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Graduation	By : Tanith Category: -Buffy the Vampire Slayer > FemmeSlash - Female/Female > Buffy/Faith Views: 2004 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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-Graduation
- 1
TITLE: GRADUATION
AUTHOR: TANITH
NOTES: Another unfinished story but I will get around to it - at some point anyway.
Faith awoke suddenly both literally and figuratively. "…Graduation…” she whispered. She got up from the bed and ran down the hall, stealing clothes from a staff room she left the hospital and rushed through unnatural darkness in the direction of the school.
Buffy waved the bloodstained knife in front of the big-snake creature that the mayor had become. Her stomach churned as she remembered sticking it in Faiths stomach. She had once told Angel that she had never hated a vampire before, that that was the first time she had hated anyone but it wasn't true even in Angels darkest hour she had been unable to hate him. Faith had been right, in some ways she had ‘dug it’ – there was always something so sexy about a rebel ignoring all of the rules. Buffy remembered the way her blood had boiled as she watched Faith so free and confident in her new role as a bad-guy, that was when she truly learned to hate. Her relationship with Faith was so complicated. It always had been, there was love mixed up with the hatred, with a healthy dose of lust mixed in.…
Lust????!!!
That last thought broadsided Buffy, the mayor lunged at her and she fell stunned, momentarily helpless.
"Buffy…." A familiar voice screamed.

Buffy could only stare transfixed as the mayor reared up to devour her. A blur passed before Buffy grabbing her and pulling her out of harms way as the mayor roared his disapproval. Buffy looked up at her saviour expecting Angel but what she saw was a weak and bleeding Faith.
"Faith…?"
"All along I have been working for the good guys."
Buffy placed her arm around Faiths shoulders feeling a chill of anticipation, "You thought she was your little girl but she was having you on. With us two working together you don't have a chance!"
"FAITH!!!!" The mayor roared.
Faith took a step closer to him, what she was about to do hurt but she knew it was the right thing to do, she had chosen him over Buffy once – not again! Knowing how much he hated swearing she said,
"Face it, you are fucked and ya know it!"The mayor lunged at them and they ran through the corridors of the school, Buffy partially dragging Faith who by this time was weak from blood loss. The snake demon followed them still screaming. They dove through a window in the library and got to a safe distance before the building exploded.
Debris rained down on the slayers, Buffy placed her body over Faiths to shield the injured girl. She looked down into Faiths brown eyes and an indeterminable amount of time passed. "As fun as this is B, we have a bit of a vamp cleanup to take care of," Faith finally said.
Buffy helped Faith up, noting that the younger slayer could hardly stand upright, "You should sit this one out."
"I can handle it B."
"…C'mon then."
The slayers launched themselves into the fray, despite her injuries Faith held her own. The Gang were shocked to see her there but as they owed their lives to her, nothing would be said until later.
Faith hissed through her teeth as Giles began to prod at her stab wound, but she said nothing. During the run from the hospital she had torn out most of the stitches in her stomach and the rest had ripped in the ensuing action. Her white T-shirt was literally saturated with blood. Giles noticed that the girl was almost unconscious from blood-loss and if he did nothing she would die and pretty soon. For a moment he actually considered doing just that, then he really saw the girl lying weak and helpless and he knew he couldn't.

Faith faintly heard Giles say, "You know this is going to hurt? I'll try to be as quick as I can." She barely found the strength to nod at him before she fainted.
Buffy walked through the door of Giles apartment some time later, for the first time in ages she felt truly free, Angel was gone and although she missed him it was a relief. She smiled at the rest of the scooby-gang but she really had eyes for only one person. Faith was unconscious on Giles's desk while he stitched up the nasty looking wound again. Her handiwork. "How's she doing?"
"She'll survive but her recovery is going to be nasty. She really tore up the wound earlier, she shouldn't have left the hospital at all."
"B was in trouble." Faith said faintly.
"I thaught you were knocked out." Buffy said gently.
"Kinda, I woke up when you came in."
Buffy brushed Faiths hair back from her face, ignoring the tingle she got when she touched the younger girl, "Go back to sleep." Faith smiled at her and closed her eyes.
Buffy sat at Faiths bedside while the girl slept; she looked so innocent and harmless. Just like the sixteen or seventeen year old she should have been without being a slayer and without having killed Alan Finch. Then again Faith had suffered before she was ever a slayer, things that Faith had barely alluded to had damaged her perhaps permanently. If she had never been called she would still be in trouble probably. Buffy couldn't allow herself to dwell on the 'what-ifs'. Above anything Faith was a survivor and perhaps with her help, she would survive this.
Buffy allowed herself a moment of quiet reflection, she remembered the look on Angels face as he had spotted Faith earlier. Whether he would admit it or not; he was attracted to Faith, they were kindred spirits, both drawn to a darker side of life, both trying to hide from the past. In some ways she was glad that he was gone, she loved Angel but there was no chance of a future. Not a chance in hell. She wasn’t even sure if that was what she wanted anymore, maybe their time had passed. Maybe she should move on.
"Buffy, we should turn Faith over to the council!"
"I agree with the G-man!" Xander said. Buffy stared at her friends, they were having another one of those meetings where they would confront Buffy about her actions and try and make her do as they wished.
There was no way that she would allow them to win this one, Buffy had finally faced the truth; she and Faith were alike, as Faith had once said, in different circumstances she could have turned out the same way as Faith. They were the Chosen Two; Buffy had never been able to relate to a person as she could with Faith, it was down to the slayer thing. Traditionally the slayer was alone, Buffy had been the only exception she had friends but at some level she was always alone, even with Kendra and Angel she had been alone. Until she met Faith that was, there had always been an almost electric connection between them. She didn’t know what it meant but this time she wouldn’t run, this time she would see it through.
"She stays!"
"And if the council come looking for her?" Giles said.
"Then they'll have to come through me!"
"They'll try!"
"They'll fail." Said another voice flatly.
They all turned to look at Faith. She walked further into the room gingerly; she looked extremely nervous as she tucked some of her dark hair behind her ear. Almost against her will Buffy was forced to admit that she found the image as sexy as hell, especially as Faith was only wearing one of Giles shirts which only came to mid-thigh. It revealed long, long tanned legs and soft, smooth well-muscled thighs. With an effort Buffy dragged her eyes away and listened to what she was saying.
"Look guys, I know you probably won't believe me when I say this but…I'm sorry…for everything. I can't apologise for who I am but I need to apologise for what I became."
She took a deep breath and continued; "After I killed Alan Finch everything just got outta control, I mean I've never been the most in-control kinda person and I'm not gonna use the whole 'I had a bad childhood' excuse. I'm not askin' ya to forgive or forget but I want ya all to know how sorry I am. When I woke up and kinda fully realised what I had done I couldn't believe how much I had hurt you guys. You all had been nice to me s'pecting nothing from me in return, my early time here was like the best in my life…and you B, you were more like a sister as well as the best friend I've ever had…and I wasted all of that…for what?"
As Faith fought tears Buffy walked forward and pulled her into her arms. Although they still had some major issues to work out Buffy realised that with a little 'faith' everything might just work out.
The Next Day
Faith walked into Buffys spare room, which had been temporarily set up as a gym for the time being, as the library was a thing of the past. Buffy had been training for some time and was dishevelled and sweaty, pre-occupied she didn't notice Faiths entry. And so when Faith spoke she jumped in surprise and aimed a blow at whoever was behind her only to find it stopped by hand just as strong as hers. There was only one person it could have been, only one person who was her equal.
She spun startled to find Faith standing there holding her wrist, "I'm sorry," she said hesitantly, "You surprised me." The gentleness of Faiths grip was reassuring to Buffy, she knew exactly how strong the other girl was.
"Where do we go from here B?" Faith shocked even herself with the naked need in her voice.
Buffy pulled her down to sit next to her, "I dunno, it's not like there's a manual for this kinda thing. I think basically we should try to get back to normal, I'm here for you okay Faith? You just have to remember, that when all else fails I am here."
"Everyone who's ever said that to me has lied, I just find it so hard to trust people."
"This is a new beginning for us Faith, we can't forget what has gone before but we should try and build on it."
"When I apologised I don't think it 'cut it'. I need to tell you, more than the rest of them how sorry I am. I know I hurt you more than I hurt the others - I done a lot of fucked up thing in my life but rejecting your friendship was the most screwed one. And I'm sorry...I'm also way sorry for dragging you into that Alan Finch thing - I just didn't wanna admit that it was my fault and especially I didn't wanna admit that I was upset by it."
Buffy stood up and said, "It's okay - I'm glad you admitted it, we both need to be a little more honest and open with each other. C'mon let's go get a coffee."
Hand-in-hand they left the house.
It was dark and they were still walking through 'downtown' Sunnydale, it reminded Buffy of when Faith had first come to Sunnydale. She had resented the other slayer for her freedom and for seemingly taking over her life. Buffy chuckled as she remembered her awkwardness over Faiths openness about her sex life. Faith looked over at her and grinned hesitantly. There were some things she wanted to tell B but couldn’t, it was slightly worrying but Faith had never been one for procrastinating.
"So B, how do we start this honesty thing?"
"Well we just be honest, um like…um well. How ‘Bout… The first lie I ever told you… Remember that first night at The Bronze? You and your tall-tales, enjoying embarrassing me. Oh how did you put it?"
Faiths grin widened as she realised what Buffy was talking about.
At exactly the same moment they spun to face the vampires that were creeping up on them, and in that moment it was as though The Chosen Two had never been apart. They fought as every movement had been choreographed, as if they were two halves of the same fighting machine. Faith was slightly hampered by her injury but Buffy was there to back her up and when a vampire had Buffy cornered Faith was there. It was as it should have been all along and how it would be from now on.
Faith staked the vamp threatening Buffy, the suddenness of the move caught both off balance. The fight ended with Faith falling on top of Buffy, they lay on the sidewalk and Faith growled provocatively, "Admit it!"
Buffy seemed unaware that the timbre of her own voice had lowered to a dangerously passionate note, "…Ain't it crazy how slaying just always makes ya hungry and horny?"
Faith shifted position slightly on top of the other slayer, "Now that wasn't so hard was it?"
Buffy wriggled so that Faiths weight was settled in a more 'comfortable' position. She looked into her eyes before adding, "Let's get pizza!"
Faith grinned at the other girl, "Wuss!" She jumped up and held her hand out towards Buffy to help her up.
"Oh c'mon Faith you know you'll like it."
"I don't know any such thing!" Faith said, shaking her head, backing away from the blonde.
"Faith don't we have this trust thing going on now?" Buffy gently beckoned to her as though trying to tame a nervous dog.
Faith sighed in resignation and allowed the blonde to pull her up the stairs.
"Oh…that feels so…good." Faith moaned.
"Told you you'd like it." Buffy said panting lightly from her exertions.
Buffy had Faith pinned to the sink shampooing and conditioning her hair. She gently towel dried it before leading Faith to her bedroom. Sitting the other slayer on her bed she turned on her hair dryer and grabbed a brush. Faith laughed at the determined look on the blondes face. It was cute.
Willow was sitting in Giles's apartment next to Xander. "Giles? Do you still think Faith is evil?"
"To be honest Willow I don't think she ever was, truly. I think that Faith was badly hurt by some things in her past and has some mental problems, if we can help her overcome them then maybe everything will work out ok."
"Deep down I think Faith just wants to be loved but she's afraid of giving anyone that much power over her." Xander added, suddenly insightful.
"I was just worried." Willow said, "Faith and Buffy have spent the last week almost exclusively in each others company."
Giles looked at Willow, "It may be that at this stage Buffy is the only one who can get through to Faith. I think, however that we should keep an eye on them."
"C'mon B I did the hair washing thing. It's your turn." Faith looked at the nervous look on Buffys face. Gently she chuckled before going behind the blonde and wrapping her arms around her, "It's easy ok I'll show you."
Buffy could hardly breathe as Faiths arms wrapped around her, looking for a way out she grabbed the whisk. Faiths hands found their way around Buffys and showed her how mix the cake mixture so lots of air would get in. Buffy couldn't concentrate on the task at hand, the only thing she was conscious of was Faiths arms around her, her hands on hers, the other girls breath on her neck and the softness pressed against her back. She turned slightly looking into the dark slayers eyes – they moved slightly closer together, if that was possible.
Willow walked into the room with Giles and blinked in surprise, “Faith where did you learn to cook?”
But even before I received her diaries I had suspicions of a bad childhood but nothing like that. If I had anything more concrete I would have told you."
"Poor Faith…" Willow moaned.
Without a word Buffy produced the letter and the gang passed it around. Xander stood up and for a moment Giles saw traces of the man he would become in the boy standing before him. "Faith has dealt with this alone for too long, despite what she thinks she needs friends, that's us…she needs someone to talk to, that's you Buffy."
"I agree," Willow said, "she's done bad stuff but now we know why...we can move on past this."
"Giles?" Buffy said.
"We should find her!" Giles replied
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TWO MONTHS LATER
Buffy was starting to lose hope that they would ever find Faith, the younger slayer was adept at hiding her tracks. They had searched most of the boltholes she could've gone to on the California coast; they had then worked their way inwards, never having gotten a lead on the rogue slayer.
"Boston…" Willow said suddenly.
"Huh!" everyone else said.
"Faiths from Boston, she could have gone back."
Buffy looked up thoughtfully, "Not Boston, she has too much history with that place…somewhere else in Massachusetts, nearby maybe. A tourist guide would be handy…Xand?"
"Hang on…" he said rummaging in his backpack, "Guess I'm not going away this summer after all, so you can have it." He handed Buffy a thick guide to Boston and the surrounding area.
"Faith likes having a variety of get-away options, it'd be somewhere with an airport, docks, railway, something…" Buffy flicked rapidly through the book, "This place Capeside sounds perfect, not far from Boston, kinda small but it's got a small freight company which would help with a getaway."
"Buff how do you know, I mean you just picked a small town in Massachusetts, how'd you think Faith is there?"
"It's a slayer thing. Also I'm going myself, ok? Giles can I borrow enough money for a plane ticket?"
Giles handed Buffy a lump of cash and phoned the airline, buying the ticket with his credit card. "Good luck Buffy, don't hesitate to call if you need anything."
-----------------------------
Faith sat on a tall pier, watching the moonlight shimmer on the water and the gentle movement of the waves. At this time of year it got a little chilly on the East Coast, so she huddled deeper into her leather jacket; after all this time she could still smell Buffy on the leather, she remembered the night they had gone on patrol, a few days before she had fled Sunnydale. Buffy had managed to be nearly drowned by a vampire, yet again and Faith had lent the shorter slayer her jacket, she inhaled deeply getting the scent of leather and the blondes perfume, loosing herself again in memories.
Buffy walked along the quayside noticing the silhouette of someone sitting on top of a high wooden pier; she remembered one night when Faith had first come to Sunnydale, the other slayer had been perched on the roof of a mausoleum outlined by the moonlight like an oversized gargoyle. Instantly she knew that the person on the pier was Faith, all she had to do now was think of what to say.
"Not real stealthy B." Came a voice out of the darkness.
Buffy clambered up the ladder to sit next to Faith who was avoiding looking her, the blonde tried to give her time to think so she said nothing and for a time the two slayers sat watching the moon set across the water.
I don't stay anywhere too long and I kinda outstayed my welcome in Sunnydale."
"You're wrong, you have people there who care about you…I care about you! I'm not taking no for an answer Faith, you are coming back with me!"
"Quite the dominatrix aren't we B?" said Faith, sitting down again.
"I'm a woman of many talents F."
"You told them." It wasn't a question.
"Had to." Buffy spoke to the younger slayer soothingly because she looked ready to bolt at the slightest provocation. They're all behind you now Faith."
"Told ya I didn't need pity B!" Faith stood again and was smirking in her old cocksure way.
Buffy raised her hands placatingly, "we're not pitying you Faith, yeah we feel sorry for you because no one should have to go through that!" The blondes voice rose as her speech began to get more passionate.
Buffy closed her mouth with an audible snap as she heard nearby dogs begin to bark at the sound of her voice. Faith chuckled and said, "You're cute when you're being persuasive - ya know that B?"
The brunette frowned as she found herself being pulled into a hug by the older slayer, she stood stiffly for a moment before giving into the comfort Buffy was offering.
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Two days later � The Bronze
"Tell me again why we're here B."
"Cos I told the gang we'd meet them here as soon as we got back."
"Well they're not here! Can we go - it's a karaoke night and that's just not my thing!"
"C'mon F, you need to find the fun a little."
"Karaoke isn't fun. It's bad…very, very bad."
Buffy waved at the rest of the gang who had just walked into the club. Giles looked and felt very out of place as he joined the Scooby Gang at a table. Buffy grinned mischievously, "Faiths gonna sing us a song aren't you Faith?""NO B! I didn't say anything of the sort besides I don't do karaoke I've told you that B!"
"Temper, temper *F*!"
"Fine!" Faith stood up abruptly and stalked towards the stage and after some conferring with the DJ he plugged a guitar into an amp. and handed it to her. She stepped up to the mike and cleared her throat, "Well I told my friend B, that I don't do karaoke but she insisted…so this is the good version of karaoke without the backing track or the machine."
She strummed the guitar to check it was in tune and slowly slipped the strap over her neck before nervously meeting the glances of the Scooby Gang.
She began to play a tune on the guitar, her voice was smoky as she began to sing…
" …Well I know the words,
But I can't really speak them…to you…
And I hide all the pain,
That I've gained with my wisdom…from you…

And I'm eaten alive…by what I hold inside…
All the things that I live with,
I can't easily hide…
And I'm left here with nothing…
Nothing to live for…but you…*"
Faith was watching Buffy who had tears silently running down her face. Faith offered what she considered a reassuring smile, trying to convey that she meant what she was singing.

"It's not easy to hide…
All this damage inside…
I'll carry you with me…until I'm not alive…
I can't seem to erase…
All the scars I have lived with…from you…*"

Buffy felt sick as she remembered the scar that Faith would always wear from her. Faith shook her head as she maintained eye contact with the older girl, showing her that that wasn't what she meant, instinctively she had known what the other girl was thinking.

"I'm so sick of this place…this taste in my mouth…
Cause of you I can't figure…what I'm all about.
And I'm left here with nothing…
Nothing to live for…but you…*"

Faiths voice became more passionate on the last repeat of the chorus, her eyes hadn't left Buffys through the whole song.

"It's not easy to hide…
All this damage inside…
I'll carry you with me…
'Til I'm not alive…*"
Slowly she finished strumming the chords and looked briefly at the floor before raising her own eyes and allowed Buffy to see the unshed tears behind her tough visage. She pulled the guitar from around her neck and handed back to the karaoke guy - he grinned at her trying to flirt but Faith just gave him a look that meant, "Oh please…"
She jumped off the stage and walked towards Buffy. Nothing existed but the two of them and they stood face to face for minutes, neither saying a word.
"Dance with me?" Buffy asked hesitantly, she had no idea why she was asking but it seemed like a good idea at the time.
Faith allowed Buffy to lead her to some empty floor and as a soft song began to play they began to sway to the music. Faith placed a hand gently on Buffys hip, in a bid to synchronise their movements. Buffy placed a hand over Faiths and meshed their fingers together, pulling the etteette closer to her. As the blonde almost tripped over her own feet, Faith put her other hand on Buffys other hip to steady the smaller girl.
Buffy released Faiths hand and wrapped her arms loosely around the other girls neck, Faith gasped in shock but recovered in time to slide her arms fully around Buffys waist.

Faith leaned closer and whispered in Buffys ear, “I’m glad you came and got me B. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Buffy looked into her eyes seeing the truth there, the truth that neither of them were ready to vocalise. One hand migrated into Faiths hair and pulled her even closer.
Their kiss didn’t come as a surprise.
The past few weeks had led them to this point and there was no going back
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to be continued…
*Excess Baggage by Staind
- 1
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Graduation