A/N: Okay so no joke, the tally is exactly even!!! Way to make my decision even harder than usual. So please if you haven't voted please review and let me know whether you think Faith should stay a baby or if she should be turned back.
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"Did she, was that, no way," Willow spluttered completely flabbergasted about the word that just escaped from the baby's mouth. Whilst Willow continued to babble next to her Buffy was left completely speechless by the word said in innocence by the baby who was taking the blonde's sudden frozen state to her advantage and sticking one of the older girl's fingers in her mouth.
The fact that the infant had felt loved enough in such a small amount of time to refer to her as her mother broke Buffy's heart knowing that the girl's real mother had been anything but motherly towards her. Surprised by the sudden wetness she felt around her eyes Buffy pulled Faith tight to her chest burying her face in the infant's chest taking a deep breath to calm herself.
"Not Mama baby," she said softly, pulling the baby away and sitting her down on her knees so she was facing her, "I'm Buffy, can you say Buffy Faithy?"
"Beebee," Faith responded.
"That's right, such a clever girl," Buffy said clapping her hands. Faith crawled off Buffy's lap and over onto Willow's and tried to pull herself up by grabbing onto the redhead's shirt.
"Whoa there only Tara's allowed to see those," Willow said when the infant's weight on her shirt caused it to fall dangerously low. She lent the baby her hands and pulled her up so she was at head height.
"Beebee," Faith said pulling her hand from Willow's and pointing at Buffy.
"That's right that's Buffy, can you say Willow?" Willow asked holding the baby steady.
Faith looked at her for a moment a very serious expression adorning her features contemplating the question Willow had asked.
"No," she said simply.
Buffy couldn't help herself and burst out laughing at this, Willow joining her soon after.
"What's so funny?" Dawn asked as she and Tara walked in the living room video camera in hand.
"Faith was just telling Willow that she couldn't say her name," Buffy smirked.
"Although she did learn to say a new word," Willow said.
"Oh wait I want to get this on camera," Dawn said turning the camera on.
"Why do you have that?" Buffy asked.
"I thought it would be fun to film her while she's all cute pudgy Faith and show her when we turn her back, she won't believe it," Dawn replied focusing the camera.
"If," Buffy said quietly under her breath. Dawn and Tara didn't catch it but sitting next to her Willow's head turned quickly to study her best friend intently. She knew Buffy was more than attached to baby Faith; it was obvious just by looking at the way she interacted with the infant that evidenced how she felt about the dark haired baby.
"What's her new w-word?" Tara asked settling herself on the couch next to Willow and taking one of the baby's hands in her own.
"Wait, wait till I'm ready," Dawn squealed rushing over so she was sitting in front of them on the coffee table, "okay go."
"Faith, Faithy, who is that?" Willow asked pointing to Buffy.
"Beebee," Faith replied bouncing up and down in Willow's lap as they all applauded her.
"Figures I wouldn't be able to escape that nickname even when she's a baby," Buffy smiled as the infant crawled back over to her.
"Beebee," Faith said as Buffy scooped her up giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Put her on the ground Buffy I want to get some of her crawling around," Dawn said from behind the camera. Buffy did as she was told and placed the baby on the floor who looked up at her at her for a second before crawling off to explore the living room.
"No," Faith said to Dawn when the camera was stuck in her face as she sat herself down near the bookcase. Dawn stuck her hand out and pulled the baby to her feet and continued to film her as she stood there on wobbly legs trying to grab at the camera.
"Does no actually mean no?" Dawn asked turning to face the older women on the couch.
"You have to be the judge of that, sometimes it does, sometimes I think she says it just to get her kicks," Buffy said.
"Ahh Dawnie," Willow said indicating Faith who was attempting to turn Dawn's camera into an afternoon snack.
"Ew Faith, no we don't eat cameras," Dawn said trying to hold the infant whilst she wiped the drool off the lens.
"No," Faith pouted pulling away from Dawn and plopping down on the floor.
"That time I think she meant it," Willow piped up.
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Faith babbled happily to herself as she sat in the highchair they had found in the basement. The highchair was old and worn but it still worked and it made feeding the baby easier and they usually ended with less food on whoever it was had been holding the infant. In the interests of exciting filming they had decided to let the baby feed herself and now her face, hair and 'I'm Kind of a Big Deal' shirt were completely covered with apple sauce.
"I think more food is on Faith than actually went in Faith," Willow smirked as Dawn continued to film Faith who was now banging her spoon loudly against the tray and laughing at the sound it made.
"Beebee," Faith said holding out a spoonful to the blonde who was leaning against the bench watching on with an amused smile.
"No it's okay Faithy you have it," Buffy said shaking her head.
"No," Faith said holding the spoon out with more vigour.
"Alright then," Buffy said taking the spoon from the infant and putting it in her mouth making a face when she swallowed, "Ugh gross I don't know how she can eat that," she said handing the spoon back to the baby.
"To be honest Buff she hasn't really eaten any of it," Willow said indicating the food covered baby.
"Makes for great watching and future embarrassing and bribing material," Dawn said closing the camera.
"Well I might go and clean her up and then give her a real meal," Buffy said lifting Faith up out of the chair and holding her out in front of her so as not to get apple sauced. Making her way up the stairs she had to step over the baby gate they had put at the top of the stairs to stop the infant from falling down the stairs. After a quick bath she wrapped the baby in a towel and took her back into her bedroom quickly changing her diaper on the floor and then turning to get some pyjamas for the infant to wear. When she turned around her heart stopped when she realised the baby wasn't where she had left her.
A/N: Once again, if you haven't reviewed and let me know if you think Faith should stay a baby or not please do, I'm horrible at making decisions and a tied vote is kind of like a nightmare for me.