The dreaded Scooby meeting did come, of course. After Buffy showered, she brought her food outside to find Kennedy talking to Xander and Giles, and as she came closer, she could tell that they were talking about what to do next.
"What about Cleveland?" Xander was saying.
"If we replace the Watcher's Council in England," Giles answered, "we will be able to send Slayers to every Hellmouth there is." He paused when he noticed Buffy. "Hello, Buffy."
"Hey," Buffy said, joining the circle. "Is this the part where we realize we can't actually sleep for the next three years?"
"Looks like it," Xander said.
"Where's Will?" Buffy asked.
"Still asleep," Kennedy said. "That spell took a lot out of her."
"Where's Faith?" Xander asked.
"In the shower," Buffy said. "Probably avoiding this conversation."
"I've already spoken with Faith," Giles said. "I've asked her to take a role in educating young Slayers. We have no clue how many there are going to be, and some of them will be coming from difficult and dangerous lives."
Buffy nodded. "Like Faith."
"Exactly. We're going to have to organize, however," Giles said. "Which is why I feel that we should go back to England."
"That's why?" Buffy said. "Nothing to do with how much you miss scones?"
"What's a scone?" Kennedy asked.
"It's a British thing," Xander told her. "Like crumpets, or Queen Elizabeth."
"I do not want to go back to England because I miss scones," Giles protested. "Or crumpets, or Queen Elizabeth, for that matter. I simply believe that we will be able to make use of the Council's extensive resources and the foundation that already exists."
"Shouldn't we spread out?" Buffy asked. "We need experienced Slayers everywhere, right?"
"You and Faith should stay central," Giles said. "As the Slayers with the most experience, we will need you to teach younger girls, and perhaps to step in when things get dire."
"I'll go anywhere," Buffy said. "I've gotten over the idea of being able to choose."
"Your life is yours, Buffy," Giles said. "Perhaps you should consider taking a break before we start reorganizing."
"I can't," Buffy said. "Not with all these new girls. Maybe when the new Slayers have some experience. Faith can't teach them all herself."
"It wouldn't be just Faith," Kennedy said. "I mean, I don't have much experience as a Slayer, but I know stuff, right? Lots of us know stuff."
Buffy sighed. "I don't know. I don't know what I would do." She looked at Giles. "I think I have to stay with you guys. I hate it, but I have to keep going. I have to help."
"So, is England definite?" Xander asked.
"Not necessarily," Giles said. "We will have to speak with Willow first, and Faith. We haven't had long to recover."
"Think there are any vampires near here?" Buffy asked. "I think Faith's getting restless."
"Just Faith?" Kennedy asked.
"Slayer's gotta Slay," Buffy sighed. "Seriously, I would love to just be able to kick back and watch some bad movies or something."
"Could do some group training," Xander said. "Get all the girls together, teach them to use their strength."
"That's actually not a bad idea," Buffy said. "I bet Faith'll be in."
"In for what?" Faith's voice came from behind Buffy, and a moment later her arm was snaking around Buffy's waist. "You can't be already making plans?"
"Just to do some group training with all the girls later," Buffy said. "So we don't all get too restless without anything to Slay."
"Yeah, I'm in," Faith said. "Girls won't know what hit 'em."
"No hitting," Xander said.
"You know what we do, right?" Kennedy asked. "It's mostly hitting."
"If we don't do something to keep these girls active, there's going to be hitting," Buffy said. "Trust me, Xander. You want us to do this."
"Plus, you know, lots of girls bouncing around," Faith said. "Sounds like your paradise."
Buffy stared at Faith. "Ew."
"Seconded," Kennedy agreed.
"Just telling it like it is," Faith protested.
"Can we talk about something else?" Giles asked. "Anything will do."
Kennedy grinned, looking over Giles's shoulder. "Hey, Willow!"
Buffy turned her head, looking past Faith. Willow was walking towards them, looking far more chipper than anyone had the right to be.
"Hey, Ken, everybody." Willow stepped around Buffy and Faith to get to Kennedy, putting her arm around Kennedy's waist the exact way Faith had done to Buffy minutes before. Suddenly conscious of this, Buffy took an uncomfortable step away from Faith. She could feel Faith's eyes on her, but she ignored it.
"We were just talking about what to do now," Buffy said. "Since the big evil is gone and all."
"What, no one new's shown up yet?" Willow asked.
"I think we're allowed a day off," Xander said. "Just the one, though. We'll be looking out tomorrow."
Everyone laughed.
"Wow. When did that become funny?" Faith asked. "I mean, I knew I was messed up, but I thought the rest of you were okay."
"Did you really?" Buffy asked, looking at Faith. "In your heart of hearts?"
"Yeah, good point." Faith grinned a glorious grin at Buffy. "No one would think you were okay, B."
Buffy stuck out her tongue at Faith. "At least I'm cute," she said, turning back to the rest of the group. "So, if we continue this conversation, are we going to come up with anything new?"
"Probably not," Giles said. "But we all need to be thinking about the next step. I, for one, don't want to stay in this motel much longer."
"You got that right," Faith said. "I give it one more night before the girls revolt."
Buffy looked around. Most of the girls were in various rooms, but a few were in the parking lot, looking through shopping bags and chatting with one another.
"We should clean that up," Buffy said, gesturing at the bags.
"We should keep the clothes in the bus," Faith said. "In case the girls want them. Is it unlocked?"
"I don't actually know that much about buses," Giles said. "Can they be unlocked?"
"The driver's got to get on somehow," Xander said.
"I'll figure it out," Kennedy said, peeling away from the group. Willow went with her, holding her hand.
Buffy started grabbing shopping bags, hanging them on her arm. Faith followed, taking the full bags from Buffy and bringing them to the bus, which Willow and Kennedy had indeed gotten open. A minute later, all the bags were on the bus, and Buffy leaned against the yellow metal and pulled Faith next to her.
"What do we do now?" she asked. "And don't say we have to watch bad reality shows anymore, because I think I'll explode."
"Think the room's big enough to spar?" Faith asked.
"If you want to explain to the front desk that we killed their lamp, sure," Buffy said. "I guess fights in the parking lot are frowned upon." She looked around. "We really do have to get out of this motel."
"We'll find somewhere to go," Kennedy said.
"Possibly England," Willow added. "Lots of room in England."
"Have you been there?" Faith asked.
"Yes, actually," Willow said. "I spent a while on a very nice farm. There were horses." She paused. "I'm actually not the biggest fan of horses. But it's the thought that counts."
"So," Kennedy said, "what's going on between you two? Because my lesbidar is tingling."
"Your what?" Buffy asked.
"She's making fun of me," Willow said. "And being rude about things that are really none of her business."
"It's okay," Buffy said, grabbing Faith's hand. "Isn't this the sort of thing I'm supposed to tell my best friend about?"
"Hey," Faith said. "Don't I get a say?"
"Sure," Buffy said. "Say something."
Faith looked at Willow. "I'm gay for your best friend."
Kennedy snickered. "You ever need tips, let me know."
"Tips on what?" Buffy asked.
Willow pushed Kennedy. "Stop it!"
Faith laughed. "Don't worry about us, Kennedy. We're doing just fine."
"I need new friends," Buffy groused. "Maybe even a new girlfriend."
"Too bad," Faith said. "You're stuck with me." She slung her arm around Buffy's shoulders. "Chosen two, remember?"
Buffy looked around for Giles and Xander. She didn't see them, so she let herself kiss Faith's cheek.
"Can't forget."
She looked back to Willow and Kennedy, who were giving each other a decidedly knowing look.
"What?"
"Nothing," Willow said.
"I called it weeks ago," Kennedy said.
"Faith wasn't here weeks ago," Buffy said.
"Feels like weeks," Willow said.
"Fair enough," Faith said.
"Do we get to do group training now?" Buffy asked. "I can't just sit here."
"I'm in," Faith said.
"Me, too," Kennedy agreed.
"Not for me," Willow said. "I'm no Slayer."
"You're free to watch," Kennedy said. "I'll get the girls."
Training with one Slayer had always been fun. Training with twenty Slayers was astounding. Twenty people, moving with power and synchronicity, all following Buffy and Faith, all drawing from the same energy, was beautiful.
"Imagine when we have hundreds," Buffy murmured to Faith, forearms locked in a choreographed combination.
"Doubt we'll have them all in the same place," Faith answered, throwing Buffy's arm to the side and kicking her. They each reset their feet.
"I think I like leading them," Buffy said, attacking.
Faith blocked. "Me, too."
Buffy kicked. "Good to hear."
They reset their feet.
That night, Buffy was the good kind of exhausted, the kind of exhausted that came from safe exercise and not a fight to defend the fate of the world. She ate the food Giles had gone to get while they were training, and she took a good long shower, and then she pulled on a random T shirt and stretched out on the bed while she waited for Faith to do the same.
When Faith got out of the shower, Buffy was on her stomach and doodling on a notepad she had found lying around. She looked up at Faith, in a loose shirt and wet hair, and sat up, putting her doodle aside.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Never better," Faith said, sitting next to Buffy.
"Really?"
"Well, yeah, but that's not saying much." Faith sighed. "I just keep thinking about the girls who died, you know? All those Slayers. Their energy has power. But-"
"There could be more," Buffy said. "I know." She wrapped an arm around Faith and pulled her close. "That's why it's hard being in charge. Even when you save the world, you lose something."
"Yeah. We should do something," Faith said. "You know, for all those girls. A memorial."
"We should. When we get settled we can put something together."
"Yeah."
A moment of silence. Faith laid her head in Buffy's lap.
"So what do you think about England?" she asked.
"I'm not wholly opposed to tea," Buffy said, fingers twining through Faith's hair. "I mean, Giles likes it, so I might as well try it."
"You know that's not what I meant."
"It's far from home," Buffy said, "but home isn't an option anymore."
"You know," Faith said, "we could hang out at Angel's hotel for a bit. He's chill, and he's got rooms."
"We should suggest it to Giles tomorrow."
"I'll call Angel in the morning."
"Cool." Buffy leaned down. "Has anybody ever told you how soft your hair is?"
"I don't let them get close enough," Faith said.
They stayed like that for a while, Faith's head in Buffy's lap, Buffy's hands in Faith's hair, until Buffy leaned over and turned out the light and laid down, pulling Faith to a more comfortable position. Suddenly, Faith rolled over to the other side of the bed, facing away from Buffy.
"What's wrong?" Buffy whispered.
"I don't know," Faith's voice said. "I'm not good with the hugging."
In the darkness, Buffy could see her curled in on herself.
"Thanks," she said.
"For what?" Faith asked.
"Not running."
"It's no big, B."
But Buffy, rolling to face away from Faith, thought maybe it was a bigger deal than Faith would ever admit.
"Night, Faith."
"Night, B."
Buffy fell asleep quickly. She woke up to an empty bed and rumpled covers.