Willow woke on a Monday morning to an unfamiliar room. She stared around for a second until her memory asserted itself and she remembered.

This was the house they were renting. She rolled over slowly and winced as a bruise made itself known. Willow glanced over her shoulder at where Kennedy was sleeping.

"Don't you want to live with me? You can come back to my parent's house."

"Your parent's manor." Willow teased.

"Yeah. It'd be great."

Willow hesitated. "Are you sure..."

"What?"

"Nothing. Look, we can't go now, I have to stay here for a while, help Buffy."

Kennedy scowled. "Buffy can take care of herself. She's got Faith."

Willow shook her head. "It won't be long, I promise. A couple of months. We can just...we can both stay here, and then when...when everything's more normal..." Willow trailed off.

"You'll come home with me." Kennedy stated.

Willow nodded, feeling as though her invisible chains had gotten heavier.

Swinging out of bed, Willow shrugged on some clothes and stumbled downstairs, expecting to be the first one up, as usual. Instead she stumbled upon Faith, sitting bleary eyed at the table clutching a mug of coffee in one hand.

"Morning Faith."

"Red."

"What are you doing up so early?" Willow asked curiously, looking more to take her mind of Kennedy then anything else.

"Can't sleep."

Willow sat down across the table from her, tilted her head to one side and asked "Why?"

"Not important."

"If it's keeping you up all night then it is." Willow countered.

In a movement faster than Willow could see Faith stood and grasped her shirt, pulling the redhead close to her and wrenching her sleeve up in one fast movement.

"I'll make you a deal, Willow. You tell me about this little ole bruise on your arm, and I'll tell you why I can't sleep at night."

Willow pulled back, startled but immensely relieved when Faith let her go.

No, don't touch me. Don't want you to touch me.

"It's just me being clumsy. Our floor is extra slippy." Willow smiled, feeling sick to her stomach, pulling her sleeve back down and continuing before Faith had a chance to interrupt. "So why aren't you sleeping?"

Faith stared at Willow sceptically until she started to feel nervous and then sighed.

"Alright. I've been a bit tense... doing a lot of thinking, you know?"

Boy do I. Willow thought.

Buffy paced her room anxiously. For once not needing her coffee hit she'd elected to stay in her room. The house had four bedrooms- one for Will and Kennedy, one for Faith, one for Buffy and one for Giles/Xander when they came back.

"They will be coming back." she said to herself, firmly.

A few minutes went by and Buffy continued to walk the length of her room, full of energy.

'Okay. Willow will be awake now." Buffy wrinkled her nose "This room smells funny. Why didn't I get the blue room?"

Walking quietly down the stairs Buffy heard Faith talking softly and stopped walking.

"Every night...it's like I can hear... in my head. Talking to me." Faith said, trying to look nonchalant.

Willow mumbled something but even with Slayer hearing Buffy missed it.

"I know they're dreams!" Faith snapped embarrassedly. Buffy scowled, dearly wanting to tell her not to be so snappy.

"I just can't stop thinking about them."

'You should tell her." Willow advised clearly.

"No! Tells her this? She'd die of a heart attack and then I'd go to gaol again."

Willow laughed quietly. "You'd be surprised. She's fine with me."

Faith laughed. "Yes, but you are her long-time best friend, Superwitch. I am the insane psycho who swapped bodies with her, tried to kill her and helped the mayor turn snake-a-fied."

"It's not like you to be unconfident." Willow said, not knowing how to reply.

"Come on, remember, you're gorgeous, you're smart, you're the Slayer."

Faith laughed. "Everyone's the Slayer now it seems."

"But you(and buffy) are the Original Slayers."

"You think I'm gorgeous?" Faith teased, changing the subject.

Buffy began to feel guilty about eavesdropping and silently walked back to the top of the stairs, and started down them, walking normally, knowing Faith would be able to hear her.

Sure enough, before she'd gone three steps the voices stopped, then as Buffy got near the kitchen door Faith called out "Hey B."

"Hi Faith, Willow."

"Buffy." Willow said smiling gently, guiltily.

(Willow's POV)

Okay, here comes the big fake grin from Faith. Now Buffy will look at her for a while...and now she's remembered I'm here again and she's looking at me.

She's still looking at me...look at Faith! Willow silently begged.

Willow glanced at Faith who was watching Buffy, a predatory look on her face.

Guess all she needed was a confidence booster

Willow started to back away, mumbling "I've got stuff to do."

"Okay," Faith said, "But you have to come out with B and me tonight!"

"We're going somewhere?" Buffy interrupted "Sure we are." Faith replied.

"I was just about to tell you, I found this great club, we can go, have a few drinks" Faith grinned and took Buffy's hand casually, "have a few dances" she laughed, pulling Buffy towards her slightly then letting go with a wink.

Willow grinned internally at the puzzled look on Buffy's face.

"So dancing, drinking, having fun. Any objections?"

"Are you alright Faith?" Willow turned to leave but heard Buffy's question and smiled.

"Five by Five B."

I'm inspired by all those reviews so this story is getting updated much quicker that usual. Lol. I like Faith heaps too, so she's getting more story than I'd planned- is that okay with everyone?

Thanks to devianttart, MsHellFire2005, Alyson Teague and she-witch

Yes just the one person, but that's the Power That Be for you. :)