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Chapter 1: Once More For Faith

Author's Notes: Short little epiphany I had while on break the other day. Yes yes I know I have updated but this was short so dont bite my head off!!! Lemmie know what you guys think though, you know Im a slave to my reviews. ~~~

Fang came by and visited me again. Seemed kinda distant today though. Like he know somethin' was goin' down and he didn't say nothin'. Same ol' Fang huh?

Gave me a few books. Catcher in the Rye was one of um. I read it back when I went to high school. Dam those were the good ol' days. No worries, no rules, just freedom. Act like you ain't have no freedom in high school there buddy. High school was the shit! We did what we wanted and the state paid for it all. Gotta love that set up.

Guess that's what I ended up with huh? What I ended up pushing them all away for. Everything good I had going for me pushed away just for that taste of freedom I was yearning for but didn't need, specially when I had such a sweet deal with the crew in Sunnyhell. I mean I had freedom, no rule nothin' ta worry bout ‘cept me myself and I. Then I got this responsibility thrown at me and my world went upside down.

Get some get gone girl that was me. Want take have my motto. Not at first though I mean, hell shit was great at first. Me? I was tearin' up Sunnyhell like there was no tomorrow. I mean, I'm fuckin' hot AND I have superpowers? Who the hell wouldn't use that to their advantage?

I'll tell you who, Lil' Miss Tightly Wound that's who AKA Buffy Summers. Buffy. God me and Soul Boy talk about her from time to time. Say's I gotta work out my "issues" tween she and I.

Way I see it, it's ancient history, water under the bridge and fuck I'm doing my time so what the fuck she gotta worry about? Not a DAM thing that's for sure. "Cept maybe the Scooby gang and her half pint lil' sis. Dawn, ha, what a lil' splinter in the ass she is. She's not far off from being the same kinda pain in the ass big sis is to me.

I'm lookin' outside my window now. Yea it's prison but they ain't THAT inhumane. Good inmates like me? We get shit. Yea who'da thought right. The bad slayer a good inmate. Well it's not like I could just let shit pop off when I knew I had the ability to stop it ya know?

Something's in the air. I can feel it. Thick. Demonic. Big Bad kinda shit. The hairs on the back'a my neck are on end. I hope B's ok.

Yea I care about her. Fuck, I love her! Shut up yes I do. I love her. Funny yea? Dark slayer in love with the Golden child. But its true. Can't deny shit like this anymore. Bad for the soul and all that. Least that's what Soul Boy keeps tellin' me, all cryptic holier than thou style. And since I cant stand hearin' him like that I just came to terms with it.

Jumpin' back and forth cause that's just me all right? Fuck if you can't keep up. It's proly cause I ain't had a good lay or spar in a while. Poppin' myself off is getting' old real fast *sighs*

God I miss her. I miss the freedom. I miss the Slaying. We used to be liquid with slaying. After we got used to each other, it was fluid, every fuckin' movement was so synchronized. Man it was beautiful.

I can feel her. Fuck. I think she's in trouble. Much like the time she died. I felt it. I knew. Like I said, we're connected. Slayer line and all that.

I wanted to tell her so much when I felt her go.

Part of me really wanted her gone, but then Queen C of ALL people told me that Red had brought her back. I musta smiled or something cause Queeny was like "Yea we're glad she's back too."

I wasn't happy, she saw my face but it just got to me that Blondie had more lives than fuckin' Dracula! And I know this to be true, least that's what Wes told me when I asked him ‘bout it after read that book.

I can't tell B shit now though. She'll proly wanna skew me with a javelin fore she hears me speak.

"Yo! Lehane!"

"Yea?!"

"You got a visitor!"

That's weird, I just saw Fang like 20 minutes ago and its after hours so whats that about?

She walked out of her cell and cuffs were placed on her wrists. The guard knows Faith very well. She saved him numerous times before. He knows the restraints aren't necessary but to save face he has no choice.

She is escorted to the visitor area.

Wonder who it is she thinks half excited but more so half nervous.

Her worries are confirmed when she sees golden hair in a booth before her.

Fuck me its her.

(BPOV)

So Giles said that this whole "Truth through singing" bit would hold strong for all of us no matter where we went till sun up.

Angel's got pull round here, he's saved so many loves and put so many bad guys behind bars its no wonder.

The second we got done sending the demon back to its hell, I kindof had the urge to see Faith for some reason. I've pretty much been more a "fly by the seat of her pants" kinda gal these days so I figured what the hell. Plus I've got the nifty singing thing to help me get out what needs to be gotten out. Gotten, is that even a word?

And now here we are. Angel's long gone now. Can't sense him anymore. But I feel her. That humming that I haven't felt since I last saw her confessing to the cop at the station house. Made me feel whole again, complete after feeling empty and lost for so long. But I'll never tell her that.

God, the look on her face when she saw me - Priceless.

Great now I feel like a MasterCard commercial.

(NOPOV)

The guard took off the cuffs and Faith stayed in front of the door that was just a short way away from leading to the end of the ward and into the visitor area. She couldn't believe Buffy was about 20 feet in front of her.

Her heart was racing, as was Buffy's.

‘Gotta love those superpowers,' she thought.

She slowly made her way through the door and to the chair that sat in front of Buffy. She crept up to the seat, trying to read the blonde in the process. No such luck.

Buffy studied Faith, watched her face, which didn't change, saw her hands, she fidgeted a bit. Her heart was pounding bout as fast as her own she finally noticed.

The brunette finally sat and picked up the phone. Buffy did the same.

"Yo B. Long time."

"You've been locked up in LA so it's going to be a long time."

‘Defensive all ready. This should be fun,' Faith complained to herself.

‘Shoot! Stop being so defensive!' Buffy yelled at herself.

"Whoa whoa, easy there Blondie. I ain't come here to start no beef. Now what's the deal? What you here?"

The blonde sighed, "Wanted to see how you're holdin' up."

Faith's eyebrow rose up as if it had a life of its own, "You pullin' my leg B. You were happy as fuck to see me go. Why the hell you come to see me? You came to brag bout how you still got it all? Even after you croaked you still got the whole she-bang?!" Faith yelled.

Buffy knew that Angel had found out about her dying but she didn't think the soul filled vampire would tell the rogue Slayer.

"I can't believe he told you."

"He didn't have to I felt you go!"

‘Fuck,' Faith cursed at herself.

Buffy's eyes shot up at the brunette quick after hearing that last line. Eyes glared over with a new found mixture of pain and emptiness. After everything the two had been through she had no idea whether Faith indeed had felt anything she had; whether she knew anything about heaven.

"So you felt me get ripped out then huh? Sucked out of paradise to this hell on earth?" Buffy growled.

Faith had a blank stare on, ‘Great now she DOES know,' the elder Slayer complained to herself.

"B... I didn't I...I had no idea..."

"You know what, this was a mistake."

"What was?" Faith was beyond confused.

"Thinking that by me using this ‘Truth through music' crap that I'd get you to come out about your feelings!"

Faith was thrown aback at the outburst, as was Buffy.

"What you mean ‘Truth by singing?'" Faith questioned.

Buffy simply responded with a sigh, "Nothing Faith. This was all just a mistake."

She slammed the phone down and pushed her chair outward. Faith watched with sheer awe at the agitated beauty before her slowly leaving, who knew for how long.

She had to get this off her chest; needed some closure. But then again, so did Buffy.

So Buffy sang first.

I'm so tired of being here.

Faith watched her as she sang. Felt the sting on emotion as she recognized the song.

Suppressed by all my childish fears

And if you have to leave

I wish that you would just leave

Cause your presence still lingers here

And it won't leave me alone

‘She still feels me after all this time? After everything we've been through?'

The wounds wont seem to heal

Faith touched the scar that Buffy had given her

This pain is just to real

There's just too much that time cannot erase.

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears

‘She did'

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears

‘She tried to get close to me after the Finch incident'

I held your hand through all of these years

But you still held

All of me

‘How could I have known that she wanted to give herself to me?'

You used to captivate me

By your resonating light

Now I'm bound by the life you left behind

‘Dam she's talkin' bout the good ol' days where we would cut loose and have fun.'

Your face it holds

My once pleasant dreams

Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me.

‘Dam.'

The wounds wont seem to heal

This pain is just to real

There's just too much that time cannot erase.

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears

I held your hand through all of these years

But you still held

All of me

Buffy was crying then, tears coming down with every breath she took in.

I've tried so hard to tell myself that your gone

Her eyes were fixated on Faith then, raw unbridled with pain and sorrow.

But though your still with me

I've been alone all along

Faith furrowed her eyebrows at that last line, ‘But she's never alone. She's got the Scoobies and Giles and kid sis and even Soul Boy! And me...I'd never leave her alone.'

Faith stood then watching Buffy complete her ballad.

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears

‘Now I will.'

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears

‘You don't have to run anymore Buffy.'

I held your hand through all of these years

‘I'm holding on and never gonna let go.'

But you still held

All of me

Buffy finished her song. Faith was speechless even though she had been so deep in thought while listening to the elder Slayer release herself in song. Faith loved Evanescence, knew their music quite well, loved the lyrics and the messages behind the songs; knew the pain and happiness and unbridled emotions that were behind them.

Buffy was looking for a sign, a tear and iota of emotion. But she saw none in Faith then and there. Even after she had bared her feelings to the Dark haired Slayer.

She didn't know what else to do. So she turned to walk away.

Until Faith started to sing.

A hundred days have made me older

Since the last time that I saw your pretty face

Buffy slowly turned, ‘She thinks I'm pretty?'

A thousand lies have made me colder

And I don't think I can look at this the same.

Buffy faced Faith then. She felt every words, every line.

But all the miles have separated

Disappear

Now when I'm dreaming of your face

‘She dreams of me?'

I'm here without you baby

But you're still on my lonely mind

‘She thinks about me too? Does she really care?'

I think about you baby

And I dream about you all the time

I'm here without you baby

But you're still with me in my dreams

There's only you and me.

Faith had placed a hand on the glass. It wasn't allowed by because of the spell she guessed no alarms sounded.

The miles just keep rolling

As the people leave their way to say hello

I've heard this life is over rated

‘I know that all too well.'

But I hope that it gets better as we go

‘We? Does she mean the two of us?'

I'm here without you baby

But you're still on my lonely mind

I think about you baby

And I dream about you all the time

I'm here without you baby

But you're still with me in my dreams

There's only you and me.

‘God I had no idea how beautiful a voice she had.'

Everything I know and anywhere I go

It gets harder but it won't take away my love

‘I've been without her for so long...'

And when the last one falls

When its all said and don't

It gets hard but it won't take away my love

‘She hasn't given up then? On herself, on me, on us?'

I'm here without you baby

But you're still on my lonely mind

I think about you baby

And I dream about you all the time

I'm here without you baby

But you're still with me in my dreams

There's only you and me.

Faith's song ended and the guard came in ready to take her away.

The tears that were welling up inside her now fell hard down her cheeks. Burning a trail down to the area where her dimples would be if she were smiling.

Buffy had blinked back the tears long enough and a sob escaped her as they fell. Faith wanted nothing more than to run and kiss the tears away.

The guard saw the two of them and his heart went out to them. But he needed to get Faith back to her cell before anyone knew what was up.

"Lehane. Times up."

She turned to him and he saw the pain, the anguish she left at hearing his unintended dual connotation. Her mouth was agape. There was so much more she wanted to do, so much more she wanted to say.

"No...please...I just," but when she turned back the blonde was gone.

"NOOO!!!" she screamed

"BUFFY! PLEASE! COME BACK!"

Buffy hid behind the steel door that had originally led her back to Faith. She was crying them. She didn't anticipate so much naked emotion to come flying at her; didn't think that things would have ended up the way they did. It was all catching up to her faster than she was capable of dealing.

"Buffy I can still feel you! I know your still here!" Faith bellowed. She couldn't take it much more herself.

Buffy tried to cover her ears to shut out the brunette's screeches.

"Faith please calm down. We gotta get you outta here before the Warden comes."

She didn't want time added to her all ready lengthy sentence, but she wanted Buffy so much more. ‘B thinks she's alone. That I did what I did to leave her solo in the fight but that's not true. I need her just as bad as I know she needs me.'

She turned to the guard. She had gotten to know him pretty well. Had a family and two kids, three dogs and a nagging mother-in-law. She respected him but knew that this was gonna kill his career. "Derrik. I'm sorry."

He looked at her confused and she jumped through the glass that divided visitors from the inmates.

She quickly jumped out of the window and ran as hard and as fast as she could as the alarm bells finally sounded.

Buffy felt Faith's adrenaline jump and knew something was up. When she head the glad shatter she knew the brunette had made a run for it. She got to her feet and proceeded down the stairs and outside. It was pure chaos as guards scrambled to try and see who it was that had escaped, how and where they had gone off to. But amidst that chaos, Buffy needed to find Faith.

She closed her eyes and focused. All she had to do was think of Faith and her Slayer senses would do the rest. A white light went through her and she was locked onto the dark Slayer. Buffy took to the chase.

Faith didn't know where she was going; all she knew was that she had to keep running. Her legs ached and her lungs burned but all that mattered was to run far and run hard. ‘Slayer speed ain't shit against a car. But the more a lead I have on them the less likely I am to get caught,' she thought.

She turned right suddenly heading into the ghetto of a neighborhood. ‘Cops couldn't find anyone here if they tried. Its like trying ta find a needle in a haystack,' she reasoned.

But breathing was becoming more and more of a chore. She needed to rest if only for a second. She ducked into an abandoned motel. ‘Just like old times,' she thought.

No one was there. Then the hairs stood on end. She turned and Buffy was right behind her breathing heavily.

‘She musta been bookin' it cause I didn't sense her at all while I was runnin,' Faith thought slightly amazed at her sister Slayer.

"Faith what are you doing," she rasped out.

"Standin' right now B. Tryin' ta catch some air before I sprint off again. Kinda need air ta move."

"No Faith I mean what are you DOING. You just broke out of prison!"

"Yea I can see that seein' as how I was the one doing the breakin' out portion.' She turned around to walk out the door.

"Faith wait!"

She froze.

"Faith please. No more running."

Faith's eyes looked to the ground, She was so terribly tired of running. Every night since she got into prison she's had the same dream where Buffy said those words, ‘No More Running' and then kissed her. But she knew they were just that, dreams. Nothing prophetic behind them, no dual meaning. Just wishes from deep within her, desires that she had longed to fulfill.

She didn't know what to do.

"B...Buffy," she all but whispered.

The tears were welling up again. Her being so close wanted helping the situation either. There was always so much involved when the two of them were close, though unspoken, it was there, always had been always will be.

Sayin' I love you is not the words I want to hear from you

Its not that I want you not to say it but

If you only knew how easy it would be to show me how you feel

More than words is all you have to do to make it real

Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me

Cause I'd all ready know.

Then Buffy interrupted singing the same song,

What would you do if my heart was torn in two

More than words to show you feel that your love for me is real

What would you say if I took those words away

Then you couldn't make things new just by sayin'

I love you

Then finally, they sang together, harmonizing their voices into a beautiful crash of sentiment.

Sayin' I love you Sayin' I love you

More than words

(Faith) Now that I've tried to talk to you and make you understand

(Buffy) All you have to do is close your eyes and just reach out your hand

(Both) And touch me hold me close don't ever let me go!

More than words is all you have to do to make it real

Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me

Cause I'd all ready know.

They finished singing, looking directly into each other's eyes. Nothing more needing to be said, it was there, it was more than words could capture.

They collided with one another in a passionate kiss; crushing hot emotionally saturated so much so that their tears, the tears they held for each other finally fell.

Buffy pulled away and saw the brunette with tears in her eyes and her cheeks stained by the wet and painful trail they blazed.

"No more running Faith."

And they kissed again. Tenderly, gently, promises being held within them extended to one another.

"With you by my side, I don't have to run Buffy. And you don't have to feel alone."

"I'm not going anywhere Faith. And I don't feel alone anymore."

And then she woke from her dream. Sheets were strewn about, kicked down to the bottom portion of her bed as well as she breathed heavily from the dream that had stirred her awake. But she felt it, the sting of the kiss, the pain in her heart, and even when she touched her cheeks noticed that the tears did in fact fall.

‘It wasn't real? But...'

(Faith) ‘I felt her'

~~~