Faith stilled her hand and looked deep into Buffy’s green eyes. She was about to ask what was wrong, but Buffy answered her and reassured her right away.

“I wanna come with you, Faith,” Buffy said shyly, looking away from the penetrating browns eyes above her. “If you keep doing that with your fingers I’m gonna be seeing stars without you.” Buffy looked back into Faith’s eyes and smiled a little, all the tension between them from the past a distant memory as they lay naked together in a shameless embrace.

Faith smiled and slowly removed her fingers from Buffy, gliding her hand over smooth skin until she settled back into her. They fit perfectly together, like a slayer jigsaw. She kissed Buffy softly; open mouthed kisses, teasing her tongue in and out. Buffy pulled her tighter against her, spreading her legs for Faith so she could feel every inch of her perfectly. Open for Faith. Only for Faith.

Faith began to move against Buffy once more, slipping back and forth so their clits bumped against each other, pushing harder into Buffy as they both began to breathe quicker and heavier.

Buffy arched up into Faith, feeling the slick salt of Faith’s sweat glide across her stomach as they burned for each other. She moved her hands down to Faith’s backside and pulled her hard against her.

“Fuck,” Faith mumbled as she groaned loudly, grinding harder and faster into Buffy as fingernails dug into her rear.

Buffy gasped for air with every thrust and every slip across her clit. She kept one hand tight on Faith’s firm backside and moved her other arm up, wrapping it around Faith, keeping them as close as possible. Her mind and body was a whirl of pleasure, every bit of her tuned into Faith and how good she felt; solid and sexual and a perfect fit for Buffy’s body.

Their skin was slick with sweat, juices flowing between them as they claimed what was theirs. Every muscle working in unison. Every moan and groan speaking a thousand words they had never said to one another.

Buffy could feel herself falling as if off a huge cliff. Her body flying and her thoughts full of the girl causing her to soar. She was close, so close for Faith. Ready to give her everything. Everything they’d denied each other and themselves.

“Oh God,” Buffy whimpered as she felt the torrent building within her. “Don’t stop, Faith.”

Faith licked the warm salt from Buffy’s neck, kissing her there before lifting herself just enough to look down on Buffy. She kept her movements steady and speedy, slipping her pussy all over Buffy’s as they both began to tremble. She had never seen Buffy looking so beautiful. Her blonde hair splayed out, damp and dishevelled. Green eyes half closed in apparent ecstasy. Buffy licked her lips and her stomach muscles stiffened against Faith’s belly.

Thrusting over Buffy wildly, bodies entwined, enamoured, caught in a sensual dance; needing to fall over the edge with her, Faith felt them both trembling powerfully as they came. She rested her forehead against Buffy’s, as their passion filled the cave with noise.

“Oh fuck, Buffy,” Faith called out as her world tumbled and she clung to the girl beneath her. Buffy’s name on her lips; crying it out into the shadows more than once.

Buffy gasped out loud, strangled “ohs” drifting from her lips as her arms claimed Faith and her pussy covered her in her come. She felt Faith dripping all over her too, hot and sweet and stickily delectable. She quivered in time with Faith, her insides reeling and her heart on fire.

They had done it. They had crossed the never crossable line. Buffy had tasted the apple; taken a big, full mouthed bite and loved it more than she had words to express. There was no going back. No pretending it was a dream. No fooling anybody into thinking it was a mistake. She loved the way Faith felt between her thighs, shaking and needing and yet giving so much pleasure. There was no going back from this.

Buffy covered Faith with her hands, touching every inch she could as she rested on top of her. The soft stroke of delicate skin and powerful muscles over her palms stirred her once again. She wished she could smell Faith and not the distant memory of her blood. Wished they were somewhere else, wrapped in damp blankets that smelled of them and how much they yearned for each other’s touch.

“Faith,” Buffy said raggedly, just wanting to say her name, her hands moving up to cup Faith’s face softly so she could kiss her.

Faith moaned into Buffy’s mouth as they kissed greedily, her clit still twitching for more, every inch of her buzzing. She’d never buzzed after sex. Never felt so completely full yet hungry for more. Buffy was her drug and she knew she would never have enough of her. Faith craved her; she always had.

“B,” Faith whispered shakily between kisses, all her defences obliterated. “You make me feel. . .” she struggled to find words for her meaning.

Buffy kissed over Faith’s mouth and up to her nose and cheeks, understanding that Faith didn’t know quite how to express herself. Not after all they had been through together, and all they so obviously meant to each other.

“You make me feel,” Buffy said simply, not needing Faith to continue. “More than I ever have.”

Often the feelings had been bad, angry, hurt. . .but they were all born out of love. Love that had been strangled and cast aside only to rip them apart because they couldn’t see it. Love that had them entwined impossibly close now.

Buffy felt tears seep from her eyes and she let out a deep sob, so utterly devastated at ever having denied what she felt. For having denied them the beautifully perfect sensation of having each other fully, completely, in all its sensual glory.

“Hey,” Faith said softly, wiping the tears away with her fingers. “Don’t cry,” she implored, feeling tears welling in her own eyes, seeing them drip onto the face below.

“I can’t help it,” Buffy sobbed. “This is just so much to feel. It feels like. . .”

“Like you’re on fire inside?” Faith asked, receiving an unsteady nod. “I feel it too. I always have,” she confessed.

They clung to one another; naked, sex covered bodies needing each other as they let tears flow in the cooling atmosphere. They gazed into the depths of their eyes, seeing all that had been lost to them, and all that could be. Bound together the old woman had said, and Buffy knew for sure what she meant now. She was Faith’s, and no amount of kicking and screaming would get her away from that fact this time. She didn’t want to get away from it. Didn’t want it to be the part of her she kept buried in the dark.

Buffy sniffed back her tears, and ran her fingers through Faith’s drying hair as she looked down on her with complete wonder and devotion.

“I’m sorry, Faith,” Buffy whispered softly, her voice a quiet quake amongst the stifled breaths. “I’m sorry for everything that happened. Everything I did or didn’t do. Everything I should have done or said, and. . .” her speech cut itself short as she began to weep openly once more as her grief poured out.

“Shh,” Faith whispered. “No more crying.” She kissed over Buffy’s face, tasting salty tears and flushed skin. “Everything’s gonna be ok,” she ensured, feeling that somehow it would.

She hadn’t wanted apologies, but more of her heart was claimed at Buffy’s words. Faith felt it was time for her own words. She couldn’t hold them in any longer, and hoped that what they had shared, what had been insinuated, would keep her safe.

Trailing her lips tenderly over Buffy’s cheeks to her mouth, Faith found Buffy’s hand with her own and entwined their fingers.

Whispering over soft lips she spoke the words she knew Buffy was poised to hear. “I’m sorry too, B,” Faith said, floating above a precipice. “I’m sorry for hurting you. For everything I did wrong,” she paused, her heart open, bare, daring. “And you’ve gotta believe me when I tell you that I love you more than I’ve ever known how to deal with.”

Buffy’s lips trembled into a tearful smile. She kissed Faith hard, squeezing her hand as she felt everything click into place. Buffy could sense her world coming back together after it had been ripped apart from their battles. Every piece slotting into place. Slotting into Faith.

Faith wasn’t sure if her declaration of love was a confession too far. She had just needed to say it. To unchain it and free it now she knew it to be true. Any answer other than the kiss was taken from her, however. From them both.

The air around them cracked and before either girl could react, they were falling fast, a whooshing noise assaulting their ears as the space around them became a blur of colour and places. Faith felt Buffy being ripped from her arms, but their hands were still clasped. She gripped firmly, not wanting to lose contact with Buffy.

Just as they seemed to have finally rescued each other, they were tossed back into the storm again; left to cling as they spun as if they were in a giant, demonic tornado.

Faith held Buffy’s hand tightly. “Don’t let go, B,” she shouted above the din.

“I won’t,” Buffy called out and grasped tighter, hoping for a soft landing this time.

* * *

Ornaments crashed to the floor. Pictures shook and jolted out of position and the witches held fast, their hands glowing white as they hovered them over the swirling circle before them.

A bolt of lightning struck upwards out of the floor, scorching the ceiling. It temporarily blinded the occupants of the room, but when the blinding light dimmed from their eyes they saw two very naked, but very alive slayers lying in the dishevelled chalk circle.

“Oh, gosh,” Giles sputtered as he momentarily watched the girls stirring and trying to get their bearings.

He tugged the throw from his couch, casting it over the slayers as their eyes blinked and muscles twitched. He crouched beside them as their nakedness disappeared under the worn fabric, reaching out to touch Buffy and tell her she was safe.

Buffy leaned on her elbows and looked up at her watcher, catching her breath from the fall. They hadn’t landed as hard but the wind had been taken out of her. She swallowed down the sickness the spinning had caused, and glanced down to Faith beside her. Brushing dark hair from Faith’s brow she smiled as she saw her open her eyes and arch her eyebrow.

“Fuck, I thought we were gonna be stuck like that,” Faith drawled huskily as she shook herself free of the spiralling in her head.

Faith looked around, noticing the blanket hastily thrown on them as they lay on the floor of Giles’ apartment. She couldn’t quite take it all in. The magical stuff around them, the people standing near, too near given the fact they were both naked. Lifting her hand out of the cover, forgetting it was attached to Buffy’s, Faith pushed herself up a little so she could take stock.

“Well, um. . .welcome back,” Tara said softly, breaking the tension filled atmosphere.

Willow nodded, looking down at the clasped hands as Faith used her other to hold the throw to her chest.

Xander gawped. He didn’t know what to do or say, presented with the girl that had turned on him so viciously in the past. There she was, Faith in all her glory, looking as impressive as ever; all dark hair and haunting eyes as she held onto Buffy. Xander felt the urge to break them apart. To rescue Buffy from Faith’s clutches, but Buffy wasn’t exactly fighting to get away so it threw him into his own little pit of confusion.

“How are you both? I mean, are you injured?” Giles asked, watching as Buffy looked down to where Faith was holding her hand.

Buffy reluctantly let go of the grip Faith had on her as she felt eyes boring into them both. She tried to speak, but couldn’t focus. All she could think about was what had happened just before they’d been pulled back, and what Faith had told her.

“No, we’re ok,” Faith answered, noticing Buffy’s discomfort. “Some clothes would be great, though.”

Giles nodded. “Of course. Willow, would you go find something for them both in Faith’s room, please?”

Willow stalled for a moment, transfixed by the fact Faith was there, large as life. She shook her head, promising herself she’d think about how it made her feel later. Right now, she had to make Buffy more comfortable, regardless of her own uneasiness. It was what friends did.

She turned from the circle and hastened her way to Faith’s room. Before she got very far, she heard the front door swing open and heavy boots plod into the house.

“I got here as fast as I could,” Riley said, breathless as he rushed in.

Buffy looked up at him, startled. She hadn’t thought about him. Hadn’t given him a second in her mind as she’d been writhing around all wet and naked with Faith. She blushed at the memory, and pulled the blanket tighter around herself, wanting to hide. To run. To escape with Faith, back to being alone where it had been easier to cope with the realisation of her feelings, and all that came with them.

“You’re safe with me now, Buffy,” Riley insisted, moving down beside Buffy and pulling her away from Faith into a hug.

Buffy was instantly repulsed. And instantly heartbroken from the sad look in Faith’s deep, dark eyes.

“You’re home and safe now,” Riley repeated.

She wasn’t safe at all. She wasn’t home without Faith in her arms, and the thought terrified her. How could they be together? How would anybody understand after all the damage they’d done to each other?