Fangel Drabble - 030 Death
Title: Beginning of an End
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
Characters: Faith Lehane, Angel, Buffy Summers
Prompt: 030 - Death
Word Count: 639
Rating: PG
Summary: Set sometime in the future after Chosen. Faith and Angel wait in the hospital while someone they love is dying.
Author's Notes: Written for the fanfic100 challenge.
Little Damn Table
The room was dark, the only light from a dim lamp on the bedside table. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe, ignore what was happening, but all she managed to do was bringing back old memories of a place that smelled just as bad as this. As she shook off her thoughts, she sensed another presence in the room. “Alright, flowers or balloons this time? Seriously Will, you need to…” She turned around and caught eyes with someone who was definitely not Willow. “Angel. What are you…” She stopped herself from finishing the question; she already knew the answer.
“Faith. This is the last place I’d expect to run into you.” There was coldness in his voice, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Faith.
“Care to explain that?” She hit him back with an equally cold blow. Neither one of them was in the best of moods at the moment.
“Truthfully, I didn’t think you were the type to wait patiently by a hospital bed.”
Faith let out a harsh laugh. “I’ve been here every day for the last three months. This is the first time you’ve ever shown your face, and you have the nerve to question me?”
Angel lowered his head in defeat. She was right. He should’ve come sooner than this. “I’m sorry… I just didn’t think that… I mean, you two weren’t exactly close.”
Faith leapt from her chair and was in front of him in a matter of seconds. “How dare you. I am terrified of losing her. She was the only…” Her voice caught in her throat and she did her best to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. “I cared about her, you know.”
“Yeah. Me too.” His eyes trailed over to the sleeping girl wrapped in cheap cotton sheets. “How long?” He looked back at Faith. “Until…”
Faith swallowed dryly. “The doctor said it could be any time now.”
“I never thought… I figured I would have more time.” The guilt swelled up in his chest with every word.
“We all did.” She could tell he was in pain from the expression on his face. “Don’t blame yourself, Angel.”
“She’s dying. I can’t just…” He let out a slow, pointless breath. “It’s Buffy. Buffy’s dying.” He shook his head violently, trying to deny it.
“I know.” Faith moved forward and comfortingly set her hand on top of his own. Surprisingly, she received a strong squeeze of her fingers in return.
In a small whisper he murmured, “What happens now?”
“You tell me.” She honestly didn’t know. In theory she supposed that she would have to become the active slayer. It made her cringe when she dwelled on it too long.
Angel sensed her discomfort and led her over to a chair. Once she had situated herself he lowered his body into the contiguous chair. They both sat in silence for a while, listening to the beeping of monitors and staring intently at the gentle rise and fall of Buffy’s chest. At the quiet sound of Faith’s yawn, Angel extended his arm over her shoulders and pulled her body to his. She let her head drop to his shoulder without protest. They both sat there in silence, waiting for the rhythmic beeping to stop. Sleep finally engulfed Faith and Angel could detect her change in breathing. He gingerly dragged his fingers through her dark curls; never once taking his eyes off of Buffy’s sleeping form.
Both of his slayers slept while he watched diligently. Waiting for one to wake, and waiting for the other to never wake again. As the low monotone beep finally resounded through the room, Angel tugged Faith closer and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. He decided to let her sleep, to let her have this fleeting moment of peace. Death could wait.
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
Characters: Faith Lehane, Angel, Buffy Summers
Prompt: 030 - Death
Word Count: 639
Rating: PG
Summary: Set sometime in the future after Chosen. Faith and Angel wait in the hospital while someone they love is dying.
Author's Notes: Written for the fanfic100 challenge.
Little Damn Table
The room was dark, the only light from a dim lamp on the bedside table. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe, ignore what was happening, but all she managed to do was bringing back old memories of a place that smelled just as bad as this. As she shook off her thoughts, she sensed another presence in the room. “Alright, flowers or balloons this time? Seriously Will, you need to…” She turned around and caught eyes with someone who was definitely not Willow. “Angel. What are you…” She stopped herself from finishing the question; she already knew the answer.
“Faith. This is the last place I’d expect to run into you.” There was coldness in his voice, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Faith.
“Care to explain that?” She hit him back with an equally cold blow. Neither one of them was in the best of moods at the moment.
“Truthfully, I didn’t think you were the type to wait patiently by a hospital bed.”
Faith let out a harsh laugh. “I’ve been here every day for the last three months. This is the first time you’ve ever shown your face, and you have the nerve to question me?”
Angel lowered his head in defeat. She was right. He should’ve come sooner than this. “I’m sorry… I just didn’t think that… I mean, you two weren’t exactly close.”
Faith leapt from her chair and was in front of him in a matter of seconds. “How dare you. I am terrified of losing her. She was the only…” Her voice caught in her throat and she did her best to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. “I cared about her, you know.”
“Yeah. Me too.” His eyes trailed over to the sleeping girl wrapped in cheap cotton sheets. “How long?” He looked back at Faith. “Until…”
Faith swallowed dryly. “The doctor said it could be any time now.”
“I never thought… I figured I would have more time.” The guilt swelled up in his chest with every word.
“We all did.” She could tell he was in pain from the expression on his face. “Don’t blame yourself, Angel.”
“She’s dying. I can’t just…” He let out a slow, pointless breath. “It’s Buffy. Buffy’s dying.” He shook his head violently, trying to deny it.
“I know.” Faith moved forward and comfortingly set her hand on top of his own. Surprisingly, she received a strong squeeze of her fingers in return.
In a small whisper he murmured, “What happens now?”
“You tell me.” She honestly didn’t know. In theory she supposed that she would have to become the active slayer. It made her cringe when she dwelled on it too long.
Angel sensed her discomfort and led her over to a chair. Once she had situated herself he lowered his body into the contiguous chair. They both sat in silence for a while, listening to the beeping of monitors and staring intently at the gentle rise and fall of Buffy’s chest. At the quiet sound of Faith’s yawn, Angel extended his arm over her shoulders and pulled her body to his. She let her head drop to his shoulder without protest. They both sat there in silence, waiting for the rhythmic beeping to stop. Sleep finally engulfed Faith and Angel could detect her change in breathing. He gingerly dragged his fingers through her dark curls; never once taking his eyes off of Buffy’s sleeping form.
Both of his slayers slept while he watched diligently. Waiting for one to wake, and waiting for the other to never wake again. As the low monotone beep finally resounded through the room, Angel tugged Faith closer and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. He decided to let her sleep, to let her have this fleeting moment of peace. Death could wait.