Back to the Middle
by Sailorgirl
Chapter 3
[reviews]
Title - Back to the Middle 3/?
Author - Stewie
Pairing - B/? haven't made up my mind yet
Rating - PG
Summary - It takes place at the end of the summer just before
season 7. Faiths had enough.
Disclaimer - Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss and a couple
other folks whose name I don't know. I wish I had come up with the
idea but...I'm not that talented.
Feedback - Please send any comments to TStewart31@hotmail.com
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What am I going to do about those two? Hell...what am I going to
do about me? I'm just as screwed up as they are...probably more. I
mean look at me, the all powerful, all mighty, bad ass
slayer,staring at my partner-in-crime through a cracked door like a
stalker or something...more like a love-sick puppy. I can't believe
how just looking at her makes me feel. It's like I can conquer
anything just knowing that she's alive and well. Just being around
her puts my body at war with itself...my soul hums with
excitement...my mind is warning my soul that she's not mine and my
heart aches because she never will. And with all this going on
inside me, when I'd normally just run away, I'm still here. That's
how I know that I'd never leave her side...that I'd do anything to
keep her happy...that I'd do anything to keep her safe.
I never in my life thought that I could love someone so much. Now
I have a whole family that I would gladly put my life on the line
for. Giles, Dawn, Xander...Anya, comes with the Xander
package ...Red...I'd move the earth if I thought it would ease her
pain. But I know better...the only person who can do that is sitting
on the back porch lost in her own thoughts. When the hell did I
become such a sap?
Well I'm done with this. They're talking tonight. There's gonna
be some happiness in this house for once. Hell...I've been standing
in the doorway for like ten minutes. Her mind must be real busy if
she hasn't sensed me yet, and in our line of business that is
definitely not a good thing. Guess its time to make myself known. "
Dead night?" I ask plopping down next to her.
"The deadest." She says trying not to react to me but I can see
the smile forming at the corners or her mouth.
"So, how long you been sittin' here B?"
"Depends..." She pauses to look me in the eye. "How long were you
watching me 'F'?" Unable to hold back anymore, she flashes me
this big smile, letting me know that she's ok with my peeping-tom
act and that she won't push the issue.
"Why didn't you say something if you knew I was there?" I just
know I'm gonna catch hell for this sometime down the road. "I
thought you were way off of your game for a minute."
"I didn't...not till you sat down anyway and I realized that I
didn't feel you until just then...which is weird because I always
seem to know where you are and I figured that you must of come
upstairs when I was all zoned out and I didn't notice the difference
because I've gotten so use to being around you that I forget what it
feels like not to have you..." She's shaking her head, I think she
gave herself a little brain-cramp. "Sorry 'bout the run on
sentence." She's even cute when she's self-conscious.
"It's ok B. Under all that babble I thought I heard a
complement." That one got me a laugh...oh yeah, I'm good. "So
really...how long have you been out here."
"Not long really...just wanted to take in some of the night air
before heading in."
We sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments before I
decided it was time to get down to business. "How's the Xand-man
doing? Any word on his return?" Gotta start with something safe or
she'll know something's up.
"He's good. Talked to him the other day, said he finally caught
up with Anya..."
"Really!" Now that surprised me. He's been chasing her all
summer, or tracking her, depending on how you look at it. "I never
thought she'd let him. Ya'll made it seem like she never wanted to
see him or anything hellmouthy again."
"Yeah...and I don't blame her. Last year was pretty hard on her
too. I think that last near-death experience was the little push she
needed to get out of dodge...the fact that Willow was the one doing
the pushing this time...I really don't blame her. I mean...I know
she loves Xander but there's love and then there's just plan crazy
you know." I only nod in agreement cause I can tell she not done,
seems like there's something else she needs to get off her
chest. "You know what really surprised me?" She was asking a
question but she didn't wait for an answer. "It was the way he ran
after her...I knew he loved her but I guess I didn't know how much
till I got that call at 4 in the morning...did I ever tell you
about that call?"
"Nope." This is all new to me. I know the basics but not the
details of everything that happened just before my return.
"Well, after we got Will back here he went to go check on Anya.
Said after he saw her he was gonna try and get some sleep and that
he'll be back early in the morning. But when he got to her place she
wasn't there. Somehow he figured out she flew out to New York and he
jumped on the next plain there himself. So...he calls me when he
lands to fill me in and apology for leaving the way he did...and I
was all like 'What about Willow?'. I couldn't believe he could leave
with the condition she was in. He says to me, in the calmest voice
ever... 'Willows gonna be fine because you're there
with her...and I know, even if you don't yet, how much you love
her...just like I know she's safest with you because you'd sooner
die then let anything happen to her. That's how I can leave my
bestfriend, to chase the women I need like I need air to breath,
because I know you'll protect Will till the ends of the earth and
back'" She finished her little trip down memory lane smiling at me
like she just remembered I was here. "That phone call showed me two
things about my Xander-shaped friend that I didn't really know till
then. First..." She puts up a finger. " He's really in love with
Anya...and not just for orgasms but really in love with her, and
second..." She puts up finger number two. "...somewhere along the
way Xan became a strong, self confident, self-aware man and I missed
that...how did I miss that?" She flashes a little grin as waits for
my answer.
"I don't know...probably the same way you missed Red giving up
stick for clit."
"Faith!"
"What? I still don't understand how it took you so long." I
really don't but we've gotten way off track, but there is something
else I want to know while she all nostalgic and stuff. "Uh...B."
"Yeah...'F'" Smart ass.
"I been meaning to ask you something." I just hope I don't ruin
her mellow mood to much.
"Ok."
"Well...when I got here it was just you here...and I know why
Dawn left and I just now got the whole 411 on Xand-man, even though
I know for the most part why he left..." Why am I making this into a
thing? You're a slayer, spit it out for gods sake. "What happened
between you and the G-man...you know...when he took Red back with
him and all?"
" Faith..."
" B don't try to tell me nothing happened. Something had to of
happened. You guys use to be real tight, now you start foaming at
the mouth whenever him name is mentioned..." I can't help it, I
gotta get the grin back. "...you know, kinda like you are now."
" Haha...funny." She kept her voice humorless but I can see the
glint in her eyes. There aren't many that can resist my charm. Why
she spends so much time trying to be a hard ass I'll never know.
" Come on...stop being so bull headed and tell me."
" There's not really much to tell Faith. Looking back now I know
he was right. The help Willow needed I couldn't give her, but I
couldn't just let her go...at the time I thought that sending her
half way round the world was like giving up on her. And I wanted to
be the one to help her..."
"Sounds like something you'd think..." Well it true.
" Thanks a lot friend." She replies shoving me.
" Hey...its true, but get back to it." Can't have her getting
side tracked now.
" Well...there's not much more to tell. Giles wanted to take her
and I said no and a few other things that I probably shouldn't of
and he had more then a few choice words of his own. I didn't think
Giles knew what half the things he was calling me meant. Anyways, we
went on like that for an hour or so...both of us trying to get the
upper hand in the argument. It ended with Giles saying that he gave
up and that we'd try it my way...a few nights later, and I still
till this day don't know how he did it, but he stole her from
me....during the day. That was like a slap in the face. I went to
make myself a quick bit to eat for lunch and heated Will up some
soup and when I saw that empty bed..." I wrap my arms around her to
try and sooth her through the story. I don't even think she's
noticed the fact that Red's in the kitchen and I'm sure as the sky
is blue that the little red head is listening in on this, seeing how
she just as curious as I am about what happened between B and G-
man. " I was out of my mind for two hours. I was calling Giles and
wasn't getting any answer. Running all around town like a madman. I
thought I was gonna lose it 'til I remembered that Giles had wards
around this place that made getting to the president easier then
getting to Willow. If someone had gotten to the mailbox that wasn't
suppose to be I would of known. The bastard didn't even leave me a
note. You wanna know what he did?" The more pissed she got the less
she needed me for support, and she's good and pissed now. She's
almost in pace mode. "He sent me a letter certified mail...it was
delivered not to long after I realized that he stole her from
me...and that letter was the biggest bunch of bull I'd ever read."
Ladies and gentleman we have a pacing slayer. " It was all full of
apologies about how it didn't have to be this way but he had no
choice and...and I just don't know...I know now that he was right
but I can't forgive the way he did what he did."
"Look B I'm not asking you to...hell if I was in your place at
the time I would of been just as pissed. I just wanted to know what
happened." I have to grab her hand to get her to sit again. "Come on
and sit back down." I don't know what Reds doing in there but I hope
she can stay that quiet for just a few more moments.
"Faith...I'm so in love with her, I don't know what to do with
myself..." That's about all she really got out before Red came
crashing out the door putting her hands out just before hitting the
deck face first. It was about the funniest thing I'd ever seen in my
life but seeing how B just declared her undying love for Red, now
might not be the time to chuckle.
"Uh...Hey..." Only Red would think hey is a fitting greeting when
you've just been caught ease dropping.
"Hey yourself..." I'm not really sure how to gauge B's reaction
by her response but I can read the 'oh shit' look in her eyes.
" Listen, I'm gonna jet and let you two talk." Nothing like the
prospect of talking to each other to get them moving. Red already up
and making her way inside. " Where are you going?"
" I...uh...I just came down to get a drink of water cause I
couldn't sleep but I think I'll be ok now, so I'll be going to bed
now." They both must be smoking crack.
"You know what...the both of you are pissing me off. I'm so tired
of being your go-between. All summer all I hear about is Willow
Willow Willow Willow, and from Red its Buffy this and Buffy that,
but neither of you will talk to each other." I can't believe
them...now they've got me pacing. "Now you just heard what I'm sure
you've wanted to hear since highschool and you're gonna run
away...and you're just gonna let her B?" No answers...not
surprised. " Well I got news for you two, tonight it ends. This has
gone on for to long. You don't have to figure it all out tonight but
you will start putting your friendship back on track, starting now."
I'm done with them for the night/morning. I'm going down to my room
and hitting the sack.
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Thats about as far as I got so far. I should have some more up in the next few days. Let me know what you think.