As they drove along in Callum's car, Faith soon realized they were headed towards his father's pub, "Did you need to stop at the pub for something?"

"Ah, about that— I actually live above the pub."

"So the other night—"

"Would have been way too easy to just take you upstairs. I've lost my interest in that kind of relationship."

"Damn, I'm not sure if I should be impressed or insulted."

"I'm hoping you go with impressed."

"Seriously though, I get it," she shrugged, as they headed towards the back of the building.

Callum unlocked a door that opened into a little entryway with a coat rack, a little bench and a large potted plant. Callum sat on the bench to remove his boots and set them on a little mat next to a pair of jogging shoes. Faith slipped off her shoes hesitantly. Callum chuckled, "Come on up, ladies first," he gestured up the enclosed staircase leading up to his flat.

The stairs opened up to a nice sized kitchen on the left hand side of the flat with living room on the right and a dining set with a live edge table broke up the space. The table was already set for two with candles set in a cast iron candelabra. A short hall off of the living room led back to the bedroom with the bathroom situated in the opposite corner behind the kitchen, "It's not much but it's comfortable."

The flat had clearly been renovated within the last five years. The kitchen was all new and done in white and shades of gray with a dark blue backsplash and a cluster of small blue pendant lights hung above a kitchen island. The countertops and the island were topped with shimmering black Quartz with flecks of white. Three black barstools with blue vinyl seats sat on one side of the island.

The living room was painted white with the exception of the exposed brick on the longest wall where his couch was situated between two windows. A TV and stereo system sat opposite of the couch. A monochromatic mural of a knight's helmet and stylized filigree in dark blue surrounded the entertainment area. There were a number of framed pictures on the walls, Callum's watercolors no doubt. What really caught Faith's attention were the three shelves in the corner, filled with trophies and ribbons.

"It's really nice, did you do all the work in here?"

"Angus, my dad and my brother pitched in too. Mum helped design the place, especially the kitchen. She had a heavy hand in decorating too; I was a bit out of my depth on that one. Lucky she knows what I like. I keep telling her she's got a hidden talent. My best friend did that," he said pointing to the mural.

"I love it. It looks like a bad-ass tattoo."

"That's what she does. Bad-ass ink."

"It's really great. All of it. Maybe you should have your mom take a look at Buffy's place."

"It's an idea. I'm going to hit the shower, there's beer under the counter there and I put a few in the fridge if you'd rather have it cold. Make yourself at home. I won't be long," he pulled her in for a quick kiss, "definitely won't be long."

Callum quickly made his way through the kitchen and closed the bathroom door behind him Faith decide to take his advice and grab the beer from the refrigerator. She was getting more used to drinking it warm but she still preferred it cold. She took her beer over to the shelves of trophies that had caught her eye and realised that they were for multiple martial arts fighting styles. While most of the framed pictures on the walls were indeed various watercolors, the larger of these frames were in fact old MMA fight posters; featuring Callum.

"What else are you keeping quiet," she murmured to herself.

Faith went back to the table and rummaged in her bag to pull out a lighter before lighting the candles. She ran her hand along the irregular edge of the table; as she did so the bathroom door opened. Faith looked up just in time to see Callum as he made his way to his bedroom.

"Nice ink" she said, catching a glimpse of the intricate Celtic knotwork tree on his right shoulder and bicep.

"No peeking," he grinned.

"Damn, Boy, you're a tease."

"If you like that one, wait until you see the rest," He called from the bedroom.

"Oh now, that's not fair."

"All in due time, Darlin'. Are you trying to tell me that little armband of yours is your one and only?"

Faith smirked, "I didn't say that."

Callum came out of the bedroom pulling a clean T-shirt down over his jeans, "So you are holding out on me, Lass."

"Guess you'll have to wait and see. I'll play your game. I guarantee I have more scars than tattoos."

"Those can be damn sexy too."

"What about you? You got more than what's peeking out from under your sleeves there?"

"No cheating."

"We gonna eat or what?" she teased.

"Absolutely."

Callum pulled the plates from the table and filled them while Faith grabbed a couple of beers for each of them. As they sat down Callum cleared his throat, "Let's eat."

"So how come you never said anything about your martial arts training?"

Callum shrugged, "Dunno, was a time I had girls fallin' all over me just because I was competing. Guess I just didn't want to take that route, especially when I found out what you teach. It's common ground and all but still. I didn't want you to think I was just boasting or some rot. And then with the slayer thing…"

"I'd annihilate you."

"See that's another thing, I'm way too competitive. Not sure if I could handle going toe-to-toe with you, Lass."

"Afraid I'll hurt your pride?"

He chuckled, "When you say 'super strength', exactly what are we talking about here?"

"I can throw a guy your size through a wall… kind of a favorite pastime; but I can't lift my Volkswagen if that's what you're asking. I bet Buffy and I could do it together if we really tried."

"Are you messing with me?"

"Maybe, maybe not," she grinned, "Honestly I don't really know. Not like I go around lifting stuff or weighing stuff before I lift it. Don't know how much an I-beam weighs but I can lift one of those pretty easily."

Callum set his fork down, "Really? Yeah I'm not taking you on. Don't get me wrong, that's wicked and all but I'm used to being in the ring. I want a fight where I got at least a 50/50 chance of winning," he grinned, "It is pretty cool though."

"It has its perks I guess, sometimes it can be a little hard to get past though. You know, just be a person?"

"And here I am asking questions."

"Nah, I get it. You're curious."

"But sometimes it's nice to forget about it for a bit too I bet?"

"There's always alcohol," she said, tilting her beer bottle towards him.

"I got plenty of that, and I can always get more."

"Yeah, how is that, living over the pub?"

Callum laughed, "First thing I did when I took this place was rip up the floorboards and add sound proofing, it's pretty effective."

"Nice."

"How's the roast?"

"It's really good, your crock-pot does good work."

He chuckled, "Here I thought it was the beer and rosemary I put in."

"Thought there was something different about it. So what did you think about Buffy's little project?"

"Funny, you calling it little. There's a lot of work to do but a good chunk of it is cosmetic. First she's going to want to have the windows and that leaking fireplace fixed. But that's… look I know you don't really want to talk about your not-cousin's future love nest."

"Just making conversation. What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know, maybe the elephant in the room?"

"Sex?"

Callum laughed, "Ok… Yes, we are gathered here today with the intention to join these two bodies in unlawful carnal knowledge."

"Never had anyone put it quite like that before…" she laughed.

"I sort of meant the other elephant in the room. We're trying to get to know each other here, we've both been on the wrong side of the law. Why don't we start there?"

Faith put her fork down and rocked back in her chair a little, "Sure you want to go there?"

"Don't have to, but I sort of think I'd like to know who's not sleeping in my bed. I can start if you'd like."

"Might not want me in your bed once you find out."

Callum reached for her hand, "I promise I won't judge."

"Careful what you promise, you might have to break it."

"I'll go first. I'd been in and out of trouble for years scrapping and what not. Was a real hot head when I was a teen sort of cooled off a bit after I started competing but not much. Anyway, I was with this Lass, havin' a laugh for a while. One night after a match, this bloke comes up to me ranting about shagging his girl. Said some nasty bits about her too which set me off. I nearly beat the guy to death. Would have done if Angus and a buddy of mine hadn't pulled me off of him. Put him in a coma for about a week and he was in the hospital for a good long time. Did some time for that and been keeping out of trouble ever since."

Faith poked at the last few bites of food on her plate and nodded, "Pretty standard stuff. Hope you're ready to hear this, my story isn't so standard," she finished her beer, "Mind if I have another?"

"Sure, Lass," he said, taking their empty bottles and bringing over fresh ones. Callum sat down across from her and waited.

Faith took a deep breath, "Not long after I got my powers I met Buff. One night we were out patrolling, it was a heavy night. We were kicking ass left and right. I was really into it and all of a sudden she's trying to call me off this vamp… I staked him…" she took a sip of her beer, "Wasn't a vamp. Buffy spotted the human and I didn't… she tried to stop me and I didn't."

"With your job—"

"That's not all. I got mixed up with a seriously shady politician. He was evil as hell but he treated me… nice… kinda like a father I guess. I worked for him, he protected me… did some pretty awful stuff in there. Made B my enemy in a really big way when I almost killed her boyfriend. I lost that fight, ended up in a coma for a good long while myself. Can't blame her looking back on it now. But I sure didn't see it that way when I first woke up. Did some more awful stuff, mostly to Buffy and friends and the new boyfriend. Went to LA, did some more awful stuff to the people trying to help me. Including Buffy's ex, who incidentally is the same guy who's now like my big-brother mentor-whatever. He just wouldn't give up on me," she took another drink of beer, "So, I ended up turning myself in to the police to keep him safe. I owe him everything. Took a nice long break from society after that. He kept visiting and calling the whole time I was in there. Didn't get out until oh, about a year and a half almost two years ago when he needed some serious help. Been batting for the good guys ever since. Helped stop an apocalypse and now I'm just trying to be a better person. Teach these girls how to be better than me..."

"Well now… when you put it like that…" Callum took a long pull of his beer. He didn't say a word as he got up and made his way to the kitchen.

"Callum, please… I—"

"Could use something a little stronger than beer I'd wager, yeah?" He asked as he pulled out a bottle of whiskey and a couple of glasses.

"Cal—"

He held up a hand for silence as he poured them each a glass, "I know you like the stuff from the Abbey, but I really think you'll appreciate this one," he said casually.

"Wait, what? Aren't you going to like kick me out or something?"

"Why would I do that?"

"I thought you'd be freaked out."

"Not if you're truly on the path to redemption. I told you I wasn't going to judge. Besides, if all these people who were on the receiving end of all this can forgive you and give you another chance, why shouldn't I give you a chance too?" Faith walked closer to him as he handed her one of the glasses.

"Thanks," she said weakly.

"Look, I asked, and I should have known better… I mean I know your life is complicated and the way you've talked about your past… I should have realized it was more—"

"Screwed up?"

"Well, yeah, alright… but, Faith…"

Faith couldn't look at him, she downed her drink and set the empty glass down, "Look, if you just want to call this whole thing off, I—"

Callum closed the short distance between them, quickly silencing her with a kiss. He moved one strong hand to her back and the other cradled the back of her head, holding her firmly. He kissed her like he needed her the way a drowning man needs oxygen.

Taken by surprise, Faith stiffened for a brief moment before melting into the kiss. She moved a hand up under his shirt feeling his well defined muscles. Callum grabbed her roughly pulling her up onto him. She responded in kind by wrapping her legs around him as he made his way over to the dining room table. He set her down on the edge of the table on the opposite side of their abandoned dinner. "God, help me Faith, I can't care about any of that. I think I love you…" he gasped breathlessly, "Please stay."

Faith felt the sting of tears in her eyes, "Why?"

"Don't be daft girl, I just said—"

Faith started to push him away, "No I mean why— how can… how can you love me? I'm—"

Callum brought a hand up to her cheek, "You're amazing, Faith."

"No I'm not. Didn't you hear what I said? After everything I've done— I don't—"

"I've lost control, Love, I know what that's like. What happened after… Look I don't get all of it. I never will, I know that."

"I glossed over so much, you don't even know… you don't know the real me, the person I was—

"Isn't the person in front of me. When we learn from our mistakes we don't become them. All you can do is move forward and keep trying to do better. That's what I see in you, Faith. That's what I saw in you when we first met. Even before you told me everything—"

"But I didn't."

"Faith—" he took her hand in his, "You are who you are now because you want to be. You're beautiful, sodding funny, and the toughest person I've ever bloody met. I see what you're doing with your life now, the kind of work you're choosing to do and I think that's incredible. I want to be with you; if you'll let me."

"Because you love me?"

"I—"

"Or was that just a play to get—"

"Hang on there. I meant what I said, I'm mad for ya, Lass… I just know I'm off my nut saying it when I did… going too fast, I know it… I'm rushing in like a fool and I'm not expecting you—"

Faith threw herself at him and Callum stumbled back hitting the wall near the hallway leading to the bedroom. "Don't be stupid," She kissed him roughly before pulling him around and down the hall.

"Damn, you really are strong."

"I'm not even trying."

"Good thing I can take a hit."

"We'll see about that."

He grinned as he pulled her to him again, kissing her, "I take it you don't have any complaints about going fast."

"As long as you don't mind being in uncharted waters."

"I think I'll manage," he tugged at her dress and she allowed him to pull it off over her head before pushing him against the wall next to the bedroom door. They resumed the kiss, "I knew you had to have more than one," he murmured, glancing down at a partially obscured underbust tattoo.

"You know the rules, I show you mine, you show me yours," Faith pulled at his shirt and he yanked it off revealing a Celtic knotwork bear on the left side of his chest and wrapping around his shoulder, in addition to the Celtic knotwork tree of life on his right shoulder and bicep.

"Damn son, that's some impressive ink," she said as she ran her fingers over the intricate lines of the bear on his chest. She began to trail kisses along his neck and shoulder until she spotted another tattoo on his back, "Holy f—" she turned him around roughly, "that's intense." Callum's entire back was covered with one very large tattoo.

"You like it?"

"The artwork is incredible, but what is it exactly? Is this your Family Crest or a Coat of Arms or something?"

Callum turned his head to try to see her better, "Both actually, Ross Clan Crest on the top there with the family motto 'Spem Successus Alit'."

"Which means?" She asked as she traced the stylized letters stretching across the back of his broad muscular shoulders.

Callum grinned in appreciation as he answered, "It means 'Success Nourishes Hope'," he continued distractedly as she traced the tattoo, "So, eh, there's the motto, and the Ross Crest combined with the Ross Coat of Arms."

Faith continued to run her hand along the well defined muscles of his back as well as the artwork covering it. The Coat of Arms showed a knight's helmet atop a large shield with three stylized lions on their hind legs. The artwork on the stylistic foliage at the bottom and Celtic knot-work at the top, surrounding the large tattoo blended it seamlessly into the tattoos on his arms and shoulders, "Damn, you're making me want to get some new ink."

Callum turned around grinning, "Maybe I can introduce you to the Lass that did these for me."

"Your bestie that did the mural?"

"One in the same."

"Maybe…" she murmured as she let her hands roam down and started unbuttoning his pants. Callum closed his eyes and sighed as she trailed her tongue down his chest. Faith paused again as she found another tattoo running along his left side towards the bottom of his rib cage.

She ran her fingers along the words as she read the writing, "'Be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead', sounds like good advice."

"Old saying, always liked it. That's my newest," he wove his fingers in her hair and pulled her back up. He kissed her neck roughly feeling the uneven skin under his tongue, "What's this?" He asked, tracing the scar on her neck.

"Souvenir from the time I helped out that friend I was telling you about. When I got out of prison," she panted as she moved her hands down to his pants again.

"Hang on, are you saying that Angel guy bit you?"

She backed up holding him at arm's length, "He wasn't himself, how do you know about Angel? I never said his name."

"Spike. We had a chat about the whole soulful vampire thing."

"Seriously? So he explained everything?"

"I doubt it, but it was enough to be getting on with," he said, kissing her again.

"God damn you are so hot right now!", she said as she resumed pulling down his pants and boxers, "Holy-"

Callum stepped out of his clothes as he backed the two of them into the bedroom. He pulled her closer to him pressing against her. Faith gasped, feeling him against her. She suddenly felt overdressed in her lace bra and panties and made a move to remove them. Realizing what she needed, Callum unfastened her bra with one hand and waited for her to shrug it off.

He eyed her with hunger in his eyes, "You're perfect, Faith," he took a breast in one hand rolling the tip between his fingers as he studied the tattoo there low on her sternum, a dagger and a black rose, "Now that's sexy."

In response Faith reached down, taking him in her hand. Callum made a gruff sensual sound as he tugged at the tiny panties still obscuring her body, "I want you Faith. All of you."

"Say 'Please'," she added as she slipped them down and strode over to the bed. Revealing one last tattoo, a tiny broken-heart, located high on her right butt cheek. She crawled onto the bed slowly.

"Please?"

Faith turned, standing on her knees she beckoned him forward. Callum joined her on the bed kneeling as she was, he pressed himself close to her again as he held her. Faith tilted her head for a kiss and trailed a hand down to hold him firmly. Callum pushed her hand away gently, before cupping a hand to her. Feeling her with the tips of his fingers for the first time.

Faith moaned into his mouth as he gently played, slowly picking up pace. Faith broke the kiss, "I want you, Callum."

"And how do you want me, Lass?" He whispered with a grin.

Faith laid back pulling him down with her. He gazed at her tenderly as he moved with her. Faith adjusted herself, inviting him in. Callum took his time working his way in slowly until he felt her body tense. He stopped and kissed her gently, "Are you alright, Love?"

"I'm, I'm fine, it's just for a second…" She trailed off and took a deep breath, "The last time someone looked at me like that, I ehh, wasn't exactly myself. I kinda freaked out."

"Your ex? That Robin bloke?"

"No, it's a long story."

"Listen, if you're not ready… if you want to stop… I've got plenty of cold water. We can just watch a movie or something if this is going too fast for you."

Faith looked up at his sincere face. He really meant it and he wasn't angry. She shook her head, "Not a chance, I finally got you right where I want you," she ran her hand over his naked form pressed into her and grabbed his ass. Then she tilted her head, "well almost, I do like to be on top," she grinned up at him.

"I love a woman who knows what she wants," he made a move to readjust but Faith stopped him.

"Not now. Why only ever get wild-cherry when there are loads of other flavors to try?" she pulled him back down for a kiss.

"Whatever the lady wants. Sure this isn't too vanilla for you?" he grinned.

"We'll and in some wild-cherry later," she smirked as she wrapped a leg around him pulling him into her. She arched her back as she felt him respond.

"Always been more of a rocky-road kind of gent myself," he added with a grin as he began to thrust.

Faith tilted her hips and dug her nails into his shoulders spurring him on, "Love me some rocky-road."

It was nearly two hours later when Faith and Callum kissed once more before Faith rolled onto the bed next to him. They were both still struggling to catch their breath. The moment she separated from him, she felt like something essential was missing.

Callum cupped her cheek in his hand and placed his thumb on her bottom lip, "What was that?" He panted.

Faith shook her head as she caught her breath. "Buffy tried to warn me," tears stung at the back of her eyes but that was as far as they got.

"Bout what?" He asked as he tried to wrap his arm around her.

"She, ah… she has a theory about that thing that happens when we kiss," Faith struggled to get her emotions in check, "I didn't want to believe it, but after that, I don't know what else to think."

Callum turned onto his side so he could see her better. He pulled her closer to hold her in his arms, "What's this theory, Love?"

Faith stared into his strikingly blue eyes, "She thinks it has to do with us being soulmates…. or something." She said it quickly and looked away as though she was afraid she sounded crazy.

Instead, he just smiled, "Spike seems to be a believer. Is that your way of saying you love me too?"

"I— I've never been… in love."

"Until now?"

"I kinda thought it might'a been the real thing with my ex, but I know it wasn't. That didn't feel anything like this."

Callum ran his hand along her arm and down her side, "This being?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not good with feelings. Like, I seriously suck at the whole thing. It's something I'm sort of working on. All I really know is that I feel like I've been hit with a ton of bricks and you make me wish we'd done this thing a long time ago. And I don't just mean the sex. Even though; holy shit man. That was out of the freaking park."

Callum grinned, "Glad to know it's not one sided."

"Don't be an ass," she paused for a moment, she ran her fingers along the Celtic-knot bear head tattooed on his chest, "Is it alright if I don't know right now?"

He squeezed her gently, "Course, it is. Although if you ask me, I think you know exactly what it is we have here. You're just having a hard time putting a name on it. Especially if we're working with the soulmate angle," he kissed her and they both felt the mild tingle that always occurred when they kissed, "Ya needn't be afraid Lass."

A/N: To be continued... Please Read and Review!