Title: Nobody Should Be Alone For New Year

Author: Raven Morbisk

Rating: PG

Pairing: Buffy/Faith

Disclaimer: I don’t own these fine ladies. I just play with them for a while then return them like the good girl that I am.

Spoilers: Nothing worth mentioning.

Feedback: Whatever_who_cares@msn.com

A/N: This takes place Post Chosen but no real spoilers are given.

Summary: What’s the point of New Year anyway? Everything stays the same in the end. Clearly, Faith doesn't like New Year.

Faith closed the door to her house, her very own house that she bought by doing honest and legal work. She always wanted a house where she could live and be happy. As a child living in a crummy apartment with her mother and every other month another “dad” often left her fantasizing about what it would be like to live in a nice, decent sized house. She had her dream house now though. It had taken her only four years but a lot of man work.

Even though it was just her, her house had four decent sized bedrooms and two bathrooms. Her room, the master bedroom had its own bathroom and then there was a bathroom on the first floor. She had decorated the whole thing herself. She changed almost everything, sometimes just a few details and sometimes entire rooms rebuild and remodeled.

When she moved here, about six months ago, she raised a lot of questions with the neighbors. They were used to families moving in their street, not a sultry leather clad young woman on a Harley Davidson. Faith kept mostly to herself the first few weeks until one of her neighbors finally had the guts to welcome her to the neighborhood. They, of course, asked her if she was married, had any children, was in a steady relationship… anything that would’ve made her moving in their little street just a little more normal but alas, Faith gave them all negative answers but she delivered them with a smile.

Faith mounted her Harley that was parked in her driveway. She didn’t bother putting on her helmet but she did bring it along. As long as she was in the suburbs she didn’t have to put it on but the moment she left them she did. Tonight she was leaving the suburbs. There would be fireworks and people running through her street and other streets. She didn’t want to be present when they did.

Faith didn’t like New Years; in fact she came pretty close to hating New Year. All kinds of people wishing each other the best of luck for the New Year and making resolutions. Why bother, Faith wondered. A new year but the same people, the same shit, the same memories. No matter how many new years came, everything stayed the same. She hadn’t always hated New Year. She loved it up until the clock hit 00:03 four years ago, that was when she began to dislike New Year with every fiber of her being.

It was her first New Year with the Scoobies at the newly founded Slayer Central. Everything was finally going her way for once. Willow had hacked into her police files and altered her records, the Faith that had committed those murders and was sentenced ten to life for Murder One had died in Sunnydale but the Faith that was living with the Scoobies in Cleveland was Faith Giles. Faith had been shocked when Giles had offered to adopt her. She had been trembling with unshed tears and was first unwilling to accept, because of the pain and agony she had caused all of them. After days of all of them convincing her that what happened then didn’t matter anymore she finally accepted with a single tear running down her cheek watching Willow make Faith Giles come to alive on paper.

She had been given a high position at Slayer Central. She was, along with Buffy, head of the newly called Slayers and in charge of Weaponry. She had grown so much closer with all of the Scoobies and most of all, much to her delight, with Buffy. The blonde always had most of Faith’s attention, since the very beginning. The time they spent together was heaven for Faith, even when they had a disagreement. The fire in Buffy whenever she desperately wanted to be right, it was what Faith edged her on when they fought. She loved seeing the blonde angry and ready to beat the bloody pulp out of Faith.

So when the realization came that she had fallen for the blonde it didn’t surprise or alarm Faith. Instead she welcomed the secret pining, the wistful thoughts and the subtle brushes against the other Slayer. And she had enough wistful thoughts to last a lifetime, especially when sparring with her or coming back from patrol or a night out. Buffy would ever so often touch Faith with a shy smile and her eyes cast downwards. They had their share of flirting as well but Faith always brushed it off as a Slayer thing because the new Slayers did their share of flirting with each other as well although one out of fifteen was gay oriented.

At Christmas they had dinner at Buffy’s place, a small but cozy house not far from Slayer Central. It was then that Faith felt like walking on air. When dinner was over most of them retreated into the living room to watch the Charlie Brown show that was every year and to see Xander do his little dance but Faith had gone out the backdoor for a smoke. Buffy had joined her and they had been sitting in comfortable silence, apart from the occasional shiver from the winterkill of Cleveland until Faith was done. Upon entering the house again Buffy had stopped Faith and pointed to mistletoe above their heads. Faith was sure that it hadn’t been hanging there when she went out but didn’t say anything as Buffy tilted her head just a little and Faith dipped hers. Standing half inside the house and half outside their lips met, sending both shivers as fire down Faith’s body.

The week that followed had Faith smiling like a fool, even with the busy week they had. She hadn’t been able to catch Buffy because Giles had sent her to aid Riley in South Dakota. When Buffy finally returned it was New Years Eve and even looking like she had gone through hell and back, Faith still thought Buffy looked like an angel. The New Years Eve party was given inside Slayer Central with all the new Slayers that hadn’t gone home. While the rest was counting down to midnight Faith resolutely made her way over to Buffy and whispered that she loved her before planting a kiss on the blonde’s lips while the others cried out ‘Happy New Year’.

Then everything went to hell. When the kiss ended Buffy had smiled and told her that she loved Faith, too but before she could say anything else Dawn ordered everyone to be quiet. She and Buffy were leaving and neither of them told Faith. Buffy never even dropped a clue that se was planning on leaving. They were leaving in just a few days to Europe because Dawn had been accepted at one of the finest schools in England and Buffy had been given the opportunity of becoming head of Slayer Central in Europe. Faith’s world crumbled right in front of her. She pulled away from Buffy and left the party. It was the last time she had seen Buffy. She had gone straight to her room and collected everything she needed and left Slayer Central.

It didn’t take long for Willow to find her though. Not wanting to tell any of them that she left because of a broken heart she just made up an excuse, telling them she was sick of the new Slayers and having to baby-sit them. So they came to an agreement. Faith would keep an eye on the supernatural hotspot near her, look out for new Slayers and every once in a while go to Slayer Central to show the new Slayers how a real, experienced Slayer worked and they sent her a monthly paycheck.

Faith turned off the ignition when she arrived at her favorite spot. She couldn’t exactly claim it as her spot because the lake was public but no one came here around this time of day. She took off her helmet and rustled through her long brown manes. She didn’t dismount her Harley right away. She stared at the vastness of the dark lake in front of her, lost in her memories. Checking her wrist watch she saw it was ten minutes to midnight. She stepped off of her Harley and walked up to the lake, settling down on an old wooden log. Her ears perked up when she heard a car behind her playing loud music. With a heavy sigh, thinking it were a bunch of teenagers going for a New Year swim, she stood up as the music in the car stopped and a door opened and slammed closed. She turned around ready to leave and find a more secluded spot when she saw the owner of the car, ten feet from her.

“Nobody should be alone at New Year.” Buffy smiled leaning against the grill of her pick-up truck. Faith stared incredulously at the other Slayer. Buffy looked gorgeous with brown long, side-swept bangs and long loose curls. She looked so much more relaxed than the last time Faith had seen her but Faith could see the nervous look in Buffy’s eyes.

“I’ve been alone for four years.” Faith replied finally able to find her voice. “You showin’ up don’t make a difference.” Her voice was dripping acid and she could see it stung Buffy a little. The former blonde nodded and pushed herself off the grill of her car.

“You wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t run off.” Buffy commented taking easy steps closer to the taller woman. “If you had stayed I would’ve asked you to come with me.” She was five feet away from Faith and Faith had to fight the urge to just run from the older Slayer.

“I’m supposed to just believe that?” Faith asked angrily. If Buffy had really wanted Faith to come with her she would’ve told her sooner that she was leaving for Europe but she hadn’t. She just had to wait ‘til the very last minute.

“I wasn’t sure how you felt.” Buffy shrugged. She was now barely three feet away but she stopped in her place, giving Faith some space. “I didn’t know if you’re secret pining was to get in my pants or for real.” That stung Faith but she couldn’t blame Buffy. She never really was the relationship type, she proved that when she cheated on Robin only two weeks after they officially started dating.

“How’d you find me?” Faith questioned. She could guess that Giles or anyone at Slayer Central gave her Faith’s address but no one knew about her spot at the lake. She also didn’t see anyone tailing her nor was there anyone ever present when she came here.

“You loved Lake Michigan.” Buffy just said with a smile and gazed at the tranquil lake. “Whenever you could you packed a bag and disappeared for days on end.” She let out a soft chuckle. “One time I followed you and you were just staring at the lake.” She tore her gaze away from the lake and turned it back on Faith. “You looked so peaceful and happy, just sitting there.” Buffy smiled sweetly and took another step closer to Faith.

“Why’d you come back?” Faith’s voice was barely above a whisper as Buffy came to stand right in front of her. Faith couldn’t move, she unconsciously licked her lips and stared down at Buffy. She wanted her so badly; she wanted to taste every part that belonged to Buffy.

“Like I said before.” The older Slayer lifted her hand and caressed Faith’s cheek ever so softly. “Nobody should be alone at New Year.” She whispered, cupping the brunette’s cheek and tilting her head lightly. Faith didn’t fight as their lips touched. She let herself be kissed and slowly kissed her back while far in the background fireworks started announcing a new year for Faith and Buffy to start over.