BUFFY’S POV
We’re in my office catching up for nearly four hours. I tell of my travels around the world collecting wayward Slayers and Faith describes her adventures with the PtB in other dimensions.
“Ok, just because you’ve been on some mission for good and picked up some more super powers along the way doesn’t mean you can just waltz back into my life.”
“I know.” Faith looks down.
“Ten years is a long time, a lot’s changed. I’ve changed.”
“I know.” She sighs, resigned.
“It really hurt when you left me in LA.”
“I know.” She rises. Turning from me she stuffs her hands in her pockets.
“Is that all you can say?” I’m starting to get irritated.
“Nope.” Faith looks up grinning.
“You’re funny, very funny.” I laugh in spite of myself.
“Come on, you hungry?”
“Absolutely starved.”
“Let’s get out of here. I saw a nice place downtown when Ken and I were coming back this morning. What do you say? My treat...”
“It’s a deal. Just let me check in with Kennedy. I’ll meet you out front.”
I tell Ken we’re going out for dinner. She assures me all is fine and she’s just waiting for her turn to talk to Emma, who’s still with Willow. “Be easy on her Ken, she needs to come up to speed relatively quickly. There’s a lot going on with her”
“I know, I read your notes. Don’t worry Buff; we’ll be pals in no time.”
“She’s kinda freaked by Will and Faith; somehow she can sense their power. She hasn’t said anything but I think she’s holding something back afraid we will punish her like they did at the hospital. I get the feeling she’s very strong.”
“You want me to keep an eye on her to see if she let’s anything slip?”
“No detective Kennedy, I want you to be honest and open with her. It’s important she trusts us and knows we’re here to help.” I stand laughing a little.
“Sure thing, Boss”
“Thanks Ken, I really don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Kennedy waves me away, looking back at her notes.
“Call me on my cell if you need me, ok?”
“Not doing it, go have a good time.” She smiles as I leave.
KENNEDY’S POV
I can’t help but smile. She hasn’t looked this happy since, well, in a long time. I’m still reading over my notes when Willow brings Emma into my office. “Hi there!”
“Hi. Are you feeling better?” Emma asks.
“Yeah, the only thing really hurt was my pride, so nothing to worry about.” I laugh as I look up to Will. “You guys all done?”
Willow gives me an odd look then says, “Well, for now we are. I’ll see you later ok? Goodnight Emma.”
“Goodnight Willow.”
As Will leaves I watch Emma wait for me to begin. When I don’t she glances up at me, “She doesn’t trust me.”
“Whoa, where is that coming from?” Shit the kid’s right, but how... “She doesn’t know you yet is all. None of us do, but I want to change that.” I’m thinking I better find out what this girl is all about and soon. “So, it says here before going to the hospital in Durban you’re originally from Camps Bay. What’s that like?”
“It’s beautiful there, right next to the water.” She gets a dreamy look in her eyes, remembering where she grew up. “If you drive down the Cape, you can see the two oceans meet; the Atlantic so strong and blue, the Indian a radiant warm green. It’s like the meeting of two worlds, rather like you and your witch I’d imagine.”
My eyebrows pop up as I clear my throat. Now I’m not sure how I’m going to respond to that one on many levels so I pause for a moment. “You have a talent I see. Did you hide it from Willow?”
Emma bows her head then nods.
“Ok, so you tell me she doesn’t trust you, but I think it’s you who doesn’t trust her.”
She nods again.
“Emma, you can talk to me, a lot of the girls do. We were going to talk about getting your Slayer training going, but I think this is more important. Do you think you can trust me?”
She looks at me for a long while, as if reading me, it’s kinda creepy. “I think so.” She says it so thoughtfully. “It’s just that she has so much power, it’s pure and overwhelming. It scares me because I can see it takes a toll on her to control it.” She looks away then begins again. “Now Faith’s power is massive but, I’m not afraid of her because her control of her gifts is absolute.” She stops again, regarding me for a moment then continues. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to be mean to your girlfriend. I think she’s quite nice really, just a little scary with the magic.” She is so apologetic; she really doesn’t want to make waves.
I take a deep breath then slowly let it out. “I’ve known Willow very well for over ten years Emma, and she’s never lost that control. There have been plenty of times where most people would have, but she knows how to control it. Even more important, who to go to for help if she feels she can’t do it on her own. Now, I’m sure Will didn’t think you were being mean, just that you were hiding something from her, but if you want I’ll talk to her about what we discussed. Do I have your permission to talk to Willow? Because I really want your say-so before I do.”
She thinks for a moment, “Ok”
“Good. Now, did you like sitting in on the Slayer classes today?”
“Oh yes, very much so.”
“Do you think you can handle a couple of classes a week along with your academics?”
“I think so.”
“Done then. Willow and I will map out a curriculum of all your classes for you over the weekend then you can start fresh on Monday. Sound like a plan to you?”
“Sounds fab can’t wait to start.” Her enthusiasm sounds genuine. “Thanks Kennedy, for listening, for everything really. I needed to talk and Buffy seems quite occupied with Faith at the moment.” She gets up to leave.
“Anytime.” I smile at her. I think I’m really going to like this kid; she totally picked up all the vibes flying around here. And once she starts talking she just lays it on the line, no messing around. “One more thing, you should tell Buffy about your gift, it’s important for her to know.”
She pauses at the door, “I will, soon.”
LATER
BUFFY’S POV
We spend dinner talking about Angel and how he and the rest of the LA team managed to hold off the onslaught at the cost of their lives. How we had stayed put here as a back up and PtB sent Faith on her first mission. She tells me she tried to get to Venezuela afterwards to help Riley and Sam when the vamp infestation overran their camp but was too late. “I was still on the first assignment and I don’t want to say it was more important, I know how precious everyone’s life is. But I needed to finish that one first, there was no time left.”
I could tell something else was going on there, but could also see she still blamed herself for not getting to both. “Hey,” I place my hand on hers, “no one can be everywhere.”
Faith sighs deeply then runs her hands through her hair, “Yeah, I know.”
It was late when we get back but Ken and Will were up going over Emma’s file and trying to sort out the best program for her. Not wanting to disrupt, I suggest a nightcap in the living room.
Faith is sitting on the couch when I return with an open bottle of wine and two glasses. “Hope you like Cab.” I ask as I pour.
“Not much I don’t like.” She says still a little somber.
“Yeah, I remember.” I smile as we touch glasses and sit back.
Faith looks at me, “Buffy, I have to tell you something else.”
I close my eyes expecting her to say she’s leaving again.
My eyes flash open as she says, “It’s about Xander.”
Looking up at her I furrow my eyebrows, “But he disappeared years ago...” my eyes got very wide, “You know what happened to him?” I grasp Faith’s hand.
Faith rubs my hand and starts her story:
“My biggest reason for taking the deal with the PtB was so I could get a chance to really make amends to everyone’s life I messed up. I’ll tell you about the others if you want, but Xander needed to be dealt with quickly. You see, working for the Powers you get to see more than probably anyone should, so I don’t know if you were aware of the level of depression he was in after Anya died.”
“We all knew he took it really hard.”
“It was more than that B, he was using, heavy.”
“Using, what are you talking about?”
“Heroin.”
“No way.”
“Drinking just wasn’t enough for him. Then some skell vamp turned him onto the drugs telling Xander he would be able to see her again.” Faith stops to take a sip of wine and continues slowly, “When I found the vamp I literally ripped his head off with my bare hands.” She’s looking down swirling her wine glass, obviously not happy with her loss of control even after all these years.
“That was the first time I asked the PtB to leave this dimension. I searched and finally found an alternate universe where Anya was alive and actually destined to lead a long life. I asked them to let me bring him there, but they refused. They said his death would influence all of your lives and they wouldn’t take the chance you guys could possibly go down a different road. But he was getting really bad, there was...” she pauses then looks up at me, “there was no time left.” She sees my eyes grow wider, knowing I understand the choice she made she continues. “So I made another deal with them: I told them I’d stay with them if they let me bring him there and that I would make sure all your paths stayed true.”
“Wait a minute; you changed stuff in our lives?” I break in.
“Not exactly” She answers a little cagey, “I guided events to their natural occurrence in each of your lives as if I hadn’t taken Xander to the other dimension.”
“Wow, that’s a mouthful. It must have taken a ton of work.” I look at her trying not to get bogged down in the fact that she’s effectively tweaked our lives all this time and we never realized. “So that’s why 10 years?” Realizing I’m still holding onto her hand, I intertwine my fingers with hers.
She looks at our hands then back up at me, “Yeah, I checked up on them before I came here.” She laughs, “He thinks I sell insurance. Anyway, they’re happy, have kids, the whole nine yards. He doesn’t remember us, what happened in Sunnydale or here, the Powers insisted on it. But he’s happy, it was a good deal, it was the right thing to do.”
“Thank you.”
We both jump hearing Willow’s voice, immediately letting go of each other’s hand.
“I didn’t know what to do to stop him. I felt so helpless, but this is like a gift, you brought him to a place where he could have what he always wanted, a family.” She looks down and holds Faith’s gaze. “I can’t thank you enough.” Will turns to me, “I’m really sorry to barge in, I just wanted to say good night, I didn’t want to interrupt, “she looks at Faith again, “then I couldn’t.”
“It’s ok, Red. I’m glad you know he’s happy.
“Will?” Kennedy came in behind her. Seeing the dazed look in eyes, “You ok?”
“Yeah, just saying goodnight” she takes her hand.
“Goodnight.” Ken calls behind her as Willow leads her away.
We sit quietly for a while, just drinking our wine. Not saying anything because we really didn’t have to. I can’t imagine what she must have gone through these past ten years. She’s sacrificed so much to make amends and I know she hasn’t even begun to tell me half of what’s happened to her.
When Faith gets up, I look at her questioningly.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
“Red reminded me that I have something for you. Why don’t you give me a refill,” she points to her empty glass, “and I’ll be back in a second.”
“Ok” I have no idea what she was up to, so I fill our glasses and wait.
She returns with a small brown bag. Sitting down, she holds it on her lap. “Now I told you I’ve been to other dimensions right?”
I nod, not sure where she’s going with this.
“Well, time is one dimension I traveled though a lot. So when I knew I was coming here, I had to go back for some things.” Faith reaches into the bag, “Now close your eyes”
I comply.
Once Faith makes a lot of noise getting whatever it is out of the bag, I feel the air move in front of my face. “Now open them.”
I open my eyes to Mom and Dawn and me. It’s the picture that was on the end table in my living room in Sunnydale. The house that was swallowed up with my other memories when the town was destroyed.
“Oh God.” I gently reach out and take it. Tears start to flood from my eyes, I turn to her, “Do you have any idea...”
Faith becomes nervous, “Should I not have...”
I shake my head and touch the picture as if it’s fine lace, “This is the best present any one ever gave me.” I place it in my lap and reach out to touch her hand again, “Thank you.”
Faith laces our fingers together and squeezes. “I have one more.” With her free hand she removes another framed photo from the bag and gives it to me. This one was the original Scoobys: Me, Angel, Giles, Willow, Xander and Cordy.
“I can’t believe it. Oz took this, it was my seventeenth birthday, we were all so young. We had just realized that we could photograph Angel if we used a digital camera.” I look back and forth between the two photos then back at Faith, “I can never thank you enough for these. I just can’t tell you how much it means to me.”
“Everything was so fucked up before. I was such a disaster especially to you. I wanted to do something to make you really happy for a change, something special.”
I lean my head on Faith’s shoulder,” You did, very much so,” Looking at the pictures again, I sigh.
“You ok?”
I bend forward to put the pictures on the coffee table, then lean back into Faith. “Yeah, it’s just we lost so many”
She puts her arm around me and draws me near, “But we found others too: Willow found Kennedy, Giles found Olivia, no matter what they say, Dawn found Andrew.” We both laugh for a moment. “And I found you... again.”
I look up at her, “Yes.”
As I reach my hand to her face, she leans into me and a kiss that’s been waiting 10 very long years. My thumbs caress her cheeks holding her mouth to mine before I slide my arms around her neck. As she pulls me into her arms she rains kisses over my eyes, jaw, lips. I can barely keep consciousness when Faith moans into my mouth as our tongues finally reunite; my Slayer senses are on total overload. The heat, the raw passion is like a rampant fire near out of control. I can feel my entire body reacting to hers. We break apart breathless, wanting, but also desperately needing to savor every second.
“Wow.”
“Yeah” she agrees.
I lean my head against her chest and wrap my arm around her waist. Faith encircles me in her arms, holding me close. I’m fixated on the pounding in her chest, trying to separate it from mine, but can’t. The rapid thumping has me hanging on its rhythm. I don’t even realize I’m being lulled to sleep by the delicious sound of Faith’s heartbeat in my ear until I faintly hear her call my name.
“Buffy?” she whispers. “I’m gonna go and let you beat this jetlag.”
I tighten my hold on her then look up into those deep brown eyes, “Stay.”
Faith takes a breath and lets it out very slowly.
“I promise I’m too tired to take advantage of you.”
She laughs, “Do you?”
I disentangle myself from her and rise, picking up the pictures she gave me. She still seems to be thinking about what to do when I hold out my hand to her. Looking up at me, she takes it and follows me up to the third floor.
“Tank and boxers good?” I ask as I put the pictures on my dresser.
“Yeah.”
I hand her one of each. Then grab my own and go into the adjoining bathroom.
“I put out a new toothbrush for you. Here at Slayer-Central there are always extras.” I say as I walk back into the room.
Faith has already changed and is sitting on the edge of the bed. She smiles at me, “thanks.” She takes her turn getting washed up.
When she comes out I’m lying in bed under the covers. She slips in next to me. I turn out the light and slide over to her. Faith gathers me in her arms, and I can’t believe how right it feels, like I belong there. I turn to face her and through the dim light coming in from the window I take her in, not believing the past 24 hours have been real. She pulls me closer, kissing me softly. When we break apart I lay my head back on her shoulder.
Suddenly, I’m incredibly nervous. There’s a slow current of energy flowing between us and I want this so much but I’m so scared. Once again I can’t help the tumble of words from my mouth: “So, I know this is going to sound stupid, but I want to take this slow. Ok, I know we’re in bed together after you’ve been here for like a day, but if you think about it, how much slower can this possibly be – what’s it been like 14 years in the making? But what I really mean to say is I don’t want to rush...”
“Shhhh.” Mercifully, her fingers are on my lips stopping me from continuing. “Nothing is going to happen until you want it to happen.” She kisses my forehead, “Go to sleep.”
“K” I mumble as I snuggle in and for this first time in weeks I do.
BUFFY’S POV
Morning was breaking and the warmth from the sun was slowly creeping into the room. It was early, too early for a Saturday morning that’s for sure. I’m not quite awake and rather content to stay right here in this in-between state: feeling safe, at ease and surrounded by warmth. Almost every inch of my body is touching that warmth and I love the tingly feeling coming from it. Two strong arms are holding me close, one wrapping under my neck, the other low over my waist. I feel a steady breath on the back of my neck and it’s driving me a little crazy. When that breath turns into light kisses, I open my eyes. “Mmmm, this better not be a dream.”
“No, not a dream.” Faith whispers in my ear as she pulls me closer into her body.
I turn around to face her and smile. Leaning in I kiss her bottom lip, then the top. It starts out so slowly, each of us playfully nipping at the other’s lips. The want soon escalates though and I pull her to me locking onto her mouth. My whole body is suddenly raging, pulsing with hers; our Slayer connection is driving me insane. I’ve never wanted someone like this, it’s so overwhelming, almost consuming. I can’t imagine what making love to her will be like when I can barely control myself just kissing her. But I’m getting the feeling I’m going to find out very soon.
By some miracle she’s found the strength to pull away, I know I couldn’t have. “Buffy” Faith pants, her hands run through my hair, down the length of my sides then back up again. Her eyes search mine, asking, needing to be sure this is what I want.
“Please, don’t stop.” I can barely manage the words.
Tenderly she starts kissing down my neck. Covering the mark Angel left with her lips, she slowly closes her mouth. I gasp, arching into her as her teeth scrape against my skin. “Don’t ever stop” I breathe. Pulling her tank over her head I run my nails over the smoothness of her bare back. Her lips find mine again as my hands drift down to the waistband of her boxers.
She brings me up to a sitting position and cups my face in her hands. “So many years...” her words float away as her fingers leisurely trail down my sides. She grabs the ends of my shirt, as if moving in slow motion; she lifts it off, all the while never breaking eye contact. Wrapping me in her arms she closes her eyes as we both reel from the contact of our bare skin.
So many things kept us apart over the years: betrayal, prison, death and finally years of separation; but now nothing could stop us from being together, not even ourselves. We try our best to make up for every minute of our lost past. As the hours go by our movements become more unhurried and deliberate. What started as an almost frantic ravaging quickly turned to slow, gentle love-making. The only goal is the other’s pleasure.
Finally spent and sated, my head is on her chest and she’s stroking my hair. I’m tracing the outline of the scar I gave her and I think of how crazy everything was back then. I crawl down her side to kiss it. I look up at her when I feel her breath catch.
“I’m really glad you want to take this slow, cause any faster would have definitely killed me.” she smirks.
I move back up and swat at her shoulder, “I think I had a little help.”
Faith chuckles, “maybe a little.” She draws me into a hug, “I can’t believe I’m saying this but, I have to go. I have an appointment with a realtor this morning to find an apartment. And I still have to get back to the hotel to shower and change.”
I pull her over to rest her head on my chest “It’s too early for you to leave; I had visions of lying in bed all day, talking, napping, then waking again...”
“Having half the house make a lot of noise trying to be quiet not to disturb us?”
“Hmmm, you may have a point there.”
After a few more protests from me, Faith gets up and starts to dress. “How about I come by after I find a place? Since I don’t own a stick of furniture or more than a couple of changes of clothes, there could be some shopping in your future.” She sits back on the edge of the bed to put on her boots.
“You think I can still be bribed with shopping after all these years? Ok, I can, so not the point,” letting the sheet fall as I sit up, I take the boot out of her hand and drop it on the floor. Wrapping both my arms and legs around her I draw her into a passionate kiss. “I’m not ready for you to go yet,” I whisper then kiss her again, this time pulling her down on top of me.
“God,” Faith struggles for breath. “How am I supposed leave now?”
“That’s the whole idea.” I whisper in her ear, then start to nibble.
“I don’t care what the PtB say, you’re evil.” She smiles, not a smirk this time, but a real smile.
“Uh huh, that’s me up there with vamps, demons, the First...” I trail my hand up and down her side.
Leaning on one arm, hovering over me, Faith reaches up to tuck a piece of my hair behind my ear, then looks down. “B?” she asks seriously.
I tilt my head and furrow my eyebrows at the tone in her voice, “Yeah?” I suddenly feel exactly how naked I am in every sense of the word.
Slowly she looks up searching my eyes; “I…” her hand slides to my face, rubbing her thumb against my check, “I love you, Buffy. I always have.”
“Oh Faith,” so relieved, I hug her tightly. I thought, well, I don’t know what I thought, but whatever it was, it wasn’t good. “I love you too, so very much.”
“I’ll be back in a few hours ok?”
“You go find your apartment, just make sure it’s close by.”
“You bet. Try to get some sleep.” Faith kisses me then quietly closes the door. I wrap myself up in the covers knowing I have an idiotic grin on my face but I don’t care. Rolling over onto her pillow I breathe in deeply filling my senses with her then fall back asleep.
FAITH’S POV
Amazingly I make it out of the house before anyone was up. I think I’ve made a clean break until I see Emma sitting on the front steps in her own boxers and tank top. “Hi.”
“Good morning Faith.” Emma says taking in the boots and jacket in my hands, “Are you sneaking out?”
Put off, I growl at her, “Not sneaking, just don’t want to wake anyone up on a Saturday morning is all. What are you doing up so early? And you have to be freezing.” I put my leather jacket over her shoulders.
Emma pulls it around herself then blushes and looks down.
“What is it? Are you ok?” I’m concerned.
“It was you and Buffy,” she whispers, “Your energy is so strong I could feel it when you two were... eh... you know, so I came out here where I can’t feel you so much.”
“Ohhh,” I sit down next to her and think for moment. Turning to her I put on my boots, “What other things do you feel, Emma?”
“Oh, lots of things, but I try not to tell people, they always get angry. Not taking any pills has cleared my thoughts tremendously. I’ve been able to focus and pick up on things much better. Well, maybe too well.” She looks up at me and narrows her eyes a bit. “I’ve never felt the power and energy in someone quite like what you have, it comes off in waves.” She is so incredibly matter-of-fact. God, I was never that innocent.
“Yeah, masking,” I look down then back to her appraisingly, “I gotta work on that.”
“You can feel things too, I can tell.” She stops and looks at me as I see the puzzle pieces in her mind connecting. “That’s why you seem so familiar to me.”
I finally understand the vibe I’ve been getting from her, “The family in South Africa, they’re not your real parents are they?”
Her eyes are downcast, “No.” She looks up pleadingly, “Are you gonna tell? Please don’t tell, she’ll send me back.”
“Buffy will not send you back. But you have to promise me you’ll talk to her when she gets up and tell her everything, ok?”
“But, I’m scared. I don’t want to go back, Faith, I can’t do it.”
“You have nothing to be scared about. Look, I have to go out for a little while. If you want, you can wait for me and we’ll do it together, do you want to do that?”
Emma thinks for minute, “No, it’s ok, I can do it. Just make sure you come back soon, ok? I feel safer when both of you are here.”
Now I narrow my eyes, “You don’t feel safe here?”
“Can’t explain it, just a feeling, but I don’t feel it when both you and Buffy are here.”
“Ok, stay put today, and stay close to Buffy, she’ll take care of you.”
“Ok,” she stands and hands my jacket back, “thanks, I’ll see you later.”
I walk to my bike shaking my head. I’m such an ass. I should have realized the girl is part demon. That coupled with being called as a Slayer must have really been a rude awaking for a young girl. I wonder what happened to her real parents. And how come that other family didn’t tell Buffy?
WILLOW’S POV
“So, what do you want for breakfast?” My head is in the fridge surveying the goodies, or lack thereof more like it, hmmm, probably have to do a grocery order today.
“Whatever you feel like making baby.” Kennedy’s head is already in her laptop, reading the headlines. I notice she’s stolen the first cup of coffee out of the pot before it was finished.
“How about scrambled eggs?”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Is there enough for me too?”
I turn around to see Emma in the kitchen doorway.
“Well, hi there, Emma.” Kennedy looks up from the computer, “so you’re hungry huh? Well you’re in luck cause Will here makes some mean scrabbled eggs.
“I’m not interrupting anything am I?” Emma is still standing in the doorway.
“Just the whole ‘what-do-I-make-for-breakfast-conversation’, come on in,” I coax, “sit down. I’m thinking you are a little young for coffee, huh? Hmm, we have some English Breakfast tea if you want?” Please God, let her warm up to me.
Her face brightens as she sits down. “Tea would be great.”
Kennedy explained how Emma felt last night then I told her how Faith saved Xander. There’s so much going on right now we decided we can sort out what kind of gifts she has later. For Pete’s sake the kid’s only been here a day. I just don’t want her to feel she needs to hide anything or be scared of me. Well, not that I should be taken lightly, I can be a force to be reckoned with, just ask that Fyral demon, ha I sure showed him... and, and I can still be a complete ass too. I laugh to myself as I make breakfast.
“Willow, some of the girls say you have an incredible library. May I see it after we eat?”
“Of, course, I’ll show you how the databases work too if you want.”
“Cool, thanks.”
I look at Kennedy for a moment. We talked about me reaching out to her, but it looks like she’s reaching out to me. “Emma, I want you to forget about yesterday. You and me,” I wave my hand, “clean slate, ok?”
“But I want to apologize; I didn’t mean to be rude in any way.” She lowers her head.
Putting a plate in front of her, I pat her hand, “You weren’t, I know it’s hard to trust strangers when you’re far away from home, especially ones with mystical power, right? Look, magic is dangerous; I know that probably better than anyone here. But I want you to know, I’d never hurt you, that’s not how I operate, it’s not how we operate.”
“I know, I guess I just felt overwhelmed by it yesterday.”
“Good, now eat up, we’ll make Ken here do the dishes while we check out the library.”
Shocked, Kennedy looks up from the laptop, “Hey, how did I get stuck doing the dishes?”
TWO HOURS LATER
DAWNS POV
I walk into Buffy’s room expecting her to be working like she is every other Saturday at 10 o’clock in the morning. Instead she’s fast sleep, totally naked, half wrapped in the covers and hugging her pillow. “Holy crap!” I say out loud then try to creep out of her room. I’m almost to the door when I see my Mom’s eyes. How can that be here? My God and the old Scoobys... “B-B-Buffy?”
“Hhmmpph?” She replies.
“Buffeeeeeee!!!!” I’m trying really hard not to lose it; I don’t think I’m succeeding.
“Dawn?” She peers at me from under her hair. “What time is it? And why are you freaking out?”
“Buffy, where, how...” I’m just pointing at the pictures now.
Finally awake her gaze follows my finger, “Dawn it’s ok. Faith brought them back with her. She gave them to me last night.”
“Faith gave them to you? but how?”
I’m staring at her disbelievingly then a realization seems to hit me like that ton of bricks everyone talks about. I look at Buffy, the rumpled bed, her clothes on the floor, then back to her. “Holy crap” I repeat as I lean against the door, closing it.
“Dawn, ahh, I...” She is grabbing the sheet to herself then stops, “fuck it”. She gets up, puts her jammies back on then sits Indian-style on the bed. “Come on, sit”. She motions over to me.
I walk over and sit next to her still a little stunned.
“Are you ok?” She asks me.
“Am I ok? Shit, Buffy are you ok?”
She nods, “I’m very ok.”
I hold her gaze, “So you two finally...”
She takes a deep breath, “Yeah.” She’s a little dreamy. “Hey, what do you mean ‘finally’?”
“Please” I roll my eyes, “You can’t be serious.”
“That obvious, huh?” She blushes and lowers her head.
“Pretty much” I lean into her, bumping her shoulder, “Well?”
“Don’t even try to make me explain. She, we... it was incredible.”
“Wow”
“Yeah,” She looks at me and narrows her eyes, “you cool with this?”
“Yes, I am so happy for you.” I pull her into a big hug. “I was honestly starting to get really worried about you.”
She pulls back and gives me her patented Buffy-head-to-the-side-questioning-look, “Worried?”
“Well, yeah, since Jessie died all you’ve done is work. I know you were still dealing with what happened and everybody deals differently, but it’s been a couple of years so I was worried.”
“Ok, who’s the psychologist here?”
“Hmmm, sister’s prerogative?” We both laugh.
“Thanks Dawn but there’s not need for you to worry. I just didn’t want to get involved for a while.” She raises an eyebrow, “So now that we’re sister-sharing, does this mean you’re gonna tell me about you and Andrew?” She asks hopefully.
“We’re so not going there.” I nip that in the bud. “Now, how did Faith get the pictures?”
“Hmmm, alright.” She winks at me. “She went back in time and took them before Sunnydale imploded on itself. Pretty cool, huh?”
“Very cool, maybe you should ask her to go back again and get Mr. Gordo?”
“You know, at 32, I think I’m too old for Mr. Gordo.” She chuckles then pauses for a second. “You think she would?” Then we both crack up.
I get up and take the picture of us and Mom with me. “I’ll bring this back; I just want to scan it so I can make a copy. And Emma’s been looking for you. I’ll tell her you’ll be down soon ok?”
“Yeah, let me just grab a quick shower.”
“Will do. Oh and Buffy?”
“Yeah, Dawnie?”
“It’s a little chilly out today so I’d suggest a turtleneck. It will also come in handy to hide that love bite you got right here.” I can’t help but smirk at her as I point.
Her eyes widen as her hand goes to her neck, “Oh shit.”
“See you downstairs.” I chuckle leaving my sister with a bemused look on her face.
EMMA’S POV
I’m reading the Abridged Demon Guide that Willow lent me on the back yard deck when Buffy finds me. She looks very smart in her cream colored turtle neck and brown trousers. “You look like you’ve finally got some sleep. You seem quite rested and relaxed.” I say as I can’t help grinning.
She smiles at me, “Yes, I feel 1,000 times better today.”
“I’ll bet.” I nod as I make room for her next to me on the steps.
She pauses, trying to read my meaning, shrugs and sits down. “Ok, you going to tell me what’s going on with you? I can tell the drugs have worn off and you are by far more articulate than I thought you’d be without going to school.”
“Yes, the drugs have worn off and I’m so thankful you chose not to continue with them. As for my education, the hospitals had rather extensive libraries. So I tried to get through as many books as I could.”
“Hospitals? As in more than one?”
I nod.
“Let’s come back to that. Tell me about you Emma, I can sense there is more than meets the eye. And you’ll learn Slayer sense is rarely wrong. Now, out with it.”
“Well, I talked to Faith this morning before she left and she told me to speak with you but you have to promise not to send me back.” I look up at Buffy defiantly.
She looked quite taken aback. “Emma, we’ll never ‘send you back’ this is your home for as long as you want to stay. Think of us as your family now. Not that you can’t see your real family in South Africa of course, but we are here to give you all the love and support you need. Now come on, what did you tell Faith this morning?”
“They’re not my real family.” I stare out into the backyard.
“What?” She was incredulous.
“Ok, wait, you see, this morning I was awakened because I could feel Faith’s energy, well you and Faith, I mean it was so intense, oh God this is embarrassing.” I put my head in my hands; this was so much easier with Faith.
“You could feel us?” Buffy says as the color drains from her face.
Damn it, there is no way I can ever make eye contact with this woman again. “Well, yes. But I came outside where the feeling wasn’t as strong so I wouldn’t be... I don’t know, like eavesdropping, yeah?”
“Yeah, I guess.” She nods, still a little unnerved, but sees my point.
“So later when Faith saw me on the porch this morning I told her. She said I had to tell you everything and she said you wouldn’t send me back.” Out of the corner of my eye I can see she’s looking me, head cocked to the side, letting it all sink in. “I feel things Buffy, I sense what other people experience as if it’s me doing it, feeling it. I can’t stop it; it’s always been this way. It made the New Parents very angry.”
“The ‘New Parents’...”she sighs “and no one told me this because...”
“I would imagine they wanted to get rid of me. I’ve only been trouble to them.” I’m so incredibly scared; she is definitely going to send me back now.
“Where are your real parents, Emma?”
“They’re dead,” I can’t help it, I’m crying now. “When I was 8 there was an accident then I went to the New Parents. Please don’t send me back to them.” Oh God, I can’t do this, where’s Faith? I should have waited for her. Why does it feel so raw after all this time? I suddenly feel myself being lifted up and then I’m in Buffy’s arms and she’s holding me and smoothing my hair and I feel so amazingly safe but I can’t stop crying.
“Shhhh, it’s ok. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you anymore. You’re safe here. Shhhh. You’re home Emma.”
I can feel her love and kindness and, oddly, pain. Suddenly, I start to get this unbelievable sense of déjà vu. I concentrate for a moment, scanning my memory. Then I see a woman’s face; blonde hair pulled back, eyes shining, like she’d been crying, then it’s gone. I take a deep breath and break away from Buffy. Looking up at her I wipe my eyes. “Thanks, I’m ok now, really.” I sit down again. Whoa that was bizarre.
“We can do this later. Don’t feel...” she offers.
“No” I cut her off, “now is good, I’m, I’m fine.” I take another breath and start: “My Dad was a white witch. He had a lot of power like Willow does. My Mom was a demon and could feel things like me and Faith. She said she was going to teach me how to control it when I got older but... that never happened. I don’t remember everything, but there was some trouble and there was a big fight with magic and it got out of control. Then they were dead and I was alone. Then the New Parents came and took me away.”
“That’s why you’re scared of Willow? The fight with the magic?”
“Yeah, well not so much now. I talked to Kennedy about it yesterday, then Willow herself this morning, but she has so much power and it’s just like my Dad’s.”
“I know, don’t worry, she can handle it. She has for some time now.” She pauses then looks at me. “Emma, these New Parents, they had problems with your powers didn’t they?”
“Yes, they wanted me to stop using them, as if I could even if I wanted to.”
“So they took you to doctors to keep you drugged. Because if you’re drugged you don’t use the power.” Buffy sounds like she’s heard this part before, probably from other Slayers.
“Exactly, that’s why I became such an avid reader. There was nothing else I could do.”
“You said hospitals before; they put you in more than one?”
“Yeah, the first hospital was in Jo-burg. I really don’t remember why but some years ago I went to a new hospital in Durban.”
Buffy put her arm around me. “Ok, we can talk about that later, maybe we can ask Willow to help you remember some more. But I think we need to talk to Faith first. Let me give her a call then maybe the three of us will go out and get some lunch, ok?”
“Ok, I’d like that.”
DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND
FAITH”S POV
It takes me about three hours to get back to the hotel, take a quick shower, meet up with the realtor and find an apartment. My new-found money apparently opens a lot of doors. I check out of the hotel and seeing as I didn’t have any breakfast, decide to grab something at the diner I went to with Ken.
Just as I take the first bite into my cheeseburger, an average looking guy sits down next to me. “The PtB need to see you now.” He puts a scrap of paper in my hand.
“But I just got here. Don’t I get a little time off?” I mumble with a mouth full of food. I can’t believe it. I haven’t even been here three full days yet.
“Just go, now, they’re waiting for you.” He gets up and briskly walks out.
I pay the bill then find an internet café nearby to look up directions. I’m reading them over when my cell phone rings. Knowing only one person has the number I answer,
“Hey Ken.”
“Actually, it’s me,” Buffy responds. “Kennedy gave me your number.”
“”Hey B” I say softly. “Were you able to get back to sleep?”
“Yeah for a couple of hours, I was pretty wiped out.”
“Can’t imagine how that happened.”
“Yeah, well,” I could almost feel the blush on Buffy’s face. “I just talked to Emma and I wanted to run some things by you. Can you come by for lunch with us or are you still apartment hunting?”
“I found a furnished place about 10 blocks from you, but I can’t come by till later on. The PtB sent a messenger telling me to meet them. It’s about 20 miles out of town, so how about I come over after I’m done?”
“What do they want? Is something wrong?” She’s worried; I can hear it in her voice.
“Don’t know yet, they just said ‘come’ so I do. It shouldn’t take too long. Look, I’ll call you when I’m on my way back ok?”
“Ok, please be careful.”
“Will do, talk to you in a little bit.”
I put the phone in my pocket and drive to Macedonia.
The address was to an abandoned building. ‘Of course’, I think, ‘why isn’t it ever a swanky restaurant?’ As I close the door behind me I hear them speaking in unison, “Welcome.” Them speaking as one I got used to over the years, but it still creeps me out that they are so ghost-like, have been ever since the attack in LA. When their physical bodies were destroyed they transcended into pure essence. I guess they must expend a great deal of energy to actually appear physically before me, but I still wish they weren’t so, I don’t know... translucent? It’s just spooky.
“Hey” I call out as I approach them. “Love the name of the town, you guys are way dramatic. What’s up?”
“A darkness is coming, it craves the light.”
“When is it coming? What does it want and what light?”
“Answers will be found in questions from the past.”
“Ok, that’s helpful… I guess we’ll start the research as soon as I get back to the house.”
“Good.” They pause, “Faith, don’t let your new relationship with the slayer distract you.”
“I won’t.” I say a little indignantly. “So I guess I’ll never get more than a couple days off, huh?” I try to change the subject.
“Why do mortals always ask questions they know the answers to?” They sigh as if I’m a child; well to them I guess I am. “You are a champion, Faith, and always will be.”
“Got it.” Feeling defeated, I leave.
Pulling out my cell I straddle the bike and wait for someone to answer the phone. Buffy picks it up after the second ring. “Faith?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s bad isn’t it?” I’m sure Buffy can hear the tension in my voice.
“Not sure yet. I’ll be there in a half hour or so. We’re going to need everybody on this.”
“We’ll be waiting.”
