Wow... I feel really good.

Lying all but limp where I am, I let the great warm feeling I'm having wash over me completely.

I'd almost forgotten how incredible being with her could be. But then, she always does manage to make me feel happier than I ever thought possible. That's what being in love, really in love with someone is supposed to be about though... I think. We make each other happy, no matter what.

Slowly because my muscles ache a bit, I roll over and snuggle up to my naked girlfriend next to me on the bed.

And we are going to be happy together, no matter what. I meant what I said last night about being willing to go out of state to school if the opportunity comes along. I don't want to, but I will if it means that Faith and I can stay together the way we are. I'll do the long distance thing if I have to so that I can stay with Faith. That's all that really matters. We're all that really matters.

I reach out and gently run my hand down her stomach for no particular reason other than just to touch her skin. My touch makes her turn her head and look at me, which makes me smile. She's the first to speak.

"Hey..."

Just the sound of her voice makes my smile bigger.

"Hey..."

She gently cups my cheek with her hand, setting my face on fire because of how much I missed feeling it.

"I forgot how great being with you can make me feel."

I love how good that sounds.

"I was thinking the same thing a minute ago."

Faith smiles at me and then leans forward a bit, giving us a chance to share a kiss. It's short, but I'm pretty certain there'll be more of them so I don't mind. After a long moment of just staring into each other's eyes, Faith turns her head and stares up at the ceiling for a while.

"So... I guess this means we're back together eh?"

I thought that was obvious. It is to me.

"Well, I thought so. Isn't that what last night meant?"

Are we still not back together?

She looks at me for a second.

"Uh, yeah, that's what I thought it meant too. I just wanted to make sure that you thought the same thing. It was a thing. Sorry..."

Oh, well...

"That's okay..."

My girl goes back to staring at the ceiling with a smile.

"I just..."

Again she turns her head to look at me and I look right back.

"You, you were serious about what you said last night... right? About going to an out of state college if the opportunity comes along?"

Oh...

"Yes... I promise."

We keep our eyes locked on each other's.

"I... I won't choose a college based on where it is. I'll choose it based on what kind of opportunity it can give me. Though honestly, I wouldn't mind if I got rejected by every out of state college in the country so I could stay close to you. But I'll apply to all of them and give them all a fair chance. As long as we can be together before, during, and after I go to whatever college I go to."

Faith chuckles and it feels so good to see that.

"All right... I can live with that I guess."

She kisses me again and we lean our bodies into each other under the covers on the bed.

* * *

I can't help but whistle as I walk up to the door to mine and Buffy's apartment and go inside. As soon as I'm inside, I shut the door behind me and Buffy looks up from the couch at me. She instantly has a surprised and relieved look on her face.

"Dawn..."

Buffy gets up from the couch and moves swiftly over to me, giving me a big hug when she gets close enough.

"God I was so worried."

She was worried?

To make her feel better I hug her back, though I'm not entirely sure why.

"About what?"

My sister pulls back from the hug and looks at me with confusion.

"Dawn, you left the funeral without saying a word to anyone and were gone all night."

I know that.

"And?"

Her confusion gets worse and I see Willow come out into the main hall and stop, not saying a thing.

"And you didn't say where you were going or pick up your cell phone when I called you a couple times. I was worried."

I'm still not completely sure on why.

"Buffy, I've gone out for the night before and come back the next morning just fine. Why are you making such a big deal of this?"

She looks at Willow for a second and then comes back to me.

"Well... Candy told us what happened."

What happened? What did she tell them?

When I don't say anything right away, Buffy explains.

"About how you threw a cigarette at her?"

Oh, right, that... whatever.

"She wouldn't go away, what was I supposed to do?"

Willow picks this moment to speak up.

"I could think of a few less aggressive things."

She was so much better when she didn't talk.

"Guess it's a good thing I don't care what you think then."

Buffy's redheaded best friend is going to say something else but Buffy interjects.

"Well, the important thing is that it got us worried about you. We didn't know where you were."

Why?

"Couldn't you just have Willow do a locator spell and find out?"

My sister shakes her head.

"No..."

"Why not?"

Again Willow speaks up.

"Because we know how much you like it when people get into your business when you don't want them to."

Buffy finishes the thought.

"And I didn't want to have to get Willow to do that for me."

Okay... fine... good...

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

I move away from Buffy and start taking off my shoes.

"Where did you go?"

I should probably tell them, just to get Buffy to stop freaking out about it.

"I went to Faith's."

Looking at both of their reactions, I get complete silence from that statement for a while. Buffy eventually responds with the simplest questions.

"You did?"

Finally, I get my shoes off and turn to face them.

"Yes... we talked, and I think we're back."

"Back?"

"Back together..."

My sister looks kinda shocked by me saying that.

"You are?"

"Yeah... we, talked everything out and got back together last night."

Neither of them says anything, and Buffy glances at Willow once or twice.

"Oh..."

Eventually, Buffy comes up and hugs me again.

"Well that's great Dawnie, I'm really happy for you guys."

She keeps the hug going for a weird amount of time before finally pulling back with a smile.

"How did it happen? I mean, what did you guys talk about that made you change your minds?"

I'm sure she means Faith's mind.

Willow interrupts.

"Uh, Buff, are you sure you really want ALL the details?"

My sister smiles at Willow for a second before coming back to me.

"Well, not all the details, obviously, but I just mean, the conversation, what was it about?"

This'll make her happy.

"I'm gonna go to whatever good college accepts me, no matter where it is."

Buffy stares at me, a little shocked.

"You are?"

"Yeah..."

There's complete silence from my sister and I can see the smile slowly creeping its way onto her face but she still says nothing.

That's a little creepy.

"What?"

She shakes her head like she's coming out a daze or something.

"Nothing, I mean.... it's just a lot to take in. All of the sudden you and Faith are back AND you're going to an out of state college if they accept you. What brought all this on?"

Right...

"Well, it was after the funeral. I kinda went for a walk without really having any idea where I was going, and I realized how much not being with Faith was killing me and that I had to do whatever it takes to get her back. So if I have to suffer through a couple months of doing the long distance relationship thing to stay with her, then I'll suffer. It can't be any worse than the feeling of not being with her at all."

Again there's nothing but silence from my sister and she looks a little confused, like she's not entirely sure how she feels about that.

"Oh..."

After a few more seconds she comes up and hugs me again.

"Well I'm so happy for you then."

The hug is very tight and I think she uses a bit of her slayer strength in it.

All right, this is even more creepy.

"Yeah, you said that already."

My sister eventually pulls back.

"I'm sorry, it's just... I am, happy for you I mean, both of you."

I raise an eyebrow at her.

"I think that message got through the first time sis."

Buffy seems to get a little nervous but manages to hide most of it.

"Right, sorry, okay... well, I think this calls for a celebration of some kind."

A celebration? Really?

"Maybe, maybe you could invite Faith over, and I could invite Derrick over and we could all have dinner together or something."

Willow makes one of her comments.

"Yes, because that wouldn't be awkward or embarrassing at all. Would it Buff?"

At least Willow and I can agree on that. I don't want to spend a whole evening with Faith, Buffy AND Derrick. I wanted Derrick and my sister to go out so that Buffy could be happy, and would have something other than me to focus on, not for Faith and me to go on unspeakably awkward double dates.

"Uh, I guess not. But we should do something."

The redheaded witch in the room jumps in again.

"I'm guessing that Dawnie and her slayer already went and did something about it already Buff."

Buffy looks at me when I feel the smile on my face from the memory of how Faith and I celebrated.

She's right about that too.

"Oh, geez, okay, bad mental picture there..."

My sister throws her hands up and backs away from me like a light is being shined in her face.

"Okay, thanks Will, I REALLY needed that."

I chuckle a little at that.

"It's your own fault Buffy. You walked right into that one."

She keeps her hands up for a little while longer before putting them down.

"All right, well I'm done walking then."

There's a genuine and honest smile on her face.

"I'm glad you're able to be happy all of the sudden though Dawnie, I really am."

Happily, I smile back.

"Me too, thanks..."

Then I look over to my room for a split second.

"Can I go take a shower and get dressed for school now?"

Buffy smiles a weird smile.

"Sure..."

All right...

I turn around and head over to my room.

I'm glad she's happy for me. I'm happy for us, and I know Faith is too.