Wow! I'm finally updating this story. Sorry I made everyone wait so long, I just couldn't make myself sit down and write a chapter for this fic. It took a tattoo to get me to write this chapter... okay, well not really the tattoo itself, but the fact that I'm trying to hide it from my parents. It's been kinda hard so far to hide the tattoo on my middle finger, so I've retreated to the comfort and safety of my room. It's also kinda hard to hide the tounge piercing that's causing me to have a lisp. I can't pronounce the letter S, the letter T, or any words that have TH in it (words like, that, this, thing, apathy...you get the point). I bet you're wondering why I'm hiding these things if I'm 18. I'm supposed to be able to do whatever I want right...wrong! You don't know my step father. When I got my ears pierced (I got three piercings on my ear lobes, if you were wondering) he was complaining that I looked like a punk. He gets really annoying, and starts with the glares...I can't take the glares, they're horrifying! So I'm trying to put it off. I know it won't last long though 'cause my brother already knows about the tounge piercing, and he kinda saw the tattoo...but I told him that I drew it with a pen...he's so gullible. Well enough about my problems, just read the fic.

...but first I'd like to thank my beta. Without her my story would make as much sense as...umm...something that doesn't make any sense at all. I'd also like to thank everyone that has previously reviewed this story. You guys rock! Okay now, on to the story! For real this time.

Chapter 13: Found

The sun was high on the sky as the three girls walked slowly down the beach. Buffy was holding Faith's hand who had Hope in her arms, her little head lying on the brunette's shoulder. The dark slayer looked down at Buffy, who had a far off look, so she brought their joined hands to her lips. The blonde slayer turned towards Faith and gave her a weak smile. Faith pulled Buffy close to her and ran her fingers through her blonde hair.

"Do you have any regrets?" Buffy frowned thinking for a second. Hurt played across Faith's eyes when the blonde didn't answer right away. Noticing this, Buffy quickly clarified.

"No, not about us. This..." She waved a hand between the two of them.

"...has been the best thing to happen to me in a really long time. I just...feel guilty because I know that mom and the scoobs are alone living on top of a Hellmouth. There's no one to protect them and it's all my fault."

"This wasn't your fault, B, don't try to blame yourself. If there was a way we could get out of this island, we would have done it long ago."

"I just can't help thinking that we didn't try hard enough."

"Baby, if I had the slightest idea of where we are I would have built a raft, hopped in it, and gotten some help. But that would be suicide. We would have ended up lost in the middle of the ocean without any food or water. Plus they've had years of practice, they can take care of themselves, especially with Giles leading them. They're probably out there looking for us right now." Faith pointed out to the sea.

"What about my mother? She must be worried sick...or maybe they think I'm dead and they've stopped looking." She added the last part horrified.

"The scoobs have faith in you, they won't stop looking. They'll find us, you'll see. All we have to do is wait." She kissed the worried blonde's forehead and took hold of her hand once more as they started walking again.

Somewhere in the middle of the ocean

"Are we almost there Giles?" Willow impatiently asks for the thousandth time.

"Yes, just a couple more miles." The ex-librarian hands her a pair of binoculars.

"The island should be in that general direction." Giles says pointing to the front. The witch eagerly looked through the binoculars and saw a small island in the distance.

"I see it Giles!" Willow jumped up excited. A couple of minutes later and they were both standing on soft white sand. Willow looked around her amazed. Wow, this place is like paradise. They probably didn't want to be found, no wonder it took me so long to find them . I know I wouldn't want to leave if I was in a place like this, away from all the demons and bad people, but it's their responsibility. I hope they don't put up a fight when we tell them they have to go back. Giles had been looking for any disturbance to the natural habitat. At first sight nothing was visible, but as he got closer to the jungle he could see foot steps.

"I think I found something that will lead us straight to them." The man stated startling Willow out of her thoughts.

"What is it, Giles?" The redhead asked as she walked towards the watcher. She gasped when she saw the trail starting from the edge of the jungle and leading towards the ocean.

"They can't be far." Willow said as she started to follow the prints.

Further down the beach

"Check this out, B." Faith sat a couple of feet away from the baby with Buffy next to her, watching as the brunette started calling the little girl over.

"Come here Hope. That's right, come to mamma." The blonde watched in amazement as the baby started crawling on the sand to get to Faith. When she reached her destination, Faith picked her up and kissed her chubby cheeks, then sat her back on the sand. Buffy smiled and started calling Hope over to her and the baby crawled back and forth between her two mommies. That's how Giles and Willow found them. They could see the three girls far ahead. They were so far away that they looked like tiny ants.

"That's them, Giles!" The redhead pointed.

"Oh, thank God." He said. Willow ran ahead of him and he picked up his pace. The witch was so excited that she started yelling the blonde's name and waving her arms in the air.

"Holy shit!" Faith was the first to notice.

"Faith! Watch your language around the baby!" Buffy scolded.

"B, I think that's Red!" Her arm came up to point past the blonde. Buffy turned and a gasp was heard when her sight landed on the redhead coming from the distance. The blonde slayer did not hesitate to run full speed towards her friend. They met half way, embracing in a fierce hug.

"Willow! I've missed you so much! How...how did you get here? How did you find us?" She managed to get out as tears started to pour from her eyes.

"It's a long story. I'm so glad you're okay." the redhead laughed as she held the blonde slayer. Giles cleared his throat to notify his presence.

"Giles! I'm so happy to see you!" Buffy wrapped her arms around her mentor as he held her close. Faith had collected the baby from the ground and made her way to the happy reunion. Willow turned around and was startled to see Faith standing close by.

"Faith, I'm glad you're okay too." The witch said with some reservation. She extended her hand for the slayer to shake, but the brunette used her free arm to pull her into a hug.

"It's good to see you, Red." Willow smiled and returned the hug. Buffy smiled at the sight before her. When the two girls separated, Buffy took Hope in her arms. The baby, who had been asleep throughout the reunion, was now starting to stir. "Oh, I almost forgot. Willow, Giles, this is Hope. She's..."

"We know who she is." The redhead interrupted.

"Huh?" Both slayers said at the same time.

"What you talking about Willow?" Faith's brow arched in confusion.

"We'll explain everything, but at this moment we have to gather your things so we can depart before dark." Giles reasoned. Two confused slayers, a watcher, a witch, and a baby made their way into the jungle.

Giles gazed at the hut amazed that these two girls, who a couple of months ago knew nothing about surviving without the commodities of civilization, built by themselves.

"You two built this?" He asked.

"Yeah." Faith answered with a shrug.

"This is quite magnificent." The watcher got closer to inspect the bindings on the wall.

"Well, you know, we did our best. We couldn't just sleep on the ground in the middle of jungle after Hope was born." Buffy said while she gathered their things in a suitcase.

"Are we ready?" Willow asked from outside the hut, where she had been admiring the beautiful waterfall. With one last look around the place she had called home for months, the blonde nodded and grabbed the suitcase. Faith took hold of Buffy's hand and pulled her out of the hut. Giving the place a glance over her shoulder, the brunette's eyes flickered with sadness, but was quickly replaced by indifference. We're headed back where we belong, where we're needed. This is for the best. She looked at the sleeping girl in her arms and smiled. She deserves a chance to have a normal childhood, and a life full of friends and family. Not like mine. She'll never have to go through what I've been through. As long as I'm alive, this little girl will be happy. As Buffy and Faith continued to walk towards the boat, their hands clasped together, the brunette brings their joined hands to her lips and kisses the top of Hope's head. Nothing's ever gonna happen to my girls as long as I'm here.

TBC...

They're finally getting off the island...What's gonna happen to our three favorite girls when they get back to Sunnydale? Could this story be coming to an end? Find out, on the next episode of 'Unexpected Redemption'!