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Disclaimer: I dont own anything all credit goes to joss whedon and his team who created scenes, storyline in parts, characters, places, settings etc. I may deviate from original content, is not stricktly true to the original plot as designed by its creators.

Blurb: femme slash AU. Not particularly explicit, fairly harmless. Faith returns to sunnydale in anticipation of the coming war and things go wrong between her and buffy right away...can their relationship withstand a war when it cant withstand a simple mistake? And still burns the question, if it hurts so much, why isn't it over?

Faith watched the group of younger girls traipse after Dawn into the darkening alley. She breathed in the silence, trying to harness her anger, it would get them nowhere. When a whole minute went past and still Buffy said nothing Faith took a deep breath, she couldn't bear Buffy looking at her in that way.

"Look B I-"

"Don't even start!" Buffy cut sharply across her. "I went away for two hours and you take my girls out to-"

"You girls! That's rich." She hadn't meant to, hadn't meant to snap, to let the violence take over, but it was coming, faster than she'd expected. How could Buffy expect her to just take the criticism and say nothing, sit through the lecture like a junior? They were supposed to be equal. "Tell me Buffy do you even know their names?" She was met with blazing silence, "There's a war coming and these girls are gonna start picking each other off without the need of any Vamps if you don't let 'em blow some steam once in every while. They're going crazy in that house, I know I can't breath." Buffy took a step closer,

"Faith blowing off steam is one thing, I have a good time, I get what it is to just let go- but that was you letting go. You let go control of them, took them to a place where…Faith they're only kids, I can't leave you in charge and come back to find all the girls are gone. What was I supposed to think?" Faith marshalled her own thoughts, what was she supposed to think.

"Firstly B, they aint kids. These are teenage girls doing what teenage girls do, so cut them some slack and besides it was fine, no one was-"

"Hurt?" Buffy's voice rose an octave, tore at Faith's ears. "Faith the police showed up, looking for you I might add and they nearly had you." She regarded Faith's cuts and bruises with distaste and Faith looked away in shame. Buffy took a shuddering breath, "For them, I will cut some slack. For you however," Buffy took a step back, quick as a flash, drew her fist and slammed into Faith's jaw. Faith was thrown off balance, fell back, breaking her fall with her hands. She remained crouching at Buffy's feet, breathing heavily, letting the pain drive through her bones. "I wont cut any." Buffy finished, "Don't ever let that happen again!" She turned and walked away.

Faith pulled herself to a crouch on the damp pavement, poking the aching bruise with resentment- even if it was one from Buffy's touch. She watched Buffy's brown leather boots clip-clop away back towards Rovello Drive; she'd had those boots for years, looking a little worn, but an all time favourite of B's. The coat that billowed behind her in the wind was a new acquisition, at least, new since Faith had returned two weeks previously. It hadn't been an easy two weeks, least easy of all was accepting that Buffy was different now, as Faith herself must be. Only a little older but they'd both been through a lot since Faith had left town. The question still hung unanswered does it change anything between us? God knows we can't pick up where we left off, but I don't think I can start fresh either. She touched her bruise gingerly again but felt it already starting to heal with her enhanced slayer healing powers.

Somewhat reluctantly Faith moved herself up and, with a cursory glance at the unconscious police officers, began to walk the same way Buffy had, only with a slight limp. She tried to pull the shirt she was wearing down to the level of her jeans but it didn't really cover, leaving a rim of cold skin by her hips. It was a black tank top, borrowed from Buffy the previous day, and although they were the same size for pretty much everything else, Faith was larger in the chest area, so it didn't quite cover. She liked borrowing Buffy's clothes, they were nicer than anything she ever bothered to buy for herself- not much of a shopping girl- and certainly nicer than the minimal dress she had with her. She'd left L.A in a hurry and clothes hadn't been high priority for packing next to mystical books, stakes and a couple of packets of cigarettes.

The walk from the Bronze to Buffy's neat suburban home wasn't too long, but Faith was freezing by the time she unlatched the white gate at the end of the drive. Might have leant me her coat. She thought to herself, but knew that really would be too much to ask, especially when things were so tense with the war, and trying to figure out their relationship, not to mention she'd just added to her list of major screwings-up by dragging the potentials into a fight at the local night club; Faith could bet that things weren't going to get easier for a long time.

Faith replaced the key under the door matt and pushed the front door closed behind her with a gentle click, by the sounds of it all the girls had done to bed. Willow and some other girls were sharing a spare room, Dawn was sharing her room with a bunch of potentials and since Xander and Spike had moved in with them (Spike to the basement) Buffy, Xander, Faith and Anya all shared a room. Faith didn't really expect that to be on that cards tonight after what had just happened. Moodily she pulled her heavy black boots off and felt the dampness of her jeans with distaste. She walked quietly into the snore-filled sitting room and pulled off her sticky trousers, hanging them across the back of the sofa, picking her way carefully over sleeping bags Faith stepped through into the kitchen and flicked on the light.

"Faith." Faith jumped out of her skin and spun round.

"Jesus Christ Dawn. Don't sneak up." She tugged even further on Buffy's top now, trying to cover her underwear and possibly the top of her thighs, without much luck. Kenedy stepped into the light behind Dawn, both in their night clothes and looking sympathetic.

"What she do to ya?" Kennedy asked bluntly. Faith indicated the bruise on her cheek unnecessarily, and Dawn shuddered,

"Sorry Faith, she's like that you know I just-"

"I know what she's like." Faith snapped suddenly. Dawn took a step back and Kennedy narrowed her eyes, "Sorry I mean, it's just been a long night Dawny, why aren't you guys in bed?"

"Wanted to wait up for you." Kennedy muttered, "Why are you back so late?"

"Thinking time." Faith lied, I'm not avoiding Buffy, promise. "And now I'm starving, was hoping to find some food." She looked doubtfully around the over-used and messy looking kitchen.

"I think there's still some Whatsits in the cupboard." Dawn looked and nodded, throwing a jumbo packet of Cheesy Whatsits which Faith caught deftly.

"Whatsits it is." There was silence while Faith tucked in half-heartedly.

"Hey Faith," Dawn touched her arm, "I really am sorry, I'm glad you took us out, we had a really good time. Buffy was out of order." Wanting the comfort was one thing but Faith felt the inexplicable need to stand up for Buffy,

"Look she was just…It was what I deserved. That's her job, she'd the slayer."

"No her job is to slay vampires." Kennedy put in quickly, "Anyway you're the slayer too." Faith shrugged,

"Some days." With that ambiguous statement she began to walk away pity time is over. "You should sleep girls, training starts at eight tomorrow." Dawn nodded reluctantly, scooping her auburn hair back from her neck and tying it out of the way, leaving the room with Kennedy. Faith listened to their footsteps sloping up the stairs, all sixteen it was till the top, and then switched the light off again. Her t-shirt and her bra were still damp, clinging to her skin, but she couldn't be bothered to change them now, it was late. She pulled a throw from the arm of the sofa and settled down, not looking forward to the look she would get from Buffy when she came downstairs next morning- those delicate blue eyes could hurt so much.