Chapter Eleven

This Moment

The rain's coming down pretty good now, I can hear it hitting on the windows. The lamp from the front room's still on, the light making its way into the bedroom just barely. It's shining perfect, not like in a way that makes me wanna get up and turn it off, but nice and cozy and giving off just enough juice to let me look all I wanna at B. And man, oh man, is it ever a sight.

She's sleeping flat on her back, wiped out by the last week and by what we just did, but I'm still wide awake and taking her in. I've got her covered up to the waist now, and yeah, I oughta be asleep with her in my arms, but I don't think anybody'd blame me for needing to keep taking a look. B would understand too, plus she'd dig it even if she told me to stop it and go to sleep.

I'm in the catbird's seat, laying on my side with my head propped up on my hand, leaving one whole arm free to check out her perfect body. So soft and smooth with all of this strength and power sitting right below the surface. Her stomach's flat with just the tiniest hint of abs, and when I run my fingers real delicate over it, those babies pop in and outta sight like nobody's business.  Her tits are just right, almost on the small side maybe, but with more than enough to keep my hands busy. And her nipples…I kiss one real gentle and she moves a little, but doesn't wake up.

Her face is fucking off the charts beautiful when she's awake, but even sleeping I could just lay here and take her in forever. Her forehead's got just the right space between her hair and her eyebrows, and I have to run a finger over them because they're right above my favorite physical thing about her: her eyes. Even closed they're beauties, and I can still see'em. I think I always will, even when I'm dead.

Green with little gold flecks of the sun flashing in them and lighting them up. They see everything, show everything, and they're always changing. When she's mad they go darker, a buncha brown popping out to mix in with the green, unless she's super pissed. Then they get even greener, like dry ice if it had a color, and that's when you'd better look out. Most times though they're like the ocean on a warm day, all peaceful and clear and making you wanna dive right in, 'specially when they stare at me with so much lust it's like they're brewing up a hurricane.

Buffy's eyes are without a doubt, the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Nothing else is even close, so I kiss her, right between'em and this time she makes more noise, like a happy sigh with my name coming out despite the fact that she's still sound asleep:

"Mmmm…Faith…"

That makes me smile huge because people only sound like that when they're in love and wicked happy about it. My finger traces barely there alongside her nose, which is a fucking awesome nose. It's strong and straight, then there's the cutest, quirkiest little tip. It's so B: tough, proud, determined, but with a piece of goofy, silly girl right on display. I love her nose almost as much as her eyes, plus it leads you right to her mouth.

Her mouth…Holy fucking hell, just looking at it makes me wanna do all kindsa stuff to her. But I just did all of that and she's bushed…I gotta laugh at that turn of phrase…The point is I don't wanna wake her up 'cause she's beat, so I can wait. But damn, do I ever want her so bad again.

No matter what she's doin', she's got the sexiest lips ever. Smiling, laughing, kissing, smart assing a vamp, yelling, eating, blowing on her food to cool it off, saying something shitty to me, licking them, sucking on a straw, falling open a little as she sleeps...her lips are something that oughta be worshipped at least a thousand times a day, up close and personal, leastways when it comes to me.

She loves when she catches me staring at'em, and of course it happens a lot. She knows I'm picturing them on me or maybe hearing the sounds they make when mine are on her someplace nobody else gets to go. She always does this smile that drives me crazy, which makes her smile even more, which gets me even more wound up, and on and on until it never fucking ends until we're fucking. I love the feeling of them moving against mine, our tongues meeting and our breath getting so mixed up I can't tell whose is whose…I love that.

Her lips are always soft and careful, all light and gentle unless they're not. Then they're hard and wild, heavy and rough, and she just takes from me exactly what she wants and what I always wanna give her. Buffy kisses like…like…She kisses like Buffy, is the only way to explain it, and that's just how I like and need it. Soft, hard, nice, mean, gentle, rough, she gets it right every single time.

I lean over her a little and just let my lips brush hers, hardly there so she probably can't even feel it, but she smiles anyway and rolls over onto her side. Her arm crosses over my hip and she snuggles up against me, doing this little snoring thing into my chest that she swears she doesn't do. It's not like a truck driver sawin' logs or anything, it's small, quiet, and I don't know exactly what you'd call it. Guess you could say B snores like The Slayer.

I pull the covers up over us both, wrap my arm around her, and settle down to the best feeling in the world. It's pouring outside, we're safe and dry with no place to be except together, and the stupid shit I put between us is gone. I made us live with it for way too long, but now it's just me and B. I feel like I'm on top of the world…Fuck that. I feel like I own the moon and the stars, the whole fuckin' universe, and I never saw it coming. Least not tonight.

The rain showed up early in the day, kind of a drizzle on and off until right at sunset when it started coming down pretty good. I usually love when it rains and I don't have to go anyplace. All the inside lights seem to glow soft and homey, even in a dive if you pretend, the sounds outside are muffled and you can hear the tires slicking through the water on the road. If you got a city view, the traffic lights shine like Christmas on the street, and if you got a "Buffy" view, everything looks perfect in a way you never used to know was possible.

But I didn't have a "Buffy" view, not for like a million days. And yeah, technically it'd only been maybe nine days, sixteen hours, and four minutes, but it seemed a lot fucking longer. Still, I was keeping shit in perspective because so what that B wanted some time away. Even when things are going good, people like to take a break sometimes. Anybody can get sick of each other once in a while, so I wasn't gonna get all worked up and paranoid about it. There was no sense giving that shit a foothold, 'specially when I knew better.

I just missed her was all, even if she took off because she couldn't stand the sight of me. I know what that's like, used to happen to me a lot, but I didn't exactly have any time to dwell on it. I was way too busy sittin' in her spot at the window seat staring out at nothing. It made me feel closer to her, and I could even see out in spite of the rain, thanks to the tree right outside running interference.

But man, did that fucker ever look weird. A buncha branches looked like somebody just whacked'em off without makin' it any shape at all. I oughta talk to Giles about it 'cause it's kinda an eyesore now and I know B really loved watching the branches blow around in the breeze. Whoever the dipshit is who fucked it up for her, well they better do somethin' to fix it and that better be possible somehow. Maybe Willow can work some magic or Xander can build some fake pieces. Maybe all of those options.

After a while the rain eased off, but it was still falling steady. That was a good thing for me to remember because making up, getting back into B's good graces, straightening out a major fuck up, it was hard work and you had to hold steady and just keep at it. There's no shortcuts, no half assed attempts, you just gotta give it your all and hold steady, which I was doing and was gonna keep doing for as long as I had to.

This is my life, it's where I belong, and if it took forever to get shit square, that'd be just fine with me. 'Sides, B's been nothing but great and I was way ahead of where I oughta be by now. Even though she's still upset, we're still doing things together – making love, slaying, eating, sleeping, all the normal stuff people do. I knew how lucky I was, so I just kept my mouth shut and worked hard at making it right between us.

Buffy took off for a lotta reasons and I was hoping one of them would be that maybe, just maybe she'd start feeling a little better. I could see how she was fighting to get back to me, how it was wearing her out, and I wanted to do something to make it easier for her.  But wishes ain't horses and I wasn't riding shit because no matter how much I wanted it to be otherwise, that part of it was B's battle to win or lose, not mine. I couldn't do anything except be there for her however she needed.

I wasn't happy with her being gone, but I understood. It just didn't stop me from missing her every second of every day, and it wasn't long before the sitch got way worse. First I had to just sit here while she got into some big vamp smackdown, then I had to sit here some more while it went on for a whole fucking week. All I could do was wait for the daily update on pins and needles, which is what I did.

She called regular like she promised she would, which wasn't exactly a surprise. B always follows through, and her word's like gold and always has been. And it was those calls, plus her threatening to outright say she didn't want me there, that kept me staying put 'stead of teleporting and puking my way right to her side. She told me they had it, so they had it, but fuck…I hate being separated at the best of times, let alone when I know she's under attack.

Anyway, it all worked out and B called to give me the heads up she was gonna stay a few extra days to wind down. I wanted to tell her that sucked, that I was dying for her to come home, but that didn't exactly seem fair. She needed time and it wasn't like I couldn't understand why, so I told her to have a good stay while I tried to sound happy about it:

"Seems like just the thing for ya, B. Have fun and get some rest, I'll hold down the fort."

"Thanks. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. Bye."

I hung up and kept right on missing her, but I went ahead with doing the shit I needed to do to get through my day. When I got home I tried to relax, but I was way too restless to stick with any one thing, which is what led me to plant my ass on her favorite spot. Funny how the heebie jeebies left me alone once I got settled down there. I guess my body knew it was as close as it was gonna get.

I got no clue how many hours I was sitting there before I heard a key getting turned in the lock. It surprised me because nobody but me, Red, Giles, and B have one, and I was already on my feet and moving fast to see who it was. I went through the list rapid fire: could only be Giles if we were under attack, which I was pretty sure we weren't, and Red would only use hers if I was under a suicide watch, which I wasn't. That meant it had to be Buffy, and I was already grinning like a moron at the thought of seeing her in just two seconds time.

The door swung open and there she was. She was being quiet; I guess since it was late and there were no lights on, she thought I was asleep. I stood still back in the shadows just enjoying the view and watching the hallway light shining all excited over her. She looked so good I kinda stopped breathing.

Her hair was a little wet, her clothes too, and the fast look I got at her eyes when she turned to put her bags down…Seriously, there is nobody hotter than B. Not anywhere, not at any time. I just stood there staring like I'd never see enough, so freakin' happy she was home. I knew she was gonna see me in a second when her Slayer sight kicked in and her eyes got adjusted, but I still didn't say a word.

She shut the door and put us in the dark, but it only took like two seconds before she was looking straight at me.

"Hiya, B."

She didn't say shit, just walked towards me really fast, her face all serious. Before I could figure out what the deal was, my head was in her hands and her lips were on mine. I grabbed onto her and pulled her closer because, well because everything seemed to point to that as being my move.

All I could think about was how much I'd missed her, how good she smelled and tasted, how perfect she felt, and how much I loved her. She tried to pull back, but I didn't want that. I held her a little tighter, not really caring if she maybe got pissed, and I picked up the kiss from right where she'd tried to leave off. She went with it, letting me haul her closer, her lips matching mine and her tongue back in my mouth where it belonged.

It went on a while before she pulled back again, and this time I gave her a little slack, but not all the way. It was pretty obvious that she was just as turned on as I was, and I wanted to see how far a tag team horny was gonna take us.

"Faith…"

I felt like I could explode just from hearing her say my name like that, but I kept it together. Her hands dropped down to my shoulders, although they slid there slow enough that every inch of me felt like it was burning where she'd touched. I wanted to start up with the kissing again, but before I could move, I got a good look at her eyes and saw she was trying not to cry.

"Hey, what's wrong?"                                                                                                                     

She didn't answer, but her eyes got too full and some tears spilled out. I wiped some off her cheeks, my eyes searching hers for an answer:

"Buffy, what's…"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry? For what?"

"The way I've been treating you, how hard I've made this."

I started to laugh a little. Not like a crazy person, but more like a confused as fuck one.

"Baby, what are you talking about?"

She pulled my head down and kissed me – fast, but so damn sweet.

"I've been so mean to you and I…"

I reached over to the table and popped the lamp on so we could see each other clear. We both winced a little before we got used to the light.

"Whoa, hold up. You haven't been mean to me. Fact, I can't even believe you've been so great about everythi…"

She kissed me again, then tried to explain:

"I just got scared, you know? Because it was so easy for me to forgive you, and I felt like I was being one of those women who let people run all over them and…"

I started laughing, a lot harder this time. She stood there doing that smiling along thing you gotta do when somebody else is going mental and you got no clue what's so funny. I finally got hold of myself, at least enough to talk in an understandable way.

"B, nobody in no way would ever think you'd let somebody run over you. You'd be handin' them their ass and just about every other part of them if they tried. And that includes me, times like fifty."

She smiled more real, but she still needed to explain:

"I was so happy when you came home, but I was still so mad too. I kept thinking it shouldn't be that easy to get over everything, and what kind of idiot did it make me that it was? You could just decide to leave again at any time and then what was I supposed to do? So every time we went forward, I just felt like I had to shut down any way I could."

"I get it. I mean, nobody shuts down better than I do, right? Gotta protect yourself sometimes, leastways that's how it feels. And I fucked up bad, B, and I hurt you. Must seem like you can't trust me, and that's just normal. It's gonna take time and that's my fault, not yours. Don't take the blame for any of this shit, it's on me and I'm gonna fix it, I promise."

She took my hands and put them around her waist.

"You have fixed it, Faith. You fixed it by coming home and giving me time. God, I've been so busy trying to make myself forget who you are…but I remember now."

She looked so beautiful, her eyes warm and filled with so much love it made my heart speed up.

"You're the person who makes me happier than I've ever been, you're the love of my life. I need you, Faith, I'm always going to need you. All I want is to make you happy, to show you how much I love you, and I'm sorry it took me so long to remember that."

I smiled and started to correct her again, but Buffy wasn't having any of that.

"No, let me say this. Yes, you screwed up and yes, you hurt me, but it doesn't matter. You faced up to so many things for you, for us, and I don't know how you did it, but it's the bravest thing anyone's ever done. I'm so proud of you, and all that matters to me is that you're okay and you're home. I don't give a damn how we got here, Faith, I just want to love you."

I felt some tears rolling down my face as I kissed her, but I didn't give a shit. My girl was back and she loved me, and we were gonna be okay. I picked her up as we kissed, her legs wrapping around me as I stumbled blind to our bed. We hit together and the rest is just a blur of skin and breath and tongues and lips and words making it clear who we are and who we were gonna be.

We made love a long time and I wanted to do it forever. Just me and B, in synch, each of us breathing in and out for the other, touching just right, making each other feel everything, but even Slayer stamina can only take you so far. B fell asleep while we were kissing, her mouth sorta falling off mine in slo-mo.

"Faith…so good…"

"Yeah, it is. Just go to sleep now."

"…No…wanna be with……you…"

"Nobody's goin' anyplace. I'll be here when you wake up."

She smiled and stopped fighting it:

"Love you."

I kissed her and she kissed me for a sec before she went under. Me? Well I hadn't been fighting for my life for a week on just two hours sleep a day. I was jazzed. B was back, and not just back, but back for real and all the way. She'd thought things through and even though I don't quite get how, she's already forgiven me and is willing to admit it. It's crazy, but true, and I'm not looking it in the mouth or anyplace else. I'm just goin' with it.

Buffy's just so fucking great. She's the nicest person I've ever known, the strongest too, and she loves me. You put all that stuff together and you get cut the huge break I got cut. My girl is the best, the most beautiful person in the world, plus she's also the Slayer. No mystery at all why they wanted her up in Heaven way too early.

The rain's still coming down, even sounds like it's picking up again, and I hope Kennedy had the sense to just call patrol. What am I saying? Kennedy doesn't have the sense to call 911 unless you spot her the first two numbers. She for sure had her girls sloshin' all over the place, not a bad guy in sight 'cause they got the brains to stay home and watch TV, play poker, eat kittens, what the fuck ever the bastards do.

B moves, which is great 'cause it puts her all over me even more. I roll all the way onto my back and she comes right with me…and yes she did, at least twice. She's so soft, smooth, and warm they oughta make blankets outta her…which is gross and kinda creepy and I'm gonna forget I thought about it. But damn, she just feels so good and it's…uh…She suddenly feels even better because her mouth is now on my tit and…uh…her breath is coming out…which is something I'm enjoyin' the fuck outta, but I'm also trying to stay in control because she needs…she needs rest and…uh…

"Faith…"

She's still sleeping, so I shift a little to get my nipple someplace safe and it works in a coupla ways. First: my nipple's outta range. Second: it made her move again and now she's half layin' on me, her face smashed into my neck, her breast up against mine in places. I wrap my arms around her because I want her to stay right where she is as long as she stays still and stops squirming.

I just lay here grinning while I watch the water sliding down the window, my hand rubbing against the silk Buffy calls skin, and my heart threatening to fly outta my chest. I'm so happy, it's past any words I got. All I know is I wanna spend the rest of my life right here, just me and her all wrapped together forever. Seems wicked possible to me, but that's not how it's gonna go and I'm okay with that too.

There's gonna be plenty of times just like this for the whole rest of our lives, and in between we're gonna slay, eat, watch TV, argue, hold hands, let the waves roll in and out on our beach vacations, hang with our friends, piss Giles off, read comics with Xander and fashion mags with Willow…yeah, we gotta have some different things…and we're gonna live our lives together for as long as we get to.

I'm gonna give her everything I've got and whatever else she wants. I'd even get her somethin' illegal 'cause even though I'm new and improved, well, c'mon, I'm still me. I got lotsa skills sittin' on the shady side, but it's a moot point 'cause B would never ask for anything like that. She's Buffy, and she doesn't even so much as shake hands with wrong. They call people like her "heroes" and there's nothin' about that that doesn't ring true when it comes to B.

So when I say I'm gonna get her things, I'm talking about normal stuff like how I'm gonna pick up the Hellmouth and carry it back to California for her so she can get outta the snow. I'm not sure yet how to do it, but I got ideas and I got Willow. Maybe she can plug it up all across the country until it finally blows open in a warm part of Cali. That'd be perfect.

 'Til we get that figured, I can at least make sure Buffy's got a winter coat this year that's warm, not just pretty. Sometimes B doesn't seem to always make that connection. She stands there shivering and bitching about how cold it is, but then she'll go on and on about how stylin' she looks, what a great coat she's got. Yeah, if you dig'em bein' made outta pretty paper.

I can also snuggle up with her and drink the hot chocolate that I add some good stuff to when she's not looking, then laugh as she gets tipsy and starts doing a strip tease. Her face all flushed, her eyes all green, her hair swirling around her as she looks more beautiful in the firelight than I've ever seen her before. She'll accuse me of getting her drunk, then smile and tell me I've been bad and she likes it. And yeah, I like it too.

Not that I need any specifics, I'm happy just hangin' loose and free. And I am…free. I can still feel the hurt in me, can still feel the anger and sadness, the confusion about why my childhood had to be so crappy, but it's way back there, not sittin' front and center. That seat belongs to Buffy now, and I don't see her giving it up or getting shoved out ever again. I want her right there, always, and I don't give a fuck anymore about what went down years ago.

There's too much to do, too much hot blonde chick to love, too many bad guys to kill, and too much happiness to live in to keep goin' over old crap. I don't know what my parents' deal was, I just know they sucked and messed me up. Probably nobody gave a shit about them either, so I get it and can feel for 'em, but hey, you don't gotta follow along and be an asshole your whole life. You can be the one who pulls away from that, the one who breaks loose and makes somethin' of yourself. They didn't make it, but I did.

Just goes to show ya – it's never too late and nobody's gotta just stay who they were. It's not easy for sure, you gotta get help, but you can pull yourself right outta anything. Course I had B helping and that's the best kinda help you can…Fuck! Her knee just made itself at home and now she's sorta squirming around…slow and uh…Damn…

Normally I'd just wake her up and get busy, or I'd wake her up and have her get busy, but I know she's exhausted so…Shit…What the fuck kinda dream is she havin'? And it'd better be starring me and nobody else…unless she's like twins.

Okay, gotta get my mind outta the gutter and show a little…Jesus Christ…the way she moves…but now's not the time to be selfish, so I…Oh fuck me, is that a rhythm? I don't wanna move: not outta the bed and not with her either…But I'm not gonna make it much longer if she keeps…

"Just what does a girl have to do around here to start something?"

"You're awake?"

"Yes, I'm awake. What did you think I was doing? Trying to start something in my sleep?"

"Yeah, I mean, no…I was wondering …"

She slid right on top of me, her lips nibbling on my throat.

"Well, wonder no more."

"…Thought you were wiped."

"I got a second wind. Or a third or fourth one. Okay, I've lost track, but I now have a Slayer wind…and do not say it."

"Sure, I can cut ya a break."

I brought my arms up around her, but Buffy sat up, straddling me and making my hands skim down to her butt. I like changes like that.

"I'm not sure you should be touching me, F. Weren't you just all about showing all kinds of restraint?"

"Yeah, but that's just when you're passed out. Once you're alert, anything goes."

"Good, but right now, I'm in charge."

I don't even feel like arguing or trying to put up a front. I like when she gets bossy and takes charge of me. It's hot and a little scary in a good way. She starts moving back and forth and I help her. My hands are right on her ass, what else can I do? Her eyes close and she moans all low and drawn out.

"Mmmm…you feel so good."

"Yeah, you're rockin' it too, B."

She laughs and slips out of my grip, heading down the bed and me. I reach for her and haul her back up until we're level.

"I love you, Buffy."

She smiles kinda shy, but then she kisses me, hard and deep. When she comes up for air, her hand traces around my face, stopping to exam my dimples and run her thumb light across my lips.

"You are so beautiful, Faith…in every single way. I never, ever thought I could get so lucky."

My hands wrap in her hair, pulling her back into a kiss which is tougher than it oughta be because I just can't stop smiling. I'm floating, spinning, twirling, so fucking happy that it has to be seen to be believed. Buffy sees it and it makes her light up:

"We're so perfect together. We just fit, you know?"

I put a little sway in my hips:

"Yeah, we line up real nice."

With another smile, this one nowhere near shy, she works back down slowly, kissing and licking and sucking every inch of the way. By the time she's made herself at home, I'm shaking and groaning…I'm fucking burning on fire. She laughs all low and sexy and just a little bit mean when she sees how turned on I am, and then me and B drift away together, just like it oughta be. 

Yep, let'em all wait – Buffy Summers is my girl.

I…I am watching you sleep
It's the promise you made

What I find I can keep
Oh I…want to swallow the moon

Give a smile back to you
Lighting your way

Tell the angels they'll just have to wait
`Cause I wanna stay here in this moment

Can I quietly slip into you
You and I can stay here in this moment

Let the world fade away
I just wanna stay with you

I…I am watching you breathe
I am pulled into you

As you smash into me
Oh I…want to give you the stars

All that I can hold in my arms
Placing them where you lay

Tell the angels they'll just have to wait
`Cause I wanna stay here in this moment

Can I quietly slip into you
You and I can stay here in this moment

Let the world fade away
I just wanna stay with you

With my hand on your skin we can slowly begin…I am free
Now the heavens have less `cause I found the best

And I won't let them take you away
Tell the angels they'll just have to wait

I wanna stay here in this moment
Can I quietly slip into you

You and I can stay here in this moment
Let the world fade away

I wanna stay here in this moment
Make the Earth stand impossibly still

Disappear in your kiss, we'll never be missed
Let the world fade away, I just wanna stay with you

With you

-This Moment - Melissa Etheridge

You're the One

The day started off as nothing but fun. I was standing with Faith as we welcomed the newest crop of girls to Slayer Training 101, the place where they would learn the basics, the physical requirements of the job, and the skills they would need to use on a nightly basis to stay alive. The information imparted to them in this room couldn't be more important or more serious, which was why Faith and I always took every group's initial class. We explain it all to them in great detail, making it just as boring as we can because we know they're not listening anyway.

They're newbies, and while the faces change, the problems they bring with them always remain the same. By the time they get through Orientation to this, their first real class, they're all feeling pretty cocky. They're comfortable with their environment, they think they know way more than they do, they're ridiculously overconfident in their abilities, and they're convinced that Faith and I are merely coasting on our past glories. We both love clearing things up for them on all counts.

As hard as it is to believe at this late date, we're still getting new girls all the time. Either we somehow missed them, the spell is still activating new Slayers – and that potentially confusing turn of events is totally Giles and Willow territory – or they just simply declined the pleasure of our company the first time we approached them. We don't force anyone to join us, we're not running a prison or a cult, not unless we have to. The force part, not the prison thing…mostly.

Occasionally a girl crosses the line, going from a rambunctious: "Cool, I've got super powers" to a dangerous "I can do whatever I want to" tragedy just waiting to happen. When it gets to that point, we have no other choice but to step in and pull them out of their lives, an airtight cover story in place if necessary. And boy, oh boy, does Willow ever love that part of it.

In fact, I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say it's one of her most favorite things in life, and her cover stories are almost always crazy elaborate. Giles keeps explaining to her that sometimes less is more, but that concept is one she constantly struggles to understand in her private game of espionage:

"But Giles, being the world's foremost Brazilian Banana Spider expert would be over the top. I said she's just the `second' most foremost, see the difference?"

No matter what the final story ends up being, they're brought here kicking and screaming, and most of them continue with that approach for at least a little while. We work with them using our staff of doctors and other Slayers to try to get through and when that doesn't work as well as we need it to, we deploy our very own "Crazy Slayer" to get the job done. Faith saunters right into their lives and flips them around, no failures allowed. She's a master at it, the very best, and she's never had even one girl slip through the cracks. Faith is like money in the bank, the rehab bank…if it had money in it instead of…rehabness. The point is – she gets the job done.

She also got the job done with this morning's class, along with my expert help, of course. My take on why we work together so well in these situations is that I'm the better technical actress and Faith is more of a complete natural.

"Oh, so you're sayin' I'm a natural asshole then?"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly put it that way, but you're definitely the more annoying one between the two of us."

It's so hard to keep a straight face during those discussions, and I love how angry it makes her. She'll try not to show it, but it won't be long before she's stomping all over the place, slamming cupboard doors, flinging kitchen drawers shut, flipping channels on the TV rapid fire, then suddenly she's grabbing and kissing the living crap out of me.

"Faith, what are you…"

"Gonna show you what else I'm a natural at."

We then have some of the hottest sex ever had, and she is definitely a complete natural at that too. It's a little bit scary how forceful she is, a little bit exciting how concerned she is with my pleasure, and way, way more than a little amazing that she can always come up with something new for us to do. The girl is a master at sex and I'm more than happy to be on the receiving end of her vast skills, although I have some excellent skills of my own when it comes to…

But back to the class. We fell into our routine, all serious and responsible with the teaching as we watched the eyes of our students glaze over with boredom. We carried on and then at right about the fifteen minute mark, Faith began making these little comments. It was obvious that she was getting on my nerves despite my very best efforts not to let her, and then things started to escalate. Just like in real life, it's the smirk that finally gets me, and suddenly it was: "Slayers Gone Wild" in Room 118.

As Faith and I squared off and began going at it no holds barred, things changed. The secret note passing stopped dead in its tracks, nobody whispered back and forth to each other like they were in high school, and no one was zoned out or staring hopefully at the clock. Nope, that part of class was over. They were all much too busy staring open-mouthed at us beating the hell out of each other as only the Chosen Two can. We were using jumps, kicks, punches, and combos that they had never imagined were possible, and it suddenly became clear that none of them were even remotely in the same class as their instructors.

Faith wants to have shirts printed up that say:

"The Chosen Two: Not Too Choosy Whose Ass Gets Kicked"

But even without the shirts, it never takes long for the message to get through. It's downright amazing what a surprise demonstration can do to change the attitude of every single girl in the room, plus there's always the added bonus that Faith and I love sparring at full speed and beating the hell out of each other. Yep, putting the wannabes in their place is our absolute favorite thing to do at work.

When we finally stopped sparring, we resumed class to a much more receptive audience. They hung on our every word, stared at us in amazement, and that stunned hero worship let us get through everything we'd planned on as well as some extras too. By the end of our time together, there was nothing but a few awestruck whispers and last second looks as they left the room now ready to listen and learn. That meant they had a much better chance to live to a ripe old age while doing the most dangerous job a girl could ever do.

The second we were alone, Faith kicked the door shut and grabbed me:

"Little smart asses."

She kissed me, her tongue doing the things her tongue does, and it was no wonder that everyone was so awestruck by her.

"Wish we had us some more time…"

"Me too."

She kissed me again, one hand sliding just past the waistband at the back of my workout pants, the other slipping up under my sports bra top.

"Faith…"

She nuzzled into my neck and I felt her tongue and lips exploring all around.

"How's it you always taste so good, B?"

"I'm all sweaty."

"What I'm sayin'."

We went at it for a couple of minutes, then I pulled back…or tried to.

"No, where ya goin', baby?"

"I'm leaving before we give your next class an eyeful and make Giles mad at us."

"Fuck Giles, I need…"

I shoved at her this time:

"That has to be the biggest mood killer ever."

Faith wasn't deterred in the slightest:

"We'll just do a quickie."

"We can't."

"Supply closet's right there…"

"Is it unlocked? I mean, no…Faith, stop it."

 "C'mon, B…"

She was an expert at revving me up, touching me just right, whispering low into my ear, but we could both hear voices and footsteps approaching.

"They're already coming."

"We can be too. Just gotta slip in before they get here…"

I didn't know if she meant into me or the supply closet, but I knew I had to get out of there. I pushed against her again, although I couldn't claim I was exactly using full Slayer strength.  She laughed all sexy like Faith, and I found myself leaning into her as she guided us over to the sexiest closet ever.

"Mmm...that's my girl…"

The door to the classroom swung open and she let go of me an instant before the first of the students walked in. I didn't waste a second, and with a quick peek at the supply closet, I said a shaky goodbye and squeezed out past the girls heading inside. I didn't need a mirror to tell me that I was looking completely flustered, I just had to see the way Faith's eyes were devouring me and yes, the smirk on her face.

I waved as I went through the door to the safety of the hall, her voice drifting after me:

"Thanks for the workout, Ms. Summers! Okay you guys, get in here. These vamp dolls ain't gonna cut their own heads off."

The girl was sex, sex on sex, the kind of sex on sex that is so sexy you'd almost have sex with her in a totally inappropriate place…like in the supply closet of the room in which she was just about to give fourteen impressionable young Slayers a Weapons lesson. And yes I ramble because she makes me rambley, even though they say a person shouldn't have that kind of effect on her lover after all of this time.

They say the bloom has to go off the rose eventually, but that hasn't happened yet, not even close when it comes to us. I suspect "they" don't have the first clue what they're talking about, and Faith doesn't put much stock in `bloom fading" either:

"You kidding? Not gonna, B, not ever. I wanna fuck you every single time I look at you."

I fully understood that desire, and although I would have said it in a much nicer way, the way Faith says it? Let's just say that it makes me want to fuck her fifty ways from every single day of the week, twice on Tuesdays. The girl is hot and the girl is mine, and that's the way it's going to stay forever…just hopefully not in front of her Weapons class.

She had to work, but I had the rest of the day off and I was determined to get some stuff done. I went home to shower first, only to find Dawnie there waiting for me. She wanted a ride downtown so she tagged along with me on my errands, which was fun, and we even managed to squeeze in lunch at our favorite diner before she went her way and I went mine.

My last stop was the grocery store and since I was feeling lucky, I decided to give it another go-around. I bought all of the necessary ingredients, as well the things I'd gone there for in the first place, and then I drove home with a big smile trying to remember if I'd ever been happier. It seemed pretty certain that the answer was "no" because there is just something about a life jam-packed with love, laughter, and the best sex ever invented that made me happy. Go figure.

We'd worked hard to deal with all of our issues, and they were now either way back in the past or we dealt with them openly and honestly whenever we needed to. Faith wasn't going to leave me, I knew that now without a doubt, and that sense of security let me focus on everything I loved about her…and there was absolutely no shortage of those things.

She's just so cute, like a little fluffy puppy…a description that Faith absolutely hates and refuses to accept:

"A puppy?! What the fuck kinda crazy ass thing is that to say?!"

"It's a compliment."

"No, it's the kinda crap that gets somebody killed on the playground by the other kids."

And how was that response not the cutest thing ever?

She's also fun, attentive, smart, loving, and passionate beyond the believing without the experiencing. She makes me feel wanted every second of every day, and I don't just mean sexually. Although there is definitely nothing better than sex with Faith Lehane, it's like Christmas with Santa…if Santa knew how to do the most amazing things to my body and also looked like a stunningly beautiful goddess.

She makes me laugh all the time and she has to be the best cuddler ever. She either holds me just right or she lets me hold her just right, practically purring every time we snuggle into each other.

"Go cuddle with anybody, then after I beat'em to a bloody pulp, ask. They'll tell you nothin' else ya can do when the Slayer's got ahold of ya."

She turns me on so easily, and when she's working in the kitchen, dancing around to  music only she hears…I can't even begin to count how many meals I've ruined because I had to have her right that very second. I watch her hips swaying and mine just naturally have to join them. That leads to other joinings and before either of us knows it, more than a little time has passed. Thankfully several takeout places deliver.

She rarely has nightmares anymore and when she does, we talk about them until they fade away in the night, leaving behind just her and me to feel the way we feel about each other. She'll finally smile and relax, then kiss me so softly I just want to die.

"I love you, B. So much I can't even explain it."

"I love you too."

"I know ya do. Best thing ever."

We'll settle down and let sleep claim us again, both of us safe and happy and knowing that we're right where we belong. Faith is nothing but a dream come true.

When I finally made it home and pulled into the parking lot, Xander demonstrated again just what a charmed life I'm leading with his perfect timing.

"Hey, Buff! Need a hand?"

"I need at least two."

He flexed his biceps all manly as I opened the trunk:

"Wow, did you leave anything left for anyone else?"

"Nope, I enjoyed myself immensely."

"This I believe. Okay, gimme."

I handed him my keys and he stuffed them into the pocket of his jeans, then began loading me up. Once I had everything balanced just right, he snagged the dry cleaning and my purse, then slammed the trunk closed.

"Follow me, you little pack horse, you."

I could barely see where I was going, but he expertly guided me along. Once we got to my place, he fished out my keys, unlocked the door and graciously let me go in first. He headed into the bedroom to hang up my clothes while I put everything down on the dining room table, but he was back as I started carrying the grocery bags into the kitchen.

"Here, let me help."

He dug through the bags and quickly relieved me of the Oreos I'd bought just for him.

"Got it! Want one?"

My arms were full, but I paused for a bite. Xander, being a typical guy, shoved the entire cookie into my mouth and I had to concentrate to prevent myself from choking. He followed behind me, eating all the way, then beat me to the refrigerator so that he could drink the last of the milk he found on the top shelf. He guzzled it down, threw the empty carton into the trash can and turned to me, complete with a milk moustache.

"Okay. Bring'em, Buffster!"

He's a great helper when it comes to the putting away part, and I handed and tossed him the things that needed to go in the freezer or the fridge. He's much better at it than my better half, always making sure to get things on their proper shelves, unlike Faith who acts like there doesn't need to be any organization at all:

"Buffy, who gives a shit as long as we get it in? Hurry up!"

"I gives a…I give a shit. I like to be able to find things and…"

"Oh yeah, it's such a huge place there's no way to find the yogurt if it's on the third shelf 'stead of the second one."

Sometimes when she's getting something out of the refrigerator and I come into the room, she goes into her act:

"B! Thank God you're here! I was lookin' for the bologna and I got lost. All I could see around me was some carrots and eggs, then this bottle of beer jumped me."

I try hard not to laugh, but I can't help it, which in turn just encourages her to do it the next time.

"Look out, Buffy! Jesus, the butter almost whipped your ass! Gotta watch yourself, that lettuce is playin' for keeps."

When we were finished, I made Xander some sandwiches and we chatted while he ate and I peeled and chopped. I finally threw him out with an invitation to come over for dinner on Saturday.

"Will Faith be cooking?"

"Yes, Faith will be cooking and I don't appreciate the insult."

"No insult, Buff. I just want to know what I'm in for."

"And I still feel insulted, maybe even more so."

He hugged me close:

"Come on now, who's my all-time favorite Slayer?"

"It'd better be me or I'm going to be your final Slayer."

He grinned his "Xander" grin that always makes me smile.

"Of course it's you…unless Faith is there and you're nowhere to be found."

He kissed me on top of the head, took a peeled potato to go, and left me to get started.

"Good luck and knock her dead! Just not literally."

I got everything ready by memory, no real feat since I've prepared this meal so many times before. I know each and every step by heart: the ingredients, the amounts, the temperature, the times, everything. At this point I could write up my own special recipe, although I'm fairly certain no one would want to follow it. Most times I don't even want to myself.

I went about my housework business, cleaning and straightening, even vacuuming and dusting. In between I checked on the meal, adding this, glaring at that, and generally threatening everything that it had better cook like it was supposed to…or else. I washed and dried the new sheets I'd bought, and when I got them on the bed they looked perfect – sexy, inviting, and romantic. At least that part of the night was guaranteed to be a success.

The house was clean and tidy, so I took a quick shower and then returned to my post, ready to wage battle at crunch time. It wasn't long before I heard the front door open and close.

"I'm home, B!"

"I'm in here!"

She walked over to me with a big smile and wrapped her arms around me from behind, pulling me back from the stove just the tiniest bit as she kissed me on the cheek. I hadn't even realized I was so tense until I felt my muscles relaxing as I leaned back into her, my eyes closing with relief and pleasure. She held me there for a minute before edging me back into place, but she kept her arms right where they were and rested her head on my shoulder.

"Mmm…somethin' smells great."

"Stop trying to make me feel better."

"I'm not. It smells delicious."

Even if she was telling the truth, we'd both learned the hard way that a delicious smell doesn't necessarily have anything to do with a delicious taste.

"So, anything I can do?"

"Not really. How'd it go with the "A" group?"

She kissed my neck before she let go, snagging a few cherry tomatoes off one of the salads as she hopped up to sit on the counter facing me.

"'Bout like you'd expect. Most of'em did pretty good, but a few were wicked full of themselves."

"Any injuries?"

She motioned and I tossed her another tomato.

"Just to their pride, although this one kid was pushin' my buttons big time."

I opened the oven and looked in. Surprisingly the roast didn't look like one of Giles' leather wingtips, which it usually did at this point in the proceedings, and I didn't see any blood when I poked at it carefully. I was a little confused, but I moved some things around and stood back up trying to look casual and confident as I kept talking:

"Why does there always have to be one in every group?"

"Beats me, plus Giles keeps stickin' me with Satsu."

"Oops, that's my bad. Problem?"

Faith jumped down, snatching another tomato on her way to getting a beer out of the refrigerator.

"Nah, not really, I guess. Just she was in a mood and when she gets like that, she does her best to piss me off."

"And yet the two of you sometimes go out together."

She offered me the first sip, then drained at least half of the bottle in one long chug.

"It's complicated, B."

"Well, whatever it is, I think we're ready to eat."

"Great, I'm starving!"

She took the salads and bread into the dining room while I did my thing, then got our drinks while I wrestled the roast onto a platter. By the time I carried it in, she was already sitting down and clearly ready to eat.

"Sure smells good."

"We'll find out, I guess."

I carved up the meat and gave her a huge amount of carrots and potatoes, heavy on the gravy.

"Looks really good too. This could be it, ya know?"

"I'm not holding my breath, but it does look a lot different than usual. You go first, and remember: you have to be honest."

She smiled and took a big mouthful, and I loved her for that. Even though experience had more than taught her by now that it was going to taste just awful, she always dug in with so much gusto, like she had every confidence that this was the time it was going to be even remotely edible. Somehow it took all of the sting out of my frequent failures and made me remember that it was the effort she appreciated the most.

Still, it'd be nice if I could just once make a decent pot roast…let alone replicate the best meal of her life. It was one of her very few happy childhood memories and I so wanted to give that to her again. And really: how hard was it to make a goddamn roast? Apparently when I was the cook, it was basically impossible.

Faith couldn't say anything at first, but after she swallowed, the expression on her face was one I'd never seen before when it came to my cooking.

"Holy crap, Buffy! You did it! This is fucking amazing!"

"Really?"

She didn't answer, she was already shoveling in more at a rapid fire pace. I took a tentative bite because Faith can eat anything and I still didn't completely trust that she wasn't just trying to make me feel better. But oh my god…she was telling the truth.

It actually tasted good, all juicy and flavorful, and everything was cooked just right. The vegetables weren't hard or mushy, and the gravy was perfect and actually taste like roast gravy…and the less said about that one time it tasted like chicken gravy, the better off everyone will be. The meat was tender, but not still alive, and it held together and yet was chewable when I forked a piece into my mouth.

I'd actually done it. I'd made Faith a tasty pot roast dinner.

"This is the best roast ever, way better than when I was a kid. Serious, B."

She was so happy and busy asking for thirds and fourths, I didn't even mind that she'd given me the tomato deprived salad.

All throughout the meal Faith reminisced about when she was little and about how much of a treat it was back then to have a dinner like this.

"Everybody was there, and nobody got in a fight the whole way through. It was me, both my parents, and my grandma. She was my dad's mom, but she was always real good to me. That was the last time I saw her, I remember `cause she snuck me a ten and told me to keep it outta sight. Was a lotta money for a little kid, seemed like a million bucks, ya know?"

She was still eating, dipping her buttered bread into the gravy and smiling.

"Course like a dumbass, I fucked up. I was layin' on my bed looking at it, just imagining everything I was gonna buy. Ma spotted it and said I stole it from her. She took it away from me and gave me ten good hits, but it sure was fun while it lasted."

That was what passed for a great day for Faith, and I did everything in my power to keep the smile on my face.

When the meal was over, she leaned back in her chair, her hand on her stomach and the top button of her pants unbuttoned. She looked like an ad for a well-fed diner, and I couldn't have been happier or more proud.

"Hands down, no shit, B – the best meal I've ever had. Ever. From now on when anybody asks, you get the props, no doubt about it."

"And you're not just…"

"Blowin' smoke up your skirt? You ate it, what'd ya think?"

"I thought it was really good."

"There ya go. I mean, when you ever been wrong about anything?"

That made me laugh and she stood up.

"And the best part's there's some left over for sandwiches later. You head to the couch and let me clean up. Oughta have a little space in our guts by the time I get finished, so I'll bring us dessert."

She pulled out my chair and when I got up, she hugged me.

"Thanks, B. Means a lot to me you kept tryin' 'til you got it just right."

We kissed, and when it ended we were both smiling big.

"I'm glad you liked it."

"No 'liking' it, I fucking loved it. I love you too, Buffy."

"Do you?"

"Yeah, and if you're gonna start workin' great cooking into the mix, I think maybe you're stuck with me forever."

She kissed my forehead, then shoved me towards the living room.

"Now go park it, Summers. Let me get this place back into shape."

It took about twenty minutes for her to finish, and she came walking in with two bowls full of ice cream and a bottle of water to share tucked under her arm. She handed me a bowl and sat down next to me, placing the bottle on the coffee table in front of us.

"All cleaned up."

"It didn't take you as long as I thought it would."

"Probably not as clean as ya think either."

"Is the dishwasher going?"

She spooned a large chunk into her mouth and grinned all Rocky Road at me.

"Faith…"

"It's goin'. Although, if it wasn't wired down, pretty sure the bitch would be hightailin' it right out the door."

I laughed and took my own large bite. We ate in silence for a while, then I gave in and handed Faith the rest of my ice cream while I sipped some water. She put my bowl inside her empty one and had it all gone in just a few bites. She placed the dishes on the table, took the water from me and drained the rest of it before tossing the bottle into the top bowl. She sat back with a satisfied sigh.

"C'mere."

I scooted over close to her and her arms went around me, pulling me onto her lap.

"Great day, yeah?"

"Yep, and a better night."

"What's that mean?"

I smiled as I snuggled in:

"Rona and Vi are taking the newbies out."

"Yeah? How'd that happen?"

"I told Rona she had to because I said so."

Faith looked at me proudly:

"Went all Head Slayer on her?"

"Well, you always say use it or lose it, so I used it. Besides, she owes me one."

"Cool, but the thing is…I was only workin' tonight anyway `cause I owed her one."

"Okay, but I had to work, so we'll say she's doing it for me."

I almost expected Faith to ask me who was on first, but instead she stayed with me:

"Then who's coverin' my cover shift?"

"Vi, and I don't care who she owes or who owes her. I just know we don't have to work tonight, and that's final."

Faith grinned and smacked me on the butt:

"Damn, now you're goin' all Head Slayer on me. So what's the big plan?"

"Absolutely nothing. Just us doing whatever we want to, whenever we want to."

She lifted me into her arms as she stood:

"We wanna go to bed."

We kissed and she carried me into the bedroom, laying me down on the new sheets as she just stood there looking.

"Jesus, B…You're so damn beautiful it's like I made you up."

I still blush when she talks to me like that, and it always makes her laugh.

"And now you're all red."

She took off her clothes, then bent down and took mine off so slowly I thought I was going to have to kill her. Instead I settled for eventually getting her pushed down flat on her back with me on top.

"So what do you think we should do now, F?"

"Well, you probably oughta read that book you been dyin' to read. I'll just play with myse…"

"I like it better when you play with me."

And that's exactly what we did, and we did it very well.

She's sleeping now and she's in my arms, happy and safe. I keep thinking back to the old days, how I was so attracted to her I didn't even know what hit me. Technically I still don't know, and that thought makes me laugh right out loud. She moves a little at the sound, mumbling something about me, at least I think I heard my name.  Maybe she was quoting Shakespeare or thinking about honey, but I can choose my "Bs" if I want to, and I want to.

I wonder if when she wakes up she'll want to go for a walk. I can probably entice her if I tell her we'll go slaying too, but I don't really want to slay. I just want to hold her hand and stare at how beautiful she is with the moonlight shining down on her. I want to lean my head on her shoulder as her arm wraps around me and pulls me close. I want to just sit quietly with her and watch the lake waves splash into the shore.

I kiss the top of her head because I can. I love my life, it's so much better than anything I ever used to imagine. I wanted a normal life so much, even though I knew it was impossible, and there was certainly nothing about Faith back then that ever made me think she would be the one to give it to me. Not that it stopped me from fantasizing about what I knew she could give me. Even young, naïve Buffy understood that much.

Well, surprise because my life is nothing but normal now, at least for a Slayer. I have everything I ever wanted and more, although the issue of kids is now starting to make itself known. I'm not a hundred percent convinced we should go that route, I mean as good as things are, it's still a dangerous world Faith and I live in. Our children would be a target for evil and how could we ever keep them safe?

I know we'd adopt at least one. Faith always talks about how she used to dream that some nice people would sweep in and rescue her. I know she'd love to do that for some other little kid, and so would I.

Willow assures me that she could somehow do a spell that would allow Faith and I to have our own child, and that is an insanely tempting option. I would so love another dark haired, cocky little girl to call mine. Sometimes I daydream about watching them, their heads close together as Faith sets up a Hot Wheels track, just as excited as her daughter to watch the little metal cars whizzing around the orange plastic.

I see her pushing a confident, brown eyed little boy on the swings, laughing as the leaves fall all around them and he keeps yelling:

"Higher, Mama, higher!"

Maybe that's in the cards for us, maybe it's not. I guess that's one of life's mysteries that will unfold as we go along. I do know she likes the idea, even though it scares her too.

"Me? Somebody's mom? Christ B, are you fucking nuts or what?"

But I saw the light in her eyes, the happiness that flared up before she could get it hidden, and I was there two days later when seemingly out of nowhere after making love, she asked me:

"You really think I could, B?"

"I think you'd be wonderful."

"Yeah?"

"A million times `yeah'."

"…Still think you're nuts, but thanks."

We have time, we'll see what happens.

"Okay B, what's got the gears grinding?"

"You're conscious again!"

"Yeah, most of us just call it `waking up'."

"True, but since I sexed you out cold, I think another word is required."

She wasn't going to take that lying down and her head lifted:

"I fell asleep, Buffy."

"After I made you come about a thousand times."

"Three."

"At least four, F."

"Whatever, it's a long ways from a thousand."

Oops, and that's a major tactical error by Lehane. Time for Summers to sweep in for the kill.

"Oh I see, now four isn't good enough. I'm not good enough."

First there was confusion, then the panic set in.

"What? No, where'd you get that idea? I just said I wasn't knocked out. I mean, I was knocked out 'cause you got wicked skills, but I wasn't legally knocked...You're fuckin' with me, aren't you?"

"Yes I am, Sleepyhead."

"That's not funny, B."

"Yes it is. That terrified expression on your face is always funny."

"You are such a little shit."

I smiled at her as sweetly as I could:

"Hi, my name is Buffy Summers and I am a little shit."

"Yeah? Well you need like a fifty step program."

I pulled her over on top of me and shifted my hips, making us both enjoy our new position.

"Step One – Make sure the chain of command is lined up correctly."

She grabbed me by my wrists and slammed my hands down onto the mattress:

"Step Two – Pin your bitch down and teach her who's boss."

I smiled, not my nice one, and wrapped my legs tightly around her ass as I moved from side to side. Her eyes shut and she groaned at the feeling before getting control of herself. I laughed and rose up slightly to nip her ear:

"Step Three – Stay in charge, even though your delusional lover thinks she is."

She kissed me long and hard, doing a whole bunch of things I liked before sliding down to taste my right breast. Her teeth grabbed onto my nipple as her wet tongue and lips did all kinds of…other things. That went on for quite a while until she let go and her mouth trailed its way slowly down to just below my bellybutton. With a final lingering kiss, she looked up, her most wicked smile on display:

"Step Four – Kiss the living fuck outta your girl who only wishes she was the boss."

"F?"

"B?"

"Keep right on going."

And she did, making a lakeside walk a distant dream for another night.

She's sleeping again and this time she's holding me. I sigh, perfectly content, the poster girl for contentment as I think about just how lucky I am that she loves me. My eyes catch some movement, but it's just the shadows bouncing around from my favorite tree. The limbs grew back a long time ago, so fast it was like magic or maybe they just weren't trimmed as much as I thought they were.

I love to sit on the window seat with her. She'll stretch out, her back to the wall, and I'll fit myself between her legs and lean against her. She always wraps her arms around me and kisses me when she feels my hands caressing her. I leave them on top of her arms, loving the feel of her smooth, warm skin underneath my fingertips as we sit and watch the branches swaying back and forth.  

But now, here in bed, I close my eyes and snuggle in to the sound of the most perfect heartbeat to ever beat muffled in my ear. There's the soothing rhythm of her breathing in and out blowing softly against my hair, and the comforting feeling of the strongest arm holding me right where I am. Safe and loved, understood and happy – Faith Lehane does it all.

And I do it all too because I'm her girl. Every step of the way.

Some say you're crazy
Say that you're no good

Say your family's cursed with bad blood
But I think you're cute and misunderstood

I wouldn't change you if I could
Let'em talk you down

And call you names
My mind's made up

It ain't gonna change
Sure in my heart

Happy and free
You're the one, you're the one

You're the one for me
Some say you're bitter

Think you're mean
Uncouth, untamed, and unrestrained

But I think you're sensitive and sweet
Stay as you are don't change a thing

Let'em talk you down
And call you names

My mind's made up
It ain't gonna change

Sure in my heart
Happy and free

You're the one, you're the one
You're the one for me

Some say you're bawdy
Wicked and wild

A restless useless juvenile
But I think you're funny and I like your smile

Wanna be with you, want you to stay awhile
Let'em talk you down

Call you names
My mind's made up

It ain't gonna change
Sure in my heart

Happy and free
You're the one, you're the one

You're the one for me
A no `count mixed up

Amount to nothing
A day away from a bum on the street

Some low class kind of royalty
That's what they say about you

When they're talking to me
Some say you're bad

A bad, bad seed
You love to play with fire, you love gambling

But I know what you love and I know what you need
And I like it when you play with me

Let'em talk you down
And call you names

My mind's made up
It ain't gonna change

Sure in my heart
Happy and free

You're the one, you're the one
You're the one for me

Sure in my heart
Happy and free

You're the one, you're the one
You're the one for me

-You're the One - Tracy Chapman

The End