The Three of Us

Reviews and Feedback are more than welcome.

For the last while my story has been Beta'd by Faerys Delight. Unfortunately, she is no longer able to continue as my beta. Many, many thanks for her help. She also has stories on this site!

Last time I checked none of these Characters belonged to me!
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Faith looked at the clock and sighed. 'B left for school twenty minutes ago and already I miss her,' she thought to herself. 'Wonder why G-man wanted her to come in early? She’ll probably tell me at training today.' Her gaze shifted to Dawn, and she watched her inhale her cereal. “If you chew’em,” she raised an eyebrow at the girl, “you actually might be able to taste’em.”

Dawn stopped in mid shovel, as Joyce laughed. “She’s right, Dawn, you should slow down.”

“Don’t have time,” she started to eat again. “I have to meet Janice in about ten minutes.” She dropped her bowl in the sink, and kissed her mom on the cheek, before heading out the door.

“So, Faith,” Joyce started. “Any big plans for next week?”

Faith tilted her head at the question, “Not really, why?”

“Oh,” Joyce answered with a querulous look of her own. “I just thought you would be planning something. We usually go out for dinner before Buffy and her friends go to the Bronze. Sometimes they’ll take in a movie.”

“I see,” Faith picked up her coffee and sipped at it.

Joyce waited for a moment. She leaned forward, “Faith,” she asked, “You do know Buffy’s birthday is next Wednesday, right?”

Faith’s eyebrows shot straight up and the mouthful of coffee sprayed across the countertop. She coughed a couple of times, “Wha...” she coughed again, before managing to croak, “It’s what?”

Joyce smiled gently at her, “Next Wednesday, is Buffy’s birthday.” She watched the panic rise in the dark slayer. “I’m going to assume nobody told you?” Faith just nodded at her. “Figures,” Joyce sighed. She looked at Faith for a few moments. “I’m surprised Buffy didn’t say anything. I told her to invite Cordelia for the weekend.”

Faith shook her head, “It was too late to call her last night when we finished talkin’ to you. We’re gonna call her tonight.”

“Ah,” Joyce smiled at Faith. “I guess with all the excitement yesterday, she didn’t tell you.” She paused again, still smiling, “I’ll start again. Any big plans for next week Faith?”

“Ummm, yeah,” the slayer stammered back. “I uh, think I’m, unh, gonna, take my, umm, girls out?”

Joyce smirked at her, “I think that’s a good idea Faith. I think both of them would like it. Any idea where, or what you’ll do?” Faith just shook her head no. Joyce brought a finger up to her mouth and tapped it against her lip. She pointed it at Faith, “I’ll tell you what Faith, I’ll give you some money so you can take ‘your girls’ out.” She paused briefly, “There will be enough for you to buy something for Buffy as well.” She smiled, “However, there is some work I need done around the gallery. Some stuff moved and the like. If you do it for me, we’ll be even. Okay?”

Faith heaved a sigh of relief as she nodded, “Yeah, that’ll be alright, Mrs. S.” Faith sat back onto her chair. Her brow furrowed for a moment, Joyce waited for her to speak. “Ya know, Mrs. S, I write my GED next Monday. After that, maybe I could work for you.” It was Joyce’s turn to cough.

“Sorry,” she picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth. Faith tried to hide the smirk on hers. “You write part of your GED next Monday?”

“Nope,” Faith replied. “I write my final for my GED.”

Joyce’s face scrunched up in concentration as she pondered Faith’s statement. “You’ve only been there for a month,” she half said to herself. She looked up, “How can you be writing your final already?”

A small smile creased the corners of Faith’s mouth, “I learn quick, and I retain what I learn.” She shrugged her shoulders, “Most people see some uneducated piece of trailer trash, and I don’t tell’em any different.”

Joyce stared at her for a moment, she blinked slowly, “Faith, I’ve never thou...”

“I know, Mrs. S,” she put her hand up to interrupt Joyce. “I’m not sayin’ anybody here has. I’m just sayin’ I don’t show all my cards.”

Joyce chuckled, “That’s an understatement. What else haven’t you told me?”

Faith’s cheeks reddened slightly and she dropped her head. “The, uh, head guy at the school,” she started to look around the kitchen. “He, umm, told me that, he, uhh, wants me to write an entrance exam.”

“Entrance exam?” Joyce’s eyes widened. “For where?”

Faith glanced up quickly at Joyce, before ducking her head again. Her cheeks got a little redder, “Research Sciences, at UCLA.”

Joyce’s mouth dropped wide open. “Research Sciences?” she croaked after a few moments. Faith just nodded. “At UCLA?” Faith nodded again. “He wants you to write an entrance exam for Research Sciences at UCLA?”

“Yeah,” she answered slowly. “He thinks I could get in there.” The two sat in silence for a moment. Faith sighed and looked at Joyce, “He said I should be able to score high enough to get a full ride scholarship.”

“Jesus, Faith,” Joyce’s eyes widened. “Sorry about that.” She cleared her throat, “A full Scholarship?” Faith nodded. “Will you try for it?”

Faith shrugged, “I dunno.” She looked toward the dining room, then turned back to Joyce. “It’ll depend on where B and Queen C want to go. I figger if I can get into UCLA, then I can probably get in anywhere.” She fidgeted in her chair for a second. She looked to Joyce with an earnest look on her face. “I’m not really sure if I want to go to college yet.”

“Oh,” Joyce blinked. “Do you have some time before you need to write the exam?”

Faith nodded, “He said I gotta write it by the end of May. He’ll set up a study program for me. So, I got some time to make up my mind, and talk to B, and Queen C, about it.” She looked at Joyce and a small smirk started to grow on her face. “I can see the ‘You really need to go to college’ lecture startin’ in your brain.”

Joyce smiled back, “I’ve given it to Buffy, and I’m wondering if I have to give it to you as well.”

Faith stood and picked up her backpack, she turned to face Joyce again. “I know it’s somethin’ I should do. Ya gotta understand that this is a chance I never thought I’d get. I’m gonna have to adjust.”

“I understand, Faith,” Joyce rose from her chair and walked around the island to where Faith stood. She put her hands on the dark slayers shoulders, before pulling her into a hug. Faith’s eyes popped open in astonishment. After a moment she brought her arms up and nervously put them around Buffy’s mom. “I’m so proud of you Faith,” Joyce said quietly, as she released her. Smiling, she said, “You’re also going to have to get used to giving and receiving hugs from your family.”

“I think it’ll be easier to go to college.” Faith shot back.

Joyce laughed, “You’ll get used to it. I’ll see you both after training tonight?”

Faith nodded, “Yeah, we’ll be home before we go patrol. Bye.” She turned and headed out the back door.

“Bye, Faith.” Joyce called after her.

Buffy bounced into Giles’ living room and landed in Faith’s lap, “Hi, Sweetie!” She leaned forward to kiss the dark slayer, when someone clearing their throat caught her attention. “Ahh!” she shrieked and leapt to her feet. She spun around to see Giles sitting in his usual chair, with a taciturn raised eyebrow.

“Smooth, B, real smooth.” Faith growled. She watched as Buffy stared at Giles, her mouth opening and closing silently. She sighed and looked at Giles, “Hey, G-man,” She paused briefly, “Me and B are datin’. Any problems?”

“Umm, I see,” he put his finger against his bottom lip. “No, I don’t see any problems at all. Anything else?”

“Yeah,” Faith replied. “We’re also involved with Queen C. It’s actually the three of us.”

“Really?” he leaned forward slightly. “That is a little different. You’re happy?”

“Yup,” Faith sat back on the couch. Buffy’s head followed the conversation between the watcher and the slayer.

“Yes, well,” Giles smiled slightly. “I don’t see that having any major ramifications. Do the others know yet?”

“Me and B, yeah. Queen C, not yet.”

“Ah,” Giles nodded his head. “I’ll make sure I’m indisposed when you tell them. Just in case.”

Faith tilted her head to one side and looked from Buffy to Giles. “Why’d you say that?”

Giles rolled his eyes, “Willow will babble on for awhile, Xander’s eyes will go all out of focus while he’s in his imagination, and Anya will ask about the mechanics of it all, while she’s slapping Xander around trying to get the images out of his head. Tara, I think she’ll blush a little and try to stop Willow from babbling.”

“Ah,” Faith nodded. “That seems about right.”

“Hey,” Buffy yelped. “Those are my friends you’re talking about!”

“Sorry, B,” Faith smiled up at her girlfriend. “G-man pretty much described the scenario. Almost like he’d seen it before.”

Giles smiled at the two girls, “Rather predictable behaviour from that lot.” He pulled out his journal, “Now, about last night’s patrol....”

Twenty minutes later, there was a brief tap at the door, then it swung open and the rest of the Scoob’s piled into the living room. They stopped in a cluster just inside the entrance to the living room. The four of them stared at the two slayers nestled against each other on the couch. Faith’s arm was draped over Buffy’s shoulders; Buffy’s feet were tucked up underneath her, as she leaned into the dark slayer. Xander’s eyes started to widen as the intimate picture before him started to register. “Oww!” he yelped as Anya smacked him in the back of his head. “What was that for?” he turned to face her.

Anya was scowling, “I know exactly what you’re thinking Xander Harris. And it better stop now.”

“I didn’t do any...”

“It’s not what you did,” she interrupted him. “It’s what you’re thinking.” She crossed her arms and stared at him, daring him to deny it.

“She’s right, Xander,” Willow grinned at him. “We could hear the wheels turning from over here.” Tara blushed slightly and looked at the floor with a shy smile.

“See,” Anya said. “They all know what you’re thinking.”

“Sorry,” he answered. “I’m a guy, I’m wired that way.”

“Scuse me,” Faith spoke up. “Can you guy’s sit, me and B got somethin’ we need to tell you.”

“Duh,” Willow moved over toward the table with Tara. “I think we already know you two are dating.” She smiled quickly at Tara and held her hand as they got comfortable.
Anya looked back and forth between the two slayers. Her brow was furrowed as she watched Faith nervously wipe her hands on her pants. “I think this is something else.” she said quietly.

“Yes,” Giles said as he stood up from his chair. “I have to go umm, out for awhile.” he looked at Faith and Buffy, “You two will train after your, ah,” he waved his hand at the Scoob’s. “Your little chat, yes?”

“Yea, G-man,” Faith looked up at him. “Soon as we finish here, we’ll get to it.” Buffy looked up as well and nodded.

“Right,” he turned and headed out into the kitchen. “I’ll see you all later then.” he called over his shoulder. Silence fell over the room, as the back door slammed close. The seconds ticked by as the Scoob’s waited for the slayers to say something. Xander looked from Anya, to Faith and Buffy, before turning to Willow and Tara. Still nobody said anything.

“Arrgh,” he groaned. “I can’t take this. What is so bad, that Giles has to leave?”

Faith and Buffy looked at each other for a moment. “They’re your friends, B,” Faith said quietly. She dipped her head and kissed the blonde gently on the forehead. “It’ll be okay,” she smiled.

Buffy smiled weakly at her girlfriend and nodded. “So,” she started. You guys know we went to L.A. on the weekend right?” Everyone just nodded in response.

“Start at the beginnin’, B,” Faith said quietly. It’ll save a whole lotta questions later.”

“Yeah,” Buffy nodded. “That’s a good idea.” She sighed, and started again. “A week and a half ago, I had a dream about Cordelia, and it scared me. I thought it might be a slayer dream, so I called her.”

“Cordelia?” Willow and Xander shrieked together. Buffy nodded, while Faith, Anya and Tara watched the other three.

“Cordelia?” Xander repeated. “The softer side of Sears, Cordelia?” he asked.

“The one who made our lives a living hell Cordelia?” Willow‘s eyes were wide.

“She can’t have my Xander,” Anya spoke up. “I’ll hurt her if she tries anything!”

Faith snorted out a laugh, “I’m pretty sure that’s not gonna happen, A. Just let B, finish the story. Anya sat back in her chair, glaring at Buffy, while Willow hung on to Tara’s hand.

“Anyways,” Buffy started again. “She was okay and we started to talk. We ended up talking for a couple of hours, and she invited Faith and I to go for a visit.”

Willow’s brow scrunched up in concentration. “Wait a sec, how did she know about Faith?”
Buffy looked at the red head, “I told her we just started dating.”

Willow’s eyes widened further, and Xander gasped. “B-b-reathe, sweetie,” Tara nudged her girlfriend gently. There was an audible hiss as Willow sucked air into her lungs.
“You,” Willow paused for a moment. “You, you, told her?” she finally squeaked out. Anya was just watching Xander’s mouth drop open, then slowly closing before dropping open again.

“Yeah,” Buffy answered. “We talked about her for a bit, then she asked us to visit because she really wanted to meet Faith.”

“She what?” Willow asked again.

“When I was talking to her, I could sense something different about her.” Buffy snuggled a little bit more into Faith. “Something changed since she moved to L.A., and I could feel it.”

“Why the hell would you want to subject anyone you cared about to that?” Xander had finally found his voice. “She’d just chew you up and spit you out, slayer or no.”

Buffy could feel Faith starting to chuckle. “Don’t,” she warned her, with a quick elbow to her ribs.

Faith looked down at the blonde. “B, how can I pass somethin’ like that up?”

“Not right now Faith, maybe later.”

The other four just watched the quick exchange between the two slayers. Anya’s mind started to tick over. ‘Something is going on here. They’re trying to tell us something we may not like.’ she thought. 'And it has to do with that Cordelia girl.’

Faith had noticed the change in Anya’s demeanour, and nudged Buffy. “I think Anya’s startin’ to figger it out. Get a move on.” she whispered.

Buffy quickly glanced at the thoughtful girl and nodded. “Never mind that, Xander,” she replied to him. “That doesn’t matter. She used to be that way, she isn’t anymore.”

“I don’t believe you,” Willow’s cold voice cut into the conversation. “I refuse to believe she’d change.”

Buffy sighed and looked at Faith, “You spent the weekend with her, how did she treat you?”

A warm smile creased Faith’s face, “She was great. We had a lotta laughs, it was a really good time.” The two slayers watched Willow and Xander start to process this information.

“No,” Willow was shaking her head, “She’s setting you up for something. She could never be nice.”

Faith shrugged, “Look Red, I don’t know the Queen C you dealt with. I just know the one I met on the weekend, I like her.” Willow and Xander stared at the dark slayer.
“W-willow,” Tanya was gently tugging at her elbow. “She may have ch-changed. I think they’re asking us to g-give her a ch-chance.”

An astonished Willow’s head snapped around to look at her girlfriend. “They’re what?” her mouth was hanging open. Xander had gone pale.

Faith spoke up, “Blondie’s right Red, we are.” She looked at the four of them for a brief moment. “What B’s tryin’ to tell ya is, things are different. Some things happened to her before we got to L.A. It ain’t our place to tell ya, and she probably won’t either. The main thing is, there’s somethin’ special between the three of us, and it ain’t goin’ away. You’re gonna have to deal with it one way or the other.”

Xander blinked a few times and turned to Anya, “What is she saying?”

Faith spoke again, “It’s no longer the two of us X-man, it’s the three of us. We are together, as in datin’. So we’re askin’ you to accept her.”

Buffy looked up at the dark slayer, “Thank you,” she whispered. Faith blushed a little, “No biggie.”

Anya inhaled, “Oh shit.” The rest of the group turned to look at her; she had paled and started to shake. “Oh shit.” she repeated. Beads of sweat had started to appear on her forehead. She stared wide eyed at the two slayers, “Oh shit.”

Xander put his arms around her and pulled her towards him. “Are you okay, An?” Her eyes didn’t leave the two slayers, as she let herself be pulled into his embrace. “Are you okay?” he repeated. He gently stroked her hair, then placed his hand on her cheek and turned her face to look at him. “Are you okay, Anya?” Her eyes refocused, and she blinked at him. “The Triumvirate,” she said slowly.

“What?” he asked. The rest of the group just watched and listened.

“The Triumvirate,” she said a little louder. She pushed herself away from him a little and looked at the slayers again.

“What the hell are you talkin’ about?” Faith asked.

Anya sighed, and moved a little closer to Xander. “When I was growing up, it was a story my mom used to tell me. About how The Triumvirate would hunt you down and kill you.” Faith had started to smile at her. “No, this is serious. I always thought it was a myth. The stories were used to scare demon children. But as I got older, I found there may be some truth to it.”

“I’ve read all kinds of things on demon folklore,” Willow cut in. “But I’ve never heard of anything called The Triumvirate.”

Anya shook her head, “Most of the books you’ve read are human translations of demon writings. They don’t cover everything. Why write about something a demon considers a myth?”

“Still, I should have seen something?”

Anya shrugged, “Don’t know why, but it’s there.”

“Anya,” Buffy spoke. “Tell us what you know about this Triumvirate.”

“Not much,” she answered. “It’s basically, the Warrior of Darkness,” she pointed at Faith. “The Warrior of Light,” she pointed at Buffy, and the Vision.” She paused and looked around the room, “The three of them combine to destroy all the demons on earth.”
“I’m missin’ somethin’” Faith asked.

Anya sighed, “The story goes that their three spirits merge, and it causes a Demon Apocalypse. When they’re finished, there are no demons left.”

“Fuckin’ A!” Faith was grinning from ear to ear. “When does this happen?”

Anya shrugged, “I don’t know. Remember it’s a myth.”

“Look,” Willow interrupted. “We can research that later, what do you mean you’re ‘dating’ Cordelia?” She had turned back, staring at the two slayers.

“Well,” Buffy started, “It just happened, Willow.” She shrugged and waited for the next question.

“It just happened?” Willows hands were moving around now. “How does, ‘Let’s visit Cordelia’, turn into, “Faith, Buffy, and Cordelia are dating?” She quickly looked around. “I don’t understand. I thought you two were happy. People are supposed to be happy when they’re dating. How can anybody be happy with Cordelia?”

“W-willow,” Tanya quietly spoke to her girlfriend. “G-give them a c-chance to explain.”

Willow looked at Tanya, and a small smile crossed her face. The blond leaned forward and gently brushed her lips across the redheads. “You kn-now they wouldn’t d-do anything to hurt us, just let them talk.” She smiled and kissed Willow again.

The red witch turned to the slayers, “Talk.”

“Thanks Willow,” Buffy smiled at her long time friend. “Remember, I told you that when I looked back at my life, there was someone else that made me feel the way that Faith does?” Willow nodded while the other three looked perplexed. Buffy sighed, “I asked Willow about how she realized she was gay, and what she did. She told me she looked back over her life, to see where it would lead her. When I did that, I found that there were two people who evoked a response out of me. One was Faith, the other,” she looked directly at Willow, “was Cordelia.”

“Buffy!” Xander hissed. He was madly pointing at Faith with a hand he thought was hidden from view.

“Chill, X,” Faith smiled at him. “We already had this conversation, but thanks.”

He pulled his hand back into his lap. “Oh.”

Buffy snuggled a little deeper into Faith, before starting again. “I told Faith I had some issues I had to deal with, and it came out about Cordy. Then I had the dream, I called Cordy, and we ended up in L.A.” She glanced at everyone to see that they were still following. “We met her at Carita’s. It’s a bar that a friend of Angel’s owns.”

“You guy’s know about our connection right?” Faith asked. Everyone nodded, “You know that I can feel when B’s close, and it’s like a buzz when we touch?” They all nodded again.

“We feel the same thing when we touch Cordelia,” Buffy continued. “The first time it scared the hell out of me.”

“You?” Faith interjected. “I saw the look in her eyes when I shook her hand. I thought her eyes were gonna pop outta her head when she shook yours.”

“Uh-huh,” Buffy smiled up at her girlfriend. “But you jumped just as high, the first time the three of us touched.”

“Maybe a little.”

“What are you talking about?” Xander broke in. “Who jumped who?”

“You slept with her?” Willow’s voice rose to a shriek. “Oh goddess, you did,” she said as she slumped back into her chair. The two blushing slayers nodded at her. Xander just stared at the red-faced girls.

Anya had a puzzled look on her face. “How did that work? None of you has a penis?”

“Umm, Anya,” Xander slowly replied. “That’s not really necessary you know?”

“Oh,” she said quietly. Silence fell over the group of friends as they waited for the next comment. “I thought it was like a rule or something. In those movies we watch, there’s always two girls and a guy having sex. So I thought...”

Xander had lunged forward and clapped his hand over Anya’s mouth. “So you two are dating Cordelia now huh? That’s umm, great, yeah, really. I’m uh, looking forward to seeing her again. YOWCH! Anya!” He quickly snatched his hand away from her mouth. “You bit me!” He was watching her wide eyed. “Why did you do that?” The other four in the room were trying to keep from laughing out loud.

“That’s what you get for wanting your old girlfriend back!” she huffed.

“I don’t want her back Anya,” he explained. “I have you, I don’t need anyone else.” He smiled at her as he spoke.

“See that it stays that way,” she said sternly. “I may be an ex-demon, but I still have connections.”

“C’mon B,” Faith started to stir off of the couch. “We gotta go train, and we gotta go home before we patrol.” Buffy sighed and looked up at her dark girlfriend. “Uh-uh,” Faith admonished her. “We gotta train.” She gave the blonde a little shove.

Buffy grumbled and got to her feet, “See you guys later,” she said to the Scoobies. The two girls turned out of the living room as the four replied with a wave.

“Think they’ll get any research done?” Faith asked quietly as they started down to the basement.

Buffy laughed, “Not a chance. They’ll be so busy arguing about Cordelia, they won’t get anything done till next week.”

Faith’s smile slowly faded, “Speakin’ of that,” she looked into Buffy’s eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me your mom said we could invite Queen C for the weekend?”

Buffy blinked rapidly, “Shoot, I forgot! How the hell could I forget?” She paused for a moment and her brow furrowed as she thought. “It must’ve been all the stress of the last few days.” She put her arm around Faith as they walked across the basement floor. “We’ll ask her which weekend is convenient, when we call her tonight, okay?”

Faith nodded, “Works for me.”

Forty-five minutes later, the sweat stained Slayers were standing in the middle of the basement, Faith’s head was tilted to one side, looking at her girlfriend. “What’s the matter, B?” she asked. The blonde gasped a little, “I feel kind of tired today. It must be all the stress again.”

Faith shrugged, “I feel okay.”

“Yeah, well it was a little less stressful for you.”

“Back off B,” Faith answered. “I stood to lose a lot too.”

Buffy reached out and put her hand on the dark slayer’s shoulder, “Sorry, I know it was hard on you. I just need to rest a bit, and then I’ll be fine.”

Faith looked over at the clock, “Let’s call it a day, and head home. You can rest and then we can go patrol when you’re five by five.”

Buffy leaned up and lightly kissed the dark slayer, “Sounds like a plan to me.”