Comfort
by Red
chapter 6
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Comfort
chapter 6
Red
Joss' folk.
W/C, T/G, X/S, An/F
Summary: Now that Buffy knows what's going on down on earth, will she come back?
Faith watched Anya sleep. What the hell was she doing? She just slept with Xander's girlfriend. No, that wasn't really true...Anya was sleeping, the slayer hadn't closed her eyes since stumbling into the motel room wrapped around the ex demon. This was insane.
But then, Buffy was dead...so everything was crazy now.
She ran her fingers gently over the sleeping girl's face...so soft, delicate...Faith felt her breath catch as she just watched her sleep. Harris had done damn fine for himself...she was a definate keeper.
As she caressed Anya's cheek and watched her sleep, Faith thought about Buffy. She couldn't believe her sister slayer was dead...not like that. It was wrong...yeah, she had fought her, tried to kill her...but that was then...when she was fucked up and wanting to die herself. Now, now she was different...she had worked hard in prison, changing, dealing, accepting...herself, her mistakes, freeing herself of guilt she didn't deserve. She had been waiting for the day when she could come back to the hellmouth town and face her past...make amends...tell the people she had hurt so bad that she WAS sorry.
Tell Buffy.
Now, now that would never happen. She would never have the chance to apologise, to thank the other slayer, to make amends. It was over...it died unfinshed.
Faith jumped slightly when she felt a gentle touch...not even realizing Anya was awake and tenderly wiping the tears from her cheek.
"It's ok to cry...that's what Xander says...he cries, alot...Giles, too...and Dawn, Tara, even Spike...tho' he said he had dust in his eye. I laughed at that...a vampire, with dust in their eye."
Faith had to smile...something about the woman next to her...an ex demon and yet, so innocent.
"Willow cried the hardest...even more than Dawn...she was in love with Buffy...and she never told her..."
"B was in love with her...that's what got us into a fight one night...a big ass fight. Before I ever looked at the damn mayor." Faith laid her head back and pulled Anya into her arms, stroking the silky blonde hair. "I made a comment...about how hot Red was...all that, sweet and inncoent shit, how it turned my ass on." The slayer rubbed her jaw, smiling. "I can still feel that first hit. B slammed her fist into my jaw like I was a damn vamp. I called her on it, too...said somethin' like, what, you hittin' Red's ass or somethin'? Damn...that was the worst beatdown I ever got that didn't involve a blade."
"It makes me sad...and angry...maybe more angry...they were in love and yet, they never told each other...never did anything about it...and now it's too late."
She felt fresh tears start and closed her eyes as gentle slayer fingers wiped them away.
+++++
'Willow is in love with me?'
Joyce had finally calmed her daughter down enough to get her to watch the rest. It wasn't easy to do. After seeing Willow in Cordelia's bed, the slayer had been so upset, Joyce was afraid she would never get her calmed down. Finally, she told her daughter that, if she didn't calm down, she would not get to go back. That did it...the thought of her Willow sharing the bed of Cordelia Chase had given the blonde slayer more than enough motive to accept her time was not up and she needed to go back to her life...if only, Buffy had mused to herself, to get Willow away from Cordelia.
'Just as you are in love with her, sweetie...we've all known...everyone, except you and Willow.'
'The slayer and brainy smurf...doesn't really make us look so good, does it?'
Joyce hugged her daughter and chuckled.
'Sometimes, we miss what is right in front of our faces.'
Buffy hugged her mother back, her eyes fixed on the screen...where Faith and Anya lay sleeping, the ex demon in the slayer's arms and thought, I die and everyone cheats on their partners...not real sure how I feel about that.
'So where's the elevator? The one that will take me to L.A., cause that's so my number one priority.'
Joyce laughed and took her daughter's face in her hands.
'I love you, Buffy...always know that...I am always with you.'
The eldest Summers placed a soft kiss on Buffy's cheek, then closed the slayer's eyes.
+++++
"COR! BLOODY HELL, MATE!" Spike collapsed onto the bed, Xander on top of him. "Bleedin' amazin' you are! Bloody hell, I swear, my heart is bloody beatin' it is."
Xander smiled and rolled to his side, bring the vampire with him, holding him in his arms.
"So cannot believe I am saying this, but I love you, Spike."
The vamp smirked. "I love you too, Chubbs."
They lay there, quietly, Xander holding Spike in his arms. Spike's fingers brushing over Xander's forearm, the human's breathing slowing down. They didn't need to talk...they knew what was going through the other's mind.
They rarely talked afterwards...choosing rather to enjoy each other in silence. Spike loved listening to his lover's heartbeat...it soothed him, made him feel alive again. For his part, Xander enjoyed the coolness against his warm skin as he held Spike...their bodies still joined, their hearts, bound for eternity.
Anya knew...she knew after the first time...and he apologised, over and over, begging her forgiveness...but she refused to give it to him. She said, there was nothing to forgive. She said, "Xander, life is too short...we are too frail, apologies for sharing grief, love, pain, they waste time and energy."
Then she had taken him by the hand and led him to their bedroom where they had the most intense love making they had ever had. Afterwards, he had held her, while she slept, thanking GOD for how blessed he was.
It had surprised him. After Buffy had died, he never thought he would thank GOD for anything ever again. And yet, here he was, holding Spike in his arms...Spike, William the Bloody...deadboy jr, chips ahoy...
Spike...who had been added to Xander's, thank GOD list...
+++++
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you...I'm sorry."
Fred knelt down as she apologised, picking up the cds.
"It's ok, sweet pea, I got it...and accidents happen, baby girl."
Fred looked up and promptly cracked her head on Lorne's chin.
"Ow!"
"Sweet Sinatra! You got yourself one hard head there, kitten." He rubbed his chin, looking at Fred who was now sprawled on the floor, rubbing her head. "You ok, sweetie?"
"I think so...I'm really sorry."
She looked up, finally and smiled...how could she not, with the handsome green demon smiling back at her.
"How about I buy you a cup of joe and we can talk about how adorable you are." He stood and helped her up. "Angelcake still have that, International Foods Italian blend?"
She nodded. "Uh huh...and we have oatmeal cookies, too...Willow made them."
He took her hand. "A beautiful lady, Italian blend AND oatmeal cookies...oh baby girl, I AM in heaven."
And he sang about it...as they walked down the hall of the Hyperion, hand in hand.
+++++
"That was Tara...she and Giles are coming tomorrow."
Cordelia patted her lap from the sofa by the bed and Willow slid into it.
"Ow...no more spanky, please?"
The brunette stroked her hair.
"You be a good little witch and I won't have to."
Willow rested her head against Cordelia's shoulder.
"I don't wanna hurt her...I'm a bad person...a horrible girlfriend...a-"
She was cut off when she found herself OVER Cordelia's lap, bum bare.
"That is so NOT being a good witch, Will."
spankspankspankspankspank*
"I'M SORRY OWWWWWWWWW PLEASE OWWWWWWWW BIG OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!"
The witch tried, to no avail, to get up, which only made Cordelia spank harder.
"Behave or I will get the paddle."
Willow stopped all movement and laid perfectly still, wincing and owing. After two dozen, Cordy stopped and rubbed the very sore ass on her lap, while Willow sniffled.
"That hurt...I can barely sit the way it is."
"And who's fault is that little witch?"
"Yours, cause your a meanie."
SPANK*
"Mine! My fault!"
"And why is it your fault?"
"Cause, I won't eat or rest...and I...I blame myself for stuff that ISN'T my fault."
Cordelia smile proudly.
"Good girl."
"Can I have lotion please?"
Cordelia's smile grew.
"You just want some Cordy lovin', admit it, witch."
Willow blushed. "My bum is all owy."
"Get into that bed with the cheerleader and it's gonna be alot more owy, I can damn well guarante that!"
Willow knew that voice...oh boy did she know that voice.
"Oh my gawd," Cordelia said, her jaw dropping to the floor, her hand still on Willow's butt.
Willow slowly turned her head towards the door, her eyes wide, her heart stopped.
"Buffy?"