summary:

TITLE: It's An Unlikely World Part 2 AUTHOR: halfofone
RATING: NC17 for language mainly CODE: F/W with some B/F and W/T
FEEDBACK: Yup. Tell me the truth.
SUMMARY: This is a Buffy The Vampire Slayer fic. Faith is thrown together
with an old enemy in prison.
WARNINGS: This jumps off from the end of BTVS season six and there are some spoilers. What happens next bears no relationship whatever to the events of season seven. This chapter contains a slightly disturbing depiction of Willow but I can promise that things will get better ....
DISCLAIMER: BTVS is the property of Mutant Enemy and Twentieth Century Fox. I'm just playing with their toys.
CREDITS: Not beta'd so beware and this is my first BTVS story. Thanks to Rachel for pointing out some problems in this chapter. I'm not sure I fixed them entirely but hopefully it is better.
PUBLISHED: 5 December 2002

disclaimer:

TPTB are many. In a perfect world I would be one of them but it's not and I'm not. No infringement of copyright/trade marks or other intellectual property is intended. This story was written for fun and not profit.

warnings:

Warning: This story includes same sex relationships between women. If you are offended by this or it is illegal where you live or you are underage then please read no further.

Full warnings, credits and disclaimers can be found in the contents page and chapter 1.

text:

Faith stood impatiently in line and waited to be searched before going through the doors of the visiting room. Willow was in front of her and Faith was doing her best to let everyone know that the red-head was hers. It didn't always work but a couple of guards owed their lives to her in the events of last year's riot and some of their pals were grateful to the slayer and would go easy where she was involved. She rested her hand on the wicca's shoulder.

"Spencer stop manhandling the red-head."

"Woman-handling Sir," she smirked and dropped her hand.

"Do you have to keep touching me?" Willow hissed.

"But you're my girl," Faith replied loud enough to start several women in the queue snickering. She smiled sweetly when Willow glared darkly at her but the smirk vanished as the witch's eyes burned coal black and she heard a voice inside her head.

'Don't ever say that again Slayer. I'm nobody's girl. Do you understand that Faith? Nobody's.' The voice was unmistakeably Willow's but darker and deeper. Faith felt fear trickle down her nerve ends. She swallowed the smart comeback and watched quietly as the wicca was not very diligently searched by two bored guards. The search of the slayer was equally cursory and the two women lined up ready to meet their visitors. She remembered Willow's words from earlier.

"Vengeance," she repeated just loud enough for Willow to hear. "Vengeance for what Wicca? You didn't say."

Willow ignored her.

The doors to the visitor area opened and the prisoners trooped in to look anxiously for family and friends. The room was large and overly bright, divided down the middle by a wall of open booths. An armoured glass partition ran along the centre of the line of booths, rising from floor to ceiling. No physical contact was allowed between the prisoners and their visitors; the only communication was via the phones installed on either side of the glass partition and even those conversations were policed by the guards who patrolled along the line listening unashamedly.

Faith felt that unique and vivid sensation, like a shot of whisky warming the inside of her skin, that warned of the presence of the other slayer. It was so strong she gasped a little, her recollection had been only a pale imitation and then she saw her. For a recently dead girl, Buffy didn't really look any different, she was laughing at something, Xander probably, and she looked good, a little heavy on the pastel colours but apart from that good.

B looked her way and the smile was wiped instantly, hostility shuttering the pretty face. Same old B thought Faith resignedly. Buffy had many good reasons to hate her, Faith knew that, but it irked her nonetheless, she couldn't help wanting the other slayer to feel differently.

The younger slayer strolled towards the booth with as much attitude as she could muster while dressed in the ugly prison overalls.

B settled back with folded arms to watch the other slayer approach; her face was set to mask any feeling but Faith could feel the contempt.

She pulled her own chair back and sat down, stretching out her legs and folding her arms in reply. For twenty long seconds neither made any move to pick up the phones, they just eyeballed each other. Faith folded first, reaching to pick up the phone. As she did so she smiled wryly at her own behaviour; in the past she would sooner have died than give B any satisfaction. Buffy didn't crack a smile but she did pick up the phone.

"B."

"Faith."

They sat and looked at each other for another lengthy pause.

"Okay?" asked Buffy tersely her expression clearly suggesting that the chosen one didn't really give a shit.

"Been worse," said Faith matching the indifference. "You?"

"Been better."

The silence stretched out again. Faith decided to have another go and this time about something Buffy cared about too.

"Any word on Angel? Red tells me he's been missing for awhile."

"No. Not from Cordy either." But Buffy hardly looked interested and Faith could feel her patience draining away.

"B, do you want something? Because if you don't then why don't we just not."

"If anything happens to Willow, I'll kill you." Buffy's voice was harsh and Faith twigged that the great B was really worried, perhaps even frightened. Faith smirked. The stuck-up little bitch had always been a control freak so the thought of Faith being the only one in a position to look out for her best friend must be killing the blonde.

"I see we're done with the pleasantries. So you let Red down and now you're all big with the guilt, but if you're asking me to protect her blondie then believe me you have this backward. I don't think Wanda the Wicked there needs much protection."

Buffy looked immediately concerned. "She musn't use magic Faith, not yet, she's too unstable."

"What the hell is all this about B."

Buffy closed down again. "Protect her and don't let her use magic. You know all you need to know," she said. Faith felt the old familiar exasperation.

"I am not going to do anything B until you let me know what shit is going down. You have given me fucking diddly-squat. If I'm going to protect her I need to know the truth B, the whole fucking truth." Faith was furious but she kept her voice to an angry whisper. "You always do this to me. You always treat me like the shitty sidekick who's too stupid to be told what's going on and just has to follow fucking orders."

Buffy looked down, feeling the truth of the younger slayer's words, annoyed with herself for letting Faith put her in the wrong again. For an evil two-faced killer, Faith always understood too much and she was a world-class expert at making Buffy take the blame.

"This guy, Warren, thought he was a big-shot villain, anyway I trashed him and he came looking for vengeance. He shot me and a stray bullet killed Tara. She died in Willow's arms."

"Tara," said Faith slowly, remembering a single encounter with the shy young woman. "Blond chick who hung out with Willow?"

"Tara, who Willow loved more than the world, so much that after torturing and killing Warren, Willow decided to end the world. She nearly succeeded."

"And then you turned her over to the cops."

"Of course not. It's not my idea that she's in here," blurted Buffy. "I didn't know .... until it was too late. Do you think I would let Willow go to jail?"

"Regular justice is not for you and yours is it B? It was different with me though," said Faith bitterly and she imitated Buffy's righteous earnestness. "You killed a man Faith, an innocent man. You must be punished." Buffy ignored the provocation and continued her abridged update.

"Giles was trying to arrange for some witchy coven to take Willow in for retraining, teach her to control her power but before we could get her on a plane for England she went to the police. Faith you have to understand how dangerous things are for Willow right now."

"Why don't you just tell me the sitch? And explain to me why your cute little Wicca turned herself in."

Buffy looked worried. "I don't know why but I can guess. I don't think Willow wants to face the music, I think she's here to buy herself some time. Faith, she could walk out of here, or fly, anytime she chooses."

********

In the next booth Willow sat across from Xander and tried not to cry again.

" ..... We're going to get you out of here Will. Giles found a lawyer who thinks she can get you off. They don't have anything except your confession...."

"Please don't," she said softly.

"But why?" Xander could hardly look at her in the prison uniform. She was his best friend, smart, sensitive and lovable - she was the last person on earth who should be in a place like this. He beat his fist gently on the table. "We could just take you out of here right now. Just the three of us, go on the lam."

"A jail-break," Willow smiled a little. "I don't think that would be great idea."

"You can't stay here Will, it's full of unnatural people."

"Like lesbians?"

"No! Evil people, murderers, freaks."

"Like me."

"Would you stop with the word twisting!" He banged his fist on the table. "What you did ... you weren't in your right mind. It wasn't really you."

"It was me. I belong in here with the murderers and freaks. Xander I couldn't promise you right now that I would never do ... that again. I feel it inside me all the time."

"What do you feel?" he asked trying to understand. Her eyes darkened and Xander felt fear prickle his skin.

"Power. Power running under my skin, along my nerves, through my veins, beating with my heart." Her voice became deeper and it occurred to Xander that maybe talking to Willow about her swim on the dark side wasn't too bright. He grinned nervously.

"Yeah I grant you, that's quite a feeling you have there Will, but Giles has a whole merry band of Wicca sisters to help you with that!"

"I'm not sure I trust Giles."

"Hey! I'd be there with you!"

"I'm not sure I trust you either."

"Okay ... the not trusting's a problem but that's no reason to want to stay here. There's no-one you trust in this place."

"There's Faith."

Xander looked at her unbelievingly. "You trust Faith! Of all people Will. She tried to kill you, me, all of us."

"Like me then. See I belong here. Look Xander, don't think I don't appreciate that you and Buffy have stood by me despite everything but I can't just return to normal like nothing happened. Tara died and I murdered a man. Everything's different."

"But Will, remember what Giles said, going to England was not the easy option, it was going to be damned hard."

"Perhaps I want the easy way out then."

"Will please. We are really worried about you. You know this could still go either way for you if you don't ...."

WIllow interrupted him gently. "Yes I know, 'don't give in to the dark side Luke'." She smiled affectionately and for a brief instant Xander thought his sweet Willow was back but she shrugged resignedly and said slowly, "I think the dark side already has me Xander."

Xander put his head in his hands.

********

"So you get this Faith, if Willow continues to use magic without the proper... " Buffy hesitated as she tried to remember the words Giles used, " ... harmonious corpuscle" She frowned that didn't sound right, "she'll become evil again and this time we might not be able to stop her. So you have the full picture; no magic and she has to get out of here."

"You want to break her out?"

"Well that shouldn't be necessary if we can talk her into taking back her confession. She hasn't been to trial yet. But Faith if we can't get her out any other way then we may have to, whether she wants to go or not."

"Won't it be a little difficult to kidnap the most powerful wicca in the west?"

"Yes which is why we want to try persuasion first." Buffy shrugged. "Whatever it takes to save my best friend."

"And you expect me to help."

"Aren't you in here to make amends Faith? Then make some. Don't let Willow destroy herself forever."

***************

Faith stared at the lines running along the ceiling. She had only been in this cell for four months but she already knew all the patterns and cracks in the concrete. She could even visualise them when she shut her eyes. This was one boring ceiling, she was sure it had taken twice as long to memorise the last cell. It was not much of a hobby but what the hell, she had to make her own entertainment in the long sleepless nights.

Willow had been very quiet after they returned to the main cell block, even Manny had totally failed to get anything out of her about her visit despite speculating wildly. The snitch had managed to catch sight of the visitors by bribing a fellow prisoner to let her into a cell block that overlooked the main entrance to the prison. She couldn't think of the last time she had seen two such beautiful young people and her inquisitive little nose was almost visibly twitching.

"Why he's a very attractive young man you have there Rosenberg. Are you gonna git married?" she asked while standing beside the red-head, watching her brush her teeth.

Willow shook her head and said nothing but her expression was quite benevolent and Manny was a little encouraged.

"I suppose them two are a couple. It's very strange that you should end up here with Faithy and then they visit both of you. Have you known Faith long?"

"Shut it Manny."

"I hardly know Faith at all," said Willow quietly and surprisingly.

"Yeah but you have to admit Red that our brief acquaintance was intense."

This was the sort of information that Manny was looking for. A noise outside caught her attention. Damn there was someone at the door and just as she was getting somewhere. Bolts clanged and the cell door opened slowly. A night guard stood at the entrance and peered in. Faith felt her adrenaline beginning to pump and an old familiar feeling raised the hair on the back of her neck.

"Evening girls. May I come in?"

"Why sure Officer, come on in," said Manny, intrigued by the unusual politeness. The guard smiled benevolently and stepped over the threshold.

"Rosenberg," said the guard. "You're to come with me."

Willow finished rinsing out her toothbrush and turned to collect her clothing. She had already changed into the regulation night sweats.

"There's no need to get dressed. You're not going anywhere special." The guard laughed and closed the cell door. Faith sat up and Manny peered at the woman with astonishment. The guards rarely entered a cell by themselves and never closed the door.

"Is something wrong Ma'am?" asked Manny cautiously. She might not have had slayer instincts but her sense of self-preservation was finely tuned and this situation just screamed danger.

"Nothing's wrong runt. Now get out of the way and you won't get hurt ... yet. Get over here Rosenberg. You are one pretty little bitch. Just how I like them."

"I don't think you should be here Ma'am," said Faith slowly. She didn't want to fight with a guard but this looked bad and felt worse.

"That's good of you to be concerned for my safety Spencer but there's no need, believe me. Or perhaps you need proof." With inhuman speed the guard grabbed Manny span her round and without pause wrenched her head round. A deadening crunch and Manny, surprise still registered on her pinched little face, sank slowly from the woman's grasp.

"Still worried about me Spencer?" asked the smiling guard. Her face vamped out and with a snarl she leapt towards Willow. Her charge was interrupted by Faith's flying body landing on top of her and for a few seconds there was a blur of bodies until the slayer managed to launch the vampire backwards to crash against the door. The sound echoed along the cell block walls. Shouting began outside.

The vampire sat up. She looked shocked but she didn't have much time to ponder the turnaround. Faith was on her, delivering two rib cracking kicks. The vampire whimpered in pain but pulled herself together long enough pull out a plastic riot baton and deliver a rapid blow to the side of Faith's head. The slayer cursed and rolled away out of range of the second blow. Outside the noise had increased.

"Who the hell are you?" said the vampire, clutching at her broken ribs. Her yellow eyes glowed in the gloom. Faith grinned ferociously.

"I'm the slayer. Surprise!"

"We have to get rid of her," warned Willow. "Before the guards get here."

"Small problem," muttered Faith. "There's nothing wooden or sharp in here. And I'm fresh out of holy water."

"So you can hurt but you can't kill me slayer." The vampire smiled again and shook her head. "I see it all now. You killed your cell-mate and took me as a hostage when I discovered you. It's perfect. You'll fry for this Spencer and your friend. Not as much fun as doing it myself but it'll serve."

Willow began chanting.

"Red no! Ixnay on the magic tricks."

"We have no choice. There's no time." She raised her hands and continued her chant.

The baton that the guard was clutching began to glow and cursing the vampire threw it down. The stick hit the ground with a wooden sound.

"Your weapon slayer" Willow announced in a low dark tone. The atmosphere of evil rose a notch.

Cursing, Faith dived onto the newly formed stake an instant before the vampire swooped on it. Rolling out of the way of the vampire and then up onto her knees, Faith drove the stake into the vampire's back with a swinging backhand. Half a second later the demon exploded in a shower of dust.

Faith leaned back on her heels and closed her eyes in ecstasy. She had forgotten how fucking wonderful slaying felt, to hunt and kill another being, to witness the moment of annihilation. She stayed kneeling, rocking gently, almost in a trance, letting the thrilling sensations slide through her until Willow put a hand on her shoulder and then she jumped as though electrocuted by a thousand volts. Basic instinct took over. She yanked Willow to her knees and with a shaking hand pressed the stake against the soft flesh at the base of the witch's throat, the need to kill so strong, to smell blood and fear again. She looked into Willow's eyes. The witch was smiling.

"You can kill me Faith. Put us both out of our misery."

The clatter of keys and banging of metal doors brought Faith back to her disgusted self. The guards were only seconds away. Faith dropped her hand and released Willow who stood up with a sigh and scrambled backwards to lean against the bunks.

"Willow just shut the fuck up about dying, I don't want to hurt you" Faith lied. "It was just the heat of the moment." She straightened herself and tucked the stake into her trousers and tried to clear her head. "We have to hide Manny," she muttered and bent to pick up the dead woman. She hoisted the body onto the far side of the top bunk and then vaulted up beside the corpse.

"Sorry about that old woman." she apologised to the dead body as she arranged it against the wall, using the covers to disguise the outline. "Red, come on. Get up here with me." Faith took Willow's hand and pulled her up, whispering roughly. "Lie down under me and remember, you're enjoying yourself."

Still smiling in a truly fucked up creepy way, the witch nodded her understanding but when she unexpectedly screamed "Ugh Faith please now," Faith grinned despite feeling spooked. The slayer banged loudly on the wall for effect.

"That's right baby. Beg for it." she bellowed loudly as they both struggled to arrange themselves in a suitably convincing manner. If either felt disturbed by the dead human that they were pressed against in the creaking narrow bunk, then they didn't let it show.

The guards were outside the cell now.

"What the fuck is going on in there?" yelled warder outside the door. "We're coming in - remain still and no-one gets hurt." The door bolts slid back.

"What the fuck? Is there no damned privacy in here," Faith complained loudly as the cell door clattered open and two armed guards cautiously edged into the room. She raised herself to look at them, leaning her weight on one elbow, leaving her right hand resting on Willow's exposed stomach, her fingers under the waistband of the witch's sweats. The witch just moaned and twitched. "Can I help you Officer Wilson?" asked Faith with a leer. "Only as you can see I'm kinda busy right now."

The senior warden sighed. "Spencer, I asked you to keep the frigging noise down. You know I could put you on report for this kind of behaviour. Intimate sexual relationships between inmates are forbidden."

"Sorry Ma'am, me and my red-headed friend will try and be less intimate won't we baby?"

Willow whimpered.

The warder shook her head. "Just keep the noise down Spencer, I'm surprised old Barry Manilow there isn't complaining." She squinted at the middle bunk and then stood up. "Where the fuck is she?"

Faith disentangled herself from Willow and sat up, praying that the body behind them wasn't visible.

"I don't know Ma'am. She didn't come back from the showers yet. Me and Red here took advantage of the alone time.

"Dammit. Showers were finished an hour ago." The senior warder was worried. "Right," she snapped at her two assistants, "You and you get down to the shower block and see if she's there. I'll alert central control that we have a situation. And Spencer, you and Rosenberg better have some better answers by the time we get back."

The cell door banged shut. Faith swung her legs over the edge of the bunk. Willow sat up beside the slayer. Faith looked at her and frowned as huge black eyes gazed back at her. Willow's little magic trick had come with lasting side effects .... for both of them and it wasn't over yet.

"We have to get rid of Manny. I don't like to say this but I guess magic is our only option."

"Easy enough," said Willow, her voice still reverberating oddly, "but not our only option."

"Well confession makes a solid second choice Red but somehow I don't think they'll believe us do you?"

"Keys."

"What?"

"The vamp's keys. She dropped them while you were fighting." Willow held them up.

"Lucky for us. I'll deal with this." The slayer helped Willow down and then turned to gather up Manny's slight body in her arms. "She was an irritating little fucker but damn I'll miss the gossip."

"Nice epitaph," Willow commented coldly.

"Unlock the door Red and don't get too mushy on me now will you?"

Willow unlocked the door as quietly as she could and Faith peered outside slowly. It was clear. "I'll be gone about three minutes. If they get back before me then just throw all the blame on me. Is that clear?"

The witch nodded once and Faith slipped out of the room, carrying the remains of her small friend and trying to remember that she was not just the slayer but also big bad Faith who never cried. She ran silently in her socks along the metal walkways, unlocking the intervening control gates, until she reached the locked laundry room. Holding the chilling body with one arm, Faith fumbled with the bunch of keys trying a few likely ones until she found the one. She slipped inside the laundry and laid Manny on a bench. The laundry chute was sealed with an iron grille which was padlocked after working hours but none of the keys she had seemed right. She didn't have time to experiment; Faith braced her foot against the wall grasped the bars and pulled. It held, creaking and groaning. She increased the pull and with an uncomfortably loud squeal the grill came away. Faith picked up her burden and gently placed it in the mouth of the chute. "I'm sorry Manny but I guess you'd understand." She let go and the small body slid away from her fingers, down the dark chute.

When Faith got back to the cell there was no sign of the warders but the prison alarms started to ring, warning of a possible escape. The PA system woke up with a howl of feedback.

'All available duty guards are to report to dormitory block 3 immediately.'

'Here we go.' she thought grimly and let herself back in.

"I have to hide these." She held up the keys and the stake.

"Give them to me" said Willow.

"Spell?"

"Just a little one." Her eyes still dark with magic, Willow stroked the wall. "This will do." A section of concrete slid out from the wall and Willow said a few words in a language Faith didn't recognize. Then the witch tucked the bunch of keys and the stake inside the newly formed hollow and replaced the slab of concrete.

"Neat," said Faith. "It's barely visible and I know where to look."

"Yep our own little hidey hole. To open, just tap the wall here and say the magic word."

"Which is?"

"Snoopy."

Faith rolled her eyes. "Now I know you're evil."

********

An hour later Faith was returned to her cell by an angry Wilson. The guards had found no sign of Manny and Faith had stuck to her story. Without any other evidence, her interrogator had given up for the time being. Further frustration had resulted for the prison authorities when they realised that, for reasons no one could explain, the dormitory security cameras had malfunctioned and the tapes were all blank. Overhearing some of the angry whispers, Faith wondered if Willow had worked a little voodoo. She felt grateful - it hadn't occurred to the slayer to worry about the cameras.

Willow was still gone and Faith hoped the Wicca hadn't gone all supernatural and wasted anyone. 'That's my job', she thought and at the thought of slaying her pulse picked up immediately and the warm buzz from the earlier killing returned. "Angel warned me to keep away from it until I was ready," she said aloud. 'Why should you?' asked an inner voice. 'And maybe you are ready. You love slaying and you're great at it. Even B knew you were the best. Why should you avoid the one thing you are good at?'

It was too hard to answer so she ignored the thought and rolled over on her back. "Damn I feel horny, why is that? Why could no-one ever explain that?" She felt aggravated. Somebody should know about the friggin' side effects.

She heard keys jangling, the cell door opened and Willow was pushed roughly in. The escort said nothing and the door banged shut immediately. Willow sat on her bunk. The aura of evil barely leashed hung about the cell again.

Faith's nerves jangled. "Hey Red, how'd it go? Spill the beans yet? Kill anyone? Guessing neither or you wouldn't be back in here."

"Be quiet."

"Enough with the orders Sabrina!" yelled Faith, suddenly angrier than she had felt for years, too much fucking death, too much fucking evil, she had had enough already. But further words became impossible as Faith felt a noose tighten round her neck and she was flung across the room against the far cell wall by an unseen force. She sagged to the floor gagging and struggling to pull the invisible noose from about her neck. Unable to stand, she could not control the panic as her lungs silently begged for breath. Her eyes begged for release.

On the other side of the cell, Willow stood and watched her impassively and then as though she suddenly saw what was happening, the witch's face crumpled in horror. The noose relaxed and Faith lay gasping, blue-faced, beached on the hard concrete floor.

"Oh God. I'm sorry. Faith, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean ... I mean ... It's just inside me ... I can't control it ..."

"No sweat ..." mumbled Faith, though her throat hurt to speak, "Been there, bought the t-shirt, thanks for stopping ..." She grinned fuzzily and then, her head swimming from lack of oxygen, Faith passed out.

Willow hesitated before rushing to the fallen slayer's side. Worry won out over fear and Willow bent over the fallen slayer and felt for a pulse in her neck. It was strong but the woman was breathing in shallow gasps and seemed to be choking. The slayer's stomach heaved and still unconscious, she puked.

"Oh shit!" The wicca stood up again and stared about her blindly. "What have I done. I mean what do I do?" She grabbed a grey sweat-shirt and shoved it under the tap. Faith was definitely choking. Willow turned the slayer on her side as best she could; Faith, like Buffy, was heavier than she looked. The wicca got down on her knees and gently opened Faith's mouth and cleaned out the gunk, wiping away the mess with the wet shirt. She banged the slayer on the back to try and dislodge any remaining obstructions. Finally satisfied that the slayer could breathe again and wasn't going to choke anymore, Willow cleaned the remaining vomit from the unconscious girl's and washed her face. A little more struggle and she had managed to remove Faith's soiled t-shirt. She sat back against the bunk, on the concrete floor and gazed at the sleeper. She couldn't leave her lying there in her vest. It was too cold on the floor and in any case the night inspection must happen sometime soon and their cell was certain to get special attention. But she was so tired. One little spell and she could go to sleep.

Willow shook herself awake. Aware that in her present state of mind one little spell might be one too many, she bent her knees and got a grip under the slayer's arms and heaved. Faith protested in her sleep and mumbled. "Le' me lone. Go way." Ignoring her, Willow pulled the comatose body towards the bunk and then tried to lift Faith onto the lowest bunk by dint of sitting on the bunk and pulling the slayer up, using her own body as a lever. She had almost done when the sleeping slayer decided to struggle.

"Damn," she swore. "Lighten."

Instantly Faith's body became easily manoeuvrable and Willow pulled her effortlessly into the lower bunk. Exhausted and magicked out Willow lay beside the unconscious slayer. She felt some relief. The weight spell hadn't had too much effect but she was wired again which meant little sleep and bad dreams. She turned her head to look at the sleeping woman. Faith hadn't changed much, thinner and perhaps a little older and less hyperactive. Willow wondered if the young slayer would want revenge when she woke up. The thought was oddly exciting and Willow felt the ancient and evil magicks she had absorbed stir. Faith seemed to feel it too. Her nose wrinkled in an appearance of slight distaste. Like Tara. The old pain settled around Willow, everything that redeemed her had gone. She was alone.

Beside her, Faith sighed, turned over and pressed her face to her arm and for an instant Willow felt chill anger against the intrusion until an idea formed in the witch's mind. Why not? She would never have any other solace. But she could have this one night. Willow gently brushed the dark hair from her companion's face.

"Buffy?" breathed the sleeper. She sounded a little afraid but also hopeful. Willow smirked. Score one for Faith's shrink. This would make it easier and after all, the witch reasoned, Faith would enjoy herself. It would be a quid pro quo. My lost love in exchange for giving life to her still-born one.

"Faith wake up," murmured Willow her green eyes growing shadowy. "I have something for you." She stroked the younger woman's face.

"Wha'?" said Faith and tried to open her eyes. She felt like shit. Her throat hurt and her body ached as though it had been thrown against a wall.

"See with your heart," murmured a soft voice next to her ear and Faith's eyes opened. Huge black eyes faded to grey and Faith blinked in what seemed to be a bright light.

"Hey," said a voice she knew.

"Buffy? B what the fuck are you doing here?"

Buffy smiled at her gently. "Shh, it's okay. You've been sick. Take it easy baby. I'm going to look after you." The blonde slayer eased closer and Faith found herself wrapping her arms around her fantasy. Faith was cautious. It often started like this and then before long there would be rain and open graves and knives dripping with blood, usually hers. But geez it felt good to hold her, even in prison overalls. The oddity stuck in the slayer's mind. Buffy had never worn prison duds before.

"B, why are you in prison?"

"Shh" whispered the wraith and kissed her. Faith's hormones started to do backflips and she began to kiss her back. This was the best kissing dream she had ever had. When Buffy's hands strayed under her night shirt and wandered over her shivering skin Faith knew she'd died and, against the run of betting, gone to heaven. A soft hand cupped her breast and brushed over her nipple. It was almost too much for her and she bit her lip to prevent herself from crying out. She pulled the other slayer hard against her, burying her face in the blonde hair, kissing her neck and throat. But there was something wrong. She couldn't feel her, she couldn't feel the other's slayerness burning in her skin. She always felt it, even in slayer dreams and now it wasn't there. The illusion faded and Faith was in the dimly lit prison bunk.

The woman in her arms moaned as she pulled back and Faith recoiled pushing Willow away hard. The witch's eyes were blacker than ever but her expression was one of shock and distress which grew when Faith yelled at her.

"What the fuck did you do to me witch?"

Willow stared at her with despairing pain. "What's wrong? Tara baby, please don't be angry, I love you, I would never hurt you. Please sweetheart, let me hold you. I love you. Please baby."

"Fuck," exclaimed Faith.

"Please hold me tonight, if you must leave me then leave me tomorrow, please Tara," Willow begged.

Faith's anger dissolved to pity. No-one should hurt like this. And so what if the witch wasn't a plaster saint, no fucking surprises there, she was in jail not some pissing nunnery. Faith spoke before she thought.

"I'll hold you tonight Red, I mean Willow. But tomorrow we have to talk."

The wicca looked fearful but then a second later Faith found her arms full of Willow. The slayer winced. Her body was still sore from the earlier beating against the wall.

"I love you so much," murmured the red-head in Faith's ear and snuggled deep into her arms burying her face in Faith's neck. "Don't hurt me. Don't leave me again. I couldn't bear it." Faith tightened her arms in reply and the witch moaned happily.

'I'm sorry Red, but I can't protect you from tomorrow.' thought Faith sadly. 'This was not a good plan wicca girl, you must have known that you would have to come back to earth some time.'

Faith held her close through the night, gently discouraging roving hands, until the red-head fell asleep and then she carefully shifted herself to spoon around the slender woman. Willow wriggled back against her, mumbling about needing Tara warmth and Faith winced again.

But the slayer didn't sleep and as the black sky outside the small window slowly turned to grey, she watched the woman in her arms. Willow had shifted to lie with her head on Faith's shoulder, one arm and a leg sprawled across her. It was ironic, thought Faith that she had never slept through the night with anyone before, normally she had always chucked them out or walked out herself. "Get some, get gone," she murmured to herself and now I haven't done either, yet here I am in bed holding Miss Sociopath 2002. Not that you'd know to look at her. Willow's face asleep was exactly as Faith remembered her in Sunny D. She looked like an innocent California college girl, serious kinda sweet face with freckles. Dammit I'm lying in bed with someone who has freckles.

Willow stirred and curled closer, the top of her head pressed lightly against Faith's chin, silky hair tickled her throat, the smooth feel of the girl's face against her and the soft sharp scent of shampoo; Faith felt desire blow across her skin like a gentle breeze. Fuck! This was getting surreal. Of all the scoobies, Willow had hated her most. Their last encounter on the outside had been weird enough with Faith in Buffy's body and Willow congratulating her on getting rid of the dark slayer. Then Faith remembered that wasn't the last time, the last time they met was at the Bronze, Faith was still in Buffy's body and Willow had introduced her to Tara. Faith recalled thinking how well matched they were, two pathetic geeky losers with crappy dress sense, at least that's what she had thought. The slayer had enjoyed making the blonde girl stammer, seeing the bewilderment and fear as Faith reminded her of how much Willow had loved Oz.

"I'm sorry," she murmured and without really thinking began to stroke the red hair with her free hand. "I guess that was a big day for you, introducing your girl to the beloved B and I spoilt it."

Willow stirred again and Faith suddenly had grave doubts about the wisdom of her position if the witch woke up. She was likely gonna be disappointed and in Faith's experience, disappointed monsters were usually angry. As gently as she could, Faith disengaged herself from the other girl, ignoring the murmurs of protest. She slipped quietly out of the bunk and settled herself on the floor on the far side of the cell to wait.

TBC