Author's Note: Ok not my longest chap. or my best...but i hope you enjoy it :) :)

"Faith about earlier, when we fought-"

"Ssh! Just kiss me." Faith laced her fingers through Buffy's hair and kissed her again. "See, just sssh, it's all better."

"Mmm." Buffy mumbled, "This is nice, and snugly." Faith laughed gently,

"Snuggle closer then." They slid down in the covers, Faith's hand resting atop Buffy's head.

"Faith if anyone finds us then-"

"Then they'll know. So what B? Just relax, it'll be fine." And for a moment Buffy really could believe that everything would be fine, even the end of the world. She felt herself drifting into an easier sleep than the previous night, or the night before that, or any night since Faith had returned.

The door creaked and Faith caught it from swinging back, lightening quick reactions, to stop it banging on the wall and waking Buffy. She was already up and dressed but Buffy had slept through her moving, she didn't want to wake her just yet. She pressed and urgent finger to her lips and pushed Willow outside, shutting the door behind her.

"You should be careful Faith." Willow tried to peer around her into the room, "If Giles knew you two were messing around this close to the apocalypse he'd have it in for all of us."

"Messing around? Giles doesn't know anything about us, and neither do you Will."

"I know more than you think. Kennedy and I are-"

"Messing too, so if you tell on us I'll tell Giles about you."

"Faith I wasn't gonna tell, I was just warning you. Don't be so jumpy, I'm trying to like you again, for Buffy's sake." Faith looked away, stung.

"Gee that's really noble of you Will." Willow sighed,

"I'm not trying to start a fight. But if you really care for Buffy, you'll be more careful about where you do things, especially with the war and everyone living in this ridiculously crowded house together." Faith shrugged and let Willow leave. She was trying, had been trying for a while, to stop jumping down everyone's throats, to stop hurting everyone she came into contact with- it wasn't going all that well. She knew the bad blood between her and the old gang was a long way from being cleaned up.

Faith slipped back inside Buffy's bedroom just as Buffy opened her eyes. She blinked and rubbed the sleep from them.

"I, erm, didn't wanna wake you." Faith muttered awkwardly, playing with the edge of the jacket she was wearing. Buffy looked horrified, blinking slowly, recalling what she'd done, where she was.

"Great thanks." She pulled the covers up as she sat up, "I should check on the girls, meet them from patrol."

"I'll walk you there, if you-"

"Fine. Great. Would you mind? While I dress." She indicated to the door and her words dropped icily through Faith's mind. She's cutting me off, she always cuts me off, why? Why does she always do this? She nodded rather limply and left the room.

Buffy pulled on some cotton trousers and a long top, slinging a warm jacket on top as evening was already closing in. Good, she thought, we could do with a nice fight, clear things up nicely. She stepped away from her room, double checking her stake pocket.

"Faith, let's hit the graveyard." She kept her voice emotionless, a trick from hard-learned practise.

"You got it B, after you." She held the door, her eyes tracing Buffy's face intently. Buffy looked at the floor. They walked side by side to the end of Buffy's road, then turned left along the long, straight road that led them directly past the graveyard where the Potentials should be training. Evening was bearing down and Buffy was feeling fear prickle through her as usual; there were so many to look after, even with Faith helping her. The entrance to the graveyard always looked so ominous, wrought iron gates, long grey footpath.

"You know," Buffy stopped and turned to face Faith, "You don't have to come with me. I've got this one."

"It's no trouble B."

"No I mean, I'm fine, you should go back and watch the others at the house."

"They're fine, they've got Will." Buffy tapped her foot,

"Look I-"

"Am I getting I should be, not here? Like you don't want me around you?"

"Faith it's not that, it's-"

"Do you want me not around tonight, or is this not around at all, as in, here in Sunnydale?"

"You're over reacting." Buffy muttered, "But I do want my space. Right now. Please." She added with a meaningful look. Of all the million comebacks Faith had stored up, none seemed right. She ran a hand through her frazzled hair.

"Fine, I'll just-fine. See ya." She turned away, missing Buffy's pained expression of confusion. As she headed back away from the cemetery Faith could here the noise of the crowd of Potentials coming towards the gate. Wow, the peaceful hours are at an end.