Complement

VII – Need To Be Next To You

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I've run from these feelings for so long ~ Telling my heart I didn't mean it ~ Pretending that I was better off alone ~ But I know that it's just a lie ~ So afraid of taking a chance again ~ So afraid of what I'd feel inside...
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Faith was beginning to reach the end of her rope. She hadn't a clue what to do. Today was the first day of her third week in good ol' Sunnyhell. The only things she had to be thankful for, was the gym equipmenles les had gotten for her within the first four days of her arrival, and that she was staying at the mansion instead of the shitty motel on the edge of town like the first time.

Faith sighed, her daily routine under the ever watchful, ever bitchy, ever critical, ever self-righteous, pain-in-the-the-ass, stay-at-arms-length - 'Did I miss anything? Oh yeah!'<- co- controlling eye of GB - General B - was fast becoming one of her new mantras.

With another sigh, something Faith seemed to be doing a lot of over the last few weeks; she picked up a handheld dumbbell and began doing biceps-curls.

'Might as well lift while waiting for B.'

Unconsciously she chanted with each repetition another of her new mantra's: Eat - Tai Chi – Eat -Train - Eat – Slay – Eat – Sleep then Eat - Tai Chi – Eat - Train - Eat – Slay – Eat - Sleep and so forth, and so on, forever and a day. Amen. All praise General B!

She switched arms and changed to yet another of her new mantra: Yes B – No B – Anything you say B – Whatever B, you're the boss – I'll try harder B – You're right B, I'm wrong – Let me kiss your ass B - 'Hmm now that I wouldn't mind!' - and so forth, and so on, forever and a day. Amen. All praise General B!

Nothing seemed to be working. If anything, the distance between them had grown. The only time there was any kind of connection between them at all was when they were doing Tai Chi and it was only because of that, Faith hadn't completely given up hope. In the hour or so that they did the exercises together, there was a connection, a trust that they had never had before. Faith knew that Buffy had only allowed it because she had not once tried to abuse the connection in any way. All she had done was share her center, her tranquility with Buffy, lending Buffy her strength, giving Buffy her own peace and calm.

The very second they finished though it was back behind the wall for Buffy. If that wall had been a physical thing, Faith would have torn it apart with her bare hands by now. Even their slaying together was affected. While they still worked well together, it was almost like Buffy was keeping one eye on the vamps and the other on Faith to make sure she didn't stake her in the back. If Faith didn't like her own hair so much she would have ripped it out of her head by now.

Hell, even the Scoobs had started calling her General B after hearing Faith call her that under her breath. That was the other thing that was grating on Faith's nerves, the way she was treating them. Treating them more like her private army - 'Must be Beefstick leftovers!' - rather than her friends. She was pushing them away and they were starting to let her.

Faith tried to interfere by taking Buffy's attention off the Scoobs and getting her to take out whatever on her instead. She was an expert at directing the blame at herself she had learned at a young age how to do it. One of the perks of growing up with Ozzie and Harriet. Most of the times it worked, Faith had become the person to blame for just about everything. In the process though, it had widened the gap between her and Buffy even more. At least, she had kept the distance between Buffy and the Scoobs down. If she hadn't been here the Scoobs might have stopped talking to Buffy by now.

Faith had also tried subtlety to tell Buffy what was was doing. But she wasn't a wordsmith, she didn't have the know how. Mending bridges wasn't something she had ever tried to do before. Most of the time Buffy either ignored her, accused her of playing some kind of mind game, or just got plain ol' pissed off at Faith, telling her to; Mind her own business, she didn't need help from someone the likes of her.

She needed to think about something else, she was getting nowhere fast with this, just endlessly circling. So she thought about her training sessions with Buffy. Which inevitability led her to thoughts of touching Buffy. She felt a rush of desire course through her body. There were times when they were training that Faith would get distracted just looking at her. When that happened she would usually end up on her back with Buffy sitting on her, her fist inches from Faith's heart with an imaginary stake poised for the final kill. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing having that tight little body sitting on her, feeling the heat of Buffy's core on her stomach, the smell of Buffy's arousal filling her senses.

Buffy got off on it the training; the slaying, the whole nine yards, no matter how much she tried to deny it. Faith had been dead serious when she had said that slaying made her Hungry and horny, she knew that Buffy felt it too; she was just too much of a Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes to admit it. It had to be a part of their Slayer make up, the adrenaline rush, the heightened senses, the quicksilver reflexes; it was like everything was on hyper-drive. Faith sighed wishing that arousal was for her. She was worried that she was going to do something stupid one of these times, the urge to touch Buffy, to kiss her was becoming harder and harder to suppress.

Right now though, she needed to stop thinking about this before Buffy came back. She could smell her own arousal that the thoughts had invoked and she knew damn well that Buffy would be able to as well. She sure as shit didn't want to explain it.

Something had to give soon; She just hoped it wasn't her sanity. She sighed and lay back on the weight bench putting her forearms over her eyes and sighed again. She would have been surprised at how similar the thoughts Buffy's was having about her at the moment were.
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Buffy was sitting in Giles office with her feet propped up on his desk. She knew if he came in right now and saw her that he would give her his famous look of disapproval, but she wasn't worried about that right now. Her thoughts were focused entirely on Faith. A familiar shock of desire ran through her at the thought of the Rogue Slayer.

At first, she had tried to brush it off, when she realized what it was she was feeling. Then she tried to blame it on the whole, 'slaying' thing. Though she would never admit it to anyone, Faith had been right about slaying making you Hungry and horny. She could not blame it just on the slaying anymore, because now she got aroused just by being in the same room with Faith. She didn't know how much longer she could keep denying the lust she felt for the Dark SlayeHow How much longer could she keep it from showing when she looked at Faith?

The problem Buffy was having with this wasn't that Faith was a woman, it was because it was, simply, Faith. The same Faith, she still didn't know if she could trust. The same Faith, who she still wasn't sure had changed. Wasn't sure if she would go back to the dark side again even if she had changed. The same Faith, who she was still angry with over what had happened in the past. She knew Faith felt the same way about her; she could smell the desire for her on Faith. Well, she was almost positive it was for her. Sometimes having Slayer senses didn't help things at all.

Desire, she reluctantly admitted to herself, that she had felt for Faith from the very first time she had seen her. Just desire, lust, that was all, nothing else, it was all she was willing, capable of admitting to right now.

Maybe it did have something to do with both of them being Slayers, two halves of the same whole, had something to do with the connection they shared. Denial seemed to be becoming second nature to Buffy lately, she knew it, but she denied it.

How could she feel desire for Faith on one hand and almost hate her on the other? The conflict confused and scared the hell out of her.

Buffy had let the distance between them grow, instead of confronting her feelings for Faith, had continued to try to push them down. Had started taking out all of her anger on Faith. Had become mean, nasty and even more controlling. She had in effect become Faith's new jailer.

She realized in a vague way that she really wasn't even giving the Rogue Slayer a chance to prove she had changed. All this effort to keep her at arms length, because Buffy couldn't, wouldn't, confront or control her own lust for Faith.

Faith had become the scapegoat for all of Buffy's pain. The only time there was peace between them was when they did their Tai Chi, it was the only time that Buffy allowed herself to be open to anything the Rogue Slayer had to offer. Then Buffy took them right back to where they had started, her behind the wall, clothed once again in the armor she used to seal herself off from the world, and Faith out on the peripheral of Buffy's world.

This wasn't her, not the Buffy she had always been, and she was shutting down more every day. In some ways, she felt like she was losing her humanity. Buffy also knew it wasn't just Faith that she was closing herself off from, it was everyone else as well. If was as if she couldn't stop herself, as if someone else were controlling her actions, pulling the strings. Or was this just a convenient excuse, one she could use to keep denying what her heart and soul already knew?

With a sigh, Buffy got up from the chair. It was time to train, something she didn't really desire to do anymore, but did because it was an excuse to touch Faith. With another sigh, she headed back towards the training room.
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They had been circling each other for what felt like hours, Faith was beginning to get dizzy, so was Buffy for that matter. In the hour they had been training neither one had been able to get an edge. They had been keeping each other at arms length by using kicks almost exclusively. It was almost like they were afraid to get within a foot of each other. Perhaps both a little afraid that if they dhey hey would give into the urges each was feeling for the other. They echoed each other's thoughts, wondering what kind of game the other was playing.

The Chosen Two had become extremely frustrated with each other.

Buffy watched Faith as they circled. She loved the way Faith moved, she reminded her of a cat, a panther to be exact. Sleek, graceful, and sensuous. She reeked sensuality. It was in her every gesture, in her every look, the sound of her low, raspy voice and Buffy was so aroused by the sight of her right now it was almost painful. She loved the way her muscles seem to undulate and ripple when she moved. She wanted to feel them move under her hands. She saw the sweat glistening on Faith's skin and wanted to know its taste.

Faith was watching Buffy too. That tight, little, gorgeous, lithe body. As her pert breasts rose and fell with each breath. Faith knew that they would fit perfectly in her ha Her Her gazed traveled down to her flat stomach, then to the junction between Buffy's legs. She had to suppress a groan of desire at the thought of what was hidden from her sight by those tight, tiny shorts. She let her gaze travel lazily back up to Buffy's face and she could swear that the way Buffy was looking at her was...

Hungry!

Faith was going to explode from the lust that look sent quickening through her whole body.

Something or someone needed to give soon.

Faith broke the silence, patience was not one of her many virtues, she was actually surprised she had lasted this long.

"Come on already, B, make your move." Faith's voice was low, raspy, and thick with her desire. "Or don't you think you can handle me?"

The double meaning of her words she saw weren't, for once, lost on Buffy. A part of her couldn't believe what she had just said. But it was out there now, and she wasn't going to try and cover it up. The ball wasBuffBuffy's court, the gauntlet had been thrown, and the only question was: Would Buffy accept the challenge?

Apparently not. Buffy smiled a predatory smile at Faith. In the blink of an eye she brought her knee out to the side and extending her foot, swung her knee forward, pivoting on the ball of her bottom foot, extending her lower leg sharply, and tried to hit Faith with a roundhouse kick.

Instead of trying to evade the kick, Faith came right at Buffy and tackled her, knocking Buffy onto her back on the floor. Faith came down right on top of her. Buffy grabbed Faith and flipped her off and to the side. She quickly rolled over on top of Faith, pinning both of Faith's arms to the ground with her hands. She ended up kneeling over Faith a knee on either side of Faith's thighs.

Buffy's Slayer strength, combined with her weight kept Faith from getting her arms free. So, Faith tried to buck Buffy off her. Raising her hips up hard, she only succeeded in pressing herself intimately into Buffy. She had to bite her lip to keep from groaning aloud at the heat the contact generated in her. In a panic, she tried to dislodge her again.

Buffy's head was lowered, her hair hiding her face from Faith. The feeling of Faith's core as she had pressed up against her so intimately played total havoc with Buffy's hormones. She was breathing heavily, trying to get herself under control. She almost won too, until Faith tried to buck her off again. This time she gave up the fight, letting her lust finally win, and with a low, husky moan followed the Rogue Slayer's hips with her own as they lowered back to the ground.
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Buffy raised her head up to look at Faith, and the look she gave Faith was purely carnal. Faith gasped when she saw that look. Unbelieving, Faith felt as Buffy followed her lowering hips, not letting the contact between their heat end. Buffy started to slide her body up onto Faith, while moving Faith's arms until they were stretched over her head.

'I've got to be fucking dreaming! No way is B doing this!

But she knew it wasn't a dream the second she felt Buffy's mouth on hers. There was nothing gentle, caring, or loving about the kiss. It was hard and hot. All the pent-up lust Buffy had been feeling was in the kiss. Faith was shocked at first, to the point where she didn't even kiss her back. Then Buffy plunged her tongue into her mouth, and Faith wildly returned the kiss, moaning into Buffy's mouth. Buffy increased the pressure of the kiss when Faith moaned. Then it was her turn to moan as Faith's tongue began to duel with her own.

Her hands somehow got tangled up in Faith's hair. Faith arms came around her pulling her even tighter to her if that was at all possible. She had never wanted someone as much as she wanted Faith right noot eot even Angel.

Buffy felt Faith begin to trace delicate patterns on her back with the tips of her fingers. She began trembling, deepening their kiss even further. She felt Faith run her hand up to the back of her neck, the lifting glove rough against her skin. She wanted to know the feel of Faith's hands against her skin.

'Gloves off, now!' she thought.

Reluctantly Buffy broke off the kiss to tell Faith just that.

"Faith..."

Buffy didn't even recognize her own voice, it was so deep and throaty.

"Buffy, Faith, come out here straight away!" Giles yelled from the shop.

"Fuck me!" Faith groaned out, her and her fucking luck, just once she would like to catch a break. Buffy just smiled at Faith and raised an eyebrow as she rose from her onto shaky legs. She held out a hand to help Faith up when she saw she was having trouble standing. It seemed Faith's legs were just as shaky as her own.
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The Slayers rushed into the shop. Both were hoping that everyone would assume their flushed faces and heavy breathing were from training. They made the mistake of standing next to Anya.

\" " Anya said her nostrils flaring. She stared so hard at the two Slayers they both turned a brighter shade of red if that was at all possible. She smirked at them, looking from one to the other watching them squirm. For once, she thought it was best to keep her mouth shut; it was more fun watching them fidget under her gaze.

"What's up G-Man?" At Faith's husky voice, Buffy felt a shiver of desire shoot down her spine. Much to her chagrin, she saw that Anya didn't miss the slight tremble.

Buffy tried to focus on what Giles waslingling them. There seemed to be a new demon horde taking up residence somewhere in Sunnydale's extensive sewer system. He had information that there where ten members of this particular clan. Giles thought it was best that the Slayers split up into different teams, this way they could cover twice as much of the sewers. Everything else was to be put on hold until they had found the demons and dispatched them.

For the next two days, the Chosen Two did not get a minute, nay, a second to be alone together. They practically spent those two days living in the sewers.

Faith returned to the Magic Shop with Willow and Tara on the second day for their eight p.m. check-in. They had spent the last four hours between check-ins looking for the remaining demon and had no luck at all.

"Good you're back. Buffy found the last demon about an hour ago."

All three girls gave a sigh of relief; they were all tired of trudging around in the slime of the sewer and smelling like something the cat dragged in.

"I've got to shower before slaying. Can you tell Buffy I'll meet her here in an hour G-Man?"

"That won't be necessary Faith. I decided after the last two grueling days that everyone could use a night off."

"K, thanks G-Man." Grumbling under her breath, it was going to be a long lonely night at the mansion, Faith ran into the back to grab her stuff.

She knew she would spend the night sitting around thinking about that kiss of two days ago. That hot, wet, kiss, that now felt like a century ago.

'Down girl. Ahhhhhh! This sucks! Got to get out of here!'

Faith ran out of the training room before her thoughts and her body got anymore out of control.

"G'night all, see you tomorrow." Faith was out the door before they even had a chance to respond.
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"Faith, wait for."

Faith turned around at Tara's voice. She saw the two witches practically running to catch up to her.

"What's up, G-Man change his mind about the night off?" She asked when they reached her. She hoped that she would at least have enough time to go home and shower the stench of the sewer from her. She could use a cold shower too while she was at it.

"We're going over to the Bronze tonight." Tara started to stutter a little under the piercing gaze of the Dark Slayer. "W-w-e thought you might want to ah, j-ion us."

For a second Faith thought they were fucking with her, but she knew Tara wasn't like that. Tara was the only one who wasn't overtly hostile to her. Considering how nasty Faith had been to her the first time they had met when she had been in Buffy's body it had surprised her the whole non-hostility thing; and that wasn't even counting the fact that Tara was Red's girl. It further surprised her that she would like to hang out with the two witches, but she knew Buffy would flip if she went out partying, even if it was only to the Bronze.

"Don't worry about General B, we'll handle her." Surprising Faith even further since it was Willow who had spoken.

"We'll just tell her it was our way of torturing you, forcing you to hang out with us." Willow smiled a conspiratorial grin at her.

'Wow, blow my mind Red's actually smiling at me,' Faith thought to herself, and returned the grin in kind.

"Just meet us at our place when you're ready." The two Wicca's turned and headed in the direction of home, while Faith practically ran all the way back to the mansion.
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Little by little over the last month, Tara had been helping Willow to see the changes in Faith. Tara had told her that yes, Faith still had a dark siin fin fact, everyone had a dark side. The only difference between an evil and good person was that one had let the dark side control them, while the other had not. This was nothing new; Willow knew this from her own experience with Vamp Willow. Hell, she had even been approached about becoming a Vengeance Demon. The only difference between she and Faith was that Willow had never really given into her dark side.

Willow had to wonder if they all hadn't helped a little to push Faith over to the dark side. As much as she liked to try to tell herself that Faith was all to blame she couldn't. She had been jealous of Faith, jealous of that whole it's a Slayer Thing between the two Slayers. She had felt like she was losing her place in Buffy's life after Faith had come along. The fact that at the time she had a secret crush on Buffy probably hadn't helped either. She had underestimated her own relationship with Buffy. Willow knew she could have tried harder to reach out to Faith the first time around, could have treated her like she was a friend instead of an outsider. Had she ever even invited the Rogue Slayer to her home? No, she had let her spend her nights alone; eating take-out in the shitty motel Faith had called home. She had reached out to Faith in friendship, with a helping hand, but only half-heartedly, because deep down Willow had thought that Faith wasn't good enough to be one of them.

It wasn't until Willow had met Tara that she began to understand the connection thing between Faith and Buffy. Willow and Tara shared that same type of connection, theirs being a Witch's Thing. She had begun to see her actions for what they really were after that, but by then it was too late. Faith had already slipped over to the dark side.

Over the last month, Willow had been covertly watching the Dark Slayer, paying attention to her actions, her words. She had been reserving her judgment. Between what Tara pointed out to her, but did not try to influence in any way, and from what she had observed, it seemed the Dark Slayer really had changed. She had still been a little unsure until she had spent almost all of the last thirty hours straight with the Dark Slayer hunting demons in the sewer. She had no doubt in her mind now that Faith had changed; now all she had to do was help Buffy see that too.

She chuckled to herself at the memory of the surprised look on Tara's face when she had suggested that they invite Faith to go with them to the Bronze tonight. Willow turned and smiled at her lover; Faith had just called and said she would be an hour or so.

'Hmmm, a lot could happen in an hour, oh yeah!'

Tara looked up and smiled at her lover as she approached her, within a few minutes she was wearing that surprised look for the second time that day.
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Buffy walked into the Bronze and headed straight for their usual table. She was surprised when Willow and Tara had called her and told her they were all going to go to the Bronze to hang out, relax, have a little fun. They had even gone so far as to get Giles to agree to watch Dawn for the night so Buffy wouldn't have to worry about getting in late.

Buffy had no intention of going to the Bronze, but she was going to take advantage of Giles offer, she had another destination altogether in mind. That was until Willow told her that Faith was going with them, and by the tone of her voice Buffy could tell that Willow had on her Resolve Face which brooked no resistance.

She said her hello's, told Xander what she wanted to drink, then he and Anya left her with just the two witches. Buffy turned towards the dance floor her eyes unerringly finding Faith. Buffy's eyes traveled lazily over the Rogue Slayer. Taking in the skintight black, hip-hugger leather pants, up to the equally tight, sleeveless black spandex top. She wasn't surprised when Faith turned and looked directly at her.

Faith felt Buffy's eyes on her the second they started their lazy travel over her body. She turned, locking eyes with Buffy. Another song came on, a little slower than the one before. She started to move in time with the music, her eyes never leaving Buffy's face. Her hips gyrating, she slowly ran her hands down her own breasts seeming to pause slightly, then continuing their decent over her flat stomach, stopping just shy of the junction between her legs. Her eyes locked on Buffy she slowly ran her hands down lower to the inside of her thighs then back up again over her stomach, up over her breasts pausing again briefly, then continuing up to tangle in her own raven tresses.
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Their eyes blazed at each other from across the room as Faith walked off the dance floor when the song ended.

"Hey." Faith looked into Buffy's eyes and for once saw something other than the ice she had grown accustomed to over the last month.

"Hey back."

"Nice show Faith. Might want to think about that as a second career."

Faith shot Xander a look. She had tried to apologize to him, but he was unwilling to accept it, and Faith had backed off giving him time. He made it very clear he didn't like having her around. That he was just tolerating her until Buffy caught her at her new game and kicked her ass out of Sunnydale.

"Ooops, looks like I forgot your drink Faith. So sorry."

"Whatever Xand, need to use the ladies anyway, anyone else want?"

'Sure is good to be part of the gang again. I must have been crazy coming here. B sure does look hot in those red leather pants though.'

Buffy was half a step behind Faith, she slipped through the bathroom door and had Faith pinned up against it before she even knew what hit her.

'Fuck now I know I dreamed this whole thing!'

But that hot mouth was on hers again. Wet, demanding, kissing her like there was no tomorrow.

Buffy held Faith fiercely against the closed door, pressing her body into her. Faith's mouth opened for her kiss, her tongue meeting with Buffy's wildly. They battled each other for dominance of the kiss, neither winning, neither losing, neither backing down.

Incredibly, Faith felt Buffy's hand slide up to cup her breast. She pulled her mouth away and leaned her head back against the door arching into Buffy's touch, groaning deep in her throat.

Buffy took advantage of Faith's exposed neck, placing tiny kisses, and scraping her teeth along its length. Faith's nipple harden under her hand, and when she realized that Faith didn't have a bra on, she slid her hand down, then up and under Faith's shirt.

Faith thought her knees were going to buckle at the touch of Buffy's hot hand against her flesh. She put her hand behind Buffy's neck and pulled her back up to her for another kiss. She captured Buffy's lower lip and nipped it, running her tongue over it, then into her mouth to run along her teeth.

Buffy leaned up into Faith trying to deepen the kiss, but Faith wouldn't let her, she just kept on teasing her with light touches of her tongue, hovering close, and pulling away. She pressed further into Faith, moving a thigh in between her legs and pressing up into her. She smiled when she heard Faith gasp. She rolled Faith's nipple between her fingers, pulling on it, raking her nails lightly over it, and was rewarded with another moan from Faith. She brought up her other hand to the small of Faith's back, bringing her hips forward and sliding Faith's core along her thigh. She felt the heat of Faith on her thigh and she wanted, needed, to feel, to touch that heat.

Buffy slid her hanoundound and drew teasing patterns on Faith's stomach, leaving Faith trembling in their wake. It was a second before Faith realized that Buffy's hand had dipped down below the waistband of her leather pants. She grabbed Buffy's arm, stopping her from going any further. She couldn't believe she was stopping her, she had been dreaming of Buffy ting ing her for over two years now, and here she was stopping her.

'Definitely too many hits to the head.'

"Faith?" Buffy looked up into those big brown eyes and saw the same lust she knew was in hers staring right back at her.

"B... I... won't be able... one touch... too close... over the edge... too fast... too soon... Fuck I..." Faith trailed off at the ravenous look Buffy gave her.

"What's that you always say Faith?" The smile Buffy gave her was wicked; fuck, it was down right evil.

"Want." Buffy's hand moved and inch or two lower as she said it.

"Take." Another few inches lower.

"Have."

Faith surged up as Buffy's hand delved into her. As her hot little fingers found her clit and teased it. Buffy moaned as she felt how wet Faith was. She slid her hand in further, png ong open the buttons on Faith's pants with her forearm. She nudged the Rogue Slayer's legs further apart, and plunged two fingers into her, rubbing her clit in circular motions with her thumb.

"B... don't... Oh Shit B!..." and then she was coming so hard her knees did buckle, her body trembling with the force of it. She screamed out Buffy's name once, twice.

Buffy continued to stroke her until she was sure that Faith had nothing left to give.

She softly smiled at Faith.

"Been saving that for awhile Faith?" For once there was nothing malicious in her tone, instead there was a little bit of amazement in it. Amazement at the effect she had on the raven-haired Slayer.

"Since the day I met you B." Faith said softy, almost shyly.
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Those softly spoken words sent Buffy into a tailspin. She had not expected them, did not know how to respond to them. Didn't even know if she could respond to them. Couldn't even believe what had just happened between them in the bathroom of the Bronze.

Instead of saying anything, Buffy gently gathered the still trembling raven-haired Slayer into her arms.

They stayed that way, silent, at peace, warm in each other's arms...

...until the insistent pounding on the door broke the moment between the two Slayers.

Faith was not willing to let the moment go so quickly. The embrace meant more to her than any caress, any word ever had before. Gently she reached up and touched Buffy's face. She looked down into those hazel eyes, leaned down and kissed Buffy. With more tenderness, delicacy, gentleness, and love than anyone had ever kissed Buffy before.

A little more of that wall could be heard crumbling.
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Buffy went back to the table alone while Faith went and got them drinks. Anya was staring at her intently, making her uncomfortable. Buffy had to consciously keep herself from fidgeting under her stare.

"Been gone a long time Buff-ster."

"Long line, you know as in a very long line, stood there for a very, very long time, had to wait, no cutting, cutting is bad.." Buffy snapped her mouth shut when she realized she was babbling.

Faith returned to the table in time to catch the tail-end of Buffy's babbling. She handed Buffy her drink, accidentally brushing their arms. Buffy jumped at the contact, her arm on fire, her insides quivering from Faith's accidental touch.

Faith put her drink down quickly, almost dropping it, her hand had started trembling the second she had touched Buffy. She hadn't missed Buffy's reaction to her touch either.

'Ain't we the calm, cool, and collected pair.'

Faith started to chuckle at the thought until she looked up to see Anya staring at them. The look Anya was giving them left not a single doubt in either Slayers mind that Anya knew exactly why they had been gone for so long. They would have been hard pressed to fool the twelve-hundred-year-old ex-demon, whose only thoughts Twenty-four hours a day were about money and orgasms.

Anya turned and gave Xander a voracious look; obviously, she found the thought of the two Slayers together exciting. He was going to be in for a very long night.

After seeing the look Anya gave Xander, Faith did chuckle, low and throaty. Wouldn't he be pissed if he found out that his up and coming orgasmic night was in part due to Faith and Buffy? Faith doubted he would mind the Buffy part though.

"What's so funny?"

"Tell you later." Faith said it so low that only Buffy with her Slayer hearing heard her, and the way she had said later carried with it a promise of more than just talk.

'Later, want later now!'

"Buffy, Faith, come, join, sit" Willow patted the cushion on the couch next to her.

Both Slayers eyed the small amount of space left on the couch. They would practically have to sit on each other's laps for both of them to fit. Not that either one of them didn't think that the idea had merit, but if the bathroom was any indication, the Bronze would be treated to a very, very public display of affection. Almost reluctantly, the Slayers walked over to join the two witches.

"Go ahead B you sit."

"No that's alright you sit."

"Nah, I don't mind standing B."

"Sit Faith! Sit!"

"What am I a dog now?"

"Oh for Goddess sake! Buffy you sit on the couch." Willow pointed, in total 'Resolve Face,' not missing the smirk Faith shot Buffy's way.

"And Faith, you can sit on the arm of the couch if you aren't comfortable squishing in." Faith didn't move she just crossed her arms and shook her head no.

"NOW!" Willow smiled in satisfaction when she saw Faith jump a little, and then sit on the arm of the couch.

"Never mess with Resolve Face Willow Faith. Even the vamps fear her." Buffy said feigning terror.

Tara had been watching the exchange between the Slayers. Something was different. She couldn't put her finger on it, couldn't really get a sense of what it was, she just knew it. Another one of her feelings, but before she could figure it out, she got distracted by Willow in Resolve Face. Tara would never tell her but she thought Willow looked cute as hell when she wore that face.

Tara turned her eyes back to the two Slayers and gasped. Faith was sitting on the arm of the couch, she was leaning her weight on the hand that was gripping the back of the couch. Buffy's hair was brushing against Faith's arm. Tara could almost swear that Faith was running her thumb lightly back and forth across the bottom of the nape of Buffy's neck, but the lighting in the Bronze was to dim making it hard to see.

Then it came at her all at once; with a force so strong it made Tara catch her breath. What she was sensing from the two Slayers, almost overpowered her, Tara felt her whole body become flushed. The glimmer of understanding she had gotten the day she had seen the two Slayers doing Tai Chi together now became a tiny flame of light.

"Holy shit!" Tara said under her breath.

Tara felt Faith's gaze on her after her utterance. She looked in to the Dark Slayer's eyes, which were pleading with her. For the first time, since Tara had known Faith, she saw a glimpse of happiness in Faith's eyes. Tara knew just like she always knew things, that happiness was not something Faith had experienced a whole hell of a lot of in her lifetime.

Faith heard Tara as she cursed. She looked over at the witch. Tara looked up at her and Faith knew Tara had one of her feelings. Panic rose in her, she gripped the back of the couch so hard she was afraid she was going to break it. Willow might be starting to forgive her or at least tolerate her, but Faith knew there was no way in hell she would accept this, whatever this turned out to be between her and Buffy. With her eyes she pleaded with Tara, knowing the witch would understand what she was asking. Faith was asking a lot, she knew that, asking Tara to keep her, their, secret from her lover, but she asked anyway.

'Please, please, please, just a chance a little luck for once, please, please!'

The smile Tara gave her was both understandind cnd caring. She nodded her head in assent just to make sure that Faith understood she would keep her secret. Faith let out the breath she didn't even realize she was holding and relaxed again. Falling back into the sensations of Buffy's hair against her arm, and the softness of Buffy's skin under her thumb.
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It was the longest night of both the Slayers lives. Buffy was slowly going crazy just from the touch of Faith's thumb stroking the nape of her neck. Her whole body was tingling; little streaks of heat running through her veins. Her whole being was centered on that faint touch. More than once during the long, hellish, stimulating night, she had considered becoming Cave-Girl-Buffy and just throwing Faith over her shoulder and making off with her into the night. She had almost done it too, when Faith had leaned down, reaching for her drink from the low coffee table and whispered into her ear so low, hot, and raspy, only for her Slayer hearing:

"I want to touch you so bad it hurts. I want to hear you scream my name the way I screamed yours."
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Buffy almost started clapping in ecstasy when Xander and Anya rose to leave.

"Well all, it has been... well... just been, we are off to our happy little home."

"Yes home, where Xander can give me multiple orgasms." Anya looked from one Slayer to the other as she spoke.

"Anya!"

"Well you are, aren't you Xander?"

"Sorry!" Xander said sheepishly. "Good night." He dragged Anya away before she could say anything more.

"EWW! I so did not need to know that, T.M.I, EWW! Did I say EWW?" All four women laughed.

"We should be heading home too honey, early classes and all."

"Buffy you going to walk back with us?" Faith held her breath while she waited for Buffy to answer Willow's question.

"Um, sure Willow." Buffy saw Faith's shoulders droop a little at her words. 'Shit!!!!'

Quickly she rushed out;

"Gonnasweepthecememtarytoo. Wanna come, Faith?"

Buffy was rewarded with that all too familiar Shit-Eating-Faith-Grin, only this time it had nothing to do with slaying.
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This time it was Buffy whose back was pressed up against the door. Faith had pinned her against the door before it was even closed. The door had slammed shut with such force a picture had fallen off the wall.

Faith was holding Buffy's arms up over her head. She was raining hard, then soft, wet kisses along Buffy's arched neck. Licking and nibbling, leaving tiny little love bites, she knew would be gone by morning thanks to their Slayer healing. She ran her tongue up the length of Buffy's neck to her ear, catching and biting Buffy's earlobe with her teeth. She groaned in response to Buffy's low, long moan at her touch.

Although Faith would die before ever admitting it, she was a nervous wreck. She wanted Buffy to feel the same way Buffy had made her feel earlier tonight. She was terrified she might not be able to.

Buffy was arching her body off the door in effort to get any kind of contact with Faith's body, which Faith was so cruelly withholding from her. The hot, wet, teasing kisses that Faith was lavishing on her face and neck were driving her insane. It was another form of torture, just like that faint touching at the nape of her neck at the Bronze tonight. Those little streaks of fire that had been running through her veins had turned into a raging inferno.

"Please!" She whimpered.

Faith looked into those hazel eyes. In them, she saw desire so strong that any thoughts she had of not being able to please Buffy flew from her mind. With a wolfish grin, she let go of Buffy's hands and slid her own hands down to Buffy's hips. She picked Buffy up, silently thanking whomever for her Slayer strength.

Buffy wrapped her legs so tightly around Faith's waist she almost squeezed all the breath from her. She arched herself further into Faith using her shoulders for leverage against the door, trying to get more pressure against her achingly wet core.

Faith looked down and saw Buffy's breasts thrusting up towards her. Not caring about the consequence she grabbed Buffy's shirt and ripped it open, buttons flying everywhere. A millisecond before she tore off Buffy's bra too, Faith saw the clasp in the front. She unhooked it, freeing those gorgeous breasts to her gaze.

Mumbling, "Sorry 'bout shirt,' she leaned down and captured one harden nipple in her mouth. Her hands came around to hold Buffy at the small of her back. She continued her assault on Buffy's breast, sucking her nipple into her mouth; lightly flicking its tip with her tongue as she moved away from the door stumbling towards the couch.
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They fell into a heap on the couch. Faith sat back onto her calves, and smiled when she heard Buffy's moan of protest. Reaching out she unbuttoned Buffy's leather pants; slowly she slid them down taking her underwear with them. Rising from the couch, she pulled them from Buffy, taking her boots and socks off with the pants and dropping them in a pile on the floor at her feet.

Faith gazed down at the vision before her. Even her wildest dreams hadn't prepared her for the sight before her, she couldn't even think of words to describe it. It simply made her catch her breath.

With a hand on each ankle, Faith, with painstakingly slowness began to slide her hands up Buffy's legs.

"Faith." Buffy gasped. "Off... gloves... need to feel your hands... oh god please."

Faith had forgotten about the lifting gloves that over the months had become a part of her anatomy. She ripped them from her hands, forgetting for the first time the reasons why she wore them. Buffy wouldn't have noticed in any case.

She once again started her agonizing assent up Buffy's legs, sometimes using the whole of her hands, sometimes just the tips of her fingers. The heat coming from Buffy amazed her. The scent of Buffy's arousal, strong and sweet, filled every part of Faith with longing.

As Faith's hands reached her thighs, they dipped inward and Buffy parted her legs wide giving Faith total freedom. A part of her surprised at the wanton of of her own actions. Faith knelt on the couch between Buffy legs and Buffy nearly jumped out of her skin as Faith's hands lightly skimmed her core. Continuing their slow, torturous assent, Faith's hands moved across her stomach, over her breasts, her neck, finally to come to rest on Buffy's face.

Growling Buffy pulled Faith down to her roughly. Straining up towards her, she kissed Faith with so much passion that in reaction Faith began grinding herself into Buffy.

Buffy wrapped her legs around Faith's hips trying to bring her down into her even more, desperate to get more pressure against her throbbing center.

God she couldn't take this anymore! This craving that had begun two long days ago with their first kiss, then escalating out of control when she had first touched, no first seen Faith at the Bronze. Then the waiting in the club, which had felt like hours upon hours of foreplay, the thumb upon her neck promising but giving no relief.

Buffy started to whimper with each circular motion of Faith's center against her own, but the leather pants, slick now with her own wetness only teased, offering no release.

Faith wrenched her mouth away from Buffy's when her whimpering finally reached her through her own haze of passion. Her own desire had quickly spiraled out of control.

"God." She panted, her own passion rose even higher when she saw Buffy looking at her with such blatant need.

"Please... Faith. Touch me."

Faith reached behind her and grabbed one of Buffy's legs from her hip. She pulled Buffy's leg down flat and moved over her, straddling Buffy's thigh. With a feather light touch, she drifted her hand down towards Buffy's center.

Faith's hand slid down into the junction between Buffy's thighs, her hand soaked instantly by the golden-haired Slayer.

"So... wet... Jesus B... you feel so good..." Faith moaned as Buffy drove herself up forcefully into her hand.

Faith began nimbly to trace every part of Buffy's center, never stopping in one spot for long. Glancing over her engorged clit, circling it once, twice, before moving down further to slip her fingers into Buffy just beyond her entrance.

Faith felt Buffy straining up trying to force her fingers into her deeper, sobbing in need, mumbling under her breath, please oh please. Suddenly Faith plunged her fingers into Buffy as deep as they could go.

"FAITH!"

Faith began a slow, steady rhythm, grinning wickedly when Buffy tried to force her to increase the rhythm. She brought her other hand down, and began teasing Buffy's clit, her touches light, with no real pressure.

Buffy didn't know how much more she could take. Faith was torturing her bringing her right to edg edge then pulling her back.

Over and over.

Again and again.

Buffy was begging, pleading, threatening, back to begging again. She grabbed Faith's arm and tried to force Faith's hand where she wanted it to be, in the end she was clinging onto Faith's arm for dear life.

Faith watched Buffy from under hooded eyes; she had never seen anything as wild, untamed, and beautiful as Buffy was right now. She finally relented.

She began applying pressure slowly, steadily to Buffy's clit, increasing the rhythm of her thrusting fingers, bringing Buffy right up to the edge, hanging there...

waiting...

"Don't stop... oh god please... don't Faith please..." She was sobbing, one touch that was all she needed, just one touch.

"Open your eyes... Please B... I... need to see you."

Buffy struggled to open her desire-laden eyes and looked up into eyes that hid absolutely nothing from her gaze.

Then Faith took her over the edge. Buffy arched up off the couch so hard that Faith was afraid she would break in half.

Buffy screamed Faith's name.

It was primal.

It was music to Faith's ears.

The strength of Buffy's orgasm was so intense it frightened her. So out of her control that she almost pulled back from it in fear. Then she heard Faith whispering to her, encouraging her, and Buffy gave up all control, knowing that Faith would keep her safe.
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Buffy stirred from her daze when Faith placed a soft kiss on her lips. She was smiling down at Buffy, an impish look in her eyes. Her fingers were still inside of Buffy, and she thrust into her once gently and was reward by a hoarse groan.

"Faith, I... don't... don't you dare." Faith withdrew her fingers from Buffy. Buffy rolled on her side facing her. Her breathing still rapid, her heart still racing.

"Need to B." Faith rasped at her, gently pushing Buffy over onto her back again. "Have to taste you."

"I... Faith... I don't think it's... I don't think I can..." Buffy trailed off when she saw Faith giving her the same wicked and evil smile, that she had given Faith earlier that night. The words she had said to Faith earlier came back to mock her.

"I do... What's my favorite expression again B? Oh yeah..."

"Want."

Faith lowered her head and trailed her tongue down Buffy's neck. To the hollow between her breasts, then to run under and up to a nipple that was already harng, ng, belying Buffy's words. She teased it with her tongue, biting down hard, but not hard enough to cause any real pain. Faith trailed small kisses back into the hollow between her breasts. Then up the slope of the other breast to take its nipple into her mouth, sucking it, flicking it with her tongue. Smiling when she heard Buffy moan.

"Take."

Faith blazed a trail with her tongue down to Buffy's stomach. Stopping to swirl it into her navel, eliciting another moan from Buffy and smiled again.

"Have."

Faith hovered over Buffy's center and blew lightly into her curls, tickling Buffy's clit with her breath. She smiled yet again when Buffy bucked up into her breath.

Buffy was incredulous as the desire stirred up in her again, as strong and swift... no, stronger, swifter than before. She was holding her breath waiting for Faith to touch her. Needing Faith to touch her.

"Please Faith, I need you to touch me." Her voice was hoarse, low and scratchy.

Buffy was lost as she felt Faith's tongue slide over her. As Faith's mouth lavished her with attention. Plunging into her to slide up and flick at her clit. Taking it gently between her teeth, bringing her up to the edge. Desperately Buffy reached down and held onto Faith's head, as she gasped out her pleasure. Urging her on, raising her hips up, bucking into Faith's mouth as Faith flicked her tongue over and around her nub. Gently biting her clit again and scraping her teeth lightly along its length.

Faith was ravenous; she could not get enough of Buffy's sweetness. She devoured her, bringing her fingers up to thrust into Buffy, curling them up into her, finding her sweet spot, stroking her there, feeling it swell.

"Faith! Don't stop... almost... there... don't... OH! I can't... FAITH!..."

Faith felt the first contraction of Buffy's orgasm gripping her fingers, and she started thrusting into Buffy harder, faster, her tongue going wild on her clit.

Buffy screamed Faith's name again, as her orgasm overtook her fast, furiously. She clutched Faith's head to her keeping her there as her hips arched up into that incredible mouth that was on her. She yelled out Faith's name again as the orgasm continued to roll over her. Until she had nothing left, and sank back into the couch, pulling Faith up to her, holding her tight within her embrace.

She reached down and tilted Faith's face up towards her. Leaning up she kissed her tenderly, tasting herself on the Dark Slayer. She ran her hands down Faith's back feeling as she trembled within her arms. Faith's breathing shallow, and ragged. Buffy rolled them over to their sides. She smiled seductively at Faith.

"Those clothes gotta go." Buffy grabbed Faith's hand pulling her up off couch and towards the stairs.

And so forth, and so on, forever and a day. Amen. All praise the recuperative powers of The Slayers.
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When the Chosen Two lay down that night, it wasn't to sleep nor to dream of each other.

Why should they when the reality in their arms was so much better?
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Atropos was on the couch in the sitting room. She was doing needlepoint on a tapestry the size of a wall hanging. The stitches she was making were so small that a human eye would not have been able to see them. The images that were emerging on it were so life-like that one would not have been surprised to see them step off the tapestry. She was waiting on the Slayer and didn't want to get caught by surprise, this tapestry was not for her eyes, at least not yet.

She was surprise the child was not here yet, Atropos knew that it had to be nearing dawn. Perhaps they had not caught the last of the demons yet, but sheld hld have sworn what she had seen in the Tapestry of Life earlier today indicated that they had. She put the needlepoint aside and walked quietly into the other room. Chuckling to herself that Slayer's weren't the only one who could move stealthily.

She watched her sister, who was bent over the tapestry, lovingly weaving two frayed and tattered Threads of Life. Although weaving was not the proper term. It was more a gentling, a taming, a coaxing, of the stubborn Life Threads. Not wanting to force or break the Life Threads spirits. Unpredictable yes they were, these types of frayed Life Threads had caused more chaos, pain, sadness, happiness, than millions of others combined. As she watched her sister, Atropos knew deep in the pit of her stomach who those two Threads of Life belonged to.

"Lachesis!" Atropos watched as her sister jumped guiltily. "What have you done?"

"Nothing, I haven't done anything." Atropos raised and eyebrow at her younger sister, and looked at her in disbelief.

"Well... I helped a little. Fixed what should have been long ago. Nothing in the future has changed. What is meant to be is meant to be. We both know that. No matter what we do, in the end we cannot force the Life Threads to do anything they do not want to do. Especially these stubborn wild ones."

"Yes, but by your interference you have just made both of those Life Threads lives all the harder. Made their choices harder by tenfold. You should have left them as they were."

"What you say may be t Th Their choices may be harder, but had things happened as the tapestry had originally shown, the choices would have been just as hard, nay, even harder. Had things stayed as they were before today, all that they go through would have... At least now, they will have this time to help them through the darkness. It is the least either of us could do. The burden these two bear is not a light one, sister."

Atropos knew her sister words were true. What she had done would not change what was meant to be. Would not influence the choices the two needed to make. Like Lachesis had said:

In the end, it did not matter what the Fates did. The choice's, the path's they took, belonged and always would, entirely to the owner of the Life Thread.

"Do not interfere again!" Atropos returned to the sitting room to continue to work on her lepolepoint. Secretly she was glad of the reasoe Sle Slayer had not visited her tonight. She would give her this time, and if the Slayer did not come on her own again, Atropos would only call upon her when it became absolutely necessary.
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...Here with you, Near with you ~ Oh I ~ I need to be next to you – Sixpence None the Richer
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Continued in Chapter VIII – Mourning