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Complicated Grief	By : PencilNeck Category: -Buffy the Vampire Slayer > FemmeSlash - Female/Female Views: 3194 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
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
- 1-Shock
- 2-Denial
- 3-Bargaining
- 4-Guilt
- 5-Anger
- 6-Depression
- 7-Hope
- 2
- 3
- 4
Chapter 3: Bargaining

“This is no fair!” Buffy hops on one foot while attempting to put her other shoe on. “Somehow by just knowing you I’ve lost my clothes, my shoes, my jacket…”

“Don’t forget your lunch!” Faith doesn’t seem to care. She leaps off the fire escape.

“And my dignity!” Buffy jumps the last few feet. Her heels make a clacking noise when she lands. “Every time! You manage to screw up my life…”

“At least you still got one!” Faith turns to her. “I lost stuff too, but you don’t see me cryin’ about it.”

They run out of the alley and down through the streets. People watch them speed past. Curious, but not concerned.

“God, B! You need to check your priorities!” Faith speeds up. She knows where she’s going. “You live to shop another day!”

“And shopping is definitely a priority.” Buffy looks quickly down at her tank and jeans. “Cos this? Not my idea of fashion forward.”

Faith stops. Turns to face Buffy. Checks her out. Gives a little shrug. “You join the team; you get to wear the uniform. Gotta do something about the shoes, though. Combat boots, or maybe Birkenstocks if you want the hippie vibe.” She nods to her left. “We’re here.”

“And where’s here? Exactly?” Buffy ignores that whole first thing. She doesn’t understand it anyway.

She looks around. The narrow streets have given way to a warehouse district along the edge of a wide river.

“Simone’s hideout.” Faith shrugs. “Figured we might as well do a little recon.” She looks around. Nothing going on outside.

“You knew where she was this whole time?” Buffy crosses her arms. “God, Faith! You’re talking to me about priorities?” She watches Faith peek into a dirty window.

“She’s not here now. This is where they crash, at night.” Faith points to the blue sky. “You wanna go face-to-face with her? Fine. But me? I plan on seein’ tomorrow.”

“You’re scared of her?” Buffy almost laughs. Faith’s not scared of anything. Except maybe me.

“Not her. But her guns?” Faith is honest. “I can’t beat a bullet. Neither can you.”

Faith jumps up onto a garbage bin. Balancing on the edge. Catches her fingers on the thin edge of the window sill above. Fumbles a moment. With a creak, the window opens. She pulls herself up with a grunt. Goes in headfirst.

“Faith!” Buffy whispers. Watching Faith’s legs slide through the opening. She hears a muttered curse. Some shuffling.

“Faith!” A little louder.

A head pops up.

“Comin’, B?”

**************************************************

They creep through the dark and musty warehouse. Any light that tries to break through the grime on the windows is quickly killed by the dust hanging in the air.

“We’re clear.” Faith whispers. “Look for anything that seems… wrong.”

Faith points out a pile of blankets and sleeping bags in one corner. Buffy nods, and points to another corner. A much more disgusting corner, filled with dirty plates, used pots and pans, liquor bottles. And piles of take out boxes. She wrinkles her nose.

“I think something on that plate just looked at me. Is that wrong enough?” A rat scurries away into the dark. Buffy gags. “You take me to the nicest places.”

“Nothing’s too good for my girl.” Faith says it cheerfully. “So, you think it’s something in the water?”

“They’re gonna do something to the water?” Buffy looks horrified. “Like the Russians?”

Faith shakes her head. “Err… No. I was just thinkin’. Sunnydale. Hellmouth. Gotta affect everything around it, right?”

“I’m really not following.”

“Just seems a bit weird how everyone who stepped foot in that town winds up gay.”

“I’m not… There’s no gay!” Buffy clarifies, sort of. “And there’s no everyone. There’s only Willow! She’s the… gay.”

“Coulda fooled me.” Faith keeps looking around. “Or maybe you’re just foolin’ what’s-her-name… Soft Chew?”

“Mature.” Buffy makes a face. “And I’m not fooling anyone.”

“Got that right.” Faith’s low snicker.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothin’.” Faith backs off. “Find anything?”

“Not so much for thwarting evil schemes. Lots for thwarting my ability to keep anything down.” Buffy pokes around in an empty closet.

“Well, that’s my plan shot to shi-…”

“Um. Faith?” Buffy’s quiet.

“Yeah?”

“Does this seem wrong to you?”

Faith turns. Her eyes get big.

“About sums it up, yeah.”

Buffy takes a step back. Letting Faith see.

The back wall of the closet has disappeared. Instead, there’s a room. A room filled with computer monitors, a giant table filled with rolled up papers.

And all along the walls.   On shelves, in stacks taking up every inch, every space.

Millions.

**************************************************

Buffy walks along the shelves. Her fingers trailing along the edges of the money.

“There’s so much!” Buffy’s in awe. “How can there be so much?”

“Simone’s been busy.” Faith watches Buffy warily. “You know it’s all traceable. We can’t take any.”

“I wasn’t…” Buffy sighs. “How did you find out about that?”

“Grapevine’s not that long. You figure it out.” Faith goes to inspect the papers.

“Giles? He told you?” Buffy can’t tear her eyes away. She’s stopped seeing the currency. She’s seeing a big shiny weapon against evil. And she wants it.

“Yeah. Did that little clucking thing with his throat.” Faith tries to decipher what she’s seeing. “B, whaddya make of this stuff?”

A beat.

“Buffy!”

With a deeper sigh, Buffy turns away from temptation. Walks over and spreads out the sheets on the desk.

“These are blueprints.”

“I got that far myself.”

Buffy peels them back one by one. Studying them intently. Trying to memorize the details.

“They’re vaults. At different banks.” Buffy bites her lip. “Look at these names.   Are they all here? In Frankfurt, I mean?”

“I think so.” Faith looks at the names carefully. “A lot of ‘em have their headquarters here.”

“So we just need to figure out which one they’re going for…”

Faith walks to the computer. Taps the keyboard. The screen flashes with colour.

“No we don’t.” Faith motions for Buffy to look. She does.

“Oh my god.” Buffy turns to Faith.

“They’re gonna rob them all!”

**************************************************

Buffy grabs her cell from her bag and flips it open.

“Buffy, you can’t...” Faith grabs for it.

“It’s got a camera.” Buffy takes pictures of the room. “Quality is not so much, but it’s what we’ve got.”

“Good thinkin’.” Faith watches her.

“It’s a thing I do on occasion.” Buffy takes some quick close ups of the blueprints. “You should try it sometime.”

“Like now maybe?” Faith grins, and pulls a flash drive from her breast pocket. She walks to the computer, and starts downloading files.

“Won’t they know you did that?” Buffy walks over. “Can’t they tell?”

“Only if they’re looking for it.” Faith leans a bit, letting Buffy look over her shoulder.

“You’re really into this spy stuff, huh?” Buffy’s eyes follow the little animated folders as they fly across the screen. “With the… gadgets.”

“Yeah. Figure being stealthy is better than being stabby. Y’know, for the sanity.” Faith steps away. Buffy’s too close. “And this thing? Not really spy stuff when you can buy it almost anywhere.”

The files finish copying. Faith pulls the drive out and stuffs it back into her pocket.

“Let’s motor. We’ve got everything.” Faith starts walking toward the closet.

“Not everything…” Buffy’s gaze rests along the walls. “We could…”

“Buffy!” Faith warns.

“Fine. We’ll just leave all the money. Sitting here doing nothing for anyone. Lazy, lazy money.” Buffy shakes her finger at it.

“Yes we will.” Faith reaches out her hand. Waves her out. “C’mon. I’m starved.”

Buffy turns and follows Faith, muttering to herself.

“God, I’ve turned into Anya.”

**************************************************

“I can’t believe you eat veal.” Buffy crinkles her nose. “Poor little baby cows.”

“Yeah. I feel just sick about it.” Faith laughs. Pats her stomach, now filled with tasty Wiener schnitzel.

“You have no heart.” Buffy pokes her in the shoulder. “You shouldn’t eat cute things.”

“Guess you’re off the menu then.” Faith walks ahead of her. Down the streets lined with patios for the multitude of bars and cafes.

“That’s not what I meant.” Buffy rolls her eyes. Catches up.

“Good. Haven’t had dessert yet.” Faith spots something yummy.

“Also not what I meant.” Buffy ignores the gazillionth eyebrow wiggle of the day.

“So I’m stuck with ice cream.” Faith walks up to the little storefront counter. “You want?”

“Er… Yeah. Small vanilla.” Buffy can’t keep up with the conversation.

Faith stifles a snort. She orders in flawed German. She pays and moves to a small table on the sidewalk.

“So what’s the plan?” Buffy sits.

“After the sugar rush? Internet café.” Faith watches the waitress bring over Buffy’s small cup of vanilla, and Faith’s enormous five scoop sundae thing.

“Why? You wanna check your MySpace?” Buffy wants to sound scathing, but she’s kinda obsessing over the gooey mess that Faith’s shoveling into her mouth.

“Nah. Gonna send the stuff we got over to Giles.” Faith laughs, and a tiny trickle of strawberry syrup rolls down her chin. “’Sides, it’s all about Facebook now.”

Buffy swallows a modest spoonful of her vanilla. Wishing now that she’d taken the time to look over her options.

“You want?” Faith repeats herself. She offers up a loaded spoon.

Buffy nods. She reaches out for the spoon, but Faith shakes her head. Sighing, she opens her mouth, and leans in to take what Faith’s offering.

“God, that’s good.” Buffy groans. She looks down at the vanilla. Looks back at Faith. Widens her eyes. Lets her hair fall over her face a little. Does the thing with her mouth that boys like.

“Hey! You got yours and I got mine!” Faith tries to refuse.

“But Faith!” Buffy starts a little pout. And a little whine. It’s deadly.

“Ergh!” Faith growls at her defeat. “Here you go…” She offers up another spoonful.

Buffy leans in again. Closes her eyes. Opens her mouth, waiting to be fed. And waits. She opens her eyes again. Faith looks dazed. Or confused. Or stoned. And the ice cream’s dripping all over the place.

“Faith?” Buffy’s voice snaps Faith out of whatever it is.

“Right… Sorry.” Faith pushes the spoon into Buffy’s mouth. Shakes her head. “No more feeding for you.” She puts her bowl in the middle of the table. Picks up Buffy’s spoon and hands it to her.

Buffy pushes her little treat aside.

“Don’t you want yours anymore?” Faith eyes it.

Buffy looks at the tiny paper cup. The single scoop melting into a little puddle of beige. She looks back at Faith with a shrug.

“It’s not enough.”
Chapter 3: Bargaining
“This is no fair!” Buffy hops on one foot while attempting to put her other shoe on. “Somehow by just knowing you I’ve lost my clothes, my shoes, my jacket…”
“Don’t forget your lunch!” Faith doesn’t seem to care. She leaps off the fire escape.
“And my dignity!” Buffy jumps the last few feet. Her heels make a clacking noise when she lands. “Every time! You manage to screw up my life…”
“At least you still got one!” Faith turns to her. “I lost stuff too, but you don’t see me cryin’ about it.”
They run out of the alley and down through the streets. People watch them speed past. Curious, but not concerned.
“God, B! You need to check your priorities!” Faith speeds up. She knows where she’s going. “You live to shop another day!”
“And shopping is definitely a priority.” Buffy looks quickly down at her tank and jeans. “Cos this? Not my idea of fashion forward.”
Faith stops. Turns to face Buffy. Checks her out. Gives a little shrug. “You join the team; you get to wear the uniform. Gotta do something about the shoes, though. Combat boots, or maybe Birkenstocks if you want the hippie vibe.” She nods to her left. “We’re here.”
“And where’s here? Exactly?” Buffy ignores that whole first thing. She doesn’t understand it anyway.
She looks around. The narrow streets have given way to a warehouse district along the edge of a wide river.
“Simone’s hideout.” Faith shrugs. “Figured we might as well do a little recon.” She looks around. Nothing going on outside.
“You knew where she was this whole time?” Buffy crosses her arms. “God, Faith! You’re talking to me about priorities?” She watches Faith peek into a dirty window.
“She’s not here now. This is where they crash, at night.” Faith points to the blue sky. “You wanna go face-to-face with her? Fine. But me? I plan on seein’ tomorrow.”
“You’re scared of her?” Buffy almost laughs. Faith’s not scared of anything. Except maybe me.
“Not her. But her guns?” Faith is honest. “I can’t beat a bullet. Neither can you.”
Faith jumps up onto a garbage bin. Balancing on the edge. Catches her fingers on the thin edge of the window sill above. Fumbles a moment. With a creak, the window opens. She pulls herself up with a grunt. Goes in headfirst.
“Faith!” Buffy whispers. Watching Faith’s legs slide through the opening. She hears a muttered curse. Some shuffling.
“Faith!” A little louder.
A head pops up.
“Comin’, B?”
*****
They creep through the dark and musty warehouse. Any light that tries to break through the grime on the windows is quickly killed by the dust hanging in the air.
“We’re clear.” Faith whispers. “Look for anything that seems… wrong.”
Faith points out a pile of blankets and sleeping bags in one corner. Buffy nods, and points to another corner. A much more disgusting corner, filled with dirty plates, used pots and pans, liquor bottles. And piles of take out boxes. She wrinkles her nose.
“I think something on that plate just looked at me. Is that wrong enough?” A rat scurries away into the dark. Buffy gags. “You take me to the nicest places.”
“Nothing’s too good for my girl.” Faith says it cheerfully. “So, you think it’s something in the water?”
“They’re gonna do something to the water?” Buffy looks horrified. “Like the Russians?”
Faith shakes her head. “Err… No. I was just thinkin’. Sunnydale. Hellmouth. Gotta affect everything around it, right?”
“I’m really not following.”
“Just seems a bit weird how everyone who stepped foot in that town winds up gay.”
“I’m not… There’s no gay!” Buffy clarifies, sort of. “And there’s no everyone. There’s only Willow! She’s the… gay.”
“Coulda fooled me.” Faith keeps looking around. “Or maybe you’re just foolin’ what’s-her-name… Soft Chew?”
“Mature.” Buffy makes a face. “And I’m not fooling anyone.”
“Got that right.” Faith’s low snicker.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothin’.” Faith backs off. “Find anything?”
“Not so much for thwarting evil schemes. Lots for thwarting my ability to keep anything down.” Buffy pokes around in an empty closet.
“Well, that’s my plan shot to shi-…”
“Um. Faith?” Buffy’s quiet.
“Yeah?”
“Does this seem wrong to you?”
Faith turns. Her eyes get big.
“About sums it up, yeah.”
Buffy takes a step back. Letting Faith see.
The back wall of the closet has disappeared. Instead, there’s a room. A room filled with computer monitors, a giant table strewn with rolled up papers.
And all along the walls. On shelves, in stacks taking up every inch, every space.
Millions.
*****
Buffy walks along the shelves. Her fingers trailing along the edges of the money.
“There’s so much!” Buffy’s in awe. “How can there be so much?”
“Simone’s been busy.” Faith watches Buffy warily. “You know it’s all traceable. We can’t take any.”
“I wasn’t…” Buffy sighs. “How did you find out about that?”
“Grapevine’s not that long. You figure it out.” Faith goes to inspect the papers.
“Giles? He told you?” Buffy can’t tear her eyes away. She’s stopped seeing the currency. She’s seeing a big shiny weapon against evil. And she wants it.
“Yeah. Did that little clucking thing with his throat.” Faith tries to decipher what she sees. “B, whaddya make of this stuff?”
A beat.
“Buffy!”
With a deeper sigh, Buffy turns away from temptation. Walks over and spreads out the sheets on the desk.
“These are blueprints.”
“I got that far myself.”
Buffy peels them back one by one. Studying them intently. Trying to memorize the details.
“They’re vaults. At different banks.” Buffy bites her lip. “Look at these names. Are they all here? In Frankfurt, I mean?”
“I think so.” Faith looks at the names carefully. “A lot of ‘em have their headquarters here.”
“So we just need to figure out which one they’re going for…”
Faith walks to the computer. Taps the keyboard. The screens flash with colour.
“No we don’t.” Faith motions for Buffy to look. She does.
“Oh my god.” Buffy turns to Faith.
“They’re gonna rob them all!”
*****
Buffy grabs her cell from her bag and flips it open.
“Buffy, you can’t...” Faith grabs for it.
“It’s got a camera.” Buffy takes pictures of the room. “Quality is not so much, but it’s what we’ve got.”
“Good thinkin’.” Faith watches her.
“It’s a thing I do on occasion.” Buffy takes some quick close ups of the blueprints. “You should try it sometime.”
“Like now maybe?” Faith grins, and pulls a flash drive from her breast pocket. She walks to the computer, and starts downloading files.
“Won’t they know you did that?” Buffy walks over. “Can’t they tell?”
“Only if they’re looking for it.” Faith leans a bit, letting Buffy look over her shoulder.
“You’re really into this spy stuff, huh?” Buffy’s eyes follow the little animated folders as they fly across the screen. “With the… gadgets.”
“Yeah. Figure being stealthy is better than being stabby. Y’know, for the sanity.” Faith steps away. Buffy’s too close. “And this thing? Not really spy stuff when you can buy it almost anywhere.”
The files finish copying. Faith pulls the drive out and stuffs it back into her pocket.
“Let’s motor. We’ve got everything.” Faith starts walking toward the closet.
“Not everything…” Buffy’s gaze rests along the walls. “We could…”
“Buffy!” Faith warns.
“Fine. We’ll just leave all the money. Sitting here doing nothing for anyone. Lazy, lazy money.” Buffy shakes her finger at it.
“Yes we will.” Faith reaches out her hand. Waves her out. “C’mon. I’m starved.”
Buffy turns and follows Faith, muttering to herself.
“God, I’ve turned into Anya.”
*****
“I can’t believe you eat veal.” Buffy crinkles her nose. “Poor little baby cows.”
“Yeah. I feel just sick about it.” Faith laughs. Pats her stomach, now filled with tasty Wiener schnitzel.
“You have no heart.” Buffy pokes her in the shoulder. “You shouldn’t eat cute things.”
“Guess you’re off the menu then.” Faith walks ahead of her. Down the streets lined with patios for the multitude of bars and cafes.
“That’s not what I meant.” Buffy rolls her eyes. Catches up.
“Good. Haven’t had dessert yet.” Faith spots something yummy.
“Also not what I meant.” Buffy ignores the gazillionth eyebrow wiggle of the day.
“So I’m stuck with ice cream.” Faith walks up to the little storefront counter. “You want?”
“Er… Yeah. Small vanilla.” Buffy can’t keep up with the conversation.
Faith stifles a snort. She orders in flawed German. She pays and moves to a small table on the sidewalk.
“So what’s the plan?” Buffy sits.
“After the sugar rush? Internet café.” Faith watches the waitress bring over Buffy’s small cup of vanilla, and Faith’s enormous five scoop sundae thing.
“Why? You wanna check your MySpace?” Buffy wants to sound scathing, but she’s kinda obsessing over the gooey mess that Faith’s shoveling into her mouth.
“Nah. Gonna send the stuff we got over to Giles.” Faith laughs, and a tiny trickle of strawberry syrup rolls down her chin. “’Sides, it’s all about Facebook now.”
Buffy swallows a modest spoonful of her vanilla. Wishing now that she’d taken the time to look over her options.
“You want?” Faith repeats herself. She offers up a loaded spoon.
Buffy nods. She reaches out for the spoon, but Faith shakes her head. Sighing, she opens her mouth, and leans in to take what Faith’s offering.
“God, that’s good.” Buffy groans. She looks down at the vanilla. Looks back at Faith. Widens her eyes. Lets her hair fall over her face a little. Does the thing with her mouth that boys like.
“Hey! You got yours and I got mine!” Faith tries to refuse.
“But Faith!” Buffy starts a little whine. And a little pout. It’s deadly.
“Ergh!” Faith growls at her defeat. “Here you go…” She offers up another spoonful.
Buffy leans in again. Closes her eyes. Opens her mouth, waiting to be fed. And waits. She opens her eyes again. Faith looks dazed. Or confused. Or stoned. And the ice cream’s dripping all over the place.
“Faith?” Buffy’s voice snaps Faith out of whatever it is.
“Right… Sorry.” Faith pushes the spoon into Buffy’s mouth. Shakes her head. “No more feeding for you.” She puts her bowl in the middle of the table. Picks up Buffy’s spoon and hands it to her.
Buffy pushes her little treat aside.
“Don’t you want yours anymore?” Faith eyes it.
Buffy looks at the tiny paper cup. The single scoop melting into a little puddle of beige. She looks back at Faith with a shrug.
“It’s not enough.”
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Complicated Grief