Finding Her Way Home
by rebelrsr
Chapter 32
[reviews]
Disclaimer: All things Buffy belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and lots of people in expensive suits. I'm not making any money here, just trying to create a happier Buffyverse for my favorite characters.
Spoilers, etc.: Pretty much everything after the Gift.
A/N: Character thoughts are enclosed by **. Flashbacks are enclosed by //. Thanks to Ivy for the preread and Zigpal for the beta and encouragement! I couldn't do it without you.
Archiving: By permission only.
A/N2: I'm mixing parts of S6 and S7 with very little regard to canon. For purposes of the fic, Dawn is over the age of consent *wink*.
"Come in," Willow called out. The door slowly eased open.
Dawn hesitantly peered around the frame. "You guys decent?" Seeing them sitting — fully clothed — at the table, she grinned. "Good. I didn't want any mental scarring from seeing Buffy having sex."
Despite the tension, Willow smiled back. "Not sex, Dawnie. Love." Faith snorted from her position by the door. Willow's smile faded. "Did you have something to add?" A hint of power edged the words.
"Nah, not me." Faith slouched against the wall, eyes on the floor. It wasn't the cocky pose Willow remembered. Something was bothering Faith. Heightened tension snaked through the cabin. "D and me just wanted to give you guys an update. Things are pretty fucked up."
Buffy's quiet, "Big surprise," seemed to echo in the room.
Faith looked up. Voice hoarse, she mumbled, "Hey, B. You, ah, look better than....than before. Not quite as, um, tired." Rocking on her heels, Faith stuffed her hands in the pockets of her jeans.
"Thanks." The stilted conversation was painful to watch. Willow suddenly realized this was the first time the Slayers had met since Buffy had gone to Los Angeles and Faith had turned herself in to the police. Buffy's grip on her hand tightened. "Thanks for coming out to help, Faith," Buffy continued. The words sounded sincere, and Faith's rocking slowed.
A small smile lightened Faith's countenance. "Yeah. I got your back, B." She cleared her throat. "Wish I could leave you to the honeymoon and all, though."
"You need us?" Willow couldn't help interrupting. Buffy and Faith's conversational dancing was taking too long. She needed to know — now — how bad things had gotten. Leaving Faith in charge had been a terrible idea.
"Faith's got the gang on top of it, Willow." Dawn poked Faith in the arm, earning a dark look from the brunette Slayer. "If you don't want to join a work group, we'll be alright."
She was missing something. "If you don't need our help, why are you here?"
"Will!" Buffy protested. "That wasn't nice."
Faith chuckled. "No big, B. Red isn't real happy I'm here at all. I guess us showing up and ruining your vacation isn't helping." Meeting Willow's eyes, she went on, "We may have the research under control, but the First has a few tricks up his sleeve. He sent some bad guys here this morning." Faith glanced at Dawn, lips twitching. "Thanks to Little Sis, here, I'm still on the active list."
Dawn grinned and buffed her nails on her shirt. "Yep. Just call me the Firestarter. Good for lighting camp fires and demon torching."
Faith grinned back. Willow frowned. When had all this chumminess happened? "Why don't you two have a seat. Explanations sound good, and I'm not leaving here until I'm convinced we have to." Willow refused to give an inch. The First be damned. Buffy was her primary concern right now. If she didn't have to let Buffy back into the fight, the whole ranch, Sunnydale...it could all burn down around them. The cabin was safe, and Buffy needed the rest.
"Sure." Dawn dragged a much more reluctant Faith across the room. Sitting down, she patted the seat of the chair next to her and waited until Faith sighed and slumped into it. "The First sent some things called 'Bringers. They managed to get through Jennifer's wards and into Kennedy's and Amanda's rooms."
"Bringers?" Buffy sat forward. "No eyes, robes?"
Dawn nodded. "That's them."
Turning slightly so she could see Buffy and as well as Dawn and Faith, Willow asked, "Have we seen them before?" Willow didn't remember them.
"Sort of." Buffy's right leg started to bounce. "You remember the Christmas it snowed?" Willow nodded. "Well, the 'Bringers were the guys doing all the chanting and stuff under the Christmas tree lot. They weren't much of a threat, though."
"Don't know about then, B. I was stuck at home with your mom and the eggnog," Faith snipped. "They made a mess, that's for sure. And the new kids were useless. Junior wasn't quite screaming when I got there, but it was close. Biggest problem I see is: they're human."
The news wasn't welcome. Willow felt Buffy's hand flinch in hers. Faith looked pale, and the hand resting on the table twitched restlessly. Perfect. Like they needed more than the usual demons on the horizon. Slayers didn't kill humans. Faith's walk on the Dark Side had been an exception. Accidental deaths, sure. Planned killings? Willow's head pounded. It would eat Buffy and Faith up inside every time they took out a 'Bringer.
"That's not good." The link flooded with Buffy's unease. She sprang to her feet, pacing behind Willow's chair. "Giles have any suggestions? I mean, a way to keep them off the ranch?"
"No." Faith watched Buffy tensely, the pace of her tapping fingers increasing. "He's working with Anya. There's bigger fish to fry than the guys in robes."
Dawn reached out, placing her hand on top of Faith's, stilling the fingers.
Without looking away from the pacing Buffy, Faith went on, "They think the First is going to call up some super vamps or something."
Willow frowned. She'd been watching Faith. As the other girl had spoken, she'd twined her fingers with Dawn's. Faith - holding hands? The conversation faded out. Willow ran through everything since Faith and Dawn had shown up. Oh shit. No way. Praying Buffy didn't notice her preoccupation, Willow extended a tendril of power, testing the energy surrounding Faith and Dawn.
"Oh my Goddess!" Willow bit her lip. There was...Faith and Dawn. "Oh my Goddess."
"Hey," Buffy laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure Faith and the guys have it under control." The hand tightened. "Right?" she directed at Faith.
Faith nodded; although, she didn't look completely confident. "Right, B. Under control. Giles and Anya are working on the super vamps; me and Xan are doing some planning for patrols; the witchy crew is doing the beacon spell and beefing up the magical protections."
Eyes widening, Willow watched Dawn edge her chair closer to Faith's. Neither of the brunettes seemed aware of the movement. Willow was. She so was. Buffy would freak if she figured it out. Willow wasn't doing well in the freak department, either.
Dawn deserved better than a convicted murderer. Willow tested the tenuous bond. There was still time. It wasn't complete. "What do you need us to do?" she asked, mind working on a plan, a way to separate them before it was too late.
***
Dawn scooted closer. Faith winked at the younger girl. Things were going alright. Red was a little moody, but that was normal. "For now, just pack up and follow us back to the house. Everyone's off doing their own thing, so you can sneak up and hide out."
"You really don't need us?" Buffy was wide eyed.
"No, B." Faith smirked, leaning back in her chair and idly stroking Dawn's jeans-covered thigh. "We're good." She might have her doubts about her ability to lead; she'd never admit them to Buffy.
Buffy still didn't look convinced. A frown tugged her lips. "Alright. We don't have anything to pack. Unless...Will? Did you have anything?"
Shaking her head, Willow glared at Faith. Faith followed the laser-like look — and jerked her hand from Dawn's leg. Fuck. When had that happened? Her palm felt warm. Rubbing her own thigh this time, Faith tried to smile at Willow. It didn't work. The glare didn't fade.
"Will?" Buffy must have felt the tension now. She turned to face Faith, hands resting on Willow's shoulders. "What's with the killing look?"
Faith wanted an answer, too. She was doomed to disappointment. Narrow shoulders shrugged, and the green eyes dropped. "Just thinking about the First and how I'm way pissed our vacation got cut short." Willow stood abruptly. "It so doesn't want to get in my way right now."
There was no doubt in Faith's mind that Willow was lying. The verbal warning was meant for her, not the First. Playing a hunch, she got to her feet and held out a hand to Dawn. "Come on, baby, let's show the girls to their rooms."
Bullseye. Willow took the bait. "Baby? When did Dawn become your baby?"
"Chill, Red. I was just joking," Faith mocked. It wasn't exactly a lie.
Three pairs of eyes stared at her.
Raising her hands in surrender, Faith reiterated, "Joking. Got it? As in, not serious."
"Thanks, Faith. Nice to know how you really feel." Dawn spun and stalked for the door, slamming it behind her.
"Is there something you want to tell me?" Buffy asked in a soft voice. Faith looked at her quickly. Not good. Buffy was pale, lips pressed tightly together. The hands on Willow's shoulders were now gripping, not resting.
Faith's stomach cramped, the scar burning. "Nothing, B." She forced herself to meet the hazel eyes. "I was just trying to be funny. Guess I missed." Her hands balled into fists, and Faith struggled to stay in the cabin. She wanted, needed to go after Dawn. Explain.
That wasn't an option. Willow, at least, suspected there was more than friendship between her and Dawn. Buffy was merely responding to her comment. It was time to pull away. Leave Dawn alone until things cooled down. Faith sighed, already feeling Dawn's absence as an emptiness deep inside.