Equinox - Prologue

Chapter 6


As she pulled the bike in front of the manor Faith’s stomach began a little dance inside her. Her heart pounded with excitement, her hands began to lightly shake as the nerves built up at the thought of seeing Lara.
As she dismounted images of their exploits earlier that afternoon sent shivers running through her spine, warmth spread through her aching her for Lara’s touch. She waited for the feeling to subside before approaching the door.
“Faith, Miss Croft is expecting you?”
“Yeah.”
“She is still sleeping.”
“That’s ok I know a great way to wake her.” Faith pushed passed him and headed upstairs.
Hillary shouted something after her, even with her slayer hearing, and the immense space in the manor she didn’t hear him. She paused outside Lara’s door taking in a deep breath and steadying her nerves. She knocked and waited for a reply, knocking again, still no reply she quietly opened the door. Lara lay sleeping soundly in her bed; from what Faith could see of her she was naked. The sight made her ache even more, closing the door quietly as she could she undressed and climbed into the bed next to her. Spooning herself in close from behind Lara.
Lara stirred slightly “Faith?” she whispered.
“Yeah.”
Lara shuffled herself back into Faith; reaching to find the slayers arm to wrap around her “You came back.”
“You asked me too”
“Mmm” Lara tilted her head down and kissed the slayers hand gently.
“You miss me then” Faith kept her voice at a low whisper
“Yes” Lara turned to face her blinking the sleep from her head.
“I could do with another of those workouts...” Faith grinned devilishly.
“What time is it?”
“Seven Fifteen”
“Did you get any sleep?”
“I had an hour or so.”
Lara pulled Faith in close kissing her on the tip of her nose “You might have to wait a few minutes while I wake properly”
Faith returned the kiss and snuggled herself down. They lay together silently holding one another listening to the beating of their hearts, Drifting into sleep.

Faith woke up; rolling over searching for Lara, sitting upright and wiping the sleep from her eyes she scanned the room. Just about to get up and search the rest of the house for her the door kicked open. In walked Lara with a tray of goodies in one hand and two cups of steaming hot coffee in the other.
“Hello there sleepy head.” Lara grinned.
“Mmm aren’t you a sight for tired eyes.
“Sleep well?”
“Like a baby”
Lara placed the tray on the table beside the bed and handed Faith one of the cups.
“Thought you might be peckish, so I had H throw us a little tray of goodies together.”
As if on cue Faith stomach groaned “Seems like I am hungry” She put her coffee down and grabbed Lara. Taking her cup from her and placing it on the table she pulled her down close to her. “It’s not food that I’m hungry for right now.” She kissed her gently at first then as her mood grew more forceful so did the intensity of her kiss.
Breaking from the kiss Lara pulled off her silk robe, the sight of the slender toned figure sending Faith's senses into overdrive.
“So you want something not on H’s menu.”
“I want you”
Lara pulled Faith in closer their naked bodies entire length pressed as close as they could be “You got me”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lara picked at the slices of fruit on the tray, while Faith devoured cheese and crackers. Smiling as she watched Faith take a cracker smear it with soft cheese, then a slice of ham and devour it in two bites.
“What's so funny?” Faith quickly put her hand to her mouth to catch the crumbs “I got cheese on me or something?”
“Nothing funny.” Lara stroked Faith's cheek
“What then?” masticated cracker still trying to escape her mouth
“You’re beautiful; I love” Lara paused “Watching you.”
Faith nearly choked as she tried to swallow what was in her mouth “Yeah I kinda remember that from before.”
Lara looked at her quizzically
“You watching me” Faith grinned “Play with myself as I sat on your stomach”
“Ah yes…that was very nice” Lara leaned in for a kiss “You will have to do that again for me”
“Tell you what I let you watch while I take a shower, how’s that?”
“Not the same but it will do for now”

Faith moved the virtually empty tray too the floor beside the bed, not bothering to cover her nakedness as she crossed the room to the shower. She was never shy about her body it made her feel good to have people look at her and want her even when they knew they would never have her. She had her fair share of one night stands after all her motto was get some get gone. Not in this case though she didn’t know what the feelings were she was having for Lara. All she knew was she never wanted them to end, somehow when she was with her she felt special, and whole like Lara was the missing piece of her life.
Faith had never said the L word to anyone before, and meant it, she had said I love you if she thought it was what they wanted to hear and if it was going to get her laid but she had never actually have the words start in her stomach and grow inside her working up her insides to her heart where she felt if she didn’t say the words her heart would burst from her chest.

“So you going to tell me about Sunnydale, and your friends, do you miss them?”

Faith turned off the water and wrapped one of the large towels around her body.
“Not much to tell really?”

“What they like, your friends?”

“I wouldn’t say they were friends as such, more work colleagues.”

“Ok then your work colleagues”

“Short version well lets see there's Willow she’s like Giles need research doing she's ya man, funny with the one liners and a very powerful witch to boot. There's Xander he, well he tries to help ends up in trouble and me or B gotta save his ass.”

“B?”

“What's the interest in Sunnydale all of a sudden?” Faith began picking at invisible bits of fluff on the sheets.

“I'm sorry Faith if you don’t want to talk about it then its ok I just wanted to get to know you”

“No it's cool I'm sorry I miss them all I guess. B well... Buffy is the leader she’s the chosen one”

“I thought as the prophecy went there could be only one chosen slayer.”

“Been doing your homework Croft?”

“I had H do a little for me yes, does that bother you?”

“No saves time. There is supposed to be one but B died and Xander brought her back but by then Kendra was already called up for duty.”

“Was there something between you and Buffy?” Lara put her hand to Faith's chin and raised it looking her in the eyes.

“Hell no, B’s the thorn in my side, a royal pain in the ass.”

“You feel something for her though; I can see it in your eyes.”

Faith looked away “No”

“The eyes never lie, especially when I see your soul”

“We spend most of our time together what with the slaying and training. So yeah I suppose I do feel something she's like a sister I never had. The energy, adrenalin rushing through you when you’re slaying well it…” Faith stopped to think of the right words

“Hungry and Horny!” Lara found them for her

“Yeah..It’s not B; it's just being caught up in the moment you know, after the fighting she's like the only one there. Most of the time we argue about her bad taste in men.”

Lara never spoke, she knew Faith felt more for Buffy than she was telling but she wasn’t prepared to lose her over it.

“Then there's the Brat... Dawn, I love her to pieces she's B’s little sis. Probably the best of the whole gang.”

“So do you miss them?”

“Nah not really it's not like they’ve forgiven me yet. And I'm part of the Scooby gang.” Faith realised what she had said when she saw the puzzled look on Lara's face.

“Forgiven you?”

Faith got up off the bed and picked her clothes from the floor

“Faith what’s wrong, where you going?”

“I gotta go”

“Is it something I said? We don’t have to talk about it anymore? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want too. Please stay.” Lara moved to the end of the bed trying to reach Faith.

Faith stepped back from Lara’s reach desperately wanting to stay, but her legs telling her to go. She had to run get as far from here as she could never see Lara again, before it was too late and she hurt Lara like she did everyone she had ever loved. Ever loved the thought ran through her head making her heart skip.

“Faith”

Faith never reached the doorway; Lara stood between her and the exit “I won’t let you go”

“I have to, if I don’t go now I’ll hurt you. Like everyone else I ever L….” She didn’t finish.

“Faith look at me, look at me” Lara reached out to her “Look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t feel how I feel, you don’t feel. The first day I saw you before I even spoke to you I felt like I had known you my entire life. In thirty seconds I knew I had found what I never knew was missing, you make me feel complete. In here” Lara placed Faith's hand over her heart. “I have fallen for you, with every breath I take. As I stand here naked and exposed I can say I am in love with you.”

A single tear ran down Faith's cheek “I love you too”