Title: Reality

Author: SavageLove

Fandom: Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Pairings: Faith/Buffy

Ratings: NC-17

Warnings: This is about the love between two adult women. If you do not like that then you are in the wrong site! There is cursing so if that offends you then sorry, that is how Faith is.

Disclaimers: I do not own the characters, I only borrowed them

Author's Notes: This is the final installment of Savage Redemption. I may or may not make a sequal, it depends on weather or not i get any feed back.

Feedback Email Address: ImNDeepThoughts2@aol.com

Chapter 24: Asking For Help & Truths Come Out

Faith jolted up in bed, breathing heavily. Faith looked around and saw that she was in her motel room. Getting up and running into the bathroom, Faith lifted her shirt and ran her hand over her abdomen. There was no stab wound. Faith looked into the mirror and she still looked fifteen. Faith ran a hand through her hair and took in a shaky breath.

“What a fuckin’ weird dream!” Faith said looking into her own eyes in the mirror. “Or was it a slayer dream?”

Faith shook her head and walked into the living area. Faith saw that it was three in the afternoon.

“Damn, I must have slept for the whole fucking day!” Faith muttered to herself. Faith shook her head and got dressed. After she dressed, she left her motel and started for the school. As she headed for the school, she thought about the dream. Was it just a dream or was it a slayer dream? Her dreams were never like that mostly they were nightmares. This dream was a nightmare turned fantasy! This had to be a slayer dream of what was to come! Maybe if she chose a different path? She didn’t want to hurt B! Nor did she want to go to the slammer!

As Faith walked down the hall to the library, she felt guilt surface from what she had done, multiplied by the dream. Faith felt her Faith felt all of her carefully built walls begin to fall. Faith looked down at her hands and saw the blood from the man in the alley, even though she had washed it off before hand. As Faith neared the library, she could hear voices shouting. Wesley and Giles were shouting with Willow, Xander and Buffy adding their piece here and there.

“You cannot do this to Faith! She is not a murder, she is a slayer and a child!” Giles shouted.

“She killed a human! Not a vampire!” Wesley protested.

“It was an accident, man! And it is NOT the first time a slayer has killed a human. If I am not mistaken, there was even one slayer who killed four humans wile trying to protect them. You do this, and you will lose Faith!” Giles shouted.

Tears stung Faith eyes as she heard the conversation. She tired to prevent them from falling, but they did. She did not want them to see her cry but Faith swallowed her pride and pushed to doors to the library open and walked in. Everyone looked at her and seemed startled to see her. Faith slowly walked up to them, all of her emotional walls down and her eyes streaming with tears. Faith walked up to Giles and looked him in the eyes. She could see understanding and sympathy.

“His blood won’t wash off,” Faith said softly, holding up her hands. Buffy, Xander, Willow and Wesley looked confused since there was no blood on her hands. Giles understood all to well and her sympathized with Faith, having killed before, himself. Giles gently wrapped his arms around Faith and pulled her to him. Faith laid her head against his chest and began to sob. “I’m a killer! I’m a fuckin’ murderer!”

“No, Faith, you are not killer, nor are you a murderer. What happened was an accident. Even a seasoned slayer can make that mistake. Every slayer kills at least one human being in their time. Sometimes in the heat of the moment, a slayer will sense a vampire and think that the human is the vampire and try to slay them. They are nothing but accidents. Watchers with more experience would know this,” Giles said, pointedly at Wesley. “Faith, I know what you are going through. In my youth, I was not all that good. And I killed a man when I was in a rage. However, the Council kept me out of jail and gave me a place in their ranks to settle me down. If they helped me, they will help you.”

“But… But she killed a man!” Willow protested, as Giles released Faith from his grasp. “With a stake, how could she not know that he was human?”

“I don’t think she did. I think it was an accident. We were in the mist of fighting vampires when this guy popped out. I threw him to Faith and dealt with the other vampire. Faith must have sensed that there was another vampire and thought the guy was one. She had pulled back her arm and started to thrust forward when I finished with the vampire. By the time I had yelled out no, it was too late,” Buffy said.

“Why didn’t you say that before?” Xander demanded.

“You didn’t give me enough time to finish before you started to rag on her!” Buffy shouted, getting angry. “I’m sick and tired of this. I like Faith. I enjoy spending time with her. There are things that I can share with her that none of you can understand because she is a slayer and understands what being a slayer is like. Willow, there is no one that can replace you. You are my bestfriend. Your jealousy is unfounded. Faith is not going to take me away with you. You have Oz to share things with, like your books and smart stuff that I don’t get. Why do you get to have someone else to share with but not me?”

Willow was opening and closing her mouth in shock. Oz, who was sitting quietly next to Buffy, nodded his head, agreeing with her.

“Xander, I don’t know what your problem is besides your immaturity and your brain being in your pants! You don’t even want to get to know Faith. All you want to do is get into her pants. Neither of you have ever spent the time trying to get to know her. I have. It may not seem like it, but there have been times when I have seen past her façade and seen the real her! But all you two see if her front, her protection against people like you two and like me!” Buffy kept shouting out. “I have tried to accommodate you both, but doing so has hurt Faith and I refuse to do that any more. If I want to make new friends that share interests with me that you don’t, then it is my choice. Faith is my friend and if you can’t handle that, then you are not worth it.”

Willow and Xander looked at each other in shock and then back at Buffy.

“And YOU, Wesley, are a wet behind the ears sissy boy who has no clue as to what you are doing! All you have done is make an ass of your self by trying to control us. Well guess what, we don’t work for you; you work for us. With out us, there is no defense against evil,” Buffy continued shouting and then finally calmed down. “Now, what happened was an accident. We will deal with and we will move on. Got it? Good.”

Willow, Xander and Wesley were looking at Buffy like she had a second head. Giles was beaming with pride at Buffy’s display. Faith was shocked and looked at Buffy like she was someone else.

Buffy walked up to Faith and pulled the startled girl into her arms. “I’ll be here for you. I’ll help you get through this,” Buffy said, softly, in Faith’s ear. “I may mess up and I maybe self centered at time because of my own problems, but I will be there for you. The only reason it ever seemed like I wanted you to be more like me, was because I saw so much potential in you that I felt it was a shame to waste.”

Buffy stepped back and opened her mouth to say more, her hand in the air waving to make a point when she froze, her mouth open and her hand in the air. Faith smiled.

“You know B, if you keep your mouth open like that, you’ll catch flies or somethin’,” Faith teased through her lessening tears as she put her finger in the blonde slayers mouth and wiggled it around. When nothing happened, Faith looked at Buffy in confusion. Faith looked around and saw that everyone else was frozen also. “What the HELL!” Faith said, totally confused.

“They are alright, they are just frozen,” a voice said from behind Faith.

Faith quickly turned around and her mouth dropped open. “You’re… You’re Sky! That chick from my dream!” Faith said, pointing at the woman.

Sky smiled. “In a way, yes I am. I AM from the dream. I am from that reality that no longer will exist in a few moments,” Sky said.

“HUH?” Faith asked, lost.

“That dream you had really happened. Everything that happened in the dream is true and most of it could still happen in this reality,” Sky started to explain.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! If that reality really did happen, didn’t I die?” Faith asked.

“Yes you did. However, unknown to us at the time, my sisters were casting a spell to send you back in time to the moment after Buffy had left. They left you the memories of the other reality in a dream. They did this to save the world from destruction,” Sky said.

“What do you mean?” Faith asked, curious. She never once doubted the woman.

“Faith, it is true that you are THE chosen one, but not in the way the demon had thought. You are the chosen one to carry THE absolute chosen one. There is a prophecy in which a child is born of two slayers, a dark slayer and a light slayer. This slayer will not be human. She will be nothing but a slayer. Faster, stronger, heightened senses and smarter than any before,” Sky explained. “The Mayor heard of the prophecy and figured that if he took you to his side and the child was born, he could raise it to be evil. However, he didn’t add in that you were not pregnant with the child yet. So that hope was gone.”

“What are you saying?” Faith asked, her mind reeling. It was a lot to take in, in so little time.

“He set you up. The guy in the alley? The Mayor sent him there for you to kill so that Buffy and the rest would turn their backs on you so that you would go to him,” Sky said. That reality started happened because the Mayor set you up, but it happened because you didn’t ask for help. But, because this time you did, it won’t happen. Well, not everything will change. The things that had nothing to do with you becoming evil will happen.”

“I can change the out come of certain things, right?” Faith asked.

“Yes, you can, but there are things that you can’t change,” Sky said.

“So… I get to keep the memory of the dream?” Faith asked.

“Yes. But, just remember, that every action has a reaction. You change one thing and it changes everything else,” Sky warned as she started to fade out.

“Wait! What’s happening to you?” Faith asked.

“I’m from the other reality. I no longer exist. But, I do exist in this reality, remember that!” Sky said right before she disappeared.

“And, I guess I… Faith?” Buffy started and then noticed that Faith wasn’t looking at her.

Faith looked at Buffy and smiled. “I get ya B,” Faith said. “But I got something really important to tell you, it will sound crazy and you may want to have me committed but it is absolutely true.”

“What is it?” Buffy asked, concerned.

“We better sit down,” Faith said.

“O…K….” Buffy said.

Faith, Buffy and Giles sat down at the table. Faith took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“The guy I accidentally staked? He was the Deputy Mayor, right Giles?” Faith said.

“That is correct,” Giles said, surprised.

“I got somethin’ to tell ya, and you ain’t gonna believe it!” Faith said. Faith took in a deep breath and began to tell them about the mayor. Tell them what had happened in the alternate reality and how she was sent back here when she died in jail. She decided no to tell them everything because they deserved the chance to live life without it being preordained by her. So, she edited her words to make it sound like she didn’t know what had happened with everyone else.

After she was done, they all stared at her. Giles looked at her in sympathy. Xander looked angry. Willow looked like she had known all along. And Buffy… Buffy looked at Faith with sadness and disappointment in her eyes. Faith lowered her head and just knew that she had ruined everything until she left a finger under her chin, forcing her head up. Her eyes locked with Buffy’s.

“No,” Buffy said.

Faith looked at Buffy in confusion.

“Sure you did those things in the alternate reality, but not in this reality. You haven’t done those things so we can’t be angry at you for them. I don’t blame you, and no one else should. Ok?” Buffy said softly. Faith nodded slowly, tears in her eyes. Buffy smiled softly and pulled Faith into her arms. Buffy pulled back and wiped away the tears from Faith’s eyes. “Now, we are going to your motel room getting your things, signing you out, and you will come and live with me and my mom. She has asked me plenty of times to invite you to stay. I wasn’t certain I should and now I am. Come on, let’s go.”

Buffy stood up and waited for Faith to stand up.

“But shouldn’t we talk about the Mayor first?” Faith asked.

“We can handle that later. You have all the knowledge of what will happen. Come on, let’s go and get you settled in,” Buffy said.

“But-” Faith started but Buffy took her arm and dragged her up and threw her over her shoulder and started to walk out. “HEY! Put me down!”

“Nope,” Buffy said.

“Come on! Put me down and I’ll come with ya!” Faith pleaded her face red in embarrassment.

“Nope,” Buffy said, walking out of the library.

“B, please put me down,” Faith begged.

“No.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“B! Come on! Would ya... OW!” Faith shouted as Buffy slapped her on the butt with slayer strength.

“Be quiet,” Buffy said, as she continued to walk.

Faith sighed and kept her mouth shut and prayed that no one saw her. Her prayer must have been answered because they arrived at her room with no one seeing them. Buffy took them inside and threw Faith on the bed. Faith looked up and Buffy, a little scared, thinking that Buffy was angry at her. Buffy suddenly got a wicked gleam in her eye and Faith knew what that meant.

“NO!” Faith protested, but it was too late, Buffy jumped on her and started to tickle her. Faith screamed with laughter. “B… Stop please, oh god, STOP!”

Finally, after tears started to fall, Buffy stopped tickling Faith.

“Now, get your stuff with in ten minutes or I’ll tickle you again!” Buffy said.

Faith’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t!” Faith said.

Buffy smiled wickedly at Faith and Faith knew she would. Faith jumped off the bed and quickly gathered her stuff. Buffy laughed silently as she watched the younger slayer moved about the room with slayer speed. Eight minutes later, Faith was done with a suite case and two trash bags of her stuff.

“You do know I was kidding, right?” Buffy teased, her head tilted to the side.

Faith narrowed her eyes. “Meanie!” Faith said, sticking out her tongue.

Buffy laughed as she got up. She took the two bags and Faith got the suite case. They two headed for the motel office and Faith turned in her key. They left and headed for Buffy’s house. When they got into the house, Mrs. Summers was sitting in the living room reading an art book. When they walked into the living room, she put the book down and looked up.

“Hello honey, hello Faith, dear,” Mrs. Summers said, smiling.

“Hi mom,” Buffy said, smiling.

“Hi Mrs. S,” Faith said.

Mrs. Summers looked at the bags and suite case and smiled. “Are you finally moving in, dear?” Mrs. Summers asked.

“Yep. B carried me, over her shoulder, to my room, tickled me into submission and made me pack with the threat of more tickles,” Faith said.

Mrs. Summers raised an eyebrow. “I see. Well, the room next to Buffy’s is all ready for you, dear,” Mrs. Summers said. Faith blinked in surprise. “What? I had high hopes that you would come and live here. Now I have two daughters to spoil.”

Buffy and Faith blushed.

“Buffy, would you mind spending a few hours away from the house? I would like some time with Faith to discuss some things,” Joyce said.

“Uh… Sure. You want me to leave right now?” Buffy asked.

“If you could,” Mrs. Summers said.

“Ok, bye,” Buffy said, slightly miffed and left.

Once Buffy left, Mrs. Summers patted the seat next to her. Faith put down her suite case and walked over to the couch and sat next to Buffy’s mom. Mrs. Summers lifted a hand and gently stroked Faith’s cheek.

“You know, watching Buffy in heaven as she had matured over the years leaves me very disappointed in who she is now,” Mrs. Summers said dryly. Faith looked at Mrs. Summers in surprise. “Oh yes, I am from that alternate reality also. I know everything that you know. Sky visited me first and then you. She explained everything to me. And, Sky slightly changed some events here so that Buffy would bring you here and her barriers against you would start to crumble.”

“I don’t get why this is happening,” Faith said.

“Faith, Buffy is a very strong slayer, but you are stronger than she is and ever will be. You have powers that you haven’t even tapped into. If events had gone a certain way here, you would have tapped into them and probably tipped the balance in goods favor. I was sent back to help make sure it happened,” Mrs. Summers said. “You are the Chosen. You have all of these gifts to protect the True Slayer, Buffy’s and your daughter. That is how you will tip the scales even more. Do not tell them everything you know, just help them along for them to stay on the right track and everything will be as it should.”

Faith nodded and took in a deep breath. “This is going to be hard isn’t it? I have of these memories of me and B together. I wanna hold her, I wanna kiss her and make sweet .... er..... sorry, too much information, but I can’t because she doesn’t remember. Now that the memories have started to sink in, it’s more of a reality to me and I fell as though I have experienced all of those things. It’s like I am that Faith, but still me of this time,” Faith said, slightly confused.

Mrs. Summers smiled softly. “That is why I am here to help you. You are still that you of this time, but you have the added maturity of the Faith from the future. Do you think that you can handle this responsibility?” Joyce said.

Faith nodded. “I can,” Faith said, nodding.

“Good. Now that you will be living here, there are going to be some rules,” Mrs. Summers said.

“Rules?” Faith asked slowly.

“Oh yes. First off, either today or tomorrow you and I will go shopping for clothes and make-up that are a little less noticeable. Both you and Buffy will be given chores to do. Since you have already graduated from college, how you did that I am not certain, but you will find a job. If I catch you cursing then you will be punished. If Mr. Giles tells me that you have been cursing then you will be punished. And no sex. You can date but you will not have sex with them, understood?” Mrs. Summers said sternly.

Faith’s eyes bugged out. “You know about that?” Faith asked.

“Oh yes, I do. Back then I knew but you weren’t in my care then, but you are now,” Mrs. Summers said.

“Mrs. S? Those guys and girls that I’ve been with since I’ve been here have just been substitutes for Buffy. I fell in love with her at first sight, but I never thought I could have her, now that I know I can, I don’t need them anymore,” Faith said honestly.

“Well, good. Now let’s get up unpacked and then go clothes shopping,” Mrs. Summers said.

“Alright,” Faith said, before jumping up, grabbing her stuff and running up stairs.

Mrs. Summers stared at Faith’s retreating form and prayed that the girl would no go insane from having two lives in one.

Chapter 25: Explaining, Births, and Childhood

Notes: It might seem confusing, but it is the way I wrote it. For the first part with Faith telling them what she had done, I did it in first person. But after that, it is in all third person. Sorry.

~~~~~

Part 1: Explaining

“And, every time certain things came up that I figured should be changed, I fed you guys’ information saying I heard it from a vamp or a demon or I read it. Some things did change and some didn’t. I was able to prevent some and some I didn’t. Some days I just wish I could tell you all the truth because it hurt so much to have to do it alone. Mom couldn’t really help me because you would all have known something was up then. There were many times that I almost did, but I didn’t because I knew that it would all fall apart. But, I am able to tell you this now because we have reached a point where I don’t know what is going to happen in the future. I am as clueless as you all. Well, that’s everything,” I said looking at the people in the room. It had been eight years since I had killed the Deputy Mayor. And I was now pregnant with my and B’s child. Everyone had thought it was some sort of evil that had been forced upon me and I had to explain why the child wasn’t evil. “The baby’s ours B. She’s made of the two of us. I’m three months pregnant with our child.”

As everyone took in what I had said, I looked around the room and remembered everything I had and hadn’t changed. Tara and Willow; I had helped them get together faster and made sure that Oz didn’t spoil anything, I made sure that Willow didn’t abuse magic, and I made damn sure that Tara hadn’t gotten shot. They were now married with one daughter and one on the way. Willow owned a very successful computer/internet company. Tara taught, ran, and owned a school for wiccans.

I looked at Xander and Anya. I hadn’t been able to get them to get married the first time but I had been able to convince Anya not to become a demon again and try and work things out with Xander. They had. They had married and have three kids--two sons and a daughter. Xander was a city inspector and owned a small construction company. Anya owned and runs The Magic Box.

Dad and Mom, a.k.a. Giles and Joyce; they had gotten married after Mom had recovered from her brain tumor. They had both bought a hug building and made it the new Council Headquarters after the other one got run over by demons and shit. They find and bring in potential slayers, along with the help from the Wiccas of Corithnais. It’s almost like a Mom and Pop organization.

Dawn… Well, Dawn ain’t really alive, but she ain’t dead either. Some force thingy had come in human form to take her back to their home. Apparently they were married and Dawn’s partner had let Glory get to close once and the Monks took Dawn away and placed her with B. So Dawn is a force thingy again with her partner but they come and visit once and a while. That happened about two years ago. And I’m glad. Dawnie finally knew who she was and felt like she belonged for once. Apparently, there are a whole shit load of keys and stuff. I’m not too sure how it all works but she’s happy and that’s all that matters and the fact that she is so powerful she could destroy the earth in a blink of the eye is really cool.

Then there’s me and B. We dated her freshman year of college. We got married about six years ago. I own and run a gym. I also work with the hospital with raped victims of all ages and with abused children when they need me. I got a license and everything. B is a counselor at the new high school. Kids come to her when they got problems because she’s close to their age and is fun to be with. She’s pretty good to. Does it for free too. It’s not like we need the jobs. Dad had paid us for our work as slayers from the past and now. We got quite a bit of money. And I got all of the Mayor’s money. See, we pretended that I went evil so that I could give them inside information. Although I already had it, but they didn’t know that then. So, me and B are set for life. We’re billionaires or something, not too sure. Me and B let Willow handle our money because we’d lose it or something.

I looked up and saw everyone was looking at me. Aw, shit, I had one of those daydreams things again. So, naturally, I flushed.

“Waz up?” I joked. No one laughed. Fuck. Now they all hate me and stuff. I lowered my head in shame. Tears gathered in my eyes. I ruined everything.

Suddenly, I felt a finger on my chin and it forced me to raise my face. My eyes met the deepest green eyes I have ever seen. B’s eyes. My soulmate’s eyes. There was nothing but anger in them.

“Faith, you lied to us. You have manipulated our lives to suite you,” Buffy said angrily. “Get out and don’t comeback.”

I felt my heart constrict at those words. Tears filled my eyes and I looked around the room. Everyone but Mom was looking at me angrily. I swallowed my hurt and stood up. I looked into B’s eyes, turned around and walked up stairs. I went into our room and grabbed a suite case. I threw some clothes into it. I closed the suite case and picked it up. I grabbed my boots and a jacket and put them on. I picked up the suite case, walked down the stairs and out of the house without a goodbye, my heart shattering along the way. I opened the door to my truck and threw my suite case into it. I got in and started the truck. I waited for a few minutes while it warmed up before shifting it into gear. I backed out of the driveway of B’s and my home and drove off to the nearest hotel.

I arrived at the hotel and rented a cheap room. I could afford the best, but didn’t really want it. A regular room was fine. I took the keys and my suite case and headed for my room. I got into my room, got ready for bed and just laid in the dark on the bed, thinking. Maybe telling them wasn’t such a good idea. With the way they reacted, I might not have a home in Sunnydale anymore. I lay in a bed that isn’t my own and felt like hell. I’m trying not to cry, but just thinking about B makes the damn burst and I started crying. I turned over onto my stomach and cried. God, I feel like I’ve been hit by three cars, one after the other. I haven’t felt this way since I had been betrayed by Buffy and her friends in the other reality.

I rolled onto my side and placed a hand on my stomach.

“Don’t worry baby, I’ll take care of you,” I said. I sure hope I could. I heard pregnancy was tough on your own. And I want to do this right. I want my baby to have everything she deserves. I just hope I can work things out with B ‘cause it’s hard to breath right now and I feel as if my heart has been ripped out, thrown on the floor, stomped on, and handed back to me on a fucked up silver platter.

***

Back at the Summers-Winters Home

Buffy sat back down and looked at her mother. She felt so betrayed.

“Buffy Elizabeth Anne Summers-Winters, what the hell do you think you were doing!” Joyce yelled out, jumping up. “You just kicked your wife, your pregnant wife, out of the house because you think she manipulated you all?”

“She did! How could...” Buffy started but was cut off by her mother.

“You don’t get it do you do you? Everything she had done has been to benefit all of you. She has had to hold all of this responsibility by herself. I wasn’t much help because it would have been too obvious. You want to know what she did to change things. Did you know that I died in that other reality? My tumor killed me. You found me on the couch dead, Buffy. Tara died in that reality. Warren shot her by accident and Willow became so distraught that she went evil and tried to destroy the world. Buffy, you died fighting Glory because she had opened the gate and you figured out that your blood would close it since Dawn was made of you. You were ripped out of heaven by Willow because she thought you were in a hell dimension. Anya died in that other reality also. Buffy, in that other reality, Faith died. But, she was given the chance to come back here and make things right, to make things how they should have been the first time,” Joyce reprimanded.

Joyce looked around the room and saw that everyone was thinking about what she had said.

“Why didn’t she tell us in the first place then?” Xander asked.

“If she had, none of you would have liked that. You all hate having things preordained. She wanted you all to have choices, to live life like you had choices. Knowing what is going to happen, when it will happen, how it will happen and why it will happen isn’t fun. She wanted you all to have the life she thought you all deserved. And she was right. You have reacted the way she feared you would have. The only reason she told you is because she didn’t want you to kill hers and Buffy’s baby,” Joyce said.

“What do you want us to do then?” Willow asked.

“Forget what Faith had told you. Forget that she was sent back to make sure that this reality existed. But don’t forget that the only reason she did it was because she loves you all. Don’t be angry because you have a life that she made for you; be happy that you have a life. Think about this. If you’re mad at her, you should be mad at me also. I was in on it too,” Joyce pointed out. “Now, I am going home. Rupert, do you want to stay or leave?”

“I will leave with you,” Giles said.

Joyce and Giles walked out of the house and drove to their home. Xander, Anya, Willow and Tara left soon after. Buffy was left alone in her home. Buffy sighed and started to clean the living room, dinning room and kitchen up. After that was done, she walked up stairs and headed for her bedroom. Buffy walked in and undressed. She walked into her bathroom and got into the shower. She let the hot water beat down on her as she tried to clear her mind. So much had happened in less than three hours and she didn’t know how to deal. The one person she went to was the one the problem was about. Buffy laid her forehead against the tile and let the water beat against her back, relaxing her tense muscles. Buffy sighed and began to wash her body and her hair. Once she was done, she dried off and headed for her bed. Buffy turned off the lights and got into the bed. She laid still and tried to will herself to sleep. But, she couldn’t. She was so used to having Faith in her arms. For the past eight years she has held Faith in her arms as they slept. And now she just couldn’t sleep. Buffy just turned over and grabbed Faith’s pillow and hugged it to her.

Buffy finally fell into a sleep, but it was anything but peaceful.

***

Part 2: Births

After three weeks, Buffy was sitting in her PT Cruiser looking at the hotel Faith was staying at. Her mother, her father, Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya had come to visit Faith within three days after Faith had told them everything. They had easily forgiven her. Buffy had not. Tara had told Buffy where she could find Faith. Buffy hadn’t had the courage to come to Faith before because she had kicked her own wife, her pregnant wife, out and was ashamed for how she had acted. Tara and Willow had tried to talk her into it but they hadn’t convinced her. Actually, the one who had was Anya, who had simple said that Faith would forgive her easily and to not do it soon would just make it that much hard to apologize.

Buffy sighed and got out of the car. She locked the car and walked into the hotel. She smiled at the man behind the desk and headed for Faith’s room. Buffy walked up the stairs to the third floor and walked to room 24b. Buffy sucked in a deep breath and raised her hand up to the door and knocked on it.

A few moments later Faith opened the door and gasped in surprise.

“Buffy?” Faith asked, surprised.

“Hi, Faith. We need to talk. Can I come in?” Buffy said.

“I dunno, can you?” Faith asked, teasingly mean, which caused Buffy to look down in shame and ideally noted that Faith’s stomach was slightly bigger than normal.

“I deserve that. I would like to apologize. May I come in and do so?” Buffy asked a slightly pleading note to her voice.

“Yes,” Faith said. Faith stepped out of the door way and Buffy cautiously walked inside. Faith closed the door and walked over to the bed. Faith sat down and Buffy just stood by the door quietly watching Faith. Buffy looked at Faith’s slightly swelled stomach. She looked into Faith’s eyes and realized all that she could have lost, their child and most of all, the love of her life, her soulmate.

Buffy walked over to Faith and dropped down to her knees. Faith looked at Buffy in shock. Buffy took Faith’s hands in her own, tears streaming down Buffy’s face.

“God, Faith… I am so… so sorry for what I did. I had no right to kick you out of our home. I was so hurt that you couldn’t trust me enough to tell me. But then Anya pointed out that that wasn’t it and I knew I had to have you back. Anya gave me the kick in the pants to come here and do this. I have been so miserable with out you. It has felt as though my heart and soul was gone,” Buffy’s voice cracked. “I am so sorry for what I did. I’ll do anything if you’ll take me back, if you’ll come home. Please, I am begging you, come back to me.”

Faith stared at Buffy in shock before sliding off of the bed and onto her knees on the floor. She wrapped Buffy up into her arms and began to rock the older woman.

“Shh… Of course I’ll come back! I love you, Buffy. I have missed you so much,” Faith said, holding Buffy in her arms. She hated when Buffy cried. Sure, it hurt like hell that Buffy had kicked her out, but she knew that she would come back in a heart beat for Buffy.

Faith nuzzled Buffy’s neck before nipping at it. Faith began to kiss Buffy’s neck.

“You said you’d do anything?” Faith asked.

“Yesss… Anything,” Buffy said.

“Take me home and hold me. Just hold me,” Faith whispered.

“Of course. Let me call Xander and have him come and pick up the truck for us,” Buffy said softly.

Buffy called Xander up and asked him to come to the hotel and drive the truck back to their house. Xander didn’t ask any questions, and did as asked. After hanging up, Buffy and Faith packed Faith’s belongings and headed down stairs. Faith stopped at the front desk and checked out. Faith and Buffy got into the car and headed for their home. The drive was silent. They arrived at their home and headed into the house. Buffy and Faith headed upstairs and into their bedroom. They lay on the bed, spooning, Buffy behind Faith. Although their silence was uncomfortable, it was a healing silence, one that they needed.

***

A week after Buffy had pleaded for Faith to return, they both had returned to their lives they had before, although, it would have been sooner in Faith’s opinion if Buffy hadn’t tried to do anything and everything to please her. Faith had to hit Buffy upside the head and tell her that everything was fine before the older woman had believed her and everything returned to normal, well… almost normal. Buffy has become a little crazy with the baby. She insisted that they let Tara and Willow monitor her and the baby. She got every book there was on pregnancy and read them all, twice. She took lessons in massages for pregnant women, and CPR.

***

Two months later

Faith was five months pregnant but not showing that much. It was ten o’clock in the morning and she felt terrible. She was sitting against the headboard and Buffy was at the foot of the bed massaging her feet.

“That fills so good,” Faith moaned as Buffy softly but firmly massaged her feet.

“It better feel good! I took two weeks worth of classes to be able to do this,” Buffy teased.

“You are going to be doing this even after I have our baby!” Faith said her eyes hooded in pleasure.

“All done!” Buffy announced as she stopped massaging Faith’s feet and quickly hid her knowing grin as Faith’s head snapped up.

“Oh no your not!” Faith growled.

Buffy grinned. “Yes dear,” Buffy teased as she began to massaged Faith’s feet again.

Faith pouted. “Stop mocking me!” Faith ordered.

“But it’s so much fun,” Buffy mischievously.

“Yeah, well, no more sex for you then,” Faith said a gleam to her eyes that Buffy didn’t see. “From now and until the baby is one year old.”

Buffy looked at Faith in horror. “No!” Buffy gasped. “You wouldn’t! Come on honey, you know I was just joking! You know I love massaging your feet and back!”

“Gotcha!” Faith said with delight.

Buffy growled and lightly leapt onto Faith and started to tickle her. And that started the tickle war. This was why they didn’t hear two people enter their room. But they did hear a camera go off. They both froze and looked over at the door. Tara and Willow stood in the door way. Willow was holding a camera.

“You two are so cute,” Willow teased.

“Look whose talkin’ Red. You and Blondie are Queens of mushy!” Faith mock sneered.

Tara shook her head and laughed. “Well are we going shopping for baby stuff or not?”  Tara asked.

“Absolutely!” Faith and Buffy shouted with glee.

Twenty minutes later, they were at the Kelly’s Baby Emporium. The four women walked into the store and started to shop. By the time they had finished shopping three hours later, Tara and Faith, whom were both pregnant, were happy they got everything for their unborn daughters. Buffy and Faith got baby clothing in mostly light reds, whites and blues, while Tara and Willow got them in light pinks, yellows and oranges. Buffy and Faith got one of the car seat/stroller unites where the car seat is attached to the base of the stroller and can be unattached for car use. Willow and Tara already had one from their previous child. The four of them got two baby carriers, one that was a sling that the baby could lay down in and the other with a plastic piece on the back for them to sit in. Since they already had a bedroom set for infants, Willow and Tara helped Buffy and Faith pick out a sturdy wood changing table that had a dipper trash can in it, two dresser, crib, and rocker bedroom set. Willow and Tara also helped them pick out a playpen, a mobile for the crib and a baby bath tub. Then they each (Willow/Tara and Buffy/Faith) got baby shampoo, baby soap, baby powder, baby wipes, a few blankets, two boxes of dippers, a dipper bag, two bottles, a breast pump, a package of six binkies, and a few stuffed animals (cats for Willow and Tara and elephants for Buffy and Faith).

Everything was loaded into the four vans, one of them was Xander’s and one of them was Giles’, and they all headed for the Summers-Winters’ household. With Buffy’s slayer strength and Willow’s magic, all of the things were easily taken into the house and upstairs into the baby’s room. Buffy and Willow started to build the crib as Faith and Tara put the clothes into the two dressers and all the dipper things into the changing station.

Two hours later, the nursery was completed.

***

Three months later

October 31

9:00 AM

“God, my back hurts!” Faith whined under her breath.

“I heard that, Faith!” Buffy said and was quickly by Faith’s side.

“B! I’m fine! It’s just those stupid fake ones!” Faith whined.

“No, we’re going to the hospital to see, now,” Buffy said.

Faith pushed Buffy off and got up. She was tired and cranky. She had six fake labors and it was getting old.

“I am not going into labor!” Faith shouted.

Then…. Her water broke.

Faith looked down, shocked and then up into Buffy’s eyes.

“Yeah and that’s not going into labor,” Buffy said, pointing to the wet spot on the floor. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.”

Buffy ran up stairs and into her bed room. She grabbed the bag and the shoes. She ran down stairs and to the car. She put the things into the back seat, started the car and opened the passenger side door before running back into the house. Buffy stopped in front of Faith and picked her up with little strain. Buffy walked to the car and placed Faith into the passenger’s side. Buffy closed the door and ran back to the house and closed and locked the door. Buffy ran to the car and got in. She backed out of the driveway and sped to the hospital. They got to the hospital in no time and Buffy parked close to the entrance. She got the bag and put the shoes in it and put it onto her back before lifted Faith out of the car and rushing to the entrance.

“Can I get some help?” Buffy called out.

A male nurse came with a wheel chair and Buffy gently set Faith into it.

7:00 PM

Faith threw back her head and yelled at Buffy.

“Goddamn you Buffy! You ain’t comin’ near me with a ten foot poll forever!” Faith screamed out.

Buffy’s eyes widened and she looked at the doctor who smirked at her. Buffy shook her head and tried to pry Faith’s hand off of her right one. Faith has been in labor for seven and a half hours and the doctor had just brought her into the labor room because she finally reached full dilation.

“Come on baby, just breath. In and out, just like in the classes and you’ll slide over the pain,” Buffy coached.

“Slide over the pain? Slide over the pain! Want me to show you how much pain there is?” Faith demanded, squeezing Buffy’s hand with full slayer strength.

“Okay… I’m sorry! Pain, bad! Bad, bad pain!” Buffy said, trying to free her hand. Faith’s grip lessened as the contraction stopped.

“Okay, Faith, on your next contraction, push but not with you slayer strength,” Doctor Keil said as she got between Faith’s legs.

Buffy gripped one of Faith’s hands and placed her forehead against Faith’s. They stared into each other’s eyes as another contraction hit and Faith began to push.

“Come on, baby, you can do it,” Buffy whispered. “I love you.”

7:20 PM

Buffy was sitting on the bed behind Faith, who held their five minute old daughter. Their daughter was feeding and her eyes were open and looking around. They were a deep green, like Buffy’s eyes. Her head was full of hair, dark brown like Faith’s hair. Their daughter was tiny, only twenty inches long, which is smaller than most new-borns, and she two ounces over the weight of a normal baby. They had decided to call her Hope Dominique Summers-Winters. Since, Joyce hadn’t died, there was no point in naming their daughter after her, plus it would get to confusing. It may seem weird to call her Hope, but to them, it was a fitting title since she was the only hope to stop what was to come in less than seventeen years.

“We can move you to a room now,” a nurse said, smiling. Buffy started to get off of the bed but the nurse held out a hand. “No need. Stay there and hold her up.”

Buffy smiled her thanks and two burly nurses started to push the bed out of the room. They were settled into a room and no less then a minute later, Willow and Tara were wheeled into the room. The four women looked at each other in shock.

“What time did you give birth to her?” Buffy and Willow asked.

“Seven-twenty,” Faith and Tara said at the same time.

“Freaky,” Buffy and Faith said.

Tara and Willow’s daughter had a head full of red hair like Willow’s hair and blue eyes like Tara’s eyes. She was even smaller than Hope, only seventeen inches long and weighed the normal birth weight for a baby. Willow and Tara had decided to call her Sarah Rachel Rosenberg-McClay.

The start of the Prophecy had begun.

***

Part 3: Childhood

For five years, Buffy, Faith, Tara and Willow watched their daughters grow up and become very close. Both were completely different and yet they complimented each other. It was almost as if they were one. Hope was often rash and did thinks without thought. She fought first and asked questions later, although she did have a great sense of honor for someone so young. She protected those weaker from the stronger. She was smart and outgoing. She would rather be outside playing than going work, other than practice with her mothers. Sarah was the opposite of Hope. She thought everything through before acting, and most often she let the adults handle the situation. She asked questions and never fought. She was smart and timid. She would rather read a book or practice with her mothers than play outside. Sarah calmed down Hope’s impulsiveness and Hope made Sarah come out of her shell.

Both Sarah and Hope were five years old when they were kidnapped by a demon. After they were rescued by their mothers, it had been decided that Sarah and Hopes training would begin now, at least the basics. After school, Faith would watch Sarah and Hope while Tara, Willow and Buffy worked. Faith was teaching them to defend themselves. Faith mostly was just teaching them the different moves and showing them how they worked. Mostly she was trying to get them to build up some reflexes so that when they are older, she can really teach them how to fight. Then, after they picked up Sarah, Willow and Tara would teach her the basics of magic and what she could and couldn’t do. Buffy and Faith would teach Sarah about the different fighting styles—tai chi, tae kwon do, martial arts, judo and some others.

For the next eleven years, Sarah was trained in white magic and self defense, although she learned a lot of fighting skills, she was more proficient at magic than fighting. Sarah also learned how to research information about different demons, spells and such. She learned how to mix potions, make them and spells up if need be. By the end of the eight years, she had surpassed her mothers in witchcraft. And she learned first aid almost to the point that a medical student would. Sarah could also speak and read fifteen different languages, most of them demonic.

Hope was trained in the different martial arts and some magic, but she was more skilled at fighting than magic. Hope learned how to fight with different types of man and demon made weapons as well as mundane things such as rocks, branches, and such. Hope easily surpassed Buffy and Faith in fighting skills. She could also speak and read fifteen different languages.

And, while they learned these things, Hope and Sarah became close, the best of friends. They were practically inseparable. As they grew, Hope became the more dominate of the two and Sarah usually followed her lead, unless there was a good reason not to. They worked well together, balancing each other out, like yin and yang. Their mothers could see them easily falling in love with each other when they got older.

When they had turned thirteen, everything had been explained to them, including some of the prophecy. They knew what was expected of them, but never let it go to their heads. They accepted it and just continued on with their lives as of everything was normal.

***

Two beings will be born on the night of all Hallows Eve. One will be born of a dark and a light slayer. She will be a mixture of both the dark and the light slayer. She will not be human, but a full slayer. She will be faster, stronger and smarter than any slayer before. She will have these additional advances that no other slayer has: perfect night vision, instant healing, slight telepathy, and dog like hearing. The other will be born of two light witches. She will not be human, but a full sorceress. She will be stronger, and smarter than any witch or wizard before her. She will have these additional advances that no other has with out the use of magic: telepathy, telekinesis, control of the elements, and the ability to teleport herself and others.

The Slayer alone can change the balances of good and evil to favor good. With the help of The Sorceress, evil will be dealt a crippling blow.

Chapter 26: Old Age

“And that was how it all started,” Faith said, said to the two children in her lap.

“Grandmamma how did mama and mom beat the bad guys?” Erin asked, looking up at her hero.

“Yeah,” Ericka agreed, causing Faith to smile down at the ten and twelve year old girls as Hope and Sara walked into the room.

“That is another story,” Hope said. “Besides, it is time for young ones to be in bed.”

“Aww,” Erin and Ericka whined.

“Do you want some cheese with that whine?” Sara teased. Erin and Ericka looked at their mama in confusion. “Never mind. Come; let your mom talk to grandmamma.”

Sara led her two daughters out of the room. Hope looked at her mama and sat down next to her. Hope took Faith’s hands and kissed them. Faith smiled slightly, but it never reached her eyes. Her smiles hardly ever reached her eyes anymore, not since Buffy died three years ago. Natural causes.

“How are you mama?” Hope asked, gently squeezing her hands.

“Tired,” Faith replied.

“And you miss mommy,” Hope said softly.

Faith nodded slowly. “Very much.”

“You’re dying aren’t you?” Hope asked, tears in her eyes.

“How did you know?” Faith asked.

“I broke my iron cup by just picking it up. I got your powers now,” Hope said and Faith nodded slowly, she had felt very weakened when she had woken up from her nap with the kids. She knew that she would not last much longer. She would not wake up in the morning that much was clear.

“You know I love you, very much,” Faith said softly, lifting a hand and cupping her daughter’s cheek.

“I know, I’ll miss you mama,” Hope said.

“Your mother and I will always be with you. Just look into your heart and you will feel up there,” Faith said.

Hope nodded slowly and kissed her mother’s cheek before getting up. “Goodnight mama.”

“Goodnight little one,” Faith said softly.

Hope left and shut the door. After her daughter’s departure, Faith got up and went to her closet. She opened it and took down a box. She padded back over to the bed and sat down on it. She opened the box and took out three very tick envelopes. One was addressed to Hope, one for Sara and one for Joyce. Each had a latter from Faith, Buffy, Willow, Tara, Xander and Giles. Faith set the envelopes onto the dresser top and laid the box on the ground. Faith then opened the dresser drawer and pulled out an old yellowed wrinkled picture. It was of her and Buffy when they had first met. Faith pressed her lips to the picture and thought, ‘I am coming my love.’ Faith then laid the picture with the envelopes.

Faith shut the lights off and lay back on the bed and closed her eyes. She soon fell asleep.

The next morning the house was awoken to Erin’s screams.

The End