Buffy plopped down on the couch, she had run around the house like a chicken without a head trying to get everything done, and then herself showered before Faith got home from Slaying. She had figured she had an hour tops, maybe even less, since Spike would help Faith patrol the last two cemeteries. It seemed so quiet after all the upheaval the last two weeks. Willow and Tara had left a few hours ago for the women's retreat they were spending the next five days at. Crow had picked up Dawn right after dinner, she was going to spend the weekend with his family at their summer home in Laguna Beach.

Dawn and Crow had officially become a couple after Dawn had turned their 'Happy New Year's' kiss into a little bit more than just a chaste peck on the lips. The Slayers' who had been standing by the two teenagers had started laughing out-loud at the surprised, comical look on Dawn's face after the kiss. She obviously hadn't planned on it.

Surprising not only themselves but Dawn as well, neither Slayer had a problem with Dawn dating Crow. Oddly enough, they both trusted him. Neither of them would have ever thought that the words trust and seventeen-year-old boy would be in the same sentence. Not to mention in the same sentence with Dawn. The fact still remained that they did trust him. They trusted him not to push Dawn into anything she wasn't ready for, nor did they worry about her safety when she was out with him. While they could both see the wild streak in him, they could also see that he was responsible, gentle, sensitive and that he cared for Dawn a great deal and that Dawn cared a great deal for him as well.

Both Slayers' had a sneaky suspicion that Dawn and Crow were in it for the long haul. They both thought that Dawn had found in Crow the person who fit with her in the same way that they fit together. There was something about Dawn and Crow when they were together that was just simply right.

She was pulled out of her internal musing at the sound of the back door opening. She heard Faith's soft footsteps and the click of Dusk's nails on the marble floor. Before she, Willow and Tara had become the psycho-students-from-hell, Faith would have instinctively found her wherever she was in the house to give her a kiss hello. But Faith had learned the hard way the second night they had started cramming for exams not to even come close to any of them or the living room which had been commandeered as study central when she came in unless one of them called out to her.

For the last two weeks, Faith had just gone directly up the back steps as quietly and quickly as possible, Dusk right on her heels. Nor would Faith call out a greeting unless one of them called out to her first. She would make her way to the master bedroom and a few seconds later the sound of the shower would drift down the stairs to Buffy. After what Buffy knew was a very long cold shower, she would then hear Faith's quiet footsteps going down the hall, then down the back stairs again, and into the kitchen through the servant's door, to make herself something to eat. And tonight Buffy knew would be no different. Sure enough Buffy heard Faith's almost silent footsteps climbing up the back staircase. She felt a twinge of guilt at letting Faith think she was still studying and at letting her take another cold shower. She soothed her guilt a little with the knowledge that she planned on making it up to Faith tonight and hopefully for the rest of the weekend too.

"Faith? Is that you?" Buffy called out from the living room. She heard Faith's footsteps stop abruptly on the stairs.

"Yeah, B, it's me." There were a few beats of silence then Faith called out again, "Did you need me to do something for you B?"

"No... ah thanks... I was just checking." Buffy could feel Faith's presence surrounding her.

Buffy had pretty much closed down the bond between them over the last two weeks. She had found it extremely distracting while she was trying to study, when all she really wanted to do was spend her free time with Faith. Faith, out of consideration for her, had not tried to force or coax Buffy once into opening it up during that time. Tonight though, Buffy, not wanting to give away the surprise she had planned for Faith, had only partially reopened up the bond between them the second she had heard the motorcycle pull in the driveway. Even only partially opened, the feelings that had hit her had felt beyond anything she could describe.

Over the last two weeks, she had still been able to feel Faith through their Soul-Thread, which was part of their bond, but it hadn't been quite the same as when their bond, connection was fully open. She had missed the echoes they shared, missed the feeling of Faith being a part of her deep down inside her soul, she somehow felt not quite complete without the familiar sensation of their shared bond and she had decided at that moment that it was something she would never do again, for any reason.

"Okay, well... I'm gonna take a shower... If you change your mind B, just holler."

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Faith made her way back downstairs into the kitchen. Her twenty-minute cold shower had done nothing but remind her even more why she was taking an ice-cold shower in the first place. Then again, Buffy's unexpected appearance at the cemetery certainly hadn't helped either. Right now, she could feel Buffy's presence intensely; it seemed to be wrapped tightly around her, almost as if Buffy were standing right next to her, holding her. The first ten minutes after she got home she kept looking over her shoulder expecting to see Buffy, feeling Buffy's presence this strongly only usually happened when they were in the same room and always when they were touching. She gave up looking over her shoulder though, chalking it up to her imagination and wishful thinking.

She padded down the hallway and into the kitchen, her bare feet hardly making a sound, Furball right behind her. She first filled up Dusk's water bowl, then threw him a new rawhide beef-strip which he caught mid-air. He planted himself on the floor and happily started to gnaw away. She smiled down at him, then headed over to the fridge. She opened the door and saw to her delight her favorite food in the whole wide-world sitting right there on the shelf, just waiting for her. Pizza, with extra-extra-and-a-little-more-extra cheese! She grabbed a slice, tossed it in the toaster oven, and set the timer. She reached back into the pizza box and grabbed another slice to munch on while she was waiting for the first to heat up.

Buffy stood silently, leaning up against the doorframe to the kitchen watching Faith. She had gotten up from the couch when she heard Faith coming back downstairs. She had quietly made her way over to the other entrance to the kitchen reaching it only a second or two after Faith had entered the kitchen with Dusk. She had given Dusk the hand signal to ignore her presence; it was one they had, until now, only used when they were Slaying. Then she just leaned against the doorframe to let her eyes drink in the sight of her mate.

Faith was wearing a very short-cut-off 'wife beater,' that with every movement the bottom of her breasts peeked out from under. She also had on her favorite pair of men's black silk boxers with Daffy Duck on them. Faith actually had quite the collection of men's silk boxers, all with some cartoon character or another on them.

Buffy's traced with her eyes the ripple of muscles in Faith's shoulders, arms and legs as she puttered around the kitchen with her back to her. Her eyes lingered on the little indent at the base of Faith's spine, the same one that made Faith's body tremble with desire whenever Buffy touched it.

A knowing smile graced Buffy's face as she watched Faith. She knew exactly what Faith would do once she saw the pizza in the refrigerator that Buffy had picked up on her way home from the cemetery. First Faith would put a slice in the toaster oven and then she would take another slice from the box to munch on while she waited for the first to heat up. Sure enough, Faith didn't disappoint her. And while Buffy watched Faith do this, she couldn't help wonder how Faith could look so damn adorable, cute, young, sexy, hot and breathtaking all at the same time.

"I don't know Furball, thinkin' even pizza ain't gonna help, don't think twenty pies would help... hell all the food in the world wouldn't help... I just might have to reacquaint myself with my hand again like last week, although that didn't help too much either, was kinda empty, more I don't know..." Faith grumbled under her breath, then blushed at what she said, then berated herself for blushing. After all, Furball was just a dog and probably didn't understand what she said anyway. Her thoughts drifted back to Buffy as she brought the slice up towards her mouth and she was almost overwhelmed by the desire, the lust, just the thought of Buffy caused to wash over her with the force of a tidal wave.

Dusk might not have understood what the Dark Slayer was saying, but Buffy did. And Buffy, who had been just opening her mouth to let Faith know she was there, found that nothing would come out. In that split second, a few things happened fast and furiously to Buffy. Faith's desires, passion washed over Buffy through their bond and sent her own repressed desire and lust into hyper-drive. Her breathing quickened and the tone of her voice even though she had yet to speak, lowered. And her plans for them for the evening changed as her mind was filled with a billion different images from Faith's words and her thoughts took a decidedly, wicked detour. She decided that a spontaneous appetizer was most definitely in order. Beside as far as Buffy could remember the kitchen was the only room in the Mansion that they hadn't...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Faith! What are you doing?"

Faith froze, every single muscle in her body locked at the sound of Buffy's harsh, low voice. At any other time, Faith would have thought that the tone of Buffy's voice was from desire, but not during finals. She stood there not moving, the slice of pizza hanging limply in her hand, the part she had been about to bite resting in her mouth against her teeth and tongue. She was afraid actually to bite the pizza, just in case it was the cramming-food of choice for the crazed-students from hell tonight.

{Oh fuck! Oh fuck! What'd I do? Too loud? Not supposed to eat the pizza? What???}

Buffy walked up slowly behind Faith, losing her silk robe along the way. She saw Faith tense up even more the closer she got to her. After the last two weeks, Buffy would have reacted the same way as Faith if their roles had been reversed. She knew Faith was probably wondering if the psycho-student from hell was in the kitchen with her. She motioned to Dusk who had also froze at the sound of her voice, the rawhide hanging out of his mouth. He looked a lot like the Dark Slayer right now. He took off like a bat out of hell once her hand finished signaling him to leave. She almost laughed when she noticed that he hadn't left the rawhide behind.

{Oh yeah Furball's definitely just like my Dark Slayer.}

"Well???" Buffy asked Faith again, and smiled as she saw the goose-bumps rise on Faith's neck where her breath had caressed it.

"Um... eating pizza?" Faith mumbled out around the now officially soggy pizza in her mouth, which she couldn't have removed even if she wanted to. Her motor skills had fled right out of the kitchen the second she felt Buffy's breath on her skin.

"I see that. I guess Slaying still makes you..." Buffy reached over Faith's shoulder and plucked the slice of pizza out of her hand, she tossed it onto the counter top. "...hungry," she finished as she let her fingertips run down Faith's sleekly muscled arm. She stepped in closer to Faith and leaned the length of her body into Faith's back, both hands gliding down until they rested lightly on Faith's hips.

Faith just nodded yes, because the part of her brain that enabled her to speak had decided to go join her motor skills in another part of the Mansion the instant she had felt Buffy's breasts brush up against her back and shoulder as she reached over her. She couldn't stop the trembling of her limbs or the insistent pounding of her blood roaring through her veins as Buffy's hands lightly caressed her hips and the sides of her buttocks.

Buffy nibbled along the tight muscle of Faith's shoulder, stepping in even closer, pressing herself firmly along the whole length of Faith's back until not even a wisp of air could have come between them. Her mouth continued along it's journey, one hand coming up to impatiently push Faith's hair away from her neck and out of the way. She trailed little love bites up the length of Faith's neck, tasting the slight sheen of sweat that was laced with Faith's own unique flavor and desire. She stopped at the Faith's ear and daintily traced its outer shell, then just softly breathed into it. She smiled when she felt Faith tremble and then smiled again as Faith's hands reached back to clutch tightly the outside of each of her thighs. Her smile widen as she brushed her lips against Faith's ear and felt another tremor flow through Faith.

A whimper followed by a ragged sob escaped from between Faith's tightly clenched jaw when it seeped into her brain that Buffy's body pressed up against her from behind was completely devoid of clothing. The sensations from the warmth of Buffy's skin, the soft kisses, nips on her neck, the gentle caresses on her hips, ass and Buffy's hot breath in her ear were all too much and not enough all at once for her. Faith trembled again as she felt Buffy press into her even tighter. Trembled harder still, as Buffy's breasts slid up against her back when the golden-haired Slayer rose up to bring her mouth right next to her ear.

"...and from what you said to Furball I see that Slaying still makes you..." Buffy slid one hand around to trace along the ripped-cuts in Faith's six-pack stomach, "...horny too." Buffy spread her hand out flat against Faith's stomach. Her other hand stroking and massaging Faith's ass, liking the feel of the soft silk boxers, but not quite as soft as Faith's skin. "...and you've only taken care of that little problem once in the past two weeks... Mmmmm sorry I missed seeing that. Tell m..."

The ding of the bell on the toaster oven cut off whatever Buffy was about to say. She pulled a little away from Faith and turned her head to look at her, she saw Faith's eyes were closed, her mouth was slightly open and her breathing was fast and shallow. Buffy doubted if Faith even remembered the pizza was in the toaster oven. She started a slow trek up the expanse of Faith's stomach with just the pads of her fingers. She rose up on her toes again so she could continue to whisper in Faith's ear, pausing briefly first to suck on the lobe.

"Tell me Faith are you hungry for the pizza or..." The pads of her fingers slid into the valley between Faith's breasts. She heard Faith's breath catch. Then Faith leaned back fully and let her support her. "...are you hungry for something else?" She started to circle from the base of Faith's left breast with the tips of her fingers, letting her nails occasionally scrape along the sensitive skin, as she slowly spiraled towards it peak.

Faith couldn't believe how hyper-sensitive her skin was. Every little touch of Buffy's fingers on her, every caress of her breath against her skin sent a flood of hot desire careening throughout her body. She was almost afraid of what her body's reaction was going to be when Buffy finally touched the nipple of the breast that she was slowly circling, torturing with her fingers and nails.

"Well..." Buffy asked her, as her hand slipped under the waistband at the back of Faith's silk boxers. Her hand, her whole being in ecstasy from the feel of Faith's satiny firmly muscled ass under her fingertips. She stopped the movement of her fingers on Faith's breast, her fingers less than a hairsbreadth away from Faith's straining nipple as she waited for Faith to answer her.

{Well what??? What was the question??? What the frig was the goddamn question???}

She tried to focus on something other than Buffy's hands upon her and the feel of her skin against her own. She opened her eyes, hoping that would help her to remember what the question was. Her eyes fell on the toaster oven and suddenly she remembered. "El...ah e...ls...e," she managed to choke out, then her ability to speak fled right back out of the kitchen again, as one by one, Buffy's fingers slowly brushed lightly over just the tip of her oversensitive nipple.

Faith let her head fall back onto Buffy's shoulder exposing her neck. Her breath caught as Buffy's knuckles backtracked and ran almost roughly over her nipple then slid down the side of her breast. They blazed a trail of fire, desire in their wake as they skimmed over the side of her left breast down to the underside of it. She was pretty sure her heart was going to rupture when she felt the pads of Buffy's fingers start the same circling, occasional nail scraping, slow torturous spiraling routine around her right breast, that her left had been treated to only moments before.

"Liken' that choice S.O. Liken' it a lot..." Buffy took advantage of Faith's exposed neck, running her tongue along the length of it, then back down. Biting lightly at Faith's throbbing jugular, pausing to suck and bite at her mate-mark, causing Faith to release an explosive moaned-filled breath. She made her way to Faith's jawbone and gripped it between her lips, her teeth nibbling.

"Baby, look at me..." she whispered as she let go of Faith's sweet, warm flesh.

Buffy captured Faith's mouth the second she turned her head. She flicked her tongue against Faith's oh-so soft lips, running the tip eagerly, delicately along them, relishing their taste. She felt Faith's mouth open under hers, and the Chosen Two began a slow erotic dance with their mouths and tongues. A dance that had never failed to leave both Slayers weak-kneed.

As Buffy's fingers reached the summit of Faith's breast, she whispered a nail around her nipple and drank down the low moan from Faith at her touch. Then finally giving into her own need, Buffy took Faith's hard nipple between her thumb and index fingers and rolled it delicately.

Faith tore her mouth away from Buffy's as a white-hot flash of electric heat ran straight from her nipple down to her throbbing center. Her hips bucked uncontrollably into the empty air, then again as Buffy's other hand ran like quicksilver up to her other breast. She could never remember ever being this aroused from so little touching, it didn't seem to matter where Buffy touched her, every part of her body had become an erogenous zone. If she could have released her death grip on Buffy's thighs, she would have dragged Buffy's hand down to the pulse that was pounding in time with the rapid beat of her heart between her own thighs.

She opened her mouth to tell Buffy what she wanted, instead what came out was a guttural moan. Then another as Buffy began to play with her breasts with wanton abandon. Rolling the nipples, pinching them, tugging, anything and everything that Buffy's evil mind could come up with and Faith was helpless under the onslaught of Buffy's hands.

Faith's skin was burning hot beneath Buffy's mouth and hands. She was just as caught up in the web of desire and lust as Faith was. Her own senses on fire from the feel of Faith against her own hot skin, mouth, and hands, and from the sounds that Faith was making. Every moan, sigh, gasp, sob, causing an answering pulse deep inside of her. She could feel her own desire sliding slowly down the inside of her thighs.

The back of her hand danced its way down over Faith's ribcage to the waistband of her boxers, which she pushed down a little. Then she reversed her movement climbing back up the expanse of Faith's stomach, over her ribcage, then up and over the slope of her breast. She switched hands and repeated the same path down Faith's body. She continued switching hands, using them as if Faith's body were a canvas and the back of her hands and the pads of her fingers were the fine sable bristles of a painter's brush. Each time she reached Faith's boxers, she pushed them down a little further, until they finally slipped off her hips and slid to the floor to pool around Faith's feet.

She nudged the back of Faith's knee, telling her without words to lift her foot out of the boxers. Then nudged Faith's other knee to repeat the process, she kicked the boxers away. She slid one foot in-between Faith's and gently urged her to widen her stance. She whispered her fingertips up Faith's back, grabbing hold of her shirt, lifting it over the top of her head. When Faith made no move to release her death grip on Buffy's thighs, Buffy dusted her fingertips down both of Faith's arms, and then clasped Faith's hands with her own, prying them loose from their death grip. She pulled Faith's arms in front of her, placing her hands on top of the counter that was little more than a foot in front of them, impatiently she pushed the cut-off shirt down her arms where it hung imprisoned and imprisoning Faith's arms.

Buffy took a tiny step back from Faith and then just gave into her own passion. Her own need to touch Faith was strong, urgent and she succumbed to it and gave her hands, mouth and tongue free rein. She explored all of Faith's back, even giving her a small hickey at the hollow at the base of her spine. She ran her hands over Faith's firm buttocks, kneading, massaging, stroking. She kissed, tasted the back of Faith's knees, the inside of her thighs, her calves. Then wrapped herself around Faith and slid up her body to catch the beads of sweat making a slow path down from the valley between Faith's breasts to the soft wiry curls that covered her sex.

She paid homage to each breast, following the same slow path towards their peaks that her fingers had not long before. She relished the salty tang of Faith's sweat, her desire, on her tongue and lips, her own body shuddering in sympathy with each tremor that rippled through Faith. She traversed every valley, hollow, curve and hill, kissing, licking, nipping, tasting all of Faith's silky smooth flesh, with the exception of the hidden treasure that called to her senses with the unique musky scent that was just Faith. Her own chorus of moans, joining with every whimper and moan that came from Faith.

She wrapped herself back around behind Faith to run her tongue from the little indent at the base of Faith's spine all the way up to the nape of her neck. She stepped back in close to Faith, who was trembling from head to toe and pressed herself tightly against Faith's back. Her own stance wide, little moans escaping from her as unconsciously she rocked, grinded her hips, her pelvis against Faith's firm backside. She snaked one arm around Faith's waist and reached up to tease her breasts again. Her other arm curved around to the inside of Faith's thigh. In almost slow motion, she began to drag, scrape her fingers and nails up the inside of Faith's quivering thigh.

Faith was clutching the counter white-knuckled with everything she was worth, way beyond the point of caring whether or not she would break it. She couldn't get enough air into her lungs and her legs had turned into jello, she wasn't quite sure how much longer she could remain standing. Although she was pretty sure that it wouldn't be long. Her senses had long since passed overload and what she had been feeling earlier after Slaying compared to now was like the difference between an arrow and a nuclear missile. She couldn't stop her limbs from trembling or the shudders that rippled through her with every touch, every kiss, every flick of Buffy's tongue. Her ability to speak and her motor skills had not only left the kitchen but had fled to another state.

Mini-shockwaves started to rip through her body the very second Buffy pressed tightly into her back again. When Buffy started to tease her breasts yet again, Faith felt all the blood in her body rush southward to the junction between her legs. Her legs started to give out as Buffy's hand began to trail painfully slow, up the inside of her thigh.

She didn't care they were in the kitchen. Didn't care that they lived with three other people who could walk in at any moment. The only thing she cared about right now was Buffy. The way Buffy's body was covering her with warmth. Buffy's breasts pressed against her back. The feel of Buffy's moist nether curls that were grinding, pressing rhythmically into her backside. Buffy's hand on her breasts, her other hand moving slowly up the inside of her thigh. Buffy's hot, wet mouth and tongue on her neck. The sound of Buffy's moans vibrating against her hypersensitive flesh. It was all she cared about right now.

She was vaguely aware of Buffy pulling her back against her, of her hands letting go of the counter, her shirt falling to the floor, and her hands clutching in a death grip the outside of Buffy's thighs again. Her head fell back helplessly against Buffy's shoulder. Faith's whole body convulsed, a ragged sob escaped her and everything she felt for Buffy flowed out, flooded through their bond as she felt Buffy's mouth come down on the mate-mark she had given her, claiming her for her own once again.

Buffy reluctantly let go of the nipple she was teasing to grab Faith tightly around the waist as her body convulsed when she bit down on her mate-mark on Faith's pulse point. She finally opened the bond between them fully, dropping every single block she had put up in the last two weeks as she sucked, bit and soothed her mate-mark on Faith's neck.

Buffy's whole body suddenly began to quiver as unbelievably a not-so-small orgasm streaked through her as the depth of what Faith was feeling echoed and pulsed within their bond and slammed full-force into her. She whimpered Faith's name out and heard an answering whimper of her own name from Faith in return. When she managed to get herself somewhat under control again she tenderly, lovingly ran her mouth up Faith's neck to her ear. She nibbled on the sensitive spot behind it, her own body began shuddering again at the sound of the low whimpering Faith was making deep in her throat that signaled she was on the razor's edge of release.

She lifted her head a little, placing her mouth next to Faith's ear and whispered to her low, throatily, "I'm so in love with you Faith...." Her only response was a hoarse, deep moan that came from the depths of Faith's soul, but it was more than answer enough for Buffy.

She let her fingers trailed up those last few inches on the inside of Faith's thigh and slide into the wet heat of her mate.

Everything but Buffy disappeared as from deep inside of her womb Faith felt a force, a heat as fierce as a star going nova explode at Buffy's touch. Her legs gave out finally, and she just let herself fall safely into Buffy's one arm embrace as her body was wracked with spasms and seized by the power of her release. A continuous low, hoarse keening came from deep within her as Buffy continued to touch her and a second climax eclipsed the first, then a third, it felt like a whole constellation had exploded within her and scorched a path through every cell in her body. Until finally her world flashed brightly hot-white one last time and she took a huge breath of air to stave off the darkness that was right behind it.

She was dimly aware of Buffy lifting her up and cradling her in her arms as she was carried from the kitchen. Then Buffy was gently lowering both of them down to the deep-plush rug in front of the fireplace in the living room. She curled up into Buffy, burying her face into Buffy's silky hair and neck, her body still shuddering as aftershocks almost as strong as her orgasms ran through her. She fell into that in-between place as Buffy ran soothing, gentle hands over her back, her arms and stroked her hair while whispering tender, sweet words of nonsense and of love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Faith opened heavy eyes to pools of iridescent hazel-gold staring down lovingly at her.

"Hey sleeping beauty..." Buffy said softly, a beautiful smile lighting up her face.

"Hey... Guess I fell asleep..." At this moment, nothing existed for Faith but the eyes of her mate.

"Yeah..." Buffy's smile grew just a little bit more beautiful, "You okay?"

Faith literally felt the blush start at the bottom of her feet and blaze a path up her body. She wondered if her hair had turned red from the force of it. She nodded shyly at Buffy, a little bit of wonder in her eyes. From all the horror stories, she had heard through the years and all the horrors, she had seen and lived through, she would have thought, by now, that things would have cooled down or fallen apart between them. Instead they just seemed to get more intense, more powerful, the connection between them still growing stronger, deeper. And it wasn't just when they made love, it was all of it, everything, everyday and it awed her. She felt alive, was alive, in ways that she dreamed of and had never even imagined were possible.

Buffy gazed down into Faith's dark-chocolate, emerald-flecked eyes with equal intensity, her thoughts almost mirroring Faith's. She had never in her wildest dreams ever thought she could have all this, not even with Angel and every day it just became a little bit better, a little bit more. Her feelings for Faith just continued to grow, to become deeper. They, she and Faith were a part of each other in ways that she just hadn't thought possible.

They filled up all the empty places inside of each other and because of the bond, and the Soul-Thread they shared she, they, could actually feel each other's presence deep down in their souls. It wasn't intrusive or invasive, it was in a way almost like being surrounded in a warm blanket that was made out of the physical manifestation of their love. Even over the last two weeks when she had closed down the bond they shared, she could still feel Faith's presence inside of her, because neither of them could ever shut down or block their Soul-Thread. It was truly a connection that could never be severed between them, not even if for some reason, and Buffy couldn't think of one, they should ever decide to part ways, and from what Atropos had told them it would survive even death.

"I'm sorry about the last two weeks. I guess I, well me, Willow and Tara, all went a little psycho." Buffy propped her head up on her hand, her eyes still locked with Faith's. Her other hand idly tracing the contours of Faith's face.

"It's okay Giz." Faith smiled up at Buffy. "It's funny, you know, not too long ago I would have thought you didn't love me or want me around anymore the way you were acting. But I never even thought that for a second." She leaned up and kissed Buffy softly, then smiled at her again. "Thought about moving me, Gamin and Furball to another state though..." her smile changed into a smirk.

"If I had been you guys, I would have..." Buffy couldn't help but to laugh at herself, "And tell me how scary was Tara? I think even Vamp-Willow would have been afraid of her!"

"I know. I was waiting for her to pull out the whips and chains. Who knew that Tara could be so aggressive, or domineering? Maybe she was a dominatrix in another life..."

They both started laughing. Buffy gave an internal sigh of relief that they had been able to fall back effortlessly into the easy, light, loving way they had come to be with each other.

Tara really had terrorized everyone the most out of the three of them. She was the one who had set up the studying schedules, had commandeered the living room for cramming sessions. Tara had gotten both Willow and Buffy up in the wee hours of the morning to study before work or classes. Then kept them both up into the wee hours of the night to study some more.

"Where is everyone?" Faith asked as their laughter faded and her surroundings suddenly came into focus.

She had been so lost in Buffy's eyes it hadn't even registered that she and Buffy were sprawled out naked on the rug in front of the fireplace in the living room with just a light fleece blanket covering them both. Nor had she noticed that the only light was from the fire and the many candles that were spread out and lit around the large room. The flickering light of the fire and candles casting dancing shadows and pictures around the room, making the large room seem homey, cozy and warm, like the cottage at the lake had been. Warming on the floor close to the fire were a few different scented massage oils. She turned her head towards the enticing smells coming from the other side of her and saw the low Japanese table piled high with all kinds of mouth-watering foods. She looked back at Buffy with questioning eyes.

"I guess you forget I took my last exam today."

"Actually B, I don't think you ever told me when your last exam was. And I sure as shit wasn't about to ask." Faith gave Buffy a goofy smile, "Did you do all this for me?"

For a second Buffy forgot to breathe as Faith gave her that wide-eyed look of innocent wonder, "All for you, baby. I... well, I wanted to do something nice for you. To make up for how I've been acting. You like?"

"I like..." Faith leaned up and placed a soft, sweet, reverent kiss on Buffy's mouth.

"Hungry?" At Faith's nod, Buffy grabbed a few of the large pillows from beside her and piled them up next to Faith. She scooted out from under the blanket, crawled the few feet over to the table, grabbed it by its edge, and started carefully to drag it towards them.

Faith sat up and made herself comfortable against the pillows, making sure to leave enough room next to her for Buffy. As the blanket slipped down to her waist, she once again became acutely aware that not only she was naked, but Buffy was naked as well.

Faith pulled the blanket up to her neck and held it there in an uncharacteristic show of modesty. She really didn't like the idea of getting caught buck naked in the living room, although she certainly didn't mind the view in front of her.

Faith let her eyes lazily travel over Buffy who was on her knees, bent forward slightly from the waist, her breast swaying gently as she pulled the table towards them. "So ah... where is everyone, B?"

"Tara and Willow went to some Wicca, women's retreat thingy for the next five days and Dawn is spending the weekend with Crow and his family at their beach house, she won't be back 'til Sunday night. Looks like you're stuck with just me and Furball for company for the next two days." Buffy answered over her shoulder. She could feel Faith's eyes traveling over her, it was almost like a physical touch.

Dusk poked his head around the corner when he heard his nickname. He lifted his head and sniffed, smelling the spicy food on the table and his mouth started to water. He wondered if he could run in there, get some food and get out before they could catch him. He crept a little further into the room and then his sensitive nose picked up his Slayers' scent and he recognized it. It was playtime! He could try to sneak some food later, he knew better now than to interrupt or join in their playtime. The last time he had tried to play with them when they were playing like this he had almost been staked before his Light Slayer realized it was him that had jumped on her naked back. With one last look of longing at the enticing food, he picked up his rawhide, happy that they were playing again and made his way back upstairs to go play with his light and dark panthers that slept with him and his Slayer's on the bed.

When she was satisfied that the table was close enough for both of them to reach, Buffy spun around on her knees to face Faith. She had to choke down her laughter at the sight of Faith sitting there with the blanket clutched to her throat, acting much like a vestal virgin on her wedding night. She balled the corner of the blanket up in her hand and started gently to pull on it as she crawled back towards Faith, her trademark evil, wicked smile playing around her mouth.

"I don't bite you know..." Buffy purred to Faith, "Unless of course you ask me nicely."

Faith watched Buffy crawl towards her mesmerized, not even aware that the blanket was being pulled out of her grasp. She felt her mate-mark throb, then tingle at Buffy's words and the fire in her blood that was only for her mate, a fire that Buffy had so recently put out, came roaring back to life fiercely within her. Only this fire was different, this fire wouldn't be quenched until Faith heard Buffy calling out her name when she took her over the threshold into sweet, delicious release.

Buffy didn't stop crawling until she was face to face with Faith. Their mouths only millimeters away from each other, the blanket now discarded off to the side somewhere. The tickle of the other's warm breath on their faces an erotic caress in and of itself. The desire, the passion, the lust, the love flowed between them by way of their bond, their eyes and the heat coming off their bodies.

As they stared into each other's eyes, the playfulness of the moment slipped away as the extent of what they felt for each other bubbled up to the surface. They were locked in the moment, in the promise in the other's eyes, a promise that encompassed more than just fleeting sexual pleasure. Their eyes conveyed without words the promise of a future with each other, a silent vow of commitment.

They moved towards each other to seal that silent vow with a kiss. Their mouths softly sliding against each other in a gentle, awe-filled, humbling, soulful kiss that promised more than just tomorrow, it was a soul-binding kiss that promised forever.

They looked at each other with wonderment when the kiss ended. Both still astonished that after all this time the simple act of kissing each other could still feel so new, so special, so powerful, so right, turn their minds to mush and their world upside down. They both held the fervent hope that it would always be this way between them.

Their desire for each other changed into a slow burning ember and both wanted to hang onto what they were feeling for a while longer, wanted to burn it into their memories to cherish. Faith put her arms around Buffy, pulling her down to her gently, smiling softly as she felt Buffy snuggle into her, placing her head against her shoulder and putting her arms around her in return. Both were content to stay this way for a time, warm, peaceful, happy, safe, strong, right and loved in each other's arms.

*****