Chapter 25
“Shit.” Buffy exhales as she jumps back too slow
from the Bringer’s blade, it cutting her across the stomach.
“DUCK!” Faith yells as she launches herself into
the air to knock down the Bringer, quickly twisting his head and breaking his
neck as Buffy pops up from where she’d hit the ground to bury her sword in
another Bringer.
“Did they fucking multiply?” Buffy wipes off her blade as she looks
around at the thirteen or fourteen Bringers lying around the remnants of her old
high school.
“Not sure, but felt like they
did.” Faith finally stands,
brushing herself off as she closes the distance between her and Buffy. “How bad are ya’?” Wishing that they would think to bring a
flashlight with them, though slayer sight is good, the darkness of the night and
the dark clothes with the blood doesn’t make it easy to decipher how badly she’s
hurt.
Buffy winces as she reaches up to
pull the shirt away from her wound, bending over slightly to look. “Probably going to need stitches, but
don’t think anything major was hit.”
“Let’s get back to the house. We’ll draw straws for who gets to cause
ya’ more pain when we get there.”
Faith snorts at the growls she gets from Buffy. “If Russky said she ran into ten
Bringers and got three of ‘em, and we knocked out another…” Faith hesitates and counts the
Bringers. “Thirteen, that means
they’re either fuckin’ gatherin’ here or he’s stepping up making ‘em. We gotta make sure the house is
protected. They ain’t like vamps,
they can just barrel their way in.”
Faith’s eyes widen as she makes the comment, it sinking in fully after
she says it.
“FUCK!” Buffy takes off running, Faith easily
keeping pace with her.
“I don’t think they’ll have that
many of ‘em here, but they mighta been gathering for an attack.” Faith tries to calm her own racing heart
down with Buffy’s obvious frantic running pace.
“Better pray they haven’t gathered
in force. If they have, the house
is pretty much defenseless.” Buffy
pants as she forces more air into her lungs as she pushes her legs to move
faster.
“B, Tare can take care of
herself.” Faith tells the other
slayer as she picks up her pace to stay even with Buffy.
“Do you want to take that
chance? And there’s everyone else
in the house to worry about!” Buffy
growls softly as she ignores the pain from her stomach wound and the stickiness
of the blood soaking her shirt and jeans.
***
“TARA!!!” Willow screams from the living room,
quickly sending a blast of magic at the Bringer that had just crashed through
the front window, sending him flying back out.
Tara hears the loud crash right
before Willow screams her name, hurriedly standing up, the chair falling over
backwards she darts out of the room.
Sasha grits her teeth as she pushes
out of the bed, she and the blonde witch had actually talked for the last four
hours. Learning about the group,
how Tara and Willow had been a couple for two years, and how recently Tara and
Faith had come to be together.
Stumbling over to the closet, she yanks out a couple weapons before
gritting her teeth and pushing the pain to the back of her mind as she hears the
crashes coming from downstairs with yelling and screaming.
Running down the stairs, she stares
at the room in shambles, one of the potentials lying on the floor with blood
slowly pooling around her. Snarling
angrily, her eyes dart towards Tara and Willow who are chanting as they hold
hands and an invisible force pushes eight or so Bringers slowly out of the house
as the two witches advance. Yelling
uncontrollably, she attacks the two Bringers that are on this side of the
invisible blockade heading for the two witches, she quickly stabs one while
slashing at the other with her stronger arm. Swallowing as she notices the head
falling from the one she’d swung at, she turns her gaze back on the one she has
impaled on her sword. Not knowing
if she can get through whatever the witches have she takes a chance and drops
the one sword and grabs the other Bringer with both hands, slinging the Bringer
out the window with everything inside her smiling as he goes flying through with
no problem before she glances back at the three potentials who are huddling in
the corner. “CHECK ON HER!!” Sasha screams at them and points at the
potential lying motionless on the floor as she snags the other sword before
turning around and quickly running towards the door, opening it and darting out,
the two short swords in her hands coming into motion.
***
“Faith, go… you’re faster…” Buffy pants as the two slayers turn the
corner the sound of a fight and movement around her house a dead giveaway that
something’s happening.
Faith looks from the house to Buffy
and back, torn as she’s worried about Tara and the rest of the group, but also
knowing that leaving Buffy coming by herself to finish the distance to the house
could be an extremely stupid move.
“If somethin’ happened to you, they’d never forgive
me.”
“And if Tara’s being hurt right now,
you’ll never forgive yourself!
FUCKING GO!” Buffy screams,
digging deeper for more energy as she watches Faith finally growl deeply and
take off like a shot down the sidewalk.
Silently praying that no one’s hurt, or at least seriously hurt Buffy
concentrates on following as quickly as she can, feeling lightheaded from the
blood loss, but too stubborn to let it get in her way.
***
Tara doesn’t know what’s happening,
one minute she’s flying down the stairs a Bringer slashing at Lisa as she tries
to get away from him and the next minute she and
“Is she…?” Tara whispers as she kneels by Justine,
the potential pressing against the wound to stop the
bleeding.
“She’s alive… barely.” Justine fights to keep from throwing up,
the tackiness of the blood on her hands making her ill.
Tara places her fingers against
Lisa’s neck, closing her eyes as she tries to calm her own pounding heartbeat so
she can make sure Lisa’s still alive.
After a few minutes, she sighs in relief as she finds the thready
pulse. “Call 911.” She orders Willow softly as she pulls
bandages from the first aid kit and quickly presses them against the wound as
Justine moves her hands. Tara
spares a quick glance to Mandy and
“I wonder how we’re going to explain
this to the police.” Willow
whispers as she settles across from Lisa and gently brushes the young girl’s
hair from her pale face.
“Some gang breaking into the
house. It’s to the point that
they’ll ask a few questions and that’ll be it.” Tara admits
quietly.
“Looks like the Bringers are
dead. Faith’s grabbing Sasha and
helping her in while Buffy seems to be hurt but under her own power.” Justine watches as Faith helps Sasha in
the house.
“B’s got a good slice that’s gonna
need to be cleaned and stitched.”
Faith looks intently at Tara, her eyes searching for any wounds on her
lover.
“Will she need a hospital? We’ve already called 911.” Tara whispers, doing her own inventory
of her disheveled and bruised lover, happy when she doesn’t see anything really
wrong with her.
“Staying down here.” Sasha hisses softly to the dark-haired
slayer when she starts to head them towards the stairs, ignoring the grunt
coming from her.
“B?” Faith questions as she settles Sasha
gently in the chair with a quiet growl.
“No hospital.” Buffy frowns at the sight of Lisa and
the amount of blood. “SHIT!” Buffy yells, slamming the door behind
her.
Tara frowns heavily as she sees the
blood coating Buffy’s shirt and jeans even as the slayer seems to hunch over
slightly, obviously in pain.
“Honey, take care of Buffy.”
Tara tilts her head as she hears the sirens approaching. “Willow can you get the
door?”
“Of course.” Willow darts up and runs to the
door.
Faith searches Tara’s eyes for a few
minutes and nods her head. “Come
on, B. Upstairs, shower to get the
blood off of ya’ so I can see how bad you are.”
“I should…” Buffy starts only to stop when Tara,
Faith, Willow and even Sasha turn and glare at her. “My fucking house and everyone’s telling
me what to do.”
“You guys have to stay here. It ain’t safe to go to the hospital, and
we’re a little depleted with fighters.”
Faith looks at Tara, then darts a glance at Willow. “Call the Council and tell ‘em what
happened, they’ll probably take care of the hospital end of things. Go shower now, B. I’ll be up in a few.” Turning her gaze on Sasha, she sighs
heavily. “You ain’t gonna fuckin’
heal by doin’ that shit, but thank you.
Things probably coulda been worse.”
She looks down at the dead, headless Bringer, before looking up in thanks
at the slayer. Reaching down she
grabs the body and tosses it over her shoulder before quickly throwing it out
the front door with the other dead Bringers before coming back in looking around
until she finally finds his head.
“Too bad it ain’t Halloween.
We’d be set.” Faith grumbles
as she flips the head out the front window. Sighing heavily she heads up the stairs
with one more soft glance at her lover.
Tara smiles softly at Faith as she
nods at her and trots up the stairs as the police and emergency people start
coming in, taking over for her with Lisa while the policemen start asking
questions, sighing heavily knowing it’s going to be a long
night.
***
Sweeping the glass onto the dustpan
Faith is holding,
“I’ll get the shop-vac and vacuum
everythin’ good. We’ll probably
still find glass for a while, but…”
Faith shrugs as she stands, seeing the worn out look on her lover’s
face. Dumping the glass into the
trashcan, she sets the dustpan down and steps over to Tara. “Come here, babe.” Faith whispers, wrapping her arms around
Tara and holding her tenderly as Tara whimpers.
“They’re just kids, Faith. What kind of sick world do we live in
where mere children have to defend the world? Fight the demons and evil without a
choice? Have family that abuses and
hurts them? When is it going to
end?” Tara finally breaks down,
crying into her lover’s neck, clenching tightly to the back of her shirt as she
holds onto her desperately.
“Oh, babe.” Faith whispers softly, holding her lover
tightly as Tara’s body is racked with sobs. Pressing her lips tightly to her head,
Faith closes her eyes and gently rocks Tara back and forth. As the sobs slow in intensity long
moments later, Faith rubs her cheek against Tara’s head. “Sometimes goin’ through all the shit,
pain and heartache makes you really appreciate when the good happens. You don’t take it for granted and maybe
it teaches us to live life to the fullest.
There are probably people in this world that don’t know the happiness
we’ve known for just days their whole lives. And one of the reasons is, is because
when we see it, we know it and we enjoy it to the
fullest.”
Tara rubs her cheek against Faith’s
shoulder as she thinks about what her lover’s saying, Faith having a very
serious point. “You actually had to
explain it decently instead of doing your usual ‘you gotta wade through a lotta
shit before gettin’ to the good stuff, babe.’?” Tara snorts softly at the loud growl she
gets from Faith.
“Why is it that I love ya’
again?” Faith relaxes and smiles
softly at the laughter coming from her lover.
Leaning back to look into warm brown
eyes, Tara cups Faith’s face with her hands and brushes her lips tenderly over
her lover’s. “You do like to
surprise me occasionally, don’t you?”
“Yeah.” Faith whispers, capturing Tara’s bottom
lip between hers and suckles gently.
“Why don’t you wake up sleepin’ beauty and see if you can’t drag her ass
up the stairs while I vacuum.”
Faith finally suggests, her eyes darting to the lightly snoring Russian
in the chair. “B’s crashed in the
bed upstairs, so you might hafta shove her aside before tossin’ this one in
beside her.”
“I won’t be tossing her
anywhere.” Tara looks at her lover
like she’s crazy before her eyes dart back to the tall Russian. “Buffy I can maneuver, but if this one
doesn’t move under her own steam, you’ll have to help. Plus, what will Buffy say when she wakes
up beside her?”
Faith snorts quietly and
shrugs. “Who cares? Maybe she’ll decide to see how the other
side lives for a while.”
“Faith!” Tara hisses, smacking her lover on the
shoulder. “Like Buffy is interested
in women.” Tara shakes her head
disbelievingly at her lover as she steps over towards the black haired
slayer.
“You might be surprised.” Faith comments softly under her breath
as she heads out of the living room towards the garage to get the shop-vac.
“Wake up, Sasha. You’ll stiffen up if you continue to
sleep in the chair.” Tara gently
shakes Sasha’s shoulder, smiling gently at the slayer that had slept through
Faith hammering the piece of plywood over the busted window, Willow having urged
the potentials up the stairs to sleep with her in her room after helping to hold
the plywood in place.
“What?” Sasha blinks as she jerks awake,
groaning as her ribs protest.
“Where is everyone?” She
finally looks around the empty room, noticing that it had been picked up.
“Asleep in their beds or crashed on
the floor upstairs. You’re going to
have a bedmate tonight, hope you don’t mind.” Tara grins crookedly at the slayer,
finally laughing softly at the confused look crossing her face as she stares at
her.
“Faith will kick my ass if we sleep
together.” Sasha frowns, not
understanding.
Laughing at the comment, Tara shakes
her head and helps her to stand.
“She wouldn’t leave it at kicking your ass, she’d probably tear you apart
with her bare hands. But no, we
aren’t sharing a bed, Buffy’s in the bed already crashed. Between the blood loss and Faith
slipping a handful of pain pills into her drink she’s out like a
light.”
“Then I will sleep down here. Let her have her bed, she is hurt.” Sasha stops at the stairs, working on
shifting around when she’s stopped by Tara growling at her.
“You’re almost six feet tall, your
ribs are busted and that couch would make you stiffen to the point of being in
unbelievable pain come tomorrow.
Buffy’s bed is big enough for two people, and if she bitches, she can
bitch at me. So no arguing with the
Wiccan.” Tara helps Sasha keep her
balance as they work their way slowly up the stairs, smiling at the soft growl
coming from the slayer, silently wondering if it’s something all slayers
do. Of course, she’s noticed that
she’s started growling back more and more recently.
“Do you know if she is a…” Sasha scratches her head as they take a
break at the landing. When she sees
Tara looking at her questioningly, she shrugs and tries. “Hugger?”
“Cuddler? Snuggler?” Tara grins crookedly as Sasha furrows
her brows but nods. “I honestly
don’t know Buffy’s sleeping habits.
Would it bother you if she is?”
“Nyet. I just do not want to wake up in more
pieces than I go to sleep in.”
Sasha curls her lip up in a teasing smile as Tara rolls her eyes at
her. “I can make it from here,
thank you.”
“You’re going to fit in real well
around here.” Tara grumbles,
narrowing her eyes on the woman before chuckling as Sasha grins wickedly at her
before she carefully steps up the last couple steps and makes her way down the
hallway. “Damn slayers. I think they’re all stubborn and
wicked.” Tara turns around and
trots down the stairs, glaring at Faith as her lover chuckles as she finally
flips on the shop-vac. “Especially
you.” Tara glares at Faith before
winking at her and heading to the kitchen to call the hospital to see how Lisa
is doing, the last they’d heard she was in critical but stable condition.
***
Chapter 26
“Visit Angel in LA, Xander. Stay there away from the hell that is
going on here. It’s become a zoo
the last couple weeks, ever since the Bringers have started showing up in force,
and there’s some new vampire that’s the mother of all vampires to kill. Most of the town is bugging out, and
honestly the rate it’s going I have a feeling everything will be taken care of
by Christmas.” Buffy paces back and
forth, frowning. “No! I don’t want to chance you and Anya
being hurt! I know about Anya,
Xander.” Buffy hisses quietly into
the phone as she strides away from the rest of the group and around the front of
the house. “She’s worried about
what’s happening here and she told me she’s pregnant. I’m not going to have something happen
to either one of you because of my calling. So stay away and stay safe. If I could pack up everyone here and
send them off, I would! Lisa was
just released from the hospital, and Giles is supposed to be flying in from
England sometime in the next week to help.” Buffy hesitates for a moment before
continuing softly. “There’s another
slayer here also, Xander. She
arrived a couple weeks ago and isn’t at full power yet, but she’s getting
stronger and faster every day.”
Buffy sighs as she listens to Xander going off about it for a few minutes
before he finally calms down. “When
Glory was here, Xander. I guess it
was enough to partially activate her but not fully. It’s kind of like she’s expanding her
powers as she works with me and Faith.
I don’t understand it and I don’t want to try and understand it. It just is. Please, this once, do as I ask,
Xan. Please protect you, your wife
and your unborn child. I love you,
too.” Buffy smiles as she
disconnects the phone, sighing heavily as she steps down the concrete steps and
sits down.
Listening to the sounds coming from
around the house smiling as she hears Faith yelling at the potentials that
‘she’d be surprised if they could kill a flea with those puny hits’, Buffy tilts
her head as she catches movement out of the corner of her eye she watches as
Sasha hesitates for a moment before finally striding towards her around the
corner of the house.
“Are you okay?” Sasha stops a few feet from the small
slayer, searching hazel eyes.
“I will be.” Buffy shrugs and smiles at the woman as
she stands, brushing her jeans off.
“Did you need something, Sasha?”
“Tara wishes to go to the Magic Box
and pick up some more supplies for spells she is trying. Rogue will not let her go unless one of
us is with her. I would like to
go. I have been constrained here
for the last weeks healing and would like to stretch my legs.” Sasha explains with a few hesitations
over a couple words.
Buffy chuckles, knowing Sasha is
trying to learn some of the ‘slang’ that they use but it’s still causing the
Russian some problems. “Faith said
it was okay for you to go with her?”
As Sasha grins and nods her head, Buffy laughs. “I won’t argue, then. Let Tara know she gets you as a
babysitter today. Make sure you
take at least a sword and a couple knives.
It’s daylight, but Bringers don’t need the dark to move around, and
vampires can be in the shadows, so be on your toes.”
“Yes, mom!” Sasha stands at attention and snaps off
a quick salute at Buffy before heading up the steps to enter the house, laughing
at the look she receives from the small slayer.
“I’m not your mother, you damn
Russian! Kids today, no respect for
their elders.” Buffy growls as she
heads towards the back yard.
“Elder by two years, ma petite. And I know you are not my mother, but
you get angry with me when I say things like that. I cannot resist.” Sasha calls out softly as she enters the
house smiling at the squeak she hears coming from the blonde slayer.
“Your ‘ma petite’?” Buffy spins around to look at the empty
porch in shock. “When did I become
‘her’ little anything?” Buffy
whispers softly. Having to admit
that the tall woman actually fit in quite well with their group, even taking
Faith’s ribbing her with ‘proper’ English, height and being a ‘Russky’. Sasha having taken it all in stride and
even giving back as good as she got.
Having to admit, as she has gotten to know the woman better over the last
few weeks, she was attracted to her.
Hell, who wouldn’t be? She’s
just an inch shy of six feet tall, long black hair that fell down to her
shoulder blades, ice blue eyes that turned a steel gray when she was upset… “Fuck.” Buffy groans as she gets sidetracked
thinking about the woman again, stomping towards the back yard to take her
frustrations out with some hand to hand combat with Faith, though she’d rather
get her frustrations out in a totally different way and with the other
slayer. But the confusion about her
feelings for the woman and the fact that Sasha hadn’t flirted with her that she
could tell tying her hands somewhat.
Faith quirks an eyebrow as Buffy
comes storming into the back yard, this not being the first time the other
slayer had looked for physical combat in the last week to fight whatever demons
she’s dealing with. “Okay,
children. Sit your asses down
against the fence over there and watch what we do. Remember… we’ll be pullin’ our punches
to a certain degree and probably slowin’ things down a bit so you can see. Vampires and other demons will be movin’
even faster. So keep that in mind
while watchin’ us!”
Tara sticks her head out the door
just as Faith finishes her little speech.
Sighing quietly as she looks at her lover before her eyes land on
Buffy. Groaning at the look of
frustration on Buffy’s face, she shakes her head. “I want to pick up some groceries while
we’re out, so don’t get worried.”
Tara holds up the large backpack and grins crookedly at Faith as her
lover winks at her. “And don’t hurt
each other too bad this time, please.”
“We’ll try not to, babe.” Faith jogs over and sneaks in a quick,
hard kiss. “She’s becomin’ like a
fuckin’ balloon that’s been filled with too much air. She’s either gonna’ explode or someone
is gonna need to let the air outta her.”
Faith whispers extremely softly in her lover’s ear. “You know as well as I do, who’s causin’
it. Can ya’ maybe talk about
things?”
Tara drops her chin down to her
chest before finally looking back up into worried brown eyes. “I’ll talk. Though I don’t think this is something
we should get in the middle of, Faith.”
“I know, babe. But even if it’s just a friendly little
fuck between ‘em, that would probably help.” Faith tilts her head to where Buffy’s
slamming her unprotected fists into the four foot thick board she’d buried three
feet in the ground a few days ago, wincing as she hears the meaty ‘thwack’ when
Buffy’s fists land.
“Go, before she hurts herself.” Tara orders, nodding her acceptance of
playing ‘go between’. “I love you,
Faith.”
“Love you, too, babe.” Faith grins at Tara before spinning
around and trotting towards Buffy.
Tara groans and goes through the
kitchen, grabbing up the list of items she needs to pick up at the Magic Box,
along with the things she thinks might help in the future. Chuckling as Sasha comes pounding down
the stairs with two scabbards criss-crossed across her chest with the swords
across her back and different weapons tucked around her. “Great, if you had a sawed off shotgun,
I would think we’re in the movie Mad
Max.”
Sasha frowns and looks questioningly
at Tara. “I am not familiar with
that movie.”
“We’ll pick it up and the
sequels. It’ll be good for a
laugh.” Tara shakes her head at the
woman. “I’m just glad that it seems
like the majority of the people here in Sunnydale have decided to
leave.”
“I would not have the weapons on me
like this, if the town was still filled.
But Rogue and Petite say that most normal people are gone, except for a
few… stragglers?” Sasha hesitates
over the word and tilts her head as they step out of the house and start to walk
down the front walkway.
“That’s right. And while we’re out, I want to pack this
thing full of meat for the pigs back at the house.” Tara points to the empty backpack she
has slung over her shoulder.
“Food is a good thing. Makes us strong and powerful.” Sasha sticks out her arm and curls it so
her muscle pops out, poking it with her other finger. “See! Much bigger and stronger than it was
just two weeks ago!” As Tara
giggles, Sasha holds back the grin wanting to cross her face. Having to admit that she likes the
blonde witch that usually was calm and quiet doing what needed to be done, but
would come out like a lion whenever something happened. “If we got more weights for me to lift,
I could work on my pec’s.” Sasha
shifts so she’s walking backwards in front of Tara and mugs for the witch, doing
a ‘muscleman’s’ pose for her, flexing her ‘pec’ muscles, which make her breasts
flex.
“Stop it!” Tara busts out laughing this time,
seeing the gleam of devilment in the Russian’s eyes. Smacking her on the shoulder she shakes
her head. “Are you normal for most
Russians, Sasha? I hate to say it,
but in our country Russians are usually portrayed as very serious without a
sense of humor.”
Sasha tilts her head and thinks
about it. “I do not really
know. I mean, yes, there were
people that I knew that like to joke like me. And there are other people that are very
serious. Maybe it is just a mix
like I have found there to be here in the United States?”
“That would make sense.” Tara admits, nodding her head in
agreement. “Do you mind if I ask
you a few personal questions?” Tara
hesitantly questions, darting a quick look at the tall woman who nods her head
at her. “I’m assuming since you’ve
never said anything or given us any strange looks, that you don’t have a problem
with me and Faith being a couple.”
“Nyet. You are light to her darkness. She needs you to balance her. Without the light, she would be
lost.” Sasha shrugs at the shocked
look Tara sends her way. “Do you
not see it? You bring light to the
Rogue Slayer’s world. You show and
teach her how to love. That is a
precious thing, da?”
“I… I never thought of it that
way.” Tara whispers shocked. Blinking as she thinks about the
Russian’s words.
“Love is good, even if it is but a
fleeting moment in time, Tara Maclay.
And you love with your whole self.
Faith is a very lucky woman, and Willow was very stupid and foolish to
have lost that love. It will take
many years for her to come to terms with what she has done. It is starting to… sink in, but it will
still take time.” Sasha tucks her
hands in her jean pockets.
“Are you clairvoyant, Sasha?” Tara looks seriously at the tall woman,
seeing the confusion coming across Sasha’s face Tara smiles softly at her. “Are you able to see or have a sense for
seeing things in the future? A
sixth sense?”
“Nyet. I see what is in here.” Sasha taps herself on the chest above
her heart. “Mikhael taught me to
see past the…” She waves a hand
around her face as she thinks of the words. “Outer casing?”
“That’ll work.” Tara chuckles as Sasha grins at
her. “That’s a good thing, to be
able to see a person’s true self.”
“Da, it is. It can also be a curse, Tara.” Sasha admits sadly. “To see that someone wants something,
but is afraid of it at the same time… makes things
difficult.”
Tara purses her lips as she looks at
the woman as they continue towards the Magic Box. Taking a chance, she says one word
softly.
“Buffy?”
Sasha darts a quick look at Tara
before slowly nodding her head.
“One minute I feel like she wants to reach out to me, the next it is like
she is scared of me. I am
confused. I like her. Hell, my Watcher told me stories about
her while I was training and learning my duties as a slayer. He said one of her greatest gifts was
not herself, but the people that surrounded her. I did not understand until I came here
and learned the group here. You
help to… center her. You keep her
fighting because you show her what it is to love and have family and
friends. Ultimately, she is but a
young woman that fights because she wants to protect her family.”
“I’m going to tell you this in
strictest confidences, Sasha. So
please think before you act or don’t act on what I’m about to tell you.” Tara stops at the front door to the
Magic Box, digging her keys out to unlock the door.
“I will.” Sasha promises, pressing her hand over
her heart in all honesty to the blonde witch while watching a sad smile cross
Tara’s face.
“I know you’re somewhat aware of
Buffy’s life as a slayer. But I’m
not sure how much you know about her personal life.” Tara locks the door behind them as she
drops the backpack by the door.
“She dated when she was younger, but her first serious relationship was
with Angel.”
“The great Angelus that lost his
soul when they made love. I am
aware of the story.” Sasha frowns
heavily at the thought.
“Yes, but whether or not you are
aware… Buffy was a virgin and it was her seventeenth birthday when it
happened.” Tara explains softly,
watching the shock and surprise come across Sasha’s face. “Yeah, pretty shitty. Anyway, that was her first
relationship. It took her over a
year before she decided to try again with this asshole named Parker.” Tara growls herself as she remembers
Willow telling her about Parker when they were together. Pulling her list out of her pocket, she
gather’s the items they need while explaining about him then Riley. Hesitating for a few minutes after
explaining the soldier, she looks up at the ceiling debating with her self
before deciding if Buffy hates her, she can hate her. “When Willow brought Buffy back four
months after her dying for the second time, she was disconnected from
everyone. She had been in heaven
and ripped from being warm, safe and content, finally getting her just rewards
to being brought back here to earth and the Hellmouth that was being burned by a
demon biker gang doing their best to destroy the whole
town.”
Sasha frowns even heavier, hearing a
tone of pain and possibly a note of anger rising in the witch’s tones.
“She didn’t feel anything. She went out on patrols, because she was
supposed to. She took care of Dawn,
because she was supposed to. She
acted like everything was fine and okay, even though she was dead inside. She didn’t love, she didn’t hate… she
was just going through the motions.”
Tara unconsciously reaches up to wipe the tears from her face that were
falling. “None of us knew… or none
of us chose to see what she was going through. None of her friends, at least. But Spike saw.” Tara whispers, her eyes dropping to the
floor. Knowing that Sasha will know
who the vampire is as he’d been mentioned and talked about previously, plus
whatever her Watcher might have told her about the
vampire.
Sasha unconsciously bristles at the
witch’s words, her eyes narrowing on Tara.
“Tara, if you do not wish…”
“No. I need to finish this. I just pray that Buffy will forgive me
one day for telling you, because this should be something she should
explain.” Tara takes a deep
cleansing breath as she raises her eyes to make contact with pale blue
eyes. “He saw that she was
disconnected, that she didn’t care.
So he decided to work on bringing her into his world, his darkness. She told me once that was the only time
she felt, was when they fought and…”
Tara clenches her jaw before plunging forward. “And had sex. He brought her hatred and anger at being
brought back from heaven to the surface and used her. And because he said she came back wrong
because he could hit her, she believed him and thought she didn’t deserve any
better. To this day, I don’t know
why he didn’t try to turn her. He
could have, very easily. The only
thing that I can think of is that if he had, Willow would have probably flayed
him alive before leaving him staked to the ground to meet the sunrise.”
Sasha grinds her teeth at the
thought of the small woman she’s come to know being someone that didn’t care and
being barely alive. The spark she
sees glittering in the hazel eyes being gone something she has a hard time
imagining, but from Tara’s looks and words, she knows that it had been.
Tara continues and explains how
Buffy had come to her to research the spell Willow had used to bring her back,
and the subsequent discussion, how Buffy had broken down in her lap admitting
everything that had happened between the slayer and Spike. Taking a few minutes to get her head
around what she’s about ready to tell Sasha, she tucks all the ingredients into
a bag and sighs heavily as she motions Sasha that they needed to leave the Magic
Box.
Sasha bends over to scoop up the
backpack as she steps out of the Magic Box as she looks around, waiting for Tara
to lock the store back up. “Did you
kill the bastard?”
Tara jerks her head around to look
at the woman, seeing the anger practically jumping from the blue eyes. “Not right then, which I wish I
had. It was a little while later
after he tried to rape…” Tara spits
the word out, her own eyes reacting to her anger. “Her after she’d been hurt fighting some
other vampires earlier that night.
She was able to fight him off, but not without suffering some bruising
and shaking her up badly. I had
taken her sister out and we were late getting back. I put Dawn to bed when I felt the pain
coming from Buffy. I helped her get
cleaned up, used some muscle relaxing salves on her back from her earlier run-in
with a headstone and helped her to fall asleep.”
“Then you went and killed the
bastard.” Sasha clenches her hands
around the handles of the knives she has tucked away.
“I didn’t just kill him, Sasha. The peroxided bastard was begging me to
end his undead life by the time I was finished with him. And I can’t tell you the hell I caught
from both Buffy and Faith later on when they found out I had removed his chip
before fighting him.” Tara rolls
her eyes as she hears a loud growl coming from Sasha. “NOT YOU TOO!” Tara smacks the slayer on the
shoulder. “I have heard enough from
everyone else about what I did, I’m not taking it from you,
too!”
“Dumb, foolish witch!” Sasha huffs as she glares at Tara for a
few minutes to let her know that she wasn’t happy about what she did, even if
she didn’t know her then. Slowly
the anger is replaced by a small smile that slowly grows bigger. “This is why you have us slayer’s
quaking in our boots! You wipe out
a master vampire with no problem.
Us puny slayers are of no consequence to you.”
“Shut up, Sasha.” Tara growls playfully at the woman
before chuckling. “Anyway, that has
been the whole sordid love life of Buffy.
Add all that together with the fact that she’s never been attracted… Well, Faith said she was attracted to
another female but wouldn’t tell me who it was, and Buffy obviously never acted
on that attraction before…
Anyway! She’s never been
with a woman before it makes her gun shy and afraid. Her love life has been shit and add onto
that fact that she’s finding herself attracted to you…”
“I will not lose my soul.” Sasha points out softly. “I am not a vampire, either. I am a soldier of a sort, just like she
is. I know that it is a full-time
job, not something that we can hang up our stakes at five o’clock and go
home.”
Tara chuckles softly at hearing her
words come back to her from the tall Russian when she was describing the way
Riley looked at Buffy’s being the slayer.
“I like her. How can I not? She is like a little munchkin that I
would like to gather up and protect.
I do not know if I love her, but I am attracted to her. Would that be enough for her? To know that I do find her attractive
and would like to know her better in whatever way she is willing to be
known?” Sasha hesitantly questions,
her eyebrows furrowed in thought as they make their way to the grocery store,
keeping her eyes moving and her senses open to what’s happening around her while
thinking and talking with Tara.
“I honestly can’t answer that,
Sasha. But I know someone that
can.” Tara smiles softly at the
tall Russian as Sasha looks at her and slowly nods.
“She is attracted to me, da?” Sasha wants to re-confirm what she knows
in her heart is true.
“Yes, I’m pretty darn sure she’s
attracted to you, Sasha.” Tara
grins crookedly as she thinks about the way Buffy had been acting lately, before
a remembered conversation with Buffy floats into her mind, making her laugh
loudly. Seeing the confusion on
Sasha’s face at her sudden burst of laughter, Tara waves her hand around as it
takes her a few minutes to get control.
“You are not losing your mind, are
you?” Sasha frowns in worry at the
witch, not understanding her sudden outburst.
“Been there, done that, don’t plan
on doing it again.” Tara finally
pants out between chuckles. “I dare
you… I absolutely, positively dare you to grab Buffy and toss her onto the bed,
literally pouncing on top of her and tell her that you were told this is the
best way to get what the both of you want… at least that’s what you were told by
a very good friend. Then I want you
to kiss her until she can’t think straight.”
Sasha stops and stares in shock at
the blonde, reaching out to gently grasp her arm, sighing in relief that she was
solid.
Tara giggles at the slayer’s
actions. “Though the First has been
conspicuously absent, I’m not him, Sasha.
Trust me on this, you’ll either both get what you want, or Buffy will be
coming after me and kicking my ass.
She won’t blame you, I promise.
Of course you might want to keep track of where her arms and legs are
when you do that, just to make sure she doesn’t strike out automatically at
being manhandled.” Tara warns
seriously.
“I thought that maybe you were
already tired of me, and was wanting another slayer to be called in my
place.” Sasha sighs in relief,
realizing that’s not the case, before her eyes start to gleam with mischief as
she thinks about what the witch had said.
“She gave you similar advice, da?”
“A little cruder than what I said to
you, but yes, pretty much.” Tara
laughs as the gleam becomes brighter.
“It was while Faith and I were dancing around each other when she came
here from jail.”
“We will see what happens.” Sasha agrees, grinning from ear to ear
at the thought. “Let us get food,
then get back to the house before they send out search parties for us.” Sasha urges Tara into the grocery store
after yanking the door open, the lock breaking easily under her slayer
strength.
Tara’s eyes widen, not putting it
past Faith or Buffy either one to make everyone come and look for them. Frowning as Sasha grabs a
cart.
“We can take more food in this,
da? Who is to stop us from taking
it to the house? We can bring it
back in a couple days when we need to come here again.” Sasha shrugs as Tara
laughs.
“You’re pretty smart for a slayer,
Sasha.” Tara jibes playfully as she
grabs another cart. “We’ll put
foodstuffs in that one, and I’ll throw soaps, shampoos, toilet paper and that
type of stuff in this one. Let’s do
some shopping.”
Sasha lets out a quiet yell as the
two women run, pushing the carts ahead of them as they jockey for position in
the aisles beside each other as they start working on filling up the
carts.
***
Chapter 27
“Damn it.” Faith tosses the useless cell phone onto
the coffee table, growling loudly then smirking as the potentials that had been
clamoring to watch a movie dart her a scared look and disappear up the stairs to
congregate in the master bedroom.
Buffy chuckles as she comes in,
tossing a Gatorade at Faith before plopping down on the couch beside the
slayer. “Scare them
off?”
“Yeah. Damn cell phones aren’t fuckin’ workin’
no more. Actually kinda surprised
we still got power.” Faith admits,
knowing that the town technically was a ghost town at this point.
“So no contacting
“I figured while she was there, she
could look and see if they had any of those peanut butter crème wafers.” Faith shrugs at the admittance. “It’s her damn fault I’m addicted to the
things.”
“She might pick some up.” Buffy leans back and closes her eyes as
she rests her head on the back of the couch as she relaxes.
“Doubt it, she was just plannin’ on
packin’ as much meat as she could in the backpack.” Faith runs a hand through her hair as
she leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees and playing with the half
drank bottle of Gatorade. “Why
ain’t ya’ jumped on the Russky, B?”
Faith finally bluntly asks, tilting her head to look behind her at the
blonde slayer.
“Shit, Faith!” Buffy jerks forward as her eyes glare at
the other slayer.
“Oh, fuck that shit, B. You’re attracted to her, and you got
that cute little Barbie-doll thing goin’ for ya’, so she’s probably interested
in ya’. It ain’t gotta be your next
great big love or nothin’, but would it be so wrong to find some happiness
together? And get rid of some of
that fuckin’ tension ya’ got buildin’ up in ya’?” Faith glares back at Buffy. “Don’t think I ain’t noticed the last
week that you’ve been goin’ about fuckin’ nuts! I ain’t blind, and I know ya’ better
than some of these other kids. I
remember what you were like with the whole sexual frustration thing when Fang
came back from Hell. So don’t try
to fuckin’ hide it.”
“Faith, I am not discussing this
with you.” Buffy growls angrily at
the slayer as she stands and paces back and forth in the living room.
“Fine. Discuss it with Russky.” Faith shakes her head and relaxes back
into the couch as she watches Buffy pace.
“What’s the worse that’ll happen, B? She tell ya’ she ain’t interested? Fuck! Go for it, B. Don’t dissect it to death and don’t
compare it to every other fuckin’ relationship you’ve had. You’re attracted to her, act on
it.” Faith finally stands and
strides out the front door. Having
the urge to take the other slayer and shake her until she gets that damn stick
out of her ass.
Buffy glares at the door Faith had
disappeared out of. “It isn’t that
simple, Faith.” Buffy rolls her
eyes as she hears Faith growling something along the lines of ‘it’s what ya’
make it’.
***
Faith strides back and forth in
front of the house wondering, not for the first time, why she quit smoking while
she was in jail, the urge to chain-smoke about four packs of cigarettes working
its way through her. Stopping as
she hears the clang of metal and laughter, she spins around and looks down the
sidewalk, before turning her gaze to the road. “Fuck me.” Faith starts to laugh at the sight
coming towards her. “B! GET YOUR SCRAWNY ASS OUT
HERE!!”
Buffy trots out of the house,
hearing the laughter in the slayer’s voice, so not worried that they’re under
attack, but confused nonetheless.
Stopping beside Faith, she tilts her head and groans quietly. “What are they
doing?”
“Looks like they did some serious
shoppin’, is what it looks like.”
Faith chortles at the sight of Tara obviously standing on the bottom rung
of one of the carts, holding on while laughing her ass off as Sasha runs at a
pretty good clip, pulling the carts behind her, the carts roped together some
how to keep them from going everywhere, or maybe her lover’s expending a bit of
magical energy to keep them from making an escape. As they draw closer, Faith chuckles at
the sight of a couple long bars tied around the outsides and between the carts
to keep them uniform while the rope keeps everything tied tightly together so
they don’t come loose.
Sasha starts slowing down as she
pants between her laughter, unhooking her jerry-rigged pulling vest and turning
around to slow the carts down as Faith and Buffy come jogging over to them. “We picked up a few extra items at the
store.”
“Whose idea was this?” Buffy laughs at the sight even as they
work together to pull the carts up by the front steps.
“Don’t look at me.”
Faith chuckles at the six carts
filled with just about everything imaginable food and necessity wise, even a
large cooler is strapped to the front of the carts. “I assume whatever we can’t fit in the
fridge is gonna find a home in the cooler?”
“Actually, I was thinking if we
cooked up a lot of food, we could put it in the cooler with a couple bags of
ice, using it up first as people get hungry.”
“And we stocked up on peanut butter
thingys…” Sasha trails off as she
digs through one of the carts and pulls the peanut butter wafers out, snorting
as Faith snatches it out of her hand and tears into it. “Yes,
“You’re being all greedy, at least
Sasha doesn’t mind sharing.” Buffy
pops a piece in her mouth and chews before working on untying the cooler, glad
they only put ice in it as Faith grabs the other end and they finish untying it
and setting it on the porch. “We
can take this around back, drag the grill out and start cooking hamburgers
later.”
Faith smirks at her lover yelling at
the rest of the group, knowing
“You’re a bad influence on
her.” Buffy points at Faith before
grabbing as many bags as she can to carry in the house.
“Yeah, right. I remember her yellin’ at you and
chasing you with a knife or somethin’ when I first came here for dinner.” Faith points out grabbing a bunch of
bags and following the blonde slayer.
“Cobbler! Hey, did you…” Buffy grins hugely as
“And she has nerve to talk about my
fuckin’ sweet tooth.” Faith
grumbles, setting the items down on the counters. As
“Only if I get a kiss first.”
“All ya’ want.” Faith captures Tara’s lips in a slow,
tender, exploring kiss, moaning as
Tara hesitates, and grins wickedly
at Faith when she growls loudly at her, winking and finally leaving the room
chuckling.
“Damn woman.” Faith takes a deep breath and shakes her
head. Starting to look quickly
through the bags, she sorts the canned goods, staples, munchies, cold items and
starts to put away the cold items.
Buffy brings in the last of the bags
and shoos the couple potentials out.
“Go play in the street or something.” Buffy orders after almost tripping over
one of them, growling at the youngster.
Faith snorts. “It ain’t got the same threat behind it
without people driving up and down the road, B.”
“Maybe not, but they get the
idea.” Buffy settles on the floor
as Faith starts handing her bags with canned goods in them. “They stopped at the video store and
picked up a bunch of DVD’s also.
“Oh, God. Who knows what the witch picked
up.” Faith groans loudly as she
starts putting away items in the upper cabinets, sniggering quietly as they are
full to almost overflowing.
“Well, I know Mel Gibson has to be
in at least two of them, because Tara and Sasha were discussing the ‘hotness’
factor of a younger Mel Gibson compared to an older version and she had two
movies in her hand while she was talking about it.” Buffy grins at the loud growl that
escapes Faith’s throat. “Then she
admitted that she wasn’t a very good person to ask, since she was more into the
women than she is guys…” Waiting
until Faith nods and relaxes, Buffy finally continues a few moments later. “But then she said if she wanted to
discuss Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Garner, Alyssa Milano, Salma Hayek…” Buffy falls against the cabinets and
laughs uncontrollably as Faith yells Tara’s name and takes off running towards
the living room. “Sucker.” Buffy snorts, reaching up to grab one of
the packages of the peanut butter crème wafers Faith had been protecting to
probably hide, and opens them to munch on while listening to the conversation
happening in the living room.
***
“We gonna take the kiddies out in
full force tonight? We got Tara and
“I think it would be best to stay
together as much as possible just in case.
I would have argued about Tara and Sasha going out by themselves today,
but
“Yeah, and I had a promise from Tare
that if it looked like anything bad was gonna happen, she and Russky were gonna
hightail it back here as quick as possible.” Faith admits, chuckling as Buffy darts
her a grin.
“I figured you had some kind of
promise from
“Tara wants to know if you two want
everything but the kitchen sink on your burgers?” Justine chuckles softly as both slayers
nod eagerly. “I’ll be back in a few
minutes with a few to tide you over while you’re cooking.”
“Smart kid.” Faith chuckles as the teenager darts
back into the house. “Were we ever
that young, B?”
“I sometimes wonder, Faith.” Buffy admits sadly. “Sometimes I forget that I’m twenty-one
years old.”
“Damn, I keep forgettin’. What are we gonna do about Tare’s
birthday?” Faith frowns, her
lover’s birthday literally only days away.
“She said not to worry about it, that after all this shit is over and
done with that maybe I could take her away for a long weekend or somethin’,
but…”
“We can’t do that.” Buffy shakes her head, remembering last
year,
“She’s gonna notice if I disappear
to find somethin’ for her.” Faith
mutters as she thinks to herself.
“Unless you and maybe Sasha decide
to run around town to pick up some items that we need here. Maybe some air beds and other
items?” Buffy offers, quirking an
eyebrow questioningly at Faith.
A slow smile crosses Faith’s face as
she flips the burgers. “That’ll
work. Thanks B. Me and the Russky can go out tomorrow
morning while you get ta play bitch to the kiddies.”
“Oh, joy.” Buffy rolls her eyes before the two
slayers chuckle.
***
Buffy sits with her legs dangling
off the roof outside her window as she watches the quiet street, not able to
sleep. Hearing the front door open
downstairs, she frowns, wondering who was sneaking out, squeaking uncontrollably
as a hand reaches up to grasp her foot and tug on it, the large hand giving away
who it is.
“What are you doing awake? You need to sleep, Buffy.” Sasha comments before moving her hand to
the edge of the small section of roof that overhangs the porch and pulls herself
up to sit beside the slayer. “I am
on watch tonight.” The three
slayers taking turns staying up during the night, then sleeping part of the next
day.
“Couldn’t sleep.” Buffy admits, leaning back on her hands
as she relaxes from the initial surprise and shock of the Russian’s hand
grabbing her foot.
“I don’t see how anyone can with
those two.” Sasha smirks and tilts
her head towards the other window that leads to the bedroom Tara and Faith are
in, the moans and stifled cries making the two women laugh.
“They are a little loud at
times. Though they do honestly try
to keep the noise down.” Buffy
admits, chuckling as they hear another cut off cry.
“Willow has taken to wearing…” Sasha frowns as she forgets the English
word. Pointing to her ears she
looks hopefully at Buffy.
“Ear plugs?” Buffy questions, laughing quietly as
Sasha nods.
Sighing as she
thinks about Willow, Buffy pulls her legs up and wraps her arms around them as
she rests her chin on her knees. “I
think she’s slowly getting used to Tara and Faith being a couple, but getting
used to it and listening to them is two different things.”
Sasha crosses her legs and relaxes
back as she watches Buffy become quiet and continues to look contemplatively out
at the night. Alternating watching
the blonde slayer and looking out at the night, Sasha enjoys the peace and quiet
of the town, a small smile crossing her lips as an hour or so later she hears
whispered I love you’s coming from the witch’s and rogue slayer’s
room.
“Did you leave anyone back in
Russia, Sasha?” Buffy asks a little while later, shifting slightly and laying
her cheek on her knees as she looks at the slayer.
“Do you mean a boyfriend or
girlfriend?” Sasha tilts her head
at the slayer, smiling softly as Buffy barely nods her head. “No. I did not think it would be fair to the
other person to be with me. It is
not like I could go out on a date like a regular person.”
Buffy sighs and closes her
eyes. “Hiding who you are from the
general public and trying to have a normal life is almost impossible as a
slayer.” Buffy admits, slowly
opening her eyes and smiling sadly at the tall Russian. “Finding someone that you can be
yourself with and that doesn’t have a problem with your calling is extremely
hard. Even just to date and enjoy
being with, let alone have an actual relationship with.”
“For you, you have a little bigger
group to choose from.” Sasha grins
as Buffy frowns at her in confusion.
“You have the redhead…”
Sasha chuckles at the rolled nose, dark blush and hard shake of the head
she gets from Buffy. “The
potentials…” When the slayer
shivers uncontrollably and glares at her in disgust, Sasha shifts slightly and
leans closer as if to tell her a secret, fighting the chuckle that wants to
escape as Buffy also moves closer, knowing that the slayer is unaware of her
movements. “Or…” Sasha whispers the single word before
closing the short distance between them and brushes her lips softly over
Buffy’s, smiling as she leans back and the slayer’s eyes are closed and her
mouth is slightly open in surprise.
“Me.”
Buffy’s eyes slowly open and she
blinks in surprise at the slayer, looking into blue eyes watching her
intently. Her hand already pressing
against her lips at the remembered softness of the brief kiss, wishing it had
been longer.
“I was told to throw you on the bed
and kiss you… silly, I believe is the word, then tell you…” Sasha frowns as she tries to remember
the exact words that Tara told her to say.
“I’m going to kill me a certain
witch.” Buffy growls, blushing
darkly as she wonders if Tara told Sasha exactly what she’d told the blonde to
do with Faith.
“It was not bad… She said that this is the only way to
get what we both want, I believe.”
Sasha looks curiously at the dark blush on the slayer’s face then really
begins to wonder as Buffy sighs in relief.
“Okay, no killing the witch.” Buffy groans and rubs a hand over her
forehead.
“And hopefully no killing me.” Sasha relaxes as Buffy smiles at her and
shakes her head. “That is good,
because of this…” Sasha quickly
sneaks in and presses her lips more firmly against Buffy’s, groaning softly as a
small hand creeps around her neck and grasps it to hold her tightly against
Buffy even as the slayer’s lips open beneath hers.
Buffy whimpers softly as Sasha takes
her up on her offer and invades her mouth, a fleeting, irrational thought of
wishing Russia had invaded sooner going through her mind as she shifts for a
tighter mouth to mouth fit as she battles softly against Sasha’s tongue, the
kiss becoming more heated.
Sasha groans as she somehow finds
herself flat on her back and Buffy’s body pressing heavily into hers even as the
petite slayer starts to kiss, lick and nibble her way down her throat. “Ma Petite…” Sasha whimpers as Buffy suckles at her
pulse point. Running her hands over
Buffy’s back, she slowly brings one hand around to gently brush a thumb over
Buffy’s cheek when the slayer finally just buries her face in her neck, the hot
breath coming rapidly from Buffy’s parted lips.
“Sorry.” Buffy finally whispers as she realizes
she’s literally lying on top of the tall slayer before gently easing off the
woman. Taking a deep breath to try
and get control of her breathing, she runs her fingers gently over the prominent
cheekbones of the Russian.
“Do not be sorry, Buffy. Do not ever be sorry.” Sasha’s lips curl up in answer to the
smile Buffy gives her.
“I wasn’t sorry for the kiss, more
for the making myself at home on top of you.” Buffy blushes
lightly.
“Do I need to repeat myself?” Sasha laughs softly as Buffy groans and
shakes her head. “I take it from
your earlier response, that Tara did not tell me quite the truth with what you
originally told her to do?”
“She gave you the watered down,
clean version of what I said.”
Buffy admits, pursing her lips in embarrassment.
“Did you tell her to fuck Faith
silly?” Sasha dies laughing as
Buffy blushes darkly and shifts to bury her face against her shoulder. “I will take that to be a yes.” Wrapping her arms around the slayer she
carefully maneuvers and shifts to a sitting position with Buffy curled up
against her. Becoming serious,
Sasha gently rubs her chin over the top of Buffy’s head as the slayer actually
relaxes against her. “I like you,
Buffy Summers. I am attracted to
you, also. I cannot declare undying
love for you, but I do promise not to hurt you. We do not know what tomorrow will bring,
but life is too short for me not to tell you this.”
Buffy shifts slightly to rest her
cheek against a strong shoulder as she lets her fingers play over the collar of
Sasha’s shirt, the honesty of the Russian slayer’s words calming her. “Thank you for being honest. It doesn’t bother
you?”
“What bother me?” Sasha carefully tilts Buffy’s chin up to
look into worried hazel eyes. “That
you are considering me as someone that you wish to become intimate with? No, it does not bother me, Buffy. I feel honored, and hope that I do not
disappoint.”
“I’ve never…” Buffy starts, only to be stopped by
Sasha pressing her lips tenderly to hers.
“It is not something that worries
me, ma petite.” Sasha chuckles at
the disgruntled look crossing Buffy’s face.
“Let me guess, Tara.” Buffy growls softly as Sasha grins at
her. “Just how much talking did you
two do today… Never mind, I don’t
think I want to know.” Buffy waves
off the tall woman as she starts to open her mouth. “I’ll have a talk with her
tomorrow.”
Sasha rubs her hand soothingly over
the slayer’s back. “Climb back into
your room, ma petite. Try and get
some sleep, I will do a small patrol around the house then sit on the front
porch and think about you sleeping and dreaming of what wicked things you would
like me to do to you.” Sasha
brushes her lips against Buffy’s forehead before patting the slayer
gently.
Buffy sighs softly as she watches
Sasha shift and drop down to the ground.
Sliding down to the edge of the overhang, she smiles as Sasha looks up at
her and winks as she grabs the two short swords she had taken a liking to and
starts to whistle softly as she strides around the house. Chuckling softly at the thought of what
kind of wicked things the tall woman can do to her, having a feeling she’ll
probably end up rocking her world and if nothing else it’ll be a rewarding
sexual experience and hopefully get rid of some of this pent up tension that
she’s been feeling.
Climbing in her window she leaves it
cracked for the cool breeze as she strips before sliding in the bed, slowly
falling asleep with a smile on her face.
***
Chapter 28
Sasha turns to look at who is
tapping her on the shoulder, smiling softly as Buffy grins at her. Slowly unwrapping the bindings around
her hands, she turns completely around.
“Go lie down in my bed and get some
sleep, Sasha. You played sentry
last night and need to get some rest.”
Buffy orders quietly.
Sasha starts to reach out to caress
Buffy’s cheek, before dropping her hand a few inches shy of her destination and
nodding. “Da.”
Buffy swallows as she watches Sasha
stride towards the house, wondering if the reason the tall slayer didn’t
continue on with what was obviously going to be a caress was because of everyone
else being outside, or the more likely option that she didn’t know if she,
Buffy, was willing to be public about whatever is happening between them. “Sasha.” Buffy whispers softly, knowing the only
people that would be able to hear her would be Sasha and Faith. Watching as Sasha stops in her tracks
but doesn’t turn around Buffy takes a deep breath and questions in an equally
soft voice. “Did you stop because
you were afraid of what everyone else would think or out of some sense of
chivalry for me?”
Sasha debates with herself for a
minute before simply answering with the truth, not knowing if this attraction
they have for each other is to be public knowledge or not. “You.”
“Next time?” Buffy watches as Sasha’s head nods as
she waits for her to continue.
“Don’t stop.” Buffy feels
her lips quirking up as Sasha spins around so quickly that she almost loses her
balance. Ignoring the low chuckle
coming from Faith, Buffy’s eyes widen as the tall slayer strides towards
her.
Sasha stops to where there’s just an
inch between their bodies as she looks down into wide hazel eyes. Having finished pulling off the wraps on
the way to the house, Sasha lifts her hand to gently cup Buffy’s cheek. “You will be…” Sasha growls softly before continuing
with what she hopes is the right words.
“Calling the shots in this relationship, ma
petite.”
Tara frowns as she hears Faith
chuckle, before turning to follow her lover’s gaze, her eyes widening as Buffy
grasps Sasha’s t-shirt and tugs on it to pull the Russian down, kissing her
firmly. “Well,
huh.”
“Told ya’.” Faith smirks, chuckling wickedly. “And if I’m right… that ain’t the first
kiss they shared.”
“Well, it is a known fact Buffy
likes tall people.” Tara giggles as
Buffy flips her off before the blonde slayer buries that hand in black strands,
obviously deepening the kiss between her and Sasha. “Definitely not the first kiss.”
“Kinda makes ya’ want to sneak up to
the bedroom for a little afternoon fun, don’t it?” Faith wiggles her eyebrows at Tara,
laughing as Tara blushes and darts a look at the potentials that are all staring
in stunned shock at Buffy and Sasha.
“Where’s Willow?” Tara
questions worriedly, knowing the redhead had been out there a few minutes
ago.
“She disappeared into the house
right after B and Russky started kissin’.”
Faith admits.
“Should I…” Tara looks questioningly at her lover,
her eyes darting towards the house before sighing quietly as she looks back into
warm brown eyes.
“I’m leavin’ it up to you,
babe. I trust ya’. Even though I ain’t to the point of
trustin’ Red yet when it comes to you.”
Faith cups Tara’s neck and looks into warm blue eyes, smiling at the
sight of the love showing just for her.
“Make sure she’s okay.”
Faith whispers against Tara’s lips as she kisses her lover tenderly.
“I love you.” Tara whispers after the loving kiss
before she hurries away into the house.
***
Knocking softly on Willow’s half
closed bedroom door, Tara finally pokes her head around as she hears more of a
grunt than anything as an invitation to come in.
Willow stares out the window,
looking at Buffy and the tall Russian talking in the corner away from the rest
of the group, the two women standing right against each other. The shock and hurt she’d felt when she
realized that everyone around her was hooking up with someone, even Buffy with
the other slayer, is almost a tangible presence. Shaking her head at the incongruity of
the thought of Buffy and another woman together, she sighs and leans her
forehead against the glass when she hears the quiet knock, though she knows the
knock her eyes confirm that Tara’s not outside with everyone else. Grunting softly at the realization,
Willow sighs heavily.
“Are you okay?” Tara hesitantly questions, noticing the
stooped shoulders of the redhead as she steps into the room, but stays by the
door not wanting to crowd Willow.
“Did you see that coming?” Willow whispers, her eyes drawn once
more to Buffy and Sasha, watching her best friend as she plays with the edge of
the tall slayer’s shirt as she smiles up at the woman, the fact that Buffy likes
the woman obvious. And if the soft
touch of the Russian tucking some loose hair behind Buffy’s ear is an
indication, she likes her, also.
Tara looks down at the floor shaking
her head more to herself, since Willow isn’t looking at her. “Not really. Faith did and mentioned it to me,
actually asking me to talk with Sasha.”
“Faith saw that Sasha liked
Buffy?”
“Ummm. Not exactly. Faith saw that Buffy liked Sasha and
wanted me to make sure that Sasha was open to a possible relationship with
Buffy.” Tara shifts slightly at the
admittance, though she keeps eye contact with Willow, refusing to back
down. Not willing to tell Willow
exactly what the conversation entailed, not knowing how she would react to the
fact that the two women may very well just be physically attracted to each other
and were obviously working on that attraction.
“So, since Faith asked you to talk
to Sasha, you did.” Willow almost
sneers as she angrily turns back to the window.
“Yes, I did. She asks me to do a lot of things. Sometimes I do them, sometimes I
don’t. Sometimes we argue about
things and butt heads almost ending in screaming matches. But we talk to each other about whatever
it is and work through them together.
We have a partnership. It
isn’t perfect then again what relationship is? You’re going to have to get it through
that thick head of yours that I’m in love with Faith. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re
being angry and upset is about. It
isn’t about Buffy and Sasha possibly having a relationship. It’s about me and Faith.” Tara glares at Willow as the redhead
snaps around to stare at her in defiance as she starts to talk to her
heatedly. “I’m not coming back to
you Willow. Our life together ended
over a year ago when you decided magic was more important than we were. When talking about things and working
them out like normal people was too much work and was much easier to fix with a
spell. Don’t you blame me, Faith,
Buffy, Sasha or anyone else for your fuck up, Willow! Place the blame where it belongs.” Tara watches as the redhead pales and
the shock crosses her face.
Willow unconsciously steps back,
pressing her back against the wall at Tara’s angry diatribe, and her ex-lover
using the word fuck. She can count
on one hand the number of times Tara’s used that word in the whole time she’s
known her. Swallowing hard as it
really hits home that she was the one that screwed up, enough with blaming
everyone else, or the magic.
Ultimately the blame needed to be laid right at her doorstep. Closing her eyes and rubbing a hand over
her forehead, Willow nods. “I did
screw up.” Willow finally whispers,
dropping her hand and opening her eyes to look at Tara. “But I can’t just turn off the way I
feel for you, Tara. I still love
you.” Willow admits, looking into
blue eyes that watch her without any emotion showing, that more than anything
striking an arrow through her heart.
Tara one of the few people that usually doesn’t hide her
emotions.
“You need to let go, Willow.” Tara finally comments after a few
minutes of staring at the redhead.
“We are not going to happen, and the sooner you let go of me and the
past, the sooner you can move on with your life. I don’t know where your life is leading
you, but mine is with Faith.” Tara
tilts her head as she feels the nervousness coming from someone that was coming
up the stairs. “Buffy obviously
likes Sasha, and she can probably use a friend to talk to about her feelings,
since liking women is obviously new to her. I’ve always liked women, so I really
don’t know what would make it easier on her. Faith… Well, Faith is Faith.” Tara can’t help but grin crookedly at
the thought of her lover. “Her
brand of help isn’t something that would probably be actually helpful. You might want to offer your ear as a
friend.”
Willow slowly nods her head in
agreement, knowing it isn’t going to be easy for her to let Tara go. But knowing ultimately she doesn’t have
much of a choice. “I’ll talk with
Buffy in a little while.” Willow
whispers as she watches Tara smile softly at her before the blonde slips back
out of the room. Turning slowly
back around, she looks down at the back yard where Buffy and Faith are working
with the potentials. Wondering if
she can ever let go of
***
Sasha hesitates as she hears the
heated discussion between Tara and Willow.
Hearing the blonde go off on the redhead making a small smile appear on
her lips even as she slowly starts to feel nervous at hearing the different
comments, not feeling right overhearing what is a personal conversation. A huge smile crosses her face as Tara
states that Buffy obviously likes her, making Sasha’s heart pound excitedly,
even if she already knows that fact, but hearing Tara state it so easily makes
it settle a little more inside her.
She chuckles as she can almost hear the smile in the blonde witch’s voice
as she mentions Faith, silently agreeing with Tara that Faith probably wouldn’t
be much help in this particular instance.
Eyes widening as Tara finally makes her way down the stairs. Starting to open her mouth to apologize,
she slowly closes it at the soft smile and shake of the head she gets from
Tara.
“I figured it was you on the
stairs. Just time to air out the
dirty laundry a little more to hopefully get the majority of the stench
gone.” Tara smiles sadly at the
tall slayer as she pats her on the shoulder. “Go lie down and get some rest,
Sasha. I’ll wake you up later when
we get ready to each lunch.”
“Thank you, Tara.” Sasha gently wraps the witch in her arms
and hugs her. “You make a very
wonderful friend.”
Tara chuckles and returns the
hug. “Wonderful friend, but a bitch
as an enemy. Remember that, and
treat Buffy well. You know what her
love life’s been like, so…”
“She is driving this
relationship.” Sasha admits as she
eases back to smile shyly at the witch.
“I want her to have control and to be comfortable with whatever we do.
I will not push for anything. She has to willingly
give.”
“Buffy’s lucky to have you.” Tara gently pats Sasha on the cheek
before chuckling and finishing going down the stairs. “Now go get some rest, while I go
outside to softly make comments under my breath to irritate and embarrass a
couple slayers.”
“Ah, the wicked witch is here, I
see.” Sasha chuckles as she jogs up
the stairs. “Remind me to be on my
best behavior around you.”
“That takes all the fun out of
it!” Tara laughs as she heads
towards the back door, silently admitting that Sasha would be a good match for
Buffy. Someone that’s strong in
their own right but wouldn’t try to be overprotective, bossy and a know it
all. The slayer needing a partner
and equal more than someone that wants to put her up on a pedestal to allow her
to wither away.
Opening the back door, she steps
down onto the small patio, smiling softly as Faith gruffly tells Lisa to sit
down and rest, that she was still healing and shouldn’t overdo it. Though the potential may not realize it
that was Faith’s way of letting her know she’s worried about her and cares. When Faith turns to look at her with
warm brown eyes, Tara winks at her lover and mouths ‘I love you’. Grinning crookedly as Faith mouths the
words back to her before turning back to the other three
potentials.
Sitting down on the steps Tara
watches as Faith and Buffy work with Justine, Tracy and Mandy. After the Bringers’ attack, the two
slayer’s had started working almost eight hours a day with the potentials to get
them proficient with different weapons.
As Buffy works with Justine, Faith has Tracy and Mandy practicing with
the wood swords, leaving them with a couple suggestions before trotting towards
her.
“Are you okay, babe?” Faith drops down to her haunches in
front of Tara and searches her eyes, not wanting to admit that she and Buffy had
heard pretty much everything that was said between her and Willow. Not knowing if her lover had realized the
window was open a couple inches.
“Do you have any idea how much I
love you? Your stubbornness, your
attitude, even the way you get pissed at me over things that happened before you
and I were a couple!” Tara reaches
up and cups her lover’s face between her hands and leans forward to kiss her
lovingly. “Other than a few things
that are more works in progress helping you through your past, I do NOT want you
to change, Faith. I like my
stubborn, hard-headed love.”
“Good thing. I don’t think I’d be able to get rid of
that.” Faith moves to sit beside
Tara, gently picking her lover up and settling her sideways on her lap as she
wraps her arms around her waist and nibbles gently on her neck. “One day, ya’ll be able to throw me down
on the bed and ravish me like ya’ want to.
I promise ya’. No tensin’ up
and no fear.” Faith nips on Tara’s
ear before flicking her tongue teasingly over it. “I thought maybe tonight I’d let ya’ try
that other thing you were wantin’ to do.
After all, that mouth of yours oughta be considered a lethal weapon of
the orgasmic variety, and if you’re wantin’ to be adventurous, I ain’t gonna
complain.”
Tara shivers and closes her eyes at
the slayer’s low, rough, sexy voice practically rumbling in her ear, sending
streaks of desire through her whole body.
“M-me be adventurous?” Tara
groans deeply, wiggling uncomfortably as her body heats up uncontrollably,
knowing her panties and jeans are probably both already soaked with desire. “What about what you did to me last
night?”
“I was just testin’ the waters to
see how pleasurable it might be.”
Faith snorts softly at the glare she gets from her lover. “I figured if you enjoyed it, there
would be a good chance I’d enjoy it.”
“And you’re actually willing to let
me do the same things to you tonight?”
Tara stretches her neck giving her lover more to work with as Faith
nuzzles and growls her way softly up the flesh.
“I’m willin’ to let ya’ try. See how I like it and how it goes…” Faith hugs
“B can just go upstairs and wake up
that tall, black-haired slayer that she’s been panting after and find out for
herself what kind of adventures they can get up to.” Tara snorts softly as she shifts and
buries her face against Faith’s neck as her lover laughs at her comments.
“What, you ain’t willin’ to give her
a few pointers?” Faith keeps her
eyes on Buffy, grinning ear to ear at the glares she and Tara are receiving from
the blonde slayer.
“Sure, take your vitamins,
Buffy. Trying to keep up with a
slayer can be downright exhausting.”
Tara starts to laugh at the soft growl she gets from Faith. “But more rewarding than you can ever
imagine.”
“Nice save.” Faith smacks Tara gently on the
leg. “I should go play with the
kiddies for a little while.”
“And I should probably start working
on something for lunch.” Tara
smiles softly as Faith brushes her lips over her temple and hugs her before
lifting her to set her on her feet.
“Burritos?” Faith questions hopefully, knowing
“We’ll see.” Tara grins crookedly as she steps up the
stairs, running her hand through Faith’s hair before stepping into the house,
chuckling softly at the soft groan she gets in response.
***
Chapter 29
Buffy gently shuts the door behind
her, carrying the tray piled with burritos, Spanish rice, some refried beans’
concoction and a couple glasses filled with ice with a two-liter of soda under
her arm. Carefully setting the tray
down on the nightstand, Buffy sets the two-liter on the floor and smiles at the
sight of Sasha sprawled face down on the bed, tank top and shorts the only items
the woman is wearing, the strength of the slayer obvious even as she’s relaxed
and asleep. Taking time to actually
take in the slayer’s body, Buffy starts at her feet and the high arches, smiling
as she slowly trails over the muscular calves of the soft looking skin and the
thick, muscular thighs to the taut, round butt. Fighting the groan wanting to escape
her, she slowly works her way up over the narrow waist and the broad shoulders,
the definition of the muscles of the woman’s body a testament to her work ethic
and slayer status.
Sasha smiles and waits to see if
Buffy will say anything, having woken as soon as the slayer stepped into the
room. After ten minutes of silence,
she hoarsely questions Buffy. “Is
it okay if I roll over now, or do you want to continue to…
appraise?”
Buffy jumps slightly even as her
face flushes with embarrassment.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize
you were awake. I, uh, brought
food.”
Sasha snorts softly. “I thank you, the food smells
wonderful. However, may I turn
over?”
“Damn it, Sasha.” Buffy growls and smacks the slayer
gently on the shoulder at the laughter coming from the woman. Squeaking in surprise as she finds
herself quickly pulled down on top of Sasha after the slayer had flipped over
onto her back. Pressing her body
firmly into the tall slayer’s, Buffy’s unaware of her entangling her shorter
legs with Sasha’s as she looks into the grinning Russian’s face. “You got me, now what are you going to
do with me?”
“Do not tempt me, ma petite. The food would be extremely cold by the
time I would finish just a couple things I would like to do with you.” Sasha smirks as a dark blush comes up on
Buffy’s face as she gently grasps the slayer’s waist, her thumbs stroking softly
over Buffy’s stomach.
“Are you easily tempted?” Buffy finally questions hoarsely, trying
to ignore the blush she knows is still visible on her face as she shifts
slightly to run her fingers softly over one prominent cheekbone.
“You are tempting.” Sasha whispers, closing her eyes as
Buffy’s fingers trail softly over her eyebrow and down her nose, whimpering as
soft lips caress over hers.
Buffy growls softly as she hears the
whimper coming from Sasha, pressing more firmly against Sasha’s lips, flicking
her tongue over the full bottom lip until Sasha opens to her. Growling louder, she dives in to tangle
heatedly against Sasha’s tongue even as she presses her body firmly against the
tall slayer’s starting a slow rock of her center against Sasha’s hip.
Working her thumbs under Buffy’s
top, Sasha strokes tenderly over the warm, firm flesh of Buffy’s abdomen even as
she shifts slightly to give Buffy better contact against her body, groaning as
with her shifting, Buffy’s thigh presses more firmly against her own
body.
“Yesss…” Buffy growls, breaking off the kiss as
she presses her forehead against Sasha’s and rocks more forcefully against the
body under hers. Panting lightly,
Buffy swallows at the heaviness and desire working through her body. Feeling Sasha’s hands shift upwards, her
thumbs stroking over her ribs, Buffy drags her eyes open to look down into blue
eyes almost aflame with the desire obviously working its way through the
Russian.
“May I touch, ma petite?” Sasha hoarsely whispers, her thumbs
brushing against the bottom edge of Buffy’s bra, but not moving any further
without the senior slayer’s approval.
“Please.” Buffy begs softly, pressing her body
upwards, groaning and arching as she presses harder against
Sasha.
Sasha quickly pushes the slayer’s
top up, groaning as Buffy quickly finishes ripping it over her head. Starting to slide her hands to the edge
of the exercise bra, Sasha half-closes her eyes as Buffy’s hands beat her to the
fabric and it gets pulled up and off, baring the slayer’s pert breasts to her
gaze. “Ma petite…” Sasha whimpers, pushing up to capture
one nipple between her lips to suckle tenderly on the
flesh.
Buffy tilts her head back, moaning
loudly as she rocks harder and faster against the black haired slayer as she can
feel her body coiling as the orgasm starts to work it’s way through her. Reaching up with both hands to hold
Sasha against her breast, Buffy jerks, crying out softly with the
release.
Sasha wraps her arms firmly around
Buffy, holding her tightly while continuing to suckle and flick the hard nipple
with her tongue, allowing the blonde slayer to ride out her orgasm. As Buffy’s body slows the rocking motion
and her hands aren’t holding her so tightly against her, Sasha kisses her way
slowly over to the other breast to trail her tongue around the crinkled
areola. Grinning at the low growl
she gets after a few long minutes of teasing the flesh without coming into
contact with the hardened little nub.
Pursing her lips, she blows a slow steady stream of cool air over the wet
flesh.
“Damn it, Sasha.” Buffy growls at the teasing slayer,
digging her fingers gently into the muscular shoulders.
“Our food is growing cold…” Sasha reminds Buffy laughing out loud at
the mumbled response she gets.
“Fuck the food.” Buffy mumbles, pressing the slayer’s
mouth against her breast.
“I do not think those particular
items would be good for that.”
Sasha nips gently at the flesh in front of her before capturing as much
of the slayer’s breast into her mouth as she can.
“You’re being too literal…
aaaahhhh….” Buffy moans loudly at
the delicious feeling of her breast being engulfed by a warm wet mouth and a
talented tongue, teasing, flicking and stroking over her sensitized nipple. “Oh, God… I think I’m gonna…” Buffy jumps as Sasha bites down just
enough to send a streak of pleasurable pain from her nipple straight to her
clit, causing her to tip over the edge again.
Panting softly, Sasha drops back
down to the bed, Buffy following her down and burying her face in her neck. Stroking her hands up and down the
strong back, Sasha closes her eyes and enjoys the feel of the warm, soft skin
under her hands.
As Buffy finally calms down, she
presses a soft kiss against the flesh under her lips, smiling at the low chuckle
she gets from Sasha. Nuzzling in
against the warm flesh, Buffy sighs contentedly. “I wasn’t expecting things to move along
quite this quickly.” Buffy
admits.
“Technically I only made it
to…” Sasha frowns, trying to
remember what it’s called. “Second
base?” Sasha questions curiously,
as she strokes her thumbs over the sides of Buffy’s
breasts.
Buffy buries her face against
Sasha’s neck firmly, feeling her cheeks heat up. Because technically, Sasha’s right. The Russian slayer had only made it to
second base with her, even if she did climax twice. “Oh, shit… Sasha you didn’t…”
“Shhh.” Sasha presses a finger against Buffy’s
lips as with her words, she’d jerked back to look down at her in shock and
worry. Moving her finger, she
gently cups Buffy’s cheek and urges her down for a tender kiss. “No rush, ma petite. We only go as far and as fast as you are
ready for.”
“But…” Buffy starts only to find full lips
pressing against hers effectively stifling her next comment.
“We should eat, or the Terror will
become angry with us.” Sasha
whispers softly against Buffy’s lips, smiling at the snort coming from the other
slayer.
“Terror?” Buffy finally shifts to ease onto her
side, her hand unconsciously caressing over Sasha’s stomach from where her top
had ridden up slightly with their movements.
“Yes. I believe that is a good name for the
blonde witch. She can strike terror
into the hearts of her victims… and friends alike.” Sasha smirks at the quiet laughter
coming from Buffy.
“I can’t wait to see what she does
when you call her that to her face.”
Buffy brushes her cheek against Sasha’s shoulder.
Sasha gently clasps Buffy’s hand in
hers, stopping the movement as it had been gradually making its way closer and
closer to her apex. “The food will
probably need to be warmed up. And
I should make an appearance at this afternoon’s session.”
Buffy sighs quietly but nods her
head in agreement, not even aware of where her hand had been headed. “I should get redressed.” Buffy glances down at her bare chest, a
slow smirk crossing her lips as she notices the slight swelling of her breasts
to go along with the tenderness from the attention they had received, knowing
that it won’t last.
Sasha watches as Buffy finally
shifts out of the bed and looks around for her discarded bra and top, finally
finding them and putting them on.
Throwing her legs over the edge of the bed, Sasha smiles at the satisfied
smile on Buffy’s lips, wondering if she’s even aware of it.
“Can we talk tonight?” Buffy finally makes eye contact with the
smiling Russian, her breath catching for a moment in her chest at the sight of
the beautiful woman. When Sasha
nods even as she stands and stretches, Buffy licks her lips at the sight before
her. Shaking her head at the
visceral reaction, she grabs the tray.
“Can you get the soda?”
“Of course.” Sasha quickly reaches the door and opens
it for Buffy. “I will be down in a
few minutes.”
“I’ll start reheating the
food.” Buffy smiles softly even as
she blushes before she darts out of the room.
***
“What are you smirking at?” Tara questions curiously as she looks at
her lover, sitting down beside her with another plate filled with food and hands
it to her.
Faith’s eyes dart to the ceiling
above them before she laughs and leans in to Tara. “Someone’s gettin’ a little busy
upstairs. Got a feelin’ that the
foods not bein’ eaten, if ya’ get my drift.”
Tara smacks Faith on the leg at the
softly whispered words. “Stop
listening in.”
“Can’t help it. Though from what I can gather…” Faith starts, only to grunt as her lover
shoves a huge section of burrito in her mouth.
“I don’t want to know about anyone
else’s sex life, Faith. I have all
I can handle keeping up with ours.”
Faith grins around the mouthful of
food as she sees the spark of amusement in her lover’s eyes. Chewing and swallowing, she nibbles on
Tara’s neck. “I thought you liked
our sex life.”
“I love you, I definitely enjoy our
sex life and…” Tara groans as Faith
starts to suckle softly at her pulse point. “Goddess, you know just how to touch
me.”
“You make it easy.” Faith whispers, nipping gently at the
flesh after setting down the plate, smiling as
“How so?” Tara exhales softly as Faith presses a
soft kiss to her flesh as she leans back into the couch. Snuggling against her lover’s side as
Faith wraps her arms around her and hugs her against her.
“Your body reacts with everythin’ I
do. Your whimpers, groans, sighs,
inhale softly, inhale sharply, you move closer or further away…” Faith runs her fingers through the soft
silken strands. “And then you also
tell me at certain times when you need something more. An extra soft touch or even the
occasional nibbling that you want to be harder.”
“You do the same thing.” Tara points out pressing her lips to
Faith’s upper chest as she rubs her cheek over the firm
flesh.
“Uh, huh. You made me promise ta’ tell ya’ if I
needed somethin’. And I do. I think it works well for us.” Faith hugs Tara firmly, having to admit
that it has helped her to talk and open up more. Though ultimately she knows she’s still
a far way from being completely open and relaxed about things. But being with Tara helps, as the witch
doesn’t push or force her to open up… and she always backs off and gives her
time to calm down if she does something that makes her remember something from
the past when they’re having sex.
“I think it does, too.”
Faith snorts softly. “Proud of me? How do ya’
figure?”
“You’ve changed so much,
Faith.” Tara shifts so she can look
at Faith, but still be able to keep as much physical contact as possible. “Think about how you hardly ever flinch
away from my touch now. How often
you reach out for affection.”
“Yeah, ya’ mean how often I reach
out ta’ get into your pants.” Faith
snorts reaching out for Tara’s jeans, plucking at the button and wiggling her
eyebrows suggestively.
“Behave, the children are in the
dining room.” Tara winks at Faith
and grins crookedly at her lover.
“And you know what I’m talking about. Like earlier when you were worried about
me, you reached out to soothe me.
Just curling up here on the couch to watch television together, cooking
in the kitchen how often do you reach out and stroke a finger down my cheek,
neck, arm…” Tara points out
softly. Leaning in closely, Tara
more breathes into Faith’s ear than says the words. “How you eagerly look forward to me
settling between your muscular thighs to nuzzle, kiss…” Tara laughs into her lover’s mouth as
Faith turns her head to kiss her hungrily.
“Careful or I’ll be carryin’ your
ass upstairs.” Faith growls after
the kiss, looking into twinkling blue eyes.
“Nooners seem to be a common
occurrence around here.” Tara
smirks and looks up at the stairs as Buffy stops, her eyes wide like a deer
caught in the headlights, a blush working its way up her
face.
Faith snorts and buries her face in
Tara’s neck, hugging her firmly.
“I, um, am just, um, needing to
reheat lunch…” Buffy trots down the
stairs and disappears towards the kitchen quickly, trying to ignore the snorts
coming from Faith and the knowing smirk crossing Tara’s face. “Damn it! Second base is all!!” Buffy tosses over her shoulder, groaning
at the laughter following her.
“Does she expect us to believe
that? I mean, did she even look in
the mirror before she came down?”
Tara grins crookedly at she looks back at her lover. “She’s got a glow thing going
on.”
“She does.” Faith agrees, chuckling. “I guess I should eat the rest of the
food, before it needs to be heated up, too.”
“Probably does need to be
re-heated.” Tara admits, looking at
the plate.
“Nah. It’s good.” Faith shifts Tara to sit more on the
couch instead of half on her.
Reaching forward, she grabs the plate and scoops up some rice and
beans. “It’s good, babe.”
Tara smiles softly and leans in to
press a tender kiss to Faith’s cheek.
“Next.” Faith tilts her chin towards the stairs
to where Sasha is coming down with the glasses and soda in her hands, wearing a
t-shirt and shorts.
Sasha hesitates at the sight of the
two women watching her curiously.
Shrugging her shoulders, she sends them a quick smile before hurrying
towards the kitchen.
“Huh.” Faith mumbles around the bite of burrito
she’s eating. Swallowing, she tilts
her head. “Maybe it was only second
base?”
“Hmm.” Tara hums noncommittally as she looks
towards the archway that leads into the dining room and ultimately the
kitchen.
“You think it was more?” Faith questions
curiously.
“No. I think that’s pretty much as far as it
went, but what else are we usually doing when we’re on second base?” Tara turns to grin at her
lover.
Faith unconsciously licks her lips
as she thinks about their bodies half undressed before they make it to the bed,
half the time pressing Tara against the wall as they rock against each other
until they took the edge off the sharp pains of desire until they could finish
stripping to get to the more serious fun.
Tara chuckles as Faith’s eyes
darken, the desire obvious as Faith thinks about what they usually are
doing. “Get the movie to stop
playing in your head and eat your food.”
Tara smacks Faith gently on the thigh before
standing.
“HEY!” Faith frowns as Tara moves away from her
and stands. “Where you
goin’?”
“To get some more to drink. Plus I figure if I leave you alone for a
little while you might actually eat your dinner, instead of thinking about
making me dinner.” Tara giggles at
the narrowed eyes and the growl coming from Faith.
“More like dessert.” Faith grumbles as she watches Tara trot
towards the kitchen, a slow grin crossing her face at the thought.
***
Chapter 30
Willow looks up from her meal she’d
been poking at as Buffy goes by, having only caught part of what was said in the
living room. A few moments later
Sasha strides by, deciding that now may not be the best time to talk with Buffy,
she ignores the potentials as they giggle and talk about the ‘love’ lives of the
slayers.
Knowing that the girls don’t know
the full story of everything that happened, Willow doesn’t feel like
enlightening them to the fact that Tara and she used to be girlfriends for two
years before she’d royally screwed things up. Now everyone seems to be finding
happiness, except her. Anya and
Xander are married, Tara is with…
Willow shakes her head and takes a deep breath. Tara’s with Faith, even Buffy seems to
be hooking up with, surprisingly enough, a woman… and a slayer at that.
Setting her fork down, she stares
unseeingly at her half eaten plate of food and sighs quietly. ‘Sooner or later you’re going to have to
grow up, Willow.’ Willow mentally
talks to herself, sighing again.
***
Sasha grunts softly, because as soon
as she hits the kitchen she has a small blonde slayer wrapped around her,
kissing her hungrily. Groaning
deeply, she hurriedly sets the glasses down before letting the two-liter drop to
the floor and wrapping her arms tightly around Buffy.
Buffy growls deeply as she threads
her hands through Sasha’s hair, not able to stop herself from practically
attacking the tall slayer when she stepped into the kitchen. The deep ball of desire in her gut that
had just loosened a little with what had happened earlier in her bedroom quickly
flamed to inferno level at the sight of the slayer wearing the tight t-shirt and
shorts.
“Ficken…” Sasha pants heavily as Buffy finally
releases her mouth, shaking her head as she tries to figure out exactly what
happened.
“What… does… that… mean?” Buffy pants out the question as she nips
sharply on the slayer’s ear lobe.
“Fuck.” Sasha answers after a few moments of
trying to remember exactly what she said.
“What language?” Buffy grins at the loud groan she gets
from Sasha with her question.
“German.” Sasha shifts and presses Buffy against
the wall, smirking as the slayer growls and grinds her center against her
stomach. “I grew up speaking
Russian and German, when my brain does not work completely, I’ll inter-mingle
the two languages.”
“Ficken…?” Buffy half questions, half whimpers as
she presses her body more firmly against Sasha’s.
“Daaa…” Sasha squeezes the slayer’s ass firmly
in her hands before growling and burying her face in Buffy’s neck as she hears
the giggles coming from the entrance to the kitchen. “Whoever it is, I am willing to kill
them at a single word.” Sasha warns
her voice deep with want.
“That might piss Faith off, and
trust me she’s hell on wheels when she gets going.” Tara fights the giggles wanting to
escape after finally getting them under control. “I thought you were letting Buffy
dictate this thing between you two?”
Tara points towards the two slayers, watching the dark blush come up on
Buffy’s face when she realizes the position she’s in.
“Sneak attack.” Sasha growls, squeezing Buffy’s ass
firmly again before moving her hands to the slayer’s legs that are still locked
around her waist. “Buffy, ma
petite, please.” Sasha whispers, as
Buffy doesn’t seem ready to release her hold around her.
“Don’t want to.” Buffy shakes her head, burying her face
in black silky hair.
Tara smirks at the tall Russian
trying to get Buffy to release the grip she has around her. As she hears the soft growl coming from
Sasha, she decides it might be the smart thing to leave the two women alone and
quickly heads back towards the living room.
“I will do something you may
regret.” Sasha warns, growling
softly as all she gets in response is a quiet grunt. “Last warning.” Sasha tries again and when Buffy’s legs
just tighten around her waist, Sasha smirks and slides her fingers a short
distance and presses directly against where the slayer’s clit
is.
“SHIT!” Buffy jerks uncontrollably, slamming her
head back against the wall as with the direct hard pressure against her clit,
she climaxes instantly. “Damn it,
Sasha!” Buffy growls a few minutes
later after she stops shivering from the delightful tingles working through her
body with the release.
Sasha snorts and finally unwraps
Buffy’s legs from around her and sets her down on the ground, holding her steady
as she wavers for a few seconds on unsteady legs. “Maybe now you will be more aware of the
consequences of your actions.”
Sasha growls softly in Buffy’s ear.
“But next time, clothes will not be part of the equation. So you best take care where you decide
to jump on me.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Buffy squeezes Sasha’s waist that she
had unconsciously been holding onto.
Moving one hand from Sasha’s waist, she moves it slowly upwards, trailing
over the firm, and sensitive body of the tall slayer. Her eyes glued on her own hand as she
moves it between Sasha’s breasts, inhaling softly at the feel of the breasts on
either side of her hand and the pounding of the strong heartbeat.
Sasha flinches lightly at the feel
of the strong, small hand caressing up her chest, her body reacting as her
nipples contract and ache to be touched.
Trying her hardest to put aside her own desires Sasha closes her eyes,
concentrating on anything but the hand that has stopped and is just pressing
lightly against her chest.
Buffy bites her bottom lip roughly
as she watches Sasha’s nipples harden into prominent flesh poking insistently
against her t-shirt. As the
slightly labored breathing finally sinks into her conscience, Buffy glances
up. The strained and tense facial
features of the Russian slayer’s face, along with the heavy musky smell coming
from her, making Buffy extremely aware of how turned on Sasha is at this
moment. “Open your eyes.” Buffy orders softly, her hand twitching
with the desire to touch the prominent peaks under Sasha’s shirt, but holding
off until she can see her eyes.
Sasha growls softly before finally
dragging her eyelids up to look down into hazel eyes watching her intently.
Buffy feels her knees weaken at the
look of lust and want burning brightly in the blue eyes almost turned violet
with desire. The flush of desire on
Sasha’s face making her even more beautiful. Not censoring her comment, Buffy
whispers softly. “God, you’re
beautiful.” Wrapping her free hand
around Sasha’s neck, she pulls the tall slayer down for a slow, expressive kiss
as her hand slowly reaches over to cup the fullness of the slayer’s breast. Thankful for Sasha’s arms around her
waist as she feels her knees buckle at the feel of the warm flesh nestling
perfectly in her hand and the hard nipple poking insistently against her
palm.
Sasha groans deeply into the
slayer’s mouth as she feels the small hand cupping her breast and the palm
starting to rub gently against her.
Shifting, Sasha leans her back against the wall, pulling Buffy more
firmly against her body as she starts to nip and suckle at the small slayer’s
lips and tongue as Buffy starts to pluck insistently at her nipple.
Buffy pants heavily as Sasha grasps
her bottom lip between her lips and sucks hungrily. Pinching the prominent nipple firmly
between her thumb and forefinger, Buffy attacks the tall slayer’s neck at the
same time Sasha groans loudly after releasing her lip.
“Buffy, bitte!” Sasha buries her face against Buffy’s
shoulder, pressing hard against the hand torturing her nipple. Hearing the questioning grunt against
her neck, Sasha groans. “Please,
stop, Buffy. If not, we will become
very… intimate very quickly.”
Buffy growls at Sasha’s words before
finally stopping her twisting and pinching of the slayer’s nipple to caress her
hand over the flesh. “I don’t think
that would be a bad thing.” Buffy
sighs as she rests her face against Sasha’s upper chest and stops her hand’s
movement to just cup the warm flesh in her hand. Never realizing how wonderful it would
feel to touch another breast, to feel the nipple hard and sensitive under her
fingertips. Starting to understand
a little better most men’s infatuation with breasts.
Sasha breathes in deeply, trying to
get control of her desire, thankful that Buffy had stopped torturing her, though
the warm hand continuing to cup her breast was distracting in and of
itself.
“Food… we came down here to reheat
the food and eat.” Buffy mumbles,
slowly dropping her hand from the tall slayer’s breast to squeeze her waist
before stepping back, her legs somewhat shaky from the ball of desire pounding
between them.
“Food…” Sasha nods, relaxing against the wall
and closing her eyes taking in deep, calming breaths of oxygen, growling softy
at the knowing chuckle coming from Buffy.
“We really need to talk about
this.” Buffy admits, putting the
food in the microwave and pressing a couple buttons to reheat the food while
watching Sasha who nods silently but doesn’t open her eyes or say anything. “You’re really okay for this just to
be…” Buffy trails off blushing
lightly.
Sasha slowly opens her eyes and
takes in the blushing slayer.
“Buffy, we are slayers. If
we live for two years, we are good.
You could retire. You have
died twice fighting against evil, and yet you continue. You are the longest lived slayer ever,
and very, very beautiful. Inside
and outside. I am obviously
attracted to you.” Sasha hesitates
as she looks at the slayer, a soft smile on her lips. “To have you desire me… I will take all that you are willing to
offer, ma petite. If it is a day, a
week, a month…” Sasha trails off
and shrugs knowing the likelihood of it being longer than a month with what is
going on at this moment is pushing it, she smiles sadly at
Buffy.
“You barely know me.” Buffy whispers, searching pale blue
eyes.
“I know you, Buffy.” Sasha looks intently into hazel
eyes. “I know you very well, but I
want to get to know you even better.”
“There’re things I’ve done…” Buffy starts, shaking her head as her
eyes become sad as she looks at the tall slayer, silently wondering what she’ll
think of her when she tells her about Spike. The woman probably already knowing about
Angel, that’s pretty much a given, but the whole Spike debacle isn’t something
that the Watcher’s books will have information on. At least, she silently hopes they
don’t.
“Nothing that would change my
mind.” Sasha offers
simply.
“You can’t say that… not without
knowing exactly what I’ve done.”
Buffy turns back to the microwave and pulls out the plate, sliding it
onto the island and staring down at the food. “I can’t hardly stomach what I’ve done,
Sasha.” Buffy whispers, before
slowly raising her head when a gentle finger urges her to look up.
“Everyone makes mistakes, ma
petite. Sometimes we do not know
better, and turn left instead of right.”
Sasha smiles softly before gently brushing a feather soft kiss across
Buffy’s lips. “I will not change my
mind. Trust
me.”
Buffy sighs and rests her forehead
against Sasha’s chin. “Trust isn’t
something I give easily, Sasha.
I’ve been so damn secretive about shit my whole life. Being called as a slayer started the
ball rolling and it just kind of snowballed from there.”
“Our jobs make it so we have to be
secretive. I understand,
Buffy. I do.” Sasha sighs as she gently pulls Buffy
against her, hugging the small slayer to her, smiling at the feel of strong arms
wrapping around her waist and holding her tightly. Pressing a soft kiss to Buffy’s
forehead, Sasha shifts and lets Buffy tuck her head under her chin as she rests
it on top of the slayer’s head.
“Will you keep me company for a
little while tonight while I keep watch?”
Buffy finally questions, her eyes closed as she soaks up the warmth and
comfort being offered her by the tall woman.
“Of course.” Sasha reaches up to gently stroke over
the back of the slayer’s head, letting her fingers run through the soft
strands. “We should probably eat,
or the Terror will think I do not like her food.”
Buffy snorts softly. “Tara being a terror seems so totally
out of character, but she definitely can be hell on wheels when she gets
going.”
“I would like to see that some
day. All I have known is what I
have been told or overheard.” Sasha
admits, grinning as Buffy shifts back and smiles up at her.
“And most of it was probably from
Tara herself. Just a little hint…
she downplays what she’s done a LOT, so if she tells you… say she broke
somebody’s finger, it was probably more like she broke two arms and a leg.” Buffy uses that as an example, smiling
up at Sasha until she sees the blue eyes widen and the woman become
serious. “What’s
wrong?”
Sasha shakes her head as she frowns
slightly. Remembering Tara saying
that Spike had ended up begging her to end his undead life, silently wondering
how far and how badly Tara had actually hurt him before killing him.
“Sasha.” Buffy growls softly and turns the woman
to make her look at her. “What’s
wrong?”
Sasha sighs. “It is something I do not wish to
mention yet, because I do not wish you to be mad at Tara.”
“I very rarely get mad at
“Ummm…” Sasha shifts uncomfortably and looks
into curious hazel eyes. “She kind
of explained about your personal life in more detail than what I already knew
from my Watcher.”
Buffy furrows her brows and looks at
the tall slayer in confusion, before shaking her head. “
Sasha swallows and looks guiltily
towards the doorway as
“Whatever it is its okay,
Sasha.” Tara waves the tall slayer
off, smiling at the woman.
“She’s afraid of telling me whatever
it is you two talked about, so I figured I’d cut out the middle man and just ask
you. You’ve always been up front
and answered whatever questions are asked of you without a lot of bullshit,
sooo… give.” Buffy quirks an
eyebrow at Tara and watches as
“I told her more details about Angel
and what happened back when he turned into Angelus.”
Buffy blinks in surprise, not having
expected that. Staring intently at
Tara for a few minutes, she dares a quick glance at Sasha who’s looking
embarrassed before turning back to look at Tara, noticing the guilty and sad
look on her face. “All of it?” Buffy finally questions softly,
searching blue eyes seeing the answer in their depths. “Well… Why?”
“Honestly?”
Buffy sighs and rubs her
forehead. “You do realize I’m
almost twenty-two years old and having people running interference for my love
life is a little… odd?”
“B, it’s my fault.” Faith speaks up, hugging
“I’m not mad.” Buffy shakes her head and smiles softly
at the slayer stepping in for Tara, the guilty look on Tara’s face letting her
know that she took it further than what Faith had asked her to. “Did you explain everything?” Buffy steps up and reaches out to gently
rub
“The attempted rape?”
“And did she get more of the story
of what you did to him?” Buffy
questions curiously, her eyes narrowing on
“No, not really.”
“I hope you two gave her a
good…” Sasha growls softly as she
thinks of the proper words. “Ass
chewing?”
“That’s perfect.” Buffy lets Sasha know, chuckling as the
slayer grins at her. “And no. I didn’t because right after I found out
what she did, we ended up in a warehouse fighting something like twenty-five
vampires and then
“I did.” Faith tightens her grip on Tara, burying
her face against her lover’s neck as she thinks about how close she’d come to
losing the witch to the crazy vampire.
“In all honesty, I think Drusilla
was planning on turning me, not just making me dinner.”
“Fuck me.” Faith exhales the words softly, her eyes
darting to Buffy. “I wouldn’t have
been able to take Tare out, B. If
she was ever turned, I don’t think…”
Faith shakes her head seeing the knowledge in Buffy’s eyes that she
probably would have a hell of a time doing it, too.
“You would do what you have
to.” Tara murmurs, rubbing Faith’s
tense arms firmly while staring into hazel eyes. “Both of you would do what you would
have had to. If not, you know the
first people I would have come after would be you two. And though I’ve never heard of a slayer
being turned, if it’s possible, that’s probably what I would have
done.”
“Even undead ya’ woulda wanted me
with ya’?” Faith smirks at the soft
growl coming from Tara.
“Always.” Tara finally admits, smiling softly
before winking at Buffy. “You can
kick my ass later for telling, Buffy.
But I just wanted to make sure there wouldn’t be any problems
and…”
“That I would not drop you at
finding out about you being with the…”
Sasha furrows her brows as she tries to remember what Tara called
him. “Peroxided
bastard??”
Faith snorts and buries her face in
her lover’s neck. “I’m a bad
influence, ain’t I?”
“Maybe.” Tara chuckles and threads her fingers
with Faith’s. “You two need to
eat.” Tara winks and pushes
backwards against Faith, chuckling softly as her lover growls playfully and
picks her up to stride out of the kitchen.
Buffy smiles softly as the two women
make their way out of the kitchen.
“They care for you very much.” Sasha comments softly.
“I’m lucky to have them.” Buffy admits, chuckling. “Even if they do like to irritate and
aggravate me. Faith also has a way
of surprising me and making me own up to my own feelings.”
“They are good friends. To have people care about you and watch
out for you is a good thing.”
“Yes, it is.” Buffy gently pats Sasha on the shoulder
and pushes the plate towards her.
“Let’s eat before Tara comes back and kicks our
butts.”
Gently cupping Buffy’s cheek, Sasha
watches as the slayer tilts her head up to look at her questioningly. “You are not mad at her, are you?” Smiling as Buffy shakes her head, Sasha
relaxes. “That is a good
thing.”
Buffy moans softly as Sasha brushes
her lips gently against hers in one of the most tender, gentlest kisses she’s
ever known. As Sasha steps back,
Buffy slowly opens her eyes and looks into warm blue eyes of the softly smiling
Russian. Realizing she’s going to
have to be careful around the tall woman, because there’s a good chance that she
could fall in love with her. And
that wasn’t something she could allow herself at this time, and it definitely
wasn’t something that they had agreed on.
“We should eat.” Buffy takes
a deep breath and turns towards the food, aware of the curious look that had
come into the Russian’s eyes.
“Yes, we should eat.” Sasha finally agrees as she watches
Buffy place the food back in the microwave again, sighing
quietly.
***
Chapter 31
“You’re doin’ good, Russky.” Faith holds out her hand and helps the
tall slayer up off the ground.
“Then why am I on my ass most often
with you?” Sasha grumbles
good-naturedly.
“Because she’s jealous of your
height, so she figures if you’re on the ground…” Tara speaks up, smirking as Faith glares
at her. Shrugging, Tara looks back
down at the magic book she was searching through for anything that might help
them in their fight against The First.
“Now, children…” Faith turns and looks at the four
potentials and rests her hands on her hips after growling softly at Tara, her
lover ignoring her. “What did I
just show you?”
“That you can kick Sasha’s
ass.” Mandy speaks up,
smirking.
Sasha groans and shakes her
head. “Yes, she showed you
that. But we are both slayers. I am taller and bigger than her, so I
should have been able to kick her ass.
I had more training growing up with a Watcher teaching me from when I was
small. She did not. By all rights, I should have been the
one standing over her.” Sasha
hesitantly tells the group as she mentally translates a few words into English,
hoping she’s saying everything properly.
“Sasha, your English is fine. The few odd words here and there aren’t
that big of a deal, so you don’t have to think on it so hard.” Tara comments softly as she looks up at
the slayer, smiling.
“I hate not talking properly.” Sasha admits, looking at the
witch.
Faith snorts. “Listen ta’ me sometime, Russky. You talk a hell of a lot better’n I
do!” Faith bangs her shoulder
against the woman before turning her gaze back on the potentials who are seated
on the edge of where she and Sasha had been sparring. “Size don’t mean shit. If ya’ know where ta’ hit someone, ya’
can bring them down quickly. If you
can’t beat them one on one, ya’ knock ‘em down and get the fuck outta
dodge. Our first rule is ta’ stay
alive. Now, Tracy pair up with
Justine, I want ya’ to practice blocks and strikes takin’ turns. Go slow and don’t actually make body
contact. B’ll have my ass if ya’
get hurt. Lisa and Mandy, come over
here with us.”
Sasha unconsciously turns her gaze
towards the house, knowing Buffy and
***
“Damn it, Buffy! Tell me what happened? I overheard part of the conversation
earlier while all of you were in the kitchen and I’d like to know what the hell
happened while I was in England.”
Willow exasperatedly waves her hands around as she stares at her best
friend.
Buffy runs a hand through her hair
as she stares out the front screen door.
“You’ve had to deal with a lot since coming back from England,
Willow. Do you really think you
want or can deal with everything else?”
“Christ, Buffy! At one time we were best friends, now I
feel like I barely know you.”
Willow glares at Buffy’s back.
Buffy snorts softly. “Well, welcome to the club, Will. Imagine my shock and surprise when I
found out exactly what you had done to Tara. The person I considered my best friend
since Sophomore year would never have done the shit you
did.”
Willow’s head jerks almost as if
she’d received a physical slap.
“And yet you haven’t asked my side of the story.”
“Do I need to?” Buffy turns to look at Willow, her eyes
cold. “Can you explain why you
raped Tara’s mind? Not once but
twice? Did you do it more than
those two times, Willow? Did you
play around with anyone else’s mind?
The whole forget spell that everyone was under, who was it actually meant
for?”
“I can’t believe you don’t trust
me!” Willow hisses after a few
moments of shocked silence after Buffy finishes throwing the questions at
her.
“Willow, I love you like a
sister. We’ve been friends for
seven years, but I have to tell you, I really don’t know you. So you try to explain to me why you
stole Tara’s memories from her. Why
you mentally raped your girlfriend… your everything. Isn’t that what you called her? Because honestly, I had to argue, beg
and plead with Tara to explain why you two broke up and even then she really
didn’t want to tell me. But her
explanation was that as far as she knew, the first time you two must have argued
over magic usage and you did the forget spell. The second time that backfired and
everyone lost their memories was you trying to erase my memories of being
brought back from heaven and the argument you’d had the night before about the
fact Tara knew about your previous forget spell. So, correct me if any of that is
wrong.” Buffy rattles off lowly and
hotly, her anger at a slow burn.
Willow unconsciously steps back from
the anger she hears in Buffy’s low voice.
“I… you… you wouldn’t understand.”
Willow shakes her head, her eyes wide as Buffy steps towards her.
“Make me understand Willow. Explain to me why you had to do the
spells on her, why you tried to do the spell on both of us.” Buffy stares at Willow, the redhead’s
eyes dropping as she refuses to look at her and stares at the floor instead
without saying anything for long minutes.
“You can’t can you, Willow?”
Buffy shakes her head as Willow glances up at her without saying a
word. “Did you learn anything while
you were in England? Do you not see
what you did as wrong? How if you
had just been willing to originally work through things and get help that right
now you and Tara would still be together?”
Buffy sighs as she sees Willow literally flinch hard at that
comment. “Maybe you do realize
that. I honestly didn’t expect this
conversation to go this way, Willow.”
Buffy admits softly, turning to walk back towards the door, leaning
against the frame as she looks outside.
“Then again, I wasn’t expecting you to practically attack me as soon as
we were alone, either.”
Willow exhales softly, knowing the
slayer is right. She didn’t even
give Buffy a chance before she’d lit into her, honestly feeling like a third
wheel around the house as Buffy seemed to seek out Faith and Tara most often to
talk to, the easy camaraderie between the three women hurting and making her
jealous.
“What do you want to know,
Willow?” Buffy finally questions,
feeling a bone deep tiredness in her soul.
“Everything, anything…” Willow whispers, looking sadly at her
friend. “I’m sorry, Buffy. I just feel… useless. Like I’m not really needed and I’m just
an extra appendage. Things have
changed so much in the time I’ve been gone.”
“A lot of things have changed,
Willow. A lot.” Buffy finally turns and moves over to
the chair, waving Willow to the couch.
“I guess I’ll work on giving you the Reader’s Digest version.” Buffy sighs and tilts her head back on
the chair and stares up at the ceiling, knowing she probably won’t be able to
look at Willow for this conversation.
“I want you to try and keep from asking questions or commenting,
Willow. This is going to be hard
enough to get through without being interrupted every few minutes,
okay?”
Willow frowns at Buffy’s sad tones,
before nodding realizing that the slayer can’t see her, she finally speaks
up. “I’ll try not
to.”
“I guess that’ll do.” Buffy has to smile sadly at the answer
before slowly starting her tale.
“It actually started before I died… the second time. I’d been feeling more and more
disconnected. Lost and
useless.” Buffy rubs a hand over
her forehead. “Then when I was
brought back from Heaven, the disconnected feeling and lack of caring was a
hundred times worse. All I really
wanted was to be back in Heaven, to where I was warm and at peace. I couldn’t bring myself to admit to you
guys where I had been until that whole fiasco with Sweet. Anyway, Spike had been sniffing around,
I think in some roundabout way he knew that I had been in Heaven…”
Willow listens as Buffy slowly works
through her relationship with Spike, fighting on interrupting the slayer a
hundred times but forcing herself to continue to listen. When Buffy admits to her going to Tara
and asking the witch to look at the spell that had been used to bring her back,
thinking that something was seriously wrong with her, and the subsequent
breaking down on her lap after finding out that she was okay, Willow bites her
lip hard enough to draw blood as tears come to her eyes.
Buffy stops for a moment, her eyes
blinking. “Not long after you left
for England, I was out patrolling.
Tara had come by to get Dawn and they went out for a late movie. I’d gotten banged up, being thrown into
a headstone. I came home to an
empty house and all I wanted was to take a hot relaxing bath to try and loosen
my aching back.” Buffy’s hands
clench uncontrollably as she pictures it all again. Her with her robe on checking the
temperature of the water as Spike comes in trying to force himself on her,
shoving her down, forcing her legs apart…
Shivering uncontrollably, Buffy whispers. “Spike came into the house and up to the
bathroom… he tried to show me he loved me.” Buffy spits out the word loved before
shaking her head. “Basically he
tried to rape me until I was finally able to fight him off. He ended up leaving and not long after
that Tara and Dawn came home.”
Willow feels the anger rising like a
deadly cobra inside her at Buffy’s words.
The thought of the vampire touching Buffy was bad enough, but hearing how
he tried to force himself on her best friend was making her see red.
“Tara made Dawn go to bed then came
to me in the bathroom. She helped
me bathe and get cleaned up before settling me in the bed and working some kind
of ointments into my back to help with the soreness and aching. She stayed with me until I fell
asleep. The next morning I woke up
and she had a breakfast bake thing in the refrigerator for me, but she was
gone.” Buffy rubs a shaking hand
over her eyes. “I literally didn’t
know until the day Tara was attacked by Drusilla what happened.” Buffy finally makes eye contact with
Willow. “The reason Drusilla was in
town was Tara. She was pissed and
looking for vengeance. It seems
Tara went after Spike that night and literally took him apart in pieces… Through the rest of that night and the
whole day afterwards she did unimaginable things to him… for me. Because of what he attempted to
do.”
Willow rears back against the couch,
blinking hard in surprise and shock at the thought of Tara being violent and
that angry to go after someone… well something. “She wouldn’t
have…”
Buffy stares at Willow and slowly
nods. “She wouldn’t tell either me
or Faith exactly what she did. But
The First let us into some of what she did. It seems he thought that it would cause
problems or something. Not that
Faith and I weren’t both royally pissed at
“But he had the chip…”
“No, he didn’t. That was the first thing she did. She removed his chip and gave him a
chance. Before she went after him,
she called Angel. Just in case she
didn’t come out of it alive, she had Angel’s promise that he would come to
Sunnydale and dust her if she didn’t call him.” Buffy whispers softly. “Even now, I don’t think Angel ever
really questioned her about what she wanted him to do. Or why, but he promised her he would
come here if he was needed.”
“Goddess.”
Buffy trails her fingers over her
sweat pants and blinks. “
“And I would have probably done just
the opposite.”
Buffy slowly nods. “That’s what I thought you would have
probably done. Faith was released
from jail and asked to come here to help out with The First. Though we didn’t know who the big bad
was going to be at the time. She
was on her best behavior, helping out and doing patrols…” Buffy smiles at the remembrance of how
Faith had been so off kilter to begin with, and how the dark-haired slayer was
actually expecting the worse.
“And falling for
“Yes, falling in love with
Hearing just the note of curiosity
now in Willow’s voice, though there is a deep pain in the green eyes, knowing
it’ll take a long time, if ever, for Willow to get over losing Tara, Buffy
smiles softly. “I like her. I’m attracted to her, and the feelings
are mutual. I’m not saying I’m
going to fall in love with her or vice-versa, but I want to see where this
leads. If I have a day, I have a
day. If it’s a month, it’s a
month. I was told recently that
sometimes you just have to take life as it comes and enjoy what’s being offered
without looking for anything more.
I’ve never done that before and I think… No, I know, that I want to take what
Sasha’s offering me, Willow. I hope
you understand and don’t think badly of me, but…” Buffy shrugs, honestly at a loss as to
what else to say.
“I understand. And no, I don’t think badly of you,
Buffy. She seems to be a very nice
young woman.”
“She is. She also has a slayer’s
stubbornness.” Buffy chuckles
softly at the thought before becoming serious. “Things aren’t going to be all better
with a blink of an eye,
“And I should work on some more
research… Buffy?”
Buffy watches as
“I’ll take whatever time we have
together, Sasha.” Buffy whispers
softly as she watches the slayer step back and let Mandy and Lisa make contact
with the swords as they practice their offensive and defensive movements. When blue eyes lift almost as if she
knew she was watching her, Buffy smiles and steps out the back door with no
reservations, willing to let things go as they may.
***
Chapter 32
Sasha steps outside the front door
and moves down to sit on the steps in the late evening, darkness coming on
quickly as it does at this time of the year. Looking up and down the quiet
neighborhood, she and Faith having come back to the house a little over an hour
ago just in time for dinner.
Chuckling at the narrow-eyed gaze she and the rogue slayer had received
from
“Care for company?” Buffy asks before settling down beside
the tall slayer at the smile she receives in response to her question. Scooping up a spoonful of the cobbler
and ice cream, Buffy chews it contemplatively as she watches Sasha while
listening to the potentials arguing over what movie to watch while
“More like what did we not
get!” Sasha grins and leans back on
her hands, stretching her feet down the steps and looks over at Buffy. “We picked up one of those tanks to fill
balloons with, balloons, streamers, cake, and other assorted party items. We left the supplies across the street
on the enclosed porch.” Sasha tilts
her chin towards the house she’s talking about.
“She was a little bit irritated when
she realized the two of you had disappeared without Faith telling her exactly
where she was going.” Buffy
finishes her cobbler and ice cream, licking her lips as she sets the bowl off to
the side. “An irritated Tara isn’t
fun to be around. I’m just happy
she didn’t get royally pissed.”
Sasha smiles at the thought. “One day, I would wish to see her
pissed. Just to know what it is
like. She is usually so soft spoken
and kind, though I see the fire in her eyes when she is angry or Willow does
something to set her off. When the
Rogue Slayer irritates her, it is more like a… an indulgent aggravation that
crosses her face.”
“That’s because she knows Faith’s
usually doing it to get a rise out of her, rather than actually screwing
up.” Buffy shifts and moves closer
to the taller slayer, keeping eye contact with Sasha. A small smile playing across the tall
slayer’s lips as she watches her maneuver closer making Buffy chuckle
softly.
Sasha slowly raises an eyebrow at
the small slayer as Buffy shifts until she’s straddling her hips, her butt
lightly settling onto her thighs.
Her eyes closing as she inhales sharply as strong, small hands caress
slowly up her abdomen to come to a stop cupping her breasts, thumbs trailing
teasingly over her hard nipples.
“God, you’re so sensitive.” Buffy whispers hoarsely, her eyes on the
woman’s chest, the nipples hardening instantly while poking insistently against
the t-shirt. Continuing to tease
the hard flesh with her thumbs, she watches Sasha’s chest start to rise and fall
faster with her breathing. The
smell of arousal becoming stronger by the minute, Buffy inhales deeply of the
delicious scent.
“Ma petite…” Sasha whimpers as Buffy starts to pinch
and twist her nipples insistently.
Pushing upwards, Sasha captures Buffy’s lips, tongue eagerly looking for
entrance, dancing with Buffy’s tongue when it’s granted.
Groaning and arching as warm hands
caress strongly over her back, thumbs working their way from the side to caress
against the starting swell of her breasts, Buffy breaks off the kiss, panting
heavily as she drags her eyes open to look into heated blue eyes. Watching in confusion as the
desire-filled blue eyes quickly become cold and gray, it takes a moment to
realize that Sasha isn’t looking at her anymore but directly over her
shoulder. Closing her eyes as she
hears the voice, Buffy counts to ten before easing away from
Sasha.
“We need to talk.” Angel’s eyes narrow on the two women as
he strides up to the bottom of the steps.
Buffy eyes The First, finally having
confirmation that the be-spelled beads work, the light red haze floating around
him the giveaway. “What are you
doing here, Angel? I thought you
had your own problems that you were dealing with in LA.” Buffy gently squeezes Sasha’s
shoulder. “Why don’t you go into
the house? I’ll be in
later.”
Sasha silently stands and brushes
off the back of her jeans, her eyes on The First obviously impersonating Buffy’s
first lover. “If you need
me…”
“I will.” Buffy pats her arm as Sasha spins around
and strides quickly into the house leaving her alone with The First. Everyone having agreed that it might be
beneficial to act like they don’t know its The First unless he actually let’s
himself be found out, or they physically try to reach for him. “What do you want?” Buffy steps down watching as The First
backs away to keep distance between them, fighting the smile that wants to cross
her face.
“We researched all the archives at
Wolfram and Hart, there’s no way to defeat The First. If there was, we would have found
it.” The First tucks his hands in
his pockets as he stares at Buffy.
“I still love you, Buffy.
Don’t die in this useless fight.
Come back with me to Los Angeles and let him do whatever it is he’s
wanting to.”
“You had to come here to tell me
this? You couldn’t have used the
phone?” Buffy purses her lips as
she looks at The First, having to admit he does a damn good job of looking like
Angel. Of course, when he
impersonated her it had Tara and Faith fooled.
“The phones are down.” The First gives Buffy a disgruntled
look. Finally lifting his eyes
towards the house, he crosses his arms and gives his best broody/hurt look at
the slayer. “What’s going on with
you and the young woman, Buffy?
Couldn’t get over me so you decided to go to women for a
change?”
Buffy snorts and quirks an eyebrow
at Angel. “Have a problem with it,
Angel? After all, Spike told me all
about his Grandsire and how much of a bastard he was. Angelus likes playing with the boys but
not Angel?” Buffy smirks as she
sees The First’s façade shimmer for a second as he obviously loses control. Turning her back quickly so he doesn’t
see her smirk she paces back and forth, before turning a glare on ‘Angel’. “Am I supposed to just wait around for
you to get over the whole being dead thing, Angel? We’ve been over with for four years,
I’ve moved on. Last I heard you
were fighting your attraction to Cordelia.”
“I don’t love her. I love you.” The First tries to backtrack, wondering
if he might have blown it when he almost lost control, though the hazel eyes
looking at him seem sincere enough with the sad look.
“We’re finished, Angel. She may not be my next big love, but I
like her, she likes me and we’re exploring the whole like angle.” Rocking back and forth on her feet she
looks at The First for a few moments, watching the calculating look briefly go
through his eyes as he tries to figure out what to do or say to irritate
her.
“Is she a potential, Buffy? I mean, how old is she?” The First tries to push a little to see
what he can shake loose.
“Does it really matter? She’s old enough, Angel. She’s of legal, consenting age, and you
know as well as I do the people we have here in the house.” Buffy looks over her shoulder as she
hears the door open somewhat surprised to see Tara stepping out of the
house. Maybe having expected Faith,
but not Tara.
“Hi, Angel.” Tara nods her head towards The First
before looking back at Buffy.
“Sweetie, I just wanted to tell you, Sue’s in a bit of a snit.” Tara vaguely stresses the name Sue, just
in case The First knows the name Sasha and that the woman was a slayer. “I think she’s jealous and possibly even
hurt about…” Tara looks obviously
over at The First, watching as a smile crosses his face before the brooding look
drops back in place.
“I’ll be back in, in a few
minutes.” Buffy nods, having caught
the change of expression out of the corner of her eye. Watching Tara step back into the house
with a quick smile at her, Buffy isn’t surprised when The First starts speaking
again as soon as Tara disappears inside.
“What kind of girlfriend is she,
Buffy? I mean, if she’s already
jealous of me just showing up here, isn’t that a clue that she’s going to just
get in the way?” The First looks at
the house before turning back to Buffy.
“You were never one to deal with jealousy and the whole clingy-ness
well.”
Buffy shrugs and narrows her eyes on
The First. “She’s… okay.” Buffy tries to sound uncertain, knowing
that he’s just trying to sew disharmony in the ranks but not falling for it.
“I better head back to LA.” The First looks sadly at Buffy. “Remember, I love
you.”
Buffy just nods her head and turns
around dejectedly and slowly makes her way up the steps, shifting her head just
enough to look behind her as ‘Angel’ strides away. “Fucking idiot. Doesn’t have a clue.” Buffy chuckles softly as she steps in
the door, a huge grin crossing her face.
“They work! Is there some
way of getting the information to one of the Coven’s to let everyone else
know?”
“Already on it.” Willow waves a spell book around as she
and Tara try to find something to make the phone work magically for a few
minutes.
“You okay, B?” Faith questions, just to make sure
though Buffy seems fine. Actually
Buffy seems extremely, almost giddily, happy.
“Hell, yes! The mojo beads here work on detecting
that it’s The First. And he’s just
trying to make me not trust… Sue?”
Buffy quirks an eyebrow questioningly at Tara then Sasha.
“My idea.”
Buffy blinks in surprise, not having
known that. Turning her gaze on
Sasha, she watches the tall Russian smile almost shyly at her. “Why didn’t you tell
me?”
“We have not talked a lot,
Buffy. Me and Terror discussed you
to begin with when we were together, then while we were shopping and on the way
back, she wanted to learn about me and how I made it here.” Sasha shrugs as she smiles at the
slayer. “It is not a big
deal.”
“Yes it is.” Buffy frowns heavily, realizing that she
just knows basics about the tall slayer, but not any real details about her life
before coming to Sunnydale. “We
need to get back to the talking bit.”
Buffy grumbles, before looking up at the deep laughter coming from the
tall slayer. Seeing the merriment
dancing in the blue eyes, Buffy realizes that every time they ‘needed to talk’
she ended up practically pouncing on the other woman.
“I like the way you talk, ma
petite. Would you like to finish
the conversation you started earlier?”
Sasha smiles sexily at the small blonde slayer.
Faith snorts as she comes back
through from the kitchen, having checked around back and the side of the house
to make sure they didn’t have any unexpected company. “B, if ya’ want I’ll do lookout
tonight. I got a feelin’ the
witch-y contingent is gonna be on a serious research mission.” Faith smiles in understanding as
“I’m sorry, love. I’ll owe you.” Tara whispers very softly, knowing the
only people that should be able to hear her are the slayers.
Faith winks and nods her head in
acceptance of the apology. “It
happens, why don’t you…” Faith
starts only to watch as the other two slayers tear up the stairs. Snorting at the sight of Buffy hot on
Sasha’s heels, swearing she caught a glimpse of a hand heading somewhere
naughty. Smirking at the thought,
she turns back to look into amused blue eyes coming back to rest on her. Not able to resist, Faith strides over
to Tara and brushes a firm kiss over her lips. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, honey.” Tara reaches up to tuck brown hair
behind Faith’s ear, grinning crookedly up at her lover, she winks. “No teasing them from outside,
Faith.”
“Shit!” Faith grumbles as she leans back,
pouting at Tara. “How did ya’
know…” Trailing off at the knowing
grin crossing Tara’s lips, she sighs heavily. “Damn witch.” Faith stomps over to the weapon’s chest
and pulls out a large knife and a short sword before making her way towards the
door. “Come out and visit me in a
little while?”
“I will.” Tara smiles lovingly at Faith as the
slayer hesitates at the door before stepping out onto the front porch. Knowing her lover will keep to a slow
walk around the house, listening and trying to feel anything that might try and
attack.
Willow looks up unobtrusively
glancing from Tara to Faith and back again as the two women talk, the
conversation obviously taking place on more than just the surface level. Feeling a streak of jealousy and
heartache shoot through her at the ease the two women interact with each
other. What really hurts, though,
is the absolutely loving look Tara gives Faith as the slayer hesitates by the
front door looking at the witch before stepping out, never having been on the
receiving end of that exact look.
Shy, sweet, caring and loving looks, yes. But never the completely open and
trusting look of love that
Tara’s eyebrows furrow as she looks
back at Willow after Faith steps out, seeing the tears about ready to fall from
the redhead’s green eyes and the obvious look of resignation on Willow’s face, a
streak of sadness going through her at the realization that Willow finally
understands that she isn’t coming back to her. “Sorry, Willow.”
***
Fresh Start 33-Epilogue
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