Downstairs in the basement training was going about as well as could be expected. Faith started them out with an intense aerobic warm-up, followed by a match spar exercise, which Faith observed. At one o'clock she called an end to the practice and watched as the younger girls left. When she was sure they had gone she walked over to the back wall and pulling at a chain that hung around her neck she reached down and unlocked the padlock. Smiling as she heard the familiar click of the door unlocking she opened the doors and stood for a moment staring at the contents of her cupboard.

It was in here that all her most treasure and most dangerous weapons were stored. Looking through the contents she reached across and grabbed at a thick ebony staff which she pulled out and fondled it between her fingers, closing her eyes and re-assimilating the texture of the wood, each crevice and dent which had long ago been recorded to memory.

She moved to the centre of the wide room and took the warrior stance. Keeping her eyes closed, She worked through each of the movements in the sequence, she had learned long ago. She didn't know how long she took completing the movements but after a while she became aware of a presence in the room with her. Not feeling in the mood to be disturbed she carried on with her movements hoping that whoever it was would get the message.

She was working through Chas T'suings defence movements when her movements were stopped by a weight being thrown against her staff. She opened her eyes in a flash and was met by a smiling pair of blue ones.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that you shouldn't interrupt peoples thoughts?"

Buffy laugh and running her staff along Faith's said,

"Sometimes peoples thoughts need interruption... and anyway I think we need to talk anyway."

Faith started circling the smaller slayer and laughing said,

"What are you breaking up with me B? Funny since I didn't know you cared not like that any way."

Buffy made the first attack slamming the base of her staff into Faith's shin, which was quickly blocked.

"I care, that's why I've given you space the last couple of days but now, I want an explanation."

Faith advanced attacking with the top of her staff forcing Buffy backwards,

"What do you want to know?"

Buffy swiped her staff across the floor catching Faith off guard tripping her over so that she fell on her ass and positioning her staff in front of Faith's throat,

"Round one, goes to you B."

Faith said slightly grudgingly, she didn't like it when Buffy beat her especially when she was using her weapon of choice. She flipped to her feet and taking the stance again smiled and said,

"I'll ask you again, what do you want to know?"

Buffy dropped the staff to the floor and did a series of flips around a startled looking Faith stopping behind her and trying unsuccessfully to trip her a second time.

"What's been going on the last couple of days, I've heard all kinds of stories from the girls Wizards, Werewolves, a secret love child you had when you were 17 and believe me they get more ridiculous from there on in. But the only one I came close to believing was Louise when she told me you had family?"

Faith dropped her staff and smiling at Buffy said,

"Want some Coffee?"

Buffy smiled back and said,

"I could do with a caffeine fix yeah."

They left the house pausing only briefly for Faith to run upstairs and change out of her training gear into a pair of jeans and a black tank top. She grabbed a jacket from the hook at the bottom of the stairs and yelled in that she was going out with Buffy before slamming the door behind them. They walked down the street to The Kings Head. A Pub, which was situated on the corner of road, as she walked in the bartender, Ted, called out

"Shit, Boys! Time to leave now as trouble has just come walking into the bar."

The locals who were in having their lunch time pint just smiled and laughed amongst themselves a few of them nodding in the direction of Faith as she walked across to the bar. Smiling she said,

"Afternoon Ted."

"Alright Darling what can I get for you and your friend then?"

Faith turning to Buffy reached into her pocket grabbed her wallet and said,

"When did you last change the coffee filter?"

He turned and looked guiltily at the coffee machine perched on the shelf behind him and said,

" Well...you see...Diane was really busy last night... I'm not sure"

Faith grinned and said,

"I guess that'll be a Coke for me and for you Buff?"

Buffy nodded and Ted grinning Poured out two pints of Pepsi for them, Faith made as if to pay but he waved his hands at her and said,

"Off you go wench, drinks on me today."

Faith Smiling picked up her drinks and led Buffy across the well-lit clean room, over to a table under the front window. Placing the drinks down she took of her jacket and sat down. Buffy tapped her fingers on the table impatiently and said,

"Are you going to tell me now or am I going to have to kick you ass?"

"Ok well you remember the mission I was on that night?"

"The Soul ring gang?"

Faith nodded and took a slurp of her drink,

"Well anyway I wasn't the only person there with an interest in them, Willow was there."

Buffy paled a little and said,

"Willow as in our Willow? The Willow who left without-a-goodbye Willow?"

Faith nodded,

"She's a teacher now and she's engaged... To my uncle."

Buffy's eyebrow peaked a little,

"She always wanted to be a teacher but put it off. ...Sorry"

She smiled softly and said,

"I didn't even know you had an Uncle let alone one who lived in this area, how come you never said anything?"

Faith looking at her hands said,

"I never really knew, I knew I had an uncle obviously he was my mom's younger brother and she used to talk about him all the time. But I never saw him or heard from him or anything."

She cleared her throat and said,

"Well anyway me and red got talking found out the connection, sorted out the bad guys and she invited me home for a family reunion of sorts."

"She's here in London?"

Buffy asked the pain looking a bit more real on her face Faith nodded adding,

"Only in the summer, the school she teaches in is one for magic it's in Scotland I think. She didn't know any of us were here... anyway we went to this house and it was huge. It was kind of like a communal kind of thing there were loads of them there. Sort of like our HQ was to begin with."

"So you met your uncle."

Faith nodded and told her the whole story, all about meeting him for dinner and then the visit from the previous night and the argument between Xander and Willow.

"Wow..."

Buffy said,

"Are you ok with it? I know that you said you were but you don't have to pretend here you know."

Faith smiled weakly and said,

"I can't say it doesn't hurt cause it does. I mean... come on he was family he was blood and that shit's important. But I don't regret choosing to leave. Because what else could I have done."

Buffy finished off her drink and said,

"You really do love Xander don't you?"

Faith blushed, but before she could answer a man who was standing on the edge of their table interrupted them. He coughed and nodded at Faith a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on his lips as he said,

"I don't know if you remember me from last night, Bill Weasley."