A/N: Final chapter here we go.

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Buffy watched on as Giles examined Faith, testing her strength, heart rate, blood pressure anything that he could to make sure that she was alright after the switch. She could see that Faith was growing weary, her eyelids were drooping and she looked like she didn't even have the energy to raise her hands to cover her mouth every time she coughed. Giles didn't seem to notice the dark haired Slayer's weariness, his fascination for the supernatural overpowering all of his other senses as he used a stethoscope to listen to Faith's breathing. Buffy wondered why he even had one of them, it's not like he was a doctor or anything, maybe all Watchers carried them around in a survival kit or something, she'd have to ask him later.

Faith for her part sat quietly through Giles' examinations and answered all his questions without a hint of sarcasm something that surprised both the blonde Slayer and her Watcher. Once Giles got around to testing Faith's reflexes and actually bought out one of those tiny hammers that doctors used to tap people on the knee Buffy decided that the dark haired Slayer had had enough. One, because she decided that Giles had been watching way too much Greys Anatomy and two, because Faith looked two seconds away from falling asleep all over her Watcher.

"Giles, I think you've determined that she's not grown any extra limbs and that everything is in working Slaying order," Buffy said coming to sit next to Faith on the living room couch. The brunette moved unconsciously closer to her counterpart stealing some of the blonde's body heat to warm her chilled body. Buffy gave the other woman a soft look before reaching around the back of the couch and grabbing a blanket that rested there and wrapped it securely around Faith before turning back to face Giles who had begun to pack up this kit.

"Yes, sorry Faith to put you through all of that I just wanted to ascertain that you were one hundred percent after everything that had happened," Giles said.

"Wouldn't call it one hundred percent G, but I appreciate your concern," Faith rasped her hand going up to rub at her sore throat.

"Any theories on why she's still sick? I mean shouldn't her Slayer powers be kicking this thing in the ass?" Buffy asked.

"I would suggest that since she caught it in her baby state without her Slayer powers that she has to fight it off like any normal human would," Giles said giving Faith a sympathetic look.

"Yeah well glad I'm not one of them, 'cause this is not fun," Faith said tiredly, sniffing as she accepted the tissue Buffy handed her.

"Well your case is certainly unusual, I for one have never heard of a case where someone has been reverted to their child self and then back to their adult self by a demon," Giles said.

"Well Faith's never been normal," Buffy smirked giving her counterpart a nudge. The brunette lifted her head from where it had been resting against the back of the couch and shot the blonde a tired look.

"Well Faith as long as you can assure me that you feel fine and promise me that you will tell me if something starts to feel wrong then I will rest easy," Giles said.

"I promise," Faith said her body sinking back further on the couch to rest heavily against Buffy's.

"Do you want to go and lay down?" Buffy softly asked the brunette at her side.

Faith shook her head, "Pretty good here," she said shivering slightly.

"Okay," Buffy said reaching over to pull the blanket up and over Faith's shoulders and running her hand over the brunette's head.

Giles watched the two Slayers with a soft smile on his face. He was far more perceptive than anybody knew and he had always seen something in their actions and words that eluded to something deep, a connection that not even he could perceive. Through all of the trials and setbacks they had been through he had always hoped that they would someday be able to put their differences aside and come to recognise the feelings that they had for one another. He watched them now, Buffy's hand slowly guiding Faith's head to rest on her shoulder, the brunette allowing her to even snuggling in against her side. He watched as the blonde whispered something to her counterpart and the smile that graced both their features at whatever had been said. He watched as the brunette's eyes fluttered and eventually fell shut her entire body relaxing her snuffled breathing the only sound filling the room. He watched as the blonde, his Slayer, his daughter kissed the top of her counterparts head with a gentleness he had never seen her possess and he smiled knowing that maybe they were finally beginning to open themselves up to what he knew they could have.

"It is just the flu right, I mean it's not going to escalate to hospital status ala Buffy junior year is it?" Buffy asked her Watcher once she was sure Faith was asleep.

"It's just the flu and I think as long as we keep an eye on her she will be fine no hospital needed," Giles assured her, her concern for Faith only serving to prove his theory correct.

"Keep an eye on her, that I can do," Buffy said the two of them looking up as the front door opened and Willow and Dawn walked in followed by Xander and Anya.

"We are here and we are ready to play nurse maid," Xander called brandishing a plastic bag.

"We're in here," Buffy called softly looking down at the brunette Slayer to make sure she hadn't woken.

"Incredible, yesterday she was chubby and tiny and now she's back to full size, breasts and everything and wow those are some breasts don't really appreciate them until they're gone," Anya commented tilting her head to the side as she appraised Faith's form.

"Ahn!" Xander said his eye brows raised.

"Oh honey you don't have to feel threatened, I'm not going to turn all gay on you but they're hard to miss," Anya said pointing to Faith.

"Hey! Don't talk about Faith's breasts, especially not when she's not able to join in on the conversation," Buffy smirked looking fondly at the Slayer leaning against her.

"Sorry Buff let me make it all better by cooking some chicken soup I've been told that it makes you feel better when you're feeling all sickly," Xander said as Faith coughed and moved her head on Buffy's shoulder.

"You're not going to actually cook it are you, because your cooking can actually stop me wanting to have orgasms with you and that is not something that usually happens with me," Anya said causing Xander's face to redden and Giles to take off his glasses and begin to polish them furiously.

"Honey again with the inappropriate around other people talk. No I'm not going to cook it, all I have to do is make the noodles and then heat it up on the stove. See comes in a can," he said pulling the soup can from the bag.

Cooking the soup only took about ten minutes and Buffy reluctantly woke a not too happy Faith when Xander bought in a tray loaded with steaming bowls.

"I know you don't feel well but this will make you feel better and you can go back to sleep once you've had something to eat," Buffy said helping a grumpy Faith sit up.

"Leamme alone I'm not hungry," Faith grumbled turning her head and burrowing back into Buffy's side earning her surprised glances from everyone else in the room.

"Come on Faith don't make a brother beg," Xander said not missing the way Buffy tenderly ran her hand through the dark Slayer's hair, "Besides you've never not had my food before, well except when you were your baby self and I tried to feed you mushed pumpkin which you threw back in my face, thanks for that by the way."

"Don't like pumpkin, it's too fucking orange," Faith mumbled turning her head on Buffy's shoulder so she could see the others in the room.

"Duly noted," Xander smiled, "Oh and may I just say it's great to have the real you back."

"Thanks Xman, and thanks for cookin for me but I'm too tired to eat. I dunno how you guys do this, being sick I mean it fucking takes it out of you, how do you deal with feeling this crap on a regular basis," Faith asked wiping her nose.

"You're making us sound like we're diseased or something," Dawn said.

"And it doesn't happen all that regularly I might add, us poor lowly non Slayers deal with sickness just fine. But Xander is right there is nothing like hot chicken soup to make you feel better," Willow added holding a bowl out to Faith.

"Don't even think I could lift a spoon Red," Faith groaned rubbing her eyes. Without missing a beat Buffy took the bowl and spoon from her friend and held it out in front of the dark Slayer, "Open up," she said. The others watched in amazement as Faith complied her head staying firmly on Buffy's shoulder. After finishing around half a bowl Faith had had enough and Buffy handed it back to Willow without a word. The subtle changes in the former rogue's demeanour were on display right there. She had let herself appear vulnerable and opened herself up to and willingly accepted someone else's help.

"Feeling better?" Buffy asked her the rest of the Scoobies breaking off into their own conversations and leaving the two Slayers to themselves.

"Mmm sleepy," Faith murmured the warmth of the soup soothing her aching limbs.

"Let's get you upstairs to bed then," Buffy said.

"No," Faith said using all her strength to lift her head from Buffy's shoulder, "I already feel like I've lost time, I just want to stay with everybody, with you," she finished softly.

"Okay, okay well at least get more comfortable, I'll get up and you can lie down," Buffy said beginning to get up.

"No, no B I-I want you to stay with me," Faith said reaching out to her counterpart.

"Okay," Buffy said her eyes softening, "alright let's get you comfortable."

She manoeuvred them so that Faith's upper body was resting back against her chest and pulled the blanket so that it covered the both of them. The rest of the Scoobies looked on as she smoothed a hand over Faith's hair and whispered soothing words to the sick girl. Faith said something back to her which made her laugh, a laugh that warmed their hearts, a laugh they had been missing since she had been brought back from the dead but had started to reappear after baby Faith came around.

They watched on with various emotions displayed across their faces; surprise, happiness, and knowing. They watched on as the blonde one stroked her fingers gently through long brunette curls her ministrations soothing the other one to sleep, they watched on as unconsciously the brunette grabbed a hold of the blonde's hand and held it tight with her own, they watched on as the blonde recognised her feelings and leaned her head down to kiss the top of the head that rested against her chest, they watched on as something beautiful was formed. They watched on as a warmth filled their hearts because they knew she was going to be okay, they watched on as an old life disappeared and a new one began.

They watched on and knew that all it took was a visit from a little friend and things were going to be okay.

THE END

A/N: There we have it folks, the end. Thanks for sticking with me until the end. I will be writing another in this series, one that takes the other road with Faith not turning back so keep your eyes peeled for that. Thanks again to everyone who read and reviewed I really appreciate all your support and feedback.