Cordelia adjusted her skirt for the third time right outside the library doors. She glanced at Faith, who was waiting for her to get ready, before entering the library to get the latest demon report. Faith had a smug look on her face and Cordy just tried to keep her look of annoyance, both of them knowing that her skirt was on the broom closet floor just minutes ago.
"Do you know how much this skirt cost?" Cordy demanded, trying so very hard not to laugh at Faith's look of mock innocence. "More than all your pleather whore-drobes put together!"
Faith raised an eyebrow at her and advanced the few feet that separated them, closing the space. If she looked real hard Faith could still see traces of light lipstick smeared around Cordy's swollen lips.
She grabbed Cordy and pulled her hips into Faith's.
"You missed a spot." She said before crushing her in an intense kiss. Cordy tried to fight against the kiss, but not very hard. After of few seconds, she started to moan, and knowing how loud Cordy's moans could get, Faith took that as her cue to stop. When she pulled away, Faith smoothed out the back of Cordelia's skirt, her hand lingering longer than necessary.
"We better get in there. Scoobies might miss us."
Cordelia strutted in first, with a sashay to her walk as if nothing just happened. After a second or two, Faith followed, without giving anyone the idea that they walked here together.
Buffy was in the cage, looking at the weaponry, Willow sat at the library table with her laptop, and Xander was walking toward Cordelia with a funny look in his eyes.
"Hey Cor, where've ya been?"
"Cheerleading practice, I told you." Faith smiled slightly remembering the cheers she was screaming in the closet a few minutes ago. Xander made a move to hug Cordy, but she pushed him off dismissively. "Don't, I'm all sweaty." It wasn't a lie.
"I'm not caring." He said with his best shit-eating grin. Faith just leaned against a file cabinet and watched the show, waiting to see if Zeppo Boy would pick up on anything.
"Well, I am Xander."
He stopped and looked at her oddly. "What's with you?" He asked curiously and Cordy didn't even flinch.
"Nothing." She replied in her snotty annoyed accent.
"You look...kinda glow-ey."
Faith took a few steps toward the couple. "Yeah, ya know he's right. What ya just get laid or something, C?"
She said that pretty loud, and Willow and Buffy looked at the three with Cordelia giving Faith a death glare.
"No, you pervert and it wouldn't be any of your business either way." Faith just smiled, even though she knew she would have to pay for that remark later. "Buffy, please take your cheap counterpart out of my general breathing area. I can actually start to smell the trash in which she came from."
Buffy came out of the safety of her cage and tugged slightly at Faith's sleeve, with a smile at the two girls' banter. Faith gave up for now; going back with Buffy to check out the weapons, seeing which ones would be the best for patrol tonight.
She glanced back over to Cordelia and Xander after a minute and saw them interlocked in a heavy kiss. Xander's hand started to go down her back and to the place Faith's hand was not too long ago. That was all it took. Suddenly her sight turned red and she was about to go over there and ripped out his throat. Possibly break his neck. No, first she would break every finger that's touching Cordy, and then break his neck. Behind her she could hear Buffy's concerned words.
"Faith, are you okay?...Faith?" Faith looked and saw that Cordelia was looking right back at her, smiling against Xander's lips. The fucking bitch. That was low, even for the games that they played with each other. Cordy knew that it was almost unbearable for Faith to just think about her and Xander together, but seeing it drove her crazy.
Faith tore her eyes away from the sight and faced Buffy with a forced smile.
"I'm fine." She said, a little too quickly.
"Are you sure? Because-"
"I just need something to slay. Getting kinda wired, having all day without any release." She thought about that. "Well, there was `some' release..." Faith gave Buffy a sly grin that made her blush.
"So not caring to hear about your one-night stand escapades."
She laughed, thinking about her `one-night stand' with Cordy that turned into a ten-night stand.
"You should try it sometime, B. It defiantly...takes the edge off."
The blonde's shade turned a deeper crimson as she picked up a fighting axe absently. "I like the edge. It keeps me alert."
"Yeah, it also keeps you frigid. One of these nights, I'm gunna loosen you up."
"Can't wait." She replied sarcastically, giving Faith a half smile.
Giles came out of his office and called over Buffy and Faith. He was wearing an identical tweed suit to the one he had on yesterday.
"I found the demon we're looking for. Its name is Paleck." He held one of his dusty volumes in one hand and ran the other hand through tangled hair.
"Wicked. What does he look like?"
He looked at Faith, and then down to his book. "Big. Green. He has a symbol on his forearm in the shape of a rectangle with three wavy lines on-"
"I think we can pretty much point him out with the big and green aspect." Buffy stated, with a small smile.
"Yes, very well. Hopefully you two will be able to look for Paleck tonight during patrol."
Faith playfully jabbed Buffy on the arm. "Count on it Giles. B and I will be all ears for the big and green." Buffy and her started to walk out of the library, when Xander stopped them.
"You guys need company? I can bring snacks."
"You just like to watch them do high kicks." Willow chirped up with a smile while she packed up her computer and put it into her backpack.
"It'll be fun, we can all come. More the merrier." Xander said, indicating Willow and Cordelia.
"I'll have to pass on Slay night. Tonight's the night Oz watches me do homework."
"It's good that you guys have such an exciting relationship." Buffy said as the redhead went for the door, waving her good byes. "If you and Cordy still want to come I don't have a problem with it." Buffy looked over at Faith and saw her shrug of agreement.
"Cordy?" Xander asked and she did her best to look annoyed and hesitant, even though two of the people in the library knew that she wasn't.
"Great. It'll be like a double date." She said, before brushing past Faith.
"I like that skirt Cordy." She said, enjoying the view in front of her. Cordelia turned around with her brightest smile on.
"Thanks, it's worth more than your life. By the way, I like `your' outfit...Oh, wait...No, I really, really don't." And then she was gone out of the library with Xander close behind. Faith just flipped off the library doors, as they swung shut.
The four of them walked through the cemetery with Xander and Cordy in front of Buffy and Faith. Finally, after nearly getting caught checking out Cordy twice by Buffy, Faith couldn't take it anymore.
"Hey, why don't you two honeymooners walk behind us in case that demon decides to attack us from the front."
"Gee Faith, I never knew you cared." Cordelia said as she stopped and faced her.
"I was just getting a nasty whiff of something in front of me that smelled like rotten tuna...but I'm sure it wasn't you." Faith gave a comforting pat on Cordy's shoulder, and then continued to walk alongside Buffy.
"Children, children..." Buffy warned, giving a sideways glare toward Faith.
Ten minutes later, the four of them found some tombstones to sit on and wait for the demon to come to them. Faith was getting more than a little bored and pissed at the Xander and Cordy groping session in front of her.
"Is this demon ever going to fucking show, or what?"
"Aw, it looks like Faith is a little bored with her destiny. If you need to release some energy you can run to Boston, have a trailer park family reunion, and then run back. We'll wait here, I promise." Cordelia placed her hands in her lap and looked at her intensely, as if waiting for her to actually start running.
Faith stood up and strode over to where she sat, making her breasts eye level to Cordy.
"I could just release some energy on your face." Cordy looked up to her through full lashes, knowing full well what that threat meant. There was going to be plenty time for that later tonight, but Cordy wanted to know how far she would take it. She leaned back slightly, with her hands on the stone under her.
"Go ahead...release it." Her tongue darted out from between her lips just slightly and fast enough for no one to see it. Except Faith. Faith's face twitched only faintly, but inside every part of her was screaming to take Cordelia right here next to her boyfriend and Buffy. He'd get off on it...maybe not Buffy.
"Okay, guys there will be no releasing of any energy on anyone's face tonight." That was what Buffy thought. "You guys need to just separate from each other."
"Maybe we should leave. Cordy doesn't seem to be in the patrolling mood tonight anyway." Xander stated, grabbing her by the hand and leading them to her car.
"Call me!" Faith said with false cheerfulness to their retreating backs.
An hour later, Buffy called it quits and her and Faith said their good byes and headed home. When Faith got to her motel room, she checked the back parking lot to see if Queen C's car was there, and sure enough it was.
Faith unlocked her door and opened it to see Cordelia sitting on her bed. She looked perfect, flawless. She looked completely out of place in the shithouse where Faith lived. It was part of the turn on though. Knowing that a girl like this would want to be eaten out in such vile places. Broom closets, alleyways, bar bathrooms. Places you'd never see a girl like this. It was fucking great.
"Did you break in?" Her voice was cold.
"Not like it was hard with the cheap locks in this place. Anyone with a credit card can get it."
"That's a good thing. Most people in this part of town don't have a credit card." Faith took off her black jean jacket and shut the door behind her. She took a few seconds to look Cordy up and down before speaking.
"You're a bitch."
"And you're a piece of slutty white trash." She replied without a second's hesitation.
Faith threw the jacket across the room, hitting a lamp and breaking it with the strength that she sometimes underestimated. Cordelia jerked at that, and suddenly her look of fear met a face holding nothing but anger.
"Faith, I didn't mean for you to take it personally."
"How the fuck am I suppose to take it when I see you all over that... that piece of shit little boy?!"
Suddenly, Cordelia smiled and then started laughing. "Is that why you're pissed?"
"You were all over him!"
She got up from the bed and walked over to the fuming Slayer. "Well, he 'is' my boyfriend."
"Yeah, well..." Faith could feel her anger withdraw, despite herself. "You don't have to flaunt it."
Cordelia put her arms over Faith's shoulders and behind her head, pressing their bodies against each other. Faith still stayed unresponsive to her movements.
"Like you didn't deserve it Faith. 'You should try to take the edge off, B', 'I'm gunna loosen you up, B', 'Fuck me, B!'"
"Jealously all around, then? It's not like I'd have a chance with Buffy anyway, she's too good for me."
Cordy's face fell at that, and Faith realized that she really was jealous of Buffy.
"You don't think I'm too good for you?"
"Fuck no, you're my piece of slutty white trash." Cordelia was about to respond, but Faith caught her bottom lip in between her teeth before she could form words. She started to suck and kiss at her lips, and then Cordy finally gave up and kissed back.
Faith pressed herself against the cheerleader's body until they lost balance and stumbled to the bed. She spread Cordelia's legs under her and kneeled between them, working rapidly at getting her shirt off.
"Calm down, 'F'. It's not like I'm going to change my mind."
She just growled in response, tearing off Cordy's shirt and attaching herself to a silk covered breast. Legs wrapped themselves around Faith's hips, grinding against her as hard as she could. Cordy worked on the buttons of pleather pants as the slayer worked on gently biting and sucking at the thin material of Cordy's bra, feeling the hardened nipple strain against it.
Faith pulled away and grabbed the other girl's hand from her pants, pinning them above her head with a strong grasp. Cordy just started panting, grinding herself against the Slayers legs harder. Then, the skirt was gone, torn away from the body on the bed and thrown to the worn out carpet.
"I go through the most expensive cloths when I'm with you." Cordy said with a whimper.
Two fingers entered Cordy's cunt, knowing that she didn't have any underwear on underneath that skirt from earlier today. Faith pumped her fingers inside the cheerleader, getting her fingers slick, and getting Cordelia frantic for some kind of release.
"Oh, God...Faith..."
Faith leaned in to whisper lightly in her ear.
"What do you want, Cor? How do you want to get off?" She pulled her fingers out and then in, then out...She waited to hear what Cordy was trying to say in her moans and gasps.
"Eat me...out. I want to ride your face..."
Faith kissed her deeply on the lips before releasing her wrists that were still bound above her head. She took off Cordelia's silk bra, and trailed kisses down her body...her collarbone, breast, belly button. Her mouth hovered over Cordy's center, breathing in her scent before the slayer's skilled tongue darted out and ran along the other girl's wet folds.
Cordelia's hips jerked at the contact, moaning something, but Faith couldn't decipher which God she was praying to. Her tongue moved deeper inside the cheerleader as her teeth scraped against the sensitive clit. Cordy thrusted into Faith's mouth rythmatically as she ran her fingers threw her brown locks of hair.
Faith worked the places that Cordelia liked, knowing just what she got off on. She would never admit it to Cordy, or even to herself, but these nights--and sometimes days--were what made living in Sunnyhell and dealing with all the bullshit demons worth it. When Cordy would tense under her,
Cordelia's back arched against the bed.
When she would scream without shame,
"Oh m'God. Shit...I'm--Fuck!"
When she would orgasm,
Cordelia saw stars appear in front of her eyes as a fire ran through each part of her body.
Faith undressed next to the limp body lying next to her, never taking their eyes away from each other. After the remaining cloths were discarded, Faith fell next to Cordy with a thump, making the headboard bang against the cheap stained wall.
"Well, come on bitch. Return the favor." Faith demanded with a smirk, and Cordelia just smiled broadly and smuthered her mouth with a kiss.
Faith woke up with the sun streaming in on her face. She squinted at the bright light and stretched her arms out, hitting someone next to her in the face. Faith looked to her right, shocked to see Cordy laying there, rubbing her nose where the slayer's arm came into contact.
"What are you still doing here?" She asked, not expecting company in her bed. Cordy looked at her with a flash of anger.
"Well if you want me to leave..." She made a move to get off the bed, but Faith pulled her back with a smile.
"No, it's just that you're usually gone by morning."
"Sorry to disappoint you." Cordy settled back into the warmth of the bed.
"What time is it?" A yawn inhabited her speech slightly.
"10:30."
"What about school?"
"I skipped." Cordelia studied her well manicured nails, not noticing Faith's evil smile.
"You mean I have you all day? But what ever shall we do to kill the time?" The slayer started to kiss at Cordy's neck and she giggled at the unexpected contact.
"Faith, you have a sick mind."
"You're the one who feeds it."
Faith moved her lips down Cordy's collarbone, resting on her nipple. Her lips didn't stay there long though, because Cordelia pulled her away and turned the slayer over, pinning Faith under her.
"I love it when you get all domineering."
"Tomorrow I'm buying handcuffs." Cordy said seductively, and Faith could feel herself getting aroused at the thought.
Cordelia moved her hand down the slayer's body slowly, before they stopped between her legs. She plunged them into her center hard, and Faith kissed her, drowning out the moan. It only took a second for the girl under her to adjust before she started to move her hips against Cordy's hand.
It only took a minute later for Faith to scream out her orgasm. The bright stars flashing in front of the image of Cordelia in handcuffs that Faith was playing over in her mind.
"Aren't you going to sleep?" Faith asked, trying to settle in bed, but Cordy was restlessly shifting next to her.
"I'm not tired."
She turned to look at Cordy with surprise. "After what we just did, you're not tired?"
"I'm hungry."
Faith thought about food, and suddenly her stomach rumbled. "Yeah, me too. Well...make me some breakfast, woman." She smirked, but the other girl just glared.
"Kiss my ass, Faith."
She didn't hesitate to flip Cordy on her stomach and plant a big wet kiss on one of her cheeks. The cheerleader was laughing like a little kid, and Faith took a second just to listen to the sound of her giggling. She never seemed that happy when she was with anyone else. Especially Xander.
Cordelia turned back around, her hair messed up and face flushed. "...Let's go out for breakfast."
Faith's sweet lamenting was over instantly, and her face fell.
"Out? In public?"
"Well, yeah. I don't think you have a lot of food here." She glanced around the messy and run down room.
"Um, I don't think so." Faith started to shift slightly in bed, as if uncomfortable.
"I thought you were hungry."
"Yeah, but going 'out' for breakfast. That's a big step." She avoided eye contact with the other girl's questioning stare.
"No, it's several small steps out to my car and then we drive the rest of the way."
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah I do, but I just don't know 'why' you mean it. Its just breakfast."
"It's more than that Cordelia." Faith should have known this was coming. Waking up to find that Cordy was still there, skipping school for her, and then breakfast. It was turning into the one thing Faith never did. A relationship.
A tense moment went by.
"Right, my mistake." Cordelia said hastily, trying not to show the anger and hurt in her words. She got out of bed and started to put her cloths on.
"I just think you're maybe forgetting what this is." She tried hard not to sound cruel. She still wanted to see Cordelia, but on a strictly sex bases.
"You're making it clear." Cordelia's voice tried very hard to sound cruel.
"It's just a fling. You know, sex to loosen us up. That's it." Damn, she wished Cordy would stop giving her that hurt look. Faith always assumed that Cordy just tolerated sex with her. But she was acting like she actually cared about Faith, the person, not body. This was definitely getting too involved.
"Then why do you care when I kiss Xander? For that matter, why do I care when you're drooling all over Buffy?" Faith didn't answer and Cordy finished getting dressed. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't think you have any emotions. My bad." She went to the door.
"Cord--"
"Don't. Don't pretend you feel something. You don't feel anything." And then she left, slamming the door behind her.
Cordelia walked into the library and felt a twinge in her gut when she saw that Faith wasn't there. She had decided once she left her motel room, she had left for good. She wouldn't care, wouldn't react, she just...wouldn't. But after driving around aimlessly for about three hours, she was starting miss her. Damn.
The only people that occupied the library were Giles and Buffy, standing at the large wooden table looking at books.
"Cordelia, you weren't in school. Not that we missed you..." Buffy trailed off as her eyes wondered back to an open book. Cordelia stopped at the counter, almost shyly.
"Buffy, can I talk to you?" Her voice was meek, and it surprised the slayer. She looked at the brunette oddly before making her way over to her.
"Sure Cordy. Are you okay?"
She took a breath before starting. "I'm probably going to regret this, but since you've dated a vampire and everything, you've seen it all when it comes to relationships, right?"
"I don't know if you could say 'all'--"
"Whatever. I need advise." Cordelia interrupted, absently.
"...Okay."
"So, I have this friend, right? And she's dating this person. What if this person--"
Buffy held up a hand to stop her rant. "Cordy, please don't do that game with me, it makes my head hurt. Just say you're talking about you and Xander."
"No, not--...Right. Me and Xander." It was the safest way to continue the conversation.
"What do you want advice about?"
"So I wake up this morning in...Xander's room, and he's all like; 'what are you still doing here?' and I'm like; 'I thought we'd go out for breakfast'. But he was all; 'no, I prefer to be emotionally barren and distant'. I mean, is that what all slayers are like or--"
"What?" Buffy questioned, and Cordy's face fell, knowing she gave it away.
"People who slay!" She quickly tried to cover. "...With slayers. Because Xander slays with you. As does Willow, and I."
"I'm confused."
"I'm shocked." She rolled her eyes and tried a different approach. "I'm just saying that sh--he doesn't respect me. He just uses me for a quick fuck whenever he can get it." Both girls realized that Cordy had said that too loud, and they simultaneously looked over to where Giles was staring, horrified.
"...We're talking about shoes." Cordy stated rudely, as if it was obvious that the conversation was about footwear.
"What do you need my advise about, Cordelia?" She was partially getting angry at Cordy, but mostly at Xander for treating her like this.
"Is it wrong to want something more?" Suddenly her voice was quiet and child like, and Buffy felt sympathy wash over her.
"No. It's not wrong, and if Xander really treats you like that than I don't think you should waste time with someone who doesn't care about you."
"But I love...him." She felt guilt for leading Buffy to think that they were talking about Xander, but she was also shocked about the words that came from her. She had never said that aloud. Cordy hadn't even thought about it until now.
"Then tell him. But unless he loves you back...then forget him."
"I love you, Faith."
"I've been thinking and it's time we took our relationship to the next step."
"Instead of meaningless sex, can we cuddle?"
"I'm a popular cheerleader, you're a slutty slayer. Let's move in together!"
Cordelia walked along the streets of Sunnydale, running through everything she would say to Faith when she reached her motel room. She had been walking around town for about thirty minutes, and aloud or in her head, nothing sounded right to her. With every confession of love she thought of, she thought of a rejection to go with it.
"Get real, C."
"You're just eye candy, babe."
"It's just a fling. You know, sex to loosen us up. That's it."
'Oh, wait. She already rejected me with that one.' Cordelia thought bitterly. One more reason for her to turn back. Just go back to her house and forget anything that was Faith related.
She stopped walking and took a deep breath.
She didn't know what she was doing. What was she expecting? It was different than what she knew would happen. She expected Faith to love her. She knew Faith wouldn't.
And that's what it came down to. She could gather all the courage she wanted, but it wouldn't change the fact that their relationship wasn't real. She could say a thousand I love you's, but...It was just sex to loosen them up.
Cordelia turned around to walk back to the library where she had parked her car. She only got a few steps before she ran into Faith. Cordy looked the slayer up and down before speaking. She looked pale... er. Not that Cordy was looking.
"Faith."
"Cordelia..." Ouch. Faith's voice sounded more bitchy than Cordy's. "What are you doing here?"
"Walking. You?" She said nonchalantly, as if it was normal and safe to walk through this town at night.
"I'm here with Buffy."
"Of course you are." She crossed her arms and glanced away from Faith.
"We're patrolling."
"Yeah, and afterwards you can show her the crypt. You know, the one we had sex behind Tuesday." And Saturday.
"Oh, she's already there. She's waiting for me naked, since you care so much..." Faith spoke with sarcastic annoyance.
"Not anymore." She stated, blatantly. Faith blinked, as if hurt by the statement, but Cordy convinced herself she wasn't.
Faith sighed after a moment. "I didn't want this, okay. Why can't we just put this morning-"
"Behind you." Cordelia's eyes widened slightly.
"Yeah, behind us. Start over, ya' know?"
"No, Faith. Behind you!" She yelled, and Faith turned around to get a right hook across the face.
Faith flew to the ground, but recovered quickly, jumping back up to her feet. She looked to see what attacked her and saw a seven foot green demon. The one Buffy and Faith were in the cemetery looking for. Faith charged at the demon, but stopped abruptly when she saw that it had Cordy by the neck. He was dangling her a foot off the ground, and all the color left Faith's face as she saw Cordy's turn blue.
"Let her go!" She screamed and the demon just looked at her carelessly with glowing blue eyes.
"Do you care for this one, Slayer?"
Faith knew that if she tried to charge the demon, it would snap the neck it held. All she could do was stare, frozen in fear. She saw Cordy try to look at her. She was trying to say something.
The demon was still looking at her. "Then you won't care when I kill her."
"No!" As soon as the word left her mouth and her foot moved a step, the demon tossed Cordelia through the air like a rag doll. She went flying until a tombstone broke her fall. Faith heard the hollow thud sound of Cordelia's head hitting the stone. She's heard that sound before.
Faith ran over to the body, now motionless on the ground, falling and sliding on the damp grass to get to her side. She moved her hair out of Cordelia's face, only to have blood replace the hair when she pulled her fingers away.
"Cordy?..." Her voice was stern and demanding, but it still didn't make her responsive. Faith started to break.
"Oh, God. Wake up, baby." Faith was shaking slightly, and her voice was quivering.
"You gotta stay awake." She fought back tears, gently touching Cordy's cheek, smearing small traces of blood on it.
"You don't have a fucking choice!" It wasn't happening. She wasn't crying. The last time she cried was when she saw her watcher die. This wasn't like that.
"Stay awake!" Cordy was going to live, because Faith didn't love her. If she didn't love her, then she wouldn't die.
"Stay awake..." Her words were barely heard between the sobs. Faith pressed two of her fingers to Cordy's neck. No pulse.
Faith loved her, and she was dead because of it.
"That's what she said."
"That's ridiculous." Xander objected, quite offended that Buffy was accusing him of something so absurd. Xander knew something was wrong when Buffy had invited him to patrol with her and Faith, and they acted as if he was more of a demon than the vampires. They were both glaring him down until Buffy suggested that they split up. Luckily, he stayed with Buffy since he trusted her a lot more than Faith. But, then Buffy decided to blame him for using Cordelia and being distant in their relationship.
"She told me that you just keep her around for sex."
"Why would I do that?!"
"You never liked Cordelia, so maybe this is some kind of payback for you."
"Buffy, I wouldn't do that!" She seemed so convinced in what she was saying, and Xander was getting desperate trying to change her mind.
She advanced toward him with a scary look in her eyes. "Cordelia may have been mean and vindictive in the past, but she's my friend. And the girl I talked to today was hurting, bad. I don't like it when people hurt my friends."
"Buffy, please. I'm not using her for sex, and I'm not distant in the relationship. If anything, she's the distant one."
"Then why would she say those things?"
"I don't know! Me and Cordy have never even--...We've never had sex."
"Never?"
Xander started to shift nervously on his feet. "No."
"Never ever?"
"I just never felt that it was the right time."
"Not once in the entire time you two-"
"Drop it." He stated sternly.
"Then who 'was' she talking about?"
Buffy's head snapped to her right before Xander got to answer. "Did you hear that?"
"No, but I don't really have super powers."
Buffy didn't respond, just took off running. She heard a scream and it sounded too much like Faith's voice.
A minute later Buffy found Cordelia's body on the ground. She looked around her, but couldn't see anyone else. She went to Cordy's side, gently picking up one of her wrists, praying that she'd feel something.
"Come on, come on...give me something Cor." She whispered until she finally found the pulse. It was weak, but it was there.
As Buffy was examining the head wound, Cordy slowly opened her eyes.
"Faith?"
"Cordy? Are you okay?" Cordelia tried to get up, but Buffy pressed her back down. She didn't need much of a push though, considering that her head was pounding.
"Where is she?"
"Who, Faith? Did you see her?"
Cordelia looked Buffy straight in the eyes.
"You have to go and find the demon. I was going over to Faith's, I was going to tell her-" She stopped, her voice cracking. "Paleck came... Faith saw it attack me; I think she went after it."
"Wait! Slow down, what happened?"
Cordelia stared at her for a second.
"I don't think I can talk any slower!" She screamed as loud as her pounding head would allow, and Buffy flinched at the sudden sound. "Faith went after Paleck when it attacked me. Paleck will kill her. She will die. Go help her. Now!"
Buffy hesitated, as if considering a moment. Then as if on cue, Xander came trotting toward them, obviously out of breath.
"Xander! Take Cordelia back to library, I've got to find Faith."
Xander nodded, picking Cordelia up in his arms with ease. Buffy was about to go, but Cordy grabbed onto her arm.
"Bring her back alive." Cordelia face didn't display any emotion, but something flickered on Buffy's to show that she understood. The talk they had about her and 'Xander'. They way they'd look at each other. She understood. And then, Buffy was gone, following the faint scent of Faith.
Cordelia sat in the library office, trying to deal with the pain in her head after four Tylenol and a glass of water. Giles kept mentioning a concussion and hospitals, but Cordelia wasn't moving from this couch until she saw that Faith was okay.
After a half an hour of nervous waiting, Buffy helped Faith into the office. Cordy looked at her with shock for a minute.
Faith got the shit beat out of her.
Her face was black and blue, lip cut, limping, and Buffy had to hold her up with Faith's arm hanging over the blonde's shoulder. Faith's eyes brightened slightly when seeing Cordelia.
"Now can we go to the hospital?" Buffy asked hopefully, but already knowing the answer.
"Fuck that. Paleck's dead, and I'll heal." Faith smiled slightly, never looking away from Cordy. "Buffy told me. You're okay."
"I went on the unconscious end for a bit..." She took a breath. "Buffy; can Faith and me talk for a minute?"
Buffy looked down for a second. "Sure..." She set Faith down on the couch next to Cordelia and then left.
Cordelia looked at Faith after a second. "You left me."
"Thought you were dead."
"So, your idea of mourning was going out and getting yourself killed?"
"Yeah."
"Good to know. I'll make sure not to die anytime soon." Faith smiled at that, not believing that Cordy was really there. Buffy kept telling her over and over again that Cordy was alive, but she didn't believe it. Even now, it was still hard.
"I think I'd kiss you if I were able to move."
"If you were able to move, I think I'd kiss you back." She replied genuinely.
"What happens now?" Faith asked, afraid what the answer would be.
"Hopefully we heal, and all the bruises go away. Also, no scars will be a plus."
"You know what I mean." Cordy sighed again, looking straight at Faith.
"You know what I'm going to say. I'm not the kind of girl who gets fucked in motel rooms or in alleys. It's fun for a while, but I'm the kind of girl who needs to be in a stable relationship." Faith realized that she was breaking up with her. "I need something real. And I know you don't..." Faith was about to interject, but Cordy wouldn't let her.
"We need to be honest. And honestly...you're the only person I can imagine having a relationship with." Cordelia looked back to Faith's questioning eyes. "So, I know what I want, and I get what I want. We're going to start going out on dates, and then move in together. Then we'll have an illegal marriage that's not recognized by the state, and adopt an Asian child named Alexander Buffy Chase to show that there's no more jealously between us. After that, and we get old and retire, they'll make a Lifetime movie about our hardships."
Faith just stared at her in shock before speaking.
"We're taking your last name?"
"Only because I don't think you have one."
Faith's laugh was hoarse from crying a short time ago. Cordelia paused, her face softening.
"You're the realest thing I've ever loved." She smiled nervously, looking to the floor. "Not really big with the cheesy romance monologues, so hopefully I did it right-"
Faith leaned her head in and kisses her softly on the lips.
"You did it right."