard those words. This time when Faith smiled it did reach her eyes. Faith brought her legs up and rested her head on her knees softly sobbing for what Tara just said.
Tara stood up and bent forward, she placed her hand on the back of Faith’s head and kissed the top of her head, “I’ll be back,” Tara said and walked over to Willow, “Let’s go,” she said and grabbed Willow’s hand and left the cell.
** Summers Home; Buffy’s room **
‘Why does this always happen?’ Buffy asked herself, ‘Everything was going great and then SHE has to come back. God it’s so bad that she’s even in my thoughts now, that’s not how it’s supposed to be.’ Buffy stood up from the chair and went under the covers of her bed.
‘And why did I take it out on Tara?’ Buffy thought and sighed, “I REALLY need to apologize to her” Buffy said out loud and stoop up from her bed again. She looked at the clock and saw it was near midnight, “Damn,” ‘But I’m still going’ she finished in her mind and walked out of her room and went on her way to Willow and Tara’s dorm.
On the way she encountered a few vamps but staked them easily and continued her trip to her friends’ place. ‘I must be nuts going out this late to apologize,’ she thought. Nearing the building Buffy knew there was no backing out from this, she acted like a jerk towards Tara. If she didn’t like Faith, she shouldn’t be taking it out on Tara.
‘Ok just go inside and up to Tara’s dorm’ Buffy thought and opened the door, ‘Who said apologizing is easy…’ She went up to the floor of Tara’s dorm and quickly walked to the blonde witch’s dorm. She knocked on the door but didn’t get a reply.
“Great she isn’t even here, how am I supposed to apologize if she isn’t here,” Buffy started walking towards the stairs. She didn’t notice two people on the other said and pushed the door open.
“Hey!” a female voice said.
Buffy looked up and saw Willow and Tara standing in front of her. The redhead was watching over Tara, apparently the door had hit her when it swung open, “Oh Tara… I’m so sorry.”
“Buffy?” Willow said and looked up, “What are you doing here?”
Buffy didn’t pay any attention to her best friend and just kept looking at Tara to see if she was alright, “Great first I attack you verbally and now I hit you with the door,” ‘Buffy Summers, Queen of Pain’ she thought to herself, “Are you ok Tara?”
“Just hope I don’t turn you in a frog or something…” Tara said with anger in her voice. Buffy backed up and looked at the blonde witch with fear in her eyes. Tara caught that looked and started laughing, “It was a joke Buffy,” Tara said, “it doesn’t hurt that much.”
Buffy let out a sigh of relief and walked Willow and Tara to the blonde witch’s dorm room, “You wanna come in?” Willow asked and looked at her best friend.
“No I should be going…”
“You were here for a reason… and it’s already midnight,” Willow finished, “You can…”
“… stay here for the night, we have an extra mattress,” Tara finished and gave Buffy a small smile. She wasn’t too comfortable around Buffy, but maybe after a small talk with the blonde slayer it would be better.
“No… I… I…,” Buffy looked at the two witches who were in full pout mode WITH the puppy dog eyes and couldn’t help it but to laugh, “… Ok, ok… I’ll stay.”
“Good,” Willow said and let Buffy step in the room, “… they need to talk anyway,” Willow looked at the two girls standing in front of her and smiled, “I said that out loud didn’t I?”
Both girls nodded and gave a nervous laugh, “She’s right though,” Buffy said, “We do need to talk.”
** Sunnydale Police Department; Faith’s cell **
‘She forgave me…,’ Faith thought sitting on the bed. She had stopped crying a few minutes after Willow and Tara had left, ‘she forgave me and brought Red with her’ she turned her head towards the door when she heard it opening.
“Hey,” Missy said.
“Hey,” Faith replied.
“How are you?”
“She forgave me…” Faith said and smiled.
“So I’ve heard,” Missy replied, “Things are looking up for you young lady.”
“I know… and she brought Red with her,” Faith replied.
“Who…? O wait, Willow right?”
“Yeah Willow,” Faith said, “What’s for dinner?”
“Order something,” Missy said and handed her a phone.
“Is that allowed?”
“Let’s keep it a secret shall we,” Missy said and smiled.
“Sure thing… you gonna join me?”
“Nope can’t do that, have to stay back there,” Missy replied and stepped out of the room again, “You’ll be out of here by the end of the week… I promise,” Missy said and closed Faith’s cell.
“I sure hope so…,” ‘Got a lot of things to make up for’ Faith thought to herself.
** Tara’s Dorm Room **
Buffy, Willow and Tara were all sitting on the bed not speaking or moving. When Buffy looked up she saw the two witches staring at the floor, it almost seemed like they wanted to burn a whole in it, “So I guess we should get ready for bed then,” Buffy said breaking the silence. She stood up from the bed and took her jacket off, “Where’s the mattress?”
“Under the bed,” Tara said and moved aside so Buffy had easy access. She and Willow grabbed the mattress and put it beside the bed, “Here’s a pillow and some blankets. I-it’s not really luxurious, I haven’t had a lot of people spend the night here,” Tara said, “E-except for Willow, but s-she…”
“I know,” Buffy said before Tara would say something she would regret later, “Uhm does anyone have a t-shirt or something that I could use?”
“Yeah s-sure, I’ll get some,” Tara said and looked in some drawers for a t-shirt.
“Thanks,” Buffy said and began to undress.
“Uhm Buffy?” Willow said, “You changed in front of me thousand times, but we’re not the only ones in the room right now…”
Buffy quickly put the t-shirt over her upper body and turned around to find a blushing Tara and also a blushing Willow, “I’m sorry…” Buffy said, “I’ll just go lay down in my bed and forget this happened.”
“No… I mean… it’s ok, don’t w-worry about it,” Tara replied, “I didn’t see anything, promise.”
“But I’m still gonna lay down in my bed…”
“Of course,” Tara replied. She and Willow both changed in to their pyjamas and slipped into Tara’s bed.
After Buffy heard them getting in to bed she turned around and faced Tara who was lying closest, “I’m sorry about today Tara,” Buffy said.
“Forget it,” Tara replied, “You w-were upset, it doesn’t matter.”
“It does!” Buffy said a little louder and sat up in bed followed by both Tara and Willow, “I upset you by acting that way.”
“Really Buffy… it’s okay,” Tara replied, “I know Faith is kinda a touchy subject with you… don’t worry about it I’m fine.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Ok,” Buffy said and laid back down, “Goodnight Tara.”
“Goodnight Buffy,” Tara replied.
“Goodnight Wills.”
“Goodnight Buffy.”
Buffy looked at the two witches snuggled up against each other and smiled. She heard them both say ‘I love you’ to each other before they went to sleep. But they did that so soft that if it wasn’t for her slayer hearing she never would have catch it.
Buffy missed that, someone to be snuggled up against… someone to love and to be loved. The last time she thought someone had loved her was Parker and what a mistake was that. He never loved her he just wanted to have sex with her. ‘You’ll find someone’ she told herself and went to sleep.
Willow woke up earlier then normal, something was bothering her. She moved to the end of the bed and sat there cross legged looking at her girlfriend and best friend. They were both a sleep… for Tara that was normal, but not for the slayer. She usually was the one to be up this early, when she and Buffy both slept in their dorm room she would usually find the slayer already awake and looking at her.
For some reason Buffy always looked worried, when she would ask the slayer about it she always said that nothing was wrong. The ‘watching over Willow’ as the redhead would call it started right after Willow was kidnapped by Faith. Buffy would ask the hacker over to her place or she would invite herself over at Willow’s place.
Willow didn’t mind it, she knew Buffy was worried about her and it gave them quality ‘bestest bud’ time. And according to Buffy she had been having nightmares about Faith and her being kidnapped. Willow never remembered any of them, Buffy told her that she would wake up screaming and then Buffy would comfort her until she was back to sleep.
“What’s wrong?” Buffy asked snapping Willow out of her thoughts.
“What? No… nothing’s wrong,” The redhead replied, “Just thinking.”
“I could see that,” Buffy replied, “You had that look on your face.”
“What look?”
“The ‘I got something on my mind, but I don’t want to think about it’ look.”
“O that look!” Willow replied with a smile, “Nope nothing on this mind of mine, completely blank.”
“Will…”
“It’s nothing… promise.”
“You know I’ll keep bugging you ‘till I know it right?”
“I know.”
“When you’re ready?”
“I promise…” Willow said and smiled.
“No! Don’t do that… Willow hate’s frogs!” Willow and Buffy looked at Tara who was obviously dreaming and tried not to laugh. After hearing a few seconds about how much Willow hates frogs the two friends couldn’t hold in their laugh anymore and just let it go.
Tara sat right up in bed looking at the two girls, “What?”
“I’m sorry,” Buffy managed to say between her laughter, “You were dreaming… about Willow and frogs.”
“N-no I didn’t,” Tara replied and looked at Willow for help.
“I’m sorry Tara, but you were,” Willow replied and kept laughing.
“That’s n-not f-funny,” Tara said and looked at the two friends. Seeing those two laugh wasn’t good for herself because she wanted to make a point that it wasn’t funny. According to Willow and Buffy it was and they just kept laughing, finally Tara just gave up and started laughing as well.
After a few minutes of laughter all three decided it was enough, because otherwise their stomachs would hurt even more then they were now from laughing so much, “So what are your plans for today?” Buffy asked and looked at Willow and then at Tara.
Both witches looked at each other and couldn’t think of anything, “Nothing really,” Willow replied, “Why?”
“Breakfast and lunch at my mom’s?” Buffy asked, “She would love to see you again and so would Dawn.”
“Sure,” both girls said and smiled.
“I’m gonna get dressed and go to my mom and take a shower there,” Buffy said, “See you in thirty minutes?”
“Yes,” Willow said.
Buffy put on her clothes while Tara took a shower, after only a few seconds Buffy was ready, “See ya in thirty minutes Will,” she said and went on her way to her mom.
** Xander and Anya’s apartment **
“Good morning,” Anya said as she snuggled closer to Xander.
“Good morning honey,” Xander replied.
“Are you going to visit her?”
“Visit who?” Xander asked.
“Faith…”
“I don’t know An,” Xander said, “I could, but I don’t know if Buffy would like it seeing how she reacted towards Tara.”
“I think you should visit her.”
Xander looked at his girlfriend puzzled, “Huh?”
“See if Tara is right, we all saw her crying,” Anya said, “Maybe she can change… I did and I was a demon none the less.”
“Maybe Anya,” Xander replied, “Maybe…”
“I could come with you,” Anya said, “Why don’t you just do it and get it over with.”
“Anya, I don’t know.”
Anya put on her best pout face and looked at Xander, “Please,” she pleaded.
“Oh alright,” Xander replied, “Why do you want to go anyway?”
“So she doesn’t steal my boyfriend.”
“Remember that I told you that was just one night…”
“Yeah?”
“Never mind,” Xander said and kissed her, “When?”
“Now…”
Xander reluctantly got out of bed and so did Anya, after all, she WAS going with him.
** Summers Home **
“Mom?”
“In the kitchen Buffy!”
Buffy walked in the kitchen and saw her mother making breakfast, “Better make some more mom.”
“Are you that hungry?”
“No, but Willow and Tara are coming over.”
“How nice, it’s been a while since they’ve been here.”
“That’s why I also invited them for lunch,” Buffy said and ran upstairs to get a shower and to get dressed before her friends arrived.
“How nice,” Joyce said and watched her daughter ran upstairs.
After about twenty minutes Buffy walked back downstairs, hair still wet and saw her friends sitting on the couch, “Hey guys.”
“Hey” they replied in unison, “Where’s Dawn?” Willow asked.
“Still in bed,” Buffy replied, “she’s a little sick.”
“Poor Dawnie,” Willow said, “She sleeping?”
“No, just coughing a lot,” Buffy replied with a icky look on her face.
“I’m gonna say hi,” Willow said and went upstairs.
“Look about yesterday,” Buffy began to say.
“Doesn’t matter,” Tara replied, “I shouldn’t have confronted you with Faith like that.”
“Yeah, true… but I shouldn’t have take it out on you like that, you were only trying to help,” Buffy said, “If you wanted to visit Faith… it’s your own choice. It’s just that…”
“You’re wondering why I w-went there after what s-she did?”
“Yeah…”
“I just w-wanted to see if Angel was right about h-her.”
“Was he?”
Tara looked at the slayer quizzically, why would she wanted to know if she didn’t care, “A little,” Tara replied still confused about Buffy asking, “When I visited her the second time she was still crying, although you couldn’t really call it crying.”
“Huh?”
“Well she was crying, but there were no tears left.”
“Oh,” Buffy said, “what happened the second time you visited her?”
“Well she was still crying and just sitting in a corner and I just sat next to her.”
“They let you in her cell?!”
“If you saw what I saw you’d understand,” Tara replied and continued, “I just sat next to her and after about thirty minutes Willow also came inside.”
“Willow was with you?”
“Buffy….”
“I’m sorry, finish what you were saying.”
“When Faith heard Willow’s voice she looked up and called her name, well not really her name, just a nickname. In her eyes I could see a sparkle of hope, when Willow didn’t answer her call all the hope got lost again and there was nothing in her eyes.”
Willow had been sitting on top of the stairs listening to Buffy and Tara, “When Willow looked in her eyes a minute or so later, she saw the same emptiness that I saw,” Tara finished.
“Nothing in her eyes?” Buffy asked a little suspicious.
“Nothing,” Tara said, “Willow told me that she could not forgive her or she didn’t know when she could forgive her, but she was willing to help her.” Tara said and looked at Buffy, “I told Faith that I had forgiven her and when I did, she smiled. A smile that reached her eyes and then she started crying again, I told her I’d be back and then we left.”
** Sunnydale Police Department **
“Why are we doing this again?” Xander asked his girlfriend.
“So we can make sure she doesn’t take you away from me.”
“Right…” Xander said and looked through the window of Faith’s cell. What he saw wasn’t what he expected, Faith was more lively than what they saw on the tape. She was actually training, there was only one thing different… there was no emotion in her eyes, not even anger.
“Isn’t she supposed to cry?” Anya asked.
“I don’t know,” Xander said and opened the door to the cell, “I’m going in…” Xander said like he was going in to some kind of battlefield, which in a certain way was true. Faith jumped the moment she saw him and walked back a little putting up a fighting pose, “well that’s a change!” Xander said raising a brow.
“Sorry,” Faith said and let continued training.
“So, how is everything?”
“Five by Five,” Faith replied.
“You are?” Xander said, “Ok see ya later then,” he said and stood up.
“Wait,” Faith said. She knew it was exactly the reaction he was waiting for.
“What is it Faith?” Xander asked.
“Could you stay for a while? And ask your girl to come in.” The minute Anya heard Faith say that she was in the cell right next to Xander, “That was fast…” Faith said and again continued training.
“You know we are the ones that can set you free right?” Anya asked.
“Anya!”
“What?”
“Yes I do know that you’re the ones that can get me out of here,” Faith replied.
“Ok then keep you’re hands of my boyfriend.”
“Don’t worry,” Faith said, “You can keep him.”
“You don’t want me?"
“You already got a girlfriend Xander,” Faith replied, “And I’m a lot, but I don’t break up people who are in love. Although I sure would like to…”
“No you don’t! He’s mine!”
“Don’t worry An, I’m not going anywhere,” Xander said and kissed his girlfriend. A small smile formed Faith’s lips and turned away hoping they didn’t see that, ‘She smiled again’, Xander thought, “we have to go.”
“Ok, you coming back again?” Faith asked with a hint of hope in her voice and eyes.
“Maybe,” Xander replied, “we’re still the ones who get to say if you have to go back to LA or if you can stay… so I’m guessing yes.”
“See ya then.”
“Goodbye Faith,” Xander said. He and Anya left and went back to their apartment, Xander had a lot to think about… only three days left.
** Summers Home **
“Back again,” Willow said and walked down the stairs, she actually had been back awhile and had heard the whole conversation between her girlfriend and her best friend, “What ya talking about?” she asked already knowing the answer.
Before Tara could reply Buffy spoke, “Faith.”
“Ah the subject of our recent thoughts,” Willow said and let herself fall between Buffy and Tara on the couch, “She told you that I visited too right?” Tara looked down to the floor and Buffy couldn’t keep her eyes off of the wall in front of her, “It’s ok,” Willow said as she grabbed Tara’s hand, “why don’t you visit her?” she asked Buffy.
“I can’t,” Buffy replied, “I just can’t.”
“Why not?” Willow wanted to know, “You don’t even have to go in, there’s a window in the door you know.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Well it’s something.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Buffy asked.
“Nothing,” Willow replied with an innocent voice, “Can we eat now? I’m hungry…” Buffy and Tara looked at each other with a wicked grin on their faces, “what?” Buffy and Tara didn’t reply and just looked at Willow. The redhead looked at the two and knew exactly what they wanted to do, “Oh no you don’t… you know I’m ticklish,” Buffy and Tara just laughed and started tickling Willow.
** Three Days Left **
Willow and Tara had gone back to Tara’s dorm after lunch. Those hours had been fun, they played some games with Dawn. The young girl had been feeling a little better and Joyce allowed her to come down for something to eat, but ended up almost dragging her back to bed because she was playing games with the three young women.
It was evening and it was just Buffy alone again sitting in her room thinking about the past couple of days. She was distracted from her thoughts when she heard someone knocking on her door, “Yes?”
“It’s me Dawn, can I come in?”
“Just don’t touch anything…” Buffy replied.
Dawn walked in the room and saw her sister already in her pj’s and under the covers, “No slaying?”
“No, the gang’s gonna take it tonight,” Dawn walked up to Buffy’s bed and sat on the end of it. She just kept looking at her sister until she looked up and looked puzzled, “What?” Buff asked.
“What’s going on?” Dawn asked with honesty in her voice.
“Nothing, why?”
“You’ve been well… distracted lately… you don’t even tell me to away when Willow and Tara are here or when you want to be alone, which you clearly want to be, because you got that look again.”
“What look?”
“That look where you get all serious and don’t say a thing,” Dawn replied.
“My kid sister, psychiatrist wannabe,” Buffy said, which followed with a few minutes of silence. In those few moments Dawn kept looking at the floor and Buffy kept looking at her sister, “Come here,” Buffy finally said and put aside the covers so Dawn could crawl under them.
“You know you’re getting sick if you let me under there don’t you?”
“Slayer healing, I’ll be up in one day or less,” Buffy said and smiled.
Dawn got up and crawled over the bed under the covers and leaned in to Buffy who put an arm around her, “Are you planning on telling me something or you just wanna sit here and think about if you should say anything to me?”
“When did you get so smart?”
“Always been, you never noticed,” Dawn replied with a playful hint in her voice.
“Smartass…”
“So you’re gonna tell me?”
“I’m not sure if you want to know what it is…”
“Try me, I’m a big girl.”
“Faith’s back,” Buffy said, “she’s been here for the last three days.”
“And when were you planning on telling me?”
“I wasn’t actually, three more days and she’s gone again.”
“I can’t see her?”
“Why do you want to see her… after what she did?” Buffy was getting a bit angry at her sister and Dawn was getting a bit angry at Buffy, but they didn’t move and Buffy still had her arm around her kid sister.
“Did she ever do anything to hurt me?”
“No she didn’t but…”
“I liked her,” Dawn suddenly said, “It sounds weird for liking someone who did those things, but I liked her.” Buffy looked at her sister, “When you two were together and took me to the mall or something it was like I had two big sisters I could count on,” Dawn said.
Dawn leaned a little closer and put her hand around her sister’s waist, “Can we visit her?”
“We’ll see,” Buffy replied stroking her sister’s hair.
“Ok,” Dawn said and closed her eyes, “You don’t mind if I sleep here right?”
“Go to sleep then,” Buffy just said and kissed the top of Dawn’s head. Buffy slid down a little so she was laying comfortable enough that she wouldn’t have a sore back in the morning and closed her eyes. After a few minutes she heard a soft knocking and opened them again, “Mom…”
“Hey,” Joyce said and walked in the room, “Want me to take her back to her room?”
“No it’s ok,” Buffy replied.
Joyce smiled and kissed Buffy on her forehead and then kissed her other daughter, “Goodnight Buffy.”
“Goodnight Mom,” Buffy replied and closed her eyes again. It didn’t take her long to fall in a dreamless sleep, the kind that she always had when something was bothering her.
** Two Days Left **
“Good morning sleepyhead,” Buffy said as she saw two eyes looking at her.
“Good morning,” Dawn replied and yawned.
“Someone is still sleepy,” Buffy said and tickled her sister a little, “Come on, let’s get some breakfast,” Buffy said and got up.
They didn’t bother to get dressed and went downstairs in their pj’s, “Good morning girls,” Joyce said as she saw her daughters coming in the kitchen.
“Hi mom,” both girls said and gave her a kiss.
“Did you sleep well?”
“SHE slept like a baby,” Buffy said in a teasing way, “we slept great… at least I did, what about you sis,” Buffy asked.
“Never slept better,” Dawn replied and then turned to her mother, “can Buffy and I change beds, hers sleeps better,” Dawn said and put on a pout face.
“No! She’s not getting my bed,” Buffy said, “Maybe if she’s nice she can sleep in it again… but she’s NOT getting it.”
“So what are your plans for today?” Joyce asked her eldest daughter first.
Without even thinking about it Buffy just blurted out, “I’m going to visit someone.”
“Who?”
“Just a ‘friend’.”
“Slayer stuff?”
“Yeah.”
Dawn knew exactly what Buffy was talking about and got a little smile on her face, “And I’m going with her.”
“If it’s slayer stuff then no you’re not,” Joyce said.
“It’s ok mom, no fighting, maybe verbally… but that’s it,” Buffy replied and got a look from her mother, “No fighting mom, not even verbally… promise, just research stuff.”
“Ok,” Joyce said, “But NO fighting, just research,” Joyce said making sure her daughters heard it.
“Promise,” both girls said in unison.
** Tara’s Dorm **
“Good morning,” Tara said and gave Willow a passionate kiss.
“Hmmm, good morning,” Willow replied and snuggled up to Tara, “you got any classes today?”
“Nope, the two I had today cancelled,” Tara replied, “Both of ‘em called in sick. You?”
“No, I’m free today,” Willow said, “So what you wanna do?”
“Preferably I want to stay in right here in bed… with you,” Tara said and placed her hand on Willow’s belly, “But we have some other things to do.”
“I know,” Willow said and groaned.
“I’ll make it up to you if you’d like,” Tara said and kissed Willow.
“Before or after?”
“How ‘bout both?”
“Vixen!”
“Well…?”
“Ok,” and on that note Tara kissed Willow passionately while her hands were roaming across the redhead’s body.
** Summers Home **
“Buffy if you don’t want to go… we won’t have to,” Dawn said looking at the clock, ‘Almost one o’ clock’ Dawn thought and was actually excited to see Faith again.
“You want to visit right?” Buffy replied, “Come on, besides, there’s no way I’m letting you go alone there.”
“Let’s go then,” Dawn said grabbing her coat and she ran outside to the car.
Buffy couldn’t believe that her sister was so eager to see the dark haired slayer after all that she had done. But she had to admit that they did have a good relation when Faith was still out. The brunette had told her once that she thought of Dawn as her own sister.
Every time she had tried to attack Buffy, Faith had made sure of it that Dawn wasn’t anywhere near them, it almost seemed like she was protecting Dawn from herself, “You ready?” Buffy asked.
“Are YOU ready?” Dawn asked.
“Come on, let’s get this over with.”
Both girls walked in the building and saw a blonde woman walking towards them, “Hi, I’m Missy,” she introduced herself, “You’re here to see Faith?”
Buffy took a deep breath and let out a soft ‘yes’ before following the blonde guard. ‘This is it’ she thought and looked at her sister. The girl had a smile on her face that was growing by the inch they reached Faith’s cell. The blonde slayer had to admit that her sister and Faith were good friends.
“This is it,” Missy said pointing at the door, “I’ll be back there if you need me… the door is open.”
“The door is open?” Buffy asked.
“Only for visitors,” Missy replied and walked back to her office.
Dawn was looking at her sister for approval and almost cheered when she mouthed ‘yes’. Buffy saw her kid sister open the door, but still not wanting to go in even if she wanted to see Faith, “I’ll be waiting here,” Buffy said and her sister walked in.
Faith looked up when she heard her cell door opening, she hoped it would be Tara or Willow again, but what she saw was even better than that, “Dawn?” she asked for reassurance.
“It’s me,” Dawn said and walked further in the room.
“Big sis not here?” Faith asked and looked at the door.
Not knowing if she should tell Faith that Buffy was there, Dawn didn’t say anything and just walked up the dark haired girl. Faith stood up from the bed and looked at the girl she once and maybe still loved like a sister, “Gimme a hug?” Faith asked innocently and opened her arms.
Dawn didn’t say anything and just threw herself in Faith’s arms. The brunette slayer put her arms around the young girl and held her close. Dawn had put her arms round Faith’s waist and held the taller girl tight. Faith could feel her shirt getting moist and knew the girl was crying, she released her grip on Dawn and pushed her back a little.
Faith cupped Dawn’s chin an held up her face a little, “What you crying for kid?”
“I missed you,” Dawn said. Faith wiped the tears from Dawn’s cheek with her thumbs and embraced the young girl again.
‘No,’ Buffy thought, ‘That’s not like her… that’s not Faith,’ Buffy couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She knew Dawn cared about Faith and she definitely knew that Faith cared about her sister. But was it that deep? Faith had pushed everyone away, including her and Dawn. And now she was here standing there embracing HER kid sister.
‘Could she really have changed?’ Buffy thought and looked at the scene before her. Faith hugging her kid sister, not threatening… just hugging… and Dawn was crying, why would Dawn be crying as if she had missed Faith after all she did.
Buffy stood there watching through the window for what felt like forever and then walked in, “Dawn we’re going,” Buffy said careful to avoid any contact with the dark haired slayer.
Faith let go of Dawn when she heard Buffy’s voice. The brunette was surprised to see the blonde slayer, she didn’t think that Buffy would ever come to visit her, “B…”
“Don’t” Buffy snapped, “I’m only here because Dawn wanted to visit you.”
Faith cringed at her words and moved to her bed, “See ya kid,” she said before sitting down. Dawn gave Faith one last hug and followed her sister out. Faith looked at the two sister and sighed. The words ‘don’t’ and ‘I’m only here because Dawn wanted to visit you’ repeated constantly in Faith’s mind. They had hurt her in more ways then Buffy probably would ever know.
** Outside SPD building **
“Buffy?”
Buffy turned around and saw Willow and Tara standing in front of her, “Hey,” she said with a sheepish grin on her face. For some reason she felt ‘busted’ on something that shouldn’t feel the way it did.
“I thought you…”
“I didn’t…,” Buffy quickly said, “Dawn wanted to so I took her.”
“Willow! Tara!” Dawn yelled when she saw them standing in front of Buffy. She had just gone off to get some soda’s from the machine in the SPD building, “What are you guys doing here?”
“We were… uhm…”
“On our way to visit Faith,” Tara finished.
“Again…” Buffy silently said, but not silent enough because both Tara and Willow had heard it.
“Yes again,” Tara snapped and realized what she had said, “I-I’m sorry Buffy, I didn’t m-mean.”
“It’s ok Tara,” Buffy said, “I already told you that it was your choice if you should visit her or not.”
Tara smiled and looked at Willow and then back to Buffy, “W-we should go… visit Faith.”
“Ok, see you later.” Buffy and Dawn walked to the car and the two witches went inside to visit Faith again.
** Two Days Left **
Buffy sat in her room thinking about the visit to Faith. The brunette really lit up when Dawn had entered the room and not to mention how glad Dawn was when she saw her again. Or maybe it was just an act when she was around her sister, maybe she didn’t change at all.
Maybe if she’d visit Faith alone she would drop the act. ‘Why do I need to visit her to know she hasn’t changed,’ Buffy thought and looked out of the window. The past couple of days had been really confusing; Tara had forgiven Faith, Willow had visited her and Dawn was more than willing to visit her.
“This is so confusing,” Buffy said out loud. She suddenly jumped up when she saw Dawn standing in the doorway, “What?”
“Why don’t you visit her?” Dawn said as she walked in the room, “If you want to know if she really changed then visit her alone.”
“Don’t be so wise… it’s very frightening,” Buffy said and looked at her sister.
“You know it’s true,” Dawn replied.
“That’s exactly what’s scaring me,” Buffy said.
“Then visit her,” Dawn said and sat on the bed next to Buffy and leaned her head against her sister’s shoulder.
“Does this involve talking to her?”
“Not necessarily,” Dawn said.
“When did you became so wise?”
“Don’t know…” Dawn replied, “I care about Faith and I care about you. I don’t want to see either of you hurt,” Dawn finished. Buffy put an arm around her sister and kissed the top of her head.
Faith sat in her cell looking at the wall in front of her. Faith had called out but was cut off with the words ‘Don’t’ and ‘I’m only here because Dawn wanted to visit you’. Even the visit from Tara and Willow didn’t help with the hurt she was feeling right now.
She had been repeating the words over and over again in her head. When she saw Buffy standing in the door opening Faith could only hope that the blonde slayer was there to see her… but she wasn’t. Still she was glad that she at least saw Dawn again.
The girl had been like the sister she never had and Dawn knew that… and Faith was aware that Dawn knew that. It had only made their bond stronger, every time Faith would go over to Buffy’s house and when she saw that face again… she couldn’t help it but to turn in to a little kid herself.
Faith remembered the way Buffy would look at her when she was with her sister. The blonde’s eyes were full of love and care. But that was all before… before she dragged Buffy in her ‘way of the slayer’ living and before Faith had killed the deputy mayor Allan Finch.
Allan Finch… the guy had a name. With vampires it was just ‘stake now ask questions later’ and she had thought the deputy mayor was also a vampire and so she ran the stake through his heart thinking the exact thing, ‘just another vamp’. When she saw the blood Faith had almost panicked.
The brunette lost her thoughts when she heard the door to her cell opening. Hoping it was Willow and Tara again she looked up smiling… Her smile disappeared as fast as it came when she saw the one person standing in front of her of whom she never thought she would see again… Buffy.
Faith moved to the bed and never said a word, Buffy walked across the room and sat on the chair standing on the other side of the cell. Faith pulled up her legs and wrapped her arms around them slowly rocking back and forth. She tried not to look at Buffy and kept her gaze to the floor.
Buffy just sat on the chair, arms resting on her legs and just looking at the dark haired girl. She couldn’t figure out what was going on Faith’s head, she had once tried but Faith had blocked her out not letting her like she blocked out every other person that tried to get close to her. She knew Faith was trying not to look at her.
The brunette tilted her head a little and looked at Buffy but quickly moved her eyes back to the floor when she saw Buffy was still looking at her. There was an urge deep inside her that she just wanted to tell the blonde girl everything and say how sorry she was. But she kept her mouth shut, waiting for Buffy to make a move.
After half an hour Buffy got up from the chair and walked to the door, she looked back one more time and met Faith’s eyes with her own. There wasn’t much to see in them… there was one thing she didn’t see and that was the hatred and pain that used to be in there.
There was pain in Faith’s eyes now, but not the old pain. This pain was fresh and somehow Buffy knew she was the one who had caused the pain unwillingly. It was the same pain Buffy had felt when she tried to help Faith… rejection.
Buffy closed her eyes and sighed, but didn’t go back in the room. She stepped outside of the room and closed the door. Before Buffy left she put her hand against the glass window and let it rest there for a second making sure Faith would see it. It wasn’t a gesture of forgiveness, it could have been interpreted as either a ‘goodbye’ or a ‘don’t worry’.
The blonde slayer didn’t know what Faith would think about her hand on the glass. She didn’t even know WHAT it meant and WHY she did it.
‘Why did she do that?’ Faith asked herself when she saw Buffy’s hand. “That’s either a really good sign or a really, really bad sign,” Faith said out loud. ‘The only thing I can do now is wait.’
** One Day Left **
Dawn knew her sister was hurting inside because of what Faith had done, but she still smiled when Buffy had told her that she visited Faith, “What did she say?”
“Nothing,” Buffy replied. “She was waiting for me to say something. I could see it in her eyes.”
“What?”
“Insecurity,” Buffy replied, “I’ve seen a lot of things in her eyes, but never insecurity… maybe it was there and she never showed me.”
“Now what?”
“I’m going again.”
Dawn was happy and surprised, “Ok, I’m not getting something here.”
“I need to know Dawn,” Buffy replied, “It’s up to us if were going to send her back to LA or if we’re gonna set her free.”
“Can I come with?”
“No.”
“Come on, she won’t hurt me… you saw that!”
Buffy sighed and looked at Dawn who was actually pleading to come with her, “Alright…” The two sisters got up from the couch and got on their way to the SPD building.
** Tara’s Dorm **
“Dawn called me yesterday,” Tara said.
“What did she say?”
“Either one of the most surprising things or one of the bravest.”
“Huh?”
“She said Buffy was visiting Faith,” Tara replied.
“That’s new…” Willow said and frowned, “She didn’t go there to hurt her did she?”
“I don’t know…,” Tara said, “I guess we’ll see that tomorrow.”
“Last day is today.”
“Yeah, but we won’t have to say it until tomorrow.”
Tara moved to the bed and laid down on it face first. Willow also moved to the bed and sat beside her putting a hand on Tara’s lower back, “What you thinking about?”
“Everything,” Tara replied, “I want to give her another chance, but setting her free is a big step.”
“I know,” Willow replied and started massaging Tara’s back, “I’m not too fond of the ‘five by five girl’ getting set free, but I’m willing to give her a second chance and let her earn forgiveness.”
“It’s good to hear you say that,” Tara said.
“Now it’s time for another thing,” Willow said and turned Tara around so she was laying on her back and moved on top of her and leaned in to give Tara a passionate kiss.
Willow broke the kiss and took of her tank top, “This thing I like,” Tara said and pulled Willow back for another passionate kiss.
** SPD building; Faith’s cell **
Faith didn’t bother to look up when her cell door opened once again. Not until she heard the voice of the person who came in, “Dawn?” Faith said and looked up.
“You remembered my name,” Dawn said with a hint of sarcasm and rushed over to hug Faith.
“Of course I remember silly,” Faith replied and hugged Dawn. She closed her eyes and held Dawn a little closer, she opened her eyes again and saw Buffy standing in front of her. She immediately let go of Dawn and moved to the bed. She got a confused look on her face when Dawn followed her and Buffy didn’t say anything of it, “Decided to come along?” Faith asked.
Buffy didn’t reply and just sat on the same spot as she did before. Faith didn’t pay any attention to her anymore when Dawn started tugging on her shirt and showed her something, “What is it Dawn?”
“I want you to have this…”
“What is it?” Faith asked when Dawn handed her a small box. Faith looked at Buffy who seemed a little surprised but showed little emotion about it. The brunette slayer opened the box and saw small silver cross in it with a silver necklace.
“Just a present for when you get out,” Dawn said.
“I’m not out yet, little one,” Faith said, “I’m not the one to decide that. That decision is up to your sister and the others.”
“Yeah but…”
“No Dawn,” Faith said, “Don’t worry about me… and thank you for this gift, wanna put it on?” Dawn took the necklace with the cross and put it around Faith’s neck, “Like it?” Faith said and showed it to Dawn.
“Yeah,” Dawn said and gave her another hug.
For the next two hours Buffy just sat there watching her sister talk to Faith about what had happened from the moment Faith got locked up in jail. Buffy could help but to grin on some of the comments Faith made, but she made sure Faith never saw them.
“Dawn we have to go,” Buffy said and looked at her sister, “Mom is expecting us for dinner.”
Dawn got up and gave Faith one last hug and walked out of the door where Buffy was waiting for her. Buffy looked at her sister leaving and turned to Faith, “Faith,” she said. When Faith looked up Buffy just nodded and walked out of the room. That nod meant everything to Faith, but she didn’t show it… she just silently enjoyed it.
** Judgement Day **
“What time did he expected us at the shop?” Willow asked as she got dressed.
“Noon honey,” Tara replied.
“Ok, so and we have to make a decision right…” Willow said, “Can’t we just say nothing and let him decide?”
Tara walked over to Willow who was standing with her back towards her and put her arms around her waist, “I know it’s hard darling, but this is a decision we have to make.”
“Yeah I know it’s just…” Willow said and turned around to face her lover, “…it’s hard.”
“That it is,” Tara said and kissed her, “Come on, let’s go pick up Dawn and Buffy.”
** Summers Home **
“You ready?” Willow asked Buffy.
“No,” Buffy replied and grabbed her coat, “Come on Dawn.”
“Are you coming with us Ms. Summers?” Tara asked.
They had already told Joyce everything what was going on, but she had let Buffy sort this out on her own, “I don’t know… should I?”
“You have as much say in this as we do,” Buffy said to her mother.
“Well… ok, but if I’m just gonna stay in the back.”
“Sure,” Willow replied and opened the door.
“Dawn hurry up!” Buffy yelled.
“Coming!” Dawn yelled back and came running down the stairs, “let’s go” Dawn said and ran past Willow to the car.
** Magic Box **
One day earlier Angel had called them all to meet him at the Magic Box the next day and this was that day. Everybody knew exactly what it was about…
They all sat round the table in silent, they never experienced this kind of silence before. It was even worse than when Oz had come back, this time neither one of them made any effort to say something. Even Anya was uncomfortable silent for her own good, they could see it was destroying her inside but they still appreciated that she had kept silent.
“Is he coming already?” Anya said annoyed.
“Honey,” Xander said, “He’ll be here… I hope” Xander finished and looked at Buffy.
“He’ll be here,” Buffy said and kept her gaze on the door.
“How is everything going Joyce?” Giles asked.
“It’s going good,” Joyce replied, “Got my hands full on my daughters, coz they’re just a pain.”
“Hey!” Both sisters yelled in unison. Which made everyone laugh.
Joyce threw her hands up in defeat, “Just kidding… just kidding.”
“Nice to see you all in a good mood.”
“Angel…” Buffy said and stood up from the chair, “… and Faith,” Buffy said as she saw the dark haired girl enter the room. They all noticed two female guards with her and she was cuffed.
“Faith!” Dawn said happily and hugged her.
“Hey kid,” Faith replied, “Sorry I can’t hug you back… kinda tied up here.” She said and smiled.
“We do this fast,” Angel began, “I told you all this was up to all of you… but it isn’t.”
“What?” Willow asked.
“Let me finish Willow, please…” Willow only nodded and Angel continued, “As I said, this isn’t up to all of you. Only two people decide what happens next.”
“Who?” Xander asked.
Before Angel could say something Buffy already spoke, “Faith… and me.”
“Yes… you and Faith,” Angel said, “As I said before we’re going to do this fast… Faith gets her chance to say if she wants to stay and make amends and then Buffy… If she says no or nothing, the guards will take her away and she goes back to LA… If Buffy says she can stay, they’ll set her free and hand her over to your care.”
“How is this possible?” Giles wanted to know, “… and how did you get in here?”
“As much as I’d like to tell you… I can’t” Angel said, “Ever heard of sewers?” He replied to the second question and turned to Faith, “What’s it gonna be Faith?”
Faith looked around and locked her eyes first on Joyce who just nodded and smiled. Then she turned to the others who didn’t show any kind of emotion, Willow wanted to say something and so did Tara… but they didn’t because it was not up to them. Faith then looked at Buffy who showed no emotion at all and then turned to Dawn who was still standing next to her.
A soft ‘stay’ came from her lips only heard by Faith. The brunette turned to Angel, “I’ll stay,” she said softly. Buffy looked at Dawn and had never seen a bigger smile on her sister’s face.
Tara silently cheered inside that Faith really wanted to stay and make amends. Willow was still a little uncertain about things and the others they would just take it one day at a time. Now it was time for Buffy to make her decision.
“Buffy…” Angel called out for her.
She didn’t reply, she was still thinking on what to say. For the next five minutes she didn’t say a thing and didn’t look up to meet any of the others in the room. She just stared at the floor and cursed herself for not making a decision faster.
Angel looked at the two guards and nodded. They had agreed with him that she would be taken out slowly since he already knew that Buffy wasn’t too big on making decisions and this would give her some extra time. The guards slowly began to walk out of the shop with Faith constantly looking back to see if Buffy had looked up or would say anything.
Buffy heard a soft ‘no’ coming from Dawn and looked at her sister, only to see a teary eyed girl standing there. She looked back at her mom who didn’t say anything and just looked at her. Buffy then looked at the two guards who were slowly getting Faith out the shop, it almost seemed as if they tried to make it as dramatic as possible. Buffy saw Faith turning her and looked directly at the brunette slayer. The pain in Faith’s eyes looked like a dozen daggers just stuck in her gut. That’s when Buffy made her decision.
“Don’t.”
Everyone held their breath when Buffy ran past the guards and stopped in front of her. Faith almost got a whiplash just from switching her head that fast to face Buffy. The blonde slayer cupped Faith’s chin and brought her eyes to meet her own. For a moment she saw hope flash trough it and looked at the guards, “Let her go,” Buffy said and walked a few steps back.
Dawn looked at her sister and then to Faith who had been released by the two guards, “Faith!” she yelled. Faith turned around and saw Dawn come running at her with open arms. Faith opened her arms too and let the little kid crash into her, which made both of them fall back on the floor.
Buffy looked at them and smiled… then she turned around and walked away…
...continued in Darkest Side Of Life...