Chapter Four

Buffy finally gave up on sleeping, glad the long night was officially over. She hadn't been able to get her mind to shut off, and although it should have been thoughts of the approaching apocalypse that prevented sleep from claiming her, it was instead Faith who had kept her wide awake all night long.

For the first couple of hours, Buffy had simply been mad. Faith had been a big bitch for no real reason after swearing that she wanted them to work on being friends again, and Buffy didn't appreciate her attitude, not in the slightest. She had tried to meet Faith halfway, pushing aside their past and her doubts as she did her best to focus on the here and now. Buffy had opened up, telling Faith all about her life, and the response she'd received? Faith had done nothing except look like she wanted to punch her right in the face, and Buffy didn't get it.

Faith had been fine for days and it actually seemed as if they were starting to get somewhere, but then all progress had stopped as Faith had turned into a snarling, non-speaking, confrontational jerk. It had made Buffy furious, but as the night had worn on, she just felt letdown, hurt and defeated. It seemed like no matter what they did it always came back to the same old things: anger, hurt, resentment, and mistrust.

Buffy poured herself a cup of hot coffee, glad she'd remembered to set the timer last night before she had begun her tossing and turning. There was no way she could face the long day ahead without coffee, and there was definitely no way she wanted to make it now. As it was, all she had to do was pour and add sugar, and that she could handle. 

She sat down at the little table by the window to watch the glorious sunrise that was just beginning to make itself known. It was all pinky purple with tiny blasts of yellow, just beautiful, and Buffy wasn't seeing it at all. She was still thinking about Faith, wondering just where she had gone last night and who had been waiting for her when she got there.  

It was doubtful she'd gone back to that woman. Faith wasn't exactly someone who did repeat performances, she was the "Get Some, Get Gone" girl. At least she used to be. And why it mattered so much to Buffy…well, she wished she could just stop thinking about that.

She took another sip of her coffee and knew without a doubt that she was jealous, and unreasonably so. She had no claim on Faith, she wasn't a cheated on girlfriend, and yet that was exactly what she felt like. Having sex with guys was to be expected somehow, they'd always done that, but sleeping with another woman? That seemed wrong, like a betrayal of something they had never spoken of.

Faith and Buffy had never been lovers, but there was an obvious attraction between them, a connection that Buffy only began to understand as the years went by. There was something there, a sexual chemistry that she had never felt with any woman before or since. Right from the start Faith had flirted relentlessly and Buffy had responded in kind. She was certain that if Angel hadn't returned from Hell when he did, she and Faith would have explored just what it was that snapped and sizzled between them.  And maybe, just maybe, Faith wouldn't have gone completely insane and evil.

"Right, because I'm so hot I could have saved her. Shut up, Buffy."

When Faith was released from prison, Buffy had stayed away, preferring to sit back and wait to see just how things were going to play out. Faith merely went to work, earning nothing but glowing praise from both Angel and Wesley. Their regular reports on her progress were filled with respect, confidence, and a fondness that eventually grew into an unrestrained adoration. Faith, it seemed, had managed to turn herself around and she was now a valuable and trusted member of "Team Angel".

Buffy came to Los Angeles that first time with high hopes. She was determined to leave the past in the past and start over, but she expected something from Faith. While she in no way wanted her to grovel, Buffy expected some remorse, some explanation, a starting point from which they could build a new relationship, and instead she was greeted by the same cocky girl she'd always known.

There was nothing new, nothing different, and Faith's attitude took Buffy right back to the worst time of her life. She'd shut down instantly and raised her guard because there was nothing else she could do. The woman she met in L.A. was one she already knew intimately. She was the woman who had hurt Buffy and made her a victim, and she was the woman who had taught her that the fire between them was something to fear.

Buffy couldn't trust her and she lashed out whenever she sensed that old spark threatening to ignite. She felt that Faith owed her something after all of the horrible things she'd done; maybe time, patience, a chance to get a peek inside the person Faith was today, but Faith offered her none of that. Instead she chose to keep them in their old and tired roles, making Buffy play the superior "Chosen One" while she herself was the irresponsible Slayer who couldn't be counted on.

Even though Buffy knew there was much more to Faith than that, she got nothing from her except the all too familiar push and shove while they ignored whatever it was that was always there between them. Faith left her no alternatives, and Buffy responded by being the cold, unforgiving bitch of a Slayer they'd both come to expect.

Buffy knew everyone hated when she came to town, knew they all felt that she was being mean and unfair to Faith, but that wasn't the whole truth. Not by a long shot. Their assessment didn't factor in that Buffy had learned long ago that Faith could cause her the worst pain ever, no gypsy curse or soullessness required. All it took was Faith being Faith, complete with a desire to bring Buffy to her knees and the innate knowledge of just exactly how to do it. That fact was never far from Buffy's mind because Faith would not give her anything else to work with.

Her coffee was gone, the sun was up, and Buffy felt tired. She could keep going over and over it in her head, but the truth of it was that Faith didn't want to change, not when it came to Buffy anyway, and Buffy wasn't about to open her heart and the world's biggest can of worms just for more of the same old same old. That meant they would not be friends, they would not be lovers, they would just be enemies who sometimes worked together out of necessity. That was the reality of it and it hurt…a lot.

The pain seemed deeper this time around, as if something had shifted that could never be put back where it used to be. Faith had slept with another woman and that seemed like a huge betrayal of what neither of them had ever found the courage to talk about, but had understood was there waiting. Faith had stripped Buffy of something she'd always hung onto, a hope that she'd somehow managed to keep alive through everything that had happened, and now Faith had taken that away from her.

Buffy should have been that woman, they both knew that, and despite everything, a big part of her still wanted to be. She didn't know if she was gay, it was just a word anyway, but what she did know was that she wanted Faith. She'd been attracted to her from the start and nothing had ever changed that. Faith made her want to do things she didn't even know how to do, and lesbian or not, Buffy could totally go there when it came to Faith. Except she couldn't, she wouldn't, not when Faith wouldn't even meet her halfway.

And so it hurt and it made her angry, but that was just the way it was and apparently the way it always would be. There was nothing left for Buffy to do except repress, and fortunately for her she could repress with the best of them. She'd been doing it forever, and she could keep right on doing it forever. She'd given Faith chance after chance, but for whatever reason Faith wasn't interested in giving it the old college try. Faith wasn't even interested in giving it the old grade school try.

Instead she was just going to keep having sex with women not named "Buffy" all while refusing to open up even the slightest bit about herself. She was going to push Buffy's buttons whenever she got the chance, then she was going to play the innocent injured party every time Buffy retaliated. Faith was going to be a hard ass right to the end.

"Fine, just leave me out of it."

Decision made, Buffy stood and went to get ready for the day.

This time it was Buffy who was surprised when she emerged from the shower. She had a towel wrapped firmly around her wet body and was bent over slightly as she rubbed another towel against her damp hair. She clearly had no idea she wasn't alone, and Faith didn't make a sound to inform her otherwise.

She was riveted by the sight of water running down Buffy's tanned skin, and then disappearing into the edges of the towel covering the most alluring body Faith had never seen enough of. The muscles of Buffy's arms rippled strong and feminine as her hands dried her hair into a tangled mess, and Faith couldn't stop the tiny intake of breath as the towel slipped slightly downward to reveal just the top of Buffy's breasts.

She jumped and lifted her head at the slight sound:

"Faith!"

Faith said nothing, still leaning against the closed door in a daze that had her body heating up and threatening to bubble over. She forced herself to calm down, focusing her gaze on Buffy's eyes and nowhere else.

"…Hey, I was wondering if maybe we could talk."

"Talk? Like I tried to last night? Sorry, I've got better things to do with my time than…"

"B, please. I got stuff I need to say."

Her tone of voice was unlike anything Buffy had ever heard before, and despite her determination not to, she reacted to it.

"Okay, just let me get dressed and then we can...."

"Got all the important parts covered, just lemme get the gist out, yeah?"

Buffy blew out an irritated breath, but she sat down on the bed. Faith paced for a minute, then stood in front of her.

"Last night, B…I was jealous."

"Jealous? Jealous of what?"

"You were goin' on about people you'd slept with, loved even, and I got jealous."

Buffy nodded understandingly.

"Faith, I know things have been rough for you, but you'll find someone soon. I wasn't trying to…"

Faith snorted in disgust.

"B, don't do that. You know what I was jealous of, what I've always been jealous of."

"…What are you talking…"

"We been dancin' around this for years and I'm sick of it. I know, you know, fuck, probably everybody knows."

Buffy was shaking her head.

"No, we are not going there."

"Already there, you started it this time."

Buffy stood, indignant and something else:

"I did not!"

"Was you who busted in and freaked when you found out I'd been with a chick."

"I was just surprised that you…that you did that."

"Bullshit, B. You were hurt it wasn't you."

"That's crazy! You're crazy!"

She walked over to her suitcase and tossed it onto the bed, adjusting her towel even tighter around her and refusing to look at Faith.

"I'm not crazy at all, Buffy. I know you and I know what I saw. It's the same thing you see in me, what we always see whenever we bother looking."

"I know we…Faith, this isn't…"

"I didn't want her, B. I wanted you."

Buffy grabbed some clothes out of her bag, her voice shakier and louder than it should have been.

"Just stop, okay? This isn't making…"

"I just been drifting, waiting, hoping maybe somehow you'd see me and maybe like the view for a change. I fucked up so bad before, Buffy, you don't gotta tell me that. But I'm not like that anymore and I can…"

"Faith, I don't know if you're drunk or high, but…"

"I'm nothin', just me, and I'm tired of pretending there's not something between us. We can't spend our whole lives dodgin' it, I don't wanna."

Buffy was all done with the conversation and she headed for the relative safety of the bathroom, but Faith stepped into her path. She gently ran the tips of her fingers up Buffy's bare arm and the reaction was instantaneous. The goose bumps popped up and a tremor shot through Buffy as she edged back.

"Don't."

"Why not? You want me."

"N…No, I don't."

Faith moved closer again, her hand gently pushing the hair back from Buffy's face.

"B, I'm not gonna hurt you this time."

"I don't know what you think you're doing…"

"I'm doin' what we shoulda done a long time ago. I'm yours, Buffy. I've always been yours."

Buffy's eyes refused to look up, but if they had, she would have seen everything Faith felt. There was nothing hidden, all of her feelings were right out in the open.

"I wanna be yours, B, I've always wanted that. And I want you to be mine too."

She linked her hand with Buffy's, raising it to her lips:

"Just trust me. Gimme a chance to show you how I feel about you."

Buffy stood still and unmoving and Faith leaned in closer, her mouth meeting Buffy's in a soft kiss. It lasted forever before Faith pulled back.

"You're so damn beautiful, B. I…"

The rest of the sentence was lost as their lips touched again.

Faith had never been so gentle, so calm, so right in the moment, and as her tongue mingled with Buffy's, she felt herself springing alive. Her hand went to the back of Buffy's head, losing itself in the damp, silky hair as she encouraged her to stay right where she was.

Buffy moaned out into her mouth and Faith felt her knees turn to jelly as the puff of air blew into her.

"Jesus…I could come just from kissing you."

Her lips latched on to Buffy's neck, her tongue sliding and following to place hot delicate swipes on every bit of skin she could find. She slowly worked her way up to Buffy's ear and when she got there, her words had Buffy on fire:

"You taste so good, B…just like my girl."

Faith lifted her into her arms their mouths crashing together. Buffy's hands tangled in Faith's hair as she forcefully returned the kiss, and Faith staggered slightly as she made her way to the bed. When her knees bumped against the mattress she put Buffy down and went right with her, her body hovering over her as the kiss continued.

Buffy's hands tightened as Faith lowered her body to press firmly into Buffy's. She wanted to go slow, everything in her wanted to be gentle and make it last, but when Buffy's legs bent up and clung to either side of Faith's waist, she couldn't help herself.

The kiss changed, becoming almost brutal in its passion. Buffy's moan was loud and Faith's hands slid shakily over her breasts, the terrycloth creating an unwelcome and disheveled barrier that Faith hurriedly pushed aside. The towel fell away and she froze, looking down at Buffy and trying to take it all in.

"Holy fuck…you're…you're perfect."

Buffy's entire body blushed, but her eyes never left Faith's. She simply stayed still and quiet, letting Faith look her fill. Her hands shook as they landed on Buffy's waist, slowly sliding up her sides and then back down again.

"So soft and smooth…"

She leaned down to kiss along Buffy's collarbone, her tongue exploring the hollow of Buffy's neck, and the squirming began immediately.

"Faith…"

"I love how deep it is right here."

Buffy cried out, and Faith grinned as she lifted her head:

"One hot spot down, a million to go."

She began kissing her way down Buffy's body slowly, exploring, mapping, remembering…every freckle, every quiver, every noise like buried treasure to her. She stopped at the breasts, each hand filling and then moving, massaging, squeezing, her thumbs lifting to brush against the nipples, over and over until Buffy began moaning nonstop.

"You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

And with those words her mouth descended, forcing Buffy's body to lift off the mattress to meet her. Faith sucked and licked and nibbled, first one breast and then the other, repeating endlessly until Buffy was babbling, her hands threading tightly through Faith's hair again as the delicious torture continued. It was a long time before Faith pulled away, her breath emerging from her in shaky blasts.

Buffy whimpered faintly at the loss, but Faith was already sliding down, her lips delivering soft, barely there kisses to the insides of Buffy's thighs, scarcely able to believe where she was. Buffy couldn't believe it either, nor could she think clearly. She was lost in a haze of ecstasy, everything she was centered on the woman between her legs.

Faith didn't waste any time. She gave a few tentative swipes, and after receiving the enthusiastic response she'd hoped for, she went to work. She was a master at it, she knew that, but she was determined this was going to be the performance of her life. She was going to give Buffy every ounce of pleasure there was to give, and she was going to show her who they were, what they could be together.

Based on Buffy's loud commentary, it was going perfectly and she lifted Buffy's legs to drape them over her shoulders. She paused to savor the moment: the sheen of sweat on Buffy's skin, the tangled blonde of her hair, the mouth that was calling out her name, and the most amazing thing Faith had ever seen spread out right before her, held in her hands and just waiting for her touch.

She didn't stop until Buffy had gone quiet and she felt the quivery little aftershocks that trembled their way through Buffy's body. She pulled out then and kissed her way back up only to find that Buffy's eyes were closed, her breathing deep and even, and all obvious signs indicating that she had fallen asleep.

Faith reclined on her side, lightly drawing patterns on one of Buffy's arms. She loved all of the little blonde hairs, so soft and so damn sexy. She leaned down, rubbing her cheek against them, enjoying the feel of them against her skin.

"Are you nuzzling my arm hair?"

"Yeah."

"Mmm…no one's ever done that before."

"Dumb asses lost out."

Buffy's eyes were still closed.

"That was…I don't even know what that was."

"Was me and you, B."

Buffy laughed:

"Yeah, I know, I…I just wasn't expecting that."

"Me neither. I thought we'd talk."

Buffy opened her eyes and rolled over to face her.

"Faith, I'm not going to lie to you. That was incredible, the best I've ever had."

Faith tried to look cool, but she couldn't. Her smile beamed out of her, and Buffy had never seen her look so proud of herself.

"But I don't know what it means yet."

The smile dimmed slightly, but it didn't disappear.

"That's okay, we'll figure it out."

"Yes, but…I know it's all backwards, but could we maybe date?"

Faith laughed until she saw that Buffy was serious.

"Date? Like dinner and a movie?"

"Yes, but maybe without the movie at first. I'd just like us to talk normally, in normal situations, like a normal couple. You know, just get to know each other again."

"Guess that'd be okay, but think I oughta warn ya: nothin' about us is normal. Never gonna be either."

Buffy laughed and nodded in agreement.

"I'm grading 'normal' on a curve when it comes to us."

"Always were smart as hell."

"But I'm not trying to play games, I want that clear. It's just…I'm not sure about you, I don't know you, Faith. I want to, I want to very much, but I need you to give me some time before we have sex again."

"I can do that, B, and I understand. Just as long as you're not shuttin' the door or pretending, I can deal."

Buffy smiled and began tugging at the sleeve of Faith's t-shirt.

"Why do you still have all of your clothes on?"

"'Cause I didn't have time to…B?"

"Hmmm?"

Buffy was busy pushing Faith's shirt up, her hand grazing along the skin of Faith's stomach.

"What…what are you doin'?"

"Well, I know I said we had to slow down, but it doesn't seem fair that I'm all satisfied and you didn't get anything."

Faith tried to stay still as Buffy unbuttoned her jeans.

"Yeah, well whatever. I got enough if you…"

Buffy nudged her, pulling her jeans and underwear off together and tossing them aside.

"I always wondered what it'd be like to be with you. Now that I know half of the story, I really don't wanna wait to learn the rest of it."

"Oh."

"So I'm thinking…"

The tearing noise was loud as Buffy ripped Faith's shirt off, then slid on top of her.

"…we do this now, then put sex on the back burner for awhile. Agreed?"

Faith could barely form a coherent thought, let alone words, as she felt Buffy's naked body gliding against her own. It felt like silk and chocolate and beer and sex and the Red Sox and...

"B."

When Faith awoke, the room was suffused with sunlight. The angle was strange, different, and as she became more alert she remembered where she was. The smile on her face was lazy and satisfied, and her arm tightened slightly around Buffy as they shared the same small space on the double bed.

Buffy was still asleep, her arm and leg thrown across Faith's body, her head resting just above Faith's breast. Her breath was blowing along Faith's nipple and Faith had never felt anything so good. Her hand smoothed lightly along the skin of Buffy's back and shoulder, and she kissed the top of her head gently, not wanting to wake her.

She wanted Buffy to stay right where she was forever, and if she could have stopped the world in its tracks, she would have. She couldn't stop smiling, not that she tried to, and she brought up her other arm to fully encircle the woman sprawled on top of her. The sunshine was spilling all over them, illuminating Buffy as if she were a goddess, something pure and shiny and beautiful.

Faith sighed in utter contentment, refusing to let herself worry about what was going to happen once Buffy woke up. Instead she chose to remember what they'd done, how she'd made Buffy cry out in ecstasy, how she'd been the one to show Buffy something new and real, and how she'd made Buffy lose control over and over again.

And the fact that Buffy had reciprocated so amazingly, well, Faith understood firsthand how Angel had lost his soul because perfect and total happiness was what she had right now. She was so blissed out, she didn't even get pissed at the thought of Angel with her girl. The past didn't matter because right here and right now Buffy Freaking Summers was in her bed, in her arms, and Faith had finally revealed herself to the woman she loved.

Her cards were on the table and Buffy had dealt them back with equal passion. It had been perfect, and no matter what happened in the future, Faith had that to hold onto. She was in the game now and she was planning to win in the end. She didn't know which way the odds were skewed, but she was all in and feeling nothing but great about the hand she held.         

Buffy didn't move for almost a whole hour, and as she began stirring, Faith kissed the top of her head and let her wake up slowly. She stretched and yawned, then slowly lifted her head and looked around like she was getting her bearings. She placed a small kiss on Faith's breast, then snuggled back in, her leg and arm tightening just slightly.

"Hi."

"Hiya, B."

"Did you sleep too?"

"Like a log."

Faith could feel Buffy smiling against her skin.

"So how'd you sleep?"

"No complaints, F…not about anything."

She stretched again while never letting go, and as she rubbed up and down, Faith made a noise somewhere between a purr and a growl.

"Keep doin' that and I'm not gonna have any either."

Buffy laughed.

"So, um…do you usually fall asleep right after sex?"

"Nope, usually too busy haulin' ass or shovin' somebody else's out the door."

"Not this time though."

"Not any other time either, B. Not when it's you."

Buffy shifted so that she could look at her.

"Is this really happening?"

"Yep, it's goin' down and I would be too if we hadn't put the kibosh on."

"You understand, don't you, Faith?"

Faith kissed her forehead and smiled.

"Absolutely, B. We're gonna take our time, let you see what you're gettin'."

"Thank you."

"Least I can do. Not like I been an open book with you."

Buffy's look was nothing but serious:

"Why have you been…why wouldn't you let me in?"

"I was scared, B. I thought you hated me, so I tried to act like I didn't give a shit."

"So what changed?"

"Got home this mornin' and when I was in the shower, I decided to stop bein' a pussy."

Buffy kissed her, but pulled back way too quickly.

"Where were you?"

Faith tried to stay relaxed, but her body tensed.

"Nowhere important."

"Were you…"

"…Yeah, but nothing happened. We just talked."

Buffy laid her head back down and they were silent for a couple of minutes.

"So what's her name?"

"Doesn't matter."

"No, I guess it doesn't, but…why her?"

"Just 'cause she was there and was nothin' like you."

"Oh."

Faith tilted Buffy's chin up:

"It didn't mean anything, Buffy, I swear to you it didn't. I was just hurting and I needed somethin', is all."

"You're not going to keep seeing her, are you?"

"…No, I'm not gonna see her anymore."

Buffy kissed her, then nestled comfortably into Faith's chest.

"Good."

Chapter Five

Only four were left grouped around the table, everyone else having dispersed some time ago to complete their various assigned tasks. Fred was looking through some books and Willow was shuffling through some papers, all while explaining the situation to Buffy and Faith. Buffy was listening to Willow's explanation, at least she seemed to be, but Faith wasn't even bothering to pretend.

She was leaning back in her chair, her feet resting on the table as she divided her focus between the knife in her hands and Buffy, and the intensity of it all was making Willow nervous. From the moment they'd both shown up at the table, it had felt like the tension between them could be cut with a knife…a big, sharp, glittering, parts cutting off, angry knife.

"And so in a nutshell, we just have to not get sliced up into tiny pieces in the lobby."

Fred nodded, then looked confused.

"Wait, what?"

Faith looked at Willow.

"That directed at me?"

"Uh, well, it's kind of hard to think clearly when you're all dark, broody, and playing with weapons."

Faith shrugged and sat the knife down on the table.

"That better?"

"A little, but…"

Faith slid the knife at Slayer speed across the table to Buffy who snagged it easily.

"Best I can do."

Willow winced at the force of the slide and catch, but she continued on.

"So where were we?"

Buffy pulled her gaze away from Faith with a huge effort:

"You were nutshelling it for us dumb kids."

"Right! Well, thanks to Fred's genius, I'm going to be able to use a binding spell even while I'm rending. That means they won't be able to regenerate, which changes everything for the better."

Fred beamed at the compliment and excitedly began expounding.

"It just made sense. Kantrell's whole theory on space and time co-existing in dimensional wedges…"

"… that can only intersect when introduced to a catalyst of equal linear value."

"Right! We really have to discuss the 'Pergamum Codex' before you head back to Sunnydale."

Willow was already nodding with enthusiasm.

"Absolutely! I found this whole section on quantum…"

"Will, unless that sentence ends with: 'Leap' and there are pictures of a shirtless Scott Bakula, can we please get back on track?"

Willow looked embarrassed at how quickly she'd gotten carried away.

"Sorry, Buff. Science geeks, you know?"

"Hey, I'm well-versed in the ways of the science geek. Don't tell anyone, but my best friend's one."

Fred jumped right in:

"But I thought Willow was your best…Oh."

Faith laughed and nudged Fred's arm with the tip of her boot. Fred smiled big, the biggest smile Buffy had ever seen her give anyone, and something in her warmed to see the shier girl so perfectly at ease with Faith. She filed it, along with Faith giving up her knife so easily, under: "Reasons to Trust That Faith Has Changed" and moved on.

"Anyway, Will, where are we at?"

Willow shuffled through another stack of papers with a slightly confused frown.

"Fred and I still need to speak to Giles, and Wesley needs a little more time to finish his calculations. I guess maybe we should have a group meeting to go over things in say…four hours?"

"That sounds good. Gunn and Angel should be done with the weapons by then too, and that gives me time for a bath and a nap."

Faith brought her feet down to the floor.

"Gonna go help out. Good to see ya again, Red."

Willow was clearly surprised, but she returned the comment.

"Me too, yes. It was. You, not me for me, you know?"

"Got it. See you guys later."

She walked off and Fred stood as well.

"Willow, I'll go get the table set up in the conference room. That way we can have everything spread out when we speak to Mr. Giles."

"That'd be great. I'll meet you there in a few minutes."

"I'll be there. Bye, Buffy."

Buffy smiled warmly and waved as Fred took off carrying a huge armload of books. She was barely out of sight before Willow spun around.

"Okay, Buff, let's hear it."

"Hear what?"

"Obviously something's going on with you and Faith."

"Well, it's not..."

"Buffy, don't bother trying to pretend. I know you, and the way you and Faith were so careful not to touch each other, the way she kept staring at you and then you'd glance up looking all 'Grrr'. I know exactly what's going on."

"You do?"

Willow nodded knowingly.

"Yep, you guys had another big fight and now you're trying not to kill each other, right?"

"Not exactly."

"I get it. I mean, it's hard to put things in the past. We just saw me not doing a very good job of it myself and…"

"Will…"

"…Fred told me about all the yelling and the mega-sized tension, which sounds..."

"Will, we're not fighting."

Willow patted Buffy's hand.

"And that's good, great even. It's real progress, Buff, and maybe one day you won't yell at her on sight and you'll learn…"

"We slept together."

"…how to co-exist and…What?!"

"Shh!"

"'Shh'? You're shushing me after telling me something like that?! Buffy, 'shushing' is so not an option! I'd say my head spinning around and maybe even exploding is the more…"

Buffy had to admit she had a point.

"Okay, maybe 'shushing' isn't exactly allowed, but nobody else knows yet, so could you please try to explode quietly?"

"How did it happen? When did it happen?"

"I'm not really sure how. I'd just made the decision that I was done with her and…"

"'Done with her'? When did you start with her?"

Buffy rubbed her hands over her face in frustration.

"Never, always, I don't know. It's just that thing we've always had…"

"You mean the sexual tension thing from Day One? I'm onboard with that, I'm just surprised that you guys finally did something nice with it."

"You and me both."

Willow waited patiently, but after a few moments of nothing from Buffy except staring out into space, she smacked her on the arm.

"Buffy, details!"

"Sorry. It was great, Will, even better than I'd imagined, and I've imagined some pretty amazing stuff over the years. But this was… well, besides her being the best ever, it just felt right somehow, like I was finally where I was supposed to be."

"I can't believe this! So what was she like?"

Buffy blushed:

"She was…God, Will, she should teach classes. And she was sweet too, very tender and loving. I felt safe and loved, even when it was…you know…"

She blushed even harder.

"…not so tender."

"Wow."

"Yeah, it was a definite 'wow'. But it's all happening so fast, so I asked her if we could slow down, maybe get to know each other again."

"That makes sense, but I'll bet she wasn't happy."

"I wouldn't exactly say she's 'happy', but she's fine with it. I thought she was going to be a jerk about it, but she actually listened and understood where I was coming from."

"Again with the 'wow'. So, what's the plan then? What are the rules?"

Buffy shrugged her shoulders.

"Beyond stopping the end of the world again and keeping our hands off of each other, I've got nothing. I'm also not sure which one's going to be harder."

"I'm voting for the 'Slayer No-Touch' policy. The way she was just looking at you…"

"I know. Trust me, I know."

Willow began gathering her papers and books.

"Well, I guess if you're sleeping with her and Fred does nothing but sing her praises, I should try to accept that she's changed. She's still really sexy though, that seems to be just the same."

"I noticed that."

"Ya sure did, you big gaymo!"

"You should talk."

Willow's face was nothing but delighted, and she loved that Buffy actually looked happy.

"Hence, I am making with the verbiage and name calling."

"And you're making with it very well. Xander would be so jealous."

"He'll get his chance, but right now I get to live it up!"

Buffy laughed.

"I guess that's only fair, but could you not…"

"One 'BFF QT', coming right up, B!"

"Thanks. It won't be a secret for too long, I just want to get my bearings, you know? One second I'm not ever going there with her, the next she's in my room and we're going there several times."

"And I am so going to need more details somewhere soon down the line."

"We'll have a 'Girl Talk' night after the apocalypse."

"Deal. Okay, I'd better get this stuff to Fred."

Buffy smiled.

"Um…speaking of somebody being a 'big gaymo'…"

It was Willow's turn to blush.

"She is really cute, isn't she?"

"She's adorable. And sweet and smart and smitten. Kind of like someone else I know."

"Do you really think so, Buffy?"

"Well, based on the way she blushes whenever you look at her…"

"It's not that bad, is it?"

"Yes it's totally that bad, and stop looking so happy about it."

Willow grinned.

"I think we could be really good friends if nothing else."

"If you mean the kind with benefits, I definitely agree."

"And I think I'm ready, you know?"

"I know. Tara would want you to find someone, Will."

Willow's eyes saddened:

"She would…Sometimes I think I hear her yelling at me to get going."

"Knowing Tara, that's exactly what she's doing."

"Yeah…Well, here's hoping, for all of us."

Buffy hugged her and then kissed her on the cheek.

"Do you need me to help you with…"

"Buffy! I know you're new at this, but not all gay girls share their women."

"What?! No, I meant help carrying your books!"

Willow laughed at the panicked look on Buffy's face.

"This is going to be so much fun!"

"Meanie."

Willow began walking away, but she tossed back over her shoulder:

"You and Faith, Buff? Epic. Epically epic. Wow!"

Then she was gone and Buffy headed up the stairs to her room for some much needed alone time. She was lost in thought, smiling as she walked…It was kind of epic, her and Faith. Epically epic and well past time.

She could barely believe that it was happening and happening so easily – well, easier than things usually happened between them. They were actually going for it and they had a chance, a real chance, and that was something she just couldn't…

Buffy was yanked inside the room just three down from her own, the door closing shut just before she was slammed against it. She had no time to protest as Faith's mouth covered her own, her hands letting go of Buffy's arm to wrap their way through her hair. Her body molded itself to Buffy's and kept her pinned exactly where she was.

It took a couple of minutes, but Buffy finally managed to pull her mouth away.

"Faith…"

There was no response as Faith resumed the position, her tongue silencing Buffy's completely, one of her hands blazing a tantalizing trail of lust on fire down Buffy's body.

"Faith…Oh God, what are you doing?"

There was another delay, but Faith finally spoke up:

"Think I might be cheating."

"It kind of…it kind of seems that way."

"Yeah, but…"

Her lips went to Buffy's neck and her hand slid under Buffy's shirt and made its way up to her breast.

"…rulebook wasn't exactly clear."

Buffy's moan of pleasure was her immediate answer.

"So figured…might as well go for it 'til the ref stops me."

"Mmm…you are so…"

She jerked Faith's head up and crashed their mouths back together, their tongues slipping and gliding and fighting. Buffy's leg came up to wrap around Faith's waist, and this time it was Faith's moan that filled the air.

"You feel so fuckin' good, B."

"You do too."

"Want me to stop?"

Her sexy voice even sexier as it rasped intimately in Buffy's ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

"No, I don't want you to stop."

Faith kissed her again, then with a growl of displeasure, she pulled back.

"Damn, all I can think about is makin' you scream, ya know?"

Buffy smiled.

"Of course I know, and hey, I said I don't want you to stop."

Faith smiled, then dipped back in to deliver a quick kiss.

"Yeah, but you need me to, so I'm stoppin'."

Buffy's smile grew larger.

"You are so sweet."

"Sometimes, but let's keep that just 'tween us, yeah?"

"Slayer's honor, Sweet Girl."

They stayed where they were, Faith leaning on her hands that were braced on the door on either side of Buffy's head. Their bodies were just inches apart, the tiny space between them buzzing and alive.

"So, how's this work?"

"I'm not sure. We can kiss though, I definitely don't want to go without that. Otherwise, all I really know is that I want us to slow down a little bit. Maybe we can just make up the rules as we go along?"

"Sounds good, 'cause I think I'd go nuts again if I couldn't touch you at all."

Faith's hand came up and gently trailed along the side of Buffy's face, then shakily returned to the door.

They stood for a minute, neither moving or speaking as they simply stared and felt every single inch that separated them.

"So uh…I'm going to go to my room now."

"Lead the way."

Buffy laughed at the eager tone and the way Faith wriggled her eyebrows.

"Alone. I need a bath and a nap."

"Why? Ya all sore and tuckered out?"

"And what if I am?"

Faith grinned wickedly:

"Then I did my job pretty damn good."

"Yes you did, yes I am, and no, you cannot come with me."

"Sure I can, did that once already. Be more than happy to do it again."

She pressed her body against Buffy's and they both groaned.  

"Faith…"

"Okay, you go ahead. I'll just imagine what you look like…all wet everywhere, your tits pokin' out through the water. Gonna be one of them girly bubble ones?"

"Of course. It's just not a bath without the bubbles."

"Figures, Princess. I'll see ya later?"

"Uh-huh. Maybe you could come by and walk me to the meeting."

"Sure. I'll pick ya up like fifteen minutes before, that way we can grope each other for a few."

Buffy smiled shyly, her voice coming out all soft.

"I'd like that."

"Then it's a date."

Faith kissed her on the tip of her nose, then reached around her to open the door.

"There ya go, virtue all safe and sound."

"I wouldn't say that."

"I'm gonna be thinkin' about ya, B."

"Me too."

"See? Always knew you were self-centered."

Buffy laughed and shook her head.

"See you later."

"Count on it."

Buffy walked out and was quickly at her own room. As she swung the door open, Faith called out to her.

"Hey, B?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Your nose is perfect, just like the rest of you."

With that, she sauntered down the hall towards the stairs, and Buffy watched her until she was out of sight.

She went into her room, closing the door and leaning back against it with a contented sigh. Faith was doing everything right, and Buffy was impressed with her maturity. So far there had been no complaining, no anger, no anything except a respectful, sexy playfulness. Faith was being nothing but considerate while making it abundantly clear that she wanted Buffy, and Buffy liked it, she liked it a lot.

She locked the door and began stripping as she headed for the bathroom, still lost in thought. Faith's reaction to Willow's nervousness had surprised Buffy. She hadn't gotten defensive or angry, instead she had done everything she could to put Willow at ease. It was all so different from the Faith of old, and as Buffy pushed open the bathroom door, she wondered how Faith had managed to…The sight before her stopped her in her tracks.

A bubble bath was already drawn, its fragrant aroma filling Buffy's senses as the bubbles frothed in the tub and beckoned her to enter into their relaxing warmth. The steam rose lazily from the surface of the water and a bath pillow balanced on the edge of the tub.

"Oh Buffy, you are in so much trouble."

With a smile she slid in, wishing the woman who had drawn the bath was with her.

Buffy still wanted them to take their time, but she knew she was also going to be measuring that time at an accelerated rate. The difference between dog and human years was a great starting point; there had to be something like that for Slayers. She was getting more comfortable with the "New and Improved" Faith by the second, and she knew that their history was actually starting to work for them for a change.

She already knew Faith, both the good and bad, and she was starting to understand just how different things were now. They had both changed, that was obvious, but what remained the same was that Faith was still someone Buffy was fairly certain she could fall in love with. Thirty minutes later when she slipped into the freshly made bed, smelled the mostly clean sheets, and read the brief note, all of her doubts were gone.

"B,

Hope the bath hit the right spot. Changed the sheets…except for my pillow.

F."

Buffy fell asleep in moments, her face buried in that pillow and smiling all the way.

The rest of the week had gone smoothly in every way. Faith and Buffy had gotten closer as they'd taken their version of "time", Willow had managed to master the necessary spells, they had come up with a good plan, and Angel's contacts had pinpointed when and where the ritual was going to be attempted. It had all been perfect.

But perfect always had a way of not lasting, and right now in the thick of the battle, "perfect" had taken off for parts unknown to tease and torment someone else with its false promises. There was no time to ponder the philosophical meaning behind an unattainable word, there was only time to focus on the job at hand…a job that had started off as a dangerous one and had escalated all too quickly into a much more brutal battle than anyone had anticipated.

Willow was binding and rending, but the pace was a great deal slower than they had planned for, and that meant the fight was harder than anyone had expected it to be….'anyone' meaning people not named "Buffy Summers".

The Slayer had learned long ago to always expect the worst and she had rarely ever been surprised. They were winning, that much was sure, but they were still fighting for their lives and the lives of every other being on the planet. They had started off the very picture of organization, but that was long ago, and now all was chaos as they fought their way to the head demon and the silver talisman he was using to screw up the natural order of things.

"B!"

The shout had Buffy ducking and rolling, the axe blow aimed at her head swinging harmlessly above her. She kicked out and connected, knocking the demon she'd been grappling with back into his teammate as he charged the vulnerable Slayer on the ground. She was on her feet quickly and following, decapitating them both as they lay jumbled together on the grass.

She glanced at Faith who was handling her foes just fine, then spotted Wesley and Gunn fighting back to back. Angel was doing okay too, but then she saw it. As he engaged the two demons in front of him, one was sneaking up behind him, a wooden stake in its hand. There was no time to warn him; her cry would only make him turn around and the end result would be much the same. She instead flung her axe and the stake fell to the ground, still clutched in the demon's hand. Angel whirled at the sudden scream, slashing the now one-handed attacker across the throat and looking over at Buffy.

But she was no longer available to receive looks of gratitude. Her suddenly weaponless status had three demons leaping on her, tackling her to the ground as they attempted to break her neck, crush her ribs, and stab her in the heart. None of those things appealed to Buffy, and she not surprisingly fought back.

She pulled with both hands on the arm that had her in a chokehold, then reverse head butted her assailant until he loosened his grip even more. She slid downwards on her back, completely out of his grasp, her elbow ramming into his groin area as she went. She grabbed for the hand holding the knife and caught it cleanly before it could connect, but she could not stop the blow to her ribs. She did manage to raise her leg just in time, deflecting at least some of the impact. A couple of her ribs cracked, but none broke, and Buffy Summers blew right through that bit of pain as she continued to fight.

Suddenly she was holding the hand that held the knife because it had come loose from the demon's arm. His screaming left little doubt that he'd been targeted by Willow's "Rending" spell and as he began getting pulled apart, Buffy jammed the knife deep into the rib cracker's eye, then pulled it out and slammed it into the neck breaker's forehead.

They were dead, two bodies and several parts strewn around her, but Buffy saw none of it. Instead she saw Wesley down and about to be beheaded when Faith leapt over him, landing in front of him and just managing to get her axe up in time to take the full brunt of the blow with her weapon instead of her head. Her axe handle was cut away, but Faith just grinned as she threw the loose blade into the demon, caught his fully functional axe out of the air, then whirled to eviscerate another demon who was rushing her from behind.

Angel had Gunn and that meant Buffy had the head demon who was still frantically trying to finish his ritual. She ran towards him and he turned at the last second to meet her. They went down in a tangled mix of demon and human limbs, and Buffy reached back with her hand to try and knock the talisman out of the Sacred Circle. The demon punched her in the shoulder joint, almost separating it with the powerful impact, and she cried out with the pain.

They rolled together on the ground, each struggling for control of the other, and neither getting it. In desperation, the demon began clawing at her face, attempting to gouge her eyes out, and Buffy pulled her head back, then kneed him as hard as she could between his legs. He made a noise best described as a bellow and although his hands left her face, they merely slid down to her arms to restrain her.

But Buffy Summers wasn't an easy woman to pin down and she squirmed away, using her elbow to smash into his face as she back flipped quickly to her feet. The talisman was in reach, but as she went to kick it out of the circle, another demon came flying in from the side, tackling her back down onto the head demon. She was squished between them, preventing either from doing her any serious damage, but also preventing her from dispensing with the talisman.

It was beginning to glow and Buffy struggled to break free, but sensing that time was on their side, the demons stopped fighting with her. They clasped their arms around her in a sick imitation of a group hug, trapping her quite effectively in their embrace.

She continued to fight – breaking noses, knocking out teeth, biting anything she could reach, but Buffy could not get loose. Although the pain she was inflicting was causing their grasp to weaken, she knew it wasn't going to happen fast enough to stop the ritual from starting, and once it started…it would be unstoppable.

"Help!"

Her shout went unanswered.

From what little she could see, everyone else was embroiled in their own fight and had no idea that the apocalypse was truly at hand.

"End of the world if somebody doesn't get the talisman!"

The demon in front of her smiled like he knew what she was saying and then he was gone…lifted up and off of her.

Faith tossed him like a bag of garbage at the talisman, knocking it out of the Sacred Circle. There was a bright flash as it flamed on with an otherworldly intensity, only to turn to ash in an instant and also incinerate the demon who'd gone on his final ride with it.

The leader who was still holding onto Buffy sagged in defeat, and she pulled away and stood. He stayed on the ground, his eyes easily communicating his hatred of her. His bloody mouth struggled to form the words that were unfamiliar to him, but what came out was more than understandable despite the accent and the disgust.

"The Slay-er."

Buffy's eyes as they looked at him were cold, merciless, the eyes of death…the eyes of The Slayer.

"Call us 'The Chosen Two'. It's catchier."

She took Faith's axe and swung it down, severing his head quickly and cleanly. She stood staring at him for a moment, then handed Faith's weapon back to her.

"Thanks, F. Couldn't have done it without you."

 Buffy turned to survey the damage.

They were all alive, although in various states of disrepair. All of them were bloodied and bruised, their clothing torn, and everything about them looking worse for wear. Buffy smiled at the beautiful sight.

"Is everybody okay?"

She knew the answer before she asked the question, but she wanted to hear everyone sound off. Faith subtly bumped her shoulder.

"I'm starvin', B."

"Is that your only complaint?"

"There s'posed to be somethin' else?"

"I'm hoping there is."

"Guess it depends on the rulebook."

"Screw the rules, Faith."

Faith laughed, her face bruised and scraped, blood trickling down her chin.

"Rather fuck you, B."

"I'd rather you did that too."

"Not gonna be a problem."

Buffy smiled, her eyes warm and happy as everyone else began gathering around.

"I'll draw the bath this time, F."

"I'll be there."

Chapter Six

Giles' voice sounded apologetic and worried, but he had a job to do and he wasn't a coward. He was a Watcher and although he felt bad to deliver the horrible news, it had to be done.

"I am sorry, Buffy, but all of our research indicates that you'll need to stay there for at least the rest of the week. Whilst I don't believe there will be a renewed assault, the opportunity shall remain present over the next several days and we need you on site just in case…"

"That's fine, Giles."

There was a pause as he tried to understand the change in her attitude. Buffy sounded downright giddy that she had to stay, and Giles was baffled. Perhaps it was Willow's presence that made the difference, although as much as Buffy loved her, he didn't see how she could affect such a drastic change in his Slayer's demeanor. Buffy obviously couldn't be happier that she was stuck in Los Angeles.

"Yes, well I know you were very much looking forward to returning to your duties here."

"I was? I mean, 'I was'! So how are things there?"

"Surprisingly, quite well. Spike and the Buffybot have managed to keep things well under control. It's been most helpful that things are somewhat on the quiet side."

"Great, somebody's probably planning an apocalypse as we speak."

He sounded unconcerned.

"We've seen no signs or harbingers, so I think that most unlikely."

"I guess that's the good news. Okay, so Will stays here too?"

"Yes, I feel that would be the prudent thing to do."

Buffy glanced at Willow and Fred. They appeared to be competing to see who could smile the biggest. When she looked over at Faith, it was to see her whittling a stake, her feet up on the table in front of her and her face completely blank…except for the dimples that were just peeking out to show Buffy her pleasure at the news.

Buffy smiled outright, then directed her attention back to the phone call.

"Okay, so we stay put until we get the word from headquarters."

"Yes, that seems wisest. Is Wesley about? I'd like to apprise him of the situation and go over the protocols engendered by a situation of this magnitude."

"He's with the other boys playing in the sewers. But back to the most important thing…Will and I are on vacation?"

"I suppose one could call it that if they chose to, but Buffy…"

"And I am choosing to, Giles. I'm choosing and chosing and any other 'choo' word that applies."

He didn't laugh, but his amusement was apparent in his voice.

"Yes, well I suppose that's only fair. Could you please ask Wesley to call me as soon as possible? I don't want to risk any misunderstandings on that end."

"I'll tell him to place a Watcher to Watcher call ASAP."

"Thank you, Buffy. Enjoy your downtime and be safe, all of you."

And then he was gone and Buffy turned to the group.

"I've got one word for us…Party!"

The club was busy, but not packed. As Faith and Gunn went to get a round of drinks, Buffy, Wesley, Fred, Willow and Cordelia pushed two tables together. They got seated and Wesley looked around.

"I must say, I've not visited an establishment such as this in a long time."

"How come?"

He smiled at Willow.

"A lack of time, I fear, as well as feeling somewhat like a fish out of water."

"Dumb sayin', Watcher. Fish outta water's dead, and that didn't happen to any of us, least not this time around."

Gunn held the tray and Faith plucked Wesley's drink off and handed it to him. He smiled at her as he took it.

"No it didn't, and I dare say that's due to some superlative teamwork and a job well done by both Slayers working in tandem."

"Yeah, me and B rock together."

Buffy blushed as she thought of just how they rocked together, and took a huge sip of her drink through the straw. She immediately began coughing, and Willow pounded her on the back.

"Faith, what the hell is in this?"

"Just what ya asked for, B, plus a little extra kick for them hard to reach places."

She grinned as she said it, then sat down and knocked back a shot of something. Gunn gave her a high five and laughed.

"Wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it."

Cordelia took a sip of her drink, chewing on some ice.

"Believed what, Gunn?"

"That somebody tough as Buffy could be such a lightweight when it comes to alcohol."

"Told ya. B gets drunk on just a whiff. Next drink's on you."

"Yeah, I know I lost the bet, but…"

His cell phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket to read the text.

"Aww…hell no."

 He texted a reply and then received one back way too fast.

"Damn. Gonna have to bail, I got someplace I need to be."

"Need help?"

He smiled gratefully at Faith, placing his hand on her shoulder as he stood.

"Nah, it's just some old school crap.'Sides, you know how the boys feel about you."

Faith leaned back in her chair.

"Yeah, but they oughta let bygones be gone by now."

"With ya there. You guys have a good time. The Slayer gets my drink."

Faith smiled big as she reached for it, but he stopped her.

"Uh-uh. I mean: the real Slayer."

Faith laughed.

"Damn, Chuckles, that's cold…even for you."

"You taught me everything I know. Night, guys."

Then he was gone, the house band ended their break, and Wesley decided to liven things up.

"Cordelia, could I perhaps interest you in a twirl around the dance floor?"

She smiled across the table at him.

"Sure, the night's young. I should be able to salvage my reputation after."

He stood and offered his hand while she gulped down the rest of her drink for courage.

"I believe you'll be pleasantly surprised. I was voted 'Best in Waltz' three years running at…"

The rest of his sentence was lost in the music, and Willow sat there turning red.

"Um…Fred…uh…would you like…"

"Yes!"

And it was Fred who led a slightly stunned Willow out into the crowd.

The Slayers watched them for a minute, then Faith slid around to sit in the seat next to Buffy.

"Hi, B."

"Hi, F."

"So we're out on a full-fledged kinda date."

"We kinda are."

"And you're gonna be here longer than we thought."

"Yes, I am."

Faith toyed with her glass, the amber liquid sloshing right up to the edge but never spilling over.

"How do ya do it, B?"

"Do what?"

Faith met her eyes.

"Be the Slayer day in, day out, year after year."

"I don't know, I guess I don't have a choice."

"You got a choice, B, just like me. Difference is, you choose the right one every time."

Buffy reached for her hand.

"Not always, Faith. Sometimes I choose the very worst possible choice and I regret it – every single minute of every single day since then."

Faith's hand squeezed Buffy's tightly.

"I more than had it comin', B. I was nuts, a total loose cannon."

"I still should have done something else."

"Maybe, maybe not."

"But I…"

"Hey, listen up, now. I'm an expert on this shit, spent a lot of time tryin' to shake it offa me and bottom line's this: We did what we did, nothin's ever gonna change that. But that's not all we are, B, it's not all we can have. We gotta let it go and move on."

Buffy stared down at the tabletop, her fingers playing slowly with Faith's.

"You're right, I know that. It's just hard."

"Yeah, it is. But maybe together we got a shot at turnin' the tables and hittin' that liitle fucker back for a change."

Buffy looked up, a smile beginning to work its way onto her face.

"I vote for that."

They stared at each other, the feeling alive and electric as it sparked between them, and Faith lifted Buffy's hand to her lips.

"Then consider it…"

"My, that didn't quite turn out to be the experience I'd planned for."

They looked up to see a flushed Wesley looking like he had just run a marathon.

"Too much for ya, huh?"

"Apparently so."

 "So where's Cor? Ya have to kill her to save yourself?"

"I wasn't that far gone. She simply chose to remain on the floor with…"

Faith nodded.

"Yeah, I see'em. Damn, Wes, she's crampin' the lovebirds' style."

"Pardon me, Cordelia's what? Cramping lovebirds?"

"Be back in a few, B."

And then she was gone, expertly threading her way up to the three girls and grabbing Cordelia's arm. She spun her away from Willow and Fred, Cordelia's back bumping hard against her front as Faith's arms encircled her from behind. Faith whispered something into her ear which caused Cordelia to laugh and throw her head back.

"…don't you agree, Buffy?"

"What? Oh yes, I agree."

"Then perhaps when you return home you can convince Giles? Despite everything, he still persists in seeing me as the…"

The beat had changed to a low, insistent one, and Buffy's eyes were riveted on Faith and Cordelia. They were moving together, hips swaying and seeming to chase each other in a perfect rhythm. Buffy wasn't surprised, Faith always danced as if she were having sex, but this seemed different somehow…almost intimate.

As she sat there watching and sipping her drink, she saw Cordelia's eyes close as her right arm reached up behind Faith's head and pulled it down until Faith's mouth was against her cheek. Faith's hands went to Cordelia's hips and began moving, sliding slowly up and down as they moved back and forth, then her left hand slid around to Cordelia's stomach, pulling her back until she was flush against Faith and being held there.

"…and given time and circumstance I believe we all change in ways…"

Buffy was up and moving without a word, and Wesley was stunned by her abrupt exit.

"Yes, well, lovely speaking with you too, Buffy."

Buffy didn't consider herself a jealous person. Sure, she liked to keep what was hers, but that didn't make her jealous or possessive. And she knew what Faith was like when she danced, that it didn't really mean anything even if she went a bit too far. But watching Faith and Cordelia paw each other on the dance floor with a familiarity that set off alarm bells, well that made Buffy a jealous person.

As she got to within hearing distance, the words that were being said didn't calm her down, not in the slightest:

"…fuckin' hottest woman on the planet."

Cordelia giggled, thrusting her ass back against Faith.

"Are you sure about that?"

Faith pushed forward, her eyes closing.

"Mmm…fucking positive."

"Well, good fo…"

And then Cordelia stood alone, her dance partner held in the firm grasp of the Slayer.

"Let's dance, F."

Buffy stood behind Faith, her arms wrapped around hers, pinning them to her sides most effectively. The song had changed, but the beat was still the same…only now there seemed to be a danger to it, a sexiness that somehow seemed threatening. At least that was Faith's interpretation of it, but she was still a little dazed at how fast she'd changed positions and partners.

Cordelia watched for a few seconds, then with a small smirk headed back to the table.

"Ah Cordelia, I took the liberty of ordering you another drink as well as a bottled water."

She smiled at him appreciatively as she drank some of the water.

"Thanks. Dancing with Faith always makes a girl hot."

He glanced at the dance floor.

"I'm not sure I see why, she merely seems to stand in place."

"Yeah, well I think maybe when this is over, she's going to need some water."

"Really? I'll order her…"

He lifted his arm to gain the waitress' attention, but Cordelia pulled it down.

"Never mind, Wes. She won't be coming back to the table and neither will Buffy."

"And how do you know…"

She pointed out to the dance floor and his eyes widened.

"Oh my, yes…well then."

He gulped his drink as Willow and Fred returned to the table, nearly skipping in their happiness. They collapsed into their seats, going right for the unopened bottles of water.

"So did we miss anything good, you guys?"

Cordelia laughed.

"Nope, I'd say your timing's impeccable."

"Where are Buffy and Faith?"

Fred had been scanning the club and she excitedly pointed them out to Willow.

"There they are! They're......oh."

"So they're danc…Goddess."

"Yep, I think that sums it up."

Wesley remained silent as he signaled the waitress for another drink, and they all sat back to watch the show.

Buffy was pressed against Faith, her hips rotating slowly against Faith's ass, her hands just under her breasts, and her voice whispering seductively into her ear.

"What were you doing out here?"

A tremor shot through Faith as Buffy's breath blew into her ear, and she struggled to speak coherently.

"J…just…I was dancin'."

"I saw."

Buffy's hands slid up a little higher, cupping the undersides of Faith's breasts.

"I didn't really like it, F."

Faith tried to turn to face her, but Buffy's arms tightened.

"Uh-uh, you stay right there."

"What are you…Shit!!"

Buffy's fingers squeezed a pair of nipples, then returned to their "almost there" position.

"So what were you going to do, Faith? Have sex with her right here?"

"Stop…stop bein' ridiculous."

Buffy's response was to begin kissing along Faith's neck and shoulder, making sure to pay close attention to the sensitive spot a few inches below her ear.

"Does she know about this spot, F?"

"…"

"Does she?"

"…No…"

"Does she know how you like someone else on top?"

"…No..."

"How you like it rough sometimes?"

"Buffy…"

"Because I know, Faith, I know all of those things…and I also know just what to do to make you come."

"So maybe we could…"

She tried to turn again, but Buffy still wouldn't let her. Instead she began moving, this time a little harder and a little faster, her sighs and gasps and moans all releasing themselves right into Faith's ear.

"Mmm…I'm so horny tonight."

"Buffy, c'mon. There's a million people here."

"Are you shy now, Faith? You seemed just fine with the PDAs when it was you and Cordy."

"Okay, so I guess I got a little carried away, but…"

"Your ass feels so good…against me."

"Oh hell…Least lemme touch..."

"Mmm…my nipples are so hard. Can you feel them?"

"…"

Buffy bit her neck.

"Shit!"

"I said: 'Can you feel them'?"

"Y…yes, I feel'em. B, please…"

"But I thought this is what you like. You didn't have any problem rubbing all over Cordelia."

"I wasn't…I didn't…Oh fuck…"

"Or maybe you only like it when it's you doing the rubbing."

Buffy moved them off to a corner underneath some stairs where it was relatively dark, and her hand slid down to the front of Faith's jeans. She unerringly found the spot and began moving her hand slowly, pressing the seam of Faith's pants back and forth in a tantalizing motion. Faith jumped, then moaned from down low in her throat.

"B…you gotta…I mean I gotta…"

"Do you think Cordelia's hot, Faith?"

"…"

"Do you think she's sexy?"

"Not like…not like you, B."

"Would you fuck her?"

"N…no."

They were on dangerous ground, but Faith could barely think straight, let alone try to keep a secret. Buffy's movements sped up and Faith's legs became quivery as she struggled to remain standing. Her head flung back to rest on Buffy's shoulder, her eyes closed tight and her breathing erratic.

"But you'll fuck me."

"Y…yes..."

"Because I know how to make you come…"

Faith was right on the verge. Everything she had was focused on Buffy's hand between her legs, Buffy's center moving against her ass, Buffy's nipples rubbing against her back, and Buffy's seductive voice whispering into her ear.

"…and I know how to leave you hanging."

And with that Buffy was out the side door and into the alley. Faith staggered and almost fell, but she somehow managed to stay upright. She stood stunned at the loss for nearly a minute before she followed Buffy outside.

She was there waiting, leaning casually against a wall with an angry look on her face.

"That wasn't nice, B."                                                  

"Neither was fucking another woman."

"I wasn't fucking Cordelia."

"It sure looked like you could or maybe did."

Faith approached her carefully, unsure just how mad Buffy really was.

"You know how I get when I dance, B. Cor's just a friend."

"Better make sure it stays that way."

"Or what?"

Buffy reached out quickly and snagged the loop of Faith's jeans, pulling her close.

"Or maybe I'll tie you up and torture you like that for hours."

Faith pressed their bodies together and kissed her.

"Maybe at some point we could do that anyway."

"If you don't stop fondling women besides me, I think you can count on it."

"I'm sorry, B. Kinda new at this, but no more sexy dancin' with anybody but you."

Buffy didn't say anything, but Faith could tell her anger was dissipating and she pulled her closer, thrusting her leg between one of Buffy's thighs.

"Kinda got me all heated up here."

"Too bad."

"What's the rule 'bout fucking you in an alley?"

"It's not going to happen, F."

"Wanna head back to the hotel and lemme make it up to ya?"

Buffy's hand slid down on the outside of Faith's pants to the familiar rigid seam.

"Want me to get you off right here?"

Faith's answer was a loud groan as her eyes closed and her hips began moving to the rhythm Buffy set.

"Jesus, B…you shoulda come with a warning label."

Buffy leaned in and whispered:

"Now why would I want to do that when I can come with you instead?"

With a final rub, she nipped at Faith's ear.

"Wanna get a cab?"

"Rocket ship's not gonna be fast enough, but yeah, let's grab a cab."

The room was finally still and quiet, but it had taken hours to get that way. Two turned on Slayers: one jealous, the other feeling guilty, and both lusting after the other with everything they had…It took time to exact the appropriate pound of flesh, to reassure, to bestow and receive forgiveness, to get back on equal footing.

Faith was on her back, her head resting on a pillow as Buffy's head rested comfortably on her chest. Buffy's hand stroked slowly along Faith's breast, the intent not to incite, but to soothe and calm.

"Faith?"

"Yeah?"

"We are so good together."

Faith tilted down slightly to kiss the top of Buffy's head.

"We're fuckin' off the charts good together."

"I don't just mean the sex."

"Me neither."

"Although that's crazy good too."

"The best, B."

All was quiet again, and Faith could tell that Buffy was drifting off. She was becoming heavier, the stroking of her hand was slowing, and Faith tightened her arm around her. She was happy, warm, and content and ready to give in to sleep as well when Buffy mumbled her final words of the night:

"I love you."

Faith's eyes snapped open. Her body tensed and her breathing stopped.

Love. The big word had been uttered and she didn't have a clue what to do, what to say, who to be. She stayed still hoping she wouldn't be seen or noticed, that Buffy would just continue on her way to sleep, but no, Buffy was lifting her head and her eyes were searching for Faith's.

"Faith?"

Eyes riveted to the ceiling, arm like an iron band, Faith's body was stiff and ready as if she were headed into battle.

"Hey…"

Buffy was sitting up all the way now, her face concerned, worried, but not hurt…not yet.

"…what's wrong?"

Faith knew she had to speak, she was making it all worse by remaining quiet, so she forced herself to say something.

"Nothing."

Buffy leaned over and kissed her softly, pulling back when she received little response.

"Okay, I'd get a better reaction from a dead person than that…and I don't mean Angel."

She had said that deliberately; a reference to Angel would always stir up something in Faith, but not this time. There was no anger, no jealousy, no affection, no laughter, no anything.

"Faith, you're scaring me."

Her eyes flickered then. She didn't want to scare Buffy, not ever again, but she was nearing a panic herself and couldn't think clearly.

**I love you.**

Faith sat up abruptly on the side of the bed, her back to Buffy.

"Sorry. I need …"

Buffy touched her back, her hand sliding warm and tender on Faith's naked skin.

"Is this because I…"

Faith was up, pulling her clothes on so roughly, she almost tore her shirt.

"It's…B, it's not you, okay?"

"That's a little hard to believe. One second we're all happy and snuggled up, the next you've turned into a block of ice who won't even look at me."

Faith forced herself to face at her.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too. I thought we were at the same place."

"We are. I'm not unhappy, Buffy, I'm not. I just need some air."

"Air?"

"Yeah, just a quick walk."

Buffy didn't exactly look sold on the idea, but she nodded.

"Okay."

"Thanks, B. I won't be long."

Buffy nodded again as she sat there alone on the bed, her head bent down. Faith turned to leave, but she saw the tear hit the sheet and knew that Buffy was just barely hanging on.

"B…please, don't be upset. I just…"

"I don't want you to leave."

"B…"

"Stay with me, Faith. Don't go."

Buffy stood up and kissed her, pushing her jacket off as she did. She began placing soft kisses all over Faith's body, removing clothing as she went, murmuring:

"So beautiful…so strong…so soft…so Faith…"

Faith could do nothing except stay where she was, her body reacting to Buffy's attention like it was made for it. Every touch, every kiss, every word seemingly designed just for Faith as it reeled her in and made her feel safe, made her feel loved. If Buffy could not tell her, she would show her, and she did, one sweet, loving gesture at a time.

It lasted forever and when it was over, they were right back in the same position they'd started off in. The only difference this time was that Buffy never said a word as she fell asleep, and Faith was nowhere near Slumber Land as she lay there with her arm wrapped around her.

She stared up at the ceiling, willing herself to stop thinking.

**I love you.**

Said with such surety, such confidence, as if Buffy thought it was the most natural thing in the world to say. Maybe she was just delusional or maybe Buffy was just naïve, but Faith had never heard those three words before and she was terrified. Buffy's body was crowding her, suffocating her, holding her helpless with its intimacy. She needed space, she needed to move, and she needed it now.

She slid out from under as slowly as she could, which was hard to do in the panic that had come for her again. She controlled herself the best she could, praying that she didn't wake Buffy. She felt like cheering when she got free and clear, but instead focused on dressing quickly and quietly. In moments she was done, and she grabbed her wallet and keys and headed out into the night.

The pounding on her door surprised her, but Cordelia knew who it was. It was the "why" of it that had her puzzled. She quickly slipped on her robe and hurried to let her in, Dennis helpfully turning on lights and unhooking the chain.

"Hang on!"

She opened the door, confused when Faith didn't just barge in and instead stood there waiting with her face tilted down to the floor. There was no movement from either girl until Faith let out a shaky breath and raised her eyes to meet Cordelia's.

"Can I come in?"

Her first instinct was to say yes, but a woman in love with a vampire was a lot smarter than that.

"Do you need an invitation now?"

"Huh?"

"I'm not inviting you in, Faith."

"Please Cor, I got nowhere else to go."

Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"I can't invite you in, how stupid do you think I am?"

It took a second, but then the realization finally hit Faith, that much was clear by the relief on her face. She strode in and began pacing in front of the sofa as Cordelia closed and locked the door. She stood where she was, wondering what had happened.

"Faith?"

"I…Fuck this, I shouldn't have come here."

She headed for the door, but Cordelia still stood in front of it and wasn't about to move.

"Why not?"

"I don't belong."

Cordelia took hold of her arm and steered her back over to the couch.

"Come on, just sit down for a minute."

Faith finally did, looking like she was going to bolt at any second. Cordelia waited for her, but she showed not the slightest sign of talking.

"Okay, so what did Buffy do this time?"

Cordelia knew full well that Buffy had not done anything, at least not like anything she had ever done before. Faith looked scared, not angry or hurt, and it didn't really make a lot of sense.

"Faith?"

"It's not…I'm…"

She looked up again, and Cordelia was shocked to see the tears brimming in her eyes. She instantly pulled Faith into a hug, doing her best to comfort her.

"What's wrong? Is Buffy okay?"

"It's not B, it's me. I'm all wrong, and somehow I forgot that."

She began sobbing and Cordelia held her tight, whispering the meaningless words everyone whispers when there's nothing else to say.

It took a long time, but finally Faith's tears slowed to a trickle, complete with sniffles. Cordelia grabbed the Kleenex box from the coffee table and gave her a handful.

Faith wiped at the tears on her cheeks, then blew her nose.

"Jesus…I'm sorry, Cordelia. I…I oughta go."

"I don't want you to go, I want you to tell me what's going on."

"You were sleepin' and ya don't need this shit. Fuck, I don't need it either."

A throw blanket left a chair and wrapped around Faith's shoulders. She smiled.

"Thanks, Kit."

"Faith…"

"I can't keep comin' here."

"We're friends, Faith, you're always welcome…although it'd be nice if you'd stop in before 3:00a.m. sometimes."

That earned her a small chuckle.

"Can I maybe get a drink?"

"Of course, but you have to promise you won't leave the second my back's turned."

"Got my word."

"Okay. Beer? Coke? "

"Water sounds good."

Cordelia smiled.

"I just bought some today. I'll be right back."

When she returned, Faith was standing by the door looking irritated.

"What are you doing?"

"Was tryin' to leave, but Dennis keeps flippin' the lock before I can get the door open."

"He must be pointing out what a big fat liar you are."

"Yeah."

Cordelia sat back down on the couch.

"Well, here's the water you asked for."

Faith turned the deadbolt and then grabbed for the doorknob with Slayer speed. The lock reengaged a split second too soon…again.

"Fuck!"

She gave up and sat down in the chair across from the couch. She drank half of the water in one long go, the sides of the cheap plastic collapsing in and making the bottle crackle.

"Guess I oughta clue you guys in then."

"That'd be nice."

Faith took another small sip.

"B said she loved me."

"That's great, Faith! Congrat…Okay, so not the face I expected."

"Me neither…I freaked."

"You 'freaked'? What's that mean?"

"I snuck out, just left her there sleepin'."

Cordelia looked relieved.

"Okay, so she doesn't even know you're gone…except that she's Buffy and probably woke up just to make this more difficult. Whatever, right? So why exactly did you freak?"

"Nobody's ever said that to me before, not ever…and B just said it like it was nothin'."

"You mean like she didn't care?"

"No, she means it, but it's like nothin' to her. She thinks it's normal, somethin' you just say whenever ya wanna."

"And it's not?"

Faith stood and began pacing again.

"I don't know. I don't have a clue when ya say it or what ya say when ya hear it."

"Well, generally you say it back unless it's not true, which isn't the case here."

"…"

Cordelia leaned forward, her eyes burning into Faith.

"Faith Lehane, are you seriously going to stand there and tell me you don't love Buffy?"

"…No."

"Okay, good because I was seriously going to have to smack you."

Faith sat back down and finished off her water.

"Can't even remember not lovin' her. At first I didn't know that's what it was. I just knew I hated Angel more than I ever hated anybody in my life…and that's sayin' somethin'. Then I hated Riley and…Plenty of time to think it through in the joint and yeah, I know I love her."

Cordelia stayed quiet and let Faith vent.

"And I finally did it, ya know? I went after her and I got her. And she's everything I ever wanted, everything I need, and I'm scared shitless, Cor."

"Of what?"

"That I'm gonna hurt her, that she's gonna hurt me, that we're gonna fuck it all up."

Cordelia laughed, the sound more resigned than mirthful.

"Well, welcome to the exciting world of romance! Everybody's scared of that stuff, Faith. Ask Buffy, she is too. Now granted, you probably have more reason than the rest of us, but that doesn't really matter. You're in love with her, she's in love with you, and you guys have a real chance of making it work. You just have to accept that and man up here."

Faith still looked scared, but she was listening.

"The way you freaked when she told you? That wasn't real, Faith, that's not how you feel about her. That was just an old habit, a bad habit that you don't need anymore."

Faith nodded:

"And the thing is…it's so easy with her. She makes me feel so good, makes me a better person. I don't even have to try or think about it, it's just there. Even let her top me without blinkin' an eye and that's never happened before…leastways not since I became a Slayer."

"And I think all of that means a lot more than anything else ever will."

Faith tossed the bottle into the kitchen and right into the recycling bin.

"I'm so tired of this."

"Of being in love?"

"No, of bein' a fuckup, of always lookin' for ways to screw myself. I want her, Cor, I do. But I just…Fuck!"

She leaned forward, her head in her hands.

"Why can't me and you hook up? You don't make me feel anything but horny, and I can handle that, no problem."

"Gee, you sure know how to charm a girl."

"Yeah, I'm a real fuckin' catch."

Cordelia laughed.

"The funny thing is…you really are. And most of the time now, you're even sane."

"Yeah, well it's those in-between moments ya gotta watch out for."

"So you're a work in progress. Buffy knows what she's getting."

"Hope so. Can I crash here?"

"Sure, I'm still determined to keep our petty cash for something other than your bail money."

Faith sighed.

"I'm such a fuckin' fuck up…all the way around."

One of Cordelia's slippers gently hit the side of Faith's head.

"Yeah, I hear ya, Kit."

"He's got a point, you know. How big of a fuck up can you really be when you have a job you're great at, friends, dead and alive, who care about you, and a woman like Buffy who loves you? It's way more than most people ever get, and I think it's just time for you to grow up and stop being so stupid."

"Yeah, we'll odds of that are…"

The other slipper lightly whapped her on the forehead, and Faith nodded.

"I mean, sounds right."

"Come on, I'll get the sheets and blankets. You can use the bathroom and change."

Faith put on the familiar oversized t-shirt, and when she went back into the front room, Cordelia was just putting the finishing touches on the couch.

"There you go."

"Thanks, Cor."

"You're welcome. Try to get some sleep."

Faith got under the covers and Cordelia actually tucked her in, all complete with a kiss on the forehead.

"It's going to be okay. You might blunder around for a while, but you and Buffy will work it out and live happily ever after."

"Can ya gimme a guarantee on that?"

"As a matter of fact, yes I can. So there. Do you want me to make us breakfast tomorrow?"

"That'd be nice, but I won't be here when you get up. Gonna head back early."

"That's probably for the best."

Faith looked nervous.

"Plus B was already pissed about us dancin' tonight."

"Yeah, I guess maybe we went a little too far."

"I told her we were just friends."

"And that's exactly what we are. Goodnight, Faith."

"Night, Cor."

She turned off the light and was almost to her room when Faith called out.

"Hey?"

She looked back.

"Uh-huh?"

"You're one helluva woman."

"Of course I am…I'm Cordelia Chase."

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