Rating: PG

Pairing: Buffy/Faith

Disclaimer: I don't own them and make no money from them.

Summary: Just a short fic detailing three things Buffy once told Faith.

There were three things she told you once. You were secretly thrilled that she was confiding in you, though you weren't sure why. She had best friends for that kind of thing, and as much as you had both pretended, you were never really friends.

Still, you listened anxiously, focusing on her mouth as she spoke. As good as your hearing was, that didn't make up for the fact that she was whispering and that the reception on the visitation phones was never good to begin with.

"I was in heaven," she told you, but you didn't need to hear her words. You felt her cross over when she'd died, and you knew that she was happy. Felt her inner peace, sensed her new calm, and you'd said your goodbyes forever as you tuned out your connection to her.

You didn't wanna keep barging in on her happy ending just to know that she was okay.

"I know," you replied back evenly. What more were you supposed to say? Part of her knew that you already knew that much, but you guessed that she just had to get it off of her chest anyhow.

"They brought me back and everything hurts," she confessed, tears slipping from her eyes. "I don't understand who I am, or what I'm supposed to do, and every breath I take is a reminder of what I lost when they tore me away."

You wanted to break through the glass and comfort her, but you stayed completely still, the phone creaking as you gripped it tightly in your shaking hands.

Instead, you decided to be strong for her.

"You're Buffy. And you're supposed to live. That's all."

Maybe it wasn't enough. Maybe it was too much. But she stopped crying then and just stared at you, not saying anything more. Tears kept filling her eyes, but she didn't let any more fall.

Minutes passed like hours and neither of you moved or said another word. When the guard finally tapped your shoulder and told you time was up, you were broken from your trance.

"I'll worry about you," she told you, and you gave her the most honest smile that you could muster.

"I won't be in here forever, B. Someday I'll get to live too."

She smiled back, but it didn't reach her eyes. You knew that she would worry, and for that you were sorry. She shouldn't have had to suffer for your mistakes.

Angel came to visit you soon after that, hedging around like he knew something, but you kept Buffy's visit a secret. You figured that if it was important to her, she could tell him in her own time.

Weeks and months passed by and you thought about her every minute of every day. When Angel needed help you were happy to lend a hand, but you were nervous when Willow asked you to go with her back to Sunnydale.

Back to her.

You left Willow at the hospital with the injured potential and decided to go and find Buffy, get the awkward first meeting out of the way. You didn't need to go far.

When you walked through the parking lot, she caught your eye, a blonde angel sitting on the hood of Willow's car.

And she was smiling at you.

She told you three things.

"Welcome back." Just like that, easy as pie. Her words were more than just words. There was forgiveness and happiness in them, and you knew that she meant it. She was happy to have you back.

Strangely, you didn't have anything to reply. No witty comeback, no humble retort, nothing. You were too entranced by her smile to speak.

"We'll talk. We will. But first we need to go and be heroes," she told you, hoping you understood that it wouldn't always be just business.

Because you were heroes, are heroes, and despite the fact that you wanted to see Buffy underneath all of your apprehensiveness, you knew that you had a mission to do. Talking would come later.

You hoped you'd find your voice by then.

As the two of you began your walk back to her house, you heard her say quietly, under her breath, "It's funny that you're finally here and I'm still worrying about you."

Your voice finally began working again and you laughed softly.

"Me? I'm five by five, B. I promise not to get dead. I've got way too much living to make up for."

You never expected the battle to be as tough as it was. Ubervamps crept in hordes out of the Hellmouth, swarming like locusts around the slayers that Willow had created, trying so hard to get the upper-hand. But they couldn't. Your side had the scythe, and you and Buffy together again were a lethal combo.

As the bus sped away from the collapsing city, you worried for a moment that she hadn't made it. When a glimpse of blonde hair in the sunlight caught your eye, you breathed a side of relief.

You'd both made it out alive. What were the chances?

When the bus finally stopped and everyone walked to the edge of the crater that was once Sunnydale, she absently reached out behind her, her fingers stretching toward you without knowing where you were.

You ever-so-discreetly slipped your hand into hers for the first time in years and instantly felt the power of your slayer connection surge through the both of you. She turned back slightly and her tear-rimmed eyes met yours, telling you more than words could say.

"Yeah, what are we gonna do now, Buffy?" someone asked from behind you.

Buffy smiled, her eyes never leaving yours, and sighed in relief.

"We live. That's all."