FAITH’S POV
The ride back was quick considering it was Saturday afternoon, but I wasn’t complaining. I sit on the front porch steps trying to clear my head before going in. I reach into my jacket and find a near empty pack of Marlboro Reds. I fish one out and light it. Taking a deep pull I hold it then slowly exhale, oh that’s so nice. Staring at the trails lofting up from the cigarette I wonder if Buffy is going to give me shit about smoking. Taking another drag I think about this morning with her, it was just perfect. I rest my head against the railing and close my eyes beginning to relive it.
“Hey” Buffy comes out then sits next to me, “are you ok?”
“Wow, they were right.” I shake my head.
“What, who was right?” She looks around.
“You distract me, just like the PtB said.”
“You told them about us? Buffy was incredulous.
“They told me, come on they are the PtB.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She laughs then looks at me, “Wait, they don’t like me?”
“Of course they do,” I smile and give her a quick kiss, “they just told me not to get distracted by you, then what happens a half hour after I tell them I won’t, huh?” I slip my arm around her and pull her a little closer. “Come on, I guess we better get in there so I can tell all before I forget.”
Buffy gives me a quick squeeze then jumps up. “Ok, let’s do this.”
“Yeah” I say as I get up.
LATER
“Just a darkness.” I say for the umpteenth time in the last two hours. Willow and Dawn were practically interrogating me. “They just said a darkness is coming, it craves the light. You can ask me ten more times and I’ll tell you the same fucking thing.” I’m getting angry and they know it.
Buffy steps in behind my chair and rests her hands on my shoulders, “I think we should take a break.”
“But we - ” Dawn interjects.
“Dawn,” Buffy says evenly, “a short break, 10-15 minutes.” Dawn and Andrew follow Willow to her office.
“Thanks B; I was getting close to losing it.”
Buffy leans her chin atop my head and sighs, “I know.”
Kennedy smiles at us, “How about I meet you guys on the back porch with some beers?”
My eyes light up, “That would be great, I knew there was a reason I’ve always liked you.”
Once we are alone, I take one of Buffy’s hands and pull her around and onto my lap, wrapping my arms around her. I put my head on her shoulder and take a deep breath.
Buffy hugs me tightly, “I know it’s hard, but they’re just trying to make sure you didn’t forget anything. Come on.” She stands pulling me up with her, we are so very close. I can feel the chills shoot through me as her lips brush against mine. Slowly Buffy breaks away. “Let’s get you a beer, maybe it will cover that cigarette smell.”
“Sorry,” I mumble.
As we walk out to the back, Buffy asks me, “Maybe you should tell them what the PtB said about us, well, me. It might be tied to it and it’s the only other thing they told you.”
“That’s one way to let everyone know we’re together.” I close the screen door behind us.
“Like we don’t already know.” Ken hands us each a beer from the stash she brought out. She touches both of our bottles, “Welcome back to the family.” We all laugh as we sit around the table and wait for the others.
“What is going on?” Willow is not happy. “Kennedy?”
“Look, she needs a break, we all do Will. Maybe by relaxing she’ll remember something else. Come on, lighten up.” Ken hands her a beer which she reluctantly takes.
“Cool, it’s a party!” Dawn says as she comes outside, “where’s mine?”
“Me too.” Andrew adds right on her heals.
Emma follows them out, “I guess you guys wouldn’t consider...”
“No” everyone says at once.
“Alright, alright, can’t blame a girl for trying, like none of you ever had a beer at fifteen,” she takes a seat next to me and sulks, “silly American laws.”
Kennedy looks over to Buffy, “Now what were you saying when you guys were coming out here?”
I answer, “Right after the PtB told me about this darkness business, they said,” I look directly at Willow, “and I quote: ‘Don’t let your new relationship with the Slayer distract you.’”
“Wow that’s huge, why didn’t you say that earlier?” Willow asks.
“I didn’t think it has anything to do with it. I still don’t, but Buffy said I should tell you.”
Buffy blushes a little and looks around for any kind of response that I basically told everyone we’re a couple. She only sees everyone concentrating really hard on making a connection if one does indeed exist.
Emma finally breaks the silence, “Is that exactly what they said?”
“I really think so,” I think for a moment, “Yes, word for word, why?”
Feeling all eyes on her she takes a nervous breath, “Well, how do you know they meant your new relationship with Buffy? I mean, I know you have a new relationship with Buffy, and that’s really great.” Emma’s blush is bordering on turning purple. She takes a deep breath and continues. “Eh, I mean it’s just that you just got here so couldn’t it mean your new relationship with any of us Slayers? Ohh, not that kind of relationship, cause well that would be...”
I hold my hand up and nod, “No, it’s ok; I know what you’re trying to get at. I think you have something there. I was actually thinking about you and our conversation this morning right before I went to talk to them. Maybe they picked up on it. Red, what do you think?”
“Maybe, but why would you be distracted by Emma?”
“Because I’m a demon,” She answers matter-of-factly.
“WHAT?” Willow feels like this little backyard meeting is getting way out of hand.
Buffy put a hand over Will’s, “It’s ok; Reader’s Digest version: Emma’s father was a witch and her mother was an Empath demon. They died when she was a kid. The ‘family’ that put her in the hospital adopted her then couldn’t handle her when she came into all her powers.”
“Ok...” Willow takes it in.
“So Faith would be distracted because you two are so much alike, composition-wise: Slayer, demon, witch...” Kennedy puts the pieces together.
“It makes sense, doesn’t it?” Emma asks me putting her hand on mine. I gasp as I feel a shock of energy run through me from the contact. Before I can compose myself enough to answer, she pulls her head back and closes her eyes. “The Goddess who craves the light is named Ereshkigal.”
“Holy shit!” I can’t believe the sensations running through me. It’s like a live wire holding onto me. I jump up and look at B.
“You guys ok?” She asks us.
Emma and I look at each other then turn to her and nod.
“Ok, everyone, party’s over,” Buffy stands, “let’s get back to my office and get all of this down.”
We pile into Buffy’s office. Dawn goes right to the computer and does a search on the name of the Goddess. Willow stands behind her back-seat-surfing. Buffy, Kennedy and I sit on the couch while Andrew and Emma plant themselves in the chairs opposite Buffy’s desk. Everyone is pretty much quiet, only Dawn and Willow are talking through the web search. Then a flurry of typing can be heard.
Dawn scrolls up to the top of the screen. “Ok, let me see if I have everything:
1 – Ereshkigal, is the Mesopotamian underworld Goddess of death, darkness and dust – gotta love the internet, huh?” She looks around seeing everyone lost their sense of humor a while ago, and then looks back at the screen. “Ok...
2 – Darkness craves the light
3 – Answers found in the questions from the past
4 – Don’t let Faith’s new relationship with the Slayer distract her
Now Faith was there anything else, anything at all?”
I go over their conversation again, trying to ignore the major headache that’s pounding in my skull. “Yes, there is one other thing.”
“What now?” Willow asks, getting impatient.
I start to rub my forehead and sigh. “My commitment to them will never be over. They let me come back here, but they were quite clear, I’m a champion, and always will be.”
“Well that really sucks.” Kennedy gets up. “I’m getting another beer, anyone else?” Everyone says yes.
“But what does that mean? I don’t understand.” Emma looks from me to Buffy.
Buffy leans forward resting her arms on her knees, “It means that if the PtB wish to intercede in basically anything, any place, dimension or time, they will send Faith and she must go because it is what she is meant to do.”
“Oh,” Emma says softly as she looks to me then back to Buffy.
“Well said.” I put my hand on Buffy’s back.
Buffy drops her head in her hands, “Yeah, I’ve gotten really good at deciphering shitty cryptic prophesies over the years, I’ve had lots of practice.” She’s upset, shit.
I move my hand up Buffy’s back and rub her neck, “Sorry.”
“Not your fault.” Buffy turns to me and tries to smile.
“I ordered some pizzas and salads, should be here in a half an hour. We can’t fight the forces of darkness on an empty stomach.” Kennedy says as she hands out the beers. She gives one to Emma and winks, “Don’t say I never gave you anything.”
“Cool, thanks.” Emma smiles.
“Kennedy!” Willow scolds.
“Take it easy Red,” I say calmly. “Wouldn’t you rather her have one with us then sneak around? Come on, you remember what it feels like to be fifteen and left out, don’t you?”
Willow regards me for a moment then shakes her head and smiles, “You’ve really changed. I like it... a lot.”
Andrew twists off his beer cap and walks over to Dawn, “Ok, so why would an underworld Goddess of death want to come to Cleveland?”
“I don’t think there has been any change in demon or vamp activity,” Dawn brought up the databases, “No, it’s been steady for the past few months.”
“So what’s changed? What is driving her to come here?” Andrew thinks out loud.
Willow turns, “I know this might sound out there, but I think it may be Faith and Emma. They both came here on the same day, with the same powers and plenty of it, so one or both may be the ‘light’. Now there’s a new ‘dark’ Goddess in town, it can’t be a coincidence. What do you think, maybe a balance of power thing?”
“So if we leave, the Goddess will too?” Emma asks. “But I don’t want to leave,” she turns to Buffy, “please don’t make me leave. You said this was my home now.”
Buffy meets her gaze, “No one is leaving.” Then she looks me straight in the eye, “I mean it, no one is leaving, ok?” her voice straining.
“Ok,” I answer putting my arm around her.
Buffy leans back into me. I know she’s thinking of a way to get more information. The few hours of research this afternoon were great but we need more. Especially now, Willow’s hunch was probably dead on.
Leaning forward again she barks out the plan: “Will, tomorrow I want you to call the Coven, see what they have to say. Dawn, you should check out the database of watchers to see who’s still around from the ‘Glory’ days that can help on finding out more on the Goddess.” They both nod. “Kennedy, gather the girls. Tell them we need more detailed Patrol Reports; make sure they put down absolutely everything that happens. Then you Faith and I will try to shake up the local demons and vamps tonight. Maybe they’ve seen or heard something.” Kennedy goes to find the girls and I just look down at the floor and murmur my assent. “Andrew, I need you to stick with Emma and get her up to speed. You have to be armed and ready at all times. I also need you to gauge how powerful she is, you know the tests.” Buffy turns to her, “Is that ok with you, Emma? Andrew won’t hurt you, none of us ever will.” The girl nods slowly not really liking the idea of tests but knows she must do what she can to help. “Ok,” Buffy says as the doorbell rings.
The pizzas arrive and we all go into the dinning room to eat. Surprisingly, there is an easy banter that accompanies dinner. The SiT’s drift in and out to grab a slice or some salad. They know something is brewing but wait like good soldiers until they are told what is needed of them. Buffy has always been the head of the Scoobys even when Giles was around. But she has really taken leadership to a new high. No one knows what’s coming but everyone seems ok to just do their part to sure up our defenses. Back in Sunnydale the SiT’s used to joke and call her General Buffy, well no one’s laughing now. Looking around me, I observe probably the best put together team to fight evil I’ve ever seen, which means a lot considering my travels, Buffy’s done very well with them.
After dinner we sit in the living room talking and planning. Emma is fast asleep on the couch, the stress of everyone’s emotions being too much for her. I just finished telling everyone how physically draining it is to read empathetic thoughts, and as if on cue, Emma demonstrates the effects. I know I will have to teach her how to block and control the flow of feelings as the PtB taught me.
“Let me take her up to bed, then we can go.” Kennedy says as she gently picks Emma up and takes her upstairs.
“Me next baby?” Willow asks as she rests her head on the back of the couch.
“Come on, sleepy,” Kennedy motions her to follow upstairs. Willow trails behind them.
Dawn and Andrew have already disappeared to the office they share wanting to get working on cross referencing the Watcher Database. With any luck they’ll be able to find someone by the morning.
Finally alone, Buffy watches me closely as I get up and walk over to the window. As if reading my thoughts, “Don’t even think about leaving.”
I look at her for a moment then back out the window, “Red’s probably right and if she is, I won’t put you or anyone else in danger.”
“But we don’t know anything for sure yet.” Buffy gets up and turns me around so we are facing each other. “You just got here.” She runs her fingers through my hair, then holds my face in her hands. “I’m not letting you go anywhere,” Buffy whispers as she guides me backward until my back is against the wall, “you’re staying, understand?”
“You don’t make it easy to say ‘no’ to you.” I manage before Buffy presses her body into mine. Reaching up, she covers my mouth with her own in a long, smoldering kiss.
Kennedy clears her throat. “Wow, guys, that was really hot.” She smirks as she leans against the door frame. “Ready to go now?”
Slowly Buffy’s lips leave mine. She’s still leaning into me and my body’s humming. Eyes still closed, I take a deep breath, God what she does to me. “We’ll meet you outside in a sec, Ken.” She says then looks up at me, “You ready?”
I stare into those hazel eyes I’d been deprived of for so many years and swallow, hard. Gently I push her back a step, “Yeah, let’s go.” If I’m going to make a home here, I’m going to have to start learning how to stay put and defend it.
Chapter 9: Pieces: Part I
LATER THAT NIGHT AT - HIGH ON THE HELLMOUTH - DEMON BAR
KENNEDY’S POV
“Tonight was a bust.” I take another sip of my beer. It’s late and the three of us are sitting at the bar over at Willy’s place. No one seems to know anything about a new Big Bad coming to town.
“Not completely, Faith and Willy had a chance to re-connect.” Buffy teasingly looks over to Faith, “I never knew you guys were so close...”
“You kidding me?” Faith shakes her head, “he was my only friend in Sunnydale. We had nice long chats almost every night. He was my confidant, my bud.”
“Sorry.” Buffy murmurs.
Faith put a hand on hers, “It was another time.”
“Exactly,” I butt in, I don’t do invisible well, “we have to find someone to start talking about this dark Goddess and soon. How do you think Emma knew its name and why did she blurt it out once she touched Faith?”
“Touched? Fuck me; I thought I was being electrocuted.” She finishes her Jack and coke then makes a circle motion with her hand to Willy to set us up with another round. “You know what; it kinda felt like I could feel her energy going through me. Man, how can I describe it... it was like I felt her power mix with mine and create something bigger. Then BAM we knew the Goddess’ name... funky.”
Buffy is staring off into the crowd a little spacey. “It has to have something to do with what the PtB did to change you and the power her parents evidently gave her. We need to get Willow on the phone with the Coven. If her father was as powerful a witch as she says, they had to have known him.”
Faith and I nod our agreement.
“I think the PtB aren’t telling us something.”
Faith turns to me, “That’s not how they work Ken. They tell us as much as they can, the tricky part is trying to figure out what they’re saying.”
“If you say so, I just don’t trust them Faith, not after Cordelia. They gave her a raw deal and it sucks they have their claws so deep in you.” I finish my beer and get up. “None for me Willy, thanks.” Turning back to them, I put my hand on Buffy’s shoulder, “I’m gonna head home. I’ll tell Will what you said about asking the Coven in the morning. Later.”
BUFFY’S POV
I watch Kennedy leave the bar, “Well, that was kinda weird.”
“Yeah, she’s pissed, well that and she wants to get home to Red.” Faith said with that smirk.
I narrow my eyes at her, “You are not using your power for trivial gain!!”
“Guilty as charged.” She bows her head sheepishly. “I just wanted to make sure she was alright.”
“You’re incorrigible; I have half a mind to tell the PtB on you. How do...” I’m suddenly cut off in mid-sentence by a voice I haven’t heard in years.
“Buffy? Buffy is that you? Why it is you! I thought it was! It’s been absolute ages. I’ve been in Pylea hanging out with Lorne so long I almost forgot what it feels like to be on the Hellmouth. Well it’s just like old times isn’t it? I saw Kennedy outside and now here you are with Jess - ”
Faith turns around then looks him up and down.
“Ahh, sorry, you’re not,” he turns to face me, “eh, Buffy?”
Getting up I bring him into a big hug. “Hi Clem, it’s good to see you. Why don’t you join us?”
“Ah, sure thing.” Bringing over a stool, he looks back and forth from me to Faith, who’s been absolutely silent this whole time. “So...”
“Clem, this is Faith, Faith, Clem.”
“Very pleased to meet you,” he extends his hand. They shake then he freezes, “wait, are you the Powers that Be’s Faith?”
Still not saying a word, she nods her head. Finishing her drink she signals Willy for another.
“Wow, you’re like inter-dimensionally famous.” He says reverently as he picks up his own drink and gulps it down. Willy refills them both.
Faith reaches into her jacket pocket, pulls out her cigarettes and lights one. “That so?”
While their little conversation is going on I’m having a mini-freak-out. I know I have to tell him what happened but I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about it in front of Faith. Shit, why does everything have to be so complicated?
“You ok?” She looks at me a little concerned.
“Um, yeah,” I lie.
I take a deep breath and begin, “Clem I’m really sorry to tell you this, I remember how much you two liked each other, but um,” I bow my head, “Jessie died a couple of years ago.”
“But Jessica was a Slayer,” he said disbelievingly. I sigh and shake my head. Clem was the only person she would allow to call her by her full name. Jessie had a real soft spot for this kitten poker playing, baggy skinned demon.
“We die too Clem,” I point to Faith and myself, “mystical beings, but still human and definitely not invincible.”
He just stares at me, stunned and very upset, shit. I look over to Faith; she’s just staring at her drink.
Reaching out I put my hand on his, “It was a M’Fashnik demon. He snapped her neck while we were rescuing a witch’s daughter from the mercenary demon’s lair. I never even found out who paid him to take the kid. I just grabbed her and ran to the Coven.”
“But there was no funeral?” His head is down now. I know he’s crying.
Still staring at her drink, Faith cut in, “There wasn’t time to get the little girl out and bring Jessie’s body back. Buffy needed to get the kid safe, Jessie would have understood.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. My eyes open wide as I look up at her, “Oh my God, you were there!”
She meets my gaze and nods, “The PtB knew you were in shock and close to giving up, they sent me to you, to help you,” she pauses, “to make sure you and the kid got out of there alive.”
I open my mouth, then close it. I have no idea what to say.
“Guys I’m sorry, but I, I have to go. I’ll catch up with you later.” He gets up and practically runs out of the bar.
FAITH’S POV
So the two of us are just sitting there then Willy comes by and gives us a round on the house. Still not talking, we each take a sip.
“Do you know everything that’s happened in my life since you’ve been gone?” Buffy is concentrating hard on her glass.
“Those first five years, yeah, the last five, not so much, you know other dimensions - ”
She cuts me off, “What did you change Faith?”
I shake my head, “I told you, I didn’t change things as much as I guided events - ”
“Enough with the fucking cryptic bullshit - don’t you think we’ve had enough for one fucking day!” She slams her drink on the bar for good measure. The place gets real quiet as her glass shatters into a million pieces.
“Sorry Willy,” she says softly.
“It’s ok Slayer,” he mops it up.
She’s staring at me, forcing me to look at her.
“Buffy I didn’t - ”
“Please Faith,” she sounds so utterly exasperated, “please?”
I hang my head. I knew I was going to have to have this conversation with her at some point, but I didn’t think it was going to happen this fast. Fuck, can’t I enjoy one God damn fucking day! “Can we not have this conversation here?”
“Ok.”
Willy says no charge but I still leave a pile of cash on the bar as I swipe a bottle of Jack and a couple of glasses. “See ya buddy.” I call out to him as we leave.
“Where are we going?”
“Where it doesn’t matter if things get a little heated,” I answer.
“Your place?”
“Yeah.”
FAITH’S APARTMENT
FAITH’S POV
When I open the door I can’t remember where the light switch is so I fumble for a minute slapping the wall looking for it. “Here it is,” Buffy says as she flips it on. “Very nice,” she looks around. The doorway leads into a short hall, there’s an open kitchen to the left, the living room straight ahead, bath to the right and the bedroom is off the living room. “I like the layout.”
“Thanks.” I put the glasses on the counter and open the freezer, sweet, there’s ice. I load them up and pour the Jack. “I know it’s not your favorite, but…” as I hand her one.
“But I’ll probably need it right?” She sits on the couch and takes a tentative sip, “it’s not awful.” She looks up at me, “Come on, tell me.”
I sit down and look at her. “After I couldn’t save Angel or Wesley, I was scared I would be too late for you and the others too. So I went to the PtB and told them I wanted to help your lives in anyway I could. I promised them I’d remain their Champion and they let me take Xander to the alternate universe. After I got back they showed me all the possible paths the rest of you guys could take and how no matter what road you chose you would always end up at the same spot.” I look up and Buffy seems a little confused.
“I’m not following; yesterday you said they were worried we would stray from our paths if you took Xander?”
“That’s why I just snatched him one night after he was actually starting to do better. So it was still sudden, you were still helpless to do anything about it, just as you would have been had he died.”
“Got it, now what about these roads and ending at the same spot?”
Trying to think of a different way to describe it, I finally come up with: “It’s like you guys all went back to school, right? So you can study hard and get the degree, or you cheat on your tests and get the degree, or you make up a degree with a graphics program. So in the end you have a degree, but you could have gotten there many different ways.”
She nods, “Continue.”
“So, like Giles, he was fated to live in England on his estate retired from all Slayer duties. And regardless if I interceded, he would have. But he didn’t need to be a hermit, depressed and a borderline alcoholic. So when I saw that one path led him back to his relationship with Olivia, I guided events to that path.”
“Jesus, Faith, you chose our lives? You decided what was going to happen to us?” Buffy was disgusted.
“NO! It wasn’t like that!” I got up and started pacing. “The PtB showed me all the possible ways you can get from point A to point B and I just tried to get you guys there with the least amount of pain as possible. You always had free will to choose whatever you wanted, I just made options available.” I gulp down my drink and look at her.
“So what would have happened if you didn’t change Giles’ life?” She still doesn’t believe me.
“He would still be in his house, retired, just lonely and depressed.”
“So you played cupid?” She asks incredulously. This is not going well.
“Kinda, but it works on so many levels. You see, in a few years one of Olivia’s students will become a famous Barrister in London and he’ll, um, well that probably too much information. They would have met at some point but by having her marry Giles it just sped up the timetable.”
“Now you’re changing other people’s lives too? This is getting very confusing.” Buffy sighs and takes another sip.
“Yeah it really messes up the whole six degrees of separation rule. Like you said last night – God was it only last night – it’ a lot of work.”
She narrows her eyes at me, “What about Dawn?”
“Would have gone to school in Spain then traveled around the world upgrading the databases she created and activating sleeper Slayers. You guys barely saw each other; it made you both very unhappy.”
“But she does all that from here.”
“Exactly, now she does.” I sit back down and play with the ice in my glass.
“I think I’m getting it. Willow?”
“Her and Ken had a huge fight – don’t ask – they broke up and Ken moved to New York. They were both still very involved with the Slayer work which was very hard on them and you. Although they were a tremendous help to you, their personal lives were miserable. They ended up getting back together but it was many years later.”
She looks down, “Me?” She says is very softly.
“You sure you want to know?”
She thinks for a moment, “Yeah, well I think so, yeah I do.”
I hold her eyes with mine as I take a huge breath then release it. “You never met Jessie or anyone else for that matter. You threw yourself into your work and liked to tell everyone you were quite happy just being the Slayer. You still built the school, still brought in the troubled girls; you just never let anyone get close.”
“You made her come into my life?” She looked at me as if she didn’t understand then turns away shaking her head. “Faith, that’s a little weird.”
Reaching out, I turn her chin to me. “I wanted you to be happy. I made your life so miserable for so long. Christ, Buffy, I tried to kill you and everyone you loved. Disaster couldn’t even begin to describe what I’ve been to you over the years. So when the PtB showed me how happy you two were together, for almost seven years, there was no choice, I had to do it.” Buffy stares at me in shock. I sigh as I turn away, “Any happiness is always better than none.”
“So you knew she was going to be killed?”
“She actually would’ve died three years earlier if she hadn’t met you, vampire.” Now her head’s down, she’s nodding, letting everything I’ve said sink in. She reaches over to touch my hand; I lace her fingers in mine and wait until she looks up at me. “Fate’s a crazy thing Buffy. No matter how much you think I changed things, it all came out the same in the end, don’t you see?”
She moves closer to me and puts her head on my shoulder. “Yeah, I think I do.” She starts to say something else then stops. She waits a couple of minutes then softly speaks, “Thank you, for bringing her into my life.” I pull her into my arms and she clings to me. “I can’t imagine how that would have made you feel. I - I just can’t believe anyone would do that for someone else, that you would do that for me.” She shakes her head, “How much it had to hurt you to…”
“Just because I couldn’t get my act together to make a life with you, didn’t mean you shouldn’t have been with someone who could.”
“But Faith, that was... I don’t know... huge... and, and the PtB? You told them you’d remain their Champion?”
I nod.
“Forever?” she whispers.
I nod again.
Once again she’s incredulous as she sits straight up, breaking away from me, “You forfeited your life to the PtB just to make ours less painful?” She pauses. “Are you fucking insane?”
Shaking my head I allow myself a cold laugh, “B, I had no life remember? I had no friends, no family and I was an escaped convict. It would have only been a matter of time before the cops picked me up. I had nothing to lose. The PtB gave me a chance to make amends. They believed in me when no one else did, so I gave them the only things I had left: my word and my life. Considering what I asked of them, it seemed like a fair trade at the time.” I stop and put my hands through my hair. “Look Buffy, the PtB aren’t the bad guys you and Ken think they are. They didn’t trick me into it, I asked for this.” Looking back at her I continue, “Being with you made me forget that for a little while, they just reminded me.”
She was silent again, then, “Will they ever let you go?”
“I don’t know.” I put my hand on her leg and squeeze, “are you ok with this?”
“Just trying to wrap my mind around it. For Christ sake, Faith it’s a little overwhelming; my head is spinning from everything you’ve told me”
“Yeah, I guess.” I hang my head. Fuck, this is too much for anyone to take, what am I expecting here, miracles? Then I feel her hand cover mine.
IT’S 3:00 A.M. IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND
WILLOW’S POV
I’m wrapped in Kennedy’s arms, a place I usually drift off to sleep with ease, but tonight I feel like something is just off. It’s not us, cause we were completely “on” when Ken got home, no doubt about it. A warm smile comes to my face as she brushes her lips against my forehead.
There’s something or someone, I just can’t nail it down, it’s a feeling, a foreboding.
“Go to sleep baby.” Ken murmurs to me.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You’re thinking too much. Come on,” she lifts my chin and kisses me again, “sleep. There’ll be plenty to worry about tomorrow; I think I can promise that.”
“Ok sweetie.” I melt into her as I close my eyes.
The phone rings.
ANDREW’S POV
We’ve been researching all night. I think we’ve found some good stuff but we’re still at least an hour away from the end of the trail. I’m making coffee and Dawn is out on the back porch getting some air. I think I’ll bring her a cup al fresco…
She’s sitting with her back to me on the steps. I walk up to the edge then balancing carefully; I bend down and sit on the step behind her. I bring her mug around and she takes it with one hand as she rests the other on my thigh. “Thanks honey.”
I nuzzle the back of her head, “Anything for my girl.” I take a sip of coffee then wrap my free arm around her waist.
She leans further back into me, “Hmmm, we need to go on another vacation, Mexico was too long ago.”
“Yeah, or we can finally break down and actually tell everybody we’re together, you know they all know, right?”
She deep sighs, “I know.”
“It’s never going to be a ‘good’ time to tell them.” There is no way I can count how many times we had this conversation. To this day I have no idea why she doesn’t want to fess up about us. The rest of our incestuous group has all hooked up. Why should we be any different?
“Yeah, you’re right. Faith spied it on the first day, you notice?”
I laugh, “Well, yeah.”
“Let’s just do it tomorrow ok?”
“Really?” I can’t believe it.
“Yes really.” Her hand travels up to the back of my neck and she pulls my head down for a kiss.
The phone rings.
EMMA’S POV
Good God I can’t sleep, they are making me mad, stark raving mad! I’m surrounded by Slayers, not to mention Willow, and all their thoughts and feelings. I thought it would get better at night, but now I have to deal with their dreams, shit! Thankfully Faith and Buffy aren’t here, that would just put me over the top! What was my mother thinking not teaching me how to block this out?
I really need to talk to Faith tomorrow. I don’t think I can make it through another day like this. She needs to teach me how to control it before I truly go mad.
It feels like I’m at a party and everyone’s talking at once so you can’t hear anything clearly, but you get snippets of many different things. And tonight I can almost feel something trying to break through but I can’t seem to hold onto it and something is telling me I don’t want to.
The phone rings.
BUFFY’S POV
“I can’t sleep.” I sigh then kiss the bare shoulder I’m laying on.
“I know.” Faith replies sounding very wide awake herself.
“Well neither can you...”
“Don’t want to waste our time together sleeping.” She pulls me closer.
“Mmmmm,” I snuggle into her, “this is nice.”
“Very.” Her hand trails down my waist to my hip where it lingers for a moment before continuing its journey southward.
I laugh, “You need to sleep Faith.”
“So do you, B.”
“Know what?” I glide my hand up her arm.
“What?”
“I love being able to sense you again,” I kiss her ear softly, “being back in synch. When you were on the road from the PtB this afternoon, I could feel you getting closer to me,” I slowly run my hand through her hair then down her cheek and sigh. “I missed feeling you.”
Her fingers are now tracing slow circles on my back. “I’ve never wanted anything but this, ever.” She whispers as she pulls me closer to her.
God, this feels so perfect... almost too perfect. “Everything is happening so fast, Faith.”
She scoots up and leans against the headboard, “I’m sorry, I know we should have taken things slower, I just, this morning, you were so, and I…”
“No,” I prop myself up on my elbows so I’m facing her, “I didn’t mean just us, I meant everything: Emma’s got the weird hybrid thing going on, then you come back all powerful and sexy, then the PtB say there’s a new Big Bad to look out for…all in three days?” Looking at her though the darkness I feel something almost click, then it’s gone. “I’ve been doing this too long Faith, it’s all connected somehow, I just can’t put it together, it’s like there’s a piece missing.”
The phone rings.
WILLY’S POV
What a night, I made a killing – HA, HA – ‘a killing’ I crack myself up. Glad I got to close at 2 a.m. tonight and no one gave me a hard time. Damn cops have been real ball breakers about staying open late. Good to see Faith too, man it’s been ages. She’s still a great tipper even if she took that bottle of JD, ah; I’ll just tease her about it later. It looks like she finally hooked up with Buffy – well good for her. I never did like Buffy, she was always a bitch to me but Faith has had it bad for her since they were kids, so I guess it’s ok.
I hear a commotion outside. What the fuck is that?
“Where’s the new Slayer? I know she came to town a few days ago.”
“I told you I don’t know so fuck off you ugly bastard!”
Hey, I know that voice... I peek out the window.
This huge demon grabs a vamp by the throat “I will destroy you, make no mistake.” Now the vamp is struggling, then – poof – he’s gone.
Holy shit, that fuckin’ M’Fashnik demon just dusted Pete! Shit! I jump away from the window before the crazy demon sees me. After about ten minutes I look out again and he’s gone.
He was asking for the new Slayer, ah crap, where did I put Faith’s cell number? I start to rifle through the scraps of paper on the bar. Didn’t she tell me she just got here a couple of days ago? Man, I wouldn’t want to be her, having a mercenary demon on your tail, fuck; they don’t stop till the job is done. Shit, well if I can’t find it I’ll just call the house. Oh, wait, what’s that...”
