Buffy lazily opened her eyes, she took in her surroundings and began feeling around in the bed for Faith, realizing she wasn't there, she sat up and looked at the clock. 4am. She stood up and walked over to retrieve her dressing gown, then made her way downstairs.

Stopping half way down, she realized Faith was sat on the couch in the darkness staring off into space.

“Faith?”  Not getting a reply, she walked to the bottom of the stairs, and re-adjusted her dressing gown.

“Faith sweetie, its 4am… why are you dressed? What are you doing?” She gently tried.

“Nothin' B.”

Buffy moved to sit beside Faith whilst never taking her eyes off of her.

“Are you okay?”

“...Yeah...just...I'm fine, its nothin, go back to bed,” Faith glanced over at Buffy who had not moved, but now looked even more worried, “it was just a weird dream that's all, seriously B don't worry.”

“Do you wanna' talk about it?”

“...No” Faith replied quietly, before standing up and walking to get her jacket which she'd slung on the opposite chair the night before “I'm gonna go patrol”

“What! Its 4am.”

“Yeah so, its still dark, you think beasties only walk around between 10 and midnight?”

Buffy stood up and walked over to where Faith was now putting on her jacket.

“Okay Faith we talked about this when we first got together, if some thing’s bothering you, we talk about it, and vice versa, remember?”

“B, I swear, I'm fine, I just need some air.”

Buffy placed her hand on Faith's shoulder “Don't push me away.”

“I'm not!” Faith snapped, instantly regretting it when she saw Buffy jerk her hand away. “Look B, I'm sorry, its just... this dream got me a little wierded out okay, I just ...it's wicked stupid, its not even an issue.”

“Well if it’s so stupid, then you won’t mind sharing it with me,” Buffy said more sternly this time.

Faith looked at her and faltered for a moment “...Angel.”

Buffy looked slightly confused at this “You had a dream about Angel?”

“…You and Angel.”

Finally catching on where Faith was going with this, Buffy sighed “Faith that was over a long time ago.”

“No! You don't get it, it was so real...that prophecy, Shanshui or whatever, it happened...he came back for you...human...you were both so happy,” Faith couldn't keep eye contact with Buffy but still carried on “You forgot about me, I wasn't even a blip on your radar, talking weddings, and kids.”

Buffy rubbed her forehead not knowing what to make of this. They had been together for a year now, and never had anything like this come up before. “Baby, it was just a bad dream.”

“So you're telling me if Angel walks back here, sunshine allergy cured, able to have kids with you, able to grow old with you...” Faith said taking a few steps away from Buffy, 

“Okay you know what, stop walking away, cos we are definitely talking about this,” Buffy stepped forward and took Faith's hand, “Angel was my first love, but ya know what Faith? I was 16 years old, I'm not gonna lie to you, I'll always love him,” Buffy now placed her hand on Faith's cheek to make her look at her, “But I’m not in love with him, not any more.”

“-Yeah cos you got no choice, he's got no choice, but if he came back, if that prophecy-.”

“-If that prophecy happened tomorrow, I'd choose you.” Buffy interrupted whilst looking Faith straight in the eye.

Faith looked away, and slowly made her way to the couch, sat down and looked to the floor. “Buffy...after everything he's done for me…I'm not stupid, I know what's keeping him going. When I went to LA, you shoulda seen the way he looked at me, all hurt and shit.”

“Was he rude to you?” Buffy asked whilst moving to sit beside Faith.

“No, that’s not...he saved me, and how do I repay him? I take his girl...he'll never say anything about it, but I know...if I was him, I'd hate me.”

“Well luckily for you, Angel is a lot older and a lot wiser, than you are. He gets it, he might not like it, but he understands, and he's supportive. Besides, he doesn't hate you, if he were to have a problem, it would be with me...and also...I'm not his girl, you and him don't decide who I'm with, I do, and like I said, I choose you,” Buffy said whilst rubbing Faiths arm gently.

“You guys were this big love.”

“Yeah, when I was a kid Faith! Have you felt like this for a while?” Buffy asked still unsure as to why this conversation had popped up a year into their relationship at 4 in the morning!

Faith looked at Buffy, feeling a little stupid for being so insecure. “I just...don't want you to feel like you have to settle. I don't know if it was a dream or...a vision of what's gonna happen.”

“-Its not gonna happen! What the hell is this Faith!?”

Faith looked at the ground and carried on “But I want you to know, I wont come in between you guys, but B just, tell me...if your settling, just tell me.”

Buffy stared at Faith speechless. Suddenly she stood up “What did he say to you!?”

Faith looked up at her “What?”

“Angel, you've been acting weird since you got back, what did he say to you in LA Faith? Did he threaten you?”

“What? No! Of course not, and anyway even if he did I can handle myself.”

Buffy began to pace the room, then slowed to a stop as she looked at Faith, quickly walking back over to where Faith was sat on the couch, she knelt in front of her taking her face in her hands.

“I love you, I don't know if something happened in LA, to bring this on. But I can tell you that your dream, was just that, a stupid dream. Its not a vision...and whenever those little demons get into your head and tell you to doubt me, us, or even yourself, you tell me okay. Don't keep it bottled up. I know what you're like. You tell me and I swear to god I will chase every last one of them away,” Buffy finished while kissing Faith's forehead.

Faith looked into Buffy's eyes “I'm sorry B…I'm an idiot.”

Buffy gently stroked Faiths face, “Come on, lets go back upstairs, you know I can't sleep without you,” Buffy stood, and took Faith's hand, leading her up the stairs.

As Faith lay asleep beside her, Buffy looked at the girl that had tortured her mother, her sister, threatened her friends, stolen her body, her boyfriend, attempted to kill Angel, and wondered if it was indeed a vision that Faith had experienced. One thing she knew, was that she needed Faith to believe in their relationship. After all, pay-back’s a bitch right? She turned to lay on her back and looked up at the ceiling, a smile on the edge of her lips, yeah, it's definitely a bitch.