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Author's Chapter Notes:
Ok, now I really have gotten myself into a bit of a pickle trying to post 3 stories at once. That in mind I can't tell you for sure how often I'll be updating but as per usual I will try to return all comments to reviews the day I post a new chapter for each story.
At Home

Xander walked into the brightly-lit grocery store with Anya. They spent time going through the aisles picking out snacks and drinks for everyone involved in the gathering.

"I don't see why you're making such a big deal about it," Anya said as she handed him a bag of chips. "It's not like she could take Buffy AND Spike."

Xander placed the bag into the cart and turned to take a case of beer of the shelf on the other side. "It's not that. It's Faith herself. We're not talkin' about the poster-child for good guy here. More like the complete opposite."

They pushed the cart further up the aisle and picked out some tortilla chips. "I know, Xander. But she doesn't seem bad. I mean, she even offered to pay for her food. Bad people don't offer to give away their hard-earned money."

Xander turned to her and gave her a bemused look. "She got it for leaving prison."

Anya looked over the cola choices. "I would say being in prison is hard work." She plucked out a six-pack and put it in the cart.

"Well yeah, An, no argument there, but still… she killed at least one guy and tortured another."

Anya held the cart's handle and stood still. "So, does that mean you can't ever forgive Spike, or me? Both of us have done much worse"

He knew he'd stepped into that one. "That's not what I said. You two have changed. I mean you're human, and Spike's… well, he's whatever he is, but he‘s mostly human, by The Powers no less."

Anya stared at him for about two seconds, then pushed the cart rather abruptly forward.

Xander stood there, not really sure what he'd said wrong. "What?" He jogged to catch up to her as she turned a corner into another aisle.

She continued pushing the cart. "Xander Harris, are you telling me that the only ones who can change are demons that either become human or are made into 'the good guy' by The Powers? I mean, why have prisons at all then? Why not just a bunch of death camps for the criminals?"

She was being ridiculous now. He hadn't said anything like that. "An-"

"No, wait, how about we make all criminals go through what they put others through.

Maybe I could get someone to kill and torture her for you. Then you can do the same for me."

"Anya. Stop." Xander gripped her arm lightly. "I'm sorry. It's just, she hurt Buffy."

"And you."

Xander looked at his wife, not sure how to answer her.

"It's ok." Anya gave him a gentle smile. "I'm not worried," she admitted. "I love you, you love me."

Xander nodded, knowing full well Anya had nothing to worry about. "I just don't trust her."

"No one does, and maybe you shouldn't. Not until she's earned it." Anya pushed the cart now, with Xander following as they walked to the checkout.

"Same deal we had with Spike. I'll listen, and I won't try to stake her."

"She's not a vampire," Anya said quietly, hoping the cashier couldn't hear.

Xander smiled. "Like Buffy says, 'you'd be surprised how many things that will kill'."

The cashier gave him a funny look, so he pulled out his wallet, hoping it would distract her. Unfortunately, she wasn't Anya, and not as easily distracted by the color green. The funny look on her face followed him all the way out the sliding glass doors.

~~`~~

"How about this one?" Tara asked as she held out a movie rental box.

Willow scrunched up her nose. "Naaa. We've seen that one too many times." Willow looked over the titles. She held the requested movie for the once- rogue Slayer, still unsure if a movie with that much violence was the best choice considering whom it was for.

"This one?" Tara was holding up another box. 'The Fifth Element.'

"Yeah. I like that one." Willow nodded.

"You just like the outfit she wears at the beginning of the movie." Tara smiled, teasing her lover.

Willow turned her head away and tried to hide her smile. "Do not."

With two movies down, that left one genre unexplored. Horror, or, as the Scoobies had come to call it, 'the comedy section.' After all, no matter how much Hollywood tried, they never could quite get anything right.

They perused the movies sitting on the shelves, most of which they had seen. In the end they decided on a B-movie about Dracula. Those were always the best when it came to wrong facts and details. They stood in the long line created by Saturday nights and resumed the conversation they'd been having before they walked into the rental store.

"So, do you think she'll go for it?" Tara asked.

"Who? Faith?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, I mean, maybe she'd like to go," Tara said. They both moved a step forward as the line ahead shortened. "You said she never finished school. This might give her incentive to go back, and it might help her figure out what she wants to do with her life."

The redhead pursed her lips. "I don't know. We tried with Buffy, and she didn't seem to like it. I don't think Faith would be into it following us through classes."

Willow placed the movies on the counter for the man to scan just as Tara replied.

"Well, I'll see if she wants to come with me to my first class on Modern Myths and Urban Legends. She might like that." She waited for a response, but Willow was silent as she paid the man.

As they walked out the doors, Tara reiterated her point. "We should at least try to make her feel welcome. I don't like her much, but I know what it's like to be on the outside of this group. We need to make an effort."

Willow walked beside the blonde in silence a few blocks as they headed back to Buffy's house. "You're right," she sighed. "I guess it's just that I just didn't like her that much even before she went wacko."

"It'll be weird for all of us, but I think that if she really has changed, it'll be harder on her.
She knows what she did now. And that none of it was good. It's not like Spike, not like it was ingrained in her to be bad. She just chose it. And she has to live with it now."

They continued to the house quietly, each in their own thoughts.

Tara wondered how she could help Faith to be a part of the group in the hopes that she was truly reformed.

Willow wondered how long it would be until Faith would turn on them.

~~`~~

Faith tightened the last screw just as she heard the front door open above her. The sounds of feet hitting the flooring of the level just over her head told her that both couples had returned. She stood up and looked over the place she would be calling home for awhile. It wasn't too bad.

She'd taken a red lamp out of the stacks of unused items in the basement and set it on a crate she could use as a side table. The sheets Buffy had provided for the bed were smooth and well used, but in good condition. The blanket was a soft blue. Not Faith's style, but homey. She heard the sounds indicating Buffy's friends moving to the kitchen, but no one called to tell her they were ready, so she continued unpacking.

The bed sat with the headboard against the wall under the stairs. The shelves were across the way with a few things she'd managed to keep in her possession over the years sitting on one of the shelves. Her favorite stake (another was hidden under her mattress), a small box containing the rest of her jewelry, and a small bag that held her make-up.

She was also the proud owner of three books that sat at the end of the shelf, but stacked horizontally, instead of vertically. "Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare, a gift from Angel. She liked the words, but had some trouble understanding a lot of it. "The Clan of The Cave Bear" by Jean M. Auel, a recommendation from a woman she'd met in prison who had killed her husband after being beaten one too many times. And her favorite, "Needful Things" by Stephen King.

She didn't know why she liked it. Maybe it was because of the split personality of the main characters. She had felt like that a lot growing up, but not as much the last couple of years.

"Faith," Someone called from the top of the stairs.

"Yeah?"

"We were going to get started. Xander has your food. It's actually hot," Buffy said as she came down the stairs. She looked at the barren basement and noticed the small things Faith had done to warm it up a bit.

"Looks nice. I have some hangers on the washing machine," Buffy began as she took a few spare hangers from the top of the machine. "You can use the pipe over there to hang some stuff up." She pointed at the ceiling by the shelves.

"Thanks, Buff." Faith set them down on the bed. "I'm up for food and movies now, though. If it's still ok?"

"Movies it is," Buffy said heading up the stairs.

Faith went up as well, and, after gathering food and drinks, she settled herself among the group for her first night back with the only bunch of people she'd ever really considered friends at all.

~~`~~

The blonde walked slowly down the dark streets of Sunnydale. It looked different than it had last time she'd been back. Not new, just changed. A few familiar shops were no longer in business, but others had sprung up in their places.

The brunette walking with her was draped in a black gown with a thick red ribbon around her tiny waist. The gown flowed behind her, making her seem almost ghostly. Her pale skin was slightly veined; somehow completing the look was red lipstick elegantly painted on.

The blonde was a complete contrast. Dressed in bright colors and light pastels. Her lavender faux-leather pants clung to her, as did the bright pink sleeveless cotton shirt. Her hair was held back with butterfly shaped barrettes, and the gold necklace held a charm that matched. Her 3-inch heels were light blue with pink and lavender butterflies, pulling the outfit together.

"Oh, no." The blonde stopped, then walked to a store window and pouted as she looked inside. On the other side a puppy stared back at her. "April Fools is gone. I loved that store." She pounded her heel on the ground once, almost breaking it off.

The brunette seemed to float to her. She stopped at her side and lifted her hand to stroke the younger woman's long yellow tresses. "Don't worry, pretty." She cocked her head and looked into the frisky puppy's eyes. She swayed slightly, never breaking eye contact with the small animal behind the glass of the display window.

Soon the puppy was sitting, panting with his tongue out and looking right at the brunette. "You have lovely clothes and beau'iful trinkets." She tipped her head, seemingly looking into the little animal. "Would you like a puppy?"

The blonde looked at the woman who had offered to show her what she could do with her powers. The blonde's sire was long gone, and she had needed a friend in the world of the undead. "You know? I could use a snack."

The two entered the store, devoid of customers other than themselves. The brunette walked into the pet store to a dark hared man wearing the beige shirt that made him easy to pick out as an employee.

The blonde stayed behind and flipped the sign over from Open to Closed as she locked the doors.

~~`~~

Faith smiled as she talked, moving her hands to heighten each of her statements. "And then the bullets. MAN! I mean we can move, but like that?"

"Here it comes," Thought Willow. "The greatness of all weapons and a quick kill."

But Faith went on to describe the maneuvers used by the main character to avoid the bullets.

Faith turned to Buffy. "It'd sure be a handy trick with the slaying." She demonstrated as she moved sideways, then straightened up followed by the best 'limbo' position she could manage.

They had to admit the movie had been a good choice. Lotsa evil, lotsa good. Always a winner.

"So," Xander turned to Spike. "You're not really here. You're actually in a ball of slime hooked up to a bunch of computers, battery boy."

Spike snickered at the young man. "Must be one of those super charged type. Them keepin' me around so long."

Xander opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came to mind.

"What am I then?" Buffy said as she grabbed another handful of chips. "Rechargeable?"

Dawn giggled. "Yeah. Rechargeable Buffy Battery."

Faith sat in front of the TV, holding the other two movies. "You guys got a vamp movie?" She said, looking perplexed.

"Oh, yeah." Willow came over. "Kind of a Scoobie thing."

The brunette Slayer was still confused. "But they aren't scary at all. Most are just too wrong to be anything but funny."

"S'the point, pet," Spike said as he munched on some chips.

"We like to laugh at what people think all this stuff is like," Dawn said, motioning around the room to signify Sunnydale.

Anya nodded. "It's fun to throw out the correct details." She turned to Xander who was seated at her feet. "Remember when… oh what was it?" She thought a moment. "Oh, yeah, Freddie. Those nightmare movies." She turned back to Faith and shook her head seriously. "There isn't a Freddie."

Faith smiled at the former demon. "I figured that, actually. It's just a movie. I mean, not all of it's based on the freaky stuff."

Anya shook her head more vigorously. "No, I mean his name is Cosgrove, not Freddie."

Faith's brow went up. "Oh." She turned a little stunned as she slipped the movie into its slot and sat back with the others.

As the evening progressed, each of the Scoobies eased. Faith was forgotten and this girl they were getting to know just looked and sounded like her. She seemed happy, at peace even. But her eyes hid a lot.

Per tradition, they took turns picking out the ridiculous facts made up for this move.

Vampires slept in coffins, which always got Spike's goat. Killing the sire would kill all of his turned humans; this annoyed Anya, who was a stickler for those details. Apparently they had the same strength as humans, which bugged both Slayers. Everyone laughed when all of the vampires turned into bats, obviously strictly a Drac thing. All in all, one of their better choices for a laugh fest.

By the time the movie was over, everyone was tired. "But we have one more," Willow pointed out.

Tara gave her a half smile. "We can just take it home, sweetie."

"Oh. Ok." Willow pouted conceling her grin. She wasn't hiding a thing from her lover. Going home meant snuggles.

Anya and Xander decided it was time to head out as well. Both couples walked out raving about another fun night at 'The House of Summers.'

Dawn went to work cleaning up the empty cans, while Buffy gathered up the bowls of food. Faith stood up and picked up the empty pizza box and her bag from the burger.
Spike gathered up the pillows and blankets they had used to get comfy and went upstairs to put them away.

Faith tried to break down the box for the garbage once her bag was in the trash can. Buffy set the bowls in the sink, and Dawn was in the process of crushing cans for recycling.

In a few minutes the house was in order. The strange thing was how they had all gone to work without talking or assigning chores. They had each just grabbed the closest thing and taken care of it.

"Ok, Dawn, bed time," Buffy announced after the last bowl was washed. Spike came in just in time for the girl’s protest.

"Buffy! Come on. It's not that late."

"Dawn, it's one in the morning," Buffy said.

"You're still going to patrol," The teen said.

Buffy sighed. "Yes, and then I'm going to bed. Duty says I have to go walk the streets at ungodly hours. So is the calling of the Chosen," She looked at Faith, "Ones."

Faith wasn't sure if that was an invite, but if it was, she was up for it. Too many years locked up had given her some seriously pent-up energy.

"Fine," Dawn said as she headed out of the kitchen.

Buffy waited until she heard her sister's footfalls going up the stairs. "Spike, you mind staying in tonight? I can remind Faith a little about how vampires REALLY are."

"It might'a been awhile, but I think I remember, B" she laughed. "It's like sex, you never forget."

"I thought that was riding a bike?" Buffy asked her.

"Whichever," Faith said.

"I'll stay in and keep an eye on the Bit," Spike agreed. "Just watch yourself. Keep practicin' using the new stuff. A'right?" He referred to her heightened senses.

"Cross my heart," She said while making the motion with her fingers. "You ready?" she asked Faith.

"Yeah. Lemme grab my jacket and a stake." She headed down the steps into the basement.

The couple watched her disappear through the door. Spike looked from it to Buffy. "Be careful."

"What? Like I'm 'jump into the fire girl' normally?" She crossed her arms. Sometimes he was a little overprotective, but not often.

"S'not you," He said, looking at the basement door again. "I know people can change. Living proof, literally. Just be sure you keep an eye out."

She nodded. They soon heard Faith coming up the stairs.

"Ready." She had a black jacket on.

Buffy hopped up and placed a quick kiss on Spike's lips. "Don't worry. We'll be fine."

The Slayers headed out the door, leaving behind a worried ex-vampire.


Chapter End Notes:
Hope you liked the different ways some of the scoobs view Faith, and I also hope you like the pairing of the 'big bad' for this story.



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