"Okay Faithy where have you put Auntie Dawn's other shoe?" Dawn asked the baby who was sitting on her bedroom floor.
"Uh oh," Faith said saying her new favourite words her eyes and mouth open wide, her arms out to the side.
"Uh oh, no uh oh, we don't have time for uh oh," Dawn said panicking as she started throwing things around her room in an attempt to find the missing shoe.
"Uh oh," Faith said again, giggling when one of the shirts previously on the floor landed on her head when Dawn threw it in her haste to find her shoe.
"Stop being cute, it's hard for me to be mad at you for losing my shoe if you're being cute," Dawn disappearing under her bed as she checked for her shoe.
"Dawn are you....hey baby where's your Auntie Dawn gone?" Buffy asked coming into the room and only seeing the infant sitting on the floor.
"An 'Nie," Faith said pointing to the bed Dawn had disappeared under.
"I'm here," Dawn said coming out from under her bed and smoothing her hair and dress as she stood, "I'm nearly ready but some shoe hiding monster has decided to hide my shoe."
"Does this shoe hiding monster happen to have a liking off mushed peas and long rides in a stroller?" Buffy asked.
"She does," Dawn replied her head sticking out of her closet.
"Faithy have you been stealing Auntie Dawn's shoes?" Buffy asked scooping the baby up off the floor and resting her on her hip.
"No," Faith said simply.
"Well there you go Auntie Dawn she didn't do it," Buffy smirked, "Maybe you should just change your shoes we don't want to be late."
"Faith isn't even dressed yet I think we've got a little more time to search for my shoe. Why isn't Faith dressed yet if you're so paranoid about us being late?" Dawn asked indicating the diaper clad baby.
"The longer she is in that dress the more time she would have had to ruin it before we even got there," Buffy shrugged, "If you haven't found it by the time I've gotten her dressed you're going to have to change shoes Dawnie because we can't be late."
"Fine, but I don't know why we have to go anyway it's just a stupid speech night they have them every year," Dawn grumbled.
"We have to go because it is not every year that a member of this family wins an award for art so suck it up and let us all be outwardly and embarrassingly proud of you for one night," Buffy said, "Just think, holidays start tomorrow and then all you have to concentrate is the soon to be apocalypse that is coming up."
"And I'm so excited for that and not to mention the twenty or so girls that are coming to live here in the next couple of days, I mentioned how I'm not sharing my room right," Dawn said crossing her arms.
"You may have one million times or so," Buffy rolled her eyes, "Look Dawn, I know the situation is not exactly ideal but these girls need us to protect them and the easiest way to do that is for them to be here and it won't be forever..."
"I know I get it, it's okay, I'm just being grumbley," Dawn said, "Go get her ready and I'll meet you at the front door."
"I am proud of you," Buffy said pulling her in for a quick one armed hug, "Mom would be proud of you as well."
A short while later the doorbell rang and a smartly dressed Xander and Anya walked in.
"Well don't all my girls look pretty tonight," Xander said taking Faith from Buffy, "Giles you look pretty dashing yourself."
"Thank you Xander," the older man said, "Now should we be heading off I want to get good seats."
"I want to just double check that no one is going to be making a scene when they call my name," Dawn said stopping them all at the door, "There will be no cat calling, no screaming and definitely no whistling."
"Will a gentle but enthusiastic clap be tolerated?" Xander asked smirking.
"It will," Dawn replied.
"Uh oh," Faith said and they all spun to face her.
"Uh oh, Faithy what do you mean uh oh?" Buffy asked panicked.
"Uh oh," Faith said again.
"What did she do? Buffy, what did she do?" Xander asked.
"How am I supposed to know I just asked her," Buffy shrugged leaning over and checking Faith's diaper, "We're all clear here so I really have no idea what she's uh ohing about."
"She uh, Xan I think she was making a meal out of your collar," Willow smirked pointing at his shirt collar. The light blue material had formed a darker blue where the infant had been sucking on it.
"You can't buy that in stores ladies and gents. A little bit of baby drool goes a long way in making an outfit. Remember I called it first, this is going to get big," Xander laughed.
"Okay well Will and Tara do you guys want to go with Xander and Anya and Giles you can come with us that way the carseat won't make it so squishy in the back," Buffy said grabbing her purse and Faith's bag.
"I, uh, if there is space in Xander and Anya's car I don't mind going with them to, uh, give Faith extra space in the back there," Giles said.
"Faith doesn't need any extra space Giles she's only tiny," Willow teased.
"Could this perhaps be an attempt to get out of driving with the Buffster?" Xander smirked.
"Of course not, Buffy's driving skills are more than adequate I am simply trying not to crowd Faith," Giles flushed.
"Giles I cannot believe you! My driving record of late has been spotless," Buffy pouted.
"I know it has Buffy I am simply looking out for Faith's wellbeing," Giles protested.
"If you were so worried about Faith's wellbeing wouldn't you be trying to get her out of the car as well?" Dawn frowned.
"G," Faith said kicking her legs.
"See even Faith wants you to go with them," Willow smiled.
"Alright I will, of course I will," Giles said taking Faith from Xander.
"Okay well now that we've got that sorted out can we please get going. The sooner we go and do this then we can go back home and Xander and I can continue doing umpf," Anya glared when Xander clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Ahn I beg you not to finish that sentence," Xander said taking his hand from her mouth.
"Laundry Xander, I was going to say laundry," Anya frowned.
"Okay now we're really going to be late if we don't hurry up," Buffy said grabbing a pacifier for Faith off of the hall table and ushering them out the door.
The high school auditorium was filled with parents and students all talking excitedly amongst themselves about the end of the year. Dawn rushed off to join the rest of the students that would be receiving awards and the rest of the group struggled through the crowd to try and find seats. Faith had started to grumble so Buffy took her back from Giles and gave her the pacifier she had packed as well as Mr Gordo.
The speech night was fairly long and boring as most school speech night's were but Buffy watched on in proud excitement as her sister walked across the stage to receive her award. The fact that Dawn did well in school had always amazed her since she had never really excelled there herself. Faith had been fairly quiet throughout the ceremony and they had all taken turns in entertaining her quietly. When Dawn's turn had come to accept her award the infant had been handed back to Buffy and the blonde had stood her up so that Faith's feet were resting on her knees the infant squealing excitedly when she saw Dawn walk across the stage.
"An 'Nie," she called excitedly pointing and clapping her hands, turning around to make sure everyone was watching Dawn.
They all crowded around excitedly congratulating Dawn when the ceremony finished. Buffy watched on fondly as Dawn held Faith and showed her the small trophy she had been given whilst chatting to her friends who had come over to congratulate her as well.
"You've done very well with her," Giles said quietly in her ear.
"Well Mom did most of the work I was just there to claim all the credit," Buffy smiled.
"Even so, I know you have a lot on your plate right now and you have managed to handle it all with a grace and strength that I am more than envious about," Giles said squeezing her shoulder.
"Thanks Giles," Buffy replied, "It really does mean a lot to hear that."
"Mama," Faith cried reaching her arms out and wriggling in Dawn's grasp.
"Hey pretty girl are you getting tired? You've had a really long night," Buffy said taking the baby.
"An 'Nie," Faith said pointing to the stage.
"Yeah you saw Auntie Dawnie up on the stage didn't you," Buffy smiled.
"Uh oh," Faith said pointing at a woman who had just dropped her purse.
"Hey where's your binky, I'm almost positive you had one before, in fact I'd bet Xander's right arm on it," Buffy said eyeing the baby curiously.
"Uh oh," Faith said pointing to the ground where the pacifier had been dropped.
"Thanks for finding that Faithy I kinda need my right arm," Xander said overhearing and picking up the dropped pacifier.
"But we would love you all the same without it," Buffy smiled.
"Good to know," Xander said ushering them all out of the hall and back towards where their cars were parked, "Giles you should come with Anya and I this time and we can drop you home on the way."
"It's okay to be relieved Giles no one will judge you for that," Willow teased.
"Yes well Dawn I am so very proud of you," Giles said pulling the teen into a quick hug.
"Thanks you guys for coming, really it was awesome that you did," Dawn said as they all piled into their respective cars.
When they got home Buffy handed Willow her house keys before going around the back of the car to lift a sleeping Faith out of her car seat. Shifting the infant so that her head was resting against her shoulder she grabbed the stuffed pig that fallen from the baby's hand and closed the door with her hip. Walking towards the front door the base of her spine began to tingle and she got the distinct feeling that someone was following her. She stopped herself from breaking out into a full on run wanting to get Faith into the house before whatever it was reached them.
"Buffy Summers?"
She whirled around to find the foe she had been running from was a dark haired teenage girl with a Canadian accent and a bag slung over her shoulder.
"I was told that I had to come and find you."
