Six weeks later…..
Faith cradles a tiny infant to her, putting her long hair over her shoulder. "He's beautiful Haley."
Haley smiles an exhausted smile, "Thanks Faith."
"He looks like me huh?" Xander says admiring his newborn son.
"Poor kid." Faith says with a laugh.
"Hey!" Xander says pretending to be offended. "Come here son, I won't let that mean old lady talk about us that way." Xander says taking the infant.
Sam sets down on the other side of the bed gently moving Haley's still sweaty hair off her forehead, "You okay?" She asks softly.
Haley laughs a little, "I'm exhausted Sam. But I'm happy. It was soo much harder then I thought."
Sam laughs a little, "Yeah, but you done really good."
Faith reaches across the bed and moves Sam's hair, "We should get you home and off your feet."
"I'm fine," Sam says, "I want to hold him anyways."
"Are you sure it's such a great idea?" Xander says, looking at Haley.
Haley gently takes the baby, and hands him to Sam, "She's one of his Godmothers, I think she can hold him."
"Hi little man," Sam says, "Oh what a yawn, it's hard work getting into this world huh?" She gently rocks him.
"I would never have thought it would be that painful, I mean I knew it would hurt, but that was…." Haley sighs and winces in pain.
"He's a big baby," Sam says surveying the infant. He'd weighted in at over eight pounds. "And you didn't even have a contraction with the twins. Ounce Marina started showing signs of stress you were taken in for a c-section. So it's understandable that you weren't prepared." She thinks for a second, "Hell this is my second birth and I'm not sure I'm prepared!"
Haley laughs a little, "You'll do fine. Hopefully I'll be able to be there."
"Yeah," Sam nods, "I want you there."
Baby Michael is handed back to Haley so that Faith and Sam make their way home. Haley had wanted a home birth, and that's exactly what she got. With the help of Gamma, who turned out to be a midwife at one time or another. Faith rubs Sam's back gently, noticing how quiet she is. She hadn't thought it a good idea for Sam to be there, but as usual she wouldn't listen.
"Worried about labor?" Faith asks as they enter the apartment.
Sam laughs a little, "Yeah, but I mean, she's worth it. And…" She pauses, "I want to talk to you about something."
Faith nods her head a little, "Whatever it is it's okay Babe."
Sam sighs and sets down on the couch, "Okay so you know you caught Jay? And it was just you and me and her?"
"Yeah, how could I forget?" Faith says rubbing Sam's arm, "I remember it like it was yesterday."
"And you remember how when Alex was born, I helped catch him? And how it was just you and me and him and Haley? I mean how relaxed it was?" Sam asks.
Faith raises an eye brow, "I wouldn't have called it relaxed but okay."
"I mean how all we had to worry about was having the baby. Not about nurses or doctors or monitors or whatever." Sam says, "And how we got that instant contact, like how we got to do things kinda at our own pace? And sleep in our own bed that night."
"Yeah," Faith nods, "I know you want a home birth babe, we been talking about it since the beginning."
Sam sighs, "I don't just want a home birth, I want you to catch the baby. Haley can be there and tell you what to do or whatever, but I want her Momma to catch her."
Faith runs a hand threw her hair, "I donno babe, I might fuck this one up. I didn't really get time to think about it last time, I just kinda had to. This is a big deal you're askin of me."
"I know, but I want the first thing she sees to be her Momma. There was nothing like the feeling of Alex looking up at us for the first time. And how Jay just slid into your arms. I mean," Sam pauses, "I don't know. I just want this to be about you and me and this baby. I don't want a bunch of people involved."
"So you don't want the family here?"
"It's not that, I just don't want them in the room. I don't want to cut them out but, I can't help but feel like this is our event. And I can't help but feel like I want us to do this together." Sam says.
Faith reaches over and cups her cheek gently, "Then that's what we'll do. I donno if I'll be up for catching but I'll be right there. You won't do this alone."
"Good." Sam nods. "She's kicking again."
Faith smiles and looks down toward Sam's stomach. She can see a tiny foot kicking threw Sam's stomach, "Damn, she's like super slayer kicking."
"And it really hurts," Sam says leaning in and laying her head on Faith's shoulder.
"She'll be here soon enough and then she'll be kicking her brother and sisters asses." Faith says with a laugh.
Slowly Sam drifts off to sleep, and Faith sets there for along time just holding her thinking about what she's been asked to do. It was an honor that Sam wanted her to catch their child, but was she really ready for that? Then again, it had been an amazing moment watching Jay's head appear, then slide into her hands. Gently she rubs Sam's stomach.
"So little one," She says quietly, "I'm Momma. You'll be here soon, but that ant me rushing you or nothing. You're going to be strong and brave and very lucky. You got a wonderful Mommy, who loves you a lot. But you also got a big sister and big brother. They're going to be giving you a hard time no doubt. But you'll learn to hold your own."
Two days later….
Faith walks into the apartment after being at the gym working out. Sam and Tara had gone out again so she had the place to herself, except for Gamma. There was a new movie the kids had been dying to see so they'd taken them. She had called earlier to check on Xander and his family. He said they were adjusting to the new baby, and she couldn't help but smile. He sounded exhausted and she could hear the twins in the background. Faith had offered to help, but he said they could handle it.
So she had decided to go get a good work out in. Because she new that for the first few weeks after the baby gets here, there will be no workout time. But she didn't mind that. So know she was hot and sweaty and wanted a shower desperately. She swore if they ever bought another house, she'd make damn sure it had a room for working out. She couldn't play her songs. Like 'Living Dead Girl' by Rob Zombie. It wasn't really the songs the younger girls should hear.
But oh well, she was home know and on her way to the shower. She didn't see Gamma anywhere, which was weird. So when she passes her bedroom and hears something like a scream her first instinct is to open the door. To bad she goes on her first instinct. Because she totally didn't need to see that.
Gamma is setting straddle a man, her head thrown back as she moves her hip back and forth, causing her sagging breasts to bounce. That's right ladies and gents, Gamma is getting a happy. Faith makes a strangled noise causing Gamma to look over.
"Oh God," Faith says, "Oh God." She closes the door quickly, "Oh fuck." She grabs the wall, shocked and repulsed and a little sick to her stomach. There are just some things she should never see.
Then it dawns on her that she's not sure who Gamma was riding. Did it matter? Did Faith want her Gamma having sex? She hadn't thought about it really. She didn't think she wanted to think about it. But where had Gamma been to find somebody?
Faith is still standing up against the wall trying to get her heart to stop racing and swallow the nausea when Gamma opens her door.
"Faith?" She asks rather timidly.
"I didn't….I hear screaming….and…." Faith says her mind still fuzzy.
"I'm sorry you saw that Faith, I didn't know you would be home so soon." Gamma says, clutching the sheet around her.
"I…." Faith closes her eyes, "Who were you fucking?"
"Uh, well…." Gamma says looking back into the room.
Giles clears his throat stepping into the door way.
"Oh fuck!" Faith hits her head on that wall. "How in the hell? Why in the hell are you fucking my grandmother?"
"I assure you that your grandmother and I having sexual intercourse was not exactly planned. Nor is it any of your business." Giles says a blanket wrapped around his waste.
"The fuck it ant!" Faith roars, now that the shock is over anger is setting in. "You're fucking my grandmother!"
"Gabrielle Faith Lehane, do not speak to him that way!" Gamma yells.
"And just why not? You don't honestly think that I'm just gonna ….gonna let him fuck you do you?" Faith asks turning the attention to Gamma.
"Faith, please." Gamma says, "It's not the way it seems. Giles and I are both consenting adults, both of us are lonely for the attention of the opposite sex. And well…. We started talking…"
"And what you fell on his dick?" Faith roars.
"Not exactly." Gamma says, "I don't see what the big deal it."
"The big deal it that…that I walked in…and and that….well that I saw." Faith stumbles over her words.
"I'm sorry you saw that, you should have knocked. I'm an adult Faith."
"And what happens when you go back to your Heavenly demotion? Gamma you're not staying here forever." Faith says more gently then she felt at the moment.
Gamma takes a deep breath, "I know that, but I also know that I could ask for another chance. Willow has been talking about asking the powers that be if I perhaps could have a second chance at life. And even if I don't get it, I can assure you that Giles and I understand that."
Faith shakes her head, "I can't deal with this right now, and I'm not sure I want to. I'm going to take a shower."
Gamma nods a little and watches Faith disappear into the bathroom. Faith turns the water on as hot as it'll go then climbs under the blistering stream leaning her head against the tiles. Did she really just fucking walk in on her Gamma having sex with Giles? Somebody please wake her up…
Later that night….
Sam curls up with Faith, "What's wrong baby, you've been a million miles away all afternoon."
"Nothing," Faith says kissing her forehead.
"Something is, you're tense, and you're quiet." Sam says sighing, "But if you don't want to talk about it I understand."
Faith sighs a little. "It's not so much that something is wrong as it is that," she pauses, "Well something's on my mind."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Sam asks softly running her fingers over the shirt covering Faith's flat stomach.
"I saw Gamma having sex with Giles today." Faith says, and hears Sam giggle. "I'm not kidding, and I'm pretty sure I'm scarred for life."
Sam stops laughing, "You're serious? You walked in on them?"
"Yeah, I heard a noise and thought something was wrong and there they were fucking." Faith cringes at the thought.
"Aww, baby I'm sorry. But I think it's good that they're getting along." Sam says looking up at Faith, who's rubbing circles on her back.
"I donno, I mean I know that Giles is lonely, and he's like a grandfather or some shit to me. But I just donno if them hooking up is such a good idea. She has to go back to her demotion. And I don't want to share her in a way." Faith sighs, "Then again, at least I know Giles won't hurt her."
"I think that, when you get to be Giles age, then you have to take it one day at a time. And I think that as long as they both understand that she's leaving soon then it'll be okay." Sam says snuggling closer to Faith. "What would have happened if we hadn't given us a chance?"
Faith lets out a long sigh, putting one hand behind her head. "I don't even want to think about it."
"But we new that at any moment we could be ripped apart, right?" Sam asks looking up and studding Faith seriously.
Faith nods, "Yeah."
"So can we fault them for wanting to be close? Can we tell them that they can't?" Sam asks.
"No," Faith says looking down at her, "It's just a little weird."
"A lot of things are in this world." Sam says, "Just think if it wasn't for the weird we wouldn't be together and have two kids with one on the way. I wouldn't have my sister. We wouldn't have Amy." She smiles slightly, "Face it baby, weird isn't nearly as bad as we like to think."
Faith chuckles, "You're right."
"I'm always right," Sam smirks.
Faith is quiet for a long moment, "I was thinking about that moving thing."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, and I think your right." Faith says turning to face Sam, "I love teaching, and taking the new girls out on patrol. Thing is, I have to stand back and let them handle it. I don't get in a good slay for weeks. And I think it's time we move somewhere that I can get a good Slay. Besides, I want to slay with you ounce the baby is born. There's nobody I trust more with my back and you know that. Teaching just isn't enough."
Sam nods, "I know what you mean. I love the kids, and the school and everything. But I feel kinda smothered by it all."
"Then lets do it. Lets move." Faith says leaning in and kissing Sam.
"But not until after the baby." Sam says, "And not until after I'm all healed and stuff."
"Okay how's this, we wait until September the baby will be five months old. You'll be healed and ready to go back Slaying, and most likely she'll be sleeping threw the night." Faith says excitement in her voice.
"What about the kids school?" Sam asks trying to be logical.
"We'll either home school them for the month or do a late enroll, they'll be fine. It'll be an adjustment, but I'm sure they'll be okay." Faith says, kissing Sam. "Come on Sammy."
"And Ken and Sheena will be around. Which will make it easier." Sam bites her bottom lip, "You think we can find a house?"
Faith smiles, "I'm sure of it, and then we'll buy it and if it needs to be redone we can. It doesn't have to be right away. I'll find a job."
"I can work too ounce the baby is old enough. Maybe you could do a student outreach thing. I don't know, but we have enough saved up so that we should be able to make it. And if nothing else we'll talk to Angel." Sam says. She smiles at Faith, "Okay, so we'll work it out tomorrow. Tonight, I'm kinda tired, and want to sleep."
Faith kisses her forehead, "Then sleep babe, just sleep."
The next day Faith sets out about talking to Gamma and Giles. She hadn't really wanted to but Sam had insisted that she talk to them. In the end they decided that it was better if they did see each other. Gamma explained that Willow was trying to fix it so that she wasn't forced to go back to her Domination, but that it would take time. And that they both understood that they could be separated. However as Giles was an older man himself, he saw no need in looking for a 'forever love' he would simply relish the time that he and Gamma had together.
They also explained that from know on they would gladly be locking their door, or going to his place. It occurred to Faith suddenly that Giles looked quiet a bit younger. Gamma herself was looking a bit more glowy. Faith wasn't going to ask why that was. She just new that they seemed to need each other and loved each other, so that was that.
She didn't question whether Giles would treat Gamma right. There was no question in her mind that he would. That didn't stop her from threatening to cut off a certain appendage if he should step out of line.
Together they set down and talked more about the move. Deciding it was in fact a good idea. They got online and tried to find a house. Sam found a beautiful two story house, with an achier of land. It was in the middle of the small town they were moving too. All together the population wasn't much. If they had to guess the demon population was more then the human.
They also talked to Buffy about it, and she said she had be racking her brain trying figure out who they could send. The demonic death count rose greatly in the last year and half, so they had sent three new girls down there. However, one was dead the first week, and the other critically injured only days before Faith spoke to Buffy. Therefore Ken and Sheena would be forced to move sooner then expected, but swore that they would be back for the baby's birth.
Buffy seemed relieved and a little sad at the same time. She new Faith and Sam were needed not to mention that she new they needed a change. But she still didn't want them leaving. Although she understood the call of Slaying, especially when it came to Faith.
Overall, the next two weeks went off without a hitch. Ken and Sheena were set to move in just over a week, Sam was eight months pregnant to date, and Faith had the 'soon to be mommy gitters' again. They'd bought the house, it was two stories, four bedrooms upstairs, two downstairs, two bathrooms upstairs and one down. An attached garage that had another room, which was perfect for working out, and a huge back yard.
So of course there had to be a glitch in the plan. And this, my friends was the glitch.
"She didn't come home. I mean we fought, but she didn't come home. She's never not came home."
Sam watches as Sheena paces up and down in front of her. Wondering what the hell she should say to the girl.
"How could she not come home? She realizes that I need her help packing for one, and that Bryan won't go down without her, so he screamed in my ear all night. Until finally he cried himself to sleep asking for Momma. How could she do that to our child?"
Sam, realizing she has to stop Sheena and soon or else it'll be a panic attack. "You need to calm down."
"Calm down?!" Sheena stops pacing and looks at Sam like she's grown a second head or sprouted antlers. Okay so maybe calm down wasn't the best approach, Sam thinks.
"Sheena, what did you fight about?"
"I told her she wasn't helping me pack. And she has been Sam, but I just, ya know I was tired and she was tired and we just got aggravated with each other and she left." Sheena says sadly.
Sam nods, "I understand that. Faith has only walked out ounce after a fight, and that was when Jay was about six months old. She had an ear infection and she was screaming, and I couldn't take it. So we got into it, and Faith walked out. But she came back. And I'm sure Ken will do the same."
"But you don't understand, she's done it before. Only she's always there when I wake up." Sheena says, "Something wrong Sam, I can feel it."
Sam frowns, she's not one to take the bond of two lovers for granted. If Sheena said something was wrong then something was wrong. The only problem was that neither girl new what that could be.
"I tried calling her, and she's not answering. I mean ounce we had Bryan she's always answered, and with you pregnant there's no way she'd not answer. She just wouldn't Sam and you know that."
Sam again nods. There's no way Ken wouldn't answer, no matter how mad she got. She would be to afraid that something was wrong with Bryan or Sheena, or that Sam had gone into early labor. Sheena had convened Sam something was wrong, and now she had that all to familiar sinking feeling in her stomach. Not to mention the baby was kicking really really hard.
Picking up the phone without really saying anything to Sheena she dials Faith's cell.
"Hey Mommy, you okay?" Faith's voice answers and Sam can't help but smile a little.
"I'm okay, but Ken is missing. And Sheena's over here freaking out, and I think she may be right." Sam says.
"What'da mean she's missing?" Faith asks, and Sam can hear the frown in her voice.
"Sheena and her got into it and she took off. But she's not back yet, and she's not answering." Sam says with a sigh.
"That doesn't sound like Ken." Faith says in a thoughtful voice. "Why don't you have Will do a locator spell and I'll be home in a few?"
"Good idea," Sam says, "And then you can go get her when we find her."
"Right, love ya Babe." Faith says.
"Love you," Sam hangs up the phone, only to pick it back up again, this time calling Willow. She explains the situation and Willow agrees to come right over. Ounce done with that she turns back to Sheena and explained that Willow would do the locator spell.
With in ten minutes Willow is there, followed closely by Faith. Willow quickly performs the locator spell, finding Ken. As it turns out she's in the hospital. Why she hadn't called or they hadn't called, nobody new just yet. But believe me, when I say, they will know as soon as they get to the hospital.
An hour later, Sheena is staring at Ken's back. She's been staring at it for the past half hour. Ken doesn't want to be touched, or looked at or held. And Sheena is simply at a loss as to what to do. Bryan, thank God, had been left at daycare. Without a sigh, she runs a frustrated hand threw her hair. She'd tried to talk to Ken but it made Ken cry, so she stopped. She tried touching her, but Ken flinched. She wondered absently if a demon had done this, but then again, Ken's been up again the ultimate evil. She went up against the first, so there's very little chance that a demon done this. No, unfortunately, this had human written all over it.
Faith and Sam had went down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Mostly to give Sheena time with Ken. But soon they were back, to find Sheena still staring at Ken's back. Sam gently rubs Sheena's back looking down sympathetically at her. She's has and idea what may be wrong, but she doesn't know for sure. With a deep steadying breath she says,
"Give us a few minutes."
Sheena looks up sacredly, "You want me to leave? You want me to leave her like this…." Sheena motions toward Ken's back.
"Please, wait with Faith in the waiting room." Sam says looking Sheena directly in the eyes.
"Now wait just one minute," Faith says, "Why am I waiting in the waiting room?"
"Because I want to talk to Ken alone." Sam says turning to her, "And you'll do it because you know I wouldn't ask without a good reason."
Faith sighs and nods, "Fine, come on Sheena."
Reluctantly Sheena gets up and follows Faith. Sam moves around the bed, standing in Ken's line of sight. The girl tries to turn away, but Sam puts a hand on her shoulder and stops her. She waits until Ken has made eye contact then says, "That's enough of this Kennedy. Tell me what happened." Her voice isn't angry and it isn't harsh, it's gentle yet commanding.
Ken lets out a shallow breath, "I can't."
"You can." Sam insists, "And I'm not leaving until you do."
Ken closes her eyes trying to force the tears away. "It was horrible." She says soft.
"I know it was Ken. But you have to tell me." Sam says pulling up a chair and setting down. Gently she takes Ken's hand.
"I went out to a bar." Ken says, "I was several shots in when this guy….."
Sam squeezes her hand but doesn't say anything.
With another shallow breath Ken begins again, "I was several shots in, good and tipsy. When this guy approached me. I'm not into guys, I'm strictly girls. And I told him that, but he said what was the harm in buying me a drink. So….I let him buy me just one beer. But he went down the bar, cause the bartender wasn't paying attention." She has to stop because of the sobs, but Sam waits patiently. "But he had put something in the drink. And it was like….it was like he new I was a slayer, cause whatever he put in it was enough to knock me out cold. When I woke up…." Again she has to stop, "I was in a hotel room and he was on top of me. I could feel his dick right there, he was hard too." Again she stops sobs over taking her. Eventually she gathers herself enough to speak, "It hurt so bad when he entered me. I felt like I was being ripped open. It hurt worse then when I had Bryan."
Sam nods, she can clearly remember the first time she had sex with a man, and yes it had hurt.
"I screamed, I think I screamed. I tried. But he wouldn't stop, and whatever he gave me made me really really weak. He was so rough, I mean he…." She shudders, "It was horrible."
Sam stands up, sets down on the edge of the bed, and pulls Ken to her. Ken breaks into tears, clinging tightly to Sam.
Ounce Ken has calmed down a little Sam speaks, "I understand what you went threw." She says softly. "I was twelve or so. I hadn't been on my period all that long. This guy my Mom was dating, which was code for fucking, came over and she wasn't there. I guess that she had went out for a fix or something. And Ally was in her crib sleeping. He said he needed to get off right then. He was high and it scared me. I couldn't scream or I'd wake up Ally, so I let him throw me on the bed. Like you said, it felt like being ripped open, and I cried, but I still didn't scream. That's what he wanted, he wanted me to scream. Anyways, he done his deed and when my Mom got home and found him on top of me, I got smacked around real good."
She pauses, "It wasn't until much later in life that I realized I musta been pregnant. Because I just remember being confused. I had missed one period, and then suddenly there was just this big gush of blood. It never accured me that I had lost a baby. Not until I understood the mechanics of it all a little better."
Ken looks up at Sam, "I…"
"Don't Ken, I want you to understand something. That's not a story I tell many people. But I wanted you to know that I understand what you're going threw. And I know how it feels. Whatever happens I'm right here, you'll be okay." Sam says, "You have to tell Sheena."
"Does Faith know?" Ken asks quietly.
"No, and there's not need for her to know. Look how far I came from that Ken. Look at how far you've came in your life. Don't let this one man, this one bastard get you down. What he done was horrible, yes, but that doesn't mean he has a right to rule the rest of your life."
Ken nods against Sam's shoulder. Both fall quiet lost in their own thoughts until finally Sheena and Faith come back in. Ken has fallen asleep, but Sam looks a million miles away.