She smirked to herself, checking her nails idly and flicking at something underneath one. Her hair was in a wild, but not unattractive array, barely windblown. Her eyes were rimmed by dark kohl, and lips in a glossy blood red. Even her outfit was picked perfectly. Tight black jeans and a torn tank top that advertised for the band Slayer. When she saw several students walk in through the library doors, and a man amble out of an office reading some book, the smirk only increased. She'd timed it perfectly, getting there just before the students were let out for lunch, and with the old man in his little hubble of an office researching.
"So I was thinking that maybe it was a trick of the light, or even a ghost. It could be a ghost. Those exist…" Xander babbled, a goofy grin plastered to his face, only to come up short as they all realized at the same time just what Buffy was staring at. "I, uh… I mean… um… wanna help me out here guys?"
"Please do me the great favor of removing your feet from my desk, thank-you. Is there something that I can help you with?"
Faith looked over at the 'librarian' that had addressed her. Giles. She'd been given a few random "memories" over the course of that morning as she searched around for the school. The primary of those being faces to put to the names she had, and that they always met in the library, of all places. The smirk on her face briefly flashed to a smile when the blonde finally spoke. "You're the girl from last night."
"Yo. You must be this Buffy that I've heard so much about." Faith stood then, leaning back a bit and hooking both thumbs into the belt loops of her pants. Xander was briefly captivated by the pull of her shirt over her breasts before he saw what was written there, and elbowed the redhead quickly to look as well. She blushed, but noted the same thing. "I'm Faith."
"Buffy… I think…"
The blonde was scowling, and approached cautiously to look at her more closely. The almost familiar wash of tingles grew strong enough for her to actually notice as it flew up her spine. It was much like the feeling that she got in the pit of her stomach when vampires were near, only pleasant, and over the majority of her body. "Hey B, see somethin ya like?" A single brow rose suggestively, and she licked her glossy lips to add to that.
The blonde turned as red as the other girl had, and backed away a step, before frowning and pursing her lips. "The new slayer? Nice choice of shirts…"
"They're good music…" Faith shrugged and smirked again, flopping into the chair and replaced her booted feet on the table. "So what's up?"
"Another Slayer?" Willow looked confused, as if she hadn't just been suspecting that very thing. She stared again at the logo on Faith's shirt, and after a moment, was blushing a hot red again. "I… um… it… and…"
"What're you doing in Sunnydale?" Buffy asked suspiciously, sitting in the chair across from her and folding her arms defensively. Xander merely smiled foolishly as he trotted over to the table as well, Giles going as far as to follow only to tap insistently at Faith's boots.
"Thought I'd come and see what all the fuss was about." Faith shrugged and stretched back, chuckling inwardly at how the boy nearly drooled, the two girls turned red, and the Watcher was immediately cleaning his glasses. "Hey, I get away from the Brit for a few days, hop a bus, come riding into town. Figure that we could get up to some fun times, yanno. Didn't think he'd be here…" Faith eyed Giles as if ruefully, knowing that the story was complete crap. Well, she wasn't about to spill all her fucking beans to a couple of goofy kids and an uptight idiot! So what if the pendant around her neck seemed to warm at that thought, and the feeling that he was one of the few men she could ever trust came into her mind. She had her reasons. This was gonna be difficult enough as it was, damn if she still couldn't decide herself if it was all a big damned trick.
"Got away from your Watcher?" Buffy seemed even more suspicious, and stood again, her arms folded once more. Faith was proud to catch the blonde staring again at her cleavage… or the word written there, she couldn't decide which.
"Retreat thingy. Yanno… I thought since mine… yours would." She shrugged helplessly, only vaguely remembering her Watcher having mentioned it. Everyone turned to look at Giles then, save for Faith, who took that moment to check the blonde out.
"I… well…" He seemed to think for a moment, his brows knitted, and then let out a small breath of air as enlightenment filled his eyes. "Oh. Well them. You see… there's a Watchers' retreat every year in the Cotswolds. It's a lovely spot, very s-serene." He's cleaning his glasses again, blushing a bit and his voice only wavering the slightest. "There is horse riding and hiking… and punting and lectures, discussions…" His voice trails off slightly as he smiles softly in envy. "It-I-it's a great honor to be invited… or so I'm told."
"Ah, don't sweat it Jeeves. It's boring. Too stuffy for a guy like you." She winked suggestively, smiling, and making Xander, who had been watching her intently, cough and sputter.
"Perhaps I should properly introduce you." Buffy said, frowning and staring at Faith. "This is Giles. Watcher. Giles the Watcher."
"Yeah, I get it. He's Gi… Whatever, G-man, and he's a Watcher. If I'd'a known they came that young, I'd'a gotten a transfer." She winked again, making the stuffy Brit clean his glasses. Eventually she and B would be good friends enough to have a contest, who could make him clean his specs more often. She was pretty sure she'd win that one. "Cute for an English guy."
"Um, may I say ewe?"
"I second that." Willow and Xander managed to say at the same time. Faith, of course, only chuckled.
"That aside…" Giles coughed and cleared his throat, replacing his glasses. "It is rather fortuitous that Faith arrived as she did. Curious as I am about what happened last night, there have been…"
"Aha!" Willow said, raising a finger and making everyone turn to stare at her. She blushed, especially when Faith smiled and waggled her brows, but babbled and stuttered out more nevertheless. "I… I… uh… I mean to say… Aha! Evil. Big, brewin evil. You'll never get bored here, F-Faith. I knew there was a reason she showed up."
"Thought I said I came ta have some fun with my blonde counterpart…" Faith looked confused, raising both brows.
Giles picked up a newspaper from atop the card catalogue, turning again to look solemnly around at everyone. "Yes, well, I don't know how big an evil it is, but, uh, two people have disappeared from the Sunset Ridge District." He hands the paper to Buffy, who scans the article and tosses it to Faith, who abruptly drops it on the table without a glance.
"Alrighty then. Patrol, yey." Buffy said sarcastically, and let out a small sigh. "I'm up for it, but latish though. Dinner with mom tonight."
"Right! Kickin vamp ass. I'm in." Faith smiled and cracked her knuckles, nodding. "Warm up with a spar after school B? Should know each other's moves before we lay it down together." What she meant was obvious, a sparring session, but when Buffy turned to look at her, she still winked to put another message across. It only made the blonde blush and stutter. "After the bell then."
"Ooh, tour!" Xander exclaimed, jumping up and hopping to Faith's side. "We should give her a school tour. Needs to know her way around and such."
"Right… um…" Willow seemed a bit less sure, but as Giles nodded and shooed them out as he gestured for Buffy to lag behind, she went along.
"Yo, so B ever tell you any of her Slayin stories? Fuck but that's some good times." Faith said with a grin, winking at Buffy and walking out with the two. "Like, there was this one time, down in Missouri, with this Big Daddy Vamp that used to keep mothers of alligators as pets…"
Faith and Buffy were circling each other carefully in the center of the high school library, Xander and Willow watching raptly as Giles sat reading something. He'd overseen the first round or so, and had quickly left them to it. Now, as they agreed to take a brief break for water, Faith leaned against a cabinet, smiling. She'd already won over the friends. Her stories about slaying adventures had quickly had them wrapped up in the wonder that was -Faith-. Now, as she smirked and set her water bottle down, she raised a brow at the blonde. "Yo, B, ain't it funny how slayin always makes ya hungry and horny."
Buffy choked on her water, sputtering it out and turning bright red as she coughed, her friends concerned and moving toward her, but staring in shock as well. "What?!" Her eyes were wide and her ears burned as she stared at the dark-haired slayer. Faith smiled and nodded, shrugging. "I… um… I… no. I mean, sometimes I crave a non-fat yogurt but… um…" She was babbling, shyly to boot, and wouldn't even look the darker girl in the eye. Faith only chuckled.
"Yo, don't sweat it. Hey, fuck, I gotta take a shower and figure out dinner for tonight. Where should I meet ya for patrol?" As Buffy turns to get her stuff, Faith barely notes Willow giving the blonde a certain look.
"Um… if you want, once we freshen up, you could join us for dinner. Me and my mom I mean. She'd probably really like to meet you…"
"Sweet." Faith just smiles in a cocky manner, sauntering over to Willow and poking her slightly as she gets her own things from behind where the redhead and Xander had been sitting.
"Great! Great… and then we can go patrolling… also together."
"Right. Yeah, I wanned'a talk to ya anyway. It'll give us a chance to really bond." Faith says with a big smile, hugging Buffy by the shoulders. The blonde looked decidedly miserable, making Faith both laugh and cringe inside. This would be hell.
Faith settled herself a bit more into the chair. Buffy had been quiet the entire walk there, leaving several uncomfortable gaps of silence in their walk. Now they were sat down to dinner with the blonde's mother… who was all too eager and friendly.
"So you're a Slayer, too. Isn't that interesting!" The woman smiled and started to spoon some broccoli onto her plate. "Do you like it?"
Buffy eyed the broccoli as Faith answered, obviously wanting the bowl passed over. "God, I love it." Damn, you'd think that I was like some movie star or something, she won't stop smiling and staring at me… B looks like she's kinda hungry.
"Uh, Mom?" Buffy's voice was tentative, and she seemed to be indicating the broccoli bowl… but her mom just waved her off and continued.
"Just a second, honey. You know, Faith, Buffy never talks like that. Why do you love it?" Her eyes shone as she watched Faith and she finally stopped scooping broccoli.
Faith looked briefly at Buffy, noting the girl's expression, before switching back to looking at her mom. Aggravated and annoyed, not good. Oh well. "Well, when I'm fighting, it's like the whole world goes away… and I only know one thing: that I'm gonna win and they're gonna lose." At that she leaned forward and winked. "I like that feelin'." Following that statement, the brunette promptly began to dig into her food, starving. God it had been forever since she'd had a good, home-cooked meal. Glancing up again, she noticed Buffy decide to just give up on the broccoli bowl and use the tongs to grab some fries.
When Joyce finally sat down, Buffy retorted with a grumbled, "Well, sure. Beats that dead feeling you get when they win and you lose."
Faith paused to finish off her soda, and locked eyes with the obviously resentful blonde over the rim of her glass. Fuck… this sure as hell isn't going good. What the fuck did I do to her, huh? I haven't even gotten the chance to fuck up yet. Damn, stop thinking that. Uh… the broccoli. Give her some broccoli idiot. She smiled tentatively as if she'd taken it as a sarcastic joke, and passed the bowl of broccoli over. Buffy just looked confused before helping herself. She's kinda cute with that confused little frown. Fuck, what the hell am I thinking that for! "Yeah… dead wouldn't be fun."
Joyce just grinned broadly at Faith's little quip, then suddenly noticed the empty glass. "Oh, Faith, can't I get you some more soft drink?"
"Yeah, sure. You bet." Faith put on her best shit-eating grin for the woman, watching as she took the glass and walked off to the kitchen. "She's pretty cool, huh?"
Buffy looked at Faith skeptically, taking a bite of a fry and nodding. "Yeah, best mom ever." The blonde then just looked around the table and into the kitchen to see what her mother was doing. "Would you excuse me?" Without waiting for an answer, Buffy hurried to get up and walk into the kitchen, keeping herself from grumbling beneath her breath. Watching after her a moment, Faith shook her head, turned, and picked up the small bottle of hot sauce, sniffing it tentatively.
Gah, nasty. How do people stand that shit? She just did her best not to look back at the two in the kitchen.
"I like this girl Buffy." Joyce said, grinning and taking out more coke.
"Oh, she's very personable." Buffy said sarcastically, sitting on a stool. "She gets along with my friends… my Watcher… my mom." She leaned back and noticed Faith sneak a fry from her plate before scooping some of the ones still on the serving plate onto her own. "Look, now she's getting along with my fries."
The glass filled, Joyce closed the bottle and rolled her eyes at her daughter's attitude. "Now, Buffy…"
"Plus, who disappears into thin air, huh? She's creepy."
Crossing her arms, Buffy's mom just leveled a look on her. "Does anyone else think Faith's creepy… and disappearing into thin air?"
"We saw her last night outside of the Bronze chasing after some woman, and then they both just… disappeared on top of one of the hills. And she was there this morning all of a sudden too. You've gotta admit that's creepy." Buffy grumbled, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hands.
"She was on one of the hills Buffy, she could have just gone over the next rise." Joyce rolled her eyes. "Does anyone else think she's creepy?"
"Well… no… but I'm the one being single-white-femaled here."
Her mother only smiled wryly and picked up the glass. "It's probably best that you were an only child, Buffy."
The blonde girl sat back up and rolled her eyes. "I'm just getting my life back, mom. I'm not really looking to go halfsies on it." Joyce chuckled, as if that was exactly what she was talking about. "We just met her."
"Well, there are at least some things that I'd be happy to see you share. Like the slaying, for instance. I mean, two of you fighting is safer than one, right?" She walked around and put a careful hand on her daughter's shoulder.
"I guess…"
"Unless, I mean, you heard her. She loves the slaying." She turned and leaned against the kitchen's island. "Couldn't she take over for you? Once she learns her way around?"
"No one can take over for me, mom. I told you."
"But you're going to college next year. She is a Slayer, Buffy, isn't she? I think it would be…" Oblivious, Joyce started rambling.
"Mom, the only way you get a new Slayer is when the old Slayer dies. I can't just stop doing my duty." Buffy gave a long-suffering sigh, not even realizing what she'd just said.
After a moment of quiet, it dawned on her to look at her mother, who had turned white. It had, of course, dawned on the woman what that meant. "Then that means you… you… When did you die?! You never told me you died!"
In the dining room, Faith straightened up, and stared behind her, before edging a bit more out of sight. Shit, hadn't the girl told her mom about that yet?!
"No… it- it was only just for a few minutes. I kinda drowned. I was revived. I'm okay." Buffy winced and tried to explain, watching as her mother began to pace nervously.
"Oh, I hate this. I hate your life. This shouldn't be happening."
"Mom, I…"
"Look, I…" She took a deep breath, doing her best not to come to tears while she was still attempting to talk with Buffy. "I know you didn't choose this… that this chose you. I've tried to mark in the 'Slayer Pride' parade. But I…" She gulped a breath in, staring earnestly at Buffy. "I don't want you to die, Buffy."
The Slayer -what- parade?? Buffy didn't let that thought distract her from responding though. Moving, she hugged her mother tightly. "I'm not gonna die. I know how to do my job." Sighing and realizing that they still had a guest, who probably heard too much of that, she looks back in the direction of the dining room. "Besides, like you said, I've got help now."
Composing themselves, both of them smiled, hugged once more, and turned back to dinner. They could talk more later, but right now they were being rude to their guest. Joyce almost looked panicked when she realized that they'd taken so long.
TBC