Take her please.

Chapter 2

“Buffy get out of bed,” Dawn was fast barreling down the hall, “I have to go to school.”

Why oh why did she feel the need to scream at the top of her freaking lungs? “Go away!”

“You have to take me to school.”

“You have a car.”

“Willow took it.”

“Well where the hell is Willow’s car?”

“In the shop,” she was dancing from foot to foot.

“Fine. Just give me a chance to put some rollers in my hair, and find a natty housecoat and then we can go.”

“Oh there is no way in hell you are taking me to school looking like you woke up on the wrong side of drunk.”

Exactly. I didn’t want to take her to school anyway. “Just take my car. The keys are downstairs.”

She smiled and hopped out, “Thanks sis.”

I pulled the pillow back over my head. It was weird not being the only slayer now. I had, like, time on my hands and stuff. Since the Council was destroyed everything they owned became… well mine. All the savings, the holdings, everything. Weird. It was weird having money. I sent some Faith’s way. A lot actually. Willow, pulled a little tracking spell there, and we set it up with a bank and everything. Last I checked she had withdrawn some funds from it, so that made me feel better. I still hadn’t contacted her though. I guess I was being a little stubborn, but she left me. She didn’t even ask if it would be okay. I just got that crappy note and that was it. I may have been little but I still had some pride left in me. And hell, she knew where we were. Willow sent her a letter and everything.

When we first slayed the First, it was like I was on overdrive. Always on, always looking for something to keep me going. But now, well now I was just tired. Not in the depressed, poor Buffy kind of way, just tired. I mean, I missed a lot of things. I missed Spike. I even missed Anya. I missed…well, no need to go there.

“Buffy coffee,” Xander yelled up the stairs.

I tried pulling the pillow back over my head. No such luck. There was no way anyone in this damn house would ever let me sleep in. “I’m coming.”

Xander was pouring himself a cup, “You look bright and shiny this morning.”

“Your sarcasm is not welcome.”

“I disagree. I think my sarcasm is much needed.”

I poured myself a cup. It was way to early to discuss the ever-present wit of my one-eyed comrade.

He smiled at me. “You let Dawn take your car.”

I nodded.

“Is that wise Buffster? I mean, I love you guys and all but the Summer sisters and driving are sort of like oil and water. No matter how many times you put the two together, in the end you just have a big mess on your hands.”

Unfortunately, he was right. But Willow had thrown a protection spell around both of our cars. What could I say? No one had ever taught us to drive. I mean Giles tried, but he was just too damn British about it. ‘No Buffy, you must pay attention to your surroundings. Not like that… Oh bloody hell.’ That sort of thing. So, I guess we just taught ourselves. It was kind of fun watching Xander’s face when we pulled out of the driveway. Willow and Kennedy were even worse. But who the hell cared? I would just as soon be chauffeured around, thank you very much.

“Giles say when he was coming back?”

I shook my head, “No. He didn’t even say where he was going. Watcher stuff. Way too many slayers now if you ask me. Just said he had something to take care of.”

Xander nodded, “So what are you going to do today?”

“Go to the beach. Work on my tan.”

He frowned. “Don’t you have anything better to do.”

I smiled at him. “As a matter of fact. No. I don’t.”

“Just checking.”

Kennedy came running into the kitchen. Why the hell did she get up so damn early? Running, I’m sure. Sometimes she makes me sick.

“Oh my god, you are so not going to believe what Giles is walking up the driveway with.” She was completely out of breath.

I stared at her. “What an elephant? A horse? A new haircut? What?”

She shook her head, trying still to catch her breath, “A baby,” she managed to get out.

Xander looked like I felt. Shocked. “Huh?” He said.

“A baby. A little bitty baby. In a carrier. No shit.”

I was at a loss for words, which was okay, as Giles chose that moment to pop into the kitchen.

Sure enough, he had one of those little baby thingies in his hand. He sat it on the counter.

“What a terribly long day I’ve had.”

“Keeping a secret from us, Giles?” Xander managed to ask.

“Well she was a secret, that’s for sure.”

I walked around to look at the baby. She was asleep, and very very cute. In a baby kind of way. “Okay, so I’ll be the blunt one. Number one, who is this? And number two, why is she here?”

He took off his glasses, and wiped them. Never a good sign. “This is Elizabeth. Elizabeth Lehane. And she has come to live with us.”

I needed to sit down. “Oh my god… she’s not… she couldn’t be. Holy shit. Holy shit.”

Xander still looked confused, “Lehane? Who the hell is Lehane?”

Of course none of them took the time to learn her last name. “Lehane,” I said, “as in Faith Lehane.”

Giles nodded.

It was only eight thirty. And I needed a fucking drink.

To be continued (asap!)