They ran through the field of wheat, never stopping, never looking back, never letting go of the other's hand as they ran through the darkness of the night. Buffy tugged on her hand, both of them panting as they came to a stop in the middle of the field. Buffy said not a word, just pointed out to their left. Sitting on top of a slight hill was a farmhouse. Faith just smiled as they started to run towards it, both on high alert in case they weren't entirely alone.

The house itself was boarded up and there were no signs of anyone, human or otherwise, had been there in quite some time, possibly even before the epidemic began. But Faith wasn't taking any chances and she silently motioned for Buffy to go around to the left side of the house while she went around to the right. She pulled at some of the boards on the windows as she inspected around the house and found the boards were nailed rather tight. If it was safe and they could get inside, they'd be protected for the rest of the night until they could venture out safely under the light of the sun first thing in the morning.

"It's boarded up tight, no way in," Buffy said softly as they met up around at the back of the house. "Did you find anything? A way in?"

"No," Faith said, breathing out a defiant sigh. "There," she said as she spotted a cellar door. "Come on."

Faith marched over to it and grabbed at the chain that had a heavy-duty padlock keeping it locked up tight. She tugged on the lock, but it didn't budge, not at first. She didn't give up until she felt the lock snap and she pulled the chains free from around the wrought iron handles. She pulled the door open and fumbled in her pockets for her lighter. She groaned as she turned to look at Buffy who held the lighter out towards her and she flicked it a few times. Not even a single spark.

"When we jumped into the creek…" Buffy trailed off and Faith shook her head, shaking the lighter and blowing at the wick before trying again.

"Damn it," she groaned as it failed to light. She pocketed it, despite it being utterly useless now and she peered inside the dark cellar entrance.

It was dark, but that didn't mean they'd be able to navigate their way through the cellar and find a way up into the house. Light would help, but they were shit out of luck on the light part. She eased herself down into the cellar, the stone steps slipping under her weight. When she stepped onto solid ground, she looked back up at Buffy.

"You coming or what, B?"

"Right behind you," Buffy replied under her breath before she climbed down into the cellar. She yelped quietly as the stone steps gave way and she tumbled forward and straight into Faith's waiting arms.

Faith chuckled as she let go of her and led the way through the musty, damp cellar. The ceilings were low and it was pitch black, but she could just faintly see ahead of her, her right hand trailing along the wall to help guide her way in the darkness. She reached a dead end and instead of turning back, she felt along the ceiling until she felt a latch and she pulled before she pushed the narrow trap door up. Dust kicked up as it hit the floor above and Faith pulled herself up with ease, reaching down to pull Buffy up with her.

Faith looked around the room and even in the darkness she could see furniture that was covered with drop cloths pushed to one side of the room. She started to search through the room, finding her way to the kitchen. She went through every cupboard, every drawer, until she found a box of matches and lit one. Buffy came into the kitchen carrying two fat candles and they both smiled as Faith used the match to light both and shook out the flame.

"We should check the house, make sure it's just us here," Faith said as she took one of the offered candles from Buffy. "I'll check upstairs, yeah?"

"Okay."

Faith offered an encouraging smile, but Buffy face was locked in a stoic expression. She reached for Buffy's hand and gently intertwined their fingers and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Or we can check it out upstairs together and then down here?" Faith offered.

"Okay."

Faith led the way, moving slowly and quietly in case they truly weren't the only ones in the house. She found the stairs and each step creaked and groaned under every step they took. The upstairs wasn't nearly as big as the main floor and every room they checked, they found a few supplies. Half a dozen blankets of various sizes and materials. In the bathroom, which Buffy refused to enter because of the stale toilet water that filled the air, Faith found a few more candles and a fully intact first aid kid in the linen closet. There were also a few bottles of shampoo and a package of unscented bars of soap.

They used one of the blankets they'd found to gather their supplies in and they made their way back downstairs and Faith set the heavy blanket down on the floor by the fireplace. They hadn't spoke one word since they were in the kitchen nearly an hour earlier, and it was a comforting silence that lingered between the two. Faith motioned for Buffy to follow her through the few rooms on the main floor, but the other rooms were completely empty aside from a bookshelf full of dusty old books and knickknacks they had no use for.

Faith's stomach growled lowly and she was parched. She knew the chances were slim that they'd find any food or water, but she let her instincts guide her and Buffy back into the kitchen. From the looks of the house, it had been abandoned a long time ago, a year or two, maybe even more with the amount of dust that had settled. Buffy went off to explore the pantry while Faith rooted through the cupboards and drawers for a second time. She looked over towards the pantry as she heard something clatter and she left her candle on the counter and hovered in the pantry doorway.

"What'd you find?"

"Food," Buffy grinned as she held out a can of carrots towards Faith. "I think whatever is in the cans are still okay, everything else?" Buffy said as she pointed to a loaf of mouldy bread sitting to her right on the shelf. "Not so much. Except for that."

Faith let out a full on belly laugh that lifted her otherwise downed spirits. On the floor just by the door was an entire case of bottled water. "Feels like we just hit the fucking jackpot here, doesn't it, B?"

"Close enough."

"What do ya say we get a fire going and set up for the night?" Faith asked her as Buffy started handing her a few cans of vegetables. "We'll cook these up and eat. Won't be much, but it'll be better than trying to sleep on an empty stomach, yeah?"

Faith watched as Buffy walked past her and carried what she could out into the living room where the fireplace was. Faith grabbed her candle and followed her, her mind racing as she watched Buffy pull back a drop sheet from a table and started to break it into pieces they could burn. Despite how their night had gone, it was understandable that Buffy was beyond exhausted, but Faith could tell there was something else going on with her, something she couldn't quite figure out on her own.

She'd been in a situation like this—well, not exactly like this, per se—and she had been with Dawn at the time. It hurt just to think of her, but she couldn't not. Dawn had become such a big part of her life and it'd only taken weeks of them all out on the road together for the two of them to grow close. She felt that pang in her heart, the one that hurt more than anything, the one that resonated through her and reminded her that it was her who killed Dawn and saved her all at the same time. What she wouldn't do to take it all back, to make sure she never let Dawn out of her sight long enough for her to get bit.

No matter how many times she played over the day before Dawn came to her on the rooftop, she couldn't pinpoint an exact moment or time where she could've been bit by an infected without any of them knowing about it. If she let it, it could drive her completely insane trying to replay that day over and over again in her head. It was pointless because it had happened and she was gone now. Nothing would ever bring her back and all Faith had were the memories of the long nights she'd spend sitting up with Dawn while the others slept, talking quietly about nothing and everything all night long. The laughter, the teasing, the jokes, the sadness and the tears that followed. It was all a part of a bigger memory and one she knew she could never let die.

Not once had Buffy spoke of Dawn since they buried her and moved on. Not once had any of the others spoken of her either. It was almost as if she'd never existed in the first place and Faith wasn't sure what hurt more, knowing she was dead or knowing that her memory was fading from everyone else's heart and mind but her own.

Faith sat on top of a chair still covered and she watched Buffy drag the couch across the dusty wooden floor and positioned it a few feet from the fireplace. It'd be where they would sleep tonight, or where Buffy would. Faith wasn't sure if she'd be welcome or even expected to share the comforts of the couch in front of a warm fire all night long with Buffy. She pulled out her metal case and only two cigarettes remained inside, which unlike her lighter, had survived the trek through the creek. She struck a match and lit one, inhaling sharply as Buffy added more wood to the small little fire already going.

"We're going to need something to cook this in," Buffy said quietly as she held a single can of vegetables in her hand.

"There are pans in the kitchen. Or a pan. It's hanging over where the stove used to be."

Buffy grabbed her candle and left Faith alone in the living room and with her thoughts, thoughts she tried to push from her mind as the hunger pangs reminded her it'd been far too long since she'd eaten anything. She longed for the foods she used to love to indulge in—at least in her time outside of prison. Greasy burgers with bacon and cheese, a cold and refreshing can of Coke, Doritos, cheesy fries; everything that was so bad for you but tasted like heaven with every bite. Unfortunately, she'd learned the hard way over the last nearly nine months, that there was no point in wishing for any of that and to learn to be grateful for what food they did manage to find to eat.

Her stomach growled as she took a long drag of her cigarette and watched Buffy as she came back into the room carrying the pan with three bottles of water tucked under her arm. She settled in front of the fireplace and used one bottle of water to clean the dust and the grime from the pan as best as she could.

"Here, catch," Faith said as she pulled out her Swiss army knife that never left her pocket and tossed it towards Buffy.

"I looked to see if there were any forks or anything," Buffy said as she started to open one can. "We're eating like savages tonight."

"Don't we always," Faith chuckled dryly and she hopped off the chair and walked over towards the fireplace, taking one last drag of her cigarette before she flicked it on top of the burning wood. "Just mix it all in together. Don't care what it ends up tasting like, food is food."

Buffy didn't say a word as she concentrated on opening the can. Once she had half the lid off, she handed it to Faith and she pried it back enough to pour the contents out into the frying pan. Six cans later, the frying pan was full and Faith ripped a piece of the drop sheet from the couch and wrapped it around the handle before she stuck the pan over the fire.

"Do you think the others made it out of there?"

"Yeah," Faith said, watching the fire lick around the pan, slowly roasting the vegetable mix inside. "I mean, they had to have made it, right? Bet they're sitting in the train station, safe and sound, and wondering the same about us right now."

"Maybe."

Faith shifted on her knees, not taking her eyes off the pan in the fire. Thoughts of Dawn were swirling in her head, those thoughts becoming so loud she couldn't resist bringing it up. "Do you think about her?"

"Who?"

"Dawn."

Buffy was silent and only the sounds of cracking and popping of the wood in the fire filled the room. Faith sighed as she pulled the pan out and placed it on the stone hearth and turned to look over at Buffy. She could see the sadness in her tearless eyes, the pain that settled deep inside of them over the loss of Dawn. Of Angel. Of others along the way, the potentials that had been with them in Sunnydale, Wood, hell maybe she ever felt that sadness for Andrew too.

"B?"

"I don't want to talk about her," she whispered quietly, her lips trembling as she sat on the floor with her back up against the couch. "I'm not ready to talk about her."

"I know. I just—"

"You just what, Faith? Just wondering if I think about my dead sister every day? Wonder if I think about what it would've been like if she came to me instead of you? What it'd be like if she was still here with us? Of course I fucking do," she spat and she wiped away a stray tear that had fallen. "It doesn't mean I want to talk about her. Not yet. Maybe not ever."

Faith clenched her jaw and grabbed the cooling pan from the hearth and moved to sit next to Buffy. She placed the pan on the floor beside them and grabbed a piece of broccoli. She stared at it for the longest time before she ate it. It tasted bland and slightly stale, but it was edible and that's all that mattered.

"Eat up, B," Faith said as she nodded down towards the food between them. "Come on, I know you're just as hungry as I am right now."

"You know what I wish?"

"What?"

"I wish…god, this is so stupid," Buffy said with a shake of her head as she plucked a small handful out of the pan. "There's no point in wishing for something I can't have, is there?"

"You wish this was like a big greasy burger, huh? Maybe a nice juicy steak and a baked potato."

Buffy laughed and there was no malice in her tone. "Or fried chicken. Maybe lasagna with a garden salad on the side."

"Ice cream for dessert?"

"Vanilla ice cream with a slice of warm, homemade apple pie."

Faith knew what she was doing, she wasn't completely oblivious. Because she'd mentioned Dawn and from the way Buffy reacted, Buffy was doing whatever she could to get her mind off her sister. They ate in heavy silence until the last of it was gone. Faith placed the pan on the stone hearth and sat back heavily against the couch. She smiled a little, mostly to herself, as Buffy handed her a bottle of water and they drank thirstily until there wasn't a single drop left.

She wasn't sure how long they sat there, just watching the fire, each of them taking turns to add another small piece of wood to keep it burning, but the silence was still comforting and not at all as tense as it had felt before when she mentioned Dawn. It felt like hours that they sat there on the floor, leaning back against the musty smelling couch, but for all she knew it could've been just minutes.

Faith kicked off her boots and pulled off her still damp socks, sighing as she wiggled her toes and caught Buffy giggling quietly at her. She just winked and watched Buffy follow suit and their hands joined together as if it was the most natural thing in the world for them to do. Faith wasn't sure what compelled her, but she lifted Buffy's hand and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. She wasn't the tender type, never had been, but something had changed inside of her without her realizing it.

Suddenly she yearned for that warm, soft touch, whether it be lustful or a loving touch, she just needed something. She needed to feel again, to feel like a woman and not a warrior, a survivor. She wanted Buffy and there was no denying it, no trying to pass it off as just needing to feel again, and there was no use in lying to herself that she truly wanted and desired to be with Buffy. If even for it was just for one night.

All it took was one look. The tentative way their eyes met in a heated gaze, the way that Buffy mirrored Faith as she licked over her lips slowly. Their lips met in a fiery kiss, lips and tongues hungry to touch, to feel, to taste. A surge of rolling pleasure rolled through Faith's body and she pulled Buffy on to her lap, deepening the kiss as she slipped her hands under the hem of Buffy's shirt. Like her own clothes, Buffy's were still slightly damp from the creek and although it had been hours, they still weren't completely dry. The material of her shirt stuck to her skin a little as Faith's hands swept up her back slowly.

"Mmm," Buffy moaned quietly as Faith broke away from her lips and kissed over her jaw and down her neck. "Don't stop kissing me."

"I am kissing you," Faith murmured as she planted soft, wet kisses along her neck unhurriedly.

Buffy moaned again as Faith moved her hands around to her stomach underneath her damp shirt, her hands finding their way to cup her braless breasts. Faith paused as Buffy ran her hands down her arms slowly, her touch light and she stopped as she reached the hem of her shirt where Faith's arms disappeared under and she tugged at it, making Faith lean back and watch her as she pulled her shirt up and over her head. Another surge of pleasure rolled through Faith's body as her lips went back to Buffy's neck, kissing and sucking over her pulse point as she rolled her fingers over Buffy's hardening nipples.

Faith moaned as Buffy ran her fingers through her hair and eased her lips away from her neck, bringing their lips back together in a crushing kiss. Together they rose up from the floor, barely breaking away from their kiss as Buffy pulled Faith down with her on the couch. Faith was overcome by the throbbing need inside of her and all over her. Her hands wanted to touch every inch of Buffy all at once, her lips wanted to taste every inch of her all at once. Her mind was consumed with lust-filled thoughts, sending her spiralling into an enticed state of mind and body.

She pulled back from Buffy lips, both of them panting as they breathed heavily. Faith stared into Buffy's eyes, eyes that almost glowed in the light of the fire, and she knew then that what she was feeling could end up in disaster with Buffy if she didn't put a stop to it. When that lustful desire took over her, she was unstoppable in getting what she wanted, and she couldn't let that happen. Not with Buffy.

"Faith?"

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea…" Her voice cracked as she moved to get up from on top of Buffy but Buffy stopped her, wrapping her arms tightly around her. "B, you said you wanted to wait…"

"I know."

"This is far from what you wanted last night, B."

"You're wrong. After what we went through tonight," Buffy said gently as her fingers dipped under the edge of Faith's shirt. "I realized something."

"What's that?"

"What if we don't have the time to wait? What if we never have the chance to know what it's like? What if tomorrow we don't make it through the day alive? Or the day after that?" Her lower lip trembled as Faith shifted her weight slightly, holding herself up with both hands on either side of Buffy's body. "I know what I feel. About you. And this?" Buffy paused to lean up and kiss her and sighed as she laid her head back down on the couch. "This feels right. It feels good and I don't want to stop."

"Buffy…"

"I know you want this," she whispered. "I can feel how much you want this. Are you…afraid of giving in because you think that when it's over that—"

"That you'll regret it?" Faith finished for her. "Maybe you will. Where will that leave us then, B?"

"I won't."

"You don't know that."

"I do," Buffy smiled as she inched Faith's shirt up, exposing her skin to the warm of the room. "I want this, Faith. I want you. All of you. All I could think about all day was what it'd be like to be with you, to feel you against me, completely. All I could think about all day was what I said to you last night and I hated how I felt so scared because I wanted to give in so badly. I wanted to give all of myself to you. No matter what happened tonight, you were the only thing on my mind. Not making it out of there alive, not worrying about the others, just you. And me. Together. Just like this."

Faith's body shuddered as Buffy's fingers stroked along her spine, her eyes intensely locked with her own. She swallowed thickly as she leaned back and allowed Buffy to pull her shirt free. She stopped Buffy from reaching for her bra clasp, grabbing her hands and pinning them against the couch just above her head as their lips crushed together in a thoroughly passionate kiss.

Those thoughts of stopping still lingered faintly in her mind, her lust-fuelled haze filling her completely as they kissed frantically, hips bucking together as their bodies sought out each other. She pulled back from Buffy's lips, gasping for breath as it dawned on her. This was what they'd both been fighting all these years, the passion that flowed between them, the lust—dare she even think it, love—and it was so much more than the slayer bond they had and now it was all beginning to make sense. Completely. Their strength, their power, it had constantly been reaching out to bring them together and they'd both fought it, fought what it really was, denied it.

And now that Buffy had given in to the lustful desire they both were feeling flowing deeply and freely between them, Faith couldn't help but give in and let it consume her too.

Kissing her made the world slip away, kissing her made her feel again. Feeling her body beneath her own, it breathed in new life inside of her, a new sense of hope, of love she had long since felt, if ever. She smiled down at Buffy as she let go of her hands and she trailed a hand down her left arm, over the slight swell of her breast and down her stomach, eliciting a sensual shudder from Buffy that reverberated through her own body.

Testing the waters, the limits between them, Faith slipped a hand between their bodies and cupped Buffy over her jeans. She bit her lower lip as Buffy's body reacted to her touch and she could feel the heat coming from her pussy through the material of her jeans. Buffy's hand fell over hers, encouraging her to touch her harder and she complied, rubbing her roughly as their lips met again in a heated kiss. Her mind was swimming as she was consumed by Buffy and she gasped against her lips as Buffy undid her own jeans and guided her hand inside.

It was all she needed to push back any doubts or worries that when this was over, Buffy would regret it, blame her for taking what they both obviously wanted. Her fingers slipped through soft pubic hair and she felt the moan rumbled through Buffy's body before she heard it, her fingers slipping between wet folds unhurriedly. Buffy sucked on her bottom lip as Faith's fingers circled over her clit, drawing out the passion, the pleasure that she was giving to her.

Faith moved her lips away from Buffy's, kissing her way down her neck, her heated flesh almost burning against her lips and tongue with every kiss, every bite, every lick. She eased a single finger inside of Buffy's tight, wet hole, teasing her as her lips wrapped around a hard nipple. Buffy's soft sighs and pleasurable moans filled the room and it made Faith's head swim in absolutely ecstasy. Still, she moved unwaveringly down her body, tasting every inch of skin her lips could reach.

Buffy slid her thigh between Faith's legs, pushing it against her pulsing, throbbing pussy, and she moaned loudly against Buffy's skin on her tight, flat abdomen. She pulled her hand out from inside Buffy's jeans, her fingers working to unzip the zipper completely, fingers working to grasp the edge and pull them down smoothly, her lips leaving Buffy's heated flesh as she knelt between her legs. Her eyes trailed up Buffy's semi-nude body and met her eyes, eyes gazing at her with such intensity it washed over her, warmed her, sent those tingling sensations up and down her spine.

She grasped tightly on to Buffy's jeans and pulled them down, watching as Buffy lifted her ass to make it easier for her to remove them with ease. She pulled the tight jeans off, letting them fall to the floor beside them and she smoothed her hands over Buffy's legs, watching the goosebumps that raised up where her palms had just touched. As Buffy shifted her body further up the couch, Faith spread her legs, her fingers dancing over her inner thighs, her eyes taking in every inch of Buffy's body that she could see in the flickering light of the fire. She could smell Buffy's heady scent and she dipped her head down, placing soft, wet kisses along Buffy's hipbones. She inhaled sharply, her tongue salivating, wanting to taste her completely.

Faith closed her eyes as she moved her lips to Buffy's inner thigh and she playfully nipped at her skin, drawing out a pleasurable squeal from Buffy. She smiled against her skin as she flicked her eyes open and glanced up to meet Buffy's eyes with her own. They didn't break their gaze as Faith licked along her inner thigh with the flat of her tongue and they didn't break their gaze as Faith brought her fingers to Buffy's pussy and spread her lips as her tongue slipped over, drinking her in, tasting her completely for the first time. And not the last. Not tonight.

Small beads of sweat rolled down Faith's back as she licked over Buffy again, her tongue dipping inside her hot, tight, wet hole, her fingers circling over her clit, drawing out a quick orgasm that took her by surprise and filled them both with wanton lust they couldn't hold back any longer.

Buffy's hands slipped through Faith's hair, gently tugging her away as her orgasm reverberated through her body. Faith moaned against wet flesh, taking one more taste, prolonging it as she drank her in and allowed herself to be guided back up to Buffy's lips for a fervently steamy kiss that was drawn out to the point where they broke apart, gasping in lungfuls of air to catch their breath.

"Faith…"

"Mmm?"

"Take your pants off," Buffy breathed out as her hands fumbled to unclasp her leather belt. "Now," she said huskily, her voice demanding.

Faith chuckled throatily as she leaned back and helped Buffy get her belt and pants undone. Buffy's hands were moving quickly as she pushed her pants down and urged her back on top of her as Faith tried to wriggle free of them as they kissed hungrily, unable to get enough of one another. Hands grasped at one another, holding each other close as their bodies writhed and slid together, fitting almost perfectly as they tumbled down the spiral of pure, intense passion that fuelled between them.

With Buffy's urging, Faith's movements still almost completely as Buffy's hands explored her body, fingers tripping over the edge of her bra before reaching for the clasp. She swallowed hard as it dawned on her what was happening, what this was, what it meant.

And it didn't scare her like she thought a moment like this would. It just lured her in and made her want more. So much more.

This wasn't only just lust, this was love, and it was laid out bare between them, pulling them in, forever making them tumble down deeper and deeper inside of one another. Neither rushed, neither pushed the other too far, they only just did whatever felt good for both of them. It wasn't just about her, Faith knew that, it was about Buffy too. It was about both of them, together, as one.

Finding love in a world like the one it'd become was impossible, but not completely, because Faith knew every time her eyes met Buffy's that she'd found the one thing she never knew she was still looking for…

They ran through the field, the rain coming down hard as thunder cracked off in the distance. The storm was what had woken them up after hours of making love on the old musty couch in front of a dying fire. The storm was what had made them crash back to reality, knowing that they had to make their way to the train station, to catch up with the others before nightfall.

Their feet thumped against the wet ground in perfect rhythm, each of their strides matching the other. Their hands were clasped together, neither wanting to let go, neither having a reason to let go. They slowed as they reached the creek and they stood there staring down at the murky water as the rain fell hard from the sky above.

Faith blinked through the rain as she turned to look at Buffy. She couldn't hold back the affectionate smile that curled over her lips, a smile that was so easily, so readily returned. She let go of Buffy's hand and cupped her face gently, their lips seeking out each other's as they shared a loving, sensual kiss. Ever since they'd woken up to the sound of thunder rumbling through the sky, they hadn't been able to keep their hands or lips off of each other.

Everything about this was new to Faith, but even as new as it was, it felt good. It felt right. It felt like it was supposed to be this way and that there would be nothing that would ever change between them and where they were now.

"Which way?" Buffy asked her as she was the first to break away from the kiss. "Are we going to follow the creek back to the tracks?"

"Seems like the only way to get back there without getting lost, yeah?"

"And if we run into—"

"We'll take care of it if we do, but this rain, B? It feels like a blessing. Like we've been given the break of our lives. The chances we'll run into one of them are slim to none as long as the rain keeps up."

They shared one more kiss before they walked along the side of the creek in the direction they had come the night before, hand in hand and in silence. Faith placed her other hand on the handle of her sword as they walked swiftly along the creek. It wasn't long before she spotted the tracks up ahead and she tugged on Buffy's hand, urging her to move a little bit quicker on her feet.

The minutes passed by as they followed the tracks, the rain coming down harder and making it nearly impossible to see more than ten feet ahead of them. Faith let go of Buffy's hand and placed it around her shoulders, both of them smiling as they looked at one another and continued on.

Deep down she had this nagging feeling of guilt, like it was wrong to feel so happy when there was no more happiness left in the world. She tried to ignore it, tried to keep that grin on her face as she remembered the night before and everything that had unfolded between them. She wasn't wrong if she said it had been the best night of her life and she had. She'd told Buffy that once or twice in their heated passion. Living in the moment, every little moment, and hanging on to it even now, hours later.

It was a long walk along the tracks, but before long they could see the faintest outline of the train station just up ahead. Faith dropped her arm from around Buffy's shoulders and grabbed her hand again, smiling as they both squeezed and started to jog along the tracks towards the station. All was quiet aside from the rain and the thunder that was rolling out, barely a distant rumble as the storm moved on.

The closer they got, the more Faith had hope that the others were alive. She knew they were. She knew they'd made it out of there safely and were waiting for her and Buffy to find them. When she spotted the glow of a fire being burned inside, she let out a relieved laugh before she and Buffy ran harder, faster, both leaping up onto the platform as the door swung open and the others rushed outside to greet them.

Willow and Xander threw their arms around Buffy, the three of them crying happy, relieved tears as they clutched on to one another. Faith was taken back with surprise as Kennedy hugged her tight.

"I knew you guys were alive," she whispered before she backed away. "Where were you?"

"We got chased outta town," Faith replied and she smiled warmly at Giles as he approached her and Kennedy. "We found a place to hide out for the night and when the storm started, we headed back this way. Glad you guys survived. Bet you got one helluva story to tell about your escape off the roof, huh?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Kennedy chuckled. "Come on, lets get inside. We grabbed everything. I'm sure you're gonna wanna get outta those wet clothes, yeah?"

Faith grinned as she followed the others inside the train station and she helped Kennedy and Xander block off the door before they went upstairs into the attic where a small fire was burning inside a steel drum. She looked over at Buffy on the opposite side of the room and they just shared a knowing smile between them. They were reunited and safe again. At least for one more day…