A/N: This time I have an actual excuse for how late this is. University and residence. I hate them. Well, actually, I like what I'm studying, but lots of work.

Anyhow, that's why this chapter is so late. Much apologies, hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not Joss Whedon, giving me ownership of Faith and Wood, or Kenny Chesney, giving me ownership of the wonderful song There Goes My Life. The only thing I own is the plot and Amber.

"So, your house is by the water?" Faith scrutinized the older couple in front of her carefully.

The man nodded. "Summer home, yes. I mean it's…it's perfectly safe for babies, we could put up gates and such." He scrambled when he took note of Faith's doubtful face.

Faith nodded slowly. "Place by the water…sounds like a nice place for a kid to grow up."

Hope flashed across the couple's face, a sight that strangely made Faith's stomach knot. She had been in the hospital for several days now, and had interviewed several couples wanting to adopt the baby. All of them seemed the same, loving and kind, rich and privileged, everything Faith's parents weren't. The baby would be fine with any of them, she knew.

Still, with every couple she saw, she found herself rushing from the room, repeating what was becoming her mantra under her breath.

"No. They can't have her. They can't have Amber."

The social worker was becoming increasingly frustrated. This last couple was one of the last ones she had lined up, and Faith knew she wished for nothing more than for Faith to just pick one, so she could place the baby.

Robin was getting confused too. Faith had said throughout her pregnancy that she was giving the baby up, and for as long as he had known her, he knew she had always had the ability to lock everything that hurt her away inside, never letting on how painful it was for her. She was always able to stay detached.

But with the baby, however – Amber, he reminded himself, Faith had chosen a perfect name for her – Faith couldn't seem to detach. Most days she sat in her room for hours on end, just staring at Amber. Yesterday, when the nurses had brought the baby to where Faith and Robin lay on Faith's bed, Faith had placed the baby gently into Robin's arms.

"She's gorgeous, isn't she?"

Choked up, Robin managed a small nod. Almost out of instinct, he began to sway gently and hum a tune he vaguely remembered from childhood. He could almost swear he saw the infant smile as her dark eyes closed and her breathing became deep and regular.

Robin continued to hold the baby, looking towards Faith, who watched them both. Her hands were clenching on the sheets. A soft chuckle escaped his lips.

"What?" said Faith.

"You're dying to take her back."

"I am not!" Faith said indignantly.

"You are so. I can see your hands clenching."

Faith shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Maybe I got a wrist cramp."

Robin shook his head.

"Somehow I doubt that." He cast another look onto the baby, he and Faith's baby, who still slept peacefully. He reached down with one finger and caressed her cheek.

"She's beautiful though," he whispered.

"Yeah." Faith confirmed softly, her eyes fixed on the baby.

For moments, they simply sat, and then Robin gently passed the baby back to Faith, who cradled the child carefully in her arms.

Robin sighed heavily.

"Alright, Faith. No more avoiding this. Why haven't you picked a couple for her if you want her adopted so badly?"

"Haven't found the right one," Faith said shortly.

"I meant the real reason," Robin said gently.

Faith looked up at him, and he could see her eyes pleading with him not to press this, but it had to be done. He met her gaze steadily.

Faith dropped her head and fell silent, until it seemed to Robin that she had chosen to ignore him. He was just about to press the matter again when Faith spoke, so softly he had to strain to hear her.

"I thought I could back off."

Robin furrowed his brow in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

Faith gave a loud sigh, shifting her eyes back down to the baby, who had begun to squirm.

"Does she – "

"She wants to be fed." Faith interrupted. "Hand me that bottle over there."

Robin passed her a bottle off the side table, and watched as Faith rubbed it between her hands to warm it up, then tested it on the inside of her wrist.

The baby had begun to cry, softly at first, but by this time her cries had become loud wails. Faith stuck the bottle in her mouth and Amber quieted instantly, contentedly sucking.

Robin watched her deft movements with awe. Was this really the same Faith who didn't so much as know how to hold a baby?

"Faith," he said softly. "How much time have you been spending with her?"

"Little bit," Faith said dismissively. "She'll need to be changed about an hour or so after she finishes –"

"Faith..." Robin implored, eyes pleading for the truth.

There was another long pause, and Robin noticed that Amber's eyes had not moved from Faith since she had started feeding. They had the same eyes, he noticed. Deep brown. Identical deep brown eyes as mother and daughter stared at each other.

"You thought I didn't give a shit. Through the whole thing, right?" Faith questioned softly.

Robin looked up. Faith was looking at him now, and he was shocked to see tears filling her eyes.

"What?"

"The whole pregnancy thing. You thought I didn't give a shit about her, right?"

Upgrade from calling the baby "it" to "her", Robin noted. However, he did remember Faith being incredibly distant during the whole pregnancy. He had to force her to her doctor's appointments, force her to take her vitamins, never saw her talk to the baby or rest her hand on her stomach.

His silence was also the answer Faith needed. Beckoning angrily, she indicated her bag she had asked Robin to bring.

"Box in there. Give it to me."

Robin reached down and handed an antique wooden box to Faith. Faith removed one hand from Amber's back and threw it open, shoving it at Robin.

It was filled with papers and small objects. He looked closer. Ultrasound pictures, doctor's prescriptions, even some pages with lists of names written on them. There were a few battered baby toys and even a worn stuffed rabbit. At the very bottom, Robin found a picture of himself and Faith, his arm slung around her, Faith smiling up at him.

There seemed to be no end to the surprises today. He looked up at Faith, utterly stunned, even more so to find her cheeks flaming with embarrassment, and, he guessed a bit of anger.

"Don't know why, before you ask," she said shortly.

"Faith…basically everything related to the baby is in here. And what is this?" Robin asked, holding up the rabbit.

Faith's cheeks colored even more.

"It was mine. I don't know, I just thought she might want it…it was pretty much the only comfort I had when I was a kid."

"Why did you keep all this?" Robin whispered.

"I don't know!" Faith snapped, her sharp words startling Amber. The baby looked up fearfully, but Faith rubbed her back soothingly, and she settled back onto her bottle.

"You put this together before she was born?"

Faith nodded.

"And why are you showing it to me?"

A shrug. "Bothers me, for some reason, you think I'm some kind of robot."

"Faith, why..."

"Look, can we not talk about this?" Faith said shortly. "She needs to be burped. Just…can you just go get me some food?"

"Faith, we need to talk about…"

"Potential fake parents, I know. Later."

With that, she slung a cloth over her shoulder and hefted Amber into position. Feeling like he had just been kicked out, Robin meekly left, his head still spinning.

Why had Faith kept all those papers? Some were the most mundane of paperwork, how could all that be important to her? And why had she given the baby she had always talked of as if she were a burden such personal mementos? And why was she stalling so much with finding adoptive parents?

Robin slowly made his way to the cafeteria, with more questions swirling in his head then he could ever hope to answer.

A/N#2: And there it is. I love the Faith/Wood pairing, I think they had so much chemistry for having only a few scenes. And I love the visual of Faith and Amber staring at each other. My cousin used to do the same thing, just stare at you the whole time you were giving him his bottle. It was ridiculously adorable.

I'd love to see some reviews, so I can know people are liking this.