Title: The Way Back
Authors: Artemis85 and bluewillowwitch
Rating: PG-13 maybe a little more ( for now. We will post new ratings as they come)
Disclaimer: We do not own these characters. Willow, Tara, Buffy, and Faith Joss Wedon. The rest of the characters are ours.
Thanks: To Amber and Alyson for the inspiration. And to Lauren for a wonderful beta
Chapter 5It had been a month since the day that the two couples decided to try to work things out. Tara and Buffy had been to the jail almost every day to visit with Willow and Faith. Willow had been doing really well with her non magic usage, in fact she hadn't used magic sense the accident. She had been given a silver medallion by Tara to lessen her pain from the withdrawals.
Faith was standing watching Willow mop the floor just down from her. "Red, you know I was wondering something?"
Willow looked up at Faith, "yeah, what's that?"
"Well, we have been seeing our girls for a month now, and the thing about it is I was thinking that it would be great if we could do something nice for them," Faith had been thinking about this since the picnic that Lisa helped Buffy and Tara sneak in for them last week.
"Hmm, what'd you have in mind?" Willow said smirking some of the dark haired slayer's traits had started to rub off on her.
Faith smiled at the redhead. She loved the fact that she was rubbing off on her. "Well, that would be nice too, but I was thinking more along the lines of presents."
"Ohh, presents, but Faith," Willow looked around the hallway, "what are we going to give them? Mops, buckets, the monopoly game in the game room? It isn't like we can just go shopping," Willow said sarcastically.
Faith laughed and shook her head. Willow thought she hadn't planned this out yet. "Well, I was thinking of given them these," Faith said with a smirk holding up two beautiful gold necklaces with little diamonds and citrine stones. "But I understand if you don't want to," Faith said as she started to put them away.
Willow ran to where Faith was standing, "Faith, where did you get those? There beautiful, no, no we can give them those. They gonna love them," Willow said. She wondered how Faith had gotten the two necklaces.
"Yeah, I did a favor and got these in exchange. Considering the favor I say they got ripped off," the dark haired slayer was very pleased with herself for this.
"Yeah, there nice, how are you planning on giving them to them?" Willow started, "and what kind of favor do I have to do for you?" Willow looked suspicious in a playful way.
"Lisa said she would hold them for us until Friday," Faith started to explain. "What you have to do for me is simple." Faith began to wiggle her eyebrows. "No, now seriously, I just thought that we were friends. I got my girl something and your girl too. Next time it will be you."
"Well, it was sweet of you faith I really appreciate it," willow said tenderly. She smiled and gave faith a hug "your a great friend, I don't know what I would do without you."
"Yeah yeah, can we cut the Hallmark moment now." Faith hated the mushy stuff.
Willow pouted and backed away, "Yeah, just saying."
"I know. Lets get back to work kay?" Faith moved on without waiting for a reply.
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FRIDAY
"Buffy, I'm so excited!" Tara was bouncing around the kitchen. "I can't believe it's been a month already can you?"
"No, I mean this is really great! I cant wait to see them today faith said today was special." Buffy grabbed Tara's hands and bounced up and down with her.
Tara got this far off look in her eyes. "Buffy, Willow has been really good. I want to do something special for her, but what?"
"Hmm, you could make her a care package, I was gonna do it for Faith, we can make them together," Buffy blurted out excitedly.
"Hey guys what you two up to?" Dawn entered the kitchen. Her arm was better and she had it out of the sling but it still hurt.
"Hey Dawn, how you feeling? We were about to go visit Faith and Willow. You sure you don't wanna try to talk to her?" Buffy said.
"NO!" Dawn was still mad at Willow for what she had done to her. She couldn't believe that Buffy and especially Tara had forgiven her so easily.
Tara stepped up to Dawn and put her arm around the young girl. "You know sooner or later you will forgive her too," Tara said this as if she had know what Dawn was thinking.
Buffy leaned back against the counter and let Tara work her magic on Dawn. Tara always had a way of soothing the savage beast in all of them.
"Won't you at least think about coming with us?" Tara asked Dawn. "We won't force you to go, but maybe if you talked it out with Willow you could move on."
"Fine, I'll think about it." Dawn answered. She knew that she had to face the red headed witch eventually, but just wasn't ready yet.
"Yeah and if you came you could meet Faith, you would like her, and I really want you to meet her," Buffy chimed in.
Dawn smiled at the prospect of meeting this girl, this other slayer who made her sister so happy. "Yeah, maybe I'll go with you guys tomorrow. Let me think on it." With that Dawn grabbed a soda and left the room.
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VISITING ROOM
Willow and Faith had been brought into their normal visiting room. They both had gotten their necklaces from Lisa and were now waiting for Buffy and Tara to arrive.
Buffy almost knocked Faith down when she saw her she was so excited to she her that she ran and jumped on her and swung her legs around her and started kissing her.
"Faith I missed you!" Buffy said between kisses.
"I missed you too, and if this is how you greet me when you miss me I'll have to make you miss me more often," Faith smirked as she planted a firm kiss to Buffy's lips.
Willow couldn't help herself when she saw Tara she felt light headed..she walked up to Tara with a hungry look in her eyes and picks her up in her arms, swung her around, their foreheads touching. They slipped once again into their own little world.
"Tara baby, you look amazing today, and I missed you incredibly," Willow said at almost a whisper.
Tara leaned over and gave Willow a very soft but a very passion filled kiss. "I missed you too baby."
"Oh, I want to say this now and get it out of the way." Tara said and then looked at Buffy for support. "We talked to Dawn this morning before we came. We think that she will be coming to visit with us tomorrow."
Willow set Tara down gently, she took a step back and looked into Tara's eyes for support then to Buffys. "She wants to see me?"
"Well, she wants to talk things out," Tara replied. She was going to try hard not to lie without actually telling Willow that she and Buffy had coaxed Dawn into coming.
Willow let out a deep breath, "Well, thats good."
It was Faith who spoke up to this, "Red, you knew that this was gonna be hard. We have talked about it, remember? I just want you remember what I said, you'll be fine."
"Yeah, I know, but I, its so soon. Isn't it soon Faith?" Willow asked, hoping Faith could save her.
"Honey," Tara cut in. "You have to face her eventually." Tara smiled as she had a sudden déjà vu moment.
"Yeah, I guess sooner is better then later, I really want to fix things between us." Willow looked at Buffy, "Buffy I'm so sorry that I let this happen."
"Willow I've told you its not me anymore that needs to forgive you, I've forgiven you. You just need to work on Dawn," Buffy walked over to Willow and gave her a hug to reassure her.
"Okay, break it up," Faith said, "I'd like my girlfriend back and this is just too sappy for my taste." Everyone started to laugh at that. Willow looked at Faith and subtly pointed to her neck and coughed, she raised her eye brows questionably at Faith.
"Oh yeah, that's right!" Faith remember and her and Willow both reached in their pockets. "We got you two lovely ladies something." Willow walked up to Tara and held out the necklace.
"Do you like it Baby?" asked Willow.
At the same time Faith gave Buffy one that looked the exact same. Both girls gasped at the beauty of the gifts.
"Oh Willow!" Tara couldn't say anything else so she just grabbed Willow and gave her a bone melting kiss.
"God Faith, it's, oh wow, how did you? Faith I love it!" Buffy said then she hugged Faith around her neck and kissed her once there.
"Well, Red, looks like we did a good job on the anniversary gifts," Faith smirked.
"Yeah, looks like it huh?" Willow said between kisses and giggles. Tara took Willow's hand and lead her to sit down.
"How did you ever get these?" Tara asked in amazement.
"Well, you see Faith got them," Willow looked nervously at Faith.
"Oh really, how?" Tara was curious.
"Well, um, Faith, uh, she, you know I don't really know. Extra yard work right Faith?" Willow tried to help out.
"Ah, yeah sure Red," Faith said and then changed the subject quick. "So you girls been having a good week? Tells about life outta here."
"You know slaying, vamps, dust, the bronze. Missing this girl I know," Buffy said smiling.
Faith turned her head trying to hide the blush that was rising in her cheeks. "So, that's nice. What about you Blondie?"
Tara didn't even hear Faith, she was to busy looking at Willow and paying attention to everything about her re-covered girlfriend.
Willow smiled never losing eye contact with Tara, "Tara baby, Faith is talking to you." Willow let her lover know.
"Hmm, oh, sorry Faith," Tara's blush covered her whole body.,"nothing much in my life. Just missing my Willow here and school."
Willow smiled and hugged Tara from behind.
"No big Blondie," Faith answered.
The two couples sat down and started talking about the days since they had last seen each other. Before they knew it was time to go. Tara and Buffy promised to be back the next day and hopefully with Dawn.
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NIGHT IN WILLOW AND FAITH'S CELL
"Okay, Red lets get some sleep you have a big day with the lil' sis tomorrow," Faith said.
The nights at the jail were mostly quiet, and dark. The moon would come through the barred window and that provided light. Willow still wondered how Faith got the necklaces. She has said 'Favors' but what kind? She thought she might ask.
"Hey Faith...can I ask you something?" Willow inquired.
"Sure Red, what's the up?" Faith wondered what Willow could possibly be wanting to know at this moment.
"You know how, when you said you called in a favor for the necklaces?" Willow said first, "well, just what exactly did you do?" Willow finished smiling wickedly.
Faith froze in her place. What was she going to say? How did she get out of this one? "What do you mean Red? I told you, I was owed a favor and I called it in."
"Faith you changed your story, you said you did someone a favor. Earlier today, I wanna know what is it," Willow pushed on playfully.
Faith knew she was in trouble now. She never was much good at remembering things in a pinch. "Fine, remember that rich chick who got stuck in her for a couple of weeks?"
"Yeah," Willow stood up and placed her chin on the edge of Faith's bed. "Go on," Willow said excitedly. It was a long time sense she heard any gossip.
"But Faith, what about Buffy?" Willow accused.
"Well, we got to talking and I told her I need a great gift for our girls," Faith explained. "So that's how I got them. She sent them to me on Monday."
Willow looked at Faith accusingly, "just talking Faith?"
"Well, maybe a little more than talking," Faith didn't want to say, but had a feeling that Willow wasn't going to let it go.
"But Faith, what about Buffy?" Willow accused again.
Faith jumped up. "Wait a minute there Red, I think you just stepped in it," Faith was pissed now, "I would NEVER cheat on Buffy."
"Well, then, what was 'a little more then talking' all about? Huh Faith?" Willow snapped back.
"Fine!" Faith finally broke down. "She had a problem with one of the inmate groups. I took care of her problem and her until she got out. She said she would repay me and then I got the necklaces in the mail."
Willow backed down and felt really bad for her accusation. "Faith I'm sorry, it's just, Buffy has been hurt so many times before, I just didn't want it to happen again, I didn't mean anything by it."
"It's okay Red," Faith felt bad cause she had hurt the blonde slayer already. She wanted to make sure that she would never do it again. She didn't like that Willow thought that she would have. "I will never do it again. I can't, no I won't hurt Buffy ever again. I..I..I love her." Faith collapsed on to her bunk.
Willow walked over to Faith and put her hand on her arm. "Faith?" Willow asked softly.
"Yeah?" Faith asked. She was still a little in shock over her admission.
"It's ok. You know to feel that way, I can see it in her eyes that she loves you too," Willow told Faith.
"Yeah?" Faith never thought of herself as someone who could be loved or as someone who could love. "Don't say anything. Please don't say anything Willow."
"Oh Faith, I won't, your secret is safe with me, though I'm sure she can feel that you love her," Willow said seriously. She was touched Faith had not called her Willow before it made her smile to herself.
"Thanks Will. I know it's silly, but even though I just said it I still need to figure out what it means to me," Faith wasn't sure what she was going to do.
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NEXT DAY VISITING ROOM
Willow paced nervously around the room awaiting Dawn's arrival. Faith was looking at the nervous redhead. She hadn't sat still since they had gotten up that morning. Faith was a little nervous herself about meeting the kid sister, but no where near Willow. "Yo Red, stop your making me dizzy!"
"I can't help it, it's either this or I'll babble like you wouldn't believe," Willow stated.
Faith looked at her. She had seen this girl babble. She wasn't sure at the moment which would be worse. Luckily she was saved cause at that moment Tara and Buffy walked in followed by Xander, Anya, and Dawn.
Tara looked at Willow and explained, "Xander and Anya wanted to see you too, and we thought it a good idea in case Dawnie wants to leave before Buffy and I are ready to go."
Willow ran over to Xander and gave him a hug she hadn't seen him in two weeks, he had been busy with work. "Xand, how are you?" She looked over to Anya "and you Anya?" she looked to Anya and smiled sweetly she was even glad to see her.
"Not to bad Will," Xander said.
"He's mine, I know how you men-deprived jail types are, so paws off," she smiled and added "I'm very well I have lots of money."
Willow had to laugh, "that's great Anya, but Anya, you know that I don't like men, right?"
Anya glared in Faiths direction, "well you never know, what about HER?" she asked Willow.
"That's right Red, she doesn't know about me," Faith said with a wink to Buffy, Willow, and Tara. The three girls had to do all they could not to laugh. Faith walked up to Xander and acted as if she were sizing him up. See if he was worth stealing. "Hey, Anya is it? Don't worry no one in this room wants to take your seven minutes away from you," Faith smirked then walked over to Buffy.
Anya was almost steaming from the collar "yes, and who are you anyway?" She walked up in front of Xander and folded her arms.
"Well, I'd be slayer number two," Faith smirked. "Who are you?"
"Number 2? Haha yeah right missy whoo, good one," Anya laughed.
Faith walked over to Anya and picked her up over her head without even trying. "Proof enough or you want more?"
"She's serious," Buffy said smiling trying not to laugh.
"Yes, I'm a believer, just don't hurt me," Anya said holding very still.
Lisa saw this and walked over. "Faith what's going on? You know I can't let you get away with roughing anyone up," Lisa was sternly looking at Faith. She didn't want to have to discipline her. Faith and Willow were the her best two inmates.
Faith put Anya down. "Nah Lisa nothing going on here. Just ah....." Faith was at a lost.
"She was just playing," Willow said quickly smiling.
"Right Anya?" Willow pleaded with Anya.
"She was just showing off Lisa, you know Faith. Always showing off how much she works out," Willow continued.
"Playing?" Lisa didn't really think it looked like playing. Then again Willow never lied. "Ma'am," she turned to Anya "Is that what was happening?" Lisa really hoped the answer was yes, cause she'd hate to take away the privilege she had just gotten the girls.
"Yes, I asked her to show me how she could lift me as high over her head as she could without dropping me," Anya smiled politely, "she's strong," she laughed. "Sorry for the trouble I won't let her do it again."
"Yeah see Lisa, ma'am, Faith was only playing around she's sorry," Willow didn't wanna lose her new privilege either. She used the term ma'am even though she really didn't have to any more with Lisa, for added respect.
Lisa nodded her head. Then she went back over to her corner in the room.
"Whoa that was close," Faith leaned over and whispered to Willow.
"Yeah, just don't do it again," Willow whispered back. She looked at Anya with a thanks in her eyes.
Tara saw the whispering and walked over and pulled Willow to the side, "what was that all about?"
"Gee, Faith, you really do work out," Anya said trying to convince the guard some more.
Willow looked at Tara, confused, "just a close call is all Baby, we don't want any privileges taken away."
"What privileges?" Tara asked.
"It's nothing Baby," Willow kissed Tara's nose and smiled.
"So, are you ready to talk to Dawn?" Tara knew that this was the real reason that they were all here.
Willow took a deep breath, held the air in her cheeks and slowly blew the out. "Yeah, I'm ready," Willow said.
"Okay Baby," Tara turned to the group. "Okay everyone but Willow and Dawn out in the hall." The group filed out into the hall and to the shock of the group Lisa came with them.
Willow walked over to where Dawn was sitting down and sat down across from her. Willow was filled with an a ray of emotions when she saw the angry look in Dawn's eyes and the way she held on to her arm still as if she had some physical pain left.
"Hi," Willow said not knowing how to start off. Dawn just looked at her with this look that said 'God what do you want?'
"Hello," Dawn replied coldly. Willow thought to herself 'this is gonna take a while, and its not gonna be easy.'
"Dawn, I quit doing magic, I don't even read magic books any more," Willow finally said.
"Yeah for now," Dawn answered. "I heard Tara, she is going to help you start back when you get out of here."
"Dawn, she means on light magics," Willow explained.
"Isn't that how you started? What's to say that you won't end up in the same place?" Dawn was fighting back tears at this point.
"Dawn, I made mistakes, I see that now. I mean why do you think I'm here? I had a chance to get away, I could still get away," she whispered the last part.
"But I don't, I want to change, I never meant it to go this far, but it did the last thing I wanted was for you to get hurt, to hurt anyone," Willow almost cried on the last word.
"Willow, the truth of it is...is that I don't care if you do magic or not," Dawn was going to get this if it killed her. "I'm not mad at you either. I just....when you went all dark magic you weren't you anymore. You scared me. I never thought that I could be afraid of YOU. You like my other big sister. You are supposed to be a person I can feel safe with. But that night, that night was the most scared I've ever been in my life. Including with Glory."
"Dawn, I'm sorry I made you feel that way," Willow said wiping tears away.
"You think an 'I'm sorry' is what I want?" Dawn all but yelled. Tears were now freely falling from her eyes. "What I want is for you to be the Willow you always were to me. What I want is for this to never to have happened. That's what I want, not some worthless meaningless 'I'm sorry'."
"I'm trying I'm on the road to getting there, I can't take it back, and someday I will be the Willow you used to know and love," Willow said behind tears.
Dawn heard the words that Willow said and for the first time in a long time she believed her. Dawn did what she had wanted to do for along time know but wouldn't let herself. She ran over to Willow, through her head in her lap and cried. Between the tears she managed to get out one thing. "I love you Willow."
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FIVE MINUTES LATER
When Dawn opened the door everyone came back in and took in the view of the to girls. They both had tear stained faces and sad smiles on. No one wanted to be the one to ask what had happened.
Then Dawn spoke up, "I'm ready to go home now."
"You guys made up didn't you?" Anya said smiling happily.
"We're working towards it," Dawn answered honestly. "We worked out the anger at least. Now we just have the hurt."
"Okay everyone who's coming with me lets go," Xander said to break the silence in the room.
Willow sighed in relief she was glad to be okay with Dawn. After everyone had given hugs and said their good-byes the four girls sat down to have some private time.
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After another hour or so of talking it was starting to get late. Faith had spent most of the hour kissing and holding Buffy tight. Willow and Tara were working on Willow's emotional state she had started to feel better and they were starting to joke around again.
"Faith, Willow can I see you two a sec?" Lisa asked.
"Sure," answered Faith as she pulled herself away from Buffy.
The three went to the corner and then Lisa told them the good news. "You have the two rooms tomorrow all day."
"Two rooms?" Willow look confused.
Willow looked shocked and turned to Faith, "she doesn't mean the...Oh oh God those rooms!"
Lisa looked at them and smiled, "yeah, the private visits you asked me to set up for you with your GIRLFRIENDS!"
"I got you those rooms all day tomorrow," Lisa was happy with herself.
"Faith do you know what this means?!" Willow said excitedly.
"Yup, it means we get laid," Faith answered.
Buffy got up and yelled, "who's getting laid Faith?" she had heard the last line with her slayer hearing.
Tara stood up in shock. "W-w-w-what?" she stuttered.
"Uh," Willow smiled, "Buffy, Faith, and I have to, you see there's this, and, um, well," Willow couldn't find words to get herself out of this.
Faith broke in, "Okay ladies here's the deal. Red and I both wanted to spend some alone time with you two to you know, talk and what not. So we got us each a private room all day tomorrow."
"That's what I was gonna say," Willow said soon after.
Tara looked at Willow and instantly knew what the room was really for. She had to smile to herself. She had been thinking the same thing for a while now. "That sounds great." Then she leaned over and kissed the red head softly.
Tomorrow Willow would become her lover again in all senses of the word.
Buffy walked up to Faith and leaned in close, kissed her neck and whispered in her ear, "but Faith, who's going?"
As they walked out of the jail thoughts of a naked Willow ran through Tara's head. She thought of the last time they had made love. It had been for hours. It was sweat filled and passion filled and lustful. Suddenly Tara turned to Buffy and said, "I need a long shower. A long colllllld shower."
TBC~Lex And Grace
, I'm mean, can't you just send her to the retirement home for a few hours of community service or something.
Looking forward to the next part!
Kitten,
akes out of it:: Keep on reading more faith coming up.
at: 6/26/03 10:05 pm
