Exit Wound

"There you are," Buffy said, approaching Faith. She shrugged her carry on bag further onto her shoulder as she walked. Faith stuffed her hands in her pockets, glancing down at the floor of the terminal. Her lips moved discreetly, almost imperceptibly. She bit the inside of her bottom lip before looking back up at Buffy, who had finally reached her. The blonde hugged her tightly. "Come on. They're boarding. Our potentials and the others are getting on."

Buffy attempted to pull Faith along, but the Dark Slayer held her place.

"B, I need to tell you something," Faith said softly, eyes stern, begging Buffy to wait a moment. Buffy still wore a bright smile on her face.

"Well, we have a seven and a half hour flight. We'll have enough time to talk," Buffy said. She tried to pull Faith away again, but the other Slayer lifted her hand out of her pocket to grab Buffy's. She tugged, forcing the blonde to turn to her.

"Buffy," Faith said sternly. Buffy's smile faded, eyebrows furrowing. It was strange for Faith to call her by her complete name. It always meant something serious was going on and that wasn't good, seeing as they were about to leave for Scotland in a matter of minutes.

The blonde took a few steps closer to her.

"What? What's going on?" Faith sighed. She looked back at the floor and around the terminal. She released a deep breath. "Faith?"

"I'm not going," Faith murmured. Buffy's brow furrowed even more. She hadn't heard that right. Faith had mumbled, so maybe she'd just misheard her. There was no way Faith was backing out. This was the plan. It had been the plan for months now. Giles had arranged everything and Buffy and Faith had been involved in the planning.

"What?" Buffy only managed to whisper it, but Faith heard her clear as day.

"I'm not going to Scotland."

Buffy swallowed hard. Her hands suddenly felt ice cold. Her body was numb with shock. Her head pounded from the news and tears blurred her vision. Faith seemed to continue to speak, but Buffy didn't hear a word. What was going on? What was Faith doing? She didn't understand.

"You're what?"

"I'm sorry, B," Faith said, reaching for Buffy's arm, but the blonde drew back as if the Dark Slayer's touch was a flame. Faith retracted her hand, taking the hint. Buffy was in too much shock to want to be touched. At least, not by her. "I thought it over and I'm just not ready. I think I still have some work to do here."

"But we planned this. For months. You told Kenny-"

"I know. And I'm sorry, B. I just," Faith paused, "can't." She saw the tear fall from her lover's eye and took a step closer toward her. She didn't care if Buffy didn't want to be touched. She grabbed Buffy's face and wiped the tear away. "I love you. You know that, Buffy."

Realization flashed across the blonde's eyes at Faith's words. She looked up to meet the brunette's bright brown eyes.

"If you're not in Scotland, then we're not together. We can't be."

Faith nodded.

"I know."

"Faith, don't. Don't do this."

"I'm sorry, B. Me in Scotland… it's not meant to be right now," Faith said, pulling away from her. She took a few steps back.

"Faith, please-"

"I can't." Faith shook her head and turned, leaving the airport terminal. Buffy let a few tears fall, her throat aching from withholding her emotions. She took a few moments and wiped her tears away before going to board the flight. It felt as if she'd been shot. In fact, she almost checked for an exit wound. Was there an emergency room nearby, because Faith's bullet of truth had ricocheted and left a hole?

She kept her head bowed even as she took a seat next to Willow, who seemed excited about the trip. However, the redhead's smile fell, seeing her friend's reserved state and no Faith.

"Buffy, what's wrong? Where's Faith?" Willow asked, concerned. Buffy looked at her, green eyes going bloodshot. Willow felt her heart shatter for her friend. She knew what words came next, but still let Buffy say them aloud. Let the impact hit her. Let the future scars set on her heart.

"She's not coming," Buffy said, squeaking and whispering. Willow leaned over and gave her best friend a hug, letting the blonde quietly sob against her chest. This caught Kennedy's attention across the aisle and she already knew the problem. She averted the gazes of the other Potentials, allowing their leader Slayer the privacy she needed.

Outside in the parking lot, Faith leaned against Wood's car. She stared at the plane she was meant to be on. A cigarette was placed between her lips, quickly burning up in Faith's emotional state. Wood watched her, hunched over the roof of the car. Faith's eyes never left the plane as she flicked the ashes off the end of her cigarette. She let out a small sigh.

"You're sure you wanna do this?" Wood asked, breaking their long silence. Faith was nonresponsive for a long while, choosing to focus on the plane and her cigarette. She had known that this would be hard. Being Faith, though, she hadn't expected to have such an emotional attachment to the other Slayer. In other words, she never expected her feelings to be so strong. Yet, here she was, feeling heartless. She felt bad. She had pulled the trigger on a poor, unsuspecting Buffy. On the love of her life. But Buffy would move on. She always did… that's what Faith told herself.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Faith said in a low voice. She watched as the plane began its travel down the runway. It was too late to take back her choice. That was why she'd waited until now to tell Buffy. She knew the blonde would convince her to go if she'd told her the truth any earlier. She hated that it had to happen this way, though.

"You really love her, huh?" Wood asked. Faith was quiet again. She flicked her cigarette to the ground before turning and going to the passenger door.

"Let's go," she said, getting in the car. And she listened to the plane take off behind her. Faith had no heart. It was aboard that plane, flying toward Scotland.

A/N: Sorry for the delay. School has been hectic. I've been dying to write this chapter for a year!