I don't own BTVS. All rights to Joss Whedon.
"Hey Red, how you feelin'?" Faith was sitting with her combat boot clad feet propped up on the table.
Willow rubbed her eyes. "Better."
"Hey listen, about the way I acted earlier-"
"Don't mention it, it's fine. I mean I overstepped my bounds, it was none of my business." Willow blabbered.
"No, it was seriously shitty of me to act that way. " Faith protested.
"Faith-"
"It's just I got flustered and didn't know what to say-"
"Faith-"
"Because when I'm around you I have trouble speak-"
"Faith-"
"And you have this affect on me where I don't understand-"
"Faith!"
"What?" Faith cried.
"Me too."
"What?"
"I did too. In high school. Have.. Feelings." Willow smiled a tiny smiled. Faith looked back at her bewildered.
"Feelings? Will, what are you talking about?" Faith frowned.
"That's all you gave me. That's all you're getting." Willow's smile widened.
"C'mon Red-"
"Nope." Willow just grinned and leaned back, closing her eyes. Faith couldn't get another word out of her all night.
The next morning
Willow woke up the next morning to find herself alone for the first time since the car accident and bridge jumping incident. She shakily got out of bed and hobbled down the stairs to find the whole gang, including some potentials sitting in front of the TV. "Hey everyone." She said as she sat down next to Buffy and Dawn on the couch. Willow turned her attention to the TV and saw that a picture of her was on the news. She was lying the ground unconscious and had blood trickling down her face. Faith kneeled next to her and police cars could be seen in the background. The news anchor said, "The woman you see kneeling next to the victim is criminal Faith Lehane. She was imprisoned two years ago for murded, attempted murder and assault of innocent citizens. She escaped three weeks ago and disappeared until a week ago. Lehane was found on a bridge not the highway after climbing into a car with an unarmed citizen. She then proceeded to crash the car. What she was planning on doing to the victim was unclear but she had already harmed the woman when police arrived at the scene. She was surrounded but she refused to surrender. Lehane then did something that has us all baffled. She grabbed the victim and jumped off of the bridge into the water below. The police have discovered footprints of a person leading away from the river. It appears that she survived and is on the run once again. The victim had been identified as 22 year old Willow Rosenberg from Sunnydale, CA. If victim and/or suspect are spotted, please call 911 immediately. Do not approach. Back to you Matt." The view changed and Buffy turned off the TV. Faith had stood and was pacing the room, hands on head, muttering various profanities.
"Damn police. Fucking news."
Willow stood and approached Faith, "Faith, it'll be okay."
"What are we supposed to do?! I can't just spend the rest of my life in this damn house!" Faith yelled.
"You don't have too! We'll figure this out!" Willow shouted.
"No we won't. I don't want you involved in this." Faith spun to face the red head.
"I don't believe you right now!" Willow yelled, her voice cracking. "Im trying to help you!"
"I don't need your help!" Faith screamed back.
"Fine!"
"Fine."
Willow spun on her heel and head out the front door, letting it slam behind her. Kennedy made to follow her, but Buffy held her back. "Let me follow my girlfriend." Kennedy growled.
"She's not your girlfriend." Buffy sneered.
"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Kennedy clenched her hands into fists.
"She's not your girlfriend. She doesn't love you. She never did." Buffy said calmly. Kennedy's face turned bright red. She pushed away from Buffy but didn't make to follow Willow again.
Willow wandered aimlessly down the street. She walked into a coffee shop, her arms wrapped around herself. She sat down at a table and started skimming the menu. A waitress with a long golden ponytail and a piercing on her lip sauntered over to the table, "Can I take your order?" She asked.
"Uh, yeah, I'll have a cappuccino." Willow said, looking up.
"K Hun." The waitress said. Before she left, she looked up at Willow's face. Her eyes tracked from the woman's cut lip to the dark bruise that was still covered in dried blood. "Hang on. I recognize you."
Willow looked down. "I guess I just have one of those faces."
"Nah, that ain't it. You're that girl on the news! The one in the accident with the murder!" She cried. A few people from surrounding tables looked up.
"No, I'm not." Willow said.
"I'm gonna call 911. Don't worry, you'll get some help." The waitress said.
"No! No, please don't! I don't need help, I'm fine." Willow stood. Seeing that the blond waitress had already picked up the phone, she ran out the door and started down the street. She was still weak and felt herself starting to shake before she was even halfway down the block. As Willow neared the end of the street she stumbled and tripped on a crack in the sidewall, falling to her knees. She grabbed her cellphone from her pocket and started running with it, clumsily dialing the Summers' number "Hello?"
"Buffy!"
"Will? God, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, listen, tell Faith she has to leave!"
"What?"
"Faith new to leave! Someone recognized me, they called the police. They'll be after her know!"
"Okay, I'll tell her. Do you need-"
"I'll be fine. I'll get away. If I'm not home in an hour, come to the hospital. I'm guessing that's where they'll take me."
"Okay."
"Bye."
"Wait, Will."
"Yeah?"
"Be careful!"
"Goodbye Buffy." As Willow said this, the sound of police and ambulance sirens filled the air.
A team of paramedics rushed over to Willow who was clumsily getting to her feet. "Ma'am, don't worry, you're safe now." One said
"Obviously." Willow growled, but a sudden shiver put a damper on her fierceness.
"Can you walk?"
In response, Willow finished getting to her feet and tried to walk in the opposite direction. A paramedic grabbed her by the shoulders. "Miss, I'm sorry, but you need to come with us. We need to make sure you're not hurt, run some tests. And the police will want to question you."
"I don't need tests! I'm fine!" Willow protested.
"You've been through a very traumatic experience. It's understandable that your upset, denial is normal."
"I'm not in denial!" Willow cried. A police man had made his way over to the girl and the medics.
"You are Willow Rosenberg?"
"Let me go!" Willow yelled as two more police officers came up from behind her and took her by the arms.
"It's okay, you're safe. I promise we will find the criminal who did this. But first your going to have to be patient and let us run our tests and ask our questions. Then we'll start finding your family." The man said in a hurry voice.
"No! No, you don't understand! Faith isn't a criminal! She's a good person, she's my friend."
A nearby paramedic started frantically
scribbling on a clipboard. Willow heard one mutter, "Stockholm Syndrome."
"I'm not sick!" Willow shouted. She struggled against the police men, but they held her tight. "Let go of me!!" She screamed.
"Is she okay?!" Faith demanded, pacing the length of the room.
"She'll be okay. They think she's the victim, the won't hurt her." Buffy assured Faith. "But they'll be looking for you. You need to leave Sunnydale."
"Screw that!" Faith scowled.
"You have to Faith. They'll find you."
"Bullshit. Besides, I can't just leave!"
"Why not?!"
"Because!" Faith yelled. "I just.. Cant."
"Because of her? Because of Willow?" Buffy asked, her arms crossed.
"So what if that's it? It doesn't matter. What does matter, is that I am not leaving." Suddenly something on the radio caught the girls' attention.
A male voice came crackling over the speaker, "22 year old Willow Rowneberg who was seen taken hostage with murderer and criminal Faith Lehane. Faith pulled her off a bridge after crashing her car. She was found stumbling down Main Street, Sunnydale, California. Rosenberg seemed to be delirious, as she tried to convince the police that she was fine and that Lehane is innocent. She was taken to the hospital and while be kept in the mental ward in the Sunnydale hospital. If you or anyone you know is family or friends of Ms. Rosenberg, please notify the cops immediately. If Lehane is spotted, do not approach. Call 911 and then get to a safe location."
Buffy and Faith's eyes met. "Ive got to go to the hospital." Buffy murmured, pulling on her coat.
"I'm coming too." Faith started having up her boots.
"No, you're not." Buffy said as she started out the front door."Xander?" She yelled."I'm going to help Willow!" With that, she disappeared into the daylight, slamming the door behind her.
Willow banged on the walls. "Let me out!! I'm not crazy!" She slammed her fists against the door, ignoring the piercing pain running through her hands. "I'm not crazy!"
"Willow, honey wake up." A soft voice sounded inside Willow's head. Willow gasped and grasped her head.
"Who is that?" She cried.
"Please wake up baby." The voice said, seemingly unaware of Willow's voice. Willow stumbled over to her bed and collapsed onto to it, closing her eyes. "Please baby. It's me, Tara."
Willow slowly opened her eyes to see Tara sitting next to her bed. "T-Tara?" Willow rubbed her eyes.
"Yes!" Tara cried, her face lighting up with a beautiful smile. She had bags under her blue eyes and looked like she hadn't slept in weeks.
"N-No. You're not Tara. You're the First." Willow tried to stay calm.
"The first what?" Tara asked gently.
"The First."
"Baby, I understand you're confused. You've been asleep for a long time." Tara said gently.
"What are you talking about?" Willow frowned, shaking.
"Honey, what do you remember?" Tara asked.
"Y-You're not real. You're dead."
"What? No, no, of course not." Tara promised, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"What happened then?" She whispered.
"You.. You did a spell that went wrong. It erased our memories. Eventually it wore off, but for some reason, when we all got our memories back, you slipped into a coma. You've been in that come for 6 months now." Tara murmured.
"Tara?"
"Yes?"
"Hold my hand?" Willow asked.
Tara threw back her head and laughed a laugh that was not her own. "Ah, clever girl. I knew you were smart but I didn't know you were that smart. I didn't expect you to catch on that fast."
Willow gritted her teeth, "You bitch. Get out. Don't you dare use her body ever again." She held back tears.
The First laughed, "Make me."
There was a knock on the door and Buffy's voice called out, "Will? I'm here. Open up."
The First smiled a crooked smile that looked to much like Tara's. It's eyes squinted the same way Tara's always did. "I'll be back." It whispered before disappearing.
Once the First was gone, Willow allowed the tears to flow. Her small body shook with tears, and she slammed her already bloody fists on the bedside table.
"Will? I'm coming in?" Buffy walked in and her eyes widened as she saw Willow. She rushed over to her best friend and put her arms around her. "Shh.. Shh.. What ever it is, it's okay." Willow trembled like a leaf. "Shh.." She buried her face in Buffy's neck. "What happened?" Buffy whispered gently.
"Th-The First. I-It came. A-A-As.. A-As.." Willow stuttered.
"As Tara?" Buffy asked gently. Willow nodded, her, glaring at the floor. "I'm so sorry Will. So sorry."
"I want to kill it." Willow growled. Her stutter was completely gone.
"We will. I promise. I swear to you, we'll kill it."