Disclaimer: Nothing's changed; I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

A/N: …And to all I say a HUGE thank you, for reading and/or reviewing. Seriously it means tones to hear…read? What you all think. I am extremely glad that you would take the time out to review it makes me high on review-love.

Yes, Faith's freakin' a bit in solitary, though who wouldn't?

I am quite pleased to announce that this chapter has more dialog, FINALLY I hear you all say, lol. I'll admit it doesn't run smoothly, well as smoothly as it could, but it has some good Faith/Buffy stuff…Surely that smudges out the unsmoothness…?

--

-

-

-

--

Her hand is resting upon the rouge Slayers knee, her eyes squinting slightly as she looks at the girl. Is that fear? No, maybe she's reading her wrong. Though the reaction she got as Faith pulled away suggested she was startled. Moving her hand slightly she kneels closer to the dark haired girl. She has her eyes shut, teeth clenched tightly together as she burry's her head in her hands. Buffy runs her fingers calmingly across the girls' leg, she doesn't know why. Doesn't even understand why she feels guilty. But she does. And the only thing she wants…

Needs.

…Is to make Faith okay.

"I made a promise, B." Her low words catch the Slayers attention, and she nods understandingly, mouth slightly open as she moves to grab the girls' hand.

Faith doesn't protest, allowing her hand to be taken. Right now she's just relieved to see someone, someone other than the guards, or the menacing shadows. Breathing deeply, in, out. She stares without faltering at Buffy, unable to actually accept her presence, yet not daring question it in case the other girl leaves.

"I think you've kept your promise long enough, Faith." Buffy's voice is gentle, and she makes sure to keep it low, not wanting to further startle the girl.

"I…I don't know B, I, it's so…" Her words end as she shakes her head and Buffy frowns, she seems confused, lost. How long had she been in this dark room? Buffy squeezes Faith's hand slightly as she gives a small reassuring smile, not missing the frown that is edged on the others face.

"You okay?" Her voice is louder, sounding sturdier.

Faith seems to snap from her inner thoughts as she pulls her hand away from Buffy, a swaggering smile replacing the frown. "Five by five."

The blonde slayer nods, disbelievingly, but it's still a nod. "Why are you in here Faith?"

The girl chuckles. "Guard couldn't keep his damn mouth shut, got taken to tha' Warden…he didn't like me much, but that's all fresh as I don't like him either."

"How long has it been?" Buffy looks around the small room as she speaks, cement floor, cement walls, roof. No windows. Just a door. A door that had been locked from the outside.

Those bastards!

Faith shrugs. "You tell me, got put 'ere just after your little visit, which was?"

A slight pause as Buffy thinks, eye brows knitting together. "Two weeks ago…"

"Man, I still had another two to go." Her voice is relaxed, raspy, but yet comprehendible, in a way somewhat annoyed by what she hears. Brown orbs focusing on the ground, her knees, hands…anywhere but the other girls' eyes.

Buffy doesn't hide the look of shock that passes her features, her hand instinctively moves to touch the other girl's, although she catches herself midway, not sure Faith would respond well to the contact. "It's dark in here."

"You get use to it." Faith shrugs. "Some of the time."

Buffy nods. "You wasn't once tempted to just break down the door?"

"Didn't even cross my mind, B." She's lying. Hell yeah she was tempted. Her body itched to just kick down the exit, day after day, every minute, second.

"You don't deserve to be here, Faith."

Silence.

The two Slayers staring at one another, eyes locking, studying the other for a reaction, waiting, waiting, no one speaking. Just staring. Faith's eyes strong yet baring something close to being confounded. Her nonchalant grin melting into an inactive scowl as she bores deep into Buffy's unwavering eyes, searching for what not even they knew.

A moment goes, Faith swallows with force, brown eyes quickly fixing upon the ground. "Yes, I do."

And now Buffy swallows hard, her head shaking. "No, Faith, look at me."

No response.

"Faith, you've been here long enough, don't put yourself through this anymore."

"Through what Buffy?" Her voice is harsh, said in a loud whisper. "I don't get to have a free ride outta this place, I killed people, people, not vampires, or demons…People! And that's not something you can just dismiss."

Buffy winces slightly at the younger girls' words, her heart sinking when she sees a flash of pain cross the rouge Slayers face, hurt, guilt, remorse, resentment. It's all there. Within that spilt second. And she finds herself wishing she could take it away.

"I deserve to be in here forever…" Faith adds, and Buffy lets a soft sigh escape as she shakes her head.

"No." She keeps her voice quiet, but still it's forceful.

Faith chuckles dryly. "What do you care, thought you'd be happy to see me stuck in this dump eternally."

"I care!"

"Pfft…Yeah right." The dark headed girl lets an empty grin grace her lips, her voice low, yielding.

"I visited you didn't I? I'm here now." Buffy says

Faith's quick to reply. "Took you more than a year B, I'd say it's better late than never…but…" She trails off and Buffy scoffs loudly.

"I didn't visit because I couldn't." Her teeth are clenched, though she doesn't come across as angry.

Indignant, maybe?

"You couldn't? Am I S'pose to believe that? What'd some vampire have you trapped? Or were you to busy livin' your perfect little life, being perfect little you that you just didn't have time?"

Buffy lets a shady laugh escape her lips. "I couldn't because I hadn't forgiven you."

It's a simple answer, one that warrants little thought as it is clear, coherent. Taking Faith's words as she just looks at the other Slayer, mouth slightly ajar, yet she keeps her façade up. Never letting it slip as she just waits. Tick, tick. She counts in her head again. Habit maybe. A while longer and she replies.

"Why are you here now?"

The blonde girl smiles, a calm, safe look. "Because I forgive you, Faith."

And it's not a lie, not spoken through teeth that are grinding, nor lips that are forced. It's the truth. Something so fresh and innocent. Said with meaning. Said with heart.

Silence.

Though it doesn't last long as Buffy stands, her eyes looking down at the still sitting Slayer. A smile pursed upon her face, caring almost, though it's hard to tell. Her hand moves slightly, outstretched towards Faith, it's steady, welcoming.

"You coming or what?"

The rouge slayer grins, hand connecting with Buffy's as she stands to her feet. Aware she just let Buffy help her. Even if it was merely to stand. Though she doesn't care. Not right now anyhow.

"Lead the way." She says and Buffy nods.

-

-

-

"So tell me again how all the guards just happened to be knocked out cold?" Faith said, a smirk fixed upon her lips as she followed Buffy through the dark cemetery. There escape couldn't have been easier, out like a flash of light, a bird fluttering from a tree. Quick. Simple. The guards, sleeping…Unconscious upon the ground, falling where they stood.

Buffy gave a quick smile. "Willow did some magic spell thing-y, said a few chants, and ta da, sleeping guards."

"Reds got some power, wicked load of men to knock straight cold."

"Uh huh." Replied the blonde Slayer, her feet stopping quickly upon the moist ground below. Faith running into her back as she had been looking elsewhere.

"What's up B.?" She said, causing Buffy to raise her hand in a gesture of 'be quiet!'

"I heard something…"

Faith laughs. "We're in a grave yard B, if we didn't hear something I'd start to think all the little vampires had suddenly decided to revert from being all nocturnal and shit."

Buffy gives the girl a strange look as she continues to walk, slowly. Quietly; her eyes scanning in the dark.

"I'm not really in the mood for a surprise vamp attack, right now, my main goal is getting you back to the house."

"C'mon Buffy, y'don't mean that, I'm all for the vamps, wanna stake me some!" Her voice is raspy, though that's usual for her as she brushes her finger tips over a grave stone, smirking up at the older Slayer. "Haven't had me some action in a lengthy time."

Buffy stops walking turning to face the dark Slayer, hair slightly breezing as the wind captures it. "Faith, need I remind you that you're wearing a prison…jumpsuit, thing-y?"

She feigns hurt. "It's not a jumpsuit B, and so?"

"Not much of a look when you're fighting vampires, doesn't exactly say 'badass at work', more like 'convicted felon, trying to recapture the good ol' days'."

Faith shrugs. "Least it doesn't say, 'granny, trying to be hip'. I mean for serious B? What's with the clothes?"

Buffy looks down, inspecting her apparel before snapping her head back up in reply. "Not everything is based around leather and black-ness, Faith. We simple folk like to wear clothes that are actually comfortable, a-and covering our bodies." A smile she pats herself silently upon the back as she waits for a reaction.

She gets one, another shrug,

"Whatever B. You simple folk have no clue, look in a mirror once in a while, yeah."

"This coming from miss jumpsuit? I'll pretend to be insulted."

Faith gives her a small smirk, eyes drilling into the other Slayers. "Ain't a jumpsuit!"

This time its Buffy's turn to shrug and she does so mockingly; mimicking Faith's before actions, she gets a raised eyebrow from the girl. "Whatever you say, Faith."

That said the blonde Slayer turns on heel, her feet crunching upon the slightly dead grass hands swaying somewhat with the movements of her walk. Faith gives her a slight grin. Barely keeping the small chuckle on her lips as she walks quickly after her.

Silence.

The only sound accompanying their footsteps is the wind, soft as it moves among them. To Faith it's freeing. To Buffy it's refreshing. Though each just enjoys the soft hum it makes as it passes them, capturing with it blonde and brunette locks of hair, a chilly tone to its touch but it's not noticed.

"You've changed Faith." Buffy's words are quiet, and for a moment Faith isn't sure she should reply though thinks otherwise when the girl turns to face her.

"Yeah?" Okay, not the best reply ever said but it's still a hit.

"Yeah, you seem…different." Buffy stops her eyes looking over Faith making the girl slightly uncomfortable.

She raises her eyebrows. "Maybe it's the jumpsu- I mean, prison outfit."

"It's more than that."

"Right." Faith draws out, voice low as she rests against a grave stone.

Buffy gives a small smile. "I don't mean it to be a bad thing, in fact it couldn't even be said as a bad kind of thing, you've changed, you're different, you know?" Faith shakes her head, almost enjoying Buffy's slight ramble. "Okay, well, you see…When I visited you, it felt like I was talking to the old Faith."

"Old Faith?"

A nod from Buffy. "The one who didn't go on massacres around town, or side with team evil."

Faith gives a smirk. "Team evil?" She raises one eyebrow.

Buffy ignores her as she continues walking. "It's good to be able to chat without well, worrying that you're going to go all 'kill Buffy' and such."

"I must be remembering it differently." The dark haired Slayer says her voice raspy as she slows her pace.

Buffy stops.

And a deadly silence falls over them, her eyes study Faith's never faltering.

She gives a small shrug blonde hair waving faintly. "What do you mean?"

"Haven't forgotten already have you B?" Faith smiles with vigor walking closer to her. "I seem to remember it being me falling off that building, a wicked knife wound in my side. One you put there."

"Faith, I-"

"Now tell me B, does that sound like me going all 'kill Buffy' or you going all 'kill Faith'?"

Buffy's hand moves to grab Faith's, holding it tightly as the other girl momentarily tries to pull back. She's not quite sure of her action, doesn't know why she wanted to so badly make Faith see she was sorry. But she does, and now she is holding the other girls' hand relenting to let go. Although it's more than an awkward moment.

"Faith, that's not how I wanted it to go."

Faith again attempts to pull her hand free, eyes looking up from their entwined fingers. "Funny that, me neither."

"It's just that-"

"Look you don't need to explain B." The rouge Slayer says, her hand finally being let go by Buffy. She smirks as she walks by the girl hand patting the blondes shoulder in a very uncharacteristic action. "I forgive you."

Buffy turns around quickly. "You forgive me? Wait, hold on a minute, after everything you've done to me…and my friends, you're saying that you forgive me? I think we're a bit mucked up with our roles here, it should be reversed."

Her voice is loud, though far from angry.

Amused maybe.

Faith keeps walking as she lets a dry chuckle escape her lips. "reversed? You basically killed me, not really seein' how you got you being the victim from that."

"I didn't kill you."

"Right then, you just put me in one hellish coma, for months."

Buffy lets a small smile grace her lips when she gets a smirk from Faith, sure what they were talking about wasn't exactly something that was funny, probably not even amusing. Though making light of the past for now was better than reopening old wounds. And besides when was the last time she saw Faith smile? Joke? Talk as much as she was?

She answers her own question…years.

"Okay fine, you win, you're the victim." Buffy waits till her words set in.

Faith scowls. "Forget it B, I'm no victim but that doesn't mean you win."

She gets a laugh from the blonde haired girl and can't help but smirk. Both Slayers again continuing their walk feet stepping lightly upon grass and dirt, soft thuds penetrating the night air. Faith sighs softly not loud, barely audible. Her eyes looking across the cemetery, a sight she admits she's missed. Her body's tingling, humming with strength. A silent wish she makes to herself, one only she would, though she thinks maybe Buffy has to…Just on occasions. It's Slayer instinct. Born with them. Always under the surface.

A quiet moments passes, she makes the same wish.

Another second goes by and now she's slowing her pace, Buffy instantly does the same a glance sent her way though she simply shrugs it off. Her half-cocked smirk appearing as she now stops completely.

"You hear that?" Buffy's voice is quiet and Faith nods.

A second slips by and they both tense.

"Looks like we got ourselves some company." This time her voice is louder she turns to Faith, face serious, demeanor changing from 'Casual' into 'Slayer mode'.

Another second.

Tick, tick

Buffy lets out a small breath as a vampire emerges from the shadows.

Faith smirks…

…Wish granted.

--

-

-

-

--

A/N: *Shrieks* A Vamp attack! What'll happen? Review and I might just update extra quick…

Have I stooped to blackmail so early on?

Who knows, but I bet you're just dying to find out what happens to the two Slayers.