Chapter 9

“What are you doing?”  Tara questions curiously, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she looks at Buffy who’s blushing darkly.

“Nothin’.”  Buffy purses her lips and shifts her hand from where she’d been trying to push Tara’s shirt up to see if there are any piercings.  Not having a chance the last couple weeks to look when she remembered.  Between Tara’s busy school schedule then more often than not, going out with her on patrol they’d kept busy.  Having been keeping up on the house, laundry and even working out in the yard to keep busy while everyone went to school, they had settled into a comfortable way of doing things that made Buffy feel a little more settled, though the anger and pain makes an appearance, but not to the degree it had been. 

Tara quirks her eyebrow at the slayer, before covering her mouth as she yawns.  Knowing Buffy was up to something, she tries to remember what the slayer was doing before she’d woken up.  Shaking her head slightly and rubbing her eyes again, she looks down and sees the covers somewhat shifted down and her shirt askew more than it normally is.  Fighting the smile that’s trying to come to her lips, she looks at an all too innocent looking slayer.  Tapping Buffy on the nose, she chuckles as Buffy blushes again.  “Intimately and doctors only.”  Tara laughs and rolls out of the bed, heading towards the dresser to get clothes to wear after she showers and gets ready for her classes. 

Buffy grumbles quietly, her eyes following Tara surprised as she thinks that it’s been a month since Tara had almost moved out.  Willow was spending more and more time at her parents’ house than here with them.  Though most of her items were still here, she’d only taken part of them back home. 

Sighing quietly as Tara heads towards the bathroom with a quick smile towards her, Buffy rolls over onto the Wiccan’s side of the bed, burying her face in her pillow.  Getting to know Tara was a surprisingly enlightening experience.  Never realizing how deeply Tara felt for friends and family until all this had happened.  How hard it was for Tara to leave her father and brother, even though it was absolutely the best thing for her to do.  Feeling the anger trying to surface as she remembers Tara explaining what her home life was like, and the mental and physical abuse she’d gone through with her father and brother.  Really wishing she had a second chance with the two men, knowing she’d probably either knock some sense into them, or knock them completely out for the shit they had pulled.  Taking one more deep inhale of the Wiccan’s scent, Buffy rolls out of the bed and makes it quickly. 

“It’s still okay for me to go to Kelsey’s house after school today and spend the weekend, right?”  Dawn questions as she hurries towards the stairs, stopping to glance into Buffy’s room as her sister gathers her clothes. 

“Yes it is.  But if you have any homework this weekend, you have to do it.”  Buffy reminds Dawn quickly, smiling a little bit at her sister, thankful that Dawn had relaxed somewhat, knowing Tara had spoken with her multiple times and was trying to straighten her out with some of the shit she’d been pulling.

Dawn rolls her eyes, but nods her head in acceptance.  “I will.  I have my clothes in here.”  Dawn holds up the gym bag and grins before turning away.  “I’ll probably just have a bowl of cereal this morning.”

“Be good.”  Buffy calls out after Dawn as the teen pounds down the stairs, groaning at what sounds like a herd of elephants.  Hearing the water shut off to the shower, Buffy grins wickedly and hurries across the hallway.  Gently trying to open the door, she pouts as she realizes it’s locked.  “Damn.  Never gonna get to see.”  

“See what?”  Willow hurries out of the bedroom towards the bathroom.  “I really need to go to the bathroom.  Can I sneak in before you?”

“Yeah.  Tara’s in there though.”  Buffy admits, pointing to the door.  Looking at Willow, noticing she’s already dressed and ready to go, Buffy frowns as she swears that she doesn’t have a class this early.  “Where are you heading to this early?”

“I have to meet someone and we’re going out of town for the weekend.”  Willow admits, shifting nervously from foot to foot.  Not having told Buffy or Tara about the fact that Giles had contacted a Coven just outside of LA for her and Amy to visit.  Wanting to check it out this weekend, along with the woman in charge there being able to talk and discuss a plan of action to hopefully help her and Amy both.  Knowing that the magic is still calling to her strongly, making it hard for her not to give in to the dark magic.  Thankful Amy had finally talked with her father, and even got her license renewed, along with her father giving her a nice used vehicle.  He’d been ecstatic when she’d come back and was literally doting on her.

Buffy narrows her gaze on her nervous friend before nodding her head.  Tara having told her that as far as she could tell, that Willow hasn’t done any magic whatsoever in a few weeks.  Honestly believing the last spell the redhead had done was to transform Amy back to her human form.  Willow still not having told them that Amy was back, Buffy finally questions her softly.  “I assume you and Amy are going somewhere together?”

Willow pales and places a hand against the wall as she stares at Buffy.  “How did you know?”

“She’s been gone not long after the big problems here, Willow.  Tara noticed it right off the bat and told me that you probably were able to change her back.”  Buffy explains quietly, her eyes searching worried green eyes.  “Tara’s also aware of the fact that you’ve been good about not doing any magic.”

“I haven’t.”  Willow whispers, crossing her arms over her chest, nervous as she realizes Buffy and Tara know more of what’s going on that she was aware of, though they hadn’t really talked since she’d done the spell on Tara, along with the ultimatum from Buffy.  “How are you two?”  Willow finally questions.

Buffy shrugs and grins slightly.  “I never realized Tara had such a good sense of humor, or how caring of a person she is.”

“She is.”  Willow agrees nodding her head up and down repeatedly, her eyes going to the closed door and the dryer they can hear running.  “Can I speak to her today, before I leave, or…”  Willow looks nervously at Buffy.

Buffy sighs quietly and looks down at the ground.  “It’s up to her, Willow.  I’ll leave it Tara’s decision, but if you do anything to harm her in any way, you’ll be answering to me.”  Buffy explains softly, her tone serious.  “She’s been through enough in her life without you adding to it.”

Willow swallows hard and nods her head.  “She explained to you…?” 

“Yeah, she told me about her family life, Wills.”  Buffy runs a hand through her hair, fighting the anger again that’s wanting to rise within her.  “I have to ask…  How in the hell could you do the spells on her, Willow?  She’s the most kind, unassuming, caring and loving person I have ever known.  What did she do to deserve you doing that to her?”

Willow’s lip trembles and her eyes fill with tears as she looks at Buffy.  “Nothing, Buffy.  She did nothing.”  Willow finally admits, wiping the tears that started falling from her cheeks.  “I didn’t like the fact that she was mad at me, and not liking the amount of magic I was doing, so I figured I’d fix it.  I didn’t want to notice that everything she said was the truth, and I was getting deeper and deeper into the dark magics.”  Willow sighs quietly, her eyes turning to the door once more before looking at Buffy.  “Did I screw up beyond all hope?”

Buffy clenches her jaws and looks away from Willow.  Knowing what she wants the answer to be, but also knowing that she has no say in what Tara decides.  Tara having made the comment a few weeks ago that things were pretty much over between her and Willow, but not knowing if it was just a gut reaction, or if Tara might have changed her mind.  “You’ll have to ask Tara, Willow.  She’s the only one that can truthfully answer that question.”  Buffy waves to the door before turning around.  “I’ll wait and hit the bathroom later.  Tara will probably be out in a couple more minutes.” 

Willow watches Buffy head into her bedroom, the door shutting with a quiet click behind her, silently wondering again if there’s anything going on between Buffy and Tara. 

***

Tara sighs quietly as she hears the quiet murmurings of Buffy and Willow outside the door, along with Buffy’s emotions flitting between anger, sadness and worry.  Finishing drying her hair, she brushes it out and pulls on her clothes, surprised to see Willow nervously standing outside the door.  Nodding to the redhead, she starts to ease by her when she’s surprised at the feel of a tentative hand on her forearm.  Looking warily into green eyes, Tara waits for Willow to say something. 

“Can we talk in a few minutes?”  Willow finally questions as she realizes Tara isn’t going to say anything to her. 

Tara looks down at her watch and looks back at Willow.  “I have about twenty-five minutes before I need to leave for the campus if I take the Jeep.  I’ll check with Buffy to make sure it’s okay that I drive it today.”  Tara offers quietly before stepping towards her and Buffy’s bedroom.

“Thank you.”  Willow whispers before hurrying into the bathroom.

Tara looks at Willow for a moment before easing the bedroom door open, surprised to see Buffy standing at the window staring out of it with her back tensed, and her emotions locked down tight.  Knowing Buffy has been trying to work on keeping her emotions somewhat under control, though the two of them had talked about the fact that she needs to talk about things and vent her anger and worry. 

“You’re welcome to the Jeep whenever you want it, Tara.  You know that.”  Buffy quietly states without turning to look at her. 

Tara sighs quietly and shuts the door behind her to walk up to Buffy.  Gently placing her hands on the slayer’s tense shoulders, Tara kneads them gently.  “What’s wrong, Buffy?”

Buffy leans forward, placing her forehead against the window, slowly relaxing as Tara’s hands continue to knead over her shoulders and back.  “Do you want to hear what I was planning on telling you, or the truth?”

Tara runs her fingers through Buffy’s hair, sighing again.  “The truth.” 

“I don’t want you to go back to Willow.”  Buffy states quickly and concisely.  “I may be selfish, but I want you for myself.  It drives me crazy that I might lose you, if you decide to go back to her.”

Tara stills her hands movements at the extreme amount of pain coming from Buffy with her words.  Gently wrapping her arms around Buffy’s waist, Tara hooks her chin over her shoulder and rests the side of her head against Buffy’s.  “Why?”  Tara asks simply. 

“Why am I being selfish?  Why is it driving me crazy? Why don’t I want to lose you?”  Buffy shrugs lightly and continues to look out at the beautiful blue sky.  “Because the idea of that happening scares me, Tara.  I’ve come to care for you and depend on you so much in the past month.  If it wasn’t for you, I’d probably be either fucking Spike or dead.”

“No…”  Tara shakes her head and hugs Buffy tightly, pulling the slayer hard against her body.  “Don’t say that.  You’re doing so much better, Buffy.  Eventually you would have gotten here on your own.  I’ve just given you a shoulder to cry on, an ear to talk to and a body to cuddle up against.  I haven’t done that much.”

“You put your life on hold for me, Tara.  When you aren’t at school or studying, you’re with me, doing something for me or helping me in some way.  What do you want to do?  Do you want to get back with Willow?  Do you… want to date again?”  Buffy almost strangles on the last two questions, the fear of what the answers to them might be almost makes her want to climb out the window and run away. 

Tara holds on tightly to Buffy, feeling the woman’s body coil in her embrace, knowing what she’s thinking about doing, even as the fear washes over her from Buffy.  Thinking long and hard about the slayer in her arms, Tara tilts her head and presses a soft kiss to her jaw, before resting her chin again on her shoulder.  “My life isn’t on hold, Buffy.  I’m spending it in the one place I really love being.  As for what I want to do?  I’m extremely happy being here with you and Dawnie.  You’re my family in so many ways, and you probably don’t even realize it.  As for Willow…”  Tara takes a deep breath and closes her eyes as she really thinks about her ex-lover.  Realizing she cares for Willow, but she doesn’t love her anymore, at least not in a girlfriend or lover way.  “No, I don’t want to get back together with Willow.  Not now… not ever.  We’re through.  Hopefully one day we can be friends again, and I might learn to trust her in a friend capacity, but I won’t ever be able to trust her as a lover again.  She doesn’t hold that part of my heart anymore.” 

Buffy slowly relaxes a little more and leans heavier back into Tara’s comforting embrace.  “What about dating again?”  Buffy finally questions after a few minutes. 

“Eventually I would like to find someone special to date.  But it would need to be someone that won’t freak out at the thought of vampires, demons, slayers and witches being real.  I want to be myself with the person I decide to love and loves me.  Unfortunately that’s harder than I would have ever believed possible.”  Tara admits quietly, her eyes thoughtful as she thinks about the woman in her arms, knowing she’s falling in love with Buffy, but not wanting to hope that one day that love might be returned.  Knowing the slayer has never been interested in a woman, and right now, she’s just her ‘lifeline’ more than anything.

“It is hard.”  Buffy agrees, turning her head and pressing her lips softly to Tara’s cheek.  “Let me know when you’re ready to get back into the dating game, please.”  Buffy whispers softly against Tara’s cheek.  Lifting her hand to cup Tara’s other cheek and strokes it gently with her fingertips.  “I know someone that wants to be at the front of that line.”  Buffy presses her lips softly against her cheek again before easing from Tara’s embrace and heading out of the bedroom without giving the stunned Wiccan a chance to do or say anything.

Tara swallows hard and raises a hand to her cheek where Buffy’s lips had softly caressed over the flesh.  Feeling the flush of desire coming through her body at the thought of Buffy caring for her and wanting to date her though worried at the same time.  Slowly shaking her head, Tara’s eyes become worried as she wonders if it’s simply because of the help she’d given her is the reason why Buffy’s ‘attached’ herself to her.  Running a hand through her hair, Tara turns, grabs her tennis shoes and slides them on, tying them quickly before grabbing her book bag and trotting down the stairs, not daring to think too much about Buffy’s actions until they’ve had a chance to discuss things a little more in depth.

Hurrying into the kitchen, Tara opens the refrigerator and pulls out a bottle of juice before grabbing an apple out of the basket on the island, looking at Willow who seems somewhat subdued as she walks into the kitchen.

Willow watches as Tara opens her juice after shaking it, taking a sip.  Taking a deep breath to get her thoughts in order, Willow finally just plunges in and asks the question that she needs to.  “Is there any chance you’ll take me back?”

Tara hurriedly sets down her juice bottle and stares at Willow, the question coming as somewhat of a shock to her.  “Are you wanting a simple yes or no answer, or something more?”  Tara finally questions.

Willow swallows and looks up into shuttered blue eyes before whispering.  “Yes or no will be good enough.”  She admits, though wanting more, but realizing she has no right to ask for anything from this woman she’d betrayed so badly, along with her best friend that she’s caused so much pain and heartache. 

Tara slowly shakes her head.  “I can’t, Willow.  You destroyed something in our relationship that I desperately need, and we’ll never be able to get it back.”

Willow feels the tears coming to her eyes even as she nods her head in acceptance.  “I know this is late, but I’m sorry for everything I did.  I never realized how much I was hurting everyone.  I never meant to do that, and I hope one day you can forgive me.”  Willow looks up into surprised blue eyes.  “I’m not going to fight you, Tara.  You or Buffy.  Someone brought it to my attention that Buffy could have come back a thousand times worse than she did, and I know you’re helping her to get better.  She couldn’t be in better hands.”  Willow allows a small tremulous smile to cross her lips as she looks at Tara.  “Take care of her, Tara.  I know that you two care for each other it’s in the way you look and act towards each other.  If something should happen between you…  Not that you need or want it, but you have my blessing.  Amy and I are going to visit a Coven outside of LA this weekend, to see if we can get some help.  If we can, we’ll probably be there over the summer and possibly even longer, depending on how things go.  But I’ll probably move back into my parents’ house to give you guys more privacy when I get back.  I know I’ve made things more tense than they need to be, and I’m really, truly sorry for that.  I want to start doing things right, instead of wrong, but I know it isn’t something I can do by myself.  I need help, and like a foolish know-it-all, I refused your help.  I’m sorry for that, but then again, they say hindsight’s twenty-twenty.”  Willow hurriedly rambles off with barely a breath between sentences.  “Good luck, and…  I love you both.”  Willow hurriedly runs out of the kitchen and out of the house.

Tara blinks as her mind tries to make sense of Willow’s fast ramble, trying to decipher what her ex-lover had said and understand it, unaware of Buffy coming into the room.

Buffy slowly walks into the kitchen, staring at the stunned and silent Wiccan.  Having stayed close by in case anything happened, Buffy looks worriedly into Tara’s eyes.  “Tara?”  Buffy finally whispers, trying to catch Tara’s attention.

Tara blinks and stares into worried hazel eyes.  “Buffy?  What happened?”

Buffy smiles sadly at Tara.  “Willow’s grown up and is taking responsibility for her actions.”  Buffy explains, searching Tara’s eyes, wondering how the Wiccan is going to take the comments Willow made about the two of them possibly becoming a couple.  “You’re going to be late for class if you don’t hurry.”

Tara tries to make sense of what Buffy said, Willow’s words still not coming together in her brain.  Letting Buffy gently usher her out of the house, Tara automatically climbs behind the wheel, her brain starting to function again as she starts the Jeep, her eyes lingering on Buffy standing on the porch watching her. 

Buffy tucks her hands in her pockets as Tara backs the Jeep out of the driveway before waving to her and heading down the road.  “I really need to find something to do, to keep myself busy during the day.”  Buffy admits quietly to herself as she looks at the yard and flower beds, having already whipped them back into shape, understanding a little better how her mom considered it her ‘therapy’.  Sighing softly, Buffy looks at the clouds lazily drifting by.  “Maybe I should just tell Tara I like her as more than a friend.  But does she care for me in that way?  I mean, I know she’s mentioned a few times about being physically attracted to me, but she’s never hit on me.”  Buffy grumbles quietly before slowly turning around and heading back into the house.  Grabbing the newspaper, she plops down on the couch and flips it open, deciding to look at the help wanted ads.

***

Chapter 10

Tara grabs the grocery bags and heads into the house, frowning at the quietness.  “Buffy?”  Tara calls out, knowing Dawn was staying at a friend’s house, which has almost become an every other weekend occurrence.  Not getting an answer, Tara sighs quietly and heads to the kitchen, putting away the pork chops she’d bought, planning on making Buffy’s favorite items for dinner that night.

Folding the bags, Tara tucks them away outside in the garage, smiling at the sight of the cleaned out area, everything stowed away where it belongs, Buffy having been working on cleaning out all the different parts of the house while looking for something to occupy her time.  Having tried to talk her into taking college courses again to no avail, Tara flicks the light off and closes the door.  Working her way through the house before jogging lightly up the stairs, Tara looks into Willow’s old room.  Noticing that the last few things Willow had left in there are gone, Tara leans against the doorframe for a moment, thinking about the redhead. 

Remembering Willow introducing her to Amy, surprised at the young witch when she asked if she could talk to her alone.  When Amy questioned her on how Buffy was handling being back, and explained what she knew about the spell Willow had done, Tara had been surprised and curious about what Amy knew about the spell.  The ex-rat having told her what she remembered from her mother’s book before promising to bring it by and drop it off at a future date for Tara to have.  Admitting she didn’t want to be tempted, that she and Willow were planning on cleaning their act up, but right now it was a temptation probably best not anywhere near them, if ever.

Having been surprised at Amy’s comments at first, Tara realized that the young woman being a rat for the last few years probably made her look at her life a little differently now.  Along with the fact it probably left a seriously bad taste in her mouth in regards to magic.  Turning slowly, Tara makes her way to her and Buffy’s room.  It takes a moment for it to actually sink in that the room was in shambles.  Swallowing hard at the sight of what had obviously been a book, but was now just papers strewn all about the room along with the mirror smashed above the dresser.  Whimpering at the sight of the blood drops now visible, Tara takes in the rest of the carnage in the room.  “Oh, Buffy.  What happened?”  Tara questions the empty room, the worry obvious as she tries to figure out what happened. 

***

Buffy’s hands shake as she reads Catherine Madison’s magic book.  Seeing in black and white what was done and what could have happened, hitting her hard.  Angrily ripping the book in two, flinging the two halves so the pages fly about the room, she literally tears off the doors to the closet, sending them crashing behind her in the room as she yanks out weapons, feeling the urge to do some serious damage to something evil, a small part of her brain understanding that she can’t take it out on the person she really wants to. 

Happening to glance over into the mirror as she’s passing it, Buffy stops and stares at the angry looking woman staring back at her, hardly recognizing herself before slamming her fist into the mirror, ignoring the pain of the broken glass imbedded into her knuckles and hand as she runs out of the house and out the back door, letting it slam shut behind her as she heads out the back gate, yanking the manhole cover off and dropping down into the sewers to hunt for anything to take her anger and pain out on.

***

Tara runs a hand over the pages of the book, having finally come across what most likely set Buffy off, having spent the last two hours cleaning up their bedroom and trying to put the book back in order.  Unconsciously rubbing the palm of her hand where a piece of mirror had sliced it.  Tara plays with the edge of tape holding the gauze in place.  Sighing heavily, she looks at the clock once more.  “Sorry, honey.  But I need to know you’re okay.”  Tara whispers to the silent house.  Gathering a few stakes, tucking them away in her cargo pants along with her own ‘weapons’ of choice, Tara calms her racing heart, taking deep slow breaths until she’s calmed down enough to whisper the spell that will lead her to Buffy. 

***

Buffy snarls angrily as she slams the demon into the concrete wall of the sewer system, ducking automatically as she feels a presence behind her.  Buffy kicks back with all her strength grinning at the satisfying cry of pain and crunch of bones.  Slamming her fist into the demon’s stomach, Buffy curls her nose up in disgust as she pulls her fist out of the hole, shaking the demon guts out onto the floor.  “Gross.”  Finally taking pity on the demon she’d been fighting for the last fifteen minutes, Buffy quickly slices its head off with her short sword before turning around to look at the demon that had tried to come up behind her. 

Shaking her head at the small, dead demon with the broken neck, Buffy quickly takes its head to be on the safe side before wiping the sword clean on its clothes before striding out of the dead end to work her way down another section of the tunnel.  Her anger still glowing brightly inside her, but it’s more focused, where when she’d first come down here, she’d just been attacking anything and everything, even to the point of having taken some pretty brutal hits, rubbing the side of her face, wincing slightly at the sting.  Remembering seeing a water faucet a short distance back, Buffy backtracks and kneels turning it on.  Quickly washing her hands and arms, she brings the clean water up to rinse her face before trailing her fingers down the jagged cut.  “Fuck, when did that happen?”  Buffy leans down and lets the water run a little more over the wound, cleansing it as well as she can before turning the water off and running her hands through her hair, leaving it damp.

Not knowing how long she’s been down here, Buffy debates for a few minutes on whether to continue hunting for more demons or head up top and find out what time it is, possibly doing a regular patrol before heading home and seeing how fucked up her face is going to be.

Frowning as the area starts to lighten Buffy turns around, seeing a small light heading towards her.  Not feeling anything remotely evil or demon-y, Buffy tucks away the sword and crosses her arms over her chest waiting to see what’s heading her way.

***

Tara breathes a quiet sigh of relief as the dim light brightens perceptibly as she finally comes across Buffy.  Now close enough to feel the slayer’s anger, wincing hard as she gets closer, quickly putting her shields up on full force at the centered and red hot, almost piercing anger coming from Buffy.  Whispering softly to make the tracer light just lighten the area as she slows down, allowing the light to illuminate her instead of hide her. 

Buffy doesn’t know whether to feel happy or even more angry as Tara becomes visible to her, the anger winning out, Buffy growls roughly at the blonde Wiccan.  “What the fuck are you doing down here?  Are you fucking insane?”

“No more than you, obviously.”  Tara murmurs, trying not to jerk at the anger now being focused on her. 

“I can take care of myself.”  Buffy unconsciously closes the distance between her and Tara.  “I’m doing my job.  Now get the hell out of here and go back home!”

“No.”  Tara answers simply, fighting the urge to turn tail and run as she’s bombarded with Buffy’s anger.  Not able to stop the wince of pain and her uncontrollable step back.

Buffy growls deeply, taking the additional two steps, putting her body literally an inch from Tara.  “Go the fuck back up top and go home!  I don’t want or need you!”

Tara turns her head as her heart hurts at the slayer’s angry words.  Knowing Buffy is just angry right now, but her words still slicing her to the quick.  Knowing better than to open herself to see the slayer’s aura, and soul, the slayer’s feelings so raw and powerful that they would literally incapacitate her right now, Tara shakes her head.  “If you don’t want or need me, fine.  I’ll be more than happy to leave you alone… after you let me clean and fix your wounds.”  Tara looks back at the slayer’s bruised and battered body and face, the jagged cut across her face worrying her.  “Please, Buffy.  No comments and no talking.  Let me help you then I’ll leave you alone.”  Tara begs softly.

Buffy clenches her jaw tightly.  Her anger fighting against her mind as she mentally debates on following Tara, or taking off knowing there is no way Tara would be able to keep up with her.  Though she could still follow her… and possibly end up getting hurt.  Spinning around, Buffy slams her fist in the wall, ignoring the pain shooting up her arm and the concrete falling from the fist-sized hole now in the wall of the tunnel.  Striding the four yards give or take to the entrance up top, Buffy climbs up it without saying a word, pushing up on the manhole cover, looking out to see where she is, surprised to find that she’d circled around under the town and was less than five blocks from her house.  Pushing the cover the rest of the way to the side, she climbs out surprised at the darkened sky. 

Tara sighs softly and quickly follows Buffy, whispering the words needed to end the spell, Tara watches as Buffy replaces the manhole cover and starts to stride towards Revello Drive.  Surprised to realize it had taken her longer than she thought to find Buffy if the darkness is anything to go by.  Hurrying after her, Tara’s eyes take in the dirty, disheveled, bruised, cut and limping slayer.  Practically jogging to keep up with the ground eating, angry strides Tara fights the urge to talk.  Knowing she’d promised her, but wanting to know what’s going through Buffy’s head.  Sighing softly, Tara runs a hand through her hair, before letting it rub at the back of her neck, trying to relieve some of the tension and pain that she’s feeling caused by Buffy’s emotions battering against her senses.

Buffy unlocks the door and takes the stairs three at a time, heading straight to the bathroom, stripping her clothes off without a care before turning the water on to the shower, ignoring Tara coming in behind her and gathering her clothes.  Thankful in a way that Tara has decided to not say anything, like she’d promised.  Stepping under the hot stream of water, Buffy allows it to rinse over her for a few minutes, ignoring the sting of the water hitting her many wounds.  Finally grabbing the shampoo, she works on cleaning her body from top to bottom.

Tara places Buffy’s destroyed clothes in the trash before silently placing a couple fresh towels on the sink.  Hurrying back downstairs, she pulls the large first aid kit out of the closet, carrying it back upstairs to the bathroom.  Clearing the vanity of the make-up, brushes and other items, she settles the kit gently on top and opens it, pulling out the alcohol, swabs, antibiotic cream, bandages, suture kits and tweezers.  Turning on the bright make-up lights on the vanity, and the additional light above the sink to make the bathroom as bright as possible, Tara pushes up her sleeves and waits for Buffy to finish with her shower.

Buffy turns the water off and runs shaky hands through her hair, the long shower having helped her anger settle somewhat.  Pulling back the shower curtain, she steps out onto the bath mat, grabbing one of the towels Tara had obviously gotten her, her eyes landing on the blonde who’s sitting on the floor, her chin on her chest and her arms resting over her knees to hang almost limply.  Drying her body automatically, she watches as Tara doesn’t move.  Becoming worried, Buffy looks intently over the Wiccan’s body, sighing in relief when she doesn’t see any physical damage.  Tossing the towel into the hamper, she shifts the chair in front of the vanity out and settles on it, her mind going back to the first time Tara had helped her, remembering the tender touches and caring nature. 

Tara finally lifts her head as she hears Buffy move the chair and the slight squeak it always makes when someone sits in it.  Wearily pushing herself up off the floor, she looks at the battered slayer.  Deciding to start at the top and work her way down, Tara grabs the alcohol and gauze pads.  Kneeling beside Buffy, Tara doesn’t make eye contact as she starts to cleanse the gash on the slayer’s face, realizing too much healing has already happened to make stitching it prudent. 

Buffy watches Tara for a few minutes as the woman works on cleaning the wounds on her face, her eyes trying to catch Tara’s, but the Wiccan not willing to make eye contact.  Sighing internally, Buffy drops her gaze to her hands, plucking at a piece of glass still imbedded in her knuckles as Tara gently places butterfly bandages on the major wound before continuing to work her way down her body.

“Leave it. I’ll get it.”  Tara whispers after seeing what Buffy is doing, having started working on the wounds on the slayer’s arms and upper chest.  Skipping down to her hands, Tara cleans them gently before grabbing the tweezers to gently remove the piece of glass.  Looking over the flesh intently, she sees a couple more slivers and gently removes them before cleaning the wounds again and carefully bandaging them.

Gently clenching and unclenching her hands, Buffy’s eyes stay on Tara as the Wiccan finishes taking care of her wounds.  As Tara grabs the ace bandage and gently starts to wrap her swollen ankle, Buffy waits until she’s done.  Starting to open her mouth, she snaps it shut quickly as Tara starts to speak.

“I would suggest icing your ribs and your ankle.”  Tara still doesn’t look into Buffy’s eyes as she quickly packs everything away, taking the first aid kit and striding out of the bathroom without another word.

Buffy drops her chin on her chest, sighing loudly.  Not knowing what to do, Buffy sits on the chair for a while, unaware of how much time has passed before she finally stands.  Replacing everything back to where it belongs, she grabs her hairbrush and runs it through her hair to get the majority of the tangles out before finally looking in the mirror, wincing at the bruised and swollen face looking back at her.  Lifting her hand to touch the edge of the bandage Tara had placed on her cheek Buffy pulls it away after a few minutes and grabs her toothbrush.  Brushing her teeth quickly, Buffy turns off the lights and makes her way to their bedroom.  Glancing at the clock, she’s surprised to see it’s almost one in the morning.  Pulling on her robe, she ties it haphazardly around her waist before heading towards the stairs.  Making her way quietly down them, stopping halfway when she notices Tara curled up on the couch in a tight ball, her back towards the room.  Slowly finishing her descent down the stairs, she takes a couple steps towards the couch, stopping when she notices Tara stiffening. 

Feeling the slayer come closer to her, Tara can’t help but stiffen.  Honestly knowing she won’t be able to deal with having a discussion right now with the woman, though she does feel slightly relieved at the lack of anger coming at her from Buffy, though still getting a low current of it.  Wrapping her arms more tightly around her body, Tara closes her eyes tightly trying to keep from sobbing out loud.  It having taken everything in her not to question Buffy, beg her to tell her what she’s feeling or to ask if she really didn’t want or need her. 

Buffy’s hands tighten convulsively as she stares at Tara’s back.  Swearing she sees her shoulders shaking slightly, though she doesn’t hear anything.  Finally heading into the kitchen, she opens the refrigerator, grabbing a bottle of water her eyes land on the large package of pork chops that she knows wasn’t there earlier that day. 

Resting her forehead against the freezer as she continues to stare into the refrigerator, seeing the large block of Velveeta cheese, realizing Tara had planned on making her favorites for dinner tonight, or last night as the case may be.  Finally shutting the refrigerator door, Buffy flicks off the light as she makes her way back through the house, standing by the stairs and staring at Tara’s back.  “Are you coming upstairs?”  Buffy finally questions hoarsely, her shoulders dropping like the weight of the world is on them when all she receives is a slight shake of the head from Tara.  At a loss as to what to say or do, Buffy finally turns and slowly makes her way up the stairs and to their bedroom.  Actually looking this time, she notices that Tara had obviously picked up the mess she’d made and the book was nowhere in sight.  Not knowing, and really not caring what Tara did with the book, Buffy shuts off the light and moves to the front window, staring out at the night occasionally sipping from her bottle as she wonders if she’s managed to scare Tara away for good this time.

***

Tara slowly rolls over onto her back, and rests her hands on her stomach as she stares up at the ceiling.  Feeling Buffy’s unrest and worry almost like a physical pain, knowing the slayer isn’t even attempting to rest.  Sighing quietly, Tara brushes a tear that escaped from her eye away from her cheek.  Wondering what’s going to become of the two of them.  Having almost believed that Buffy liked her in more than a friend way, but wondering exactly how much of it is just because she’s been helping her.  Throwing an arm across her eyes, Tara fights the tears that want to fall.  Her feelings for the slayer stronger than anything she’s ever felt before, the anger and rage being pointed towards her earlier with Buffy’s hurtful comments that she didn’t want or need her, striking a blow to her heart.  Not knowing what to do, but needing to know if what Buffy had read had set her back, Tara swallows hard as she slowly lowers her shields so she can see how her soul and spirit are doing.

Whimpering quietly as the crack that had been slowly closing had obviously widened to the point of where it had been originally, Tara finally lets the tears fall.  All the hard work they’d done for practically the past two months for naught. 

“Goddess, do we start over?  Or will she even think about letting me help her now?  And Goddess help me, but do I want her to know how I feel now with everything that’s happened and happening?”  Tara whispers softly, quietly sobbing as she closes her eyes.  The emotional roller coaster ride finally taking its toll on her, Tara falls into an uneasy sleep, tears occasionally slipping out from between closed eyelids along with the occasional whimper.

***

Buffy tilts her head as she can barely hear Tara whispering something.  Not able to make it out, she slowly steps out of the bedroom to the top of the stairs.  Stepping down onto the landing, she looks at the Wiccan, frowning heavily as she sees the tears slowly trailing down from her eyes and the quiet sobs and whimpers coming from her as the night progresses.  Finally not being able to take it any more, Buffy quietly steps down the stairs.  Easing down onto one knee, she gently wiggles her arms underneath Tara.  Picking her up, she cradles the sleeping woman against her body and makes her way slowly up the stairs.

Pressing her lips to Tara’s forehead, Buffy gently eases down onto the bed, continuing to hold Tara against her.  Brushing her cheek against Tara as the woman snuggles against her, burying her face in the crook of her neck.  “I’m sorry.”  Buffy whispers to the sleeping woman as she remembers what she’d said to her and the anger she’d directed at her.  “I don’t know why you don’t run away from me and just leave me, Tara.  I’ve probably caused you ten times the pain Willow ever has.”  Running a hand through Tara’s hair, Buffy leans back against the headboard and closes her eyes.  Working on the meditations that Tara taught her, silently wishing the Wiccan was awake to help her, feeling the difference of not having her calming influence to help guide her, but continuing on stubbornly anyway.

***

Chapter 11

Tara rubs her face against Buffy’s shoulder as she slowly wakes, before stiffening as the previous night’s occurrences come back in a flood.

“Shh.”  Buffy whispers softly, brushing her lips gently over Tara’s forehead.  “Don’t run away from me, please.  I don’t think I could take losing you on top of everything else, Tara.”  Buffy unconsciously rocks back and forth, holding tightly onto the Wiccan.  “Promise me you won’t go.  Please?  I didn’t mean it, I promise.”  Buffy begs quietly, unaware of the tears trailing faster and faster down her cheeks, her eyes closed as she continues to hold onto Tara and rock her.

Tara shifts slightly, wrapping an arm around Buffy’s neck, while raising her other hand to gently stroke Buffy’s cheek, pressing a firm kiss to her temple.  “I’m here, Buffy.  I promise.  I promise.”  Tara whimpers softly at the pain coming from Buffy, along with the hurt, knowing part of it’s because she’s afraid that she’ll leave her. 

Buffy brushes her cheek against Tara’s hand, frowning as she realizes there’s a bandage on the palm.  Turning her head, she looks at Tara’s hand and reaches up to grab it, gently pulling the bandage away, frowning even harder at the relatively deep cut across Tara’s palm.  “What…?”  Buffy turns her gaze to look at Tara.

“An accident.”  Tara shakes her head, smiling sadly at Buffy, shifting up to press her lips to her forehead.  “Just an accident.”

Buffy searches Tara’s eyes for a few minutes before looking back at the cut.  Gently pressing her lips to the wound, she carefully covers it back over, tucking Tara’s hand against her chest.  “Cleaning up my mess, you cut yourself on the glass didn’t you?”  Buffy finally questions a few minutes later as she tries to figure out how Tara hurt herself.

“Not paying attention to what I was doing, I cut myself.”  Tara offers instead, slowly leaning her head down, burying it against Buffy’s neck.  “What are we going to do, Buffy?”

“I don’t know.”  Buffy tilts her head to lean it against Tara’s, sighing heavily.  “When I read what the book said, I just felt my world crumble.  The anger I felt towards Willow and what she’d done was overpowering.  What if I had come back nothing better than an animal, Tara?  There’s no way anyone would have been able to stop me, without putting a bullet in me…”

“No, Buffy!”  Tara presses her fingers against Buffy’s lips to keep her from continuing.  “You can’t think about that.  It didn’t happen that way, and there is absolutely NO reason to think along those lines.  We all have enough on our plates already without dealing with ‘what ifs’.”

Buffy lets herself look into Tara’s worried blue eyes, realizing they’re more of a grayish blue at this moment.  Gently stroking her fingertips over Tara’s cheek, Buffy gives in to her desires and leans in to kiss Tara softly across the lips, a soft moan escaping her as she makes contact with the softest lips she could ever imagine.

Surprised at first, Tara soon finds herself returning the soft caress, whimpering as she feels Buffy’s tongue stroking gently between her lips, silently asking for entrance.  Finally granting it, Tara’s hand clenches in the slayer’s hair as Buffy doesn’t waste any time in exploring her mouth.

Growling softly at the heat of desire flowing through her, Buffy increases the pressure and hunger of the kiss enjoying the fact that Tara’s meeting her half way as they start to battle strongly against each other. 

Finally ending the kiss, Tara tilts her forehead against Buffy’s, panting heavily as she tries to get control of her emotions and desire, groaning quietly as Buffy’s fingers start to caress firmly over her upper thigh.  “I don’t think this is a s-smart thing to do right now.”  Tara whispers as she slowly eases back so she can look into Buffy’s eyes, surprised at the flame of desire and want burning brightly in her hazel eyes. 

“Why not?”  Buffy hardly recognizes her own voice it’s so low and rough.

Tara tugs gently on Buffy’s hair, the roughness of the slayer’s voice making her body pound even more with desire, unconsciously wiggling slightly to try and relieve the ache between her legs.  “Because it has the p-potential to hurt both of us.”  Tara admits quietly, her eyes sad as she looks into Buffy’s eyes.  “We’re together almost all the t-time, Buffy.  I’m afraid because I’ve been trying to help you that you are l-letting that cloud your judgment.  Maybe thinking your thankfulness is s-something more.”

Buffy watches as Tara finally drops her eyes after she finishes speaking.  Closing her own eyes, she slowly shakes her head.  “I care for you, Tara.  Am I thankful?  Yes.  Am I sorry for the pain I’ve caused you?  God!! You don’t know how much.  Am I transferring my caring for you as a friend into something more?  I don’t think so.”  Buffy shakes her head, finally easing her eyes open, silently pleading with Tara to look at her.  As Tara finally lifts her head and eyes, making contact with hers, Buffy brushes her lips over Tara’s once more.  “I care for you as more than a friend, Tara.  A lot more.”

Sliding her hand that she had left tucked against Buffy’s chest, upwards to let her thumb brush over kiss-swollen lips, Tara sighs quietly.  “Your emotions are all over the place right now, Buffy.  Why d-don’t we take a step back that way you can think about it?” 

Buffy growls softly, opening her mouth to capture Tara’s thumb gently between her teeth, flicking her tongue over it.  Her lips quirking upwards around the digit as Tara groans loudly, and the smell of arousal coming from the woman seems to almost triple.  As Tara shifts slightly again, Buffy releases the thumb, and allows her lips to smile fully.

Tara groans as she looks at the mischief starting to come into Buffy’s eyes.  “Go ahead and say whatever it is you want to say, Buffy.”  Tara finally growls the words loudly. 

“Well first off, I don’t need to take a step back.  But out of deference for your wishes, I will.”  Buffy offers, becoming serious for a moment, and leaning in to brush her lips over Tara’s again, loving the taste of the Wiccan.  “Secondly, I still want to know if you have any body piercings anywhere.”  Buffy quirks her eyebrow up, the mischievousness coming back into her eyes.

“Already told you…”  Tara starts, being stopped by Buffy’s mouth covering hers and kissing her thoroughly.  Blinking as Buffy finally pulls away, Tara tries to remember what she was going to say.

“You tell me once more that only someone that knows you intimately or your personal doctor, there won’t be any waiting.”  Buffy warns very seriously.  As Tara grins crookedly at her Buffy growls deeply, her hands already heading towards the edge of Tara’s shirt, pushing it up.

“BUFFY!”  Tara yells, as Buffy quickly pulls her shirt up and over her head, the slayer’s nimble fingers at the back of her bra already unhooking it and sliding the straps over her shoulders.  Crossing an arm across her chest, Tara blushes darkly.  “What in the world do you think you’re doing?”

“Checking you out plus doing a little investigating.”  Buffy’s eyes glimmer with amusement as she looks into Tara’s wide eyes.  “I figure it’s only fair, you’ve seen me multiple times, so I figure it’s time for me to see you in less than your underwear.”  Buffy lets her fingers trail over Tara’s soft skin and up her side to play along her ribs. 

Tara blushes even darker and shakes her head.  “But you were hurt and I w-was helping you.”  Tara points out the difference of what she’d done and what Buffy was doing.

Buffy sighs quietly and leans forward, pressing her head gently against Tara’s shoulder.  “Do you care for me, Tara?”  Buffy finally questions quietly.  “In more than a friend way?”

Tara blinks in surprise at the slayer’s questions, never having expected Buffy to come right out and question her on her feelings.  Not knowing what to do, she sits there quietly.

“Please, Tara.  It won’t change us being friends, I promise.  But I need to know.”  Buffy finally begs, her emotions starting to swirl around again, fighting to try and keep control.  “God!  I feel like I’m back to where I was at before when I first came back.”  Buffy whispers shifting her hand that had still been stroking over the warm flesh of the Wiccan to run roughly through her hair and rub the back of her neck.

“You basically are.”  Tara answers the non-question, sighing quietly as she feels the slight stiffening of the slayer.  “And yes, I care for you in more than a f-friend way, Buffy.” 

“But you’re afraid?”  Buffy questions intuitively. 

Tara slowly nods her head and answers simply.  “Yes.” 

“Why?”  Buffy shifts to look at Tara silently begging her to help her understand. 

Tara nibbles on her bottom lip and looks into confused hazel eyes.  “That’s not an easy question to answer, Buffy.”  Tara admits, slowly shifting the arm that she has covering her breasts to reach up and gently trail down the slayer’s cheek, just on the edge of the bandage running down it.  “I’m falling in love with you, Buffy.  And I’m s-scared that what you’re feeling for me is just…”  Tara shrugs her shoulders, not really knowing how to explain it. 

“How can I prove to you that I really do care for you?”  Buffy questions softly, closing her eyes at the tender touch as Tara’s fingers brush lightly over her face and neck.

“Time, I guess.”  Tara brushes her lips over Buffy’s forehead.  “When you’re healed we’ll go from there.  That way you have a chance to examine your f-feelings a little better without everything else b-bombarding you at the same time.”

Buffy growls loudly, burying her face in the crook of Tara’s neck her hand grasping the Wiccan’s waist firmly.  “Tara, we’ve been working on me getting better for two months, and in one night I fucked it all up.  The rate I’m going, I’ll be lucky to be ‘healed’ in a year’s time.  I don’t want to wait that long, and I’m really sick and fucking tired of my emotional roller coaster.”

“We’ll double-up on your meditations, and try a couple different spiritual cleansings to see if that might help.”  Tara offers softly.  “Right now, I want to check out your wounds and see how they’re healing.” 

Buffy’s hand slides up to her cheek.  “It’s probably going to scar, isn’t it?”  Buffy finally questions, already knowing the answer, but wanting Tara’s honest opinion.

“Honestly, it probably will.  But you don’t scar badly, and it probably won’t even be noticeable, especially with make-up if you’re worried about it.”  Tara worriedly brushes her fingertips over Buffy’s hand that’s still playing with the bandage. 

“Would you still love me, even if I was scarred?”  Buffy finally questions after a few minutes.

“I love the person, Buffy.  Not the package.”  Tara whispers, brushing her lips over Buffy’s other cheek.  Honestly not even paying attention or seeing the bruising and scratches that were healing, just seeing the woman that she’s fallen in love with. 

Buffy has to smile at the honest sincerity in Tara’s words and tone.  Knowing instinctively that that’s what the woman would say, but feeling better once she hears the words coming from her.  “But the package does play a part, right?”  Buffy jokes and wiggles her eyebrows slightly.

Tara growls playfully at the slayer before leaning down to nip gently on her bottom lip.  “The package definitely plays a part and is absolutely gorgeous.  I’m afraid that I don’t measure up.”  Tara blushes lightly, as she thinks about her fuller figure compared to the slayer’s slim, athletic figure.

Buffy slowly shakes her head, finally allowing her eyes to take in Tara’s chest, moaning quietly at the full, soft-looking breasts, the rosy colored aureolas and soft nipples.  Buffy growls softly as the aureolas start to crinkle and the nipples slowly harden as she looks at them, her eyes jerking up to look at the blushing Wiccan.  “You have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.  As a matter of fact…”  Buffy trails off, letting her eyes drop again to Tara’s chest, unconsciously licking her lips at the full breasts, surprised at the arousal starting to ease from her body with just the sight of the woman in front of her.  Buffy slowly runs her hand up Tara’s side, unaware of having moved it out from under Tara’s hand.  The woman’s skin so soft and warm, Buffy’s eyes darken with desire as her fingertips finally caress over the swell of Tara’s breast. 

“Buffy…”  Tara whimpers quietly as strong, curious fingers start to stroke over her breast, teasingly not coming into contact with her aching nipple, but circling and stroking all the flesh around it, even kneading and squeezing gently.

Buffy slowly learns the texture and feel of Tara’s breast, fighting the desire to pinch and twist the hardened nipple to see if Tara enjoys it as much as she does when the pleasure borders just slightly on pain without actually crossing over. 

“Buffy, please.”  Tara finally grasps the slayer’s hand, easing it down her body to rest on her thigh, panting heavily at the desire coursing through her from the slayer’s caresses. 

Buffy growls loudly as her hand is removed from the place she wants to spend hours learning.  Shaking her head slightly, Buffy finally shakes off some of the desire she’s feeling and looks over Tara’s desire flushed body, noticing the difference immediately from Tara’s blushing.  A small smile crosses her face at the light pinkness of Tara’s chest and how the heavy breathing is making Tara’s breasts move up and down enticingly.  “No piercing.”  Buffy finally comments, just now noticing that Tara’s breasts are free of any kind of piercing.

Tara has to chuckle at the slight sound of disappointment in the slayer’s tones.  “You sound disappointed.”

Buffy nods her head, her eyes staying on the Wiccan’s breasts, eyes narrowing as a wicked smile comes across her face.  Starting to dip her head down, she grunts as a hand grabs hold of her hair to keep her from coming closer to her goal.

“No you don’t.”  Tara shakes her head.  “I’m already one step away from exploding, if you do what you’re planning on doing that’ll be all it’ll take.”  Tara quickly shifts and moves off Buffy’s lap, rolling off the bed and grabbing her shirt to yank back on.

Buffy groans and falls over onto her side, watching Tara pull her shirt on and cover the delectable looking breasts.  “Damn.”  Buffy grumbles rubbing a hand across her eyes as she fights the desire working through her own body.  “Is it normal to be turned on just by the sight of someone?”  Buffy finally questions after a few minutes, not looking at Tara.

“It depends on how attracted you are to the person, I guess.”  Tara shrugs her shoulders as she stares down at the slayer. 

“I’ve never just looked at someone and been turned on before, Tara.”  Buffy growls, pulling her hand away from her eyes so she can look at the Wiccan.  “It takes being touched, kissed… basically I need a helping hand.  Sometimes kissing didn’t even turn me on.”

“You’ve done more than just look, Buffy.”  Tara points out, grinning crookedly at the slayer.

“Uh, huh.”  Buffy props her chin up on her hand and stares at Tara.  Deciding not to admit to the blonde that she’d been turned on before watching her just do normal things around the house, like vacuuming and cooking.  Admittedly it was just a low buzz of arousal, but a lot more than she’d felt in the past with some of her lovers after they’d been making out for ten to fifteen minutes.

Tara taps Buffy on the nose.  “Now that we’re more or less on an even keel, let me look at your wounds.”  Tara orders quietly as she heads towards the door.

“Tara?”  Buffy hesitantly whispers before Tara makes it completely out of the room, watching as Tara turns to look at her with a questioning look on her face.  “I really am sorry for being an ass yesterday.”  Buffy continues softly.

Tara sees the deep regret and pain in Buffy’s eyes, and smiles softly at the slayer, forgiving her completely.  “It’ll be okay, Buffy.  I promise.  Do you want me to bring the kit in here, or do you want to do this in the bathroom?”

Buffy tilts her head as she thinks for a few minutes.  “I need to go to the bathroom, so if you want, we can meet back in here?”

“You and me both.”  Tara grumbles, smiling quickly at Buffy as the slayer chuckles softly.  “I’ll be quick, then the bathroom’s all yours.”  Tara offers as she hurries from the bedroom.

Buffy stares at the empty doorway, thinking about Tara.  “I do love you, Tara whether you believe it or not.”  Buffy whispers as she waits for Tara to finish in the bathroom.

***

Chapter 12

“How bad is it?”  Buffy questions soberly, as Tara gently cleans the wound on her face.

“It’ll scar.”  Tara admits, her eyes flickering to make contact with Buffy’s for a moment.  “How did it happen?”

“Honestly, I don’t know.”  Buffy rolls her eyes at the admittance.  “All I can remember is a demon had something in its hand and swung at me while another one had hold of me.  Before I could get loose it connected.  That’s the only thing that I remember that could have done it.”

Tara winces slightly.  Reaching down for the antibiotic ointment, she gently works it into the healing wound.  “I know your slayer healing keeps scarring to a minimum, so it won’t be bad.  But it is there and it’ll probably be noticeable unless you wear make-up to cover it up once it’s healed.”  Tara explains quietly, carefully working the ointment into the area close to Buffy’s eye, thankful that it hadn’t hit her there, as she probably would have lost her sight.  “How do your ribs and ankle feel?”

“Ribs achy, ankle a little bit off but okay.”  Buffy looks down at her ankle and the bandage still wrapped around it. 

“You didn’t ice them down last night, did you?”  Tara purses her lips as Buffy shakes her head.  Sighing softly, Tara finishes working antibiotic cream into the other scrapes, though most of them were healed enough to not need it, but deciding it won’t hurt.  “Can I see your ribs?”  Tara steps back, letting Buffy pull off her shirt.  Gently pulling the closures from the cloth, Tara unwinds the wrap and looks at Buffy’s ribs.  “Are they broken?”

“A couple.”  Buffy admits, gently twisting her body around, trying to loosen up the stiffness as Tara’s fingers gently probe the area. 

“It’s too late to worry about icing them down now.  They’ll be healed in what, another day or two?”  Tara glances up at Buffy to see her nod.  “Should I re-wrap them?”

Buffy moves around a little more, and shakes her head.  “You don’t have to.  They’re healed enough to where they don’t really need the support.”

Tara looks over the other bruising and hurt areas, checking to make sure they seem to be healing fine as she works her way down Buffy’s body.  Checking the slice on her leg, she gently places more antibiotic ointment on it after pulling off the bandage.  “Go ahead and sit down, I’ll unwrap your ankle and see how it is.”

Buffy shifted back and sat down on the edge of the bed watching as Tara kneels on the floor, gently lifting her foot and unwrapping the Ace bandage. 

Looking at the lightly bruised ankle, Tara gently runs her fingers over it before rotating it while looking up at Buffy.  “You could have put your top back on, you know.”  Tara points to the item sitting on the bed beside Buffy.

Buffy smirks and shakes her head.  “Why would I want to do that?”

“To help me keep my sanity.”  Tara mumbles quietly.  “How does this feel?”

“A little twinge here and there, but it’ll probably be pretty much healed by tonight.”  Buffy’s hand goes to her stomach as it makes an ungodly rumbling noise.

Tara chuckles and looks at the slayer’s stomach.  “Sounds like you might have swallowed a demon or two last night instead of just wiping them out.”  Patting Buffy’s ankle she sets it down and stands.  “I’ll go fix breakfast, any requests?”

Buffy shrugs.  “Whatever’s easiest to make.”

“And fastest, right?”  Tara laughs as Buffy’s stomach rumbles again, and the slayer looks at it in disgust.

“Yeah, I guess so.”  Buffy grabs her shirt and pulls it on.  “I’ll help.  Maybe scrambled eggs with cheese, sausage links and toast?” 

“Can’t get much easier than that.”  Tara chuckles as she jogs down the stairs.

“Easy, she says.  I burn everything I try to make.”  Buffy grumbles as she follows Tara down the stairs at a more sedate pace not wanting to push her ankle too much.

***

“Are you sure you’re not doing this to try and sneak in a quick grope?”  Buffy questions as she sits between Tara’s legs, her back pressed against the Wiccan’s chest.  Having to admit she’s enjoying the closeness.

“I haven’t been the one feeling you up in the middle of the night.”  Tara growls softly in Buffy’s ear, smirking as Buffy blushes darkly.

“I wasn’t feeling you up.  I was just trying to see where, if anywhere, you might have a piercing.”  Buffy tells on herself, blushing even darker at the knowing laughter coming from Tara.

“Busted.”  Tara chuckles.  “No, no free feels.”  Tara strokes her fingers gently over Buffy’s stomach, her hands under the slayer’s top as they sit in the back yard.  “I want to try something different on the meditations we’ve been doing, and it is better done Sky clad, but as long as we have bare skin touching, we should be okay.”  Tara explains.

Buffy smirks and wiggles back into Tara, the Wiccan having unbuttoned her shirt.  With Buffy having lifted up her shirt, her bare back was pressed delightfully against Tara’s breasts.  Smirking as she feels Tara’s nipples hardening against her, Buffy wiggles even more.

“Stop that!”  Tara pinches Buffy’s stomach, while taking a long deep breath to try and clear her mind. 

“I don’t mind being Sky clad, I mean if it’ll help…”  Buffy tries again, chuckling as Tara growls deeply in her ear, the rumble sending a streak of desire through her body. 

“If you keep distracting me, I won’t be able to see if this will help!”  Tara states exasperatedly, having been trying for the last fifteen minutes to calm her center enough to connect with Buffy without actually invading the slayer’s spirit.  Hoping the influence of her own body, mind, soul and spirit will help align Buffy’s so it’ll heal fully and properly this time.  Not feeling comfortable enough before to touch Buffy more intimately, but after this morning’s happenings and with Buffy’s consent, they’d decided to try it.

Buffy pouts before finally mumbling.  “Fine, I’ll behave.” 

“Thank you.”  Tara settles her hands back in place, one directly beneath the slayer’s breasts, the palm pressing slightly against the ribs while the other hand is directly below that one, the fingers spread out over Buffy’s lower abdomen and pressing firmly against her.  Ignoring the feel of the slayer’s short wiry curls brushing against her pinky, she takes calming deep breaths, her chin resting over Buffy’s shoulder. 

Slowly Buffy relaxes more into Tara, opening herself to the Wiccan without even being aware of it, the two women’s breaths slowly coming into sync with each other, even as their heartbeats become one.  Buffy’s hands move to lie overtop of Tara’s larger hands, pressing against them without her even being aware of it. 

Tara slowly allows her spirit to connect with Buffy’s, almost overlaying it to show her what an undamaged spirit is supposed to be like, urging her silently to try and mend herself.  Knowing if this doesn’t help, the only other step open to them would be for her to actually come in and try and heal the slayer with her own spirit, using part of it to put the slayer back together again while absorbing the shattered pieces within herself.  Knowing that would cause a permanent connection between them of some sort, to what degree Tara doesn’t know without doing it. 

Buffy frowns as she feels what Tara’s trying to tell her what to do.  Seeing her damaged spirit and soul Buffy ‘sees’ Tara’s whole spirit and soul shining brightly.  Imagining hers looking like Tara’s, Buffy tries to ‘slayer’ it into doing what she wants.  Not having any luck, she unconsciously growls until she feels Tara’s calming influence settling her back down again.  Realizing Tara’s trying to tell her that she can’t bully it into doing what she wants that she needs to coax it along. 

Tara feels Buffy slowly relaxing and trying to do what she’s urging her to do.  Watching some of the smaller sections slowly coming together, Tara smiles internally as she watches Buffy determinedly working on putting her ‘puzzle’ back together again.

Unaware of the time passing the two women work together.  The process slow and more draining than either of them realizes as the morning becomes afternoon and afternoon heads towards evening. 

Finally the drain becoming too much, Tara works on slowly pulling her spirit back within her, her consciousness hearing the whimper escape Buffy’s lips as she slowly brings the first session to an end.  Feeling drained but happy at the fact that the two of them were able to get Buffy back to where she was before she’d backslid.  Groaning as she slowly moves her stiff arms from around Buffy, Tara falls back on the ground her body sore and aching from spending too many hours in one spot without moving.

Buffy, not fairing much better than Tara, slowly moves out from between Tara’s legs to lie beside the Wiccan on the ground, staring up at the sun.  “We’ve been out here for over eight hours, haven’t we?”

“Uh, huh.”  Tara doesn’t even bother opening her eyes again to look at the sun.  The glimpse she’d gotten of it and the location of it in the sky letting her know that it’s probably around five or six o’clock in the evening.

Buffy turns her head, frowning as she sees the tired look on Tara’s face, the Wiccan not even taking the time out to cover herself after the in depth meditation.  Shifting, Buffy gently pulls the two sides of the shirt together and buttons it for Tara before leaning down and placing a soft kiss on her lips.  “Thank you.  That helped a lot.”

Tara slowly drags her eyes open, a small flitter of a smile crossing her lips as she looks at the slayer.  “I would like to work on doing it again tomorrow.  The only thing is, is if Dawnie comes home, it would probably cause her to freak out if she saw us.”

“She’ll deal.  I’ll leave a note for her or something.  But we’ll only do it, if you’re up for it.”  Buffy gently strokes her thumb under one of Tara’s eyes.  Knowing the Wiccan didn’t get much rest the night before, and honestly she didn’t either.  “I’ll order a couple pizzas for dinner.  Would you like some wings or something to go with them?”

Tara nods her head, past the point of arguing about the pork chops she could fix, not having the energy to do it.  “Maybe order a salad also?”

Buffy slowly shifts and stands up, groaning as she stretches her body, trying to get the blood flowing back in it.  Offering her hand to Tara, she pulls the woman up so she’s standing in front of her.  “Anything you want.”  Buffy watches as Tara winces slightly as she puts her weight down on one of her legs.  “Fall asleep?”

“Goddess… did it.”  Tara groans her hands going down to the deadened leg.

Buffy kneels in front of Tara and slowly works her hands up and down the flesh, enjoying the feel of the silky smooth skin more than she probably should, since she’s trying to help Tara and not get a free feel.  Hearing whimpering coming from Tara Buffy looks up stilling her hands.

“Thank you.”  Tara winces as the blood starts flowing through her leg, causing the pins and needles sensation.

Realizing what’s happening, Buffy removes her hands and stands, placing her hands on Tara’s waist to help her balance as she keeps from putting weight on the leg. 

Tara places a hand on Buffy’s shoulder as she wavers slightly, waiting for the worst of the tingling sensation to subside before trying her weight on the leg.  Sighing in relief as the pain becomes bearable, Tara smiles thankfully at the slayer.

“Come on.  Why don’t you go in and relax while I order the food.”  Buffy urges Tara towards the house, surprised when Tara doesn’t budge.  Looking up into shimmering blue eyes, Buffy frowns at the sight of the tears showing.  “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know how much it will help doing it this way for the worst of the splintered portions, Buffy.”  Tara finally admits.  It taking longer and been a lot more draining on her than she would have imagined, with trying to walk Buffy through helping herself.

“We can try, if you don’t want to do the more invasive part.”  Buffy shakes her head for Tara not to worry about it right now.  “Come on, let’s go in.  Personally I’m hungry, and I swear I can even hear your stomach grumbling.”  Buffy pats Tara gently on the stomach, smiling at the light blush that comes to the Wiccan’s cheeks.

“Maybe a tad.”  Tara admits.  “I think I’ll run upstairs and take a shower.”

Buffy slowly follows Tara into the house, enjoying the sight of the blonde Wiccan.  Having to admit that she never would have believed the absolutely gorgeous body the woman usually hid under her long skirts and loose shirts if she hadn’t seen it for herself.  Of course being plastered up against it at night, or as the case may be more often than not, on top of it, she’s learned the feel and muscles the woman has more intimately than she would have believed, without the two of them being lovers.  Fighting the groan and burst of desire, Buffy picks up the phone, hitting the speed dial to place the order for pizzas, along with hot wings, salad and some cheesy breadsticks. 

***

“I can go with you on patrol, if you’d like.”  Tara offers as Buffy stands in the middle of the living room, obviously debating internally about something.

Buffy’s eyes flicker as she turns to look at Tara.  Replaying what the woman had said, Buffy shakes her head.  “I honestly don’t think there will be that many demons left.  From what I can remember from my anger induced haze I probably wiped out around twenty-five demons give or take last night.  I was planning on just hitting the cemeteries looking for newbies.”  Buffy waves her hand towards the newspaper where the obituaries were that let her know which cemeteries to look in.

“Then it’ll be a relatively quick night.  I’ll go with you, if you don’t mind.”  Tara offers her eyes serious as she looks at Buffy.  Her eyes looking at the reddened area of the jagged cut on Buffy’s face, it was starting about a quarter of an inch from Buffy’s right eye and traveling in a somewhat jagged line down just shy of her chin.  Tilting her head slightly, Tara tries to imagine a pale, thin scar in place of the angry red wound.  Thinking about it, Tara smiles as she realizes it’ll add a little something to the slayer, making her normally beautiful looks a little more dangerous, and honestly probably even more desirable. 

Buffy quirks her eyebrow up at the sight of Tara smiling, knowing the woman was looking at her wound, but not understanding for the life of her what would make her smile.  “You’re going to have to explain that smile.”  Buffy comments as she makes her way over to her weapon’s chest. 

Tara blushes as Buffy looks over her shoulder at her.  “Do I have to?  Or can I plead the fifth?”

“We’re not a court of law here.  And yes, you have to.”  Buffy becomes even more intrigued at the blush on Tara’s face. 

Tara whimpers and covers her face with her hands, before mumbling against them.  “I think the scar will make you even sexier.”

Buffy stares at Tara, the surprise obvious on her face.  “You think I’m sexy?”  Buffy finally questions softly.  Admitting she thought she was decent looking, maybe even cute by some peoples’ standards, but she’d never consider herself sexy, beautiful or gorgeous like she would some people.  Looking at Tara and admitting she would definitely consider Tara a very beautiful woman, and sexy in her own right when she relaxes and allows that extremely sexy half grin to cross her face. 

“Goddess, Buffy!  What do you think?”  Tara answers, pulling her hands down from her face, her eyes wide as she takes in the slayer’s surprised countenance.  “You don’t…”  Tara shakes her head and moves towards the petite blonde.  “You’re one of the most beautiful, sexy women I know, Buffy.  And you are extremely sexy.”  Tara more breathes the words, than says them as she leans in to caress her lips across Buffy’s.

Buffy steps into Tara’s body dropping the stake in her hand and wrapping her arms around her neck, tugging gently to encourage Tara to deepen the kiss, even as she opens her mouth and flicks her tongue across Tara’s lips.  Groaning deeply as Tara’s arms wrap around her waist pulling her tighter against the slightly taller woman, the feel of Tara’s breasts being crushed against hers, making her body tighten with want and desire.  Threading her fingers through soft, silky hair, Buffy tilts her head for a tighter fit and growls into Tara’s mouth as the Wiccan takes control of the kiss, plundering her mouth as if she can’t get enough even while her body’s pressing more firmly against her.

Breaking off the kiss for some much needed oxygen, Tara rests her forehead against Buffy’s, panting heavily.  “Goddess, Buffy!  I was planning on a simple, brief kiss.”

Buffy chuckles as she slowly gets control of her breathing, scraping her nails gently over Tara’s neck, smirking at the low groan she gets in response.  “Wanted more.”  Buffy admits.

“Obviously.”  Tara grins crookedly at the slayer before easing back from her, gently squeezing Buffy’s waist before releasing her completely.  “Patrol.”  Tara murmurs finally, heading towards the stairs.

Buffy shifts so she can watch Tara hurry up the stairs, a huge grin crossing her face at the little wiggle Tara does while unobtrusively pulling downwards on her pants.  “A bit of a problem, huh?”  Buffy questions softly, smirking before bending over, groaning herself as her pants press against her aching body.  Grabbing the stake, Buffy straightens quickly and does her own wiggle while pulling her jeans down.  “Damn.”  Buffy growls softly, before finishing grabbing her tools of the trade.

***

Chapter 13

Buffy smiles softly as she glances over at Tara, the two women doing a semi-quick patrol together.  Continuing her thoughts while keeping her senses open to her surrounding, Buffy unconsciously shifts closer to Tara, their arms brushing against each other.

Thinking about how the end of the school year was creeping closer, and the group was slowly shifting and doing different things.  Willow and Amy were planning on spending all summer with the Coven outside of LA, Xander and Anya were discussing getting married in Vegas and doing an around the world honeymoon for a month during the summertime.  Her father had even been in contact with her and Dawn, asking if Dawn would like to spend part of the summer with him, surprising both of them.  And Tara… Buffy turns to glance at Tara, smiling again at the Wiccan.  Tara had offered to run the Magic Box for however long Anya needed and was planning on putting in as a substitute teacher at the different schools in Sunnydale before the new school year started.  The rest of the time planning on just being with her and helping her try and get everything healed properly.

Tara and Willow have been broken up for almost four months now, and the two women were slowly working on a friendship.  Remembering questioning Tara about Willow and Amy, Tara had just chuckled softly and shrugged her shoulders.  Finally admitting that she thinks the two women were close, if they hadn’t already started a relationship.  Of course her and Tara’s relationship was slowly progressing, though they hadn’t made love yet.  There were a few close calls, with Tara usually backing off, stating she wanted to make sure that this is what Buffy really wanted.  And no matter how many times and how often she’d tried to explain, Tara was adamant that she wanted to wait until Buffy was healed, and to give the slayer a chance to search her own feelings deeply before they made the final step in their relationship.

When Dawn realized Willow had moved out permanently, she’d questioned Buffy and Tara about Tara’s still sharing her bedroom.  That of course snowballed into a deeper discussion of what the effects of being resurrected had been on the slayer, she and Tara both toning it down for the teenager, not giving her the full blow of it, or what could have possibly happened.  Of course trying to explain to Dawn that they were sort of a couple had been an alternating nightmare and comedy show.  The couple times when everyone had come to the house for ‘family’ dinner, Tara’s way of trying to keep everyone in contact, it had been strange and slightly comical between Dawn and Xander both looking from her and Tara being together to Willow and Amy who were usually relatively close together. 

“Is he making this a habit?”  Tara questions curiously, looking a couple blocks ahead of them, the vampire’s bleached blonde hair a dead giveaway. 

Buffy growls softly as she zeroes in on the vampire in the distance, coming out of her remembrances.  “Ever since I came back.”  Buffy admits.  “Though, he doesn’t approach me when you’re with me.  He usually only does it when I’m by myself.”

Tara hums softly under her breath, remembering the phone call she had a couple weeks ago from Willow.  Surprised when the redhead had told her Spike had looked her up and wanted to ‘let her in on what her ex was doing’.  Which had facilitated a discussion with Willow that Tara wasn’t completely comfortable about, but letting the redhead know that she and Buffy were sort of seeing each other right now, albeit taking things slowly.  Frowning Tara glances over at Buffy, trying to remember if she’d told the slayer about the fact that Spike was trying to stir up trouble.  She had told Buffy about Willow knowing about their burgeoning relationship, but not remembering if she explained exactly how the conversation came about. 

“Shit.  Looks like you aren’t even going to be a deterrent anymore.”  Buffy grumbles softly, unconsciously stiffening, her hand going to the stake tucked at the small of her back as Spike doesn’t slink off, but actually turns to close the distance between them.

“He better behave himself.”  Tara warns softly, her hands sliding into two of her pockets, grabbing a small handful of herbs in one and the bottle of holy water in the other.

Buffy looks questioningly at Tara for a moment, seeing the serious expression on her face before she turns back to Spike.  “If you have something important to say, spit it out.  If you don’t, leave.”  Buffy shifts closer to Tara, as both women pick up their stride, as they work on finishing patrol so they can get back home early for Dawn. 

Spike adjusts his stride to walk beside Buffy.  “Oi, now.  I’ve been wanting to speak with you.”  He looks over at Tara before pulling out a pack of cigarettes, shaking one loose and placing it between his lips as he digs his lighter out of his pocket, lighting it quickly.  “Glinda, why don’t you go home and tend the kiddy while me and the slayer have a talk?”

Tara’s eyes narrow as she looks at the vampire.  “Buffy and I started patrol together, and we’re finishing it together.  Now say what you have to say and disappear.”  Tara’s lip curls up in disgust honestly wanting the vampire to disappear for good. 

Buffy chuckles softly at the look of surprise and shock on the vampire’s face knowing Spike was more used to the quiet, meek Tara.  Now he’s come face to face with ‘Mama Bear Tara’, the Wiccan having become more and more protective of her as they became closer.  Especially as they spent most Saturday’s and Sunday’s working on getting her fractured spirit back to normal, the process a slow and draining one but both women leery for different reasons to try the more in depth meditation and cleansing. 

Buffy frowns as she listens more intently to Spike as he starts to snark hatefully at Tara trying to get her to leave.  “Spike, if you don’t shut the hell up, I’ll stake your ass without a second thought.  Now say whatever the hell you have to say and leave us the hell alone!”  Buffy growls loudly as she steps between Tara and the vampire.   Buffy gently presses her back into Tara, feeling the rigidness of the Wiccan’s body.  Reaching behind her with her right hand, Buffy gently grasps Tara’s thigh, squeezing it gently, silently urging her to relax. 

Tara reaches down and places her hand over Buffy’s, threading their fingers together to gently squeeze for a moment before releasing Buffy’s hand and putting the slayer’s stake in it just in case. 

“Nice way to treat a bloke that’s been helpin’ out.”  Spike drawls, his eyes narrowed not missing the display.  Inhaling deeply, he smells the two women, frowning in confusion as their smells are almost literally identical, but he doesn’t smell sex on them.  Shaking his head at the oddity of the two women’s scent almost being interchangeable, he growls softly.  “I’ve been a good boy and been helpin’ out.  I’ve been behavin’ myself and ain’t hurt no one, so cut me some slack, Slayer.”

Buffy’s lip curls up in disgust.  “Only because you have that chip in your head, Spike.  I’m not stupid.  If it wasn’t for that you would have been attacking both of us and trying to drain us.”

“Not completely I wouldn’t.  Wouldn’t mind having a childe or two.”  Spike smirks, before grunting as he falls back on his ass at the quick strike across his chin.  Blinking in surprise at not having seen the blow coming, he raises a hand to his jaw and looks up at the two women looking down at him.

“See!  Right there shows you haven’t changed, Spike.  You’re still an evil vampire at heart.  You’ve just been neutered to where you can’t do much damage.”  Buffy snarls at the vampire.  “Why do you stick around here, Spike?  What’s the draw?  You can’t hunt and kill, the other demons and vampires think you’re a laughing stock, a vampire that can’t be a vampire.  You sure the hell ain’t sticking around for me, because that is SOOOO not gonna happen.  I made one bad judgment call that will never happen again.  So tell me, why don’t you move on to greener pastures?  Because one day you’re going to piss me off and I’m going to dust your ass.”

Spike snarls as he quickly regains his feet, staring down at the slayer.  “What?  And you think that little mousey witch there can do it for you?  You came back wrong, slayer.  You were dead.  You belong in the dark not the light.  When you get it through your brain that you’re like me, you know where I am.”

Tara snarls as she pulls the holy water out of her pocket, quickly flipping the top off and tossing it on the vampire, ignoring his scream as he jumps back.  “She’s not dead, Spike!  She’s alive, she can walk in the sunlight, she BELONGS in the light of the day not in the darkness you want to drag her into.  She eats, she laughs, she cries, she loves, she’s alive.  Something you aren’t and haven’t been for so long you’ve forgotten what it’s like.  Give up on dragging her down, Spike.  I’ll wipe your ass out myself if I find out you’ve been sniffing around her again.  This is your only warning.  I don’t give second chances.” 

Spike yanks his shirt from his skin where the holy water had landed and was burning through.  Vamp faced he snarls at the witch, growling angrily even as he sees the witch’s eyes swirling with power and anger.  Grunting and bending over, grabbing his stomach, his gaze turns to the slayer who’d just hit him.

“Sounds to me like you have a very short, un-dead lifespan ahead of you around here, Spike.  I’d suggest you find somewhere else to hang your worthless hide.”  Buffy states softly, the anger in her eyes all the more scary for the soft tones.  Gently grasping Tara’s hand, Buffy urges her ahead of her to continue on patrol, turning and kicking the vampire hard in the ass, sending him sprawling before she follows after Tara.

“I may not be able to do anything myself, but I can still cause problems of a different nature.”  Spike snarls softly as he stands looking in the distance after the two women.  Skulking off in the opposite direction, he remembers a certain demon in town that was about ready to give birth.  If he could get his hands on those eggs, those baby demons could turn the world into a huge snack.  Grinning evilly at the thought, Spike picks up his pace to see if he can find the demon.

***

“Are you okay?”  Buffy questions softly, Tara not having spoken since their encounter with Spike almost an hour ago, the two women finally making their way towards home. 

Tara turns her gaze to smile softly at the slayer.  “I’m okay, Buffy, just thinking.”  Tara admits quietly, turning back to watch where she’s walking.  Sighing softly, Tara starts speaking out loud.  “You know, he did help out while you were…”  Tara stops, hating to think about it, before she finally goes on after Buffy wraps an arm around her waist and hugs her gently.  “But most of the time we had to bribe him with blood or money when things were too much for us to handle by ourselves.”

“Typical Spike.”  Buffy nods, understandingly.  “He’s hardly ever done anything without it benefiting him.  He’s always been that way.”  Buffy admits softly.  “Even when he was here originally, he only teamed up with me because he wanted to get Dru away from Angelus, and the fact he didn’t want the world to end.  But I honestly believe the deciding factor was Dru.  That and the fact he hated Angelus.”  Buffy chuckles at the thought. 

“Remember how he tried to pit everyone against each other when he was first chipped?”  Tara frowns at the remembrance.  She didn’t really know the group of people well at that time and being in the bathroom with Anya as the rest of the group argued was a memory that was a bit odd. 

“Yeah.  He almost succeeded in breaking everyone up.”  Buffy admits quietly, remembering how everyone had acted, of course the vampire knew everyone well enough to put their own insecurities to the forefront with a couple well-placed comments. 

“He can’t be trusted.”  Tara states simply.

“No, he can’t.  I don’t know why I haven’t dusted him yet.”  Buffy frowns as they make their way up the sidewalk to their home.

“Because he hasn’t done anything bad enough for you to warrant taking him out.”  Tara smiles softly at the slayer.  “You’re not like some people, Buffy.  With what Willow had said about Kendra, she was a ‘stake ‘em first, ask questions later’ kind of slayer.  And unfortunately the world isn’t black and white.  There are good demons, just as there are bad humans.  Right now with the chip acting as a little zap collar when he does something bad, Spike is in the gray between the two.  And you, my lovely slayer, don’t kill indiscriminately normally.”

Buffy nods her head silently in agreement.  Knowing the only times she’s literally hunted down demons to stake and kill them was when she went on one her rampages, but knowing that the majority of them were vampires and definitely deserved to be taken out, while the other different demons had attacked her quickly with little provocation.  “You’re right.  But if he keeps it up, his days are numbered.”  Buffy holds the door open, allowing Tara to enter the house before her.  Turning and locking the door, Buffy watches as Tara gently shakes Dawn’s shoulder, where the teen had fallen asleep on the couch.

“Huh?”  Dawn blinks as she half wakes. 

“We’re home, Dawnie.  Why don’t you go ahead and go to bed.  You have school tomorrow.”  Tara gently brushes the hair from the teen’s face, smiling softly.

“Last week, thank God.”  Dawn mumbles as she staggers towards the stairs.

Tara chuckles watching Dawn head up the stairs before following Buffy into the kitchen.  “Would you like some cocoa?”  Tara quirks her eyebrow at the slayer as her hand reaches for the cabinet.

Buffy shakes her head and settles on a stool at the island within reach of Tara.  Grabbing the Wiccan by the waist, she gently pulls her to her, settling Tara comfortably between her legs.  Wrapping her arms tightly around her waist, she rests her cheek against Tara’s chest.  Smiling as Tara starts to stroke her back with her hands and places a kiss on the top of her head. 

Tara closes her eyes and rests her chin on top of Buffy’s head, continuing to run her hands gently up and down her back.  The slayer more often than not seeking her out for the warmth and comfort she offers.  One of the reasons Tara’s afraid to consummate their relationship, silently wondering if someone else would do just as well in her place.  Though knowing Buffy cares for her, but not entirely sure that the woman is in love with her, or just loves her as a friend.  Knowing Buffy is attracted to her, which is a given with how easily the woman’s turned on.  Though that too was suspect, as Tara remembers how Buffy was with Riley, the only person she’s seen her with.  Knowing the two of them had been very sexually active.

Mentally shaking her head at her mind’s wonderings, Tara hooks her hands together behind Buffy’s back and presses her lips to the top of her head.  “Do you want something else to drink?  Or maybe something to snack on?”  Tara questions softly.

“Not really.”  Buffy brushes her cheek against Tara’s breast before turning her head to place a soft kiss on the cloth covered nipple.  Easing her head away, Buffy tilts it up to look into loving blue eyes.  “You have finals this week, Tara.  We probably should go upstairs so you can be rested.”  Buffy smiles softly as she remembers the woman’s studying binges, Tara finally having stated over the weekend that her brain couldn’t handle any more facts, figures or information.  That she was done and she’d either do well or not.  Knowing how smart the woman is, Buffy doesn’t have a single worry that Tara won’t pass all her finals with flying colors and graduate with top honors. 

Finally urging Tara to step back, Buffy hops off the stool.  Threading her fingers through Tara’s, Buffy grabs a bottle of water out of the refrigerator before turning off the lights on their way upstairs to their bedroom. 

Tara follows quietly behind Buffy, allowing the slayer to head into the bathroom while taking the water from her and stepping into their bedroom.  Setting the bottle of water down, Tara pulls everything from her pockets placing them in the proper places before stripping and placing her dirty clothes in the hamper.  Bending over and pulling out a pair of sleeping shorts along with a tank top, Tara chuckles as a warm hand gently trails down her back to stroke softly over a bare butt cheek. 

“Teasing me, are you?”  Buffy lets the words rumble from her chest, her desire burning brightly at the sight of the naked woman. 

“I thought it would take you longer to shower.”  Tara admits, straightening with the clothes in her hand turning to tilt her head at the slayer, seeing the desire flaring in Buffy’s eyes, taking in the pale scar that most people don’t even notice along Buffy’s cheek.  As she thought, the scar added to the woman’s desirability, though Buffy had worried about it to begin with.  After Buffy had realized most people didn’t notice it, she didn’t think about it much anymore. 

Buffy shakes her head and she lets her eyes slowly trail down Tara’s body, nibbling on her bottom lip at the sight of the woman’s full breasts.  Her fingers itching to touch, caress, and pinch the flesh.  Smiling as the nipples harden perceptibly under her gaze, Buffy shifts her eyes down to the triangle of dark golden curls at Tara’s apex.  Buffy remembers having been surprised that Tara was a natural blonde as the woman’s hair had become quite dark at one time before it had started lightening again.  Tara explaining that if she wasn’t outside frequently, that her hair did darken, though when she’d first been with Willow, she had colored her hair to an almost white blonde, not liking it she had let it grow out. 

Tara gently taps Buffy on the nose to get the slayer’s attention.  “I’ll be back in a minute.”  Tara quickly pulls on the shorts and tank top, chuckling quietly at the pouty look that comes over Buffy’s face as she puts her clothes on.

“Don’t like clothes.”  Buffy grumbles, pulling off the towel and tossing it in the hamper after Tara leaves the room.  Pulling on her own sleeping shorts and top, Buffy folds down the covers on the bed before turning the overhead light off after switching on the lamp.  Easing between the covers Buffy laces her fingers together behind her head as she stares up at the ceiling, listening to Tara taking a shower.  Understanding to a certain degree why Tara was hesitant in taking the final step to consummating their relationship.  But honestly it’s to the point of driving her crazy.  Buffy admits to herself that her desire for the woman is at the forefront ninety-five percent of the time.  Just thinking about her will more often than not get her aching for the woman’s touch.  Sighing quietly, Buffy shifts, the desire already starting to dampen her sleeping shorts.  Flipping the covers off, Buffy shifts to let her legs dangle over the side as she finally decides to take matters into her own hands.  As Tara finally comes back into the room, brushing her damp hair, Buffy watches her for a moment.

Buffy stands, grabs Tara and kisses her hungrily on the lips, letting her desire flare to a higher level.  Pushing her body firmly against Tara’s, she grasps her butt cheeks while sliding a leg between Tara’s, effectively straddling Tara’s leg.  Breaking off the kiss to pant heavily, Buffy presses firmly against Tara before finally questioning the woman.  “Any chance we might be taking the final step?”

Tara whimpers quietly as she feels the heat and dampness coming from Buffy.  Her own desire making her ache to the point it’s almost painful.  Tilting her head against Buffy’s forehead, Tara digs her fingers gently into Buffy’s waist.  “I want to, Buffy.”  Tara finally whispers.

“I love you, Tara.  More than I can say.  I know you’re worried on a deeper level that it’s just because of your help and being there for me.  But I know it isn’t.  Please?  One touch is probably all it would take.”  Buffy finally whispers.

Tara hears the pain and desire in Buffy’s voice, along with the almost shyly whispered last sentence.  Closing her eyes, Tara thinks long and hard about their relationship.  Realizing it didn’t really matter if they consummated it or not, she was already head over heels in love with the slayer, and if Buffy decided she didn’t love her or want to be with her, her world would be torn apart whether they’ve made love or not.  Making a decision, Tara presses her lips to the tip of Buffy’s nose.  “One touch may be all it will take, but I won’t be able to stop at one touch, or even one taste, Buffy.” 

Buffy’s body jerks at the soft, sexy tone of the woman she loves, even before the words sink into her brain.  Eyes opening wide she looks into Tara’s desire-filled eyes. 

“I’ll want more, Buffy.  And I can guarantee you, that probably neither one of us will be getting a lot of sleep tonight.”  Tara gently urges Buffy towards the bed.

Buffy’s eyes widen even more before a huge grin crosses her face.  “Really?”  Buffy has to question to make sure, even as the back of her knees hit the bed and Tara gently pushes her down on it. 

“Really.”  Tara’s lips curl up into an answering grin as she notices the happiness shining in Buffy’s eyes.  “I love you, Buffy.”  Tara whispers, kneeling on the bed straddling Buffy as she follows the slayer.

“God, I love you, too.”  Buffy answers hoarsely, her eyes shining with love as she looks at the woman that has come to mean the world to her.

***

Chapter 14

Tara smiles as they shift slightly, Buffy lying in the middle of the bed, her eyes wide like it is Christmas morning and she’s got the biggest pile of gifts to unwrap.  Chuckling quietly as she already feels Buffy’s eager fingers tugging on her tank top.  Shifting up so she’s kneeling between Buffy’s legs, she allows the slayer to pull the top off, laughing outright as Buffy quickly yanks her own top off, both items flying across the room.  “Someone eager?”

“Tara, I love you, but you’ve been driving me to a turned on, extremely horny mess these past few months.”  Buffy growls as she tugs on Tara’s shorts.  “Either we get these off quick, or I’m ripping them off.”  Buffy warns her voice low.

Tara swallows as she sees the truth of the statement in Buffy’s eyes knowing the slayer won’t hesitate to rip the clothes right from her body.  Easing off the bed, Tara pushes them down her legs and steps out of them while Buffy yanks her own shorts off.  Laughing as Buffy literally leans over, picks her up using just her arms and plops her in the bed beside her, Tara wraps her arms around Buffy’s neck as the slayer starts to eagerly kiss and caress her way down her body.

“You cannot know how I’ve wanted to touch, caress, kiss and taste you.”  Buffy mumbles against Tara’s breasts, eagerly devouring the flesh, Tara normally stopped her from going any further or from even enjoying the delightful items for a long period of time in the past.  Knowing from what Tara had explained that she’d come close to climaxing multiple times just from her caressing and loving her breasts. 

Tara arches into the slayer’s hungry mouth, surprised and extremely turned on by the woman’s eagerness and words.  Buffy usually not this… “Oh, Goddess…”  Tara’s train of thought disappears as Buffy bites down firmly on her nipple causing her body to buck as a heavy flood of desire escapes her.  Tara knows it won’t take much more to climax. 

Buffy growls loudly at the intoxicating smell of Tara’s arousal, the scent permeating the whole room.  Nipping her way across Tara’s chest to her other breast, she nibbles around the rock hard nipple before finally capturing it between her teeth firmly and tugging on it, grunting loudly as Tara’s body bucks and presses hard against her stomach.  Hearing the deep, loud moan come from Tara as the woman grinds firmly against her stomach muscles, leaving a trail of wetness in her wake Buffy smirks in realization as Tara shudders beneath her before dropping her lower body back onto the bed. 

“Buffy…”  Tara whispers, her voice rough as she looks down at Buffy who’s nipping her way inexorably down her body, jerking as the slayer’s hot tongue dips in her belly button, Tara tugs on her hair.

“Uh, uh.  No changing your mind now.  I told you I want to taste you.  Your smell has been driving me absolutely insane.  I want to taste, lick, suckle and devour you.”  Buffy growls softly, biting gently on Tara’s lower abdomen, chuckling at the clenching of her lover’s muscles. 

“Goddess, Buffy!”  Tara jerks as Buffy’s hands slide down her thighs and under them to slide back up, effectively lifting and opening her as the slayer settles firmly between her legs.  Feeling the hot breath of air coming from Buffy’s mouth literally centimeters from her aching body, Tara whimpers.  Surprised at how quick and eager Buffy is to do things that had literally taken Willow months to work her way up to, Tara cries out softly as a warm tongue dips between her lips and slowly traverses it’s way up her center.  Burying one hand in Buffy’s hair and the other one digging into the bed, Tara braces her feet on the bed and pushes up as Buffy’s tongue glides over her aching clit, pulling it the rest of the way out of its hiding place.

Growling softly as she comes across Tara’s pulsing clit, Buffy flicks it with her tongue repeatedly before reaching up with one hand after resituating herself slightly, pulling the hood back to look at the flushed muscle.  Eyes dark with desire Buffy laps up some of the escaping fluid coming from Tara, loving the earthy, rich musky taste.  Hearing Tara’s whimpering becoming louder Buffy grins as she flicks her tongue teasingly over Tara’s clit again, watching as Tara’s body jumps and quivers at the touch.  Ignoring her own body’s needs, Buffy swirls her tongue around the muscle, watching and listening to Tara’s movements and whimpers.  Slowly dragging the length of her tongue over the swollen muscle, Buffy whimpers herself at the low, long wail that comes from Tara even as the woman’s body quivers and releases another flood of liquid for her to lap up.  Hearing Tara trying to say something, Buffy looks up at her flushed lover and the hazy grayish-blue eyes looking back at her.

“In…”  Tara whimpers, tugging on Buffy’s hair firmly, needing to feel her lover inside her, her body clenching and aching to feel filled.  Seeing Buffy, Tara whispers again not able to say it any louder.  “Inside…” 

Buffy frowns slightly trying to understand what Tara’s asking before the light bulb flickers in her brain.  Watching her lover intently, she shifts the hand she’d been holding the hood of flesh back with downwards, trailing through the wetness coming from her lover, learning her folds for a few moments before gently circling the tip of her index finger around Tara’s opening.  As Tara bucks at the slight pressure and her head tilts back, Buffy slowly eases the finger in, groaning loudly as Tara’s body practically grasps it and drags her all the way in.  Panting heavily at the unique feeling of being within her lover, Buffy slowly eases the digit out to slide back in again.  The wet heat and the muscles clamping repeatedly around her finger making her own body clench and flood with desire.  

Tara rocks her body, gently urging Buffy to explore, biting her lip as Buffy slips a second finger within her.  As her lover gently eases in and out, Tara rotates her hips at the luscious feeling of Buffy’s strong fingers starting to map out her insides, searching within her and learning her body. 

Buffy growls softly, gently nipping on the flesh of Tara’s inner thigh, her eyes unwavering as they watch everything she’s doing.  Stroking within Tara, Buffy slowly learns the feel and texture of Tara’s inner body.  Sliding the tips of her fingers slowly and intently over Tara’s upper wall, searching for the spot that she had found by accident within herself that night Riley and she had almost killed each other having sex in the haunted house, Buffy bites more firmly on Tara’s leg as the Wiccan jerks and cries out in pleasure as she finds the spot. 

“B-b-buffy…”  Tara stutters as the slayer starts to stroke continuously in a small, firm circle within her, keeping up the pressured rub over her g-spot.  Trying to warn Buffy about stimulating her this way, but unable to get it out before the climax works through her body, exploding out of her to drench the slayer.  As Buffy just grunts loudly, and keeps up her ministrations, Tara’s eyes widen and her body continues to jerk and pulse against her lover.  Her voice having shut down on her, Tara digs her short fingernails into Buffy’s scalp as she feels an even more powerful orgasm starting to work its way through her.  Silently crying out as she shoves her heels into the bed pushing up with the pleasure going through her along with the gush of liquid, Tara finally collapses back on the bed unconscious from the pleasure.

Buffy licks the fluid from her upper lip that’s making its way down her face as Tara surprises her with the second reward.  Not knowing it was possible to have two female ejaculations in a row, knowing from her own personal experience only ejaculating the once and it had taken literally the whole night and most of the morning after multiple orgasms to reach that state to have the one.  Eagerly lapping at the sweet fluid coming from Tara, Buffy finally eases her fingers from within her lover as the muscles ease their almost painful clenching.  Taking a moment, Buffy looks up to ask Tara about her climaxes when all she sees are the whites of Tara’s eyes.  Seeing Tara’s chest rising and lowering quickly, Buffy hurriedly clamors up Tara’s body to look down at the woman.  Pressing her fingers to Tara’s neck, Buffy buries her face on the other side as she feels the strong pounding heartbeat.  Sighing in relief, Buffy kisses Tara’s neck before easing back to look at the woman again.

“Tara?”  Buffy whispers, stroking her fingers gently down her lover’s cheek trying to help her come to.  Continuing to stroke her fingers gently over her lover’s cheek and neck, Buffy gently eases her body down against Tara’s, burying her face in the woman’s sweaty neck, waiting patiently for Tara to come back to earth.

***

Tara licks her lips as she slowly gains consciousness.  The first thing she’s aware of is fingers trailing softly over her cheek and down her neck before they make their way back up again.  Smiling as the second thing she becomes aware of is Buffy’s face buried in the crook of her neck and warm lips pressing softly against her skin.  Dragging her arms up to wrap heavily around Buffy’s body, Tara sighs heavily in contentment.  The slayer’s hot, wet body feeling right as it lies on top of her.

“You come back to visit with us mere mortals?”  Buffy questions softly, smiling as Tara chuckles deeply. 

“You sure you haven’t ever been with a woman before?  ‘Cause I have to tell you, if this is your first time, the second may very well kill me.”  Tara jokes, hardly recognizing her own rough, scratchy voice.

Buffy laughs quietly, before shifting her body to prop herself up with one hand while reaching for the bottle of water with the other.  Slowly easing off Tara to the Wiccan’s grunt of disapproval, Buffy unscrews the top and hands the bottle to Tara.  “Drink, love.”  Buffy orders watching as Tara shifts up in the bed and tilts the bottle to her lips, taking small sips.  Wiggling in against Tara’s body, Buffy rests her head on Tara’s breast while letting her fingers play over Tara’s body.  “You surprised me tonight.  I’ve only ever had one ejaculation in my whole life.  And here you had back to back ones.”  Buffy chuckles as Tara whimpers quietly. 

“You didn’t stop.”  Tara points out softly, setting the bottle back on the nightstand, saving the other half for later.  “I definitely didn’t expect you to find my g-spot so easily then go after it quite that intently, or I would have warned you that whenever it’s stimulated, I always end up gushing.” 

Buffy looks up in surprise her eyes taking in the heavily blushing, but grinning Wiccan.  “Always?”  Buffy questions hoarsely.

Tara nods her head, chuckling at the surprise on Buffy’s face.  “Always.  And I have to admit, I’ve never had anyone ever continue after the first to give me a second one.”

“I was pleasantly surprised.”  Buffy grins, licking her lips as she settles her head back on Tara’s breast.  “Gonna do this more often, see how many in a row you can handle.”  Buffy smirks as Tara whimpers.  Trailing her fingers over Tara’s lower abdomen, Buffy closes her eyes in contentment.  “I love you, Tara.  This has been the happiest day of my life, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Tara feels her heart catch at the slayer’s heartfelt words.  Wrapping her arms firmly around Buffy, she hugs her tightly.  “Goddess, Buffy.  I love you so much.  Words are inadequate.”  Tara admits.  “But I’d love to show you.”

Buffy groans as her body literally vibrates at the thought.  Having ignored her own wants and desires while concentrating on Tara, her body reminds her with a vengeance of what it needs. 

Tara allows a small smile to cross her lips at the loud groan coming from her lover and as Buffy’s body starts to rock against her, the dampness coming from Buffy painting the side of her leg heavily.  “Let’s see if I can’t return the favor.”  Tara growls as she rolls Buffy over and kisses her hungrily.

Buffy pants heavily, as Tara finally releases her lips and nips her way firmly down her neck stopping to suck on the flesh at her pulse point.  “Remember, I’ve only come like that once in my entire life, Tara.”  Buffy warns, grunting quietly as Tara shifts and slides one of her thighs firmly between her legs, pressing tightly against her.  Buffy presses upwards into the warm flesh, rocking slightly, her body sliding almost effortlessly against Tara’s thigh as it becomes slick with her desire. 

“Gonna work on that.”  Tara murmurs before nibbling firmly on the flesh she’d been suckling on.  Shifting her body to support on her hands, Tara presses harder into Buffy’s apex, rocking gradually faster and harder as she watches Buffy flush darker as she creeps closer to release.  Feeling the slayer’s fingers digging into her waist, Tara presses slightly harder, rocking faster at the slayer’s urging, chuckling lowly as Buffy’s legs wrap around her leg and the slayer rubs hard and fast, a flood of fluid coming from her as she climaxes.

Buffy whimpers quietly as she explodes, the release helping but the desire still running rampant through her body.  Groaning deeply as Tara gently urges her legs to unwrap.  Dragging her eyes open, she looks into the smiling face of her lover. 

“You need and want more.”  Tara whispers seeing the flame burning just as brightly in Buffy’s eyes, the desire obviously at an all-time high within the slayer. 

“Much more.”  Buffy admits, panting heavily as she watches Tara intently.  Seeing the almost wicked grin cross Tara’s mouth, Buffy whimpers. 

“You’ll have much more.”  Tara promises leaning down to invade Buffy’s mouth hungrily, urging the slayer into a heated battle of wills as their tongues duel and hands grip and stroke.  Growling into her lover’s mouth, Tara digs her short nails firmly into Buffy’s hips.  Working her way quickly down Buffy’s body, she places two quick nips on each rock hard nipple before letting her teeth scrape inexorably down the slayer’s body until she’s at the strip of dark curls. 

Buffy whimpers as Tara nips gently at her mound even as her fingers playfully tug on the short curls.  Burying her hands in Tara’s hair, Buffy tugs gently.  “Don’t tease.” Buffy growls as she tilts her head to look at the dark blonde hair spread out over her body, her heart missing a beat at the look of unadulterated love and desire looking back at her.

“No teasing.”  Tara shakes her head, her hands stroking down Buffy’s thighs as she shifts to become comfortable, planning on spending a while enjoying her lover and hopefully bringing her much deserved pleasure.

“Oh, Goddddd…”  Buffy moans, arching into Tara’s warm mouth as true to her word she doesn’t tease.  Feeling the strong tongue dragging repeatedly over her distended clit, Buffy whimpers as lips surround her and a strong sucking motion commences even as Tara’s tongue starts to flick repeatedly over the tip of the sensitive muscle bringing her quickly to another, stronger climax. 

Tara hums appreciatively while continuing to suckle at the slayer, alternating to stroke the length of her tongue from the bottom of the slayer’s slit, dipping playfully within her lover before continuing up and over the swollen, begging muscle and stopping to suckle for a few moments before doing it all over again, chuckling as Buffy hooks a leg around her back, pulling her in even tighter to her body.  As Buffy shakes and another flood of liquid escapes her, heralding another climax, Tara allows her hands to come into play.  Dragging her fingernails tenderly over the slayer’s butt cheeks from where she’d been holding the woman, Tara slides both thumbs teasing down her lover’s crack, smirking as Buffy whimpers and jerks as they trail over her rosebud.  Deciding to come back to that at a later date and after a few questions, Tara slides the thumbs up the short distance to press tenderly into her lover’s opening, the slickness of Buffy’s arousal letting her slide in easily.  Swirling her tongue around her lover’s throbbing clit, Tara shifts, easing her thumbs out.

Buffy grunts loudly, her body shifting to try and keep the woman inside her, eyes opening to stare down her body at Tara as her lover looks up with smiling eyes. 

“Easy, love.  I’m just resituating slightly.”  Tara smiles at the disgruntled look on Buffy’s face.  Pressing her lips once more firmly to Buffy’s clit, Tara shifts so she’s straddling one of Buffy’s thighs, the fingers of her right hand stroking through her lover’s desire as she leans down to kiss Buffy softly, not knowing if her lover would like to kiss after what she’d been doing, pleasantly surprised when Buffy tugs her more firmly against her and deepens the kiss immediately, her tongue searching out her mouth while groaning in obvious appreciation.   

Buffy sucks eagerly on Tara’s tongue after enjoying the taste of herself on and in the Wiccan’s mouth.  Releasing it to moan loudly as Tara finally slides two fingers deep within her, stroking firmly in and out.

Tara pants softly as she opens her eyes to look into Buffy’s passion-filled gaze.  “Goddess, you’re beautiful.”  Tara whispers, curling her fingers to stroke firmly over Buffy’s pleasure spot, using her thigh to give her thrusts more power as she strokes in and out, letting her fingertips press over the muscle, building her lover’s desire.

“Ohhhhh…”  Buffy whimpers, bracing her feet to meet each of Tara’s thrusts, feeling the building tension in her body at Tara’s continued stroking. 

“Relax and let yourself feel the pleasure, don’t fight it.”  Tara whispers softly, watching Buffy’s face contort with pleasure, the tightening making the scar stand out more prominently as Buffy’s face flushes with the desire coursing through her.  Tilting her head down the short distance, Tara eagerly kisses and licks the scar, feeling her lover’s muscles starting to clench repeatedly around her fingers. 

Buffy jerks and presses her body up harder and faster, grunting as Tara’s fingers seem to press upwards even more firmly against her g-spot.  Feeling the flow as the climax starts to work it’s way through her, Buffy cries out Tara’s name as the Wiccan presses her thumb firmly against her clit at the same time her fingers bury themselves within her to press upwards continuously against the bundle of nerves inside her, tipping her over the edge.

Tara shifts to bury her face in Buffy’s sweaty neck as her lover finally floods her hand in climax.  Keeping her fingers firmly against the spot, Tara whimpers at the strongly clenching muscles even as she latches onto the slayer’s pulse point, unconsciously biting directly over Angel’s bite scar.

“Oh, my God!!”  Buffy jerks upwards at the feel of Tara’s blunt teeth sinking into her neck as another even more powerful orgasm rips through her, soaking them both. 

Tara pants heavily as she releases Buffy’s neck, lapping at the wound, not really aware of what she’d done, not even noticing the metallic tang of the slayer’s blood.

Buffy holds onto Tara tightly, wrapping her legs firmly around her leg, effectively capturing Tara’s hand against her, burying her fingers deep inside her as she feels a connection unlike anything she’s felt before opening to her.  Not understanding that Angel’s unclaimed bite, from where he’d taken her blood to heal roughly three years ago was effectively and permanently just claimed by Tara.  Something that should never have been able to happen between two humans, but because of their continued working together to heal her, it had opened them to each other in a way indiscernible before now to either woman.

Tara growls softly at the possessiveness of her lover holding her to her, enjoying the feel of the strong arms, and the hot sweaty body pressed against her, unaware that her body was just as sweaty.  Feeling the possessiveness and happiness coming from Buffy, it takes Tara a moment to realize she shouldn’t be ‘feeling’ these things.  Blinking her eyes open, she tilts her head to look at Buffy’s grinning countenance as she slowly works over what had just happened.  Looking down at Buffy’s neck, she sees a perfect impression of her teeth at Buffy’s pulse point.  Swallowing hard as she tries to make sense of what’s happening, Tara cautiously reaches out to Buffy emotionally. 

“What’s wrong?”  Buffy raspily questions, feeling the worry coming from Tara.  Turning her head, she presses a soft kiss to her lips, slowly opening her eyes to look into extremely worried blue eyes. 

“Do you feel it?”  Tara questions hoarsely, searching Buffy’s hazel eyes as they become unfocused, feeling the slayer searching within her self and eventually coming across the connection within them.  Seeing the hazel eyes focus back in to look questioningly at her, Tara shakes her head.  “I don’t know.  I…”  Tara looks down at the bite on Buffy’s neck, frowning heavily as she sifts through information of vampires claiming their childe, if they so choose.  “Angel never did anything more than drink your blood to heal himself, did he?”

Buffy blinks in confusion at her lover’s question before shaking her head.  “No.  Why are you…?”

Tara presses her forehead against Buffy’s temple.  “A vampire that has fed off a human, usually either plans on killing them for food, turning them to become a vampire, or …”  Tara trails off, taking a deep breath not knowing if Buffy knows about this part.

“Or basically making them an indentured servant for however long they choose until they either dissolve the link, turn them or kill them.”  Buffy finishes, having read it and questioned Angel about it one time, the vampire admitting he never tried to keep a human, not wanting the hassle and problems that could arise from it while being Angelus. 

“His mark has been unclaimed, and I think in a weird sort of way I unintentionally just claimed it.  But in a different kind of way.”  Tara admits hesitantly, afraid of what this might mean, never having read of anything like this happening before in all the time she’d done research and honestly not knowing how Buffy would take it.

Buffy frowns in confusion, slowly relaxing her body to release the tight grip she has on Tara, but keeping her arms around her lover.  Groaning quietly as she feels Tara finally shift and ease her hand out from inside her and between their two bodies, Buffy blushes slightly at the feel of the wet sheets, thankful she has the protective plastic cover over the mattress. 

Tara chuckles at Buffy’s wonderings, before pressing her lips firmly against her temple.  “You didn’t pass out, though.”  Tara murmurs as she brings up her own second climax and consequential passing out. 

Buffy grunts and grins slightly.  “What does this all mean, Tara?”

“I haven’t a clue.”  Tara admits, slowly shifting to lie beside Buffy, instead of on her lover.  Keeping one leg tossed proprietarily over the slayer, Tara props her upper body up with her arm and rests her head in the palm of her hand as she looks down at her confused looking lover.  Stroking her fingers lovingly up and over Buffy’s body, Tara sighs quietly.  “Okay, let’s try this.  Sing the theme song from the Brady Bunch.”  Tara orders.

Buffy crinkles her forehead and stares up at her lover.  “I don’t think so.  Didn’t care for the repeats I saw when I was a kid and I’ll be damned if I’m going to sing the song.”  Buffy grumps, shaking her head at her lover.

Tara laughs uncontrollably at the look of disgust on Buffy’s face.  “Well, you’re not under my thrall to do whatever I tell you to do.”  Tara comments between laughter.

Buffy grunts and gently smacks Tara’s leg before placing her hand on the thigh, stroking her fingers over the warm flesh.  “Maybe the transfer isn’t complete… shouldn’t I have some of your blood?”  Buffy finally questions, her eyes gleaming as she snaps her teeth playfully at Tara.

Tara chuckles and shakes her head.  “Hell if I know.”  Unconsciously running her fingers up to the bite, Tara frowns.  “I didn’t mean to do it, I just did.”  Tara admits sadly.  “It was like I had no control and it just happened.”

“Shhhh.”  Buffy reaches up to hold Tara’s hand, pulling it down to her chest, squeezing it gently.  Turning to gaze into sad, teary blue eyes, Buffy leans in to kiss Tara lovingly.  “Whatever it is, it’s done.  One thing you’ve taught me over the months is that you can’t undo the past.  You can just work on making things better in the here and now.  We’ll take this too, in stride.”  Buffy offers, chuckling at the surprise in Tara’s eyes.  “Didn’t think I was paying attention, did you?”

Tara shrugs, blushing lightly.  “I know you pay attention.  It’s just how much attention you’re paying…” 

Buffy growls playfully and rolls over on top of her lover, kissing her hard on the lips.  “Be careful or I’ll be marking you and see what happens.”

“It would only be fair.”  Tara admits, Buffy having released her hand.  Running both hands gently through Buffy’s hair, she presses her lips firmly against Buffy’s.  Opening her senses to see the slayer’s aura, she jerks back in surprise to look into Buffy’s questioning hazel eyes.

“What now?”  Buffy questions curiously, the shock in Tara’s eyes obvious while the emotions coming from the Wiccan were confusing her.

“Your… your spirit…  Your soul is healed.”  Tara blinks in shock, stroking her thumbs over Buffy’s cheeks as she continues to stare at the slayer.  “Can you tell the difference?”

Buffy actually pays attention to the way she feels, slowly nodding her head in answer to Tara as she doesn’t feel the anger flowing just under the surface that she had been feeling.  As a matter of fact, she feels pretty calm and relaxed.  “Sure it isn’t just because I had the best sex of my life?  I mean, wasn’t there a song called Sexual Healing or something?”  Buffy questions fighting the smile wanting to cross her face.

Tara growls and smacks Buffy firmly on the ass after a second.  “Marvin Gaye.  And yes, it was called Sexual Healing.  But I somehow doubt that is what healed you.”

“Hmmm.  I’ll argue that point.”  Buffy smirks at Tara before leaning down to nibble firmly on her full bottom lip.  “Why the hell did you put me off for so long?  We could’ve been making out like bunnies the past couple months.”  Buffy points out wiggling her body enticingly against Tara, chuckling as Tara whimpers.

“You know why.”  Tara finally grasps Buffy’s hips as the slayer wiggles her way firmly between her legs and was starting to rock back and forth slightly.  “Buffy…”  Tara warns softly.

Buffy growls at the note in Tara’s voice, though her eyes do shift to the clock, realizing it’s almost four in the morning.  Whimpering and dropping her head to lay beside Tara’s, Buffy whispers into Tara’s ear.  “You need a little sleep for whatever tests you have tomorrow.”  Buffy makes it a statement, not a question.

“Yes, I do.”  Tara admits, turning her head slightly to press a kiss against Buffy’s ear.  “We do have some serious discussions ahead of us, though.  We need to find out what, if anything, this means.”

“Okay.”  Buffy sighs heavily, before reaching out with her arm, feeling around to turn the lamp off, smiling as Tara hugs her tightly.  “Covers.”  Buffy mumbles, wiggling her legs around to try and find them with her feet. 

“Think they’re off the end of the bed.”  Tara offers quietly, knowing they’d probably kicked them completely off with their exertions.

Buffy grumbles quietly as she slowly shifts and rolls out of the bed.  “Don’t want to have to do this a lot.  We’ll have to get strings or something attached to the little bastards and hook ‘em to the bedposts.”  Buffy pulls the sheet and comforter up the bed before climbing in to lay half on Tara.  “I love you.” 

Tara has to chuckle at Buffy’s comments, before kissing Buffy lovingly at her declaration.  “I love you, too.” 

“Better.”  Buffy mumbles against Tara’s neck as she slowly starts to drift off to sleep.  “Planning on keeping you forever.”

Tara stills at the slayer’s words, it finally hitting home how much the slayer does love her, and not just for what she’d done to help her, but just because.  Not able to argue with the feelings coming to her from the woman even in her sleep.  “Goddess, I’m sorry for doubting you.”  Tara whispers, pressing a soft kiss to Buffy’s forehead, before relaxing to allow her body to give in and follow her lover into the land of dreams.

***

Chapter 15

Tara finishes the last question on her final, flipping it to the beginning to start double-checking her answers when she gets this barely there feeling of unease and confusion coming from Buffy.  Frowning heavily, Tara looks up at the clock.  Forgoing double-checking her answers, she clicks her pen, grabs her purse and trots down the steps hurriedly ignoring the looks she receives from her classmates.  Smiling at the Professor as she places her test paper on the desk, she hurries out of the room and down the hall towards the exit and the parking lot.

***

Buffy finishes washing the dishes from breakfast, smiling at the fact today was Friday, and Tara was finishing her last final and would officially be done with school, short of graduation in two weeks.

Whistling happily, Buffy strides through the house looking to see if anything needs to be cleaned or washed before trotting up the stairs to grab the hampers to start working on laundry as she thinks about the past five days and the fact she and Tara had impossibly become even closer.  The feeling of rightness of being with the woman unbelievable, even as her own anger and pain from coming back was gone.  Though there were still twinges of sadness and longing for the happiness she had felt while being in heaven, but Tara’s loving her was more than recompense for the loss of those feelings.  Tilting her head, Buffy silently wonders if there is lovemaking in heaven, blushing lightly at the thought.  “Hope so.  Also hope that they’ll let me and Tara hook-up, up above.  Damn woman means the world to me.”  Buffy murmurs as she carries the dirty clothes down the stairs.  “Before my heaven was just having peace, which is what I had.  Now I want something a heck of a lot better.” 

***

The morning gone, and the afternoon starting, having just finished the laundry, Buffy steps outside with a glass of lemonade.  Settling on the porch swing, she looks out at the afternoon sky.  Deciding to wait for Tara to come home, knowing her lover said it would probably be somewhere between one and two, knowing she’ll have at least an hour to wait, Buffy sips on her lemonade and rocks back and forth.

Tucking her leg under her, Buffy sets the empty glass on the small table to the side of the swing.  Frowning as she hears a high-powered engine coming down the street, she turns her gaze on the large black SUV making its way down Revello Drive.  Surprised as it slows down and pulls into her driveway, Buffy stiffens and her eyes narrow feeling a sense of unease working through her.  Untucking her leg, she slowly stands and stares in stunned shock as Riley Finn steps out of the vehicle on the driver’s side, talking to someone still in the darkened vehicle before turning to stride towards her. 

Buffy unconsciously crosses her arms over her chest in a defensive gesture as she looks at the man she had at one time considered spending her life with.  Surprised and shocked as he comes to stand in front of her a small smile on his boyishly good-looking face, Buffy’s confused as she feels the ache of what might have been working through her.  Shaking her head at the thought she quirks her eyebrow to stare at Riley.  “I would ask what you’re doing here, but considering the get-up, I would assume it isn’t good.”

Riley’s smile slowly falls from his face and he shakes his head.  “No, but I thought we might be able to talk while I’m here.”  Riley offers, looking over his ex-girlfriend, taking in the changes of the past year, frowning slightly as he sees the light scar trailing down her face wondering what might have caused it. 

Buffy shifts slightly as Riley looks over her.  “What’s the sitch?”

Riley runs a hand through his hair and looks back at the SUV with the other four commandos in it.  “We’re hunting a Suvolte Demon that’s somewhere here on the Hellmouth.  I thought it would be best to talk with you and let you know what was going on, plus to see if you would want to be in on the hunt.  She’s about ready to lay her eggs, if she hasn’t already.”

“Suvolte Demon?”  Buffy questions curiously, frowning as she doesn’t remember that particular demon, though with all the different demons she’s fought over the years, and her lack of caring what they were she could have killed fifty of them and still not known their name.

“They’re literally eating machines when they hatch.  They’ll take over Sunnydale in a day and before a month is out, the whole United States would probably be nothing but empty buildings and countryside.”  Riley explains quickly, looking over Buffy having to admit she looks damn good, even with the scar.  “You’re still beautiful.”  He murmurs, his eyes widening at his admittance.

Buffy frowns and shifts uncomfortably at his words, not knowing what to say.  Admitting she still feels an undeniable attraction to the young man, after all he is definitely good looking, but smiling blue eyes and a crooked, sexy grin sets her pulse racing and her heart thundering in her chest.  “Who’s in the SUV?”

“The rest of my group.”  Riley mutters, frowning at her lack of comment to his admittance.  “Look.  My reasons for coming here were two-fold, Buffy.  They’ll be okay out in the vehicle.  They know I want to speak with you alone.  Can we maybe continue this inside?”  Riley tilts his head towards the door, silently pleading with Buffy to hear him out.

Buffy stares at Riley for a minute, before finally nodding her head and leading the way into the house, silently wondering what’s going on.

***

Tara pulls up in front of the house, parking on the street as she looks at the large black Hummer.  Worried, she hurries out of the vehicle and up to the house, striding through she looks into the living room before turning towards the kitchen, staring in stunned silence at Riley Finn sitting at the island in the kitchen.

“Tara, we have company.”  Buffy murmurs, hearing her lover come to a stop in the dining room and feeling the major sense of unease and worry coming from her.  Turning her gaze back on Riley, she continues to think about what he just said, already knowing the answer to his question but trying to figure out why he’s just now coming to ask her.  “It took you a year to come and ask me this?”

Riley swallows hard and looks down at the counter, slowly nodding his head.  “The more time I spent away from you the more I realized how much I loved you.  I know you won’t leave the Hellmouth, but my rotation in the Forces is up in six months if I don’t re-up.  I wanted to know if you’ll marry me.”

Tara feels her heart stop in her chest as she hears the heartfelt words coming from the young man, her eyes jerking over to Buffy, just feeling a sense of calmness coming from her lover, she doesn’t know what to do or say.  Her heart pounding in her chest as she silently wonders if this is it.  If Buffy might decide to marry the young soldier, even with knowing how much she loves her. 

Buffy feels the worry and fear coming from Tara.  Turning to look at her lover, she sighs quietly, realizing that Tara doesn’t know what her answer is, and obviously is extremely worried about the outcome of the young man’s words.  “Tara…”  Buffy whispers, holding her hand out.  Seeing the confusion in blue eyes and feeling the indecision as to whether to come to her or run the other way, Buffy shakes her head.  “Please.”  Buffy wiggles her fingers.

Tara swallows hard and slowly finishes entering the kitchen, not daring to look at Riley as she slides her hand into Buffy’s, surprised when Buffy shifts in the seat and lifts her to settle on her lap, wrapping her arms tightly around her. 

“Riley, at one time I wanted that more than anything.  But times have changed, and so have I.  I’ve died in the time you’ve been gone, only to be resurrected four months later.  I do care for you, and probably always will.  But I don’t think… No, I know you probably won’t understand.  I’ve fallen in love with Tara.  She makes me happier than I have ever dreamed possible.  Hell, even when we argue and fight a part of me revels in the love I feel coming from her when it’s happening.  Because she does love me.  Me and my faults.  She also understands what it is for me to be the slayer.  And how I can’t just work nine to five and put my stake down to have a normal life afterwards.”  Buffy explains quietly, her eyes on the shocked man’s face as his eyes flicker between her and Tara, smiling as she feels Tara relax to the point of practically melting into her body.  Pressing a kiss on Tara’s cheek as she turns slightly towards her, Buffy chuckles.  “How could you ever be worried?”

“I didn’t feel anything but calmness from you after your original worry, unease and confusion.”  Tara admits, shifting to sit sideways and bury her face in Buffy’s neck as her lover strokes softly over her back. 

“Sorry.”  Buffy whispers pressing her lips to Tara’s forehead.  “Riley, I’m sorry but my answer is obviously no.  But if you want mine and Tara’s help in hunting out the demon, we will definitely help you.”  Buffy offers quietly.

Riley’s mouth opens and shuts as he looks from Tara to Buffy and back again.  Feeling a sense of frustration and anger shoot through him, he questions roughly.  “When the hell did this happen and what about Willow?”

Buffy growls softly at Riley even as Tara answers him.

“Willow and I broke up over four months ago.  Buffy and I have been working on a relationship for the last…”  Tara looks questioningly at Buffy.  “Three months?”  At her lover’s agreeing nod, she grins crookedly at her.  “Three months ago.  It’s been a slow, but very intense process, and I love her completely.”  Tara warns softly, her eyes darkening in warning as she stares at Riley.  “If you say or do anything to hurt her either physically or emotionally, I will have your ass.”

Buffy smirks and buries her face against Tara’s shoulder as she tries to quell the laughter coming up.  The woman’s possessiveness and caring for her only becoming worse the last few days after the whole mark thing.  Having to admit in a way she feels extremely happy and pleased with it, and silently admitting to herself that she’s becoming more possessive of the Wiccan as time progresses, even more so than she had been. 

Riley leans back away from Tara, surprised at the forcefulness of the blonde, totally different from the shy, quiet woman he remembered.  Turning his gaze on Buffy, he watches as she grins even as quiet laughter bubbles from her lips.

“Don’t piss her off, Riley.  Even the demons have learned that they will have an even shorter lifespan if they piss her off than they do with me.  And her way of taking them out is usually a lot more painful than mine.”  Buffy warns seriously, though her eyes twinkle merrily.  “Can you do a tracking spell on a particular demon?”  Buffy questions curiously.

Tara nods her head as she looks at her lover.  “If I have something personal from it, I can.  If not, I can just do a generic tracer that will show us where the majority of the demons are throughout Sunnydale that don’t have a magical blocker.” 

Riley sighs heavily before putting thoughts of him and Buffy being together out of his mind to sort through later.  The soldier in him insisting on taking care of the threat first, and personal business later now that there was obviously no chance for them.  “We were hoping Willow might be able to do a spell, and I remembered that she needed something of the demon’s.  So I have part of a tooth out in the SUV.”

“Willow isn’t doing any magic.”  Buffy answers softly, at his curious and surprised look, Buffy shrugs.  “She was out of control.  Or maybe I should say the magic was in control and not her.  She did some things that came back to bite her in the ass.”  Buffy hugs Tara tightly at feeling the quick streak of pain coming from her.  “Sorry, love.” 

“Not your fault.”  Tara whispers, slowly relaxing again.  “She’s heading to a Coven to try and get control of the magic, or at least learn to drain the magic from her body as needed.”

Riley nods slightly, though not really understanding.  “We’ve heard from our contacts in town that someone calling himself “The Doctor” is dealing with the demon.  I’m afraid it might have already laid the eggs, so the sooner we get started…”  Riley stands looking at the two women. 

“I have what we need to do the spell.”  Tara answers the unasked question in Buffy’s eyes.

“Good, I’ll go change.  Are you going to come with, or…”  Buffy lets Tara slide from her lap before standing and looking at her lover.  Seeing the knowing crooked grin on Tara’s face, an answering grin crosses hers.  “Stupid question, huh?”

“Slayer moment.”  Tara chuckles at the scowl she gets in response to her answer. 

“You’ll pay for that later.”  Buffy grumbles before looking at Riley.  “Go get the piece.  The rest of the group is welcome to come in if you want.  Game plan making time and all that.”  Buffy waves her hand watching her ex-lover nod his head sharply and head out of the kitchen.  Sighing as she feels arms wrap around her waist. 

Tara hooks her chin over Buffy’s shoulder and presses a kiss to her cheek.  “I’m sorry, honey.  Insecurity and jealousies rearing their ugly heads.” 

“I say we have some things to work through still.  But we will, and we’ll be all the stronger for it, right?”  Buffy smiles as Tara nods and nips gently at her ear.  “I do love you, Tara.  I’ve fallen in love with you and I wouldn’t trade being with you for anything in the world.”

“Goddess, I am so in love with you.”  Tara answers as Buffy turns in her arms and kisses her lovingly.

Buffy eases back after a few moments, hearing Riley and some other people coming back into the house.  “Good thing, don’t wanna see what an angry unloved slayer is like.  Not a pretty sight!”

Tara chuckles as Buffy heads out of the room.  “So not gonna happen.”  Tara smiles as she hears the quiet laughter come from her lover.  Shaking her head at the realization that she needs to get her supplies, she trots up the stairs after the slayer, ignoring the testosterone moving around in the living room.

“Yo, Riley.  Who was that hottie?”  Jason questions Riley, his eyes following Tara up the stairs.

“Don’t even.”  Riley growls roughly shaking his head at the young demon fighter.  Fighting the anger and pain he’s feeling at being turned down for the woman.  Not understanding what Buffy sees in the blonde, but knowing that there’s nothing he can do about it.

***

“Want to get in a quickie?”  Buffy teases as Tara shuts the door behind her as she slowly strips her clothes off and wiggles her eyebrows at her lover.

“When have we ever had a ‘quickie’?”  Tara smirks at her lover’s teasing.  Heading over to the closet, Tara pulls down one of her pairs of cargo pants.  Tossing them onto the bed, she heads to the dresser, chuckling as Buffy smacks her gently on the ass. 

“Don’t think you know the meaning of a quickie.”  Buffy chuckles as she grabs clothes out of the closet, smirking at the red leather pants and the black t-shirt she pulled out, hearing the groan coming from her lover, knowing from past comments that Tara really, really likes her in the pants. 

“Haven’t heard you complain, yet.”  Tara strangles out, knowing she’s going to make Buffy pay for wearing those pants, now that they were lovers.  Then she groans as she realizes they’re going to have company out on the search mission tonight. 

Buffy smirks at the feelings she’s getting from Tara, along with the disgust and irritation as it occurs to her that they weren’t going to be alone. 

“Want me to call Xander or Willow to see if they would mind either staying with Dawnie tonight, or having her come and stay with them?”  Tara questions as she starts to think about the teen while she changes quickly and grabs the items she’ll need for the spell.

“See if Xander would mind coming by and getting her.  I think Willow and Amy were planning on heading out after her finals.”  Buffy offers softly, pulling the leather pants up and tucking the shirt in.

Tara nods, glancing over at Buffy, grinning at the sight of the tight red leather pants.  “Turning me on, and teasing the natives… lethal combination.”  Tara comments curling her lip up in a half smile.

Buffy groans as Tara grins that sexy half-grin that never fails to turn her on.  “Make sure you get weapons, just in case.”  Buffy warns even as she grabs a bag down, quickly tossing in stakes, a short sword, a couple knives, her crossbow along with extra bolts and a few other odds and ends.

Tara watches as Buffy tosses items into the bag.  “I think you have us both covered, but I’ll take one of the knives and a couple stakes, just in case.”  Tara accepts the items from Buffy, tucking them away in her pockets before quickly hurrying out of the room to take care of calling Xander.

***

“Thanks, Xan.”  Buffy smiles at her best friend as he grabs Dawn’s bag. 

“No prob.  Come on, Dawnmeister.  We have the Movie Depot and the Pizza place to hit.”  Xander winks at the teenager.

Dawn grins at Xander.  “Only if I get to pick the movies.”  Dawn smirks as Xander groans and rolls his eyes, but nods his head.  Turning to look at Buffy and Tara she stares worriedly at them before her eyes glance over to the huddling commandos.  “You two better be careful.  Dad is planning on picking me up next week, and I’d like to spend some time with you guys before then.  With both of you all together, not in pieces.”  Dawn warns, staring a little harder at her sister, as she was still upset about finding out what had happened when she’d freaked, the two women not being able to hide the slayer’s wounds.

Buffy narrows her gaze on the quietly chuckling Wiccan before turning and nodding at her sister.  “We’ll be on our best behavior.”  Buffy leans in conspiratorially towards her sister.  “We have all the big, strong men to take care of us puny little girls.” 

Tara snorts back a laugh as Dawn groans and rolls her eyes.  “We’ll be careful, Dawnie.  I promise we won’t do anything purposefully dangerous.”  Tara narrows her gaze on Buffy this time, the warning silent but serious.

“Love you.”  Buffy smiles hopefully at her lover.

“I love you, too but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t going to be extra careful.”  Tara growls, before hugging Dawn tightly and watching the teen hug her sister, smiling at the unreserved hug, happy to see how much the two Summers’ were getting along lately. 

“If you need me…”  Xander starts and looks at the two women and then the men, shaking his head.  “Never mind.  Just call if you need us, or if anything happens.”

“Thanks, Xander.”  Tara smiles softly at the young man, having to admit he’d come around relatively quickly to her and Buffy being a couple, though he had received a couple growls from Buffy at some of the more ‘risqué’ comments that he’d made. 

“Anytime.”  Xander winks at the two women before striding out of the house, followed closely by Dawn already rambling on about what movies she wants to rent, making Xander groan loudly.

“He’s really a sweet guy.”  Tara comments, tilting her head at the thought.  “I’m kind of surprised you or Willow never actually ended up with him.”

Buffy grunts softly, before frowning as she wonders if Tara knows about the ‘fluke’.  “Did you hear about the little dress-fluke in high school?”

Tara chuckles and looks at Buffy, nodding her head.  “Though I think Willow downplayed it a bit, not wanting to make me jealous.”

“We’ll discuss that later.”  Buffy smirks and wiggles her eyebrows.  “Have all kinds of dirt on Xander, if you haven’t already heard about the majority of it.”

“Probably haven’t.  Usually Willow didn’t talk about your guys’ high school exploits unless something came up to trigger a ramble fest.”  Tara sighs quietly as she glances down at the map and the tooth.  “Let me do the spell so we can get started.”

Buffy gently squeezes Tara’s waist and softly kisses her cheek.  “Thank you for your help.”

“I’ll always help you, no matter what.  That’s a promise.”  Tara brushes her thumb gently over Buffy’s cheek, lovingly tracing her scar before shaking her head.  “Spell.”

Buffy chuckles and watches as Tara prepares for the spell before looking over at the commandos, rolling her eyes at the differing degrees of lust and disgust showing, Riley’s clenched jaw a dead giveaway to his anger.  “Children.”  Buffy mumbles loud enough for the men to hear before heading into the kitchen to get something to drink, deciding to ignore the guys for the time being.

***

Chapter 16

“Spread out.”  Riley points to his right and left as they start to hunt the outskirts of Sunnydale, the map showing this as the last place the demon had been.  “Keep your eyes open and contact us as soon as you have any confirmation that the demon was or still is here.”  Riley growls softly.

Buffy looks at Tara and tilts her head for her lover to stay with her, not trusting her life to the idiots with them.  “Stay close.”  She whispers, the two women being as quiet as possible.

“Planned on it.”  Tara follows close behind Buffy as they start to search the area, speaking even softer than her lover, knowing Buffy can hear a pin drop.  “How sure are they that it’s already laid the eggs?”

“About ninety-nine percent.”  Buffy admits, frowning heavily.  “And if it’s laid the eggs, the gestation period is only a little over a week, so…”

“It’s possible they’re getting ready to hatch.”  Tara finishes softly, frowning at the thought. 

“Yep.”  Buffy stills as she hears a low rumble, her senses going on alert while the other commandos spread out across roughly fifty yards of forest to either side of them, they’re hard to see, but with her slayer-sight, still easily identifiable.  Finally locating the noise, she knows it’s not any of the other commandos.  “We have something ahead and to the right of us.”  Buffy warns Tara, nodding to the radio in her lover’s hand.

Tara nods and quickly clicks the radio on to let them know Buffy hears and senses something.  Watching silently as the men close in.  “No killing it, we need to find the babies.”  Tara reminds her lover.

Buffy grins wickedly.  “No fun.”  She smirks before heading towards the sound in the bushes slightly to the right and about fifteen yards ahead of them, disappearing to yell out a few minutes later as she comes flying out of the bush.  “Bitch is strong.”  Buffy growls, not having expected it for some reason before jumping back in after the demon as the commandos work their way more hurriedly towards her. 

Tara shifts worriedly as she feels Riley and another commando stop beside her as the demon finally comes flying from where it and her lover had been fighting to land about five yards in front of them with Buffy following hurriedly as the Suvolte Demon tries to gain its feet.  Breathing out a sigh of relief as Buffy manhandles the demon and looks towards Riley.

“Never asked, do they understand or speak English?”  Buffy questions curiously, struggling to contain the strong, ugly demon on the ground.

“No.  They are very low-level demons.  Pretty much all they know is killing and feeding.”  Riley admits, shooting a tracking device into the demon’s thigh before nodding his head towards Buffy.  Looking at the monitoring device he makes sure it works before moving backwards.  “You can release it.  We can monitor it from now on and hopefully follow it to its nest.”

Buffy looks down at the demon as it tries to shake her loose, it finally gaining purchase and pushing itself to a standing position with her hanging onto it’s back.  “Watch out, I’m going to let it go.”  Buffy waits until the perfect moment and lets go as she flies off the back of the demon to land and roll on the ground, watching intently as it takes off running.

Buffy growls and pops up, hesitating to look at Tara.

“Go.  Make sure it doesn’t harm anyone.”  Tara orders softly, knowing her lover is worried about leaving her with the commandos.  “I’ll be fine.”

“Love you.”  Buffy whispers before taking off at a quick run after the demon, ignoring the couple commandos keeping pace beside her.

Riley looks at the other soldiers before looking down at Tara.  “We’ll follow behind once we get back to the vehicle.  We should be able to catch up to them relatively quickly.” 

Tara nods and jogs hurriedly behind them, realizing she really needs to exercise more.  The walking and patrolling keep her in decent shape, but running or jogging for long periods of time are really not high on her priority list. 

***

Buffy glances over her shoulder at the commandos that are slowly losing ground, smirking and shaking her head, she looks back at the demon she’s keeping track of.  As they head back into Sunnydale, Buffy frowns as she lets it get a little further ahead of her, watching as it heads towards Restfield Cemetery.

Coming out of the woods a few blocks down from the cemetery, Buffy glances to the SUV heading down the road towards them, sighing quietly in relief as she sees Tara’s arm wave towards her from the open window.  As it slows down beside her, Buffy jumps on the running board and holds onto the mirror as the other two commandos climb in.  “You okay?”  Buffy questions softly, not having felt any feelings other than worry coming from Tara, knowing that the woman was worried about her. 

“I’m fine.”  Tara gently strokes her fingertips down Buffy’s cheek smiling at her lover as they make their way towards the cemetery.  “You know where it’s heading, don’t you?”

“Yeah.  Restfield from the looks of it.”  Buffy growls softly as something else plays around in her mind about who the “Doctor” might be.

“Do you think…?”  Tara trails off as Buffy slowly nods her head, her eyes narrowing in contemplation.

“I wouldn’t put it past him.”  Buffy admits her eyes serious as she considers what to do.  “If it is, he’s gone too far.  If he’s doing this…”

“I know, love.  I know.”  Tara grasps Buffy shoulder and squeezes gently as they pull up outside the cemetery gates.  Watching as her lover hops down and opens the door for her. 

“Grab your gear, she’s stopped moving.”  Riley orders, hitting the button to open the back as the men gather the gear.  Looking over at Buffy and Tara as the two women talk softly, he shakes his head.  Grabbing a chest belt with grenades and smoke bombs on it, he straps it on before grabbing one of the flamethrowers as Jason grabs the other one.  “Be prepared for anything.  Flames and explosions are the main things that’ll kill them quick.  Let’s go.” 

“I’m going in first.”  Buffy warns softly, her eyes flashing as Riley starts to argue, the look obvious on his face.  “Don’t even.  This is my town, my decision.  You guys will be packing up and heading out again after this is over with.  We have to live here, and I am in charge.”  Buffy growls deeply.  Turning to Tara she starts to open her mouth and is stopped by a firm finger pressing against her lips.

“I go where you go.”  Tara shakes her head to Buffy’s obvious look. 

Sighing heavily, Buffy slowly nods her head, knowing she won’t be able to talk the stubborn woman into staying back out of harms way.  “Be prepared, and please be careful.”  Buffy warns, kissing her lover hard and quick before turning to jog towards Spike’s crypt.

“Always.”  Tara murmurs, hurrying after her lover as the commandos follow them in a spread out semi-circle, Riley almost even with Buffy.  Shaking her head, she moves quicker so she comes even on the other side as they make it to Spike’s crypt.

“He already knows we’re here, stay back.”  Buffy growls, knowing the vampire had heard them, and could probably smell them by now.  Shifting back, Buffy kicks the door in, smirking at the angry grunt she receives from inside.  “Honey, I’m home!” 

Tara groans softly as she slips into the crypt behind Buffy and shifts to the corner, pulling out her preferred weapons of choice as she watches Buffy stalk up to the blonde vampire. 

“Oi, decided you wanted a bit o’ me, did ya’?”  Spike smirks at the slayer, before his eyes land on Tara.  “I’m up for taking you both on, I am.”

“Sorry, we’re not interested, Spike.”  Tara murmurs, shaking her head.  “I already have what I want.”

Buffy smirks as Spike’s eyes jerk back to her and the vampire inhales deeply even as he takes a step closer to her, his eyes widening in shock and surprise.  “I bet you wish you were half as good as she is.”  Buffy smirks even bigger as she tilts her head hearing a noise that she can’t place.  Frowning slightly, she searches the crypt but doesn’t see anything…  Realizing the sounds are coming from down below, Buffy growls softly and shoves past the vampire, slamming her fist hard against his head as he grabs her by the arm yanking her around.

“Bloody hell!”  Spike groans, spinning around into the side of the crypt from her hit.  Reaching up to his aching jaw, he stares at the slayer, the shock still obvious on his face.  “You’ve bloody well been claimed.  Who’s the bloke that took over Poofter’s mark?  He’ll be rightly pissed when he finds out, he will.”  Spike smirks at the thought, before frowning.  “Who the hell would you have let claim it?  Only vampire you’ve been with is me Grandsire.”

“Wasn’t a vampire, Spike.”  Tara smirks, the pleasure of what she’s going to tell the vampire flooding her. 

Spike flares his nose and opens his vampire senses, before vamping out at the impossibility of what he’s sensing.  “Not fuckin’ possible!”  He snarls angrily, it being an affront to his vampiric nature that a human has taken over a claiming mark of a vampire, and one of his line at that.  Snarling angrily, he lunges for the slayer, slamming into her, and flying over the sarcophagus beside Tara, ignoring the flare of pain from his chip.

“SEPARATE!”  Tara cries out loudly after a second of watching the vampire slam into her lover, the shock taking a moment to wear off before she acts.  Seeing Riley and a couple of the other commandos raising their guns, she snarls at them.  “HE’S MINE!” 

Buffy, stunned, shakes her head to get her senses back in order even as she watches her lover advance on Spike.  Feeling the pure, unadulterated rage coming from Tara, she stares at the witch in shock.  She never would have believed Tara capable of that particular emotion to that degree.  Starting to say something to her lover, she hears some cracking and chittering sounds coming from below them.  “Riley!  Down below!  They’re hatching!”

Riley jerks his head from watching Tara advance on the vampire, surprised at the livid anger on her face to Buffy pointing to a hole in the floor.  Pulling two concussion grenades, he yanks the tabs and tosses them into the hole.  Backing away from the opening, he turns his back until they go off.  “Now!”  He growls as he climbs down the hole, preparing the flamethrower with Jason following him.

“I warned you, Spike.”  Tara explains softly, her eyes cold as she stares at the vampire. 

Spike snarls at the witch before his eyes come into contact with the glacier white eyes staring back at him.  Feeling his demon retreat within him at the power coming from the witch, he whimpers. 

Buffy stares in disbelief as she watches her normally calm, caring and sweet lover literally tear the vampire to pieces with a simple wave of her hand.  The hair on the back of her neck literally standing up from the power flowing from her lover, Buffy watches as Tara shakes her head slightly as the vampire dust slowly settles in the crypt.  Cautiously stepping up behind her, Buffy places her hand on her lower back, sighing in relief as she feels Tara pulling the power back into herself.  Never knowing that Tara was capable of doing what she just did, she stares at her as she slowly turns and collapses against her.  Wrapping her arms around the shuddering woman, she presses her lips to her temple.  “It’s okay, love.  It’s okay.”  Buffy murmurs softly, holding Tara up as the woman’s knees seem to give out and she leans heavily into her.

Tara starts to shake uncontrollably, not liking herself very much at this point as the reality of what she’d just done settles inside her.  The uncontrollable urge to protect Buffy and take out the threat to her lover was all she could think about when Spike had gone after her slayer.  Burying her face in Buffy’s neck, she whimpers quietly as the tears start to fall.

Buffy groans at the confused, swirling feelings coming from Tara.  Hearing Riley telling the commandos that they got all the Suvolte baby demons and the mother, Buffy quickly picks Tara up and carries her out of the crypt.  Settling on top of a large tombstone, she hugs the woman to her body tightly.  “You were just protecting me, Tara.”  Buffy whispers softly.  “I would have done the same thing, except used my hands to do it.”  Buffy admits quietly, not knowing if it’ll help Tara or not, but if it’d been Tara that Spike went after, she would have probably done worse to the vampire.  Tara’s ripping him apart had only lasted seconds, whereas she would have probably taken hours on the vampire and taken him out piece by piece, slowly. 

Tara curls up into a tighter ball, grasping the slayer’s t-shirt tightly in her hands.  “Is it really going to b-be okay?”  Tara questions hoarsely, keeping her face against Buffy’s neck.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Tara.  Think about what he was about to unleash on Sunnydale, and in turn, the world.  He was evil and as soon as he would have figured out a way around his chip, he would have gone on a killing spree.  You know that as well as I do and I can guarantee you eventually he would have figured it out.”

Tara nods slowly, understanding her lover’s words, but the guilt not so easily dismissed.  Feeling Buffy stiffen slightly, Tara shifts her face to look at Riley as the other commandos head back towards the vehicle. 

“The Suvolte Demon, along with all the hatchlings are taken care of.”  Riley explains, looking at the two women.  “We can give you a lift home, if you would like.”  Riley offers softly, finally noticing how upset Tara is. 

“Do you want a lift home?”  Buffy questions Tara softly, brushing her lips over her cheek as all she gets is a little shrug from the Wiccan.  Looking back up at Riley, Buffy sighs quietly.  “Please?”

Riley just nods and tilts his head towards the vehicle before striding away.

Buffy eases off the tombstone and slowly makes her way to the vehicle.

“I can walk.”  Tara murmurs quietly.

“Shhh.  Let me, Tara.  You’ve taken care of me, let me return the favor.”  Buffy whispers before pressing her lips to her forehead.  “You’ve nothing to be ashamed of, or to feel guilty about, love.  He was a demon, and evil.  Even with the chip in his head he went after me.  He could have possibly gone after you, or an innocent.  How would that make you feel, if you had a chance to take him out and he hurt someone?” 

Tara groans and re-tucks her face against Buffy’s strong neck.  “I know what you’re trying to do.”  Tara mumbles, slowly relaxing.

“You’re smart, of course you know.”  Buffy smiles as she hears the quiet chuckle come from Tara and feels the slowly calming feelings of her lover.  “You going to be okay?”

“Yes, how can I not be?  You’re taking care of me.”  Tara murmurs, grinning against Buffy’s neck as Buffy snorts.  “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”  Buffy hugs Tara more firmly against her before carefully climbing into the front seat, still holding Tara.  Slayer coordination definitely needed for the maneuver before she shifts slightly so she can shut the door. 

Tara relaxes even more as Riley drives back to the house, the feel of Buffy holding her firmly while stroking her fingers gently over her side and back making her settle quicker.  As Riley pulls into the drive, putting the vehicle in park without getting out, she glances up at the soldier.  Seeing the pain, but also the acceptance in his eyes, she smiles softly at him.  “Thank you, Riley.”

“No, thank you.”  Riley smiles back at the understanding in her eyes along with the silent acknowledgement.  “We need to get back and make our report.”  He pulls a card out of one of his pockets, handing it to Tara.  “If you should ever need help, just call that number and leave a message.  We’ll be sure to get you whatever help you need.” 

Buffy looks at Riley for a few minutes, studying him before nodding at the sincerity in his eyes.  “Thanks, Riley.  Have a safe trip back.”  Buffy opens the door and steps down, continuing to hold Tara to her firmly, allowing Tara to shut the door as they watch Riley wave before putting the vehicle in reverse and backing out of the drive to head back down Revello Drive and out of sight. 

“He screwed up in the past, but he’s a good guy.”  Tara admits softly.

“Yeah, he is.  I hope he finds someone, he deserves to have happiness in his life, too.”  Buffy hugs Tara and smiles down at her lover. 

“Are you happy?”  Tara whispers, searching Buffy’s eyes, the question actually a lot more in depth than the simple words portray.

“Happier than I ever thought I could, or would be.”  Buffy brushes her cheek against Tara’s.  “Good thing it took me a while to realize that I like to play for the home team.” 

Tara quirks her eyebrow at the mischief filling hazel eyes as Buffy continues carrying her up to the house.  “Do I have to ask?”  Tara questions curiously.

Buffy gently sets Tara down on her feet before digging her keys out and unlocking the door, allowing Tara to go in front of her as she follows her in and locks the door behind them.  Dropping the keys on the table she turns and wraps her arms around Tara’s waist, pulling her tightly into her body.  Placing her lips against Tara’s ear, Buffy whispers with total conviction.  “I would have fought Willow tooth and nail for you.  And she wouldn’t have had a chance.”  Buffy nibbles lightly on Tara’s earlobe, smirking as Tara moans softly.  “Wanna know why she wouldn’t have had a chance?”

“Why?”  Tara questions breathily, tilting her head to give Buffy freer access to her neck as the slayer works her way down her neck.

“Sexy Superhero here.  By your own lips.”  Buffy chuckles as Tara snorts back a laugh, smiling as she feels Tara release the last bit of guilt and unease she’d been feeling. 

“With puny muscles.”  Tara jokes, squeezing the slayer’s arm, the strength the slayer has definitely not obvious to the casual eye, but the feel of steel-like strength under her fingertips very, very obvious.

“I’s gots muscles…  Just don’ts looks likes its.”  Buffy pouts adorably up at her lover before grabbing Tara into her arms and taking the stairs three at a time, heading for their bedroom.  “Show you what I can do with my muscles.”

Tara laughs delightedly at her playful lover, seeing a side of the slayer that most people didn’t get to see.  “Goddess, I love you.”

“I love you, too.”  Buffy returns the smile coming from Tara as she gently kicks the door shut behind them, planning on making tonight a very memorable night.  Wanting to be playful and not too serious so Tara doesn’t think about what happened earlier.

“I need to shower first, love.”  Tara murmurs seeing the playful glint in her lover’s eyes, wondering what Buffy’s up to.

“Do you have anything against sharing?”  Buffy questions curiously, the thought of Tara all wet and soapy making her pulse pound fast and hard.

“I guess not.”  Tara shakes her head, grinning crookedly at Buffy.  “I’ve never shared before, but I don’t mind trying new things.”

“Good.”  Buffy growls, before spinning around and heading back to the door, chuckling as Tara reaches down to open it for her.  “I foresee slippery fun in our near future.”

Tara chuckles softly, having to admit she’s really enjoying this side of the normally serious slayer.

***

Don't Go 17-Epilogue

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