Authors Note: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! You all rock so much!!

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"I can't believe you did this," Buffy muttered yet again as her tiny hand clumsily turned another page in the large and very ancient text she was reading. The gang had been in frantic research mode for the last hour or so, and with every minute that ticked past without an answer the blonde slayer was getting steadily more annoyed.

"Me?" Faith looked incredulous. "This is G-mans pal's idea of a funny, not mine."

"But it was you who tossed me the toy," Buffy practically growled as she glared at the other slayer.

"Aw is widdle B mad?" Faith cooed mockingly, her smug grin disappearing as the blonde lunged at her. They fell to the ground, kicking and scrabbling in a fight against each other and the tangle of their oversized clothes. "You we're the one who wanted a second childhood," Faith reminded as she tried to free her hand from the twisted sleeve of her jacket.

"I wasn't serious!" Buffy yelled, letting out a very childlike squeal as Faith got the upper hand, pinning her down.

"Well ya know what they say, be careful what you wish fo— hey!" Faith exclaimed as she felt strong hands pulling her away from Buffy.

"That's enough you guys," Xander said as he lifted a wiggling Faith off the ground. "You can continue this when you're both back to full size. Perhaps with mud and bikinis and…" his words trailed off into a high pitched whimper as Faiths foot connected with his groin. Hard. He sagged to the ground, releasing Faith as he did so.

"Oops, my bad Xand," Faith said, smirking at Buffy who was unsuccessfully trying to smother her laughter in the fabric of her shirt.

"I'm glad this is funny for you," Xander wheezed.

"I'm sorry," Buffy managed to gasp. "It's just, this is so… do you want an ice pack?"

"Please."

"I'll get it," Cordelia volunteered, glaring hard at the mini slayers as she headed towards Giles' office, where most of the post-slaying first aid supplies were kept.

"If you're all quite done can we get back to research?" Giles asked in a strained voice as he removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes.

"No need," Oz spoke up as pushed the book he was reading over to the watcher.

"Magus crepundia," Giles read off the page. "Magic toy," he added in English. "The enchanted object turns anyone who touches it into a child. Physically that is. It was often used in the sixteenth century to render strong enemies defenseless. The effects can only be reversed by…" the watcher trailed off, grimacing as his eyes scanned the page.

"By what?" Buffy pressed.

"By the person who cast the spell," Giles finished with a sigh.

"Oh great," Faith exploded. "He's probably half way to Australia by now."

"Probably not quite yet, but we need to move fast." Giles said gravely.

"I can check the docks," Oz volunteered.

"Me and Cordy can do the airport," Xander added as he carefully stood up, still holding his ice pack in place.

"Great, Giles we can check the bus and train stations," Buffy piped up, already heading towards the library doors.

"Ah Buffy," Giles called out.

"What?" The slayer turned, frowning in confusion

"I think it's perhaps best if you and Faith stayed out of harms way." Giles said, ignoring the chorus of protests that erupted from the two girls as he pressed on. "Willow, can you take them to Buffy's place?"

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Willow pressed the doorbell, silently wishing that she hadn't been volunteered for the job of escorting the two little slayers home. She had managed to talk them out of a shortcut through a graveyard and a quick stop at the bronze, but it would be a long time before she would be able to erase the memory of mini Faith talking about the hungries and hornies.

There was the sound of footsteps in the hallway and the door swung open. "Willow," Joyce greeted with a smile.

"Hey Mrs. Summers," Willow said, suddenly feeling nervous. She hadn't given much thought to how she was going to explain this to Joyce.

"Is everything alright?"

"Something's happened," Willow said. "I-it's not bad," she added quickly as she saw Joyce pale. "It's Buffy and Faith, they're ok just a little… little a-and well…" the redhead stopped babbling and stepped aside, revealing the two small girls standing behind her.

"Hey Mrs. S," Faith said with a small wave. "Don't mind me crashin here till I grow a couple more feet right?"

"That will be very soon," Buffy interjected quickly. "The gang's working on a way to fix this and… uh mom?" Joyce was frozen in the doorway, staring down at the two girls, her eyes wide and shining with unshed tears.

"Mrs. Summers?" Willow looked worried.

Joyce seemed to shake out of a daze as she slowly bent down, reaching out and wrapping her arms around her daughter. "My baby."

"Mom," Buffy laughed nervously, trying to ignore Faith who was watching the scene with a look of amusement. "Don't judge the book by its cover, its still eighteen year old Buffy in here."

"Okay sweetheart," Joyce said in a voice that told Buffy her mother was choosing to ignore what she had just said. "Let's get you inside," Joyce picked her daughter up, hugging her close as she grabbed Faiths hand, ignoring the small girl's resistance as she pulled her into the house.

Willow hung back for a moment, a small smile playing on her face as Faith twisted around, her eyes silently pleading Willow for help. "This is going to be interesting," she said as she stepped over the threshold, pulling the door shut behind her.

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2nd Authors Note: azninsomneac I gotta dedicate this part to you for your little premonition about Xanders... ahem… misfortune. Lol!

Anyway thank you for reading and (hopefully) reviewing everyone!