Working it Out by JustSkipIt

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own Willow, Tara, and the Buffyverse and Angelverse and all characters and locations from those universes. No copyright infringement is meant by this fic and I will not make any money from it.
Distribution: The Mystic Muse http://mysticmuse.net
Feedback: Yes, please. Please leave feedback on the Working it Out thread on the Kitten Board.
Spoilers: Everything before the end of BtVS and AtS.
Author's Note: I've played around a bit with ages here. Faith is Faith aged and Dawn is a senior in high school in Season 7. Kind of had to, you know?
Pairing: Faith/Dawn

Summary: The gang survives the collapse of the Hellmouth.

Tara floated. Floated and floated. She felt no pain. No tiredness. She didn't actually feel. She just was. And had been and would be. She felt joy or was it nothing? No pain but no...Part of her wanted to remember someone. And someone. A life or was it more than that? But there was no memory and no thought. Occasionally a prayer or thought or pained expression pierced her float and for a moment she was powerfully aware. But mostly she floated. And once, she was so much more. So much greater and stronger than she had been knew she could be.

Shit, shit, shit Faith thought as she took another swig of her beer. She looked around the garden and shook her head. She was just here yesterday it seemed like. Ok, it was a few weeks give or take; it was all running together at this point. Earlier some of the junior slayers had been hanging out, telling jokes, playing music, dancing but they'd eventually all drifted off somewhere and she was left with a bucket of beer growing warmer and an unobstructed view of the stars. She was grateful that Angel was elsewhere but wondered how long it would be until Wesley wandered out to have a heart to heart or whatever.

The others? The adults? Who knew where the "Scoobies" had hunkered down. They certainly hadn't invited her to their soir茅e which couldn't possibly seem like a big surprise. They hadn't really wanted her along years ago and now wasn't a big change. No. They needed her and called her to join them when she'd finished saving Angel's evil-again ass but once she'd done her bit with the sword of Slayeryness or whatever it was called, she was just left out again. Shit, the only one who had ever really made her feel welcome, wanted, a part of things was the kid. And that was something Faith was not going to think about tonight.

Nope. Tonight is about being shocked that we're all still here. Still here. We fought ultimate evil and turned it off. Damn. She finished off the beer and stretched her arms, feeling the soreness there. And damn again because if she used to get H&H fighting a few vamps, this ubervamp situation and killing off the entire bunch of them made her feel like she was going to explode.

And again, that's not something we're thinking about tonight. Because it's just...And there is no way that she thought she'd live through the day. Hell, none of them thought it.

Faith closed her eyes and took another puff on her cigarette, not really noticing how she had decided she needed one just as her memory peaked.

"I thought you might be hungry." Faith opened her eyes slowly and smiled as Dawn set down a pizza box. "Willow ordered, I don't know, thirty or so pizzas but most of the new slayers kind of demolished them. I grabbed this one and I've been searching for you ever since." As she spoke she handed the dark-haired Slayer two slices.

Faith took a big bite and pointed to the sky with the tip of the pizza. "The stars at night. They're big and bright. Bum bum bum bum...Deep in the Heart of Texas." She laughed as she took another bite.

Faith shrugged at the teenager. "Enough to make up for you." Dawn held out her hand in response to the challenge but Faith slowly shook her head. "No, kid. Just because I corrupted you last night doesn't mean I'm going to give you a beer." She winked and looked the teenager up and down very slowly in a way that made Dawn feel like she was being undressed once again.

Dawn reached around her into the bucket but came up with a water. "I prefer water anyway." She leaned close and whispered in the Slayer's ear. "And I'm pretty sure I corrupted you."

Faith finished off her first two slices and grabbed another from the box, taking a bite and speaking around it. "Sweetheart, that boat sailed while you were in elementary school." Dawn settled back into her chair and took a long drink of her water. For a few minutes the two women were quiet. Then Faith pointed at the sky again with her pizza. "I'm going to miss this, these stars more than anything."

Dawn was very quiet. "That's why the plan. Picking you up, steak and potatoes and cheesecake and then, you know..." She blushed red as she motioned toward the stars. "I knew you missed them more than anything."

Faith snorted. "Well, taking a shit in private has a lot going in its favor too." She thought for a moment. "I read something once: 'You don't have to be able to see the stars to know they're there...'"

Her mouth dropped open as Dawn finished the poem: "Just like I don't have to feel your hand to know how it would feel on my skin."

"You read Buffy's letter?" Faith's shock was palpable, her indignation even more so.

Dawn handed the Slayer another slice and took a long drink on her bottle. "Buffy never wrote you a letter, Faith. She threw yours away."

"No. That's not true. I got a letter from her every Thursday for over two years."

"And then she treated you like she'd never written a word of it when you arrived in Sunnydale two weeks ago?"

Faith's face was a portrait of confusion, she knew. She knew that she wasn't the smartest cookie in the box, and who ever said that cookies were supposed to be smart, but she'd always prided herself on her common sense. She slowly blinked. "You wrote the letters?"

Dawn nodded her head. "I'm sorry, Faith. I didn't mean to trick you. It's just that you sounded so lonely and well, sorry. The first time I just thought...you know...you'd feel better. And I kind of thought you'd not want to correspond with me. I mean, I was just a kid."

"You're still a just a kid." Faith took another drink and then lit her cigarette. She was still trying to wrap her mind around this revelation. Now Dawn's plan to take her out when she got out of prison seemed much more real. "Part of me wants to be really mad at you, kid. You tricked me and made a fool of me." Dawn hung her head. "But you know what?"

"I read those letters. 117 fucking letters every damn day. Some days they were the only thing that kept me from giving up. Knowing that there was someone who understood how much I regretted...well, things. And that it seemed like someone cared about me." She shrugged her shoulders. "I mean not every letter every day because that's a lot of words and..." She pointed at her head.

Both women sat in silence for a long time. "I bought a small safe like you keep important papers or whatever in and put it in my closet. It's filled with your letters." She started laughing. "So right now they're totally safe at the bottom of the Hellmouth."

Faith extended the pizza box toward her visitor. "Mine are in my cell, behind a brick so as soon as I go back to prison and get assigned to the same cell, I've got them." She laughed as well. "Did you eat kid? You're really skinny. I mean not that it doesn't look, well very fucking hot, but you should eat."

Faith leaned over so that their mouths were almost touching. "That wasn't apparent last night?"

Dawn blushed and looked down at her hands. "I know you patrolled. Maybe you were just...you know?"

Faith reached out and tipped the younger girl's chin up. "Well, I did patrol and I was horny." She shrugged. In for a dime, in for a dollar. "But I'd been watching you since I arrived." She winked. "And I don't come so fucking hard I lose consciousness for just anyone."

"Not a geek." Faith looked the teenager up and down again and Dawn suddenly felt like they were actually having sex at that moment. Oh my.

Dawn sat back nodded. "Xander called." Fearing that the injured Slayers wouldn't make it to L.A., the bus had stopped at the first town safely outside Sunnydale. Xander and two healthy young slayers had stayed with Robin and the six injured slayers. "Robin's still in surgery and so are two of the slayers. Two are out of surgery and in I.C.U. and the other two didn't make it." She was a little caught off guard when Faith crossed herself, then remembered some references to confession in Faith's letters. She had always assumed it was just a figure of speech.

The silence stretched out between them and Dawn was just about to speak when Faith beat her to it. "You stayin with B?"

Dawn shrugged. "Willow's starting to set up some command central situation in the ballroom and asked me to come help her. I'm not sure I'm sleeping tonight."

Some lesser mortal might be sleeping. Hell, most people would be sleeping but most people didn't fear sleep like Willow Rosenberg. Not that she'd admit it, except maybe to Buffy or Xander if they seemed to be in a particularly good listening mood. As far as everyone was concerned, she was just hyper and driven. Of course seven mochas in the last five hours would keep anyone hyper and driven.

The spell today had been...There could be nothing to describe it. Nothing to compare it. The only thing that would ever come close would be...every moment she'd ever shared with Tara.

Because Willow Rosenberg still couldn't sleep alone. She'd never had a problem as a child or a teenager, even when her parents left town for weeks at a time and left her alone in the house in a town of evil demons. And when dating Oz, she would just as soon he get up and leave or she leave, fabricating an early class or study group, as stay the night. But with Tara? Even before they had made love, even before they were "dating," Willow just wanted to sleep wrapped in the blonde's arms. It had been the first hint to her that perhaps she liked her new friend as more than just a new friend.

Which meant that she had not had a good night of sleep in 392 nights. And when she lay in bed awake she ended up counting those nights as well as the ones that stretched out in front of her. "On my 25th birthday, I'll have slept alone the last 1113 nights. When I turn 57, I'll have slept alone the last 12801 nights." Occasionally Dawn came into her room, upset about an interaction with Buffy or having had a nightmare and Willow would hold the teenager while she slept. But that did little for Willow's sleep.

So this night? Having a good excuse to avoid sleep meant one less night of fighting it. She glanced at her watch. 2:38. She'd accomplished an incredible amount already. Most of the others were sacked out somewhere in the hotel. Wesley was still going strong and really contributing to the plans. He paced the other end of the room on yet a third phone. Andrew had returned from his errand, thankfully Gunn had offered to drive him, and the two men now were organizing supplies into bins at the side of the ballroom around their yawns.

Dawn had lasted until just a few minutes ago, handling the phone order before falling asleep at a table. One minute she had been talking to Wesley to confirm a count and the next she leaned forward, put her head on her hand and was out. Since Willow wasn't sure if she even had a room, Gunn had moved her to a settee, tossed a blanket over her, and left her in the corner.

The redhead sat back down at the computers, took off her headset and began to concentrate on the scrolling characters in front of her. This would be the most complex and intricate part of the transfer. If she missed her window, she didn't know that there would be another chance and they needed the money to fund the operation. White boards behind her began to spell out the coordinated effort she, Giles, and Wesley had begun to plan. After all, some one needed to guide and manage all these Slayers. And Giles theorized that more and more would arrive every day.

Faith woke up with a crick in her neck and a stitch in her side. It was a far cry from the morning before. She'd awoken to find a thin, warm body wrapped in her arms. Her first thought was to try to remember where she'd gone dancing and who she might have picked up before the memory of the night before had come rushing back. The kid.

The memory warmed the Slayer only slightly and she cursed her uncomfortable chair but at least she'd been able to sleep outside. She stood and stretched and grabbed the box of empty bottles to dump in the garbage. Once inside the hotel she looked around. Young girls were scattered around the lobby but mostly the place was deserted. "That way," one of the newbies pointed.

Faith followed the vague directions down a hall and into a huge ballroom. It was like she was attending a conference, or what she always thought a conference would look like. Some folding tables were set up with a sign in front of each. "Last Name: A-H", "I-R", "S-Z" Boxes lined the walls and she looked inside to see loads of toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, tampons, etc. Another wall had a big pile of backpacks and sport bags while a third had a table with Danish and eggs. She went there first to grab three Danish and a cup of coffee. "You got any beer?"

Willow didn't answer but Andrew came over. "Um. No beer, Faith. Maybe you'd like coffee?" He shook as he spoke which was better than beer anyway since Faith just wanted to get a rise out of someone.

She poured a cup and went over to the "I-R" table. A box held large ziplock bags and she started to flip through them. There were four or five bags still in the box but no Faith Lehane. "No bag for me?"

Andrew shook again. "Um. I'm sure it's here somewhere. We've got one for everyone. Let me see..."

What the fuck is she ordering me around for? Faith wondered but she went over anyway. Willow handed her a bag like the others labeled "Francis Lindley." "Who the fuck is Francis Lindley?"

Willow motioned at the computers. "All the records. Your confession, arrest, the whole thing. Oh, also the juvie record for stealing a car which I don't think you'd mentioned before." The redhead smirked and then pointed at the bag. "For today you can be Francis but don't get arrested ok?"

Willow shook her head. "I don't think you really need to. I mean...Have you talked to Wesley?"

Willow rolled her eyes. "Go by Frankie then. I don't care. Just don't get arrested today."

Faith started to flip through the contents of the bag. "Let's see. Phone. Thanks." She shoved it in her back pocket.

"Your number is under 'my phone.' Dawn was on with the company for hours getting all those. Most of the other numbers, mine, Buffy's, Giles, are in there already." Faith nodded and continued pulling items from the bag. "That visa is for you to go buy clothes or whatever you need. Grab a bag from the corner and whatever toiletries you want. " She motioned to a second card. "That one has $500 on it for you to get an IPod or X-Box or whatever you want. You know, discretionary."

Faith shoved both cards and her new ID, proudly proclaiming her to be Francis Lindley, into her pocket. "The baby slayers actually listening to you about only spending the $500 cards on their toys?"

Faith pulled a sheet of paper from the bag. It seemed like some sort of survey. "Name," "Parent's address and phone" (yeah right), "Prior location" (The Big House), "Age", "Watcher if Applicable", "Location preference", "Do you have a high school diploma?", "If not do you want to finish high school?", "If not do you want to get a Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED)?", "Any personnel you want to be stationed near?", "Any personnel you don't want to be stationed near?" and so on and so forth.

Willow reached up to pull it from Faith's hands. "You don't have to fill one of these out."

Faith grinned. Of course she didn't. She looked behind Willow at the white boards on the wall and walked around the table for a better look. They listed names and cities. "L.A.: Wesley & Angel" had eight girl's names under it. "Seattle: Xander and Lorena", another eight. "London: Giles" fifteen names, "Boston: Nigel and Eunice" (she'd never heard of either) listed another eight girls, Miami, Rio De Janerio, Constantinople, Moscow, Venice, Greenland (the fuck?), Paris, Chicago, and finally. "Cleveland: Willow, Buffy, Faith" with 25 names under theirs.

Willow nodded. "And a hellmouth. Buffy wants you there to help train the newbies. We're going to rotate Slayers through different cities and different watchers but we want the new ones to come through Cleveland first."

Faith pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "And she wants me close so she can keep an eye on me."

Willow looked at the dark-haired slayer for a minute. "No reason to lie to you, Faith. Yeah. She wants you near her."

"Yeah, I heard about your little temper problem last year, Red." Faith motioned at the wall boards and then the other room contents. "Who's financing this entire thing? This has got to cost."

Willow smiled and pointed at the computer. "The old Watchers Council is gone. They really don't need their money anymore so we've decided to um...liberate it."

Faith finished her cigarette and handed the empty ziploc back to the witch. "I gotta go spend some money." She smirked. "I'll try not to get arrested today."

She was almost to the door when she heard Red's voice. "Oh and Faith?" Faith turned around. "There's a box of condoms over there if you want to grab a few hundred."

Faith carefully extended her middle finger to give Willow the old sign. "I knew you couldn't be friendly for that long, Red. Have a nice fucking day."

Faith's eyes almost glowed as she entered the store. Now this was her kind of place. "Can I set these somewhere?" She held up the bags she already had, those with four new pairs of jeans and three new shirts.

The salesperson came over immediately and took them from her. "I'm Georgeanne. I'll set them over here, Miss...?"

Faith smiled. How come people in expensive stores always want to call you Miss something? "Lindley but you can call me Frankie."

The salesperson had turned on the charm. "Well, I don't think you'll have any trouble finding something that you like here. Can I get you anything?"

Faith walked away without answering and started inspecting the pants. White, no. Blue, no. Pink, hell no. Black. Yeah. That's it. She pulled two pairs from the rack and held them up. Georgeanne practically ran over to the dressing room. No wonder, given the cost of the leather pants.

The Slayer emerged a few minutes later to look in the 360 mirrors outside the dressing room. "You look great, Francis."

Faith turned around to spot Dawn sprawled in a nearby chair. "You know I like to go by Frankie better, kid."

Dawn stood up and strode over to the Slayer, leaning close. "Turn around so I can see your ass, Frankie," she whispered in Faith's ear.

Faith smiled and did as requested, happy to see the way the teenager was staring. "See something you like?"

Dawn didn't take her eyes off the Faith's ass. "Very, very, very definitely." She reached out to cup the other girl's bottom. "The leather is so smooth and soft." She nipped at Faith's neck but didn't kiss her. "Get these ones."

Dawn slouched back into her seat in the chair near the dressing rooms. "There are only a few shops around that sell leather so I figured I'd try them all." She jerked a thumb at the salesgirl. "When I described you, Georgeanne knew who I was talking about."

Faith crossed the small area to lean over Dawn's chair and place both hands on the arms. "Maybe you'll be a detective when you grow up." She looked the girl up and down. "Although parts of you seem pretty grown up to me." She turned and grabbed another pair of pants from the rack and tossed them toward the teenager. "Come on now, kid. Turnabout is fair play."

Dawn held up the pants and laughed. "Buffy's going to think I'm in my adolescent 'follow Faith around and copy what she's wearing' stage again."

Faith pulled the teenager by the hand toward the dressing room. "I don't really give a fuck what B thinks as long as I get to see your ass in those and I don't think we should mention what phase you're really in."

Dawn opened the door and shoved Faith out as she closed it. "I'll be out in a minute then."

By the time she came out, running her hands over the leather and looking at herself in the mirror, Faith had changed back into her jeans and given the two pairs she was planning to buy to the salesgirl. The Slayer came up behind Dawn and returned the other girl's earlier action, smoothing her palms over her legs and ass. "You remember what I said about hubba hubba?"

Dawn smiled and leaned back into Faith's arms and wandering hands. "So you like?" The Slayer nibbled on Dawn's neck before whispering in her ear. "You have a filthy mouth, Francis Lindley."

"Kid, your sister is a Slayer. Is she ever not hungry?" She ripped the price tag off the pants. "I'll pay for these and we can go after you change."

By the time Dawn handed Georgeanne the pants so the salesgirl could remove the anti-theft device and put them in a bag, Faith had signed the credit card slip. She held up her other bags and glanced at the clock. "You buying me lunch, Kid?"

The found a "pho" restaurant on the next block and stood in line to order. Faith ordered a Japanese beer, declaring them better than the American ones and they carried their bowls to a tall table along the wall. They visited as they ate about Dawn's night helping with the phone orders and what he teenager knew of the grand plan for directing the Slayers. Actually, she knew a lot because she'd learned to listen well over the years. She would of course be going to Cleveland with Buffy, at least until it was time to start college in the Fall. Faith wondered but didn't really feel comfortable asking where that would be. The Slayer did find herself a little shocked as Dawn gave her a little more information regarding the size of the fund Willow had been working on getting from the Watchers Council.

"You're telling me that they had forty million dollars in the bank while I was living in a rat trap motel next door to junkies and whores?"

Dawn nodded. "And last year, Buffy worked at the Doublemeat Palace to pay the bills."

Faith laughed. "Do you have pictures? Because seeing B in that little hat sounds priceless."

The Slayer pushed away her lunch and cracked open her fortune cookie. "Man, if I had known that I could see B working at the Doublemeat, maybe I wouldn't have turned evil. It should have been in the brochure."

"Well, not when I killed Deputy Mayor Finch but working for the Mayor? Yeah. He put together a whole presentation about benefits and insurance and everything." She considered for a minute. "I guess that's the only job I ever had that paid money and stuff."

Faith ignored the teenager's remark. "Get this. 'You will survive a fight only to face another.'" She tossed the slip of paper into her bowl and bit off half the cookie. "No crap. I mean I'm a Slayer, I do nothing but fight."

"I remember you doing a little other than fight the night before last." Dawn tried to hold eye contact but blushed and looked away. She grabbed for her fortune. "Stupid fortune cookie company. They must only have one fortune. 'You will survive a fight only to face another.'"

Dawn looked exasperated but couldn't see a reason to argue about it. Everyone knew that the dark-haired Slayer didn't like to use real names from B to Red to G-man. And a minute later when Faith changed the subject it was apparent that Faith didn't think she was just a kid.

"Do you think I should go back to prison?" Before Dawn could speak Faith elaborated. "I mean I just kind of assumed I'd go turn myself back in but I got down to the ballroom and Red tells me that she's working on clearing my record so I don't know if I could even turn myself in if I wanted."

Dawn reached across the table to take Faith's hand. She wasn't entirely sure that the Slayer would allow the contact, after all she was so intent on being tough but Dawn felt that she knew her better than most people. "I don't think you need to go back to prison, Faith. I mean if prison is about rehabilitating people, you're about as rehabilitated as a person could be."

"Kid, prison ain't about rehabilitating no one. It's about punishing people, most of who didn't have any choice in the situations they were in."

The younger girl reached out to tip Faith's chin up and force the girl to look at her. "You made some mistakes but when you first started writing your letters you were really mad. Sometimes I was scared of the things you said." Faith looked up and gave her a sad look. "But you changed. Somewhere in there, somewhere in those letters, you really changed. You realized that you made a mistake." When Faith rolled her eyes Dawn amended her statement. "Ok, you realized that you made some mistakes. And you were sorry for them. You were really sorry." She thought for a minute. "Plus, you just helped stop the end of the world. That should count for something."

Faith shrugged but she didn't fool Dawn that she was taking the girl's words lightly. "I guess. But I just always thought...I mean now what am I supposed to do? Be like B and dress all light and airy and fight the good fight and study and shit like that?"

Dawn smiled at the dark-haired girl and motioned toward their bags. "I think you can still be you, Faith. Just, better." She leaned forward to whisper in the other girl's ear. "And I don't want you to be good all the time."

Faith again fixed the younger girl with a sexy look before picking up her bags. "You done shopping, kid?"

Dawn hopped from her own chair and picked up the bag with her new pants. "I was going to stop at a sporting goods store and get some new running gear. You in?"

The pair found a large sporting goods store a few blocks away and picked out some workout gear. Dawn was surprised when Faith chose a pair of good running shoes and said that they would have to go running sometime. Although the teenager always enjoyed the activity as a way to clear her head and get some exercise, Buffy had never wanted to go with her, always wanting to train with weapons instead.

Speaking of weapons, Dawn was hardly surprised when Faith discovered the hunting and fishing department and began salivating over the knives. The dark-haired slayer looked at the case with wonder and then glanced to Dawn as if asking for approval. Her only response was to wordlessly take Faith's shopping bags from her hands and lean on the counter as the other girl began asking the salesman to take various weapons from the cabinet for her inspection.

A few she held out to the teenager who had set down the bags, took the knives in her hand and wondered what she was supposed to be checking for. On the other hand, Faith obviously knew what she was looking for. It was clear to Dawn that she was checking for heft and balance but beyond that, her movements to swing and spin the knives were a foreign experiment. Most of the knives she handed back to the salesman but two she set aside before asking for a whetstone and sheathes. Before paying she picked up one knife in each hand and held them up like six- shooters. "What do you think?"

Faith dropped the knives on the counter immediately and smiled as she hugged the younger girl. "I'm sorry, kid." She wanted to say something else but she just couldn't quite figure out what. How do you apologize to someone for holding her and her mother at knifepoint. She couldn't think of anything more meaningful that apologizing again and cupping the girl's cheeks in her hands to place a soft kiss on her mouth. "You want to get out of here? Head back to the hotel?"

Dawn nodded and bent down to pick up the bags. As Faith turned from the counter she smiled. "Pay for your new toys, Frankie."

Dawn laughed. "You know you're just going to wish you had them until you do. And we're here now."

Faith laughed too. "I'm a little spooked at how well you know me." She turned and handed her credit card to the salesman who had been attempting to ignore the personal conversation between the two women but who also, of course, really wanted the sale. When the transaction was finished, she dropped the small bag containing the knives, sheathes, and sharpening block into one of her clothing bags and led Dawn through the store to the exit. After orienting themselves they began walking back home, making a date for a late run the next day.

"You know I like running early. About 6:00 most days," Dawn teased the other girl.

"Kid, I get to bed after work about 2:00. If you think I'm getting up at 6:00 to run, I overestimated your sanity and your intelligence."

By the time they walked into the lobby of the Hyperion they were both laughing and having fun and weren't prepared for Buffy's reception. "Where in the hell have you been? And why were you with her?"

Buffy stepped up face to face with her sister. "I've been looking for you for the last hour and a half to see if you'd eaten." Apparently realizing that they were attracting quite a bit of attention she lowered her voice. "And I don't want you following her around like you're thirteen years old again. She's dangerous."

Dawn could feel her temper starting to flare at her sister. "She's not dangerous."

"Dawn Summers. She's a killer and you know it. She may be reformed enough to not actually help the forces of evil destroy the world but that's not exactly the standard you should hold for lunch dates." She turned to the dark-haired Slayer who had been standing to the side throughout the confrontation. "And you can just leave my sister alone. You don't need her tagging along making you feel like a hero or whatever."

Now wanting to diffuse any potential fight between the Chosen two, in addition to feeling that Buffy deserved a piece of her mind, Dawn stepped between the two. She gave Faith a little shove and then turned to Buffy. "First off, she's not the only person around her who has 'killer' on her resume. You've never had a problem with my spending time with Willow or Anya or Andrew."

Dawn ignored the interruption. "Second, I'll spend time with whoever I want. And third..." She pulled her cell phone from her pocked and then grabbed Buffy's from her hand. "...this is a cell phone. I'm speed dial #4." She hit the button on Buffy's phone and her's started to play the Flying Wallenzas. "See you call me. 'Hi, Dawn? Did you eat? Yeah? Oh, good. Any idea when you'll be home?'" She practically sneered at her sister as she disconnected and dropped the phone into her hand.

Buffy took a deep breath. "Ok. You're right." She reached out and patted her sister on the hand. "I think I'm still just on edge about the whole 'fight against evil' thing yesterday."

Crisis averted Dawn agreed and gave her sister a hug. Buffy told her that Willow could use her help again and Dawn said that she would go put her bags in her room.

"Hey B?" The sisters looked up to see Faith standing to the side of their touching reconciliation. "Do I have a room?" She held up her bags.

Buffy reached into her pocket and handed her key to her room. "214. Do you want to patrol tonight? Angel's out of town and Gunn said that they could use some help."

"Gunn and Wesley wanted to take some of the girls out. Let's just go by ourselves."

Faith shrugged. "Whatever, B. I just work here." She turned and followed Dawn up the stairs, letting herself into her room and tossing the clothes on the bed. She would have to go down later to get a bag and the other stuff from the ballroom. Fuck Red anyway with her crack about the condoms.

The two Slayers had a good but strange night, heading back to the hotel around midnight. Faith flexed her arm, still trying to work out the kinks from the fight the day before. "Not bad, B. I can't believe you're walking around today. You did get stabbed through the gut yesterday." She smirked at the blonde. "Hell, I was in a coma eight months from the same thing and you jumped from the rooftop to the bus."

Buffy sighed. "Is this how it's going to be from now on, Faith? You bringing up the past every hour?"

Faith stopped and squared off in front of the blonde. "Oh, I'm sorry. You yelling at the kid in the middle of the lobby that I'm a killer isn't from the past is it?"

"I think the kid pointed out that half the people in your little club are killers too. The difference is that I went to prison for my crime."

Buffy shocked the dark-haired Slayer as she actually seemed to think about it for a few minutes. "I can see that, Faith. And you seem different, more peaceful than you did." She took a long breath. "But please leave Dawn alone. You know how she was as a kid. I mean she idolized you and followed you around like a puppy-dog. She was crushed, absolutely crushed when...well when things went bad with you and I and you and she. Just leave her alone, ok? Don't encourage her? Please."

"Look, B. I hear you but she's not a kid anymore you know. She's a wicked intelligent woman and pretty damn mature too." No wonder Dawn felt so ignored by her sister and all the Scoobies. They just couldn't see her for who she was now.

Buffy stood up and started walking toward the hotel again. "I'm not going to argue with you about Dawn anymore, Faith."

"That's a relief," Faith muttered. She looked up to see that they had reached the hotel. "Hey B, it's kind of early. I think I'll..." She gestured over her shoulder with her thumb.

Dawn stirred when she heard the window creaking open. She felt pretty sure it wasn't a vampire. They couldn't get into her room anyway. Or could they? Could a vampire enter a hotel room? She didn't own it. She would have to ask Willow or get the witch to set up a barrier.

"You just leave your window unlocked and cracked, kid? I could be a vampire or some other evil beastie."

Dawn sat up with a grin and allowed the sheet to fall to the bed, displaying her upper body which was again clad in a silky nightie. "But it's not a beastie." She yawned. "Sorry. I waited a few minutes after Buffy came in but...I fell asleep." Dawn looked down. "She said you were going to hit a nightclub and implied. Well, she wasn't all that complimentary about what else you were doing to do. Also she said that Willow tried to get you to take some condoms and you refused and were rude."

Faith grinned as she approached the bed and leaned over to kiss the teenager. "B makes assumptions, kid. I wasn't really feeling a need for condoms." She set down the plastic bag she'd brought with her on the nightstand and rubbed her arms. "Fourth floor? You couldn't be on the second floor?"

"Just did," Faith shot back. "I'm just not sure you want my arms all tired out." When the kid blushed, Faith smirked back at her. She was finding herself quite intrigued by this woman. On one hand she was smokin' hot and sexy, brilliant, and intelligent. On the other, she could seem so young and innocent in a way that Faith could never remember feeling. She kissed her again and this time lingered a bit, savoring the taste of toothpaste and cherry lip gloss on the teen's lips. "You mind if I take a quick shower? Patrol was a bit...yuck."

Faith began stripping off her clothes where she stood. "I hope so." She leaned over one more time to kiss her lover and then strode toward the bathroom. Just at the doorway she turned around. "And don't look in the bag."

Less than five minutes later Faith had emerged from the shower and came back into the bedroom toweling off her hair. "Much better. Not so stinky."

"Why don't I be the judge of that?" Dawn was looking the naked Slayer up and down with what could only reasonably be described as absolute, unadulterated lust.

Faith smirked as she picked up the bag and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I wasn't out clubbing. I saw a grocery store eight or ten blocks from here and needed to make a stop." Without further explanation she pulled a chocolate cake from the bag, on which Dawn could see the words Happy Birthday in red frosting, and handed the teenager a plastic fork to match the one in her hand. She also pulled a small bottle of milk from the bag for each of them. "I was going to get candles but I didn't want to set off the smoke alarm."

Dawn smiled broadly as she looked back and forth between the cake and Faith. "You are really sweet, Faith."

Faith waited for the teenager to take a bite before plunging her own fork into the cake and bringing up a big forkful. "For God's sake, don't let anyone else know."

"Mmm. This is fantastic." Dawn licked a dollop of frosting off her fingers, a motion which Faith felt relatively sure wasn't calculated no matter how sexy it looked. "So how was patrol?"

Faith took another large bite and spoke around her chewing. "Ok. First off we run into a pack of vampire dogs."

Dawn wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "They're called hounds of hell. They're bred and trained to protect places where demons live." She shrugged. "Or unlive or whatever."

"Right. Not these. Those are hounds of hell and they smell terrible. These? Vampire dogs as in long fangs, no reflection, tried to bite our necks."

"Yeah, we're like wrestling the damn things to the ground and finally I decide to shove a stake through one's heart. I mean it may be a hound of hell but you'd be surprised how many things that will kill. So I hit one. Poof! B sees me and starts doing the same. Poof, poof, poof..."

Dawn got a disgusted look on her face. "That means that some vampire bit a dog, drank its blood, and let it drink his. That's really disgusting."

Dawn laughed and set her fork down on the nightstand. "So what were these ugly vampire dogs guarding?"

"Nest of vamps. Killing them was easier than the dogs and but the dogs smelled better." Faith continued enjoying the cake. She hadn't eaten since dinner and was feeling the sugar racing through her veins.

Dawn lay down on her side with her head on her hand. "And what was the side of bizarre?"

Faith finally decided to take a break from the cake, setting in on the floor. She lay down facing the teenager. "You ever hear of a demon named Whistler?"

Dawn thought for a moment. "Short squirrelly-human-looking demon? Let me see. An immortal demon sent to balance out good and evil? Where was he for the last few months?"

Faith nodded his head. "Buffy asked him that too. After she got done tossing him against a wall. Seems they've met before. She ever mention that?"

Dawn shook her head. "She didn't but I remember one time Willow read something about him during research and Buffy got up and left the room."

Faith reached over and began to rub Dawn's hip through the sheet. "Yeah so they have some history. He tells her that she wants to hear what he has to say. She says he has thirty seconds. He says that she did good in the fight against the first and she gets a wish. Seems our little B has 24 hours to wish for any damn thing she wants. One wish."

Faith shifted her hand to brush the fingertips along her lover's jaw. "Or maybe she'll make Angel human. Who knows with B?"

Dawn took Faith's hand and kissed the palm. Then she thought for a moment. "What about your wish?"

Faith nodded her head and returned to stroking the other girl's hip, moving in larger circles. "That's what I said, yo. I was like, 'hey Whistler. What about me? You know, saving the world, fighting the good fight?'"

Dawn began to run her fingertips along the older woman's chest, between her breasts, allowing them to come closer and closer to the soft flesh with each pass. "And he said..."

Faith slipped her hand under the hem of Dawn's slip, noting that it was much shorter than the one the kid had worn their first night together. She began running her palm over the girl's stomach noting how her breath hitched with each movement. "No wish for me." She snorted a little. "He said that I'm on my destiny path. That right now I have everything I'm ever supposed to want. Said, get this, that I hold the key in my heart even if I don't know it yet."

Faith rolled her eyebrows. "Yeah. These prediction winks always give a bunch of shit that doesn't mean anything. I guess he's telling me to go find what makes me happy for myself or something. He said that's my love." She leaned forward to kiss Dawn's neck where the pulse was vibrating the skin at the base of her throat. "Kid, right now I can think of a few things that might make me happy." She made a mental note of the sound Dawn was making as she kissed and then sucked that tender spot.

Faith was quickly losing interest in Whistler and knew that the kid was as well but she wanted to finish. "But I guess he had his prediction hat on, the thing looked like shit, and he tells me that once I find my key, I'll ultimately have to fight to protect it."

"You'll have to protect your Key?" Dawn's voice sounded frustrated and a little scared and Faith knew that she was losing the mood.

"But that I'll have help." She saw the look of obvious disappointment in the teenager's eyes and then glanced away, having a wicked thought as her eyes lit on the cake. She slipped her fingers back under the silk and pulled it easily from Dawn's body. "Mmm. You know I'm still kind of hungry." She leaned over and dipped her finger in the icing and was moving it toward a newly bared nipple when the teenager grasped her wrist and pulled the finger toward her mouth, locking eyes as she wrapped her lips around it.

Faith moaned. She regretted it immediately. Shit, reactions like that were going to...

Dawn reached her hand over and scooped up some more frosting. She extended only the tip of her finger toward the Slayer and let her lick some of the sweet goo from the end before pulling it away. "I think you've had enough for now." She lifted her finger in front of her face and seemed to study it. "Now what am I going to do with this?"

Dawn lowered her head so that she was giving a wicked sexy look at the other woman. "I don't want to have to get up and wash my hands and if I get it all over the sheets..." She moved the finger very near a nipple, which, conveniently and fascinatingly enough seemed to be hardening of its own accord. "I just have to put it somewhere..." She lightly brushed her fingertip across the tip of one nipple, then the other. "Now, that's just messy." She leaned her mouth down and swiped her tongue through the chocolate, making a "mmm" noise as she did. By the time she had cleaned both nipples the Slayer was breathing heavily and making a sort of clicking noise in the back of her throat, making Dawn feel pretty satisfied.

"Come here, kid." Faith shifted onto her back and pulled Dawn with her, bringing their lips together and tasting the chocolate on her lover's lips. Again, she thought about how good a kisser Dawn was. Actually she was a little disturbed about it. Not about the great kissing but about how much she seemed to be thinking about the kissing. She hadn't told Dawn about the time she had spent on her back fighting a vampire tonight after he'd caught her daydreaming do you call daydreaming at night nightdreaming while she thought about the kid's kissing. About the curve of her bottom lip. And now she wanted...

Well obviously she wanted to fuck Dawn. And be fucked by her. Preferably a few times or at the same time or both.

But for now. She was just kissing and being kissed. And that was kind of new too. Allowing Dawn to kiss her and explore her mouth. Allowing the teen to really run her hands over her body and let her. To let the teen be on top. Not really, really, on top of course. No one could...That wasn't fucking happening. But this, this letting her do what she wanted and enjoying the way it made her feel?

Faith actually made a whimpering sound as Dawn moved her lips over her jaw and neck. She knew she should make an effort to switch places and take some control but what the teenager was doing with her hands felt so fucking good that she didn't want it to stop.

When Dawn sucked a nipple into her mouth while twisting the other in her fingertips, Faith told herself she would switch in one minute.

When she abandoned the Slayers breasts and began moving down her stomach, Faith thought maybe just a few more minutes.

For a second, the Slayer was torn. Comfort the nervous teen or encourage her to continue? She reached down her hands and pulled the girl closer to hug her tightly. She kissed Dawn's eyelids and cupped her cheeks in her palms. "You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with."

Dawn kissed the Slayer back and smiled. "I didn't say I wasn't comfortable." She leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I've been dreaming about making love to you for years, Faith." She pulled back and smiled. "What said was tell me if I don't do it right..." As she whispered she slid back down Faith's body, over her flat stomach until her face was even with the other woman's short dark curls. She seemed almost hesitant as she rubbed her cheek and chin over the softness, seemingly undisturbed or oblivious to the needy sounds coming from her lover's throat.

Dawn was, in fact, anything but oblivious to those sounds and to Faith's aroused state. Still feeling very nervous but wanting to show Faith that she could be a very good lover, and well aware of the relative differences in their experience levels, Dawn wanted to take her time and really make this wonderful for Faith. She knew that Faith had had a lot of sex 鈥" really, a lot of sex 鈥" in her life and while she knew it wasn't a competition, she also knew that Faith was hardly going to want to sit around playing scrabble for very long. She wanted sex, lots of it, and very very good. The teen used the fingers of one hand to separate the Faith's folds. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the Slayer's scent and smiled as she realized that she was going to really enjoy this. Her mind flashed back to those days reading Willow and Tara's books and her realization that those descriptions, descriptions of loving between two women, were more appealing to her than any she'd ever read involving men. She figured this would kind of be the test of that conclusion. Of course her feelings for Faith had pretty much convinced her that she preferred women, or at least preferred Faith.

She took a few seconds to really look at the beauty of Faith's sex. She'd only ever seen her own before and that with a mirror and at a strange angle. She moved closer and gently kissed the little bump she was pretty sure was the Slayer's clit. When Faith gave an uncharacteristic squeak, she felt pretty sure that she'd guessed right. Even though she remembered the feeling from the other night, she didn't want to attack, so to speak, Faith's clit right off. She slowly licked a long path along one side of the Slayer's lips and then the other. Oh yes. She felt Faith's hand at the back of her head, not cruel and hard but gentle but firm and allowed her instincts to guide her.

Faith tried to relax as Dawn began to make love to her. This was something that she'd done hundreds, maybe thousands of times, but somehow this seemed different. It wasn't like this was a first. Hell, it wasn't even the first time she'd been some girl's first time. But she felt an overwhelming wish for the kid to be good at this. For herself to make it easy on the teen, to guide her through it. And given her responses when kissing the kid, she thought this would be very good.

The first touch of Dawn's mouth to Faith's sex was electric and she had to will herself to keep from winding the girl's hair around her hand and forcing her to get busy. Instead she cupped the back of Dawn's head in her hand and attempted to keep from screaming as the girl licked her sex from bottom to top and then down the other side.

And her determination to not scream and not pull the girl's hair was definitely tested over the next...Oh hell, Faith didn't know how long it took or how long it went on. What the kid lacked in experience she made up for in care and her ability to accept some gentle coaching on the Slayer's part. It felt almost like...

And she had to fight a different instinct now. To get up and run from the room. To push the teenager away and lash out with words. To tell her that nothing could come of this. That she was convenient and easy and that it would hurt Buffy to fuck her little sister. To spew words that would keep her from feeling what Dawn had to offer. That would make the kid leave her so she wouldn't have to.

She gripped the back of the kid's head more tightly and then had to scream at herself to release it as she heard a muffled whimper. She tried to tell herself that she wasn't that person anymore. That person who would hurt Dawn. Who would pull her closer and then push her away. Who would discard her without a second thought. That she was worth this...this caring...this...She couldn't say the word. Because that word was more than she could accept. Was more than she deserved.

The Slayer jammed her free forearm against her open mouth to keep herself from screaming and crying and whimpered around it when the kid slid two slick fingers into her opening without even asking.

The Slayer could feel her own hum in her ears as she strained against her own arm and Dawn's mouth and hand. It was just so good and she could hardly stand the contrast in feelings. The kid's hand was so firm inside, curling up and driving deep alternatively. Her mouth was just as gentle as it had ever been and Faith was unprepared for the tears that started to spill from the corners of her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut and whipped her head from side to side to stop her emotion. She didn't want this. This breakdown. This feeling. She just wanted release.

Faith felt it. Felt it break loose and still wanted to escape. The kid was still loving her and was trying to bring it again and she had her chance. "Kid, I gotta go..." She tried to pull away and run for the bathroom but Dawn looked up at her and she could see the pity and concern in her eyes.

And then she was rising up the bed and Faith wanted to just get away. To send the kid away. "I really need..." She could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks and felt the burn of shame.

Dawn knew that look the moment she saw it. She knew this was coming. All those letters and all those words and she knew what Faith felt. That she wouldn't be able to accept it. To know and take Dawn's love. She wanted to tread that thin line between showing Faith what it could feel like to be loved and scaring her away. She wrapped her arms around the Slayer as tightly as she could, all the while perfectly aware that if Faith really wanted to get away, she couldn't hold her. "It's ok, Faith. It's ok. I know...I swear I know." And her words were a prayer and a mantra and she repeated them over and over, not even sure if Faith could hear her. And she could feel her lover shaking and feel the tears on her chest and arms. "It's ok, baby. Don't go away. Don't go. You're where you're supposed to be. I promise. I promise. Don't go."

Faith wanted to run. Still wanted to jump from the bed and run. But Whistler's words echoed in her ears along with Dawn's. Destiny Path. Destiny Path. Destiny Path. And for the first time in her life, she relaxed into the pain. Let herself feel it all. The way no one had ever loved her. From her father she never met to her trashy mother to all her mom's boyfriends who had shown her her only value in their own sickening ways. Even her hardass Watcher who never had a good word to say.

And she couldn't do it anymore. It took so much strength to hold it all together. To be so tough. And the only time she'd ever let down those defenses was in those letters. But Dawn had already read those letters. Had read her moments of greatest shame and pain. Had read it all. And still felt...

Faith didn't know how long it went on. And still Dawn held her. Still she continued her words that it was ok. That she was ok. That she was where she belonged. And every moment took her will to resist leaving. To push the kid away and pick up her clothes and get the fuck out of there.

"I can't give you what you need, kid." Faith's voice sounded scratchy and tough in her own ears. "What you deserve." She expected the kid to answer. To argue or protest. And for a moment it seemed that she would. But then Dawn's lips were against hers and the Slayer resisted for a moment before giving in. Because how could she help but give in when it felt so damn good? And Dawn's fingers sliding into her body again were a surprise but it felt as if they belonged and Faith whimpered again.

And Faith felt it all coming back. Without breaking contact, she rolled on top and forced the kid's head back against the pillow, pushing their tongues back into her mouth and running her fingers along the girl's slit only once. The wetness seemed to invite her inside and she slid a finger in as Dawn arched to meet her movement.

And there was no more talk or thought of pain or hurt or love or care. There was just this movement. Two women joined through their lips and hands and skin and sweat, moving together and nearing the peak.

Dawn screamed when she came and her scream was swallowed by her lover's mouth and answered by Faith's cry of pleasure. And then the two lay side by side, breathing coming shallow and quick and hands entwined.

Faith pulled the teenager closer and wrapped her arms around her. "I don't know how I would get out even if I wanted, kid." She raised her arm a few inches and let it fall back onto the other girl's back. "I'd be as likely to fall the four stories as climb down safely and I don't really feature running into B in the hallway."

Dawn giggled. "You could tell her you're just waking everyone up. It worked the other day."

The Slayer placed a gentle kiss on Dawn's forehead. "I'll sneak out tomorrow, kid." Then she wrapped the girl tightly in her arms and kissed her again.

Dawn was nearing sleep when she heard Faith's words whispered like those of a child. "Don't tell anyone."

And the teenager was able to resist the instinct to be a smart-assed brat. To ask who she would tell and how that would come up. "Hey Buffy, so last night while I was making love to Faith, she had a total meltdown." Yeah that would go over great. "No one, Faith. I promise." And she felt the Slayer relax and felt relieved that she was still in the bed.

Still she floated. Sometimes more aware and sometimes less. It seemed that there was someone waiting. Someones. Someone who loved her and still loved her and who was in pain over her. At times a cry pierced her spirt. Someone shouting Tara and a feeling of loss. But the spirit can't hold onto thoughts or emotions or even piercing cries and she went on floating

Willow ran her fingers through her hair. Too long. Again. It seemed like she always needed it cut but maybe it just was that she didn't really care to pay attention to things like her hair any more. Hell, if she didn't feel like some authority was needed over all the new girls, she would wear pajamas, to hell with her image. Who was there to impress anyway? A smile graced her face as she remembered her angst over clothing selection when meeting Tara for spells. Why had that not been a clue? How could it have taken her months to realize that she was attracted to the shy witch when she spent hours trying to decide which pair of sneakers to wear and poured baby powder in each in case she took off her shoes? She never knew whether to be exasperated at herself for wasting those months falling in love when she could have been with Tara that entire time or loving the feeling, the secret romance, of their love. She'd been so selfish in the beginning 鈥" wanting to keep Tara all to herself. She knew that the blonde had thought her ashamed of their relationship but that wasn't it. She just didn't want anything to intrude on their little bubble.

She brushed the back of her hand across her eyes. Damn it. When would she be done crying all the time?

When Tara returns. She choked back a sob. Like that is ever going to happen. No. It wasn't and she had to go on living and that just sucked beyond all belief. And part of what hurt so badly was the knowledge that her lover hadn't died saving the world or even helping a little old woman cross the street. She had died randomly and with no warning, no reason. Stupidly.

Her coffee cup was empty and it gave her a chance to get up. She stopped first at the restroom and splashed some water on her face before proceeding down the hall to the hotel restaurant. Of course restaurant was a kind appellation for the large room with boxes of cereal, Danish, hard-boiled eggs, and kettles of coffee. At least the hotel had the large freezers and refrigerators or they would have been spending all their newly liberated funds on feeding the army of new slayers. And some of them were hardly able to feed themselves three times a day. The new setup would certainly require some supervision and chaperoning and again she missed Tara. The blonde would have loved having a role in guiding these young women. Willow couldn't really imagine herself or Buffy and certainly not Faith in charge of their daily activities.

She grabbed a donut with the cup of coffee and trudged back to her workspace. The planning progress was going great. They had most known Slayers assigned to their locations. Watchers or in some cases temporary Watchers would be flying out over the next few days to find residences and training facilities, then their charges would follow within the week. Fortunately everyone could travel light but it was still a massive undertaking. The witch glanced at the clock on her desktop. 10:07. She'd been awake and working on the plan for over three hours, having met with Giles and Wesley as well as speaking to Xander by phone. The three surviving Slayers had made what the medical staff at the small-town hospital had termed amazing recoveries. Gunn had agreed to drive down in the afternoon to bring them and the healthy Slayers back. Xander would remain with Robin who was doing well. Willow had not determined the best location for his deployment and didn't even know, in fact, if he wished to remain but his skill both with the vampire population and with a high school age cohort would be well utilized. She hoped that he would remain with them.

"Good morning, Will." Buffy took a seat across from the red-haired witch sighing loudly and setting down a plate with three donuts on it as well as a diet coke. "I'll be glad when we have something more nutritious to eat than donuts."

Willow nodded and continued typing. "Not more than a week, Buff." She finished her task and looked up, snapping shut the lid of her laptop. "How was last night?"

Willow nodded her head. "Yeah. You know, patrolling with Faith?" Before Buffy could answer she looked up and saw Dawn coming in carrying an egg and donut with a diet coke to match her sister's. "Good morning, Dawn."

"Hey Willow. Hi Buffy." Dawn took a seat next to Buffy and began to eat her breakfast.

"You look terrible," Buffy declared as she took in her sister's appearance. "Are you not sleeping?"

Dawn shrugged. "I don't know. I mean I just couldn't sleep last night. I'm sure...I'm fine."

"And where did you get that bruise on your wrist? Dawn, are you ok?" Willow's voice rose and she was practically shouting, getting the attention of a few of the other girls eating breakfast in the large room.

Buffy quickly grasped her sister's hand and ran her fingertips over the skin. "Dawn. Where did you get this? I thought you said none of them touched you. Do you need to see a doctor?"

Dawn pulled away her arm quickly and tucked her hand under her arm-pit. "God Buffy. Worry when I'm really hurt. It's...from the other day but it's fine."

"Well put some ice and arnica on it," Willow added. "I was just asking Buffy about patrol last night with Faith."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Interesting? It was about the most interesting patrol I can remember."

Buffy took a long drink of her coke. "Well we hit a few cemeteries. Poofed some vampires." She shook her head. "I think I had forgotten how much Faith gets off on the violence. I mean she was just...it's different." She looked over at the teen. "Dawn, you ok?"

Buffy continued. "So the night went on and we're out killing the bad guys, as we do, poof, poof, poof, slay, slay, slay...and we run into Whistler."

Willow reacted immediately setting her coffee cup down too hard on the table and having to grab a napkin to mop up the spill. "Whistler? Buffy, are you ok? What did he say?"

Dawn looked back and forth between the two older women. "Eternal demon who tries to balance good and evil right?"

"Someone's been doing research." Dawn gave her sister a snotty look and waved her hand for the Slayer to continue.

"Oh Buffy..." Willow trailed off. What could she say? Whistler had shown up and explained to Buffy how to kill Angel. She still thought it must be the hardest thing her best friend had ever had to do.

Buffy tried to wave off Willow's sympathy. "Anyway, he says that I have 24 hours to make a wish."

"A wish. I can't go back in time and change something but I can wish for anything now."

Buffy continued to shake her head. "Apparently someone has taken notice of all the good fight I've been fighting. Now I just have to figure out what to wish for."

"Lifetime supply of mochas," Willow joined in. Then she got more serious. "What are you going to do Buffy?"

Buffy shook her head. "I just don't know. I mean if I can have anything, what do I want?"

Buffy smiled at her little sister and patted her shoulder. "I don't know, Dawn. I just...I guess I need to figure it out."

Buffy smiled and seemed to take a perverse joy in her answer. "Nope. Apparently she hasn't been fighting the good fight long enough. Whistler told her that she holds the key to happiness and love in her heart and that's all she gets. You should have seen her face."

Willow rolled her eyes. "I've never noticed Faith's heart being where she holds happiness and does she even know what love is?"

Buffy shook her head. "She's changed a lot since she went to prison. I'm not Faith's biggest fan but I can see that."

Willow shook her head. "I know. I just have a hard time wanting to trust her at all. I mean she held a knife to my throat."

Dawn looked down at the table and pressed her fingertips to the fake wood. "Mine too, Willow, but she does seem different. Maybe you can give her a chance?"

Buffy saw a clear opportunity. "See, that's why I want you to stay away from her, Dawn."

Dawn rolled her eyes in response. "You were just telling Willow how much she's changed but now you want me to stay away from her. God, hypocrite much, Buffy?"

"Look, maybe Dawn's right." Willow tried to diffuse the Summers family tension. "Did you talk when you were coming in from slaying?"

Buffy smiled. "Well, we might have except that she didn't come in. She waved her thumb in the direction of some clubs and went to get wild or jiggy with it or whatever. She's all...you know...Faithy that way."

Willow glanced at the teenager at the table. "She probably just...you know, found someone to talk with and had a deep meaningful conversation." She looked around before adding, "or maybe they played board games." "And didn't come home last night?" Buffy argued. She glanced at her little sister and apparently decided that Dawn was old enough to hear talk of sex. "Willow, you know that it means nothing to her. She's trying to sow her oats from her time in prison. I mean if she was in 3 years she probably missed out on, what sleeping with a thousand or so guys or girls or whatever?"

Buffy took a deep breath and looked at her sister. "I wasn't checking up on her. I went past her room on the way down here and she wasn't in there." She saw the way the other two women were looking at her and pointed at her ear. "Slayer hearing."

Dawn shrugged. "Whatever. Willow here is the one who wants Wesley to talk her out of going back to prison."

"Oh!" The redhead nearly shouted. "He and she talked yesterday afternoon and as of this morning, I've got her records all fixed. She's as free as you or me and can use her name again."

Willow could see that the two sisters were about to get back into a fight and it hardly seemed worth it for anyone to defend Faith's honor. The dark-haired slayer had certainly never wanted to defend it. She did find Buffy's supposition that Faith was interested in both men and women telling, having long suspected those leanings in the other Slayer but never really noticing that Buffy was that perceptive.

And apparently Dawn had had enough of it as well. "I'm going for a run. I'll take my phone in case you need me."

Willow had been going to ask the teenager to help her this afternoon but Buffy stood up and took her sister's hand before the redhead. "Hey, sis. Want to help me do some shopping this afternoon? I haven't gotten any thing new to wear yet." She motioned toward her current outfit with obvious distaste.

"I'm just teasing you, Willow." The teenager assured the two other girls that she would be back in a few hours and left the ballroom.

"Yes, it's just..." she quickly opened her laptop and hit a few keys. "I wasn't exactly keeping up with my e-mail the last few weeks."

"Right." She turned the computer around and pointed to the screen. "I missed this reminder from Amazon.com."

Buffy looked at the screen. "...reminder from wish list...Dawn Summers.... Birthday...Oh Crap!" She looked at her best friend. "We totally missed her birthday." She melodramatically banged her forehead on the table. "Ok. We need to plan a party for her. Or maybe not a party. Dancing? No. Dinner? You and me and Xander and her and...Yeah. A dinner. Maybe tomorrow night?"

Willow saw something on her computer that needed attention. "Why don't you worry about your wish today and Dawn's birthday tomorrow? It's already late."

Buffy smiled at her friend as she bent over the computer. It was obvious that she was absorbed already. "Right, Will. Talk to you later."

Dawn opened the door to her room quietly, not sure if Faith would still be asleep at 10:30 in the morning and was glad she had. The Slayer in question was asleep on her stomach, her arms wrapped around the pillow and Dawn had to suppress a giggle at how adorable the other woman looked. She quickly got her running gear and stepped into the bathroom to change. When she emerged, Faith was lying in bed watching the door with a smile on her face.

Dawn crossed the room and casually kissed her lover. "I'm going for a run. Want to go?"

Faith groaned. "You can't possibly expect me to go running this early after the workout I had last night." She reached up and pulled the teen back toward the bed and kissed her deeply. "Maybe you could stay here and get some exercise some other way."

Dawn pulled away with her eyes still closed. "Mmm. That is very tempting, Faith, but since I just told Willow and Buffy that I'm going running, unless you want a visit from them, it's probably not a great idea."

Dawn sat on the edge of the bed and began tying her shoes. "Sure like when's the next flight to Greenland so she can station you there and where to find a convent for me."

Dawn looked at the dark-haired girl skeptically. "Are you just doing..." she waved her hand between the two of them "whatever we're doing to piss off Buffy?"

Faith picked up the teen's hand. "No. I'm doing...whatever this is...I don't know.. I guess I kind of...I mean I kind of like...you know...whatever...you know, kid?" She smiled and added. "Pissing B off would just be a French benefit."

Dawn kissed the Slayer but she was smiling and laughing when she did. "Did you say a French Benefit?"

"Sure. French Benefits. Something good like toast or fries or kisses." She leaned forward and demonstrated the last item in the list. "See, good things."

Dawn laughed again and tucked a piece of hair behind the older girl's ear. "They're not French benefits like good things. They're fringe benefits like something extra you get besides getting paid."

Faith rolled her eyes and flopped back onto the bed. "Great. Now I'm going to have to study or go back to school or something to date you."

"I don't know. I mean...I've never dated but this is kind of...I mean. Fuck. How about it?"

Dawn shook her head. "Well, gosh, Faith. You really know how to romance a girl. I mean 'fuck. How about it?' I'm overcome."

Faith stood up and paced over to the younger girl, kissing her on the cheek and taking her hands. "Sorry for the lack of romance, kid. I have an idea of somewhere I'd like to take you but I need to check some things out. Will you go with me the day after tomorrow?"

Somehow Dawn just couldn't help smiling although she tried to be tough. "Only if you stop calling me 'kid' and I'm not sure that I'll be putting out on our first date."

"I'll stop calling you 'kid' when you're not a kid anymore and I'm pretty sure that the boat already sailed on that putting out thing unless I dreamed the last few nights." She whispered in the younger girl's ear, "And believe me, if they were dreams, they were very very very..." she licked Dawn's earlobe, "wet."

Dawn shuddered a bit, regretting that she didn't seem to be able to resist the Slayer's attentions. "Yes, I'll go out with you." She stuck out her tongue in her best spoiled brat fashion and added, "on a date."

Faith smiled at Dawn's behavior and then leaned forward to capture the offending tongue between her lips, kissing her quickly. She swatted the younger girl on the bottom. "You better get going or I'm going to find something for you to do with that tongue."

Dawn tucked her phone into her pocket and winked. Since she turned and jogged to and out the door, she didn't see Faith watching her ass with a dazed look on her face. And of course she didn't hear the Slayer's mutter. "Damn. I gotta get my head back on business." Nor was she aware that the Slayer didn't exactly get her head back on anything but a pillow and memories of the night before for quite a few minutes. Nor was she able to be eternally grateful that her sister and her amazing hearing didn't, in fact, walk by the room during that time.

The teenager returned to the hotel an hour and a half later, saying hi to Willow and letting Buffy know that she'd be ready to shop as soon as she had showered and changed. She didn't mention the intense joy she felt about the fact that as she was finishing her run and stretching in the park, Faith had surprised her by meeting her there. The Slayer had shrugged it off as just needing to stretch her legs and seemed puzzled when she explained that she didn't know how she had known how to find Dawn but that she had run this way and that for ten minutes or so before arriving at the park. The two had goofed around for a few minutes before making plans to run the next day and some vague intimations that they'd be seeing each other before that. The teenager felt that she had "played it cool" in spite of the way she felt. A part of her couldn't believe that Faith was actually paying this kind of attention to her. More than that, seemed to be seeking her out. She knew what Whistler's words meant and while the warning about protecting her made her uneasy, the fact that she was in Faith's heart was, well, heartening. Of course, Faith clearly didn't know what his words had meant or she would be likely to bolt. And a part of Dawn wondered if she should mention the warning to Giles or Willow but how could she possibly do that without revealing why Whistler would have given the first part of the message to Faith? Not to mention, how mad would Faith be when she found out Dawn's identity? Sure she wasn't really the Key anymore, but that didn't mean that Faith wouldn't be pissed off when she found out that Dawn was keeping it from her.

By the time she had dressed after her shower she felt no more relieved about the situation than before but she resolved to put it out of her mind and enjoy shopping with Buffy. She wanted to be helpful to Buffy about her wish but at the same time, didn't want to influence her. The fact was that Buffy, with brief interruptions for death and a season of waitressing which had included a trip to Hell, had given everything, including her life to save the world over and over. If she wanted to wish for Mr. Gordo back and animate him with speech capabilities in ten languages that was her prerogative.

As it turned out, Buffy wasn't considering retrieving Mr. Gordo. The Summers sisters had lunch and shopped and had dinner and continued shopping. In spite of the younger sister's efforts the day before she found quite a few selections to her liking while Buffy, shopped so much that only her Slayer strength allowed her to transport the combined purchases home. Fortunately they had hailed a taxi to return them to the hotel with their loot.

By the time they arrived, Dawn knew no more about what Buffy would do with her wish than she had at the start of their afternoon. Not that Buffy was keeping it from Dawn; clearly Buffy did not know either. The Slayer had mentioned perhaps 25 ideas regarding her wish but had found reasons for and against every one of them. It struck Dawn as surprising that Buffy seemed to be considering ideas to bring joy to others rather than to herself and then struck her as ungenerous to be surprised by that.

Buffy considered it and then shook her head. "No. I think I'll go and pace on the roof. Hey, if you see Faith can you ask her to take out some of the newbies and that I'm taking the night off?"

Buffy looked thoughtful. "Thanks. Hey, I'm thinking about this. Her room is way down on two and ours is up on fourth. Do you think we should move her up?"

Dawn tried her hardest to affect a nonchalant attitude in spite of how much easier that move would make her sneaking. Or at least Faith's sneaking. "So you can keep an eye on her? Sure."

"Actually, I thought she wouldn't feel left out that way. You know I've been thinking about her...well her little foray into evil and it seems to me like she was kind of lonely at the hotel."

Dawn had to mentally admonish herself again as she nearly smarted off about Buffy's sudden seeming care for those around her. "Well, I think that would be nice then." She smiled. "I could tell her when I tell her about patrol."

Buffy thanked her and they parted at the stairs. She realized partway up that she still carried all her bags so she went back down to four, dropped them in her room, and then went up the stairs to the roof. Maybe it was being a Slayer, who knew, but she had always enjoyed being outside when she really needed to think about a problem. She checked her watch and saw that she had only about two hours to make her choice. One idea continued to pop up no matter how many times she thought of other ones. And she could see how it would make the world a better place. But she couldn't see how it would immediately help her. And was that something that she wanted? To make a wish that wasn't directly Buffy-beneficial?

An hour and a half later, her decision made, she knocked lightly on the door to room 417.

"Buffy?" Willow pulled open the door and stepped back a step to allow her best friend inside while yawning. "How was shopping?"

Buffy shifted her weight from foot to foot and smiled. "It was great. I found these great boots." She lifted her feet one at a time. "Black, of course, and they're perfect in absolutely every way. Comfortable, light, durable." She lifted up her foot to show the sole and then her pant leg to show the uppers. "I'm telling you these things are going to be a miracle...although I don't know if I can fly wearing them. They have metal in the tips." She experimentally kicked a few times. "Very lightweight though." She smiled knowingly. "Faith is going to want a pair. But I think I only want them for me. What do you think?"

Willow yawned and ran her hand through her hair. "I'm sure they're great, Buff."

Willow nodded sleepily. "Are the boots your wish? I mean it's midnight, Buffy, and I'm sure that they're really, really wonderful. But it's midnight."

Buffy's hair barely moved in spite of the massive shrug, perhaps testament to her need for a visit to a beauty shop to go with the shopping spree. "I just thought you might want to know about my wish."

Buffy's wish. I almost forgot. Time to step up being a friend."I'm sure you made a great choice, Buff. What did you decide on?"

Buffy didn't speak at all. She just let the smirk on her face and the sight of the figure behind her as she stepped to the side do the talking.

When neither Tara nor Buffy said anything, Willow found herself repeating herself. "Tara?" She nearly kicked herself when she realized how suckered she was being. Obviously this was just another trick of the First. Even though they had defeated his army in Sunnydale there was no true way to defeat Evil so he could still impersonate Buffy or Tara. "You're sick you know that?" Willow grabbed the door and swung it closed only to see it stopped by Buffy's hand.

"Shit, Wills. That actually hurt a little bit." Buffy pushed the door open and entered Willow's room. "I don't know what makes me sick but I ... " she turned and looked at Tara and waved her hand a little. When Tara didn't move Buffy stepped back into the hallway and put her hand under the witch's elbow and guided her into the room. "Tara. This is Angel's hotel. And Willow's room."

Willow quickly pulled it together and took Tara's hand directing her to a chair. "Do you want a drink? Are you... Water?" She held out a bottle of water, then an apple. She looked at Buffy. "Is she ok?"

Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. I mean I made my wish like 10 minutes ago. She looks ok but maybe she's just ... adjusting? I mean it's hard."

Willow kneeled in front of her recently returned lover. "Sweetie? It's ok. You're ok now. I missed you and I love you and ... maybe you'd like to just lie down?"

Tara breathed through her nose as she tightened her lips as if she were trying to think through speaking. Then she slowly nodded.

Ten minutes later Buffy stood outside her best friend's door smiling and silently congratulating herself for making good use of her wish. Willow had repeatedly hugged and thanked her after the two had ensconced Tara in her bed comfortably and assured her that Willow would be right back. She looked at her watch and noting that it was only 12:15, decided to head out and see if she could catch up with Faith and the younger girls on patrol.

She found the group in the third cemetery she visited and actually was able to sneak up on the larger group and observe for a few minutes. The older Slayer was somewhat shocked to see the way Faith was working with the junior girls. She seemed to be observing each and then focusing on one thing she could do to improve her technique without making it seem like she was criticizing them. She was speaking to a girl named Jamie when she looked up and saw Buffy sitting on a mausoleum. "Hey, B!"

Faith laughed as she easily scaled the building to take a seat by her counterpart. "We've had a good night." She pointed to each of the younger girls and gave a favorable report on their progress. "And now they get another chance." She smiled at the girls and then pointed to two figures approaching from opposite sides.

Buffy watched the group on the ground, pleased with their progress. "You seem happy, Faith. I mean... I don't know. Maybe I never gave you much of a chance before and that's my fault but you just seemed kind of angry." She smiled at the dark-haired girl. "You just seem... I don't know, like you're finding your place."

"Nice one, Kara!" The remaining group gathered around the lone vampire in their midst as Faith and Buffy continued talking.

"So, B? What did you wish for, yo? I mean is Angel a human? Does gold come out of your ears? A room filled with low-fat yogurt and chocolate chips? Is Joyce back? Brad Pitt as your boy-toy?"

Buffy considered Faith for a minute, slightly embarrassed to admit her wish. "I uh... brought back Tara."

Faith wrinkled her forehead as she obviously tried to place the name. "Tara? Red's girl? The one that got herself killed and Red went all psycho-lesbian-killer?"

Faith laughed for a minute. "Yeah, I bet they're having fun now. Actually I met her once. She seemed about like if you snapped your fingers or dropped a pan she'd just fall totally apart and begin crying or something."

"When did you...? Oh, when you were me. " Buffy took a deep breath. "Well she changed a lot since then. She kind of grew up. She's a pretty powerful witch and I heard she killed a demon with an axe so that's something. And I'm not sure getting shot through the heart with a random stupid bullet counts as carelessly getting yourself killed."

Faith held up her hands in a sign of surrender. "Hey, no offense meant. Red deserves some happiness. And from what the kid tells me, blondie was like a mom to her after Joyce was gone, no offense, so she's probably really cool."

Buffy nodded. "She's pretty mellow and cool and she'll be a big help with all these adolescent girls. And when did 'the kid', her name is Dawn by the way, say something about Tara?"

The dark-haired slayer motioned toward the group of girls all slapping high-fives and lightly jumped down from the roof, joined by Buffy a moment later. "I don't know. I guess I just overheard her saying something about missing her or something. I don't really pay that much attention, yo."

The two senior slayers stopped their conversation to speak to the trainees on their technique and demonstrate some moves that would have been easier. "Remember that you won't always outnumber the bad guys by so much and you might want to take them out quicker." Buffy looked at her watch. "That's probably enough for tonight and some of you fly to your new destinations tomorrow. Let's head back to the hotel."

Buffy laughed at Faith being so jumpy. "Why so jumpy, Faith? You're not all H&H are you? We can talk in the morning if you need."

"B, I've gotten some and way better than you could imagine and way more recently than you too so you can just drop that shit. You ain't no Dr. Ruth, sex therapist to reformed slayers."

Buffy laughed and now held up her hands in that surrender sign. "Man, you really have changed. Plus which how do you know it's better than I could imagine or more recent?"

Faith tilted her head at the blonde. "Seriously, B? I'm not writing this shit down for you."

The blonde laughed as they approached the hotel and watched the junior slayers, who had been walking ahead of them, into the hotel. She sat on a bus stop bench. "So, I missed my sister's birthday a few weeks ago."

Buffy nodded. "I know I suck. In my defense there was an impending apocalypse." Faith laughed and Buffy continued. "Anyway, Robin and the last of the slayers will be released and arriving tomorrow around lunch time. Xander will be here and Tara's here now so I was thinking of having a little birthday dinner/party thing for Dawn tomorrow night."

Faith narrowed her eyes. "You're inviting me to come to Dawn's birthday party? That's uh... really cool... I mean I don't know the kid that well but uh... should I like bring a present and shit?"

Faith snorted. "You weren't inviting me were you? You were asking me to handle patrol."

"Well, I was but actually yeah, I mean you should come." Buffy spoke faster and faster. "I mean it would be cool if you could come and you wouldn't have to get her anything. I mean you hardly know her. And then it would be the whole gang. You, me, Giles, Xander, Willow, Tara, you know..."

Faith smiled at the blonde. "Don't sweat it, B. I can handle patrol and you can buy an extra nice gift for the kid and sign my name to the card."

Buffy stood up and started walking into the hotel with Faith right next to her. "Thanks, Faith. Did you get moved up to four?"

Faith laughed. "Yeah, it took me nearly 3 minutes. I mean I own like seven pieces of clothing and a Nintendo DS." Buffy nodded. "Oh, and a wicked knife. The kid and I were at this sporting goods store and I picked it up. You'd love it. Nice heft, curved blade."

"No big, B. You remember, she and I ran into each other while shopping. We got back and you went all momma bear in the lobby about how she needs to stay the fuck away from the big-bad murdering Slayer?"

Buffy took a deep breath. "Yeah, look, I'm really sorry about that, Faith. I mean... I want to see you, this new you, as someone to be trusted and a part of everything... It's just, I mean, I see Dawn and she's my little sister and the only family I have. And I don't know. This big crazy part of me just wants to stand in front of her and protect her. I know I have to, you know, let her have her life but I just ... I'm sorry, Faith."

Faith chuckled before punching the other woman on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You guys have a great time and send the kid into adulthood in style. Spend some of the council's money. You both earned it."

Buffy smiled. "Thanks, Faith." She motioned toward Giles who was sitting at a table with a notebook and paper. "I'm going to go let Giles know about the party and about Tara too."

"Like I could," Buffy snarked before stepping quickly out of the way of Faith's foot as it swung lazily toward her.

Faith knocked on the door as lightly as she could and waited, shifting her weight from foot to foot. The last damn thing she would need was for B to come up the stairs while she was standing outside her kid sister's room. When a minute had passed she knocked harder.

Dawn opened the door a crack but blocked the opening with her body. "I don't know, I mean I was kind of waiting for my girlfriend."

Faith shrugged her shoulders and turned to walk down the hall. "Well, I don't want to stop your fun, kid. I'll just go get some ..." She got no further as Dawn grabbed her hand and pulled her into her room, slamming the door.

Faith closed and locked the door behind her before leaning on it and smiling at the younger woman. "Oh, I'm a lot of fun."

Dawn leaned in and began kissing her lover. "You know what I mean." She moved quickly to Faith's neck and began slowly licking it and nipping at the skin.

"It's easier to say than this bad-ass chick I'm having sex with nearly every night."

Faith laughed and ran her hands down the teenager's back to cup her bottom, then lowered them to her legs and lifted her and carried her to the bed. "Yeah, about that..." She allowed her eyes to roam down and then up Dawn's body before peeling off her shirt and tossing it into a chair.

An hour and a half later, Faith felt completely relaxed. She lay on her back with Dawn half-sprawled across her chest, her head tucked under the Slayer's chin. The younger girl groaned quietly and shifted into a more comfortable position, kissing her lover's collarbone as she settled herself. Faith ran her hand through Dawn's hair, noting how soft it felt. Thinking that Dawn was fading off to sleep she was surprised to hear the other girl's question.

Dawn laughed and sat up in bed to take a drink of water from the bottle on her nightstand, then laid her head back on Faith's shoulder. "Ok, guess number one: she ensouled Angel permanently."

Faith wrapped her arms more tightly around the younger girl. "I'm sorry, babe. I mean... I'm sure she wanted to but ... "

Dawn nodded her head. "I know. I just thought maybe... You know, we'd be a family again and mom would be... you know back? I guess it just wasn't ... I mean, strike two."

Faith gently touched the younger girl's face with her hands as Dawn looked at her. She cupped her cheeks in her hands and using her thumbs, wiped away the tears she found starting to trickle down her face. She opened her mouth a few times to try and say something that might help and failing that, kissed her softly on the lips. "You have a lot of family, kid. A lot of people who ... care for you."

Dawn smiled as if considering Faith's tenderness before shaking her head. "What else would she wish for? I mean even Buffy wouldn't wish for new shoes or something. Xander's eye fixed?"

Faith grinned at Dawn's dig at Buffy and her love for shoes. "Look who's talking, kid. I noticed a few pairs lining the floor of your closet back in S-dale."

Dawn playfully poked her girlfriend in the ribs. "When were you looking in my closet? Was the big-bad Slayer looking to borrow my calculus book?"

Faith laughed. "I can't even spell it, kid. I was looking for chocolate. I thought you might have had it hidden away from the potentials."

"You're damn something... and you're stalling. What did Buffy with for? And why do I keep ending my sentences with prepositions? What was Buffy's wish?"

"We can talk more about it in a few minutes." Faith leaned up on one elbow and smiled at her lover, knowing that she would be very happy with Buffy's wish. "Ok, kid. I won't keep you in suspense any longer. She brought Blondie back."

"Tara? You're saying that Buffy brought Tara back? Tara Maclay? Willow's girlfriend? Buffy brought back Tara? But, Buffy?" She still looked puzzled and as drew back and slapped Faith on the arm. "Tara's back and you took two hours to break the news to me?" She started to get up from the bed only to find Faith grabbing her arm and holding her in place.

"I took two hours to tell you because ... ok, because I'm selfish and I wanted your hot-bod."

"And also because B said that Tara was wicked freaked out. I think Red put her to bed with, you know, like a cup of tea or something." She motioned toward the clock. "And it's the middle of the night. Why don't you get your hot-bod back in bed with mine and go break in on their tender reunion at some obscenely early hour of the morning?"

Dawn sat down on the bed again. "You're serious? You're not putting me on about this? I mean my sister, Buffy, brought Tara back for Willow?"

Faith cupped the younger girl's face in her hands again. "Kid, I wouldn't lie to you. Your sister, B 鈥" Buffy whatever-her-middle-name-may-be Summers 鈥" had one wish and she wished to bring back Tara."

Dawn smiled and finally crawled back under the sheet to snuggle against Faith's naked body. "Anne."

Faith nodded at the information. "Speaking of B, she is throwing you a birthday party/dinner thing tonight. Try to be a little surprised."

Faith laughed. "I didn't say a thing. I try not to say too much about you to B, not that I'm terribly successful at that."

"Oh, just that I mentioned the knife and that you were with me when I got it. It just reminded her whey she doesn't want you hanging around me."

Dawn pushed up onto her elbows. "I like hanging around with you, Faith." She kissed her softly to emphasize her point before laying her head on her lover's shoulder again.

"You know, I don't know what the deal is but I like hanging around with you too, kid." When Dawn shifted back up onto her elbows to look at her, Faith looked away. "I... You're doing something to me, kid. And I don't know if I can stop it. And the thing is... " she looked back. "I don't know if I want to."

Dawn gently kissed the older woman and ran her fingertips along her jaw line. "Remember what Whistler said. You're on your path right now."

Faith bit at her lips. "You're telling me this..." she waved her fingers between the two bodies, " is my path. Screwing B's sister and knowing I should stop but just... not? I mean... what are you doing, kid?" She regretted her words when she saw the look on Dawn's face but it just seemed so wrong, enjoying someone so much. It was like they fit and she hadn't ever felt that before.

Dawn smiled and cupped Faith's chin in her hand. "I'm not telling you anything. I'm just reminding you what Whistler said."

The Slayer shook her head slowly. "You're so confident. I mean it's like you already know how this is going to go or something. How do you know I'm not just going to screw this up? Hurt you or cheat on you or dump you or get us caught by B so she comes down on your ass?"

Dawn smiled at her lover and then kissed her shoulder. "You don't scare me, Faith Lehane."

"I should," Faith huffed only to hear Dawn chuckling at her. She took a deep breath. "So Robin and Xander will be back tomorrow in time for your party."

Faith heard the nervousness in Dawn's voice and wrapped her more tightly in her arms. "Just so you know, I have no use for him. I have... " She took another deep breath. "I was thinking I'd talk to him about getting my G.E.D."

Dawn's sleepy stroking of Faith's stomach stopped and then began again as if she had been surprised by Faith's words. "I forgot that you didn't get to take the test before you got out of jail..."

Faith stroked Dawn's back, knowing that the other girl was close to sleep. "I'll talk to him." She watched the dark-haired girl slip into complete relaxation and sleep and finally allowed herself to follow.

Part 6
Return

Dawn woke slowly, noting the dim light coming through the curtains in her hotel room. She could feel Faith's arm wrapped around her stomach and her body pressed against Dawn's back as the other girl spooned her from behind. She smiled as she just reveled in the closeness for a moment, then gently slipped her hand under Faith's to ease it off and roll from the bed. She wasn't prepared to feel Faith's hand grasp her fingers or her arm tighten around her stomach. "Not yet..." the sleepy slayer whispered.

"It's ok, baby. You just sleep." Dawn whispered and felt Faith's grip loosen around her stomach. The younger girl lifted her lover's hand to her lips and placed a gentle kiss on the fingers as she slid from the bed and set Faith's palm on the sheet.

She quickly went into the bathroom and shut the door before turning on the shower to give it a chance to run hot. A part of her was tempted to run to Willow's room immediately but the parts of her brain reminding her that it was 6:00 in the morning and that her evening with Faith had been rather... vigorous dealt her some logic in the form of her need for a shower. Honestly, she still couldn't believe that Tara was back--that Buffy used her wish to bring Tara back. Faith had seemed more understanding of the generosity of Buffy's gesture than Dawn could bring herself to feel and she wondered if maybe her assessments of her sister were wrong or at least less than generous.

Faith had not moved from her spot on the bed when Dawn exited the room fully dressed ten minutes later. She locked and checked and double-checked the door before leaving. She knew it was too early to knock on the room three doors down but she didn't really care somehow. She knocked gently on the door and heard Willow's voice, "It's probably Buffy. I've got it."

She could hear Tara answer but not what she said and it just made her want to get through that door all the quicker. Willow opened the door with a smile and was obviously surprised to see Dawn rather than Buffy but nodded and smiled as she stood to the side. "Come on, Dawnie."

Dawn practically ran across the room to embrace Tara who sat on the bed, obviously having finished eating breakfast and still drinking a cup of coffee. When she was done, Tara held Dawn at arms length, taking a good look up and down the teenager. "You're taller now." She smiled. "And happy birthday, Dawnie." She motioned toward a nearby chair indicating that Dawn should take a seat.

"I'm going to go shower since Dawn's here," Willow offered. Dawn thought the kiss between the two witches seemed comparatively chaste in comparison to the last time she had seen them together.

Dawn and Tara both watched the redhead until she had closed the door to the bathroom and they heard the shower running. "I can't believe you're back, Tara. I've missed you so much." The younger girl found her eyes filling with tears.

Tara nodded her head and extended her hand for Dawn to hold. "I know. And I'm glad to be back too."

"But?"

"But, what?"

Dawn tried to fix Tara with her most serious stare. "Your sentence ended with a but. What's the but?" She laughed. "Or what does Buffy say? 'You have but-face.'"

Tara laughed as well. "Touche." She looked toward the bathroom door. "It's just sort of weird. I mean... first off, I was dead until a few hours ago." Dawn nodded. "And while I was gone... well, a lot happened and ... Willow's tried to tell me about it but it's just hard to believe that she... that anyone... I don't know. It's all weird."

Dawn nodded, then moved to sit by Tara on the bed. "I know that. And it was hard. I mean everything you missed seemed so big. But I missed you and I know she did too. She was crazy when you were gone. I mean just crazy. And believe me, I don't want to defend her but we all just... I mean we needed you and she needed you and ... You still love her, right?"

Tara again smiled at the closed bathroom door. "Every single moment since I met her."

Noticing the pot of coffee on the dresser, Dawn crossed the room and got a cup as well as refilling Tara's cup without asking. She came back and took a sip as she waited. "So what was it like?"

Tara smiled. "I knew you'd ask that. You mean did I see our moms? Was I an angel? That type thing?"

Dawn smiled right back. "Yes, that type thing." They heard the water in the bathroom shut off and then laughed as they heard Willow's off-key singing for a moment.

"Well. I didn't meet up with my mom or Joyce like meeting them in a hallway or going shopping or something. It was more like I was just in this state where I felt joy and happiness and I knew that everything and everyone I loved was nearby. Even the people here in the living even though I couldn't see you." She stopped talking and took a drink of her coffee.

Dawn looked curiously at the older girl. "And what else? What were you going to say?"

Tara shook her head. "You're too perceptive, sweetie."

Dawn smiled. "I have to be around here because no one tells me anything."

"Again touch茅. Ok, what I didn't say was that most of the time everything was the same but there was some point. I don't know, it seemed really recent but time doesn't work like that there so I don't know. Anyway, there was an instant when everything seemed... more so? Like stronger. Much stronger."

Before Dawn could answer, there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it." She jumped up and crossed the room to pull open the door and find Buffy standing there holding a tray of Danish and bananas. "You found the party, Buffy."

Buffy came in and set down her offerings before taking the seat Dawn had vacated while the younger girl took a seat on the bed and handed Tara a banana. Dawn listened, just happy to have Tara back as the other two girls visited about welcoming Tara back and making sure she was ok. Dawn noticed that just before Willow emerged from the bathroom, Buffy managed to ask if Tara would rather have her own room, a suggestion Tara assured her was not necessary.

"So, Tara... " Buffy seemed unsure about what to say, "You're back and Xander, Robin, and a few of the other girls will be back this afternoon so we kind of thought we'd have a celebratory dinner tonight." She glanced at Dawn so obviously that it was all the teenager could do not to add, "And for my birthday."

Willow came over and sat on Tara's other side, snuggling the blonde. "That's a great idea, Buff."

Buffy nodded. "I've been known to have a few. Oh, and I asked Faith to take some of the girls and cover patrol so I'm free all night."

"Rather than inviting her," Dawn added.

Tara looked back and forth between the siblings. "So Faith's here? Well, that's great and sounds like I need even more catching up." She took another sip of her coffee. "How is she? I mean I've only met her the one time and she was kind of ... mean?"

Willow laughed. "Sweetie, she'd woken up from an eight month coma and stolen Buffy's body. I think she might have been going for mean."

Dawn took a deep breath. "Yes, Tara. Faith is here. She broke out of prison when Wesley said he needed help with Angel. Then she came to Sunnydale and helped save the world." She looked at Buffy and Willow. "Only these two seem to be having a hard time remembering that part."

"And you have too easy a time forgetting that she held you and mom at knifepoint, Dawn," Buffy argued.

Dawn shook her head. "She was never going to hurt us. She told me."

Willow looked at the teenager stupefied. "What? When?"

Dawn tried to control her anger at the way the other two were reacting. "At the time. I mean she put the knife away. She offered it to me. She said that she just wanted Buffy to come save us but that she wasn't going to hurt us." She took a breath before adding. "Ok, I mean maybe that's not what happened since I wasn't there for any of it but the monks put in there. I remember it so maybe that means they thought that was what she would have done."

"It sounds like she's changed," Tara offered.

Dawn nodded her head victoriously. "Yes, and that's why Buffy should have invited her to this thing tonight rather than totally dissing her."

Buffy threw up her hands in frustration. "Whatever. I mean, you want your hero to come so you can just daze at her while she grunts incomprehensibly like a cavewoman, why don't you go pound on her door until she wakes up and tells you to get lost. Oh wait, I know. Because she's probably not even around. I mean, she's changed but she hasn't slept in her room since we got here."

"Spoken like the hotel's bed-check police, Buffy. When did you become house-mother?" Before the older girl could answer, Dawn turned to Tara. "Sorry, Tara that your first morning back has digressed into the normal Summers sister squabbling, and before you can say that three times fast, I'm going to go for a run." She gave Tara and Willow quick hugs and then left without even speaking to Buffy.

Buffy watched her sister leave and shrugged. "I don't know... arggghhh. I mean, she wants to follow Faith around like a puppy dog. She thinks she's some snuggly little thing that she can adopt and bring home and train to bring the paper but she doesn't seem to want to notice that the girl is more like those dogs you see on the news who eat a toddler and don't even know they did something wrong."

Willow looked back and forth between Tara and Buffy before speaking. "You know, Buff?" When the Slayer looked at her as if she didn't feel like being lectured, Willow held up her hands. "Right, right. No lecture. But here's the thing. I mean I'm not Faith's biggest fan and never have been."

"See!"

"But."

"But?"

"But she does seem different. I mean I can't say about her not coming home." Buffy looked like she was going to say something but Willow spoke louder as if to cut her off. "But I've seen her with the younger girls and she seems really interested in teaching them and she's even come by and asked me if I needed help a few times."

Buffy shook her head. "Ok, great. Faith's a great person. Let's nominate her for an award and invite her to Dawn's birthday party." She looked at Tara. "Sorry, Tara. The dinner is for Dawn's birthday too."

Tara laughed. "I got that." She yawned and the other two girls seeing, quickly rose and said she should sleep. Tara agreed and Willow walked Buffy to the door, again thanking her profusely for her wish.

When the redhead returned to the bed she was shaking her head. "Those wacky Summers girls..."

Tara yawned again and fluffed her pillow. "You're going to snuggle me?"

Willow smiled as she moved the cups from the bed. "Couldn't stop me." She slid under the covers. "I need to do some logistics work but I can do that from here and I'll wait until you're asleep."

"Ok..." Tara was already dozing by the time Willow finished speaking.

----

By late afternoon, Tara was really glad she took that nap. She felt quite tired which she attributed to the unusualness of her situation. Then there was the fact that she'd spent most of the night alternately being informed of what she had missed by Willow and making love with Willow. All in all, very little sleeping had been done. And her day had been spent greeting and catching up with the Scoobies, meeting new Slayers, and being challenged as an agent of the First by anyone she encountered before they had been told that Tara had returned. By about the third or fourth person, Tara just reached her hand out and took a hold of the person's arms and said "I'm real."

Willow had indeed stayed with Tara most of the day but had drifted off to take care of an emergent situation. Tara had taken another nap and was now ready to join the group for the dinner out. She pulled the door to their room shut and nearly stepped right into another woman.

"Hey, sorry. You ok?"

Tara turned quickly, recognizing the voice immediately. "Fine. Thanks for asking though." She looked at the dark-haired woman intently for a moment. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be staring."

Faith stuck out her hand. "I don't know if you remember me but I'm Faith. And you're welcome to stare."

Tara extended her hand as well. "Tara Maclay, but you knew that already." Her eyes flickered to the space around Faith's head and she shut them quickly. "I'm sorry again."

Faith looked puzzled at the blonde. "You want to walk? Why are you so sorry?" The two girls started walking down the corridor.

Tara took a breath. "I... I read auras. I mean usually I can control it which I try to do because it's an in-invasion of privacy. But you're ... I've had a long time to block Buffy's aura so I have to try and see it but you being a ..."

"Slayer?"

Tara nodded thoughtfully. "Or maybe just like, superbeing. Sometimes it's hard for me to shut out Angel, Conner, Dawn, even Oz when I met him." She shook her head. "Anyway, I just... I feel like I'm invading your privacy just being near you."

Faith shrugged. "Most of my business is everyone's business anyway so don't hurt yourself looking away. Anything you see interesting?"

Tara laughed. "It's not like a fortune telling session. It's more like emotions, feelings."

"And?"

They had reached the steps to the lobby by this time and Tara looked down the steps to where she could see the other Scoobies in conversation. She reached out and took Faith's hand. "Passion, justice, heart, honesty, and I think..."

"You think?" Faith playfully put her hand on her hip and wagged a finger at the witch. "You can't just tease me like that just because you're back from the dead."

Tara bit down on her lip. "I ... you're in love. And it's your first time I think. And it's just bursting out of you. And it winds everything else up."

Faith laughed loudly. "Uh yeah, Blondie. I think maybe you're trip back through the veil-thingy has kind of messed up your mojo." She laughed again.

Tara shrugged. "Ok, I shouldn't have been l-looking anyway." She reached out and grabbed Faith's hand. "Look, Faith. Would you come out with all of us to dinner tonight? I know Buffy asked you to patrol but I think everyone would be happy for you to come." When Faith didn't answer after a few seconds she tagged on, "Dawn specifically mentioned you and since it's for her birthday, maybe you could drop by?"

Tara could see Faith stiffening throughout the last exchange. "Ok, look. I appreciate the invite and all. I'm going to take out some of these newbies but I'll see if I can, you know, drop by. I uh, you know, didn't get the kid anything though."

Tara nodded with a smile. "I think that's fine, Faith."

"Ok, I'll see you later then, Blondie." Faith started to walk over to talk to Buffy for a minute but Tara stopped her.

"Faith, I ... next time I'll be able to block reading you better. I just have to ad-adjust?"

"No worries. I mean your reading is kind of bull-shit anyway, but I don't really mind."

The Slayer crossed the room to talk to Buffy as Tara watched her. "Bullshit, right." She watched as Faith's energy spiked when she approached the Summers girls to discuss patrol with Buffy.

"Whatcha doin, baby?" Willow grasped Tara around the waist and kissed her neck as she stood behind her looking into the crowded room.

"Mmm, waiting for you to come hold me like this." Tara melted back into Willow's grasp.

Willow kissed her lover on the neck. "Did I see you talking with Faith?"

Tara nodded. "We met in the hallway and walked down here together. She said she'll drop by later if she can."

Willow snorted into Tara's neck. "I'll hold my breath."

The two witches broke apart to see that people were getting ready to leave for the dinner party. Tara had met Robin earlier in the day as well as having a reunion with Xander and telling him she was sorry about Anya.

By the time they reached the restaurant, a casual but not too insane spot Gunn had suggested the group numbered over 20: Scoobies, new slayers, and a few of the L.A. contingent. They got a big table in a semi-private room and enjoyed appetizers and drinks (mostly soft drinks since most of the people at the table were under age). Dawn found herself sitting between Robin and Amanda and knew that she was glancing too frequently at the door. This is ridiculous. She's out patrolling and there's no reason to think she is going to come out here anyway. When Faith had checked in with Buffy before heading out for patrol, she hadn't said so much as a word to Dawn which the teen knew shouldn't hurt her feelings but it did.

In spite of wondering if Faith would show, Dawn enjoyed visiting with her neighbors. She hadn't had that much of a chance to get to know most of the potentials before the final fight nor now. As they were near her age, she was enjoying the chance to discuss music, movies, books, and other gossip with them.

"So, Dawn. What are you going to do for college?" Robin's question was actually one to which the youngster had given a lot of though.

"Well, I've been accepted everywhere I applied but I haven't given it much thought. I'm thinking of taking a year off to just help set up the center in Cleveland with Buffy and Willow." She glanced across the table at Tara and smiled. "And Tara of course. I think I could defer my admission and start next year."

Robin nodded. "Sure. Your grades and scores are the kind of marks every college looks for."

Dawn laughed. "And who doesn't want graduates of a school that's been destroyed twice in the past 5 years?"

The conversation was interrupted as the wait staff came into the room carrying a large sheet cake and singing Happy Birthday which everyone at the table joined in on. Dawn blew out the candles and hugged Buffy and Willow before cutting the first slice, then handed the knife over to a waitress. "Thanks, guys."

Buffy had switched places with a younger girl and now sat directly across from her sister. "I'm really sorry that your birthday got missed, Dawn. I promise not again."

Dawn laughed. "Hey, we saved the world. I'm ok with it."

"Good."

"But where's my present?"

Buffy laughed before bringing out a small box. "Well, I don't know if you'll want these. I mean... I brought them with."

Dawn took the box and opened them to find her mom's pearl earrings inside. "You brought mom's earrings?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, I don't know. I just jammed them in my pocket at the last minute. I don't know why."

Dawn jumped up to hug her sister, amazed for the second time at Buffy's thoughtfulness. The earrings were followed by a gift card to a book store from Willow and Tara who reasoned that being about to move, Dawn didn't need a stack of books to carry, a Nintendo game from Xander, and various cds from some of the other girls. She had just noticed Faith and a few of the younger girls coming in the door of the room when Robin spoke up, "I have one other thing here."

Dawn looked at the former principal with a puzzled look on her face. When could he have had a chance to get her something and why would he? It wasn't like they really knew each other: more like he knew Buffy and Dawn stopped by the office to make excuses for her older sister.

"You didn't have to get me anything." She noticed Buffy leaning forward and that Faith had tapped a new girl on the shoulder to get her to give up her seat a few chairs down from Buffy. She pulled a tray of appetizers from the middle of the table and began eating as the waitress came over to get her a drink.

"Well, this gift was pretty necessary and pretty enjoyable." Dawn looked even more confused until Robin pulled an envelope from his bag. "Congratulations!" She opened the envelope to see her high school diploma.

She looked at it and quickly ran around the table to give the man a hug. Even thought she knew it was "only" her high school diploma, somehow it made everything seem worth it.

"Hey, do you think you could make me one of those?" Xander asked from a few seats away.

"Me too," Willow added.

Faith laughed along. "And me?"

When everyone looked at Buffy she explained. "I have one. Giles found me one." She reached across and playfully slapped Faith's hand. "And you didn't even go to Sunnydale."

Robin interrupted the joking. "Well, there's also this." Dawn opened the second envelope to see commendations for student of the year in English, History, and Political Science. "And you're the class Salutatorian." The group all applauded and cheered for the teenager's accomplishments.

A short time later, Dawn had enjoyed the attention and excused herself to the bathroom. When she returned she found that Tara was now sitting next to her chair, Buffy was visiting with Willow, Faith was next to Robin, and some of the girls were saying their goodnights.

"Congratulations, Dawnie." Tara gave her a heartfelt hug.

"You know I couldn't have done it without you, right?"

Tara shook her head. "You did the last year without me and lots of other time too. This is your accomplishment and you did great."

Dawn tried to protest, waving her hands as she spoke. She realized a moment too late that she was speaking too vigorously as she knocked her half-full drink glass from the table. "Oh..." was as far as she got before realizing that rather than being showered with diet coke she was looking at the blond witch returning the glass to the table.

"I love magic," the teen smiled.

Tara looked at the glass in shock. "I do too but I didn't use magic to stop the glass. I caught it."

Dawn laughed. "Wow, go, Tara! I think hanging out with these Slayers is rubbing off on you."

Tara continued to look at the glass. "If that was it, don't you think we'd all be catching glasses by now?"

"Maybe we could join the circus. That would be a way to make extra money."

Tara was about to speak but yawned instead. Before she could even comment about the circus, Willow was at her side. "Are you tired, sweetie? Want to go home?"

Tara turned and looked her girlfriend up and down before whispering in her ear. "I'm not that tired but I'd like to go home."

Dawn widened her eyes and then said, probably much too loudly, "I so didn't hear that." She quickly took a drink of water, knowing that she was blushing and feeling somewhat young and foolish about it.

Tara and Willow said their goodbyes and left the restaurant. Buffy wasn't far behind them, yawning and stretching as she stood up with Xander and Robin. "Dawn, let's go."

Dawn whined. "Buffy..." It had worked before.

"We need to be up early, Dawn." Buffy had her hands on her hips and her best "mother" look on her face.

"Yeah, come-on, Dawnster." Xander tried to convince the teen as well.

Faith looked up as her dinner and those of the girls that had arrived with her were placed on the table. She walked around the table and tapped Buffy on the shoulder. "Hey, B. I'm not trying to butt in but me and the girls just got our food. How about the Kid walks home with us. I'm pretty sure that ..." she looked at the table doing a quick count, "five Slayers can keep her safe."

"What's going to keep her safe from you then, Faith?" Buffy smiled as she said it and Dawn watched to see if there was going to be friction between the two Slayers with so much history.

Faith reached across and picked up a few fries from her plate, stuffing them in her mouth before answering. "Common sense?"

Buffy laughed but her words carried no joke. "You have common sense?"

Faith shook her head. "Seriously, B? What's your issue here? I'm just offering to let the Kid stay a little longer. If she's not safe with us, then take her home. Or how's this for an option? Let her choose."

Dawn folded her arms across her chest. "Buff? It's my birthday." When Buffy gave her a "you've got to be kidding me" look, she amended her statement. "It's my birthday celebration."

Buffy shook her head as if trying to clear it. "I'll probably regret it but ok. Walk home with Faith. " She looked at Faith. "That means with Faith. Not with one of the junior Slayers or some other girls. With Faith."

"Hey, kid. I'm your bodyguard now." Faith laughed and sat in the nearest chair to pull her plate toward her.

Buffy breathed out a long slow sigh before hugging her sister. "Be careful, sis."

Dawn hugged her back. "Thanks for the party, Buffy."

The teenager sat back down next to her girlfriend and took a drink of her diet coke. "I knocked this over with my typical clumsiness a little while ago and Tara caught it in the air. It was pretty cool."

"So the Witchy one's back and all charged up, huh?" She offered Dawn a fry which the girl ate. "Red seems really happy and I don't know Blondie but she doesn't seem to hate me or anything so that's probably a good."

Dawn shook her head. "I don't think Tara really hates anyone. Her family was pretty horrible to her. I mean, really, horrible. And she doesn't seem to hate them."

Faith waved the waitress bring another beer. "As long as she doesn't want to have regular meetings. You know, 'My name is Faith and I was abused as a kid...' It's all good for me."

Dawn looked around the table and saw that the other girls were deep in discussion about weapons and sweep and stake tactics. She moved her hand to rest it on Faith's thigh under the table. She leaned close to whisper in the Slayer's ear. "Did you get me anything for my birthday?"

Faith set down her fork and pushed the plate away. "You know, I actually did have something I wanted to give you."

In the back of her mind, she could still hear the witch accusing her of being in love. In love? Faith Lehane? And it was something she'd thought about on patrol. Finally she'd come to the conclusion that she had no fucking idea what love was or how it might work. And that she was just as fucking likely to be falling in love with Dawn as to be voted the next president or working as a street cleaner. It wasn't like Dawn could be in love with her anyway. A high-school drop-out and a class salutatorian. Hell, it was going to take an extra room to hold all the Kid's certificates and awards for her brainpower.

That that's how her thoughts had run while she was on patrol. Circles and circles. And finally she had decided that only thing had ever gotten her to this point in her life. Trust of her instincts. Sometimes they had been bad and sometimes good but they'd brought her right here, alive. Alive through vampires that wanted to kill her and others that wanted to do it more slowly. Alive through working for a giant snake and killing his assistant. Alive through prison and breaking out of prison. Alive through being stabbed through by someone she wanted to trust and spending eight months in coma from it.

And here was this thing. This thing she could actually feel in spite of all that. This thing that had the Kid's picture sitting on the front and top and sides. That had her smell and feel all throughout.

Dawn smiled slowly. "Good."

And Faith couldn't help it. She smiled right back.

Tara scanned the room for danger, her senses buzzing with the combination of the spell cast, excitement, fear, and the energy of the various people in the room. She swung her sword somewhat experimentally, not truly feeling the need to strike against any attackers but aware at the same time of how unusual such a weapon felt in her hand. How strange. Strange and yet at home. She didn't do it but she knew that she could have tossed it end over end and caught it by the handle easily, like band kids do with the drumsticks when passing time on the bus or in school hallways. To her left she could feel Buffy shifting her weight from foot to foot, the broadsword barely an afterthought in her movement. The Slayer seemed poised to rip apart, with her hands or broadsword, any creature that might threaten the two figures in the center of the star outlined on the ground.

The skin on Tara's hands seemed to tingle with the intersection of the power of Willow's spell as it unfolded around them and the cold steel of the weapon she held. She smelled the herbs and heard the crackling of the spell as it gathered focus and power. Dawn was keeping her fear relatively in check considering the very real danger facing her. Xander, to Tara's right, seemed at home holding the cross-bow at his side, clearly ready to raise it when needed. The witch felt the collective power of those with the room as well as those guarding the door. The thought that they were in good shape and might actually pull this off was just starting when the screaming started and all hell began to break loose.

Tara awoke suddenly, the start of a scream muffled by the hand she held over her own mouth. "Oh God!" She closed her eyes and attempted to bring her breathing and heart rate under control as she thought about what she'd seen. A dream. Just dream. The mantra calmed her and within minutes she opened her eyes to look around the hotel room with a smile.

The sheets were loosely tangled around her legs, pillows on the floor and she smiled as she noted the broken ceramic shards of a lamp that had been an unintentional victim of her and Willow's uncharacteristically fervent love making last night. And this morning. Speaking of Willow, she heard the shower running and determined that she wanted to catch the redhead before she went into project manager mode or whatever it was. Tara had a few other modes she wanted to try before the day began.

She meant to make a sexy and seductive quip as she quietly pulled back the shower curtain but what came out was, "Oh my God! Have you seen your shoulder?" She stepped into the shower and pulled shut the covering as she reached out to touch redhead's bruise.

Willow winced a little at the touch but laughed nonetheless. "Good morning to you too."

The redhead let her soapy hands run over Tara's back and then ass as she whispered huskily in her ear. "So, so, so worth it..." She felt Tara's arms begin their own exploration and continued the explanation. "It was that time... after I'd kicked over the lamp, gotta see about paying Angel for that, and ... uh... oh wow that feels... I mean... it was... uh..."

"I'm sorry, am I distracting you?" Tara began kissing and licking the offending mark as gently as she could, quickly moving her attentions to her lover's neck and then chest as Willow attempted to continue speaking.

"Not distracting!" she nearly shouted as Tara's lips closed around one pert nipple. Willow's hands wound into Tara's now wet hair, holding her tightly. Her grip only loosened when she realize that Tara wanted to switch sides. A part of her wanted to go slow, to make Tara feel just as good as the blonde was currently making her feel but the larger part, the part that was in charge just wanted to be taken over completely by Tara's desires.

And taken was exactly what was happening. The redhead barely had time to register the passion she was experiencing before she found herself wedged against the tile of the shower and her lover's body, her legs wrapped around Tara's lower back as the newly returned witch held her up with her left hand. Her right hand, she swirled through Willow's wetness before thrusting two fingers to a spot she could only reach in the current position and one that Willow tried to make a mental note to remember (which probably came out "hrrmph" or something like that in her brain's expansive hard drive).

For an instant she considered whether she should try to be quiet but quickly decided that anyone who might be offended should be asleep and that she couldn't manage quiet even if she wanted. Between her shouts and moans and and thrashing against the slick wall, she had no idea how Tara was able to hold her, yet the other woman seemed to have no problem doing so through Willow's first nor second orgasm.

After uttering a series of unintelligible moans, the redhead finally regained her powers of intellect and speech. "Good morning." She smiled before kissing her lover quite soundly.

After the kiss, Tara set her lover back on the tile of the shower, ensuring that she had her legs quite firmly in place before moving her hands. "Good morning to you, lover. I wanted to catch you before you ran downstairs to man Slayer Central or whatever you have planned for the day."

"Mmm," Willow smiled. "I wish I just had more of this planned." She leaned in for a long kiss before moving to kiss the other woman's neck. "Maybe a little of this... though." Before she could carry through on her instincts, both women heard Willow's phone ringing. "Oh good. It stopped," she said just as it began ringing again, this time joined by Tara's phone. Both women began laughing before pulling apart.

"You go answer those while I take a quick shower." Tara turned to pick up the bottle of shampoo.

"Well, I feel sort of bad in a 'got mine, you didn't get yours' way," Willow pouted.

"Yeah you did..." Willow heard the phone start ringing again and finally wrapped a towel around herself and jumped out of the tub.

Twenty minutes later the two witches entered one "Slayer Central", formerly a large ballroom and now turned into a workroom. "I'll g-grab us some coffee." Tara dropped her lover's hand and crossed to the table holding a coffee urn, mugs, Danish, and other assorted breakfast items.

"Damn, Red." Faith's voice cut through the quiet chatter in the room. "I never knew you had it in you. I mean all night last night and then again this morning?"

The witch turned a bright red that clashed quite glaringly with her hair. "Listening at keyholes again, Faith?"

Faith laughed loudly as she took a seat in one of the ballroom chairs, leaned it back, and put her feet up on the table. "You're so easy, Red." She glanced over at the other witch now approaching the table with two mugs of coffee. "I didn't hear nothing. I was just messing with you because if my lady came back from the dead, we wouldn't leave the room for weeks." She took a sip of her coffee. "But now I guess you confirmed a few things for everyone here."

"Bloody hell." Giles muttered as he cleaned his glasses. "Oh to be in England again..."

Tara handed Willow her coffee and whispered something her ear that made the redhead smile before taking a seat across from Faith at the table. She looked around noting the presence of Xander, Robin, Giles, and Gunn. "Are we waiting for Buffy?"

"Not anymore," came the yell from the door was Dawn and Buffy stepped into the ballroom. They waited a minute for the two sisters to get drinks and food and bring it to the table.

Once they did Dawn voiced what many present were wondering. "So is this a 'let's meet every morning at 8:15 because none of us like sleep meeting' or more of a 'did I mention there's an impending apocapylpse' one?"

After a brief laugh Giles and Willow shared a look before the witch answered. "I think mostly the first."

"Then can I suggest that we move these 8:15 morning meetings to more like 10:15 or 11:15 for those of us who, you know, work nights?" Buffy pointed at herself, Faith, and Gunn.

Willow nodded vigorously. "Right, right. Early morning meetings not ideal for the Slayers." She took a breath. "But since we're here now. I wanted to talk about Cleveland."

Willow sent a glare toward the dark-haired Slayer for her interruption before continuing. "We're getting a lot of reports from Cleveland of trouble there. I think we should be moving forward on getting the site there set up."

Willow reached for some papers. "Well, I think we should send a couple of people to scout for a location. We need something where about 30 people can stay with bathrooms, kitchen, common rooms, and a training facility."

Giles disagreed. "I think we need you to finish here and then head to Seattle to set up as we had planned and I'd really like someone who will be stationed in Cleveland going there." He glanced at Willow before adding, "Willow can't go because we need her here."

Gunn stood as well and leaned across the table between the two Slayers. "Ok, let's all tone it down. I don't think we want both of you gone at the same time anyway."

Faith sat back down and took a drink. "Look, B, you got a burning desire to go, you do that. I been there and it's no big thrill."

"Because we're talking about two people going and I'm not leaving you in L.A. while I fly half-way across the country."

"I'm eighteen years old, Buffy." The younger sister argued. "I'm going to college in a few months. Were you planning on watching me every second while I'm at school too."

Buffy glared at her sister before answering the witch. "Because I'm not leaving Dawn here to get in trouble in L.A." Seeing that the teen was just becoming more pissed she finally leaned across the table and whispered. "I just don't want anything to happen to you, ok?"

"Me and Blondie can go." Everyone turned to look at Faith with looks ranging from incredulous to suspicious to approving. She looked at Willow. "I mean if my records are all good and I can fly without being arrested or something?"

Willow looked like she couldn't even believe what she was hearing. "You won't be locked up except for being committed to an insane asylum for thinking I'm about to let you travel to Cleveland with my girlfriend."

Faith laughed as well. "And Red, when B is giving you advice on aggression, you might want to take note."

Dawn "I'm going to get more coffee. I can see why the adults don't want kids like me at meetings. I mean, Tara made a perfectly logical suggestion so let's all get crazy about it. And by the way, Willow, Tara's an adult. I think she can handle herself even with a big bad Slayer."

"Well said," Tara agreed. "Everyone please sit down and Will, can you come talk to me for a minute?"

The two witches returned a few minutes later and Willow sheepishly spoke as she took her seat. "I think Tara and Faith scouting locations in Cleveland is a fine idea."

Faith smiled broadly and waved her hand, making a quiet whipping sound. She stopped as soon as she saw the look Tara was directing her way. "I mean. Sounds like a good idea."

Giles nodded his head. "Ok. So Tara and Faith will scout locations in Cleveland and return in a few days with suggestions. Willow can make your reservations shortly." A few of the attendees yawned so he added. "Did anyone have any thing else to discuss?"

Faith nodded at Xander's question. "Right. Ok, so you remember the like supervamps or whatever they were called from S-dale?"

"Right. Thanks, Kid. Ok, so I mean we ain't supposed to see those but there were two in that big cemetery by where we had D's dinner last night. Damn near took out those three kids I had with me. Took all four of us to kill them." She looked at Buffy. "And you remember that dude with the vampire dog? There he was in the same cemetery last night. I even said, 'hey, didn't I already kill you once?'"

Giles reached for a book from the middle of the table. "What did he say, Faith?"

"He laughed a lot. Then said that 'my boss'" she turned toward Willow "you ain't my boss just so you know. He said my boss opened a door and she forgot to close it and lock it."

Faith shrugged. "Look, hell if I know right? I mean I think he was the same damn disgusting vampire plus when B and I were on patrol the other night, we saw that one in the leather jacket. You remember?"

Buffy nodded. "You said something about him at the time. But I want to know what Mr. Loves his dog a bit too much meant about Willow forgetting to close the door?"

Faith slapped her hands on her thighs and pushed to standing. "Well, that sounds like my cue to go shove come clothes in a backpack."

Most of the others had already pulled open books except Willow who began a search on her computer before calling out. "Helpful hint, Faith, you can't take any weapons with you."

A few hours later, Gunn finished talking to Angel before crossing the lobby. "Ok, your chariot awaits ... and such."

The redhead rolled her eyes. "You're right. You're right. You're always right. How about, you just came back and I don't like the thought of you being away from m again so soon."

Buffy stood up and slapped her palms on her jeans. "I guess that's my cue to go try and rouse my lesser half."

Xander stood up from his place on the couch. "Uh Buff. Usually calling someone your something half - better, prettier, messier, etc. - indicates that it's your girlfriend or boyfriend or husband or something and much as I can't decide whether to be really disturbed and afraid or go spend some quality time in my room, I don't think that's what you mean." He looked around before adding, "and if we could all just forget the part about my room, I think I'll be better off and probably safer as well."

His head snapped forward a few inches showing that his hair was flattened for just a moment. "Ouch. He waved a finger at Willow. And you're not supposed to use your powers for evil or admonishment."

The joking among the friends went on for a few minutes as they waited for Faith to join them to go to the airport. After a few more minutes Buffy announced that they'd waited long enough and she would go get the other Slayer.

Of course, Buffy had no way of knowing that that while most of the Scoobies waited in the lobby, two members of their group were saying a private goodbye.

Dawn pulled her lover's hands away from the waistband of her jeans and out to the side. "I know. But it's only a few days."

"We've got a few minutes..." Faith's hands returned to their previous task, attempting to unbutton Dawn's pants.

The younger girl laughed. "You're insatiable." She kissed her lover over and over again. "You'll be back in a few days and I'll have saved up all this sexual frustration for you, Baby."

Faith stopped her machinations at Dawn's waistband and instead slid her arms between the girl and the door, wrapping them around her back. "I'm just... I feel weird about leaving you. Like you're in danger or I won't see you when I get back or something... and... and... and..."

"You're goin' to college? I mean away? I don't think you should go to school in Cleveland but ... never mind. It's stupid. I mean of course you're going to college. You should go someplace really good. You know, smart kid stuff."

Dawn took a breath. "Any second now Buffy or Willow or someone is going to knock on the door and say you're late and they need to leave for the airport. Can we talk about my college choices after you get back in a few days?"

They kissed again before Dawn suggested that Faith check the hallway. The Slayer nodded but didn't open the door right away. "Hey, Kid. Could you, you know, watch something for me?" When Dawn nodded, Faith reached behind her to pull the sheath and knife she'd recently acquired from where it was tucked to the small of her back and held it out.

Dawn looked from the knife to Faith and back to the knife before gently taking it and sticking it into her own waistband and pulling her shirt over it. "I'll put it in my room and take care of it."

Faith nodded, then opened the door as Dawn had suggested. Seeing that it was clear, they both stepped out, Faith locking the door behind them. Half way down the stairs they ran into Buffy. "Hey, I was just coming to check on you."

"Yeah. The Kid here came to knock on my door. Damn good thing too. I fell asleep after I packed." She looked across the room at the others. "Ok, I'm ready to go assuming the Marshals don't pull me off the plane. I'm trusting you on those records, Red."

Willow crossed the ballroom. "Faith, I fixed your records and believe me no one wants you with Tara, protecting her, more than me."

Faith drummed her fingers on her legs as she watched the flight attendants readying the plane for take-off. She curled and recurled the magazine in her hands while rocking forward and then back in her seat. After a few minutes of very nervous fidgeting she finally half-muttered under her breath.

Tara smiled at the Slayer's words. It was obvious that the girl was nervous, even afraid and the Witch could well imagine why but she didn't want to challenge the girl right off, figuring it would just make her more uneasy. "Just think it could probably be more awkward if we t-tried to make small talk. So how was prison?"

She was relieved to see Faith almost smile. "Really really shitty. Thanks for asking. How was being dead?"

"They missed you. A lot." Her head snapped up as the flight attendant secured the final door and Tara noticed that Faith was obviously struggling to remain calm, taking deep breaths.

She reached over and showed the other woman the palm of her hand. "Can I h-help you?"

Faith shook her head as her fingers gripped the armrests. "I don't think so. I just... you know... locked doors, no weapons. I got this really nice knife and I've been carrying it right here." She leaned forward and patted her back before returning her hands to squeezing the non-life out of the armrests. "But here it's more like three hours of prison."

Tara nodded her head and bit at her lip. "My f-father was... he was not a very nice man." She glanced over at the Slayer who seemed confused by the turn in the conversation. "I used to hide under my bed or in the closet, p-pulling all the clothes over me, when I h-heard shouting. It was hours... and I would just sit or lie there in the dark praying with everything that I had that he wouldn't think to come look for me and that my mother would still be alive when the sun rose. Sometimes I imagined I was in my own coffin." She took another breath. "I know a little about being trapped in small spaces." As she spoke she had slid her hand closer so that she was barely touching the back of Faith's with her fingertips.

"Not yet, Faith. I wouldn't do that without your approval. But I can make it easier."

Faith took as deep a breath as she could and opened her fist to extend her hand. "Your lady would jump at the chance to turn me into a frog. I'm countin' on you really helping me instead."

"I wouldn't do that, Faith, and I don't think Willow would either." The Slayer shrugged and then nodded toward their hands in a look that said, "go ahead would you?"

Tara grasped the Slayer's hand in her own, closed her eyes, and chanted under her breath for a moment. Within seconds she had dropped Faith's hand. "Uh... is that ... b-better?"

Faith nodded vigorously. "Wow. That was... well, better than quite a few of the better experiences I've ever had and believe me I've had quite a few. Oh shit. You're not gonna tell Red I said that are you?"

Tara took measured breaths. "Wow. Um, yeah. Better experiences and no, not telling Willow."

Faith leaned back feeling slightly relaxed for the first time since they had left the Hyperion. "You seem surprised or something."

The blond shook her head. "I don't know, Faith. I mean there's nothing to worry about. I'm just... stronger than I was before. First reading you the other day when I didn't mean to and now this. It's very eerie. I mean, I know my p-powers and have always but ... this is new and it doesn't feel like me."

"Did you want me to draw you a picture?" The blond smirked and closed her eyes before Faith could answer falling asleep almost instantly.

You ripped that door open, Blondie! That damn bitch had her puppies on your mama's best rug. What you gonna do about that, stupid girl? You can't protect any of them. Are you involved? It's coming. We're coming. The lock's not broken but it needs the right key. You hold the sword at this end. Get in line? You're in line now!

She awoke suddenly with no awareness of where she was and the feeling that she was trapped in her own grave.

Before she could scream, she felt a hand on hers and another covering her mouth gently. "I got ya, Blondie." Tara attempted to get her breath, feeling her chest heaving but not feeling like she could get any air into her lungs.

Tara relaxed just enough that Faith read the move. "I'm gonna move my hand off your mouth, ok?"

The Slayer did exactly as she described but continued holding Tara's hand. "Bad one?"

Tara nodded and looked over at Faith's folded down tabletop which held a drink of some clear liquid. Before she could even ask the dark-haired Slayer was holding it out. "It's Sprite."

Tara took a long sip and closed her eyes again. "Thanks, Faith." She handed back the drink.

Faith nodded her head. "No problem, Blondie. I know a little something about bad dreams." She took a drink from the same cup while attempting to flag down a flight attendant. "Can you bring another drink?" She waited for the woman to return and give her a new cup of ice and can. After she'd poured she spoke again. "I had 'em as a kid. Then, well it all comes with the Slayer gig. Dreams. Prophetic ones. Bad ones. A few good ones. Some come true. Some don't. And in prison. And that damn night. Him coming out too fast. Too stupid and shouldn't have been there." She shook her head. "You got me talking and I don't know how. Some witchy thing. Or something. I don't know. I guess I'm saying I understand about the dreams and is it anything you want to talk about?"

Tara sipped at her drink. "I think... I think I had one this morning too. I remember waking up screaming but I forgot until now. Something's coming, Faith."

Before Tara could answer, the flight attendant came up the aisle for their drinks and informed them that the plane would be landing shortly. "You ever been to Cleveland?"

Once the pair had landed they picked up their carry-on bags and rented a car. After putting their bags into the trunk, Tara pulled out her phone and held it up. Faith stepped a respectable distance away and also pulled out her phone. Tara dialed and waited for only a few seconds before hearing her lover's voice.

"Hey honey. How are you? How was the flight? Was Faith awful? Was she rude and crude and did she make a pass at you? I bet she did. I would. Did you have to seal her mouth closed? Ooo. That sounds fun."

Tara laughed. "Hello, sweetie. The flight was fine and Faith was fine. She seems nice."

"Faith is not nice." Willow scoffed. "What's she doing right now? Looking for a hook-up? Robbing a liquor store?"

Tara listened for a minute before realizing what she was doing. The dark-haired girl was across the parking lot sitting on a concrete barrier with the phone to her ear. "I think I'm missing you more." Then a pause. "She's nice. I can see why you're so crazy about her. Kinda explains your whole crush thing." She laughed. "You know I'm just teasing you." Another pause. "Because it's fun and I like to imagine you turning red like when I ... " she began to whisper but Tara found it easy to hear. And what she heard was...

"Yeah, baby. I'm sorry. I just spaced out for a minute there." She could still feel the heat in her face from what Faith had been saying on the phone. "I uh... a b-bus just drove by and I could hardly hear you. What was that?"

She concentrated for the next five minutes on the report from L.A. on the research they had done into the reappearance of certain demons. Willow had done a spell and found that something had come into their dimension from another. Whatever it was had far greater power than it had when it left and it had left open a doorway. It was quite cryptic and Giles was pulling out all stops in an attempt to learn whatever they could about it. Buffy, Gunn, and Angel had a full-on patrol planned for the night to attempt to learn whatever they could from anyone who would talk.

"Hey, honey. Here comes Faith. Why don't I call you later? We need to eat and then meet with that leasing agent you found." They spent a few minutes exchanging good-byes and I love yous before she snapped the phone shut and slid it into her pocket.

Faith opened the passenger door but not before puckering her lips and making kissy-face noises. "I love you, baby. Oh, I love you more. No I love you more. No I love you more..."

Tara started the car with a laugh before lowering her voice. "... because it's fun and I like to imagine you turning red like when I..."

Faith stared at the blonde. "No damn witchy eavesdropping, Blondie! And I mean it. That phone call is my business and none of yours so you want to just keep your ears off my mouth. Or something."

Faith crossed her arms over her chest. "Now I think you're just screwing with me."

Tara shrugged again, then motioned out the window toward a fast food restaurant. When Faith nodded she pulled into the parking lot. "I didn't hear who you were talking to, if that's what you're wondering. But I can guess."

The blonde shut off the car and checked that she had cash in as well as her phone. "Look, Faith. There's like 50 new Slayers lounging around the Hyperion all the time and I'm assuming they're just as H&H as you. Don't look at me like that. I've heard plenty about the H&H from Buffy and Xander over the years."

"What you do and who you do it with is none of my business, Faith. You're an adult and I'm assuming whatever girl or girls you've swept off their recently patrolling feet are too so do what you want."

The two girls exited the car and locked it, Faith giving Tara a strange look. "How do you know Red again? Cause this ain't the speech I'd expect to hear from her."

They ordered their lunches and sat down to eat. "I'm not Willow, Faith. If I understand her big board, you and I will both be stationed in Cleveland so you should probably know me a little." Both women took bites of their food before Tara continued. "Willow loved Xander, then Oz, then me. She never sowed any oats. She just ... loved and when she did, she loved and loves completely. The idea of sex without love would make no sense to her so she can't understand you. She never lived a minute in your world, Faith."

Tara shook her head. "I didn't mean that. I just meant that Willow literally can't understand your sexual needs and wants or your fulfilling them."

Faith took a bite before smiling like she'd learned the world's best secret. "Blondie got her some lovin' before Willow came along. Something illicit I'm thinking. Maybe a high school teacher or cheerleader. Or maybe just some random girl she met at Starbucks. Oh yeah." She took another drink. "I hope Willow's living up to your expectations, Blondie." When Tara laughed, Faith set down her sandwich. "You ain't getting all mad."

Faith shoved the remainder of her sandwich in her mouth and then picked up both her and Tara's drink cups and motioned that she was going to go refill them. "I think I like you, Blondie. And I can see why the Kid is so crazy about you too."

When she returned, she saw that Tara was still eating and leaned back in her chair. "I know we need to meet with this leasing agent and all that shit. But what do you say we check out the night life around here? See what kinda beasties lurk in the dark?" She raised her eyebrows comically a few times. "Kill some stuff? Sound fun?"

Tara laughed. "You're like a little kid, Faith." She ate her last few fries and nodded. "At first I didn't know if you meant going out dancing or patrolling."

"You ready to go?" The brunette nodded toward the wrapper Tara was balling up. "We can go dancing too. I wasn't really thinking about that for one thing because of your girlfriend's tendency to get all up in my grill even if I ain't doin anything wrong."

Tara laughed as she refilled her drink again. "Willow's not as bad as you think, Faith but I don't really feel like going dancing. Patrol sounds fine though." She shrugged. 'I haven't done anything ... helpful since I got back you know."

Faith patted the blonde on the back. "I think your being back is helpful enough for most of these folks. Let's face it, Blondie. We got some damaged and growth-stunted people in our gang."

Tara considered it for a minute. "That might be sort of harsh but I can see what you're saying too, Faith."

Faith fastened her seat belt. "Ok, you got Xander and his parents are total drunks. He's dated like some demons and almost married one. Plus me."

She was surprised by Tara's interruption. "So you kids are calling what you did 'dating' now?"

Faith laughed. "Touche or whatever. And I think I'm older than you so none of this calling me 'you kids.'"

Faith shrugged. "Oh. Well, then yeah. You're three years older than me." She continued. "Anyway, you got Buffy who's dad is a loser and mom kicked it. Oh yeah, and she has relationships with vampires. And you've got Willow who's parents are like completely out of the picture and her one true love got killed so she went on a violence spree." She snorted. "Sure, well adjusted normal folks."

Faith shrugged. "Shit. Like I know the Kid that well. She seems to have come through the same shitstorm pretty good, you know. I mean I think she's a good person. Plus smart."

Tara glanced over at the girl in the passenger seat. "Should it mean something, Faith?"

"Look. If you're playing word games with me, I don't know as many words as you. Part of what I was getting at earlier was if we're gonna patrol later, we're gonna need some stakes and shit like that. You wanna look for a lumber store or something? I think this thing's got GPS."

Tara looked at the clock on the dashboard. "We're not scheduled to meet the agent until 5:00 so why don't you find us a store and we can go now."

Once they'd reached the home improvement store, Tara followed Faith as the Slayer choose a few knives, a sharpening stone, and some remainder wood from which to carve stakes for the next few nights. Her attention was split between observing this woman who seemed quite different from how Willow has always described her, the words cleavegy slut-bomb having always been emphasized in any conversation about Faith, and a few nagging thoughts at the back and sides of her mind. At one point, Faith was weighing a few knives and dropped one. Before Tara could even think about it she saw the sharp end turning end over end as it fell to the floor and possibly Faith's foot. It was like it was happening in slow motion and she stuck out her hand, catching the sharp end easily and sweeping it away from Faith before setting it on the counter.

"Shit. Oh really shit." Faith grabbed Tara's hand and turned it over in hers. "Are you ok? What... the fu... You're not cut. How'd you..."

Tara stared at the knife as one of the nagging thoughts at the edge of her brain slid firmly into place. "I... I don't know, Faith."

"And you know I'm the fastest Slayer right? I mean Buffy's stronger. Not much but she is. But I'm wicked faster than her."

Faith looked the shaken woman up and down. "How about we buy this stuff and get the fuck out of here?"

Tara nodded, leaning against the knife case as Faith pulled her wallet out of her pocket and paid for their purchases. When she was done, she tucked the bag holding the two knives as well as the chunks of wood under one arm and wrapped her other hand around the blonde's upper arm to walk them from the store. At the car, she set the purchases on the trunk and held out her hands for the keys which Tara handed her without argument. Once she'd put the purchases in the trunk, Faith opened the driver door and waited until Tara had sat down to close the door.

After she'd entered the car, Faith waited for Tara to say something or start to cry or freak out or something. She was just about to ask about what had happened in the store but wasn't sure how well able Tara would be to talk about it so she decided to play to the blonde's strengths. "If you wanted to take someone on a date, what would you do?"

Faith nodded. "Yeah. I was supposed to take this girl on a date tomorrow but of course now I'm here, ya know? But still. I mean I'd like it to be something nice. And I had an idea of what I wanted to do but, you know, what if it wasn't fun for her and she's expecting something totally different?"

Tara smiled slowly. Clearly Faith was trying to distract her from freaking out about what had happened inside the store. "Well, what does she like to do?"

Faith looked at her hands on the steering wheel. "Well, I'm not sure. I mean I know some stuff she likes to do."

The Slayer laughed. "Hey there! I say stuff like that not goody-Belinda the cute blonde witch. Anyway, I know some stuff she likes but what if I plan a big thing and she's just not into it? Or thinks it's lame?"

"Well. I guess just try to do stuff you think she might like and stuff that interests you too. Outdoor dates are fun and romantic. Definitely a date where you do something rather than sit and watch something." Faith nodded as Tara spoke. "And if all else fails, there's always sex."

Faith laughed again. "Damn, Blondie. Don't you think we've already had some of those dates?"

"From what I've heard on the phone, yes." When both women had finished laughing Tara looked at the clock on the dashboard. "We b-better meet that agent."

Faith nodded and leaned forward to punch the address into the GPS on the dashboard. "After that, maybe we can revisit your new knife catching hobby?"

Tara nodded. "Yeah. That might be a conversation." She picked up her cup and took a drink. "Hey, did you want to drive?"

Faith shrugged. "Uh yeah. I don't actually know how. I mean I know that you put the keys in there and turn the wheel and stuff but I've never tried."

Tara attempted an impression of Faith's voice. "So... Willow's not driving stick anymore?"

"Well, I was a bitch but I was right. Damn, I bet it was months before B figured it out too. Or did Willow have to drop a big coming out anvil on her head?"

"Oh, I think it's up h-here." Tara waved her hand toward a small building with a sign out front and started to parallel park in front of the office. "Pretty much an anvil."

Faith laughed. "That must have been great. I bet B really did need a picture. 'When you say girlfriend you mean...?'"

The two women entered the leasing office glad that Willow had both set up the appointment and given them a cover story -- basically they worked for an organization that worked with formerly "at-risk" youth, giving them a place to stay, helping them finish school, and attempting to teach them life skills.

The agent introduced herself and reviewed with them the information she had that they would need a location with 20-25 bedrooms, adequate bathrooms, an industrial kitchen, common rooms, and preferably a gymnasium facility on site or close enough to lease it as well. They agreed and she said that she had three possibilities which she would drive them to. "They're all in perfectly safe neighborhoods but I just don't always feel safe being out after dark."

"I bet," Faith muttered to which Tara pinched her arm as they got into the agent's SUV.

Hours later the two women had visited the three properties, ruled out one and planned to return to one the next day with a recommended contractor to discuss some necessary remodeling changes. When they finished with the agent, they had dinner, and then checked into their hotel.

"I'm going to call Willow and shower and change and you'll probably want to talk to your girlfriend." Tara hoped the final word would bother Faith and she wasn't wrong.

"Right," Tara agreed weakly. "Why don't we plan to head out in about 45 minutes. You can ... you know... talk to anyone you might want to visit with..."

"I'm tellin' you. I may not even make a phone call at all." The Slayer slid her card key into the slot and pushed the handle down just as her phone rang. Tara didn't miss the way that the girl's eyes lit up when she saw the name on the caller id and hit the button. "Hey, you. Uh... huh. Yeah. One may work. There was one room you'll really love. Hey, hold on." She turned to look at Tara. "I'll be ready in 45 minutes and don't look at me like that."

Tara's own phone rang before she could tease the Slayer and she answered it quickly. "Hi, honey..."

Forty-five minutes later Tara knocked on Faith's door. "Yeah, just a min." A minute later the Slayer pulled open the door and immediately stepped back. "Took a shower and I'm not ready yet." She finished pulling on a top as Tara attempted to casually look across the room at the mass-produced artwork hanging over the other woman's desk. The same piece was over the desk in her room. "Have a seat." Faith grabbed a pair of socks and her boots and sat on the edge of a chair to pull them on. "How was Red?"

Tara smiled broadly. "Madly in love with me. Misses me terribly. You know, a little worried about every demon we've ever killed coming back through a hole ripped between dimensions and causing another apocalypse." She shrugged. "It's Tuesday."

Faith laughed as she took a drink of the bottle of beer on the desk. "Yep. That sounds like Red. I bet B's totally freakin, huh? Like she hasn't done this before. I mean, ok. Bad stuff's coming back but we'll kill it like we always do and then we'll come live here and kill some other stuff."

The blonde reached across to pick up Faith's beer and take a drink. "Well, I don't know your girlfriend's name so I'm just going to sort of randomly toss names out there and see when you flinch."

Faith took back the beer and finished it off. "You could ask if you're so damn curious, you know."

The Slayer laughed and reached behind her to pull a soda and beer from the mini fridge in the room. She held both up and Tara held out her hand indicating the soda. "Can I tell you something, Blondie? I mean and you not laugh at me?"

Tara took a long drink as she considered Faith's tone. "I won't laugh at you, Faith. I p-promise."

Faith was silent for a moment as if really considering what she wanted to say. "I'm crazy about her. I mean, this girl. I ... I ain't never felt nothing like it like I never missed anyone before when I been away and I'm ... I'm sorta waiting for her to realize what a shitty idea it is. You know, being involved with me." She smiled with a look Tara could only characterize as dopey. "I mean she's just... I feel like she knows me and she doesn't mind all my junk. She doesn't think I'm a dumb high school dropout or a murderer or slut or all the things that a bunch of people think and maybe they're all right. I feel like she just knows Faith."

"I'd love to meet her, Faith." Tara finished her drink and set the can on the table. She stood up as did the Slayer and she reached out to grasp the other woman's shoulder. "But I want you to stop thinking of yourself l-like that. If you want your relationship to work, you've got to start to see yourself like you want her to see you."

Faith shrugged. "I guess." The Slayer swung the small backpack containing some stakes and the knives over her shoulder and the two women headed out of her room and out of the hotel.

Once outside, Tara took an offered stake and put it in the pocket of her jacket. "Did you know that when I came to college, I believed I was a demon?"

"I know the Kid's rubbing off on me because I'm going to ask for a segue on that comment." She raised her hand and pointed to the right. "There's a cemetery this way and it looked like some deserted warehouses and shit like that." She raised her eyebrows with a smirk. "Party time, ya know?"

"Ok, so Blondie-two-shoes comes to college a big-bad demon set on terrorizing the other demonlets."

"My family had a story that the women in the family were demons and that w-we would all become active when we turned 20. I ran away from home to get away from always hearing that I had the devil in me and had to be controlled. When I met Willow, I loved her right off and I also believed that she would be able to c-control me when the time came. I thought she and Buffy would keep me from h-hurting anyone."

Faith waved her hand toward what appeared to be a newer area of the cemetery. "Seems like a good theory."

"No shit? You didn't tell Red you were a demon? What'd you think, she'd find out when she needed to?"

Tara sat on a headstone and pulled the stake from her pocket to twirl it between her fingers. "I always thought I would tell her but you know. I mean O-oz had left and she felt like nothing would have happened between him and Veruca if he wasn't a werewolf. And then there was Anya. Willow hated her so she was always calling her a demon. I even once sabotaged a spell to keep her from seeing me."

As she listened, Faith lay down near the freshest grave and began doing situps. "So how'd it all come out?"

Tara blew out a long breath. "My f-family showed up to take me home. Buffy stood up for me and stopped them and Spike proved that I wasn't a d-demon but not before I put the whole gang in danger with a spell."

Tara laughed. "Nope. Sometimes we're all subject to lapses in judgment. And then I thought 'that's it. Willow's not going to want to be with m-me because I lied to her all this time.'"

Faith rolled over on her stomach and kicked up to standing. "Well, obviously she did." She turned to face the blonde. "But what's the point of this lovely little trip down memory lane?"

Tara slid from the headstone and nodded her head toward the three figures walking toward them. "Why don't we discuss that in a few minutes?"

"Oh yeah!" Faith checked that her stake was still tucked in the waistband of her pants but didn't actually pull it out. "I'm going to cover you but how about you do a little bit of the violence with me here, Blondie?"

The last vampire and easily dumbest looking shouted back. "You seem in a big hurry for such little girls."

The first in line said nothing but took a moment to size up both women. "This should be fun." He turned to the two behind him. "I get some of both. Otherwise, I don't really care how you pussies split them up."

Faith shrugged just as the back two vampires rushed her. The lead vampire, meanwhile jumped over a headstone to land just in front of Tara, throwing a fast right at her which the witch easily dodged. Not sure what to do, she stomped hard on his foot. The vampire lifted his foot and shouted which gave her at chance to kick his knee, resulting in his falling to the ground. "You're gonna pay for that, Bitch!" Tara didn't have time to consider her next action or wonder how Faith was doing with her stupid opponents as he was on his feet in less than a second. He dove toward her and she again easily sidestepped the motion, this time bringing her left hand up to punch him in the cheek. As his head snapped to the side, she hit him again, this time with her right fist before kicking him in the center of his chest hard enough to knock him into a nearby headstone. She was moving toward him as she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She caught the stake, obviously thrown by Faith, and thrust it through her opponent's heart, stepping back as he exploded into dust.

As she watched the dust fall to the grass and for many seconds afterwards, Tara stood and stared at the space where the vampire had been. Then she looked to her hands and the stake as if she'd never seen her own body before.

With a smile, Tara looked up to see Faith standing a few feet away. "But you're not, Faith."

The dark-haired Slayer looked Tara up and down. "You wanna sit again? You're looking a bit shakey."

"I don't mean to ask a stupid question but ... we're thinking I'm a Slayer, right?"

Faith shrugged. "Oh, I guess the Kid might have mentioned it. Anyway. You're catching glasses and knives and trading punches with a vampire - which I can tell you that asshole was not a fledge." She looked around. "Anything else going on?"

Remembering her athletic endeavors with Willow that morning in the shower the blonde blushed deeply.

"Hey! Keep your brain out of my memories." Tara shouted. "Oh, and the dreams. Oh wait. The d-dreams. I thought they were just normal bad dreams but what if they're prophetic?"

Faith shrugged. "Well, probably they're telling you that there's a big hole ripped in our universe and that all the assholes we kill are coming back."

Tara tilted her head. "Actually... I think they're telling me how to stop it up but I don't think I l-like what they're telling me."

"Hey! Looks like word got out that we're here. Look." She nodded at a spot over Tara's shoulder and Tara turned her head to see two more vampires coming their way.

Faith pulled out a stake and nodded. "When you think you're going to have a lot of company, don't trade punches. It can be fun sometimes but when you're busy, just stake and move on."

For the next few hours, the two women followed Faith's advice to stake and move on through the cemetery and a few vacant warehouses. By the time they headed back to the hotel, they'd each staked a good number of vampires and had no doubt of Tara's new abilities.

As they walked back, Faith spoke up. "So, Blondie. Or should I say Super-blondie? What's the point of the story about your cute little ass coming to college to seduce red-haired witches without telling them you were a demon?"

Tara laughed and pulled open the door to the hotel lobby. "I guess my point is that you seem to really think you're not g-good enough for this Beatrice. It's like how I felt with Willow for the longest time and it's hard on both people when you're l-like that. I mean whyever Christine is with you, she's got to see something in you that's probably real."

Faith shrugged. "I've never understood the interest you people have in secrets but what-the-hell. Enjoy your newfound secret powers." The dark-haired Slayer was obviously surprised when she felt Tara hugging her but after a few seconds returned the gesture.

"Uh... Ok. That was a little... Ok. Hey, if we figure out the thing with the place tomorrow, you think there's any chance we can fly home tomorrow instead of day after?"

Tara pulled out her phone. "I'm about to call Willow to say good night. I'll mention it and see if there are some flights." She slid the card into the lock and pushed down the handle. "Wow, you must really miss Diana." And with that parting but off target shot, she winked and stepped into her room leaving Faith laughing in the hallway.

The next day had seen the Slayers awake and back at the potential property to meet with the contractor and make some final decisions early, particularly considering their late night. By the time Tara had gotten off the phone with Willow, she was clear that the redhead was more worried about the dimensional rip than she wanted her girlfriend to realize. She'd asked what Tara and Faith had done and Tara answered that they went patrolling and that she was interested to watch Faith's style as contrasted to Buffy's which she knew well. The blonde was happy when Willow grumbled a bit about Faith but didn't question her lover further. Tara had called Faith as soon as she was off the phone with Willow to suggest that they get up early to try and get home the next night. To say that Faith was excited at the possibility would have been an understatement.

By 9:30 they were turning the rental car in, having signed the necessary contracts and received assurances that the work would be done in no more than two weeks. After checking in at the gate, both women went to the restroom, snack bar, and gift shop. When they reconvened, Faith watched the blond witch with a smirk on her face. "I know someone who's got a booty call scheduled for about 7 minutes after our plane lands."

Tara laughed and set down her backpack along with a plastic bag from the gift shop on the floor by her chair. "I don't think it's a booty call if you're excited to see your actual girlfriend, Faith."

Faith slumped into her chair with a grin. "Uh huh. What'd you get her?" She motioned toward the bag.

The dark-haired Slayer quickly reached across to pull a book from the bag. "A Brief History of Time?" She held up the thick book. "It doesn't look brief."

Tara laughed as she pulled the book out of Faith's hand and put it back in the bag with the candy. "It's one of her favorite books and she lost it in the ... you know... complete and t-total destruction of our home." She shrugged. "What about you?"

Faith looked at the plastic bag at her feet for a few seconds. "I don't know... I mean maybe I shoulda gone with a book or somethin." She pulled a stuffed alligator from the bag. "I don't even know if she likes alligators or anything but it was this or a koala bear or some kinda pink bird with one leg." She started to push it back in the bag. "You think I should go get her a book or snow globe or something?"

Tara reached out and took the animal, giving it a quick squeeze. "Unless she has some fear of alligators, I think it's cute." She handed it back. "The pink bird was probably a flamingo."

Tara laughed. "Aren't you like the Slayer who's all instinct or something? Want, take, have? Your instincts said alligator so why don't you go with that?"

Faith shrugged. "Ok, SB." The announcement that they were starting to board the flight came over the speaker and both women looked at their boarding passes. "Anyway, I don't know that she's a big enough Geek to want some book about the fuckin' universe."

Tara laughed again. "Oh... you have no idea how much of a geek Willow is ... but she's so..."

They boarded the plane and Tara could see that Faith was much more relaxed than she had been the day before. Still, she offered some calming energy and was not surprised that Faith accepted it easily. This time, having a good idea of her new powers and their cause she was much more able to attenuate the energy flow to calm Faith but not blast them both from their seats.

Once the plane was in the air, Tara pulled a book from her backpack. "Whatcha lookin at, SB?"

Tara held up the book. "It's a book that Will got from Fred on loan apparently. It has a lot of catch-all spells in it and I think I m-might have an idea of a spell to take care of our little dimensional rift disaster."

Faith nodded and pulled a thin workbook and pencil from her bag, setting it on the desk and beginning to do some work.

The two women worked and read in silence for an hour or more before Faith interrupted. "Hey, SB. Can I get some help from you?"

Tara rubbed the bridge of her nose and closed her book. "Sure. I need a break from this anyway."

Tara shook her head. "No. I found something but I don't think I like what I found." She looked at her watch. "It's going to be late by the time we get in but I'm going to text the gang to meet tomorrow morning and discuss what I've found."

Faith pointed at a page in her workbook. "Ok, so there's this whole letter thing and then you're supposed to choose the thing that would correct the sentence. I think it's 2 but it could be 4..."

Tara pulled the workbook closer and read the header out loud. "G.E.D. Practice Test. Are you supposed to be taking this as a practice test?"

"I did everything else and I think it's all right but I'm confused on this one."

Faith did, realizing in the middle why 2 had to be the answer. "You're fuckin tricky, SB."

Tara smiled and winked. "You bet I am. I already earned my G.E.D. I'm not doing yours."

Another shrug. "I guess so but I ran away from home and didn't graduate. I took the test and then some classes at a junior college before UC Sunnydale."

Faith closed the workbook and slid it into her bag. "Well, thanks for the help." She studied the witch for a few seconds. "This trip worked out pretty well, I'd say. I'm glad B brought you back you know."

"Plus which if you and I are friends, that's sure to totally piss off Red and B," Faith said, earning a laugh from the blonde.

Now it was Faith's turn to shake her head. "I didn't get one. Didn't you hear?" When Tara shook her head the dark-haired Slayer explained. "Whistler says I'm on my destiny path. Says I have everything I'm ever supposed to want right now and I 'hold the key in my heart but I don't know it yet.' Oh yeah, but now that I found my key, I'm going to have to fight to protect it.' I fuckin hate shit like that. I mean no one knows what the fuck the guy's talkin' about."

Tara took a deep breath. Then another. "He said you hold the key in your heart and you'll have to protect it?"

"Yeah. It meant he didn't feel like granting me a wish so he just gives me some crap about keys and hearts and oh yeah battles. Like that's a big stretch for a Slayer."

Part 10
The One Where Nearly Everyone Finds Out Nearly Everything

"Yo, there's Red and Xan-man." Faith pointed with her free hand as she and Tara walked down the ramp from the gate. Something seemed a bit awkward between the blonde and herself and she wasn't sure what. Tara had been especially quiet since asking about Faith's non-existent wish which the dark-haired Slayer attributed to some sort of rumination on Buffy bringing her back. She had said something about alligators but wouldn't repeat it when asked so Faith just let it drop. The second they'd deplaned, Tara had dropped into a chair and turned on her phone to send a text telling everyone to meet in the morning. She'd received a few texts that had been waiting in her queue including one that said someone would pick them up and they didn't need to catch a taxi.

The broad smile on Tara's face let Faith know that the girl was both glad and surprised that her girlfriend had come to the airport and the Slayer felt disappointed that Dawn wasn't there as well. It was probably for the good seeing as if she had seen the teen, she would have wanted to kiss her senseless and damn whoever might be watching. Once again, she knew that she would have to talk to Buffy about Dawn soon. There was no chance that the other Slayer would take it well but it seemed that it would be better if Faith told her first than for Buffy to find out some other way, like walking in on them or something.

Once they crossed from the gate area to the baggage claim area -- Tara and Faith had carried on their bags -- the Blonde and Willow immediately embraced each other. Faith watched for a moment with a smirk on her face. It was hard to remember sometimes that Willow was the same girl who could barely hold hands with her high school boyfriend if people were watching. As the kiss went on for longer and longer, Faith finally looked away to see Xander glancing around the terminal. The two smiled at each other and then began to laugh at the discomfort of it all, finally shaking hands. "Welcome back, Faith."

The dark-haired Slayer shrugged. "I wanted to get these two back together. Maybe we can do away with Solar and Wind power and just let their sexual energy power the city."

Xander jingled the keys with one hand and reached out to pull Tara's bag off her shoulder with his other. "Let's get back to the hotel so Willow and Tara can do whatever without my having to watch and you can go patrol or whatever you want. Buffy took a few newbies with her and Gunn and Angel took some others."

Faith nodded and stretched her arms as they walked toward the car. "First thing is I want a shower. I can't stand the smell of an airplane."

Tara agreed readily about the airplane smell and Faith's Slayer hearing picked up a flirtation between the two witches regarding showering together to reach those hard-to-reach places. Damn if it didn't just make her want to see Dawn. She glanced up at a clock outside the terminal seeing that it was already after 11:00. With disappointment, she couldn't wake the youngster.

"I got the papers for the property. What else do I need to know?" Willow had obviously transitioned to business mode and Faith slid into the front seat next to Xander as the two witches took the back and began discussing the property and repairs that were necessary. When Willow wanted to know more about the "exotic population" as she put it, Faith described a few of their findings from the night before, but didn't let anyone know how much Tara had contributed. She found it strange but also somewhat of a compliment that the blonde trusted her to know something no one else knew.

Tara and Willow's disappearance from the lobby was so quick, Faith almost suspected them of using magic to get back to their room. She smiled and said goodbye to Xander with a glance at the young girls sprawled on most of the furniture and floors of the area. All of them had rooms but the fact that they were arrayed around the common area made the Slayer particularly glad that she and Tara had chosen the property they'd chosen. The building actually had one room that could be a "quiet" gathering room if the girls wanted to study or play games and another that would be outfitted with a large-screen TV, Wii, pool table, etc. A few of the girls waved or smiled at Faith so she went over to say hi, answer questions about her trip, and inquire about patrol. Even though she'd never wanted to be a leader, she was very aware that her role as one of the "real" Slayers meant that she needed to do so and she was finding it kind of fun. Most of the young women were nervous or downright afraid and she found that a few comforting words, a pat on the shoulder, or even saying "yeah, that's hard" could go a long way. After visiting for a few minutes she excused herself and shook her head as she realized that if she hadn't had a steady "girlfriend" as Tara had teased her, she could have had any amount of help with her post-airplane shower. Damn, I've never turned down so many offers in my life. Dawn Summers!

The dark-haired Slayer was still half-cursing, half-wanting to go straight to the teenager's room when she reached her own. She quickly unlocked the door and slipped inside the mostly dark space, seeing a light on beside the bed and the object of her thoughts asleep in the bed. Faith smiled as she noted the bare shoulder and arm tossed casually across the spare pillow and the long bare leg wound around a tangle of sheets. She considered skipping the shower but thought better of it, instead quietly crossing to the bed and sliding the stuffed animal she'd gotten at the gift shop under the younger girl's arm, then entering the bathroom and pulling the door closed.

A few minutes later she finished toweling off and opened the door from the bathroom a crack to see Dawn still asleep and clutching the alligator. The Slayer flipped off the bathroom light and sat on the edge of the bed, bending over to kiss the bare shoulder and then Dawn's neck. "Mmm. My girlfriend is supposed to get home sometime tonight so this better be quick."

"I can't believe she left you here like this. Her loss." Faith continued kissing her lover, before gently removing the alligator and nuzzling Dawn under her chin with the creature's snout.

Dawn rolled onto her back and stretched before wrapping her arms around the stuffed animal with a smile. "You brought me an alligator? How did you know I love them?"

The teen reached her free hand up behind Faith's head to pull her close for a deep kiss. "Yes. Totally. I wish the one in Romancing the Stone had eaten Michael Douglas. I can't believe he shows up at the end with the boots. Stupid movie."

"I've never even heard of that movie but you have the most adorable pout I've ever fuckin' seen you know." Faith lay down next to the teen, peppering her on the chest with kisses. "If I could just figure out a way to make that pout go away though..."

Dawn pushed the alligator away. "Maybe I could make a suggestion?" She began kissing the Slayer's neck, sucking on the pulse point and enjoying hearing Faith moan.

The Slayer pushed up onto her elbows. "Or you could tell me how you got into my room? I mean do I need to go harass Angel about his shitty security?"

The teenager pushed a pillow behind her back and leaned against it. "Can we say I have a way with locks?" She reached out her hands and began running them over her lover's chest.

"You stole B's credit card to break into my room? That's cold hearted you know, Kid." She leaned forward to kiss the other girl then pulled back. "I missed you."

"Naw. I'm serious. I mean I've never missed anyone before. I know I was only gone one night but still. And you want to know something? I nearly told Blondie all about you. I mean she guessed I had a girlfriend but I wouldn't say who but I nearly did. She's so easy to talk to."

The teen pushed the sheet off her body and began working her fingertips over Faith's nipples as they stood at attention, then pinching one and then the other. "I missed you too but did you want to talk about Tara because I thought you had a way to fix my pout." She leaned forward and began kissing and then nipping at the Slayer's neck. "And didn't you tell me you poofed some vampires last night? Usually that makes you all... Oh..." she ran her fingertips down the center of the other woman's chest and stomach to tease at her curls and then slid them along Faith's slit. "It did this time too..."

The Slayer groaned. "Uhhh. Don't you want... I mean...Oh, baby. Yes. Please..." Her words were almost a hiss.

"Climb into my lap, Faith." As the Slayer did as instructed, Dawn pulled her head closer and began kissing her deeply while sliding two fingers into the other woman's wet pussy. Sliding her hand down from the back of her lover's head to her lower back, she used it to pull Faith closer as she thrust into her wetness.

Within minutes the two women had found a rhythm as Faith ground herself against Dawn's hand, placing her own hands on the headboard on either side of the girl's head and rocking against the pressure. "I ... ahhh... how did you learn... oh fuck... too fast... no don't stop... more, baby... keep... fuck... I'm ..." The Slayer began to tense, bracing one hand behind her on the bed to arch her back as her body uncoiled into orgasm. As wave after wave of pleasure ripped through her, the Slayer finally stilled her head enough to look at her lover. Even as she did, Faith recognized the look in Dawn's face as pure astonishment and adoration. She lifted her hand to grasp her lover's face in her palms before pressing their lips together over and over again. "You're... just." She lifted one hand and made a sweeping motion. "Jesus, Kid."

Dawn's lips ticked up into a smile as she leaned forward to push Faith backwards onto the bed and lay between her legs, sliding out her fingers as she did so and licking them slowly. "I don't want to disappoint you, Faith."

The Slayer pushed off from the headboard to give both women more room on the bed and wrapped her arms around her lover. "I'm starting to think you couldn't, Kid. I mean... you've got crazy skilz."

The aforementioned kid ran her fingertips along Faith's arms. "It's you, baby. Your body just asks for what it wants."

"It wants you, baby." Faith kissed her lover again. On pulling back she realized that the girl had a doubtful look on her face. "Really." She lifted her chin with her hand. "You know that, right? I mean. Yo. I was in Cleveland and all I could think about was you. I come through the lobby and there's H and H girls lounging their asses off and half of them lookin like they want to help me reach my hard-to-reaches in my post-airplane shower and all I could think was if it would bother you too much if I call you to let me into your room so I can sleep with you tonight." She kissed the girl again. "You're turning me into a girl."

The teen laughed as she began running her lips along her lover's toned abs. "I'm turning you into a woman, Faith. You were already a girl." Her mouth reached the edge of the Slayer's dark curls. "Mmm. Woman..." Before she could get any farther, she suddenly found herself on her back with Faith lying on top of her.

Beginning to kiss her lover's neck and bringing up one hand to circle her hardening nipple, the Slayer commented, "It's so tempting to be selfish with you. So tempting." When Dawn's nipple was absolutely standing at attention, she wrapped her lips around it and began to suck gently, then less gently as the teen arched her back at the contact.

"You ... interrupted..." Dawn whimpered breathlessly, wrapping her hands in her lover's long hair as the other woman stopped sucking the nipple and instead scraped her teeth over the sensitive skin. "Fuck..."

The Slayer moved her attention to the other nipple in an attempt to bring it to the same condition and response. After eliciting a similarly excited reaction, the Slayer made an obvious attempt to slow down. She spent moments, seconds, even minutes it seemed exploring every inch of her lover's skin - some of them twice or three times -- until it seemed the other woman would explode. "Do you know how much I love making love to you, Kid? It makes me crazy." She whispered her confession onto Dawn's curls as she breathed in her sweet scent.

Instantly the older girl laid a soft kiss against her lover's clit before beginning to lick her sex in slow earnest strokes, intent on making this last as long as humanly possible. And making this last as long as she could took the form of gently tickling her lover's clit with the tip of her tongue, initially spelling Dawn over and over and gradually realizing that she was writing I love you. Before she could finish the word you on the third repeat and before the part of her soul that she would have expected to run for the nearest exit even if that exit was a window on the fourth floor of the hotel could panic, she felt Dawn tense and then release and release and release. "Faith..." The teen tried to lift her hands but could hardly do so and the Slayer realized what she needed, lifting herself onto the other girl's body to wrap her arms around her as she shook.

Gradually Dawn's shaking slowed and Faith began kissing her again as if to bring her back. When the teen began returning those kisses with equal energy the Slayer surprised her by sliding a finger into her wetness. "Faith!"

The older girl began to set a rhythm to her motions as she felt Dawn responding and heard her groan long and low, adding another finger. Faith couldn't believe how turned on she was by the sounds the other woman was making. As she continued thrusting into her wetness, she brought herself to kneel over the teen, pleased as Dawn instantly bent her leg and tightened it against Faith's center. "Fuck... Oh yeah... do that aga..." Bending her head she quickly captured the other girl's mouth with her own. The Slayer realized very quickly that neither of them could hold out for long, given the pace she was setting. "Ready?"

Dawn's eyes snapped open as she realized that her lover wanted them to come together and she smiled. "Oh God, Faith... Yes... Now... Now... Now..."

When she felt capable, Faith propped herself onto her elbow and looked down at her lover who looked nearly asleep. Glancing around the room she took in the destruction of the bedclothes and reached for a pillow to put beneath the teen's head before nuzzling into her neck and wrapping the smaller girl in her arms. "Stay?" She placed a kiss on the girl's shoulder.

Dawn's sleepy answer was barely audible. "Of course, Love." Long seconds ticked by as Faith stared at the teen's lips, waiting to hear what else she might say as she drifted to sleep. "I wanted to tell you someth..."

Given her travel and how strenuous her night had been, Faith was surprised at the lack of sunlight filling her room the next time she awoke. She reached for Dawn but the teen wasn't in bed. "Kid?"

She heard movement as the Kid crossed the room from where she must have been staring out the window. "Right here, Faith. I was thinking."

Faith tried to reach for her lover to pull her back into the bed. "I always try to avoid stuff like that this early." Realizing that Dawn stood by the bed but was avoiding getting into it, the Slayer sat up. "Hey?" She grabbed hold of the teen's hand. "What's going on?"

Dawn took a breath. "I ... I need to tell you something, Faith. Something... something I should have told you ... before."

Faith sat forward to grab both hands. "There's nothing you could say that's going to change the way I ... I mean... what is this about, Kid?"

The teen kneeled down in front of her lover by the bed, still holding her hands. "I ... please let me explain this before I chicken out again, ok?"

"I ... I think part of the reason you like me is that I'm normal. Just a normal girl. I mean the Slayer's my sister and I spend time with witches and werewolves and Slayers but I'm just me. Dawn Summers."

Dawn bit at her lip. "The thing is, Faith, I'm not a normal girl exactly or at least I wasn't always."

Faith shook her head. "What? That's crazy; of course you are. You're Buffy's kid sister. I remember you from years ago." She smiled. "What a brat."

The teen pushed up to standing and began to pace. "Yeah.... you think you remember that. You don't, Faith."

"Ok. What are you talking about, Kid? I think I'd know that I remember you as a little brat. You used to steal your sister's clothes and you had all these Pink posters on the wall and you had a Hello Kitty diary and one time I snuck you out with me to patrol when Buffy had the flu and she found out and about went ballistic because you could have gotten hurt." Dawn turned to look at her lover and Faith could see the tears in her eyes. She quickly stood up and wrapped her arms around the younger girl, guiding her back to the bed. "Now sit here and tell me what you're trying to say."

Dawn looked at her feet. "Right. Did you know that ... did you know Buffy died?"

Faith nodded her head. "Right. She jumped into some portal or something. Some hellgoddess or something Angel said."

"Ok. The hellgod's name was Glory and she had been expelled from her dimension. She was looking for the key to get back to her dimension." She shrugged. "Unfortunately her getting back to her dimension would have destroyed every other dimension but that wasn't really important to her."

"Anyway, she needed to find the Key to get home and the Key was a big ball of energy. It had been guarded by these monks for like thousands of years."

Dawn started to stand up and walk away but realized that Faith wasn't letting her go. "Right. So the monks knew Glory was getting close to finding the key so they... they took the key and they made it into a person thinking it would be safer."

"That's fucking stupid. If they wanted it to be safe, why didn't they flush it down the toilet or something?"

"Yeah. Stupid. Right. Well, if you had something really valuable and you wanted it protected, who would you call?"

"Faith. It was me. They sent me to Buffy so she would protect me with her life."

Faith stared at her girlfriend as she tried to process what she was being told, a smile finally breaking across her face. "Oh... good one. I mean like I can't remember you from always." She leaned forward and kissed the younger girl before attempting to pull her to laying down. "I think we both need some sleep, Kid."

Dawn shrugged out of her lover's grasp. "Faith! You're not listening to me. I'm trying to tell you this thing about me. I'm not... real. I... the monks made me up and I never told you that. I mean until now. But I'm not... you know... a regular girl."

Faith stood up and took a few steps from the bed before turning back with a look of puzzlement and anger on her face. "I remember you. I mean before you were..." she waved her hand up and down "you know. Before you became smokin hot. I remember." She paced further and turned back again. "Before I fell ... before ... you knew this and you knew I didn't know and we've been... I mean... shit, Kid. Like... did you think I'd ... what want to go to another dimension if I knew... or do something... you didn't trust me... what... we've been... I'm your girlfriend... or I thought I was. Shit. Shit."

The Slayer picked up a pair of jeans off a chair and slid them on quickly followed by a bra and shirt. "I gotta..."

"Look. I just... ya know things like this... Fucked up crazy shit. I need to I need to go kill some shit which means I gotta find some shit that's out in the fucking daylight." She had her hand on the doorknob when she caught a glance of the look on her girlfriend's face. In a few steps she crossed the room and kissed her softly on the lips. "I need a few hours or days or somethin to kind of process this but ... I don't want to lose... I mean ... shit, Kid, ball of energy or regular girl... you make me..."

Dawn smiled as broadly as she could while trying to hold back the tears she knew were threatening. "Go." As the door closed behind the Slayer she whispered, "But please come back, Faith."

A few doors away Willow was pacing her own hotel room. "So... let me get this straight? You're a Slayer? As in a Vampire Slayer? As in how long have you known this and why didn't you tell me and why does Faith know and what and what?"

Tara sat on the bed watching her lover pace and talk. In fact, the redhead had been doing those two things for about ten minutes without stopping. The blonde wondered if her lover were caught in a loop or needed slapped like in the movies but didn't really like the idea.

Willow waved her arms as she spoke. "Who has known for a full day that she is a Vampire Slayer and forgot to mention that little tidbit to me even though she sat around having beers with Faith-by-Five and exchanging secrets about it for a day."

Tara smiled to herself. "Honey, do you think it's possible that you're kind of mixing up your feelings about Faith knowing before you with your feelings about Buffy and Faith from years ago? You know, your jealousy of not being part of the Vampire Slayer group?"

"Thank you for the insight. Yes, obviously that's a big part of it. I just... you're a Slayer. You could get killed any day. I mean... out battling evil and I can't protect you when you're... what if I lose you again?"

Tara stood and hugged her lover. "Honey. I died before standing in our bedroom. How much more dangerous could it be to battle demons?"

Willow waved her arms. "Don't curse us!" She finally smiled "Ok. I can deal with this." She got a smirk on her face. "So all of this ... holding me up in the shower...? You have like super strength?" She raised and lowered her eyebrows playfully.

Faith came out of the church and looked at her cell phone to check the time. That meeting SB had set up wouldn't start for another 45 minutes. She started walking back toward the hotel without really thinking about her direction. When she had left Dawn, she had every intention of fighting some demons but she'd stumbled across the church, quite literally when she wasn't looking where she was going, and had gone inside. The early mass wasn't crowded and she enjoyed the familiar rhythms of the prayer although she'd skipped confession.

So the Kid was a big ball of mystical energy. Shit. Maybe that was why she had such a hold on her. Maybe that's why I can't get her the fuck out of my head. No. That's not it. She's just... A few people were in the lobby of the hotel and she went through the lobby to the ballroom. Maybe she could get a bite to eat before the meeting.

"Hey, Faith." Buffy walked right up the moment Faith came through the door. "You're going to tell us all about Cleveland, right? I don't want you to have to repeat everything twice so you can tell me everything at the meeting."

Faith nodded dumbly as the blonde Slayer popped the remainder of a croissant into her mouth and washed it down with a coke.

Buffy tossed the can into a recycling bin and nodded toward the side of the room. "What's up? Cleveland worse than you thought? What?"

Faith jammed her hands in her back pockets and kicked the floor. "I gotta tell you something, B. And I don't think you're going to like it."

Buffy shrugged. "We're not supposed to have apocalypses on Sunday, Faith." She laughed at her own joke.

"Yeah, that's pretty funny, B." Faith laughed along as well. "But I'm not really talking about that. It's just I uh... wanted to let you know something."

"Yeah. Hold that thought." The blonde jogged over to the counter table and picked up two bagels, coming back to hand one to Faith who turned it over in her hands. "Ok. You wanted me to know something."

"Right..." Not knowing what to do with the bagel, Faith turned and set it on a close table. "So the thing is... and it's not really something I had planned... but your sister..."

"Dawn? What did she do now?" Buffy took another bite of the breakfast food. "Look, I know she can be a pain in the ass but whatever she did, I can talk to her. And when we're not in this small space she can't bother you." The blonde reached into her pocket like she was pulling out her phone. "She didn't steal something did she? I mean I think she's over that little habit but if not, I can take care of it."

Faith shook her head as Buffy talked. "Look, B. I'm not trying to complain about the Kid. I mean... it's not that at all."

"Ok, so what's the deal then, Faith? Dawn is bugging you. Hell, she bugs me too. Just tell me how."

The bagel froze half-way to Buffy's mouth as she stared at her fellow Slayer. Then seconds passed as she considered what Faith had just said, finally laughing. "That's hysterical, Faith. Really. I mean... ok. Thanks for making my morning." She continued laughing, now holding her stomach. "Will's going to love this one. Can I do it? I mean can I try it on her instead of you?"

"Yeah. Funny, right?" Faith could actually feel the blush rising in her cheeks. "Only, I'm not joking, B. I'm ... really. I'm totally crazy about your sister and I mean I wasn't like... you know looking to get involved with her or anything but it kind of got started and now. I just thought you should, you know, know?"

Buffy stared at the other girl. "Dawn's not gay. I mean she's a friend and all that to the gays and lesbians but she's not gay, Faith. Whatever weird thing you have here, she's not interested."

Faith took a deep breath. "Ok, B. I can't say if she's gay or whatever. I mean really only she can say that and make it true or whatever. But I'm not ... you think I'm just imagining or crushing on her or something."

Lowering the bagel from her mouth and looking around for a place to set it, Buffy narrowed her eyes at the other girl. "Ok. Let me get this straight. You want to date Dawn who isn't even gay and you've come to ... what get my permission? Well, you don't have my permission to even spend time with her let along date her because... like, a. not gay! and b. my sister and c. you're a killer and d. no fucking way, Faith." She shook her head. "Our meeting is in a little while; maybe we could just erase this absurd conversation from our memories?"

Faith took a deep breath. "Ok, B. I totally don't want to have to do this but you're not getting this. The Kid is my girlfriend. Like we've been together every night since before we left Sunnydale and we talk on the phone and text and you know... like go do stuff together?"

Tara knocked first on Dawn's door and getting no answer, moved to Faith's room and pounded on the door. She had told Willow that she'd meet her in the meeting room in a few minutes but that she needed to talk to Dawn on the way and the redhead had given her a kiss and said she'd see her in a minute. When no one answered either door, the blonde leaned against the wall across from Faith's room and pulled out her phone, texting:

The door swung open as Dawn looked at her friend in astonishment before glancing both ways and pulling the door shut behind her. "Whatever you're going to say, I don't think I want to hear it today."

Taking a look, Tara realized the teen's eyes were red as if she had been crying. "Are you ok, Dawnie? Did you two have a fight?"

Dawn sniffled and took a deep breath. "Not exactly. I told her about being the Key. She freaked and said she needed to go kill stuff."

Dawn shook her head. "I don't think so. I don't know. Maybe. Mostly she seemed confused and hurt that I hadn't told her. Do you think I should have told her?"

The two women stopped walking for a minute. "Do you m-mean before this or today?"

The blonde smiled. "First, Dawnie I'm not mad although I can't speak for Buffy or Willow who I would expect will both lose their ... as they say shit. Second, I c-can't say if you should have told her before this but I was coming by to tell you that you needed to tell her before the meeting."

Dawn stopped to hug her friend then started walking again, reaching the conference room door. "Why did I need to tell her..." She trailed of as the two women entered the room to a crowd gathered around some sort of altercation near the side of the room. Pushing through the crowd, finally spotted Buffy kneeling on the floor above someone and hitting her victim over and over.

Tara ran forward to reach out and stop Buffy's hand on its forward swing before it could make contact again as she yelled to the crowd. "Someone h-help me!"

Seeing that the younger Slayers seemed unsure what to do, Dawn singled out a few of them to help Tara.

"You can just keep your fucking hands off her!" Buffy shouted as the three women pulled Buffy up and managed to get her on the other side of a table although she still struggled against them.

Tearing her gaze from her sister who seemed completed unaffected by the confrontation, without a scratch or bruise on her although her knuckles were bloody and pink, Dawn spotted Faith on the floor and quickly ran to her, sliding onto her knees but unsure where to touch. The dark-haired Slayer's face was bruised and battered with a deep cut on her left cheek and another above the right eye. Seeing that Faith was trying to lift her head, Dawn turned to sit behind her and prop the older girl's head on her lap. "Oh, honey. Do I even need to ask what that was about?"

Faith laughed then winced at the pain of the movement, crossing her arm across her ribs which were quite obviously sore. "Hey, babe. So I told B about us. I think it went well." She laughed again, trailing off to cough and then wiping blood from her mouth.

Dawn tried to gently push the hair out of the blood caking on her girlfriend's face. "You could have waited until I was with you. Maybe she would have taken that better?" The teen could still hear her sister screaming at Tara.

"Do you know what she says she's been doing? Who she's doing it with? My sister. Dawn. You know, Dawn? Why aren't you as mad as me, Tara?"

Dawn could hear Tara's voice attempting to soothe Buffy and then Willow's voice as she entered the room, clearly directed at Buffy. "Do I hear shouting and why are you all bloody and yelling at my girlfriend?"

"I didn't hit her." Faith's voice was nearly a whisper. Dawn glanced down at her lover who was obviously trying to sit up and began to help her sit up so she could lean against the teen. "Not once."

The teen pulled her t-shirt over her head, exposing a sports bra underneath and obviously not caring who saw to dab at Faith's face. With a smile she told her, "I hope you don't mind my saying you look like it."

Seeing another junior Slayer standing around Dawn yelled at the girl. "You! Go get some wet towels." The girl standing next to that one she instructed to bring back some ice. "And the rest of you can just fade away. This isn't your business." The girls were back quickly and Dawn took the towels and ice with a quick thank you and then worked to clean Faith's face, hearing Xander's voice as she did so.

"Whoa. Are we demonstrating battle techniques and why did Faith play the part of the innocent and clearly outclassed bystander?"

"C-can I help, Dawnie?" Dawn looked to the side to see Tara kneeling next to her.

The teen wiped at her eyes and nodded toward the group she could hear gathered behind her. "Maybe you can calm them down?"

Tara nodded and reached down to take Faith's hand. "I think they'll get over it." She looked at the dark-haired slayer. "Can I..." Faith nodded although it obviously hurt her to do so. "Ok, Dawnie, please stop touching her ok?" When the teen did, Tara closed her eyes and spoke a short incantation, allowing her healing power to flow into Faith's body.

When she stopped the Slayer smiled at her. "I think that helped, SB. Thanks." She coughed again. "You two want to help me up?" They did so as gently as possible.

Tara looked at the Buffy, Willow, Xander huddle. Buffy still clenched and unclenched her hands although she had wiped them off on a towel the same Slayer sent by Dawn to get wet towels had apparently handed her. Willow looked both angry and bewildered and Xander looked shocked. "Do you want to go up to your room and rest for a while?" she asked, making it clear to the three core Scoobies that she wanted to take care of Faith first and foremost.

Tara glared at Buffy as she spoke. "We can delay it for a few hours to let you rest and let your Slayer healing work. I want you and Dawn both at the meeting and ready to talk about solutions." Faith nodded and let the two women help her from the ballroom.

Once they had her in the bed with ice on the worst of the bruises on her face, Dawn pulled Tara aside. "Tara, I know it's asking a lot but can you stay with her for a few minutes?"

A minute later the teen entered the ballroom to see Giles, Buffy, Willow, and Xander sitting at one of the tables. "Are you insane, Buffy?"

Buffy stood up to meet her sister half-way across the room. "You're sleeping with an evil Slayer and you're asking me if I'm insane? You know what she's like. She uses people and she's a complete slut. You could get hurt. You could get diseases. And since when are you gay? I thought you had a crush on Xander who Faith slept with!" The Slayer took a breath as the others watched the interaction.

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest. "First off, yes. I'm sleeping with Faith and she's not evil. Second, I know what you said she used to be like but I don't believe she's like that anymore. Third, I'm not saying I'm gay but I'm in love with her and I have been for a really long time." She turned and looked at Xander. "And sorry, honey."

The blonde took a deep breath and reached out try and take her sister's hands. "Dawn, I just don't want you to get hurt. Can't you see that?"

Dawn pulled her hand out of the Slayer's. "What I can see is that you beat the crap out of my girlfriend while she didn't lift a finger to stop you."

Looking at Giles and Willow, Xander stood up to join the two sisters. "Dawn, I think maybe we're all just kind of shocked including Buffy."

Buffy still hadn't sat down as she paced like a caged animal. "I'm going to teach her a little more about shocked when she comes back downstairs and I'm not ok with this."

The young man looked at his friend. "As I was saying. Maybe we could all just cool off a little bit and reconvene in ..." he looked at his watch... "2 hours?"

"Ah yes. We do have the apocalypse to tend to." Dawn looked at Giles sideways. Leave it to Giles...

For the first time, Willow spoke up. "I think Tara has an idea of how to fix it."

Dawn looked at her running watch. "Faith and I will be back in 2 hours for the meeting." Without another word or look at Buffy she turned and left the room.

Buffy looked at the others, finally throwing up her hands. "I don't want to hear anything from anyone. I'm going out." Before anyone could answer she left the ballroom.

By the time Dawn got back to Faith's room, the Slayer was asleep in the bed while Tara dozed in the chair beside her. The blonde jumped up to let her into the room and gave her a hug. "How did you know?"

Tara took her seat again as Dawn gently sat on the edge of the bed. "Faith told me what Whistler said."

The teen shrugged, tears filling her eyes. "I would have lost her, Tara. I mean ... how would I explain any of it? That her prophecy was about a key or what it meant, not to mention that I hadn't told her about being the Key until today."

Both of them turned their heads as heard a sleepy voice speak in an almost-whisper. "You couldn't lose me, Kid."

Dawn lay gently beside her lover. "Shh. You should sleep for a few hours so we can go meet the others."

When Tara heard Faith whisper a request for the teen to sleep with her she decided she was intruding and quietly crossed the floor and exited the room.

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Working it Out

by JustSkipIt

Copyright (c) 2007