Have a Little Faith by Drakiri

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

Summary: Faith arrives to help but finds herself attracted to someone unexpected.

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 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.

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

"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."

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

"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.

"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.

"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.

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

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

"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.

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

"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."

"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.

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

"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.

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

"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.

'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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

"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.

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.

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."

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

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

"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.

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.

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

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.

"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 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."

"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.

"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."

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."

"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."

"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."

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

"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."

"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."

"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.

"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."

"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."

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."

"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."

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.

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.

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

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

"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?"

"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.

"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.'

"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."

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

"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."

"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…"

"'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.

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?"

"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?"

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

'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?"

"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."

"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.

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.

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.

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?"

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

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

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

"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.

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

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.

"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."

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

"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.

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?"

"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?"

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.

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?

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

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

"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."

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.

"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.

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

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

"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.

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

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.

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.

"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.

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

"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?"

"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.

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.

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."

"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."

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

"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 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?"

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

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.

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

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

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."

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

"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.

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.

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.

"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."

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?"

"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?"

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."

"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."

"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.

"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.

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.

"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.

"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.

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.

"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."

"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.'

"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."

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

"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."

"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.

"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.

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

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."

"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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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-"

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

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

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

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."

"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."

"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.

"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?"

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.

"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.

"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.

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

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

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

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

"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?"

"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."

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

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

"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.

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

"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?"

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

"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."

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.

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

"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."

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?"

"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."

"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."

"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?"

"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."

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

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

"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."

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.

"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.

"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.

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.

"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.

"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?"

"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.

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 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."

"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.

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.

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

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

"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."

"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.

"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.

"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."

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."

"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 Bringer's body.

"Dawnie are you OK?" Buffy rushed to her sister's side, then saw the knife buried in her sister's arm and the blood soaking her top. "Oh God we have to get you to a doctor."

"Yeah its me," Buffy scooped her sister up, supporting Dawn under her uninjured arm. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"The First was here," said Dawn through gritted teeth, the pain from her arm becoming worse.

"The First," Buffy looked quickly around the apartment. "Well it seems to have disappeared what did it want?"

"To kill me I guess," Dawn looked at the dead Bringers littered around the apartment.

"Who knows," Dawn said as they staggered out of the door. "I don't mean to rush you Buffy but I think I might faint soon."

"Don't worry I'll get you to the Council offices soon the doctors there can take care of you," Buffy tried to reassure her sister. "And why is it everyone else gets injured in fights and I have to end up carrying them to medical attention."

"Because monsters know how you'll react if they mess up your hair," Dawn said trying to distract herself from the pain. "And no-one wants to see that."

"True I'm a real handful on a bad hair day," the two sisters smiled at each other, Dawn a little painfully. "Come on lets get you patched up and back to being a constant source of aggravation to me," Buffy said half-carrying Dawn.

"That's two attacks in four days Giles," Buffy said angrily. "There must be some reason behind them?"

Buffy sat behind her desk, hands clenched together in front of her. Giles was sitting in one of the chairs in front of her, the other chair was occupied by Faith and Dawn who was sitting in Faith's lap, her head on Faith's shoulder, her injured arm in a sling and Faith's arms wrapped protectively around her waist, both Giles and Buffy were trying hard to ignore Dawn's position.

"Yeah come on G-man you and your Watcher pals must have come up with something else," Faith added.

"Well besides the obvious, destabilizing the Council, we haven't come up with anything," Giles said, troubled by this fact. He removed his glasses and began to clean them. "Killing you both would achieve that aim successfully and killing Dawn what with her…" Giles hesitated. "Relationships with the both of you would achieve a similar aim, as for anything else there are no signs or portents or any indication of anything untoward.

"There are no signs of the First gathering an army like it did last time, there are no prophecies that relate to the current situation that we can tell and other Bringer attacks are few and far between with no pattern that we can discern," Giles sighed clearly frustrated. "So in conclusion we know bugger all."

The three girls stared, surprised at Giles' uncharacteristic outburst, he replaced his glasses and noticed everyone looking at him strangely. "Sorry I've been up all night for the past few days I haven't got much sleep recently," he apologized.

"Go and get some now Giles you look ready to drop we can handle everything for a while," Buffy noticed how tired her former Watcher looked. "And that's an order," she added.

Giles gave her a wan smile. "As you wish Buffy, my bed does look rather inviting right now," he got up slowly. "I'll update you if I find out anything," he nodded goodbye to Dawn who smiled back, before he left the room.

Buffy turned to Faith and Dawn, hoping her sister would move into the seat Giles had just vacated, Dawn however settled herself more comfortably in Faith's lap.

Buffy tried to will her hands to unclench themselves, unsuccessfully. "You're sure the First didn't say anything that might help, any hints as to what it's up to?" she asked her sister.

Dawn shook her head. "No it was acting like you, well up until it came to the slicing me into little pieces and mounting them on a wall bit, you usually give me some kind of warning before threatening me like that."

Buffy refused to rise to her sister's baiting. "I suppose we're back to square one then," she said sighing unhappily.

"I think in light of the latest attack you shouldn't be alone at any time Dawnie, after you finish school come directly here, if I'm working late or patrolling I want you to spend the night at a friend's house preferably one of the slayers."

'I don't,' Buffy thought. "I don't know Dawn, Faith is probably going to be pretty busy."

"Well you know, training and stuff…" Buffy's voice trailed off as she saw the look on Dawn's face.

"I usually have that finished before dark B," Faith didn't notice the tension between the Summers sisters. "After all most of the newbies have to be home by then and I'm not taking them out patrolling yet."

"So that's settled," Dawn said brightly. "I'll stay at Faith's if you're not home."

Buffy thought quickly trying to raise another objection, besides the obvious not wanting Dawn spending the night with Faith alone, especially considering that double bed in Faith's apartment. "Well you know just in case Faith is busy-"

Now Faith noticed the gathering tension. "If that's everything B I should probably be getting back to my place," she stood up placing Dawn on her feet.

"Actually Dawn I have a few things to finish here and then we can go home," Buffy said quickly.

"Sounds like a plan B," Faith cut in before Dawn could say anything. "See you later baby," she pecked Dawn on the cheek and left.

"Now look what you've done," Dawn hissed at her sister and hurried after Faith before Buffy could reply.

"Faith," Dawn called out managing to reach Faith before she got into the lift. "I'm sorry about that back there, that was just Buffy being Buffy, she can be a bit overprotective of me at times," she explained hoping Faith wasn't too upset.

"I've noticed," Faith said wryly. "Don't worry about it I'm used to it, 'specially from B, but I think she's right you and her need to spend some time together, talk about things."

"That would be one of them," Faith nodded. "And anyway with that arm of yours we couldn't get up to anything fun anyway," she added grinning wickedly.

"And I will be," Faith promised, kissing Dawn gently on the lips. "But not tonight."

"Of course I do baby," Faith pulled her in for a cuddle surprising them both. "But like I said you and B need to talk about things, so wait for her and then go home together and talk yeah."

"OK," Dawn hugged her back with only one arm, enjoying the feel of Faith's body close to hers. "I'll talk to her."

"Good," Faith pulled away slightly and looked Dawn in the eyes. "And make her promise not to injure me in some way, you know 'accidentally'"

"Yeah I probably should," Faith walked slowly into the lift and then turned around quickly, giving Dawn a long, deep kiss before slipping back inside the lift just as the doors closed.

Dawn smiled happily and went back up the corridor to Buffy's office, almost skipping as she walked.

Buffy sat at her desk deep in thought, Dawn had ducked back in to her office and told her that she'd wait but she better not take too long and then left again, Buffy could tell her little sister was still pissed at her.

This Dawn and Faith thing was a whole new level of weirdness for her, even with all the stuff she had had to deal with above the Hellmouth in Sunnydale, it had come out of nowhere with no warning, one minute they couldn't stand each other the next they were lusting after each other, she really didn't understand it at all.

She wished she had someone to talk to about this but she simply didn't, Giles would probably mutter some English thing about Americans, Xander if he was here would probably stare off into the distance lost in some lesbian fantasy world and there was no Spike, no Angel, no boyfriend full-stop.

It was at times like this that she truly missed Willow, she wanted to talk to her best friend about this and not just because she was gay and might understand this situation better but because she was her best friend and Buffy needed her to talk to.

'It has been a while since I called her,' Buffy thought. 'Maybe she can help me to somehow understand what's going on or possibly detect any magical stuff around Dawn.' Buffy wasn't letting go of the idea that some kind of spell was involved.

Buffy dialed the long international number to reach Brazil, it was only when she put the phone up to her ear and heard the dial tone that she remembered about the time difference.

"We're great, Brazil is so beautiful Buffy you should come over and visit and bring Dawnie too she'd love it."

"Interrupting?" Willow paused. "No, Kennedy and I were…training the girls, that is the new slayers."

"Training the girls, is that what you call it these days?" Buffy couldn't resist teasing.

"No," Buffy could almost hear Willow blush down the phone. "We were training the new slayers, well Kennedy was training them I was watching, anything else is in your dirty slayer mind."

"Uh huh, enjoyed watching all those fit young women jump around and get all sweaty did we?"

"OK can we stop this now," Willow sounded exasperated. "Did you just call me up to tease me?"

"Partly," Buffy chose not to mention that watching others train didn't explain why Willow was out of breath. "Actually I needed to ask you some questions."

"Why is the world ending," Willow said jokingly. "It isn't ending is it?" she checked.

"The First's back, so those Bringer attacks the newbies have been reporting were true," Willow became serious. "What's it been up to?"

"So far causing me no end of trouble," Buffy said darkly. "Actually that's something else I wanted to talk to you about."

"Why what's Faith done to Dawn," Willow became concerned. "She hasn't hurt her has she?"

"Depends how you define hurt," Buffy said petulantly. "Faith and Dawn are apparently now a couple."

There was a long silence on the other end. "I'm sorry Buffy I think there might be something wrong with the line did you say Faith and Dawn are a couple?"

"Oh," Willow was shocked into silence for a moment. "Couple as in kissing and stuff?" she checked that she hadn't misunderstood.

"Kissing and touching and other stuff that is really starting to freak me out," Buffy said dismayed. "I need some help dealing with this Will."

"Not really, I'd need to be in the same room to do that sort of spell not a different country," said Willow. "There are some spells I could try, but I wouldn't be holding my breath about the results."

"Well try anything you can," Buffy said, disappointed. "I don't suppose you could give me some advice then."

"Yeah, I simply don't understand what's going on, they didn't like each other when they met in Sunnydale last year and now suddenly they're all over each other," Buffy said a little desperately. "And Dawnie's never mentioned liking girls, at least not like that and I suppose I'm having trouble dealing."

"Well until I met Tara I didn't really think about girls in that way either and I was older then Dawn is now."

"What do you mean," demanded Buffy. "Have you seen something, did Faith and Dawn do something before, did Faith try something-"

"Buffy," Willow cried interrupting her friend's rant early before Buffy really got going. "You're jumping to conclusions as always, I didn't see anything."

"I meant…Kennedy and I had a bet, when she first met Faith Kennedy thought she was at least bi and I thought she was kidding herself."

"Well it was only five bucks," Willow said defensively. "Which I suppose I owe her now," she added annoyed.

"I don't know, something about the way Faith acted or her body language or something," Willow explained. "Guess it has to do with the gaydar thingy, she seems to be way better at that then I am."

"I suppose there was always something about her," Buffy thought back over Faith's previous behavior.

"No that would be better because then I could stake the vampire if it got out of line."

Willow took a deep breath. "You know how I said it wasn't that surprising that Dawnie and Faith got together?" she was a little uncertain about Buffy's reaction to what she was going to say next.

There was a long silence as Buffy digested this information. "Why has Dawn talked to you about this?" she asked, upset that her sister wouldn't have talked to her first.

"No she hasn't," Willow said hesitantly, trying to gauge Buffy's reaction over the phone.

"You remember when Faith first came to Sunnydale five years ago and Dawn followed her around a lot?"

"Yeah," Buffy tried to keep a hold of herself as all sorts of bad scenarios involving Faith and her then thirteen-year-old sister ran through her mind.

"At the time I thought it was hero worship like everyone else but afterwards I talked about it with Tara and certainly after what you've just told me…" Willow paused.

"I think Dawnie might have been crushing on her," Willow finished with a rush; she waited nervously for Buffy's reaction.

Willow breathed a silent sigh of relief that Buffy hadn't blown her top, yet. "And you didn't have crushes when you were thirteen?"

"So why couldn't Dawn have a crush on Faith, she had a crush on Xander around the same time."

"But Xander's a boy," Buffy said still having difficulty in getting her head around the idea of Dawn liking another girl.

"Then again technically Dawn wasn't around five years ago so those memories could be part of the spell," Buffy said hopefully.

"They could," agreed Willow. "But for someone to do a spell like that would take an awfully large amount of power, it would probably take more then one person."

"Like them, but I doubt they could've done it, it would've taken all their power just to create Dawn and her memories-"

"I guess but why would they, I mean Dawn was already being protected by one slayer."

"She wouldn't have been much of a back-up she was in jail what was she going to do, and anyway if you failed the world would have gone poof, not really much point in having a back-up if that happens," Willow said, unconvinced.

"Well they were probably pretty desperate and there wasn't exactly a surplus of champions who could've taken on Glory by themselves."

"I don't know Buffy," Willow felt there was something not quite right with the monk theory. "If they wanted a champion as back-up for Dawn protection Angel would've been a far better candidate and it's not like Faith could've closed the portal like you did."

"No-one else could have done that Will, except maybe for mom…" Buffy's voice trailed off into silence.

"Buffy you are avoiding the fact it could be natural, Dawn could like Faith without magical intervention," Willow said gently.

Buffy sighed heavily. "I know but it's easier for me to get my head around if it's magical in some way."

"I know Buff," Willow said sympathetically. "Give it time it'll get easier, I mean you got used to me and Tara eventually."

"Yes but Tara wasn't an escaped convict who had done time for murder and incidentally tried to kill me, and you aren't my kid sister who I promised my mom to protect and look after, which I would think involved protecting her from dating escaped convicts who had done time for murder."

Willow waited until she was sure Buffy had finished her speech. "Glad you got that out of your system?" she asked.

"Oh I didn't mean you were an alcoholic or anything," Willow quickly tried to cover. "'Cause you're not, you always drink a moderate amount of alcohol and you're always responsible."

"No I didn't mean that…" Willow managed to stop herself. "If I say anything else I'm just going to dig myself in deeper aren't I?"

"Right. So. The First," Willow changed the subject in a hurry. "Do we know what the reasons are behind the attacks?"

"So far the only suggestion is to weaken and destabilize the Council, but I think the attack on Dawn was something else, no offence to my sister but she isn't exactly a vital cog in the Council machinery and she isn't a slayer either…"

"Exactly," Buffy said emphatically. "Giles said something about Dawn's relationships with me and…Faith making her a target but I'm just not buying that."

"You think it's something else," Willow noticed Buffy's hesitation in saying Faith's name.

"Yes I do, think you could be research girl on this, if you're not too busy training the girls that is," Buffy grinned.

"I could do that, the research thing," Willow ignored Buffy's last comment. "What do you want me to research though, there isn't much on the First anywhere."

"Anything that seems relevant, prophecies, portents, books on the First or the slayers, the ravings of loony people which really aren't that much different from prophecies…and anything to do with the key."

"Killing Dawn wouldn't give the First the key, but it's the only other thing about Dawn that I can think of that would make her a target, pretty slim I know but we don't have much else to go on."

"Right," said Willow. "You realize this could take me awhile Buffy, that's a large amount of research to do."

"Get back to me if you have anything, and I do mean anything no matter how small, the First coming after me I expect and can deal with but attacking Dawn is going too far," said Buffy firmly.

Buffy hung up the phone feeling better now then she had in awhile and went off to find her sister.

The ride home had been conducted in an awkward silence that neither Summers sister had been inclined to break, as they both entered the apartment however, Buffy finally worked up the courage to speak.

"Um…I wanted to say that…although I may not understand why you want to be with Faith I respect your decision to do so," Buffy said rather formally.

"Really," Dawn said cautiously. "You mean it?" she thought Buffy seemed genuine.

"Cross my heart," Buffy said firmly. "I won't get in the way or stop you being with her, although you could stop being so touchy-feely with her in front of me, it's a lot disturbing."

"Only if I can stay overnight at Faith's," Dawn said, testing the limits of this new understanding.

Buffy fought down the urge to punch something, preferably Faith. "OK by me but only if you promise to be careful."

"I mean don't let her push you into anything you don't want or aren't ready for," Buffy tried to sound as reasonable as possible considering she was talking about her little sister having sex. With Faith.

Buffy visibly flinched. "I really did not want to be reminded about the Paolo incident, and although you might not be a…" Buffy couldn't quite bring herself to say it. "Might not…be…pure you are still young and there's a lot of stuff you haven't experienced and I don't want Faith forcing you into stuff you're not ready for."

Buffy quickly tried to get rid of the disturbing mental image that popped into her head. "With the number of times you've been captured and chained up by bad guys I would have thought chains wouldn't have been your thing."

'I've fought hundreds of very evil things over the past few years and yet only my little sister can aggravate me quite like this,' Buffy thought, pursing her lips. "Promise me you won't do anything you don't want," she said

"I promise," Dawn said firmly. "If you promise me you won't interfere with me and Faith and you won't hurt her 'accidentally '," she said making air quotation marks.

"I don't know," Dawn pretended to think hard. "I could do with some ice cream, you know to help me heal," she clutched at her injured shoulder in pretend pain.

"You know if you eat so much ice cream Dawnie you'll grow fat," Buffy teased, shaking her head at her little sister as she walked over to the fridge.

Dawn sat at the table waiting for Buffy to get the ice cream. "Maybe Faith could help me work it off."

"You promised," Dawn said in an accusing tone. "And anyway I meant helping me train and stuff."

"Good because I could use a helping hand with my flexibility," Dawn watched her sister's reaction closely.

Buffy tensed as she got the ice cream out of the fridge and tried to will herself calm. "How long are you going to keep this up?" she brought the ice cream over, along with two spoons.

"While little sisters are obviously there to make big sisters lives that little bit harder."

"And to stand around looking really cute," Dawn paused and looked directly at her sister. "But seriously you don't need to worry so much about me I'm old enough to take care of myself, just have a little faith in me."

Buffy looked at her sharply. "Now you're starting to sound like Faith," Dawn looked confused. "She said something similar, about having a little faith," Buffy explained.

"Well she's right you should, she's different now Buffy she's good."
"She may be one of the good guys now Dawn but she's still Faith, there are some things that are simply her-"

"And I can deal with them," interrupted Dawn. "I can take care of myself I'm a Summers woman remember."

A much more comfortable silence fell, helped immensely by large amounts of ice cream.

The training room was filled with the sound of fists hitting the heavy punching bag hanging in the corner as Faith tried to work off some nervous energy and some sexual tension. Dawn had been spending the night regularly at her place over the past couple of weeks, the First's reappearance had everyone working overtime especially Buffy, but they hadn't got much past second base mainly because of Dawn's injury, and it was seriously starting to wind her up.

'At least Buffy seems to have gotten used to it," she thought, hitting the bag harder. 'Or at least she's stopped looking at me as if I'm the anti-Christ and is looking at me with the usual resentment instead.'

Dawn stood silently in the doorway watching her slayer work out; she always enjoyed watching Faith train. The way she moved so fluidly, with such grace and power always sent a little thrill through her body, plus the way all that punching and dodging made various parts of Faith's body bounce and jiggle in an interesting manner made it even more enjoyable and the way the sweat made her clothes cling to her body so provocatively and…

'Whoa calm down there Dawn, get a hold of yourself,' she thought leaning against the frame of the door without thinking.

Faith looked around hurriedly as a cry of pain echoed around the empty room, she saw Dawn standing in the doorway rubbing her injured arm.

"You OK baby?" she asked concerned, as she rushed over stripping the tape off her hands.

"Yeah I just bumped it against the door, clumsy of me I know," Dawn rubbed her sore shoulder.

Faith slipped her arms around Dawn's slim waist. "Do you want me to kiss it better?" she said softly in Dawn's ear.

Dawn relaxed into her embrace. "Could be fun," she murmured wrapping her arms around Faith's shoulders.

Faith began to nuzzle at the nape of Dawn's neck, lightly grazing her lips across the teen's soft skin before realizing that both of Dawn's arms were resting on her shoulders. "You're not wearing your sling?" Faith asked surprised.

"Mmmm," Dawn enjoyed the cuddle. "Although it is still a little tender at times."

"Yeah I noticed," Faith loosened her grip on Dawn's waist. "Sorry I'm not exactly at my best at the moment, you know all hot and sweaty," she became self-conscious about her current state.

Dawn took a deep breath. "I was hoping maybe I could try to get you all hot and sweaty, tonight," Dawn nervously checked Faith's reaction.

"Uh huh, I was thinking I could come over tonight, Buffy's going to be working late so…" Dawn's voice trailed off suggestively.

'Come over what I wonder?' Faith thought. "Um sure yeah come over," she said preoccupied by that thought.

"Are you sure because I don't have to," Dawn bit her lip, Faith didn't exactly appear as thrilled about the idea as Dawn had hoped.

Faith came back from the fantasy she had been having. "No I'm sure, completely sure, I want you to come over. Tonight."

"OK so I'll see you around nineish, I have a few things to finish first," Dawn said, a little reassured.

"Cool I'll see you then," Faith gently kissed Dawn on the lips; Dawn turned and left smiling happily. Faith finished unwrapping the tape off her hands as she thought about tonight, she needed to get a few things ready but first she didn't care how much Dawn liked her hot and sweaty, she needed a shower.

Faith checked herself in the mirror, smoothing down her dress nervously, she was wearing the red dress she had bought recently, after all she had told Dawn she would wear it on special occasions and if she had guessed Dawn's intentions right tonight was definitely supposed to be special.

Faith checked herself over again, make-up perfect, dress perfect, underwear none. 'Perfect,' Faith thought as she turned around to check her butt in the mirror. 'Hopefully this blows D's mind.'

Faith had thought about taking Dawn's advice about the double-sided tape, but had decided against it, she wanted to see the expression on Dawn's face when she saw her in this dress, besides Dawn would be the only one to see her in the dress tonight and if things went right, see her out of the dress tonight as well.

She had also decided against wearing anything else, literally anything else, barefoot she was wearing nothing but the dress, it would cut down on undressing time later even if it was a little cold.

'Dawn should be able to deal with that tonight,' Faith thought, with a grin. 'Both the undressing and the keeping me warm bit.'

Faith brushed her fingers through her hair and checked herself over yet again. She couldn't remember being this nervous before sex, mainly because before sex for her had usually been a spur of the moment thing. She was with a guy, a bed or a table or a floor was handy and it happened, like the first time with Robin. This was different and not just because it was her first time with a girl and with Dawn but because she had time to prepare for it and was finding she probably preferred the spur of a moment way better, less chance to get nervous and think about all that could go wrong, before, during and after.

A knock at the door made her jump, after yet another check in the mirror, she hurried over. Letting out a deep breath she opened the door to reveal Dawn in a small tight purple strap-top that bared her belly and a short black skirt that barely reached mid-thigh.

'Wonder if she left home dressed like that,' Faith thought impressed. 'Because I seriously doubt Buffy would have let her out had she seen her or at least not without a blanket or something wrapped around her.'

"Hi…" Dawn managed to say before she realized what Faith was wearing, her eyes widened as her voice trailed off.

Faith grinned; all the time she had spent stressing about things had definitely been worth it, Dawn's reaction was exactly what she had been aiming for. "Hey there baby," she said huskily leaning against the frame of the door, posing sultrily.

"Um hey," Dawn's voice had that cute little hitch in it that Faith knew meant she was admiring the view, although the way Dawn was staring made that rather obvious.

"You coming in?" Faith drawled still grinning; she took Dawn's hand and gently guided her in.

"Yeah I will," Dawn was still distracted by the dress; by the time she tore her eyes off Faith's body she was already inside. "Oh I already am," Dawn wasn't really sure when that happened.

Faith closed the door and turned around slowly. "So what do you want to do tonight?" she asked innocently. "We could watch TV?"

"Probably only bad reality shows or soccer on," Dawn's eyes were drawn to Faith as she sauntered slowly past her.

"They really do love their soccer over here don't they?" Faith asked, enjoying using the conversation to draw things out and build the tension. She regained Dawn's hand and softly tugged her towards the bedroom.

"Uh huh," was all Dawn could manage to say, mesmerized by Faith's slow sexy movements and that dress, it was like she was being stalked by some wild, beautiful animal.

Faith halted in the doorway of her bedroom, drawing Dawn closer. "So no TV then, can you think of anything else we could do?" she said softly, Faith knew what Dawn wanted, she wanted it too but she also wanted to hear Dawn say it.

Dawn licked her lips nervously. "We could um…" she said hesitantly, she could feel the heat radiating off Faith's skin as she was drawn close, Faith's warm breath tickling against her own skin. "We could…"

Faith rewarded her with a stunning smile. "That sounds perfect D," she backed into the bedroom, taking Dawn with her.

Faith backed until she reached the edge of the bed, sitting down she pulled Dawn into her lap, the teen's thighs parting either side of her hips.

Faith pressed her lips against Dawn's her hands sliding up underneath her black skirt caressing the soft warm skin of Dawn's thighs, she felt Dawn's hands grip her shoulders then glide down her arms.

Faith held Dawn's hips and swung the girl around onto the bed, muffling Dawn's cry of surprise with her own mouth she moved her hands up Dawn's body onto her belly then her top pushing it up the girl's body she removed her lips long enough to pull the top off, then hungrily covered Dawn's mouth with her own pushing her tongue into Dawn's warm, soft, sweet mouth.

'Why is it so hard to take off someone else's bra?' Faith wondered fumbling with Dawn's bra strap. 'It's not like I haven't taken one off a million times before,' she finally released the bra and threw it, somewhere.

Dawn slid her hands along Faith's body, pushing them under Faith's dress she found her large soft breasts, Dawn heard Faith moan as she touched them softly, inquisitively, she felt Faith's nipples get hard as she caressed her thumbs across them.

Faith climbed off Dawn for the short time it took her to tug the girl's skirt off her body and send it to join her top and bra strewn somewhere around the bedroom, as she climbed back on she felt Dawn pull at the straps of her dress. Faith quickly slipped it off, kicking it to the floor, the dress was rather flimsy and expensive it couldn't take too much rough treatment and Faith wanted to keep it for other special occasions.

The touch of their skin, Dawn's warm, soft flesh against her hard, firm muscle was electric and left Faith wanting Dawn more then she had ever wanted anyone else, her hands almost tore Dawn's underwear off her body in her desperate need for the girl.

"Faith, Faith," Dawn said, Faith wasn't sure how many times Dawn had to say it before she finally got Faith's attention.

"What is it baby?" Faith asked breathing heavily, if Dawn was getting cold feet this was the worst possible timing.

"Right," Faith nodded, willing herself to calm down. She laid a gentle kiss on Dawn's lips as her hands glided down the teenager's body, she slid her mouth off Dawn's moving it down Dawn's body she laid a trail of soft kisses along her neck, her chest before reaching the girl's breasts.

One of Faith's hands reached Dawn's thighs at the same time, she gently caressed her fingertips across the top and the inside of the thigh, she could feel Dawn's pubic hair tickling her fingers as she stroked her fingers through it, before pushing them inside Dawn's body.

Faith hovered over Dawn watching the expression on Dawn's face as she introduced a slow, gentle rhythm, pushing her fingers in, out, in easily sliding into Dawn's body. She saw Dawn's eyes screw shut, her lips part slightly as Faith increased the pace a little, Dawn's hips began to roll and thrust upwards pressing up against her.

Faith lowered her mouth onto Dawn's breast sucking the nipple gently, before sliding her tongue out and across it licking it the nipple grew hard inside her mouth and she could feel the girl shiver underneath her.

Pushing her fingers into Dawn she found the girl's clit and placed her thumb up against it, pressing down on it she felt Dawn arch up underneath her pressing her whole body upwards. Faith felt Dawn's fingernails dig deep into her back; she was definitely going to have some scratches to show off tomorrow.

Faith could feel Dawn's hips begin to thrust with less rhythm and could tell the girl was close, she moved her mouth back up to Dawn's neck and began to kiss it, sucking and then gently biting, if Dawn was going to leave scratches on her back Faith would return the favor and leave one hell of a hickey on Dawn's neck.

"Faith…Faith…" Dawn was gasping now as she felt the waves of pleasure roll over her. "Oh god…yes…" her voice trailed off as she was pushed closer to the edge.

Faith gave one final thrust with her fingers pressing her thumb down hard on Dawn's clit, she heard Dawn give an incoherent cry and arch up hard against her, her body contracting around Faith's fingers as she climaxed before collapsing back against the bed, breathing heavily.

Faith nuzzled at her mark on Dawn's neck. "How do you feel baby?" she whispered.

Faith pushed up, holding herself over Dawn smiling. "I know I'm good D but a god, I don't know about that…"

"OK you're at least a demi-god," Dawn said giggling her face then grew serious. "So is it my turn now?" she asked nervously.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," said Faith although she desperately wanted Dawn to, watching Dawn climax had worked her up like nothing else.

"I want to Faith, I want to touch you, make you come," Dawn whispered, Faith had never heard anyone say anything more arousing.

She guided Dawn's hand down between her thighs, Dawn's fingers stroked her skin gently before pushing up inside her, Faith tilted her head back moaning as Dawn's fingers thrust inside her, her hips responded thrusting back, she could tell this was going to be quick.

Dawn's mouth moved down Faith's body from her mouth to her neck down to her breasts, she began to suck on Faith's already hard nipple licking across it with her tongue, as the pleasure swept over Faith her hands clenched at the bed-sheets uselessly. 'This is definitely going to be quick,' thought Faith.

"Yes baby, a little to the left," Faith panted, she felt Dawn's fingers shift slightly inside her to the left, rubbing up against her clitoris sending a pulse of pleasure through her and causing her body to shudder.

Dawn moved her fingers inside Faith feeling the soft, silkiness of Faith's body rubbing against them; she could taste the tang of sweat on Faith's skin as Faith's large, soft breast pushed against her face. She pushed her fingers in harder, scraping her fingernail across Faith's clit pushing the slayer over, Faith orgasmed her body tensing almost painfully hard.

Faith rolled off Dawn and onto her back, lying spent on the bed a fine sheen of sweat covering her body. "Wow you're really something Dawn."

"You did…feel something then?" Dawn said uncertainly, a little surprised at how fast Faith's orgasm had been.

"Sure I did, watching you got me rather worked up," Faith explained as her breathing began to slow and her body wound down from it's high; she rolled onto her side lying her hand across Dawn's belly. "So how was it for you, your first time and all?" she asked awkwardly, not quite sure what to say or if she should say anything.

"What do you mean, you weren't a virgin?" Faith asked both disappointed and jealous.

"Come on Faith I'm eighteen, you really didn't expect me to still be a virgin did you?" Dawn laughed and then saw the expression on Faith's face. "You did, didn't you?"

"Well yeah I kinda did," Faith shifted uncomfortably. "So if I wasn't who was?" she asked curious.

"Part of the whole Faith package D," Faith grinned wider. "So what happened to this Paolo guy?"

"Paolo and I were in my bedroom getting…intimate," Dawn blushed. "When Buffy walked in on us."

Faith burst out laughing. "I can just imagine the look on B's face when she saw you two."

"I'm glad you find it so amusing," Dawn said indignantly. "It wasn't funny at the time."

"We were just about to get started, so we were both naked," Dawn sighed. "Buffy was horrified, threw Paolo out, still naked and clutching his clothes, into the street and sat me down to have a 'talk' which involved me sitting down listening to Buffy shout at me about being so irresponsible."

"Buffy scared him off, she went a little over the top," Dawn saw Faith's look. "OK she went a lot over the top, even I was scared of her at the time and I know Buffy would never hurt me so I can't really blame him."

"I don't mind, it worked out good for me," said Faith. "If that didn't happen you might still be with him and not with me."

"Bathroom," Dawn leaned over to kiss her before walking towards the bathroom door. Faith watched that tight ass walking away from her and couldn't help herself; she reached over quickly and slapped Dawn lightly across her butt.

Faith lay back on the bed with a self-satisfied expression on her face. "What?" she asked innocently.

Faith chuckled to herself and glanced idly around the room before a movement at the corner of her eye caught her attention, she sat up and stared intently at the spot she thought it had come from before sitting back shaking her head.

'Come on Faith who else is going to be in the room?' she chided herself. 'You've been slaying too long it's made you jumpy.'

She turned down the sheets and slipped into bed, the bathroom door opened and Dawn quickly ran out to join her under the sheets snuggling up to Faith's naked body.

"Cold," Dawn tried to snuggle closer, which was physically impossible. "And did you have to leave a hickey on my neck?"

"Have to leave my mark," Faith protested. "Have to let people know your mine keep away the opposition, anyway you can talk it'll take days for the scratches on my back to heal."

"You're a slayer, it'll take minutes if they haven't healed already," Dawn said dryly. "Are we going to put anything on?"

"I prefer sleeping in the nude," Faith hugged Dawn close, relishing in the feel of Dawn's naked body against her own. "Don't you?"

"I never have, slept nude," Dawn stroked her hand across Faith's skin, her head resting on Faith's shoulder. "But I'm enjoying it so far."

"I guess you did," Dawn giggled as she moved her head off Faith's shoulder and onto her soft breasts they made fantastic pillows.

Two figures stood watching the two women asleep in the bed, the women's bodies entwined with each other as well as the sheets. The two figures were dressed in grey robes the hoods up, covering their heads as well as their faces, which were lost inside the deep shadows cast by the hoods.

The robes reached down to the floor, the bottom floating a few millimeters above it, covering the entire body from head to toe while the sleeves were tucked into each other making it impossible to distinguish anything about the figures or tell them apart, indeed the only way to tell anything about the figures was the shape of the robes which suggested they were human, or at least humanoid.

Even if either of the two women were awake it was unlikely that either of them could have discerned the figures, the robed figures would have made sure of that.

"The spell was successful, the prophecy nears fulfillment," figure number one said monotonously, it was impossible to tell anything from the voice it had no accent, no inflection and left no indication as to the age or sex of the figure.

"It does. All things are in alignment," figure number two replied its voice was similar to number one but slightly deeper indicating either greater age or possibly sex.

"For what reason?" there was no inflection to indicate the statement was a question, only the words themselves gave any indication.

"If we wait too long the First will try to destroy them and invalidate the prophecy, it has done so before," the warning delivered in the same flat monotonous voice.

"Yes it will try, however we are certain they can take care of themselves they have proved it to be so before, the alignment occurs once every year we can afford to wait, the slayer and the key will be better prepared for their responsibilities then."

"I think this is a bad idea, the First will harm them and cause the prophecy to become redundant," a hint of anger crept into number one's voice.

"We must trust in the balance it will-" number two stopped suddenly. "Did we just use a personal pronoun?' a questioning tone entered it's voice.

If a featureless grey robe could possibly looked panicked number one did. "No I didn't…I mean we didn't…I," it paused. "Oh bugger," it said before it popped out of existence to be replaced by an exact copy indistinguishable from number one.

"We must trust in the balance it will guide and protect," number two continued as if nothing had happened.

"Until next year then," number two said as the two figures faded out of existence, leaving the two young women sleeping together peacefully unaware anything had happened.

The First paced angrily around the small space, although pacing may not have been the most accurate term for it left no trace in the thick dust that lay on the floor nor made a sound as it moved back and forth, returning constantly to the book that lay on top of a stone slab to read the words of the prophecy that were the source of its anger.

It had been sure it had rid itself of this prophecy years ago when the slayer had been dealt with, unfortunately not killed as had been planned but kept safely away from the other half of the prophecy nonetheless. When the slayer had eventually broken out of jail it hadn't been worried, its army was preparing to wipe the Earth clean of the contamination that was the human race, what did it matter that the slayer and the key would come into contact and have a chance to fulfill the prophecy, it was going to kill them long before they could become a threat.

Only somehow it had failed to wipe the Earth clean, Buffy and her little band of followers had found a way to defeat it's army and create an army of slayers in return, an army that was more then a match for it at the moment fuelling the First's fury.

"I am the ultimate evil how can I be defeated by a bunch of mere humans?" it shouted into the room, spitting out the last word as if it were the worst possible insult. Sometimes being incorporeal had its disadvantages, it desperately wanted to hit or preferably kill something right now.

The First glared at the few Bringers kneeling at the edge of the room. "And you're not helping, you were supposed to have rid me of this problem," the First waved a hand at the book of prophecy. "You were supposed to have killed them for me, instead they are together and enjoying each other," the First repressed a shudder; it could feel the disgusting waves of love and happiness emanating from Faith and Dawn's general direction.

It resumed its pacing, every second its appearance morphing as another human died in the world above, a symptom of its growing anger. The room it was occupying was a long forgotten tomb, one of many in the catacombs that lay underneath Rome's city streets, filled with the sweet smell of death and decay instead of the stench of life, The First couldn't understand how humans could crowd together into large cities, the smell alone would drive it insane.

"If I can't kill them I'll have to find some other way to separate them," the First said softly to itself. "They are only human after all, weak as all of their kind is weak, all I need is to find that weakness and exploit it then I can be rid of this threat once and for all."

The First stopped pacing, closed its eyes and concentrated on the two subjects of its anger, fighting back its own revulsion at the joy being experienced by both. It searched Faith and Dawn's motivations, their desires and fears, it could feel its own influence on both young women, far greater on Faith then on Dawn and tried to find how it could turn that influence to its own ends.

Finally after long hours of searching the First opened its eyes and smiled. It had discovered a weakness in the slayer it could easily exploit, all it needed now was the opportunity, then it could separate the slayer and the key and once separate pick them off at its leisure, all it needed to do was wait.

Dawn stood at the table reading through the same paragraph for the seventh time, trying to get into her head the information about the Galdoar demon or was it the Teudroeth demon she couldn't, for the life of her, remember. She knew Giles would be upset, she was supposed to be studying for an upcoming Watcher exam, but whenever she tried to concentrate her mind drifted off to thoughts of Faith, especially last night when Faith had used her tongue to…Dawn shivered with pleasure at that memory and then shook her head trying to clear it.

She sighed realizing she had lost her place yet again and couldn't remember a single word from the page she had been reading. She had been distracted for the past few weeks, ever since her and Faith's relationship had become physical, she couldn't get the slayer out of her mind, the feel of her skin, her scent, her taste, Faith was completely intoxicating.

Dawn went back to the start of the page determined to get through at least this one chapter before calling it a day, she had managed to get halfway down the page before she felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around her waist from behind and a pair of lips press gently against her neck.

Dawn closed her eyes, relaxing into the gentle embrace and kiss. "That better be you Faith, otherwise whoever you are you're going to be in a lot of trouble."

"Damn right, can't have anyone else getting their hands on my girl," Faith said huskily.

"Maybe you should tattoo your name on my forehead," Dawn tilted her head to the side.

Faith kissed higher up the teenager's neck. "We could tattoo it above somewhere a bit more…personal," Faith let one of her hands glide down Dawn's body, ending up between her thighs.

Dawn managed to turn herself around, looking Faith directly in the eyes. "Because somebody might come in and see us, namely someone called Buffy."

"No I'm sure she would do a lot worse, probably something involving some sort of sharp, pointy object."

"Fine," Faith sighed and loosened the embrace. "After last night, well the last few nights, I'm a little worked up is all."

Dawn arched an eyebrow. "I thought what we did at night was supposed to unwork you up."

"Another one?" Dawn giggled, shaking her head in amusement. "Faith you're a machine."

Faith gave her that stunning smile she was so good at. "That's me Faith 'Sex Machine' Lehane."

Dawn's giggles broke into outright laughter. "Is that what's written on your birth certificate?"

"I can't tonight but Buffy's going on a late patrol tomorrow night and the apartment will be empty, so if you want to come over tomorrow?"

Faith sighed theatrically. "Fine I'll go," she gave Dawn a kiss that went on far longer then she had first intended.

Faith nodded. "Wouldn't miss it for the world D," she reluctantly let her go and left.

Dawn turned back to her reading and tried to remember exactly where she was up to before being so pleasantly interrupted.

The apartment was filled with the sound of steel on steel or wood as Buffy rummaged through the weapons chest attempting to find something, the noise completely covering the sound of the television show Dawn was attempting to watch, much to her annoyance.

Dawn glanced over frowning, Buffy had spent way more time then usual getting ready for patrol, doing and re-doing things nervously almost as if she didn't want to leave.

"Buffy," Dawn shouted over the noise, Buffy looked up. "Do you mind?" Dawn gestured at the TV indicating she was trying to watch.

"Well patching up all those holes in the wall was costing me a fortune," Buffy returned fire. "Where the hell can it be?" she muttered frowning.

"Maybe," Buffy agreed, looking around the apartment as if the crossbow might be hiding in plain view. "Guess I'll do without then."

"I'm sure you'll manage," Dawn said blandly, wishing Buffy would hurry up and go Faith would be arriving soon.

"Good, it's nice to know you'll be safe," Buffy said uncertainly, her body language suggesting she thought Dawn would be anything but.

"I will be," Dawn noticed Buffy's unease. "I'll tie something to the door to let you know if we're still busy."

Buffy shut her eyes hurriedly as she attempted to erase that last comment from her memory. "I really did not want to hear that from my little sister, from my college roommate I could deal, sibling no."

"Then if you don't want to hear it perhaps you should leave," Dawn said pointedly.

"You say that every time I'm with Faith, I would've thought you would trust her by now."

"To me Faith and trust don't go together," Buffy raised her hands quickly to stifle any objection from Dawn. "And I know, I know I should have a little faith after all she has behaved herself recently, you're just going to have to give me some more time to get used to this."

"Married?!" Buffy's voice reached stratospheric levels. "Can you even do that?" she added suddenly curious.

Dawn thought for a second. "Probably not, certainly not in Italy anyway and somehow I doubt Faith is the marrying kind that's sort of my point."

Buffy gave a small nod. "Point taken, but I am trying I haven't threatened to kill her in weeks," she pointed this out as if it were a major achievement.

Dawn's face broke into a wry smile. "And I'm very proud of you, but you need to stop worrying about me and Faith she's taking good care of me, it's not like she got some and got gone."

"That desperate for me to leave huh?" Buffy asked, amused by her sister's pushiness.

Buffy tried the memory wipe for the second time, without much success. "You know you are spending way too much time with Faith don't you?"

Maybe third time lucky. "OK enough with the sexual innuendo, I told you I really don't want to hear that from my little sister."

"And try not to get yourself too injured we're running low on first aid supplies."

"I'll ask the forces of evil to play nice then," Buffy said dryly, opening the door to reveal Faith her hand raised to knock.

"Faith," Buffy answered just as awkward. "I'll…um leave you two alone, have fun," she added hastily and left.

"Well I can't remember the last time she threatened me," Faith said attempting to be helpful, the tension she caused between Dawn and her sister always made her feel slightly uncomfortable.

"You're barely a teenager and you better not grow any taller or otherwise I'm going to have to stand on something to kiss you, on the lips anyway."

"I wasn't saying I was growing any taller just…fuller," Dawn's hands made curving motions.

"No, no," Faith said, hastily trying to back-pedal. "I like your body fine the way it is, but I wouldn't say no to a few extra curves."

Dawn raised an eyebrow. "We really are going to have to do something about that ego of yours."

Dawn sighed and shook her head knowing there was no point in arguing. "I'll go order that pizza."

"I'm only hungry for one thing D," Faith said, eyeing Dawn's body appreciatively. "But I want to see those curves ASAP."

Dawn blushed. "I'm sure you'll be the first one to find them," she said playfully.

"I'll be sure to be thorough when I look," Faith watched the blush creep higher on Dawn's cheeks. 'God she's so cute when she does that.'

Dawn went over to the phone to order the pizza leaving Faith to amuse herself. She slowly strolled around, absently lighting a cigarette, giving everything the once over, she hadn't had much of a look around B and Dawn's place, whenever she spent time with Dawn it was usually at her own place.

Faith saw the door to Dawn's room was slightly ajar and felt a sudden urge to investigate. She glanced over her shoulder to check Dawn was still busy on the phone before quickly slipping inside, closing the door softly behind her.

The walls of Dawn's room were painted purple, Dawn's favorite color, with various posters of boy band members and movie heartthrobs up everywhere, a dresser was pushed up against one wall with Dawn's make-up, perfume and various other trinkets arranged neatly on top. Faith walked over and picked up one of the perfume bottles sniffing at it cautiously, the smell causing her to recoil quickly. 'Man that stuff is strong,' she thought replacing the top, she recognized the scent as something Dawn had on sometimes, though thankfully a much smaller amount. She personally wasn't much of a make-up girl, some lipstick and eyeliner were enough for her, after all it was hard to improve on perfection.

She placed the perfume back onto the dresser and drifted around the room, taking a drag from her cigarette occasionally, across from the dresser was a desk with books and papers strewn across it and a laptop, closed and turned off. For a brief second Faith thought about finding out what Dawn kept on it, a diary perhaps, but she quickly decided against it, her and computers didn't exactly get along well together she'd probably break it or cause it to crash or something.

She left the desk and walked over to the wardrobe opening it to reveal enough clothes for a small army, most of which Faith had never seen and some of which she definitely wanted to see Dawn in. She shook her head as she sorted slowly through all the clothes, how someone could own so many things was beyond her she barely had enough to fill a small bag, Dawn wardrobe couldn't be described as small and it was stuffed full. Every now and then Faith pulled something out to see how it would look on her though most of Dawn's clothes turned out to be a little too long, however some of the pants were tight enough to catch her attention.

She shot a guilty look at the still closed door, Dawn wouldn't react well if she caught her poking around in here and she probably shouldn't be doing this but her burst of curiosity had been hard not to act upon. She tidied the wardrobe quickly to cover up any indication she had been there and closed the door.

As she was about to leave, a photo on Dawn's bedside table caught her eye. The picture was one Dawn had taken of her sitting on the railing of one of the innumerable bridges in Rome while out on a date.

Faith smiled softly, she was touched Dawn had not only kept the photo but also put it in a nice frame and kept it beside her bed. She traced a finger around the frame and photo gently before replacing it on the bedside table.

She did a quick check around the room to make sure everything was in its right place before turning to leave, as she reached the door it opened suddenly and Dawn walked in.

"I was just looking around," Faith said, trying to appear as innocent as possible.

Dawn looked annoyed. "Well if you'd waited I would've given you the tour," her eyes narrowed when she spied the burning cigarette in Faith's hand. "Have you been smoking in here?"

Faith looked quickly down at the cigarette then shrugged uncomfortably. "I guess."

Dawn snatched it from Faith's hand and stalked angrily out of the room. "I can't believe you did that, it'll take me ages to get the smell out of my room and I bet you got ash everywhere as well."

Faith trailed slowly behind Dawn, mentally kicking herself. She knew how much her smoking bothered Dawn. "Probably, sorry D," she apologized.

"I am, it's a process," Faith said defensively. "I've cut down heaps well some anyway, I guess I wasn't thinking."

Faith's hackles rose when she caught Dawn's comment. "Well if I'd known you were going to act so princessly about it…" she shot back angrily.

"Oh I should lighten up," shouted Dawn scornfully. "About the things that cause cancer and kill people, well I'm sorry for caring about your health."

The two women glared at each other across the room, Faith eventually broke the glare by uncomfortably turning to look at the wall. "You care about my health?" she asked curiously.

Dawn sighed exasperatedly. "Of course I do, I don't want you dying on me anytime soon," she moved over to Faith, slipping her hand into the slayer's.

Faith looked down at their linked hands, squeezing Dawn's gently. "I'm a slayer D it's kind of an occupational hazard."

"Not now," Dawn saw the look Faith gave her. "OK not as much, with all the other slayers around it's a lot safer and certainly safer then smoking," she finished pointedly.

Faith gave a wry smile at Dawn's persistence. "Fine I'll try harder to quit, if only to get you off my back."

"Good," Dawn leaned forward and lightly kissed her on the lips making a face as she pulled back. "Although you do need to use a breath mint or something to cover that smoker's breath."

Faith began to argue before grudgingly realizing Dawn was probably right. "Anything else about me you want to change?" she asked jokingly.

"Well now that you mention it…" Dawn said mock-seriously, breaking into a smile when she saw Faith's hurt expression. "I'm kidding Faith I like you just the way you are."

"Good because the smoking thing is going to be hard enough," Faith went to kiss Dawn, stopping when she felt Dawn's finger pressed against her lips.

"Breath mint, remember?" Dawn whispered, spinning around and walking off towards the couch leaving a stunned Faith behind her.

Faith silently weighed her options, keep her pride and no sex or give into Dawn…it wasn't really much of a contest. "I'm sure the pizza will cover it," she said confidently, sitting next to Dawn and letting her arm settle around Dawn's shoulders.

They sat watching the television in a comfortable silence, broken by the buzz of the doorbell.

Faith turned the TV off and reached the table as Dawn put the pizza down, they both grabbed a piece and began eating hungrily. Faith was through the first piece and reaching for her second when she realized there was something missing.

Dawn answered with a nod, years of being told off by her mom for talking with her mouth full not allowing her to answer.

Faith wandered over to the stereo, wiping her hands clean of pizza sauce on her jeans, she flicked through the CD's sitting next to the stereo checking for anything that she liked, Nelly…pretty boy, Usher…even bigger pretty boy, Black Eyed Peas…gone commercial, Nickleback…boy band with guitars, Hoobastank…ugly boy band with guitars, some American Idol…not a chance in hell.

Faith snorted. "Yeah they're about as rock as Three Doors Down, or whatever the hell their name is."

Dawn, who was just about to suggest them, shut her mouth with a click. "Well what stuff do you like then?" she asked annoyed by Faith's dismissal of her taste in music.

"You know rock music, Queens of the Stone Age, System of a Down, Muse, Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, Guns 'n Roses stuff you can really get into."

"Yeah but its good noise gets you jumping, not like that soft over-produced crap you hear in the top 40," Faith said defensively.

"Huh," Faith desperately tried to hold her tongue and avoid adding to the growing tension.

Dawn however wouldn't let it go. "So let me get this straight, you think I'm a spoilt little princess with a crap taste in music?"

"You're the one who said it not me," Faith snapped, instantly regretting it as soon as she said it.

then Faith, then the pizza again. She casually picked a piece of pineapple off the top and expertly threw it at Faith hitting her right between the eyes.

Faith stared at a smugly smiling Dawn in shock before reaching up to remove the pineapple from her forehead and return it with interest.

Things quickly degenerated from there; Dawn ducked behind the cover of the table pulling the pizza box down with her. "Hey no fair," Faith shouted. "How am I supposed to fight back?"

Dawn raised her head over the table-edge for long enough to stick her tongue out and throw something else before ducking back down.

Faith ran for cover behind the couch, she glanced at the weapons chest sitting at the end of the couch but dismissed the idea before it even formed; she needed ammunition of the edible variety.

She spied the refrigerator in the kitchen and a slow smile crossed her face, getting to the kitchen however would be a problem as it would involve dashing across open ground with no cover.

'Come on Faith you're a slayer,' she thought. 'You've got hit by a lot worse things then pieces of pizza.'

Faith took a couple of deep breaths, readying herself and then made a mad dash for the kitchen getting hit twice along the way, Faith was silently impressed with Dawn's aim, for a non-slayer she was damn good.

As Faith opened the fridge door Dawn suddenly realized what was happening. "OK Faith that is definitely not fair," Dawn called out from the relative safety of the table.

Faith replied by grabbing a handful of some kind of cake she had found in the fridge and throwing it at a small exposed area she had spotted, a direct hit made obvious by the cute squeal that came from Dawn's direction.

After a few more exchanges Dawn, who was now covered in the stuff Faith was throwing, realized she was fighting a losing battle. "Faith," she called out.

Faith looked down at the can she had just removed from the fridge and grinned wolfishly. "Sure D why not."

Dawn rose slowly from behind the table and became instantly suspicious when she saw the grin on Faith's face. "No more throwing stuff right?" she checked.

"Good," Dawn said as she walked slowly towards Faith, allowing the slayer to wrap one arm tightly around her waist. She noticed Faith was keeping her other arm behind her back. "What are you hiding behind your back?" she asked curiously.

Faith raised her hand to reveal a can of whipped cream, Dawn's eyes widened when she saw it. "Faith you promised," Dawn protested.

"I promised not to throw anything," Faith said innocently. "I didn't say anything about spraying stuff."

She stuck the top of the can down the front of Dawn's top and pressed down on the dispensing button spraying the cold cream directly onto Dawn's warm skin. Dawn squealed and squirmed trying to get out of Faith's grasp but Faith held her firm until she had emptied most of the can, then adding the coup-de-grace, a small blob on the end of Dawn's nose.

forward and gently licking the cream off Dawn's nose she then slid her mouth down onto Dawn's, the mix of the cream and Dawn's lips was the sweetest thing she had ever tasted.

Dawn moaned softly and kissed her back, wrapping her arms around Faith's neck and pressing her body close. Their lips parted for a second allowing Dawn to murmur an apology. "I'm sorry if I was acting like a princess."

"That's OK D," Faith mumbled as she kissed her way down Dawn's neck. "Allows me to be your knight in shining amour."

Dawn felt Faith tugging her insistently floorwards. "Not here Faith, what if Buffy walks in?" she said managing to put up a small amount of resistance.

"Then I guess she's going to catch sight of something really hot," Faith whispered in her ear, Dawn giggled as her resistance melted away under Faith's gentle pressure causing them to collapse together onto the floor.

Faith stroked her fingers gently through Dawn's soft hair, she could see now why Buffy used to brush Dawn's hair whenever she was feeling stressed or worried, there was something comforting about the gentle repetitive action, something soothing that made a warm, fuzzy feeling appear in Faith's stomach.

It had taken them awhile to clean up the mess the food-fight had created both in the apartment and on their bodies, mainly because the body part of the clean up had involved the use of tongues and this had delayed any other part for quite some time.

After they had both recovered from the extremely satisfying body clean up they had had just enough energy to clean up the apartment, enjoy a shared shower and collapse into bed, the previous argument and tension a thing of the past.

Faith's fingers teased out a tangle in Dawn's hair lovingly smoothing it out, she felt Dawn snuggle closer giving her a soft hug. Faith leaned down and laid a gentle kiss on the girl's forehead, as she did so she heard Dawn mumble something sleepily. "I love you Faith."

Faith's entire body froze solid, disbelieving what she had heard. Dawn hadn't said that, had she? No way Dawn could have meant it even if she had said it, no one had ever said that to her not Robin or any of her previous guys, not her alcoholic mother and certainly not her absentee father. She'd gone through life quite happily avoiding that four-letter word, though people had applied other four letter words to her, mostly uncomplimentary ones, they had never used that one.

That warm, fuzzy feeling had disappeared, swamped by a wave of panic that was threatening to overwhelm her, she gave Dawn's shoulder a quick shake attempting to wake her up but got no reaction, Faith desperately gave her a much harder more prolonged shake, Dawn stirred a little but didn't wake.

Faith took some slow, deep breaths trying to slow her racing heart and calm down but Dawn's voice whispering those three small words to her was on constant repeat in her head causing a small part of her brain to scream at her to get out, leave, run as far and as fast as she could.

Faith slipped out of bed needing room to breathe before she drowned under the wave of panic and fear, she stood watching Dawn unsure of what to do, that part of her brain was still screaming at her to run but she was torn, she could feel herself being pulled in two different directions and she didn't know what to do or in which direction to go.

After standing and watching Dawn for what felt like hours Faith finally made up her mind, she silently got dressed and quietly left. 'Maybe a quick walk around the block and a slay will help me sort things out,' Faith thought desperate for anything to help shake off the feeling of dread enveloping her.

She exited the apartment building, hunching her shoulders and setting off quickly in a random direction letting her feet do her thinking for her.

Faith tried to sort through the storm of thoughts raging inside her mind, Dawn had told her that she loved her, OK so did she love Dawn back…at the moment her thoughts were in such a mess she was unsure of her own name so figuring out that one was damn near impossible. Faith hadn't thought about the future at all, at the moment she was enjoying the present, letting things happen when they happened without much of a plan that was how she had always lived her life. Future planning wasn't a skill slayers usually needed to possess due to their distinct lack of future and that had suited her perfectly but something Dawn had said earlier that night began to ring true, things were different now, with thousands of slayers around her life expectancy had suddenly shot up, giving her a future, maybe a future she could share with Dawn…

Faith avoided that thought by looking around to see if she recognized where she was, much to her surprise she could. She was standing across from a little nondescript bar she had found when she first arrived in Rome, though it had been awhile since she had been here, between Dawn and the slaying she didn't have much time to spare.

'A drink could help me think,' she thought. 'Well maybe not, but god I need one right now.'

Faith sat at the bar staring blearily into the bottom of her glass. The one drink she had come in for had turned into two then three then…she had lost count some time ago so she wasn't quite sure how many she had had but was certain it was way too many, she really should be going, but where? Back to her place or back to Dawn?

"Faith?" someone behind her asked questioningly, Faith turned and managed to focus enough to see a tall, slim brunette walking towards her. 'Oh shit,' she thought 'Dawn's found me.'

Faith prepared herself to face the music but as the woman came closer she realized it wasn't Dawn. "Rosa?" she said uncertainly.

Rosa rewarded her with a smile. "You remember me, how sweet," she delicately sat on a stool next to Faith.

Of course she did that was how Faith had found the bar in the first place, it was near to the motel she had been staying at. "Right guess you do," Faith nodded a little unsteadily.

"So where's your little girlfriend, Donna was it?" Rosa asked looking around the bar.

Faith stared down into her empty glass, feeling guilty. "Something like that," she mumbled.

Rosa leaned close. "I could make you feel better, free of charge," she whispered her warm breath tickling Faith's ear.

Faith started to politely refuse then stopped. "Sure why not," she said something from her past taking over, pushing her to do something reckless and being well on the way to falling-down drunk didn't exactly help her self-control.

Faith stood up, throwing some money onto the bar then hooking her arm through Rosa's. "We going?"

They stumbled out into the street arm in arm and made their way unsteadily towards Rosa's place, Faith leaning rather heavily on Rosa's arm, neither noticed the shadow detach itself from the mouth of an alley and follow silently behind them keeping itself hidden.

Faith and Rosa reached Rosa's motel room, kissing passionately before falling through the door, the shadow watching it all silently. As the door slammed shut Buffy stepped out of the shadows staring hard at the door as if she could force it open by will alone. She had been on patrol when she had seen Faith and Rosa together and had followed them all the way from the bar to their destination, the sounds now coming out of the room left no doubt as to what they were up to.

'Faith is cheating on my sister with that whore,' Buffy thought, angry not even beginning to describe her current mood. 'How dare she.'

She somehow managed to stifle her first reaction, to knock down the door, drag Faith out and hurt her repeatedly, that wouldn't help things; well it would help her feel better but it wouldn't help Dawn.

Buffy stood thinking, wondering if she should tell her sister. She didn't take long to make up her mind, of course she should tell Dawn, although she didn't know how she was going to break it to her, it was going to crush her.

Buffy continued to stand staring at the door, unwilling to leave as that meant facing her sister that little bit sooner, but she knew if she remained here the urge to hurt Faith badly would become overwhelming so finally she turned and stalked off preparing herself to break Dawn's heart.

The apartment was silent and empty; the only noise an occasional creak from the floor or walls. The bare minimum amount of furniture remained, Faith had never really added much to the place anyway, a habit she had picked up in childhood when any personal items she had owned had been stolen or sold, usually by her mother.

Faith lay on her back on the bed staring at the ceiling; she couldn't believe how quickly her life had fallen apart, then again destroying anything good in her life had always been one of her greatest talents.

Last night she had been holding the most beautiful women in the world in her arms and life had been perfect, for once things had seemed to be going right for her. Then Dawn had told her that she loved her and she had freaked reverting back to her old behavior, trying to smother her panic with alcohol and sex, using them as a shield to keep her from the reality of those words and what they meant.

This morning when she had woken up in Rosa's bed Faith knew she had done something monumentally stupid, she had used a lifetime's practice of sneaking out to leave before Rosa awoke and had quickly resolved never to tell Dawn what had happened that night, she could come up with an excuse to cover her absence from Dawn's bed, no one needed to know, least of all Dawn. Only someone had seen her with Rosa, and out of the all the people it could possibly have been it had to be Buffy, just her luck. She had waltzed into Buffy's apartment her excuse all prepared, to be greeted by Dawn her arms crossed across her chest, her expression stony and the hint of tears in those beautiful blue eyes.

Then had come the shouting, the accusing, the crying and finally the dumping, Dawn had broken up with her, just like that, shouting at her to leave and never come back that she didn't want to see her ever again. Faith had stood there unable to speak until Dawn had finished, then she had turned away wordlessly and left, doing what Dawn wanted this one last time.

Faith glanced at her bag sitting on the floor, her few possessions and clothes barely filling half of it, she knew she couldn't stay in Rome, as much for her sake as Dawn's, working at the council with Dawn and especially Buffy would be too awkward, and also probably a little dangerous.

She vaguely heard the knock at the door but ignored it. Unless it was Dawn, which she severely doubted, she wasn't interested. A key scraped in the lock and the door opened whether Faith wanted it to or not, she didn't bother looking up she knew instinctively who it was.

"Trust me that's definitely an option Faith," Buffy said coldly. "But that would probably make Dawn feel even worse, if that's possible."

Faith almost snapped back a response, but what was the point. "I was just wondering."

Buffy stared at her for a few seconds. "When I left she was still crying in her room," when no response was forthcoming she continued. "Why did you do it Faith?"

Faith shrugged. "I don't know," and she didn't, not really, it was almost like it wasn't her last night.

"Well there's a great excuse," Buffy muttered, Faith didn't have the fight in her to answer.

Buffy saw Faith's bag lying on the floor next to the bed. "You going somewhere?"

Seeing Faith like this, so down the fight completely taken out of her almost made Buffy feel sorry for her. Almost. "You'll need this then," Buffy threw a small package onto the bed.

Faith looked at it suspiciously, as if it might explode. She slowly reached out and opened it, a passport and various papers fell out as well as a credit card. "What's this?" she asked curiously.

"A parting gift from the council, Giles insisted on it. He said despite everything you are still a slayer and our responsibility, so there's a passport, travel documents and papers you'll need and a credit card with a $10000 limit all in a different name, it'll be paid off monthly so try not to overspend."

Faith was pretty sure she hadn't spent ten thousand dollars throughout her entire life, let alone in a month. "Why a different name?"

"You are still a wanted fugitive Faith," Buffy explained impatiently. "So I wouldn't recommend a visit to the US, with the way airport security is these days you'll probably be picked up straight off the plane, god only knows how you got to Rome in the first place without being arrested."

"Don't thank me, I told you Giles insisted. If it was up to me you'd be leaving with the clothes on your back and that's all."

Faith studied Buffy closely, not sure whether to believe her or not. "Thank Giles for me then."

Buffy looked around the apartment, pretending not to hear. "When are you leaving?"

"I don't know, travel around a bit I guess," she gestured using the hand holding her new passport. "This stuff will make that a hell of a lot easier."

"Try to keep in touch on at least a semi-regular basis Faith, it would be nice to know whether you're alive or not."

"To see if you need to finish the job B?" Faith couldn't resist one last pointed remark.

"I'm not the one wanted for murder Faith, although keep this up and I might be," Buffy said angrily, turning to leave.

Buffy nodded, still not turning around. "She does," she walked out, closing the door quietly behind her.

Faith returned to staring at the ceiling and brooding, trying to figure out where she was going to go.

Neither slayer had seen the First standing in the corner, smiling triumphantly. It had been so easy to push Faith into her actions of last night, almost too easy. A little nudge here, some encouragement there and the slayer had ended her relationship with the key on her own with no direct intervention required, it probably should have thought of this in the first place.

The First smiled, a small somehow sinister smile, as close to happy as it could get. Humans were so weak, so easy to manipulate and Faith had been no exception, it was as easy now as it had been years ago in Sunnydale with the same result, a threat to it's plans had been eliminated and with Faith going off on her own arranging her death should be easy, the prophecy could be neutralized once and for all.

The First faded out still smiling, it was always good when things went the way they were supposed to bringing its eventual victory that little bit closer.

It had big plans for the future and especially for the slayers, everyone who opposed it were going to suffer endless pain and torment before it killed them, the future was looking full of fun.

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Have a Little Faith

by Drakiri

Copyright © 2005

drakiri_nsw@yahoo.com.au