“Buffy have you thought this through?” Giles asked pacing in front of where his Slayer sat on his living room couch. Every so often he would have to take an extra large step to make sure he didn’t step on Faith who was crawling around his living room floor, “Have you thought about what you’re giving up?”

“Of course, I’m twenty one years old Giles I’m supposed to be in college, partying, doing all sorts of irresponsible things that my family pretend they don’t know about at reunions. Instead I’ve died twice and am out saving the world on a tri weekly basis. Being a Slayer is all about helping people right, well if I can have any hand in helping Faith then I’m going to take it,” Buffy said.

“We’re not talking an overnight deal here Buffy, this is a forever kind of deal,” Giles said stepping over Faith again.

“I know that Giles but I want to do this, I need to do this. Faith needs a family and I-I need something to give my life meaning, more than saving the world on a regular basis, which let’s face it is kind of an anti climax after you’ve done it more than once,” Buffy shrugged.

“I know of others who would disagree,” Giles smiled softly at the baby who was using his pant leg to pull herself up to a standing position, “If you’ve made up your mind to do this than you must know I support you in any decision you make and I will be there to help you as much as I possibly can.”

“Thanks Giles you have no idea how much that means to me,” Buffy said standing up from the couch and going over to where he stood, she bent to scoop Faith up in her arms before squishing the baby in between them as she delivered a bone crunching hug to her Watcher.

“So how does it feel to be a Grandpa?” Buffy asked smiling at his surprised expression.

“Grandpa?” Giles asked.

“Well if I’m going to be a Mom then you’re going to be a Grandpa,” Buffy said blushing at the chuffed look Giles suddenly wore.

“I, well, I’m honoured,” Giles said taking his glasses off and scrubbing them furiously but Buffy thought his eyes looked unusually glassy.

“Think you can start your Grandparily duties by looking after her for a bit,” Buffy asked handing Faith over to Giles, “I’ve got a demon to speak to.”

“Do you have any idea where to find him?” Giles asked.

“There are only so many places a demon named Paul can hide right?” Buffy asked uncertainly jumping back when a cloud of purple smoke erupted in the middle of the living room.

“You rang,” the demon smiled doing a little twirl.

“Huh that didn’t take as long as I thought it would,” Buffy said taking Faith back from Giles when the baby grunted and reached for her.

“So Buffy have you made your decision, are you going to keep the munchkin munchkin sized or will it be adult sized jeans for Faith and all the money you could ever dream of for you and Dawn?” Paul asked coming closer to Faith who crinkled her brow as she took in the demon standing in front of her.

“I want to keep her as a baby. Dawn and I have agreed that Faith deserves a happy and stable childhood and if this is what it takes to make her happy then I’m more than willing to give her that,” Buffy told him dropping a kiss to the top of Faith’s head.

“Are you sure Slayer because once I do this there is no going back,” Paul said.

“I’m sure,” Buffy said smiling softly at the brown eyed baby staring so intently back at her.

“Decision made, wish granted and all that rubbish,” Paul said doing what looked like an interpretive version of Xander’s Snoopy Dance before smiling at the three in front of him, “It’s done,” he said before disappearing in the same fashion he had arrived.

“Welcome to the family Faithy,” Buffy said delivering sloppy kisses all over the baby’s face.

“Well now that it’s official I wanted to talk to you about how you’re going to do this. When I said I wanted to help I meant it, I want you to finish college and I will help with that any way I can. I want to talk to the Council about setting up an account for Faith to help with the extra expense of having a baby in the household as well as setting up an account for you and Dawn. You were technically an employee of the Council so I believe you should be entitled to some sort of remuneration for your services,” Giles said.

“I don’t know about getting the Council involved, they might take her away from us, it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve done something completely well, wrong,” Buffy said her grip on Faith involuntarily tightening as she thought of anyone taking her baby. It was strange, as soon as she had told Paul her decision her bond to the baby in her arms had strengthened to the point of an almost painful ache in her chest. Suddenly she couldn’t imagine her life without the little human in her arms, she didn’t think she could love anything like she loved the baby snuggling in against her chest. Was this how her mother had felt? Is this how every parent feels? Like they would do anything just to hear their child laugh, like they would give their life just to make sure that tiny human would be okay.

“I don’t think that they could even if they wanted to,” Giles said pulling her from her thoughts, “This has come directly from the Powers that Be, if the Powers deem something to be so there is no changing that, as far as I’m concerned Faith cannot be taken from your care unless you yourself wish it so.”

“Looks like you’re here to stay then baby,” Buffy said tickling Faith’s belly, “Okay so you get onto the Council and see what you can do about the funds because I’m thinking any extra money right now can’t hurt.”

“As soon as I hear anything I will let you know,” Giles said placing a hand on her shoulder, “And Buffy, I’m proud of you,” he said pulling her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her and placing something in her pocket unbeknownst to her.

“Thanks Giles,” she said smiling happily, “oh Giles are you coming trick or treating with us tonight? I still have the night off right, I mean the demons and vampires still shy away from Halloween don’t they?” she asked hurriedly.

“Yes they still find All Hallow’s rather crass so you’re free to have fun. I’m afraid I’m otherwise engaged tonight, I made a promise to a few books that I would study them intently and then turn in at a reasonable hour,” Giles said running a hand over the top of Faith’s head as he pushed them out his front door.

“If you change your mind you know where to find us,” Buffy called making him chuckle as he closed the door after the two of them.

“Grandpa,” he said smiling as he shook his head, “Who would have thought?”

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“Do you want me to try and get you out of it?” Buffy asked as she and Faith sat on Dawn’s bed and watched as the teenager put the finishing touches on her costume.

“No, everyone has to do it and Brendon is in my group so it won’t be too bad,” Dawn said tying the blue ribbon around her hair.

“Right, remind me again why I shouldn’t threaten this boy with all the usual big sister threats,” Buffy said grimacing at the thought of her younger sister dating. In all honesty Brendon was a nice boy and it was clear that he was crazy about Dawn but she still felt weird about the teenager dating.

“Because you’re not going to embarrass your sister so she never speaks to you again,” Dawn said pointedly, “How do I look?” she asked twirling in front of them as Buffy reached out to stop Faith from toppling head first off the bed.

“Like you’re right out of Bedrock,” Buffy said of Dawn’s Betty Rubble costume.

“Oh he’s here,” Dawn said as the doorbell rung scrambling to pick up the rest of her stuff.

“Come on Faithy let’s go say hi to Brendon,” Buffy said scooping Faith up.

“Be nice to him and don’t let Faith touch him,” Dawn called as she raced to finish getting ready. Buffy smirked as she remembered all the drama Faith had put poor Brendon through when they had gone to Parent’s Day at Dawn’s school.

“Hey Brendon,” she said when she opened the door to reveal a Barney Rubble looking Brendon.

“Hi Buffy, Faith. Are you guys doing anything for Halloween?” the teen asked when Buffy ushered him inside.

“My friends and I are taking Faith out trick or treating, although I think the candy is more for my friend Xander than Faith, he goes crazy for that stuff,” Buffy smiled.

“You got your costumes all ready?” he asked tickling Faith under the chin. She smiled at him and tried to reach for the bone necklace he wore around his neck.

“Oh no missy Dawnie would kill you if you ruined his costume,” Buffy said pulling Faith away, “We’re going to get costumed up as soon as you and Dawn are off to the school, which by the way I’m not jealous of. I had to take elementary school kids around trick or treating when I was in High School, I do not envy you guys, those kids can be little monsters, literally.”

“Nothing that an old couple from Bedrock won’t be able to handle right,” Brendon smiled his eyes lighting up as Dawn came downstairs.

“Right, well time to go, we’ll probably see you guys out there,” Dawn said hurriedly, cutting off any reply Buffy might have and dragging Brendon towards the door

“Be careful you two, and Dawn if anything weird happens call me on my cell,” she said pointedly to her sister.

“I will, don’t worry,” Dawn said closing the door behind her.

“Okay baby let’s go and get scary,” Buffy said to Faith heading towards the stairs.

************************************************************************************************

“It’s ironic,” Buffy said later when she greeted Xander and Anya at the door. The couple were dressed as Superman and Supergirl and regarded the blonde Slayer and the baby she held in her arms with critical expressions.

“Yeah but Buff do you really think you should be giving them any more reasons to hate you. Mocking them is probably only going to get them riled up,” Xander said.

“No honey, they actually have quite a keen sense of humour. They will probably laugh off Buffy’s mocking their entire existence, or they will hunt her down and kill her, you really can never tell with them,” Anya shrugged.

Buffy and Faith were dressed in similar outfits. Both wore black jeans and Buffy had paired hers with a black tank top and black leather jacket whilst Faith wore a black onesie under her jeans with a black peacoat on top. Buffy had applied a pale foundation to both of their faces and put dark eyeliner and deep red lipstick on her own. In her mouth she wore a pair of plastic fangs which gave her a slight lisp but she smirked at her male friend and he eventually laughed.

“I just hope we don’t run into Spike, you’ve just made every fantasy of his come true, Xander said shaking his head.

“Wait you haven’t seen the best part,” Willow said entering the room, Tara trailing behind her. The redhead wore a long white coat that reached her ankles, a test tube sat in her pocket and a pair of thick black glasses sat atop her head. Tara had a long flowing skirt and a white peasant top on, her hair was flowing around her shoulders and a pink bandana sat atop her head, trimmed with dangling gold coins.

“Gypsy, scientist may I offer my services for the rest of the evening,” Xander bowed.

“Xander you’re not supposed to service anyone but me,” Anya said causing his ears to redden.

“What’s the best part Will?” he asked quickly changing the subject.

“Faith’s fangs,” Willow said producing a pacifier from behind her back. The front of the pacifier looked like a mouth complete with lips and a full set of teeth, the canine’s sticking out like fangs.

“That is absolutely brilliant,” Xander said as Willow popped the pacifier in Faith’s mouth, “Come on guys candy’s a calling.”

“You ready to go and be scary?” Buffy asked Faith who looked up at her with sleepy eyes, “Okay guys let’s give Faith her first real Halloween quickly because it’s already way past bedtime and you can’t have Halloween fun if she’s sleeping,” Buffy said hurrying them all out the front door.

********************************************************************************************

“I may have overestimated it being past bedtime,” Buffy said watching as Faith sat in the middle of the group of elementary students Dawn had been in charge of taking around. The baby was clapping her hands together excitedly as the students threw pieces of candy across the circle to one another as their parents and the Scooby Gang watched on.

“Relax Vampire Buffy it’s Halloween, even baby’s are allowed to stay up past their bedtime on Halloween. Hey and if she’s scary grumpy later than it’s all in the spirit of the holiday,” Xander said throwing his arm around her shoulders.

“Oh man, listen to me, I’m an uptight parent after one day,” Buffy groaned.

“It’s nice Buff, kind of like you were meant for the role,” Willow said smiling at her friend.

“Plus look how much extra candy we got for having Faith around,” Xander said holding up two overflowing buckets of candy.

“None of which she can have,” Buffy said sternly her eyes widening, “I did it again, someone stop me or I’ll be wearing Mom jeans by the end of the night.”

Gradually the parents began to take their kids home and Buffy retrieved a reluctant Faith who didn’t take nicely to being removed from the game. The infant began to cry loudly earning an embarrassed look from Dawn who was over with a group of her friends.

“Okay Uncle Xander, since you were so keen to keep her out so late you can deal with the grumpy baby,” Buffy said handing the screaming infant over to him.

“Think before you speak Xander, think,” he said taking the baby from the blonde.

“You think apart from the now screaming that she had fun tonight?” Buffy asked Willow and Tara.

“I don’t see how she couldn’t. I think as far as happy memories go this earns a big tick in the starting to give Faith a happy childhood column,” Willow said smirking as she watched Xander try and calm the baby down.

“Well we’ve got a lot to make up for,” Buffy said softly, “A lot.”