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Heart's Desire	By : PencilNeck Category: -Buffy the Vampire Slayer > FemmeSlash - Female/Female > Buffy/Faith Views: 9582 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter
23:� Jigsaw Feeling

Willow is blown
back by the force of it.� The force of
what exactly, she�s not sure.� She is
however, very sure that she�s on her ass about ten feet away from where she
was.

She opens her eyes.�
Faith is lying on her back about thirty feet away.� Buffy�s still�

Willow scurries
back to Buffy, on hands and knees.� She
checks for a pulse.� Breath.� Anything.�

�Damn!�� Willow
starts threading thin streams of magic together, trailing light from her
fingertips across Buffy�s still form.�
�C�mon!�� She looks up, hands
still weaving.� �Faith?� You okay?�

Faith sits up, stiff and straight.� She cracks her neck slowly.� Stands, wobbling on her
legs.� She looks around her,
inspecting everything with the same vacant look.

�Faith, it�s okay.�� Willow
thinks that it�s shock.� �I can��

She stops, puzzled.�
Faith is clenching and unclenching her fists, turning them around and
staring at them, blank and empty.

�You alright over there?�� Willow
tries again.� Her hands
on automatic.

Faith turns her body towards Willow,
still watching her hands.� She opens her
mouth to speak.� Nothing.� She widens her mouth, closes it again.� Flicks her tongue out
awkwardly.�� A
glimmer in her face.� A note of surprise and realization.

�Faith?�� Willow
senses impending weirdness.

�No.� Not exactly.�� This
time Faith manages words.� She looks away
from the fascinating mechanics of her muscles and sinews.�

Faith�s eyes, usually so dark, now have a glint of green.

�Buffy?�

�Sort of.�� Faith smiles Buffy�s wry smile.� Her eyes catch sight of Buffy�s body.� �I look terrible.� Am I��

�NO!� Not yet.�� Willow
cringes.� �I� I did a thing.� A little spell, nothing
fancy.� To stop
you getting any worse.� I kinda
just� slowed time down around you a little.�
Okay, a lot.� And I know you said
that I shouldn�t, but it�s not that!�
It�s entirely different, and��

�It�s good, Will.� I�m
gonna need somewhere to go.�� Faith looks
down, and Buffy frowns at her new body.� �Not
so roomy in here.�

�You�re tellin� me.�� Faith�s mouth never stops moving.� But the tone changes, and
the accent.�

�Faith?�� Willow
asks apprehensively.� �You�re in there
too?�

�Looks like.�� Faith
smiles her own smile, breaking out the dimples.�
�It worked.� It really��

She shivers. Her neck spasms sharply to
the left.�

Willow feels a
presence, a power creeping around her.�
It�s strong, vibrant.� And strangely, not evil.

�Uh, guys?�� Willow
watches Faith.� The
subtle change, the unfamiliar posture.�
Her staring is met by cold, steel grey eyes.

�Where is he?��
Faith�s voice has an eerie, flat quality.

�He who?�� Willow
asks before she thinks.� Then she thinks
while she talks, fitting the pieces together.�
�OH!� It�s YOU!� There�s them, and
you.� And you�re all smooshed inside�
well, you!� Like she�s some kinda mini
car and you�re all a bunch of clowns��

�You rang?�� Kennedy
bursts in at full tilt.� �One rescue
party, no dela- Hey!��
Something knocks Kennedy from behind.�
She turns to face her attacker.�
�Hey!� Watch it!�

�Not my fault you- Ooof!�� Rona doesn�t have time to regain her balance
before Vi hits her at a run.� Rona topples into Kennedy, and they both hit
the ground.� Kennedy shoves Rona off and
quickly jumps to her feet.�

�Sorry!�� Vi cringes a little, helping Rona to stand up.� �Sorry.�

�Hey guys.�� Willow
greets them with a quick glance.

Faith�s body turns faster than anything should move, eyes
locked on the intruders.

�Whoa!�� Rona�s
impressed.�

�Dude, that was so cool!��
Vi agrees.�
�Are we gonna be able to do that?�

�What happened?��
Kennedy�s noticed the bodies and parts strewn on the ground.� The other body, wrapped in
magic.�� How�s Buffy?��

�Umm�� Which
part?�� Willow
doesn�t know where to start.� �Her spirit
seems fine.� Little
weird at first, with the switching, but way creepier when it�s the Saoshyant.� She�s just� creepy.� Oh!� And Buffy�s body?� I�m
still working on it.�

�Faith?�� Kennedy takes a step forward.� �You okay?�

�We are�� Faith seems
to be searching her mind for something.�
�...fine, thank you.� Where is
he?�

�Creepy!�� Kennedy
takes that step back, and another just in case.�
She turns to Willow.� �Did you just say what I think you said?�

�Yup.�� Willow
levitates Buffy�s body up off the floor.�
She quickly gestures to Faith.� �Buffy�s in there.� �

�Hey Buffy!�� Vi waves at
Faith.� �I�m glad you�re not dead!�

�God, Vi.�� Rona
smacks Vi�s hand down.�
�Quit it!�

�I�m just being polite!��
Vi defends herself.� �Not that I�m lying!�� She turns back to Faith.� �I AM glad you�re not dead.�

Faith stares her down, her new grey eyes a piercing
weapon.�

�Well, I am.�� Vi mumbles.

�We all are.�� Kennedy
tries to salvage some dignity.� �But this
changes the plan.� I�m going down there
with you.�� She gulps as her eye catches
the deep dark.

Faith walks stiffly over to Kennedy.� Inspects her.� Shakes her head.

�No.� You
cannot.�� Faith turns away, inspecting
the pit carefully.� �We are the
Saoshyant.� We�� The words give rise to a new awareness.� �I go alone.�

�Kennedy!� Report!�� Xander can�t
wait another second.� �Is she alive?� Are they��

�Sorry Xander.��
Kennedy takes a step away from the rest.�
She�s not going to try and explain any of this right now.� �Things are� strange down here.� But Buffy�s um� alright, I think.� Hurt, but alive.��

�Right.� Good.��
Xander doesn�t want to push his luck.�
�Prep for Evac.� We�re getting the hell out of here!�

�We�re quitting?��
Kennedy sounds incredulous.�

�No, we�re leaving.��
Xander sounds forceful.� �We came,
we saw, we more or less brought the smackdown. �We�re done here.�

�What about Abaddon?�� Vi puts her hand
up.� She quickly takes it down, looking
furtively around to see if anyone noticed.

�And what about unh� Faith��
Buffy� thing?��
Rona doesn�t put her hand up.� She
just waves it sloppily in Faith�s direction.

�The Army of Darkness is pulling the big scaredy run-away,
and I say we let �em go.�� Xander is one step away from pulling rank.

�No.�� Faith turns on
her heel.� �No escape.� No mercy.�
No survivors.�

�Faith?�� Xander�s not sure how he heard that.� It sure as jiminy didn�t come through the
speakers.

�You take commands from me, do you not?�� Faith speaks quietly.� It reverberates.� It almost shines.

�Uh, yeah.� Sort of.�� Xander talks to the air.

Faith takes a step backward.�
There�s a schickk sound when her body
penetrates the air bubble.

�Faith!� Your helmet!�� Kennedy stops short, watching as Faith takes
a deep breath of poison.

�I have no need for such contrivances.�� Faith turns toward the pit�s edge.� She looks down briefly, her eyes focused on
something distant and deep.

�You have your orders.��
The edge of her lip curls up.� Her
brow rises.� �Kill them all.�

Without another word, she races to the edge and leaps into
the void.

�Jesus Murphy!��
Kennedy rushes after her.� �Did
you see?�� She turns back, pointing down
into the pit.� �Did you?�

�Are we gonna be able to do
THAT?�� Vi gapes
into the darkness.

�You WANT to do that?�� Rona pulls them back to a safe distance.�

�No, not exactly
that.�� Vi
back tracks nicely.� �But still��

�We�ve got movement in the
tunnels!�� Xander breaks up the act.�

�Where do you want us?�� Kennedy stiffens.

He stops, listening to another
voice in his ear.� �They�re attacking the
Safe Zones!�

�Dawn!�� Willow
says it out loud.�

*****

It�s like floating.�
The carved walls fly past her eyes, inches away.� She twists herself around.� The stairs signal the depths she�s sinking
to.� She glances down.� Her eyes can see in this darkness.�

Feet first is best.

She tucks, rolling her body over.� Enjoying the feeling of
being inside this body.� Still learning, discovering the parts that make her up.� It will be hard to let this go.� To die.� To disappear again.� It�s always so brief.

But she is the Saoshyant.�
She does what she must.� What she
was made to do.� Over and over, she
fights this battle.� Always
the same.� She is born for
death.�

Death is your gift.� A strange voice in her
head.

She struggles to keep herself merged.� The bottom approaches.� No time for stray thoughts and stray
personalities.� She is stronger as
one.�

She is the Chosen, after all.

�Gnugh!�� Faith�s body lands feet first.� Crouched low.� Eyes shining in the black.

Such a strong body.� She stands, stretching out her new
muscles.� She blinks, and the path is
clear.�

She doesn�t need to see.�
She can feel him calling to her.�

Aesma-daeva, the enemy.� The
fallen wretched monster sings to her.�
She knows only him.� She feels
only him.�

She prays this is the last time.� That her victory will be
the end.� The cycle will complete,
and she can take her place at the right side of her Father, and be at peace.

Finally at peace.

*****

�We�re on secondary protocol, people!�� Xander gives the order.� �I repeat, secondary
protocol.� Remember your training!� We�re merging the teams!�

Kennedy freezes.� She
knows what that means.� She looks
around.� Her eyes settle on Willow,
who�s gently pushing Buffy�s body out of the cavern, away from the pit, and
down into the tunnel.�

Rona salutes, and Vi waves
shyly.� They both run down the tunnel to
meet their teams.

�Kennedy.� I need you
out there.�� Xander�s got an edge in his
voice.� �I�m sending someone to escort Willow
and Buffy�s� well, Buffy.�

�I could�� Kennedy
wants to stay.�

�No.�� Xander has no
time.� �You�re the Field Commander
now.� So get on the damned field!�

�Copy that.�� It
almost sounds timid, if that�s possible from Kennedy.

�Good.�� Xander has
less than no time.� �I expect a report
from you in five.�� Xander
out.

Kennedy sighs.� Pulls the helmet up and over her face, hearing it lock and seal.� Looks down into the pit.�

�Kenn?�� Willow
taps her on the shoulder, forcing Kennedy to stop and turn.

Willow turns
away.� It�s easier to talk to the wall,
especially about these things.

�Kenn, I know I never really said anything before and I
wanted to�� And I know we�re good now and
all.� But I wanted you to know for
sure.� When I left�� I left because of� Because I wasn�t sure that
what we had was like� epic, and forever, and all meant to be.� I was jealous, I think maybe.� I saw something� perfect� and I wanted
it.�� Willow
takes a breath.� Trying to get the
courage to turn around and face her lover like a grown up.

Kennedy shifts her weight.�
Lets out a sigh.

�Okay, okay�� But now
I know that it doesn�t have to be.� Not that it isn�t, but holy that�s a lot of pressure and
then pressure builds and explodes and I don�t want any more exploding.� I don�t want any more running away or
worrying or questioning.� I just want
you.� I know that now.� And I�m not just saying this because you
could die in the next ten minutes.� Well,
probably yes, that�s why I�m saying it.�
But that�s not the reason I�m saying it.�
I�m saying it because I lo-��

�Will.�� Kennedy spins
her around.� �I don�t have time for this
right now.� Say something!�

�I was talking!�� Willow
looks mystified.� �There were words, all
out loud and everything!� And heartfelt things, and probably some rambling��

�Uh huh.�� Kennedy chuckles, and taps her helmet.� �Unlike some people, I�m not a mind
reader.� And I�m due to report in two
minutes.�

Oh.� Willow
looks lost.� She remembers to project her
thoughts this time.� Okay.

Kennedy smiles.� Runs a gloved finger across
her lover�s cheek.� Turns and
walks away, toward the final battle.�

Just before Willow loses sight
of her in the darkness, she turns and starts walking backwards.� Kennedy shouts it to her.

�Me too!�

*****

�We have ten minutes!��
Dawn scrambles back into the Zone.��
�Move everyone out!�

�If you can walk, get going!�� The Meds start a chain gang of the battered
and broken, handing them off until they reach the outside.

�What about them?��
Emma points to the farthest corner, to the rows of girls lying still and
quiet, faces covered by their helmets.�

�I- I don�t know.��
Dawn really doesn�t.� She grabs
one end of a home-made stretcher.� �We
ha-have to��

�If we can.�� Emma grabs the other.� �We get the living out.� We�ll come back for the dead if we can.�� The girl using it moans as they lift her up
and start walking.

�That just seems so��
Dawn�s voice strangles in her throat.��
�They deserve better.�

�I know.�� Emma has
nothing else to say.� They hand off their
cargo.

�They�re coming through!��
A slayer bursts into the tunnel, flipping up her visor as she hits the
oxygen bubble.�

�How long?�� Dawn�s jaw sets.� �How many?�

�Too many.�� The girl pants, sword raised.� �Right now.�

Dawn looks around for a weapon.� She finds none.

�Just go.�� The girl
sees the desperation in Dawn�s face.�
�I�ll buy you some time.�

They lock eyes for a split second.� They both understand exactly what it will
cost.

�Thank you.� Dawn nods.�

The girl turns back the way she came, and speeds toward the
enemy.

�They deserve better.��
Dawn walks purposefully to where the bodies are laid out.� �Everyone�s going home.�
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Heart's Desire