Chapter 5: All I Want For Christmas ...

To Faith, the next couple of hours went by within seconds. She was shown her new apartment – it felt strange to put the words together like that: My new apartment – and everybody pointed out what they'd done to help: Xander and Oz had painted the walls, put up the furniture and thinks like that, while the girls were responsible for the small things that made you feel comfortable … the colors, the lamps and pictures … Faith just couldn't stop herself saying thank you over and over again; she was overwhelmed with gratitude.

When the Scoobs had left, it had been way past midnight already, and suddenly Faith found herself sitting on the sofa – her sofa, she reminded herself – alone with Buffy. She glanced at the blonde and realized that she'd been watching her. "What?"

"Oh, nothing …" the older girl said, smiling. "It's just … you look happy, Faith."

The beaming smile that hadn't left her face all night broadened. "I am." Somehow, it felt like a confession … maybe because Faith couldn't remember a single occasion when she'd been able just to say I'm happy without a shitload of 'buts' following. "It's just … I've never …" How could she explain it to B, hardly understanding it herself? So she settled for something save: "Thank you!"

"You may have said that already …once or twice …" Buffy teased – and then surprised the other girl by scooting closer and resting her head on her shoulder again. "I'm glad you like it." Her finger played with her necklace. "I really like your present, too … it's the most wonderful gift I've ever been given."

"It's nothing special, it's just …" Faith started – but Buffy cut her off: "It is special to me", she said in a soft yet firm voice that left no room for argument. "Not only because it's beautiful, but also because …" She hesitated.

"Why?" The dark-haired girl asked quietly.

" … because it's from you."

Faith turned her head – and found herself looking directly into Buffy's wonderful emerald eyes, for their faces were only inches apart. She felt her breath quicken, especially when the other girl didn't look away, didn't move at all, simply held Faith's gaze, looking into her eyes as if searching for something. And suddenly, a phrase was floating through the younger girl's mind, something she'd heard somewhere: The eyes are the window to the soul ... B's look was completely open, there were no barriers, no veils, she didn't conceal or hold back anything ... she had opened completely, offering to show her anything ... everything. „Buffy ..." she whispered.

„Faith ..." Buffy said at the same time, just a little more firmly. „Remember when I told you, I … I had something for you, too ... something from me alone that I … wanted to give to you after the party?" She sounded a little nervous.

"Mhm …"

"Well, I think … but I'm not sure … maybe you won't like it …"

Faith was still looking into those intriguing green depths … and suddenly she knew. She couldn't say how or why, she just knew, and began to smile. It was a very un-faithish smile, not cocky or sexy, just a happy little smile. "Believe me", she said quietly. „I'm gonna love it …"

There was something like surprise in Buffy's eyes, but then she was smiling, too. And she turned on the sofa to face her more fully, and one of her hands cupped Faith's cheeks. "I think I'm gonna risk it then …"

"Ya ain't riskin' nothin' …" the dark-haired girl murmured, while her fingertips caressed B's jaw line. And then she felt soft lips on her own, and it felt even more wonderful than she'd imagined, and the slowly started returning the kiss, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl, pulling her close. And it felt like Buffy was melting into her, and both girls were melting into their kiss, like it was the most natural thing in the world to kiss each other. And although it was just a simple kiss, a little hesitant and unsure even, it was breathtakingly erotic and promising, and underneath all that, it simply felt right: Like coming home after a long journey, like finally having found the place where you belong …

***

Faith had no idea how much time had passed when the kiss ended … in her world, it might've been Easter or mid-summer or Halloween … She slowly opened her eyes and found Buffy doing the same. "Wow …"

The blond girl smiled at her sweetly, looking a little flushed. "My thoughts exactly …" When the dark-haired girl didn't respond, but just continued looking at her, Buffy began to get a little nervous. "Faith … you all right?"

"Yeah …" It took a moment for the younger Slayer to come out of her daze. She looked at Buffy, brushing her fingertips over her cheek. "This … it is real, right? I'm not … dreamin' or somethin'?"

This was a question so unlike Faith that Buffy couldn't help but giggle – and tease her a little. "Oh, you've been dreaming about kissing me?"

But other then expected, there was no answering smile. "Ya got no idea …"

The blonde girl picked up Faith's free hand and lovingly interlaced their fingers, then brought their joined hands to her lips and gently kissed the other girl's knuckles, one after the other. "Believe me, I do …" Dark eyes met hers. "It's real, Faith – at least I think it is. Because when I dreamed about kissing you, it didn't even come remotely close to this …" And she leaned in again, capturing Faith's full lips for another kiss.

When they parted, both girls were breathing heavily. Faith pulled Buffy even closer and started kissing her jaw line, slowly making her way to the blonde's tender neck, cherishing the feeling of her soft and sensitive skin – and the way the girl was trembling under her touch. "I …" she murmured between the kisses, "have … been … wantin'… to do … this … forever …"

The older girl was biting her lip, but couldn't help to whimper. "Don't let me … stop you …" she managed to get out with difficulties. A moment later, she let out a low moan, for Faith, never one who needed much prompting, had had started nibbling her earlobe. "Oh … god, Faith …"

The girl's husky chuckle sent shivers down her spine. "Ya like that, baby?"

The tone of Faith voice and the fact that she'd that casually called her baby turned Buffy on even more. "Oh, yeah …" And then Faith's lips were on her lips again, and this time the kiss was burning with passion, less gentle and more needy, and suddenly Faith was moving on top of her, and Buffy was pulling her even closer, and … somehow they managed to lose their balance and fall from the sofa, landing on the floor in one heap of entangled limbs.

***

There they lay, completely perplexed – and then both girl started to laugh. "Really smooth, Faith!" Buffy said, giggling, while she simply cuddled closer to the other girl. She didn't care about lying on the floor, she was with Faith, that mattered. "That's a move I definitely have to remember!"

"Hey!" Pretending to be outraged, the Dark Slayer shot a playful glare at her – and made her squeal by poking her into the ribs. "It ain't my fault yer a klutz!"

"I'm not!" The blonde shot back, delivering a poke of her own. "I can be totally graceful! As a matter of fact, I'll have you know that they wanted to call it buffyful at first, but Mum wouldn't allow it – said it wouldn't be good for my modesty to have an ability named after me …" She noticed that Faith was looking at her, an eyebrow risen. "What?"

Faith just shook her head, chuckling. "Yer mind works in funny ways sometimes, B, y'know that, right?"

"Yeah, what can I say?" Buffy beamed at the other girl. "It's part of what makes me all unique and irresistible!"

The dark-haired Slayer looked at her, slowly caressing her cheek with one hand. "You really are, y'know?" she said quietly. "Unique an' irresistible an' beautiful and … mmph …" Whatever she may have wanted to add was cut off by a heated kiss. Now Buffy was on top, straddling Faith's waist and pressing her body against her in a way that made the younger girl moan with pleasure. But she felt like loosing control when Buffy took the opportunity to sneak her tongue into her mouth, kissing her even more deeply. When the blonde ended the kiss, Faith couldn't do anything but looking up at her with glassy eyes and a dazed expression. Wow …

Buffy, on the other hand, was pretty satisfied with the result of her kiss. "You like your second present, too, I take it?" she asked playfully. She was, however, not prepared for Faith to suddenly flip her over so that now she was on top, pinning her down effectively with her body – and even less for her serious expression. "Faith?"

"Buffy." The blond Slayer fell silent at once. The younger girl looked at her for a second, taking a deep breath. "I hated my motel-room, ya know? Not only because it's crappy an' … well, nothin' else, but … also because it always reminded me that I wasn't part of the whole … Scooby-gang …" Buffy wanted to say something. "No … please let me …" When the other girl nodded, she continued. "That's what I thought, anyway … it doesn't matter 'ny more. But … this, this flat … it's great not just because … well, it's great in itself, but because it showed me …" She swallowed. Buffy smiled at her, gently caressing her cheek. "It showed me that … that I belong here, that you actually want me to be here … an' that …" The blond girl once again opened her mouth, but Faith wasn't finished yet. "An' by you, I don't just mean the Scoobs … them, too, of course, but …" She looked at the girl beneath her, looked her straight into the eyes. "You, Buffy. I mean you. From the moment I saw you outside the Bronze that night, I wanted …" She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. "… your respect … your friendship …" Your love.

She wasn't ready yet to say the last part aloud, but somehow it seemed that Buffy understood it anyway, for her eyes were full of tears, and she was smiling, and her voice was trembling when she whispered: "You got all that, Faith … and more, much more …"

Faith felt her heart leap to her throat and tears in her own eyes, but she fought them back – she had a point to make first. "So … 'bout yer second present …" She continued to look into Buffy's eyes, opening up completely, trying to covey all her feelings in that look. "If I had to choose … I'd give up this place in a sec an' go back to the motel-room with a smile on my lips – if only I could be with you!"

Buffy was … overwhelmed. She wanted to … to say something, but her mind didn't seem to … Nobody had ever said things like that to her, wonderful, beautiful things, nobody – not even Angel! – had ever made her feel that special ... And hearing those word from Faith … Faith, who equaled toughness and hard-talk and bad-girl façade … made them even more precious. Everything was blurry through her tears, but she didn't care, she didn't need to see her girl just now. She just pulled her into a tight embrace and felt, smelled, tasted her …

***

Some time later, they'd changed positions again. Faith was lying on her back now, with Buffy snuggled to her side, her head resting on the taller girl's shoulder, one arm and one leg draped over her body, and both girls were getting sleepy … it had been a long, exciting day after all.

"You know what I'm wondering, Faithy?" Buffy murmured lazily.

"Nah. Still can't look in that pretty head of yours."

The blond girl chuckled. "Now that wouldn't be fair, would it? But I'll tell you: I'm wondering why the hell we are still lying on the floor in the living-room, when there's a nice and comfy bedroom right next door …" She felt Faith make a sudden movement. "… which, I just realize, I've yet to show you …"

The younger girl moved a little to be able to look at her, something like surprise in her eyes, and uncertainty, and a question. Buffy smiled. "But maybe", she continued lightly, "you rather want me to … first night in your new apartment and all …"

For one second, Faith was looking at her, obviously not getting a thing. Then she understood – and rolling on one side, she popped herself up on one elbow and looked down at the blond girl. "Stay?" she asked quietly.

Buffy's smile broadened. "I thought you'd never ask …" she whispered, pulling Faith close and capturing her lips again.

---

Well, on Healthy's special request: Scoobs dutifully sent home, Slayers aaalll alone … and it doesn't even end here! Who knows what's gonna happen when your two sexy Slayers actually make it to the bedroom? Well, you'll find out eventually …

Now, I really had fun writing this chapter (I hope it makes up for the rather short one before …), and I'm quite sure Buffy and Faith had fun, too – so if YOU had fun reading it, please let me know! In other words (as usual): Please review!