Somewhere In the Midst of Time

Author:  Slave2Faith

"This is your lucky day, Slayer!"

"Ooh, did I get the crackerjack prize?" Buffy Summers said casually to the vampire in front of her.  He was cuter than your run-of-the-mill vamps, with a baby face even after umpteen hundred years.  He kind of reminded her of Angel, but she quickly shook off that notion as she stared him down.

"No.you got a different prize, a better prize.  A gateway.  I am the gateway."

"No, you are a few cards short of a full deck." Buffy did a forward roll as the vampire lurched for her, and expertly slammed the stake into his chest, reducing it into a pile of dust.  Some of the dust sprinkled on her, burning her skin, and she quickly swiped it off with a look of disgust.  "Ruined a perfectly good Calvin Klein teeshirt.  Gateway, my auntie."

"Hey Buffy!" Willow, Buffy's best friend, was waving from the edge of the cemetery.  The light of dawn was just peeking over the horizon, and Buffy sighed with relief, starting over toward Willow.  "Easy patrol tonight? Dang, what's all over your shirt?"

"Vampie pooky," Buffy said, grinning at the redhead's confused look.   "Vamp dust, Will.  He decided to leave me with a memento."

"A memento?"

"Yeah, maybe he'll come back and say "you have remembrances of me," or something Shakespeare-y like that.  Ooh, I'm getting scholarly.  Stake me now, please."

Willow laughed as she and Buffy started out of the cemetery toward Buffy's home.   They passed the burnt-out carcass of Sunnydale High, and Buffy's face darkened.   Just a few days after graduation, she should be happy and writing entrance essays for colleges.  But no.she couldn't get that visage out of her mind.  The Mayor.his evil face contorting, twisting with laughter.  And Faith.her once smiling, beautiful face.in pain, blood gushing from her stab wound."You killed me, B." God why did those words have to haunt her dreams? Buffy quickly pulled a strand of blonde hair out of her face and sighed.  She hadn't killed her, that was some relief.She was just in a coma.  "Just" in a coma? Argh.  Buffy felt like slapping herself.

Willow was saying something beside her.  "Huh?" Buffy said.  Profound, yes? No,  but efficient.

"I was saying that it's weird, vampires have never gotten their dust on Slayers before."

"Will, this is Sunnydale, remember? The little  town on top of a Hellmouth? Nothing here is weird."

Wasn't that the truth.  She'd been in Sunnydale less than 3 years, and she already felt like an old woman.  Walking there, beside Willow, she suddenly realized what had been bothering her for the past few days since graduation.   She was tired.   More appropriately, she was tired of it.  Tired of vampires, demons, spells, slaying.tired of just about everything.  She was only 18 years old, after all.   Most 18 year olds didn't have to worry about having the fate of the world in their hands.  Her nightly regime of running, training, fighting, killing.it was just too much.  "Even if they are already dead," she muttered to herself.

"What?" The young witch looked at Buffy in concern.  "You   ok?" Before Buffy had a chance to answer, Willow groaned and slapped her forehead.  "God, I forgot! We're supposed to go to Giles' house."

Damn.  They had reached Buffy's house, and it was a full two miles back in the other direction.  "Why?" Buffy asked, hoping against hope it wasn't another demon.  She'd had all she could take for one night/day.

"We're going to the hospital."

A chill ran through Buffy like a cold winter's rain.  "Um..why, again?" she croaked out.  She closed her eyes but opened them quickly as a familiar smirk floated behind her eyelids.

Willow glanced worriedly at Buffy.  She knew how hard this was for her, and it was about to get harder.  "He wants us to visit Faith."

~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy paced up and down the hall in front of Faith's room.  Giles was talking to her quietly; she was shaking her head vehemently.  Willow, Oz, Xander, and Cordelia were in a circle next to the door.

"She's under a lot of stress," Xander said with a look at Buffy.

"Of course she is, she practically killed the girl," Cordelia snipped.

"Faith almost killed US more than once, Cordy," Willow said, using the nickname the girl hated.

Oz looked in the window into Faith's room.  He could just barely see the still form of a black-haired girl on the bed.a very, very still form.  But that was it, and he wasn't about to go into the room.  He shuddered, and slipped his arm around Willow.

"I can't!" Buffy said loudly, then paled as her friends all looked at her.   Lowering her voice, she said to Giles, "I cannot go in there.  After everything she's done to us?  After everything I've done to her?"

Giles sighed at the girl who had been under his tutelage for a few years now.  He had watched her grow, from a defiant girl to an even more defiant woman.  He was proud of her.  She had had much adversity, and had come through it for the most part unscathed.  The only thing she hadn't dealt with, so far, was Faith.  And he alone knew why.

"Buffy, you have to.  It's the only way you're going to get closure."

"Closure?" Buffy went over the the door, opened it, and closed it with a bang.   "There.  There's your closure.  I don't need closure.  And I'm getting repetitive."

"Buffy," Giles said, and for once his casual, easy-going voice was replaced by a stern one.  "You don't have a choice in this matter.  I am telling you, you must go.  You don't understand the implications of your actions, and you won't, lest you talk to Faith."

"Lest not, and say we did," Buffy said, shaking her head.  "What implications, Giles? The boogie man gonna get me? Been there, done that, six feet under and a pile of compost."

"I'm surprised you even know what compost means," Giles said drily. Going up to the door, he opened it and motioned Buffy in.  "I will explain all later.   In the meantime, in."

Buffy peeked into the door.  At the sight of Faith's motionless body on the bed, her head reeled and she had to grasp the doorjamb for support.  She toyed nervously at her clothes-the vamp dust still there, and feeling suspiciously like silly putty-and looked at Giles.  He was immovable, and with an inward groan, she allowed herself to be pushed into the room.  The door closed, and she and Faith were alone.

~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy cleared her throat and went to sit on the side of the bed.  The pungent, Lysol scent of the hospital made her stomach turn, but the sight of Faith laying there, so pale and not moving, was enough to make her run screaming from the hospital, from Sunnydale, from everything, and not even come back.

Buffy sighed and looked at Faith.  She was so pale, so quiet.not even a muscle in her face twitched.  There were tubes everywhere, seemingly poking out of every available orifice. Her eyes were closed; her black hair looked almost grotesque against the white pillows and sheets.  God.

Buffy cleared her throat.  "Um.hi, Faith." No movement.  "Yeah, I guess I'm the last person you want to talk to right now.  Kinda looks like you don't want to talk to anybody." Bad, bad joke, Summers, very bad.  Impulsively Buffy reached out and took Faith's hand.  It was warm, almost hot, and rested limply in hers, the fingers not even curling in recognition.  Why she had taken Faith's hand she didn't know; she just knew she had to.  She had to touch her, to make sure that contact was real, that Faith was really there, that she.that she.wasn't dead.

Buffy's words came rushing out in a torrent of emotions.  "Faith, I'm sorry.    I'm so very very sorry.  I-I cant believe I did this.  To you.   We.we could have been friends.  You and I, we had some cool times.  Want, take, have, remember?  And, and that dance that night at the Bronze, it was so cool, you and I dancing together, remember that, Faith? Faith, you have to remember.you have to wake up.  Faith, wake up! WAKE. UP."

Why do you want me to wake up?

Huh?  Buffy jerked her head up and stared at Faith.  Nothing.  No smile, no frown.no reaction whatsoever.  Her eyes were still closed.  Buffy looked around the room. No one. "Xander, if this is your idea of a joke-"

Oh, please, you really think XANDER is smart enough to pull this off?

"Then who are you?" Buffy's voice was frantic as her eyes scanned all around her in search of some demon, some vampire, something that was creating that voice.the one that sounded exactly like Faith's.

That's right, B. Sounds exactly like me. It is me. Faith.

~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy sat, frozen, looking at the lifeless form of Faith.  But.but how.she wondered.   Faith was still in a coma.wasn't she? "Faith?" Buffy croaked.   "But.how can you be talking to me?"

Through the gateway.

Buffy's eyes widened.  The gateway.Then that vampire must have been telling the truth.

So you finally get a clue.Not bad, huh, kid?  I'm in your head, talking to you.   I'm in your thoughts.  I'm in.you.

"Then get out!" Buffy snapped. She dropped Faith's hand like it was burning her.   "I don't want you in my thoughts."

Well, that's funny, I've been there for the past three days.  Ever since you took my own knife and turned it against me.  Or have you forgotten, B.?

"Of course I haven't," Buffy said dully.  "What do you want from me, Faith? And what the hell is this gateway?"

Well, it sure as hell isn't a computer.  Mr. Vampie was offering you a gateway.a link into my world.  All you have to do is want to come in.

"Why would I want to come into your world?" Buffy said, confused.   "You're in a coma!"

I want you to come in, Buffy.  It's the only way.

"Only way for what?" Talking in riddles wasn't Buffy's best subject.

If you don't come in.I'll die.

Buffy's eyes widened.  "You.you'll die?"

That's what I said, Sherlock.  If you don't come in, and help me defeat these demons, I'll die.

"What demons? Faith, I don't get this.  And come in.where?"

Just do it, Buffy, like a stupid Nike commercial.  Come in.  Just say let me in.

Buffy got up to walk around the room, glancing out the window.  Giles was standing there, and as he caught sight of Buffy, she waved, motioning for him to go home, she was staying for a while longer. Giles gave her a strange look, but left quickly with the others. They didn't want to be here any more than she did, she knew.  She wished desperately that someone, anyone, especially Willow, had stayed to be with her, but she certainly couldn't blame them.  They weren't exactly members of the Faith Fan Club.

"Okay," Buffy said, looking down into the still lifeless form of Faith.   "Let me in."

~~~~~~~~~~

There was a rush of wind, and suddenly everything got very, very cold.  The room started spinning, and Buffy closed her eyes.  When she opened them again, she was standing in what seemed to be an open room, a very bright, white room.  But there were no walls, and Buffy got the feeling that she was standing somewhere in the midst of time.  In front of her was Faith.  A very alive, a very awake, a very.there.Faith.

"Okay this is reading like a bad episode of The Twilight Zone," Buffy snapped.   "Where am I?  And why are you dressed like a hooker?"

Faith smirked.  She was wearing a short black dress, and her hair was swept back away from her face.  She wore her traditional coats of makeup, but at least it was a little toned-down.  She looked.like Faith.  Perfectly normal, with no trace of the fact that she had just been in a coma.

"I wouldn't say anything about my clothes, B, until you see yours."

Buffy glanced down at herself, and thought this must be someone's idea of a joke.   Leather pants, tight white tee-shirt, leather jacket? "Funny, Faith," she sneered.  "So funny I forgot to slap my knee."

Faith shrugged.  "You look good."

"Yeah yeah.  Like I said, where are we?"

"We're.just here.  Welcome to my mind, Buffy.  Welcome to my reality."

~~~~~~~~~~

"So did it work?"

Willow munched thoughtfully on a cookie and glanced at Giles, with Oz beside her.   They were looking into the hospital room, this time at two lifeless forms.   Buffy was sitting on the side of the bed, now laying across Faith's stomach, like she was only asleep.  But only Willow, Oz, and Giles knew that she wasn't even in her own body anymore.

"It worked," Giles said.  "Buffy is now ensconced in Faith's mind."

"Ensconced? Is that like, possessed?"

"No, Oz," Willow would have giggled, had she not been so worried about Buffy.   "Well, maybe, yeah, if you look at it as Faith is possessed by Buffy, then I guess, I mean, it could be.well.yeah."  Oz patted Willow's arm and both of them looked expectantly at Giles.

"What?"

"Will she come out of this?" Willow asked.

"Which she?"

"Either one."

Giles sighed.  "I don't know.  I am not sure.  Faith has been going through some traumatic experiences inside her mind, and we're not talking demons of the personal kind.  These are not figments of her subconscious.  These are real.I believe your term is baddies?"

"Lovely," Oz exhaled.  "So.how did they get there? And why did you want Willow to whip up that osmosis spell?"

"I don't know how they got there, " Giles said, taking off his glasses and wiping them with a handkerchief.  "That's what we need to find out.  And I certainly hope we find out in time."

~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy looked around her.  A balmy mist obscured her view; she couldn't see much beyond her and Faith.  "Well, at least there isn't any dust."

"Haha very funny," Faith snorted, but she was smiling.  Buffy couldn't get over how healthy she looked, she seemed so.happy.  Not evil, sadistic, "hungry and horny" Faith.  Buffy kind of missed her.and pinched herself hard on the arm for thinking that.  "Come on, let's take a walk."

"Famous last words," Buffy muttered.  "Where we going?"

"Don't know," Faith answered truthfully.  "My mind takes me to some funky places sometimes."

Sure enough, the next thing they knew, they were walking in a dark, secluded park.   The full moon illuminated an empty swing set, and Faith sat down on one, pushing off with her toe and looking sadly at the ground.

"Hey, are you ok?" Buffy asked, thinking this was all too weird, but where else did she have to go? She sat down on the other swing and pushed gently. The wind floated through her hair and seemed to fill the moment with a
terrible anguish.

"No," Faith answered, a touch of honesty in her voice that Buffy hadn't heard in a long time.  "I've been thinking.about stuff."

"Hey, comas are good for one thing then," Buffy joked, but felt instantly like throwing a bottle of holy water on herself.    "I'm sorry, that-that was mean.  Yes, I can be mean.  I mean, I don't try to be mean, but I mean-"

"Ok, ok, Willow," Faith said, shaking her head.

"Sorry.  What have you been thinking about?"

Faith shrugged.  The moonlight shone down upon her hair, the black strands looking mystical, and even angelic, around her cheeks.  Buffy was struck by the expression in her eyes.  They were deep, dark, wounded.  Faith looked almost.old.  As if she had seen too much, lived too much.

"And is ready to give up," Faith whispered, raising her head to look at Buffy.   She smiled wryly at Buffy's look of shock.  "You forget, B, that when you're in my mind, I can read your thoughts.  I'm ready to give up.  I can't do this anymore."

"This what?"

"B, when you're in a coma, it's like you're asleep.  You have conscious dreams-or at least, I do-and you know some of what is going on.  I can hear the people talking to me beside my bed.  Yours was the first I've heard; well, except for Giles'.  He came the next day, after it-it happened-" Faith seemed to choke up on the words.

"He did?" Buffy said.  "Again in shock.  What did he say?"

But Faith didn't have time to answer, because at that very moment, a large demon leapt out of the shadows at both of them.  It was green, with menacingly huge claws, and had an evil snarl on its face.

"I guess this is what you meant by demons," Buffy said as she moved into position.

And Faith just stood there, rooted to the spot, a look of complete and utter terror on her face.  "Um, hey, F," Buffy said frantically.  "Think you could help me out here?" But Faith didn't move.  "Great," Buffy muttered.   "Just great.  Perfect time to go Lot's wife on me, Faith. Now what do I do?" The beast was steadily advancing on them, and still Faith didn't move.

**
In the hospital, Giles leapt to Buffy's side as Faith's heartbeat began racing.   "Oh, dear," he said worriedly.  "I fear something is happening."

"What?" Willow asked.  "What's happening?"

"I don't know," Giles said, reaching down and grasping Buffy's hand.  She was like a daughter to him; she just had to get through this, she had to. "I just don't know."

**

Buffy stared up at the huge green demon, and groaned inwardly.  Faith was still just standing there, her eyes glazed, looking like she had been put under some kind of.spell? A SPELL????

Buffy looked around frantically.  Damn it.  How could she get out of here? She had to alert Giles, had to talk to Willow.  But she couldn't.she didn't know how.   Hm. Buffy closed her eyes.  "There's no place like home," she said aloud.  "There's no place like home, there's no place like home." She clicked her tennis shoes together.  She opened her eyes and the demon leaned down, roaring into her face."Well," Buffy huffed," that's the last time I watch that movie."

She whirled around and grabbed hold of Faith's arm.  "Faith," she said urgently.  "I don't know if you can hear me, but you've got to let me out of your mind." The demon lurched toward Buffy, and she half-turned, doing the only thing she could think of: she slapped its nose.  To her surprise, the demon vanished with a puff of air.  "Heyyyy," Buffy said proudly, flexing her muscles, then her mouth dropped open as Faith blinked and looked at her.   "'Bout time, Sleeping Beauty."

"God, B," Faith said. "I-I do that all the time.  He comes after me.all the time, and I can't move, I can't speak.I can see him, and I try to help you, but it's like my feet are glued, in cement.."

"Hmmmm. Met any good mobsters lately?" Faith's hurt look stung Buffy to the core.  "I'm sorry, this is no joking matter.  I just.Faith, I think I know part of what's wrong.  You've got to let me out of your mind."

"I can't," Faith said, shaking her head.  "I mean, I wont."

**

"You won't?" Buffy said, clenching her fist.  What kind of warped trick was this? "What the hell you mean, you won't?"

"I mean, I don't want to," Faith said, grinning.  "I kinda like having you around.  You kind of, brighten up the scenery, you know what I mean?"

Buffy resisted the urge to slap Faith, instead saying, "Look, I'm sorry.  If you want to brighten the scenery, buy some wallpaper and get Martha Stewart to decorate.   If you want me to find out why you went statue-y on me, I suggest you let me out."

Faith sighed.  "Okay.All you have to do is say you want out.  But Buffy." Faith turned a pair of large and pleading eyes to Buffy's face.   "Come back, please? I'm scared."

"Right," Buffy breathed.  "Sure, I'll." She sighed.   "Yes, Faith, Ill come back.  But for right now I need to go back.   I'm trying to help you.  Now, I want out."

A sudden rush of wind, and Buffy raised her head.  Squinting, she looked into Giles' eyes.  "Hey," she said, glancing down at a motionless Faith on the bed.   "Fancy meeting you here.  Now what the HELL is going on???"

**

"Yes, well, ahem," Giles cleared his throat and busied himself with cleaning his glasses.  Willow and Oz wouldn't look at Buffy.

Buffy, realizing something was going on, glanced down at Faith.  She was "sleeping" peacefully, like a baby, no indication of what had happened earlier was on her face. She looked at Giles.  "Give," she said woodenly.   Something's going on, and you, ALL of you, know what it is.  So how come I don't?"

"We didn't think it was good to tell you," Willow blurted out.

"Excuse me," Buffy snapped, "But what happens to the X-Men when they try to do something without telling Xavier? He ALWAYS has to save their sorry butts.  Now what is going on? Don't make me get angry."

"This isn't angry?" Giles asked weakly, then sighed.  "Very well.   For the past week, the doctors and nurses have noticed some.unusual.brain activity on Faith's chart.  This should be indicative of her wakening, but, so far, she hasn't.  And the doctors were worried.  And since I'm listed as her next of kin."

"You are?" So that's why he had visited her, Buffy thought.  "As what?"

"Her, ahem, uncle.  Since I am listed as family, I was contacted.  I brought Willow and Oz with me, thinking you were unable to cope with the Faith issue."

"Unable to cope aint the half of it," Buffy muttered.  Giles heard, and a bell went off in the back of his head.  So he was right, after all. In a way he was relieved.and scared to death.

"Yes, and Buffy," Oz said, taking over in his mellow, monotone way, "something isn't right with Faith.  I mean, these brain waves, they aren't."

"Natural," Willow interrupted, staring at Buffy with a pair of big, expressive eyes.  "Something isn't going right in her mind, and so we've all been here trying to figure out."

"Cool," Buffy breathed, then exploded.  "AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN THINK   TO ASK ME IF IT WAS ALL RIGHT JUST TO PUT ME INSIDE FAITH'S MIND??????"

Giles took a step backward.  Now, THAT was angry.  He knew such anger existed inside his Slayer, but he had never seen it displayed directly at himself.  "How did you know?"

"Faith is under some kind of spell," Buffy explained, breathing hard.   "The
demon comes up and she just.freezes.  Like something's got a hold of her."

"What kind of demon?" Giles asked, taking out a notepad and a pencil.

"Demon.  The supernatural kind." Giles looked at her.  "Ok, ok.   Ugly, green, big claws.  Um.stinky breath, but that's not abnormal.  He's not a pointy bitey one though."

"Not a vampire," Giles muttered, taking a few sparing notes.  "Thank the gods for small miracles.  Next time try to notice a little bit more about him/her/it, Buffy.  The more we know the better."

"Next time?" Buffy echoed. She got up from Faith's bedside and shook her head.   "No.  There will be no next time.  I am not going back."

Buffy.you promised.please..

"No!" Buffy whirled around to stare at Faith's immobilized form.  "I am not coming back in there! We can figure it all out, out here, and I won't have to go back in."

Whatsa matter, B? Scared?

"Oh that's it! You just let me in and see how scared I am!"

With that, Buffy's body went limp, falling to the floor.

Giles leaned down and picked her up, resting her on the bed next to Faith.   "Works every time," he chuckled.  "Way to go, Faith."

On Faith's face there was the tiniest, almost imperceptible smile.

**
Buffy growled upon finding herself in a graveyard with Faith.  "I hate it when they do that," she sighed.

The graveyard was calm, quiet, just like it would be at the dead of night.  Why they were here, neither of the girls knew.  They just figured it was something Faith was thinking about in her unconscious state. Faith's clothes had changed.  She was wearing a simple pair of blue jeans and a teeshirt.  Her hair was in a ponytail, making the light cast more clearly on her face, and Buffy could see the fine lines of exhaustion.and unhappiness.  She didn't even really seem that happy to see Buffy again.  She just seemed.there.

"Hey," Buffy said uneasily.  "You ok?"

Faith perched on top of a gravestone and reached into a bag resting against it.  Her knife-the mayor's gift-glittered in the moonlight as she showed it to Buffy.  Buffy backed up, her eyes wide.  "Hey, don't go wiggins on me," Faith said.   "I ain't going to use it."

"I've heard that before." Buffy steeled herself.  Even if she was in Faith's mind, and none of it was real-at least, she hoped-she wasn't taking any chances.

"Yeah, but it wasn't ME who used it the last time, was it?" Faith's words cut through the darkness like the knife she held.

"What do you want from me?" Buffy exclaimed.  "I mean, you want me to say I'm sorry? I did say I'm sorry, and I have said I'm sorry, every night since I hurt you.  I didn't want to.I never meant."

And suddenly she was crying.  Loud, hacking sobs that racked her body, making her shake hard.  She couldn't get control of herself, she was kneeling on the ground, hugging her body, not having known this much grief since Angel.  It all seemed so long ago, Faith, sending Angel to hell, the Mayor, the Ascension.she thought about it all, every waking moment of the past three days.  And somehow, no matter what, it all came back to one thing. Faith.

Buffy's crying slowed, and she looked up to see Faith squatting beside her, the knife gone now, and a gentle look in her eyes.  She reached up and touched Buffy's cheek; Buffy winced, and Faith pulled away, nodding.  "I'm sorry.  I just wanted you to know that it's ok.I've.I've forgiven you."

For the second time that night, a wave of anger coursed through Buffy as she struggled to her feet.  "Well, isn't that just lovely to hear," she snapped. "Cuz I sure as hell haven't forgiven you."

**

In the hospital, Giles was busy watching the brainwave monitor, and Willow with Oz was surfing the 'Net on her laptop, searching for some information about the monster Buffy had described.  So far they had come up with nothing.  Her details were sketchy, at best, and Willow said, "There are a hundred or so monsters that could be the one Buffy met up with."

Giles sighed, not taking his eyes off the screen.  It blipped and flashed blue and green.blue for Faith and green.for Buffy.  There had been a lot of action, but nothing demon-induced.  He realized what a volatile situation he had thrust Buffy in, and it scared him.  This went beyond anything he had ever been involved with, in all his time of being a Watcher.  How would you feel, Giles, he asked himself, if you ended up being the one who killed the girl you wished you had for a daughter? Could you live with yourself? No, he decidedly could not.  He stood up.  "Time to bring her back, Willow."

Willow nodded and closed her eyes, mouthing a few words in Latin.

**

Back in her mind, Faith watched sadly as Buffy began to fade.  "What's happening?" Buffy asked.

"Don't worry.  I think the witch-girl is calling you back.  She can do that too, ya know.  But don't worry.  You'll be back here before you know it. You know you will.."

Faith turned and walked off into the graveyard.  Buffy was gone.

**

She sat up on the hospital bed.  "I wish I had some warning when you were going to do that," she said, rubbing her eyes.  "I feel like I'm hung over."

"Yes, well, did you see the monster?"

"Who, Faith?" Giles glared at her.  "Sorry," Buffy said.   "I just still don't like this whole idea.  But I didn't see the monster."

"Wonderful," Giles said.  "So we're exactly the same place we were before: absolutely nowhere."

**

The room was dark, lit only by a few candles.  The man was shadowed in the darkness, the only thing visible was one calloused hand, which shook slightly.  The emissary looking at him thought the man had seen one too many battles, had lived too long.was ready to give up.  Where had he heard that before?  "Sir," he said nervously.  "You asked to see me?"

"I did."  The voice was strong, resonant, despite the man's wizened appearance.  "Is our plan working?"

"It seems to be, sir."

"'Seems to be' is not good enough, my friend.  I want completion, utter completion, before I am satisfied.  This has been agreed upon by the others."

"Yes sir," the emissary said, even more nervously than before.  "But, but, are you sure this is a good idea? She could still be an asset to us."

A long, wrinkled finger pointed sternly at the emissary.  "Don't defy me, Martin.  It has been decided.  Faith Wilkins must die."

**

Buffy watched as Faith's limp body was lifted from the bed.  Giles strained under the weight, but he held her as gently as if she were a priceless autographed first edition copy of a Dickens novel.  Wires and tubes still protruded from Faith; Giles nodded to Willow, who disconnected them all.  A siren blared throughout the hospital.

"Is this a good idea?" Buffy yelled.

"No time," Giles yelled back.  "Move!"

Buffy ran out of the door and down the corridor after Giles.  Willow followed, but came up a big, burly attendant.  "Hello," she cooed, in uncharacteristic sexy tones.  "How are you?" She reached up and punched the attendant in his adoring face.  He stepped back, momentarily stunned, then glowered at her.   "Oops," Willow squeaked as he advanced toward her.  Taking off running down the hall, she caught up with Buffy.  "Well, I wanted to have some fun too," she said in response to Buffy's questioning look.  "Come on!"

They ran outside.  Oz's van was waiting in the alley.  He swung open the back doors and helped Giles lift Faith inside onto a makeshift bed.  Buffy sprang inside, and settled down next to the bed, pushing Giles out of the way.  When he glanced at her, she just looked at him.  He nodded, understanding, and not understanding at the same time.

"Explain to me again," Oz said as he sped away from the curb at lightening speed," why we are all breaking the law for one wigged-out rogue slayer who tried to kill us all at one point in time?"

"Because," Giles said tersely, working over Faith, adjusting tubes, pillows, blankets, everything to make her comfortable.  "I have a theory."

"Oh yes," Oz said brightly, shaking his head.  "That's comforting.   Did you hear that, Willow? He has a theory." Willow grinned and hugged her werewolf boyfriend.

Well, Buffy thought to herself as they raced down the street toward Giles' house, I hope his theory works.

**

Giles pulled the needle out of Faith's arm and stared at the vial full of blood.  Her blood, Buffy thought, a pang of regret coursing through her.  She didn't understand that.  Blood tests hurt.  Faith had hurt her.  So she wanted Faith to hurt.   Didn't she?

"Giles, when did you become Marcus Welby?" Cordelia asked snottily.  She and Xander had come over to "assist," they both said, but it was clear by the look on Giles' face that they were a mere annoyance.  "And you're gonna test that icky stuff here too?"

"Blood is not icky." Willow said.

"Unless it's coming from yourself," Buffy commented, then sighed, closing her eyes.  She was so tired.  So tremendously tired.

Giles noted her reaction, his brow knotted with concern.  "Buffy, perhaps you had better.ah.stay here tonight?"

"Yeah," Willow said, patting her friend's back.  "Xander and I will call your mom à la round robin, okay?"

Buffy nodded, not taking her eyes away from Faith, who was laying still motionless on the bed in Giles' guest room, a cotton ball in the crook of her arm, held there with a fresh bandage.  Whatever Giles' theory was, she hoped it worked, one way or another.   She didn't really want Faith dead.or did she?

**

Staying at Giles' house really wasn't that fun.  Buffy was sitting on the couch, brooding.  Giles was upstairs, checking on Faith, for the one millionth time that night.  He had done his best, letting her watch all those "silly, teenage, brain-draining shows" that she loved.  "What kind of a person would call a show Dawson's Creek?" Giles wondered, shaking his head, before leaving Buffy to it.

He had sent Faith's blood off to a friend who worked in a laboratory.  He had also used to be part of the Council, Giles explained, but he had broken with it.  Buffy had never heard of anyone breaking with the Council, but
Giles had said it had had happened several times, which is why the Council was so.so..

"Anal-retentive?" Buffy put in.

"Yes, yes, I suppose that's it," Giles said, grinning.  "But Martin is a good man. He'll know just what to do."

**

Martin stared at the test results. Giles was right.  The presence of drugs in Faith's bloodstream was enough to render her helpless, if not eventually kill her.  So Giles knew; he suspected.  The twenty seven year old former Watcher brushed a stray lock of hair behind his ear.  What to do, what to do? Giles had been like a brother to him.and yet, he still answered to someone else.what would he do if the man found out about him? His boss, essentially.  He still worked for them, occasionally.  And they had called him back for this. this special mission.  But was this special mission murder?  Could he commit murder?

Reaching into his briefcase, Martin pulled out the file his boss had given him about the young woman.  He held a five by seven picture up to the dim light.  A pair of brown eyes glimmered; full, red lips smirked, teasing him.   She was hot.   So young, so pretty.so.dangerous.  Martin fully remembered what his boss had told him that day.

She is a danger not only to us, but to the world as well.  It is our duty, being who we are, to protect humanity.  We must eliminate her.

"Yes," he had said.  He understood, but he couldn't really believe what they were telling him.  "but.can we not save her? She was, after all, Chosen to be one of them.  Perhaps we can still turn her back to our side?"

She was chosen by us, she can be released by us.  She will die.

And at that point, the head of the Watcher's Council had held out a syringe to Martin, the one that contained the demon he was to release into Faith Wilkin's mind.  To frighten her, to slowly drive her mad.to kill her.

**

Adam Greg, the head of the Watcher's Council, stared at Martin.  "You LET them escape?" he glowered, his eyes burning fire.

"Yes, well," Martin took off his glasses and began to clean them.  "I couldn't stop them, there were several of them, including the Slayer.  And Giles."

"Ah, so this is Giles' work," Greg said, shaking his head.  A thin smile played about his lips.  "I should have known.  Soon he will not be a problem.  Wesley will take over.  Though.how to get rid of Giles.?"

A chill ran through Martin.  "Get rid of him, sir?"

A Watcher to the left of Greg, in the great room of the castle where they held important meetings such as this one, said "He is no longer an asset to us, sir.  More of a blight."

"True," Greg mused.  He looked at Martin.  "Get rid of him."

"Sir?" Martin squeaked.

"I said, get rid of him.  I don't care how.  I want Giles dead."

Martin nodded and left the great room.  His mind racing, he started off toward his room, then thought better of it.  Heading out from the castle, he got into his car and drove five miles to the nearest pay phone.  Picking it up, he inserted the change.  Looking around, he hesitated.then dialed the operator.   "Yes," he said, his voice trembling.  "Sunnydale, California, please."

**

"I am telling you, Giles, you simply do NOT know what you are dealing with." Martin paced back and forth nervously in front of Giles, who sat on the couch, running the tip of his pinky finger over the rim of his teacup.  The call from Martin had come out of the blue, insisting that he come to Sunnydale immediately, and Giles had obliged, without a clue as to what was going on.  Buffy was upstairs, checking on Faith; Giles figured whatever was going on, she didn't need to be  a party to it at the moment.   Not in her condition.

Buffy couldn't sleep.  She had been staying with Giles for the past two days; Giles had looked in on her before going to bed himself, and always, she was tossing and turning, mumbling in her sleep.  Most of it was inaudible, but two words came out loud and clear: Faith.  And love.  He had heard them with his own ears, and had he not been so worried about his Slayer, he would have smiled.  As it is, she had definitely been off her game.  She had let two vamps get away, both nights, and there were dark circles under her eyes.  She couldn't concentrate on anything; it took several tries for Giles to get her attention, several times.  Apparently it wasn't just Faith who was dealing with inner demons.

"Then why don't you tell me who I'm dealing with, Martin?"

Martin was shaking visibly, and Giles knew the man was hiding something.  He hadn't told Buffy he didn't fully trust Martin, but there had been too many incidences in the Watcher's Council, too many Slayers put in needless danger.so he didn't trust him.   Still, Martin was the only feasible link he had between the Council, and discovering what was going on with Faith.

Martin sighed heavily.  He held out the folder with Faith's test results.   "You were right.  Heavy amounts of sedatives, presumably to keep Faith in her unconscious state."

Giles half-stood in his anger, his fist clenched so hard the teacup shattered, splashing lukewarm liquid all over his carpet.  "Who?" he nearly yelled.   "What kind of soul-less creature would stoop to such a thing?"

"I don't know," Martin said, looking down at his feet.

But Giles caught the look, and he reached out, grabbing Martin by his shirt collar.   "You do know," he said evenly.  "I suspected it when you got here. But you do know what is going on.  I want answers, Martin, now."

"I, I cant," Martin stuttered.  "It's too dangerous, I-"

"Martin, did our years of friendship mean nothing? For the love of god, man, what IS it?"

Martin shook his head and cuffed the carpet with his foot.  "All right then," he said, raising his eyes to look at Giles.  "I'll tell you.   But you better sit down; this is going to get pretty bad."

**

Upstairs, Buffy was sitting at Faith's bedside.  She didn't know what Giles and that weird guy Martin were talking about, but she was pissed off that Giles wouldn't let her stay.  It wasn't like her idea of a good time was sitting there talking to a near-dead Slayer.

Buffy felt guilty about saying that.  It wasn't Faith's fault, after all.   Something was going on, with that demon.whatever it was.  And they were no closer to finding out Mr. D's identity than they had the first day she had entered Faith's mind.

Suprisingly, entering Faith's mind hadn't really scared her.  Buffy had come to realize-not without a little chagrin-that she was glad to see Faith again.   Pseudo-well, at least, and no longer psycho.  That's why she had been feeling so badly these past few days.  She knew everyone noticed it.  Even Willow had commented she wasn't being her own self.  But..

Faith was of the good.  Buffy was sure of that much.  Maybe some trace of the evil she shared with the Mayor/her adopted father was still there, but Buffy hadn't seen it up until now.  The only thing Buffy had seen in Faith was a little bitterness.and a lot of sadness.  And it was her fault.  That's was why she couldn't sleep at night.  It was her fault.

It isn't your fault, B.

"Yes it is," Buffy said woodenly.  "Slayage rule number one: never kill, or ATTEMPT to kill, another human being.  I tried to kill you."

Water under the bridge, Buffy.  Let it go.  You did what you had to do.  I probably would have done the same thing.  'Course, I would have given you that kiss, first.

Buffy couldn't laugh, even with Faith's snide tone accompanying her statement.   Instead, she felt the first stings of familiar tears in her eyes, and she wiped them quickly with her sleeves.  "It isn't that easy."

Wanna come talk about it? You know what you gotta do.

"Sure," Buffy sighed.  "Not much I'm good for around here.  Go ahead, Faith, let me in."

**

In an instant she was there, but where was there? Looking around she found herself in a bedroom.  A bedroom overflowing with lit candles, on the windowsill, on the dresser, on the floor by a huge mahogany bed.  Wine colored curtains were draped over the windows, and the covers on the bed were drawn, revealing satin sheets and soft, downy pillows.  Speaking of wine, there was a bottle chilling in a bucket full of ice on a table beside the bed, and two crystal glasses sitting next to it.  Hmmm.  Buffy picked it up and glanced at it.  White Zinfandel? Whoever it was had good taste.

"Thanks," Faith said, coming into the room through a door on the other side.    "Bathroom," she said in response to Buffy's questioning look.   "Even in dreams, ya gotta have the necessities."

"So is that all this is?" Buffy asked, staring at Faith, her mouth very nearly wide open.  Faith was wearing a short, black negligee, something Buffy definitely wasn't accustomed to seeing, that was for sure.  Her black hair was tucked neatly behind her ears, and her face was absent of any makeup.  It gave her a kind of pure, child-like quality, and Buffy found her heart racing, though she didn't know why.   "A dream?"

"What do you want it to be?" Faith asked casually, moving over and pouring herself and Buffy a glass of wine.  "Fantasy.or reality?"

Buffy shook her head.  "I just want it all to be over.  I'm tired of this."

"Tired of what?" Faith sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for Buffy to sit with her.  "Talk to me."

In any other reality it would have been strange, Buffy having a Dr. Laura with Faith Wilkins.  But this time, she didn't care.  If it was all a dream, why did it matter? "I'm tired," Buffy said.  "Of everything.  Slaying, school, Giles, Cordelia, Xander, even Willow.  I'm just tired of everyone and everything.  Tired of being me.  Tired of blaming myself.  For feeling bad about what happened the other day."

"What, the demon?" Faith asked.  With one hand she reached up and began to massage Buffy's neck.  It felt good, to feel all that tension just draining away. "We'll kick his ass eventually.  Just gotta wait for Mr. Pride and Prejudice to figure it all out."

"No, it's not about the demon," Buffy got up and began to pace the room, feeling terribly uncomfortable.  "It's about.you froze.  And I.I couldn't do anything.  I could just stand there and try to Dorothy myself outta the place.   I mean, you were just.standing there.  You.you're always so brave and ready to take on anything.  You were the first to be ready to go kick
some vampire ass, and with that demon you were just.I don't know.."

"Afraid," Faith interrupted quietly.  "I was afraid, B, for the first time in my life."

"I know!" Buffy exclaimed.  "And I'm never afraid, well, except when I see a country music video."  Faith chuckled, and Buffy continued rapidly.   "You were afraid and I thought my god if she's afraid then I'm done for.   It's like.when we used to slay together, you'd give me.you'd give me." Buffy stopped, unable to go on.

"Strength?" Faith whispered softly, looking straight into Buffy's luminous eyes.

"Yes." Buffy walked away from Faith and went to stare out the window.  It was night outside-what else did she expect?-and the stars were twinkling brightly.   "You.you gave me strength, Faith.  And when you were so afraid, I
felt helpless."

"You're not helpless," Faith insisted, coming up behind Buffy.   "You're a very strong, brave, skillful Slayer.  I cant believe I used that many vocabulary words in one sentence.  But you are a capable Slayer.  What happened with the demon doesn't matter, and what happened during Graduation proves that you know what you're doing.  I couldn't have done it."

"Couldn't have done what?"

"I couldn't have stabbed you.  I care about you too much."

This time it was Faith's turn to move away, with Buffy staring at her, her eyes threatening to bore right through Faith into her soul.  "You care about me? I don't understand."

"Oh, come on, B," Faith said, still not looking at Buffy and taking a monstrous swig of the wine.  Her hand was shaking violently, and her voice was strained.   "You think that dance at the Bronze was nothing?"

"I don't know what it was," Buffy snapped, then softened her tone.   "I'm sorry, it's just that.this is your mind.  And your mind HAS been playing tricks lately.  How do I know what is real and what is just a game to you?"

Faith hesitated, then crossed the floor to Buffy, wrapping her arms around her, and pressing her lips to Buffy's in a hot, deep kiss.  "There," she said huskily.  "Now do you believe me that this is real?" She backed off, suddenly shy, leaving Buffy to touch her fingers to her lips in awe.  Had Faith just kissed her? This was all too weird.but what was even more weird was the rush of emotions that was coming with it.  "Buffy.listen, maybe you should just go.  This is getting out of hand."

"No!" Buffy said, grabbing Faith's arm and pulling her around to face her.   She froze when she saw that Faith had tears rolling down her cheeks.   "You've got to tell me.  Why did you just kiss me? I mean.you kissed me."

":I'm well aware of that, B," Faith said sarcastically.  "And why do you think I kissed you? Do you think I LIKE the taste of vanilla lip gloss?"

"Who knows, with you?" Buffy smarted back.  "But I think I deserve an answer."

"Sheeesh, B," Faith snapped.  "Put two and two together, or have you forgotten how to add? I kissed you because I love you."

**

Giles stared at Martin, speechless for once in his entire life.  No library books, no demonology literature, nothing contained an inkling of anything he could say at this moment.  His very life had been thrown into question with
the utterance of just a few sentences.

"The Council has decided that Faith must be eliminated.  They are the ones who put that demon inside her.  No, I am the one who put it inside her.  They ordered me to.  And.they want me to kill you."

A thousand images had rushed through Giles' mind at that moment.  His childhood in England, his training at the Watcher's Council, his first meeting with Buffy.his first meeting with Faith. his first sense that they were something more than enemies.

He knew that upstairs, Buffy had probably already entered Faith's mind.  He had enlisted Willow's help the very night of Graduation, when she had come to him expressing concern over Buffy's state of mind.  Indeed, the Slayer hadn't been herself since then, not since she'd seen Faith fall onto that truck.not since they'd lifted her into that ambulance and driven away with her. Only Willow had seen the hot tears that had run down Buffy's face.only Willow had heard Buffy whisper "Oh my god.what have I done.Faith, what have I done to you.come back..please come back." And only Willow, brave, smart Willow, had understood what it meant.  She who had been in love with Oz from the moment she had met him.she knew what true love was.  And she had gone straight to Giles.

Together, hunting through countless spell books, they had found it.  The osmosis spell.  Named so because it let two people "absorb" each other's minds, become, nearly, as one.  The exact thing Buffy and Faith needed for closure.   The demon had been a surprising obstacle.  Giles didn't know whether Faith was going to live or die; he just hoped she lived, for Buffy's sake.  She had lost Angel, and still blamed herself for that; if she lost Faith too, she just might lose herself.

Anger overwhelmed Giles.  Now, to hear that the very organization he had pledged himself to considered him nothing more than a commodity. his face was white and pinched, and he fairly shook with rage.  He glowered at Martin, who cowered against the wall, not wanting to speak.

"So you are telling me," Giles said evenly.  "That you. you, my trusted friend and confidant, created this demon, and put it into a poor defenseless girl on the orders of the Watcher's Council? That you went against all ethics, by attacking two Slayers, one of them mine, as dear to me as my own daughter? You put the lives of more people than you can count in danger, and for what? Tell me, Martin, what's in it for you?"

"My life," Martin said.  He looked at Giles, then, slowly, slipped on his game face.  He was a vampire.

**

"You love me?" Buffy said in shock.  Faith wasn't looking at her, but her entire body was trembling.  Her sudden outburst had hit Buffy like a bucket of cold water, but strangely, she was warm.  She felt as if someone had wrapped their arms around her and held her in a comforting, warm embrace.  "You.. you love me?"

"That's what I said."  Faith still didn't turn around.  "Funny, aint it, B?  All this time, acting like I hated you, wanting to rip you apart with my bare hands. and you thinking it was because I was evil.  Sure, I was evil.  But. want, take, have, right? I wanted it, wanted to take it, but couldn't have it.  I always got what I wanted, except one thing.  I couldn't have
you.  Oh, how I wanted you to belong to me.  Stupid, huh?" Faith snorted, but her voice was teary.

"No." Buffy said slowly, still not sure how to react.  A part of her was suspicious of Faith, but a part of her.a part of her wanted. "It-it wasn't stupid, Faith.  But why didn't you-"

"Tell you? Oh come on, B.  It would have been wonderful timing.  You boinked the undead, remember?" Buffy flinched, and Faith instantly looked guilty.   "Im sorry, it's just. I was-I am so jealous of Angel.  He had what I wanted."

"So that's what I was?" Buffy said harshly.  "Something you wanted because it wasn't yours?  What, you wanted to seduce me, like you did Xander? Use me up and toss me out like all those guys you were always bragging about?"

The words stung Faith to the core, but she maintained her composure enough to say, "Is that all you think of me? Did you not beg me to come back to you the night you stabbed me?"

Buffy's eyes widened in shock, again. "How-how did you know that?"

"Buffy," Faith sighed.  "I'm in your head, remember? I know everything you think, dream about." She took a step toward Buffy, staring deep into her eyes.   "You begged me to come back to you.  I don't call that hate.  Am I wrong? Do you hate me, Buffy? Or do you love me?"

**

Giles took a step backward, reaching his hand inside his pocket to clench the cross he always had there.  No wonder Martin had requested that all the curtains be closed-he had thought it was just for secrecy-and the lights turned off.  Plus, he had called in the dead of night, English time.  He was a vampire.

"What.who?" Giles sputtered.

Martin quickly morphed back into his "human" self.  "The what and who doesn't matter.  The point is, it is.  The Watcher's Council offered to make me untouchable from every Slayer, if I helped them."

"If you turned your back on your friends," Giles said tersely.  "I ought to stake you myself."

Martin held up his hands.  "I don't blame you for your anger, Giles, I-"

"Anger?!?!" Giles reached out and grabbed Martin's collar again, putting his face inches from the man he used to call "son." "You have not seen anger, Martin.  I am not a violent man, but I could kill you right now.  And walk away quite satisfied that I have done the world some good, having eliminated you."

"But you won't," Martin sneered, the frightened look replaced by one of arrogance.  "Because you cant.  I am the only one who can help you keep your precious Slayers alive.  If you don't let me, both of them will be dust just like the vamps they hunt.  And if they die, hmm.perhaps they can be of some use to me."

**
Buffy looked at Faith.  In her eyes were years of infinite sadness, anger, betrayal, arrogance.and hope.   The slightest bit of hope lent her a sparkle, the tiniest little diamond that made her seem alive, vibrant, beautiful. "I don't know," Buffy admitted, her heart a deep well of emotions that she didn't understand, hadn't understood for days now, and didn't know
if she would understand.  "I have so many feelings."

At that moment, the green demon chose to appear, bursting through the "bathroom" door with a snarl.

"Great," Buffy thought.  "Wonderful timing."  She looked over and wasn't surprised to see Faith paralyzed with fear.  "Even greater. Wish I had a stake."  Suddenly one appeared in her hand.  "Heyyyyy," Buffy squealed.  "Sometimes this wishing thing is nice.  Hmm.I wish beastie boy here was gone."  No such luck, he advanced toward her and roared.   "Hey, green giant, ever heard of breath mints?"

He really was the ugliest creature she had ever seen.  Dark green, with scaly skin, sores that were oozing pus, giving off the most disgusting stench.  And his teeth.large, yellow.. And probably perfectly chomp-functioning.  By the looks of his ribcage sticking out, he hadn't eaten in days.  Buffy wasn't about to let herself become dessert.

Now if she could just get Faith moving.

**

Giles released Martin and sighed.  "As much as I detest you," he spat out, cleaning his glasses rapidly, "I contend that you are our only hope at this moment.   What do we do?"

Martin eased up and sat on the couch.  "The demon is a kendrir."

"A what?"

"I'm getting to that, man, be patient."

A thump was heard upstairs, and Giles and Martin leapt up, running to Faith's bedroom.   Buffy and Faith were on the floor, Faith writhing in what looked like convulsions.

"Damn!" Martin yelled.  "It's happening!"

"What's happening?"  Giles had Buffy in his arms, Faith in Martin's.   "What is it, man?"

"A kendrir," Martin said, breathing hard against Faith's struggling form.   "It can only be defeated by someone other than Faith.  Your theory was right.  Buffy has to defeat the monster on her own, but the only way she can do that is to absorb Faith's strength.  She has to find a way to break Faith out of her fear.   Only by releasing Faith out of that trance will Faith
survive."

"And if Buffy can't break Faith out of it?" Giles didn't want to ask it.

"If she can't." Martin looked at his friend, deep regret showing in his eyes.   "If she can't.both of them will die."

**

Buffy circled the demon in full Slayer stance, eyeing it warily.  What to do, what to do? She thought.  She ran at it and punched it, shocked when her hand disappeared inside its flesh, then bounced back.  The demon cackled at her, unscathed.   "Okay.plan a didn't work.plan b, time for plan b.what the hell is plan b????" Buffy whirled around to Faith, who still hadn't moved.  "Great.   Just great!"

Buffy ran over to Faith.  She grabbed Faith's lifeless hands and stared deep into her unwavering eyes.  "I love you," Buffy said evenly.  "You know that? Listen to me, Faith.  I need your help.  I need your strength.  I can't do this alone.  I love you, Faith Wilkins, you crazy, wild, 'hungry and horny' slaying chick.  I love you, and I cant do this without you.  Please.help me."  Buffy leaned forward and softly kissed Faith's cold lips.

A second went by, then two, then three. and Faith blinked.  She blinked, her eyes became clearer, and suddenly she was looking at Buffy, really looking at her.   "B?" she said quietly.  "Did you-"

"Yes I meant it," Buffy interrupted, squeezing Faith's hand and pointing to the demon with the other.  "Now is not the time though.  Help?"

Faith looked at the demon, then took a deep breath.  "Yep.  Five by five.   Let's kick ass, B."

Faith closed her eyes, then grinned as a knife-her knife-appeared in her hand.   Running at the demon, she let out an animalistic yell and stabbed it.    The demon roared in pain, and even louder when Buffy, a quick roundhouse kick to its gut, slammed the stake into its heart.  The demon disappeared in a cloud of dust and green goo.

"Woohoo!" Buffy let out a screech of triumph and hurled herself at Faith.   In an instant Faith's arms were around her, holding her safely, and their lips pressed together in a gentle celebration kiss.  Buffy pulled herself away, and brushed Faith's hair out of her eyes.  "I love you," she said simply.

"I know," Faith smiled, her eyes once again sparkling.  "I love you too, B."

Buffy felt that old familiar twinge, and looked down at herself.  She was fading, fading away from Faith's mind.  "Oh, no," she said sadly.  "I don't want to go."

Faith kissed her again.  "It's ok.  We'll see each other again.  Maybe I'll wake up."

**

And Buffy woke up in Giles' arms.  "Hey, Giles," she joked feebly.  "Didn't know you felt that way about me."  He hugged her, smiling bravely.  Panic suddenly filled Buffy.  Faith! She glanced down at the woman she loved.  Faith's eyes were closed, her body, unmoving.

Buffy's scream shattered the silence in the room and echoed into the dark night.

**

Faith Wilkins, the patient who had mysteriously disappeared from Sunnydale Hospital a week before, just as mysteriously returned in the middle of the afternoon.   A nurse had walked into the hallway, and there she was, laying
peacefully on a gurney.  She was still in a coma, and probably would remain so for a while longer.  The doctor who had examined her had shook her head.  Some improvement, but not much.  Yes, it would be a while longer.

**

Buffy sat at Faith's bedside, holding her hand and softly crying onto her chest.  She had hoped, no, she had expected for Faith to wake up after they had defeated.   Martin, who had returned to London's underground so as to escape the Council, had said that would be all that was needed. so why hadn't it worked?

She had a new Watcher.  Wesley, a little twit she already didn't like.  Giles had been told he was a "risk" to the duties of the Council.  Buffy had wanted to run away just like Martin, but she hadn't.  She had to continue for the same people who had wanted to kill her, to kill a man she loved like a father.to kill the one woman she loved more than life itself.

"You can't leave me, Faith," Buffy whispered into the stillness.

Hey, who said I was going anywhere?

Buffy's face lit up into a smile.  "Faith! Can I come in?"

A whoosh, and Faith was standing in front of her.  They were in the Bronze, alone on the dance floor, Faith in a blue dress and Buffy in a black one.  Faith opened her arms, and Buffy ran into them.

"I-I didn't think I would ever be able to come back," Buffy whispered into Faith's lips.

"You can," Faith said, touching her lips softly to Buffy's shoulder.   "You have the gateway, remember? Anytime you need me, just call on me, and I'll be there.  'Winter, spring, summer or fall.'"

Buffy grinned, then her expression turned serious.  "Faith.please don't die."

Faith recoiled in surprise.  "Who said anything about dyin'?"  She wrapped her arms around Buffy again, just as a slow song blasted through the Bronze speakers.  "I got a little more time on the coma-chain gang, then I'll be five by five.  Back with ya before you can say vamp dust."  She pressed her lips against Buffy.  She tasted musky, warm, and gentle, something Buffy had never expected Faith to be.  It was heaven, and Buffy snuggled against Faith's chest as they began to dance together.

She knew she had to leave, that she had to leave Faith's mind.and Sunnydale.    She had to get away for a while.  She had to.  Faith sensed Buffy's emotions, and raised her head to look at her.  "Leaving? But.you'll come back, won't you?"

Buffy touched Faith's cheek.  "I will if you will." It wasn't a question, it was more of an ultimatum, and they both knew it.

"Finally," Faith breathed, a look of impenetrable happiness on her face.   "A promise I can keep."

And as Faith kissed her for one last time before they parted again, Buffy knew it was a promise she could keep, too.


FINIS