Faith gently lowered herself down onto Dawn's naked form; gliding her hands up the girl's thighs she slowly parted them sliding her hips in-between. Faith's lips met Dawn's softly then harder, Faith taking the kiss deeper, parting the girls lips with her tongue she felt Dawn hungrily take her tongue into her mouth meeting it with her own.

Faith let her hands roam along the teenagers body as she slid her mouth off Dawn's and glided it down her cheek and onto her throat, she heard the brunette's groan of protest at the loss of contact mingle with her moan of pleasure.

Faith's mouth dipped lower, kissing down and then along her collarbone, she felt Dawn's fingernails dig into her back as she let her hand slide along Dawn's side and then across her belly, then go lower.

And lower.

And lower…

BBBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPP.

Faith awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed, glancing around wildly at the noise, she finally recognised it as the clock radio sitting on the dresser next to the bed.

She hit it hard to stop the annoying noise and then sighed, brushing the hair back from her face.

That had been one hell of a dream, or at least the start of one hell of a dream, she had thought the fight last night would work some of the tension off but obviously it had just wound her up even further, now she was feeling extremely hot and bothered and she just wanted to go back to sleep, or preferably screw Dawn and then go back to sleep, but the distinct lack of Dawn made the latter choice impossible.

'And the fact it was wrong,' thought Faith hurriedly. 'Very, very wrong.'

She really had to find some way of dealing with this love/lust spell, now it was starting to take control of her dreams as well as her waking life, she was sure it was the influence of some kind of spell because these feelings couldn't be real.

Absolutely no way.

Definitely not.

Never.

Hopefully.

Faith glanced at the clock radio, 10:02.

What was she doing setting the alarm that early, or was it ten at night?

She looked out the small, grimy window that cast a dull light into the crappy little motel room she was staying in.

Either it was a really brightly lit night or that was definitely daylight.

She stretched and groaned feeling a few bruises that hadn't completely healed after last night probably because she hadn't really got much in the way of sleep due to the late hour she had managed to get back to the motel, after she had disposed of those three vamps last night she had got the urge for some hunting and bagged a couple more vampires and some kind of demon, but she was starting to feel the consequences now.

"Must be getting old," Faith muttered to herself.

As she slid out of bed she remembered why she was getting up this early, she was going to see Buffy at Slayer central this morning, she knew Buffy was big on the whole early-rising thing and ten o'clock was as early as Faith could manage, hopefully she could catch B before she got too busy.

So she was off to see Buffy then, but the first order of the day was definitely a shower, a long cold shower.

The taxi slowed and then stopped in front of a large office block just outside the centre of the city.

Faith frowned and read the address she had been given then looked back at the building, she wasn't sure how you could tell what the building was as there were no numbers or identification of any sort on the front of the building.

"You're sure this is right?" Faith asked the taxi-driver.

"Si," he nodded emphatically.

'Great,' thought Faith. 'This guy doesn't speak a word of English and I don't speak any Italian, perfect.'

"Right. Thanks," said Faith. "So how much do I owe you?"

The driver looked at her, uncomprehending.

"How...Much…Do…I…Owe…You?" Faith gestured between herself and the driver, using the old tourist fall back when in a conversation with someone who didn't understand your language, speak slower and louder. She thought it would make her more understandable, strange how it never seems to work.

The driver just continued to stare at her.

Faith pulled out a small wad of notes and said very slowly and loudly, "HOW…MUCH?"

A look of understanding crossed the drivers face. "Oh Si Si…" he then proceeded to say something in Italian that Faith completely failed to follow, however she understood the last part. "16 Euro."

Faith pulled out a 20 Euro note and handed it to him. "Keep the change," she patted the driver on the shoulder as she leapt out of the taxi and onto the sidewalk.

She heard the taxi speed off as she looked up and up at the building. Faith had to admit she was impressed, the building was huge a number of stories high and it seemed to stretch halfway along the block on either side.

Faith glanced either side of her and then shrugged, not seeing any other entrance then the heavily tinted automatic doors in front of her.

She wandered casually inside and looked around, the space seemed like any other office lobby she had walked into, spacious with potted plants in the corners and a large wooden reception desk manned by a pretty, blonde woman talking into a headset.

It reminded her of the Wolfram and Hart offices back in LA, except instead of human and/or demons in suits wandering around there was a large number of fit young girls in street clothes going about their business, chatting amongst themselves mainly, with only the odd guy or woman in a suit hurrying past.

"May I help you?"

It took Faith a few seconds before she realised the question was being directed at her; she walked up to the reception desk. "I want to talk to Buffy."

"Buffy…Oh you mean Ms. Summers," said the receptionist.

"Yeah her," Faith nodded.

"May I inquire as to what your business is with Ms. Summers?" said the receptionist in an even, cultured tone.

"Just tell her Faith's here, she'll know who I am."

"Do you have a last name Miss Faith?" a hint of annoyance crept into her voice as she looked Faith up and down disapprovingly.

"Sure," Faith stared her out.

A long pregnant pause followed.

"And that would be?" the hint had become outright annoyance now.

"B knows it, trust me she'll know who I am," Faith smiled sweetly at the receptionist, she still enjoyed winding up authority figures, even one as minor as this.

The receptionist stared at her stonily, then pressed a button in front of her. "Ms. Summers?"

Faith wasn't close enough to hear the other side of the conversation so she couldn't hear Buffy's answer.

"I hope you were not too busy Ms. Summers but I have a young woman calling herself Faith here at reception…"

Buffy obviously cut in as the receptionist paused and looked at Faith, a small smile on her lips.

"Yes I would say that's a fair description of her."

Faith looked quickly down at herself, the leather pants, tight top, denim jacket, then looked back up at the receptionist her eyes narrowing slightly, she could just guess B's unflattering description of her.

"Yes Ms. Summers, of course Ms. Summers, I'll tell her right away," said the receptionist, hanging up.

"Ms. Summers will see you now."

"Great," Faith turned away, then turned back. "Where is she?"

"Up in her office, top floor first door on the right," she pointed at a pair of lifts.

"Right," Faith began moving towards the lifts.

The lift doors opened to reveal a corridor stretching away to either side, with doors at regular intervals on either side.

"Now is it the first door on the right of the lifts or on the right-hand side of the corridor," Faith asked herself, frowning.

She was saved from possible embarrassment when the door on the right of the lifts opened and Buffy walked out. "In here Faith."

Faith sauntered into Buffy's office and whistled. "Wow B you've really done well for yourself."

Buffy's office was huge, almost as big as her apartment, one wall was just windows, giving a spectacular view over the city. A large wooden desk dominated the room, Buffy's Faith presumed; it had that sense of slight smug superiority.

The office had little else, a couple of chairs facing the desk and a couch up against one wall.

"What do you do with all this room?" asked Faith.

Buffy moved over to the wall behind the desk and pressed something on the side of the small painting hanging there. A section of the wall slid across revealing all things pointy, sharp and shiny.

"Nice," said Faith, even more impressed.

"Clichéd I know," said Buffy. "But sometimes a girl needs some time alone with her weapons, without some wannabe slayer getting in the road."

"I can understand, don't play well with others myself."

"I remember," said Buffy dryly. "And it's not a matter of not playing well with others, just I need to train by myself on occasion."

Buffy pressed the hidden switch and the wall slid back again.

"So is this a social visit," Buffy moved over to sit behind her desk. "Or is there another reason we're graced with your presence?"

"Actually I came to ask for a job," Faith slouched into one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"Humnu?"

"Figured I'd done enough of the lone ranger routine and thought you could do with a hand training the newbies."

"Well any help would be appreciated, seems a couple more girls just pop up out of the middle of nowhere every day, its getting a little overwhelming."

"Cool, just point me where you want me, although I don't do paperwork," Faith pointed out, then saw Buffy's suspiciously empty desk. "And I'm guessing neither do you."

Buffy looked over her desk. "I have a system for handling paperwork, its called give it to Giles or Andrew or the other Watchers, they seem able to handle it."

"Andrew, the little nerdy guy," asked Faith. "He's actually being useful?"

"Surprisingly yes, although he is still as annoying as ever."

There was a small silence as the two slayers studied each other; Buffy looked pretty much the same as Faith remembered, the same classy yet stylish clothes, shoulder-length blonde hair and the same wary attitude, at least around her.

Faith broke the awkward silence. "See you've still got the holy hand-grenade," she nodded at the scythe hanging on the wall.

Buffy shrugged. "It comes in handy every now and again, and its useful for testing the new slayers, to see if they are or not, slayers that is."

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Not in some cases no, and it helps convince some that they truly are slayers, once they feel its power its kind of hard to deny."

"Don't know why they'd want to."

"Well you always did like the power of being a slayer didn't you?" Buffy asked.

"You have to admit, it doesn't suck."

"Hmmmm…" Buffy looked at her.

"But I'm over the whole power-mad trip thing B, I'm completely in control now," she saw Buffy's sceptical look. "Well mostly in control anyway."

Another awkward silence ensued.

"Dawn said you dropped by last night," said Buffy.

Faith looked up sharply. "She did," she tried to act casual. "What'd she say?"

"Just that you came by and that you seemed a little jumpy."

"Well long flights don't agree with me, especially over water," Faith couldn't help but be a little disappointed that that was all Dawn had said.

"I wouldn't worry about Dawn, she's still a little pissed at you, but she'll soon go back to idolising you I'm sure."

"Idolising me?"

"You remember when you first arrived in Sunnydale?" said Buffy. "Dawn trying to be mini-Faith, she thought you were the coolest thing ever, even more so than Brad Pitt."

"Really?" Faith's mood abruptly brightened.

"You didn't notice?"

"I knew she followed me around a lot, but idolised me, no."

"Maybe idolised is too strong a word," Buffy nodded. "But she definitely followed you around like a little groupie."

Faith's mind wandered at the idea of Dawn being her little groupie and where that could lead. "So where did you get the money for all this?" she tried to get the topic off Dawn.

"The Watchers Council."

"I thought they all got blown-up?" asked Faith surprised.

"Mostly, not all Watchers arrived in time for that meeting a few survived here and there around the world and now they're here helping us run the new Slayers Council."

"And what they came bearing gifts or something?"

"Not exactly gold, frankincense and myrrh, but one knew the numbers of some secret Watchers Council bank accounts, turned out they were sitting on a nice little nest egg."

"Typical," said Faith a little disgusted. "We do all their dirty work while they get rich off of it."

"We?" asked Buffy archly. "If I remember correctly I did all their dirty work, you did whatever the hell you wanted."

"Hey I helped sometimes," said Faith defensively.

"When you weren't evil and killing people."

Faith looked away, now pissed off at the blonde, somehow whenever her and Buffy were in the same room together they inevitably got on each other's nerves.

"I heard about you and Robin, I'm sorry," said Buffy softly, trying to decrease the tension in the room.

"Me and Robin?" said Faith taken by surprise. "Oh. Right. Yeah, I guess D told you."

"D?"

"Dawn."

"You call her D now?" Buffy frowned.

"What were you feeling special because you were the only one I did that with?"

"No," said Buffy a little too quickly. "It's just a surprise that's all. And anyway Dawn didn't tell me Robin rang up about a month ago, strangely enough also asking for a job."

"You mean he's here?" asked Faith a little worried.

"No he works in our LA section."

"LA section?"

Buffy opened her mouth to say something and then stopped. "Its probably easier if I show you. Come on," Buffy got up, gesturing towards the door.

Faith followed her out of the room and along the corridor where they reached a pair of double doors. Buffy opened them and walked into a large rectangular conference room, the longer side opposite to the doors. A large table, the same shape as the room with over a dozen seats around it sat in the middle, while the rest of the room was bare except for the large map of the world that almost covered the entire wall facing the door.

"This is us," stated Buffy matter-of-factly.

Faith looked it over, the map was covered in red and blue pins with numbers written on the backs, in a few spots large red squares had been placed, also with numbers written on them.

"What does all this mean?" she asked curious.

"The red pins are where slayers are located, the numbers show how many are in any one city, the blue pins are watchers and the red squares are sub-sections of the Council."

Faith noticed that one square was in LA. "Like the place where Robin is working?"

"Exactly, and we've got others, one on the east coast of the US in New York and one in Cleveland, one in Brazil, where Will and Kennedy are, one in London and in Moscow, three in SE Asia, two in Africa and one in Australia."

"Sounds like you've got the whole world covered."

"That's the idea."

"Impressive," Faith nodded.

"It's mainly Andrew's baby, he kept pushing for it so here it is, Will made us an online version but Andrew insists on keeping this one updated."

"Finally got his big board then."

"Well we had to give him something to play with and keep him out of the way."

"Where is he anyway?"

"He and Xander fly around to help keep an eye on the girls in other places, offer advice and in Xander's case fix things they've broken."

"That sounds like a full-time job for Xander."

"It is, it also means he's overseas a lot which upsets Dawn."

"Xander and Dawn are together?" asked Faith shocked and disappointed at the same time.

"What? No," said Buffy surprised. "They're just close, he's kind of like her big brother and he looks after her when I'm not around which takes some pressure off me."

"Oh. Good," Faith suddenly felt better.

"What is it with you and Dawn anyway?" asked Buffy slightly suspicious, though of what she wasn't sure.

"What do you mean?" said Faith warily.

"You just seem overly interested in her."

"Not really, you're the one who keeps bringing her up," Faith began feeling more uncomfortable.

"Am I? I guess so," Buffy shrugged off her suspicion. "So why did you and Robin break-up?"

"What?" said Faith surprised at the change of direction.

"I was wondering why, Robin said you just grew into friends I wanted to hear your side of the story."

"He's right I guess, we ended up talking more and screwing less and less and then hardly ever so we both decided that we should be friends, like he said, and then we went our separate ways, we still talk occasionally," Faith added her rote line.

"Obviously not in the last month or so."

"Well maybe not occasionally, we haven't really talked recently at all," Faith was a little troubled by this realisation. 'Where had the last month gone?' she wondered. 'I probably should call him, just to check up.'

"Why do you seem so interested in me and Robin?"

"I guess I was just curious, checking to see if you knew why our love lives seem to suck so badly, I haven't had a great record of late recently either."

"So we're two hot, young chicks with superpowers and we're both single?"

"I know. Kind of sad really isn't it."

"Maybe we should go out to a club together, you know the Chosen Two, like in the old days."

"Are you asking me out on a date?" said Buffy mockingly.

"No," Faith frowned. "I was thinking we could go out, find a couple of studs, use and abuse them, you know have some fun." 'And hopefully get my mind off trying to get into your little sis's pants.'

"OK," said Buffy slowly. "Could be fun or a complete disaster, either way its better then staying home and watching bad Italian TV."

"Cool."

"So tomorrow night then."

"It's a date," Faith saw Buffy's look. "I mean it's not a date date, I was just saying it's a date, as in…"

"I got that Faith. Thanks."

"'Cause I wouldn't want you to think I was hitting on you," Faith continued hurriedly. "'Cause I'm not interested in girls in that way. At all." 'Except your sister.'

"That's good Faith, I did get that," said Buffy a little amused at Faith's discomfort.

"Right. Of course. Good, that you got that I mean."

Buffy changed the topic of conversation to spare Faith any more discomfort. "If you're going to be working here Faith, I guess you need a tour around the place, I have an elsewhere to be but I could get someone else to show you around, unless you're busy?"

"No I'm pretty much at a loose end," Faith tried to regain her composure.

"Good, are there any questions you want to ask me before I offload you?" Buffy left the room and walking down the corridor to her office.

Faith suddenly remembered the other reason she was here. "Yeah actually I was wondering if you knew any good witches or warlocks around here?"

"Why, do you want to do a spell or something?" asked Buffy curious.

"No, its just I'm under some curse or hex or something and I can't seem to shake it."

"What kind, are you OK?" Buffy became a little concerned.

'The kind that makes me want to screw your little sister all the time.' "I'm OK its not deadly or anything, I seem to be running stuff out of both ends, oozing stuff out of every pore…"

"That's way more then I needed to know," interrupted Buffy quickly. "But you seem fine at the moment?"

Faith thought fast. "It usually only hits when I begin fighting."

"Oh, OK," Buffy nodded distractedly while looking through the drawers in her desk. "Ah, here we go," Buffy found a business card and handed it to Faith.

Faith looked at the card in her hands, it was a plain white rectangle with one word, Salcaccio, on it in bold, black, gothic lettering and a phone number and address in the bottom left hand corner. "Warlocks use business cards now?"

"Apparently," Buffy shrugged. "And he's reliable, well as reliable as a warlock can be and we're pretty sure he isn't evil."

"Pretty sure?" Faith stared at her.

"As sure as we can be."

"OK," Faith nodded putting the card in a pocket. "Thanks for this, that hex is starting to get real annoying, you know with that stuff oozing…"

"Really don't need to hear that again Faith," said Buffy hurriedly, she walked over to the phone on her desk and hesitantly pushed a button, it was obvious to Faith that Buffy wasn't quite sure how to use it properly.

"Yes Ms. Summers?" the receptionist's voice came through over the speakerphone.

Buffy breathed a silent sigh of relief that she had actually managed to press the right button this time. "Lisa, Faith needs someone to show her around the place, who's free?"

"Your sister just walked in and seems to be loitering around," said Lisa disapprovingly.

"Dawn's here, why isn't she at school?" asked Buffy surprised.

"I don't know Ms. Summers, would you like me to send her up?"

"Yes I would."

Faith perked up at the sound of Dawn's name. "Sounds like the little brat's playing hooky."

"If she was she wouldn't be stupid enough to come here," Buffy sounded worried.

"I'm sure everything's OK B," said Faith getting worried about Buffy being worried.

"Hmmm…" Buffy nodded distractedly.

The sound of the door opening made both women stand up quickly. "Dawn what are you doing here, are you OK?" asked Buffy concerned.

"Of course," Dawn sounded surprised. "Its Friday Buffy, I have a half-day remember?"

"Oh. Right. I knew that," lied Buffy.

Dawn failed to look convinced. "Faith," she said glancing across at her.

"Hey D," Faith smiled at her winningly, Dawn failed to look convinced at that either.

"So do you want me for something?" asked Dawn.

'Lots of hot, steamy sex,' the thought popped into Faith's head unannounced. 'Damn girl, get a hold of yourself.'

"Are you doing anything important?" asked Buffy.

"Well I was going to do some Watcher training stuff with Giles, but almost anything's better then that."

"I thought you enjoyed all that stuff?"

"Most of it, but when Giles drones on about it being a calling and responsibility and all that I tend to drift off."

"I remember that," Buffy nodded sympathetically. "But you should listen to him he's a good teacher and, annoyingly, he's usually right, you're lucky to have him."

Dawn rolled her eyes, obviously having heard something similar before from Buffy. "I know I know, so what do you want me for?"

'LOTS OF HOT, STEAMY SEX,' thought Faith, almost saying it aloud this time. 'Oh for gods sake girl stop it.'

"Could you show Faith around?" asked Buffy. "I've got to get to another appointment so I need someone else to give her the tour."

"That's OK B, if Dawn's busy you can show me around another time," Faith thought it best that she wasn't left alone with Dawn at the moment, especially considering the type of thoughts that were going through her head.

"No its fine Faith, I'll be happy to," said Dawn.

"Good so that's settled then," said Buffy. "I'll see you two later."

"OK," Dawn nodded at her sister. "Coming Faith?" she said walking towards the door.

"Sure D. Later B," Faith followed apprehensively.

Dawn had given her the full tour, from the offices at the top of the building right down to the training areas and armoury in the basement, at any other time Faith would have been interested in what she was being shown, instead she was more interested in her guide and especially her clothes, Dawn was wearing a black skirt, cut just above the knee showing off her legs nicely and a light blue button-up shirt that to Faith seemed overly tight across the chest, although that could be due to her increasingly overactive imagination.

"And here's where we keep all the bladed weapons," Dawn walked into a large room whose walls were literally lined with swords, daggers, axes and spears of all shapes and sizes. Weapons also hung on dozens of racks, neatly lined up facing the door.

"Uh huh," said Faith more interested in figuring out whether Dawn was wearing a bra or not, she couldn't quite tell and had spent the last few minutes intensely studying Dawn's shirt trying to see.

"OK Faith you could show some kind of interest in what I'm saying," Dawn turned to her with her arms crossed.

"What? Sorry D," Faith was startled out of her thoughts.

"Usually this amount of weaponry would have you drooling or at least paying attention to me, instead you seem more interested in studying my shirt," Dawn looked down at the offending item. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"No, it looks great D," 'It really shows off your breasts,' thought Faith."Wish I had one of my own."

"Well I like it, the sales assistant said it really showed off my eyes."

"Something like that yeah," Faith whispered to herself.

"What was that Faith?" Dawn frowned.

"Nothing," said Faith quickly.

"If you want we could go shopping and I'll show you where I bought it."

"Um, yeah maybe if you want," Faith started to feel more uncomfortable considering what she had been thinking about said shirt.

"Do you wear anything other then leather or denim Faith?"

Faith couldn't help herself. "Most of my underwear isn't."

"I really did not need to know that," Dawn shook her head. "Wait a minute, most?"

"So are we done?" asked Faith quickly to get off the subject of her underwear. "Because I have to see someone about something."

"Sure, I guess that's about it," Dawn was a little hurt by Faith's weak excuse and brush off about the shopping trip.

"Cool, so I'll see you later then," said Faith over her shoulder as she almost ran out of the room. 'I have to see this warlock guy about ridding me of this spell in a wicked hurry,' thought Faith. 'Before I do something I might regret.'

"OK later then," Dawn watched Faith move quickly out of the room. "Yeah like she cares," she whispered sadly.