Chasing the Girl

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Here's 2 more chapters.
Part 13

Buffy and Faith pulled into Willow's driveway late the next afternoon. They had slept well past lunch and only awoke after the telephone had rang.

"Hello?" Faith said groggily, looking over at the same time, relieved to see Buffy was still asleep.

"Faith?" Willow asked on the other end. "You guys haven't left yet?"

"We haven't even gotten up."

"Oh, well I was just checking, making sure everything was okay. I was worried, not that I had reason to be, I trust you and all, but you said you were coming back, and it's after one and yet, still you're not here, but you were asleep, so that's cool."

Faith cut her off.

"We're fine, Red. We'll be home soon. Bye." She said, and hung up the phone. 'Damn that girl can talk.' Faith thought. She got up and walked over to Buffy.

"B..." She said, gently shaking the sleeping girl. "B, get up. Let's go. Buffy rolled over and looked at Faith. Faith was expecting a protest or at least some witty banter, but Buffy just rose and sighed.

"Okay." She said simply.

Pulling in the driveway, Faith glanced at Buffy and noticed her gripping the seat.

"It'll be okay. Let's get it over with." It was pretty much the longest sentence they had said to each other the entire ride. After thirty minutes of awkward chitchat about the difference in food in New Orleans, Buffy fell silent and Faith allowed it.

She chose not to look at the girl while she was driving, only glancing over once. Buffy was crying, silently, looking out the side window. Faith thought that it would be wise to ignore it and she did.

Faith opened the door to the house and peeked in.

"Honey, I'm home." She called to the house. Buffy was standing behind her, half hiding her small body with Faith's.

"Faithy." They heard Rose call, running into the room, Willow close behind.

"Slow down, Rosie, you'll spill your...juice." Willow was saying as the little girl splashed the juice all over the floor in her effort to get to Faith.

"Ken!" Willow shouted, staring at Buffy. "Bring a towel, she spilled her juice."

"Hey, baby doll." Faith said, as she picked up Rose. "Miss me?"

Rose put her hands on Faith's face. "Yep." She said, nodding emphatically.

Kennedy walked in with a towel.

"Faith..." She said, ignoring Buffy's presence, but not the look Willow was giving Buffy.

"...next time you teach Rosie a song about puppy sex..." She held up a hand as Faith started to speak. "...don't, cause I don't want to know. I'm just saying next time, give us a heads up first, I was talking to my grandmother on the phone and little Rosie was singing a song that gave Nana a nice little mini-stroke."

Willow, still staring with sad eyes at Buffy finally spoke to the girl.

"Hi, Buff." She said, looking down at her hands suddenly.

Buffy walked into the room from behind Faith. Faith was struck by Buffy's sudden lack of bravado as she answered Willow.

"Hey, Wills." She said, alternately looking at her and Rose in Faith's arms.

Faith was kissing Rose on the face and the little girl was giggling. Buffy noticed something in her hands. 'Mr. Gordo'... She thought. 'I forgot I even left him here.'

"What you got there?" Faith asked Rose.

"Mista G." The little girl said, looking at Faith. She suddenly had become timid when she saw Buffy and raised up and whispered in Faith's ear.

"She mean." The little girl said, pointing at Buffy.

Willow wondered what Rose had whispered, but thanks to Slayer hearing, Buffy had heard her just fine. She fought the sudden overwhelming urge to run back out the door.

"Sorry." She said, patting the stuffed animal and frowning. "I used to have something a lot like this when I was little." Buffy said, smiling slightly at the little girl.

Rose jerked the stuffed animal away from Buffy's hand and turned the other way.

"It mine." She said to Faith.

Kennedy and Willow stared hesitantly at Buffy, expecting the worst. Before Faith could answer Rose, Buffy said

"Of course it is. It's a pretty little piggy, isn't it?" She said gently, laying her hand on Rosie's back.

"Putty little piggy." Rose mocked, smiling at Buffy.

Tension averted, Faith smiled. "Why don't we get something to eat? We haven't really eaten anything that could be considered real food."

"Food." Kennedy said. "I forgot. I ordered Chinese. I'm gonna pick it up. Wanna go, Rosie?" Kennedy asked.

"Yep." She nodded, hopping out of Faith's arms.

Kennedy smiled. "We'll be back shortly." She said.

Faith looked at Willow and then Buffy.

"Guys, I don't mean to be the deserter and all, but I didn't get a shower last night and I feel dirty. Do you mind?" She asked, looking between them.

"Go on." Both girls answered simultaneously.

Faith turned around and walked out of the hall, leaving the two girls staring at each other across the room. 'Hope she doesn't kill her,' Faith thought to herself. 'hope they don't kill each other, actually.'


To be continued