Author Notes

Wow, it's been a long time. I am SO sorry. My laptop crashed and school's like woah...lol...but here's this chapter. Hope you guy like it and hopefully next time it won't take me so long.

"Faith?" Joyce tried to wake her daughter.

"Ugh. Yeah Mom?" Faith rolled over on her back, making sure to cover her still bruised face with her arm.

"It's time to get up," Joyce answered.

"Okay," Faith said, slowly getting out of her bed, keeping her head down. "I'll be down in a sec," she said to the retreating form of her mother.

"You better," Joyce yelled from the hallway. Faith limped to the shower and turned it on. She let the feeling of the warm water ease her still healing wounds. When she was finished she got out of the shower and finished with her other normal morning activities, although she had to put extra makeup on to try and cover her bruises the best she could. She made her way downstairs and spotted Dawn sitting on a stool at the island in the kitchen.

"Morning Pipsqueak," Faith greeted as she ruffled Dawn's hair when she walked by.

"Morning, Faith. What's on the agenda today?" she asked.

"Hmmm…well I got a lotta stuff to do today. I gotta go over to Xan's and pick something up, go over to Red's and ask her a favor, gotta check in with G-man about one of the creepy crawly matters that was partying last night. Oh! And then C wanted to ask me something, plus I still gotta go to school and patrol," Faith answered taking a deep breath.

"Oh," Dawn said dejectedly, but quickly hiding it.

"But you know what?" Faith asked.

"What?" Dawn asked curiously.

"I'm gonna make sure the most important thing comes first," Faith said with a smile.

"What's most important?" Dawn questioned.

"You," Faith said with a smirk. She took something out of her jacket pocket after receiving a questioning look from Dawn. She put a little wrapped box on the counter in front of her little sister. "Happy birthday Dawn!"

"You remembered!" Dawn said with an excited smile.

"Of course I did. Did you really think I could forget your birthday?" Faith asked with a mock look of hurt. Dawn smiled. "Well, are you gonna open it?" Faith asked. Dawn tore through the paper and opened the little jewelry box. Inside was a silver cross with 'Dawn' engraved on it. Dawn squealed, but stopped quickly and acted 'mature'.

"Faith it's beautiful. Thank you so much," Dawn said, putting it on.

"No prob D. Now I gotta get goin'. Mom already went to work right?" Dawn shook her head 'yes'. "Well, then yeah. See you later."

"Okay…..Hey Faith?" Dawn asked the retreating form.

"Yeah?" Faith asked, but didn't stop. Instead she turned to face Dawn, but kept walking backwards.

"I love you," Dawn said truthfully.

" I love you too," Faith said with a warm smile. She turned around and walked out of the kitchen and out of the house. Once outside, Faith let out a painful breath and held her throbbing ribs. She didn't want anyone knowing she was hurt, though, and decided to suck it up and started towards Sunnydale High. Buffy decided to get up from her resting spot on the stairs where she had been listening to the conversation keenly.

"Morning," Dawn said all too cheerily.

"Happy birthday," Buffy said laughing at her sister's big, goofy smile.

"What?" Dawn asked innocently.

"You look like Xander just kissed you on the cheek or something," Buffy explained.

"I do not! I….I already told you I don't like him!" Dawn said trying, but failing to persuade her sister to believe her.

"Uh huh." Buffy rolled her eyes unconvinced. "You're getting your present from me tonight, okay?"

"M'kay," Dawn said with a smile.

A car horn beeped, letting Buffy know that Oz, who lived close by, was there to pick her up. She went over and kissed her sister on the top of the head and grabbed her backpack. "Love you," she said walking out of the kitchen.

"Love you too," was Dawn's reply as Buffy walked out the door.

Buffy made her entrance into the library just as Faith was making her way out. Faith gave a quick glance to Buffy and then headed out the swinging doors. Willow looked up to her best friend.

"Buffy! You're here! Well, it is school and you should be here. I'm just saying that you're 'here' in the library. We're here at the same time. You and me," Willow babbled.

"Yeah Will," Buffy said with a chuckle. "Have you seen Giles?"

"Him and Faith were going to have a meeting or something in the cafeteria at around first period. At least that's what Faith said." The redheaded wicca shrugged. Buffy was out the doors before Willow had a chance to comprehend she was leaving. Buffy stomped through the halls, making her way to the cafeteria. She looked through the small window in the door and saw Faith laying down on one of the tables. She swung the door open and made her way to her sister. Faith didn't even give her a glance when she sat down in the chair next to her. She had her eyes closed and Buffy thought she might be asleep until she heard her speak.

"What's up B?"

"You skipping out on class again Faith?" Buffy asked angrily.

"No B. I'm doing what I told Red and Red told you. G-man is just late," Faith explained, she still had her eyes closed and Buffy noted she looked really worn and tired. Faith slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Buffy. "So you got nothing to worry about, Sis."

"I have you to worry about! You came back from patrol last night obviously hurt! Of course I'm going to worry. God! You are just so stubborn sometimes! I said I needed space, that doesn't mean I can't worry about you!" Buffy yelled at the still tired looking Faith. Faith sat up and opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Giles coming into the room.

"Oh Buffy! I'm glad you're here so we don't have to the repeat ourselves," he then realized something was wrong with the two. "Is everything alright girls?"

"Five by Five, G." Giles looked over at Buffy who just shook her head 'yes'.

"Alright, Faith would you like to start?" Giles asked changing the subject.

"Uh. Yeah, sure G-man. Um. Well, I was doing the normal patrol last night. Only had one vamp. Then had a demon come. He kicked my ass. Then, took off. Said he'd be back," Faith said nonchalantly.

"What did it look like?" Giles asked.

"Let's see, big, ugly, horny, and blue," Faith said.

"Do you think maybe the lack of vampires is because of this demon?"

"You're guess is as good as mine," Faith said, shrugging her shoulders.

"If I you saw a picture do you think you could identify the creature?" Giles asked.

"I dunno. It was really dark and I really only made good friends with a tree. But probably. No promises," Faith answered.

"Do you have anything else?" Buffy asked. Faith turned to look at her.

"If I did I'd tell you." Giles could sense the raw tension between the two.

"Well, alright. I think you two should go back to class," Giles said. The two girls looked away from each other and turned to Giles.

"Yeah okay. See ya G," Faith said and got up and walked out of the room. Buffy made to move as well, but Giles stopped her.

"Buffy are you sure everything is alright between you two?" Buffy turned to look at Giles, but then just walked out of the cafeteria, leaving Giles alone.

Author Notes

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FaithandAngel