No Perfect World: Darkest Side Of Life
by Net Girl
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Willow and Tara and all the others 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.
Extra Note: ++++++++++ = switch between real world and AU world.
Dedication: To Crystal Moonfall: Always taking time to comment on my stories
and giving me dedication in his… And I’m glad I could help you with your
writers block.
Feedback: I’m an addict :-)
It had been almost a week now since Faith was released from custody and placed under the care of Buffy. There was only one thing that didn’t fit in with it, they hadn’t seen Buffy once in that week. They had only spoken to her over the phone, Faith had stayed at Giles’ place and had asked updates from Dawn who visited her every day… twice a day if possible.
The others were still dealing with Faith being around and Faith wasn’t very comfortable around them. She had hurt them and had hurt Buffy… Faith had come to know that Buffy had only gone out for patrols and then went back in her room. Dawn had told the brunette slayer that she sometimes heard her crying and when she would come downstairs to eat something her eyes were still red and puffy from crying.
Faith hadn’t liked the sound of that very much, but there was nothing she could do about it. Buffy wouldn’t even let Willow come over to talk to her and Faith knew she wasn’t in her place yet to make such moves, “Go on patrol with her,” Xander said snapping Faith out of her thoughts.
“Hmm what?” Faith asked.
“Go on patrol with her,” Xander said, “you don’t have to talk, just you know… do what slayers do… slay vampires and demons,” Xander looked at the others and had a puzzled look on his face, “I’m not making much sense am I?”
“Actually… you are,” Faith said.
“I am? Of course I am… Why am I making sense again?”
“She isn’t avoiding you guys,” Faith said, “She’s avoiding me…”
“Can you blame her?”
“Anya!”
“No Xander… she’s right…” Faith said and looked at Giles, “What time does she usually patrols?”
Giles looked at his watch, “In about ten minutes,” he replied.
“I’m going to follow her,” Faith said, “She bound to make a slip and that’s where I come in…” She got only strange looks and a puzzled look from Willow, “… to HELP her,”
“Right I knew that,” Willow mumbled.
“No you didn’t” Faith said and started to walk out of the shop, “Don’t bother to ask how Red, it’s the slayer hearing, comes with the package,”
“Uh huh,” was all Willow said before Faith was out of the shop.
“Can we go now?” Anya whined, “I wanna go home and you know…” Anya didn’t finish that sentence out loud, instead she whispered in to Xander’s ear who immediately got up from the chair, “Bye all,” Anya said and followed her boyfriend out.
“They’re probably gonna…”
“Yes thank you Willow,” Giles said, “You and Tara can go to if you’d like.”
“No, we can stay here…” Willow began but got cut by Giles with a ‘please go’. “Bye Giles,” Willow said before leaving the shop and pulling Tara with her.
“Kids,” Giles said and shook his head.
Faith watched Buffy get outside of the house and followed her to the nearest graveyard. She actually didn’t have a good kill since she got out jail and her hands were craving to shove a stake through a vamp's heart.
But tonight she still had to keep a low profile, the only reason she would show herself was if Buffy was in over her head or slipped. She silently followed the blonde slayer through the cemetery, Buffy probably would have known she was there. She couldn’t care less, if she’d mind, Buffy would have said something about it a long time ago.
Faith saw two vampires sneaking up to Buffy, when she noticed Buffy had stopped walking she knew Buffy knew they were there, “You really shouldn’t sneak up on someone,” she heard Buffy say and then she turned around, “Show yourself,” she yelled and Faith watched the two vamps coming from behind a tree.
Buffy immediately staked one of the vampires and then started hitting the other one, ‘Nice touch B,’ Faith thought to herself, ‘Reminds me of myself’ Faith finished and smirked at the thought. She used to beat the crap out of the vampires before she would stake them.
‘This is not like B,’ Faith thought as Buffy was still beating the vampire, ‘This is totally not like her… stake him already girl,’ Faith thought. Then she noticed another vamp creeping up behind the blonde slayer. Buffy didn’t notice him at all and kept hitting the other vamp.
“B! Watch out!” Faith yelled and came out of her hiding place storming towards the third vamp. The third vamp hit Buffy on her head and she loosened her grip on the other vampire and fell back.
He stood above Buffy and pulled her up, “You’re dead slayer,” he said. Buffy was still a little out of it because of the blow a few seconds earlier.
“Not if I can help it,” Faith said and plunged the stake through his heart, “B, You ok?”
“Faith?” Was the last thing Buffy said before she closed her eyes.
“Great, now I have to carry her back,” Faith said and plunged a stake through the heart of the vampire who just got beat up by Buffy. She went back to the blonde slayer and gently lifted her up in her arms and walked her to the Summers home.
“Dawn, can you give me a hand here?” Faith yelled upstairs when she entered the house.
“What’s up?” Dawn said as she ran down the stairs. Then she noticed Buffy, “What happened?” She said near panic.
“A vamp hit her,” Faith said, “I got there in time though. Where’s your mom?”
“Out of town, something related to the art gallery,” Dawn said.
Faith carried Buffy to her bedroom and laid her down on the bed, “Take care of her Dawn, I’m gone… She hasn’t talked to me ever since… I’m just gonna go.”
“Yeah, ok…” Dawn said and gave the brunette slayer a brief hug.
** Next Morning **
Buffy woke up and looked around, “How did I get here?”
“You don’t know anything about last night?” Dawn asked.
“No… why?”
“Ask Faith…”
“What did she do!” Buffy said anger filling her voice.
Dawn looked at her sister, surprised and not that she would say such a thing, “She saved your life!” Dawn snapped back.
“Oh…”
“Never thought it would happen did you,” Dawn kept anger filling her voice, “Ask her about what happened, maybe that will clear you mind.” And with that she left the room and a surprised Buffy behind.
** Magic Box **
“Buffy!” Willow said surprised when the blonde slayer entered the shop, “Where the hell have you been?” she finished with anger in her voice.
“Missed you too Willow,” Buffy replied with a hint of sarcasm.
Willow walked to the blonde slayer and hugged her, “We’ve been worried sick.”
Buffy put her arms around the redhead’s waist and held her tight, “I’m sorry Wills,” Buffy said and squeezed a little before letting go of the petite girl.
“Welcome back to the living… wrong choice of words… just welcome back then,” Xander said and hugged Buffy.
When Xander let go of her the next thing Buffy knew someone else flew in her arms, she was very surprised when it was Anya but hugged her anyway, “Sorry… can’t deal with human emotions,” Anya said and let go of the slayer.
“Thanks,” Buffy said. She turned to Giles who just nodded and had a huge smile on his face. She looked around the shop and saw Faith sitting on the staircase, “Why did you follow me last night?”
“Because we were worried,” Willow answered for the brunette.
“I wasn’t asking you Willow,” Buffy said and turned back to Faith.
“Don’t take this out on Red!” Faith said with a little anger in her voice, “I followed you because you haven’t been here all week and they were worried about you.”
“So you decided to just play stalker girl?” Buffy said, “I could have taking those vamps on my own!”
“Yeah after you been knocked out by one… good luck staking ‘em,” Faith said and walked up to the blonde slayer.
“From what I’ve heard she saved your life,” Anya said getting a little annoyed by the fighting.
“Stay out!” Both slayers yelled.
“Hey!” Xander said, “What ever problems you two got, don’t take it out on my girlfriend."
Willow looked at Tara who was looking frightened and took her hand, “I never wanted this…” Tara whispered to Willow.
“You didn’t do this,” Willow said giving her lover a kiss.
Somehow in the commotion Buffy had hit Faith and Faith had giving a blow back to Buffy. Both had hurt expressions on their faces, but not from the blows they received but that they had actually hit each other. Both slayers brought their hands back to deliver another blow to the other slayer.
“Stop it!” Willow yelled holding up her hand when she saw the two slayers getting ready to hit each other. The next thing they knew there was a blue light surrounding the two slayers, “I didn’t do that!” Willow said in panic pointing at the light.
“What’s going on?” Buffy yelled.
“How the hell should I know?” Faith snapped back.
“Willow?” Both slayers asked quizzically.
“I didn’t do that…” Willow whispered.
A bright flash came from the blue light, the flash was so bright they had to turn away from it. When they looked up again there was no sign of the two slayers, “Bloody Hell!” Giles yelled, “Where are they?”
“I didn’t do that…” Willow whispered to Tara who was still holding her hand. The blonde witch was just as confused as the other were.
“You two zapped them!” Anya said pointing at Willow and Tara.
“Did not!” Willow and Tara said in unison.
“I think you did,” Giles said.
“Huh?” They all said.
“Well, you yelled stop it and was holding up your hand AND you were holding Tara’s hand.”
“What has that got to do with it?” Willow asked.
“She’s a witch too, so it made you stronger… right?” Anya said and turned to Giles.
“Quite right Anya…,” Giles said, “Although it is strange that just from yelling stop it they would disappear.”
“Then how?” Xander asked.
“Were you or Tara thinking of something?”
“O god!” Willow said, “I… I… kinda… uhm.”
“What honey?” Tara asked.
“I was kinda thinking ‘couldn’t you two do that somewhere else’.”
“That’ll do the trick,” Anya said and sat on one of the chairs, “You probably sent her somewhere else or worse… another dimension or … you could have killed them.”
“I didn’t did I…?” Willow said almost panicking.
“I… well.. uhm… we should do some research about it then,” Giles said.
“Anya… ever the word smith,” Xander said, “We’re just gonna go and drive around Sunnydale to find if they’re out there some where.”
“And we’ll do some research… if there’s anything to research.”
“This is not good… I never wanted this,” Willow said sobbing.
“It’s ok honey,” Tara said and held Willow while she cried.
When the bright light disappeared it took the two slayers some while to adjust their eyesight. And when they were finally able to see right they wished they hadn’t, about twenty demons in uniform stood in front of them with knifes in their hand.
“Uh oh” Buffy said and looked at Faith.
“Uhm should we…”
“Run!” Both slayers yelled in unison. They turned around and just started running as if there were no tomorrow and if they demons would catch up to them there wouldn’t be a tomorrow.
“It’s been two hours now Giles,” Willow said with a said tone, “Why aren’t they back yet?”
“I don’t know Willow,” Giles replied, “I really don’t know. Why don’t you and Tara try to see what happened when you did that spell.”
“I didn’t do that spell!”
“I know that, but unconciously you did do that spell,” Giles said, “Just try and figure out what and how you did it,” Willow nodded and walked out of the Magic Box with Tara, ‘Just hurry’ Giles thought, ‘God know what they’ll do to each other where ever they are.’
Buffy and Faith finally had found a hiding place and took some deep breaths, “How long have we been running?” Faith asked her fellow slayer. She didn’t got an answer, “Fine don’t talk to me!” Faith snapped and turned her back towards Buffy.
“Why should I!” Buffy yelled, “You’re the one who got us here in the first place!”
“Keep your voice down,” Faith whispered, “… and what the hell are you talking about, I didn’t get us here… your precious witch did that!” The next thing she knew was a slap across her face, but that wasn’t so hard as the comment she had made herself, “Oh God… I’m so sorry…” Faith said and covered her face with her hands.
“Faith,” Buffy tried.
“Let’s just get a way out of here,” Faith said and stood up. While they were running they didn’t see much of the scenery, but what they saw wasn’t a pretty sight. It still looked like Sunnydale but then again it didn’t… it looked more like a war zone.
“We’ve been running for an half hour” Buffy said looking at Faith, “Get out of where… or what?”
“I don’t know…,” Faith said, “As much as we dislike it we have to work together on this one… think you can handle that?”
“Yeah…” Buffy said.
“Good… by the way, did you notice that this place looks exactly like…”
“…Sunnydale, but let’s say like a nuclear bomb was just dropped on it?”
“Yeah exactly,” Faith said.
Both slayers peeked their heads through the door to see if the guards were still following them and they were. ‘Just fucking great’ Faith thought.
“What?”
“What?”
“Nothing,” Buffy replied, “Thought you said something.”
“I didn’t,” Faith said and looked puzzled.
“So we’re gonna stay here or kill the demons?”
“As much as I would like to… our best chances are to stay here,” Faith said, “Even if we are two slayers… we’re way outnumbered and they got weapons.”
“Yeah you’re right.”
“Follow me,” a child’s voice said.
Both slayers turned around when they heard the child’s voice behind them. They looked at each other and shrugged, it was just a little kid probably caught in the crossfire… or whatever it was that was going on in the place they were.
The kid led them through what looked like a sewer system, but then again didn’t. A lot of things looked like something and then again they didn’t look like it. The only thing for now was that they really needed to find out some things about this world.
“If this is Sunnydale, maybe the gang is still here… unless…” Buffy whispered.
“Don’t even think that!” Faith snapped, “If they’re here… they’ll be alive and we’ll find ‘em.”
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Because I got a lot to make up for… now keep walking,” Faith said and picked up the pace followed by a confused Buffy.
After walking what seemed like hours the young girl finally stopped. When both slayers looked up they were amazed of what they saw… almost a complete underground city. It made them wonder of how long these people had been living under the ground, because what they saw couldn’t have been build in just a few days.
“Wow,” Buffy said and looked at Faith who had a similar look of surprise on her face, “You can close your mouth you know.”
“Right…” Faith said and did so still amazed of what she saw, “Hey kid!”
“Yes?”
“What is this place?”
“Sunnydale.”
Buffy and Faith looked at each other, “Isn’t that supposed to be up there?” Buffy said pointing above her head.
“That’s where it used to be…” the girls said in a sad voice, “Come, I’ll take you to someone who can explain all of this… she looks quite a lot like you,” the girl said pointing at Buffy.
Buffy raised a brow and Faith just smirked. They did follow the girl curious on what was to happen next. They followed the girl and kept looking around, a lot of people looked out of their ‘windows’ to see who the two new people were.
“Buffy! Faith!” A girl yelled.
“I know that voice,” Buffy said turning around and so did Faith.
When they turned around they saw a redhead running at them and recognised her immediately, “Willow?” both slayers said. Willow ran up to the two slayer and hugged them both, when she let go of the two slayer nobody was more surprised then Faith herself. Something was definitely different in this world.
“So what are you doing out here?”
“Uhm… walking?” Faith said.
“Silly,” Willow said, “Really what are you doing out here?”
“Following that girl,” Buffy said pointing at the girl.
“O that girl,” Willow said and smiled at the small girl getting a soft ‘Hi’ back from her.
“Where’s Tara?” Faith asked.
“I was on my way back home and you probably know where it is since you guys live there too.”
“We do?” Both slayers said in unison.
“Well duh…” Willow said, “What’s wrong with you guys?”
“Got hit in the head,” Faith said and started following the little girl again. Buffy ran up to Faith and walked next to her. Willow quickly followed, but stayed behind them.
“Didn’t that seem just a little…”
“Strange?” Faith said.
“You noticed that too huh…” Buffy said and kept walking. She glanced back a few times looking at her… well… best friend. She seemed older somehow… more mature.
After a ten minute walk they stood in front of a house, a big house… a very big house. Both slayers just stared at it with open mouths. The little girl told them to get inside and that even looked bigger that the outside, “So uhm what are we supposed to do now?” Faith whispered to Buffy.
“I have no idea,” Buffy whispered back.
The little girl kept walking and they just followed her, with Willow closely behind. When they walked up to one of the many doors the girl stepped aside and let them enter the room. When they did it wasn’t the sight they would have seen in a million years. Them… kissing… each other.
“Do you mind if I pass out?” Buffy asked Faith.
“It maybe totally out of character, but I was thinking the same thing,” with that Faith looked at Buffy and they did exactly that.
Buffy and Faith both jumped up at the same time a little disoriented about where they were, they weren’t in the room where they were earlier with them… kissing, “O god!” Buffy yelled, “Tell me that wasn’t us!”
“I would if I hadn’t seen that with my own two eyes.”
“Well you’re eyes are wrong and so are mine!” Buffy yelled, “And where are we?”
“In a room?”
“Shut up!”
“Hey you asked!”
“Did not.”
“Listen to us, we’re like little kids!” Faith said, “We should find a way out of here… it’s driving us nuts.”
“Uh huh,” Buffy said and sighed, “I got a headache,” Buffy said and put a hand on her head.
“Let me see,” Buffy backed up from Faith not sure what to do, “I’m not gonna bite you!” Faith said and stepped closer. Buffy sat back on the bed she was laying on earlier and let Faith take a look at her head.
“Ouch… watch it!” Buffy yelled when Faith touched her head.
“Sorry…” Faith said and smirked, then turned her attention to Buffy’s head again, “You got a bump on your head and a little cut, but I think they fixed that already,” Faith said. For some reason she let her hand rest on Buffy’s head a few seconds before turning away to lay back on her bed, “You must have hit the floor hard when you fainted.”
“Probably,” Buffy said and sighed, “Come on let’s get out of here and look for some answers.” Just as the two slayers stood up their door opened and they saw Willow, Tara and well… themselves walk in, “Uhm… hi?” Buffy said and looked at Faith who just shrugged.
“Amazing,” Tara said, “You look just like ‘em… or they look just like you… I’m just gonna go with very confused right now.”
“We’re not the same,” Buffy said, “She’s got a scar,” Buffy said pointing at her other self, “I’m gonna name you Scarface… not originally, but hey it works.” She finished with a smile.
“That’s cute,” the other Buffy said, “I would have said the same thing!”
“Yeah well, we are alike…” Buffy said and then turned to the other Faith, “Do you still call her B?”
“No, no not since well… let’s not go there,” she said when Scarface turned bright red.
“Good, then I know when I’m speaking to my Faith…,” Faith looked at Buffy raising a brow, “You know what I mean.”
“I’m already confused…” Willow said looking at her Buffy and Faith, “They’re not together… and you are, so I don’t think it will be a problem to keep ‘em apart… unless they get together of course.”
“No!” Both slayers yelled, “Nuh Uh… I’m so not getting together with her,” Buffy said pointing at ‘her’ Faith.
“Ok that won’t be a problem then,” Willow said and stepped closer.
“What the hell is this place?”
“That’s one way to describe it,” Scarface said, “Follow me.”
Both slayers walked followed them out, Willow and Tara couldn’t keep their eyes off of them, “How’s the head?” Tara asked.
“Painful,” Buffy replied and kept walking.
After a few minute walk they walked in to a fairly large room what looked like a bedroom. But it also had a table, kitchen and all those kind of things in it, but then again it wasn’t an apartment… it still looked like a normal bedroom, just with extra’s in it.
“This is our room,” the other Faith said looking at herself and the other Buffy.
“It IS a bedroom right?” Buffy asked.
“Yeah…”
“Why do you need the extra’s for?” Buffy looked at ‘her’ Faith, “You know what… I don’t even wanna know. Just tell me… us… how to get out of here, because I so not can deal with ourselves sucking face all the time… and that sentence was SO not right… Faith you do the talking.”
Faith just smirked, “So you gonna tell us about the history of this place?”
“You interested?” Tara asked.
“Very,” Buffy replied.
“It started with the Master,” Scarface said.
“He’s still alive?” Buffy asked.
“Not really,” Scarface replied, “He was planning some kind of Harvest and unfortunately he succeeded. And that’s where it all went wrong; I died, came back and killed him. How or why I came back I didn’t know.”
“Xander saved you, because Angel couldn’t” Buffy said. When she saw the hurt look on their faces she knew she had said something wrong, “What?”
“Xander was killed along with his wife Anya… by Angelus.”
“How? I mean he… he had a soul…”
“Yes he did,” the other Buffy replied, “When we uhm… slept together he lost it and Willow never got to finish the soul restoration spell… since that time he’s been Angelus and none of us ever got close enough to kill him,” she finished.
Buffy subconsciously grabbed Faith’s hand who got startled by this, she had heard stories about him and if she would grab her hand, she knew it was bad. She had a small experience with him and that wasn’t even Angelus… that was Angel pretending to be Angelus, “Go on with the history class,” Faith said.
“Xander and Anya had a little girl… that little girl that showed you the way here…” the other Buffy said, “Ever since they died, she has been under the care of the four of us.”
“What about The Master?” Buffy asked.
“Angelus killed him… he’s well the ruler of the world above…” Scarface said, “After I had died another slayer was called, Kendra, nice girl but way too…”
“… uptight?”
“Yeah… how did you?”
“I’ve met her she was killed by Drusilla.”
“In our world she has been killed by William the Bloody aka Spike…”
“Blondie?”
“Well not exactly…,” Willow said, “He’s kinda well ever since that fire he hasn’t been the same, let’s just say he’s uhm kinda bald…”
Both Buffy and Faith grinned at the thought of a bald Spike, “And ever since that fire he’s been at our side,” the other Faith said.
“Ok, whatever when did you two got together?” Buffy asked, she had been wanting to ask that question ever she saw them with the smoochies.
“When Kendra got killed I was called,” Faith said, “After my watcher died I went to Sunnydale to find Scar… uhm Buffy… sorry honey… and well it was let’s say love at first sight.”
“That it was,” Scarface said, “Anyway… when she got here, Sunnydale had already been like a war zone between Angelus and us,” she finished.
“It’s been a wild ride these last couple of years,” Willow said, “And I know you’ve been dying to know this… she got the scar from Angelus… little parting gift,” Willow got a stare by the other Buffy but ignored it.
“When did you two…” Buffy said pointing at Willow and Tara.
“Isn’t that obvious?” Faith asked, “They were meant to be together… I mean hello they’re together in our world aren’t they.”
“We are?” Both said in unison.
“What about your powers?” Buffy asked.
“We got powers alright,” Tara said and looked at Willow who just nodded.
The next thing they knew the two slayers were lifted in the air and were spinning around the room, “Willow, Tara! Put us down!” Buffy yelled.
“Come on girls, put ‘em down,” The other Faith said and grinned. It was a funny sight to see.
Willow and Tara put the two slayers back on the floor, “Thank you for that… now I’ve got an even worse headache!” Buffy said.
“Want me to kiss it goodbye?” Both Buffy’s looked at the other Faith, “Uhm oops… wrong Buffy.”
“Can’t blame you… I am cute” Scarface said. She smiled and then kissed Faith.
The other slayer immediately turned away from that sight, if it was one thing they were not going to do it was kissing or seeing their other selves kiss, “So uhm Will, Tara… how did you two got together?”
“I rescued her,” Both girls said in unison, “Ok we rescued each other,” Willow finished.
“She saved my life first, I was captured by Angelus when I came to Sunnydale…”
“And well I couldn’t just let her be taken by him now could I…,” Willow said, “And then she kinda saved my life after I… uhm… almost got beheaded by him.”
“I’m getting really dizzy here,” Buffy said, “I need some time to get this in my head. I’m going back to my room.”
Buffy stood up from the chair she was sitting on and walked out of the room, “We done here?” Faith asked, “Yes? Then I’m gonna follow the blonde and do some thinking of my own,” Faith walked out of the room and followed Buffy to her… well actually their room.
“Tell me again why we haven’t been able to get the slayers back?” Anya asked as she looked at Willow and Tara.
“Well… we… uhm… How the hell are we supposed to know that,” Willow snapped.
“Honey calm down.”
“Tara… I CAN’T calm down…,” Willow replied, “They’ve been gone for two days and haven’t returned yet and we haven’t been able to get them back.”
“I know Will,” Tara said, “But panicking doesn’t help right now, let’s go to Ms. Summers’ place and check on her and Dawnie… ok?”
“Yeah ok,” Willow replied and stood up from her chair, “Could we get something to eat on the way… I haven’t eaten all day and I’m really hungry.”
“Sure,” Tara said and gave Willow a kiss, “Come on.”
Buffy was sitting on her bed studying the wall when Faith walked in, “Hey.”
“Hey,” Buffy replied.
“So… why did you grab my hand?”
“You were the person closest?” Buffy said and continued studying the wall.
“Right ok…,” Faith said, “Ok so tell me if I’m right here… The Master succeeded with the harvest and destroyed Sunnydale, You… uhm she slept with Angel and he turned in to Angelus and Willow never got to do the soul restoration spell and now he’s kinda the Master in this Sunnydale. And then we got Xandman and Anya dying leaving a kid behind.”
“Pretty much,” was all Buffy said.
“And then we have the you… Uhm Scarface dying part which led to the calling of Kendra who got killed by Spike which led to my… uhm the other me being called and Spike’s on uhm their side.”
“Again I have to go with pretty much.”
“That’s well, wow…” Faith said surprising herself, “And then we got Willow and Tara being together which isn’t much of a surprise… and we got the you and me being together… sorry Scarface and her being together.”
“Again… Pretty much.”
“As long as we got our facts straight… no pun intended,” Faith said holding up her hands which made Buffy smile, “Finally, haven’t seen you smiling since we got here.”
“Got nothing to smile for right now.”
“Not even about Scarface and the other Faith being together?”
“Well yeah, but that doesn’t count right now,” Buffy replied, “I just want to go back home.”
“We’ll get home B, I promise,” Faith said.
“I just can’t deal with this right now… not with you, can’t deal any of it,” Buffy said, “Why are you being nice to me at all… I almost let them take you away again, only because my sister was crying her heart out I let you stay.”
“Only because of that?”
“She’s my sister Faith, I care about her… I don’t care about you… not after what you did to us… to me.”
“How many times do I have to say I’m sorry!” Faith snapped. She walked up to Buffy who was still sitting on the bed and sat next to her.
“How ‘bout saying it once… you haven’t said it to me since you got out,” Buffy snapped back, “And it isn’t even all your fault,” she added silently.
If it wasn’t for her slayer hearing, Faith never would have heard that comment, “What?”
“Nothing,” Buffy said and stood up from the bed.
Buffy started walking to the other side of the room when Faith pulled her back and turned her around, “You did say something… what did you say?” Faith said wanting to hear it again.
“I said that it wasn’t all your fault… Now let me go!” Buffy yelled and pulled out of Faith’s grip.
Faith was puzzled, “How can you say that?” she asked, “Of course it’s my fault… I’m the one who turned all evil… I turned to the mayor after I killed Allen Finch, I was the one who almost killed you, Red, Angel and Xander.”
“If I hadn’t pushed you away that never would have happened,” Buffy said and turned her back towards Faith.
“What the hell are you talking about B?” Faith said, “You never pushed me away… You always wanted to help me… I pushed myself away from you… all of you.”
“No you didn’t” Buffy snapped, “We never gave you a real chance… I never gave you a real chance. I liked us being friends, I liked the slaying part… but you went too far and I wasn’t there to held you back… because I liked it. I liked having the control you always had.”
“I was never in control B.”
“What are you talking about?” Buffy asked, “You were the one that lived in your motel room and did whatever you wanted.”
“And look at where it got me,” Faith said, “The gang still hates my guts… they tell me they don’t but they still do… with the exception of Tara. YOU still hate me!”
“I never hated you Faith,” Buffy said in a more calm tone, “I hated what you had become.”
“Same fucking thing.”
“No Faith!” Buffy said with a stern voice, “It’s not the same fucking thing,” Buffy said and turned around and walked to the younger girl. She placed her hand over Faith’s heart, “That slayer heart beating inside you… it’s craving to do good… that’s the real you. Not the shell that choose the easy way out.”
“What the hell are you talking about,” Faith asked.
“Nobody wants to be evil Faith,” Buffy began never taking her hand off of Faith’s heart, “It’s the easiest way out… doing good is a lot of responsibility, you lost the battle between good and evil when you killed Allen Finch and I wasn’t there to help you.”
“I didn’t exactly let you help me B,” Faith replied.
“I know… and that was one of the parts I hated…” Buffy said, “And I hated myself for not being able to help you.”
“How can you hate yourself?” Faith asked, “I’m the one who screwed up,” Faith said and walked away from Buffy and sat on the bed.
Buffy followed her and sat beside her, “You didn’t screw up Faith, you slipped.”
“Could you leave me alone for a few minutes,” Faith asked almost pleading and laid down on her back on the bed.
“Don’t push me away now Faith,” Buffy said and sat next to her, “I won’t let you… If you push me away now… then there’s nothing that could make it right again. I don’t want that and I’m positive Dawn doesn’t want that,” Buffy said and placed a hand on Faith’s stomach, “Don’t push me away this time.”
“Don’t bring Dawn in this,” Faith said in a more calm tone, “She doesn’t deserve to be pulled in our problems.”
“Don’t you get it Faith,” Buffy said, “I’m willing to put our problems behind us… ME of all people are willing to do that… doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“It means everything to me B,” Faith replied, “But I’m not even sure you want that… you hated me more than the others combined and you’re just willing to let it go?”
“I’m not sure why I’m doing this,” Buffy said. She looked at her hand which was still placed on Faith’s stomach and saw the scar she had created. She rubbed her thumb softly over it and could feel Faith tense under her touch, “I’m sorry,” Buffy said and removed her hand only to be stopped by the brunette slayer.
“It still hurts sometimes,” Faith said and placed Buffy’s hand over the scar.
Buffy caressed the scar with her fingers and saw Faith slowly closing her eyes, “Sleep,” she whispered and kept caressing the scar. It didn’t take long before Faith fell asleep and Buffy’s thoughts took control of herself, ‘Why the hell am I doing this,’ she thought to herself. When she looked at the brunette laying on the bed she couldn’t help it but smile.
After looking at Faith for over an half hour and she finally saw a smile on the younger girl’s lips she got up and wanted to go to bed herself. The blonde slayer was for some reason exhausted, she walked a few steps… but they became nothing more than a few steps. She was getting more tired by every step she took.
She looked at the bed Faith was laying in, ‘Enough room,’ she thought, ‘I’m just gonna go lay down and sleep… a very, very long time,’ Buffy thought and climbed on the bed. She let herself fall on her back nearly hitting Faith in the process, she moved aside a little and closed her eyes, ‘Gonna sleep and not wake up for a very long time,’ was the last thing before she drifted off to sleep.
“Did I tell you and Dawn how sorry I was?” Willow asked Joyce.
“About a thousand times since you first told me,” Joyce replied and smiled, “Look Willow, of course I’m worried about Buffy… and Faith, especially since they were almost fighting when it happened. But I’m sure they are fine and you’ll get them back.”
“So you ok?” Tara asked just as Dawn walked out of the room.
“Are you nuts?” Joyce asked, “I’m going crazy here not knowing if they killed each other yet. I just didn’t want to be like this around Dawn,” Joyce looked at Willow and saw she was crying again, “Willow… I’m not worried you can’t bring them back, because I know you will… it’s just that I don’t know if Faith will hurt my daughter or that, how strange it may see, Buffy will hurt Faith.”
Tara gave Willow kiss on her cheek and held her, “They’re fine… probably just verbally attacking each other… that wasn’t a good choice of words was it?”
Joyce shook her head and smiled, “They’re fine Willow, if I know my daughter they probably kissed and made up… except for the kissing part of course,” Joyce said and smiled nervously, “You know what? Why don’t you and Tara get your stuff and you and Dawn can make it a girls night.”
“What about you?” Willow asked, “You’re a girl… uhm woman… you know what I mean.”
“Oh no, I’m just gonna get upstairs and get into bed early.”
“Oh come on… It’ll be fun,” Willow said and used her puppy dog eyes.
“You know I can’t resist those,” Joyce said, “Ok, ok… I give up… a girls night it is.”
“Get my stuff!”
“Yes Master,” a demon bowed and walked away.
“Sir Angelus.”
“What is it?”
“What were you planning master?”
“The slayers are going down… tomorrow night,” Angelus hissed and rose from his chair, “tomorrow night…” he repeated.
‘Why can’t I move?’ Buffy thought as she tried to get up from the bed, her eyes still closed. But something or someone was holding her down. Then she remembered the previous night and knew someone was holding her down.
Buffy opened her eyes and saw one arm around her waist and one leg over her left leg. She also felt pressure on her shoulder and when she looked down she saw Faith’s head laying on her shoulder. She also noticed another thing, Faith was clinging on her as if for dear life itself and she had a very worried and frightened look on her face.
“Faith…” She tried. Faith just furrowed her eyebrows and kept sleeping, “Faith wake up,” Buffy said a little louder.
Faith opened her eyes and was greeted by an awkward smile from Buffy. A smile that was much closer than she remembered when she fell a sleep. She looked down and saw her hand covering Buffy’s waist and one of her legs covering Buffy’s left leg.
“Could you move,” Buffy said, “coz… well I need to stretch a little.”
Faith didn’t know how fast she could get out of the bed, “I… I’m sorry B… I didn’t.”
“I was a soft pillow I guess…,” Buffy said smiling, “You were sleeping… but I do think you slept like that all night coz whole my body is sore and I woke up in the same position as I fell a sleep.”
“How? I mean… that’s my bed… yours is there,” Faith said pointing at Buffy’s bed.
“I was on my way to my bed last night… but for some reason I got really, really tired and then I decided instead of plopping on the floor I crawled on your bed.”
“Oh,” was all Faith could get out. Buffy moved a little and patted the bed, Faith looked at her but laid down next to her anyway, “So…”
“What?”
“We ok?” Faith almost pleaded in a child like voice.
“I’m not ready to forgive you yet Faith,” Buffy said turned on her side facing Faith. She placed her hand over Faith’s heart again, “Prove to me that this shell who hurt and killed isn’t the real you,” Buffy said, “prove it to me and we’ll see what happens next.”
Buffy took her hand off of Faith’s hand again and laid on her back again arms and hands on both sides. She suddenly felt Faith’s hand taking her own, “Thank you,” Faith whispered.
“For what?”
“Giving me a chance after all I did,” Faith replied. Buffy turned her head towards and gave a small smile before turning her gaze back to the ceiling. Neither girls pulled their hands away from each other and just laid there enjoying the peace that was in their heart and minds for the moment.
After five minutes the other Buffy and Faith came running in their room, “What the hell are you doing to us?” Scarface yelled.
Both slayers jumped up and looked at their doubles and frowned, “What are you talking about?” Buffy asked.
“What were you doing last night?”
“Uhm… talking?” Faith said looking at ‘her’ Buffy who just shrugged also not knowing what their doubles were talking about.
“Must have been one hell of a talk,” the other Faith said, “I’ve never had any better sex than last night.”
Buffy and Faith’s eyes widened, both were in shock of what they heard their doubles say, “Ok a few notes here,” Buffy said, “Huh…? What…? And again Huh…?”
“I’m pretty much going with huh…?” Faith said and looked at her double, “Care to explain that?”
“Whatever you two were doing last night…,” the other Faith began, “Let’s just say NOTHING has ever been as good as last night.”
“What were you talking about?” Scarface asked.
“We were talking… and a little screaming,” Buffy said.
“And then a little talking again and then again with the screaming and with the semi making it up,” Faith added and still looked confused on what was going on.
“You feel what I feel?” Scarface asked her double.
“You mean… you feel what I feel,” Buffy said.
“Same for us?” the other Faith asked.
“I guess,” Faith replied and looked at ‘her’ Buffy and at Scarface, “B…”
“Yeah?” both Buffy’s replied.
“My B,” Faith said, “weren’t you saying something about being really tired last night?”
“Really tired as in ‘couldn’t even walk to my own bed tired,’” Buffy said and looked at ‘her’ Faith puzzled, then turned to the other Faith, “You are her… what is she talking about?”
“We drained you,” the other Faith said and shrugged when she got looks from the others, “What? You asked didn’t you?”
“Faith probably was sleeping before you went to bed,” Scarface said pointing at her double, “And you couldn’t make it to your own bed because of we… well you know what.”
“So we are connected,” Faith said, “Could we have a moment?” Faith asked looking at Scarface and her own double.
“Sure,” Scarface said and walked out with Faith.
For five minutes there was an awkward silence between Buffy and Faith until Buffy spoke, “So we… and then they… which resulted in us…”
“Uh huh,” Faith said and sat on the bed, “So I guess that’s another reason to keep the fighting down to a minimum,” Faith said and smiled awkwardly.
“I’m so not in the mood of being tired all day, while they’re off doing god knows what.”
“Totally in for that,” Buffy raised a brow and looked at the younger slayer, “Not being tired B.”
“Oh… right… I knew that.”
“Sure you did smartass.”
“Who’s calling who a smartass,” Buffy said and gave playful slap on Faith’s arm who returned it with one of her own, “Come on let’s get something to eat… for some reason that I do not want to know I’m starving.”
“It’s probably because of…”
“Faith!” Buffy cut her off from whatever she was going to say, “I said I didn’t want to know that,” Faith just smirked and pushed the blonde slayer out of the room.
“So you are connected with our Buffy and Faith?” Willow asked. Which resulted in a nodding contest by all Buffy’s and Faith’s, “Cool!”
“That’s so not cool!” Buffy replied.
“It is for us, fun even,” Scarface said and turned to her Faith and gave her a passionate kiss.
Both Buffy and Faith could feel a tingle going up their spine, “Don’t do that!” Buffy yelled as she shook the tingle off of her, “Sorry ok… could you just not do that when we are in the room.”
“Ok,” Scarface said and looked at Faith who just gave a wicked smile.
Buffy and Faith felt that tingle again, “And no touching either!” Faith said giving their doubles a stern look, “Tell us more about Angelus.”
“Why you wanna know about him,” Faith’s double asked.
“It’ll make it easier to kill him,” Faith said with a determined look on her face.
“Don’t do that,” Buffy said.
“Don’t do what B?” Faith said to ‘her’ Buffy, “Kill the guy that hurt you… uhm her… both of you… any of you?”
“That look.”
“What look?”
“That look that got us here in the first place.”
“Now you’re telling its my fault?” Faith said angry, “God B, I thought we got passed that little problem.”
“I wasn’t talking…”
“Forget it B,” both slayers turned back to their doubles who were kissing each other again, “No more fighting right…” Faith whispered to Buffy.
“Uh huh…” Buffy replied and looked wide eyed at their doubles.
Faith and Buffy looked at their doubles and got that same tingle up their spine again. Their doubles were almost laying on the floor and still kissing each other, Buffy and Faith tilted their heads to one side and both raised a brow.
“Ignore them,” Tara said and led Buffy and Faith out of the room.
Willow and Tara led them through what was now Sunnydale, they were going to pick up a young girl by the name of Lily, which was all Buffy and Faith could hear in the wiccans conversation. They could see a lot of frightened people and even some demons and vampire in the midst of them.
“Mommy!” a young girl screamed running towards Willow and Tara. Willow opened her arms and the little girl flew in her arms, “I missed you,” the young girl said. Then she turned to Tara, “I missed you too mommy,” the girl said and hugged Tara.
“This is Lily?” Buffy asked.
“Doesn’t auntie know me?” Lily said.
“This is not auntie Lily,” Tara said, “This is uhm… her sister.”
“And that’s auntie Faith right?”
“No that’s Faith’s sister,” Willow said and picked up the girl, “Lily, meet uhm… B and F.”
Both Buffy and Faith raised a brow but they would go with it for now, “So you two have a daughter?” Buffy asked still surprised by the little kid.
“Yeah,” Willow and Tara said in unison.
“Cute,” Faith said and looked at the girl, “She’s got Willow’s eyes and Tara’s hair… very cute,” Faith said and smiled.
“I’m not cute!” Lily said. Which made Buffy, Faith, Willow and Tara laugh.
“She reminds me of someone,” Faith said and then looked at Buffy who was near tears, “B… I…”
“It’s ok,” Buffy said wiping away a tear, “I just miss her and mom.”
“I know… I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s ok Faith,” Buffy said, “Take someone’s word for once ok?”
Faith nodded and turned back to the two wiccans, “So what else you got to show us?”
“We’ll take you to see Anya and Xander…”
“I thought they were dead…” Faith said.
“Their graves we mean actually…” Willow said.
“Oh… sorry.”
“Come on,” Tara said and took her daughter over from Willow.
Both Faith and Buffy followed the little family to a private spot about a mile behind their house. There stood a mausoleum and was more beautiful than Buffy and Faith had ever seen. A completely white mausoleum with the most beautiful statues surrounding it.
Willow opened the door and walked in, in the middle of the room stood three what looked like stone graves, “I thought only Anya and Xander were in here…” Faith said and looked at who was resting a hand on one of the graves.
“Giles…” she whispered.
It had been a week since they had arrived in this alternate world and it was getting on Faith’s nerves. Ever since they got back from Xander, Anya and Giles’ grave, Buffy hadn’t been herself and it actually hurt her to see Buffy like that. They all knew this wasn’t their world and that they would get back and see them all again, but they still couldn’t help it but feel sorry for the people in this world.
And then there had been that attack by Angelus the same night as they visited their graves. When he saw that there were now four slayers he had quickly fall back with his small army of demons. And it had been a good thing for him too, because if he hadn’t Faith or Buffy would’ve killed him.
“We gotta find a way back,” Faith said looking at Buffy who was sitting on her own bed, “I’m actually beginning to miss Anya,” Faith said and raised a brow. She looked at Buffy and both started to laugh.
“I know,” Buffy said, “I’m actually starting to miss her too… I mean it’s been fun and all, but I want to get back. I miss mom and Dawn… even if she can be a pain. I miss Giles, Xander, Tara … and Willow,” at this time Buffy was crying uncontrollably.
Faith didn’t know what to do, her first instinct was to take the girl in her arms… but seeing it was Buffy, she probably wouldn’t like to be held by her. Faith walked up and stood in front of the blonde slayer and laid a hand on her head.
Buffy suddenly wrapped her arms round the brunette’s slayer waist and rested her head on Faith’s belly still crying. Faith was shocked by this but comforted the smaller slayer none the less, Faith was almost in tears herself by seeing the blonde slayer like this. Most of the tears Buffy used to shed were created by Faith herself and now she was clinging on to her and crying her heart out.
Buffy was sitting on the edge of the bed and fell off of it when she collapsed and was catched by Faith who now had the blonde slayer cradled up in her arms, “Shh… it’s ok B, you’ll see them again,” Faith whispered and took a few stroked a few hairs out of Buffy’s face behind her ear.
Something in Faith’s voice made the blonde slayer look up. Faith looked puzzled when she saw the look in Buffy’s eyes, they weren’t her normal self… for some reason they were full of love. Buffy stroked a few stray hairs behind Faith’s ears and laid her hand on Faith’s neck, “B? What are you doing?”
Buffy didn’t say anything and pulled Faith closer to her until their faces were just an inch away from each other. Buffy closed the final gap and placed her lips on Faith’s. The brunette slayer didn’t know what to think, she could respond… she wanted to respond, but this wasn’t the right time for things like this and pulled away, “B… no… I can’t… we can’t.”
Faith saw the hurt look on Buffy’s face as she stood up from the floor, “Why?”
“This isn’t right B,” Faith said, “You’re only doing this because you need someone to comfort you and I happened to be the closest,” she held out her hand for Buffy to help her up.
Buffy took her hand and stood up from the floor, suddenly she pushed Faith against the wall. Faith tried to push her away with her hands, but Buffy took her hands and pinned them against the wall above her with her own hands, “Don’t tell me you don’t want this,” Buffy said and planted kisses on Faith’s jaw line.
Faith tried to get out of Buffy’s grip but Buffy was using all her slayer strength to keep Faith pinned to the wall, ‘I can’t believe I’m saying this,’ “No B I don’t want this, now get off of me!” the dark haired slayer said with anger in her voice.
Buffy was startled by this and let go of Faith and took a few steps back. Faith looked at her wrists and saw the bruises already forming, Buffy had a firm grip on her wrists, “Oh god…” Buffy said and started crying again. Faith looked up and hurried to the blonde slayer when she saw her falling down and catched her before she hit the ground.
Faith sat back against the bed and held Buffy in her arms, she leaned her head back against the bed and closed her eyes, ‘We really need to get out of this place’.
“Master.”
“What?” Angelus hissed.
“Everything is ready sir.”
“Good,” Angelus replied with a devilish grin, “Then tonight we ARE going to get me some slayers!”
“Yes… slayers… very good.”
“Shut up Dru!”
“We have to get out of here,” Buffy said when she and Faith stormed in the room of Scarface and the other Faith. When they took another they saw Scarface and Faith laying on the bed… completely naked.
Buffy and Faith just stared at themselves and then at the others and then looked at each other. Both slayers didn’t know how fast they were able to turn around, they were now with their backs towards their doubles. They glanced at each other and Buffy was the first to look away again while Faith only raised a brow and smirked.
“Sorry,” Buffy apologised.
“What you apologising for?” Scarface asked, “It’s not like you haven’t seen yourself in the mirror before.”
“But I sure as hell haven’t seen Faith like that before!” Buffy snapped, “Are you dressed yet.. I’d like to face people when I’m talking to them.”
“Yeah turn around already,” the other Faith said.
Both slayers did so, Faith’s smirk had turned in an all out blissful smile that didn’t go unnoticed by either of the women in the room, “What?” Scarface asked.
“Nothing,” Faith said and kept smiling, “absolutely nothing.”
“We need to get out of here and you’re going to help us,” Buffy said and looked at her and Faith’s doubles.
When Buffy was about to say something again Willow and Tara stormed in with Lily and Xander and Anya’s kid which they learned was named Emma, “they’re here!” Willow yelled.
“What?!” All four slayers said at the same time. Followed by confusion for the new slayers, “Who’s here?” Buffy and Faith asked in unison.
“Angelus and Dru,” Tara said out of breath, “He’s at the opening where Emma found B and F,” she was still using the first letters of their names to stop confusion for the two children.
“Dru as in Drusilla?” Buffy asked.
“Yes…” Scarface said, “Faith honey, would you be a dear and get our weapons…”
“Yes ma’am,” the other Faith said and gave ‘her’ Buffy a quick peck on the cheek.
“Willow, Tara… protect our children.”
“Of course,” Willow said and walked to the back of the room and pushed a button which opened a door.
“This place is just full of surprises,” Buffy said, “Willow, Tara and uhm me… listen to me…” Buffy began, “We still want to go home… If we help you get rid of Angelus and Dru, will you help us get back home?”
“Of course we will,” Willow said and smiled, “If you help us kill them, we’ll owe you big time.”
“Let’s kill some vampires then!” Faith said and took some weapons from her double.
“Tell me again who killed Xander, Anya and Giles and left Emma without her parents…” Buffy asked.
“Angelus and Drusilla,” Scarface replied.
“I’m ready to kill,” Buffy said and grabbed a stake.
“That’s all?” ‘her’ Faith asked.
“It’s all I’m gonna need,” Buffy said and walked out of the room quickly followed by her double and two Faith’s.
“Well, would you look at that…” Angelus said, “Four tiny slayers trying to kill me.”
“Last time I heard you ran like a scared cat,” Buffy stated calmly and then thought of the comment she made and knew that wasn’t completely right, “Oh wait… I didn’t hear it… I actually SAW it,” Angelus growled and lunged at her, Buffy was a little surprised by his sudden movements that she took a hit full on her jaw and jumped back a little, “you are so gonna pay for that!” Buffy yelled and attacked him.
Scarface and ‘her’ Faith were trying to kill all the other demons and vampires and were beginning to get the upper hand on the situation. Faith was matched up with Drusilla who was actually fighting, in their world she didn’t see much of fighter… just someone who hypnotises people and then slash their throats.
Every blow that hit Drusilla was returned to Faith with an equal amount of power and neither of them seemed to be getting tired anytime soon. Every time Faith would hit Drusilla she took a look behind her to see how Buffy was doing against Angelus; sometimes she would have the upper hand, and sometimes Angelus and neither of them were getting tired either.
“I’m getting tired little girl,” Drusilla said to Faith.
“Guess what so am I!” Faith said and gave Drusilla a blow to her jaw. Suddenly Faith got an idea, she had heard about Drusilla’s obsession with the stars and decided to take advantage of it, “Hold it for a sec,” Faith said as Drusilla was coming at her.
Drusilla stopped and glared at the young slayer, “What is it little girl?”
Faith pretended to be a nutcase and looked up, “Ooh look at all the pretty stars,” Faith said and put her hands in the air trying to reach them. She looked at Drusilla who now also was looking up.
“What stars?” Drusilla said and turned her head towards Faith again who was now standing in front of her stake plunged in her heart, “You tricked me… that’s not…”
“…nice?” Faith said and saw Drusilla turning to dust, “what a stupid…” she mumbled to herself and looked at the pile of dust near her feet, “Talk about your nutcases,” Faith said and looked up.
What she saw was a face of horror, Buffy was getting more beating by Angelus than she was giving out and it looked like she was loosing the battle. She saw Angelus grab something from the back of his pants and with one quick movement he plunged whatever it was into her stomach.
Faith cringed at the sight of that and didn’t know how fast she could be at Buffy’s side. She kicked Angelus in his stomach and send him flying to the other side of the street. She turned to Buffy again who was holding her hand on her stomach where Angelus had plunged in what appeared to be a little larger then normal dagger.
“Don’t do this B,” Faith said and took the girl in her arms. Buffy was loosing a lot of blood real fast, she noticed two of the guards that had been outside Scarface’s house and called out for them, “Take her back home and tell Willow and Tara to help her… Do whatever they can, tell them I’ll be back in a few… I need to kill someone…”
The guards hesitated for a few seconds, “Go!” Scarface yelled at the two guards when she saw what had happened. The two guards picked up Buffy and carried her back to the home as fast as they could and without trying to damage anything else.
Faith looked at her double and then at Scarface who both nodded, this was her fight. Angelus tried to take Buffy away and she hadn’t even had time to fully make amends with her. There was one thing that Faith knew for sure… Angelus was going to die… tonight.
“When you’re finished killing the demons… get back home Emma needs you two,” Faith yelled. The dark haired slayer looked in the direction she had kicked Angelus in but couldn’t find him, “Angelus!” Faith screamed, “Where are you!”
“Behind you little girl.”
Faith turned around and saw Angelus slowly rise to his feet, ‘Good… still tired, gives me a head start,’ Faith immediately lunged at him and kicked him in his faces followed by a knee in his stomach.
“Well, the little girl has got a pair on her,” Angelus said, “But I’m stronger!”
“That’s what Drusilla also said… all that remains now is a pile of dust,” Angelus growled at Faith and attacked the dark haired slayer. Faith knew he was getting angrier by the second but so far his blows had no effect on her.
She wanted him dead for hurting the one person she loved most in the world, ‘Did I just thought that?’ Faith was surprised by this thought and didn’t saw Angelus’ fist coming at her. He punched her in her stomach which left Faith doubled over in pain.
“See this knife?” Angelus said and held up Faith’s face, “It’s exactly like the one I gut your little friend with.”
That’s when Faith snapped; she didn’t care about what happened next, the only thing she knew was that she was going to kill Angelus and then she was going to Buffy and made sure she was ok and then they would go back home, “That was a wrong thing to say Angelus.”
Faith stood up and locked eyes with the vampire and at that moment Angelus knew he had indeed said the wrong thing to her, “Oh shit,” he let out in between deep breaths.
Faith was getting tired, really tired… just a minute ago she would have been able to kill him, but he was stronger then she thought, “Come on Faith, can’t you do better than that?”
“I’ll kill you,” Faith screamed.
“Faith, Faith, Faith,” Angelus spoke calmly, “You’re a good fighter, but you’re no match for me. When you said you were going to kill me… I actually believed you, but now…” Angelus started to laugh, “Why don’t you join me? I can train you and you’ll be even stronger… besides now you’ve killed Dru, there is an opening.”
“No!” Faith screamed, “I won’t do it, I won’t join you… ‘I’m not going to disappoint B,’" she finished in her head. Angelus kicked Faith in her stomach and she dropped to the floor. He kept kicking her just for the fun of it.
“Last chance Faith,” Angelus said and stepped back. Faith rose to her feet and tilted her head to one side and had a dangerous glare in her eyes, “That’s it,” Angelus laughed.
“That’s not it,” Faith said and wiped the blood off of her mouth. She stepped forward with fisted hands, “That is really not it… I tasted the darkest side of life… and I’m not going back there,” Faith clenched her jaw and stared at Angelus, “This is really over… I have to take care of someone and bring her home.”
Faith lunged at Angelus and hit him, but the vampire easily blocked the punch. What he didn’t see was her other fist coming at him and punched him in his stomach. He doubled over and Faith gave him a knee in the head, she just started hitting Angelus in his face over and over again. For hurting Buffy, killing the Xander and Anya from this world.
“You’re dead,” Faith calmly said and kicked him hard sending him flying to the wall. She had already seen the branch sticking out of the wall and it hit Angelus in the heart, “You’re dead,” Faith repeated and saw Angelus turn to dust.
Faith let out all of the breath she was holding in and collapsed to the floor completely drained. Her head shot up when she remembered Buffy being hit in the stomach by Angelus’ knife. She got up from the floor and ran to the house where they stayed.
“Where is she?” Faith yelled.
“In there,” Willow said and pointed to one of the rooms.
Faith rushed to the door and opened it, “B…” She walked up to the bed the blonde slayer was lying on to find that her wound had been fully bandaged and she was getting blood, ‘Home made hospitals,’ Faith thought and sat on the bed beside Buffy.
“Faith?” Buffy said and opened her eyes. Faith took Buffy’s hand and held it tight, “I really want to go home right now,” Buffy said and smiled.
Faith couldn’t help it but smile back, “We’ll get you home,” Faith said and laid Buffy’s hand back down beside her bed.
Faith stood up and started walking away but was stopped by a hand brushing against the side of her leg, “Will you please stay?,” Buffy asked and looked at her. Faith didn’t say anything and just sat beside Buffy again. She took Buffy’s hand and held it in her own.
** Two Weeks Later **
“Well you’re looking better,” Scarface said when her double came walking in the room.
“I feel better,” Buffy said. Emma and Lily came storming at her, Buffy opened her arms and hugged both girls, “How are my two favorite girls?”
“Good,” both said and smiled.
In the two weeks that Buffy had been recovering Faith had helped their doubles with getting back the control over Sunnydale… the real Sunnydale, not the city they had been living in and so far it was going good. The demons and vampires were slowly getting back to living in the sewers instead of the humans.
Most of them had already left Sunnydale when they had heard about Angelus’ death. Hell, most of them had already fled when they heard about Drusilla’s death. Scarface and Faith had taken back their home and so did Willow and Tara together with their kid.
“It’s getting time,” Willow said approaching Faith, “Get her ready.”
“She’s always been ready,” Faith replied and smiled, “B!”
“What?” both Buffy’s replied.
“My B…”
“Yeah, what is it?” Buffy asked.
“We’re going home…” Faith said and smiled.
“What…? How…? When…?”
“We’re going home… Willow and Tara doing a spell… whenever you say…” Faith replied, “You ready to go home?” Buffy replied that answer by throwing herself into Faith’s arms and hugging her. Faith put one arm round Buffy’s waist and her other arm on her back, “I’ll take that as a yes?”
Buffy let go of Faith and looked shocked, “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s okay,” Faith said and smiled, “So when do you wanna go home?”
“Would it be harsh to say right now?”
“Not at all,” Tara said. She had heard the whole conversation between the two and smiled, “Willow is preparing everything.”
“Cool,” Buffy said and walked out of the room.
Faith was about to follow her when Tara stopped her, “What?” she asked.
“You’re in love with her aren’t you?”
“What are you talking about?” Faith said although Tara was right, “I’m not in love with her.”
“Yes you are,” Tara said, “I’ve seen it in your eyes… every time you looked at her, every time she would say something you lit up so bad that it could have filled the room with light.”
“So?” Faith said, “What does it matter… she doesn’t care for me, hell would freeze over before she would fall in love with me.”
“Give it time,” Tara said and walked out of the room and left a confused slayer behind.
“Wha…?” Faith begun but left the subject, she knew that Buffy would never fall in love with her. She took one last look at the room before going to the other room where the others were waiting.
“You ready?” Willow asked.
“Yeah,” both Faith and Buffy replied, “I just wanna say…” Buffy began.
“We’re not saying goodbye… you’ll see us in your own world and you’ll remember us,” Willow said and smiled, “Keep it to ‘see ya later’.”
“See ya later then,” Buffy said and stood in the circle that Tara had pointed out. Next to her circle was another one and that’s where Faith was supposed to stand. Faith got in the circle and looked at Buffy, who then looked at Willow and Tara, “Go ahead… send us home.”
“You’re not sending… why aren’t you sending?” Faith asked.
“Uhm… you’re supposed to hold hands.” Willow said and smiled sheepishly.
“Oh right,” Faith said and held out her hand for Buffy.
The blonde slayer took her hand and smiled, “Let’s get back to our friends… and strange thing is I’m still missing Anya…”
“Uh huh, me too,” Faith said and looked confused, “Oh well,” Faith added and smiled, “Let’s do this,” Faith said and turned to the two witches who were already starting the spell, “Goodbye," both slayers said before they were surrounded by a bright light.
** Magic Box **
Everyone was sitting round the table with sad expressions on their faces. Today it had been exactly one year since Buffy and Faith had disappeared. Willow was sitting on Tara’s lap leaning her head back against her shoulder, she had been crying all day.
“As much as I hate to admit it…” Xander begun, “I’m actually missing Faith too.” He finished and frowned.
“Well I’m missing Buffy… so that has to say something,” Anya said and smiled but went back to her sad expression again.
Tara had been rubbing Willow’s belly the whole time trying to calm her down, but she still felt the tears falling on her neck. After five minutes she felt Willow relax and knew she was asleep, Willow had been doing the same thing when they were at their dorm. She would lay in Tara’s arms crying and eventually fall asleep.
Xander closed his eyes to fight back the tears that were fighting to break free at the sight of Willow. She had taken the disappearance of the two slayers the hardest, especially since Willow thought she had caused it.
“How has the patrolling been going?” Giles asked.
“We’re getting better at it,” Xander said.
“Good,” Giles replied. It was the only thing either of them said for the next hour until Joyce and Dawn came in the shop, “Joyce,” Giles said softly and looked at mother and daughter.
“Hey,” Dawn said and sat in one of the free chairs. She looked at Willow and frowned, “How is she?”
“Bad,” Tara replied and felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Joyce standing behind her.
“Poor thing,” Joyce said and stroked Willow’s thigh, “How are you holding up Tara?” Joyce asked.
“I’m tired,” Tara said and leaned her head against Joyce’s hand. In the past year they had become real close trying to deal with the disappearance of Buffy and Faith.
Dawn walked to the exercise room, Giles had been learning her how to fight in case neither slayers would return and since they were sisters there was a possible chance that if he had called the Watcher’s Council, Dawn would indeed be the next ‘Chosen One’. The young girl had to blow off some steam, she couldn’t take it that her sister and Faith wouldn’t return, she hated the thought of it and she hated to see everyone else upset.
She opened the door to the exercise room and screamed, she turned around to see everyone staring at her. Willow had been woken up by her scream and just looked confused at Dawn. The little girl pointed behind her and when every one looked a little higher they saw Buffy and Faith standing behind her.
“Do you see them?” Dawn asked. Everyone just nodded with open mouths and wide eyes, “Ok… than I can faint now right?”
“I prefer not,” Buffy said and turned her sister around, “What no hug?” Dawn looked at Buffy and threw herself in her big sister’s arms and started sobbing uncontrollably. After five minutes of just holding her sister Buffy let her go.
That’s when Dawn threw herself at Faith and hugged the brunette slayer. Faith was more then willing to hug the smaller girl and spun her around, “Good to see you kid,” Faith said and smiled.
“Hey,” Buffy said and looked at her mom.
Tears fell down her cheeks as she ran to her mother and hugged her. Joyce held her daughter tight, afraid of loosing her again. Joyce couldn’t control her tears either and just let them go, “I missed you so much,” she said to her daughter and held her closer.
After a few minutes they both let go of each other and Joyce stepped back, “Buffy?”
“It’s me Wills,” Buffy said.
“I missed you so much,” Willow said and hugged her best friend letting tears fall freely from her eyes.
Buffy put her arms around her best friend’s waist and held her tight, “I missed you too Willow,” the blonde slayer replied and tears fell down her cheek again.
Buffy heard someone call out her name and looked up still holding Willow, she saw Tara standing there with tears in her eyes. Buffy held out her arms as an invitation and Tara hugged Buffy. The blonde slayer held her two witch friends close, now all three of them were crying.
After a few minutes Tara let go of Buffy, Willow was still holding her but it didn’t bother Buffy that much, “Will…”
“Hmm?”
“You can let go of me now… I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know… I just missed you,” Willow said and let go of her best friend. Next it was Xander who hugged Buffy followed by Giles.
Buffy stepped back and looked at the gang who were still a little shocked of their return. Faith stepped next to Buffy and looked at them, she then saw Anya standing behind Xander trying to cover her tears, “Hey…” She said and looked at Buffy, the blonde slayer also noticed Anya standing behind Xander and smiled.
Next thing they knew Anya came flying at them and hugged them, this was such a surprise for both slayers that they couldn’t brace themselves for the impact and fell on their backs with Anya on top of them crying, “Ouch,” Buffy said and rubbed the back of her head.
“You can say that again,” Faith said and did the same.
“Anya honey,” Buffy said, “Can me and Faith stand up now?”
“Yeah sorry,” Anya said and stood up from the floor and then looked angry, “Couldn’t you get back sooner than a year! You’ve been gone for a whole year, poor Willow’s been a mess, Tara hasn’t had much sleep, not to speak of your mother and sister!”
Now it was their time to look surprised, “Anya… what are you talking about?” Buffy asked.
“Yeah, we’ve been gone for four weeks not a whole year.”
“Four weeks?”
“You know B, now that she mentioned it your sister does look a bit older and muscular,” Faith whispered to Buffy who looked at her sister.
“You’re right,” Buffy whispered back.
Tara noticed Buffy had constantly keeping her hand over the right side of her stomach either trying to hide something or that her arm was hurt, Tara was going for the arm, “Buffy?”
“What?”
“What’s with your arm?”
“Nothing, why?”
“Then why do you keep it like that?”
“Didn’t notice I was doing that,” Buffy said but kept her hand in place and sat on a chair.
“Buffy?” Dawn said and walked towards her kneeling in front of her sister, “What is that?” Dawn said and pointed at her hand, blood was coming through it.
Buffy looked down and then at Faith, “Coming,” Faith said and grabbed a bag from the exercise room. She took out some bandages, gauzes and some ointment from the bag and sat on her knees in front of Buffy. The blonde slayer gave Faith a look and she knew exactly what to do, they had discussed this before they went back.
None of the gang was supposed to see the wound, “Careful,” Buffy said. Faith grabbed one of the gauzes and in only milliseconds replaced Buffy’s hand with them pressing on the wound keeping the bleeding to a minimum.
“What’s going on?” Dawn asked.
“Not now kid,” Faith said and turned her attention back to Buffy, “You ready?” Buffy nodded, “Dawn put some of that stuff on one of the gauzes and give it to me,” Dawn did as she was told. In the mean time Faith was helping Buffy sit on the ground and between her legs, Faith was still holding the pressure on the wound.
“Here,” Dawn said and handed the gauze to Faith.
Faith’s left hand was still holding the pressure on the wound. Her arm was crossed over Buffy’s chest. Buffy already grabbed that arm and looked at Faith, “You ready?” Faith asked again knowing this procedure was going to be extremely painful for Buffy. Both slayers took a deep breath and Faith held the gauze close to Buffy’s side.
Buffy grabbed Faith’s arm and buried her head in the brunette’s shoulder, “Do it” Buffy said.
“Here goes,” Faith said and switched hands and put the gauze on the wound. The second the ointment touched the wound Buffy cried out from the pain. She was desperately trying to get out of Faith’s grip, but she knew she wasn’t able to do that.
The others just watched in pain as Faith kept the pressure on the wound and struggled to keep Buffy from moving too much. Willow and Tara from the other world had told Faith how much it was going to hurt and she had applied the ointment herself a couple of times, but it still scared Faith to see Buffy in this much pain.
“Almost over B,” Faith whispered to Buffy and kissed the top of her head. She leaned her head against that of the blonde slayer and closed her eyes, “Almost B, just a few seconds.” After a minute she felt Buffy relax, this would happen every time… Buffy would pass out from the pain, but it would only take her about ten minutes to wake up again.
“What the hell just happened to my daughter?” Joyce yelled and stormed at Faith.
She was stopped by Giles, “Joyce… please, she’s trying to help her.” Even Giles could have seen that.
Tara had been holding Willow the whole time, who had her hands covering her ears to shut out the screaming. When Faith applied the gauze to the wound Anya had been standing behind them and was surprised when Dawn suddenly turned around and hugged her trying to block out the sound of Buffy’s scream. Anya didn’t hesitate for a second and had put her arms around the slayer’s sister and pulled her away from the two slayers.
“She’ll be fine in a few minutes,” Faith said and lifted Buffy up. She had taped the gauze to her belly over the wound. She carried Buffy to the stairs and tried to sit in a comfortable position as possible.
“Here,” Xander said and handed her a blanket.
“Thanks, she’s going to be out longer this time,” Faith said and put the blanket around Buffy.
The next couple of minutes nobody said a word to Faith as she held Buffy in her arms. Faith had been holding Buffy close and was stroking her hair. Tara looked at her and noticed something in her eyes, she walked to Faith and sat behind her on the stairs.
Tara leaned in and had her mouth next to Faith’s ear, “You’re in love with her aren’t you?” Tara sat back again giving Faith time to answer her question. The brunette slayer looked back and it was all the confirmation Tara needed. She leaned in again and whispered, “I won’t tell… I promise.”
Tara walked back to Willow who was looking at her with probably a lot of questions, “What was that about?”
“Nothing you should worry about honey,” Tara said and sat next to her and turned to Faith again. Everyone had been looking at Faith taking care of Buffy. They knew something had happened when they were away for that year… four weeks… for that time. Otherwise Buffy would have never let Faith come this close to her.
The brunette slayer looked at Buffy when she noticed movement under the blonde’s eyelids, she was waking up. Buffy opened her eyes and looked at Faith, “How long?” She immediately asked.
“Thirty minutes,” Faith replied with a concerned look on her face, “Are you ok?”
Buffy looked at the gang and then back to Faith, “no,” she whispered. Buffy put her right arm around Faith’s neck and tried to hug her but was stopped because of the pain. Faith pulled Buffy in for a hug instead and could feel the tears fall on her neck again. She closed her eyes and sighed, the pain had never been this bad before.
Faith laid her hand on the wound, Buffy cringed under her touch a few seconds but relaxed a few seconds later, “I’m going to take her home,” Faith said. She stood up with Buffy still in her arms and wrapped up in a blanket, “If someone is willing to stop staring and offer us a ride home.”
“Where?” Joyce said.
“Your home,” Faith replied, “you coming Dawn, I could use your help later on,” Faith said without looking back. She walked out of the shop followed by Joyce and Dawn.
“Could someone tell me what just happened?” Xander asked as he looked at the four women walking out of the shop.
“I’m not sure, because I’m not sure I registered it all,” Willow replied and raised a brow.
** Two Weeks Later; Magic Box **
“I can’t believe it’s been two weeks,” Faith said and looked at Dawn.
“I know,” Dawn replied, “Two weeks ago she was as sick as a dog and now she’s bouncing around and doing flips like it was nothing.” The two girls looked at Buffy in the training area. She had been training all morning, ‘to make up for lost time’, she had told them, “She’s giving it her all,” Dawn said.
“I know,” Faith replied, “And it still hurts, you see how her hands sometimes goes back as she did when we came back?”
“Yeah, I see that…” Dawn replied, “Haven’t you asked her to calm down?”
“Like she’ll listen,” Faith replied and rolled her eyes, “So how ‘bout you?”
“What about me?”
“How’s your training going?”
“Uhm fine… I guess.”
“Wanna do something then and show me what you’ve learned?”
“Sure,” Dawn said and immediately her face had lit up.
“B!” Faith yelled, “Go rest for a few seconds, I’m gonna see if your sister can try and beat me.”
“Sure,” Buffy replied and sat on a bench against the wall.
“So with what kind of weapons did he learn you to fight with?” Faith asked.
“Just with those large stick things Buffy hates,” Dawn replied.
“Ok, let’s take those then,” Faith replied and threw one to Dawn, “And then we’re gonna use our fists,” Dawn swirled the stick around and took a fighting position, “Impressive kid… let’s see if it’s enough.”
Dawn was blocking every attack Faith was throwing at her and Faith was getting more impressed by the second, “Go Dawn,” Buffy yelled from the sidelines. She was very surprised to see her sister like this, but if she truly had been training so much, it wasn’t a very big surprise.
“Thanx for the support B!” Faith yelled back. She blocked one of Dawn’s attacks and swept Dawn’s feet from under her body and threw the kid on the floor and held the end of the stick near her throat, “Nice, but not good enough,” Faith said, “Remember… I always come back,” Faith smiled and held out her hand for Dawn to get up.
Dawn took the hand and surprised Faith by throwing her against the opposite wall, “Subtle Faith,” Dawn said and started laughing. Buffy couldn’t help it but to laugh herself and soon Faith followed, still laying on the floor.
“Who’s up for some lunch?” Willow said walking in the room with Tara. She looked at Faith and saw the position she was in, “Faith… didn’t know you could bend that way,” She tilted her head to the side and cursed herself for not having a camera with her and she knew there was only one thing left to do and started laughing.
“Yeah well, I wouldn’t be able to do this if it wasn’t for Dawn there,” Faith said and pointed at the laughing kid.
“I told you I was getting stronger.”
“You said something about lunch?” Faith said and got up from the floor in one quick movement.
“Good!” Buffy said, “Fighting makes you hungry and… well it makes me hungry anyway and I’m starving.”
“Who wouldn’t be after that workout,” Faith said and sighed. Willow and Tara had already walked out of the room and Buffy stood up from the bench following them, the second she passed by Faith, Buffy felt light headed and grabbed her head. She tried to shake it off but it wasn’t working and fell back, “Whoa there!” Faith said and caught Buffy, “You ok?”
“I’m fine, let me go,” Buffy snapped and walked out of the training room.
“What was that about?”
“I don’t know Dawn,” Faith replied and put an arm around her, “I really don’t know.”
** Lunchroom in Sunnydale **
“So who’s up for some bronzing tonight?”
“Uhm Buffy… you have to patrol tonight,” Dawn said.
“I can do a short sweep in between… can I?” Buffy pleaded, “Oh come on, I’ll patrol… you don’t want to see me begging, not a pretty sight.”
“Then patrol before you go there,” Willow suggested.
“Oh Willow, always the rock,” Buffy said and leaned against her best friend, “You know I can’t resist you anything… you’re my bestest bud in the whole world,” Buffy added with a voice fit for someone who would have been drinking all night and went back to eating her lunch.
Faith leaned closer to Willow, “Does she seem… you know…”
“Drunk?” Willow finished, “Totally… did she have something to drink?”
“No nothing, me and Dawn have been with her all day,” Faith replied.
“She’s been acting like this ever since she almost passed out in the shop,” Willow said and looked at her best friend who was playing with her napkin, “Uhm Buffy?”
“Yeah Will.”
“There’s no other way to say this so I’m just gonna go and say it, have you been drinking?”
“What? You’re kidding right… last time I drank something I turned in to Cave Slayer Buffy and I SO do NOT want to go there ever again,” Buffy replied.
“Ok,” Willow said. She gave a quick look at her friend then turned to Faith, “She’s normal again.”
“So we’re going to The Bronze tonight?” Dawn asked.
“You want to go?” Buffy asked, “Ok then we’ll go… and no booze for you,” Buffy looked at her sister who was pleading with her eyes, “And yes you ARE going to wear that stamp on your hand.”
** Night; The Bronze **
“So how was everything on patrol?” Willow asked. Faith and Buffy had come in a few minutes earlier and Buffy had gone straight to the dance floor. She tried to pull Faith with her, but she passed and so she went alone.
“Uhm energizing if you were Buffy?” Faith replied looking wide eyed at Buffy. The girl was dancing like there was no tomorrow.
“Uh huh,” Willow replied. She looked at Tara who had tilted her head a little sideways and had a quizzical look on her face, “Uhm Tara honey… you ok?”
“Hmm what?” Tara said and looked at her lover.
“You ok?”
“Yeah it’s just that…”
“That Buffy is being an energizing bunny?”
“Uh huh,” Tara replied and looked at Buffy again who was now dancing with some guy, “Does she normally do that?”
“Well not like THAT… she would never let a guy put his hands on her like that.”
“She did something like that once,” Faith said, “Only the guys didn’t touch her.”
“What are you talking about?” Dawn asked.
“Well when I first came here and after we did some slayage… we would go dancing and she would dance like that… but not as bad as this, hell I wouldn’t even dance like that!”
“Then it is bad!” Willow snapped.
“Gee thanks Red!” Faith snapped back.
“Stop it!” Dawn yelled, “If you have something against each other fight it out another time.”
“Sorry,” both Faith and Willow said.
“Hey that corner is free! Come on,” Dawn said and walked from her seat. She had been eyeing that corner the last hour and now it was finally free. Willow and Tara took a seat next to each other on the couch, Dawn sat on the armrest of the couch and Faith sat on a chair across from them.
After five minutes Buffy joined them, “Ah here you are… were you hiding?” Buffy said and looked at the four girls, “Just kidding… so got something to drink?”
“No alcohol for you missy,” Dawn said in a motherly tone.
“I’m not talking ‘bout alcohol silly, just some water,” Buffy replied and got several looks from the others, “What? I told you I wasn’t drinking, remember that conversation about Cave Slayer Buffy?”
“Just checking,” Dawn said and moved from the armrest and sat next to Tara.
Buffy grabbed the glass of water that Willow got for her and drank it in one turn. After she finished it Buffy put the glass on the table in front of her, “Oh I love this song… I’m going back,” Buffy said and left the four girls just looking at her as she made her way to the dance floor.
“So about the Buffy acting weird thing…” Faith begun.
“… it just got weirder.” Willow finished and looked at her best friend.
After about five songs with an up beat tempo a slower song started and Buffy made her way back to the others. Faith was leaning forward and rested her arms on her legs, looking pretty much bored. She was suddenly shoved back in her chair and saw Buffy standing in front of her, “Uhm hey B…”
Buffy didn’t say a thing, she just started moving her body along with the rhythm of the song. Some people would call it dancing but this was more like a ‘hot and sexy’ dance, Faith just stared at her wide eyed not knowing what to do, “B…?” Buffy was all over Faith radiating off a little more than normal body warmth.
“She’s… she’s…” Willow tried to say.
“Uhm… she’s… you know… uhm… she…” Came out of Tara’s mouth.
“Oh my god, she’s totally giving Faith a lap dance!” Willow and Tara looked at Dawn, “What? I read books, I watch TV…”
“Uhm guys… I know what a lap dance is, could you peel her off of me before I have to hit her…” Faith said. Although she had just said that, Faith knew she wouldn’t be able to do that. She was too shocked to even move.
Most of the attention of the people at The Bronze was turned to the two slayers, mostly at Buffy. Some guys were whistling and some of them were clapping. And most of the people were just staring at the two wide-eyed.
“You don’t have to hit me, just ask…” Buffy said.
“Stop it,” Faith said.
“Sure thing,” Buffy said and stopped dancing. She leaned in and kissed Faith on her mouth, Faith didn’t reply to the kiss and just sat there. Buffy pulled back and walked away leaving a very shocked audience, not to mention a few very surprised friends and a shocked Faith behind.
Faith just looked at her while she left The Bronze after a few seconds she snapped her fingers at Dawn, “What?” Dawn asked annoyed.
“What just happened?” Faith asked still looking at the door.
“Hello… you were there remember?” Dawn said, “She was totally giving you a lap dance.”
“Yeah I know…” Faith said, “But why didn’t I push her away?”
“Probably because you were too shocked like most of us,” Willow managed to squeak out.
“What happened in that other world?” Tara asked and looked at Faith.
** Next Morning; Magic Box **
“So you’re saying Buffy has been acting… weird?” Giles asked as he looked at Willow, Tara, Faith and Dawn.
“Totally,” Dawn said, “She was actually giving Faith a lap dance… a lap dance for god’s sake!”
“She gave Faith a lap dance?” Xander asked. It looked like his eyes were about to roll from his socket.
“Damn!”
“What Anya?”
“I should have let us go to The Bronze instead of having sex. I totally wanted to see that!”
Faith stood up from her chair and walked in to the exercise room. If she would have looked directly at anyone at the table she would have blushed four different shades of red. And she was not one of those girls, in a normal situation she would have been the one doing that not the other way around. She taped her hands and started hitting the punching bag.
Tara stood up from her chair, “I’ll be right back,” she said and followed Faith in the room, “You want to talk about it?”
“No,” Faith said and kept hitting the bag.
“So you’re just gonna punch the bag until you sort things out in your head?”
“Pretty much.” Faith replied.
“Then I’m gonna sit here and wait till you’re done.”
“Free country.” Faith kept hitting the bag harder and harder. If she wasn’t a slayer she would have broken her hand a few punches earlier, but she kept going.
Tara looked at the dark haired slayer and wondered what was going on in her mind. When she looked at Faith’s face she saw a tear rolling down her cheek, but Faith kept hitting the bag. After a few seconds she noticed that the chain was starting to get loose from the ceiling, “Faith, I think you should stop doing that.”
“Nope.” Faith replied and kept hitting the bag. After a few seconds the chain finally gave and Faith punched the bag against the nearest wall.
“Told you,” Tara said, “Feel better?”
“Nope.” Faith replied.
“What happened in that other world Faith?” Tara asked.
Faith opened her mouth to say something, but the others came storming in, “Tara are you ok?” Willow said looking for injuries. When the gang heard the loud bang they came running in the exercise room.
“I’m fine Willow,” Tara replied, “Although the punching bag isn’t” Tara finished and raised a brow, “Do you mind if I take Faith home?”
“No,” Willow replied, “Should I come with?”
“No, I’ll be ok,” Tara replied, then whispered, “I wanna talk to her for a few seconds ok?” Willow mouthed ‘ok’ and gave Tara a kiss.
** Angel’s Mansion **
“So how long can you stay here?” Tara asked Faith.
“Angel told me to stay as long as I want or until I found a place of my own,” Faith replied.
“So you wanna tell me what happened?”
Faith knew she didn’t have much of a choice and began telling her about what had happened to them when they were in the other world. About their doubles, Willow and Tara being together, Faith and Buffy being together. About Xander, Anya and Giles being killed by Angelus and Drusilla. She told Tara basically everything that happened when the Master succeeded in The Harvest.
“You’re leaving something out,” Tara suddenly said, “You haven’t told me about what happened between you and Buffy and why Buffy has that wound on her belly.”
“Angelus gave her that wound,” Faith said and began telling Tara everything that had happened between her and Buffy and how Angelus had stabbed her and how Faith had killed both Drusilla and Angelus.
After Faith had told everything Tara just looked at her amazed by everything that she had heard, “Amazing isn’t it?” Faith said.
“Yeah,” Tara said, “I’m still amazed by the other you and Buffy being together.”
“That was a shocker alright,” Faith replied, “I’m not even sure how B feels about this, I mean when I saw her… uhm Scarface… naked… I just got this huge grin on my face and I have no idea why.”
“Well…”
“Don’t go there girl.” Faith said quickly before Tara could finish.
“How has she been holding up since the stabbing?”
“She said she was fine and part of me believed that, but ever since we came back it got worse,” Faith replied, “remember the ointment… well it hadn’t been this bad since the beginning.”
“Maybe it’s because you’re now back in your own world and your bodies are trying to cope with being away for a year.”
Faith just gave a strange look at Tara, “Maybe,” Faith replied.
“When did you fall in love with her?” Tara suddenly asked.
Faith looked at the usual shy blonde girl, “Always have been,” Faith replied, “When I first came here… all it took was a look from her and I had to remind myself to keep breathing.”
“That’s… I mean… wow…”
“Yeah I know,” Faith said, “and now… when I’m even in the same room I feel that way.”
“Have you ever told anyone about this?”
“Nope, you’re the first… well actually second if you count your double,” Faith said, “She also said what you said on the stairs.”
“About you being in love with her?”
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t you tell her?”
“What? Now… when she’s acting like this? Nah uh,” Faith replied, “I’m not even telling her a small thing with her acting this way.”
“She has been acting strange,” Tara said, “What’s in that ointment?”
“Don’t know, you and Willow’s double came up with it.”
“Can we take a look at it?”
“Sure,” Faith replied, “We have to get back to Summers home though, that’s where the stuff is.”
“Ok, we’ll pick up Willow on the way,” Tara said, “she’s probably in my dorm room.”
“Still in school?”
“Well yeah, she missed a lot last year when you two were gone and since I was with her basically all the time so did I.”
“Red missed school?” Faith asked surprised, “Wow, she must have felt real bad.”
“You have no idea.” Tara replied.
** Tara’s Dorm Room **
“Tara honey… what are we doing again?”
“Looking what kind of ingredients are in this ointment.”
“Oh,” Willow replied and looked puzzled, “And why again?”
“To see if there is something in it that could make Buffy act the way she does.”
“So this is a good thing right?”
“Yes love it is.” Tara replied.
“Good as long as we both know it.”
Tara smiled and then turned to Faith who was looking at the two witches and lost in her own thoughts. She didn’t even notice that Tara had turned around and was looking at her, Faith had a worried look on her face. Faith was wearing a tank top and leather pants, Tara’s eyes automatically looked at the scar Buffy had caused… then she noticed something.
“Wow.”
“What?” Faith asked snapping out of her thoughts.
“That,” Tara said and trailed her fingers along Faith’s scar.
“What are you doing? It’s not that big of a scar you know.”
“I know but… Willow look at this.”
“What?” Willow asked and turned around, “Wow…”
“Exactly my thought.”
“What are you talking about?” Faith asked and looked down at her scar. Now Willow was trailing it with her fingers, “What’s so special about a damn scar and stop doing that.” Faith replied and pushed Willow’s hand away.
“You never noticed it?” Willow asked raising a brow.
“Noticed what?” Faith asked.
“It’s amazing really.”
“Yeah it is.”
“Hello? Talking about Faith with her being in the room and she likes to know what’s going on!” Faith said a little louder.
“Sorry,” Willow replied, “But your scar…”
“… looks exactly like Buffy’s only opposite.”
“If you two would stand next to each other then it would be like a full moon or something or a circle at least,” Willow blurted out.
Faith looked in the mirror at her scar, ‘Wow’ she thought, ‘they’re right… it does look exactly the same.’ She traced the scar with her fingers, she suddenly got a sad expression on her face.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing Red… Willow.”
“Ok this is serious, you said my name…”
“What’s wrong?” Tara asked.
“Just… I remembered something…”
“The night she stabbed you…” Willow said.
“Yeah,” Faith said and turned around. She had tears welling up in her eyes, but she wouldn’t allow herself to cry… not in front of them. She got herself together and turned around again, “I never even noticed it, I try not to think of it actually.”
“Faith…”
“Don’t Red,” Faith said, “Don’t feel sorry for me… God knows I brought it on myself… hell you would be laughing right now if I wasn’t like this.”
“No I wouldn’t.”
“She wouldn’t…” Tara said.
“I know she would.” Faith snapped and walked away.
“Faith!” Willow yelled stopping Faith dead in her tracks, “I would never laugh about something like that! I wouldn’t wish a knife in the gut to anyone,” Willow finished and then added the question Faith knew she had to answer, “What happened in that other world?”
“Willow… could we.”
“No Tara… I want to know what happened.”
“I’ll tell you what happened when we get back to the shop,” Faith said, “I don’t feel like telling everything over and over again,” Faith said and looked at Tara, “Could you call miss Summers and ask if she and Dawn could come over to the shop later today and call the others too,” Faith said. She turned back to Willow and asked her to hurry up with the ointment.
** Sunnydale Playground **
“Move it!” Buffy yelled at the three kids on the swings. She plopped down on one of the swings and just sat there staring in front of her, “What is happening to me?” she said out loud and tears started rolling down her cheeks. Buffy had remembered everything that happened at The Bronze, the dancing, the lap dance she gave Faith, the kiss… she kept coming back to that kiss.
The blonde slayer didn’t know why she had done that but she didn’t hate it. The feeling of Faith’s lips on hers… she didn’t hate it at all, ‘Stop thinking that… you know what she did to you!’ Buffy yelled at herself in her thoughts.
She moved from the swings to one of the benches and laid down on her back. The last days had been really confusing and she didn’t know what to think of it. Buffy closed her eyes and suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach right where Angelus had stabbed her.
She almost flew up and pressed on the scar trying to stop the pain, but it wouldn’t go away. She fell of the bench and tried to get up, after a few tries she gave up and just started crawling. She looked at her stomach and saw red fluid coming through her hand, ‘Not again’ she thought and kept crawling.
She noticed a girl standing in front of her and held out her hand, “Please help me.”
The girl looked at her shocked, “Hold on.” she said and ran away to get help. A few seconds later Buffy collapsed.
** Magic Box **
“That’s…”
“Interesting…” Joyce said before Giles could finish his sentence.
Faith had just told everyone what had happened to her and Buffy in the other world, including her and Buffy being together as a couple, “I was dead?” Anya yelled, “I was dead? Great another world and I don’t even get to live and who’s gonna take care of our baby?”
“Hello… what about me?” Xander said, “I was dead too remember?”
“You weren’t the only ones!” Giles snapped.
“We were together…” Willow whispered to Tara. She leaned in and gave Tara a kiss.
“Get a room!” Anya yelled, “God I was dead and you two make out! I hate this place.”
“Anya honey… calm down,” Xander said and took her in his arms.
“We were together…” Willow said again and looked in Tara’s eyes.
“And we always will be,” Tara whispered back.
“Sorry to cut of the romantic thing and the arguing thing there…” Joyce said angrily, “… but what is going on with my daughter?”
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Tara replied. Suddenly everyone turned their heads when Faith doubled over and held her stomach, “Faith, what’s wrong?” Faith didn’t say anything and still held her stomach. She suddenly stood straight up again and just held her hand over the scar.
“I’m fine Tara,” Faith replied.
Tara already knew she wasn’t and stepped forward placing a hand on Faith’s arm, “Let me see,” Faith firmly shook her head and stepped back, “Faith…” Tara said this time with a much softer voice and stepped towards Faith again.
Faith looked at her stomach and removed a few fingers from her belly. Tara looked at it and saw she was bleeding, “Oh God…” Tara whispered and grabbed the sweater that was laying on the table and replaced Faith’s hand with her own.
“Hey!” Anya yelled, “That’s my sweater!”
“Shut up!” Tara yelled at Anya. Willow just looked wide-eyed at her lover for doing that, but she got herself together and also got to Faith, “Faith you ok?” Tara asked again.
“Would it be bad if I say no?”
“Xander your car now!” Willow yelled, “Giles a little help could be useful right now.”
“Right of course,” Giles said and lifted Faith up in his arms. By this time Faith had passed out from the pain.
Tara got in the car first and Giles gently laid Faith in the back of the car so she was laying with her head on Tara’s lap who was still trying to stop the bleeding, “Xander go!” Willow yelled who had gotten in the front seat. Xander didn’t know how fast he could get to the hospital and take Faith to the doctors.
He carried her inside and yelled for a doctor. Tara was still by her side trying to stop the bleeding and Willow followed quickly, “Willow…” Faith suddenly called out.
“Faith? What is it?”
“Buffy… she’s in here somewhere… find her…”
“I will… I promise,” Willow replied now worried about Buffy too. She looked around and saw a doctor coming out of a room and grabbed him by his arm, “She needs help!” Willow said and rushed him over to Xander.
“I’m Dr. Isaac, what happened?”
“We don’t know, just help her…” Tara said. A few nurses and another doctor came running towards them with a gurney on which they placed Faith.
“We’ll take care of her now miss,” one of the nurses said and they hurried Faith in one of the free rooms.
“Tara!” Willow yelled, “We have to find Buffy…”
“What do you mean?”
“Faith said she was here.”
“Just let me wash my hands and I’ll be right there,” Tara replied and went to one of the restrooms. After a few seconds Tara came back and they both walked to the reception, “Excuse me miss, do you know if a miss Summers is here?”
“Are you direct family?”
“We’re her nieces,” Tara replied.
“Ok, let me check,” the secretary replied, “Yes she is here… she was brought in with severe damage to her abdomen.”
Tara could see Willow was barely holding back her tears, “Could you tell us which room she is in?”
“She hasn’t returned from surgery yet,” a blue eyed woman replied, “Hi, I’m Cindy. I’m one of the nurses that was here when they brought her in.”
“Hi, I’m Tara this is Willow,” Tara replied, “How is she?”
“Well it appeared that Miss Summers had severe trauma to her abdomen and…”
“And what?” Willow asked near panic.
“… and I heard the doctor say she had a high level of anti depressives in her blood.”
“Anti what?” Willow asked shocked, “She isn’t depressed!” Willow said angrily.
“I’m sorry, but that’s what they found.”
“C-could you tell us when she comes out of surgery? We’ll be waiting in… well in the waiting room,” Tara said and frowned.
“Sure,” the blue eyed woman replied and saw the two women walk away, “even the family denies she’s depressed.”
“Not everyone is depressed because you say they are!” The secretary snapped.
** Waiting Room **
“We do way too much hospital time here in the Scooby Gang,” Xander said.
“You can say that again,” Willow replied.
“We do way too much hospital…”
“I was kidding Xander!” Willow cut him off.
“Just trying to be funny.”
“I thought you were funny,” Anya said and kissed him. Giles and Anya had joined them a few minutes earlier and Joyce and Dawn were coming in half an hour.
“I know Xander… I’m sorry,” Willow replied, “Just not in the mood now.”
“Yeah I know,” Xander replied. All of them went back to their game of ‘who can stare the longest at the wall’ and said nothing.
“Excuse me… is anyone related to a miss Faith Spencer?”
“That would be me,” Giles said and stood up from his chair, “How is she?”
“I’m Dr. Isaac.”
“Nice to meet you,” Giles replied, “How is she?”
“Well it appears miss Spencer suffered severe trauma to her abdomen, exactly like another girl that has been brought in here.”
“Buffy…”
“Yes that would be Buffy Summers, do you know her?”
“Yes… she’s a close friend.”
“Both girls are still under observation but they are doing better.”
“Where are they?”
“They’re both still in ICU,” Dr. Isaac replied, “Both girls have lost a fairly big amount of blood…”
“You want to see if I can donate blood or any of the others here.”
“Yes.”
“Buffy’s mother and sister are on their way, I’ll tell them what happened…”
“Thank you,” Dr. Isaac replied.
“Oh doctor one more thing…” Giles said, “Is it possible to place both girls in the same room when they come out of ICU?”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you doctor,” Giles replied and walked back to the gang.
“What’s the news?” Xander asked.
“It seems that both of them have the same wound,” Giles said, “Although it is very strange that Faith’s wound began to bleed again, that should have been healed up perfectly by now.”
“Uhm… can I say something?” Willow asked carefully.
“What is it Willow?” Giles asked.
“Uhm well… Buffy and Faith… they kinda had the same scar…”
“What are you talking about?” Xander asked.
“Well…” Tara begun, “When we were at my dorm earlier I looked at Faith’s scar and it was exactly the same as Buffy’s only opposite of each other.”
“Yeah and it would have made a full moon if they were standing next to each other… grow up!” Anya said sarcastically.
“Well…” Willow said.
“I was right?” Anya asked, “I was right… of course I was right.”
“Is this true Willow?” Giles asked.
“Yeah… If they would have been standing next to each other right now you could have seen it.” Willow replied.
** Intensive Care Unit **
‘Where am I,’ Faith thought as she opened her eyes, ‘Great a hospital… not good… not good at all.’
“Ah you’re awake,” one of the nurses said as she walked in.
“B…”
“Who?”
“Buffy… where is she?”
“You mean that girl with the same wound you have?” Faith nodded and the nurse looked at the bed next to hers.
Faith turned her head and saw Buffy laying on the bed next to her and sighed. Faith took one last look at her and went back to sleep.
** Waiting Room **
“Hey,” Dawn said as she and her mother came walking in.
“Joyce… I need to talk to you.”
“What is it Rupert?”
“Can we speak in private please.”
“Sure, Dawn stay here with the rest.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Dawn please,” Giles asked.
“Come on Dawnie,” Tara said.
“Fine, leave me here behind then!” Dawn said and sat on a chair next to Tara. Everyone looked down at the floor when they saw Giles telling the news about Buffy and Faith to Joyce. Dawn didn’t know what was going on and kept looking at her mother, Giles and the others searching for answers, “What’s going on?” Nobody said a word and kept looking at the floor all close to tears, “Tara, Willow? What’s going on?”
“Buffy is in here too,” Anya blurted out and realised her mistake by saying that when Dawn started crying.
“No! She can’t be, she’s ok isn’t she?”
“We don’t know Dawn,” Tara said.
Dawn stood up from the chair and started pacing, “She’s got to be ok… I know she is.”
“Come here…” Willow said and held her arms open. Dawn walked to her and sat on her lap crying. Willow grabbed Tara’s hand for support and laid her head on her shoulder.
** Two Days Later **
“I don’t now what to say,” Dr. Isaac said, “I’ve never seen people recover from that kind of wound so fast and not to mention Miss Summers, she had…” He saw Willow and Tara both shaking their heads and decided not to say anything about the anti depressives, “… her condition was the worst when they brought her in.”
“Can we go now?” Buffy pleaded and looked at her mother.
“Yes you can go, but I do like to have a little chat with Miss MaClay and Miss Rosenberg…”
“Why you wanna talk to them?”
“Dawn that’s none of your business, now help your sister in the car.” Joyce said, “Thank you doctor.”
Dr. Isaac just nodded and saw them walking out of the hospital except for Tara and Willow, “Ok, now I need to know why I couldn’t mention the anti depressives.”
“Her mother doesn’t know about them,” Willow said, “and neither did we… I know you want to keep her here.”
“Yes we do want to keep her here.”
“We’ll talk to her and if she is taking anti depressives we’ll drag her back to the hospital,” Willow said, “That ok with you?”
“Uhm ok… you are a strange young lady.”
“I just take care of my friends, that’s all,” Willow said and headed out the door.
“We’ll make sure she comes back if she is taking them doctor.”
“Thank you miss MaClay.”
“Sure,” Tara replied and followed Willow out of the hospital.
** Magic Box **
“Can I see it?”
“Dawn!” Joyce yelled at her daughter.
“It’s ok Miss Summers,” Faith said, “Come here Dawn,” Faith waited for Dawn to come near her and held up her tank top a little.
“Wow,” Dawn replied, “A perfect half circle.”
“Yup,” Faith said.
“Can I touch it?”
“Dawn!” Now everybody in the shop yelled.
“What?”
“It’s ok guys really,” Faith said, “Give me your hand,” she said to Dawn and took the young girl’s hand. She gently placed it over the scar and held Dawn’s hand there, “See… all healed,” Faith said and smiled. Because it was an old wound and because of her slayer healing it didn’t take long for the cut to close again.
Dawn looked at her sister, “Can I…”
“No!” Buffy snapped before Dawn could finish her sentence, “You’re not going anywhere near it.”
“Buffy!” Joyce said and looked at her eldest daughter.
“I’m sorry mom, but she’s not going anywhere near it.”
Tara and Willow looked at each other, “Did you notice she kept referring the scar as an ‘it’ in the worst sense?” Willow whispered.
“Yeah, she’s pretty freaked about it being the same as Faith’s” Tara whispered back.
Ever since Buffy had been told that her scar looked exactly the same as Faith’s she had been freaking over it. Constantly trying to hide it, keeping her hand over it or wear a sweater or a t-shirt.
“It’s been a pleasure all, but I’m going home,” Joyce said, “Dawn has to be in bed early… it’s a school day tomorrow and she has a lot to catch up with.”
“Bye,” Dawn said and followed her mother.
“Are you and Faith coming back later on?”
“Uhm I’m not staying at your house Joyce,” Faith replied.
“Are you kidding me?” Joyce replied, “You’re not staying out in some motel with that wound… even if it’s healed.”
“Mom! She said she didn’t want to go.”
“She’s staying with us Buffy,” Joyce replied and walked out of the shop with Dawn.
“Guess I’m going to get my stuff then…” Faith replied and stood up, “See ya later B.”
“Yeah whatever.”
“Buffy!” Willow snapped, “Look I don’t always like Faith, but you could try and be nice for a change.”
“It’s ok Willow,” Faith replied, “Leave it.”
“Faith wait,” Tara yelled and ran after her out of the shop.
“What?”
“Can we talk later?”
“About what?”
“It’s about Buffy…” Tara replied, “They found something in her blood which you might find interesting and can explain her behaviour.”
“When?”
“After dinner, come to my dorm.”
“Ok,” Faith said and walked away.
“And Faith.”
“What?”
“Don’t take it too personal of what Buffy is saying.”
“I can’t help it,” Faith replied and smiled a little, “I love her…”
“I know you do,” Tara whispered and looked at Faith while she walked away.
** Tara’s Dorm Room **
“So what you wanna do tonight?” Tara asked as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend’s waist.
“I got a few ideas,” Willow replied in a husky voice.
“Does that involve you, me and a bed?”
“You read my mind,” Willow replied and kissed her lover, “Or maybe a bathroom…”
“Uhm other people live here too you know…”
“Then we'll lock the door,” Willow said.
“How ‘bout we keep it in a bed and I’ll show you just how pleasurable that can be…”
Willow smiled and looked at her girlfriend, “Who said anything about a bathroom, not me I’ll tell ya… absolutely not…” Willow got cut off by Tara kissing her and leading her to the bed.
“I love it when you babble love…” Tara said, “… but not now,” Tara finished and recaptured Willow’s lips with her own. She laid Willow down on the bed and unbuttoned her blouse when she suddenly heard a knock on the door and remembered of something, “Oh right…”
“What?”
“Remember that Faith would come over and talk about Buffy?”
“Yeah… that’s not now is it?” Tara nodded and Willow let out a soft groan, “Alright… it is Buffy we’re talking about and she’s in trouble… I think.”
Tara buttoned her blouse again and walked to the door, “Hey Faith, come in.”
“I interrupted on something…”
“N-no you didn’t” Tara said.
“Yes I did,” Faith replied, “For one, you’re stuttering again and two, your buttoned your blouse wrong and it seemed perfectly fine earlier this day.”
“Uhm… busted?” Willow said and gave a sheepish smile.
“You two are so cute together,” Faith said and sat on Tara’s bed. She looked at the two lovers who by now were both blushing ten different shades of red, “So what you wanna talk about? B right, what’s up with her?”
“Well… I… it’s kinda hard to explain…”
“What?” Faith asked now getting worried.
“The one of the nurses told us she had a lot of anti depressives in her blood.”
“B? Depressed… that’s new, that girl would never get depressed… right?”
“I don’t think she got it in her on purpose,” Willow said, “When that nurse told me about it I went back here and looked at that ointment…”
“And…”
“Well… there’s…”
“Spill it Red.”
“Hey!” Willow said.
“Look I’m sorry ok, just… if there’s something wrong with her I need to know,” Faith replied.
“There were traces of anti depressives in the ointment… I’m not sure which kind.”
“That’s not good… is it?”
“No it isn’t… and especially not because…”
“There’s more?”
“Uhm yeah… there’s… uhm in the ointment…” Willow looked at her girlfriend for help.
“She found a small trace of some kind of drugs,” Tara said, “I think that that’s what made her so… you know… active…?” Tara said and looked at Willow, “Was active a good word for this?”
“Well I think, I don’t know really… could be.”
“Yeah because… you know she danced that time and she g-gave t-that lap d-dance to Faith…”
“Guys… still in the room here.”
“Right, sorry…”
“How can we stop this?” Faith asked.
“I don’t know,” Willow replied, “stop giving her the ointment I guess…”
“Yeah but wouldn’t that have side affects because she stopped abruptly?” Tara asked.
“Yeah… but this is what got her in the hospital in the first place,” Faith said, “I hate you,” Tara and Willow both gave shocked looks and stepped back afraid of what Faith would do to them. Faith realised what she just said and gave a sheepish smile, “Uhm not you two… our doubles.”
“And that should be a relieve?” Willow carefully asked.
“Well yeah, I’m not going to hurt you two” Faith replied, “Only your doubles if I ever get back there.”
“That’s good right?” Tara asked quizzically.
“Listen,” Faith said and stood up which made both witches step back a little, “Don’t worry I won’t kill you and if it makes you feel better I won’t kill them too.”
“Good, coz even if they were bad… no killing of us… them… us…” Willow tried and looked at Faith with the same sheepish grin she had on earlier, “Uhm them?”
“Definitely them,” Faith said and smiled, “I would never kill you two… you are too cute together.” She looked at the two witches and saw them blush again, “Ok, before you turn any redder I’m going to find B and get her to the Magic Box, meet you there in say thirty minutes?”
“Ok see you then…” Willow said and thought of something, “Hey why thirty minutes? We can get there in ten.”
“Yeah but it’ll give you the chance to finish what you two started before we had this little chat,” Faith replied and chuckled when she saw them blushing a shade of red that she thought wasn’t humanly possible, “Ok gone now,” Faith said and walked out of the room.
“She thinks we're cute,” Tara said and turned to face Willow.
“Of course we’re cute,” Willow replied and kissed her lover intending to finish what they started just a few minutes earlier.
** Somewhere in Sunnydale **
Faith had been looking for Buffy all over Sunnydale, she had almost every cemetery in the small town and there were a lot. Faith decided to go back to the shop and tell everyone that she couldn’t find Buffy when she heard a faint noise somewhere nearby.
She ran over to where the noise came from and saw Buffy fighting off three vampires. Faith could see Buffy had a lot of pain in her side and ran towards the blonde slayer, “Hey B, need some help?” Faith said and hit one of the vampires.
“I’m fine without you F!” Buffy replied and blocked one of the attacks, she didn’t see the other vampire coming at her. Of all the places he could hit her he chose the exact spot of the scar and Buffy fell on the ground crying out pain.
“B!” Faith yelled and staked the vampire she was fighting. She ran towards the other two who were about to hit Buffy again, “Oh no you don’t” Faith said and lunged at the two knocking them on the ground. Faith staked one of the vamps with ease only to watch the second run away, “Vampires these days…” Faith said and shook her head.
“Come on B” Faith said and lifted the blonde slayer in her arms.
“Let me go!” Buffy yelled, “I can walk perfectly fine by myself!”
“Ok have it your way,” Faith said and put the slayer on the ground. The second Buffy began to walk her stomach began to hurt again and she doubled over, “Yup, you can walk perfectly fine by yourself,” Faith said and lifted the slayer up in her arms, this time Buffy didn’t struggle to get loose.
“You ok?” Faith asked and looked at the blonde slayer, ‘Those eyes’ Faith thought and looked in front of her.
“It hurts,” Buffy said with the voice of a small child.
“You wanna rest for a second?” Buffy nodded and Faith looked for a bench nearby. She quickly found one and practically ran to it, she tried to put Buffy down but she kept holding on to Faith. The brunette just sat on the bench with Buffy cradled up in her arms, the blonde slayer rested her head against Faith’s chest and closed her heart.
“I can hear your heart,” Buffy said which left Faith confused.
“I’m not dead… so yeah,” Faith replied and raised a brow.
“I could never hear Angel’s heart.” This comment left Faith even more confused, she decided no to go in on it and just sat on the bench looking at the stars. She got startled when Buffy put her left hand on her shoulder but decided not to brush it away and just let the blonde sit on her lap.
“I was never able to hear Angel’s heart,” Buffy said again and then hugged Faith with both hands.
Faith replied the hug and held the smaller girl close, “B… you ok?” she asked.
“I’m fine,” Buffy replied.
Faith knew Buffy wasn’t and that the blonde was on the verge of tears. She held the blonde slayer closer and whispered, “It’s ok to cry you know…” And that’s exactly what Buffy did after she heard Faith say that.
“What’s happening to me?” Buffy said through sobs.
“I don’t know B,” Faith replied, “but we’ll find out… I promise.”
“Thank you,” Buffy replied.
“You feel like walking? Coz we gotta get to the Magic Box,” Faith let Buffy get off her lap. When Buffy took one step the aching began again and she grabbed her side. Faith was quickly by her side, “I’ll take that as a no,” she said and lifted Buffy off of the ground.
“Thank you.”
“Stop thanking me,” Faith said.
“Why?” Buffy asked, “You’re helping a friend in need, the least that friend can do is thank her.”
Faith looked at Buffy, her mind had stopped when she heard Buffy say the word friend and she hadn’t heard a thing the blonde slayer said after that, “Friend?” Faith asked.
“That’s what I said wasn’t it?”
Faith’s skipped a beat when Buffy called her a friend. It wasn’t quite as good as to hear the words ‘I forgive you’ but it was close, real close. “In that case you still don’t need to thank me.”
“And I ask again… Why?”
“Because that’s what friends do,” Faith replied, “Now let’s get you inside and get your scar checked out.”
** Magic Box **
“When did she say she was going to be here with my daughter?” Joyce asked.
“She should be here any minute,” Willow replied and with that the door opened and they saw Faith walking in the store with Buffy in her arms, “What happened?” Willow asked.
“She took a hit on the wound,” Faith replied and put the blonde girl on a chair, “Lift up your shirt B,” Faith said and looked at the scar, “Like it wasn’t black enough… now it’s purple and a little yellow.”
“This is going to show for weeks!” Buffy said and sighed.
“What do you think about this?” Faith said and lifted her tank top, “Ok now this is getting weird.”
“What’s wrong?” Dawn asked.
“Well…,” Faith said and faced the gang, “this is really starting to get creepy… why does this look exactly like Buffy’s? I don’t want to be different colours only one colour… and that’s the colour of my own flesh… I like that colour coz it’s my own you know,” Faith babbled and then looked at the others who were giving her strange looks and raised brows, “What?”
“You were babbling like Willow does,” Anya said.
“I do not babble… ok sometimes I might talk a little fast and a lot of words and try to get them out in one breath, but that doesn’t mean I’m babbling… and I’m doing that right now ain’t I?” Willow said and smiled sheepishly.
“That’s why we love you so much Wills,” Buffy said and smiled.
“Ok did I just hear that correct?” Dawn asked.
“What?” Everyone asked.
“No more cranky slayer?”
“No more cranky slayer Dawn,” Buffy replied and was immediately hugged by her sister, “I’ll take that as a good thing… except that you’re hurting my side… so if you don’t mind.”
“Sorry,” Dawn said. She let go of her sister, but not the sheepish grin spread across her face.
“So… what were we wanted for here?” Buffy asked and looked at the rest.
“The ointment…” Faith replied.
“Ah man… not again, it hurts like hell you know.”
“You’re not even allowed to put it on anymore B,” Faith said.
“What are you talking about?”
“The doctors found anti depressives in you’re blood,” Willow replied, “And when I took a good look at the ointment… let’s just say a high doses of it was found in there… including some sort of drugs.”
“What? They couldn’t have…”
“They did,” Faith said, “And I can understand why… the other Willow and Tara thought that you could get depressed because of the stabbing and because well… it was Angelus who did.”
“Me depressed? That’s a funny… not!”
“Yeah well, the drugs that were in there probably made sure you didn’t feel it and made sure you were your normal self.” Faith said, “But it kinda turned out otherwise…”
“Oh right the l…” Dawn stopped talking when Willow, Tara, Faith and Buffy looked at her.
“She means the lap dance,” Anya said.
“What did my daughter do?”
“She gave Faith a lap dance,” Anya replied and then looked at the others and turned back to Joyce, “Gotcha!” she yelled and smiled, “You didn’t think that was real did you?”
“Well…”
“It wasn’t real I’ll tell ya!” Anya said, “I was there… no lap dancing.”
“Good,” Joyce replied.
Buffy and Faith let out a sigh of relief luckily not caught by Joyce, “How do I get this stuff out of my blood?” Buffy asked.
“When did you last took it?” Willow asked.
“Three days ago,” Faith replied and got strange looks from the others, “What? I’m the one who had to put it on her remember.”
“Right ok… I suggest going cold right away.”
“Ok one… huh? And second… what?” Buffy said.
“Not taking the ointment anymore,” Giles said, “I think you had the worst when you were in the hospital and you haven’t had it in two days… so I’m saying that’s our best shot.”
“Ok we done yet?” Dawn asked.
“Yes” Giles replied.
“Good, coz I got a date,” Dawn said and started walking out of the shop followed by Joyce.
Buffy and Faith looked at each other with disbelieve, “What happened when we were away?” Buffy asked and looked at the others.
“She grew up,” Willow said and smiled, “She definitely grew up.”
“Oh great and I missed that,” Buffy said, “I could have stopped her… but no we had to go away.”
“I said I was sorry,” Willow said and pouted.
“Not your fault Wills,” Buffy replied, “Ok I’m going home for a long, long rest.”
“See ya tomorrow B,” Faith said and already started walking out of the shop.
“Hey!” Buffy yelled, “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Right… see you tomorrow all,” Faith said and put her hand on the door handle.
“Not that doofus,” Buffy said, “Mom said you were staying with us and if I open the door without you next to me… well let’s say I don’t want to get yelled at.”
“It’s ok B, I’m fine in that motel of mine,” Faith replied and opened the door.
“Nah uh,” Buffy said, “You’re coming with me and don’t argue with me… you can’t win anyway,” Buffy added and ran after Faith out of the door.
“Where am I supposed to sleep?”
“You can stay in my room, I got a big enough bed.”
“Uhm… I’ll be happy on the floor you know, if you have a mattress I’ll be fine.”
“We don’t have a mattress,” Buffy replied, “and it’s just me next you in the bed, not some hot guy.”
‘That’s what I’m afraid off, it’s just you in the bed,’ Faith thought, “Ok, but no stealing the blankets.”
“Right mom,” Buffy said, “I bet I can beat you to the house.”
“With your wound?”
“Look who’s talking.”
“You’re on!” Faith said and started running quickly followed by Buffy.
“Remind me not to challenge you again.”
“Got it B, no more challenging Faith,” Faith replied and smiled. Buffy was laying on her back at the end of her bed. They had just finished a light snack and decided to go upstairs since they weren’t going on patrol. Faith was sitting at the head of the bed and had her legs brought up to her chin and her arms around them. She was looking at Buffy who hadn’t taken her hand of the scar since she’d lain down, “Why do you keep your hand over the scar?”
“Because it looks exactly like yours and it reminds me that I stabbed you,” Faith didn’t reply to that and just sat there still looking at Buffy’s hand over the scar. Buffy suddenly crawled on all fours to Faith and looked at the brunette slayer, “Why did you ask?”
“Because I wanted to know… to know if it hurt you to have the exact same scar.”
Buffy crawled closer to Faith and moved up so she was sitting between her legs and rested her head against Faith’s chest, “It does hurt,” Buffy replied, “but like I said only because it reminds me of what I did to you,” she finished and placed her hand on Faith’s scar.
“It’s not like I didn’t bring it on myself.”
“You did… but that didn’t mean I actually had to stab you.”
“Things were different back then B,” Faith replied and put her arms around the older slayer. She didn’t know exactly why Buffy was doing this, but it was a whole lot better than the cranky and seductive slayer she was a few days earlier.
“About earlier… you know at The Bronze…”
“It’s ok B, you weren’t you if you know what I mean…”
“I do… but I still felt it and knew what I was doing.”
“Oh?” Faith said surprised.
“I just want to apologise for that… I wouldn’t have done that normally… I know you didn’t like it.”
“It’s ok B,” Faith replied, “I know you normally wouldn’t do such a thing so I didn’t pay attention… well I did pay attention, because you were all over me, but you know,” Faith said smiling.
“Do I have to tell you again how sorry I am?”
“If you’d like,” Faith said with an evil grin on her face.
“Smartass,” Buffy said and turned around. She looked at Faith and started tickling her. Faith pushed her over and straddled Buffy’s hips and started tickling her instead and suddenly Buffy cringed, “Hey! That hurts remember… Wait a sec… that didn’t hurt at all… move off of me.”
Faith did so and Buffy sat on her knees on the bed and pulled up her tank top, “Wow B, talk about slayer healing,” Faith said and looked wide eyed at the now completely he