"Faith, what are you doing?", asked Emma as she walked through the ornate front door of the Mayoral mansion, her arms straining under the bags of groceries she had been forced to carry like some kind of huffy pack mule, albeit looking fine in her new uniform. Though to be honest she was glad to get inside as evening was fast drawing in and the long shadows cast over Sunnydale were the refuge for both demon and deviant alike.

"Oh…hi Emski…..er….. I was just…er…. looking for my…. er…. Math book so I could get started on my homework?", lied the slayer as she slammed shut the drawers of the antique bureau which stood in the hallway.

"Faith, even without my built-in lie detector I can tell you're bullshitting", Emma said with a wrinkled nose, "You can tell me you know. I'm not one to judge"

"Well…..the thing is…..you know….", babbled Faith with uncharacteristic bashfulness.

"Spit it out Faith"

"Well…the thing is….er…..do you have the keys to your handcuffs?", Faith replied with a slight blush rosying her cheeks.

"Yeah", replied the freshly appointed Deputy Sheriff of Sunnydale fishing her keys from the pocket of her regimentally creased pants and offering them before snatching them back, her curiosity piqued, "Hang on. You took them? I've been looking for 'em everywhere…..but why do you need the keys anyway?"

"Er….well…the thing is…..", said Faith before the distant voice of Buffy from upstairs cut her off.

"Faith! If you don't find the damn keys soon I'm gonna kill you! I'm starting to get a cramp in my wrists ...and see if you can find my panties too!"

"Oh", Emma said with a knowing smirk watching the brunette slayer writhe in acute embarrassment before handing over the keys with a chuckle.

"Thanks Emski. I owe you one"

"Yeah you do, and I always collect on my favors. So when I need your help with something….."

"Like what?"

"I'll tell you later", Emma said back as her hands reached into her jacket pocket to check if her recent acquisition was still there.

"Ok, cool. But can you not say anything about this to my Mom?", Faith replied as she started to bound up the stairs.

"Not say anything about to me about what?", came Regina's voice as she came over the threshold along with Henry, their arms also laden with hastily packed groceries.

"Er…nothing", Faith mumbled before scurrying up the stairs to release the other slayer from her bed.

"What was that about?", asked Regina as she carried the overflowing brown paper bags through into the kitchen, trailed by a smirking Emma.

"Oh you know…..teenage hi-jinks"

"Emma, please. I know Faith's only been living with us for a few days but it really feels like she's been with us forever, so if something's going on under my roof then…oh god, don't tell me it was Faith who had your handcuffs?", sighed the new Mayor with an almost pained wince as she slipped her apron over her svelte frame.

"I'm saying nothing", Emma replied raising her hands in surrender for she had given her word to her new stepdaughter and such promises were law to her.

"Oh dear god, they're as bad as Belle and Red", Regina said rolling her eyes as she opened the oven door to see that her pies were nearly finished.

"Tell me about it", Emma said with a chuckle, "He-he, remember when I had to keep handing you those requisition forms for new handcuffs? Who would've thought that Red would lose the keys so often. Not to mention the amount of saw blades they blunted trying to get her….."

"Mom, what's Faith doing with handcuffs?", Henry asked with a refreshing innocence as he opened the fridge reaching for the Sunny Delight, "Is Buffy in trouble or something?"

"I….er….ahem…", coughed Regina as she felt her skin prickle with embarrassment, "Well Henry…. er…. you know how they're both slayers? Sometimes…er….. they need to capture the bad guys and hold them before they can question them…. I'm sure they're just practicing techniques on…uh … arrest procedure and things"

"Yeah…..'arrest procedures'…", snorted Emma with a wide grin hearing the rattle of steel echo from upstairs where one slayer whined in acute shame now her wrists were released from their confines.

"Oh my god….y-you're not serious?", blushed Buffy as she rubbed her sore wrists before flopping face first on the bed, "This is serious wiggins…..how am I ever going to be able to look Emma in the eye again? Oh crap, kill me now"

"Oh chill out, B. It's not like I even had time to do anything to you", Faith said softly trying to coax Buffy's head out from the pillow where she now hid her intense blush. "And Emma won't say anything, she's pretty cool, not what I expected a step-mom to be at all. Hey, d'you think those Grimm Brothers had issues or something as they almost single handedly turned the entire English speaking world against step-parents with their freaky little tales"

"Fai, you're babbling as bad as Willow", said Buffy as she slid her face out from the pillow trying to disguise her perky little smile.

"Yeah, what's up with her? She's been all weirder than usual lately especially to me, I get that she's all jealous and hot for me with her low key hostility and that but she really has been a fuckin' spazz of late. Did you see that burn on her face?"

"She said she did it with a curling iron and then got all evasive about it", Buffy replied wondering just why her friend had been so reluctant to hang out with them at school.

"Since when did she ever have curly hair? I mean it's bad enough that's she ginger…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. They're God's mistakes and I've got over that, but there's something else going on with her"

"So why didn't she just use magic to heal her face?", Faith replied searching for her stake of choice.

"Willow said her Mom had already seen it, so using magic to make it disappear overnight would've made it a bit suspicious don't you think?", Buffy said slipping her top back in place hoping that the turtleneck would hide all the hickeys which made her neck look like a relief map of the Andes.

"I guess"

"Shit, is that the time? We better go if we're gonna hit the cemetery before rush hour", Buffy said checking out the clock on the wall.

"Yeah ok. But damn, is Red permanently on the rag or something? She's being even bitchier than Cordy"

"Fai, that isn't fair. I know Willow can be a colossal anus at times but….", Buffy said zipping her short skirt back up trying not to say anything about Faith's clothes spread all over the floor before she was quickly interrupted by her girlfriend.

"Wait…..oh shit…..can you smell that?", asked Faith as her slayer senses honed in on the fragrant odours wafting through the house.

"Smell what? Oh, you mean apples?"

"Yeah, apples….again! I'm so fucking sick of apples. Pies, turnovers….. everything"

"Me too baby", Buffy said squeezing her girlfriends' hand a little tighter, "You should hear my Mom ranting on about yours. She's all like 'How dare that insufferable woman come to my town and try to take my crown? Who does she think she is, the Queen of Sunnydale or something?'. I tell you, it was a full on menopausal rant"

"Man, this thing is getting out of hand. It's starting to take its strain on us having to be all sneaky an' shit", the brunette slayer sighed as she scooped up her discarded clothes trying to find her other boot, "My Mom even asked me to spy on yours when I came over, to see what her apple pies were like. A turncoat in the enemy camp and the like"

"Mine did too. Do you think it's going to get worse between them? And our families are going to end up in some godawful feud like the Montagues and Capulets?", Buffy asked bumping shoulders with her slayer counterpart.

"Who?"

"Ok, bad example. How about….er….. oh I know, it'll be like the Red Sox and that team from New York whose name you told me never to mention", Buffy said with a slight smirk.

"Oh shit….that's really not good. But can you believe how over-the-top she's being with this Mom thing? Though I shouldn't really bitch about it 'cos for the first time in my entire fuckin' life I've got clean clothes, a full stomach and a roof over my head with a family that actually….. loves me", Faith said trying not to let the tear which had pooled in her eye run free.

"It's no less than you deserve baby", Buffy said rubbing her thumb over the back of her girlfriend's hand.

"It's just Mom can be so….Mom like with all the fussing over me…. and last night…."

"What happened?", Buffy asked curiously.

"Mom came to my room after I got into bed and…"

"And what?"

"She….she tucked me in", Faith finished with a whisper punctuated by a blush.

"Oh that is priceless", Buffy giggled.

"Don't tell anyone B", she whined in reply.

"I know all this is kinda weird for you, but I bet you secretly love it"

"Every second", Faith grinned back, unafraid to let out her real feelings in the company of the girl who loved her.

"I knew it", Buffy smiled back with genuine happiness that her girlfriend finally had found the security and love she had craved all her life.

"So come on B, those vamps ain't gonna stake themselves", smirked Faith as she opened her bedroom door only to leap back in surprise at the diminutive figure standing there, "Jesus!…..Lil' H. What are you doin'?"

"Mom wanted to know if you were patrolling tonight", Henry replied as he awkwardly played with his fingers.

"Yeah, I already told her like five times before….."

"Hi Buffy", Henry said shyly cutting off his sister.

"Hi Henry…..hey, are you wearing Obsession?", Buffy asked as she gave the air a little sniff.

"Yeah, Obessession…..for Men", he said stressing the manly part of his sentence as he tried to puff his chest out a little.

"Men? Dude, you don't even shave yet", Faith said with arced brows.

"Shut up Fai", he hissed with a slight blush.

"Yeah shut up Fai", Buffy said tousling the young boy's hair, "Play nice"

"Who's side are you on, B?", huffed Faith crossing her arms over her chest jutting her lip out in a cute little pout.

"Oh don't try that face on me. I invented that face", she giggled in return as she slipped her arms around Faith and pulled her into a firm yet tender embrace.

"How come I don't get hugs like that?", Henry huffed crossing his arms over his chest.

"Dude, with these genes you're gonna loads of hugs from girls, trust me. And besides, don't your Mom's give you hugs all the time?", Faith countered as Buffy stifled her giggle and pulled away.

"It's not the same", he said shooting off his best puppy eyes.

"Oh come here", Buffy said crouching down and wrapping her arms around him, he in turn threw his arms around her neck.

"Ok break it up", Faith said pulling them apart before whispering to Henry, "I'm on to you little man, you get your own woman"

In reply he simply grinned mischievously before bounding down the stairs attempting a manly strut.

Faith's fingers interlocked with Buffy's and they strode down the stairs hand in hand and headed towards the aroma of baked apples which, they knew, would be forced down their throats. Buffy stopped in her tracks as they stood by the kitchen door as a regal voice rang out.

"How dare that intolerable Summers woman think she can make a finer apple pie than me?", ranted the former Queen as she opened the oven door once more letting the delectable flavors waft through the air. "It won't take much for me to put that insufferable peasant in her place"

"Gina….no magic", Emma whined as her stomach growled ready for the culinary onslaught she would no doubt be the recipient of as the pie dish slid onto the counter.

"Pfft, like I need magic to beat Polly Homemaker. And has she never heard of style? Or even a decent hairdresser, I mean she looks like…."

"Can you drop it for a minute, Gina. I'm kinda tired", said Emma as she breathed a sigh of relief as she unhooked the clip-on tie and tossed it to one side, unbuttoning her itchy pressed shirt a little.

"What's wrong Deputy? Or are you already bored of your new job? I mean, today was only your first day", Regina smirked

"Can you honestly tell me you had nothing to do with me getting the position? 'Gina just tell me, I need to know I got the job 'cos I'm actually good at it, not just 'cos I'm badoinking the new Mayor"

"I promise honey, no magic, no random threats of castration if they didn't hire you. I swear"

"Cool. I can live with that, ego intact", Emma smiled back resting her chin on her lover's smooth shoulder and laying a small kiss to the creamy flesh.

"It seems that cops don't last long here in Sunnydale. Some kind of terrible record of the Deputies falling and impaling their necks on barbecue forks or something", Regina said with a roll of the eyes wondering just how stupid people were here.

"Well with your protection spells and having a slayer or two in reserve, I think I'll be ok here. I think we all will….in fact, I think it's time I…..", Emma started but was cut off by a spoon thrust to her lips.

"Open wide…..how is it?", the new Mayor asked intently.

"Gina, I'm so full of apples that they've all blended into one boring taste", Emma sighed wondering if her tastebuds would ever recover from the fruity barrage of late.

"The baking contest is tomorrow and there's no way in hell I'm letting that awful Summers woman win with…..oh Faith, you're here", Regina broke off mid rant as she spied Buffy standing next to her, "Oh…..hello Buffy"

"Hi...er….Ma'am", replied the blonde woman feeling incredibly awkward at the friction between their mothers.

"Very well. Sit down you two, I've got some treats for you dear", Regina said in an alarmingly chirpy voice as she poised over the pie with a glistening knife.

"Er, not right now. We've gotta go out on patrol, gots loadsa creepy ass demons to slay an' everything", Faith butted in before having her palate drowned in apple based delicacies as she threw her new weapon over her shoulder.

"What's that?"

"This? It's our new toy", Faith smirked adjusting the strap.

"A super-soaker?", Emma asked incredulously.

"It's full of holy water….makes sense really. We can blast a whole loada vamps and then just stake them when they're weaker. I dunno why we didn't think of it sooner"

"But what about…", Regina started before she was cut off by Buffy.

"Hey, it's not like we've never done this vampire fighting thing before", Buffy said hoping to assuage the Swan-Mills' fears.

"It's ok guys. Just go and save the world", said Emma with a soft smile not wanting Regina to smother her new found daughter. "Come on 'Gina, let's try out your turnovers ok"

"Very well. Just please be safe my lil' puffling", Regina said wiping her hands on her apron before wrapping Faith in a warm motherly embrace and pressing her lips to her crown.

"Puffling? He-he-he, that's soooooo cute", Buffy giggled as she watched the blush grow on Faith's face.

"Shut up, B", Faith snorted trying to wriggle from the arms which were much stronger than at first glance. "Mom, please. I'm not five you know"

"I know, but you'll always be my baby girl", Regina said hugging her daughter tightly as Faith's face flushed even more at hearing Buffy's snigger force it's way past her peachy lips.

"Moooooom", groaned Faith in embarrassment.

"I'll never tire of hearing that….you calling me Mom", Regina said warmly stroking Faith's reddened cheek.

"Will you guys be ok without a slayer in residence?", Buffy asked trying to crowbar herself back into Faith's hands.

"We'll be fine, I've cast a protection spell over the house so nothing can even come near after dark", Regina stated simply waving a hand around allowing the air around them to crackle with magic.

"Not even me?", Faith said with a blank stare.

"Of course, I've made allowances for you and your friends"

"Besides, if magic doesn't work….I've still got a gun", Emma said nodding towards her holster where her sidearm sat dormant.

"That won't help against vampires", Buffy coughed out a little more derisively than she planned.

"Why not?"

"Bullets won't kill them"

"So if I shot one in the head and blew his brains out all over the sidewalk, he'd be fine? Or if I shot him in the spine and crippled him, or blew his knees off…."

"I get your point", Buffy said wondering why she'd never thought about using an Uzi before. It'd make things a helluva lot easier.

"Not to mention if I shot one in the knackers….."

"Emma, please", Faith said with a shake of the head, "I get it. You're safe. Point well made. But we better go, we're gonna go see Willow"

"Which one is Willow again?", asked Emma trying to remember the names of the flood of faces they had met of late.

"The ginger one. The token Jew used as a feeble effort to represent the diversity of Sunnydale rather than have this town branded as a middle class Aryan hole. Though Willow is Wiccan now so she isn't even…"

"What are you talking about?"

"Nevermind, so we best go anyhoo"

"Bye sweetheart. Buffy, take care of her will you. I know how impetuous Faith can be", Regina said boring her gaze directly in the slayer's dulcet eyes.

"Of course. I'll protect her with my life"

"I'm sure it won't come to that, but it's comforting to know", said the newly appointed Mayor as the two slayers opened the front door ready to venture out into the chilled evening air only to recoil at the sight which greeted them.

"Jesus! Giles, you nearly gave me a heart attack!", Buffy squealed stepping back.

"Willow isn't here is she?", he replied curtly with noted caution in his voice.

"No. Why?", Faith said as Giles stepped to one side revealing another figure standing behind him.

"It's imperative she doesn't see us…..just yet"

"Faith…..who is….", Regina called out as she came from the living room curious at the extra voices in her house, freezing when she saw who was standing at the door.

"Good evening Regina"

"W-what the…..", coughed the former Queen as she gathered her magic in a panic, "What the hell are you doing here, Gold?"