Title :When the Going Gets Though...Run
Author: Tasha Miller
Rating : pg to pg-13 might get higher later on
Feedback - please! tashamiller2k@angelfire.com
Distribution - u want it u got it
Disclaimers - I don’t own ‘em and I'll put ‘em back when I'm done
Authors note - I have alot more plans but i didn't want to stretch out brother so hence this fic!
I decided I'd move into Faiths past in this fic as i was planning to do, sooo um {{ }} signals flashbacks just so you know
Summery - Faith and Buffy have a fight and Faith runs away, Is that enough without giving it away? oh well!
Chapter 1
Buffy flung herself onto the bed and sighed
"Another Big Bad gone" Faith said as she sat on the bed next to Buffy
"uh huh" Buffy replied
"You don't sound to happy"
Buffy looked up at Faith and smiled "Just a bit wiped out"
"Why, we didn't do much fighting, and what was done I did"
Buffy shook her head "Yea" And closed her eyes Faith looked down and smirked at her then pulled Buffy closer to her and closed her own eyes.
{{ Faith walked into the apparment, it smelt really bad, worse than usual. She looked around and saw her mother lying in an alochol iduced stupor, her own vomit surrounding her, Faith walked up to her cautiosly and checked she was breathing then simply walked into her room. The door opened and slammed shut and Faith shiverd, her Father was home which ment she was in trouble, and soon she'd get a beating or worse }}
Faith woke up suddenly staring into deep concerned green orbs
"Are you ok Faith?" Buffy asked softly
"Yea" Faith replied as she shook her head trying to clear images from her youth
"Bad dream?" Buffy asked as she settled back down, her arms wrapped around Faith.
Faith smiled down at Buffy "Just a bad dream, no worrys B" Buffy smiled and soon drifted back to sleep while Faith lay awake for the rest of the night.
"I WIN AGAIN" Xander yelled as he started his victory dance
"Are you going to do that every time you win?" Willow asked
"Yep" Xander said simply
"Then I'm just not gonna play" Willow said as she put down the playstaion controler she held and reatrearted to her Girlfiend.
"Buffy?" Xander asked, Buffy just shook her head
"Faith?"
"Huh?" Faith looked at Xander
"Back on planet earth yet?"
"yea, I guess"
"Faith are you ok, you've been really out of it since last night" Buffy asked concerned.
Faith stood up "Yea I'm good, just need to clear my head, I'm going out back"
Faith looked out over the vast expanse that was the backyard of the house when she felt arms wrap around her waist
"Faith are you ok, please tell me what's wrong"
"It's nothing B, just Josh, yunno, he doesn't get us"
Buffy nodded and rested her chin on Faiths shoulder "Where are the others?"
"They went home"
"oh"
Chapter 2 -
Faith aimlessly stirred the cereal in the bowl in front of her.
"You ok Faith?" Josh asked as he sat down
"Five by Five" Faith replied half-heartedly
"What's bugging you Faith, is it Buffy?"
Faith's head jerked up and she looked at him with anger
"Wouldn't you like that?"
"What do you mean?" Josh asked
"You can't wait till something goes wrong between us"
"I am not"
Faith stood up and stared down at him "You are, you think you know what's going on
and you think she's no good for me"
"I'm just looking out for you Faith"
"I deserved that knife in my gut, Josh, I had it coming if anything she doesn't deserve
me" Faith turned and stormed out the room.
"Hey baby" Buffy said giving Faith a kiss
"How was school"
"Same old same old, sit, listen, be bored, think about my girlfriend"
Faith smiled "Cool"
"You ok, you seem kinda, I dunno, depressed"
"Yea, Josh and I had a fight today"
"Sibling rivalry at it best, you didn't hurt him did you?"
"No"
"Good, I'm sure it'll blow over"
"He thinks your no good for me B" Buffy turned round and smiled at Faith
"He doesn't know what he's talking about Faith"
"That's what I said"
"He's just looking out for you"
"your taking his side"
"No I'm-"
"You are" Faith shook her head and walked out the room leaving a confused Buffy
standing alone.
"Hey watch were you going" Josh said as Faith rammed past him
"Bite me" Faith replied
Josh opened the door to Faiths room "What did you say to her?" He asked Buffy
"Funny, I was going to as you the same thing"
"I'm just looking out for her"
"Something's up with her Josh, I'm worried, and quite frankly us fighting isn't going to
help, you'll just have to accept that I'm here, for good"
"I know that, doesn't mean I have to like it. Faiths been a little edgy the last couple of
days, it was around this time of year her mother died.."
{{"Holy shit" Faith looked around the dingy apartment, it was a mess, well worse than
usual, she dumped the shopping on the counter and looked around wondering what the
hell had happened, 'maybe some drug dealer came to collect' she thought. She felt her
foot slip out from under her, she looked down and saw blood, too much of it, crimson
and shining she heard a noise and turned to see her Father walk into the room grinning.
"Mommy won't be home for awhile sweetie, she needed to take a nap"
Faith felt a
lump rise in her throat and she bolted out the door as fast as her eight year old legs
could take her.}}
Run 3 -
"I haven't seen her since" Buffy said as as tears streamed down her face. Willow gave Buffy a hug trying to comfort her friend.
"I'm sure she's okay Buffy"
"I know, I'm still worried, and scared, why did she do this to me?"
"I don't know" Willow said "But I swear I'm gonna kick her ass for this"
"It's not her fault, I, I just wish she hadn't dissapeard without telling me"
Buffy suddenly had a thought "What if she didn't run away, what if she's in touble"
"Spike saw her leaving town"
"But we only have his word for it"
Faith looked up at the building infront of her, it had bee awhile but this was the place she could really call home and it was about time she visited Mathew. Fatih walked up the steps and knocked on the door, a woman of about sixty opened the door and smiled at her.
"Faith, we didn't expect to see you!" She exclaimed wrapping Faith in a hug
"Well I thought I'd pay everyone a visit Elizabeth"
"I'm sure Mathew will be happy to see you, if Josh with you?"
"no he's still in Sunnydale"
Elizabeth nodded as she ushred Faith into the house
{{Faith looked up at the house, it was large, but then again anything looked big compared to the small apartment her parents owned. Slowly she climbed the steps and
knocked on the door 'what if it's not the right place?' she thought to herself but all her
fears vanished as the door opened and Josh stood there. She smiled at him as he
looked shocked
"Faith?" he asked
"Hey Josh"
"What are you doing here" He asked concerned looking at the cut above her eye
"Need a place to crash" Josh sighed and opened the door wider and let Faith in}}
Buffy woke up with sun streaming through the window, she rolled over half expecting Faith to be lying next to her, but no such luck Faith still wasn't home. A tear rolled down Buffys face, she just woudn't belive Faith would run out on her, not now the girl had changed to much. Buffy cmilbed out of bed and padded across to room the the bathroom door she reached in a switched on the light and looked around sighing heavily as she remeberd the day Faith had carried her out in her stong arms, the day she'd discoverd her short lived diabilty to walk.
"Dad it's me" Josh spoke into the phone, he paused listneing to the person at the other end
"She is? Thanks I'll be right there"
Buffy walked into the kitchen and looked at Josh sadly
"I'm going to New York for awhile" He said
"Why?" Buffy asked lookig at him sceptically
"No reason"
"She's there isn't she?" Josh didn't say anything "I'm coming then"
When the Going get's tough...run Chapter 4
Buffy looked out the window at the clouds passing by she then turned to the seat in
front of her and began to fidget, a flight attendant walked up to her and smiled
"Is there anything I can do for you?" She asked
"No I'm fine" Buffy replied
"I scotch on the rocks" Josh said sitting on the other side of Buffy
"how much longer?" Buffy asked
"Not long"
Buffy nodded and stared out the window again.
Faith sat back on the bed listening to the stereo a knock on the door brought her out of
her thoughts, she opened up and smiled at Elizabeth.
"I've got some clean sheets for you Faith"
"Thank you"
"And some rather unfortunate news, your brother is on his way to collect you"
"Oh"
"I know you two aren't getting along that well but I'm sure Matthew will convince him
to stay awhile and we'd be more than happy if you would to"
"Is Krissy ok with all this?"
"Faith really, Krissy and Josh get along great and she's taken a real shining to you"
"She's nice"
"Nicer than some of Matthew's wives, you know Jessica tried to get me fired"
Faith laughed "I never met Jessica"
"Oh she was one of the worse, but she was quickly rid of"
Faith smiled, she'd missed Elizabeth, she was so much more than a maid in the house,
she really was a part of the family.
Buffy climbed out if the car and looked up at the house "Is this is?" She asked Josh
"Yep" Josh said
"It's bigger than your place"
"Yea, dad's a real self-made millionaire"
"What's he do" Buffy asked as she picked up her bag
"He owns this computer software company along with some other things and some
well placed investments"
"Think he could give me some tips?"
"He only gives one tip, work hard" Josh said as he walked up the path towards the
main gate.
Josh reached the gate and typed in a security code and the gates ground open. he
quickly strode through and up to the house.
Faith looked out the window at the two figures walking across the lawn to the house
she was glad to see Buffy was with Josh. There was a knock on her door and she went
and opened it. "Josh is here" Elizabeth said
"I saw"
"I suppose the girl with him is Buffy, shall I bring her here"
"Please"
Elizabeth smiled and left the room.
"Josh it's good to see you" Matthew exclaimed enveloping his son into a hug.
"And you must be Buffy" Matthew said turning to the blonde and pulling her into a
hug "It's good to meet you"
"likewise" Buffy replied
Elizabeth appeared behind Matthew
"Hello Elizabeth" Josh said
"Hello Josh" She replied "Buffy Faith would like to see you, Josh I'm sure you and
your father have a lot to catch up on"
Buffy looked around the well furnished halls as Elizabeth led her to Faith's room.
"Here you are" Elizabeth said as she smiled at Buffy and left. Buffy took a breath then
knocked on the door. The door creaped open a bit then flung open and Faith wrapped
her arms around Buffy
"What the hell were you thinking!" Buffy yelled when Faith finally let go of her.
"I'm sorry Buffy, I thought about calling you but I realised I didn't know the number"
"I was so worried about you"
"I'm so sorry, I just couldn't deal y'know"
"I don't know, why did you do that to me Faith, I thought you loved me"
Faith suddenly pulled Buffy into her arms "God B, I love you so much, I love you with
all my heart" She pulled away and looked into her eyes. "but you're gonna have to
learn that I'm a dumbass B, I'm gonna do dumb thing, it doesn't mean I love you any
less"
"It just hurt Faith I'd thought you'd left me"
"Never"
Chapter 5 -
"So Josh, what happened?" Matthew asked as he and josh sat down in his study
"I don't know" josh replied
"I think you do"
"She just ran"
"Josh she's troubled, especially around this time of year but why would she just run
out, are you two fighting?"Josh sighed "It's about Buffy isn't it?" Matthew asked
"I just don't think she's good for Faith"
"Why not? because she's a girl"
"No!" Josh exclaimed "you just wouldn't understand"
"It's about the coma isn't it, the knife, what happened between them in the past?"
Josh looked at his father confused "how did you know?"
"I was keeping tabs on you in England once you finished university and didn't come
home, I found out about the council and have learnt a lot about Faith"
"But you don't agree with me about Buffy?"
"If they've worked it out I'm sure it's ok"
"Why did you come here" Buffy asked
"It's the only place I've ever felt really safe"
"Only?"
"Well apart from recently"
Buffy nodded "Why's that?"
Faith took a deep breath, she knew she was going to have to talk to Buffy about all of
it sometime, so why not now?
"My parents weren't to great" Faith took another breath "I'm still convinced my dad
killed mom"
"I'm so sorry" Buffy said wrapping her arms around Faith
"It's ok" Faith replied
{{Faith looked up at the man in the suit and shook her head "I'm sorry but it's not a choice, your father has custody of you, you have to go home" Faith shook her head again and looked back at Josh and Elizabeth who looked very sad. She felt herself being lifted up and started to scream and kick as the social worker carried her off}}
"They put you back with him?"
"I couldn't prove anything, Matthew got a lawyer took dad to court but it was no use
dad wasn't found guilty and got to keep me, it wasn't long till I skipped out again, I
ended up on the streets that time, didn't want him to find me"
Buffy kissed away the tears that had begun to slide down Faiths cheeks
"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, if it hurts to much"
"Thanks"
"It's good that she came" Elizabeth said as she and faith sat the table
Faith smiled "Great"
"It's good to see you with someone Faith, I can see you love her very much"
Faith looked up as Josh walked into the room
"Josh" She said softly
"I'm sorry Faith, I know you love her, and I'm going to get used to it"
Faith nodded then ran up to her brother and gave him a hug.
Run 6
{{"Where the hell do you think you're going Faith?" He yelled
"To school" Faith replied stopping just in front of the door
"Why the fuck are you going to school, you're not going to amount to anything
anyway now get me a goddamn beer"
Faith sighed and moved away from the door to get her father a beer}}
Buffy and Faith walked along the dark streets of New York
"So if it's crawling with vamps where are they all?" Buffy asked
"Guess I chased them all away"
"Really?"
The couple turned a corner and Faith opened a door to a restaurant "I got
reservations" She said smiling at Buffy who followed her in.
"So dinner went well?" Matthew asked
"Great" Faith said as she threw herself onto the couch next to him "Thanks a lot for
hooking it up"
"Anything for you"
Faith grinned at him then looked down at her feet
"Something on your mind?"
"I was wondering if you could help me with something"
"You're asking for help" Matthew laughed
"Hey!"
"Sorry just never thought I'd hear the day, what can I do for you?"
"I need a job, something good"
"Josh said you already got a job"
"Yea but flipping hamburgers doesn't look like a long term solution, besides I haven't
shown up for work in ages and since it's Sunnydale they won't be expecting me back"
Matthew nodded "I'll see what I can do"
{{Tears stung her eyes as she sat hugging her knees a rocking herself. She could feel the bruise forming on her face, but it would be gone soon and he'd have no hesitation of giving her another. She looked out the window above her bed at the stars, she wanted to be out there, in the night something inside was screaming at her to go out there.}}
Buffy sat down on the bed waiting for Faith to come to the room, aimlessly she looked
around the room it was nothing special, similar to her one at home. Faith walked into
the room beaming. "You look happy" Buffy commented
"Matthew's gonna hook me up with a job"
Buffy smiled "That's great"
"Yep" Faith said as she sat down on the bed and lay back Buffy smiled and moved to
curl up against her.
"I love you Faith" Buffy said after a few moments of comfortable silence
"I love you too Buffy" Faith replied then leaned in a kissed Buffy softly.
Chapter 7 -
{{Tears stung her eyes as she felt him force his way inside her. A scream rose in her throat as he ripped her but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of hearing her scream. He moved himself against her, his body wreaked of alcohol, sweat and sex as it pinned her down on the bed. "Your my little whore" He said as he came then rolled of her.}}
Faith slowly opened her eyes and looked down at the mass of blonde hair resting on
her shoulder and smiled and as Buffy mumbled something incoherent in her sleep.
Buffy slowly opened her eyes and smiled at Faith "morning sleepyhead" Faith said
smiling at Buffy then leaning down and kissing her.
"morning" Buffy replied
"How'd you sleep"
"good, always will as long as your here" Buffy kissed Faith softly on the lip her tongue
traced Faiths lips looking for entry which Faith was about to grant until there was a
knock on the door
"Breakfast is ready girls" Elizabeth said.
Faith smiled at Buffy and slowly climbed out of bed
"Where are you going?" Buffy asked
"Breakfast, you have to try Lizzie's Pancakes"
Josh looked around the room in awe "This is all yours? he asked
"Yes, centuries of scrolls and books on demons, vampires, slayers and other such
thing, I was very interested to know what you had gotten into Josh"
"I can see, this must have cost a lot"
"It did, but what's money, I have too much anyway, and it wouldn't matter if I had
none" Matthew picked up a handful of cds lying by a computer and handed them to
Josh "I've been putting most of the information on the computer" he held up one in
particular "this one here is a program I've been working on, it's a sort of index on
demons, you can search names or descriptions, cross reference things"
"Anything else like that?"
"No, the others are all just loads of text files and such"
josh nodded and took the disks as Matthew handed them to him
"I also found out about some very interesting people, the watchers council aren't the
only ones out to kill the demons, there are a few groups you might want to get in
contact with" He then handed josh a sheet of names and contact details.
"Thanks dad, these are great"
"I know, I thought you'd like them, now just remember to look after my little girl"
Josh smiled and nodded "I will"
"And be happy for her"
{{Faith threw the last of her clothes into a bag then walked out of the apartment been careful not to wake her Father though she knew it was impossible anyway. She shut the door and smiled, it just seemed to good, she didn't care what was out there, she didn't care she was probably going to end up a druggie and a prostitute, she was just glad to be out of his house}}
Run 8 -
{{"You don't deserve this, your so much more than a common prostitute"
"Whateva" Faith turned to walk away from her
"Your a slayer Faith, come to my home, you can't live on the streets forever"
'A home' Faith thought 'has to be better than here'
"Yea sure" Faith followed her she didn't care what kind of shit the chick was on as
long as she got a roof over her head}}
"Hey" Buffy said softly as she walked into the room.
"Hey" Faith replied
Buffy sat down next to her and looked at Faiths half packed suitcase "Don't you want
to come back?"
"Of course I do B, I love you, I couldn't stand to be apart"
Buffy smiled "So what's wrong?"
"It scares me sometimes"
"What does?"
"How much I love you, I never thought I could love anyone"
Buffy wrapped her arms around Faith
"I'll always be here Faith, you don't need to be scared"
"I can't help it, I always told myself it'd be weak to fall in love, so I never let myself
and now that I have it's scary, for the first time in my life I feel I need someone else,
and I never wanted to depend on people, they only let you down"
Buffy tightened her hold on Faith "I promise you I'll never let you down Faith" She
gently kissed Faith trying to give her assurance.
{{"So what's the deal here, what do you want from me?"
"I don't want anything from you Faith, you're chosen, you have a sacred birthright to
protect mankind"
"uh huh" Faith looked around the house, this chick seemed pretty crazy but she had a
nice place and Faith could put up with the crazy chick if it meant she had a home}}
Faith walked down the path and looked at the cab waiting for her, she turned back and
smiled at Matthew who walked up to her and gave her a hug "You're always welcome
here Faith, I'll always consider you my daughter"
"And you'll always be my dad" Faith replied giving him a kiss on the cheek before
walking to the cab and getting in
"Ready to go home?" Josh asked as Buffy intertwined her fingers into Faiths. Faith just
nodded.
Faith threw herself onto her bed and grinned up at Buffy who sat down next to her.
"I think we need to talk Faith"
"I knew this was coming" Faith said as she sat up and faced Buffy
"It's just we suddenly got into this relationship and I'm not sure about where I stand, I
know you love me, but - "
"I guess I kinda took it for granted that things would just be a given, like our
relationship, I want to spend my life with you B, your the only person I've ever loved"
Buffy smiled and leaned over and kissed her "I love you so much Faith, more than
Angel, which I never thought was possible and I wanna spend my life with you"
Faith leaned over and kissed Buffy softly "We'll work everything out B, it might take a
bit of time, there might be a lot of mistakes, but for the first time in my life I love
someone enough to try"
Chapter 9 -
Buffy woke up wrapped in the dark slayers arms. She smiled as the warmth from
Faiths body wrapped around her and made her feel safe. Buffy rolled over so she was
looking into Faiths eyes "Morning" Faith said softly
"Morning" Buffy replied as she leaned in and kissed her.
{{"Wow all this shit is real" Faith said in awe as she looked down at the pile of dust at
her feet
"Very real"
"So I'm a slayer"
"Almost, you haven't been called yet, but you will be"
"Wicked cool"}}
Buffy sat sprawled out on the couch eating popcorn watching a movie with Willow
"So you guys are all good no, don't need me to work some dark mojo on her?"
"No Willow we're great"
"Where is she now?"
"Her Dad got her some secretary job at some company he owns in town"
"That's great"
"Yea" They sat in silence for a few moments until Buffy spoke again "Willow, um,
how long had you and Tara, been together till you, you know?">br?
"Had sex?" Buffy almost choked at how casually Willow asked the question
"Yea" Buffy replied watching as Willow went all shy again
"Well it was after Oz left, I wanted to show her how much I loved her, she was so
scared I was going to leave her for him, I suppose we'd been together awhile I mean
the whole crosser over from friend to girlfriends is kinda blurry"
Buffy nodded
"Why?"
"It's just, well Faith and I haven't"
"Really? I thought It'd be the first thing Faith'd want to do"
{{Faith looked her demonic Father in the face and spat in his eyes. "Come on princess
it's all good, Kascitos will make you death quick and painless, much better than your
watchers"
Faith broke free from his grasp then grinned at him "The good thing is 'dad' now your a
vampire I will have absolutely no regrets or hesitation to kill you" Suddenly the room
filled with Vampires, too many and all Faith could do was flee with her life.}}
"How was work?" Josh asked as Faith walked into the room
"Great"
"Remember your having dinner with Mrs summers tonight"
"I know Josh"
"Make a good impression Faith"
Faith just smiled at him then left to find Buffy..
TBC
This is the end of When the going gets though..run I'll start the sequel 'Parents' soon, I hope.
