A/N: Thank you all for the reviews! and for your patience with the plotline.

Chapter 4 – Death

Faith looked around for Buffy, not surprised to find her sparring with the new slayer, Andy. Buffy hadn't spoken to anyone about what she had learned from the First Slayer, except that the problem with the slayers was temporary. Temporary? It had only been three days and already there had been eight cases – that they knew of – of slayers losing their powers. And no matter what they said, Buffy wouldn't give them any details.

Watching Buffy, Faith grew nervous. The older slayer was acting too calm – normally, the slayer would be bugging everyone until a solution was found. It just wasn't like Buffy to accept bad news calmly, and to do nothing about it.

Then there was the new slayer. The two of them had become inseparable in the last few days – too close too soon in Faith's opinion. Especially since Andy was treating everyone else like they had the plague; if she wasn't hanging out with Buffy she disappeared for several hours. Probably as a result of the three of them living together in close quarters; Buffy had refused to let the new slayer stay anywhere but with her and Faith – and Faith wasn't overjoyed with sharing her room and roommate with a practical stranger.

Andy hit the floor hard and groaned. She loved to spar with Buffy, but man she was getting tired of hitting the ground. Looking over to the side, she saw Faith giving her the evil eye. Faith made her nervous, especially since the girl was always glaring at her whenever Andy was with Buffy. The younger girl wanted to explain the situation to Faith, but telling the dark-haired girl that Buffy was her dream girl didn't seem the smart thing to do.

After the ceremony, Buffy had taken Andy to her room, saying they could share until Andy decided what she wanted to do. Walking around the room, Andy smirked as she picked up the small stuffed elephant. This was not the type of room she would expect from a supernatural warrior – but it did suit Buffy perfectly.

"All this a little overwhelming for you?"

Andy sat down on the bed facing Buffy. Taking a deep breath, she replied, "Not really, but I was with my dream girl."

The older slayer became perfectly still, studying Andy intently. Slowly she asked, "Why do you say that?"

"I didn't recognize you at first, but I never got a good look at you. But I recognized your voice and your eyes." Andy looked at Buffy with the same intensity. "You promised you would come for me, and you kept your promise."

Buffy looked away, and slowly made her way to the bed and sat down – continuing to look at the floor. The room filled with silence, and Andy was about to speak when Buffy beat her to it.

"A month ago I started to hear voices, like I was listening in on other peoples' thoughts. I also started having dreams, but I didn't remember them until just now. I didn't know what they meant so I tried to ignore them." Buffy fell silent again, and the younger girl waited patiently for her friend to continue.

"I thought I had beaten destiny, but I guess it's something that can't be beaten – only changed."

You think you know what's to come? You haven't even begun.

Impulsively, Andy grabbed Buffy's hand.

"You don't have to do it alone." Andy didn't know why she made the offer – especially after a lifetime of looking out only for herself. But at that moment, every instinct she had was telling her to help the older girl. That their destinies were intertwined, if only at this moment.

Andy was startled out of her thoughts as Buffy grabbed her hand and launched her to her feet.

"Hey Faith, did you need something?" Buffy called out, as she wiped off the sweat form her arms.

"Nah, B, just came to see how you were doing."

Buffy rolled her eyes at Faith playfully.

"You're such a worry-wart, Faith!" she complained, but her tone was oddly flat. Faith looked at her sharply, but nothing on the blonde's face gave her away.

"So how about patrol?" Buffy asked brightly, knowing that Faith wouldn't refuse a chance to go patrolling. Faith shrugged and headed out the door, yelling back, "You coming, B?"

Buffy exchanged a serious look with Andy before she jogged after Faith. Andy watched her friend go with a sad look on her face.

Faith and Buffy patrolled, talking about everything and nothing at all.

Suddenly, Buffy turned to Faith and said seriously, "Faith, I need to tell you something."

"What? You're really gay and have been digging my bod for the last few years?" Faith joked, but sobered when Buffy continued to watch her solemnly.

"I'm sorry."

Faith looked at Buffy in surprise. "For what, B?"

"For not being there for you when you needed me. For not trying to understand you, and not forgiving you when you deserved it. I'm sorry."

Looking away, Faith tried to keep the tears filling her eyes from falling. She had always hoped that someday she would hear from Buffy that she was forgiven; yet she never really believed it would happen.

"Yeah, well, thanks," Faith said, trying for a nonchalance that didn't fool Buffy a bit.

They continued to patrol, staying away from any emotionally heavy topics. Faith stopped and looked around in frustration.

"Damn, it doesn't look like the dead are out tonight. How about we…"

A vampire jumped and attacked Faith, while two of his buddies went after Buffy. It didn't take long for Faith to take care of her vampire and she turned to see how Buffy did with her own. Buffy had her back to Faith – her two vamps already dust. A remark died in Faith's throat as the blonde turned around to face her sister slayer.

A knife still embedded in Buffy's stomach.

Buffy collapsed but the dark slayer caught her before she hit the ground. Cradling the older slayer in her arms, Faith started to carry her to the nearest hospital.

"Faith, stop," Buffy whispered.

"Buffy, I've got to get you to a hospital," Faith said in a panic. Buffy smiled softly.

"You said my name."

And Buffy died.

TBC

A/N: Don't kill me! REVIEW