RELATIONSHIPS
Faith and Buffy stood in the library, training. The brunette had pads
on her hands, and the blonde was punching them again and again. A lot had
happened since the death of Kakistos. They had suspected that Oz, in his
werewolf form, had possibly killed a few people after escaping from the
book cage. As it turned out, it wasn't him. One of the students, Pete,
was playing scientist, and one of his chemical mixtures brought out the
animal in him.
He killed those people, and his girlfriend, Debbie. There was something
else that had come out of whole ordeal though. Angel had come back, and
he wasn't the same. It was like Hell had stripped him down to nothing more
than a vicious, primitive beast. Before she knew that Pete was the killer,
she had chained Angel up in the mansion just in case.
Pete had been about to kill her, but Angel returned to himself (that's
the only way she knew how to put it), and saved her life. It was all overwhelming
her, and hitting things, helped her keep her mind clear. And to top it
all off, the Homecoming Dance was coming up, and she didn't have a date.
Not to mention that Cordelia was on a "Queen Crusade", and it was making
her sick.
"He still on your mind?" Faith asked, putting her hands down, and slipping
off the pads.
"How can he just show up like that again? I was dealing, doing the
moving on thing, and then…BANG. Life throws Buffy another curve."
"Just be lucky it didn't throw you a high one. You woulda been knocked
on your ass." Faith joked. Buffy wasn't in the mood. "Sorry, sorry. You're
not gonna go back…with him, are ya?"
She wasn't. She promised herself that. Besides feeling good knowing
that she didn't kill him, or condemn him to Hell for eternity, her and
Angel were in the past. There was too much risk. Too much had happened.
There was a difference between reading about his evil self, and experiencing
it.
She, and the person in the library with her, were heading towards something really good more and more each day. It was new, and it was nice. With Faith, all she felt was contentment. There weren't any strings attached. They were just two *people*, who had gone too far to turn back now. Not that she wanted to.
She couldn't really define what they were yet, but she wasn't going to give it up.
Buffy shook her head. "I'm just gonna help him get better. I owe him
that."
Faith sighed in obvious relief. "You should tell them. It'll
come back to haunt you later if you don't."
"I can't. They hate him."
"Can you blame 'em? When you showed me him chained up, he didn't look
like 'Mr. Congeniality.'"
"He's getting better." Buffy insisted.
"I know. He's sane again, and I'm sure he's a good guy when he's…got
a soul." She said softly. "Gotta hand it to ya. He's definitely got the
hunk factor going."
Buffy took a sip of her water, and gave a half-smile.
"Yeah, he does. But I'm starting to like curves a little more than
ripples."
"B! You naughty slayer you!" Faith grinned, and stepped close to her
partner.
"What about that dance? You got the tix, right?"
Buffy nodded. "Gang's getting a limo." She sighed. "I don't even know
if I wanna go anymore. Showing up dateless is like writing the word 'LOSER'
on your forehead."
Faith leaned in, and spoke into the blonde's neck.
"Don't get all ant-social on me. We'll go together."
Buffy raised her eyebrows. "You really want to -?"
The younger slayer nipped at the older one's neck. The result was a sharp inhale of breath from the blonde.
"Come on. I'll even wear a dress. That incentive enough?"
"This I gotta see." Buffy grinned, and gave Faith's backside a slap
before she started walking out of the library. "Good workout."
"You're gettin' fresh with me, B."
"You saying you don't like it?" Buffy asked as she pushed through the
doors.
***
It was lunchtime in the cafeteria, and Buffy, Willow, Oz and Xander
were sitting at a table. Cordelia was around, campaigning. After Buffy
had finished training, she had gone to get a recommendation from her junior
year Contemporary American Heroes teacher, Ms. Moran. It was another one
of Principal Snyder's terms, so she could remain in school. It didn't go
like she had hoped.
"I can't believe it. My favorite teacher, and she didn't even remember
who I was. I'm like a non-person." She said, depressed. She turned to Oz
and waved her hand in front of his face. "Am I invisible? Can you see me?"
"Big as life." Oz responded.
She felt hands go around her neck a second later. She smiled.
"Hi, Faith."
Faith pulled her arms away quickly, and moved so she was looking at the blonde's face. "It is you, B? I didn't see you there."
"Ha, ha, ha."
The brunette pulled up a chair, sat down, and stole one of Buffy's tater tots.
"What's up, guys?"
"I don't think you want me to answer that." Xander said, shifting in his seat.
"Dance fever." Willow said, glaring at her friend because of his immaturity. "Buffy says you're coming with us?"
"I plan to show the 'non-person' a good time." She turned to Buffy. "So, who's too blind to notice that you're gracing them with your presence?"
"Kiss ass." Buffy smirked. "An old teacher."
"Cheer up, will ya? She's just one person in five billion. And a teacher to boot. What do they know? Like he said, you're big as life to us." She looked at Oz. "Mind if I borrow your quotes?"
"They're not copyrighted." The guitarist said. "Though I've been thinking about it."
Willow watched Faith closely. She didn't feel threatened. No. Even though the young slayer was close with Buffy and was getting chummy with her boyfriend…no, she wasn't worried.
"You sure it's okay for you to be here, Faith? They might figure out you're not a student." Willow said.
She knew she was safe and that Oz would never, but maybe she was *a little* threatened.
"Nah, I should be cool for a few more minutes. Hey, I saw this teacher when I walked in. Young guy, cute."
"Mr. Roman?" The redhead questioned. "He teaches biology."
"That's just too perfect." Faith grinned. "Anyway, he reminded me of that one guy…you remember the dare, B?"
"Don't. I'm begging you." Buffy instantly remembered, and shrank in her seat.
"Tell. I'm begging you." Xander countered.
"Here's what happened." Faith smiled. "It was that summer, and we were walking down this street in Boston. We reached this breakfast place. Small, but nice. Had one of those big see-in windows to the right of the door. So we saw this guy -"
"The one that looks like Mr. Roman." Willow said.
"Yeah. He was just sitting at a table inside, drinking coffee and reading the paper. I turn to Buffy and dare her to go in and kiss him on the lips. Said there was five bucks in it for her."
"Which I never got." Buffy reminded her.
"Whatever. So first she won't do it. I have no choice but to call her a wuss, and then she gets all stone-faced, right? Storms in there, not saying a word to me. I watch through the window as she gets his attention. He's sitting, remember, so their faces are on the same level. He turns," She started to laugh, "she uses both her hands, grabs his face, and plants one on him."
"God." The blonde buried her face in her hands.
"But it doesn't end there. This woman comes from the other direction. She might have been in the bathroom, I don't know, but she walks over and catches 'em. Buffy's got her eyes closed, and the woman taps her on the shoulder.
"Her eyes shoot open, and she bolts out. I guess the chick was his girlfriend. I got the silent treatment the rest of the day."
"He had an engagement ring on. They were getting married." Buffy's voice was muffled by her hands.
"You vixen!" Xander exclaimed.
"I'm gonna kill you later. You know that, right?" The threat was directed towards Faith. She took a breath, and decided to talk about something else. "Hey Will, you wanna help me go dress searching tonight?"
Willow's face scrunched. "Ooh. Can't. I promised Xander I'd get him a respectable tux. Sorry."
"Are you saying I'm not respectable?" Xander asked in mock hurt.
"That's okay. He *could* use the help." Buffy teased.
"Hey!"
"Faith has to get a dress too. We'll just go. No big."
"Speaking of going, I think some of the faculty in here is gettin' suspicious. I'll catch you three later." Faith said, getting up. "B, see ya at home."
"Bye, Faith." Buffy said with a smile. The gang echoed her as Faith walked out.
***
She felt better. "Okay, I'm not even going to try to come up with a decent segue-way to get back to the original topic. Ready?"
"We're prepared." Oz said.
"Shoot." Willow said.
"At least I'm gonna be a picture in the yearbook, right?" Buffy asked.
"Uh, no, actually, you're not." Xander said in a low voice.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you, uh, missed the picture-taking."
Her eyes went wide. "When?" She looked at Oz. "Why?"
"We did 'em yesterday." Oz answered.
"Didn't Cordelia tell you?" Willow asked.
Buffy found Cordelia with her eyes, stood up, and headed over to her, a few feet away.
"'Faith has to get a dress too. We'll just go. No big.'" The hacker said, muttering her friend's earlier words.
"She did ask you." Xander pointed out. "We heard it."
"I know…but…she could've sounded more upset that I was busy." Willow said in a louder voice. "That didn't make much sense, did it?"
Xander and Oz just looked at one another. They heard the last part of Cordelia and Buffy's conversation then. The look on the blonde's face didn't seem happy.
"Sorry Cordy, but you have no idea who you're messing with."
"What? The Slayer?"
"I'm not talking about the Slayer. I'm talking about Buffy. You've awakened the Prom Queen within. And that crown is going to be mine."
The gang at the table was quiet until Xander found his voice.
"Anyone else scared?"
They all raised their hands.
***
It was Dance Night, and Buffy was waiting somewhat impatiently for Faith, who was in the bathroom, to finish putting on her dress and makeup. She was in her bedroom, already set to go. Her hair was up and she was wearing her color-coordinated ensemble of a bright red, spaghetti-strap dress, purse and shoes.
"We're on a schedule here." Buffy called.
"Oh yeah? Well I spent all day sitting in a damn chair, getting my damn hair done, and the damn eyeliner isn't cooperating, so your damn schedule's gonna have to adjust!"
Buffy grimaced. "You sound like Cordelia. Only, I don't think she uses 'damn' that much."
"Jesus, B. First, she's a rich kid who needs to be number freaking one at everything, and just cause I wanna go to this thing…don't compare me to her again."
"Okay, okay. What's second?"
"Why the hell did you stoop to her level and go gung ho on this Queen thing?"
"I wasn't stooping. I want to be remembered for something. Not for being a slayer and saving their lives, for just being me. Three years at Sunnydale High and to my fellow classmates, I'm either on their 'Hot and Wanna Have Sex With' list, or their 'Total Freak List'."
"You sure you don't have it mixed up? Maybe you're on the 'Hot and Wanna Have Total Freaky Sex With' list."
"Again, ha, ha ha."
"Fine. Let me ask you somethin'. In a year or two, how many of your classmates are you gonna remember?"
"Besides the ones I let -?"
"Say 'die' and I'll hurt you. Just answer the question."
"Probably…very few."
"Then if you don't wanna be known as a superhero, why should anybody remember you, if you're not gonna remember them? Who cares what they think? I told you already, your friends are. I will. Isn't that what counts?"
"Yeah, yeah…you're right." Buffy sighed. "But I still wanna beat Cordelia. She's just…a bitch! Well…not always, but lately."
"Hey, no argument here, but did anything I say get through?"
"She called me a crazy freak, sick, *and* pathetic, Faith."
"She what?" The brunette screamed from the bathroom. "Put her in her place."
Buffy simply continued. "Uh huh. And she tries to take *my* friends over to her side…and did you notice something strange going on with Willow and Xander?"
"A little paranoid maybe, but I thought that was the norm for this town."
Faith came into the bedroom then, and stood by the bed. Buffy was in awe. Her fellow slayer was wearing a shoulder strap black dress with a V-cut in front, exposing her chest to just above her breasts, and had a black choker around her neck. She had her hair up, but a few strands were hanging loose down either side of her face.
"Oh wow." Buffy choked out.
"Ya think?"
"Definitely worth the wait." She immediately put her arms around Faith's waist, and they proceeded to have the longest, most passionate kiss they had shared yet. Then again, every kiss seemed to top the one before it. "Gorgeous."
"You're not so bad yourself, B." Faith said, still reeling.
Buffy then noticed something just below Faith's shoulder. She stepped
back.
"A tattoo? What is it?"
"Some kinda tribal arm band. I was on a spiritual kick."
"Can you get any sexier?"
There was a honk from outside. The limousine had arrived.
"Not right now." Faith grinned. "Look, you smudged your lipstick."
"Damn." The blonde said, touching the corner of her mouth.
"Get presentable. I'll be waiting."
***
Buffy got in the limousine five minutes later, to find herself sitting, no, not next to Faith, but Cordelia. She was puzzled as to why she was in the car with her, as well as automatically annoyed.
"What's going on here? Where's Faith?"
Cordelia was not happy with the situation either. Like it was a chore, she handed the blonde a card she had received when she had gotten inside the limousine.
Buffy sighed, and read it.
"'Dear Cordelia and Buffy,
"We won't be riding to the dance with you. We want you to work out your problems because our friendships are more important than who wins Homecoming Queen.
"Your friends.
"P.S. The limo was not cheap. Work it out.'"
She sighed again, and closed the card. "No wonder she ran out of the
room so fast." She noticed a box on the floor, and picked it up. "They
bought us corsages?"
"I took the orchid." Cordelia informed her, speaking for the first time.
"Okay." Buffy said, already in pain over the other girl's voice and her obsession over the littlest things.
They started driving, and she hoped they'd be at the Bronze soon.
***
At the Bronze, Faith found a distracted Xander and Willow standing together,
but also apart. She raised an eyebrow. Was there something going on? She
walked up and got in between them, and the three of them stood listening
to the Dingoes play on stage. After a minute, the two Scoobs realized that
they weren't alone. They stared at Faith, waiting for confirmation. The
slayer still couldn't believe she had set Buffy up like that. She wanted
her to be here.
"Taken care of. Cats are alone in the litterbox. I repeat, cats are
alone in the litterbox." She said jokingly, as if she was speaking into
a walkie-talkie. "Waiting, waiting…well, that bombed."
Willow seemed to emerge from the haze she was in. "It was funny. Really."
"Stand-up worthy. You'd kill at the Improv." He pointed to the stage.
"He's a great guy, Oz."
"He wrote this song for me."
"Right...." Faith said slowly.
"I'm gonna get beverages. Requests?" Xander said, moving finally.
"I'm good."
Willow simply shook her head, and then the two girls were left alone.
"You don't like me, do you?" Faith asked the redhead.
The unfocused Willow suddenly became focused on the slayer, and her
question. She looked nervous. "Uh…why do you…say that?"
"I'm pretty good at reading people."
"Well, you read wrong. The wrong page even. Why would I not like you?"
"Cause you think I'm trying to come between the friendship you and
Buffy have."
"Are you?" Willow asked, knowing she had been discovered.
"You guys have been through one hell of a history. Probably shared
some pretty gruesome stuff together. You get real close to a person when
that kinda thing happens. I don't know a thing about your friendship, and
even if I wanted to ruin it, which I don't, it'd be pretty damn impossible."
"But you guys have a history that's past our history."
"You and Xander have that thing going."
"What thing? We don't have a thing. We have absolutely *no* thing."
Willow babbled and insisted.
"The friendship that started long before Buffy showed up?" Faith questioned,
confused.
"Right." Willow forced a laugh. "That thing. Yeah, we've known each
other since we were three."
"And she wasn't part of that. You think she's jealous of what you guys
have?"
"No! Buffy knows that we…oh." It dawned on her. "Guess I've been a
little irrational."
"Nah. Just a friend. Don't wantcha to hate my guts, that's all I'm
sayin'."
"I don't. I have no desire to see your guts, so how could I hate them?"
Faith laughed. "You two have just been spending a lot of time together,
and -"
'That's cause we're usually making out…we're in no rush to tell
anyone…and we have no idea what it is…especially not me…no, better leave
that out.'
"You should hang out with us. Or us with you…whatever. You seem like
a cool person, Red. Wouldn't mind gettin' to know ya."
"Okay." Willow agreed with a smile. "I'd like that."
"I'll leave you to…whatever you were doing…now."
***
The limousine had stopped in the middle of the woods, and the two adversaries found themselves being hunted. Slayerfest. One of Trick's games, apparently. After taking out the first hunter, a human, Buffy stole his rifle, and they had made it to a run-down cabin. She shut the door, and grabbed a chair to barricade it.
"We should be safe in here for a while. You need to find a weapon." She said as she looked out one of the draped windows.
"Safe? I'm not safe. I'm gonna die!" Cordelia was panicking.
"Yeah, you are if you just stand there." Buffy said nonchalantly, going around and pulling the drapes over all of the windows.
"I'm never gonna be crowned Homecoming Queen. I'm never gonna graduate from high school. I'm never gonna know if it's real between me and Xander, or if it's just...some temporary insanity that made me think...I loved him. And now I'm never gonna get the chance to tell him." Cordelia sobbed.
Buffy went over to her. "Yes, you are. We are gonna get out of here, and we are gonna head back to the library, where Giles and the rest of the weapons live. Then I'm gonna take out the rest of these guys just in time for you to congratulate me on my *sweeping* victory as Homecoming Queen."
Cordelia's blood was rushing to her face. "I know what you're up to.
You think if you get me mad enough, I won't be so scared. And, hey! It's
working! Where's a damn weapon?"
She started searching the drawers of table; Buffy saw a phone on it.
The blonde called the library, getting the machine. In the middle of her
message, the phone went dead, and cut her off. Buffy went back to the window
and kept watch for trouble, as Cordelia continued to search.
"You really love Xander?" Buffy asked, a little surprised.
"Well, he kinda grows on you, like... a Chia Pet. That reminds me. Faith? She better steer clear of him. You can tell her I said that too."
"Don't worry. She's not trying to steal him."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Oh…just trust me." Buffy grinned to herself.
"All I wanted was to be Homecoming Queen, you know."
"And that's all I wanted, too, Cordelia." She sighed. "I spent a year's allowance on this dress."
"I don't even get why you care about Homecoming when you're doing stuff like this."
She turned her head. "Because this is all I do. This is what my life is. You couldn't understand." Buffy said, shrugging. "I just thought...Homecoming Queen. I could pick up a yearbook someday and say, I was there. I went to high school, and…for one moment, I got to live in the world. And there'd be proof. Proof that I was chosen for something other than this."
"Guess I never thought about that…" Cordelia admitted. "But hey, you've got friends, don't you?"
"That's what Faith said."
"I've never really had friends. Followers, yeah, and I get that it was my fault. I made the decision to go that way." She appeared to be sad. "When I started going out with Xander, and started hanging out with you, and Willow…I figured it could be my shot to find out what having friendships with people is like. But most of them time, I feel like I don't belong. I mean, I know I've given you all a hard time, but I just thought…"
"I didn't realize." Buffy said softly.
"May Queen, Homecoming Queen, cheerleader…I'm just doing the only thing I know how to do. Be popular. I don't really know how to be a friend."
The two girls lapsed into silence. They had a lot to think about.
***
Back at the dance, Faith was standing at one of the food tables, looking
at Xander and Willow sitting back to back. Their mood hadn't changed one
iota. Besides studying the two friends, she began to wonder why the limo
was taking so long to get there. It was supposed to be…well, kind of a
special night. She liked to think of it as a sort of..."first date". Though
no one else would know that.
And for her, it would be her first *ever*. She had never had a date
before. But Buffy wasn't here yet.
Oh wait. Something interesting was happening now. Willow and Xander were reaching for each other's hands slowly. Like they were trying to be discreet about it. Faith's eyes went wide. Did they cross that line? Maybe something went on the night before. The hacker had helped him get a tux. They could have gone back to one of their houses, tried on the formal wear…
Fingers were touching, and then just as quickly, they broke away. Oh yeah. Could she pick up sexual tension or what? She turned her gaze away from the pair with a smile, and found Giles standing next to her, helping himself to the food.
"You look very nice this evening, Faith." He complimented her.
"Right back at ya, Giles. Got that whole dignified, 'James Bond' thing workin' for you."
"Thank you." He said, smiling sheepishly. "I've…um…also been meaning to thank you for everything you've done."
"Everything I've done?"
"Being there for Buffy. You've made her happier than I've seen in quite a long while. When Angel…turned, I think a part of her…got lost. None of us truly understood what she was going through, and as much as we tried to support her, it didn't seem to do all that much good.
"My own…dislike, of Angel aside," He seemed very bitter. Maybe Buffy was right in not telling them. "She appeared to be very worn down, and her duty took so much of a toll on her, that I was concerned she'd never be the same person again. With you, I think she's found what she had lost. I'm just relieved, and extremely grateful, that your presence here makes her happy again."
Faith was overwhelmed. "I think that goes both ways between us. I know it does. I was lost for a long time too." She studied him. "You care about her, huh?"
He smiled. "As if she were my daughter."
Why couldn't she just have him as her watcher?
"Let me guess. That's why the Council had you blacklisted for that retreat." She said, angry with them. "Bastards."
"I think I'll refrain from commenting on what they may be."
"But you're not disagreeing." Faith noticed Giles' little smirk. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. Say, you haven't seen Buffy, have you?"
"No, as a matter of fact. I assume she and Cordelia are making progress with sorting out their differences."
"Or tearing each other apart."
"Also a very plausible possibility. I think I'll retreat to the library until the coronation. I want to be here when Buffy...well, however the thing turns out for her."
"Have fun."
She'd just go back to waiting.
***
Sometime later, after escaping the cabin before it had blown up, because of a grenade shot through the window of all things, Cordelia and Buffy had made it to the library. They found Giles unconscious on the floor, and the Gorch couple waiting for them. They were two vampires from Texas named Lyle and Candy, who were two more players in the game that were looking to kill them.
Cordelia had just managed to kill Candy with a spatula she had found back at the cabin.
"Candy!" Lyle yelled as she burst into ashes before his eyes. "Oh, Candy..." He began to head for Buffy, who was lying groggily on the floor, but Cordelia cut him off. "I'm gonna kill both you Slayers for this! You hear me?"
"I hear you, you redneck moron. You got a dress that goes with that hat?"
He was pissed. "I'm gonna..."
She didn't care. "Rip out my innards, play with my eyeballs, boil my brain and eat it for brunch? Listen up, needle-brain. Buffy and I have taken out four of your cronies, not to mention your girlfriend."
"Wife!" He screamed, as well as growled at her.
"Whatever. The point is, I haven't even broken a sweat. See, in the end, Buffy's just the runner-up. *I'm* the Queen. You get me mad, what do you think I'm gonna do to you?" She glared at him.
He waited a second, thinking it over. Then, he backed up with a nod.
"Later."
Giles started to wake up, and Buffy slowly stood, making her way over
to a smiling Cordelia.
"That should teach him to mistake you for a Slayer." She smiled.
"This slaying thing's a piece of cake."
Buffy raised her eyebrows. "I appreciate the 'saving my life' thing
you just did, by the way."
"No sweat." Cordelia made a 'forget it' gesture with her hand. "So…what
now?"
"Friends?" She asked holding her hand out.
She realized how stupid she had been, fighting with Cordelia. It accomplished
nothing, and they had both been wrong. They both didn't have all the facts
before, and they didn't even take the time to get to know one another to
even get the facts. Now Buffy felt that they had reached an understanding.
And she had a whole knew respect for her. Cordelia wasn't as superficial
as Buffy thought, or as superficial as Cordelia thought herself to be.
She was all for having a new friend.
The disheveled brunette looked at the petite blonde's hand. She slowly
reached her hand out to grasp Buffy's, part in disbelief, part in fear.
She had insulted Buffy and put her down so many times, but here was the
blonde, the world saver, offering her friendship. Nobody had done that
before. But could she do it? Be a friend? Finally, she stopped being a
chicken, put her hand into the outstretched one, and felt Buffy grip it
tightly.
Buffy smiled, and Cordelia found herself returning it. They both then
heard Giles groan, and figured they had better see if he was okay.
***
Faith watched the stage as Oz and the Dingoes were finishing their set.
In a few more minutes, they were going to announce the Homecoming Queen.
Willow was coming up to her, and she found herself next to the redhead
for the second time that night. Xander was hanging back near the bar.
"Does she tell you stuff she doesn't tell me?" Willow asked immediately.
'Yes, but I'm not gonna spill. Not unless she asks me too.'
"I don't know what she says to you." Faith shrugged. "And if she tells
me things that she doesn't tell you, that's up to her. I have nothing to
do with that."
"I didn't mean…I know you don't." Willow sighed. She didn't really
know why she asked the question. Well, it was probably because in the midst
of all her pondering, she had started to wonder. "But if she does, why
do you think she wouldn't tell me?"
"If she does? I'm sure she has her reasons. Just like you have yours
for not telling her."
The hacker's eyes bugged out. "Huh?"
"You and Xander lip-locked, right?" Willow looked around, and then
back at Faith, pleadingly. The slayer held up her hands. "Not my
place to snitch and none of my business."
"I can't tell Buffy. Or anyone." She whispered. "Hiding is wrong, but
then…she may think I'm a horrible person…and Oz…he'd -"
"Take it easy, Red. You don't have to justify anything to me. Everyone
keeps secrets."
"You won't tell?" Willow asked again, just to make sure.
Faith shook her head. "You'll handle it when you're ready. Or it'll
just find a way to come out on it's own."
Willow frowned at that, but as long as the brunette was going to keep
her secret, she was happy for now.
"Thanks, Faith." She smiled in relief. Devon was stepping up to the
microphone on stage. "They're gonna announce the Queen. Where are they?
What's keeping them?" She asked next, referring to Buffy and Cordelia.
Oz and Xander had made their way over to the girls, and had spotted
their missing friends making their way through the crowd.
"I'm gonna go with mud wrestling." Oz said first.
"Oh, God!" Xander exclaimed as the two joined the group.
"What the hell -" Faith started to exclaim.
"Did you two do to each other?" Xander finished.
"Long story." Buffy said, too tired to go into it.
"Got hunted." Cordelia elaborated.
"Apparently not that long." She saw Willow look at them with a stunned _expression_. Buffy then looked at Cordelia, who was just as dirty and tired as she was, with a grin. "Tell you one thing though. You don't wanna mess with Cordelia."
Xander started to laugh, but his girlfriend's glare cut him off.
"No."
***
The coronation and the announcement were now over. The couples were back on the dance floor, the music now coming from a DJ, as the band had called it a night. The slayers were amongst the many dancing couples out there, arms around each other's necks.
"Bummed that you didn't win?" Faith asked.
The blonde thought. "It doesn't seem like that big of a deal now. It would've been cool, but having relationships with people are more important than any crown or how many people know my name, anyway. I made a new friend tonight. That was big. And I've had really good ones for awhile now."
"She finally gets it!" Faith said with a smile.
"And when I don't smell and look so bad, the kid who does the photos for the yearbook is gonna get a picture of Cordy and I together."
"Can you handle it being under the title 'Runner-ups'?"
"Hey, I'll be in there, and I'll have gone to high school. That's all I wanted." Buffy looked apologetic then. "Sorry I got attacked and was gone most of the night."
"I'm just glad you're alive, B. And I got to dance with ya. That's all *I* wanted."
Buffy leaned her head against Faith's chest.
"Think the gang'll figure out there's something more going on with us?"
"Pretty much a given now, I think."
"Good. I want them to know." Buffy said softly. "You're part of the
Scooby Gang now, and I want them all to like you as much as I do. We *know*
Xander does, and Oz likes everybody. But I think the chicks of the group
need to hang out more. If…you're okay with that."
"Totally. The redhead and I were doing a little chatting earlier."
"Really? What about?"
"Learning more about each other stuff, that's all."
She wasn't going to say anymore. She and Willow had come a long way
tonight, and her lips were sealed.
"I'm glad." The song was finishing up. "What do you say we find our
friends and go play some min-golf?"
"Mini-golf?"
"It's open twenty-four hours." Faith gave her a look. "There isn't
much to do here, okay?" The brunette pointed to her dress. "I've looked
worse, believe me."
"You look pretty damn good to me."
They put their arms around each other's shoulders and started
walking.
"Will you stop kissing my ass?"
"You think that was kissing ass? That wasn't kissing ass. Remind me
to show you what *real* kissing ass is, sometime."
"You're…you're…damn it. I can't be mad at you when you're dressed like
that." Faith just grinned, and Buffy huffed. "We're walking. Does this
mean we're gonna do mini-golf?"
"I guess it does. Come on, blondie. Let's round up the troops."
They did just that, and then the whole gang went to the Pitch n' Putt,
and began their first of many hours there. When they finally trudged home
in the early morning hours, they were weary, but they also had a really
good, enjoyable time together.
--
"I wanna set the record straight. I thought the cop was a prostitute."
(Homer J. Simpson)
"You think you know? What's to come? What you are? You haven't even
begun."
(Tara to Buffy, BTVS)
"Since when is there a cowboy in 'Death of a Salesman' anyway?" (Willow,
BTVS)