Return Of Faith
by amaluv2000

Things never, ever seemed to go her way. She always seemed to manage and get hooked up with the wrong crowd, doing things she shouldn't have done. She thought all of that was going to change after the "call" came. She thought it was her chance to change. Her chance at a life that held meaning and purpose, only it didn't quite work out that way.

She had a lot to think about over the past few years. She could see all of her mistakes now. She would relive all of those moments thinkin' "if only." If only she hadn't been scared. If only she hadn't been jealous. Her life might have been different now if it weren't for that one-second she can never get back. Yet part of her knew that she would have found some other way to self-destruct and in the end, she ended up in the very same place she had always feared.

Today was the day, today she was getting out. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach as she stood outside the prison walls. She felt as if she were in a dream, yet she was wide awake. She had forgotten how good the sun could feel on her face. She had forgotten what real air smells like. She closed her eyes for a second and took it all in. She was free. Today, Faith was finally free.

Part of her wanted to run as quick and as far as her slayer legs could take her. Go some place where no one knew her. A place where no one knew what she was, or what she had done. Faith wanted a real clean slate this time. But part of her knew that she had to find a way to make up for the mistakes from before. And that now was the time to do just that.

The cab dropped her off in front of a hotel. Once again the butterflies made themselves cozy within the confines of Faith's gut.

"What the hell am I gettin' myself into?" Faith mumbles.

Faith pushed the door open just enough to look in. Just incase she might change her mind and decide that now wasn't the time to start her path down the road of redemption. Upon her glance inside, Faith observed a rather attractive blonde in the lobby and an appreciative grin crept across her face.

"Hmm. This might not be so bad after all." She thought to herself.

Just as Faith walked through the door, The source of Faith's grin revealed herself.

"Cordelia?" Faith said as if in shock.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the psycho slayer herself, kill anyone on your way here Faith?" fired Cordelia.

"Christ C, still the mega bitch ain'tcha." retorted Faith.

"Still the low class whore?" Cordy shot back.

Faith sauntered her way over toward Cordy until they stood face to face.

"You got a pretty nasty mouth on ya C. Be a shame if somebody had to shut it for ya." Faith growled.

"If you think you're woman enough Faith. But just so you know, I've picked up a few tricks since that last shot to the face you gave me." Cordy warned.

Faith let out a wicked laugh.

"Hmm C, somehow the idea of you and tricks seem to go hand in hand. Nice to see that some things ain't changed."

Before Cordy could say anything, Angel come down the stairs.

"Personally, the whole catfight fantasy doesn't really do it for me." He quipped.

"Aw, Angel, me and psycho-slut were just getting reacquainted that's all. You know catching up, reliving old times like when she tried to kill all of us, broke my nose and tortured Wesley."

"That's enough Cordy. I get the picture."

"If I were you Angel, I'd keep that bitch of yours on a very short leash."

"I got your bitch right here C." Faith said grabbing her crotch.

"Alright Cordy, Faith I said that's enough."

"Whatever." Cordy huffs as she stalks away.

"What can I say Faith, Cordelia is..."

"I get it. No big Angel. I can handle C. I just want to thank you for giving me a place to crash until I sort shit out."

"I gave you my word Faith. I meant it when I said I would help you."

"Yeah, well I've had more than my share of being screwed over, so ya know kinda makes it hard to deal when, ya know, somebody actually comes through for me."

"I know Faith. Let's just take it one step at a time. Tell you what, why don't you go pick a room and get settled. We can talk later, okay?

"Cool."

Angel gave Faith a reassuring smile and she made her way to the elevator all the while berating herself for allowing Cordy to get under her skin. As much as she hated to admit it, she had it coming to her. And if she was going to start making up for her past mistakes, here was the place she had to start first.

"Clean slate." She said out loud

 

Faith chose a room with the least amount of clutter. Just the basics, bed, lamp, nightstand, chair and wardrobe. The bare minimum made for more space in Faith's mind's eye. Space was definitely something she had very little of these past few years. Therefore she learned the value of it. The added bonus of this particular room was a window with a great view of the street below.

She tossed her backpack on the bed and walked over to the window. The only things that she saw over the past several years were concrete walls adorned with barbed wire and steel fencing. And animals trapped inside with absolutely no where to go. And now looking out the window, she saw people coming and going as they pleased and the very idea of that made Faith both happy and bitter.

 

Not knowing what do, Faith walked back down stairs to see what Angel was up to.

"So what now Angel?" Faith let out in a bored tone

"Um...Don't know?

"So like I what, wait until something happens?

"It's kind of what we usually do."

"Oh great. What kind of Mickey Mouse op are you running here dude?"

"C'mon Faith, it isn't like that. It's not like we can go door to door doing this line of work."

"So this is what, down time?"

"If you want to look at it that way. Sure why not. What do you feel like doing?"

"I dunno. Kinda the first time in a long time I've actually had that option."

"Tell you what, why don't you go out for a while. Get a feel for the place. Probably been some changes since you've been away."

"Okay. Actually, I can hang with that idea. Check ya later Deadboy."

As Faith leaves, Cordelia returns to the lobby.

"So..." she sighs.

"So, what?"

"So, where's the poster girl for the criminally and fashionably insane?"

"Cordy." Angel lets out, exasperated.

"Oh come on Angel. How do you expect me to react?"

"I guess I was expecting you to be a little more tolerant. You know, you've changed a lot since Sunnydale. You've grown a great deal Cordy. You're a whole lot more understanding now than you were then. Let's give Faith the benefit of the doubt."

"Please don't make with the flattery Angel. Faith is incapable of change. Besides, it's going to take more than an apology and girlie talk to make me change my mind about her."

"I'm not asking you to be her pal, Cordelia. I'm just saying, try not to go out of your way to make it hard on her, that's all. Trust me, she's doing a good job of that herself. And after all, aren't we suppose help the helpless here at Angel Investigations?"

"Whatever."

"That's the spirit."

"Oh, just bite me. Um...on second thought..."

 

As Faith is walking, she thought, that she's never walked just for the sake of walking, but walked only because she had to get from point "A" to point "B."

"Hmm, B."

A scream from the shadows interrupts Faith's thoughts

"Help!" a frantic female's voice cries out.

It came from the alley behind a tattoo parlor, Faith feels her legs start to move, her heart pump, and her adrenaline rush. A familiar feeling resurfaced for Faith. The feeling that told her, that the game was on.

"Lookie what we got here. Hey handsome, how's 'bout you forget the skirt and dance with me instead?" Faith drawled

"Huh..." grunted the clearly confused vamp.

Before he could figure out what was going on, Faith charged him and knocked him to the ground. She rolled off of him and planted her left heel square into his chest. She could hear something crack and that was all the incentive she needed to drop another blow.

"Um, you might wanna run, like now!" She said over her shoulder to the young woman who was attacked.

The woman takes Faith up on her advise and tears down the alley. And Faith went back to doing what she did best. However, the slight interruption gave the bloodsucker a chance to regroup, and he had quickly turned the tables. She hated to admit it, but she was a little rusty. She felt a little off, in terms of her timing.

"This son of a bitch would have never gotten the drop on me so fast if this were a few years ago. No big though, just means we're gonna dance a little longer than I expected," Faith thought to herself.

She gave him a head butt to the face. The sweet sound of bones crushing rings in her ears again. That gave her a moment to grab his wrist and give it a slight twist to get enough leverage to flip him over, pulled out her stake and put the poor bastard out of his misery.

"God, how I've missed my job."

Faith began to head back to the hotel. And she was feeling pretty damn good at the moment even though the slay had been far too easy. But to Faith, it still felt good. It felt like being home again.

Before the smile could cross her lips She felt a whack on her head and fell face first into the pavement.

"How's that taste slayer?"

Faith was a little dazed and tried to make sense of what just happened, but the vamp repeatedly kicked her in the smalls of her back. The pain shot through her body and she felt the rising of her anger.

Faith could hear him preparing to deliver another shot, so she rolled out of the way and managed a foot sweep to bring him down. With a quick shot to the trachea, Faith was able to stun him. She pulled out her trusty stake once again and lunged forward, but he blocked her, then grabbed her wrist and with is feet, flipped her over with enough momentum to send her sailing into a brick wall.

Faith's back hit the wall with more thump than she had expected. Probably thinking it was his lucky day, the vamp walked over to Faith with a little swagger to his gait. So before he could get any closer, Faith did a forward shoulder roll and dusted him.

Although she was hurting, Faith was alive. And to her, that was a good thing.

"Gee, Faith looks like you been rolling around in the gutter. Didn't think you would take it to heart when Angel told you to make yourself at home."

"Not in the mood for your shit C."

"What, the big bad psycho-slayer can't handle what a mere ex- cheerleader dishes out?"

"If you must know C, I was just in a scrap with two vamps, and I am a little more banged up than I'd anticipated, so I'm just not up to for it now."

"Oh." Cordy's voiced slightly softened.

"Look C, I know you don't like me, never have, probably never will. And it's not like I'm that crazy about you either, but seein' hows we're gonna be around each other sometimes, do you think you could at the very least not break mine every chance ya get and especially right now?

"Faith, puh-leeze. What am I suppose to do? Feel sorry for you now just because you got your ass kicked? Not after everything you've done to Wes, to my classmates, and to me? You should be so lucky to be a little 'banged up' after what you did to my face." Cordy spat.

"Is that what'll take to get ya offa my back?"

"What?" Cordy said slightly confused.

"You want pay back for the busted grill? Go ahead, give me your best shot. That way we'll be even."

Faith could see Cordy thinking it over. She could even see her picturing what it would be like. How it might make her feel. And Faith couldn't help but smile. She got a perverted sense of pleasure of watching Cordy's inner conflict play out before her very eyes. And if Faith were being honest, she would admit that she got pleasure just watching her.

"I don't have to sink down to your level Faith. I'm better than you are. I don't have to inflict pain on others just to make me feel better about myself. That's your trip, not mine." Cordy finally lets out.

"Hmm...I guess so, Queen C. I guess you can afford to be better than most folks when you develop selective memory. But thanks for the news flash C. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a hot bath with my name on it. Night."

With that, Faith walked upstairs. She could feel the rage stoking from deep down. Although Cordy had a legitimate beef with Faith, she knew she wouldn't be able to continue taking Cordelia's scathing remarks without eventually doing some major damage. Faith hated that Cordy stuck her nose in the fact that was she better than Faith. But she was going to show her, she was going to show them all. Faith was going to prove to them that she had what it took to do it the right way this time around.

 

Faith was thinking how funny it was that most people took some of the simplest of pleasures for granted. She found contentment just lying there in the bathtub feeling nothing more than the heat from the water. It sure did beat the hell out of a lousy fifteen minutes in a communal shower.

She finally got out when the water became tepid. She felt 110% better than she did about an hour ago. Grabbing a towel from the door knob, She started dry off and walked back into the bedroom but, just as she tossed the towel at the foot of the bed, the door flew open.

"Look Fai...Oops!"

"Um C... I know I've been in the joint and all, but last I checked, I distinctly rememberin' that it is customary to knock before enterin' someone's room."

"Sorry." Cordy said, clearly embarrassed.

"Uh, think maybe you can shut the door? Kinda drafty."

"I don't freakin' believe it. C's blushin'. And if I didn't know any better, I'd say she was checkin' me out too. Nah, couldn't be, not Cordelia Chase, friend of sperm." Faith thought to herself.

"Faith, um, think maybe you could slip something on?" trying to shield her eyes.

"Aw, c'mon C, I'm sure I ain't got nothin' you've never seen before." Faith said in an almost lewd tone.

"Please Faith. I just want to say what I have to say and leave. Just humor me and spare me the peep show." A now flustered Cordelia warbled.

"Well, how can I say no when you said 'Please'."

She couldn't help but grin as Cordy turned around to give her a moment of "privacy." As she slid on a pair of old shorts, Faith also couldn't help but admire the form before her. Faith studied Cordelia's long legs and the expanse of her hips, the firmness of her backside. To say that Cordy was beautiful would be an understatement. She most definitely was a vision of physical perfection, from well coifed head to pedicured toe.

Faith could see Cordy's shoulders tensing up. She thought that maybe the other woman could feel her eyes boring into her. And that thought turned her on. Well, actually anything right now would have turned her on, given that the slaying made her both horny and hungry. But Faith knew this was a little different. The feeling she had right now looking at Cordy, it was...electric.

"Okay princess, I'm decent. So, what is it that you had to tell me that was so important for you to bust in here unannounced?" breezed Faith.

"You were right earlier when you said that I didn't like you..."

"Hardly a' earth shatterin' revelation C..."

"Can I finish please?"

"I don't know C, can you?"

Cordy lets out a sigh and rolls her eyes. Faith grins, which seems to more so annoy the hell out of her.

"C'mon C, I'm just jerkin' your chain a lil'. I'm listenin'" Faith chuckles slightly.

"As I was saying, we don't like each other, but you were right when you said that we were going to be around one another. We should at the very least find a way to coexist relatively peacefully."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yes. Okay."

"Good."

"By the way C, I said I wasn't crazy about you. I didn't say I didn't like you."

"Oh. I'll make note of that then."

"Just sayin', if ya gonna go 'round quotin' me, at least get it straight."

"Whatever Faith." Cordy rolls her eyes

"Truce?"

"Truce, for now. But if you so much as..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, trust me I know the drill."

"Just so that we understand each other."

"It's all good C."

"Good. So are you okay?

"Huh?"

"The fight, are you okay from the fight?"

"Oh that. Yeah, I'm five by five. The soak did me good. Gonna hit the sheets now. Been a long day."

"Alright. Goodnight then."

"'Night."

Cordy turned around to head out the door but hesitated for a second before she opened it and walked away. Faith didn't know what just happened, but all of a sudden, for the first time, She felt like things might actually be okay.

 

It's been six months. For six whole months Faith has been on the straight and narrow. She convinced herself to take each day as it came. Although that sounded really lame to her, it was the only thing she could do. Those first few months were tense to say the least. Wesley was a little edgy at first, but started to come around when he saw how hard Faith was trying, how much effort she put into redeeming herself. Lorne, Gunn and Fred were more receptive. With them she didn't have to worry about the baggage of her past. They accepted her as she was now and didn't judge her for who she was then. To Faith, that was a start.

Angel was the only one who truly accepted her, all of her. He was there for Faith during those rough patches when she didn't think she could make it. And he was the one who helped her get through it. Always willing to listen, yell at her, or if need be, even knock some sense into her. Point was, he was there.

As for Cordelia, well Cordelia was Cordelia. Despite herself, Faith couldn't help but smile whenever she thought of Cordelia. They were still far from friends, but Faith could see the change Cordy has undergone. A change that she both envied and respected. Faith didn't know what to make of the feelings she had for Cordy. Somehow she developed a soft spot for the girl and couldn't explain why. At first she just chalked it up to the fact that she was totally lusting after the seer. But as Faith continued to ponder the situation, she began to see that there was more to it than just that. And that revelation wasn't something she was prepared to deal with at the present time.

All of these things were crowding Faith's mind while she was going at the heavy bag in the makeshift gym Angel had in the basement of the Hyperion. She was so deep in her own thoughts, she didn't hear Cordelia come in. The seer came up behind the slayer suddenly, instinctively, Faith threw a punch, not realizing it was Cordelia behind her. To her credit, Cordelia was able to duck before Faith's punch could connect.

"Whoa, Faith!" Cordy shrieked.

"Dammit C! I could have done major damage just now. What were you thinkin', sneakin' up on me like that?"

"Sorry, I thought you heard me when I came in."

"Well, I didn't. Are you okay?"

Without thinking, Faith had grabbed her by the shoulders in a way that belied nothing akin to idle concern. The two women stood like that for a few moments before Cordelia shrugged out of Faith's grasp.

"I'm fine." Cordy asserted.

"I didn't mean to..."

"I know."

They stood there staring at each other amid confusion and awkward silence. Then finally, Faith cleared her throat and began to speak again.

"Um, just why did you come down here anyhow C?"

"Well, there was something I wanted to ask you."

"What do you want?" Faith blurted out, sounding far more harsh than she had intended.

"You know what, never mind. It was stupid of me to think I could ask anything of you in the first place."

'Shit.' Faith said to herself.

"I'm sorry C. I'm just a little jumpy is all. By all means, ask away."

'Okay, now I'm just plain pathetic. Goddamnit, what the hell is she doin' to me?'

"I was wondering if I could train with you?"

"Why you wanna do that?"

"It's not exactly a question of want. It's more like Angel and Connor still need the bonding time so he can't train with me."

"Why me? Why not Gunn or Wes?"

"Because as much as I hate to admit it, you are the best and if I'm going to learn how to handle myself, I should learn from the best"

"Are you sure about this, C? I mean I'm not much of the teachin' type. And I ain't exactly what you call disciplined either."

"Look Faith, if you don't want to do this just say so..." Cordelia huffed.

"Stop puttin' words in my mouth C. I just want to make sure you know just what it is you are gettin' yourself into. That's all."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, C. I'll train with you." Faith groaned.

"Great. So when can we start?"

"How about tomorrow?"

"Um, how about now?"

"No."

"Why not?

"Cuz."

"C'mon Faith, what are we in fifth grade? Surely you can do better than 'cuz.'"

"If you must know C, I'm kinda done here So I'm gonna go out for a little while tonight." Faith blurted.

"Oh. I didn't know you had plans." Cordy said, almost disappointed.

Faith noticed something had altered in Cordy's voice and felt the need to explain something to her but didn't know what it is was she was supposed to explain.

"I just need to get out for a while is all. Not exactly plans in the traditional sense." Faith offered.

"Tomorrow is good. Um, have fun. Just be sure there's a way we can contact you incase some big ugly decides to rear its head."

"I will."

They share another awkward silence before Cordelia walks out of the room, leaving Faith both frustrated and confused.

As Cordelia walked out, Faith cursed herself for her impulsivity. The very thought of that much physical contact with the seer was more than Faith could bear. The last thing Faith wanted, was for Cordy to find out that she was crushing on her.

 

To Faith, the bar seemed like a good place to go to forget all about her "Cordy situation."

"When in doubt, get shit faced." Faith said to herself aloud.

She sat at the bar and ordered a shot of tequila. And by the fifth one, she was feeling pretty damn good.

She had noticed that a tall, dark, and handsome guy had been cruising her since she sat down at the bar.

"It's been a while since I've driven stick. And I could use a nice, long ride right about now, that's for damn sure." She thought.

She walked out onto the dance floor and waited for him to make his move. The beats were thumping and she could feel herself get lost in them. It had been so long since she was able to do this. To just cut loose and lose herself in the oblivion of a wicked guitar riff.

"Ah, there he is. Dude thinks he's smooth, slidin' in behind me. Hm, not bad. Not bad at all. He just doesn't know what I've got in store for him. He'll be lucky if he'll be able to walk in a week when I'm through with him." Faith thought lasciviously.

"How about we take this little dance else where, beautiful?"

"Okay stud. Lead the way."

As they headed for the door, Faith's heart dropped straight to her stomach. She saw Cordelia on the other side of the dancefloor with a companion just as tasty as the one Faith just blew past, stalking her way over to where Cordy was holding court.

She could feel her heart pounding, only she couldn't figure out whether or not it was her jealously or her desire that was causing it to beat so rapidly. Her mind was racing and she was afraid of what she was capable of doing within the next thirty seconds or so, until she heard the music. A very sinister grin crept its way across the slayer's lips as she stood before the seer, seductively entangling her hands in her long, dark, unruly locks. Her hips, began to move languidly and suggestively, as she seized the spotlight that had just illuminated the former prom queen.

Cordelia, to her credit, remained cool, almost nonchalant, began to match Faith, gyration for gyration, until they were totally synchronized. They danced furiously with each as the air around them became undeniably, charged.

Their eyes remained locked on one other. Each daring the other to look away, walk away, daring the other to concede defeat. Yet, neither gave up ground. That is, until Cordelia decided to up the ante and left Faith and focused her attention on a new dance partner. Cordelia's maneuver only made Faith more...determined.

Faith came up behind Cordelia so that now she had her body pressed hard against hers. Faith instinctively placed her hand on Cordelia's hip and ground her hips into Cordelia's backside in tune with the music. All of Faith's senses became hyper aware and she could feel that all too familiar tingle begin to work its way through her body. She grew feverish with desire, "want, take, have," words that had ruled her in a former life, resurfaced. And she wasn't going to be denied.

Then it happens...

"Beeeeeeeeeep!"

The simultaneous ringing of cell phones brought Cordelia and Faith out of their battle of wills. Before Faith could process what had happened, they were already on their way back to the hotel.

 

Faith sat on the gym floor replaying the events of the past twenty- four hours over as she stretched stiff limbs. All she could think about was the feel of Cordelia 's body, the she smelled , all she could think about was how distracted she was during the run in they had with that Fyarl demon, which incidently was the reason why they were interrupted in the first place. Needless to say, Faith was not a happy slayer.

"So, how about that session?"

Cordelia said tauntingly as she stood in the archway of the door, arms folded across her chest, eyes blistering and mouth feral.

"What the hell, why not? 'Kay C, why dontcha show me whatcha got."

With that, Cordelia took a defensive stance. As far as Faith, could tell pretty basic move . After sizing her opponent up, Faith threw a punch only to have her wrist grabbed, then twisted and flipped onto the floor.

"Hm, not bad pompom girl, but..."

"But what?"

Faith put her in a leg scissors and brought Cordelia crashing down to the mat next to her, then she rolled over so that now she was on top of Cordelia with her hands pinned to just above her head.

"Once you have your opponent on the defensive princess, you never let up until he ain't movin'. Cuz if you don't you'll be the one who won't be movin'."

"Point taken. Now think maybe you could get the hell off of me."

As Faith was about to get up, she was seized by a moment of impulsivity and tightened her hold on the seer.

"Aw, c'mon princess, from the looks of it last night, I kinda thought maybe, you might like it rough."

"Faith I'm not joking, you're hurting me, please let me up."

"Not until you tell me what that was all about back at the bar last night."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Cordelia huffed.

"I'm talking about that little show you put on." Faith hissed back at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure ya do. Let me refresh your memory a little bit." Faith said cocking up her eyebrow. Then Faith began to slowly rock her hips against Cordelia's.

"Please stop." Cordelia rasped.

"What's wrong C, can't handle the work out? I thought this is what you wanted."

"I can handle anything you can dish...F. But what makes you think I want some common slut like you to even touch me?"

It took everything Faith had inside of her to suppress the overwhelming rage she was feeling at that exact moment. How could she possible think that she could fall in love with someone who was only capable of feeling nothing but contempt for her?

That was it. Faith realized she thought the unthinkable. She was in love with Cordelia. And in her realization, Faith slowly raised up off of Cordelia and silently walked away.

 

As the sting of hot water beat on her about the head, Faith couldn't wrap her brain around what had happened in the gym. Nor could she forget the sensation she felt when Cordelia's body was pent beneath her. Somehow everything suddenly became tangible, especially Cordelia's hatred of her. The culmination of all of it left her too raw for thoughts and words. And that's when she allowed tears fall along with the sting of hot water.

Just as Faith was wrapping a towel around her, a soft knock came from the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Cordelia. May I come in?"

Faith hesitates before she allows Cordelia entry. She wanted to brace herself for the onslaught of belittling remarks she was sure Cordelia had prepared for her assault against her. So she let out a deep breath and opened the door.

For a long minute all Cordelia could do was just look at her. The look in Faith's eyes made her stomach churn. She looked so...wounded.

"Why is it every time I come in here, I find you like this?" Cordelia said just above a whisper.

"Did you say sumthin'?"

"No." Cordelia lied.

"What do you want C?"

"I was jealous."

"'Xcuse me?"

"Last night at the bar, I was jealous."

"Of what?"

"I watched you dancing with that guy. Watched him all over you. I watched how easily you drew him in. Watched the effect you have on people with that all too available sexuality you weld like a broad sword. How with just a flash of those deep, dark eyes, you can reduce anyone to jelly. How that cocky grin of yours can make someone pissed and gooey all at the same time. You make it look so easy Faith."

"Humph. You think it's easy for me, huh C? Knowin' that all anyone sees in me is a nice piece of ass? You think it's easy convincin' yourself that's all you need, all you deserve, just an endless string of faces without names, bodies without commitments. Yeah C it's real fuckin' easy."

"That's not what I meant Faith."

"Then what did you mean C?"

"I..." Cordelia stopped suddenly and looked at Faith searching for the words to explain, but unable to find any. She walked toward her as if somehow if she got closer to the slayer, somehow the words would magically appear, that somehow everything would suddenly become clear. And as she stood before Faith, the right words did come.

"I wasn't jealous of you. I was jealous of him." She whispered.

"Of...him?

"Yeah. Of him."

"Why?"

Cordelia remained silent, and tried in vain to come up with a reason, any reason to explain away the feelings she was feeling toward a particular slayer. But there was nothing.

"You know what C, fuck it. You said what you had to say, now get out." Faith hissed.

Instead of leaving, Cordelia placed her hand on Faith's bare shoulder and trailed her fingers up Faith's neck and through her still damp hair, pulling Faith into her until their eyes were leveled.

"I didn't mean what I said back in the gym."

"Sure ya did C. You meant every word of it." Faith said pulling out of Cordelia's hold, walking over to the window.

"Do you realize how helpless you made me feel, holding me down like that?"

"I wasn't gonna hurt you," said Faith on the verge of tears

Cordelia was about to say something, but thought better of it. She knew that the time for words was over.

She walked over to the window and stood directly behind Faith. Cordelia wrapped her arms around the slayer and placed a light kiss on her shoulder, hoping for a reaction that would allow her to continue with the plan she formulated within the time it took to cross the dark room.

A steady stream of air escaped from Faith's lips and Cordelia took that a sign to continue. And continue she did. Cordelia's tongue traced up Faith's neck and to her earlobe.

"This is what I want Faith. I want you like this. In this room, wrapped in that towel, drenched in moonlight."

Faith turned in Cordelia's embrace to face her once more.

"Is this what you want, huh C, to fuck me?"

"No Faith. What I want has nothing to do with fucking. You think I don't see you Faith? You don't think I see how you bust you ass day in and day out for the cause? I see you Faith...I see you."

Faith couldn't hold back her tears any longer. Cordelia bent her down slightly and caught the first tear drop on her lips.

"Shhh...it's okay, everything is okay now." She whispered to Faith as she placed butterfly kisses all over her face.

"I want you too, Cordelia." Faith said breathlessly.

And with that, Cordelia reached her hand up and tugged the corner of the towel out of where it was tucked in. She took a few moments to marvel at the site before, a naked Faith illuminated by moonlight. It was a vision enough to make her cum right where she stood.

"You are so beau..."

Faith placed her index finger on Cordelia's lips,

"No more talking."

She removed her finger and replaced it with her lips for their kiss. At first is was tentative and then grew deeper as the emotional and the physical converged.

Their exploration began with the removal of Cordelia's clothing and then it was Faith's turn to revel in the seer's beauty. She was intent to experience every line and curve to it's fullest extent and experience she did. Allowing her tongue to traverse the distance between twin peaks, down the taunt line that led to the lushes of valleys. And Cordelia cried and moaned her approval and appreciation of the tour Faith took about her body. And she was just as content when her tour came. They continued their explorations throughout out the remainder of the night and well into the next morning. And as Faith watched Cordelia sleep, she felt a calm settle upon her and for the first time in her life, she knew how love truly felt.