Five Good Things That Never Happened To Faith
something to love
Faith's mom finds the puppy dumped in the alley back of Brody's and brings her home.
"Don't say I never do nothing for you Faithy."
The pup is runty; but there's golden fur and tiny sharp teeth that she sinks into Faith's hand as a hello. It's love at first sight.
That night there's screaming downstairs. The puppy won't stay in her box. She squirms into Faith's bed whining, nuzzling. Faith strokes her lopsided ears. Feels the warmth. "Don't be scared," she whispers, suddenly strong "We're gonna look out for each other now. Just you and me -- the Chosen Two."
no Ghandi
They didn't kill that guy, but it was a close thing and they're pretty freaked. They stand by Buffy's bedroom window -- curtains billowing, the dark still eating up the sky -- and say nothing. Waiting. Wanting. Hiding.
Faith is the first to move. "I should motor. Let you sleep."
"Should..." The kiss B gives her is light and unexpected, but so full of longing. She pulls away, stares like she's remembering someone else, sometime else.
"What is it?" Faith's voice wavers.
"Such brown eyes. I never..." B glances down, embarrassed, then back -- smiles slowly. "You could stay," she says.
mayor's got it wired
As it turns out the Boss doesn't have hands after the Ascension. Faith sits on a pile of rubble and yearbooks at his right anyway. She has a place now.
Later she puts on the pink cotton dress with the little flowers; fights and dances through the streets as the demons tear the town apart. It's the ultimate party and Faith is its animal.
"Well, gosh," the Boss chuckles; fatherly smile on his giant snake face, "I've never seen you looking lovelier."
And Faith is happy so long as she doesn't think of B with a knife in her gut.
miles to go
In the distance Faith is aware of monitors beeping, drips dripping; her body pale and wasted. But B's teeth graze her neck, gentle as the first edge of summer. Fingers working deep inside, like praying, slick and sweet. Buffy kisses Faith's heart at the moment she moans, arches, breaks -- waits for blood on the sheets and a long fall. Except this time B holds on. Forgives. Sets Faith free.
"Does it hurt?" she whispers, stroking the scar.
Faith closes her eyes. "Not any more."
Years after, Buffy still can't forget the dream; or the doctor saying "...never regained consciousness."
live like a person
On their first day off in weeks Faith persuades Buffy onto the back of her motorbike and out of the city. They roar through the hills above Rome, vineyards and ancient olive groves flying by. Faith wants to whoop and holler at the feeling -- bike purring between her thighs; B's arms wrapped tight around her waist; B's laugh mixing with the engine growl. Life. Faith's really alive.
They stop high up, so close to the sky Faith could touch it. "Never thought I'd get this goddamn lucky B," she murmurs; gazing out at a world worth fighting for.