The Things We Have Done
by Nikita
Rating: R
Disclaimer: The characters belong to the great and powerful Joss.
"Crucify" by Tori Amos. The Phantom Menace is George Lucas's, and I nicked a
line from Casablanca and one from Faith, Hope and Trick.
Spoilers: All up to and including Buffy S5 and Angel S2.
Author's Notes: Sequel to The Choices We Make, starts just after epilogue.
Feedback: Please!
PROLOGUE
"Thanks for helping me move in, B." Faith said as the two slayers sat in the garden of Angel's old mansion.
Buffy grinned and lay back in the dark slayer's arms. "Yeah, because your one bag was such a hassle."
Faith smiled softly, wondering if the blonde understood the double meaning behind all her words. She should be used to it by now, she thought to herself. She shook her head slightly. This was going to be different. She was going to be different. This was the chance she never thought she would get, and she wasn't going to blow it. She tightened her grip slightly on the blonde.
"What are you thinking about?" Buffy asked, looking up and seeing Faith frowning to herself.
The word `nothing' came to Faith's lips automatically, but she stopped herself before it escaped. "I want to make this work, B." She replied.
Buffy nodded happily. "We will." She said, snuggling further into Faith. "We will."
"Can we do some spells?" Dawn asked Willow eagerly.
Willow hesitated, looking at Tara for help. The red head was still wary about using magic after she had so nearly hurt her friends.
"I don't think Buffy wants you to." Tara said, coming to the rescue.
Dawn scowled. "Well what else do you two do together?"
Tara blushed and stuck her nose in a book.
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Tara got up thankfully, and opened it to find Xander and Anya.
"We brought pizza!" Xander grinned.
Anya nodded and held up some videos. "Also these. You can give us some money tomorrow."
"Gee, thanks." Willow said sarcastically.
"Should we call Buffy?" Xander asked.
Willow shook her head. "She's with Faith, so let's not." The witch may have accepted they had needed Faith around for the apocalypse, but that didn't mean she wanted to socialise with her.
Tara caught the tone in her girlfriend's voice, and nodded. "Maybe we should leave them to, well, y'know...." She blushed again.
"To what?" Dawn asked.
Xander clamped his hand over Anya's mouth before she had time to reply. "Talk." He said. "Now, movie?"
"Can I stay here?" Buffy whispered.
Faith was surprised. "Well, yeah but-"
Buffy looked at her. "Not to.... I mean, not yet, but...."
Faith nodded, understanding. "I'd like that."
The two slayers made their way to the barely furnished bedroom. Faith threw Buffy a shirt and stripped off.
Buffy's mouth dropped. "Not yet, too soon...." She mumbled to herself as she saw the dark slayer's perfect body. Control....
Faith turned and saw Buffy's expression. She grinned sheepishly and grabbed a shirt for herself. "Sorry B. Not used to the modesty thing...." She leapt into bed and shut her eyes, allowing the blonde some privacy. She opened them as she felt Buffy pull her onto her side.
They made out for a while. Faith smiled to herself. This was new to her, and she liked it. She felt almost innocent allowing Buffy to decide how far they would go. They explored each other's mouths, slowly, passionately, running their hands over each other. Panting, the blonde pulled away. "Slow." She whispered, holding herself back with more difficulty than she had expected. "Not ready yet."
"But it's.... y'know?" Faith blushed. What the Hell was that? She asked herself, since when was she insecure about sex?
Buffy smiled and nodded. "Oh, yeah." She grinned.
Giles sat down and gasped, feeling faint. "Must be something I ate." He muttered to himself.
Faith woke the next morning to find Buffy staring at her.
"Morning!" Buffy chirped.
"Urrr." Faith groaned. Buffy kissed her, and the dark slayer grinned. "Suddenly I'm awake...." She said.
Buffy laughed. "Good, because we've got to get to the shop." She got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.
Faith stretched and sat up yawning. She was so not a morning person. She smiled to herself, still, this wasn't a bad way to start the day.
The gang were already there when the two slayers arrived at the magic shop. Buffy avoided the glare from her best friend and sat down.
"Are you OK?" She asked Giles. "You look terrible."
The watcher frowned. "Thank you." He said sarcastically. He was still feeling ill, his skin covered with a cold sweat and he hadn't slept well. "I think I may have the flu." He said.
"Why don't you go home?" Anya suggested excitedly. "I can look after the shop!"
Giles shook his head. "I don't think that's such a good idea." He replied, remembering the last time he had left Anya in charge.
"The last time was Willow's fault." Anya said, reading his mind. "But it's OK, she won't do any magic because she's scared she might kill someone." Anya explained, smiling innocently.
Willow moved her glare from Buffy and Faith and focused it on Anya.
"I don't think-"
Buffy interrupted him. "Giles, you need to rest. I'll be here." An idea started to form itself in her mind. "Faith can stay when I pick Dawn up from school."
Faith and Willow looked at each other. "Maybe not...." They both said, stopping as Buffy looked at them sternly.
Faith shrugged. "Whatever." No will power at all, she sighed to herself.
"Settled then!" Xander said. "Giles, can I get a ride to work?"
"I've got to go." Buffy gasped, pulling away from Faith. The two slayers had started cleaning out the store room in the shop, but had quickly gotten distracted.
Faith whined. "Already?"
Buffy grinned and pointed at the clock. "C'mon." She said, taking Faith's hand. "And play nice with Willow, OK?"
Faith nodded reluctantly. "Are you going to be long?"
"I've got a meeting with Dawn's teacher after school." Buffy replied as they walked back into the main shop. "It just depends when that finishes." She kissed her quickly. "I'll see you later. Bye guys!" She called to the others.
"Where the Hell is Buffy?" Faith complained a few hours later.
"What's wrong?" Willow snapped. "Can't she do what she likes?"
Faith glared at her. "I want to patrol." She replied. She had successfully avoided the witch all day, but Tara and Anya had thought it would be a fantastic idea for them to be forced together for a while. So they had gone for a coffee and the witch and slayer were stock taking together, saying no more than they had to.
"Go then. No one is stopping you." Willow spat.
"I said I'd be here."
The witch laughed. "Suddenly you're keeping your promises?"
"Shut up, Red." Faith hissed.
"Why? Don't want to hear the truth?" Willow stood up and stared at her for a moment. Faith avoided her gaze. "You don't deserve to be here." Willow shook her head. "You don't deserve HER."
Faith stood up and looked at her. "I know." She replied.
They stared at each other for a moment. Then suddenly the door burst open and four vampires walked into the shop.
"Oh, you came to me?" Faith grinned. "How thoughtful!" She grabbed a stake. Looked like she was going to get some action after all.
She ran at them, kicking one, blocking another's punch, thudding her stake into the first female. She grabbed an axe from one of the males and swung it at another.
"Faith!" She heard Willow gasp. Turning, she saw one on top of her, a knife in her side. Faith kicked the third vampire into the wall and staked him. She bolted over to the last female and rammed her stake into her from behind.
"Shit, Red." She gasped, getting down on her knees and looking at the wound. "Are you OK?"
The witch nodded. "It's not deep." She said.
Faith picked up the knife. "Bitch!" She exclaimed.
"Faith?"
She turned and saw Buffy looking at her with shock in her eyes.
"What have you done?"
"Buffy," Willow said, grabbing Faith's hand and slowly pulling herself up. "It wasn't her. There were vampires."
"Oh." Buffy said, looking guiltily at her girlfriend. Faith just looked at the floor, trying to cover her emotions. Buffy opened her mouth to apologise to her when Willow stumbled. The blonde rushed over to her. "We better get to hospital." She said, looking at her best friend with concern. She turned towards Faith, her mind focused completely on the well being of the red head. "Faith, can you get Tara and Dawn? They're at the coffee shop down the road with Anya."
Faith nodded. Taking a last look at Willow, making sure she was OK, and walked out the door.
Buffy sat Willow down on a chair and called an ambulance.
"She'll be fine." The doctor assured Tara, Buffy and Dawn. "It wasn't a deep wound, very little blood loss. We'd like to keep her here for a few hours, but she can go home tonight."
The three girls walked into Willow's room.
"Hey." Tara said, kissing her gently. "You'll be fine."
"I know." Willow replied. "It would have been much worse if Faith hadn't been there." She admitted quietly. "Where is she?"
Buffy gave a start. "Uh...." She had forgotten about her in the rush to make sure Willow was OK.
Willow took her best friend's hand. "You better go find her."
"But-"
"Resolve face. I'm fine, you go." Willow said.
Buffy nodded thankfully and rushed out of the room, only to return a second later. "Dawn-"
The youngest Summers rolled her eyes. "I'll wait here."
Buffy ran to the mansion, cursing herself for forgetting about Faith. She knocked loudly on the door, and getting no reply found an open window and climbed in.
"Faith?!" She called out, panic washing over her. No answer. She walked to the stairs and heard faint sounds coming from above. Buffy rushed to the dark slayer's bedroom and found Faith throwing her clothes into a bag.
"What's going on?"
"Is she OK?" Faith asked as she continued packing.
"Yes, she's fine." Buffy walked towards her. "Faith?"
The brunette paused for a moment. "I'm leaving."
"What?! Why?" Buffy grabbed her. "Stop it!" She yelled, knocking her clothes out of her hands.
Faith turned towards her, forcing back tears. "This isn't working. You don't trust me."
"And you think this is the way to make me?" Buffy asked incredulously. "By running away?"
"It's better this way."
Buffy struggled to control herself. "Faith, I'm sorry. I didn't think."
Faith shook her head. "It's OK, B." She forced a smile. "I would have thought the same thing." She turned back to her bag. "I have to go."
"Why? Because things got hard?" Buffy said, throwing her hands up. "You're such a coward."
"I'm trying to do the right thing." Faith replied, forcing down her emotions.
"For who?!" Buffy yelled, her anger taking over. "For me? Or are you just thinking of yourself again?"
Faith winced.
"Or do I deserve it?" Buffy continued. "Are you punishing me? Because I thought we were past that."
"You know it's not like that."
"Well it feels that way." Buffy shook her head.
Faith looked at her, hating herself for causing the blonde yet more pain.
"Faith, I never said this would be easy." Buffy said, desperately trying to reason with her girlfriend. "We've got a lot of work to do, and we'll both make mistakes, but I think it's worth it." She finished, taking the dark slayer's hand.
"I don't want to hurt you again." Faith said, a tear escaping down her cheek. "But I can't promise that I won't."
"I'm not asking for promises. I don't know what will happen, but please give this a chance."
Faith hesitated, her mind spilt down the centre.
"Just tell me what you want." Buffy said, moving towards her and slipping her arms around her waist.
Faith shook her head, cursing her lack of will power when it came to the blonde. She gave in. "I want you." She said, her tears running freely.
"Well that works out great." Buffy replied, heaving a sigh of relief. "Because I love you."
Tara dialled the number with shaking hands. She waited impatiently as the phone rang.
"Buffy?" She said when the blonde slayer finally picked up the phone. "No, Willow's fine." She wiped away a tear before continuing. "Buffy, it's Giles. He's in hospital, and he's unconscious."
The two slayers rushed into the waiting room and found the whole Scooby gang waiting for them. Willow was up and looking worried.
"What happened?" Buffy asked desperately.
"We found him." Xander said, indicating himself and Anya. "We went to see how he was, and we found him on the floor."
"Is he OK? Can we see him?"
The doctor says he's stable." Willow replied. "But they won't let any of us in." She paused for a moment. "Buffy, they don't know what's wrong."
"I hate this town." Xander said, shaking his head and sitting back down.
"Maybe it's a spell?" Tara suggested. "They don't know what's wrong, and Dawn says she's not, uh-"
"What?" Buffy asked, looking over at her little sister who was sitting with her head in her hands.
"She says she feels ill." Willow said. "But maybe it's nothing, could just be a bug."
"Dawn?" Buffy said gently.
"I want to go home." She replied. "Please Buffy, I don't like this place."
Buffy hesitated. She understood Dawn's dislike of hospitals, Buffy didn't like them much herself, and after her mother.... She nodded. "OK."
"We'll stay here." Xander said. "We'll call if anything changes."
Buffy nodded gratefully.
"We'll go to the magic shop." Willow said. "Try and figure out if this is-" She stopped when she noticed Buffy shaking her head. "What?"
"You've already been attacked today, Will. I don't want you there."
"I can go." Faith volunteered. "I mean, I'm not sure what to look for...." She added, blushing slightly.
"I can help." Tara smiled. "Willow can go with Buffy."
"Right." Buffy nodded. "You know where I am."
Faith threw the book away and slammed her head on the table. "Now I remember why I quit school." She groaned. "How long have we been doing this?"
Tara grinned. "25 minutes." She replied.
"Ugh."
Tara put her book down and leaned on her elbows. "We can take a break if you want." She smiled sympathetically at the slayer.
"Good plan." Faith said, looking brighter. "Anyway, do you really think this a spell?" She asked, looking doubtful. "Magic flu?"
Tara shook her head. "Not really, I think it just helps, you know? If Willow believes it's a spell, she has some control."
Faith nodded. "Yeah, B's the same. Always control, she has no idea what it's like to lose it." Faith sighed, remembering the attempts she had made to get Buffy to cut loose, and that day when she had gone too far.
"Scary when you do." Tara said, seeing the look of pain on Faith's face. "I know what's it's like to have something in you that you think you can't restrain." She said gently.
"You're not a demon." Faith smiled.
Tara smiled back. "Neither are you."
"Call us if you need anything." Buffy said, kissing her sister on the forehead. "We're in my room, OK?"
Dawn nodded groggily.
"Are you sure it's best to let her stay here?" Willow asked as Buffy came into her bedroom.
Buffy shrugged. "Even if this is the same thing that's wrong with Giles, they don't know how to help him." She said uncertainly. "And she hates hospitals."
Willow shrugged. "I guess. Think this is a spell?"
Buffy nodded. "We'll find out what it is, and we'll beat it." She replied firmly.
"It's been a while since I've done this." Xander gasped, as he and Anya made out in a hospital cleaning closet.
"Shut up." Anya said. "I want to have an orgasm."
"Here?" Xander said, slightly startled. "But Giles...."
"He's unconscious. He won't know." Anya replied, tearing off her tank top and throwing it on the ground..
"Anya, that's not what I mean." Xander said.
"Xander, please!" Anya cried. "We have to do it before I die!"
"Huh?"
"I'm dying!" She yelled. "Like him!"
Xander looked confused, trying to figure out what his girlfriend was talking about. "Dying? Like Giles?"
Anya nodded.
"Giles won't die." Xander said firmly. "You don't feel well?"
Anya shook her head and clung to him, crying.
"You're not dying." He said, stroking his girlfriend's hair. "C'mon." He picked up Anya's top and paused, staring at her back. "Anya?"
"What?"
"When did you get a tattoo?"
"Just check!" Xander shouted down the phone to Buffy. "The doctor says Giles has one too."
"OK, wait a sec."
Xander drummed his fingers on the wall. "Well?" He asked when he heard Buffy pick up the phone again.
"Yes." Buffy replied, trying not to panic. "It's there."
"Bring her here."
"She doesn't want-"
"Buffy, it's the safest place." Xander reasoned. "Even if they can't help her medically, she'll be in no danger here."
"OK." Buffy agreed. She hung up the phone and closed her eyes for a second, trying to place the image she had seen on her sister's back.
Shaking her head, she returned to Dawn's bedroom and told her to get ready.
Buffy and Willow walked into the magic shop to hear the end of one of Faith's familiar stories.
"And then the police came and they arrested us both!" She grinned. Turning, she saw the two girls come in and leapt up to hug Buffy. "I was just thinking about you."
Buffy frowned at her. "I thought you two were researching."
"We figured it was getting a bit pointless." Faith shrugged, the smile falling from her face as she noticed the pain in Buffy's.
Buffy pushed Faith away and walked to the table. "Well, it's not." She replied.
"What's going on?" Tara asked.
"Anya and Dawn are both in hospital. It IS a spell of some kind." Willow explained.
"I'm sorry-" Faith said. "What can we do?"
Buffy took some paper and drew the mark on it. Tara and Faith looked at it. "I don't recognise it." Faith shrugged. "Any ideas?"
Buffy sighed. The mark looked strangely familiar to her, but she couldn't place it. It was a black semi circle, flat at the bottom, with a vertical line running through it. "I know it...." She said, racking her brain. "Work!" She shouted, hitting her head.
Faith grabbed her hands. "We'll figure it out." She said soothingly. "We can research." She finished, trying to mask the feeling of despair the books brought about in her.
Buffy nodded and they sat down at the table, each of them painfully aware that time was running out.
Buffy took herself and her books to a corner of the shop, away from the others. Faith watched her with concern. The blonde seemed to be taking all of this like it was her fault. Faith sighed inwardly. Buffy always did, she was head of the scoobies, the protector of them all. It wasn't just her own pain that she dealt with, she always made time to think about the others. The dark slayer shook her head, it was something she hadn't even thought about before she met Buffy. Slaying, for her, hadn't been about saving people, it had been about killing. But it was different now. Faith had begun to think about other people before herself, realising that her actions held consequences for them, not just for her. Faith had begun to realise that she made a difference.
Buffy sat and searched her memories. She knew she had a connection to this thing,but what? She groaned to herself, she was too tired....
She looked up as Faith walked over and sat down beside her. She let herself be pulled into her arms, and Faith started to massage her back and shoulders.
Buffy groaned again. "How am I supposed to think about anything else when you're this close?" She murmured, her eyes closing.
Faith smiled. "Just relax." She whispered. "Let your mind wander, it'll come to you."
Buffy obeyed, sinking into her girlfriend's touch.
Xander picked up the phone groggily and dialled the number. "Will...." He gasped. "Dawn, Anya.... coma. Doctor says Giles- not much time." He struggled to stay on his feet. "It's got me...." He said, as he dropped the phone.
Buffy sat bolt upright. "I died...." She said.
Faith nodded. "Buffy...."
"No! I mean, circle, the sun!"
Faith looked at her, not understanding. Buffy got up and got the paper with the drawing. "Look!" She exclaimed. "The semi circle is the sun, it was rising when I jumped!"
Tara nodded "Of course, the line is the tower."
"Xander is down." Willow said, as she walked back into the room. "We need to stop this NOW."
Tara grabbed a book, and leafed through it quickly. "Here." She said, finding the page. "This is the book we used to bring you back. Here's the mark."
Faith looked around, still not getting it. "This is to do with Buffy?"
"When we brought her back." Tara said. "Something else must have come with her."
"What?"
Willow looked over Tara's shoulder. "We took a life back." She said. "I think whatever this is must be trying to even things out."
"Not exactly." Tara replied, shaking her head. "This isn't a Powers That Be thing."
"It's evil, right?" Faith asked.
Tara looked at the book again. "Yeah. But it's not a demon, more of a presence."
"How do we kill it?" Faith asked, grabbing an axe menacingly.
Willow shook her head. "I don't know if we can. We can't fight something that isn't there."
"We can try to get it to manifest itself." Tara said uncertainly. "But I don't know how much time we have before...." She trailed off.
"Then what are we going to do?" Faith asked.
"The only thing we can." Buffy said. The three girls turned to look at her, worried by her calmness. "I brought it with me." She said. "And I'll take it back."
The four girls stood staring at each other as the morning light snuck into the room. Faith moved towards her girlfriend, shaking her head.
"No." She said firmly. "No way am I letting you do this."
"It's the only way."
"No it's not!" She shouted. "You can't!"
Buffy took her hand gently. "You know it has to be this way."
"Buffy, we'll find another way." Willow said. "We have time."
"This thing is getting faster and faster." Buffy replied. "Giles, Dawn, Anya, Xander. I'm not letting anyone die for me."
"Buffy!" Faith yelled. "Enough of this self-sacrificing bullshit! You. Are. Not. Going. To. Die."
The two slayers met each other's eyes, neither giving in.
"Give us some time." Tara said. "Give us a chance."
Faith's eyes mirrored Tara's words perfectly. Buffy could feel herself breaking. "I don't want to do this." She whispered. "But what if-"
"We'll find a way." Willow said. "Resolve face."
Buffy smiled weakly. "Find something by sunset." She said. "If not, I'm ending this."
Buffy had gone to the hospital, giving her word that she wouldn't do anything until that night. Willow, Tara and Faith sat pouring over books, looking in vain for some way to solve their problem.
"If we can get it to manifest...." Tara said. "Then we have a chance."
Willow nodded. "Sure, but even if we do, it's gonna be HUGE."
"Anything is better than letting B die." Faith replied. "I still don't really get this thing. It's nothing to do with the Powers?"
Tara sighed, trying to find the words to explain. "It's not a part of them." She said slowly. "But maybe they can stop it.... I don't know."
"It's like pure evil? No form?"
"Not yet, but it will." The red headed witch replied.
Faith had an idea forming in her mind. "It wants Buffy back? Then it'll go away?"
Willow nodded. "But that's not the only way." She said. "There HAS to be another way."
Faith nodded thoughtfully. "I'm gonna make a phone call." She said, walking to the out of the door.
"There's a phone in here." Willow said, slightly confused. Faith just kept on walking.
Faith was still waiting for Wesley's call back half an hour later. She grabbed the phone as soon as it started to ring.
"We're here." He said. "I'm passing you over."
"Ta, Wes." Faith said, and waited for the Host to come on the line.
"Hey sweetie." He said. "What's up?"
"Will this soul reading thing work over the phone?"
"Well, it's a little out of the ordinary....You'll really have to put your heart in it...."
Faith glanced around at the busy street. Lucky she wasn't the shy type, she thought to herself. She started to sing the first song that came into her head.
"Every finger in the room is pointing at me I wanna spit in their faces Then I get afraid of what that might bring I got a bowling ball in my stomach I got a desert in my mouth Figures that my courage would choose to sell out now I've been looking for a saviour in these dirty streets Looking for a saviour beneath these dirty sheets I've been raising up my hands Drive another nail in Just what God needs One more victim Why do we crucify crucify ourselves Everyday I crucify myself And nothing I do is good enough for you Crucify myself everyday And my heart is sick of being in chains Got a kick for a dog begging for love I gotta have my suffering so that I can have my cross I know a cat named Easter He says will you ever learn You're just an empty cage, girl If you kill the bird I've been looking for a saviour in these dirty streets Looking for a saviour beneath these dirty sheets I've been raising up my hands Drive another nail in Got enough guilt to start My own religion Why do we crucify crucify ourselves Everyday I crucify myself And nothing I do is good enough for you Crucify myself everyday And my heart is sick of being in chains Please be save me I cry.... I've been looking for a saviour in these dirty streets Looking for a saviour beneath these dirty sheets I've been raising up my hands Drive another nail in Where are those angels When you need them?"
"Lovely!" The Host said.
"Well?"
He sighed loudly. "This isn't your path."
"Will it work?!" Faith yelled, causing an old lady who was passing by to jump.
"Yes, I think so." He admitted. "But-" He heard the click of the phone. He shook his head. "That girl has some major issues." He said, to no one in particular.
"Have you found anything?" Faith asked as she walked back into the shop.
Willow nodded. "Yeah, I think we've worked out a way." She sighed. "But Buffy called. The doctor says that if Giles is in a coma much longer, it's going to start affecting his brain. The longer we leave them, the more chance there is that her won't wake up at all."
"But you can make this thing solid?" Faith asked.
"Yes, but I don't know if we're going to do it in time." She placed her hand gently on Faith's shoulder. "Want to know the truth?"
Faith just looked at her, afraid of what the witch was going to say.
"The truth is, I think you should go be with Buffy." Willow said softly. "She'd want you to be with her."
Faith nodded mutely, not trusting herself to be able to form words, then she turned and walked out.
Tara fell forward on her hands as soon as Faith was out the door. Willow stroked her hair, watching the black mark on her back get darker. "Can you keep going?" She whispered.
Tara nodded, pulling herself back up and wiping the sweat from her forehead. "It's almost time...."
Faith's hands encircled Buffy's waist from behind. "I'm glad you came...." The blonde slayer whispered.
Faith nodded. "How are they?"
"The same." Buffy turned to her. "Have they found anything?"
"Yes." She said. She hesitated before telling Buffy the truth. "They don't know how long it's gonna take though."
"By sunset." Buffy said. "We can't wait any longer."
"But maybe just a few hours more-"
Buffy shook her head. "I won't be able to do it." She said, stroking her girlfriend's hair. "If I put it off...."
Faith nodded again, hugging her tighter. "We only have-"
"An hour." Buffy finished.
"Do you want to stay here?"
Buffy paused. "I should.... but what can I do?" She turned to face the dark slayer. "I said goodbye." She continued. "I want to say goodbye to you." She kissed her and led her out of the hospital.
"That's the great thing." Willow said, trying to lighten the mood slightly. "We don't have to run to the magic shop all the time, because we're here already and that's much easier-"
Tara kissed her gently. "Ssh."
Willow nodded. "Do we have everything?"
"Yes." Tara began to lay out their ingredients.
"Are you strong enough?"
Tara smiled. "Of course."
The two slayers stood in Buffy's bedroom, holding each other tightly.
"I want to say so much...." Buffy whispered into Faith's ear.
"I know, B." She replied. "It's OK." Faith reached out a hand and turned on the radio. "Dance with me."
They moved slowly, never letting their grip loosen.
"I wish we had more time...." Buffy said, a tear falling from her eye. "There's never enough...." She kissed her softly. "I want you to do something for me." She said.
Faith looked at her softly and nodded.
"Stay in Sunnydale." Buffy asked her. "Look after Dawn and my friends. They need someone..."
Faith's tears started to fall as she kissed her again. "I won't let you down." She murmured. The two slayers looked out of the window as the sun began to set.
"Come forth!" Willow called out. "Seek the slayer!"
The candle flames danced in the wind that rushed around them.
"Come forth!" She shouted again. The power between the two witches hissed and crackled.
"Seek-" Willow jumped up as Tara collapsed. "Tara! Are you OK?" She leapt to her girlfriend's side. The blonde witch sat up.
"I'm OK." She gasped. "Again, quick!"
Willow looked uncertain. "You're not strong enough...."
"I'm OK!" She yelled. "Look, I have resolve face too. Just give me a moment." She finished, steadying herself.
"That's it." Buffy said, as the sun sank beneath the horizon. She looked at her girlfriend through tear stained eyes. "I want you to do it." She said.
Faith just looked at her as she lifted her sword and placed it in Faith's hands.
"Please."
Faith nodded, fresh tears falling. Buffy knelt in front of her.
<Angel was kneeling in front of her, the pain they had caused each other momentarily forgotten. "I love you.">
"I love you." Buffy whispered.
Faith nodded reassuringly. "I love you."
<Buffy touched his lips with her fingers, ready to kill her lover to save the world. "Close your eyes." Buffy pulled her arm back and thrust the sword into him.>
Faith leaned in gently and touched her girlfriend's lips softly. "Close your eyes." She whispered.
Buffy did as she was told.
Faith looked at her for a moment. "I love you." She whispered again.
She pulled her arm back, dropped the sword and punched Buffy in the face with all her strength, knocking her out.
"But I never made you any promises."
Faith knelt, kissed her girlfriend and picked up the sword. She raised it, pointing it towards herself and hesitated. She looked at Buffy, so peaceful. Even after all they had gone through, all the demons they had killed, Buffy still managed to look perfectly innocent while she slept. Faith lowered the sword slowly. She couldn't do it here, couldn't let her wake up to find her.... Faith shook her head and left the room, heading to the one place that seemed right.
Buffy woke a few minutes later. Groaning, she looked around the room. "Oh no." She whispered, looking around the room and seeing a lack of Faith. She got up, rubbing her head and ran out of the room.
Buffy ran through the streets of Sunnydale, following her instincts that told her where Faith was heading. "Thank god for slayer connections." She muttered.
Faith walked into her old apartment. The window was still smashed, some of her clothes were lying over the floor, a reminder of the fight that was supposed to kill her. She walked to the window and jumped out onto the balcony. The dark slayer knelt by the wall and closed her eyes. "I love you, B." She whispered.
She raised the sword and pointed it towards her chest. Faith took a deep breath and thrust it towards her chest. She opened her eyes as she met resistance and saw Buffy staring at her, the blonde's arm gripping her wrist tightly.
"No way." The blonde said firmly.
"Seek the slayer!" Willow commanded once more. The candles blew out and the room became dark. The redhead looked at her girlfriend as they heard a howl from somewhere far away. The wind swirled around their ears, deafening their shouts. The two witches fell apart, exhausted.
"This isn't your fight." Buffy said, as her girlfriend stood up to face her.
<"That's mine." Faith said, looking at the knife in Buffy's hand. "You're about to get it back." The blonde replied.>
"That's mine." Buffy said, pointing at the sword.
"It's mine now." Faith said, taking a step backwards.
"This is my fight." Buffy stepped towards her. "Not yours."
"Of course!" Faith grinned. "It's your job. You're the slayer. I'm just a big mistake."
Buffy shook her head. "That's not what I mean."
"What do you mean?" Faith asked.
"I mean, you don't have to be the hero here." She replied.
"And you do?" Faith snapped. "Shit, B. I'm not doing this to be a hero."
Buffy looked at her questioningly.
Faith shrugged. "I can't let you kill yourself." She said. "I can't be here without you. Not again."
Buffy place her hand on Faith's. "And you think I can? Why the Hell do you think I ran after you?"
"Because it's who you are. You're a hero. I'm no good at being noble." Faith smiled weakly. "But you don't have to be a genius to see that the world needs you more than it needs me."
Buffy shook her head. "You're my hero, Faith." She said softly.
Faith stared at her disbelievingly for a second. She opened her mouth to reply and then stopped, staring over Buffy's shoulder. Buffy turned around and gasped.
The figure must have been eight feet tall, and it was dressed in a hooded black robe. It pulled down it's hood to reveal a skeletal face with large black eyes. Buffy winced as it opened it's mouth to speak, showing rows of razor sharp teeth. "Your discussion is destined to become academic." It growled. "Both shall die."
Buffy and Faith stood side by side, Faith with a sword, Buffy eying the apartment for a weapon. "We're not going to die." Buffy said, sounding more confident than she felt. "If we did, all our arguing would be pointless." She lunged at the figure, who pushed her away with ease. Faith growled and thrust her sword at it. The figure picked up a pole and fenced with the dark slayer, Faith had the feeling that he was mocking her. Damn, she thought. I hate that.
Buffy took the opportunity to jump back into the apartment and grabbed a sword of her own. Faith definitely had some weapon fetish going on, she thought briefly as she noticed the abundance of knives and swords placed around the room. She leapt back out to join in the fight.
"Maybe we should go help?" Tara gasped.
Willow shook her head. "You're too weak." She said to the blonde. "I think we should go to the hospital, see how the guys are doing." She took Tara's hand gently and walked towards the door. We'll find out soon enough, she thought to herself.
"Ever seen the Phantom Menace?" Faith grinned as she deftly parried another stroke. "Good guys versus Darth Maul here?" She thought for a moment. "I think our clothes are better though...."
"Faith!" Buffy shouted. "Shut up!"
"Right." Faith grinned, glancing at her girlfriend. "Sorry." Catching her off guard, the skeletal figure rammed the pole into her side. Faith went crashing down. Buffy leapt over to her. The figure just grinned evilly.
<"Man, I'm going to miss this." Faith said. Buffy took advantage of the second of distraction and thrust Faith's knife into her side.>
Faith gasped. "Just do it." She said, brushing the blonde's hand. "I'm dead anyway."
Buffy looked at her for a second. The laughter behind her getting quieter. "If she dies, you die too!" She yelled.
The figure just kept laughing. "But we'll be even."
Faith looked into Buffy's eyes. "Final redemption, huh?" She smiled weakly. "Man, I'm going to miss this."
"No you're not." Buffy said and whipped around, stabbing the figure straight in the heart. He howled, long and painfully. "This isn't over!" He shouted, before fading from view.
"They always have to say something. They never just leave." Buffy said helping her girlfriend up gently.
The nurse patched Faith's wound up and smiled at her. "This is healing very quickly." She said. "You can go if you want." The nurse left the room and left Faith smiling sheepishly at Buffy.
"Everyone is OK?" Faith asked.
Buffy nodded. "They're going to keep them in for a day or two to make sure, but they're OK."
"B, I'm-"
Buffy kissed her. "I know. So am I." She smiled at her girlfriend and pulled her down from the bed. "So, do you think this means no exercise?" She asked innocently, pointing at Faith's wound.
Faith grinned. "Well, she said it was healing pretty fast...." She replied as Buffy pulled her out of the room.
Tired as they were, neither slayer could, or would, sleep that night. They lay in each other’s arms, lost in the sound of their breathing and the rhythm of their bodies. Buffy traced Faith’s back slowly, feeling the sweat that was still glistening on her skin.
“Hey....” She whispered. Faith turned over to face her, smiling softly.
“Hey.”
Buffy moved her hands up to her hair, running her fingers through the dark mane. She was recovering from the slight shock of the experience that was making love with Faith. The dark slayer had been gentle, more gentle that Buffy would have imagined, but there had been a passion there that Buffy didn’t know existed.. The blonde couldn’t help but smile when she had realised that Faith had been just as nervous as she. Still, from the moment they had tumbled into bed together, Faith’s full, soft lips on hers, Buffy had never been more sure of anything. Nothing had ever felt so right before. And so they lay together, enclosed in each other’s embrace, something that Faith had never done. It was a closeness she had never felt, never wanted to feel, with anyone else. And Buffy was glad she could be the one to show her the beauty of intimacy. Buffy snapped out of her thoughts as she noticed Faith looking at her expectantly, and she remembered that she had been about to say something. She smiled and kissed her gently. “Are you OK?”
Faith nodded. “Sure, B.” She paused for a moment, wanting certainty, conformation of Buffy’s feelings. Damn it, she thought, when the Hell did she get so nervous?
Buffy grinned, reading her thought. “I love you, Faith.” She said, “And I meant it, what I said before. You’re my hero.” She whispered.
Faith looked at her questioningly.
Buffy continued. “I see who you are, what you’ve overcome, and I love you. You’ve always been this force.” She said, struggling to find the words. “I always felt so free with you, like I could be exactly who I wanted to be, and you’d accept that.”
Faith smiled. “I still betrayed your trust tonight.”
“Want to know a secret?” Buffy asked. “I would have done the same thing. I don’t want to be here without you.” Buffy suddenly remembered something she had been meaning to ask. “How did you know? That it would work if you died?”
“I called the Host, y’know, Angel’s friend? I had to sing in the street.” She grinned.
“But why did you-?”
Faith kissed her gently. “I feel you, B. Always have I guess, but even more since the prophesy. I feel you in my veins, under my skin. It’s like you’re part of me.”
Buffy nodded, letting herself feel what the other slayer always had. “I get it.” She smiled.
“Are you happy?”
Buffy grinned. “Like never before.” She replied, kissing her again.
...continued in The People We Are...