The Chosen Three (Chapter 5)
Quinn and Santana walk in silence as they trail the two slayers. "So…you can control your invisibility now?" Quinn asks, breaking the silence.
"For the most part." Santana replies, putting her hands in her coat pockets.
Quinn smirks. "Show me."
Santana complies and goes invisible.
"That is so cool."
Santana appears on the opposite side of Quinn, causing the blonde to jump.
Santana laughs when Quinn smacks her arm. "Don't do that!" They continue walking. "There are so many badass things you could do." Quinn adds as an afterthought.
A sad smile forms on Santana’s face. "Yeah, we've had this discussion already."
Quinn tilts her head in confusion. "Huh?"
Faith overhears the remark and quickly interrupts. "Hey Mexican, zip it. Me and B are tryin' to have a conversation up here."
"Sorry." The Latina mumbles.
The foursome arrive at the Magic Box to see Anya counting money and Willow reading a book.
"Hey, Buff." Willow calls out without looking up. "Scooby meeting in five."
"Okay." The two slayers walk over to Anya and Willow.
"Listen. We need to kill Halfrek. If you could just get me to her…" Faith looks at Willow. "I know I could kill her."
"I'm working on it Faith. There's got to be some kind of locator spell I could use." Willow frantically begins turning pages.
"Um, I need to pee." Anya announces as she gets up and goes to the bathroom.
"Thanks for sharing." Buffy mumbles to herself.
In the bathroom, Anya calls out to Halfrek.
"Anya, I must say I loved the vengeance stories we used to swap, but these visits are getting tiresome."
"Shhh!" Anya replies in a hushed tone. "Hallie they are going to kill you! And I know they will figure out a way to. You have to reverse the curse now."
Halfrek sighs but snaps her fingers. "It is done." And with that Halfrek vanishes.
Anya walks back to the table and sits near Willow to finish counting her money and to see if Halfrek had really reversed it.
Quinn is standing over Buffy, reading the book she had laid out before her. The green glow surrounds her like it did the first time, but she doesn’t pass out. Instead, a look of confusion passes over her features as she looks from Buffy to Santana.
"Santana?"
Santana looks up from the talisman she had been playing with. "Yeah?"
Quinn runs over to her, nearly tackling her off the chair, as she crushes Santana in a tight embrace.
"Did you break the curse?" Buffy asks a puzzled Willow.
"N-no I didn't do it."
"Then Halfrek must've." Faith interjects. "I dunno why she would though."
"Who cares? As long as I am Quinn-free I'm happy." Buffy smiles but Quinn glares at her. "I mean that in the nicest of ways."
"Uh-huh. I'm sure." Quinn doesn’t stay offended long as she looks back at Santana. "You know, you're jealous side is kind of hot."
Buffy rolls her eyes. "Yeah she only tried to beat me up a couple of times."
"Aww, you almost tried to beat up a slayer for me?"
Santana smirks. "Maybe."
Santana hugs Quinn and rests her head against the blonde’s shoulder. “I’ve missed you so much.”
Quinn takes Santana’s hand in her own and starts walking towards the front door. "We're going home."
"Ew." Buffy says as the two walk out the door. At the same moment Giles came in from the training room.
"Could I speak with you for a moment?" Giles motions for Willow and Buffy to come in. Faith is about to follow them when Willow projects her thoughts into Buffy's mind.
"No Faith."
"Why not? We can trust her."
"Scooby meeting only, Buffy."
"Uh, Faith, why don't you stay out here and help Anya count her money?"
"That will not be happening. Only I can touch the money." Anya calls out from her spot at the table.
"What is this B? Am I not trusted?" Faith crosses her arms.
"Of course you are Faith. It's just…some private stuff needs to be talked about."
"Whatever." Faith is pissed but she reluctantly sits down beside Anya.
Buffy and Willow then follow Giles into the training room.
"No need to worry Giles. Somehow the curse was reversed, so we're in the clear."
"That's good news to hear, Buffy. But my main concern is actually Brittany. She seems reluctant to fully accept her powers. She's been sarcastic and not at all interested in her studies with Willow and Tara. From what I’ve seen from her in the past it seems very uncharacteristic."
"Well, what do you want me to do?" Buffy asks.
"She has a lot in common with you, talk to her. Perhaps you could inspire her."
Buffy sighs. "I'm not good with the whole inspiring speeches thing."
Willow lets out a laugh but immediately stops when Buffy glares at her. "Sorry. It's just that you do them all the time."
Faith & Buffy (later that night)
Buffy stretches and cracks her knuckles as she and Faith walk through the cemetery. They want to make one last sweep without Quinn and Santana around. As they round a corner, a vampire grabs Buffy by the throat and slams her against a crypt wall. She struggles for oxygen as his grip tightens. Faith yawns and weakly shoves the stake through the center of the vampire's heart.
He turns to dust and Buffy coughs. "Jesus Faith. Did you have to wait so long?"
"Yep."
"Why are you all bad moody?" Buffy asks, annoyed with Faith's constant one-word answers.
"Because."
"Because why Faith? Talk to me." Buffy all but pleads. All she wants is the other slayer to finally let her in.
"Because after all I've done, I'm still not accepted or trusted by you and your little gang."
Buffy moves away from Faith, almost shocked by her sudden anger.
"Faith what you talking about? Of course we trust you."
"Then why is that Giles never lets me in on anything? All he ever does is send me on the dangerous missions to have your back. But when it comes to anything important, the let's-not-tell-Faith game gets started. And I'm sick of it."
Faith spins around and pushes Buffy against the wall. "But most of all, I'm sick of you."
Buffy feels a sudden surge of anger but before she can say anything Faith closes the gap between them. Faith gives her a short, but rough, kiss. She pulls away and Buffy turns her back to Faith, creating distance between them.
"I can't do this Faith."
"Why not?" Faith cries out in frustration.
"I'm not gay."
"B why does that label mean so much to you? Be straight, bi, or gay. I don't care what you call it. It doesn't matter to me and it shouldn't matter to you. I feel this connection, B. And I know you do too. Why won't you just give us a chance?"
Buffy stares at the ground and just shrugs.
Faith sighs and walks away.
Summer’s House
Buffy opens the door to her house. The house she shares with her sister, her best friends, and the Chosen Three. It's funny how unconventional her family has become, yet that's what they were to her. Her family.
And that's what Faith is. But who knows where Faith is and if she is even coming back.
So Buffy walks up the stairs, passes Dawn who calls out to her, passes Willow who needs help moving her night stand, and passes Santana who told her they were out of milk. She walks past it all, not a thought in her head except for Faith.
She enters her bedroom, leaving the door slightly ajar like her mother used to do for her when she was alive. She slips under her covers and tries to clear her mind of all thoughts, but it’s nearly impossible.
Buffy doesn’t want to hurt Faith anymore, but she can’t change how she feels. She does feel extremely guilty. Suddenly, music drifts from Brittany and Quinn’s room and into hers. She hears the lyrics and laughs bitterly.
don't look away, don't run away,
baby it's only life,
don't lose your Faith, don't run away,
it's only life.
You were always playing hard,
never could let down your guard,
you can't win, if you never give in…
Buffy covers her ears trying to block out the remaining lyrics. She doesn’t need a sign like that to confuse her.
She gets up and runs to Brittany/Quinn’s room. She walks up to the stereo, ejects the CD, and proceeds to snap it in half.
"What the hell?!" Santana is the first to react.
"You have to pay for that!" Santana and Quinn call out in unison.
Buffy walks out of the room, completely ignoring the teenagers as she mumbles incoherently to herself.
"I seriously don't need anything to make me feel worse than I already do."
A few days later…
"Yay! First day of school!" Quinn cheers as she sits in the front seat of Brittany's car.
"Whoo-hoo!" Dawn replies sarcastically from the back seat.
Quinn turns around to face Dawn and Santana. "Aw come on Dawnie. Aren't you at all excited that we'll be there with you? We can't really talk to you, but hey, you are showing up with us. That'll definitely get you some cool points."
"Can we just go? I don't think I can deal with your fake perkiness anymore."
Quinn frowns. "I don't need another broody friend. That's what Santana is for."
Dawn sits up quickly. "I am NOT broody."
"You're right. Whiney better describes you." Quinn's comeback causes Santana to smirk.
Before Dawn can come up with something to say, Brittany hops into the front seat and starts up the car.
"Finally!" Santana and Quinn say together.
SUNNYDALE HIGH
"Nice. All of our lockers are together." Brittany remarks as she spins her combination lock.
"Well, yeah, since you're new you all got the extra lockers." A girl says from behind Brittany.
Brittany spins around and embraces the girl. The girl has dark hair, black with colored purple stripes, and gothic clothing. "Hey! It's so good to see you again."
Santana and Quinn look on in confusion. Quinn crosses her arms. "And you are?"
Brittany quickly jumps in. "This is my friend that I met at the Bronze."
"Oh, so you're Terry."
The girl laughs. "No, actually it's Tina.”
Quinn doesn’t like this girl. Not one bit. She feels something about her is off. It’s either that or she doesn’t like Brittany being friends with someone else. She goes with the first one.
Brittany gives Quinn a back-the-fuck-off look. "So, Tina. Wanna show me to my first class?"
"Yeah, sure. Let's go."
Brittany and Tina walk together down the hallway.
"Can you believe her? Sure, Brittany. Whatever you want Brittany.” Quinn mocks.
Santana gives her a look. "What's your problem, Quinn? She seemed nice to me."
"I just don't like her. Whatever. Time to go find Cordy."
Back at the Summer's house
Faith silently slips into the room she shared with Buffy and begins to pack her things. After the confrontation they had, Faith feels like it'd be a good idea to get out of the house.
Maybe I can get a motel room. I don't wanna leave Sunnydale until Waterite is gone. I'm pissed and upset about Buffy but I can't leave her or Santana in danger. I care about them too much. Besides, B assigned me to be Santana’s trainer.
Faith sighs. The slayer tried making these excuses to herself. She tried making these the reasons she had to stay. But she knows why she is staying. She is hoping, waiting even, for Buffy to come around. She isn’t ready to give up.
That is what Faith has always been good at. Running away, screwing up, going evil. But not this time. This time she is going to try.
She is about ready to make her escape when Buffy enters the room.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothin'."
"Faith." Buffy walks up to the other slayer and takes her hands in her own. "You don't have to leave."
Faith takes her hands away from Buffy's grasp. "I gotta, B. Look, I'll be around. Just give me a call when it's time to train S."
Buffy watches as Faith makes her way to the door. Without turning around, Faith whispers something that she can only tell Buffy.
"I was lost and hurting for so long, B. I was in a dark place and I didn't know what or who I was. But now I finally know what I want. It's up to you now B. You gotta find your way out of that same darkness."
Faith leaves the room leaving a numb slayer in her wake.
Brittany's car
"Hmm…Not bad for a first day. I'd say we're pretty much known and wanted." Quinn smirks as she leans over and kisses Santana. "I've been waiting to do that all day."
Santana smirks and as she’s about to lean in again, Brittany speaks up. "Number one rule of being in my car: no kissing, having sex, groping secretly, or anything that has to do with grossing me out and/or ruining my leather seats."
Quinn grumbles. "Aw come on Britt-"
Santana interrupts before Quinn can continue. "Fuck!"
"What?"
"We forgot about Dawn. Turn around."
"No."
Santana's eyebrows scrunched together in surprise. "We have to. Besides, we're only like two minutes away."
"No. That bitch can walk."
Quinn's eyes fill with concern. "Brittany, don't talk about Dawn like that. Are you okay?"
Brittany laughs. "I was kidding, obviously. Does anyone get my humor anymore?"
Quinn is unconvinced but doesn't say anything more as Brittany turns her car around.
Later on that afternoon Santana is sitting on Brittany's bed, doing her homework. Quinn is on her own bed doing the same.
"Homework on the first day? Unbelievable."
Santana scoffs. "Babe, it's not like it's the first day out of summer. We kind of dropped in during the middle of the year."
"So? We're new. New means no homework on the first day."
Santana just shakes her head at her girlfriend's logic.
Quinn sighs and closes her book. "So I hate to get all serious on you, but I need to ask you a question."
Santana nods. "Yeah?"
"I totally trust you and everything, but with me being all in-love-with-Buffy, I just wanted to make sure you didn't do anything stupid while I was like that…So did you?"
Santana shakes her head. "Phst. Of course not. All I did was almost kill Buffy."
Quinn laughs and walks over to hug her girlfriend. "I knew you wouldn't. I mean with the whole Finn thing last year I can't really handle being cheated on and lied to anymore."
Quinn wraps her arms around the Latina. "You're amazing, you know that, right?"
Santana feels her heart drop with guilt.
One thought fills her head. Quinn can never find out.