"Forget demons and vampires you will be the death of me," Buffy growled at her college text books. She had been studying for what felt like years and her brain currently felt like a ball of mush sitting inside her head. She smirked when she felt her Slayer connection intensify and knew that Faith was hovering outside her door. She decided to pretend like she didn't know the young girl was there and pretended to keep reading her smile widening when she caught sight of Faith's head peeking slowly around her door.
"B," Faith whispered quietly but Buffy didn't acknowledge that she had heard even though with her advanced hearing it was impossible for her not to.
"B," the young girl said a little louder this time and Buffy could see a little more of her small body as she tentatively came further into the room.
"B are you finished yet?" Faith asked and Buffy could see her sister bite her lip nervously and she looked as if she thought she would get in trouble.
"Faith is that you?" Buffy said turning slowly to look at the young girl.
"Yeah it's Faif," Faith said her face screwing up in confusion not getting Buffy's game.
"Faith, Faith where'd you go?" Buffy asked getting up from her chair and looking around her bedroom pretending not to see her sister.
"B I'm here," Faith said crossing her arms across her chest.
"Faith where are you?" Buffy called inching closer to the young girl.
"B you're right in front of me," Faith scowled getting annoyed.
"Faith? Faith?" Buffy called again getting closer to Faith.
"B that's not funny I'm right here," an edge of panic starting to creep into the toddler's voice as she came closer to Buffy.
"Guess I must've imagined it," Buffy shrugged her shoulders turning back to her desk.
"No B I'm here," Faith yelled running forward to grab Buffy's leg. In one swift motion Buffy whirled around and scooped Faith up and dumped her on her bed tickling her mercilessly.
"As if I couldn't see you you goof," Buffy said flopping down onto the bed next to Faith. The toddler was still trying to get her breath back after being tickled but she managed to roll herself up onto Buffy balancing herself on the older girl's stomach.
"Are you finished 'tudying yet B? 'Cause Mama says I'm not allowed to bother you if you're not but you've been doin' it for a long time and Mama is havin' a nap and I got bored," Faith said bending down so her elbows were resting against Buffy's chest and resting her head in her hands she looked her sister in the eye.
"Mom's having a nap?" Buffy asked slightly worried, Joyce hadn't been feeling too great lately, "hey wait if Mom's having a nap doesn't that mean you're supposed to be as well?"
"I tried to but I'm not sleepy at all and then I was lonely and I came to see you but Mama said I wasn't 'lowed to interrupt you if you were still studying so I had to wait till you were finished," Faith said.
"Well I think I'm due for a break my brain is totally fried," Buffy said.
"Mama said we could go to the park and feed the ducks when you were finished," Faith said excitedly.
"You better not chase them this time remember last time when they all flew away," Buffy reminded her.
"They were sad," Faith said nodding her head.
"Well we'll have to keep ourselves busy until Mom wakes up then," Buffy said as Faith lay her head down on Buffy's chest. They lay in silence for awhile Buffy stroking Faith's hair as they enjoyed each other's company.
"B," Faith said after awhile.
"Yeah Faithy," Buffy answered her eyes closed in relaxation.
"Is there something wrong with Mama?" the toddler asked softly. Buffy's hand stopped in the younger girl's hair for a second before beginning to run through Faith's long dark curls again.
"Why do you ask that?" Buffy asked.
"She's had a sore head a lot and, she," Faith trailed off shaking her head as she buried into the crook of Buffy's neck.
"What happened baby?" Buffy asked concerned. It was always worrying when Faith was quiet because usually they couldn't get the young girl to stop talking.
"Nothin'," Faith mumbled.
Buffy wrapped her arms around Faith's waist and sat the two of them up on her bed. Amidst protests from Faith she pushed her sister away from her so she could see the toddler's face.
"Faithy it's me you can tell me anything," Buffy said brushing some hair away from Faith's face.
"In the kitchen we were talking and then she looked at me funny and she said Who are you? And then she was alright again after," Faith said quietly looking down at her hands that were resting in her lap, "Why did she forget who I was?"
Buffy stared at her sister in shock. Not only had she not been aware of what had happened she was also scared about what that meant for her mother. While the hospital hadn't found anything wrong with Joyce last time they went in with her mother still not feeling her best she knew they would eventually. Her expression softened when she noticed the way Faith was biting her lip to stop it from trembling. The toddler had had to have been frightened when it happened and it was surprising she had waited so long to tell Buffy.
"I don't know sweetheart," Buffy said softly, "she didn't do it on purpose, she could never forget who you are she loves you lots," Buffy said cupping Faith's cheek with her hand.
"I wove her too and I don't want her to be sick," Faith said leaning forward so she was resting against Buffy again. Buffy wrapped her arms around Faith's back and rubbed her sister's back comfortingly.
"I know baby I don't either, but if she is you and I will have to be strong for her and make sure we do everything we can to help her get better," Buffy said.
"We'll have to be brave girls," Faith said nodding her head.
"Like superheros," Buffy said smiling.
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"Now remember Faithy don't chase them away or there won't be any left for you to throw the bread to," Buffy said as Joyce handed the toddler a piece of bread.
"They all flied away last time," Faith informed her mother.
"Well you'll just have to be nicer to them and maybe they'll stick around a little longer," Joyce said handing Buffy a piece of bread.
"So are you feeling alright?" Buffy asked as they watched Faith enthusiastically throw large chunks of bread at the ducks.
"I'm alright, a little tired but I'm sure it's nothing," Joyce said smiling at her daughter.
"We're worried about you," Buffy said staring at the lake as she threw her own pieces of bread to the ducks.
"You don't have to be worried honey I'll be fine," Joyce said putting her arm around Buffy's shoulders and giving them a squeeze, "Faith honey don't go too close to the edge we don't want to be fishing you out of the lake," she called out to her youngest who was indeed teetering very close to the edge.
"Mama I won't fall in," Faith said turning her head to look back at them.
"Even so come back just a bit to make your mother happy," Joyce said to her.
"Fine but you're being silly Mama," Faith scowled coming back a little further.
Buffy and her mother chatted for awhile as they watched Faith happily feed the ducks; the toddler would see how close she could get to the duck with the bread held out hesitantly in her hand and then squeal and run back up to them if it got too close or if it actually took it from her hand.
"Did ya see that one?" Faith cried running up to them excitedly and resting her hands on her mother's knees, "the big one nearly bited my whole hand off."
"Well lucky it didn't I like these hands," Joyce said pulling the toddler's small hands into her bigger ones and kissing them gently.
"Are you and B gonna feed the ducks with me?" Faith asked.
"I'm happy just watching you but I'm sure Buffy would love to, you'll just have to ask really nicely," Joyce told her letting go of her hands.
"B do you want to feed the ducks with me?" Faith said looking at her sister pleadingly.
"I'll go down and watch you a little closer to the water," Buffy said taking Faith's hand.
"When I throw it like this they get real excited," Faith demonstrated throwing her last piece of bread out.
"You're probably their favourite person now you've given them all that bread. Have you ever tried skipping rocks Faithy?" Buffy asked demonstrating. With that extra bit of Slayer strength she could almost get there to go all the way across the lake. Faith looked at her sister in awe, "Woah that's wicked cool B," she said picking up a rock of her own and mimicking Buffy's actions.
"That's pretty good Faithy just put a little bit more effort into it and it'll bounce right back up," Buffy said grabbing another rock.
Joyce could see what was going to happen before it did, call it mother's intuition but she was on her feet before the squeal and splash of water even sounded. Faith who had indeed put that extra effort into her throw had followed the rock into the water. The water wasn't even up to her knees so they didn't have to worry about her not being able to swim but the toddler looked up at them in shock as she rose out of the water. Buffy was laughing hysterically as Joyce came down the bank so she was standing next to eldest.
"Faith honey are you alright?" Joyce asked barely containing her own laughter. The toddler's shock gave way to tears as she wiped her water sodden hair off her face.
"Sweetheart you're okay just come to the edge and we can get you out," Joyce said reaching her arms out. Faith ploughed miserably through the water her lower lip still trembling as tears spilled out over her cheeks. Buffy was still snorting with laughter every so often but seeing her sister's distress she tried to hold it in. Faith shivered as the light breeze hit her wet skin and whimpered as her mother lifted her out of the lake and placed her back on the bank.
"Did you have a nice trip Faith?" Buffy smirked.
"Buffy don't tease her," Joyce reprimanded picking Faith up and holding her out at arm's length, "come on let's get you home or you'll catch your death." They hurried to the jeep and Joyce quickly stripped Faith out of her wet clothes wrapping her up in a picnic blanket they kept in the car.
"I hope the duckies don't get mad that I went swimming in their lake," Faith stated her tears all gone as Buffy picked her up and placed her in her car seat.
"I think they'll forgive you because you kept their tummies nice and full," Buffy said doing the buckles up on Faith's car seat.
"Do we gotta go home? We didn't get to go to the playground," Faith whined as Buffy got in the front seat.
"It's getting late sweetheart, it's already getting dark," Joyce said from the driver's seat.
"Besides after you took a dip in the lake your clothes got all wet, you'd be an icicle before you even made it down the slide," Buffy smirked.
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The phone was ringing as they made it in the front door and Joyce handed Faith over to Buffy as she rushed to get it, "Run a bath for her would you sweetheart."
"So apart for taking a swim in the lake did you have fun at the park?" Buffy asked as they waited for the bath to run.
"It was lots of fun. Do you think Mama would let me have a duck?" Faith asked as Buffy placed her in the warm water.
"You can ask her but I doubt she'd say yes," Buffy laughed pouring some warm water over Faith's head.
"Are we going to see Wilwow and Xander tomorrow?" Faith asked as she grabbed for the plastic bath toys.
"Probably, I'm not sure if you're going in with Mom tomorrow, or day care, do you think you'd like to go back there yet? You could see all your friends again," Buffy said.
"No one would take me again would they?" Faith asked hesitantly.
"No baby no one would take you away again," Buffy said tipping more water over Faith's head, "Riley was angry at me and the people he worked for were very bad people but it would be safe for you now they've gone away. If you're not ready Faithy you don't have to go yet."
"If no one would get me I wanna go," Faith said around a yawn.
"Well we'll have to talk to Mom about it she'll have to call them and let them know you wanna go back," Buffy said, "now don't get out until I come back with your PJ's, remember what happened last time you did."
"I made a big mess and Mama got real angry," Faith said rubbing her eyes tiredly.
"And we don't want a repeat of that so stay in there until I get back," Buffy said.
Buffy could hear the murmuring of her mother on the phone downstairs as she went into Faith's room to grab her sleepwear; she made a mental note to ask Joyce who it was later. Coming back into the bathroom she dried faith off and dressed her in her pyjamas.
"Feeling all toasty warm now?" Buffy asked brushing a comb through the young girl's dark hair.
"Yeah," Faith said yawning again.
"Don't get sleepy Faithy we haven't had anything for dinner," Buffy smirked.
"I'm not getting sleepy," Faith said resting her head on Buffy's shoulder as the blonde Slayer picked her up.
"Okay sure, well let's go get you something to eat before bed," Buffy said.
Faith was asleep before they even made it to the stairs so Buffy turned to take her back to her room. Passing by her mother's room she noticed that Joyce was standing by her bed.
"Well she's squeaky clean now but a lack of naptime means no dinner for Faithy," Buffy said as she walked further into Joyce's room.
"Oh great thanks hon," Joyce said distractedly looking around her room.
"Are you okay?" Buffy asked coming to stand next to her mother.
"I'm fine. Have you seen my conditioner?" Joyce asked smiling when she saw a sleeping Faith.
"Have you checked under the sink?" Buffy asked.
"Oh of course," Joyce said going into the bathroom to retrieve the bottle.
"Where are you going anyway?" Buffy asked noticing the suitcase on her mother's bed.
"That was the doctor on the phone, you know the nothing that I've been dealing with the last couple of weeks? It might not be nothing," Joyce said.
"What is it?" Buffy asked not being able to stop the tremor in her voice as she readjusted Faith on her hip.
"I'm staying overnight at the hospital for observation. I'm getting a CAT scan" Joyce said. Buffy opened her mouth to reply but couldn't form words. If it wasn't for the toddler held tight in her arms she would have dropped to the floor in despair. Seeing her daughter's obvious distress Joyce placed her arm around her shoulder comfortingly.
"It's only one night and they say even if there is something, it's still very early if they didn't see it before. I'm going to be fine," she smiled reassuringly at Buffy.
Taking a deep breath Buffy put on a brave smile she gave her mother a quick hug. As they pulled back Joyce kissed the top of Faith's head and stroked a hand down Buffy's face lovingly her hand lingering there for a second.
"You'll be fine," Buffy said nodding her head, "okay well I'm just going to put her to bed," she said eager to get out of the room before the tears that were threatening to fall leaked out.
Walking quickly to Faith's room she shut the door hurriedly behind her before sinking to the floor, Faith still sleeping soundly against her chest. Thankful that the toddler could sleep through a bomb blast Buffy buried her head in the young girl's long hair using it to muffle her sobs. The scene mirrored another night spent at Angel's hotel and the despair and helplessness she had felt then coming back full blown.
This couldn't be happening. This was happening. How could this be happening? Why was this happening? She was the Slayer and her mother was a good woman, this sort of thing didn't happen to good people.
Faith mumbled against her neck shifting against her neck. Buffy held her breath as she felt the toddler tighten her grip around her neck but breathed out shakily when her sister settled down again. Looking down at the young girl in her arms Buffy's heart swelled. They would be the brave girls, they would be the superheros, they would fight this and they would win.
