Faith’s pov

Hmmm, it’s warm. Nice and warm. The sun’s hitting me in all the right places, and I’m soaking it up. I can hear the slight breeze in the background teasing with the trees, and the gentle splashing of water as somebody enjoys the relief of its cool caress. Apart from those two things, it’s quiet. Damn, I can almost hear my skin tanning it’s that quiet here.

Wait. . .where the hell am I?

I open my eyes, coming out of the haze of sleep. The sky is so fucking blue, but not like California blue. It’s different, and it’s hard to know why. Maybe it’s just in my head ‘cause I know we’re so far away from all the crap and the bad times. It’s like I wanna describe it in hundred different ways, but I just don’t have the vocabulary or whatever to do it. Whatever kinda blue it is, it’s as pretty as a picture.

But then this whole place is. Everything looks like it was studied and painted into the skyline like it’s some kinda huge canvas. I’m so glad I let Buffy persuade me to come here with her. Well, maybe persuade isn’t quite the right word. She didn’t really give me much of a choice back in LA.

We’d stopped off at Angel’s place to regroup after the big destruction of the Hellmouth deal. We were all exhausted, Buffy more than anyone, and things needed to be dealt with. Giles sorted out the trips to the hospital. I was ok but there were a few girls that needed attention, Wood too, and of course Buffy was in a bad way. She healed pretty quick ‘cause there was no internal damage, but the wound needed stitching and stuff.

Anyway, we ended up staying at the hotel for almost a month, just getting things into perspective and shit. Wood went to stay with relatives close by and I never really let him try his theory of ‘surprising’ me out. I wasn’t really interested. Especially not then. I mean, I just got outta jail, legit too. . .kinda. Angel worked his magic somehow and my records mysteriously disappeared, so at least I wasn’t on the run.

And I was just too busy trying to get my head around people actually trusting me to be there. Buffy trusting me, and actually fucking talking to me like I was an actual human being for once. Not that we suddenly became best buds, but we did kinda start to get on at least. I didn’t really hang out with the gang or anything, preferring to be on my own most of the time, but it was still cool to just know that they were all there. That Buffy was there.

Then she comes up with the idea that she wants to get away for a while, just for a month or so. I could feel myself missing her already, but I didn’t say anything. She was just tired out and needed time to herself she said. Time not to worry about the big bad, or even the little ones that roamed the streets around LA. I could see she needed a break. I mean, when the fuck was the last time the chick had a break? Not that I’d ever been on vacation either, but then I didn’t think I really deserved one. She did though.

Nobody really argued with her about it ‘cause I think they could all see just how worn out she was. Buffy was definitely in need of some major chill out time. It’s a hard job. . .keeping the world turning. Dawn was a little worried about her big sis just wandering off somewhere on her own, but even she quit her whining long enough to agree that it was a good idea in the long run.

I was all ready and set to say bon voyage along with the others, but then Buffy took a leaf out of Wood’s book and surprised the fuck out of me. She asked me to go with. It took me most of the day to pick my jaw up off the floor, then the rest of it trying to figure out what her angle was.

Shit, I thought of everything, from the idea she wanted to take me somewhere and kill me to get me outta the picture once and for all. To thinking maybe she’d been possessed by a demon or something. I just didn’t get why the hell she would ask me to go on vacation with her. Especially after she’d convinced everyone she wanted to go alone.

I eventually gave into her incessant babbling at me. So that’s how I ended up here. Tuscany. Lying by a pool in a swanky top-notch hotel, the beautiful blue above, and so many different fucking shades of green around me that I’m beginning to think I need my eyes testing to make sure I haven’t gone colour blind.

I woke up the other morning and opened the blinds and I just felt like crying. The sun was still low and not as hot as I knew it was gonna get. And the view. . .fuck, it was like I’d died and gone to the place I’m pretty sure I ain’t ending up in.

Every hill looked like someone had decided it had to look different from the one next to it. Like it was painted from a pallet of green and yellows, all kindsa shades. The trees, those weird straight and tall ones, all stood to attention, breaking up the skyline like soldiers waiting for the day to start. I could see poppies not too far in the distance. It was like they’d been scattered there perfectly by hand, just bright enough to look like rubies shining back at the sun.

I wanted to just take it all in, every tiny bit of it, ‘cause it’s something I’d never seen before. The perfection. The beauty. It was fucking breath taking. Then Buffy stirred in the bed next to mine, murmuring something I couldn’t make out in her sleep. And I realised. . .it doesn’t get any better than this.

I could look to the left of me, out into the fields, and my heart felt like it was wired to the mains. Then I could turn to the right of me, and let my eyes fall on the cute blonde sleeping soundly in the crumpled white sheets, and my heart felt just the same.

It was perfect all right, and not just because of the view. It was because of her. The girl I’d fought so hard against, battled against, tried to hide myself away from. The girl I knew I was still in love with. As much as I’d tried to forget that feeling, the longing to be hers, I couldn’t shake it now. Not here.

Buffy’s in the pool right now, just easing her way through the water like she’s gliding. I sit up a little wondering how long I’ve been asleep. I don’t wanna burn or nothing, but it doesn’t look like I’ve been out too long. My drink hasn’t evaporated at least.

I take a sip, it’s warm but it’s also wet so I’m not complaining. She’s noticed I’m back in the land of the living. Fuck. . .it’s so cute when she does that little half smile thing. And the wave? Too adorable. And I’m not even gonna try and stop my self thinking of her like that now. I’m past it, ya know what I mean? It’s time to accept what I feel and just live with it. I’m tired of fighting it and I’m tired of fighting her.

I love her, and I want her. Especially as she’s slowly walking towards me in about the smallest bikini I think she could find, all wet from her swim. What I’d give to be that droplet of water about to trickle its way down between her breasts. Or better yet, let me lick it off and kiss her all over her chest and down across her tight little. . .

“Hey,” she says, and there goes that smile at me again.

“Hey, B,” I say and smile back at her, ‘cause lets face it, my tough girl act just ain’t gonna wash out here in the sun when I’m wearing my own tiny bikini, and she’s being so God-damned nice.

She sits down beside me on the sun-lounger next to mine and just about sighs loud enough to wake the dead.

Buffy’s pov

I’m so glad I asked Faith to come here with me. Ok, so maybe I kind of gave her no choice, but I could tell she really wanted to, even though I think she thought I’d gone crazy or something. I just wanted her with me.

I’d convinced everyone that I wanted to go someplace on my own, Angel said he’d agree if he, or rather his gigantic new company could foot the bill so I was guaranteed a really good hassle free break. I started out wanting to go on my own. . .really. But then, about two days before I was due to go, I saw her. Faith. . .sitting by herself on the roof of the hotel.

She looked so lonely. I had the urge to go up behind her and wrap my arms around her. I can imagine what her reaction to that would have been. They’d probably still be walking around the dent in the pavement below I would have made.

It wasn’t pity that made me ask her, or some kind of attempt at healing the rift between us. I just realised I wanted her with me. I’m still not sure why, of all the people I could have taken. . .well, apart from Angel who wouldn’t really appreciate the whole sun aspect of the vacation. I’m really glad I asked Faith though.

She’s so different now. Almost calm. Although she’s still a bundle of unreserved energy at times. I like that about her now, though. I liked it all along really, but I was too busy being stuck up my own ass to let her know. Or let myself know for that matter.

It all went sour much too quickly between us and I regret that more than anything. I’d take it all back if I could, but I can’t. So I guess I’ll just have to try my best this time. To let her know I’ve changed too.

I guess I wasn’t expecting to get on with Faith once we’d settled into taking time out at Angel’s hotel, but I did. We didn’t spend a whole lot of time together because she’d keep herself at a distance, probably thinking we wouldn’t want her too involved. I kinda think Will and Xander didn’t want her involved, but I did. I went along with the gang though because I was too busy reeling from the day Sunnydale crumbled before my eyes, and Spike lost his life. . .again.

The time went pretty quickly for me, like I was just waiting for something to jump up and say “ha, fooled you, the world is defiantly ending this time and there’s not a thing you can do about it.” I was in a bit of a daze, just getting through each day, not knowing where the hell we would be headed once things settled down.

It hit me one morning that I wanted to take a vacation. I don’t know where the idea came from, but once I had it in my head, that was it, I had to do it. All I knew was that I wanted to go alone, to get away from everything. To take a breather so I could come back and take control of my life again.

But like I said, alone wasn’t gonna to do it for me after I saw how fragile Faith could look. It almost brings tears to my eyes. The feeling of just wanting to hold her and let the crap we piled onto each other just slip away. I can feel it now, even though she looks more than happy, smiling up at me with those damn sexy dimples on display.

I always thought she was sexy, and it always freaked me out. I think she kinda had an idea, so she’d flirt all the more with me to put me on edge. Maybe if it hadn’t been for Angel. . .no, I still don’t think I would have dared tell her how much I liked her. It wasn’t something I even dared to think. Although trying not to think of Faith in a sexual way is an extremely difficult task. If not damn near impossible.

I hated that I still wanted her even after she’d turned to the mayor. It felt wrong in the first place, so after that I thought I’d lost my mind. I felt so guilty. So mixed up. I handled it all wrong. I handled her all wrong, right from the start.

She deserved the truth, not some poor attempt at keeping her involved just enough, without letting her get too close. I screwed up big time and by the time she came round from the coma and decided to bitch it up some more, I’d given up on us ever even being friends. She hurt me. In more ways than she’ll ever know.

I think I kinda fell for her around the time she suggested we go to the Homecoming dance together. It wasn’t hard to do. What was hard was trying to act like I didn’t wanna be with her all the time, and that I was only interested in her as a so called ‘fellow slayer’. It pulled at me so much, and Angel being around just confused me all the more.

But I’m not confused anymore. I’m older and wiser. . .as pathetically clichéd as that sounds. I know I don’t wanna run from the way she makes me feel anymore. I’m not sure exactly what that means, and I’m fairly certain any interest she once had in me is long gone, but at least now I can say it to myself without wanting to go and purge my soul or something.

I want her. I want us to be together because it feels like that’s the way things are meant to be between us. God, she looks so damned gorgeous right now with the sun bronzing her skin. I can make out a thin sheen of perspiration covering where the small red bikini doesn’t hide her from me.

I want to reach over and run my fingers across her toned stomach, to touch her and feel her powerful muscles jump for me. I’ve waited too long to allow myself to think of her in such a way, and now I can’t stop. We’ve been here together for a week, and I’m finding it so hard not to ask her if we could ever be more than just friends.

I don’t know what her answer would be. Really, I have no clue. She doesn’t give anything away these days. At least back when she first came to Sunnydale I could get a hint from the flirting and the sly looks. Now, it’s like she daren’t cross over some imaginary line. Not that I can blame her after everything that’s happened.

But I’m finding myself watching her more and more. I feel like a damn pervert, but she’s so. . .she’s just so desirable. I’ve never met any body else as beautiful as Faith, and she’s only improved with age. I just hope she’s not thinking I’m only keeping my eye on her because I think she might suddenly go all ‘revenge’ on me again.

I don’t want her to believe I don’t trust her, or like her even, because obviously I do. I guess I’m just gonna have to watch out for any sign that she’s thinking of me in the same way. Sometimes I think I catch her looking at me, like she wants more from our tentative friendship, but I’m beginning to think I’m maybe imagining it because she covers herself so well now.

God, why does she have to look so good? I can’t do anything but want to just kiss those perfect lips, or feel her against my fingertips. I feel like drowning in those chocolate eyes of hers. I keep having to pull myself away in case she just doesn’t feel the same, and it’s so hard having her so close but not close enough.

I sit up and watch her at night as she sleeps, just so I can look at her. She frowns sometimes, dreaming no doubt, and I wanna move over to her bed and crawl in beside her. Jesus, just imagining how good it would feel to have her hot skin against mine under the cover of the moon. It makes me wet.

Hell, Faith just has to look at me a certain way and I’m wet for her.

“B? You ok?”

What? Oh, I’m being talked to, concentrate, pervert. “Yeah. Why?”

“You just seem a little quiet,” she tells me, looking all concerned and adorable.

I’m too busy thinking about you naked and pressed up against me to talk, is what I feel like saying, though I actually tell her, “I’m just a little tired I guess.”

And now she’s laughing at me and I don’t know why.

“Tired? You haven’t done anything from the minute we stepped off the plane, B. In fact, I’m surprised you didn’t call down to the front desk this morning to have someone come up and brush your teeth,” she laughs even louder.

I love it when she laughs. Although, I’m not too keen on it being at my expense.

“Hey. You haven’t exactly done too much yourself there. Unless you call lazing around half naked by the pool doing something. You wanna be careful the other guests don’t mistake you for a piece of art or something.” Is that really what I meant to say? She’s looking at me with kind of a puzzled half smile going on. . .and it’s so cute.

For Faith at least.

“So you think I look like a piece of art? That’s sweet, B. I never knew ya cared.”

She’s wiggling her eyebrows and laughing again now, and something tells me I just let flirty Faith outta the bag a little.

Go me.

Faith’s pov

Man, that chick can say the strangest things. From the looks of it though, she didn’t quite mean it to come out the way it did. Not that I’m complaining. Hey, it was almost a compliment, and I’m not gonna look a gift horse and all that crap.

“No need to get a big head, Faith. When I said art, I meant that weird contemporary stuff that always looks out of place,” she says, and all I feel is. . .ouch. “No wait. . .” she takes one hell of a breath and continues. “I don’t mean that at all. I can’t even pretend that I meant that for the benefit of my own pride and stubbornness. You know you’re beautiful, and stunning, and all the rest, so you don’t need me confirming the fact that you are. . .beautiful. Do you want another drink? I’m going to the bar,” she blurts out.

She’s already half way across the damn pool area before I can even blink.

Where the hell did that just come from? And no. . .I didn’t know that I’m beautiful or whatever, but I’m guessing she just kinda told me. So what the hell does that mean? From the blush and the fact she just ran off before I could say anything, well, if it were anyone but Buffy I’d be thinking she was letting me know she’s interested, if ya know what I mean. But it was Buffy so now I’m just confused, and that’s not the only thing that’s confused me since we got here.

I’ve been imagining her watching me all the time, or at least I think I’m imagining it. She looks away before I can catch her eye. At first I thought she was just wary of me, but then why would she insist I come here with her if she thought I was gonna flip any minute? Maybe there’s something more to it.

I know she was a little tempted way back, before everything went crazy. I could see it in her eyes, but I knew she’d never go for it no matter how many hints I dropped. I don’t think even Buffy could have changed that much, to the point where she’d be willing for us to try at being something more to one another. I’d love it to be true, despite all the baggage we’ve got between us, ‘cause I know it would be worth it.

Maybe I should test the water a little. She’s relaxed out here, away from the scoobs, the pressure, and Angel. It couldn’t hurt to push the boundaries. Hell, I’ve been holding back so fucking much around her it’s starting to give me some kinda repetitive strain injury. I haven’t really got a lot to lose I guess, ‘cause I’m pretty sure I don’t figure in her plans to put her life back in order. So this is as good a time as any, and I’m sick of holding it all in.

It’s about time I hit her with some moves to see how far she’ll let me push it. I haven’t got past the want with her in my want, take, have philosophy. I can’t let it slide any longer.

I want to show her how much she affects me. Then take her to the limits of pleasure and back. And have her by my side for the rest of my life.

I get up and wander over to the hotel bar. Buffy’s not in here so I guess she must have shocked herself at her little revelation and disappeared for a while. That’s cool, ‘cause she can’t take back what she said, and I ain’t gonna forget it. From the look in her eyes when she blurted it out, I know she meant it, and it feels real good inside to know that she thinks of me like that. Even if she doesn’t wanna do anything about it, at least I’ll know.

I’m up in our room now, drying my hair from the long shower I just took. Buffy must have breezed in and out earlier and changed. I’m not too worried, ‘cause she can’t exactly go far, or avoid me for long. She’s a brat still, but I’m guessing she won’t totally freak out and leave just because she told me a little too much about what she thinks of me.

She’ll come in with that cutesy pouty face on, doing her best to look all innocent. She pulls it off well, but I’m just wondering what’s really going on in that pretty little head of hers. Maybe she has been watching me. Fuck. . .then I’ll give her something good to look at from now on.

I finish drying off my hair and pull on some shorts, I don’t bother with a tee shirt and just stick to the black bra I have on. It’s hot in here and I wanna get in some sit-ups and stuff before crawling into the cool white sheets of my bed. Maybe I shoulda had the shower after this, but then again I’ll only need one in the morning anyway. There’s like a fucking heat-wave going on around here or something.

I do a couple of stretches to loosen me up, then I get into a quick work out. I’m just on my sit-ups when Buffy comes back in. I’m lying on the floor facing the door, knees up, legs spread, half naked and looking a little sweaty, and I’m thinking she’s gonna need help to close her mouth. I just grin and lean back on my hands, waiting for her next move, if she’s got one.

“I. . .err, thought you might have been in bed. Not that I think you should be, or not. I’m gonna take a shower,” she says rapidly.

But the thing is, she isn’t moving.

She’s standing there looking me over, her green eyes darker than I’ve seen them in a long time. Like she’s on the prowl for vamps. . .or sex. It’s making me hotter than I was already. I want her to get the hell down here with me and sit on my face, but that ain’t gonna happen ‘cause she’s pulling her eyes away from me. I look deep into them before she starts to turn, and I’m as sure as I’m gonna be without her telling me, that she wants me as more than just her friend.

As she heads for the bathroom I feel my heart pounding in my chest. Fucking butterflies that I just don’t do by the way, are flipping about inside me. I’m falling deeper in love with her and I can’t stop myself.

I take a deep breath and wrestle with myself, almost literally, to stop from going into the bathroom after her. I don’t wanna push it too far too soon, so I strip down to just my thong and get into bed. I’m hot, and horny, and wet for the little blonde currently naked and probably thinking about me in the shower. I don’t wanna risk getting caught and touch myself though, so I suppose I’ll just have to grit my teeth and try to sleep.

I’ll watch out for the fact I’m almost sure she never goes to sleep before me too. I caught her watching me the other night, without her realising. I didn’t know why, but now it kinda adds up. I’ve watched her sleep too in the past, ‘cause it was the only way I just got to look at her. Funny how things can turn around on ya when you think there’s just no way they would.

I couldn’t be happier if I’ve got it right though, which I’m pretty sure I have right now.

Buffy’s pov

Who the hell is shining that big bright shiny thing on me? Oh right, that’s called the sun, ‘cause it’s morning, and that’s what happens when you leave the blinds open to let as much fresh air in as possible. If only it had a volume control though. One that turned down the brightness. But then I guess that wouldn’t be a volume control, it would be a dimmer switch, but that’s just. . .Oh my God, Faith isn’t wearing a top.

I blink.

Why would she do that?

It isn’t fair of her to just lay there with the sheets half way down when she has no top on. It makes me. . .makes me wanna look, which makes me wanna touch, and then comes the whole urge to taste, and then she’d wake up and wonder what the hell I was doing.

She has such nice breasts. They kinda go well with the rest of her. They look all soft and. . .I always wondered what colour her nipples would be, and now I know. They’re darker than mine, and really, really tempting. I’d love to get them all hard so I could suck on them. I have to stop looking. I’m getting wet at the thought of her breasts in my mouth.

Jesus, it was bad enough last night to walk in on her on the floor like that. It was obvious what she was doing, but it just looked so hot. Like she was offering herself to me. From the look in those gorgeous dark eyes, I kinda think she was in a way. I panicked and ran off to the shower. It took me twenty minutes to pluck up the courage to come back in. I don’t know why.

There she was, her eyes telling me exactly what I wanted to know, but I got scared. Just like old times. Well, I’m not gonna do that again. I’m not gonna run again. Next time I’ll just have to give her a little surprise.

And I don’t mean like blurting out that she’s beautiful and embarrassing myself beyond belief again.

She’s waking up. I love the way she looks all confused and ruffled in the morning. It’s a cute side to Faith I doubt many people have ever witnessed.

“Fuck. . .what fucking time is it?”

Ok, maybe not so cute. Definitely not when her voice is all thick and lush like that, sending shivers up my spine.

“I dunno, I just woke up,” I tell her. And want to ask her to please cover herself up before I melt into the mattress. Oh great, now she’s stretching.

Just look at that perfect toned stomach. No wait. . .no looking for anybody else, she’s mine damnit.

I’d love to run my tongue right up the middle of her stomach, up between her breasts, flick it over her tight little nipple until she begged me to suck on her. And now I’m stopping, because she’s looking at me funny.

She’s looking at me funny ‘cause I’m still staring at her fucking breasts. I know that grin. It’s telling me I’ve been caught red-handed. And now I just know I’m blushing. I so wanna run, but I’m not gonna, I’m just going to look away slowly like eyeing up her general chest area is the most natural thing in the world for me to be doing. Shit, right now that’s exactly what it feels like, and she’s not jumping up and down on my head with her boots on, so that’s gotta be a positive sign.

“Did you sleep well?” I ask, as calmly as I can.

Fuck, what kinda dumbass question is that to ask a girl that could sleep quite happily by the side of a freeway?

“Err, yeah, B. I’m fucking roasting right now though,” she says, stretching her arms over her head.

It is way too hot in here. But I just thought it was me getting turned on by the hot chick in the bed next to mine.

I don’t want to get up yet. It strikes me as too much effort to actually move. Plus, I don’t want Faith to suddenly find some clothes. I don’t think she minds the fact that I can’t keep my eyes off her for more than two seconds, so I say stay naked. I’m all for the practically naked Faith, especially now that her nipples are getting a little hard from the almost constant attention of my eyes on them. God, she’s so fucking attractive.

“Do you wanna ring down for some popsicles or something?” I ask. Yunno, so that maybe I could stick one down my pants to put out the fire.

“Sounds like a plan, B.”

She leans over to the telephone on the table between our beds, and calls room service, as I make it clear I’m not watching her. Although obviously I am. She’s closer now so it’s hard not to. I could just reach out and touch, but it’s too soon to tell for sure that I won’t get a smack round the head. I like my brain in my skull, not poking half way out my ear, which I’m sure is where it would end up.

“They’re on their way,” she says all smiles and dimples as she jumps up to go to the toilette.

I think somebody needs to stand up and take a bow, as I sing a little song about the wonder of the thong. I just got a good eyeful of grade A slayer booty, and I’m tensing up in places I didn’t even know I had.

Have I mentioned that Faith is one fucking sexy bitch? I don’t tend to go around using language like that willy nilly, but she’s exactly that. And Faith does have a tendency to bring the bad out in me.