***

Everything was hustle and bustle in the Summers' home. It was 8:30 in the morning, and Willow was rushing Dawn to school. "Will, how come I have to go to school, and Buffy gets to sleep?" Dawn was in a semi-bad mood, as Willow had woken her up from an exciting dream involving Joshua Jackson. "Your sister's still asleep?" Dawn nodded emphatically, hoping to get her sister in trouble. Willow dropped the cheese sandwich that she was making for Dawn's lunch, and started up the stairs. "Buffy!"

Xander had slept in, and was now running late for work. As he shrugged a light green shirt on, he rushed past Dawn and ruffled her hair. "Dawnie, where's Will?" Dawn was carefully finishing off her lunch as she answered Xander. "Upstairs, with Buffy." Xander grinned, as happy thoughts filled his head. "You think I still have a little time to go and, uh, join in on the action?" Dawn rolled her eyes, and punched his arm. Ever since Buffy and Willow had come out to the gang, Xander had made nothing but dirty comments. "She's waking her up, 'cause Buffy slept in." Xander sighed, in mock disappointment, then snapped his fingers. "Dammit, I really wanted me some of that Buffy and Willow action." He squirmed away from Dawn and towards the door before she could hit him again. "Buffy, Willow, I'm leaving! You want me to run Dawn to school?"

Xander's voice floated up the stairs, and into Buffy's room, where Buffy and Willow were involved in their special waking up ritual -- making out. His voice jolted Willow, and she pulled away form Buffy, ignoring her wailing protest, and yelled back down the stairs. "No thanks Xan, Buffy has to go anyway!" Willow heard the door shut, and turned back to her blonde girlfriend. "Buffy, you really need to get ready for work." Buffy lips curved into a well-practised pout. "What if I'm sick?" Willow smiled, she knew this trick. "Sweetie, if you're sick, you get to spend the whole day in bed -- without me there with you." The redhead pulled her girlfriend out of bed, and pushed her towards the closet. "Come on, sleepyhead, get dressed. Your sister's going to be late, and so are you."

***

"Buffy, do you think you could drive a bit faster?" Dawn cast a worried glance in the direction of her older sister, who was currently driving at the pace of an old woman with a walking cane. "Dawn, the first thing you need to learn about driving, is..." Buffy looked at the clock, which was nearing 9am, and switched thoughts. "...to drive as fast as you possibly can in order to get to where you want to go in time!" Buffy pressed her foot down on the accelerator, and raced through the streets of Sunnydale. Dawn sat back in her seat, gripped her seatbelt, and started mumbling under her breath. "This is exactly why Mom would never let you drive."

She earned a glare from her sister, which was returned with a sweet smile.

***

The bars of the cold cell in Los Angeles Jail were moved open, and two heavy-set police officers walked inside. They were both set with guns, clubs and cuffs. The first one, Sergeant Wilks, regarded the young woman sitting in her cell with care, while the second, Sergeant Biggs, stood with his arms crossed at the cell entrance. "Faith." Sgt. Wilks began pacing. "For almost 3 years you've sat in this room, solitary. Not causing one ounce of harm -- which, I might add, is completely contradicting your track record." The young brunette looked up at him; hurt showing in her chocolate brown eyes, as he continued his short speech. "But never mind all that. Today is your day. We're releasing you for good behaviour. Against my judgment, but well, I don't make the desicions. I just administer them." He stepped aside, allowing room for his partner to escort Faith out of the cell.

After signing release forms and leaving the jail, the reformed rogue slayer looked at the bright sun, and walked towards the bus station. She had no money on her person, but the officers knew of her situation, and gave her a bus ticket back to the one place she could call home -- Sunnydale.

***

"Thankyou for shopping at the Magic Box. Please come again." Willow smiled at the most recent customer of Sunnydale's one and only magic shop. Once the customer left the shop, however, her eager grin turned into an expression of exhaustion. "Giles, I swear to god, if I see one more happy person I'm gonna kill myself." Giles just smiled, as he saw the figure moving towards the shop.

The door swung open, and Buffy entered with Dawn. "Hey Giles! Hey Will!" Willow grinned excitedly, and moved towards her girlfriend. "Hey, baby." Buffy allowed her hands to wander to her girlfriend's hips, and pulled her in for another ritual -- the after-work kiss. Giles took his glasses off, and began to clean them. He too knew this part.

Dawn cleared her throat. "Ahem, minor here." She raised her hand slightly, and walked over to sit at the table, dropping her schoolbag beside her. Giles replaced his glasses. "Willow, I do wonder what happened to 'Giles, I swear to god, if I see one more happy person'--" He was cut off by a punch on his arm from Anya, who had emerged from the back room. "Giles, Buffy is Willow's girlfriend, and is kissing her. That cancels out any previous unhappy statements." She nodded happily, and Giles rolled his eyes and moved behind the front counter.

The bell above the door rang, and the sound of Xander's voice filled the shop. "Hello, my lovely ladies!" He regarded Giles. "And my, uh--" Giles cut him off quickly before he could finish his thought. "That would be fine, Xander. I don't think I need to be your 'lovely man'." Anya bounced up to Xander and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hey, sugar." Xander said, before moving his head down to connect Anya's lips with his own, and the room was filled with squeaks of Giles' cleaning habits. "Giles, d'ya think you might wreck your glasses one day?" Dawn giggled, as she watched her father figure be... old and stuff. "Yes, well... it's all their fault!" He gestured wildly at the couples in question.

Luckily, he needn't go on, because the phone rang, saving him from further embarrassment. He walked the short distance to where the phone was, and picked it up. "Hello? Yes it is, may I help you? Oh, I see... Yes, yes, thankyou. Goodbye." He sighed, and turned to the group, who were waiting with expectant eyes. "Faith was released from prison and is on her way here. Good behaviour. They notified us here, because they knew we, uh, knew her."

All eyes turned to Buffy, a puzzled look on her face.

"Oh."

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