[BtVS] Rocks and Metaphors.

Staring out into the canyon that once was the town of Sunnydale, Faith dangled her feet over the edge and thought about the fight she had just barely survived. Not the First and an army of ubervamps, but her own seduction by and escape from darkness. She could still feel it inside her, like blood boiling in her veins. Like a knife in her gut (a feeling she could remember literally, thanks to Buffy--the taste of metal sliding into her; the taste of betrayal and disappointment). After all Angel did for her, and after her struggles with both herself and others while in prison, she was still terrified of slipping.

Faith picked up a rock from the edge of the canyon and tossed it out into what was left of the hellmouth. She thought briefly of the irony in her fear and her current placement on the edge of crumbling rocks. All of it could be seen as a giant metaphor, she was sure, but that wasn't her kind of thing. Never was one for school, really.

"You okay?" She turned to find the blonde slayer--"original slayer," to be more specific since all the wannabes were now caught up to the chosen two--kneeling in the dirt just behind her. It wasn't too long ago the two didn't get along. Three years prior Buffy had threatened Faith's life should she dare apologize. Now things were different.

Now she just wanted to make it all up to her.

"Dealin'." Buffy smiled at the response and joked, "Not 'five by five'?" As much as Faith appreciated the humor she was far too tired to even crack a smile. She kept her gaze straight ahead and instead attempted to change the subject.

"How's that gaping hole the vamp's sword gave you?" Buffy shrugged, "Quit bleeding 'bout an hour ago." Pause. "I never, uh, said thank you for taking over like you did."

The sun was finally setting and the colors cast over the landscape looked like spilt blood. Or maybe it wasn't the sunset at all. All those young girls who died saving the world.... Faith shook her head. They worked so hard, turned themselves into an army, and in the end they only painted the sand red. Buffy could have been one of them. She very nearly was. Faith couldn't help but think of herself as undeserving of Buffy's gratitude.

"What, B, pickin' up the ax and cuttin' some demons down to size? S'nothin'. Just doin' my job." Barely before her last word was even out she felt Buffy's hand on her shoulder.

"Faith, your strength inspired me. I was able to get up because of what you did." The blonde sighed. "I know we've been through a lot. From fighting demons together to fighting each other, and you've come a long way in the past few years, and... Apology accepted. So long as you accept my own."

As the sun disappeared beyond the horizon a slight breeze took its place, causing the dark slayer to rise from her spot on the cliff and turn towards the bus. The surviving new slayers were still chatting excitedly about the First's defeat, full of adrenaline, and the scoobies supported each other in their frief over the loss of Anya. Faith stood next to the sitting blonde, observing the differences between the groups of survivors. She noticed how the younger crowd still jumped about despite the great number of casualties. The others, however, appeared worn down yet relieved. Faith wondered if any of them were looking to retire. After all the battles and apocalypses, she wondered if they had been through enough.

And, almost as suddenly as these curiosities entered then left her head, Faith felt she belonged. She understood their exhaustion, their sadness and relief. In this battle she had become one of them and they would help protect her from the darkness left within her. They would not let her fail.

Buffy would not let her fail.

A small smile then shown on Faith's face, and she glanced down at her opposite, her other half. "No worries. We're five by five." With one step at a time Faith moved away from the ledge and towards the bus, the slayers, and her friends.