The Three of Us

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This Chapter was beta'd by Faerys Delight, many thanks for her help.

Last time I checked none of these Characters belonged to me!
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Cordelia woke, when she felt cool air run down her left side. Her eyes cracked open to see Faith sitting up on the edge of the bed. She sat hunched, staring past the window.

“Are you okay?” she asked quietly.

“I’m five by five,” she whispered.

“Faith, please don’t hide from us,” Buffy spoke from Cordelia’s arms. “If there’s something you’re upset about, please tell us.”

Faith’s head dropped down to her chest, and her shoulders sagged. Her eyes stared unblinking. The silence echoed around the room.

Cordelia was looking at her back, waiting for her. “Faith, what’s that scar on your shoulder?”

Faith brought her clasped hands up, her elbows on her knees, and rested her forehead on them. She could almost hear an audible tick as the seconds passed. “On my ninth birthday, I asked my mom if I could have a Slurpee for my present. She hadn’t had a fix for about a day anna half. She beat me with a belt, and the buckle, bit into my shoulder, and tore it.”

The two girls leapt towards Faith to grab her and comfort her. “Don’t!” She yelled when she felt them move. “Don’t touch me.” Cordelia and Buffy fell back to the bed and hugged each other. They tried to comfort themselves as they waited for Faith. “A few months after that, she passed out. Her boyfriend decided he needed a little somethin’, so he came after me.” She paused, gathering the courage to lay it all bare. “I struggled, but he was too big.” She took a deep breath. “He laughed, told me how useless and pathetic I was. Just like my mom.” She stopped again. The world slowly drifted by outside the window. “I told her the next mornin’ what happened. She freaked, and beat me. Accused me of tryin’ to steal her boyfriend. Called me a whore.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. She paused, the memories rocketing around her brain. “After that, if she needed a fix or somethin’, she wasn’t afraid to trade my, ‘services’, for it. I put up with it till I was eleven, then I ran.” She stood and walked towards the window. Her eyes blank, emotionless. “I lived on the streets, did what I had to. I stole, ran drugs, numbers, sometimes I’d turn tricks so I had a warm place to sleep, or somethin’ to eat.” She turned slowly to face the two girls crying in the bed. “That was always a last resort.” She turned back to the window, staring at the blinds. “When I was called, and my watcher found me, I thought I was gonna make somethin’ of myself. I had a purpose ya know.” Her arms slowly rose and she leaned against the frame. “That lasted all of four hours before Kakistos killed her. Then I ran, again.” A single tear trickled down her cheek. “When I got a hold of myself, I started tryin’ to find him. I hooked up with a sensei in Denver. He took me under his wing and showed me what I was capable of. Then he died.” Her head dropped as she remembered. “That’s where I learned about Bushido, the warrior’s code. After that, I ended up in Sunnydale, and here I am.” She slowly turned to face Buffy and Cordelia. “Like I told B, everybody I ever cared about, beat me, left me or died. So I wonder why you would want anythin’ ta do with me.” She wrapped herself up in her arms and stood there, distancing herself from the two on the bed. They were sniffling and weeping openly. Buffy let go of the seer and got up. She stood beside the bed for a few moments not taking her eyes off of the dark slayer. She moved slowly towards her, not wanting to spook her.

“Faith,” she said quietly. She stopped within arms reach and moved no further. “It doesn’t matter what happened. That’s the story of how you got here. We care about where it goes from here.” She sucked on her bottom lip as she thought. “You told us some of what happened before, and we told you it didn’t matter. It still doesn’t. We’re both here for you now. So are my mom and Dawn.”

“I don’t need your pity or your charity.” Faith spoke in a low, cold tone.

Buffy lowered her head momentarily; then looked back into Faith’s eyes. “We feel sorry for what happened and wish we could do something to change it. It has nothing to do with pity or charity. It’s because we care about you. That’s all, just you.”

“Do you know how incredibly strong you are?” Cordelia asked from the bed. She was sitting up with her arms wrapped around her knees. “I never would have survived any of that. I would never make it.” She sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of a hand. “But you beat everything they threw at you, your parents, the streets, and the world. You amaze me at what you’ve done. I respected you before, but I have so much more now. You have made something of yourself Faith. You’re a slayer, one of the Chosen Two, and nobody can take that away from you.” The tears slid down her cheeks. “The Powers That Be chose you for a reason. You’ve already lived through Hell.”

Buffy smiled at Cordelia, and slowly turned back to Faith. She reached out and gently placed her hand on the dark slayer’s arm. “Cordy said what’s past is past. I agree with her; we won’t let it bother us if you don’t.” She stepped closer and raised her other hand to Faith’s cheek. “We care about you.” Her hand slipped down, across her shoulder to her arm. Gently she pulled Faith into a hug. The bed creaked as Cordelia got up and walked over. She wrapped her arms around the two slayers, “We’re here for you Faith, and nobody can take that away from any of us.”

Buffy could feel Faith’s tears on her shoulder. She squeezed her a little tighter and kissed her on the neck. “We’ll be okay Faith. All of us.”

Faith sniffled as she lifted her head from Buffy’s shoulder. “I’m scared,” She whispered. “I’m scared of losing you, of losing both of you.”

“That’s so not going to happen,” Cordelia spoke up. “Lorne said the three of us will be together for a long time. Sorry sweetie, you’re stuck with us.” The other two giggled at Cordelia. She smirked at both of them. “C’mon, let’s go lay down again. This time Faith gets the middle.” She led them back to the bed and they snuggled together.

When they had relaxed for a few moments, Buffy pushed herself up on her elbow and cupped Faith’s cheek with her hand. Turning it towards her, she looked into Faith’s eyes. “Thank you for trusting enough to share that with us.” She bent down and kissed her.

“You needed to know.”

Cordelia looked up at the two, “And it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference, does it?”

“Cordy!” Buffy exclaimed.

“What? You’re cutting into my snuggle time. You’re going to leave soon and who knows when I’ll be able to do this again?”

“She does have a point B, and I’m sorry for dumpin’ that shit on both of you.”

Buffy snuggled back into Faith’s side. “You’re our girl Faith. We listen because we care.”

Cordelia smiled, “What she said.”

Buffy was running through an open field, surrounded by yellow flowers and clear skies. She kept looking for the annoying buzz she heard in her ears. No matter where she looked, she couldn’t identify its source. It did sound an awful lot like an alarm. She heard a voice speaking softly, “Hey B, it’s time ta get up.” The edges of the dream started to fade away to black.

“Nooo,” she moaned, “I don’t wanna.”

“You have to.” Cordelia answered. “You need to pack and go home. Not that I want you to, but you need to.”

The blond rolled away from Faith. “You two are so mean.”

Faith smirked at the pouting slayer, “I wouldn’t mind stayin’, but you got homework.”

Buffy sighed and tossed the covers off of her. She stood and looked around the room, “Where are my damn clothes?”

“Wow,” Cordelia said, “such a bright ray of sunshine when she gets up hmm?”

Faith laughed, “Yeah, really makes you feel the love, ya know?”

Cordelia smiled and sat up. “You want a shower Faith? I’ll lend Little Miss Sunshine a hand.”

Buffy was watching them, “I’m still in the room you know. I’m so glad you’re both so easily amused.”

“Like I said,” Cordelia bounced across the room and kissed her. “You’re so easy, Summers.” Buffy wandered out of the room grumbling to herself.

Faith took a change of underwear and headed to the shower. Cordelia started to help Buffy pack up the stuff in the living room. “So,” she said quietly. “Are the two of you going to share a bed when you get home?”

Buffy’s head snapped up and she stared wide-eyed at the seer. She glanced quickly to the bathroom, but the door was closed. She was on her own. “Umm, we hadn’t really discussed it, but I don’t think so. Well we haven’t yet, until last night that is. But you were there, so you knew that, right?”

“Hmm, let me think.” Cordelia rested her elbow in her hand and was tapping her lips with a finger. “Do I remember two girls in my bed last night? I’m not sure; maybe you should give me a hint?” She smiled as Buffy lightly smacked her on the shoulder.

“No, Cordy,” she answered back. “My room’s upstairs. Faith’s bed is in the basement. I asked my mom if we could get Xander to put up a couple of walls so she can have her own room, but she hasn’t said yes or no yet.”

Cordelia nodded, “So have you two, you know, at home yet?”

Buffy furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Cordelia again. “You know what?”

She sighed and rolled her eyes at the blond. “Have you two had sex at home yet?”

“OH!” Buffy immediately turned scarlet. “No, never, not once,” rushed out of her mouth. “No, first time we did anything other than kiss was here. So except for the shower yesterday, you’ve, ahh, been involved in all of it so far.”

“Okay, what happens when you get home?”

Buffy flopped down onto the couch. “I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far ahead. I’m pretty sure I’d like to, but I don’t want to hurt your feelings either.”

“Pretty sure?” Cordelia was smirking at Buffy, watching her squirm.

“Well, okay, damn sure I want to. But like I said, I don’t want to hurt you. I think Faith would feel the same way.”

The bathroom door opened and Faith came out in just her panties, and her toothbrush hanging out of her mouth. She walked over to her bag and pulled a top out and a pair of black jeans. She strolled back from whence she came; now scrubbing furiously at her teeth. Cordelia turned to Buffy after the door closed again. “You are so not going to be able to keep your hands off of that.”

Buffy was just nodding in agreement, staring at the closed door. She looked at Cordelia, “She just waltzes in and the whole room screeches to a halt. It’s like she doesn’t even notice.”

Cordelia smiled at the blond. “I don’t think she really cares.”

A moment later Faith walked back into the living room, brushing her hair out. “You done packin’?” she asked Buffy.

“Nope,” she looked up at the dark slayer. “Cordy and I were talking about what happens when we get home.”

“Talkin’ about what?”

Buffy coloured slightly, “Umm, sleeping arrangements, and uh, other things.”

Faith tilted her head and looked at the two girls sitting on the couch. “What other things?” her gaze shifted back and forth.

The blond silently pleaded with her eyes, Cordelia smirked and looked away from Buffy. She rolled her eyes and sighed. “She,” Buffy pointed at Cordelia, “wanted to know if we were going to be sleeping together when we get back.”

“Oh,” Faith replied. “I wouldn’t worry about it. I probably won’t be livin’ with you after we tell your mom.”


Both girls snapped their heads around and stared at Faith. “What?” Buffy yelped.

Faith stopped brushing her hair and took in the two faces gaping at her. She sighed, “Look B, once we tell your mom about us, she may not want me stayin’ there anymore.”

“Why not?”

Faith shrugged and squatted next to her bag. “I dunno, maybe because I’m one of your girlfriends and we’re sleepin’ together? It’s a possibility.”

“She can’t throw you out! I won’t let her!”

“B,” Faith turned towards her. “I don’t wanna go either. But it’s her house, she makes the rules and I gotta follow ‘em.”

“But, but...”

Faith stood and moved to the blond. She crouched down and rested her arms on her shoulders. “I said it’s a possibility. We ain’t gonna know ‘til we tell her. No use worryin’ about what we don’t know.”

“We won’t tell her then.”

“Buffy,” Cordelia laid her hand on the little slayers arm. “We’ve already been over the reasons why you have to tell her. Faith’s right, it’s only one of many possibilities. She might just tell you to move into your room together.”

Buffy lowered her head and clasped her hands in her lap. “If, and I stress if, that happened, where would you go?”

Faith shrugged. “G-man’s, move back to the crypt, dunno, we’ll have to wait and see.”

Buffy was glaring at her now. Faith smiled. “I ain’t gonna worry about it B. Now ain’t the time. We’ll deal with it when we have to, okay?”

Buffy watched Faith’s eyes for a few moments, before looking at Cordelia. “The three of us will deal together right?” The two brunettes nodded. “Okay, I can handle that then. Will you help me finish packing?”

Faith laughed and shook her head. “You probably want me to carry ‘em to the car too?”

“Would you?” Buffy grinned at her. “Isn’t she just a wonderful girlfriend Cordy?”

“I’ll have to find myself someone just like her.” Cordelia’s eyes were sparkling.

The three pulled themselves up off the couch and packed. They were relaxed, enjoying the conversation. Cordelia offered to take Faith’s duffel if she carried one of Buffy’s suitcases to the car. Time passed quickly. They were standing at the door ready to go.

“Queen C,” Faith spoke up. “You got a cell?”

“Yeah, Buffy has the number.”

“I know that,” Faith answered. “Give us the company and the plan your on. Maybe B and I can get one so we can call each other for no charge.”

“Yeah,” Cordelia nodded. “That makes sense. Just a sec.” She went into the kitchen for a pen and paper. As she walked back, she smiled, “Hey Dennis, should I invite them back?” The girls looked to the light in the living room, but nothing happened.

“Oh,” Buffy remembered. “It burnt out last night.”

“I changed it this morning.” Cordy said. She walked over and tried the lamp and it worked. She looked at the two slayers and shrugged.

Faith turned her head slightly and furrowed her brow. “What’s that scrapin’ noise? Sounds like it’s comin’ from the kitchen.” Buffy and Cordelia walked into the kitchen while Faith stood back and watched. Nothing looked out of place.

Cordelia glanced at the fridge and stopped. “Hey, did either one of you guys move the magnets around? They’re different.”

The two slayers looked. “I can’t see what it says. It doesn’t make any sense.” Buffy spoke.

“Me either.” Cordy answered.

Faith tilted her head to the side and laughed. The other two turned and looked at her. She smiled, “Step back here and look. Tilt your head when you do.” She moved so the other two could see.

Cordelia looked at it for a moment and then snickered. “I think he made his point.”

“What?” Buffy queried. “It’s still not making sense to me.” Cordelia put her hand on the back of Buffy’s head and flopped it over to the other side. She stared at it for a second, “Oh, now I get it.” Dennis had rearranged all of the alphabet magnets on the fridge to spell YES lengthways.

“There’s that slayer speed for you,” Cordelia quipped. Buffy blushed while Faith laughed.

“Ha, ha, ha, you two are just a couple of comediennes, aren’t you?”

Faith put her arm around Buffy. “You have to stop makin’ it so easy.”

“Come on,” Buffy grumbled. “Let’s go, we’ve got to drive home.”

The girls put the bags in the back of the Jeep, and stepped back up to the sidewalk. They stood there for a few moments, half smiling and exchanging glances. “Queen C,” Faith finally spoke. “Thanks for everythin’, lettin’ us stay and introducin’ us to Lorne.” She pulled the Seer towards her and kissed her long and hard.

“Wow,” was Cordelia’s response.

Faith shrugged, “It’s gotta last for a while.”

Cordelia blinked a couple of times, “It definitely should.” She let go of Faith and turned to Buffy. It was a slower gentler kiss, but it had all of the passion of the first one. They broke apart when somebody honked as they drove past.

“Hey B,” Faith grinned. “You’re not even in the car yet and they’re already honkin’ at ya!” She grimaced when the small fist connected with her shoulder.

“Get in the car.”

“Hey,” Cordelia put a hand on Faith to stop her. “Getting back to what we discussed before, if you guys do hook up. It’s okay.”

Faith looked at Buffy, then back to Cordelia. “Thanks, although we would rather have you there.”

“Yeah,” Buffy smiled. “In this case three’s not a crowd!” The three smiled at each other.

“Buffy, do you have a computer at home?” Cordelia asked.

“Yeah, why?” Buffy looked at her quizzically.

A lecherous smile crept across Cordelia’s face. “Do you have a webcam?”

“No, but if I asked Willow, she could probably hook one up, why?”

The grin on Cordelia grew wider. “If you did, maybe the three of us could, you know, hook up?”

Buffy stood there for a few minutes looking at the grins on Cordelia and Faith. Then it hit her. “OH No! No way! For starters the computer is in the dining room, and second, I’m not having pictures of me and my girlfriends plastered all over the web!” She crossed her arms over her chest and stood there with a pout. Cordelia and Faith were both laughing.

“It’s okay Buffy,” Cordelia patted her on the arm. “I was just asking. But if you ever change your mind...” she left the thought hanging there.

Faith wrapped an arm around Buffy and pulled her close. “You’ll be the first one we call.”

“What do you mean the first?” Buffy looked up at Faith.

“Well,” she said. “Xan, Blondie and Red may want to watch too.” Buffy’s eyes shot open. Faith backed away with a smirk and her hands in front of herself to placate the angry blond. “I’m just teasin’ B; ya don’t have ta hurt me.” Faith opened the door to the jeep and hopped in. Buffy turned and walked back to where Cordelia was standing.

“Thanks again Cordy.” She leaned up and kissed her. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”
Cordelia nodded. “Call me when you get home, okay?”

“We will,” Buffy called as she got into the car. Both girls waved at her as they pulled into traffic amidst a blare of horns.