FIC: "Just Friends" 9/10 B/W

Several hours later.

There was a big racket when the girls came back, everybody in the house rushing to them to only record the damages. Buffy was amongst the first ones to enter the house carrying an unconscious Faith in her arms. Willow arrived from the kitchen, she called Buffy but the slayer was already climbing upstairs with the brunette slayer. The witch was looking overtaken by the event and panicky like the rest of them but more injured girls were arriving so she didn?t have the time to think, that?s when she saw Xander helping Amanda to bring Kennedy inside, the brunette potential had passed out.

?Kennedy, my God Kennedy?

She helped them lying her down on the ground and checked her pulse then began treating her.

~~~

Buffy was in her room, alone with Faith who was out of danger but was still unconscious. Buffy was very thoughtful. She had remained with the dark slayer ever since they came back from the tunnel. She didn?t know what was going on downstairs, who survived, who didn?t, she didn?t talk to any of her friends, she didn?t talk to... Willow, yet she couldn?t stop thinking about her. And she was staring at the somewhat pale face in front of her, pale yet always so appealing, as Buffy was thinking. Buffy resigned herself, Faith would always be attractive, no matter what she was saying, wearing or doing. Buffy got lost in her thoughts and her hand went to the brunette?s face to caress it gently for a moment then she brushed her fingers on Faith?s lips before moving them to the slayer?s neck, she inhaled deeply and removed them, still very thoughtful.

?Still dying here, keep going?

Buffy couldn?t help but smile then she blushed as she realized she?d been caught in the act. Faith had still not opened her eyes, she muttered again:

?I?m still passed out, go on?

Buffy smiled even more and Faith finally opened her eyes saying:

?At least I?d have tried?

Buffy looked aside, she was obviously very thoughtful and worried despite the shy smile on her face. Faith managed to rest on her elbow and ask more seriously:

?How bad is it??

Buffy could see fear and concern in Faith?s eyes, the blonde slayer told her:

?There?s been some... It?s always tricky Faith, people are always gonna die?

Faith looked down:

?I should have waited for you to come back?

?No it?s not your fault; honestly I wasn?t planning on going to the tunnel, at that moment I was... I?m the one who?s sorry because I should?ve been there?

?You came and you saved them right? I was unconscious but I guess you came and saved us, you saved the day... as always, you corrected my mistakes... as always?

Buffy took Faith?s hand:

?No Faith, this isn?t right, we all decided on that plan, I gave up on it at the last minute, and you did what you had to do. I found out what I was searching for and came back to you but I should?ve told you something before instead of-? Buffy stopped and Faith went on:

?Running away??

Buffy looked aside a little bit and Faith asked:

?Anyway, what is it you found out??

?A scythe, made for us... slayers, it?s very powerful, it?s over there?

Buffy pointed out the scythe; Faith looked at it for a short while before turning her head towards Buffy again:

?It?s beautiful but-?

Buffy frowned:

?What??

?Is that what you were running away for this morning? Is it really Buffy? Did you really -find out- what you were searching??

Buffy avoided Faith?s gaze:

?I don?t understand?

?Yes you do, where?s Willow? Have you talked to her??

?No, there?s nothing to talk about anyway?

Faith was about to speak but Buffy continued:

?Anyway I was busy here taking care of you, I mean, your wounds and downstairs quite looks like ER so she?s better off without me to take care of the others?

Faith nodded but said:

?Well, I?m fine now, you can leave me alone?

?I prefer to stay; you remained unconscious for a while so someone has to stay with you, just in case of?

?In case of what? Come on B, I stayed unconscious for 8 months before, what?s a few more hours gonna do??

Buffy looked aside at that comment:

?Don?t talk about that?

Faith frowned:

?Like you think I didn?t deserve it now??

Buffy looked annoyed:

?I never meant things to go that way?

Faith squeezed her hand:

?Chill, it?s past, I know what I did, I accepted it and now I?ve moved on so don?t be sorry now, just deal with it?

Buffy stared intensely at Faith for a long moment during which none of them talked nor looked aside. Their breathing had slightly increased. Faith then lied on her back again with a sigh:

?Now I think you should go to red and... move on?

Buffy was still staring at her then she slowly bent forward to Faith?s surprise and pressed her lips on the dark slayer?s ones. The surprise in Faith?s mind didn?t last long as she quickly put her hand on Buffy?s nape to pull her closer while Buffy?s hands were on Faith?s neck and waist. They kissed for a long while then Buffy slightly pulled away but didn?t remove her hands from Faith. The brunette slayer sighed and said:

?What you?re trying to prove B??

Buffy was a bit surprised at that comment:

?Nothing?

She just said and was about to kiss Faith again but the brunette girl put her hands on Buffy?s chest as to stop her, Buffy was even more surprised, she asked:

?Nothing, I thought you, I thought-?

?You thought being a plain lesbian would be easier than just being in love with her??

Buffy sat straight on the bed:

?No, absolutely not, you?re just, you can?t understand this? she meant to move away but Faith grabbed her wrist and pulled her back on the bed:

?Oh yes I do?

?I?m not in love with her?

?Then don?t try to convince yourself of that with me; I?m not the one you want but obviously you do want something?

Buffy tried to look aside but Faith made her look at her:

?Why do you try so hard to run away from it...? I?d died for what you and her have?

Buffy was taken aback by Faith?s comment, like she was realising what it really was she and Willow had, like there was no way for her to deny it suddenly. They were staring at each other, knowing. Buffy now felt sad for Faith. The dark slayer inhaled deeply, she smiled and said in her casual cool-tone:

?Now get off my bed, I need to rest. Injured girl here remember? Get out?

Buffy slightly smiled then she said:

?About that, it?s my bed?

Faith shrugged and said nonchalantly:

?Get lost?

Buffy smiled and got up then she sat at the edge of the bed and Faith looked at her, unsure. Buffy said:

?Faith, I?m- I?m really glad you came back, really I am?

She got up;

?Err Buffy?

Buffy turned around only to be face to face with Faith who?d moved on her knees on the bed. Buffy was surprised, Faith smiled:

?After all... One for the road?

She grabbed Buffy?s head and pulled her into a kiss that Buffy gladly returned, then Faith got up from the bed and headed towards the scythe:

?Now let me play with that baby? she said as she took it in her hands:

?Wow power here?

Buffy was still a bit stunned at Faith behaviour, first the kiss, now... But that was just so totally Faith.

The brunette slayer turned around:

?You?re still here? Don?t you have somewhere else to be and someone else to... tease??

Buffy slightly smiled and headed to the door, she opened it, Faith wasn?t looking at her, she was -pretending- not to care anymore as she was -playing- with her new toy. Buffy left. Faith looked at the door for a short while after Buffy closed it. She licked her lips and inhaled deeply with a smile before looking at the scythe again and letting the power emerging from it overwhelm her.

~~~

In the meantime, Willow had made the boys carry Kennedy to her room and she was taking care of her. Willow had treated all the cuts and burns on Kennedy?s body. The brunette was naked under the sheets. Willow was sitting beside her, thinking a lot and caressing Kennedy?s face at the same time. She felt the brunette potential slowly coming to.

?Kennedy? Kennedy can you hear me??

Kennedy nodded, Willow moved closer:

?My God I was so afraid, how are you feeling??

Kennedy screwed up her eyes trying to open them properly:

?I?m, I?m fine, I think. Am I??

Willow slightly smiled:

?Yes, yes you?re gonna be ok. It?s just cuts and burns but... I think you got a blow on your head and-?

?She saved me?

?What??

Everyone had been so busy bandaging the injured girls that none had really talked about what happened. Kennedy said:

?Buffy. I was trying to regroup the girls but The Turok-Han threw me against the wall, that?s where I bumped my head but I didn?t faint, it was coming towards me with a stick I?d taken to fight him, he raised it above my head but then it was dust falling on me and there she was... standing and... I think I passed out and now... you?re here, beside me... am I really alright or did I die??

Willow smiled again and caressed the brunette?s face:

?No you didn?t, you?re really fine. I?m beside you because... that?s where I have to be?

Kennedy frowned:

?You mean -now-, just because I?m dying right? Or rather because you thought I was dying right??

Willow looked aside and then at the potential again:

?I?m sorry Kennedy, for everything that happened, I?m sorry you?ve been caught in between- in that story, it should?ve never been?

?What exactly shouldn?t Willow? You and Buffy, or you and me??