Author: MagnusXXN
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: BTVS doesn't belong to me, it's Joss
Whendon's baby as is Angel. I don't own X-Men or the concept of
mutants that's Marvel's baby. I just own this story but I don't have
any money so sue someone else. Part 14

Rise of the Juggernaut

Thankfully daylight soon poured through the windows. The night had
been an interesting one. Sometime during the night Buffy fell off
her bed and snuggled up beside Xander. She was tossing and turning
in her bed having one hell of a nightmare. When she fell off next to
him he was ready to wake her up. But as soon as she snuggled up next
to him she stopped.

And that's how Faith woke up with her face pressed firmly against
Xander's shoulder. It took her a minute before remembering all that
had happened since she woke from the coma.

"Hey sleepyhead. Want to give me back my arm so I can go get us some
breakfast?" She latched onto his arm sometime during the night with
a vice like grip. If he'd been anyone else that arm would have
broken under her strength, but being him it didn't hurt at all.
"Sure. Can we have pancakes?" She was in a happy mood. She was no
longer wanted for murder. She had all Buffy's friends to herself.
And she had, had one of the soundest sleeps in years. And she knew
whom to thank for that. Xander, always the white knight. He didn't
even try to cop a feel during the night.

"Of course we can. My, your chipper this morning." Whatever
weirdness she was dealing with last night seemed to be over.
"Yep that's me. All chippery." She tried to pull off one of Buffy's
strange little sayings. Faith was sure she got it off because Xander
wasn't looking at her odd anymore.

So they untangled themselves from one another and got ready for
breakfast. Faith got to the shower first and was only slightly
surprised at her reflection. It wasn't just seeing Buffy's face
looking back at her. It was that she looked happy. Maybe she'd stick
around Sunny Dale longer then she expected.

Xander didn't need a shower. One other perk about being him he no
longer got dirty. It was like filth slid right off him like water
off a ducks back. So all he needed to do was head down to the
kitchen.

"Hey, Mrs. S. Where do you keep the pancake stuff?" Joyce who had
sat down for a cup of orange juice pointed out where to find it.
"Buffy have a craving for them?" She asked as she read her
newspaper.

"Ya. Guess she got over whatever wiggings she had going after she
fought Faith." He shrugged as he poured the stuff into the pan and
began to cook. "Buffy doesn't eat them very often. Most of the time
it's just cereal and juice."

A few minutes later a fully dressed Buffy walked into the kitchen in
very Faith like clothing. Tight black tank tip and leather pants.
With sharp dark green eyeliner on. In all she looked nice, and very
hot.

"All dressed up for Riley?" The slayer's mom asked over her
newspaper.

"Yeah, sure." Faith shrugged. It's not like she had ever met the
guy, but he might be good for a laugh. She thought.

"Here you go. Eat up." Xander piled the pancakes onto her plate. At
least a dozen and Faith soon covered them with butter. "Thanks Xan."
She mumbled out threw a mouthful of pancakes.

"Your very welcome. Mrs. S You want a few?" Before she could answer
he had already piled a few on.

"Thanks Xander." Joyce wasn't going to eat any but it would be rude
to refuse after all the work he had done on them. And they did look
and smell very nice.

"Yeah, thanks Xan." Faiths was still busy shoving pancakes into her
mouth.

"Just taking care of my girls." He said as he turned to fix his own
plate. Totally missing the look they shared from his comment.
"Buffy, you need a ride to school?"

"I thought I might play hooky, just for today. If that's alright?"
Faith tried to sound as innocent as she could not wanting to upset
the good vibes that were spread throughout the kitchen. If every one
of Buffy's mornings were this good then why was she such a stuck up
bitch, Faith wondered.

"Yeah, but don't make a habit of it. Xander, you going to Giles?"
Joyce asked as she finished off her plate and put it into the sink.
"Yeah, it's not like I have anywhere else." He sounded sad all of a
sudden Joyce could have kicked herself. She hadn't meant to remind
him how he couldn't walk around like everyone else during the day
anymore.

"Xander, you know I didn't mean it like that." She reassured him.
Mrs. Summers really hated this town. She hated it before and even
more after learning about vampires and demons. But the fact that
most of the town was full of bigots really upset her. "Buffy, want
to tag along with Xan?"

"Yeah, sure." Faith didn't know what the problem was. After all most
of the mutant stuff had popped up after she had been put in the
hospital. "Come on Xman."

"Hey help me with this." He picked up his black helmet.
"Isn't that thing hot?" She asked with a frown.

"Naw." She stopped him from putting it over his face.
"Why not leave it here for the day? Get some sun. Don't want your
face to get pasty, do we?" She joked.

She wondered how long he'd been wearing that thing. His skin still
looked normal so it couldn't have been for too long. But it kind of
grated on her nerves that he thought he had to wear it, to hide who
he was.

"Buff," he sounded pained, "its not problem. Besides we're taking
the back way around town."

She was starting to lose her cool. "Just leave it for the day. What
trouble could it cause?" Of course she didn't know about how the
cops liked to beat up those few mutants in the area. Or how everyone
looked at him like a freak. How could she?

"Just help me put it on. I don't want to cause any trouble. I'm
getting used to it." And before Faith knew what was happening she
had wrapped her arms around him in a hug. Maybe Buffy's body
remembered how to react. Faith thought. It was easier to think about
that and not the heartbreaking fact that he was starting to get used
to hiding behind a mask.

"Sure Xan, sure." She gave in. Her mind raged at her for acting so
soft. That he wasn't really her friend; that he was Buffy's. But
that didn't stop her hands from shaking as she fixed the black
contraption over his head. It seemed a crime to her to hide such a
smiling happy face behind cold black steal.