Faith followed Buffy out of the house. "Look, I swear I didn't want it to go this way."
"Don't," Buffy said with her back to her. Faith was sure she was going to chew her out, but she continued.
"I'm mean it, I'm..."
Instead the blond turned around to reveal a single tear running down her cheek.
"Don't be afraid to lead them. Whether you wanted it or not, their lives are yours. It's only going to get harder. Protect them. But...lead them." With that Buffy descended the steps of the house and walked out into the night.
Faith headed inside to grab her coat. She had to find Buffy and explain. Somehow a coup had taken place, with Faith at the forefront as the reluctant leader. It seemed no matter what she had said to calm the conflict, it had only fueled the fire. Sure, Buffy was out of line, but that was no reason to kick her out as far as she was concerned. It was fight or flight. Buffy had been pushed into a corner by the group, and decided to come out swinging - specifically at Faith. The dark Slayer knew she would have reacted the same, were she in Buffy's position.
"Faith where are you going?" Wood asked as he noticed her leaving. "I wanted to talk to you about weapons." Oh he didn't really want to talk about weapons. He was just hoping to get a little piece of Faith before the night was over. Bastard.
"I, um, I need to take a walk and get some air."
Giles interjected. "We need you here Faith to go over plans for the assult tomorrow on the vineyard. Andrew just called and Spike's bike ran out of gas, so they're going to have to wait out the sun. They won't be back until tomorrow night. Our whole plan has to be completely revamped."
Faith brushed past them both. "Yeah well I won't be long. We'll go over them when I get back."
She walked down the path of the Summers' house, and stopped, and listened. She needed to find Buffy. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She had always been able to feel Buffy's presence, no matter how far away from the blond she was. "Left," she said to herself as she took off.
Faith stopped when she entered the dark house. She looked around, and headed to the back bedroom where Buffy was laying on the bed. Buffy didn't even acknowledge Faith's presence. She knew Faith would come.
"Nice place you've got here B," Faith said as she entered the room.
"Well considering I've been kicked out of my house, this is as good as any." Faith internally cringed at the truth of Buffy's statement.
"Buffy let me explain..." Faith started.
"No, please, not now," Buffy said, her voice cracking. "I'm just too tired. I don't think I can take it right now."
Faith kneeled down by the side of the bed where Buffy was laying. Neither girl spoke, they just looked into the others eyes.
"I know Faith," Buffy said, "this isn't how you wanted it. But they were right, it's the only way. I've been to detached. Those girls aren't safe with me." Tears started to roll down Buffy's cheeks again. Faith's heart was breaking at the sight of Buffy crying.
"You know what? I'm still making excuses, I've always cut myself off, I've always...being the Slayer made me different, but it's my fault I stayed that way. People try to connect to me but I just...slip away." Buffy looked at Faith. "You should know," she said referring to their friendship from years ago. Faith could tell Buffy blaimed herself for the betrayal. They were so close to, well, closeness until the whole Angel thing...
"Buffy, I went off the deep end. It wasn't you, it was out of your control. I was dangerous and I needed some serious chill time. There's nothing you could have done," Faith said, trying to convince herself it was true. She too often wondered what could have been if she and Buffy had moved past the friendship boundries. She now knew Buffy wondered the same thing.
"I'm sorry I hit you at the Bronze," Buffy said as she ran her fingers over the bruise she gave her. Faith closed her eyes and leaned into Buffy's touch.
Faith smiled. "Yeah well we've all done things we're not proud of," she said as she took Buffy's hand into her own. Buffy rolled onto her back and looked at the ceiling. Faith took this as her sign to leave.
"Well B, I'm going to head, I just..." Buffy's grip on Faith's hand tightened. "Stay with me Faith?" she asked meekly. "Just for a little while. I need you."
Faith smiled and kissed Buffy on the head. "I'll always stay with you Buffy. I love you." Faith knew she shouldn't have said it, but it didn't matter right now. When every tomorrow could be your last, consequences mean nothing to you.
Faith took her jacket off and climbed into bed behind Buffy. She wrapped her arms around the blond girl and placed a gentle kiss on her neck. She finally layed her head down.
Not long after she closed her eyes, Faith felt Buffy turned around in her arms. She slowly opened her eyes to see Buffy's beautiful face not inches from her own. Buffy placed her hand on Faith's side, dangerously close to her breast. Faith gasped slightly.
"This could be one of our last moments on earth," Buffy said in a husky voice. "I don't want to die without knowing what it's like to feel you."
Faith was reeling. But she didn't want the other Slayer to do anything she'd regret later. "We're not going to die," Faith said lightly. Buffy placed a gentle kiss on her lips. It removed Faith of all doubt. But isn't that what faith is? The full hearted belief without neccessary evidence.
"Indulge me," Buffy said as she turned Faith on her back and straddled her hips.
Faith put her hands on Buffy's hips and slowly ran them up to them hem of her shirt. She sat up as she pulled the blond's shirt over her head. She explored Buffy's mouth with her tounge until she reluctantly pulled back so Buffy could releave her of the the last barriers seperating them. Buffy pushed Faith back on the bed, and ground herself into the dark-haired girl. She entered Faith with her fingers, and was feverishly pumping away. All Faith could do was lay back and allow Buffy to bring her body to new heights.
This would have been like everyone else Faith had had, except for the fact there was in an intense connection between the Slayers. Except for the occaisonal kiss, the girls had kept almost complete eye contact throughout the encounter. This was no fuck. It was more comfort, and a reminder that they were alive. Very alive. Sunnydale was falling, or soon would - and they both felt powerless to prevent it from happening. The only control they had was over was feelings they could ellicit in each other.
"Ahh...Buffy...please..." Faith moaned as she felt herself reaching a peak. Buffy took one of Faith's hard nipples in her mouth in order to intensify the girls orgasm. She could feel Faith convulsing around her fingers. She was close.
"Come on Faith, come for me," Buffy whispered in the dark-haired girls ear, as she licked her lobe.
Faith dug her fingers into Buffy's back as the orgasm ripped through her taunt body. Buffy smiled, and lightly kissed the girl as she layed down beside her. Faith took the blond girl into her arms. They both lay silent for awhile, reveling the escape from the apocalypse that had taken over their lives.
Faith brought a hand up and smoothed it over Buffy's hair. "I should probably go," she whispered.
"I know," Buffy said, dreading the removal of the warm body. Faith gently kissed the girl on the lips. "I love you. And think this is the first time in a long time I really don't want the end of the world to come."
Buffy smiled. "We beat this, and you and I have some serious talking to do."
"You sure know who to spoil a mood," Faith said jokingly. She got up and proceeded the get dressed. Buffy took her hand and pulled her down for another kiss. She looked into Faith's eyes. "Do everything you can to make sure this isn't the last."
Faith smiled as she turned to leave. "I will if you will."