Fleeting

Part IX – Torture Me
A/N: ah ha! found the missing parts. so here, have a new one. and thanks to those who're reviewing. and to everyone else who's reading, y'all should review too. i'm a feedback whore, and i need my drug.

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The sea wind blew in from her right, causing her hair to fly around her head, slapping her in the face. but she didn’t care. She didn’t bother to move the strands that clung defiantly to her cheeks and lips, she just watched the road at her feet, as she made the long walk back into town.

It’d become a habit for her, ever since Faith had died, for her to wander down to the beach front and listen to the sound of the suft hitting the sand after she’d finished patroling. She hardly ever got any sleep, but she didn’t care. All she ever did when she closed her eyes, was dream of Faith anyway.

Sometimes she’d see visions of the picnics they used to have on Sundays on the college campous, of a night that seemed like years ago when they went to the fair. Hanging out in the local pizza place, bantering back and forth over the good sides of ham and pinapple versus pepperoni pies, drinking coke until they thought it would come out of their noses with laughter.

But most of the time, she’d dream of her in the eye of that storm. Wreathing in pain, reaching up to her with tears running down her face. of the last look she gave to her. Tendrils of blue electricity wrapping themselves around her body, scrotching the flesh they touched. Her mouth, opened in a silent scream. And her voice, carried softly on the wind, so soft and quiet it was as if she’d whispered those final words directly into her mind.

And every single night she’d save her. Do something different. Run faster, be stronger, get there sooner. But it didn’t matter, because the one time it counted, she couldn’t do a thing but watch her best friend fade before her eyes.

And then bury what was left behind.

“Hello slayer.” The sound of spike’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts, bringing her back to a reality that no longer held any comfort for her. She’d reached dock town without realising how far she’d walked.

“Not tonight spike,” she sighed heavily, wishing she was anywhere but here. Because althought she knew rationally that it wasn’t his fault, she knew that if he could have held doc off for longer Faith would still be here. The measure of her anger towards him was irrational at best. “I’m really tired.”

“You’re always tired slayer.” He lit up a cigerette, pocketing his lighter and leaning against a street light as he looked at her. “Ever since short, dark and phycotic took a header off that tower you’ve..”

his words were cut off as his body was slammed so hard against the nearest wall, he knew he wouldn’t be able to breathe if he had any breathe left. Buffy’s deceptively small hand was around his throat, baring down on his neck with a strengh that could and probably would crush his wind pipe.

Slowly, she slide him up the wall, his leather jacked scraping against the bricks with the pressure. He loked down into her face and saw nothing but a cold fury that raged so completely inside of her eyes, that seemed to burn her from within and consume her very soul. For once in his life he had the decency to be terrified.

“She died saving your life. She died saving us all. She *died* a HERO! So if I ever, *ever* hear you disrespecting her again? I will personally tear your head right from your neck.” She lowered him to the curb again, and it was only when his feet touched solid ground again did he realise that a stake was pressing into his skin, right where his heart was. “I should have staked you the moment I hit the ground.”

shovshoved him back against the wall, releasing him and turning away, shaking her head as she continued her walk back into town.

“I think that’s a bit harsh!”

“you think that’s harsh?! If it weren’t for you, she’d still be alive you fucking *ass*hole!”

the look of contempt dropprom rom his face, his hands falling to his sides and his entire body seemed to droop and wither before her very eyes.

“I know.” When he looked back up at her, his eyes seemed so defeated, watery and hollow. “There’s nothing you can say to me, that I haven’t already said to myself buffy.”

The blonde slayer stood there, her arm still slightly stinging as it healed into oblivion, and watched the vampire walk slowly off into the darkness. A part of her telling her she should comfort him, should try to make him feel slightly better.

The rest of her was too busy trying to comfort herself to help him.


Continued Next in: Release