Closure

by SpikesKat

Xander had been shocked when he first saw Faith. She’d looked like something the cat had dragged in, clothes dirty and hair in disarray. But, it was her eyes that had really worried him.

They reminded him of how Buffy used to look. Last year, when they’d pulled her out of heaven. Dead. Her eyes were lifeless.

He made a mental note to have a talk with her later. Alone. Being locked up couldn’t have been fun. And from what Willow had said, she’d gone toe to toe with Angelus and had nearly died for her trouble.

When he’d gone down into the basement and seen her with Spike, he’d almost changed his mind. But Spike had made his excuses, something about having a smoke on the back patio, and he’d left without another word.

There’d been some awkward shuffling on his part then. There was no place for him to sit unless he wanted to join Faith on the cot. She’d recognized his dilemma, a wide knowing smile on her face. She’d reclined back, displaying herself to the best possible advantage, and patted the place in front of her. Memories of the two of them together, flashed before his eyes, and he tried to swallow around the sudden lump in his throat.

He had the last laugh, though, crossing the room and sitting down right next to her, forcing her to sit up or risk having him sit on her feet. Ignoring her sudden glare, he said, “So, Angelus huh?”

Her face fell, her expression became haunted, and he could have kicked himself when her eyes grew moist with unshed tears.

“Damn. Faith, I’m… sorry. Shhh,” he murmured, gathering her close and holding her when she broke down and cried.

It didn’t last long, and before Xander knew it she was pushing away from him, wiping away her tears, as she laughingly wished for a cigarette.

“Want to talk about it?”

And surprise of surprises, she did. She let him be the friend he’d tried to be so long ago.

Xander listened quietly as she told him all about her stint in jail – her attempt to atone for past mistakes, mistakes alluded to with a knowing look in his direction – how Wesley came to visit, her breakout and subsequent showdown with Angelus, and finally, her hope for redemption in Sunnydale.

“Got a lot of stuff to make up for, ya know?”

“Honestly, we could use the help,” Xander replied, giving her a brief hug. A Scooby hug. Forgiveness offered. “This thing is big. Really big.”

“Yeah.”

“Anyway, I should probably go. Check on things upstairs.” A crash sounded from upstairs and Xander shook his head ruefully. “Yep. Never a dull moment at the Summers’ homestead.”

He got a reluctant smile from Faith and answered it with one of his own. Sighing dramatically, he patted her knee then stood.

Xander was almost to the door when he heard her call out. “Yeah?”

“Thanks. For, you know...”

She gestured vaguely with her hand and Xander nodded and smiled once more before letting himself out of the basement.

The End

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