When Willow walked down the stairs the next morning she had to cover her mouth so the squeal she so badly wanted to let out wouldn't escape. Buffy was still lying on the couch where she had been last night the steady rising and falling of her chest letting Willow know that she was still asleep. The baby that was still lying on her chest was wide awake though and sucking on the blonde's hair and making contented sounds every so often. As Willow got closer Faith gave her a babbling welcome before going back to her previous activity.
"Morning Faithy, you ready for some breakfast?" Willow asked the infant. Faith grunted a reply more interested in the buttons on the collar of Buffy's shirt.
Willow lifted the baby from her friend's grasp who mumbled a protest but eventually got her free without waking the exhausted Slayer. She was greeted by Tara who gave her a quick peck on the lips before going back to preparing a bottle of formula for the baby.
"Now I know you were always one for the nightlife but what you did last night was a bit much, poor Buffy is exhausted," Willow told the baby in her arms who smiled back.
"You can't stay mad with a face like that," Tara giggled and handed the bottle to the baby who took it eagerly.
"How do long do you think that face is going to stay like that?" Willow asked.
"I don't know, but I think that maybe we need to look more into the demon itself rather than focusing more on trying to find spells to turn her back," Tara said.
Willow contemplated that for a moment but was pulled from her thoughts when Faith dropped her bottle and laughed at the clattering noise it made when it hit the floor. Tara picked it up and handed the half finished bottle back to her, Faith stuck it in her mouth for a second and drank some more before dropping it again looking between the witches expectantly her gummy smile on full display. This continued for the next couple of minutes, Faith drinking a little more each time the bottle was handed back to her until finally an empty bottle was thrown to the floor and the baby clapped her hands together as she giggled.
"Okay baby destructo, let's get you upstairs and changed," Willow made a face at the baby who reached out to grab at her cheeks.
A quick glance in the living room showed that Buffy was still sleeping soundly her arm now flung out and hanging off the side of the couch.
"See what you did," Willow smirked at the baby who lunged forward in her arms when she spotted the blonde, "No, no waking the Slayer, grumpy Buffy is not a fun Buffy."
She bathed and changed the baby chatted happily away to Faith as she did so who gave her baby babble replies kicking her legs happily in the air as Willow put denim shorts and purple batman t-shirt on her. They ran into a sleepy Dawn in the hallway who took Faith from Willow so the witch could have a shower.
"Hey party animal, next time you want to have an all night scream fest make sure it's when I'm not around," Dawn said to the baby holding her up at eye level so they could look at each other.
"Nananananana," Faith babbled.
"I'm glad you agree," Dawn nodded resting her back on her hip, "Now when I was younger you got me educated in the wonderment that is Saturday morning cartoons so now I'm going to reteach you."
Roughly pushing Buffy's arm out of the way causing the blonde to grunt and turn over on the couch, Dawn settled herself on the floor resting Faith between her legs and turning on the television. She flipped until she found the appropriate channel and turned the volume down so it wouldn't wake her sister.
"Now that's Spongebob, he's awesome and that starfish that's his friend Patrick and that little snail that's Gary," Dawn pointed out to the infant who stared at the screen completely engrossed in the pictures flashing across it.
"Bob bob?" Faith asked Dawn pointing at the screen and then looking back at the teen with wide eyes.
"Oh my god, yes, Spongebob, that's right Faith," Dawn squealed tickling the baby's round stomach.
"Dawn! Seriously it's way too early for you to be reaching that decibel," Buffy groaned grabbing a pillow and throwing it in Dawn's direction.
"She said her first word Buffy it's totally squeal worthy," Dawn said ducking out of the way of the flying pillow.
"She talks all the time, she's all bababa," Buffy complained raising her head and glaring at her sister.
"No this was like a proper word," Dawn insisted pulling Faith back onto her lap who had been trying to crawl away.
"Faith, Faithy," Dawn said trying to get the infant's attention, "Faithy who is that?" she asked pointing to the yellow cartoon sponge on the screen.
"Bob bob bob bob," Faith replied smiling widely, obviously pleased with herself when Dawn squealed again.
"Oh my god, you're so clever," Buffy smiled reaching down and scooping Faith up into her arms kissing her face all over.
"Bob bob bob," Faith said again looking between the two sisters.
"It would figure your first word would be something completely random," Buffy said settling the baby on her lap and smoothing down her baby soft hair.
"Now let's teach her some more," Dawn said kneeling in front of them, "Faith, say Dawn, Dawn."
"Bob bob," Faith replied grabbing hold of Dawn's long hair that hung in front of her. Dawn squealed and pulled back trying to escape from the painful hair pulling. Buffy laughed as she pried the small hands apart so the teen could pull away.
"No Faith don't pull my hair," Dawn admonished.
"Well what do you expect if you go dangling it in front of her?" Buffy laughed looking down at the baby who had a perplexed expression on her face.
"You wouldn't be saying that if you saw what she has done to your hair," Dawn smirked.
"Why? What did she do?" Buffy panicked patting the top of her head.
"Baby drool has made it all clumpy at the bottom," Dawn pointed out.
Buffy felt the ends of her hair which had indeed dried into clumps where Faith had been sucking on them. Holding one arm around the baby's waist so she didn't fall off her lap she used her other hand and ran her fingers through trying to separate the ends.
"At least I found a cheaper hair gel," Buffy shrugged kissing Faith on the top of her head.
"Whatever. What are we going to do today? Please don't say more research because we did that yesterday and it was so boring," Dawn said joining her sister on the couch.
"No. I think Giles has the research covered for today. I feel like we should take Faith places that she probably hasn't been to," Buffy said bouncing Faith up and down on her knee.
"Like where? It's not like she's going to remember it anyway," Dawn said.
"I dunno but I feel like it's the right thing to do," Buffy shrugged.
"What about the zoo? They have that kid part where they can feed them and stuff," Buffy suggested, "Oh and pony rides," Buffy's eyes lit up excitedly.
"For the kids Buffy," Dawn reminded raising an eyebrow at her sister.
"Yeah well we'll see," Buffy pouted, "Do you want to go and tell Willow and Tara our plans and see if they want to come and I'll have something to eat and get ready."
"Should I call Xander and see if he and Anya want to come as well?" Dawn asked half hanging out of the living room.
"Sure, the more the merrier I guess."
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"Tell me she is not sleeping," Dawn said her arms folded across her chest as they walked through the Sunnydale Zoo.
"She's a baby Dawnie, it's what they do," Willow said looking across at Buffy who was carrying a slumbering Faith.
"Yeah well if we knew she was gonna nap her way through the day we could've just stayed at home," Dawn pouted.
"Dawn hates the zoo," Buffy told them, "when we were younger we went to the one in Los Angeles and a monkey stole her hat and she cried for the rest of the day."
"I did not! Besides that monkey was demonic you could see it in it's eyes," Dawn said, "but seriously if she's just gonna sleep can we just go home?" the teen said nervously eyeing the monkey enclosure they were heading towards.
"It's easily fixed, besides Dawnie is right it's not worth it if she's just gonna sleep the day away," Xander said reaching over and shaking the sleeping infant's shoulder. Faith let out an indignant cry before going into a full blown tantrum. Buffy glared over the top of the crying baby's head at Xander who at least had the decency to look a little sheepish.
"Xander even I know the saying never wake a sleeping baby," Anya told him watching the crying infant.
"It's okay, it's okay I can fix this, I am a fixer, it's what I do," Xander said taking Faith from Buffy and then throwing her up above his head and catching her. The sudden movement shocked Faith who stopped crying and after he did it a second time she began laughing and clapping her hands.
"Xander be careful," the three older women said at the same time causing Dawn to raise an eyebrow at them.
"Well we don't want baby brains all over the sidewalk," Anya said to the teen.
"Ew, geez Anya could that have been more disgusting," Dawn said screwing up her face.
"Well yes actually I could have said we don't want baby oompf," Anya's reply was cut off when Buffy put a hand over her mouth.
"Whatever that was I'm sure none of us needed to hear it," Buffy told her.
"So am I like the baby whisperer or what," Xander beamed throwing Faith up in the air again.
"Your skills in baby are quite impressive," Willow smiled patting him on the shoulder.
"I should bottle this and sell it I'd make a OH MY GOD!" Xander squealed when he suddenly found himself covered in baby vomit.
"Oh I'm going to be sick, get it off me, get it off me," Xander yelled as Buffy took the once again crying baby from him.
"That shade of green does nothing for your complexion," Dawn commented watching the older man do some sort of distorted dance moves to shake the sick off of him. The other women all snorted with laughter, even Buffy who was busy trying to calm the distressed baby down.
"You think this is funny do you? Well see how you like it," Xander said acquiring his target and then lunging for Willow who shrieked and took off running, Xander close on her heels.
"We'll have to get you a change of clothes," Buffy said to the baby who had nestled in under her chin.
"Bob bob?"