Thank you for everyone who has stuck with the story! It's greatly appreciated.

Chapter Summary: As the gang prepares for the final battle, Buffy and Faith try to make the most of what little time they may have left.

The Way It Should Have Been

Ch 7 – I Choose You, Pt 2

After formulating the basics of the plan, the girls decided to get dressed. They both threw on sweat pants. Buffy decided to put on a large comfortable sweatshirt while Faith wanted to wear her tank top, if she could ever find it. God knows where Buffy threw it when she stripped off of her earlier that evening.

Fifteen minutes later the slayers emerged from their room. They slowly made their way downstairs, noting how odd it seemed to have the house so quiet with all of the potentials sleeping. They entered the dinning room to see that Giles was sitting at one end of the table reading while Andrew and Xander were playing a board game at the other.

Giles noticed them first. "Girls, is everything alright?" He asked as he closed his book and stood up.

"Yes, we need to know everything you know about the passage of the slayer power." Buffy answered quickly.

Giles gave her a perplexed look. "Buffy, what's this all about?" He asked gently, walking around the table towards them.

Faith looked slightly annoyed as she sighed. "Look, when Buffy died the first time Kendra was called, then I was called when she died. But when Buffy died the second time no new slayer was called."

"But each time I came back to life I still had my powers." Buffy interjected. "We need to know why."

"And how." Faith added.

"Can we do it again, divide the powers up even more?" Buffy asked, but then noticed that Xander's eyes bugged out of his head. "Without killing me or Faith." Buffy added which caused her old friend to sigh.

"I'll see what we can find." He said with his calm, fatherly smile.

"I'll wake Willow." Xander said pushing up out of his chair.

"Ooh, I'll make coffee and grab snacks." Andrew added, bouncing off towards the kitchen.

Buffy then thought about the amulet that Angel had given her. "I need to go talk to Spike." Buffy said to Faith.

"He's in the basement." Giles offered.

She smiled a 'thanks' at him before kissing Faith's cheek. Faith smiled at she watched her go then turned back to Giles. "I may have a theory." She said thinking about to her dream-walk with Angel.

He smiled at her. "Okay." He said as he motioned for her to take a seat.

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As Buffy walked down the basement steps she could see Spike wailing away on the punching bag.

"I see the angry one forgave you." He muttered without looking up at her. "I saw you with tall, dark, and forehead."

"Then you saw nothing." She said walking down the rest of the way and getting in between him and the punching bag. "And you started a lot of trouble over nothing." She stopped when something dawned on her. "Wait, how do you know she already forgave me?"

"I can smell her on you. Makeup sex is always a strong scent." He said with a smirk.

"You're gross." She spat.

"Whatever." Spike mumbled as he moved to the side of Buffy so he could get to the punching bag again.

"Don't whatever me." Buffy said getting in his way again. "Its bad enough the world is coming to an end but I have to deal with two jealous ex-boyfriends slash vampires." She said throwing her hands up before she poked him the chest. "You promised me, no more of this shit."

He just sighed and turned away from her, pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it.

"I need you in this with me." Buffy said behind him.

"No you don't." He said over his shoulder. "You got both of your brooding brunettes by your side."

"No, I sent Angel home. He needed to understand just like you do." She said as she pulled on his arm to make him turn around. "I love Faith." The declaration made Spike rolls his eye up as she continued. "I want to be with her, and you two are just going to have to get over yourselves." She took a long breath to calm her tone. "I need your head in the game."

Spike still refused to meet her gaze as he continued to smoke his cigarette.

"I have something for you." She said pulling the amulet out of the front pocket of her sweatshirt.

"What's that, a consolation prize?" He spat.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "No, its something Angel gave me. He said it was very important for this fight. But he did say it was volatile."

"Oh, come to kill me off then?" He asked sarcastically.

Buffy looked at him seriously as she walked toward him. "No, I need it to be worn by someone more than human."

"Then I'll just kidnap a newbie vamp and we can strap it on him."

"It needs to be worn by a champion." She said as she placed it in his hand.

Spike was at a loss for words for a moment. "I've been called a lot of things in my time, but never that." He said as he looked down at the amulet in his hand.

"I need you, Spike." Buffy said as she put her hand around his. "I need my friend in this."

Spike finally looked up, staring deep into her eyes and nodded in agreement. She smiled and nodded in return. As she turned to leave she finally saw what Spike had been punching at. A quick drawing of Faith was taped to the punching bag. She looked up higher and saw a drawing of Angel taped there as well. She looked back at Spike, glaring.

"Oh come on, don't ruin all my fun." He said rolling his eyes.

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Buffy went back into the living room to find Faith pacing while the others researched. Her brown eyes drifted back and forth between the table and her own hands as she cracked her knuckles. Buffy smiled as she watched her for a moment and smiled when she realized that she knew it was Faith's nervous habit, even though there was no sign of nervousness on her girlfriend's face.

There was something about the younger slayer in this moment that Buffy found absolutely beautiful. The red tanktop contrasted her tanned skin beautifully and the black sweatpants were just tight enough to outline her perfect ass. Buffy started to blush when she notice they she was objectifying Faith in a way she was sure every man on the planet did. Though, Buffy knew there was a difference to it. She knew Faith, inside and out now, and the there was more than her outgoing sex appeal that drew her to the brunette.

Even through all the chaos and death, there was something different in Faith's eyes, in her whole demeanor. Maybe it was her newfound maturity and inner calmness. Then again, it could have been a post-sex glow, but whatever it was, Buffy felt herself being pulled toward the brunette. She desired to be closer to her.

Faith had stopped pacing and was now leaning against the entrance way to the dinning room on one shoulder, her arms cross over her chest. Buffy walked up behind her and put her arms around her waist and placed a gentle kiss on the back of her neck that was exposed by the cut of the tanktop.

"Come back to bed with me." Buffy whispered.

Faith gave her a small smirk over her shoulder. "Everyone else is up now. That's kinda harsh to be catching some beauty sleep while they're all working."

"That's not why." Buffy said as she kissed her bare shoulder.

Faith looked over her shoulder at Buffy to make sure that she was reading all the signals correctly. The blonde looked up at her with a look that could not be disputed. "Okay." The brunette said quietly.

They rushed upstairs before the others even noticed they were gone. "What's gotten into you?" Faith asked through a small laugh.

"Was that a literal question?" Buffy asked. "Because the answer is you." She whispered into Faith's ear.

Faith was a little taken back by Buffy making such a direct sexual innuendo but smiled with wonderment as she watched Buffy start to undo the tie on her black sweat pants.

"Is this a solo game?" Faith asked.

"I sure hope not." Buffy replied as she looked up at the taller girl. "There are things that I have wanted to do to you since the first time I saw you." Buffy said as she closed the distance between them.

Faith grinned at her. "I knew slaying made you hungry and horny. I just didn't realize it was MY slaying that did it to you."

"Yes you did." Buffy said placing a kiss on her shoulder.

Faith nodded. "You're right, I did." She said as let out a breath. "I wanted to kiss you the second I made you blush that first night at the Bronze."

Before Buffy could respond, Faith captured her lips and lifted her up at the same time.

Buffy instinctively locked her legs around Faith's waist as Faith pushed them up against the door. She leaned back slightly so she could take her tanktop off. After pulling the sweatshirt over Buffy's head she attacked her neck which made the blonde moan.

Buffy eventually pulled on Faith's hair gently so she could reach her lips. As the kiss deepened, Faith carried her over to the side of the bed. Once they were lying down, Buffy flipped them over so they she was on top, causing Faith to chuckle in surprise.

The blonde smiled as she trailed kisses down Faith's chest then over firm abs. Faith let out a low moan and curled her fingers in Buffy's hair, urging her to go lower. She looked up at the younger woman and smiled before pulling the black sweats down and discarding them on the floor.

Faith lifted herself on her elbows to see Buffy standing at the end of the bed, just staring at her. "Take um off." She whispered as she nodded at Buffy's pants.

Buffy smiled and nodded before slipping her own pants off as well. Faith watched her intently as she crawled back up onto the bed and laid down next her girlfriend. They were quiet for a moment.

"You okay?" Faith asked as she wrapped her arms around Buffy.

"Just thinking." She whispered.

"About?"

Buffy was quiet a little longer before pushing herself up on one elbow so she could look at Faith. "Promise not to let this conversation get too heavy?"

"Sure." Faith said sitting up on her elbow as well. She watched as Buffy fought the emotions inside of herself. "B?" She finally whispered as she tucked some blonde hair behind her ear. "What's up?"

Buffy finally let out a frustrated breath. "We may die tomorrow."

"And?" Faith asked gently, not quite sure where this conversation was leading.

Buffy just smiled at her. "And if we do, I will regret not doing this to you at least once." She said as she gently pushed Faith down on to her back.

Before Faith could ask her what she wanted to do, the blonde had already moved down between her legs. She sucked in a large breath waiting for it to happen, but Buffy was teasing her, alternating kisses on each thigh. Just as Buffy began to trailed the kisses down toward her center, Faith caught her by the hair.

"Buffy." She whispered in a slight panic.

Buffy looked up at her a little surprised she had been stopped. "What's wrong?"

"I…it's just…" Faith couldn't get the words out.

Buffy just stared at her for a moment trying to decipher the emotions she saw running across her girlfriend's face. She finally figured it out. "You've never let anyone do it before, have you? You've never been able to give that kind of control."

Faith just nodded.

Buffy leaned her cheek against Faith's thigh and looked up at her lovingly. "Do you trust me?" She asked.

Faith took a deep breathe and gave Buffy a faint smile as she nodded. Buffy nodded in return as she kissed the inside of her thigh and again made her way down to Faith's center. She paused for a second before placing a gentle kiss on Faith's clit.

When the brunette moaned lightly, Buffy took it as a good sign and began a gentle stroking motion with her tongue, causing Faith to hiss as her hips moved slightly. Buffy continued the motion, loving the taste and the feeling of Faith's most sensitive area.

Faith was losing control and she knew it. More importantly, she wasn't fighting it anymore. She loved Buffy and trusted her with her life. She allowed her body to relax and enjoy the sensation.

Finally, it became too much for her to take. She gently pulled on Buffy's hair, bringing her back up body.

"What I do wrong?" Buffy asked, panting.

"Nothing, I just had to touch you." Faith said as she quickly plunged two fingers deep inside Buffy's wet core. Buffy nearly screamed and muted it by slumping forward and taking a nipple into her mouth which caused Faith to moan loudly.

Faith grabbed onto Buffy's hip with her free hand and rocked her back and forth. Buffy eventually sought out her lips and kissed her hard before rolling them slightly so they were both on their sides. She entered Faith quickly and they continued to pump into one another as Faith wrapped her free arm around Buffy's shoulder, cradling the blonde against her.

When Buffy broke the kiss to catch her breath, she threw her head back in ecstasy exposing her neck. Faith was quick to find the sensitive spot near her throat causing Buffy to moan loudly as a spark ran through her.

Buffy's moans seemed to heighten Faith's own arousal. She pushed harder into Buffy in longer strokes which sent the blonde into a spiraling orgasm. Faith rolled them so Buffy was on her back and the pressure from now being on top was the last little bit she needed to go over the edge as well.

Once they rode out their orgasms, they fall apart, sweating and breathing heavily, but manage to still be touching each other in some way.

Faith looked over at her and noticed that Buffy was starting to dose off. "Don't fall asleep." She whispered.

"Why?" Buffy said in almost a whining tone.

"Because if you're right, I want to spend the rest of my life awake with you."

Buffy opened her eyes and smiled at her and she touched Faith's cheek. "Exhaustion is not going to help matters any. Besides, you know they're going to wake us up in a little while anyway. Might as well try to get a little sleep, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Faith said quietly.

"Good." Buffy said with a smile as moved closer to Faith so she would spoon her.

"So you okay with not being the chosen two anymore?" Faith asked as she grabbed the comforter and flung it over them.

"We'll always be the chosen two." Buffy said as she turned slightly to cup Faith cheek. "Because we love each other."

"True that." Faith said with a smile as she leaned down to give Buffy a gentle kiss.

"Go to sleep by love." Buffy said with a smile as lightly ran her fingers through Faith's hair before turning back around and allowing her girlfriend's strength to engulf her into a protective sleep.

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A few hours later, Willow knocked on the door. "Buffy? Faith?"

The blonde was the first to stir. She sat up and shook her head to get her bearings before looking over at her sleeping girlfriend. "Girl sleeps like she's dead already." Buffy mumbled as she dragged herself out of bed.

"Hold on, Will." She whispered as she grabbed the nearest shirt and pants she could find.

When Buffy finally opened the door, Willow smiled at her knowingly, noticing that Buffy was wearing what Faith had come downstairs in a few hours earlier. Buffy shot her a look, warning not to comment. Instead, the redhead coughed down a laugh before speaking. "I think we got it."

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As the slayers made their way downstairs, they saw the group gathered around the dinning room table.

"Okay girls, here's what we've established." Giles said as he placed a large blueprint map on the table. "The rock under the vineyard where you found the scythe is the same stretch of rock that leads over to the cave where Buffy drowned. The power of the scythe must have been so strong that it seeped through and was able to keep the slayer power connected to you and wield it on to Kendra."

Buffy nodded as she followed the path that he had drawn on the map with his finger. Giles took his glasses off to clean them as he continued. "Since the second time you 'died' wasn't really a death, you were never stripped of your powers then, either."

Faith had a very confused look on her face which Buffy quickly noticed. "I'll explain later." She whispered into her girlfriend's ear.

Faith nodded before looking up at the group. "So maybe Red can split it up even more now." She offered.

"By doing what?" Willow asked.

"Harnessing the power of the scythe directly. Make all of the potentials, full powered slayers at the same time." Faith stated.

"What do you think?" Buffy asked hopefully, as she looked at the group.

"It depends. Are you in any way, kidding?" Xander asked.

"We know it's pretty radical but we think it could work." Faith added.

"It's a lot more than that." Giles said. "It flies into face of everything we've, well every generation, has done in the fight against evil." A small smile crept onto his face. "I think its bloody brilliant."

"Really?" Buffy asked.

"If you want my opinion?" Giles asked.

"We really do." Buffy said hopefully

"Then, yes." He said with a proud smile.

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Once the rest of the plan was formulated, Buffy and Faith headed back up to bed.

"You weren't dead?" Faith said as she stormed into the room.

"Will you keep your voice down?" Buffy said as she shut the door behind them.

"All this time." Faith swung around to look at Buffy. "All this time, I've felt guilty for not being there that night and you didn't even bother to tell me that you weren't even dead."

"Yes, I was." Buffy said as she rushed over to Faith trying to hold her.

Faith adverted her as she continued to rant. "But Giles just said you weren't. Do you have any idea how much it fucked me up thinking you were dead? The guilt I felt for not being there but also for not being able to make things right between us?" The brunette then turned her back on her girlfriend to try to control her anger.

Buffy pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to figure to how to explain it. She let out a long breath as she walked over to the younger slayer. "Faith, please listen to me." She said as she grabbed her girlfriend by the hand and dragged her over to the bed.

Once they were sitting Buffy cupped Faith's cheek and gently forced her to look at her. "For all intent purposes I was dead. They put my body in the ground and I was no longer on this earth. Other than that, where I was is irrelevant, okay?"

Faith still didn't say anything so Buffy decided it was time to take drastic action. She climbed onto Faith's lap and used both of her hands to make Faith look up at her. "I didn't just come back because I wanted to. I was gone. Willow and the others had to pull me back. So stop beating yourself up over it. I know what you would have done if you were there but its in the past. I need you head here with me for this fight, okay?"

For a moment, Faith didn't say anything but then leaned up and placed a hard, yet desperate kiss on Buffy's lips. "I'm sorry." The brunette whispered.

"Don't be." Buffy whispered back as she kissed Faith on the cheek before climbing off of her lap. "Make it up to me by holding me for what's left of this night."

"You got it." Faith said with a smile as she watched her beautiful girlfriend start to shed her clothes.

Once they were both undressed and under the covers, Faith pulled Buffy to her and wrapped the smaller girl in her arms. Buffy nuzzled her head into the crook of Faith's neck and took a deep breath.

"I can feel your heart beating." Buffy whispered.

"I can feel yours too." Faith whispered with a smile as she kissed the top of Buffy's head.

"Don't let go, okay." Buffy mumbled as she drifted off to sleep.

"Not a chance in hell." Faith whispered as she closed her eyes.

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Morning came faster then anyone would have wanted. Everyone gathered quickly in the living room to hear the slayers' plan. For the most part, Buffy did all of the talking.

Faith just leaned against the wall behind Buffy, proudly watching her girlfriend give what would be the last motivational speech before their final battle.

"So here is the part where you get to make a choice." Buffy said as she stood in front of the girls. "What if you could have that power? Now."

All of the girls' eyes widen slightly. "In every generation one slayer is born," Faith said as she pushed off the wall and came to stand next to Buffy, "because a bunch of men who died thousands of years made up that stupid rule." Her distain radiated in her voice so Buffy put a calming hand on her arm.

"They were powerful men." Buffy said gently. "This woman," she said pointing at Willow, "is more powerful then all of them combined."

"So we say we change the rule." Faith added. "We say that our power" she nodded toward Buffy, "should be OUR power." She said as she pointed around the room.

"Willow's gonna use the essence of the scythe to change our destiny." Buffy continued. "Every girl that could be a slayer will be a slayer. This evil is too big for just the two us." She paused as she looked at Faith for a moment before turning her attention back to the girls. "This world is too big for just the two of us." This time she kept her eyes on her girlfriend as she continued, "And I don't know how much longer I can do this, or for how long I will want to." The last part was barely a whisper.

Faith gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand in encouragement and Buffy smiled back. "We have both paid a high price by being slayers," the blonde said turning her attention towards the girls, "but now, the price is much too high. You can have the power to save the world. But the choice has got to be yours."

"What do ya say, girls? Are you ready to be strong?" Faith asked with her trademark grin.

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Once they entered the school, Faith and Spike led the potentials down to the basement while Robin, Anya, Andrew, Dawn, and Kennedy took their places throughout the top level. After everyone was in place, it was just Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Giles standing in the hallway.

They were quiet for a moment before Xander broke the silence. "I kinda like that we all have the girlfriend thing in common now. We should go to a strip club."

"Or maybe hooters" Willow said excitedly.

"Oh Faith would love that." Buffy said rolling her eyes.

"Kennedy likes going there for the hot wings as much as the breasts." Willow added.

"I can't believe you are thinking of food at time like this." Giles said a little astonished.

"They weren't talking about the food." Xander informed him.

Giles watched as his three no-longer-teenagers walk down the hall and continued with their conversation. He shook his head. "The three original defenders of the hellmouth are all chasing skirts." He mumbled as she turned to walk in the other direction. "The earth is definitely doomed."

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Faith watched from around the corner as Buffy had her private goodbye with the Scooby gang. She then pulled her head back as she saw the blonde walking towards her.

"Hey there, beautiful." Faith said with a cocky grin as Buffy came around the corner.

"Hey yourself." Buffy said smiling back. She noticed how calm and collected Faith looked as she was leaning against the wall with her hands in her jacket pocket. "How it is you find the time to be all flirty in the middle of an apocalypse?"

Faith smiled. "Well if I had to wait until we weren't in the middle of an apocalypse, I would never be able to get my flirt on."

"Very true." Buffy said smiling. "Shall we?" She said holding on her hand for Faith to take. She was a little saddened when Faith just looked down at the ground. "Faith, I know this is a stupid question, but are you alright?"

That made Faith laugh slightly as she took her hands out of her pockets. Her left-hand fingers began to play with the ring on her right pinkie. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm ready for the fight, its just…this is the first time I've been truly afraid of dying. I actually have a life to look forward to now." She then looked up at Buffy. "Its funny, I'm not afraid of losing you. I know I would die to keep you safe. I'm just afraid of not being there afterwards to enjoy a life with you."

Buffy said nothing but smiled as she engulfed Faith in a hug around the neck which Faith returned by hugging Buffy around the waist. They stood there for a moment in silence, their heads buried in each other's necks, just enjoying the peaceful serenity that their contact always seemed to bring in moments of complete chaos.

After a moment, Faith pulled away to give Buffy a small kiss. When they pulled apart, Faith took the ring off of her pinkie finger. "Here, I want you to have this." She said as she put it on Buffy's ring finger. "No matter what, know that I love you."

"Faith, don't do this. Please don't act like this is the end." Buffy pleaded.

"I'm not, I promise I'm not." Faith said in a tone that let Buffy know was serious. She knew this was Faith's way of promising her a future.

Buffy then looked down at Faith's ring on her finger and smiled. Knowing that she had something of Faith's with her going into the fight of their lives gave her great comfort. She wanted Faith to have that feeling too.

She quickly took off the ring she wore on her middle finger. "Here." She said with a smile as she placed it on Faith's ring finger. She kissed the inside of Faith's palm before looking up at her.

Faith looked at her, awe struck. They clasped their ringed hands together and smiled before Faith pulled Buffy into a searing kiss. She wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist and pulled her as close as she could, loving the feeling of their bodies pressed together.

Faith eventually had to break away to get air. "Damn, now that is a part of life I can't wait to get back to."

"Then let's do this." Buffy said with a smile as she started to walk down the hallway.

"Right behind ya." Faith said smiling as she playfully smacked Buffy's butt.

TBC……