{buffyverse} becoming an adult
Title: Becoming an Adult
Author: Aaronlisa
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing/Characters: Buffy Summers, Faith Lehane, Rupert Giles
Rating: FR13 (one curse word)
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon and company.
Prompts: Written for the cya-ficathon for the following prompt: What would happen if Faith wasn’t put into a coma and Buffy had to decide how to handle her still being around (and being kinda evil) once the Mayor’s dust had settled. I’d like to see lots of mistrust and banter, angst with pepperings of humour (much in the vein of canon), Buffy and Faith going patrolling together but watching out more for attacks from each other than from the vamps/demons (and maybe getting hurt because of it, though that’s optional), and something to do with a bar and some underage drinking.
Notes: Unfortunately, I wasn't able to fit in the bar. It just didn't work. Somehow this fic got a little more angstier than I'd intended.
Notes: Set during the events of Season Three and Four, somewhat AU when it comes to Faith.
Summary: Faith doesn't go into a coma and Buffy has to decide what to do.
Word Count: 3145
The Mayor was destroyed, Angel had already left town for parts unknown, Cordelia was missing and all Buffy really wanted to do was to curl up on her couch in her flannel pajamas with a bowl of ice cream and her mom while she cried her heart out for her first boyfriend leaving her behind. Of course, she didn't have the time for a self-pity party like that. Instead Buffy found herself and Giles at the Espresso Pump trying to figure out what to do with Faith. Buffy wondered as she sipped her coffee if it made her a bad person that she wished that she had somehow managed to neutralize the rogue Slayer for longer than just the epic battle against the Mayor. If she had, she would have at least been spared the whole decision of what to do with her in the aftermath.
She can't help the yawn that escapes and Giles simply takes off his glasses and polishes them for what Buffy thinks is the sixteenth time since they had sat down with their coffees. The silence between them is strained and Buffy wishes that things were as simple as they used to be. She wishes that she could go back to a time when Giles watched and made the decisions while she did the slaying. The coffee burns her tongue as she swallows it.
"What should we do?" Buffy quietly asks. "I mean it's not like she's got the Mayor to go crawling back to."
"She's still dangerous Buffy," Giles says. "To underestimate her would be folly."
"Yeah I get that but isn't there protocol for something like this?"
Giles looks out the window before he looks back at her. His sigh is heavy and Buffy's pretty certain that she's not going to like what the protocol is for something like this.
"Typically when a Slayer goes rogue, the Council sends in the Special Operations Team and they handle the issue."
"And how exactly do they handle the issue?' Buffy asks, her tone sharper than normal.
To his credit, Giles doesn't pull of his glasses to polish them again. Instead he gives her a sad smile before answering her.
"And pray tell Buffy how do you think the Council would handle a situation such as a rogue Slayer?"
Buffy sighs in frustration. Despite everything she can't just hand Faith over to the Council to be murdered. Faith have done a lot of bad things for the Mayor, things that Buffy doesn't want to even think about, but Buffy doesn't think that the Council has the right to play judge, jury and executioner with their fancy little Special Operations Team.
"So what do you think that we should do?" Buffy resignedly asks.
"She has to be contained in some way," Giles says. "Again we can't afford to underestimate her. With the Mayor gone, there's a bit of a power vacuum."
"And of course, we can't have Faith throwing her lot in with the next big bad," Buffy says with a mock English accent.
Giles smiles fondly at her. "No we can't."
"Still what do you suggest that we do?"
"I think that it would be best that you make your own mind up on this issue."
"But Giles..." Buffy whines before he interrupts her.
"None of that Buffy, when it comes down to it, I've been relieved of my duties by the Council, I don't want to affect your decision when it comes to Faith."
He's telling her something, Buffy's just not certain what it is that he's telling her.
"Fine," Buffy says. "I'll call you tomorrow and tell you want I've decided."
"Very well," Giles says. He sounds like he first did when she first met him, back when things were easier.
* * *
Buffy finds herself wandering the streets of Sunnydale, she doubts that she'll find a vampire or a demon tonight. No doubt, they'll be laying low after the destruction of the high school and the Mayor. Or perhaps, they'll be quietly celebrating since his ascension would have meant their deaths as well. Buffy sighs as she folds her arms across her chest. This should be an easy decision but it's not. She had turned her back on the Council because of things like this and she just can't turn Faith over to them. But she's not certain she can trust Faith at all.
"I would have thought you would have been sucking face with your pet vamp," Faith says.
Buffy turns around and faces the other Slayer. There's something on Faith's face that Buffy can't quite place. A hint of contrition, of remorse but it's gone before Buffy can really decipher it. She wonders if Faith deserves a second chance after all. She'd given Angel one and it only seems fair that the dark-haired Slayer gets one too.
"What do you want Faith?"
"That all depends, B."
Buffy rolls her eyes at the arrogant attitude. Even after having a knife shoved in her stomach, Faith acts like she's all tough and strong when Buffy's certain she's brittle.
"What does it depend on F?" Buffy spits out.
She might be considering giving Faith a second chance but that doesn't mean she has to be nice to her does it? For a moment, Faith looks defeated.
"It all depends on what you want."
It's not the answer that Buffy was expecting and she suspects that it's more truthful than anything that's come out of Faith's mouth in a long time.
"I'm not going to lie to you Faith and say that we can be friends again, right now I don't even know if I can ever trust you again but I'd like it if we can work together."
"Alright," Faith says.
Buffy tells her to meet her at the Espresso Pump tomorrow at dusk and they'll patrol together. It's a start and Buffy feels like it's okay for her to go home now.
* * *
Things don't go smoothly during that first patrol. Or the second, or even the third and fourth. By the fifth night that they're patrolling, Buffy's thinking that perhaps turning Faith over to the Council might be the best idea. At the rate that they're going, Buffy's terrified that a vamp might get the jump on her because she's so distracted. She feels it necessary to constantly watch Faith, to make sure that the rogue Slayer isn't trying to set her up or isn't going to accidentally stake a human again. It's all very exhausting and tensions are running high between them.
"What the fuck is your problem B?" Faith finally demands.
"What do you think is my problem Faith?" Buffy spits out.
"This was your idea, not mine!"
Before Buffy can answer a vampire jumps out at them and Buffy realizes that she's completely unprepared. Faith shoulders her out of the way and slides the stake through the vampire's chest. Buffy's eyes water as the ash and dust explodes into her face. Her shoulder's throbbing from where she had hit a the side of a mausoleum.
"Did I pass?" Faith snarls.
"What are you talking about?"
"Like this isn't some sort of test," Faith says. "What happens if I fail?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play all innocent with me, B. I know who you are, you might be able to fool your stupid friends but you don't fool me. What happens if I fail?"
"I'm not testing you," Buffy says.
Faith storms off and leaves Buffy on her own. And Buffy wonders if maybe she should have told Faith the truth but she wasn't sure if that would just set the rogue Slayer off. Turns out not telling her had the same affect. She wonders if she should ask Giles for advice but she's pretty certain that her Watcher is just as clueless as how to proceed with Faith as she is.
* * *
Faith doesn't show up for a week, when she does, she has a black eye and her lip is swollen. Buffy's not sure if she should ask or not. It's not as if they have that type of relationship after all. If she acts like she cares, will that just anger Faith more? If she acts like she doesn't care, will that just force Faith back to the dark side again? Working with Kendra was a lot easier. At least, Buffy knew where Kendra's loyalties lay.
"Don't bother asking," Faith finally says, breaking the tension between them.
"Faith..." Buffy says only for the other Slayer to wave her hand in annoyance.
"It doesn't concern you so keep out of it."
Buffy wants to pull the card out that says she's the Slayer in charge here so yeah it does concern her but she thinks that will just make things worse so she keeps silent as they make their way to yet another cemetery that Sunnydale has to offer. It's quiet and Buffy misses Willow and Xander. However, Xander's somewhere living out his Kerouac fantasies and Willow's stuck doing pre-college courses that her mother enrolled her in. Buffy actually envies her friend having to do homework during the summer. Homework certainly beats having to deal with a sullen Slayer.
"So where have you been staying?"
"The apartment that the Mayor got me."
"Oh that's nice," Buffy says.
"Stop it B," Faith replies.
"Stop what?"
"Stop trying to make small talk," Faith says with a frown. "We're here to slay vampires and what not. We're not friends remember?"
"Yeah kind of hard to forget."
* * *
Buffy finds out from Giles that Faith had been beaten up by a group of vampires that used to work for the Mayor. The only reason why he found out was that he had stumbled across it when it was happened. Buffy's not certain if she's ashamed because Faith now has a larger target on her back or if she's secretly pleased that the other Slayer is getting her comeuppance for switching sides again.
Then again at the end of the day, she can't be certain if Faith's actually switching sides or if she's just playing a game. She finds herself at the Crawford street mansion. If Angel was around, maybe he could give her some answers. He seems to know a thing or two about second chances. As she stares at the familiar pieces of furniture, Buffy realizes that she's missed him but she hasn't missed him as much as she thought she would.
She sighs, it's just another complication that she doesn't want. A small noise causes her to turn around and she almost hits out at Faith. The other Slayer just manages to duck in time.
"Take it easy," Faith says.
"Faith? What are you doing here?"
"I live here now."
"I thought that you were staying at your apartment."
"It's not mine anymore," Faith says as she looks at the ground.
Buffy's uncertain if the brunette is playing a trick on her or not. And that's the problem, Buffy realizes, she's never been certain as to what Faith's game has been. She sighs in frustration.
"Why here?" Buffy finally asks.
"I didn't think Angel would mine," Faith honestly answers.
"But Giles or I..."
"Could have what?" Faith coldly interrupts her. "Like you would have wanted me living with your mom and you. And as if Giles trusts me. He's indulging you in your little experiment."
"And what little experiment is that?"
Faith laughs at her. "The experiment as to whether or not I can be reformed. So tell me B, can I?"
Buffy doesn't answer, instead it's her turn to storm out.
* * *
Patrolling has only gotten a little better. Buffy lets Giles and Willow come out every now and then. Faith isn't exactly pleasant or polite but Buffy feels a little safer with the extra set of eyes on Faith. And then it hits Buffy, what's going to happen when Faith's on her own? Can she trust Faith to be on her own? And isn't she already sort of trusting Faith to behave whenever they're not on patrol together? There's quite a few hours of the day when Faith is unaccounted for.
It makes her head ache with a pain she's unfamiliar with. Somehow this feels like growing up and she wishes she could just force Giles into making the decision about Faith. She looks at Faith and the rogue Slayer flashes her a wary look and she wonders if Faith is wondering all of the things that Buffy's wondering about except from her perspective. School starts in a few weeks and she won't be able to always go out with Faith. She'll either have to learn how to trust Faith or make up her mind up.
Buffy decides that tonight is not going to be that night.
* * *
Tomorrow Buffy starts college, she's nervous about it. She's drinking a mocha from the Espresso Pump when Faith shows up. The rogue Slayer looks a little nervous as well.
"Waiting long B?" Faith asks with a smirk.
Trust Faith to cover up nerves with arrogance. Buffy rolls her eyes at the other girl. It's not as if Faith's not well aware that she's over an hour late.
"Not really," Buffy replies.
Faith shrugs at her and Buffy wonders if Faith was wanting Buffy to call her on her lateness.
"Let's go slay some vamps!" Faith exclaims.
Buffy has to bite her tongue from lecturing the other Slayer. She's not Faith's keeper and if she says anything then Faith will call her on testing her again. It's a tired argument even if Faith's right.
They patrol together in a tense silence. Buffy watches Faith's every move, waiting for something that will telegraph whether Faith's good or bad or somewhere in between the two. Buffy highly doubts that Faith will ever be good in the truest sense of the word. Faith doesn't give her anything to suspect her motives. But then again Faith's never given her the slightest clue as to what she's been up to.
They're almost done sweeping the graveyard when Faith pins her up against a mausoleum. For some reason, Buffy reacts to the cold stone more than she does Faith's theatrics.
"What do you want Faith?" Buffy grinds out.
"I don't know, just wanna know if you're finished testing me or if I should expect some goons from the Council tomorrow."
"What would make you think the Council would be involved in this?"
Faith laughs, it's brittle and cold. Buffy hates the fact that Kendra and now Faith know more about the Council and about being a Slayer than she does. She wonders if Faith had once had the handbook before she came to Sunnydale. Clearly, if she had, Faith's disregarded every single thing in it.
"Don't play coy with me B, it might get vamps hot for you but it doesn't do a thing for me."
Buffy wonders about that. Faith's pressed close to her, one hand just above her shoulder on the cold stone and her other hand resting on Buffy's waist. For someone who doesn't seem to care, Faith certainly feels like she does.
"If the Council was going to be involved in this matter, don't you think I would have already called them?" Buffy asks.
"If it was anyone but you B, yeah I'd think that."
Buffy wants to ask what Faith means by that but she doesn't. They barely trust one another as it is. There's no point in forcing out secrets and feelings tonight. She just wants to go home and stress over what she's going to where tomorrow. And maybe think about how she doesn't feel as cold as she thinks she does about Faith being pressed up against her.
"Look if I was going to sic the Council on you, I would have done so the day after graduation."
"So I passed?"
"I wasn't testing you," Buffy lies.
"Sure you weren't," Faith says as she pulls away. "So how's it gonna work with you going to college?"
"You'll report to Giles," Buffy says. She realizes the mistake of using the word report the second that Faith turns away with her shoulders hunched. "Look I didn't mean it like that."
"It doesn't matter, I get it.," Faith says. "Are we done?"
"Faith please," Buffy implores her. "Things are different now."
"Yeah and that's why I have to report to Giles."
"What do you want me to say?" Buffy asks.
"It doesn't matter what you say B, it all comes down to the same thing, you don't trust me at all. You never will trust me. Don't worry, I'm over it."
"That's not true."
"Yeah it is, deep down inside you'll always be waiting for me to stumble again."
Faith leaves her and walks off. Buffy knows that she's right. But she can't help it, her life's all confusing. She's starting school tomorrow, things feel different, they are different. When it comes down to it, Buffy wants to tell Faith that she'll never really truly trust Angel again, not like she used to. Just like she'll never trust herself not to bring out the worst in both Angel and Faith if given half the chance to do so.
Buffy chases after Faith and she finally catches up to the rogue Slayer as she's scaling the fence to get out of the cemetery.
"Wait!" Buffy calls out.
Faith turns and stonily stares at her. It's unnerving that Faith's the one judging her.
"Look, I don't think we'll ever be friends, but we can work together, right?" Buffy asks.
"Don't worry B, I'm not about to go all evil again. Did that once and found out that it's not really worth it."
"It's not about you going evil again."
"Then what it is this about?"
"It's about me," Buffy says in desperation.
She clutches at one of the bars of the fence and Faith crosses her arms against her chest.
"Let's not make this about you B," Faith says with a sneer. "I don't think I wanna hear about how I went all bad because you weren't there to help me when I needed you. I went bad because it felt good. Go home to your mom and your sister and quit trying to bear some cross that's not yours to bear."
"But Faith..."
"No! I'm sick of this. It's not always about you. No matter what you think," Faith says. "Goodnight."
Buffy watches her walk away and she realizes that maybe Faith's right. She'll go to Giles' apartment tonight and ask him about it. She doubts that he'll have answers for her. Lately he's been wanting her to figure things out on her own. Buffy sighs and wonders when things became so difficult and when did everyone start looking at her like she was an adult?
((END))
Author: Aaronlisa
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing/Characters: Buffy Summers, Faith Lehane, Rupert Giles
Rating: FR13 (one curse word)
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon and company.
Prompts: Written for the cya-ficathon for the following prompt: What would happen if Faith wasn’t put into a coma and Buffy had to decide how to handle her still being around (and being kinda evil) once the Mayor’s dust had settled. I’d like to see lots of mistrust and banter, angst with pepperings of humour (much in the vein of canon), Buffy and Faith going patrolling together but watching out more for attacks from each other than from the vamps/demons (and maybe getting hurt because of it, though that’s optional), and something to do with a bar and some underage drinking.
Notes: Unfortunately, I wasn't able to fit in the bar. It just didn't work. Somehow this fic got a little more angstier than I'd intended.
Notes: Set during the events of Season Three and Four, somewhat AU when it comes to Faith.
Summary: Faith doesn't go into a coma and Buffy has to decide what to do.
Word Count: 3145
The Mayor was destroyed, Angel had already left town for parts unknown, Cordelia was missing and all Buffy really wanted to do was to curl up on her couch in her flannel pajamas with a bowl of ice cream and her mom while she cried her heart out for her first boyfriend leaving her behind. Of course, she didn't have the time for a self-pity party like that. Instead Buffy found herself and Giles at the Espresso Pump trying to figure out what to do with Faith. Buffy wondered as she sipped her coffee if it made her a bad person that she wished that she had somehow managed to neutralize the rogue Slayer for longer than just the epic battle against the Mayor. If she had, she would have at least been spared the whole decision of what to do with her in the aftermath.
She can't help the yawn that escapes and Giles simply takes off his glasses and polishes them for what Buffy thinks is the sixteenth time since they had sat down with their coffees. The silence between them is strained and Buffy wishes that things were as simple as they used to be. She wishes that she could go back to a time when Giles watched and made the decisions while she did the slaying. The coffee burns her tongue as she swallows it.
"What should we do?" Buffy quietly asks. "I mean it's not like she's got the Mayor to go crawling back to."
"She's still dangerous Buffy," Giles says. "To underestimate her would be folly."
"Yeah I get that but isn't there protocol for something like this?"
Giles looks out the window before he looks back at her. His sigh is heavy and Buffy's pretty certain that she's not going to like what the protocol is for something like this.
"Typically when a Slayer goes rogue, the Council sends in the Special Operations Team and they handle the issue."
"And how exactly do they handle the issue?' Buffy asks, her tone sharper than normal.
To his credit, Giles doesn't pull of his glasses to polish them again. Instead he gives her a sad smile before answering her.
"And pray tell Buffy how do you think the Council would handle a situation such as a rogue Slayer?"
Buffy sighs in frustration. Despite everything she can't just hand Faith over to the Council to be murdered. Faith have done a lot of bad things for the Mayor, things that Buffy doesn't want to even think about, but Buffy doesn't think that the Council has the right to play judge, jury and executioner with their fancy little Special Operations Team.
"So what do you think that we should do?" Buffy resignedly asks.
"She has to be contained in some way," Giles says. "Again we can't afford to underestimate her. With the Mayor gone, there's a bit of a power vacuum."
"And of course, we can't have Faith throwing her lot in with the next big bad," Buffy says with a mock English accent.
Giles smiles fondly at her. "No we can't."
"Still what do you suggest that we do?"
"I think that it would be best that you make your own mind up on this issue."
"But Giles..." Buffy whines before he interrupts her.
"None of that Buffy, when it comes down to it, I've been relieved of my duties by the Council, I don't want to affect your decision when it comes to Faith."
He's telling her something, Buffy's just not certain what it is that he's telling her.
"Fine," Buffy says. "I'll call you tomorrow and tell you want I've decided."
"Very well," Giles says. He sounds like he first did when she first met him, back when things were easier.
* * *
Buffy finds herself wandering the streets of Sunnydale, she doubts that she'll find a vampire or a demon tonight. No doubt, they'll be laying low after the destruction of the high school and the Mayor. Or perhaps, they'll be quietly celebrating since his ascension would have meant their deaths as well. Buffy sighs as she folds her arms across her chest. This should be an easy decision but it's not. She had turned her back on the Council because of things like this and she just can't turn Faith over to them. But she's not certain she can trust Faith at all.
"I would have thought you would have been sucking face with your pet vamp," Faith says.
Buffy turns around and faces the other Slayer. There's something on Faith's face that Buffy can't quite place. A hint of contrition, of remorse but it's gone before Buffy can really decipher it. She wonders if Faith deserves a second chance after all. She'd given Angel one and it only seems fair that the dark-haired Slayer gets one too.
"What do you want Faith?"
"That all depends, B."
Buffy rolls her eyes at the arrogant attitude. Even after having a knife shoved in her stomach, Faith acts like she's all tough and strong when Buffy's certain she's brittle.
"What does it depend on F?" Buffy spits out.
She might be considering giving Faith a second chance but that doesn't mean she has to be nice to her does it? For a moment, Faith looks defeated.
"It all depends on what you want."
It's not the answer that Buffy was expecting and she suspects that it's more truthful than anything that's come out of Faith's mouth in a long time.
"I'm not going to lie to you Faith and say that we can be friends again, right now I don't even know if I can ever trust you again but I'd like it if we can work together."
"Alright," Faith says.
Buffy tells her to meet her at the Espresso Pump tomorrow at dusk and they'll patrol together. It's a start and Buffy feels like it's okay for her to go home now.
* * *
Things don't go smoothly during that first patrol. Or the second, or even the third and fourth. By the fifth night that they're patrolling, Buffy's thinking that perhaps turning Faith over to the Council might be the best idea. At the rate that they're going, Buffy's terrified that a vamp might get the jump on her because she's so distracted. She feels it necessary to constantly watch Faith, to make sure that the rogue Slayer isn't trying to set her up or isn't going to accidentally stake a human again. It's all very exhausting and tensions are running high between them.
"What the fuck is your problem B?" Faith finally demands.
"What do you think is my problem Faith?" Buffy spits out.
"This was your idea, not mine!"
Before Buffy can answer a vampire jumps out at them and Buffy realizes that she's completely unprepared. Faith shoulders her out of the way and slides the stake through the vampire's chest. Buffy's eyes water as the ash and dust explodes into her face. Her shoulder's throbbing from where she had hit a the side of a mausoleum.
"Did I pass?" Faith snarls.
"What are you talking about?"
"Like this isn't some sort of test," Faith says. "What happens if I fail?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play all innocent with me, B. I know who you are, you might be able to fool your stupid friends but you don't fool me. What happens if I fail?"
"I'm not testing you," Buffy says.
Faith storms off and leaves Buffy on her own. And Buffy wonders if maybe she should have told Faith the truth but she wasn't sure if that would just set the rogue Slayer off. Turns out not telling her had the same affect. She wonders if she should ask Giles for advice but she's pretty certain that her Watcher is just as clueless as how to proceed with Faith as she is.
* * *
Faith doesn't show up for a week, when she does, she has a black eye and her lip is swollen. Buffy's not sure if she should ask or not. It's not as if they have that type of relationship after all. If she acts like she cares, will that just anger Faith more? If she acts like she doesn't care, will that just force Faith back to the dark side again? Working with Kendra was a lot easier. At least, Buffy knew where Kendra's loyalties lay.
"Don't bother asking," Faith finally says, breaking the tension between them.
"Faith..." Buffy says only for the other Slayer to wave her hand in annoyance.
"It doesn't concern you so keep out of it."
Buffy wants to pull the card out that says she's the Slayer in charge here so yeah it does concern her but she thinks that will just make things worse so she keeps silent as they make their way to yet another cemetery that Sunnydale has to offer. It's quiet and Buffy misses Willow and Xander. However, Xander's somewhere living out his Kerouac fantasies and Willow's stuck doing pre-college courses that her mother enrolled her in. Buffy actually envies her friend having to do homework during the summer. Homework certainly beats having to deal with a sullen Slayer.
"So where have you been staying?"
"The apartment that the Mayor got me."
"Oh that's nice," Buffy says.
"Stop it B," Faith replies.
"Stop what?"
"Stop trying to make small talk," Faith says with a frown. "We're here to slay vampires and what not. We're not friends remember?"
"Yeah kind of hard to forget."
* * *
Buffy finds out from Giles that Faith had been beaten up by a group of vampires that used to work for the Mayor. The only reason why he found out was that he had stumbled across it when it was happened. Buffy's not certain if she's ashamed because Faith now has a larger target on her back or if she's secretly pleased that the other Slayer is getting her comeuppance for switching sides again.
Then again at the end of the day, she can't be certain if Faith's actually switching sides or if she's just playing a game. She finds herself at the Crawford street mansion. If Angel was around, maybe he could give her some answers. He seems to know a thing or two about second chances. As she stares at the familiar pieces of furniture, Buffy realizes that she's missed him but she hasn't missed him as much as she thought she would.
She sighs, it's just another complication that she doesn't want. A small noise causes her to turn around and she almost hits out at Faith. The other Slayer just manages to duck in time.
"Take it easy," Faith says.
"Faith? What are you doing here?"
"I live here now."
"I thought that you were staying at your apartment."
"It's not mine anymore," Faith says as she looks at the ground.
Buffy's uncertain if the brunette is playing a trick on her or not. And that's the problem, Buffy realizes, she's never been certain as to what Faith's game has been. She sighs in frustration.
"Why here?" Buffy finally asks.
"I didn't think Angel would mine," Faith honestly answers.
"But Giles or I..."
"Could have what?" Faith coldly interrupts her. "Like you would have wanted me living with your mom and you. And as if Giles trusts me. He's indulging you in your little experiment."
"And what little experiment is that?"
Faith laughs at her. "The experiment as to whether or not I can be reformed. So tell me B, can I?"
Buffy doesn't answer, instead it's her turn to storm out.
* * *
Patrolling has only gotten a little better. Buffy lets Giles and Willow come out every now and then. Faith isn't exactly pleasant or polite but Buffy feels a little safer with the extra set of eyes on Faith. And then it hits Buffy, what's going to happen when Faith's on her own? Can she trust Faith to be on her own? And isn't she already sort of trusting Faith to behave whenever they're not on patrol together? There's quite a few hours of the day when Faith is unaccounted for.
It makes her head ache with a pain she's unfamiliar with. Somehow this feels like growing up and she wishes she could just force Giles into making the decision about Faith. She looks at Faith and the rogue Slayer flashes her a wary look and she wonders if Faith is wondering all of the things that Buffy's wondering about except from her perspective. School starts in a few weeks and she won't be able to always go out with Faith. She'll either have to learn how to trust Faith or make up her mind up.
Buffy decides that tonight is not going to be that night.
* * *
Tomorrow Buffy starts college, she's nervous about it. She's drinking a mocha from the Espresso Pump when Faith shows up. The rogue Slayer looks a little nervous as well.
"Waiting long B?" Faith asks with a smirk.
Trust Faith to cover up nerves with arrogance. Buffy rolls her eyes at the other girl. It's not as if Faith's not well aware that she's over an hour late.
"Not really," Buffy replies.
Faith shrugs at her and Buffy wonders if Faith was wanting Buffy to call her on her lateness.
"Let's go slay some vamps!" Faith exclaims.
Buffy has to bite her tongue from lecturing the other Slayer. She's not Faith's keeper and if she says anything then Faith will call her on testing her again. It's a tired argument even if Faith's right.
They patrol together in a tense silence. Buffy watches Faith's every move, waiting for something that will telegraph whether Faith's good or bad or somewhere in between the two. Buffy highly doubts that Faith will ever be good in the truest sense of the word. Faith doesn't give her anything to suspect her motives. But then again Faith's never given her the slightest clue as to what she's been up to.
They're almost done sweeping the graveyard when Faith pins her up against a mausoleum. For some reason, Buffy reacts to the cold stone more than she does Faith's theatrics.
"What do you want Faith?" Buffy grinds out.
"I don't know, just wanna know if you're finished testing me or if I should expect some goons from the Council tomorrow."
"What would make you think the Council would be involved in this?"
Faith laughs, it's brittle and cold. Buffy hates the fact that Kendra and now Faith know more about the Council and about being a Slayer than she does. She wonders if Faith had once had the handbook before she came to Sunnydale. Clearly, if she had, Faith's disregarded every single thing in it.
"Don't play coy with me B, it might get vamps hot for you but it doesn't do a thing for me."
Buffy wonders about that. Faith's pressed close to her, one hand just above her shoulder on the cold stone and her other hand resting on Buffy's waist. For someone who doesn't seem to care, Faith certainly feels like she does.
"If the Council was going to be involved in this matter, don't you think I would have already called them?" Buffy asks.
"If it was anyone but you B, yeah I'd think that."
Buffy wants to ask what Faith means by that but she doesn't. They barely trust one another as it is. There's no point in forcing out secrets and feelings tonight. She just wants to go home and stress over what she's going to where tomorrow. And maybe think about how she doesn't feel as cold as she thinks she does about Faith being pressed up against her.
"Look if I was going to sic the Council on you, I would have done so the day after graduation."
"So I passed?"
"I wasn't testing you," Buffy lies.
"Sure you weren't," Faith says as she pulls away. "So how's it gonna work with you going to college?"
"You'll report to Giles," Buffy says. She realizes the mistake of using the word report the second that Faith turns away with her shoulders hunched. "Look I didn't mean it like that."
"It doesn't matter, I get it.," Faith says. "Are we done?"
"Faith please," Buffy implores her. "Things are different now."
"Yeah and that's why I have to report to Giles."
"What do you want me to say?" Buffy asks.
"It doesn't matter what you say B, it all comes down to the same thing, you don't trust me at all. You never will trust me. Don't worry, I'm over it."
"That's not true."
"Yeah it is, deep down inside you'll always be waiting for me to stumble again."
Faith leaves her and walks off. Buffy knows that she's right. But she can't help it, her life's all confusing. She's starting school tomorrow, things feel different, they are different. When it comes down to it, Buffy wants to tell Faith that she'll never really truly trust Angel again, not like she used to. Just like she'll never trust herself not to bring out the worst in both Angel and Faith if given half the chance to do so.
Buffy chases after Faith and she finally catches up to the rogue Slayer as she's scaling the fence to get out of the cemetery.
"Wait!" Buffy calls out.
Faith turns and stonily stares at her. It's unnerving that Faith's the one judging her.
"Look, I don't think we'll ever be friends, but we can work together, right?" Buffy asks.
"Don't worry B, I'm not about to go all evil again. Did that once and found out that it's not really worth it."
"It's not about you going evil again."
"Then what it is this about?"
"It's about me," Buffy says in desperation.
She clutches at one of the bars of the fence and Faith crosses her arms against her chest.
"Let's not make this about you B," Faith says with a sneer. "I don't think I wanna hear about how I went all bad because you weren't there to help me when I needed you. I went bad because it felt good. Go home to your mom and your sister and quit trying to bear some cross that's not yours to bear."
"But Faith..."
"No! I'm sick of this. It's not always about you. No matter what you think," Faith says. "Goodnight."
Buffy watches her walk away and she realizes that maybe Faith's right. She'll go to Giles' apartment tonight and ask him about it. She doubts that he'll have answers for her. Lately he's been wanting her to figure things out on her own. Buffy sighs and wonders when things became so difficult and when did everyone start looking at her like she was an adult?
((END))