CHAPTER 19

Kissing the Slayer with all the love she felt, Willow slipped two fingers inside the blonde. Buffy groaned into her mouth, bucking, trying to get her lover to move faster, deeper. “Easy, baby. Don’t rush it. We have all the time in the world.” The witch pulled back a little, watching her lover’s eyes darken with desire. “You are so beautiful, Buffy.” She pressed an open-mouthed kiss to the Slayer’s throat.

Although Buffy was writhing in need, she smiled at the witch’s words. “Charmer. I look in the mirror every day. You don’t need to exaggerate, Will. I can see the love in your eyes. I don’t have to have the empty compliments to be with you.”

The thrusting fingers stopped abruptly. “Excuse me?”

Sensing trouble in paradise, the Slayer scrambled to repair the damage. “Um, hey, it’s OK, really. I love you, Will. That’s all I meant.”

Green eyes pinned her to the bed. “If I ever,” a thumb flicked across the blonde’s clit, “hear that kind of crap again,” a finger curled up and tapped her g-spot, “I will unleash a firestorm on your head.” A third digit slammed home. “Got it?”

Struggling to answer, Buffy croaked, “Yeah, Will.” She pushed up into the slim fingers driving her mad. “I can’t…can’t hold out much longer.”

“I don’t think you really understand why I’m mad, baby,” the witch cooed. She had to grin at the dazed look she received. It was no use trying to explain with Buffy in this condition.

“Will?” the name came out, whine and plea mixed.

Pushing away the lingering hurt at the Slayer’s disbelief, Willow granted her girl what she needed. Driving her fingers in fast and hard, she kissed Buffy with all the love she’d hidden over the years.

For her part, the blonde jerked in surprise at the rougher pace, feeling her body tighten and then explode in pleasure. Sobbing, she slumped into the pillows, aftershocks shaking her body. Warm arms cradled her, and a soft voice whispered words of love and encouragement in her ear as she slowly came down from the orgasm. “Oh…my….God. I don’t know where you learned that, Will, but I need to thank them.”

Grinning wickedly, Willow murmured, “You can tell Tara how much you appreciate her skills when we get back to Sunnydale.” She burst into laughter at the bright blush covering the panting Slayer. “Come on, Buffy. You didn’t really buy that shy, stuttering act, did you?”

“Will…TMI,TMI. I’ll never be able to look her in the face again.” The blonde turned her head, trying to bury her face in the pillow.

Stifling her laughter, Willow drew the Slayer into her arms, snuggling close and resting her cheek on the blonde head. “I’m sorry, baby. No more teasing, at least for tonight. You need to rest.”

The blonde blinked tired eyes. “What about you?”

Feeling the arousal heavy in her body, the redhead tightened her arms around her lover. “In the morning, Buffy. I want you to finally realize that love isn’t about performing or even sharing.” She tipped up the other girl’s head. “Sometimes, it’s about taking care of each other and just being together. You need to rest, sweetie. You look so worn out.”

“I…it’s been…”the blonde couldn’t go on.

Willow waited patiently. The Slayer had never been good at emotional talks. Now wasn’t any different. The words ground to a halt and never resumed. Silent tears worked their way down Buffy’s face, and the witch wasted no time before kissing them away. “We’ll work on it together. Always.” Rounding up the rumpled blankets, Willow tucked them both in, keeping the blonde close. “Go to sleep, sweetie. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

***

Dawn took a hesitant step forward. The shimmering light gathered form slowly, until a human outline stood across the kitchen. “Mom?” the young brunette tried again. At her words, the outline solidified. Joyce Summers smiled at her youngest daughter.

“Hello, Dawnie.” The older blonde seemed radiant. “I’m sorry I had to leave.”

Tears streaming, Dawn shook her head frantically. “You’re back now. That’s all that matters.” She started to pick her way through the glass on the floor. “Why are you here? Is it some kind of resurrection spell?”

“No, Dawnie. Something brought me back here.” The older blonde looked at the young brunette sympathetically. “Don’t be afraid. Everything will make sense soon.”

“If something brought you back, then do you get to stay?” There was a painful pleading quality to the words.

“That’s up to you, Dawnie.” Joyce looked over shoulder. “Do you really want me back?”

The lights flickered off, and a loud banging resounded throughout the house. Just as quickly, the kitchen brightened again. Mrs. Summers was gone.

It was too much for Dawn. Sobbing hysterically, she shrieked at the empty room, “Why are you doing this? Why?”

Tara moved to embrace the younger witch. “We need to find Faith, Sweetie.”

“What about Mom? She might come back.”

“Dawnie…”the blonde hesitated. “Your mom was never here. I don’t know what we saw, but it wasn’t Joyce.” She fumbled for words. “All I could sense was energy. It was very old.”

Unwilling to hear what her friend was trying to say, Dawn stepped away. “I’ll stay her while you get Faith.” She stared at the spot where Joyce had appeared. “Just in case.”

“It’s not safe for you to be here alone, Sweetie.” Tara watched with troubled eyes. Although the younger witch had gotten better since Buffy’s return, her emotional stability was shaky at best. “Come on. Let’s go make sure Faith hasn’t gotten into trouble and we’ll come right back.” She held out her hand. “Please, Dawnie.”

Shoulders slumped, Dawn took the proffered hand. They never made it to the door.

All the lights went out again and a magical wind blew through the kitchen. The walls shook as the mystical energy built. Cabinet doors open and closed and the banging resumed. Shouting over the howling wind, Tara said, “We need to try to cast this magic out. Link with me again.”

Too frightened to argue, Dawn merely closed her eyes, trying to block out the madness around her. Her control wasn’t the best, but she was able to reestablish her earlier bond with Tara. The more experienced witch merged their energies. Through their link, Dawn heard the blonde say, “You have to stay focused this time, Sweetie. No matter what you think you see or hear.”

“I’ll try,” Dawn thought back. She felt a drain on her magical energies and concentrated on smoothing the power transfer. Faintly, she heard Tara start to incant a spell.

“I cast you from this place.

It is your poison,

And your bane.”

A steady green light grew around them, pushing against the magical attack. Despite the continued drain of her energy stores, Dawn started to smile. They were doing it. The evil was being forced back.

“Dawn, why are you doing this? Don’t you want me to stay?” Joyce reappeared a few feet away. Her smile gone, the older Summers seemed tired and worn.

Biting her lips against the words longing to spring out, Dawn turned her head away. She wasn’t going to fall for that again.

The green light expanded as Tara began the next verse.

“It is the light from within,

That shows us the way.

Listen now.”

Lightning flashed inside the room, but the blonde witch calmly completed the spell.

“Thrice shall I speak to thee, Evil.

I cast thee out.

I cast thee out.

I cast thee out.”

The green light exploded, particles reaching the farthest corners of the room. Silence descended on the kitchen. No wind, no banging…no Joyce.

Tara released her hold on Dawn, both physically and magically. “I’m so sorry, Sweetie.”

“Me, too.” For a long minute, the brunette stared at the space where Joyce had been. “I really wish it had been her, Tara. I miss her so much.” She dragged her blue eyes back to the older witch. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Alright, Dawnie. We need to make sure Faith is OK.” Both girls moved cautiously out of the kitchen. Furniture lay scattered around the living room and the TV blared the soundtrack to an infomercial. “Goddess! Faith!” Tara saw the Slayer lying in the shattered remains of an antique table by the stairs.

***

Buffy basked in the warmth and peace of Willow’s arms. The redhead lay snuggled against her right side, arms wrapped securely around her shoulders. The Slayer had never felt this level of inner balance. She raised her head slightly and pressed a light kiss to the pale throat. A grin appeared when Willow shuddered and mumbled in her sleep, “Oh, yeah, baby. Just like that.”

Just like that, huh? Buffy silently echoed. Maybe making love to her witch would be easier if she were asleep. The Slayer was reluctant to travel down this road with Willow’s green eyes watching her every move. Moving slowly, she slipped out of the witch’s grasp and propped herself up on an elbow. Willow’s skin was pale and liberally covered in freckles. Hesitantly, the blonde pressed kisses to the redhead’s shoulder and arm. The skin goose pimpled immediately. Figuring she must be doing something right, Buffy leaned in further, sliding her lips across Willow’s chest to nibble at her other shoulder.

“B-Buffy?” a husky, sleepy voice inquired.

Pulling back abruptly, the blonde panicked. “Oh, hey, Will. Sorry if I woke you.”

A sensual smile appeared on the face next to hers. “I’m not. What a way to start the morning. You got anything else planned? Cause I have a few ideas of my own.”

The Slayer relaxed a little at the gentle teasing. “No. Kinda ran out of ideas.” She swallowed. “I don’t know what you want, Willow.”

Heavy lids propped open, revealing bright green eyes. “Sure you do, baby. I don’t want anything different than you. Do what makes you feel good.”

Still afraid, but needing to touch and taste her witch, Buffy followed Willow’s suggestion. She swiped a rough tongue across the redhead’s nipples, grinning in delight at the shuddering breath and stiffening peaks she got in response. She continued to torment Willow’s breasts and trailed her fingers down the long torso until they rested at the top of the auburn curls. Looking at the other girl’s flushed face, Buffy knew she was ready. Combing her fingers through the wiry hair, she teased the swollen clit, circling it until it stiffened and grew larger.

Willow responded to her actions by pressing both heels to the bed and arching into her hand. “Please, Buffy. Oh, Goddess…so close.”

The Slayer nodded. “I love you, Willow,” she murmured and rubbed harder. It didn’t take long. The witch stiffened and then shook as waves of pleasure inundated her.

It was an erotic sight, and Buffy felt her own body suddenly pulse with orgasm. What the…? The blonde collapsed against the witch, body alive with sexual energy. “Will?” she managed to croak. “What just happened?”

A dazed voice replied, “I think we just got married.”

CHAPTER 20

Willow knew the words were a mistake instantly. Buffy’s face went blank, and she pulled away. The languorous post-climax feeling disappeared, and the witch sat up. “Sweetie, I didn’t mean it like that. It was a joke.” The Slayer’s eyes were distant, and Willow wanted to smack herself. She knew all about the blonde’s commitment issues. Six years of best friend duty gave her a lot of insight into what made the other girl tick.

“Buffy? Hey, come on. Talk to me, please.” The redhead was near tears at the continued silence. How could she go from ecstasy to this tearing pain so fast? Deciding to use their new - and obviously unwelcome - bond, Willow sent a tendril of power through the link. She wasn’t quite sure how it worked, but when she reached the Slayer’s end of the connection, her eyes widened. Narrowing her focus, she pulled in more power, and sent a tight beam all the way through the bond.

I’m not going away, you know, she said into the blonde’s mind.

Buffy jerked, surprised at the sensation. “Will?”

We’re linked now, sweetie. You can’t hide your thoughts or emotions from me. The witch was inundated with panic. It goes both ways. If you can calm down a little, I’ll show you. Slowly, the fear flooding the conduit drained away. That’s it, Beautiful. There’s no bad here. Trust me…and yourself. When Willow sensed the blonde was ready, she touched her mind, brushing it with affectionate mental fingers, caressing away the lingering fear and tension. Knowing the Slayer didn’t understand how the link worked, she showed the smaller girl how to link their minds together and pulled her along the channel until…

…They stood under a towering oak, acres of velvety green stretching all around. “This is our place, Buffy. A place where there are no secrets or insecurities. We only have to be ourselves.”

Buffy strode away, trying to flee. But, no matter how much she wanted to leave, something held her back. Finally, frustrated, she spun back to her oldest friend. “How can you want this?” the Slayer burst out. “How can you want me?”

“How can I not?” Willow responded patiently. She looked at the edgy blonde and tried to explain. “I’ve loved you since the day we met. For a long time, the feeling was buried. I didn’t recognize what was there.” She tilted her head, choosing her words carefully. “The bond gives us each a view into the other. I can feel what’s bothering you, Buffy, but I want you to tell me. Please. You have to start talking to me, and stop shutting me out.”

Some of her witch’s grief touched her, and the Slayer flinched. This was going to take getting used to. “I don’t even know where to start, Wills. I’m pretty sure I loved you, too. And that makes me sad…and angry.” The blonde head dropped until her chin nearly touched her chest. “Why didn’t Giles tell us about the bond? If he knew for all those years…” Tears streaked the gaunt face. “Damn it, Will. We wasted so much time, did so many stupid things.”

Even though she’d promised herself she’d let Buffy talk, Willow asked, “What bothers you most, sweetie? The fact that Giles might have lied to you again? Or that we weren’t together from the beginning?” She watched the other girl closely, moving so that they were mere inches apart. Looking down into the scared hazel eyes, she kept pressing. “Buffy, talk to me. Tell me what has you on the verge of running. There’s nothing you can tell me that will push me away. I swear.”

Buffy remained stubbornly silent. Feeling down the conduit, Willow tried to divine exactly what was causing the emotional shutdown. “Are you still hung up on our past relationships? Buffy, I don’t blame you for getting involved with Parker or Riley. Hell, I understand trying to look and feel normal.” Something tickled her inner senses. She was close. “Is it Angel? It’s OK that you loved him, Sweetie.” Once again, the Slayer tried to pull away. So, something there. “You can’t run from this anymore, my Slayer. Here, we share everything. If you can’t talk about it, lower your barriers and let me see the images, feel the emotions.”

“No! Never! If you knew…”

“I am not going anywhere, Buffy. Not ever.” Willow touched the frightened blonde and opened herself completely. “Here, Buffy. Let me show you my dark places. I’m scared, too, my love, but we need to trust in our bond.” Images flowed around them. Kissing Xander after Spike kidnapped them. Taunting Faith in the Mayor’s office. Fighting with Tara about the magic use. Hiding the information about the resurrection spell until it was too late to back down. The witch shuddered internally and kept going, letting the Slayer see the meeting with Rack and her fight to throw the wizard out of her mind. “See, sweetie, we both have things we’d rather not talk about. But I want you to know me…all of me.”

Buffy held Willow tightly. As the images floated by, she shared in the pain, embarrassment, and shame the redhead felt. “Oh, baby, I love you. No matter what.” Tears streaked her face, but she pulled down the barriers around her mind. She didn’t reach out or attempt to share. Instead, she waited, giving the witch tacit permission to look inside. So many old hurts and regretted actions. But the one center stage in her thoughts…Spike. She froze internally, remembering his cold hands holding her roughly, slamming her into the nearest headstone or mausoleum. When she felt the last vision fade away, she stood, head bowed, waiting for the inevitable rejection.

Gentle fingers caressed her cheek. “Oh, sweetie. I love you. I can’t believe I wasn’t there for you when you needed me.”

“Will?” Buffy was stunned. How could Willow even stand to touch her?

“I love you, Buffy. I can feel your love for me. We can deal with the past, all the regrets and mistakes, as long as we stay open and share our feelings.” She sent a burst of laughter through the link and watched a grin blossom on the Slayer’s face. “See?”

Warm hazel eyes caught hers. “Yes.” The Slayer held out her hand. “I understand now, Will. Let’s go back.”

“I’ll follow wherever you want to go, my Slayer.”

***

Tara and Dawn rushed to Faith. The brunette Slayer lay motionless. The blonde witch knelt by her side, gently touching her throat. Finding a strong pulse, she held her hand palm down over the Slayer. Crimson light stretched from her hand to Faith’s body, following the witch’s hand as she passed it slowly up and down the still form.

After a few minutes, the Slayer moaned and opened her eyes. “T-you and Dawn gotta get out!” She jerked into a sitting position. “The axe-“

Tara grabbed the younger girl by the shoulders. “It’s OK, Faith. Dawn and I were able to cast the magic out. It’s gone.”

Panting, the Slayer relaxed slightly. “’k. Good to know.” Brown eyes swept the entry hall. “Man, that last step was a bitch.” Pushing the blonde’s hands away, Faith climbed unsteadily to her feet. “You sure that thing’s gone?”

“For the moment, anyway.” Tara stood as well. “We need to let Buffy and Willow know what’s going on.”

“Yeah, but we don’t have a fucking clue, do we?” The brunette smiled slightly. “Wow. That sounds vaguely familiar. You think we’re OK for a bit? Cause I’m still a little fuzzy from them drugs Wes gave me.”

Dawn frowned. “What drugs?” Her eyes got wide. “Did you get hooked on drugs in prison?”

“Dawn!” Tara protested.

Faith, however, chuckled. “Slayer, Dawnie, remember? Takes some pretty heavy shit to get us jacked up. I wasn’t gonna give up that many packs just to get a fix. Did a favor for Angel, but I had to take some weird-ass potion. Kinda making things fuzzy around the edges.”

“We’ll be safe here, Faith, but I don’t want to wait too long.” Tara frowned. “I hope Willow’s doing better. She’s the best I know at research. Maybe she can give us idea what we’re dealing with.”

Moving slowly, the brunette limped into the living room, dodging tables and chairs displaced by the magic earlier. “So, you still haven’t filled me in on the sitch here. What’s wrong with Red, and why was B so big on getting me here? I kinda figured she’d be out for my blood once she knew I was out.” She dropped onto the couch with a sigh.

“Yeah, I don’t think I know everything either.” Dawn’s voice held lingering hurt. “Pretty much I was the only one still helping Willow out when she left, but Buffy was really intent on getting to her. And she’s been super weird the last couple of days. Sorry, Faith,” she looked at the older girl sadly, “but I’ve never seen her so ready to ask for help. She’s always gotten pissed whenever I mentioned Faith. Why the turnaround?” She sat next to Faith, looking at the older witch.

Tara grimaced but took a seat in the armchair “I’m really wiped out. Will the condensed version work until we get some sleep?”

Slayer and Key shared a look. “For now,” Dawn said. “But sometime soon I want all the gory details.” Faith simply nodded her agreement.

“OK.” Closing her eyes, Tara searched for the best way to explain. “This gets complicated and none of us come out looking our best. When Willow did the resurrection spell, she opened a door of some sort into the Otherworld. The spell forced her through a series of magical trials with the god Osiris. During the trials, something big and evil slipped through the open door.”

“The thing doing the freaky with the house?” Faith wanted to know.

“Probably, but they could be unrelated.” The witch didn’t sound convincing. “I’m not entirely sure where the evil went, but it is possible that Willow’s ‘addiction’ was more a matter of possession or the destruction of her magical reservoirs.” She looked at the pair on the couch. “She had too much power too soon. There was no way for her to control it.”

Dawn nodded. “She knew the reservoir had been damaged, but I don’t think she made the connection until it was too late. When we went to Rack’s, Will was looking for a fix.”

The Slayer had been very quiet during the exchange and explanation. “Let me see if I got it straight, Blondie. Red did a spell that brought B back from the dead. Afterward, she got a big dose of mojo. Kinda like giving a kid superpowers. Only, she couldn’t handle them, and the Super Friends didn’t ask questions. They just assumed the worst and tried to ‘help’ the poor addicted witch.” Bitterness seethed in the husky voice.

“Yes.” The blonde met the pain-filled brown eyes.

Faith grunted. “Guess some things never change.’

“What are you talking about?” Dawn glanced back and forth between the other girls.

“Old shit, D. You were too little to have been involved.” The Slayer leaned into the back of the couch. “Just kinda ironic Red got caught in the same net as me.”

“That wasn’t how I heard the story.” The witch’s voice was soft, but implacable.

A bark of laughter echoed in the room. “No, I’m sure the Scoobies tell a different version.” The brunette rolled her head, loosening tight muscles. “It doesn’t matter anymore, T. Mostly I’m over it. With all the excitement and the story, it came back a little.”

Throughout the tense conversation, Dawn had been trying to piece things together. Finally, the pieces fell into place. “It does matter, Faith. Buffy’s an idiot.” She glared when Faith and Tara laughed. “Well, she is. I mean, give her something to kill and she’s the best. But ask her to do anything more emotional and people-oriented and she’s hopeless.” Blue eyes looked at the tired Slayer next to her. “You have to get her to talk to you about what happened before, Faith. If you don’t, she’ll just stuff you into a corner until she needs you.”

Faith shrugged. “It’s a good place to be. I ain’t in your sister’s league, and we both know that. I came back because B actually asked me to help out. It’s way more than I deserve, D. If she wants me to leave once she’s got Red back on the right side of the fight, I’m gone. This is her town. I can find somewhere else to set up shop.”

“That’s not-“ The youngest Summers broke off at the knock on the door.

“Fuck. I thought you said this magic thing was gone.” The Slayer jumped from the couch and stalked toward the front door. Wrenching it open, she stared at a rumpled looking Rupert Giles and three teenaged girls.

CHAPTER 21

“Giles!” Faith said, shocked to see the older man.

A tired smile lifted one corner of the Watcher’s mouth. “Hello, Faith. I didn’t expect to see you here. I hope you’re doing well.”

A grin flashed, showing off the brunette’s dimples. “Hey, you know me, G-man. It’s all good.” She stepped out of the house, looking for his bags. “I usually travel light, but no bags? Didn’t take you for the type.”

While she and the Englishman spoke, the three girls filed passed into the foyer. “Nice place,” one of them announced in an accent Faith didn’t recognize. “Bit of a mess, though.”

Cocking an eyebrow at her former Watcher, the Slayer looked at the trio wandering in the house. Before he could answer the unspoken question, Dawn’s voice cracked out. “Hey! Who are you? What are you doing in my house?”

“Ah, ya might want to get in there before things start flying around, G-man,” Faith commented.

Looking harried, he moved inside and an ear-splitting shriek wafted down the street. “Giles, ohmygod, when did you get here? Faith didn’t say it was you!” The brunette Slayer peered into the house and laughed. Dawn was wrapped around Giles, hugging him tightly. Finally letting him go, the youngest Summers glared at Faith. “Why didn’t you tell us it was Giles? And who are these girls?”

Raising her hands, Faith shrugged. “Hell if I know, D. You might want to give Giles a chance to answer.”

Flushing a little, Dawn backed down. “Sorry, Giles. It’s been a long night.”

“It isn’t going to get much better, I’m afraid,” the older man said. “I have bad news. Perhaps we could take this into the living room. We’ve been traveling for days.”

“Sure.” Faith took charge and led them toward the living room. “If you guys don’t feel up to the big conversation, the kitchen’s through there.” She gestured toward the doorway. The three teens brightened immediately. “Help yourselves, then. Pizza should be on the way, too.” Now without the three newcomers, the trio wandered in and sat down.

Tara looked up and smiled widely. “Mr. Giles! Welcome home.”

“Hello, my dear. Perhaps you could stop the clean up for a moment. I believe we all need to talk.”

Faith dropped onto the couch. “Can we do a real short version? We had a freaky night and I’m done in.” She yawned hugely. “’Sides, B ain’t here. That means another version when she gets back.”

Giles pursed his lips. “Where is Buffy?” He directed the question at the room, but looked directly at Tara.

“She’s with Willow,” the witch replied quietly.

“We have to go there.” The Watcher took off his glasses, chewing on the earpiece. “My dears, the Evil that came through when Willow did the resurrection spell…it calls itself the First. Angel dealt with it a few years ago, and it nearly convinced him to kill himself. It is the oldest and most powerful force for the Dark the world has ever known. After the past years in semi-exile, it’s returned and has been gathering an army and building strength. Two nights ago, it attacked the Council headquarters in Devonshire.”

Faith sat forward. “What happened?”

Giles met her eyes. “It was destroyed – utterly. Not a single person in the building survived. All the records and texts burned to ash.” He opened a satchel that had been slung across his back and took out a handful of books. “I had taken these from the library there when Buffy first called. They are all that remain of the Council’s vast research. At the same time as the destruction in Devonshire, agents of the First began assassinating Watchers and their Potentials. I was able to locate three of the girls.”

“Those kids in there are potential Slayers? You’ve got to be kidding me. They couldn’t take out a newbie vamp if all three of them were working together.” A knock interrupted. “I hate to think what’s out there this time,” Faith groused.

“It’s probably the pizza guy, grumpy,” Dawn teased. “I’ll get it.” She stood and walked to the door, opening it cautiously. As she had predicted, a teen in a multicolored shirt stood on the porch, pizza box in hand. The young brunette paid for the food and closed the door. “I’m going to take this into the kitchen. You guys want anything before I go?”

Three head shook a negative and the teen disappeared with her dinner. “Mr. Giles, were you able to find any information about the prophecy?” Tara asked.

“A few vague passages in the Watcher’s Codex. Nothing concrete.” He sounded frustrated. “I believe the First went after the Council to keep that information from us.”

“So we got ourselves another prophecy.” Faith began to pace around the room. “I hope B already knows, cause I ain’t wanting to be around if she don’t.”

“She knows,” Giles commented.

Striding around the cluttered space, the brunette went on. “She’s expecting you to show up with the answers, just like always, G-man. You don’t have ‘em. All you got are a pile of useless books and three little girls. Stop talking. Start doing,” she declared. “If we don’t have enough information on this First thing, we need the whole gang here to help out. B and Red gotta come back from their vacation in the boonies and we need X-Man and his girl, too.”

“I agree, Faith. It’s an excellent suggestion, but I don’t think we are safe here.” Giles smiled slightly. “If I remember correctly, you lot call what I am proposing a ‘road trip.’ It would be best if we all traveled out of Sunnydale.”

***

This time when Buffy opened her eyes, Willow was awake and staring back. “Someone’s coming,” the redhead announced.

“You mean the big evil thing?”

“No, Sweetie. There’s someone coming from the house.” The witch frowned. “I think it’s Drew.”

Pushing herself up, the Slayer grumbled. “They were all for the honeymoon. This probably isn’t a wedding gift. How long do we have?”

“Not long. She’s on the path leading to the cabin. Once she’s through the wards, only a couple of minutes.”

Dropping a gentle kiss on Willow’s lips, Buffy sighed. “Not even one night to celebrate. How much do our lives suck?” She rolled out of bed and hunted down their scattered clothing. “Can you sense her mood? Should I have weapons handy?”

The redhead grimaced. “I can’t tell.” She pulled on shirt and pants. “She’s shielded. I’d have to go through or around the barrier to read her emotions.” Willow paused. “Drew just shut down the wards. You ready?”

“Truth?” Buffy tried to smile, and failed miserably. “I’m still not back to normal, and the number of Big Bads just keeps growing.”

Willow moved in close, wrapping her arms around the grim Slayer. Just remember you aren’t alone anymore, she whispered through their link. I’ll always be here for you, and there’s the Scooby gang waiting to help as well.

I remember, Wills. A shy, hesitant trickle of love and happiness touched the witch. Love you.

“Willow? Buffy?” A tentative voice called from the door.

“Come on in, Drew,” Buffy called back. She stayed in Willow’s embrace, though, trying to extend the contact as long as possible.

The door slowly opened and Willow’s mirror image stepped inside. Despite the worry shadowing her eyes, she grinned at their positions. “Looks like you guys were able to settle your differences. Mom and Mama will be glad. When you try to deny the bond, it can really mess you up.”

The new “couple” shared a look. “Great. Another thing to ask Giles and the Moms about,” Buffy bitched. “What bad news do you have for us? Cause I know you aren’t here to celebrate with us.”

“I wish I was,” Drew commented, meeting Buffy’s hazel eyes. “Willow’s back and she found her bond. This is supposed to be the best thing ever. But trouble’s on the way.”

“Vamp, demon, magic, or all of the above?” Willow asked calmly.

“None of the above – yet,” Drew said. She looked at her sister. “I think I was expecting more freakage.” She glanced at Buffy. “What the hell is up with you two? Big Evil on the way and you just stand there. I don’t get it.”

Grinning faintly, Buffy explained. “This is our, what, Will? Fourth, fifth apocalypse?”

“Close enough. Though, I think it’s more like eight or nine.”

Holding her witch’s hand, the Slayer moved toward the door. “After the first couple, it gets old. I mean, there’s still a rush and some fear, but you just don’t think about that. It’s a job.” Looking back at Drew, still standing in the same place, Buffy inquired, “What’s on the horizon?”

“Your Watcher and a bunch of other people are on their way here. He said he’s got information on something called the First and Willow’s prophecy.”

“Maybe we can get some answers, Sweetie,” the older redhead suggested. She felt Buffy’s tension spike through their link. Giles was a touchy subject. If he had known of their bond, the damage to the relationship between Watcher and Slayer might never recover.

***

The walk back to the main house had been quiet. Buffy and Willow stayed close together, lost in thought. If Giles and the Scoobies were on the way, news wasn’t of the good. They entered the large kitchen to find the all the Hirsches. “Oh, damn,” Willow muttered. “If we’re all here, and they’re all coming…oh, damn.”

Jennifer smiled at the new couple. “It might not be as bad as you think.”

“Right. It’s probably worse.” Buffy stared unseeing across the crowded room. “My life and the lives of those around me are generally unhappy ones.”

Willow didn’t hesitate. Opening herself fully, she dove through the conduit linking her to the Slayer. Enough, Buffy. We don’t have time for the Depresso Gal routine. The gang’s all coming. That means they have your…our back. We need to get my family ready. I don’t think even Kirstan’s faced off with something this big.

The Slayer took a deep breath. “Sorry.” Her voice was soft so she tried again, meeting Jennifer’s eyes. “Sorry. I guess I wasn’t ready for the real world to find us here.” She scanned the room. “Experience says that if the Giles and the Scoobies are headed this way, we need to be ready for anything. Jennifer, we’re going to need room – lots of it. A research center with all your magical texts and Internet access. Kirstan, Slayers make bad researchers. Faith is even worse than I am. Is there someplace we can burn off some excess energy?”

Smiling at her lover’s rebound, Willow took a chair, watching the Slayer ready her troops.

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