"Baby I like you got more cake on you than in you," Buffy chuckled as she plopped a cake covered Faith in the bath, clothes and all.
The party had definitely been a success and a welcome distraction from the impending apocalypse that was hanging over their heads. With the knowledge that Letum had only one specific day that he could perform his ritual, the pressure was now on to discover when it would take place.
"Did you have fun at your party?" Buffy asked pulling the infant's now wet clothes off of her, "Can't believe you're one, my little one year old."
Faith responded by splashing her hands in the water and laughing as it sprayed all over Buffy. The blonde Slayer couldn't help but laugh as the water dripped off the end of her nose, the baby's laughter was infectious.
"You were a very lucky girl with all the presenty goodness you got and all the people that came to see you," Buffy said using a wash cloth to wipe the birthday cake from Faith's face and hair.
"Agel," Faith said pulling out of Buffy's grasp.
"Yes that's right Angel came, and Wes and Cordy," Buffy said pouring water over the baby's head.
"Agel, Agel," Faith said bouncing happily.
"Okay, as soon as you've finished your bath you can go and play with Angel," Buffy said smiling.
The souled vampire and the rest of his crew had decided to stay in Sunnydale to help out with the Letum situation. Buffy had protested at first, but knowing after Willow and Tara had done a spell that the Slayer essence was still in Faith and that she was technically a Potential Slayer, decided they could use all the help they could get.
"Who is having the bath here?" Angel asked, leaning against the doorway, an amused smirk on his face.
"Faith has decided that bath time is more fun with audience participation," Buffy said pulling the plug and taking the towel Angel handed her.
"Spike and Gunn are taking the girls on patrol," Angel told her as she lifted Faith from the tub, "Wes and Giles are deep in research mode, Xander and Anya went to see if the store was still open to get more food, Willow and Tara are working on a few protection spells for the house with Fred and Dawn and Cordy are cooking dinner."
"You left Dawn in charge of dinner!" Buffy exclaimed handing him Faith who was wrapped in a towel, "This is the girl who put barbeque sauce on a poptart."
"I don't have to eat it," Angel said, his eyes glittering with his amusement.
"Do you want to get her dressed while I take these to the laundry," Buffy said picking up Faith's wet clothes.
She checked that Dawn wasn't creating a disgusting concoction on her way to the laundry only satisfied when Cordelia assured her they were sticking to spaghetti and meatballs. After putting on the load of washing she headed back upstairs to Faith's bedroom where she could hear the infant's delighted squeals echoing down the hall.
Angel looked completely flustered as he struggled to hold onto Faith with one hand and grab a diaper that seemed just out of reach of his other hand. The baby, who was lying on her back on the change table giggled as she kicked her feet in the air and tried to roll away from him. It was only his hand on her stomach that prevented her from rolling off the table completely.
Mirroring his position from earlier Buffy leaned against the doorway and watched on amusedly as he pleaded with Faith to hold still. Eventually he managed to hold her still long enough to grab the diaper and put it on. Tickling her belly he lifted her triumphantly over his head, holding her like you would a trophy. Buffy couldn't stop the laughter that burst from her when his triumphant look disappeared and the diaper fell off of Faith landing right on top of his head. Still held up high above him Faith peered down curiously before sticking her fist in her mouth completely uninterested.
"Need some help?" Buffy asked plucking the diaper off of his head and placing it on the change table.
"I'm over two hundred years old, I should be able to put on a diaper," Angel grumbled handing Faith over.
"I put it on backwards my first go," Buffy told him quickly putting the diaper on the baby and securely fastening the sides, "The trick is to do it fast so she doesn't have time to try and escape."
"You know I'm proud of how quickly you've taken to all this," Angel said watching as she did up Faith's onesie with ease.
"I didn't really have much of a choice," she said, "And I wouldn't have it any other way," she smiled looking down at Faith fondly, "Okay I really need a shower."
"We'll go see how everyone is doing downstairs," the souled vampire said picking Faith up and resting her on his hip.
After she was showered and they had a quick dinner they all migrated to the living room to help with the research. The girls were still on patrol with Spike and Gunn so it wasn't as packed as it would have been had they been home. Faith was happy to crawl between the laps of those sitting on the ground, the doll Cordelia had gotten her held firmly in her hand.
"So this Letum guy, he wants to end the Slayer line and then the world," Cordelia said, "So isn't there like a special day in Slayer history, like say the first Slayer being called or something that would be important for a demon guy who is trying to end you all."
"Cordelia I believe you may be on to something, "Wesley said, "If it is indeed the power of the Slayer he wishes to end then what better time to do it than on the day when she was first given her power."
"It is definitely a plausible notion," Giles said lifting Faith who had been tugging on his pant leg up and onto his lap, "There may indeed be a sizeable power shift on a significant anniversary of the day the first Slayer was called."
"Like a Slayerversary," Xander smirked.
"So when was she called?" Anya asked.
"Don't look at me I was never given the handbook," Buffy said handing Giles a pacifier.
"Well Watcher guys when was it?" Cordelia asked.
The two British men blushed and mumbled excuses while Giles gave the pacifier to a now irritable Faith.
"Please don't tell me you don't know," Xander said incredulously, "Shouldn't it be part of Watcher 101 or something?"
"There are some things about the Slayer that are considered sacred, so sacred they could be dangerous if they fell into the wrong hands," Giles said.
"Information, that we, as lower members of the Watcher's Council were never privy to," Wesley continued.
"The source of her power, the day the first Slayer was called are all included," Giles told them.
"So the two of you, who were both at some stage in charge of a Slayer don't know, but some demon who wants to end the Slayer line and then the world does," Xander said.
"This time we're all going to die aren't we," Anya said looking around the room.
"Well at least now we have a starting off point," Buffy said ignoring Anya and standing from the floor stretching and then taking a grumbling Faith from Giles, "All we have to do now is find out when the first Slayer was called and hope like hell that it isn't tomorrow because frankly I just don't think they would leave us enough time to prepare."
"There is a way to find out you know," Giles said softly.
"I know," Buffy sighed smoothing her hand over Faith's head which was tucked under her chin, "I just really don't want to call him."