“Hey, B, wait up.” Faith casually jogged to catch up with the other slayer.

“Leave me alone, Faith, I’m not in the mood.” Buffy continued making her way down Revello Drive, away from the tearful potentials currently consoling each other in her house.

She really wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be dealing with Faith. She’d had her fill tonight, of everything. She was losing grip on everything and she knew it.

“B, I just wanna talk to ya,” Faith continued.

Still the small blonde kept walking. “I don’t want to talk to you, Faith.”

Faith finally caught up enough to catch Buffy cautiously by the arm, tugging gently. “Don’t shut me out.” She kept her hand wrapped around the tense arm.

Buffy stopped in her tracks, not quite believing what Faith had said. After all that had happened. After all the fighting and confusion between them, Faith just had to say that.

“You’re telling me not to shut you out? That’s rich coming from you, Faith.” The chosen two stood toe to toe in silence; years of tension between them.

Buffy really didn’t want to fight with Faith, not anymore. Not with everything else that was going on. She realised even if The First hadn’t appeared to fuck with the world, she no longer wanted to battle against the other slayer. It had stripped some of her soul away the first time. Ripped it out and stuck it back in with parts missing and parts spoilt at having fought the closest person to her. Not close in a friendship way, but close nonetheless, in a way maybe neither of them understood.

“Look, just give me some time. I can’t deal with this right now,” Buffy said quietly.

Although she wanted to, Buffy didn’t move.

She stayed where she was with Faith still holding onto her. She knew the other girl could see the sorrow in her eyes and it was pointless trying to hide it. Years of losing hope, dealing with death on many levels, adjusting to more than most people could ever imagine dealing with. She couldn’t. . .she just couldn’t deal with it now.

“You can’t deal with what, B? Tell me.” It was fairly obvious that Faith just wasn’t going to let up.

The thing was, Buffy didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She really didn’t want to open the door on all their past confrontations that was for sure.

It had been one hell of a shock when Faith turned up with Willow. She felt happy and sad on so many levels about the return of her one time nemesis. She just couldn’t pin it down to one feeling. Not yet. Not when she had everything else to think about.

Part of her wanted to run, to get away from the guilt of the night’s disaster, but an even bigger, previously ignored part wanted to let Faith in for once. That part wanted to look into the taller girl’s dark eyes and give in to everything it had ever felt for her.

“I can’t deal with any of this.” Buffy lowered her head, and with tears welling up in her eyes she allowed her defences to tumble at the look of pure concern on Faith’s face. She was done for. She’d lost her fight. “I can’t deal with being in charge or with having to be strong and ‘together’ all the time. I can’t deal with knowing I convinced those girls to go to their deaths and that I got Xander hurt. Spike thinking he’s in love with me and making me insane, and, Faith. . .I can’t deal with the way you make me feel anymore.” The tears finally fell from Buffy’s eyes, soaking her cheeks.

She hadn’t meant to say so much. Buffy didn’t want to give the other girl any ammunition in her vulnerable state, but it was too late now and she waited for the inevitable sarcastic response. But Faith didn’t respond that way. She made no attempt to free Buffy’s arm and in fact did something Buffy would never have imagined the old Faith doing; she pulled Buffy into a tight hug.

Without thinking of the implications, Buffy wrapped her arms around Faith and closed her eyes against the world. As she gently shook, sorrow and exhaustion easing out of her, Buffy realised that she hadn’t felt so enveloped in warmth and security for a long time. If she were being totally honest with herself, she would have to go as far as to say that she had never felt so sheltered by just a simple embrace.

It felt nice; it felt right but yet so wrong considering their history. Buffy tried to pull away but Faith just held tighter, like she might be feeling the same things.

“Buffy, don’t,” Faith said softly.

It was more a husky plea than a demand.

Buffy pushed all reason to the back of her mind and buried herself deeper into Faith’s embrace. They just stood there, wrapped in the night and each other.

As Buffy allowed herself to relax, the tension that had built up in her over the last few weeks seemed to retreat slightly. She allowed herself to feel, to finally enjoy being so close to Faith without it being a fight. She was finding comfort in the younger girl’s affection as Faith slowly swept her strong hand up and down her back, occasionally running fingers through silky blonde hair.

She knew this was something she had wanted to do a long time ago. She had denied it to herself, or passed it off as wanting to care for the troubled slayer in a sisterly way. But now - with the imminent possibility of the end of the world as they knew it - she let her mind actually listen to what her heart was telling her. Feeling so vulnerable and dejected, her need for Faith refused to be ignored. It was like being hit by a thunderbolt of truth.

She had always loved Faith and still did. She knew right then and there that she was going to fall for her all over again. It was raw emotion; needy and desperate. It scared the hell out of her because this time she doubted that she had the strength to fight it. This time, it wanted to revel in Faith’s flirting, her beauty and energy. It wanted to be held close and loved back. Buffy wanted to be loved back.

After everything that had happened between them, and since The First’s appearance, it was just too much to take. She knew Faith would never love her back so the disheartened slayer sobbed into Faith’s neck, damping her skin and soft dark hair.

“Shhh, it’s ok, B. I’ve got ya. I’ll help you though this, I promise. I’m not going to let you down again.” Leaning back slightly, Faith slowly brushed a stray hair from Buffy’s brow and kissed her softly there.

Her lips were so soft and tender, Buffy did all she could to resist the urge to enjoy them with her own. She wasn’t at all confident in the hope that Faith was even attracted to her, despite the past flirting and apparent sexual tension that surrounded them.

Instead, she lifted her head to look deep into Faith’s soulful eyes and fought back her desires once again. She needed Faith right now and didn’t want to do anything to distance the younger girl from her.

Smiling sweetly, her face now stained with tears, Buffy unwrapped her arms from around Faith and backed up, sighing as she did so. Neither of them spoke. There were no words to fit the intensity of the moment, and Buffy was willing herself not to fall any further into the brunette’s dark eyes. It was extremely hard considering the beaming smile she was currently receiving from Faith. Her exquisite dimples only making her all the more beautiful, and downright sexy.

It was something Buffy had always noticed about Faith; just how effortlessly sexy she could be. It was only now that she could admit to herself that it was more than just an observation, and that it was more like a feeling deep within her. She was definitely sexually attracted to Faith.

“Hey, B. Why don’t we go back?”

Buffy’s face must have shown just how much she really didn’t want to go back and deal with it all.

She was exhausted. Her friends were in danger, her sister and all the potentials, Faith. She felt like it was her responsibility alone to keep them safe, and not only them but also the rest of the world. It was a big weight for such slender shoulders.

“It’s ok. You go in and lie down and I’ll deal,” Faith said with no hint of malice or anything close to it.

Buffy opened her mouth to protest, to take responsibility, but she was tired of it.

She wasn’t the only slayer. She wasn’t the only one who could take the weight, and after talking extensively with Angel on the phone she knew she could trust Faith now. According to him the once troubled slayer had changed an immeasurable amount. Her willingness to help him, to come back to Sunnydale - the source of so much pain for the younger girl - told Buffy so much more than Faith probably ever could herself about how different she was now.

She had grown up. Her burden of guilt had bolstered her personality, and she was more than just the cocky tough-girl that Buffy had fallen for the first time. She was still sure of herself, still had the attitude, but it less so and more refined, and as far as Buffy was concerned it was far more appealing. Buffy knew she was going to find it far harder this time to stop or ignore the way she felt about Faith.

“Ok, thank you, Faith,” Buffy said with a small smile.

She accepted that she needed to pass on some of her responsibility, and Faith reached out for Buffy’s hand, taking it reassuringly in her own as they made their way back to the house.

Faith’s new tactile gestures were baffling to Buffy, but were not unwelcome. As they made their way slowly, Buffy found herself loving the way it felt just to be holding the other girl’s hand. She felt truly safe with her. Something she never imagined she would ever feel around Faith again.

They stopped at the front door, still holding on to each other. “I’ll talk to the girls, B”

Buffy nodded, resigned to the fact that tonight she just couldn’t deal with the responsibility that had always been thrust upon her. “Come up and let me know how things are. Tell them. . .I’m sorry,” Buffy sighed.

Faith squeezed her hand before releasing it and pushing open the door.

Buffy made her way up to her room. She was tired and sick of the overwhelming pressure, and as she glumly ascended the stairs the weary slayer couldn’t help but feel glad that Faith was back. That she was there to support her and not fight against her.

With a heavy heart Buffy showered, washing away some of the pain of their meeting with Calab. Once she was clean and in her sleeping shorts and tee shirt Buffy laid down on her bed and closed her eyes, enjoying the quiet and the solitude before the young girls sharing her room all piled in.

She drifted slowly into a fitful snooze.

* * *

A little while later Buffy opened her eyes, squinting in the dim light from the bedside lamp. She had been covered by a blanket so surmised that she must have fallen asleep waiting for Faith to come and tell her how things were.

As she stretched her legs out Buffy noticed she was not alone on the bed. The room was devoid of potentials thankfully, but someone - other than just herself - was occupying her bed.

Before she even turned around to check Buffy knew it was Faith. She could tell by the slight tingles that she usually got from the other girl; some kind of slayer sense. And also, she could place Faith’s scent anywhere. The dark girl’s personal aroma mixed with lavender and a hint of leather.

She turned hesitantly towards the younger girl, not wanting to wake her if she was asleep, which she soon discovered she was. Faith was lying on her side, facing Buffy on top of the blanket, fully clothed. Her luscious dark hair was splayed out behind her, with just a few strands daring to tumble across her striking features.

Buffy lay as quiet as she could, studying the sultry girl. She no longer felt the need to deny to herself that she thought Faith was incredibly beautiful, and the few years they had been apart had only improved her looks.

Buffy just loved slyly looking at Faith, she always had, especially when she smiled. She couldn’t get enough of those dimples, and she was so happy right now that she could just take a little time to allow her eyes to roam over the object of her adoration whilst she was asleep and unaware.

Buffy imagined kissing Faith all over her face, taking time to worship her expressive eyebrows, the eyelids that hid Faith’s dark demanding eyes, the perfectly sculpted nose, and those lips, so full, so delicious looking; like soft pillows of red just longing for her to lick them, to taste them.

But it wasn’t only Faith’s face that Buffy thought was beautiful. She was well aware of the other girl’s extremely hot body, and she could no longer stop herself from wanting to touch every part of it. To experience the power and gracefulness of it, unclothed and close to her. Wrapped around her.

The more she thought about it, the more turned on she got, and Buffy would have given pretty much anything right then to know whether or not Faith wanted her too. She was having a hard time restraining herself.

Gently - without wishing to disturb the sleeping girl - Buffy reached out her hand to brush away a stray lock of dark hair that had dared to encroach upon Faith’s fine features. Her hand refused to move back, so she allowed it to lightly caress her cheek; touching where she knew the sexy dimple would be in other circumstances.

Faith’s skin was so soft and irresistible; she couldn’t find it in her to remove her hand. . .until Faith opened her intense eyes, causing a slight blush to creep over Buffy’s cheeks. Buffy pulled her hand away quickly and Faith smiled, maybe not noticing what Buffy had been doing.

“Sorry, B. Didn’t mean to fall asleep.” Faith shifted her position, stretching as she did so, preparing to get up from the soft bed.

“Faith.” Buffy didn’t really want Faith to move. She wanted to keep her close. “You don’t have to go.”

The brunette lay back on top of the blanket, resting her head lazily on her hand. “The girls are ok. Still a little freaked, but they’ll be fine. I thought you could use some time on your own up here, so I made sure they all slept some place else. It was a tight squeeze in some places but we managed. I didn’t want them to disturb you. Give you some quiet time. Of course then I go and spoil it by falling asleep on your bed.”

Faith was obviously feeling a little uncomfortable or something. She didn’t usually babble so much, unless it was about sex or killing vamps. Or both.

Buffy smiled and then yawned, unable to cover her tiredness; feeling entirely at ease in the company of the other girl. She liked this; lying on her bed next to the gorgeous girl beside her, just feeling close to her. Feeling like they could be so much more to each other.

It was easier than she had thought it ever could be. There wasn’t really any residual animosity from their earlier days together. They had both just seemed to except it and move on. They had thrown out all the hurt and pain, the jealousy and envy, mistrust and mixed signals. Buffy was ready to start again, and she hoped that Faith felt the same.

“I don’t mind that you fell asleep. In fact, if you want you can sleep in here with me, in the bed. I mean, it’s got to be better than the floor downstairs,” Buffy said.

She attempted to make it sound like it wasn’t a big deal, but it was, and from the look in Faith’s eyes it wasn’t just her that thought so.

Faith looked genuinely touched that Buffy would offer to share her bed with her. It really was something, considering how many times they had battled against each other. It was a declaration of trust, of friendship, and Buffy could tell that Faith got that.

“You sure, B? I don’t mind the floor. . .if you wanna be alone.”

That was just it. Buffy didn’t want to be alone. Not any more.

She wanted more than the violent trysts she used to have with Spike. She wanted more than just memories of her days with Angel or Riley. She wanted more, and she wanted Faith. Even if she just had to make do with her friendship.

“Stay with me, Faith.” Buffy was well aware of how softly she uttered that; of how it could be taken to mean more than what it did on the surface.

Faith looked down, hesitating for a beat before nodding her head in confirmation. If she had understood the deeper meaning to Buffy’s plea she didn’t say.

“I’ll go get a shower and stuff. Don’t want to be all stinky next to ya,” Faith said with a grin.

Buffy bit her lip before she could say something stupid like “I love the way you smell right now.”

It was true, though. The other girl’s rich scent filled her nostrils and there was just something about the adrenaline fuelled sweat of Faith that she couldn’t get enough of. It was a sensual smell, fresh and full of promises of luxurious tastes.

Buffy permitted her mind to indulge in fantasies of the dark girl as she sauntered out of the room for her shower, her eyes taking in every move of Faith’s pert little backside. Clad in leather, it was almost calling for her to follow it to the bathroom and run soapy wet hands over it until Faith could do nothing but press her body close to her.

Buffy slipped under her duvet and awaited Faith’s return. She was so glad Faith had agreed to sleep with her. Even though it was going to be extremely hard to keep her distance from her, she knew that after the day she had just had it was going to help ease a little bit of the pain just to have her there.

Faith was taking her time in the shower, probably washing away the blood of the night’s activities just as Buffy had done herself. The blonde girl relaxed, unable to stop her mind from wandering to thoughts of Faith under the hot deluge of water that would currently be cascading down her glorious figure.

She couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to shower with the gorgeous girl. Buffy imagined tasting water droplets that trickled between Faith’s cleavage; licking her way over to the succulent looking nipples that hardened under her gaze. Pulling one of them between her lips, sucking on the little nub as Faith pushed more of herself into her mouth.

She knew Faith would love her breasts being sucked and licked. They just looked like they were built for it. The soft curves were crying out for Buffy’s mouth and lips to taste them. To tease them.

Buffy’s need for the other girl crowded her thoughts as she gave in to her desires. She slowly brought a hand down between her thighs and pressed up into her already wet sex. She rubbed gently over the top of her shorts but it wasn’t enough, she had to feel more.

Imagining it was Faith’s hand and not her own, Buffy slid her fingers under her waistband and into her tiny panties. She parted her wet folds - breathing heavier now - and slowly began to stroke herself to thoughts of the beautiful brunette sliding around in the moist confines of her most intimate place.

Buffy was fondling her eager clit with practised skill, rubbing over it harder and faster, wanting to feel some kind of release, some kind of break from her strangled life. With her slick need coating her fingers, she brought herself closer to relieving some of the night’s tension.

Her little whimpers were becoming more frequent and louder. She didn’t mean to, but couldn’t stop herself from whispering Faith’s name as her wet pussy indulged itself with her fingers; begging for her to liberate the surge of come readying itself to spill out of her.

Buffy pushed the duvet down a short way, cooling her skin. With one hand between her legs, and the other one now grasping the sheet in the empty space beside her, she abandoned herself to her fantasy of Faith.

In her mind’s eye she could see herself sucking on Faith’s breasts as the younger girl flicked her fingertips over and around her clit. She could see the desire in the dark eyes that had always haunted her, the red lips smiling down at her, the sexy grin she loved turning her on ever more.

It was Faith making her feel so good, causing her creamy fluids to spill out of her heated sex and down to the bed sheet below. It was Faith sliding her delicate finger tips over and across her as she shook, calling out softly as she peered over the edge of her approaching orgasm.