Reunions - August 23
Title: Reunions
Author: LadyWinterlight (songs_of_winter)
Fandoms: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Avengers/MCU/Captain Marvel
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 488
Notes: In the same 'verse as the rest of my challenge submissions so far. Faith goes back to New Orleans.
I still do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Captain Marvel or anything to do with the MCU. Just playing in someone else's sandbox for a few minutes.
“Hey, girl. How’s it going?” Maria greeted Faith with a smile.
“Going pretty well. How’s the family?” Faith responded. She liked the cozy farmhouse just outside of New Orleans. It was comfortable, Maria was always friendly, Carol was fun to spar with, and Monica was married and working for NASA these days but still occasionally dropped some intel to the Slayers when she saw something that might be more their style to deal with.
Faith and Monica had actually built an interesting, if unfortunately long-distance, friendship over the years. They were pretty close to the same age, and Monica had never given Faith any crap for not having the same level of book-smarts.
“Good,” Maria said with a smile. Her expression turned sad for a moment. “They missed us,” she admitted quietly. “I was… gone, too.”
“We’re here now. Isn’t that the important thing?” Faith offered in a low voice.
“Of course.” Maria brightened again, standing back from the door to let Faith in. “Just you tonight?”
“For now, yeah. B plans to drop by in a few days, but she’s got a lot on her plate with everybody back again.”
“And you’re avoiding helping her?” Monica chimed in as they entered the house proper.
“Auntie Faith!”
Faith caught the little girl who ran to her for a hug, suddenly sad for her friend who had spent five years without her little girl. If Cara were her proper age, she’d be ten now and Faith would probably be a distant, vague memory instead of a welcome presence.
“Hey, munchkin,” Faith said, scooping her honorary niece up for a snuggle. “You bein’ good for your mom?”
“Of course!” Cara gave Faith an expression of innocence.
Faith laughed. “Good girl. Where’s your brother?” Faith had yet to meet Martin, who was two and had been born during the years Faith had missed.
“Daddy’s making sure he naps,” Cara told her. “He kept sneaking down to check the door ‘cause Gramma Maria said we’d have more company soon.” The girl wiggled until Faith set her down again, then promptly wrapped herself around Maria’s leg. “Right Gramma?”
“You’re right, baby girl,” Maria agreed. “Let’s go check on dinner, hmm?”
“Sure!” The two headed down the hall, leaving the two friends alone.
When Monica moved in for a hug of her own, Faith spent a long moment studying her friend’s face. She had a few more lines around her eyes, and there was sorrow beneath the joy at having her family back again. But otherwise, she seemed like the same old Monica.
“I missed you, Ni,” Faith murmured as they held each other tightly.
“Not as much as I missed you,” Monica returned, hiding her feelings with a dose of sass.
“Guess I can’t argue with you this time, can I?” Faith said, drawing back with a wry grin.
“Nope. But I am glad you’re here.”
“Me too, Ni,” Faith agreed. “Me too.”