"She's nice."
"Yep."
"No doubt."
"You guys are sure?"
"Absolutely."
"Cute face."
"And those breasts."
"And her ass-, uhm, face."
"You guys must be kiddin'."
"Ooh."
"Oh, God."
"Oh, oh."
"Holy vamps."
"What's she doin' . . . "
"Oh, shit."
"Now that's what I call stretching."
"You bet."
"I can do that too."
"I need dollars. And fast. To say thanks, you know."
"Yeah."
"In her waistband."
"And below."
A joint sigh made Faith roll her eyes as she saw how Red, Brad and Cyclops were watching a striptease gal on stage performing her dirty act. She had to admit that the girl was stunning, but hello who's the hottest chick in the room?
She looked around precisely at the moment when Mr. Loser and Oxford entered the scene. She grinned when she noticed the horrified look on Giles' face, but turned angry as she also witnessed how Robin gave the on-stage girl an appraising look.
"Hey!"
Wood and Giles turned to her. "Hello, Faith," the Brit said as they had come closer.
"You better watch me, Baldy."
Wood chuckled. "Well, apparently your winner for tonight is more interested in her than in his prize."
Faith laughed. "Oooh, poor sweetie, did he hurt your ego?"
"Did we hurt yours?" Wood retorted, slightly amused.
"Nah. Girl is no match to me."
Wood snickered. "Sure."
"Wanna bet?"
Wood rolled his eyes. "Oh, god. What's up with you guys? Think you can also win? What's it this time?"
"You make Xander my Watcher . . ." Faith noticed how his smile slowly disappeared and she allowed him to let the thought sink in. Then she continued, her smirk widening. ". . . Or I'm going to drive everybody's mind crazy by giving them a strip-tease that will burn in their souls forever . . . And not only that."
"You're joking," Wood's complexion had somehow turned ashen-grey.
"Nope."
Wood gave her a challenging smile. "You're out of your mind."
"What? Don't ya think I can do it?"
"Oh, I'm sure of it. It's the first part of the bet that I doubt and don't agree with."
"So, ya wanna see me on stage?" Faith saw him stare in her eyes and she knew that he knew that she would not only be capable of it, but actually be thrilled to do it. There was still that big part of Faith that wanted to go out and play. To give their relationship that bit of fire that it needed. At least that's the way she looked at it.
"And I have nothing to say in this matter?"
"No."
He shook his head. "You really want to be his Slayer that much or is this a way to get back at me . . . for some reason?"
"Both." She grinned at his disbelief. "And of course doing the strip-tease."
Wood looked down for a moment, smirking, before facing her again. "Okay. It's a bet."
Faith smirked back. "Deal."
"Faith," Giles interrupted, "This is rubbish."
"Wait 'till you saw the show, Ripper," the dark girl responded with a smirk before she stood up and walked to the stage. The striptease girl was smiling at Xander as he grinned at her, with dollars in his hand, and Faith pushed him back. "Watch this, boy toy."
"Faith?'"
"My turn, missy."
Xander handed the girl some money accompanied by an apologetic smile. He looked at Faith and then to the bartender. He held up his hand and the bartender nodded. He faced Faith again. "Jealous?"
Faith snorted. "Of her?" she asked, pointing at the striptease girl. Faith leaned forward. "It's a bet with Woody. Either you're my Watcher or I'm gonna bulge your remaining eye out with a cock stiffening performance."
Xander just stared at her before turning to the bartender again and holding up his thumb. He leaned forward to her ear and whispered. "I'll have my dollars ready."
She laughed and Xander walked back to his seat between the two gay girls. She saw and heard Xander say something to both of them and saw how their questioning looks turned into a wicked grin. He grinned back and leaned backwards on his seat while wrapping both his arms around there shoulders.
Wood's face, however, was a lot less pleasant and she couldn't hide a grin as Xander smiled at him. "You know Robin, somehow my desire to become a Watcher has suddenly vanished," she heard the young man say with a wink.
Wood didn't respond and devoted his attention to the stage, his eyes focused on her. She looked away and saw Xander offering the group a drink and then walking to the bar. There he talked to the bartender for a few moments. She has no idea what they were talking about, but the bar tender seemed surprised and after checking something the man nodded to Xander. She shrugged it off and started with her dance.
The show progressed and about fifteen minutes later Faith had drawn everybody's full attention. She was dancing rhythmically to the music, with only her underwear left to hug her sensually-rounded curves.
Wood was sitting with his face in his hands. Smirking, Faith jumped off the stage and with one forward flip she stood in front of him. She tilted his head up, but he refused. She teased him as she let her breasts rub over the man's bald head. He groaned.
"Hey, chick! Let that poor man alone and take a real one!" some guy yelled.
She ignored him as she leaned down and tilted Wood's head up to look into her eyes. "Still want me to continue?" she asked softly.
The black man turned his eyes to Xander and she followed them. The younger man wore a small grin on his face while Willow and Kennedy were enjoying themselves. The two girls were smiling seductively at her. Wood shook his head. "Faith, stop this nonsense."
"Why?"
"Look at him. He's incapable." Faith opened her mouth, but he stopped her as he quickly continued. "I know he has fought for more than seven years. I know he can handle himself. But the question is, can he handle you?"
"Can you handle me?" she asked, her tone serious.
"Faith . . . If he's gonna be a Watcher, he'll get more responsibilities than you alone."
"Hey! Shut up, you two! We want to see the show!" another man yelled, his shout soon supported by others.
"Can you handle a group of girls under you?" the Watcher continued.
"Hey! He's gonna be a Watcher. Not me."
"You're a senior, Faith. His Slayers will look up to you. Can you handle that kind of responsibility?"
"They'll listen to Xander. And he can deal with it."
"You're sure? And you? Will you listen to him?" She nodded. Wood shook his head. "Faith, look at him. He's unstable."
She heard the decisiveness in his tone. "Bullshit." She stepped back and continued her performance. The dark Slayer executed a side flip and stood in front of Xander. He looked at her and she grinned. "Up for a lap dance?" she asked.
"Wait." Xander raised his hand and the bar tender nodded. He grinned at her. "I am now."
The dark Slayer, not interested what his deal with the bartender was, started to make her sensual moves on the beat of the music while Kennedy and Willow drooled.
"Gotta dig woman power," Kennedy muttered in awe.
Faith stopped as suddenly the music changed. She was confused, but a grin from Xander explained it. "Makes me comfy." She raised an eyebrow as she listened to the song.
/ ˜ Early Morning ˜
Early one morning, just as the sun was rising, I hear a young maid sing in the valley below. "Oh, don't deceive me. Oh, never leave me. How could you use a poor maiden so?" /
Wood jerked up and snapped his eyes furiously to Xander, who simply shrugged. Faith stopped her dance as she didn't understand Robin's sudden rage. The ex-demon hunter balled his fists as he stormed towards Xander. Faith was about to intervene, but Xander stopped her by holding up his hand. He looked Wood in the eyes, his one eye stern. "Don't like the music?"
"Spike told you?" the man snarled.
"Is that the issue?"
"Do you think this is funny?"
"Can't handle it?"
The ex-demon hunter narrowed his eyes as they were less than an inch separated from Xander's single one. Robin was clearly more than furious, but Xander remained deadly calm as they stared at each other. Again Faith was stunned. "What do you mean?"
Xander paused for a moment before he moved his head a little closer. "Afraid of losing another precious Slayer?"
After a short moment Wood broke the eye contact, calmed himself down and he looked at Faith. "You want him to be your Watcher? Fine. You're the boss."
Wood was about to walk away, but Xander stopped him as he laid his hand on his shoulder. His voice was calm and gentle as he spoke. "Look how easily I can get to you. What do you think a real demon could do? You have to get over it, Robin. You really have to." Wood turned around and looked at him. Faith noticed that Xander's eye was filled with a mix of understanding and sadness. "This is a dirty business, a very dirty business. Seven years, Robin . . ." He sighed and he paused and for a moment Faith thought that Xander would cry a tear. She was surprised by the way it surprised her. The young man continued, his voice soft. "It's so dirty . . . it's beyond belief. You can never be prepared for it. You can only deal with it."
Robin relaxed visibly and nodded. "I understand."
"I care for Faith too, Robin, but if I have to send her away with a dangerous mission than I will. Even when I'm sure it will destroy her . . . physically or worse, emotionally," Xander said, never raising his voice above the soft tone he was already using, "How about you?"
Faith looked between the two men. She was still uncomfortable with Wood's sudden outburst of anger and frustration and she didn't understand what was precisely going on, but one thing became clear to her. She could see that Robin was way too afraid to lose her. Sighing slightly she rested her eyes on her boyfriend. "I wanna give him a chance, Robin. I-I owe him." She saw how Xander's eye widened for a second as her last words slipped out, subconsciously. She was wondering if this was the reason that she wanted to believe that Xander could be a Watcher. Not only to give him a chance, but also herself.
"Fine," he responded and walked away.
Xander turned to Giles and the Brit nodded. "Tomorrow."
Xander nodded back and he looked at Faith. She was stunned to see how easily he shook all this away as he looked goofily at her, showing her a few dollars. He waved them in front of her, smiling. "I'm still ready . . ."
With her eyes wide the Dark Slayer looked at Kennedy, who's face was reflecting her own surprise, and at Willow who simply smiled. 'The show must go on,' Faith thought and understood. She couldn't help herself than to smile back. "Only if you change that music into something more appropriate."