Chapter 41

Buffy shakes her head.  “We’re walking you home, Julie.  No arguments.”  Buffy’s eyes dart to Faith and Tara, widening slightly. 

“Yeah, we usually walk around Sunnydale every night for exercise.  How do you think we stay so slim, trim and sexy?”  Faith wiggles her eyebrows as she runs a hand down her side, before yelping as Tara smacks her hard on the butt.  “FUCK!  I told ya’ to save that for home.”  Faith grumbles. 

Julie snorts and shakes her head.  “I thought it was all the calorie burning sex you two had.”

“Well, there is that.”  Faith agrees, nodding her head.  “But what’s her excuse?”  Faith questions, pointing at Buffy.  “She ain’t been laid properly in forever, if ever.” 

“FAITH!”  Buffy growls and smacks her hard on the shoulder as they slowly walk down the sidewalk. 

“More like ever.”  Tara murmurs a little too loudly and jumps back and grabs Faith to keep between her and Buffy as the slayer turns her narrowed gaze on her.  “I’m going to get in trouble for speaking the truth, aren’t I?”

“Yep.”  Faith smirks, before getting a gleam in her eyes as she looks from Buffy to Julie who’s trying her damnedest not to bust out laughing, though the woman has tears coming to her eyes as she tries to hold it in.  “Jules, you any good in the sack?  She needs a really good cork poppin’.”  Faith questions, before grunting as a partially slayer powered fist hits her in the stomach. 

“Damn it!”  Buffy blushes darkly, afraid to look at Julie who’s standing behind her now, the four women having come to a stop.

Julie finally lets the laughter out and the tears roll down her face as she wraps her arms around Buffy’s shoulders to hug her gently from behind.  “Let’s put it this way…  I’ve never had any complaints, and I’ve had a lot of repeat performances.”

Buffy whimpers and unconsciously leans back into the taller woman’s body, realizing her head fits perfectly just under Julie’s chin.  Realizing the woman has to be pretty close to 5’10”, give or take.  “I’m never going to live this down.”  Buffy finally pouts.

“Sure you will.  Eventually.”  Tara grins crookedly at Buffy, before gently rubbing her lover’s stomach.  “Did the big mean Buffy hurt my baby?”

“Yeah.  You gonna kiss it and make it all better?”  Faith questions, her voice low and husky. 

“What do you think?”  Tara chuckles as Buffy groans loudly.

“Not out here, please!”  Buffy warns, her eyes serious.  “The pheromones you two put off would probably have every de… person from here to the city limits coming after us.”  Buffy hurriedly corrects herself, as she almost slips.

Faith looks curiously at Julie for a few minutes, before glancing back at Buffy, before silently asking Tara if she thought Julie would be able to handle knowing about the supernatural. 

Tara considers what she knows about Julie and slowly nods her head.  “I think so, love.”

Julie frowns as she looks at the two women, Tara answering Faith almost as if the dark-haired woman had asked her a question, though knowing she didn’t hear Faith speak out loud.  As Tara continues to look at her with a considering thoughtful look on her face. 

Buffy furrows her brows as she looks from Faith to Tara and back again.  “Are you two thinking, what I think you’re thinking?”

“Probably.”  Faith answers, still considering the tall black haired woman.  “Got a question for you, Jul.”

Julie quirks her eyebrow at Faith and slowly nods her head.  “Shoot.”

“How do you feel about the supernatural?”  Tara questions softly.

Julie looks into Tara’s curious, but wary blue eyes.  Blinking as she realizes they’re being serious and not joking with her, she shrugs.  “I haven’t ever really thought about it.  I mean, if you’re talking psychics and the like, I do believe that there are people out there that really do see things, but I honestly believe ninety percent of the ones we know or hear about are just running some kind of scam.”

“True.”  Faith agrees with the woman.  “What about witches and supernatural beings, like say vampires or werewolves?”

“Well, I know Tara practices Wicca, if that’s what you’re talking about.  As for vampires and werewolves, they’re for television and movies.”  Julie looks curiously at the three women as they all seem to be exchanging looks.  “What am I missing here?”

“It’s not just a religion for me, Julie.  Though for most of the people it is.  It’s a way of life, and I can do magic.”  Tara whispers softly, deciding to let Julie know about her.  Figuring if she can’t believe in magic, real true magic, that there is no way she’d ever believe in vampires and demons. 

Julie stares at Tara and shakes her head.  “What, you mean you can make things disappear, or what?  Are you like that Magician… what was his name?”  Julie becomes unfocused as she tries to remember the guy’s name.  “David Copperfield, I think?”

“That’s tricks and illusions.”  Buffy finally speaks up, joining in the conversation.  “We are talking about real, honest to God magic here.”  Buffy looks at Tara with a questioning eyebrow.

“Levitate.”  Tara whispers softly in answer to Buffy’s silent question, watching as the blonde slayer lifts off the ground, Julie’s arms jerking back in surprise as Buffy’s head is now even with hers.  Slowly spinning Buffy around to look at Julie. 

“It’s real, and Tara is a practicing Wiccan.”  Buffy looks intently into Julie’s eyes as she stares at her in shock.  “No strings, no mirrors, no hocus pocus.  Just the real thing.”

Julie swallows hard, seeing what happened, knowing there was no way that these three women could be playing a hoax on her, but her mind not wanting to believe.  Staring straight into hazel eyes that are silently begging her to understand and not be scared, Julie blinks a couple times.  “Just Tara?”

Tara coughs lightly and gently lets Buffy back down on the ground.  “Not quite.  There’s a lot to us and our group.”

“A hell of a lot.”  Faith whispers, looking at Julie.  “It ain’t something we can tell you about all at one time.  And if we do, it’ll probably literally make your mind shut down.  But believe us, when we tell ya’, don’t go out at night by yourself.  It’s dangerous here in this town, especially.”

“If you can come to terms with what you’ve just seen and been told, I’ll be more than happy to talk to you some more about it.”  Buffy cautiously reaches for the woman’s forearm, sighing in relief as Julie doesn’t pull back. 

“Any of us.”  Tara adds, smiling gently at the tall woman. 

“What else can you do?”  Julie blinks and returns the smile.

Faith chuckles wickedly.  “More like what can’t she do?” 

“Behave.”  Tara wraps an arm firmly around Faith’s waist and indicates they should continue walking.  “A lot of things, actually.  But it isn’t like something I can just list off.  And I don’t like abusing my powers, because that way could lead to badness and addiction.” 

Julie frowns at the word.  “Addiction?”

“Yeah, like a drug addiction.  You get dependent on it, and before you know it, you can’t even brush your teeth without using it.  You become a slave to the power.  Instead of you controlling it, it controls you.”  Faith explains for Tara. 

“And obviously you two know about Tara’s ability.  But you don’t do magic?  So how did you find out?”  Julie looks from Faith to Buffy and back.

“Umm.”  Buffy shuffles slightly as they walk.  “We kind of have our own thing.”

Julie groans loudly and waves her hands around.  “Spit it out, already!”

“Well…”  Buffy whimpers and looks to Tara and Faith.  “If she runs screaming the other way, this is your fault.”  Taking a deep breath, Buffy stops walking and gently grasps Julie’s arm, to turn the woman to face her.  “Demons, as in vampires, werewolves and all kinds of other badness are real.  Very real.”  Buffy starts, watching the disbelief crossing Julie’s face.  “To fight the demons, they made what was called a slayer.  And she fought and killed the demons until one day she was killed.  Now, when she died, another one was called to replace her.  And it goes down through time where there’s always this one girl to fight against evil.”

Faith steps up beside Buffy.  “The slayer is stronger, faster and heals more quickly than normal humans do.  She has to, to fight the demons.  Their sense of smell is more sensitive, as is their hearing.”  Faith hints subtly, seeing if Julie will pick up on what she’s saying.

Julie blinks multiple times as Faith’s words sink in.  Looking from Buffy to Faith and back again, she shakes her head.  “So Faith is a slayer?  This girl that fights evil?”

“Not just Faith.”  Buffy admits quietly.  Seeing the confusion crossing Julie’s face, Buffy glances down and sighs heavily.  “My Sophomore year in high school, I fought this really old vampire and he killed me.  I drowned and my friend Xander resuscitated me, bringing me back.  But I was dead long enough that another slayer was called.”

Julie shakes her head in confusion, before looking back at Faith. “So that’s when you were called?”

“No.  There was another slayer before me.  She was killed by a wicked, crazy vampire.”  Faith admits, gently grasping Buffy’s shoulder as the slayer tenses.  “B, don’t make me say it.”

Buffy nods and slowly relaxes.  Seeing Julie watching her intently, she smiles nervously.  “I have guilt issues over her dying.”

“Yeah, she thinks she can be everywhere at the same time.  Kendra was a slayer, just like us, B.  She fought the good fight, and unfortunately it was her time to go.  One day it’ll be our time, too.”  Faith murmurs softly.

“Not for many, many, many years.”  Tara interjects, a stern note in her voice.  “Remember, you two are going to be the first slayers to die of old age.  And I’ll rip apart anyone that tries to keep that from happening.”

“Tare strikes again.”  Faith grins, turning to look at her lover.  “Gonna call you Momma Bear, you keep this up.”

Tara growls at Faith, but smiles and hugs her firmly.  “Like my family and want to keep them around forever.”  Tara whispers, burying her face in Faith’s neck. 

“You and me both, babe.”  Faith answers, hugging Tara tightly. 

Julie stands there trying to take in everything she was just told.  Having a hard time believing that the petite blonde standing in front of her nervously shifting from foot to foot, is an honest to god Superhero. 

Faith and Buffy both tense and start to look around.  Faith steps back from Tara, circling behind her lover as Buffy circles around behind Julie as they keep their eyes moving around to find the demon setting their senses off. 

Faith growls softly as she catches sight of a white blonde head.  “Fuck me!  I have a score to settle with this asshole.”  Faith snarls and takes off after Spike.

“Come on, before my lover rips him limb from limb.”  Tara urges Julie to follow her, Buffy chuckling behind them.

“I think he’s been laying low ever since he tried to eat you.”  Buffy laughs at the stare she gets tossed her way from Tara. 

“Eat you?”  Julie’s eyes widen.  “I thought you were into women only, Tara?”

“Not that kind of eat.”  Tara grumbles, her fingers caressing over the two pale scars on her neck from where Spike had tried to drain her.  “Hey honey, why don’t you do a little taste test and see how he likes you?”

Faith glances up from where she’s pounding on the vampire.  “You think?”

“Won’t hurt to try.”  Tara shrugs.

“’Kay.”  Faith pulls a knife from the back of her pants and cuts her palm.  “Open up Spike.  Free taste test.” 

“You bloody well beat my face in and now you wanna feed me?  Are you fuckin’ crazy, you stupid bint?”  Spike stares up in disbelief at the slayer, while wiping a hand over his right eye that blood was pouring into from the cut over his eyebrow. 

“Going… going…”  Faith starts to pull her hand away from where she’d been dangling it close to the vampire.

“Fuck!”  Spike grabs the hand, placing it against his lips and sucking hungrily on it, vamping out instantly at the taste of the sweet slayer blood.  Pulling in a mouthful and swallowing it, he finally shoves the slayer away and rolls over onto his hands and knees, crawling away to start heaving uncontrollably. 

“Hmm.  Interesting reaction.”  Tara walks up beside Faith, lifting her hand to gently inspect the wound. 

“It’ll heal in a couple hours, babe.  Don’t worry about it.”  Faith comments softly, her eyes on the vampire.  “Seems like something is happening, don’t it?  Maybe when it finishes going through me, I might just be poisonous to ‘em also.”

“Good.”  Tara murmurs, hugging Faith gently.  Before turning back to Julie who’s staring at the vampire in shock. 

“He… he… he…”  Julie tilts her head as he finally stops heaving and rolls onto his side, pulling his legs up tight against his chest in obvious pain.  The bumpy forehead, yellow eyes and the fangs protruding a dead giveaway as to what he is.

“Vampire.”  Buffy supplies, standing beside Julie.  “Though he’s been neutered.  He can’t hurt humans, or it sends nice little shock waves through his head.”

“But if he tried to…”  Julie looks at Tara, not understanding why the vampire would try and hurt Tara.

Tara sighs quietly, and runs a hand through her hair.  “I’m not exactly what you would consider human, Julie.”

“She’s Arwin.  But I prefer Legolas, since he was a blonde.”  Faith smirks as Tara swipes at her, bouncing just quickly enough to keep from getting smacked. 

Julie rubs a hand over her head as she starts to feel a headache threatening.  “Arwin, Legolas.  Lord of the Rings?”

“Yep.  Elves, you know, gorgeous, sexy elves with pointy ears.”  Faith wiggles her eyebrows as she sneaks in to quickly tuck some hair behind Tara’s ear before bouncing back as Tara growls at her.  “See…  Sexy ears!!” 

Julie has to laugh at Faith’s actions, before her eyes are drawn to Tara’s ears.  “I’ll be damned.”  Julie unconsciously moves closer to Tara and looks at the flesh.  Gently running a finger over it.  “Huh.”

Tara rolls her eyes and shakes her head.  “Everybody always wants to play with my ears.”

Faith snorts.  “Told ya’ they were sexy.”

“Just wait, slayer.”  Tara warns, her eyes darting to her lover. 

“Shit.”  Faith grumbles.  “I know, I know.  Paybacks are a bitch.”  Faith finally decides to check on Spike.  “You dead yet?”  She questions as she kneels beside the vampire, punching him hard in the shoulder.

“What…”  Spike mumbles, the pain horrible. 

“Seems I’m going through some changes, Spike.  Kinda becoming like Tara, if you get my drift.  I was just curious if my blood was changing too.”  Faith conversationally tells the vampire.  “So, are you going to live?  Or is it powerful enough to kill you?”

“Don’ts knowsss…”  Spike hisses out, curling up into an even tighter ball. 

“Want me to put you out of your misery?”  Faith questions, grinning at the vampire.  “You know, all this wouldn’t be happening if you didn’t try and drain my mate.  You do realize that, right?”

Spike nods his head.  “No dustssss.”  He lisps out between his fangs.  Thankful they didn’t know about his chip being pulled out, Adam finally taking it out the day before.  He’d already had a couple nice juicy snacks between last night and today and had been hunting for something else, trying to get the taste of pig’s blood out of his mouth.  It was just his bad luck to come upon this group. 

Buffy moves to stand over the vampire.  “Hey, Spike.  While we have you here.  What do you know about Adam?” 

Spike’s eyes widen slightly, as he stares at the slayer.

“Uh, huh.”  Faith catches the movement and slams her fist into the side of the vampire’s head, shaking her hand afterwards, it hurting somewhat. 

“Honey, don’t hurt yourself.  Grab a stick or rock or something, if you insist on hitting him in his hard head.”  Tara comments, rolling her eyes at her lover’s penchant for hitting the demons in the head.

Buffy smirks and kicks the vampire firmly between the legs, chuckling as she gets this high pitched wail from him in response.  “Always wanted to do that.”

“Kick him using your slayer strength.  See if you can make ‘em come out his nose.”  Faith suggests, her eyes still staring at Spike as his widen dramatically and he tries to move away, his hands covering his family jewels.

“Now that’s a thought.  Always wondered if that was one of those sayings that was based in fact.”  Buffy starts to follow after the vampire.

“WAIT!”  Spike cries out loudly, noticing the gleam of anger in both slayers’ eyes, knowing that they would make him hurt terribly before they would finally put a stake in him and kill him.  “He’s in the caves.  He’s keeping tabs on you three and can’t figure out what the witch is, other than a witch.  I ain’t told him nothin’ about her.”

“Hmm.  Sounds like he might have told him something about us, though doesn’t it, Faith?”  Buffy’s eyes flicker over to Faith.

“Yes, it does.”  Faith growls, about ready to pounce again on the vampire, before she’s stopped by Tara’s hand on her shoulder. 

“Maybe we should take him with us while we drop Julie off at home, then we can make him show us exactly where Adam’s lair is.  After that you two can have your fun with him.”  Tara suggests softly.

“I second that motion.”  Buffy nods her head, thinking that sounds like a great plan.  Moving up to the vampire’s head, she kneels down and slams her fist hard into his jaw, smirking as she hears a loud crack and the vampire’s body slumping as all the tension went out of him as soon as he became unconscious. 

“I ain’t carrying him.”  Faith shakes her head as Buffy looks up at her.  “You knocked his ass out, you get to carry him.”

“Fuck.”  Buffy grumbles.  “Knew I should have let you have that pleasure.”

Julie just watches the proceedings.  Her eyes glued on the small blonde as she grabs the vampire by one arm, easily pulling him up and tossing him over her shoulder.  Unconsciously licking her lips at the sight of the obvious strength of the woman, Julie allows a small grin to cross her face as she thinks about how to put that strength to use. 

Faith’s nose twitches slightly before turning to quirk an eyebrow at Julie.  Glancing back at Buffy, Faith smirks as Buffy blushes lightly.  “Uh, huh.  So, Jules.  Do you think you can handle us and the supernatural?”

“I think I might be persuaded to deal.”  Julie answers, her eyes not moving from Buffy as the blonde slayer strides towards her.  Swallowing hard as she notices a predatory gleam in the hazel gaze. 

“I can do persuasion.”  Buffy growls softly.  “Let’s go.  We have some work to do tonight, and I want Julie safe in her home.”

“Are we doing strictly a re-con mission, or are we going after him?”  Tara questions curiously.  “Because if we’re going to go after him, we need to be better prepared than we are.  I almost lost Faith to him, and I’ll be damned if we are going after him without everything we have with us.”

“Almost lost Faith?”  Julie questions, finally realizing there’s even more going on.  “Who’s Adam?”

“He’s a military experiment gone extremely bad.”  Buffy quietly explains, as Julie leads the way to her house, about Adam and more or less everything they knew about him.  Faith taking over and telling about the fight she’d had with him and how Tara had fixed her up. 

“And no, I don’t think so.  You two have to work tomorrow, and when we go up against Adam, it would be best to do it on a Friday night.  That way everyone has the weekend to recover.”  Buffy looks at the two women.  “I know we have the magical thing going on, along with our normal slayer healing, but…”

“Better to be safe than sorry.”  Tara slowly nods her head, agreeing with Buffy.  “Plus we should probably let Giles know what’s going on, get his input and it probably wouldn’t hurt to have some other back up.”

“No.  We’ll probably need all the firepower we can get.”  Faith agrees.  “He’s a dead aim with the cross-bow.  Xan ain’t too bad with one, either for that matter.”

“I can probably have Willow learn a protection circle to protect the three of them.  She’s powerful she just hasn’t learned the control yet.”  Tara thinks about it, knowing one simple spell that would pretty much put up a barrier around the witch and the other two, as long as she keeps contact with them.  It would allow them to send things out of the barrier, but nothing physical to come in.  The only drawback is if someone does magic against them.

“How long would it take for her to learn?”  Buffy questions curiously as they walk up the sidewalk to a nice single story house.

“Not long.  Learning it isn’t the problem it’s modulating her power to where she feeds it gradually into the barrier that might give her a bit of trouble.”  Tara admits.  “I’ll talk to her and have her come over soon, so I can help her with it.  It might take a few hours for me to feel comfortable with her on her own.”

“Here, B.”  Faith grabs Spike from Buffy and winks at the other slayer.  “Say ‘night to your girlfriend.”  Faith whispers softly, before turning and heading back down the walkway, Tara following her as they leave Julie and Buffy standing on the porch.

“Ummm.  So, would you maybe want to go out again?”  Buffy questions hesitantly.

Julie groans softly at the small blonde looking up at her through her lashes almost shyly.  “Just so you know you confuse the hell out of me.”  Julie comments quietly.  Seeing the confused look crossing Buffy’s face Julie chuckles softly.  “You go from being shy, to being sexual, to being a damn predator, to being very strong and I don’t mean in a physical sense, even though you obviously are.” 

Buffy smiles quickly before blushing lightly as she looks down at the ground.  “Sorry.”

“God!  Don’t be sorry.  I love a challenge.”  Julie admits, tilting Buffy’s chin up to look into her eyes for a few minutes.  “And I’m not ending this date on a simple kiss, either.”  Julie warns softly right before dipping in and capturing Buffy’s lips with hers.

Buffy groans and practically melts into the taller woman’s body as Julie’s lips caress over hers.  Threading her hands behind Julie’s neck, Buffy tilts her head for a better fit.  Opening her mouth to the questing tongue, Buffy growls softly deep in the back of her throat at the deeply intense kiss that seems to go on forever.  

Julie finally pulls away, panting heavily as she looks down into desire-filled hazel eyes.  “Day-um.”  She finally whispers after getting her vocal chords to work.  “Definitely going out again.”  Julie murmurs, smiling softly, before it’s her turn to groan as Buffy pulls her back in for another intense battle of wills.

Tara and Faith look at each other, grinning, before turning their back on the display to give the two women some privacy.  “She’s a goner.” 

“You think?”  Tara chuckles and presses a quick kiss to Faith’s cheek.  “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”  Faith wraps an arm around Tara’s waist as the two women lean against each other, waiting for Buffy to finish making out with Julie.

***

Chapter 42

Buffy paces back and forth in front of the veterinary clinic, debating on going in.  Knowing it’s getting close to their lunch time, she runs her fingers through her hair again.  She’d already stopped by Giles’ and gave him the low down of what was happening and he was gathering all the supplies he thought they might need.  Everyone is meeting at her mom’s house at six.  And Spike was a dust pile in her back yard.  Shaking her head at remembering Faith beating the hell out of the vampire to get what information he had out of him, and the idiot vampire letting it slip that Adam had removed his chip. 

After they were positive they had all the information on Adam that Spike knew, along with a good idea of exactly where Adam is, Faith had looked at Tara questioningly, Buffy knowing now that Faith had silently questioned her lover whether or not she wanted to dust the vampire.  When Tara had shook her head, Faith had finally put the bleached blonde vampire out of his misery. 

Licking her lips as she stops and looks in the front glass window, Buffy remembers the kisses she and Julie had shared last night before Julie had finally slipped into her house and Buffy had joined Faith and Tara as they silently made their way back to Buffy’s house.  The two women actually behaving and didn’t pick on her about the half hour she’d spent making out with Julie.  Getting lost again in the remembrance of the feel of the woman’s mouth against hers, and her body pressed against her own Buffy almost jumps, barely stopping herself as a low, sexy voice whispers in her ear.

“Practically standing on the street corner might give a person the wrong idea.”  Julie practically purrs into Buffy’s ear, smirking as the slayer whimpers and ends up leaning back into her.  “Faith and Tara ordered like a dozen pizzas for lunch.  Want to join us?”

“In a minute.”  Buffy murmurs softly, slowly turning around to face Julie.  Drinking in the sight of the tall woman, enjoying the quirked lips and the mischief dancing in the pale blue eyes.  Shifting closer, Buffy tilts her head up to take in the taller woman’s features.  The sharp cheekbones, full pink lips, the patrician nose all framed by loose black hair. 

Watching as Buffy licks her lips Julie closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.  “How do you feel about PDA’s?”

“All for them.”  Buffy whispers quickly while reaching up to brush her fingertips along one of the prominent cheekbones. 

“Between two women?”  Julie leans in closer to Buffy.

“Any particular two women?” Buffy’s breath hitches slightly.  “’Cause Faith and Tara do it all the time.  It’s almost commonplace with them.”

“I was thinking two women that are a little closer to home.”  Julie’s lips twitch at the slayer’s comment about Faith and Tara, having to admit she’s caught them a couple times in a corner getting a little heavy since Faith started working at the clinic. 

“Home?  I don’t know if my mom’s ever been interested in a woman before.”  Buffy doesn’t even try to fight the smile crossing her face at the groan she receives in response to her words.  “Though, it would make sense with some of the comments she’s made in the past, along with how she didn’t even blink at Faith and Tara hooking up.”

“Buffy?”  Julie finally says the slayer’s name with a questioning note in her voice. 

“Yeah?”  Buffy blinks up at the woman. 

“Shut up.”  Julie murmurs before leaning down to close the distance between them, kissing Buffy firmly.

Buffy’s lips curl up in a smile as Julie’s press against hers.  Sliding one hand through the silky black hair Buffy steps in to press her body firmly against Julie’s while grasping her hip with her other hand and deepening the kiss.  Feeling Julie’s arms wrapping around her waist, Buffy growls into the kiss as Julie pulls her even tighter against her body.

Faith and Tara both peek out at the two women, before sneaking back to the break room.  Seeing the questioning looks coming from the rest of the group, Faith shrugs. 

“I think she’ll be in, in a few minutes.”  Tara murmurs, trying not to laugh as Faith grabs one of the pizzas and drags it in front of her, growling softly as Josh reaches for a piece out of it.  “I’d suggest grabbing another one, Josh.”  Tara chuckles and grabs a slice of supreme pizza, placing it on her plate before grabbing a couple cans of soda, setting one in front of Faith while settling beside her lover to work on her piece of pizza. 

***

Buffy blushes as she slowly follows Julie into the break room, the woman practically dragging her into the room. 

“There’re a couple pizzas left.”  Tara waves to the table, where everyone except Faith had pretty much had their fill.  Her lover having finished the large pizza she’d dragged in front of her originally and was grabbing slices out of whatever is left. 

“Thanks.”  Buffy looks at Faith who just smirks at her.  Groaning quietly, she settles in the chair Julie’s grabbed for her and accepts the soda she hands her.  “Thank you.”

Julie smiles back and winks at Buffy as she settles beside the blonde slayer and looks at the pizzas left.  “Can I have a slice of that pepperoni pizza?”

Buffy grabs the box, and lets Julie pull a slice out of it before she grabs the last slice and puts it on her plate.  Adding it to the stack of empty boxes, Buffy grabs a couple more slices from the assorted boxes and settles in to eat. 

“So, Doc…”  Faith starts after wiping her mouth, a gleam of mischief in her eyes.  “Where are you takin’ Mrs. S tonight?” 

Buffy almost chokes on her piece of pizza, this being the first she’s heard of the Doctor taking her mom out.  Her head snaps to stare at Faith before her eyes narrow on the doctor.

Doctor Roberts’ eyes widen as Buffy looks at him menacingly.  “Dinner and maybe a movie.”  He answers, swallowing the slight wave a fear he feels as hazel eyes pin him.

“When did this happen?  And why am I just now finding out about it?”  Buffy grumbles, before turning her head to look at Julie as the woman places a calming hand on her thigh. 

“She’s a grown up, Buffy.  Surely she can go out on dates.”  Julie comments softly, her eyebrow quirked.

“No.  You don’t understand.  Badness ensues whenever my mom finds someone to date.”  Buffy grumbles, her mind flitting back to Ted, and what happened between her mom and Giles.  Shivering uncontrollably at that thought again, Buffy shakes her head and looks back at the Doctor.  “If you turn into some mean, evil robot or do weird things on police cars, I’m coming after you!!”

Faith almost spits out the soda she’s drinking at Buffy’s comments.  Laughing, she looks at the slayer and shakes her head. 

Doctor Roberts blinks at the woman and runs what she said through his mind again, starting to wonder about her sanity.  “Nooo.  Not planning on either of those things.”  He hesitantly murmurs then turns to Faith as she snorts and covers her mouth as Tara buries her face against the dark-haired woman’s shoulder, obviously shaking with laughter.  “How come I feel like there’s a joke here and I’m missing it?”

Julie stares in shock at Buffy, with what she’d learned the night before, realizing that Buffy was serious.  Those two things had happened to her mother!  Making a little mental note to question either Buffy or Joyce about the police car comment, Julie fights the smile trying to cross her face as she picks up a piece of pizza.

“Inside joke, Doc.”  Faith’s lips twitch as she tries to keep from laughing, but the merriment in her eyes gives her away.

He narrows his gaze on the dark-haired woman, shifting his eyes to Tara who’s quietly laughing, but refusing to look at him to Buffy who’s grumbling quietly under her breath.  Running a hand through his hair he shakes his head.  “Well, thank you for lunch, Faith and Tara.  I’m going to catch up on some paperwork until the next round of patients show up.”

Josh, Mike and Sandra excuse themselves after thanking the two women also. 

Tara and Faith finally let the laughter out as they lean against each other, laughing even harder at the look of disgust coming from Buffy.

“It isn’t funny!  You know I thought I killed Ted by shoving him down the stairs and come to find out he was an evil robot!!  Then Giles…”  Buffy shivers uncontrollably again.  “That was just sooooo wrong.”

“But they were under a spell when that happened.”  Faith points out, wiping the tears from her face from where she’d been laughing so hard.  “And how was anyone to know Ted was actually a robot?  I mean, from what you guys told me, he was slipping shit into the food he was cooking to make everyone like him.”

“Yeah, except me.  I refused to eat it!”  Buffy grumbles, before smiling apologetically at Julie.  “Lots of shit that’s happened, we seem to be a magnet for it.”

“Not you.  The Hellmouth.”  Tara murmurs, still fighting the laughter coursing through her.  “I can’t believe Joyce didn’t tell you she was going out on a date with Doctor Roberts.”

“Yeah, I noticed this past week she’s neglecting to tell me a lot of things.”  Buffy pouts, before smiling as Julie leans against her.

“But hopefully some of those things are turning out to be good things.” Julie brushes her lips over Buffy’s ear as she makes the comment, chuckling as she hears the low whimper coming from the slayer. 

“Uh, huh.”  Buffy leans into the taller woman and fights to keep from turning her head and kissing the woman silly.  Her desire high, with the kisses they’d shared and the hand playing teasingly over her thigh.  Not able to take the teasing anymore, Buffy grasps the hand and threads their fingers together. 

Julie smiles as the small, strong hand holds hers.  Looking at Buffy for a minute, she glances over at Faith and Tara as they both grin at them.  Rolling her eyes she finally just shrugs.  “So are you guys going to do that thing tonight?”

Buffy looks questioningly at the two women and they just tilt their head back and look at her.  “I guess it depends on what happens tonight when we all get together.  Tara and Willow have to work on that one thing.  So I guess, ultimately it boils down to how comfortable Tara is with Willow.”

“You coulda phrased that better.”  Faith grumbles quietly.  “Don’t want my woman comfortable with Red.”

Tara chuckles and rests her head on Faith’s shoulder, patting her leg gently.  “You know better than that.  While the rest of you go over the plans, I’ll take Willow out to the back yard and help her.  Hopefully there won’t be any problem.  I’d rather get this taken care of before he gathers more forces.”

“Yeah.  I like the fact we already pissed him off by taking out a lot of his buddies.  Though I don’t like the fact that the soldier boys let a lot of the supposedly ‘harmless’ demons go that they had modified.  If he could take out Spike’s controlling chip, he can do it to the other ones.”  Faith comments, her voice low and angry at the thought.

“So the sooner we do this, the better.”  Buffy agrees as she sighs quietly.  “Are you two going to do that thing?”  Buffy looks towards the door, not wanting to flat out say it and wording around stuff like they had been doing.

“No.  Not unless we have to.”  Tara clasps Faith’s thigh firmly.  “We’ll try and deal with the situation without forcing the other issue.”

Buffy nods her head in understanding, the two women having clued her into the whole ‘elf’ information that they’d come across and what it meant as far as they knew.  Though the thought of Faith becoming a parent boggles her mind Buffy knows Tara would definitely be a good parent. 

Julie looks questioningly at Tara. 

“Something to do with my… uniqueness.”  Tara lifts her hand to her ear and smiles softly at the woman.  “We really have a lot to talk about, and tell you.  But it isn’t something that can be done in a short amount of time.  For everything we tell you about, it’ll bring up another twenty questions.”

“You’re tellin’ me.”  Faith throws an arm around Tara’s shoulders and scoots her chair closer to her lover.  “After we get this shit cleared up, maybe we can get together and cook out or somethin’ and have a get together to talk about shit.  Give you a run-down of some of the stuff, if you want.”

“I would like that.”  Julie smiles at the dark-haired slayer.  Sighing heavily she turns to look at Buffy who’s been playing with the fingers of the hand she’s holding.  “I guess we should go back to work.” 

“Come on, babe.  Let’s gather this trash and take it out to the dumpster.”  Faith hugs Tara briefly while mentally sending her a note to let the two women have some time alone, smiling at the chuckle she gets in response. 

Buffy and Julie watch as Faith and Tara quickly gather all the trash and head out of the room, pulling the door closed behind them.

“Was that their way of giving us some time alone?”  Julie blinks before groaning deeply at the hungry look coming from Buffy.

“Yes.”  Buffy answers simply before cupping the woman’s neck with one hand after shifting to face Julie and pulling her down to kiss her thoroughly, diving straight in with teeth and tongue to nip on the flesh available while soothing it with her tongue.

After Buffy finally releases her, Julie leans back, her eyes closed and panting heavily as her tongue darts out to lick her swollen, tender lips.  Half tempted to dive back in for one of the most erotic, fulfilling kisses she’s ever had. 

Buffy gets control of her breathing quickly and places another soft kiss on Julie’s lips as she stands.  “I better go before we end up locking the door and doing a hell of a lot more than kiss.”

Julie whimpers as decidedly decadent thoughts come to her.  “Come by the house tomorrow and let me know what happened.  Or hell, whenever you want to stop by, you have an open invitation.”  Julie whispers, finally dragging her eyes open to stare at the flushed and obviously aroused woman. 

“You may regret that.”  Buffy warns softly, before dipping down to kiss her firmly again before finally heading towards the door.  “But I’ll take you up on your offer, if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”  Julie smiles back as Buffy grins at her before she heads out of the room.  Groaning as she almost melts into the chair, Julie looks up at the ceiling.  “God!  That woman can kiss!  Wonder what else she can do?”  Julie whimpers at her thoughts before trying to make them go away so she can get back to work.  Having a gut feeling that she isn’t going to be too terribly ‘with it’ this afternoon.  Thankful that they usually go light on appointments on Friday afternoons, so they have a chance to get some other stuff caught up.

***

Buffy makes her way quickly to the Art Gallery.  Striding through the building, she smiles at a couple of the employees and customers before checking to make sure her mom’s not on the phone or with someone before easing into her office to sit down across from her with her arms across her chest.

Joyce blinks as she looks at her daughter.  Seeing the narrowed gaze, she looks questioningly at Buffy.  “What?”

“When the hell were you going to tell me you were going on a date?”  Buffy growls softly, having to admit she likes the veterinarian, and knew if anything was ‘hinky’ with him, that Faith or Tara would have figured it out by now.  But she still has the urge for some payback with what her mom had pulled with Julie. 

Joyce purses her lips and looks anywhere but at her daughter.  “After I found out how it went?” 

“Not good enough.”  Buffy stretches out and props her feet up on her mom’s desk.  “Where’s he taking you to eat?”

Joyce drops her head onto the desk and pounds it lightly.  “The little Italian place off Fifth.”  She finally answers, knowing Buffy won’t let up until she gets the information from her.

“Nice.  What movie are you going to see?”  Buffy fights the smile wanting to cross her face at the groan she gets from her mom.

“How did you find out?”  Joyce finally questions lifting her head to look at her daughter, the smirk slowly crossing Buffy’s face. 

“Went by the clinic to see Julie, and ended up having lunch.  Faith spilled the beans when she asked the Doctor where he was taking you.”  Buffy admits, finally chuckling at the light blush crossing her mom’s face.  “You have any problems, you know what to do.”  Buffy finally pulls her feet off her mom’s desk and stands, heading towards the door, she stops for a second.  “I like him, mom.” 

Joyce blinks in surprise at Buffy’s words and watches as her daughter disappears.  “Well, I’ll be…”  Joyce shakes her head, before something Buffy said sinks in.  “You went to see Julie?”  Joyce almost cackles at the thought.  “Can mom pick ‘em or what?” 

***

Chapter 43

Adam yells unintelligibly as he can’t make contact with the vampire, knowing there’s only one reason why he can’t locate him.  Mentally berating himself for not having a 24/7 watch on the vamp, Adam unconsciously snarls.  Slamming his fists down on top of the computers, he spins around, striding back and forth as his processors sift through what information he has.  The ease that he’d taken out the dark-haired slayer with, he isn’t really worried about either one of them.  But the witch… the witch is another story.  Her magic is something he hasn’t been able to come up with a hundred percent proof counter-measure for.    

“RACK!!”  He growls loudly, turning to face the back of the caves.  Watching as the half warlock, half Valderra Demon clambers towards him quickly.  Smirking at the remembrance of having lucked across the Warlock, able to knock him out and do the genetic changes to him, along with putting a controlling chip in him. 

“Yes, sir.”  Rack rests back on his haunches as he looks up at the tall construct that is his tormentor and boss.  Dearly wanting to take him out, but the chip not allowing him to harm the monster.  The damn thing whistles and he has to come running.

“Have you prepared the spell?”  Adam’s eyes narrow as he takes in the squatting hybrid.

“Yes, I have.  Though going by what you have movie wise, we’re taking a chance that it might not work.  We don’t know how powerful she really, truly is.”  Rack explains for the hundredth time. 

“I KNOW THAT!  You have to incapacitate her long enough for me to take her out.  The slayers won’t be any trouble for me, and you have to do everything in your powers, even if it means draining yourself completely to give me the edge!”  Adam snarls as he reaches down to lift the hybrid up and shake him none-too-gently.  “UNDERSTOOD?”

“Yes, s-s-sir.”  Rack stutters and whimpers as he winces, waiting to be thrown into the wall again.  His new body doesn’t break when that happens, but the pain he receives is unimaginable. 

“Hostile seventeen is gone.  I can only assume that the slayers got a hold of him and made him talk.  Make your preparations and go to the trees like we planned.”  Adam orders him before turning back to the computer and punching in codes quickly to bring what few demons he can get control of to the Cave.  “It’s time to bring what few of my brethren are left home to the fold.”  He whispers, his eyes darting between the different maps and what ‘fixed’ demons are left.  The override already in place with pictures of the two slayers and the witch being downloaded into their brains to fight to their last dying breath to take them out.

“Well, let’s see what shakes loose.”  Adam rumbles deeply as he finishes his last preparations, knowing that’s all he can do.

***

Faith steps up to the back door listening as Tara explains to Willow what she wants her to do, her lover being patient along with being exact with her instructions of what needs to be done while monitoring Willow’s magic levels. 

“How’s it going?”  Buffy questions softly as she steps up behind Faith. 

“She’s getting there.  Tara’s lettin’ me monitor what she’s saying and doing, but she insisted on me putting up my blocks so she wouldn’t get distracted by my thoughts.”  Faith admits, leaning her forehead against the glass.  “I know most people and demons can’t do magic, but it still worries me a bit that something might throw something at the three of them when we’re doing this.”

Buffy clasps Faith’s shoulder and squeezes it gently, part of her amazed at how close they had become, and the same part wondering how much of it was because they didn’t try hard enough with Faith to make her a part of their group.  “This is our best chance, Faith.  Tara’s planning on being between them and us, to be there to help whoever needs it the most.  You have the same abilities Tara does, plus your slayer strength and agility.  You and me going after Frankenstein is the best bet while everyone else is back up, more or less.”

“Yeah.  Plus she’s going to have that incantation ready at a moment’s notice to finish bringing us to full power, if she has to.”  Faith admits quietly, knowing that she probably wouldn’t be able to perform it, if she’s in the middle of getting her ass kicked by the behemoth. 

“Do you have any idea how strong you’ll be?”  Buffy questions curiously.

“No.”  Faith answers simply.  “But between my having Tara’s magical abilities, her memories and now this happening.”  Faith tucks her hair behind her ear, showing that it was becoming more pointy.  “Nothing much will surprise me, unless I grow a tail or something.”

Deciding a touch of levity is called for, Buffy grins and shrugs.  “Knowing you two, you’ll probably find a use for it, if you do develop tails.”

Faith snorts at the comment.  “We probably would.”  Faith reaches up and gently pats Buffy’s hand before shifting and easing by her to hop onto the island watching her.  “So, what’s up with you and the Xena wanna-be?”

Buffy moans deeply.  “Damn.  She drives me insane.”  Buffy admits shifting and leaning against the wall with her ankles crossed looking at Faith, but not really seeing her as she pictures the woman.  Just now admitting that in a way, she does look a bit like that actress that plays Xena.  Which, of course, is sooo not a bad thing Buffy decides mentally grinning at the thought.  “I like her, a lot.”  Buffy finally whispers. 

“Good.  She seems nice.”  Faith smirks at the glazed look coming across Buffy’s eyes.

“Yeah and boy can she kiss.”  Buffy finally rubs a hand over her forehead to get thoughts of the woman’s lips out of her mind.  “Do all women kiss that good?”

Faith chuckles and shakes her head.  “Hell if I know, B.  Tare about knocks my socks off when she kisses me, though.  And I do become a major puddle when she’s into the serious lip-lock mode.”

Buffy groans and covers her face with both hands.  “That’s not a picture I needed in my head, Faith.” 

Faith chuckles.  “Damn, B.  You’ve seen it and smelled it.  What’s the big about me admitting it?”

“Damned if I know.”  Buffy finally grumbles between her fingers.  “But it always confuses the hell out of me that you’re the one that’s usually naked and obviously having been royally…”  Buffy blushes darkly and shakes her head.  “And Tara’s usually still dressed and grinning like the cat that got the canary.”

“Cream.”  Faith smirks as she corrects Buffy and the slayer growls at her.  “You just time it wrong, B.  Plus Tare will get dressed instead of strutting around the house naked if you’re coming over.”

“And you don’t?”  Buffy questions, already knowing the answer.

Faith’s smirk grows huge and she wiggles her eyebrows at the slayer.  “I like to irritate in a different way from my lover.  She likes to verbally abuse you, while I like the more visual approach.”

“Figures.”  Buffy shakes her head and takes a deep breath as she glances out the window.  “Giles better hurry up with that Chinese.  I’m getting hungry.”

“If he can keep Xan from eating it before he gets back here.”  Faith chuckles and hops down from the island to grab a water out of the refrigerator.  “Want one?”

“Please.”  Buffy accepts the water and twists off the cap to sip on it.  “Do you think things are moving too quickly between me and Julie?”

Faith blinks in surprise at the question coming from Buffy.  “Why?  Do you?”

Buffy shrugs and looks seriously at Faith.  “I like her, Faith.  I mean, really like her.”

“B, we got short life-spans, no matter what Tare wants to say or think.  If you like her, go for it.  She’s obviously willin’, and more than interested.”  Faith offers matching the other slayer’s tones.  “You’ve had shit for a love life, B.  You’re due for something good to happen.”

Buffy smiles and nods her head.  “Thanks, Faith.”

Faith shrugs and hops back on the island as she drinks her water, tuning back in more fully to what Tara and Willow are doing while letting Buffy think about what they’d discussed.

***

Tara finally pats Willow gently on the shoulder.  “I think you have a good basis to work from.  Short of working on it for a couple weeks, there’s not much more that we can do.” 

Willow exhales softly and slowly nods her head.  “I never realized how much hard work it is to modulate my magic.  I’m just used to…”

“Trying to force it.”  Tara grins crookedly at the redhead.  “You try to overpower the spell by using too much strength, when a steady, slow amount will get you further faster.  When this is all over with, I’d like for us to start getting together at least once a week for a couple hours so we can continue your learning.  I could tell you’ve been working on your meditations, and have obviously read the books I gave you.”

“Goddess, yes!  Though I do have some questions on some of the things.”  Willow stands and brushes her jeans off from where the two women had been sitting across from each other on the ground while Tara taught her the spell and worked on helping her learn to monitor the power she fed into it. 

“Questions are good.  When people don’t have questions, is when I get worried.”  Tara groans and slowly stretches her back.  Laughing as it finally pops. 

“Watch out, I think you’re about to be attacked.”  Willow warns as Faith comes barreling out of the house.

“Probably.”  Tara chuckles as she feels Faith drop the shields she’d been keeping her thoughts and emotions behind for her.  Laughing delightedly as Faith picks her up and spins her around, Tara wraps her arms around her lover’s neck. 

“Don’t like keeping you blocked.”  Faith buries her face in Tara’s neck.  “And it might be a while before I can get lovings, so I’d like to get some kisses before I tell you the food’s here.”

“Ohhh.  And you haven’t eaten yet?”  Tara smiles as Faith lets her slide down her body to land on her feet. 

“No.  I was waitin’ for you, though the rest of them were piling up their plates.”  Faith lifts her hand to brush her thumb over Tara’s cheek as she listens to Willow shut the door quietly behind her as she finally makes it back in the house after hesitating to watch them for a few seconds.  “I know what you think, but I want you to say it.  Can she do it?”

Tara nods her head.  “She can.  I wish we had a couple weeks to work with her some more, but we don’t have the time.”  Tara relaxes into her lover and presses a soft kiss against Faith’s lips.  “She has a lot of power inside her, so her running out doesn’t really worry me.”

“No, as long as she doesn’t go full throttle.”  Faith rubs her cheek against Tara’s. 

“Yeah.”  Tara smiles as she feels Faith pressing soft kisses slowly down her jaw line.  Hearing her lover’s stomach grumble, Tara chuckles softly.  “Let’s feed the beast.”

“Which one?”  Faith grumbles, nipping gently on Tara’s chin before sighing quietly.  “Don’t even bother answering that.  Let’s eat, babe.  We’ve got some serious Frankenweenie ass to kick.”

“Thank the Goddess we’re not eating hot dogs.”  Tara smacks Faith firmly on the ass and hurriedly strides towards the house.

“You’ll pay for that.”  Faith calls after Tara, grinning as she hears the laughter coming from her lover.  Striding after Tara, Faith takes a deep breath, knowing that the fun and games are about to be over for the night. 

***

Tara paces back and forth as they wait for Buffy and Faith to come back to them while they scout ahead of the rest of the group to make sure Adam is in the caves.  They had already come across two different demons on the way up to the caves, Faith and Buffy taking them on and dispatching them within fifteen minutes. 

Silently wondering what other surprises the Adam construct has in store for them, Tara keeps her eyes peeled while Willow’s already working on the protective spell around her, Giles and Xander as she holds the ropes they’d tied around both men.  Realizing as long as she was in touch with something that was touching them that the spell worked, and this option gives them a lot more room to maneuver.  The scope of the spell literally adjusting to expand automatically to three feet ahead of whoever’s furthest out, in a perfect circle around them. 

Running her hands through her hair as she checks Faith’s thoughts without being intrusive, she has to smile at the mental bitching her lover is doing about the long hike to the caves.  Shaking her head as she thinks about how much running Faith does, and she’s bitching about a couple mile hike through the woods. 

***

“Something or things have been through here recently.”  Faith barely breathes the words as she and Buffy work their way slowly and cautiously towards the caves, stopping frequently whenever they hear something that gives them pause.  “Fuckin’ hate the woods.”

“You and me both.”  Buffy answers just as softly.  “Too many places for things to hide and disappear to.  Plus my damn senses have been going crazy for the last thirty yards or so.”

“Yeah, me too.”  Faith admits, though not hearing, seeing or smelling anything.  “I think he’s here, B.  Got that low down feeling.”

Buffy sighs, knowing what Faith’s talking about, as she feels it too.  “Let’s go back and grab the rest of the group.”  Buffy growls softly, really not liking the fact that she can’t get a bead on whatever is setting off her senses.

“Double time?”  Faith questions as both women split off and work their way around, heading back towards the rest of the group.

“Definitely.”  Buffy answers as she picks up her pace and the two women work their way quickly back to the group on a parallel course, unconsciously keeping track of each other while making sure nothing comes after them.

***

Chapter 44

“They’re on their way back.”  Tara sighs quietly.  “Let’s go meet them partway, but keep the shield up just to be on the safe side, Willow.  You’re doing great.”  Tara smiles quickly at the redhead as she smiles nervously at her. 

“Thanks.”  Willow breathes a sigh of relief at the praise as she follows behind Giles, who surprisingly enough almost seemed in his element with the crossbow in his hands and the other weapons tucked around his body with the bag tossed over his shoulder.

Tara follows at a short distance from the protective barrier surrounding them, keeping an eye open to make sure nothing sneaks up from behind.  Silently worrying about the fact both Buffy and Faith had felt some kind of demon or presence, but couldn’t figure out where it was. 

Sighing in relief as they finally meet up with Faith and Buffy, Tara’s eyes caress over her lover, noticing the somewhat disheveled looking woman, knowing from what she’d felt that her and Buffy both had tangled with a couple more demons as they’d made their way back to them. 

“Make sure you keep that shield up, Red.”  Faith gruffly comments as she works her way outside the group as Buffy stops to discuss what they know, came across and what their feelings were in regards to what they’d seen.  “How you doing, babe?”  Faith gently brushes a thumb down Tara’s neck as she looks into worried blue eyes. 

“You’re worried, and it has me worried.”  Tara admits as they move slightly away from the rest of the group, so they can talk privately. 

“Something is there.  We don’t know what, and it gives me a different feel from Frankenweenie.  I want you to be careful.”  Faith tilts her head against Tara’s, closing her eyes for a few seconds, just to breathe her lover’s scent in, until she hears Buffy bringing her conversation to an end with Giles.  “We’re ready to head out again.  I’ll always be in contact.”  Faith whispers, tapping her head before pressing a quick, firm kiss to Tara’s lips as she waves her lover to follow behind Xander who had been sneaking them looks as they talked.  Still having to chuckle at the obvious reaction the young man always has whenever he’s around them.  Getting a wicked grin as she thinks about what he’ll do when he sees B and Jules together.

“Spontaneous combustion.”  Tara murmurs to Faith’s thoughts.

“Oh, yeah.  I can’t wait to see it, either.”  Faith finally shifts back a little further while continuing to listen and feel for anything in the forest.

Buffy stays about ten yards ahead of the group, occasionally whispering to Faith if she notices anything out of place, so the woman can double-check it when she came upon it.  As they get closer to the caves, Buffy feels the hair standing up on her neck, again.  The same feeling she and Faith had when they were there previously.  Whispering again to let Faith know, Buffy’s eyes search the area from the ground up into the trees, though the darkness makes it hard to see, and knowing it would be easy for something to blend into the thick canopy overhead, if it was able to climb.

Faith growls softly, really not liking the feelings she’s getting, but knowing they’re going to have to continue with this.  They can’t leave this freak of nature to run loose and cause God only knows what kind of trouble.  Having faith in her lover, and the rest of the group to stay alive, Faith strides along as they come closer to the cave where the feeling changes and she knows they’re getting close to Adam.  Softly whispering to Buffy that that’s the damn asshole that she’s feeling while reassuring Tara mentally as she can almost feel the woman stiffening through her thoughts. 

As they arrive outside the caves, Willow, Giles and Xander spread out as much as they can facing out into the woods they’d just come through, able to see just enough, as the full moon shines down peaking through the trees and the gaps. 

Tara shifts inwards, more towards the caves, glancing up at the trees surrounding them, sighing quietly as she has the urge to light up the whole area to see if anything’s hiding, but knowing she can’t as that would be a dead giveaway.  “Be careful.”  Tara whispers as she watches Buffy and Faith hesitate at the front of the cave’s entrance, that’s calling to both of their slayer’s senses. 

“You, too.”  Buffy slowly enters the cave.

Faith hesitates for a moment, looking intently at Tara, before following Buffy.

Tara smiles sadly at the love and worry coming from Faith as she follows Buffy into the cave.  Settling in to wait and keep her senses open as much as she can she smiles as Willow babbles nervously, albeit quietly to Xander and Giles.  Xander shifting as he looks around while keeping the crossbow pointed to the ground in front of him, smiling at the young man that has a heart of gold.  Turning her gaze to Giles, she tilts her head in consideration.  From things she’d heard the group talking about and some of the comments Faith has made in the past, she has a feeling there’s a lot more to the Watcher than he lets on. 

Sighing softly, she waits for whatever might happen, as prepared as she can be.

***

“I got a bad feeling.”  Faith growls as they work their way further into the caves, and farther and farther away from the rest of the group. 

“Fighting that monster in these kind of confines isn’t my idea of fun.”  Buffy admits softly, her eyes searching the slowly lightening cave as they advance deeper into it.  Knowing the light is coming from somewhere. 

“Might be to our benefit.  He’s huge, and it’ll keep his movements to a minimum.”  Faith stays just behind and to the side as Buffy as the two women quickly make their way deeper inside.

“Maybe.”  Buffy’s not too sure.  Not liking the confined area, before quickly flattening herself against one side of the cave walls while Faith does the same on the other side as they come to a bend.  The echoing thumps they’d heard now making sense as they glance around to see Adam striding back and forth in what is roughly a forty foot area of space.  Swallowing at the sight of the tall construct, Buffy shakes her head.  A flash of what Faith had looked like after taking this monster on flits through her memory, making her shiver.  Turning her gaze to Faith, she sees the steel determination and anger on her sister slayer’s face. 

Faith stares at the monster that had almost killed her.  Slowly easing the thick bladed sword from it’s scabbard across her back, she starts working on the spells that might work best against the monster, though Tara wasn’t sure with him being made up of so many parts, both human, demon, machinery and God knows only what else, how they would work on him, if they do at all.  Deciding to go in with brute force first, she nods towards Buffy and the two women go flying in towards Adam, knives and swords flashing as they try attacking the monster from every angle imaginable.

***

Rack stares down at the group of people, sensing the power coming from the redhead as she does the protective spell around her and the other two.  Licking his lips at the slight hint of strawberries coming from her, wishing he was still his old self.  He would love to get a taste of the woman, but knowing it is impossible now.  Turning his attention to the one he’s meant to disable, he waits for her to pace to just the right spot, the spell to hit her right before he lands on her, a smile crossing his face at the thought of taking the pure soul’s life force.

Tara swallows and looks at the group.  “They found him, and have started.  They didn’t feel any other demons in there with him, but…”  Tara shrugs as the three people turn their heads to look at her.  “They want us to wait here for now.  They’re going to see if they can bring him out of the cave if they need the room to fight.”  Tara blinks as she feels…

“TARA!”  Willow screams as a green glow surrounds the elf and this half human, half demon descends on her literally seconds later, its long spindly legs reminding her of a spider while the upper body was human.  As the sharp legs start to slash across a collapsed, sickly green Tara, her eyes watch as Giles and Xander both send crossbow bolts towards the monster.

“Shit!”  Giles growls as they bounce off some kind of protection surrounding the monster.  “Drop the shield, Willow!  Try and get to Tara and protect her!”

Willow drops both ropes and runs towards Tara, to only be sent flying back as an invisible blow almost knocks her unconscious.

“Not going to work.”  Rack cackles as his sharp, knife-like legs work their way slowly and inexorably up the witch’s body.  Having seen the power the redhead wielded, he’d taken a bit off the spell to disable the witch to use everything left at his disposal to do a protection around them, now tapping into the blonde to feed the spell with her power.

“FAAAAAIIIIITTTTHHHHHH!!!!!”  Xander screams at the top of his lungs hoping to get the slayer’s attention, unaware of the fact that as soon as Faith lost contact with Tara she was already flying back through the cave with Buffy hot on her trail and a lumbering Adam following them, yelling about how he’s going to rip them to pieces.  Kneeling beside Willow, he gently eases the redhead against his chest as he looks at an absolutely livid Giles.

Giles snarls and works quickly on an incantation and tries sending it at the half demon/half warlock, feeling the power coming from him, and recognizing it on a deep level.  As he feared, the spell was simply absorbed and didn’t do any good. 

Willow struggles, reaching for the two ropes attached to Xander and Giles, knowing from the sounds coming from the cave that it’s paramount that she protects them.

“Easy, Wills.” Xander reaches a hand out for the ends of the ropes, handing them to Willow.  “Can you do it?”

“Have to.”  Willow whispers, her body aching, but knowing in her heart that if they want to have a chance of coming out of this alive, she’s going to have to get the protection back in place.  Whispering softly to help calm down her racing heart, she tries not to look at the spidery-human chuckling wildly as he continues to do small cuts up Tara’s legs, the copper-y smell of blood starting to pervade the area.

Adam grins wickedly as it finally occurs to him why the two slayers are running hell bent towards the front of the cave.  The dark-haired slayer’s growling the witch’s name as she turned and disappeared, followed by the blonde slayer a dead give-away that Rack had succeeded in disabling the witch.

“NO!!  YOU BASTARD!”  Faith launches herself at the demon/man that’s hurting her other half. 

Rack is in shock as the barrier spell has no effect on her and she comes crashing into him, knocking him off the witch.  Not aware that Faith is, in essence, a part of Tara.  The sharing of the powers letting the spell recognize that Faith belongs and allows her entrance, since the demon had mistakenly used Tara’s powers to augment the shield. 

Faith snarls as she literally rips the monster apart, pieces of him flying everywhere in her anger at Tara being hurt.  The dark-haired woman literally seeing red as the slayer within her demands justice for the hurt caused to her mate.  While another part of her, the part becoming an elf is already dispersing the spell surrounding Tara, while sending healing energy to her lover.  The two parts of Faith working at two separate items, but in conjunction with each other as they fight for their lover, their mate and their life, living in co-existence changing to a deep acceptance of each other on a level so deep within Faith that she isn’t aware of it.  Never realizing how the slayer is literally a different entity within her, living behind the scenes and giving her, her strength and healing.

Buffy blinks at the total rage that Faith attacks the monster with, even as her eyes drop to Tara, sighing in relief as she notices the lessening of the green haze surrounding the elf.  Trying again to close the distance to Tara, she sighs in relief as she’s able to reach her, checking the wounds that are already healing, jerking her head up to Faith as the slayer kneels beside her.  “You?”

“Yeah.”  Faith carefully checks her lover’s legs, sighing in relief at the healing taking place as she looks up into hazy blue eyes looking back at her.  “You were supposed to watch out for yourself.”  Faith gruffly murmurs, her eyes showing her worry.  Growling, she turns her gaze back to the cave as Adam gets closer to them.  Lifting Tara gently in her arms, feeling her lover’s weakness, she walks up to Willow’s barrier. 

Willow automatically drops the barrier, knowing what Faith’s wanting.  As Faith settles Tara down on the ground in front of her and places Tara’s arm around her lower legs, Willow nods at the unspoken order for her to take care of the elf as Faith steps back out of distance of the barrier.  Quickly re-doing it, Willow watches in horror as she gets her first sight of the hybrid construct – Adam.

“Holy Frijoles!”  Xander whimpers as the lumbering giant comes out of the cave, his eyes taking them in quickly before looking down at Tara lying on the ground, the monster’s lips curling up in disgust at the sight of the witch alive.

“You…”  Faith snarls, knowing that Adam is the reason why Tara was hurt, her eyes flashing with her anger as she runs and launches herself at him, aiming to take his head off with her bare hands.

Roaring with anger, Adam meets the threat of the dark-haired slayer, slamming a fist into her stomach as she takes him down to the ground, her hands closing around his neck.

Buffy pounces on the behemoth, placing a foot on one of his knees, remembering Faith saying she’d been able to hurt his knee.  Grabbing his foot, she yanks up with every bit of her strength in the opposite direction of the way a knee is supposed to bend, receiving dark pleasure in the scream of metal twisting even as Adam cries out. 

“FEEL THAT YOU BASTARD!”  Faith pants heavily, her gut feeling like a fire is burning in it from where the hybrid had connected.  Grabbing his head, she twists with all her strength, her veins and muscles bulging as she literally tries to rip his head from his shoulders.

Giles watches as the two slayers fight with Adam, his eyes catching movement of another demon heading towards them from the right.  Quickly pulling the crossbow up, he takes aim and lets fly at the demon’s heart, watching it stumble but continue, he quickly loads another in, carefully aiming and letting it fly, to land in the demon’s eye.  As the demon collapses and dies, he turns back as he hears Xander mumbling to himself as he aims and fires his crossbow, smiling as the young man’s aim is true and lands in the vampire’s heart, dusting him. 

“I want your head.”  Faith continues to pull with all her strength while she listens to another grunt come from Buffy as she uses all her strength to disable the demon’s legs.

“Both… together.”  Buffy pants heavily as she watches Adam’s fist pound into Faith, trying to get her to let go of him.  The dark-haired slayer ignoring what has to be immense pain as she literally has one of his arms pinned under, along with his chest as she continues to yank and twist at his head.  Sliding down at the top of Adam, Buffy lifts his head and wraps her arm around his neck from behind, grasping his chin as she looks into Faith’s pain-filled eyes. 

Faith nods and both women use their incredible strength to twist the hybrid’s head as he roars in pain and anger.  “FUCK ME!”  Faith cries out as he continues to roar and thrash, even with his head having been twisted around so it’s facing backwards.

“SHIT!”  Buffy slams a fist into Adam’s jaw, before grunting and pulling the injured hand to her chest. 

Faith pants heavily, her fingers trying to dig into flesh, or something that’s not that fucking metal that is protecting the fucker from them killing him.  Unconsciously shifting off the arm she’d kept control of, she watches in horror as the spike extends out and he jabs it into Buffy’s side.  “B!”  She cries out, watching as the slayer pales even as she grabs the spike and breaks it off. 

Buffy slowly pulls the spike out and tosses it away, swallowing at the pain in her body from where he’d skewered her all the way through.  “Try freezing his ass, or something!”

“Don’t work.”  Faith admits, having already tried a couple different things, and it having no effect on the monster.  Tara’s fear a reality that the monster would be immune to magic.

Tara blinks as she focuses in on the fight, the two women obviously battered, bruised and bleeding as they try to find the hybrid’s weakness.  “He has to have a heart… a power source.  Find it.”  Tara crawls away from Willow’s protective bubble, knowing Faith had healed her to a certain degree, but knowing she needs more as the pain practically screams through her body. 

“Trying to…”  Faith’s fingers work feverishly over the monster, watching as Buffy shifts and kneels beside her, twisting his other arm and almost ripping it from the socket in her anger.

“Bastard will be taken apart piece by piece, if we have to.”  Buffy growls as she helps Faith search for some weak spot somewhere on Adam.  “HERE!”  Buffy digs in on his lower stomach, feeling a slight overlapping, just enough to get her fingertips under.

Faith spins around, sitting on Adam’s chest to keep him from lifting up, grabbing one side while Buffy grabs the other of the edge and both women heave with everything in them.

Xander winces and turns his gaze away, even knowing that its demon and computer parts, but the two women literally trying to tear him apart making him queasy to his stomach.

Willow turns away from the sight, whimpering at the screech of metal along with the roar of pain coming from Adam as the slayers work together to defeat him.

Tara crawls up Adam’s twisted and useless legs as she sees a glow coming from within Adam as Buffy and Faith try and widen the small area that they’ve been able to pull the outer protection away. 

“It ain’t givin’ no more.”  Faith pants, pulling with all her might.  Her eyes looking at Tara, watching as her lover slowly reaches into the small gap.  Knowing the only thing keeping Tara’s hand from being crushed is her and Buffy’s holding onto the metal that wants to drop back into place.  Fear streaking through her, Faith whimpers quietly.

“I trust you.”  Tara whispers, finally sliding her hand inside, searching and finding the cylinder shaped object.  Closing her eyes, she lets her fingers feel where it’s connected and yanks as hard as she can.  Maneuvering herself around, as she feels it give a little, she digs her heels into the ground between Adam’s legs and wraps her other hand around her wrist and screams as she pulls out the power source, collapsing back on the ground.

Faith and Buffy both release the metal, ignoring it as it springs back into place onto the now lifeless Adam.  “Tare, babe?”  Faith questions worriedly, feeling the absolute weariness and pain coming from her lover.

“Get it gone.”  Tara whispers, keeping her eyes closed, feeling the darkness creeping into her from everything they had been through.  The Warlock’s tapping of her energy having been like having her powers almost ripped from her.

Faith’s hands shake as she strokes her hand down Tara’s cheek.  Knowing what her lover’s wanting, Faith looks at Buffy.  “Do you think you can toss that bastard a couple hundred yards up into the air?”

Buffy nods her head, picking up the power source and standing.  “Tell me when.” 

Faith concentrates, locking into the nuclear power source as she prepares a spell to literally make the item explode into nothingness.  “Now.”  Faith simply whispers, her eyes following the glowing nimbus of light as Buffy tosses it into the air.  At the pinnacle of the throw, Faith activates the spell, sighing in relief as it dissipates into the atmosphere. 

Buffy accepts Giles’ arm around her waist, while Xander helps support a still somewhat shaky Willow.  “Is she going to be okay?”

Faith looks up with worried eyes.  “I think so.  That… thing literally tapped into her powers and pretty much ripped them from her, using them.  I… I don’t know what to do to make her right again.  All her information and knowledge doesn’t encompass this…”  Faith looks back down at her lover, gently stroking her fingers over Tara’s neck.  “B, come here.”  Faith orders quietly.

Buffy steps over to Faith with Giles’ help, kneeling down beside the dark slayer with a groan of pain.  Surprised when she feels Faith’s hands on her wound, front and back and warmth easing through her body as she can literally feel the damage done to her internal organs knitting back together.

“I can’t heal what’s wrong with Tara, except for the cuts I started to heal.  You’re going to have to protect us while I carry her out of here, and you need to be at a hundred percent.”  Faith whispers to her sister slayer.  “I don’t want to take a chance just in case something else is out there hunting for us.”

Buffy nods her head in understanding, her eyes going to the blonde elf.  The worry etched on her face for Tara.  Looking back at Faith as she feels her pull her hands away, she whispers softly.  “What if you do the advance on the powers?” 

Faith’s brows furrow and she shakes her head.  “I don’t know if that’ll help or not.  I want to give her some time first, before doing that.”  Faith gently shifts her arms under her lover and lifts Tara to settle her against her body.  Slowly standing, Faith takes a deep breath, feeling a deep weariness in her body, but ignoring her own aches and pains.  Her broken ribs not concerning her as much as Tara is right now.

“Faith, you’re hurt.  Why don’t you let me carry her?”  Giles offers softly, stepping up to the stubborn slayer.

“I’ll take care of her.”  Faith starts to walk back along the trail they’d left as the rest of the group hurries after her, Giles ends up jogging to take the lead while Buffy brings up the rear, and Xander helps Willow along as the group quietly makes their way back to Joyce’s Jeep.  The group having borrowed it to help carry the majority of the weapons they brought.  Xander’s car parked beside it off the road and out of view.

Buffy helps settle Willow into the passenger seat of Xander’s car while Giles unlocks the Jeep.  “Are you taking her back to your place?” 

“Yeah.”  Xander nods, as he tosses the weapons in the back of his car for now, his eyes worried as he looks at Tara and Faith. 

“Good.  Take care of Wills.  I think I’ll go home with them to do whatever I can.”  Buffy shifts around.  “Let me hold her while you climb in, Faith.”  Buffy looks worriedly at the pale slayer.

Faith nods and lets Buffy hold Tara before gingerly climbing into the back seat.  Wrapping her arms around Tara as Buffy settles her on her lap Faith buries her face in her lover’s hair and closes her eyes. 

Buffy hurries around the vehicle and climbs in the front seat as Giles starts it. 

“Your house?”  Giles glances up into the rearview mirror, really not liking how pale Faith is. 

“No.  Drop us off at their apartment.  I’ll help Faith with Tara, then check Faith out, and get her to lie down.”  Buffy shifts to look at Faith and Tara, knowing Faith’s hurting, and very, very worried, so worried that she doesn’t even make some kind of smart assed comment.

Faith ignores Giles and Buffy as she holds Tara tightly.  Not liking the fact that her lover still hasn’t come to, and the amount of pain radiating from inside her, on a spiritual level.  Knowing that creep had hurt her by stealing her powers but not knowing what to do to help Tara.  “I love you, Tare.  Don’t do this to me.”  Faith whispers, tears slowly sliding down her face and into Tara’s hair as she silently cries.

***

Chapter 45

Buffy forces Faith to sit down so she can wrap her ribs.  The slayer being a total bitch and not wanting to leave Tara’s side, after Buffy had literally washed and cleaned Tara’s body, treating all of her wounds and bandaging them before carrying her into the bedroom and settling her under the covers. 

“Damn it, Faith!”  Buffy growls angrily, shoving the slayer into the chair again as she tries to stand up.  “I’ll knock your fucking ass out if you don’t let me look at your ribs and bind them!”

“I’d like to see you fuckin’ try.”  Faith snarls back into Buffy’s face as she tries to stand again.  Grunting in pain as Buffy jabs a finger firmly into her side.

“THERE!  Feels good, doesn’t it?  Now let me do what I can to help you then you can lie down with Tara.”  Buffy grabs Faith’s chin to make her look up at her.  “Please, Faith?  Tara would want you to take care of yourself.”

Faith’s jaw clenches and the tears start to come to her eyes again.  “I don’t know what to do, B.  I’m fuckin’ lost.  And she’s hurtin’.”  Faith’s gaze turns to the door to their bedroom. 

“Can’t you heal her, like she did you when you went out to the lake?”  Buffy questions, finally wrapping Faith’s ribs and tending to the other cuts and scrapes on the slayer.

“That was a physical healing, B.  This is different.  There ain’t nothin’ in here to tell me what to do.”  Faith pokes her head hard, her eyes angry even as the tears continue to flow. 

“Would it hurt to try?”  Buffy finishes cleaning Faith’s wounds and slowly stands, tossing away the used items and replacing everything back into the first aid kit before shutting it. 

“Tomorrow, I’ll take her out to the lake.  If I can’t succeed in tapping into her, I’m gonna activate her full powers while we’re out there.”  Faith decides, slowly calming down as she settles on a plan of action.  “Do you think Mrs. S would mind giving us a lift?”

“Of course not.  I’ll call her first thing in the morning.”  Buffy makes sure Faith makes it to the bedroom, helping her under the covers, watching as the dark-haired slayer eases up against Tara, burying her face in the blonde’s neck while practically wrapping her body around the elf in a protective and loving gesture. 

Slowly turning around, she gently eases the door partially closed before grabbing a two liter of Coke out of the refrigerator and settling on the couch, flipping the television on and turning the sound down.  Knowing she won’t get any sleep tonight, the worry and adrenalin raging through her won’t allow it. 

***

Buffy tilts her head as she hears someone stirring in the bedroom.  Hopping off the couch she trots to the door to see Faith gently brushing her fingers through Tara’s hair as she kneels beside the bed, Tara facing her lover.  “How is she?”

“Semi-conscious.”  Faith looks up a sad smile on her face.  “She doesn’t know if it’ll help or not, but she’s willing to let me try to help her.”

“I’ll call mom.”  Buffy hurries from the room to grab the phone, punching her number in quickly. 

***

“Thirsty.”  Tara whispers, closing her eyes as Faith’s fingers stroke tenderly over her. 

“I’ll get you some juice.”  Faith presses her lips to Tara’s forehead and hurries from the room, grabbing a couple different bottles of juice out of the refrigerator for Tara before striding back in only half listening as Buffy speaks to her mom to come over as quickly as she can.  Gently easing Tara up to a sitting position, Faith slides in behind her, her legs on either side of her lover and opens one of the juices.  Holding it up to Tara’s lips as her lover sips on it.  “You’re really weak, love.”  Faith rests her chin on Tara’s shoulder and wraps her free arm around Tara’s waist. 

Tara nods as Faith pulls the juice away.  Closing her eyes and relaxing even further against Faith.  “How badly are you hurt?”

“Don’t worry about me.”  Faith presses her lips to Tara’s shoulder.  “I’ll heal, I’m worried about you.”

“And I’m worried about you.”  Tara smiles softly.

“Mom will be here in five minutes.”  Buffy looks at the two women from the bedroom doorway.  “Do you want some help getting dressed?”

Faith slowly nods.  “If you don’t mind helping me get Tara dressed, I’d appreciate it.”

“Anything, Faith.”  Buffy sorts through the dresser, pulling out clothes.

“Don’t bother with underwear.  Just shorts, t-shirt and socks.”  Faith orders as she gently shifts from behind Tara, letting the woman lie back down.  “No arguing from you either.  We’ll just have to end up taking them off anyway.”

Tara quirks her lips at her lover’s words.  “You’re going to try to do your own version of sexual healing, huh?”

“Can’t let you have all the fun.”  Faith rumbles softly, as she accepts the shorts from Buffy and works the shorts up Tara’s legs as Buffy gently pulls the t-shirt over her lover’s head and threads her arms through the armholes. 

“I’ll get the door.”  Buffy murmurs as she hears her mom knocking and saying it’s her.  Realizing she needs to call Julie as she opens the door, surprised at the sight of the tall woman standing behind her mom. 

“She was worried.”  Joyce admits quietly.  “She showed up at the house first thing this morning and we’ve been waiting to hear from you guys.”

“Sorry.”  Buffy motions them into the apartment.  “Let me finish helping Faith and Tara.”  Buffy hurries back towards the two women’s bedroom, as she hears Faith cursing softly. 

“Damn it, Faith!  Wait for Buffy to help you.”  Tara orders as her lover grabs her ribs as she leans down trying to step into a pair of shorts, almost collapsing on the floor.

“I can fuckin’ dress myself.”  Faith growls angrily, the fear and worry coalescing itself in anger at her ineptitude to protect the one person in the world she loves more than anything.

Tara feels tears coming to her eyes as her lover’s feelings and thoughts flow through to her.  “It’s not your fault I got hurt, Faith.  I wasn’t expecting a Warlock.”

“Faith!”  Buffy captures the slayer before she falls flat on her face.  Gently easing the woman onto the edge of the bed, she snatches the shorts out of her hand and kneels in front of her to pull them up the strong legs.  “Damn stubborn bitch.”

“Fuck you, B.”  Faith growls.

“You’d like to.”  Buffy growls back, though her eyes are twinkling.

“Like you’d know what to do with me.”  Faith slowly relaxes, a small smile starting to cross her face. 

“She’d run screaming from the apartment and never come back, if she knew what you like.”  Tara murmurs, a soft smile on her face.  Feeling as weak as a baby but liking the fact that Buffy was trying to help Faith relax. 

“Julie?  Can you come in and help Faith out while I carry Tara?”  Buffy calls out loudly after sliding Faith’s tennis shoes on and tying them quickly.  “What do you need to take?”

“Water, maybe a blanket.”  Tara offers, fighting her eyelids as they try and close.

“Sunscreen.”  Faith grunts quietly as she slowly stands, looking up at the tall woman coming into her bedroom.  “Came to see how fucked up we were, huh?”

“I was hoping nobody was hurt.”  Julie winces at the cuts and bruises on Faith’s face and body that the shirt and shorts weren’t covering.  Turning her gaze to Tara, she notices the small scratches going up her legs, but not anything else, frowning heavily she glances from one woman to the other. 

“Tare’s is a magical hurt.”  Faith answers the unspoken question.  “I’m gonna see if there’s anythin’ I can do to help, and want to go out where I can tap into the earth’s natural healing energy to help.” 

“I’ve gathered waters and juices in a cooler.  We can pick up something for you to eat and bring it back to you, if you want.”  Joyce offers softly, her eyes worried as she takes in the two women. 

“Thanks, Mrs. S.”  Faith whispers, accepting the arm around her waist as Julie helps her stand. 

“Faith?”  Buffy questions worriedly.

“She passed out again.”  Faith admits, the worry obvious in her voice.  “Get us out to the lake, and I’ll hook into the lei-lines and see if I can’t help her without getting physical, or without doing the incantation.”

“Where’re your blankets at?”  Joyce questions, hurrying to the closet when Faith points to it.  Grabbing down a couple blankets, she heads to the bathroom, looking through the closet until she finds some sunscreen, tossing the items into a bag and following after the young women as they head out of the apartment.

***

“What do we do?”  Julie steps back after helping Faith onto the blanket, watching as Joyce takes off jogging back to the Jeep to head back into town and grab food.  

“We let Faith do her thing.”  Buffy shrugs, wiping her hands on a towel her mom had grabbed at the last minute after coating Tara’s body with the sunscreen.  “She’ll try and help Tara this way first, before she goes through her other options.” 

Julie slowly follows Buffy as the small woman starts to walk around the lake to the other side, giving the two women their privacy.  “What happened?”

Buffy sighs as she slowly comes to a stop in a small clearing.  Dropping down onto the ground, feeling the lack of sleep slowly catching up to her, she pats the ground beside her.  As Julie settles beside her and wraps her arm around her shoulders, Buffy leans into the taller woman, thankful for her acceptance and caring.  Slowly Buffy explains what happened the previous night.

***

Faith sifts through what Tara had done to help her mother when she was ill and adjusts it slightly as she settles one hand gently over Tara’s stomach while the other one caresses softly through her hair.  Silently praying that this will work as she starts her meditations and slowly asks for, and is granted access to the earth’s healing properties, channeling them through herself, to be sent into her lover, imagining it pushing the hurt and badness out, filling her mate with healing and love.  Slowly reaching deeper and deeper into herself for her own strength and healing powers.

***

Julie glances up as Joyce makes her way towards them, after having stopped across the small lake where Tara and Faith were.  Gently running her fingers through Buffy’s hair as the slayer had finally crashed and was sleeping fitfully with her head resting in her lap.  “How are they?”

“They didn’t even budge when I dropped off the food.”  Joyce admits, settling beside Julie and looking at her daughter.  Setting a couple bags of food on the ground she sighs quietly.  “They’re not sleeping, and from what I can tell, Faith’s in a deep meditative trance.  I’m praying that’ll work.” 

“Does this sort of thing happen often?”  Julie questions hesitantly, her eyes drifting down to Buffy as the woman turns to her left side and buries her face against her stomach, mumbling incoherently as she falls back asleep. 

“Thankfully, no.  Though the last time someone was hurt badly, it was Faith.”  Joyce sighs and leans back on her hands, stretching her legs out in front of her and crossing her ankles as she stairs up at the blue sky.  Slowly Joyce explains what she knows of how Faith and Tara had met, through Faith being almost killed by the hybrid military construct that the women had finally taken out the night before and Tara’s healing of her.

“But, if Tara’s the one with the healing powers, how is Faith healing her?”  Julie questions roughly, the confusion obvious in her voice, even as she had nodded through the telling of Faith being hurt by Adam, the dark-haired slayer having already told her about that fight.

Buffy rumbles quietly against Julie’s stomach.  “Tara’s an elf as you know, and something to do with her elfness lets her share her powers and shit with her true soul mate.  Guess what Faith is?”  Buffy finally rolls over onto her back, rubbing her eyes and stretching.  “Sorry for falling asleep on you.”

“That’s okay.”  Julie smiles at the adorableness of the disheveled blonde slayer, just now noticing the cut shirt and blood stains on it.  Frowning heavily, her fingers go to the hole.  Her eyes jerking up as she finds smooth, unblemished skin.

“Faith healed it last night before we headed back to the vehicles from the caves.”  Buffy explains, lifting her upper body up to look around.  “Food.” 

Joyce chucks one of the bags to Buffy.  “There’re a couple bottles of water in the bottom of the bag.”

“Thanks, mom.”  Buffy talks around a mouthful of a quarter pound cheeseburger she’d already snatched out of the bag and almost eating it wrapper and all.

“Now, if Faith barely knew Tara, why did she drag herself to Tara’s door?”  Julie questions curiously, relaxing back and motioning for Buffy to make herself comfortable against her, if she wanted to.

“At the time, I don’t think Faith even knew.  But I honestly believe it was because she’d already fallen in love with Tara.”  Joyce explains, smiling at the remembrance of how Faith questioned her about being in love.

“As it is, I think that saved her life.”  Buffy admits as she works on her fourth cheeseburger.  “That’s when I found out Tara had a different side to her.”  Buffy grins at the remembrance of the woman showing the steel that is so much a part of her, though she didn’t know it at the time.

“I think my dear daughter has been the recipient of getting the majority of Tara’s sides shown to her.  Except for one.”  Joyce blushes lightly at the thought.

“Don’t even go there, mom.  They teased me about a threesome a couple times, too.”  Buffy blushes at the admittance.  “Though I know it was just teasing, it was still mean.” 

“I’m not even going to ask.”  Joyce laughs at the embarrassment showing on her daughter’s face.

“Let’s put it this way, it was just before they bought me the book.”  Buffy grumbles, blushing even darker. 

Julie’s brows furrow as she looks from Buffy to her mom who suddenly started laughing uproariously.  “Do I…”

“NO!”  Buffy shakes her head, her eyes opening wide.  “No, no, no.  Though, I don’t doubt you’ll find out eventually.  Just hopefully in the future… far, far in the future.”  Buffy looks down at the bag of food, pulling out a water to drink.

Julie quirks an eyebrow at the slayer, tilting her head as she considers what she knows.  The two women teasing Buffy about her sex life, or lack of a good sex life, Faith questioning her if she was any good in the sack, and Buffy’s admittance that the two women had bought her a book after discussion of a possible threesome, that even though she knows that they were joking with Buffy, sends a little thread of jealousy through her at the thought.  “They bought you a self-help book!”  Julie pipes up as it occurs to her what kind of book they bought her.

Buffy groans and flops back against the ground.  “I’m going to find the biggest hole in the world and climb in it to never be heard from again.”

Julie chuckles and leans over Buffy, looking into shy hazel eyes.  “That’ll give you time to read the book and practice.”

Whimpering, Buffy covers her face with her hands.

Joyce chuckles and digs into the other bag, pulling a sandwich out and a water for her to drink.  “Julie, you’ll fit right in with this group.”

“I don’t know.  Sounds like the majority of them like to run around naked all the time.  I usually keep my nakedness to my bedroom.”  Julie jokes, accepting the sandwich Joyce hands her. 

Buffy exhales heavily as a picture of Julie naked goes through her mind.  “You’re trying to drive me insane.”  Buffy mumbles, trying to calm her thudding heart.  Tilting her head as she hears something, she pops up on her feet and stares across the lake, sighing in relief as she hears Faith telling her that Tara’s going to be okay, and that they’d work their way over to them.  “Thank God.”  Buffy exhales softly, the last of the tension she’d been feeling leaving her body as she collapses on the ground, hugging Julie tightly in her relief.

Julie drops her sandwich and wraps her arms around Buffy, looking questioningly at Joyce.

“Faith must have told Buffy that Tara’s okay.”  Joyce smiles and relaxes herself at the thought.

“Thank God.”  Julie hugs Buffy even tighter as she feels tears coming from the petite blonde, slowly soaking her shoulder.

***

Chapter 46

“Babe?”  Faith questions softly, having felt the woman coming to, and the start of the healing process within her lover.  Knowing that they’d probably been out here the better part of the day, if the sun was anything to go by. 

Tara slowly drags her eyes open, staring into worried brown eyes.  Reaching up to wrap her hand around Faith’s neck, she pulls her down for a soft loving kiss.  Burying her face in her lover’s sweaty neck after the kiss ends as Faith gathers her in her arms to rock her gently. 

“God, you don’t know how you worried me.”  Faith whispers, pressing her lips to Tara’s head, her hands stroking firmly over Tara’s body.  “Do you want me to continue feeding you the power, or can you do it now?  I think you’ll heal faster taking it straight into you, instead of it going through me.”

Tara nods her head against Faith’s neck, slowly tapping into the earth’s natural power, letting it flow into her being, filling and repairing what damage had been done with her powers having been tapped and pulled from her without her acceptance. 

Faith reaches back for a bottle of juice, digging in the cooler until she finds one.  Forcing the lid off with her thumb, she holds it up to Tara’s dry lips, helping her lover sip it steadily until it’s gone.  Setting it aside, Faith grabs a bottle of water out this time, and works the lid off so Tara can drink it.  “Can you eat something?  Mrs. S picked up burgers for us to eat.”

Tara licks her lips and nods her head as she finally lifts it from Faith.  Cupping her lover’s cheeks in her hands, Tara leans in to kiss Faith lovingly, letting her thoughts and feelings come through in the kiss.

“God, I love you, too, Tara.”  Faith answers, tilting her head forward against Tara’s head, finally relaxing the last bit.  “Food and fluids.  Then I’ll let them know you’re okay.”

“Thank you.”  Tara whispers, her voice scratchy.  “Dead?”

“Very, very dead.  Do you remember what happened?”  Faith questions curiously.

“Vaguely.”  Tara admits, taking the water from Faith as she eases onto the blanket beside her lover as Faith rolls over to grab the bags of food, putting them between them, as Faith sends her memories to her of what had happened the night before.  “I pulled it out?”  Tara finally questions as they finish the first bag of food.  Not believing that she’d actually been able to do that.

“Yep.  And I’m gonna see if B would mind doing patrol tonight by herself while we get some much needed rest.”  Faith admits, knowing with the expenditure of energy, her own aches and pains, along with helping Tara, she won’t be good for much of anything else.

“Oh, love.  Let me help you.”  Tara finally offers, her brain still somewhat hazy and not registering things as quickly as she should.

“No.  Worry about yourself.  I’ll heal in a day or two.”  Faith brushes her fingers gently over Tara’s cheek.  Tuning in, she smiles softly as she realizes her lover’s a lot better now, though knowing her physical self is tired and worn out. 

“We should probably head home here soon.  If not we’ll both be snoozing here in a little while.”  Tara chuckles as she looks at Faith fighting to keep her eyes open.

“Uh, yeah.”  Faith shakes her head and slowly stands, calling across the lake to let Buffy know that Tara’s okay and that they’d come to them, since they were closer to the vehicles. 

***

Buffy chuckles as she carries Faith’s dead weight to her apartment while Julie carries Tara.  The two women both having crashed in the Jeep and nobody could wake them.  Pulling the keys out, Joyce opens the door and lets her and Julie head into the apartment ahead of her before following them in to the women’s bedroom.

“Strip them, or leave them in their shirts and shorts?”  Julie questions as Joyce fixes the bed so the two women could get some sleep. 

“Take them off.  Neither one of them are shy, and I know they don’t believe in sleeping with clothes on.”  Buffy mumbles as she settles Faith on the bed, quickly pulling her shoes and socks off before sliding her shorts off, followed by her shirt.  Easing the slayer into the bed, she smiles as her mom and Julie quickly strip Tara and ease her into the bed beside Faith. 

Julie eases the covers over the two women, chuckling as Tara rolls over, practically lying on top of Faith and Faith’s arms wrap around Tara automatically. 

“Come on, girls.  I know Buffy’s probably craving a long hot shower, herself.  I’m sure I can talk Rupert and Xander into doing a patrol tonight, while you get some much needed rest.”  Joyce narrows her gaze on her daughter.

“You’re not going to get an argument out of me.”  Buffy follows her mom and Julie out of the apartment, making sure the door locks behind her. 

“I’m glad everyone ended up making it out, more or less okay.”  Julie settles into the seat up front, at Buffy’s insistence. 

Buffy tilts her head back, closing her eyes as she agrees.  “We live to fight another day.  That’s always of the good.”

Joyce stays silent as she drives them quickly back to her house.  Pulling into the driveway she watches as Julie eases out of the Jeep.

Buffy climbs out, silently admitting to herself that she’s almost tempted to just drop into bed and forget the shower.  Seeing Julie watching her with a soft smile on her face, Buffy unconsciously returns the smile. 

“Go to sleep, Buffy.  Call me when you’re conscious.”  Julie brushes her thumb gently over Buffy’s full bottom lip, before replacing it with her lips for a soft kiss. 

Buffy watches as Julie strides to her vehicle, returning her wave before she pulls away. 

“She’s an extremely nice woman, Buffy.”  Joyce comments as she looks at her daughter’s face.

“Yeah, she is mom.”  Buffy agrees, her lips twitching as she looks at her mother.  “Don’t make any designs on my possible girlfriend, mom.  You’ve got the Doctor you’ve been playing with!!”

“HAVE NOT!”  Joyce acts scandalized as she hurries into the house.  “We only made out for a few minutes in the vehicle when he dropped me off last night.  Unlike you that made out for over half an hour!” 

“MOM!”  Buffy whines as her mother picks on her.  “How did you know… DAMN THAT FAITH!”

Joyce laughs wickedly as she heads to the kitchen to fix a cup of tea as her daughter grumbles all the way up the stairs.

***

Buffy runs her hands through her hair as she looks at her watch then at the front door.  Having woken up at six in the morning, she’d showered and dressed, before going downstairs to eat the leftovers in the refrigerator.  Deciding to see how serious Julie was about her open invitation, she’s now standing nervously on her front doorstep, debating on knocking on the front door, or walking around town for an hour, so it’ll be nine instead of eight in the morning. 

Finally biting the bullet, Buffy knocks firmly on the door and rocks back and forth lightly on her feet as she listens intently to the quiet sounds of Julie’s neighborhood on an early Sunday morning.

Julie releases the weights on her home gym as she hears the knock at the front door.  Having woken up a couple hours earlier with a serious surge of energy, that she refused to put a real name to, she’d fixed herself a protein shake then started working out.  Grabbing a towel, she wraps it around her neck and wipes an end down her face as she strides to the front door.

Buffy almost falls over backwards as Julie opens the door.  Not realizing how strong and muscular the woman was, but the muscles rippling and shiny with perspiration coating her whole body, wearing a sports bra and tight sweat shorts leaves Buffy breathless.  ‘Xena wannabe, my ass.  She’d kick Xena’s ass.’  Buffy internally comments to herself as she takes in the long, muscular legs, the tight defined abs…  “Oh, shit.”  Buffy whimpers as she notices the glint of metal from the belly button ring.

Julie stares down at the petite blonde, her heart, already pounding fast from the workout, literally triples in speed.  Another part of her anatomy pounding in tandem with her heartbeat as she takes in the sight of the slayer in tight jeans, a tank top and ankle boots. 

“If, if I’m interrupting… I can come back.”  Buffy mumbles, finally dragging her eyes the rest of the way up Julie’s body, her eyes lingering on the full breasts, her tongue coming out to lick her lips unconsciously as she watches the nipples harden perceptibly before she blushes and looks away in embarrassment.

“No… I was just working out some… frustrations.”  Julie finally decides on the word, admitting to herself that it didn’t do a damn bit of good.  “Come in, Buffy.”  Julie finally steps back, waving the slayer in.  “I’ll just go take a real quick shower, if you don’t mind.”

“Don’t on my account.”  Buffy whispers, deciding she definitely likes the look of the tall, muscular woman hot and sweaty.  Silently deciding that the next time she sees her that way, will be because of what they are doing together, not because Julie will have been working out. 

Julie groans at the look of desire in Buffy’s eyes as the woman finally looks up to meet her gaze.  Shutting the door, Julie slowly shakes her head.  “I’ve been working out for roughly a couple hours, Buffy.  I really need a shower.” 

Buffy nibbles on her bottom lip, her eyes serious as she looks into pale blue eyes.  “Need someone to scrub those hard to reach places?”  Buffy offers, before blushing at her forwardness.  “Damn, I didn’t mean to say that.”

Julie gives up on trying to fight her desire, stepping towards Buffy until there’s just a short distance between them.  “Did you really not mean to say that, Buffy?”

Buffy groans as Julie’s low timbered voice rolls through her body, making her ache in all the right places.  “I thought it, I want it, but I didn’t mean to say it… out loud.”  Buffy admits, noticing the flame burning brightly in Julie’s eyes. 

Julie’s body practically vibrates with the slayer’s admittance.  “Are you sure you want it, Buffy?”  Julie has to ask, before she crushes the slayer in her arms and takes her against the wall, because she knows she’s about a second away from doing exactly that. 

Buffy understands what Julie’s asking.  Knowing they aren’t talking about showers, and that ultimately how fast or slow they proceed, is in her hands.  Buffy does the only thing she can. 

Julie groans as Buffy presses up against her, standing on her tiptoes and kissing her firmly even as her hands grasp the slayer’s waist, pulling her further up against her body, effectively lifting the petite woman.  Striding back towards her bedroom, Julie knows she can’t have their first time together be on the floor or against a wall.  Wanting to enjoy the slayer to the fullest, and hopefully give the woman the loving that she deserves.

Buffy pulls the hair band out of Julie’s long, damp, black hair, dropping it and threading both hands through her hair as she wraps her legs around her waist, kissing her hungrily and thoroughly. 

Julie finally bumps into her California King bed, panting heavily as Buffy finally releases her lips, before groaning as the slayer’s teeth nip down her neck before a tongue swirls firmly around her pulse point, making her want the woman even more.  “Gods, Buffy!”  Julie arches her neck as the slayer sucks the flesh into her hot mouth.

“Tastessss goooodsss.”  Buffy’s words come out slurred as she continues to lick, kiss and nibble the tantalizing flesh, loving the salty-sweet flavor of the woman. 

“Need flesh, Buffy.”  Julie eases down onto the bed, her hands caressing over Buffy’s thighs as she tries to urge the slayer to release her so she can strip the clothes and shoes off Buffy before yanking her bra and shorts off. 

Buffy growls not wanting to release the woman, when what she said sinks in.  Finally releasing her hands from around Julie’s head, she falls back on the bed, her hands already going to her tank top, yanking it off as Julie quickly yanks off her ankle boots and socks.  Unsnapping the front closure bra, Buffy whimpers quietly as Julie takes the time to strip her sports bra off, freeing the firm, full, uplifted breasts with the crinkled brown areolas and the hard nipples.

Julie’s hands shift to her shorts, stopping short as Buffy’s eyes seem glued to her breasts.  The obvious want, desire and appreciation showing in the slayer’s eyes makes her extremely happy.  As Buffy finally shakes her head slightly and her hands finally pull the skimpy bra away from her small, pert breasts, Julie feels her salivary glands working overtime as she fights the urge to pounce on the small woman and devour the rosy-tipped morsels. 

Buffy shifts up to pull the bra the rest of the way off, tossing it across the room, not caring where it lands as her hands slide down to fumble with her jeans button and zipper.  As Julie forgoes sliding off her shorts and gently pushes her shaking hands away, Buffy lies back and enjoys the sight of the woman’s breasts swaying slightly as she leans over her to undo her pants and slowly slide them down her legs, lifting her hips to help her. 

Julie whimpers at the small scrap of cloth covering Buffy’s sex.  The dark red g-string teasing her and keeping her from seeing Buffy completely.  Shoving her own shorts down her legs, she steps one foot out of them while kicking with the other one for the shorts to go flying behind her as she gently urges Buffy further up the bed, following her slowly on her hands and knees as she leaves the strip of cloth on the slayer. 

Buffy licks her lips at the strip of black curls at Julie’s apex, her eyes blinking in surprise at the sight of the woman’s glistening mound and inner thighs.  Having smelt her arousal, but seeing the obvious effect she has on the woman, Buffy’s eyes lighten and she relaxes even more with the knowledge.  Not able to resist, as soon as Julie’s breasts are within reach, Buffy’s hands reach for the flesh, whimpering softly at the warm, firm flesh.  The nipples hard against her palms as she gently kneads both breasts, her eyes becoming hooded as she hears the deep, low moan coming from Julie’s lips.

“God, Buffy!”  Julie whimpers as Buffy’s fingers start to pinch and twist her nipples gently.  Dropping her head on the slayer’s shoulder, Julie shifts the majority of her weight to one hand and her knees.  Trailing just her fingertips from Buffy’s knee, slowly up the outside of her thigh, letting it trail along the edge of the slayer’s g-string teasingly, a small smile coming to her face as Buffy’s hips buck and her fingers stop their torturing of her nipples.  Lifting her head, she smiles at the tilted head, closed eyes and the desire crossing Buffy’s face.  “What do you want, Buffy?”  Seeing dark eyes open to look at her with only want visible, Julie knows the slayer is past the point of being able to ask for anything. 

Buffy knows Julie’s asking her something, but her brain went on vacation and left just her body there, and all her body knows is that it’s pounding with desire, needing to be touched and brought to completion.  Her body arches up into Julie’s hand as she feels knowledgeable fingers trailing down the strip of cloth to press gently against her swollen clit.

Julie pants softly at the soaked material her fingers come into contact with.  As Buffy’s legs fall more open in silent invitation, Julie slips one finger under the cloth and shifts it out of the way, biting her lip firmly as she comes into contact with hot, wet, smooth skin.  Stroking her fingers over Buffy’s mound as she starts to wiggle and shift, trying to get her fingers to caress over her, Julie dips her head down to kiss Buffy’s panting mouth, plunging her tongue into the welcoming mouth even as her finger slides within the heat and wetness of the slayer’s receptive body. 

Buffy presses the heels of her feet in the bed, pressing up into the long finger gliding easily within her.  Whimpering into the kiss as she feels the finger glide completely back out of her, Buffy breaks the kiss off and moans loudly as two fingers glide back within her and start to stroke firmly in and out of her body.

“So tight… so wet… so receptive.”  Julie groans at the feeling of Buffy’s inner muscles clasping on her fingers.  Shifting slightly, Julie straddles Buffy’s leg and gives herself a better angle on her fingers entering Buffy, bringing her thumb in to play, letting it gather up some of the slayer’s abundant juices before circling and pressing against the swollen, distended muscle.  Loving the way Buffy’s body jerks and bucks against her.  Burying her face in Buffy’s neck, Julie licks and kisses her way across the flesh.  Feeling the tension growing within the slayer’s body, and the clenching of her muscles, Julie bites gently on Buffy’s shoulder, curling her fingers within the slayer to stroke over the slayer’s hot spot while pressing her thumb firmly against the pulsing clit.

“JULIE!!!!”  Buffy screams out the woman’s name as she finally has her first orgasm, feeling the flood of liquid almost literally shooting from her body as Julie doesn’t let up, but continues to stroke over and within her, causing her to roll from one orgasm into another, all the built-up unreleased desire she’s had for years finally finding an outlet.

Julie’s body jerks and she has a small orgasm in commiseration with Buffy as she continues to pull one orgasm after another out of the slayer.  Nipping her way down Buffy’s chest, she suckles on one of the slayer’s rock hard nipples as she feels another contraction around her fingers and a flood of liquid easing out of Buffy.  “Gods…”  Julie whimpers, the smell coming from the slayer absolutely delicious with its darkly rich smell with just a hint of sweetness. As Buffy’s body finally collapses from where she’d been bucking up against her and shaking, Julie lifts her eyes, just seeing the whites of Buffy’s eyes and hears the billowing breaths of air coming from between the woman’s lips.  Waiting for the clenched muscles to finally relax, Julie eases her fingers from within her lover.  Shifting, she trails her hands down to Buffy’s hips and gently tugs the scrap of cloth off, confirming with her eyes what she’d already felt with her fingers.  The slayer’s bald mound glistening with the moisture of her desire and cum.  Gently placing the g-string on top of her nightstand, Julie climbs between Buffy’s legs, unable to put off for one more moment tasting the slayer.

Buffy arrives back in the land of happiness to find a warm, wet tongue licking its way up her inner thigh.  Whimpering as a hot mouth sucks one of her outer lips into the warm cavern, and a tongue strokes over the flesh while suckling on it at the same time, Buffy buries her hands in Julie’s hair, pulling her gently into her body, wanting that tongue stroking over another body part, something she’s never had before, but wants desperately. 

“Back with me?”  Julie questions after releasing the flesh, grinning at the grunt she receives in response.  As Buffy tugs gently on her hair, urging her against her, Julie chuckles.

Buffy growls as she hears the chuckle coming from the tall woman, before jerking up into the hot mouth that captures her aching clit and starts to suck firmly.  As Julie’s tongue starts to flutter against her clit, Buffy holds the woman tightly to her as she floods Julie’s mouth with her orgasm.  As Julie laps loudly, gathering all the fluid she just released, Buffy scratches her fingernails tenderly over her scalp, feeling spent, happy and the ache between her legs feeling ohhh, so good.

Cleaning the slayer’s body with her lips and tongue, Julie feels Buffy relax her grip and ease her body more into the bed.  Pressing soft kisses on Buffy’s mound, slowly traveling up the slayer’s body and placing kisses along the flesh on her travels, Julie smiles as she hears a quiet giggle come from Buffy as she nips playfully at the flesh directly under her right nipple. 

“Come ‘ere.”  Buffy has to swallow a couple times to get the two words out, gently tugging on Julie’s hair, trying to hurry the woman along. 

“You want me?”  Julie finally shifts up to look down into the sated, happy gaze staring back at her.  Groaning as Buffy pulls her down against her body and kisses her slowly and tantalizingly.  A fleeting thought that she weighs too much to lie across Buffy like this enters her mind to be chased away in remembrance of how easily Buffy carried the vampire and Faith around, knowing that though the petite blonde may look like a little bit of nothing, she was probably one of the strongest people in the world. 

Buffy rolls them over, so she’s lying on top of the tall woman.  Slowly ending the kiss, Buffy’s tongue darts out to flick over kiss bruised lips, smiling as she makes contact with blue eyes darkened considerably with desire.  “I have some exploring to do.”  Buffy murmurs, shocked at her own sex-roughened voice.

Julie whimpers, but nods her head.  As Buffy’s eyes fill with mischief, Julie’s lips quirk upwards, enjoying the sight of the woman’s playful side. 

“I doubt I can give you the pleasure you gave me, but by God, I’m going to try.”  Buffy lets Julie know, before pressing another firm, heated kiss against her lips, not giving her a chance to reply before slowly making her way down Julie’s body, scraping her teeth gently across hard nipples, loving the way Julie’s body jerks in response and the rumble of pleasure coming from her chest.  Pushing both breasts together, Buffy gently bites down on both nipples, growling softly as Julie almost bucks her off her body, even as the large, gentle hands come up to cup her behind her head and across her back to hold her in place. 

Julie hooks one of her legs around Buffy’s leg, effectively pressing her center up into Buffy’s firm abdomen.  Not able to keep herself from rocking against the flesh, Julie groans lowly as Buffy presses her body more firmly into her, tightening her stomach muscles to give her something more firm to rub against. 

Buffy alternates licking, sucking and nibbling on the flesh of Julie’s breasts as she presses her body into Julie.  The tall woman’s center painting her stomach with Julie’s desire.  Releasing her hold on one breast, Buffy lets her short nails scrape gently down Julie’s side and hip, gently digging into her thigh as she grabs the strong flesh in her small hand.  Licking the flesh just under Julie’s breasts, Buffy works her way downwards, the smell of Julie almost driving her insane with want.

“Y-you don’t have…”  Julie starts to murmur, moaning as Buffy’s mouth trails over her mound.

“Yeah, I do.”  Buffy whispers, wanting to taste that salty sweetness that’s been teasing her.  Sliding her arms against her sides, she eases her hands along Julie’s inner thighs gently urging her to open herself more to her.  As the tall woman shifts her legs, putting her feet flat on the bed and spreading herself open for her, Buffy whimpers at the sight of the blood flushed and swollen flesh glistening before her.  Inhaling deeply of the woman’s most intimate scent, Buffy strokes her fingers through the wetness in curiosity before she slowly brings one soaked finger to her lips.  Darting her tongue out to taste the woman for the first time, Buffy groans and closes her eyes as she savors her first taste of this tantalizing, sexy woman. 

“Buffy… please.”  Julie begs softly, her body rocking as she feels the desire easing from between her legs and trailing down between her butt cheeks.  As strong, small fingers hesitantly press into her, Julie pushes her head back into her pillow, grasping the comforter on either side of her in a death grip as she rocks more firmly at the feel of fingers learning her inner body.

“Feel good…”  Buffy moans at the completely unique feeling of being within the woman.  Adjusting automatically to the bucks and rotations of Julie’s body, Buffy’s eyes narrow in on her prize as she sees the swollen, pulsing muscle poking out slightly from the flesh.  Buffy goes with her urge, and dips her head in, wrapping her lips around the begging muscle, suckling gently on the flesh even as Julie cries out, bucking more firmly against her.  As she feels the tightening on her fingers and the fluttering of the muscles wrapped around her, Buffy bats her tongue firmly against the muscle she’s sucking on while starting a slow and steady in and out movement of her fingers while making notes of the different feels of her lover’s body, twisting her hand slightly to search within her, seeing if she can find the spot Julie had found within her that drove her over the edge so quickly and irrevocably.

Julie pants heavily as she feels the orgasm gathering in her body, her clit pounding in tandem with her racing heart, and the flicking of Buffy’s tongue.  “Bu… Bu… Buffy!”  Julie whimpers, her body arching hard into the air as the slayer hits her sweet spot, tipping her over the edge she was barely hanging onto.

Buffy growls deeply into Julie’s body, swallowing her sweet reward while continuing to stroke firmly in and out of her lover as Julie holds them both aloft, her muscles grasping and releasing her fingers at a feverish pace even as the liquid eases out of Julie, around the fingers still inside the tall woman.  As Julie starts to buck uncontrollably, whimpering loudly, Buffy suckles more firmly on the muscle in her mouth while doubling the efforts of her hand until she’s able to pull another orgasm from Julie before the woman’s body bounces down onto the bed and a hand weakly presses against her head.  Easing her mouth away from the sensitive, hot flesh, Buffy presses kisses along the strong thigh for a few minutes, before finally easing her fingers from within Julie. Her body and mind trying to shut down, Buffy works her way slowly up Julie’s body to finally collapse with her head buried between full breasts.

Julie’s arms wrap around the slayer now softly snoring on top of her, realizing that the woman was still probably completely worn out from what had happened this weekend along with the lack of sleep.  Having to admit that she’s pretty tired herself.  Slowly falling asleep, she swears she hears a softly mumbled ‘I love you’ coming from Buffy, but is too far gone to know for sure.

***

Epilogue

Faith hooks her chin over Tara’s shoulder as her lover leans back against her as they watch the two women in front of them arguing.  “Suckers.”  Faith mumbles.

“Why do you say that?”  Tara questions curiously. 

“They’re going to lose.  They can’t even agree on how to take that one out!”  Faith points out as the two women try and talk over each other as to how they want to handle this particular obstacle.

Tara chuckles as she watches Buffy and Julie both trying to tell the other one how to get by the windmill obstacle at the putt-putt course. 

“Will you two putt already?”  John calls to the two women who are now arguing over who’s going to make the putt.  “Your daughter is stubborn.”  He turns to grin at Joyce.

“You’re just now figuring this out?  I’ve known it since she was about three days old.”  Joyce jokes as she leans into the Doc’s arms. 

“Arguing between those two is foreplay.  Bet you dinner at that new restaurant they won’t make it through the course.”  Faith smirks as she hears the squeak of protest coming from Buffy. 

“They’ll make it through the course, if they figure out how to get in the windmill.”  Tara chuckles as the two women are both now looking at the large windmill a little too intently.

“ARE NOT!!!”  Buffy growls back, chagrined at having been caught.

“If you reach to the right there’s a little hole there, B.  Reach in and there’s a switch that opens the door.”  Faith calls out, laughing as Tara groans and closes her eyes in embarrassment.

“And how do you know this?”  Buffy puts her hands on her hips as she looks from Tara’s lightly blushing face to the smirk on Faith’s face. 

“SHE’S RIGHT!”  Julie grins as the door pops open.  Looking at the group of people that has become a family in the last seven months since she started dating Buffy, and the Doc had started seeing Joyce. 

Faith growls as Tara reaches up with her hand and strokes teasingly over her ear, the full powers of the elf having come with Tara’s twentieth birthday.  The surprise of what it actually meant something both women had kept to themselves for the time being, not wanting to make the rest of the group uncomfortable, or go off into a million questions.  Along with the unlocking of the full powers, which, other than one glaring addition, wasn’t that different from what Tara and she already had, it had unlocked the rest of the information that was in some kind of protective stasis within Tara’s mind. 

Tara smiles as Faith’s thoughts wander off to thinking about their newfound knowledge, and their future.  “In time, love.  In time.”

Faith presses her lips to her lover’s neck, smiling at the thought.  “I love you, Legolas.”

Tara chuckles and presses her head against Faith’s.  “As I do you, Arwin.”

Faith grumbles quietly.  “I’m better looking than her.”

“Oh, and you comparing me to a guy makes me feel SOOOOO much better.”  Tara jokes, laughing at the chagrin she feels coming from her lover. 

“But you don’t mind being the guy occasionally.”  Faith hints softly, nipping on the flesh of Tara’s shoulder.

“Will you two stop with the sickening talk and display!!”  Buffy grumbles loudly, tossing her golf ball at the two women, chuckling as Tara’s hand snatches out to catch it before she sends it flying back towards her, making Buffy react quickly to catch it before it hit her. 

“Come on, you two!  Get a move on.  I want to eat dinner that Faith’s going to buy!!”  John laughs and hugs Joyce, the feeling he gets from this group of young women making him feel younger than he ever imagined possible.  The shock he’d had when he’d learned about them quickly wearing off, as he started to think things through.  How well the animals healed with Tara looking after them, Faith’s quickly learning everything that Tara seemed to know, the strength of the women along with a thousand other things.  The group was truly becoming a family, knowing that if Tara wants it, one day he’d be more than willing to give her the practice.  Even right now, he was already planning on making her a full partner after she graduates from school.  Not having told her about the fact with her doing a few papers and taking some tests that they had already sent to him, she would be graduated from one of the top Veterinary schools in the country with full honors.  The work she’d done more than qualified her for the fast track. 

Laughing, Buffy finally lets Julie take the shot, falling backwards onto the putting green as Julie makes it a hole in one.

“Told you!”  Julie looks down at her lover, grinning. 

“Come here and give me a kiss, you big lug!”  Buffy orders, chuckling as Julie drops down quickly and kisses her thoroughly.

“Ah, the hell with this.  Let’s go eat.”  John suggests, the other women laughing and following him as Buffy and Julie continue to make out on the putting green.  “Damn horn-dog women.”

“HEY!  We resemble that remark.”  Faith growls, before yelping as Tara’s hand lands hard on her ass.  “What did…”

“Yeah, yeah.  I know.  Don’t do that shit, except when we’re at home.  Gets you all turned on and horny, and…”  Tara squeals and takes off running as Faith growls at her with a look of payback in her eyes.

“Was there something in the water?”  Joyce questions, lifting up the bottle of water and tilting her head. 

“Don’t know.  Why don’t you drink it and we’ll find out.”  John wiggles his eyebrows and laughs delightedly as Joyce blushes lightly before a gleam enters her eyes and the water bottle is opened and downed.  “Oooh.  Frisky mama.”  John chases after Joyce as she takes off giggling and running towards the vehicles.

“And they have nerve to talk about us.”  Buffy pants quietly as she and Julie finally head after the laughing couples who are chasing each other around the parking lot. 

“Imagine that.”  Julie states sarcastically, before smacking Buffy on the butt and taking off running herself, knowing there’s no way she could outrun her lover, but occasionally Buffy will let her win.  That way the spoils of war go to the victor.  And Buffy definitely enjoyed being taken by the victor.

Buffy laughs delightedly before joining in the fun, deciding she wants to keep this memory alive forever.  Just wishing that Willow and Oz would come back from Tibet, missing the two redheads immensely, but knowing Oz needed to make the sojourn to try and get control of his wolf.  Then there was Giles having moved back to England to get married to Olivia, leaving Xander and Anya the Magic Box.  A lot had changed in the last seven months, and most of it for the good.  Mentally shaking her head, Buffy drops back into the here and now, smiling as she decides she’s going to ‘win’ today as she takes after Julie with a vengeance.  Not that every day isn’t a ‘win’.  Buffy’s grin gets bigger at the thought as she closes the distance between her and her lover.

***

The End

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