*****

Faith looks at Angel, sadness and pain flooding in her dark brown eyes. She swallows hard, trying to keep her tears down, but the aching pain in her neck was getting to much. As soon as she felt Angel's arms around her, her tears began to fall. Bringing her arms up she wrapped them around Angel's neck and cried silently into his shoulder.

Angel held onto her tightly, slowly running his fingers through her hair. He gazed deep into young slayers eyes, sharing her fears and her pain. He had been down that road before, and had been through that alone. He took a deep breath and sighed. Cupping her face gently he wiped away the tears, he whispered. "Shhh... Faith... It's gonna be okay..."

***

Stepping off the bus, Buffy thought for just a moment of just getting back on, going home. What the hell was she even doing in LA? What was she hoping to accomplish? Even though she wasn't quite sure of the answer to that, she let the bus leave and stayed where she was.

The City of Angels. A fitting city for the vampire with a soul. But this visit wasn't about Angel. It was about Faith. It was about finding peace with the past and offering help to someone who truly needed it. Arriving at Angel's apartment, Buffy entered and walked downstairs, drawing in a sharp breath at what she saw. She'd come here to find Faith, but she hadn't exactly expected to find her in Angel's apartment, In Angel's arms. Stepping down the last step, Buffy crossed her arms and questioned, "What's going on?"

Angel looked up at buffy shocked more then anything else he let go of Faith and Stood up. "I am only helping her get over her crime."

Faith stared at Angel confused by the shocked look on his face, then she glanced in the direction he was looking. 'Oh fuck' She thought to herself, as she placed both her hands down on the bed, clenching her fist slightly. "Buffy..." She whisperd.

Buffy stood perfectly still, not able to speak for a long time as she studied Faith. This was the person who'd caused so much damage in her life. And now she looked so lost. The girl looked like she could break into pieces at any moment. And regardless of the twinge of jealousy she felt at seeing her in Angel's arms, Buffy couldn't find it in herself to lash out.

Walking close to the couch, Buffy sat down beside Faith and looked into her eyes, "Are you okay?"

Pent up tears spilled down Buffy's cheeks as she came face to face with Faith. Reaching for the brunette's hands, she gently unclenched them, "Don't do that. You don't have to be scared of me, Faith. I didn't come here to scream at you or hurt you. I just want to help you get better. If you'll let me."

Faith didn't say a word, she just looked at Buffy and nods. She wanted to hold Buffy so badly, wanted Buffy to tell her everything that she wants to hear, but what the hell was she doing? Kidding herself that's what. She shifted a bit on the couch, glanced up at angel and then down at the floor.

"It's all right Faith." Buffy whispered, taking her hands and holding them tightly. "You're gonna get better. I promise." Lifting the brunette's chin, Buffy looked in her eyes, "Why Faith? Why did you hate me so much?"

Faith started to look up slowly, feeling her hand begin to tremble. "I..." Faith swallowed trying to keep down what seemed hundreds of tears. "I.. I didn't hate you..." Faith takes a deep breath, thinking about continuing, telling Buffy why she really all the things she did, but it would come out wrong. She had fallen for Buffy in the worst way possible and the thought that she couldn't have Buffy just made her want the other slayer more. So instead of having to be around her and having to watch every movement and word she said, she decided to go against the blonde slayer. It was the worst mistake she had ever made. But that was over now, at least some of it was over.

"It's okay sweetie. You don't have to talk right now if you don't feel up to it." Buffy assured her. It broke her heart to see Faith like this. The strong, confident girl she knew had vanished. And Buffy wanted desperately to bring her back. Bringing her hand up to gently wipe away the few tears that had escaped Faith's eyes, Buffy smiled softly. "Why don't you come home with me Faith? We can go to my dad's...he's out of town. I think we have a lot to work out."

Angel stood there on the rooftop as the chilling night air caressed his face. It was hard to see Buffy again, and it was even harder to see her with Faith. He knew what Faith meant to Buffy long before he left Sunnydale. There was just too much tension between them that kept them apart. Angel clasped his hands together and let out a deep sighed.

Faith stopped, her gaze slamed onto Buffy and she felt as though her jaw had dropped. Licking her bottom lip, she slowly stood up from the couch, releasing Buffy's hands. Looking around the room for Angel, she found that he had left and growled. She turned back to Buffy. "Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to help me? I distroyed your life... I don't deserve this!"

"You do Faith. You deserve so much." Buffy assured, moving toward her again. "You were hurting. You just didn't know how to handle it. I know you caused a lot of damage in my life, Faith, but it doesn't matter anymore. Please don't run away from me. Let me in... Let me help you." Reaching to touch Faith's cheek, she whispered, "I...I need you."

*****
Part 2:

Faith closed her eyes, the feeling on Buffy's softly skin against hers was almost to hard to handle. She sat there for many minutes, silence on the ouside but inside she was screaming at herself for everything she had done.

When she Finally gathered the courage to open her eyes, she looked at Buffy. God, she hated the way way those amazing emerald eyes made her heart cave in at the very sight of them.

"I want to try again. But for real this time." She whispered.

The dark haired slayer sat back, a sigh of relief escaped frm her lips as she runs her hand up and placed it over Buffy's.

Savoring the moment, the same one she had been wishing for, for so long. She felt a huge weight had been lifted, but it wasn't even nearly the way it was before, and she knew it probably never would be.

And it all started with... Killing deputy mayor. You know when you sit there and you think, 'God, this must be the worst day of my life.' Well that was Faith's. Everything was perfect only a few hours before. It was funny how her life could change in such simple minutes. It went from crap, to the best, then back to crap... Then came living hell.

When Buffy and herself danced that night, Faith could feel what was between them, of maybe she just imagined it. She didn't care, whatever it was it felt so good... So real. She wanted Buffy that night more than she had wanted anything, ever.

Buffy stared into Faith's eyes for what felt like an eternity. There was so much pain in those dark eyes and Buffy just wanted to hold her and comfort her until all the pain was gone. Being so close to Faith was bringing up emotions she thought were long buried. When Faith had turned bad, it was so much easier to hate her than to accept what she had started to feel so many weeks before.

Love.

She'd denied it, feared it, tried to overcome it. But, it was always there, constantly burning in her heart and begging to be released. And she had almost done it. The night they had danced together...it was so passionate and wild. Just a few more moments and Buffy would have told Faith everything. But, Angel had shown up. And then the most horrible thing she could ever have imagined happened. Faith killed the Deputy Mayor. And after that, it was like she disappeared...shut down. No matter what Buffy did to help her, Faith wouldn't accept that help.

But, she was accepting it now. And there was no way Buffy was going to let her slip through her fingers a second time. Entwining their fingers together, Buffy leaned close and pressed her lips against Faith's. Closing her eyes, she softly kissed the woman who had been in her heart for months. Sighing in contentment, she whispered, "I love you", against Faith's lips.

Faith didn't say a word she just sat gazing at the blonde slayer adoringly, her eyes full of obvise lust. "I'm in love with you..." She said the words with such devotion, she couldn't believe it was possible to love one single person as much as she loved Buffy.

The thought of pinching herself came to her mind, maybe this wasn't real, what if Buffy had punched her out and she was dreaming this whole thing up. How could Buffy ever love someone who had made her life hell for the past year?

Then another thought, What if Buffy mean't she loved her as friend, a little sis type of thing. What if that kiss what just for good measure. Whatever it was, it felt damn good.

Buffy closed her eyes for just a moment after Faith spoke. She'd been afraid that Faith wouldn't feel the same as she did. But, she did. "Oh, Faith, I love you so much I can't think straight half the time. I wanted to tell you so long ago, but..." Shaking her head, she pulled Faith into a tight hug. It didn't matter now. Nothing mattered but her...holding her and loving her. "We've wasted so much time."

Pulling back to look into eyes she felt like she could happily drown in. "Come home with me. Let me take care of you. Let me love you. We'll get through this together, Faith... As a couple."

"Riley's gone, Faith. He went home to Iowa after I broke up with him." Slipping her fingers under Faith's chin, she lifted her head gently and looked into her eyes. "After I found he slept with you...I was so angry. But, I was mad at him, not you and for the longest time I couldn't figure out why because I knew there was no way he could know it wasn't me he was with. And then I realized...I was jealous. I was jealous because he got to see a part of you that I never did. The part that's gentle and vulnerable and needs to be loved. I wanted to be the one making love to you, Faith."

Faith couldn't remember ever hearing someone say that to her. Not surprising since she had never loved before. Aside from the Mayor, of course she was never in love with him. She just loved him, and untill now he was the only one who made her *feel* worth something. Hearing the words meant more to her than she could ever, and would ever, explain. She withdrew her hand from Buffy's and put on her most convincing smile. She didn't know what else to do, or say. Sure, she loved to mouth off about everything, but when it came to expressing her emotions she always found herself searching for words.

"Uh... Do you want to get outta here... Go for a walk maybe?" Faith asked, as she stood silently. Not for a second releasing her firm hold of Buffy's hand. "I need some air..."

"Only if you promise to come home with me...to stay." Buffy whispered, not willing to let Faith out of her sight for two seconds. "I want you to know that you can trust me Faith. I won't let you down and I won't hurt you. Ever. I just want to be with you and show you that you don't have to be afraid to love."

Faith smiled back at the older girl, and yet another silence occured, but this one was not awkward. The younger slayers smile faded, and she sat down again staring at into Buffy's eyes for a time, then the natural thing to do was to close the distance. Faith closed her eyes and leant forward, she ran the tip of her tongue along Buffy's bottom lip, gently parting her lips, she softly pushed Buffy backward, laying her down onto the sofa.

Buffy sighed in contentment as Faith's lips met hers. All rational thought flying out of her head, she reached for her after Faith laid her back on the sofa. Pulling the brunette's body on top of hers, she kissed her passionately and let her hands roam across Faith's back.

Suddenly becoming aware of what they were doing and where they were at, Buffy tried to calm herself. "We better stop. Angel's just upstairs."

"Y.. Yeah... Maybe..." Faith stuttered, not really listening to what Buffy was saying, she kissed Buffy's neck heavily, dipping the tip of her tongue out, running it along Buffy's creamy skin.

Faith moved her hand down Buffy's stomach over her hip, and began to stroke the inside of the other Slayer's thigh. "I want you..." she whispered, her hand trailing up Buffy's thigh more.

*****
To be continued