The powers that be let me stay and watch. I see my body lying in the rubble on the ground. How my friends and family cry all around me. But most of all I see her. My Faith. I have only seen her cry a few times since I met her. But it was always silent tears. Never like this, never full on sobbing. She's cradling my limp body, daring anyone to come closer. Giles tries to get her to let me go but she only yells out her pain and pulls me closer to her. He quickly gives up trying to get her to leave my side, he knows it's of no use. Only when she passes out of exhaustion does he try again. He gets Xander to pick Faith up whilst Giles picks me up and they leave my sight. I silently nod to the figure standing next to me, who had been waiting patiently and the picture I'm looking at starts to fade.

I stumble in to the Summer's house, which I now call home. Patrol was busy tonight, busier than it had been for a while. I was a bit banged up but nothing worse for wear. The house is quiet, which is a rare occurrence around here. I walk in to the living room and I stop short. She's here. But she can't be? She died and we buried her. I'm beyond confused and tears start to well up in my eyes. She stands up as soon as she sees me and I can see she is tearing up too. I cover my mouth with my hand to try in vein to cover the strangled sob that escapes. My eyes flick towards Willow who I just now realized is sitting on the couch. I have a feeling this is her doing and the guilty look on her face tells me I'm right. We have gotten pretty close, especially since I moved in. But I can't believe that she wouldn't tell me.

"We didn't tell you in case it wouldn't work" Willow answers my unasked question.

My shoulders start to shake with the force of my tears and I flick my eyes back to Buffy who have tears streaming down her cheeks as she slowly walks towards me. I call tell she doesn't really know how to approach me, it's not like something like this happens every day. I let my hand fall from my mouth and close the distance between us, quickly pulling my arms around her and hug her to me tightly. She doesn't waste any time in doing the same. This has to be a dream. But having her in my arms again, letting her scent of vanilla shampoo wash over me I'm starting to realize that this is real.

I feel Willow gently touch my shoulder as she walks out of the room and walks upstairs. After holding her close to me for a couple of minutes I let my arms drop slightly but I still have my arms around her. I pull away a bit to be able to see her face. I gently brush my thumb down her cheek to wipe her tears away as I look her over. Her face is as beautiful as ever and she doesn't have any visible injuries.

I've missed her more than words can say.

The only reason that I'm still alive is for one sole reason. Dawn. If it wasn't for her I would have killed myself, never could I let some random demon or vamp finish me off, no matter how much I would have wanted to die. I would have died and gone wherever it was I was gonna go, and fight my way back to Buffy.

She wipes my cheek and leans in so her lips brush over mine. Butterflies go crazy in my stomach as I feel this warm sensation of love go all through me, a feeling I never thought I would experience again. We kiss slowly and it gets more passionate by the second, and I'm drowning in emotions, being so close to the love of my life that I had to be without for over four long agonizing, heartbreaking months. She pulls me over to sit on the couch and I follow without a word.

"Are you okay baby? What happened? Where did you go?"

I still have my arms around her, there is no way in hell I'm ever letting her go.

"Yeah I'm okay. Coming back.. It's a bit disorienting but I'm okay. They brought me back, thinking I was suffering in some hell dimension which makes sense since I died in a portal to a hell dimension. But I think I was in heaven. I was happy about my whereabouts. I felt loved and I was done. I earned my right to rest. But heaven isn't all it's cracked up to be, something was still missing but I couldn't put my finger on it" I'm listening intently to what she is saying whilst playing with her fingers.

"When I started to feel a pull, when they were trying to bring me back the powers that be gave me a choice. I could stay where I was or come back here." She looks up from our intertwined fingers to meet my eyes.

"The choice was easy because I can't be without you Faith. You are my heaven"

That is probably the most incredible thing anyone has ever said to me. But I know it's true because I feel the same way. "And you are mine. I can't believe you're back. I missed you so much Buffy. I love you more than words can say" I tell her. "I bought you a ring. I just never had a chance to give it to you." Buffy smiles softly and whispers "I know" and there is no need for words after she whispers that she loves me too. I pull her to straddle my hips and we meet in a fierce hug as we both start to cry again. I can't believe she's back. Home here with me, where she belongs.

The end

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