THIS IS IT! Finally I finished this story I hope this chapter doesn't feel too rushed I kinda felt if I didn't end it now you may have had to wait another month. Thanks for all the reviews you guys are amazing…have a mentioned that cause you really are!

Chapter 17 – "To the Future"

The papers scattered against the granite countertop revealing exactly what was wrong, there were two separate itineraries and timelines for both women indicated an eight month separation. Each of them would be halfway around the world from each other mentoring and meeting with council members and future slayers before returning to the states for debriefing and return to active duty. The schedules were tight and left no room for quick weekend trips and not once were the women within 800 miles of one another.

"Give me the phone" Buffy demanded still staring at the scattered papers on the counter

"Already dialing" Faith snapped back cordless in hand

"Where's the other one?" the blonde asked in frustration to which the brunette only held a finger up. Buffy sighed once again in frustration as she ran into the office and grabbed the second phone; there was no way she wasn't going to be on the phone for this call. Pressing talk Giles had just answered and before he could get out his full Hello Faith and Buffy both started the barrage.

Meanwhile a small puppy watched as his two owners paced furiously from one end of the room to the other sometimes yelling through the phone sometimes at each other. He watched the darker one throw up her hands while the lighter had tears forming in her eyes. The scene itself was must to take in for a small defenseless animal let alone the two women in the middle of it. To an outside observer it seemed that whatever the man was saying on the other phone was not at all what the two lovers wanted to hear and apparently there was no room to budge.

"Giles listen to me…this is not ok, we can't do this" Faith choked on the lump forming in her throat.

"Giles what the hell are you thinking?" Added Buffy

A pause…

"No, no Giles…I understand what she said but I'm saying no and she has changed her mind" Faith protested, "Duty my ass Giles you knew we are a packaged deal it was all in our plan"

"Giles you can't split us up…no the council and you will have to find another way….then CHECK AGAIN"

Finally after 20 minutes of arguing through phone lines Faith looked up at Buffy who was now sitting on the floor tears streaming down her face with her head in her hands pleading her last cases. Closing her eyes tightly to stop her own tears she clicked the talk key on the phone and knelt beside the older girl taking her phone and pressing talk as well. Giles would probably be pissed but she didn't care.

"Faith…I'm so sorry" Buffy choked out between sobs… "I didn't mean to…I didn't know he was going to do that…this is all my fault"

The truth was it kinda was her fault and Faith was a bit irritated with both the situation and Buffy as well. She knew that if she showed that however Buffy would fly out in either frustration or depression, neither of which looked to good on the blonde. Faith could only embrace her as she tried to stop the wave of emotion running through the room.

Buffy was able to stifle her sobs for a moment and met the eyes of her lover who seemed to convey the same sadness internally as she was showing externally. Faith held her close for a minute before pulling away. Buffy felt the tension running collectively through all of Faith's muscles rippling in frustration and sadness. Buffy went to say something but her words were interrupted by the sound of Faith's cell phone echoing loudly through the house. Faith looked back at Buffy before using the back of her hand to wipe the tears before reaching to the counter to pick up her cell.

"Hello….this is…oh hi, no it's not a bad time" Faith was trying her best to pull her emotions back together as she proceeded to sit down at the table. Buffy watching her intently knew her tone was that of a professional phone call and figured out quickly it must have been the realtor after Faith commented on the price and move in date. Buffy pulled herself from the floor finally as Faith ended the call resting the phone back to the table letting out a huge sigh.

"The realtor?" Buffy asked

"Yup.."

"And"

"House sold"

"Wow…that's good"

"Yea one problem though"

"What"

"They want us out by January 3rd"

"That's less than a week"

"Yea"

"Are we concerned about that?"

"Honestly I have a whole bunch of shit that concerns me B" Faith had a sharp tone in her last statement as she pushed the chair back from the table. "I need a shower…"

"Faith please talk to me…"

"B… please I really can't…I just…" and she shook her head again before retreating out of the room towards the hallway.

Buffy embracing the urge to chase after the brunette started down the hall rounding the corner to the stairway as Faith was beginning her ascent. "Faith wait…" but her words were cut short as the doorbell rang, "Great what the fuck now?" she huffed

Faith stopped climbing up the stairs and turned towards the door as Buffy swung it open being greeted by 4 smiling faces

"SURPRISE"

Willow, Xander, Dawn and Tony were wide eyed and all grins holding presents and balloons. Buffy and Faith both felt their heart drop a little more as the surprise completely failed to cheer them up even with its high quality. Faith came back off the third step and embraced the group as did Buffy however they were not unaware of the lack of holiday joy in the house.

"What are you guys doing here?" Buffy asked wiping the tear streaks off her face

"Well we thought we would come set up a killer party for New Years complete with the best people you know…" Willow started "You guys ok?"

"Yea who died?" Dawn chimed in

Faith had moved back to the staircase and began her climb once again not saying a word. Buffy seeing this motioned to her friends and sister, "Guys can you just give us…" she turned quickly, "We'll be right back" and headed up after Faith.

The group stood for a moment puzzled before shrugging and taking off their jackets and heading towards the kitchen. Willow immediately began picking up the paper strewn over the floor and counter before realizing exactly what was happening. "Umm guys…I think I know what died" she hesitantly remarked they all gathered around to begin perusing the paperwork as well. Dawn gasped and Tony shook his head while Xander mumbled an "Oh shit…"

Meanwhile Buffy had reached the bedroom shortly behind Faith who had already made it into the master bath. The shower was running and must to the dismay of Buffy Faith had actually locked the door behind her. Pressing her ear to the door she could hear the faint sound of sobs mixed with the sound of cascading water. She raised her hand to knock but Faith interrupted her process… "Please B…don't" Buffy did what she was asked and her hand rested back to her side before she backed away from the door slowly. Deciding it was best to give her lover her space she went back downstairs to field questions from the gang.

"So Giles wants you to travel without Faith"

"For eight months?"

"And you guys tried to get out of it?"

"That doesn't seem right"

"Why is it so important for you to do this?"

"I thought you guys just wanted to get back to busting heads?"

"Faith is pissed huh?"

The questions and comments were like a barrage of bullets to Buffy as she stood void of feeling and emotion giving simple nods and shrugs as each of her friends and sister put in their two cents. In the back of her mind she kept replaying the conversations with Giles over and over trying to figure out when the hell this came up and why her brain didn't send a fourth of July fireworks display of NOOOOOOOOOO at the time. Buffy felt her knees going weak as her mind wondered from her to three months prior trying to put a finger on when she put a knife in her future with Faith.

Faith who had finally finished her shower finally came back to the main floor stopping at the front door to grab a jacket and hat. She slipped out the door before Buffy and the gang noticed her absence heading anywhere but her home in the cold afternoon air

Buffy noticed Faith was gone about an hour later when she returned upstairs concerned when her lover had not joined the group downstairs. There was no note or signal that Faith had checked out but Buffy had a pit in her stomach the size of China knowing the silence meant more. Checking the bathroom, the closet, the studio even the hallway closet the panic set in quickly for the older slayer but the other shoe dropped when she grabbed her cell phone dialing Faith's number only to hear the familiar ring tone echoing loudly from the nightstand.

Buffy sunk to the floor of the bedroom with a resounding "thump" heard by her sister who had come upstairs to see what was taking her so long. Dawn walked in to see Buffy eyes glazed over staring at the wall rocking slightly with the phone in her hand. She immediately met her sister on the floor intertwining one hand while shaking her with the other. "Buffy, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Faith…she's gone"

"Buffy I'm sure she just needed some space this is big ya know?" Willow tried to comfort her obviously dismayed friend. "She probably just went out to collect her thoughts"

"Willow she never leaves her phone, it's an unspoken rule between us" Buffy choked out

"Maybe she just forgot Buff"

"Xander she doesn't forget…" Buffy demanded, "Oh God…what have I done?"

* * *

Faith stayed gone through the afternoon and the next day too, Buffy unable to cope only found solace within the bedroom wrapped in the sheets trying desperately to cling to the smell of Faith. Willow and Dawn knowing the house had to be cleared within the next few days contacted movers and helped to back the two women's belongings. Tony and Xander hit Boston and the neighboring towns in search of Faith but came home each day empty handed.

By New Year's Eve the house was almost completely empty as much of the furniture had already been shipped to Cleveland and the boxes were stacked neatly in the hallways. All that was left really was Buffy and Faith's room which was slowly being packed by a grieving Buffy. After the third day without Faith she came out the room and began to motivate for the move using every ounce of slayer strength to get through an hour without bursting into tears, which worked about 10 percent of the time. In their whole time together Faith had never disappeared like this and Buffy was more worried than upset but slipped quickly into depressed especially when night came and she went to bed alone.

Reluctantly she let Dawn and Tony talk her into a small party in celebration of the New Year complete with makeshift decorations and sleeping arrangements since most of the couches and spare beds had also been shipped. The gang got some alcohol, decks of cards a few DVD games and other various party hoopla and set to give Buffy any type of activity that got her mind off Faith.

The gang played a few games and drank a few drinks before gathering together in front of the still connected TV ready to watch the ball drop. The clock read 11:55 and Buffy was stifling back tears as her friends laughed and joked about the craziness the year had brought. Buffy herself thought of the late summer meeting with Faith and the amazing turns her life had taken with the brunette at her side. She thought of the amazing nights in bed and days spent revealing in each other's company. She thought of the future they had planned and the amazing house they were building, she couldn't even begin to think about what it would be like without her. In all her years for the first time she felt there was nothing to go on living for.

"One minute left guys…then it's a New Year with all sorts of fun possibilities" Willow stated gladly pulling Buffy from her trance.

It was tehn Buffy felt a familiar tingle in her bones that traveled up her spine and caused the hairs to stand up on the back of her neck. She felt her hands tremble as the bottle in hand dropped to the floor. The sound of glass shattering echoed loud throughout the hollow living room causing her friends to turn around facing the trembling blonde. Before they could ask what was wrong the front door swung open with a somewhat disheveled Faith who searched the crowd quickly before locking eyes with Buffy. She quickly approached Buffy grabbing her by the hands and pulling her tightly into an embrace.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…I don't know why I left" she began to cry as she pleaded into the older slayer's shoulder. "god Buffy please forgive me" The sound of the countdown played in the background 10, 9, 8…as Faith pulled back again locking in on the eyes of Buffy. 7, 6…

Buffy remained speechless but felt the warmth creep over her body completely forgiving Faith in a matter of milliseconds, "Where did you…" she began

"No, wait I have to say this now" Faith interrupted dropping to floor into a beggar's position. "I spent four days drinking myself blind before I realized the only one who would ever hurt more than myself was you. I was selfish and I shouldn't have left. Buffy you are my everything, always and forever right? I don't care about Giles or the stupid council's plans. No matter what happens I love you and no matter what crazy adventures we have to take at the end of the day I'm yours forever." 5,4… Pulling something from her pocket she lifted one knee up and opened a small box containing a silver band encrusted with diamonds fit for a queen. "Buffy Summers make my life whole and I promise to be by your side for the rest of our lives and in the lives afterwards. Make me the happiest woman in the world…be my wife"

Buffy couldn't even formulate words, 3, 2…

Falling to the floor she only grabbed the younger women before her in a hug tight enough to break bones. "I love you…I love you" she whispered over and over again.

Xander smiled and raised his beer bottle high into the air, "To the future" he stated simply clinking glasses with Dawn, Willow and Tony.

1, 0….Happy New Year!

THE END!!!

…let me know if you guys want a sequel I'm sure I can manage something!