Chapter 7

FLASHBACK- POV None

Giles and Willow were pacing the floor. Buffy was sitting in a chair in front of them.

"Are you absolutely certain, Buffy?" Giles started. Buffy cleared her throat, but he continued, "I know that you are pregnant. I don't mean that. I'm talking about the other."

"Why doesn't anyone believe me?"

Willow spoke up, "It's not that we don't believe you, but…I don't know Buffy. I've only heard of one incidence of this, and well she was a virgin, and he was well you, know, I don't know that much about Christianity, but you get my drift."

"So it's pretty much that you don't believe me?" Buffy put her head in her hands. "God, what am I going to do?"

"I've got people investigating," Giles reassured her. Buffy looked as if she was going to protest. He held up his hand, "I trust them Buffy. No one is going to say anything to …well, you are trying to keep it from Faith, I presume?"

Buffy slowly nodded, "Only till I know what is going on. Then I'll tell her. I promise."

Giles took off his glasses and quickly put them back on, "Well, yes. I was going to say wait. It's for the best. Who knows besides Angel, and the two of us?"

Buffy groaned, "Cordelia is the one that heard the message first."

Willow moaned. "Great."

"No," Buffy said hastily, "I don't think she'll tell."

Giles spoke, "Well good. Let's agree, then, no one else knows about this until we find out exactly what is going on here."

"I'm going to do some research," Willow said, backing out of the room, "See if I can come up with anything. I think there is something we can do…or at least we could figure why it happened…or maybe…"Willow was backing up, "I'll try to…"

Buffy stood up, "Willow what's wrong?"

Giles cleared his throat, "Ahem, well I'm going to go make a few phone calls." He walked over to Buffy and put his hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry. We'll figure something out."

Buffy nodded and turned back to Willow, "Wills?"

"Umm…it's nothing…it's just…I mean…you were making with the girl on girl loving and this happened. Plus you're a slayer. And look at here Kennedy's a slayer," she swallowed, "So what if…you know…I like kids. But I mean. You don't think it's contagious do you?"

Buffy giggled, "Do you hear yourself?"

Willow laughed a little as well. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm just really really freaked out." She put her hand on Buffy's stomach. "It's real." Buffy nodded. "No I mean, I can feel it. It's real and good. I can feel it's goodness," She smiled. "Her goodness."

Buffy's breath caught a bit. "Really?" She asked, putting her hand on her stomach.

Willow covered her hand, "Yeah. She's good. And special." She closed her eyes, "And Faith's."

Buffy looked at her, "Faith's? Are you sure?"

Willow nodded, smiling. "Yes. Faith's." She stammered a bit, "I don't know how," She closed her eyes again in concentration, "But yeah, definitely Faith's." She smiled at Buffy even more, "Wow a baby. Your baby. Your and Faith's baby. How are you going to tell her?"

Buffy's shoulders sagged a little, "I don't know."

Willow rubbed her hand, "Well hey, perk up. At least I can tell the babe's not evil. And it's Faith's. So now we know you were….I mean not that I doubted you or anything…but I kinda thought maybe you forgot or …blacked out or something…" Willow let her voice trail off. "Anyway, it's gonna be ok. It always is."

Buffy nodded, "I hope you're right. Cause I don't know how Faith is gonna take this one."

"Gonna take what?" They heard Faith walking in the room. She bent down and kissed Buffy on the cheek, "What am I gonna take?"

Buffy suddenly pushed Faith away, "Oh god…I'm gonna be …" She held her hand over her mouth.

Faith looked to Willow, "Is she okay?" Both girls turned and ran after Buffy. They could hear her retching in the stall of the restroom.

"B? You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm…oh god," Buffy tried, getting sick again.

Faith turned to Willow with a look of concern crossing her face, "Is she okay?"

Willow smiled weakly, "Stomach virus?"

Faith ignored her and walked into the stall. She bent down and rubbed Buffy's back. "Okay?"

Buffy nodded and then bent back down. I feel like I'm gonnna die, she thought. "Stomach virus," she mumbled, laying her head on the toilet.

Buffy's POV

I'd talked to Annie. Calmed her down a bit. She was downstairs eating cookie dough with Andrew and Dawn.

"I don't think anyone can argue that Chocolate chip is the best." Andrew said, whining at Dawn.

"No one is arguing with you," She picked up Annie and put her on the counter, "I'm just saying that there are other choices. We don't have to eat the same kind every time. There is Double Chocolate, and Mint Chocolate, and Sugar Cookie."

Annie piped in, " And Peanut Butter."

Dawn nodded, "And Peanut Butter. I'm just saying you should broaden your horizons."

"You can't make me, you know." Andrew said, "I'm not trying it."

"Jeez, Andrew I'm not trying to get you to try Heroin. It's just fucking cookie dough."

I was walking out, "Dawn!" Annie and I exclaimed at the same time.

"What? I'm just saying. Jeez."

Andrew whined to Annie who was giggling as he spread cookie dough on her lips. "See how she treats me? Your aunt Dawnie is a hell spawn."

Annie giggled, "You are so silly."

I tried to smile. I still had Monica to deal with. I had no idea what to say. I don't even know how long she was standing there when Faith and I had been…well, you know. God, we almost…that was not good. How long did Monica stand there and watch? Long enough, I'm assuming.

I stood outside of the room for a few moments, trying to gather some much needed courage and think as to what I was going to say. 'Hey Mon, sorry but now that Faith's back…' Or 'Can't we all just get along?'

Ok, think Buffy. You need a plan.

Or not, I thought, as she opened the door, bumping into me. "Oww," I said, rubbing my forehead.

"Jesus, Buff. I didn't know you were there," She quickly lost her smile, "By the way. What the fuck do you want?"

I walked into our room. Our room. It sounded funny. "What are you doing?"

"Packing."

"Oh."

She turned to me, before throwing her suitcase on the bed. "Is that all you have to say? 'Oh?' I would have thought I would at least get something a little better than Oh."

"Why?" I tried.

She threw her things down, "Why?" She stormed around to the dresser, dumping out its contents, "You seriously have to ask why?"

"I just need some time to think," I said, sitting down on the bed. I did the calculations in my head. How long did I have before Faith came back? Thirty minutes?

She sat down beside me, but quickly got back up. "I am such a fucking moron. I fucking love you. I love you so much it hurts. I've tried to pretend that you felt the same way about me," I tried to interrupt her. "No let me finish. I know that you cared about me. I could see it. But love me, never like you love her."

I sighed. What was I supposed to say? I didn't know how to make this better. "Mon, baby. Listen. I'm…"

"No, please don't." She began packing her stuff again. Albeit much calmer than before, "I don't know what you could say. I know how you feel about her. Jesus Buffy, you say her name in your sleep. Every night. I lie awake every night and listen to you breath her name in and out like a prayer."

Fuck, my head hurt. Why was everything so goddamn hard? "I do love you Monica."

She smiled at me. She looked so fucking sad. "I know. But it isn't the same. I guess I just hoped she wouldn't come back. Or that you would see her and you would realize how much better we are together." She scoffed. "I guess I was just fooling myself. As much as you love her, I think, if it's possible, she loves you even more."

I looked up to her, questioningly.

"I can see it in her. How she has to touch you. How she can't look at anything but you when you're in the room. I watched how she held you. How she hid in the crook of your shoulder when you were downstairs. That girl's got some issues. I'm guessing she had a pretty fucked up life before her calling." I nodded. She continued, "People like that don't let go of pain easily. And she's carrying more than her share. But it just seems to melt when you touch her. You can see it in her eyes. As long as she can feel you, she's ok." She sat down beside me, placing her hand on my knee, "I won't lie. It feels like someone is…"she choked back a sob, "it feels like she is ripping out my heart." I moved to rub her head, pushing a blond lock of hair behind her ear. She stopped my hand, "Don't. It feels that way. But it doesn't matter. What matters here is you. You and Annie. And I'm not what's best for you. As much as I want to be. She is." She lost her composure and started crying.

I tried to put my arms around her, but she jerked away. "Don't. I can't let you touch me."

"I don't know what to say, Monica."

She sobbed louder, "Tell me I'm wrong."

I stood next to her. I should have touched her. At least tried to comfort her. But I couldn't. "I can't do that."

She moved to her suitcase and closed her bag. "That's all I needed to know." She said, picking it up.

I watched her walk out of our room. I couldn't move. I could feel myself start to cry.

"Where's Annie?" She asked. I looked up to see Kennedy standing beside her.

"In the kitchen," We both answered.

She looked to Ken, "Will you go with me? To talk to her? I don't think I can do it alone." She suddenly buried her head in Kennedy's neck.

Kennedy tried to soothe her, "Yeah, sure." She shot me a look. I watched them walk down the stairs. Kennedy was holding her bag and holding her up. "Compose yourself. Don't want the kid to see you cry, do you?"

Monica shook her head. Why the fuck was I just standing here?

Kennedy turned around suddenly when they got to the foot of the stairs. She looked at me and shook her head. I've never felt so dirty in my life.

Chapter 8

Faith's POV

I watched the hotel from a café across the street. I couldn't go back. It had been over an hour. More like two, but I just couldn't make myself go back in there. What if B was making up with her? What if Annie never wanted to see me again? I didn't know what to do.

I tensed up, when I saw Kennedy carrying a bag out of the front door. She jumped into a red sports car and pulled it around to the door. I watched the blonde walk out. Annie was standing at the door crying. I didn't see B.

She bent down and kissed her. Kennedy got back out of the car and they stood there a moment. Then the door shut and Annie went inside. The two girls drove off.

I tried to wrap my mind around the fact that she had left. That B didn't even come outside. Was she leaving for good? I couldn't tell. I stood up and paid for my drink. Making my way across the street.

I stood at the door for another good five minutes. I flinched when I saw it open.

"Faith," It was Red.

"Buffy's in her room upstairs," She was holding Annie, who was fast asleep on her shoulder. I move to put my hand on her back. Red stepped away. "It's not the same room you had. Third one on your left."

I walked inside and nodded. I looked to Red a little pleadingly. "Can I kiss her goodnight?"

Red seemed to be thinking my request over. Finally she nodded and I put my lips to Annie's cheek. She didn't move. I stepped back and rubbed her hair with my fingers. Red allowed me to do so. "We love her Faith," I nodded. "I mean it. We love her. There is nothing in this world that one of us in this hotel would not do for her. Understand that. I will kill you before you can even say my name if you hurt her. Got it?" I nodded again and swallowed. Red's kinda scary. "Now, Buffy's upstairs. Crying her eyes out. She thought you weren't coming back." I started to say something but she stopped me. Turning around she made her way up the stairs, "I told her you were waiting. Waiting for Monica to leave." She chuckled to herself. "I'm so damn smart sometimes."

I waited until I see Red round the corner and then I started up. I got to the door and noticed it's closed. I stood. Listening, trying to decide if I should knock or just let myself in.

I turned the knob slowly. She was on the bed and I could see her shoulders, slowly moving up and down. She didn't feel me come in. I sat my bag down and crossed the distance.

"Buffy," I tried my voice. It startled me when it interrupted the silence.

She mumbled into her pillow and turned over, "Faith?"

I put my hand on hers and sat down, "You okay B?"

She stiffened and pulled away from me, "I thought you were coming back? It's been almost," she turned to look at the clock, "three hours."

"I was scared," I told her, trying again to touch her.

She pulled away again. "I don't know why you do that. We will never get anywhere if you run every time something gets a little scary."

I stood up, "You told me to leave. Remember?"

Buffy moaned, "Whatever."

I tried to smile at her softly, "Look B. What are we going to do?"

She ran her hand over the comforter on the bed. Tracing the pattern with her fingers. "She left," she said. "Packed everything she had and left. Kennedy took her to another hotel. Annie cried for two hours."

I swallowed, "Did you want her to go?"

"Yes…No…I don't know," She stuttered.

"I see."

"No you don't. I didn't love her. Not like…why do you make this so hard?"

"No one is making this hard, B. It just is what it is." I sat down beside her, "Did you want her to go?"

"I wanted you to come back. I honestly didn't even think about her," I felt my heart do a flip. She sighed a little, "but Annie. Annie loved her. Now she thinks…she thinks…that you…you're the reason…"

"The reason she left," I finished for her.

Buffy nodded. "There is so much I need to explain to you. How all of this happened. Don't you wonder?"

"You mean do I believe you?"

She looked away from me, but nodded again. "No Buffy. If you said she's mine. She's mine."

Buffy shook her head. "Easy as that, huh?"

I nodded back at her, "Yep. Easy as that. I love you B. You know that. I've loved you ever since I first came to Sunnydale. Every goddamn thing I've done since I've met you is because if that. You are the last thing I think of every night and the first thought I wake up to. You are my drug."

"Did you leave because of me too?"

"Wasn't that what you wanted?"

Buffy shook her head more forcefully. Turning away from me she took a deep breath, "How could you claim to know me so completely and think that?"

FLASHBACK-POV None

Buffy walked into Angel's office. "What's this about?"

"We've figured something out, Buffy," Willow was smiling, "We talked to the Coven. They've got a seer. She well…saw some things."

Buffy looked at her expectantly, "Well, what did she see?"

Giles interrupted, "It's Faith's baby." He sounded like he was trying to surprise her.

"Duh," Willow rolled her eyes, as if to say, 'he's a little slow.'

Giles cleared his throat, "Yes…well…if you don't want to…"

Willow giggled, "Chill Giles." She turned to Buffy, "Ok, here's what we know. It's Faith's baby," Buffy started to say something, but Wills continued, "And we know how it happened. You two had sex."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Do you guys have any information that I don't already know."

Willow giggled, "Well let me finish. It was the spell." Buffy raised her eyebrow. "The slayer spell. I had to evoke some special help. Not just Hecate but some other…well goddesses if you will. One was Tlazolteotl, the Aztec goddess of witches. She oversees childbirth, sex, fertility and love. Apparently the coven believes when I continued the slayer line with you, she enabled you to get pregnant."

"How?"

"Well, from what we can tell. You didn't carry the line. When you died it passed to Kendra and then…"

"Faith," Buffy said.

"Right…Faith. So Faith was the one who would continue the lineage. But you had to give something. I don't know the specifics, but apparently there was some sort of trade off. At least that is what the coven thanks. And Tlazolteotl gave you this ability as a gift. When you had sex with Faith, and your….umm…"

"Essence," Giles piped up.

"Yeah, essence….mixed with hers, the child was created. They think as some sort of strong hold against the First."

Buffy groaned, "But we defeated the First."

Giles held up his hand, "We defeated the Army."

Willow agreed, "The First could manifest itself again. We don't know for sure. All we do know is that this little girl," she put her hand on Buffy's stomach, "was created to stand against it."

Giles smiled, "The coven believes that she is the manifestation of corporeal goodness. She is the only one of her kind. Created by Slayers. A stronghold against evil."

Buffy took a deep breath. Nothing made much sense to her. This explanation was shady at best. "I don't get it."

Willow tried again, "It's why I could feel her. I could sense her goodness. That is who she is. She is light and truth. Beauty. Created from a miraculous bond. Defying all odds. She is the one Buffy. She is where the slayer line was meant to converge."

"So your saying that I am having a baby that is supposed to protect others? Like me? What am I supposed to do? Raise a slayer? Teach her how to fight?"

Giles sat down. "I don't think you will have to teach her anything Buffy. The coven believes she will instinctively know."

"Ok. How will I tell Faith?"

Willow tried, "How about like you told us?"

Buffy started crying. Giles and Willow both jumped up. "Why are you crying?" Giles asked.

"No one asked me if I wanted this. No one said, 'hey Buff, you might need to get on some powerful birth control if you wanna continue to make with the loving.' Cause I would've." She sniffed, "I'm not ready for a baby."

Giles hemmed, "Oh, well we didn't think about that. I just assumed…"

Willow blinked. "Wow Buff, I though you would be glad. I just… I mean, we didn't think that you would…of course…I mean, you're only twenty-two, why wouldn't you be scared? I should've thought about that. We were so wrapped up in the mystical part of the whole thing…I'm sorry."

Buffy continued to sniff, wiping at her eyes. "It's okay, I'll think of something…" she broke down again. "Oh god, what am I going to do?"

Faith walked into the office. "Okay, I'm starting to think that all these clandestine meetings are adding up to something," She smiled.

Buffy sniffed again. Willow piped up. "Clandestine? Why would you say that? Clandestine? That's a good word. So not the case though. No secrets here. Right? Right."

Faith smirked. "Was just joking Red. Don't get your panties in a wad."

"Hah, panties in a wad. That's a good one." Willow sat down.

Faith noticed Buffy. "What's wrong? B? Do you still feel bad?" She walked to where Buffy was sitting and crouched in front of her, "B? What is it?"

Buffy started crying even harder, "Nothing Faith. I promise."

"Oh baby," Faith rubbed her hair. "Why are you crying? Please tell me."

Giles and Willow backed out of the room. "Yes, well Willow, let's go check on that thing."

"What thing?"

Giles grabbed her arm, "You know the thing?"

"Oh yeah. The thing. Yeah, right. The thing." The witch said, following him.

Faith watched them. She looked to Buffy. She wasn't smiling anymore. "What is it?" She whispered.

Buffy shook her head again, "Nothing."

"Please B. Don't keep secrets from me. Please."

Buffy rose up, "really Faith. I'm just emotional. I think all of the shit from the last few months has just piled on top of me. I'm drained."

Angel opened the door at that time, "Buffy we need to talk about…" He stopped when he saw Faith, "oh, hey. I didn't know you were busy. I'll come back."

Faith stood up. "You can talk in front of me."

Angel smiled and shook his head. "That's ok. I'll come back."

Faith clenched her fists. "Ok. Why the fuck are you guys being so secretive?" She turned to Buffy, "What the hell is going on here? What don't I know?"

Buffy answered weakly, "nothing."

"Bullshit," Faith cried, "Tell me."

Angel tried to help, "It's nothing."

She spun on him. "I don't remember asking you anything. This is between me and my girlfriend."

Buffy put her hand on Faith's arm. "Calm down."

"Fuck you. I am calm. You calm down. What the fuck is going on? You two fucking again? Am I going to have to kick Angelus's ass back to the netherworld cause you can't keep it in your pants?"

"Stop being an idiot Faith." Angel growled.

She jumped on him, "Fuck you big boy. Give me a reason to stake you." She reached back to hit him.

"Faith!" Buffy yelled, pulling her off of him. She grabbed her by the arm and threw her against the wall. "Calm Down!"

Faith stopped moving and rubbed her elbow where Buffy had grabbed her. She was breathing pretty hard. Putting her hands on her knees, she took a few quick breaths. When she rose up, she looked Buffy in the eye, "Choose."

"What!?!"

"I said choose," Faith was looking at Buffy with a madness she hadn't seen in quite a while. "Him or me."

"Faith quit being stupid. You're are jumping to all the wrong conclusions."

"Then tell me what is going on."

Buffy remained silent. Angel cleared his throat about to speak when Buffy held up her hand to silence him.

Faith watched the interaction. "I see," she said.

"You don't see shit but your own jealousy Faith," Buffy was getting pissed.

"Glad one thing hasn't change. You still can be the biggest bitch in the room," Faith bit back.

Buffy got in her face, "Fuck you Faith."

Angel went to intervene but Faith brushed him off. "Already did that, didn't you blondie?"

Buffy growled. "Yeah. Well hope you enjoyed it. Cause you won't be getting it again."

Faith stepped back and eyed Buffy. She looked deflated for a moment. Then her defenses came back up. "Whatever B. I'm outta here." And with that she left the room.

Chapter 9

Buffy's POV

"So you left cause you thought that was what I wanted?"

Faith nodded.

I sighed, "Come on. You know I didn't want that."

Faith tried to smile at me. "Well hey, least I know what the secret was."

I smiled back, "Yeah, I guess you do."

"And here all this time I thought you and Angel were making with the horizontal."

"Surely you didn't."

Faith shook her head, "Maybe not. I couldn't smell him on you." She cocked an eyebrow, "And don't think I didn't try."

I turned to her, "First of all, that gross. Second of all, you could really smell it?" She nodded at me, "Seriously. Would you have believed me?"

"I told you I would have."

"I know, but think about it. If I told you I was pregnant, would you not have at least questioned it?"

Faith sat still for a moment, "Well…of course…how could I not have. But I would have come around…and quickly. You know how I felt about you B. I think you could have come in there and stabbed me again and I would still have loved you."

I flinched, but didn't speak. It was a sore subject with me. I had stabbed her. I was never proud of it. Choosing Angel over her. I don't think she ever really got over it.

"Oh shit. I didn't mean it like that." Faith put her finger under my chin. "Look at me," I peered up. I could feel my eyes brimming with tears. Faith leaned down and kissed me. "We've got to get over this B. Find some way to fix this, or at least make it better."

I nodded at her. "That's what I want." I leaned into her, "I want to make this better."

She sat back against the headboard. "Come here."

I scooted up to her. She ran her fingers through my hair, and pulled me to her. I put my arms around her and leaned my head against her chest. I could feel her heart beating. She began kissing the top of my head. "This is going to be hard, Faith."

She was still kissing me. I could feel her arms tighten around my waist. She spoke in between kisses. "I know." Kiss. "I know." She squeezed me to her, "But I…we can make it work. Me, you and Annie."

I sucked in a deep breath. She didn't know what Annie had said. Little kids are fickle. But she had been pretty adamant. "She's making Monnie leave," she'd cried into my shoulder.

I thought back to what she had said.

"No she's not, baby. This is Monica's decision." I tried to rub her back.

She had pulled away from me. "No!" She screamed. "Kennedy was right. Faith is mean."

I had pulled her back to me then, "Kennedy is just mad at Faith. This is not Faith's fault."

She stomped her foot. "Yes it is. Why do you believe her, Mommy? Monica loved us. Why are you making her go away? She loves me. Why Mommy?" She was crying so hard that she couldn't see, her fists rubbing her eyes.

I had tried to console her, "It's complicated…"

"That's what Faith said," she had screamed.

"I know, but it is…" She hadn't even let me touch her.

"No…No it's not. It's not. I'm not a baby." I nodded at her. "I hate Faith. I hate her. Why did she have to come back? Why did she make everything bad? This is all her fault. I hate her." She sobbed out the last part.

Willow was coming in the room as Annie had been running out, "Whoa there." Willow said catching her.

"I hate her, Wills," She had jumped into Willow's arms.

Willow looked at me. I had gone over to rub her back. "Get away from me Mommy. I hate you. I hate you," she cried into Willow's shoulders.

Willow rubbed her back, "Oh that isn't nice. You shouldn't say things like that."

"No, it's true," she had cried.

"It's okay Wills," I said.

Willow looked at me. I nodded. She smiled weakly and left the room, trying to soothe my daughter, while I had stood where I was, feeling and no doubt looking, like a fool.

I nuzzled into Faith's arm. Should I tell her? I didn't know what to do? But there was one question in my head. One I just couldn't figure out. And that I could ask her about.

Faith's POV

Buffy was lying in my arms and the Charlie's Angel was gone. I felt like I could finally get some sleep. Still, we had to talk about how this all happened. Tomorrow would be good, though.

"Faith?"Buffy's voice was questioning. I pulled her to me, "Why did you come back?"

Shit. That was the one question she hadn't asked. The one I was hoping she would, in light of all the other drama, forget to ask.

"Oh, you know," I tried to sound light, "I am always ending up somewhere. Right?"

She wasn't buying it. "How long have you been in LA?"

"Two weeks," I whispered.

She jumped up and away from me, "Two weeks?"

I pulled her back. "Something like that. Come on B, we can talk about this tomorrow." I ran my hand up her thigh. Trying to get some leverage, to pull her back to me.

She jerked away, "Faith I am not having sex with you tonight."

Duh. Who had said anything about sex? Jesus. "I didn't think you were."

"Answer my question."

I decided to play stupid. I looked at her funny, tilting my head in a question.

She rolled her eyes. "Why are you in LA?"

I put my head in my hands. Fuck she wasn't gonna let this go, was she? "Well…ummm…"

"And what were you doing in the Children's Shoe Department?"

Huh? "Huh?"

"Today?" She rolled her eyes again, "When we ran into you?"

"Oh," I exclaimed. I could answer that. "I wasn't in the shoe department. The bathing suits were next to them. I was just walking by."

She nodded as if that sufficed. Okay. Time to go to sleep. "Well?"

"Well what?"

She punched me on the arm. "Why are you in LA?" She turned to look at me. Oh, don't give me that sugary smile it's not gonna work. "I mean it wasn't to see me," Pouter. "I'm ok with that. My question is why did you come back though? And why were you buying a bathing suit?" She added as an afterthought.

I stood up. "Fuck B, do we have to do this right now?" She nodded. Ah, fuck it. "Well, let me say first of all. It's over."

"What's over?" Well, it was fun while it lasted guys.

"The reason I'm here. I told her. As soon as I left here, I told her it was over."

Her face became increasingly red. Her fists began to clench and unclench the blanket she was sitting on. She looked up at me slowly. Fire behind her eyes, "Her? Are you serious? There is a her?"

"Nope B," I held up my arms, "Was a her. Was a her. Not a her anymore." I walked closer to the bed. She looked kinda pissed. Ok, stepping back. "Well, I mean there is a her. She's not dead or anything. But I'm not with her. Cause I'm here…" I motioned between us, "with you. Remember?" Stop babbling, dumbass.

Just then, as if all the gods in all the heavens do nothing but conspire at how to make my life just a little more fucked up for their daily amusement, my cell phone rang. I've got one of those ascending ring tones. It's not that loud at first. Slayer hearing what it is, she was closer to my bag, and she jumped up before I could stop her. Holy mother of fuck.

"Hello," her voice dripped with sweetness as she opened it. She had put her finger on the volume and turned it up as loud as it would go.

I could hear the voice on the other side. "Faithie? Baby is that you? When are you coming home?"

Buffy smiled so wickedly at me I got a little scared, "This isn't Faith. I'd let you talk to her, but right now she is eating my pussy so her mouth is kinda full."

Jesus Fuck.

"She said to tell you that she was sorry, but that she was staying here. That's why her bag is gone."

I could hear Sarah on the other end. Her breathing was even loud. "Her bag?" She screamed. "She has six bags you bitch. Let me talk to her."

Fuck, fuck, fuck. Fuck. Buffy stalked toward me, phone in hand. She was holding it out for me to take it.

Needless to say I freaked just a bit. I was backing up the whole way. Shaking my head. I could explain all of this if she would just let me try.

Suddenly she closed the phone and threw it at me. And fuck. That hurt. "Ok, B. I can explain."

"When the fuck…"her voice was getting louder, "were you planning….oh my god. Faith…why…I just sent Monica…I'm not fucking believing this." She stormed out of the room.

I just stood there. Like the idiot that I am. How the hell was I getting out of this?

The door slung back open, "For the love of Jesus, could you two be quiet." Cordelia, ok now is not the time.

"Listen," she said. "I'm glad you're back. But this loud sex. It's not gonna happen this time. We are older now and I value my sleep. I really do. And my door is next to yours this time. I just can't take it again. None of us can. So the hot monkey lovemaking you two do is going to have to be taken down a notch or two. Be like Buffy and Monica. They never made any noise. If that means you have to sacrifice some orgasms. So be it." She stopped. Finally. She looked around the room, "Where's Buffy?"

I sat on the edge of the bed. "She ran out."

A look of understanding crossed her face. "Oh so you weren't….you were fighting…" I nodded at her. "Well that's even worse. I can't take the drama. Really. I need my sleep."

I just looked at her. She was ridiculous sometimes.

"So fix whatever you did to fuck this up, Faith." I started to say something but she interrupted me, "No don't. I know it was you. It's always you. Sometimes you don't see what is right in front of you. Buffy's a little self-centered, I'll grant you, but you knew that coming in. You've got to learn to adapt." She backed out of the doorway. "But fix it outside. Cause the rest of us need some sleep."

She walked away and then came back. I was still staring at the door, "Oh and Faith. Get rid of the other girlfriend." She shut the door. "Dumbass." I heard her mumble.

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