Authors Note: This chapter is dedicated to Anne on the Inamorata list. I just needed someone to give me a kick in the ass to get started again. I hope it's worth the wait.

Buffy answered the phone on the second ring. She hated doing homework and any excuse to put it on hold was a welcome relief.

"B?" said a somewhat nervous voice from the other end.

"Faith, is that you?" Buffy asked, surprised to hear from the brunette slayer.

"Yeah. Look, just don't freak okay. There's been a problem."

"What did you do now?"

Buffy could hear Faith catch her breath. "I didn't do anything, I swear. I was trying to do things right for you. It's just all screwed up again. Can... can you come to the precinct tonight?"

"Why me? Why not Angel?" Buffy asked a little bitterly.

"It's not Angel's call. It's yours. Please Buffy," she sounded desperate. "This is too important. I don't want to fuck up again."

"I'll be there," Buffy promised without really knowing why.

Faith gave a sigh of relief. "Thanks B." Then she hung up.

***

Buffy stopped dead when she entered the police station. She'd expected to have to go through the arduous duty of trying to get to see Faith. Instead Faith was sat in a visitors chair just inside in the door. No handcuffs, no guards, no anything.

Faith looked up as Buffy walked towards her.

"Made good time, B" she said quietly.

"You made it sound urgent, so I got a lift with Giles. Nearly killed his car though. He's over talking with Angel," Buffy said, trying to keep the tone light. "What's the story."

Faith looked around the police station nervously. "I don't want to talk about it here. Could we take a walk." Faith noticed the dubious look on Buffy's face. "I promise I won't try anything."

Buffy looked at Faith in surprise. Faith didn't seem to have any of the old cockiness about here, she actually seemed nervous. "Okay," she agreed finally nodded her head.

They walked out of the police station, Buffy let Faith lead to wherever she wanted to be. The finally settled on a park bench in a little corner of a nearby park.

"Faith, you said this was important. What's going on? And why aren't you in prison anymore?"

Faith looked away from Buffy. She was near to tears but was damned sure that she wasn't going to break now. "It's about those lawyers, Wolfram & Hart. The firm that wanted me to kill Angel?"

"Yeah?"

"Apparently, they were hired by the Mayor to keep me out of jail. It was some sort of big fuck-up when they sent the police after me at Angel's. Anyway they got me out, got the charges dropped."

"Figures," Buffy said bitterly as she slid off the bench away from Faith. "I should have known that you'd run out of patience with the game sooner rather than later." As she spoke, Buffy had taken a defensive posture. Now it was obvious that Faith had set her up again, despite everything.

Faith looked up at Buffy, a slight smile on her face as she noticed Buffy's readiness for battle again. "I tried to stay in jail, but this Lindsey. He's shit hot. They've got rid of all the evidence, they've got witnesses that say I was miles away and they've even got a doctor to say that I'm on medication so that the confessions don't count."

"And I'm supposed to believe you're really upset about not going to jail."

Faith hung her head again. "With me you've only ever believed what you wanted to believe. I don't expect that to change. I'm trying to do the right thing by you, and they won't let me. Lindsey said if I got anyone else to press charges, like I figured your Mom or Wesley would, that they'd be killed. I don't know what to do now."

"What's this got to do with me?" Buffy asked, not relaxing her defences at all.

"Do you know why I gave myself up?" Faith asked.

"Tell me," Buffy replied, although she'd read the page from Faith's journal Giles had shown her.

Faith swallowed before continuing. "I'm sorry for everything I did that makes you hate me B, and I'll do anything so that you don't hate me anymore. You wanted me in jail, so I gave myself up. But that's been a bust."

Faith turned away from Buffy and stared at the ground. "Tell me what you want from me now. I haven't a fucking clue what to do."

***

Buffy was silent for a long time as she stared at the brunette. Finally she spoke. "I want you to go away and never come back. I want you out of my life, out of my friends' lives. I want this over."

Faith looked back at Buffy, her face a mask of sadness and resignation. "Please B, not that."

"It's got to be that way," Buffy said, unable to look at Faith.

"Give me another chance?"

"Sorry, this whole thing has to end. I don't want to keep fighting you."

"You don't have to. I swear. If you help me, I won't screw up this time."

"I can't believe you. It's against my best judgement even letting you go. Make the most of it. Just go. Don't come back."

Faith sighed gently. "Okay. If that's the way it has to be."

"It is," Buffy said, not able to look at Faith.

"Goodbye Buffy. I guess it's over." Faith's voice cracked on that last word. Buffy turned to see Faith stand up and begin to walk away. Buffy caught a glimpse of Faith's tearstained face before she turned her head.

***

Buffy watched Faith walk out of the park, never once glancing back. As soon as Faith disappeared from sight, Buffy got a leaden feel in her stomach. She leapt up and began to run after Faith. Before she got to the gate she heard a screech of brakes and a loud thump.

Her heart in her mouth she sprinted to the gate to see a crowd of people gathered around in front of a small truck. There was no sign of Faith.

Knowing what she would see, Buffy pushed her way through the crowd and sure enough Faith was lying on her side. There was a small pool of blood by her head that had bled from a cut on her forehead. She was unconscious, but breathing.

Buffy knelt down next to Faith motioning the others away.

"Back up, she needs air," she screamed. "Call 911."

Careful not to disturb Faith, Buffy took a handkerchief and gently pressed it against the cut on Faith's forehead.

"Not like this," Buffy sobbed as she waited for an ambulance to come. "I didn't want this. Come on Faith. Don't give up. You'll be okay. Don't give up."

Repeating the mantra over and over, Buffy was surprised when a paramedic appeared and gently moved her away. After a quick examination, Faith was lifted onto a stretcher and carried into the ambulance. Buffy climbed in with her, Buffy's face daring the paramedic to question her.

At the hospital Faith was rushed into the emergency room for an examination. Buffy was following but was intercepted by a nurse.

"Excuse me, miss?"

"Yes?" Buffy asked distractedly.

"While the doctor's busy, could you help fill out the paperwork? Are you a friend or family?"

Buffy's mind froze as she stared at the nurse. "Friend...", then she reflected. " Well... not really."

"Oh right," the nurse said with a smile. "Bystander. Okay, well thanks for bringing her here. We'll look after her now."

At that moment, the doctor came in. "You came in with the young woman from the car accident right?"

Buffy nodded.

"Well she'll be fine. Nothing major, just a cut to the head and a fair about of superficial bruising. It doesn't look serious; she was very lucky. We'd like to keep her in overnight to check for concussion."

"Is she awake?"

"Yeah. Would you like to see her?"

"Please."

Ignoring the confused look on the nurse's face, Buffy followed the doctor to the bed they'd put Faith in.

Faith looked up as they approached. Seeing Buffy she put on a half smile. "Sorry B. Fucked this up as well."

The doctor looked between Buffy and Faith for a moment. "I'll give you two some time. Please don't tire the patient, she needs her rest."

"I won't," Buffy promised as she moved to sit beside Faith.

"B," Faith started, but Buffy held up her hand to quiet the girl.

"You tried to kill yourself." Seeing no denial in Faith's face, Buffy continued. "Why?"

"Seemed to best for everyone all around."

"Why?"

"Because I've seen it. That thing that Angel calls the dark. I've touched it, I've lived it. I don't want to go back there, but that's where I'll be if I can't make things right with you. I'd rather die than be like that again."

"Faith", Buffy said slowly. "You don't have to die. I... I don't want you to die."

"Then don't send me away, help me."

"It's not that simple," Buffy retorted angrily. "You hurt us, you hurt me."

"I'm making it that simple," Faith replied calmly. "The choice is yours. It's always been yours. You kept talking about the chances you gave me that I never took. I could never see them before. I think I can now, just give one more. I swear I'll make good. Please. I'll never let you down again."

"But…" started Buffy.

"I know it's hard," Faith said gently. "Maybe too hard, and if you want to send me away again that's up to you. But this is the decision time. I can't do it anymore. Not without some hope."

"Hope?"

Faith finally let a tear drop from her eye. "Don't give me that shit B. You know how I really feel about you, you've always known. If you can't deal…"

Faith closed her eyes and lay back down on the bed, turning away from Buffy.

"I'm going to get some sleep. You think on it, okay? If you need to walk away, don't fret it. I'll take care of everything."

To be continued...