Epilogue

A/N: here's the last chapter. Thank you to everyone who's read/reviewed throughout. Much appreciated! Enjoy! :)

*Four years later*

Buffy slowly started to wake up as the sun began to make its way into her room and almost instantly had a smile on her face. There was a lot to smile about.

It felt a little strange now to wake up in her old bedroom. She hadn't lived there in a few years and she only ever stayed over on holidays and special occasions, mostly when it was too late to go back to the apartment. That was the reason for this sleepover anyway.

Yesterday had been one of the biggest days of her life: she had graduated from college. It was a day she never thought would come so it had been an exciting day. As far as Giles could remember, no slayer had ever achieved such an honor. Most had never lived to be that old. Her mother had practically glowed the entire day which made Buffy even happier. She loved that she was able to make her proud. It wasn't very often she was able to do that or at least that's what she thought.

The ceremony had been kind of dull but Buffy kept a smile on her face the entire time. Her mother and Faith had to have taken at least a hundred pictures and Faith had told her she better have a smile on her face for each one so she did. She even joked Faith should become an amateur photographer because even during the ceremony she was trying to get Buffy to do something for a shot.

After that there was a party at her mother's house which went late. It was small, just a few friends and family, but it was still a good time. Xander and his girlfriend, Anya, Willow and her girlfriend, Tara, her mom, Giles and a few friends that were either classmates or Faith's coworkers were in attendance.

Buffy sighed contentedly at the fun memories from the previous night and turned her head to see Faith sleeping next to her. They'd both had a lot to drink while celebrating and Buffy was surprised either of them had managed to change out of their clothes before crashing. The last somewhat clear memory she had was Faith carrying her up the stairs and whispering in her ear that she was proud of her. Her girlfriend had to be the reason she was in pajamas this morning.

They had been together all this time and Buffy still couldn't believe how long they'd managed to stay a couple. She doubted anyone thought they would have made it this long. There were times she hadn't thought they would.

The two of them had taken their relationship slow over the last few years. After Devon was defeated, they decided going slow was the best way for them. Going fast would likely have caused them to break up or that was what both of them feared. After that first night, Buffy wanted to stay with Faith at all costs.

Faith's dreams had brought them together and for that Buffy was thankful but their relationship had not followed their path. The first and most important difference was that Buffy insisted they be upfront with everyone about the fact the two of them were going to date. She didn't like that the dream version of her was too nervous and maybe even a little embarrassed to tell her own mother who she was dating and falling in love with. It wasn't fair to anyone involved but especially not to Faith. There wasn't any way she could do that to her.

Both of them had sat Joyce down and told her the day after Devon had been dusted. Her mother had had her reservations with her only daughter dating someone who was still dealing with some dark demons from the death of the Deputy Mayor and she was honest about them. Faith seemed to prove herself though and Joyce slowly came around. She quickly saw how protective Faith was of her daughter and Buffy thought she probably liked that they were taking things slow, too.

Of course, they didn't tell her that even though they were taking it slow they were having an amazing amount of sex.

Everyone else took the news okay. Giles was the one they had the most fun with though. He was very easy to embarrass and Faith never could seem to stop herself. It only ever took a few seconds to get him to clean his glasses or send him off muttering.

By the time Buffy had started her first year of college, Faith had moved into a small apartment close to the campus. Buffy had helped her pick it out and was over there whenever she could. She didn't move in right away, both because of their wish to take it slow and the fact her mother wanted her to live in the dorms for at least one year. They only lived apart for that one year though because the day they celebrated one year together was the day she moved into the apartment.

Even though they were happy and the last few years were all Buffy could ask for they hadn't all been good times. Faith had needed to adjust to Buffy's college schedule at first and there were multiple times that first year where not only did they not see each other every day but a couple times it was multiple days at a time. That was something they argued about constantly until they were able to work out a better schedule. Of course, once they moved in together that problem was all but gone.

There were also bouts of jealousy from both of them. One time it got so bad Buffy moved out of the apartment and back home with her mother for a couple weeks because they couldn't be in the same room anymore. All they did was argue and accuse each other of not being happy. Something had to give.

When she left Buffy feared she and Faith were over but after two weeks both of them missed each other too much. Faith showed up at the house with a dozen roses and Buffy was more than willing to take her back. She loved her too much and knew she was probably only hours away from showing up at the apartment wearing next to nothing. Faith would never say no to that.

She looked over at Faith and had to keep from laughing at the distance she was from her. When Faith first started joining the family on holidays and special occasions she always slept in the guestroom. She would always seek into Buffy's room to say goodnight properly though and her mother must have known. A couple Christmases ago she told them they didn't need to pretend they were okay with separate rooms.

Even with that, Faith usually kept some distance between them. Buffy thought it was cute that she was trying to be respectful but she knew there wasn't a need. It wasn't like they would be walked in on. Still, instead of sleeping naked and curled up together as was their normal routine, at her mother's house there were pajamas and not much touching. They hadn't even had sex in the room since that night battling Devon.

Buffy sighed and pulled Faith closer. After grumbling a little in her sleep, Faith moved until her head was resting on Buffy's shoulder. She placed a kiss on the top of her head and snuggled against her girlfriend.

Everyday Buffy thanked whatever happened to make her able to share in Faith's dreams. They decided that they didn't care how it happened so they never went looking for the cause and after they got together the dreams went away. That was okay with Buffy. There was no need for the dreams when she had the real thing.

There had only been one dream since and Buffy wasn't even sure if it was one that she actually shared with Faith. If they did share it Faith hadn't anything. The whole incident had shocked Buffy and she didn't know how to bring it up because that night she dreamt of Faith and her playing happily at her mother's house with a little girl . . . their daughter.

When she woke up Buffy couldn't keep the smile off her face, even though she knew the dream was set years in the future. A dream of having a family with her wonderful girlfriend was definitely something to smile about as was that they were still together several years later. Faith didn't say anything that morning though and didn't act any differently so Buffy wasn't sure if it was only her imagination.

An incident a week later made her think maybe Faith did share the dream though. One of the guys in Buffy's study group had brought his one year old daughter and when Faith came to pick her up she saw the little girl sitting happily on Buffy's lap. Buffy had never seen Faith's eyes get that wide before but she resisted commenting or teasing her about it. She didn't want to cause a fight and Faith looked genuinely freaked out.

Faith moved against her then and Buffy smiled as she held her tighter. She wanted a future with Faith, a normal one with a house and a kid or two. The normal part of that future they could even kind of do now. There had been a major mistake in a spell during a fight with a big bad last year and all the potential slayers were activated. The Chosen Two could be semi-retired now.

Of course, they'd never be fully retired and that was okay with Buffy. There were nights she still had the urge to slay and she knew Faith felt it, too. They usually patrolled a couple nights a week and helped Giles and two other watchers with the three slayers in Sunnydale. Even with that, it felt good that they didn't have to go out every night.

Faith groaned quietly and moved against her more. "This feels weird when we have clothes on."

"Is that why you end up all the way on the other side of the bed?" Buffy asked quietly as she smirked down at her.

Faith shifted so she could look at Buffy better. "It would feel weird trying to do disgusting things to you when your mom is in the next room."

"You act like we haven't done it before."

"Yeah, but that was before Mrs. S knew that I intended on getting ya naked whenever I could," Faith explained. "After we told her, this seemed to be off limits." She gestured around the room.

"I don't think that's a good reason."

"Okay, how 'bout the fact Giles is in there with her?"

Buffy made a face. "I get wigged out at the thought of my mom and Giles."

"Yeah, can't you just imagine what they're doing in there?" Faith teased as she moved a hand over Buffy's stomach.

Buffy groaned, trying to get the image of her mother and her watcher out of her head before it stayed there forever and ever. After a couple years of tiptoeing around the subject they'd started dating a year ago and Giles moved in two months ago. She had been slightly apprehensive at first but now Buffy was fine with the situation. They made each other happy and that was all she cared about. As long as Faith didn't try to put images of them getting all wriggly in her head that is.

"Stop it," Buffy said before starting to giggle as Faith began to tickle her. "Thinking about that makes me never want to have sex again."

Faith stopped trying to tickle her and instead pulled her close, keeping her arms tight around her. "Can't have that. We haven't even celebrated your graduation yet."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "There's more than just the party?"

"You probably don't wanna have an audience for how we'll celebrate," Faith commented, a smirk on her face. "There's a reason I have the next couple days off."

"I thought you were doing that 'cause we were going to look for a new apartment."

"Not really and we don't even need to do that anymore."

Buffy grinned at that and kissed Faith lightly. They both had good luck on the job front the last couple months, Faith getting a promotion and Buffy securing at job at the hospital that she would start in two weeks, so they were planning on looking for a bigger apartment. Until last night and Giles' present for both of them.

Now that Giles lived with Joyce his condo was empty and he had yet to put it up for sale. Last night when she was opening presents he handed her a small carefully wrapped box with the keys inside. He said they deserved to have a nice place of their own and he had one available.

"I think we can spare a couple days to have some crazy sex," Faith said, waggling her eyebrows. "Besides, we need to start packing and shop for some furniture. We have to get rid of some of Giles' outdated crap."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Damn right it is. Well, mostly the sex part."

Letting out a little sigh, Buffy snuggled into Faith's curves and absently moved a hand over her stomach. "I wish we could get away for a few days before I start my job. Who knows when we'll get away after that?"

"What if we could get away?"

Buffy moved away enough to fully look at Faith's grinning face. "Are we going somewhere?"

"I was thinking we could go to Vegas for a couple days," Faith said casually with a shrug. "You know, if you want."

"Of course, I want!" Bully exclaimed as she practically jumped on Faith, peppering her face with kisses.

Faith laughed as she wrapped her arms around her. "Good 'cause we leave after breakfast."

Buffy gave her another kiss before looking into her eyes and smiled. "I love you."

"I'll always love you, Buffy," Faith responded, looking deep into her eyes. "And I'll never stop."

The End