The Black Rose

Chapter 6

Faith looked through the glass window of the ward room, her heart sank as she saw a dishevelled Buffy sat close to the bed, holding Alex’s hand and talking softly to her. “B?” Faith knocked gently on the door before entering. “Buffy?” the blonde looked up forcing a smile across her tired puffy face. “How is she?”

“Not good, the machines are keeping her alive for now.”

Faith stood next to her looking down to the beaten figure in the bed, she placed a hand on Buffy’s shoulder “What happened?”

Buffy began to whimper “I don’t know. We were walking, trying to get a cab. I only left her for a minute when I turned round she’d gone.”

Faith put the bags on the floor “I got the stuff you asked for. You eaten?”

“No, I don’t want to leave her again.”

“B. you gotta eat, you need to keep your strength up, for Alex.”

“I’m not leaving her .” Buffy tightened her grip on Alex’s hand.

“I’ll go get you something.” She had to get out of the room. Seeing Buffy broken the way she was, hurt her inside, mixed with anger at Tom’s incapability to follow orders. “Back in a minute.”

Buffy kept a vigil at the bedside over the next week, Faith spent a lot her time there with her ensuring she ate, and kept a basic hygiene regime. Alex held onto life for just over a week before finally her body couldn’t take anymore. Faith made all the arrangements for the funeral, and had a bodyguard watch over Buffy when she couldn’t be there herself.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Six months had passed seeing Faith practically moved into Orchard Grove to take care of Buffy. Helping her try and get some of her life back in order, she would hold her in the night, rocking her gently as the nightmares would take her in cold sweats. She would watch as Buffy would cry herself back to sleep gently calling for Alex. Something inside tearing itself free slowly, each time she witnessed the slayers heartache. Knowing she was the cause.

Faith woke early as always, the smell of bacon frying filling her nostrils, she dived out of bed heading for the kitchen. Buffy stood over the stove a half smile on her face as she cooked.