A\N: Please read my note at the end.

Jan\Jun '99 – Leavin' Sunnydale (1/) Buffy - Story

Jan `99

Faith resisted the urge to shake her head as the three of them
hurried through the town's hushed and darkened streets. If she and
B didn't have enough problems trying to rescue G and Wussley from
Balthazar, Harris had to tag along.

Fuck, ever since they'd screwed he'd been following her around like
a whipped puppy. Like it actually meant something. Hadn't her
throwing him out straight after the `great' event been proof of
that? "Shouldn't have shit in your own sand-pit girl," she
muttered. Next time she got an itch, she'd have to pick up a boy-
toy she didn't know. She chuckled to herself, well at least that
let out the Wuss – not that he'd ever have got near her.

Not, she smiled unwillingly, that it hadn't been nice. She was used
to guys telling her she was a `hot lay' or when they'd finished
telling her to grab them a beer. Xander though, he'd been
different. After what had been soft and gentle instead of her usual
frenzied style, he'd looked at her with a sort of amazed affection
like it had really meant something. Stupid bastard, didn't he
realise fucking was just -.

Suddenly vampires were all over them. A grin on her face, she
joined B in mowing through the bastards. Then B let out a
scream. "Faith, incoming!" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw
her blonde counterpart throw a shape towards her. Her stake came up.

And then a body barrelled between her and her target knocking her
off balance and catching her shot in his shoulder, causing blood to
spurt out of the wound. Faith's eyes widened. "Damn it Xander!
What the fuck ya -." Her voice trailed off as she realised her
original target wasn't a vampire at all but a living breathing human
that she'd have killed but for Xander's interference.

As comprehension began to set in, she started to shake. God, she'd
nearly killed a human, become a murderer, no better than a vamp.
Suddenly she felt an arm around her shoulders, looking up she saw
Xander with his good arm around her. She paled as her eyes were
drawn to the ugly gash on his opposite shoulder. "Hey don't worry
about it. I knew the risk when I dived in, I stopped you from
killing," the male Scooby glared at the man climbing to his
feet. "This idiot. That's the important thing."

Suddenly Xander winced. "Fuck Xan, you five by five?" Faith asked,
her voice trembling.

"It's nothing major, but I'll best go home. I'll drop this fool off
on the way."

"Wait!" As the idiot babbled something about working for the Mayor,
Faith stared open-mouthed at Xander. She'd treated him like shit but
he'd still cared enough to risk his life to save her from a terrible
mistake. Maybe he was different from all the other guys she'd
known. Maybe she should ask him for another chance.

Finally the deputy mayor finished talking. Xander nodded. "See you
guys later."

Faith watched as Xander dragged the older man away, still awed by
what the male Scooby had done for her just minutes ago. A strong
hand grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her round to face an angry
looking B. "You stupid bitch! You hurt Xander and -."

The blonde's voice trailed off when she caught the open-handed slap
swinging towards her cheek. "Not gonna happen B," Faith shook her
head for emphasis. "Xman's got the right to take it up with me,"
she knew he wouldn't Xan didn't blame people otherwise he'd have
kicked B and Red to the kerb months ago. "But in case you've
forgotten B, you threw that asshole to me. You might be able to
sidestep the blame for all the shit Angelus did last year but I've
realised something. I've tried to play nice but I don't need your
friendship anymore, but I will have your respect." Faith stepped
towards the shorter Slayer, backing her off. "Even if I have to
beat it out of you." She turned away from the blonde and towards a
retreating Xander. "Wait here."


*
* *

"X! Wait up!"

The youth turned towards her, his expression questioning. "Faith?"

Suddenly Faith's resolve to ask Xander out crumbled. After the way
she'd treated him, why would he be interested? "I just-, I never
said thanks for stopping me killing him," she tore her gaze away
from her fellow youth's bruised shoulder and to his eyes. "So,
thanks. And," she swallowed. "You know how you said we should go
for a pizza sometime? I'd like that. Just as buds," she added
hurriedly as her nerve failed again.

"Yeah," Xander grinned. "I'd like that."


*
* *

Faith grinned as she dropped her stakes into the open drawer and
looked around her dingy hotel room. For the first time in a long
while the leering hotel manager didn't seem quite lecherous, the
noise from the whore servicing her clientele in the next room quite
so loud, or her lumpy mattress quite as uncomfortable.

Why? Because she had a friend. And maybe, her heart warmed at the
hopeful thought, maybe something more.


*
* *

Jun `99

Xander stepped backwards and sighed. He'd already put some stuff in
the car but even so, the two duffle bags he'd just flung onto his
bed were pathetically meagre reward for eighteen years of life.
Grabbing the bags he let out a yell. "Mom! Dad! I'm going!"
Xander waited for a second. His eyes misted over when, as expected,
his farewell was met by silent indifference.

Slamming the door behind him, he hurried for his car, Uncle Rory
having given him his beaten up Dodge Charger as a going away
present, ruminating on his decision to leave Sunnydale for good.
Originally he'd only planned to leave for the summer but events over
the past years had caused a rift to form between him and the others.

First there'd been Buffy's running away and then returning,
seemingly expecting them to fall on their knees and collectively
thank her for returning. Then concealing Angel's return. The way
she'd pushed him out of patrolling, the only thing that made him
useful, different from his worthless folks. And the only thing he
was to blame for – cheating on Cordy. Not only had he hurt a really
great girl for no good reason, he'd also wrecked his oldest
friendship.

Saying his good-byes had only strengthened his resolve to leave.
Buffy had been more distracted with the `terrible tragedy' of her
demon lover leaving. Willow on the other had been pleased to see
him go, desperate to do whatever it took to save her crumbling
relationship with Oz. Cordy, Xander grimaced, well he hadn't had
the nerve for the goodbye.
The only one he was really going to miss was Faith. After the
incident with Finch, the raven-haired Slayer had started to let him
in, begun to trust him. And as he expected he'd found a kindred
spirit, someone with the same shitty sort of home life, sense of
humour, and outlook on life. As they'd grown closer he'd noticed
but discarded the jealous looks both Buffy and Willow gave him.
Well, they'd decided his friendship was unimportant, they couldn't
have it both ways.

He'd even asked the Bostonian if she wanted to accompany him,
strictly no strings attached, but his bud had declined, saying she'd
love too but couldn't leave her sacred duty. He understood but he
was going to miss her like hell.

"Son."

He turned to see Giles stood under the tree at the corner of the
road. "G-Man."

The Watcher half-smiled before starting towards him. "I never
thought I'd be sorry not to be hearing that name again." The former
Sunnydale High librarian turned serious. "Are you sure about this?"

"About leaving?" Xander shrugged. "Not really, but it's not like
I've anything to stay for. No home, friends aren't interested, and
nothing but low-level employment beckons. I'd rather be anywhere,"
he glanced around. "But here."

The bespectacled Englishman sighed and nodded. "In that case,"
Giles passed him a thick envelope.

Xander's eyes widened as he looked inside the envelope. "There's
nine thousand bucks here!"

The Watcher shrugged. "Call it long over-due payment for your
assistance over the last three years."

"T…thanks," Xander stuttered. With the money he'd saved from his
summer jobs he had over ten thousand dollars, more than enough to
keep him going for a few months at least.

"Think nothing of it son." His surrogate father reached out to
shake his hand but Xander ignored the gesture, choosing instead to
engulf the Englishman in a hug. "I'm going to miss you," the
Watcher whispered.

"And you," Xander admitted before pulling away.

"Yes quite," the Englishman struggled to regain his poise. "Now
remember, just because you're not in Sunnydale doesn't mean you
shouldn't take precautions. Particularly," a smile tugged at the
former dark mage's lips. "Considering your propensity for
attracting unsuitable paramours. "

Xander winced at the reminder of his romantic misadventures. "I
will. And thanks."

Giles smiled. "My pleasure. And stay in touch."


*
* *

Xander whistled to himself as he jumped in his car and began
fiddling with his radio dial. He smiled in satisfaction as he
discovered Johnny Cash singing `Get Rhythm'. "Ah," he smiled to
himself. "An oldie but a goldie."
"Fuck Xan," a highly disgusted voice commented from behind
him. "No way am I travelling with you if I've gotta listen to that
shit!"
A beaming smile illuminating his face, Xander looked behind him to
see a smirking Faith wearing a pair of Daisy Dukes and a halter top
stood by the trunk, a knapsack slung over one shoulder and a thumb
held out as if hitching a ride. "You want to come?"
A rare uncertainty entered the brunette's luminous brown
eyes. "Offer's still open right?"
"Offer's still open," he confirmed. "But I thought-."
"That I wasn't interested?" the east coast native shook her head,
raven tresses dancing at the movement. "Nah. I figured if B or Red
found out I was leaving they'd rat me out to the Wuss and then I'd
be dead meat." The Bostonian snorted in disgust. "Like I'd wanna
stay here without my best bud for those two snooty bitches to sneer
at me. Ten months I'm eighteen, no-way am I staying around for
that. Besides, there's demons in other places `sides Sunnyd." His
friend reached into her rucksack and threw him a thick
envelope. "Twenty K to our travelling fund. We're gonna live
large."
"Twenty K?" Xander's eyes widened as a troubling thought
occurred. "How did-."
"I get the cash?" Faith finished his question for him. "Fuck Xan,
I know I get around but I've too much self-respect for that. How do
you think I financed my trip from Boston to Sunnyd? By stripping or
whoring, or with a rich sugar daddy?" Faith shook her head
again. "You have gotta be shittin' me. Nah, I'd hit a vamp den,
wipe out its occupants and take their cash. Been doing it since I
hit Sunnydale to pay for my room, food, and shit."
"Faith, that's dangerous!"
His friend shrugged before throwing her army knapsack onto the
backseat before lithely vaulting into the passenger
seat. "Newsflash Xan, being a Slayer is dangerous," the Bostonian's
sensual mouth twisted in disgust. "Shit, it wasn't like B was any
sort of decent back-up, always taking the night off to be with Fang,
leaving the stand-in to do the scut work. So," the brunette forced
a smile. "Where we off to first?"
"Faith," Xander grinned. "The open road's our friend."
Faith chuckled. "Sunnydale quips, you've gotta love `em."

*
* *
"Mr. Travers, there's a call from Mr. Whyndham-Pryce on the other
line."
Travers raised a bushy eyebrow. Young Pryce's monthly report
wasn't due for a week yet. Either Faith or, more likely, the
Summers bint given the fact there had been no reports of a new
Slayer being called, had died. Excellent, Travers smiled slightly
at the thought of freezing that arrogant bugger Rupert Giles out
before picking up the phone. "Wesley! Good news I trust!" his
smile evaporated at his countryman's bumbling reply. "You've lost
your bloody Slayer? You blithering idiot!" he roared, spittle
cloaking the phone hand-set. "You're fired!"

After slamming the phone down he fumed for a few seconds – one
Slayer wilfully disobeying the Council and the other a bloody
runaway! This was an unheard of situation, and under his
stewardship to boot. Suddenly his smile returned. Although given
Faith's past and her reputation for wildness there were perhaps
advantages – that low-class trollop demeaned her Calling. Picking
the phone back up he dialled the outer office extension. "Mrs
Reynolds, put me through to the Council Executive Action team."

*
* *
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