"Linguine alfredo, Caesar salad, and garlic bread."

"Sashimi and sake."

"Cheese toast."

"Meatloaf. With ketchup."

"Hot chicken wings. And potato skins. And dill pickles. And--"

"Ew. No, better dessert."

Faith slung herself down into a seat amidst the unhurt Potentials--Slayers all, now--and asked, "You guys're hungry, huhn?" She met Buffy's eyes over their heads and waggled her eyebrows. "It's a Slayer thing," she said. "After fights..."

"Ahem." Buffy made her way back and sat down opposite her. "You might want to let them explore the post-slayage urges on their own."

"So you admit to the...urges?" Faith asked.

Buffy's "No..." was drowned out by a renewal of the debate.

"Butterscotch ripple ice cream...with fudge sauce."

"And bananas."

"And those itty-bitty marshmallows."

"With cherry pie on the side."

Faith laughed. "No way. You guys've got it all wrong. There's only one thing this celebration calls for."

"Like what?" Kennedy challenged. "Vodka and cigarettes?"

"Better." Faith leaned back, gave a wolfish, hungry grin, and added: "You've never tasted anything like it."

"Better than sundaes?"

Faith just shook her head. "It's hot and gooey and sweet..."

"Better than chocolate?"

"When you just...ease your tongue around it...you might burn yourself trying to get it, but it's worth it." Faith closed her eyes and tipped her head back, allowed a moan to grow in the back of her throat.

Everyone on the bus was listening now.

"Better than sex?" whispered Rona, awed.

Faith shrugged, gave a so-so wave of her hands, let her tongue dart out to wet her lips. "Can be." She opened her eyes, glanced around the circle of eager faces. "If you know how to savour it."

"And I'm guessing you do," Buffy said dryly. "So what is it?"

Faith smiled sweetly at Buffy. "Half-baked cookie dough," she said. "Nothing's better than eating cookies before they're done."

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February 25, 2004