Have a Little Faith

by Drakiri

Copyright © 2005

drakiri_nsw@yahoo.com.au

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: All characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are copyright Joss Whedon and 20th century Fox, for they are the masters of the universe, or the Buffyverse at least.
Distribution: The Mystic Muse:  http://mysticmuse.net
Forever Faith: http://mysticmuse.net/faith
Nowhere else.
Feedback: More then welcome.
Spoilers: Post-Chosen
Pairing: Faith/Dawn

Part 1    Part 2    Part 3    Part 4    Part 5    Part 6

Faith stood in front of the door, shifting from one foot to the other uncertainly.

She raised her hand to knock and then let it drop, she wasn't sure what she was doing here, then again she had nowhere better to go.

She sighed and raised her hand again firmly knocking on the door of Buffy's apartment.

Faith looked away glancing around the corridor in which she stood, obviously apartment block corridors were the same the world round, white walls, rows of doors and bright white lights. She could be standing in a block of flats anywhere in America instead of in Rome, Italy.

The door finally opened to reveal Dawn in a pair of jeans and a small, tight pink belly-baring top, the expectant look on her face falling to a closed expressionless glare.

"Faith," she said her voice guarded.

"Hey Dawn, Buffy in?" Faith asked.

"Why?"

"Well I flew all the way to Rome, be kinda nice to know where she is."

"She's out," Dawn said shortly.

"Oh," Faith said, nodding slightly.

There was an awkward pause.

"So…um…can I come in?" Faith asked.

Dawn looked at her suspiciously.

"Why? Do you need an invite?"

Faith pointed at the small cross on her necklace that lay just above the hollow between her breasts.

"Wouldn't be wearing one of these if I did now would I, Brat," Faith said getting a little annoyed.

Dawn assessed Faith who was wearing her usual uniform, tight black jeans, tight red top and black leather jacket, her eyes then flicked suspiciously from the cross to Faith's face.

Then before Faith could react Dawn quickly reached out, poking Faith's arm with an extended finger.

Faith looked down at where Dawn's finger had left an imprint in the leather of her jacket.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Faith asked frowning.

"Just checking," Dawn replied, and then sighing, waved Faith into the apartment. "Come on in then."

Faith entered, still frowning.

"Checking for what?" she asked. "To see whether I was ghost or something?"

"No, to see whether you were the First or not," Dawn replied, moving past Faith to stand in the middle of the apartment, arms crossed across her chest.

"I thought we got rid of that thing, you know big battle, Hellmouth destroyed, Sunnydale a large hole in the ground," Faith said looking troubled.

"Strange thing about being a non-corporeal evil, having tons of rock landing on top of you really doesn't do a lot to you."

"Oh, so that whole fight was a waste of time?" the troubled look on Faith's face grew.

"I wouldn't say that, we stopped its army from poring forth out of hell and wiping the human race off the face of the earth," Dawn replied. "I'd say that was a plus."

"Yeah. Well. I guess," Faith still did not look happy. "But we didn't destroy it though did we?"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Faith the First was made up of all the evil in the world, and unless you get rid of all evil, all demons, and all evil impulses and desires it's still going to exist."

Faith deliberately reached out to poke Dawn's arm with her finger.

Dawn stared at her. "What did you that for?"

"Just checking," Faith smiled at her sweetly. "That speech you gave sounded like one of the First's."

"And how could I have touched you if I was the First?" Dawn asked.

"I…" Faith paused. "I guess I didn't really think about that."

"Obviously," Dawn replied sarcastically. "Then again thinking was never your strong suit."

Faith glared at her, feeling a rising urge to punch the youngest Summers, but that wouldn't get her into Buffy's good books and she was here to help. So instead she looked around the apartment. She was impressed Buffy had obviously done well for herself, the apartment was big but not huge, it had a kitchen, living area and doors leading off to other rooms, probably bedrooms, all the furniture seemed shiny and new and so did the paint on the walls.

"Now you've made sure I'm not a servant of evil could you tell me where Buffy is?" Faith asked, accenting heavily the not a servant of evil part.

"Out training some of the new slayers, she won't be back for a while," Dawn said.

"Mind if I stay here and wait?"

"Whatever," Dawn said shrugging; she turned and sat at the table in the living area. Faith wandered after her looking around at the apartment again, it was nice, certainly nicer then the places she had been staying in the past few months.

"Nice place you and B have here," she said.

"It's not bad," Dawn said distractedly.

Faith walked over to her, peering over her shoulder. "Whatcha working on brat?"

"Homework," Dawn said tersely.

"Anything I can help with?" Faith asked

Dawn just looked at her. "Not unless you speak Italian."

"Guess not then," Faith said shrugging, continuing her solo tour around the apartment before finally settling on the couch. She pulled out her pack of cigarettes and fished one out, putting it in her mouth she lit it and slowly sucked in the smoke, enjoying the warm, thick calming influence in her lungs.

Dawn looked around then did a double take. "Faith put that thing out."

"Why?" said Faith, blowing the smoke in Dawn's direction.

"Because I asked, and those things will kill you."

Faith continued to smoke. "Didn't know you cared brat, and anyway you don't seem to have any ashtrays."

"That's because no-one smokes in here," Dawn said then sighing angrily she stood up, getting a glass from the kitchen cupboard. "Here put it out in this."

Faith finished her cigarette slowly before stubbing it out in the glass provided by Dawn.

Dawn wrinkled her nose up and carried the glass to the rubbish bin, tipping out its contents and hurriedly replacing the lid.

Faith watched Dawn, her eyes straying down Dawn's body to her butt as Dawn bent over the bin; it was hard to believe that was the same person as the bratty thirteen-year-old Faith had met when she first arrived in Sunnydale. Faith's gaze lingered there before she realized what she was doing and quickly looked away.

"So anything interesting been happening here at Slayer central?" she asked trying to act casual.

"You know the usual, fight demons, save the world, prevent the apocalypse, attend high-school somehow high-school seems the hardest of the lot," Dawn said

"Well I doubt you have hundreds of slayers to help with that last one."

"Mmmm…" said Dawn a thought occurring to her. "Speaking of high-school, where's Principal Wood?"

"Who?" Faith asked.

"Principal Wood...Robin."

"Oh. Him. You know he isn't a Principal anymore don't you?"

"It just seems weird calling him Robin, and you're avoiding my question," Dawn said.

"Am I?" Faith asked looking innocent, Dawn continued to look questioningly at her.

"Fine," Faith said sighing. "We broke up a couple of months ago, satisfied."

"Why? You guys seemed good together," Dawn asked.

"We both just realized we were better off as friends rather then, you know. We still talk occasionally."

"Oh," Dawn said sadly.

"What's wrong D?"

"Just seems no-ones relationships last, I mean Buffy's boyfriends always seem to leave, then there was Xander and Anya, the only one's who seem to have a happy stable relationship are Willow and Kennedy."

"Wasn't Buffy dating that Immortal guy?" Faith asked.

"She dumped him after the news about Angel and Spike, she was depressed for a while after that."

"Yeah that was bad news," Faith said softly. "Hey maybe we should all go gay?" she said suddenly.

"What?" Dawn asked, looking confused.

"Well if only Willow and Kennedy are together and happy maybe it says something good about being gay."

"Thanks for the offer Faith," Dawn said wryly. "But I like boys."

"Really, got yourself a hot little Italian stud have you?"

"Actually…" Dawn said pausing. "Not at the moment, no."

"With a body like that Dawn I would've thought guys would be lining up to get their hands on you," Faith said slowly studying Dawn.

"No, unfortunately. And don't get any ideas Faith there is no way you're getting your hands on my body unless you have another one of those body swap things you used on Buffy. You don't do you?" Dawn checked.

Faith was looking past Dawn, caught up in thoughts about getting her hands on Dawn's body. Dawn's warm, soft, naked body. Naughty, erotic and probably illegal thoughts began to go through Faith's mind.

'Whoa where the hell did they come from?' Faith thought, shaking her head.

"Faith?" Dawn asked looking slightly concerned.

"What?" Faith said coming back to reality.

"You all right? You look kind of spaced."

"Yeah I'm fine, long flight got some wicked jetlag is all D," Faith said shrugging.

"Why do you keep calling me D?"

"I call Buffy B, so its just logical isn't it?" said Faith. "I can go back to calling you brat if you'd prefer?"

"No, D's fine and anyway considering I'm eighteen and an adult calling me brat is a bit redundant isn't it?"

"Yeah probably," Faith said, nodding distractedly. She had been realizing just how much of a grown-up Dawn was, at least physically, and it was starting to make her rather uncomfortable, sitting in the apartment.

Alone.

With Dawn.

Who was all grown-up.

'And now my thoughts are starting to become circular and all about one thing.' Faith thought. 'One bad, wrong thing. I so need to get outta here.'

"Say it's getting kinda late," Faith said standing up quickly. "Maybe I should go, catch up with B later."

"Um sure, whatever," Dawn said nodding.

"Right. So. See ya," Faith said awkwardly, waving her hand slightly.

"Bye, F," Dawn said smiling.

"F?" Faith asked, confused.

"What you're the only one who gets to do that?"

"Guess not," said Faith moving to the door. "So bye."

Dawn nodded at her and turned back to her homework as Faith closed the door behind her.

Faith walked fast along the street, confusing thoughts racing through her mind, mostly to do with Dawn.

She didn't understand the sudden attraction towards Dawn. It wasn't like she had ever really been attracted to another woman before, she'd kissed a couple when she was younger, mostly to see what it was like, but it hadn't really rocked her world.

But back there with Dawn she'd been looking at her like she would at a hot guy in a bar she was going to pick up.

Faith got another cigarette out, lighting it and began to aggressively puff at it slowing down to lean against a convenient wall.

She had always thought Dawn was a cute kid, if annoying in a know-it-all kind of way. When she had first met Dawn it had made her slightly jealous of Buffy, why had B got the kid sister why not her? When the whole Key thing had happened it was rather obvious, hard for her to protect a sister while in jail.

She remembered the Christmas she'd spent with the Summers' when Buffy had left her alone with Dawn and her Mom and gone after Angel. She and Dawn had stayed up late playing card and board games, the first time she'd ever done that and she started liking the little brat.

After that Dawn had begun to try to be like her, talking like her (which had seriously pissed off Buffy, especially when Dawn had called her B), acting like her, though Buffy and her Mom had drawn the line when Dawn had tried to dress like her. No sister of mine is going to go round looking like a hooker had been Buffy's exact words.

Then she'd gone to the dark side, helping the Mayor with his ascension and that had pretty much put a stop to Dawn's copying, that and the fact she called Dawn a few choice names and pushed her into a wall when she continued to follow her around.

Dawn hadn't seen her after she had gone to jail, unsurprisingly; only Angel and Wes had come to visit her in the big house. Then she'd busted out and helped Angel get his soul back and gone back to Sunnyhell with Willow.

Faith remembered the cold reception Dawn had given her, calling her a kill-your-sister-type, while back in Sunnydale she hadn't really noticed Dawn what with the First and apocalyptic battle and all, plus Robin had come along and caught her eye.

In all this traveling down memory lane she could not, for the life of her, remember ever thinking about Dawn in a hot, sweaty, cigarette after way. She'd thought she was cute and nice at times, but never sexy.

"So why now?" Faith muttered.

She thought about it, leaning against the wall as she finished her cigarette dropping it to the footpath and grinding it under her foot. Much as she hated to admit it D was right, thinking had never really been her thing, hitting things sure, planning and strategy she always preferred to leave to others.

But one thing had occurred to her. It could be a love spell of some kind, or more accurately a lust spell, after all the feelings she was having weren't exactly of the warm, fuzzy variety.

But why Dawn? I mean she couldn't think of anyone more inappropriate…Ah.

If someone wanted to get back at her making her lust after B's little sis would certainly be one way.

The big question was who. Of course there was Dawn herself, Faith knew Dawn could do some basic magic, but she didn't really have the motive.

Fighting evil didn't exactly win you a lot of friends, especially of the evil variety, and some of them had some serious mojo. There had been a couple of warlocks whose activities she had cut into and they could certainly have done this to her.

Whoever was responsible she needed to get rid of it as soon as possible, and maybe Buffy could help with that. The Slayers Council would know a witch or warlock or someone with the mojo who could clear this up for her, Buffy wouldn't need to know the details of course, that would be a way to insure Faith's early death.

However right now Faith needed a distraction, something to get her mind off Dawn and sex and putting the two together, and to ease the growing tension in her muscles.

Suddenly behind her, Faith heard a low growl and turning, she faced up to three vamps in full game face. She was a little surprised, considering how many slayers were around she would've thought the vamp population would be well down and they would be a bit skittish about attacking a lone helpless girl, but hell she wasn't arguing as she slid the stake out of the pocket inside her jacket, after all it looked like her distraction had arrived just in time.

Faith gently lowered herself down onto Dawn's naked form; gliding her hands up the girl's thighs she slowly parted them sliding her hips in-between. Faith's lips met Dawn's softly then harder, Faith taking the kiss deeper, parting the girls lips with her tongue she felt Dawn hungrily take her tongue into her mouth meeting it with her own.

Faith let her hands roam along the teenagers body as she slid her mouth off Dawn's and glided it down her cheek and onto her throat, she heard the brunette's groan of protest at the loss of contact mingle with her moan of pleasure.

Faith's mouth dipped lower, kissing down and then along her collarbone, she felt Dawn's fingernails dig into her back as she let her hand slide along Dawn's side and then across her belly, then go lower.

And lower.

And lower…

BBBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPP.

Faith awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed, glancing around wildly at the noise, she finally recognized it as the clock radio sitting on the dresser next to the bed.

She hit it hard to stop the annoying noise and then sighed, brushing the hair back from her face.

That had been one hell of a dream, or at least the start of one hell of a dream, she had thought the fight last night would work some of the tension off but obviously it had just wound her up even further, now she was feeling extremely hot and bothered and she just wanted to go back to sleep, or preferably screw Dawn and then go back to sleep, but the distinct lack of Dawn made the latter choice impossible.

'And the fact it was wrong,' Faith thought hurriedly. 'Very, very wrong.'

She really had to find some way of dealing with this love/lust spell, now it was starting to take control of her dreams as well as her waking life, she was sure it was the influence of some kind of spell because these feelings couldn't be real.

Absolutely no way.

Definitely not.

Never.

Hopefully.

Faith glanced at the clock radio, 10:02.

What was she doing setting the alarm that early, or was it ten at night?

She looked out the small, grimy window that cast a dull light into the crappy little motel room she was staying in.

Either it was a really brightly lit night or that was definitely daylight.

She stretched and groaned feeling a few bruises that hadn't completely healed after last night probably because she hadn't really got much in the way of sleep due to the late hour she had managed to get back to the motel, after she had disposed of those three vamps last night she had got the urge for some hunting and bagged a couple more vampires and some kind of demon, but she was starting to feel the consequences now.

"Must be getting old," Faith muttered to herself.

As she slid out of bed she remembered why she was getting up this early, she was going to see Buffy at Slayer central this morning, she knew Buffy was big on the whole early-rising thing and ten o'clock was as early as Faith could manage, hopefully she could catch B before she got too busy.

So she was off to see Buffy then, but the first order of the day was definitely a shower, a long cold shower.

The taxi slowed and then stopped in front of a large office block just outside the center of the city.

Faith frowned and read the address she had been given then looked back at the building, she wasn't sure how you could tell what the building was as there were no numbers or identification of any sort on the front of the building.

"You're sure this is right?" Faith asked the taxi-driver.

"Si," he nodded emphatically.

'Great,' Faith thought. 'This guy doesn't speak a word of English and I don't speak any Italian, perfect.'

"Right. Thanks," Faith said. "So how much do I owe you?"

The driver looked at her, uncomprehending.

"How...Much…Do…I…Owe…You?" Faith gestured between herself and the driver, using the old tourist fall back when in a conversation with someone who didn't understand your language, speak slower and louder. She thought it would make her more understandable, strange how it never seems to work.

The driver just continued to stare at her.

Faith pulled out a small wad of notes and said very slowly and loudly, "HOW…MUCH?"

A look of understanding crossed the drivers face. "Oh Si Si…" he then proceeded to say something in Italian that Faith completely failed to follow, however she understood the last part. "16 Euro."

Faith pulled out a 20 Euro note and handed it to him. "Keep the change," she patted the driver on the shoulder as she leapt out of the taxi and onto the sidewalk.

She heard the taxi speed off as she looked up and up at the building. Faith had to admit she was impressed, the building was huge a number of stories high and it seemed to stretch halfway along the block on either side.

Faith glanced either side of her and then shrugged, not seeing any other entrance then the heavily tinted automatic doors in front of her.

She wandered casually inside and looked around, the space seemed like any other office lobby she had walked into, spacious with potted plants in the corners and a large wooden reception desk manned by a pretty, blonde woman talking into a headset.

It reminded her of the Wolfram and Hart offices back in LA, except instead of human and/or demons in suits wandering around there was a large number of fit young girls in street clothes going about their business, chatting amongst themselves mainly, with only the odd guy or woman in a suit hurrying past.

"May I help you?"

It took Faith a few seconds before she realized the question was being directed at her; she walked up to the reception desk. "I want to talk to Buffy."

"Buffy…Oh you mean Ms. Summers," the receptionist said.

"Yeah her," Faith nodded.

"May I inquire as to what your business is with Ms. Summers?" the receptionist said in an even, cultured tone.

"Just tell her Faith's here, she'll know who I am."

"Do you have a last name Miss Faith?" a hint of annoyance crept into her voice as she looked Faith up and down disapprovingly.

"Sure," Faith said staring her out.

A long pregnant pause followed.

"And that would be?" the hint had become outright annoyance now.

"B knows it, trust me she'll know who I am," Faith smiled sweetly at the receptionist, she still enjoyed winding up authority figures, even one as minor as this.

The receptionist stared at her stonily, then pressed a button in front of her. "Ms. Summers?"

Faith wasn't close enough to hear the other side of the conversation so she couldn't hear Buffy's answer.

"I hope you were not too busy Ms. Summers but I have a young woman calling herself Faith here at reception…"

Buffy obviously cut in as the receptionist paused and looked at Faith, a small smile on her lips.

"Yes I would say that's a fair description of her."

Faith looked quickly down at herself, the leather pants, tight top, denim jacket, then looked back up at the receptionist her eyes narrowing slightly, she could just guess B's unflattering description of her.

"Yes Ms. Summers, of course Ms. Summers, I'll tell her right away," the receptionist said, hanging up.

"Ms. Summers will see you now."

"Great," Faith turned away, then turned back. "Where is she?"

"Up in her office, top floor first door on the right," she pointed at a pair of lifts.

"Right," Faith began moving towards the lifts.

The lift doors opened to reveal a corridor stretching away to either side, with doors at regular intervals on either side.

"Now is it the first door on the right of the lifts or on the right-hand side of the corridor," Faith asked herself, frowning.

She was saved from possible embarrassment when the door on the right of the lifts opened and Buffy walked out. "In here Faith."

Faith sauntered into Buffy's office and whistled. "Wow B you've really done well for yourself."

Buffy's office was huge, almost as big as her apartment, one wall was just windows, giving a spectacular view over the city. A large wooden desk dominated the room, Buffy's Faith presumed; it had that sense of slight smug superiority.

The office had little else, a couple of chairs facing the desk and a couch up against one wall.

"What do you do with all this room?" Faith asked.

Buffy moved over to the wall behind the desk and pressed something on the side of the small painting hanging there. A section of the wall slid across revealing all things pointy, sharp and shiny.

"Nice," said Faith, even more impressed.

"Clichéd I know," said Buffy. "But sometimes a girl needs some time alone with her weapons, without some wannabe slayer getting in the road."

"I can understand, don't play well with others myself."

"I remember," said Buffy dryly. "And it's not a matter of not playing well with others, just I need to train by myself on occasion."

Buffy pressed the hidden switch and the wall slid back again.

"So is this a social visit," asked Buffy, moving over to sit behind her desk. "Or is there another reason we're graced with your presence?"

"Actually I came to ask for a job," Faith slouched into one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"Humnu?"

"Figured I'd done enough of the lone ranger routine and thought you could do with a hand training the newbies."

"Well any help would be appreciated, seems a couple more girls just pop up out of the middle of nowhere every day, its getting a little overwhelming."

"Cool, just point me where you want me, although I don't do paperwork," Faith pointed out, then saw Buffy's suspiciously empty desk. "And I'm guessing neither do you."

Buffy looked over her desk. "I have a system for handling paperwork, its called give it to Giles or Andrew or the other Watchers, they seem able to handle it."

"Andrew, the little nerdy guy," Faith asked. "He's actually being useful?"

"Surprisingly yes, although he is still as annoying as ever."

There was a small silence as the two slayers studied each other; Buffy looked pretty much the same as Faith remembered, the same classy yet stylish clothes, shoulder-length blonde hair and the same wary attitude, at least around her.

Faith broke the awkward silence. "See you've still got the holy hand-grenade," she nodded at the scythe hanging on the wall.

Buffy shrugged. "It comes in handy every now and again, and its useful for testing the new slayers, to see if they are or not, slayers that is."

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Not in some cases no, and it helps convince some that they truly are slayers, once they feel its power its kind of hard to deny."

"Don't know why they'd want to."

"Well you always did like the power of being a slayer didn't you?" Buffy asked.

"You have to admit, it doesn't suck."

"Hmmmm…" Buffy looked at her.

"But I'm over the whole power-mad trip thing B, I'm completely in control now," she saw Buffy's skeptical look. "Well mostly in control anyway."

Another awkward silence ensued.

"Dawn said you dropped by last night," Buffy said.

Faith looked up sharply. "She did," she said trying to act casual. "What'd she say?"

"Just that you came by and that you seemed a little jumpy."

"Well long flights don't agree with me, especially over water," Faith couldn't help but be a little disappointed that that was all Dawn had said.

"I wouldn't worry about Dawn, she's still a little pissed at you, but she'll soon go back to idolizing you I'm sure."

"Idolizing me?"

"You remember when you first arrived in Sunnydale?" Buffy said. "Dawn trying to be mini-Faith, she thought you were the coolest thing ever, even more so than Brad Pitt."

"Really?" Faith's mood abruptly brightened.

"You didn't notice?"

"I knew she followed me around a lot, but idolized me, no."

"Maybe idolized is too strong a word," Buffy agreed nodding. "But she definitely followed you around like a little groupie."

Faith's mind wandered at the idea of Dawn being her little groupie and where that could lead. "So where did you get the money for all this?" she asked trying to get the topic off Dawn.

"The Watchers Council."

"I thought they all got blown-up?" Faith asked surprised.

"Mostly, not all Watchers arrived in time for that meeting a few survived here and there around the world and now they're here helping us run the new Slayers Council."

"And what they came bearing gifts or something?"

"Not exactly gold, frankincense and myrrh, but one knew the numbers of some secret Watchers Council bank accounts, turned out they were sitting on a nice little nest egg."

"Typical," Faith said a little disgusted. "We do all their dirty work while they get rich off of it."

"We?" Buffy asked archly. "If I remember correctly I did all their dirty work, you did whatever the hell you wanted."

"Hey I helped sometimes," Faith said defensively.

"When you weren't evil and killing people."

Faith looked away, now pissed off at the blonde, somehow whenever her and Buffy were in the same room together they inevitably got on each other's nerves.

"I heard about you and Robin, I'm sorry," Buffy said softly, trying to decrease the tension in the room.

"Me and Robin?" Faith said taken by surprise. "Oh. Right. Yeah, I guess D told you."

"D?"

"Dawn."

"You call her D now?" Buffy asked frowning.

"What were you feeling special because you were the only one I did that with?"

"No," said Buffy a little too quickly. "It's just a surprise that's all. And anyway Dawn didn't tell me Robin rang up about a month ago, strangely enough also asking for a job."

"You mean he's here?" Faith asked a little worried.

"No he works in our LA section."

"LA section?"

Buffy opened her mouth to say something and then stopped. "Its probably easier if I show you. Come on," Buffy got up, gesturing towards the door.

Faith followed her out of the room and along the corridor where they reached a pair of double doors. Buffy opened them and walked into a large rectangular conference room, the longer side opposite to the doors. A large table, the same shape as the room with over a dozen seats around it sat in the middle, while the rest of the room was bare except for the large map of the world that almost covered the entire wall facing the door.

"This is us," Buffy stated matter-of-factly.

Faith looked it over, the map was covered in red and blue pins with numbers written on the backs, in a few spots large red squares had been placed, also with numbers written on them.

"What does all this mean?" she asked curious.

"The red pins are where slayers are located, the numbers show how many are in any one city, the blue pins are watchers and the red squares are sub-sections of the Council."

Faith noticed that one square was in LA. "Like the place where Robin is working?"

"Exactly, and we've got others, one on the east coast of the US in New York and one in Cleveland, one in Brazil, where Will and Kennedy are, one in London and in Moscow, three in SE Asia, two in Africa and one in Australia."

"Sounds like you've got the whole world covered."

"That's the idea."

"Impressive," Faith said nodding.

"It's mainly Andrew's baby, he kept pushing for it so here it is, Will made us an online version but Andrew insists on keeping this one updated."

"Finally got his big board then."

"Well we had to give him something to play with and keep him out of the way."

"Where is he anyway?"

"He and Xander fly around to help keep an eye on the girls in other places, offer advice and in Xander's case fix things they've broken."

"That sounds like a full-time job for Xander."

"It is, it also means he's overseas a lot which upsets Dawn."

"Xander and Dawn are together?" Faith asked, shocked and disappointed at the same time.

"What? No," Buffy said surprised. "They're just close, he's kind of like her big brother and he looks after her when I'm not around which takes some pressure off me."

"Oh. Good," Faith said feeling better.

"What is it with you and Dawn anyway?" Buffy asked slightly suspicious, though of what she wasn't sure.

"What do you mean?" Faith said warily.

"You just seem overly interested in her."

"Not really, you're the one who keeps bringing her up," Faith began feeling more uncomfortable.

"Am I? I guess so," Buffy shrugged off her suspicion. "So why did you and Robin break-up?"

"What?" Faith said surprised at the change of direction.

"I was wondering why, Robin said you just grew into friends I wanted to hear your side of the story."

"He's right I guess, we ended up talking more and screwing less and less and then hardly ever so we both decided that we should be friends, like he said, and then we went our separate ways, we still talk occasionally," Faith added her rote line.

"Obviously not in the last month or so."

"Well maybe not occasionally, we haven't really talked recently at all," Faith was a little troubled by this realization. 'Where had the last month gone?' she wondered. 'I probably should call him, just to check up.'

"Why do you seem so interested in me and Robin?"

"I guess I was just curious, checking to see if you knew why our love lives seem to suck so badly, I haven't had a great record of late recently either."

"So we're two hot, young chicks with superpowers and we're both single?"

"I know. Kind of sad really isn't it."

"Maybe we should go out to a club together, you know the Chosen Two, like in the old days."

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Buffy said, faintly mockingly.

"No," Faith frowned. "I was thinking we could go out, find a couple of studs, use and abuse them, you know have some fun." 'And hopefully get my mind off trying to get into your little sis's pants.'

"OK," Buffy said slowly. "Could be fun or a complete disaster, either way its better then staying home and watching bad Italian TV."

"Cool."

"So tomorrow night then."

"It's a date," Faith said, and then seeing Buffy's look. "I mean it's not a date date, I was just saying it's a date, as in…"

"I got that Faith. Thanks."

"'Cause I wouldn't want you to think I was hitting on you," Faith continued hurriedly. "'Cause I'm not interested in girls in that way. At all." 'Except your sister.'

"That's good Faith, I did get that," Buffy said, a little amused at Faith's discomfort.

"Right. Of course. Good, that you got that I mean."

Buffy changed the topic of conversation to spare Faith any more discomfort. "If you're going to be working here Faith, I guess you need a tour around the place, I have an elsewhere to be but I could get someone else to show you around, unless you're busy?"

"No I'm pretty much at a loose end," Faith tried to regain her composure.

"Good, are there any questions you want to ask me before I offload you?" Buffy asked leaving the room and walking down the corridor to her office.

Faith suddenly remembered the other reason she was here. "Yeah actually I was wondering if you knew any good witches or warlocks around here?"

"Why, do you want to do a spell or something?" Buffy asked curious.

"No, its just I'm under some curse or hex or something and I can't seem to shake it."

"What kind, are you OK?" Buffy became a little concerned.

'The kind that makes me want to screw your little sister all the time.' "I'm OK its not deadly or anything, I seem to be running stuff out of both ends, oozing stuff out of every pore…"

"That's way more then I needed to know," Buffy interrupted quickly. "But you seem fine at the moment?"

Faith thought fast. "It usually only hits when I begin fighting."

"Oh, OK," Buffy nodded distractedly while looking through the drawers in her desk. "Ah, here we go," Buffy found a business card and handed it to Faith.

Faith looked at the card in her hands, it was a plain white rectangle with one word, Salcaccio, on it in bold, black, gothic lettering and a phone number and address in the bottom left hand corner. "Warlocks use business cards now?"

"Apparently," Buffy shrugged. "And he's reliable, well as reliable as a warlock can be and we're pretty sure he isn't evil."

"Pretty sure?" Faith stared at her.

"As sure as we can be."

"OK," Faith nodded putting the card in a pocket. "Thanks for this, that hex is starting to get real annoying, you know with that stuff oozing…"

"Really don't need to hear that again Faith," Buffy said hurriedly, she walked over to the phone on her desk and hesitantly pushed a button, it was obvious to Faith that Buffy wasn't quite sure how to use it properly.

"Yes Ms. Summers?" the receptionist's voice came through over the speakerphone.

Buffy breathed a silent sigh of relief that she had actually managed to press the right button this time. "Lisa, Faith needs someone to show her around the place, who's free?"

"Your sister just walked in and seems to be loitering around," Lisa said disapprovingly.

"Dawn's here, why isn't she at school?" Buffy asked surprised.

"I don't know Ms. Summers, would you like me to send her up?"

"Yes I would."

Faith perked up at the sound of Dawn's name. "Sounds like the little brat's playing hooky."

"If she was she wouldn't be stupid enough to come here," Buffy said sounding worried.

"I'm sure everything's OK, B," Faith said getting worried about Buffy being worried.

"Hmmm…" Buffy said nodding distractedly.

The sound of the door opening made both women stand up quickly. "Dawn what are you doing here, are you OK?" Buffy asked concerned.

"Of course," Dawn sounded surprised. "Its Friday Buffy, I have a half-day remember?"

"Oh. Right. I knew that," Buffy lied.

Dawn failed to look convinced. "Faith," she said glancing across at her.

"Hey D," Faith smiled at her winningly, Dawn failed to look convinced at that either.

"So do you want me for something?" Dawn asked.

'Lots of hot, steamy sex,' the thought popped into Faith's head unannounced. 'Damn girl, get a hold of yourself.'

"Are you doing anything important?" Buffy asked.

"Well I was going to do some Watcher training stuff with Giles, but almost anything's better then that."

"I thought you enjoyed all that stuff?"

"Most of it, but when Giles drones on about it being a calling and responsibility and all that I tend to drift off."

"I remember that," Buffy nodded sympathetically. "But you should listen to him he's a good teacher and, annoyingly, he's usually right, you're lucky to have him."

Dawn rolled her eyes, obviously having heard something similar before from Buffy. "I know I know, so what do you want me for?"

'LOTS OF HOT, STEAMY SEX,' Faith thought, almost saying it aloud this time. 'Oh for gods sake girl stop it.'

"Could you show Faith around?" Buffy asked. "I've got to get to another appointment so I need someone else to give her the tour."

"That's OK B, if Dawn's busy you can show me around another time," Faith thought it best that she wasn't left alone with Dawn at the moment, especially considering the type of thoughts that were going through her head.

"No its fine Faith, I'll be happy to," Dawn said.

"Good so that's settled then," Buffy said. "I'll see you two later."

"OK," Dawn nodded at her sister. "Coming Faith?" she said walking towards the door.

"Sure D. Later B," Faith followed apprehensively.

Dawn had given her the full tour, from the offices at the top of the building right down to the training areas and armory in the basement, at any other time Faith would have been interested in what she was being shown, instead she was more interested in her guide and especially her clothes, Dawn was wearing a black skirt, cut just above the knee showing off her legs nicely and a light blue button-up shirt that to Faith seemed overly tight across the chest, although that could be due to her increasingly overactive imagination.

"And here's where we keep all the bladed weapons," Dawn said walking into a large room whose walls were literally lined with swords, daggers, axes and spears of all shapes and sizes. Weapons also hung on dozens of racks, neatly lined up facing the door.

"Uh huh," Faith said more interested in figuring out whether Dawn was wearing a bra or not, she couldn't quite tell and had spent the last few minutes intensely studying Dawn's shirt trying to see.

"OK Faith you could show some kind of interest in what I'm saying," Dawn said turning to her with her arms crossed.

"What? Sorry D," Faith said startled out of her thoughts.

"Usually this amount of weaponry would have you drooling or at least paying attention to me, instead you seem more interested in studying my shirt," Dawn said looking down at the offending item. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"No, it looks great D," 'It really shows off your breasts,' Faith thought. "Wish I had one of my own."

"Well I like it, the sales assistant said it really showed off my eyes."

"Something like that yeah," Faith whispered to herself.

"What was that Faith?" Dawn asked frowning.

"Nothing," Faith said quickly.

"If you want we could go shopping and I'll show you where I bought it."

"Um, yeah maybe if you want," Faith said starting to feel more uncomfortable considering what she had been thinking about said shirt.

"Do you wear anything other then leather or denim Faith?"

Faith couldn't help herself. "Most of my underwear isn't."

"I really did not need to know that," Dawn shook her head. "Wait a minute, most?"

"So are we done?" Faith asked quickly to avoid the subject of her underwear. "Because I have to see someone about something."

"Sure, I guess that's about it," Dawn said a little hurt by Faith's weak excuse and brush off about the shopping trip.

"Cool, so I'll see you later then," Faith said over her shoulder as she almost ran out of the room. 'I have to see this warlock guy about ridding me of this spell in a wicked hurry,' Faith thought. 'Before I do something I might regret.'

"OK later then," Dawn said as she watched Faith move quickly out of the room. "Yeah like she cares," she whispered sadly.

A light drizzle was falling as Faith walked quickly along the street, trying to find the address on the business card that Buffy had given her. She looked up at the overcast sky, 'Looks like even the weather's depressed at the moment,' she thought absentmindedly. 'Maybe it's just echoing my mood.'

She considered that for a moment. 'Wouldn't that be cool if I could control the weather with my moods, I wonder what it would be like during sex, probably a lot of thunder and lightening.'

As always seemed to happen recently thoughts about sex led to thoughts about Dawn and this caused her to sigh. Faith was sure she'd hurt the girl's feelings when she'd ran out on her back there but Faith was equally sure that if she'd stayed she would have jumped Dawn or done something else incredibly stupid that would have resulted in her being killed or worse at Buffy's hand. It was this damn spell Faith was sure of that.

Completely sure.

So that was what she was going to deal with now, she would see this warlock guy he would de-lust her or de-love her or whatever the hell it was and then she could be around Dawn without thoughts of grabbing her, pushing her up against a wall and…

Faith quickly stopped that thought and looked around. She was certain this was the right street, she had got directions from a helpful local who had understood English, at least he had understood enough to direct her to this Salcaccio guy's place anyway, now all she needed was to find the right house.

Let's see 65, 67, 69…Faith frowned and looked down at the card then up again at the house number, that was just a little too much of a coincidence for her liking.

The house itself looked old, two stories high and made of brick most of which seemed to be crumbling, whoever owned the house clearly didn't believe in maintenance.

One set of rusted, iron stairs led up to the second story another set led down; she peered down the stairs at the front door of the lower story, 69a, which meant the warlock guy probably lived in the upper story.

She climbed up the stairs and looked around for a doorbell, not seeing one she reached for the doorknocker that was in the shape of a goat's head, well this was either a warlock's house or the house of someone who had a really bad taste in doorknockers.

Faith let the doorknocker fall against the heavy, wooden door making a deep, booming sound. The door swung open silently by itself. 'OK that could be magical or just really, really freaky,' Faith thought. 'Or both.'

"Hello?" Faith called out, getting no reply she shrugged and walked through the door into a darkened hallway, the door swung closed behind her with a slam causing her to jump.

"Now ain't that a hell of a thing," Faith muttered to herself as she withdrew a stake from a pocket.

She reached out a hand until it rested up against one of the walls and guided herself along the hall. Suddenly she heard a door opening in front of her. "Hey, who's there?" she called, raising the stake in readiness for trouble.

"FOOLISH MORTAL GIRL YOU DARE THREATEN THE GREAT SALCACCIO WITH A STICK?" a deep, bass voice boomed out, echoing around the room.

'Well at least he speaks English,' Faith thought lowering the stake slowly. "You do know this would be easier if I could see you right?"

"THE GREAT SALCACCIO DOES WHAT HE WISHES."

"Of course he does," Faith mumbled to herself. "Just to let you know Great Salcaccio I'm a slayer, trying to scare the crap out of me with the special effects, not really working," she shouted in the direction she thought the voice was coming from.

There was a pause. "A SLAYER? DID MS. SUMMERS SEND YOU?" the voice asked warily.

What was it with the whole Ms. Summers thing it made Buffy sound like a schoolteacher. "Yeah Buffy sent me, well she gave me your card anyway."

There was another, longer pause. "OH. NO-ONE TOLD ME," the voice said a little grumpily. "CAN I AT LEAST KEEP THE VOICE?"

"Actually it's kind of giving me a headache so if you don't mind?"

The light slowly came up allowing Faith's eyes to adjust; she tucked her stake back into her pocket and scanned the room at the end of the corridor. The room was small and seemed to be completely full of books, with a set of shelves along two of the walls full to overflowing with old, musty books all of which looked pretty much the same to Faith. The two chairs in the room were also full of books that spilled over onto the floor, the chairs faced a small desk, surprisingly also covered in books. Sitting at the desk was a small middle-aged man; balding with thick glasses through which he peered at her, Salcaccio Faith presumed, without the magical special effects he certainly didn't look so great.

"May I see the card?" he asked his voice mild and soft. Faith could see why he preferred the other voice; his natural voice was not intimidating in the slightest.

"Sure," Faith reached into her pocket and passed it over.

Salcaccio took it from her and looked it over thoroughly before looking up and scrutinizing her just as closely.

Faith grew a little self-conscious under his gaze, what was he doing checking her out or something?

Finally he smiled at her nodding. "So what can I do for you miss…"

"Faith."

"Ah Miss Faith-"

"No just Faith nothing else," Faith interrupted sick of the Miss Faith thing. "And I need a spell dispelled."

"What sort of spell?" he asked leaning back in his chair.

"A lust spell if that's an actual thing."

"Yes they certainly exist," Salcaccio smiled slightly. "Some old lover trying to win you back?"

"Something like that," Faith nodded.

"Well I'll SEE WHAT I CAN…" Salcaccio stopped looking embarrassed. "SOR…sorry sometimes that voice thing can come back on unexpectedly."

"That's OK," Faith said fighting the urge to laugh. "So do you have the mojo to undo this thing?"

"I believe so, lust spells are generally short-lived and easy to dispel, though they can cause a lot of trouble in the meantime."

"Trust me I'm aware of that," Faith said to herself.

Salcaccio got up and walked over to a pile of books, allowing Faith to get a good look at him. He was short, only slightly taller then her and his clothes had a faded elegance to them, as if they used to be expensive but had been worn so often you could only get about a buck fifty for them now.

The pile of books looked exactly like the three next to it but obviously Salcaccio could tell the difference as he found the book he was looking for quickly, thumbing through it until he found the page he wanted. "Stand in a clear space while I get some ingredients together," he said waving a hand at her vaguely.

Faith looked around, she was standing in the only clear space in the entire room. "Um I kind of already am."

Salcaccio looked up from the book. "Ah. Yes I see," he scratched at his head for a second before clearing some more space by grabbing armfuls of books and dumping them wherever. "That should be enough, stand there," he gestured at Faith to stay put before moving to his desk, removing things in jars and packets full of mysterious substances from his desk.

Faith craned her neck to see what they were but couldn't really recognize any, there were some leaves of some variety or another and what she swore were small eyeballs floating in some liquid she really did not want to know about.

"Rats eyes…rats eyes…" Salcaccio murmured to himself before giving a small cry of triumph and lifting up what seemed to Faith to be an identical jar of eyeballs floating in liquid as the one on the desk, but then again she wasn't a witch and having seen that she was glad she wasn't.

Salcaccio walked over to her carrying a jar of green colored sand pouring a circle of it around her before handing her a small incense burner full of something very pungent.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Faith asked.

"Keep holding it and when I light the herbs breathe in the smoke," Salcaccio moved back to his desk and began combining things in a bowl of some kind, including those eyeballs, till it formed some kind of vile-colored paste.

'God I hope I don't have to drink that,' Faith thought.

Salcaccio added one last ingredient, mixing it together before walking back towards Faith.

"Whoa what are you doing?" Faith swayed backwards.

"I have to draw a magical symbol on your forehead, its part of the spell," Salcaccio stated a little impatiently.

Faith looked dubious. "Does it wash off?" she asked.

"Yes, and it won't stain your skin either," Salcaccio sighed clearly having heard these questions many times before.

Faith reluctantly leaned forward allowing Salcaccio to draw some kind of symbol on her forehead, the paste was cool on Faith's skin and instantly began to itch, she reached up to scratch it with her empty hand but before she could the warlock slapped her hand away. "Do you want this spell to work?" he asked her.

"Of course."

"Then no scratching," he waggled a finger in front of Faith's face, she sighed and let her hand fall.

"Will this take long?" she asked.

"Not at all," he promised her. "Now close your eyes."

Faith looked at him suspiciously before doing as he said, the warlock muttered some words in a weird language Faith had never heard before, then she heard the sound of a match being struck, smelled smoke and then the herbs burning.

"Now Faith," Salcaccio said. "Breathe in deeply."

Faith did as she was told breathing in deeply a couple of times and then waited…and waited, she finally got impatient opening one eye and peering around then opening the other. Salcaccio was standing in front of her biting his lip and looking puzzled. "So did it work?" she asked not feeling any different.

"Not really," he said frowning.

"Not really," Faith repeated annoyed. "What do you mean not really?"

"I mean you weren't under the influence of a lust spell of any kind."

"What!" Faith exclaimed. "Dude you're so wrong, there has to be some kind of spell."

Salcaccio shrugged. "There was no lust spell, you can go get a second or third opinion but they'll tell you the same thing," he walked over to his desk and began writing on a piece of paper.

"Well can't you give me something to get rid of these feelings or control them or something?" Faith asked desperate for anything.

She walked over to his desk and slammed the incense burner down in front of him.

"Trying to control emotions via magic is exceptionally dangerous Faith," Salcaccio said checking the burner for damage before looking up at her. "Especially an emotion like lust, any effect would be temporary and after it wore off the feelings would come back stronger then ever. I'm sorry but you'll just have to deal with this the natural way."

Faith was having trouble controlling herself around Dawn as it was, if her feelings became stronger…definitely not good. "So what's the natural way?" she asked.

"Time," he handed her the piece of paper he had been writing on.

"Great, thanks for nothing," Faith said even more annoyed, she looked at the piece of paper in her hand. "What's this?"

"My bill."

"You expect me to pay you for a spell which didn't work?" Faith's annoyance flared into outright anger.

"I'm sure the Slayers Council will pay it for you Faith, they usually pay for services rendered to slayers."

Faith's anger diminished slightly. "Right. Of course. So there's nothing you can do for me?"

"I'm afraid not, no."

"Fine," Faith folded the paper and put it in a pocket. "I'll go find someone who can," she stalked angrily out of the room.

"Good luck," Salcaccio called out, making sure he magically opened and closed the front door for Faith, he knew what a slayer could do and didn't want that happening to his front door, it would cost more then Faith's bill to repair the damage.

He waited a few minutes in case she decided to return then he walked over to the circle, replacing some sand where Faith's boots had erased it. He then recited another short phrase in the same language as before. He hadn't told the slayer the whole truth before, the herbs had been part of a spell to see whether Faith was under the influence of some sort of spell but the symbol on her forehead had been part of another spell designed to recognize who had performed the spell on her, Salcaccio was interested to see who would be stupid enough to cast any sort of spell on a slayer. But as she wasn't under the influence of a lust spell it could show him who exactly the slayer was having these feelings for and maybe why she thought it was some kind of spell, Salcaccio couldn't help but be curious about it and it might provide the reason behind the spell he had detected affecting the slayer.

The circle lit up from the inside as a face appeared floating in mid-air and Salcaccio could understand why the slayer was in some sort of denial, the face was of a young woman, mid to late-teens he thought and very beautiful. 'Maybe the first girl Faith's been attracted to?' Salcaccio guessed. 'Well she could do a lot worse.'

He waved his hand and the face disappeared. The spell he had detected was a subtle, powerful spell that Salcaccio thought was designed to intensify feelings rather then create them from nothing, he would bet anything that other girl had had a similar spell placed on her. He wasn't quite sure about the spell's effect as he had never come across one quite like it, that fact alone frightened him.

Someone apparently wanted Faith and this girl to be together and was giving Faith a nudge along, someone exceptionally powerful, someone whom Salcaccio did not want to meet and someone who also didn't seem to know the slayer very well for as far as he was concerned the nudge Faith had been given was larger then required.

Salcaccio had been able to tell that Faith was very…physical when he had examined her earlier to see if she truly was a slayer, it seemed to be a fundamental part of her personality, add that spell to the mix and she must be close to jumping whoever that girl was. No wonder Faith had come to him.

Salcaccio however did not want to touch that spell with a ten-foot pole as whoever had done it was powerful enough to crush him like a bug and he had only survived this long by avoiding people that powerful like the plague, he knew his limitations and they were a long way below whoever had done that spell.

He only required a few seconds to think about it before coming to a conclusion. It might be a good idea to get as far away from Faith as humanly and/or magically possible, she and that other girl were clearly at the center of something, something big and therefore something he did not want to get involved in.

'I wonder what the weather's like in Rio this time of year,' Salcaccio mused.

The light drizzle had turned into pouring rain that Faith watched as she sat on a bench under the cover of a roof of some kind, she was absolutely soaked after walking around in it trying to find someone else who could help her deal with her problem.

She had actually found a couple who had tried, a witch and another warlock, but both had said the same thing as Salcaccio, no lust spell, controlling feelings via magic was dangerous and they could do nothing to help.

Faith couldn't believe it; she was trying so hard to be one of the good guys. She had gone to jail for her crimes, she hadn't killed an innocent in years and she had even helped both Angel and Buffy in their time of need and then this happened, something Faith truly could not understand. She hadn't been sexually attracted to another girl in her entire life, well maybe Buffy slightly when she'd first turned up in Sunnydale, but that had been something to do with them both being slayers Faith was sure and she had gotten over that ages ago. Now she was attracted to Buffy's little sister in a far, far bigger way and she somehow doubted seducing high school girls was part of being one of the good guys, especially a high school girl with a certain slayer for an older sister.

This left her with a rather large problem, if she stayed the chances of her doing something to Dawn and Buffy reacting in a violent way were rather large, but if she left…well she literally had nowhere else to go, nothing else to do. She was a slayer this was where she belonged, it had only taken her this long to come to Rome because she had to swallow some pride about the whole her and Buffy thing, but she had gotten over that and so here she was.

So what was worse staying or leaving?

Faith had been thinking about this ever since she had left Salcaccio's place and she was finally coming to a conclusion, she would stay but avoid Dawn as much as was physically possible to minimize the chances of anything happening. Of course there was always a chance of something happening anyway and that had led Faith to another thought, if something did happen would Dawn be interested?

Somehow she didn't think so, Dawn seemed pretty boy-crazy and she had never heard about Dawn having been with another girl, but if she was interested…Faith shook her head if Dawn was Buffy would probably skin Faith alive rather then let her touch Dawn in an inappropriate way or appropriate way for that matter, Faith would always be tainted in Buffy's eyes, she knew that, and Dawn was B's good little sis, so no chance Buffy would be OK with anything happening and that pretty much put an end to that.

Faith brushed wet hair out of her face and looked out at the rain that if anything looked like it was getting harder. She wiped her hands on the wet leather of her pants; they were going to be ruined after this and that left her with yet another problem. She didn't exactly have a huge wardrobe, only enough to fill a small suitcase; she probably needed to go shopping some time. Hadn't Dawn mentioned something about going shopping together…'No Faith bad idea, we're keeping away from D remember?'

God this was going to be hard, especially if Dawn was going to be around the Council's offices at the same time as her, trying to avoid Dawn and not making it look suspicious was going to be even harder…maybe she should just leave.

There was that night out she had planned with Buffy, maybe she would get lucky and find some guy to get her mind off Dawn. 'Not some girl,' a small part of her mind noted. 'Seems like Dawn is the only girl I'm into. That's strange,' she filed that thought away in the back of her mind.

She should get back to her motel, if she was going to be working for Buffy she should probably get used to waking up early and that meant going to sleep far earlier then she was used to, Faith looked out at the rain that didn't look like it was going to be stopping anytime soon. 'No point in waiting around here then,' Faith thought getting up and preparing to make a mad dash for the nearest cover, she was so going to need some new pants after this.

Dawn sat at the table in her and Buffy's apartment finishing off some homework. Between her Watcher training and her schoolwork she seemed to have little time for anything else and that meant she hadn't gone out in ages. 'I'm doing homework on a Friday night,' Dawn thought sighing. 'I have no life.'

Buffy walked out of her room all dressed up and smelling of something expensive.

"Either you're really overdressed for a microwave dinner in front of the TV, or…" Dawn grinned. "You've got a date."

"Its not a date, I'm just going out with Faith," Buffy said.

"Wow on a date with Faith," Dawn grinned even wider, teasing her older sister. "You know I am you're only family Buffy, you think you would've told me if you'd started dating girls, your own flesh and blood and all-'

"It's not a date," Buffy interrupted smiling slightly. "Trust me Faith tried to make that very clear and if you weren't my own flesh and blood you'd be dead by now for suggesting it."

"So is she coming here?"

"No I'm meeting her at her motel, the address is over there on the notepad beside the phone, you know just in case."

"In case of what, you getting really drunk and crashing at her place?"

"When have I ever got really drunk?" Buffy asked indignantly.

"I seem to recall a certain cave-Buffy incident."

"That beer was magically tampered with and you know it."

"I know but its always fun to see your eyes change color like that," Dawn said still grinning.

Buffy shook her head exasperated. "Why do I put up this?" she said talking to herself, "You know I'm starting to wish the monks had given you to Faith as a little sister so she would have to deal with you," Buffy said pointing a finger at Dawn.

Dawn giggled. "Can you imagine what I'd be like if Faith was my big sister?"

"Yes, not annoying me all the time."

Dawn threw a pencil at her. "When are you going?"

"Actually I was thinking of staying around here and annoying you all night."

"Both of us staying in on a Friday night? That would be really sad."

"You could come with, I'm sure Faith wouldn't mind."

Dawn sighed. "No I should finish this," she said turning back to her homework. "But speaking of Faith, is it just me or is she acting strange?"

"This is Faith we're talking about, acting strange is almost normal for her."

"I meant stranger then normal," Dawn frowned. "If that makes any sense."

Buffy thought about it. "I guess," she said slowly. "But then again compared to old Faith she's acting like little Miss Sanity."

"True," Dawn nodded. "So are you going or what?"

"Can't wait to get rid of me huh?"

"It does mean I can watch the porn on pay-per-view," Dawn said grinning again.

Buffy's eyes widened. "You what…" she realized her sister was teasing again. "I'm starting to think that they did make you Faith's sister," Dawn stuck her tongue out at her.

Buffy turned to leave, opening the door. "Be safe. And no pornography."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "I promise, about the being safe thing not the pornography."

Buffy shook her head, sighing and left.

Faith was sliding into a pair of leathers when she heard the knock at her door. "Come in," she shouted, doing them up.

Buffy entered, staring wide-eyed at Faith's motel room. "You actually live here?" she asked.

Faith looked around. "Sure. Why?"

"Faith this makes the place you were staying at in Sunnydale look like a five-star resort."

"It's not too bad," Faith said a bit defensively.

Buffy turned to look at her. "The rats around here live in better holes then this, I've seen vampire nests cleaner then this, there are-"

"I get the idea B, thanks," Faith interrupted frowning. "So what do you want me to do about it? I don't have the money for anywhere better."

"No, but I do," Buffy decided. "We're going to find somewhere better for you to live, so you don't catch the plague or something, and pass it on amongst the other slayers."

"Really B I'm fine, there's no need to go to any trouble," Faith argued.

"No arguments Faith, tomorrow we'll find you somewhere better, although the gutter outside is probably better than this."

"That's decent of you Buffy, thanks," Faith said uncomfortably.

"All part of the service," as Buffy finished speaking she heard the sound of a woman crying out in pleasure. "And speaking of servicing…" Buffy said her eyes widening.

"That's Rosa, she lives next door," Faith speaking louder over the sounds coming from next door.

"She's very…loud."

"She generally is," Faith said nodding.

Both women became increasingly uncomfortable as the sounds from next door indicated the woman was escalating towards orgasm, before finally reaching it with a loud cry. They waited for a few seconds but all seemed quiet next door. "So you want to go now," Faith said quickly.

"Oh yes," Buffy answered just as quickly, moving towards the door.

"Funny, isn't that what Rosa was just saying?"

Buffy gave her a look. "Can you stop it with the sexual innuendo for once?"

"Sorry B, that's a part of the whole Faith experience," Faith said grinning.

"Oh tonight's going to be fun," Buffy said to herself.

As they walked past Rosa's door it opened and two women came out. One passed the other money and then turned to see the two slayers, she looked at them in embarrassment ducking her head, before walking away quickly.

The other leaned languidly against the doorway smiling. "Hello Faith," she said in heavily accented English.

"Rosa," Faith nodded at her.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" Rosa asked looking Buffy up and down, clearly checking her out.

"Rosa this is Buffy, Buffy Rosa," Faith made the introductions quickly, hoping to leave just as fast.

"Hi," Buffy said awkwardly, after all she had just heard this woman…be very happy very recently and Rosa's look was incredibly suggestive.

Rosa seemed to be about their age, good looking, quite tall and slim with long brown hair, and was wearing as little as was decently possible. 'Or as was indecently possible,' Buffy thought glad now she hadn't brought Dawnie along.

"You sounded like you were enjoying yourself," Buffy said breaking the silence. 'God I hope I didn't just say that out loud.'

Rosa gave a wicked grin. "You have to take pleasure in your work and she gave really good head," she glanced idly between the two slayers. "If you two girls have 100 Euro between you I could get your night off to a good start?"

Buffy stared at her shocked. "We really should be going," Faith said quickly, grabbing Buffy by her arm and dragging her away.

Rosa watched them go looking at both women's butts appreciatively. The blonde had a cute little ass but Faith's was just the right size for getting a good hold of while you were down between her thighs, honestly she would have foregone the money if either or both had been interested. 'Especially if both,' Rosa thought grinning, before going back inside and closing the door.

Buffy and Faith walked in silence for a few minutes before Buffy finally spoke. "OK was she like a prostitute, you know for…"

Faith looked at her. "Well she gets paid money for sex, so I'd say that's a yes."

"Wow I didn't even know that they existed for…you know."

"I guess even lesbians have needs, B."

"Hmmh," Buffy said nodding. 'I'm so glad I didn't bring Dawnie along.'

Both slayers were stumbling slightly as they walked down the deserted side street.

They were both in that middle stage between mellow drunk and fall-down drunk, although both seemed to attempt the latter as they barely managed to negotiate the curb, neither noticed the figures slipping through the shadows on either side of the street.

Surprisingly, for Buffy at least, tonight had been fun. They had spent time in a couple of clubs and as always whenever her and Faith danced together they had attracted the attention of half the male population and the ire of most of the female population in the club, Buffy had managed to get a couple of numbers from cute guys and had given hers out, Faith for some reason hadn't seemed particularly interested.

Faith began to sing a raucous and rather explicit song about a wizard's staff having a knob on its end.

Buffy attempted to give her a look, but couldn't tell which of the three Faiths she was supposed to direct it at. "Faith where on earth did you learn that song?"

"I don't know, read it somewhere," Faith shrugged.

"Well it's disgusting and I really don't think you should be singing it in public."

"Oh lighten up a bit B," Faith said attempting to hit Buffy lightly on the arm but missing completely. "It's just a song."

"A Z-rated song," Buffy frowned drunkenly. "Or is that X-rated? Whatever its bad, you're training the younger slayers you should set a good example."

"When have I ever set a good example?" Faith asked half-jokingly. "And anyway you're supposed to be their leader, you call this setting a good example?" she waved her hand vaguely in Buffy's direction.

"I have a way of dealing with it, I hide in my office all morning until I get over the hangover," Buffy grinned stupidly. "Hey I made a rhyme over, hangover."

Faith laughed. "I don't think that's really counts as a rhyme B," she stopped and turned a full circle in the middle of the street. "Where are we going?"

"You're walking me home like a good date remember?"

"Do I get a goodnight kiss after?" Faith asked, grinning.

Buffy shook her head. "God do you ever stop?" she stopped at the next intersection and looked down one of the streets. "I think it's that way," she then turned to see the other three identical streets. "Or maybe it's that way, or that way, actually I think we're lost."

"Great," Faith said sighing. "Maybe we should just ask that guy."

"Which guy?" Buffy looked around the empty street.

"That guy skulking in the shadows, with the robes on…" Faith's voice trailed off as the guy in the robes came out of the shadows, with about a dozen other similar guys.

The two slayers slowly backed up until they had their backs to each other in the middle of the street, the robed men quickly surrounded them.

"I don't think we're going to have to worry about setting a good example for the other girls B, suddenly I'm completely sober."

"Yeah or we're going to be completely dead."

"Come on it's only odds of six against one B, we can take them."

The robed men each pulled out a curved knife and began to advance towards them.

"On the count of three Faith, one…" Buffy only reached one as both women leapt towards their nearest opponent.

Faith managed to wrest the knife from her guy and used it to stab the guy next to him, the one she had disarmed hit her hard in the face, throwing her backwards as another moved in slashing her across her cheek. "Bastard," Faith hissed before ducking under a wild swing and stabbing him deeply in the chest. "Just for that I'm not saying sorry," she said before grabbing the knife from his limp hand.

As she stood up another knife cut through her leathers and into her hip. "Damn it," she gasped in pain, before neatly severing the guy who was responsible's neck. She heard someone behind her and somersaulted over him, stumbling as she landed as pain flared from her hip.

Faith risked a glance at Buffy who seemed okay, she was fighting two opponents at once and had a few crumpled bodies around her, Faith turned her attention to the three guys facing her two of which moved to either side of her while one advanced straight towards her.

She hefted the two knives in her hands. "So who wants to be the first to die?" she said, none of them answering as the two on the sides attacked at the same time.

Faith fended both off before kicking one in the groin, as he was bent over examining his interesting injury she parried another swipe from the second guy and then twisted the knife out of his hand stabbing him in the chest and then spearing the still bent over guy in the back of his neck.

Faith looked around for the last one but he seemed to have run off, she then looked for Buffy who was bent over with her hands on her knees, breathing heavily.

"You OK B?" Faith asked concerned.

"I'm fine, remind me not to fight after a big night out ever again," Buffy said unbending herself. "These guys seem awful familiar," she said walking over to a body and lifting the hood up to reveal a face with no eyes, where the eyes should have been were symbols drawn in blood.

"Bringers," Faith said angrily as she came up beside Buffy. "I thought we got rid of these guys."

"Obviously the First's got some more from wherever," Buffy turned to Faith, noticing the blood flowing down her cheek. "Faith you're bleeding."

"It's nothing," Faith absently wiped the blood from her face; more instantly replaced it.

"No it's something, I know where we are now and my place is close by, we'll go there and Dawn can patch you up."

"Really Buffy it's fine, I'm five by five," Faith said swaying slightly, whether from the alcohol or loss of blood Buffy wasn't sure.

"You're not five by five whatever that means," Buffy said hooking one of Faith's arms across her shoulders. "And anyway this will give Dawn a chance to practice her first aid skills."

"Great so now I'm a First Aid dummy," Faith sighed leaning against Buffy and walking slowly in the direction that Buffy led her.

"Well you're a dummy of some kind," Buffy answered.

"Funny," Faith said scowling.

"I'm a funny girl," Buffy said smiling faintly.

Buffy somehow managed to support Faith and open the door to the apartment at the same time, pushing it open she flicked on the light switch beside the door.

"Dawn," she called out loudly as she helped Faith into a chair.

"What's going on?" Dawn mumbled sleepily as she wandered out of her room dressed in her pajamas. "This better be important I just got to sleep," she added grumpily.

"Faith needs some patching up, she had a couple of close encounters of the sharp and pointy kind."

Dawn woke up instantly as she looked at her sister and Faith, Buffy had a few scrapes and bruises but Faith had a nasty cut on her right cheek and seemed to be nursing her left hip. "I'll get the First Aid kit," Dawn said hurrying towards the bathroom.

Buffy moved towards the door. "I'll leave you in Dawn's capable hands."

"Where are you going?" Faith asked a little worried about being left alone with Dawn.

"I have to check on everyone else, see if we were the only one's attacked. I'll be at the Council offices if you need me," Buffy left quickly.

Dawn came out of the bathroom carrying the first aid box. "So what happened to you two, you didn't start fighting each other did you?"

"No we got jumped by a bunch of Bringers," Faith said as she watched Dawn kneel down beside her and open up the box.

Dawn looked up at her sharply. "Bringers, they're back?" she asked, removing a couple of bandages and antiseptic from the kit.

"Apparently so," Faith watched Dawn closely as she pulled down her leathers to reveal a small gash on her hip.

"It doesn't look so bad, I think the leather took most of the damage," Dawn said applying some antiseptic to the wound.

Faith hissed through her teeth as the antiseptic stung the wound. "Don't be such a baby," Dawn said inspecting the wound.

"Well it stings," Faith grumbled, trying to get her mind off the feeling of Dawn's soft fingers and her warm breath brushing across her skin. She glanced down at her torn leathers. 'Another pair ruined,' Faith thought, her diminishing wardrobe was starting to become a real problem.

Dawn stood up and leaned close, inspecting the wound on Faith's cheek. "This should be stitched it's pretty deep," she said beginning to clean the wound.

"I'm a slayer, I'm sure it'll heal OK," Faith said starting to get aroused by Dawn's body being this close to her own.

"Mmmm," Dawn said frowning, clearly unconvinced. She knelt down beside the first aid kit and got a bandage out, standing up again she carefully stuck it over the wound on Faith's cheek and then pulled back slightly admiring her handiwork. "There all better, or as better as I can make it," Dawn said smiling.

"Thanks D," Faith whispered and then before she realized what she was doing Faith leaned forward and gently kissed Dawn's lips. Faith wasn't sure why she did it, whether it was the dancing, the alcohol, the fighting, the loss of blood or a combination of all of them but she began to press harder with her lips, letting her mouth part and her tongue slide across Dawn's lips.

Dawn stood unmoving, shocked at what was happening. This and the taste of lip gloss on Dawn's lips brought Faith back to reality, causing her to sit back hard in the chair.

"Dawn…I…I…I…I'm sorry, I should…" Faith stuttered in apology before standing up and bolting through the door, slamming it shut, she left Dawn stunned, staring after her in bewilderment.

Faith had kissed her.

Faith had kissed her.

Faith had kissed her.

Faith had kissed her.

No matter how Dawn phrased it in her mind, it still made no sense to her. Why had Faith kissed her? Was Faith interested in her? Was she interested in Faith? These questions kept running around inside head and she really had no answers.

The phone's ringing interrupted the storm of thoughts raging through her mind, and Dawn stiffened.

Maybe it was Faith ringing? Dawn wasn't sure whether she wanted it to be Faith or not, she took a deep breath and slowly picked up the phone.

"Hello?" she asked weakly.

"Dawn its Buffy, I rang to tell you I'm staying at the Council offices tonight so there's no need for you to wait up or anything."

"Oh, OK."

"Is Faith there?"

"No she…um…left."

"Oh, was she all right?"

"Yeah the wounds weren't that serious and she's a slayer right you guys heal fast," Dawn said. 'She's also a pretty good kisser.'

"Yes we do," There was a pause. "Are you OK?" Buffy sounded worried.

"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?"

"You just sound a little…distant, as if you've seen a ghost or something."

"No I'm fine," Dawn insisted more strongly. "Just the First being back and the Bringers and everything."

"I know, brings back some bad memories. But we knew it would happen one day and we're far stronger now then we were back in Sunnydale, we'll be fine," Buffy said trying to reassure her little sister.

"Of course we will," Dawn said trying to sound reassured. "When will you be home?"

"I'll probably just stay here the night, me and Giles and the rest of the Council have a lot to talk about, you should try and get some sleep."

"I will," Dawn promised. "So see you tomorrow?"

"Sure, 'Night Dawnie," Buffy said.

"Goodnight," Dawn hung up the phone and then sat thinking.

Faith was obviously interested in her, why else would she kiss her? 'Maybe she was trying to brush crumbs of my face or something?' Dawn tried to rationalize. 'Yeah with her tongue,' she added sarcastically.

There was really only one rational conclusion, Faith had attempted to hit on her, although the fact Faith had run off suggested she was just as surprised as Dawn at what happened.

So what was she going to do?

She finally reached a decision and ran to the notepad beside the phone tearing off the page with Faith's address on it and running out the door. A few seconds later she came running back in as she realized she was only in her pajamas. "Probably not a smart idea to go running out in the middle of the night dressed only in these," she muttered to herself as she quickly got a pair of jeans and a jacket to cover them and ran out again pulling on her shoes.

The sound of knocking on her door woke Faith out of her reverie. 'Has Buffy come to kick my ass already?' she thought staying put on her bed.

The knock came again followed by Dawn's voice. "Faith are you in there? We need to talk."

'Dawn's here?' Faith was surprised. Dawn was the last person she expected after what had happened at Buffy's apartment, but she was quick to get off the bed and open the door. Dawn was standing there looking so cute and vulnerable. "Hey D," she said trying to keep her feelings under control.

"Faith," Dawn nodded at her. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Faith waved her in.

Dawn walked in with her arms crossed over her chest. "We should talk."

"About what?" Faith asked as if it wasn't obvious.

"About…the kiss, it was a kiss right?" Dawn checked.

Faith looked a little uncomfortable. "Yeah it was a kiss D."

"So do you like me, I mean like like me?" Dawn asked hesitantly.

Faith nodded. "I guess I do, I wouldn't have kissed you otherwise right?" Faith looked directly at Dawn. "Do you like me back, like like me?"

Dawn bit her lip. "I don't…I'm not sure…" her voice trailed off as she looked at Faith, then moving swiftly she pressed her lips softly against Faith's. Faith was taken by surprise, but only for a moment, she quickly wrapped her arms around Dawn's waist bringing her closer and pressing the kiss deeper, parting Dawn's lips with her tongue and pushing it deeply inside. Dawn slid her arms around Faith's shoulders and pushed her own tongue into Faith's mouth, exploring it thoroughly. Faith tasted…nice, sweet and not at all weird or strange.

Faith pushed Dawn up against the wall, feeling a flare of pain from her hip but she didn't care she was enjoying the taste, the feel of Dawn against her. She pulled Dawn as close as possible, hearing Dawn moan slightly as she let her hands slide lower to grab the girl's butt forcing Dawn's hips closer.

Finally Dawn pulled away, breathing heavily. "Wow," she whispered.

"There was definite wow factor there," Faith agreed also breathing heavily.

Dawn nuzzled close. "Can I stay here tonight?"

Faith looked surprised. "You trying to get me into bed already D?" she said grinning.

"I didn't mean it in a sexual way," Dawn said firmly. "Buffy's staying at the Council tonight and I'm kinda worried about Bringers, so I was wondering…" Dawn used her doe-eyed look that always worked on anyone who wasn't Buffy.

"I guess, but I don't have anything for you to wear," thoughts of Dawn wearing nothing entered Faith's mind.

"That's OK," Dawn untangled herself from Faith and undid her jacket to reveal her pajama top. "I came prepared."

"Knew I would say yes huh?" Faith asked smiling; she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"I'm impossible to resist," Dawn said grinning.

"Not going to argue with that."

"So you going to take me to bed?" Dawn asked still grinning, slipping her hand into Faith's.

"Sure," Faith said grinning back, tugging Dawn towards the bed.

Faith couldn't remember ever feeling happier.

The sunlight somehow made its way through the dirt-encrusted window to outline the two sleeping young women spooned together in the bed; it also shone into Faith's eyes waking her from the peaceful sleep she'd been enjoying.

She stretched feeling her arms wrapped around someone's waist, Faith frowned lightly and cracked one eye open to see a mass of long light brown hair in front of her face. The events of last night filtered slowly through her sleepy mind, the night out with B, the Bringer attack, her kissing Dawn and then Dawn coming to her motel and kissing her back.

They had ended up in bed together, although a little disappointingly for Faith they had done nothing more then cuddle and kiss a few times before Dawn had fallen asleep.

Faith sat up leaning on her elbow, she could feel a dull ache in her hip as she put more weight on it; it seemed to have almost healed as the pain was much less then last night. Her cheek however still hurt like hell, she almost wanted to resurrect that Bringer just so she could have the pleasure of killing it all over again.

Faith gently brushed the hair from Dawn's face. 'She looks so innocent and beautiful when she's asleep, she could almost be Sleeping Beauty,' Faith thought stroking Dawn's cheek gently with her finger. 'I guess that makes me Prince Charming, or Princess Charming maybe.'

Dawn gave a content sigh and stirred against Faith, her eyes slowly blinked open and focused on the person stroking her cheek. "Faith," she smiled as she realized who it was.

"Morning D," Faith said leaning down to kiss her.

Dawn kissed her back, lifting her hand to cup Faith's cheek forgetting about her injury until her fingers pressed against it. Faith hissed sharply and pulled away, the pain throbbing from her cheek.

"Oh sorry Faith," Dawn apologized, quickly reaching out to Faith.

Faith pulled away further. "Can I just have a look at it?" Dawn asked hurt by Faith's retreat from her.

Faith reluctantly moved closer allowing Dawn to pull the bandage off her cheek. Dawn inspected the wound closely, pleased to see no swelling, the cut still looked raw and a little tender though smaller then the night before. Faith's slayer healing had obviously been working its magic.

"How's it look?" Faith asked.

"Better," Dawn said then saw the amount of blood on the bandage. "But I think it needs cleaning and a new dressing," she looked around. "Where do you keep the First Aid kit?"

"Sorry D," Faith smirked. "I don't think places like this have a free First Aid kit just lying around, it would kind of get stolen."

"Right," Dawn nodded. "I guess that was a bit presumptuous of me."

Faith looked confused. "Pre-whatous of you?"

"Presumptuous, it means thoughtless, I made an assumption that there would be a First Aid kit around without really thinking."

"Oh. Right," Faith nodded as if she understood. "Guess they teach you that stuff in school or is that one of Giles' words?"

"Giles' I think," Dawn answered seeing Faith was still bugged by the fact she had never finished school. "How's your hip?" Dawn said changing the subject, reaching down to pull back the top of the shorts Faith had been sleeping in without waiting for Faith's answer.

"It's fine, not as bad as the cheek," Faith said watching Dawn gently poke and prod at the small red line on her hip.

"This doesn't hurt?" Dawn asked looking up at Faith.

"No," Faith shook her head, swallowing. 'Now if Dawn would only move her fingers lower and to the right…'

"Good," said Dawn looking into Faith's eyes as she slid her fingers up and under her shirt, gently caressing her stomach. Dawn pressed her lips against Faith's, remembering her cheek she pushed her other hand into Faith's hair running her fingers through Faith's soft locks.

Faith responded eagerly pressing her body close and pushing Dawn backwards onto the bed, climbing on top of the girl she let her own hand slip under Dawn's top feeling her warm soft skin against her fingertips.

Faith moved her mouth off Dawn's and kissed down her cheek and onto her neck, as her hand roamed up Dawn's body she felt Dawn's hand slide onto her back and move higher, Dawn's fingernails beginning to dig gently into her skin.

As she nuzzled at the girl's neck something suddenly occurred to Faith, she kissed up Dawn's neck to her ear. "I don't suppose you told your sister about us did you?" she whispered.

All Dawn's movement ceased and Faith felt her sigh. "OK Faith here's a tip, when we're making out don't mention my sister it's a rather large turn off."

"Right," Faith said sitting up so she could look Dawn in the face. "But you didn't did you?"

Dawn bit her lip and shook her head. "No, she called up last night after…but…no."

"Then I don't think it's a great idea to go any further 'cause if B finds out about us before you tell her then I don't like to think how she'll react."

Dawn thought about it before nodding. "True, I guess that makes sense-" she was interrupted by a phone ringing, Faith looked around frowning. "That's not mine," she said.

Dawn listened closely until she suddenly recognized the ringtone. "No that's mine," she said wriggling out from under Faith and finding her jacket, she pulled out her cell phone. "Must have left it in there," she explained to Faith before answering.

"Hello?"

"Dawn where the hell are you, I've been calling the apartment for the last hour trying to reach you," Buffy asked extremely upset.

"Buffy…" Dawn was a little surprised at the coincidence. "I was…out walking, looking at some shops," she lied, glancing quickly at Faith.

Buffy sighed, partly in annoyance partly in relief. "You and shopping, I swear the only way the Council's going to run out of money is if you spend it all."

"Yeah, I guess," Dawn quickly changed the subject. "So what did you call for?"

"To see if you were OK," Buffy said exasperated. "Which you obviously are, and to see if you knew where Faith is she hasn't turned up this morning."

"Why would I know where Faith is?" Dawn asked defensively, Faith looked at her concerned. 'Does Buffy somehow know already?' she thought.

"You were the last person to see her last night, I thought she might have said something?"

"No she didn't, but I'm sure she'll turn up, Faith's not known for her punctuality," Dawn mouthed sorry as Faith glared at her.

Buffy sighed. 'That's true. Oh well I guess she'll turn up whenever, I would ring but she's probably still sleeping off her hangover."

"Probably," Dawn agreed hurriedly.

"So when are you coming in today?"

"Buffy it's Saturday." Dawn was a little indignant.

"I know but after last night's attack I think everyone should get together and have a meeting about what it could mean, the First doesn't usually attack for no reason."

"Did anyone else get attacked?"

"Not that we can tell but I don't want to take any chances, it seems the First is back in the game and it wants to play hardball from the start."

"I'll come in then," said Dawn sighing a little overdramatically. "I'll just finish with the window-shopping and be in ASAP."

"Don't spend too much of my money," Buffy warned.

"I said window-shopping and I don't mean that I'm buying windows Buffy," Dawn said dryly. "And I'm sure Faith's fine and will be in soon."

"Mmmm…" Buffy sounded skeptical, whether it was about Dawn window-shopping or Faith coming in soon or both Dawn wasn't quite sure. "See you soon then."

"Sure. Bye Buffy," Dawn hung up and turned to Faith. "I should be going."

Faith nodded. "I guess so," she looked a little uncertain. "You didn't tell her."

"No…I…telling her over the phone probably isn't the smartest idea," said Dawn trying to reassure her. "I should do it in person, you know so I can talk her out of doing anything stupid."

"Yeah." Faith sounded unconvinced and turned away.

"Hey what are you doing tonight?" Dawn asked breaking the awkward silence.

"Nothing probably, why?"

"Maybe we could go to a movie or something?"

"What like on a date?" Faith asked frowning slightly, she tried to remember the last time she had actually been on a date, her and Robin had gone out sometimes but that was usually to fight things or had ended up that way even if it hadn't been the intention from the start.

"Yes," Dawn nodded firmly. "Our first date," she said taking Faith's hand.

Faith looked down at Dawn's hand in her own and then up at Dawn's beautiful blue eyes, she was finding it hard to remain mad at her, "Sure, why not," she relented.

Dawn grinned. "Cool, I'll see you later at the Council to work out details."

Faith felt a small smile appear on her lips, she was finding Dawn's grins very infectious. "Sounds like a plan."

"You really should get that cheek looked at," Dawn said as she gently replaced the old bandage.

"I will," Faith promised enjoying the feel of Dawn's fingers on her skin.

Dawn moved towards the door, pulling Faith along behind her. "I guess I should be going then."

"I guess," Faith nodded.

Dawn opened the door and walked slowly outside before turning to Faith. "Do I get a kiss goodbye?" she asked looking at Faith expectantly.

Faith pulled Dawn in for a long, deep kiss that continued until they heard an appreciative whistle.

They broke the kiss and turned to see Rosa smiling at them.

"I'm sorry, couldn't help myself," Rosa said giving Faith a wide smile. "Two women in one night Faith I am impressed."

Dawn looked at Faith, confused. "Two women?"

"She's talking about Buffy," Faith told her.

"Oh." Dawn said nodding before she gave Rosa the once over.

"Wow this one's as pretty as the blonde, where do you find them Faith?" Rosa said returning Dawn's look.

"She's Buffy's sister and Buffy and I are just friends."

Rosa ignored the last part and gave Faith a suggestive smile. "Sisters, it's been a while since I had a couple of sisters not since those Swedish-"

"I think you should go now D," Faith interrupted Rosa quickly.

"Um OK," Dawn glanced at Rosa unsure of whether to kiss Faith goodbye in front of her.

"Oh don't be shy on my account," said Rosa.

Faith gave Dawn a quick peck on the lips before sending her on her way.

"It was nice meeting you…" Dawn said to Rosa trying to be polite.

"Rosa, Faith's neighbor."

"Dawn, Faith's…girlfriend I guess."

"So I saw," Rosa smiled, enjoying the small blush that crept onto Dawn's cheeks.

"Bye Dawn," Faith said gesturing for her to go, quickly.

"Bye," Dawn waved to her before turning and walking away.

Rosa watched Dawn admiringly as she left before turning to Faith. "She seems nice."

"She is."

Rosa moved closer and gave Faith a blatantly obvious look. "You know the offer from last night still stands, you don't even need the money."

"I've got a girlfriend," Faith said firmly, feeling sort of weird saying it.

"So have a lot of my clients."

"Thanks but no thanks." Faith walked back into her room and closed the door.

"Pity," Rosa said to herself giving Faith's door a last lingering look before turning and walking back to her room.

The meeting had ended up being a bit of a bust, no one could really see a particular reason for the attack other then to take out the head of the Council, Buffy, or two experienced slayers. It seemed to be the latest in a long line of recent Bringer attacks according to Giles and the other Watchers, but the first one directly aimed at the new Slayers Council.

Apparently some of the newer slayers had been reporting attacks, some before they even knew they were slayers, usually when they were alone. Dawn was a little annoyed she hadn't known this information, but because she was a trainee watcher… blah…blah…blah, Dawn had stopped paying attention after Giles said the trainee watcher bit, she had heard that line so many times she knew what came after.

At least she had seen Faith in the meeting, she had slipped in just after it started, giving Dawn a winning smile and afterwards they had managed to work out the details of their date tonight, all that remained was to tell Buffy and to hopefully restrain her from injuring Faith in some way.

So here she was pacing back and forth nervously in front of Buffy's office, rehearsing exactly what she would say to Buffy about Faith. She could guess how Buffy would react and had wanted to do something beforehand to minimize the damage, like nail a mattress on the roof above Buffy's chair but she somehow doubted she could have got away with it without Buffy getting suspicious.

The door of Buffy's office opened, catching Dawn's attention. Buffy and a young Watcher, Nathan, came out.

"Keep me informed," Buffy said nodding at Nathan then catching sight of her sister. "Dawn what are you doing out here?" she asked surprised.

Dawn smiled at Nathan who returned it before hurrying away. "I wanted to talk to you, if you're not too busy?"

"I can always spare time for my sister," Buffy said moving back inside her office and sitting at her desk. "So what do you want to talk about?"

Dawn moved slowly into Buffy's office, all her rehearsed lines suddenly deserting her. "Um…I wanted to tell you…" she took a deep breath, deciding to just come right out and say it and deal with Buffy's reaction when it happened. "I'm going out with Faith tonight. To the movies."

Buffy looked surprised. "Oh, you two have kissed and made up already huh?"

"Something like that," said Dawn waiting for the explosion.

"Good, I'd like someone I trust to keep a close eye on her."

"I could definitely do that," Dawn said watching Buffy cautiously, trying to gauge her reaction.

"Was there something else?" said Buffy noticing her sister acting a little strangely.

Dawn could tell Buffy had somehow missed the point and rapidly lost her nerve. "No I guess not," she said turning towards the door.

"Have fun then," Buffy said distractedly starting to write on a piece of paper.

"I will," Dawn reached the door and then decided to give it one more try. "I'm going out on a date tonight," she blurted out.

Buffy looked up frowning. "I thought you said you and Faith were going to the movies?"

"We are," said Dawn nervously.

Buffy frown deepened. "You're taking Faith on your date…what are you doing dating a vampire, you're not dating a vampire are you?" she said suddenly worried and once again missing the point.

"No I'm going out on a date with Faith," Dawn saw her sister needed it spelt out plainly for her. 'In a big glowing neon sign,' she thought.

Buffy digested this information. "You're going out on a date with Faith?" she repeated slowly.

Dawn nodded.

"Faith, slayer Faith?" Buffy checked.

Dawn nodded again.

"Faith Lehane?" Buffy checked further.

Dawn nodded once again.

"Faith girl Faith?" Buffy squeaked.

Dawn's nod was more hesitant but definite.

"Oh," Buffy said completely shocked. "I think I have to sit down."

"Buffy you already are sitting down," Dawn pointed out.

"I am? Oh. Good. Yay for me," Buffy said still not getting over her shock.

"Are you OK?" Dawn asked uncertainly.

"I just found out my sister is suddenly into girls, give me a minute," Buffy said still trying to come terms. "Wait why Faith did she touch you or force you because if she did-" Buffy's voice began to get stronger and angrier.

"She didn't force me to do anything Buffy," Dawn interrupted. "I like her."

"You like her. Don't you like boys anymore because you seemed pretty into them until recently."

"I don't know…I guess I still do…I mean I still think Orlando Bloom's cute, I just like Faith," Dawn finished rather lamely.

"Oh," Buffy said not really understanding.

"So you're OK with this?" Dawn asked breaking the rather long silence.

"I think I'm a long way from OK but I'm sure I'll get there eventually," Buffy said a little overcome.

"Good, I'll go then," Dawn walked slowly out of the door.

"Dawn wait," Buffy called out an unpleasant idea suddenly occurring to her.

Dawn stuck her head back around the door. "Yes?"

"You haven't slept with Faith have you?"

"Not really," Dawn said looking a little guilty.

"What do you mean not really?" Buffy's voice became steely.

"Last night when you left I went round to her place and we…kissed and I kind of spent the night."

"You kind of spent the night?" Buffy's voice began to get angry again.

"We kissed each other that's all, nothing else happened Buffy I swear," Dawn added quickly, hoping to avert a Buffy eruption.

"Nothing?" Buffy checked her voice hard.

"Nothing," Dawn promised nodding.

"Good."

"So I can still go out with her tonight?" Dawn made sure.

Buffy paused. "Yes, but no spending the night and if anything happens or goes wrong-"

"It won't."

"Just in case it does you know where to reach me."

"It won't Buffy," Dawn said confidently.

"Right, have fun," Buffy watched Dawn leave. She sat back in her chair and thought hard before reaching over to pick up the phone. "Lisa its Buffy where's Faith?"

"Ms. Lehane is in training room two Ms. Summers," the receptionist answered.

"Thank you," said Buffy getting up. 'I think Faith and I need to have a little talk,' Buffy thought determinedly.

Buffy walked into the training room watching as a couple of dozen of the newer recruits went through their moves, most seemingly managing to not injure themselves or others. She hated to admit it but Faith was actually pretty good at her job, after only a couple of days with the new girls they were already looking stronger then before

Buffy saw Faith leaning against the wall smoking a cigarette. "They look pretty good," she said walking over.

"They're not bad," Faith shrugged. "Don't know if I'd trust them out on patrol yet but they're coming along."

"You're enjoying this aren't you, teaching them?"

Faith thought about it for a second. "I suppose I am," she answered a bit surprised at the realization.

"We need to talk."

Faith turned to look at her; Buffy's face was set into a determined stare. "What about?"

"Dawn."

"Right," Faith felt herself tense up. "You did some good work today girls, lets wrap it up," she shouted.

The other slayers quickly stopped whatever they were doing, hung the weapons back on the wall or on a rack and walked out chatting amongst themselves.

"Dawn talked to you huh?" Faith had mixed feelings, she was relieved Dawn had finally told her sister but was more than a little worried about Buffy's reaction.

"Yes she did."

"So what do you want to know?" Faith walked over to the weapons rack adjusting some of the weapons so they hung correctly and keeping a weapon close to hand in case she needed it to protect herself.

"I think my first question is why?"

"What do you mean?" Faith asked a little confused.

"Why her Faith, why Dawn?"

"I didn't exactly pick her Buffy, if I had a choice she would have been the last girl on earth I'd have picked."

"What do you mean?" it was Buffy's turn to be confused.

"Come on B, I knew how you'd react to this I knew it wouldn't exactly be popular."

"You're right it isn't," Buffy said nodding. "And since when have you been interested in girls anyway?"

Faith shrugged. "I'm not really, I don't know…I just like D."

Buffy frowned. "Dawn said something similar."

"Did she?" Faith said. "Guess we're just made for each other."

"Mmmm…" Buffy said distracted by her thoughts. 'Why do Dawn and Faith suddenly seem interested in each other?'

"It could be a spell." Buffy said suddenly.

"Thought about that, that's why I went to your warlock guy Sal whatever."

"And what'd he say?" asked Buffy hopefully.

"That it wasn't, got a second and third opinion as well they said the same."

"Oh," Buffy couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"Listen, I know this bugs you B," Faith walked closer to Buffy and looked her directly in the eye. "But you can trust me with her, just have a little faith."

"Apparently my sister already is," Buffy said darkly. "And you want me to have a little faith in you. The woman who tried to kill me, my friends and family including Dawn, my boyfriend and an entire town?" she added a little disbelievingly.

"Yeah," Faith said looking Buffy directly in the eyes. "That's all behind me B, I'm one of the good guys now remember, just trust me?"

Buffy walked right up to Faith until their faces were only millimeters apart. "I don't think I can trust you F, however Dawn for whatever reason seems to like you and I won't get in the way of that. But if anything happens to her, if you hurt her in any way I'll come after you, is that clear."

"Crystal B," Faith said refusing to back down.

"Good," Buffy gave Faith one last long look before turning and leaving.

Dawn and Faith walked out of the cinema, Faith's arm casually draped around Dawn's shoulders. Neither noticed the looks they were getting from passers-by, either approving or disapproving or the occasional looks from both sexes checking them out.

"So what did you think?" Dawn asked.

Faith shrugged. "The first one was better, guess there's only so much of a big green ogre and talking donkey you can take."

"I guess, so what's you're favorite movie then?" asked Dawn curiously.

"Aliens, well pretty much any of the Alien movies."

"Why does that not surprise me," Dawn said wryly, shaking her head.

"Hey you gotta love Ripley, anyone who tapes two guns together to make one big gun has to be cool," Faith said emphatically.

Dawn continued to shake her head. "You and weapons you're as bad as Buffy, guess it must be a slayer thing."

"Probably," Faith nodded. "So what's yours?"

"From Dusk 'Til Dawn, it's this really cool vampire film."

"Would have thought you got enough of that in real life."

Dawn shrugged. "Well it does have George Clooney in it and any film with my name in the title has to be cool."

Faith laughed. "Won't argue with that," she looked back at the cinema. "I was surprised they had an English language cinema around here."

"It's been here for ages apparently, though with the Council and all the teenage girls that involves business must be going through the roof," Dawn glanced down at Faith's clothes. "Are those the same clothes you were wearing a couple of days ago?"

Faith looked down at herself. "Maybe, don't really know."

"Don't you have any other clothes?"

"Since I came here my wardrobe's been disappearing at an alarming rate D."

"Someone's stealing your clothes?" Dawn asked horrified, she couldn't really imagine anything worse then that.

Faith smiled at the expression on Dawn's face. "Nothing like that, they keep getting ruined. Between sharp knives, the weather and the thing they call a washing machine around here I don't have much left."

Dawn's eyes lit up. "We have to go shopping together, I know all the best shops we could get you some really cool stuff."

Faith looked dubious. "I don't know D."

"Oh come on it'll be fun," Dawn looked at her pleadingly.

Faith couldn't say no to that look. "Fine I'll go," she grumbled.

"We can go tomorrow," Dawn bounced along happily at the thought of combining shopping and time with Faith.

"Tomorrow's Sunday D, I don't think many shops will be open," Faith said enjoying the effect Dawn's bouncing was having on the teenager's breasts.

"Oh right," Dawn was a little dejected and stopped bouncing. "Well Monday then."

"Don't you have school?"

"Afterwards, I finish sorta early Monday."

"Thought you had a half-day yesterday?"

"I did, but I have a free period at the end of Monday as well," Dawn saw Faith's suspicious look. "What. I do."

"Tell me you're not playing hooky to spend time with me 'cause if Buffy finds out…" Faith didn't really need to finish that sentence.

"No I'm not, I do have a free period," Dawn stated firmly. "And I'm going to take you shopping."

"OK then," Faith couldn't help but smile at Dawn's serious tone of voice when it came to shopping. "Looks like I'll have something to fill my new closets with."

"You didn't tell me you got a new place," Dawn was excited all over again. "Can I come see?"

"Not yet, me and B are going apartment shopping Monday."

"You and Buffy in the same room together," Dawn was surprised. "Should I be worried?"

"I don't think so," Faith began to feel a little worried herself. "Why should I be?"

"Probably not," Dawn tried to sound confident. "You do have some sort of weapon right?" she checked.

Faith laughed. "Way to comfort me D," she opened her jacket to reveal a stake. "Never leave home without one."

"I don't know if a stake will be much use on a human Faith."

Faith thought back to what had happened to the deputy mayor of Sunnydale. "You might be surprised," she muttered.

"What?" asked Dawn not hearing her.

Faith shook her head to clear it of bad memories. "Nothing D, hey you want ice-cream?" she said trying to distract the teen.

Dawn giggled. "Do you even need to ask?"

"Guess not," Faith smiled at the success of her distraction and guided Dawn towards the ice-cream parlor she had just spotted.

The sound of the key turning in the lock echoed around the empty apartment. Buffy pushed the door open, followed by Faith who looked around at everything, taking in the entire apartment quickly.

"Looks good B," Faith said glancing at the kitchen and in at the bedroom. "I'll take it."

Buffy turned to her looking surprised. "Faith this is the first one we've looked at, don't you want to shop around?"

Faith shrugged. "Not really, it looks big enough, it's got everything I need and its close to work and Dawn what more do I want?"

Buffy tensed as Faith mentioned her sister. "Nothing I guess," she said stiffly. "The Council can pay for furniture and I'll have it moved in by tomorrow."

"Cool," Faith nodded. "Don't forget a double bed."

Buffy tensed further. "Right can't forget that," she said as unwanted thoughts of what Faith and her sister could do in a double bed crossed her mind.

Faith noticed Buffy's discomfort and guessed the source. "Don't worry B you can trust me with her," she said trying to reassure her.

"Just have a little faith right?"

"That's right, I mean its not like I'm gonna get her pregnant or anything."

"That's probably unlikely," Buffy tried to get away from the topic of her sister and sex. "So are you and Dawn going shopping?"

"Yeah later today," Faith nodded. "Need to get some clothes, I'm starting to run out."

"Well try not to jump her in a changing room or something," the words just popped out of Buffy's mouth without her thinking about them.

Faith clenched her fists, hard. "I'm sure I can control myself B."

"I'm sure you can Faith, after all you were always good at control weren't you?" Buffy said tightly, her body unconsciously preparing for a fight.

Dawn ran in instantly noticing the icy atmosphere in the room, Faith and Buffy looked like they were getting ready to start something any minute now. 'Better interrupt before something bad happens,' Dawn thought. "So is this the one you're getting Faith?" she said loudly trying to distract the two slayers from each other.

Faith spun around and then relaxed as she saw who had spoken. "Hey D, yeah I think I will."

"What are you doing here?" Buffy said snapping at her sister, surprised at the sudden intrusion.

"I have a free period Monday, remember?" Dawn snapped back a little hurt by Buffy's tone of voice.

"Oh. Right. Of course," Buffy winced at the injured look on her sister's face.

Dawn turned to Faith her face relaxing into a smile. "You ready for our little shopping trip?"

"As I'll ever be," Faith deliberately reached over to take Dawn's hand. "You can organize everything here can't you B?"

"Sure," Buffy said quietly watching Faith and Dawn walk out of the apartment hand in hand. "Dawn," she called out.

Dawn turned sighing heavily. "What?" she asked irritably knowing Buffy was going to say something about Faith.

"Don't…" she saw the look on Dawn's face. "Don't spend all my money OK?"

"Depends how pissed off at you I am," Dawn said she then softened. "I'll try not to."

"Good. Have fun," Buffy nodded. The door closed leaving her all alone in the empty apartment. "Guess I'll just deal with all this then," she said softly.

Faith walked beside Dawn staggering under the weight of all the bags she had somehow ended up carrying, even her slayer strength was starting to run out.

"Do you want me to carry some Faith?" asked Dawn absently; she had ended up carrying only a couple of small bags.

"No I'm good D I can manage," Faith said gritting her teeth.

"OK," Dawn smiling sunnily and instantly forgetting the offer as she spotted another shop. "Ooh we have to go in there, its got the coolest dresses around."

Faith groaned under her breath. Dawn's shopping trip had lasted three hours, Faith's feet were seriously beginning to ache, her arms were tired and she was extremely hungry. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take. "I thought the last shop had the coolest clothes around?"

"It did but this one has the best dresses Faith trust me."

"OK D, but this is the last shop we're going into," Faith said putting her foot down.

Dawn looked a little disappointed. "Fine this is the last one, but we have to get you something in here."

Faith looked down at all the bags she had in her hands, most of which contained clothes for Dawn. Besides a few tops, a couple of pairs of jeans and the obligatory leathers Faith hadn't bought much, especially compared to Dawn. Strange how this was supposed to be a shopping trip for her but Dawn had ended up buying a lot more stuff. "I don't know D, dresses aren't exactly me."

"I think you'd look really hot in a sexy little dress," Dawn said sliding up to Faith and giving her a brazen look.

"Really," Faith swallowed, hard. "Well I guess I could take a quick look."

Dawn gave her a big grin and pulled her into the shop. "Come on then."

Faith left their bags at the counter and they split up, Dawn going in one direction, Faith the other.

Faith wandered down the rows of dresses occasionally pulling one out, like she'd told Dawn she couldn't exactly see herself in a dress, the last dress she had worn was the one the mayor had given her, she much preferred a nice tight pair of jeans or leather pants.

As she walked past another rack a flash of red caught her eye, she slowly backed up and pulled out a small red dress, Faith smiled. 'Now this is a dress I can see myself in,' she thought.

Dawn walked up behind her. "Did you find anything?" she asked.

Faith turned around and showed her the little red dress. "What do you think?"

Dawn stared wide-eyed at the piece of clothing Faith held up. "Um Faith I don't think that could legally be called a dress."

"Why not?" Faith glanced down at the dress then back up at Dawn. "What's wrong with it?"

"Its a few bits of red string somehow staying together not a dress, if you wore it outside you would be arrested for indecent exposure."

Faith grinned at her. "Exactly, its my kind of dress."

"I don't know Faith…" Dawn shook her head a little. 'Buffy would have a heart attack if she saw me anywhere near Faith and she was wearing that dress,' she thought.

"I'll just try it on see if it fits," Faith walked off to the changing rooms before Dawn could object further.

Dawn looked around the shop nervously for her sister or the police or anyone with eyes who would object to Faith wearing that dress.

"May I help you Miss?" a female shop assistant asked her in English with a hint of an accent.

"No I'm fine," said Dawn quickly. "I'm waiting for a friend," she said gesturing at the changing rooms.

Dawn's jaw literally dropped as she turned and saw Faith emerge from the changing room wearing the dress. The dress barely reached mid-thigh and clung to Faith's body, accentuating her already generous curves and barely managing to cover them at the same time. Dawn wasn't sure which would be more provocative, Faith wearing the dress or Faith naked.

"What do you think?" Faith asked.

"Hmnh," was all that Dawn could manage to say.

Faith grinned. "Speechless D? That was the reaction I was aiming for," Faith gave a twirl in her bare feet, the dress billowing out a little.

If possible Dawn's eyes grew wider. "Faith if you wear that dress outside I have three words for you," she said finally finding her voice. "Two sided tape."

Faith looked confused then looking down at the dress she grinned again at Dawn. "Saw something you liked huh D?"

Dawn blushed and glanced across at the shop assistant who seemed bemused at the situation. "Something like that," she said.

"I'll take it," Faith said to the assistant before walking up to Dawn and giving her kiss. "Be right back baby," she said walking back to the changing room, her hips swaying far more then necessary.

She soon came back out dressed as before with the dress over one arm, Dawn couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed she wasn't wearing it.

Faith paid the assistant and added one more bag to the huge array she already had, they somehow seemed to weigh less now.

"Faith how much did that dress cost?" asked Dawn curious as they exited the shop.

"About 650 Euro I think."

Dawn's eyes bugged out. "650 Euro! What'd they do charge for the material that wasn't there?"

Faith laughed. "It was worth every penny to see that expression on your face."

"You'd better not let Buffy see you in that dress," Dawn warned blushing furiously.

"I was planning on wearing it for you only, on special occasions."

"What kind of special occasions?" Dawn asked grinning.

"You'll see," Faith grinned back at her. "And you think it'd bug Buffy that much to see me in it?"

"Paris Hilton wears less revealing clothes then that dress Faith, if you wore that around me Buffy would make you wear a blanket or me a blindfold, or both."

"Paris Hilton hasn't got the style to pull this dress off I do," Faith was a little offended by the comparison. "Plus I'm a lot hotter."

Dawn giggled. "I don't know I'd have to see you on video to compare."

"Don't tell me you've seen that video D?" asked Faith surprised.

"Everybody's seen that video Faith," Dawn said giggling even more at Faith's expression. "There's tribes-people in the depths of the Amazon jungle who have seen that video."

"I guess," Faith glanced sideways at Dawn. "Enjoyed seeing naked Paris did you?"

"Not really I was just curious," Dawn said. "I'd prefer to see you naked," she added playfully.

"Really," Faith kept a tight rein on her own enthusiasm. "We'll have to see about that won't we?" she said lightly.

"Yes we will," Dawn said firmly. "Maybe involving you and that dress?" she added hopefully.

"Maybe," Faith nodded. "Can we get a cab D, I think my arms are about to give out," she said changing the topic before it went too far.

"I thought you slayers were supposed to be super strong?" Dawn said dryly.

"We are, I didn't plan on you buying half the clothes in Rome," Faith grumbled.

"It is not half the clothes in Rome," Dawn protested. "But I guess it is a long way to our apartments."

Faith gently placed the bags on the ground with a groan. "Oh thank God I think my arms have grown a few inches in the last couple of hours."

"Oh shush," Dawn said absently looking for a taxi. "Ooh there's one come on," she grabbed Faith's arm and pulled her towards an empty taxi.

'Finally I can get some rest,' Faith thought gratefully, picking up the bags and allowing herself to be dragged to the waiting taxi.

Dawn pushed her key into the lock and gently nudged the door open with her butt, carrying her bags in with some difficulty. She had left some of her stuff at Faith's new place along with Faith's clothes, hopefully she could smuggle in the rest without Buffy noticing or going apoplectic.

She struggled into her room and managed to drop the bags onto her bed, breathing heavily. She now had a far greater respect for Faith's strength since she had managed to carry these bags and more around all day.

She got all the clothes put away without hearing Buffy come home and breathed a silent sigh of relief. Opening the door to her room she found Buffy standing in the middle of the apartment arms crossed across her chest.

"Oh Buffy," Dawn said looking a little guilty. "I didn't hear you come in."

Buffy considered her silently, not answering.

Dawn sighed. "Fine be like that then," she walked into the kitchen.

"Were you at Faith's?" Buffy asked suddenly, startling Dawn a little.

"For a little while we had to drop off her clothes."

"Did you have sex?"

"What!" said Dawn completely shocked. "You have no right to ask me that."

"I have every right," Buffy moved towards her. "So did you?"

"That's none of your business," Dawn said angrily, stalking out into the living area.

"It is my business, you're my sister and she's a murdering convict and I want to know."

"Fine we haven't are you happy now."

A small smile crossed Buffy's face. "Yes Dawnie I am, very happy."

Dawn spun around angrily to face her sister. "Great because you know you're acting…" she glared at her sister, then suddenly realized that Buffy's leg was being cut in half by the top of the coffee table. "You're not Buffy," she said slowly, backing away from the apparition.

The First smiled wider. "Oh come now Dawnie that's not fair I might be the First Evil but I am Buffy as well, just look at my cute and perky hair-do."

"Get out," said Dawn furious.

"Or you'll what?" said the First walking right up to Dawn's face.

"I know you can't hurt me, you're incorporeal remember?" Dawn waved her hand straight through Buffy's chest.

"Oh I might be incorporeal," the First said as the front door was kicked in and three Bringers walked in brandishing knives. "But my Harbingers are extremely solid as are their knives, perfect for ripping little girls guts out."

"You won't get away with this bitch," Dawn said backing away until she reached the weapons chest sitting at the edge of the couch.

"Now now Dawnie watch your language, you've obviously been spending too much time with Faith you've developed quite a mouth," said the First mockingly as the Bringers advanced on Dawn from opposite directions, knives raised. "Of course after my Bringers have finished with you, you won't actually have a mouth or much of anything left. I'll leave just enough of you behind so Buffy can recognize the body," the First watched its Bringers continue their advance on Dawn as she grabbed a short sword from the chest and shakily raised it. "I might mount the rest on a wall somewhere," it added vaguely.

Dawn backed herself up against a wall as the Bringer's attacked. She managed to parry the first Bringer's knife with her sword, a wild swipe forced the second one to back off however this left her open to the third who buried its knife deep into her non-sword arm causing Dawn to cry out in pain.

She backhanded the sword down onto the Bringers neck before it could regain the knife sending it crashing onto the floor. As she spun to face the others a fist crashed into her face sending her sprawling. Before she could get up the sword was kicked out of her hand and her wrists were grabbed and pinned above her head by one Bringer, the other knelt beside her raising its knife to plunge into her unprotected chest, before it slowly collapsed to one side, a stake buried in its back.

"OK when you attacked me I was annoyed," Buffy said standing in the doorway with hands on her hips. "But now I'm seriously pissed off."

The remaining Bringer rushed at her thrusting its knife towards her face, Buffy caught its wrist easily, lashing her fist into its face before twisting its own knife into the Bring