2002
Sunnydale
"Who wants desert?"
Three me's answered and Buffy nodded, going off to the kitchen.
"Did she make it herself?" Dawn asked nervously.
Spike smirked and shook his head, "No, store-bought."
"Oh, thank God." Dawn sighed, "I love her to death, but she honestly can't cook."
Faith, meanwhile was studying Spike intently, her eyebrows drawn together. Then, it dawned on her, "You!!"
Spike raised a scarred eyebrow, "Yeah. Me. So?"
"At the Bronze. When I switched bodies with B., I saw you at the Bronze."
"Wait a minute." Spike crossed his arms, "You. You're the one who--"
"Yup. Warm champagne. Remember now?"
Dawn looked from the Slayer to the vampire, both eyebrows raised, "Um, did I miss something?"
Just then, Buffy came in, carrying a tray of brownies, "What're we talking about?"
"Champagne, I think." Dawn replied.
"Huh?"
Spike nodded towards Faith, "She hit on me, once."
Faith snorted, "Please. I was messing with your head. I knew you wanted Buffy, just by the way you were talking to me. It was fun to see the look on your face."
Buffy set down the brownies and placed her hands on her hips, "Someone PLEASE tell me what the HELL your talking about."
"Nothing." Faith said, shaking her head. She looked at Buffy for a moment, "Have you gained weight or something?"
2003
Willow found Buffy in the living room, watching Sesame Street with Cassandra on her lap. She stood still for a moment and watched them before clearing her throat.
"Oh, hey Will." Buffy said, looking over her shoulder, "Sleep well?"
"Yeah. Any word from Spike?" Willow replied, heading over to pour herself a cup of coffee.
"No. I'm really worried. He seemed so freaked out when I left."
"But he told you he would be safe, right?"
"Right. I believe him, too, but I still can't help but think that maybe he's bending the truth. He has a tendency to do that."
Willow smiled, "More than a tendency."
"A compulsive habit?"
Cassandra giggled in Buffy's lap and she looked down, "Do you agree, Miss Cassandra?"
The baby clapped her hands in reply and Buffy laughed, "For her sake, I hope this time he's telling me the absolute truth. Because without him...we're lost."
2002
Faith was still blinking owlishly as Buffy and Dawn cleared the table. Spike had left to patrol as soon as dinner had ended, leaving the three women to "do whatever it is they do".
"You're..."
"Pregnant." Buffy finished for her, "Are you over the shock yet?"
"No." Faith shook her head, "This is too wild for words. I mean, first of all, a vampire's kid? That's like, unheard of. Second of all, it's you."
"Yeah, I know it's me. So what?"
"So, I don't know. It's weird."
Dawn rolled her eyes, "Get over it, and come fill us in about LA."
Faith followed them to the living room, "Hold on a sec, I wanna know more about what's going on here in Sunny-D. I missed a lot."
"Buffy and Spike are getting married in a month." Dawn said excitedly.
Faith stared at Buffy, "You do realize that you have basically taken the Slayer Handbook, stomped on it, spit on it, and pissed on it."
"Yup. Ain't it great?"
"Go, B." Faith grinned, "What else?"
"Um...Willow's gay." Buffy said, "And Xander's married, Giles lives in London now, but he's here for the wedding...that's it, I think."
Faith shook her head incredulously, "This place has just turned upside down while I was stuck in that cell."
"I died again." Buffy whispered, "Did they tell you I died?"
Faith nodded, "Yeah. And the told me you were alive. That was it. Angel came to see me the first time, the second time I just got an anonymous letter saying you were fine."
Dawn cleared her throat, "Xander sent it."
"Why?"
"I don't know. He said he thought you should know and he doubted Angel would remember to, since he'd be too busy being happy then brooding because he was happy."
Buffy looked at her sister, "Why didn't he tell me?"
"I don't know."
Faith had fallen quiet, remembering what she had put Xander through. Hell, she'd tried to strangle him. "I should go see him, soon."
Dawn and Buffy turned to look at her.
"I'll call everyone tomorrow. They'll probably all come over. But Xander's on his honeymoon. So, it'll be a few days before you can talk to him. Why do you need to, anyway?"
"I have to apologize for some stuff." Faith replied with a shrug, "I owe him...Did you ever call Angel to tell him I was here?"
"No," Buffy replied, "But I will if you want me to."
"OK. I would, but I'm almost afraid to."
"Why would you be? I was under the impression that Angel was helping you."
"He was. But the others, especially Wes, I don't know how they'll react." Faith looked down, "I did a lot of screwed up shit to them, B. It's hard to forgive that."
Author's Note-- I know everyone is all mad because I spell Tarah the way I do. But that's just how I spell it, and if I tried to do it Tara, then half the story will have Tarah and half will have Tara, cuz it's habit just to add the h. I've seen other people spell it this way. What's the big deal? But if it bugs you that much, please let me know.