"I should have known this would happen," Buffy groaned her hair plastered to her face the water that had previously been in the bath now dripping down her face as Faith sat in the tub squealing in delight as she splashed her hands down in the water. She had plunked the baby in the tub clothes and all and the onesie Faith had been wearing was now floating in the greenish tinged bath water like a tiny sailboat. Faith had cried out at first at being shoved unceremoniously into the water but had quickly started to enjoy it especially the reaction she got when she splashed the blonde Slayer who had been trying to clean her up.
"Thought you might need....these," Willow stopped short when she saw her friend dripping with bath water.
"Faith here seems to think bath time is a code for let's drench Buffy with water time," Buffy said.
"Do you want me to take over and you can go and get changed," Willow said placing the onesie and diaper she had bought in with her on the hamper.
"She's pretty much clean so all you have to do is get her out and dressed," Buffy said, "which may prove harder than it sounds."
"Are you having fun Faithy?" Willow smiled at the infant who was sucking on her own fist, "time for you to get out though because you're getting all wrinkly kinda like a prune and well then you might lose some of your cuteness," Willow threw up her hands in apology when Faith frowned at her, "sorry, sorry you could never lose your cuteness you are majorly cute."
She used a towel and lifted the squirming Faith from the bath who was not pleased by being taken from the warm and fun water. After drying the baby off Willow spread a dry towel out on the floor and lay Faith down on it.
"You know," she said to the infant as she put her diaper on, "ever since we brought Buffy back she hasn't exactly been her usual chipper Buffy self, but I've been watching her today with you and well let's just say I think she's smiled more in the twelve or so hours that you've been a baby than she has in the four months that since she's been back."
Rewarding herself with a quick smile for diapering Faith without any complications she reached for the onesie while keeping a hand on Faith's stomach so the baby couldn't roll over and escape.
"And that's not to say having adult you here isn't good for her she's more animated with you then anybody else but there's something about baby you that's making her happy, well I guess what I'm saying is keep doing whatever it is you're doing," Willow said snapping the last clasp on the onesie.
"Bababababababa," Faith answered grabbing a hold of her feet and wiggling them above her head.
"Exactly my point," Willow smiled, "now how about we go and find that crazy Slayer so we can go and get you some more clothes because well that's the last clean set that you have and no one here is too fond of doing laundry so we'll have to get you some more so we don't spend our lives in front of the washing machine."
"Look at you all shiny and clean," Buffy smiled as Willow bought the baby into her room. The blonde Slayer had changed her clothes and was running a brush through her hair.
"Yes we're very happy to be free of mushy peas," Willow said handing Faith over to the blonde. Buffy smoothed her hand over Faith's wet hair trying to smooth it down and dropped a quick kiss to the baby's forehead.
"Are you gonna come with us to the shops?" she asked Willow as the two walked downstairs to join the others.
"Of course I'm never one to pass up an opportunity to shop. Giles was going to drive Tara and me to the Magic Box to get the ingredients for the spell so I guess we can go there first and then onto the mall," Willow said.
"You here that Faithy we're going shopping," Buffy sing songed blowing a raspberry on the baby's stomach.
"You know I think that's the happiest I've ever seen her be about a trip to the mall," Xander said as the baby laughed.
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"Oh Buffy what about this one?" Dawn asked holding up a pink tank dress for her sister to see.
"Oh yes cute, add it to the pile," Buffy said pointing to the growing pile of shorts, bodysuits and dresses that sat in their trolley.
"Buffy look tiny itty bitty baby shoes," Willow squealed pointing to rows of colourful baby shoes and socks that lined the wall. Buffy's eyes lit up when she saw them and she motioned for Dawn to bring their trolley over. Faith was sitting contentedly for the moment in the baby seat of the trolley kicking her legs happily as she watched people go by babbling to herself every so often.
"How are we supposed to know what size to get her?" Buffy asked as she held up a pair that were pink with yellow and green sunflowers on them.
"I don't know how this crazy sizing system works," Willow said trying to read the sign on the wall that explained.
"God it pains me that you people are partially college educated," Dawn sighed lifting Faith out of the trolley and grabbing the shoes from her sister. Sitting Faith on her lap she wrangled the shoes on the squirming baby using her fingers to pinch down on the front to gauge whether they were the correct size, "get one size smaller than this one," she said throwing the shoe back to her sister.
"Faith is going to kill us when she turns back and sees all this pink we've chosen for her to wear," Willow commented as they chose a couple of pairs for the infant.
"I don't care because look how cute," Buffy said holding up a pair of pink baby Converse before throwing them in the trolley.
"Giles and Tara are meeting us back at cash registers aren't they?" Dawn asked as she passed Faith over to her sister.
"They went to the Magic Box to pick up the spell ingredients and then meeting us back here," Willow said putting some socks in the trolley.
By this time Faith was beginning to get irritated and started to whine. Willow watched in fascination as Buffy got a pacifier out of her bag and handed it to the baby without a second thought. Faith rested her head against Buffy's shoulder sucking on the pacifier.
"We should probably pick up more diapers while we're here," Buffy said as they walked towards the registers.
"Once you guys do this spell how long before you can turn her back?" Dawn asked as Willow put some diapers and a couple of toys in the trolley.
"I don't know Dawnie. The spell will show us if there is any magical essence surrounding her which should point us in the right direction but it won't give us the exact answer as to what we'll need to turn her back," Willow said waving when she saw her girlfriend and Giles standing near the registers.
"Did you get everything you needed?" the redhead asked them.
"Yes we had all the ingredients at the Magic Box. I see you girls may have gone a little overboard with your shopping," Giles said indicating their overflowing trolley.
"We couldn't help it Giles, look how tiny and adorable these are," Dawn said holding up a small pair of shorts and T-Shirt.
"Very endearing," Giles said.
"S-shopping tired her out," Tara smiled at the baby who had fallen asleep.
"That's good it means you guys can do the spell as soon as we get home," Buffy said readjusting her grip on the slumbering baby.
As they paid for their items the pacifier fell from Faith's mouth and the infant woke with a start tears beginning to fall as she cried out.
"Oh Faithy it's okay," Buffy shushed the crying baby bouncing her up and down on her hip as Dawn picked the pacifier up off the ground. They received some angry glares from other customers as Faith continued to cry reaching her hand out for the pacifier Dawn held.
"You don't want this kiddo it's dirty and gross now," Dawn said shoving it back into Buffy's bag.
In an attempt to calm the baby down Buffy offered her hand to Faith. The baby looked at her warily tears still running down her cheeks, as every other time she had been admonished.
"It's okay," Buffy smiled and Faith grabbed a hold of her hand sticking the blonde's index finger in her mouth. Dawn grimaced as she watched screwing up her nose in disgust.
"So gross Buffy," Dawn said wiping the tears from Faith's cheeks. The infant had calmed down instantly, occasionally hiccupping as she sucked on Buffy's finger her eyes drooping closed.
"Yeah well it worked didn't it," Buffy shrugged her shoulders while Willow watched on in silence, "we should get her home, we don't know how long she is going to nap for and we should do the ritual as soon as possible.