Chasing the Girl

Disclaimer - see part one

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Part 23

Six months later.

Faith was busy wiping down the bar for the fifth time that night.

'Fucking morons,' She thought. 'can't keep from spilling a single beer, or hitting an ash tray, or just being nasty. What the hell am I doing here?'

She was sick of these idiots, sick of Boston. She missed B. It had been six months and she had seen her at least every three weeks. Buffy would come visit and bring Rose, or she would fly or drive to New Orleans. She talked to her on the phone, she went to the zoo, the aquarium, the park with the mothers and daughters.

She was accepting Buffy's progress. So why did it feel like every time she saw her a knife was once again sliding into her stomach?

'Cause she's fucking killing me,' She thought. 'and she doesn't even fucking know it.'

Faith had left New Orleans the day after Buffy's epiphany with the gang; red-eyed and crying. It took her three days to get back to Boston. She was unable to drive very far without stopping, too tired to do anything but lie down.

Boston sucked, but New Orleans had gotten better. At least for Buffy. It was slow going, Willow opened up to Buffy more everyday. Once Buffy proved to her that she was herself, there was nothing Willow could do but accept her back into her life.

Of course, she and Xander had argued.

"She's changed." Wllow told him.

"Somehow I find it hard to believe that after one night and day with Faith, the old Buffy emerged good as new and ready for wear." Xander returned.

"Well, she did. It wasn't Faith, Xander. I mean, Faith helped, but Buffy changed, on her own. She wanted to. She wants to be Rose's mother. She wants to do what's right."

"Oh, good. Well, she wants to be Rose's mother," Xander looked at Willow like she had lost her mind. "well I guess that everything is okey dokey now. I feel so much better. She and Faith can have fun and raise Rose. A little Slayer family. Let's just give the baby to the psychopaths."

"Oh, shut up, Xander. Faith isn't even fucking here. She went back to Boston yesterday."

Xander looked at Willow surprised. "Why?"

"Cause Buffy and she are, well, they are trying to give each other space. Buffy needs to focus on getting better. And Faith would be a distraction, to her focus, I mean. She's got to think about Rose. They both are. She comes first, and furthermore, do you think that Kennedy and I are idiots? Like we would just allow Buffy to take Rose and go? She's making progress, but she needs help." Willow placed her hand on Xander's shoulder.

"Lister, Xander, if you can't forgive her, that's fine. She doesn't even expect you to. But I do. Do it for me?" She looked up at Xander. "Or do it for Rose. Or do it for yourself. But just do it. Trust me, it's a different feeling, not being angry at her anymore. It feels normal again, for the first time in six years, it feels normal."

Xander looked down. "And what if she fucks up again?"

"What if she does? It's not like we haven't seen it. But I don't think she will. She's really changed, I can see the old Buffy in her. Trust me, Xander, I know you want to believe me."

"Your powers of persuasion still astound." He smiled, before looking down again. "Alright." He said, finally meeting Willow's eyes.

"Take me to her."

And so Buffy apologized. She had rehearsed what she was going to say to him, just like the others. She told him she had used him. That she didn't respect him, and that she knew that all he had ever wanted to do was help her. He had listened and was nonreciprocal until she finished.

"Well, Buff,” he said. "I believe you. I don't know why. But then again, I never could explain my pull to you. Sure I thought you were hot, I mean are hot, not that I want you. Though you're hot, I mean. Stupid Xander should shut up and let Smart Xander speak." Buffy smiled. "I just...it was more. You're my friend. I trust you, I don't know why, but I do. And I believe you. If you say you're gonna do what's right, I believe you."

"That's all I wanted. A chance. I know I don't deserve it,......" Buffy smiled at him, "...you were always a sucker for the hot Slayer."

"Apparently, Buffy." He said, hugging her. "We're all suckers. But in a good way. But not in the good way. Cause that's different. Being a sucker in the good way. Though I can be...what the hell am I talking about?"

"I don't know, Xander, but I just realized how much I've missed you."

So the gang had stood behind Buffy. Giles and Dawn had stayed in New Orleans for a few days and things seemed to be progressing.

Faith was busy with her back to the bar when she heard her name.

"Hey, Faith." She looked up into the eyes of a green-eyed blond.

"Hey, Kara," She smiled. "what ya need?"

"You."

"Not on the menu, but I can get you a drink."

"Okay, give me a beer." Kara said, fishing a cigarette out of her mouth. She leaned over the bar and Faith pulled out the lighter, striking it and holding the flame to the girl. Kara moved Faith's hand out of the way and grabbed her arm, pulling her across the bar.

Before Faith had time to register the girl's advances, she felt her mouth on hers.

Time stopped only for a moment as she allowed herself the sensation of the girl to overwhelm her rational judgment. Fortunately, her rationality soon returned, and she pulled away. Faith looked at the girl and was about to make a comment, when something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention.

She turned, slowly, silently pleading to any fucking body that would listen, not to be what she thought it was.

"B." She said, rather loudly when she saw her. 'Calm down, dumbass.' She thought.

Buffy was standing at the other end of her bar, staring at the girl that had just kissed Faith.

"B." Faith tried again, but Buffy was still staring. Faith moved over to the other end of the bar, trying to get to Buffy. "Hey, B. Look at me." Faith said.

Buffy turned to Faith. "I was going to surprise you. Surprise, I guess." She said looking down at the bar.

"God, Buffy, it's not..." Faith looked at Buffy pleadingly, grabbing the girl's hands. Buffy pulled them away.

"....what I think it is." She answered cutting Faith off, and taking back her hands. "I understand, Faith really I do." Buffy said. Faith was trying to speak, but Buffy wouldn't let her. "I think it would be for the best if I leave. I'm sorry, I should have at least called."


"No, please don't leave. Let me explain." Faith was near hysterics, trying unsuccessfully to grab Buffy's hands. She heard the other bartender calling her name.

"Shit." She said, looking over before looking back at Buffy. "B, please, let me..." Again she heard the bartender call her name.

"Hold the fuck on!" She said, screaming at him. "B. I..."

"It's okay, Faith, I need to go." Buffy said again, cutting Faith off. She was trying to choke down the knot forming quickly in her throat. "You need to see what he wants." She told Faith, who was totally ignoring her pissed off co-worker. "I'm just gonna..." Buffy felt the tears start sliding and turned, running away.

Faith put her hands on the counter and jumped over. She pushed several people out of the way trying vainly to get to Buffy, who was just as quickly trying to get away from her.

"B, wait!" She yelled, as she ran outside, watching Buffy walk away. She sped her pace and caught Buffy by the arm, spinning her around.

"Buffy, goddammit, wait." Buffy turned around, she couldn't see Faith clearly.

"Oh, god, don't cry baby, I'm sorry, please, don't cry." Faith wrapped one arm around Buffy's waist and pulled her closer.

"I'm sorry, please, please, I'm sorry." She said, as she wiped softly at Buffy's cheek. "I wasn't...she just did that B, you know I would never, I ...shit...you're the only one. I'm waiting B, I told ya that. I'm waiting. I'm waiting. I'm waiting." She kept repeating softly, as Buffy laid her head on her chest. "I'm always waiting."

"No, you shouldn't wait. I'm an idiot. I think I can fly here and just decide that now it's time, now it's time. Ay. And you'll accept that. I'm stupid. Like you are just here..." Buffy couldn't finish.

"It's time? Time for what?"

"Nothing."

Faith put her hands on her shoulders and pulled Buffy away from her, looking her in the eyes.

"Time for what?"

"Nothing. I was wrong." Buffy said, shrugging Faith's hands off of her and turning.

"I don't fucking think so." Faith grabbed her again.

Buffy stayed where she was, Faith at her back. Faith moved in closer and put an arm on her hip. She leaned down and whispered in her ear

"Do you want me?"

Buffy internally moaned at the breath on her neck.

"I've always...Faith, Jesus." She stayed very still, feeling Faith's breath catch, still on her neck. "You know. I was just, I was ready, I guess."

Faith wrapped her other arm around Buffy, pulling her flush against her body. Back to chest, Buffy stared straight ahead and Faith kept her lips near her ear.

"Tell me B." She said, stilling breathing deeply. When Buffy didn't reply, she repeated herself.

"Tell me."

Buffy turned her head to the side, outwardly moaning when Faith snaked her tongue out as she moved.

"I want
you."

"What?" Faith asked, licking her again, lower now, near her shoulder.

"I want you. I want you. Oh, god..." Buffy trailed off.

Faith was rotating her hips very slowly against Buffy's ass. She moved the small strap down Buffy's shoulders and licked again. Buffy moaned louder.

"I want you."

Faith roughly pulled Buffy's hips into hers and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's stomach.

"Come on." She said, slowly letting her go and grabbing her hand.

to be continued