Author's notes: Again, for Gina. Song credits: Like a G6- FM; As the Rush Comes- Motorcycle (Gabriel and Dresden Sweeping Strings remix)


Chapter 2- Once Upon A Time In New York City

Buffy and Faith sat down at the conference table in the room that was adjacent to the one they had just been in.

They occasionally glanced at each other, but tried not to let their looks linger too long.

Faith marveled at the intensity with which Buffy had put into their earlier kiss, and Buffy couldn't believe she actually had taken charge like that. But she didn't deny that it needed to be done.

Faith looked at her folded hands, "What're we waitin' for?"

"Willow's bringing in the emails we need to read."

"She's printin' 'em out? Isn't that bad for the environment or somethin'?"

"Here they are," Willow burst through the door in a flourish. "Sorry it took so long," She lamented.

"What's this?" Faith asked as she was handed a tablet with a screen.

Willow pressed the button at the bottom and the device came to life.

"Damn, is this one of those iPads?"

"With a twist," Willow said proudly.

"I'll bet," Faith said as she turned the iPad carefully to look at the back. "I didn't know they came in red."

"They don't…and it's a wPad."

"A wPad?" Faith mumbled. "The fuck?"

Willow handed the other tablet to Buffy and then tapped the table they were sitting at. A translucent light rose from the middle of the burnished mahogany and words suddenly appeared and floated in the center of it.

"Here's the timeline of our conversations, you both have the same exact emails loaded into the pads, starting in chronological order."

Faith looked up at Buffy and was surprised when she was met with a mischievous smirk to match the one she knew was on her own face.

"Guys…what are you planning?" Her eyes went wide when a thought popped into her head. "Hey! No cutting class, this time! This is important, okay?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Now, the timeline will outline certain events happening in the world, but also maps out things that Joseph told me about his life, and what I told him about mine…yours…you know…other you guys."

"Okay, cool," Faith looked at the timeline in front of her on the table. "Will, that's a pretty long timeline. How long were you two talking?"

"About a year and a half…"

Faith immediately looked at Buffy.

"Hey, don't look at me, I found out an hour before you did."

Faith put her tablet down and threaded her hands through her hair, "Jesus Christ…"

"I thought I could take it down without ever having to get anyone else involved."

"How?" Faith asked.

"By using a vampire I had trusted to help me."

"What happened?"

"Dusted last week."

"One of our patrols?"

Willow nodded and Faith brought her hand up to the area between her eyebrows, a definite pain was forming there.

"What, Faith?" Buffy asked.

Faith shook her head for a moment and started to laugh, then became serious.

"I don't know…I don't know…I don't know…" She shrugged each time she said the words. "I just…"

"Don't know," Buffy finished for her with a mischievous smirk on her face.

"Right, smart ass."

"Oooh, is that what you tell me to get me all hot and bothered?" The silky smoothness to her voice made Faith's stomach flutter.

She didn't let it affect her voice, "Yeah, I tell you you're a neuroscientist, it gets you wet."

Willow's eyes bugged out and she held up her hands, "Okay, just stop!"

"But Will…"

"No, no! Inside voices and hands in nice places when I'm present," She said, not looking at the Slayers but getting her point across with her fingers in their faces.

"Take it down a notch, Red. We're just banterin'. If we're gonna be believable we have to have chemistry between each other, no?"

"Oh that was good, Faith," Buffy said. "You sounded just like the guy from the Sopranos…except with a lady voice."

Faith smiled at Buffy, "Yeah?"

"Oh, yeah…" Buffy dragged that out and then realized Willow was looking curiously at them.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, Red, what?"

"It's nothing…"

"You want I should make some cement shoes for ya? Spill!"

"I don't know, it just seems like you guys've been friends…there's a…bond."

Buffy raised her eyebrows and looked sideways at Faith who shrugged at Willow.

"Maybe it's a Slayer thing?"

"Could be…"

"Well, whatever it is, it'll sure as fuck come in handy when we gotta get closer in a month."

"You mean in two weeks…"

"What? B? I thought you said a month?"

"Oopsy?" Buffy looked contrite.

Faith's head lolled back on her shoulders and she groaned, "Oh fuckin' hell..."

"Faith, there are only two thousand two hundred and thirty emails to go through," Willow pointed out.

Buffy's eyes went wide looking at the tablet.

Faith brought her head up and just shook it.

"I…fuck it…I can't do this right now," Faith put the tablet on the table and pushed her chair back from it.

"Faith, stay," Buffy said, in a commanding voice.

Faith looked at her with a blank look, "You want me to roll over and play dead?"

Buffy didn't touch that question, she explained, "We'll go over the first ten, get some sort of a feel for these people, then take a break. But it needs to get done."

"Just never been one for readin' is all. I start to go cross-eyed after the first paragraph and fall asleep."

Willow took something out of her pocket, "These might help…"

"That speed?" Faith asked.

"Something like it that I whipped up."

"Can you get addicted?" Buffy asked, remembering the time when Willow was addicted to the magic she was getting from Rack.

Willow shook her head, "Stuff like this has come a long way. No addiction, no hang over…you just sorta feel buzzed and alert."

Buffy looked at Faith who shrugged.

"You better be right about this, Red. I don't wanna end up in rehab."

"They tried to make me go to rehab, I said…no, no, no," Buffy sang.

Willow and Faith looked at her amused.

"Really, B?" Faith asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Sorry," She said, looking sheepish. "Do we take these with water?"

"You can if you're thirsty," Willow said. "But they'll go down perfectly fine without it. Nothing I make needs anything else to work."

"Except, a story about two undercover Slayers who're pretendin' to be lovers that're infiltratin' the mob, apparently," Faith mumbled.

Buffy let out a short laugh.

Willow sighed, "I know, okay? I—"

"Red, I'm just bustin' your cugliones!"

"Cugliones?"

"Balls," Faith said and postured like a mobster would. "I gotta act the part, huh?"

"Faith, you're not going in there as Vinnie the Nose…"

Faith thumbed her nose to the side at Buffy.

"It'd be a great look though, no?"

"Ehhh, yeah sure…" Buffy's eyes widened for a moment and she looked back at the tablet.

"Cugliones aside," Willow said. "Do you want these pills or not?"

"Oooh," Buffy looked at them. "They look like M&M's."

Faith narrowed her eyes at Buffy, "B, is this the dumb blonde routine you're tryin' on for size?"

Buffy lied, "Yes…" She then shifted her eyes to the tablet again.

Faith smirked and took a pill from Willow.

"Buff, you're next."

Buffy reached for a pink one.

Faith looked at hers and noticed it did look a lot like an M&M except it was a W&W, "Cool," She said as she flipped it over, scrutinizing it. "This thing's not gonna give me a dick is it?"

Buffy, who had put hers into her mouth, choked and spit it back into her hand.

"You wish, Faith," Willow scoffed.

"I don't but I bet B does…" She mumbled and popped the pill into her mouth. It tasted like the best chocolate, peanut butter pie that she'd tasted in her life.

Buffy put hers back into her mouth and marveled, "This tastes just like Strawberry upside-down cake!"

"You mean pineapple upside down cake, B…"

"I like mine with strawberries, F."

"Have it with oysters for all I fuckin'…HOLY SHIT!" Faith put her arms out in front of her and turned her palms up.

Buffy followed suit, "You feel it too?"

"Feel it? I can fuckin' SEE it, baby."

Their veins were visible on the surface of their skin and something sparkly was teeming up and down them.

"Oh. My. God! We're not gonna be all veiny are we?"

"Like Dark Willow?" Willow asked and Buffy nodded.

"No, it'll wear off in a few minutes, the sparkles were my ode to the Twilight movies."

"With the sparkly vampires?" Faith shuddered.

"It was cute!" Willow defended her movie choice.

Buffy wrinkled her nose, "Not a fan."

Faith brought her arms closer to her face, "So fuckin' cool lookin'…" She looked at Willow. "Are we about to trip balls here, Will?"

"There goes the ball talk again…"

"No, Faith, it's just a little bit of a buzz, you probably feel it more intensely than someone else would because you're Slayers."

"Wouldn't that have the opposite effect on us for the same reason?" Buffy asked.

"Not with my magicked products, Slayers get to feel the charge too."

"Chaaaahge…" Faith said in a Boston accent. "That's exactly what it looks like it's doin', B. Chargin' like the fuckin' flux capacitor."

"I love that movie," Willow sighed.

"So, we get a boat load of energy and no other side effects, Red?"

"Not anything that's really noticeable. No one's ever complained anyway."

"Will we be able to sleep?"

"Probably not for the next day, or so, depending on how well your body reacts to the magic."

"And no hairy eyeballs, or shrunken heads? Extra toe?" Faith asked.

"Nope, none, you'll be perfectly fine, just not tired."

"What happens when we come down?"

"It's not so much as a come down as it's a go away. It just goes away and you're left your vibrant selves."

"Damn, you should market this shit, Red."

"Nope, I don't sell to outsiders and no one but Ken and I know about it. Well, and now you guys too."

"I guess we better get to work, Faith," Buffy sighed, but it was an excited sound.

"Yeah, now I could go all night…"

"On that note," Willow said with her eyebrows somewhere around her hairline. "I'll be going."

"Ken should be home by now, huh?"

"Exactly!"

"Have fun, Will."

"The funnest," She said in her manic tone, and left.


"My veins are back to normal." Buffy said, staring at her arm. It had been about a couple of hours since they settle back down and started reading the emails.

Faith looked at her own, "I can still see a bit of the sparkly shit. Looks like I've been havin' too much fun with the glitter glue."

Buffy picked up the tablet again and read one of the emails on the screen, "She's flirting with him here…"

"Which one?"

"Number 67."

"Oh yeah, I just read that. It's kinda accurate to how I'd be with him though. She fuckin' nailed me," Faith thought about how that sounded, "I mean nailed my personality…ya know."

"I get it, Faith," Buffy said and then did a full body stretch.

"How can you be tired?"

"I'm not tired, but sitting here for the past two hours is making me feel restless."

"What time is it?"

Buffy looked at the tablet, sure enough there was a time display in the corner, "Almost twelve thirty."

"We were gonna break after ten emails, remember? We've done almost seventy. I think we should call it quits for tonight."

"The whole night?"

"Why, you afraid of that little pussy Willow?"

"Faith," Buffy scolded. "And no, but we have to get through…"

"B, quit being so responsible all the time, besides, this'll be research."

"Research?"

"Would I lie to you?"

Buffy narrowed her eyes at Faith, "Do you really need me to answer that?"

"Fuck it, Buffy. Jesus, let's just go!"

Buffy waited for a few moments before reluctantly answering, "Only because I'm curious about this 'research' thing. I want you to know I'm totally focused on the mission."

"Me too, now let's fuckin' haul ass while we still have time."


Buffy had changed her clothes before they went out at Faith's suggestion, but she still didn't know where they were going. As the cab pulled up to their destination, she could hear the beat playing and her heart synched up to it. A smile broke out on her face.

"Here buddy, keep the change," Faith said to the driver, handing him a twenty.

"Thank you, Missus," The foreign man said. "You have good time with ladies."

Faith laughed and opened the door pulling Buffy out as she went.

"Faith, wait, my purse…"

"What the fuck did you bring a purse…"

"Hey, I didn't know we were coming to a club…"

Faith sighed, she didn't want to get into a fight, which was the opposite of what she was trying to accomplish. They had to make this relationship work, and she felt this would be a good place to start.

Buffy leaned over on the seat and grabbed her purse.

Faith saw the way Buffy's jeans hugged her ass just right and looked away.

Purse in hand, Buffy stood next to Faith on the sidewalk.

"What're we looking at?" She asked as she looked down where Faith was looking.

"Nothin' just waiting for you. You have anything valuable in there?"

"Just my credit cards and ID."

Faith took the purse from Buffy, "You mind?"

"Go right ahead," Buffy said and looked at the people milling in front of the club. Some were lined up to get in, but others were just outside having a cigarette and talking. Two girls that were obviously in heavy like were hugged up to each other, speaking intensely. Buffy didn't really want to stare, and she wouldn't have, but they were just too intriguing.

She didn't notice that Faith had walked off until she was walking back to her.

"What did you need my purse for?"

"To give to that lady over there."

"What?" Buffy looked across the street and a drag queen wearing next to nothing had her purse in her hands. Buffy started to make her way off the curb but Faith caught her elbow and held her back.

"Faith! That was my Nina!"

"I know, babe, she's just holdin' it for us. I shoulda told you not to bring a purse."

"Holding it for us?" Buffy struggled even harder, but Faith tightened her grip.

"C'mon, sweety, let's go in."

Puzzled by the third affectionate word for her that Faith had used that night, Buffy stopped struggling as hard, but still pulled away from Faith.

"Where are my belongings?"

"Your valuables are in my pocket, let's go."

Buffy was still miffed as they walked into the club.

The beat was pumping in the entry way, and as they made their way into the main room, the energy was palpable. It seemed to hook up to whatever magic was coursing through their veins and made them want to groove with it.

Buffy noticed there were mostly only women at this club. There had been no name on the outside of the building, but she didn't need to be a genius to know that they were in a lesbian establishment.

She'd been to a few with Willow and Kennedy before and that time Satsu came for a visit, so it was nothing new, she was just curious that Faith seemed to know exactly where it was.

The music was getting into a seemingly unstoppable groove as they stood there and watched the dance floor erupt when a popular song came on.

Poppin bottles in the ice, like a blizzard
When we drink we do it right gettin slizzard
Sippin sizzurp in my ride, like Three 6
Now I'm feelin so fly like a G6
Like a G6, Like a G6
Now I'm feelin so fly like a G6

The dance floor quickly expanded to just right in front of them as most of the people that were standing to either side of them moved and started dancing as well.

Buffy and Faith backed up towards the bar, but were both tapping out the beat of the song.

Faith touched Buffy's arm and leaned over to shout in her ear, "You wanna drink?"

Buffy looked over at the bar, and thought about it for a moment, she nodded her head.

"Cool, be right back."

Faith made her way to the end of the bar that had an inch of room to which to thread her way through.

After waiting patiently for a few minutes she finally caught the eye of one of the busy bartenders who didn't even bother to try and ask what Faith wanted, she started pouring a Jack and Coke, Faith laughed.

"I need another drink too!" She shouted.

The good looking woman raised her eyebrow and put the mixed drink on the bar, waiting for Faith's other order. She took care of another customer while Faith thought.

"Fuck if I know…" Faith mumbled. "She probably digs peaches. Lemme get a sex on the beach."

The bartender nodded and poured the drink, and accepted Faith's cash.

Finally with a drink in each hand, and some stealthy agility she made her way back over towards where Buffy was standing without spilling any.

To where Buffy and her new friend were standing to be exact.

"Already gotta be fightin' bitches off," Faith mumbled.

"Oooh, baby, you're finally back," Buffy shouted at Faith, excitedly. Then as she moved in closer to except the drink, she rolled her eyes towards the woman who had obviously taken an interest in her.

"Got you a sex on the beach," Faith said, with a shrug. "Hey, what's up?" She said to the woman who gave her a head nod.

"Your girl looked lonely, thought I'd keep her company," The woman with short spiky hair smiled a friendly smile.

"Cool, thanks," Faith said loudly with a nod. It seemed like nodding was the way to make a point in this kind of loudness.

"Oooh, peaches! Mmmm," Buffy exclaimed after she finished a big sip through the little straw in her glass.

'Score,' Faith thought.

"If you guys wanna party, I got my friends over there, we're gonna take it private soon," The woman indicated to a group of women sitting on a banquet raising their glasses in greeting to Faith and Buffy. They were all very tastefully dressed, while still being dressed appropriately for a club and clearly exuded money.

"We'll think about it, I just got paroled though, so we're tryin' to have some alone time."

Faith was surprised when the woman looked impressed instead of worried about what she just heard.

"Alone time with about a thousand sweaty dykes? Yeah, okay," She laughed. "If you change your mind, we're over there."

"Thanks for the invite, we'll let you know," Faith nodded again. A couple of the women waved at her and Buffy from their spot as the messenger made her way back to them.

"She was really nice," Buffy said to Faith. "I think she wanted to dance, but she didn't ask when you came up."

"Oh fuck," Faith said, just realizing who one of the women were. "She was a PA."

"A what?" Buffy asked loudly. She couldn't even hear herself think in this place.

"A personal assistant," Faith took a huge drink.

"For those women?"

"One of 'em at least."

"You know them?"

"One of 'em."

"Which one?" Buffy tried to look over without being too obvious. She saw one of the women looking over, obviously liking what she was seeing in Faith.

"You're serious?" Faith looked at Buffy incredulously.

"Why? Should I know her?"

"Fuckin' A, B," Faith said, and Buffy giggled. "Damn you're sloshed and you haven't even drunk half yet."

"Slizzard…like a G6…"

"Oh God," Faith said, laughing. Then she pulled Buffy closer to her.

As Faith whispered loudly into her ear Buffy's eyes got big.

"That's her?" She mouthed to Faith, trying not to stare.

"Yeah, don't look."

"Oh. My. God. Faith!"

"I know, it's cool, right?"

Buffy nodded, "She's coming over!"

"I didn't want to interrupt you and your girlfriend, but you guys looked so precious…" She put her hand out to Faith who took it and found it an awkward position to try to shake, so she did what felt natural, she placed a kiss on it.

"Such a lady," The woman with the blood red lipstick said to Buffy. "She's a keeper."

Buffy nodded, still stunned, "I love your music!"

"Thanks, so do I," She winked and bid them goodbye, her entourage following closely behind.

"You kissed her hand!"

"I did?" Faith looked puzzled.

They both looked at each other like they couldn't believe what just happened.

"Was she the woman you said you knew?"

"No, that was one of her posse…fuck! If I knew she was a friend of hers maybe I'd have fucked her like she wanted."

Buffy closed her eyes briefly and shook her head, "You've got to explain that more when my ears aren't bleeding."

Faith shrugged and downed the rest of her drink.

Buffy was happily sipping on hers but Faith clearly needed to move. The music was getting into her soul and she needed to let it out.

A song with an ethereal hook behind a booming bass track started up, Faith watched patiently as Buffy finished her drink then grabbed the glass and put it on a small table. She pulled her by the hand and they made their way through the writhing bodies on the dance floor. When they got to the middle, the singer's voice whispered, "Embrace me…."

'Here we go,' Buffy thought.

Faith twirled her around and molded herself to her body like a snake. "Surround me…" She looked intensely into the green eyes that were looking intensely back at her. They knew what needed to be done.

Embrace me…

Buffy didn't question anything, she just flowed into Faith and they let go. Together.

As the rush comes…

Traveling somewhere, could be anywhere
There's a coldness in the air but I don't care
We drift deeper life goes on
We drift deeper into the sound

Embrace me…

The crowd around them felt the electricity coming off of their bodies and naturally formed a circle.

Surround me…

As the rush comes…

Traveling somewhere, could be anywhere
There's a coldness in the air, hey, but I don't care
We drift deeper into the sound life goes on
We drift deeper into the sound feeling strong

Faith quickly pushed Buffy away, taunting her.

So bring it on
So bring it on

Buffy crashed back into her and they kept moving with the beat.

We drift deeper into the sound life goes on
We drift deeper into the sound feeling strong

They both certainly felt a strength they hadn't experience before.

So bring it on
So bring it on

We drift deeper…

It was like time stopped and they were the only people left on the planet.

At first Buffy couldn't believe the way Faith's hands were all over her. The last time they danced like this their hands stayed on their own person. Except for the moment when they held each other's hands to make sure they weren't pulled off the floor into other directions. But now their movement wouldn't allow for that. They were completely engrossed in each other.

Like they were lovers.

We drift deeper life goes on…we drift deeper…drift deeper

We drift deeper into the sound life goes on
We drift deeper into the sound feeling strong
So bring it on
So bring it on

Buffy grabbed Faith's hips and moved impossibly closer.

We drift deeper into the sound life goes on
We drift deeper into the sound feeling strong

No one could deny that they fit together incredibly well as they moved.

So bring it on
So bring it on

There was a whirlwind of movement from the pair as the crowd looked on and whooped. They knew they were witnessing something special.

Faith again twirled Buffy around and this time pulled Buffy's back into her, grinding into her ass and encircling her body with her arms. Buffy didn't even protest when she felt Faith's hands cup her breasts.

Embrace me
Surround me as the rush comes

Embrace me
Surround me as the rush comes

Embrace me
Surround me as the rush comes

Buffy pushed her chest further into Faith's hands, and ground her ass harder into her pelvis. Not caring that she was giving anyone a free show.

Oh embrace me
Surround me as the rush comes

Embrace me
Surround me as the rush comes

Oh embrace me
Surround me as the rush comes

Oh embrace me
Surround me as the rush comes

As the rush comes… as the rush comes… as the rush comes

As the song wound down, they danced slower, and then came to a stop. Buffy whipped her head around, her lips millimeters from Faith's.

The crowd hung on in anticipation of the payoff to this visible almost fucking they had been treated to for free on the dance floor.


"Honey," Willow said. "They've been down there a really long time, especially for them. Do you think they might have killed each other?"

Kennedy shrugged and kissed Willow's shoulder from behind. They had just finished their fourth round of sex.

"Maybe…shit, then we'd have to go undercover."

"I'm gonna take a quick shower and then see how they're doing."

Kennedy rolled on her back and groaned, "Will…"

"Come on, my big strong Slayer-y goodness," Willow bent down for her girlfriend's hand. "I'll give you a rub down later."

"Oh, you'll be giving me a rub down alright…" Kennedy remembered something. "Hey, wait! I'm supposed to be mad at you!"

"For what?"

"For taking Buffy's side all the time…"

"I just do that so she'll stop pouting, you know I eventually get my way," Willow said, and made her way to the door of the bathroom. She shook her hips and looked back over her shoulder. Kennedy was definitely drooling.

"Tell you what, baby, you bring up the conference room on your witchy device and then I'll join you in the shower."

"Sounds like a plan," Willow snapped her fingers and a beam of light seem to shoot out of the floor.

There was a view of the room. The very empty room.

"There's the room…" Kennedy said.

"Where's the Slayers?" Willow asked.


The dance floor had gone back to being un-electrified after the Slayer's left it.

There was a small banquette in the corner of the room, however that was getting sizzling and steamier by the minute. Several gawkers couldn't look away from the two women who were kissing each other with abandon. The whispered endearments and the love that was visible from them between kisses were too plain to miss.

These girls were in love.

"Mmm, you do that so well…" Buffy said when their latest kiss ended.

"What?" Faith asked, her voice thick with desire and her eyes flashing with need.

"That thing with your tongue…"

Faith's smile deepened and Buffy caught the movement of Faith's tongue rubbing on her top teeth. It made her pussy twinge with a yearning she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Last call, ladies!"

"What time is it?"

Faith looked at her watch, "Three thirty. Why? You turn into a pumpkin after 4?"

"No," She smiled. "But we should be getting back. Will'll be getting up soon to check on us if she hasn't already."


"Where's their location?"

"Meat packing district."

"Oh, ohhhh…"

"What?"

"That's where that club we took Faith to is located."

"Oh…"

"They're just blowing off some steam, babe. Come back to bed and blow some steam off with me, will ya?"

"I doubt they're blowing off that kinda steam…right?" Willow asked, unsure.


"One more drink, B. I just had that three…how about you?"

"Yeah, I'm really thirsty."

"Same thing?"

"That'd be wonderful."

Faith waited as Buffy shifted off of her lap and then got up. She could feel the stares from others at the two of them the whole time they were on the dance floor and especially when they had walked arm in arm and fell on the seat they occupied now. Kissing like there were no tomorrow.

You would have thought they had never tried to kill each other.

As Buffy watched Faith walk out of the room, the girl across from her leaned in conspiratorially.

"You two just met?"

Buffy blushed, "No, we…we've been together for a while."

"How long?"

She wasn't sure what she should answer, so she felt she'd go with the semi-truth.

"Eight years."

"Oh wow, that's a freakin' marriage!"

Buffy laughed, "I guess."

"No really, my first marriage lasted three months."

Buffy didn't know what to say to that so she just said, "Sorry."

"Oh, don't be…it was the best thing I ever did." The woman smiled. "You two are so good together, it looks like new love."

"We keep surprising each other."

"That's important."

Faith walked up and handed Buffy her drink, "What is?"

"Surprising each other," Buffy said, smiling at the woman.

"Surprise, baby," Faith held out her right fist in front of Buffy and it took her a moment to wrap her brain around what Faith was asking her to do.

"Oh my God…" The woman on the other couch said, putting her hand to her chest.

"B?"

Buffy blinked and looked up at Faith.

Faith's eyebrow raised, "You gonna tap my fist?"

Buffy tapped Faith's fist lightly and marveled at the shiny thing she saw there in the suddenly upturned palm.

"We've been shacked up so long, baby. You wanna make me an honest woman?"

Buffy's smile radiated around the room, she faintly heard claps from the other patrons that were left. She looked up at Faith again, but hadn't made to accept the ring from her.

"You gonna make me beg?"

"A little," Buffy wrinkled her nose cutely. "I just…I always pictured you down on one knee."

Faith narrowed her eyes but immediately dropped down on one knee. She put the ring in her left hand and her right hand over her heart.

"Buffy Sss…" She caught herself. "Sexy Buffy, B, my Queen B…would you please do me the honor of marrying me?"

A lone tear fell out of Buffy's right eye and she had to put her hands in front of her face to stop her sob.

"Don't cry, baby…just say yes."

Buffy nodded and moved to take the ring from Faith.

"Ah, ah, ah…let me," She put the ring in the fingers of her right hand and took Buffy's left hand with hers, "I can't believe after all we've been through, after all the fighting and hating over the years, that we're actually here. I'll make you the happiest woman that ever lived, B. Make me the happiest woman in the world by wearing this in good health for all our days."

"Oh my God, that was so romantic," The woman who had been talking to Buffy sobbed.

Some people laughed and others clapped again.

The bartender popped her head around the corner, "Hey, those drinks are on the house. You ladies sure brang the noise tonight. Congratulations!"

Buffy was still stunned, staring at the ring on her finger.

"Thanks," Faith said, not looking at anyone, just watching Buffy.

Buffy suddenly stood up and hugged Faith close, she appeared to whisper something into her ear and then pulled back and kissed her full on the lips.

A few wolf whistles were heard.

They pulled apart and smiled shyly at their audience.

"Thanks, guys," Faith said, then put her forehead on Buffy's.

"Yeah, thanks for being here for this special occasion." Buffy turned her head to the side to address the crowd. "I couldn't have asked for better people if I had invited you myself."

Faith nuzzled Buffy's neck making her shiver.

"I think your woman needs to be taken home…" One person said.

"Before she does you on the couch," Someone else said, and everyone laughed.

Buffy and Faith kissed deeply one last time in front of everyone, then Buffy pulled Faith along to the coat check at the door.

Once outside they didn't move off from each other, they leaned into one another for warmth. The drag queen/prostitute was still across the street. While she wasn't dressed with any more clothes, she had on a different outfit. Some of her clothing was strewn on a car.

"Delilah, you get any dates tonight?" Faith said as she pulled Buffy with her across the street.

"More than a few, honey. So many my pussy hurts."

Faith let out a short laugh.

"You still got my woman's purse?"

"Right here, darlin'," Delilah reached into her huge handbag and handed Faith Buffy's purse.

"Thanks, Ms. D."

"My pleasure, baby doll."

Faith went to hand her a twenty and she put up her hand.

"Put that money away, honeychile, 'fore I beat your ass with a switch!" Delilah said dramatically, clearly affronted by the offer of cash. Then said, seriously, "You saved my life, I never forget a kindness."

"Alright, alright! We better get goin', come on, B."

"Hey, Miss No-Manners. You gonna introduce me to your lady?"

Faith stepped closer to Delilah and spoke low, "She's not really my lady."

"That's not what you said when you walked up here. Besides, you could've fooled me…walkin' up here lookin' so good together. Just like bread and butter. Warm bread and sweet creamy butter," The Slayer's stomachs growled in unison. "Oooh, you girls got the bubble guts?"

Faith laughed, "No, we're just hungry."

"Oh, 'cause I have some pepto in my bag…"

"Delilah!" Faith insisted. "We're okay."

Delilah put her hand out to Buffy, "Sorry dear…Delilah Sparks, nice to meet you, sweet thang."

"Buffy Summers," Buffy said as she took Delilah's hand. "Likewise."

"Buffy…Buffy…" Delilah regarded her for a moment. "You the head chick Faith's told me about?"

Buffy looked at Faith, but she had looked away, "I guess so…I…"

"Look, you don't have to hide who you are in front of me, baby. Faith here saved me from those oogedy boogedy's about a year back now. Didn't know she was a carpet muncher, but if it's your carpet she's munching honey…"

"Hey, hey, wait…"

"No, Faith," Buffy said and looked at her fully. "Why should we hide our relationship now?" Buffy showed off her ring to Delilah.

"Oh my stars and bars…"

"We're gonna be married…"

"It's about time this Raggedy Ann settled down."

Faith rolled her eyes, "Thanks."

"You're welcome, honey," Delilah spotted a potential client. "You babies run along home now. I got to make my way in this world…" She sashayed down the street.

Buffy stood looking at Faith as she hailed a cab. One pulled up and Faith opened the door for Buffy to slide in. She started to get in but then stopped.

"You have a lot to explain tonight, F."

The night had been too good to be true.

Faith sighed, hesitating for a second. She was thinking about just shutting the door and hailing another cab.

"Come on, Faith! Let's go get something to eat, I'm hungry…you?"

"Starved," Faith said as she looked down and saw Buffy's sly grin.


Faith sat back in the darkened booth and popped the top button on her jeans.

"Oh fuck, Buffy…"

"I know, I can't believe we ate that whole thing."

"Thing? Things!"

Buffy burped a little and laughed, "We should go on that Man vs. Food challenge show."

"Slayer vs. Food? That would make people sick. It makes me sick watchin' that dude stuff his face with all that food."

"True…" Buffy said, remembering how Faith absolutely mauled the burger she had before they ordered the plate of ribs.

"I know, don't picture it, B. I was fucking rarved."

"Rarved?"

"Really starved."

"Oh right…" Buffy said, remembering how Faith had emptied out her stomach when she arrived in New York earlier that evening. Her stomach flipped and she really wished she hadn't remembered that.

"Don't think of that either! God…"

Buffy looked at her puzzled and asked, "How do you know what I'm thinking?"

"It's written all over your face," Faith shrugged and took a sip of her coffee. "You still feel that shit in your veins?"

"Yeah, definitely," Buffy rubbed her forearm and it sparkled faintly. "Weird."

"I think Red gave us some witchy X."

"You thought that too?"

Faith looked surprised, "You know what that feels like?"

"I'm not a goody, goody prude, Faith."

"Didn't say you were, Buffy. Just with the fact that the side effects are that it creates a slow leak of spinal fluid, I figured you wouldn't have taken it."

"I didn't know that then, and as a matter of fact, when I heard about it I stopped."

"Where'd you do it?"

"Italy."

"Bet that was a blast."

Buffy shrugged, "It was okay, could've been better." She took a sip of her coffee, then asked, "So, about the ring…"

Faith smiled, "You liked that?"

"It was quite a touch," Buffy had to admit she was impressed.

"Do I make a great girlfriend or what?" Faith asked, proudly.

Buffy shook her head, smiling.

"Don't get too attached to that ring though, B. I gotta take it back."

"Where'd you get it from?"

"Ken's side table drawer."

Buffy's eyes bugged out of her head as she looked at the ring that was supposed to be going to her best friend on the eight day of Hanukkah. Which was in less than a day.

"Faith! You stole Willow's ring!"

"Shhh, B…Jesus, pipe down! I didn't steal it, I borrowed it for a night."

"But what if I'd lost it?" Buffy asked, looking at the ring like it was going to kill her.

"Well then we'd be goin' undercover for really reals, and sooner than we thought. Willow Protection Program even."

Buffy tried to pull the ring off her finger, but was having some difficulty.

"Hey! Don't do that here, you could lose it for real," Faith said, putting her hands on Buffy's to make her stop. "Just wait until we get home." She noticed something. "Your fingers are bigger than Red's?"

"Stubbier," Buffy said, distastefully looking at her fingers after pulling her hands out of Faith's grasp.

"Nah, they're not so stubby…just kinda…yeah, they're stubs, but cute, ya know? Not like my big old meaty claws."

"What are you talking about?" Buffy took one of Faith's hands in hers. "You've got nice slender fingers." She slid the tips of her fingers along Faith's hand.

"You a palm reader now?"

"Maybe…" Buffy smiled at her and looked at her palm. "Your love line is long…"

"And life line is stubby, like your fingers," She winked at Buffy and then took her hand back looking at it. "What's new, right?"

They sat in silence for a few minutes, sipping their coffee and trying not to look at each other. Both thinking of the mission they were about to undertake and wondering if this was the one that they wouldn't come back from.

"So…" Buffy began again, she remembered a couple of things about the night that she wanted to ask Faith. "Delilah. You saved her from vamps?"

"Oh fuck, I saved her from a whole pack of 'em!"

"You were at that club?"

"Well, goin' to it…I was meetin' a friend there."

"That girl you mentioned?"

"Yep," Faith said and picked up her napkin, suddenly finding it interesting.

"Were you two…"

Faith clearly looked uncomfortable and started to say something but stopped, then said, "Can we not talk about that? I mean I know we're supposed to be bonding and getting to know each other better, but I'm not ready to share that kinda thing."

"That's cool," Buffy nodded quickly. "I was just wondering. I guess we really don't need to share a lot of our past love lives. Besides, in our current relationship we're supposed to have been together for eight years."

"Eight? Really?"

"Yeah, that's what one of the emails Will sent Joe said."

"Damn, that's funny…" Faith trailed off.

"What is?"

"That's how long we've actually known each other for."

Buffy did the math in her head.

"You're right," She sat and thought about it.

"You think it's weird that Will used us like this?"

"Extremely," Buffy's eyes widened.

"You gonna rip her a new one when this is over?"

Buffy shrugged, "I don't know, I'm trying this new thing lately."

"What?"

"Not being a huge bitch and waiting for things to pan out before I make speeches."

"Woah, that is a thing!" Faith said clearly impressed.

Buffy smiled and then stuck her tongue out.

Faith playfully winked at her.

They went silent again for a little while.

Faith finally broke it, "I just want you to know that I'm…uhhh…I uhhh…"

Buffy didn't say anything, she let Faith find the words she needed.

"I'm not the girl I used to be," She finally said with certainty.

Buffy was going to say something smart about that being a song title, but she decided against it.

"None of us are, Faith. A lot has happened since we were kids."

Faith laughed, "Some kids, huh? The things we've seen…"

"I know. I try not to think about how obliviously blissful we could've been if we weren't chosen."

"And then you eat a side of beef and a whole chocolate pie without gaining an ounce…"

"And it puts things into perspective."

"Right," Faith laughed and looked at her watch, "On the eighth day of Hanukkah," She sung clear and true to the tune of Twelve Days of Christmas "We'd better ha-ul ass." She signaled the waitress and who brought their check over.

Faith handed her a hundred dollar bill, "Keep the change, Mabes."

The woman with a name tag that said 'Mable' nodded to Faith, "You're such a sweetheart. Don't make such a stranger of yourself, you got it?"

"I got it."

Buffy waited for Faith who had gone to use the rest room, in the lobby of the restaurant. When she walked up, Buffy put her arm out for Faith to thread hers through.

"Let's go home, girlfriend," Buffy said.

Faith smiled at how that sounded and shook her head, accepting the offer of Buffy's arm and doing one better by snaking her arm around her waist. They fit comfortably together.

"So fuckin' freaky, yeah?"

"Oh, yeah," Buffy laughed, leaning into Faith closer.

Passersby on the street smiled and nodded at the good looking young couple who seemed so happy and in love as they walked towards their apartment building in the early morning light.