True Faith

Hey, guys, guess what? This story's going to be finished tonight. Sadly, I couldn't find a decent way to shove in a gratuitous sex scene, so I reduced the rating to R. But I'm also working on Smitten, and that should make up for it and then some.

*

Buffy shoved her way through the crowd of vampires to reach Tru before they could.

Tru sprinted up to her, clutching the Scythe. "Here. I called your friend Willow...she said this would help."

"Thanks." Buffy paused for a moment, feeling a strange disconnection. Tru, not Faith. She's not Faith. She wanted to look closer, to see if there was something there, something deeper--those kisses had been amazing, but they were also a lie. Buffy shook her head. There was no time for this--no pun intended. "You're a live-saver, Tru."

Truled led and handed her the weapon.

Power flowed through Buffy the instant her hands closed around the shaft of the Scytheuffyuffy could feel herself growing stronger, her injuries vanishing. She looked at the nearest vampire and smiled sweetly. His yellow eyes widened as she took a step forward, apparently sensing the immense energy that radiated from the instrument in her hands.

He turned to run, and it was the last step he ever took.

Fighting with the Scythe was a blur of joyfulness. Everything that was right about being a Slayer was embodied in it, from the razor-sharp axe blade to the sturdy stake hafted at its opposite end. Buffy mowed down the vampires that stood between her and Faith, whirling with incredible lightness and precision.

This was what it was to be a hero.

Faith faltered, her blocks and kicks coming slower. There were still too many vampires between them. Buffy called, "Faith!" and tossed the Scythe to her. Letting go of it was like losing a part of herself.

Faith reached up over the mass of vampires attacking her and caught it. Buffy saw the look of exultation on her face as she claimed it, and the wolfish grin she turned on her enemies when it was safely within her grasp.

Buffy would never tire of watching Faith fight. With the Scythe in her hands, she became a force, unstoppable and lovely. She smiled, and Buffy knew she was feeling that sense of belonging, of acceptance.

Buffy staked another vampire that tried to run; she stayear Tar Tru to keep her safe; she helped the vampires' victim to her feet; but mostly she watched Faith. Tru reassured the woman, who only had a trickle of blood on her neck to show for being the captive of the nest--damn lucky, Buffy thought--and finally the woman gave them one last horrified, disbelieving look and ran for the cemetery's gates. Buffy knew the type. By tomorrow, she would have convinced herself that she'd gotten ahold of some bad liquor, and it was all a dream. Again, lucky.

Buffy smiled at Faith's gymnastics, running up the wall and spinning over a vamp's head only to pin it with a casual backhand stab of the Scythe's handle, while simultaneously beheading another two with the blade. The huge nest was reduced to three stragglers to stupid to stop fing, ng, and Faith was having fun toying with them.

"You talked about her a lot today. I mean, the first today."

Buffy turned to Tru. She wasll wll watching Faith fight. Buffy thought of the Buffybot and realized how much weirder it must be to know your double was real, not built. Remembering the Bot still left a bad taste in her mouth. It hadn't been quite self-aware, but enough that interacting with it was just...wrong. And what it had been built for--even worse.

"I was alone for a long time," she said. "Even when we were enemies, Faith understood that. Understood me. It's hard to let go of our connection."

Tru nodded. "Buffy...I wanted to tell you I'm sorry."

Buffy crossed her arms and ducked her head. She didn't want to delve too deeply into this, but she couldn't just leave it hanging. For their sakes, and for Faith. "When you and I met...I don't remember, but...I must have done something, for you to, uh, want--that." She met Tru's eyes. "Today, I thought you were her. It wasn't me and you. I'm sorry for that. You were the one who got used."

"Because Ickedcked you." Tru shrugged. "I knew what would happen...or, I guessed. And I knew it was wrong. You want her. You always have."

Buffy looked at Faith, battling the last vampire, and smiled. "How do you know that?"

"You told me." Tru gave Faith's trademark leer, but Buffy only shook her head ruefully. Not the same. Never the same.

"Have you ever done this before?" she asked. "I mean, with a girl?"

"Nope."

"Me neither." Buffy smiled slightly. "You were my first."

"Faith was your first."

Buffy nodded, accepting that. "Do you think she'll want to go back to Cleveland?"

"What, choose you over some principal guy?" Tru asked, trying and failing to hide her smirk.

Buffy's face warmed. "Oh, my God. What did I say about him?"

"I'm too polite to listen when people start muttering under their breaths," Tru said, laughing. "Buffy...maybe I'm biased...but I can't imagine her settling for anyone when she can have you."

Buffy blushed harder. "I, uh..."

"She's a sweet-talker. I like that." Faith sauntered oand and draped one hand around Buffy's shoulders, still holding the Scythe in the other hand. She wasn't even breathing hard after her fight. "Ta-da, by the way," she added. "The night is once again safe for really dumb pedestrians."

Buffy snuggled into the warmth of Faith's side and smiled apologetically at Tru. "So, Tru Davies," she said. "You saved my life after all."

"Shved ved a hef a f a lot more than that, and you know it," Faith said. "What, you think just 'cause s bus busy killing vamps I wasn't listening?" She grinned at Tru. "Super-hearing. One of the many benefits to the superhero gig. That and being one hot chick...but I guess you figured that one out on your own."

"Faith," Buffy warned, "stop ogling your doppelgan"
"

"What? She's hot. You noticed." Faith winked at Tru. "Love the pants, by the way."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Don't tell her where you got them or we'll never make it out of Vancouver."

"At yot you staying for the rest of your vacation?" Tru asked.

Buffy paused. She'd come on vacation...and it seemed very long ago, whether there had been two todays or not...because she was lonely, more than anything. And now she had Faith.

At last.

"No," she said, sounding almost surprised. "I want to go back to work. I want a hellmouth and vamps to slay every night. God, am I crazy?"

"Nah, B. Just a Slayer--one among many." Faith paused. "Think Willow will magic us back?"

"Um..." Tru said. "I think you'd better not call Willow, Faith..."

Buffy's eyes widened. "Willow doesn't know? About you?"

Tru gave an innocent shrug. "She thinks Faith has suffered brain damage or a split personality, she's not sure which. She keeps talking about too many comas..."

Buffy laughed out loud this time. "I'll phone her. And I'll tell her--" She paused and smiled at Faith. "I'll ask her to bring us home."

*

To be continued...