The Three of Us

This chapter is unbeta'd I apologize for any errors.
It's summer time. Between Rugby and the cabin, updates will be slower.
Reviews are welcome.
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Buffy ran up the stairs to Giles’ house and banged on the door once, then opened it and entered. She looked in the living room at Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya. “Where’s Faith?” she asked.

“F-faith who?” giggled Tara. “Nice try, I can feel her. Did she say anything?”

“Say anything about what?” Faith asked as she came up behind her.

“So how’d it go?” Buffy was bouncing of the walls with excitement.

“How’d what go?” Xander asked. “Lunch with my mom.” Buffy said.

“What!” was the chorused response. Buffy turned from the smirk on Faith’s face. “She didn’t tell you?”

“Tell us what?” Willow asked.

Faith crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway. She just smiled as Buffy turned to look at her. Buffy turned to face her friends, “Umm, okay, Faith moved into my house last night, and she had to meet with my mom today to discuss it.”

“What!” Willow yipped, Tara smiled and looked through her hair at Faith, “Are you orgasm buddies now?” Anya asked. “Anya!” Xander groaned, “You can’t ask them that!”

“Why not?” she replied. “Isn’t that the reason Faith would move in? It’s why I moved into your parent’s basement.”

Xander sighed, “We were dating and when we got to that point we moved in together, they’re not dating, so Faith wouldn’t move in for that reason.” He stopped and blinked a couple of times. Everyone in the room had turned to look at him. Faith just smirked at him. “Uhh, you aren’t dating? Are you?” his voice trailed off. Buffy waited a few moments before turning to Faith. “You want to tell them?” she said with amusement in her eyes. The whole gang sat there holding their breath. “Go ahead, they’re your friends.” Buffy turned back to the wide eyed Scoobies. “No, we’re not dating. When I found her last night, she was living in a, umm, not a very nice place. So we went home and talked my mom into letting her stay at our house.”

Willow blinked a couple of times and looked between the two smiling slayers. “Oh, OHH!” she said suddenly, “That makes sense now.”

“What?” Faith asked. “Umm,” Willow turned bright red, “Uhh, just a conversation I had, umm, no biggie, just a little talk I had with a friend, you know just chitchat...” Tara grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Willow smiled at her and the babbling stopped.

“So,” Buffy turned back to Faith, “What did you talk about?”

“Lots of stuff. We agreed on some rules, but she wants me to go to school and get my GED. I ain’t sure about that.”

“Why not?” Buffy asked tilting her head. Faith snorted in reply.

“Probably ‘cause I been out of school for five years.” Buffy shrugged her shoulders, “Not a problem, you’ve got all of us to help you.” The rest of the group nodded their heads in agreement. “We’d be g-glad to help Faith.” Tara spoke up.

Faith grinned at her and she blushed, “Thanks Blondie that means a lot.” Pushing herself off the wall, she headed down the hallway. “C’mon B, we gotta go train.” she called over her shoulder. As Buffy followed her down the stairs Faith stopped and turned. “One other thing,” She smiled at Buffy, “your mom wants us home for supper by 6:30.”

“Look at the smile on that girl.” Buffy smiled, “You’d think she was happy to be going home!”

“You’re a dork B. Let’s get changed.” The two girls bumped and pushed each other, laughing as they walked across the room.

The two slayers walked side by side up to Buffy’s house. “What are we gonna do after dinner?” Faith asked.

Buffy shrugged, “I figure we’ll go patrol, then to the Bronze. Meet up with the rest of the Scoobies, dance, have some fun.”

“The Bronze?” Faith looked at her.

“Yeah, haven’t you been there yet?”

“Can’t say as I found it, when I was livin’ in my crypt.”

“Ahh, right, well you’ll be there tonight. And we’ll have fun.”

“You say so B.”

They walked through the door and down the hall to the kitchen. Joyce was handing a bowl of potatoes to a thin brunette with shoulder length hair. “Hi girls, glad you could make it for dinner. Faith, have you met Dawn?”

“No, she was gone when I got up.” Dawn looked at Faith’s tank top, her leather pants and combat boots. Looking back up at the dark slayer, “You are so much cooler than my sister; can I borrow your clothes?” A wide eyed Faith glanced back and forth between Buffy and Joyce, not seeing any help coming, “Umm, we’ll talk about it, okay?”

“Sure.” Dawn turned and headed into the dining room. “You are not cooler than me.” Buffy pouted.

Faith laughed at her, “You’ll get over it.”

The conversation during the meal was light. Faith was unsure of where she fit into everything, so she just followed Buffy’s lead. Any questions that were asked were answered politely with a minimum of information. Faith had cleaned up some of the plates and taken them into the kitchen. “She sure doesn’t say much.” Dawn whispered to her mom. Joyce patted Dawn on the arm, “She’s nervous, this is all very new to her dear. Once she warms up I’m sure she’ll be much more talkative. However, if she says she doesn’t want to talk about something, just drop it okay? That goes for both of you.”

“Why?” Dawn asked. Buffy silently watched her mother. Joyce looked into the kitchen where Faith was loading the dishwasher. “She’s led a very different life than we have. Because of that, she’s very independent and has a lot of trust issues. When she trusts you she will open up. It will be quicker if you don’t push her. Okay?” The two girls nodded agreement. Faith returned to the dining room and sat down again.

“So Faith,” Joyce looked at her, “Where are you going shopping tomorrow?” Faith’s eyebrows shot up, “Uhh, I uhh, haven’t decided yet.” Buffy’s eyes narrowed, “You’re going shopping tomorrow?” she asked Faith with a hard tone. Faith groaned and rolled her eyes at Joyce. “Didn’t you tell her yet?” she asked.

“No,” Faith sighed, “I was gonna wait ‘til tomorrow, then tell her. That way she wouldn’t be able to plan a whole lot of shi.., I mean stuff.” Buffy stared at her mother and Faith, while Dawn looked between the three of them. “What’s up?” Dawn asked.

Joyce had a huge grin on her face as Faith nervously shifted in her chair. “I told Faith that I would give Buffy my charge card and they could get her a new wardrobe tomorrow.”
“You didn’t tell me this?” Buffy yelled. “How could you not tell me? We’ve got to go to The Gap, there’s Old Navy, maybe Land’s End, Abercrombie & Fitch, it’s going to take all day.”

Faith looked at Joyce laughing and sighed again. “I told you.” Turning back to Buffy she said, “Look, we can go to Wal-mart tomorrow, I can pick up what I need and we’re home in an hour, maybe two.”

Buffy just stared at her blankly. It was Dawn’s turn to shriek. “Wal what? Mom you can’t be letting her stay here. Please tell me she’s joking, I thought she was so cool. I’m so embarrassed.”

A confused Faith looked around the table, “Somebody please tell me what’s goin’ on?” Joyce giggled at her. “If you’re going to live here Faith, you won’t be shopping at Wal-mart.”

Faith shook her head at Joyce, “I think I want to go kill somethin’. Shall we go patrol B?”

“Sounds good,” Buffy said, “you’re still not off the hook for not telling me about the shopping.” Faith shrugged her shoulders in response. “After we’re done with patrol, we’re going to The Bronze, so we’ll be home by 1:00 am. Is that okay mom?” Both slayers looked at Joyce. “That will be fine, have a good time girls.”

The two Slayers walked away from the house. Faith was just looking down at the sidewalk, her bottom lip sucked into her mouth, ignoring the blonde beside her.

“Faith.” Buffy asked and waited for an answer.

“Faith.” she asked again. Finally she nudged the dark slayer, knocking her slightly off balance.

“What the...?” she said glaring at Buffy.

“You’re not paying any attention to me, what’s wrong?”

“I’m just tryin’ to figure all this shit out.”

“What shit?”

“Why you and your mom are bein’ so nice to me. I’m tryin’ to figure out what’s in it for you.”

“Oh.” Buffy stopped short, “You think we have an ulterior motive?”

“No,” Faith stopped and turned to face her. “I’m not sure. I’m tryin’ to figure out why anybody’d want ta help me. Nobody ever has.” She looked down and shuffled her feet, “It’s all really scary actually.”

“Why would it be scary? We’re just trying to help.”

“Remember I told you I don’t do relationships?” Faith was so quiet Buffy had to strain to hear her. “Yeah, what about it?”

“I told you they never turned out well.”

“Yeah, so?”

Faith looked around at the dark streets, she put her hands in the pockets of her leather pants, then looked at Buffy. “Don’t say anythin’ alright?” Buffy nodded her head and waited for Faith. She could tell this was hard for the other slayer and didn’t want to break the mood.

Faith heaved a huge sigh, “Everyone I ever got close to or liked, either beat me, left me or died. I don’t want that to happen to you and your family.”

Buffy’s jaw dropped and her eyebrows shot up. She just stood there staring at Faith. “B.” Faith waited, “B, are you okay?”

Buffy blinked a couple of times, then closed her jaw, “Yeah.” she squeaked. “Yeah, I’ll be ok.” She stood there for another few moments, looking at Faith. Taking a deep breath, she took Faith’s hands in hers. She could feel the warmth spread through her body as she held them. “Faith, don’t ever think that about us please. We care, we’re not going to leave you, and we certainly aren’t going to die. We’re not going to beat you,” Smiling at Faith now, “unless you deserve it of course.”

Faith smiled back, “You’re such a fuckin’ dork B.” She held Buffy’s hands for a few seconds longer, just enjoying the sensation. She reluctantly dropped them and turned away. “C’mon, we got vamps to kill and dancin’ to do.”

“So, that’s all?”

“For now.”

They turned into the cemetery and started to patrol. Coming across a couple of fresh graves, they sat on the headstones and waited. “I’m starting to recognize that, ‘I’ve got something to say and don’t know how to start look.’ on your face.” Buffy said to Faith. “What do you want to tell me now?”

Faith tilted her head and looked at Buffy with a small smirk, “I wanna talk about tomorrow.”

“What about it? We’re going shopping, and you get to be my own personal Barbie. Although with your dark hair, you’re more like Midge.”

“Who the fuck is Midge?”

Buffy looked at Faith and blinked. “Midge is one of Barbie’s best friends, don’t you know that?”

“Umm, no, I, uhh, didn’t have a lot of toys growin’ up.” Buffy blushed at Faith’s statement. “I didn’t realize...”

“It’s five by five B. You didn’t know either.”

“It’s what?”

Faith sighed, “It’s okay B, it’s okay. What I wanted to tell you was I’m not comfortable spendin’ a lot of your mom’s money on clothes for me. All I really need is a coupla t-shirts, some jeans and some underwear. I don’t need a lot of stuff.”

“I know Faith.” Buffy replied mockingly. “Because you weren’t going to tell me about shopping ‘til tomorrow, you’re going to try on everything I give you, or I’m going to make you miserable.”

“Will it help if I tell you I already am?”

Buffy laughed, “You’re not getting off that easily.”

A hand suddenly broke through the sod in front of them and flung a necklace with a cross away from it. Faith hopped off the headstone she was sitting on and picked it up. “Hey,” she said to Buffy, “It’s got diamonds I think. Should be worth some money.” She stuffed it into her pocket and turned to face the vampire whose head was now emerging from the grave. She crouched down to look at the new vamp. It blinked at her, “You don’t look like my sire.” it said.

“That would be a no.” Faith replied. “However, today is the first day of your eternal life. ‘Cause you’re a vamp, you have immortality. That’s the good news. The bad news is me,” Faith pointed to her chest, then pointed to Buffy, “and her, are vampire slayers. Roughly translated, your immortal life has about 20 seconds left. Any questions?” The vampire struggled to pull herself out of the grave. Faith could see the burn mark on her throat from the cross. “Why?” was her only question.

“Ah,” Faith replied. “You have no soul, you’re evil and you feed off humans. It’s our job to kill you.” The vampire was trying to follow the logic.

“Where’s my soul?” Faith shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know. Buffy?”

The vampire turned to Buffy and looked at her. “I think it’s like in limbo, and when we stake you, it’s released.”

“Cool.” Faith and the vampire replied in unison. Buffy giggled as she sat there watching the two of them.

“Where does it go when it’s released?” the vamp asked.

“I think that depends on whether you’ve been a good person or not. Just to be on the safe side, if I were you, right now I’d be asking for forgiveness.”

“Does that mean you’ll spare me?”

Faith chuckled, “No, it means you may not end up in hell.”

“OH!” The vampire closed her eyes and started to pray. When she finished she looked at Faith, then to Buffy. “Now what?”

“Well,” Faith said, “you can be staked by the great Buffy Summers, champion of all that is good, or me. Your choice, but we are running out of time.”

The vamp looked back and forth between the two slayers. “You’ll do.” She said to Faith.

Faith nodded and pulled a stake from the back of her leather jacket. “Those are nice rings, do you mind?”

The vampire looked at Faith, “Oh well, I guess not, I won’t need them will I.”

“Umm, no, you’ll turn to dust, so no.” The vamp took them off and gave them to her. Faith leaned forward and whispered into her ear, “I forgive you.” As the last word passed her lips, she ran the stake through the vamp’s heart. Buffy looked quizzically at Faith. “She smiled just before you staked her, why?” Faith shrugged her shoulders and got to her feet.

“No, what did you say to her?” Buffy followed the slayer as she walked away. “If you don’t tell me, there is gonna be so much frilly stuff tomorrow, pink frilly stuff actually, you’re going to think you’re a piece of cotton candy.” Faith groaned, rolled her eyes then looked at Buffy.

Shaking her head she said, “I told her I forgave her.”

“You what!” Buffy gasped. “You forgave her? Oh man, here I am thinking you’re the toughest person I’ve ever met, and you forgave her?” The blonde broke down in a fit of laughter. Faith just stood there waiting for Buffy to finish. “You done yet?” Buffy waved her hand at Faith as she continued to giggle.

“Man, that’s hilarious. From now on I’m just going to call you ‘Marshmallow Girl’, or maybe ‘Stay-Puft’. “

Faith looked at her, “You do and I’ll kick your ass into a week Tuesday.”
Buffy broke into another fit of giggles. “I’m sure Stay-Puft.”

“Stay who?” Spike asked.

“Oh crap.” Faith said, “Just what I need, another comedian.”

“What’s with ‘er?” Spike asked, ignoring Faith.

“Nothin’,” Faith answered, “she’s just been havin to much fun. What’s up with you?”

Buffy was starting to calm down and straighten herself out. “Hey Spike.” She smiled at Faith, “Just having some fun with Faith is all.”

“Looks like you bloody near pissed yourself. Could ‘ear ya ‘alf way ‘cross the bleedin’ cemetery.”

Buffy grinned at him, “You really had to be there. So, what’s up?”

“Not much. There’s nothin’ out tonight. ‘Aven’t seen a bloody thing.”

“Well,” Buffy shrugged, “we’re going to the Bronze then, are you coming?”

“They let him in?” Faith asked incredulously. Spike stared hard at her. “If I don’t cause any bleedin’ trouble, they don’t have a problem. Is that a problem for you?”
Faith put her hands up, “Don’t get pissy, I’m jus askin’ Bleach-boy.

“Both of you stop it now or neither one of you is getting in. Now let’s go dancing.” Buffy said as she led them away.