Disclaimer: Same as in first part

Xander and Willow looked up as the two slayers made their ways down the stairs.

"I wiped the gun," Buffy said, leading Faith by the hand. "I think it's time to get out of here." She looked over at them, hoping they weren't going to bring up anything else to argue over. She'd had enough emotional distress for one day---enough for a week.

Her friends obliged, recognizing the weary expression on her face. Even though they looked ready to balk, they wordlessly allowed her to take the lead and exit the building. The walk back to the hospital was quiet and to say it wasn't tense would be an outright lie. Buffy really wanted to be left alone with Faith. She wanted the entire world and all its problems to disappear just this once so she could concentrate on her own life for a change. She cast a quick glance to the side again, seeing no change in Faith's slumped posture and downcast eyes. Had it really been just yesterday when she had actually thought things were looking up?

Now look at where they were. Fresh from tampering with a crime scene and a brush with a near suicide. All she'd wanted was for Faith to get better and for them to be together. Was it really that impossible a dream? No, she refused to believe that. They WOULD be together and no one, not Willow or Xander or Giles or even an erstwhile Angel would stop that. Glancing over at her partner again, she just hoped that Faith, the part of her which housed the insecurities and, at times, blind rage wouldn't come between them either.

After they got to the hospital and after having given a reasonably good explanation as to her disappearance and one not so good explanation as to why she didn't need to stay there anymore, Buffy took Faith home. Xander and Willow stubbornly refused to leave her side. She had a feeling they wouldn't be leaving her alone until she told them what happened...actually, they'd probably stick even closer to her then.

As soon as they walked through the door of the Summers' residence, Buffy immediately asked, "Why don't you go upstairs Faith? Get some rest, I'll be right up, okay?" She watched as Faith slowly made her way up. She was already steeling herself for the torrent of questions that was about to be unleashed and she guessed they were somewhat warranted. Cause if the situations were reversed, she'd definitely want to know the truth.

"So where do you want me to start?" She asked, finally turning around and hoping the question didn't sound too flippant.

****

The voices floated up. Sometimes raised in anger. Most times strained. Even if she weren't a slayer with super sensitive ears, she'd still be able to hear them.

Fuck.

That was basically the one word running through her brain...that and a couple of other nouns better left unsaid. She closed her eyes, futilely wishing she could close her ears off as well. Minutes more passed as she laid curled up on Buffy's bed. She wasn't sure how many minutes but eventually, the voices stopped followed moments later by the sound of the bedroom door opening. She heard the mattress springs depress as someone sat down and felt arms going around her waist as a warm body pressed against her back.

Everything was quiet for a time and Faith wished it could've just stayed that way. "I'm sorry," she said, voluntarily breaking the silence herself. "About everything. I'm sorry B..."

Buffy didn't say anything, instead opting to snuggle up a little bit more. And maybe that was the exact reply Faith needed at the time because sometimes, words just couldn't convey enough.

Faith must have fallen asleep wrapped up in Buffy's arms cause she found herself startled awake by someone's shouts. Turning her head around, she found a distressed Joyce, staring disbelievingly at them snuggled together in bed not twenty-four hours after her daughter was shot.

"Buffy, what is this?" Joyce asked with equal parts concern, irritation, and fear. "I get called back because they say you were hurt and when I get to the hospital, you're not even there?" She looked quickly between Faith and Buffy, waiting for someone to say something---to give her some kind of an explanation.

"Mom, I can explain." Buffy supplied the magic words, well used to the routine by now. "Let's talk downstairs." She got up off the bed and gave her girlfriend a reassuring smile before disappearing with her mother from the room.

Faith had a sudden intense urge to laugh out loud. She didn't know why the situation suddenly felt so funny---it just did. Dropping back down onto the bed, she grinned up at the ceiling, already imagining the exchange going on downstairs. And a minute later, upon turning her head at hearing a noise next to the bed, she almost smirked at the completely outlandish presence of Angel standing there, looking down at her. Angel---of all the bedrooms in all the houses in the whole of Sunnydale, the vamp turns up here.

"Hey Big Guy," she greeted as if she was used to him appearing out of the blue. "What's the up?"

"I see we're in a good mood today," he commented, his expression staying neutral.

"See, that's where you're wrong," Faith corrected with a smile. She sat up on the bed, her back against the wall. "But of course you WOULD be wrong cause you're not really Angel, now are you?"

A corner of Angel's mouth quirked up in response to the question. "Can you also guess why I'm here then?"

"I'm not into guessing games," Faith said with a shrug of her shoulder. "Either you cut the crap and tell me straight out or you can just remove your ass from this room. Either way..."

"Fair enough," he replied, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "I've already spoken with Buffy and she's in agreement with me on this---you can't be here. You don't belong here Faith. This isn't your world anymore and it's high time you leave this mortal plane."

Faith just stared at him, trying not to crack up at his pronouncement. "And you said B's in tight with you on this?" She finally asked.

Angel squirmed under the patronizing gaze he was being subjected to. He was not used to this at all. "Not yet...but we both know Buffy and she'll do the right thing."

Faith continued her outright staring and Angel again squirmed, all the while wondering how it was that out of everybody, he got stuck with this particularly thorny assignment.

****

"Faith?" Buffy walked into the room, immediately spotting the brunette sitting up in bed with an amused smirk on her face---not exactly how she'd expected to find the other girl. "Everything all right?" She asked uncertainly, approaching the bed.

"Five by five," came the familiar response. "So what'd you tell your moms?"

Buffy tucked some errant strands of hair behind her ear, replaying the scene she'd just left behind. "Not the whole truth," she finally said, looking Faith in the eyes.

They spent a few moments sharing an intensely intimate gaze before Faith extended a hand, silently inviting Buffy onto the bed. The blonde slayer didn't hesitate as she moved forward, situating herself neatly between Faith's legs, her back leaning against the other girl's chest.

"You know what I realized?" The warm breath tickled Buffy's neck as Faith asked her question.

"What?"

"That no matter what we do to each other," Faith said, wrapping her arms securely around the other half of the Chosen Two, "we're still going to end up together. Cause that's what love is---it's a friggin glue that binds two people together. And damn but I love you B and nothing and no one is ever going to tear us apart."

Buffy half turned in Faith's embrace, staring intently into the deep brown depths of eyes which she thought at one time would be lost to her forever. "Faith..."

"Wait," Faith said, resting her forehead lightly against the blonde's. "I need to tell you this first." She took a deep breath. "I love you so damn much that I came back from hell to be with you again...and I did some pretty screwed up things to do it. Like that time with the demons where I stopped you from taking them down? I had to do it cause it was part of the deal I made."

"A deal? You made a deal to come back?"

Faith could see that the older slayer wasn't certain how to react on hearing this news. It was okay though cause, in the back of her mind, she wasn't certain how to react on telling this news either. What possible force was possessing her to spill all this shit now? But it was like she was finally taking this heavy weight off of her chest and she could breathe again...for the first time in a long time she could breathe again. She tried to pull Buffy back into an embrace but found resistance.

"Wait Faith. Tell me what you're talking about. Tell me what you did."

"That's all there is to tell B. I swear...that was what I had to do, plus the not ever being able to sleep with you part which really sucks by the way, about sums it all up." She blew out a soft frustrated sigh at dredging up THAT fact again.

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"Good question. I'm not too sure but I...I just don't want to keep things from you anymore." She looked earnestly at the blonde, letting all the walls and defenses she'd built around herself over the years drop. She'd never done that with anybody before---never trusted anybody so completely like she did Buffy.

And Buffy was quick to realize what Faith was giving to her so she didn't waste a moment in giving her a kiss that showed her the feeling was entirely reciprocal.

"I have something to tell you too," Buffy said, reluctantly separating after a enjoying couple of wonderful moments. "I had a dream the other night...well not exactly a dream per se..."

****

It was as if a switch had suddenly been flipped, and everything was starting to go right for a change. Almost like someone somewhere were trying to make up for everything else that had happened thus far. It wasn't totally clear skies and sunshiny days from that moment on but hey, in a town like Sunnydale, you can just look up if you wanted something like that.

What Faith wanted and what she started thinking about more and more was what she hadn't been getting for a long while now. She started fidgeting every time the thought entered her brain which was to say every other minute. Damn, but it was getting unbearable. Especially if Buffy were nearby---or in the next room---hell, even if she were across town, it really didn't matter cause she was hot for the other girl. Had been since she'd first met her but this was just getting ridiculous. If things didn't change soon---could someone die from a lack of sex? Maybe she'd be the first known case.

She'd been taking surreptitious glances at the other slayer since the start of the research party. Buffy was just too damn cute when she had her "serious" expression on. The one that said she was all business. Faith reluctantly turned her eyes once again back to the book she'd been leafing through for the last hour. It wasn't even like she knew what the heck she was reading but she was expected to sit here anyway, looking busy and turning the page every so often. The words meant nothing to her. If she stared at them long enough, they'd swim together, making interesting patterns, if nothing else.

A loud crash made her jerk her head back up. Xander picked up the book he'd dropped, sheepishly apologizing for dozing off. Giles took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes wearily. "Maybe," he said, "it's time for all of us to retire for the evening. We can continue tomorrow." Slipping his glasses back on, he tried not to look too put off by the mock cheers going around the table.

****

Buffy walked down the street, sensitive to the eyes watching her. They'd been on her all evening and she knew exactly why. Looking up, she caught the appreciative gaze Faith was giving her and smiled. It wasn't too hard to figure out what the other girl was thinking---what she always seemed to be thinking. If it wasn't sex, it was food and if it wasn't food, it was sex. The girl had a two track mind.

"I know what you're thinking Faith," she said smirking and voicing the thoughts in her head.

Faith stopped in the middle of the street and turned to face Buffy. "What gave it away?" She asked, stepping closer to the blonde. "Was it how I couldn't take my eyes off of you the entire night or how a little bit of drool kept coming out of my mouth every time you touched me?"

Buffy grinned as Faith's arms wrapped securely around her waist. Their lips came together in a kiss that was hot and wet and rough. So it was only with a self-restraint rivaling Buddha's that Buffy pushed the other girl away after a few minutes as she felt hands starting to wander places where they weren't supposed to.

Faith let out a low groan. One that went totally beyond frustration. "Damn, I don't think I can stand it any longer B. If I'm gonna kick the bucket, at least this way, I'll go out with a bang."

"You're not going anywhere without me," Buffy said in all seriousness. "C'mon, look at what we've been through already. This...this is nothing." At Faith's pointed look, she amended, "Well, it's not life and death."

"Not yet," Faith amended.

"Not yet," Buffy repeated in hushed tones almost as if saying it any louder would bring about doom on both their heads and she continued holding on tight to the other girl's waist. Exchanging the gentlest of kisses that belied the extent of the naked desire hiding just beneath the surface, they reluctantly let go, continuing on their walk back home.

****

That night, Buffy dreamed again...at least she thought it was a dream. Everything around her, including herself had that quality about it. The not-al-there, fuzzy around the edges quality. She was standing in the middle of the kitchen of all places, having no idea why or how she got to be there.

"I guess I don't really have to ask you your decision," Angel's voice said from behind her.

She slowly turned around to meet his gaze and her set expression told him all he needed to know. He looked resigned to the fact however and only nodded his head sadly. "What's going to happen now? What's going to happen to Faith?" She asked.

In response to the question, Angel only shook his head, shrugging slightly as if to say not even he knew the future. And, just like that he disappeared, not even sticking around to say a goodbye---so like the real Angel in that regard. But before she could compare this apparition with her ex any longer, she found herself waking up, cocooned safely in Faith's arms...and immediately found a lump forming in her throat. It was the same every time she looked at the younger girl but especially at times like these when the guarded expression left that beautiful face and only Faith was there. Not the slayer, not the tough girl, not the borderline psychotic that went off to jail, but Faith, plain and simple. And in those times, Buffy sincerely thought she was the happiest person in the world. Nothing else mattered as long as they were together. Nothing at all.