Being home was comparatively easy to get used to. Having ten times the strength they once had was an entirely different story. It happened shortly after Angel had shown up around midnight and Faith had been sitting on the counter listening as he, Buffy, and Giles talked quietly at the table. She was listening, just barely, but her eyes were burning holes in Buffy's back and her hands were clenched tightly at her sides. She gripped the edge of the counter and a piece broke right off without her realizing her own strength. The granite grumbled in her hands as she stared down at it with wide eyes.

"Uh, shit," she muttered under her breath, brushing off the granite dust from her hands as the others looked over at her with pretty much the same expression she had on her own face. "Accident?"

"Is there any reason why you just attacked the counter?" Angel asked when nobody else said a word. "Faith?"

"No way, just was sittin' here mindin' my own business, y'know? Shit just broke."

"Granite doesn't just break," Angel said rather calmly. He watched Buffy slowly approach Faith as soon as she slid off the broken counter.

Buffy stopped when she reached her and casually bent down to pick up a piece of the counter that had fallen to the floor. She closed her fist around it, and with very little effort and it crumbled in her own hands. She just gave Faith a look before she turned to face the others, wiping her hand on her jean shorts as she let out a soft sigh.

"I think we have a problem. There's no way I should have been able to do that without even trying."

"We had our suspicions that the two of you might come back with additional strength," Giles said as he leaned back in his chair and picked up his cup of tea. "Since it is rather late and I'm sure you both would like to get some rest, we shall wait until morning to study the magnitude of your newfound strength increase."

"Great, thanks," Faith said as she quickly moved to the door only to find Buffy moving that much quicker and blocking the entrance before she even got there. "What gives, B?"

"Don't you want to find out what's going on with us?"

"Course I do. Kinda beat, though. Could use some sleep," she replied softly, crossing her arms over her chest when Buffy didn't move a muscle. "Look, B. So we've got more strength, big fuckin' deal."

"It is a big deal," Angel said as he motioned for the two of them to come over and sit at the table. "I've done some reading since you two were sucked inside that portal. There are a few theories—"

"Great, tell me in the morning," Faith said and she moved to get back up from her chair, stopping when Buffy reached out and gripped onto her thigh to keep her there. "What the fuck? I'm exhausted and I'm sure whatever it is can fuckin' wait 'til the morning."

"One theory," Angel continued, ignoring Faith's restlessness and urgency to get out of there as quickly as possible, "is that the magic Willow and the others used to pull you out, along with using the spell on the scythe once again, has somehow managed to channel the essence of all the past Slayers that ever lived."

"It isn't a theory," Giles spoke up as he placed his cup of tea down on the table. "We discussed this a few days ago. This was supposed to happen."

"So you knew this would happen and still you risked it?" Angel asked, keeping outwardly calm, but even Faith could see he was angry and even a little upset. "I know you all wanted to bring them home, but you have no idea what you're dealing with."

"Two very powerful Slayers?" Buffy offered, fighting off the smirk when Giles and Angel both glared at her. "Well, we are. More so than usual."

"Y'know, I really can't wait to get out there and test of this newfound strength. Kick some vamp and demon ass, make 'em run scared when they realize they really don't have a chance against us now," Faith grinned as she stretched her arms over her head for a moment before casually dropping one around Buffy's shoulders. "'Course, that's after we get some sleep and do whatever testing you wanna put us through."

"Is this dangerous?" Buffy asked Angel, her hand still on Faith's thigh but no longer gripping it tightly as she had been before. "Is it dangerous for us?"

"It will be until you learn how to control it," he replied, his eyes darting back and forth between the two of them. "We can't be sure, but I'm thinking not even the first Slayer had the kind of strength you two just might possess now."

"You said one theory," Faith said as she stared over across the table at Angel. "What're the others?"

"That you two wouldn't be able to adjust to being back home too easily, but from the looks of it, that doesn't seem to be a problem."

"That it?"

"That's it," Angel nodded in reply. "Up until five minutes ago I was starting to think I didn't really need to be here. Now I'm thinking it's probably best that I am."

They talked for a little while longer, discussing a way to test their strength in the morning. Faith only half listened as she traced small circles over the back of Buffy's neck in time to the small circles Buffy traced over her thigh and knee. Buffy's touch was calming her when she knew any other time a situation like that would have made her very tense.

Faith had a feeling things weren't going to be all 'fine and dandy' as Willow had colourfully put it earlier that evening. Sure the atmosphere was relaxed and everyone was happy that they were back and they were happy to be home again, but it was bound to blow up eventually. She hadn't had her thoughts go on overload since they'd been pulled out of the portal and landed gently on the living room floor, but now she couldn't stop all the thoughts that began to take over once again. She knew the closeness she and Buffy had now was making the others question just what had happened between them and how it all happened between them in such a short amount of time. The changes she and Buffy had gone through, alone and together, were really quite obvious. Even she knew that.

Jackie seemed to be adjusting just fine and before she was set up in Buffy's room for the night, she'd been getting along well with everyone in the house. Giles had been the most curious one of them all, asking her questions about the dimension only she could answer. After she answered what she could, Giles had asked her what she remembered of the times before she was sent there by Laura. Nobody else seemed the slightest bit fazed that Laura had been involved with sending Jackie there, either. Nothing was really surprising anymore when it came to finding out just how involved Julie, Henry, Laura, even Sam was in everything.

One of the things that Faith had noticed after the women from the coven had left for the night and they all had settled around in the living room to talk was the fact that Dawn and Xander were very close and one of the new Slayers, Satsu, couldn't seem to take her eyes off of Kennedy. Things had changed around there and she could see almost each and every one of them very clearly. There was something going on between Dawn and Xander and she could see it in the way they looked at one another and the small, subtle touches they exchanged when they thought nobody was looking. As for Kennedy and Satsu, she wasn't sure what was there, but the heat she felt coming from the two of them whenever their eyes met was undeniable.

She was pulled from her thoughts when Buffy squeezed her thigh gently as Giles cleared his throat, trying to get her attention. She felt her face flush a little when she felt all eyes on her, having no idea what they were just talking about.

"You weren't listening, were you?" Buffy asked, chuckling softly when Faith just tried to shrug it off.

"Uh, no. Tired as hell, remember?"

"Both our rooms are taken, aren't they?" Buffy asked Giles as Angel got up from the table and just nodded a silent goodnight before heading down to the basement. "Where do you expect us to sleep?"

"You can sleep on the couches in the living room if it isn't too much of a hassle. It is just for tonight until Xander has finished with the work he's been trying to do to make the attic liveable."

"The couch? Fuck that," Faith groaned softly. "We're goin' to the apartment. What time ya want us back here in the mornin', Giles?"

"One night on the couch isn't going to kill us, Faith," Buffy whispered softly before she leaned in to whisper so only she could hear, "you can go one night without, can't you?"

Faith glanced over at Giles who seem highly amused at the way the two of them were acting. She just rolled her eyes and gave in. Buffy leaned back, blushing when she realized Giles was watching them and Faith could feel the heat even on the back of her neck. She sat back with a smug smile on her face, watching as Giles stood up and quickly said goodnight before walking out of the kitchen. She was a little surprised when Buffy pulled her in for a kiss almost as soon as Giles had walked out. She quickly pulled Buffy so she was straddling her and kissed her deeper as Buffy's hands buried themselves in her hair.

Everything about being with Buffy was right and she knew that no matter what kind of fucked up thoughts always went through her mind day in and day out. She felt Buffy smile against her lips as her hands wandered under the blonde's shirt and over her back slowly. Even before they'd been sucked inside the portal, she'd become severely addicted to just kissing Buffy. Kissing her turned her into the world's biggest sap, at least by her standards. She knew what it was, too, without having to question it. She knew this was love and everything that came with it and because she'd let down her walls, she was finally experiencing it in every possible way.

"Always thinking," Buffy whispered against her lips, breaking away from the kiss a little suddenly and too soon for Faith's liking.

"Always, B. This time I was thinkin' bout you."

"I don't think this side of you will ever stop surprising me."

"What side?"

"Your sweet side."

"I don't have a sweet side," Faith muttered as she leaned back a little so she could look into Buffy's eyes. She couldn't keep a straight face and chuckled softly. "Fine, I got a sweet side. Tell anyone else and I'll kick your ass."

"Like to see you try. And besides," Buffy said, winking as she got up from Faith's lap slowly, "I don't need to tell anyone about your sweet side. They can just see it for themselves. They do have eyes."

"B?"

"Hmm?"

Faith stood up and followed her into the living room, reaching out to shut off the light before they walked out of the kitchen. "Call me crazy, but I'm kinda worried about this."

"About what?"

"This newfound strength we got. We should be worried about it and all we wanna do is..."

"Fuck? Well, it's not going to happen tonight," Buffy laughed as she reached for Faith's hands and pulled her over to the couch. "And I'm worried about it too, but that's the last thing my mind is able to focus on right now, honestly."

Faith laughed along with her as she settled on the couch and watched as Buffy walked over to the lamp to shut it off. Her eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness and she watched as Buffy walked back over to the couch, slipped off the sandals she'd been wearing, and laid down in front of Faith, pulling the taller woman's arms around herself. She could feel Buffy tense up for a moment before she turned around in her arms and pulled her in for a kiss. She knew Buffy couldn't resist. She had some kind of power over her and she'd seen it when they'd been stuck in the world between worlds with nothing but time on their hands—and their hands on each other if she really wanted to be technical and accurate.

"Bet you're wishin' we went to the apartment now, huh?" Faith whispered as she ran her fingers lightly over Buffy's thin t-shirt, following the curve of her breast. "Don't lie, B. I can read you really well now too."

"We were just kissing," she whispered as Faith manoeuvred them so she was slightly on top of Buffy with her thigh between the smaller slayer's legs, pressing hard into her center. "And maybe...this kissing thing isn't such a good idea either."

"When did you get all shy on me, B?"

"Not shy, just...really don't feel like getting all...touchy feely when just anyone could walk down the stairs any minute now and see us."

"Ya wiggin' out about gettin' caught? Or ya wiggin' about being heard too?"

"Faith," Buffy groaned softly, soft lips finding their way to her neck as Faith slid down her body just a little. "We should just get some sleep."

"Don't wanna. Ya got me all fuckin' worked up, B. Started when ya kissed me in the kitchen. Gotta finish what ya started, y'know?" Faith chuckled when Buffy just rolled her eyes and pushed her off of her, sending her crashing to the floor before she realized how much force she'd put behind it. "Great, B. Coulda just asked me to move."

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she helped Faith back up on the couch and quickly moved so she was lying in front of her with her back pressed up against Faith's front and the brunette's arms pulled firmly around her. "Crap. This extra dosage of Slayer strength is getting a little more scary. I didn't even..."

"I know, B. Don't worry about it," Faith said with a smile as she kissed the side of Buffy's head and moved a little, trying to get comfortable again. "Didn't hurt. Wasn't that much of a fall. Half a foot to the floor. Was a softer landin' than when Will pulled us outta the portal."

"I'm still all..." Buffy trailed off, pausing as if she was trying to think of what to say. "I don't know. I know I'm happy to be home and all, but..."

"Know the feelin', B."

"Do you?" Buffy asked, turning her head slightly so she could look at Faith. "I want to understand what we're going through, the changes we're feeling. I want to know the answers as to why we were sucked into that portal in the first place and why now."

"Cos some crazy bitch had her own agenda," Faith replied softly. "That and it was supposed to happen, B. Can't question fate or destiny or any of that crap."

"Do you honestly believe all that?"

"Never did before," Faith shrugged. "But I do now. Funny how bein' in love can really open your eyes to the world around ya, huh?"

"Tell me about it."

"Way I figure it," she said softly as she let Buffy turn around a little more in her arms, "after shit went down in Sunnydale, somethin' up there figured it was time for some major changes. Gettin' in touch with our human nature 'n shit. Guess that meant finding something in each other, with each other, whatever ya wanna call it. And ya know somethin', B?"

"What?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way. Never felt like this before and I know its cos of you. You know what I spent a lot of fuckin' time thinkin' about? About how bein' with you has changed me in all the ways I never thought I could be."

"You've changed me too."

"Yeah, into a horny little sex kitten," Faith chuckled and was rewarded by Buffy with a slap across the arm she had around her. "Well, ya are a horny little sex kitten, B. Stating the fuckin' obvious here. Ain't like I'm complainin' about it either."

"I—it's not my fault that I—Faith, shut up," Buffy stammered slightly as she glared at her. "I can't resist you or your charms. You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you put me under some kind of spell just so you can get some and come back for some more."

"Always knew it'd take the right one for me to lose the 'get some, get gone' attitude. And for your information, Blondie, we are—or were—under a spell. Only thing is, kinda know this is real even without that fucked up barrier spell messin' with us."

"So what happens when it wears off and I don't want you anymore?"

"Then you're fucked, cos I ain't ever lettin' ya go, B."

They both looked up at the same time then to see Angel hovering in the doorway. Buffy scrambled to sit up as he walked over to flip on the light. Faith just let out a soft sigh as she sat up and propped her feet up on the coffee table, smirking at how flustered Buffy looked. They both had gotten used to absolutely no interruptions in the last month and Faith was feeling frustrated knowing they'd probably never get that back. There'd always be someone around, unless they were at the apartment, and there'd always be someone there to ruin any little moment they managed to find together.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting anything," Angel said as he sat on the chair closest to the couch. "I was hoping I could talk to you two privately."

"About what?" Buffy asked once she finally found her voice. It came out slightly squeaky, like she was nervous, and it only made Faith smile as she looked over at her. "It isn't about anything bad, is it? Because I really can't handle hearing anything bad right now."

"I want to hear more about where you two were, what it was like there and this time," he said as he leaned forward a little, "don't sugar-coat it."

"We never sugar-coated anything in the first place!" Buffy said as she leaned back on the couch and looked over at Faith. "Did we sugar-coat it?"

"Nope," she replied as she shook her head. "Mighta left out some little...personal details, y'know, stuff that nobody else is gonna wanna hear."

"Like?"

"Ya kiddin' me?" Faith laughed at the oblivious look on Angel's face. "Ya wanna hear about how we got pelvic every fuckin' chance we got?"

Buffy flushed a deep red, lowering her eyes to her hands in her lap as Angel shifted in the chair uncomfortably. She smirked, feeling a little smug as she watched the two of them react very much the same way. She could understand why, too. They had history, romantic history and a whole lot of other history, between them. It had to be a touch more than uncomfortable for Angel to hear that Buffy was definitely with Faith and getting naked and sweaty on a regular basis now. She didn't want to rub it in Angel's face either. He didn't deserve it and she wasn't like that anymore.

"Look, I don't know what else we can tell ya, Angel. Only other person we saw there was Jackie and those guys inside that temple. Ya already know all this stuff," Faith said after neither of them dared speak much less look at each other. "Ya knew all this before ya even came here, didn't you?"

"Yes. A seer from a coven in Brazil contacted me, told me everything that you two have told me about the dimension you were sucked into. I was also told a few other things I'm sure that you won't want Giles or anyone else to know," he said. He leaned back in the chair and stared over at the two of them for a moment before continuing. "It's about Julie. Turns out she wasn't just crazy, she could see and wanted to make others see. The barrier spell was born from that desire of hers to make others feel everything she never could, see what she never could, have what she never could."

"Which is what, exactly? Love? Empathy?"

"All of it. She saw you and chose you, Faith. Her being able to feel your essence made it easier for her to see what you really wanted and I guess in your case, that was Buffy. So," he paused and smiled a little as the deep red in Buffy's cheeks didn't lessen at all, "she made it happen for you two. Call it crazy, and it is, but in a way she did it for the greater good despite the darker intentions that seemed to take over her and her family."

"And what about the Powers that Be?" Faith asked, knowing they had a hand in this as well. "Julie workin' for them or something?"

"You could put it that way, only it's really the other way around. It's complicated at best," Angel replied. "And believe me, for me to hear about you two from the seer that I talked with, it was definitely unexpected and expected at the same time. Everything that has happened, even back in Sunnydale and since you've come here, has happened for a reason. You need to feel more human than just a Slayer to face everything life is about to throw your way. It is what is going to keep you two alive."

"What, there's some big bad comin' or something?"

"Not as of now, no, but there's always a big bad and there always will be more."

"Vicious cycle," Buffy muttered under her breath. "We'll never get a break. Defeat one, something else pops up and tries to bring Hell to earth, end the world, control the world, end the Slayer line, or whatever else is on their agenda."

"What about the thing with Julie?" Faith asked, almost craving to know more if there was anything more to know. "I mean, she was basically invincible up until the end there, but once she lost that it was really a pretty easy fight."

"All I can tell you is that Julie and her family were just waiting for you two to come here. It was nothing more than a game for them and a way for them to feel relatively human again. Being immortal doesn't come without a price and now you two are basically going to feel just what that it's like for yourselves with the strength you now possess."

"We're basically immortal?" Buffy asked, looking over at Faith with both fear and excitement shining in her eyes. "How basic are we talking about?"

"We can't know for sure yet," Angel shrugged. "I'm guessing Giles will help you two figure that out soon enough."

Faith just grabbed the switchblade that had been left on the coffee table and flipped it open. Buffy watched with wide eyes as she ran the sharp blade over the skin on her left thigh and pressed hard, not even breaking the skin. She grabbed onto Buffy's leg and stabbed it, the blade bending as soon as it hit her skin.

"Guessing that answers just how 'basic' the immortality issue is, B."

"Faith! I can't believe you just did that!"

"So, Angel, what're you thinkin' about this? This part of the immortality deal, or is this somethin' else? Cos far as I can see, ain't nothing gonna be able to touch us now or kill us," Faith said as she tossed the broken switchblade onto the coffee table and sat back on the couch slowly. "Gotta be a lot of plusses to all of this, don't ya think?"

"It won't last," Angel said quietly. "Don't get used to it. It's just a side effect from the spell Willow used to pull you out of the portal."

"Ya sure about that?"

"It's what the seer told me. He is very rarely wrong."

"This guy, this seer," Faith said, slowly licking over her lips as she really began to feel the power coursing through her veins, "this the same friend that came to you before when shit with Julie and her family was goin' down?"

"No."

"If it ain't s'posed to last, how come ya didn't tell us this before?"

"I told you I wanted to talk to you two privately about this."

"Why?" Buffy asked as she lifted her head. "Shouldn't Giles know about this too? I mean he knows pretty much everything else, what difference does it make if he knows about this too?"

"The more people that know you possess this kind of power, the more dangerous it is for you and everyone else around you. Do you understand? Both of you?"

"Crystal fuckin' clear," Faith said under her breath as she watched Angel stand up slowly. "So what, that's all you wanted to talk about? Or is this just some kinda cover cos ya 'accidently' walked in on me and B about to get a little hot and heavy?"

Buffy blushed again, only this time she leaned into Faith and let out a soft sigh. "Let's just...not talk about me and Faith anymore, okay? It's all kinds of weird, Angel. And Faith," she said as she turned to look at her, "please don't ever bring up the topic of us in front of Angel again."

"Why not, B?"

"It's...weird."

"I'm with Buffy on that one. It's definitely weird," Angel said with a smirk, winking at Faith as he slowly made his way to the hallway. "I'm just happy you two are home and safe. We'll deal with this. We'll deal with whatever is happening to you two. As for it not lasting, there's no telling just how long you'll be like this or how much power you two will actually hold on to once the effects wear off. Just try not to be careless."

The last bit was directed to Faith, but before she could open her mouth Angel walked from the living room and out the front door. Faith sucked in a deep breath as she looked at Buffy, who sat there just staring blankly ahead.

"Well," Faith said as she let out a little laugh, "I guess we can mark this down as one long and very fucked up day, huh?"

"I think fucked up isn't strong enough of a word to describe today."

"Gotta figure though, B. Shit could be worse than it is. We could be dead."

"Right, because that's the worst it can possibly get," Buffy replied rather bitterly.

Faith could see the major change in Buffy since Angel had come into the room. Where there had been warmth before with their closeness, it was cooler and distant. She closed the small gap between them, pulling Buffy onto her lap and devouring her with a heart-stopping kiss. It was all she could do to stop the distance that Buffy had placed between them. She wanted to get back to the place where the world just fell away and all they could see, feel, hear, and taste was each other. She wanted to forget everything that had just happened, forget everything that Angel had said, but only for the time being.

"Faith..."

"Hmm?" Faith mumbled against her lips, trying to keep kissing her without breaking the moment. Buffy pushed her away a little and pouted when Faith just frowned. "What gives, B?"

"Angel kind of...ruined the mood."

"Fuck it," Faith said quickly as she pulled Buffy in for another kiss, stopping just a hairsbreadth away from her lips. "Told ya we should've gone to the apartment, B. Wouldn't have any interruptions there."

"One night, Faith. It's just one night. You can go without for one night, can't you?"

"No," she chuckled and Buffy just rolled her eyes. "Only time I've gone without since we started this...thing between us was when you were on your rag a little while ago. Pure torture."

"Um, not to sound a little strange, but I kind of noticed you haven't...I mean since we're sort of on that topic right now and everything."

"Oh," Faith sighed out, really not in the mood to bring up the reasons why, but knowing she had to eventually. It was one of those things that when you spent every single day with someone, fucked them every single day would be noticed. "Remember that crazy night when ya decided to gut me with my own knife? Well, I'm not privy to the medical details since I spent what, eight months in a coma then broke outta the hospital, but I'm thinkin' it has somethin' to do with that."

Buffy turned to look away from her guiltily and the tension, the many walls, shot right up between them just like that. Faith ran a hand over Buffy's thigh slowly, watching as goose bumps formed in its wake over her skin.

"B, y'know I forgave ya for that shit, right? Don't even worry about it," she whispered softly as she waited for Buffy to look back at her. "Besides it ain't all bad. So I can never have kids, never wanted 'em. Don't gotta worry about cramps either so it's like a bonus. Ya got nothing to feel guilty about either, B."

Buffy said nothing and still wouldn't look at her, yet she didn't move from sitting on her lap either. Faith continued to lazily run her hand up and down her thigh, smiling a little when she felt Buffy shudder as a small wave of pleasure washed over her. The tips of her fingers slid under the hem of Buffy's shorts, just for a brief second before she pulled her hand away from her completely.

"Come on, B. What's the big fuckin' deal?"

"You know what the big deal is," she muttered softly, still not looking at her. "I can't believe—why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Ya never asked."

"But isn't that kind of depressing, Faith? Never being able to have kids?"

"Wouldn't be a great mother anyway, don't see what the big deal is."

"You'd make a great mother."

"Remember who you're talkin' to here, B. I'd be a crappy mother. Barely been able to look after myself half the fuckin' time. Besides, we have other shit to worry about now and I can't even imagine bein' a Slayer and a mother at the same time. Seems like it'd be too much."

"Nikki Wood did it."

"She ended up dead," Faith replied. She let out a heavy sigh as Buffy finally turned to look at her. "Thinkin' I'm done with this talking deal for tonight," she said, moving to get up from the couch but being stopped by Buffy and pulled back down. "What?"

"Where are you going?"

"Gonna sleep on the other couch if that's okay with you."

"No," she said as she shook her head and pulled Faith down with her as she laid back. "Stay right here with me. Please? Feel like I can't fall asleep now without you right here with me. Holding me. I think I'm a little too...attached."

"Ya think?" Faith chuckled softly. "Can't I at least turn off the light?"

"No."

Faith let out a sigh as she closed her eyes and held Buffy close to her, feeling her relax in her embrace. She knew that the entire day, mostly since they'd been brought back, could be categorized under 'the most fucked up day, ever'. There was just too much to process all at once and with her thoughts and emotions now back in overdrive, she felt like she was going to explode if she didn't find a way to calm things down inside her head at least. But with the things she was finding out—well, mostly just finding out that Julie really did have a hand in what they were feeling and because of what they were feeling, they were together. It was a mess inside and out and yet, there they were, lying on the couch in the middle of the night, Faith behind Buffy, holding her close with her face nearly buried into the back of her neck. Lying like lovers, which is what they were, but things were firing off between them ever since Angel had left the room.

She traced her fingers idly over the small spot of exposed skin where Buffy's shirt had ridden up a little, trying to quiet her thoughts and fill them with the thoughts full of desire, the thoughts that made her libido rage out of control, her heart quicken and her whole body quiver in anticipation of Buffy's touch. She couldn't deny that everything felt amazing when it came to Buffy. Buffy made her feel so much, too much sometimes, but when things quieted down and it was just about the two of them, she felt like it was one of those perfect moments she'd only ever dreamt about without realizing she was. Even in the moments before the quiet had come, even in those words that could have spawned into hate far too easily, Faith felt like she belonged nowhere else but right where she was. Belonged with no one else but who she was with.

They often found themselves on the verge of fighting, talking about the past that riled up deep emotions they both had tried to bury since they'd become close, become—dare she think it—a couple. But even with the rough patches to work through or work out, they were in a very real relationship that surpassed every expectation she'd ever had whenever she thought about what it'd be like to have something like this with anyone. Even when they'd been stuck inside that world between worlds, she'd thought over everything a hundred times and every time it was slightly different.

She tried not to think about her and Buffy, afraid if she went too far with her thought that she'd start seriously doubting what they had together. She couldn't do that. Not to herself and not to Buffy. Not now that she loved her and knew that Buffy loved her back. Even if it really was a spell, or the side effects from the barrier, she knew what she felt had become real. She felt it deeply rooted in her very soul, the same part of her soul she knew was now permanently connected to Buffy's and the very soul connection that would never be severed. Ever.

She went back to thinking about the things Angel had told them. She knew that he cared about each of them, though more Buffy than herself. But it didn't matter to her who Angel cared for more, the fact that he was there when he didn't have to be spoke volumes not even she could fully understand. At least she understood why she felt different since they'd returned home. It was the power they had now, coursing its way blindly through their bodies with every beat of their heart and with every breath they took. Just how much power they had, she didn't know—and a part of her was almost afraid to find out. She was never good with having power, finding it overwhelming. It was what had lured her to the dark side and was what scared her from him, made her hate herself for it in the end.

She was exhausting herself and she let out a soft sigh before she placed a gentle kiss to the side of Buffy's neck and whispered ever so softly into her ear, "night, B."

"Night, Faith," Buffy whispered breathlessly, the words barely escaping past her lips as she let out a deep sigh.

Buffy turned just a little and placed a soft yet lingering kiss on her lips before smiling as she pulled away and turned back around and snuggled deeper, closer into Faith. And for what felt like the millionth time since the first time Buffy had kissed her, she asked herself how the hell she ended up having something so great, so loving, so real with Buffy when she knew with all the things she'd done in the past to Buffy, to her family, to her friends…she didn't deserve her. She didn't deserve any of it.

"You do," Buffy whispered. "You deserve everything you have. Even me."

"Did I just say that out loud, B?"

"No, but I felt it. Just stop thinking and go to sleep, Faith. I mean it."

She smiled a little, feeling slightly guarded and a little nervous. Maybe there was more to things than them just gaining strength from all the Slayers that had lived before them. Maybe it was more than them being connected on a deeper level. Maybe there were parts of themselves that were connected that they never thought was possible. Whatever it was, she'd worry about it after she'd gotten some sleep.