Trials & Complications

by Faith Boreanaz

Rating: NC-17
Dedication: To all those who requested this and those who gave feedback :)
Summary: Sequel to 'Trials and Tribulations' (in which Buffy had Riley's baby - long story) Joyce has now grown and is living with her parents (Buffy & Faith) who are unaware that trouble is in store, from both the military and each other....Contains Het and Slash.
Notes: You don't actually have to have read 'Trials & Tribulations' to follow this, but you might be a bit like, "Who? What? When?" for a while if you haven't.




Part One: Bedtime

"Mommy, catch!" Buffy heard, as she turned to receive a stake being tossed at her. Shocked at seeing its 'thrower' she momentarily froze, allowing the vampire, with which she was engaged in combat, to hit her in the face. Quickly regained composure, the slayer punched the vampire back and plunged the stake through its heart. She turned to see Faith running towards herself and her daughter.

"Way to go with the stake toss J," the brunette congratulated, stopping and high-fiving the seven year old child.

"Way to go?" Buffy asked, angrily. "Joyce, what are you doing out here?"

"It's not her fault," Faith replied, coming to the youngster's defense. "She couldn't sleep, so I said we should come out and give you a hand."

"Faith, you can't bring a child on patrol."

"Why not, B? It's not like anything was going to happen to her. I had her back the whole time."

Looking at the brunette in disbelief at her ability to form an excuse to justify her actions, Buffy turned and stormed away.

Faith and Joyce watched the slayer speed down the road.

The blonde child looked up at the brunette. "Are we in trouble?" she asked her.

"Big-time, kiddo," Faith assured her. She bent down and patted her shoulder, indicating that the child jump on.

Joyce climbed onto the slayer's back and was lifted as the slayer stood to full height. "We better take the long way home," Faith told her. "Give mommy time to cool off."

Joyce nodded.

Buffy made no response as her girlfriend and daughter returned home and greeted her.

Having pre-meditated a course of action, Faith nodded at the child and made herself scarce as Joyce walked into the living room and sat down next to her mother.

"Mommy, I'm sorry," she told her. "I didn't mean to make you mad. I won't do it again, I promise. It's just that I really miss you when you're gone."

Buffy couldn't help but relent to her daughter whose hazel eyes seemed to sparkle whenever she was upset.

"It's ok," she returned compassionately and causing Joyce to, as if on cue, throw her arms around her. The slayer hugged her daughter and stroked the child's long blonde locks, smiling at her adorability.

After a little while, the seven-year-old peered up at her mother and yawned.

"I'm wicked tired," she professed. "I'm going to go to bed now."

Buffy's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Okay. Make sure you wash up first," she told her daughter, letting her go. She looked towards the living-room doorway, calling,

"Faith, you can come in now!"

*Busted* the brunette thought, listening in. She shook her head at Joyce, who merely shrugged as she left the room and passed, before continuing upstairs.

Faith walked into the living room.

"What was that all about?" she asked her lover, taking a seat.

"Don't give me that," Buffy told her. "I know you put her up to it."

Deciding against continuing the charade, the brunette admitted, "I just told her what to say. But she really was sorry. We both are."

Buffy looked away from the brunette, for fear of giving in too quickly and Faith couldn't help a smile from emerging as she tried in vain to lock eyes with the slayer. "So, am I forgiven?" she asked.

The blonde made no reply, dramatically shifting on the couch and turning her back to her girlfriend. "Huh?" Faith asked, moving closer to the older slayer, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her on the neck from behind.

Buffy failed to reply.

Faith asked again and again, punctuating each plea with a kiss.

Unable to remain angry, Buffy relented, turned and met Faith's mouth with her own. The two sat locked in a kiss, until Faith broke it to stand.

"How 'bout we take this upstairs?" she asked, grinning.

Buffy stood and allowed Faith to lead her upstairs.

The brunette entered the room first and whipped Buffy inside. She closed the door behind her and removed her top as Buffy removed her shoes and sat on the bed.

The blonde slayer removed her own clothing and smiled as Faith stood over her and bent down to kiss her. The taller of them, reached behind Buffy with both arms and undid the clasp of her bra. She removed the garment and tossed it aside. "Much better," she admired, pulling her lover up and kissing her again. She ran her arm slowly down Buffy's back, stopping at her thigh and scooping her up.

Buffy smiled and wrapping her arms around the brunette's neck, hung on tightly.

Carrying the petite blonde, Faith walked over to the side of their bed. She whipped the covers aside and placed Buffy into their Queen sized before entering herself. Then, covering the both of them, Faith leaned in and kissed the blonde. "Mmmm Faith," Buffy moaned, aroused and closing her eyes while taking hold of Faith's hand and running it down her body. "Joyce," Faith replied.

The mood completely killed, by her girlfriend's utterance, Buffy opened her eyes to question her, before following Faith's gaze to see her daughter standing in the doorway. "Mommy, I can't sleep," the child explained. "The monsters will get me. Can I stay here with you?"

Blushing from head to toe, Buffy was relieved when Faith spoke.

"S'ok J. You go back and I'll be there in a sec."

Joyce nodded, before leaving the room.

Rolling her eyes, before laughing at the situation, Faith got out of bed and began to get dressed.

"I'll try see if I can get her to sleep and we can pick up where we left off."

Buffy smiled in response, laying back. "Don't start without me," the brunette warned, leaving the room.

Part Two: Stress Relief

"Bye, mommy!" Joyce called, leaving her house and running towards the car outside, inside which Faith was waiting. She entered the passenger seat and looked towards the door to see her mother running after her.

"Joyce, lunch," Buffy reminded, handing her daughter a brown paper bag through the window.

"Thank you," Joyce replied, receiving a goodbye kiss.

Witnessing the display, Faith asked the blonde slayer, "What about my kiss?"

"We'll save yours for later," Buffy replied her, causing the brunette to beam.

"I'm gonna get some," she gloated.

"Some what?" Joyce asked the youngest slayer.

"Nothing," Buffy answered. Glaring at Faith, she ordered her to, "Go."

"Fine," the brunette replied her. With a wink and a, "Later, babe," She pulled out of the drive-way onto the road and sped up.

Faith turned up the CD-player and nodded in time to the loud music. She glanced at the paper bag on Joyce's lap.

"What did you get today, kiddo?" she asked.

The youngster looked inside the bag and searched through the items. She looked up. "A cheese sandwich with lettuce and milk," she answered causing the listening slayer to grimace.

"You know, I'm starting to get why your mom's a twig," she told the blonde child. She smiled. "How 'bout we stop by the grocery store and buy you some real food?"

Joyce whooped for joy, as Faith accelerated the car.

Buffy arrived at Sunnydale's only psychiatric clinic.

"Is she here yet?" she asked the receptionist.

"Your twelve o'clock?"

Buffy nodded.

"Nope."

The blonde slayer thanked the woman and proceeded to enter her office. Removing her jacket, she entered and looked at the mountain of paperwork left for her on her desk. Buffy groaned in response, sat at the table and picked up the file on top. Working through each one and adding her professional opinion to diagnoses given, she was unaware when an hour quickly passed. She continued through the paper work, pausing when her intercom buzzed.

"Doctor Summers," Buffy heard. She pressed the button of the intercom machine on her desk. Answering, "Yeah."

"Your twelve o'clock is here."

"Send them in," Buffy told her, disheartened when she looked at the clock to see it was almost one. She stood as the door was opened and a patient walked in. "Hi," she greeted with a smile, motioning at the chair and sitting herself.

"Sorry I'm late," the patient told her, taking a seat.

"That's ok," Buffy lied. She sat down and located the patient's file. "Kayla Green?" she asked.

The patient nodded.

The slayer opened the woman's file to see pictures taken of Kayla's arms and neck with puncture wounds in them. She grit her teeth as she read the report which detailed that the patient had been meting out physical punishment to herself and claiming that they were inflicted by demons.

"Doctor, please," Kayla began. "I know that my report must say that I'm some kind of wack job, but I swear to you, I didn't cut myself. I was attacked by-"

"Vampires," Buffy finished.

"You know about them too?" the woman asked.

Buffy nodded.

"I'm not crazy," Kayla told her, the statement sounding a little like a question.

"No," the blonde replied. "Vampires really exist."

The woman exhaled. "Finally, someone on my side."

The slayer picked up a sheet of paper and a pen. "Tell me everything about the attack," she advised her.

"Well, me and a few girlfriends went for a night out a few days ago and I met this guy. I invited him back to my place and when we started to...y'know, he morphed into a-a vampire and bit me. Well, I managed to kick him in the...y'know and then my brother came home. Anyway, he must have got scared 'cause he ran away. My brother took me to the hospital and when I told the doctors what happened, they sent me to you."

Buffy nodded, making notes. "Ok, so where about did you and your friends go out that night?"

"The Ride. Uptown."

The slayer made a note to patrol around that area later that night. Reasoning that if the vampire was scared of confrontation, it was likely that it had just been newly sired. It and its sire must therefore be local to the area.

"Doctor, I'm so happy you know. Now you can tell the other doctors that I'm not crazy."

Buffy looked up from her note-taking. "Look Kayla, it's not that simple. See, people would rather believe that other worldly things don't exist. They can't handle the fact that the things they define as 'monsters' are real. Anyone bold enough to come forward and accept that is labeled 'crazy' o-or 'weird'."

"So what should I do?"

Buffy sighed. Taking a deep breath, she explained, "You're going to have to pretend that you had some sort of accident that led to the cuts. Trust me; it will be easier that way."

Kayla agreed.

"Look, I'll put a note in your file that you suddenly remembered a... that you... I'll think of something."

The patient nodded again, standing up, "Thank you."

"Kayla."

The woman turned. "I promise you that the vampire that did this to you will never hurt another human being again."

The patient nodded and smiled at Buffy before leaving.

The slayer sighed. She looked over the case notes again, amending the patient's file and making notes for patrol that night. Mid-word, the blonde stopped to answer her buzzing intercom.

"Doctor Summers," her secretary called. "You have a call on line three."

Buffy pressed the line three button on her phone and picked up the receiver, answering, "Hello?"

"'Sup doc," she heard. "Bad time?"

Buffy smiled and dropped her pen on the table. She sat back in her chair as the caller continued.

"I have this problem. See doc, last night I came home from a monster slay as horny as hell. I get my girlfriend all ready to put out, step outta the room for about five minutes and when I get back, she's snoozin'. Trouble is, now, 'cause I didn't get any, I can't think straight."

Buffy smiled. "Sounds like you got it bad."

"The baddest," Faith replied her. "Is there anything you can do for me, doc?"

"Well what do you have in mind?"

"I'll give you a clue; I've got my hand in my pants and I'm talking to the hottest honey on the face of the planet."

Mid-breath, Buffy froze.

"That get your attention, doc?" Faith asked her.

"You bet," the older slayer replied.

"So, whaddya say?" the brunette continued. "You wanna join me?"

"You still haven't told me how."

"Ok, I'll walk you through it. You sitting comfortably?"

Buffy sat back in her chair. "Yeah," she replied.

"Me too. I'm sitting back in my chair checking out my picture of you in the blue bikini...." Faith paused. "I'm guessing you already have your skirt undone."

"No," came the reply.

"Aw, c'mon B. I gave you enough time..."

"I'm already down to my black lace panties," Buffy clarified.

The brunette almost dropped the phone at the intensity of the arousal invoked by the statement.

"Fuck, B, that was quick," she stated. "Ok, what are you doing now?"

"You're the one with the problem, Faith, what do you want me to do?"

"How you doing?" Faith asked, panting.

"Uh...I....uh," Buffy replied, working her fingers into her body.

"Shit, B, you're getting me horny again...."

"Oh...I...F-aith..."

"That's it baby; use those sexy little fingers to fuck your pussy. Harder. C'mon B, I'd fuck you harder than that."

Hearing that statement triggered Buffy's orgasm. She shuddered as she came, experiencing the pleasurable drainage of power. The blonde slayer lay back on her chair and barely able to hold the phone to her ear, she heard Faith shout:

"Gimme a minute! Babe, I gotta go," Faith told her. "Some customer's got a complaint. Thanks for the fix."

"No problem," Buffy replied. "See you at home."

"Later," Faith replied before dropping the phone.

Chest heaving and feeling sleepy, Buffy closed her eyes for a second before being reminded of herself by a knock on the door. Jerking up and to action, the slayer replaced her skirt and fixed her hair, before calling at the door.

"Just a minute!" When satisfied with her appearance, she called,

"Come in!"

Prompting a handsome brunette to open the door and let himself in.

"Hi," he said, closing the door behind him. He approached the blonde's desk.

Buffy stood. "Hi," she replied, unaware of the man's identity.

The stranger looked at the blonde's confused expression.

"And you had no idea I was coming," he stated. He pointed at himself. "I'm the new doctor, from Chicago."

"Oh. I, er," Buffy managed. "No, I did. I'm just a little-" She stopped mid-sentence and offered her left hand in handshake. "Buffy Summers."

"Are you kidding?" the doctor replied, shaking it. "I know who you are. I read your paper on the psychology of social castigation and how possession of power can be alienating. That was very well written."

"Thank you," Buffy replied.

The brunette stared as if mesmerised, causing the blonde slayer to smile sheepishly. "I'm sorry," the doctor told her. "It's just that I can't imagine why you would know so much about social castigation."

Unsure how to take the comment, Buffy merely politely smiled.

"That was supposed to be a compliment," the man clarified. "I'm sorry. I don't usually meet beautiful psychiatrists. They tend to be balding old men with excessive facial hair and I'm babbling."

Buffy laughed. "It's ok. It happens to the best of us."

The brunette smiled he remained silent for a few seconds before speaking.

"I should go," he told her, pointing to the door behind him and adding, "Before I make a complete fool of myself. Plus, I've got patients waiting. I just really wanted to meet you."

The slayer smiled.

"Uh, it was nice meeting you..." she looked closer and read the man's nametag, ."Doctor Abrams."

"Please, call me Parker," he told her.

"Parker," Buffy repeated.

The brunette back-stepped towards the door.

"I'll see you around," he told his new colleague, returning her smile before letting himself out of her office.

Part Three: Staged

Buffy parked her car across the road from 'The Ride', a local night club to those who lived uptown. After swapping her shoes for Sketchers, the blonde exited the vehicle and grabbed her bag. She slung it over her shoulder and after locking the vehicle, walked across the road and slipped behind the crowded building, the loud music from the club aiding her to be inconspicuous. The slayer walked around the back of the building before deciding to do a sweep around its proximity. She looked around. "C'mon vamps," she whispered, scouring the area. "Come out, come out wherever you are."

Finding nothing either suspicious or particularly interesting, Buffy found herself wandering and failed to notice when she had left the vicinity of the club and headed further uptown. The blonde continued through the darkened streets for a while before noticing that her vision was becoming a chore. About to turn and head back, she stopped when she sensed danger and whipped around when streetlights were suddenly activated. Looking around, she was not surprised when vampires emerged from the surroundings.

"Oh," she said to one, who positioned himself directly in front of her, after counting the number of vampires present. "Only five of you?" she asked.

The vampire remained silent and rushed at the blonde.

Buffy took a deep breath. "Ok, let's do it this way then," she decided as she hit the vampire as soon as he came close.

The vampire reeled from the punch, giving the slayer enough time to glance around and find that the other four were standing still and watching.

*What the-?* Buffy started to think, before the vampire she was fighting got a hit in. A single vampire no match for her, Buffy ducked the next inaccurate blow he threw, flipped back, dropped her bag and opened it.

In effort to stop the slayer reaching into her bag, the vampire got up and rushed towards her, only to find himself in a chest-on collision with her stake. He cursed as he turned to dust.

Buffy stood up as one of the other four vampires then moved into action.

"I'm starting to see a pattern here, guys," she told the other three while fending off her new attacker, with a kick. "But I'm telling you, this would be a lot easier for you," she threw a punch. "And a lot quicker for me." She deflected a blow and replied with her own. "If you all attack," she punched again, causing the vampire to double over. "Together," she finished, staking the vampire through its back. When rushed at by the next vampire, she twirled her stake.

"Two down," she told him.

The vampire waved his arms violently in front of her in attempt to scare and disorientate the slayer.

Buffy almost laughed. "Are you for real?" she asked, grabbing hold of him. She pulled his body towards her own and introduced her stake to his chest. "Next!" she called, starting to enjoy the workout.

The fourth vampire, having seen the speed at which the blonde had killed the others decided to approach cautiously. He walked towards the slayer, who motioned for him to hurry up.

Putting up his fists, he moved towards her in a boxer's style and threw a body blow.

Buffy laughed and blocked it before it had a chance to hit her.

The vampire quickly threw another blow aimed at her face.

The slayer again blocked the punch, puzzled by the fact that this vampire looked relatively young compared to the others. She looked to the fifth to see that he was well on his way down the road. "Uh-oh," Buffy uttered. She staked the vampire attempting to fight her and aimed her stake at the runner. She threw it and watched as she hit her target and the vampire turned to dust.

"Never get tired of that," she thought aloud, smiling. The slayer looked around for sign of anything else out of the ordinary and when she found none, walked back to her bag, picked it up from the ground and headed back towards her car.

Sat at Joyce's bedside, Faith leant towards the youngster recalling a previous fight and telling it as a bedtime story.

"So I'm rushing towards them," she told Joyce. "And I'm like 'now youz are all gonna die, you little fu-" she caught herself and finished, "bad vamps!"

"What are fubad vamps?" the child asked her, intrigued.

"Er," Faith replied, thinking. "They're like uber bad vamps. The baddest of 'em all."

"Wow," Joyce replied, amazed. She proceeded to inquire, "so what happened next?"

"Well then the vamps are like 'slayer, you can't take all of us!' and I'm like 'oh yeah, punk? Bring it on!'"

The seven-year-old stared wide-eyed as the slayer demonstrated her fighting style. "And I went like this, pow! And the vamp was dust. And so I square up to the last vamp and she's all, 'ok, so you got skills'. And I'm like 'you bet I do, baby.' And then she's like-" The brunette paused mid-sentence. She listened carefully before signalling at the door with her eyes to the youngster. Understanding, Joyce closed her eyes and feigned sleep.

"And then Cinderella goes to the prince," Faith continued. "'Dude, the shoe's mine' and he gets all happy and they get married and live happily ever after." She allowed her voice to trail off and stood. The brunette lovingly covered the child and turned to leave, noticing Buffy in the doorway.

"B," she said, feigning surprise. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Not long," Buffy replied as Faith walked towards her and gave her a kiss. She broke it to ask, "Joyce asleep?"

Faith nodded, closing the door behind her as she left the bedroom.

"You hungry?" she asked. "There's only a slice of pizza left. J almost, like, ate the whole box."

Buffy's eyes narrowed.

"Ok," the brunette confessed. "So I ate most of it."

The blonde laughed. "You know," she told her lover, pointing to the brunette's stomach. "Pretty soon, all this pizza eating? It's gonna start to show."

"Nah," Faith told her. "Not on these abs." She lifted her top to reveal her toned, tanned stomach. "See."

Buffy slowly ran her finger along the exposed flesh, "These?" she asked, looking into the brunette's eyes.

Faith smiled. "That tickles," she stated, taking hold of the blonde's wrist and re-locating it to rest on her hip. She pulled Buffy towards her and kissed her deeply, her tongue running along the blonde's. Faith pulled back.

"I missed you tonight," she told her girlfriend, before kissing the blonde again and then asking. "Where'd you go?"

Buffy reached for Faith's trousers, undoing the top button. "Uptown," she breathed, in response, tugging down the trouser zip. She moved forward, forcing Faith back into the door she was standing in front of and kissed her.

Faith moaned, breaking contact between them to ask, "Why?"

Buffy tugged on the younger slayer's top, answering, "work," before resuming the kiss.

Feeling Buffy's tongue delve into her mouth again, Faith decided not to press any further with the questioning. She moved back, pulled her black top over her head and waited for the blonde to do the same; neither of them aware that their movements were being broadcast elsewhere.

The audio technician, belonging to renegade militia, listened to the exchange between the two females. He lifted the headphones from his head, attracting the attention of the man in charge.

"What's wrong?" the lieutenant asked him. "Is something happening?"

"Sir, er," the man, replied. "I think they're...." He motioned with his hands and eyes.

"What?" the lieutenant asked, impatiently.

"They're," the man started, blushing. "They're having sex, sir."

The man in charge rolled his eyes. "Cut the feed," he ordered. "Resume in approximately seven minutes."

He turned to the other soldiers within the cramped room, "Now, as I was saying," he continued. "What you are seeing is footage taken earlier of slayer number one fighting."

The soldiers watched as the blonde on screen quickly and easily took care of the first two vampires.

The lieutenant picked up his pointer. "Don't be worried," he assured them. "These are just a few rookie hostiles we brought with us from project 17. Heck, they don't even speak American," he told them, chuckling at the slayer's attempt at verbal exchange with the South American vampires. He continued, "notice how the slayer is completely egotistical in her approach. She is chatty and completely unaware of her surroundings. Definitely some of her qualities to note."

Those present began scribbling down on the notepads in front of them. "Oh, but here," the balding leader added, pausing the screen to show Buffy having thrown a stake at a running vampire. "She has excellent marksmanship of what I would call about 3 metres, from the mDVDi footage. However, as long as no targets are presented and combat is undertaken with force and in high numbers, I do not see her presenting much trouble for the re-capture of Cadet Finn."

"Lieutenant Hammond, sir," one of the soldiers interrupted.

"Major," the lieutenant replied.

"We were told that there were two slayers holding Cadet Finn."

"That is correct, Major, but we have yet to capture footage of the other one in action. Of course, however, that is only a matter of time." He turned to the audio technician. "How are we doing?" he asked him.

The technician replaced his headphones and listened, "Oh....Yes...Oh God, Faith!...Yesss....I'm-oh!" he heard.

He removed the equipment. "They're still at it, sir," he told Hammond.

The lieutenant sighed.

Part Four: Frustrated

Faith unlocked the front door and allowed Joyce into the house before entering herself. She closed the door behind her, removed her jacket and hung it on the banister.

"Go get changed, k?" Faith told her. "I'm gonna be downstairs."

Joyce nodded and made her way upstairs as Faith checked the answering machine for messages before going downstairs to the basement where a make-shift gym, containing a punch bag and weights, had been set up. Removing her shoes and dumping them in the corner of the room, she grabbed some wraps for her hands and prepared them. The slayer positioned herself in front of the punch bag, squared up and threw a few punches, ducking the bag as it swung back towards her. Steadying it, she threw blows to the body of the bag envisioning it to be that of one of the foes that she was most likely face on patrol later that night.

Feeling the adrenaline pumping within her veins she continued to batter the bag before realising the audience present. She stopped and looked towards the cot to see a fascinated youngster perched upon it. She smiled.

"Hey kiddo," Faith said to her. "D'you wanna give me a hand?"

"Ok," Joyce replied, stepping down off the furniture. She walked up to Faith, who crouched to be at eye-level with the child.

Faith smiled. "Ok champ," she said. "Let's see what you got." Faith put up her hands. "Hit me."

Joyce made a fist with her miniature right hand and threw a blow, causing the brunette slayer to shake her hand in mock pain.

"Ow, kiddo," she told Joyce. "You sure you're not secretly a boxer?"

The youngster laughed and shook her head, pleased with her strength.

"Alright, let's do it again," Faith told her putting her hands up again. "This time, go easy on me will ya?"

"Ok," Joyce replied, making another fist. She threw another punch at the hand in front of her.

Faith repeated the act, shaking the hand that had been punched. About to comment again, she found herself interrupted by a:

"Hey!"

Faith looked up to see Buffy dressed in a tight, white vest and black pants. She smiled as the blonde descended the stairs and stood in front of her.

The blonde slayer ordered, "pick on somebody your own strength."

Faith stood. She looked around. "Well, I don't see anybody around here as strong as me," she teased.

"That's ok," Buffy replied her. "I'll try to go easy on you."

Faith looked to the youngster at her side. "Whaddya think J? Should I try to beat your mommy again?"

"Mommy always wins," Joyce reminded her.

"That's right sweetie," Buffy agreed.

"Not this time," Faith assured her, indicating for the child to move a safe distance away.

Joyce obeyed, resuming her position atop the cot allowing Faith room to take fighting stance.

"This should be fun," the brunette told Buffy. "I haven't kicked your behind in a while."

"You gonna talk all day?" Buffy asked. "Or are you gonna attempt to hit me?"

Faith laughed and threw a blow, which Buffy deflected. She tried again to with no luck. Then, faking a right, she quickly threw a left, stopping her fist just short of Buffy's face.

"If this was a real fight," the brunette quipped. "You'd be toothless right about now."

Buffy suddenly grabbed the outstretched arm, forcefully wrenching it behind the taller slayer's body.

"If this were a real fight," she returned. "You'd be unconscious right about now."

Rotating her body a hundred and eighty degrees to the left, Faith forced Buffy to release her from the grip and took stance again.

The blonde slayer regained composure, deciding to launch an assault on the brunette. She threw a low kick, over which Faith jumped, positioning herself behind the older slayer and throwing her arm around her neck.

Reacting quickly, Buffy forcefully threw her elbow back, forcing Faith to jump back and release her from the hold. The blonde slayer took the chance to wrap her leg around the brunette's and knocked the taller woman onto her back.

Faith threw herself up and onto her feet. She took fighting stance again.

"Cheap shot," she commented.

Buffy replied with a barrage of kicks, driving the other slayer back towards the wall. She placed her palms either side of the brunette's body, smiling.

"That was easy," she told her, almost laughing.

Throwing her body forward and proceeding with a floor-sweep, the younger slayer shocked her sparring partner, who fell onto her back on the matted floor; with Faith throwing herself on top of her. Buffy struggled as the brunette took hold of her hands and pinned them to the mat. She raised her leg, in attempt to knock Faith off, surprised when the brunette freed one of her arms and used it to pin her leg with it.

"Ah, ah, ah," Faith berated. "Looks like I got you beat, there slayer. What you gonna do now?"

Buffy smiled and raised her freed arm to Faith's neck. "This," she replied, pulling the brunette's head down and kissing her.

Faith relaxed and enjoyed the exchange.

Convinced the younger slayer's guard was down, Buffy raised her leg, using it as leverage to flip herself and Faith over. On top, she smiled before resuming kissing her lover again. Their passionate exchange only stopped by sounds of the upstairs phone ringing, Buffy broke the kiss. Remembering her audience, she looked up at her daughter and blushed as the child stared at them.

"I'll get it," she managed, before leaving the basement and ascending the stairs.

Faith stood up and walked over to the cot.

Confused by the event that had just taken place, Joyce looked up and asked:

"Who won?"

Buffy finished the hour long conversation with her sister and walked into the living room to see Faith laid on the couch, flicking through the television channels. "That was Dawn," Buffy told her, lying on top of her girlfriend. "She says 'hey'."

"Cool," Faith replied, allowing Buffy to get comfortable.

She wrapped her left arm around Buffy's waist continuing to flick through the channels with the other.

Eventually deciding on a film, she set the remote down and linked her arms around the blonde upon her. Her eyes seemingly glued to the set, Faith watched the movie, intently interested in the plot of a woman trying to seduce her boyfriend into eloping with her. Glancing down at Buffy to see her asleep and continued to watch the film. The brunette watched the man trundling into the penthouse suite and looking around for his girlfriend. Sitting on the bed, he sat gaping as she appeared in the doorway wearing his jacket and a cowgirl hat. Faith found the art of keeping her breathing steady a difficulty, as the woman proceeded to dance seductively in front of him. Finding the temperature of the room seem to increase, the slayer felt herself aroused as the woman relieved the man of his shirt. Her heart rate amplified, she could feel her trousers dampen and a thin sheen of perspiration coat her forehead. Desperately wanting to relieve herself of her sexual frustration but for fear of waking the sleeping blonde on top of her, Faith attempted to remain completely still. She continued to watch the woman straddle the man's knees as he leant up to kiss her.

Faith circled her hips. Feeling the frustration build she internally moaned, rubbing her face as she watched the exchange. Frustrated beyond belief, she waved her hand frantically in front of her face in attempt to cool down. *Shit,* she thought, unable to stop watching the movie. *I've gotta fucking get off or I'm gonna die.* She attempted to move her leg from underneath Buffy, but found it pinned. *Oh God!* she moaned allowing her head to fall back in time to see Joyce bouncing into the room.

"I've finished," the youngster announced.

With lightning speed, Faith picked up the remote and turned off the TV. "H-hey there, kiddo. You have?" she asked, trying to calm herself.

"Yep," the blonde child, replied, showing Faith the homework she had completed.

"Lemme see," Buffy asked, waking up. She sat up and looked at the picture her child had drawn. "Wow. Is that me?" she asked pointing at the stick-like blonde woman.

"Uh-huh," Joyce told her. "And that's me and that's Faith."

"Aw. Isn't that nice, Faith?" Buffy asked.

"What? Uh, yeah, sure." Faith stood up, unable to stand being so close to Buffy, feeling as she was. She made her way to the hall.

"Are you ok?" Buffy asked, looking at the flushed brunette.

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm good. I just. I have to hit something." The brunette grabbed her jacket. "I'll be back in a few. I just-" she stopped mid-sentence and left.

Faith entered her home, putting her jacket onto the banister. Judging by the darkened ground-floor, she figured Buffy and Joyce had gone to bed. Wound up from the day's events, the brunette decided to feed her hunger and sleep off her other predicament. She walked towards the kitchen, entered and flicked on the light-switch. Making her way to the fridge, she threw it open and searched for something to eat. Deciding on left-over chicken, she pulled it and a carton of juice from the refrigerator and put the meat into the microwave. Setting the appliance, she occupied herself with the consumption of the beverage from its container. Finally hearing the 'beep', the slayer removed the food from the Microwave and began to snack on the meat.

When finished and satiated, the brunette made her way upstairs, contemplating waking her girlfriend for complete satisfaction. Deciding against the idea, she quietly opened the door to her bedroom.

Faith entered the darkened room. Taking a moment for her eyes to adjust, she noticed that her bed was empty. Worried, the brunette walked over and turned on the bedside lamp. She looked around, immediately noticing a note left at the foot of the bed atop the remote control of her disc player. Sitting next to it and picking the note up, she read aloud,

"Play me."

The brunette picked up the control pressing 'play'. She listed as a familiar tune played. Barely having the time to remember where she'd heard the song before, her attention was drawn to the barely clothed blonde in front of her.

Wearing only a suit jacket, panties and a cow-girl hat, Buffy stood in the doorway of her bedroom, smiling at the speechless brunette. "Thought you'd got away with it, didn't you?" Buffy asked.

Faith gulped. "W-with what?" she asked.

Buffy's smile widened and she slowly walked towards her bed, causing Faith to inhale sharply. "Your little stunt earlier," Buffy replied. "D'you know how horny it made me, feeling how turned on you were? And when you left..." She let her voice trail off holding her finger to Faith's mouth.

The brunette closed her mouth around the blonde's finger. Running her tongue along the underside of it, she experienced the familiar taste of Buffy's juices. Releasing a throaty moan, she continued to suck on the digit before Buffy removed it.

The blonde knelt on the bed with a knee either side of Faith's thighs. She leant in and kissed her, taking the hem of the brunette's shirt and lifting it. The older woman broke the kiss to release Faith of the clothing before shrugging out of the jacket she was wearing and allowing it to fall behind her and leaving her upper body completely exposed.

The slayer looked up at the hat atop her head, removing it and allowing her long blonde tresses to fall onto her shoulder. She placed the hat on Faith, smiling at the sight and leaning in to whisper, "Wanna go for a ride, cowgirl?"

Part Five: Panic

Leaning up on her elbow, with one arm around her naked lover, Faith gently stroked up and down Buffy's stomach, causing the blonde slayer to wake.

Buffy took the hand and linked her fingers with Faith's own.

"Morning."

"Mornin' gorgeous," Faith replied. She kissed her lover's cheek. "Did I thank you for last night?"

Buffy smiled. "Many, many times."

"Well thanks again." Faith got out of bed. "I feel like I should return the favour," she said, looking for and locating her towel. "Don't you have any fantasies you want me to do?"

"Nope."

"None?"

Buffy thought about it. "Well maybe one," she replied.

Faith entered the room to see Buffy still in bed. She opened her closet, found a shirt and put it on. She grabbed her jeans and wore them. Doing up the top button, the slayer looked at the clock placed on the table beside her sleeping lover to see it show eight o'clock. Faith climbed onto the bed and kissed Buffy's naked shoulder, waking her for the second time that morning.

"B. It's time to get up," she told her, before getting up and leaving the room.

The sleepy blonde, groaned and pulled up the covers.

Upon grabbing her keys, Faith returned to her bedroom to find Buffy still in bed. She sighed and knelt at the bed's side.

"C'mon B, wake up."

Buffy's eyes fluttered open to see Faith in front of her. "Don't you have to be at work soon?" the brunette asked her.

"No," the blonde replied, sitting up. "I don't start 'til two."

She watched as Faith stood up and put on her jacket. "Oh," the brunette added, picking up her eyeliner and positioning herself in front of the mirror. She applied the makeup. "Hey," she continued. "Don't forget you're picking J up today."

"I am?"

"Yeah," Faith replied, turning. "I told you yesterday remember. You said it was ok."

Buffy scrunched her eyebrows trying to recall the conversation.

"Because I told you that I had to go present hunting," Faith added, in attempt to jog her memory.

"Why?" Buffy asked, before realising. "Oh. It's this Saturday."

"You forget?" Faith asked.

Buffy remained pensive.

"Look," the brunette suggested. "Why don't I find her something from the both of us."

"Would you?" Buffy asked.

"Sure," Faith replied. "Just don't forget to pick J up."

She finished applying her makeup and turned. "How do I look?" she asked.

Buffy groaned. "Do you have to go to work today?" she asked. "Can't you call in sick and stay home, with me, in bed. We can make love all day."

Faith smiled. "That's very temping," the brunette replied. "But. I have to go."

"Fine," Buffy replied, pouting.

Faith's smile grew. She walked over to the bed.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," she assured the blonde. "And then we can 'make love' all night."

"Promise?" Buffy asked.

Faith answered with a kiss and a "Later." before leaving the room. "Joyce!" she called. "Kiddo! Let's motor."

Joyce ran into her parents' bedroom and hugged her mother.

"Bye mommy," she said to her.

"Bye sweetie," Buffy replied, giving the child a kiss, before letting her run after Faith.

Faith processed the customer's order.

"That'll be twenty five dollars," she told him.

The customer handed her the money, picking up his new merchandise. "Thanks," Faith told him, giving him change. "Later."

The man replied and left the store. Looking around to see more customers entering, the brunette shouted to one of the workers.

"Hey Rob, take over," she told him. "I gotta go."

The assistant nodded and stood up from the chair upon which he sat. He moved to the cash register as Faith searched for her car keys, she looked to the phone when it started to ring.

"I got it," Faith told Rob, who was getting up to answer it. "Serve the customers."

The slayer picked up the phone.

"Hello," she answered. "Greener's gifts."

"Hello, may I speak to miss Logan, please."

"Yeah, speakin'. Who's this?"

"Hello, I'm Mr. Barton from Sunnydale junior school. I'm just calling because school closed about forty five minutes ago and Joyce hasn't been picked up."

Faith sighed. She rubbed her forehead, telling him, "I'll be right there," and dropping the phone. Tossing her assistant a bunch of keys, she told him,

"Lock up, when you finish."

The man nodded and watched as the brunette left the store.

Faith ran towards her silver jeep. Unlocking it with its remote, she opened the door and entered the vehicle. Starting the car, she pulled out of the parking space and drove towards the school.

"Doctor Summers!" Buffy heard behind her. She turned as the person who called her approached.

"Doctor Abrams, hi."

"Hey," he replied, catching up. "You're not going home yet are you?"

"No. Actually, I was on my way to the cafeteria to grab a bite. I have way too much work to think about going home."

"Me too. As in, I was on my way to grab lunch. Do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," Buffy replied, walking on.

Parker stopped. "Y'know what? There's this great place Dr. Richards was telling me about... er, café..."

"Rouge?" Buffy completed.

"Yeah, that's the one. Do you know it? 'Cause we could go there."

"It's right across the street, but I don't know...."

Understanding her fear, he adopted a more lax expression. "C'mon," he coaxed. "Just two friends having lunch. Where's the harm in that?"

Buffy thought about it. "Ok," she decided, with a nod. "I'm in."

Parker smiled. "Lead the way."

Eventually reaching the school parking lot, Faith parked her jeep, left the vehicle and walked inside the building. Looking around for any sign of the youngster, she stopped a nearby staff member.

"'Scuse me," she said. "I'm looking for a little kid. Her name's Joyce Logan-Summers and she's about yea high."

"Oh?" the faculty member asked. "I haven't seen her. Wait let me ask, someone."

The woman disappeared for a few minutes and returned with another member of staff.

"Miss Logan," the man recognised.

"Oh, 'sup Mr Harrison."

"Hi. Yeah, Joyce was picked up earlier," he told her, adding, "by her uncle."

"Uncle?" Faith asked him.

"Yeah," the teacher replied. "I hadn't seen him before, but Joyce seemed to recognise him."

Faith looked at him in disbelief. "Moron, Joyce doesn't have an uncle," she told him. "You let a kid go with a stranger 'cause she seemed to recognise him."

"Well he...I thought-"

"You'd better hope she's ok," the slayer warned, leaving. She raced towards her car, opened the door and entered. Quickly starting the vehicle, she pulled out of the parking space and entered the road. Keeping one hand on the wheel, Faith picked up her cell phone with the other and dialed Buffy's number.

"Parker stop, you're killing me," Buffy told the brunette, laughing.

"No, wait, this is the best part," Parker continued. "I trip and fall, head first into the entire vat and the whole stadium's looking at me and I get up and skate off. Needless to say I've never been back to that rink."

Buffy let her laughter subside. "Oh c'mon, you're gonna let one tiny, though hugely embarrassing, moment stop you from skating?"

"Oh, I could never stop skating," Parker assured her. "I just love it. The way the blades glide on the ice. It's a wonderful feeling. I just have to find a place where nobody knows who I am."

"There's one not too far from here. Although, I guess I'd know who you were."

Parker smiled. "I could deal with that," he told her.

Buffy blushed, causing the brunette to change the subject. "Do you go often?" he asked her.

"I used to, but not so much anymore."

"What made you stop."

Buffy turned away, bashfully. "It's silly," she confessed.

"Sillier than skating head first into a vat of water?"

"Well, no," she replied, remembering the story and almost laughing again.

"Then, you can tell me."

"Well-" she started, cut off by her phone's ringing on the table. Reaching for the phone, she stopped when Parker beat her to it.

"How important could it be?" he asked her, cutting the call off and replacing it on the table.

Buffy shrugged.

"So?" the brunette coaxed. "I'm in suspense here."

Faith hung up when she found the line suddenly cut. Glancing periodically at the road ahead, she quickly dialled the number to her home, cursing as battery failure caused the phone to switch itself off. Throwing the phone to one side, she cursed again and sped up.

Part Six: Uncle

Screeching into her driveway, Faith left her vehicle and ran to the door of her home. Fiddling with the keys, she found the one for the front door and unlocked it. Entering, she called out,

"Joyce!"

Her mind racing, she felt utter relief when the blonde youngster came bouncing out of the living room. The child grabbed hold of Faith's leg, hugging it. "Kiddo!" Faith exclaimed, stooping and hugging her. She lifted the child. "How did you-?" she began, interrupted when she heard:

"Hey Faith."

The brunette looked up. She smiled. "No way. Xander?"

Xander smiled. "How are you?"

"Good," Faith replied in disbelief at the suave man standing before her. "Man, look at you. You're looking good. How long have you been back?"

"Since yesterday," he replied her. "I thought I'd come 'round and surprise you guys, but there was no-one here. I called Buffy and she told me you were at work."

"Yeah," Faith walked into the living room at took a seat, still holding Joyce.

"Me and uncle Xander were just playing 'Death Fighters 2'," Joyce told the brunette.

"Yeah?" Faith asked. "Who's winning?"

"Me," Joyce told her.

Faith looked to Xander. "Dude, you're being whooped by a little girl?"

"Hey! In my defence, I haven't played on this console before."

"Sure, that's why," the slayer replied, nodding and smiling.

"Come on, uncle Xander," Joyce told him, moving off Faith's lap and standing. "Let's play some more."

"You go ahead," the construction worker returned; his ego bruised. "I'm gonna talk to Faith for a bit."

"Ok," Joyce told him racing to the television.

Buffy arrived home and walked into the living room.

"Xander!" she greeted, immediately noticing him.

The tall brunette stood up and moved to hug her.

"Hey Buff," he replied, before taking a seat.

"Hey. I'm sorry I couldn't talk, earlier and thanks for getting Joyce." She took off her jacket and walking out to put it on the banister.

"That's ok, she kept me company," Xander replied. "You sounded super busy, is everything ok?"

Buffy sighed. "Y'know how work is." She sat down on the sofa beside her friend, turning to face him. "Wow, look at you, you've changed so much."

"Only on the outside," Xander replied. "I'm still the same old Xan-man."

Buffy smiled. "Good. So where you staying?"

"A hotel, I guess, 'til I see if I can get my old place back."

"Nonsense, you're staying with us," she dictated, adding, "And that's final," when he moved to speak. "We have way too much to catch up on. So, tell me everything. How was Europe?"

Faith walked into the room holding drinks.

"Hey babe," she greeted Buffy, while handing a drink to Xander. She sat down beside the other slayer. "Didn't know you were back; d'you want one?"

"I'm good," Buffy replied, receiving Faith's kiss. "Where's Joyce?"

"Bathroom," Faith replied, before taking a sip of her drink.

Xander set his glass down. "So yeah, Faith, you were saying," he reminded the brunette.

"Oh, yeah. Killer movie and the lead, hot as hell. It's got all this fighting, which by the way, they got all wrong. You got 'em throwing hooks when they shouldn't be and-"

"What's this?" Buffy interrupted.

"Er, that new flick with Lara...what's her name."

"I haven't seen it," Buffy announced.

"I know," Faith replied. "Xander might."

"Don't you think you're ruining it for him?"

"No, I wanna know," Xander told her. "So, then what happens?" he asked Faith.

"Ok, well then the girl gets kidnapped and she's all like, 'help me.' Y'know, the helpless chick routine."

"Uh-huh," Xander agreed. "Is there any nudity in this movie?"

"Still not getting laid, huh?" Faith asked.

"I can't stress how much I'm not getting laid."

Faith laughed. "Well there's tons of nudity."

"Yeah?" Xander asked, excited.

"Yeah, dude. There's a naked chick in, like, every scene. Even when it's not needed, there'll be one, like, running around and shit."

Xander's eyes lit up. "There's running?"

Faith laughed at the brunette's enthusiasm. She finished her drink and placed the glass on the floor.

Exasperated, Buffy picked up the glass, got up and left the room. She walked into the kitchen and placed the glass in the sink. Running the water, she began to wash it.

Buffy's untimely exit having caused an awkward silence between the brunettes, Faith broke it.

"Gimme a sec," she excused, getting up. She located and handed Xander the remote control and left the living room in search of Buffy. Finding her in the kitchen, Faith made her way inside. She walked up behind the blonde slayer and wrapped her arms around her lover's waist, asking her.

"What was that all about?"

"Nothing," Buffy replied. "Everything's fine." She continued to wash up.

Sensing differently, Faith slid her hand underneath the older slayer's shirt, rubbing her stomach.

"Nothing wouldn't have got you wound so tight," she disagreed.

"I'm not wound," Buffy replied her. "I'm a picture of unwound-ness."

Not convinced, Faith kissed her girlfriend's neck. "If you say so," she relented, slipping her hand past the waistband of Buffy's trousers and into her panties. Cupping the slayer, she caused Buffy to cease moving.

Distracted, "I-" was all Buffy could start to say before losing concentration when Faith slid her middle finger along her slit.

"What?" Faith asked, smiling at Buffy's attempt to articulate. She kissed her again.

The blonde slayer felt herself becoming wet as Faith slid her finger into her, deeper. She moaned as Faith took her other hand and moved it up her blonde's shirt. The brunette slid her thumb beneath Buffy's bra and began to rub her lover's left nipple. She buried her face in Buffy's neck, licking and sucking the flesh beneath her lips, adding another finger into Buffy's soaked sex.

Seemingly feeling Faith all over her body, Buffy began to moan repeatedly. She rolled her hips to increase the friction the brunette's skilled fingers were invoking. Slightly leaning forward to allow Faith to penetrate her deeper, the slayer opened her mouth, silently screaming out when her girlfriend obliged; inserting three fingers almost all the way inside her.

Faith increased the pressure she was applying to Buffy's nipples. Noticing the increasing moisture between Buffy's legs and the blonde's quickening pace, she let her fingers glide up to the older slayer's clitoris. The brunette began to rub it, mimicking the actions of her other hand. Enjoying the effect it was having on her lover, Faith ran her tongue along the blonde's neck and up to her ear.

"That's it, baby," she coaxed, using her fingers to penetrate her lover again.

"Oh God, Faith.... I'm..." Buffy started.

"I know," Faith told her, increasing the pace of her fingers. She added a third into her girlfriend.

"Faith," Buffy managed to whisper, as she came unto Faith's hand. "Uh! O-"

"Guys!" Xander called, entering the kitchen.

Faith quickly removed her hand from within Buffy's trousers. She spun around. "Xander."

Looking from slayer to slayer, Xander blushed. "Never mind," he excused, leaving.