Trials and Restorations

~ Part 15 (I of II) ~

"Fai... wah too yoo soo long?" Joyce asked, the remnants of her food still visible through her half-open mouth.

"Honey, don't talk with your mouth full," Buffy berated lightly. She looked to Faith who remained stood by the back door. "I saved you some hot dogs from the monster that is Joyce-"

"Heeey!" the eleven year old interrupted. "There were more and you held out on me?"

Stopping the fairer slayer who was about to answer, Faith chimed in with, "It's cool, let J have the rest; I gotta go." She bent to place a kiss on the forehead of the hungry blonde.

"Aw, no, Faith! You just got here," the youngster pleaded, taking the remaining food from her mother. "Stay some more."

"Kiddo I can't." Faith laughed. "I only wanted to stay a few minutes and I've stayed like an hour."

"Please? I haven't seen you forever," Joyce begged. "Are you saying you'd rather be somewhere else?" Glancing at her mother, she requested, "Ketchup?"

"No, kid. You know that. But I kinda said I would be meet someone-"

"Call and cancel?"

"Joyce," Buffy felt she should interrupt. "If Faith has to be somewhere, then she has to be somewhere."

"Yeah," Faith agreed. Looking to the sad face the youngster proceeded to pull, the brunette rolled her eyes. "Can I use the phone?" She asked, causing the blonde child to whoop. Pointing and shaking her head, Faith added, "You know you should put your powers to better use."

Nodding, the cadet added more onions to her food.

Bracing herself, Faith raised the receiver in the hallway of the Summers' home and dialed her girlfriend's number. Sighing of relief when the phone rung out and the machine picked up, she looked down at the phone. Twiddling the cord with her index finger, she began, "Baby it's me... Er.. I was jus' callin' to say... baby, something came up but I will super make it up to you, for sure. I'm talkin' dinner, candles, flowers, chocolate; the whole works-" she caught sight of Buffy, who stood smiling in the kitchen doorway. "So yeah, I'll see you later? Jus' call me when you get this."

"Oh, the 'please-don't-put-me-in-the-doghouse' speech," Buffy recalled with a smile, when her ex hung up the phone. "What d'ya do?"

"Missed dinner."

"Oh."

"And she cooked."

"Ohhh," Buffy repeated, the second time for longer. She shook her head.

"I know," Faith agreed.

"That is sooo much more than a flowers and chocolate thing."

"I know," Faith repeated.

"Mom's making popcorn!!" Joyce yelled, charging from the kitchen. She took Faith's hand. "Can you smell that delicious, deliciousness? That means it's movie time!"

Being dragged along by the near five foot bundle of energy, Faith sat down on the couch and made herself comfortable, whilst Joyce searched through the movie channels.

"Yes!! The new Power Rangers movie." Joyce announced racing back and taking position next to the brunette slayer, who had a look of sheer horror on her face. She changed her expression when the youngster turned to her, smiling as widely as she could.

"Awesome." She stated, blankly. Though became ecstatic when Buffy emerged from the kitchen bearing both snacks and beer.

"I thought you might need these," Buffy explained, handing the six-pack over to her ex. "And here's your popcorn, missy."

"Thank you." The brunette stated gratefully, as Joyce buzzed between the slayers, turning up the volume of the television and engrossing herself in the film.

Rolling her eyes, Buffy smiled towards the other adult.

"So, how's things with you?" Faith asked, extracting a bottle from the half-dozen.

"Great... Not looking forward to the Holidays though."

"Lots of crazies about?" the brunette joked.

"Hey!" Buffy whined. "I can't exactly call them that… But yep, they're out in full force. Factor in the store and it's going to be a nightmare… but the good kind where we make lots of money."

Nodding, Faith offered the other slayer a beer.

"Oh, no. Thanks." The blonde shook her head and reached for some popcorn, to the audible disapproval of her daughter.

"Don't be such a brat, J." Faith replied, popping the cap of the drink she'd previously offered.

Joyce looked up to her mother, mirroring the older Summers' trademark pout. "I'm sorry, mommy."

Laughing it off, Buffy accepted the apology, but decided to leave the snack lest it be the cause of more drama. "It's the stardom; it`s gone to her head." Buffy offered by way of explanation. "Our little girl's going to be 'Sleepy' in the school play."

Joyce's groan confirmed that she'd been listening and caused Faith to give her a soft nudge to the ribs. "Kid, that's awesome. Sleepy's the best of all the Dwarves."

"Really?" the blonde asked drawing her eyes from the film, peeking up at Faith.

"Sure."

"But I've only got one line."

"Yeah? Then you've gotta make it count, kiddo. When's the big day?"

"Friday. Will you come watch?"

"I'll be front row, center." The brunette promised, idly stroking her the youngster's blonde tresses.

"You think maybe we should carpool?" Buffy asked, her heart racing as she waited for the answer.

"Sure," Faith agreed. "I can head over here straight from work."

"Great." The blonde exhaled silently, as Faith reached for her second liquor-fix of the night. "Man, I love an ice cold Bud." The younger slayer, professed with a groan, downing her drink. "Sure you don't want one?" She asked, offering her half drunk bottle.

"With an endorsement like that…" Buffy relented, taking the offered beverage. She took a sip, before her face revealed her displeasure. "Ugh, how can you drink this stuff."

Grinning, the younger adult responded. "Years of practice, babe." She popped the cap of another.

Smiling, her attention turned to the sudden footsteps rushing downstairs. "Guys, Faith!" Kennedy called, she looked to the couch, her alarm evident to everyone that wasn't watching the Power Rangers' latest escapade. Her gaze fixated on Joyce and then flicked back to Faith.

Catching the message, Buffy turned to her daughter. "Honey, would you mind grabbing me a diet coke from the fridge?"

"K," Joyce uttered, standing. "Hey, Kennedy," she greeted, rushing passed.

"With ice and lemon, sweetie!" Buffy called after her daughter.

When the youngster was out of earshot, Faith asked, "What's up?"

"I just got off the phone with Willow. It's Delana; she's at Sunnydale General. Guy says he's been trying to get hold of you-"

Feeling herself sobering, Faith admitted, "I switched my cell off." In a daze, she pulled it from her pocket trying to reactivate it. "Is she-? Did he say what happened?"

"She was attacked. He said she lost a lot of blood. When they found her-"

"Where?" was the only reply, the brunette could think of, her head still a little hazy from the alcohol she'd ingested. Not waiting for a response, Faith continued. "I've gotta-" She cleared her throat. "I need to see her." She stood, and retrieved her jacket.

"I can take you," Buffy offered, locating her car keys. She turned to Kennedy asking, "Would you mind looking after Joyce `til we get back?"

"Sure." The youngest of the three slayers replied.

"Honey, Faith and I are going out for a little while," Buffy told her daughter, who emerged from the kitchen carrying the coke she'd been sent for. "We'll be back soon."

"Ok," Joyce replied, watching as her mothers left in a hurry.

--

Reaching their destination at the waiting room of the Trauma Intensive Care Unit, Faith was greeted by an exasperated Guy, who embraced her.

"I've been calling you all night."

"I'm sorry." Faith replied, hugging the taller man. "How is she?"

"Not good. They found her with puncture wounds in her neck." The slayers glanced at one another, as the man continued. "Doctors say she almost bled out," Guy replied. He tensed in the brunette's arms, before pulling back. "But what the fuck? I thought you were supposed to be with her tonight."

"I'm sorry. I was with J. I lost track of time." She followed the man's gaze, as he looked to the woman beside her. "This is Buffy," Faith explained. "Joyce's mom. She gave me a ride."

Seemingly a little calmer, Guy held out his hand and shook the stranger. He looked back to Faith. "I spoke to Dee's folks; they're catching a Red Eye out here tonight."

"Shit." Faith uttered. "She's gonna pull through this though, right?"

Guy couldn't answer the question. "I'm waiting to see her doctor. Been waitin' two hours now." He raised his voice at the last part and looked to the clerk at the desk, in disgust.

Incensed, Faith charged to the front desk. "Look, can we get some fuckin' information here?!" she bellowed, slamming her fist in front of the woman.

Her eyes as wide as the rest of the audience present, Buffy walked to stand beside the brunette, placing her arm on the back of her shoulder. "You need to hold it together." She looked to the unit clerk. "I'm sure the hospital is doing all they can for Delana."

"W-what's her last name?" the clerk stuttered.

"Reynolds," Faith uttered, calming from her ex's touch.

Relieved as that the angry lady seemed to be mellowing, the lady searched her computer. "An emergency transfusion has been arranged for Ms. Reynolds. Dr. Williamson is attending to her."

"See?" Buffy mouthed a `thanks' and turned back to Faith, who exhaled, before leaving her side taking a seat. The brunette slayer immediately bolted up to both Buffy & Guy's surprise.

"I can't stay here. I've gotta…" She pulled Buffy aside. "I've gotta go patrol. I wanna find the vamps that did this. I have to find the vamps that did this."

"Don't you think you should stay? I mean, your girlfriend needs you."

The younger slayer turned back to Guy, "Call me as soon as you hear anything." She uttered, leaving.

Following in tow, Buffy called out to her. "I'm coming with you." She announced to nobody in particular.

"Fine. You can drive."


Part II of II

Stood in a cold, dark Sunnydale cemetery, Buffy watched as Faith straddled and beat yet another vampire within an inch of its, well, unlife.

The slayer couldn't remember ever feeling sorry for a vampire before, but out of sheer sympathy, she lunged forward and held onto the brunette's descending fist with one hand and plunged a stake into the vampire's heart with her other. She could have sworn that the thing thanked her just before it turned to dust and settled on the ground beneath them.

Faith stood to full height, brushing the dust from her pants. She gave her partner a questioning look.

"He looked like he could use a hand," the older slayer explained.

"Huh?"

"You almost pummelled that thing into a coma."

"Hey, if doing violence to vampires upsets you, you're in the wrong line of work." Faith pocketed her stake and strode off deeper into the cemetery, her eyes wildly searching the perimeter for more fanged fiends.

Running after her ex, Buffy increased her speed to allow her to block the path of the advancing brunette. "Faith." She uttered wearily. "It's almost light. We need to get back."

"You can go. I need to teach these vamps some fuckin' respect; my family and girl are off limits!" Faith side-stepped the blonde and continued for the three steps that smaller slayer allowed her to take. She let out a frustrated groan at the Buffy-shaped obstacle that had appeared in her path.

"I'm not leaving you like this," the older slayer resolved. "We have to go."

"Fuck that. You're not the boss of me."

"I know... But I am your ride here, remember?"

The Missouri native gave her characteristic sneer-smile combo. "I can make my own way back without you, B. I'm a big girl now."

"Faith." She tried a different angle, "I don't think your girlfriend would want you going off-"

"What the fuck?" Faith asked, now a little confused, amused and pissed off. "You don't even know her."

Recoiling, Buffy replied, "I know... But-"

"So, you should really stop mouthing off about stuff you know nothing about." No sooner had the words left her mouth had Faith realised that she hadn't meant the delivery to be quite that insensitive. "Shit." The brunette uttered, exhaling audibly. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean that."

"I was only trying to help-" The slayer stood still, wearing the `hurt-puppy' expression that always had her ex caving to her wishes, regardless of the circumstance.

"I know. I'm sorry." Faith relented with a sigh. She pocketed her stake and looked up at the sky, streaks of daylight breaking through. "We can go if you wanna."


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

"Hey." Kennedy stood from her seat on the couch as the slayers returned home. She rubbed her eyes, having been asleep. "How is she?" she asked looking from one slayer to the other.

"They got her a donor," Faith answered. "Doin' the op as we speak."

"Did you get to see her?"

"Didn't stick around to ask to." The brunette removed her jacket and hung it on the banister, throwing her explanation over her shoulder. "Fuckin' hate hospitals."

Removing her outer coat and hanging it beside the door, Buffy thanked the young woman for her impromptu house-sitting and asked, "Did Joyce get to sleep okay?"

"Yeah." Kennedy resumed her position on the Summers' couch, covering herself with the comforter. "I checked in on her a little while ago." She yawned, barely hearing Buffy's response of,

"Thanks. I think I'll just take a peep." The slayer moved to the staircase, glancing down at a pacing Faith below. "Are you going to be okay?" She asked, concerned.

"Yeah." Faith cracked her knuckles and moved towards the entrance to the basement. "Might go a few rounds with the bag if that's okay."

Buffy nodded, resuming her ascent. "'Night."

Letting herself into the darkened room, Faith's eyes quickly adjusted to the poor lighting and her body adjusted to the dank atmosphere. The adrenaline from her earlier fights still coursing through her veins, she squared up to the punchbag in the center of the room. Envisioning the leather object as the vampire she'd allowed to sample her lover, she delivered a blow to its middle that caused it to shake and swing towards her. Dodging the bag, she pushed against it and aimed a hook kick to where she envisioned the head to be. The pleasure she received from the force of the connection, spurned her on to continue her assault so ferociously that she lost track of her surroundings, completely immersed in the mock-fight.

Eliciting sounds that were somewhere between grunting and roaring, Faith remained unaware of the fact that she hadn't been alone for the past twenty minutes or so. That is until, a gasp brought her back to the present.

Buffy had watched the other slayer deliver blow after blow to the punchbag, the perspiration glistening on her forehead a testament to the hour that the other woman had spent releasing her rage. She slowly descended the stairs and moved further into the basement, her presence causing her ex to stop and glance towards her. She threw an idle, "Hey" into the general direction of the slayer and continued her fight.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Buffy interrupted.

The brunette slayer again paused for a beat. "Not really," she replied, before increasing the intensity of her attacks on the
inanimate object.

Noticing that the younger woman was exerting the force with her bare hands, Buffy located the box of handwraps she stored beside the cot and opened a set. She moved towards the brunette, who held the bag steady as she approached.

Panting from the exertion, Faith wiped her brow with the back of her arm and then held out her hands, allowing Buffy to administer the flesh-coloured wrap.

Tenderly lifting the brunette's right hand, she applied the loop of the material around the thumb before draping the cloth around Faith's wrist, thumb and knuckles. She repeated this with the slayer's left, running her thumb across the back of the brunettes hands and smoothing down the cloth, before releasing them just as gently as she'd picked them up.

"Thanks." Faith resumed the battering of the bag, delivering blow after blow, as Buffy retreated to the cot to watch the woman in action.

The pain that was coming from the younger slayer in waves, resonated within Buffy and for the first time in a long time, she wanted nothing more than to hold the other woman, comfort her and ease her hurt. She sighed and continued
to observe helplessly.

TBC.