Closing the door behind her, she was fuming.

"Damn, Damn, Damn..."

Faith couldn't believe it, Buffy had just walked away like the end of the world didn't matter. OK, so they would probably save the day in the end... But never before without Buffy.

Frowning, Faith thought about the fact Buffy had been voted out, basically told she didn't matter. But that didn't mean she had to let the woman just walk away. Running up the stairs, Faith smiled as she grabbed her jacket from the bed and left the house via Buffy's bedroom window. Hopefully the girls wouldn't come and seek her out, at least until later. Much later, she had a slayer to find.

Buffy sighed as she walked through the open door to an empty house. She didn't bother closing it, though. Anything that didn't need an invitation wouldn't be stopped by the flimsy door anyway.

Abandoned by those people she had always thought to be family, her heart was breaking. Faith wasn't to blame, no matter how much she wanted to lay the blame at her door. She had tried to not let herself be pushed into Buffy's shoes, even Buffy could see that. Just thinking about the new Faith caused Buffy to crack something close to a smile, even if it only lasted momentarily.

Tears streaked her cheeks as she wandered through the house, and she lay down on the first soft place she found next. The soft bed did nothing for her resolve to at least attempt to stop crying. The tears flooded out staining the pillows she had buried her face into.

Walking down some road Faith felt a tug pulling her towards one house. Thinking her slayer senses had found something to beat up she walked straight to the house grinning all the way. Stepping through the door, Faith felt pulled to the back of the house and her grin widened.

Seeing the girl she was hoping to find in such a state Faith was momentarily disarmed. She had witnessed the other slayer in such a fierce display of tears. However before she could let her softer side out the old Faith returned.

"So what do we have here B?" said Faith as she stood in the doorway to the bedroom. Just looking at Buffy buried in the bed covers tugged at the old heartstrings Faith would never admit existed.

"Just go away Faith" Buffy sternly replied.

Deciding to go easy on the other slayer Faith walked over and sat on the floor by the head of the bed.

"You know, the end of the world isn't something we can do without you. I mean look at me, I've been out the gig for years, do you really want the fate of everybody in and out of Sunnydale in my hands?"

"It doesn't matter Faith, they don't want me there, just let me know when it's over."

"Come on B, you don't really believe that. Remember want, take, have? You want to be their general again then just take it back, make them have you back."

Not believing for a second Buffy was as defeated as she sounded Faith pushed on.

"You and me, we'll go the vineyard, find whatever Caleb's hiding"

"Faith, no" Buffy sighed.

Standing up, Faith turned Buffy over on the bed so that their eyes were locked. Staring at each other, the heat they had known back in the good old days came creeping back ever so slowly.

Slowly becoming aware of their circumstances Buffy huffed "Faith please, just go."

Not one to back down, Faith laid down next to Buffy. Needing to let the other slayer know she cared, Faith replied "Not without you, you're a leader weather you like it or not. So until you get that through your thick skull neither one of us seems to be leaving this bed," before placing a light kiss on the other girl's forehead.

Knowing she was momentarily defeated Buffy let the other girl lay there. But she still wasn't going back to that house. Listening to the words Faith says is nothing new but that kiss was. Feeling her cheeks heat up Buffy accepted the kiss and spurred on to give Faith one back.

Curling up to the dark haired girl Buffy found herself drawing strength from her partner. Remembering the events in the past, she never thought anything like this would happen between them.

Laid out on the bed, both girls gathered close drawing strength, power and love from each other, however unacknowledged it was. Eventually after laying in silence, the girls fell asleep cuddling each other.

The next morning Faith awoke when the light in the room became so bright she couldn't ignore it. Feeling a cold patch on the bed Faith knew she was alone. Seeing a piece of paper laid in the pillow, Faith picked it up and read the hastily scrawled note that simply read 'thank you'.

Smiling, Faith knew the girl was back, back because of her support, warmth and even love. Faith left the bed and the house knowing that Buffy, The Slayer, The General and The Girl would be back at the house in the middle of the fight just as soon as she got back from the vineyard. No matter how disappointed Faith was that Buffy had left her behind, she know once they got over this war, they would always be able to trust each other until one day the unspoken love between them became spoken, for as long as they both shall live.

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