Chapter Six: Who Are You?

Buffy stood in the doorway of her home, staring into the openness of her room. The sun was shining through the window, hitting off the pretty shiny things on her vanity. Mr. Gordo sat in the middle of her bed as happy as ever, leaning back against the pillows. The carpet was soft beneath her feet, and she dug her toes in, wiggling them with a small sigh. This wasn't real of course. There was no way she was in this house, because this house was occupied by a nice family with cute children. And she didn't remembering breaking in and kicking them out. So that could only mean one thing.

She was dreaming.

Since arriving in Alter Sunnydale, she hadn't dreamed of her home once. She barely thought of it if she could help it, because she knew dwelling would make her feel all mopey. And she didn't need to feel mopey when her comfort level was higher than it had ever been. This was her vacation, and who in their right mind thought of sad things on their vacation? So she was looking at her adventure in this dimension through rose colored glasses...so much so that she didn't wanna ever take them off.

It's just...everything was so easy here. For most of her life she'd had it hard, fighting off the forces of darkness sometimes two at a time. Here, she didn't have to do that if she didn't want. She could sit back on a tombstone and watch the other Slayer take 'em out. Odd; but she was perfectly fine doing just that for a while.

Smiling, she sat down on her bed and smoothed a hand on the white bed spread. "I miss you. You were so much more comfy than Faith's sofa."

"Ouch. I'm hurt." A husky voice chuckled.

Buffy glanced up, blinking. "Faith? Wha--um--whaaat are you doing here?"

The brunette shrugged as she strolled inside, looking around. "Dunno. I was dreamin' that I was like spinnin' records at some party, and then poof. Next thing I know I'm out in the hall." She tilted her head to the side. "Question; how do I know I'm dreamin' and where are we?"

The blonde sighed. "This would be a Slayer dream, but joint. And this house would be my house--at least back in my world."

"Usually my 'work' dreams are less...mellow." Faith smirked, shoving her hands into her back pockets. "And less coherent. Sometimes I'm fightin' a giant Elmo."

"You're disturbing."

"So I've been told. But dude, he's kinda scary. A little red monsta that sounds like a baby...just sayin'."

Buffy laughed lightly. "The last dream I had with yo--with Faith was about three years ago. She helped me defeat the Mayor."

The other girl nodded. "Good to know I'm not all bad."

Green eyes lifted, and for a moment she had a weird feeling. A sinking feeling. "N--no. I think the bad times were neck and neck with the good. But you know how things go, you always end up remembering the bad better than the good. Plus people tend to focus on their own pain rather than what someone else is also going through."

"Yeah, I get that. It's easier." Faith mused idly. "But, didja ever wonder what could've been? If she hadn't screwed up..."

"Honestly? I did, more now after seein' the other side of the tracks. And it wasn't just her who screwed up..."

"Mostly her."

"It takes two people to ruin what could have been...nice."

"Well yo, maybe you'll get a chance to make amends."

"I doubt she'd accept a 'sorry' from me. The last time she tried to apologize to me I told her I'd beat her to death."

"You're wicked rowdy. Time changes people though. So does prison."

"I guess. I don't even know where to begin..."

"How bout with, 'hey'."

"You think that would work?"

"Don't see why not. You could start with sorry I kicked ya ass all those times, but it lacks flare."

Buffy chuckled and stood, running a hand through her full hair. "I'll admit, I feel kinda guilty for gettin' along with you so well, when things between her and I were so...meh."

A slow snicker. "Heh, somethin' tells me that ain't the only thing ya feel guilty for."

The older female arched a brow, her cheeks growing hot. "Wh--I don't know what you are talking about."

Faith shrugged nonchalantly. "Aight. But cha will soon enough, if ya really don't."

It got very quiet all of a sudden, yet there was something distant in the air, a small static sound that burned her ears. She couldn't make out what it was, but it was defintely there. Humming gently in the back of her head like the soft melody to a song whose lyrics she couldn't remember. Slowly she looked up at Faith, meeting her dark brown eyes. They were watching her intensely, neither shifting or blinking. Her stance was neutral and non threatening, but her gaze held a deeper meaning that swam below the surface.

Swallowing hard, she wet her lips. "Faith..."

"Yeah, B?" The brunette inquired naturally.

"Is this--I mean are you...her?" Buffy asked, stepping closer. "My Faith?"

"Your Faith?"

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah. Prob more so than you do."

"Wh--can we just not do the riddles thing for once?"

"But that's how it goes, ya know? That's how it always goes."

"No. It doesn't have to. Just gimme a straight answer please. Who are you? Or which are you?"

The brunette's lips curved into a slow grin. She reached up with her right hand and touched Buffy's cheek. "You ready?"

With a gasp Buffy jerked awake, nearly tumbling out of the hard wooden chair. She blinked and glanced around, surprised to find herself in the Magic Box. Then she remember that she'd come over to hang out with Willow and Tara while they researched spells. Afterwards they were all going to get hyped up on sugary drinks and then troll the mall for outfits they liked but couldn't afford. She must have fallen asleep while waiting.

Rubbing discreetly at her mouth to make sure there was no drool, she exhaled and frowned slightly. That had been quite the wig of a dream. But now she was seriously wondering just who had she been talking to? Faith or Alter Faith? Or maybe a weird match up of both? Though the end had totally fit with the whole 'how to defeat the Mayor' dream from years back. Except for the location and everything.

Usually her dreams were meant to tell her something. Or they were prophesying something that was going to happen. But there was no apocalypse on the horizon, no need to be on guard--that she knew of anyway. Plus the dream had been too mellow. No flashes of past deeds and such. They hadn't made a bed either, not that something like that really mattered.

"You okay?" Tara asked concerned, breaking her thoughts. "Bad dream?"

"Uh no. Just odd." She replied, shaking her head. "It was nothing."

"Yo--you sure? Not that I--I'm prying." The other blonde stammered. "Ju--just helping."

Buffy cut her eyes; no one was around. And she trusted her. "Well I--I dreamed about Faith." Noting her expression, she waved her hands. "No! It--not that kinda dream. We were in my old house and we were talking. There was nothing but talking going down."

Tara nodded, relieved. "What's strange about it though?"

"I couldn't tell if it was this Faith or, the one from my home." She admitted. "And I feel like I need to know. That it's important..."

"You could always ask Faith if--if she remembers anything."

"Yeah...I could. Maybe I will."

Jumping up from the table, she smiled at Tara. "Um, tell them I'll be back in a jiffy." She then hurried out of the shop, jogging down the street.

A few minutes later she was at Faith's apartment, stopping at the door to go over in her head what she was going to say. It wasn't weird at all, asking someone if they'd just shared a dream with you. Okay it was weird, but she was gonna pretend it wasn't. Over the years she'd gotten pretty good at repressing things. Hopefully if this went wrong, it would be another notch for the repressing post, right under her mom having sex with Giles on the hood of a police car. Twice.

Using the spare key she'd been given, she slowly unlocked the door and stepped inside. She'd expected to find the place either vacant or maybe with the girl in question training. Instead she found the girl in question with her head between her girlfriend's legs. And said girlfriend was loudly showing her enjoyment.

She gaped for a moment then snapped back to attention, quickly whirling around. "Oh God! I--I'm sorry. Sooo very sorry."

"Buffy!" Faith laughed, righting herself as Carly swatted at her. "No biggie..."

"No I--I--bad. I didn't see anything. Well I--I mean I saw something but it--I'm not sure what it was." Buffy babbled incoherently. The image was already digging itself a nice cushy hole in her brain.

The brunette snickered and climbed out of bed, watching as Carly pulled the blanket up and over her head. She was totally red and mortified. "Chill, B. It's just sex. You aren't the first person to walk in on me doin' the ditty."

"She's the first to walk in on me!" Her girlfriend groaned. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Buffy."

"N--no I should have knocked. Knocking it good, it keeps your eyes from wanting to kill themselves with a spork." The blonde cringed. "I--bye." She all but ran out of the room.

Faith grabbed up a t-shirt and threw it on over her black panties, then followed her. "Hey, really. Everythin's is five by five."

Hiding her face in her hands, Buffy managed a small smile at hearing those words. "Um, I--I just wanted to ask you somethin'."

"What's that?"

"Well now I don't think I need to. You obviously weren't like, sleeping a few minutes ago."

"Nah I'd been workin' out a little. Why?"

"Oh um, it--it's nothing. Weird Slayer stuff."

Tilting her head to the side, Faith ducked in front of her. "Like good weird or bad weird?"

Buffy avoided her gaze as if her life depended on it. "I--honestly I'm not sure yet. " She paused, her cheeks crimson. "I'm gonna let you get back to...um...yeah. Tell Carly I'm very sorry."

"Eh, she'll get over it." A grin. "Laters, B."

The blonde nodded and power walked to the elevator. She sprinted in the moment the doors opened and leaned against the back, sighing deeply. Why did things like this always happen to her? Not only was she like a demon magnet, she was also an uncomfortable situation magnet. Was it some cosmic joke that she wasn't aware of? Because if it were, it was so not funny! Her eyes had seen things they would never unsee again.

Carly naked.

Carly naked on the bed.

Carly naked on the bed with her back arched and her legs open. Her hand in Faith's hair.

Faith.

Faith half naked.

Faith doing things with her tongue that looked really--no!

"Supid brain." She mumbled, frowning. "If you don't stop it, I'll assault you with a Q-tip!"

Just one more! Her brain giggled. Didn't Faith have amazing breasts? Round and probably squeezable. Didn't cha just wanna squeeze 'em!

"That's it! I'm getting a lobotomy!" She shouted, just as the doors opened and an elderly couple filed in. Looking at her as if she were insane. She just stepped out and made her way outside, heading back towards the magic shop.

Focus. So it was more than likely that her dream had starred her Faith, which just confused her even more than she was. They had a bond but it seemed strange that such a bond could stretch across into an alternate dimension. Stuff like that only happened in bad sci fi tv shows, not real life. Not to mention, what was the point? Why now? She was happy and had a chance to be as normal as the fates would allow.

Grumbling, she stopped at the corner and watched the cars pass. Knowing Faith, it was her way of once again trying to screw with her head. Of trying to freak her out when she was more or less in a stably place. Cause really, what else could it be?

Maybe she wants you to come home. Maybe she misses you. Maybe she can tell your energy is gone and misses it.

"I thought I told you to shut up." She said through clenched teeth to her head.

Maybe she's in trouble.

"Okay! Where's an axe!" Stalking across the street, she busted through the doors of the store and headed straight into the basement. She was rummaging through the many boxes when Tara came down.

"Um ar--are you alright?" She inquired slowly.

"No. I'm looking for an axe so I can chop my head off." Buffy replied in total seriousness.

Tara just stared at her for a moment. "I--I don't think that is possible. You might need like, help."

The blonde groaned. "So it wasn't this Faith in my dream. I dunno..." Trailing off, she sighed. "Why would the other Faith--how could the other Faith be in my dream? I'm not even in my world anymore."

"Yes bu--but dreams are funny like that. They ca--can cross boundaries that normally couldn't be cr--cross because the brain is on a different frequency when you're sleeping." The witch explained lightly. "It--it's kinda like when you dream about someone who is dead. Who's to say they aren't dreaming or thi--thinking about you too."

"I guess. Why would she be thinking about me though?"

"Well you're both Slayers. Ma--maybe you being gone somehow affects her."

"How could I find out for sure?"

"Hmm we--well we could try a spell. If you want."

"What kinda spell?"

"A dream walker spell. It--it would allow you to enter her dreams, providing she is asleep of course."

"Is it dangerous?"

"Not usually. But as always with magic, things can become unstable."

Buffy nodded slowly and sat down at the dusty table, biting on her bottom lip. So the question was, did she wanna find out what was going on back home bad enough to risk becoming a head of cabbage? Curiosity had always been her heel thingie, or whatever it was called. Even if things were fine, that little voice would keep nagging her with the thought that maybe thingsweren't fine. That maybe some giant Godzilla monster was stomping around destroying everything in sight. Or maybe her friends were in danger. Or maybe Faith as in danger.

Do I care if Faith is in danger? The answer? Yes, she did care. She surprised herself by caring more than she previously thought.

She wasn't sure if it was repressed guilt or something else entirely, but she knew she couldn't just sit back with her feet up if the brunette somehow needed her. Any other time before falling into the land of Oz she might have, but there was no way she could now. She'd seen what life could have been like if the dice hadn't been against them. How they could have truly got along. She owed it to her to do all that she could to help, if that were in fact the case.

Glancing at Tara, she smiled. "What do I need to do?"