Buffy, Faith and the rest of the scoobies had gone for a well deserved night out at the local club. The usual formulae applied. Xander failed to charm the girls, Faith danced and grinded with the guys; and Buffy just watched her waiting for an excuse to join her. Willow and Kennedy boogied the night away in their own little world.
The guys in the club were getting close, close and drunk. She couldn’t stand to watch them ogle over Faith. It wasn’t jealousy; she wanted to be with them, watching her, adore her. But she knew Faith would freak out, she was a sister to her, that’s not what sisters did.
Then Buffy saw something that made her blood run cold. Faith was still dancing but she was dancing with another woman. She was getting close almost touching her she was dancing with her how Buffy longed to; the crowd of men enveloped the pair removing them from sight. As the music faded to an end the mob dispersed leaving the floor to the couples. Buffy tried to see through the collecting dancers, but Faith was no where to be seen. A pained look lingered on Buffy’s face as she left to get some air.
“Where’d you learn to move like that?” Faith was outside with her dancing partner, both were laughing uncontrollably. “Instinct,” was the reply from the new woman.
“So what do you wanna do now?” Faith had her back against the wall and her arms folded. She was all up for a little amusement, but this person seemed a little to forward for her liking. She put it down to the lack of fun during their last big bad encounter.
“I could think of a few things,” The dancer slowly ran her finger along Faiths collar bone, to the desired effect. Faith had softened her composure to the lingering touch, inviting her partner closer.
Faith rested her hands on the other woman’s hips as she combed through Faith’s hair with her own. Leaning in the stranger began to gently kiss and caress Faith’s neck; something caused Faith to freeze at the touch of her lips. Faith couldn’t move, she couldn’t speak or even return the gesture. She was paralysed, stuck to the spot.
The new woman pulled back showing Faith her darker side. Panic flooded the eyes of the darker slayer, she couldn’t move to defend herself nor could she call out for help, this was the black widow of the vampires. She had paralysed her prey and now that fatal bite was all she needed to secure her meal for the evening.
“Aww poor baby” The vampire ran her finger along Faith’s jaw line, “Such a fabled slayer couldn’t even stop little me, never mind, I’ve had my fun and now, I’m hungry.” An evil smile spread across the vampires face as she forced her fangs into Faith’s neck.
Relentlessly she drained Faith of her life, even as the paralysis wore off; Faith had no strength left to fend her off. Propped against the wall Faith watched as her attacker walked away.
“Good night Slayer, I don’t think I’ll be seeing you around.”
Buffy, comfortably chilled was on a search for Faith. She had decided to tell her how she felt before that dance floor whore got there first. About to give in Buffy fell back onto the wall and let out a long sigh; her attention was drawn to the footsteps leaving the ally next to her.
It was her! That bitch that was dancing with ‘her’ Faith, she would have followed her if her curiosity hadn’t got the better of her. If she was leaving, where was Faith? Butterflies filled her stomach, if Faith wasn’t interested in this girl, maybe she would have more luck. Her mood brightened a little as she continued her search for Faith.
“Hello? Is any body down here? Faith, are you there?” Buffy was making her way down the alley a little freaked by the dark and Hell mouthish atmosphere.
She saw a figure in the shadows leaning against the wall.
“Faith? Is that you?” The body fell to the floor with a barely audible noise. “Oh my God!” Buffy ran to them, her instincts kicking in.
She cradled them up in her arms, a dim light caught Faith’s face. “Faith! Faith, are you ok? What happened?” Faith’s head rolled to reveal the trademark bite on her neck; Buffy’s eyes filled with tears, she could see that the vampire had left Faith for dead, and there was nothing she could do to save her. She called Willow and Kennedy out of the club on her cell phone; and prayed they found her in time.
Faith’s breathing was shallow and her heart was working over time to try and pump through the little blood that she had left. All Buffy could do was be there, keep her warm and make sure that she didn’t die alone. She knelt by her side holding onto her,
“It’s ok Faith, it’s me B” Buffy despised how Faith always abbreviated her name, but she hoped that it may spark something in Faith to keep fighting it, to try and live just that little bit longer.
Faith reacted to the voice she tried to open her eyes, “Buffy?” she struggled to talk as she sunk into the gentle hold of the smaller slayer.
“Shh, don’t speak, you have to hang on Faith, please stay with me, Will may be able to do something, please hang on…” A single tear fell from Buffy onto Faith’s cheek.
“Hey…B, you’re…you’re leaking,” A small smile was on Faith’s face, Buffy choked out a tiny laugh. Faith was dying, and still making jokes to the end.
Willow and Kennedy ran down the ally way towards the two slayers, kneeling down beside Buffy, Willow checked Faith over. Her face was sullen and panicked.
“Can you do anything Will? Please can you do something for her?” Buffy was pleading with her to try anything, even if it was in vain; Faith had to know how she felt.
Willow looked Faith over with a morose expression. She held a hand over Faith’s head and whispered a small spell; a tiny bright spark escaped her hand. Faith didn’t change, her body still working over time.
“Is she gonna be ok?” Buffy’s eyes were full to burst, she needed Faith to be ok, she was the only person she knew stronger than her, and she needed her more than ever.
Willow shook her head fighting back tears; “I’m sorry Buffy, there’s nothing any of us can do. I just, just took the pain away that’s all.”
Faith turned her head to face Buffy; the tears flooded from Buffy’s eyes, “How do-do you feel?” She wiped a tear away from her face.
“Five-by-five…I can’t feel it any more,” Faith paused to catch what little breath she had left; “The pain’s gone B, its ok.” Breathlessly Faith clung on.
Kennedy helped a glossy eyed Willow from the ground and held on to her as the tears fell. After everything the gang had been through fighting the first, their losses, their gains; it brought them all closer together. Willow had found it in her heart to forgive Faith, to offer her a clean slate; and now after she had worked so hard to regain their trust she was going to be taken away- again.
Carefully Buffy brushed the hair away from Faith’s face as she desperately sought the words to confess to her how she felt. As every second passed Faith grew weaker, she was being willed on by all three present.
“Please stay with me Faith, I have to tell you something,” The tears were not helping her, Faith couldn’t speak all she could do was look at her,
“I’ve known you for some time Faith, a-and times I’ve been jealous of you, times I’ve hated you. But now, I-I need you to know… Faith, I love you.” Buffy choked on her tears still clutching the body of the younger slayer.
The pupils in Faith’s eyes had dilated, shining through the tears of her own, she managed to mouth the words, I-Love-You. Slowly she lowered her head and closing her eyes she let go of the last breath she held.
Silently Buffy sat still holding onto the body of her past rival. The last tear fell onto the still warm lips of the girl, no the woman in her arms. Anger, pain and a renewed hate filled her mind, body, soul and grasped at her heart. Neither slayer was prepared for vampires, they thought, new town, normal life; and up until now, it had been- normal.
“Buffy, I-I’m sorry. We all knew how much she meant to you, and…” Kennedy stopped Willow before both friends ended up in tears once more. Faith’s attack had been recent there was still the possibility that they could still be around. Some one needed a clear head.
Without a word or gesture, scooping up the lifeless body, Buffy led the way to the nearest hospital.