Author's Notes: This is the sequel to The Reckoning so it's probably better if you went and read that before reading this :)

Prologue

Faith stood on the castle's roof and looked over the grounds as the full moon illuminated everything. It had been two days since they fought against the Neqa'el, closed the portal, and found out that Percy Chapman was the reason all of it had happened in the first place. Faith wanted to hunt him down, but not to kill him, maybe just to hurt him a little before they sent him to the Council to properly be punished for betrayal and wrongful use of magic-as Giles had put it during the meeting they had that morning.

Buffy had been acting rather distant since Willow came crashing through the roof. They hadn't gotten a moment alone in the last two days and it was driving her completely crazy. The few kisses, even the chaste ones, had left her hot and bothered and she had no doubt in her mind Buffy was feeling the tension building up inside of her too. The entire castle had been trying to research how a wish of that magnitude could come true and so far, from what Faith knew, they determined that Danu and the magic she had tapped into, was far more advanced than anything there in the mortal plane.

"Hey," Buffy said as she walked up behind her from the stairwell door. "What are you doing out here, Faith?"

"Just thinkin', B."

"Can you believe it really came true? It still doesn't feel real."

"It's 'cause we're here and not in Sunnyhell. I have no idea what the hell I was thinking wishin' for it to come back," Faith chuckled and she watched as it took Buffy a moment to realize she was joking around. "It'll feel real once we get there," she said and she wrapped her arms around Buffy from behind. "Why won't you call her?"

"I-I can't," Buffy stammered. "I still don't want to believe it. Am I crazy, Faith? Am I crazy for spending the last two days driving myself insane over this internal debate whether I'm crazy or not for not calling my mother yet?"

Faith shook her head no as Buffy turned in her arms. She smiled at her and placed a soft kiss on her lips, both sighing as Buffy relaxed in the embrace. "That was a lot of crazy's in one breath there, B, so yeah, I think you are little nuts," she laughed and squirmed when Buffy pinched her sides.

"I just don't want to think about it anymore tonight," she sighed and laid her head on Faith's shoulder. "I can't believe Giles sent Kennedy with Wood, Vi, and Rona to Cleveland. We were supposed to go, not Kennedy."

"She ain't a baby slayer anymore. She's all grown up. Besides, it's good for her. She isn't taking the breakup with Willow too well right now. The girls are gonna need a leader here once we head back to Sunnydale, B, and you know she's the right one to take on that role."

"I know."

"Did Willow say when she's gonna teleport us?"

"Tomorrow," Buffy replied and she looked up at Faith, pouting slightly. "What if everything changes once we're there, Faith?"

"What do you mean? Changes between us? Ain't gonna happen, babe. Told you already, I ain't going anywhere. Pretty soon, you'll be so sick of me clinging all over ya you'll be telling me to fuck off already."

"Not just changes with us and what we have now," Buffy said softly and she shook her head slightly. Faith could practically see the wheels turning in her head. "Everything is going to change now that my mom is back. I don't-I'm not sure how I'm gonna deal with this."

"You'll deal, B. You always do."

"And what about you?"

"Me? I'll do what I always do and just go with it, see where it takes me," she shrugged. She hadn't thought much of it since learning that Sunnydale was back along with the First. "Been through this a few times. We're becoming pro's at this apocalypse deal. At least you are."

"Wasn't your wish for me to have a normal life? This is so not looking promising here."

"Hate to say it but what if this is your normal, B?"

Then it hit her, something she'd been missing for awhile now. Buffy's own wish was for a life back in Sunnydale and the life that came with it. That was her normal life, not being in Scotland with about a hundred slayers coming and going, living in the castle, training, and everything else that came with being Head Slayer. She could tell Buffy was thinking about the same thing and was trying to figure it all out for herself.

The one thing that kept slipping back into her mind, no matter how hard she was trying to block out all her thoughts, was the question of did she make a mistake with this wish. There were always consequences to deal with when making a decision, any decision, and she knew that now. She had a lot of time to think and learn to listen to that inner voice that always tried to tell her when she was wrong before. That only meant that wishes had consequences probably as big, if not bigger than any life decision she'd ever made before.

Faith let go of her and Buffy reached for her hand. She wordlessly led her over to the stairwell door and headed inside and straight for her room. Faith wasn't going to protest the fact that Buffy hadn't let her sleep in her own bed for the last few nights. She only hoped that tonight they'd do more than just sleep. She felt like all the sexual tension was building up inside of her, nearing the breaking point, and she wasn't sure just how much longer she could hold out before completely ravishing Buffy no matter who was around or where they were.

Yet she had a feeling nothing would happen between them tonight. Buffy was feeling the nerves of going back to Sunnydale and seeing her mother again. Everyone was feeling it and Faith had to admit she was feeling a bit nervous too. They had no idea what could possibly be waiting for them once they arrived in Sunnydale. Faith was sure of one thing though, she'd stick by Buffy's side no matter what laid ahead.

She had a feeling they were going to be in for quite a ride once they did get to Sunnydale and as scared as she didn't want to admit she was, she was also anxious to see just what was out there waiting for them.