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Wishing Changes Everything	By : Declan Category: -Buffy the Vampire Slayer > FemmeSlash - Female/Female > Buffy/Faith Views: 9748 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy The Vampire Slayer Television Series. Joss Whedon does. This is done for simple fun, I'm not making any money from this.

Chapter List
- 10
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Revelations Part 3 (Post-Slayer Depression)

For one terrible moment Buffy thought that everything would repeat itself exactly as before, that Faith would attack her because Mrs. Post had wormed her way past her defences, again. Because Faith believed that her Watcher would never lie to her, again. And maybe because Faith thought Buffy and Angel had had sex again. Well, that was new.
But then behind them the French windows exploded inwards, a rain of shattered glass burst around them and Lagos appeared, stooping slightly to enter the mansion, his axe held aloft in one massive fist. He roared as his gaze travelled across the two girls and his lumbering came to a stop.
Buffy, her mind whirling, twisted to face him. She took a step back so she was next to Faith and raised her axe cautiously. She glanced at Faith, not knowing which way the other slayer was going to jump, which demon she was going to try and slay.
Angel, on his knees and still injured, snapped a look over his shoulder and rose to get way, but he was hurting and Lagos was swifter, grabbing Angel by the back of the neck and effortlessly tossing him through the air. Angel slammed heavily against the wall next to the fireplace, where he crumpled to the ground.
Anger flared as Buffy stepped forward to attack but Faith grabbed her arm to stop her. “This time we’ve gotta have a plan, B.”
Buffy looked at her with cold determination. “The plan is ‘I kill him and keep his head as a door-stop’, you wanna help?”
“That’s a goal, it ain’t a plan.” She then shoved Buffy hard to one side as Lagos brought his axe down between them, its blade biting into the ground. Faith, weapon-less, dodged to one side and smashed him in his face with her fist before stomping on the back of his knee with all her strength. She then jammed the crossbow bolt into the back of his leg, driving it in as deep as she could, Lagos, roaring in pain, batted her away before stumbling to one side.
Faith rushed over to Buffy and helped her up, her hand snaking around and across the blonde girl’s stomach. Buffy’s eyes widened in surprise but before she could object Faith pulled back holding Buffy’s dagger in her grip.
“Need me a better weapon.” She said with a smirk.

“But, I thought...”
“We take care of Lagos then we deal with that lying bitch, ‘kay?” Faith’s eyes were alive and flashing, but Buffy saw a glimpse hurt there and maybe a silent apology.
Buffy simply nodded and straightened up as Lagos came towards them slowly, almost cautiously, favouring his left leg and hefting his axe back to strike at them.
“I draw him out; you flank him and stab him somewhere low and painful. I’ll finish him off.” Buffy murmured to Faith quietly and she nodded. They broke apart as Lagos lumbered closer, Faith going right and Buffy twirling her axe to get the demon’s attention. “Isn’t it embarrassing when two people bring the same weapon to a fight?”
Lagos just grunted round his tusks and swung his axe like he was hewing logs; Buffy nimbly dodged to one side, her return blow hitting him square in the shoulder and scraping against armour without finding purchase. Lagos didn’t react, simply arcing his blade back and up to try decapitate the blonde slayer. Ducking under the blade Buffy brought her axe clashing down on the haft on his weapon to deflect it away before punching her axe head into his face. Lagos barely staggered, instead trying to cut Buffy off at the legs, but his blow was slow enough for her to jump over and she skipped back from his reach. He came at her like a linebacker, axe raised high over his shoulder, using his size and reach to try and pen her in against the wall.
Buffy searched for a weak spot but saw only solid demonic muscle and chainmail, maybe his neck but she wasn’t the tallest...
Buffy swung the axe low at Lagos’ legs and he swept his leg backwards and leaned forward to avoid it. Buffy changed her momentum mid-swing, which had been feign, and jabbed her axe upwards at his face. But Lagos had seen it coming, and jerked his head back as he brought his own axe around against Buffy, who only just managed to bring her axe back down to block it, the haft of her weapon splintering on impact and she was knocked hard back against the wall.
Buffy barely dodged a second swing that gouged a vicious furrow in the wall above and sent a shower of stone chips spilling over her.
Lagos methodically brought his axe back again before suddenly bellowing out in anger and pain, he dropped his axe as one of his clawed hands went between his legs, and the other reached out as he tried to balance as he staggered to forward. But his left leg wasn’t working and, unable to support his immense weight, it folded under him as he crashed to his knees. Buffy jumped back to avoid the collapse, before seeing her opening and stepping forward, swinging her axe at Lagos’ now exposed neck with all her strength. Just like before the blade cleaved through tendons and muscle without even slowing and his head flew off, bouncing across the floor.
The body slumped over sideways, revealing Faith and her cocky grin. “Nicely diverted, B.”
“Actually that was me fighting for my life, but thanks for the timely-ness.” Buffy looked down at the dead demon, “I don’t really want to know where you stuck that knife, do I?”
Faith was about to reply but was interrupted by Mrs. Post.
“Tar chugam a chumhacht Myhnegon!” She recited as she held her arm, now encased in the glove, above her head. Buffy heard the rumble of thunder as a storm quickly gathered overhead.
‘Oh, not good.’

*~~*
Buffy saw that beyond Mrs. Post both Willow and Giles had disappeared but Xander was getting up off the floor, rubbing the side of his head.
Faith was staring up at the sky-light as dark clouds gathered. She looked at Buffy hesitantly. “What’s going on?”
“Faith,” Mrs. Post lowered her hand and addressed her slayer, a gleeful smile twisting her features, “A word of advice. You’re an idiot!”
“Yeah, and you’re dead.” Faith growled in reply before started towards the woman but Buffy grabbed her arm.
Mrs. Post raised her arm again. “Tar frim!” She cried and the sky-light shattered, lightning slashed down, drawn into the glove, energy and light dancing around her arm as the air suddenly became thick with the metallic stench of burning ozone.
Mrs. Post turned again and raised her arm like a gun, pointing at Faith. “Tar frim!”
Buffy slammed into the other girl and they both went down hard and skidded across the polished marble floor. A bolt of lightning tore through the air above them and blasted a hole in the wall. Buffy landed on top of Faith, their faces inches from each other. Despite everything, Buffy froze for an awkward moment before quickly rolling off the other slayer. Buffy then stuck her head up to see Mrs. Post turn and point her arm again, this time at a still dazed Xander, his face frozen in confusion.
“Tar fr..!” Mrs. Post started to call out but Angel rushed in from the side and punched her in the face, sending her tumbling. “That’s for shooting me! I hate that.”
Mrs. Post rolled and was up in almost an instant, the power of the glove that was running through her was obviously making her more durable, but Angel was already running for cover, Xander close behind him.
Mrs. Post wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, she was still smiling. “There’s nothing you can do to stop me now. I have the glove, and with the glove comes the power!”
“Great. She’s monologing.” Buffy looked over at Faith, “Can you draw her fire?”
Faith nodded. “You bet your ass I can.” She got up and dashed for cover; Mrs. Post spotted her and lashed out. “Tar frim!” The bolt exploded a meter or so from where Faith had been, she leapt over the sofa, rolled and came up on the other side of Mrs. Post in a crouch. The former watcher turned and pointed her raised arm at the dark-haired slayer.
Buffy tore off the splintered handle of her axe, leaving half the haft intact and turning it into a fairly balanced throwing axe. She hefted it and drew her arm back.
“You might wanna work on your aim, like this!” She threw the axe in a spinning arc, the blade rushing through the air to catch Mrs. Post just below the shoulder and slicing clean through. The severed arm dropped to the ground.
Mrs. Post screamed in pain, although it seemed from the sound that it was her soul and not her arm had been severed. Lightning struck down from the heavens again, coiling around her body as she was consumed by flames, her eyes glowed hotly as she burned to ash in an instant. Incinerated, leaving only the metallic ozone smell and a wiff of burnt flesh.
Faith stood up as Angel and Xander came out from behind cover. Buffy even saw Willow emerge from the beyond the front door, looking around wide-eyed. Buffy looked over the mess, dead Lagos plus head, broken glass, smoke and small fires everywhere, Buffy shook her head out of her daze.
To Willow she asked. “Giles, is he…?”
“He breathing, and groaning, and alive.” Willow stated simply. “What happened?”
“Buffy was right about everything.” Faith replied bitterly, “Mrs. Post was evil.”
Xander looked at Angel. “Y’know I would’ve gotten out of the way in time…so don’t be thinking I owe you of anything.”
Angel shrugged. “I didn’t even know you were there.” He said dryly.
Buffy moved to the front doors. “We need to get Giles to hospital quickly. Angel..?”
“I’m fine, go.”
“Okay, Xander, you come with me. Faith?”
She didn’t answer; she was staring at where Mrs. Post had been. The adrenaline had worn off, the battle won and things were suddenly far less simple.
“Faith?”
“Yeah, B. What?”
“Go home; tell Mom I’m taking Mr. Giles to the hospital and not to freak out if I’m home late.”
Faith nodded dully and headed out the shattered French windows, Buffy wanted to go after her, to say something comforting, but that would have to wait. Giles needed help now.

*~~*

“Well, my suspicions to her ill-intent were first aroused when she bashed me in the head with a mace.” Giles said dryly as he sipped some tea, “As indicators go, it was rather a strong one.”
He was sitting in the library, having spent the previous night in hospital. Buffy, Willow and Xander were also there. Willow had brought him some doughnuts and Buffy noticed that Giles seemed far perkier and healthier in an environment surrounded by books. Or it could just be the sugar.
“So, she got kicked out? They changed the secret password or hand-shake or whatever?” Buffy asked.
Giles nodded slowly. “She was…expelled for the misuse of dark powers. I could’ve sworn there was a memo.”
Xander chipped in. “Yeah, and your filing system is usually so good, didn’t you win a belt or something for that?”
Giles regarded Buffy with embarrassment. “It appears that I owe you an apology, Buffy. I should’ve listened to you.”
Buffy just smirked. “Well, duh. And let your slightly misshapen head forever be a reminder.”
“How did you know, anyway?” Asked Willow, “I mean, she was so convincingly bitc…I mean, watcher-like, it was a pretty good fake-out.”
“It was because she drank coffee, wasn’t it.” Xander nodded knowingly, “And she didn’t spell color with a ‘u’, dead giveaway.”
Buffy shrugged. “I get invited to a frat party, there’s a giant demon snake there, an old friend from Hemery turns up, he tries to feed me to vampires, Mom’s new boyfriend, evil robot. Excuse me if I’m just a little wary of strangers by now. ‘Trust but verify’ is the Summers family motto. Either that or ‘I’ve got the wiggins’, whichever.” Buffy sat up on the table and looked at her friends, “The most important lesson you should all learn from this is that I am always, always right.”
“Here, here.” Replied Xander with a grin.
Giles mused. “Yes, and as much as I’d like you to stay so I can bask in the glow of your brilliance, don’t you do have classes to attend?”
Xander patted him on the shoulder. “We’re going, anyway we just came by to wish you well, and to add that you’ll be keeping the ‘most likable Watcher we’ve actually met’ award, so kudos.”
Buffy waved the others off. “You guys go; I’ve got some slayer-related stuff to talk through with Giles.”
Willow turned to Xander. “Time to let the jelly doughnuts work their magic.”
Xander raised his eyebrows as he walked with her. “Magic? As in..?”
“Metaphor magic, Xander.” She shook her head, “the only way I could make any pastry more magical is if I made it float. And moving food is not something a man with a head injury needs.”
Xander smiled and nudged her as he pushed open the library doors. “No, but I feel an idea for a new Halloween game coming on. Like bobbing for…”
Buffy smiled fondly as she watched them go. ‘Luckiest slayer ever.’
She turned to Giles. “Hey, look at us, matching head wounds.”
“Yes, all things considered this situation could’ve ended rather more badly than it did.”
Buffy nodded as she thought of Faith, about how things went the first time, how Buffy had never really gotten around to even caring for the other slayer. Would things be different now? Buffy had spent some of the night with Giles in hospital and she’d come home to find Mom a little frantic, for Giles’ sake. But Faith had gone to bed, so Buffy hadn’t gotten to talking to her about anything yet.
More damage control, but at least this time around there had been something to actually damage, something that Buffy could try and repair and rebuild, and that all started here.
“You had something you wished to discuss, Buffy?” Giles enquired softly as she came out of her thoughts.
“Um, yeah. I wanted to say something really, it’s kind of important.” She looked at Giles, “This whole thing with Mrs. Post has put a lot of things in perspective, slayer stuff.” She gestured to where her friends had just left, “I’m…very lucky, not with the whole Chosen one deal, but with my friends… who actually care about me, despite all the danger I put them in.”
Giles shifted to interrupt. “Buffy…”
She held up a hand. “I’m very glad of them, I love them. And I’m very thankful to have you as my Watcher. Actually I don’t think ‘thankful ‘really covers it that well but…I wouldn’t have ever gotten this far without you.”
Giles, smiling in self-conscious pride, was touched.
Buffy stared at him and flatly stated. “And that’s what pisses me off.”
Giles blinked in surprise.
“You are the only Watcher in history to have two slayers, you’ve spent a couple of years helping me be the best…helping me to survive. What about Faith? What does she get? She loses her Watcher in some horrific…I don’t even want to ask she what happened, but it hurt her. And then she comes here and, okay she lies about it, that’s bad. But she ends up just getting passed off like she’s nothing.”
Giles flushed in anger or annoyance, Buffy couldn’t tell. “Buffy…”
“No, y’know what, I’m right on this.” Buffy stood up and walked around anxiously, “You have no idea how hard it is being a slayer, how lonely and confusing it is. You have all this power and…bottom line, a slayer needs her Watcher. Faith needs a Watcher too, now more than ever. She needs to feel that she’s not alone, hell, like she’s actually wanted here. And since the council doesn’t give a crap that means it’s up to you.”
Giles seemed to deflate a little. Sighing, he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “I have only just gotten you back, Buffy.”
Buffy paused. “What?”
Giles straightened and looked at her, he looked tired again. “Last summer, I genuinely thought I’d lost you. You ran away from everything, your responsibilities…it felt like I failed you, somehow. I didn’t make you resilient enough to keep being the slayer.”
Buffy softened, and smiled at him sadly. “That was always my fault, I failed me, I took off because I had to…I didn’t know how to deal with everything. It wasn’t the right thing to do, and it was in no way you failing at being a Watcher, Giles.”
Giles shook his head in slight puzzlement. “You do seem different now, so much more grown up.”
“Isn’t there some parable or story about how wise people are just people who learned from all the mistakes they made?”
Giles smiled gently. “So you’re wiser now?”
Buffy shrugged. “All I know is that Faith has the potential to go either way. She has a real chance to become a good slayer, maybe even the second-best in all of Sunnydale.” Buffy looked at Giles solemnly, “She needs guidance, and the best person I can think of to guide her is you.”
“Thank you, Buffy.”
Buffy relaxed a little. “Well, it’s not like there’s a lot of competition. Maybe Oz? He does have the whole Zen thing going for him.” She paused and smiled, “I do mean it though, give Faith some attention, please? Forget about me and make her your slayer, just for a while. She’ll complain and grumble but she’ll thank you in the end, like I’m doing now.”
Giles sighed. “I’ve rather ballsed this up, haven’t I?”
Buffy smirked. “I’m gonna go and find that out, do some damage control. She if she’ll even talk to me. Now rest up, you’ve got some serious Watcher-ing to do when you’re all better.”
“Well, it seems you wear wisdom rather well, Buffy.” Giles remarked.
Buffy walked over. “I’m oh-so very mature. Donut tax!” She sang out as she grabbed a jelly from the box and backed away grinning. “What, I’m not saying I won’t ever need a Watcher again. Bye!”
Giles could only shake his head as he watched her leave.

*~~*

Buffy took a deep breath; never had her own hallway seemed so intimidating. Mom was out at the gallery but Faith’s boots were by the door which meant she was still here, which was good, and meant Buffy could finally talk to her in private. Which she was just about to. Now.
‘C’mon, I verbally chastised Giles, I can do this. Actually, I can’t believe I chastised Giles, yay me.’
Buffy didn’t bother knocking; she just grabbed the handle, took a deep breath and opened the door, pausing before moving inside. Faith was sat on the bed, in raggedy t-shirt and cut-off jeans, going for the relaxed trailer-trash look. The brunette glanced up from a magazine, her face tense as she watched Buffy enter. Buffy looked Faith over, no ugly facial bruising this time, which was a big plus. But Buffy saw that Faith had packed her backpack, it sat at the end of the bed, ready to go.
“Hey.”
Faith didn’t say anything, just looked glum.
“So, how are you?” Buffy asked, knowing what the other girl was going to say.
Shrug. “Five-by-five.”
“Huh, someday you’ll have to tell me what that means.” Buffy said lightly, “Can I, uh… do you want anything.”
Faith looked at her pointedly. “Lock for my door, maybe?”
Buffy sighed. “Sorry, I just…I wanted to see how you were. Of course, this is your room and if you want me to go I will.”
“Well, now you come to mention it…”
“Just wait, Faith. I wanna talk first.”
Faith rolled her eyes. “Oh, goodie, ‘nother talk.”
Buffy gulped. This wasn’t going well. Perseverance. That was word of the day, or of the now anyway. “Look, Gwendolyn Post, she fooled everyone, she was a lying, evil, scheming person…”
“But you knew already, didn’t you? Somehow she couldn’t fool you, ‘cause you’re always right.” She scowled at Buffy, “You’re so perfect.”
Buffy frowned in puzzlement. “I’m not…I never said I was perfect.” ‘I just said I was better than you…’
Faith shook her head. “I don’t even know what I’m still doin’ here. I shouldn’t…”
Buffy stepped to the foot of the bed. “You’re here because you’re my friend and you’re the slayer.”
Faith smiled bitterly. “Try lookin in the mirror, you’re a slayer. You’ve got plenty of friends…”
“I kissed you.” Buffy interrupted. “Just…don’t act like this, like there’s nothing here. You’re dismissing everything.”
“’Cause it doesn’t matter.” Faith said bitterly. She sat up and glared at Buffy. “See the thing is, Buffy. You’re the one who’s got the Watcher, the friends, the little boy-toy, the Mom who doesn’t drink or slap you around, the nice house and the perfect little fucking life. That’s real. That’s what matters.” She shook her head, “I’m just gonna go.”
Buffy recognized the words and the bitterness, the jealousy, all that raw emotion. But here, in front of her it wasn’t evil Faith with her pleather and boyfriend stealing; this was just all hurt and disappointment that Buffy had ignored because it wasn’t convenient.
“You’re not going anywhere yet.”Buffy stated, “Not until you’ve listened. You want to know how I knew Gwen Post was evil, how about because I’ve been doing this since I was fifteen. Three years, Faith. Three years of trusting my instincts, three years alone. Giles says some slayers don’t even last that long. You’ve been doing this, what, maybe six months? And you know what, I wish I’d been half as good as you at six months.”
Faith stopped halfway off the bed, her bare feet on carpet, staring at Buffy questioningly.
“I mean it, when you fight its like you channel all that energy and emotion and use it to beat the bad guys. That’s what a slayer needs to win, and you have that instinct, I’m not sure I do. Or I have to work at it at least.”
“But we’re going on about how perfect I am, right? So where do I start?” Buffy found her anger building as she continued, “My mom? I had to lie to her about everything that mattered since we got here, all my problems, my life in danger every single night. And when she found out what I was she freaked. Who wouldn’t, right? So I ran off, I couldn’t deal and ran and left my friends to clean up the mess, little Miss Perfect, remember? Falls in love with a vampire, sleeps with him and then watches as he tears up the town, while she stands by and does nothing because she’s still in love with him.”
Faith seemed unsure. “Buffy…”
Buffy shuddered as she calmed a little and wiped at her eyes. “The point I’m making is my life isn’t perfect, Faith. It might seem to be compared to yours, but it’s not. I worked to get the friends I have, and I know how lucky I am to have them. But, y’know what, they’re your friends too now, Willow and Xander and Oz and Cord…uh, and Oz.”
Buffy shook her head, “You might think you’re better off alone or that being alone is enough to get by, but its not. I know from experience that alone is never better.” Buffy moved closer and sat on the bed next to Faith, still looking at her, “And I promise you won’t be, because you’ll always have me.”
Faith looked at her, her eyes wide and Buffy saw that she wanted to believe her, but she closed them and sighed. “So, I’m what now, your charity case?”
Buffy frowned at the other girl. “That’s not fair, Faith. You’re saying that if I don’t care it must be because I’m a spoiled princess with this perfect life, and if I do care it’s because I pity you. It couldn’t possibly be because I like you, and missed you like crazy when you were gone, or that I admire the way you embrace this crazy life we were forced into. Like you…own it, like you were always meant to be what I…struggle with so much.”
Faith looked at her warily. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I’d like to,” Buffy countered, “I have these feelings, like nothing I’ve…I was confused at first, about you, about everything. But I want to get to know you better.”
Faith snorted weakly. “You wanna date, B? I told you I don’t date.”
“You don’t date losers, I know. Newsflash Faith, I’m not a loser. I’m kind of a catch, at least on my good days.”
“Never seen you on a bad day, B.” Faith said softly, before frowning, “This is crazy, we can’t…this can’t work. No way.”
“Why not? Tell me that.” Buffy asked. She hesitantly put a hand on Faith’s arm; Faith flinched but didn’t pull away.
“You’re with Angel.” She stated sullenly.
“We kissed once, it was a mistake, and we both knew it. It’s not happening again.” Buffy lightly squeezed her arm, “I already told him that I have feelings for you.”
Faith looked at Buffy, her features contorted with warring emotions. Hope and fear in equal measure registered on her face. “You don’t know what you want…I’m not what you want.” Her voice was filled with harsh self-recrimination.
“I know what I feel, and I think I know how you feel. You’re scared to believe that this,” Buffy gestured between the two of them, “Could be real. You’ll take on a demon three times your size without flinching but this, you’re frightened of.”
“Screw you,” Faith said, but there was no power behind her words. The walls she had built up were cracking. There was silence for a few moments; Faith ran a shaky hand through her hair and kept on glancing at Buffy nervously. “I…don’t know how to do this, if I can be what…you want.”
Buffy leaned in and gently kissed Faith on the lips, a soft, tender and comforting kiss. The brunette sighed into Buffy’s mouth and Buffy smiled. She tilted her head back and grinned at Faith. “I’d say that was a pretty good start.”
Buffy’s hand slid down Faith’s arm and clasped her hand, finger intertwined. Buffy looked into Faith’s eyes, hoping the other girl would take a chance, the same chance Buffy herself was taking.
Faith glanced down at their held hands, the anxiety on her face fading slightly. “So, uh, what happens now?”
Buffy’s heart soared at Faith’s implied acceptance. “I don’t know- you’re the first girl I’ve ever dated.” She caught the other girl’s gaze again, “But no pressure, okay. We take things slow and maybe find something we both like doing, and do it together.”
Faith smirked cockily. “I got a couple of ideas…”
“I said take things slow, Faith.” Buffy rolled her eyes, “But we can continue doing some stuff…” With that Buffy pressed forward and her lips met Faith’s again, the brunette girl responded with a bit more heat this time and Buffy pulled away after a minute or so, out of breath.
Faith’s mouth widened into a grin, flashing dimples and all. “Not bad, now you ain’t gonna run off again, right?”
Buffy shook her head slowly. She looked up at Faith through her eyelashes, “I’m not going…”
“Buffy!” Her Mom called as the front door closed, “Honey, what do you and Faith want for dinner?”
Buffy groaned and softly bumped her forehead against Faith’s shoulder, the other slayer chuckled huskily. “Sucky timing strikes again, huh?”
Buffy smiled and quickly leaned forward, kissing Faith briefly on the lips. “To be continued.” She said before rolling off the bed, “Coming Mom!”
She stopped at the doorway to look back and gave Faith a shy smile. Faith, who had in one conversation gone from being a combative slayer to being…, what? Girlfriend?
To Buffy surprise the idea wasn’t a scary one, actually the opposite was true. She was excited more than she ever would’ve thought.
But still lingering problems remained, like should she tell Giles. Not yet, not until things between them were more solid. Tell Mom? No, no, a thousand times no, not until a long time had passed, and then it would be from minimum safe distance. Like a phone call or a letter. Tell Xander? Probably, just to see the look on his face…
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Wishing Changes Everything