A/N: Thanks to everyone who is reading/reviewing! A quick note: I'm assuming for the purposes of this fic that Faith's hotel room is at the same hotel as Ethan's in "A New Man." I remember them looking really similar anyway, and I need it for the plot!

Chapter 3: A New Man

"Surprise!"

Buffy jumped back as Willow, Xander, Giles, Anya, Tara, and a few kids she and Willow had met in the dorms yelled "Happy Birthday" from their hiding spots in the dorm common room.

"Faith, you tricked me!" Buffy said accusingly at the other slayer, who had told her there was fire-breathing monster downstairs.

Faith shrugged and pointed at Xander and Willow, "hey, don't look at me—they made me do it."

Buffy rolled her eyes but accepted hugs from everyone and reluctantly prepared herself to enjoy the party. At least this was a better surprise than the ones she'd had on her last two birthdays...

Faith handed her a drink and, after a couple of sips, she forgot to be annoyed at her friends for surprising her after she had expressly forbidden anyone to celebrate her birthday this year. She was happy to see all of them, too; with college, they didn't get to hang out as much as they did in high school...

As the party continued, she realized with a smile that Faith hadn't left her side all night. While she thought that their interactions after their second night of cuddling might be a little awkward at first, Buffy realized that it had actually seemed to bring them even closer together. It was like both of them realized that their relationship was evolving into something more, but neither really knew how exactly to get to that next stage. For her part, Buffy was too shy to say or do anything beyond the little touches that they frequently shared.

Faith, on the other hand, didn't really know how to do anything beyond blatant seduction, which she figured wouldn't be the best approach here. So the slayers were at something of an impasse in their budding relationship, unsure of how to proceed.

Willow, who was in a rather similar situation herself with Tara, watched them with interest. Now that she had confirmed her suspicions about Faith, she was curious about what would happen next. Frankly, she also kind of hoped she would get an idea from them that she could use... Plus, Willow realized she kind of liked the idea of them being together romantically. Whether she admitted it or not, Willow still occasionally felt a little jealous of Faith's closeness to Buffy, but if they were a couple, then Willow wouldn't have to be jealous since she would be Buffy's friend in a totally different of way than Faith! Plus, she had really grown to like Faith and wanted the slayer to be happy. She wanted Buffy to be happy too, of course, and she thought that maybe Faith could give her the kind of relationship that Angel never could have...

()()()()()()()()()

Unfortunately, nobody had too much time to work on their relationships before another problem arose that demanded their collective attention: after Willow's attempt at floating a rose with Tara went all wonky, she called Buffy and Faith and told them to meet her in the dinning hall for breakfast to discuss the possibility that there was a dark sorcerer was in the area.

Willow had also decided that this was an opportune time to have the "slayer" conversation with Tara, which the other witch had taken quite well. It turns out that Tara had read about slayers before and, her surprise that there were two active ones notwithstanding, she quickly realized that Buffy and Faith being slayers actually explained quite a bit about why they always seemed to be fighting evil and were constantly concerned with the world ending.

By the time Willow and Tara got to the dining hall, Buffy and Faith were already there, about halfway through their massive breakfasts.

"Hey, Will, Tara." Buffy said pleasantly.

"So what's the sitch?" Faith mumbled, her mouth still full of cereal. Buffy gave Faith reproachful look and a playful punch on the arm for talking with her mouth full. Faith threw up her hands as if silently asking 'what did I do?' which caused Buffy to roll her eyes.

Willow smiled at the exchange, once again thinking that the slayers would make a great couple.

After greeting the slayers, Willow and Tara quickly explained the situation with the rose and how they had felt the presence of dark magic.

"So we're thinking end of the world?" Buffy asked, maybe a little too casually.

"Fuck, we just did that," Faith complained.

"Um, I don't think it's end of worldy... do you, Tara?" Willow asked.

"Um, I'm not sure what the end of the w-world feels like, but I don't think it was that bad. It felt more mischievous, I think."

"Mischievous we can do," Buffy reassured her. "Although I guess we can do the end of the world thing too..."

Tara nodded, "I g-guess that's what s-slayers do, huh?"

Buffy smiled, "Will told ya, huh? Good, that means you get to help out with research from now on!"

"Oh shit T, you didn't know?" Faith asked, "I figured you and Red had talked about everything already. Guess you two had better stuff to do with your time, huh?" She said the last part with a suggestive grin, causing each of the witches to blush deeply.

"Faith!" Buffy said in shock. Buffy was oblivious to the closeness of Willow and Tara, so she just thought it was Faith being Faith.

"What, B? I meant spells! Geez, way to be a perv..." Faith returned, smirking at Buffy.

"I'm a perv?" Buffy exclaimed, obviously flustered.

"Guess so!" Faith shrugged, enjoying Buffy's blush.

"Uh, guys? How about a little focus? Evil magic here!" Willow said, trying to get the conversation away from things relating to how she and Tara spent their private time.

"Hey, I'm ready! B, you done with the sex talk so we can get to the slayin'?" Faith teased again, unconsciously brushing her foot against Buffy's calf under the table.

Buffy sighed in a huff, but nodded to Willow. When she felt Faith's foot touch her leg, she unthinkingly met it with her foot, briefly rubbing her shoe against Faith's. Faith's breath hitched at Buffy's response, and she softly rubbed her ankle against Buffy's leg.

"A-Anyway," Willow started again, "Tara and I did some research, but we couldn't find anything conclusive..."

"So, time to check with G-man?" Faith asked distractedly. She and Buffy had abandoned all pretense and were pretty much just playing footsie under the table. Faith realized she should probably kick her own ass for doing something so innocent and cheesy, but on the other hand, it was Buffy and Faith sure as hell wasn't going to stop any sort of contact with her...

"I've got a morning class, but we can go in the afternoon?" Willow asked, thinking there wasn't a big enough rush to dictate missing calculus.

"Sure..." Buffy replied a little breathlessly, "um, we can all just meet at the dorm at 1? You in, Tara?" Buffy figured she should probably go to her morning class too. Or, on the other hand, maybe she would just sit here and rub her foot against Faith's leg all day...

Tara smiled, happy to be included. "Sure, I-I'd like to help if I can."

Willow smiled, silently thanking Buffy for asking Tara along. She was glad that the gang was going to be so accepting of her.

"Five by Five" Faith murmured, her eyes hazy with desire as they met Buffy's across the table.

()()()()()()()()()

Later that night, Buffy and Faith began their search for the demon that had trashed Giles' house and kidnapped him. After leaving Willow and Tara to research people in town who might be using dark magic to control a Fyarl demon, Buffy and Faith stopped by Faith's hotel room to grab some weapons. They were shocked to find a Fyarl demon smashing into a room above.

"Looks like we got lucky," Buffy grimaced as she pointed up at the second floor door that was torn off its hinges just seconds ago.

"Well, let's get the bastard," Faith replied as she began running up the stairs. As soon as the two slayers reached the top of the stairwell, a military jeep pulled up at the hotel. "Shit!" Faith muttered as she looked down at four soldiers following them up the stairs. Buffy quickly ducked inside the room while Faith stayed behind to hold off the commandos.

After Buffy figured out that the demon was Giles and made Ethan change him back, she went back outside to see how Faith had gotten along. She grinned when she saw three soldiers harmlessly knocked out while Faith had cuffed the remaining one to the balcony of the hotel.

"What took ya so long, B?" Faith grinned, showing off those sexy dimples that Buffy had always secretly adored.

"Hey, I had to deal with the demon and sorcerer here!" Buffy pouted, making Faith grin even wider.

"Will you let me go!" the commando Faith had cuffed yelled, startling the two slayers. Buffy looked down and saw that it was the TA for her Psych class. And he had definitely noticed her this time. "Buffy?"

"If we free you, will you be good?" Buffy asked, realizing this might be a good chance to get some answers about the commandos. When he nodded, Faith reached a hand down and effortlessly snapped the handcuff chain.

"What...what are you?" Riley asked, a look of obvious surprise on his face.

"You don't know?" Buffy asked incredulously, "then why the hell have you been messing with us? We're Slayers."

"Slayers?" Riley asked, looking confused.

"Ya know, hot chicks with superpowers!" Faith grinned, putting an arm around Buffy's shoulders.

Riley still looked confused, which was quickly trying Buffy's patience. "So what's your deal then?" She asked him, happily conscious of the fact that Faith's arm was still around her.

"I believe they work for the United States military," Giles said as she stepped out of the hotel room, holding a bruised Ethan Rayne by the arm. "And unless I'm very much mistaken, they fight demons," he added.

"Fight!" Buffy yelled, turning to Riley again with a look of anger, "then why have they been trying to stop us from fighting demons?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny these statements," Riley said, a look of smug disdain on his face.

Faith finally took her arm from Buffy's shoulders and moved threateningly towards Riley, causing him to recoil in fear.

"Okay! Yeah, we capture and kill demons to keep civilians safe!" he said in a panic, not wanting Faith to hurt him.

The slayers both grinned at his fear as Giles moved closer to him. "Then may I propose a temporary truce?" the watcher said.

Riley nodded, fearfully watching Faith from the corner of his eye.

"Good," Giles replied, "now then, once your men there have woken up, perhaps you can take this sorcerer off our hands. He is the one responsible for the demon attacks I presume you are tracking."

"Fine," Riley replied. As if on cue, another military truck pulled up and two more soldiers piled out. "Stand down," Riley called to them nervously.

As the group walked down the stairs, Riley explained to the new arrivals what the situation was.

"Fine, but we'll have to put him in the other one, full house here," he nodded at their vehicle. Buffy glanced in the back and saw that they had arrested and gagged Spike. Beside him were two demons that Buffy had never seen before. They were bluish with lobster-like faces and wore what looked like body armor.

She looked back at Faith and Giles and tried to cry out, realizing that one of the soldiers Faith had knocked out earlier had gotten back up and was aiming his taser gun at the dark slayer. It was too late, however, and Faith was hit with a massive bolt of electricity from behind, instantly crumbling to the ground.

"Stand down!" Riley called out, but not before the solider delivered another massive blast to Faith's fallen body. The solider dropped his weapon, but Faith had been hit hard.

Buffy cried out and instantly ran over to her fellow slayer, her fear that Faith had been seriously hurt overshadowing everything else. She tenderly brought her hand to Faith's face and felt a tear run down her cheek when she felt Faith's breath against her hand. Thank god...

Buffy cupped Faith's head in her lap and began gently stroking the girl's hair, silently begging her to wake up quickly. It seemed to work, as Faith's eyes slowly blinked opened and looked up into Buffy's tear-filled ones. The concern she saw in Buffy's face made her heart skip a beat.

"Fuck..." she moaned, feeling the pain all over her body. Buffy smiled in relief when Faith spoke, knowing she was going to be okay.

"She'll... she'll be fine in a few hours," Riley told them, "she'll be in a lot of pain, though. Sorry," he finished, sounding like he didn't really mean it. He quickly grabbed Ethan and he and the soldier who had blasted Faith got into the military jeep. The two jeeps quickly sped off, leaving a stunned Giles and his two slayers behind.

Giles walked over to where Buffy was still holding Faith and looked down at the slayers. "How do you feel, Faith?"

"Like a fuckin truck ran me over," Faith groaned.

"Well, we've no reason to think that they would lie about the healing time, so with your slayer healing you should be fine within an hour or two," he reassured her. "A night's rest would do you a lot of good, though."

"I'm going to take her up to her room and stay with her until I know she's okay," Buffy said softly, standing up and scooping Faith into her arms. She smiled down into her chocolatey eyes, silently letting her know everything would be okay. Faith just smiled back. She normally wouldn't put up with anyone babying her like this, but, well...it was Buffy. Besides, she thought, having Buffy hold her more than made up for any embarrassment over being hurt.

"Of course," Giles said, "I believe I'll head home. My car should still be where, ahem, Spike left it down the road."

"Huh?" Buffy asked, "why would Spike-"

"Later..." Giles shook his head, not wanting to get into the embarrassment of him hiring Spike, and started walking towards his car. He was pleased that Spike's arrest meant he didn't have to pay the vampire; he just hoped he hadn't banged his car up too much...

"Let's get you to bed," Buffy told Faith, her attempt at a motherly voice coming out far huskier than she'd intended.

Once they got upstairs, Buffy laid Faith down on her bed and sat next to her. She hated to see Faith in such pain...

She was tenderly stroked her cheek, trying to wish it away, as she looked down in concern.

"B..." Faith began, "I...Thanks." Faith didn't usually go around thanking people, but she really wanted to let Buffy know how much she appreciated her kindness. The affection that Buffy was showing her felt really good. Faith kinda wanted even more of it...

Buffy smiled and looked down, once again getting lost in the girl's dark eyes. "Anything for you," she let out, a little more meaningfully than she intended. She suddenly let her mind drift to how close she and Faith had been getting lately. The footsie this afternoon, the nights falling asleep together... she really liked their soft gentle touches, but she also knew it wasn't going to be enough for long. She needed more of Faith, and tonight's events had just reminded her how quick everything could be taken away. They were slayers—it wasn't like she could wait around forever for what she wanted.

And as her eyes continued to meet Faith's, Buffy felt more and more confident that Faith shared what she felt. The look in Faith's eyes told Buffy that she felt something that went beyond just the sexual flirting that Faith had always done. It told Buffy that maybe Faith wanted more...

Buffy leaned down and placed a soft kiss to Faith's cheek, feeling the smoothness of the girl's skin under her lips.

Faith almost forgot how to breathe. This was the second time Buffy had kissed her cheek, and she had been drunk the last time... Faith let herself think back to the spell Willow had cast: the feel of Buffy's lips, her tongue...

Faith slowly sat up, ignoring her body's cry of pain, and moved toward Buffy. Faith's need was obvious—her skin was flushed, her breath ragged, her pupils huge. "B..."

"Faith..." Buffy moved closer so that their noses were almost touching. Her body was on fire; her eyes silently begging Faith to kiss her.

Faith leaned in further, pausing right before their lips touched, as if to cede control to Buffy for the moment that she knew would change everything. Faith knew if they kissed now, of their own free will, she would never be able to live without Buffy. She would never be able to push those feelings back down again...

Buffy felt Faith's warm breath on her mouth and could smell the sweat glistening on her skin. She smiled and answered by closing the gap herself, letting their lips collide gently. Buffy sighed as she felt herself sink into the softness of Faith's mouth. It felt even better than kissing while under Willow's spell because this was...real. She was kissing Faith because that's what she really wanted to do.

Faith responded immediately. She was still in pain, but Buffy's lips made all that seem far away and unimportant. After separating briefly for air, Faith pressed their lips together again, this time taking Buffy's bottom lip in between her lips and running her tongue over it. Buffy quickly opened her mouth and met Faith's tongue with her own, groaning at the feel of their tongues sliding against each other. It felt so...right.

Faith wasted no time in exploring Buffy's soft, wet mouth, letting her tongue drift anywhere she could. Sensing that Buffy's tongue was lonely, Faith quickly swirled hers around it. Buffy moaned as their mouths pressed tighter together, their tongues becoming more and more entwined.

When their lips eventually separated again, the girls rested their foreheads together and struggled to regain their breath. Words weren't needed at this point; all it took was a simple glance to know they were feeling the same thing.

Deciding that she'd had plenty of air, Buffy leaned in again and quickly slipped her tongue into Faith's mouth, already becoming addicted to the feel of their lips pressed together.

As they continued to kiss, even sitting became too much of a chore and Buffy lay back on the bed, pulling Faith down with her, their tongues still dancing together. Faith, who had long since stopped caring about her injuries, complied quickly and wrapped her arms tightly around Buffy. As Faith snuggled into her, Buffy slowly ran a hand through the brunette's silky hair, holding her in place to ensure their kiss could continue uninterrupted.

When their lips and tongues finally did separate, they continued to hold each other tightly, unable to bear the thought of their bodies being apart. They couldn't help but grin stupidly at each other as their breath continued to mingle together.

It was Buffy who finally broke the silence: "Faith... that was...wow..."

"Yeah..." Faith replied breathlessly.

"I...uh, have you ever, um... felt anything like that before?" Buffy asked shyly.

Faith nodded slowly, "Yeah... I have..."

"Oh..." Buffy looked down, slightly hurt.

Faith gently raised Buffy's chin so that their eyes met. "When Willow cast that spell... kissing you then felt like this—like I'm on fire and I can't fuckin' breathe without you..."

Buffy smiled brightly. "Oh..." she breathed happily.

"Yeah..." Faith replied, bringing their lips together again, letting her tongue leisurely slide up against Buffy's.

While the kiss was still passionate, the slower pace also made Buffy feel overwhelmingly comfortable. She could imagine spending an entire day like this, just laying in bed with Faith, letting their lips and tongues lazily caress each other...

After pressing a final kiss to Buffy's lips, Faith gently laid her head on top of Buffy's shoulder, tightening her grip on the slayer's body.

"Goodnight, Faithy," Buffy sighed happily, pressing a kiss to the top of Faith's head.

Faith nuzzled her nose into Buffy's neck. "G'night, B."

TBC...