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. Oh yeah, I'm sure Aladdin rings a bell.
Wrong Wish
By Kristjan Brezovnik
Faith was just done killing a demon and she stood still for a while, resting a bit after a vicious fight. Then she looked around the lair, hoping to find something valuable she could sell or maybe something she could use. The only thing that she could see was some rusty old oil lamp. She doubted anyone would want it, but hey, people bought some weird stuff. She picked it and rubbed it in her jacket, wanting to clean it a bit before she took it to the pawn shop.
Suddenly there was a flash of light. Faith dropped the lamp and grabbed her stake, ready to fight.
"Mmm, oh, that feels nice."
Faith blinked, staring at the stretching woman, surprised.
"Who the fuck are you?" she asked.
The woman looked at her and smiled.
"Never mind that. What matters is what I am."
Faith glanced at the lamp.
"Don't tell me, the genie of the lamp."
"Exactly!" the woman said, all cheery. "Now, you have one wish."
Faith frowned.
"I thought there were three."
The genie snorted.
"You wish. Now tell me, I got places to be."
Faith stared at the genie for a few moments.
"You're trying to bullshit me, right?" she then said, not believing the genie.
"Bull… Oh, no. Come on, make a wish."
Faith smirked.
"Any wish?"
"Any," the genie said confidently.
Faith thought for a moment.
"Okay, I want to be the mother of Buffy's child." She grinned victoriously. "Can you do that?"
"Done."
There was a flash of light and then the genie and the lamp were gone.
"The fuck?" Faith said, startled. She looked around, but the genie was gone. She scratched her head. "Crap."
She shook her head and left.
Three weeks later, Faith had a problem. Her period was late, so she had taken a pregnancy test, just in case. Much to her surprise, it turned blue. She stared at it, confused. Sure, she'd had sex plenty of times, but she couldn't have children, there was no way she could be pregnant.
But then she remembered the genie and she frowned. Could it possibly be? Was she actually pregnant? And with Buffy's child? Then she realized she was going to be a mother. She would have a baby and she didn't have a clue as to how to take care of it. Nor did she have the means to. Again.
Buffy was just going home from patrol when she saw a drunk girl vomiting on the sidewalk. She grimaced, disgusted. She was about to pass her when she felt the familiar tingle. She looked at her and frowned.
"Faith?"
Faith looked up.
"B," she slurred and grinned stupidly.
"Ugh," Buffy said when she smelled her. "Just how much did you drink?"
Faith shrugged.
"Hell if I know. Lots. Not enough."
"Not enough? You're a Slayer and you can barely stand." She looked around. "You're an easy prey for vamps."
"Gonna put me out of my misery," Faith slurred quietly.
Buffy stared at her for a few moments, surprised. She wondered if Faith really wanted to die.
"Come on, I'm taking you home with me."
"No," Faith protested.
"Faith, you're in no state to defend yourself. Come on."
"Don't wanna."
Buffy sighed.
"This is for your own good, Faith," she said and knocked her out.
She caught Faith before she fell, and then carried her home.
Joyce woke up by the noise of Buffy manhandling Faith.
"Buffy?"
"Sorry, Mom," Buffy said.
Joyce frowned.
"Is that Faith?"
"Yes. I found her throwing up on a sidewalk."
"Is she okay?"
"Well, she probably drank a bar dry and she'll probably have one hell of a hangover in the morning, but other than that, she'll be okay."
"Oh."
"Can you get a clean sheet so I can wrap her in it? I don't want her to dirty my bed."
"Where are you going to sleep?" Joyce asked as she fetched the sheet.
"Can I sleep in your room?"
"Sure."
"Thanks."
Buffy sat Faith on the bed and started to undress her.
"Here, let me help," Joyce said, and threw the sheet on the bed.
They undressed Faith. They both blushed when they saw that she wore no underwear.
"Let's just wrap her in the sheet," Buffy said.
"Yes," Joyce agreed.
Buffy lifted Faith and Joyce spread the sheet on the bed. Then Buffy put Faith down and wrapped her in the sheet.
"Are you going to leave her like that?" Joyce asked.
"No," she said and picked up Faith again. "Uncover the bed."
Joyce did so and Buffy put Faith down again. Then she covered her.
"Does she often drink this much?" Joyce asked as they stared at Faith.
"No, I don't think so. I mean, she drinks, but she's never drank this much. I mean, she was throwing up on a sidewalk."
"Oh."
Buffy sighed.
"I'm gonna take a shower now."
"Okay."
When Faith woke up the next day, she felt like her head was going to explode. She moaned and opened her eyes, but she quickly closed them again when the light nearly seared them.
"Crap," she murmured.
She tried to massage her temples, but she couldn't move her hands. For a moment she feared that someone had tied her up, but she could feel no bonds, only something soft. She frowned, confused, and then moved a bit. She realized she was wrapped in a sheet and was apparently lying on a bed. She was confused for a few moments, but then she remembered her encounter with Buffy.
"Crap," she murmured again.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She saw that she was in Buffy's room and she sighed.
"Crap."
She slowly extricated herself from the sheets and sat up.
"Whoa," she said and grabbed her head, trying to stop it from spinning. "Man."
Then she realized she was naked. She looked at her breasts and then lifted the cover.
"Crap," she said and moaned.
She slowly moved her legs until they dangled over the bed. She unwrapped herself and got up. The world suddenly spun and Faith crashed to the floor.
"Oh crap," she moaned. "Oh screw crap," she said, annoyed at herself for repeating the same word. Then she made a face at the image her last statement produced. "Eew."
"Faith?"
Faith quickly looked up and immediately moaned as her head protested.
"Faith, are you okay?" Joyce asked and approached.
Faith quickly grabbed the sheet and covered herself.
"I have a hangover," she said, a bit nervous.
"Do you need help?"
"Nah, I'm five by five."
"Want to take a shower?"
Faith frowned, thinking.
"Yeah."
"Thought so. Just go to the bathroom and I'll get some food ready."
"Thanks," Faith said.
Joyce shook her head and left.
When she was gone, Faith, very slowly got up. She was a bit dizzy, so she stood still for a few moments. Then she slowly headed for the bathroom.
"Feeling better?" Joyce asked when Faith came downstairs.
"Yeah. Thanks," Faith said, feeling nervous. "Where's B?"
"In school."
"Oh." Then she frowned. "Where did she sleep?"
"In my room."
"Oh."
"Here you go."
"Thanks."
Faith dug into the food and Joyce left.
"Want some more?" Joyce asked when she returned.
"No, thanks," Faith said, still nervous. "I'll, eh, I'll be going then."
"Do you want me to drive you?"
Faith shook her head and immediately regretted it.
"No, thanks. I'll walk. I need to clear my head."
"Okay." Joyce hesitated for a moment. "Faith?"
"Yeah?"
"Try not to drink so much."
Faith flushed, feeling ashamed.
"I usually don't," she said and sighed.
"Is something wrong?"
Faith frowned.
"No, not really," she said and took a deep breath. "I better be going," she said and got up. "Thanks for the food."
Joyce nodded.
"You're welcome."
Faith hesitated for a moment and then left.
Joyce shook her head and started to clean up.
When Faith got to her apartment, she took off her shoes, dropped on the bed and fell asleep.
She was awoken hours later by insistent knocking on the door.
"Go away," she muttered.
"Faith! Open up!" Buffy called.
Faith sighed.
"Crap."
She lay still for a few moments, before taking a deep breath and getting up. She slowly padded to the door, rubbing her eyes.
"What do you want, B?" she asked when she opened the door.
"Talk to you," Buffy said and entered.
Faith sighed and closed the door.
"How do you feel?" Buffy then asked.
Faith shrugged.
"Five by five."
Buffy thought for a moment.
"You sure got drunk last night."
Faith sighed.
"Yeah."
"And you seemed pretty suicidal," Buffy said bluntly. Faith tensed. "Wanna tell me why?"
Faith sighed again, and then shook her head.
"I was just drunk."
"But why did you get drunk in the first place? I mean, I know you drink, but I've never seen you that wasted."
Faith shrugged.
"There's always a first time."
Buffy rolled and started walking around the room.
"You should be more careful. I mean, you were so wasted any newbie could…" She trailed off when she noticed something in the trash bin. She looked closer and her eyes went wide when she saw what it was. "You're pregnant?" she asked, and looked at Faith.
Faith blushed and looked away, silently cursing herself for not taking the trash out.
"Eh, no."
"It's blue," Buffy pointed out.
"Oh," Faith said, realizing that Buffy didn't see just the box. She sighed. "Yeah."
Buffy stared at her, surprised.
"Who's the father?"
Faith looked at her feet, nervously debating with herself whether to tell Buffy the truth or not.
"You are," she said quietly, bracing herself.
Buffy stared at her, surprised, wondering if she'd heard right.
"Come again?"
Faith sighed.
"You are," she said loudly.
"Look, if you don't want to tell me, fine. No need to make up stuff."
Faith took a deep breath and looked at Buffy.
"I'm not making it up. You are the father of my baby." She frowned. "Or another mother. Whatever."
Buffy stared at her for a few moments.
"Eh, in case you haven't noticed, we're both girls."
Faith sighed.
"I know."
"Then how can I be the father?"
Faith blushed and looked away.
"A couple of weeks ago I killed some demon. When I looked around to see if there was anything valuable, I found this old oil lamp. It was rusty, so I rubbed it in my jacket to clean it up a bit before I took it to the pawn shop." She sighed. "Anyway, I know you're not gonna believe this, but there was a genie inside."
Buffy gave Faith a blank look.
"A genie."
"Yeah. I know, it sounds crazy. I didn't believe it either."
"And you had, like, three wishes."
"No, just one." She sighed. "She said I could wish anything I wanted." She hesitated for a moment. "I wished to be the mother of your child. I asked her if she could do that, you know, as a joke, but she said 'Done' and vanished." She shrugged. "Yesterday, I found out I was pregnant."
Buffy stared at her for a few moments, digesting.
"How do you know it's mine? I mean, you have sex all the time."
"I ca… I'm on a pill," Faith lied.
"Oh." Buffy thought about it for a few moments. "I'm a mom," she then said, still not fully believing it.
"Yeah," Faith said, nervous.
Buffy then frowned.
"Wait! You got drunk while having a baby? My baby?"
Faith blinked, startled.
"Eh, yeah?"
"Are you crazy? It could harm the baby! What were you thinking?"
Faith blushed.
"Not much."
"That's what I thought."
Faith sighed, trying to push the memories of her first pregnancy away.
"Look, I was pretty shocked. I mean, hello? Not exactly the maternal type."
Buffy stared at her for a few moments.
"Pack," she then said.
Faith blinked.
"Huh?"
"Pack your stuff. You're moving in with me."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"No way."
They stared at one another for a few moments.
"Do you love your baby?" Buffy then asked.
Faith frowned, surprised. She hadn't really thought about it. Did she love her baby? She supposed she did, after all, it was a wish come true. She had been joking with the genie, but her wish was real. She sighed.
"Yeah."
"Then move in with me."
"Because of the baby?"
Buffy sighed.
"No, not just because of the baby. You need a home, Faith, and now you've ran out of excuses. And besides, you're gonna need all the help you can get with the baby."
Faith made a face. She didn't want to give up her independence, but she knew Buffy was right, at least about her needing help with the baby. She sighed.
"Okay. But I'm still going on patrol."
"Until your belly starts to grow."
Faith hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
"Okay."
She started to pack and Buffy quietly observed her.
"Why did you wish for a baby?" Buffy asked after a few moments. "Why my baby?"
Faith glanced at her and shrugged, trying hard not to blush.
"You're a girl, you're straight, we've never done it and I…." She trailed off as bad memories came back. She shook her head. "I mean, the first thing alone should be impossible, right?"
"I guess," Buffy said. "But still, why my baby? I mean, why not Willow's. Or Cordelia's?"
Faith looked away, blushing.
"Why not?"
Buffy sighed.
"Hello, Faith," Joyce said with a smile when Faith and Buffy came to the Summers house.
"Hi," Faith said.
"Mom, Faith is moving in with us," Buffy said.
Joyce raised an eyebrow.
"She is?"
Buffy nodded.
"Yes. She's pregnant."
"Really?" Joyce said, surprised. She looked at Faith. "You are?"
"Yeah," Faith said, nervous.
"Do you know who the father is?"
Faith blushed and looked at Buffy.
"Me," Buffy said.
Joyce looked at her, puzzled.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, seems that Faith ran across a genie. You know, like in Aladdin. Anyway, she didn't believe the woman that she was really a genie, so she made a wish."
Joyce looked at Faith.
"You wished to have Buffy's baby?"
Faith's blush deepened.
"Eh, yeah."
"Oh." She frowned. "Is that why you got drunk?"
Faith looked at her feet, feeling ashamed.
"Yeah," she said, nervous.
"Oh." Joyce looked at Buffy. "You'll have to clean up the spare room."
"Okay. Thanks, Mom," Buffy said, and looked at Faith. "Come."
"Thanks, Mrs S," Faith said, and followed Buffy upstairs.
After they cleaned up the spare room, Faith sat on the bed and looked around. She hesitated for a few moments.
"B?"
"Yes?"
Faith hesitated again, nervous.
"Sorry I picked you," she said.
"I'd have taken you in anyway."
Faith sighed.
"Thanks."
Buffy smiled a little.
"You're welcome." She hesitated for a moment and then sat beside Faith. "How do you feel?"
Faith shrugged.
"The hangover's gone."
"That's not what I meant."
Faith sighed. She was scared, but she didn't want to tell Buffy that. But she decided to tell her anyway, after all, she would be living with her and she owed her honesty.
"I'm… scared," she admitted quietly.
Buffy looked at her, surprised, not expecting that answer.
"Of what?"
Faith waved her hand.
"The whole pregnancy thing."
"Oh." She put her hand on Faith's. "Don't worry, Mom and me will help you."
Faith shuddered, remembering how he first pregnancy turned out.
"I know. Still, I'm not exactly mom material."
Buffy smiled.
"You never know."
Faith looked at her skeptically.
"You're kidding, right? I live… lived in a motel, I don't have any education or a job. Hell, I'm a Slayer, I might get killed any day. And I d…"
"You what?" Buffy asked when Faith trailed off.
Faith shook her head.
"Nothing."
Buffy stared at Faith for a moment.
"You care about the baby. That makes you a good mom. And Mom and me will help you raise it."
Faith sighed. She ran the palm of her right hand across her belly. She looked at Buffy.
"It's your baby too."
Buffy smiled again.
"I know."
Faith thought for a moment.
"So if I'm the mommy, what are you?"
Buffy frowned, thinking.
"Mama?"
Faith blinked, surprised.
"Okay," she agreed.
Buffy thought for a moment.
"What are we going to tell the guys?"
Faith took a deep breath. She didn't feel like answering any more questions about why she wanted Buffy's baby, but they needed to tell them something. She shrugged.
"The truth."
"Okay," Buffy agreed. "But we'll leave out your drinking spree."
Faith nodded.
"Yeah."
After Buffy told the gang about Faith's pregnancy, a stunned silence followed.
"Pregnant?" Xander finally spoke. "With Buffy's baby? Thanks to a genie from a lamp?"
Faith blushed.
"Yeah."
Xander scratched his head.
"Eh, does anyone find this strange?" he asked and looked around.
Joyce shrugged.
"This is Sunnydale."
Xander looked at her.
"Well, yeah, but… I mean…"
"Didn't you have three wishes?" Giles asked.
Faith looked at him.
"No, just one."
"Oh. And the lamp then disappeared?"
"Yes."
"Interesting."
"Interesting? I'm fucking pregnant."
"Eh, yes," Giles said and took off his glasses to clean them.
"What will you do now?" Willow asked.
Faith looked at her.
"I'm keeping the baby."
"Oh."
"She's moving in with us," Buffy said.
"Really?"
"Yes. She's gonna need all the help she can get." She blushed. "And besides, it's my baby too."
Xander frowned.
"What does that make you?"
Buffy's blush deepened.
"Mama."
"Oh."
"Faith," Joyce said, "I think you should take the GED."
Faith made a face.
"I was afraid you'd say that."
Joyce smiled.
"Believe me, once the baby's here, we'll need all the money we can get. In fact, it would be good if you went to college as well."
Faith groaned.
"I'm so screwed."
Buffy smiled.
"Hey, I'll help you."
"Me too," Willow said.
Faith sighed.
"Thanks." She looked at Joyce. "Does that mean I'll have to watch my diet?"
Joyce smiled.
"Yes."
Faith groaned again.
"Somebody just kill me."
"Be careful what you wish for, Faith," Buffy said with a smile.
Faith tensed, blushing.
"Right," she said and looked around to make sure there weren't and genies around. When she made sure there weren't, she took a deep breath and looked at Joyce. "I guess I better start studying and stuff."
Joyce nodded.
"Yes."
"I'll find out what you need to learn," Giles said.
"Thanks," Faith said.
In the evening, when they were about to go on patrol, Faith suddenly became very cold. She shuddered.
"Faith?" Buffy asked.
Faith stood still for a few moments and then ran to the kitchen and threw up.
Buffy quickly followed her.
"Faith?" she asked, worried, as she held Faith's hair out of the way.
Faith coughed. She opened the tap and rinsed her mouth. Then she wiped her mouth and took a deep breath.
"What happened?" Buffy asked. "Are you okay?"
Faith nodded, avoiding her eyes.
"Yeah."
"What happened?"
Faith shrugged.
"I got sick."
"Slayers don't get sick just like that."
Faith shuddered, and Buffy realized that something was seriously bothering Faith.
"Faith, talk to me," she said softly.
"I… I can't," Faith said and quickly left the kitchen, fighting back the tears.
She went upstairs, and Buffy followed her.
"Faith?" Buffy said softly as she entered Faith's room and saw her standing still in the middle of the room, trembling.
Faith didn't respond, but she did took a couple of deep breaths to try and calm down. Unsuccessfully.
Buffy felt that something was deeply troubling Faith, but she wasn't sure what to do about it. She knew if she tried to talk to Faith, she would most likely leave or pretend that everything was okay. Which it obviously wasn't. She hesitated for a moment and then decided to do something she's never done before. She walked around Faith and hugged her.
Faith tensed and wanted to back off, but Buffy's hug was strong enough. And since the hug wasn't overly aggressive, Faith quickly lost the will to fight. Buffy's closeness and the protective tenderness of her hug quickly broke down the shaky remains of Faith's walls and she started to sob. She wanted to stop, she didn't want Buffy to see her like that, but it felt so good to just let go and have someone hold her, it was a new experience for her. Still, she fought desperately not completely break down, but before she knew it, she was hugging Buffy back, liking the feeling.
When she finally calmed down, she let go of Buffy, and Buffy let go of her. She turned away from Buffy, not wanting to meet her eyes. She felt ashamed that she had cried in Buffy's arms, and she quickly wiped her tears.
"Feeling better?" Buffy asked softly.
Faith glanced at her briefly, and was surprised to see that Buffy was genuinely worried.
"Yeah, five by five."
"I doubt that," Buffy objected, and Faith glanced at her again. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Faith shrugged.
"There's nothing to talk about."
"Faith, you were trembling, you threw up and you cried. Something definitely shook you up."
Faith sighed. She walked to the bed and sat down. She looked at her hands, nervous.
Buffy hesitated for few moments and then sat beside her, making sure she wasn't too close.
"Talk to me, Faith. Please."
Faith glanced at her. She sighed. She wasn't good at having deep conversation and she didn't like telling people about herself, but she was scared.
"I was afraid I was gonna lose the baby again," she admitted quietly.
"Oh," Buffy said. She frowned. "Again?"
Faith tensed, realized she'd slipped. She felt like she was about to start hyperventilating and she tried to force herself to stop.
Buffy realized that Faith hadn't meant to share that. She hesitated for a moment and then gently reached over and covered Faith's hands.
Faith tensed and looked at her, surprised, and Buffy smiled softly.
"It's okay, you don't have to tell me, if you don't want to," Buffy said. "But I think it would do you good. Or maybe if you talk to Mom."
Faith looked away, but she didn't try to free her hands, so Buffy let her own cover them.
They sat quietly for a while, Faith trying to decide what to tell Buffy, Buffy quietly waiting, wondering about Faith's last statement.
Faith finally decided to tell Buffy the truth. She didn't want to think about what had happened, but she had to admit that it had felt good to cry and she hoped that talking about it would make it easier for her to deal with it, even though it made her sick just to think about it. She shuddered and then took a deep breath.
"When… When I was twelve, one of my mom's boyfriends made me pregnant," she admitted quietly. "My mom made me have an illegal abortion." She hesitated for a moment. "The guy said I couldn't have kids anymore," she said and shuddered.
Buffy looked at her, surprised. Now she understood Faith's violent reaction. She gently squeezed Faith's hands. Faith started trembling again, so Buffy put her arm around her shoulder. Faith tensed, but she didn't back off, so Buffy gently pressed her to herself. When Faith started sobbing, Buffy just held her. She could feel that Faith was trying to stop, but she didn't comment.
When Faith finally calmed down, she wiped her tears.
"Thanks," she croaked quietly, feeling embarrassed.
Buffy smiled softly.
"You're welcome," she said, but kept her arm around Faith's shoulder.
They quietly sat for a while as Faith tried to regain her composure.
"You know why I wanted it to be your baby?" Faith quietly asked after a while, having decided to get all the heavy talk over with as soon as possible.
Buffy looked at her.
"Why?"
Faith tensed, suddenly not sure anymore whether she should tell her.
"You don't have to tell me," Buffy said, when she felt Faith tense.
Faith sighed.
"Because I'm in love with you," she quickly said.
"What?" Buffy said, surprised.
Faith swallowed.
"And I… I envied you your family and I wanted to have something of yours, be a part of your family," she admitted and readied herself for Buffy's yelling.
But it never came.
"Oh," Buffy said. She thought for a few moments. "Really?"
Faith glanced at her, nervous.
"Yeah," she said, uncertain.
Buffy looked away, thinking, but she left her arm around Faith's shoulder.
"I'm glad you told me," Buffy said after a while.
Faith glanced at her.
"Are you mad at me?"
Buffy frowned.
"Mad? No. Why?"
Faith frowned.
"Well, you know, for having your baby and for forcing you to put up with me and stuff."
Buffy smiled.
"No. I mean, look at the bright side, I get to have a baby and I don't even have to carry it. I get all the benefits without all the trouble."
Faith smiled.
"Wait till the baby wakes us up in the middle of the night."
Buffy's smile widened.
"I can't wait." She thought for a moment. "Can I go with you?"
Faith frowned.
"Where?"
"When you deliver. I want to be there with you."
Faith stared at her for a couple of moments, surprised, and then smiled.
"Sure."
"Thanks."
"Well, you are the mama, so it's kinda your right."
Buffy smiled.
"I know, but I wanted to know if you'd be comfortable with it."
"Oh." Faith blushed a little. "Yeah, I'm okay with it."
"Good." Buffy hesitated for a moment. "Feeling better?"
Faith sighed.
"Yeah." She hesitated for a moment. "Thanks."
Buffy smiled.
"You're welcome." She thought for a moment. "How about we go watch a movie?" she then suggested.
Faith looked at her.
"A movie?"
"Yeah. A comedy or something, to lighten up."
"Oh." Faith thought about it. "Okay. I'll, eh, just go freshen up first."
"Okay. I'll go see what we have," Buffy said.
Buffy left, and Faith took a deep breath. She had to admit that she did feel better and she was relieved that Buffy didn't freak out or something. She did notice, however, that Buffy hadn't commented on Faith loving her. Faith sighed. That was okay with her. As long as they would be friends and she could spend time with Buffy, she'll be happy. Not as happy as she would be if Buffy loved her back, but happier than she'd ever been.
She smiled as she thought about how her life had changed in the past couple of days. Before, she had lived in a shitty motel room and felt like shit, and now she had a family. She smiled at the thought. A family. Sure, she didn't call Joyce Mom, but she respected the woman. And she was going to have a baby. A baby! And Buffy's, of all people. And Buffy was her friend and wasn't freaked out by Faith loving her.
She took a deep breath to calm down and then headed to the bathroom to freshen up. She didn't know if her fears would resurface, but she knew she could talk about it with Buffy, even though she didn't like heart to heart conversations. But for the moment, life felt great. She felt great.
THE END
The End