FOUR MONTHS LATER: BUFFY POV.
Settling back home wasn't easy. Buffy had materialised near where she originally left off – in the grassy stretches between gravestones of an all-too-familiar cemetery.
The first thing she did was hunt for her gravestone. She located the exact spot where it should have been – and saw an empty plot.
I'm finally home, she had thought.
Reintroducing herself to her mother and friends and boyfriend was a little more of an interesting experience. For example, she had forgotten how shy this Tara was – how little they really knew of each other. Their initial conversations on Buffy's return consisted of nothing but awkward.
Everyone of course welcomed her back with open arms. Her mother in particular had nearly crushed her bones in relief. Riley was glad to see her back, but somehow things between them became more awkward, too. Buffy hadn't thought that much of him on her stint away. Being face to face made it easier to remember what they were supposed to be; girlfriend and boyfriend, super soldier and Slayer and all that. They'd been through a lot together, after all – a whole year of trouble from the Initiative and his conflict in it with Professor Walsh. Somehow, though, sex with him no longer felt right. Something lacked in it. The passion had all but dissipated.
Annoyance prickled Buffy, as well as guilt for her changed attitude towards Riley. She felt out of place with her own world. How dumb is that? This was where she was supposed to be. Riley really was good for her. Why couldn't she just be satisfied with him?
To top it off, everyone believed she had only been missing for just over a week. Time apparently flowed differently in the other world.
She didn't tell anyone where she had really been. She wanted to, but each time she started, she stopped, the words stuck in her throat like an anchor. Maybe some day. And when Faith's name slipped from her lips, easy as if the name belonged there: "Does anyone know how Faith is doing?" - everyone just stared at her incredulously, like she had said the most stupidest thing ever.
Because of course. That was the missing link. Here was the Faith whom five months ago, Buffy couldn't have cared less if she rotted in prison for the rest of her miserable slutty life.
Not anymore.
Four months had passed. Summer had drifted into autumn, leaves stained the suburban streets. Slaying went on as normal. All that time, Buffy reflected. In between activities, meetings, social life and killing things – both Faiths played in her mind, how different and yet how similar both women acted. Four months was the amount of time needed before Buffy finally reached for her cellphone, one late evening, and dialled the number to Angel's firm.