Note: Well, my lovely reviewers… This is the end.

Disclaimer: I wish I owned BtVS… but alas…

Dedicated To…

Everyone out there who supported me every step of the way (and my girl, Karen, who's the best thing I've got going for me now and has been since everything started falling apart again – I love her to bits 3). Thank you.

Ash – *LOL* The 'twice' bit is a nasty little twist, isn't it? *grins* And hey, look! Another update. Better than flowers and get-well cards?

lil badass – No dishing out pain to Buffy! … Unless it involves chains. Because I like chains. *lol* I don't watch Will and Grace, so I couldn't say much about the episode… although it sounds very interesting. I have the Full Throttle DVD though… and there is a whole lot of ass… and all around fun. Well, I enjoyed it anyway. :P Sorry for making all of you wait so long, by the way. But better late than never, isn't it? And *LOL*… Dear lil badass, define "hard sex and drugs"…

rma – Yeees again. And no, Buffy isn't. I couldn't understand why, for the life of me, Faith puts up with all that. Although… taking into consideration the end of Season 3, I guess she didn't, huh?

cw – The moment you've all been waiting for… the last chapter… Enjoy yourself! Or. Kill me after you're done. Whatever. *laughs*

Akasha15 – I don't think you want to know what I'll do with that name. *winks back conspiringly* *laughs* No. Not really. I'm an angel. The epitome of innocence. Really. *clears throat* …

VixenRaign – *lol* Faith is definitely a hottie. Anyone else checking out that leather clad ass and that chest? *LOL* And. Aw! I won't repeat a thing. *offers hugs*

GrimSage – Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! Or. Not. *LOL* Depending what you're into.

Nightwalker – That's cool. And yeah, plot twists. I like them. Hence the often plot twists… which… obvious. *ramble*

Note: Constructive criticism always welcome… as well as senseless praise. Hey, a writer does have some needs…

Part VII – "Release"

The gun went inside you in place of my finger.

Your cry echoes through the room. The perfect mix of pain and pleasure.

"Is it cold, Buffy? Is it cold?" I spit, blinded by fury. "Is this how Angel felt inside you? Did you like it? Do you like it now? Answer me!"

You're helpless to the gun and all you can do is scream. Scream incoherent answers into my ears. I thrust it in deeper, faster and your hips twitch franticly. Your bronzed skin gleams with a film of sweat and your breaths more shallow than ever. Lost in ecstasy without me.

"Does it hurt? Is it so cold it hurts?" Does it hurt you as much as it hurts me, B? Are you as blinded by the feeling as I am by this anger? Are you as lost as I am? Are you really? "Go on, go on and scream."

And you do, as you fall over the edge. Louder than ever, in a near-deafening volume.

But never as loud as my torture inside.

Once the spasms cease, you lie limp and silent in my bed, eyes still closed. I know why, Buffy. I know. You don't want to look at me. You don't want to have to face what we did. What you did.

Is there even a 'we'? Was there ever an 'us'?

Probably not.

The gun slides out easily, but I don't want to look at it. I guess I don't want to see what I've done, either.

It falls on the floor with a muted 'thump'.

Nothing in the dead silence but our labored breaths.

Adrenaline's deserted me and my arms, shaking faintly, fail me. I fall onto you, barely conscious of anything but the sting in the back of my eyes. I twist my head away from you, burying my face in the pillow. The draining numbness of exhaustion mingles with rising, overwhelming shame. The hollow ache beneath my breast grows.

And suddenly.

I'm crying.

Silent tears soaking into the cotton. Surrounded by everything that's you. I've hurt you. I won. Game… over? But I can't be happy. I can't be satisfied. The emptiness gnaws at me more than ever. Nothing matters anymore.

"Faith," your voice is hesitant and weighed down with guilt, "I'm... I'm sorry."

I will never have you.

Even if I spent forever dying from needing you.

Never.

You'll always love Him.

... But it's not your fault.

A sigh. I'm breathing out my life.

"I know, B."

NOTE: I believe I'll be releasing my sequel to "Unrequited" sometime soon… along with my new original fiction, if and when I ever get done with it. If you want to keep in touch, (so I could update you on new things and such, or just chill – I've got free time to burn every once in a while), leave an email or screen name (MSN, Yahoo!, and AIM will all work fine). Talk soon. 'til then – take care and mind your lesbian subtext!