Here's To You *Chapter Three*

["Whitney Catherine Bynes <cruel_intentions_brat@xxxxxxxxx>" <cruel_intentions_brat@xxxxxxxxx>]

Pairing: Faith/Buffy Buffy/Willow

Disclaimer: they're not mine, im just playing with them

Summary: Faith realizes she's not what Buffy needs

As always, Feedback is awesome 

Chapter Three: Under The Mistletoe

"So you went to see Giles, the local mall Santa?" 
"Yup, then I went back to Willow's house it's closer" Buffy pulled 
her hair up into a bun and put a pencil through it to hold it.
"So, instead of telling me where you were you just ducked out?"
"Faith it's no big deal, I always sleep at Willow's"
Faith bit into a cookie and sighed.
"Yeah your right, it's not like your like in love with her or 
something crazy like that"
Buffys eyes widened.
"What?"
"I said,.."
"I know what you said"
Faith shrugged finishing off her cookie.
"Geez, lighten up B"
"Lighten up? It's Christmas eve and I don't even have Willow's 
present picked out, or Oz's" she added
"What do you get a guy like Oz?"
"I have no idea" Buffy clucked her tongue and sighed.
"What'd you get syphillis boy?"
"Xander"
"Whatever"
"Just two cd's a shirt and some really cool smelling cologne "
"He won'ttake offense to the cologne ?"
"Xander's not offended by anything, not even being sprung on by a 
deodarant salesman." Buffy informed her 
Faith laughed a bit, maybe things were going to be okay, the note in 
Buffy's purse could just be old afterall.
"So, what'd you get me?" Faith asked smiling sexily at her.
Buffy laughed kissing her playfully.
"You'll just have to find out tomorrow, won't you"
Faith smirked "Never one to ruin a surprise, huh B?"
"Nope" Buffy felt her stomach drop, she liked Faith, alot and yeah 
she cared about her, but did she care enough? 
"Hey I'm going to go see Xander and Anya,and set up for the party, 
you wanna come?" Buffy climbed off the couch and stood up brushing 
her blonde hair out and setting the pencil down on the counter.

"Nah, I'll just hang around I have things to wrap,and I have to make 
myself look decent, but I will be there"
"I know you will" Buffy smiled sadly, she didn't love this girl, it 
was fascination, pure fascination.
"You look nice already" Buffy said softly
And Faith felt a weird sensation, like something was tearing away 
from here, but she couldn't place it.
"Thanks you too"
"See you later" Buffy waved and slowly walked out.
Faith waited till Buffy left and pulled out a pretty necklace she had 
stored under the bed, it was a small diamond heart, with a pink 
diamond in the center. It was expensive, but Faith had stolen it 
anyway. Taking out it's white leather jewlery case she placed it in 
and wrapped it pausing briefly to light up a cigarette.

"Smoking is bad for you, you know" Faith placed a bow on top of the 
present.
"Your not dead yet?"
"Not yet, Love"
Faith shrugged "Another thing for my 'to-do' list"
"C'mon slayer where's the love?"
"I love, just not you" she said smartly taking out an ornate jewlery 
box and more wrapping paper.
"I hope your not reffering to your blonde little girlfriend "
Struggling to cut a piece of right sized paper from the roll Faith 
shrugged, 
"I wasn't but why shouldn't I?"
A smile spread across Spike's face slowly, like a spreading 
bloodstain.
"Because blondie loved red"

------
"Right about,...there oh and don't fall"
"Yes because if I fell Anya wouldn't get any money from my death yet"
"I'm sure she would miss you more then she would enjoy the money" 
Buffy laughed holding the ladder steady for Xander who reached his 
fingers to the top of a huge green christmas tree, to adjust a 
topping star.
"Oh, well I'd certainly miss Xander if he fell to an untimly death, 
Christmas would bring back bad memories" Anya assured them
"Aww that's swe---"
"And I'd most surely need the insurance money to console myself with 
lots and lots of materialistic things, like what Faith bought Buffy 
for Christmas" 
"What about it?" Buffy asked out of curiousity turning around from 
facing the ladder.
"Well--it's very very nice and expensive and I like expensive things"
Xander looked around the apartment.
"We couldn't tell sweetie" he said flatly.
"Okay Buff hold it steady I'm coming--" 
Xander toppled from the ladder landing hard on the floor.
"Down" he muttered with the last of the air in him.
"Xander!" Anya jumped up and ran to him
"I'm sorry I--my head--wasn't with,...in the right place" 
"Let's get you up, I don't really want you to die Xander the money 
would never sum up to the feelings I have for you,..these butterflies"
"That's--sweet--but I just want to lay here" Xander muttered wincing.

"What hapened?" Willow let herself in through the front door carrying 
a bag of presents.
"Xandre fell, Buffy didn't hold the ladder right" Anya said matter-of-
factly.
"I just--" Buffy lifted her hand in defense 
"She didn't mean it I'm sure" Willow walked over to them, and took 
Xander's hand helping him up.
"Oh the pain" he said dryly.
"It's not bad" Willow looked him over
"Put some ice on your back though" Willow turned to Buffy.
"Your bleeding, Buff" Willow walked over to her taking her hand in 
concern.
"It's just a little cut, must have happened when the ladder fell."
"Oh no, that could get infected, come in the kitchen we have to wash 
it up" Willow tugged the girl gently in the other room.
"Hello, guy who fell from a five foot ladder here" Xander said on his 
back on the couch.
"Five and a half actually" Anya nodded

"What were they doing having such a rickety old thing around? You 
could have been hurt"
"If I hadn't been out to space somewhere it wouldn--"
"Nevermind that Buff, ladders are meant for one person to go up and 
come back down"
"He came back down alright"
"Safely, without someone holding it, hold on this won't burn" Willow 
brushed peroxide on the cut.
"I thought this wasn't supposed to burn?"
"If I told you it would do you think you'd have trusted me enough to 
let me?" Willow dryed the cut and pulled a bandage out of the first 
aid kit.
"Good thing Xander has one of these"
"I trust you" Buffy said going back to Willow's previous statement. 
Willow smiled putting the bandage on Buffy's palm.
"So, what were you thinking about anyway?" 
"Umn,..."
"You can tell me" Willow was still holding Buffy's hand.
"You"
"Me?"
"Well, Anya said Faith got me a expensive present--"
Willow looked disapointed
"Oh, Buff you know I can't buy anything expensive I would but there's 
there's the job and expensive things aren't as personal and--"
"No, I was thinking how much I liked the simple things you gave me, i 
like that, it always showed you care"

Willow smiled and laughed kissing the bandage on Buffy's hand.
"I do, a lot" Buffy grinned at her friend.
"I love you"
"I love you, too"
She jumpe down off the counter she'd been sitting on and lead Willow 
back to the room.
"Hey Buffy?" 
Buffy stopped and turned to Willow
"Yeah?"
Willow pointed a few feet away, the entrance to the living room.
"Mistletoe" Buffy stated hiding a smile.
"Yeah, mistletoe,...but hey we've kissed before and--and it's no big 
deal right? Just a kiss between uh..friends,.."
"Or more"
"Right, a kiss between friends or more.." 
Willow leaned in shocks of nerves and excitment taking her over.
There lips met quickly and lingered, Buffy closed her eyes wrapping 
her arms around Willow, just letting everything feel right for awhile.

Willow pulled away and smiled licking her lips.
"Come on" 
She tugged the blonde girl into the room
Giles,Oz, andCordelia were already there laying out presents.
"Hey santa" Buffy sat down on the edge of the couch beside Cordy.
"Your blocking off my light with your last season dress" 
She piped up from behind Buffy.
"Uh, and yours is any better?"
"Ladies please" Giles took his glasses off and wiped them on the 
bottom of his shirt.
"Let's just get in the season spirit"
"Been there done that, feel off that ladder" Xander quipped
"That was a good one" Oz said nodding congrats to his friend.
"Actually, it's true Xander fell from a five foot ladder" 
"Five and a half" he added dryly rubbing his bruised arm.
"Right"

"Where's Faith?" Giles asked leaning back in the chair.
"She uh, should be here now" Buffy said biting her bottom lip. She 
almost hoped she didn't show tonight, there was too much to be said.
"Fashionably late, always looking great I say" Cordelia said nodding.
"I'm not even going there, nope" Xander grabbed a cracker from the 
dish, Anya slapped his hand.
"Guests first, don't you know a thing?"