A Gift from Evan

~ Six days earlier ~

I wash the blood off my bleeding right knuckle and hold it under cool water for a while. I'm tending to it when the sound of the door closing behind me catches me off guard- I dunno why though; it's a public bathroom. I whip around and see Cloud- wearing a white suit, I should add- standing there grinning like a fucking Cheshire cat.

"What do you think of the new threads?" he asks giving me a spin. "Pretty tasty, huh?"

I answer by lunging for him and grabbing him by his collar. I push him to the nearest wall and pin him there. "You asshole!"

"Hey, hey, hey," he splutters. "Why the aggression, Faith?"

"Why? WHY?! You can't get why I don't see the funny?" I shove him harder. "I’m going to fucking kill you!"

"Hey. Settle down Champ." he says, trying to release my grip. I hold on real tight 'til he says, "Can't fix what's wrong if I can't breathe now can I?" I let him go and he straightens his suit. "Now, tell Uncle C what the matter is."

I roll my eyes. "Like you don't know?! I thought your job was to fuckin spectate or whatever. Well, you only have to have eyes to see what's wrong, Cloud! I'm a fucking man. A man; as in not a woman."

"Right."

I pace the bathroom trying to get the words to match the red I'm seeing. "You said you'd make me what Buffy wants for ten days."

"Right."

"You didn't say that I'd have to be a guy."

He looks at me like I'm an idiot. "Buffy Summers likes men."

"Which means that she doesn't like girls!"

"Right."

"You tool!!! That just means that in a week-"

"Six days."

"WHATEVER! I'll be right fucking back at square fucking ONE."

He chuckles a little, then stops when I shoot him a glare. "I'm sorry, Faith but I was under the impression that you wanted the equipment to ... well to... make sweet horizontal music with Ms. Summers. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't said girl in your bed as we speak?"

"Yeah. But it's not even like that. I mean sure I'd love to get it on with B- so much I'm gettin horny just talking about it- but I'd like there to be something afterwards y'know... And in six days, all of this is gonna count for shit 'cause the guy she fell for won't exist."

He doesn't say anything for a while and just smiles at me. "Well get a load of 'love 'em and leave 'em' advocate, Faith Lehane. You really care for her, don't you?"

"Are you a complete moron? That's the whole point!"

"No, I mean you *really* care about her. This isn't about getting into Buffy's pants; you've fallen for her."

I sigh. "What's not to like, man. She's so hot and strong... and smart.. She's … Buffy.” I groan. “I want her so bad that I can't believe I'm going to lose her and it's all your fuckin' fault."

"What makes you think that you're going to lose her in six days?"

I narrow my eyes at him. "Stop messing with me."

"I'm not." He straightens out his suit and takes a couple of steps towards me. "Look, Faith, I made you what Buffy wanted four days ago- who’s to say that this is what Buffy wants now. I can't read the girl for sure, but anyone can see that she really misses you Faith and I mean you, you. Your absence from her has really made Buffy re-evaluate her feelings for you. That dream you had... Let's just say, it wasn't that far off."

I lunge for him again, but he ducks and I hit the wall. "You had something to do with that dream?" I ask, chasing him around the bathroom.

He puts his hands up in surrender, ducking behind the row of sinks. "Not a thing, I swear. But I did catch a screening."

I stop and scream out in frustration. He gets up and steps closer to me, patting me on my shoulder.
"Hang in there, Champ." He pulls out an envelope from his inner jacket pocket and hands it to me. "This should turn that frown upside down."

"What is it?" I ask, opening it up.

"Your mail and a little cash from mom and dad. That Eddie guy you're pretending to be? Turns out his parents are very and I mean *very* well to do."

"A thousand dollars?!" I scream, counting the Benjamins. "A thousand fucking dollars?!"

"And a cash advance card in case you run out of that."

"Holy fuck!" I do my happy dance again and hug him so tight, he squeals. "Sorry, man," I tell him letting go when his face turns red.

"No problem." He straightens his suit for like the millionth time and checks himself out in pieces of mirror that I left standing. "Now go get the girl. I'm with you on this one; Buffy Summers is not a 'window dressing' kind of woman, ok?"

"Thanks," I say, leaving Cloud to entertain himself in the bathroom. I put the cash in my back pocket and book it out of the bathroom and down the hall to my room. I swing the door open and near run into Buffy, who looks like she was just about to leave.

She stops and looks at me silent.

"You heading out?" I ask her.

"I.. I thought you might want to be alone."

"No!" I shout. I tone it down and try again. "No. I mean, I just needed to pee. I'm done now."

She doesn't reply me, so I add a real quiet, "Stay."

She nods.

"Cool." I lean in and leave a small kiss on her lips, but just as I'm pulling back, she steps forward and places her hand on the back of my neck to hold me in place. She runs her fingers up and down my skin, playing with the teeny hairs there and looks up at me.

I put my hand on her lower back and pull her closer to me, then kiss her again. She slips her tongue into my mouth and slowly massages mine with it. I'm in fuckin' heaven and she's completely in control; setting the pace and rhythm - and I fuckin' love it. Did I mention that B's a good kisser before? 'Cause hot damn she's an awesome kisser. I'm totally lost when she pulls back from me and looks into my eyes. She takes my hand and backsteps towards my bed, taking me with her. She sits down with one leg under her and the other hanging off the side of the bed and waits for me to make a move.

I feel like I’m going to pass out from happiness … I open my mouth to ask her if this is another fucked up dream that I’m going to wake up from. But then I figure even if it is, why ruin the moment??
I sit next to her and she kneels up beside me; placing small kisses on my neck, cheek and chin.
She straddles me and eases me back onto the bed so I'm near horizontal under her. She runs her hands across my chest, palming one of my nipples in her hand. I close my eyes and groan out her name, pulling her body closer to mine. I feel out the straps of her top and pull at them; loosening each one as she sucks on my neck.

"B, get up a sec," I tell her, when I'm done with her halter. She sits up and I follow, easing her top over her head and tossing it aside. My breath catches in my throat when I get full view her bare rack. Man, her tits are so much better than I imagined them in my head- and trust me I've imagined this moment *a lot*. I reach forward and take one in my mouth, sucking on it real soft. She moans out an "oh," and places her hands in my hair. I let her tit fall out of my mouth and lick my lips. I place my hands either side of her body, lifting her a little. I sit up and turn us over so that we're Missionary.
I feel my cock harden against her and judging by the look in her eyes, she feels it too. She looks down and near gasps when she gets a look at my snake through my pants - and she's only seeing the PG-13 version of it!

I feel her tense up and ask her, "What's wrong?"

"I... I can't do this."

WHAT? No, no God please tell me this light is just an Amber… "We can go real slow, B. I won't hurt you."

"No, it's not that. Evan, I'm not ready.” She sits up and slouches, trying not to make eye contact with me. “I thought that I was, but I'm not. I-it's too soon after..."

What?" I gently coax her.

"My ex," she says and just like that, my hard on goes away. I move off her and lay on my right arm against the wall, careful not to land on her. "Angel," I mutter.

She shifts onto her side, so she's facing me. She nods and I sigh.

"I'm sorry," she tells me.

"Don't be. I... heard that it wasn't all that long ago."

She nods again.

"Why d'you guys break up?" I ask. I really want to know. B said it had something to do with them wanting different things or something like that; I wasn't really paying attention- more doing mental backflips that Angel was outta the freakin' picture.

"So many reasons." She stresses the phrase.

"Like the fact that he's a two hundred year old vampire and you're a freshman at college?"

She lets out a small laugh. "Believe it or not, that was the least of our problems."

“Oh?” I ask, sliding my arm behind her and letting her rest on top of me. “What was the most of your problems then?”

She looks up into my eyes, “You really want to have the 'ex' talk?”

I laugh. “Sure. Go for it; I’m ready.”

“He got into his head that he couldn’t give me a future. I tried to tell him that I wasn’t thinking that far ahead-” She shifts around and finally lays down fully on top of me and rubs little tiny invisible circles on my chest… It tickles, but it feels really good at the same time. I smile as she muses on. “But the more I thought about it… He was right. Angel and I couldn’t have had a future together. I mean, we could never have kids… Take trips together... Sit out on the beach and watch the sun set… Have a normal life.”

“Is that what you want? A normal life?”

She sighs. “It would be nice to have a little normal-ness to counter the major weird-ness that is my life.” She suddenly stops drawing imaginary shapes on me and looks into my eyes. “What about you?” she asks. “Any ex-shaped skeletons in your closet.”

“A few.”

“That’s it? I pour my heart out about my ex-honey and all I get from you is 'A few'?”

I laugh a little. “There’s just not that much to tell, B. There’s not been anyone that major to remember or that got close enough to hurt me like that. I was strictly get some, get gone – remember?”

Now she laughs. “Is that like the Lehane family code or something?”

I shrug. “As a clan, we’re not the luckiest when it comes to relationships.”

“Right there with you.” She says, letting out a small yawn.

I find the sheet bunched up beside us and use it to wrap it around the two of us, holding her tightly with my other arm. She snuggles in closer and I close my eyes. I mutter out a, “hmmm.” And drift off to sleep.


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

The sun shining on my face wakes me up from this wicked dream I was having about bananas. I look around and notice that B's not here. I reach for my watch and knock over a flyer that was under it. I pick it up and notice that there's handwriting on the back.

'You looked so cute; I didn't want to wake you.
Love B'

I smile, pocket the note, check on the cash from last night and get out of bed. I throw on a shirt and sneakers and head out of my room- I got me another mission. I close the door and hear someone call out behind me. I turn around and see the guy from the room next to mine.

"How's it going, man?" He says, slapping my hand and pulling me into a guy half-hug thing.

"Five by five," I tell him when he lets me go. "S'up, Trey?"

"I heard you putting those sheets to good use last night, Player. How‘re you feeling?"

I laugh. "It's all good, man; no complaints."

"Cool. You pledge a frat yet?"

I shake my head.

"Good, 'cause I want you in Alpha, Ev. We're pledging newbies, tomorrow. You down?"

"Sure. When and where?" I ask.

"Two at Krusty Hall."

"I'll be there."

"Cool. Catch you later, Player." He walks off and I nod a later. This is fuckin awesome. I've never been part of a 'club' or anything so this should be interesting! I hope pledging don't involve anything weird though. I imagine the kinda things they could get us to do- like wearing ladies underwear whilst bobbing for Apples like I heard Xander had to do once- and head for my destination; The Downtown Sunnydale Apts.
It doesn't take me long to get there on foot; 'specially with my head in the clouds and a fuckin' spring in my step.

Though the smile's wiped clean off my face when I get to my motel room. I look around the outside of the door and notice that my stuff is just lying on the out on the fuckin' ground in front of it.

What the hell??

I try my key in the lock and it near snaps off in it, but doesn't open the damn thing!

"Oh no no no no no!" I repeat, picking my stuff off of the ground. "You're kidding me." With clothes in my hand, I storm up to the motel owner's door and kick it. He comes out all shocked.
"What in the hell is wrong with you, bud?"

"My stuff!" I can't hardly get the words out, I'm so pissed. "Why is my stuff all over the goddamn floor?"

"Your stuff?" He scratches his head. "I thought I rented that room to a broad."

"You did, you tool. My cous Faith. Why's our stuff out on the ground and my key don't work neither."

"You didn't pay your rent. Faith knows the room's eighteen dollars a day. That's every day."

"Aw c'mon. I've been away for two days and you've already given it out?"

"That's one of our deluxe suites you was occupying there, bud. They're in high demand."

"That room was a fuckin' hole!" I tell him. I toss his key at him. "Fuck this - I don't need this place anyway." I pick up as much of my stuff as I can carry and leave, muttering to myself what a fucking asshole the guy is running a fucking roach motel and callin’ it a fucking penthouse. ASSHOLE!

---

And that was that. Didn’t matter much then though. Afterall I had a rent-free pad on campus - life couldn't be sweeter. I mean, what I'm about to tell you will probably lose me some cool points; but you know what? I felt on top of the fricken world that day. I guess rounding second base with Buffy Summers'll do that to you!
Right then I thought life was damn sweet...
If only I'da known what was going on behind my back at the exact same time...

---

"A European disease called Carpel Tunnel?" Willow repeated, laughing whilst rolling around on her best friend's bed and clutching her sides.

"Quit it," Buffy jovially berated, swatting the wicca with her hand. She waited for the red head's laughter to subside before continuing to pace around her dorm room. "I think he's sweet trying to cover up for Faith, but I'm going into major worry mode here." She sat atop her bed beside her friend adding, "What if what happened really freaked Faith out and she thinks that she can't come back? I mean, her disappearing overnight like that's a bad sign. What if she's having trouble dealing and thinks that... Oh my God, what if she thinks that I'm having trouble dealing and that she can never come back. Or-or worse. What if she hurt herself and Evan just wont tell me because he thinks I'll blame myself, which I totally do because I handled everything so badly."

With a more serious demeanor, Willow turned to the slayer, "Buffy stop. You did what anyone would have done in your position. The way you tell it, I don't think you could have done anything differently."

"Then I'm telling it wrong," the slayer deadpanned. “I should have gone after her. Or called her straight away or something. Or-"

"Now you're talking crazy."

Sighing aloud, Buffy placed her head atop the redhead's lap. "I have to talk to her, Will. I need to find her."

"We could talk to Evan together; ambush him and force him to tell us where she is."

"No... No- I don't want him to know. He could tell Faith and that would equal major wiggage on her part. Can we keep this between us?"

"Of course. Do you have any idea where she might be?"

Sitting up, Buffy replied. "She could be anywhere. But Evan said something about an uncle; Faith's dad. Earl Lehane. Could you get me a number or an address for him?"

"I could try."

"Thanks, Will. The sooner I find her, the sooner I can stop worrying and concentrate on Spike."

"Are you going to look for him now?"

The slayer nodded, standing and walking towards her weapons chest. I wanna get a patrol in before Kathy gets back from class; Kathy alone and with my stuff is just a mini apocalypse waiting to happen." Assembling weapons, she remarked, "Spike has got a lot of nerve coming back here. He really just waltzed into the party and started feeding?"

"Yep. And with Harmony," Willow added, bracing herself for the slayer's reaction.

"Harmony?"

"The two of them seemed pretty snuggly at the party."

"Spike... and Harmony?" Buffy felt she had to clarify.

"Yup," Willow cautiously added. "I'm sorry I did some editing, but you seemed so mad that Spike was back, I didn't want to make things worse."

"Worse?" Buffy replied, trying to contain her impending laughter. "Will, it's just Harmony."

"Except she's kinda sort of a vampire now."

"WHAT?"

The Wicca confirmed her friend's query with a nervous nod.

"Oh, great. Now I'm dealing with the undead Blondie and Clyde." Buffy sighed. "Yet another reason to need Faith back. Will find her, please."

"We will," the redhead assured the slayer. Glancing at the time, Willow stood. "I've gotta go; Wicca group." She paused in thought for a moment, before wondering aloud, "What about magic?"

"What about magic?" Buffy replied.

"I met this girl Tara at Wicca group, who knows actual spells as opposed to how to edit Gaia newsletters and run Earth themed bake sales. The other day, we were talking about spells and stuff and I asked her if she knew a way to track down other witches- *real* witches- through magic. Like, if she could sense them. She said that if we had a map, she could highlight all the witches within a certain area."

"Right," Buffy attempted to follow her friend's train of thought. "So you're thinking we could track down all the slayers in a certain area?"

"Better. As there are only two of you, we could actually pinpoint exactly where Faith is. I mean down to the exact grid reference."

"I don't know, Will."

"What's the worst that could happen?"

Giving her friend a look of disbelief at her statement, Buffy wondered aloud, "You know that phrase has been banned from use-for-like-ever. Did you not get the memo? "

"Sorry," Willow replied. "I just mean, there's no bad here. What have we got to lose?"

"That phrase too," the slayer replied with a smile. When met with a pleading look from her friend, the slayer relented. "Ok, I guess we can give it a shot."

"Yay!" The Wicca exclaimed. "Ooh you can come to the group and meet Tara. You'll love her, Buffy. She's so smart and I can sense this huge energy from her, like she's got a lot of power. I know she'll help us find Faith, I just know it."

Smiling at her friend's adorable nature, Buffy agreed allowing the redhead to lead the way.

TBC...