New Years Eve, 2004

11:54 pm

“Are the both of those for you?”

Faith looked down at the two full champagne glasses in her hands and then up at Giles with a big grin.

“I wish. Who knew that such a small group of people could go through so much champagne? Ten bottles later and if I don’t share at least one of these, I might get mobbed in the hallway.”

“And we can’t have that. Champagne could be spilled; it’d be a bloody waste.”

“Exactly,” Faith said, smiling. “You’re not stayin’ in here, are you?”

“It’s a bit too loud for my tastes out there. I’ll join everyone at midnight.”

“I’ll keep an eye out. But just in case I miss ya?” Faith carefully maneuvered around the kitchen island and leaned up, planting a soft kiss on Giles’ cheek. “Happy New Year, G. Couldn’t have gotten here without ya.”

Giles blushed a little and nodded, a proud smile on his face.

“Same to you, dear. Go, before you miss it.”

Faith offered him one last warm smile and left the kitchen, headed back out to join the others.

11:55 pm

“Is that the last of the champagne?”

Faith looked down at the champagne glasses in her hands and paused, thinking quickly. She could tell the truth and risk having them swept away, or she could tell a little white lie. Seeing as that Dawn wasn’t supposed to be drinking anyhow, she chose the latter.

“Nope, pretty sure Giles is hiding a bottle in there somewhere. Better go ask him before the ol’ lush finishes it off.”

“Ooh, I knew he was holding out on us!”

“Go get’em, Dawnie.”

Dawn moved to run past Faith into the kitchen but quickly turned around a leaned over, giving Faith a quick kiss on the cheek. Her breath was warm and smelled like alcohol and Faith hoped for her sake that she stayed far away from Buffy’s slayer-enhanced smelling.

“Thanks, Faith, I knew you’d come through.”

Then she was gone, stumbling down the hall and into the kitchen while Faith maneuvered with the champagne glasses into the main living room where everyone was partying it up.

11:56 pm

“I hope one of those is for me!”

Faith looked over at a slightly inebriated – or completely drunk – Xander and laughed when she saw he was wearing a lamp shade on his head.

“I think you’ve had enough, buddy.”

“There’s no such thing as too much champagne!”

“Yeah, when you’re prayin’ to the porcelain god in a few hours you’re gonna re-think that.”

“Dawn will take care of me,” he slurred and Faith could see the happy smile on his face from under the bottom of the lamp shade.

And maybe it was a little bit difficult for everyone to understand and accept that he and Dawn were together now, but it just made Faith smile. They made each other happy. What could be wrong with that?

“I’m sure she will. You take it easy, Xan. And keep the midnight kiss PG, for B’s sake. Ya dig?”

At Xander’s nod, she lifted back the rim of the lamp shade just enough to sneak her head under and gave him a quick kiss on his lips. He grinned like a fool which just made her chuckle.

“Hope the New Year is kickass for ya, bud.” With that she put the shade back down and spun around to find herself face to face with Willow.

11:57 pm

“If Dawnie finds out that you were smooching her man there may be bloodshed and ear-drum shattering screams.”

Like the others, Willow was slurring and swaying lightly on her feet. Faith laughed quietly to herself. The gang sure was fun when they took the sticks outta their asses!

“Then we’ll just have to make sure that she doesn’t find out, huh,” Faith whispered as she leaned in like Willow was.

“Yup. And it’ll only cost you two glasses of champagne to keep your little secret.”

Faith leaned in even closer, as Willow had just done, until there was only an inch or two between them. “Not a chance, Red.”

Willow giggled and then grinned before beginning to shout for Dawn.

“Oh Dawnnnnnmphhhhhh.”

Faith’s lips only touched hers for a moment but it was enough to shut Willow right the hell up. Adversely, it made Kennedy – who walked into the room with a glass of water for Willow – shout with surprise.

“Lips off my woman, Lehane!”

“It was just a New Year’s kiss,” Faith said nonchalantly, grinning at Willow’s blush and sudden silence.

“Well, move it along,” Kennedy warned playfully as she put her arm around Willow’s back, “these lips are mine at midnight.”

“Yes ma’am,” Faith mock saluted with the champagne glass in her hand, cursing quietly when a bit dripped down the side and onto her hand. She brought her hand to her mouth and quickly sucked the few drops off. There was no use in wasting perfectly good champagne.

11:58 pm

“Those lips sure are gonna get you into trouble tonight, huh,” came a deep voice from behind her. Faith spun around to see Robin standing there, bottle of beer in hand and a lascivious smile on his face.

“Only the good kind of trouble, I’m hoping,” Faith said, licking the champagne from her lips in as unsexy a way as possible.

Apparently it didn’t work though because Robin’s pupils dilated a little bit more as he stared at her.

“So, I was thinking . . .” he began but Faith quickly cut him off.

“Stop before ya start, Rob. We both know ya ain’t thinking with the right head right now.”

“That was never a problem for you once.”

“Yeah, but that was a long time ago and you know how I feel about repeats.”

“Yeah, I guess I do,” he said somewhat sadly. “Okay, no naughty fun then. I get it. Save me a kiss at midnight though?”

He looked hopeful and Faith hated to rain on his parade, but she had other midnight plans for her lips.

“’fraid not, Rob. Got other plans.”

She started to move away but he stepped along with her, still staring at her.

“Well, I hope you get what you always wanted this New Year.”

Faith looked off to the side and saw blonde hair not too far from her. She couldn’t help but smile.

“I’m hoping so, too.”

He leaned in to give her a quick kiss but she was quicker and managed to turn her head to the side. His lips met her cheek and lingered there for a moment before finally pulling away. Faith looked up at him and offered him an apologetic smile before moving on.

11:59 pm

“Hey Andrew,” she said as she approached Andrew’s side, a big smile on her face.

“Why, hello Faith. I can see that you’re having a good time.”

“The best, my man,” she said as she rested the two glasses of champagne down on the table next to him.

Without warning, she pulled him close, dipped him backwards, and planted a long, closed-mouth kiss right on his protesting lips. Everyone laughed and cheered, except for Andrew who was busy pushing at her shoulders.

A few moments passed and Faith finally stood up straight, pulling Andrew with her. He spluttered and gasped for air as he brought the back of his hand over his lips and wiped, hard.

“What was that for?” he asked loudly.

“This way you can tell all your little buddies down at the comic book store that you got some play on New Years.”

Andrew was about to complain, but then he realized that it was a great idea. He’d be the envy of nerds everywhere!

While he sat and plotted, Faith picked the glasses of champagne back up and moved over to the corner of the room where she’d been previously standing. Buffy was still there, smiling and shaking her head at Faith’s little display.

“You know that he’s gay, right?” Buffy asked as she took the proffered glass of champagne.

“Yeah, but aren’t we all a little?”

Buffy had the common decency to blush and took a small sip of her champagne instead of answering. Faith watched her with a smile on her lips and took a small sip of champagne too.

“Countdown, everyone!” someone shouted. “10, 9, 8, 7 . . .”

“So, if you don’t have any plans in the next ten seconds . . .” Faith began.

“7, 6, 5, 4 . . .”

“. . . was kinda thinking it’d be wrong for us both not to get a New Year’s kiss.”

“3, 2, 1 . . .”

“Faith . . .”

12:00 am

“Happy New Year!” came several shouts from around the room as Buffy turned toward Faith and closed the distance, standing up on her tip-toes so that she could reach Faith’s waiting mouth.

Their lips met chastely at first, but as the sound of their friends and the New Years horns faded to the background, the kiss grew into something more.

Buffy cupped her hand over Faith’s shoulder and Faith slipped an arm around Buffy’s back as their lips slid and nipped playfully. Only when a balloon popped somewhere in the room did they eventually stop, dark eyes meeting green as champagne-scented kisses lingered between them.

“Happy New Year, Faith,” Buffy said breathlessly.

“Think it’s gonna be a good one?”

Buffy smiled and leaned in again, whispering against Faith’s lips, “I know it is.”

~The End~