“Another!” Faith said to the bar tender whilst slamming down her shot glass.

The bar tender raised his eye brow at her before shaking his head “I think you’ve had enough luv.”

Faith looked at him and contemplated whether she could be bothered to argue, deciding she just didn’t care, she stood up, and steadied herself before making her way back outside to where she parked her car.

She leant against the car and fumbled with her key, before it was quickly snatched out of her hand.

“Now I know you’re not thinking of driving home in the state you’re in sweetheart.”

Faith looked at the bar tender who had followed her out on to the street, “Go fuck yourself!”

“Charming and beautiful, God really pulled an all nighter when he made you!”

Faith rolled her eyes before replying, “Gimme my keys back, fore I stick em up your ass and ride you ho-“

“Well as much as I’d love a gorgeous thing like you riding me, how bout I just call you a cab?”

“How about you get out of my business, and give me my keys back befo-“

“Okay final deal, and I think you’ll like this one,” The bar tender grinned, “You come inside and let me call you a cab, and you can have another shot, on the house.”

Faith stared him down for a couple of moments before replying, “Fine. I want a double!”

-------------------

“I’m such an idiot, no, she’s the idiot Alec!” Faith said pointedly at Alec who scrunched his forehead as he continued cleaning a glass behind the bar.

“No, no, she’s smart, she’s like a…a dolphin, they’re smart right? A dolphin with red hair. What do you think?” Faith asked turning to the man perched on the stool beside her.

“Darling, my cabs on the meter, we really should get going…”

“She’s all, ‘oh yeah look at me with my witchy shit’- I bet this is what this is ya know? A spell!” Faith said as if a light bulb had gone off in her head.

“Right…” The cab driver said as he looked down at his watch “We could continue this conversation in the car if you like?”

“You’re a cool guy Tom, I’m sorry your wife cheated on you dude.”

“Yeah thanks, it’s just that I’ve got an airport run later.”

Faith looked at the middle aged, pot bellied man with confusion, “Where are you going?”

“Okay,” Alec spoke up, “I think it’s time you get going,” he continued as he approached the other side of the bar. Both him and the cab driver helped Faith up, looping their arms under hers as they led her out the pub and into the taxi.

“Now don’t forget, I’ve put my name and number on a card in your pocket, in case you’re that hammered, you forget where your car is tomorrow!” Alec  finished.

Faith opened the back door to the cab, whilst Tom took his place in the driver’s seat.

“I’m not good enough for her, and it kinda sucks,” Faith said sadly to Alec, before getting into the car. Alec wound down the window before shutting the door, then bent down to talk through the open window.

“If this girl is worth getting this plastered over, then go for it, with all you’ve got.”

“I’m not good enough,” Faith repeated whilst looking directly ahead.

“Then make yourself good enough.”

Alec stood then gave a hard tap to the back of the car, and watched sadly as it drove away.

----------------------

The cab pulled into the big driveway of the castle and came to a stop. Faith handed Tom a few notes before mumbling something he couldn’t quite make out. She got out of the car and slammed the door shut. Immediately she stumbled to the ground. Tom quickly got out of the car and walked round to help her up, at the same time Buffy and three of the junior slayers were pulling up in another car.

They all exited the car simultaneously; Buffy looked over at Faith, before turning back to the girls.

“Get yourselves inside and cleaned up, I’ll be in soon.”

The three girls looked over at Faith before nodding and making themselves scarce.

Buffy walked over to Faith where she was now leaning on the cab.

“Faith?”

“Look hun, can I leave her with you? Just I’ve got another job to get too.”

 Buffy glanced at the cab driver, “Yeah thanks.”

Buffy held Faith steady as the car quickly drove away.

“Faith?” She tried again, trying to get Faith to look at her.

“Get off me B, I don’t need your headaches right now.” Faith said whilst shrugging Buffy off of her, the sudden movement caused Faith to lose her balance, and sent her back to the ground.

“Clearly not,” Buffy said as she looked down at Faith with her hands on her hips, “You’ve got the headache part covered all by yourself, at least for the morning anyway.”

Faith squinted with her head to one side as she looked up at Buffy, before bursting out laughing.

“This is just like us B!” Faith said as she waved her hand between them, “You on your high horse, staring down at the mess on the ground,” Faith sat up slightly and looked up at Buffy again before loudly whispering, “That would be me by the way.”

Buffy rolled her eyes and sighed before crouching down on the ground, “What’s wrong Faith? Why do you keep doing this?”

“Just leave me alone B.”

“It’s like you’re going backwards. This is meant to be you at your peak, those girls are meant to look up to you, not see you sprawled out drunk outside. You are meant to be a leader,” Faith began shaking her head as she looked down at her lap, Buffy continued anyway, “These girls are what they are, because we made them that way. But we were chosen Faith, me and you, we’re different.”

Faith grinned at Buffy, “Aw B, is this that connection talk you were tryna have with me, you don’t give up do ya?”

In one swift movement Faith grabbed hold of Buffy’s jacket lapel and pulled her forward into a kiss, losing her balance, Buffy stumbled forward and onto Faith. Quickly pushing herself off, Buffy was beyond fuming as she stood up.

“What the hell is wrong with you!?”

“Is everything okay?” Buffy whipped her head round to see Kennedy standing at the entrance to the castle, “A couple of the girls told me you were out here.”

“Everything’s fine Ken, go back inside.”

“Do you need help?” Kennedy asked as she took a couple of steps forward.

“No!” Buffy snapped, “Thank you, just go back inside,” She added with a little more control to her voice.

Buffy watched as Kennedy surprisingly obeyed her orders before turning back to Faith. She bent down and not so gently helped Faith to her feet.

---------------

“Get the fuck offa me B!”

“What? So you can fall down these stairs? Don’t tempt me!” Buffy replied angrily whilst trying to get Faith up the last few steps.

“Jesus, is she okay?” Willow said as walked towards the top of the staircase.

Buffy looked at Willow before manoeuvring Faith to lean against the wall.

“She’s drunk, like annoyingly drunk!” Buffy replied before sighing.

“I’ll help you get her to her room.” Willow said looking worried.

“Thanks,” Buffy smiled gratefully back. Willow put Faiths other arm around her neck and they began walking down the long hallway to Faith’s room.

“How was patrol?” Willow asked after they had walked in silence for a few steps.

Buffy adjusted her hold of Faith before replying, “Not great, that new girl keeps forgetting what side the heart is in!”

Reaching the end of the hallway, Willow opened Faith’s door whilst Buffy helped Faith stay upright, finally all three went into the room and sat Faith down on the bed, who had her head down and was slightly swaying. Willow walked over to the medicine cabinet and began rummaging through it before grabbing a bottle of water from the mini fridge and placing it on the table by the bed.

They both stood and watched Faith for a moment, before Willow sighed and spoke.

”She’s been drinking a lot lately...”

Buffy rubbed at her neck, still watching Faith, “I know.”

Faith lifted her head up and finally looked at them both, “Hey!”

Willow raised her eyebrows at Faith “Hey yourself!”

Faith suddenly had a cheeky smirk on her face, as she patted the space on the bed next to her, “Hey lookie here, we got a bed big enough for three!”

“We’re not having a sleepover!” Buffy deadpanned.

“Yeah, I don’t think she’s suggesting a sleepover.” Willow replied with a frown on her face.

Faith grinned at Willow and nodded.

Buffy rolled her eyes at Faith, whilst Willow knelt down to begin taking Faith’s boots off.

“I promise, it’ll be the hottest threesome ever, I mean look how wicked hot we all are yo!” Faith slurred seriously, like she couldn’t understand why the other two couldn’t see what an amazing idea it was.

Willow looked up at Faith with an amused look on her face, “As flattered as we both are, I think it’s better you get some sleep sweetie.”

“I bet I could make you cum in under thirty seconds,” Faith whispered down at Willow.

 As Willow stood, startled by Faith’s words, Faith put her hands on the back of Willows thighs in front of her and gently pulled her forward.

“Hey!”Buffy was losing her patience again, “Seriously get a grip of yourself!” She said as she pulled Willow back out of Faith’s clutches.

“I’d rather get a grip on you B!” Faith replied with her head tilted to the side and a lazy smile on her face.

“Yeah, well, that’s not happening. This whole drinking thing, is getting out of control and I’m not gonna stand by whil-“

“Whatever!” Faith cut in, suddenly losing interest in the conversation. She lay back on the bed and closed her eyes.

“You can whatever me all you like, I don’t know what’s going on with you-“Buffy suddenly stopped when she heard a light snore, “Is she sleeping?”

“Mmhmm” Willow said as she opened the door and moved to switch off the light.

 “I’m giving her a lecture and she’s sleeping!?” Buffy said more to herself, than Willow.

“It’s okay, you can yell at her tomorrow, I’m sure she’ll appreciate it more with a hangover.” Willow said finally as she ushered Buffy out the room and closed the door behind her.

-----------------------

Faith woke the next morning to a light tapping at her bedroom door. Squinting at the light coming through her window, she groaned before slowly sitting up. She grimaced, before turning to put her feet on the floor. She rubbed her face before noticing a bottle of water and some aspirin on the bedside table.  She was about to pick it up, when the tapping at the door started again. Getting up, she walked over to the door and opened it to find Willow standing there with a smile on her face.

“Morning!” Willow said.

“Err, hey” Faith replied groggily. Willow looked Faith up and down, “Good sleep?”

Faith looked down at herself, “I guess I was too tired to change...”

“Can I come in?” Willow asked, “Oh shit, yeah, sorry!” Faith mentally berated herself for her lack of manners.

Willow walked through and took a seat on the bed. Faith closed the door behind her and leant against it with her body facing Willow.

Willow watched Faith, who was avoiding eye contact, noticing her hand still on the door handle, she wondered if Faith would make a run for it again down the corridor, this time with an angry hangover. Deciding she was safe, she began to speak, “You should take the aspirin.”

Faith looked up at Willow and smiled, Willow continued to talk, but Faith was too caught up in her thoughts, thoughts like roughly pushing Willow down onto the bed, trailing her hand up her thigh, kissi-

“Faith?”

“Huh?”

“Are you okay with that?”

“I...sure?” Faith replied wondering what she had just agreed too. 

“I was hoping you’d say yes, plus it’ll give you and Buffy a chance to clear the air.”

“B..?”

“She was pretty pissed at you last night, but hey this was kind of her idea, so it’s not like it’s beyond repair.”

“Buffy was here last night?” Faith asked confused.

“Do you not remember?” Willow asked concerned about how much Faith had to drink the previous night.

“No, not really...” Faith replied, a little embarrassed whilst rubbing her forehead.

“Well, the word on the street was, you both got into a little argument out front, or I should say the word on the castle. Although if we were on the castle, technically we’d be on the roof. We should do a cookout up there...”

“Erm...”

“It’s a nice roof,” Willow said thoughtfully before continuing, “Well anyway, I saw Buffy trying to drag you up the stairs, and I don’t use that word lightly, so I helped. We brought you here and-“

 “Oh God,” Faith put her hands up to her head, “Did I say anything...weird..?”

“Erm, you were a little...handsy.” Willow smiled softly and sympathetically.

“Oh God, Red, I’m so sorry.” Faith said looking up at Willow.

“You were drunk, it’s okay, although I think Buffy was a little disturbed by it.” Willow said amused.

“What do you mean?” Faith asked, looking fearful of the answer.

“You promised us it would be the best threesome of our lives, then you pretty much passed out.” Willow deadpanned

Faith was pretty sure she was about to have an aneurism.

 “So I’ll see you tonight, do you have a movie you wanna bring?”

“...”

“Faith?”

“Oh! A movie night! Right!” noticing Willow’s confused expression, Faith hurriedly continued, “Er no, I’m fine with whatever you guys wanna watch, where did you say it was gonna be again?”

Willow stood and smoothed down her skirt, to which Faith’s eyes instinctively followed.

“At Buffy’s, Xanders bringing snacks, and we have drinks covered, so just bring yourself.” Willow replied. Faith’s eyes jerked up to meet Willows.

“Buffy’s!?”

“Yeah Buffy’s... are you okay?” Willow asked.

 “No, I’m, yeah, I’m great, I just need to shower,” Faith replied whilst running her hand through her hair.

“Okay, well, I’ll see you tonight.” Willow smiled, before leaving the room. Faith gently closed the door behind her before banging her head against it “Jesus Christ!”

-----------------------------

“I don’t understand, shouldn’t this stuff come naturally to me?” Vi said dejectedly as she pulled out the dart from the wall.

Dawn laughed before replying “I don’t know, I mean Buffy still has a hard time making breakfast, so maybe becoming a slayer doesn’t automatically make you perfect at everything.”

“Thats different though,” Vi replied, looking at the 3 dents she made in the wall, then taking the two steps to the dart board, “You’re not a slayer and you’re hitting the board, I thought I was supposed to have like precision aiming, everyone else does!”

“Maybe it’s different for every slayer,” Rhona offered up from the couch she was draped over, “I heard a rumour that once there was a slayer who was trying to tranquilise a werewolf, and she ended up tranquilising her own watcher!”

“No way!” Sarah, one of the new girls replied, “See?” She turned towards Vi, “You can’t be as bad as that dumbass!”

“I guess,” Vi said as she slumped down in a chair near Rhona.

“So,” Sarah began “When are Faith’s classes gonna start?”

“That was a random change of subject,” Vi said flatly.

“Who knows!” Dawn replied, “Buffy’s stressed that she’s had to do them by herself so far, but I think theres something going on with her, they just won’t tell me what. Doesn’t matter how old I get, I’m still a kid to them!”

“Is it true that she was in prison? And that she’s like ‘Wanted’?” Sarah asked.

“Yeah, and not so much more with the ‘Wanted’.” Vi said.

“Thats hot!” Sarah replied, to which the others fell silent, before laughing.

“How is that hot!?” Rhona asked mid laugh.

“I don’t know, the whole bad girl thing, you can’t tell me thats not hot!” Sarah replied with a cheeky smile on her face, “Besides, have you seen her!?”

“You’re like 16!” Dawn replied!

Sarah got up to take a shot at the dartboard, “Hey in this country, I’m legal!” She took aim at the dartboard and landed the dart straight in the bulls eye, “What did she do anyway?”

 “She staked some guy, then went nuts and decided she wanted to kill everyone.” Dawn said.

“She staked a guy!? Like a human guy?” Sarah replied shocked.

“Slayers that stake humans, and tranquilise watchers, you’ll be fine!” Rhona said to Vi before laughing.

“Oh ha ha.” Vi replied, clearly not amused by the comment.

“Why are you asking about Faith?” Rhona smirked at Sarah.

“I’m not, I’m just wondering!”

“Yeah, wondering when you can get hot and sweaty with her on the mats!”

“Not gonna lie, I wouldn’t push her off!” Sarah said before taking her second shot.

“Hey, you guys seen Red?”

All four girls turned to look at Faith standing at the door, Sarah looked like a deer caught in headlights.

“Guys? Red?” Faith repeated.

“She’s talking to one of the new Doctors, she arrived an hour ago, I think Willow’s showing her around.” Dawn answered whilst trying to keep a straight face at Sarah’s embarrassment.

“Thanks.” Faith replied, before disappearing.

“Yeah, definitely wouldn’t push her off.” Sarah replied, before whizzing around and taking the third shot.

---------------

Faith walked around the castle, failing to find Willow, she was about to U-turn back to her room, when she heard the library door open beside her and came face to face with Kennedy. They looked at each other and both awkwardly shifted, waiting for the other to speak first. Faith had successfully stayed away from Kennedy for about a week.

“New training schedules.” Kennedy said as she half heartedly lifted the papers in her hand. “I noticed your still not down to teach any classes,” Kennedy continued.

“Yeah well, I’ve been busy.” Faith said whilst avoiding eye contact.

Kennedy smiled and shook her head, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, “Sure Faith, sure,” She said as she walked away.