Title: Three Nights In

Author: Pulpgeek

E-mail: pulpgeek@hotmail.com

Rating: Say PG-14 same as the show

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me. They belong to Joss Whedon and some suits. If they belonged to me not every relationship on the show would end badly.

Category: F/X

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-One-

It was not the sort of night Xander wanted to be out on the streets. Nothing about the weather, it was just the kind of evening made for staying home and reveling in self-pity. Time to cue up a CD of the man in black and ponder your own stupidity. Still, Buffy had asked for his help and he never could turn that girl down. Even putting aside the residual crush she was a close friend and with Willow avoiding him Xander needed all the friends he could get.

So instead of sitting alone in the dark contemplating ways to make up with Cordy Xander was bar hoping looking for Faith. The new Slayer was cute, all right gorgeous, but despite their best efforts she appeared to have little interest in joining the group. Xander had persisted but even the most determined person would be a little hurt after having the offered hand slapped away for the hundredth time. He was up to his eighty sixth rejection from Faith. That should have been enough of a hint but Buffy was worried about her and asked him to keep an eye on the junior Slayer.

It was a lot easier to like the girl before he had spent a week pulling her out of sleazy dives. Dealing with an intoxicated super-chick was normally Buffy's department but that broken ankle was keeping her out of the running for at least another couple of days. In the few weeks he had known Faith it had become painfully obvious that she had problems. Worse problems than the usual Hellmouth related ones. Big honking emotional trauma type problems. So far he had been able to pin down two, an almost desperate need for attention and a killer love/hate issue thing with Buffy. The only way he had managed to end her nightly post-slayage parties was by promising not to tell Buffy about her antics. Emotionally stunted and Buffy obsessed, he could relate.

Actually finding Faith was rarely the problem. Just look for a bar with loud music that is rough enough to serve an underage girl. Getting Faith to leave without getting his own ass kicked by creeps who like the idea of an intoxicated teenage girl was more the issue. Maybe tonight he'd be lucky and Faith wouldn't have flirted with half the bar. Xander was not holding his breath.

Maybe he should have.

The hole he finally located Faith in smelled worse then a vampire lair. With a name like The Red Rush maybe this place was a vampire hang out, that would certainly explain the décor. Faith was easy to spot, grinding up against a guy twice her age while a broken down sound system played music written with strippers in mind. Messed up as she was Faith did not belong in a joint like this. She stood out like a fallen angel among the dammed. An emotionally devastated beauty surrounded by some of the worst Sunnydale had to offer. Quite an accomplishment in this town. Now he was starting to sound like a bad country song, these late nights were not agreeing with him.

Xander didn't like the looks coming his was as he moved towards Faith. Screw um. After three years of vampires and bogey men lecherous drunks didn't have much in the way of intimidation factor. Not unless they threatened to breathe in his direction.

"Past mid-night Faith, time for all good little Slayers to be in bed."

"Xanderwhat's going on B-pet?"

Buffy's pet. Her current little nickname for him, the girl had dumb nicknames for everyone. Maybe it wasn't too late for begging Giles forgiveness over the G-Man thing.

It took a moment to register, what with her usual attitude, but Faith was drunk. Not her usual had a few and feeling fine' but full on three sheets to the wind drunk. With her constitution Faith must have drunk half to bar to get that sloshed. This called for a change in strategy.

"Bad place to get drunk Faith, let's get you out of here ok?"

"I may be feeling no pain but I can still kick ass if whatshisname here doesn't move that hand."

"Right. Fine. How about I take you for some late night grub then?"

"Food? You think you can bribe me with food? Well, all these losers have is peanuts. Guess you do know the way to my heart after all. Feed me Xan."

Post-slaying munchies. You don't spend three years fixated on a Slayer and not pick up some things.

Ignoring the death glares from the losers around him Xander maneuvered Faith towards the door. The Slayer was not very steady on her feet and kept half-falling into him. Xander tried not to think about how good she looked in those tight leather pants and halter top. Only a total sleaze would even think about taking advantage of a drunk girl. Not to mention he was trying to get back with Cordy not hook up with someone even more screwed up than he was. Maybe that was it, the reason he stuck with Faith, one broken soul looking after another. Nah, nothing so poetic, probably a bad case of white knight syndrome.

By the time they reached the street Faith was barely keeping her legs under her. So much for food, this girl needed to collapse and soon. Better get her to bed.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you home, you need to get some sleep."

"But I'm hungry"

"I'll buy you breakfast, right now I suspect you'd pass out in your eggs."

"I did pass out in a dinner once, woke up just as some asshole was sticking his hand down my pants. Had to break his arms for that. What a crybaby."

Did she have any stories that did not involve physical violence or public nudity?

"Hey, my hotel is the other way."

"I'm taking you to my house Faith. It's a lot closer."

"I'm not the kind of girl you can just take to your place for a quick roll, ok maybe I am but you could at least ask first."

"I'm not going to try anything Faith."

"Why not? I may be a little off my game but I'm still hot."

No argument there.

"Not every guy will take advantage of a girl you know. I don't screw my friends."

"You sure try though, damn but could you fixate on B's ass any more?"

Not wanting to talk about his old crush Xander broke off the conversation and concentrated on getting them home. Faith was mostly silent except for occasionally cursing the road for not staying solid.

Sneaking Faith into his basement room wasn't much of a challenge, it wasn't like his parents would have cared who he brought home. Hell, his father would probably have died from shock if he saw a girl of Faith's beauty in his loser son's room. Maybe he should wake the old drunk and find out.

They had just gotten past the door when Faith made a run for the sink. What do you know, she actually is human. Or a reasonable facsimile of one. Xander followed the sickened Slayer and held her hair while Faith emptied the contents of her stomach. He ran some cold water and cleaned her up, removing the too heavy make-up in the process. She almost fell in after her dinner but Xander's steady hands instead guided her to the bed. Stopping momentarily to dig Faith up a breath mint.

As he lay her down Faith pulled him on top of her, even drunk she was strong.

"Come on Xan, I still need to work off some energy."

She tried to kiss him but he pulled back. She actually looked a little hurt.

"Sorry Faith, you may be gorgeous but right now that breath of yours could melt flesh."

"So get me another mint and take those damn clothes off. I need a little lovin."

"What you need is sleep. Try again when you're sober."

He dis-entangled himself from Faith's arms but she kept hold of his hand.

You're turning me down?"

"Much as it goes against every part of being a teenaged male, yes I am."

"Weird. This isn't part of the B lust thing is it?"

"Nope. I just don't want to take advantage of you."

"Like you could. You're the first guy ever to pass on getting me naked. Freak."

"I prefer gentleman' if you don't mind."

"Well I'm no lady Xander so why even bother? Only things I'm good for is slaying and laying."

"I wouldn't keep following you around if I thought that was true."

"Hmmm"

Faith let him go a curled up into a quasi-fetal position. Her eyes were closed and her voice down to a near whisper. Bordering on the edge of sleep. Funny, she seemed almost child-like.

"How come B gets all the good guys Xan?"

"By being Buffy, she's a great person and a real friend."

"Wish I had somebody."

"You have me. Not much I'll admit but I'm here for you."

"Just cause B thinks I need looking after."

"No, because I do. You need me, I here."

"That's sweet."

She fell asleep then and Xander pulled the covers up over her. He considered crashing himself but thought better of it. Someone this drunk, even a Slayer, needed watching. So he did. At rest, emotion drained from her features and stripped of her usual make-up Faith looked so vulnerable. She also looked the most beautiful thing Xander had ever seen.