AN: Thank you for your reviews. I'm sorry I haven't had time to update as I got a new job. BTVS doesn't belong to me.

A couple of days after the incident with the Council, Lilith and Faith were lying in bed not able to sleep. The older brunette was worried about her younger counterpart since something seemed to stop her from sleeping again. Sitting up in her bed, Faith turned to the other bed and broke the silence.

"Okay, what's wrong, L?" Faith asked her clone, causing the younger brunette to turn to face her mentor. "You're having trouble sleeping again and it's got to be due to something bothering you. So, please, just tell me what's going on."

"Buffy won't look me in the eye anymore. Hell, she hardly talks to me or wants to even be around me. Is it because of what I did to that council guy? They took you. I didn't know what they would do to you and I couldn't let that just happen like it wasn't wrong. So, why does Buffy hate me for it? How can I fix this?" Lilith pleaded desperately at Faith with tears in her eyes and the older brunette rushed to the other bed and pulled the crying teen into her arms.

"Shh, it'll be okay." Faith made sure Lilith was looking her in the eyes as she spoke. "You didn't do anything wrong. You wanted to protect me and that's what we do for family. We protect each other from humans and demons alike. Buffy's really never had that problem with humans threatening her family. She hasn't really seen the darker side of humanity but she doesn't hate you."

"Are you sure?" The young brunette asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, of course." Faith tried to answer confidently.

Both brunette slayers got little sleep that night. The next day, Faith walked into the Magic Box to see the blonde that had haunted her thoughts all night just staring at the punching bag not making a move to start training. Buffy couldn't get the knights she had killed out of her head and she jumped when the brunette put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, what's wrong, B?" the brunette wondered.

"Huh, oh, nothing." Buffy tried to shrug it off. "Where's Lilith?"

"Therapy but there is something I want to talk to you about." Faith stated.

"Okay, what's up?" The blonde asked.

"Lilith's having trouble sleeping again. She has come to the conclusion that you hate her for her actions against the Council. Now, B, I know how you feel about what a slayer should be but she's just a kid and doesn't see what's wrong about protecting her family and treating her like you did me after I killed Finch is a sure way to mess her up. So, I don't care what you have to do, just fix this. I won't let you treat her like you did me." The brunette explained then turned to leave.

"Wait, Faith." Buffy called, "I… I didn't mean to react that way to Lilith but I'm having my own crises here. I killed four people that night. They attacked me in armor but I killed them. I'm no better than you were when you were evil."

"B, there is a difference in killing for pleasure and killing out of self-defense." Faith said simply trying to get the blonde to see her point.

"Yeah, but there's going to be more of them. They're after Dawn and I don't know if we can just knock them out to make them stay away." The blonde was wringing her hands anxiously.

"B, they're nut jobs trying to kill an innocent little girl. Are you telling me you can't face them to protect her? 'Cause that ain't the Buffy I know. Dawn needs the Buffy that was willing to kill me to save her poisoned vampire boyfriend." Buffy flinched as the brunette spoke about that night in her apartment.

"Faith, I'm sorry about stabbing you. The moment I did it I wanted to take it all back." The blonde apologized honestly.

"I know I saw the look on your face when it happened. It might be one of the reasons I jumped off the building. I can't tell you exactly why I did some of the things I've done but I can tell you that I couldn't stand the way you looked at me after I killed Finch. I just wanted to you to notice how much I needed help to see through all the bullshit and realize that I couldn't handle what was happening. The Mayor, though, he really cared about me and that was something that I'd never had before so when he asked for me to do something for him I did. You may think he was manipulating me but I really believe he cared about what happened to me." Faith explained with a pained look on her face.

"He did care about you, Faith. He tried to kill me in the hospital when he found out and it was his affection for you that helped me lead him into our trap. I won't apologize for killing him because he was killing people and I had to stop him but what I am sorry for is that it hurts you that he's dead and I'm sorry for the way I treated you." Buffy said sincerely.

"Thank you, Buffy. It means a lot and I'm sorry too for everything I've done." The brunette felt a weight lift off her chest as she apologized.

"By the way, I know you're right about the knights but part of me wants to avoid killing them if I can." The blonde brought their conversation backed to their original point.

"I know, B, I wouldn't want you to feel your alone in sharing the burden for what we both know is going to happen 'cause we both know that we need to do what we have to." Faith stated with determination. "Also, please speak to L about why you've been distant 'cause I think she'd understand and maybe stop believing that you hate her."

"Okay, Faith, and thanks for forgiving me." Buffy replied with a small half smile.

"Hey, we both deserve a second chance." The brunette gave her blonde counterpart a full dimpled grin. "I'm here for you, B. Whatever you need."

AN: Please review and please stick with me because I really am trying to update. I'm sorry for this being so delayed but I won't give up on any of my stories.