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PART ONE: 25th December 2003
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Chapter Five: Grand Exits

Buffy came through the swing door in full on grumpy face to be with her friends, who loved her and would make her feel better.

"I blew it with Faith." She announced to the room.

The room carried on laughing at the silly rhyming film.

"I said..."

Xander reached to get another handful of nuts and cut her off. "Yeah, you blew Faith." He sounded bored until he actually registering the words. His tone brightened. "You blew Faith? Just then in the kitchen? Hang on, how is that even possible?" Buffy rolled her eyes at him but he was looking at Willow.

Willow scrunched up her face while she thought about it. "I don't see how you can." Now Buffy rolled her eyes at her other best friend.

"Well if it's just slang for oral sex it's totally possible. I mean when Anya went down on you, she didn't really blow did she?" Kennedy chuckled.

Buffy wondered how anyone could possibly think everything was always about her.

Xander scratched the side of his head again. "Well there was one time, but that wasn't really Ahn's fault and the doctor said there would be no lasting damage, so..." He grinned.

"Can we not talk about our sex lives quite so graphically on Christmas day? I'm sure it counts as sacrilege." Giles piped up tiredly from his armchair. He met Buffy's eyes. "You've had an falling-out with Faith?"

Finally someone with a brain in their head that wasn't addled by mulled wine and too much Figgy Pudding! "Yes."

Giles went back to watching the T.V. "Well, no need to worry, I'm sure it will resolve itself in due course."

Huh?

"Don't let her get to you, Buff. You know what she's like." Willow gave Buffy a sad smile. "I'm sure it's just a crush. She'll get over it. Might be a good idea to not encourage her too much, though."

Huh? "But I don't want her..."

Xander leaned back far enough to look upside down at her. "If you need someone to make her back off, I don't mind paying Kennedy to do it." He looked up at her goofily.

Huh? "No don't do that. Whatever you do, don't do that." Because that would be the frosting on the Christmas cake. Something was definitely awry here. She sat herself on the very edge of the couch ready to explain all now that she had loosely captured their attention. "Please, listen to me for a minute. This isn't what you think. I think I really like Fa..."

Noisy footsteps on the front stairs made everyone's heads swivel that way and Buffy stopped talking.

Faith was coming down fast. She'd changed into tight black jeans and an even tighter bright red halter-neck top. Buffy's breath caught as she admired the other woman. "Hey guys. I'm going out for a while. Don't wait up." She made her way about the living room, picking up her cigerette's and her wallet.

"You're going out like that?" Dawn asked as Buffy's heart sunk to a new level of lowness. "You'll catch your death."

Faith grinned at her. "No I won't. Got my new prezzie to keep me warm." Buffy watched her pick up the leather jacket and slip it on. It really did look great. "I'm gonna wait outside. Cab'll be here in five."

Buffy wanted to say something to stop her, but what was the point? She'd already apparently blown it.

Giles said something instead. "But where are you going Faith? It's Christmas day."

Faith stopped at the door and pulled hair out of the collar of the jacket so it hung freely down her back. "Well I have this tradition see. Every year after dinner me and the fam would go down to this bar on Tremont and drink until we couldn't see straight. Last few years I haven't been able to uphold the tradition, what with being in prison an all. So...I decided this year I had better make up for lost time." She had opened the door now and icy gusts swept in.

Buffy stood up. "So you're going out to get drunk?"

Faith shrugged. "It's tradition. You can't fuck with tradition, B, isn't that what you were saying something about last night?"

"If this is because I'm here," Buffy began bravely, "I'll go upstairs. I don't mind, I'm not in the merry mood anyway."

"It's not. I just feel all cooped up. I wanna stretch my legs a bit." She was halfway out the door as she added. "Dinner was great though, Buff. Best I ever had." The door shut solidly behind her.