Y is for Year-long Christmas Stores

Author note: This is before Callie's birth, and taking place approximately a couple of years ago when gas prices were high, just so you know…all ones when Callie is older take place in the future from now.

"Why the HELL Do they keep marking up the gas prices?!" Faith asked with aggressive demanding in her tone, her dark eyes narrowed, full lips pulled into the scowl that was entirely too often her expression lately. "It's almost three dollars a gallon now, what the hell are they thinking?! No one can DRIVE anywhere, you have to save up months ahead of time if you want to go to the damn grocery store, and if you wanna actually get out and go somewhere you better be taking money out of your retirement fund or some shit, it's ridiculous! Not that WE get a retirement fund anyway…"

Buffy had to look away for a few moments to keep herself from smiling; she knew full well how any signs that she thought anything about Faith or what she was saying were funny would go over. Standing before her with her hands planted somewhat awkwardly on her hips, Faith was nine months pregnant, at the stage where she was clumsy and constantly aching, her stomach so large and taut that it amazed Buffy that she could carry the weight of it. She definitely looked different than the slim, constantly-in-motion girl that Buffy had fallen in love with…but in the older Slayer's eyes, she was as beautiful and sexy as ever.

Try convincing her of that, though. For the past month or so, as she grew larger, and their baby's arrival drew nearer, Faith had grown increasingly more irritable. Absolutely nothing seemed to please her- and if nothing was going on that she could complain about, then she'd invent something seemingly out of thin air. Like this thing with gas prices- beyond being dramatic much, she hadn't even left the house to be able to see them in the past couple of days.

Which was probably what was REALLY bothering her. Buffy knew that Faith was bored, restless, wanting and needing to be active, to continue slaying and getting out, to feel useful. But as close as it was to the baby's birth, she wasn't supposed to be very active- and slaying had been outlawed as soon as she had started showing. All this, when added up to the discomforts of the pregnancy itself, her stressing over becoming a mother, and the September heat made her more impatient for the baby to be born than ever. Plus there was the fact that she had given up smoking and drinking too- and even though she was no longer addicted to smoking as she once had been, Buffy knew that when she got to this kind of mood, her inability to smoke or drink her emotions away only pissed her off even more.

Buffy knew better than to argue with Faith; she knew she should just be nodding in agreement and letting her rant wash over her without paying much attention. But somehow, despite her intentions, she found herself saying wryly, "Faith, I didn't' know you noticed or cared about the gas prices…"

"Well of course I do, Buffy!" Faith snapped, fixing her glare on Buffy now instead of just the general area around herself. "I'm not BLIND- I'm not STUPID- and of COURSE I care how they're making us spend our money, they're trying to rip us off! Just 'cause we all gotta have it, the bastards think they can charge us whatever they want and it doesn't matter, we just gotta pay up!"

Buffy sighed inwardly- she knew better than to sigh out loud. It had been a long month with her acting like this… but at least they were past the crying stage…

The first few months of Faith's pregnancy had been awful. Buffy had up until then seen Faith cry less times than she had fingers on one hand- and then only in entirely devastating circumstances. It had shaken her to witness Faith in tears several times a week, sometimes even several times a day- and sometimes for seemingly no reason at all. And then there had been her morning, noon, and evening sickness, which would each and every time bring on more tears. It had killed Buffy to see her so miserable…but they were past that now, and Faith seemed determined to make up for her perceived weakness of the first couple of months with extreme bitchiness in the last few.

"It's like Christmas or something," Faith was griping, "everyone talks about Christmas like it's all love and good will and peace to all- ha, yeah right! It's all 'spend every dollar you make, get yourself in debt with all your credit cards, buy all your Santa and reindeer shit and feel good about spreading holiday cheer so we can ignore the people out freezing in the streets and buy ourselves new cars with your money.' It makes me sick. It's not even HALLOWEEN yet and they've got Christmas shit up already in the stores! And those year-round Christmas stores, what the hell is that?! Who the hell can think about Christmas decorations in March?! They don't even give up on getting money out of you when Christmas is over- they're open ALL YEAR LONG!"

Okay, she wasn't stopping any time soon, and she was getting more and more random in her complaints… time for an intervention. Buffy stepped up to her and touched her shoulder gently, to get her attention, then took her arm, tugging her in the direction of the couch.

"Okay, Faith, why don't you sit down and let me rub your back for you…"

She knew that it had been aching a lot lately, and that Faith had been having cramps pretty badly. Usually some form of gentle touch, whether through a massage, playing with her hair, or just holding her against her and gently stroking her skin, was enough to calm her down a little, even if Faith would never admit it. But today, obviously too wound up to even want to be touched, Faith pulled away from her touch roughly, glowering.

"I'm not a child, Buffy, stop treating me like one!"

"Then sit down and stop acting like one, Faith," Buffy snapped back; when Faith tried to stare her down furiously, Buffy stared right back without budging. One thing Dawn had been good for- Buffy didn't back down from challenging stare wars, even with someone as stubborn as Faith.

Almost two full minutes went by before Faith cracked. Exhaling loudly, she flopped herself down heavily on the couch, slumping back against it. Buffy could tell she was trying to continue to look angry, but not being very successful at it.

"Look, I'm sorry, B…but my back hurts, I've got heartburn like you wouldn't believe, my feet are too fat to even fit INTO my boots, and even if they could they'd hurt too damn much to walk around in. You might like my new monster boobs, but they fuckin' HURT, the kid's doing karate chops against my bladder, and I'm fuckin' sweating because it's so damn HOT in here! And I look like a cow, I can't fit into any of my leather pants, and even if I could I don't even want to 'cause it's so damn HOT!"

The last words were almost a plea, her voice higher and tighter than usual, and Buffy was upset to see that Faith seemed to be suddenly holding back tears. Maybe they weren't quite past the sensitive-teary stage after all…

Buffy went to sit next to her quickly, slipping her arm around Faith's shoulders and squeezing her, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. "Shh…it's okay…turn around."

Inhaling in a slightly snuffling manner, Faith did. Buffy moved her hair off her neck and shoulder, kissing its flushed skin before beginning to knead it with her fingers, working out its tensed muscles the best she could. As she began to move her hands down Faith's back and shoulders, she spoke to her quietly, sincerely.

"I know you feel bad, Faith… I know you're uncomfortable. But you're beautiful. Believe me when I tell you that you look absolutely beautiful."

Faith snorted, and Buffy felt her move slightly under her hands. "Yeah right… I'm swelled up and fat and I can't do nothing, I can barely get up myself."

"It doesn't matter," Buffy insisted, and she paused in her massage to hug Faith tightly from behind, once more kissing her neck. "You know with your metabolism you'll be back to normal within two days. And anyway, you're gorgeous. You are absolutely beautiful, Faith… and you're carrying our child. That's such a miracle, even more than the usual way with us…"

Faith was quiet, though Buffy could hear her breathing, hear her heart beating rapidly. It wasn't until she pulled back, beginning to rub her back, again that Faith spoke.

"I just want her to come out already."

"I know," Buffy said softly; they both were certain the baby was a girl. Beyond their instincts, what else could two females with no Y chromosome produce? "And she will. She's just taking her time. Which is good. We want her to be as big and healthy as possible."

"Yeah, so she can make me scream all the louder when she comes punching her way out of me," Faith muttered. But then she sighed, her voice quiet once more. "B…I'm scared of that…her being born."

"Of course you are," Buffy murmured, and she continued to run her hands up and down her back with gentle pressure. "But you'll be okay… I'll be right there with you, letting you break my hand bones all you want. And you're a Slayer, baby… you've had pain before. You'll get through it, and then we'll have a beautiful daughter-"

"No, that's the part that scares me," Faith clarified quietly. "I don't know how to do this… I don't know how to raise a kid. I'm gonna screw her up, B…" her voice dropped even lower, and Buffy could hear the tears in her voice again, more prevalently this time. "I'm gonna ruin her."

At those words, Buffy's hand on her back stopped, and she took hold of Faith's shoulder, physically turning her around to look at her. Seeing how the other woman's eyes glittered with unshed tears, her heart squeezed, but she spoke to her firmly, not looking away from their depths.

"Faith, you will not ruin her. I know you, and I know how very much and fiercely you will love her, how you will do anything in your power to care for her and protect her, just like I will. Of course you won't be perfect, but you'll do the best you can. You will NOT ruin her… and she'll survive any mistakes we make. She's the daughter of two slayers, Faith, brought into being because of the spell of one of the most powerful witches…even if it was kind of an accident. She's going to be strong. And she's going to be one of the most loved and protected babies alive."

Faith exhaled, seeming to be thinking, struggling with this, and Buffy pulled her head against her shoulder, moving her hair aside again to rub at her neck. Several minutes passed…Buffy could feel her muscles loosening, her breathing evening out, and she knew that Faith was finally relaxing.

And then the brunette spoke up, her voice quiet, but there was a devilish undertone that Buffy knew well.

"B? I still think year-round Christmas stores are completely stupid…"

Buffy pinched her just hard enough to make her yelp.