Chapter 3: While You Were Sleeping
BASEMENT TRIAGE ROOM – TWO WEEKS LATER – 6:00 AM
FAITH’S POV
It’s very bright, almost blinding. I don’t need to open my eyes to I know I’m in a white room, much like the one that was at Wolfram and Hart, except there’s no panther or freaky little girl. I have no strength, I can barely move but the pain is gone so now I’m wondering if maybe I’m dead. Then I realize I’m alive, lying in bed… and I’m not alone. I feel a hand trail down the side of my face, stopping at my lips where a finger lightly traces their outline. I take a deep breath then thank the Gods for Slayer dreams.
“Hey, B,” I murmur, not wanting to open my eyes for fear of ending this moment.
“Hi gorgeous,” Buffy leans over and I feel the warmth of her breath on my face. She captures my lips with hers and I lose myself in her incredibly sweet kiss. She pulls away as I slowly open my eyes to drink her in. “I wasn’t sure you’d wake up, you’re still pretty beat up there baby.” She smiles at me then nips at my lips again, “I’m glad you did though; I wanted to see you.”
Slowly wrapping my arms around her, “You’re a sight for sore eyes, B.”
“You really scared me this time,” her grip on me tightens.
“Didn’t mean to...” I bury my head into her neck, “I missed you so much.” Gods, how can she feel so good? I know this is a dream, well more than a regular dream, a Slayer dream, but a dream still…
“Shhh, you’re hurt and tired…” she holds my face in her hands, gently rubbing her thumbs across my cheekbones, “relax … don’t think…” her eyes search mine and I just want to crawl into the comfort they are offering. She allows her weight to rest against me; “just…” her hair tickles the side of my face as she kisses me again; the sweetness turning into a want we’ve both been holding down for a very long time.
Suddenly, every inch of my body is screaming for her. My skin pulses under her touch as her hands caress my face, neck, sliding down my side. Feeling my heart pound with hers, I want... God, no, I need her.
She pulls away panting, “Sorry,” then she smiles that sexy smile I adore, “didn’t mean to dream-jump you.” She leans back, her head now resting on her hand.
I pull her on top of me, “Yeah, just you wait till I’m feeling better,” Have I mentioned I love feeling the length of her body against mine? “I’ll be the one doing the jumping.”
She’s leaning on her elbows now, one hand under each of my shoulders, her thumbs rubbing the base of my neck, “I love you, Faith.”
Still trying to catch my breath, I see her smiling down on me. “Mmmm, and I love you.”
She kisses my forehead then rests hers on mine, “You’re not empty baby.”
I close my eyes briefly and swallow, not wanting thoughts of reality to come crashing in, not now, please not yet. “I needed to be to get out of there.” I lift my gaze to hers and see the denial of this fact of my life. I sigh as I feel my eyes getting heavy.
“You don’t have to...” She stops herself, shakes her head then rolls us over and pulls my face to her chest, “I’m sorry baby; we can talk about it later. Sleep; you need your strength so you can come back to me. It won’t be much longer now, I can feel it.” I look to her and try to reply, to explain, to tell her about this past year, to let her know what the Mok’tagar demon said, but she covers my mouth with hers and I melt into her kiss yet again. God, I’m such a sucker for this woman. Pulling back she envelopes me in her arms, bringing me closer into her, “Shhh, tell me later.” She kisses my forehead, “Sleep my baby,” she whispers.
My eyes flutter closed as I rest against her and slide into the rhythm of her breathing. And as the gentle lull of the rise and fall of her chest takes me to that peaceful place, I realize I have to stop trying to get back and just do it. I need to wake up... like now.
******
Gradually opening my eyes, I feel rested but still tired, if that makes any sense, oh, and totally jonesing for Buffy; who I happily notice is right beside me, her hand covering mine. She’s sleeping on a chair that has been pulled over to the side of the bed; her head nestled in the crook of her arm. The tingling where our hands meet tells me this is actually happening and not an extension of my dream. And sweet Jesus, what a dream! We’ve had Slayer dreams together before, hell tons of times, but never one like that; that was incredible, damn hot I tell you. I wonder what would have happened if she didn’t stop? Could we have, ya know, in the dream? Oh, I have to put that thought on hold right now because I need to squeeze my eyes shut against the blinding pain that is searing through my entire body. “Buffy,” I groan out. Then I feel her hand squeeze mine.
“Hey, good morning,” she smiles at me; God, how I’ve missed her smile. “Let me get that for you.”
She unfolds herself from the chair and reaches up behind me. I follow her movements with my eyes as she turns a dial on my IV; the pain gradually starts to slip away. Locking eyes with her, I take in every inch of her face; she looks so incredibly tired. “What’s in there?” Whoa, is that me? My voice sounds super low and raspy, like I smoked 3 packs of Reds and drank a bottle of Jack.
“Just a little something for the pain,” she expertly rolls the dial again and I feel the rush of the drug fade.
“Buffy?” I know she can hear the edge in my voice.
“Ok, it’s morphine, you can control how much or how little you want depending on the pain.” She smiles again, “or how obstinate you’re feeling at the time. I’ll show you how it works later ok?” She’ll teach me? When did she learn how to do that?
“You gonna go and turn me into a junkie babe?”
Her hand slides from the IV dial to my face, “No way, after the first couple of days Willow, um, ‘modified’ the chemical structure to make it non-habit forming.” She kisses my forehead then pulls her chair closer to the bed, plopping down Indian-style. “You just rest and let your body continue to heal itself. You lost a lot of blood so it’s taking longer, and if you’re in constant pain, you can’t rest, hence the morphine.” She takes in my look of concern, “Really, it’s not a lot, Faith, just enough to dull the pain.” Brushing my hair back from my face her expression softens, “God, I missed you.” She takes my hand again.
My own smile turns into a smirk, “Yeah, I kinda gathered from the dream.” I wiggled my eyebrows and even though it hurts like a bastard, damn, her full on blush was definitely worth the pain.
“That, I, um, it just kinda,” slowly she lifts her eyes up to mine, “I couldn’t help myself.”
“Yeah?” Very slowly I take my hand from her grasp and trail my fingers down the side of her face. It’s been so very long.
She holds my hand to her cheek, leaning into the touch, “Yeah.” Bringing it to her lips, she kisses my fingers then places my hand back on the bed. “Let me go get Em and Sophia, they’ll kill me if I don’t tell them the second you wake up.” She rises, stops, then leans over and lightly kisses my lips, “Be right back.”
My mind begins to race as it starts making connections: B looks like she hasn’t slept in ages, a self-administered (or from the looks of her comfort level with it, a Buffy-administered morphine drip), she said Red spelled the drug after the first couple of days, now Sophia’s here, none of these are good signs. “B?”
She turns to me, eyebrows raised.
“How long?”
She tilts her head and gives me a sad smile, “You’ve been back for two weeks.” I know there’s more, but that’s all she’s willing to say right now. My face betrays my shock; I see it reflected in her pained expression. “Let me get them, then we’ll do the details, ok?” She squeezes my hand, “I’ll be right back.”
“K” I lean back into the bed and take in all the gizmos I’m connected to. Dude, I so know what the back of a stereo feels like… again. This was a very close call, too fucking close.
KITCHEN – 6:24 AM
BUFFY’S POV
“Sí Mama… sé… sé que usted y Papá muy están decepcionados, pero no deseé... bien.”
I hear Sophia speaking in Spanish as I come into the kitchen from the basement stairs and mouth to her ‘Faith’s awake.’
“Mama, tengo que ahora ir... ningún no todavía... nosotros la pienso voluntad pronto sin embargo... sí, yo diré Buffy...Te amo también Mama adiós.”
Narrowing my eyes at her after she hangs up, “Ok, I caught ‘we think she will soon’ and ‘I’ll tell Buffy’ the rest is a mystery… Ohh and that you were talking to your mom.” I grin, very pleased with myself. “Why did you say she wasn’t awake yet?”
“Are you kidding me?” Shaking her head she gets up from the kitchen table, “Because if I did, she’d never let me get off the phone and would probably demand to speak with Faith herself. She made quite the impression with my Mom.”
“Yeah, it’s funny how she has a way with parents isn’t it?” I tilt my head to the side, “You ok?”
“You bet, just still handling relationship fallout.” She finishes her coffee and puts the cup in the dishwasher.
“Oh, ouch.”
“No, it’s ok. How’s Faith?” She heads for the basement door.
“Good, lucid, hating the morphine but understanding she needs it to rest and heal. Why don’t you go ahead down? I’m going to wake up Emma.”
Turning back to me she quietly says, “Ok, but do it gently, Nicky’s still sleeping with her.”
“Yeah, I know.” I bow my head, fucking Grimslaw demon, we should have been better prepared, fuck that, I should have realized it wasn’t safe for Martin or Nicky to leave the house.
“It’s not your fault Buffy, Martin was a powerful witch and Sara was a well trained Slayer. We’re just lucky Emma was there or Nicky would be dead too.”
“I don’t think Nicky feels too lucky after seeing her Dad’s heart ripped out of his chest by a massive spider creature; not even a week after she sees her Mom killed by bounty hunters. I’m a fucking idiot, Soph, I never should have let them leave the house.” I hold up my hand to stop her protests, “Look at the condition Faith came back in. How could I have been so stupendously moronic to think they were safe here?”
She walks over to me putting a hand on my shoulder, “You didn’t tell them to go out - ”
“And I didn’t tell them to stay either, so guilt by omission. Faith almost died getting them here and I let them walk into a trap within a week? I don’t know what I was thinking, but I obviously wasn’t thinking.” I shrug her hand off my shoulder.
Sophia sighs, “Look Buffy, 20-20 hindsight is all great but you couldn’t have known. No one believes that. No one blames you.”
Fighting back the tears in my eyes, I turn from her, “Faith will, she would have known, would have been more cautious.”
“Buffy...” Sophia pleads for me to listen to her reasoning.
But I just can’t listen to her; I walk out and make my way upstairs. Faith will want to see Emma and Emma will kill me if I don’t let her know she’s finally awake.
Very slowly I open her door to see her very much wide awake; lying on her back, looking out the window, repeatedly running her hand over Nicky’s hair. Her new shadow is asleep, curled up in a ball, melded into her side. Emma’s lost in thought and I realize I haven’t seen that look on her face in many years, since I brought her back from South Africa. She looks a little worried and a lot anxious. No doubt because of the madness of last week and the fact that Nicky refuses to leave her side.
“Em,” I whisper.
She looks up at me and smiles, “Hey,” she says softly.
“Faith’s awake,” I continue to whisper.
“Ok, give me a minute.” She motions to Nicky.
I nod my understanding. I close her door and make my way back downstairs to Faith. Once I make it to the kitchen, I realize she’ll want coffee for sure, then to know what’s been going on while she’s been out of it. Taking a very deep breath, I pour a couple of cups then head back to her.
BASEMENT TRIAGE ROOM – 6:52 AM
SOPHIA’S POV
“So they went to get some air, just a walk around the block. Sara and Emma went with them just in case. And that’s when the Grimslaw demon jumped them. Sara shielded Martin, it cut her down in a second, ripped her heart out.” Faith is incredibly alert and wanted the run down of the past 2 weeks. I was giving her the reader’s digest version as I changed her dressings.
Faith blows out a breath then motions for me to continue.
“Then it killed Martin, the same way, Emma said it was really fast. The only reason Nicky is alive is because Emma was giving her a piggy back ride. Once Sara and Martin were down, Emma, well she said her and Nicky together, telepathically exploded the demon. She can give you more details but she told me it was like their power and anger merged then they channeled it together and ‘threw it’ at the demon. She said you would understand. They came back looking like they bathed in blood.”
“Jesus.” Faith put her face in her hands. “How’s Nicky?”
“She’s holding up.” I smile, “She’s a spunky kid. But, she won’t let Emma out of her sight, except when Em goes to class, then she sits here with you. She’s been sleeping with Em too. I think she only feels safe when she’s with you two.”
Another deep sigh comes from Faith before she looks up at me, “Sara was what – 26? Fuck. How are her parents?”
Kennedy, Willow, Andrew and Dawn all went to Seattle to bring Sara’s body home and explain how she died to Sara’s family. It was the least we could do. “I talked to Dawn last night, she said they were still pretty much dazed, but coping. I guess all of our families are waiting for that phone call one day, but when it happens, it’s still a shock, you know?” Yeah and how would she know? Jesus, I’m such as asshole, all the family she has is here in this house. I make a mental note to kick myself later. “She said they’ll be on the red-eye tonight so we’ll see them early tomorrow.”
She’s quiet, lying back with her eyes closed, letting all of it sink in.
Gingerly I continue, “There’s one more thing.”
“Go ahead, bring it on,” Faith mumbles resigned to more bad news.
“Buffy blames herself; she thinks she let you down.”
Faith looks up, “Well that doesn’t make any sense. How could she have known? I mean Martin, Sara and Emma were all there, it wasn’t like the kid had no protection.”
“Still, I should have made sure they didn’t leave the house.” Buffy steps into the room with two cups of coffee in hand.
Faith shakes her head, “B, it’s not your fault.”
Buffy goes to Faith’s side handing her a mug, “We’ll talk later.” Said in such a way – damn, this conversation is so over.
Not to be dismissed, “Yeah, we will.” Faith takes a sip, hands the mug back to Buffy then turns to me, “Now that I’m awake, if I have to stay in bed can it at least be my own? Hanging out in the basement reminds me too much of other ‘accommodations’ I’ve had over the years.”
I think about it for a moment, “I don’t see why not. I guess Emma and I can move everything upstairs.”
“Moving already? But can you trust this one to behave?” Emma walks in the doorway as she tilts her head Buffy’s way. She stops at the foot of Faith’s bed and Nicky peers out from behind her back as Buffy looks at her in confusion. “Don’t even Buff, got the vibe from the dream. You’re so busted.”
Emma smirks, Faith chuckles, Buffy blushes, Nicky is oblivious and I’m starting to put it together, “Don’t even tell me…” I narrow my eyes at Faith and Buffy.
“Ah, I, ah,” Buffy stammers “nothing happened.” Then her brow furrows, “And aren’t you supposed to cloaked?”
Emma winks at her, “Hello, I was sleeping, it woke me up.”
“What?” Nicky’s curiosity is peaked, “Are you talking about things only adults do?”
Emma saves us all, “No, sweetie, we’re talking about tickling.”
“Well, I think you’re talking about sex.” Where’s that pin that people are always talking about dropping? “Mommy and Daddy told me, sometimes boys marry girls, sometimes boys marry boys and sometimes girls marry girls. So it’s ok that Buffy and Faith have sex, they’re married.” Nicky is quite pleased with herself. The rest of us are all a tad speechless.
Faith laughs, “Come here kid,” she waves a hand for Nicky to come closer.
Nicky jumps down from Emma’s back and scrambles up onto Faith’s bed. Incredibly, she is very mindful of all the tubes and wires. Cuddling up to her, she rests her head on Faith’s shoulder. Suddenly she’s very solemn, “I was worried you were going to die too. Mommy and Daddy told me they were going to die, but they said you would live. I was starting to think they just told me that to make me feel better when you weren’t waking up.”
Faith caught Buffy’s eyes, then Emma’s “It’s ok Nicky, I’m sorry I scared you. I was hurt really bad but I’m getting better now.” Faith grimaces in pain as Nicky turns and hugs her a little too vehemently.
Nicky pulls back wide-eyed, “Emma and Sophia are going to make you all better.” She adds with conspiratorial emphasis, “They told me so.”
Faith smiles, such a sweet smile I think I’ve never seen grace her lips, “Then it must be true, huh kiddo?” As Nicky nods, Faith leans back and closes her eyes.
“Ok, Faith needs some rest now Nicky, why don’t you go get some breakfast?” I raise my eyebrows to Emma.
She returns the gaze, understanding completely, “Yeah, I’ll make you anything you want.”
Nicky smiles enthusiastically as Emma helps her down from the bed. “Pancakes!”
“You got it, hot stuff,” Em laughs as she takes her hand. She looks at Faith, “We’ll talk later, ok?”
Faith stares at her for a while before answering; only doing so when Emma furrows her brow and tilts her head. The action shakes Faith from her thoughts, “Yeah, sorry, spacing. You know where to find me.” She says with a grin that fades as Emma leaves.
As they head upstairs we can hear Nicky say to Emma, “I can stay cloaked when I’m sleeping, my mommy showed me how.”
“Really?” Emma’s impressed, “That’s something you definitely have to teach me.”
You can hear the excitement in Nicky’s voice when she answers, “You bet I will!”
Buffy reaches over to her, “You ok?”
“God, B, what happened to that quiet 15 year old girl who slammed up against your back when you guys came here from Durban?”
Buffy smiled, “She’s become an incredibly strong and responsible 2nd year med school student/Slayer/Witch/Demon/awesome pancake maker... have I forgotten anything, Sophia?”
“Don’t forget fiercely loyal friend and all-around great person.” I join in the Emma-fest.
My smile wanes as I see Faith look so sad as she murmurs, “I missed so much of her life…”
“Babe, don’t…” Buffy takes her hand and I think now is a really good time to help Emma make those pancakes.
BUFFY & FAITH’S ROOM – 8:27 PM
EMMA’S POV
Today was almost normal; well, as normal as my life can possibly be. Sophia and I got Faith settled up here without too much of a fuss. She really just needed the IV hooked up and some extra dressings. I can’t begin to describe how I feel now that Faith is awake and healing quickly. It seems so natural to be sitting here on the edge of their bed as she rests back on the headboard, Buffy right by her side. I didn’t realize how much I missed this until right now; the three of us, together. It’s not something that happens often, but when it does, it makes a lot of other shit we go through worth it.
“So Martin had the sight?” Faith asks, bringing me out of my thoughts.
“Yeah, apparently he and his wife wanted Nicky to know as much as possible from them before their time was up, including the fact that their time would be up soon.” Watching for their reactions, “I think she may have it too.”
“What happened?” Buffy asks.
Lying across the bottom of their bed, I prop my head on my hand, “Last night she said she wanted to get a good night’s sleep cause ‘Faith’s waking up in the morning.’”
“Hmmm,” Buffy nods, “Could be coincidence, but it’s not like any of us really believe that, right?”
I reach into my back pocket and hand Faith a letter. “Nicky gave this to me to give you. She said Martin told her you should have it after he died.”
“Jesus, what that kid has to handle at 8,” Buffy shakes her head.
Faith just looked at the letter, “Go ahead, read it.”
Unfolding the envelope, I break the seal and remove the letter inside. Fighting the urge to do a quick scan ahead, I take a deep breath and begin reading aloud:
Dear Faith,
While I realize this may sound strange, I want to thank in advance. You see, I knew Stacey would die in that awful place, as I knew you would come and defend us from the remaining bounty hunters. I don’t pretend to know all about you, but I do know you sacrificed your life for us and would do it again to protect my daughter. I also know that I won’t live long enough to see you wake.
My sight is not far-reaching, yet I understand you are the Champion of the Powers that Be. My contempt for them is only matched by my respect for them. I was bitter when you and I first met for obvious reasons. We both know how they work and the blame for events should not be laid at their feet. It has been an honor to use the visions they sent me to help others on their road in life.
As a final gift from the Powers, they’ve shown me you will raise my child in my place. This last vision from them has indeed been a blessing as I know of no other who will protect, guide and cherish my daughter as you will. In those few hours we spent together, she had taken to you like no one I’ve ever seen. Perhaps she has the sight as well and knows you are her future; my wife and I often guessed she did.
The Powers that Be showed me parts of your life and cautioned that because of some events, you would be reluctant to accept this responsibility. Believe me when I tell you there is no error: you are the one who will train her for the coming fight; you are the one who will bring her to adulthood; you are the one who will see her through. I ask you to accept this dead man’s plea: love my daughter as you would your own.
May the Gods be with you,
Martin Agosta
Holy shit! Looking up at them, not believing I got it all out without stopping on numerous occasions, “Guys?” Like a tennis match, my eyes rove from one to the other before resting on Faith, “Does this mean you’ll be home now and won’t be the Champion anymore? Does that mean I’m the Champion now?” No one answers. “Buffy, what does it mean?”
“It means I’m going to go see the PtB tomorrow.” She says matter-of-factly. Faith and I look at her. “What? You are not going there till you absolutely have to,” her eyes bore into mine. Then she turns and narrows them at Faith, “and you… don’t even think about it. You can’t even stand, let alone take a drive.”
“But how could I accept such a responsibility? I don’t know how to be a parent,” Faith whispers.
I wave my hand then point to myself, “Hello, proof here talking, ah, yes you do.”
She sighs, “Come on, you were half grown when you got here. And I’ve also been basically absent for the past 6 years, what kind of a fucking parent does that make me? Buffy raised you Em, not me.” She stares at her hands and softly adds, “I had nothing to do with it.”
Biting my lip, I level my gaze at her and send her a metal poke that forces her to look up at me. When she does, I slowly shake my head, trying to keep my voice from trembling, “You know that’s not true.”
Buffy covers Faith’s hand with hers, “You’re forgetting the vision, Faith, he saw you raising her. This is a done deal.”
Faith looks at both of us then leans back. After closing her eyes for a moment, she snaps them open. “Em, get the door.”
“Huh?” Then I concentrate and feel her presence too. “Oh.” I jump up then quickly open the door and watch as she spills out onto the carpet. “And I’m guessing you have a REALLY good excuse for spying?” I start to laugh as I close the door again.
Ignoring me, Nicky picks herself up and walks directly over to Faith, “You don’t want to take care of me?”
“Ah Nick,” Faith sighs then pats the space next to her, “Come here.” Now she has Buffy on one side, Nicky on the other and me back lying across the foot of the bed. “Of course I want to take care of you. I’m just afraid I’ll mess it up and you are far too important to have me mess up your life.”
“But you’re not going to mess it up. Everyone here is going to help you.” She cuddles up closer to Faith, “I know it; because Daddy was right, I have the sight too.”
Now Faith lets out a chuckle then looks around at all of us, “Yes, of course you do.”
And as right as it felt sitting here, just the three of us, it feels even better now that we’re four. I know Faith and Buffy can sense it too, how this was meant to be. We can deal with the prophecy and what the Mok’tagar demon told Faith later. Right now all of us need to heal in our own way. And I have a feeling we’re going to do it together.
