Reminding the Fallen
by zenithar
Chapter 7
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Everything up to the episode Empty Places has happened, just a few changes from the last season. One: Wood and Caleb did not show up. Two: So obviously much changeings to endings of series. Also the weapon that Buffy got is changed to an actual scythe.
After leaving the living room Dawn followed Faith out to the back porch. Blinking at the bright sun she sat down next to Faith on the stairs and quickly cuddled up to her side laying her head on the rogues shoulder. Slipping an arm around Dawns waist Faith asked, "What's with the sudden clingy?"
"I'm scared, Willow's bringing Buffy back. I have no idea how she'll act being a vampire and all. Then there's us... which I'm positive she'll blow up with," Dawn's head popped up at that, "Oh, shit. She's really going to kill me."
Placing a light kiss on Dawns lips Faith said, "D, whoa, calm down. First thing you should be happy about B comin back. And her finding out about us..." shrugging her shoulder, "She'll just have to deal." Not seeing Dawn relax much, "Look, she's your sister, even if she will be a vamp now she'll always love you. Nothin in this world could ever make her hurt you."
Nodding her head, "Yeah, I'm just wigging." She lightly kissed Faith on the cheek. "Thanks for that. Oh, um, by the way I kind of messed up on the whole 'keep-us-a-secret' part," she said abashedly, "I told Will. But, but in my defense she did already kind of know."
Faith just shrugged, "Eh, don't sweat it D. They'll all have to figure it out at some point."
Eyeing her cautiously, "You're not even kinda angry?"
"Nope, everything's five-by-five," she said as she hugged Dawn closer to her.
"You think Willow will be able to get Buffy back?"
"Yeah, I'm sure of it. If there was anyone that could bring B back id be..." suddenly cutting off Faith turned to look at the house. "Somethin's happened, something big."
Both got up and began heading for the door, "What happened? Was it Willow?"
"I'm not sure. All I felt was a surge of... something sending my slayer senses nuts," Faith responded.
Reaching the living room both girls saw Buffy and Willow unconscious on the floor and immediately moved to Will. Faith knelt down next to the witch and gently shook her, "Red you ok?" At first there was nothing until Willow began to stir.
Blinking her eyes a few times before fully opening them Willow looked up into Faith's concerned face. Slowly she sat up and nodded to Faith.
Dawn went to stand near the edge of the pentagram and looked down at Buffy, "Did it work?"
"I..." Willow took a calming breath and closed her eyes, "She's here, she' back."
Peering over at Buffy Faith wasn't so certain, "How are you sure, she looks just as dead and I don't..." suddenly she stiffened as she felt a vibration come directly from Buffy's body. "B's back."
Before she finished speaking Buffy's eyes shot open and she sat up, "Wa... where am I" as she spoke she seemed to run out of breath. "Why can't I breathe," trying to focus on her breathing, "Why don't I need..." Buffy simply let her voice trail off as she finally took in her surroundings. Looking directly at Willow with her eye's narrowing, "You brought me back, didn't you?" her voice was quiet and seething with anger. Willow was unable to find her voice so she simply nodded her head. Dawn however rushed forward and fell to her knees to embrace her sister in a hug, scuffing a portion of the binding circle as she crossed into it. Caught by surprise Buffy sat motionless as her sister hung on her crying softly into her shoulder. Her eyes moved from Dawn; to Faith; to Willow; then to finally settle on the shaft of sunlight falling into the room. Before anyone could move she had shrugged Dawn off her and moved over to the window throwing the blinds wide open to let the full affect of the sun to hit her. Faith was the first to free herself from her shock when she smelt her sister slayer's skin begin to fry, tackling Buffy to the floor beneath the window sill she started to put out the flames that had sprouted up.
"What the fuck, B!?" Faith yelled as she continued putting out flames. Noticing Buffy wasn't even reacting as she was being extinguished Faith became even more concerned, "What's wrong B? Being back can't be that bad?"
Willow answered for her with tears falling down her face, "Yes it can. I pulled her from a peaceful rest back into this, back into everything she wanted to forget."
Dawn had recovered from Buffy's sudden action and moved to comfort the redhead. "Willow, shh, it'll be ok. Buffy doesn't think it's that bad," Dawn helped Willow stand and put an arm around her to steady her. Turning them both towards the stairs, "Come on Wills, just get some sleep and things will be better."
With both of them gone Faith looked at Buffy, "B you can be pissed all you want at fate, destiny, the PTB, I don't give a fuck," jabbing a finger at her, "What you will not be pissed at is Red. Bringing you back has probably hurt her more than you being dead and you know why she did it? She did it because you're the only one that can save us. Again!" seeing no reaction from her Faith just shook her head and tried to calm herself by taking a deep breath. "I can't imagine how fucked up it is being a vamp, but remember being a slayer means sacrifice. So you're back again. Deal. You've got friends and family here that love you and really need you. If you let them help we all just might make it through this." Even after her little motivational speech Buffy still didn't move from the floor. "Screw it, never was good at the whole motivation thing." Faith turned her back on the elder slayer and leaned against the door frame to the kitchen and looked out over the counter to the back door.
After a few moments of silence the dark slayer heard the soft whisper of Buffy's voice. "I can't remember... anything before getting the scythe. I mean I can but all the murders and death just sort of suffocate me if I try to look back at the better times. What's even worse is the demon; she plays the memories she likes over and over." Her voice was choked with regret. "I killed so many people." The last Faith only heard because of her slayer hearing it was so quite.
Moving back over to Buffy Faith tried to put a hand on the vampire's shoulder only to have it shrugged off, "I don't know about the demon but the murders... I know that. All I can say is to accept them and try to make up for them."
The two slayers stayed there for a while longer, both in deep thought. After collecting herself a bit Buffy stood, mindful of the ray of light, "Could I just go sleep for a bit?"
"Oh ya... what with the vamp hours now. Um, you can have your room I guess, no one's really used it since you left." Once they reached Buffy's room Faith went in first to make sure it was sun proof. When she could enter the slayer vampire looked around and noticed nothing really had changed. She spotted the picture of just the three original Scoobys sitting out on her old dresser and went over to it. With the picture in her right hand she let her free one graze over Willow's face, "Know what the worst part of being a vampire is?" Not even waiting for a response, "Not being able to cry," and with that Faith moved to leave.
**********
As soon as Willow and Dawn reached the witches room the redhead broke down and fell to her knees. "She hates me," tears were streaming falling down her face, "Oh, goddess, what have I done?"
"Shhh, what you had to do," Dawn replied. "We need her back. And as a bonus we can tell her how sorry we are for kicking her out and tell her how much we love her and still accept her." Seeing that the witch was still crying Dawn persisted in trying to comfort her, "Will everything will get better. It did last time didn't it?"
Sniffling some and standing up Willow shrugged slightly, "Yeah, if you count sleeping with Spike improving. But she didn't really hate me for it last time, this time though..." Going over to the bed and sitting down on it, "I knew she would hate me but I never expected it to hurt this much."
Sitting next to Willow on the bed she simply hugged her, "It hurts because you care for her. None of us wanted to bring her back as she is. Maybe after she adjusts a little she won't be so angry. Get some sleep and we'll see how tomorrow goes, k?"
Getting more comfortable on the bed Willow mumbled a sound that resembled an ok. Quietly leaving the room Dawn closed and the door and began heading for the stairs when she saw Faith leave Buffy's room. "How'd it go with her?" Dawn asked.
Shrugging her shoulders Faith filled Dawn in, "Better than I expected. She did actually talk a little."
"What she say?"
"Looks like she had been killing people and she's got the whole brooding vamp thing down already." Nodding her head in the direction of the stairs the two started going down them, "Worst thing is her demon likes what she did, so not only is she beating her self up over the murders but shes got her vampire cheering her on. Willow?"
Finally reaching the kitchen Dawn sat down on one of the stools while Faith went over to the fridge. "She's wigging over Buffy hating her." After a pause Dawn asked, "Do you think we did the right thing?"
Turning around after pulling out a soda and placing it on the counter Faith walked around behind Dawn and wrapped her arms around her waist. Whispering in her ear, "I'm not sure but I know we'll be able to face what ever comes," and she finished with a soft kiss on Dawns ear.
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