Buffy struggled through the fog of her mind as she tried to wake up. She could hear Faith crying and feel the infant's hot tears hitting her skin where her head was resting against her shoulder. When she opened her eyes Buffy jumped in surprise when she came face to face with her redheaded friend.
"Will, why are you in my room?" Buffy asked groggily pushing the hair out of her eyes.
"Not exactly your room Buff," Xander smirked.
"Xander, did I miss something, since when is it let's invade Buffy's room day?" Buffy asked.
"We're in the living room you goof, you fell asleep about an hour ago and we've just been chatting and giving Dawn sugary not-meant-for-after-dinner treats," Willow said sticking her tongue out cheekily.
"And in all your annoying confusedness you seem to have forgotten that Faith is once again making that horrible noise," Anya said scowling.
"What, oh, Faith, it's okay baby," Buffy cooed standing up and bouncing Faith on her hip.
"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that stink is coming from her," Dawn said pointing to the baby.
"Hence the tears," Willow said.
"Well I'm gonna go upstairs and change her and then I think we're going to go to bed 'cause I'm beat," Buffy said switching Faith to her other hip and lending down to give Dawn a kiss on the cheek.
"Well you can s-sleep in tomorrow," Tara smiled softly dropping a kiss on the infant's head.
"No fair Buff, while the rest of us have to get up at the crack of dawn to go work at the salt mines you get to waste the day away in bed," Xander pouted.
"No, no she can't," Dawn said.
"Yes I can, besides you're not the boss of me," Buffy pouted.
"You've got to come in to school with me tomorrow though. It's the day where all the parents come in and sit in on their kid's classes remember," Dawn reminded her.
"That's tomorrow! I thought it was like a month away," Buffy groaned.
"It was a month away when I told you about it a month ago," Dawn said.
"A whole day back at high school, can't say that I'm jealous," Xander teased knowing how much his blonde friend hated academia.
"Not to be all pointing out the obvious girl but there is the little issue of baby Faith," Willow said indicating the baby who was hiccupping as her tears stopped.
"Yes! I mean oh no sorry Dawnie looks like I won't be able to make it after all," Buffy quickly covered her smile.
"Get someone to watch her. You have to come Buffy I can't be the only one whose parental person doesn't come," Dawn whined.
"Okay okay, Will can you look after her tomorrow?" Buffy asked.
"I'm sorry Buff I wish I could but Tara and I have classes all day," Willow said apologetically.
"That's okay learning stuff is important. What about you Xander can you look after her, she's really cute and will smile for food," Buffy said holding the baby out towards him.
"Smelling like that is gonna make no one want to take her," Xander said pushing Faith away from his face, "But I can't do it either I'm at work all day."
"And before you shove the foul smelling baby in my face I will be unavailable to look after her tomorrow as I will be very busy. Giles is letting me balance the accounts tomorrow so I will finally be able to see how much money we made for the month," Anya said her eyes glazing over as she thought of the wonderful number crunching that awaited her.
"There's always Giles," Willow said.
"I'd be scared he'd get so hooked in a book that he'd leave her in behind a stack of books or something," Buffy said.
"W-why don't you take her with you?" Tara said quietly.
"She'd get bored and how would I explain the sudden appearance of a ten month old in our house?" Buffy sighed.
"One night of passion resulting in the bouncing bundle of joy you hold in your arms," Xander suggested earning himself a smack on the arm from the blonde Slayer.
"Just say she's a cousin visiting or something but you have to come Buffy, everyone would tease me if I didn't bring anyone," Dawn whined.
"Okay, we'll come and we'll figure something out. You should probably go to bed too Dawnie 'cause it's a school day tomorrow. Night you guys," Buffy said giving her friends a smile and letting them say goodnight to Faith before taking the baby upstairs. Tomorrow was going to be a challenge; she just hoped she was up for it.
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"Okay let's go over this again," Buffy said to the baby lying on her bed as she did up the laces on Faith's pink baby Converse, "The pacifier is your friend. Being quiet with the pacifier in your mouth is fun. Long long naptimes are a riot. Not crying all day is a challenge you are up to and not pooping until it's lunchtime and Buffy can change your diaper discretely and not have to worry about disapproving looks from other parents is worthy of many many hours of sucking on my fingers and my hair without getting scolded."
Buffy took another look at Faith's outfit. She wanted Faith to have an overload of the cute factor so that hopefully the teachers, parents and other students would be more willing to have the infant in their class. She had dressed Faith in a pair of denim shorts and a yellow t-shirt with a picture of a rainbow and Elmo sitting on a cloud and read 'To Know Me is to Love Me'.
"So Faithy do we have a deal? You're gonna be super good all day and Dawn won't kill me for embarrassing her in front of all her class mates," Buffy said.
Faith didn't appear to be interested in what the blonde Slayer was saying, she was too busy chewing on Mr. Gordo's ear as she lay back on Buffy's bed.
"I'm taking that as a yes," Buffy said lifting Faith off the bed and taking Mr. Gordo with her, letting the baby continue to chew on him. She was going to do whatever it took to keep the infant happy even if it meant her stuffed pig would need a serious washing before she could hug him again.
"Okay how do we look?" Buffy asked doing a twirl as she and Faith came into the kitchen where Tara, Willow and Dawn were all sitting at the kitchen table.
"Very responsible, not at all like the cool older sister who takes her little sister to raves and keep them out to the early hours of the morning," Willow said.
"I don't do that," Buffy frowned.
"That was my point, you definitely don't look like someone who would do that," Willow smirked.
"What about Faith? Does she look all cute and cuddly and not at all like someone who could be disruptive and ruin the day for everyone," Buffy asked.
"Definitely cute and cuddly," Tara smiled.
"We've packed you a bag," Willow said standing and opening a large brown leather bag, "You've got your diapers, your pacifiers, a change of clothes if you should need it, various toys of the non-noisy variety, wet wipes, a bib or two, two bottles of formula and two jars of mushed something or other."
"Thanks guys," Buffy said putting the bag over her shoulder, "You ready to go?" she asked Dawn.
"Just waiting on our ride to get here," Dawn smiled taking the now soggy Mr. Gordo when Faith offered it to her.
"And your chariot awaits," Xander said sweeping into the kitchen decked out in his construction gear. He took Faith from Buffy and swung her around in the air making the infant squeal with laughter before resting her on his hip.
"Are we ready to go ladies?" Xander asked.
"Ready and rearing," Dawn sighed. As much as she wanted Buffy to come to Parent's Day she was definitely worried about how it was going to go with Faith in the classroom.
"Let's hit the road then."
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"Okay Faithy remember what we talked about," Buffy said settling the baby on her hip as they stood out the front of the high school.
"No," Faith said giving Buffy a gummy smile, "'Nie," she said holding her arms out to Dawn.
"Well that's not a good sign," Dawn said taking Faith from her sister.
"Don't worry she doesn't always use it right, let's just hope this is one of those times," Buffy said, "Where are we headed first up?"
"Math," Dawn said as they walked towards the building.
"First thing on a Monday, that's just mean," Buffy teased.
The hallway was a bustling with parents and students all chatting away happily as they walked towards their destinations. Dawn led Buffy over to her locker pointing things out to her sister and Faith as they went. They received some strange glances from fellow students who were curious as to who the baby was Dawn held in her arms. Dawn handed Faith back to Buffy so she could get the correct books from her locker and then led them to where her Math classroom was.
"Here we go."
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