Title: Lazy August

Rating: PWP

Disclaimer: Not Mine! I have no right to claim them, nor am i trying to by writing this fic! Song by Kenney Chesney, titled "No Shoes, No Shirts, No problems", which I also don't own or have any right to. NO PROFIT WAS MADE HERE!

Reason: PWP Fest for Dallas's B-Day at Passionate Oasis.

Part One Of Unknown.

Date: August 30th, 2004

"Lazy August"

Buffy grabbed the tab of her duffle with gusto and pulled the zipper shut almost violently. Though her actions might have been a bit over- zealous, the smile on her face was bright and genuine. Tossing the shoulder-strap over her neck, she opened the top drawer on her nightstand and removed her pass-port. She opened it to look at the picture and cringed, before the laughter in her throat bubbled out. She looked like some freakish version of a pixie, blonde hair everywhere and big eyes.

"I doubt anyone'll care where I'm headed." She said with a smile. Walking down the grand-staircase of the Hyperion she had an inescapable outlook of happiness. Shoving the little blue booklet into the back pocket of her khaki shorts, and walked over to the front desk, leaning over it with a sly grin.

"You're going?" Fred asked excitedly. Buffy nodded emphatically, to which the little brunette jumped excitedly in her desk- chair. "You're going?! You're going!!" Buffy started laughing at the joyous expression on the scientist's face. "You'll love it, I promise! We used to take trips there when I was little, and it's always worth a healthy visit." Buffy nodded. Stepping back from the desk a bit, she held both her arms out wide. Fred eagerly came out from behind the desk and gave her an excited hug.

"You can still change your mind?" Buffy offered as they pulled apart. "Just grab your pass-port and a couple bucks, I'll take care of the rest . . . ?" she offered her new friend, trying to sound enticing. Fred just blushed and shook her head, though she looked like she did want to tag along.

"Nah, I think I'mma stay here. Wesley and I are going to do a little more testing on the Slayers' abilities. He's got a pretty interesting theory he's excited to try out, now that he's got enough Slayers to get some good, solid answers." Buffy just shook her head and smiled at the woman she'd come to call a best-friend in the two months the two had gotten to know each-other.

"Alright, but remember; act Brainy! He thinks smart women are sexy!" at that Fred slapped her arm, blushing, "What? You'd better be making good use of this time alone in the Hotel – when I get back I expect the plaster from the ceiling to be hanging on by a thread!" Fred giggled nervously, but smiled and nodded. "Alright, I'm gonna hold you to that." Buffy said as she jogged out of the front door. Fred yelled her good-byes as Buffy fished around in her pockets for the keys to her rental car.

Clicking the little button, the trunk of her white Jetta popped right open. Smiling at the fact that she was heading out for the first vacation she'd in a good five years, she hummed as she put odds and ends in the boot and pulled her sunglasses from her bag. Map, keys, and wallet in toe, she climbed into the drivers' seat. Hooking up her new iPod to the tape deck of the car, she placed the map of Southern California open on the seat next to her and selected her play-list.

Sitting up to adjust the seat and mirrors, something rather out of place caught her eye. A brunette, not Fred, was standing a few paces down the curb with a similar duffle at her feet. Leaning over to show her cleavage, and sticking out a leg to pull up the hem of a skirt she wasn't actually wearing, she shook her thumb at Buffy as she sat in her car. They both laughed.

"Going my way?" Buffy called, rolling down her window and leering as she pulled her shades down the brim of her nose.

"That depends," came the familiar, Smokey voice of a former Scooby, "Where you headed?" Buffy chuckled as she approached her open window. Her smile turned beaming as she saw that the girl was serious.

"Mexico." She stated firmly. "Need a lift?"

"Hell Yeah!" she shouted, climbing into the car, tossing her bag into the back-seat. Buffy just laughed, glad to see she wasn't the only girl up for adventure and a hastily planned vacation.

"Where exactly in Mexico you headed?" Faith asked, strapping herself in.

"Los Cabos. Down in Baja California." At that the younger girl's eyes lit up.

"You serious?!" She asked excitedly, the crackling of her worn voice appealing even to Buffy, "Damn, step on it girlfriend!" Buffy just chuckled.

"What do you know about Los Cabos? And what about Wood?" she asked, sounding a bit like the disciplinarian. Faith sighed tiredly.

"Look, just because we dated doesn't mean I'mma give up all my freedom to be with him. Trust me, after Jail you don't wanna lose one minute of what you've got. Besides, if I can't run off and have a little fun when I feel I really need it, then he isn't worth that. I'd like to make my own choices, thank you very much." There was a long silence, and Faith sighed, continuing on.

"Alright. He and I aren't too happy with each other. All of a sudden, he's expecting me to have manors and taste and hobbies, and to be perfectly honest – I don't have any! Well, at least not more than one at once. He wants me to be a woman I'm not, and I'm sick of people trying to change me – I'm finally starting to find the person I really am, and I think he's trying to mold me. I don't like that; I wanna pick who I'm gonna be . . . besides, I think he's got an Elektra Complex . . . either that or some twisted form of an Oedipus Complex." At that Buffy let out a small nervous laugh.

"Excuse me – What?!" Faith groaned and looked in her side-view mirror, avoiding Buffy's eyes.

"Look, don't spread this around, but he has a thing for Slayers. He really gets off on the fact that he's with a Strong Woman; you know?" she said, tone implicit, "I'm not too into that, and the fact that he liked you, then he liked me, and the way he's been looking at Kennedy these past few days . . . I just think he's got some longstanding issues to work out regarding the loss of his mother, you get me?" Buffy's eyes were a little wide, but she nodded.

"Got your passport?" she asked. Faith nodded and pulled it out from the front of her shirt. Buffy just laughed. "You could probably lose a small island down there..." Faith chuckled.

"I lost a king-size Snickers Bar down there once." Buffy turned the car on and headed towards the freeway.

"I'll file that information away for later." They were quiet for a but, listening to the music playing low in the background, until Buffy remember her question from before. "Hey; you never told me what you know about Los Cabos?"

"Oh! It's a tourist-heavy city. Close to SouCal, so they get a lot of Americans' business, almost everyone speaks English. They're famous for Silver, Spiced Rum, and Cabo Wabo Margaritas." Buffy looked at her for a sec and then turned back to the road.

"Huh?" she grunted, "What the hell is a Wabo-Blobo?" Faith just laughed heartily and patted the girl on the shoulder as they sped their way south.

"Cabo Wabo is a type of Tequila. It's made by a rock star from some plant that only grows in that part of Mexico. They're supposed to be REALLY good... and knock the floor right out from under you. Trust me, this is your kind of drink."

"Faith." Buffy said solidly, "I don't drink."

"Ohhh – Yes you do. You just don't know it yet." The blonde just sighed and shook her head, consenting. Hell, she'd try anything at least once. And hey – better to get shit-faced with Faith than with the entire Scooby-Gang there to watch and judge her.

"So B, what made you decide to take a vacation?" the brunette asked, putting flip-flop adorned feet up on the large dashboard.

"Lazy August." She said, leaning back in her bucket seat. Faith gave her a look as if to say what the hell are you talking about?', so she smiled. "By August, people tend to get a but more laid-back. Most people jump into vacations in June, or July, eager to get started on their fun as soon as possible. In August people tent to be more passive, laid back, in a move-only-if-you-have-to kind of way. They go on short vacations only when they feel they really need it."

"I feel, I REALLY need it." Buffy sighed, sounding a lot more tired than Faith had hear her since the night she'd been kicked out of her own house. "I have a feeling the people I meet are gonna be here for the same reason I am – delayed gratification. Did you know it's been over five years since the last time I took a real break from Slaying?" Faith shook her head. "I plan on doing a whole lot of nothing, and possibly a whole lot of cheesy-vacationy-stuff. And I wanted to get away from the Scoobies. They're starting to get on my nerves, and I don't want the rift to get any worse."

"Sounds good to me." Faith grunted in agreement, "Sure you don't mind me tagging along?"

"Not at all. In fact, I was a little worried about going alone. I asked Fred but I think she's planning to seduce Wesley this week while we're gone." Faith chuckled.

"Yeah – they might as well get it over with." There was a stretched, comfortable silence, broken only when Faith suddenly burst out laughing. Buffy joined in.

"What?"

"Can you imagine what their kids'll be like?!" She forced out around a fit of near-hysterics. Buffy laughed harder until they both came down again.

"So B, what made you think of Mexico?"

"I didn't." She stated. Simply leaving it at that, not elaborating.

"What? Was this the only place you could afford? Or was it cause it's so close you could come back if there was an emergency?" She asked.

"Nah, it was this," Buffy said, leaning over and picking her iPod up, sorting through the songs for a minute. "I had decided I'd take a vacation as soon as we left The Crater Formerly Known As Sunnydale. But when I was trying to think of where to go, I heard this song on the radio, and it sounded like exactly what I was looking for..."

With that the first notes of a country song started up, and Faith listed.

"I've been up to my neck,

Workin 6 days a week,

wearin holes in soles,

Of the shoes on my feet,

Been dreamin of gettin away,

Since i dont know . . .

Aint no better time than now..

For Mexico!"

"No shoes, No shirt, No problems . . .

Blues what blues..hey i forgot them

The sun and the sand - and a drink in my hand

With no bottom!

And no shoes, no shirt, and no problems!

No problems"

"Want a towel on a chair,

In the sand by the sea,

Want to look thru my shades,

And see you there with me,

Want to soak up life for a while

In laid back mode!

No boss, no polite, no stress, - and no dress code!"

"No shoes, No shirt, No problems . . .

Blues what blues..hey i forgot them

The sun and the sand - and a drink in my hand

With no bottom!

And no shoes, no shirt, and no problems!

No problems"

"Babe lets get packed,

Tank tops and flip flops - if u got em!

No shoes, no shirt, no problems...

No problems."

To Be Continued...

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