In Sunnydale Cemetery, Faith had landed hard on the same spot she had been before she was taken away. Dazed from her fall, she could only lie on the ground and breathe deeply, waiting for the pain in her ribs to subside. It all seemed like a surreal dream and she idly wondered if all the things she'd seen and done were reality. Before she could contemplate any further, though, Faith found herself being lifted abruptly to her feet. Before she could say or do anything, the dark slayer felt herself being enveloped in a suffocating hug and she turned her head slightly to the side to see Buffy holding on tightly. Holding back as hard as she could and feeling tears prick her eyes, Faith gently placed a kiss on Buffy's cheek and the blonde turned her head so the two of them met in a heated kiss. The sun was rising as they reaffirmed their bond and love for one another and as it did so, Faith noticed out of the corner of her eye that there was no longer a headstone where Mrs Summers had been buried the previous night. Buffy looked as well and was about to ask when Faith pressed two fingers against her lips, silencing her. Not saying another word, Faith took Buffy by the hand and led her out of the graveyard. As they walked along the street, Buffy noticed a significant change in Faith's hair colouration. There was a stripe of brilliant white on each side of her head in the centre of her brown locks and her eyes were also looking more content than Buffy had seen them look for a long time. Faith only stopped walking once they had reached the Summers house. She opened the door gently and stepped back for Buffy to enter first. Her heart was immediately in her mouth as she found herself looking into the face of her mother.
"Mum! Mummy!" she couldn't contain the squeal of joy and emotion as she, like Dawn a few hours earlier, threw herself into the arms of Joyce Summers. Tears of joy flowed down her face, her whole body shook with sobs as she felt the reassuring presence of her mother fill her every pore again. Faith stood quietly, watching the pair reunited and it truly warmed her heart. It was the same joy she had felt being with the slayer mother, the same contentment and love. She would never forget that experience and was thankful for the streaks she had as a permanent reminder. Kennedy appeared just behind Joyce and her eyes locked with Faith's in an understanding. Faith could sense from the first time she met Kennedy that there was a hidden force within, which it turned out was because of the younger girl being a potential slayer. Once Buffy and her mum had parted, Faith walked over and hugged the both of them tightly.
They were a complete family for the first time.
Later on that night, Buffy and Faith were sitting in Buffy's bedroom, gazing out at the twilight sky. It had been a really eventful twenty four hours to say the least for the slayers and everyone around them. Nobody could believe that Joyce Summers and Miss Calendar were alive and well again. The vampires and demons were also very few and far between this particular evening, whereas the previous night they had been swarming everywhere and attacking the slayers from all angles. They were obviously being scarce for a reason, but the slayers weren't too worried about anything at this particular moment. Their world was now complete and they were the happiest they had ever been in their lives. Kennedy had been given training for the majority of the afternoon from the slayers on how to control her newfound slayer urges and also a strict warning not to go anywhere near Dawn when she was feeling the "double Hs" as Faith called them. She was now patrolling the graveyard, ensuring any vampires who rose or were wandering around wouldn't get very far. This was the reason Buffy and Faith were relaxing on Buffy's bed, simply enjoying the feeling of intimacy.
"Faith, why did you wish the things you wished for?" Buffy was speaking in little more than a whisper, "you could've had anything, wished to no longer be a slayer, and changed the course of your entire life. Our mother has that power from what Giles told me, yet you fixed things for those around you. Why, my love?" Faith responded by giving small kisses to her blonde girlfriend. The love surging in her heart was burning brighter than ever; she wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of her life with Buffy.
"I made the wishes I did for those who really matter to me, B," she explained gently, "G-Man's spent too long on his own, pining for that Miss Calendar chick you guys told me about way back in High School. I wanted him to have some love and happiness back in his life, so I asked for him to be reunited with his soul mate. Also, I saw you cry night after night for your mum the time I was back in Sunnydale before you knew I was around. You felt like you couldn't cope without her, that you would be better off dead than here with Dawn. I'm glad you came back from the dead, B, I couldn't have lived without you here and also, I wanted to give your mum the rest of her life back. Lastly, I was fed up of you being restricted to the hellmouth here for the rest of your life. I want to travel the world with you, or just go to the next town and not worry about any evil striking in our absence. This is our time, babe, so we'll enjoy it." These were the last words spoken before the slayers let their love for one another consume them once again.
In the Bronze a couple of nights later, Buffy, Faith, Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya were all hanging out and enjoying one another's company. A lot of newly-awakened slayers had arrived in Sunnydale to make sure the Hellmouth was covered, so the original slayers had a lot more free time on their hands. Buffy still couldn't believe all the things her beautiful lover had done for her in the short time she had been back in her life. Faith had ensured that they would never have to worry about money ever again, she had managed to bring back both her mum and Miss Calendar from the dead and ensured that she would no longer be forever restricted to Sunnydale for the rest of her life. The blonde could live like a normal girl her age; with the freedom she had so long been cruelly denied. Now, though, she was currently missing her dark-haired siren, as both she and Willow were missing. Before she could get up and start looking around for them, however, there was a very familiar voice emanating from the stage.
"Hey, everyone, my friend and I would like to sing a duet right now," Faith's husky, hesitant tones echoed over the room, "this is dedicated to the special women in our lives, those who truly complete us. This is for you." Her eyes locked firmly on Buffy's as she finished talking and began to sing.
Everybody's looking for that something
One thing that makes it all complete
You find it in the strangest places
Places you never knew it could be
Some find it in the face of their children
Some find it in their lover's eyes
Who can deny the joy it brings
When you've found that special thing
You're flying without wings
At this point, Faith stopped singing and Willow's tender voice started up to continue the song.
Some find it sharing every morning
Some in their solitary lives
You'll find it in the works of others
A simple line can make you laugh or cry
You'll find it in the deepest friendship
The kind you cherish all your life
And when you know how much it means
You've found that special thing
You're flying without wings
Faith's voice struck up so both she and Willow sang together at the same time.
So, impossible as it may seem
You've got to fight for every dream
Cause who's to know which one you let go
Would have made you complete
Willow stopped singing and Faith's voice rang out with more passion and emotion than ever before.
Well, for me it's waking up beside you
To watch the sun rise on your face
To know that I can say I love you
In any given time or place
Willow's voice sang the next section while her eyes locked on Tara's, tears shimmering as she saw the love being reflected back at her.
It's the little things that only I know
Those are the things that make you mine
And it's like flying without wings
Cause you're my special thing
I'm flying without wings
Faith sang the last section of the song holding Buffy's hand, for the blonde was now standing right in front of the stage. Their love for one another was plain for everyone in the nightclub to see and it was reflected between Willow and Tara.
And you're the place my life begins
And you'll be where it ends
I'm flying without wings
And that's the joy you bring
I'm flying without wings
The applause was deafening which thundered throughout the Bronze, but none of the four girls heard it. Their lips had met once the song was finished and their bonds were affirmed.
The balance was achieved and that was all that mattered.
The End.