ABC's of Christmas, Slayer Style

5. E is for eggnog

"Hey B," Faith called as she came up behind her in the living room, and Buffy noticed immediately that her voice was slurred, her walking slightly unsteady. "What's going on…"

She wrapped her arms around her from behind, but Buffy tried to turn to face her, her suspicions raised.

"Faith, you're drunk, aren't you? Would you mind explaining to me why you're drunk the day before our Christmas party when you KNOW there's a lot I need you to help me with around here?"

"I'm not drunk, B," Faith insisted, although her continued slightly slurred tone made it very clear that this was untrue. "Nope…not…"

She continued to keep her arms tightly around Buffy's waist, and now she pressed her face into the back of her shoulder as well, so that the older Slayer could feel her hot breath through her shirt. Buffy managed to turn around in her arms to face her, prying Faith slightly away from her so she could look into her face while still keeping a supportive arm around her.

"Faith, you're drunk. Don't lie to me. What exactly what it you were drinking- you KNOW how hard liquor affects you…"

"NOTHING…I wasn't drinking nothin'," Faith insisted, even as her expression, tone, and posture told otherwise. "Just eggnog is all…so lay offa me…"

Buffy's eyes widened, and her grip on Faith loosened as she stared in part disbelief, part horror.

"Faith! Are you talking about the eggnog in the punch bowl on the table?!"

"Yeah…"

"That was for the party tomorrow! And not only that, it's almost 75% alcohol! How did you not taste that- and how much did you drink?"

"Don't know," Faith muttered. "It was good…didn't think you'd make me count cups…"

"Oh god, no wonder you're drunk, you probably drank half of the entire bowl," Buffy muttered, shaking her head with incredulity. "That was for TOMORROW, you're only supposed to have like one or two cups…"

"Shoulda put a warning up there, B…nutrition label…"Faith replied. "How was I supposed to know…"

"Well maybe when you TASTED it, it should have kicked in- oh god!" Buffy cried sharply, as a thought struck her. Her arm tightened around Faith automatically as she looked quickly into her eyes. "Faith, where's Callie?"

As she had dread, a guilty glint came into the brunette's eyes as the realization came to her. "Uh…"

"Faith, tell me you didn't give her any eggnog," Buffy almost begged. "Please-"

"Uh…"

"YOU GAVE OUR FOUR-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER ALCOHOLIC EGGNOG?!"

"She…she went to sleep…"

As Buffy let go of Faith hurriedly enough that the other woman stumbled, she raced through the house toward her daughter's bedroom, worrying about her daughter's possible sickness. Maybe Faith had a point…between having a child and a lover who was still three quarters child herself sometimes, a nutrition label might be in order for next time. Or maybe a big red stop sign would be better…