A/N: Sorry it's been so long in between updates but things have gotten in the way. Enjoy the last of the Faith at school chapters.
Faith was irritable by the time they made it to Spanish class and Buffy supposed it was only natural as the infant had been asked to sit still and be quiet for much longer then was normal for a ten month old. The infant's lower lip was sticking out and she was grumbling whilst Dawn was shooting her worried looks.
"Do you want us to wait outside until class is finished?" Buffy asked bouncing Faith on her hip.
"Can't you just give her the last bottle or something to make her happy?" Dawn asked not wanting to go into the class alone.
"She just had lunch I'm not sure how hungry she's going to be," Buffy said.
"It's Faith even pint sized I'm sure she's always hungry," Dawn said fishing the bottle from the baby bag.
"Just be ready to catch it," Buffy said taking the bottle from Dawn. Surprisingly Faith took the bottle willingly and stuck it in her mouth resting her head against Buffy's shoulder.
"Problem solved," Dawn smirked proudly, "Come on we don't want to be late."
The Spanish teacher smiled warmly at them when they walked in and Buffy was happily surprised to see that she was the same woman who had taught her, only this teacher had actually liked her.
"I thought I'd been hearing word that Buffy Summers was back on campus," Mrs Sanchez smiled, "Ms. Bergman was not happy with you my dear."
"All's good in the world then," Buffy smiled.
"Glad to see you haven't changed, and who's this little munchkin," Mrs Sanchez asked rubbing the back of her finger along Faith's cheek as the baby drank from her bottle.
"This is Faith my uh, daughter," Buffy squirmed a little still uncomfortable referring to Faith as that.
"Oh my, well she's gorgeous," Mrs Sanchez said pulling a Faith at the baby who smiled around her bottle.
"Well she's been terrorising people all day today," Buffy said looking down fondly at Faith.
"I find that hard to believe," Mrs Sanchez said as Faith unwrapped one hand from around her bottle and grabbed at the older woman's bracelet.
"Don't underestimate the dimples because underneath them is a little terror," Buffy said taking the empty bottle that Faith offered her.
"Aw now I'm sure you're not like that at all, the daughter of one of my favourite students could never be a little terror," Mrs Sanchez said and Buffy beamed, she was hardly the student anyone would call their favourite, she remembered why she had liked the older woman so much when she had been in her class.
"You're welcome to test that theory, but don't blame me if you end up covered in chocolate pudding," Buffy said handing the baby over to the teacher. Faith didn't even give her a second look seeming very comfortable in the older woman's arms her little hands going immediately to the beaded necklace around Mrs Sanchez's neck.
"Let's go teach some Spanish bebé," Mrs Sanchez said to Faith.
Mrs Sanchez seemed to be a favourite amongst students and parents so nobody questioned why she was carrying around a baby. The lesson went smoothly with the teacher outlining to the parents what they had been learning and she even tried to teach them a few Spanish sayings. By the end of the lesson Faith was napping contentedly against the teacher's shoulder and Buffy gave her an incredulous look when her and Dawn walked to the front of the classroom.
"I don't know how you did that," she said smoothing down Faith's hair, "I couldn't get her to sit still earlier and then with you she's out like a light."
"She just wanted to prove her Mama wrong," Mrs Sanchez smiled handing the slumbering infant over to Buffy.
"Or she was just super tired from all her crazy hijinks today," Dawn suggested heading for the door.
"Buffy," Mrs Sanchez said grabbing hold of her elbow as she too went to leave, "I just wanted to say that I'm extremely proud of how you're dealing with looking after Dawn as well as Faith, and I think your mother would be as well."
Buffy had to admit she teared up a little at that. Things had been hard becoming Dawn's sole caretaker and the added responsibility with that. She didn't even care that Faith wasn't really her daughter and that the magic involved with her transformation made people think she was. This woman was one of the only people who had believed in her in high school and her praise meant everything.
"That means a lot," Buffy said accepting the hug the older woman gave her.
"You don't be a stranger alright," Mrs Sanchez said her hand on Faith's back, "and bring this little one in for a visit."
"I will, adios," Buffy smiled proud of herself for remembering even a little Spanish.
"Adios, I'll rest easy now that I know I taught you something," Mrs Sanchez replied her eyes twinkling.
"Can't believe it's nearly the end of the day, it went so quickly," Buffy said when they joined Dawn out in the hall. The teenager gave her an incredulous look and rolled her eyes.
"Come on we've got art," she said taking Buffy's arm and dragging her towards the right direction.
Faith slept through nearly the entire art class her small body held tightly against Buffy's chest. The blonde Slayer was never one for art so she sat back and watched her sister do her thing relishing in the feeling of the small body held close to her own. She smiled softly when she felt the infant shift on her shoulder and kissed her on her forehead when she turned and looked up at her with bleary eyes.
"Have a good nap baby?" Buffy whispered to Faith who reached out to touch her face.
"'Nie?" Faith asked looking around for the teen.
"She's over there," Buffy pointed to where Dawn was refilling up her paint tray, "she'll be back in a second."
"No 'Nie," Faith struggled in Buffy's arms wanting to over to the brunette teen.
"Okay hold on grumpy pants," Buffy said hoisting her up onto her hip and walking over to wear Dawn was standing refilling her paint tray talking away to Brendon who was filling up his tray next to her.
"'Nie 'Nie," Faith squealed excitedly bouncing up and down on Buffy's hip when they reached the two teens reaching her arms out for Dawn to take her.
"Oh look it's Faith the Menace," Brendon smirked tickling Faith's stomach with one hand and holding his tray in the other whilst Buffy and Dawn traded the paint tray for the baby.
"She's working on that we're making her go to meetings and take the twelve steps," Buffy said brushing the hair away from Faith's forehead.
"Well you guys better make sure you're there to support her I hear recovery from Menacehood can be a tough road," Brendon smirked taking one of Faith's hands with his fingers and bouncing it up and down making the baby smile. Buffy smiled as she watched him, Dawn definitely had good taste. She left the three of them too it and wandered back to her seat taking a look at what the other student's had painted on her way. She whirled around when she heard Dawn shriek and her eyes widened in horror.
"You have got to be kidding me."
Somehow and she was almost one hundred percent positive that Faith had had something to do with it Brendon's paint tray had managed to flip over coating both himself and the laughing baby in blue paint. Faith's head and clothes looked like she had been dumped in it and Brendon's hair was sticking to his face as well now and tinted a bright blue.
"I think I have bad Faith karma," Brendon laughed when Buffy hurried up to the trio.
"I seriously don't think that I can say sorry again to you today," she said shaking her head.
"It's okay I kind of asked for it waving the tray in front of her and everything," Brendon said, "Lucky it's the end of the day."
"I can't believe she did that," Dawn said incredulously.
"Hey it's okay don't sweat it I always thought this shirt would look better in blue," Brendon said as the bell rang, "we're still on for tomorrow right?" he asked and Buffy turned to give her sister a look.
"Yeah sure, you can come over to ours if you want," Dawn blushed, "that's if you wanna risk it with Faith out to get you."
"I think I'll risk it," Brendon smiled, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow," he said to Buffy, "See you later kiddo," he chuckled as Faith smiled a gummy smile at him.
"He's coming over," Buffy nudged Dawn on the shoulder.
"It's not a date or anything we're just working on a science project, if-if that's alright of course," Dawn stuttered.
"All in the name of education right," Buffy smirked.
"Of course," Dawn replied.
"Come on we need to get baby Smurf home," Buffy said indicating the paint that was quickly drying all over Faith.