Riley Finn thought he was a pretty reasonable guy. He got on well with his family, he did well in school and he was good at his job. He took pride in his work, and he did what he was told without questioning, so was the life of a soldier. They took orders without asking why and he got so accustomed to doing so he was beginning to miss the person he was before enrolling in the military. His newest assignment was beginning to change his mind though. Professor Walsh had assigned him to track the movements of Buffy Summers who had been on their radar for quite awhile as being heavily involved with the supernatural.

Professor Walsh was extremely interested in the girls 'special abilities' as she liked to put it and in Riley's observations he had seen that she definitely possessed some sort of super strength as she fought vampires and demons as if it were a walk in the park and without any of the high tech weapons they used in The Initiative.

He had been observing and reporting back to Professor Walsh about Buffy for the past month and over that time he felt he had come to know the blonde girl. Professor Walsh had been most interested to learn about the toddler that got dropped off at the Summer's house one evening and who appeared to be living with them now. She hadn't mentioned to Riley what exactly she found so interesting with the young girl but had mentioned to Riley that he must report back everything that he observed so that's why Riley found himself camped out in front of the house in Revello Drive like he had been the past couple of weeks. His mission was simple, watch but don't be seen.

Riley had watched last night as the girl had emerged from a crypt guided home by her friends. He had watched as she said her silent goodbyes to her friends and from his spot in the house across the street he watched as her tears fell as she lay with the younger girl in her room. It was moments like this that Riley found himself questioning whether or not he was doing the right thing. Professor Walsh hadn't really discussed with him why they were so interested in finding out so much about Buffy and he was now starting to wonder what exactly it was they were doing with the information he was giving to them.

As he sat now watching the two girls sleep he had to admit to himself that he felt a little bit like a stalker. It was early in the morning and after a quick nap himself he was back to his window using binoculars to see into the Summer's house. He was no fool, Buffy was a beautiful girl and the more he watched her the more he found himself falling for her. She of course would have no idea who he was and if she ever found out how it was he had been spending the last couple of weeks he had no doubt that she would have no issues with kicking his ass. In fact he was one hundred percent sure that she could as well. Riley watched as the younger girl stirred and woke up, he watched as she seemed confused for a bit and then realised it was Buffy in bed with her, he watched as she slipped out from underneath Buffy's arm and onto the floor and played with some action figures. He watched as Buffy's mom came into the room and after smiling at her sleeping oldest said something to the toddler and then reached out a hand for the small girl to take which she did and the two walked out of the room. He watched Buffy for a bit but after awhile he couldn't take it any longer, what he was being asked to do was wrong and he had to do something about it. With a nod of his head he stood and packed up his equipment and with a final look out the window at the blonde girl he left determined to go and talk to his boss about exactly what this mission was all about.

In the Summers kitchen Joyce had settled Faith in her booster seat at the kitchen table and was busy preparing breakfast for the two of them. She didn't have to go into the gallery today so she was excited to spend a full day with her youngest.

"So honey did you have fun playing with Tara last night?" Joyce asked as she poured cereal into a bowl.

Faith nodded, "Uh huh she's real nice and she letted me play all the games I wanted to while you were on the 'puter."

"Well it sounds like you had a lot of fun, and how about we spend the whole day together just you and me what do you say?" Joyce asked setting a bowl in front of the young girl.

"Isn't B gonna come with us?" Faith asked around a mouthful of cereal.

"I think Buffy has to go into school for a bit today but she might join us later and honey don't talk with your mouth full," Joyce reprimanded.

"Mama did you know that B told me the bad man is gone," Faith said making extra sure that she had swallowed her food before she spoke.

"Oh really well that's good then isn't it," Joyce said. She had heard her daughter come home last night but the two hadn't spoken yet so she hadn't found out how it had gone.

"And I think she's very very sleepy today because she was snoring this much," Faith said her mouth wide as she held her arms out the furthest they could go from one another.

Joyce laughed, "Make sure you tell her that when she comes down." She knew exactly how that would go down with her oldest daughter.

"So Faithy what should we do today? I thought we could stop off at the shops and pick up a few things and then come home and maybe bake something," Joyce said.

"Like some cookies," Faith said her face lighting up at the thought of food.

"Maybe we'll make up our minds later."

"Someone point me in the direction of the coffee and then insert the IV right into my veins please," Buffy groaned coming down the stairs her hair a complete mess.

"My goodness you are beautiful in the mornings," Joyce laughed handing her daughter a coffee cup as she plopped down in the chair next to Faith's.

"It's not my fault I didn't get all my beauty sleep last night somebody over here is like a professional soccer player and kicks all night long," Buffy said tweaking Faith's nose as the younger girl scowled.

"I'm not a soccer player," Faith scowled, "Mama tell B to stop saying I'm a soccer player," she pouted to Joyce.

"Buffy stop teasing her, but Faith maybe you should tell Buffy what you told me before," Joyce said her eyes twinkling at her youngest.

"I don't member what I said," Faith said still pouting from Buffy's teasing.

"Tell Buffy why you told me that you thought she was very sleepy," Joyce said reminding her.

"Ohhh B you were snoring this much last night," Faith said spreading her arms out again.

"I so do not snore," Buffy said the scowl that had been on Faith's face earlier presenting itself on hers.

"You were and it was right in my ear," Faith said laughing.

"Mom are you going to tell her off for teasing me," Buffy whined.

"I'm sorry honey but she's telling the truth I have heard it on the odd occasion," Joyce said.

"Faith what do you care anyway you could sleep through a train coming through the house," Buffy pouted stealing Faith's spoon and taking a bite of her cereal.

"Hey that's mine," Faith said grabbing the spoon back from Buffy.

"Girls," Joyce said looking at them sternly.

"Mama she started it," Faith whined and Buffy pinched her,"I so did not."

"B don't," Faith said.

"Am I gonna have to separate you two?" Joyce asked.

"Sorry," Buffy murmured taking a sip of her coffee.

"Now Buffy what are your plans for today?" Joyce asked.

"Well I have to go onto Campus to sort out my classes for next year although why they make us do it such a long time before school actually starts is beyond me and then I'm free as a bird, why what are you two crazy kids getting up to?"

"Well we're going to the shops," Joyce said.

"And then Mama said I could help her cook," Faith chimed in.

"You're letting her cook, her who can't yet write her own name but yet you won't let me cook, me who is fully capable of writing her own name and is currently attending college," Buffy said incredulously.

"Well honey Faith has never nearly burnt the house down because she mistook the 90 seconds to be 90 minutes on the popcorn packet," Joyce said.

"Of course she hasn't she can't even read," Buffy said in disbelief.

"I'm sorry honey but it's just the way that it is you'll have to get over it," Joyce said standing up and placing her dishes in the sink.

"So not fair," Buffy pouted as her mother came back and took Faith's dish from her and placed them in the sink as well. Helping Faith get down from her chair she said, "Faith sweetheart why don't you go upstairs and pick something out to wear and then I'll meet you up and we can get ready together."

"Okay Mama," Faith said running out of the kitchen.

"Buffy you shouldn't tease her she's only little," Joyce said.

"I wasn't aware that I'd be pushed down to second favourite as soon as she came along," Buffy said into her coffee cup taking another sip.

"Honey you know I don't have favorites but you have to learn to share now that you have a little sister it's part of the deal with having a sibling," Joyce said.

"Fine whatever it's cool," Buffy continued to pout.

"So when do you think you'll be done with your class picking?" Joyce asked.

"I'm not sure I'm meeting Will there and I'm sure she's already got all of hers picked out so hopefully not that long," Buffy said.

"Well if you get done around about the time Faith and I finish at the shops maybe we can swing past and pick you up on our way home," Joyce said.

"Oh yes please," Buffy said.

"MAMA I'M ALL READY," Faith yelled down the stairs.

"Ok sweetheart I'm coming," Joyce said.

"Wow honey you actually are all ready," Joyce said seeing that Faith had picked out a red and white striped T-Shirt, denim shorts and a pair of red Converse, an outfit that actually matched for once. Buffy and Joyce had been teaching her how to choose clothes that actually went together and by the looks of things it was starting to get through. "Alright honey just put this on and then you can go downstairs with Buffy while I get ready," Joyce said running a brush quickly through Faith's long curls and then placing a red head band on her head before sending her downstairs.

"So you and mom are going to have fun today huh," Buffy said when Faith came back into the kitchen.

"Uh huh," Faith said climbing up onto Buffy's lap and Buffy wrapped her arms around Faith's middle.

"How come you have to go back to school?" Faith asked playing with the edge of the tablecloth.

"Because I have to learn things, but I'm not going back just yet I'm on holidays for a bit," Buffy said.

"Ok Faith I'm ready to go," Joyce said coming back down the stairs dressed and ready.

"Ok, see ya later B," Faith said turning around on Buffy's lap and placing a wet kiss on her lips.

"Bye honey," Joyce said giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek, "give me a call when you're done at the campus and we'll come and get you," she continued helping Faith down. After strapping Faith into her carseat in the back Joyce hopped in the front of the car and soon the two were off to the mall.

"Ok honey make sure you hold my hand I don't want to lose you," Joyce said to Faith taking the girls small hand in her own.

"Mama what are we shopping for?" Faith asked as they walked through the sliding doors and into the shopping center. "Well we have to get some food, and I want to get some books for your new bookcase and maybe we can get some lunch depending on how long we are here."

Their first stop was the bookstore where Joyce watched as Faith was delighted with all the books. The young girl picked one off the shelf and sat herself down on the ground and began to go through it. "Do you like reading sweetheart?" Joyce asked sitting on the floor next to her. "Yeah, at my old house I gots this book that Gary gave me and I read it so many times but then I was bad so it got took off me," Faith said her voice quieting down as she finished her sentence.

"Well we need to fill that bookcase of yours up so why don't you pick out a couple today and then we can get some more later on," Joyce said smiling at her daughter. "Mama are we going to get a present for B?" Faith asked. "Not today honey Buffy I've bought your sister enough presents lately." So with a bagful of books they went on to a clothing store where Joyce picked up a few items for herself.

"No Mama I don't want it," Faith argued when Joyce showed her a pink a white striped skirt which she thought was completely adorable. "Come on Faithy it would look good on you it's really cute," Joyce said. "I don't like it," Faith pouted. "I bet Buffy would like it," Joyce said knowing that the younger girl looked up to her sister. "Really," Faith said. "Of course Buffy would love it on you she used to wear skirts like this when she was younger," Joyce said and Faith finally relented.

Joyce's phone rang then and it was Buffy letting them know that she was done at the college. Joyce told her that they would come and pick her up as soon as they were done picking up the food.

"So honey what sort of cookies do you want to make?" Joyce asked. "I wanna make the same kind I had when I first came to live with you," Faith said pointing at the shelf. "Chocolate chip it is then," Joyce said taking the packet of chocolate chips from where Faith was pointing. They paid for their items and then headed back to the car.

"I see her Mama," Faith said pointing out the window when they pulled up outside UC Sunnydale. They watched as Buffy said goodbye to Willow who waved at Joyce and Faith and then headed in the opposite direction.

"Hi honey how did you go?" Joyce asked when Buffy hopped in the car. "It was great Willow got all the classes she wanted and then she helped me pick out some great ones for next semester," Buffy said. "That's great," Joyce replied.

"How was your shopping trip?" Buffy asked turning around in her seat so that she could see Faith. "It was fun, Mama gots me lots of books," Faith said from her place in the back where she was looking at the pages of one of the books they had just bought.

"I don't want to take a nap," Faith yelled as Joyce wiped the flour from her face and hands. "Honey you have to otherwise you won't make it to dinnertime," Joyce said. "I don't want to take a nap I'm not sleepy at all," Faith whined.

"I could use a nap," Buffy said.

"Come on honey why don't you lie down with Buffy," Joyce said. "I don't want to nap I don't want to," Faith said pulling away from Joyce's grasp.

"You don't have to nap but maybe Buffy can read you some of your new books," Joyce said.

"Yeah come on Faithy I want to read some of your new books," Buffy said and Joyce looked at her with grateful eyes. Faith sighed a big dramatic sigh, "Fine okay," she said.

"So what book do you want to read?" Buffy asked Faith as the two settled themselves on the couch. "Umm this one," Faith said pointing to one with a girl in a sailboat on the front cover.

"Ok here we go," Buffy said beginning to read.

Joyce came in half an hour later and couldn't help but smile when she saw her two daughters asleep on the couch, both snoring.

"Where's a camera when I need one," she said quietly to herself pushing the hair away form both of their faces.

A/N: For anyone interested in Faith's outfit this is what it looks like. .

Thanks for reading I hope you are all enjoying the story, please review and let me know what you think.