No, I'm good with oblique titles -- my long-ass fic set between S5 and S6 is titled "Graveyard Shift," and there's nary a graveyard to be seen.

I'm just in brain-lock on this one.

I like, Steph, but I'm having a hard time buying Buffy allowing Faith in without checking for signs of vamping first. YBMV.

I thought about that, and I chalked it up to being way more concerned about the FE. That IS a good point, and it's a weak point that I just waved my hand at because I wrote it because I love the last image.

I had my own issue with her not twigging on the "Can I Come In?" bit, but after all, Faith has no reason to assume she'd be welcome there. So for the sake of the dramatic flow, I think Buffy - who also tends to bend over way too far to accommodate anyone about whom she even thinks she's unjustly nourished a Bad Thought - would welcome her in.

I had my own issue with her not twigging on the "Can I Come In?" bit, but after all, Faith has no reason to assume she'd be welcome there.

Again, I knew that might be a glaring "Hello! Vampire!" point, and that's obvious by the end. But I was hoping that Faith would seem like someone who knew she wasn't welcome, and therefore ask if she could come in.

It might almost work better if she gives her explanation to Dawn, and Dawn lets her in.

Hmmmm...but then I lose the Scoobs running up, and Xander's wonderful bit waving the book.

Well - you can always keep both, and punch up how preoccupied Buffy is beforehand., if it's worrying you.

Yes -- will have to ruminate on that a bit.

See, the thing is, no matter how preoccupied she is, it's like Anya and never saying "I wish" to a stranger. There are things you do not do, and one of them is let people who you know have died into the house if they ask.

But Buffy doesn't know that Faith died -- I mean, yeah, Rona was called as the next Slayer, but then Faith turns up on the doorstep. And everyone is clearly confused, not putting 2 and 2 together, not even for the (untrue) explanation that Faith died and was brought back.