DISCLAIMER AND AUTHOR'S NOTE: All Buffy The Vampire Slayer stuff belongs to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Warner Brothers. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fiction. All other characters that appear belong to me. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies may be made for private use only and must include this copyright notice and disclaimer. There is some subtext in this story. If this kind of stuff is not legal where you live, if you're under 18 or if you don't like the notion of two women being in love, then you should find something else to read. By the way, I don't really know all that much about autism.

Retired
By Kristjan Brezovnik

After the fiasco with body swap, Faith just ran for a while. When she calmed a little, she decided to get out of town. She didn't care where she ended, she just wanted to get out of Sunnydale.

As she rode in the empty car of a cargo train, staring out, she felt numb. The anger she had felt towards Buffy while she was in her body surprised her. She wasn't the greatest fan of herself and her opinion of herself was pretty low, except where sex and slaying were concerned. But the anger and disgust shocked her. And the guilt she started feeling again didn't help her sanity either. She tried not to think about what she had done, she wanted to forget it, but no matter what she tried to think about, it always led her back to what she had done.

She ended up in LA, but after Lilah tried to recruit her, she quickly left, not wanting to face Angel, because she knew that it would attract Buffy. And she didn't want to face Buffy again. She'd considered briefly about facing Angel anyway, figuring he would kill her, but she changed her mind, not quite sure if she wanted to die yet.

While on her way to anywhere, she kept having a nagging feeling that something wasn't right. As she peed at some road house in the middle of nowhere, she suddenly realized what had been nagging her, her period was late. Even if her last one had been before she had awoken from coma, it was still late. A feeling of dread came over her as she realized that she might be pregnant.

She pushed the thought away, but while she went past a pharmacy in San Francisco, she stopped and stared at the front door for a couple of moments. She finally had enough of doubt and entered. She bought a test and then went back to her motel room.

As she waited for the test to be done with whatever it was doing, she paced around the room, nervously. When the time was up, she looked at the test and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was negative. But just then it turned positive.

Faith swallowed, terrified. Now she was sure she was going to be a mother. The thought just plain scared her out of her mind. She knew she was no mother material, plus she was a Slayer on the run from the Council, a murderer on the run from the law, and she barely had enough cash to sustain herself. She thought about abortion for a moment, but the thought just revolted her. She'd taken enough lives as it was, she didn't want to take her unborn child's as well. Which left her with adoption, but she wasn't too thrilled about it either, because she didn't know what kind of people the child, her child, would end up with.

Her mind undecided, she left San Francisco, knowing that she needed to disappear if she wanted to keep her baby a secret.

After six months of wandering around, she ended in Miami. Since she was in her last trimester, she decided to stay there, because it was warm. She got a room in a crappy motel, but she only stayed there when she slept. She didn't want to stay there too much, because then her mind kept wandering. She walked around a lot, trying to get her mind off her past and off her future, but one day, as she passed the library, she decided to see if they had any books on child care. She still wasn't completely sure what she would do with the baby, but she wanted to be prepared, just in case. After that, she was a regular at the library.

One night, as she took a stroll before turning in early, as she usually did now, she ran across a vamp trying to feed on someone. She'd stopped going on patrols for fear of hurting her baby, but now she instinctively attacked the vamp. The vamp looked tough, but he was so surprised to see a pregnant woman attack him that Faith quickly staked him.

"Jesus fuck!" the young man said, surprised, when the vamp exploded in a dust cloud.

Faith looked at him. She hesitated for a moment.

"You okay?"

The man looked at her.

"Yeah. What the fuck just happened?" he asked and got up, rubbing his neck.

"Nothing," Faith said and moved on.

The man followed her.

"That wasn't nothing. That guy was fucking strong. And he bit me. And he…" He frowned. "He turned to… dust?"

"Yeah," Faith said.

"Huh, I thought I was hallucinating," the man said, relieved. "I'm Arrow, by the way. Thanks for saving my butt."

"Whatever," Faith said, not really in the mood for a conversation.

"Hey! You're pregnant!" he finally noticed.

"Yeah."

"And you still kicked that guy's ass. Fucking hell. What was he, anyway? I mean, normal people don't usually explode like that."

Faith hesitated for a moment.

"Vampire."

Arrow frowned.

"Like Dracula?"

"Yeah."

"Shit. I mean, I know some unusual shit goes on at night sometimes, but this is just fucking out of this world, man." He shook his head. "Oh, hey, anyway, if you ever need a fake ID or something, I'm your man."

Faith stopped, realizing she could use some papers.

"You can get me a fake ID?"

Arrow smiled.

"Sure. I can get you pretty much any document you want."

Faith smiled a little.

"I'm Faith."

Arrow's smile widened.

"Hey. So, what do you need? Just the ID?"

Faith thought for a moment.

"Actually, I need just about any document you can get me. And I want you to change my name."

Arrow grinned.

"Sure."

"When can you do it?"

"Now?"

"Okay."

"You just give me the data I need and then you can go. I'm guessing you want everything to look legit?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'll have the fake ID ready by tomorrow, but the other stuff will take a day or two, depending on how fast they process the stuff. If you want it to be really legit, you can use the fake ID to get the real papers at the municipal hall and then you can use those papers to get a legit ID. With fake data, of course."

"Cool."

"Come."

Two weeks later, while walking home after a long walk she took, Faith passed through a rich neighborhood. She admired the houses, wondering idly what it would be like to live in one.

Suddenly she heard a scream. She cursed, not really wanting to fight, but her instincts telling her to. She ran slowly toward the screams.

"Help!" she suddenly heard. "Somebody help me!"

She noticed a commotion near a front gate and she hurried up.

"Help!" the woman called when she noticed her. "Please, help me get out of here!" she called, looking over her shoulder.

Faith looked and saw a vamp approaching.

"Hurry! Please!" the woman pleaded, terrified.

"Duck," Faith said.

"What?" the woman said, surprised.

"Duck. Now."

The woman quickly ducked, closing her eyes, and Faith jabbed her stake at the vamp.

The vamp gasped, shocked, and looked at his chest. A moment later, he was dust.

"It's over," Faith told the woman.

The woman opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder.

"What… Where did he go?"

"He's gone," Faith said.

"But…" The woman realized that it would be better if she got out first and asked questions later. She looked at the gate. "How am I gonna get out?"

Faith sighed.

"Step on my hand, I'll give you a boost."

"What?" the woman said, startled. "Are you sure?" she asked when Faith got ready.

"Yeah. Just don't impale yourself on the top."

"Okay."

The woman raised a leg.

"Ready?" Faith asked her.

"Yeah."

Faith boosted her, and the woman yelped, startled. Faith kept pushing her, until the woman got a firm grip on the upper crossbar. Then she stepped back and watched the woman slide down the gate.

"Thanks," the woman said, relieved.

Faith looked at the house.

"Does anyone else live there?"

The woman glanced at the house, shrugging.

"I don't know and I don't care. I'm out of here. Thanks."

Faith looked at her.

"Yeah."

The woman hurried away, and Faith looked at the house. If the old vamp was the owner, then the house was without an owner now. And if he had no relatives, the house was available. She decided to check it out in the morning when it was safer.

The next morning, she went back to the house. First, she scouted out the surrounding area, making sure there were no cameras. Then she climbed the gate and went to the house. She guessed the alarm was off, since the old vamp had been in the house when she killed him. She quietly checked out all the rooms, her stake ready to dust any vampire that might be living there. But the house was completely empty.

She found a safe and easily opened it, courtesy of her superior hearing. Inside, she found some papers and, most importantly, cash. She took it and then took a look at the papers. She wasn't quite sure what they were about, but she knew they were important. She didn't know any lawyers, but she knew a hacker, so she took the papers to him.

Because she didn't trust him completely, she stayed at his place while he did his computer magic. Unfortunately, his mother was at home and Faith was stuck talking to her. The woman did give her some useful advice on raising children though, so Faith wasn't bored out of her mind.

"Faith!" Arrow called as he came upstairs. Faith looked at him. "Come, I'm done," he said, beaming.

"Pregnant women and stairs are not a good combination, Brad," his mother chided him.

"It's okay, Ma'am," Faith said and got up.

"Will you stay for lunch?"

"She will," Arrow said. "Trust me, you will," he added when Faith raised an eyebrow at him.

Faith looked at his mother.

"Looks like it."

The woman smiled.

"Okay."

Faith followed Arrow to the basement.

"Jeez, girl, you hit a fucking jackpot," Arrow said after Faith closed the door.

"What do you mean?"

"The guy was fucking rich! He's got stocks all over the place. Not to mention a huge bank account."

"Can you sign the house over to me?"

"Sure, no problem. I thought you might want that, that's why I told Mom you'll be staying." He smiled. "I know you don't trust me with these papers. Come here." They went to the computer. "See this? I did some calculation. You are now a proud multimillionaire. Or you will be when I'm done."

Faith, strangely, didn't feel all that excited. If anything, she was worried about how she would manage the house and her stocks. She realized she would need some help with the house.

"You know anything about stocks?"

"Sure. It's just a matter of crunching the numbers."

Faith hesitated for a moment.

"Think you can manage mine?"

Arrow's eyes went wide.

"You serious?"

"Yeah."

"Shit, man." He grinned. "Hell yeah. You got steady stocks, so there shouldn't be any trouble."

"Okay."

"Want me to draw up a contract?"

Faith frowned.

"Contract?"

"Well, I'm gonna be working for you, right?"

"Oh. Eh, I don't know much about contracts."

"Don't worry, I'll download and print the stuff, and you can read it."

"Okay." She thought for a moment. "Can you hack a house alarm?"

"Sure. Oh! You don't know the combination for yours."

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'll drop by in the evening."

"Okay."

After she settled in her new home and after she thoroughly searched it for any secret passages, occult objects and documents, Faith hired Arrow to check out her computer system. Arrow had some suggestions, and Faith told him to go ahead with it. When he was done and when he showed her how to use a computer, she went out to look for someone to hire to help her around the house. She didn't really want to hire someone through an agency. She wasn't really sure what she wanted, but she felt the annoying need to help someone now that she was rich.

After wandering around for a couple of days, watching people, she finally came across two girls, sisters. The older was about her age, probably younger, and the younger was probably less than ten. She could tell that they were runaways, probably new to Miami. She could sympathize with them and she decided to observe them for a while, wanting to see what they were like.

After observing them for two days, she decided to hire the older one. She approached them.

"Hey," she said.

The girls looked at her.

"Hi," the older one said.

"I want to hire you."

"Me?" the girl said, surprised. "For what?"

"To help me around the house."

"With what?"

"Cleaning, cooking. Stuff. Just about everything."

"You mean, like a maid?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Eh, okay. But why me?"

"I want someone who isn't just gonna steal some money and run away. You look like you could use a well-paid, steady job and a place to stay."

"You want me to stay with you?"

"Sure. It's a big house."

The girl glanced at her sister.

"What about my sister?"

"She can come as well."

"Uh, okay, but I gotta warn you, my cooking sucks."

Faith smiled.

"At least you can cook."

The girl smiled back.

"When can I start?"

"Right away."

"Cool. Where do you live?"

Faith waved her hand in the general direction of where she lived.

"That way somewhere. I'm new around here, I don't know the names of places yet."

"Oh."

"I got a car a couple of blocks from here."

"Okay." The girls got up. "I'm Michelle, by the way. This is my sister Danielle."

"I'm Faith."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen. You?"

"Sixteen. Danielle is eight."

"Okay."

Michelle hesitated for a moment.

"You're not gonna ask about my past?"

"You're runaways or orphans. That's all I need to know."

"Oh." Michelle thought for a moment. "How come you're hiring me instead of a professional maid. Or a grownup?"

"Like I said, I need someone reliable."

"What makes you think I'm reliable?"

"You have your sister to take care of."

"Oh."

"Come."

"Okay." Michelle looked at her sister. "Come, Danielle, help me pack."

Danielle got up and they started to pack.

"This is your car?" Michelle asked when they got to Faith's car.

"Yeah."

"Wow."

"It's the only one where I can seat comfortably."

"You got more cars?"

"Five."

"Wow."

"Can you drive?"

"Yes, but I don't have a license yet."

"Here," Faith said and gave her the key.

Michelle's eyes went wide.

"You want me to drive?"

"Yeah."

"But what if the cops stop us?"

"I'll pay the ticket."

"Okay."

Michelle took the key, and Faith went to the other side.

"This is your house?" Michelle asked, amazed, as they waited for the front gate to open.

"Yeah."

"Shit."

"Drive over to the main entrance."

"Okay." She looked around. "You live here all by yourself?"

"Yeah."

"It would creep me out. Man." She glanced at Faith. "This is a big house."

"Don't worry, you'll be paid well. I've sort of made a contract. We'll go over it and we can change stuff. You can have a lawyer take a look at it."

Michelle looked at Faith, surprised.

"You serious?"

"Yeah."

Michelle chuckled.

"This is, like, surreal."

Faith smiled a little.

"Yeah."

Michelle stopped and they got out.

"We'll live here?" Danielle asked, wide-eyed, as she stared at the front door.

"Yeah," Michelle said.

"Wow."

Michelle smiled.

"Yeah. Come, let's grab our stuff."

They quickly grabbed their stuff, and then Faith took them inside.

"Nice," Michelle said as she looked around.

"Yeah," Faith said. "You can look around later."

"Anything off limits?"

"Not really. I mean, my room is my room and my office is my office, just like your rooms will be your rooms."

"Yeah, I get it."

"I'll have my own room?" Danielle asked, wide-eyed.

Faith glanced at her.

"Sure."

"Cool."

Faith grinned.

"Yeah." She looked at Michelle. "You can take a shower or a bath, settle in, and I'll order us some pizzas, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks."

"Sure."

Michelle looked around.

"Did you inherit this house?"

"Yeah, sort of."

"Oh."

"Oh yeah, I haven't had the time to really explore. If you find anything unusual, let me know."

"Like what?"

Faith shrugged.

"I don't know, documents, strange books, antique weapons. The guy who owned the house before me was into the occult, so there might be some of that stuff around. If you see anything that's not really this century, don't touch it, call me."

"Okay."

"Okay, that room over there is mine, the one left of it will be my… my child's. Across the hall is my office. You can pick any room."

"I need to pee," Danielle said.

"Each room has its own bathroom," Faith said.

"Really?" Michelle said, wide-eyed. "Cool." She looked at Danielle. "Come, let's find us a room."

"I'll be in my office," Faith said and headed for her office.

"Okay."

By the time Michelle and Danielle were done, the pizzas had long since arrived.

"Sorry it took us so long," Michelle said when she and Danielle got to Faith's office.

Faith smiled.

"No problem. Dig in. Drink's in the fridge."

"You got a fridge in the office?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

Michelle went to the fridge and took out the Coke.

"There's not much of a choice, since I hadn't really done any big shopping," Faith said. "You'll have to take care of that tomorrow."

"Okay. Uh, I'll probably need to borrow a car."

"You can use the big one for shopping. We'll go see later which cars there are."

"Okay." Michelle hesitated for a moment. "I noticed that there are computers in our rooms."

"Yeah. You can use them. They only have guest accounts at the moment, but I'll create new accounts for you two. They have internet access."

"Cool."

"You know how to use a computer?"

"A little, yeah."

"Okay. You can play games too, if you want."

"Cool." Michelle hesitated for a moment. "So, um, what are the rules?"

Faith thought for a moment.

"Well, beside the one I mentioned earlier, about not touching strange stuff, there's not many. As long as you do your chores, I don't care what else you do, as long as it's not illegal." She frowned. "Well, except for downloading movies from the internet, you can do that."

"Thanks."

"Otherwise, if you want to have a one night stand, get a room at a motel. If you get a boyfriend or girlfriend, well, you can bring them here, but at least get to know them a little first, I don't want people coming and leaving all the time."

"Okay."

Faith thought for a moment.

"That's about it at the moment. I guess… Well, this is your home too now, so behave as you would at home."

"Cool."

"What do I call you?" Danielle asked Faith.

Faith looked at her.

"Faith?"

"Okay."

"Are those school books?" Michelle asked and nodded at the pile of books.

"Yeah."

"You going to school?"

"No, I'm studying for my GED."

"Oh."

"You can borrow the books, if you want."

"I'll think about it."

"Wow, I can't believe you ate all that," Michelle said, amazed, when they were done.

Faith shrugged.

"I'm eating for two now."

"Yeah, still."

"Why don't you two go wash up now. Danielle, you can watch TV or something while Michelle and I talk."

"Okay," Danielle said.

"You can watch it in your room or downstairs."

"Okay."

"Come, let's clean this up," Michelle said as she got up.

"I'll get the papers ready," Faith said.

"Okay."

"Okay, I'm back," Michelle said, slightly nervous, when she returned five minutes later. "Danielle is in her room watching cartoons."

"Okay. Sit down." Faith pushed the papers across the table. "Here. This is just a rough draft."

"Wow," Michelle said as she looked at it. "You wrote this all by yourself?

"Nah, I downloaded an existing contract and changed it."

"Oh."

"Just go through it and let me know what you think."

Michelle quickly read through.

"Wow, that's a lot of chores."

"Yeah, I know, it looks a lot. You'll have to make your own schedule."

"Okay."

"Here," Faith said and pushed a pen across the table, "you can write on it."

"Okay," Michelle said and read on. He eyes went wide when she saw how much she would get paid. "Is this really how much you're gonna pay me?"

"Yeah."

"Shit." Michelle hesitated for a moment. "May I ask why? I mean, I haven't even finished high school. And besides, you're letting us stay here, that alone is worth half a decent pay."

Faith shrugged.

"Because I can. I mean, you'll basically be working all day long."

"Well, yeah, but housewives also work all day long and they don't get paid."

"I know." Faith smiled a little. "Are you complaining?"

"Hell, no!" Michelle said. She shrugged. "Just curious, that's all."

"I want you to go through the whole contract when you have the time. I was thinking that when we signed, you'd have, like, a regular job, you know? Including all that tax-paying crap."

Michelle chuckled.

"Taxes."

"But until we sign, we'll use that as a guideline."

"Okay."

Faith hesitated for a moment.

"Are you gonna send Danielle to school this fall?"

Michelle frowned.

"I hadn't thought about that." She thought for a moment. "Yeah, it would be nice, but the problem is that I'm not her parent."

"I can have a friend of mine fake you a… what's it called? You know, when you're emancipated? That way you won't need a… a guardian and stuff and you'll be able to take care of Danielle. He can also make you Danielle's guardian."

"Really? That would be so cool."

"Okay. I'll tell him to come over so you can give him your name and stuff."

"Okay. Thanks." Michelle thought for a moment. "Till when do you want me to check this out?" she asked and pointed at the contract papers.

Faith shrugged.

"No hurry. We'll probably both find stuff to change."

"Okay." Michelle thought for a moment. "When are you due?"

"Due?" Faith said, startled.

"The baby."

"Oh." Faith frowned. "November. I think."

"You think? Have you seen a doctor?"

Faith made a face.

"I hate doctors."

"I know, me too, but it would be good if you had an ultrasound made."

Faith thought about it.

"I'll have to check how the medical insurance works."

"Oh. Hey, if you don't want to give birth in a hospital, I'm sure you can find a midwife and you can give birth at home."

Faith thought about it.

"Yeah, that'd be nice."

"Okay. Oh, um, can I borrow the, eh, papers about the GED? I'd like to see what it's about, in case I decide to do it."

"Sure." Faith picked one of the folders. "Here," she said as she gave it to Michelle.

"Thanks. When do you need it back?"

"I've already read the stuff. If I need it, I'll let you know."

"Thanks." Michelle hesitated for a moment. "Is there anything else?"

"No, not at the moment."

"Okay. I'll go check out the house and make plans for tomorrow then."

"Okay."

Michelle got up.

"And, uh, thanks."

Faith shrugged, not used to people thanking her.

"No problem."

Michelle smiled a little and left.

In the evening, as they ate dinner, Faith quietly observed Michelle and Danielle. She envied them the closeness they shared. She also found it amusing how Danielle sometimes acted as if Michelle was her mother and other times like she was an annoying older sister.

After dinner, they watched some TV, until Danielle started yawning, and Michelle took her upstairs to get ready for bed.

"Faith," Michelle said when they came back downstairs. "Could you keep her company while I take a shower?"

"Sure," Faith said.

"She's afraid to sleep alone, so I'm gonna turn in early."

"No problem."

"Thanks."

Michelle went back upstairs, and Danielle went to the sofa and climbed up. She and Faith stared at one another for a couple of moments.

"Can I touch your belly?" Danielle then asked, kneeling.

Faith blinked, startled.

"Eh, sure."

Danielle smiled and then gently touched Faith's belly.

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

Faith shrugged.

"Don't know."

"Does it kick yet?"

"Sometimes."

Danielle hesitated for a couple of moments.

"Did it hurt?" she then asked.

Faith suddenly realized that Danielle had probably been sexually abused.

"No."

"Really?" Danielle asked, wide-eyed.

Faith thought for a moment.

"Sex doesn't hurt when two people want to have it. And when they're bigger. You're too little."

"Oh."

"It can be fun and feel really good, but both people have to want it. If one of them doesn't want it, it can be pretty painful."

"Oh," Danielle said and sat, looking at her hands.

Faith stared at her for a couple of moments, not sure what to say.

"You okay?"

Danielle shrugged.

"Yeah."

Faith hesitated for a moment.

"Don't worry, you're safe here, nobody will hurt you here."

Danielle looked at her, wide-eyed.

"Promise?"

"Yeah. I promise."

Danielle smiled a little.

"Okay," she said and leaned on Faith, who froze, startled.

Faith hesitated for a moment and then put her arm around Danielle.

When Michelle came downstairs, she smiled when she saw Danielle leaning on Faith.

"Danielle?" she said.

Danielle opened her eyes and looked at her.

"Ready to go to bed?" Michelle asked.

Danielle nodded.

"Uh-huh," she said as Faith removed her arm.

"Come."

Danielle raised her arms, so Michelle picked her up.

"Thanks," Michelle said to Faith.

Faith nodded.

"Night."

"Night."

"Night, Faith," Danielle said.

Michelle and Danielle went upstairs, leaving Faith to her thoughts.

The next morning, after she dressed, Faith looked for Michelle. She found her in the kitchen.

"Morning."

Michelle looked at her and smiled.

"Hey. Morning."

Faith hesitated for a moment.

"Uh, last night, Danielle asked if it hurt when I got pregnant."

Michelle's smile vanished.

"What did you tell her?"

"That it didn't. I told her sex can be fun when both people want it and when they're bigger. I told her she's safe here."

Michelle sighed.

"Thanks."

Faith hesitated for a moment.

"If you ever want to talk about it," she offered, even though she wasn't used to having a heart to heart conversations.

Michelle nodded.

"Thanks."

There was an awkward silence.

"Um…"

"Oh," Michelle said, "I think you should get a camera."

"Camera?"

"Yes, so you can take pictures of you and your child."

Faith smiled a little.

"Yeah. I'll ask Arrow about it."

"Okay. And I'll get one as well."

"Okay."

A couple of days later, Michelle finally convinced Faith to set up an appointment with a gynecologist. When the day of the checkup finally arrived, Faith was anything but happy about it. Michelle drove the car, and Danielle kept Faith company in the back.

At the hospital, Michelle and Danielle had to stay outside while the doctor questioned Faith and did the ultrasound.

When Faith came out, she was smiling.

"See, it wasn't that bad," Michelle said with a smile.

Faith grinned.

"Yeah. Look, I got a picture."

Faith sat down, and Michelle and Danielle joined her. Faith opened the folder and showed them the ultrasound picture.

"That's your baby?" Danielle asked.

"Yes. It's a girl."

"How do you know?"

"Doctor said so."

"Oh." Danielle looked at the picture and at Faith's belly. "She's so tiny."

"Yes."

Danielle looked at Michelle.

"Was I this tiny?"

Michelle smiled.

"We all were." She looked at Faith. "Have you asked him about the midwife?"

"Yeah. He gave me a couple of names and some stuff to read."

"Okay. Wanna go home now?"

"Yeah."

Finally the day arrived. When Faith's water broke, Michelle got Faith into bed and called the midwife. When the midwife arrived, she immediately took over, instructing Michelle and Danielle what to do. Danielle was all excited that she could help and she kept bombarding the midwife with questions. The midwife took the time and answered the questions, to some of which neither Faith nor Michelle knew the answers.

After hours of contractions, Faith finally delivered. The midwife quickly wiped the baby and took care of the cord. Then she gave the baby to Faith.

Faith took the baby, wide-eyed, holding her as if she was the most fragile thing in the world.

Michelle quickly took the camera and snapped a couple of photos.

"Can I touch her?" Danielle asked.

Faith smiled at her.

"You can hold her."

Danielle's eyes went wide as saucers.

"Really?"

"Sure. Michelle, help me."

Michelle took the girl from Faith and gave her to Danielle, showing her how to hold the baby.

"She's heavy," Danielle said.

Faith smiled.

"Yeah."

"What will you call her?" Michelle asked.

Faith thought for a few moments and then smiled.

"Joy."

Two years later, Faith started to realize that something wasn't quite right with her daughter. She took her to a doctor, who recommended a special institute for autistic children. Faith had no idea what autistic mean, but she didn't like it. She had the doctor make an appointment.

When they arrived to the institute, Faith was freaked out by the strange children.

"Wait here, I'll go find the doctor," Michelle said.

"Okay," Faith said.

She went to a window though which she could see into another room. She guessed there was probably a mirror on the other side. She saw a doctor and a boy. She wasn't quite sure, but she thought there was something odd about the boy.

"That's my son."

Faith looked at the woman who joined her.

"Oh."

"I'm Rebecca."

"Faith."

"You're new here."

"Eh, yeah."

Rebecca smiled at Joy.

"How old is she?"

"Two."

"She's cute."

"Eh, thanks." Faith glanced at Rebecca's son. "Your son, he's, uh, autistic?"

"Yeah."

"What exactly does that mean? I mean, my doctor explained, but it was all very scientific."

Rebecca smiled.

"It means you'll have to be very patient and very observing. You'll have to figure out what upsets her and what calms her."

"Oh." Faith hesitated for a moment. "Do they ever get better?"

"Sometimes. And not all are equally distant. I mean, there are people out there for whom you would never think they are autistic, they can function more or less normally. Others though," she said and looked at her son, "they're always caught up in their own private world." Faith hugged Joy tighter, worried. "There's only one thing you can do," Rebecca continued.

"What?"

"Love her. Be there for her. Whatever the reason, she is the way she is."

"Faith, this way," Michelle said as she returned.

Faith glanced at her.

"Thanks," she then said to Rebecca, and then followed Michelle.

Eight years later. Faith, Danielle and Joy were just returning to the car when Faith felt a familiar presence. She turned and immediately spotted Buffy. She panicked for a moment, but when Buffy didn't attack, she just stared at her, feeling strangely relieved that Buffy was still alive.

Buffy stared back, confused. There were so many things that were not clear to her that she didn't know where to begin. First there were her feelings about Faith, then there were the questions about where Faith had been and what she had done all these years, and there was the girl. Or rather, girls.

After a few moments, Faith sighed and turned around.

"Faith, wait!" Buffy called and went after her. "I want to talk to you."

"I think we've already said everything there was to be said," Faith said over her shoulder.

"That was ten years ago."

Faith stopped.

Danielle and Joy looked at Buffy.

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" Joy suddenly started, and wanted to go to Buffy, but Faith stopped her.

"Honey…"

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" Joy continued.

Faith kneeled beside her and hugged her.

"Shh, it's okay, honey, it's just Buffy."

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!"

"She doesn't look scared," Danielle observed. "More like… excited."

Faith glanced at her and then looked at Joy. She realized that Danielle was right.

"Honey?"

Joy looked Faith straight in the eyes, startling her, and smiled.

"Mommy!" Joy looked back at Buffy, who was staring at her, confused. "Mommy!"

When Faith turned to look at Buffy, Joy escaped her grasp and ran to Buffy.

"Joy!" Faith called, worried, and went after her.

Joy stopped a step away from Buffy and stared at her, smiling.

"Uh, hi?" Buffy said.

Joy's smile widened and she hugged Buffy's legs.

Buffy's eyes went wide. She looked at Faith for help, but Faith appeared as confused as she was.

"Joy, honey?"

Joy let go of Buffy and looked at Faith. She smiled. Then she looked back at Buffy.

"Stay home now?"

"Uh…" Buffy said and looked at Faith.

"Honey, why don't you and Danielle go get some ice cream while Buffy and I talk," Faith said.

Joy looked at her.

"She stay?"

"Eh…"

"I'm staying at a Council house here," Buffy said.

Joy looked at her and smiled.

"Okay."

"Come, Joy," Danielle said.

Joy took her hand, and they went to get some ice cream.

Buffy and Faith stared after them for a few moments and then looked at one another.

"So, um, you have a daughter," Buffy broke the silence.

"Yeah."

"How old is she?"

"Ten."

Buffy frowned as she did a quick math.

"After you woke up from coma."

"Yeah."

"Is she okay? She seemed kinda… uh…"

"She's autistic."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Buffy hesitated for a moment. "Are you married?"

"No."

"Oh."

"What do you want, B?"

"Talk."

Faith snorted.

"About what?"

"The past."

"The past is in the past, I have no intention of reliving it."

"I know, but talking about it might help us deal with it."

"Deal with what? The fact that I killed a man? That you weren't there for me? That you stabbed me?"

"You're not fair. I did try to be there for you, but you pushed me away." She hesitated for a moment. "But you're right, I could've tried harder."

Faith raised an eyebrow, surprised. She sighed, not really wanting an argument.

"I know." She looked at her feet, thinking. "I'm sorry," she finally said, looking Buffy in the eyes. "I fucked up, I know. I'm sorry I took it out on you."

Buffy blinked, surprised.

"I'm sorry I didn't try harder."

"Yeah."

"See? That's why we should talk about what happened."

"We're just gonna end up arguing."

"I know, but as long as we just argue, we can deal with it. We both made mistakes. I know I have some questions I'd like to ask you and I'm sure there's stuff you want to ask me."

Faith had to admit that Buffy had a point. Still, she didn't want to relieve the past.

"Can't we just let it be?"

"We can, but then it'll always be hanging between us."

Faith sighed.

"Why should I trust you? I mean, you work for the Council."

"Yes, but the old Council is gone."

Faith frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Their headquarters got blown up by the First."

"The First?"

"The First Evil. It tried to kill all the Potentials and end the Slayer line. We stopped it by turning all the Potentials into Slayers."

"Slayers? You mean there's more than just the two of us?"

"Yeah, lots."

"Oh."

"Giles is in charge of the Council now, so we're safe."

"What do they think about me?"

"Nothing much. They're not actively searching for you, but we all keep our eyes open."

"Is that why you're here?"

"No, I came here to kill a demon."

"Did you?"

"Yes. I was about to head back." Buffy smiled a little. "I didn't expect to find you here."

"Oh."

"So you've been living here ever since you left Sunnydale?"

"More or less."

"Do you have a decent place to stay? You could stay at the Council house…"

"I do."

"Oh. And money…"

"I got money."

"Okay." Buffy hesitated for a moment. "So, you're okay?"

Faith shrugged.

"More or less."

"I'm glad."

Faith stared at her for a moment.

"And you?"

"Yeah, me too."

Faith thought for a moment.

"Still with that Riley guy?"

"Oh, no, he's long gone."

"Oh." Faith hesitated for a moment. "Because of me?"

Buffy thought for a moment.

"It seemed that way at first, but, well, he just wasn't the one for me."

"Oh."

"So, um, when can we talk? We can go on patrol together."

"I don't do patrols anymore."

"You don't?" Buffy said, surprised.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I retired."

"Retired?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Oh. Okay. So, when then?"

Faith thought for a moment. On one hand, she didn't want Buffy to know where she lived, but on the other, she knew that Joy would be happy to see Buffy. She wasn't sure what that was all about, but she had never seen Joy so focused and excited. She decided to take the chance.

"Can you come over for dinner?"

Buffy smiled.

"Are you cooking?"

"No, a friend of mine is."

"Oh. Okay. Where do you live?"

Faith hesitated for a moment and then gave her the address.

"At six?"

"Okay," Buffy said.

"The others don't know about Slayers and demons and stuff, just so you know."

"Okay."

Faith hesitated for a moment.

"I'll see you then."

"Okay."

They stared at one another for a few more moments and then Faith went to the car, waving at Joy and Danielle as she went.

Buffy stared after Faith, relieved that she wasn't angry at her anymore. Sure, there were issues that upset her and confused her, but at least they didn't fight.

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" Joy called when she and Danielle got to the car.

She wanted to go to Buffy, but Danielle stopped her.

Faith kneeled in front of Joy.

"Don't worry, honey, she's coming over for dinner," she said.

Joy looked at her, her eyes wide.

"Promise?"

Faith smiled.

"I promise." Joy smiled and hugged her. "Okay, get in the car. And watch the ice cream."

"I don't know who she is," Danielle said, looking at Buffy, "but she sure has helped Joy open up."

"Yeah," Faith said as she helped Joy in the car.

"Who is she?"

Faith sighed.

"Buffy."

Danielle looked at her expectantly.

"Yes?"

Faith glanced at her.

"I'll tell you at home."

"Okay."

At home, Faith told Michelle and Danielle about Buffy.

"Sounds complicated," Michelle said.

"Yeah," Faith said.

"And she's not mad at you anymore?"

Faith shrugged.

"Don't know. She said she wants to talk, so I guess not."

"Are you mad at her?" Danielle asked.

Faith thought about it.

"No, not really. A lot of time has passed and I've done some thinking. I kinda missed her actually."

"Mommy, thirsty," Joy said.

Faith looked at her, surprised.

"You're thirsty?"

Joy nodded.

"Uh-huh."

Faith smiled.

"Come," she said and got up. She picked her up when Joy raised her arms and they went to the kitchen.

When they were gone, Michelle got up.

"Michelle, wait," Danielle said. She hesitated for a moment. "I need to talk to you."

Michelle sat down.

"Sounds serious," she said with a soft smile.

Danielle smiled a little. She thought for a moment.

"There's, uh, there's this… boy."

"I see," Michelle guessed what the problem was.

"I kinda like him and I think he likes me too."

"But?"

Danielle hesitated for a moment.

"Well, um, what if he wants to, you know," she gulped, "have sex?"

Michelle took Danielle's hand.

"Hey, it's okay to be scared. But I don't think he's like our stepdad. And besides, you know how to fight, so he can't force you."

"I know, but what do I tell him?"

"That depends."

Danielle frowned.

"On what?"

"On whether you're ready to have sex."

"Oh."

"If you're not ready, tell him. If he really cares about you, he'll back off."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Neutralize him."

Danielle gulped.

"But what if I freeze?"

Michelle tried to hit her, but Danielle quickly blocked, startled.

"I don't think you will," Michelle said with a smile.

Danielle sighed.

"I hope so."

Then Faith and Joy came back.

"Oh, uh, you need some privacy?" she asked when she saw their faces.

"No, actually, we could use your advice," Michelle said.

"Okay."

Faith went to them, and Joy went to the TV.

"Danielle met a boy," Michelle got to the point when Faith sat down.

"I see," Faith said with a smile.

Danielle blushed.

"Anyway, she's… afraid he'll want to have sex with her."

Faith's face became serious.

"I see." She thought for a moment. "He will. Probably not right away and he won't say it, but you'll know when he tries to kiss you and grope you. Don't let him do it just because you care about him. Tell him you're not ready. If he cares about you, he'll back off. And you might consider telling him why you're not ready. If he doesn't care about you, he'll get more insistent, maybe even violent. Then you better get ready for a break." She thought for a moment. "Look, sex can be a great thing when both parties want it, but the most terrible thing is when you don't want it. I'm not good at the shrink thing, but I suggest you download some porn. And while you play with yourself, imagine it's you and the boy in the movie. It might help you overcome your fear."

Michelle and Danielle both blushed.

"I don't think any shrink would suggest that," Michelle said with a smile, "but it's a good idea, I guess."

Danielle thought for a moment.

"Can I bring him over?"

"Once you're dating him, absolutely," Faith said.

"If you want, we can tell him to behave," Michelle said with a grin.

Faith grinned as well.

"No!" Danielle said, wide-eyed. "I don't want you two scaring him away."

"Okay. But if you feel that we should, just let us know," Faith said.

Danielle smiled.

"I will. Thanks."

Faith smiled back.

"That's what's family's for."

When Buffy got to Faith's house, she asked the cab driver if he was sure that this was the correct address. The cabbie assured her that it was, so Buffy paid him and got out. She walked to the front gate, wondering how in the world Faith came to live there. She rang the bell.

"Oh, hi, it's you," Danielle said over the intercom a few moments later. "Come in."

The gate buzzed, and Buffy entered. As she walked to the door, she looked around, curious. Then the door opened.

"Hey," she said when she saw Faith and Joy.

"Hey," Faith said.

Joy just stared at her, smiling.

Buffy smiled back at her.

"Hey," she said, and Joy's smile widened.

"Hi."

Faith looked at her, startled. For some reason, ever since their encounter with Buffy in the morning Joy was very focused. She looked back at Buffy.

"Uh, come in," she said. "Joy, let Buffy in."

Joy stepped aside, and Buffy entered.

"Wow," Buffy said as Faith closed the door. "Nice house."

"Thanks," Faith said.

Joy took Buffy's hand, and Buffy looked at her, startled.

"Uh, how many people live here?" Buffy asked when she saw that Faith was just as surprised.

"Four."

"Four?"

"Yeah, Danielle and her sister live here as well. You met Danielle in the morning."

"Oh. So is this your house or theirs?"

"Mine. Michelle works for me."

Buffy smiled.

"You have your own employee?"

Faith smiled back a little.

"Yeah."

"Cool. What does she do?"

"Just about everything."

"Hey," Danielle said as she approached them.

"Hi," Buffy said.

"Dinner will be in a couple of minutes."

"Okay."

"I hope you're hungry, because Michelle cooked for, like, ten people."

"I had an early lunch."

"Okay. Why don't you sit down, I'll start bringing food. Do you want anything to drink?"

Buffy glanced at Faith.

"Eh, what do you have?"

Danielle thought for a moment.

"Eh, various juices, Coke, Fanta. Nothing alcoholic though."

Buffy considered her options.

"Do you have a diet Coke?"

Danielle grinned and looked at Faith, who rolled her eyes.

"Yes."

"I'll have that."

"Okay."

Danielle left.

"So, you still drunk the diet stuff," Faith said.

Buffy looked at her.

"Yes."

"No wonder you're so skinny."

"I'm not!"

"Oh sure. Come."

They went to the dining room.

"Nice," Buffy commented.

"I can give you a tour later, if you want," Faith offered.

"Sure."

"Hi," Michelle said as she came in with a dish. "I'm Michelle."

"Hi," Buffy said. "I'm Buffy."

"Have a seat. I'm just about done."

"Okay."

Faith helped Joy sit at the head of the table and she sat on her right.

"Sit on the other side," she told Buffy.

"Okay," Buffy said and sat down.

After dinner, Faith and Joy gave Buffy the tour of the house, Joy holding their hands and skipping happily between them. When they got to the living room, Joy sat between Buffy and Faith and kept holding their hands.

"Very nice place you got, Faith," Buffy said.

"Thanks."

"How did you get it?"

"I killed a vamp that owned it."

"Oh."

"Then I had a friend of mine do some hacking and sign it over to me."

"Cool. I wish I killed some rich vamp."

Faith smiled.

"I was lucky, especially since I was pregnant."

"Yeah. What about, eh, Michelle and Danielle?"

"They're runaways, I picked them up on the street. I needed help around the house and I wanted someone that wouldn't just steal and run away. They needed a place to stay, so…"

Buffy smiled.

"That was nice."

Faith blushed a little.

"Yeah. They're family now."

"I'm glad."

"Yeah, me too." Faith thought for a moment. "What about you?"

Buffy shrugged.

"Finished college, got a job as a school counselor."

"Night monsters not enough for you?"

Buffy smiled.

"They're not that bad. The kids, I mean."

"Right," Faith said skeptically.

"Really. Once you understand how they're ticking, it's easy."

"Mhm. And the guys?"

"Dawn and Giles are in England running the Council, Angel and Cordelia are in LA, running a law firm, Xander…"

"Come again? Angel is running a law firm?"

"Yes. It used to belong to the bad guys, but now he took over."

"And Cordelia works for him?"

"Yes. She's a seer now."

"Seer?"

"Has visions and stuff."

"Oh."

"Anyway, Xander, Willow and Kennedy are in Cleveland, watching over the Hellmouth there."

"Kennedy?"

"Willow's girlfriend."

Faith frowned.

"What happened to, eh, what's her name… Tara?"

"She was killed by Warren."

"Who?"

"Some crazy kid who wanted to rule the world."

"Oh." Faith thought for a moment. "What about Xander's girl, Anya?"

"Killed when we fought the First."

"Oh." Faith thought for a moment. "And your mom?"

"She died."

Faith's eyes went wide.

"What?"

"Aneurism."

"Oh." Faith took a deep breath to calm down. "I'm sorry."

"Thanks."

"Did your dad come back?"

"No."

"No? You had to take care of Dawn yourself?"

"I had help from the guys."

"Oh."

Joy yawned.

"Sleepy?" Faith asked her.

Joy nodded.

"Uh-huh."

"Let's get you washed up then." She looked at Buffy. "I'll just wash her and tuck her in. Will you wait?"

"Sure."

"Okay." Faith got up. "Come," she said and offered Joy her hand.

Joy got up as well. She smiled at Buffy, and then took Faith's hand.

When they were gone, Michelle and Danielle came.

"Faith took Joy to bed," Buffy said.

"Yeah, we know," Danielle said.

She and Michelle sat down.

"Do you want anything?" Michelle asked Buffy.

"No, thanks."

"Okay."

Buffy hesitated for a moment.

"Can you tell me more about Faith?"

Michelle and Danielle looked at one another.

"Well, um, Faith is very private," Danielle said.

"I don't mean her secrets, just, you know, your impressions of her."

"Oh."

"She's okay," Michelle said. "When we first met, she was pretty, well, unsociable. But she opened up, especially after she got Joy."

"She was terrified when she found out that Joy was autistic," Danielle said.

"Yeah," Michelle said.

"At least she had you two," Buffy said.

"Yeah, we helped her take care of Joy."

"I'm glad you showed up," Danielle said. "When we got home, Faith spent the rest of the day playing with Joy. She was practically glowing."

Michelle smiled.

"Yes. I don't know why, but you have a positive effect on Joy."

"And on Faith. She missed you."

"Danielle," Michelle glared at her.

"What? I'm just helping out."

Michelle rolled her eyes.

"Little sisters," she murmured.

Buffy smiled as well.

"I know exactly what you mean."

Michelle smiled at her.

"They can be such a pain."

"Yes."

"Hello, I'm right here," Danielle said, annoyed.

Buffy and Michelle smiled at her.

"Relax, kiddo," Michelle said.

"I can't wait to go to college," Danielle said, rolling her eyes.

"You're going to college?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah," Danielle said.

"She's a real bookworm," Michelle said.

"Yeah, my sister Dawn too. I was never really all that fond of school."

"Me neither, but I took the GED, and now Faith and I are taking some courses for college."

"Really?" Buffy said, surprised.

"Yes."

"Faith took the GED?"

"Yes. She was the one that convinced me to take it as well."

"Oh. As far as I know she hates school."

"She's not fond of it, but I think she just wants to be a good role model."

Buffy smiled.

"She's changed so much."

"What was she like before?" Danielle asked.

Buffy thought for a moment.

"She pretended to be tough, but in reality she wasn't. She was afraid to let people close, because she was afraid to get hurt." She smiled sadly. "I just wish I'd known all this back then."

"She told us what happened."

"Oh."

When Joy was ready for bed, Faith took her to her room.

"There," Faith said when she tucked her in.

"Where's Mommy?" Joy asked.

Faith tensed.

"You want Buffy to tuck you in too?"

Joy nodded.

"Uh-huh."

Faith sighed. She sat on the bed and leaned closer to the baby phone.

"Buffy, can you come to Joy's room, please." Then she looked at Joy and caressed her. "How do you feel?"

"Okay," Joy said with a smile.

Faith smiled back. She hesitated for a moment.

"I love you, sweetie."

Joy's smile widened.

"I love you too, Mommy."

Faith thought for a moment.

"Hmm. Would you like a stuffed toy to keep you company at night?"

Joy nodded.

"Uh-huh."

"Okay. We'll see about it."

They quietly waited until Buffy came.

"Faith?" Buffy asked as she entered.

Faith hesitated for a moment.

"Joy wants you to tuck her in as well."

"Really?" Buffy said, surprised.

"Yes," Faith said and got up.

Buffy smiled and approached the bed.

"Hey," she said.

Joy smiled.

"Hi."

Buffy sat on the bed. She hesitated for a moment and then caressed Joy.

"Uh, sweet dreams, honey."

"Night," Joy said with a smile.

Buffy got up and looked at Faith.

Faith leaned down and gave Joy a kiss on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams, baby."

"Night, Mommy."

Faith smiled.

"Want me to leave the door open?"

Joy thought for a moment and then shook her head.

"Uh-uh."

"Okay," Faith said and caressed her. "Night, sweetie."

She and Buffy then left Joy's room, and Faith closed the door.

"She really wanted me to tuck her in?" Buffy asked.

Faith looked at her.

"Yes."

"Oh." Buffy thought for a moment. "This is really confusing."

"Yeah." She sighed. "Let's go downstairs."

"Okay."

"Morning, sweetie," Faith said with a smile as she entered Joy's room in the morning, after she heard over the baby phone that Joy had woken up.

Joy smiled back.

"Morning, Mommy," she said, startling Faith.

"How do you feel?" Faith asked tentatively, not used to Joy answering her questions so easily.

"Okay," Joy said and sat up. Then she remembered something and her eyes went wide. "Is Mommy here yet?" she asked, excited.

Faith frowned.

"Mommy?" she asked, confused.

Joy nodded.

"Uh-huh."

Faith tensed as she realized Joy was talking about Buffy.

"Uh…"

"How come I have two mommies?" Joy asked.

Faith sat on the bed.

"What makes you think Buffy is your mommy?"

Joy shrugged.

"She feels like you."

"Like me?"

Joy nodded.

Faith reached over and turned off the baby phone.

"What do I feel like?"

Joy frowned, thinking.

"Like monsters only not bad. Mommy feels like you too. But…"

"Yes?"

Joy thought for a few moments.

"I remember her. Sort of."

"From where?" Faith asked, confused.

Joy shrugged.

"I don't know. But she's familiar," she insisted.

Faith sighed.

"Okay. Come, let's get you dressed," she said and got up.

"Is Mommy here?" Joy asked and started to get up.

"Yes, she is," Faith said. She hesitated for a moment. "You can't call her that."

"Why?"

"Well, it would be confusing, since you're already calling me that."

"Oh."

"And besides, Buffy might not like it."

"Why?"

Faith shrugged.

"I don't know."

"What do I call her then?"

Faith thought about it. The thought of Joy calling Buffy Mommy made her feel jealous and insecure. And even if Joy called her by her name, it still didn't change the fact that Joy considered Buffy her mother. She so didn't need more complications with Buffy, but she didn't think Buffy would mind if Joy considered her her mother.

"How about Mama?" she suggested.

Joy smiled.

"Okay."

When Faith and Joy came to the living room, Joy ran to Buffy.

"Can I call you Mama?" she asked.

Buffy blinked, startled, and then looked at Faith, confused.

"I'll tell you later," Faith said.

Danielle, who was also there, raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"Okay," Buffy said. "Is it okay with you?"

Faith sighed.

"Yeah."

Buffy looked at Joy.

"Okay."

Joy smiled.

"Cool."

"Why don't you go ahead to the dining room with Auntie Danielle, honey," Faith said.

"Okay," Joy said.

"You sure you're okay with it?" Buffy asked when Joy and Danielle were gone.

"No," Faith said. She sighed. "For some reason she thinks you're her mother too. She said you feel familiar to her, that she sort of remembers you."

"But we've never met," Buffy said, confused.

"I know." Faith thought for a moment. "Are you okay with it?"

Buffy smiled a little.

"I've always wanted a daughter."

"Oh."

"She doesn't have to call me Mama, if you're not okay with it."

Faith sighed again.

"Nah, it's okay."

"You sure? I mean, I don't want it to become another issue between us."

Faith shook her head.

"It won't."

"Okay." Buffy thought for a moment. "When was she born? Which month?"

Faith frowned.

"November."

"So you got pregnant in February."

"Yeah. So?"

"Did you have sex before or after the body swap?"

Faith frowned.

"Before." She paled. "You think it's because of the body swap?"

Buffy shrugged.

"I don't know. But that's the only way she could know me."

Faith swallowed as she realized something.

"And why she's been autistic."

"Could be."

Faith sighed.

"Fuck," she murmured. "I always thought it was the Powers' way of punishing me. But it's just another one of my mistakes," she said disgustedly.

"Maybe it's not completely your fault."

Faith frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you said she can feel demons and she can remember me. That means that the Powers did have something to do with it."

"Oh," Faith said and sighed again.

"At least she's not autistic anymore. Right?"

"Yeah."

"Come, let's go to the dining room."

Faith took a deep breath to calm down and then followed Buffy.

"Everything okay?" Danielle asked when Buffy and Faith came to the kitchen.

Faith nodded.

"Yeah."

"You know, now that Joy is not autistic anymore, she could go to school," Danielle said and started serving the food.

"She'll probably need a private teacher first, so she'll be able to skip a couple of grades," Michelle said. "Unless you want her to start with the first grade."

Faith frowned.

"I hadn't thought about that."

"I can help with that," Buffy volunteered.

"You?"

"I'm a school counselor. I know a little something about teaching."

"Can she?" Joy asked, excited.

"You already got a job," Faith pointed out.

"I can quit. And when Joy is ready to go to school, I'm sure I can get a job here."

"Can she, Mommy?" Joy asked, excited. "Can she?"

Faith stared at Buffy for a few moments, a bit nervous at the prospect of Buffy being around all the time.

"What about your friends? What are you gonna tell them?"

"Depends. What do you want me to tell them?"

"Do they know you found me?"

"No."

"Then don't tell them."

"They'll find out eventually."

"Probably, but I'm in no hurry."

"Then I'll tell them I was hired as a private teacher. I can give them Michelle's name."

"Fine with me," Michelle said.

Faith hesitated for a moment.

"What about the, uh, pre-H&H activities?"

Buffy blinked, startled, and then blushed.

"I'll keep mine up."

Faith sighed.

"We'll talk about this later."

"Does that mean I'm hired?"

"If it doesn't bother you that you'll be working for me."

Buffy smiled.

"Not really."

"Is she gonna be staying here?" Michelle asked.

Faith frowned.

"I don't know."

"It would be better than if she had to come over every day. That way she can have a flexible schedule and she can teach Joy the whole day."

"The whole day?"

"Not in one sitting of course."

"She has a point," Buffy said.

Faith hesitated for a moment. The thought of Buffy living with her made her nervous, but Michelle did have a point. And she also wanted Joy to go to school as soon as possible. She sighed.

"You wanna stay here?" she asked Buffy.

"If it's okay with you."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Okay."

"Cool!" Joy said, excited.

"I'll have to go to LA to quit my job and take care of some stuff."

"Okay."

Buffy hesitated for a moment.

"You and Joy can come with me. You can stay at my house."

"I'm trying to stay off the radar, remember?"

"Oh, right." Buffy sighed. "It'll take me about a week, maybe two, to take care of everything."

"Okay."

"I'll leave right after breakfast."

"Joy and I'll take you to the airport."

"First, you need to find out when the flight is," Michelle pointed out.

"Oh."

"I'll do it."

"Okay. Thanks."

In the afternoon, after Buffy was on the plane and Joy was watching cartoons with Danielle, Michelle went to Faith's office, where Faith was working on something.

"Busy?"

Faith smiled a little.

"Just working on the contract for Buffy," she said and leaned back.

Michelle chuckled. She hesitated for a moment.

"How do you feel about her?" she asked and took a seat.

Faith sighed, thinking about it.

"She's my weak spot."

Michelle smiled.

"I noticed that."

Faith blushed a little.

"This is gonna be weird," she said, shaking her head.

"Her living here?"

"Yeah." Faith frowned. "Hmm."

"What is it?"

"Well, I just realized that now I won't have to watch Joy all the time. What the hell am I gonna do?"

Michelle smiled.

"You could help at a community center," she suggested.

Faith frowned.

"Huh? Are you nuts?"

"You're good with kids, plus, you're working on your degree, so you're qualified."

Faith thought about it.

"I don't know. I mean, I only took that major because of Joy. And I'm not really good with other kids."

"I beg to differ. You did great with me and Danielle."

"You're not that much younger than me."

"But Danielle is. And besides, you know what it's like to be on your own. Most of those kids just need someone to believe in them and give them a chance."

Faith bit her lip.

"I'll… I'll think about it."

Michelle smiled.

"Good," she said and got up. "And don't forget to take Joy to the doctor."

"Oh, right. I will. I'll call him."

"Okay."

"Which room do you want for Buffy?"

"I'll let her choose. Don't worry about it."

"Okay. I'll be downstairs."

"Okay."

Michelle left.

Faith stared at the door for a few moments and then looked at her computer screen. There was so much to think about she didn't know where to start. There was Joy getting better, Buffy coming to live with her, her relationship with Buffy, Buffy's relationship with Joy, Buffy teaching Joy and what she herself was going to do in the future. She was excited and nervous at the same time, but she wasn't scared, she was actually looking forward to it. She smiled.

"Oh yeah."

THE END

The End