Trials and Restorations

~ Part 14 ~

"Kennedy and I met each other at camp when I was eighteen,” Delana explained, lying across her girlfriend’s stomach; the two of them on the bed they had just shared together. “I came out at camp when I was eighteen... You see where I'm going with this?”

"Hell yeah," Faith screeched. "You and Ken got naughty at camp." She shook her head in disbelief. "Wow. Score one for the boarding school brat; she has great taste." Putting her arm around the blonde and resting it on her bare midsection, she inquired, "So, why'd she let you slip through her fingers?" She smirked, jumping in before Delana had a chance to answer the question. "Hold up, did you guys fuck?"

"No," Delana answered, laughing. "And I had a boyfriend. I wanted to sort that out before anything happened with Kennedy. I told her I would go home, talk to Alan and then call her... But then didn't."

"Harsh." The brunette tightened her hold on the waitress. "Though I guess it works out better for me. Who knows what coulda happened if you two had’ve hooked up.”

“I wondered that. I kind of hoped that we would when we met up again. But she was seeing Willow.”

“When d’ya meet up again?"

“When I came to Sunnydale.”

“Why?”

The waitress looked up at the ceiling as she recalled, “I couldn’t stand living at home any more. All the classic clichés applied; my parents were desperately unhappy together. They hardly spent time with each other or me.” The pretty blonde remembered, “I think I used to see my mom twice a week for cash and my dad even less; the both of them were working so hard. I just wanted get away. Head West and make it big as an actress or a model.”

Faith smiled at the comment, imagining the stunner strutting in stilettos on a runway. She listened as Delana continued, “But make it on my own. Without my parents' money… or support; just me. Guy told me that he’d heard of a place that was a stone throw from L.A., where the houses were real nice and rent was real low and Sunnydale here we came.”

“You *wanted* to come to Sunnydale??”

“Didn’t you?”

“Nah,” Faith remembered. “I came here jus' to find someone.”

Sitting up to look into her lover’s eyes, Delana asked, “Who?”

Unable to find a way to explain without revealing a little too much information, Faith assured her girlfriend, “To be continued, babe.” She removed her arm from around the younger woman. “Speaking of Guy, I said I’d meet him in ten to give my car the once-over.”

“I’ll come with you and we can talk in the car?”

Getting up, Faith merely offered “Yeah” by way of response.

---------------------------------------------

"Try now," Faith commanded, twisting a bolt.

Turning the key in the ignition, the mechanic listened to the sound coming from the engine.
"Wow," he exclaimed. "Isn't that just the sweetest sound?"

Beaming, Faith slammed down the bonnet of her jeep.
"It's the sound of my mobility, baby." She dipped her hands into her pockets fishing for money. "How much do I owe you?"

"Call it sixty."

"Fifty and I'll buy you your first two drinks tonight," Faith offered.

"Deal," Guy agreed, taking the money he was handed.

"Is it safe to come in yet?" Delana asked from a distance.

Beckoning her girlfriend inside, the slayer asked, "Wanna go for a spin?"

"You got it to work?" the waitress wondered aloud. "Wow, I thought it'd take you at least another week."

"You know me I got-"

"Yes, you have 'mad skillz'," Delana recalled.

"Right," Faith agreed.

“And a tonne of oil all over your top and… what’s with the cap?”

Explaining, Guy told his house-mate, “Faith didn’t feel mechanic-y so she smeared oil all over herself and *my* cap. I woulda been pissed off if… you know… she wasn’t smearing oil all over herself. There’s something about a girl all covered in car oil.” He licked his lips. “It’s sexy.”

Raising an eyebrow, the waitress looked from her girlfriend to Guy and back again.

Laughing, Faith told her lover, “He’s kidding about me; the jeep’s just real dirty.” She turned to Guy adding, “And I don’t even wanna know if that last part is true for you.”

"*Anyway*,” Delana continued, stressing the word. “I can't go for a spin; I have to work and then later and I’d like to cook for us tonight. How's my place at eight?"

Taken aback, Faith grinned. "Eight is cool," she decided.

"Then I will see you then." Glancing at her housemate, Delana pleaded for Faith to, "Watch yourself around him, will you?"

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Guy asked looking up from changing the car’s tyre.

Choosing not to answer, the waitress merely laughed as she took leave.

-------------------------------------------------------

Having circled Sunnydale in her newly washed, waxed and buffed Jeep, Faith pulled down a road adjacent to Rovello Drive. Turning into her old street, she gazed amazed at how the streets of Sunnydale were apparently unable to age.

Looking to her watch and finding it seven thirty, Faith decided that she had enough time to quickly drop by the Summers’ household before her dinner plans. Parking her car in their driveway, she exited the vehicle, strode up to the house and knocked on the front door. Receiving no response, the slayer decided to respond to the commotion coming from the back of the house.

------------------------------------------------------

Having left her home to run to the cafe nearby for salt, Delana cursed as she saw the time. Expecting her girlfriend in twenty minutes, she picked up the pace to her home; stopping suddenly when she saw what she felt was a dangerous situation in progress. She glared at two men and a lady talking across the road finding herself unnerved by the scene. Noticing that one of the men remained a few paces behind the woman as the other walked slightly ahead, she thought that she could see the lady asking to be relieved of their inappropriate advances.

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the situation, the waitress looked closer to see that one of them with his hand permanently in his pocket. Watching him pull out the item that she was unable to see clearly and hearing the woman call out, Delana felt it her personal obligation to offer some assistance. Hoping that her presence would be enough to help the woman in need, she approached brazenly with her cell phone in hand.

"Are these guys bothering you?" She called from what she deemed a safe distance. "Because I could call someone." She aimed the last part at the taller men.

"Yes. Thank you," the woman replied, breathlessly running to the blonde's side. Seeing the men jeer, but back away she felt her confidence increase.

"Come on," Delana beckoned, back-stepping. "My house isn't too far." Relieved as the twosome walked away from her, Delana turned from the men the moment she felt them a reasonable distance away. A little shaken, both the waitress and the near-victim picked up the pace.

----------------------------------------------------------

"Mom!" Joyce called, in the middle of a heated basketball game with Faith. "Come play."

Chuckling, Buffy declined, offering, "Some other time, honey."

As if to help her ex, Faith sunk a basket as she qualified, "Yeah, J - you know you're mom's all old now." She tossed the ball towards the child. "She can't move as fast as she used to."

Narrowing her eyes, Buffy called to her daughter, "Sweetie, pass mommy the ball."

"You’ve gone and done it now," Joyce told the brunette, who roared with laughter as Buffy received the basketball.

Arriving to the growing gathering from her short trip to the bathroom, Kennedy asked, "More players?"

"Cool," Joyce whooped. "Kennedy’s back. Faith, you wanna take on mom and Kennedy?"

"Oooh that should be interesting," Kennedy decided aloud. "Come on Buffy, what do you say?"

Looking to the cocky smile on Faith's face, the slayer decided, "I'm in."

"Let's do it," Faith replied. Turning her cap to face backwards, she squared up to face her former girlfriend attempting to anticipate the move she was to take.

Bouncing the basketball, Buffy took a few paces forward finding Faith match each step she took with one of her own. Faking left, but going right, Buffy charged to Faith's left finding her efforts in vain.

Knocking the ball from the older slayer's hands, Faith chuckled as she stormed up to the net and dunked the ball in.
"I believe, that's already two to zero," she stated, then looking for confirmation from her teammate.

"I believe it is," Joyce replied, cheerful whilst retrieving the ball and tossing it to Kennedy. "Faith, stay on mom!" the youngster ordered marking Kennedy.

Doing as she was instructed Faith bent and faced her opponent. Staring into her ex's hazel eyes and having Buffy do the same to her, a small smile appearing on both of their lips.

--------------------------------------------------

"This is it," Delana announced reaching her house. Looking at the frail young woman, she ushered her inside.

"Thank you so much for your kindness," the young woman assured the pleasant stranger. "But… I mean, those men are gone and my home isn't too far."

"I don't want to risk it," Delana told her. "Come inside, we'll get you cleaned up and I can call you a cab." She added, "On me."

"Thank you," was all the woman felt was appropriate to say. She followed the attractive blonde into her home.

“Grab a seat,” Delana instructed, pointing towards the living room. Proceeding to her kitchen, she looked for the first aid kit, returning to tend to the young female.

"Here," Delana offered, handing the woman a wet cloth and looking to her trousers; blood-stained at the knee caps.

"Thank you," the woman repeated, taking the cloth and pressing it to her temple.

Scanning the smaller woman's body, Delana found that she was seemingly bleeding from other parts of her body; her lip, her arm and her thigh. Wondering how she was still able to stand, the blonde was taken aback as the woman jumped on top of her. Kneeling on the waitress' back and pressing her hands beneath her own, the girl straddled the blonde from behind. Her face morphing and now brandishing her sharp fangs, the vampire could taste the fear of the woman squirming beneath her.

-------------------------------------

"Over here," Buffy called, her arms open.

Receiving the tossed ball, she looked to the high net and then to the brunette charging toward her. Jumping and taking aim, she lobbed the ball with hope to score as she felt herself tackled to the ground. Thankful that the arm Faith had around her had broken her fall, the blonde slayer found herself unharmed by the take-down.

Retaining her position on top of her former lover, Faith wondered aloud, "You okay?"

Resting on the arm beneath her, Buffy explained, "Your... arm broke my fall."

"That's good," the brunette replied, the two of them oblivious to Joyce's cries and Kennedy's whoops in the background.

"Twenty three to twenty! Twenty three to twenty!" Kennedy chanted. Approaching her teammate, the Latin-American congratulated, "Nice shot, Buffy."

Kennedy's utterance attracting the attention of both slayers, the two of them proceeded to stand.
"Thank you," Buffy replied to the complement. Avoiding a glaring Faith’s gaze, she proceeded to walk towards her home, stating to the others, "I'm starving. Who wants hot dogs?"

"Food!" Joyce called in appreciation, following her mom behind. Running back to take hold of a lagging Faith, the blonde clarified, "Earth to Faith; mom said Hot Dogs."

"I'll be right in kiddo," Faith decided, ushering the blonde ahead. "I need a minute by myself."

"Alright," Joyce told her, teasing, "Don't complain if there's none left when you get in."

Nodding, Faith merely stood and watched after her as the adolescent entered her home.

-----------------------------------------------

Struggling with all the power she could muster, Delana rolled her body over so that she lay face up. Catching a glimpse of the thing spanning her body, the waitress paled as she screamed. Receiving a slap for her troubles, Delana continued to scream, whilst struggling to dislodge her attacker. Hearing the door burst open, she looked up to see the two men from which she had 'saved' the young woman.

"Kill her already," one of them coaxed.

"Yeah, share," the other pleaded.

Taking her moment, Delana forced the woman atop her off her and onto the floor. Running from the door, she suddenly found herself face to face with her assailant who was able to move much faster than her legs would allow. Finding herself pounded to the floor, Delana cried out as she heard the loud crack of one of her bones giving way. Tears streaming from her eyes, she screamed as the vampire raised her, baring its teeth.

TBC…