My thanks to those of you who have demonstrated interest. It is appreciated.

The Dawning of Faith

Chapter 7

"Sleep tight, my dear girls," he murmured as he covered them with large towels against the chill of the night. "Tomorrow will bring its own reward…" Smiling, he left for his own bed.

"Ladies, allow me to introduce our newest members, Rita and Karen," Giles announced at breakfast. Most of the Slayers then in residence were there, and they welcomed their new sisters with enthusiasm.

"Looks like Buffy and Faith might be a little under the weather," Willow whispered to Dawn. Dawn giggled briefly, but stopped abruptly, her face clouding.

"You don't suppose they got drunk and – you know," Dawn asked worriedly.

"I really doubt it, but they could have. I know it's hard to think about things like that, but life is full of stuff that can hurt. But Faith knows how you feel about her, or at least she knows you're interested in her. I just don't think she'd carry on with Buffy knowing that."

"Suppose they're in love?" asked Dawn. Willow gave a little start at that one.

"You know, that never occurred to me," Willow admitted, chewing on her lip in thought. "I'd be surprised I think, but there is no doubt their relationship has been an extremely passionate one. Passion doesn't run much higher than trying to kill one another, although that doesn't usually make for an enduring relationship. Frankly, I don't think Faith is your sister's type."

"I don't stand a chance against Buffy," Dawn whispered, misery plain on her face.

"Cut that out," Willow told her, "love isn't a competition. Faith will either fall in love with you or she won't, neither Buffy nor anyone else has anything to do with it. If you ask me, the whole idea of someone really wanting to be with her took her by surprise. Give her some time. And stop looking for trouble where there isn't any, okay? Now finish your breakfast and we'll get started with your lessons."

That thought cheered Dawn some, and she resumed her meal, listening to the excited chatter with the new Slayers.

"I propose a sort of day off," Giles said, "Kennedy, would you and Amanda take charge of showing Karen and Rita the house and grounds, and the training facility?"

"Sure thing, Giles," Amanda responded.

"It's all family style here," Kennedy announced, "there's a chore list and everything, and nobody ever slacks on their chores. This place would be hell if we didn't work together."

"She's right," Willow piped up, "also, if you don't work together - you could get kinda killed." The new girls assumed an attitude of careful attention as they took their dishes to the kitchen.

"Willow, would you and Dawn come with me please?" Giles asked. "I might require the assistance of a woman or two."

"Giles, you randy old thing," teased Willow, "you know I don't hit from that side of the plate."

"Most amusing, I'm sure," deadpanned Giles. He headed off for his study with Dawn and Willow following along trying not to laugh. Mostly, they didn't.

"In there," Giles said, pointing to the bathroom. "I should warn you that it might not be a pretty sight, I however dare not enter until one of you checks first. It appears that Faith and Buffy last night buried their differences in a tsunami of some of my best liquor." He broke out in a huge grin. "I have to say that's why I didn't hide it better; they needed a push of some kind to break the barriers between them. Now please go and check on them."

Willow lead the way and eased the bathroom door open, it swung in a short distance and bumped into something. There was a muffled grunt from the other side of the door. "Give me a hand here Dawn," Willow said, and the two of them pushed the door wide enough to slip into the room.

"Holy shit!" exclaimed Dawn.

Buffy was draped over the edge of the tub, a towel over her head. It was her feet that the door had hit. Faith was propped up against the toilet, her face cradled on the wadded up towel on her knees. To their credit, most of the sick had gone in the appropriate places, though neither of them was precisely springtime fresh. Faith raised her head and stared blearily at Willow and Dawn.

"Oh no," moaned Faith, "no, not now. Not her, not like this. Willow, get Dawnie out of here, please!" She pulled the towel over her head, and Willow eased Dawn out of the room.

"They're both alive," Willow told Giles.

"I suppose I'm glad to hear it, but I rather suspect that they might not agree. Do you know of any potions that might help this?"

"Yup, got just the thing, Dawn, wanna help me brew it?" Dawn was silent. "What's wrong," asked Willow, "they'll be okay. Not "Dance of the Fawn" okay for a while, but okay."

"She doesn't want me to help her," Dawn said stiffly.

"No sweetie, that's not it at all. You come with me and I'll explain why what she said was a good thing, okay?" They left together, headed for Willow's room for supplies.

"I have the distinct feeling that I'm missing something here," muttered Giles, "I can but hope that the condition persists. I believe that I simply do not want to know." He went to the small refrigerator and took out two cold bottles of spring water, and then tapped on the bathroom door and stuck his arm through the narrow crack that he opened. "Help is on the way girls, meantime try this for starters."

Hands fumbled the bottles from his grasp, and he heard a mumbled "thanks" before the door swung shut.

"Here B," said Faith as she handed Buffy a bottle of water.

"You were supposed to kill me," Buffy said, "I remember that you promised to kill me. Will you kill me now?"

"Can't," admitted Faith, "hell, we'll probably die anyway."

"Hope springs eternal," Buffy groaned as she held the cold bottle to her forehead. "Aggh, I need a shower."

"Help yourself, there're plenty of towels we haven't ruined yet."

"Promise not to peek?"

"Hell, I can't even see yet. But yeah, I won't peek. I don't think she'd like it if I peeked."

"She who? Who's the lucky girl?"

"Too new to talk about, B. It's different. I want to hold it close for a while, you know?" Faith told her. Buffy's face softened.

"It sounds different, you usually brag about your conquests. Think maybe it's real?"

"I don't have anything to judge it by, but I care more about her being happy than I do about me being happy. And I don't think I'm good enough for her," Faith admitted.

"Those are two of the signs," Buffy told her, "the butterflies in the stomach thing is another one, but now isn't the best time to think of that one."

"Thanks for the tip," moaned Faith as she poured water over her head.

"And I'll tell you something else, free of charge," Buffy offered. Faith looked over at Buffy.

"What's that?"

"You're good enough for anybody." Faith's eyes filled.

"Thanks B. Means more than I can say just now. Get a move on will you? You aren't the only smelly bitch in the room."

"Alka-Seltzer?" asked Dawn. "You secret hangover potion is Alka-Seltzer?"

"Not just Alka-Seltzer, that's mostly just to make it all sparkly, but the aspirin doesn't hurt. Willow bark, horehound, egg whites, water, fresh ginger root, and a big dash of hot sauce."

"What's the hot sauce for?"

"Fun," answered Willow with a sly smile. Dawn laughed.

"So why is Faith not wanting me to help her a good thing?"

"It's not that she doesn't want you to help her, it's that she doesn't want you to see her all skanky and smelly. You know that, you just wanted to hold her and make the hurt go away. Maybe one day the two of you will be close enough for that sort of thing, but right now she's nervous. I don't think Faith has ever been in love, I don't think she even believed in it. Just be her friend, and let her get used to the idea."

"I'll try; it just kills me to see her hurt. Of course though, this is all her own stupid fault!"

"That's the spirit!" Willow told her. "I think it's done."

"I think it could use some more hot sauce," Dawn suggested.

"Ooooh, and an evil witch is born!"