“Thanks, mom!”  Buffy yells out to her mother as she shuts the door.  “Oh!  I forgot to tell you, I bought you some of those candy bars you like with almonds, they’re on my dresser.”  Buffy sticks her head in the open window, grinning at her mom.

“Suck up.”  Faith whispers to the blonde slayer as she shuts the door behind Willow as they all climb out at the mall, planning on spending the day window shopping and going to the movies. 

“Gotta do what I gotta do.”  Buffy smirks as Faith rolls her eyes at her trying to imitate the Bostonian’s accent.

“Give it up, girl.  I got it, and you don’t.”  Faith snorts and ducks the swipe at her as she jogs after Willow and Tara, the two witches heading towards the mall entrance after shaking their heads at them.

“You girls have a good time… and try not to get into any trouble!”  Joyce yells after the teenagers, laughing quietly having a feeling that telling them to behave is a waste of breath.  Eyes twinkling merrily, she puts the Jeep in drive and heads towards Dianna’s house to pick her up.  The two women planning on taking advantage of having some alone time and spending the afternoon sunbathing in her back yard and possibly have some adult fun.

***

“Iced tea.”  Joyce offers softly, smiling as she eases down onto the blanket beside Dee.  Groaning quietly as Dee accepts the glass, and teasingly lets the cold condensation trail over her upper chest before tilting the glass and taking a sip.  “You’re a tease.”  Joyce grumbles, reaching out to run a finger over the trail of liquid, half tempted to gather it with her tongue.

“I remember a time where you loved to be teased for hours on end.”  Dianna chuckles as she sets her glass out of the way before relaxing back onto the blanket. 

Joyce sets her glass down besides Dee’s and eases closer to the other woman, smiling at the small smirk crossing the woman’s lips.  “I wonder what kind of response we would get now, if we teased each other for hours on end?”  Joyce trails a finger over Dee’s upper chest and around the edge of the bathing suit as she contemplates the pale skin.  “I remember you driving me to a quivering mass of need in college, Dee.  I’ve never been pushed to those boundaries since.  I’d love to find out if it’s still possible.”

“I’d love to push you to the edge, Joy.  Even past it, but do you think we’re ready to re-consumate our previous relationship?”  Dianna question softly, reaching up to cup Joyce’s cheek.  “I love you, Joy.  I honestly never stopped loving you, but I am still married and you haven’t told Buffy about us.  I know it worries you how she’ll react, wouldn’t you rather…”

Joyce leans down and kisses Dianna softly, stopping her words for a few moments before easing far enough away to where she can look into warm, loving blue eyes without them being blurred.  “I love you, too Dee.  Yes, I am worried about how Buffy will react.  But you make me happy and no matter what I’m not willing to let you go a second time.  Buffy may end up being confused, hurt and possibly even angry but I’m positive given time she’ll come around to us being a couple.  As for you still being married, in your heart that marriage is ended.  We don’t need a piece of paper to make it official.  I love you, and if… when you’re ready you just have to say the word.”

Dianna exhales softly at the softly spoken words, Joyce not holding anything back as hazel eyes show the honesty and love coming from Joyce.  “Oh, Joy.”  Dianna whispers, reaching up to cup the woman’s cheek, urging her down into a soft, loving kiss.

Joyce can’t help the low whimper that escapes her lips as Dianna kisses her, the woman seemingly able to put all her feelings into the kiss.  Shifting slightly, Joyce settles her body lightly over Dianna’s and cups the witch’s hip, squeezing gently. 

Slowly deepening the kiss, Dianna threads her hand through Joyce’s soft hair, their kisses alternating between soft pecks, to deep explorations and everything in between as they mesh into a continuous alternating cycle.  Moaning and arching upwards as a long fingered hand makes its way upwards to cup and caress over her breast.  “Goddess, Joy.”  Dianna pants, closing her eyes at the delightful feel of the other woman’s hand caressing over her body. 

Joyce kisses and nibbles her way slowly down Dee’s neck, a small smile crossing her lips as she hits the sensitive spot that always drove the other woman nuts.

“JOY!”  Dianna arches her neck uncontrollably, pushing the flesh into the teasing mouth working its way knowingly over the flesh.  Her body pounding with want and desire. 

“I could so easily make love to you right now.” Joyce finally whispers after giving the area attention for a few minutes, leaning up to look down into heated blue eyes.  “But…”  Joyce shakes her head and leans down to press a firm kiss to Dee’s swollen lips.  “Chocolate qualifies as runner-up.”  Joyce pushes away from a bemused Dee and grins at the woman. 

“Chocolate?  I don’t remember seeing any chocolate in the kitchen earlier.”  Dianna pushes up and chuckles as Joyce runs lightly shaking hands through her hair.  “Joy…”

Joyce holds up her hand and shakes her head.  “Whenever you’re ready, Dee.  I’ll never push for anything regarding our relationship.” 

“I know.”  Dianna smiles softly at the tall woman.

“Chocolate.  In need of serious quantities of chocolate and I know just where to get some…”  Joyce winks at Dee before hurrying towards the house, musical laughter following her. 

***

Buffy unconsciously rolls her eyes before catching Faith doing the same thing, both women laughing at catching each other.  Buffy tilts her head in silent suggestion for them to leave Tara and Willow to their giggling as Willow tells Tara about the new boy Oz she’d met at school while they look through the clothes in one of the shops. 

Faith strides out of the shop beside Buffy, the two slayers walking almost in unison as they step up to the railing looking down at the lower level of the mall. 

Buffy looks at the dark-haired slayer out of the corner of her eye having to admit that though the other girl is definitely rough around the edges she obviously really cares about Tara, smiling as she remembers the big bully that had pushed his way through them when they were walking through the mall earlier and Faith yanking him around to make him apologize to Tara who’d been pushed against the wall.  Watching as a frown comes across Faith’s face as the slayer seems to look down and around with a more intent stare, Buffy looks at the teenagers and kids in the mall.  It taking her a few minutes to realize that there’re only a few adults, the majority of the mall filled with kids instead.

“B?”  Faith questions curiously as she looks around them, only really been to the mall a couple times since moving here, but swearing that there’s usually a hell of a lot more adults around.

“I see.”  Buffy agrees, getting a bad feeling in her gut. “Get the witches, and let’s see if it’s just an oddity or if something’s up.” 

“Gotcha.”  Faith grunts out and jogs into the clothes shop to get Tara and Willow.

Buffy purses her lips and makes her way slowly along, glancing into the different shops, only seeing the very occasional adult.  When the rest of the group comes to walk beside her, she picks up her pace. 

“I don’t know.”  Tara admits, looking around.  “Something doesn’t seem right, but…”

“Just… feel, sense or whatever it is ya’ do, Tare.”  Faith gently squeezes Tara’s arm before she moves to bracket the women on the other side, effectively putting Tara and Willow between her and Buffy.  The redhead unfortunately not strong as a witch, though she has been working with Tara, but the redhead is definitely smart and notices oddities almost as well as she and Buffy do. 

Tara unconsciously nods, opening her senses more to anything odd, though knowing unless a spell is being actively caste or there’s a major spell placed on someone, that she probably won’t pick up on a small spell.  If she’s lucky, she might sense an oddness and be able to follow it, and that’s what she’s trying her best to do. 

“Definitely something has to be going on.”  Willow comments as she looks around, the group of girls making their way down the stairs to the main floor of the mall, the lack of adults extremely noticeable, even to the point where some of the stores are unmanned.

“Shit!  Let’s head to Giles’, maybe he has an idea.”  Buffy notices the same thing Willow does as the group picks up their pace heading towards the exit, glancing over at the table that’s set up outside as they step out of the mall.  The group of adults buying the candy bars surprising her but she doesn’t think much about it as they head towards Giles.

Tara unconsciously looks towards the concentration of adults, looking over them curiously, something not sitting right with her but nothing really setting off her senses. 

“What the hell?”  Buffy stops and stares in disbelief as she notices Giles dressed in tight blue jeans, a t-shirt with a pack of cigarettes rolled up in it and his hair slicked back flirting with this other woman as they lean against the outside of one of the buildings.  When he leans in, whispering something and the other woman laughs almost girlishly, she groans. 

“I have a feelin’ he probably ain’t gonna be much help.”  Faith comments looking to where Buffy’s looking.

“No, but I’m damn well going to try.”  Buffy growls, ignoring the other adults running around acting like teenagers as she makes her way towards her Watcher. 

“I have a very, very bad feeling.”  Willow admits, her eyes wide as she looks around.  “They all seem to be acting… acting like us!”

“Yeah, exactly!”  Faith snaps her fingers and nods in agreement with the redhead.  “They’re actin’ like they’re teenagers instead of adults.  What the fuck?” 

“But not all of them are acting th-this way.”  Tara points out to a few adults that look confused as they hurry away from the other groups. Frowning as she looks around, Tara nibbles on her bottom lip in consideration.  “A spell of some sort has t-to be the cause of this, but it seems to be only affecting the majority of adults, I d-don’t see anyone else acting odd.”

“What the bloody ‘ell?”  Ripper tries to dislodge the strong hand gripping his arm.  “Look, you ain’t me father, and I was about to have me a good time, I was.  Now let me go, girly!”

“Shut up, Giles.  You’re under some kind of a stupid spell!”  Buffy hisses at the Watcher as she pulls the resisting man along with her.  “Just look around you!  You’re a Watcher and spells and demons are like second nature to you! Don’t you think something’s up?”

“I ain’t no bloody Watcher!  Those bunch of stiff-pricked bastards are a bunch of ol’ fogies and don’t have a clue what the real world is like!”  Giles growls as he tries to yank his arm away from the girl again, frowning heavily as he can’t budge the diminutive blonde.

“How old are y-you Mr. Giles?”  Tara questions softly.

“Ripper, my pretty little one.”  Ripper smiles engagingly at the voluptuous blonde.  “I’m eighteen, how about you?”

“Oh, God!  Save me from my Watcher that’s old enough to be our father hitting on Tara!”  Buffy groans deeply and yanks the Watcher away from Tara as he reaches for her.

“Bloody ‘ell! She likes me, she does.  Let me go, will ya’?”  Giles tries to get loose again, yelping as the grip tightens on his arm painfully. 

“Giles, you’re my Watcher, I’m your slayer, along with Faith and there is some kind of spell screwing with the majority of the adults here in town.  Now, we need to figure out whom or what is doing this so we can undo it!  UNDERSTAND???”  Buffy hisses loudly at the Watcher as she drags him towards his apartment.  “And so help me, if you flirt with Tara again, I may rip your tongue and eyeballs out.”  Buffy snarls extremely softly under her breath, besides the feeling of sickness she’d felt, she’d also had a serious streak of anger and jealousy going through her at the sight.

Faith barely keeps from snorting at Buffy’s added little comment, keeping her eyes on anything but the other slayer as they make their way to the Watcher’s apartment. 

Ripper’s mouth opens and shuts a couple times as he looks down at the small blonde, not believing what she’s saying until the rest of the group look at him, the seriousness on the girls’ faces making him re-think everything he’s been told.  “You’re not yankin’ me chain?”

“No, G-man, we ain’t.”  Faith growls deeply.  “Somebody’s fuckin’ with the adults in this town makin’ ‘em act like kids.  We gotta find out who and how they’re doin’ it so we can stop it.”

“And why.”  Willow points out as they finally arrive at Giles’ apartment. 

“And why.”  Faith agrees with a sharp nod of her head as they enter the Watcher’s apartment, moving to the couch, she flops down in a corner and throws her feet up on the coffee table.  “So what’s we gonna do?”

“Research.”  Tara and Willow answer at the same time even as they split up to grab books that might help them find out what kind of spell is being used.

“You mean I still end up followin’ in ol’ dad’s footsteps?  Bloody ‘ell!”  Ripper exhales loudly and shakes his head in disgust.  “Could use a pint.”  He grumbles already having a gut feeling there’s no beer in the apartment, even though he doesn’t know it for sure.  “Alright, I guess I got to trust you.  You wouldn’t know what you do else-wise.”

“Then help us find out what’s going on.”  Buffy finally releases the tight grip she had on his arm ignoring the fact that he’s rubbing the place quickly with his other hand. 

Faith grunts and glares at Tara as the witch tosses a book in her lap.

“Research.”  Tara ignores the glare and settles on the couch beside the slayer, opening another book and leaning over it to try and figure out what’s going on.

***

Chapter 18

“Joy-Joy!”  Dianna laughingly calls out to the woman, watching hazel eyes dance merrily as Joyce looks at her as she disconnects the phone.

“I ordered us a pizza and garlic bread, I’m absolutely starving.”  Joyce slowly prowls after her girlfriend, smirking as Dee giggles and darts through the kitchen to the living room.  “Oh, it’s going to be like that, is it?” 

“Pizza, Joy!  Pizza’s coming.”  Dianna points out, laughing delightedly as Joyce darts towards her, pulling her tightly against her long body. 

“But we have thirty minutes until it gets here.  I’m sure we can have some fun beforehand.”  Joyce laughs against Dee’s neck, nibbling playfully along the flesh.

“Are we going to spend all day in the house?”  Dianna can’t hold back the soft moan escaping her lips as Joy’s teeth scrape gently over the sensitive skin of her neck. 

“Yep.  I have a nice large bed upstairs that hasn’t been broken in properly yet.”  Joyce licks tantalizingly up the other woman’s neck, smiling as Dee presses her body hard into hers. 

“Goddess!  That feels so good.”  Dianna exhales softly and closes her eyes as Joyce starts to suckle on the tender skin just behind and below her ear.

“You never could resist this.”  Joyce growls playfully into Dee’s ear, nipping gently on the earlobe.

“I could never resist you.”  Dianna admits, looking up into hazel eyes, threading her fingers through Joy’s hair, pulling her in for a deep, tantalizing kiss.

“Can you now?”  Joyce becomes serious for a moment, searching loving blue eyes.

“No.  Never can resist you, Joy.”  Dianna reiterates softly, pulling Joy back in for another kiss, a soft loving one this time. 

“I’m about to say to hell with the pizza, Dee.”  Joyce warns softly, stroking her hands slowly down Dee’s back to grasp her ass, pulling the woman firmly against her.

Dianna moans and rubs herself against Joy, the feel of the woman’s body against hers something she feels like she can’t live without.

Joyce leans in to nip once more on Dee’s earlobe before pushing gently away.  “Food first, then playtime.”

“Food, chocolate and then playtime.”  Dianna slowly smiles at Joy, the other woman’s sensuous smile a mirror to her own.

“Wonderful idea.  I think there’re three more candy bars left.”  Joyce licks her lips at the thought.

“Odd number… have to save the last one.”  Dianna grins wickedly as thoughts as how to best use the last candy bar starts floating through her head.

Joyce exhales softly as the absolutely lascivious look crosses her lover’s face.  Getting lost for a period of time just looking at the woman that has captured her heart, she isn’t knocked out of the trance until the doorbell rings.  “Shit!”  Joyce glances over at the clock and hurries to grab her purse.

Dianna laughs softly, running to the kitchen to grab soda and napkins, carrying the items back to the living room.

***

“What the hell is causing this?”  Buffy glares at the television as it shows Sunnydale being pretty much a huge playground as the majority of the adults run around acting like teenagers, narrowing her eyes as she starts noticing something of a trend.  “Does anybody else notice the inordinate amount of candy bars being eaten by the adults?”

Tara ’s head jerks up and stares at the television from where she was double-checking the books, but not having any luck. 

“Candy bars! I think I still have a couple left.  Those things are delicious!!”  Giles bounces up from the chair, grunting as Buffy tackles him to the ground.  “Bloody, bint!  What do ya’ think you’re doin’?” 

“How many have you had?  And where are they?”  Buffy growls into her Watcher’s face, narrowing her gaze on him.

“Hell if I know!  Three or four, I guess. I got a couple more left in the freezer.  I like ‘em frozen.”  Giles tries pushing the blonde off him, surprised when she disappears quickly and runs into the kitchen. 

“SHIT!  These are the same candy bars they were selling at the school.”  Buffy growls looking at the two candy bars in her hands.

“At the mall…”  Tara starts and stops remembering they were selling the candy bars there and how all the adults were gathered around the table buying them up quickly. 

“Do you think there’s some kind of spell placed on the candy bars?”  Willow grabs them from Buffy before the slayer demolishes them in her grip.  “I mean, me and Xander ate a couple each, but we didn’t have any weird reactions.”

“You’re already teenagers, Red.”  Faith points out, sending an obvious glare at Giles. “It seems to make adults ACT like teenagers, so if you’re already a teen…”

“It won’t make any changes.”  Willow concludes, slowly nodding her head in understanding, handing the candy bars to Tara as the witch holds her hand out for them. 

“If all the c-candy bars have a spell on them, it was probably done where they were being made.”  Tara looks up at Willow from where she was unwrapping one of the bars, handing the wrapper back to the redhead.  “Can you do y-your special brand of magic and s-see if you can find out where that is?”

“Gladly.”  Willow grins happily, grabbing her ever-present laptop out of her backpack and plugging it in as she boots it up.

Tara nibbles on her bottom lip as she concentrates on the candy bar in her hand, it taking a while but finally ‘seeing’ the spell.  “You’re right, the candy h-has a spell on it.”  Tara looks up at Buffy, watching the slayer as she stares at the television, the absolutely livid look crossing her face making her tune into what’s happening. 

“Fuck me!  Why would anybody wanna go kidnappin’ babies for?”  Faith bounces around the living room, sending a glare at the television.  “Do ya’ think it has anythin’ to do with the whole candy mess?”

“Probably.”  Buffy growls angrily and deeply.  “Faith, we have to stop the whole baby-napping first.  Then we’ll go from there with whatever Tara and Willow find out.” Buffy looks at the redhead.  “Make those magic fingers of yours fly, Willow.”  Turning to look into worried blue eyes, Buffy sighs quietly.  “We’ll be back as quickly as possible.”

“If you c-come across whoever is d-doing this, don’t attack him.  He’s obviously a v-very strong, adept magic user.  You m-might need my help.”  Tara watches as a stubborn look crosses both Buffy and Faith’s face as the two slayers look her way before Faith softens first, the dark-haired slayer nodding her head towards her.

“Check, babe. No attackin’ evil dude without you to magic-mojo his ass.”  Faith shoves Buffy towards the door, having seen the argument about ready to come from her.  “We’ll be back soon.”

“HEY!”  Buffy yells even as she stumbles through the door with the not so gentle push coming from the other slayer.

“B, don’t even fuckin’ argue about it.  You know as well as I do, that she can take care of herself.  When it comes to the magic voodoo shit, we need her.”  Faith growls at the obviously angry slayer.  “I don’t like her puttin’ herself in harm’s way, but would ya’ rather us be with her, or her do it on her own?”

Buffy snarls at the dark-haired slayer, slowly calming down before pushing her lightly.  “Don’t push me around, damn pain in the fucking ass.”

Faith smirks at the obvious capitulation of the blonde.  “Hospital first?”

“Yeah, then we’ll try and find out anything as we expand our search from there.”  Buffy nods her head as the two slayers start running through Sunnydale on their way to the hospital. 

***

Buffy and Faith look at each other as they follow the skinny, somewhat goofy looking man as he takes the baby from his helper and disappears into the warehouse. 

“Call T, now.”  Faith looks around the alleyway, the stacks of boxes with chocolate bars the other giveaway as to what this place is.  They had lucked into seeing the guy on their way to the hospital, so they followed the guy carrying the baby, both their guts telling them that the child wasn’t his. 

Buffy and Faith both slip around the corner and jog to the previous block, tossing the change into the machine as Buffy punches in Giles’ phone number. 

***

“Joy…”  Dianna whimpers her lover’s name as she trails the chocolate bar slowly down her body, warm lips and tongue following behind the last candy bar, licking up the chocolate. 

“I don’t know which is sweeter.  The candy or you.”  Joyce nuzzles tenderly against the breast under her lips.  With each candy bar they ate, it slowly reverted them completely back to their days when they were younger, and after the first rushed, heady coming together they had slowed things down and were now teasing each other mercilessly with light touches, soft kisses and teasing flicks of tongues over each other’s bodies.  The last candy bar now making an appearance as the first piece melts slowly on Dee’s body as Joyce trails it over the woman’s flesh.

“Goddess, Joy.”  Dianna arches up into the warm lips circling her nipple to suckle at the chocolate coated flesh.  “My turn.”  Dianna begs softly, Joy having teased her for the last half hour with the piece of candy.  Joy never going below her belly button with the candy but teasing her breasts mercilessly. 

“There’s still some left.”  Joyce shows the sliver of chocolate between her chocolate coated fingers after releasing her lover’s breast.  Coating the other breast thoroughly, Joyce pouts as she realizes that’s the end of the chocolate piece.  Groaning as Dee grabs her hand and pulls the chocolate coated fingers deeply into her mouth, her tongue swirling teasingly around and over the digits before sucking firmly on the flesh.  Dropping her head down to her lover’s breast she laps slowly over the flesh. 

“I love you, Joy.”  Dianna whispers as the hot mouth finally captures her breast, sucking as much of the flesh as she can into the warm cavern. 

Joyce groans long and deep, knowing Dee loves the vibrations over her breasts almost as much as she likes it when she does the same thing further down her body.  Chuckling as fingers dig into her scalp, holding her to the flesh as the smaller body arches up into her, Dee climaxing as she sucks strongly on the flesh.  Releasing the hot flesh, Joyce places tender kisses around the hard nipple before resting her cheek against the breast, finally lowering her body against Dee’s.  Not surprised when wet heat rubs against her chest and legs hook around her back.  “I love you, too, Dee.”  Joyce finally responds, her fingers stroking over the flesh she can reach, content to touch and caress her lover. 

Stroking her fingers through Joy’s hair, Dianna lets the fingers trail further down to knead and stroke the warm flesh.  “I want to taste you, Joy.  It seems like forever since I’ve tasted your sweet flesh.”

Joyce moans softly at the thought.  “You’re the sweet one, Dee.  Flavored so sweet and light that I could drink from you forever.”

Dianna swallows at the loving, yet arousing words.  “Please, Joy-Joy.”  Dianna begs softly, not knowing if she’s begging for the woman’s mouth on her body or to be able to make love to Joyce. 

Nuzzling tenderly against the flesh of her lover’s breast, Joyce smiles.  “Together?”

“Oh, yes.  Come to me my sweet lover.”  Dianna whispers hoarsely, tugging gently on a lock of Joy’s hair, not wanting or willing to wait a moment longer to taste Joy, or to feel Joy’s lips and tongue making love to her. 

“Gladly.”  Joyce shifts up to kiss Dee deeply and slowly, not wanting to rush their time together.  At least not this time, wanting to take it slow, and spend hours on her lover giving her any and all pleasures she can dream up. 

Dianna whimpers as with the kiss, she knows things aren’t going to go as quickly as she wants, but willing to give Joy anything and everything she could ever want.

***

Chapter 19

Buffy stares at the warehouse, her hands on her hips while Faith paces behind her as they wait for everyone else to show up.  “Where the hell are they?”

Faith rolls her eyes and slowly paces back and forth.  “They were tryin’ to work up some kinda mojo to counteract the chocolate’s effect and a possible defense against rat-faced boy in there.  It might take ‘em a bit to get here.”

“Meanwhile, God only knows what he’s doing with the babies!”  Buffy’s hand waves as another flunky walks by carrying a baby in his arms, though having to admit everyone they’d seen carrying them seemed to be very gentle and caring. 

“Definitely wig-worthy tryin’ ta figure out what he’s up to.”  Faith has to agree with Buffy on that.  Sighing in relief as Willow, Tara and Giles come pulling up to the sidewalk, jumping out of Giles’ car. 

“We found a spell to counteract the spell on the chocolate Giles ate.”  Willow blurts out happily, waving to Giles.

“Yes, well, quite.  Unfortunately we don’t have a cure-all for everyone, just in a person to person basis.”  Giles blushes lightly as he remembers how he’d been acting.  “Now, who or what is responsible for all these shenanigans?”

“He should be coming out about right now.”  Buffy points towards the warehouse.

Giles turns along with the rest of the group and stares at the warehouse.  When Ethan Rayne steps out from the shadows, Giles hisses.  “Bloody hell!  Tara, come with me and follow along with what I’m doing.  Buffy, Faith, find another way in the back of the warehouse and find the babies to take back to the hospital where they belong.  We shouldn’t have any trouble with him.  Willow, God forbid there is trouble, call the police and drop them an anonymous call that the missing babies are here.”

Buffy starts to open her mouth to question Giles but when he glares at her, she snaps her mouth shut and takes off down the block to come at the warehouse from a different angle, Faith staying with her.

“Come on, be prepared for what would be considered a level three magic user with a serious bent for chaos.”  Giles lets Tara know what they’re going to face, the slight confusion on her face makes him sigh quietly.  “Tara, you’re like a level eight or higher magic user.  One of your protective spells being cast should last against anything he could ever think up.  He should never be able to get past one of your shields.  Protect us is all that I ask.”

“Oh.”  Tara blinks in surprise, following behind the Watcher.  Shaking her head she prepares the spell for the shield, knowing Giles understands probably better than she does how these things work, especially when he’s questioned her about the spells she’s used and how Faith and Buffy explained excitedly how they could fight through it even as it still protected them.  “Ummm… absorbing, deflecting or mirrored?”

Giles’ grin turns wicked as he looks at the witch.  “We really need to discuss more of what you can do, my dear.  Mirrored.  Let him taste his own spells being sent back to him.  It’s just what he’ll deserve.”

Tara works the spell quickly, toning down her signature so that it hopefully won’t give the other man an inkling of what she’d done.  “It’s r-ready.”  Tara walks slightly behind Giles as he turns and starts to stride towards the warehouse once more, tossing a worried look over her shoulder at Willow, who gives her a thumb’s up and grins at her. 

***

“It won’t be long now, Lurconis.”  Ethan comments to himself as he settles the newest baby in the makeshift bed with the other babies, smiling evilly.  The demon living down in the sewers will be more than pleased at his offering and chaos will reign supreme for years to come as he looks at the babies he has gathered.  “Stupid fools.  Nothing like a little spell to send all the adults back to their carefree, just worried about themselves, teenage years.”  Ethan chuckles wickedly at the thought, as he played into most people’s weaknesses with the chocolate candy. 

Turning around he makes his way back out of the room and towards the main area of the warehouse, looking at the stacks of candy bars, his plan working flawlessly as his minions grab the babies from the hospital and are now working on going to individual homes to gather the last ten babies that are needed to make the sacrifice.   Looking at his watch, he realizes the next delivery truck should be arriving any moment to take another load of chocolate out to students unknowingly helping him in his endeavors.  Chuckling wickedly at the thought, he hurries to the loading dock when he hears the sound of someone there.

***

Giles smirks as he watches the laughter disappear from Ethan’s face and a look of anger with a thread of worry appear.  “Enough, Ethan.  It’s time to stop whatever you have planned and return the babies.  Call off your goons.” Giles glares at the man he’d grown up with and doing things with in his misspent youth, he honestly hopes none of the young people he deals with finds out about.

“It’s time for chaos to rule, Ripper.”  Ethan barely spares a glance for the young woman standing just a step behind Giles.  Gathering the magic around him, he sends a blast towards his ex mate, planning on slamming him against the opposite side of the alley and knocking him out before tying him up and proceeding with his plans.  Noticing too late the gleam in Ripper’s eyes as he stands his ground, eyes opening wide in stunned shock as the spell backfires and slams into him, sending him flying back through the warehouse and into the boxes of candy bars, stunning him. 

“No, it’s not.”  Giles takes off after the magic user, using good old physical powers to knock the man unconscious.  Shaking the brief flare of pain in his knuckles he turns to Tara.  “He’s arrogant, he’s probably here by himself if none of his minions are dropping off anymore babies.”

“I’ll let Willow know w-we’re okay.”  Tara watches for a moment as Giles rips a cord from a lamp and uses it to tie Ethan’s hands behind his back before ripping part of the man’s shirt from him and shoving it in his mouth. 

“We need to do something with the chocolate here and take the spell off.”  Giles waves towards the boxes of chocolate, not wanting it to get out to the public, the chocolate already out doing enough damage as it is. 

“We’ll f-figure it out.”  Tara offers softly before jogging out of the warehouse, sighing in relief that it looks like they may have this particular nasty taken care of with a minimum of fuss. 

Giles makes sure Ethan’s secure before heading through the warehouse, exhaling softly as Buffy and Faith come through, surprisingly enough Faith’s holding two babies gently against her while Buffy holds a short sword as protection.  The sight of the dark-haired slayer holding the babies like she’d done it before something as a shock as they head towards him at a quick clip. 

“Any problems?”  Buffy looks from Giles to behind him, seeing the rat looking man unconscious on the ground and trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey. 

“No, but I will need to do an interrogation on the stupid bugger to find out what exactly he had planned.”  Giles admits, frowning as he looks back at Ethan.  “First, we need to get these babies back to the hospital and knock some sense into the idiots working for Ethan.” 

Willow comes jogging in with Tara, seeing a computer in the back corner, she heads quickly towards it.  Settling into the seat, she starts punching away as she calls over her shoulder.  “This is probably his, so I’ll do my thing while you guys take care of the rest.”

Buffy hesitates, not wanting to leave Willow with no protection but they need to get the babies as quickly as they can back to the hospital and find the other men taking them out of the equation.

Faith looks from one person to the next, realizing why Buffy’s hesitating.  Turning her gaze to Tara as the witch reaches for one of the babies in her arms and holds him gently, Faith speaks up. “Me and Tare can work on takin’ the babies back to the hospital and makin’ sure they go where they’re supposed to.  Tweed can stay here with Red to make sure that she’s protected and be here when rat boy wakes up to discuss things with him.  Buffy, you can start searching out the rest of the idiots and we’ll help after we get the babies taken care of.” 

Buffy clenches her hands around the sword as she searches Faith’s eyes, before looking towards warm blue eyes, the soft smile crossing Tara’s face reassuring her more than anything.  “We’ll meet back here and decide what we have to do.”

“We can get the babies in probably two trips.”  Faith thinks about the six babies in the room they’d come from. 

“Go, I’ll start looking for the others.”  Buffy turns a glare on the magic user lying on the ground unconscious.  “And he better pray that no one was seriously hurt.”

Tara looks over at the chocolate, eyeing the quantity.  “We can p-probably take the spell off the chocolate without too much problem.  I’ll make sure at the h-hospital that there are enough nurses and doctors unaffected before we come back for the other babies.”

“That would be the wise thing to do.  Thank you.”  Giles relaxes even more, thankful more than he can say at the grown up and levelheadedness of the young people working with him. 

Buffy heads for the door as Faith makes her way back to the room the babies are in to carry another one, surprised when Tara follows her in. 

“I can carry two, also.”  Tara offers softly, holding her free arm out to the baby in Faith’s arms, taking it from her with a soft smile down at the newborn as it snuggles against her, a small fist waving in the air before landing against her chest. 

Faith gently gathers two more babies and nods her head towards Tara in silent command for them to get moving, following the blonde out of the warehouse as she looks down at the babies in her arms, her eyes sad as memories flow.

***

Tara hands the last baby over to the thankful nurses, ignoring the confusion as the people that hadn’t eaten much of the candy start to come back to themselves, watching as the nurse double-checks to make sure the baby goes in the right crib, leaning against Faith as the unusually quiet slayer stands beside her. 

“Let’s get back and hook-up with B so me and her can find and take out that Lurconis demon.”  Faith grunts out softly, spinning around on her heel and heading for the exit of the hospital.

“Are you okay, Faith?”  Tara questions softly as she practically has to jog to keep up with the swiftly striding slayer.  Knowing something’s bothering Faith, but not knowing what it is and not willing to push the dark-haired slayer as she knows eventually Faith will talk about it.  But wanting to give her the chance in case she just needs an opening.

“Yeah, Tare.  I’m okay.”  Faith more whispers than says the words, having been somewhat lost in the past a good part of the afternoon, but not willing to open this particular can of worms just yet, knowing this isn’t a good time to say something as she’s likely to break down one way or another if she opens up about that part of her past. 

Tara nibbles on her bottom lip for a moment, but lets Faith slide.  “I need you and Buffy to be careful when you go after this demon.  Doing the little t-truth spell on Ethan we know that he told us the truth, but…”

“I know, Tare.  Don’t mean that there ain’t shit that we didn’t think of askin’ him that could help or even hurt us.”  Faith grunts out softly, darting a quick look towards Tara and offering the witch a smile.  “Me and B’ll go in loaded for bear and demolish this son of a bitch then go see what the parental units are up to, ‘kay?”

Tara grins crookedly and nods her head.  “Thank you, sweetie.”

“Yeah, yeah.”  Faith returns the grin as they hurry back towards the warehouse, Buffy having called and said she’d found the last minion that was helping Ethan and put the fear of God in him making him leave Sunnydale for good.  The slayer planning on meeting up with them after making a pit stop at the Watcher’s apartment for more weapons, so everyone can do their own thing to finish cleaning up this mess that Ethan had caused. 

Tara giggles as Faith slings her arm over her shoulders, happy the slayer more and more frequently reaches out for physical touches, though she has noticed Faith seems to get more touchy when they’re around Buffy.  The slayer definitely trying to push Buffy’s buttons, making Tara roll her eyes at the thought that Faith actually believes it makes the blonde slayer jealous. 

***

Faith smirks as Buffy grins at her, a can of hairspray in one hand and a lighter in the other, the both of them turning back to look at Lurconis as the snake-like demon makes a high-pitched squealing noise as he goes up in flames, his head jerking back and forth before he disappears back into the tunnels under the city from where he’d come from.  “Do ya’ think he’s done for or do ya’ think we should go after him?”

“I’d rather get some flamethrowers and look for him with them, truthfully.”  Buffy relaxes and looks at the two items in her hands, another set in Faith’s.  Buffy shakes her head at the thought of Giles telling her that it might be best to take them as they’d at least make mini flame-throwers and could come in handy with this particular demon.  “Let’s go and meet up with the rest of the group.  It just occurred to me that mom might be running around acting like a thirteen year old with the candy I bought for her!”  Buffy’s eyes widen at the thought.

Faith snorts.  “Yeah, your mom’s probably studyin’ to be a straight A student or somethin’.  She don’t seem the type ta’ be out runnin’ around, B.”

Buffy laughs at the thought.  “I don’t know.  She has occasionally dropped a hint here and there that she wasn’t all sweet innocence in her youth, but she’s never given me anything concrete to go with.”

Faith chuckles at the thought, wondering how B would react if she knew her mom didn’t just drive stick, but liked to check out the automatics when she was younger.  “Come on.  Let’s check on the witchy contingent and see what’s up.  Make sure they got their shit done.”  Tucking the lighter away in her back pocket, she flips the empty aerosol can around about ready to toss it, but a little voice in her head, that she calls her ‘Tara voice’ tells her to throw it in the proper receptacle instead.  Growling softly at the imagined voice, Faith keeps hold of the can. 

***

Chapter 20

“I believe we gathered the majority of the candy to be sold, however, any that has been sold is going to be more problematic.”  Giles rubs his eyes as he lays the glasses down on the desk, looking at the group of young people gathered in his living room to glance sideways at Jenny Calendar, a small smile crossing his lips at the look on her face as she stares at the piles of candy bars.  He had enlisted her help as she was quite inured into the whole high school scene and knew the different teachers and was able to get them the adults’ names and numbers so they could reverse the effects before they teamed up and collected the candy. 

“We need to get somethin’ on the radio or tv or somethin’ to get it out that there was a recall on the candy.”  Faith looks at the television newscast that is talking about the return of the babies and how some concerned citizens had taken it upon themselves to find the children and return them to the hospital.  Snorting at the whole ‘concerned citizens’ comment, Faith rolls her eyes and turns back into the rest of the group realizing most of them are looking at her with surprise on their faces with Tara smiling hugely with a knowing look on her face.  “What?”

“I have a friend that’s a reporter.  She can make sure that the information gets out.”  Jenny speaks up, nodding her head in agreement to the suggestion.  “That will be the best and easiest way to get the information out.”

“That’ll keep anyone else from eating more candy, but what about the candy already ingested?”  Buffy speaks up, pacing somewhat as she and Faith had arrived at the Watcher’s house about fifteen minutes ago and she’s chomping at the bit to get home and check on her mother.  Having called the house but not getting ahold of her has her on edge. 

“It’ll w-wear off in a few hours.”  Tara ignores the question from Faith, figuring if she told the dark-haired slayer about her brilliant idea and how she knows how smart the woman actually is, it’ll just embarrass her.  Also not wanting to bring it to Faith’s attention that she’d pretty much put everyone into shock with her sound, quick idea.  “As long as they don’t eat anymore to continue the effects by tomorrow everyone will be back to normal.” 

“I’ll make the call.”  Jenny grabs Rupert’s phone to make the call, sending a glance at the Watcher and smiling at him even as he blushes lightly and looks down shyly.  The older man absolutely adorable, and very good looking in his jeans and t-shirt, actually she’d consider him hot as she wonders what he was like as a teenager because of his outfit he definitely came across as the ‘bad boy’ type that she’d always been somewhat attracted to when she was younger though now she’s tempered that want with need for someone stable and down to earth that she can think about having more of a relationship with instead of a fling.

“Yes, yes, quite.”  Giles snatches his glasses up from the desk, feeling the heat flush his face at the heated look he receives from Jenny, the computer teacher having been off and on chasing him and he doesn’t quite understand what she sees in him, along with the fact he knows he’s roughly twelve years older than her.  After the dinner out that one night, he’d been successful in dodging her other attempts but now he has a feeling that he’s cornered.  His heart speeds up at the thought and he exhales softly as he looks up into mischievous brown eyes watching him as the woman makes her phone call.

“Okay, it’s time to head out.  I have to check on mom.”  Buffy heads for the door with her words, ignoring the scramble of bodies behind her.

“Shit.”  Faith stands up and jumps over the back of the couch, figuring it would be best to make sure everything’s okay.

“Wait!  I’m going w-with.”  Tara hurries after the two slayers.  “My mom and Mrs. Summers were going to spend the day together.”  Tara runs after Faith and Buffy, not worried too much as her mom didn’t have any of the chocolate and though her mom may be a bit of a free spirit, she was always a very responsible person as far as she’s aware so if she did eat some of the candy bars it probably wouldn’t be anything bad.

Willow debates on what to do, when she looks at Giles and notices the glances he’s sending to Ms. Calendar, she hurriedly packs up her laptop.  “I’ll walk with you guys.”  Willow jogs after the other three figuring she’ll continue on to her house when they go down Revello Drive.

***

“Dee…”  Joyce moans her lover’s name as the smaller woman kisses her way back up her body to place teasing nips along her neck and jaw.  Grasping her hips in her hands, Joyce pulls Dianna down on top of her, loving the full weight of her lover pressing into her body, their breasts crushed together down to their legs tangled together.  Raising one hand, she threads it through the blonde hair while the other clasps a butt cheek and sighs happily in contentment, her body sated and heavy.

“Hmmm.”  Dianna hums in agreement, finally burying her face in Joyce’s damp neck.  Wiggling one hand under Joyce and resting the other one on the bed.  “I’d love to stay like this forever.”

“But not on the couch.”  Joyce agrees but with the condition.  “Though I really, really did like initiating the different rooms of the house.”

“We didn’t get all of them.”  Dianna points out laughing softly at the grunt coming from Joyce.

“We will, though.  Just need a little re-coup time and then we’ll see about the kitchen, the basement and the bathroom.”  Joyce grins at the thought.

“Bathroom last.  We’ll definitely need a shower by that time.”  Dianna giggles as a firm hand smacks her ass before Joyce caresses the warmed flesh.

“We are a little sticky and ripe.”  Joyce finally agrees with Dianna, chuckling at the more pronounced giggles leaving her lover.  Happier than she’s been in years, she runs her hand slowly up Dianna’s back before sliding it back down to grip her butt cheek firmly. 

“We’re more sticky than we normally would be because of the chocolate leftovers.”  Dianna points out, laughing at the thought of the melted chocolate that is still somewhat covering both their bodies.  Becoming more interested at the end about the pleasure they were both receiving than making sure to gather the chocolate off each other’s bodies. 

“That was some good chocolate, but I like what I was putting it on much better.”  Joyce smiles hugely at the thought of the womanly flesh draped over her body right now, and how sweet Dianna tastes, so much sweeter than the chocolate. 

“Sweet talker.”  Dianna snuggles more into the body beneath hers, nuzzling the flesh of Joyce’s neck.  Figuring ten more minutes will be good for them to let their bodies calm down so they’re not so sensitive and then they can work on initiating the rest of the house.

Both women are somewhat still under the spell of the candy but neither one having ate enough of it to revert them completely back to their teenage years. 

***

Faith pulls Tara further down Revello Drive as Buffy talks to Willow as they get ready to split up.  “What if your mom and B’s mom went all retro?”

Tara shakes her head and laughs quietly.  “I doubt they w-would.  Buffy didn’t buy that many candy bars and Mama’s always been a non-confrontational, easy-going person.”

Faith starts to question the fact that maybe both women wouldn’t be ‘bad’ in that regard but more ‘bad’ in the regards that they’re humping like bunnies, but cuts herself short as Buffy comes up to them, Willow making her way onto her house.

“I need to make sure mom’s home and okay.”  Buffy thinks about how Giles was acting before they ended the spell.  “It scares me to think of mom being like Giles, that’s just wrong in so many ways.”

Faith snorts at the thought. “I somehow doubt your mom’s running around in tight jeans, a white t-shirt, slicked back hair and hitting on Tare-Bear.”

Buffy shivers at that particular remembrance.  “That was just SO wrong, in so many ways.”

“You’re t-telling me.”  Tara bites her bottom lip, ignoring the smirk coming her way from Faith. 

“Yeah, so, sooo many ways.”  Faith laughs at the backhand she gets across her stomach from Tara, the blue eyes glaring at her even as a crooked grin appears on the witch’s lips.

“Behave.”  Tara glares at her best friend as they make their way up the steps and to the front door of Buffy’s house, waiting for the blonde slayer to unlock the door as they enter the house. 

“MOM!”  Buffy yells as she opens the door, letting Tara and Faith in ahead of her, following the other two teenagers as they start to look for their moms. 

Tara turns into the living room, squeaking uncontrollably at the sight, blushing darkly and trying to block Buffy so the blonde slayer doesn’t see what’s happening on the couch.

Faith’s jaw drops open as she stares into two pairs of surprised, and shocked eyes, one pair blue and the other hazel, part of her realizing how much Tara and Buffy’s eyes are like their moms.  Not able to keep from looking over the two women’s naked bodies, a slow smile crossing her lips.  “Dayum.  Two MILF’s if I ever seen ‘em before.  Definitely came at the right time, this time.”  Faith whispers more to herself, chuckling as the two women both reach for the afghan on the back of the couch, scrambling to try and cover their bodies with it.  “You two do know that it might be best to do this type of thing behind locked bedroom doors, right? I mean, you’re just askin’ to get caught by doing it on the couch all the time.”

“Mom?”  Buffy frowns as Tara spins around and blocks her eyesight, looking up into embarrassed and obviously worried blue eyes of her friend.  “What’s wrong?  What’s happened?”

“B-buffy, m-maybe we sh-should go to the k-kitchen for a minute.”  Tara tries to keep from hyperventilating, ignoring the words coming from Faith.

Buffy’s eyes narrow at Tara’s words and obvious worry as she turns to look at Faith standing behind and somewhat to the side of Tara.  Between the two girls they’re blocking her sight of the living room.  Hearing the comment about locked bedroom doors, couch and ‘all the time’ sinking into her brain, Buffy pushes by Tara and enters the living room it taking a minute for her brain to understand what her eyes are seeing.  Stumbling back in stunned shock and disbelief as naked flesh is halfway covered and her mom and Tara’s mom both have matching red faces. 

“B-buffy, it’s okay.  Th-they’ve been d-dating for a while now.”  Tara tries to explain to the stunned slayer, reaching out for her arm, blinking in shock as Buffy rips her arm away from her and gets angry.

“You knew?  You KNEW?  And this is okay?  My mom and your mom screwing each other is okay?  This is wrong.  Wrong!  WRONG!  All this time I thought you were friends.  Just friends.”  Buffy stares in disbelief at her mom and Tara’s mom before she turns back to Tara.  “I thought you were my friend, but friends don’t keep things like this from each other.  FRIENDS!  Friends don’t keep secrets from each other.  Friends don’t let their MOM’s do perverse things with each other.”

“Whoa, B.  Wait a minute, you need to fuckin’ take a step back and think before goin’ off the deep end, here.”  Faith grasps Buffy, spinning her around from where she was getting in Tara’s personal space and pushing against her, the blonde witch shrinking away and tears flooding blue eyes with every word and touch coming from Buffy the heartbreak and pain obvious on Tara’s face.  Grunting and spin wheeling back until she lands on the carpet to stare up into the furious face of the blonde slayer, Faith snarls in response her slayer wanting to accept the challenge coming from the other slayer. 

“I’m out of here.  I… I…”  Buffy shakes her head in disgust as she looks at her mom before she spins around and slams out of the house her mind, feelings and body in turmoil not knowing what to do or say having a feeling when she calms down she’s going to regret what just happened but the anger is too much to deal with right now.

Starting to push herself off the floor and head after Buffy she’s stopped by Tara kneeling beside her a shaky hand coming to rest gently against her cheek, a strong thumb wiping away the blood trickling down from her busted lip.  Faith looks into sad, heartbroken blue eyes and sighs heavily letting the anger leave her as she hugs Tara to her.  Her friend needing her more right now than her slayer needing retribution.

“Buffy!”  Joyce calls after her daughter after shaking off the shock and surprise, dropping the afghan after untangling herself from her lover and hurrying towards the front door, shaking at what had just transpired, her head dropping to her chest in realization that Buffy is long gone and she’s to blame for not breaking it to her daughter that she and Dianna are more than just friends.  Not surprised when warm arms wrap around her with the afghan to help cover their bodies, she leans back into the smaller woman’s offered comfort.  “I should have said something a long time ago.  Now, now I don’t know what’s going to happen.” 

“It’ll be okay, Joy.  This probably shocked her more because of the way she found out than anything.  Give her time to calm down, I’m sure she’ll apologize and this will work itself out.”  Dianna offers quietly to her lover, hugging her tightly as she feels more than hears the sobs coming from Joyce. 

Tara shifts and stands after making sure that Faith is okay, ignoring the tears running down her cheeks she makes her way to the front door.  “I’m g-gonna g-g-o h-home now.”  Tara shakes her head as her mom reaches for her, sliding by the two women and out the door without another word, feeling like her world has collapsed and no matter what happens it’ll never be quite the same again. 

“Baby girl.”  Dianna calls after her daughter, tears coming to her eyes at the heartbreak so obviously coming from her daughter. 

“I’ll make sure she’s okay.”  Faith hurries after Tara, stopping as she feels a hand grasp onto her arm, turning to look into two pairs of sad eyes. 

“Give her, her space, Faith.  She’ll withdraw into herself somewhat but eventually she’ll work her way out of it.”  Dianna offers the words to the dark-haired slayer, though not admitting to Faith that Tara probably will become more reclusive than she had been.  Her daughter always being someone that kept more to herself and only recently having come out of her shell, having a feeling that what happened may put Tara back in her shell again for many years to come.  Though Faith may be able to do something to help in that department, but she isn’t going to hold her breath.

“Gotcha, Mrs. M.”  Faith stops on the other side of the screen door, her eyes watching the slowly moving Tara as she makes her way down the block.  Slowly turning she looks at the two women, before her eyes capture hazel eyes with hers.  “You need to have a serious sit-down with B.  You need to let her know exactly how long you two have been together and your past history.  Then you need to make it really fuckin’ clear to her that it was YOUR decision for her not to be told and that was why Tara didn’t tell her what was going on.  Then you need to tell B that she owes Tara a serious world of apologies for what she said and did here today.  She broke Tara’s heart with what happened and you are partially to blame for that.”

Joyce inhales sharply at the blunt, to the point words coming at her from the teenager, because of her delaying in telling Buffy, her daughter had found out in the worst possible way that she and Dianna are together and that’s something she doesn’t know if she’ll ever be able to forgive herself for, as it’s hurt more than just herself and Buffy it’s also hurt Dianna and Tara on top of it.  Nodding her head in silent agreement she watches as Faith hurries down the steps and takes off after Tara.  “I screwed up so damn bad.”

“Shhh.”  Dianna buries her face in her lover’s back and wraps her arms more tightly around her waist not knowing what to say to make things right so just offers her support and love to the taller woman. 

Joyce accepts the love coming to her from Dianna and ignores the tears slowly trailing down her cheeks as she goes over what just happened in her mind again.  Planning on giving Buffy her space for the rest of today, but definitely planning on having a sit-down discussion with her tomorrow, a very serious, grown-up discussion and explain to Buffy everything and let her daughter know that no-one is to blame for not telling Buffy but herself. 

***

Chapter 21

“Faith, go back inside.”  Dianna murmurs quietly, stepping out the back door to where the slayer was searching the darkness.

“There’s somethin’ out here.”  Faith growls under her breath, trying to find what the hell it is that’s setting off her slayer senses.  Something that’s making them literally go off the chart from anything she’s ever felt before. 

“I know.”  Dianna looks at Faith, the shocked brown eyes snapping around to look at her.  “It’s…”  Dianna sighs softly and looks out into the darkness of the night, a brief flare of a pair of brilliant blue, gleaming eyes showing themselves for a split second to her before they disappear.  “It won’t hurt us, Faith.  For lack of a better description, it’s Tara’s Guardian Angel.” 

“It?  You’re describing this thing as an ‘it’ and I’m supposed to believe that ‘it’ won’t hurt anybody?  ‘It’ is sending my slayer senses into super-over-fucking drive.”  Faith snarls angrily, her eyes back to searching the darkness.

“Trust me, Faith.  It isn’t female, it isn’t male, it isn’t human but it isn’t really demon…  You can’t describe it because even I am not quite sure what it is.  Hence me calling it an ‘it’.”  Dianna explains quietly.  “It always shows up whenever Tara’s hurting extremely bad, physically or emotionally.  It seems to know and checks up on her.”

“Tare ain’t mentioned it to me.”  Faith bristles slightly, having thought Tara had pretty much explained almost everything from her past to her.

“Baby girl doesn’t know about it.”  Dianna finally admits after a few minutes when Faith turns to stare at her.  “Stay here.”  Dianna finally steps down into the backyard and heads back to the corner of the property and the tall tree that she’d seen the eyes reveal themselves from, the wind rustling as she steps closer as it settles lightly on the ground beside her.  “She’ll be okay.”

“She’s hurting, more than when she was at death’s door last time.”  The last original Seraph that was sent down to earth when the world was created comments softly, the words coming out in an almost musical sounding lilt.  “The slayer is protective of her, that is good.”

“Faith is freaking out with you here.  Her slayer senses are telling her that you’re a demon.”  Dianna explains, surprised at the low, sad chuckle coming from the being she still isn’t quite sure what it is.  It has come to her… well, Tara she supposes three times now to check on her daughter.  Each time it looks different, though the being’s aura is always the same when she feels it.  Warm, light golden hues interspersed with the occasional thread of loving blue.

“Hmmm.”  The Seraph adjusts itself into the form of a young woman, ignoring the shocked inhale coming from beside her, stepping towards and making her way quickly to the slayer who’s staring hard at her, the brown eyes narrowed and wary of her, no fear showing in the gaze but she picks up on the thread of fear coming from the young girl anyway.  Giving Faith credit that the young slayer stands her ground and doesn’t back away from something that is probably actually making her slayer senses cause her immense pain with how close she is. 

Faith grits her teeth and glares at the being coming up to her, shock filling her somewhat with the shadowy figuring transferring itself into the woman in front of her, black hair sweeping down past her waist, the eerie blue eyes still showing, body tall and strong looking, but not muscular.  Sharp, angular features covered in skin a light mocha color.  Trying to stave off the pain she’s feeling as the being comes closer, Faith exhales and closes her eyes when the pain disappears.

“You are stubborn.  That is a good… and bad trait to have.”  Searching brown eyes that open and glare at her, the anger obvious in the slayer’s gaze, she has to smile at the sight. 

The slash of brilliant white showing surprises Faith and makes her frown in confusion.  “What the hell are you, and how did you shut off the vibes?”

“What I am, is of no use and doesn’t matter.  What does matter is that I mean no harm to you or the others here.  I can do many things, Slayer.  That is the least of my powers.  I just came to check on the young one.” 

“Why? What is she to you?”  Faith challenges the being, staring into the brilliant eyes, not giving way.

Quirking an eyebrow up in surprise, the Seraph slowly nods her head.  “Ultimately?” She questions, waiting and seeing the slight snarl and glare demanding an answer, the Seraph chuckles sadly.  “Ultimately, she will be my downfall.”  The Seraph ignores the call from the Father, knowing that he would know that it was a matter of time as all her brethren had given in over the millennia to be called home, she being the last of her kind to walk the earth.  Him trying to delay it, or keep it from happening doing no good, even he knows that but it doesn’t mean he’ll stop trying.  “Watch out for her, Slayer.  She will need you more than you probably realize in the times to come.  Take care of her until I am called again, then I’ll watch out for her for however much longer I’ll have.”

Dianna nibbles on her bottom lip as she listens to the being.  It’s never talked this much in the past or given this much information at all.  Just usually telling her bluntly that Tara needed help, then it would disappear again.  Not knowing what it is, what its purpose is or why it seems to be fixated on her daughter, just knowing that it means Tara no harm and seems to have her daughter’s best interests at heart.

Faith finds herself nodding and silently agreeing to the being’s order, watching intently as it changes form again, now able to see the more reddish-tinged skin, the body at least eight feet tall, muscular with wings that are almost leathery looking, sort of like a bat’s wings, but with a wingspan of probably twenty feet as they stretch out, a tail swaying back and forth behind it as it smiles, showing bright white rows of sharp looking teeth, but the blue eyes are the same before it launches itself up into the air and with one giant flap of its wings it disappears up into the night sky.  Rubbing the back of her neck as the tingles slowly disappear from where her senses had started going off again, she turns to look into contemplative blue eyes watching her silently.  “What?”

“It’s never talked that much before let alone given that much information to me in the two times before that I’ve had contact with it.  It seems somewhat fascinated with you, I guess.”  Dianna blinks and slowly steps around Faith.  “We should go back into the house.  Tara will probably still have nightmares, though when it visits it helps settle Tara somewhat even though baby girl doesn’t know it’s been anywhere near her.”

“Huh.” Faith looks back up into the night sky, silently wondering exactly WHAT the hell the thing was, and though it had set off her slayer senses, she honestly never felt any animosity or evilness coming from the being.  “I’ll stay with Tare.  Maybe being right there beside her, might help with the nightmares.”  Faith rolls her neck and makes her way into the house, stepping into the room she shares with Tara, looking at the woman that has become her best friend.  The slightly pained look on the features and the shifting of her body making Faith sigh.  Striding over to the dresser, Faith looks in the mirror to Dianna as the woman leans against the door frame and stares at Tara, the worry and sadness obvious on her face. Shaking her head at how much everyone is either angry or hurting right now, Faith strips off her clothes and pulls on a pair of her sleeping shorts and tank before making her way back to the twin bed of the bottom bunk and pulls the covers back, easing carefully in beside Tara.  Tensing slightly as the woman turns to her and in her sleep wraps herself around her, Faith takes a couple deep breaths to calm down and relax, fighting her natural response to shove the person away as she still isn’t great with the whole touch-y feel-y scene but is slowly getting more used to it.

“Thanks Faith.”  Dianna whispers softly, knowing how hard it is for the slayer to keep from freaking out as the teenager is still a long way from being relaxed about body contact and showing her feelings.

“Night, Mrs. M.”  Faith calls out to the woman as Dianna steps back from the door, slowly pulling it to, without closing it completely.  Wrapping her arms around Tara, Faith stares up at the bottom of her bed above her, biting her bottom lip as she sees the picture of their group tucked into the springs above her.  Faith on the outside with her arm draped over the witch’s shoulders, Tara beside her a slight blush on her face as her head is tilted somewhat towards Buffy who has her arm wrapped around Tara’s waist from the other side of the witch then Willow and Xander finishing out the rest of the group.  “We’ll figure it out, Tare.  I promise ya’.”  Faith whispers quietly into the top of Tara’s head, the witch burrowing more into her in her sleep, the slight hiccup coming from Tara making her brush her lips over the top of the blonde head knowing Tara had fallen asleep still crying. 

***

The Seraph lands softly in the tree top, staring down at the vampire with a soul and the other slayer that holds her Tara’s heart without even realizing it.  Watching silently as the vampire comforts the slayer, letting Buffy go from yelling about what had happened to crying afraid she’d gone way overboard with her response.  Stiffening slightly as the vampire stands up for how Buffy reacted, telling her that her response was completely understandable and that she wasn’t in the wrong.  Narrowing her gaze on the vampire, the Seraph shakes her head, Angelus obviously working things to his own wants and desires so it works out the way he wants it to.  Having the urge to go down and take the souled vampire out of the equation, she starts to launch herself from the tree when the booming voice in her head tells her NOT to interfere.  The balance between good and evil would become unbalanced if she were to destroy the vampire.  Looking heavenward, the Seraph silently sends her Father her thoughts regarding letting this vampire live, smirking at the disgruntled comments coming back to her about her ‘language’ and lack of respect, that maybe it would be best for her to leave the mortal plane after all this time. 

“Not much longer, Father.  I’ve been here long enough, the Hellmouth and these young ones have done well with taking care of this world.  The time is almost here, and I’ve been here long enough.  I’ll go the way of my brethren before me.  I’ll offer myself and then when I’m turned down, my earthly body will be sent back to the earth and I’ll be with you and my brothers from then on.  You never meant any of us to walk this world forever, anyways, so stop your grumbling.”  The Seraph glares down at the couple below her before launching herself back up into the night sky with powerful strokes of her wings as she feels the call of great evil needing good to counteract it halfway around the world, though her heart wants to stay close to the witch that she’d fallen for the moment the young babe had cried as she came into the world.  Yes, she could ignore the cry of her other half, having ignored it many times before, but for some reason unable to this go around.  She’ll offer her heart to this one, and like all before her, she’ll be turned down and she’ll leave this world when what’s left of her useless heart gives its last beat.

***

Chapter 22

“Come on, Tare-Bear.  Let’s go get a mocha or play in the park or somethin’.”  Faith tries again to get Tara to leave the safety of the house, the blonde Wiccan having only gone to the bathroom, showered and studied all day.  She’d hardly said five words to both her and her mom, the heartbroken blue eyes making contact with hers only once and so briefly it made her heart ache at the remembrance. 

Tara just shakes her head and pulls her Advanced Calculus book closer to her, ignoring the deep, aggravated sigh coming from her friend and the hovering, worried figure of her mom outside the bedroom door. 

Faith throws her hands up in the air and steps out of the bedroom, making contact with worried blue eyes, Dianna following her through the house and out onto the small front porch.  “What’re we gonna do?”

Dianna leans against the porch railing and stares unseeingly out onto the road, her hands clenching on the top railing as she thinks about her daughter.  “I honestly don’t know.  Give her time?” 

“Time?  Time for her to fuckin’ climb all the way back into that fuckin’ shell she used to live in?  I mean, I don’t know what she was like originally but if she was like she is now or worse, I don’t think I’ll be able to stand it.  I know you said she used to be extremely introverted, but… damn!”  Faith growls and runs her hands roughly through her hair, the disgust she’s feeling at how quiet Tara’s being making her more and more angry as time goes by. 

It had been two weeks since pretty much all hell had broken loose and Thanksgiving was this week.  Tara wasn’t speaking to anyone, Buffy was pretty much only speaking to Willow and Xander, sending irate and pissed off looks at her, Tara, Dianna and even her mom, Joyce.  Brood Boy was going around all cocky acting and smirking whenever she and Tara had run into them on patrol since she and Buffy hadn’t been training together again since the first day back after the meltdown and they’d attacked each other to the point where they’d both been battered and bruised, neither able to do patrol that night and only breaking apart when Giles couldn’t split them up and had run to get Tara.  Tara had sent a spell at them separating them to different parts of the library before looking from one slayer to the other with the saddest, most hurt look she’d ever seen on the blonde’s face.  Buffy had even seemed to take the look to heart and had called out Tara’s name when the blonde Wiccan had turned and fled the library.  The other slayer standing there for long minutes, her shoulders slumped until they’d stiffened and anger had come to the forefront once more on the slayer’s face. 

Faith swings up and over the railing, settling her butt on it while gripping the railing on either side of her with her hands and glares out at the street.  The kids were playing and having a good time on this sunny, surprisingly warm end of November Sunday. 

“She has to decide what she’s going to do on her own, Faith.”  Dianna comments softly, not wanting to admit how worried she is, herself.  No matter how bad it had gotten in the past, her baby girl had always ended up coming to talk it over with her within a few days.  Two weeks of Tara not speaking to anyone, herself included, has her more worried than she’s willing to admit to anyone.  That and the fact every time Joyce had come over, Tara disappeared in her bedroom or from the house completely made her and Joyce both seek other places to talk to try and figure out this mess that their lives had become. 

“Bullshit.”  Faith growls angrily, glaring unseeingly at the road.  “I’m done with this.  If I have to go knock some sense into that damned bottle-blonde bitch, that’s what I’m going to do.”  Faith starts to push herself off the railing, prepared to drop down and run to Buffy’s house to either make her see reason or beat the hell out of her whichever has to be done to open the blonde’s eyes.  When a soft, but unrelenting hand wraps around her upper bicep stilling her and keeping her from moving, Faith snarls but doesn’t try to break the grip.  The feel of magic wrapped around her already letting her know that Dianna isn’t playing games if she’s using magic on her as Tara got her learning from her mom and both don’t believe in using magic on another person without that person’s permission, a major no-no except in the most dire emergencies. 

“Faith, it didn’t work before and it’s not going to work now.  It’ll only exasperate the situation even more.”  Dianna comments softly, the dark slayer having admitting to her that was part of the cause of why the two slayers had originally gone toe to toe with each other.  When dark brown eyes turn to look at her, the desperation and fear showing so openly makes tears come to her eyes and she gently wraps her arms around the slayer.

“I feel her pullin’ away, Mrs. M.  I care for her and it’s tearin’ me apart for her to be like this, ya’ know?”  Faith admits hoarsely, accepting the comfort that’s being offered her, silently admitting to herself that she’s missed the freely given touches and hugs that had become a part of her daily life with Tara.  The blonde witch becoming extremely remote and keeping to herself, though she does insist on going out with her on patrol but doesn’t talk, just helps protect her and keeps her from getting into anything serious. 

Dianna soothingly strokes her fingers through the wild, dark hair as Faith shudders and leans into her, the tears finally falling from her own eyes as she feels how much the slayer’s come to care for her daughter.  Almost wishing that the dark-haired slayer had been the one to capture Tara’s heart instead of Buffy, having a feeling that given half a chance Faith could probably fall in love with Tara.  “I know, Faith.  I know.” 

***

“Damn it, Buffy!!  Get over here!  I’m fed-up and tired of you acting like a child.”  Joyce finally yells at her daughter.  Two weeks is way too long to have put up with Buffy’s glares, cold shoulder and attitude.  When Buffy snaps her head back from the door she’s about ready to head out of after giving a short ‘going on patrol’, she’d decided enough is enough. 

Buffy blinks and stares in disbelief at her mother.  Mom hardly ever cusses, that and her yelling at her is almost unheard of.  The shock at both coming from her at the same time keeps her from leaving out the open front door and has her staring at her mom. 

“I am still your mother and you will damn well start giving me the respect I deserve.  Now get your ass in here, and sit down on this chair while we have a long overdue discussion.”  Joyce points towards the living room, glaring at her daughter daring her to disobey her this time.  They’re going to do this now because she can’t stand the stress and pain this is causing to everyone.  Poor Willow and Xander were both still at a loss with what was going on from what she can figure out as she’d been questioned by the redhead, bless her heart.  She’d told Willow that it was extremely personal and something that she has to discuss in depth with Buffy to hopefully straighten out before she was willing to discuss it with anyone else.  She’d seen the questions in the green eyes and the mouth opening before Willow had obviously seen something in her eyes that made her change her mind and had backed off a sad smile on her face. 

Buffy unconsciously does as her mother orders, settling back into the chair and watching her mother pace back and forth in front of her until she turns and stares at her unflinchingly and with a glare that would put Willow’s resolve face to shame.  Pushing back into the back of the chair, Buffy nibbles on her bottom lip as she waits for what her mother’s going to say.

“I met Dee in college.  We became lovers roughly four months after meeting.  We were lovers for our Sophomore and Junior years until I met your father.  Don’t think I didn’t love Hank, with what I’m about to say Buffy, because I did.  But it was hard keeping our relationship quiet as it was a different time then and a thousand times worse than anything you can imagine it’s like today.  I decided that it would be best for both of us that we do the ‘normal’ thing and find boyfriends.  I’ll never regret my time with Hank because it gave me you, but I broke Dee’s heart along with mine when I made that decision for both of us.  Dee was more than willing to be open and live her life with me and to hell with what anyone else thought, said or did.”  Joyce takes a deep breath and closes her eyes at the remembrance of the wrong she’d done to the loving blonde, though Dee had never taken her to task for it and had let her choose her own path.  “Dee moved back home after Hank and I became a couple, she didn’t bother finishing college, met her husband and had Donny right away with Tara following a couple years later.  I, of course, married Hank and had eventually given birth to you.”  Joyce finally collapses on the couch and stares at her pale, wide-eyed daughter.  “I’ve always loved Dee, Buffy.  Always, I never stopped and it’s breaking my heart that you’re not willing to give us a chance. We didn’t do this to hurt you, and I went the wrong way completely by not telling you about her right from the beginning when she showed up in Sunnydale.  As soon as I saw her, all the feelings that I had buried all those years ago came barreling up inside me and she thankfully didn’t hold what I’d done against me.  We took months learning about each other again, we hadn’t even become intimate until…”  Joyce blushes and drops her eyes to stare at the floor as she remembers the catalyst of them coming together again, though they hadn’t been physical with each other since. 

Buffy’s mouth drops open and her mind almost shuts down as it takes a few minutes for it to sink into her mind that the two women may have been dating but they hadn’t actually had sex until the band candy incident, shivering uncontrollably at the thought of her mom having sex, Buffy shies away from that thought quickly as she turns her head and stares at the foyer remembering everything that had happened and trying to look at it more objectively instead of going with her hot-headed, knee jerk reaction like she had been.  Remembering Tara’s stuttered explanation and her own violent reaction and verbal abuse.  Feeling, again, the self-disgust and pain rip through her at how she’d reacted to Tara, though honestly not knowing how to apologize or get back to the friends they’d been as Tara wouldn’t even look at her, let alone talk to her.  Then again, she hadn’t really tried either, knowing she deserves the cold shoulder she’s been getting from the blonde.

“I…  I can’t excuse what I did, Buffy.  But it was like I went back to the whole college mentality about wanting to keep us secret again, afraid of how people would react.  How you would react as you’d never known about that part of me, about how much I loved… love Dee.  I do love her, Buffy.  If it’s possible, even more than I did when we were together before.  I can’t go back to the meaningless dates I’ve been on, looking for something that I won’t ever find with anyone else.”  Taking a deep, calming breath, Joyce stares at Buffy.  “I’m not going to hide my love for her anymore, Buffy.  Either you’re willing to accept it or you’re not.  I can’t force you to.  But you are my daughter, you are living in my house and you will not continue acting like a spoiled child.  You’ll be pleasant to my friends when I have them come over.  And you’ll damn well forgive Tara for not saying anything to you as she was abiding by my wishes not to tell you because I was the one that wanted to eventually break this news to you.”

Buffy clenches her jaw and hands as she turns her head to stare at her mother, the defiance on her mother’s face at the forefront, but the pleading look in the hazel eyes undeniable.  “Why couldn’t you have told me?  You treat me like a kid, but then get pissed off when I act like one.  You couldn’t come to me to let me know that you care about someone?  I mean, as far as I’m concerned no one, and I mean NO ONE is good enough for you.  Finding you…”  Buffy shivers uncontrollably and tries to put the picture of her mom and Tara’s mom out of her head again.  “You two naked… doing…” Buffy closes her eyes and her whole body shakes this time, her hands coming up to rub hard at her eyes, wishing she could rub the pictures away of hands and bodies… Letting out a disgusted sound Buffy bangs her head against the back of the chair.

“I’m sorry.  I can’t take it back.  I can’t make it disappear for you, Buffy.  If I could go back and do this all over again, believe me, I would.  I would have explained to you the same day I met Dee at the Espresso Pump about our relationship, about how much I felt and undeniably do still feel for her.  I would give you the chance to accept the fact that your mother was in a lesbian relationship for two years at college, that given half a chance, she’d jump right back into the same relationship with the same woman hoping it will last the rest of my lifetime.  I would have loved to have had someone to talk to, to tell about how afraid I was to hurt Dee again, like I’d done before.  Afraid of my own failings and shortcomings.”  Joyce leans forward, more towards her daughter who is looking at her, finally actually LOOKING at her and not through her, or just out of the corner of her eye.  “I would treat you like the woman you are, given you the same respect and knowledge that you’ve given me since we squared away our differences since the whole you being the world savior came to light. Even if you can’t completely forgive me for my own stupidity, please, for the love of God and all that’s holy, don’t continue to take it out on Tara.  Or Faith and Dee either, for that matter.  But especially Tara, she’s taking this whole thing extremely hard and I know she misses the friendship you two have.”

Buffy feels her shoulders drop and tears come unwillingly to her eyes as she thinks about the blonde Wiccan.  “I…”  Buffy wipes her hands across her eyes to get the dampness away before continuing, her eyes dropping in shame from her mother’s eyes.  “I’m afraid I may have damaged our friendship beyond repair, mom.”  Buffy finally admits her hands now lying in her lap, the fingers laced tightly together until she feels them ache and hurt.

Joyce hesitates for a moment, thinking about what, exactly, she wants to say and how she wants to phrase it.  “If you want her friendship, I think maybe talking with Faith or going through her by showing you’re trying to be open and feel… regretful for how you reacted would be a step in the right direction.  Faith and Tara are pretty close, accepting Faith would be a step in the right direction.”  Joyce offers, though winces internally at the thought that Tara wasn’t speaking to too much of anyone at this moment in time, just the bare necessities to get by when she has to. 

Buffy rubs a hand over her forehead and stares somewhat despondently at her mom.  “She won’t even look at me mom.  Let alone talk to me… she actually hasn’t been talking to anyone.”  Buffy admits quietly, having noticed that the blonde Wiccan steered clear of everyone and didn’t even seem to talk to Faith at school either, except for when she was tutoring the dark-haired slayer and even then she’d noticed Tara gave the shortest comments and explanations she could get away with.  She had been in the library talking with Giles when the two had come in early one morning, Faith having obviously asked Tara for some help with something she was having problems with as she was studying for her placement testing. 

“Do you want her friendship?”  Joyce stresses the word want, sighing heavily when Buffy glares at her and gives her the ‘duh’ look that makes her want to smack her daughter upside the head almost as much as when she gets the eye roll from her.  “Well, she takes after her mother in a lot of ways, Buffy and I really don’t think she can take being hurt much more from anyone.”  Joyce glares at her daughter, letting some of her own anger at how Buffy had treated the shy Wiccan out, knowing that Tara didn’t deserve the way Buffy had treated her and as far as she’s concerned it would serve her daughter right for the way she’d reacted regarding the whole situation if Tara decided she didn’t want to have anything more to do with Buffy.  Not even thinking about what she’d said to her daughter, the anger making her just blurt out the statement about Tara being like Dee, it takes her a moment to understand why her daughter starts off with a confused look on her face before her eyes open wide in realization.

Buffy sub-vocally growls at her mother at the same time giving her best combination dumb look and glare towards the woman that had given birth to her.  The look turning to a frown, confusion filling her as she tries to work through what her mom just said.  Mentally replaying the words that Tara takes after her mother in a lot of ways, knowing that Tara’s a lot like her mom but knowing that’s not exactly or completely what her mother is saying.  When she starts to think about Dianna, she thinks about Dianna and her mom dating, it hits her that maybe Tara likes women also, her eyes pop open at the thought before she feels the blood drain from her face and she becomes light-headed as Tara’s backing off and total seclusion from everyone takes on a whole new meaning.  Raising her hand she collapses forcefully back into the chair and covers her eyes as she feels tears flood them.  With the way she acted and the things she’d said, she’d probably completely alienated the other blonde with her behavior.  “I so screwed up in so many ways.”  Silently Buffy agrees with her mother that Tara probably can’t take being hurt much more, not just physically but more in the mental and emotional ways. 

“Honey…” Joyce whispers, the paleness of her daughter and the tear-filled eyes that now make contact with her after the acknowledgement that came from her daughter that sounded somewhat broken brings home to her exactly what she’d just said to Buffy.  The blinders finally and truly off her daughter’s eyes, though the realization that Tara likes her may not come for some time, but her daughter will eventually figure it out given enough time and clues to work her way through.  Though, thinking about it, maybe Buffy won’t figure it out.  Tara was pretty touchy-feely with a lot of the group and especially with Faith now that the other slayer was living with the Maclay’s, though with Dee’s explanation, she knows the two women are trying to give Faith the nurturing and caring that the dark-haired girl needs to try and help her. 

Buffy shakes her head at her mother, forestalling anything else her mom might want to say.  “I screwed up.  I screwed up royally, and I don’t know what to do, or how to make it up to her.  I’ll have to think on it, but part of it will include me talking with Faith and being more accepting of her.”  Buffy fights the jealously flaring up in her, not admitting what the actual emotion is to herself as she remembers how close Tara and the other slayer have been since Faith came to Sunnydale refusing to think about exactly how close it could in all actuality be.  “I need to patrol.  Tonight’s my night and I was actually supposed to meet up with Angel at Restfield a little while ago.”  Buffy stands and makes her way back to the door, hesitating before she’s out of sight of her mother, turning back to look at the sad eyes watching her.  “I’m…”  Buffy inhales deeply to try and settle the nervousness working through her, knowing that her mother did screw up by not letting her know what was going on but she had compounded the matters a hundredfold with her reaction to the situation.  She’d acted just like a spoiled child instead of an open-minded adult that she wants to be and that’s something she’s going to have to work on.  “I’m sorry, mom.  I’m going to try… no, I’m going to do better from now on.  I promise.”

Joyce smiles tremulously at her daughter’s words, Buffy half smiling back at her before she leaves the house to go out and fight the evil that lurks in the shadows of this town.  Sitting on the couch for long minutes as she thinks through what had transpired before slowly standing and making her way to the kitchen and the cordless phone, planning on making a call to Dee and letting her know about what had happened. 

***

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Buffy fidgets nervously as she makes her way into the kitchen, her eyes going to her mom who’s sipping on a mug of coffee while staring out the window, obviously deep in thought.  “Umm, Mom?”

Joyce barely keeps from jumping at the sound of her daughter’s soft voice, having been lost in her thoughts as she remembered the conversation with Dee and how happy the other woman had been about Buffy finally coming around, though a sad note had entered her response when she’d asked about Tara and if the young Maclay had started talking to anyone yet.  “Yes, honey?”  Joyce shakes off the worry she’s feeling as she turns to Buffy.

Scratching her neck, sighing heavily as she feels lost still as to how to proceed with the knowledge that her mom and Tara’s mom were more than friends, and plan on being more than friends… or more again, she finally makes contact with her mom’s sad eyes.  “Thanksgiving is this week and we’re planning on everyone being here, right?  I mean, Mrs. Maclay, Willow, Xander, Faith…”  Buffy trails off, at the acknowledgement coming from her mom.  “Umm, do I need to give my friends a heads up that you and Mrs. Maclay are like an item?  Or is it something you’re not going to let people know, or what?”

Joyce closes her eyes and drops her head until her chin rests on her chest.  Setting her cup aside on the counter, she unconsciously reaches up and rubs her temples in contemplation.  She’d lost Dee once because of her own stupidity and she’d caused even more heartache and pain this time around by not being open and honest.  She doesn’t want to screw up even more by trying to hide her love for the other woman, but she doesn’t know if it would be better coming from her or Buffy to Buffy’s friends.  Opening her eyes she looks at Buffy for a long moment.  “Do you want me to tell them, or would you rather tell your friends?  I’m not going to hide our relationship anymore, Buffy.  I can’t.  Every time I do, it seems to snow ball until it causes an avalanche taking everyone and everything in its path with it.  I’m not willing to keep causing all this pain.”

Buffy nods in understanding before tucking her hands in her pockets and staring at her mother, the heartache obvious in her mom’s eyes.  “I can let ‘em know.”  Buffy winces internally as she figures it might be best to let both of her friends in on how she’d reacted so all the anger, fighting and cold-shoulders that had been going on for the last weeks can finally be explained in full.  Even if she’s going to end up coming out looking like a total bitch in this scenario, figuring it’s no less than she deserves as hurt blue eyes looking at her replays in her mind for about the thousandth time. 

“I love you.”  Joyce smiles softly at her daughter as Buffy finally smiles a little more fully at her, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Love you too, Mom.  I gotta go.  I’ll see you later.”  Buffy comments quickly realizing that if she doesn’t get a move on, she’s going to be late for school. 

“’Bye.”  Joyce calls after her quickly departing daughter before turning to pour more coffee in her mug and look at the clock in silent contemplation for a few minutes before pulling down a to go mug and pouring her coffee in it and turning the coffee pot off before gathering her keys, purse and briefcase to get over to Dee’s house early. 

***

Dianna shakes her head sadly as Tara exits the house without a word again, looking at Faith as the dark-haired slayer growls softly under her breath.

“This has gotta end.  I know I ain’t real talkative, but shit!!  Compared to Tare-Bear at this moment, I could say ten words and be a speaker for the House of Representatives, or some stupid shit.”  Faith hikes the large backpack full of books up to her shoulder, having brought a good chunk of them home over the weekend as she plans on taking a couple of the placement tests the week after Thanksgiving and was spending all her spare time studying.  Tara had been helping her, but the young blonde was still keeping her talking to a minimum and only speaking when she absolutely had too. 

“I thought with telling her that Buffy and Joyce had finally gotten to talk with each other and Buffy…”  Dee trails off and sighs deeply.

“Buffy finally got her fuckin’ head outta her ass, that maybe Tara would brighten up some?  Yeah, well, it ain’t happened yet.”  Faith grumbles loudly as she heads towards the door.  “Think it’s gonna take a lot for Tare to open up again.”  Faith throws over her shoulder as she nods towards Dianna before hurrying after Tara.  “If she ever does.”  Faith speaks softly to herself, worried for the blonde she trails after on their way to the high school, Tara never once looking back or even around her, her head downcast as she heads towards the high school.  Not acknowledging her, or Buffy, who was walking on the sidewalk across the street, having noticed the blonde slayer jogging until she came up even with them then walking at the same pace while looking constantly over at Tara.  Shoving her hands into her jacket pocket she follows a step behind Tara while narrowing her gaze on the other slayer as they make their way to the school, wondering if Buffy is going to try and get Tara to talk to her, apologize or try and act like nothing’s happened. 

As they make their way towards the school, Tara ignores the two slayers.  Having felt Buffy come closer at a quick pace before slowing down as she obviously stays at a certain distance from her while Faith follows closely behind her.  Her emotions completely in a turmoil as she tries to get her heart to understand what her mind has already figured out, that there will be no way on the Goddess’ green earth that Buffy will ever be more than a friend.  Buffy had made it abundantly clear that she was totally against the ‘gay’ thing and though she may have decided to be okay with their two mother’s seeing each other, she probably will never be exactly approving of it and definitely not in any way that she herself would want to think about being with another woman.  Reaching up to tuck some hair behind her ear, Tara stops at the corner, ready to cross the street and enter the school grounds, Buffy obviously waiting at the entrance of the gate. 

“Tare?”  Faith cautiously places a hand on Tara’s lower back, the witch having pretty much stepped away from all personal contact over the last weeks and even incidental touches seemed to bother her.  Sighing heavily as Tara shifts away from her, Faith drops her hand, her fingers itching to grasp Tara and pull her into a hug forcing the young witch to accept the offered comfort and support until she got her old Tare-Bear back.  Clenching her hands tightly as Tara hurries across the street, dodging Buffy’s hand as the other slayer reaches out for her.

Buffy reaches for Tara, calling her name softly even as the blonde slips by her and onto the school grounds without looking at her once, shoulders slumping even as her hand stays lifted, motionless for a few moments longer, her eyes dropping to the ground with her hand falling to her side as she feels the other slayer stop beside her.  “I so fucked up.”

Faith stares after Tara as the woman enters the building, not looking at Buffy but responding to her statement.  “Yeah, you did.  Royally. And I have absolutely no fuckin’ clue as to how to get Tare back.” 

Buffy rubs the back of her neck as they head towards the school side by side, Faith’s words an agreement to hers and also letting her know that Faith wants to try and get Tara to become her old self again.  “Work on her together?”  Buffy questions hopefully.

“It sure as hell can’t hurt.”  Faith agrees, knowing it might take all of them to get Tara out of her funk. 

***

“You’ve picked this up quite quickly.”  Jenny comments softly to the sad-eyed blonde, leaning against the desk as she watches Tara save the program she’d been working on.  Sighing quietly as all she gets is a half-hearted smile and a nod in response.  Not knowing exactly what’s happened, just that a few weeks ago Tara had gone from coming in and eagerly looking forward to learning computers in their twice a week one-on-one after school class while sometimes discussing Tara’s unrequited feelings for Buffy along with joking and becoming more friend than teacher to the young blonde dragging herself to the room and working non-stop with no personal talks whatsoever. 

“I’ll s-see you n-next week.”  Tara gathers her notebook and pens, sliding them into her backpack before scooting the chair back, sparing a quick glance at the teacher before turning away to walk out of the room, flinching slightly when Miss Calendar’s hand comes to rest on her shoulder, halting her movements.

Jenny feels the flinch but doesn’t remove her hand but does slide it gently back and forth across Tara’s tense back, trying to relax the teenager.  “I don’t know what’s happened, but if you feel like talking I’m here.”  Jenny offers quietly, just knowing from what she’s observed with the group of friends that everyone seems to be acting like they’re walking on egg shells and Tara doesn’t seem to be talking to anyone, even Faith, the one person Tara seemed to click more with than anyone else. 

Tara closes her eyes as tears come unbidden, barely able to keep them from falling at the teacher’s obvious caring and worry seeps into her from the gentle rubbing motion across her back.  “I… I…”  Tara takes a deep breath and slowly shakes her head.  “Th-thank y-you.” 

Jenny drops her hand as Tara leaves the room quickly, slowly following the blonde to the door and watches Tara disappear down the hallway that leads outside, instead of turning towards the library where she knows that the group is having a pre-holiday meeting to finalize their normal holiday meal plans along with patrolling plans.  The two slayers that had started off extremely antagonistic towards each other, then slowly seemed to come to some kind of agreement were, once again, pretty much at each others’ throat.  Having heard from Rupert about how the two young women had gone at each other… roughly two weeks ago.  Frowning slightly as she realizes something big had to have obviously happened two weeks ago, though not knowing what it is.  Rubbing a hand tiredly over her eyes, she turns back to her desk and pulls up the program trying to decipher the curse that gave Angelus back his soul all those years ago.

***

Faith stares at Buffy somewhat shocked that the slayer had just told their small group that Joyce and Dianna are a couple along with explaining that they had a serious thing going on back in college before going their separate ways and them coming back together recently. 

“Now, I’ve caused enough problems between them… and the rest of our group.”  Buffy glances quickly at Faith before her eyes slide over the empty chair that’s normally Tara’s seat whenever they have meetings, feeling her heart sink in her chest as she’d waited an extra fifteen minutes after what’s usually the end of Tara and Miss Calendar’s after school tutoring session only to find out from Miss Calendar that Tara had left the building a good twenty minutes earlier.  “So I need to know now if you have any problems with them being together.”

Giles wipes at his glasses once more, his thoughts not on Buffy and her comments but thinking about when the two slayer’s had literally almost beaten each other unconscious and Tara’s look when she’d split them up along with other comments and the fact that Tara wouldn’t talk to anyone, it all making a lot more sense now. 

“I mean… I sooo did not take it well and hurt everyone, Tara the most.”  Buffy whispers the last three words, jamming her hands in her jean’s pockets and looks down at the floor, feeling disgust at herself once again as she remembers how she went off on Tara and physically intimidated her.  Not able to forgive herself for the way she’d acted and the fact that Tara won’t talk to anyone making her believe in her heart that it may be an extremely long time before the blonde Wiccan forgives her, if ever. 

Willow stares at Buffy in disbelief, her mind trying to wrap around the fact that Mrs. Summers and Mrs. Maclay were dating each other, and from what Buffy said and actually even more didn’t say, they’d loved each other for around twenty years.  Her mouth closing from where it was open, a slow smile crosses her lips.  “That is so great that they found each other again, and are willing to give their love another chance.  How many people get a second chance at their first love?”  Willow bounces excitedly, extremely happy for the two older women. 

Faith tilts her head and has to smirk at the redhead, the girls brain going at LEAST a hundred miles an hour along with the way she jumped all over the fact that the two women had been and probably have been in love with each other over the whole time they were apart.  Figures that the redhead would have no problems with the two women, after all she’d seen the way Willow occasionally looked at Miss Calendar, and she definitely seemed to have a crush on that particular teacher.  Looking at Xander, Faith rolls her eyes at his obvious response to what he was told.  Then again, grinning hugely Faith decides to fuck with the young man.  “Yeah, two hot MILF’s together, you shoulda been there when B found out, now THAT was a camera worthy event, video camera.”  Faith grunts as she gets a whack from Buffy, having known it was going to come, but figuring it was worthwhile when she sees the bug-eyed, tongue lolling out, flushed face of the teenage boy.

“God, Faith!  I STILL cannot look at the couch without freaking out, so can you please not give more details than you already have?”  Buffy hisses into Faith’s ear after smacking the slayer hard on the shoulder. 

Faith snorts back a laugh and looks at the blonde slayer, the look in the hazel eyes makes her bark out a loud laugh as she realizes that Buffy’s being serious.  “What about sittin’ on it?”  Laughing even louder at the look of disgust pointed her way, Faith shrugs her shoulders and rocks the chair back and forth, resting her forearms on the back of the chair and rests her chin on it as she ignores the blonde slayer now pacing back and forth.

“Yes, well, I’m sure ALL of us could have done without that particular thought going through our heads.”  Giles sends a glare at the glaze-eyed Xander, fighting the urge to smack him upside the head to try and get that stupid look off his face.  “I dare say, the way everyone’s been acting lately makes a lot more sense now.”  Looking somewhat sadly at Buffy as the guilty look comes across Buffy’s face and seems to want to take up permanent residence there as she collapses in the chair beside Faith that normally Tara uses. 

Buffy collapses beside Faith, her eyes on the stack of books Faith’s been using to study as she gets prepared for her placement tests, sighing heavily she rubs a hand over her eyes.  “I appreciate everyone being okay with this.  Now, mom gave me a list of foodstuffs for you guys to pick through and decide who wants to bring what and she and Mrs. Maclay will fix the rest.”  Buffy digs the notebook page out of her pocket, handing it across to Giles as he holds his hand out, relief working through her at the acceptance of her friends as Xander goes for the rolls to buy, knowing he can’t really bake anything at his house and Giles and Willow discuss what they want to bring. 

***

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Buffy fidgets nervously as she makes her way into the kitchen, her eyes going to her mom who’s sipping on a mug of coffee while staring out the window, obviously deep in thought.  “Umm, Mom?”

Joyce barely keeps from jumping at the sound of her daughter’s soft voice, having been lost in her thoughts as she remembered the conversation with Dee and how happy the other woman had been about Buffy finally coming around, though a sad note had entered her response when she’d asked about Tara and if the young Maclay had started talking to anyone yet.  “Yes, honey?”  Joyce shakes off the worry she’s feeling as she turns to Buffy.

Scratching her neck, sighing heavily as she feels lost still as to how to proceed with the knowledge that her mom and Tara’s mom were more than friends, and plan on being more than friends… or more again, she finally makes contact with her mom’s sad eyes.  “Thanksgiving is this week and we’re planning on everyone being here, right?  I mean, Mrs. Maclay, Willow, Xander, Faith…”  Buffy trails off, at the acknowledgement coming from her mom.  “Umm, do I need to give my friends a heads up that you and Mrs. Maclay are like an item?  Or is it something you’re not going to let people know, or what?”

Joyce closes her eyes and drops her head until her chin rests on her chest.  Setting her cup aside on the counter, she unconsciously reaches up and rubs her temples in contemplation.  She’d lost Dee once because of her own stupidity and she’d caused even more heartache and pain this time around by not being open and honest.  She doesn’t want to screw up even more by trying to hide her love for the other woman, but she doesn’t know if it would be better coming from her or Buffy to Buffy’s friends.  Opening her eyes she looks at Buffy for a long moment.  “Do you want me to tell them, or would you rather tell your friends?  I’m not going to hide our relationship anymore, Buffy.  I can’t.  Every time I do, it seems to snow ball until it causes an avalanche taking everyone and everything in its path with it.  I’m not willing to keep causing all this pain.”

Buffy nods in understanding before tucking her hands in her pockets and staring at her mother, the heartache obvious in her mom’s eyes.  “I can let ‘em know.”  Buffy winces internally as she figures it might be best to let both of her friends in on how she’d reacted so all the anger, fighting and cold-shoulders that had been going on for the last weeks can finally be explained in full.  Even if she’s going to end up coming out looking like a total bitch in this scenario, figuring it’s no less than she deserves as hurt blue eyes looking at her replays in her mind for about the thousandth time. 

“I love you.”  Joyce smiles softly at her daughter as Buffy finally smiles a little more fully at her, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Love you too, Mom.  I gotta go.  I’ll see you later.”  Buffy comments quickly realizing that if she doesn’t get a move on, she’s going to be late for school. 

“’Bye.”  Joyce calls after her quickly departing daughter before turning to pour more coffee in her mug and look at the clock in silent contemplation for a few minutes before pulling down a to go mug and pouring her coffee in it and turning the coffee pot off before gathering her keys, purse and briefcase to get over to Dee’s house early. 

***

Dianna shakes her head sadly as Tara exits the house without a word again, looking at Faith as the dark-haired slayer growls softly under her breath.

“This has gotta end.  I know I ain’t real talkative, but shit!!  Compared to Tare-Bear at this moment, I could say ten words and be a speaker for the House of Representatives, or some stupid shit.”  Faith hikes the large backpack full of books up to her shoulder, having brought a good chunk of them home over the weekend as she plans on taking a couple of the placement tests the week after Thanksgiving and was spending all her spare time studying.  Tara had been helping her, but the young blonde was still keeping her talking to a minimum and only speaking when she absolutely had too. 

“I thought with telling her that Buffy and Joyce had finally gotten to talk with each other and Buffy…”  Dee trails off and sighs deeply.

“Buffy finally got her fuckin’ head outta her ass, that maybe Tara would brighten up some?  Yeah, well, it ain’t happened yet.”  Faith grumbles loudly as she heads towards the door.  “Think it’s gonna take a lot for Tare to open up again.”  Faith throws over her shoulder as she nods towards Dianna before hurrying after Tara.  “If she ever does.”  Faith speaks softly to herself, worried for the blonde she trails after on their way to the high school, Tara never once looking back or even around her, her head downcast as she heads towards the high school.  Not acknowledging her, or Buffy, who was walking on the sidewalk across the street, having noticed the blonde slayer jogging until she came up even with them then walking at the same pace while looking constantly over at Tara.  Shoving her hands into her jacket pocket she follows a step behind Tara while narrowing her gaze on the other slayer as they make their way to the school, wondering if Buffy is going to try and get Tara to talk to her, apologize or try and act like nothing’s happened. 

As they make their way towards the school, Tara ignores the two slayers.  Having felt Buffy come closer at a quick pace before slowing down as she obviously stays at a certain distance from her while Faith follows closely behind her.  Her emotions completely in a turmoil as she tries to get her heart to understand what her mind has already figured out, that there will be no way on the Goddess’ green earth that Buffy will ever be more than a friend.  Buffy had made it abundantly clear that she was totally against the ‘gay’ thing and though she may have decided to be okay with their two mother’s seeing each other, she probably will never be exactly approving of it and definitely not in any way that she herself would want to think about being with another woman.  Reaching up to tuck some hair behind her ear, Tara stops at the corner, ready to cross the street and enter the school grounds, Buffy obviously waiting at the entrance of the gate. 

“Tare?”  Faith cautiously places a hand on Tara’s lower back, the witch having pretty much stepped away from all personal contact over the last weeks and even incidental touches seemed to bother her.  Sighing heavily as Tara shifts away from her, Faith drops her hand, her fingers itching to grasp Tara and pull her into a hug forcing the young witch to accept the offered comfort and support until she got her old Tare-Bear back.  Clenching her hands tightly as Tara hurries across the street, dodging Buffy’s hand as the other slayer reaches out for her.

Buffy reaches for Tara, calling her name softly even as the blonde slips by her and onto the school grounds without looking at her once, shoulders slumping even as her hand stays lifted, motionless for a few moments longer, her eyes dropping to the ground with her hand falling to her side as she feels the other slayer stop beside her.  “I so fucked up.”

Faith stares after Tara as the woman enters the building, not looking at Buffy but responding to her statement.  “Yeah, you did.  Royally. And I have absolutely no fuckin’ clue as to how to get Tare back.” 

Buffy rubs the back of her neck as they head towards the school side by side, Faith’s words an agreement to hers and also letting her know that Faith wants to try and get Tara to become her old self again.  “Work on her together?”  Buffy questions hopefully.

“It sure as hell can’t hurt.”  Faith agrees, knowing it might take all of them to get Tara out of her funk. 

***

“You’ve picked this up quite quickly.”  Jenny comments softly to the sad-eyed blonde, leaning against the desk as she watches Tara save the program she’d been working on.  Sighing quietly as all she gets is a half-hearted smile and a nod in response.  Not knowing exactly what’s happened, just that a few weeks ago Tara had gone from coming in and eagerly looking forward to learning computers in their twice a week one-on-one after school class while sometimes discussing Tara’s unrequited feelings for Buffy along with joking and becoming more friend than teacher to the young blonde dragging herself to the room and working non-stop with no personal talks whatsoever. 

“I’ll s-see you n-next week.”  Tara gathers her notebook and pens, sliding them into her backpack before scooting the chair back, sparing a quick glance at the teacher before turning away to walk out of the room, flinching slightly when Miss Calendar’s hand comes to rest on her shoulder, halting her movements.

Jenny feels the flinch but doesn’t remove her hand but does slide it gently back and forth across Tara’s tense back, trying to relax the teenager.  “I don’t know what’s happened, but if you feel like talking I’m here.”  Jenny offers quietly, just knowing from what she’s observed with the group of friends that everyone seems to be acting like they’re walking on egg shells and Tara doesn’t seem to be talking to anyone, even Faith, the one person Tara seemed to click more with than anyone else. 

Tara closes her eyes as tears come unbidden, barely able to keep them from falling at the teacher’s obvious caring and worry seeps into her from the gentle rubbing motion across her back.  “I… I…”  Tara takes a deep breath and slowly shakes her head.  “Th-thank y-you.” 

Jenny drops her hand as Tara leaves the room quickly, slowly following the blonde to the door and watches Tara disappear down the hallway that leads outside, instead of turning towards the library where she knows that the group is having a pre-holiday meeting to finalize their normal holiday meal plans along with patrolling plans.  The two slayers that had started off extremely antagonistic towards each other, then slowly seemed to come to some kind of agreement were, once again, pretty much at each others’ throat.  Having heard from Rupert about how the two young women had gone at each other… roughly two weeks ago.  Frowning slightly as she realizes something big had to have obviously happened two weeks ago, though not knowing what it is.  Rubbing a hand tiredly over her eyes, she turns back to her desk and pulls up the program trying to decipher the curse that gave Angelus back his soul all those years ago.

***

Faith stares at Buffy somewhat shocked that the slayer had just told their small group that Joyce and Dianna are a couple along with explaining that they had a serious thing going on back in college before going their separate ways and them coming back together recently. 

“Now, I’ve caused enough problems between them… and the rest of our group.”  Buffy glances quickly at Faith before her eyes slide over the empty chair that’s normally Tara’s seat whenever they have meetings, feeling her heart sink in her chest as she’d waited an extra fifteen minutes after what’s usually the end of Tara and Miss Calendar’s after school tutoring session only to find out from Miss Calendar that Tara had left the building a good twenty minutes earlier.  “So I need to know now if you have any problems with them being together.”

Giles wipes at his glasses once more, his thoughts not on Buffy and her comments but thinking about when the two slayer’s had literally almost beaten each other unconscious and Tara’s look when she’d split them up along with other comments and the fact that Tara wouldn’t talk to anyone, it all making a lot more sense now. 

“I mean… I sooo did not take it well and hurt everyone, Tara the most.”  Buffy whispers the last three words, jamming her hands in her jean’s pockets and looks down at the floor, feeling disgust at herself once again as she remembers how she went off on Tara and physically intimidated her.  Not able to forgive herself for the way she’d acted and the fact that Tara won’t talk to anyone making her believe in her heart that it may be an extremely long time before the blonde Wiccan forgives her, if ever. 

Willow stares at Buffy in disbelief, her mind trying to wrap around the fact that Mrs. Summers and Mrs. Maclay were dating each other, and from what Buffy said and actually even more didn’t say, they’d loved each other for around twenty years.  Her mouth closing from where it was open, a slow smile crosses her lips.  “That is so great that they found each other again, and are willing to give their love another chance.  How many people get a second chance at their first love?”  Willow bounces excitedly, extremely happy for the two older women. 

Faith tilts her head and has to smirk at the redhead, the girls brain going at LEAST a hundred miles an hour along with the way she jumped all over the fact that the two women had been and probably have been in love with each other over the whole time they were apart.  Figures that the redhead would have no problems with the two women, after all she’d seen the way Willow occasionally looked at Miss Calendar, and she definitely seemed to have a crush on that particular teacher.  Looking at Xander, Faith rolls her eyes at his obvious response to what he was told.  Then again, grinning hugely Faith decides to fuck with the young man.  “Yeah, two hot MILF’s together, you shoulda been there when B found out, now THAT was a camera worthy event, video camera.”  Faith grunts as she gets a whack from Buffy, having known it was going to come, but figuring it was worthwhile when she sees the bug-eyed, tongue lolling out, flushed face of the teenage boy.

“God, Faith!  I STILL cannot look at the couch without freaking out, so can you please not give more details than you already have?”  Buffy hisses into Faith’s ear after smacking the slayer hard on the shoulder. 

Faith snorts back a laugh and looks at the blonde slayer, the look in the hazel eyes makes her bark out a loud laugh as she realizes that Buffy’s being serious.  “What about sittin’ on it?”  Laughing even louder at the look of disgust pointed her way, Faith shrugs her shoulders and rocks the chair back and forth, resting her forearms on the back of the chair and rests her chin on it as she ignores the blonde slayer now pacing back and forth.

“Yes, well, I’m sure ALL of us could have done without that particular thought going through our heads.”  Giles sends a glare at the glaze-eyed Xander, fighting the urge to smack him upside the head to try and get that stupid look off his face.  “I dare say, the way everyone’s been acting lately makes a lot more sense now.”  Looking somewhat sadly at Buffy as the guilty look comes across Buffy’s face and seems to want to take up permanent residence there as she collapses in the chair beside Faith that normally Tara uses. 

Buffy collapses beside Faith, her eyes on the stack of books Faith’s been using to study as she gets prepared for her placement tests, sighing heavily she rubs a hand over her eyes.  “I appreciate everyone being okay with this.  Now, mom gave me a list of foodstuffs for you guys to pick through and decide who wants to bring what and she and Mrs. Maclay will fix the rest.”  Buffy digs the notebook page out of her pocket, handing it across to Giles as he holds his hand out, relief working through her at the acceptance of her friends as Xander goes for the rolls to buy, knowing he can’t really bake anything at his house and Giles and Willow discuss what they want to bring. 

***

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