Chapter Nine

The danger was close, she knew that. All of her senses were telling her to be on guard and she was moving a lot slower than she normally did. It was irritating her, setting her on edge, but getting herself killed wouldn't exactly help her relax either.

The air moved and she hit the ground as the blade sliced the empty space where just a moment before her head had been comfortably taking up residence. As she hit she rolled, and the sword clanged off the concrete, chasing after her. She kept moving with the gleaming steel following an instant behind her vulnerable body.

The cement wasn't doing any favors to her shirt or her pants, but she couldn't worry about that, not when dismemberment was only an inch behind her. There were sparks flying up from the pavement every time contact was made with the deadly metal, definitely not fun.

There was no time to spring to her feet, so she quickly reversed course and rolled toward her opponent. The blade actually sheared off part of her sleeve, but then she smashed into the sword wielder's legs, hitting hard and knocking her opponent to the ground with the powerful impact.

She leapt to her feet just as the sword came at her, jumping over it, then descending into a cartwheel to avoid the blade as it came up vertically in a quick attempt to slice her in half. She landed on both feet and was on the defensive immediately as a knife was already sailing at her face.

Her hands came up and she caught it, flinging it back in nearly the same motion. The razor sharp blade ended its journey by tracing a bloody groove that caused a satisfying grunt of pain. Then the sword picked up pace and she'd had enough. She turned and ran.

The pursuit was immediate and relatively short as the escape route finished abruptly at a dead end.

"Nowhere to run now, bitch."

She looked around and saw the truth of that statement, this was the end of the line.

The sword came at her in a death blow, but she stood bravely, facing her fate with a courage that few could muster… but then they weren't the Slayer.

Buffy didn't move until the last instant, then all was a blur of action. Her leg kicked out, knocking the sword twirling several feet into the air as her fist connected right on the previous knife wound. Her nemesis went down, but Buffy didn't have a lot of time to celebrate. She felt the knife blade slicing open her pant leg even as her opponent fell, and she swore as she reverse somersaulted clear muttering:

"Any time."

A dark figure was already landing near the fallen foe, casually reaching out and catching the sword as it spun its way back to Earth. Before the figure on the ground could move, she found the tip of her own weapon pressing just a little too hard on her jugular.

"Better stay down, kid. B's pissed."

"Well, wouldn't you be? She sliced up my shirt AND my pants!"

"And whose fault is that?"

"It's yours."

Faith smiled:

"Yeah okay, sorry. But was sexy as hell watchin' you flip and roll all over the place and not really fight back."

"Well I hope it was worth it because you're going to pay for it later."

"Promise, B? `Cause I…"

"Hey, you two fags wanna get a room?"

The blade drew blood, and the girl on the ground winced:

"We already got one and we'd be in it bein' all faggy `cept we had to come out here and round up your dumb ass."

"So you're not demons?"

"Well, B's one in the sack, but…"

"Faith!"

"Point's this, kid: we gotta talk."

"I don't `gotta' do shit!"

Faith smiled:

"True, it's still a free country."

"Okay then, so I'll just be going."

"No, ya won't. See, free country for me too, and I wanna talk."

Her captive did some complicated move and kicked the blade away from her neck. She sprang to her feet and ran, her dark hair billowing wildly behind her.

"Wow, look at her go, B."

"It is pretty impressive, what she did right there."

"Yeah, punk's got big potential."

They watched her trying to make the jump up the wall to freedom, but despite the fact that she was tall and muscular, she kept ending up about three feet short no matter how hard she tried. There was no way out to either side as there were just two identical brick walls staring silently back at her, and behind her stood two women who said they weren't demons, but had to be something different. She tried the jump again, scrabbling for purchase as she slid back down to the ground.

"Back in a sec, B."

"Okay."

They kissed and then Faith ran at the young Slayer. The girl turned and braced for the impact, but Faith leapt over her without even coming close to touching her. She landed lightly on top of the wall, looking down at the now awestruck girl:

"Listen up, Jessie…"

"How do you know my name?"

"Studied a file, but here's what ya oughta focus on: I made the jump easy and you couldn't, not even when ya thought your life was at stake."

Jessie looked like she was panicking, and she turned toward what seemed to be her best avenue of escape.

"Can guarantee ya, you head at B and she'll clean your clock `fore you even know what the hell's happenin'."

The look on Buffy's face made it clear that wasn't the way out.

"What are you freaks?"

Faith jumped and landed a few feet in front of her:

"We're Slayers, just like you."

"`Slayers'?"

"Yeah, `cept we're not roamin' all over Miami nearly killing everybody we come across."

Jessie sneered arrogantly:

"Whatever. Enjoy your little lame ass `Slayer' gang. I'm living the good life all by myself, so no way am I joining your crappy crew."

"That right?"

"Yeah, bitch, that's right."

Faith stood staring at her understandingly as Jessie glared defiantly back at her. A full minute passed before Faith began speaking:

"Got the night sweats yet?"

"Wh…What?"

"How 'bout the dreams where everything's covered in blood?"

Jessie was shaken, that was easy enough to see even though she was doing her best to hide it. Her voice quivered slightly when she answered:

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Right."

They were silent again, nearly twice as much time passing until Faith spoke:

"By the way, that kid you hit with your motorcycle? Two busted legs and a fractured skull, but they think he's gonna recover…mostly. Be a long haul, but he's only eight, he's got time, yeah?"

 Jessie suddenly looked vulnerable:

"I didn't mean to…I was just trying to get away."

"Sure, I understand. Little fucker got in your way, what else could ya do? So how much did ya score from that Mom and Pop joint? Lemme guess, forty-seven bucks?"

"…Fifty-one."

"Oh yeah, way worth almost killin' a kid over. That little bastard was gettin' an ice cream with his dad, can ya believe it? What'd your dad give you when you were eight?"

"Shut up."

Faith held her hands up innocently:

"Hey, no big. Lotsa kids get the snot knocked out of'em that age. `Sides, you got no kicks, what with you livin' the good life now."

"I know what you're trying to do."

"Yeah, Jessie? What's that?"

"But you don't have the first goddamn clue what it's like. You've got it good."

Faith glanced at Buffy as she smiled:

"Fuck, you don't know the half of it. Course, ya don't know the other half either."

Jessie's sneer made a return:

"Okay, what, you got smacked around too? Is that supposed to make us the same? Bitch, you can't imagine my life, what I've had done to me and what I've done back."

Faith laughed, long and loud enough for it to be insulting.

"Yeah, you're a big bad ass, for sure. And you're wrong, `cause I know you better than you do. Hell, even know when and where you took your last shit."

"Great, so do you want to share something about yourself and put me at ease?"

Faith laughed again, but there was no amusement in it, only sympathy and sadness:

"Man, Jess, you're so many years from bein' at ease, but I'll play along. I did get smacked around, got fucked too, startin' at the age of eleven by one of my `uncles'. I've killed two men, one by accident and one `cause it felt so fuckin' good. Shoved a knife into him over and over and the best part? How warm his blood was when it oozed all over my hand."

Jessie was shocked, her eyes going wide at the information as well as the casual, open way it was being delivered.

"Eventually signed up for prison and got a bed and three squares a day for the first time in my life. Course was always somebody ridin' me and no way can I ever explain how much I wanted to ram my hands in and rip their guts out just to watch'em die slow."

Jessie took a step back, then another.

"Hey don't worry, ya don't get to that place right at the start. Gotta kill the first one first, but then tough girl, well then you're gonna be off and runnin'."

"You're lying."

"Hahaha! Right? Ask B, she was there for a lot of it. Hell, even tried to kill her a few times and had me a great time hurtin' the people she loved."

Jessie's eyes cut to Buffy for a brief instant, only to see her nodding confirmation. She looked back to Faith, her face puzzled:

"But she's your girl now?"

"Nuts, yeah? But B's as high class as you can get, so don't go thinkin' that's the norm. Ya never did answer me: dreamin' about the blood yet? Or maybe you got the one with people cryin' and lookin' at you like you're the monster."

"…Even if I do, so fucking what?"

"So you're an idiot, is what. You're screwed up, but ya don't gotta keep livin' like this. You're not showin' anybody anything. You're not cool, tough, or any other kick ass word you're hopin' for. All you're doin' is helping the assholes who fucked you up finish the job they started. You're not living, you're dying, and pretty soon you're gonna start takin' innocent people with ya."

"`Innocent people'? No such…"

"Yeah, I know…no such animal. Thought like that too, but I was stupid and so are you. Fuck Jessie, you're one of'em, a total innocent `less you keep rollin' down the track you're on."

It took another hour, complete with a full-out brawl, but Jessie finally agreed to head to Scotland to check out what she called:

"Your shit program."

It was massive progress, like watching a miracle take place, but Buffy wasn't surprised. She'd seen it happen several times before, although that didn't make it any less amazing. In fact, now that Faith was only called in to take care of the hardest cases, Buffy sometimes found herself watching with her mouth hanging open.

Faith hadn't been exaggerating when she'd said she was the best at saving the Slayers who'd lost their way. She had a real knack for reaching the ones who were totally unreachable, and she did it better and faster than anyone else. She seemed to know exactly what to say and when to say it, and she absolutely refused to give up on them.

She would do or say whatever it took, and whenever Buffy accompanied her on these missions, she simply did what she was told and followed Faith's lead. She really wasn't all that much of a help, usually just standing around until Faith gave her the signal to call for the extraction team. Still Buffy loved being there, just watching while Faith did her thing. It made her proud, and it made the love and respect she felt for Faith increase like nothing else did.

She looked over to see Faith standing there watching the car pull away, ready with her wave when Jessie looked back. They always looked back, their faces suddenly years younger, their tough guy masks slipping or gone completely, their vulnerability and despair written all over them, unhidden as they began to feel the faintest touch of hope.

Jessie had a chance now, a real chance. Thank God they'd gotten to her before she'd killed someone…and killing someone was definitely coming, there was no doubt about that.

Faith herself knew firsthand that once you made yourself hard enough, fractured a few skulls, busted a few legs, made it all okay in your own mind, well pretty soon after that you were off and running with a full head of steam. You were on your way to hell, and if you got it going fast enough, there wasn't any easy way back from…

"Faith?"

She jumped a little, but tried to cover it by leaning back into the arms that wrapped around her waist. She had to smile, she knew Buffy wasn't fooled in the slightest.

They stood like that for a few moments until Buffy kissed her cheek and said:

"She'll be okay."

"Yeah, maybe. But damn, she's gonna have to do a lotta work, B."

"She'll do it."

"Not sure she will. Got them wicked skills and it's way easier for her to…"

"She will because you'll make her."

Faith turned to face her:

"…Yeah, guess I will."

"So then, that's another success story for the good guys."

"Maybe, but can't count'em `fore they…"

"F?"

Faith knew that look, it was the one Buffy got whenever she meant business.

"Yeah, B?"

"I know you, and you'll make sure she makes it."

Faith smiled big, she couldn't help it. She always turned to mush, all warm and gooey, whenever Buffy expressed her complete confidence in her. She did it a lot and she meant it, and every single time it happened, Faith felt like she was on top of the world.

"I love you, B."

"Do you?"

"Yeah, a little bit."

Buffy's hands cradled Faith's face as she kissed her passionately.

"I'm kind of fond of you too."

"Mmm…So, what are we gonna do with two full days in Miami and nobody breathin' down our necks?"

"No idea. Do you have any?"

"Maybe. Better keep kissin' me so I can be positive."

Buffy's lips were so close, her breath tickled along Faith's lips:

"Just try and stop me."

*********************************************************************

Faith lay in bed, Buffy sleeping up against her. She was so happy as she sprawled there, holding the woman of her dreams and listening to the ocean. She could smell the salty air as the breeze carried it through the open balcony doors, and she breathed in deep and grinned. No matter what she did, no matter where she was, she could always smell Buffy.

It had taken sixteen days for Faith to change her mind. She was sitting with Giles in a diner two blocks from their motel after finishing their most recent assignment. They were starving and the diner looked okay, at least for the basics.

They quickly placed their order. Giles had more than adapted to "quaint American cuisine" in the time they'd been working together, and he no longer hemmed and hawed or generally drove the waitress crazy while he took forever to figure out what he wanted. Still, by the time he was finished ordering, Faith was already staring out the window, something she'd grown quite adept at over the last two weeks. Giles watched her for a while, then sighed loudly enough to rouse her from her reverie:

"What's that for, G-man?"

"I was just wondering how much longer it's going to take."

"What're ya talkin' about?"

He smiled at her:

"I believe you know."

She fiddled with the sugar packets, sorting them all into blue, pink, and white piles. When she had them all arranged, she scooped them up haphazardly and dumped them back into their beige container, shoving the whole thing off to the side against the wall.

"Yeah, well it's a mess, ya know?"

"And yet, that doesn't make it any less real."

"Guess it doesn't."

He thanked the waitress as she brought their drinks, and neither of them spoke as he prepared his tea. He grimaced as he took his first sip, but then it was clear he was pleasantly surprised.

"This actually tastes quite good."

"Coke's not all watered down either, so it's a win/win."

He didn't press, allowing the silence to grow between them until she was ready:

"Don't want this anymore. I just wanna be with B."

"Yes, well I can't say this news has caught me at all off guard."

"Me neither. Kinda embarrassing though, after the big stink I made."

Giles nodded understandingly:

"Well as I recall, love is all one rather embarrassing, `big stink'."

Faith drained her Coke and smiled at him:

"Probably right. What the fuck do I know about it?"

"Quite a bit, actually, and you're learning more all the time."

"You don't gotta worry, Giles. Not gonna leave ya in the lurch."

"Nor did I think for a moment that you would."

She beamed at him then, his complete confidence in her making her feel proud and loved.

"So you're not pissed?"

"Of course not! I'm delighted for both you and Buffy."

"Well, it's gonna take a while to get everything up and runnin'."

"A sizable challenge, yes, but one I'm certain we'll manage."

And that was that. The plan got underway, and Giles was right. From the start it proved to be a sizable challenge, but it was also one they were able to manage together.

Faith already had her replacement in mind, and while Giles agreed with her wholeheartedly, that didn't exactly mean the matter was settled. Neither looked forward to the argument they knew was coming, but there was no way to avoid it. They drew courage from each other and finally made the call.

To describe Buffy as delighted was a huge understatement, to say the least. That entire first call was "wasted" while they listened to her squeal with delight and ramble on making long range plans for their future. Before they managed to get into anything specific, Buffy told them she had to go. She was taking some of the newer girls out on patrol and she was already running late.

The pre-arranged follow-up call went much differently. Buffy was no longer just a giddy girlfriend, she was suddenly the head Slayer, the woman in charge of the whole organization, and she was not at all pleased with their request.

"No, there is no way."

"Buffy, perhaps if you'd consider…"

"I did consider, Giles. You can have one, not both."

"Gotta be both, B. We can't…"

"No, and that's final."

Faith's voice rose angrily:

"That's `final'? Who the fuck made you the big…"

"No one `made' me anything, I just am, and if I say…"

Giles quickly interrupted before their argument could escalate:

"Buffy, this job's much too big to be entrusted to a solitary girl. There is no way she can adequately handle the pressure and responsibility that comes…"

"Faith did it alone."

Faith's laugh was nothing but cocky:

"Yeah, but it's me, B. Ain't gonna find another one of these no matter how hard ya look."

Buffy's eye rolling could practically be heard through the phone:

"Well, your huge ego aside…"

Again Giles interceded:

"She has a valid point, Buffy. Faith is uniquely suited to this sort of work, mentally and physically. It's not at all realistic to think that another Slayer can just step in and do the job, certainly not one girl alone."

Buffy continued to stand firm:

"So you want to take two of my Slayers? No, I can barely afford to lose one, let alone both of them."

"Yeah B, but you're gettin' one back, and I'm better than both of'em put together."

"Agreed, but I can't use you in two places at once, can I?"

They were quiet until Giles attempted a different line of reasoning:

"Buffy, if you insist on allowing only one girl to join forces with me, it will take at least six months of intensive training before Faith can even consider returning to Scotland."

Buffy laughed:

"Ooh, Giles is playing Watcher hardball."

He answered her in his most English of tones:

"Sorry, I'm afraid I don't quite follow that colloquialism."

"Means you're playin' dirty, G-Man."

"He knows exactly what it means, Faith."

Giles confessed quickly:

"…Well yes, of course I do, but that doesn't make it any less of a valid argument. If you won't allow us to utilize both girls…"

Faith could feel Buffy beginning to relent:

"Jesus, B! Not like you enjoy havin' Kennedy hangin' around and ya better not enjoy Satsu either."

Buffy's voice responded with a teasing sexiness:

"Enjoy her in what way, F?"

Giles butted in before they went any further:

"Girls, I'll thank you to remember that I'm on the line as well."

Faith laughed:

"Hard to forget, otherwise we wouldn't be wearin' clothes by now."

He ignored her and carried on with business:

"So then, we're all in agreement? Kennedy and Satsu are to be sent here provided they're amenable to the idea?"

Buffy decided to take pity on him, and she turned her focus back to Slayer issues, doing her best to ignore the vivid, nonstop images of a naked Faith that were now romping  through her mind:

"All right, but I want Faith back here as soon as possible…"

"Aww, need me bad, don't ya, baby?"

"…because I'm going to be two short and they're my very best."

Faith snorted with amusement:

"Damn, talk about `playin' hardball'."

"Well, we are trying to talk about business, Faith."

"Fine B, but better not let Rona or Vi hear ya say they're not your best. They'll make your life a livin' hell."

"You mean more than they already do?"

They all laughed at that and the matter was settled. Buffy put the question to Kennedy and Satsu the following morning and neither girl hesitated for a second, agreeing almost before she'd finished asking them. Five days later and they were off to join Giles and Faith.

She got started on their training the day after they arrived, and although the chosen girls were totally gung ho about the assignment, they weren't equally enthused when it came to working with each other.

"Why do I have to work with her? I don't need a babysitter when I'm…"

"'Cause me and Giles say otherwise, Kennedy."

"She does have a point, Faith. I don't exactly need her to…"

"Look, bitches, want the job or not?"

They did. Travelling around the world, answering only to Giles, escaping from romances that had ended painfully for both of them…Kennedy and Satsu definitely wanted the job.

Buffy left the training up to Faith and Giles. After all, what did she know about it? It was their thing and she had her own job to do, so Buffy carried on, trying to be patient as she waited for Faith to return to her…even though patience wasn't something she was very good at.

Four long and arduous months elapsed before Faith let them go out alone…with her riding along hidden in the shadows without their knowledge. She liked what she saw; Kennedy and Satsu played off each other perfectly and got the job done. They corralled the loose cannon of a Slayer, made her listen, and eventually they got through to her.

It was a job well done, one that made Faith nod approvingly as she stood silently in the darkness. Kennedy and Satsu were ready, Faith's work here was done, and she could finally head back to where she belonged. Her smile was huge as she thought of the blonde woman waiting impatiently for her, and she laughed softly at the sound of the bickering between Giles' two new girls that began the second after the car picked up the rogue Slayer.

"Damn, G-Man, got your work cut out for ya now."

Faith faded back into the night, laughing all the way, and three days later she was home. She didn't call, she wanted to surprise Buffy, but two long delays had her arriving nowhere near when she'd originally planned to.

She was forced to pause for far too long in order to accept all the "welcome homes" and "glad to have you backs" from the nightshift girls. All she wanted was Buffy, but she couldn't be rude and being liked was still a novel feeling for her. 

It turned out that Buffy had gone to bed early, and Faith headed cheerfully up the stairs to her. She said the magic phrase and opened the door…except the door was locked. She pulled out her key, swearing under her breath as she opened it and entered silently.

The suite was dark, but Faith moved through the rooms effortlessly. She couldn't wait to surprise Buffy. It wasn't often she got the advantage over the other Slayer, and she was going to make the most of the opportunity.

She crept stealthily towards the bed, listening to the relaxed and even breathing that told her Buffy was out cold. That fact made Faith grin, the wicked one that said she was so going to make Buffy pay.

The Head Slayer, the Big Shit, the Golden Girl, had gone soft and was clearly out of practice. Some would even call her sloppy, and Faith was going to enjoy every second of what was about to happen. She was not only going to savor the current moment, she was going to live it up for months to come because she'd finally caught Buffy with her panties down and…

Faith found herself sailing over the bed. She hit the wall opposite with enough force to knock the wind out of her, and she pulled down the drapes from the window along with the rod as her arm became entangled in the fabric. Before she could move, she was being straddled by the Slayer in her Eiffel Tower pajamas.

"Hey there, F. You weren't by any chance, trying to sneak up on me, were you?"

"Me? Would I ever try somethin' that stupid, B?"

"Oh no, of course you wouldn't."

"Okay, so…"

Buffy's smile was easy to see with the moonlight now streaming in through the curtainless window:

"`So' what?"

"So am I gonna get a `Welcome Home' kiss or not?"

"Hmm…I'm not sure you deserve one."

"Aww, c'mon, B. Even though I was tryin' to pull one, this is still a kick ass surprise."

Buffy appeared to be thinking it over:

"I guess that's true…Okay."

She leaned down and delivered a kiss that quickly had them both on fire.

"How was that, F?"

"Was a great fuckin' start, no pun intended."

Buffy rose to her feet and offered her hand. Faith eagerly accepted, pulling Buffy closer as she regained her footing. She delivered a kiss of her own, and when they parted, they didn't go far. Buffy smiled up at her happily, still wrapped loosely in Faith's embrace:

"Hey."

"Hey yourself, B."

"So what are you doing here?"

"Damn, can't I surprise my girl just `cause I wanna?"

Buffy laughed:

"Sure you can, but your girl's the kind that asks questions and then demands real answers."

"Shit, don't I know it. Let's get in bed first, I always explain better when you're on top of me."

Buffy was out of her pajamas and back into bed in seconds, but Faith had other ideas. She slowly removed her clothes, and by the time the striptease was finished, getting questions answered was the furthest thing from Buffy's mind.

Faith looked perfect in the moonlight, a goddess of silver and black, light and shadow, and Buffy could barely control herself:

"Get in here."

She held back the covers and Faith wasted no more time as she slid in to join her. They kissed again, their hands already roaming to become reacquainted with the bodies they'd been kept from for over four long months.

"Mmm…You feel so good, B."

"So do you."

"Gotta tell ya, this is way better than hangin' with Giles."

Buffy smacked her shoulder in complete disgust:

"Ewww!!! It'd better be!"

Faith wriggled nearer as they lay side by side. She flung a leg over Buffy's hip and pulled her in tighter.

"You know what I mean. Hey, wanna do other stuff and talk later?"

"Maybe…It depends on what `other stuff' you have in mind."

Faith began moving slowly, her lips trailing a path along Buffy's shoulder up to her neck until they rested lightly at her ear. One hand grabbed Buffy's ass, yanking her closer while the other tickled its way between them, and her husky reply sent a shiver down Buffy's spine:

"Oh, I don't know…Was thinkin' I'd maybe fuck your brains out."

"Mmm, hmm…"

"Then thought I'd make ya come `til ya can't take it anymore."

"Mmm, hmm…"

Faith's voice dropped even lower:

"Then figured I'd make ya come again."

"Is that a promise, F?"

Faith kissed her and flipped Buffy onto her back, positioning herself between Buffy's legs and thrusting up against her. As soon as Buffy moaned, Faith used her arms to lift herself, leaving only their centers touching.

"Damn right it's a promise. `Cause right now, B? Right now all I wanna do is show ya how much I missed you."

"Awww…you missed me?"

"Yeah, you fuckin' brat. Like ya wouldn't believe."

"Then prove it."

Faith responded to the challenge with a wicked smile:

"Ain't gonna be a problem, but better hang onto somethin'."

Buffy wrapped all of her limbs tightly around her:

"Good advice, F…Okay, I'm ready."

"And you're all mine."

They made love for a long time, both unable to get enough of the other. They finally had to stop, even Slayers needed rest, but they knew it wouldn't be long before they began again. For the moment they were content to stay where they were, for however long it lasted.

Faith was wrapped in Buffy's arms, her head resting comfortably just above Buffy's breast.

"Fuck B, could stay right here forever."

"And I could let you."

They were quiet then, Faith snuggling in as one of Buffy's hands drifted upward to play with her hair. Faith's lips laid a gentle kiss on Buffy's breast as her hand traced out a slow pattern on her stomach.

"I love you, Buffy."

And just like every other time she'd heard that, Buffy couldn't help smiling as the warmth filled her.

"I love you too."

"Yeah, know you do and man, that still fucks me up. I mean, how lucky am I?"

"I'd say you're pretty damn lucky."

They both laughed, cuddling closer until they fell asleep, then awakening to make love softly and slowly at some point in the night. It went on forever until they floated blissfully back to sleep, still holding each other tight.

When morning came it brought with it the sun blazing through the window without curtains, and it also brought Buffy's realization that Faith's head was between her legs driving her to an explosive `rise and shine, good morning, ma'am'.

Breakfast wasn't even a thought until well past lunch time, neither able to get out of bed for real before then. When they did manage to escape, they scavenged around the kitchen, loading the table with whatever they could find: cold cereal, fruit, frozen waffles, toast, and at Faith's insistence, chocolate cake.

As they sat down, Buffy poured Faith some coffee and then began preparing herself a cup of tea. As she was stirring in some sugar, Faith cleared her throat:

"Hey, B?"

"Uh-huh?"

"I don't ever wanna be without you."

"I know that."

"I'm sorry I was such an asshole about figurin' it out before."

Buffy took a sip of her tea and smiled at her:

"You don't owe me any apology. It's a big step, and I'd even understand if you weren't sure about…"

"Oh, I'm sure. Knew that about ten seconds after I left. Just took me a while to admit it."

Buffy laughed and walked around the table to haul Faith up. She hugged her, lifting Faith right off her feet and twirling around joyfully. She only stopped spinning because she had to kiss Faith and it wasn't that easy when they were moving.

"God, I love you so much, Faith."

"Do ya? Kinda hard to tell."

"Well, we can't have that, can we?"

Buffy kissed her again, then began carrying her back into their bedroom:

"Whoa! B, what about breakfast?"

"I don't need breakfast."

Faith bounced into the air slightly as Buffy tossed her down onto the mattress:

"But B, they say it's the most important meal of the…"

Buffy was already on top of her:

"I've got what I need right here."

Faith grinned up at her:

"Yeah?"

"Oh, yeah. Let me prove it to you."

"All yours, Slayer."

"Yes, you are."

*****************************************

Buffy stirred and stretched, then buried her face back into Faith's shoulder:

"Mmm…why'd you let me sleep so long?"

Hey, after the fuckin' you just got, figured you needed your rest."

Buffy laughed and wrapped a leg around her:

"My shy girl sure is cocky."

"Yeah, I'm a complicated bitch."

"Oh I don't know, I seem to understand you perfectly."

Faith pulled until Buffy was on top of her:

"Yeah, ya do. Big surprise is that I like it so much."

"I like it too."

Buffy snuggled in happily, but after a minute she lifted her head so that she could look Faith in the eye:

"Okay, what is it?"

"What?"

"Faith, don't even bother trying to lie. I think I already know, but I'd like to hear you say it."

"It's nothin', just tryin' to figure which hot spot we oughta hit later."

Buffy kept looking at her, her eyebrow arching:

"Am I really supposed to buy that?"

"Buy what? We're in Miami, two whole free days to ourselves, what the hell else would I be thinkin' about?"

Buffy sighed and shook her head sadly:

"I wish you'd learn to make it easy on yourself."

"B, what the fuck are you…"

With a flurry of activity, Buffy flipped Faith over onto her stomach, her own body pressing down tightly against her. Her mouth was next to Faith's ear:

"Last chance, baby."

"This supposed to be some kinda punishment, `cause gotta tell ya…"

"F?"

"Yeah?"

"What's on your mind?"

"Well, right now it's how good it feels to have your pussy rubbin' on my…"

Buffy nipped her ear a little harder than could be considered gentle, then sat up on Faith's ass:

"Wrong answer."

She slowly ran a finger from Faith's shoulder down to the small of her back. When she got there, Faith jumped.

"B!"

"F?"

"Let's not get all nutty here."

"I'm not. In fact, I'm being all sane and calm."

Her finger trailed a gentle circle around the same area, and Faith jumped again. Goose bumps appeared all over her back, and she tried to turn over. Buffy pulled her arms behind her and held them down on the bed. Faith struggled, but she couldn't break free.

"B, c'mon now!"

Buffy laughed, a low sexy sound that had Faith turned on and nervous at the same time. She moaned like she was being tortured when she felt Buffy's tongue lightly tracing its way around her weak spot.

"I believe I told you this was going to come in handy some time."

Faith giggled out a girly squeak because whenever Buffy touched her there, she felt like she was going to explode from being so wound up…just that fast.

"B, let's be reasonable."

Featherlike kisses had her trembling and so ready to go, she could barely see straight.

"It's up to you, F. Just fess up and I'll stop. Keep playing games…"

Faith cried out when she felt Buffy's teeth grazing along, followed closely by her tongue.

"…and so will I."

"N…No way is this…God!...fair."

Buffy's voice was all sex, laced with amusement and just a hint of anger:

"You're right, it isn't fair at all. But then, neither's lying to me. So I'll ask you again: what were you thinking about?"

"B, we're in Miami, baby. Let's just...Shit!"

When Buffy finally sat back up, Faith was sweating and squirming to pull loose.

"Ooh look, F…feather pillows!"

"No! Jesus, okay…okay! I was thinking…was thinking about how I don't wanna stay here."

"Go on."

"I wanna head home so I can be there for the new kid."

Buffy leaned down and kissed her shoulder:

"I thought that was it."

"I'm sorry, B. I know I'm bein' selfish. Here we get a coupla days away and I'm all…"

"Shhh…You're not being selfish. Your work's important and you're worried about her, I get that. I don't mind going back at all."

"You don't?"

Buffy shook her head, even though Faith couldn't see it:

"Nope, and we both know Jessie will probably tear up the whole castle if you're not there. Besides, we'll be together, so I don't really care where we are. Who needs sunny, warm, tropical Miami when I can have dark, damp, cold Scotland with you?"

Faith turned her head just enough to give Buffy a glimpse of her dimple:

"You're the best, B."

"Yes I am, and that wasn't so hard now, was it?"

"No, was pretty fuckin' easy when ya…B!"

Buffy blew lightly, then began nibbling along the small of Faith's back.

"I wonder how long…it's going to take…before you understand… that you can…always talk to me."

Faith's answer came out undecipherable as Buffy continued tormenting her, only this time she was also rubbing her body against Faith's.

"B, please…"

Buffy didn't respond or stop for several long seconds, not until Faith was moaning and pleading almost nonstop.

"…All right, fine. But next time I won't go so easy on you."

Buffy released her arms and slid off, finally allowing Faith to turn around. The second she could, she grabbed Buffy and pulled her close for a passionate kiss, rolling onto her back and placing Buffy on top of her.

They lay like that for a while, kissing and caressing until Buffy took pity on her and went at it in earnest. She made Faith come twice before she stopped, lying contentedly on top of her while she waited for her to recover.

When Faith was back and could breathe normally again, she smiled and tucked some loose blonde strands behind Buffy's ear:

"I'm tryin' to get this talking thing down."

"And you're doing a good job…most of the time."

"Still keep thinkin' the shit's gonna hit the fan."

Buffy smiled:

"It might, but if it does we'll wipe it…clean it…hose it…we'll deal with it, Faith. I love you, nothing's ever going to change that. You're stuck with me forever now, no matter what."

"So you're like shit on the bottom of my…"

Buffy's eyes darkened:

"Finish that sentence and die."

Faith leaned up and kissed the tip of her nose:

"You know what I mean."

"And you'll still die."

"You're such a girly girl."

Buffy laid her head down on Faith's chest:

"You love it."

"I love you."

Buffy sighed contentedly:

"So when did you want to go back?"

"Well, Ken and Ninja Girl should be here first thing in the morning with their Slayer, figure we can all get rollin' then."

"Okay. Why don't you call the extraction team and let them know we'll be hitching a ride?"

"Great idea, B."

After a couple of minutes of absolutely no movement from Faith, Buffy laughed:

"But?"

"Gotta move to grab the phone, and I like it right here."

Buffy's hand began roaming lazily down Faith's body:

"I see."

"Not like they're leavin' `til the morning anyways. I'll just call'em later."

"Translation: I'll have to call them tonight after you pass out."

Faith's hand went to Buffy's neck, pulling her down and kissing her with everything she had. The look on Buffy's face when they parted made Faith smirk cockily:

"Focus on the important point, B…Job's gonna get done, call's gonna get called."

Buffy looked dazed:

"What?"

Faith laughed as she rolled them over:

"Just put your head on this pillow, Princess, I gotcha."

Buffy objected instantly:

"I am so not a pillow queen!"

"That's why I didn't call ya one. Called ya a `pillow princess'."

"Well I managed to crack your ingenious code and I know you were…"

Faith's kiss shut off Buffy's impending tirade and when she was quiet, Faith continued kissing her way down the golden body she loved. Buffy didn't say a word, her brain short circuiting as Faith went on her way.

"Not a pillow queen at all B…just my queen. Now lay back and let me make ya happy, baby."

"Okay."

The voice was almost meek like it had never been for anyone else, and the sound of it made Faith smile.

"Goddamn it, B…you are so wicked hot when you're horny."

"Then I must be the hottest woman in the world, because I'm always horny when you're around."

Faith settled cozily between Buffy's legs:

"Shh, wanna see if I can hear the ocean."

"The ocean? How can you not hear it? It's practically in our room with us and…Oh, God…That's a different ocean…a better ocean."

"The best, B."

After they'd sated themselves with each other as well as an enormous room service feast, Buffy called the extraction team while Faith took their drinks out onto the balcony.

"We're all set for tomorrow."

Buffy delivered the report as she plopped down onto the lounger next to Faith's.

They didn't speak, sipping their drinks as they sat watching the ocean sway and flow under the beautiful glimmer of moonlight.

"Faith?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"Sure…For what?"

Buffy reached over and took her hand:

"For having the courage to come and get me."

Faith smiled at her, but it was clear she didn't know how to respond, so Buffy kept going:

"If it'd been up to me, we'd still be arguing and acting like idiots."

"Who says we were acting?"

Buffy laughed and squeezed her hand.

"But really, Faith, what we have now is all because of you."

"Nope."

"`Nope'?"

"B, was you who did it. Kept after me and wouldn't let go. We're here `cause you made sure we would be."

"Yeah, but…"

Faith tugged harder until Buffy got the clue and joined her on her chair.

"I started it, for sure. I mean, just thinkin' about you with another woman…God B, it just made me blow a gasket. Here I'd been wantin'gyou forever, but you were straight, so straight you were even with `Captain Boring As Fuck In And Outta Bed'."

"Um…I just called him `Riley'."

"Whatever. Then I find out you're fuckin' a woman, a woman who wasn't me, and all I could think about was how I shoulda been yours years ago. I shoulda went for it and not been such a pussy."

Buffy leaned up and kissed her cheek:

"Well you more than made up for the delay."

"Damn right I did. Figured it was a one-time deal, so I made the most of it. Fact that you wanted me, that you loved me…B, if you hadn't hung tough, I'd have done the stupidest thing anybody's ever done."

"But I did and you didn't, and look where we are. I say it was a total team effort. Yea team! Go, us!"

Faith laughed and pulled Buffy closer.

"You are such a fuckin' nut."

"Hey, California cheerleader here. There's not much else I can do."

"B, there's nothin' you can't do. Even tamed ya a bad ass from Boston, and trust me, a shitload've tried."

"But they don't know the secret, F."

"Yeah? What's that?"

Buffy kissed her passionately and then reached around to lightly trace around the small of Faith's back:

"They don't know where this is."

"Don't start that shit again, B!"

"And they don't know about this either…"

She kissed Faith's chest, right over the spot where her heart was.

"…and it's the key to everything."

Faith's eyes flooded with tears and she tried to cover:

"Christ, don't go all girly and sappy on me, B."

"Sorry, can't help it. It's how you make me feel."

They kissed and Buffy felt the moisture falling onto her cheeks. When they parted, a couple of tears still slid their way down Faith's face.

"Well fuck me, I been tamed and turned into a wimpy chick, and I'm cool with it. I love you so much, Buffy."

Buffy sat up, taking Faith with her.

"What the…"

Faith never finished as Buffy hoisted her up into her arms. She headed back into the bedroom, an innocent look on her face:

"Just carrying out orders, my shy girl."

"Orders?"

"You told me to `fuck you', so I'm going to. I always do what I'm told."

Faith couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed so hard. Buffy stood looking at her, finally tossing her down onto the bed when it was clear she wasn't going to be stopping any time soon.

"What's so funny?"

"You…you…doing what…what you're told to do. Hahahaha!!!"

Buffy stripped and then began working on getting Faith naked as well.

"Hey, I do what I'm told…most of the time…sometimes…I do, Faith!"

"Oh fuck, my gut hurts!"

"Well, a lot more's going to hurt if you don't stop laughing at me."

But Faith couldn't stop:

"Hey, let's call Giles and tell him! Guy never gets enough laughs and…OW!"

"Stop laughing at me."

"Okay, but shit, B… you gotta see how funny it is."

Buffy had Faith's top off:

"All right…I suppose it is kind of funny."

"I ever tell ya my first Watcher loved you? Said you pissed the Council off on a daily basis. She thought you were awesome."

"No, you never told me that…I do try to do what I'm told though."

Faith wriggled out of her shorts and kicked them aside:

"Sure ya do, and once in a while ya even manage to pull it off."

Buffy settled on top of her with a sigh that turned quickly into a moan:

"You have the softest skin."

"Nah, you do. Plus you got all these little hairs…Man, your arms would look like a gorilla's if they weren't blon…OW!!!"

"You just have no idea how to talk to me, do you?"

"What?! All I said was…"

Buffy's eyes narrowed:

"Do not call me a gorilla again."

"I like it! It's sexy and…Fine, be a big baby, B."

"I should just cut you off. No more sex."

"Ya'd never do that."

"And how can you be so sure, F?"

"`Cause you're just as horny as me most of the time."

She pulled Buffy's head down into range and kissed the hell out of her.

"Huh?"

"See? So stop with the idle threats and lemme make ya a woman…"

"Mmm…Faith…"

"…a woman who's got gorilla arms and a butt like a monkey!"

"Faith Lehane!"

Faith shifted fast, rolling them over and pinning Buffy's hands to the mattress:

"Whaddya say we stop monkeying around and get to it?"

"I say when I get loose, you're going to pay."

"Not scared, B."

"And why's that?"

"`Cause you love me, and in this case…"

Faith let go of Buffy's hands as she moved in for a kiss:

"…it's monkey see, monkey do, baby."

THE END