In Love and War...

The camps were brightly lit with campfires and lamps, and more than one squad was gathered outside of their barracks and tents, eating and talking over their respite from fighting. Buffy and the crew tried to keep them on a decent rotation so that the girls all had a chance for rest from the front lines. They certainly had enough Slayers coming in now to handle that. It seemed that the Bringers hadn’t gotten nearly as many girls as they thought. There were several new Slayers a week finding their way here, from the instinct driving them to join the war or dreams egging them on, or even Wes and Oz recruiting the ones that were found via magic. Those were the ones she regretted bringing on most, because they weren’t volunteers. Several of the junior Slayers looked up as she passed, and she nodded to the ones that did more than glance. So many unfamiliar faces now.

As she wandered, Buffy was pleased to find that there wasn’t an aura of depression and weariness hanging over the camp. The girls, despite a bit of a subdued nature to them, didn’t seem to be put off by the fact that the war was still raging. They were still confident and optimistic, they way that Slayers should be. That was refreshing. Probably had something to do with the fact that Faith kept insisting on keeping some form of entertainment around for them during camp-hours. Projectors and electrical equipment usually provided for that, and she’d heard rumor of a few girls having gotten some balls for random dodge-ball games and the like. Though, honestly, she couldn’t remember the last time that they’d grabbed a few units of the military guys and thrown a bash. Had that really been as far back as the end of the first year of the war?

Music blared ahead of her at a bonfire, a collection of a few squads, and even one or to US military guys, throwing an impromptu party over there. The familiar head of brown hair, and lithe form of her fellow Commanding Slayer, Faith, was sitting at one of the make-shift seats, eating some of the camp rations and chatting with a familiar junior Slayer. She thought she remembered it being one of the squad captains, like Lydia was, but it was another that she couldn’t put a name to directly. When Faith turned and looked at her, she smiled. Even with so many other Slayers around, they could still usually pick out each other’s distinctive presence.

“Hey B.” That one phrase seemed to stop two of the dancing Slayers in their tracks, making the goofy soldier with them run into their backs, and fall flat on his rump for doing so. The slayers there stared at her, as if it was more than shocking to see her in the camp among them, and she got an uncomfortable feeling crawling under her skin. “Thought you’d be brooding in the war room all night, waitin’ for the boys ta get back.”

“Lydia made me see the sense in taking a break. Seems everyone knows I’m not the brains behind the operation.” She smiled wryly and moved forward a bit more, noting the stilled watchers going back to their funmaking, slowly.

“Or that ya look dead on yer feet and can’t be the brains till ya get some sleep, Twinkie.” Faith chuckled, then gestured the chair next to her. “What’s up?”

“It’s been a while since I did a walkabout, like you always do. I thought it was about time.” Buffy smiled more genuinely this time, though it was a little bashful, and she took the seat, glad for the rest. The girls kept stealing glances at her, and it made her a little uncomfortable, as she couldn’t quite figure out why. The rest of the camp hadn’t seemed so fixated. Then she realized, other than the captain, these girls were all mostly fresh Slayers, new to the war, and each a volunteered recruit. “Who’re your friends?”

“Jenna here had all her girls siphoned off to work Tagging with the troops, and she’s seasoning some of the newbies for us. Came by to see how she was, and the girls all looked bored shitless… so I ordered ‘em to get some music and have some fun.” Faith smirked almost evilly, making Buffy laugh. “They didn’t realize I was serious until Jenna actually ran for some booze.”

“You don’t fuck the orders from Le’hane.” Jenna replied casually, winking at one of the girls that was staring again. It made Faith grumble, but she didn’t object to the name like usual. “Learned that in her squad. Can I get you anything, Commander Summers?”

“Buffy would do fine, and I wouldn’t object to a beer, if you can find one.” She said, a little surprised. No wonder the girl looked familiar. She’d been one of the girls with Faith’s squad eight months ago, before it was split to make a few more squad captains for the increasing Slayer numbers. The girl began to order something at another of the younger Slayers, only to have a blushing girl of around seventeen run up, nearly stumbling over her own feet, with a bottle of beer. “Thanks.”

“A… a… anything…” It was breathless, and made Buffy choke on the first sip she’d taken, and Faith laugh.

“Nancy, why don’t ya go have a romp around the fire with those other two, eh? You’re makin’ B blush.” Faith was still laughing as she patted Buffy soundly on the back. It seemed to embarrass the young Slayer just enough to where she quickly moved to follow the suggestion, instead of staring more. “The newbies just aren’t used to ya being around all that much, B. Don’t take Nan too seriously, she’s got a bit of a big-ol-romatic mouth. Asked if she could keep me when we first met… before she turned bright red and squeaked, near faint for realizin’ she just said that.”

“Just a bit of a surprise, that’s all.” Buffy said, smiling a little and wiping her mouth. Then she raised her eyebrows, relaxing for the first time in who knew how long. “To keep you?”

“Yeah. Told her that Jenna might object to that, but they could fight it out for me.” Buffy laughed outright at that, along with Jenna’s embarrassed grumbling.

“Cocky brat. Not into girls… just cause I told you you were sexy… damned cocky Commanders…” Buffy kept laughing louder from overhearing that, making Faith chuckle. God it had been too long since she’d laughed. “You nearly gave Nancy a heart attack when you said that, ma’am.”

“And I told you not to call me, ma’am, brat.” Faith sniped back, rolling her eyes and nudging Buffy. “So ya gonna take a toss with Nancy? Girl’s gotta have something to brag about to her fellow Slayers.”

“I don’t think so Faith.” It was the expected answer, and she waited for Faith to start taking a sip of her own drink before continuing. “She’s far to young for me. I prefer my women full grown and experienced.” At her friend’s hacking coughs and sputtering, she chuckled again. She really should get out to do this more often.

TBC