Authors Note: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed! You all rock. Seriously.

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Faith stood in front of the mirror, turning from one side to the other as she examined her reflection. She was wearing her new clothes from the shopping trip, a dark green shirt with the ninja turtle's logo on it, a pair of dark blue jeans and black Chuck Taylor's. It wasn't skin tight leathers and combat boots, but after spending nearly a day in Willow hand-me-downs it was a welcome change.

"Vain much?"

"Says the girl who takes an hour to get ready for slaying," The brunette turned and smirked at Buffy, who was sitting on the edge of her bed, legs swinging well above the ground. She was wearing light blue jeans and a soft pink shirt with a pattern of glittery butterflies dancing up the side. To complete the look she had matching butterfly pins that held stray whips of her hair out of her young face.

"I don't take that long," Buffy said defensively.

"Whatever you say B," Faith said as she crossed the room and scrambled up onto the bed next to the blonde. "Shouldn't we be downstairs with the gang?"

"Researching?" Buffy asked incredulously as she flopped down onto her back, grabbing Mr. Gordo and resting him on her stomach. "If they wanted our help they'd call us," she reasoned as she began to toy with the stuffed pig's ears.

Faith nodded as she sat back against the pillows, restlessly tapping out a beat on her knee with her fingers as she scanned Buffy's room. After a few moments a mischievous smile spread across her face. "Wanna play a game?"

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"We could try another locator spell," Willow suggested as she closed yet another ancient book, placing carefully on the stack she'd already been through. She, Giles, Oz, and Xander had been researching since early that morning and so far had found nothing.

"Ethan's a strong wizard, he can easily block simple spells like that," Giles said, wincing as he heard a loud thump from upstairs.

"Maybe Ethan's not the one we should be looking for," Oz suggested as he leant back against the sofa. There was another thud and creaking sounds, accompanied by a muffled squeal.

"What do you mean?" Giles asked, looking up from his book and squinting intently at the spiky haired teen.

"Maybe he's working for someone."

"It's is a definite possibility," Giles said gravely. There was a sudden burst of excited chatter from upstairs, then silence. "Even if he isn't, in this current state both of them are extremely vulnerable. If any creature discovers what has happened they could be in great danger…" The librarian was interrupted by a loud crash, and the light fixtures above the gang shuddered slightly. "If they don't kill each other first of course," he muttered.

"Girls," Joyce's worried voice floated out of the kitchen. "Are you alright up there?"

"Yes," the slayer's chorused in response, followed by muffled giggles.

"Are we sure this spell didn't affect their mental age too?" Xander asked as he glanced up at the ceiling.

"I'm beginning to wonder," Giles sighed. Before he could return to what he was reading there was a scrabbling sound and Buffy slid into view, clutching onto the banister and grinning madly. Seconds later Faith slid down too, colliding with the blonde slayer and nearly knocking her onto the ground.

"Faith!" Buffy exclaimed as she tightened her grip on the wooden rail, struggling not to slip off the end. Regaining her balance somewhat she looked over at the Scooby's, who we're all watching the two mini slayer's with looks that ranged from amusement to annoyance. "The floor is lava," Buffy explained.

"It's what?" The librarian instinctively lifted his feet off the ground and looked around in confusion.

"It's a game G-man," Xander said. "You have to move around the house without touching the ground."

"Of course," Giles said wearily as he dropped his feet again.

"Me and Xander loved that game," Willow said with a nostalgic smile as she stood up and walked over to Buffy, who was beckoning her frantically as she continued her uncontrollable slide towards the end of the rail. The hacker reached her just as she slid off the edge, scooping her friend up before she could hit the floor.

"Hey that's cheating!" Faith exclaimed in protest as Willow carried Buffy over to the sofa, depositing the small girl between Xander and Oz.

"You said there was only one rule, don't touch the ground and I didn't, did I." Buffy said smugly.

"It's still cheating," Faith muttered as she launched herself at a thin side table, which lurched violently as she landed.

"Faith!" Giles exclaimed in exasperation. "Get down from there right now!"

"Relax G," Faith said as she sauntered to the edge of the table, pursing her lips in concentration as she judged her next move.

"I'm serious, stop playing this-this ridiculous game before you hurt yourself."

"We're honing our slayer agility," The brunette slayer defended, rocking back on her heels before launching herself at the couch, landing clumsily between Buffy and Xander.

"You have no slayer agility, your slayer power is gone," the watcher snapped, the tension that had been building during the fruitless search suddenly overwhelming him. "Don't you two understand the gravity of the situation?"

Buffy dropped her gaze, beginning to nervously play with the hem of her shirt. "Giles we were just—"

"Do you?" Giles cut her off, continuing on before either of them could answer his question. "Both of you are completely defenseless! You could be stuck like this inevitably, unless we find Ethan or something in these books to cure you. And you two are acting like—"

"Children?" Joyce had emerged from the kitchen and was now standing in the hallway, arms folded across her chest.

"Yes," Giles said stiffly.

"They are children Mr. Giles," Mrs. Summers bit out. Everyone in the room could sense she wasn't just talking about the slayer's current physical conditions. Tensions between the mother and the watcher had been mounting since she had found out about Buffy's calling. Despite everything she had been told she couldn't help feeling that the man she once thought was just a librarian was at least somewhat responsible for the danger's her daughter and Faith had to face every night.

There was a heavy silence as Giles and Joyce stared each other down. Finally Giles looked away, beginning to carefully pile up the books that were strewn across the table. "I think it's ah… time to call it a night."

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Faith lay on her back in Buffy's bed, her eyes tracing the shadows that danced across the ceiling. She couldn't sleep. Shifting onto her side she prodded her fellow slayer. "B?" The small lump beside her groaned in response and burrowed further under the covers. "B?" the brunette tried again.

"Whaaat," Buffy mumbled as she rolled over, blinking sleepily at Faith.

"If we end up stuck like this, what's gonna happen?"

"I'll never get a good night's sleep again?" Buffy said as she sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"I'm serious," Faith pressed. The thought had been weighing on her mind since Giles's outburst. Unlike Buffy the brunette didn't have any family to turn to, or anywhere to go. A five year old couldn't live alone.

The blonde seemed to sense what the other slayer was thinking. "Well I don't think my mom's going to turf you out."

"Really?"

"Yeah…you could be the little sister I never wanted," Buffy joked, letting out a squeak as Faith hit her with a pillow. Grabbing her own she swung it at the brunette who immediately retaliated, laughing as a pillow fight broke out.

Outside, a dark figure stubbed out a cigarette with his scuffed boot, casting one last glance up at the bedroom window before disappearing into the darkness.

To Be Continued?