Trials and Restorations

Trials and Restorations:-

~ Part 16 ~

"Oh! You are a Goddess," Delana proclaimed when Faith entered her hospital room with a McDonald’s takeaway bag in tow.

The brunette chuckled and handed over the goods, perching on her girlfriend’s bed. She watched as the New Yorker licked her lips and grabbed the double bacon McMuffin™, readying her taste buds for the delicious change from hospital cuisine. This made her next expression priceless to Faith, when Mrs. Reynolds appeared as if from thin air and whipped the sandwich from her daughter’s hands.

"I do not think so," Ana scolded, placing the burger back in the bag and damn near growling at Faith whilst doing so.

The slayer held her hands up in surrender. "I’m sorry, Ma. She made me do it."

"Aw, what?!" Delana spluttered, turning to her girlfriend. "Whose side are you on?"

"I am going to find you something a little more wholesome, mija." Shaking her head, the matriarch deposited the brown bag in the trash on her way out.

Once the older Reynolds was out of earshot, Faith answered the question, "Yours ‘course, babe. Just that... your mom’s real scary when she’s pissed."

"Oh I’m much scarier when I am," Delana responded, wearing an expression that caused Faith to bite her bottom lip to keep from laughing.

"I’ve no doubt, babe. But with you, I can do this." She leaned forward kissed the blonde’s pout away.

"Hmmm." Delana smiled. "Good point."

"I thought so."

The blonde sighed. "I can’t wait to get out of here," she stated. "I don’t think I can stand another second of my mother fussing over me."

"I think it’s sweet," Faith had to admit. She was impressed that the minute Ana had heard what had happened, she and her husband had been out on the next plane to California. She didn’t think that the two of them had left D’s side until Mr. Reynold’s work couldn’t do without him any longer.

Since then Ana had been guarding her only child, ensuring that she was receiving the best care available to her. Everyone at the hospital was terrified of the woman, and so complied to her every demand. Faith had been no exception, though the slayer was probably the person to whom Ana was most friendly, the two of them having bonded during Faith's daily visits. Sure there’d been a little bit of weirdness when they’d first met, Faith not knowing if the Upper East Side elite would be open to her as her daughter’s partner. But all that had been straightened out when she had been the first person Delana had asked for when she came to. In fact, in the first few moments of her consciousness, the New Yorker hadn’t been the least bit interested that her mother had flown interstate to see her, and instead wanted only to find out if Faith had known what had happened.

"I hope that thing didn’t leave a scar," Delana said, bringing her lover back from her reverie. She fingered the healing skin on her neck, realising, "I’m just glad I’m okay."

"Me too, babe. I owe the Sunnydale PD a lot, that’s for damn sure." She added, inching out of the way, when Mrs. Reynolds returned to the room, carrying a tray bearing porridge and fruit.

"Mama," Delana whined, drawing out the word. "I hate porridge."

The older lady rolled her eyes and turned to her daughter’s girlfriend. "Some things never change. When she was a little girl she always hated the foods that are good for her. Lucky I was so strict with her; she has grown so tall and pretty."

Faith had to agree; Delana was built like a supermodel.
"Totally, Ma. You done real good." She licked her lips, the gesture only noticed by the subject of the conversation, who shifted uncomfortably in her bed narrowing her eyes at her girlfriend.

Faith grinned and looked to the clock for the time. She stood.
"Babe, I have to go. I’ll swing by tomorrow after work though." The slayer placed a quick kiss on the blonde’s forehead, before gesturing to the food and adding with a wink, "Eat up." She then found herself dodging the flying magazine that was- she hoped- deliberately timed to narrowly miss her. Chuckling at the Spanish curses that followed from a pissed off Mrs. Reynolds, she left the hospital with an extra spring in her step.

---

"Yo!" Faith pushed open the unlocked front door of the Summers’ home. Entering, she took the door off the latch and shut it. "Buffy!" She tried again.

"Up here!"

Faith ascended the stairs, shaking her head as she entered the homeowner’s bedroom. "This aint the fifties, B."

"What?" Buffy asked turning from the position at her vanity and walking towards Faith, giving her a strictly platonic 'hello' kiss. Struggling to fasten her dress, the clasp of which was behind her, she turned and asked, “Could you?”

Moving to stand behind the older woman, Faith slid the zipper up a little slower than strictly necessary, before standing back to admire the view. "Nothin’" she decided. "And er, I thought this was just some kiddie play."

"It is," Buffy replied, puzzled. She smoothed the fabric of her strapless, midnight-blue frock, noting that it was having the desired effect on her company for the evening.

"It’s just that dress..." Faith began. She shook her head and finished, "It’s kinda a shame it’s gonna be wasted on a buncha twelve year olds, me and some PTA-wannabes."

"Willow thought we could go out after; celebrate the performance. She and Kennedy are meeting us there."

"Ah," Faith uttered. She looked down at her black jeans and white tank. "Just wish I’da got the memo. I’m gonna look like I didn't try next to you."

"Relax," Buffy added, grinning whilst applying the finishing touches to her makeup. She grabbed her clutch, and gave a silent cue that she was done. "You could wear a garbage bag and make it look hot."

"True. Don’t mean I plan on making that fashion statement though." She appreciated the compliment regardless, as she made her way out of the house onto the driveway, Buffy following closely behind. Instinctively opening her passenger-side door, Faith waited for the older slayer to get seated and comfortable, before proceeding around the front of her vehicle and taking her own seat behind the wheel, starting up and pulling out onto the street.

Fiddling with the sound system and alternating her gaze between the road and the track-display, the brunette decided on some ‘Spectator Pump’ before returning her attention to driving. Tapping along to the track, she asked,
"How was Joyce this morning? She nervous?"

Leaning back in her seat, Buffy admired her perfectly manicured nails as she answered, "There was a little wiggage earlier. But I told her that everyone’s going to be there cheering her on."

Faith laughed. "Hope that don’t put too much pressure on her, though. First time she’s done anything like this, y’know?"

"I... I figured," Buffy replied, now seemingly finding something in the horizon of her passenger-side window intensely fascinating.

"Anyways, I’m sure she’ll be ok. I mean, you love public speaking and J gets more like you every day."

That caught the older slayer’s attention. "You think so?"

"No doubt." Faith stole a glance in the blonde’s direction, fighting hard to keep her eyes on the other slayer’s face and not further south. "She’s confident and strong… and she’s gonna be a *hottie* for sure. Just hopefully when she’s much, much older and I don’t have to bust guys’ heads for appreciatin’ that, y’know?"

Buffy’s chuckle detracted from the slight blush that she was sporting. "Yeah," she agreed.


----


Faith hit the zoom on the handycam she’d borrowed from Willow, as Joyce’s only line was cued.
The blonde youngster, dressed in her kick-ass home-conjured drawf costume, stirred as Snow White shook her, waking her from slumber.

She looked up, "Did I fall asleep?" and delivered her line to perfection, looking up into the princess' eyes.

"For a little while," Came the damsel’s scripted reply, as she stroked 'Sleepy’s head. Faith resisted the urged to hoot and holler, instead settling for a thumbs up that was only seen by the slayer seated beside her.

Buffy’s focus alternated between Faith and the production, which aside from her daughter’s one line, had been quite frankly appalling. It had been one of those super lame attempts to take a classic story and ‘modernise’ it for a younger crowd. The slayer decided that the director had hit a new low when, in the next scene, the seven dwarves stormed the castle and mounted a martial arts laden offensive on the evil queen. As a collective rap from the dwarves, followed by the curtain call, signaled the end of the play, the slayer reluctantly clapped. Turning to Willow who was sat on her right, she was met with the same puzzled expression.

"Snow White... with a 21st Century twist, huh?" Kennedy leaned forward and observed aloud.

"I... uh... hmmm..." Buffy replied, near speechless.

"Hey, you read my mind," Willow laughed.

The slayer turned to her left hoping to acquire an opinion from Faith (and to ask whether they should consider private-schooling their daughter!), only to just catch the woman in question dashing backstage.

Rushing towards the cheering cast, Faith located and grabbed the attention of a happy Joyce.
"Kiddo, you were awesome," the brunette congratulated, leaning down to give the young girl a hug.

"Thanks," the youngster replied, taking off her drawf-hat. She looked behind to see her mother and friends approaching. "And thanks for the threads, Aunt Will."

"You’re welcome."

Buffy crouched beside her little girl, hugging her also. "You were great, sweetie." She told her.

"Absolutely, Joyce." Kennedy echoed, leaving out from the sentiment that everything else about the production had bordered on horrific.

"I say we all go to the mall; Chick-a-fil-A ourselves up," Faith announced. "I'm starving."

"Me too!" Joyce added, her stomach growl perfectly punctuating the admission.

"Let’s do it," Faith hollered. "Last one to the car’s payin’"

Buffy could only laughed as the brunette and their daughter raced towards the parking lot.

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

"Ahhhh, liquory goodness." Willow beamed as Faith returned to the table with drinks.

"Hell yeah." The slayer handed each one out in turn. "Alrighty Red, your beer and single whisky chaser. Ken your screwdriver. B, this cosmo’s got your name on it and for our superstar, your coke and pink lemonade mix." Faith set the drink down and then made a funny straw appear as though from thin air. "With a wicked straw to boot."

Beaming, Joyce thanked her and reached for the drink enjoying the tangy mixture despite the weird looks the drink was getting from the adults. ‘What was so cool about alcohol anyway? Pink coke-alade was soo the way to go’ she decided.


Buffy clanked her own glass with her fork, demanding attention with an, “I’d like to propose a toast. To the best, cutest, most adorable Sleepy I have ever seen.” She turned to her little girl. "You were amazing today, baby. I am so proud of you."

"To Joyce!" Willow summarised, as everyone toasted the evening together.

Their meal had been delicious and the banter around the table had left everyone feeling cheerful and content. A comfortable silence was on the table as the waiting staff cleared it, save for Willow's half-eaten plate of olives. That was until Faith jumped to her feet.
"Kiddo, come get whooped on the pinball machines," she challenged.

"You’re on," Joyce accepted with a laugh, racing after the slayer to the arcade area.

Convinced the two were out of earshot, both Kennedy and Willow turned to Buffy who was staring blissfully at her family. Noting the silence that had suddenly returned, Buffy looked between the wicca and the slayer asking a non-accusatory, "What?"

"OK, I for one haven’t seen you smiling that big since... I don’t know when." Kennedy turned to her partner, "Honey, when was the last time?"

"I’m not sure," Willow jovially admitted. "I’m pretty sure it starts with a ‘ninteen-ninety..."

"I..." Buffy tried to mount a defence… But couldn’t. Even she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been in such high spirits. "OK I’m smilo-girl – so sue me."

A little merrier, the redhead took another sip of her beverage. "Nope! No sue-age here, Buff; I’m glad you’re happy."

"Sue-age?" Kennedy had to ask her giggling girlfriend. She pointed to the glass in Willow's hand. "No way that’s a single shot."

All three of them looked up as Faith returned to the table, elated that her beer was still cold. "I was replaced," she explained.

The three ladies looked to see Joyce engaged in a heated pinball game with a friend from school. Their attention drawn back to the table when Faith shuffled closer to Buffy, reaching over to pinch some olives from Willow’s plate. She then sat back, grinning at her little distraction manoeuvre whilst enjoying the fruity-goodness.

"So, what are we talking about?" She swung her arm to rest on the furniture behind herself and the blonde beside her.

"Oh... Nothing major.” Kennedy answered for the table. "How’s Delana doing by the way?"

"Better. Oh and about D," the dark slayer turned to Willow. "I’m gonna be movin’ out next week. D’s being discharged soon and I wanna be there to take care of her."

Glancing briefly at Buffy and catching her deflated expression, Kennedy spoke up, "There... As in her place? You and Delana are moving in together?"

Pausing for a moment, Faith answered, "Nah.. Well, yeah but it’s not like that. I mean, Guy lives there too..."

"Still, don’t you think it’s a little soon?"

Helping herself to more of Willow’s olives, Faith mulled it over. "Guess it was gonna happen sooner or later." She shrugged, deciding, "Might as well be sooner, right? ‘Sides means you can get one of your guest rooms back."

Then the now uncomfortable silence was back; the merry atmosphere a distant memory. So awkward was the moment upon them, that Willow made a desperate attempt to liven things up with an overly chipper tone, "More alcohol anyone? I’m buying!"

Buffy was the first to respond, raising her empty glass, with an emphatic, "Yes. Please."

TBC.