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Mirror	By : norwalker Category: -Buffy the Vampire Slayer > FemmeSlash - Female/Female > Buffy/Faith Views: 8848 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Mirror

By Norwalker

Part 8

Summary: What if Buffy lost one of her fights, and a vampire with a wicked sense of humor changed things forever? No specific pairings, though The Chosen Two play a significant role in the story, as does Willow.

Disclaimer: The characters created by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Fox are their sole property. Original characters and the story are mine. The author is not making any money on this story, just writing it due to insanity. Heh.

Lyrics to " One way or Another" © Deborah Harry and Nigel Douglas Harrison

" Passion, I see, is catching"

Wm. Shakespeare

1

The early A.M. hours in the Sunnydale morning.

Buffy Summers rushes through the darkness, knowing she has to be somewhere soon. Soon, or she'll miss again like last night. She can't miss, it's important, precious to her.

Damn, I've got to get in control. I'm letting these go way too long…

Buffy comes to the door, and quietly opens it. She peers in, and breaths a sigh of relief when she realizes all is quiet. Taking off her heels, she sneaks in, softly closing the door behind her.

Walking up the stairs, avoiding the steps with squeaks, she makes her way into the hallway. She silently walks to her room, and lets herself in.

Flipping on the light, she quickly removes her clothing, almost tearing it off her body. Dumping it in the corner, throwing on a robe, she walks back and turns off the light. She lets herself into the hallway, and quietly goes next door.

She carefully opens the door, being sure not to startle the sleeper within. She looks and sighs, very softly. She made it.

As she has for every night that Faith has been with them, Buffy stands quietly, watching her sleep. The moonlight shines brightly through the bedroom window, and she can see Faith clearly in her bed. She almost gasps.

Faith has had a restless night, and has kicked the covers off her bed. She lays, exposed and very naked, on the bed.

Buffy feels a warm tickle down low. She is enchanted; this is the first time she's seen Faith nude, and she's even more gorgeous than she imagined.

She's a goddess, Buffy thinks to herself, my goddess! She's so… so… I don't know a word for it, but she's it. Buffy feels herself sinking to her knees, As if she needs to pay homage to Faith's beauty. My love, my darling, if only I could show you how much I adore you. And I will, my sweetness. I'll give you the world, anything … anything you want, I'll get it for you.

Buffy feels as if every nerve, every cell of her body is on fire. It takes all her will not to crawl into bed next to her, hold her, love her the way she , and only she, could love her. Her breath is gone, she can't breath in the presence of her goddess. She carefully pulls herself to her feet, realizing she feels week and woozy.

She knows she should leave. Her brain screams at her to leave. She'll catch you, she'll hate you. Leave. But like a moth to the flame, she feels herself pulled forward. I won't touch her, I just have to see her. Buffy moves closer, seeing Faith's skin glow white in the moonlight. So beautiful, my moon goddess. Buffy feels dizzy, as if the blood to her brain is flowing south. She realizes she's very wet between her thighs, and a blush comes to her neck. Oh god, if she smells me…

Then she smells her, and hears her soft moans. Buffy realizes Faith is in the throws of a very, very nice dream. Her body jerks around, and Buffy, afraid she'll waken, backs away. But the scent of her arousal, her love perfume, lingers in Buffy's nostrils. She feels her body respond, tingles becoming fire inside her. Her tingles below become twitches, and as she watches Faith in the throws of her dream, Buffy gently touches herself. I shouldn't, I can't! This is bad, so bad. But like the moth, she can't move too far away from the light. Her finger moves in lazy circles, seeming to have a mind of its own, as she watches.

Faith is having a wonderful dream. Her eyes are closed, but she can feel the sun on them and her skin. She can feel the rough scratch of a wool blanket under her back, and can smell flowers and grass. She realizes she's in a field somewhere. When the wind caresses her body, she also realizes she is naked. Her eyes open languorously, and she feels an incredible sense of peace.

A shadow falls over her, and she looks up. Buffy is standing over her, and she , like faith, is nude. Oh no, not this dream again. Faith starts to get up, but Buffy straddles her, gently pushing her back on the blanket.

" Shhh, " Buffy puts her fingers to her lips. " Keep it down, they'll hear you"

Buffy slides her body along Faith's , so Faith can feel the warm smoothness of her flesh next to hers. Buffy's face is just above hers, and her lips tickle Faith's . " I love you, " Buffy whispers softly, before her lips touch Faith's.

The kiss is warm and soft, and Faith's eyes close. Her mouth opens, and Buffy's tongue slides in, caressing her tongue and palette. Faith sucks on her tongue, loving the sweetness of the taste. She feels Buffy's moving against her, a sweet soft friction that lights a warm glow in her sweet down low.

Her eyes open and she realizes she's no longer in a field , but in a room somewhere on a soft bed with clean, sweet smelling sheets. Buffy looks into her eyes, and Faith feels as if she's swimming in them, drowning in Buffy's golden hazel eyes.

" Buffy," Faith whispers, her heart beating softly in her chest. She can feel the answering tattoo from Buffy's, as she is pressed tightly to her. Faith circles Buffy with her arms, feeling her hands wander over the soft warm skin and gentle, sweet curves.

" Kiss me," Buffy says to Faith with her eyes, and their lips meet, fire to fire. Buffy's hair, soft and full feels like a cloud on Faith's cheeks and shoulders. Their tongues play, dancing into each other's mouth. She feels the glow start to burn as she feels Buffy's down covered sex touch hers, and Faith knows that this is so incredibly wrong, and so wonderfully right.

Then Buffy slides down her, her lips kissing and caressing her skin, and Faith feels soft tingles in all her nerves. When Buffy's wet and warms lips touch her nipples, Faith feels rivers of tiny fires flow through her, rushing to her natural delta. Her whimpers become moans as she holds Buffy's head to her breast.

Buffy slides lower, her soft hair tickling Faith like a thousand tiny fingers. Faith can't catch her breath, Buffy's tongue and lips are setting her on fire. Faith is in heaven, if heaven can ever be this sweet.

When Buffy's soft tongue touches her intimately for the first time, Faith is filled with bolts of pleasure. Her head lolls to the side as her hips open to receive her lover. Her eyes close, and then open, and kneeling beside her is Willow.

Willow is naked except for the collar around her neck, the cuffs on her wrists, and the belt restraint around her waist. Intricate gold chains connect the three, and Faith suddenly realizes she has a chain in her hand. Willow's lips look wet and warm, and her eyes are gazing at Faith adoringly.

" What are you doing here, Willow?" Faith whispers hoarsely, Buffy's ministrations pushing her closer.

" I'm you're pet, Faith. Buffy gave me to you." Willow says, and she leans over, kissing Faith's lips.

Their tongues play as she feels the fire in her tummy rage like a forest fire. Willow's hands are on Faith, caressing her softly. Faith is too gone to question, only accepting what is.

As Faith feels the waves of intense pleasure crash over her, Willow ceases her caresses and looks into her eyes.

" Be careful, Faith, she's not what she seems, " Willow whispers the warning.

Faith, drugged with her pleasure and release, looks down beyond Willow. She sees Buffy lift her head, and smile at her…

Her face changes, and she becomes a vampire. She opens her mouth, her fangs glittering in the dim light, and she sinks them into her thigh

The pain is incredible. She looks to Willow, but she too has vamped out, and sinks her fangs into Faith's neck

Faith screams, but her screams have no voice….

Buffy, softly moaning, eyes closed, is startled back to reality when Faith starts screaming. Rushing to her, she sinks to her knees. She begins to shake Faith.

" Faith, wake up, honey. You're dreaming. It's just a dream. Wake up"

Faith eyes fly open, and seeing Buffy next to her, scrambles away from her. Realizing she's naked, she pulls the sheet up to cover herself. She's still caught in the web of her dream.

Buffy feels ice in her stomach, shooting little shards to her heart. She stands up. Her expression changes from warm concern to cold indifference.

" Is everything ok in there?" Joyce calls from her own room, wakened by Faith's screams.

" Yeah, mom, " Buffy calls back, her tone flat," Faith's just having a dream. Go back to sleep."

" You ok, Faith?" Joyce calls out.

" Yeah, I'm fine, " Faith, finding her voice, calls back.

"Ok, goodnight, girls."

" Buffy, what're you doing here?" Faith hisses. She's still weirded out by her dream.

" I was in the hall, and heard you scream. I came in to check." Buffy says through tight lips. Stop looking at me that way!

" Oh."

" I'll go now, " Buffy says, her tone like ice.

" I'm sorry I freaked, just you scared me a little."

Faith realizes how aroused she is, and how close Buffy is. And how sexy she looks in that robe.

" Yeah, I seem to have that affect on you a lot, " Buffy says, turning away. She starts for the door. Her hands are shaking.

" Buffy, wait, " Faith says, sitting up, the sheet dropping away. " About last night…". Don't go. Please, don't go.

She realizes she wants to continue it, now. Even with the scary ending, she still feels the incredible warm feelings the dream wakened in her.

"Forget it, Faith. Just forget it." Buffy says. I wish I could.

Buffy slips through the door before Faith can say anything else.

Faith sits blinking, confused.

2

Buffy sits on the edge of her bed, back to the window. The room is dark, the only light from the moon.

She doesn't want to go to her special place. Not tonight. She feels drained, and the thousand eyes of her goddess, staring down at her, would only be daggers in her heart.

Like her two eyes had put there earlier.

She has Faith's Claddah ring in her hand, and is turning it over and over in her fingers. It feels so cold, like ice, to her. She stares at it, her mind a thousand miles away.

I saw what I saw, Buffy chuckles bitterly to herself, I disgust her. I revolt her. My sweetness, my love hates me!

She stands up, and walks to her vanity, staring into the glass. The reflection staring back at her disgusts her. Ugly, ugly, ugly. You're so ugly. You're a freak, a monster. UGLY! She turns away, feeling sick. Her heart feels sick. She feels empty.

She stares out the window at the moon, and hears laughter. Her goddess laughs at her, teases her, and taunts her. She scorns her and rejects her.

She clutches the Claddah ring in the palm of her hand, and feels it burn her. The heat poisons her, makes her weak.

She stumbles to her bed, her legs barely holding her up. She falls back, and feels the cold sheets comfort her. She feels the tears burn in her eyes, fall on her cheeks, and her breath sobs out of her. She is alone, and miserable.

Her goddess has looked upon her.

She has judged her.

And found her unworthy.

3

Buffy sits at the dining room table, looking at plate of food in front of her. Her stomach churns, but she knows she has to eat something.

She's due at Giles later for a training session. Tonight is her first night back on patrol, and they want to get some quality training time in. Or she did, until now. Now she doesn't really give a damn.

She swirls the food around with her fork, trying to make herself eat. It still looks awful. But she has to eat.

Sighing, she stabs a bit of scrambled egg on the end of her fork, raising it towards her mouth. She stops half-way, staring at the egg on the tines.

" I don't think you have to slay it, honey. It's already cooked, " Joyce says, startling her.

" Huh? Oh sorry mom. Guess I'm just not all that hungry." She lowers the fork to her plate.

" Can I make you something else? "

" No, mom, this is fine, " Buffy looks up at her. " Don't worry, I'll eat." She picks up the fork, and puts the egg in her mouth, chewing noisily. "Mmmm… good." She smiles. It tastes like ashes to her.

" I just want you to eat something. You're so thin, baby. I'm tempted to use you to clean under the doors."

Despite herself, Buffy snorts. " God mom, I'm not like anorexic or nothing."

Buffy's back to swirling her food around on her plate.

" Ok honey, what is it? What's bothering you?"

" Nothin."

" Yeah, I could tell by that bite of food you almost gagged swallowing. Is my cooking that bad?"

"No, mom. I guess… I'm just nervy about patrolling again. You know? Don't want to mess it up. I've messed up so much …"

" Honey, everybody knows it wasn't you. Not the real you. It was just some monster wearing your face…"

" Ok, mom, that's kinda gross."

" You know what I mean. You aren't responsible for what that thing did…"

"But I feel responsible, mom. These memories… don't say " the bad thing did this, or that…" it just says. " you did this or that." It was me, whether I was driving or not…"

" Buffy, you're being too had on yourself."

" Am I? Because mom, I also have memories of actually doing it, feeling what I felt, and feeling the blood going down my throat, and enjoying it. No, relishing it. Celebrating it."

" Honey… "

" Mom, I'm not crazy, and … I can't ever make it right. But I've got to do something…and I don't want to make it worse by getting someone else killed…" She puts her head in her hands. " Don't think I could.. . damn". She starts to cry.

Joyce comes around, and hugs her. " Buffy, it's ok. You'll do fine. I know it."

Buffy looks up, smiling through her tears. " I wish I could believe that. I do." She sniffles, and uses her napkin to wipe her face.

Joyce just holds her, to reassure her.

" Hey guys, … whoa, did I miss a Kodak moment here?" Faith walks in from the doorway, sweating from her run.

Joyce feels Buffy stiffen in her arms.

Joyce looks at her, and lets go of her. Her face has changed to a cold hard mask.

" Thanks mom, but I gotta motor. Gotta get to The Magic Box so I can do some working out before we go patrolling for the nests."

Faith also sees the change, and groans inwardly. She was hoping that what happened last night, whatever it was, would be better by this morning. She sees it's worse.

" Hey, Buff, " Faith says softly.

" Thanks for breakfast mom, " Buffy kisses Joyce on the cheek. She ignores Faith as if she isn't there." See you later this afternoon…or evening, whichever…"

" Buffy, aren't you going to say hi to Faith?" Joyce asks her, feeling the tension.

" Oh. Yeah. Hello, Faith, " Buffy says, her tone flat.

" Buffy, " Faith replies, tone flat, taking her cue from Buffy.

" Here, " Buffy says, digging in her jeans, pulling out the Claddah ring " I think this is yours" She throws it at Faith.

Faith catches it, and looks in her palm. She looks up at Buffy.

" My ring? You had my ring?"

" Yeah, so?"

" You took my ring?"

" No, I found your ring."

" Right. In my jewelry box, in my bedroom. Thanks bunches, B. Nice to know that my stuff is safe around her." Faith's face clouds over.

" I didn't like steal your stupid ring, Faith. I found it, I told you."

" That's funny. Cuz I haven't worn this ring since I hit Sunnydale. So I don't think it slipped off my finger. It was in my jewelry box…so how'd you just 'find' it? Unless you were going through my things?"

" Buffy? Were you in Faith's room?"

" Oh god, not you too, Mom. Geeze, just feeling the love in this house." Buffy looks at both of them. " know what? Don't care if you believe me, both of you. " She turns and walks towards the front door.

" No way, hold up, Buffy," Faith strides after her, grabbing her shoulder. " You're not leaving til I know why you took my ring!"

Buffy turns on her, and gives her a look of pure rage so fierce, Faith backs off.

" Don't you ever, ever touch me like that again. If you want to keep that hand, that is." She spits at her.

Turning, she goes through the front door, and slams it after.

Faith, puzzled and somewhat taken aback, wanders over to the dining room.

Joyce looks at her, and waves to the chair next to her.

"Sit down, Faith. Please?"

Faith, feeling a little stunned, complies. She looks at the ring on her finger.

" Faith, honey, I'm not saying your wrong, but I know Buffy pretty well. She doesn't take stuff. Are you sure the ring was in your jewelry box?"

" Yeah. Well, pretty sure. Damn, now I'm not so sure, " Faith looks at the front door. "She looked like she wanted to kill me. I mean, literally."

Joyce looks at Faith's finger. " Is that the ring?"

" Yeah…" Faith seems distracted.

" Can I see it?"

" Huh?" She turns to Joyce, " sure." She takes it off and hands it to her.

" Oh. Oh dear."

Joyce hands the ring back to Faith.

" Faith, come with me, please."

" Huh? Why?"

" Just come, ok?"

Faith, puzzled, follows her upstairs to Buffy's room.

" Whoa, should we be going in there?" Faith asks, stopping at the door.

" My house, Faith. I have snooping privileges."

" Joyce, you mean you snoop?" Faith gets a little blush. " I'm hoping you haven't been looking through my drawers?"

" No, dear. You're safe, I only snoop through Buffy's room. I mean, how'm I going to know anything that's going on if I don't?"

Faith doesn't really have an answer for that one.

" Well.. uh… don't think I want to come in, if that's ok, " Faith says, still feeling some weirdness from last night.

" Don't be silly, Faith. I need to show you something."

" That's ok, I can wait here, thanks."

"Faith, dear, you were in here last night.

Yeah, and that turned out so well.

" So was Buffy," Faith answers, " kinda feel like I'm invading her space, you know?"

Joyce sighs. " Just come in, Faith, please? It's kind of important."

" Ok, ok…" Faith goes in, feeling all those vibes from last night hitting her again.

Joyce goes over to Buffy's jewelry tree, and looks. She frowns, then opens her jewelry box. She digs around a little, and pulls something out.

The exact duplicate of Faith's ring.

" Huh?" She looks on her finger, then at the ring Joyce is holding, then back.

" Buffy's had this for years. Angel gave it to her. And you’re in Dawn's old room. I loved Dawn, but she had a habit of ' borrowing' Buffy's things, especially jewelry. I think Buffy saw this on your floor, figured Dawn had taken it, and pocketed it. Then, when she went to put it away found her own…"

" And was embarrassed to give it back. " Faith sits on the bed. " Damn."

Joyce returns Buffy's ring to her box. She turns back to Faith.

" Faith? What's going on?"

" Going on?"

" Between you and Buffy. Did you have a fight? I've been in warmer meat lockers than the dining room was this morning."

" Maybe you should talk to Buffy about it?" Faith tries to wriggle out of having to say anything.

" My daughter? The I don't tell my mother anything Buffy? That one?"

Faith winces. Ok, not getting out of this clean.

" Well…not a fight exactly, Mrs. … er… Joyce. Just… it's really something I can't talk about, you know?"

" Great. I have two clamshells living under the roof, and both seem to be angry with the other. How did I get so lucky?"

" I'm sorry, Joyce. It's just something happened, and there were misunderstandings and well, it's kind of personal, you know?"

Joyce thinks about it a minute, remembering the scene she walked in on last night, and how both girls looked embarrassed and flustered and somewhat flushed, and little blocks started falling in place.

" Oh. OH!" She looks at Faith, quizzically. " Oh?"

" Mrs. … Joyce, I think I need to catch up to Buffy. Apologize, you know?" Faith is making a break for the door.

" Faith? Do we need to have a little chat?"

" Uhhh… " Faith is at the door, " not really… nothing happened…"

Before Joyce can say anything more, she's disappeared out the door.

Joyce stands puzzled a moment, then starts to follow. By the time she hits the hallway, however, she hears the front door slam. She stands there, thinking about last night. Her face grows more confused.

" I don't think I understand, " She says to herself as she head for the stairs.

" I don't think I want to, either."

4

Faith strides quickly toward the Magic Box, caught in a web of confusion and conflict.

I blew it. I really blew it! You'd think I'd remember what being made the bad guy for nothing was like. But what do I do? I go and accuse her of stealing my ring without even being sure. Good one, Faith. Dumbass much? Why didn't she fight back? Why'd she just run away? Buffy … the Buffy I knew… wouldn't just cave. Not on something important. What's that about?

Faith shakes her head. It's all too much for her. She doesn't need this crap. Never mind being in Buffy's room brought back all that stuff from last night. Now, on top of being pissed off, then contrite because she jumped to conclusions, she feels horny all over again. Dammit!

Last night… she just can't get that image of Buffy from last night out of her mind. It's like it's burned in her brain. Who the hell was that? Not shy little Buffy. Buffy who bats her eyes and is all kitten like and Ms. Sweet and innocent around guys. God. Faith wasn't used to that. Faith was very much used to being in the saddle, in the driver's seat, whatever, but being in control. Making things happen. Making guys want her. Want. Take. Have. Get what she wants, and get out. In short, being on top.

But last night, she wasn't in control. She wasn't driving. Buffy was. From the second she entered that room, Buffy was pulling the strings and weaving the net. Buffy had the reigns, was circling her like a shark, she was…playing her, making her feel more and more like the little bird circled by the cobra's coils. She pushed her buttons, and pushed her on the bed, and climbed on top. Buffy was on top.

And I liked it. I liked being the one pursued, hunted and caught. God, I never thought I'd want to be on bottom… but damn, she made me want to be there. What the hell did she do to me?

It had scared her. She'd never run into such raw aggression before. Not if she wasn't doing it. She wasn't used to going with the flow. Hell, she MADE the flow. And now someone else, the LAST person in the world she expected it from, threw a Tsunami and her, and she panicked.

Bad.

And now she wanted to drown in that wave again, and had zero clues how to get back there. And wanting to get back there?

Scary. Major scary.

And so fucking hot!

5

Rupert Giles is going over his accounts book when the little bell over the door rang.

He looks and smiles when he sees Faith stride over to the counter. He closes the book and moves towards her.

" Well, good morning Faith. How can I help you? Love spell? Witching potion? Maybe I can turn you into a toad?"

Faith gives him an odd look then chuckles.

" Funny. Gee, that's what now? Two jokes since I've been back? Not sure I can handle Funny Giles." Faith cracks.

" Ah, yes. My wit. So under appreciated," Giles says dryly. " So, what can I do for you?"

"Actually, was looking for Buffy. She here?" Faith looks towards the back room.

" Oh, yes, Buffy," Giles looks pained. " Yes, she's in the back room. Training, she said."

" She said?"

" Well, she went back there. And there was noise, quite a lot of it, actually. I'm not sure it was all about training, however. She seemed somewhat upset," Giles looks at Faith. " Know anything that might have upset her?"

Faith blushes slightly. " Well, we might have had a little disagreement…"

" Yes, I see. You might not want to go back there until she's cooled off"

There's a crash from the other room.

" I would say, that hasn't happened quite yet."

Faith looks at the back curtain, hesitating. " No, I got to go back, and fix this. Anyway, what can she do to me? She's just a girl now…"

" Ummm… well, I don't know about that. I went back when the noise started. She's a lot stronger than she looks, Faith. The room is… well, I'll let you see for yourself."

" Really?" Faith arches a brow. " Maybe that's what she needs. A little fire in the belly."

" Pardon?"

" Well, we've all been treating her like this delicate flower, and god if she hasn't been wilting right along with. Maybe getting her pissed isn't such a bad thing."

" I see. Exactly what got her… pissed, as you put it?"

" I sorta … well, accused her of taking something of mine, and ummm… well, we kinda had words, and she stormed out. Then I found out maybe it didn't exactly happen that way…"

" What exactly do you think she took?"

Faith holds up her hand, showing the ring.

" I see… and she admitted taking it?"

" Actually, she said she found it. But I swear I had it in my jewelry box …"

Giles looks at her calmly.

" Ok, ok, maybe not. I remember taking it off when I got to Sunnydale, because I didn't want to lose it. But I thought I put it in the box. Maybe I checked on it when I moved into Joyce's , and I forgot to put it back…"

" So she might have found it, like she said?"

" Maybe, " Faith says in a low voice.

" Can I see that again?"

Giles looks at it. " Yes, a Claddah ring. I think Angel gave Buffy one of those for her 17^th birthday… oh, and that was just before they… hmmm… and then he changed back into Angelus, and … I don't recall her wearing that much, of late."

" Joyce showed me hers. I didn't know Angel gave it to her…" She frowns. " He gave me this. It's a friendship ring, he said."

" Depends on how it's worn. Crown towards the wearer indicated fidelity and friendship. Heart side indicates the wearer belongs to somebody. Usually the giver."

She looks at her hand, and blanches. She's wearing it heart side in.

" Oh god, " She quickly takes it off and reverses it. " Wish he'd told me that." Faith sighs. " Oh, man, I didn't know Angel had given her one. She probably thought it was hers…at least, that's what Joyce thinks… and it brought up some bad memories… I'm sure… and when I accused her of stealing it… oh, crap."

There are a few more crashes from the back room.

" I better fix this." Faith doesn't look happy.

" Maybe you should wait awhile?"

" No… might not be a good idea for her to be this upset when we go out. Don't think she's going to get over it by…" CRASH"… working it out."

Giles sighs. " Just be careful, Faith. There are some throwing weapons back there."

Faith winces a little. She pulls back the curtain, and exits.

6

The backroom was a mess.

Various weapons had been pulled off the wall, lying now in heaps on the floor. The staking dummy had half a dozen stakes in it, and was laying on the floor, it's back support at a weird angle. The knife target actually had a few knifes in it. Most however, were sticking out of the wall around it. The vaulting horse was overturned, laying in the center of the floor.

Buffy herself was by the punching bag, pummeling it and kicking it. She was red faced and panting, but kept it up.

Faith lets out a whistle.

" Whirlwind Buffy has landed." She shakes her head.

Buffy looks up, stares at Faith briefly, and then goes back to punching the bag. Her punches become harder, more focused. She ignores Faith, kicking and punching the large bag.

" Hey, Buffy. Think we can talk?"

Bam, bam, bam.

" No"

Bam, bam, bam.

" We really have to talk about this morning, Buff." Faith walks over to her, carefully skirting the downed equipment.

Bam, bam, bam.

" No, we really don't. Oh? Wait! Did something else go missing? Gee, Faith, sorry, I was here hitting things. Sorry, have to look somewhere else for the klepto."

Bam, bam, bam.

" Look, Buffy, I'm sorry. I might've got it wrong, ok? Ok, I got it wrong. You're mom showed me your ring…"

" What?" Buffy stops hitting the bag. " you were in my room? Oh, that's good. You make a deal about me being in your room, but it's just ok for you to go in mine." She hits the bag. " Well, who cares, anyway? It's just crazy girls room, right?" Bam. BAM BAM!

Faith grabs the bag, stopping it from moving. Buffy keeps hitting it.

" Buffy, stop and talk to me!"

" Screw you, Faith"

BAM.BAM. BAM,BAM.BAM!

Faith comes around, grabbing her wrists. Buffy struggles, but can't free herself.

" Let me go!" Buffy yanks at her arms, trying to get away.

" No, we need to talk. Talk to me."

"DAMNIT LET ME GO!" Buffy brings her knee up, hitting Faith right above the groin. Faith lets go, falling back.

" Damn," Faith groans, holding herself. "That's some quality rage you got going there, B. Shit!"

" Rage? You want RAGE?" Buffy loses it, starting in on her.

She punches and kicks Faith, forcing her back and away. Faith starts to block her, but doesn't really fight back. She just keeps Buffy from landing too many

" FIGHT ME , DAMNIT, HIT BACK, HIT BACK" Buffy screams at her, her fists pummeling Faith's arms. " QUIT ACTING LIKE YOU'RE BETTER THAN ME!!!! YOU'RE NOT BETTER THAN ME!!! STOP TREATING ME LIKE THIS!!!!"

Buffy brings her feet into it, kicking at Faith's hips and legs. Faith tries to block them, and Buffy, seeing an opening, brings her fists hard on Faith's ears, boxing them.

"GODDAMMIT!" Faith yells. Without thinking, she backslaps Buffy full strength, knocking her halfway across the room. Buffy hits the floor, and slides, finally stopped by the overturned vaulting horse. She sits there, red faced, pounding her fists on the tumbling mat.

Faith goes over to her, standing over her. She offers her a hand.

"Are you ok? I'm sorry, but fuck you hit me hard on the ears. That really hurt… "

" Just go away," Buffy says, flatly. " Can't you just leave me alone?"

" Buffy, we have to talk…"

"About what, Faith?" Buffy sounds hopeless. "You were right. It wouldn't work. So, lets just stick to the plan. I'll show you the nests, we'll clean them out, and then I don't want to see you anymore. Or any of you. I think I'll just go away. I'm tired of being a freak . Everybody's joke." She waves her away, pulling herself up.

" Buffy, c'mon. Don't be that way."

" What way, Faith? What am I doing wrong now?"

" Not wrong, just acting all hurt…"

" WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO FEEL, FAITH?" Buffy screams at her. " WHAT?" She grips her fists, trying to regain control. " You accuse me of being a thief, and you treat me like a fucking WHORE! HOW THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO FEEL?"

Faith stares at her. What the hell is she talking about?

" God, I was only goofing on you, Faith. I just wanted to see how'd you react to how I was dressed. God, I didn't realize it'd affect you like that. And then, I got turned on. Because you didn't look at me like a piece of poop the dog left on the rug, but like a girl. A real girl, something desirable and wantable. God I needed that so fucking badly. So I came on to you, ok. Maybe , no… really bad idea. But I did it. And holy shit, if you weren't getting hot. And DON'T TELL ME YOU WEREN'T!…"

" I was, " Faith shrugs.

" OK, " Buffy says, a little fire taken out by the admission. " And I really got horny, and hey, sue me, I'm human, ok? So I wanted you. Is that so fucking bad? And despite your acting all jittery, I knew you wanted me too. And hey, that felt REALLY good. And then I wanted to make YOU feel really good, so I jumped your bones. Or tried, until my mom shows up. But you were sure not fighting it too much, I don't think. But shoot, mom shows up, and you're outta there. I've never seen someone run away so fast. You couldn't WAIT to get away from me. Wanna know how that felt? Do you?"

Faith does answer.

Buffy slaps her, hard.

"GEEZE, B!" Faith rubs her face.

" Like that. it felt just like that. you couldn't have hurt me more. But do you give a crap? Shit now. God, I throw myself at you, I practically beg you to come back, and you can't …. GOD, Why am I EVEN TALKING TO YOU?"

She turns around and starts walking away.

Faith runs after her, grabbing her in a bear hug. Buffy struggles to get away.

" No, B. Don't walk away. Talk to me, please."

"Why, what's the point? You're repulsed by me, why talk? I get it!"

" God, no way I'm … that kiss, the one at the door? Shit I thought I was gonna cum in my pants that was so hot!"

Buffy starts to tingle. Cum in her.. oh …

" Really?" She almost whispers, and stops struggling.

" Oh god, yeah. That …my god I thought…"

Then Buffy stiffens. " Oh yeah, it was hot. So hot that the next time you saw me, you tried to break through a wall getting away from me!" She starts struggling again.

" Buffy stop struggling, I'm not letting you go, so just stop it!"

Buffy slumps, defeated. But having Faith's arms around her, really getting those low down tickles going.

" Buffy, I'd just had a bad dream, and I was still freaked."

" Don't lie to me, Faith. I saw you recognize me, you knew it was me, but you still kept trying to get away.´ And covering that body of yours, I saw that!

" You were in the dream, Buffy."

" Oh, nice. I'm your nightmare now. Thanks, Faith, I feel so much better now!"

" SHUT UP AND LISTEN, B!" Faith yells at her. Then her voice drops. " You were the good part of the dream…"

" Good part?" Buffy asks. Good part?

" I was lying naked in a field somewhere…"

Oh, man. Tingle moment!

"… and then you showed up, surprisingly, also naked…"

Tingle, tingle, and oooh… tingle…

" … and B? You're really hot naked. At least in my head you are…"

I'm hot? She thinks I'm hot! Oh … another big tingle!

"… and then you straddle me, and give me another one of those cum in my pants kisses…."

Keep this up, and it'll be me … oh shit!

"… and then, were not in the field, but in this big comfy bed and you're… oh… ok, really don't want to think too much about that unless I start… well, you're doing these really wonderful things to me…"

Heh, heh, heh. I'm so bad, yeah!

" … and then Willow appears…"

Huh?

" Huh?"

" I dunno. She appeared next to me, dressed up in this kinky slave costume and she said I was her pet, and you gave her to me."

How the heck did that …

" Well, was it like hot?" Buffy asks, sounding perturbed.

" Uhhh… don't really know… well, yeah, because while you were like doing me down there, she started kissing me and fondling my boobs."

Ok, that could be major hot. Damn! Buffy feels herself getting damp.

" But … I was so far gone, I didn't really think anything about it… and then ok you made me way gone!"

Hee, hee, hee

"And now the weird part started happening. Willow stopped kissing me, and she said something… what was it? … something like " Beware, she's not what she seems to be…" or something like that, and I look down at you and fuck you turn into a vampire… and she turns into a vampire, and you both bite me! And god I started screaming…"

Buffy stiffens in her arms. She brings her foot down hard on Faith's.

Faith yells, lets her go and grabs her foot.

" God, what the hell?" She rubs her foot.

" Figures, just figures. DAMMIT. Even in your fucking wet dreams, I'm a fucking MONSTER!" Buffy throws up her hands and walks away from Faith. "MONSTER, MONSTER, monster…" Buffy trails off. She turns around, her face looking crumpled. " Well, why not. I was one, wasn't I? And I deserved it, all of it. God." She seems to lose everything, and sits heavily on the floor. " It was my fault, all my fucking fault".

" Buffy, that's crazy talk, " Faith comes over, kneeling beside her. " That's ridiculous."

" Really, Faith? How do you know? How do you know what happened?"

" I know Spike kidnapped you and turned you…"

" He didn't kidnap me… I mean, not like you think. Not like I was walking around and he captured me."

" Buffy, you're not making a lot of sense here. What do you mean?"

" Do I have to draw you a picture?" Buffy voice goes hollow, " god, I can't say it…"

" Say what? What the hell are you talking about? I'm really lost here ."

" No, never mind, forget it." Buffy starts to get up, but Faith pulls her back down.

" No, I don't think so. You don’t start talking like this without explaining it. It just doesn't make any sense. What do you mean, Spike didn't capture you?"

" Noooo…" Buffy seems to withdraw into herself.

" Buffy, don't you go away from me. You tell me!" Faith shakes her.

Something snaps in Buffy. She turns and yells at Faith.

" I WAS FUCKING SPIKE, OK?"

7

Faith feels like she's been slapped. She lets go of Buffy, and backs away. She feels her stomach turn over.

" Fucking… Holy crap, B. What is it with you and vampires ? Angel I can kinda get… but Spike? You were … and Spike was…?"

"Shit, Faith. It wasn't anything like Angel. I didn't love Spike… he made me sick!"

" and yet, you opened your thighs to him…"

SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!

" STOP SLAPPING ME!" Faith yells at her.

" THEN STOP MAKING OUT LIKE I'M SOME KIND OF WHORE!"

" Well, B… If it walks like a duck and fucks like a …"

SLAP!

" You don't know what it was like!" Buffy hisses at her. " You've got no fucking idea what it was like…!!!"

SLAP!

"OW!" Buffy rubs her cheek.

" Then tell me what it was like, and STOP HITTING ME!"

Buffy's voice goes lifeless, as if all the energy has been drained.

" When Dawn died… I thought I was going to die too… I don’t know if you can understand it, but the monks…they made Dawn out of me, using a part of me to create her. She… she was like my baby, Faith. My child. When I held her… god, it was like holding myself. It … I loved her so much, and it was weird, because I didn’t want anything back. It just made me happy to hold her and love her…"

" I watched her die, Faith, watched her jump in that energy thing, and I couldn't stop her… and when she died… it was like my whole world blew up… I had this fucking huge hole in me… and nothing could fill it, or make it better, and it ached oh god how it ached…"

" I felt like all I wanted to do was cry. Cry and die, and I couldn't do either…and then something in me snapped. And… god. I just stopped feeling. Anything…"

" Buff…" Faith reaches for her, but Buffy pushes her away.

" No. No, no comfort. I don't deserve it." She huddles herself away from Faith." It was like being dead. But you're not dead, you're walking around, and people expect you to ' get over it' but you can't, you just can't. But then they act funny, and stop wanting to be around you, and so you pretend to be over it, but you're not because inside you feel nothing…just empty." Buffy shudders. " There's nothing worse than feeling nothing, Faith. It's like…being numb, head to toe, all the time…"

"And then one night I was beating on Spike for something … I don't remember what… and I hit him, and he hit me…and then he did the whole " The Pain, the Pain " routine, grabbing his head. And then we were glaring at each other… and then something happened and we weren't fighting anymore. We were clawing at each other, but not because we were fighting. We were trying to get each other naked… and then we were on the ground … and… well, you can kinda guess what happened…"

Faith shudders.

" But I felt something, at last! Really felt something. Pure lust or hate or disgust or all three together but I felt it…and I craved feeling it… so… it kept happening. I kept coming back, and it got worse and worse because Spike? Sick bastard. And Buffy? EVEN SICKER BITCH! God I craved it, wanted it, needed it. Anything to feel again…"

" It just kept getting worse. More perverse. I needed it to, because just regular fucking wasn't doing it anymore. We did things to each other that make me sick now, but then I craved it… and my brain must've been shut off, because if I'd been thinking, I would've realized that something was wrong. He shouldn't have been able to do those things to me … but I didn't care then , I just needed more and more…"

" And after each time I was so disgusted with myself I swore I didn't want to see him again, and I told him that, and told him to get lost…and I'd keep coming back, wanting more, needing more. God, I think I was sicker than he was…"

" And then one day I quit. I don't even remember what, but something we did revolted me so much I just couldn't do it anymore. I started hitting him, beating on him to drive him away. I screamed at him, telling him never to get close to me again, I never wanted to see him again and all the rest."

" And I quit. It hurt, and was hard, but I did it. I … still was dead, but I didn't feel like I was …god, is there worse than dead? Because that's how he made me feel…"

" But Spike just thought it was part of the game. When I didn't come to him, he came to me. And I drove him off, telling him I hated him and didn't want him, but he kept at it…and then one night, I think mom was out of town at some buying thing… he caught me in the back yard and tried to rape me…"

" Buffy, god…" Again, Faith tries to hold her, but Buffy scoots away.

" No… god, I said tried… it started out that way, but then I gave in. I was alone, and feeling lost… and I … oh god, I gave in… and he… and then he… oh god…."

" But he'd learned. He learned really well. And he knocked me out, somehow…and next thing I know I wake up, tied up…and then the torture began…"

Buffy briefly describes what Spike did to her for five days before turning her. Faith feels she wants to vomit.

Ashen face, she turns when she hears the sob. Buffy is rolled up in a ball, crying her heart out, shaking.

"My fault, all my fault… oh god why…my fault.." She keeps saying over and over.

" No, baby, no," Faith goes to her, gathering her in her arms. She holds her like a child while Buffy cries and shudders. "Shhh, it's ok now, it's ok…"

She holds Buffy in her lap while she cries, caressing her hair and back.

" I deserved it, Faith? Don't you see? It was my punishment… for letting that monster do those things to me… and wanting him to. I deserved it all, what I … I'm the monster. I'm evil and ugly and a monster…"

" No, Buffy. He raped you. You had a moment of weakness, but he used that… and he tortured you and raped you again and again… no Buffy. Don't. You didn't deserve that… " She rocks her gently. " You were a victim, Buffy… same as if he'd kidnapped you… don't…please don't do this to yourself."

"I did, Faith… I … oh god… I gotta help… I've got to do something to … I've got to make it right… oh, god I don't ever think I can make it right…" She clings to Faith's lap.

" Shhh… maybe not… but you've just got to do your best, every day. And it'll get better, it will. I promise." She leans over and kisses Buffy's head. "It'll get easier…"

Buffy hauls herself out of Faith's lap. She smiles embarrassedly, and then rubs her eyes with her arm.

" God, I'm such a baby," She half smiles. " Sorry."

" Buffy, don't. You've been through hell. It's good to… let it out" Faith comes over to her, touching her skin. Buffy shudders.

God, her touch is like electricity, Buffy thinks to herself.

Buffy turns around, and looks deeply into Faith's eyes.

Faith looks back. God her eyes are huge… and god I so could get lost in there…

And then Buffy is closer… closer… and their lips meet.

Buffy's arms slide around Faith's neck, and Faith loses herself in the soft kiss.

Both sink to the mat, and the kiss continues.

Buffy crawls on top of Faith, and continues kissing her. Her hands slide under Faith's wife beater, and she gently squeezes Faith's breast.

Faith panics.

" Buffy, stop. Please… Buffy… stop." She gently pushes her away.

Buffy's face falls, and she starts to get off. Faith grabs her, holding her on.

" No, Buffy, I'm not rejecting you. I'm… just not ready. Not yet. I won't lie, you made me so hot last night… and I want you, I do. But … it's still so new to me… I need a little more time, ok? I promise… but just a little time?"

When, when, when, when? Buffy thinks impatiently. WHEN?

She smiles softly at Faith, touching her cheek. " I understand. This is new to you. I don't want to rush you. I want it right… perfect." She leans over, and kisses Faith softly on the lips. She whispers to her. " Soon."

Faith looks at Buffy's angelic face looking down at her, her cloud of golden hair backlit, and she wonders why she's being such so …resistant.

Am I a moron, or what? God, I've got to be…

Buffy gets up, and gives Faith her hand. Faith grabs it, and pulls herself up, almost pulling them both over again.

And would that have been bad? Faith muses. And sighs.

" Shit! " Buffy curses, looking around. " I've made a mess of the place. I'm such a brat sometimes."

" I'll help you get it cleaned up."

" No, that's ok. I made the mess, I'll clean it up," Buffy sighs heavily." So, we start today then?"

" You sure you want to? I mean…"

" Faith, not a child. I can handle it."

" Ok, ok" Faith raises her hands. " Later, B."

" Later, Faith," Buffy moves to the debris as Faith exits through the curtains. When she knows Faith is gone, she starts singing a little song to herself.

"One way or another I'm gonna find ya

I'm gonna getcha getcha getcha getcha

One way or another I'm gonna win ya

I'm gonna getcha getcha getcha getcha"

---One Way or Another, by Blondie

She giggles to herself.

8

The next 2 weeks were golden for Buffy.

She got to spend lots of time with her ' goddess', and she was winning her over. Slowly, gradually, but it was happening. They still hadn't ' done it', but they were getting closer. Much closer. The kisses were lengthening, and the making out was getting hotter, and heavier. And Faith was getting more used to the idea that her partner didn't have to shave , well, her face anyway.

She helped Faith with cleaning out the nests in the town… mostly ones she would've done herself as a vampire, anyway.

Faith was more and more impressed by Buffy. Even without slayer powers, she was still pretty strong and fast. And, she used her experience to keep out of trouble. Mostly, anyway. And the few times she had to step in, she just took on a little too much. Not anything Faith could really dun her one, and actually, she was impressed by her guts, all considered. She didn't wig, she didn't space, and Faith had to admit, it was good having her along.

Faith wanted to get Buffy something a little special. Kind of a reward for doing well. But she was broke. She already felt guilty about sponging off Joyce, and really didn't want to explain what the money was for. And she didn't want to ask Giles for the same reason. Finally, she hit her little jewelry box, and opened it.

She fingered through the contents, not very much, and then picked out her best piece. It was a small gold necklace with a diamond ruby cluster. Not big stones, not worth a lot, but she really liked it. She looked it, and sighed, and then looked at the rest of the stuff she had. And knew that this was really the only decent piece she had. She pocketed it, and going out, went to the hock shop

After some major dickering, she sold it. She saw a nice little silver cross in the case, and bought that for Buffy. She lost hers when spike turned her. Still having some money, and seeing a second cross, she bought it for herself.

She went to the jewelers down the street, and had each cross engraved. One with an " F ", one with a " B ". She slipped hers on, and cadging a jewel box out of the jeweler, put Buffy's in the box. She looked at it on the velvet lining, and smiled. Not bad. Looking good. Closing the box, she slipped it in her pocket. She planned on giving it to her tonight.

Buffy leads Faith up to a two story house on a residential street, and nods towards it.

" Here?" Faith looks at the house. It looks like any of the other houses on the block.

" Here," Buffy confirms.

" You sure? I mean, it looks just like every other house on the street…"

" Faith, have I misled you up to now?" Buffy points at the house." Look at the windows. The shades are all drawn , and so are the curtains."

" So? Maybe they're keeping the heat out…"

" And, maybe, the sunlight?" Buffy arches a brow.

" Ok, ok… still…"

" If you look in back, Faith, you'll see a pair of storm doors leading into the cellar… kind of a private entrance and exit for the 'guests'. They mostly live in the huge underground basement. Not a thing you usually find in a Californian suburban house."

" Still, " Faith looks at the house, " it doesn't look run down or abandoned. And Vamps aren't known for their ' home improvement' skills. Plus, not into buying real estate… well, except Dracula, maybe…"

" Maybe because they don't. The owner takes care of the place. He's a blood doll."

" A who what?"

" Blood doll"

" Is that like Ken and Barbie, with fangs?"

" Funny, Faith. No, a blood doll is kind of…well, special thing in the vampire culture."

" Oh, great. Another vampire civics lesson. You know, I dropped out of high school for a reason."

Buffy ignores the crack. " A blood doll is a human that has a ' relationship' with a vampire. Don't ask me, I don't get it either. But some humans are really attracted to the culture, and for some reason or another, a vamp takes them on. It's more a fetish thing, I guess. The vamp takes little bites out of the doll, the doll gets a little vampire blood, all really kind of sick. But then, you'd have to be kind of sick to get into it anyway, so it works out I guess, " Buffy shrugs, " Anyway, the dolls are usually in thrall to their ' master', and do their bidding. That's the case here. The Blood doll paid to have the doors installed in back, the basement expanded and fixed up, and keeps the house and yard up. I guess some idiots would do anything to be with a vampire. Me, I don't get it. Anyway, the arrangement with this particular one is he also is an early warning system, to keep the nest safe."

" Still not getting it. Why would vamps want to live here? Not like a crypt, or abandoned building, or anything. I don't get it."

" Geeze, Faith, you channeling Giles now? "Where's the standards. Any self respecting demon would want to live in a pit of filth or a nice crypt."? Give me a break. Having been undead, I know. Rat infested warehouses? Drafty crypts? Get old after awhile. I was actually down in that nest. Pretty sweet set up, if you can stand the company." She looks towards the house, and pulls Faith into some bushes.

" Geeze. Buffy! Can't you wait til we're off duty to grope me?" Faith teases her.

"Funny, Faith, but there was someone looking out through the windows, and I didn't want to get him suspicious". She looks back towards the house. " Ok, looks clear. Stay here."

" Why?"

" Cuz I'm gonna have a little talk with Mr. Doll."

" Oh good, let's just tell the vamps we’re coming, B. Maybe they'll throw us a party."

" Don’t be a dope, Faith. I was a vamp, remember? I was pretty well known. Maybe seeing me in the daylight will startle him enough so I can get the drop on him. Otherwise, he's going to warn the nest we're around… and then it's burn it down. Wanna explain that to the SunnydaleP.D?"

" Ok, just be careful, ok? Not looking to have to stake you."

" Don't be an idiot. If it blows up, I'm the first outta here. The vamps in this town aren't loving me too much lately."

" Maybe because you've been ruining their nests?"

" Maybe, " Buffy winks. " Stay here. Keep low. I'll be back in a few… and if I'm running, run!"

" Huh? Just a human."

" He's into guns. Big guns."

" Oh…"

Buffy emerges from the bushes, and walks up to the door. She pounds on it, confidently.

The door opens, and the Blood doll stands there, looking at her.

" Uh-uh," Buffy says, grabbing him by the throat. She hauls him outside." I know your tricks, Leonard."

There's the clatter of metal on the floor.

" What do you want? My master is really pissed at you!"

" Oh, how quaint!" Buffy sneers at him, " Guess what? I'm really pissed at him too! Didn't like what he did in my club the other night, or that he roughed up my pets."

" They had it coming…"

BAM!

" Wrong answer, Leonard." Buffy slams him against the wall of the house. " Now, sweetie, here's the deal. You're master? History. He's going down. Today. Now."

" I'll warn him. He'll make blood pie out of you!"

" Really? Now, is that gonna be before or after I break you're neck?" She squeezes hard on his windpipe. She holds it until he starts turning a lovely shade of purple. " Now, I don't think I heard you?"

" Aaacck"

" Ok, well, I'll give you a break, this once, considering. But, you're not going to be a snitch now, are you?"

Leonard stares at her.

She punches him in the stomach.

"Are you, honey?"

Leonard shakes his head.

" There's a good boy," She pats his cheek. " Now, I know that throat of yours? Really has to be hurting pretty badly, right?"

Leonard nods.

" Good, now. I'm thinking, why don't you go for a drink?"

" I can't. The Master, he'd…"

" Honey, you're not the sharpest knife in the drawer, are you? The Master? In about ten minutes or less, is gonna be Hoover material, along with his cronies. Now, if you still want to stick by him, fine. I'll just snap you're neck now. Or, you can go for that drink. What do you think?"

Leonard smiles sickly. " I am kind of thirsty…"

Buffy releases him. " That's a good boy."

" But… what'll I do without my Master?"

" Well, since you're being such a good pet, would you like a new mistress?" Buffy smiles at him.

" I don't know…"

" I'd be ever so grateful, stud like you. And believe me, there's lots of boys to play with at my club." Buffy licks her lips. " And, there just happens to be one my collars with your name on it at the door. And maybe, if you're a really good boy, we'll talk about making you…"

" Really?" Leonard's eyes light up. " Make me? For real?"

" Of course, nice little pet like you, " She caresses his face. " So? What do you say?"

" Thank you!"

She grabs his ear and twists it.

" I'm sorry, I didn't hear that?"'

" Thank you, mistress" He groans.

" Good boy." She smiles. " Now, go have that drink, what say?"

" Yes…Mistress, " He adds, as he sees her reaching for him again. He walks down the walk and away from the house.

Buffy chuckles. " What a moron. Oh well, my girls will have a nice dinner tonight." She smiles. She walks down the stairs.

" Buffy!" Faith hisses at her from behind the bushes." What's the deal? He's walking away."

" I had a nice little chat with him. Showed him the errors of his ways."

Faith looks at her puzzled.

" Trust me, honey, he won't be back until it's over."

" Buffy…" Faith sounds unconvinced.

" Aw, don’t get frowny face on me," Buffy cups her face and gives her a light kiss on the lips. Mmm, nice!

God, how she can just play me, Faith sighs, enjoying the kiss.

" Now, babe. Let's go party!"

9

The music in the Bronze is loud and fast.

Buffy and Faith, on the dance floor, are burning up the boards. They're holding hands, and dancing together. Both are laughing and look excited.

" Did you see how that one lit up like a torch when I threw back the doors?" Faith laughs,

" What a moron. Sleeping that close to the entrance." Buffy shakes her head. " But hey, cool move on that one that jumped down on me. Sorry I almost fucked up!"

" Hey, don't sweat it!! Just look a little more carefully next time!" Faith smiles at her, then hip checks her. Buffy's eyes go wide, and she dances around, giving Faith a butt bump. Both girls laugh.

" That was pretty cool, remembering the panel behind the big screen TV? Got a few more dusted," Faith nods. " That was sweet, and the look on their faces when you slid back the panel. Wow!"

"Yeah, " Buffy laughs.

" That one looked like he wanted to kill you."

" He was the nest's master. We had a bit of a history, back in the day. Had to throw him out of my club a few times."

" Club?" Faith's eyes go wide. " you had a club?"

" Yeah, not a big, " Buffy says, " just a place for me and my 'friends' to hang out. Even let humans in, as long as they behaved."

" There's a lot I don't know about you, isn't there?" Faith frowns.

" Aw, honey, " Buffy swings around, throwing her arms around Faith's neck, " Is this all weirding you out, baby?" She nuzzles Faith's neck.

Faith definitely has a happy. God, what is the spell this girl has on me?

" No, I guess not. Maybe a little. But I'm just finding so much out about you… when you were … a vamp. God, that's still a weird one for me!"

" Was a vamp, honey, " Buffy snuggles closer, pressing herself against Faith as they dance. " Not now. I mean, don't I feel all nice and warm and soft?" She puts Faith's hand on her ass.

Whoa! Faith finds herself sweating a little as she feels Buffy's butt cheek moving under her hand.

" Ummm… think I need a break, Buff." Faith says.

Buffy looks into her eyes. " Aw, I'm sorry. I'm getting to frisky again, aren't I?" Buffy pouts. " I guess just dancing with you brings out the animal in me!" She growls playfully at her.

" You goof" Faith pushes her, and starts heading off the dance floor. Buffy catches up to her, and grabs her hand.

As they're walking to a table, they spot Willow sitting alone. She looks a little unhappy.

"Hey, there's Will, " Buffy says. " maybe we should go over and say hi."

" I dunno, B., " Faith catches Will's expression. " Maybe she wants to be alone."

" Faith? Alone and unhappy? Way overrated. I know, trust me. C'mon."

" Buff? Maybe we shouldn't be real like couple-y around her? You know?"

" You're right, " Buffy says, dropping her hand, " Anyway, are we a couple? I thought we were just friends..?"

" I don't know exactly what we are."

" Hey, don't sweat it Faith. Right now? Friends is just fine, you know? Maybe that'll all it'll ever be. But, nice to have a few extra privileges." Buffy reaches over , goosing Faith.

" God, you're grabby! Cute, but grabby!"

Buffy chuckles.

" Hey Will!" Buffy comes up behind Will, giving her a peck on the cheek.

" Hey, Buffy!' Willow says, brightening up.

" Hey, Red, " Faith says, patting her shoulder.

" Faith!" Willow looks up and smiles.

Buffy notices Willow turning on like a candle, and smiles. Well, well, well

"See, now didn't I tell you Faith? Will is happy to see us, aren't you Will?"

" You betcha, Buff. " She smiles at both of them. " Nice moves on the dance floor, by the way." She winks at Buffy.

" You were watching?" Buffy smiles. Hmmmm. " Well, you know me, Will. Get me dancing, and I get a little crazy."

" Little?" Faith grins.

" Watch it, smart ass!"

" So, Will, you've been hermit girl lately. Haven't seen you. What's the 411, girl?"

" Oh, been kind of busy. Looking for a day job and all. Kind of tough these days without a degree. At least, if you want something that pays anything like money."

" Day job? But, aren't you going to school during the days?"

" Buffy, sweetie. Tara's insurance is almost gone. I've got to bring her home, and I've got to have something that'll pay the bills and someone to watch her during the day. Night job? Just won't cut it."

" But it's school!" Buffy cries, " And you're like big brained girl. And you're close to your degree, aren’t you?"

" Another year, yeah. But …" Willow sighs. " I don't have a choice, Buff. I gotta get something. It's life, you know? Sometimes it’s kisses, sometimes it a good chop to the knees." She tries to smile, and fails.

" Don't worry, Red, it'll be ok. Maybe you can swing night school or something?"

" Maybe," Willow agrees, " I dunno. Still have Tara to be watched."

" Hey, no… this isn't right!" Buffy declares." How come nobody told me about this?"

" Buffy, honey, you've been busy… and you've been having your own problems," Willow says. " Don't worry, it'll work out."

" Yeah, B. I know you mean well, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do, even if it sucks." Faith pats Willow's hand.

" Yeah? Well, … no!"

" Huh?" Both Faith and Willow say in unison.

" No! Look Will. Let me talk to mom. She knows bunches of people. And she's got some pull. Maybe she knows someone that can help, ok?"

" Buffy?" Willow looks at her, a little hope lighting in her eyes, " Do you really think so?"

" Well, yeah, girl. I know mom would want to help. I want to help. What about you, Faith? Wanna help?"

" You betcha, B, " Faith grins broadly. " That's really cool, Buff."

" Oh you know mom. Coolest mom ever. So, stop the mope, ok, Will?"

" Thanks, Buffy, " Willow hugs her. " I don't … god… thanks!"

" Hey, we're bestest buds, you know? That's what buds do, right?"

" Buffy, I don't know what to say…" Willow starts to tear up, " It's been so …"

" Now see what you did , Faith?" Buffy teasingly chides her, " You got her all weepy. Hey! " Buffy wipes a tear off Willow's cheek. " Just because you stopped moping, doesn't give you permission to get blubbery!" She gives her a little kiss on the cheek.

Willow smiles broadly.

"Now, that's what I like to see. One of those 1000 watts Willowosity smiles, you know? What do you think, Faith?"

" Gotta admit, pretty much brightens up the room." Faith gives Willow a hug.

"Hmmm… " Buffy says, staring over towards the exit.

" What?" Faith looks around.

" That guy… with the girl? Heading for the exit? Not thinking he's exactly tan friendly." Buffy stands up.

" Hey, B. I got it. " Faith starts to stand.

" No, I do." Buffy catches Faith's look . " Oh come on, it's one lousy vamp. Even this wimp can handle one lousy vamp, Faith."

" I dunno, B… you're not a …"

" Yes, I know, and thanks for the reminder. But I can handle this, MOM!" Buffy teases her." Look, if I'm not back in a few, check up on me, ok?"

" Buffy…" Willow starts.

" No time, guys. He's getting away. Be back"

With that, Buffy takes off into the crowd.

" You think she'll be ok?" Willow looks worried.

" Yeah, I do. I have to admit, these past two weeks? Major improvement in Buffy. She's been holding her own ok. And hey, If she's gone too long, I'll check her out. She'll be ok."

Willow shakes her head, and smiles. " Never thought I'd see the day I'd be worried about Buffy going after a vampire."

" Ok, you blood brains got it, now?"

" Sure, Mistress. We hold you, and when the slayer shows up, we all attack her. Got it."

" Very good, " Buffy nods. " Ok, you guys? Over in the shadows…" She indicates a corner. " Don't want her to see you until it's too late, right?"

" I don't get it. I mean, why the big charade, anyway?" One of the vampires speaks up. " Why don't you just bring her out here, and we jump her and kill her?"

" Who are you?"

" Martin."

" Ok, Martin, unlike you, the Slayer isn't a moron. She'd see through that in a second. But if she figures I'm in trouble, she'll charge in before thinking…"

" I still think it's a stupid plan!"

" Oh, you do?" Buffy's voice gets very cold. She walks over to Martin, and holds up a ring on her finger. She flicks button, and a wicked looking pin pops out. "What's that, Martin?"

" A ring with a pin in it. Real clever."

" And what do you think I have on the pin? Anyone?"

Murmurs and shrugs.

"Ever hear of Silverthorne?"

" Yeah, like in Fairy tales, " Martin laughs. " The stuff doesn't exist!"

" Is that a fact?" Buffy walks over, and grabs Martin's hand. She jabs it with the ring.

" Hey, what're you doing?" Martin's face clouds over. " I ought to…"

Buffy backs up a little.

Martin suddenly goes very pale, almost marble white. His skin seems to literally crawl, and his veins all start to throb and bulge. Then his head flies back, and flames shoot out of his mouth and eyes. In another second, he's a pile of ash.

" Anybody else have any questions? Comments?" Buffy looks around

None of the other vampires say a word.

" Ok, lets move it people. She'll be here any second!"

Three of the vampires move into the shadowed alcove. The other two grab her.

" Not so rough, boys!" She growls.

They loosen up a bit.

At that moment, the back door to the Bronze flies open. Faith comes out

Buffy struggles in the vampires' arms.

" HELP!! FAITH!!!" She calls out.

" Holy shit! B! I'm coming!"

" Ok, let go now!" She orders the vamps.

" Huh?"

" Faith, watch out. There's more in the shadows!"

Faith halts, and look toward the alcove. The vamps there charge her.

" What the hell is going on?" One of the vamps holding her asks.

" Psyche!" Buffy says. She jabs one with the Silverthorne ring, and the other she pulls away form. A stake appears in her hands. She plunges it in.

" You fucking bitch! You betrayed us!' The vampire yells, as he crumbles to dust.

One of the other three breaks away, heading for Buffy. " We show you what we do to traitors!" He yells, grabbing Buffy.

Faith in the mean time, is fighting the other vamps. She roundhouse kicks one, knocking him into the wall. The other lunges at her, and she steps aside. Raising her stake, she brings it down on his back, dusting him. The other vampire, recovered, gets up and charges her. She does a twirling kick, knocking him back into the wall. She gets up on him, and grabbing his throat, holds him. She plunges the stake home, dusting him.

" FAITH!!! HELP!!!!"

Faith turns, and sees Buffy struggling with the other vampire.

Buffy is sweating it now. This one is a lot stronger than she thought, and she can't get her ring free. Her arms are pinned up to the wall.

Shit. Shit. Shit!

" I'm so gonna love this!" The vampire goes for the bite, getting her neck.

And then, turns to dust. Faith is standing behind him, stake out.

Buffy, shaking, falls to the ground. She starts to cry.

" Buffy, god, are you alright?" Faith goes to her, helping her up.

Buffy clings to her, shaking and crying.

" Oh, god… F-Faith…they…were off my old crew…they … attacked me. Heard I was helping you…wanted revenge…they nearly killed me…" She clings tightly to Faith." If it hadn't…if you hadn't…"

" Shhh… shhh… it's ok, Buffy… you're safe now" Faith holds her.

" God, you saved me again!" Buffy starts covering her face with kisses. " If you hadn't come out… I'm so stupid… I'm such a fuck-up."

She kisses cheeks, eyes, ears and nose, then her lips fasten on Faith. She pushes her body up close to hers, wiggling a little.

" Buffy," Faith gently peels Buffy off herself, all the while feeling intense tingles from her overly warm kisses. " they're dust, you're ok."

" I'm just sooo scared," Buffy cries, clinging tightly." Please, hold me…. Don't let me go… I don't want to die! Please!!!"

Faith feels her heart get warm, seeing how much Buffy seems to need her. More, her shaking and rubbing against Faith are getting other organs warm.

Faith, in the grip of a major body tingle storm, holds her for a few minutes. Buffy begins to subside, and just holds on to Faith, rubbing her back and bottom, as if to assure herself Faith's real, and she's safe. At least that's how Faith takes it. Though god, if she doesn't stop rubbing my ass… Faith definitely has the case of the pants.

" C'mon, Buff. We better get you back inside," Faith puts an arm around her shoulders.

" Yeah…I guess," Buffy sighs, and leans heavily into Faith.

They head towards the rear door of the Bronze.

Nice work, guys, Buffy thinks, as they pass the dust piles.

Still clinging to Faith, she enters the Bronze.

10

" Buffy! What happened?"

Willow stands up when she sees Faith, Buffy clinging to her, walking back to the table.

" She was attacked in the alley, " Faith says,

" Oh Goddess. Buffy, are you alright, honey?" Willow goes over to her when she sits down, leaning heavily on the table. She's still shaking.

" Yeah… I guess… just it was so… scary," Buffy mumbles, looking at the table.

" Faith, what happened?"

" I went out, and a couple of vamps had her. A few more must've faded back into the shadows, waiting to jump me. Fortunately, Buffy warned me."

Buffy looks up, and smiles at Faith. Her lip is quivering.

Faith smiles back, but something just doesn't hit her right about that attack. It was just … God, what're you doing? Buffy almost got killed, and you're getting paranoid? Get real!

" T-Thank you F-Faith," Buffy says, still shaken. " I'd be s-so dead now if n-not for you!" Buffy grabs her hand, squeezing it.

Faith smiles, getting a little embarrassed at the clinging. She squeezes Buffy's hand back.

" Look, I got something for you…" She digs around in her pockets." Buff? Can I have my hand back for a second?"

" Oh!" Buffy blushes. "Sorry."

" It's ok, " Faith finally finds what she's looking for.

" I was going to give you this later, but maybe now would be better."

She hands Buffy a little box.

Buffy looks up at her, puzzled.

"For me?"

" Yeah, don't get crazy on me or nothing, " Faith gets dismissive, " just, well, I bought it for your protection…"

Buffy opens the box. Inside is a silver cross. At the crossbar is engraved a fancy " B". She looks up at Faith.

" For me?" Her expression gets soft.

" That's beautiful, Faith, " Willow nods. She looks at Faith. " Very nice!"

" It's so…pretty, " Buffy fingers it

" Don't get girly on me now," Faith growls, but it's obvious she's pleased by Buffy's reaction.

" Look, Will, she put my initial on it!" Buffy shows it to Will.

" Well, I didn't want it to get mixed up with mine," Faith grins, pulling out her own cross, which is exactly the same except for the initial.

" Huh?" Willow looks at them, a little confused.

" A little problem with a ring," Buffy says, smiling up at Faith. " over now."

" Oh, ok, " Willow is still confused.

"Its just so pretty, " Buffy sounds distant, maybe a little dreamy. She looks up at Faith, " Would you?" She lifts her hair in back.

" Oh geeze, Buff. Cripes," Faith says, embarrassed.

" Oh for goodness sakes!" Buffy says, exasperated. She turns to Willow. " Would you?"

" Sure, Buffy, " Willow takes the chain, and opening it, drapes it around Buffy's neck, She closes the clasps, and Buffy lowers her hair.

" So? What do you think?" Buffy asks Willow.

" It's pretty, Buffy." Willow looks up at Faith. " A very nice gift."

" I agree," Buffy grins, looking at Faith. " Too bad somebody's too butch to put it on."

"What?" Faith says, surprised.

" Sometimes, I swear Faith. You come off so butch!"

" Cripes, B." Faith lets out a breath. " You didn't seem to mind me being butch back in the alley there."

Buffy lowers her eyes and blushes. " I'm sorry." She says in a very tiny voice.

Faith can't help but smile. God she's just so cute sometimes.

" C'mon, girly. We better get you home. I think you've had enough vamps for tonight."

" Ok, " Buffy says. " Wait. What about Will? I mean, I don't want her to be alone…it's not safe! What if they come after her?"

" Buffy, I'm fine! I brought my car, I'll be ok!"

" No, they might jump you when you're getting in it. No! I think we should stay together. At least going home!" Buffy sounds panicked.

" Buffy, don't be so silly. I'll be fine!"

" No, I want you to come with. Or we go with you. I don't want you to get attacked. " Buffy starts to shake. " If something happened to you, Will…"

She shakes harder, and her eyes get overly bright.

Willow looks at Faith, who shrugs a ' better not argue' to her.

" Ok, Buffy, If you'll feel better about it. I guess we'll all drive home in my car."

" I know I'm being a baby…"

" You got that right, B!" Faith teases her.

" Thanks for the support, there, F, " Buffy shoots back."… but I really would feel better knowing you're safe, Willow." Buffy nods towards Faith. " Her, I don't care!"

" Geeze. Thanks bunches, Buffy" Faith says , pretending to be mad. " Maybe I'll just take that back." She reaches for Buffy's cross.

" You do, and I'll … hit you!"

" I'm shakin "

" You two!, " Willow laughs. " C'mon, we better go."

They all stand up.

" Faith? Ok, girly again, but could you go ahead and check the alley? Just to be sure?"

Faith looks at Buffy strangely. " Ok, B , " She says, walking ahead.

Buffy tugs on Willow's arm.

"What?" Willow asks.

" Honey, stop fighting me here. I'm trying to get Faith to take you home, and you're not making it easier!"

" Buffy?" Willow looks at her. "What's the what?" She asks suspiciously.

" Geeze, Will. Don't you remember what we talked about? Well, I've been trying to warm her up to the advantages of feminine company. And now, it's in your ballpark, hon. So, how 'bout you help and not hurt, ok?"

" Buffy!" Willow blushes. " you little devil!"

" Uh-huh!"

" You think she might?" Willow looks hopeful.

" Well, don't get too creamy on me honey, but I think you might get a goodnight kiss out of it. And NOT a peck on the lips."

" Buffy!… really?"

" Oh yeah."

" But, you two are looking kind of … couple-y" Willow says.

" What? Oh, you mean the dancing? No, shoot. Just kind of getting her used to having a woman touch her in a more than friendly way. We're just buds… ask her, she'll tell you."

" You're sure? I mean, if you're interested, I don't want to horn in…"

" Horn? Or horny?" Buffy teases her.

" Buffy Summers! You're just terrible!!!"

" uh-huh…and that's why you think I'm a hot piece of ass!"

" You're incorrigible!" Willow laughs. Then she reaches over, and pinches' Buffy's ass. " But I wouldn't mind biting that hot piece of ass!" She giggles.

" Willow Rosenberg… you dog! You…slut!" Buffy hugs her. " But, I think you need to bite another ass first, don't you?"

Willow turns beet red, and giggles.

Faith walks up, looking a little exasperated.

" Are you two EVER coming? Or you gonna gossip all night?"

Willow and Buffy look at each other, and giggle. Linking arms, they walk toward the exits.

" Girls" Faith shakes her head, following.

11

" Ok, you two, drive safe. And don't keep her out too late, Willow!"

Buffy chuckles, looking in through the passenger side of the car. Willow is at the wheel, and Faith is sitting there, alternately steaming and blushing.

" Oh, I promise, Buffy. I'll make sure she gets home early." Willow laughs.

" You two make me crazy!" Faith declares. " I swear, you're up to something!"

" Gee, Ethel, Ricky seems upset!" Buffy says.

" Hey, I wanted to be Lucy!" Willow pouts.

They laugh, and Faith sits there, shaking her head.

" I really don't see the point of this. She's in her car, and she doesn't live that far! I mean, I think she's safe now."

Buffy leans in on the car door, serious now.

" Please, Faith. I just got attacked tonight. I'd really feel better if I knew Willow got home safe. Do this for me, ok?" She gets a pouty lip and turns on the puppy eyes. " Please? Please, please, please?"

" Oh, Geeze," Faith growls, giving in. " Let's go, Red, before I blow up or something!"

"Aw, Faithy's all pissy," Buffy teases, " I guess, Will, you're just going to have to find a way to give her a happy!"

Faith grabs her head and groans.

" What, me?" Willow puts on a southern accent. " lil ole crazy girly me?"

Faith groans.

" Bye, Will. Call you tomorrow, OK? After I talk to mom?"

" Sure Buff. Thanks again!"

" You betcha!" She arches a brow." Now you be good , hear?"

" Oh, I'll do my best!"

" That's all I ask!"

Both girls giggle, to Faith's consternation.

" Bye" Buffy calls out; waving as the car pulls away from the curb.

Buffy's face takes on a small, but evil smile.

That's right, honey. Get her all nice and hot and wet. But when she comes home tonight, she's mine. All mine.

Fingering her new cross, Buffy turns and walks up the sidewalk to her house.

To be continued.

A/N: I hate to beg, but if you force me to, I will. The authors of these little tales( at least this one) spend a lot of time weaving these stories. Hopefully they will amuse, but even if they don't, we appreciate feedback. Please, if you can find it in your heart, let us know what you think?

Thanks again for reading.
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