Chapter 5: One Tequila, Two Tequila, Three Tequila, Floor

"I think I've figured out what it is I've been doing wrong."

"Huh?" Faith asked, startled.

Those were the first words they'd said to each other all night. The ride over in Dawn's car had been tense and drawn out. Then they'd reached the bar and the only words spoken had been to the bartender. That had been an hour and four beers apiece ago.

They were seated at a small table in a back corner, unbothered by the others around them. A few people had taken notice of them, but none had been brave enough to try to speak to them over the music blaring from the speakers. They were grateful for it, but neither believed it would last for long.

Not receiving an answer, Faith looked up from her inspection of her beer bottle's label to find Buffy picking at her own. She tilted her head and caught her gaze.

"What was that?"

Buffy sighed and leaned her elbows on the table, taking a swig from her fifth beer. Then she set it back down.

"I've figured out what I've been doing wrong."

"Aight," Faith drawled curiously. "What's that?"

"I need to quit getting into relationships," She answered seriously.

"You okay, B? You're soundin' kinda like me," Faith snorted. "You can't be that drunk yet."

"I'm not," Buffy whined and then she frowned. "Well, not much. But, think about it. Is there really a point in dating?"

Faith winced and said uncomfortably, "Maybe you should be talkin' to Dawn or Red or someone else about this." Anyone but me, She yelled in her head.

"Come on, Faith," She snorted. "Will's like the queen of relationships and Dawn is more of a romantic than I ever was. You of all people should get where I'm coming from."

Faith tilted her head, conceding the point as she finished off her beer. She did understand. Probably more than the blonde wanted her to, actually.

"Anyway," Buffy continued. "The only reasons people date are to have someone to have sex with, someone to talk to, and someone to hold. Am I right?"

Faith shrugged as she reached for the last beer. "I think there's supposed to be a bit more to it, but yeah, basically."

"Okay, so why do that? I have friends I can talk to, and I can get a fucking vibrator for needy times."

Faith coughed, nearly choking on her beer. She grimaced and wiped the back of her hand over her mouth. Then she took another swallow of beer and glared at Buffy.

"Warn a bitch 'fore ya say that kinda shit, aight?"

"Sorry," Buffy said, her smirk giving away her insincerity.

"Uh-huh," Faith drawled doubtfully as she gestured for a nearby waitress.

A woman quickly appeared out of the crowd, a pen and pad in her hand. She leaned her hip against the table and gave Faith a sly grin.

"What can I do for you, sexy?"

Faith lazily ran her gaze up the lithe brunette's body, pausing to appreciate just how short her skirt was. A low, nearly inaudible growl tickled her eardrums and she smirked.

"Eight shots of tequila and a couple beers will do. We wanna celebrate."

The woman straightened and finally brought her gaze to the blonde across from Faith. She sighed and shook her head sadly. Then she smiled, back to business.

"All right, so what are we celebrating if you don't mind my asking?"

Faith started to answer and was interrupted. Buffy leaned over the table and said loudly, "Relationships suck and we're celebrating the fact that neither of us is in one."

The waitress laughed and turned to go, "I'll be right back with your drinks, ladies."

Once she was gone, Buffy kicked Faith under the table. "What was that about?"

"Ow," Faith yelped, giving her a dirty look. "What the fuck, B? What was what about?"

She at least had the good grace to look apologetic. "The way you were looking at her. I didn't think you were into women," She explained.

"I'm not into dating them," Faith answered with a teasing glint in her eyes. "But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate 'em."

"Huh?" Buffy asked, confused.

Faith shook her head and leaned forward, letting her thick dark hair fall down around her shoulders to frame her face. She gave Buffy a sexy grin.

"It's like this, B. A lot of men don't expect much, but women usually do and I ain't lookin' to be attached to nobody's ball and chain," She paused and licked her lips. "So while I can appreciate the softness, and the beauty of a woman, I ain't ever taken one for a ride."

"But—but—" Buffy sputtered, confused.

Something about that explanation didn't sit well with her. It didn't seem right that the original, "get some, get gone" bad girl would deny herself any kind of pleasure. Before she could question it further, the waitress returned.

"Here you go ladies," She said and then took the requested drinks from the tray in her hand and set them down in front of the two women.

"Thanks," Faith said, tossing a folded up bill on the tray.

The woman glanced at it and then faded back into the crowd as she replied, "Enjoy."

Faith reached for a shot glass and lifted it, arching a challenging eyebrow at the blonde. She just waited as Buffy considered her briefly. Her companion finally shook her head and took one for herself, making Faith smirk.

"Aight, so got a toast ya wanna make?"

Buffy considered it briefly and then lifted her shot glass. "To relationships—hopefully I'll never make that mistake again."

"I'll drink to that," Faith laughed and knocked back the shot.

She nearly choked once again at the face Buffy made as she forced herself to swallow. She bit her lip to keep from laughing but lost the struggle when the blonde glared at her. It didn't take long before Buffy dissolved into laughter as well.

When they calmed down, Faith retrieved a second shot glass. She lifted it and waited for Buffy to do the same.

"This one's mine, just gimme a sec to think of one."

Her face scrunched up into an intense expression of concentration, making the blonde giggle. She rolled her eyes and licked her lips. Then she gave a half-grin.

She rasped, "To the single life—may Duracell never go out of business!"

They broke into laughter again and ended up half-sprawled over the table as they tried to regain their composure. Somehow they managed not to spill the shots and after a few seconds, they were finally able to drink. Their eyes locked just as they knocked them back and then they set their glasses down with a thump at the same time.

They didn't waist any time with the next, not even waiting for a toast. Faith set her glass down and looked up to find Buffy's heated gaze on her. She swallowed hard, suddenly apprehensive.

"What's up, B?"

An inscrutable smile was her answer and then Buffy was up and moving around the table. She grabbed Faith's hand and tugged, trying to get her to stand.

"Come on, let's dance, F."

Faith studied her for a moment, indecisive. The flush on Buffy's skin told her the blonde was definitely feeling the drinks. But she wasn't sure what Buffy's behavior meant. She could just be looking for some harmless fun like they'd had back in Sunnydale before all the badness.

She sighed and stood, letting Buffy lead her out onto the dance floor. She wanted some of that fun, too. They pushed their way through the crowd until they reached a clear spot. Then they turned to each other as they let the music move through them.

The song changed, making Faith grin as she closed her eyes. She leaned her head back and ran her fingers through her hair, getting lost in the rhythm of Marilyn Manson's "Reach Out and Touch Faith". Then she felt her body react as Buffy closed the distance between them. Familiar hands clasped her hips, pulling her to the blonde possessively.

She was suddenly aware of just why this wasn't a good idea as the room became unbearably hot. Being this close to Buffy and feeling their connection intensify had always affected her strongly. Her eyes snapped open and she was looking into dark green eyes up close. Buffy's gaze fell to her lips and Faith bit her bottom lip reflexively.

The music was completely lost on her as Buffy leaned closer. She bypassed her lips, going directly for Faith's ear. Hot breath brushed her skin, making her shiver.

"I will deliver. You know I'm a forgiver. Reach out and touch Faith," Buffy whispered along with the song.

There wasn't any mistaking the intent in the blonde's voice, but she didn't have time to react. A large body pressed up against her back, thick arms wrapping around her waist and forcing Buffy to back up a couple of steps. She stiffened in response, giving Buffy an aggrieved look. Then she grabbed the guy's arm and twisted it, forcing him to let go.

He groaned in pain and she released his arm, turning around to face him. She locked eyes with him and just as she started to tell him to fuck off, a fist flew over her shoulder and slammed into his jaw. He flew back, crashing into a table a few feet away. The table shattered and bottles went flying as the table's occupants hurried to move away.

Faith surveyed the mess and eyed the man lying unconscious in the pile of wood. Then an incredulous smile creased her lips as she turned to face Buffy. What the fuck was that? Her eyes locked with the blonde's and she just tilted her head in question.

The blonde's eyebrows furrowed and she met Faith's gaze. Then her face paled as her eyes widened and her stomach dropped. She turned away from Faith just in time for the liquor and alcohol to come rushing back up and for a wave of dizziness to catch her off-guard. A strong arm went around her waist as she started to collapse, unconsciousness reaching up to claim her.

Chapter 6: Something Different

It was mid-morning when Buffy regained consciousness. She blinked her eyes open and licked her lips, grimacing at the sour taste in her mouth.

"Jesus, what the Hell died in my mouth?" She muttered.

"Three shots of tequila and five beers," A familiar voice rasped from nearby.

She jerked her head to the side and her eyes widened at the sight of Faith lying in bed next to her. She sat up, scrubbing her face as she tried to recall what had happened. Oh shit. Her shoulders slumped and she buried her face in her hands.

"Oh, God," She moaned, blushing hotly. "Kill me now."

"I would, but the thrill is gone."

Faith rolled onto her side and propped herself up on one elbow, leaning her temple against her fist. She studied the blonde, still wearing last night's clothes with the exception of her boots. A small smirk crossed her lips.

Buffy lifted her head and glared at her. "What are you doing in here, anyway?"

"Well, y'know, I brought ya up here, and then when I started to leave, ya just latched onto my arm and wouldn't let go."

She rolled her eyes and blew out a harsh breath. Then she scrunched up her nose and scrambled out of the bed. "Whatever. I need to go get this taste out of my mouth."

Faith flipped the covers off her and climbed out on the other side of the bed. She stretched, arching her back and bringing her arms up over her head. Her back popped, drawing a satisfied moan from her.

The sound made Buffy glance back, hesitating in the now open doorway. She blinked, the sight of Faith in a short black T-shirt and boi shorts wreaking havoc on her sleep-addled brain. The t-shirt rode up her torso, exposing flexing abdominal muscles to the appreciative hazel eyes. The sight of the familiar scar to the left and above Faith's belly button shocked her back into action and she quickly left the room.

Huh? Faith quirked an eyebrow and dropped her arms, following the blonde from the room. She paused in the bathroom doorway, leaning against the doorframe, and watched as Buffy started to brush her teeth. Then with a smirk, she caught the hazel eyes in the mirror.

"Seriously though, B. You were all over me last night, just gropin' and kissin' on me and shit like that."

"Go fuck your self, F," Buffy mumbled around the toothbrush.

"That'd be too easy," She snickered. "I'd rather work my skills on you."

Buffy spit toothpaste into the sink and turned the water on to rinse it out. She smirked and shook her head.

"Honestly though, why'd you stay in the room last night?"

Faith gave her a sheepish look, her smile fading. "Just wanted to make sure ya didn't choke or nothin' in ya sleep."

"Thanks," Buffy muttered as she finished rinsing her toothbrush off.

Faith sighed and ran a hand through her hair, wondering if she should say anything about the previous night. With a mental shrug, she decided to charge ahead. It ain't like she'll belt me one for it. We ain't done that in years.

"What were you thinkin' last night anyway, B?"

She could see the sudden tension in the blonde's shoulders and she smiled wryly. Then again, she may just do it for old time's sake.

Buffy put the toothbrush in the holder and turned to face Faith. Frowning, she mirrored Faith's posture and leaned back against the sink.

"What do you mean?" She asked edgily.

Faith pushed off the doorframe and moved further into the bathroom. She stopped just short of touching the blonde and studied her face. Then she sighed again.

"Goin' out to drink without eatin' first, B. I know Slayers have a really strong constitution, but even we have to watch that shit."

She rolled her eyes. "You're going to lecture me about taking care of myself?"

Faith shrugged. "We all know I'm fucked up. Then again, it's been a long time since I went on a weeklong bender, too."

"Yeah, right," She snorted. "I'm having a really hard time believing that."

She grinned suddenly. "B, don't be so fuckin' defensive."

"I'm not," Buffy snapped.

"Then why are ya back to treatin' me like the psycho slut-bomb? That ain't been me in years and ya know it."

Buffy's expression fell and she lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry, Faith. I didn't mean to do that. I'm just having a really difficult time right now and I'm not dealing well."

"I know," Faith said, reaching up to clasp Buffy's shoulder. "But last night can't happen again, B."

Her eyebrows furrowed and her gaze jerked back to Faith's. "Is it 'cause of—"

"No," She interrupted. "Last night was fun 'til ya puked and passed out. But ya can't keep doin' that to yourself. Ya ain't gonna be able to get past this shit if ya keep it up."

"I didn't do it to hurt myself," Buffy choked out, tears starting to fill her eyes.

"No, I don't guess ya did," The younger Slayer replied. "I've been there, B. Breakups suck, but ya can't let it break ya."

She wrapped her arms around her own waist and lowered her head. "The memories are just too much sometimes."

"Yeah, I'm sure they are. But drinkin' 'til ya feel like your guts are tryin' to come up doesn't get rid of 'em."

She brought her eyes back to Faith's, giving her a sad look. "You sound like you have a lot of experience with that."

She smiled wryly. "Let's not go there. One self-destructive Slayer's enough and if I start thinkin' about that shit, I'll probably be right there with ya."

Disappointed, Buffy straightened and turned back to the sink. She grabbed a washcloth from the linin cabinet next to her and started to wash her face. She paused with the water running over the cloth and looked up at Faith's reflection.

"Maybe someday we can sit down and actually talk about that stuff?"

Faith tilted her head and smirked. "That would be that thing we don't do. Sure ya wanna go there?"

Buffy ran the cloth over her face, wiping away the slightly smudged makeup from the previous night. She finished and put the washcloth in the dirty clothes basket before she turned to face the younger woman again. She considered the question for a moment and then gave Faith a soft half-smile.

"We spent a lot of time hating each other for a while," Buffy started, giving Faith a warning look to keep her from interrupting. "We even spent a year or two avoiding each other whenever possible. Then over the past eight years, we've formed a really freaky friendship."

"I'll say," Faith muttered, gaining a smirk from the blonde. "Our relationship could give a therapist whiplash."

"Yeah, well," She chuckled. "That's us. But, I think maybe it's time we spent some time getting to know each other for once."

The brunette's eyebrows furrowed, though she was smiling slightly. "I'm cool with that. But what brought this on?"

She bit her bottom lip for a moment and then released it with a sigh. A slight blush crept up her cheeks and she dropped her gaze again.

"Last night was sort of different for us. I mean, yeah, we've done the club scene together before, but..." She trailed off.

Faith nodded, her mind flashing back to the dance floor and the body pressed against her own. Some of that heat resurfaced for a brief second, leaving her shaking. She laughed nervously.

"Yeah, I get what ya mean. It was definitely different."

Their gazes locked again and they froze. Neither of them wanted to admit that it hadn't really been all that different. The memory of another time, another city, another dance floor flickered through both of the women's minds.

Buffy cleared her throat. "But, last night I was showed another glimpse at the person I used to catch sometimes looking back at me when we were kids. I think I want another chance to find out what makes her tick."

She paused and then added softly, "Maybe even learn the reason why you feel the need to hide her."

Faith swallowed hard. Ya don't know what the fuck you're askin', B. Her eyes searched the blonde's face, seeing the pain still lurking in her eyes. Or maybe ya do.

She opened her mouth to speak just as they both heard a sound from downstairs. She closed her mouth and frowned, hearing the doorbell ring a second time soon after. She saw Buffy bite her bottom lip and gave her an apologetic look as she turned to leave.

Fuck, someone's got shitty timin'. She shook her head and started down the stairs.

"We're not done here, Faith," Buffy called after her. "We will finish this conversation."

No, I didn't think we were. She smiled reluctantly.

She reached the bottom of the stairs and walked over to the door. Then she opened it, letting sunlight filter in. Her eyes found a pair of darker ones looking back at her and her expression darkened. She felt a sense of satisfaction as she saw her presence register in the sudden flinch on the younger Slayer's face.

"Satsu," She growled.

The smaller woman held up a thin manila folder. "I need to talk to Dawn or Buffy."

Faith hesitated, wavering between letting her in and telling her to leave. If she let Satsu in, it would give her the chance to hurt the blonde again. If she sent her away now, Buffy wouldn't even have to know she'd ever been there. The memory of Buffy's tears making her clench her fists in barely controlled anger, Faith started to do exactly that.

"They—"

"Who's at the door, Faith?" Buffy called from the top of the stairs.

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