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>Homeward Bound<BR> >A <I>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</I> vignette by Jason Vey > ><I>Disclaimer: I don’t own either of these characters. >Joss does. I mean no disrespect. This is just for fun. >Don’t sue me. Thanks to Mark Jones for the lyrics!</I> > >“Are you sure about this?” Faith said without looking >at Willow. Instead, she stared out the window at the >night sky and chewed on her lip. The lights of the >Interstate whizzed past, creating an hypnotic pattern >that almost let Faith forget about all the things >she’d done, about the people she was about to face >after so long. Angel seemed to think she’d paid her >dues, but she wasn’t so sure. She had left prison way >before her time was up, after all. And of all people, >she’d never expected Wes to be the one to encourage >her to leave. Not to mention, she wasn’t used to this >angst crap. It wasn’t her. > >“Sure about what?” Willow said, glancing at the >troubled girl. > >“You know, this whole ‘going back to Sunnydale’ thing. >I’m pretty damn sure that B isn’t gonna be all flowers >and candy to see me.” > >“I told you. I called her. She knows you’re coming, >and she’s grateful for the help. We can use all the >help we can get these days.” > >Faith turned her head, briefly, but as soon as she met >Willow’s gaze she turned back to the window. After all >this time, it was still hard to look the girl in the >face. After all, Faith had kidnapped her, held her >prisoner, and even tried to kill her. Now here she >was, on the right side of the line again. It was still >a lot to process. > >Willow reached out and touched Faith’s shoulder. Faith >started, glanced back at her almost fearful. > >“You okay?” Willow said. > >“Five by five.” > >“You don’t look it.” > >“Should I? I tried to kill you, and B. Hell, I tried >to kill you all if you really think about it. And you >know what the real bitch of it is?” > >“You don’t entirely regret it.” > >Faith sighed, and looked back out the window. “I don’t >entirely regret it. I mean, I’m a loner, Will. I >always have been. Never trusted anyone, always figured >everyone had an angle, you know? Then the Mayor comes >along, and he was just wicked cool to me. Sure, he >might’ve been evil, but he loved me. Treated me like a >person, no matter what he did to everyone else. I’d >have killed for him.” > >“You did kill for him.” > >“Yeah, I did. Thing that scares me is, I think I might >do it again, if he was still alive and he asked me to. >He was like the father I never had.” > >“Things are different, now, though. You’ve learned how >to trust…haven’t you?” >Faith shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ll see, I guess.” > >Willow took a deep breath. “Faith, I know we’ve never >been all snuggle-buddies, but I want you to know that >you can trust me, no matter what.” > >Faith looked at Willow full-on and managed a >mischievous smile. “Will…I’m straight.” > >“Oh, I know…I mean, I wasn’t…I didn’t mean….” She >huffed. “I have a girlfriend, anyway.” > >“I know, kiddo. Just messin’ with you.” > >“Oh…well, don’t do that,” Willow mock-scolded with a >pouty face. “What I’m saying is that I know. Believe >it or not, I know what you’ve been through and where >you’ve been.” > >“Baby, I’ve been all over. Montana, Idaho, New >England, Pennsylvania. You name it.” > >“That’s not what I meant.” > >“I know what you meant. Ok, let’s give it a try. You >ever felt that somehow you weren’t yourself? Like >trapped outside you. Like your body was the same, but >everything around you wasn’t right?” > >“Boy, have I been there. And you’re trapped inside >your rage and your hate, and if you don’t stop, you’ll >lose control. But you can’t stop.” > >Faith looked surprised. “And it hurts like a knife >twisting in your gut. How do you know?” > >“You think I got to be a mega-powerful Witch this fast >by staying on the light side?” > >“What happened to you, Willow?” > >“Went bad last year. Flayed a guy alive for murdering >Tara. Tried to destroy the world. But I’m much better, >now. Honest. Oh, I forget you weren’t around. Tara was >my…” > >“Your gal. I know. I met her. I wasn’t myself at the >time. Long story. Anyway, I’m impressed. Took Angel, >Buffy, and a couple severe beatings to turn me around. >How about you?” > >“Giles. He went all Gandalf-y on me.” > >“Cute.” > >Suddenly, Willow narrowed her eyes and squinted out >the window into the forest along the roadside. >Instinctively, she slowed down, pulling the car over. > >“What’s up?” Faith said. > >“I think we have company, in the woods.” > >“Then, um, shouldn’t we be moving faster, rather than >slowing down?” > >“I don’t know if I like the idea of them following us >back to Sunnydale. You up for a fight?” > >“You know me. Always ready to get my slay on. Good for >the soul, you know?” > >Willow nodded. “Okay, then. Let’s go.” > >*** > >The vampire came at Faith with a hard right cross, >which the Slayer ducked easily. She grabbed the demon >by the neck and back of his shirt, and bent him over, >driving her knee into his stomach. The creature >grunted, and staggered back a couple steps. He growled >at her. > >“In case you missed it,” she said, “Not too worried. >You gonna fight or make monkey shines all day?” > >The vampire charged. Faith spun around, throwing her >right foot up in a high, sweeping wheel kick that sent >the creature sprawling on the ground. “How you doin’ >Will?” she called. > >“Hanging,” Willow said, and stretched out her hand as >two vampires charged her. “Thicken!” she cried, and >the two creatures hit an invisible wall of force that >had sprung up in front of the witch. > >“Now for the real fun,” Willow said. Behind her, there >was a snapping and cracking as the branches broke free >from two trees, and seemingly of their own volition >shot past the Wicca, solidly impaling the vampires. >Willow dropped the binding spell and closed her eyes >against the clouds of exploding grave dust. > >“Fun?” Faith said, hammering away at her own opponent. >“Where’s the fun in just staking them?” She leapt on >the vampire, bearing it to the ground and bashing it >repeatedly in the face. Each time she hit the >creature, she could feel more aggression leaving her >body, more of the guilt and pain worked out on the >undead foe. This was what being a Slayer was about. >This was what she was supposed to be doing, not >hurting and killing the people who should be her >friends. > >This was what it felt like to be a Good Guy, and Faith >liked it. > >A gentle tap on her shoulder roused the Slayer from >the misty red haze that had fallen over her, and she >turned to look at Willow, still clutching the bloody >pulp of the vampire in her left hand. Willow handed >her a broken tree branch. > >“Glad to see you’re working out your issues, but we’re >kinda in a hurry.” > >“Right. Thanks.” Faith took the stake and jammed it >into the vampire’s chest, watching with grim >satisfaction as it exploded to dust. > >“Feel better?” Willow said. > >“Five by five…for real, this time. Let’s go help B, >and you can fill me in on this Big Bad on the way.” > >*** >“So this thing is like, evil incarnate?” > >“Pretty much. Except for the incarnate part. It’s >still incorporeal.” > >“And we’re gonna beat it, how?” > >“Dunno yet. Buffy’s working on it, and we’re gathering >potential Slayers from all over the world to help.” > >“That’ll be fun. Never met a potential before.” > >“They’re teenage girls. They can be a headache. Some >of them are…exceptional, though.” > >“Why Willow,” Faith said, noting the hint of flush >that crept into Willow’s cheeks, “So your new gal’s >one of the potentials, is she? Never figured you for a >cradle robber.” > >“She’s a potential, but not a likely. She’s nineteen.” > >“Even still.” > >Suddenly, Willow slammed on the brakes, almost sending >the car into a tailspin. Just ahead of them, a body >flew from a van and hit the road, hard, rolling across >the center lane and straight into their path. Faith >threw her hands out, catching herself on the dashboard. > >“Nice driving,” she said, but Willow was already out >of the car. > >“Oh, my God! Are you okay? Can you talk?” > >Faith got out behind her, and walked to examine the >girl. She’d been cut from rib to rib, almost gutted. >Faith knew how that felt, and winced. > >“She’s bleeding really badly,” Willow said. “We need >to get this girl to a hospital!” > >“Yep,” Faith sighed. “I’m back in Sunnydale.”

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