Disclaimer: I don't own the show or any of its characters, if I did the show wouldn't have ended…cuz I'm greedy like that and I miss my BTVS. LOL

Title: Time, It's All We Have

Pairings: Buffy/Faith

Summary: Faith never went to prison, she did kill the guy, but she let Buffy help her, and because of that help, they have become what they did in my story…re-write of season 7.

Chapter Sever: Same Time, Same Place Part There

~Faith's POV

When we get back to the house, Anya is sitting on the couch, Dawn is at the computer, and Buffy is leaning over her shoulder as if she knows anything she is seeing on the screen. I love Buffy I do, but she isn't so smart when it comes to computers and things. "What's going on?" I ask as I close and lock the door behind me. Buffy used to think I was crazy because I lock the door, she always says anyone that's going to hurt us isn't going to be able to come in without an invitation. That was until she woke up one day and found out that someone had been in the house, while we were all asleep. Not a demon someone, just a someone, someone…a regular human being. Nothing happened, they didn't hurt anyone and they didn't take anything, but still someone had been in the house, someone she didn't know, and someone without and invitation. After that day she started locking the door as well.

"We're locking up possible demons that could be doing this," Buffy says walking over to me and we share a kiss. I smile at her as she looks at me. "Is everything okay?" She asks with a worried expression on her face.

"Five by five," I say wrapping my arm around her back as I lead her back to where Dawn is sitting at the computer. "Don't worry B," I say kissing her temple and walking to the other side of the table, leaving Buffy at Dawn's side. "Whatcha find?" I ask sitting down next to Dawn, while looking at Xander across the room. We share a glance, both of us looking at Buffy for a split second before sharing one more glance. I can't get what Spike said to me out of my mind, everything that he knows about Buffy and her past, everything I know as well. I just can't help wondering if maybe there is some truth in everything he is saying.

"There is a possible demon, or two, that it could be," Dawn says scrolling through the computer pages. "But it is very vague and some of the facts add up but then again some of them don't." She says looking at Buffy and then looking at me.

"Well," Buffy says taking a seat across from me. She looks at me for a second, still with a worried expression, and then she looks back at Dawn. "What are our choices?"

"Well Will for one," I mumble.

"No." Buffy snaps. She looks at me. "Willow did not do this, and I refuse to believe that she did," she says eyes locked on mine.

"Buffy you have to keep her in mind," I say in all seriousness. "And you know that, that's why your fighting it," I explain. "Baby I know you don't want this to be something that you have to think about, she's killed before…" I trail off.

"Like you did," her hands hit the table and she is standing up, looking at me from across the table.

"That is not fair," I say pointing at her. "And you know it," I comment getting up from where I am sitting and heading upstairs. I can't believe she would say something like that to me, she knows how hard it was for me after I murder Finch. She knows how close I was to the 'darkside' or so she calls it. Everything she did for me, how she pulled me back from so much that could have went wrong. I was so close to turning my back on her and all the feelings I had for her.

But she didn't let me leave, she held onto me, she told how she felt for me and it was our feelings, the love we created, that helped me get through everything. It is what saved me. And seeing her use that moment against me, well it wasn't something I was expecting to see any time soon. "Faith?" I hear someone say behind and without turning around I already know who it is.

Although it isn't who I want it to be. "Go away," I say walking into mine and Buffy's bedroom. "I'm not in the mood to talk right now, I just want to be left alone," I explain.

"You know she didn't mean it, she's just frustrated, she wants to prove that Willow didn't do this," I turn and look at them.

"That's all I want to too!" I shout. "But I am not going to be naïve and not think about her as a possibility," I explain stepping further into our bedroom. "She has to think about that, what Willow went through wasn't something small, and it isn't something that is just going to go away because of some schooling and teaching about magic, trust me," I pause looking back at them. "I know."

"Faith," this time it is the voice I want to here. "Xander, please," I look as Buffy places her hand on his arm, which causes him to turn and walk back downstairs. "Help Dawn narrow do the choices," she says but her eyes do not even look at him, they never leave mine. "I'll be down soon," she says as she closes the door behind her as she enters the room.

"There is only two words I want to hear you say," I say looking at her, fighting the tears that want to spill over.

"Faith, listen," she starts.

"Those so aren't the words," I say looking at her, holding out my hand so she stops advancing on me.

"Baby," she pushes my hand away and wraps her arms around my neck. "I'm sorry, I said that," she says kissing me on my cheek. "You know that, I'm just frustrated," she kisses my other cheek. "Forgive me," she kisses my lips softly. "Please."

I look at her and I can tell that she really is sorry, and I want to say I forgive her but I can't. She used something that was extremely personally to both of us against me in a room full of people who know our past and know everything that happened. And also know how hard it was for me to get past that. "Buffy," I say taking her hands and moving them away from my body and gently pushing them back towards her. "I think you should sleep on the couch tonight," I say side stepping her and walking out of the bedroom.

"Faith…"

"We've got a demon to find," I say not looking back at her and instead I just continue walking on.

"He's better than sonar," Xander says as he follows Spike through the woods. I think me telling her she had to sleep on the couch kind hurt her because she's been trying to make it up to me this whole time. She knows I'm not happy about her going to Spike for help. She knows Spike is a sore subject with me, especially after everything that happened between the two of them, and she knows that it bothers me that she wants to forgive him and let him back into our lives.

"There," Spike says looking back at us.

"It's a big rock," Xander says. "Give it up to Spike, he found a big rock." Xander says looking back at us as well.

Buffy still hasn't made eye contact with either one of the boys. "There's a cave in it," Spike says moving back a branch so that we can see it clearly. This causes Buffy to look up. "I'm insane, what's his excuse," he says walking past us, and if you ask me he was a little too close to Buffy.

"Let's go," I say letting go of Buffy's hand and leading the way.

Entering the cave it is dimly lit by a fire in the far corner. But other than that it doesn't seem like anything else is in here. But that's when we hear it, both Buffy and I, a sound to the left of us, but still we see nothing. "Is it just moving too fast or is it just invisible?" Xander asks as he moves back against the wall.

"The website didn't say anything about it being invisible," Dawn says moving closer to Buffy. Buffy places her hand over her sisters as she enters slayer mood. "Maybe we should research more and come back," Dawn says in a scared tone.

"No," Buffy says looking at me. "We're here now, it ends now," as if on cue Dawn screams and when we turn to look at her she has a long gash along her stomach. "Dawn!" Buffy yells holding onto her sisters as she begins to fall to the ground.

"Paralyzing nails," she says as she stiffens up.

"We need to get her out of her Buffy," I say lifting her sister up. "We'll trap it in here and come back later when we learn more about it," I explain leading Dawn and Xander out of the cave. Buffy silently follows behind. I know she wants to find this thing to get Willow off the hook, but we don't need to find it to get it off the hook. I convinced that Willow isn't the one behind this, which doesn't explain where she is, but at least now we know she isn't out there killing people. "Xander," I say to him as I place Dawn in his car. "Take her home and find out everything you can about this demon, and then call us," I say closing the door.

"What are you going to do?" he asks as Buffy comes up next to me wondering the same thing.

"Anya is at work right?" I ask and he nods. "She's the only one that has seen Willow," I explain. "She told me, and maybe Willow isn't missing, maybe we just can't see her," I say. "I don't know how that is possible, we can ask Giles about it later, but something doesn't add up. Why would Willow come all the way back to Sunnydale and only talk to Anya, after she destroyed the Magic Box?" I ask. "Something has happened to Willow and that is why we cannot find her," I say. "Just trust me on this, okay." I say when they are still looking at me with confusion. He nods and gets into the driver side, starting the engine and driving off.

"I didn't think you'd want to be alone with me," Buffy say reaching down to take my hand. And I gentle pull it away. "Faith."

"This isn't about us Buffy," I say looking at her. "We are not okay right now, but Willow and what is happening is more important than what is happening between us," I say walking away from her. "Once we finish this then we can talk, but until then, just drop it." I say snapping at her slightly. Closing my eyes I stop and turn back to where she is standing. "I'm sorry," I say walking up to her and kissing her lightly on the forehead. "I just want to finish this okay, please," I ask.

"Okay," she says nodding. She reaches down and takes a hold of my hand and this time I let her. Making Buffy sad isn't something I like to do, and that's what happens when I don't allow her to do the small things, like holding my hand. So I'm going to give her this, but if she thinks she sleeping in the bed tonight she has another thing coming.

Walking into the Magic Box I notice Anya behind the counter. "When do you think you'll have this place up and running again?" The Magic Box was everything to Anya, well except for Xander, and Willow took it away from her. She destroyed the only thing in the reality that she loved more than Xander. It was her place. For a long time Anya didn't know her place in the world, she was confused and lost, mostly because she was a thousand year old demon living the life of a teenager. I would be confused too; hell I was when I first arrived in Sunnydale and met Buffy. I wanted everything she had, everything, and I tried to be her friend, but I couldn't. She wasn't supposed to exist with me, it was never meant to be, and I know that is the main reason why we never got along in the beginning, I was jealous of everything she had. But now I am where I need to be, by her side, with her, in her life, loving her. This is what I was meant for; this is why we exist together.

"Probably never," she says throwing something across the room. "How could she do something like this to me? I was her friend." She asks confused looking up at us.

"She wasn't in control, it was her grief," Buffy explained stepping further into the room.

"What are you doing here?" She asks changing the subject. I don't blame her. Willow is a sore subject for everyone involved. She hurt a lot of people doing what she did, and she isn't going to be forgiven easily, at least not by some of us. Buffy on the other hand, has already forgiven her.

"We need your help," I say stepping over some pieces of the walls that Willow collapsed. I never knew what happened her, the fight that happened between Buffy and Willow, looking at the damage I'm glad I wasn't here. "You for some reason are the only one that has seen Willow since she's been in town," I explain walking closer to her, leaning against the half broken counter.

"What do you mean?" She asks confused.

"None of us have seen her," I say gesturing around as if everyone else was with me. "She has only appeared to you," I point to her. "We don't know how and we don't know why, but that is the case. We need you to help us find her," I explain.

"I already know where she is," Anya says looking away from us.

"What?" Buffy asks speaking up for the first time and stepping up next to me. "Where is she?"

"She went to some cave, to find that demon that skinned the boy at Xander construction site," she says as if it is everyday conversation. Well for us it is.

"That cave," Buffy says looking at me. "That cave that we just closed off until we went back. Willow is stuck there and it is all our fault," she says jumping over something and then running out of the Magic Box. I hear Anya say something behind be but I don't pay her any attention, instead I just run after Buffy, hoping to catch up before she does something stupid and also hoping that Xander calls with a way to kill this thing before we get back to the cave.

"Buffy you need to wait," I say catching up to her right outside the cave. "We can't just going running in there without knowing how to kill that thing," I say holding onto her arm. Buffy pulls away from and then takes a step forward but I jump on her stopping her. "Buffy stop!" I say straddling her hips and holding her to the ground.

"Get off of me, I need to save my friend," she says fighting up, but I don't give. "God Faith what is your problem? Who knows what is happening to Willow in there and we are just sitting out her, waiting, for what a phone call? That isn't what we do, we're slayers, we'll roll with the punches," she say rearing back and punching me across the face sending me flying off of her and into a bush. "I'm going to save my friend, don't try to stop me."

"I'm not trying to stop you Buffy, I'm trying to help you, I don't want you to get hurt," I say getting to my feet and grabbing her arm, gently this time.

"Faith," she says turning around, but once again pulling her arm away from mine. "We can't do this," she says. "We can't be afraid that one of us is going to get hurt all the time," she says. "This is the life we live, a dangerous one, and it isn't guaranteed that both of us are going to make it home at the end of the night," she explains.

"I don't accept that," I say throwing my hands to the side.

"To bad," she says rearing back and punching me again, this time affectively knocking me out, my block of her punch being too slow.

When I finally come to I'm in my own bed in my own room. Reaching up I touch my head, flinching at the pain. Rolling over I notice a body beside mine. I can't believe she actually had the nerve to lay down beside me. Putting my feet into her back I affectively push her off the bed. I hear a hard thud but before she has a chance to wake up I jump of the bed, pick her up, and hold her against the wall. All she can do is look at me in shock. Seeing the look in her eyes I lower her to the ground.

"Faith, what the fuck," she says holding her hand to her throat.

"You knocked me out Buffy, why?" I ask looking at her. "I'm sorry for kicking you out of bed, literally."

"I had to Faith," she says walking closer to me and placing her hands on either side of my face, leaning in and placing a soft kiss on my nose. "You have to realize that this is a tough life we live in, and that I might not come back one night," she says wrapping her arms around me. "I know you're afraid of people leaving you Faith, because of your mother and what happened when you were little," she holds my face, which forces me to look her in the eye. "But I'm never leaving you Faith…not on purpose," she says kissing me.

"Buffy," I say against her lips.

"Faith listen to me," she says making us both sit down. "I love you, forever," she says.

"I know you do," I say looking up at her. "But what if it isn't enough?"

"What do you mean?" She asks. "It is enough, Faith I can't live without you, and I don't want to." She says quickly. Holding her hand up she points at the ring. "You asked me to marry you Faith and I said yes."

"I know you did," I say standing up. Walking over to the window I see Spike standing outside, like he does every night. "But can you honestly tell me that you feel nothing for Spike?" I ask looking at him.

I feel her arms wrap around my waist as she comes up behind me. "I know he's there." She whispers in my ear. "I know he comes here every night and watches me sleep," she adds. "But I never leave your bed Faith, it is your bed I will continue to come home to, forever. I do not love me and I never did and I never will," she pauses. "I can't help that I want to help him, and save him from whatever is plaguing him." She moves so that she is standing in front of me, but she is looking out the window at him. "There is not future for me and him," then she turns and looks at me. "My future lies with you Faith…it always has." With that she leans in and presses her lips to mine, with a kiss so full of love, I can't even deny her feelings for me anymore.

Maybe that was our problem all along. I was just afraid of our love, that I didn't love her enough. Maybe I just didn't believe in the love we had. Maybe that was the cause of all our problems and drama. Wrapping my arms around her I look out the window and I notice Spike is gone. And for the first time in a long time, I know that Buffy is mine, and only mine.

~Buffy's POV

Waking up to the sun in my eyes isn't something I like, but waking up with Faith's arms around is something I love, so I will endure the sun waking me up every morning. Slowly I remove Faith's arms from around my waist and I hear her grumble something and it takes everything I have not to laugh. "Baby, I'm going to check on Willow," I say leaning over and giving her a kiss. "I'll be back." With that she lets me go and I get out of bed, slip on a pair of pajama pants and tank top and walk out of my mom's old room and down a familiar hallway to my old room.

"Morning," She says to me while I walk inside. "I thought this was Xander and Anya's room?" She says looking at me.

"It was," I say walking over to the bed and sitting down beside my one time best friend. "They decided to take the new room that he's building," she explains.

"How are affording an add-on?" She asks smiling.

"Giles sent the money," I say pausing. "With word that you were coming home, we figured it would be best if we all lived together," I explain. She nods. "Will…" I trail off looking at her. "How did you do it?" I ask. "How did you make yourself invisible?"

"I didn't do it on purpose," she says smiling. "I was so scared about coming home, back to the people that I hurt, that it just sort of happened," she says laughing slightly. "So you and Faith are getting married," she says looking at me.

"Yup," I say smiling showing her the ring Faith got me.

"It's beautiful," she says. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," I say smiling, for the first time about the engagement. "You were the first one I wanted to tell Will." I say looking at her. "Telling you makes it feel real." I say leaning in and hugging her. "I'm really glad your home Will." I say as she grimaces in pain. "What's wrong?" I ask looking at her with concern.

"I'm not all the way healed yet," she say meditating. "I just don't have enough energy, so I'm trying to draw some from the earth, and well that's just taking more of my energy." She explains.

"Well here," I say reaching out and taking a hold of her hand. "Take some of mine, I'm just full of energy," I say smiling at her. She takes a hold of my hands and smiles in thanks.

I missed my best friend.

With her home.

Everything can return to normal.

…..

Author's Note: Hey everyone, I know it has been a long time. But I am almost finished with my other story and once I do that I will be able to update this one more often.

Feedback please.