Joyce stroked her hair. "You worry too much about things that don't matter. What-ifs can drive you crazy? I mean--" She frowned at Dawn. "What if I hadn't made it? What would happen to you two without me? You wouldn't be having to nursemaid a crippled mother, but the idea of the two of you alone, having to cope with all that, with Glory on top of it all . . ."
Buffy leaned over to hug her mother tightly. "But you did make it. You are here, and you're getting better and better, and Glory's gone, and we're all still here--or, more or less. Nobody's dead--or, at least, not in the gone forever, never come back sense--" She broke off to keep from crying. That kept happening, every time she thought about Giles.
Joyce kissed her hair. "Not now, honey. Don't try to deal with that right now."
"I'm going to have to deal with it eventually."
"But not right now. Time enough when we get home and get things a bit more back to normal."
Buffy tried not to laugh. "Normal. What's that like?"
"Well, I thought normal might be something like--summer school."
Buffy leaned back fast. "What? Summer school?"
"Or summer semesters, whatever they call it in college. A way to make up those classes you missed." Joyce glanced at Dawn. "Do you think her school will buy having to leave town for a grandmother's funeral?"
"Probably." Buffy gazed at her mother, fighting back another round of tears that was probably as much stress relief as anything else. There had been nightmares she'd told no one about, of finding Joyce dead, of having to bury her mother, of having to make some kind of life for Dawn while still having to save the world. In those dreams she'd envied those other Slayers, the ones without families, without loved ones who needed worrying about.
She heard Dawn laugh behind her, then begin a conversation with Willow and Tara. She even managed to coax a chuckle out of Xander.
"We won," Buffy whispered.
"Yes, we did," Joyce said, smiling that proud smile again.
"It wasn't easy, it cost a lot, but--we won." Joyce nodded. "And that's enough for now, right?"
"Right."
Dawn reached over and poked Buffy in the arm. "When are we going home?"
Buffy felt a brief wave of dismay that everyone was looking to her for the answer, but that just came with the territory. "Tomorrow?" She looked around and saw nods and shrugs. "Tomorrow." She took a deep breath and let it out, feeling victory and its cost settle into place. "We go home."
Wow, Connie! I can't believe that I'm actually going to post this following 'Career Change', but here goes...
Dream A Little Dream
She decided that she must be under some type of spell. This had to have something to do with magic. Realistically, it wasn't all that long ago that one of Willow's spells had gone awry and Buffy had found herself engaged to Spike, of all people. However, to be perfectly honest with herself, she hadn't been aware of being under a spell then, so why would she be particularly aware of it now, if this was in fact, another spell that she was under?
Buffy's first instinct was to ask Willow nonchalantly about any recent spells she had performed. Not that she suspected Willow. Well, not after accusing her the night before last. Either way, Willow had promised Buffy that she had been extremely careful lately with her spells.
So why was she having so many intimate dreams involving herself and Faith?
It was three o'clock in the morning and she'd just woken, drenched in perspiration, from a vivid dream that had started quite innocently. The same dream that she'd experienced every night this week.
In the dream, Buffy and Faith entered an older crypt that was vaguely recognizable as the Hanover crypt, once inhabited by a gang of vampires last year, although she couldn't be positive.
After a complete inspection of the small room, Buffy said to Faith, "All clear. Looks like nothing has been disturbed in here for awhile."
"Especially the dust, B. Damn."
"The Hanover's have been dead for about a millenium. You expect the cleaning lady to still be on retainer?"
Faith walked over to Buffy and mock punched her in the arm with a coy smile. "I'm just saying, it's not like The Watcher's Council is gonna kick in a couple measly bucks to help their two star slayers out with medical bills if we start wheezing when our lungs are filled with crap due to our chosen profession."
"Uh-huh."
"What's up with you? No snappy come back about inhaling? Sucking in the dead?" Faith asked as she stepped closer to Buffy and placed her right palm on Buffy's forehead. "You don't feel hot or feverish."
With the touch of Faith's hand, Buffy felt a flash of electricity vibrate through her body and she backed up a step away from Faith towards the rear wall of the crypt. "I...uh, I'm...fine."
Faith's brow was furrowed; she was obviously offended."Fine, huh? Good to know," she said as she turned away from Buffy and started toward the entrance of the crypt.
Without a thought, Buffy reached out and caught Faith's hand, turning her back around so that they were once again face to face. Averting her eyes, Buffy told her, "I'm sorry. I'm a little... off tonight."
When Faith didn't respond, Buffy slowly raised her eyes and met Faith's stare, suddenly realizing just how close they were standing to each other. She could feel Faith's breath on her face. Apparently, when she pulled Faith back to her, she had used more force than she had thought.
A feeling of unease and excitement filled Buffy as her breath caught in her throat from the realization that she was still holding Faith's hand in her own.
She also realized that she didn't want to let go.
Faith leaned closer to Buffy, backing her against the wall, and whispered into Buffy's ear, "I might have expected this from Willow."
Buffy didn't move away.
Faith paused a moment, without moving either, and continued. "Thought about it once or twice even...but you?"
Buffy felt her breathing become more rapid. Shallow and quick. The thought of Faith's lips so close to her ear and the feel of Faith's warm breath on her neck wasn't the slightest bit odd. In fact, it felt amazing.
Faith's free hand brushed against Buffy's cheek, pausing at her chin and turning Buffy's face just slightly towards her own. "If you want me to stop, B, tell me now."
Buffy still didn't move, couldn't move. She felt as if every nerve in her body were tingling.
Faith moved a couple of inches closer to Buffy and slowly, placed her lips against Buffy's. Tentatively at first, as if Buffy were testing her, and then she ever so slightly applied more pressure.
Buffy tightened her hold on Faith's hand and moaned gently as her other hand reached around Faith's waist, placed it on her back and pulled Faith closer to her. The shockwaves going through her were almost too much to stand as she pictured the way the two of them looked at that moment. Picturing it as if she were watching the interaction outside of herself.
When Faith parted Buffy's lips with her tongue, and Buffy could feel Faith's tongue gently glide across her upper and then lower teeth, then touch her own tongue, Buffy felt a hunger pass through her. A hunger that desired everything that was happening and so much more. A hunger that was building with every second of contact. A hunger that....
and that was when she woke.
Every night for a week. The same dream.
Faith had been in a coma now for over a year.
Nicole, fun!
Two quickies, both mechanical:
The Hanover's have been dead
No apostrophe; just a plural, not a possessive.
and a suggestion?
so why would she be particularly aware of it now, if this was in fact, another spell that she was under?
I think you need a comma after "this" - "...if this was, in fact, another spell..." Either that or the comma after "fact" ought to come out.
I'm jealous of good Faith-voice. For some reason, I find her very hard to write.
I'd probably strike the in fact part, on reflection (which means I should have mentioned it when I did a read through earlier, and feel like a dork for missing), as Buffy'd leave it out when thinking.
Plei, I'd strike it as well, given my druthers. But if it does stay in? I think the commas are bookends: both or none kind of dealy.
BTW, ma'am, would you like to quickie beta six pages for me? Stuff with a girl and a horse?
edit: and a "no" answer is fine - no pressure.
I'm jealous of good Faith-voice. For some reason, I find her very hard to write.
See, I found Buffy difficult to write dialogue for but not reflection.... which was the complete opposite with Faith.
And thanks for the advice. I'm going back to change my hard copy right now. (Striking the
in fact
portion.)
BTW, ma'am, would you like to quickie beta six pages for me? Stuff with a girl and a horse?
Sure. Do you need it tonight, or can I do it in the morning?
I'm near to crashing, see.
