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The frown on Buffy's face seemed stuck there. She sat alone on her bed thinking about the upcoming battle. Hence, frown. Her vision had shown her hundreds of thousands of those Turok-hans waiting underground for The Firsts signal. But Buffy wasn't gonna give him the chance. Tomorrow, she was taking Spike and the potentials underground to face them.

"Not when it comes, not when its army is ready, now."

The plan was set, the wheels were in motion. She just had to press the accelerator. So why didn't she want to go anywhere near it? The perma-frown wasn't leaving anytime soon.

The house around her was sleeping, except two others. Well, it was late, she didn't blame them, but she didn't see how they could do it. She was so tired, but there was no way she was gonna sleep. When she was ready, she was gonna go downstairs to be with Spike. But for now, Buffy was gonna sit here, frown, and wonder how the fight was going to end. She didn't even hear Faith come in and sit down beside her. Very un-Slayer-like.

"Hey, B. What's happenin' up there?" Buffy jumped right off the bed. Faith smiled and pushed her index finger against her temple. Even when she took her finger away, Buffy could still feel the pressure and warmth of the Slayers finger. She smiled sheepishly up at Faith from the floor.

"Not much. Just thinking apocalypse-y thoughts." Faith could tell from the look in her companions eyes that it was "much". Buffy looked terrified.

"Not much? Right, B. We've known each other way to long for you to be able to pull that." Raising her eyebrows inquisitively, Faith caught Buffy's eyes in a hard glare. She relented almost immediately.

"It's just that … I don't know how it's gonna end. I don't know how many there will be, or even if the spell is gonna work! Can we really beat The First?" She squinted up at Faith as she talked. " … Faith …" She signed, letting her eyes rest on the carpet, "I don't know if I can do it."

"B, Buffy, look at me," Faith slid off the bed and onto the carpet next to her and took her by the shoulders. Buffy brought her eyes slowly up to her face. "You can do this. We can do this. We're the Slayers, girl. We've been through hell together, and we've been back. Damn, it's been a wicked ride. That's what the fights is gonna be tomorrow, just part of the rise. If it all works out, we're gonna have a whole 'nother big Scooby gang riding with us. All the potentials are gonna be there with you, the Slayerettes will be there with you. Hell, even the principal's gonna be there with you. And ya know what? I'll be there, too. We'll kick its ass, ok?" Faith cracked a smile, and before she knew what was happening, Buffy was smiling, too.

"You'll be slammin, B, I know it." Faith leaned forward on her knees and pressed her lips softly to Buffy's forehead. In the simple motion of a kiss, Buffy and Faith couldn't help remembering the times when they had been close like this.

Buffy and Faith threw punches and kicks all over each other. They both dove at each other, holding knives to each others throats

"What are you gonna do, B, kill me? You become me. You're not ready for that yet."

Faith grabbed the back of Buffy's neck, pulled her close and kissed her on the forehead. Then she got up, turned and ran from Angel's mansion.

Buffy walked slowly through Faiths apartment. Faith stood at the broken window, looking out into the sunlight.

"There's something I'm supposed to be doing …" Buffy looked up at the back of Faiths head.

"Oh, yeah. Miles to go. Little Miss Muffet counting down from 7-3-0." Faith smiled out the window. She could almost hear the grimace in Buffy's voice as she spoke.

"Great. Riddles."

"Sorry, it's my head. A lot of new stuff. They're never going to fix this, are they?" She indicated the broken window.

"What about you?"

"Scar tissue. It fades, it all fades"

Buffy's gaze shifted down towards her outstretched hand. The knife she had pushed inside Faith less than a day ago appeared, covered in blood, on her palm. As quickly as it came, it disappeared. She stared at her hand, awestruck.

"You want to know the deal?" Buffy looked up, meeting Faith's gaze. The spell was broken. "Human weakness - never goes away. Not even his."


"Is this your mind or mine?" Asked Buffy, genuinely wondering.

"Beats me." Buffy laughed and looked down again. Faith walked towards her. "Getting towards that time."


"How are you going to fit all this stuff?" Buffy asked, looking around at the weapons.

"Not gonna. It's yours." Faith smiled.

"I can't use all of this!"

"Just take what you need." Faith reached up and cupped Buffy's cheek in her right hand. "You ready?"


Buffy opened her eyes, the sight of her hospital room greeting her. Slowly getting out of bed, she made her way into Faiths room. She looked down at her and closed her eyes as she softly kissed her forehead.

Buffy and Faith could both remember all the times they had danced together, slayed together, talked and fought and screamed and shared. They had seen good and bad in each other, and in many ways, they were practically sisters. Buffy knew Faith would be there for her till the end of the fight.

As she drew away from a kiss that had lasted barely more than a few seconds Faith could tell Buffy felt it, too. The friendship between the two slayers had been tested and almost broken so many times, but it was stronger for it. Faith still had Buffy by the shoulders.

"So. We gonna do this?"

"Yeah." said Buffy quietly.

"What'd ya say, B? I didn't quite hear that."

"Yeah," she answered a little bit louder. "Yeah, we're gonna do it. We're gonna fight, and we're gonna win." With a tiny smile, Buffy looked up into her face. The smile grew, then her face softened. "Thanks, Faith."

"No problem, B. Now," Faith smirked evilly, "there's a certain bleached blond waiting in the basement for you."

Downstairs, hitting the punching bag with a crude drawing of Angels face taped onto it, Spike heard a small squeal, followed by a yelp then the sound of playful scuffling. He looked up at the ceiling for a second, shrugged and went back to punching his pretend-Angel.