"You got a soul for Buffy?" Faith asked as they walked through Restfield.

"Yeah." Spike buried his hands in his pockets.

"You don't seem too broken up by her death."

"She's in heaven. I couldn't want for more. She's untroubled, complete." Spike pulled his cigarettes out and bumped one out of the pack.

"Can I bum one of those?" Faith asked.

He handed her the one already out then got another, lighting his then hers with his zippo. "The only place you'll be allowed to smoke in the house is the basement."

"Buffy knew all the cool vampires, so it won't bug."

"You're welcome in my room anytime you like." Spike looked up after a drop hit his nose. "Rain. Good thing my jacket's waterproof."

"So what's with you and Red?" Off his look, she shrugged. "Saw you two sharing glances. You let her speak for you."

"Willow and me have an agreement. There was a big project she was working on, needed my help. I was happy to lend a hand. But it didn't turn out like we wanted. She's good people though." The rain went from a drizzle to a sudden downpour, soaking their cigarettes and rendering them unsmokable. Spike tossed his away. "Not many demons like this much rain. We should head back."

"Yeah." Faith wrapped her coat around her tighter. "It was already cold out, this sucks."

Her jean jacket wouldn't do a damn thing for her, so he slid his duster off and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Thanks." She slipped her arms through the sleeves.

"Cold and wet don't bother me."

"How 'bout warm and wet?"

Spike smirked. "We'll have to find out."

"Race you there." Faith grinned.

"You're on." He took off.

She wasn't behind him for long.


Light filtered through the edges of the towels covering the basement windows. The floor above creaked as someone moved around. Faith's body ached in all the right places, and the cool muscular arm over her chest reminded her why.

"Willow's cleaning, unless you want dragged in, you should stay."

"Thought you were asleep, blondie."

"Don't need to sleep much."

Faith turned over to face Spike. "You know for a guy with a chip in his head, preventing him from hurting people, you did a lot of damage last night. What happened to the chip?"

"Willow."

"She must trust you."

"Gave her reason to."

"What is it with vamps with souls having a thing for slayers?" Faith laughed at Spike's exaggerated eye roll.

"Angel and I have very different coloring." Spike smiled as Faith nipped at his bottom lip.

"I can see that." She kissed him with deliberate intention.

Spike kissed her back and rolled her under him. They were so intent on their kissing that they didn't hear Willow come down the steps until she eeped and dropped the basket she was carrying.

They laughed and looked at Willow, doing nothing to cover their naked bodies. "Hey, Red."

"Sorry. I should have knocked. I'm going to go upstairs… now." She turned and ran up the stairs.

"Think she liked what she saw?" Faith asked.

"According to the nose, she very much liked what she saw." Spike kissed Faith just below her ear.

"We may have to work on seducing her then, find out if she's all the way team pink or if stick shifts still work for her." Faith combed her fingers into Spike's hair, soft with the gel washed out.

He continued to kiss down her neck and over her chest. "Mmm-hmm."


"Put the laundry in for you," Faith said as she sat on stool at the kitchen counter. Willow was cooking something and didn't turn.

"Thanks." Willow tasted the sauce she was cooking then dipped a fresh spoon in and offered it to Faith. "Taste this?"

Faith kept her eyes on Willow as she wiped the spoon with her lips. "Delicious."

"It doesn't need anything?" Willow asked.

"Looks a tad bland, could use a little red."

"Um, it doesn't need to look good. It needs to taste good." Willow went back to the stove and adjusted the flame so her sauce could simmer for a couple hours.

"Could spice it up. Add something hot and fiery." Faith smirked as the back of Willow's neck flushed.

"I-I'll think about it." Willow wiped her hands on her apron before taking it off and leaving the room.

"Might be too soon," Spike said as he ambled into the kitchen. "Tara left this morning."

"Point taken. But she did say she'd consider it." Faith grabbed a banana and peeled it from the bottom.

"Aren't you doing that backward?" Spike asked as he crossed to the fridge.

"If you do it from the bottom, you never mush the thing. Sometimes the long stem isn't soft enough to break, but the bottom is always easy." Faith took a bite.

"Where'd you learn that?"

She talked with her mouth full. "We'd get overripe bananas from time to time inside. You learn how to make the best of it." Faith swallowed. "Where's bitty Buffy?"

"Dawn?"

"Who else?"

"Upstairs."

"I should go make nice. Girl never liked me before, and she was cool last night, ya know? I want us to get along. Maybe I can be the cool aunt."

"She likes stories." Spike filled a mug with blood and put it in the microwave. "Tell her a good uncensored tale, and she'll love you. Trust me."

"I'll keep it in mind." Faith threw her peel away while tossing the last bit in her mouth. "Later."

No sooner was Faith gone, but Willow showed up. "Need to stir my sauce so it doesn't burn."

"How you taking Tara leaving ya?" Spike asked. The microwave beeped, and he retrieved his blood.

"She's going to live. I can't ask for more than that without being greedy." She stirred her sauce.

"Didn't answer my question."

"It sucks, OK?" Willow sat down. "That what you wanted to hear?"

"Wanted the truth is all. If you want a no strings attached rebound from both Tara and Kennedy, I think Faith made it clear we'd be happy to oblige."

"You two need to stop teasing me or I'll call your bluff." Willow sighed as she thought about how jealous she was of both Xander and Faith when they slept together. Took her years to figure out that a crush on Faith was why she'd been so vehemently against her.

"Not bluffing, Red." Spike finished his blood and rinsed the mug. "We should think about getting a dishwasher."

"I'll put it on the list." Willow's eyes closed when she realized he said they weren't bluffing. Her heart felt like it was about to beat out of her chest. "Goddess help me."

When she opened them, he was walking past her. She grabbed his wrist and used his momentum to pull them together. Her hand on his chest steadied them. A pause to look into his eyes then she kissed him. The last man she'd kissed was Oz, and Spike was nothing like Oz, making this even more new of an experience. Her ex was always running hotter than normal, and Spike was room temperature.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pressing their bodies together as he deepened the kiss. Spike always liked Willow, something about her always drew him to her. He could have taken the shopkeeper to do the love spell, but he went after Willow. He was glad it was her in that dorm room, he was going to turn her. But she'd always been too innocent, reminded him of himself when he was human, for him to spend time with her after that. Then there was Buffy. But Willow wasn't innocent anymore, and Buffy was gone.


Faith knocked on Dawn's door. The teen popped her head out of Buffy's room. "What?"

"Just wanted to talk." Faith flexed her hands.

"About?"

"I'm not going to try and replace Buffy."

"Good. You can't." Dawn crossed her arms over her chest.

"Right. But I hope we can be friends. Buffy left a legacy behind, and for better or worse, I inherited it. She left behind not just the need for a slayer, but family and friends. I want to do right by all of you. Do right by Buffy. You were cool last night, and I'm hoping we can forget the past and let that be our fresh start."

"Practice that speech?" Dawn asked.

Faith sighed. "Sorry. I'll just give you space."

When Faith turned, Dawn groaned. "Wait."

"Yeah?" Faith asked as she turned.

"It means a lot that you want to do right by Buffy. She tried to kill you. And while you were a black hat at the time, it was still wrong and selfish. So if you can see past that, then I can see past all your flaws." Dawn glanced at Buffy's room. "Wanna help me go through her stuff?"

"Sure."