This story can be read, sorta, as an follow-up to my stand-alone fic: What was I thinking? I'll do my best to make things right, for everyone involved. As explained in the intro, 6 months have passed, and it is assumed Faith has been trained extensively to counsel other slayers with their problems.

This story takes canon occurences from the season 8 comic book series up until issue: A Beatiful Sunset. Wolves at the gate did take place, I just twisted the stories to fit Faith in, like she should've.

Apologies in advance for this story is not beta-ed. English is not my native language and as such any grammatical mistakes are entirely my own. (Still looking for a beta, hint hint)

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Intro:

6 Months have passed between the happenings in England, and Faith's reforming as a counselor. While still being trained as a counselor to help less fortunate slayers, an unexpected call puts a wrench in the works.

Giles gets called in to help with a plan to retrieve the Scythe, after it was stolen in Scotland. Though reluctant, Faith eventually agrees to come with.

Buffy is less than happy when she finds out. After her one-night stand with Satsu, she has enough to deal with as it stands. Going against Willow and Xander's advice to wait a few days before making her a move on an location which she presumes holds a key-person that could lead them to the stolen Scythe, things take a horrible spin for the worse in no time flat. Two of the less experienced slayers are killed, and several others wounded, in what was presumed to be just a simple information-retrieval mission.

Locking pretty much everyone out, including the newly arrived Giles and Faith, Buffy spends most of her time alone in her room. She only comes out to grab some food, and help with the plan of action to retrieve the Scythe in Tokio.

After arriving there, with the help of giant Dawn's distraction, Willow's magics, and Dracula's advice they eventually manage to beat the vampires that had stolen the Scythe in the first place.

But everything comes with a price.

When Satsu and 3 other slayers get cornered by a large group of vampires, Buffy makes a critical decision to burst into the building from another direction. Not waiting to see if Faith and the others are in place, she puts her entire team in danger by doing so. Several slayers are critically wounded in the ensuing battle, including Faith and Satsu.

Afterwards, Faith confronts Buffy with her rash decision-making. Buffy believes Faith is out of line, and pushes her away. Faith returns this with saying that Buffy doesn't know how to deal with the consequences of her actions. Enraged by this, Buffy strikes out at Faith and in a few harsh blows, knocks Faith out cold. Several witnesses to the whole ordeal, including Giles, Xander and Willow manage to pull Buffy away to prevent further damage.

Eventually the whole team moves back to Scotland, after everyone, including Faith has recovered enough from their injuries to make the trip back. It is in Scotland that Xander and Giles discuss everything that has happened in the weeks past, including the information-retrieval mission that went so horribly wrong. It's obvious to both of them, Buffy has some problems, and needs help.

There's just the matter of getting her to see that for herself.