No Perfect World: The Devil You Know
by Net Girl
Rating: R
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. If you haven’t read the first 2 parts I suggest that you do,
Part 1: Breaking Chains and Part 2: Darkest Side Of Life.
Extra Notes: The song is from LeAnn Rimes called I Need You.
(From Chapter 4: Profiler Crossover)
Dedication: To Crystal Moonfall: Always taking time to comment on my stories
and giving me dedication in his… And to Stacy from who I get big feedback
e-mails from. And to Kimberly for writing our story and always saying kind
things about mine. And last but definitely not least; Wolfie/CJ for helping
me with some stuff and beta reading for me, thanks a bunch!
Feedback: I’m an addict :-)
A young man stepped out of his motel room; he had been in this place called Sunnydale for five days now and still hadn’t found anything fun to do. Although there was something called The Bronze where a lot of people around his age came and a lot of people under twenty-one. He had been at this ‘club’ every night since he came here and he was going again tonight.
One particular group of people had caught his eye, a red and blonde haired girl who were totally into each other, one guy and a girl that was probably his girlfriend since she was practically hanging around his neck and he seemed to enjoy it. And then there were the other two girls, one blonde and one brunette…
He wasn’t too sure on what to think of them; at one point they were just holding hands or making sure they at least touched each other with their fingers and then at another moment the brunette pulled the blonde on her lap and embraced her placing kisses on her neck.
As he walked in he spotted them immediately sitting at their usual spot. This time there was a younger girl with them, she looked a lot like that strange blonde girl, ‘Probably sisters’ he thought and sat on a stool near that group of people. That younger girl was exchanging loving looks with a boy probably near her age.
“So Dawn… where did you get this cute guy from?” Faith asked.
“School,” Dawn simply replied and immediately smiled when she saw that Faith didn’t get the pleasure of teasing her, “You have to come up with something better than that Faith,” Dawn said and looked at her now boyfriend of a month. That was in fact the reason they had gone to The Bronze, “Come on Nicky let’s dance.” She pulled the boy from his chair and towards the dance floor.
“That wasn’t fun,” Faith said with a pouty face, “No fun at all,” she added and crossed her arms.
“You’ll get your chance honey,” Buffy replied and got strange looks from the others, “What?”
“You never called her honey before,” Willow said and giggled.
“Don’t mind them… I like it,” Faith said and kissed Buffy’s neck, “How long is it that those two have been are going out now?”
“About a month,” Tara replied and looked at the two lovebirds, “How could you have missed that? You live with Buffy and Dawn.”
“She has never brought him home,” Buffy replied, “Even I thought he was just a friend.”
“He’s a good dancer,” Faith said and stood up from Buffy’s lap, “Come on girlfriend… let’s show them how it’s really done.” With that she pulled Buffy off of the chair and walked to the dance floor.
The others just watch in pleasure as Buffy and Faith were ‘showing’ how people should dance and to see Dawn’s face turn in two different shades of red. Xander looked around The Bronze and noticed a guy sitting not far from them who seemed to be constantly looking at them, “Who is that guy?” He asked.
“Don’t know,” Willow replied, “but he has been here for like five days in a row now.”
“Hm strange…” Xander mumbled and turned to Tara and Willow, “How’s that girl doing?”
“We don’t know,” Willow replied.
“We visited her a few times, but when we came back yesterday they said her parents took her back home,” Tara said, “We never got a name or anything.”
“How’s Faith doing?” Xander asked, “She seemed pretty upset about the whole thing.”
“Yeah, she was… but I think she’s doing ok now,” Willow replied. It had been almost a week since the girl was at Buffy’s home and they had found out she was raped. They would visit the young girl but she didn’t talk or nothing.
When the song ended Buffy, Faith, Nicky and Dawn returned to their seats. The two slayers still had a big smile on their face and both Nicky and Dawn’s faces had turned bright red and the look of embarrassment was written all over them, “Had fun?” Xander asked and tried to hold in his laugh. After a few seconds he just gave up and started laughing.
This was definitely the group of people he would like to get to know better. Since he was going to stay for at least two months some friends could come in handy. Now only to find out a way to approach them, ‘Spill a drink on one of the guys… ok that’s a no go, that would be like hitting them in the face and that’s not a way to go if you want to be friends,’ he thought to himself.
He decided to get another drink and just approach them and see how that would work out. When he was close to the group of people he tripped over a young guy’s foot and stumbled forward on Dawn’s lap, ‘Way to go jackass,’ “I’m so sorry are you ok?”
“I’m fine just get off of me… Buffy, Nick!” Dawn yelled. Nick had already seen the guy and pulled him off of Dawn and pushed him back. He stepped protectively in front of his girlfriend and looked threateningly at the guy. Dawn grabbed Nick’s arm and stood behind him looking at the guy that had just fallen on her.
“Dawn you ok?” Buffy asked her sister who just nodded, “Watch it next time,” Buffy said turning to the guy.
“I’m so sorry,” the guy said and held out his hand, “I’m Joshua.” When nobody took his hand he held it back slightly embarrassed that the first meeting didn’t go the way he had hoped, “Are you ok?” Joshua asked Dawn.
“I’m fine but you really messed up my dress,” Dawn whined and looked at her sister.
“Yes we’re going home,” Buffy said, “Giles wants us early tomorrow morning for training anyway.”
“Uhm nice to meet you,” Joshua tried again and got a few nods from everyone except for Faith who had a dangerous glare in her eyes. After they had left Joshua just stood there embarrassed of the whole scene he had just created, but at least he now knew some of the names; Dawn, Buffy and Nick.
** Magic Box; Next Morning **
“So how was your night out?” Giles asked no one in particular.
“It was fine till’ some guy fell on top of me!” Dawn said with an angry voice.
“He was kinda cute.”
“Hello? Remember me… Xander… your boyfriend?”
“Oh don’t worry honey,” Anya replied, “You are way cuter than him, but he does have that blonde hair, blue eyed thing going on for him.”
Everybody else just rolled their eyes and continued what they were doing, “So Giles we gonna train or what?” Faith asked and pulled Dawn and Buffy with her to the training room.
“Coming,” Giles said and followed the three girls in the training room, “So Dawn, what have you learned these past few weeks?”
Faith smirked, she was going to be the one who was going to test Dawn’s skills and she had been itching for payback for the time Dawn threw her against the wall, “Come on Dawn, show me what you got.” It took Faith almost twenty minutes but she finally had Buffy’s kid sister in almost the same position as she herself had been in a few weeks earlier, “Now this is fun!” Faith said and started laughing.
“Hey! No laughing at my sister!” Buffy said playfully and dropped Faith on the floor straddling her hips and pinning her shoulders to the mat, “See… this is fun.”
“Girls! Could we actually train instead of fooling around?” Giles asked with his most serious face, which he was failing miserably in. After a few seconds Giles started laughing soon followed by the others. Xander and Anya calling their names abruptly stopped the laughter.
They ran in the shop and saw Anya and Xander leaning over a radio, “Listen to this,” Xander said and turned up the radio.
“Last night a 16 year old girl was brutally raped and murdered. The girl was found behind the old Sunnydale high school which was blown up during graduation a few years ago.”
“Great! Like we haven’t got enough trouble here in Sunnydale already” Dawn said.
“From now on you are not allowed to go out alone… even if you’re with Nick,” Buffy said. Dawn immediately put on a pout face and was practically begging, “No Dawn… I don’t want you to get hurt. Be glad I’m even letting you go out… I’m sure mom has already heard this on the news and I’m the one who needs to convince her that me and Faith are going with you two!”
“But…”
“Dawn listen to your sister,” Giles said with a stern voice. He didn’t like anything happening to the sister of his slayer.
“Dawn listen to me,” Faith suddenly said.
“Why should I… I can take care of myself, I’m sixteen years old!” Dawn yelled.
“So was that kid who got raped and murdered!” Faith yelled back. The hardness of her voice scared everyone in the room. It even scared Buffy but she didn’t interfere and neither did the others because they knew Faith was right.
“I got Nick to protect me!”
“Yeah sure… Nick is there to protect you!” Faith yelled, “What can Nick do when someone points a gun at him or tries to stab him? What then Dawn…? Even with your growing skills you wouldn’t be able to defeat someone like that!”
Dawn just looked at Faith who was more upset than she was before. But she wasn’t really upset or angry, she was scared… scared that if Dawn did go out alone she would get hurt, “Those kind of people know exactly what they are doing and I know because… it doesn’t matter how I know… you are not going out alone,” Faith said.
Dawn was sitting in a chair now and Faith walked up to her; kneeling down in front of Dawn, Faith said, “Your sister doesn’t want to loose you and neither does your mother or anyone everyone in this room… Goddamn it Dawn! I don’t want to loose you!”
Dawn was close to tears now, Faith opened her arms and Dawn hugged the brunette slayer, “And I don’t want to loose you either…” Everyone turned around when they heard a male voice say that and saw Nick standing there. They hadn’t heard him come in but they all knew he had been standing there long enough to hear the whole conversation because he was close to tears himself.
“He’s gonna cry,” Willow whispered to Tara, “he really loves her,” she added and smiled taking Tara’s hand in her own.
“Nicky…” Dawn said and stood up from the chair, “I’m sorry…”
Nick didn’t say anything and just smiled a little, opening his arms. Dawn ran to him and hugged her boyfriend. Nick held his girlfriend tight and kissed her neck, “Hey! No kissing of my sisters neck,” Buffy said and crossed her arms.
“Shut up!” Faith and Dawn yelled. Buffy immediately pouted and was pulled in a hug by Faith who kissed her neck, “Can we still go to the Bronze tonight?” Dawn pleaded.
“Uhm… I…”
“What is it Nick?” Dawn asked.
“Well it was supposed to be a surprise, but I was going to take you out for dinner because well yesterday we were together for a month and they wanted to celebrate it at The Bronze… and now kinda with Faith and Buffy because they’re not letting you out of their sight.”
“Oh that’s so romantic!” Willow yelled and immediately got stares from Dawn, “What? It is romantic… even if Buffy and Faith are coming along!”
“You know what… we’ll sit like 2 tables away so you can still have your dinner,” Faith said and immediately got a face from Buffy, “Don’t pout we are sitting two tables away from them, besides then we can have a dinner of ourselves.”
“So dinner it is?” Nick asked just to be sure. When Buffy and Faith nodded and most importantly when Dawn said yes, he smiled as if he had just won the jackpot.
“So cute,” Tara whispered and got a loving smile back from Willow.
‘That was one hell of a way to make friends’ Joshua thought to himself and laid down on his bed, “First potential friends and you have to screw that up!” He yelled at himself, “Stupid!” He knew he had to give it another chance and apologise to them again for making such a scene. ‘Tomorrow’ he thought, ‘Right now all I need is a hot bath!’
“Fancy restaurant Nick,” Faith said as she stepped in the building.
“Only the best for Dawn,” Nick simply replied and got three huge smiles back which made him turn bright red, ‘Don’t say cute… please don’t say cute’ he thought to himself.
“That’s so cute,” Buffy said and smiled.
‘She said cute… ok great she said cute… now I’m probably redder than a tomato!’ Nick just smiled a little and walked to one of the tables. Faith and Buffy had the luck that there was a cancellation in the reservations otherwise they would have never gotten in.
After about half an hour Nick got up and told Dawn he had to get something. He walked to the restaurant manager and got a small box from him. He thanked the manager and walked back to Dawn, “What was that about?”
“This,” Nick said and handed her the box, “Open it.”
“What is it?”
“Just open it and you’ll see,” Nick replied with a huge smile on his face.
Dawn opened the box and looked back at Nick, “Wow this is…”
“Look at the back.”
The second she turned it around she was on Nick’s lap and giving him a passionate kiss, “What’s wrong?” Buffy asked Faith who was looking wide-eyed at Nick and Dawn.
“Nothing,” Faith replied and looked at her plate. Buffy looked back and saw exactly what Faith saw a few seconds earlier and stood up from the chair, “B wait!” Faith said and walked after her.
“Dawn! Are you nuts doing that in a restaurant!”
“B hold on a sec… you didn’t see the whole thing.”
“What are you talking about?” Buffy asked.
“He gave her something… but I didn’t see what it was… which I very much like to see now!” Faith said and looked at Dawn.
Dawn held up the box and had a huge smile on her face. Buffy and Faith looked at the box and saw a silver heart in it with 3 diamonds in it, Buffy couldn’t help it but to smile, “That’s not all,” Dawn said and turned the heart around.
“Forever yours, Nick” Faith read out loud what was on the back of the pendant, “Oh that’s so sweet,” she said and giggled.
“Nick whatever it is you did, stop it… I don’t like my girlfriend giggling.”
“Yes ma’am,” Nick said and started laughing soon followed by the rest. In the mean time the whole restaurant had been looking at the four young people and were all smiling.
“Who was that manager guy anyway?” Faith asked, “You seemed to know him very good.”
“That’s my dad,” Nick replied.
“Your dad is the manager in Sunnydale’s best restaurant?” Dawn said wide-eyed. She knew his dad was a manager at a restaurant, but he hadn’t told her it was this restaurant.
“So you’re saying that your boyfriend’s father is the manager at Sunnydale’s best and finest restaurant? Nice catch Dawn,” Faith said and immediately got poked in the ribs by Buffy, “What? It’s true!”
“So you wanna go bronzing tonight?” Buffy asked her sister.
“We can go to The Bronze?” Dawn asked in disbelief but the she knew the real thing behind it, “You have to go with us right?”
“Yes,” both slayers said.
“Great… sorry Nick.”
“It’s ok Dawn, I don’t mind your sister and her girlfriend coming along,” Nick replied, “I want you to be safe and besides… I want to beat them at dancing, because I know we can dance way better than they can,” Nick said and gave Dawn a kiss.
“Don’t you just love him,” Dawn said. Faith and Buffy could see Dawn completely glowing. They knew she really had one of the better guys.
** Somewhere in Sunnydale **
“I’ll see ya tomorrow Cindy!” A brown haired girl yelled to her friend as she stepped in her house.
“Bye!” Cindy yelled back and started walking towards her own home which was only three blocks away. After walking a few steps she heard another pair of footsteps behind her and turned around. Nothing. ‘Don’t be so scared, only two more blocks’ Cindy thought to herself and continued walking.
The girl was only one block away when someone stepped in front of her holding a knife, “Go away!” Cindy yelled but the person only stepped closer pointing the knife towards her, “No… please… leave me alone…” Cindy begged.
The guy just smiled and kept coming at her…
** The Bronze **
“He’s here again!” Dawn said and looked at someone in the crowd.
“Who honey?” Nick asked.
“That guy who threw his drink over me last time… what’s his name… Joshua.”
“Come on Dawn, don’t pay attention to him,” Faith said, “We’re here to have a good time remember! And what is it that Nicky boy said about you two being better dancers than me and your sis?”
“That’s right… I did say something about that,” Nick said smiling and pulled Dawn to the dance floor.
“You know…” Buffy began, “I’m gonna like having him around, he has a good influence on her.”
“Sure has, I’m just glad your mom likes him… because otherwise I’d have to beat his ass out of the house.”
“I thought you liked him!”
“I do… I just can’t let anyone hurt Dawn.”
“Like you said Faith, she’ll get her heart broken and probably break some herself… that’s life.”
“I know,” Faith said and looked at the dance floor where Dawn and Nick were dancing, “they really are cute together aren’t they?”
“That they are…” Buffy replied, hearing the beginnings of a slow song she looked at Faith, “Dance with me,” she asked and smiled.
Then suddenly someone got the microphone, “Ladies and Gentlemen… tonight a special guest… Miss LeAnn Rimes!”
“That’s new…” Buffy said.
Buffy looked at Faith who just got up and took Buffy to the dance floor, “Who cares if it’s new let’s just dance,” Faith said and put her arms around Buffy’s waist. The blonde slayer put her arms around Faith’s neck and moved closer.
“Before I’m going to sing my new song I need to tell you the reason why I’m here,” LeAnn said. Everyone turned to the stage and listened carefully, “A few days ago I got the sweetest letter from a seventeen year old boy who is crazy in love with his girlfriend. He said he was going to play my new song as a declaration of love to his girlfriend.”
Everyone was surprised that something like that happened but listened carefully, “He gave me the address to the place where he was going to do that and that’s when I decided I wanted to play this live for them. He didn’t know this and neither did she, Nick and Dawn… this is for you.”
“Our Nick and Dawn?” Faith asked as the music started playing.
“Guessing by their faces… I’d say yes,” Buffy replied, “Now shut up and dance with me.”
### I don't need a lot of things I can get by with nothin' With all the blessings life can bring I've always needed something But I've got all I want when it comes to lovin' you You're my only reason, you're my only truth I need you like water, like breath, like rain I need you like mercy from Heaven's gate There's a freedom in your arms, that carries me through I need you (whoa-oh) You're the hope that moves me to courage again (oh yeah) You're the love that rescues me when the cold winds rage And it's so amazin' 'cause that's just how you are and I can't turn back now 'cause you've brought me too far I need you like water, like breath, like rain I need you like mercy from Heaven's gate There's a freedom in your arms, that carries me through I need you (whoa-oh) Oh, yes I do, oh I need you like water, like breath, like rain I need you like mercy from Heaven's gate, There's a freedom in your arms, yeah, that carries me through I need you Oh, yes I do I need you oh, oh, oh I need you, oh-oh ###
After the song ended Dawn and Nick were asked to come on stage, if they weren’t already blushing before… they were now. Buffy and Faith just stood at the side of the stage with the biggest smiles on their faces that anyone had ever seen.
“Alright everyone… one more song and then I have to go again,” LeAnn said and the music started playing again. Dawn and Nick got down of the stage and moved to the gang’s usual corner quickly followed by Faith and Buffy.
“You wrote her a letter?” Buffy asked still surprised.
“Yeah I did,” Nick said and kissed the top of Dawn’s head.
She was leaning her head on his shoulder close to tears, “He’s so sweet,” Dawn said and wiped away a few tears.
“Yes he is,” Buffy said and gave both of them a loving smile. This guy was definitely something special and someone she would love to have in the family… but still anything could go wrong. They were both young; Dawn being was only sixteen while Nick was a mere seventeen years old. A lot of things still could go wrong with the both of them… if they’d like it or not.
‘That’s new’ Joshua thought after he saw the whole scene, ‘Since when do they have artists like that coming to a town like this?’ He had seen the complete scene and couldn’t think of any other word besides cute when LeAnn Rimes told the reason of why she was here.
But he still had to apologise properly for what had happened the night before and now he had to figure out a way to do that before that brunette girl would give him another one of those looks. That experience had been scary, no one had ever looked at him like that… a look of pure hatred because he had hurt one of the girls she cared about.
Joshua stood up from his stool and walked to the group of friends.
Nick had seen that guy walking up to them and immediately stood up and stepped in front of Dawn, “Easy boy,” Faith said, “What is it?” Nick just looked in one direction and Faith followed his gaze to Joshua. Faith immediately stepped in front of Buffy who just shrugged until she noticed why they were doing that and stood up as well.
“Again?” Buffy asked, “Can’t this guy take a hint?”
“Hello,” Joshua said and looked at the four.
“What do you want?” Nick asked coldly.
“I came to apologise… again,” Joshua replied, “Last time didn’t go too well.”
“The last time you ruined my dress.”
“Did I say I was sorry for that… no then I’ll do it again… sorry,” Joshua said, “Can I buy you guys a drink?”
“Sure,” Buffy said immediately getting cold stares from Nick and Faith, “Calm down you two… he apologised and is offering us free drinks.” Buffy sat down on her chair again pulling Faith on her lap, “Calm down honey,” she whispered in Faith’s ear and kissed her neck.
“So how long have you been in town?” Faith asked.
“About a week now,” Joshua replied, “It’s a nice town… there are actually a lot of people my age. The other places I’ve been had either real young kids or just old people.”
“That’s us… young people town,” ‘Amongst other things’ Dawn added in her head.
“Although one thing is really weird.”
“What?” Faith and Buffy asked.
“There are a lot of people hanging out at graveyards… what’s up with that?”
“Oh just crazy kids,” Buffy quickly said.
“Thought so… I mean… who likes graveyards anyway?”
“I do!” It came out of Faith’s mouth before she knew it, “Just kidding,” she quickly said and turned her attention to Buffy.
“Don’t they need air?” Joshua asked; after ten minutes of seeing Faith and Buffy kiss.
“Uhm… I guess,” Dawn said, “Buffy, Faith… get up for air already!” Dawn yelled. Buffy and Faith stopped kissing and turned to Dawn. They both stuck out their tongue and turned their attention towards each other again, “Ok so they don’t need air…” Dawn said and smiled.
“What was your name?” Joshua asked.
“I’m Nick,” he replied a little cold not sure how to react to Joshua. He wanted to protect Dawn but he wasn’t too sure of what he was protecting her from… a guy who was friendly or a guy who fell on Dawn’s lap, “So what do you do for a living?”
“I go around… sell things… I work for different companies,” Joshua replied.
“Nick!” Someone suddenly screamed.
“Mom?”
“Missy?” Faith said and looked up. Yes it was Missy… but something was wrong, she had been crying, “Missy? What’s wrong?”
“Faith?” Missy said and looked at the young girl, then she turned back to Nick, “Nicky… something happened…”
“What? Mom tell me…”
“It’s your sister…”
“Mom… what happened to Cindy?” Nick asked near panic, “Is she…?”
“No, but she is in the hospital… she… she…” Missy tried but started crying again.
Faith got a lump in her throat and asked the one question she was afraid to ask, “Was she r-raped?”
“How did you…?” Missy said.
“Mom is that true?”
“Yes… she was…” As soon as Missy said that Nick fell back on the couch that he had been sitting on. He looked at Dawn who put a hand on his head and he put his arms around her and rested his head against her stomach, then he just started crying.
** Sunnydale Hospital **
“How is she?” Faith asked as Missy got back from Cindy’s room.
“I don’t know… she won’t talk to me,” Missy replied, “And she won’t talk to Nick or her father either.”
“Are they close?” Dawn asked, “Nick and Cindy are they close?”
“Yes real close,” Missy replied, “And when he saved her life two years ago earlier that bond became even closer.”
“He saved her life?” Buffy asked, “He really is a great guy.”
“I know,” both Missy and Dawn said which caused a small smile to form on their faces.
About ten minutes later Nick walked out of Cindy’s room with his sister in a chair, “Mommy… can we go?” Cindy asked.
“Yes we can,” Missy replied, “you want to come with us?” She asked Dawn, Buffy and Faith.
“Uhm… are you sure… maybe you want to…” Buffy said but was cut off by Missy.
“It’s ok really,” Missy said and Buffy nodded. Missy walked out with Cindy followed by Nick and Dawn.
Buffy was about to walk out when she noticed Faith was still sitting on a chair, making no effort to move while she kept staring at the wall. Buffy walked back and crouched before Faith, “Baby… you ok?” the blonde slayer asked and put her hands on Faith’s knees.
Faith didn’t say a thing and suddenly started crying. Buffy took the brunette in her arms, “Faith what’s wrong?” Faith still didn’t reply and just clung to the blonde slayer and started crying louder, “Oh god… Faith…” ‘What is wrong?’ Buffy thought to herself.
“Are you two co… what’s wrong?” Dawn asked as she walked back in the waiting room.
“I don’t know…” Buffy said, “I’ll carry her to my car, tell them I’m sorry… I have to take her home.”
“Sure,” Dawn replied. She took one last look at the two slayers and walked out. Buffy lifted Faith up and carried her out of the hospital and brought her home.
** Two Days Later; Magic Box **
Everyone was sitting around the table, Dawn’s first day as a sophomore hadn’t gone well. Nick was also in her class after failing the year before. He was constantly down and worried about his sister and Dawn had to comfort him the whole time. Missy and her husband had decided not to tell anything to the school unless it got worse.
“Hey guys,” Dawn said and walked in the shop.
“Hey Dawnie,” Willow replied, “How are you?”
“Could be better…”
“What happened?” Buffy asked jumping up from her chair.
“Nick… he’s been like really down,” Dawn said, “Which I can understand, but he won’t even talk to me…”
“You have to give him time Dawn,” Faith spoke up since the first time everyone was in the shop. For some reason she had taken the rape of Nick’s sister extremely hard and Buffy knew she had to find out what it was that caused this extreme reaction in Faith, but she wouldn’t pressure her girlfriend.
“How many is this now anyway?”
“What do you mean Buffy?” Willow asked.
“I mean that there have been three rapes and one murder so far.”
“Make that three rapes, one murder and one suicide.”
“Miss Lockheart?” Giles said.
“Hello.”
“How did you…?”
“I looked and asked around,” Abby replied.
“What do you mean suicide?” Buffy asked.
“That girl you brought in committed suicide yesterday,” Abby said, “We had some business to do with them and then they told us about her… and her name was Jenny if you’re interested.”
“Oh god… that’s awful,” Tara said and the rest just nodded.
“Couldn’t you just tell us that over the phone?” Faith suddenly said, “or did you want to see our faces when you told us?”
“Faith!” Buffy yelled.
“I don’t talk about these things over the phone,” Abby calmly replied.
“Try the phone next time!” Faith coldly replied and walked up the stairs of the second floor and sat at the top.
“I’m so sorry,” Buffy replied, “She’s just been really upset about this whole thing and now with Nick’s sister…”
“It’s ok Buffy,” Abby replied, “Have you tried talking to her about it?”
“What do you mean?” Buffy said.
“There has to be a reason why she acts this way,” Abby replied.
“Why would anyone have a reason to act like that?” Buffy said angrily, “What has happened to those girls was horrible!” Buffy added and walked up the stairs to Faith, “Baby you ok?”
“Yeah I’m fine B,” Faith replied, “It’s just that…”
“I know… it’s horrible what happened.”
“Yeah,” Faith replied. She lifted her head so she could meet Buffy’s eyes and kissed her.
“What is it that you want Miss Lockheart?” Giles asked.
“I need your help.”
“With what?” Tara asked.
“In getting the killer,” Abby stated calmly.
“You should leave that to the cops,” Willow said.
“I know, but I’ve been hearing things and you can help me better.”
“Why do you want our help?” Giles asked.
“Remember that girl that was raped and murdered…”
“Yes…”
“That was my niece…”
“That is what you people do; right?” Abby asked after everyone had seemed to absorb the information she had just given, “You help people right?”
“It’s not exactly that…” Xander said.
“They kill vampires and other demons,” someone said and they all turned around to see Nick standing in the doorway, “I’ve known all a long… I hear things and don’t worry, mom doesn’t know and neither does my dad.”
“Nicky!” Dawn yelled and ran to her boyfriend.
“Hey babe,” he replied and hugged his girlfriend.
“You ok?”
“I’m fine Dawn,” Nick replied.
“O…K… could we please rewind this tape a few seconds and let him repeat that?” Abby said.
“I said they kill demons and vampires,” Nick replied, “Yes they do exist and no I haven’t seen one yet… and hopefully I won’t for a very long time.”
“We could introduce you to one,” Dawn said, “Well actually three, where is Spike anyway?”
“He’s in LA with Angel and who is the third you were talking about?” Buffy asked.
“Harmony.”
“Oh no,” Buffy said laughing, “I can’t deal with her right now… it’s just too funny.”
“A funny vampire?” Nick asked.
“Well yeah, Harmony is just… let’s say dumb and it affected her when she became a vampire,” Buffy replied.
“Oh,” Nick simply said and then looked at Abby, “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” Abby replied, “Ok so… vampires and demons are real, can you help me with catching the guy who raped and killed my niece or what?” She added coldly.
“Miss Lockheart, these matters are not for us to deal with,” Giles said, “Although I would like to get my hands on this guy… but the cops are on it.”
“I don’t care… I want to get the guy who did this to my niece.”
“Shut up!” Nick suddenly yelled, “You have no idea what it’s like… and sorry for saying this, but yeah sure your niece was raped and killed, but what about my sister and what about the girl who killed herself. What about her family, they have to live with the grief of loosing their daughter. What about my sister who has to look at the scar above her eyebrow EVERY SINGLE DAY when she looks in the mirror and not to mention the emotional scars!”
Buffy and Faith had tried to stop the outburst but when they saw the determination in his eyes they stepped back and let him talk. Dawn in the meantime just held his hand, when he squeezed her hand lightly she knew he appreciated it. Nick was close to tears again and moved away from the doctor and sat down on a chair followed by Dawn who sat on his lap and comforted him.
“I’m sorry,” Abby said. She looked at the boy and was near tears herself, she looked at the others and one last time to Willow when she suddenly collapsed to the floor crying. Willow got a silent nod from Tara and sat on her knees next to Abby holding her while she cried.
“Anya could you get her some water please,” Giles asked, “And get some for Nick too.”
“Why do I have to be the one to get something,” Anya said as she walked to the training room where a water cooler had been was placed a few days earlier. After a few seconds she returned with two plastic cups in her hand and handed them to Nick and Abby, “You want to know what I did to a rapist once, it’s quite a funny story.”
“Not now An,” Xander said and took his girlfriend’s hand in his own, “Not now.”
“Later?” Anya almost pleaded.
“Yes later…” Xander said, “Guys we’re gonna go now.”
“Sure,” Buffy replied.
“What is she talking about?” Abby asked when the words of Anya sank in.
“I was a vengeance demon once,” Anya said with a proud voice, “We’re gonna go now.”
“Nick, why don’t you and Dawn go to our house and get something to eat,” Buffy said, “We’re going to have a chat with Abby here.”
“I’m going with them,” Faith said.
“You ok?” Buffy asked her girlfriend.
“Five by Five B,” Faith said and gave Buffy a quick kiss, “Come on lovebirds,” Dawn and Nick stood up from the chair and silently followed Faith out of the shop.
“Where did you hear about us?” Willow asked as soon as Faith, Dawn and Nick were out of the shop.
“People talk if you have money,” Abby replied, “Look I just want to find the guy who did this.”
“That is what we want, but you have to let the cops handle this,” Giles said, “As much as we want to get the guy… we don’t have the experience for this kind of thing.”
“Right I forgot… you only do demons and vampires… wake up!” Abby yelled, “this guy is a demon in his own way!”
“We are so not getting into that!” Buffy said.
“What are you anyway?” Abby asked, “I heard you were the one who fights and from what I’ve heard you do that pretty damn good, so why not find this guy and kill him?”
“You heard I was good… wait… look as much as I want to kill that guy, I won’t,” Buffy said, “He killed someone and if I kill him I would become just like him… except for the rape part. But still if I would kill a person I’m no better than him.”
“It would be justice!”
“No it wouldn’t!” Buffy yelled, “The only way to get real justice is to arrest the guy and send him to jail!”
“Fine then I’ll find him myself!” Abby said and started walking out of the shop.
“And how were you planning on doing that? Find him and then get killed yourself?”
“As long as I can get justice for what he did I will do anything to find him.” Abby replied and kept walking.
Buffy sighed and looked at Giles who just nodded, “Wait!” Buffy said, “Fine we’ll help you… but if you even think of getting in the way I’ll immediately stop.”
“Buffy?”
“Look Willow… I know we normally don’t do this, but we have to help her and Nick.”
“I know, but how do you know it’s the same person?”
“I just know… gut feeling you know,” Buffy replied, “Let’s just go back to my house and get something to eat alright… and you,” Buffy said pointing at Abby, “Go back to the hospital, we’ll let you know if we found something.”
** Summers Home **
Buffy, Willow and Tara walked in the Summers home to see Faith and Nick chasing after Dawn with pillows, “B!” Faith said and flew around her neck.
“Glad to see you’re happy again,” Buffy said as she hugged her girlfriend.
“Who wouldn’t be if you got Dawn and Nick, they’re just too much fun!” She gave a quick but passionate kiss and ran after Dawn again.
“Kitchen?” Willow asked.
“Kitchen!” Buffy and Tara replied. They ran towards the kitchen and just after they got in a pillow came flying toward them which Buffy caught and threw back. When she took a good look at the kitchen she saw it was a mess, “Faith, Dawn and Nick!” Buffy yelled.
The three came walking in with their gaze towards the floor afraid to meet Buffy’s eyes, “look at me!” Buffy yelled, “What the hell is this?”
“We… uhm had fun?” Dawn tried.
“Chill B,” Faith tried.
“Sorry?” Nick said.
“At least he has the decency to say he’s sorry,” Buffy said. All the while Willow and Tara had turned around so Faith, Nick and Dawn wouldn’t see them laughing, “make sure this is clean BEFORE mom gets home tonight” Buffy yelled and pulled Willow and Tara out of the kitchen.
“That was fun,” she whispered to the two witches and they couldn’t hold in their laugh any longer. Buffy followed soon after and they just fell on the couch laughing.
** Summers Home; Night **
Buffy and Faith had just returned from patrol and saw Joyce sitting in the kitchen, “Hello girls.”
“Hey Mom, how was your trip?” Buffy asked and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
“It was good, very informative,” Joyce replied, “And what happened to my kitchen, it has never been this clean before.”
“I’m tired,” Faith said and quickly ran upstairs.
“What was that about?” Joyce asked.
“Faith, Dawn and Nick made a mess and they cleaned it.”
“You think they’ll clean it every time for me?” Joyce asked, “Could sure use the help!”
“They only cleaned it because I got mad,” Buffy said.
“Well then you just get mad some more and then we can enjoy a cup of tea while they clean up.”
“Mom you are evil!” Buffy said laughing, “I’m gonna go to bed too, I’m pretty tired myself.”
“Buffy one more thing.”
“Yes?”
“How is Nick doing and you are keeping an eye on Dawn are you?”
“Nick is doing better but it still hurts… and yes I am keeping an eye on Dawn. I’m bringing her and Nick to school every morning.”
“Good, just one little thing… how’s Faith doing at school?”
“Better than expected,” Buffy said and smiled, “She actually puts effort in learning and she’s got Willow to help her and you know how she gets on school stuff.”
“That I do,” Joyce said and smiled, “Goodnight Buffy.”
“’Night Mom,” Buffy said and ran upstairs.
“So what’s the result?” Faith asked as Buffy walked in the room.
“You’re lucky,” Buffy said and smiled, “… she also asked about school.”
“I do good in school!” Faith said and pouted.
“And that’s what I told her,” the blonde slayer replied and put on her pj’s. Faith just put on a t-shirt and slipped under the covers, “What do you think about that Joshua guy?” the brunette slayer just raised a brow and that was enough for Buffy to know that Faith didn’t like him, “As long as we got that cleared up… it was nice that he apologised though.”
“I still don’t trust him,” Faith simply said and laid on her back.
Buffy crawled from the end of the bed to Faith with a seductive smile on her face. She gently sat on Faith’s upper legs placing her knees next to Faith’s thighs. She grabbed Faith’s hands and placed them on each side of the dark haired slayer’s head, “I got you.”
“So I see,” Faith replied and then smiled. In one quick movement Buffy was on her back with Faith sitting on top of her, “… and now I’ve got you,” Faith moved Buffy’s arms above her head and laid on top of her. Faith let go of Buffy’s hands and moved up a little placing her elbows next to Buffy’s head.
The blonde slayer put her hands on Faith’s hips and leaned up to kiss the brunette slayer. Faith’s hands roamed through Buffy’s hair as she deepened the kiss. Buffy’s hands trailed up Faith’s body as she let her thumbs brush the sides of Faith’s breasts. Slowly moving her hands under the brunettes T-shirt to come up to cupping her breasts.
That’s when Faith suddenly broke the kiss and moved off of Buffy and curled up in a fetal position, “Faith? I’m so sorry… I didn’t meant to… What’s wrong?”
“’Nothing B” Faith replied with a sad tone in her voice.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“No you didn’t… leave it alone… it’s me… it’s all me… only me” Faith started repeating ‘all me’ over and over again.
“What is?” Buffy asked but all she got was still Faith repeating ‘all me’ over and over again. Buffy moved closer to Faith and slipped an arm over the taller girl’s waist and pulled a little so that Faith was facing her and held the brunette gently in her arms. After a few seconds Faith relaxed in Buffy’s embrace and started crying, after almost ten minutes of crying Faith drifted of to sleep in the blonde’s arms soon followed by Buffy herself.
Faith was heavily turning her head and moving on the bed. It caused Buffy to wake up and look at the brunette slayer with unanswered questions written all over her face, “No please… don’t!” Faith begged, “Leave me alone… please…”
Buffy held the brunette slayer closer to her and whispered comforting words in her ear until Faith calmed down. When Buffy looked at Faith’s face she could see fear with a hint of anger written all over her face and she didn’t like it at all. She needed to find out what was causing this but she couldn’t push Faith in telling her what it was. The only thing she could do was wait for Faith to tell her herself.
In the meantime she just had to support Faith as much as she could until the brunette slayer was ready to tell her what was wrong, she needed to know what was wrong in order to help her. She had become like this ever since that girl stood on the Summers' doorway, Buffy couldn’t figure out what it was. When they heard about the second rape/murder Faith was also upset, but when she guessed that Nick’s sister was raped… she actually stuttered. Faith wasn’t the stuttering kind not even in bad situations but during this she had stuttered.
‘No… that didn’t happen to her,’ Buffy thought as another thought went through her mind seconds before, ‘She couldn’t have been… she would have told this… wouldn’t she?’ Buffy thought of the possibility that Faith could have been raped, but it just as quickly went away as it had come came. She just had to wait until Faith was ready to tell her what had happened and then be there for her in support.
Buffy’s mind began to trail back to the night Missy had told them Cindy was raped, Faith’s eyes had horror and shock written in them. Not to mention her sister who was desperately seeking for her sister's eyes as she comforted Nick. He went home with his mother that night, Dawn, Buffy and Faith had spent the night on the couch. After they had gotten home Dawn immediately collapsed to the floor and started crying, when she started dating Nick she and Cindy had become good friends. They were the same age and had been in the same class, but their friendship didn’t mean as much until Dawn and Nick started dating. Buffy and Faith had actually met the girl when she came over for dinner once.
Buffy had picked up Dawn from the floor and carried her to the couch where the blonde slayer sat, with her sister cradled in her lap crying as hard as she could. It took Dawn almost an hour to calm down but when she looked at Buffy she had started crying again clinging on to her sister. She held Buffy so tight that it actually became hard for the blonde slayer to breath and Buffy tried to get the young girl to loosen her grip a little. Buffy knew that Dawn wanted to cry at The Bronze, but she had been strong for Nick and she admired her sister for that. She didn’t know how she would react to something like that.
And now there was something going on with Faith, something she had absolutely no clue about what it was, with Dawn she knew that her sister cried because of what happened to her friend. She had no idea why Faith was acting and reacting to all of this nor why she had the nightmares, the nightmares that had started after Jenny had knocked on their door asking for help.
Buffy looked at Faith one more time before drifting off to sleep herself, but before she fell a sleep she made one promise to herself and that was that no matter what she would stand by Faith through whatever it was that she was going through and that she would find the guy who did this to those girls… and the feeling that it was one and the same guy still kept haunting her mind.
** Some Motel room **
“Well this is fun,” a young man said as he looked at the girl on his bed, “I never had one this young… how old were you again, fourteen. That’s young isn’t it?”
“Please leave me alone,” the young girl whispered. He had told her not to scream or he would kill her right then and there and the mask that he was wearing only made the threat stronger. The only thing she could see were his eyes and his blonde hair.
His eyes were the purest colour of blue, but she didn’t see peace, comfort or anything like that in them. The only thing she could see was pure hatred and lust, his eyes showed that he was having pleasure in what he was doing to her. That only made the young girl more frightened than she already was and she had no idea what he was going to do to her… she didn’t even know if she could get out of here without him killing her.
When he saw the fear in her eyes he started laughing uncontrollably, he was having so much fun with this girl… even more fun then with the others. Maybe he would keep her alive for just a little while longer and have some more fun with her. She begged more, pleaded more than all the other girls did and he was having pleasure in torturing her.
He hadn’t actually done anything to her, him teasing her with words was enough to make the young girl squirm on the bed, “I’m thinking of keeping you here for a while and have a lot of fun, what do you think of that little girl?”
“No please don’t,” she whispered.
“Thought you would say that.”
** One Week Later **
Giles picked up the phone as it rang for the tenth time that day and he already knew who it was, “What is it Miss Lockheart?”
“How did you know it was me?”
“Lucky guess,” Giles replied and rolled his eyes.
“Did you find anything?”
“No not yet. It’s been a day Miss Lockheart.”
“That’s a day too many!”
“Let us deal with this Miss Lockheart.”
“But…”
“Goodbye Miss Lockheart,” Giles said and hung up the phone, “Could a person be more annoying?”
“Her again?” Buffy asked.
“I understand that she wants to get the killer, but calling ten times a day won’t help very much.”
“Giles, can I talk to you later on?” Buffy asked.
“About what?”
Buffy didn’t say anything and looked at Faith who was staring at the wall across from her and then looked back at Giles who just nodded. Buffy really needed to talk to Giles about the brunette slayer, she had been acting weird all week and had been having nightmares every night.
Buffy remembered the night when it first started, she and Faith had been kissing and she went under Faith’s t-shirt to cup her breast initiating what would be their first time together. When Buffy had meant to go slow, she really did mean slow and Faith respected that. And now Buffy had been ready to take the next step and Faith suddenly shut off from her with an almost panicking look on her face when the brunette moved off of her.
She didn’t know what the look had meant first but a few seconds later she realised it was a look of fear and panic mixed together. It almost looked like she was afraid to be touched, while it was always Faith who started kissing her and Buffy almost had to push her off long enough so Faith could control herself and this was before… No, she couldn’t think of that. Not much had changed after… had it?
Buffy couldn’t believe that she was having an argument with herself about it and she knew the others had noticed when they started looking at her, “What?”
“You were moving your brows and had a serious look on your face,” Anya replied, “you were having an argument with yourself…”
“How did you… never mind,” Buffy said and walked to Faith. She looked at the brunette slayer for a second and then hopped in her lap. Faith almost jumped up when Buffy did that but relaxed when she knew it was Buffy, “Care to share your thoughts?” Buffy whispered in Faith’s ear.
“Not now B,” Faith replied a little coldly. Buffy still put her arm around Faith’s shoulder and rested her body against Faith who eventually put her arm around Buffy’s waist. She searched for Buffy’s hand and when she found it Faith entwined their fingers and squeezed Buffy’s hand lightly.
Faith rested her head against Buffy’s shoulder and closed her eyes. The blonde slayer kissed the top of her head and whispered a soft ‘sleep’ before gently caressing Faith’s neck with her fingertips. And sleeping was exactly what she did, not caring much that Buffy was still in her lap and not caring that the others were still in the room, she just slept and prayed this one would be without nightmares.
After she felt Faith relax and her breathing became calmer, Buffy slowly moved off of Faith’s lap and went to the training room with Giles to talk about Faith. She told him everything that had happened the past couple of weeks, with less details on what would have become their ‘first time’ if Faith hadn’t moved away like that. And she told him her suspicions on why the brunette slayer was acting the way she did.
“You’re suggesting she was…”
“Yes I am,” Buffy replied, “I need to know, but I don’t want to force her in telling it to me… but I’m also not sure if she ever will. And now with the nightmares… god she even fell asleep in the chair for god’s sake!”
“That’s a tough decision for her to make Buffy, if she indeed was… then it could be too painful to talk about it.”
“I know,” Buffy almost whined, “but I need to know, it’s the only way I can help her.”
“There is something… but…”
“But what?”
“It can be very dangerous,” Giles said.
“If it means knowing how to help her then I’ll do it.”
“You are talking about going in her mind when she is having nightmares, it’s not something you just do.”
“I’ll get Willow and Tara to help me,” Buffy replied, “but we’ll keep it under the four of us.”
“Of course,” Giles replied and slightly changed the subject, “How is Nick doing and Dawn?”
“They’re doing better and they are miserable.”
“What do you mean?” Giles asked.
“Well they kinda decided that they had to deal with all of this on their own and so they slightly broke up I guess.”
“That’s sad.”
“Yeah I know,” Buffy replied, “Dawn is devastated and when I saw Nick walking by when I dropped Dawn off at school he wasn’t looking too good himself.”
“I’m sure they’ll figure out things soon enough, you have to give these things time,” Giles replied.
“I guess,” Buffy replied and suddenly heard Willow and Tara calling out her name. She ran back in the shop and saw Faith kicking, screaming and punching at air in her sleep. Buffy immediately walked up to the brunette slayer and held her in her arms and felt Faith relax under her touch and drifting of to a dreamless and nightmare-less sleep.
“What was that about?” Anya asked.
“I don’t know but I’m going to find out,” Buffy replied, “Willow, Tara… you two and Faith and me are going to your dorm room and try something… get the details from Giles.”
“Uhm ok…” Willow said.
“Can I get the keys?” Buffy asked Tara who immediately gave them, “I’ll be with Faith at your dorm all day, I don’t want mom or Dawn butting in.”
“Hey! I’m worried too.”
Buffy went to her sister and put her hands on Dawn’s shoulders, “I know you are Dawn, but this is something I have to do.”
“Then how come they get to help?”
“I need them to set a few things up for me… ok?”
“Ok… just make sure she’s ok… It’s scary to see her like this.”
“I will Dawn,” Buffy replied and gave her sister a hug. She walked back to Faith, who was still asleep and lifted her up, ‘Good thing I have the car,’ she thought to herself as Faith unconsciously rested her head against Buffy’s shoulder, “I’ll see you two tonight?”
“Of course,” Willow replied.
Buffy carried Faith out of the shop and brought her to Tara’s dorm room where she would do the spell with the help of Willow and Tara. When Buffy arrived she got strange looks from the students, they were very curious to know why she was carrying the girl, she just shrugged them of by replying that she fainted.
She opened the door to Tara’s dorm and laid Faith on the bed and covered her with a blanket she found at the bottom of the witch’s closet. She then figured that Faith would probably want to wear something else when she woke up and decided to go home to get some clothes and try to avoid her mother from questioning her too much.
** Twenty Minutes Later **
Faith sat straight up in bed and wondered where she was, the room seemed familiar somehow. She rubbed her eyes a bit cleaning it from sleep and looked around again. She was in Tara’s dorm room, but how did she get there… the last thing she remembered was falling asleep with Buffy sitting in her lap.
“This is strange,” Faith said and moved to the side of the bed and placed her feet on the floor.
She stood up and walked a few steps when she felt dizzy, at that point Buffy came walking in again and saw Faith struggling to stay up on her feet, “Whoa! Get back on the bed,” she said and helped the brunette to the bed.
“I’m just a little dizzy B,” Faith replied.
“And that’s why you are staying on the bed,” Buffy replied.
“What am I doing here anyway?”
“Uh… Girls Night,” Buffy quickly said.
“Oh… ok…”
Buffy let out a small sigh of relief when Faith said that. She didn’t want Faith finding out what they were going to do, the only thing Buffy was hoping for right now was that the brunette would still be tired at the end of the day. But with the way Faith was sleeping lately that probably wouldn’t be a problem at all.
** Later That Evening **
“So who’s up for a game of truth or dare?” Faith asked as she leaned back against the head of the bed.
Willow, Buffy and Tara looked at each other and raised their brows. Before Faith had gotten like this she always wanted to play truth or dare, “Faith what is it with you and truth or…” When Buffy looked back at the bed Faith was already asleep, “Dare… Ok this is going better than expected. I thought she wouldn’t be a sleep for at least two hours,” Buffy said and looked at the two witches who nodded.
Tara and Willow set up the stuff around the bed while Buffy laid Faith in a more comfortable position on the bed, “Buffy remember what to do if you want out?”
“Yeah, yeah… blink twice,” Buffy said hastily, she really wanted to find out what was wrong with her girlfriend.
“Ok, lay down next to her and close your eyes,” Willow said. When Buffy had done that she took Tara’s hand and began chanting some latin words Buffy really couldn’t understand.
When she didn’t hear their voices anymore Buffy knew that either they had finished or it hadn’t worked, she opened her eyes and saw she was in her own house, “Ok… how did I get here?” She said out loud. She noticed tiny different stuff in the house than when she left this morning, mostly pictures… pictures of her and Faith, Dawn and Faith, her mother and Faith. ‘Definitely in her mind alright’ Buffy thought and smiled. Then she noticed another thing, she wasn’t actually downstairs, she was upstairs in her own bedroom.
She walked out of the door and followed the sound of two girls giggling, a giggling that was very familiar to her. When she came downstairs she saw two girl, one brunette and one blonde, sitting… or rather laying on top of each other on the couch. When she looked a little closer she saw it was her and Faith together, giggling like little children. Faith was lying under her and had her legs wrapped around her legs.
When she listened a little closer she knew what the giggling was about, they were telling each other jokes and when she listened even closer they were actually funny. She couldn’t help it but giggle herself too a little when Faith had finished telling one of the jokes.
When she looked at Faith’s face there was pure joy written over it and she knew this was how the brunette wanted their relationship to be, loving, caring, pure joy. Buffy could tell Faith wanted it so bad that she had actually projected images of it in her head which she herself now was seeing. She made a promise to herself that she would make sure that that was what Faith would get.
Then suddenly everything started getting darker and faded away. She looked around and saw she was in another room, but not in her own house anymore. She saw a small light still coming from the place where Faith had projected that perfect image and saw it was still there only fading slowly.
Buffy then turned the other way when she heard a faint scream. She saw a young girl, about fourteen years old, running away from some guy with a black mask on. The fourteen your old reminded her of someone, when she looked closer she could see it was indeed Faith. She wanted to run after her and grab the man and when she was about to do that when a hand slipped in her own hand and held her in place.
She knew who’s hand it was and turned her head to see a teary eyed Faith standing next to her. Faith didn’t look back at her and just kept staring at her younger self and the man running after her. Buffy did the same and looked at the two people running through the woods, the blonde slayer was already fearing what would happen next. The guy caught up with the girl and grabbed her lifting her over his shoulder and carrying her back to a cabin about a hundred feet to their left.
Buffy noticed it was at the same length as the image of her and Faith laying on the couch. Next thing she knew they were standing in the cabin to see the man throwing the young girl on the bed. She was constantly whispering ‘no’ but he didn’t listen and took off his belt, Buffy could feel Faith’s hand clinging on to her when he hit her the first time.
For what seemed hours he had been hitting the ‘young’ Faith, it was then Buffy noticed Faith was wearing a backless black top. She turned Faith around and noticed for the first time the light stripes on her back. How could she have noticed before, she either changed in another room or made sure she was already changed when Buffy got in the room.
And the scars were in the middle of her back and couldn’t be seen if she had been wearing a tank top. Faith turned around again and kept staring at the her younger self and at the guy, when Buffy saw the scars she didn’t say anything to the brunette slayer and looked back at the image that Faith was looking at.
It looked like the images were speeding up for a few minutes and then slowly going at a normal pace again. Now Buffy saw the younger Faith still laying on the bed but the blood was gone and most of the lashes were healed. The guy was nowhere to be seen and the younger Faith was crying, then suddenly the guy came out of another room slowly walking up to the bed undoing his pants and slowly removing them.
Buffy heard him say something along the line of ‘let’s play’. The next images were ripping Buffy’s heart out and turning her stomach upside down. The blonde slayer couldn’t believe what she was seeing, the images were too disturbing to let them even sink in and capture what she saw.
She looked at Faith and saw tears streaming down her cheeks. Buffy looked back one more time at the young Faith and the guy before immediately blinking twice.
“Buffy!” Willow said as the blonde slayer’s eyes shot open. Willow didn’t get a reply back and only saw her best friend getting up from the bed as fast as she could running for the bathroom covering her mouth with her hand, “Wha…”
“Go after her,” Tara said, “I’ll stay with Faith.”
Willow immediately ran after her best friend and found her emptying her stomach in the toilet, “Buffy? Are you alright?” the redhead asked her best friend. She walked up to the blonde slayer and held Buffy’s hair out of her face. After a few seconds Buffy stopped throwing up and Willow handed her a towel to clean her mouth, “Are you ok?”
“No…” Buffy said and started crying. She didn’t know if she would ever be able to get those images out of her mind. She felt Willow’s arms around her and leaned in to the hug crying even harder. After a few minutes Buffy stopped crying and cleaned herself up, “I have to be there when she wakes up.”
“Of course,” Willow said and helped Buffy back to Tara’s dorm room.
Buffy sat next to Faith on the bed and the two witches moved back looking at the two from the end of the bed. The moment Buffy sat down Faith opened her eyes and looked at the blonde slayer. Buffy saw the unshed tears in Faith’s eyes and pulled her in a hug letting Faith and herself cry again.
** Some path near the Summers Home **
‘Stupid!’ Dawn yelled in her thoughts to herself, “Why the hell am I going on my way to meet Nick and talk to him at this time?” She asked herself out loud.
“Because then you could meet up with me,” a male voice came from behind her.
“Who are you?”
“That doesn’t matter,” he replied, “The only thing that matter is that I’m going to have some fun with you…” Dawn took a fighting pose and the guy just started laughing and pulled out a gun, “I’ve been watching you… I know what you are like,” the guy said and laughed.
‘Not good… so not good,’ Dawn thought to herself and stepped back.
“You know what… I’m going to give you a little chance… ten seconds before I come after you,” he said, “Run!”
And that’s exactly what Dawn did.
** Tara’s Dorm Room **
“I’m so sorry baby… I didn’t know,” Buffy said and kissed the top of Faith’s head still holding the younger slayer. Buffy kept whispering loving and comforting words in the brunette’s ear.
After a few seconds Faith calmed down, “Can we go now?”
“Sure we can,” Buffy replied. In the meantime the phone rang and Tara took it only to give it to Buffy seconds later, “For me?” She asked with a quizzical look on her face.
“It’s your mother,” Tara replied.
Buffy took the phone and answered it, “Mom?”
“Buffy… Dawn’s not home, she left a note saying that she was going to Nick… I called them but she never got there… that was fifteen minutes ago… he only lives like five minutes away…”
Buffy’s eyes widened as she dropped the receiver out of her hand, “Buffy?” Willow called out her name.
“Dawn… she’s in trouble…”
Faith immediately stood up from the bed and forgot about her troubles, “Go…” Tara whispered and grabbed the receiver. Faith took Buffy’s hand and pulled her out of the dorm room and started looking for Dawn.
** Near Tara’s dorm building **
Dawn had been running for what seemed like hours but it had only been five minutes or so but the guy was still after her so she had to keep running. She tried to run as fast as she could, but she could feel and hear him getting closer to her, “Come on little one, can’t you go faster than that?” He said and started laughing.
‘Please if someone is out there… help me,’ Dawn silently pleaded. She kept running and suddenly fell to the ground, she had stupidly tripped over a rock and was now cursing herself for it. But it had no use, her ankle was probably sprained and he had already reached her, “This is going to be a quick one, just a one time fun thing,” he said and pulled her off of the streets.
Dawn started yelling which he just hushed by saying that no one would hear her. He looked at her and she could see an evil glint in his eyes. The guy pinned her down to the floor and straddled her hips with his knees. He took both of her wrists with one hand and pinned them to the floor above her head and leaned in so his mouth was next to her ear, “This is going to be so much fun,” he whispered.
Dawn just started to cry uncontrollably when she felt him part her legs with his knee and then ripped her blouse open and lifting up her skirt. He traced the sides of her left breast with his thumb and when she heard him unzip his pants, she started screaming and kicking which only made him pin her harder to the floor, “Scream all you want baby girl… nobody can hear you.”
“Guess again!” A female voice said and kicked him in his stomach sending him flying a few feet away, “Dawn… you ok?”
“Buffy? Faith?”
“It’s us kiddo,” Faith replied, “now if you’ll excuse me I got some serious ass kicking to do.”
“Go!” Buffy yelled and knelt down beside her sister. She pulled down her kid sisters skirt and covered her upper body with her jacket, “Oh god I’m so sorry… are you ok?” Dawn didn’t reply and just curled up against the blonde slayer, she started crying once again as Buffy comforted her and held her sister close.
She looked up to Faith who was standing in front of the guy who just tried to rape the kid sister of her girlfriend. “Nobody touches that girl,” Faith hissed.
“I just did… didn’t I?” He replied licking his thumb, “Nice taste too,” he said and grinned and then actually started laughing.
“Then you just signed your death certificate,” Faith replied calmly.
“And how were you planning on doing that little girl.”
“I am not a little girl,” Faith replied. She was actually a little scared because he wasn’t afraid of a confrontation, “And how you ask? Well for starters… you see this fist?” Faith asked and saw the guy nodding, “this fist is going to connect with your face and then my other fist is going to connect with your stomach,” and without any warning or signs before Faith attacked the guy and did just that what she had explained a few seconds earlier.
The guy realised how strong the ‘little girl’ was when her fist collided with his jaw and he could feel something snap. He stood up straight again and looked at the brunette, “You’re quite a challenge,” he said, “but I’m not in the mood to play.”
“Then let’s get this over with,” Faith replied but got an unexpected kick to her face and stumbled back.
“Maybe another time,” the guy said and ran away.
“Fuck!” Faith screamed and ran after him until someone stopped her dead in her tracks.
“Leave him!” Buffy yelled and Faith turned around seeing Dawn curled up in Buffy’s arms and the blonde slayer close to tears. And she decides to do just that… leaving him until she found him again and then kill him.
** Tara’s Dorm Room **
“Oh god! What happened…” Tara asked as the two slayers came walking back with Dawn in Buffy’s arms.
“He attacked her… if we would have been there a few seconds later he… he would have raped her.”
“So he didn’t…”
“No he didn’t Red,” Faith replied a little angrily and immediately apologised because it wasn’t her fault, Willow just asked a question, “I’m sorry… it’s just that…”
“He got away didn’t he?”
“Yeah he did Wills,” Buffy replied, “She tried… but he kicked her and he ran away.”
“I’m so sorry I didn’t get him,” Faith said and sat on the bed. She buried her face in her hands and started crying.
“It’s not your fault Faith,” Buffy said, “We’ll get him…”
“And then I’ll kill him,” the brunette replied coldly.
“Faith!” Buffy yelled. Willow immediately took Dawn over from her as the blonde slayer walked up to the brunette. Buffy cupped Faith’s chin and forced the brunette to look at her, “You are not going to kill him… we’ll make sure he pays but you are NOT going to kill him.”
“We have to make him pay for what he did to Dawn.”
“I know baby,” Buffy replied, “But killing is not the way to do it.. I’ll let you beat him up if you’d like…” Buffy saw Faith’s immediately lit up, “But no killing.”
“Sure,” Faith said.
“Promise me Faith… no killing.”
“I promise,” Faith replied. Buffy leaned in and gave her a kiss and then hugged her.
“Buffy…”
“Dawn…” Buffy said when her sister called out her name. She walked to her sister, lifted her up and carried her to the bed.
“Buffy…?”
“What is it Dawn?”
“He said he had been watching me…” Dawn said and started crying uncontrollably again, “Why was he watching me?”
“Oh god…” Buffy said and held her sister closer.
Faith could feel her anger build up inside and almost hit Tara when she put a hand on her shoulder, “Sorry.”
“It’s ok, go lay down on the bed and get some rest,” Tara said.
“Thanks,” Faith replied and laid down on the bed… wait… what about you two?” Faith asked pointing at the two witches.
“We’ve got some mattresses left and you three can get the bed, I don’t think Dawn wants to be away from you two right now,” Willow said, “And we’ll call Joyce and tell her that everything is alright…”
“Could you not…”
“It’s ok Buffy, we won’t mention what happened, but you have to tell her.”
“I know, we just have to let her rest for now ok?”
“Of course,” Willow replied and gave a small smile, “Now go lay down and get some sleep.”
“Yes ma’am…”
** Next Day; Near the Magic Shop **
The night before had been a restless one for all the girls, Faith pretended she fell a sleep but never did. She wanted to watch over Dawn, Buffy and the two witches. After Dawn had come over the first shock she threw up constantly and probably had showered more that night than a normal person would in an entire week. Willow and Tara weren’t too happy with the mattresses and Buffy also never slept and watched Faith watching over her and Dawn.
As they walked to the shop Dawn held Buffy’s hand and leaned in to her avoiding even the slightest contact with the others. Faith walked on the other side of Buffy holding her hand for moral support, Willow and Tara walked behind the three making sure everything was ok with them.
Faith opened the door to the Magic Box and entered. She found three people in suits talking with Giles, Xander and Anya, when she was almost near them to greet them Buffy suddenly sprinted past her and the next moment was only chaos. When everything had calmed down a bit Faith found Buffy standing protective in front of her with the two guys pointing guns at them. The female of the group was standing behind the older of the two and looked like she was ‘reading’ them.
“I thought I told you not ever to come here again!” Buffy yelled.
“Buffy…” Giles begun but got cut off by the blonde slayer.
“Why did you came back here?”
“What are you talking about?” The youngest of the men asked.
“What do you mean, what am I talking about… go back to England and tell Quentin Travers and his Watcher’s Council he’s not welcome here.”
The female looked a little confused, “Who’s Quentin Travers?”
“You don’t know him?”
“No we don’t and what’s a Watcher’s Council?” The older guy asked.
“A Council of Watchers,” Anya said and started laughing.
“You’re not from the Watcher’s Council,” Buffy asked disappointed, now her speech had no effect.
“They’re not even english Buff…” Xander pointed out.
“Then who are you people and what are you doing here?” Now it was Faith’s time to step in front of Buffy and Dawn protectively, the kid had been clinging on to Buffy the whole time. The female had blonde hair and penetrating blue eyes that kept looking at Dawn the whole time but that wasn’t a surprise, anyone would have looked at the girl to see why she was clinging on her sister. It wasn’t worrying that the blonde woman was looking at her it was how she was looking at her.
“It happened to her didn’t it?” The blonde woman asked no one in particular and kept looking at the teenager behind the blonde.
“What happened to her?” Xander and Giles asked in unison.
“How did you… no it didn’t,” Buffy said and moved further away from them to protect Dawn. She was pulling Faith with her who almost fell down because she had to walk backwards. Buffy sat Dawn down on a chair and stood behind her protectively putting her hands on her sister’s shoulders. Faith just stood there arms crossed and half in front of Dawn who was constantly looking next to her and at the blonde woman.
The blonde woman smiled and Dawn smiled back at her, Buffy noticed the interaction between the two and also smiled. Dawn had been down all night and day, this was the first smile they had seen, either that woman had kids or she could just handle them really well, “Who are you?” Buffy asked.
“My name is Samantha Waters, this is Bailey Malone and that is John Grant,” Samantha replied.
“They’re FBI,” Xander pointed out.
“FBI… what’s the FBI doing here?” Faith asked as she began shaking lightly. Buffy grabbed her hand and tried to calm her down.
“We’re with the FBI yes, but officially we’re called the VCTF, Violent Crimes Task Force,” Bailey replied.
“Violent Crimes…” Faith said and tried her best luck, “The rapes?”
“Yes.”
Faith let out a small sigh of relief when Samantha Waters said ‘yes’ to that question. She was still upset because it was of the rapes, but she was glad it wasn’t because of her. The blonde was again ‘reading’ her and was looking very curious, after a few seconds Faith felt uncomfortable from the look and moved to a chair next to Buffy.
“What is going on?” Buffy asked the three people.
“The rapes that have occurred here were probably done by the same guy who raped a few children of fourteen year old about five years ago,” Samantha said. She noticed how Faith immediately stared to the table in front of her when she heard the words ‘fourteen’ and ‘about five years ago’.
She also noticed how the blonde girl immediately grabbed the brunette’s hand and caressed it with her thumb for comfort, “We need to talk to all of you, especially about the first girl that you found.”
“When?” Buffy asked.
“We’ll let you know,” Bailey replied, “Sam we have to go now… your daughter is waiting for you.”
“I know,” Sam replied, “We’ll let you know when we’ll need to bring you in.”
“Bring me in… why bring me in?” Faith asked in panic.
Sam got a confused look on her face, “To talk about the girl…”
“Oh… I’m sorry.”
“That’s ok,” Sam replied, “Goodbye.” The three agents walked out of the shop and everyone let out the breath the didn’t know that they had been holding. This was getting too weird for all of them and they didn’t like it at all.
** Outside The Magic Box **
“Bailey, get the brunette in first.” Sam said.
“Why her?”
“I don’t know, I’ve got a feeling…” Sam replied, “… I know it’s unusual, but let the blonde in the room with her… Ok I’m going to see Chloe.”
** Magic Box Training Room; Two Days Later **
“If you don’t mind we’re going to train in the mean time,” Buffy said to Samantha Waters. Buffy watched a more silent than usual Faith tape up her hands before she herself started taping up for their workout.
“No I don’t mind,” Samantha replied and sat on the bench next to the mat on the floor. She looked at the two girls moving in synchrony as they stretched. Right now she was afraid to talk because of the high level of concentration in the room, if she would talk… she would break the concentration and most important the connection the girls seemed to have at this moment.
As one of the most, if not THE most talented profiler on the FBI she was able to see more than her fellow colleagues could. As the girls trained together, what apparently meant fighting against each other, she could feel the pain that had been there in the past and the love that was there now.
For the next thirty minutes she looked at the two girls fighting each other, giving remarks to each other and exchanging loving looks with each other. She was particularly interested in Faith, the brunette girl seemed to forget everything when she was training or you could better call it fighting. The silent girl that was there when she entered the room wasn’t anywhere in the room.
“Miss Waters?… Miss Waters?”
“Samantha Waters… Sam?” Buffy then tried.
“Hmm what?” Samantha replied.
“Ok from now on I’m calling you Sam instead of Miss Waters,” Buffy said, “We’ve been calling you for like well… forever.”
“I’m sorry,” Samantha replied.
“What are you exactly?” Faith asked.
“I’m a profiler Faith.”
“I’ve heard about that… you can feel what I feel or something like that, or you can see it in my actions and all sorts of stuff right? And it helps you catch the bad guys.”
“Something like that,” Sam replied and smiled.
“So what do you see here,” Faith said pointing at her and Buffy together.
“Love,” Samantha replied and then looked only at Faith, “Pain, anger… fear.”
For a second Faith looked at the floor and then turned to the profiler again, “Who asked you anyway!” Faith replied angrily.
“You did,” Samantha replied. Both Buffy and Faith were surprised with the fastness of her answer, the second Faith said that she replied to it.
“Oh give it up for the profiler! She actually replied faster than I thought she would!”
“Faith!”
“Forget it B!” Faith yelled back and went back to training.
Samantha raised a brow and looked at Buffy who handed hand her a bottle of water, “Thanks,” Buffy replied, “She’s just… a little…” Before finishing she looked at Faith who was giving it her all on the punching bag, “… upset?”
“I can understand that.”
“It’s just… we almost had him three days ago, she wanted to go after him but I stopped her… I think she’s still upset about that.”
“You almost had him?” Sam questioned, “You don’t just chase criminals especially not a rapist and a murderer.”
“I know that! We…”
“What is it?” Sam almost whispered.
“My mom called that my sister wasn’t home and not at the friends she was supposed to go to and we went to find her and that’s when… that’s when we found him… on top of her.”
Buffy was close to tears now and somehow during the heat of her training Faith felt that and looked up, “What are you doing?” Faith asked directing the question to the profiler.
“I’m not doing anything,” Samantha replied.
Faith didn’t believe it and walked up to the female agent, “What are you doing to her,” Samantha stood up from the bench to protest, but the next thing she knew she was being pushed against the wall with the brunette holding her by her throat.
“Faith!” Buffy yelled. Apparently the other two agents had heard what was going on and came storming in. As soon as they found Faith holding their colleague by the throat they pulled out their guns aiming towards the two women, “Put them away!” Buffy yelled.
“Bailey, John… go!”
“Sam we’re not leaving here until she lets you go.” Bailey replied.
“The only way she’s going to let me go is if you two leave,” Samantha stated calmly, “Go… I’ll be fine, she won’t kill me.”
“How do you know that huh… I’ve killed before…” Faith turned to the two other agents, “And already paid for that, don’t worry…” Faith said and turned back to Samantha.
“Go!” Samantha yelled to the two other agents. They both retreated and closed the door.
“How do you know I won’t kill you?” Faith asked again, “I’m strong enough… you saw us training just now… How do you know I won’t kill you!”
“Because of her,” Sam simply replied and looked at Buffy.
Faith turned her gaze to Buffy who was backing up in fear of what she saw. The brunette slayer saw a lot of fear in the blonde slayer's eyes at that moment and slowly released the grip on the agent’s throat. The brunette moved back from Samantha and looked at her girlfriend and then back at the female agent. She kept exchanging looks between the two women until she finally gave up and collapsed to the floor crying.
Buffy immediately ran towards her and pulled her in her arms, “What am I doing?” Faith sobbed, “I attacked another person… I swore I’d never do that again.”
“Shh, it’s ok baby,” Buffy said and turned to the agent, “Are you ok?”
“Yeah I’m fine… is she?”
“She will be…”
“Should I come back later for the questions?”
“We can do them now, tell them you’re fine and come back.” Buffy said and helped Faith up.
Samantha went out of the training room to tell her colleagues that she was fine, when she returned she saw the two sitting on the bench. Faith having her knees brought up to her chin and leaning against the blonde while Buffy held the girl on her arms. She walked to the two girls and sat next to them, “Where do you want to begin?”
“The beginning, tell me about that girl that came to your house after she got attacked.”
After an half hour of talking about the past couple of days came the question she knew Faith would dread if asked, “What happened when you were fourteen?”
“What?” Buffy asked, “Does she need to tell, it has nothing to do with this case… does it?”
“Maybe…” Sam replied and looked at her clock, “I have to go…”
“Would you like to come over for dinner?” Faith suddenly asked and got puzzled looks from Buffy and Samantha, “To say I’m sorry about what happened.”
“My daughter is with me I have to go back.”
“Bring her, Dawn would like it… maybe she’ll lit up a little.”
“I’m not sure if I…” Samantha looked at Buffy who was actually pleading with her eyes for her to come over for dinner, “Ok… and I’ve already got your address.”
“How did you… right I forgot… FBI.”
Samantha just smiled and stood up, “I’ll see you tonight ‘round six thirty?”
“Yeah, gives my mom time before and get to know you,” Buffy replied. Faith in the mean time had stood up and stood there with a huge smile on her face, “And thank you for coming,” Buffy added.
“Sure.” Samantha replied, “I’ll see you tonight then…”
** Summers Home; Evening **
“I’ll get it!” Faith yelled when she heard the doorbell. She walked up to the door and opened it, “Hey, come in.” She said to Sam and her daughter.
“Thank you,” Sam replied, “Chloe this is Faith, Faith my daughter Chloe.”
“Cute,” Faith said as she took Chloe’s hand, “Looks like her mother,” she added, “B! Visitors.”
Both Samantha and her daughter had a pained look on their faces after Faith had yelled, “Do you always scream so loud?”
“Chloe!”
“It’s ok Sam,” Faith said, “And yeah kid I always do, I’ll try to keep it to a minimum for ya ok?”
“Ok,” Chloe replied with a smile on her face, “What’s for dinner?”
“Chloe!” Samantha almost yelled but with an embarrassed smile, “I’m sorry she usually doesn’t…”
“It’s ok and I don’t know what we’re eating, Mrs. S is in the kitchen now.”
“Mrs. S?” Chloe questioned.
“My mother,” Buffy said as she walked down the stairs, “Hi I’m Buffy, you must be Chloe.”
“I thought your name was B?”
“That’s what I call her,” Faith said and started laughing, “I like the little kid already.”
“Come sit on the couch,” Buffy said to Samantha and her daughter, “Would you like something to drink?”
“Sure,” Mother and daughter replied.
“Where’s the little one?” Faith asked her girlfriend.
“Still upstairs.”
“I’ll get her,” Faith replied and ran upstairs, “Little one you here?” She asked standing in front of Dawn’s door.
“No!” Dawn yelled.
“Dawn, you in here?”
“No please… leave me alone… no… get away from me… help!”
Faith stormed in the room and saw Dawn laying on the bed shaking heavily and covered in sweat. She immediately ran up to the girl and pulled her in her arms trying to calm her down, “Shh it’s ok…”
Everyone downstairs had heard the young girl yelling and were upstairs in no time, “What happened?” Joyce said walking in the room.
“She had a nightmare,” Faith replied.
“Is that Dawn?” Chloe asked her mother.
“Yes,” Samantha replied.
She tried to stop her daughter from walking in but the young girl was already at the bed and now standing in front of Faith and Dawn, “Hi I’m Chloe.”
Dawn looked up, “Hi,” she said and smiled a little.
“That went quick,” Buffy said.
“I told you she was gonna like the kid,” Faith replied, “You ok Dawn?”
“Yeah, just a nightmare,” Dawn replied. Joyce already knew what was going on with her, after Buffy had brought her and Faith home she told her mother what had happened. After she told her Joyce had cried for hours after that and Buffy just held her.
After she had put her mother to sleep she went to her own room where Faith was waiting for her, she had changed her clothes and stepped in to be immediately pulled in a hug by the brunette slayer and she would tell her how good it was that she had told her mother and then they had cried together falling a sleep.
Buffy was ripped from her thoughts when she heard the doorbell, “I’ll get it…” She said and ran downstairs.
She opened the door and saw Nick standing in front of her, “I heard… can I come in?”
“Of course,” Buffy replied.
“Where is she?”
“Follow me,” Buffy walked back upstairs with Nick following closely behind her, “look who’s here…” The blonde slayer said as she entered the room.
When Nick entered it was the cue for everyone to leave the room, Joyce gave Nick a pat on the shoulder before leaving and closed the door behind the two, “Hey babe,” Nick said and sat on the bed next to her.
“Hey.”
He brushed a few stray hairs from her face, “I heard what happened… you ok?” Dawn just nodded, “I was wrong to leave you to get through this thing with my sister… look where it got you.”
“No Nick, that’s not true…”
“You were on your way to see me, if I hadn’t… then you would already be with me or I’d be with you,” he said.
“It’s not your fault,” Dawn said taking his hand in her own.
“I need you Dawn, I need you to help me get through this… and I want to help you get through this,” Nick said, “and I’m going to kill that son of a …”
He tried to finish his sentence when Dawn cut in, “You don’t have to… Faith’s already going to do that.”
“Huh?”
“I heard her say it a couple of times, ‘I’m going to kill him’ and then Buffy would say she can’t do it and so on,” Dawn said smiling.
“We ok?” Nick asked and looked in Dawn’s eyes. Dawn only nodded, he leaned forward and kissed her. Dawn wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug which he gladly returned, “By the way… who was that lady and that kid?”
“FBI… well the lady not the kid.”
“I kinda figured that smarty,” Nick said and playfully tapped her nose with his index finger.
“So we gonna eat or what?”
“Are you sure your mom has enough?”
“She always has enough,” Dawn replied.
“Well ok then,” Nick stood up and so did Dawn but as soon as she started to walk out of the room he lifted her up.
“What you think they’re doing?” Faith asked.
“My guess is that they’re making up,” Buffy replied.
“Hey guys.” Everyone looked at the stairs and saw Nick coming down from it carrying Dawn in his arms, “So what’s for dinner mom?”
“They made up alright,” Faith said and smiled at the two teenagers.
“And while she’s doing her best to keep reading with a straight face, Dawn is making funny faces in front of her,” Joyce said smiling. Both of the Summers daughters faces were turning red as their mother was talking about when they were little.
Everyone at the table was now laughing at the two girls and Faith was almost choking on her food, “You’re my girlfriend! You’re not supposed to laugh at me!” Buffy said putting on a pouting face.
“I’m not laughing at you B, I’m laughing with you… if you were actually laughing.”
“No fair!” Buffy said once again pouting. Faith gave her a quick peck on the lips and continued eating.
“Do you always eat that much?” Chloe asked.
“You should see me after I went slaying.” It was out before she thought of it, “Metaphor for bowling… I’m good at it and they always say I’m slaying them…” Faith quickly said and stuffed her mouth with food again.
“It’s true,” Buffy quickly added, “we never win when she plays.”
“Who wants ice-cream?” Joyce asked before Samantha got too suspicious.
Chloe looked at her mother and then at Joyce, “I do.”
“Me too!” Faith yelled.
“I already know that Faith, why’d you think I got extra…”
“Oh… ok cool!”
“Faith Spencer… Queen of Ice-cream,” Buffy said and started laughing. Faith only put on a smile and wiggled her brows.
After dinner Chloe, Nick and Dawn went upstairs for some serious playstation time, Faith had given Dawn that playstation for no reason. She wanted to spoil the little kid and she still had some money from the mayor and put it to good use like this.
“She really is a cute kid Sam,” Faith said.
“And she looks just like her mother,” Joyce added.
“She knows,” Faith said, “I already told her that.”
“She’s my girl,” Sam said.
“So what’s your life story?” Faith suddenly asked, “Husband… Boyfriend… Lover?”
“Faith!” Joyce and Buffy yelled.
“What?” Faith asked, “I’m a curious gal!”
“It’s ok,” Samantha said, “You want me to tell you about my life story… what about you giving me something in return.”
“Like what?” Faith asked.
“Your life story…” Sam stated calmly.
Faith took a deep breath and looked at Buffy who just smiled. Samantha just caught her at her own game, she looked back at the blonde agent, “Deal.” She said, “So spill… husband, boyfriend or lover?”
“None of that,” Sam replied.
“Girlfriend?” Faith asked and raised a brow.
“No not that either.”
“Where’s her father?” Joyce asked.
“He died a couple of years ago.”
“I’m sorry,” Joyce said.
“No it’s ok,” Samantha replied, “Have you ever heard of ‘Jack Of All Trades’?”
“Hey!” Faith said, “Isn’t that the guy who is stalking some FBI agent… oh…”
“Oh what?” Buffy asked and looked and Faith and then at Samantha, “Oh!”
“Can someone help me out here coz I have no idea what you are talking about?”
“She’s the FBI agent Mrs. S.”
“Oh!”
“My husband was murdered by him,” Samantha said, “He is a serial murderer whom I was ‘hunting’ and then he fixated it all on me.”
“How is Chloe dealing with all of this?”
“She’s doing fine,” Sam replied to Joyce, “Where’s Chloe?” Sam asked when only Nick and Dawn came walking down the stairs.
“She fell asleep,” Dawn replied.
“Well if you looked at the time now and then you would notice how late it was,” Faith said and pointed out that it was already past midnight.
“I’ll get Chloe and we’ll go.”
“Why don’t you let her sleep?” Joyce asked, “She is already sleeping and you could stay here too.”
“No I couldn’t… I have to be back at the motel.”
“I’ve seen the motels,” Faith said, “They’re not a pretty sight…”
“That’s true, but we already ate here, I wouldn’t want to intrude on your privacy.”
“You’re not intruding I was asking remember?” Joyce said, “besides… the motels really are bad in this town.”
“Are you people always this nice?”
“Let me think about that…” Dawn said and started pacing, “Yup we are.” She finished smiling.
“I should get some stuff then,” Samantha said and stood up.
“We’ll come with you!” Both Buffy and Faith yelled hoping to get some slayage done before bedtime.
“You don’t have to…” Sam tried but got interrupted by Dawn.
“Trust me… they do need to come with you… you were walking weren’t you?”
“Yes, but I don’t see why…”
“They have to come… trust me,” Joyce said.
“O…K…” Sam said, “Come on then… the sooner we get back here the better especially with that guy still walking around.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” Faith whispered to herself.
“What?” Sam asked.
“Nothing,” Faith replied.
Samantha told the two girls that she would walk behind them to keep an eye on them, but for now all she’s doing is looking at the two and trying to figure them out. In the beginning on the way to her motel room the two just walked next to each other.
But as they were getting near the motel they started walking closer and softly bumping in to the other while talking, laughing and playing around a little. At one point the two just looked at each other for a second and then they held each others hands with their fingers entwined. She could see a lot of love coming from between them, but also an innocence… like it was still new to them even if they already had been dating for about two to three months like they had told her.
“We’re here,” Sam said and walked to her door, “I’m gonna talk to Bailey and John for a few seconds to tell them that me and Chloe are staying with you.”
Samantha walked in the room getting some stuff and then went to the other two rooms where Bailey and John were staying at. It gave Buffy and Faith the perfect time to do some cuddling, “She’s nice,” Buffy said as Faith stood behind her and wrapped her arms around the blonde slayer’s waist.
“Yes she is,” Faith replied, “… and she has the cutest kid I’ve ever seen… well except for Dawn of course, but she’s already sixteen.”
“Yeah sixteen already and in three months she’s going to be seventeen.”
“Three months already?” Faith groaned.
“Yes… three months already.”
“What do you get for a seventeen year old?”
“Don’t ask,” Buffy replied, “Because I have absolutely no idea.” She turned around in Faith’s embrace to face her, “So what do you wanna do tonight?”
“Snuggle?”
“Oh wait… in which room is Samantha going to be staying?”
“Let’s just hope it’s going to be your mom’s.”
“Definitely my mom’s,” Buffy replied and kissed Faith.
They were still kissing when Samantha came back out of the room, “Alright break it up,” Sam said and smiled, “Everything is set… They’ll call me if anything happens.”
“Alright let’s get back home then,” Buffy said and looked at Faith who was thinking the same thing. They still had to do a quick patrol and there was no way Joyce was going to let them back out after they had returned. So they decided to take the ‘long way home’ and bring Samantha along for the ride and just hope they wouldn’t run in to any vampires.
** Tara’s Dorm Room **
“How do you think Dawn is doing?”
“I don’t know Willow,” Tara replied, “If anything would be wrong they would have called.”
“And what about Faith?” Willow asked, “There’s definitely something up with her, has she told you anything?”
“No she hasn’t,” Tara replied, “If there’s something she’ll tell us when she’s ready to tell.”
“Yeah I guess… I’m sleepy.”
“Then go to sleep darling,” Tara said and kissed the top of Willow’s head.
** Cemetery **
“Why again are we going through a cemetery?” Sam asked as she looked around.
“Short cut,” Buffy replied trying to cover up the real reason. A cover that got blown up because a vampire jumped in front of Samantha who pulled out her gun, “That’s not gonna help Sam,” Buffy said as she retrieved Mr. Pointy from a pocket.
“What is it?” Sam asked, “And what is wrong with his face?”
“Have you ever heard of vampires?” Faith said as she dodged a punch from the vampire.
“Hasn’t everybody?”
“Guess what… they’re real and this is one of ‘em.”
“Oh,” Sam stated calmly.
“That’s it?” Buffy asked. She and Faith were both fighting off the vampire and hitting him as hard as they possibly could.
“What is it?”
“You just heard vampires are real and all you can say is ‘oh’?”
“What else am I supposed to say… watch out!” Sam yelled as she saw the vampire coming at Buffy, “am I supposed to faint or something?”
“I don’t blame you if you do,” Buffy said.
For the next ten minutes Samantha watched as Buffy and Faith dusted the vamp and another came running towards them and they dusted him too, “Who are you people?”
“We’ll let Giles explain that in the morning,” Faith said.
“He loves doing that,” Buffy said smiling and took Faith’s hand walking home again with a very confused Samantha behind them.
** Xander and Anya’s apartment **
“Xander where are you?” Anya yelled as she stepped out of the shower.
“Coming!” Xander yelled back. He grabbed a few towels and was on the way to the bathroom when someone stopped him.
“Xander where are you?” Anya asked and put on a bathrobe. She walked to the door and opened it. She stepped in the living room and looked around searching for her boyfriend. A few seconds later she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around.
“Anya…”
“Xander? Why are you bleeding from your stomach?”
“Because he ran in to me!” A voice said from behind her.
Anya jumped around and saw a guy with a black mask standing in front of her the next thing she knew was feeling a pain she never felt before and looking at the floor to see blood dripping on the floor, hers and Xander’s…
** Summers Home **
“Good morning baby,” Buffy said as she saw Faith opening her eyes. She leaned in and kissed the younger girl on her lips.
“Hmm, good morning to you too,” Faith said and smiled. Buffy moved so she was now laying with half of her body on top of Faith and kissed her more passionately, “I like this waking up thing,” Faith said grinning.
“Me too,” Buffy replied and laid her head on Faith’s shoulder, “So what do you think they got in store for us now?”
“Well I still have to tell her about my life…” Faith replied, “I kinda promised her.”
“Yeah I know.”
“B?”
“What?”
“Will you stay with me when I tell.”
“Of course I will, you didn’t even have to ask… just take my hand and I’ll follow you.” Buffy replied and kissed the brunette’s shoulder. She moved down and laid her head on Faith’s belly and just laid like that for a few minutes when she suddenly started laughing, “Hungry Faith?”
“You can tell huh?” Faith replied sarcastically.
“Let’s get some breakfast then.”
When they got downstairs it wasn’t much of a surprise that they were the first ones to be down, what did surprise them was that Samantha was already in the kitchen, “And I thought we were early,” Faith said and raised her brows, “I’m gonna get the paper.”
“I’m a morning person,” Sam replied.
“And I can see you already know your way around the kitchen…”
“Your mom showed me where to get things if I needed them.”
“Oh… ok” Buffy replied and sat down on one of the stools, “So… you a good cook?”
“Why?”
“Because my girl is very hungry and she likes to eat a lot… and when I say a lot I mean A LOT,” Buffy said. The next thing she knew was someone hitting her on the top of her head, “Hey!”
“I heard that,” Faith said, “I’m a big eater so what… It’s the slaying makes you hungry and horny and since I didn’t get something to eat last night.” The next thing they knew a pan fell on the floor and they saw an embarrassed Samantha looking at them, “I was talking about real food… we haven’t… never mind…”
Buffy just started laughing and looked at the newspaper, “God Faith look at this…” She said and let Faith look over her shoulder to the newspaper, “A teenage couple was brutally attacked last night,” Buffy said.
Faith grabbed the paper out of her hand and started reading, “Last night a 21 year old boy and a 20 year old girl were brutally attacked in their own apartment. Both are admitted to the hospital with multiple stab wounds and cuts to the chest, abdomen and arms. The two, named Alexander Harris and Anya Emerson are in critical condition…”
“Did you just say Xander and Anya?” Buffy asked.
“Get your jacket,” Faith said, “Sam can you say we’re going to the hospital.”
“Of course,” Samantha replied. The two slayers ran out of the house and went on their way to the hospital.
** Sunnydale Hospital **
Everyone stared as two girls came running in to the hospital and to the reception, “Alexander Harris and Anya Emerson… where are they?” Buffy asked out of breath.
“Family?”
“Yes!” Faith hissed, “Where are they?”
“Both in ICU, they’re not allowed to have visitors right now…” The nurse replied, “I’ll tell the doctor you are here.”
“Where are they?” Buffy asked.
“I told you…”
The nurse got cut off when Faith grabbed her by the collar and pulled her closer, “I know what you told us… my girlfriend asked you a question… WHERE. ARE. THEY?”
The nurse said the room number and the two slayers immediately ran towards it. When they were about to go in they got stopped by a doctor coming out of the room, “I thought I had told them no visitors.”
“Tough luck,” Faith said but the doctor didn’t move, “Move it…” Faith hissed.
“Do you want to kill them?”
“What?”
“If you go in there you might kill them,” The doctor said, “… ever heard of infection?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Those two teenagers were stabbed so badly that they lost a whole lot of blood, if they wouldn’t have found them for thirty minutes after they did yesterday… they would have bled to death.” Both girls stepped back and let themselves fall in the chairs that stood across from the rooms, “We can’t let you two in because there are high chances of infection.”
“How are they?” Buffy asked in a little child’s voice.
“They are both critical… they are in a coma because of the amount of blood they lost.”
“Oh god…” Buffy whispered and started crying.
“I’ll leave you two alone… don’t go in there…”
“We won’t,” Faith said and pulled Buffy from the other chair into her lap and watched the doctor leave. She turned her attention to the blonde slayer again who was still crying, “Shh, it’s ok baby, don’t worry…”
** One Week Later **
The past two weeks had been very traumatic for the gang, Xander and Anya had been holding on to the thin line called life. Xander had almost lost his four times and the doctors had nearly given up on him.
Anya had been doing a little better than him, but that was just a little. She only had one near death experience, the doctors had told them they were very strong kids and that they would keep trying to ‘patch them up’ as good as they could do. Anya had woken up from her coma one day earlier but was still weak.
Since the day that Anya and Xander could get visitors Buffy and Faith had been watching over the two non stop taking turns sleeping. The doctors had told them to go home but when the two refused to go they had just given up and asked for another bed to be put in the room of Xander and Anya.
Xander hadn’t woken up from his coma yet but he was stable and there was a very good chance that he was going to wake up in the following week. The news of the stabbings had hurt all of the gang, they even got visits from the three VCTF agents. But it was Samantha who had been there the most, she said to them it was just to ‘stand watch’ for a change that the attacker might come back but it wasn’t for that. In the week she had been there she had grown very attached to the group of friends and wanted to watch over them and make sure they were ok.
In that week she, Buffy and Faith had talked a lot, about the two slayer’s past, present and future. Faith had finally found the courage to tell them what had happened, Faith had cried a lot of tears during that time. Samantha actually had the same reaction to what Faith told her as Buffy did, she had run to the bathroom as soon as Faith was finished telling what had happened.
After she had cleaned herself up a little she had told Faith what she was thinking about the attacker and that it could very well be the same guy of the rapes that were occurring right now. When they got into that subject again, Samantha had told them there had been two more girls raped. Buffy and Faith had wondered why it wasn’t in the newspaper because this was such a small town, but Samantha had told them that they had asked the SPD to keep it quite.
“Buffy!” Willow yelled as she ran towards her.
“Willow… what’s wrong?”
“Nothing… nothing at all… he’s awake,” Willow said and a smile spread across her face. Buffy, Faith and Samantha got up and actually ran towards Xander’s room, “The doctors are still checking him, but he’s awake… and I heard he was already making jokes,” Willow added whispering.
“Has anyone told Anya yet?” Buffy asked.
“No,” Willow replied, “I was on my way to do that.”
“Can I?” Faith suddenly asked, “Can I tell her?” Willow first looked at Faith with a puzzled look on her face but quickly said yes when she saw the brunette slayer really did want to say it.
Faith walked in Anya’s room and sat on a chair next to it, “Anya… you awake?”
“Bunnies… no not the bunnies…”
“Anya wake up,” Faith said a little louder, “There are no bunnies in here.”
“Faith?” Anya said, “What are you doing here… wait… no bunnies?”
“No bunnies,” Faith replied. She couldn’t help but laugh a little at the ex-demon, she had that innocent fear look of a child written over her face whenever they would even mention a sentence or a word that had bunny in it, “I have to tell you something.”
Anya immediately sat up in bed as good as she could, “Is Xander ok?” She asked near panic.
“He’s fine,” Faith replied, “In fact he’s doing a lot better… he woke up,” Faith added. The next thing she knew Anya was in her arms crying, which was very strange… they had never seen Anya crying before and especially not showing any kinds of affection to any of the gang except for Xander.
Faith did reply the hug which only led to smiles from the others in the hallway, “She really has changed hasn’t she?” Willow said out of the blue.
“Yes she has,” Buffy replied smiling.
They all got startled from the silence when Samantha cell phone went off, “I’m sorry… I have to take this.” They all watched as Samantha stepped back and took her call, they also watched as the expression on her face changed from sadness to anger and yet again back to sadness. After a few minutes she walked back to the gang with a sad expression on her face, “Buffy, Faith… can I talk to you for a sec?”
“Sure… what is it?”
“In private please,” Samantha said and led the two girls to a room nearby, “There’s been another…” She said.
“What!” Faith yelled.
“Calm down honey,” Buffy said, “What happened.”
“He raped and killed another…”
“Not again,” Buffy groaned, “We really have to stop him… if I find him I’m going to beat the crap out of him,” She added and crossed her arms, “And then I’m going to let Faith beat him up.”
“Can’t we just beat him up at the same time?” Faith said, "Has the same effect, but only worse.”
“Could you two stop talking like that!” Samantha said with a loud voice.
“I’m sorry… it’s just that, he gets to you… not to mention the ‘he almost raped and killed my sister’ factor.”
“Trust me… in prison he’ll be of much worse,” Samantha said, “Have you ever heard what they do to rapists… especially child molesters? It’s not a pretty sight.” She added, “Promise me you won’t kill him or beat him up too badly.”
“So we can still beat him up?”
“I never said that understood…”
“Of course…” Both slayers replied, “Have they got any more information on him?” Buffy asked.
“Just that he was probably wearing a black mask again, but the girl isn’t alive to tell anymore.”
“Do they know what the mask looks like?” Faith asked.
“Black…”
“We could give a description… and Dawn too, but I’m not sure.” Buffy said.
“That would be great thank you.” Samantha replied.
“What about Anya and Xander?” Faith asked, “Have you got anything on their attacker?”
“I talked to Anya earlier and she had said something about a black mask… I’m not sure if that means he is the same guy…”
“Would it help if I said he was watching us?”
“Actually it would… we’re going to put some cars around your house and that of your friends,” Samantha said, before she walked out of the room she turned around to face the two slayers, “Go to your friends and be happy Xander woke up.” She said and left.
Joshua was sitting in his motel room wondering where the gang had been for the past week or so. He hadn’t seem them at The Bronze or anywhere else, he had asked a couple of people where they were but none of them knew. He never saw them walking on the street or sitting in that shop that they had talked about.
He just had to have patience with talking to them again and getting closer to the group. ‘Maybe they’ll be at The Bronze tonight,’ he thought and got out of his motel room. He hadn’t eaten all day and he was seriously getting hungry.
** Summers Home **
Everyone went home after visiting Anya and Xander one last time before they needed their rest. Samantha had made sure there was a guard at their rooms so no one other than them could get in, “Uhm… I know this isn’t what you’re supposed to do… but can we go to The Bronze tonight?”
“Are you sure Faith?” Buffy asked. She and Faith had gone upstairs after dinner to get some alone time and now they were playing with Dawn’s playstation. The kid was over at Nick’s house and it gave them full access to the games Faith had bought for her.
“Duck!” Faith yelled.
“What? Oh… the game!” Buffy said and furiously began pressing some buttons.
“And yes I am sure B,” Faith replied a little later, “I really feel like dancing.”
“Trying to let it all go aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” Faith whispered.
“Sure we can go, but only if you dance with me the whole time no matter what song.”
“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Faith replied, “So we gonna pick up kiddo and Nicky boy?”
“Sure, they sure could use the distraction… maybe we could bring Cindy along,” Buffy replied.
“Yeah, but I’m not sure if she’s up for it,” Faith said, “Last time I heard she was still kinda half in half out.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well kiddo said that sometimes she’s happy and then the other times she is really, really depressed.” Faith replied, “It would do her good to come a long, but I’m not sure if she’s afraid to go out.”
“I guess, but we can always try.”
“Yeah, come on then… get ready…” Faith said.
** The Bronze **
“I’m glad you decided to come along,” Buffy said.
“You know what… me too,” Cindy replied with a smile.
Ever since they were at The Bronze, Buffy had noticed Nick’s sister had been a lot happier. Nick had seen it too and had already thanked Buffy and Faith for asking, it did however take them about an half hour to finally persuade Missy in letting them go. The two slayers had promised to constantly keep an eye on her and not leave her alone for one second.
With every fast song there was they would all go out to the dance floor and when there were slow songs Buffy, Faith, Nick and Dawn danced, leaving her under the watchful eye of Samantha. After thirty minutes they had entered the Bronze so did the three VCTF agents, Samantha had spotted them immediately and decided to stay with them. They were at The Bronze to look around and see if anyone fitted with the tiny description everyone had given them and so far most guys at the Bronze fit that description.
Samantha watched the four kids dancing and smiled then she turned to Cindy who had been looking at her for a while now, “What is it Cindy?” Samantha asked in a soft voice.
“You’re going to catch him right?”
“Of course we are…” Samantha replied. Cindy smiled at her and turned back to the two slayers, her brother and his girlfriend.
“Oh that was fun!” Dawn exclaimed, “Hey look there’s that Joshua guy again.”
“So he is…” Buffy said. She took a seat on the couch where they usually sat and pulled Faith on her lap. Faith leaned back in her embrace and closed her eyes for a few seconds, “You ok baby?” Buffy asked.
“Yeah… Actually I’m great…” She said and kissed her girlfriend.
“I’d say so!” Buffy said smiling. Then suddenly for no reason Dawn ran past them to the bathroom, “Dawn?” The blonde slayer said.
Faith stood up and looked at the blonde slayer, she mouthed a ‘stay’ to everyone and ran after her girlfriend’s kid sister. When she entered the bathroom she saw a few girls standing in the door opening of one of the stalls and figured that’s where she was. She looked at the girls who immediately moved out of they, “Could you…” The girls smiled a little at the brunette and walked away, “Thanks…” Faith said and turned her attention to Dawn.
Dawn had put the seat down and was sitting on the toilet, head in her hands and crying, “Hey kiddo, what’s wrong?” She asked crouching before the girl.
Dawn looked up at the brunette slayer, “Nothing,” She said.
“So you ran past us like crazy and sit here crying for nothing?” Faith asked calmly, “Ok,” she said and stood up again.
The second Faith took a step out of the stall Dawn called, “Wait,” she said, “I… I just couldn’t take it anymore.”
“Take what?”
“Everything,” Dawn said, “He… I… I’m seeing him everywhere Faith… in every guy’s face I see that black mask… I even see it in Nick’s face… I could have taken him, I shouldn’t have run… I’m strong enough… I’m strong… I’m strong…” Dawn kept repeating those words over and over again, she put her arms around Faith’s waist and rested her head against Faith’s belly crying her heart out.
“It’s ok… cry,” Faith softly said, “… and yes you are strong kiddo,” Faith added. She gently stroked Dawn’s hair and whispered soothing words, “You are strong.”
Dawn abruptly broke away from Faith’s embrace, “If I am strong then why couldn’t I take him? Why did I just run off… I could have stopped him.”
“Listen to me Dawn,” Faith said, “Yes you are strong, but anyone would have run away… hell even I would have probably run away…”
“Why would you run away? You’re twice as strong as I am!”
“I know that kiddo… there are things I haven’t told you yet… and I’m not sure if I can.”
“What? What is it?” Dawn asked, “You can tell me… I won’t tell Buffy… I promise,” she said in childlike voice.
“I know you won’t kiddo, but Buffy already knows and…”
“Then you can tell me… I won’t tell the others,” Dawn interrupted.
Faith sighed, she knew it had to come out sooner or later, “It happened to me too Dawn.” She said.
“You were attacked?”
“It went a little further than that kiddo,” Faith said looking down at the floor.
“You were…”
“Yeah I was…” Faith replied.
“I’m sorry I didn’t know… and here I am talking about my problems,” Dawn said.
“Hey!” Faith said a little angrily, “You’re allowed to talk about your ‘problems’, as much as I never did it… I want you to try and talk about it as much as you can. If you don’t want to talk to a counsellor or to your sister… you know you can always talk to me.”
“I don’t know if I can.” Dawn said.
“You don’t have to talk about what happened, that will come… just talk like the old times before all of that with me happened… you remember that?”
“How can I forget?” Dawn said, “I ended up with popcorn in my hair every time we would talk.”
“Yeah you would.”
“I’m still going to get you back for that though,” Dawn said and stood up from the seat.
“And I’m gonna be there at the frontline waiting for it kiddo,” Faith replied. She looked at Dawn who was staring at the mirrors. The brunette slayer looked at them and saw on one of them the word ‘baby girl’ written, “Dawn?” No answer, “Kiddo?”
“That’s what h-h-he c-c-called m-m-me,” Dawn said and looked at Faith, “He called me baby girl…”
“Oh god… he is the same…” Faith said.
“What?” Dawn asked.
“That’s what he called me too when I… when it happened to me… I was fourteen, that’s why he called me that.”
“So you’re saying he’s the same guy?”
“Yes… are you ok?” Dawn nodded, “Good, coz we have to tell this to the rest kiddo,” Faith said and put an arm around the little kid and walked out of the bathroom with her.
When they reached the gang again Buffy was already in worried sister mode and got even more worried when she saw the red and puffy eyes of her sister, “Oh god… Dawn what happened?”
“She crashed… she let it all out,” Faith whispered in the blonde slayer’s ear. All Buffy did next was pull Dawn in her arms for a hug which the kid gladly replied, “B… it’s the same guy…” Faith suddenly said, “Sam I think you want to hear this.”
Samantha got up from her chair and walked to the three girls, “What is it Faith?”
“The guy you’re looking for is indeed the same guy who raped those girls… including me… a few years ago.”
“How do you know?”
“He called her ‘baby girl’,” Faith replied, “… and that’s what he called me too. Do you have a drawing of that mask with you?”
“Yes, why?”
“I want to take a look at it.”
“Here,” Samantha said and handed the brunette a piece of paper.
Faith took the paper and looked at it. When Buffy saw the fear in her eyes she knew it was the same guy, “It’s him…” Buffy said and grabbed Faith’s hand, “it’s the same guy Sam, you’re looking for the same guy.”
“I’ll let Bailey and John know,” Samantha said and walked away from the group.
“You ok Cindy?” Buffy asked the young girl when she saw the frightened look on her face.
“Yeah I’m fine,” she replied, “Can we go dancing or something, I really don’t want to think about him.”
“Come on sis,” Nick said and pulled his sister towards the dance floor leaving Buffy, Faith and Dawn behind.
** Sunnydale Hospital **
Willow and Tara were staying at the hospital watching over Xander and Anya. The two were awake and put in the same room after Giles almost ordered the doctors to do so. It had been their own choice not to go to the Bronze with the others, not even after Xander and Anya had insisted on it. Deep down they were grateful for the two witches to stay, but they didn’t want to be a burden to them and after an half hour of puppy dog eyes they finally gave in and let the witches stay.
“Hey!” Anya yelled, “That hurts!” One of the nurses was changing her bandages and Anya in her own subtle way let her know that it hurt when she would take of the old bandage, “Watch it! I’m so gonna sue you when I get out of this stupid place!”
“Anya honey… calm down, she’s only trying to h-h-h… HEY!” Xander now also screamed when another nurse was changing his bandages, “If she isn’t going to sue you… I AM, watch it will ya!”
Willow and Tara looked at their friends and smiled. They knew the nurses were in for a tough couple of days with Xander and Anya. If anyone could make sure that the nurses would be embarrassed it would be those two.
“What are you two laughing at?” Anya snapped.
“We’re sorry… it’s just that…” Willow tried, “Well with you two in the hospital I’m feeling sorry for the nurses.”
“Yeah well they shouldn’t h-h-HURT US LIKE THAT!” The last part came out screaming when another bandage was being changed.
“Damn right honey!” Anya said and then started screaming again when one of her bandages was changed again.
“How many are there?” Xander asked Willow.
“Unfortunately a lot,” Willow replied.
“How many?” Xander asked with fear and anger in his voice.
“Between the two of you… twenty five,” Willow said.
“That many?” Anya asked.
“Xander got the most,” Tara said, “They’re mostly cuts, but he has two deep wounds, one in his belly and one just missed the heart and lungs. And you have one deep wound in your belly, the rest are cuts.”
“Nothing on the face right?” Willow shook her head and mouthed ‘no’, “Good, coz I like Xander’s face… and nothing must destroy that!”
“Thank you honey,” Xander said, “I like your face too.” Then he looked at Willow and Tara, “You should go home and get some sleep.”
“No we can stay here,” Willow said.
“Come on Wills,” Xander said, “You two both look like you need the rest and you don’t have to worry about us, we got protection remember…”
“Yeah but…”
“Go home Willow,” Xander said and now his turn was to put on some puppy dog eyes, “Or I’m never gonna do the snoopy dance again.”
“Did you have to choose that?”
“It’s the only way,” Xander said and smiled, “Go home you two and get some rest.”
“Ok, ok… but you’re still gonna do the snoopy dance right?”
“As soon as I can Wills…” Xander said.
** The Bronze **
Faith was looking at Cindy and Nick dancing, the girl seemed truly happy at the moment. She was glad for that, she remembered what it was like for her the first couple of weeks after she got attacked. She didn’t do much, she just blocked it out… just never mentioned it… never told anyone about it. The first person to know it was Buffy, she was glad Buffy did the dream thing because otherwise she probably never would have told her.
She knew Buffy wanted to talk to her about it and in that dream… it wasn’t all that had happened. That was just a small bit about her childhood and she knew she had to tell Buffy sometime, but not now… now they had a rapist and killer to catch.
“Faith?”
“Hmm… yeah B?”
“What you thinking about?”
“Just thinking… about the dream when you found out,” Faith replied.
“It’s ok Faith, you’re gonna get through this and I’m going to help you.”
“I know… it’s just…”
“What?”
“That wasn’t all that happened, that was just a small part of my childhood,” Faith said, “… and I want to tell you, but…”
“I know you do Faith… and you can tell me whenever you want to tell me… I’m not going anywhere…” Buffy said.
“Ok,” Faith said. She was sitting on the blonde slayer’s lap and leaned back against her.
“And Faith…”
“What?”
“I saw what you wanted for your future in your dream.”
“You did?” Faith jumped up from her lap but got pulled back down by Buffy.
“Yes I did,” Buffy replied, “… and I’m gonna make sure that it happens, because I like your vision of the future very much.”
Faith didn’t say anything and just sat on Buffy’s lap looking in her girlfriend's eyes. Buffy pulled the brunette to her and started kissing her, it took Faith only a second to kiss her back. It didn’t take long before people were staring at the two and a very annoyed sister caught their attention, “People are staring!” She said to the two slayers, “Could you two do that at home…”
** The Bronze **
“Hello people…”
“Joshua… hi…” Buffy replied.
Joshua sat down next to Dawn who was looking at her boyfriend and his sister still dancing, “So how have you been?” He asked.
“We’re good,” Faith snapped. She really didn’t want him around them.
“Ok someone is cranky here…” Joshua replied sarcastically.
“I’ll show you cranky…” Faith was about to get up but got held in place on Buffy’s lap by the blonde slayer herself, “B…” Faith whined.
“No Faith,” Buffy whispered in Faith’s neck.
“You owe me big time,” the brunette whispered back.
“How are you Joshua?”
“I’m doing good… and I’m sorry to hear what happened to you Dawn.”
“H-how did you know…”
“I heard someone talking about it and that’s why I came up to you just now.”
“Oh.”
“I just wanted to say that I hope they catch the sick bastard.”
“Thank you…”
“Sure thing baby girl.”
Dawn immediately tensed up when Joshua said that and he was immediately pinned down to the floor by Faith, “Whoa! What did I do?”
“That’s what he called her… that’s what you called her!”
“Wow, wait a minute I didn’t do a thing!”
“Why did you call her baby girl?”
“It’s a nickname! God how was I supposed to know he called her that!”
“We’re sorry, come on Faith,” Buffy said and pulled her girlfriend off of Joshua. Faith was struggling in her arms to get loose and attack Joshua again, “Faith calm down!” Buffy said a little louder and pushed the girl down on a chair. Now she sat on her lap to keep her from attacking Joshua again.
Sam, Bailey and John had seen the attack and came rushing to the group shortly followed by Nick and Cindy, “What happened?” Samantha asked.
“He called her baby girl,” Faith hissed.
“He didn’t know that her attacker called her that,” Buffy said. She looked at Cindy who was shaking, “Cindy? What’s wrong?”
“He… he also called me that,” she said.
“Joshua?”
“No… the guy who…”
“Oh ok… it’s ok, we’ll get him.”
“Look I’m really sorry that I called her that… it was just a nickname I didn’t know…”
“Forget it,” Buffy said, “Dawn you ok?”
“Yeah I’m fine.”
“You sure babe?” Nick asked his girlfriend.
“I’m fine Nicky… let’s dance.” And with that she pulled her boyfriend on to the dance floor.
“You ok Cindy?” Faith asked.
“Yeah I’m better,” she replied, “… but I want to go home if you don’t mind.”
“No of course not, we could walk you home, but Dawn’s still here.”
“I’ll take her home,” John said, “I’ve got a car so you’ll be home quick and I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”
“He’s an FBI agent so you’ll be fine,” Faith said and smiled at the young girl.
Cindy grabbed her stuff and walked out with John. Samantha and Bailey got back to the bar leaving the two slayers and Joshua alone, “Why are you always here when we are?” Faith suddenly asked.
“Faith!” Buffy said.
“Well since I’m staying here for a while and it would be good to have some friends in this town. And you seemed like nice enough people,” Joshua said.
“Whatever,” Faith replied.
“Faith…” Buffy said, “Could you be a little more friendly.”
“I’m sorry B, I just don’t trust the guy alright?” Faith whispered.
“Fine, but be nice… or at least act nice then,” Buffy whispered back. She was still sitting in the brunette’s lap who had her arms firmly around her waist. It almost looked like she was afraid to loose her and it was like this every time when that Joshua guy was around. Buffy turned around a little and put her arms around Faith’s neck and leaned closer, “What’s wrong Faith?"
“I don’t know B… it’s something about him,” she whispered, “I can’t place it, but I don’t like it.”
“We’ll be careful ok?” Buffy said and got a nod from the brunette, “Good…”
** Sunnydale Hospital **
Willow and Tara had come back to the hospital after an hour and had found their two friends asleep when they entered the room. They had take a comfortable chair from the room and were taking turns sleeping and watching over their friends.
Now it was Willow’s turn and she was looking at Xander and Anya, thinking of who could have attacked them. It could be that guy who had raped and murdered those girls, but it also could be a random attack. They had thought about a robbery, but nothing was missing from the apartment. So it was either a random attack, a demon or that rapist.
“Hey,” Tara said pulling Willow from her thoughts, “What you thinking about?”
“I was trying to think of who did this to them,” Willow said. Even if Xander and Anya were doing better Willow could still see the pain written on their faces, whether it was from a nightmare or the pain from the wounds they had.
Tara moved behind Willow, she put her arms around her waist and rested her head against the back of the redhead’s head, “We’ll get him baby, whoever did this to them… we’ll get him.” Tara said and kissed her lover’s neck.
“I know,” Willow replied, “It’s just… the waiting makes you crazy.”
“Unfortunately that’s all we can do for now,” Tara replied holding Willow closer.
“But I want to find who did this…”
“We will find him Willow, right now Xander and Anya need us more.” Tara said making sure Willow wouldn’t do anything she would regret later. She knew that Willow would do anything to keep their friends safe, but she also knew that wouldn’t be safe for Willow herself.
“Yeah I know,” Willow replied, “I hate hospitals.”
“Me too darling, me too…”
Tara held Willow close to her as they watched the mixed expressions on Xander and Anya’s faces. Some of them were fear and pain and some of them happiness. All they knew right now was that whoever it was that had done this to their friends was going to pay for it.
** The Bronze **
“Can I ask one of you ladies to dance with me?” Joshua asked.
“Not now… I wanna dance with my girl here,” Buffy said and stood up pulling Faith from her seat.
“Ok,” Joshua replied. Faith and Buffy started to walk away, Faith turned back again looking at him and he just smiled, “Maybe… Another… Time…,” and with that he walked away, almost running.
Faith turned back to Buffy with a quizzical look on her face. The song was a slow song and she put her arms around the blonde slayer’s waist. Buffy put her arms around Faith’s neck and pulled her a little closer, “What’s wrong?"
“I don’t know… something he said.”
“What did he say?”
“He said ‘Maybe… Another… Time…’, he took effort in saying those words.” Faith started to repeat the three words over and over in her head while dancing with Buffy. She tried to make a connection but couldn’t quite find it and then it hit her, “Oh god…” She said and her legs almost gave up under her, Buffy quickly held her up.
“What’s wrong Faith?”
“B… it’s him… Joshua… it IS him.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Remember when the attacker got away when he attacked kiddo… he said those exact words. He said them again in the same tone… B it’s him.”
“Sam, Bailey!” Buffy yelled.
“He got away again B, I let him go away… I couldn’t make the connection faster…”
“It’s not your fault Faith.”
“What’s wrong?” Samantha asked as she and Bailey walked up to them.
“It’s him… the guy Faith was attacking earlier… it IS him… he’s the guy you’re looking for.”
“What’s his name?” Samantha asked while Bailey was already making a phone call.
“His name is Joshua… that’s all I know, no last name.” Buffy said.
“John is staying with Cindy,” Bailey said as he finished the phone conversation, “I gave them a description of what he looked like and they’re looking for him.”
“Get your sister and Nick and then go home,” Samantha said, “Stay inside and keep the doors locked… You said he was watching you right?”
“Yes…”
“We’ve already sent a car to your house, go home and lock all the doors.” Faith had gone and got the two teenagers from the dance floor and they were now standing next to Buffy. They started walking out of the Bronze when Sam pulled Buffy back, “If he does come to your house… try not to kill him.”
“I’ll try, but I can’t promise,” Buffy replied.
“Try it then… I’ll be with you in fifteen minutes… I have to pick up my daughter.”
“Of course.”
“Go Buffy and keep them safe… we’ll get him.”
** Summers Home **
Joyce walked to the door when she heard the doorbell and opened it, “Hello.”
“Hello Miss Summers right?”
“Yes and you are?”
“Joshua… a ‘friend’ of your two daughters.”
“I’m sorry, but they never told me about you.”
“That’s because we’re not that close, you see we only met a week ago and I haven’t made much of a good impression.”
“How so?”
“Well I kinda dropped a drink over your youngest daughter.”
“Oh you’re THAT Joshua!” Joyce said, “Then I have heard of you, Dawn was pretty upset about that… she said you had ruined her favorite dress. But don’t worry it is clean now,” Joyce added, “Would you like to come in?”
“Thank you,” Joshua said and followed Joyce in with an evil glint in his eyes.
Joyce was standing with her back towards Joshua when she started talking again, “Buffy told me that you tried to apologise to them and that Faith was being let’s say angry… about it all.”
“Yeah I noticed that,” Joshua said rubbing the back of his head where it had hit the ground when Faith knocked him on the ground earlier that evening, “She kinda hit me to the floor earlier.”
“How so?” Joyce said turning around.
“Well I kinda said something to Dawn and she got upset about it, it had something to do with the attack but I didn’t know that, it was just a nickname for her.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well I called her baby girl and apparently the attacker had also called her that but I didn’t know that and that’s when Faith lunged herself at me.”
“Oh, well Faith is kind of a more action girl.”
“Yeah but you see Miss Summers…”
“Call me Joyce…”
“Ok then Joyce…” Joshua said and grinned, “It was all true…”
“What is true?” Joyce asked furrowing her brows.
“Of that guy calling her baby girl… and you want to know how I know that…” Joshua said and got a frightful nod from Joyce, “Because I am the one who called her that the first time,” he said pulling out a knife.
“No…” Joyce whispered.
“Yes… I am the guy who tried to violate your baby girl… and if it wasn’t for her stupid sister and her girlfriend Faith I would have succeeded.”
“Stay away from me!” Joyce yelled.
“Nope, can’t do that… Joyce,” Joshua calmly said, “… and another thing… your daughter did taste really good,” he said licking the same thumb he had brushed Dawn’s breast with, “… and now… let’s have some fun with my knife shall we…”
** Summers Home **
“You know what Joyce… Let’s pay a visit to some old friends of mine… they’re in the hospital right now but that won’t be much of a problem with you helping me get in now will it.”
Joshua grabbed Joyce’s arm and pulled her out of the house, “… let’s play with the knife at the hospital… much more fun.”
** Sunnydale Hospital **
“I’m hungry,” Willow said looking at Tara.
“Well we did skip dinner…” Tara said, “Let’s get something to eat in the cafeteria of the hospital.”
“Yeah but what about Xander and Anya?”
“They’ll be fine. They got a guard outside and they are sleeping remember.”
“Yeah true,” Willow said and then looked down at her stomach which was making some noise, “calm down stomach, we’re going already.” She said and pulled Tara out of the room and to the cafeteria.
** Summers Home **
Buffy ran to the house when she noticed the front door was open. She ran inside and looked around, there weren’t signs of a struggle, “Mom!” Buffy yelled, “Check upstairs,” she said to Faith who immediately ran upstairs.
“Buffy… where’s mom?” Dawn asked holding on to Nick.
“She’s not upstairs B…” Faith said as she ran downstairs.
“Mom!” Buffy yelled again and still didn’t get a reply. Buffy grabbed the phone and dialled Samantha’s cellular phone, “Sam?” When she heard the other person say yes she continued, “She’s not here… mom’s not here.” The next few seconds were a blur for the blonde slayer as she heard what Sam had to say and dropped the phone out of her hand.
Faith grabbed Buffy by her shoulders and looked her in the eye, “B? What’s wrong baby…”
“Joshua… mom… knife… hospital…” Was all she could get out which was still a confusion for the rest. She took a deep breath and tried again, “Joshua kidnapped mom at hospital with knife.”
It still wasn’t totally clear what she was talking about but the words kidnapped and hospital were enough for Faith to know what had happened and where they were now and that they had to get there as fast as they could.
“Never thought I was going to do this again…” Faith said and knocked out the window of a car and got inside followed by Buffy.
“You hotwired a car?” Dawn asked as she and Nick got in the backseat.
“Yeah… but that was before I came to Sunnydale…” Faith said, “Hold on…”
“I didn’t know you could drive…” Buffy said.
“Well I can… but I never said I was good at it.”
In almost lightning speed Faith drove them to the hospital and ran inside. They were greeted by Samantha who led them to where Joshua and her mother were… inside Anya and Xander’s room, “Buffy!” Willow yelled and flew around her best friend’s neck, “I’m so sorry… we were out eating… we should have stayed.”
“It’s ok Wills…” Buffy said, “It’s not your fault.”
“When did this happen?” Dawn asked.
“About five minutes after you left I got a call of an armed guy with a woman. I knew it was him because they said he was going to Xander and Anya’s room.”
“What do you mean?”
“Damn!” Faith yelled, “He was the one who stabbed Xander and Anya.”
“Yes,” Samantha replied, “And now he’s in there with them and he has Joyce with him.”
“Is she hurt?”
“As far as the doctors and nurses could tell when he got here she wasn’t.” Samantha replied to Buffy.
“Buffy!” Dawn yelled.
Buffy turned around and saw Faith storming towards the room and stopped her in time before she entered, “No Faith… we can’t.”
“He’s holding your mom B,” Faith said anger filling her voice, “And don’t forget Xander and Anya.” She added, “We have to get them out so I can beat the shit out of him and then kill him.”
“No you’re not going to kill him you’re going to calm down!” Buffy said with a louder voice.
“No B!” And shrugged of the blonde slayer’s hands that were on her shoulder stopping her, “I’m going in and I’m going to fucking kill him. Don’t you care about your friends and your mother?” The next thing Faith knew was a stinging right cheek and realised what just happened. Buffy had slapped her and she knew why, she was loosing her control. Faith looked at Buffy’s tear stained eyes, “Oh god… B… I’m so sorry… I need to get him… he hurt Xander and Anya… he hurt Dawn, he-he raped me…”
All the emotions that she had built up all those years came out at the moment she said he had raped her. Faith sank to the floor and Buffy knelled down beside her cradling the brunette in her arms, “Shh… it’s ok baby…” Buffy said and held her girlfriend closer, “Sam… how are they in there?”
“They’re doing ok, but I’m not sure what he is doing.”
“Where’s John?” Buffy asked.
“Right here,” He said and walked towards them, “I came as soon as I knew Cindy and her family were safe.”
“They’re ok?” Nick asked.
“They’re fine… they just said that you had to keep back,” he replied to Nick. And he immediately knew why they said it, the boy was about to go crazy. He had made fists with his hands and was trying to hold himself back, “Dawn… get him away from here,” John said, “We’ll get your mother out… and your friends.” Dawn pulled Nick away from them and sat in the waiting room.
** Inside Xander and Anya’s room **
“Well, well looks like the cavalry is here then…” Joshua said, “How ‘bout we play with this knife a little before saying hello to them… or better yet… let’s get baby girl in here.” Joshua said smiling evilly, “that would be much, much more fun… won’t it.”
“No!” Xander yelled, “Leave Dawn out of this…”
“Who said I was gonna bring Dawn in here… it could be Faith… she was my baby girl a few years back you know,” Joshua said smirking, “she tasted quite sweet and boy was she a screamer… I never heard anyone scream so loud when I hit her with my belt.”
“You sick bastard!” Joyce screamed.
“Well Joyce… never thought you were a screamer… now I know where Dawn has it from.” Tears sprung from Joyce’s eyes when he said that and started crying.
“What’s the plan Buffy?” John asked as he looked at Buffy lifting Faith up and putting her in a chair, ‘Strong girl.’ He thought raising a brow.
“The plan is that I go in with Faith… if she is up for it.”
“No plan,” Samantha said, “I don’t want any of you going in there.”
“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to say Sam?” Bailey asked and it was true, he was usually the one to say things like that, “But she is right, no one is getting in there.”
“We are,” Buffy said determine to do just that.
“No you’re not,” Samantha said, “Think about your mother, if you go in there he will probably kill her and he has done it before so he won’t doubt it for any second and you know that.”
“Wait!” Bailey said, “Someone is coming out of the room.”
“Joshua!” Buffy yelled, “Give me back my mother and friends!”
“Can’t do that sweetie…” Joshua said. He walked a bit further out of the room and they saw he was holding Joyce with a knife to her throat, “You see… this is easy, your two friends can’t get out of bed and so I can easily go to the door and use your mother as a shield for the bullets.”
“What do you want?” Buffy asked.
“I want my baby girl…”
“You can’t have Dawn!” Buffy then yelled.
“Oh… but I can… and I wasn’t only talking about her,” Joshua said, “I want my other baby girl too… your precious Faith.”
“You can’t have her!” Buffy hissed. She felt Faith grab her hand and turned around, “No Faith… you’re not going in there and neither are you!” Buffy yelled when she saw Dawn already standing behind Faith waiting for the dark haired slayer.
Faith cupped Buffy’s chin and gave her a passionate kiss that made everyone in the room blush. After she kissed her she rested her forehead against Buffy’s, “B… listen to me,” she said, “I’m going in that room and you know you can’t stop me. If you try I’m going to knock you down so hard that you’ll not be able to see me drag the bastard out of the room by his hair."
“No Faith… I can’t loose you…”
“You won’t loose me B… remember when you told me how you would make sure my vision would happen?” Buffy nodded, “Good, because I plan on being there when you do…ok?”
Buffy only nodded with tears in her eyes, Faith kissed her one more time before she and Dawn walked hand in hand to Joshua. Buffy felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around, Samantha was a little surprised when Buffy almost threw herself at her for a hug. After a few seconds she relaxed and returned the hug comforting the blonde as best as she could.
“Well, well… nice to see you again after so many years baby girl,” Joshua said to Faith, “I first didn’t see it was you but I figured it out soon enough.” Faith had stepped between Xander and Anya’s bed making sure Dawn was behind her at all times. Joshua kept holding on to Joyce so Faith wouldn’t try anything stupid… if she did… he was just going to have to kill her and have fun with mother and daughter.
“What do you want?” Faith hissed.
“Just a little fun baby girl,” Joshua said smirking, “A guy can have some fun…”
“Not the kind of fun you want to have,” Faith replied.
“Oh come one, but you tasted so sweet and so did the other baby girl of mine.”
“If you ever touch her again I swear I’ll kill you no matter what they say!”
“Oh poor Faithy…” Joshua said in a mocking tone, “They won’t allow you to kill me, that’s just sad isn’t it,” Joshua continued in that same mocking tone.
“Why don’t you just give it up?” Faith asked, “You know you can’t win.”
“But that doesn’t mean I can’t have some fun…” Joshua said and smiled evilly, “You know… I promised Joyce I would have some fun with this knife here,” he said holding up the knife.
“Don’t even try it.” Faith hissed.
“I promised…” Joshua said, “Now… where to begin… Oh I know! How ‘bout a cut on her left arm.” Joshua said and held his other hand over Joyce’s mouth, “This is going to hurt and I know you’re going to scream… I don’t want them coming in sooner then planned.” Right after he said that he cut Joyce’s left arm and as he predicted she started screaming.
Faith made fists with her hands and took a step forward when Joshua held the knife to Joyce’s throat, “Try it and she dies now!” Faith stepped back and the second she did that Dawn clung to her and grabbed her arm.
“Don’t look at them Dawn,” Faith said.
“Leave us alone!” Xander yelled and sat up straight in bed. He had been quiet the whole time and lost his temper when he cut Joyce, “Don’t touch her again or I’M going to kill you!”
“With what boy?” Joshua replied laughing, “With that attitude of yours or the bandages that you have on?” Xander groaned and laid back down on the bed, he knew he couldn’t do anything to him in the condition he was in now.
“You two get here,” Joshua yelled at Faith and Dawn. Both slowly walked to him, when they were close enough Joshua suddenly grabbed Dawn and pushed Joyce to Faith who immediately reacted and grabbed the mother of her girlfriend, “Well, well, well what do we have here… it’s my baby girl.”
“You ok?” Faith asked Joyce who was holding her left arm with her right.
“Yeah… get my daughter please…” Joyce whispered.
“I will,” Faith whispered back.
“This is quite fun,” Joshua said, “…maybe I even get to finish what I started before and the fun part is… your family and friends have to watch.”
“No… please…” Dawn pleaded.
Joshua stood behind her and had his hand placed on her stomach and the knife near her throat, “Neither of you people move or she dies,” Joshua said. He stroked Dawn’s stomach and made his way under her shirt and on his way to Dawn’s breasts.
“Don’t even try touching her there,” Faith said anger filling her voice. She stepped forward and was ready to attack him.
“Shut up,” Joshua hissed. He put the knife against her throat drawing some blood, “I told you what would happen if you would move… you just signed her death certificate…” Joshua said calmly and lifted up the knife.
“Dawn!”
When Buffy heard Faith calling out for Dawn in a panicked voice she went ballistic. John and Bailey tried to stop her but they knew they couldn’t even if they tried so they let her go and followed her. Buffy almost flew through the door and saw Joshua still holding the knife up and ready to stab her sister, “Don’t touch her!” Buffy yelled.
“Well look what we got here… Buffy, how’s it going doll?”
“I’m feeling good, I’m feeling fantastic because I know that in the next few seconds you’re gonna let my sister go or I’m going to kill you.”
“This is so much fun you know that,” Joshua said laughing, “… but you know… me trying to kill your sister isn’t my fault, your girlfriend is to blame for this one.”
“Faith?” Buffy questioned, “Why is it her fault?”
“She moved…”
“She moved…” Buffy turned to Faith who just shrugged, “So you’re saying that because Faith made a step forward you’re trying to kill my sister.”
“She tried to be heroic and save my baby girl here…”
“I’m not your baby girl!” Dawn yelled.
“Shut up!” Joshua yelled. He brought the knife down and made a cut across her stomach, “You see what you made me do baby girl… I didn’t want to cut you, but you screamed.”
“You touch her again and I’M going to kill you!” Joyce yelled still holding on to her arm.
“Wow Joyce… you really are a screamer aren’t ya,” Joshua said smirking, “I know my baby girls are screamers… and what about you doll?” He said to Buffy.
“I’m not a screamer… I’m a fighter,” Buffy said calmly. She tried to keep calm on the outside but she was screaming murder on the inside. Buffy moved from the door to Faith and stood in front of her and Joyce.
Faith knew Buffy was indeed screaming murder on the inside, ‘Calm down B, you’re gonna get yourself killed,’ Faith thought to herself.
‘I’m not,’ Buffy thought and then quickly looked back a few seconds, ‘Did you just say that in my mind?’
‘Uhm I guess…’
‘We really need to talk about this to Giles.’
‘Later B… first we have to get your sister,’ Faith thought and grabbed her hand, “Do you trust me Dawn?”
“What?” Joshua, Dawn and Buffy asked.
“Do you trust me!”
“Of course I do,” Dawn said.
“B…”
“With my life…” Buffy replied.
“Don’t even try to do anything.” Joshua said.
“Oh I’m not gonna try anything,” Faith replied, “I’m just gonna chat a little and you’re not going to do anything,” Faith said smirking, “Have I ever told you I killed someone Joshua?”
“No… why would you?”
“Well… because I kinda ended up a bit crazy after that,” Faith replied, “… and I can go back to that place every time I want to.”
“Faith!” Buffy yelled.
‘Trust me,’ Faith send back with her mind, “… but you know what… I’m not gonna. And you know why… because I got a family. I got a girlfriend, I have kiddo you’re holding right now, I’ve got their mother and I’ve got friends. I even have the redhead as a friend and she was the hardest to convince I’m good again.”
“Why are you sharing this with me… because frankly I don’t give a damn.”
“Oh but you know that’s the funny part… you were listening and you loosened your grip on Dawn and she’s gonna stomp on your foot and that’s when me and B here are going to attack you.”
“Wha…?” The next thing Joshua felt was a intensive pain on his foot. Dawn had just stomped on it and ran away from him, “You little…” He couldn’t finish his sentence when he felt a fist connect with his jaw and stumbled back.
“I told you what would happen and you just wouldn’t listen.” Faith taunted.
“Oh right I forgot you wanted to fight and I said maybe another time,” Joshua said standing up again, “Fine let’s do this… let’s fight…” He saw Buffy coming towards him and pointed at Faith, “Only her!”
Buffy immediately stopped and looked at Faith who just nodded and Buffy stepped back, “You want to fight? Let’s rumble…” Faith said and attacked Joshua.
Buffy took her mother and Dawn out of the room and went back to protect Xander and Anya who couldn’t move because they had to stay in their beds. And there was no way Joshua would let them pass, the only reason he let Joyce and Dawn go was because he was pinned to the floor by Faith.
Joshua knocked Faith off of him and kicked her in her stomach directly on the scar which for some reason caused Buffy to double over in pain, “Faith get up!” Buffy yelled and that’s exactly what Faith did and hit Joshua in his stomach.
“Come on Josh, that’s all you can do? I’m still getting up here… weren’t you supposed to knock me down?”
Faith had forgotten about the knife he had but it was too late when he stood up and held the knife to her throat, “Don’t move baby girl… and you’re staying right where you are doll face.” He said to Buffy, “You’re my ticket out of here baby girl and then we’re going to have some fun.”
Faith didn’t move, Joshua was pressing the knife against her throat and she could feel a little bit of blood sliding down her throat. Joshua moved behind her and put his arm around her waist holding her against him and stopping Faith from going anywhere, “Let her go!” Buffy yelled.
“Don’t B… let him take me with him.”
“Faith?”
“It’s ok B, don’t worry about me… you know better than that.”
“I don’t want to loose you Faith…”
“Hey… who said anything about loosing me,” Faith replied, “I’ll be fine… when you find me I’ll be beating him… trust me… and you’ll know where to find me… trust your mind.” Faith said and winked.
“Enough with the talking already.” Joshua said and pulled Faith with him out of the hospital room.
Outside the room were about ten agents pointing guns at the two when Buffy came out of the room, “Let them go…”
“Buffy?” Samantha questioned.
“Let them go… trust me…”
“Let ‘em go!’ Samantha said to the agents and they all lowered their guns.
“Thank you for that doll face,” Joshua said and walked out of the hospital with Faith.
“What the hell did you just do Sam?” Bailey angrily asked the female agent.
“I let him and Faith go because I trust Buffy,” Samantha replied.
“Thank you,” Buffy said.
“Buffy!” Dawn yelled and ran to her sister.
“Dawn!” Buffy yelled and kneeled down opening her arms, “Oh god are you ok?”
“Yeah just a little cut, it wasn’t that deep.” Dawn replied and hugged her sister, “Mom is with the doctor now, she had to get stitches in her arm.”
“Listen to me Dawn… in a few minutes I’ll know where Joshua is taking Faith and I’m going after them.”
“No… you can’t,” Dawn said and started crying.
“I have to Dawn,” Buffy replied, “You know I do… Faith said I would find her beating Joshua… but I have to make sure it is her beating Joshua and not Joshua beating Faith… you know what I mean…”
“Yeah.”
“Good,” Buffy said, “Samantha when my mom is done can you take her and Dawn home and get your daughter and stay there.”
“Of course.”
“Excuse me!” John said, “Aren’t we supposed to tell everyone what to do?”
“Not in this town John,” Bailey said finally understanding that it was indeed ‘Buffy’s town’ and she was the one who would make sure everything would work out right, “This is Buffy’s choice.”
“Thank you.” Buffy said.
** Joshua’s Motel Room **
“You know baby girl… I really missed you… it’s been a while hasn’t it,” Joshua said, “And I really do hope you’re still a screamer… because I really liked your voice.” Joshua pushed Faith on his bed and tied her up, “Hmm… I’m seeing possibilities here.”
“Don’t even try it.” Faith hissed.
“Hush baby girl,” Joshua said calmly, “You’re in no position to talk like that… you’re the one tied up on bed not me… don’t forget that.”
“Oh I won’t forget that!” Faith hissed, “trust me when I say I won’t.”
“You know what we can do baby girl… remember that first night we were together?”
“We were never together… you violated me… there’s a difference.”
“You mean you didn’t scream of pleasure?” Joshua taunted, “Hm and there I think you were screaming because you had fun.”
“What is it with you? You can’t get a normal date so you just rape innocent girls.”
“Well yeah they are innocent seeing they were all virgins.”
“You sick son of a…”
“Bitch?” Joshua finished, “Yeah true, my mother was a bitch… now to get back to the real conversation, you do remember that night don’t you.” Joshua said, “Of course how could you forget… after I hit you, I ‘violated’ you over and over again.”
Faith cringed when she heard him repeating that night, “What’s the matter Faith? Didn’t like it? I sure did.” Joshua said and started laughing, “You know what I’m going to do aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Faith said with fear and anger in her voice.
“I’m going to do the same thing I did before… but this time I’m going to do this slow.” Joshua said and grabbed a belt, “I don’t mind you screaming though… I love the way you screamed.”
“I won’t give you the pleasure.”
“Oh trust me… when I begin… you’ll be screaming.” Joshua said and raised the belt.
** Sunnydale Hospital **
“I know where they are!” Buffy suddenly yelled and stood up from the chair she was sitting in. Samantha had taken Dawn and her mother home, Bailey and John were still with her and were going to stay with her no matter what Buffy said and she knew it, “Willow, Tara… you got some spells ready?”
“Go!” Willow said and pulled Buffy with her followed by Tara and the two VCTF agents.”
** Joshua’s Motel Room **
“I told you that you were going to scream,” Joshua taunted. He looked at the bloodied back of Faith and smiled, “Just like back then, only this time the wounds are deeper.”
“There’s another difference,” Faith said and stood up from the bed and pushed Joshua away, “While you were beating me… I got loose!”
“Well… we can fix that soon enough, because I got a lot of things in store for you.”
“There’s one thing you’re forgetting…”
“What?”
“I’m stronger!” Faith said and attacked him. She started hitting him in his stomach, face, everywhere she could connect her fists and feet with, “I am stronger and you’re going to die!” Faith yelled.
“Guess who’s got the knife!” Joshua yelled and kicked Faith in her stomach and sent her flying with her back against the wall. When she fell to the floor she could feel and hear something break in her wrist, “you know Faith… I really should tell you a couple of things.”
“Like what?” Faith said standing up and holding her wrist against her chest, “Like why you did all these things and why you played the good guy at first… I’ll tell ya, because you’re one sick bastard.”
“Well yeah that too, but I really enjoyed this little head game I’m playing,” Joshua replied, “You see… I’ve been watching you and the other baby girl… I wanted to get close to your group of friends and then have a little fun with Dawn. You see… because I pretended to be friends with you and the others I made sure you didn’t think of me when I would take the baby girl.”
“Well you messed with the wrong group of friends.” Faith said and tried to attack him again.
“Wait! That’s not all,” Joshua said and Faith stopped, “You’re probably wondering who attacked Xander and Anya right? Well that was me too, I wanted to see how you would react to that and let me tell ya I had some real fun seeing it.”
“You sick…”
“Now Faith, no more name calling please. Didn’t we cover that already?” Joshua taunted.
“I’ve heard enough,” Faith said and dangerously stepped forward.
“You can’t be serious in trying to beat me with that arm,” Joshua said smirking.
“I’ve learned a long time ago to block out pain… actually it was you who taught me that after you beat me the first time,” Faith said, “And I’ve also got another arm which I can actually hit harder with…”
“Well come on then baby girl.” Joshua said and opened his arms, “Try me!”
“I’m sick of this game and I’m sick of you calling me baby girl… when I’m done with you… you won’t be able to call anyone baby girl because well… you see that area between your legs… it won’t be working after I’m done with you…”
And with that Faith attacked him…
Joshua blocked almost every punch Faith threw at him but he was getting tired… and she was just getting started. She could see he was getting tired, they had been fighting for fifteen minutes now and she knew that Buffy was already waiting outside and made sure no one got in and making sure that she wouldn’t kill him.
“You should duck…” Faith told him.
“Why?”
“Because of this,” Faith said calmly and hit his head with a chair knocking him down. She stepped next to him and kicked him in the groin, “I told you when I’m done with you, you wouldn’t have any use for that anymore.” She kicked him in the groin a couple more times and then started kicking him in his stomach and the rest of his body.
** Outside the Motel Room **
All the guys in front of the door scowled when they heard a scream, they knew exactly what Faith was doing to the guy. Buffy had a quizzical look on her face and looked at Bailey and John, “What was that and why are you looking like that?”
“You heard that scream?” Buffy nodded, “That really sounds like a scream when a guy gets kicked in the groin really heard.”
“Oh…” Buffy said.
“Shouldn’t you go in there now?”
“Unfortunately yes…” Buffy said, “Because if I don’t, she’s going to kill him.”
Buffy walked up to the door and kicked it in. She found exactly the sight what she thought she would find; Faith sitting on top of him with her hands around his neck. Her girlfriend was constantly saying ‘never again’ and it pained her to see her like that, after a few seconds Faith started hitting him in his face again.
The blonde slayer could see all the anger Faith had in her just like she had back then with the mayor, “Faith…” No reply, “Faith… stop it…” She said a little louder. Still no reply, “Faith!” Buffy yelled. The brunette slayer looked at Buffy and then back at Joshua who was lying unconscious under her. She immediately jumped off of him and crawled in a corner of the room, “John, Bailey!” The blonde slayer yelled for the two VCTF agents to get Joshua.
Buffy looked at Faith who was looking at her blood soaked hands. She had tears in her eyes and was whispering ‘no’ over and over again. Buffy walked up to her and held out her hand for Faith who was reluctant to take it because of the blood. After she took Faith’s hand she walked with her to the bathroom and washed the blood off.
Buffy hadn’t seen Faith’s back yet and when she touched it she was surprised Faith flinched at the touch. When she looked at her hand and saw that there was blood on it she looked at Faith’s back and registered what happened, “Bastard!” She yelled and was about to run out of the bathroom to get to Joshua when Faith stopped her.
“Don’t…” She said, Buffy immediately hugged Faith and held her close. After a few seconds Buffy carefully lifted Faith up and carried her out of the motel room.
Bailey was waiting for them and took of his jacket to cover up Faith’s bare back, “Can you take us to the hospital?” Buffy asked.
“Of course,” he replied and escorted her to his car and drove to the hospital.
** Sunnydale Hospital **
“I have called Sam and let her know everything that happened and she’s going to tell your mother and will stay there for the rest of the night.”
“Thank you Bailey,” Buffy replied, “I’m going to see Faith.”
“Call me if you need anything.”
“Thanks,” Buffy said and walked to Faith’s room.
The door to the room was already open and Buffy stood in the opening just looking at Faith for a few seconds. She was laying on her stomach because she couldn’t lay down on her back, even Buffy could see that the wounds on her back were much worse than the previous time Joshua had done that to her.
Faith didn’t have a top or anything on, her upper body was naked. She couldn’t wear anything because at this point it would even hurt to move anything that involved moving even the tiniest muscle in her back.
Buffy still stood there watching Faith laying on the bed, she could see tears sliding down on the brunette slayer’s cheeks. Faith just lay there while tears slipped down her cheeks, Buffy walked in the room and closed the door and the curtains giving Faith some privacy. She walked up to the bed and stood next to it looking at the wounds, they weren’t covered with anything because the skin around it was too bruised and battered to put anything on it.
The blonde placed her hand on Faith’s lower back where no marks were made by Joshua, Faith first cringed under the touch but relaxed when she knew it was Buffy. The blonde slayer started making circles on the brunette’s lower back, she bent forward and kissed Faith’s neck first and then her cheek kissing away the tears that were on it.
“Hey baby,” Buffy said and brushed away a few stray hairs on Faith’s face.
“Hey…” Faith whispered back, “I fucked up B… I almost killed him… I wanted to kill him.” Faith suddenly said.
“But you didn’t and that’s the important thing,” Buffy replied. She grabbed a chair and sat at the head of the bed so she could easily face Faith.
“I wanted to kill him Buffy… for what he did to those girls, for what he did to kiddo, your mom and…”
“I know you wanted to do that Faith… listen to me, the most important thing is that you didn’t do it and I admire that. I don’t think I could have done that.”
“Come on B, the only reason I stopped was because you yelled at me.”
“Yeah, but I don’t think I could have stopped even if you would have yelled at me.”
“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?”
“What?”
“Be uncertain about things and not listen.”
“That’s going to change Faith, from now on we’re going to listen to each other and make sure we get through everything together.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” Buffy confirmed. She leaned forward and kissed away another tear that was sliding down Faith’s cheek.
“When can I get out of here?” Faith asked with a soft voice.
“If I can convince the nurses tonight, but I think you should stay here over night.”
“No… I can’t… I won’t…” Faith said with a little panic in her voice.
“Faith… even with your slayer healing this won’t heal that quick… he cut open your old wounds and made new ones on top of it.” Buffy said, “Have you seen your back?”
“I’ve felt my back and it’s fine,” Faith replied with anger in her voice and tried to get up. It didn’t make much sense because the second she moved she was down again crying from pain.
“See what I mean?” Buffy said, “Even if I would take you home it wouldn’t be without pain Faith… If I see you like this I think you would be in a lot of pain. At least stay here overnight and get some rest,” Buffy added.
“B… will you stay with me?”
“Of course I will,” Buffy replied, “Now go to sleep.” Buffy said closing Faith’s eyes, she kissed Faith’s cheek and leaned her head against Faith’s for a few second before kissing her again and walking out of the room. When she walked out of the room she saw Samantha standing in front of her and almost panicked, “Sam? Where’s mom… is everything ok?”
“Yes she’s fine, I called John and asked him to stay with your family and my daughter,” Samantha replied, “How is Faith doing?”
The moment Samantha asked that Buffy collapsed in her arms and started crying. Crying for all that had been done to the brunette slayer and for all that had been done to Dawn and her mother and Xander and Anya, she couldn’t take it anymore and just let it all out.
Samantha held the blonde slayer close and tried to calm her down. By now she felt like the girl was like a daughter of her own and it hurt her to see Buffy like this, “Shh, it’s ok…” Samantha kept saying comforting words to the blonde.
After a few minutes Buffy let go of Samantha, “I have to ask them when Faith can go home, I’m thinking tomorrow…”
“That fast?” Bailey asked.
“It’s the slayer healing,” Buffy said and thought of something when she saw the lost look on his face, “Right… you don’t know about that yet… Go to Giles he’ll explain.” She quickly said and turned to Sam, “Could you watch Faith for me?” When Samantha nodded Buffy went to search for Faith’s doctor asking when she could take the brunette home.
“Hey Wills! What’s the what?” Xander asked as Willow and Tara walked in the room.
“They got him,” Willow exclaimed happily, “Faith kicked his ass and now they got him.”
“That’s great…” Xander said with absence in his voice.
“What’s the matter Xander?” Tara asked, “Aren’t you glad they got your and Anya’s attacker?”
“What?” Anya asked.
“Come again?” Xander asked.
“Joshua was the one who attacked you two,” Willow said, “And now they got him.”
“Justice for all!” Xander said a little loud and smiled, “So spill Wills, what happened?”
“Long story…” Willow replied and sat down on a chair and began telling them what happened.
** Faith’s Hospital Room **
Buffy walked in Faith’s room after talking to the doctor about her release from the hospital. He told her that it would be at least two days before she could get out of here, but Buffy knew Faith couldn’t last longer than one day in the hospital she had ‘convinced’ the doctor to let her go the next day and that if anything would go wrong she would bring her back immediately.
She looked at Sam who was sitting on a chair next to the bed. Buffy didn’t walk past the door when she noticed Faith and Samantha were talking, she knew it was bad to eavesdrop so she walked out but stopped dead in her tracks when she heard her name.
“I disappointed her Sam.”
“Buffy?”
“Yeah… I tried to kill that guy… I had his blood on my hands.”
“Yes, but you didn’t kill him.”
“I know… but I WANTED to kill him.” Faith replied.
“Faith listen to me, the important thing is that you didn’t,” Sam said, “… and Buffy knows you didn’t, that’s the only thing that matters to her; that you didn’t kill Joshua.”
“It’s true,” a voice said. Sam turned around and saw Buffy standing in the doorway, she stood up from her chair and squeezed Faith’s hand lightly which she had been holding the whole time. She walked up to the blonde slayer, “Thanks.” Buffy said.
“Don’t mention it,” Sam replied, “If you need anything…”
“Thank you,” Buffy said and hugged the female agent. Samantha walked out of the room and Buffy sat on the chair where Samantha sat only seconds ago and looked at Faith, “I love you… you know that?”
“I Love you too B.” Faith replied.
“And yes I know you wanted to kill Joshua… even I wanted to kill him…”
“There’s a difference in that B, you wanted to kill him, I actually would have killed him.”
“But you didn’t,” Buffy said, “…and that’s the important thing… in fact… to me it’s the only thing that matters. You listened to me calling out your name and you stopped.”
“I did didn’t I?”
“Yes you did,” Buffy replied, “You still want to know when you get out of here?”
“Tonight right?”
“Tomorrow,” Buffy said and immediately laughed at the face Faith made, “Come on Faith it’s only for one night and be glad it’s only one night, they wanted to keep you here for 2 full days and nights.”
“They did?” Faith groaned.
“Yeah they did,” Buffy chuckled, “… but I got you out of here tomorrow and if it makes you feel better I’ll stay here tonight.”
“You would?”
“Of course I would,” Buffy replied, “You’re my girl… just let me call mom and then I’ll go see Xander and Anya. Willow and Tara are probably with them so that’ll be easy.”
“Ok, see ya in a few.”
“Don’t go anywhere.”
“Very funny B,” Faith said but couldn’t help it but to laugh herself.
It had been a week since Faith got out of the hospital, she didn’t do much else than lie on her stomach in her and Buffy’s bed. Even with her slayer healing it was taking forever, or so it seemed to Buffy. The brunette had shown her back to her since they got out of the hospital and just laid in bed ever since.
Buffy hadn’t paid much attention to it, she just thought it was taking her longer to heal than normally and she liked taking care of Faith. But Buffy had grown more suspicious of Faith as the days went by, the first two days Faith would let her clean the wounds and bandage her, but after the third day she wouldn’t let her anywhere near her back.
The blonde slayer wouldn’t say anything about it, but she was getting impatient with Faith. She would do anything for the brunette except let her suffer and in her opinion that was exactly what Faith was doing to herself and now the only thing she had to find out was *why* she was doing this to herself.
It was driving Buffy crazy that she couldn’t get closer to the brunette, during the day if she tried to give her a kiss or hold her hand, the brunette would pull away not letting Buffy touch her. And then there were the nights; Buffy would lay next to Faith in bed facing Faith and just looking at her and the next thing Buffy knew she was laying on her back and the brunette laid her head on her shoulder and an arm around her waist.
She would hold on to Buffy if it was for dear life itself, but the strangest thing would come the next morning when the first rays of sunshine would come through the window. Buffy would already be awake and would lay there with Faith in her arms and caressing her hair and then the second a ray of light would hit Faith’s face the brunette would wake up and move away from Buffy her head turned to the other side of the room.
It was almost like she was afraid to be seen this way, afraid that anyone would see her this vulnerable. She would have the covers all the way up to her neck afraid to show what was on her back. Buffy had tried many times to move the covers away, but even in her weakened state Faith would somehow hold the covers in place up to her neck.
“How is she?” Willow asked. She and Tara had come to Buffy’s house earlier that afternoon.
“She’s… the same…” Buffy replied, “I don’t know what to do Wills,” Buffy said with a desperate tone in her voice, “Sometimes she cries and when I try to comfort her she pushes me away… I can’t take this anymore.”
“Have you tried talking to her?”
“I did Will,” Buffy replied, “… but she just never says anything back and turns away from me.”
“She needs time,” Tara said.
“It’s been a week…”
“I know Buffy,” Tara replied, “but her wounds go deeper that the ones on her back.”
“What do you mean?”
“She has been raped by Joshua once before and it almost happened again. That’s not something you just deal with in a week.”
“I know that Tara, but why won’t she let me help her?” Buffy asked desperately, “how can she get over this if she won’t let me be there for her.”
“You got to have patience Buffy,” Tara said, “If she’s ready to talk she’ll come to you. Trust me when I say she will come to you. Faith needs you just as much as you need her and she knows that you need her… Just give her time.”
“Thanks…”
“Don’t mention it,” Tara said and rubbed Buffy’s upper arm in comfort, “Have you heard of our favorite screaming friends?”
“Xander and Anya? I went to them yesterday, still giving the nurses a hard time,” Buffy replied, “I’m actually beginning to feel sorry for them.”
“Don’t forget we’re the ones who are going to have to take care of them when they get out,” Willow said, “They won’t exactly be in tip top shape you know.”
“I know… and I’m loving it already,” Buffy said raising a brow.
“Not to bring up the whole Joshua thing again… but when is his trial… if there is going to be one…”
“No trials,” Buffy said, “Only statements… Samantha is coming back next week to take them… well not exactly her, but she’s going to be there. She actually requested to be here,” Buffy finished.
“I haven’t been around her much, but I like her… she’s nice.”
“Yeah I know Tara,” Buffy said, “She helped Faith and me a lot and Dawn was getting along with her kid and I heard something about bringing her along for the time she was going to be here.”
“Nice,” Willow said, “It would do Dawn good… after what she’s been through.”
“Yeah I know,” Buffy said, “… and now she’s acting like big sis and trying to help Faith.”
“They always had some special kind of bond didn’t they?”
“Yeah and since Faith came back that bond only became stronger.”
“You know what,” Willow said, “Come on, we’re gonna get Faith downstairs right now.”
“Willow are you sure?” Tara asked her girlfriend.
“Of course I’m sure,” Willow replied.
“Wills, I don’t think she’d like that very much… she won’t even let me near her.”
“That’s why only me and Tara are going up there,” Willow said and grabbed Tara’s hand pulling her off of the couch, “We’ll be right back, first we’re gonna clean her back, then get her dressed and make her come downstairs coz we’re going out tonight.”
“But…”
“No!” Willow said with a firm voice, “No buts, no holding me back, I’m going in… with Tara’s help coz… well I’d be no match for her alone and Faith likes Tara so… you get what I’m saying?”
Buffy sighed, nobody could beat Willow when she had her resolve face on and when she put her mind to something she would make sure it would happen. She looked at Tara who just smiled and shrugged, there was no way Buffy could get Tara on her side, “Ok… ok… fine… go…”
“Good!” Willow said and walked upstairs.
“I hope you know what you’re doing Wills.” Buffy said. She couldn’t help it but smile when her best friend ran upstairs, she knew Willow still was a little suspicious about Faith but she was willing to give the dark haired slayer a chance and seeing Willow’s actions towards Faith she knew this was going to work out.
“Ok time to get up Faith!” Willow almost yelled.
“What?”
“You heard me,” Willow replied, “Time to get up, we’re going out to dinner and then we’re gonna dance at the bronze.”
“I can’t… my back…”
“Oh don’t give me that!”
“Willow!” Tara yelped.
“What? It’s true,” Willow replied, “Her back is fine, sure she got the scars but that doesn’t mean she can’t go out,” the redhead added, “Get the ointment the doctor gave her Tara… I’m gonna see if I can get these blankets off of her without getting hurt.”
“No you’re not!” Faith said, “Leave me alone.”
“Can’t do that,” Willow said, “Buffy is worried about you, Dawn is worried about you. Everyone else is worried about you and even I am worried about you.”
“You are?” Faith questioned raising a brow.
“Yes I am,” Willow confirmed. The surprise that Willow was worried about her caught Faith off guard and Willow could pull the covers down ‘till her lower back. Willow was right, the wounds were healed but the scars were still there, the ointment Tara had gotten was to make the scars as light as possible and not the red stripes that covered her back now, “This ain’t so bad.”
“Are you nuts?” Faith yelled, “Look at it… I can’t show this to anyone especially not B!”
“Oh come on, if you would have put that stuff on it the past couple of days the scars wouldn’t even look like this they would look like permanent wrinkles.”
“I don’t like wrinkles,” Faith pouted.
“Neither do I, but you’re gonna have to live with them either way, ‘sides… if you wear a tank top they won’t even be seen by other people, they’re on the middle of your back.”
“I guess.”
“And think of the attention you’ll be getting from Buffy when she takes care of your back.” Willow said winking.
“Red! Willow!” Faith and Tara yelled.
Faith was now blushing ten different shades of red and Willow noticed that, “I didn’t know you could blush… wait… you two haven’t? Oh… sorry.”
“It’s ok… and no we haven’t,” Faith replied, “We almost, but then there was that stuff with Joshua.”
“Oh… ok… once again sorry.”
“It’s ok Willow,” Faith replied, “Now get that stuff on my back, I’m getting cold.”
Willow smiled and smeared some of the stuff on Faith’s back which made the brunette shudder from cold, “It’s that cold?”
“You see the goosebumps on my back and arms?” Faith said, “That’s how cold I am.”
“Ok, done…” Willow said, “See, that wasn’t so bad. Now get dressed, coz we have to pick up Dawn and Nick. Then we’re gonna visit Xander and Anya and the we’re getting dinner and after that… dancing!”
Faith was about to get up when she noticed that her upper body was still naked and the two witches were still in the room, luckily she already had her back turned towards them and grabbed the blankets, “Could you…”
“Right… sorry,” Willow said and walked out of the room followed by Tara.
“She’s coming.” Willow said to Buffy who was sitting on the couch.
“She is?”
“Why is that such a surprise?” Willow asked, “I told you I’d make her come downstairs.”
“Yeah but…”
“You didn’t think I’d succeed?” Willow asked, “Come on Buffy, you know me better than that.”
“Yeah I guess.”
Willow just sighed, when it came to Buffy… sometimes she just didn’t know what to do. After a few seconds sitting in silence Willow and Tara noticed Buffy was gawking with open mouth at something, when they looked in the direction of the stairs where Buffy was looking they saw it wasn’t something, but someone.
Faith was walking down the stairs in jeans, ‘When did she started wearing jeans?’ Willow asked herself. The brunette had a white tank top on and it was clearly getting the attention of Buffy. Willow looked at the blonde slayer who still had her mouth open. She stretched out her arm and closed Buffy’s mouth who then just grinned sheepishly at her.
“I’d say this gets your permission B?” Faith asked innocently but at the same time was having the time of her life getting a reaction like that just to the clothes she was wearing.
“Jeans…” Willow said, “You’re wearing jeans.”
“Is that a crime Red?”
“Well I thought in your world it was… apparently not,” Willow replied.
“So we going to the hospital or what?”
“Hospital?” Buffy asked.
“To visit Anya and Xander,” Willow said, “Faith hasn’t seen them for a week… they are getting better though and they’re giving the nurses a very hard time.”
Faith couldn’t help but laugh at that, she could picture it in her head how Anya and Xander would act, “Come on let’s go then, I’m getting hungry.”
“When aren’t you?”
“Funny B, very funny.” Faith said and walked to her girlfriend, “Here’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time…” And with that she gave Buffy a passionate kiss who gladly responded to it.
“Uhm guys…” Willow said, “… we’re here too remember.” Willow added and took Tara’s hand, “We’re gonna wait outside…” She walked out of the door and left the two slayers alone.
“So…”
“So…” Buffy replied, “You ok?”
“Five by Five B,” Faith replied.
“Good to have you back.”
“It’s good to be back,” Faith replied and kissed Buffy again, “Come on before our two favorite witches get impatient.”
“Lead the way…”
...continued in Against All Odds...