Chapter 4

Scotland

Pacing back and forth in front of the baggage claim a small blond bit at her nails as nervousness began to fill her, a knot forming in the pit of her stomach. It had been over an hour since she had arrived at the small airport outside of Dublin to wait for Willow's flight to have landed. Buffy still wondered why the red head didn't just teleport to the castle like she usually did, especially when Illyria was going to be with her. Pausing mid pace Buffy wondered if it was Illyria that was making her feel as if the world was about to end, but the slayer knew that was just an excuse. The underline of fear she felt actually started a week ago with one simple phone call.

Flashback

"Buffy, Miss Rosenberg on line two for you ma'am." the voice of her assistant chirped from the intercom on her desk. Closing her eyes with a sigh the blond was still trying to get used to the way people treated her here. It was either 'yes ma'am, no ma'am' or pint size slayers with a case of hero worship that followed her around. Half the time the slayer wanted to yell at them to just leave her alone and her name was Buffy. While it had gotten better with her assistant Veronica, the poor girl still couldn't resist throwing in a 'ma'am' every once in a while.

"Thank you Ronnie, I got it" Buffy sighed out picking up the phone, "hey Will, I thought you were going to come last week? What's up?" she asked.

"H-hey Buff, yeah I was, but some last minute changes had to be made so I am going to fly out there next Friday instead of just pop in."

Hearing the hesitancy in her friend's voice, a frown crossed the blonds face as she started to push her friend for information on these last minute plans of hers, "what Last minute changes Willow? I thought it was just going to be you like always. Oh did you finally convince Illyria and Lorne to come with you? We could really use their help. I mean not that you wouldn't be any help; it's just three heads are better the one and any extra help would be welcome help but you know you're still number one best gal pal to me…" Buffy stopped mid rant at Willow shouting her name a blush tinting her cheeks pink in embarrassment having been caught babbling.

"Ha, yeah…good news is Illyria decided to come but Lorne is staying here in LA with Tyler, hold the home front down while Faith joins us on our little jaunt, so alright see you next Friday at 2 o'clock" Willow breathed out in one breath hanging up the phone before the blond had a chance to reply.

Sitting in her mahogany leather chair Buffy stared blankly at the wall in front of her with her mouth agape the phone hanging limply in her hand as the words 'Faith' and 'next Friday' ran through her mind.

End Flashback

Faith was going to be here coming on a plane in twenty minutes, the thought alone was making the blond question everything that she had known for the past five months. It wasn't as if they had parted on friendly terms when the mini slayers and the gang left for Scotland to start Slayer HQ or as Andrew calls it the resistance against the forces of Darkness. Sitting down Buffy buried her head as the memories of their parting began to fill her mind, the intensity behind those memories leaving her startled and hot under the collar.

&&&&

Shifting in her seat uncomfortably Faith's body felt as it were about to come undone from nerves. The brunette slayer hated flying, and apparently so did the baby. Hugging her stomach with one arm and covering her mouth with the other Faith bolted towards the planes lavatory upchucking everything that was left in her stomach with a pitiful groan. Apparently slayers weren't immune to everything was the thought that floated around her mind as she sat on the tiny cubical of a bathrooms floor. Sighing in contentment as the cool feeling of the metal touching the bare parts of her skin brought a soothing sensation to her. Closing her eyes at the nice feeling Faith almost fell asleep when the plane lurched about jerking the slayer to and fro.

Having been startled awake the brunette picked herself up and headed slowly and determinedly back to her seat. Turning to her companion next to her Faith asked "Remind me again why I agreed to go with you? And on a plane, no less?"

"Teleportation would be too dangerous for the baby at least at this stage in the gestation period, Illyria would have stayed at the hotel with you if you had stayed home instead of helping the others with the upcoming apocalypse, and Tyler threatened to sing the beastie boys till I came back if you didn't leave also." Willow stated in a monotone voice as she turned the page of her magazine that she was browsing, a tiny smile curling her lips as she remembered the begging Lorne had done just to prevent Tyler from singing.

Sighing Faith settled back in her chair, knowing that what Willow said was all true, it didn't mean that the slayer had to like it. She was five months pregnant and about to confront someone that had always managed to make the brunette weak. In fact her whole past had revolved around this person and now she was tied to that person in more ways then one. Falling into a light nap Faith silently prayed to whom or whatever would listen that nothing catastrophic would happen while they were in Scotland.

&&&&

Looking out the corner of her eye at the sleeping brunette beside her Willow sighed as she relaxed. Opening her mind she reached out to Lorne back in LA at the Hyperion, hoping that she wasn't catching him at a bad time. The redhead while smart always had an issue with time zones.

'Lorne can you hear me?'

'Loud and clear, cupcake; Have all the little ducklings landed in the UK yet?'

'No, we have another hour, I forgot how long flying in a plane takes,' Willow smiled, 'how's everything at the home front, Tyler giving you any problems?' she asked

'He's been a dumpling so far, though he's raided Faiths after birth stash of white russian's, just don't tell the mama to be that' Lorne laughed, 'how is the little muffin and the bun in the oven?'

'Stressed,' Willow sighed as she turned her head to look at Faith fully, 'I hope this plan will work out Lorne, I hate this separation between everyone. Especially now with Rogue's circumstances and her added body guard posse that is Illyria. She creeps me out when she changes into Fred's image.'

'I know what you mean, cupcake, it all works out for the best,' Lorne sighed, 'trust me, when that little girl sings it's all rainbows and unicorns, but there is also pain and loss. Just keep your eye open. They don't know her like we do.'

"We are now approaching Dublin, UK, please buckle your seatbelts and put all tray and chairs in the upright position as we are about to land. Thank you for flying with Continental Airways, we hope your flight was enjoyable." A voice crackled over the intercom throughout the plane.

'We've arrived, I contact you when everyone is settled. Tell Tyler that he gets this one free pass with Faiths stash but he's got to replace what he took so she wont notice.'

'Will do cupcake, and Good luck'

TBC