The Rogue Slayer

by Kinetic-Kid

Copyright © 2006

kwhite14@yahoo.com

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Definitely no money being made. All characters belong to Joss Whedon and ME. I own nothing except whatever characters I may make up for this story. I just like to play with them – I promise to put them back after I'm done!
Distribution: The Mystic Muse: http://mysticmuse.net
Forever Faith: http://mysticmuse.net/faith
Kinetic-Kid's Site: http://www.kinetic-kid.com
Oh yeah, anywhere, anytime. Just make sure I get credit and let me know where it is.
Feedback: Please Please PLEASE. I live for feedback. I get irritable and upset if I don't get any and I might not continue writing. Of course, if you don't like the story and think it sucks you may not want me to continue!
Spoilers: None
Author's Notes: A few differences definitely need to be noted: First off, Faith did NOT kill Deputy Mayor Finch and she did not turn on the Scoobies. They did have her infiltrate the Mayor's organization as if she had. So, she helped defeat the Mayor at the end of Season 3 and has been living in Sunnydale at the Summers' residence, helping with patrols, and doing what she is destined to do. There is no Oz/Veruca angst – Willow and Oz are a couple – no running off to Tibet. The Watcher's Council are somewhat helpful, actually paying the slayer's against their own better judgment, and Wesley has went off on his own after Giles was reinstated as the Watcher for both slayers. Pretty much everything else is the same. Of course I'll be taking liberties with time-lines and music, kind of like imagining it's happening now not back five years ago!! No Faith/Xander hot and heavies either!!
Pairing: Faith/Tara

Faith smirks as she helps Willow move into the dorm room with Buffy. "B, it's pretty bad that you can't even get away from demons in your dorm room!" Faith chuckles as Buffy gives her a deadly glare.

"Well, if everyone would have believed me, instead of thinking I was crazy!" Buffy narrows her gaze on Willow and Faith.

"Hey! Don't blame me! I never met her." Faith raises her hands in mock surrender. "Was this the last of the stuff, Red?" Faith questions as she looks at the small piles of boxes and bags they had moved into the room.

"Yes, thank you for your help, Faith." Willow smiles at the dark-haired slayer.

"No prob." Faith glances around. "I need to head to the house and change. I'm gonna take a run today. You feel like joinin' me?" Faith questions Buffy.

"I think I'll skip it this time, I'm meeting up with Riley in an hour. He's wanting me to meet some of the rest of his commandos." Buffy rolls her eyes. "Just what I don't need, a lot of testosterone driven men around me!"

"Just thump their heads together, B. That'll take care of them. If any of them are cute, let me know. I'm always lookin' for someone to scratch my itch." Faith smirks as she sways her hips out of the room.

"Do you have to always be so damn vulgar?" Buffy calls after the slayer.

"Yep!" Faith chuckles loudly as she heads out of the dorm room. Quickly striding back to the Summers' residence, Faith lets herself in, quickly jogging up the stairs to her bedroom. Changing into sweatpants and a t-shirt. Faith hooks the two make-shift holsters on the straps around her calves. Making sure the stake and knife are secured, Faith heads out of the house.

Walking down Revello Drive, Faith takes a moment to inhale deeply of the clean cool air before pulling her headphones on and opening the MP3 files for hard rock songs she'd downloaded. Grinning, Faith starts out at a slow jog, gradually building up her momentum as she jogs around Sunnydale. Working her way to the outskirts of town and the lake that lies there, Faith grins as it comes into view, enjoying the sight of the almost unblemished countryside.

"Hi, Faith." Joyce glances up from where she's fixing dinner. "Buffy called a little while ago, wanted you to call her."

"She even gonna be there?" Faith questions as she pulls the end of her shirt up, wiping the sweat from her face. "Plus, I don't know why she doesn't use the cell phone. Got it for a reason."

"Here." Joyce grabs a clean tea towel out of the drawer and tosses it at Faith. "Use that. She said she'd be there for a couple hours, something about an argument with Riley and she was going to work on one of her reports before heading out on patrol." Joyce chuckles quietly. "It must not have been major important, or she would have, Faith."

"I don't see what she sees in him." Faith grumbles lowly as she picks up the phone, punching the speed dial for the other slayer's dorm room.

"Nice arms." Joyce sounds just like Buffy, as she makes the comment.

Faith chuckles loudly at the comment, her eyes twinkling at Joyce. "Yo, you wanted me?" Faith asks as Buffy picks up the phone.

"Yes, I did. I got a favor to ask of you for Thursday night." Buffy states as she shifts her books aside, grinning at Willow who's shaking her head.

"Shoot." Faith runs the towel around her neck, letting it soak up some more of the sweat.

"Willow has this on-campus meeting thing she wants to go to Thursday night. But I've already made plans with Riley. If you don't mind, I just want you to play bodyguard, making sure she makes it to the meeting and back to the dorm okay." Buffy explains quickly.

Faith does some figuring in her head. "Wolf moon?"

"Yeah." Buffy twirls her pen between her fingers waiting for Faith to answer.

"That's fine. What time?" Faith leans down, taking off her weapons, setting them on the counter.

"What time, Wills?" Buffy questions Willow.

"I want to leave here at 7:45. It starts at 8:00." Willow answers quietly, as she looks back up from the book she's studying.

"Can you be here at 7:45?" Buffy questions Faith.

"I'll be ready and waiting at the dorm room door." Faith smirks. "Want help with patrol tonight?"

"No, I got it. Riley and I had a little argument. I honestly don't think he understands that this is my life, not a job." Buffy sighs quietly. "I got some frustration to work out tonight. It's your night off, anyway."

"I know, but I don't mind taking it, or going with you if you want me to." Faith admits running a hand through her hair.

"I got it. Thanks for the offer, Faith." Buffy's lip quirks up in a small smile. "I'll probably be using and abusing you when finals come up anyway."

"No prob." Faith chuckles. "That all you needed?" Faith questions as she sits down on the stool at the island, opening the water Joyce set in front of her.

"Yeah, that's it. Have a good night, tell mom I'll see her this weekend." Buffy laughs quietly at the snort she gets from Faith before she hangs up.

Disconnecting the phone, Faith looks at Joyce. "B said she'd see you this weekend."

"Laundry time." Joyce looks at Faith, laughing quietly.

"What I figured." Faith finishes the water. "Thanks for grabbing me a water. I'm gonna go shower."

"Dinner will be ready in half an hour." Joyce calls after the quickly departing slayer.

"Thanks, Mrs. S." Faith calls back as she jogs up the stairs.

Faith jogs up the steps in the dorm, striding down the hallway, she stops and knocks on Buffy and Willow's door.

"Perfect timing." Willow grins as she opens the door, pulling on her jacket.

"What am I takin' you to, anyway?" Faith questions as she walks beside Willow as they cross the campus, keeping her eyes and senses open for any demon activity.

"On campus Wicca meeting. I'm hoping to maybe find someone to help me expand my abilities." Willow grins, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Okay, I was wonderin'." Faith chuckles at the redheads endless energy. "This the last night of the Wolf Moon?"

"Yes, thank goodness." Willow grins happily.

"You got plans with dog boy for tomorrow?" Faith questions as they walk into the dorm that is holding the Wicca group meeting.

"I wish you'd stop calling him that." Willow sighs, turning and looking at Faith.

"Ain't gonna happen." Faith smirks at the redhead. "Just like you're gonna be Red, B is B, Tweed, Demon and Xan."

"I know, but I wish that you could occasionally use our actual names." Willow grumbles under her breath.

"Nah. No fun in that. Everyone uses your names." Faith chuckles. "This it?" Faith looks at the women gathered in one of the rooms.

"Yes, this is it. Thanks for doing this, Faith." Willow states sincerely.

"No biggie. I'll just go lurk in that corner over there." Faith leaves Willow to sit down on one of the chairs, while she prowls back to the corner of the room, where she can keep an eye on all the people in it. Leaning back against the wall, she crosses her arms over her chest, unconsciously scoping out the group.

Willow sighs quietly as the group of women continue talking about bake sales and other non-spell related things. Finally deciding to question it, Willow speaks up quickly. "I was wondering, when do you get together and actually do spells?"

The leader of the group rolls her eyes. "That is so stereotypical. Magic isn't real."

"I-I was w-wondering if…" Tara hesitantly speaks, amongst the group talking around her.

"Tara, did you want to say something?" The leader turns her gaze on Tara.

"N-no." Tara tilts her head down, hair covering her face.

Faith's eyes train on the woman as she starts to speak, hearing the hesitation and shyness in her tones. Clenching her teeth as the leader of the group almost snidely asked the blonde if she had something to say. Not realizing that she was even doing it, Faith continues to stare at the woman…Tara. Faith makes a note to herself of the woman's name.

Tara blushes deeply in embarrassment at the leader singling her out like that. After a few long moments, she gets more uncomfortable as she has the distinct impression that someone is staring at her. Slowly raising her eyes, she quickly glances from one woman to the other in their group. Not seeing anyone, Tara still can't shake the feeling that she's being stared at. Lifting her head a little further, her eyes search more determinedly, her eyes finally making contact with intense brown eyes staring back at her. Inhaling deeply at the beautiful woman, with the wild 'just fucked' hair, wearing a black leather jacket and leather pants, Tara blushes deeply as the full lips quirk up into a knowing smile. Dropping her gaze back down to her hands, Tara waits impatiently for the meeting to come to an end so she can sneak back to her dorm room.

Faith stands in the corner in stunned surprise as the blue eyes make contact with her eyes, seeming to delve into her very soul. As she watches the woman's eyes slowly drink in her form, Faith's lip quirks up knowingly. Watching the blush cross the woman's face before she drops her gaze, Faith raises an eyebrow in contemplation of the woman.

Willow gathers her notepad and pens, preparing to leave.

"Ready?" Faith questions Willow as she walks over to the redhead. Her eyes following the quickly escaping blonde until she's out of sight before turning her gaze on Willow.

"Yes. This was a waste of time." Willow mutters under her breath, so only Faith could hear her.

"Yeah, I didn't think this was what you were lookin' for." Faith admits, tucking her hands into her jacket pockets as she strolls alongside Willow on the way back to the dorm room. "Though, that one girl seemed to want to take up for you."

"Hmm? What girl?" Willow questions as they walk into her dorm building.

"The blonde, Tara, I think is what the leader of the group called her." Faith leans against the wall as Willow digs her keys out to unlock the door.

"I don't remember." Willow shakes her head.

"Shy blonde." Faith explains. "She was sitting across from you, on the floor."

Willow tilts her head, replaying the night in her mind. When the woman in question comes to her minds eyes, she nods her head. "Okay, I think I remember her. She was sitting cross-legged almost exactly across from me, hiding behind her hair."

"Yep, that's the one. If you see her again, maybe you ought to ask her if she's a real witch instead of one of those Gaia nobody's." Faith grins. "I'm gonna go hit a few cemetery's. Have a good night, Red."

"Thanks again, Faith." Willow calls after the quickly departing slayer, before closing the door and collapsing on the bed. "Waste of an hour. Bunch of Wanna Blessed Be's." Willow grumps before grabbing one of her books to read the chapters for her next assignment.

"Yo, B! Heads up!" Faith calls out to the other slayer as she tosses one of the vampires she's fighting Buffy's way. Chortling at the look of disgust on Buffy's face as he lands at her feet, all bloody. Faith slams her fist into the other vampires jaw before doing a quick spin kick, followed by an elbow to the temple. As the vampire collapses, Faith snarls her nose. "These guys just don't have the stamina. How ya' doing with yours?" Faith glances over at Buffy who's staked the vampire she'd tossed her. "You could have at least played with him first."

"Why would I want to play with one you already broke?" Buffy narrows her gaze on the other slayer before laughing quietly. "Finish him off, let's see if there's some other evil monsters to play with."

Faith shrugs, staking the vampire before following Buffy out of the cemetery. "You still having problems with soldier boy?" Faith questions, strutting along beside Buffy. "I woulda' thought you'd gotten over it sometime in the past couple weeks."

Buffy sighs quietly, shoving her hands in her pockets. "I just can't get over the fact that he thinks it's just a job."

Faith glances at the blonde slayer with a raised eyebrow. "It is to him, B. So, you need to decide if you can deal with him feelin' that way, or move on." Faith shrugs. "Simple as that."

Buffy growls quietly. "Easy for you to say, want, take and have, woman."

"Works for me." Faith leers at the slayer.

Buffy gets a serious look on her face. "Have you ever been in love, Faith?"

Faith stops and stares at Buffy. "You askin' me seriously, if I've been in love?" As Buffy looks at her, the joking gone, a serious look on her face, Faith turns and starts walking again. "Don't believe in it." Faith growls roughly.

"You've never been in love?" Buffy questions softly, catching up to the striding slayer.

"Don't think there is such a thing." Faith snorts derisively. "There's just good lays."

Buffy shakes her head at the thought of the other woman not knowing what love is. "There's no one that you've ever just wanted to curl up with, talk about stupid stuff with, laugh over jokes and then slowly touch and kiss?"

Faith snorts. "What's with the girly questions, B? You offerin'?" Faith eyes the blonde slayer, chuckling as Buffy blushes in embarrassment.

"I hope that one day you find out what love is, Faith. Because that's what we're ultimately fighting for. It isn't because of the demons. It's because of love. If I didn't believe in that, what is it worth fighting for?" Buffy explains, as she comes to the realization at the same time she's saying it, how true that thought is. "It's love of a friend, a family member, a pet…Hell, whatever else you can think of."

Faith clenches her jaw, her eyes narrowing. "Love is shit." Faith growls as she turns down the street heading quickly away from Buffy.

Buffy sighs as she watches Faith practically run away. "Love isn't meant to hurt, Faith. It can, but it's not meant to." Buffy calls softly after the slayer, hoping she hears her. "I really wish you'd tell me what made you like this." Buffy whispers to herself before she works her way back to her dorm room.

Faith enters the house in the early morning hours, quietly easing up the stairs. Stripping her torn and ripped clothes off, she throws them in the trash before sneaking into the bathroom. Letting the hot water pound on her bruised and battered body, she leans against the side of the enclosure. 'Why does B always gotta fuckin' push? She can't leave well 'nough alone.' Faith thinks to herself as she slowly starts washing her body, letting the dirt and blood swirl down the drain.

Faith's mind drifts back to her life before being called as a slayer. The drunken mother, the boyfriend of the week. Some of the men were halfway decent guys, some liked to use their fists, while others always tried to get in her…Faith shakes her head, getting that thought to go away. Faith finishes washing her body, leaning into the hot water, letting it continue to work out some of the kinks, as she closes her eyes. 'What is love, B? If it's something' you grow up with, then I'm sadly lackin'.' Faith continues in her head before turning the water off, drying her body roughly with a towel before tucking it around her and grasping another towel, giving her hair a half-hearted rub as she walks back to her bedroom. Yanking the towel from around her off, she tosses it in the hamper as she throws the other one in behind it before running her fingers through her heavy mass of hair.

Looking at the clock, she chuckles softly. "Should I even bother goin' to bed? Mrs. S will be up and moving in less than an hour to go to work. I promised her I'd do the laundry today." Faith questions the empty room. Sighing she yanks open a dresser drawer, pulling on a pair of skintight sweat shorts and a tank top before sitting on the edge of the bed, looking out her window at the slowly lightening sky, contemplating her life.

Buffy groans as she sits down across from Willow in the cafeteria.

"Rough night?" Willow questions, drinking her chocolate milk as she looks curiously at the slayer.

"Yeah. I think I pissed Faith off." Buffy rolls her eyes. "But then again, when don't I piss her off?" Buffy questions, grinning briefly. "So, how did the meet go with that girl from the Wicca group?"

Willow's eyes light up. "She's the real thing, Buff! Not one of those wanna be's!! We're going to get together for a little while tonight and do a spell."

"You bringing her by the Bronze afterwards?" Buffy questions as she eats her breakfast.

"I didn't ask." Willow frowns. "I could. What do you think?"

"Sure, why not? The more the merrier. Give you someone to talk to while Oz is playing." Buffy offers up as she devours her second bagel. "I'll be there with Riley, maybe." Buffy smirks.

"Things going any better?" Willow questions softly, watching the slayer.

"Faith actually gave me a halfway useful piece of advice last night." Buffy admits, setting down her soda. "She said it is a job to him. And that I either needed to live with that or move on."

"It's scary how she can sometimes cut to the heart of a matter, isn't it?" Willow chuckles.

"Yeah, but don't let her know that what she said makes sense. I'll never live it down." Buffy's lip curls up in a half smile. "I better head to class. Catch you later!" Buffy hops up, gathering her trash and leaves a chuckling Willow sitting alone at the table again.

"Anythin' else you want me to do besides the laundry?" Faith questions hoarsely as she carries down the two hampers.

"That would be a great help." Joyce glances up, the grin on her face turning to a frown as she sees the bruised and cut slayer. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Faith turns to look at the woman as she's opening the door to the basement.

"Faith, it looks like you took on a dozen vampires by yourself." Joyce frowns deeply, walking quickly over to the slayer, eyeing the healing wounds.

"Yeah, well, that may be because I did." Faith grins lopsidedly at the older woman. "I'll be okay in a little while. Most of the bruises and smaller cuts will be gone by tonight." Faith shrugs before carrying the laundry downstairs, sorting it and throwing the first load in the washer.

Joyce sighs before turning back to the stove. Pulling the big glass dish out of the oven, she sets it down on the island along with a fork before sprinkling some more shredded cheese on top and placing the hot sauce beside it.

"Damn, Mrs. S. You didn't have to go to all this trouble." Faith's mouth is already watering at the sight of the huge dish full of breakfast burritos. "Not that I'm complainin' mind ya'!" Faith grins hugely at Joyce.

"I didn't think you were, dear. If my hearing was correct, you just got in a little while ago. So, I'm betting that you're extremely hungry." Joyce explains as she sits down with a cup of coffee and a couple slices of toast.

"Ain't you gonna have some?" Faith waves the fork towards the dish as she grabs a water out of the refrigerator.

"No. It's all for you." Joyce chuckles as Faith cuts out a huge section of burrito before scooping it up. "Be careful, I just pulled it out of the oven."

"A little heat ain't never hurt no-one." Faith growls before she pours on some hot sauce, shoving the food in her mouth. Groaning, she chews for a few moments before swallowing. "Damn, Mrs. S. You sure can cook." Faith mutters before digging in.

Joyce laughs softly as Faith quickly works her way through the food. "Thanks, Faith. I appreciate the compliment." Joyce finishes her coffee and toast. "You want me to leave the coffee pot on?"

"Nah, go ahead and turn it off. I'll just nuke me what I want later." Faith mumbles around a mouthful of food.

"Try and get some sleep today, Faith. If you don't get to do the laundry, it's okay." Joyce looks at the slayer for a long moment. "I appreciate everything you do around here to help."

"Don't do that much." Faith looks down in embarrassment. "Got anything comin' in at the shop that you need me to help ya' unpack this week?"

"I have a shipment coming in Wednesday, and hopefully another one Friday." Joyce pulls on her blazer as she grabs her purse and keys. "I'm serious. Thanks for everything. If I don't see you before you head out tonight, be careful."

"Thanks, Mrs. S." Faith let's a quick grin cross her face at the older woman before she goes back to eating her breakfast.

Joyce sighs quietly before leaving the house, knowing the slayer doesn't feel like she does that much around the house, but considering the fact the woman almost invariably does the majority of the laundry and cleaning, Joyce almost feels like she's taking advantage of the young woman. A small grin crosses her face as she remembers Faith threatening her bodily harm if she let any of the Scoobies know that she's cleaning and doing laundry. The first time she'd come home to find all the laundry done, even her outfits pressed neatly and hung up in the closet, Joyce had just about had a heart attack. When Faith had shyly said something about wanting to help out as much as possible, Joyce had to physically grab onto the counter so she wouldn't hug the poor girl to her. Knowing that Faith would be embarrassed by the display of affection, Joyce occasionally just grasps the slayer's shoulder or runs a gentle hand over her head.

Shaking her head at the thought of the very confusing young woman, Joyce climbs in the Jeep, driving to work.

Faith groans quietly as her cell phone rings. Pulling it out and seeing Buffy and Willow's number on the caller ID, she answers. "Let me call you right back, got a live one." She states quickly before flipping it shut, tucking it away. Following the vampire around the corner into the dark alleyway, Faith jumps back as he swings a chain at her head.

"Heard there was a slayer in this town. I'm aimin' to make you dinner." The badly dressed vampire snarls, swinging the chain again.

Faith jumps high over the chain, landing right beside the vampire, wrapping her arm around his neck and twisting. As she hears his neck pop, as she breaks it, she drops him on the ground looking up and down the alleyway. Not seeing or feeling any other vampires, she quickly stakes him. Walking back out of the alleyway, she digs her phone out, calling Buffy. "Yo, what'cha want?"

"Sorry to bother you, but it was later than I realized and I was wondering if you would mind playing bodyguard again tonight?" Willow questions, smiling apologetically at Tara.

"Damn, I'm starting to think I oughta get me a sign that says bodyguard for hire." Faith drawls sarcastically. "I was just on my way to the Bronze, via a couple cemeteries. I guess I can add the college onto the list of things to hit. It'll probably be half an hour 'fore I get there."

"Thanks, Faith. I owe you." Willow grins as she hears a throaty chuckle on the other end of the phone.

"Be careful what'cha say, Red. I might take you up on it." Faith laughs as she hangs up after Willow squeals out her name in embarrassment.

"She'll be here in half an hour. Just to warn you, she's a little…rough around the edges, I guess would be a good word." Willow smiles gently at the shy blonde.

"Th-that's okay." Tara glances up, briefly before looking back down to pick at her skirt. "You s-sure you w-want me to go with you?" Tara questions hesitantly.

"Sure! Buffy wouldn't mind meeting you. Of course, she'll be there with Riley, and she gets very Riley absorbed when they're together. My boyfriend plays in the band, and Faith…well, she's Faith." Willow shrugs, not knowing how to explain the dark-haired slayer. "It'll be nice to have someone to talk to. Plus you said you'd never been, so it's kind of like an initiation thing going there!" Willow bounces on Buffy's bed, grinning.

Tara can't help but giggle at the redheads obvious excitement. "Okay. B-but I'm not m-much of a dancer." Tara grins self-consciously.

"Neither am I. Doesn't stop me." Willow stands and runs a brush through her hair, straightening her outfit. "That spell was great! Do you mind if we, maybe, make plans to get together once or twice a week? You know, to talk about spells, and stuff?"

Tara chuckles quietly. "That's f-fine. I've b-been looking for someone to practice with. I haven't done much in the last couple y-years." Tara admits softly.

"Why not?" Willow comes to sit beside the blonde witch, hearing a note of sadness in her tones.

"B-because I d-didn't h-have anyone t-to p-practice w-with." Tara stutters horribly, tilting her head forward so her hair will cover her red face.

"Oh." Willow frowns as she watches the woman. "Well, that's changed. I really need the help. Most of my potions come out soup." Willow admits. "I usually can't make my spells come out right."

"T-there's a lot of n-negative energy in this town." Tara glances up, thankful Willow changed the subject. "If you're n-not careful, you'll tap into that, and it would be bad news." Tara whispers quietly. "That's why I usually w-work with my own energy, then walk out of town to this b-beautiful spot on the weekends to re-charge and cleanse." Tara smiles at the thought of the beautiful lake outside of town, with the positive energy and the natural lei-lines.

"You can help me with that?" Willow questions hopefully.

"Y-yes." Tara smiles, then jumps as a firm knock comes on the door.

"That's Faith." Willow grins happily. "Come on. Let's go dance." Willow grasps Tara's hand, tugging the witch to follow her. Opening the door, she raises an eyebrow at Faith, who's brushing off vampire dust from her pants.

"Yo, Red. I would think with the…" Faith trails off, shutting up quick, when she realizes Willow isn't in the room by herself. "Hi, Red." Faith grins crookedly.

Willow sighs and mouths 'thank you' at the slayer, watching as Faith nods her head in acknowledgement. "Faith, this is Tara. Tara, this is Faith."

Tara tilts her head, seeing the woman that had been staring at her in the Wicca meeting. "H-hi." Tara blushes and looks down.

"Hey. I guess you two are wanting to go to the Bronze, huh?" Faith asks in her whiskey rough tone.

"I appreciate it. You can never be too careful walking around town at night." Willow quirks her lip in appreciation at the dark-haired slayer.

"Nope. Definitely can't be to safe. No telling what big uglies might show up and try and give you girls a run for your money." Faith smirks at the redhead, before letting her eyes trail over the blonde. "Come on, Blondie. Looks like you could use a night of fun."

Tara jerks her head up, her eyes wide in surprise, before she blushes and looks back down. Quietly she walks along beside the other two women.

"So, B and lover boy gonna be there?" Faith questions as she shortens her steps to make it easier for the other two women to keep up with her.

"Yes, Buffy and Riley are going to be there." Willow rolls her eyes. "You have a hot date tonight?" Willow questions, raising an eyebrow at Faith.

"Probably. Don't know yet. I'll find out if there's someone at the Bronze." Faith smirks knowingly at the redhead.

"Faith!" Willow hisses at the dark-haired slayer.

Tara can't help the little chuckle that escapes, as she glances up at the two women. Seeing the almost devil-may care look on Faith's face, and the extremely mortified look on Willow's. "At least she's being honest." Tara whispers quietly, before looking back down as dark brown eyes lock with hers.

"See…she knows when not to argue, or question." Faith waves her hand at the blonde. "I am what I am, and that's all that I am." Faith snorts back a laugh.

"You've been watching too many cartoons." Willow states exasperatedly. "I never would have taken you for a Popeye fan."

"Not. Just like that sayin'." Faith admits, grinning hugely. "Here you are, ladies. All safe and sound." Faith chuckles as she grabs money out of her pocket to pay for her cover charge.

"I-I'll pay." Tara offers quietly, digging some cash out of her purse, handing it to the bouncer.

"Thanks. You didn't have to do that." Faith eyes the woman again, wondering if she wears anything besides baggy shirts and long skirts. Shaking her head, wondering why she even cares what the woman wears, Faith lets the two women precede her into the bar, before she splits off, heading towards the bar, while Tara and Willow make a beeline to Buffy.

Throwing a couple dollars on the bar, Faith accepts the soda, heading up the stairs to look out over the crowd below. Not seeing or feeling anything amiss, Faith relaxes against the railing, letting her eyes roam over the group sitting close to the dance floor. Watching Willow give Oz a quick kiss before he heads up on stage, she watches as Tara glances around nervously. Seeing Buffy all curled up against Riley, Faith figures she finally decided to let bygones be bygones with him. Sipping her soda, she lets her eyes drift back over the blonde. Running her tongue over her bottom lip as a drop of soda tries to escape, her eyes widen in surprise as Tara looks up, making eye contact with her for a few long moments, almost as if she felt her eyes on the woman. Faith stands there, not moving as she feels her heart speed up the tiniest bit, before Tara's scrutiny is broken by Willow asking her something. Sighing, Faith finishes the soda, placing it on the table behind her as she determinedly doesn't look down at the witch again.

"Tara, this is Buffy and Riley. Guys, this is Tara." Willow bounces up to the table before plopping down. "Oooh. And here's my boyfriend, Oz." Willow's eyes light up as Oz makes his way towards the table.

"Hey." Oz nods his head before draping an arm casually around Willow's shoulder.

"Hi." Tara blushes, looking down.

"So, you're a real witch, huh?" Buffy questions, tearing her gaze away from Riley for a few moments.

"Y-yes." Tara answers hesitantly, looking at Willow, who nods encouragingly. Smiling briefly, she tries to relax. "All my life." Tara admits.

"You must be powerful." Buffy eyes the woman a little more seriously.

"I-I don't know a-about that." Tara blushes. "My m-mom was."

"I need to go up." Oz whispers softly, placing a quick kiss on Willow's lips.

Willow grins as she watches Oz head up on stage. Sighing quietly, she glances back at Buffy who's engrossed with Riley again, before looking at Tara and rolling her eyes, making the witch giggle. "You want something to drink?"

"No, I'm okay." Tara shakes her head, smiling gently. Tara starts glancing around the Bronze, looking at some of the different people and the décor, when she has the distinct impression that she's being watched. Sighing quietly, she let's a small smile cross her lips. 'Is Faith staring again?' She wonders to herself, not realizing she already knows the woman's aura well enough to zoom in on exactly where the dark-haired woman is. Looking straight up to the balcony, she catches the slayer's tongue disappearing back in her mouth. Seeing the dark brown eyes widen in surprise, Tara watches her for a long moment, seeing a very lonely, somewhat angry woman standing there. Separate from her friends of her own choosing. Feeling a sadness for the woman creeping in, Tara tilts her head for a moment, wondering what makes the woman tick, when Willow interrupts her contemplation.

"Tara, you want to dance?" Willow questions as The Dingoes start to play one of her favorite songs.

"Not r-right now. Thanks." Tara shakes her head, briefly looking back up, sighing as Faith's looking elsewhere.

"Buffy?" Willow questions hopefully.

"Sure. Come on, Riley." Buffy drags Riley out of the seat, and onto the dance floor.

Tara chuckles softly as she watches the group dance. Riley with a look of put upon despair on his face while he sort of shifts around, Buffy who seems to really get into the music and Willow who, as per the norm, is bouncing around to the music. Not being able to help herself, Tara glances back up to where Faith had been standing, frowning as the woman has disappeared. Letting herself feel for her aura, she glances a little further down, seeing her standing in the shadows to where you almost couldn't see her at the back of the catwalk. Biting her lip at the thought of the obvious loner, Tara slowly stands, walking to the bar and orders a couple sodas. Slowly working her way up the steps, she places one of the drinks on the table beside Faith.

'Okay, what do I do now?' Tara questions herself as she sips her drink, walking a little ways down the railing so there's a couple yards between her and Faith.

Faith turns her gaze on the soda Tara placed beside her up to the witch who's not crowding her, but who's not leaving either. Glancing back down at the dance floor, she watches as Xander and Anya, who obviously just arrived, make their way out on the dance floor. Watching as the group dances, talks and laughs with each other, her eyes invariably travels back to the blonde. "Why ain't ya' down on the dance floor with the rest of the group?" Faith finally questions.

"I'm not much of a d-dancer." Tara admits, running her finger over the top of her glass as she watches the group down on the dance floor.

"Most of them ain't either, but it don't stop 'em." Faith feels her lip quirk as she watches Xander and Anya try and dance.

"They probably look like p-professionals compared to m-me." Tara states disparagingly.

Faith reaches for the glass, bringing it to her lips she takes a sip, considering the woman. "I bet you can dance." Faith raises an eyebrow as the woman turns surprised eyes on her. "I bet you…" Faith trails off, trying to think of something good to bet the witch.

Tara tilts her head watching the dark-haired woman, wondering what she's going to say.

"I bet you a pepperoni pizza, that you can dance." Faith smirks at the witch.

Tara raises an eyebrow at the woman. "You want to bet food on my being able to dance?" Tara states in disbelief, not stuttering once, she's so shocked.

"Sure, why not? If I wanted to bet you a roll in the hay, you might not wanta do it." Faith leers at the woman, chuckling as she blushes and looks away.

"And maybe I would." Tara glances back, her eyes daring. Not knowing where her new found courage came from, but liking it.

Faith guffaws loudly. "Damn! I thought you was a shy one. Come on. Gotta see if you dance, now." Faith urges the woman down the steps. Quickly following behind Tara, she places her drink on the Scoobies table beside Tara's glass.

Willow looks up in surprise as Tara and Faith both come out on the dance floor together. Watching as Faith leans in whispering something to Tara, making the witch blush, Willow's brows furrow. When she watches as Tara lightly smacks the slayer on the arm, Willow opens her eyes in surprise, deciding to keep an eye on the two women.

"So, a roll in the hay, if you can dance?" Faith whispers, dancing by the witch, grinning unrepentantly at the blonde. Laughing as Tara blushes then smacks her lightly. "Come on, let's see what'cha got." Faith starts letting the music seep into her body, just letting herself move with the beat.

Tara blinks her eyes a couple times watching the uninhibited way the dark-haired woman moves, almost as if she's making love with the music. Biting her lip, Tara closes her eyes, shifting her body slowly as she lets the music start working it's way into her, taking her away to where it's just her and the music. Unaware that, if it was possible, her moves almost rivaled Faith's in the absolute sensuousness of her movements.

Faith groans under her breath as she watches Tara literally become one with the music. The witch was obviously picking up on the sensuous backbeat, letting her hips and body sway and move to the rhythm. Unable to resist, Faith dances around behind Tara, letting her body move in close, not touching but picking out the beat the witch is obviously listening to, letting her own movements add to Tara's.

Tara can feel Faith behind her, matching her movements, the heat from the woman almost unbelievable. The two women continue to dance this way, until the band finally takes a break. As Tara slowly turns around, feeling the perspiration gathering on her upper lip and along her hairline, she looks into Faith's dark brown eyes, a flair of desire burning in them. Swallowing at the heat of the woman's gaze, Tara takes a step back, smiling self-consciously.

"You can dance." Faith hoarsely states, watching as Tara starts to climb back into her shell. Unconsciously, Faith reaches out for the woman, not wanting her to do that. "Come on, you can probably use your soda. Plus I owe you a couple." Faith gently places a hand on her forearm, grinning crookedly.

"Okay." Tara smiles briefly, following Faith to the table.

"I thought you said you couldn't dance!" Willow exclaims at the witch. Her eyes narrowing on Faith's for a moment, wondering what the other woman might be up to, before turning back to a lightly blushing Tara. "You dance beautifully. I'm jealous." Willow pouts.

"Who's your friend?" Xander questions, eyeing the pretty blonde, then yelping as he gets a hard elbow in the ribs. "Ahn, I was just wondering who she was!"

"Right!" Anya grumbles, her eyes on the blonde.

"Anya, Xander, this is Tara. Tara this is Anya and Xander." Willow grins nervously, realizing she forgot to mention Anya's obvious bluntness to the witch.

"Nice to meet you." Xander grins at Tara.

"Xander's mine. You can't have him." Anya narrows her gaze on the blonde witch.

"Mmmm." Tara looks around worriedly.

"Easy, demon girl. Not everyone wants your man." Faith grumbles, feeling an uncontrollable urge to yell at the woman for making Tara feel nervous, as she was just starting to loosen up.

Tara turns surprised eyes on Faith as she says the word demon. Nibbling on her lip, she looks down at the table, wondering about this group of friends.

"Want another soda?" Faith questions softly, her eyes on the white teeth chewing on her bottom lip.

Tara glances up, making brief eye contact. Glancing at her now empty glass, Tara nods her head. "Please."

"Be right back." Faith narrows her eyes on Anya, giving her a warning glare, before heading towards the bar.

"What's her problem?" Anya looks from Faith back to the other people sitting at the table.

"Maybe she's tired of you always thinking every woman that sees Xander automatically wants him." Willow exasperatedly states. "Didn't mean that in a bad way, Xander."

"That's okay. Not much of my manly pride left, anyway." Xander mutters half under his breath.

Tara glances up, a small smile crossing her face at Xander's comment. As Faith sets another soda down in front of her, Tara looks up in thanks.

Faith allows a grin to cross her face as she stands back a small distance from the crowded table, watching as Oz makes his way to the group, standing behind Willow and placing his hands on her shoulders, unconsciously kneading the witch. Her gaze travels slowly from Willow and Oz to where she's looking at Xander and Anya, who are arguing quietly. But you can see the two care for each other. Sighing Faith looks towards Buffy and Riley, trying not to smirk. No matter what Buffy might say, Faith knows she's just in lust with Riley. No way that, was this big mystery thing, that Buffy calls love. Looking back at an obviously uncomfortable witch, Faith considers the woman for a moment.

"Know how to shoot pool?" Faith finally questions, deciding Tara might feel a little better if she's away from the bunch of love birds.

"Not very well." Tara shifts in her seat so she can look at Faith.

"Yeah, kinda like the dancin', right?" Faith smirks. "Come on, let's give you a chance to win back that bet." Faith's eyes twinkle with merriment as she watches the obvious relief of getting away from the group is making her feel. Leading the way to the pool table, Faith raises an eyebrow at the two guys playing. "You guys about done?" She questions softly.

The one guy remembers her from where she'd beat the hell out of this guy before he disappeared, nodding his head quickly he looks at his friend. "It's getting kind of late anyways. We have to work tomorrow." He slides his pool cue onto the table, the two men leaving quickly.

"Thanks." Faith calls after them, chuckling quietly.

Tara leans against the pillar by the pool table watching as Faith slides her money into the machine before gathering all the balls and putting them in the rack.

"Wanna break?" Faith looks at the witch who seems to be debating on saying something.

"I really d-don't know how to play pool. I've only played it once b-before." Tara chews the inside of her lip.

"Then I'll just have to show ya'." Faith grins. "I'll break."

Tara accepts the pool cue Faith hands her, and watches as the woman leans over the table, pulling the cue pool back in one smooth fluid movement before slamming the tip of it into the cue ball. As the cue ball impacts on the other balls, making them scatter about the table, Tara's eyes stay glued on the brunette. Tara realizes as she watches the woman that there's a lot more to her, than her rough exterior and blunt approach hints at.

Faith looks up, making contact with intense blue eyes. Not even realizing it, she stays that way for a couple minutes, just allowing herself to be immersed in the other woman's gaze, her heart pounding a little harder in her chest. Swallowing, Faith finally stands up, breaking the gaze to look at the table. Seeing she sunk two solids and one stripe, she scopes out the table seeing which were set up better. Realizing the run on stripes should work to her advantage, she quickly calls her shot, before sinking the ball in the side pocket.

Tara tilts her head as Faith finally misses and waves her over to the table.

"It's your turn." Faith smirks at the look on the witch's face. "You got the solids. Don't sink the eight ball 'til last. And don't hit one of my balls first, or it's a foul and you lose your turn."

Tara nods her understanding and fumbles with holding the cue stick, when she hears a soft chuckle and feels a warm body leaning against her, she closes her eyes at the heat literally blasting from the other woman.

"Here, hold it like this." Faith whispers in her ear as she leans over her back, wrapping her right hand around Tara's on the thick part of the cue stick. "You don't have to strangle it, just hold on easy. Now, I hold the end of the cue stick like this, where it slides between my thumb and crooked index finger, you just want to use this as a guide, and let it slide smoothly back and forth, got it?"

Tara swallows hard as she feels the woman's breasts pressing into her back, and the smoky voice whispering in her ear, the hot breath sending shivers down her spine. "I think so." Tara finally murmurs in a slightly higher pitched voice, almost whimpering as the other woman pulls away.

"Good, you gotta line up your shot, and stroke nice and smooth." Faith smirks at the slightly flushed woman, trying to ignore her own surprising response to being close to the blonde.

"Line up the white ball with one of my solid ones and aim for a pocket?" Tara questions as she closes one eye, trying to aim her shot.

"That's pretty much it." Faith moves around the table and leans against the pillar, her eyes invariably drawn to where the witch's shirt has gaped open somewhat, showing an intoxicating view of a set of very lush breasts encased in a pale blue bra.

"I made it!" Tara stands up, grinning at the dark haired woman.

"Good. Now, do it again." Faith can't help but smile at the woman's obvious excitement. "You beat me here, we've really gotta discuss the bet." Faith jokes, then laughs as Tara misses the next shot as she looks up at her. "You ain't gonna win like that."

Tara scowls good-naturedly at the brunette. "It's not fair trying to distract me while I'm just learning the game."

"Gotta do, what I gotta do." Faith chuckles as she brushes softly against the witch as she walks around, looking at her options.

"Hey! I wondered where you got off to." Willow comes to the end of the table, glancing from one woman to the other.

"Faith's t-teaching me to shoot pool." Tara admits, grinning shyly.

"How are you doing?" Willow glances at the table and Faith, watching as the dark slayer's lip quirks up in a half smile.

"Losing." Tara states simply, grinning crookedly at Willow, before glancing at Faith, the grin turning into a half smirk. "Of course, if someone w-would stop distracting me…"

"Told ya'. I'm here to win…" Faith stops and leans on her cue stick for a moment, considering the witch. "Actually, I probably should lose, I think I'd like that better." Faith chuckles loudly as Tara blushes deeply and looks down at the floor.

"Stop it!" Tara mumbles in embarrassment. "You're just trying to embarrass m-me now!"

"Maybe, maybe not." Faith wiggles her eyebrows before finally leaning over to sink her next ball.

"What bet?" Willow questions, confused.

"Nothin' you need to worry about, Red." Faith leers at the redhead, making her blush.

"Don't alienate my friend, Faith. She's promised to help me out with my magic." Willow warns seriously.

"Am I alienatin' you?" Faith looks at Tara with a raised eyebrow.

Tara blinks in surprise at the serious question coming from the dark-haired woman. "N-no. You're not." Tara shakes her head, smiling softly.

"There. Nothin' to worry 'bout, Red." Faith glances back down at the table, wondering why she felt a sense of relief when the witch answered.

"I g-guess I should go back to the table." Tara states softly, looking from the witch to the brunette and back again.

"No! No, it's okay. If you're having fun, it's all good." Willow waves her hand smiling. "Go ahead and play pool." Willow grins.

"Okay." Tara allows a big smile to cross her face. Watching as Willow bounces back to the table.

Faith watches as Tara's blue eyes twinkle and the beautiful smile crosses the witch's face as she realizes she can continue playing pool. Faith wonders for a moment if it's the pool playing, or herself that the witch is more interested in. Sighing quietly, trying to figure out why the hell she seems to care, Faith quickly sinks her next two balls, before missing her next to the last ball.

"Damn." Faith mumbles. "I got almost all my balls out of your way. If you're real careful, you could have a run."

"A run?" Tara questions confused at the phrasing.

"Where you can sink all your balls in." Faith's lip curls up in a small smile. "Come here, let me show ya'." Faith waits patiently for Tara to walk over to her, before softly explaining how if she hit this ball first, gently, knocking it into the side pocket, she'd be lined up for the next ball down in the corner. Slowly she works her way around the table showing the witch what would be the best way to make the 'run' on the table.

"I'll be lucky to m-make the first shot let alone the rest, Faith." Tara states exasperatedly.

"Want help?" Faith offers softly.

"Well, I don't know what you m-mean by English, backspin, topspin or any of those other words you were t-talking about." Tara admits staring at the table. "I see hit white ball into one of my balls and pray it goes in the hole I want it to go in. That's about as far as I've gotten."

Faith can't help but laugh quietly at the witch. "Here, I'll show ya'." Faith takes up the position of leaning over the witch again, showing her how and where to hit the cue ball as they line up the shot. "Now, a very soft, easy stroke is what you want. It's hard to sink the balls in the side pockets."

Tara swallows hard as she swears that someone must have kicked the heat up twenty degrees. As Faith's hand guides her through the soft stroke, and the ball slowly rolls towards the pocket before dropping in, Tara turns her head to look into dark brown eyes that are less than a couple inches away from her. "You're good at this, aren't you?" Tara questions, her voice deeper than normal.

Faith's eyes traverse down to the lips speaking the words, staring for a moment after they stop moving before glancing back up into dark blue eyes. "We talkin' about pool?"

Tara hesitates for a moment, before breaking the eye contact. "I-I'm not real sure." She admits honestly.

Faith hears the slightly scared note in the witch's voice, for some reason she doesn't like that sound coming from the blonde. Backing off slightly, she smiles softly. "Maybe we should call an end to the pool playin' for tonight." Faith places her pool cue in the holder, holding her hand out to Tara, placing hers in the rack.

"I-I'm sorry." Tara whispers, before quickly heading back to the table.

Faith watches the witch practically run away. Sighing quietly, Faith glances around the bar. Deciding to head out on the dance floor and try to forget about the blonde, Faith strides quickly through the group of people before quickly immersing herself in the music.

Tara smiles quickly as she sits down at the table.

"Who won?" Willow questions, wondering at the blonde's demeanor, as she sits there not saying anything for a few long minutes.

"Faith did." Tara admits, quirking her lip. "I think I should g-go back to the d-dorm. I have an early c-class tomorrow." Tara explains softly as she stands.

"You need someone to walk you home." Willow looks at Buffy and Riley who are hiding in the corner making out. Sighing quietly she knows better than to ask Xander and Anya. Xander would be okay with it, but Anya gets a little strange about things like this sometimes. Not ready to go back to the dorm room herself, Willow's eyes land on Faith. "Let me see if Faith would mind."

"No, no. That's okay. I'll b-be fine." Tara shakes her head before grinning. "See you later this week. We still on for Thursday evening?"

"Definitely, I'll come to your dorm room at 7:00." Willow smiles watching as Tara starts to walk away. "Tara, I'm serious! Someone should walk you home."

Tara just waves as she continues walking quickly towards the exit.

"Damn." Willow mutters, before quickly making her way through the group of people on the dance floor. "Faith!" She calls loudly, interrupting the slayer as she slithers her body from one male to another male.

"What?" Faith growls looking at the redhead.

"Tara decided to head back to the dorm without anyone to walk with her." Willow starts explaining, before she realizes Faith's already striding off the dance floor towards the exit. "Umm, thanks?" Willow says to the empty spot, before turning back to the table. "What the hell is going on?" Willow sighs as she sits back down, alone at the table.

Faith growls deeply at the thought of Willow allowing Tara to leave the bar without going with her. "Damn redhead knows fuckin' better." Faith quickly strides to catch up with the blonde walking at a pretty good clip ahead of her. As she sees a vampire detach himself from the side of a building, trailing Tara, Faith growls lowly. "I don't think so."

Tara gets the distinct impression that she's being followed. Turning her head slightly, she sees a tall man a couple yards behind her. When she watches as his eyes turn to yellow, and bumps come up on his forehead, she reacts without thinking, sending a blast of magic at him, knocking him twenty feet back, making him land at Faith's feet. Looking in surprise at Faith as she leans down with something in her hand, stabbing it in the guys chest, Tara stares in stunned disbelief as he explodes into dust. It finally clicks in her mind that the guy must have been a vampire.

Standing there in shock, she watches as Faith cautiously walks up to her, placing a gentle hand on her arm. "Vampire?" Tara questions hoarsely. When Faith nods her head in the affirmative, Tara closes her eyes, sighing. "Vampires, demons, werewolves are all real?" Tara questions, almost wishing they weren't. If they're real, that means her father could possibly have been telling the truth all these years.

"They are." Faith watches the emotions flickering across the witch's face, the hope, then the sadness and despair. "You okay?"

"I don't think so." Tara shakes her head, paling at the brunette's words. "What are you?" Tara questions, opening her sad, scared eyes to look at the brunette.

"Ummm." Faith shifts around uncomfortably for a few moments. "How about I tell ya'. But not out here? Somewhere a little more private, maybe?" Faith offers seriously.

Tara considers the woman for a moment. "Let's head back to the campus." Tara sighs, turning back around and walking towards the University, her eyes on the ground in front of her, as Faith walks beside her, a couple inches separating them.

Faith follows the witch up the stairs to her dorm room. As Tara glances at her again, Faith tries to smile her most benign smile to make her feel a little more comfortable. When Tara allows a brief smile to flit across her face, Faith releases the breath she'd unconsciously been holding. Following her into the room, Faith's eyes quickly takes in the room with the white Christmas lights twinkling merrily around the ceiling and top of the walls, before her gaze takes in sketches hanging here and there.

Leaning her back against the door, not wanting to crowd the woman, Faith watches as Tara slides her shoes off and reaches down to her mini refrigerator.

"Would you like a water or juice?" Tara offers softly as she pulls out a juice.

"Water, thanks." Faith answers, slowly easing her way towards the witch, accepting the water handed to her.

"So?" Tara questions after a couple minutes and a few sips of her juice. Watching the dark-haired woman intently as she sits down on the edge of her bed, watching as Faith perches a hip on her desk.

"You obviously know about vampires and other things that go bump in the night, right?" Faith questions hesitantly. As Tara nods her head, Faith plays with the label on her water bottle. "Well, have you ever heard of 'One girl in all the world to fight the forces of evil' yadda, yadda, yadda shit?"

Tara frowns and shakes her head. "No." Tara states simply, watching as Faith sighs.

"Yeah, well, the girl is called a Slayer. She was born…sorry, make it created originally. She was made to fight vampires and other evil. She's a lot stronger, faster, and heals quicker than a normal human, that way she can fight on a more even basis with these creatures." Faith explains quickly.

"Created?" Tara's brows furrow at the wording.

"The original slayer was created by men. They pretty much took this poor girl and did some kind of voodoo shit on her. When she died, a new one was called. They tapped into some cosmos shit, or something, making it so that there would always be a new one to replace the old one. Down through time, that's the way it goes." Faith snarls her lip at the thought.

Tara watches Faith for a long moment. "You're the slayer." Tara whispers as she makes the connection. Paling even more at the thought. "It's your job to kill demons."

"Evil demons." Faith nods her head. "There are such things as non-evil demons. Some are actually kind of cool." Faith shrugs her shoulders. "It's more of a case by case basis. If they try to kill me, or someone else, I kill them."

"Willow knows?" Tara whispers.

"Yeah. Her and B go back to Sophomore year together. She found out then, along with Xander." Faith explains.

"Wait. B?" Tara looks confused at the dark haired slayer.

"Buffy, she's a slayer also." Faith admits, frowning. "I'm fuckin' this all up. B was the slayer two before me. She drowned, Xander performed CPR on her, bringing her back to life, but not before a new slayer was called. Her name was Kendra, she was killed, then that made yours truly." Faith waves her hand at herself.

Tara sits there in stunned silence.

Faith watches the woman, wondering if she was going to freak out, or just continue to sit there not saying anything. "Tare?" Faith calls her name quietly, when the woman seems to have faded off into her own little world.

"A l-lot to t-take in." Tara's lip quirks the tiniest bit, not able to do more than that.

"Yeah, it is." Faith sighs quietly, before heading towards the door. "If you can't deal, let Willow down easy. She's really been lookin' hard to find someone to practice magic with. I'm sorry that this isn't what you're lookin' for." Faith softly states before quickly slipping out of the dorm room.

It takes a moment for Tara to realize that Faith left. Glancing up at the closed door, Tara runs a shaking hand over her forehead. "What am I going to do? In six months I turn twenty. If I become a demon…" Tara feels tears gathering in her eyes. "Mama, I wish you were here to help me. Is what father said true, am I a demon? Will they have to kill me when I turn into one?"

Letting the tears fall, Tara curls up into a small ball on the bed, crying herself into a restless nights sleep.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Faith growls as she stomps her way towards Revello Drive. Almost hoping to come across a few vampires to take her frustrations out on, but of course, when she's wanting them to be around, there's none to be found.

Joyce looks up in surprise as Faith opens the door, closing it a little more forcefully than necessary. "Faith?"

"Mrs. S." Faith looks at the woman, questioningly.

"Everything okay?" Joyce questions hesitantly, seeing the anger practically pouring from the woman's eyes.

"Yeah, peachy keen." Faith snarls as she heads into the kitchen, opening and shutting cabinet doors as she looks for something to munch on.

"Please tell me Buffy didn't piss you off." Joyce questions softly as she watches Faith tear open a bag of chips, grabbing a handful and shoving them into her mouth, chewing them viciously.

Swallowing the chips. Faith shakes her head. "Not B. I pretty much fucked up all on my own." Faith admits, opening the refrigerator door, grabbing a soda out before hopping up on the counter.

Joyce waits, hoping that Faith might open up to her, watching as the teenager works her way slowly and methodically through the bag of chips.

"What's it like to be in love?" Faith questions out of the blue.

"Uh…" Joyce blinks in surprise as she watches Faith look at her with questioning brown eyes. Slowly walking into the kitchen, Joyce sits down at the island across from the slayer. "I guess it's different for different people. But, in my experience, it was getting lost in Hanks eyes first. My heart would speed up at the sight of him, or when I'd hear his voice. I'd catch myself thinking about him at inopportune times, wanting to spend time with him." Joyce shrugs.

"Wanting to bump uglies with him?" Faith allows a small smile to work across her face as Joyce narrows her gaze before grinning at her.

"Yes, having sex with him was part of it, too." Joyce chuckles quietly. "Found some hunk you're interested in?"

"Not a hunk." Faith tilts her head at the older Summers.

"Okay, hunkette?" Joyce grins at the surprise on Faith's face.

"Damn, I thought that might freak you a bit." Faith's mouth drops as Joyce laughs heartily at her.

"Kids today!" Joyce shakes her head, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "You think you're the only ones that even consider having same sex relations. That's been going on probably since the beginning of time."

Faith raises an eyebrow in wonder at Joyce, her curiosity peaked. "Do tell. Sounds more like a little note of experience coming through there, Mrs. S."

Joyce blushes lightly. "If you tell anyone, I'll get you back, some how, some way, understood?" As Faith's eyes open in surprise, and she nods her head, Joyce smirks. "My freshman year in college, my roommate and I were known to…experiment. It was actually quite enjoyable. But, in the long run, not for me." Joyce shrugs, grinning.

"Damn! B ought to know this. Little Miss Tight Ass could probably use a little experimenting, instead of dealing with corn-fed boy." Faith guffaws loudly as Joyce smirks at her comment.

"We did not have this conversation, understand?" As Faith nods, Joyce laughs quietly. "Honestly, I agree with you. She goes from that damn vampire, to the Mr. America wanna be. She needs to let her hair down and enjoy life some." Joyce sighs quietly. "But it isn't like she'll listen to me."

"Don't know. Maybe you oughta tell her you got it on with another girl, might open her eyes." Faith jokes, jumping down from the counter to sit on the stool across from Joyce.

"Probably make her look at me like I'm a two-headed vampire." Joyce chuckles. "So, how did you fuck up?" Joyce questions, using Faith's terminology.

Faith blinks in surprise at Joyce saying fuck. "Well, Willow met this girl in the Wicca meeting group who's an actual witch. She actually intrigued me there, I had walked Willow there because it was a wolf moon. Anyway, Willow talked her into going to the Bronze tonight. I played bodyguard walking them there, then kind of went off on my own. I kept catching myself staring at her, you know." Faith glances up briefly seeing the look of understanding crossing the woman's face. "Well, she glanced up and it was like she was starin' into my soul. Well, I got her out on the dance floor, we danced a few fast dances before the band took a break. By then the whole group was there, being all huggy, kissy type shit. I asked her to shoot pool."

Joyce watches the emotions playing over Faith's face. They seemed to range from everything from happiness, to sadness to confusion to a hint of anger.

"Well, I kind of had to show her how to shoot pool." Faith grins wickedly at this point, her eyes lighting up with merriment.

"How do…" Joyce trails off, thinking about it, before blushing and laughing quietly.

"Yeah, I kinda hung all over her back, pressing my body into her type thing." Faith admits, smirking. "Anyway, it kinda got heated there at the end, where I came close to kissin' her. She ended up heading back to the table and Willow, while I decided to hit the dance floor. Next thing I know Willow's coming up to me, telling me Tara decided to head back to the University, without anyone walking with her. That damn redhead could have went with her. But no, she lets her take off on her own, so she can stay there with dog boy." Faith growls deeply at the thought.

Joyce reaches out, placing a calming hand on the slayers clenched fist. "Easy, Faith."

Faith slowly calms down. "I took off after her and good thing I did. A vampire was planning on making a snack of her. She saw me dust him. It was weird, when she asked me if vampires, demons and werewolves existed and I said yes, they did, she turned real pale and scared like. She asked me what I was. I insisted we go somewhere more quiet and followed her to her room, explained I was a slayer, as was Buffy. Needless to say, I think it kind of freaked her out. I think I scared her off, Mrs. S." Faith finally admits what's really bothering her. "I like her. I ain't never liked no one before. I don't know what love is, but I know I don't want to just jump in the sack with her. I want to get to know her, too."

Joyce sighs quietly. "Give her some time. Maybe talk to Willow, tell her that you had to tell Tara. Maybe she can talk to her, also. She went through this revelation in high school. I'm sure she can help explain things a little more to Tara, so she won't be so upset."

Faith plays with her empty soda can, tearing little chunks off the top, dropping them into the opening. "I think I scared her off, Mrs. S. I don't think I'll ever get a chance to know if there might have been somethin' there."

"Don't write it off yet, Faith." Joyce states softly, watching the teen. "Give her a few days to let it soak in. She might surprise you."

"Yeah, like my life is that great. If I was her, I'd run to the farthest point on the map to be away from this shit." Faith growls. "Thanks for listening to my shit, Mrs. S. I appreciate it."

"Anytime. I'm always here for you, if you need me." Joyce pats Faith's arm gently. "Buffy never gave me the chance, I appreciate you talking with me."

"Yeah, well…B sometimes ain't the brightest crayon in the box." Faith smirks as Joyce smacks her arm at that comment.

"Be nice. She's still my daughter." Joyce chuckles at the gleam in Faith's eyes.

"You sure about that?" Faith laughs, as she ducks the dish towel that comes sailing at her head. "You're all right, Mrs. S." Faith throws the empty bag in the trash along with her soda can.

Joyce watches as Faith strides out of the kitchen. Smiling softly, she whispers to the empty room. "You're all right, too, Faith." Joyce glances at the clock on the stove. "It's late and I need to be in bed." Joyce shakes her head, surprised at how long the two women had been talking. Quickly shutting the lights off, Joyce double-checks the doors before heading upstairs, grinning as she hears Faith singing quietly in the shower. "'Night, Faith." Joyce calls out, knowing the slayer would hear her, before heading to bed.

Willow bites on her lip nervously as she waits outside Tara's door. As the door slowly opens and Tara stands there quietly. Willow smiles self-consciously. "Ummm. Am I still welcome?"

Tara sighs, letting a small smile cross her face as she opens the door wider to allow Willow to come in. "Yes, you're welcome, Willow." She states softly after Willow enters the room.

"Just make sure you don't invite anyone in your room. That's a no-no." Willow quirks her lip up into a quick smile. "So, how are you doing?" Willow questions as she glances around the woman's room.

"Don't really know." Tara admits as she sits down on her bed.

"Anything you want to ask? Clarify?" Willow's foot bounces nervously as she watches Tara.

"Please sit, Willow." Tara can't help but laugh quietly at the obviously worried redhead. "Faith kind of gave me a quick run down."

Willow nods her head. "She told me she was afraid she'd scared you off. Did she?"

Tara runs a hand over the coverlet on her bed, smoothing out the wrinkles. "It wasn't her, necessarily, that s-scared me. It was the thought that d-demons are real." Tara looks up with worried eyes.

"But Buffy and Faith fight demons. They're here to protect us and keep us safe from evilness. The Hellmouth is a lot safer place than it was before. I remember when Buffy first came here how it seemed every weekend a new group of vampires were trying to take over the town. But they keep that down to a minimum now! Honest." Willow babbles quickly.

Tara bites her lip, not looking up, nodding her head silently. "I get that." Tara sighs softly, deciding to wait to say anything. Maybe she can help Willow with her magic before it gets to her birthday. "Did you want to work on your meditations? They'll h-help you in the l-long run." Tara tilts her head thinking for a moment. "That's why the n-negative energy is so b-bad here in Sunnydale. It's a Hellmouth." Tara finally realizes what Willow had said, making the connection.

"So the Hellmouth is partially to blame for my soupy spells?" Willow questions eagerly.

Tara laughs quietly. "Well, it certainly isn't helping. Let's w-work on your meditations, letting you get in touch with your inner s-store of magic so you can draw on it, instead of d-drawing on the things around you. That'll help you a lot. Then I have a couple books that you can borrow. Read them, they might give you a l-little more insight into the magical realm." Tara grins crookedly, relaxing.

"Thank you." Willow breathes out a huge sigh of relief. "I'm so glad Faith didn't scare you off."

"Faith didn't d-do anything wrong, Willow. There w-was n-nothing she did to be blamed for." Tara explains softly. Hesitating for a moment, Tara finally questions the redhead. "How is she?"

"Who?" Willow looks at the blonde from where she was perusing her magic books.

"Faith." Tara whispers the slayer's name.

"She's okay, I guess." Willow shrugs her shoulders. "She just called to let me know she'd let you in on the slayer deal, and that she was kind of worried about you."

Tara frowns momentarily. "You guys aren't real close?" Tara questions.

"Well…" Willow hesitates momentarily. "Faith is kind of a loner. She sort of does her own thing. She alternates out nights with Buffy, doing the slayer thing. Occasionally they'll patrol together. She's kind of on call." Willow grins briefly.

Tara furrows her brow at the words, wondering if the original group had ever really tried to bring Faith into their circle, or if they had just decided that if she wanted to join them, she could. If she didn't, they'd use her when they needed her. Deciding to wait and see what happens, Tara puts those thoughts out of her mind for the time being. "Let's work on your meditations."

Willow grins hugely at the witch, climbing up on the bed facing Tara as the blonde witch indicates.

Tara softly explains what she wants Willow to do, to relax, try and get that busy mind of hers to empty and concentrate on her heartbeat, before continuing.

Faith sighs quietly as she walks by Tara's dorm, her eyes unconsciously looking up at the general area she knows her room is at. It'd been roughly a month since she'd told the witch about being a slayer. The witch hadn't tried to contact her, and of course, Faith hasn't taken the initiative to see how she's doing. Only getting the occasional comment from Willow to go by, after Willow started to look at her strangely when she kept asking after the witch. According to Buffy and Willow they are studying for finals, since it was almost the end of the school year. So Faith had decided to wait and try and contact the witch after the end of the school year. Maybe see if she'd want to grab a meal. Faith chuckles to herself at the thought, having talked extensively with Mrs. S about the witch.

Noticing the campus is unusually quiet, Faith figures everyone must be studying hard for finals, chuckling at the thought, Faith continues patrolling, looking for something to take her irritation out on. Faith frowns as she cruises around the campus, the hairs on the back of her neck starting to stand on end. Sharpening her gaze, her eyes widen as this huge guy, demon…"What the fuck?" Faith looks the guy up and down. "Frankenstein, I presume?" Faith questions hoarsely.

"You're the other one." Adam states calmly in a mechanical sounding voice. "Good, I want to see what you're capable of."

Faith ducks a quick strike by the monster, before slamming her fist into his stomach, yanking her hand to her body as she cries out in pain.

"Sorry, does my titanium stomach bother you?" Adam allows a smile to cross his patchwork face before extending the spike in his hand, piercing the slayers shoulder before picking her up and tossing her twenty feet.

Faith groans as she hits the ground, trying to roll so it absorbs some of the impact. Cradling her almost useless right arm to her body, she snarls as she looks up at the monster. "Who the fuck are you?" She yells as she jumps up, snapping off a kick to his jaw, his head barely moving at the hard kick. Landing, she nails his knee with everything in her, finally making him grunt and partially collapse before he slowly stands again.

Adam tilts his head, his gaze narrowing. "That actually hurt. I don't like that." He grabs her up with both arms, slinging her a good forty feet away closer to the dorms. "I need to work on this." Adam looks down at his leg as he limps away into the night.

Tara sighs quietly as she takes a break from studying. Standing up she works her way over to the electric kettle, checking the water level. Grabbing a large bottle of water she pours some more in before turning the kettle on, deciding a nice cup of chamomile tea wouldn't go amiss. Preparing the mug and tea bag, she walks over to her window looking out at the night. Thoughts of the dark-haired slayer crossing her mind, wondering how the woman's doing. Knowing that she's doing the patrols pretty much every night, by herself, since Buffy is studying for finals, just like pretty much every other student on the campus.

Tara had subconsciously decided to stay away from the dark-haired woman, and the way she makes her feel. Not wanting to chance caring for the woman, or Goddess forbid, Faith care for her and then she turns into a demon. Not wanting the woman to have to possibly kill someone she's interested in, or could become interested in.

Turning back as she hears the kettle click off, she pours the hot water in her mug. Setting the kettle back down, she tilts her head as she feels…"Faith." She whispers quickly closing the short distance to the door, opening it. "Sweet Goddess!" Tara cries out, reaching down for the battered and bloodied slayer.

"You closest." Faith mutters, trying to drag her body into the room. Grunting in pain as Tara wraps her arm around her waist, helping her to stand. "Frankenstein…" Faith coughs up some blood, crying out at the pain in her body.

"Shhh." Tara eases the slayer onto the bed, watching as the slayer impossibly turns paler, her eyes full of pain, her aura radiating strong reds with the pain she's in. Whispering a small incantation, Tara blocks some of the pain, and in effect knocks Faith out. Grabbing up the phone, she calls Willow's room.

"Faith's in my room, bring the biggest damn First Aid kit you got." Tara mutters quickly as Buffy answers the phone, hanging up before the other slayer has a chance to say anything. Quickly striding over to Faith, Tara gently eases the slayer's top off before she prods the dark-haired woman, seeing the bad scalp laceration, Tara quickly grabs all the towels and wash rags she has, pouring the hot water into a bowl. Wiping away the blood, Tara winces, but waits before trying to heal it, making sure there isn't anything else that needs immediate attention. Pressing a towel against the wound, she runs her hands gently over the slayer's body, whispering soft nonsense words as the slayer groans, shifting, as her hands press on the already bruised and swollen ribs and stomach.

"Goddess, the internal damage has to be bad. But so is the head laceration. Internals first." Tara finally decides, deciding they can probably stitch up the head wound, but the internals were going to need something more. Praying quietly to the Goddess for the strength and power to take care of the broken slayer, Tara concentrates on sending all her energy into the woman, seeing the healing of the woman's internal organs, with a mental eye, the ribs slowly knitting together. Sending the majority of her energy to the internal organs after starting the ribs to healing, Tara whimpers as she finally drains herself. Hoping that what she did would help the worst of it, she glances up as Buffy comes barreling in the unlocked door, Willow a few steps behind her.

"What happened?" Buffy questions, stopping in stunned surprise at the slayer lying on Tara's bed, almost half naked. Taking a moment, she notices the blood that obviously had soaked the witch's bed, and the bloody towel behind Faith's head.

"Who the fuck cares, give me the first aid kit!" Tara growls, yanking the kit from Buffy's hands, pulling out scissors, sterile pads and silk. Digging around until she finds a needle. "Turn her over onto her stomach, GENTLY." Tara orders hoarsely, pouring some of the rubbing alcohol in with the hot water, soaking a wash rag in the mixture as Buffy and Willow gently shift Faith onto her stomach. Setting the bowl down beside the woman's hips. Climbing up on the bed, Tara gently cleanses the wound before snipping the hair away from the gash, frowning at having to cut some of the woman's beautiful hair, but knowing it has to be done.

Buffy glances at Willow, frowning deeply as she silently tilts her head towards Tara with a raised eyebrow in question. When all she gets is a shrug of the shoulders in response, she watches the witch silently.

"Can you try and hold her still for me? I don't want her moving around while I'm trying to stitch her head." Tara questions quickly as she washes her hands with alcohol before tearing open the needle and thread.

"Did she pass out?" Buffy questions as she climbs up on the bed, holding the woman's shoulders, looking at Willow. "Can you try and hold her head?"

Willow nods. "Hope the bed can hold us all." Willow mutters.

Buffy sees what Willow means. Quickly hopping back off the bed, Buffy looks at Tara. "Anything under the bed you got to worry about?"

"No. Faith's more important." Tara shakes her head as Buffy slides the bed away from the wall a good two feet, so Willow can slide in at the head. Sighing deeply, Tara waits as Buffy and Willow get situated. Gently wiping the wound again, Tara swallows hard as she pinches the skin together. Biting her lip, harder than she realizes, she cleanly stitches nice small stitches in the gash, pulling it closed. Tying off the thread. Tara snips the excess before reaching down for one of the sterile pads placing it gently on the wound before wrapping the gauze around the slayer's head to hold it in place.

"Can you shift her back? I didn't get a chance to finish checking over the rest of her wounds." Tara runs a shaking hand over her forehead, unaware that she's leaving a streak of blood in its wake.

"How badly is she hurt?" Willow questions as she shifts out from the front of the bed, watching as Tara quickly cleans and bandages the wound in Faith's shoulder, before she slides her hand down Faith's body, paying special attention to her abdomen and ribs.

"Honestly? I haven't a fucking clue." Tara admits. "She had some serious internal damage, I drained my stores of energy trying to heal them to the best of my ability. She had at least four broken ribs, I started them knitting together to help her slayer healing along, just to be sure that they didn't accidentally puncture a lung again." Tara runs her hands down Faith's legs, frowning at the obvious swelling of one knee. Leaving the tight leather pants on for now, knowing that they're probably keeping the swelling to a minimum, she checks the other leg.

"Want me to wrap her ribs?" Buffy questions quietly as it looks like Tara's finished taking inventory of Faith's injuries.

"Please." Tara nods her head before opening a drawer in her desk, pulling out a heavy duty pair of scissors. "I'm probably going to get yelled at for this…" Tara mutters more to herself than the other women in the room as she cuts up the leg of the pants, stopping before she reaches the knee. "Willow, can you go get me as much ice as you can?" Tara glances up, making eye contact for the first time with the redhead. "I have a small cooler in the closet, if you can fill it and maybe a couple of the small trash bags with it?"

Willow nods her head, opening the closet, grabbing the cooler and the trash bags sitting on the small shelf unit, running out of the room.

"Sorry for earlier." Tara whispers as she helps lift Faith, for Buffy to wrap her ribs.

"Yeah, well, I was kind of stupid asking what happened when she needed help." Buffy admits, quickly wrapping Faith's ribs, taping the wrap down. "How exactly did you know how to do all this?" Buffy questions as Tara gently lays Faith back down.

"Willow didn't tell you what I'm taking for college courses?" Tara allows a small smile to cross her face.

"Uh, no." Buffy shakes her head.

"I'm sort of pre-med. I'm planning on becoming a veterinarian. Have to take a lot of the same courses medical students have to." Tara admits, running her hand through her sweaty hair.

"I thought you were 18 like us?" Buffy questions sitting back on the bed.

"No, I'm nineteen, getting ready to turn twenty in five months. This is actually my third year of college. My mother signed papers for me to be emancipated before she died." Tara looks away, running a hand gently through Faith's hair, sighing deeply. "I graduated high school early, started college technically when I was sixteen. My mother died a few months after I turned seventeen."

"So, you's smart?" Faith slurs, her eyes slowly opening, as she groans in pain.

"Shhh, sweetie. Try and go to sleep. You need to rest and let your slayer healing take care of the injuries I couldn't help." Tara runs a soothing hand down Faith's face, cupping her swollen cheek gently.

"Hurts." Faith admits, shifting slightly, whimpering.

"I don't have any power left to knock her out again." Tara looks up with haunted eyes at Buffy.

"I've got pain pills in the kit." Buffy answers, hopping off the bed, grabbing the bottle out of the kit handing it to Tara. "Faith, juice or water?" Buffy questions after sticking her head in the small refrigerator.

"Get her juice, she can use the natural sugar." Tara suggests. "There's bendy straws in the little box on top of the refrigerator."

"Here's the ice." Willow pants as she comes back in carrying the cooler and two bags filled to the brim with ice.

"Buffy, can you get her to take the pills, while I look at her leg?" Tara questions quietly, as she looks down into Faith's brown eyes. "Take the pills and try to go to sleep, okay?"

"But…" Faith winces, arching up in pain as her ribs creak in protest of her trying to shift.

"Damn it, Faith! Stay the fuck still!" Tara states harshly, looking down into the pain filled eyes. "Don't piss me off. I'm a scary bitch when I get mad."

"'Kay." Faith eases her body back down in the bed, her eyes following Tara as she walks back down by her leg. Faith groans as she watches Tara finish cutting her pants, then cries out as the flow of pain makes it from her leg up to her brain.

"Here, take the pills." Buffy states dragging her eyes away from the woman's horribly swollen leg, sliding four pills into Faith's mouth before putting the straw to her lips, watching as she sucks down the juice slowly. When Faith releases the straw, Buffy frowns. "What did this to you, Faith?"

"Frankenstein." Faith whimpers as she feels fingers prodding her leg. "Part monster, part human, part machine. Wicked strong. Looked like a bunch of demons patch worked together." Faith clenches her jaw in pain.

"I can't tell how badly your leg is hurt because of the swelling." Tara admits, glancing up at the brunette slayer. Wrapping a clean towel around the woman's knee, Tara stands grabbing extra trash bags out of the closet, triple bagging the ice before tucking them on either side of the slayer's knee. Kneeling beside the bed, Tara pulls out the boxes, digging through them until she finds her refillable ice pack. Quickly scooping some ice in it, she closes the top before sitting down gently beside the slayer, placing it against the woman's swollen cheek. "Sleep, Faith." Tara whispers, watching as the woman tries to fight the pills, and her own body's natural reaction of wanting to slide into unconsciousness.

"Thanks." Faith finally whispers, slowly closing her eyes.

"Anything else we can do?" Willow questions worriedly.

"Unfortunately, no. I need to recharge." Tara sighs looking at the redhead.

"What do you need to recharge?" Buffy questions, frowning.

"I need to get out of Sunnydale. If I spend a few hours at the lake, I can charge my stores of energy and come back here and help Faith along some more." Tara softly answers, unconsciously running a hand up and down the slayer's arm beside her leg.

Buffy glances out the window to the slowly lightening sky, realizing her mother should be up, getting ready for work. "Let me call mom. I'm sure you have classes?" Buffy looks back at the blonde witch.

Sighing, Tara nods, trying to figure out what to do.

"When's your first class?" Buffy questions as she dials her moms number.

Tara glances at the clock, realizing it's almost 5:00 a.m. Taking a moment to figure out that it's Friday, she figures her first two classes she can get by skipping, she should be worked far enough in advance to be okay. "I can skip the first couple, I'll need to take my 11:00 class." Tara admits.

"Mom, Faith ran into a bit of trouble last night." Buffy explains quickly what little bit she knows that happened. "Can you maybe come by the dorm, take Tara to the lake outside of town?"

"Of course. I'll call work, tell them I won't be in today. One of the perks of being the boss." Joyce frowns deeply. "What else does Faith need?"

"What do you think Faith'll need until she's well enough to go home?" Buffy looks at Tara questioningly.

"Maybe a couple changes of clothes, preferably either loose sweat pants or shorts, loose button up shirts. Normal personal items." Tara shrugs. "She shouldn't be going anywhere for a few days, even with what help I can give her, and her slayer healing."

"I heard, I'll gather together a bag of stuff, which dorm?" Joyce wonders who's voice had been speaking, not having recognized it.

Buffy quickly explains where the dorm is at, and that she'd be downstairs in half an hour to wait for her mother. After hanging up, she watches Tara as she slowly stands, gathering her clothes.

"Would one of you mind staying here while I take a quick shower?" Tara actually looks down at her body, frowning at the amount of the dark-haired slayer's blood that's covering her body.

"You're going to need to cover your clothes, or change before showering. Plus, you kinda got some blood streaks on your face and through your hair." Buffy admits, standing, gathering a washrag and pouring some water from a water bottle on it. "Here, I can at least get the streaks off your face, in case you run into someone."

Tara chuckles and grins crookedly at the slayer. "Thanks, Buffy. And I am sorry for being kind of b-bossy earlier." Tara looks down, blushing.

"Willow?" Buffy questions as she wipes the blood gently from Tara's face.

"Yes?" Willow looks at Buffy, wondering what she's wanting.

"Why is it that the whole time we were here and Tara was ordering us around and bitching at us, that she didn't stutter once, but she just did?" Buffy's eyes twinkle as she grins at the blonde witch.

"Ah, hell." Tara mutters, blushing even deeper. "Extreme situations, I don't s-stutter." Tara admits. "Finished?" She questions as a grinning Buffy steps back.

"Yes, I'm finished." Buffy smirks at the blushing witch.

"Good." Tara grabs a robe, yanking it on before grasping her clothes and her shower kit, quickly heading out of the room to go shower and dress.

"How come you didn't tell me she was going to be a veterinarian?" Buffy questions, glancing at the clock, realizing she was going to have to run downstairs in a few minutes.

"Didn't think about it. Not something that I thought about telling you." Willow admits, shrugging.

"Did you know this is her third year in college and that's she's only 19?" Buffy questions Willow quickly.

"What?" Willow looks up in surprise. "I didn't know that, I knew she was taking classes to become a veterinarian and she was finishing her third year, but I didn't know she was only 19." Willow shakes her head in surprise.

"Uh, huh. Might want to talk a little bit more with Tara. I think she's a lot deeper than any of us know. I've got to go down and wait for mom." Buffy glances from the passed out slayer back to the redhead. "Got any idea what's going on between those two?"

"No. Faith asked about her the past month a few times." Willow admits.

"And Tara was sure acting very protective over Faith. Curious." Buffy eases the door open, heading down to the front of the dorm to wait for her mom.

Willow looks curiously at Faith, wondering what's going on between her and Tara. Also it crosses her mind to wonder why Faith came to Tara's door instead of theirs when she needed help.

Buffy runs out to the Jeep as her mom pulls into the parking lot. Grasping the bags from her mom's hands, she allows a small smile to cross her face.

"How bad is she?" Joyce questions, following Buffy.

"Pretty bad. For some reason she made her way to Tara's door. Tara's a witch, she used all the powers she had trying to heal the worse of Faith's injuries, but she still isn't happy with how badly Faith's hurt and wants to re-charge. Hence you taking her out to the lake, she said something about being able to recharge after a couple hours there." Buffy explains quickly as they make their way to Tara's door. Quickly opening the door, she let's her mom precede her in, before placing Faith's items beside the door.

Tara glances up from where she's trying to gently wash away some of the blood and dirt from the slayer's body. Patting the slayer's arms and chest dry, Tara reaches down for the blanket, gently laying it over the woman.

"Hi." Tara smiles crookedly at Buffy's mom, wiping her hands dry before holding one out to shake Joyce's hand.

Joyce tilts her head, looking at the witch. It finally occurs to the woman, that this is the woman Faith was talking about. As she shakes her hand, she smiles. "I'm Buffy's mother, Joyce. How's she doing?" Joyce's eyes shift to the sleeping slayer.

"Better than she was." Tara admits, turning back to look at the slayer, running a hand over the woman's forehead. "I want to charge my batteries, as it were, so I can help her more."

"Who's going to stay here with Faith while I drive Tara out to the lake?" Joyce looks from Willow to Buffy. "Don't you both have classes this morning?"

"Yes." Willow admits. "Buffy and I can't miss this mornings class, the professor made it clear that any student missing any classes this close to finals would get a failing grade."

"Tara, can you drive?" Joyce questions the blonde with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, ma'am." Tara nods, looking in surprise at the set of keys Joyce presses into her hands.

"Buffy will show you my vehicle. Do what you have to, I'll stay here with Faith. Anything special I need to do?" Joyce explains quickly.

"If she comes to, try and get her to take some more pain pills. I'll fill the cooler with ice again before I leave." Tara checks the ice packed around Faith's leg, frowning.

"Go to the lake. I can get ice, or have Buffy and Willow run down for more ice before they have to get ready for class." Joyce waves the woman away. "Go."

Tara grins briefly at the woman. "I'll be back as quickly as I can." Tara grabs her purse as she practically runs out of the room.

"Guess I should go with her to show her your vehicle." Buffy mumbles before quickly heading after the witch.

Joyce chuckles, before turning back to the dark-haired slayer, frowning. "How badly was she hurt, Willow?"

Willow sighs. "I don't know for sure, Tara mentioned something about at least four broken ribs, a punctured lung, internal damage, the hole in her shoulder, a nasty gash in the back of her head and her knee. I think those were the worst of it. There seems to be a lot of bruises and scrapes also."

"She should be in the hospital." Joyce frowns as she looks at the blood soaked sheets.

"She's probably better now than she would have been in the hospital." Willow admits quietly. "Tara drained her energy healing a good portion of Faith's wounds. Stitched up the scalp wound and bandaged a couple other wounds."

"Where did she learn to do that?" Joyce questions, unknowingly taking Tara's place beside the slayer, running a hand gently over the slayer's forehead and cheek.

"She's training to be a veterinarian. They have to take a lot of the same classes that pre-med students do. She's in her third year of college." Willow explains, as she fidgets watching Faith, feeling at a loss as to what to do.

"And she's obviously the witch helping you out." Joyce looks up, smiling softly at the redhead.

"Yes. She's helping me get control of my powers, showing me where I've gone wrong and the right way of doing things. She's been a great help." Willow nibbles on her lip.

Joyce glances towards the door as Buffy comes in.

"Let me get some more ice, we're going to need to go here soon for class, Willow." Buffy smiles at her mother.

"I'll go ahead and get ready, see you at the room." Willow quickly leaves Tara's room.

"Mom, want to help me with these?" Buffy questions grasping the two bags on either side of Faith's leg.

"They're still cold and have ice in them, why don't you get more bags, filling them with ice and I'll replace them later." Joyce offers as she feels the bags.

"Okay. I'll be back in a few minutes." Buffy grabs more bags out of the box in the closet before grasping the cooler.

Joyce frowns at Faith. "What am I going to do with you?" Joyce grumbles, grasping the wash cloth Tara had been trying to clean Faith with, running it gently down the woman's arm and hand, frowning at the swollen, bruised knuckles. "Need to ice these down also."

Buffy let's herself back into Tara's dorm room. "Here, mom. Sorry about this." Buffy frowns. "We're going to have to figure out what the hell did this to Faith and take it out. If it hurt her that bad, it probably isn't going to be easy."

"Be careful. Go to class, honey. I paid good money for them, after all." Joyce smiles sadly at her daughter.

"Love you." Buffy whispers as she hugs her mother tight.

"Love you, too, honey." Joyce smiles as she watch's Buffy leave. Sighing quietly, Joyce slowly works on removing the bedclothes and sheets from under Faith, thankful that it didn't look like the blood had made it to the mattress. Checking the closet first, Joyce smiles as she sees the stack of linens at the top of the closet. Pulling the sheets down, she grabs a couple of the large trash bags, placing them under Faith's swollen leg, hoping to keep the condensation from soaking the mattress. Covering the bags with a couple towels, wincing in sympathy as she hears a groan come from Faith, Joyce gently shifts the slayer as she re-makes the bed.

Sighing at the ruined pants, Joyce looks around, eyes lighting on the heavy scissors lying on the desk. Chuckling quietly, she looks up at the dark-haired slayer. "You're probably going to be more pissed about a pair of your leather pants getting demolished than anything." Joyce glances over towards the clock, realizing that Tara's probably been gone a little over two hours, walking over to the window she glances out, smiling as she sees the blonde hurrying towards the building. "So Tara's your young woman's name. She seems to care about you, Faith." Joyce chuckles before she heads back towards the slayer's pants, planning on cutting them the rest of the way off her.

Tara eases her dorm room door open, closing it quickly as she drops her purse on the desk, walking over to Joyce. Realizing that the older woman had obviously changed the bedding, along with helping clean Faith up, she smiles briefly. "I don't think we got much of an introduction. I know you're Mrs. Summers, Buffy's mom. I'm Tara Maclay."

"Hi, Tara." Joyce smiles. "I'm going to go ahead and cut these pants off her, get the old clothes away from her, wash her down as good as I can before putting a pair of my sweat pants and an old shirt of mine on her."

"Let me help, that way I can check for any additional wounds that I might have missed before. Now that my 'batteries' are full to overflowing, I can see where the worse damage is and take care of it first." Tara grins crookedly at the older woman. "I hope she won't be embarrassed about this." Tara states, not thinking.

"Faith? Embarrassed?" Joyce chuckles loudly. "I don't know if it's possible!"

Tara blinks a couple times as she looks at Buffy's mom. "That may have been a stupid statement. She actually doesn't seem like the type to be embarrassed."

"She isn't. She has a tendency to runaround upstairs naked, I've bought her three robes, but she won't use them!" Joyce rolls her eyes as she finishes cutting up the one leg of leather pants before going over to the other leg.

"She lives with you?" Tara questions as she eases her hands around the slayer, unhooking her bra, gently easing it down the woman before tossing it in her hamper.

"Yes, she does. She's been living in the house for the last year, give or take." Joyce glances up, watching as Tara closes her eyes, gently running her hands over Faith's head, slowly working her way down the slayer's body. Surprised at the gentleness of her hands, noticing as they linger at the slayer's ribs. "Are her ribs bad?"

"There were at least four broken, one had punctured a lung. I want to make sure I healed the puncture completely." Tara explains softly. Using her inner sight, Tara sighs in relief. "It's healed." Tara opens her eyes and glances back at Joyce. "Want some help getting those pants off her?"

"Might be easier." Joyce grins as she finishes cutting through the heavy leather. "I'm going to have to buy her a new pair of pants. She's going to be pissed. I think these were her favorite pair." Joyce chuckles quietly.

"Well, technically I'm the one that cut them first. But there was no way they were going to come off that leg without being cut away." Tara admits looking at the still swollen leg. "Here, let me do something." Tara closes her eyes concentrating for a few moments.

"Wow!" Joyce mutters in awe as Faith and the ice bags are lifted a couple inches off the bed, watching in surprise, before realizing Tara was doing this to make it easy to pull off Faith's pants. "Might help if I do what I'm supposed to." Joyce grumbles, glancing up as she hears a tinkling laugh come from the blonde. Removing the pants, Joyce rolls her eyes at the naked slayer.

"Obviously she doesn't believe in panties." Tara mumbles, blushing lightly.

"She does, I've seen them occasionally. But not that often." Joyce admits, grabbing a towel and throwing it over the slayer's nether regions.

"She's like a daughter to you, isn't she?" Tara questions as she works her way down the slayer's good leg before sliding around working her way up the slayer's swollen leg, frowning deeply at the damage.

"Very much so. Here lately we've been talking a lot, becoming closer." Joyce admits.

"Don't tell…me." Faith grumbles.

"Shhh. Faith, don't you dare try and move. I'm at full power and you don't want to see me mad, remember?" Tara walks up to the top of the bed, running a hand soothingly over the woman's forehead.

"Thirsty." Faith croaks, forcing her eyes open.

"Let me get you some juice and some more pain pills." Tara smiles down at the slayer's hazy eyes.

"Sorry for mess." Faith mumbles, her eyes drooping closed before she forces them open again.

"Nothing to be sorry about, Faith." Tara answers softly as she grasps a juice, the pills and another straw. "I just want to see you well, that way you can be a smart ass and yell at me for ruining your pants."

"Gotta talk 'bout that. Favorite pair, too." Faith grumbles, moaning as she shifts her leg. "FUCK!" She cries out.

"Shhh, sweetie. Next time you wake up, it'll be better, I promise. How's your head feeling?" Tara questions after the slayer swallows the pills along with the whole bottle of juice.

"Jackhammer city." Faith admits, looking into worried blue eyes, before her gaze moves and she sees Joyce standing a short distance away looking at her worriedly. "Sorry, Mrs. S. Won't unpack today." Faith staggers out, her eyes trying to close again.

"Don't worry about it, Faith. Just go back to sleep. If you feel up to it, I'll see if I can get one of those meat lover's pizzas delivered here for you along with a couple orders of those spicy wings you like." Joyce looks at the slayer, feeling an uncontrollable urge to take a shotgun to whatever did this to the slayer.

"Thanks, guys." Faith whispers as she slowly loses consciousness again.

"Her leg has the worse of it now. I'm going to use the majority of my energy on that. I think she tore just about every major tendon and ligament in the knee. Plus I think she might have torn part of her muscle away from the bone." Tara admits as she eases down beside the leg, kneeling on the floor. "This'll probably take me a few minutes." Tara glances up, looking apologetically at the older woman.

"Anything you can do to help her is appreciated." Joyce smiles softly. "Don't worry about me."

"Thanks, Mrs. Summers." Tara let's a quick smile cross face, before she closes her eyes concentrating on the slayer's leg.

Joyce curiously watches the blonde woman, before her eyes go back watching as the woman's hands delicately maneuver over the slayer's leg, barely touching the flesh. Joyce watches in amazement as the swelling finally seems to start subsiding right in front of her eyes. When she glances back up, she smiles at the blue eyes looking back at her questioningly. "Fixed?" Joyce questions softly.

"I took care of all the internal damage. There will probably still be some swelling, so we should try and keep it iced as much as possible." Tara takes a deep breath, allowing her hands to stay on the woman's leg for a moment. "She'll probably still have some pain, but nothing like she was having." Tara shifts and stands, slowly she removes the bandaging around the slayer's head checking the head wound, noticing how it's already knitting together. "I'll probably need to remove these stitches when I get back from classes this afternoon. Let me get some water, so we can work on washing her down a little better. I'll need to get these down to the wash before heading to class, I might be able to get the majority of the blood out." Tara frowns at the bedclothes.

"Let me take them home, I made up this solution that does a pretty good job with blood. Kind of had to between Buffy and Faith." Joyce explains.

"You don't have to." Tara shakes her head, then sighs as she sees a stubborn look come across the woman's face. "But I would appreciate it. Let me get some hot water."

Joyce smirks as she watches the woman leave the room. Looking at the bags of almost pure water, Joyce removes them from around the slayer's leg, wondering what to do with them. Setting them on the floor by the door for now, she turns back, bundling up the bedding as much as possible so the blood isn't showing.

Tara smiles self-consciously as she walks back into the room carrying the large bowl of hot water. "I'm going to have to go to class here in a few minutes." Tara explains quietly as she sets the bowl on the nightstand grabbing a wash cloth, squirting her shower gel on the washrag, grinning at the vanilla smell. Gently washing the slayer's face, Tara slowly works her way down across her neck, shoulders, arms, hands, carefully cleaning the scuffed hand, sending a small amount of healing into the cracked knuckles.

Joyce tries not to smile at the obviously tender way the woman is cleaning Faith as she grabs another wash rag, starting at the slayer's feet, slowly working her way up the slayer. As they finish washing Faith. She glances as Tara. "Should we turn her over and clean her back?"

"Probably. Let me levitate her, then we can wash her down quickly before I set her down again." Tara uses the majority of the last of her energy lifting and turning Faith, holding the slayer above the bed as she quickly cleans down the strong back and across Faith's muscular ass as Joyce cleans up the strong legs. As they finish drying the slayer, Tara turns Faith back over, gently letting her lay down on the bed. "Maybe for now, we should just leave a light sheet over her body, kind of let her wounds get a little air." Tara suggests as she wipes down her hands. "Goddess, I've got to hurry." Tara glances at the clock, looking down at her wet shirt, yanking it off and replacing it as she slides her shoes on, grabbing her book bag.

"Go, we'll be okay. I'll just baby sit the sleeping slayer." Joyce smiles at the hurrying witch.

"Please make yourself at home. Anything, everything you can look at. Thanks, Mrs. Summers." Tara smiles quickly before she leaves the room.

Joyce looks around the room, deciding to run the bags of melted ice down the hallway, dumping them in the sink before coming back to Tara's room. Placing the other bags gently against Faith's legs, she looks around the room, actually paying attention for the first time. Tilting her head she looks at the sketches, smiling at the animals and landscapes. As she starts to turn to the book shelf, she stops and turns back to the sketches. Wonderingly, she looks at the T. Maclay signed at the bottom of the sketches. Curiously she works her way around the room. "So, Tara Maclay, you sketch?"

Chuckling softly, Joyce glances over the books, finally picking one that looked like an actual book, not a magic book and sits down in the chair, settling in to read until Faith comes to.

"Mrs. S." Faith hoarsely calls the woman's name after trying for a few minutes.

"Sorry, Faith." Joyce sets down the book quickly closing the distance to Faith. "Want something to drink?"

"Bathroom." Faith admits, grimacing.

"Then you need clothes on." Joyce admits. "Do you think you're going to be good enough to get down to the bathroom?"

"Think so." Faith groans deeply as she slowly moves her body to the edge of the bed.

"Easy, Faith." Joyce grabs the bag of clothes she brought with her, easing the sweat pants over Faith's legs, pulling them up gently, leaving them half on as she pulls her shirt out, easing her right arm in first before pulling it over her left arm, buttoning it quickly.

"Feel like a damn kid." Faith grumbles, accepting Joyce's arm to help her stand as the woman finishes pulling her sweat pants up.

"You were hurt badly, Faith. Really bad. Tara healed the worse of it." Joyce explains everything that she knew Tara had done as she helps Faith slowly down to the bathrooms.

Whimpering as each step jars her body, Faith shakes her head. "Guess I made it to the right person."

"What made you come to Tara, Faith?" Joyce questions softly "You know Buffy is going to wonder why you came here instead of to her and Willow's room."

"Honestly, a combination of things. It was closer, and it's where I wanted to come." Faith admits "I got it from here." Faith maneuvers her way into the handicapped stall, sighing quietly as she finally uses the bathroom.

"Are you well enough to eat? If you think you can stay with us long enough, I'll order some food to be delivered." Joyce helps Faith slowly back to the room.

"Please, I'm about starvin'." Faith admits, as she sighs in relief as she eases back down on the bed, watching as Joyce gently lifts her legs to place on the bed.

Joyce turns to the board where Tara placed menus to places that delivered to the campus. "Here, pick what you want." Joyce hands the menus to Faith, frowning as the woman's hands shake slightly.

"I feel as weak as a newborn baby." Faith admits, running a hand up over her sweating brow, before moving her fingers back to the source of her pounding head. Wincing slightly as she fingers come in contact with the stitches. "Who stitched me up?"

"I think Tara. Buffy mumbled something about Tara ordering her and Willow around while she took care of you. Seems your young woman can be quite the spitfire." Joyce grins at the dark haired slayer. "Of course all I've seen is a very caring young woman that's doing everything within her powers to help you get better."

"Tara a spitfire?" Faith frowns at the thought. "I'd like to see that." Faith allows a small grin to cross her face. "I really got to get to know her better." Faith glances over the menu. "Can we get some Chinese?" Faith looks up hopefully at the woman.

"Anything you want, Faith. You want your usual hot and spicy?" Joyce questions as she takes the menu from her.

"Of course." Faith chuckles, then groans, holding her ribs. "Still fuckin' hurts like hell."

"Tara said it would. We'll get you fed, then you can take a couple more pain pills and crash for a few more hours." Joyce offers as she calls the number, placing an order for a bunch of different items, while glancing at the clock. Realizing Tara would be back soon, she adds a couple more items to the order, hoping that something she ordered Tara would like.

Tara practically runs back to her room, opening the door, she stops as the smell of food about knocks her back.

"Hungry?" Joyce smirks waving towards the containers of food covering almost every surface of the room. "Hope you like Chinese, even though I did just get some sweet and sour chicken and pork, with the sauce on the side."

"Ummm. Sure." Tara grins quickly, placing her stuff down by her desk, walking over to Faith who is scarfing food down. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Faith looks up into the warm caring eyes looking back at her. "I owe you huge." Faith admits.

"No you don't." Tara whispers easing down on the side of the bed, easing the slayer's face away to look at her scalp. "When you finish eating I want to take those out."

"'Kay." Faith mumbles, almost shyly.

"How sore are you?" Tara questions glancing over the woman, smiling at the sight of her in Joyce's shirt and sweat pants, the baggy clothes not looking right on the woman.

"Not to bad." Faith smiles at the witch, trying not to move to much.

"Liar." Joyce grumbles between mouthfuls of food. "She's still in a lot of pain, and extremely sore. She's being all stubborn right now."

"Mrs. S!" Faith hisses at the woman, turning her body towards the older woman, groaning in pain.

"Mmmmm hmmm." Tara shakes her head, patting Faith gently on the shoulders. "Take it easy, you can stay here as long as you need to." Running a hand up, Tara brushes a thumb over the bruised cheekbone, before pulling her hand away and shifting off the bed. "So, what all food do we have here? Or maybe I should say, what don't you have?" Tara glances up, chuckling quietly.

"A lot of spicy food, Faith has a weakness for it. Pretty much a little bit of everything. Pick a container, try it. We're not real picky with food." Joyce watches as Tara investigates a couple containers, finally picking one, grabbing up a pair of chopsticks to quickly pull a piece out.

"Hmm. Good." Tara grins as she slowly sits down by the closet door, on the floor to where she can look at both women. "Faith, it's going to probably take you a few days to heal good enough to start back on patrols. I want to ask you a very big favor, I don't want you patrolling until then." Tara turns serious eyes on the slayer. "You're going to be tender and sore, I helped the worse of it, but the wounds are going to be easily re-inflicted if you're not careful. Your slayer healing will need time to finish doing the job."

"But B's got to study." Faith watches Tara.

"Don't care. You're important, and I'd rather not have you show up like that again, or worse." Tara whispers the last. "Buffy can do patrols, Riley and his crew are paid to do this, so you need to take the time off and heal properly."

Joyce chuckles quietly at the stubborn look crossing both women's faces. "You two are both pig headed and stubborn. You'd really make a good couple." Joyce laughs as two pairs of eyes bore into her. "What?"

"Mrs. S!" Faith growls warningly, shifting in the bed, paling as a serious bolt of pain works its way through her body.

"Damn it, Faith!" Tara practically drops her food on the floor, jumping up and pushing the slayer back against the bed. "You'd probably try and go out tonight on patrol, wouldn't you, you stubborn bitch?"

"It's what I do. It's all that I do." Faith grumbles, her voice showing more of the pain than she wished it did.

"I'm going to go get some more sodas." Joyce offers quietly, leaving the two women alone.

Faith and Tara don't even notice the older woman leaving, as Tara stares hard into the brown eyes. "That's not all you are, Faith." Tara states calmly, her heart tugging at the thought of the woman thinking that's all she's good for.

"Okay, I fuck, I dance and I slay. That's pretty much what I am." Faith's eyes search Tara's. "I don't know nothin' else, Tare."

"Faith…" Tara swallows as she sees the deep want buried in the slayer's eyes. "Why did you come to my room?" Tara questions softly.

Faith glances away from Tara. "It was the closest."

"The truth, Faith." Tara lifts her hand to Faith's cheek, and turns it to look into the scared brown eyes. "I want the truth."

"I wanted to." Faith admits, her eyes searching the witch's blue eyes. "I couldn't help it." Faith whispers.

Tara sighs softly. "This is so wrong." Tara whispers, confusing the slayer with her words before she leans in, kissing the dark-haired woman gently. Brushing her lips softly over Faith's for a few moments, Tara finally leans back away from Faith. "Goddess." Tara whispers, closing her eyes. "Faith, you don't know me. There are things that could fuck up whatever is possibly happening."

"What things?" Faith questions hoarsely, the simple caresses making her realize that there possibly could be such a thing as love.

Tara searches the slayer's eyes, not knowing what to say. As the door eases open, Joyce coming in, Tara sighs quietly. "Eat, Faith. Then take some more pain pills and try and get some rest. Thank the Goddess that today is Friday. I can take care of you this weekend until you're feeling better." Tara turns and walks back to her food, surprised that it hadn't fallen out onto the floor. Sitting down, she doesn't say anything else and proceeds to eat her dinner.

Joyce's looks questioningly at Faith, when all Faith does is shake her head gently, her eyes going back to the witch, Joyce gather's a couple containers of food, placing them in a bag to take home to eat later. "Buffy called earlier to check on Faith, making sure she's okay. She said she might stop by later, but she wasn't sure. I need to run by the gallery on my way home, make sure they got the shipment in and unpacked okay."

"Thanks, Mrs. S." Faith waves her hand at the woman, turning her gaze back on the witch.

"Thank you, Mrs. Summers." Tara stands walking with the woman to the door. "If you were interested in that book, you can take it with you." Tara grasps the book up from the chair Joyce was sitting in, handing it to the woman.

"Thanks. I'll bring it back when I finish. Or maybe have Faith bring it back." Joyce smiles briefly at the witch. "You two take care, don't do anything I wouldn't do." Joyce smirks at Faith.

Faith can't help the laugh that comes out, then groans deeply. "No makin' me laugh! 'Bye." Faith smiles, allowing a small chuckle to escape her lips at the older woman.

"Take care of her." Joyce places a gentle hand on the witch's shoulder. Leaning in she whispers quietly. "She likes you, you know." Smiling, Joyce pulls back, her eyes twinkling at the surprise and the light blush crossing the woman's face. "Hope to see you frequently."

"Goodbye." Tara calls after the quickly departing woman as she shuts and locks the door before turning back to the room. "Do you want some more food?" Tara questions softly, watching as Faith tilts the container up to her mouth, finishing off the small pieces of food.

"Please." Faith looks at Tara, almost embarrassed.

Tara chuckles softly. "Any particular container you want me to grab?" Tara questions as she looks through different things.

"Look for something with that thick red sauce that smells spicy." Faith suggests, smiling as Tara giggles.

"That description fits most of the food here." Tara grabs a couple containers, sitting them down beside the slayer. "Eat up. I'm sure that'll help your metabolism and healing to work better." Tara reaches down, grabbing her container and chopsticks, sitting down on the now vacant chair, curiously watching as Faith stabs her food with her fork, quickly working her way through another container.

"You gonna tell me what you meant?" Faith questions, looking up occasionally at Tara.

Tara sighs looking down at the floor as she plays in the food that's left in her container. "Faith…Damn." Tara unconsciously brushes her hair back, tucking it behind her ear, not something she normally does as she's self-conscious about showing her ears.

Faith watch's the witch, wondering what could be so bad to make her afraid of saying whatever it is. Faith's eyes unconsciously follows the witch's movements, surprised at the woman's ears, noticing the slight abnormality. For some reason she has the urge to run her tongue over the flesh.

Tara picks at her skirt, before she glances up at the slayer. "Do you really want to chance g-getting involved with someone that you m-may have to k-kill in five months t-time?" Tara stutters, her eyes boring into the surprised brown eyes of the slayer.

"What do ya' mean?" Faith questions, confused.

Tara sighs, slowly explaining her life. How her father was convinced she was a demon. That her mother was a demon. When she turns twenty, she'd become like her mother. Tara softly explains that while her home life wasn't great, it wasn't bad. Her father liked to yell and drink, but never got abusive. How he was old-fashioned, that women were meant to take care of the men folk. How her mother helped her, allowing her to continue with her education away from her father. How she'd given her daughter her family's jewels and the money she'd been able to squirrel away. Finally going on to explain about her mother dying of Leukemia.

Tara finally looks back up at the frowning slayer. "If I turn into a demon when I'm twenty, will you be able to k-kill me if we act upon this attraction, Faith?"

"It sounds like a load of shit, Tare." Faith growls, looking up with angry eyes. "Sounds like some kind of shit he made up to keep you guys under his control."

"That's what I thought." Tara admits softly looking down. "Until I met you and found out that demons are real." Tara glances back up, tears in her eyes. "My mom never argued the point, she never tried to explain whether it was real or not. She'd just look at me and smile this soft knowing smile. When I'd ask, she said whatever happened would happen."

Faith snarls her lip. "Was your mom evil? Was she mean? Did you notice anything that would make you even remotely think that she would hurt anyone?"

Tara jerks her head up, looking at the woman. "No. She was the k-kindest, most g-giving person I know."

"Then why would you think that she was a demon? Why would you believe that you're going to be evil?" Faith shifts around in the bed, ignoring the pain, to stand walking over to the witch. "Why?" Faith questions, looking at her. "Nothin' you say will make me believe that you're going to become a demon. Nothing!"

Tara looks up into the dark angry eyes of the slayer. "Will you be able to k-kill me if it comes to that?" Tara narrows her gaze on the slayer, slowly standing 'til they're nose to nose. "If I become evil, will you be able to t-take my life?" Tara clenches her jaw, seeing the fight going on inside the slayer. Cupping the slayer's face in her two hands, Tara searches the dark brown eyes, seeing the confusion and the mental pain her words are causing. "Because if I become evil, Faith, I would rather you did it. I'd rather someone that actually might care for me take me out, than an acquaintance, or someone I don't even know. Say, someone in the Initiative. Some asshole that it's just a job to." Tara releases the slayer, turning her back on the woman. "You promise me you can do that, I would love something more to come of this relationship. If you can't promise to k-kill me, nothing will happen. I won't take that chance on other peoples lives."

"FUCK!" Faith growls loudly, raising her hands to the side of her temples, the pain shooting through her body almost unbearable, not counting the mental anguish she's going through. "You won't…" Faith grunts as she bends, her stomach shooting a sharp pain through her.

"Damn it!" Tara turns around catching Faith before she collapses completely to the floor. Helping the slayer back onto the bed, Tara shoves the containers of food off the bed out of the way, lying Faith down. Grabbing the pain pills she shoves four of them in Faith's mouth before grabbing the drink, tipping it up, not giving the slayer a choice but to swallow. "Told you things were still going to be tender. If it makes you feel any better, the pain you're feeling is probably more a phantom pain than real. No matter how bad it hurts." Tara pushes Faith back down on the bed, frowning at the slayer.

Faith whimpers at the pain, her eyes closed as she tries to get control of her faculties. "Hate those fuckin' pills. Make me foggy." Faith finally grunts out as she blocks some of the pain, looking up into worried blue eyes. "So, you think you're a demon, and if you're evil you want me to kill you?" Faith boils it down, watching as Tara nods her head in agreement. "If I promise to do that, promise to kill you, you'll consider dating me?" Faith looks at the woman like she's crazy. "That's kind of fucked up."

"It may seem that way." Tara nods her head, sighing as she sits down beside the woman. "Are you finished eating?"

"Yeah. My hungers kind of gone." Faith admits.

"Would you rather I wait until the pain pills knock you out to remove your stitches or do you want me to do them now?" Tara offers softly.

"Go ahead and do them now." Faith watches as Tara nods, reaching down to the first aid kit and pulling out the small scissors and a pair of tweezers. Tilting her head to make it easier for Tara to get at the wound, Faith thinks for a few moments. "I should explain a little bit about me. My home life was shit. Alcoholic mother with a different boyfriend each week. The boyfriends differed, some were okay, some were kinda heavy handed and other ones would try and rape me." Faith gazes off into the past. "One finally succeeded." Faith feels Tara's hands still on her head, and hears the soft intake of air. "I ran away after that. Unfortunately the streets were more unforgivin' than home life would have been. I pretty much did anything and everything I had to. I stole, I sold my body, slept in abandoned buildings. I ain't proud of it, but it happened. You ask any of the Scoobies, they'll tell you. My motto is get some get gone. Now, that gives ya' something to think 'bout." Faith hoarsely explains. "'Cause whatever you think you might become ain't nothing compared to what I've been."

Tara slowly finishes pulling the stitches out before placing the small strips of string off to the side along with the scissors and tweezers. As Faith turns her almost fearful gaze back to her, Tara tilts her head considering the woman. "Would I be one of these get some get gone leftovers?" Tara questions softly.

"No." Faith finally answers after a few moments, searching the blue eyes, surprised when she doesn't see any censure for her past deeds. "There wouldn't be anymore get some get gone."

"Joyce told me you liked me when she left." Tara states calmly, knowing her heart wants to open to this woman, while her head is fighting against becoming close to the woman, that this could end very, very badly and in more ways than one.

"She was right. I've been kinda talking about you for the last month with her." Faith admits watching the inner struggle the witch is going through, knowing that they're both got their own demons to fight, no pun intended.

"You met me once…Well, twice if you count the Wicca meeting." Tara blinks a couple times. "And you mean to tell me that you've been talking about me?"

"Yeah." Faith admits, looking down, groaning as she feels the pills starting to work their way into her system. "I couldn't get you outta my head. I'd ask Willow about ya' until she started giving me looks." Faith sighs as she leans back further into the bed, her eyes trying to close.

"Sleep, sweetie. Food and sleep are the best two things for you right now." Tara sighs softly as she comes to the realization that even if she doesn't actively engage in a relationship with this woman, that she already cares for the rough, sometimes coarse woman. "Goddess, either this will end up being a beautiful relationship or we'll end up making the Hellmouth split wide open." Tara let's a small smile cross her face as Faith's eyes jerk open in surprise, the hope slowly working in them. "We'll take it one step at a time, see how it goes."

"Good." Faith finally allows a grin to cross her face. Reaching up with her left hand, she eases it around the witch's neck, gently tugging her down, pressing her lips firmly against Tara's. "I'll want to seal the bargain a little better when I'm a little more aware." Faith growls as she releases Tara, as she fights her body trying to crash.

"Don't fight it, sweetie. Sleep, you'll be awake again in a few hours. Then you can eat some more, maybe a few kisses if you're up for it." Tara smirks as Faith's eyes slowly close and the grin crosses the dark-haired woman's face.

"More'n kisses, hope." Faith mumbles as she slowly fades to unconsciousness.

"You've got to heal, first." Tara whispers, softly running a hand gently through the dark hair. "But when you are healed, it's definitely in the cards." Tara smiles softly, slowly gathering up the food, throwing the empty containers in the trash before trying to fit the majority of the rest of the food in her small refrigerator. Looking through the items, she picks the items that were less likely to spoil if left out for a few hours on the top of the refrigerator as she puts the rest of them in the refrigerator.

Gathering her book bag, Tara grabs out the books she needs to study, curling up in the chair. Watching Faith for a few minutes, Tara let's a small smile cross her face, before she finally opens her textbook, studying for finals.

Tara's head jerks up as she hears a knock at the door, realizing she'd fallen asleep. Looking at Faith, who's still asleep, she quickly places her book to the side as she opens the door. "Hey, Buffy." Tara smiles gently at the small blonde slayer.

"How's Faith?" Buffy questions as she steps into the room, looking at the slayer.

"Getting there. She's a lot better than she was last night." Tara admits, smiling at Faith. "I'm waiting for her to come to from the last batch of pain pills and a full stomach, that way she can eat some more. I think that's about the best thing for her right now."

"Food and sleep goes a long way to help slayer healing." Buffy nods in agreement. "Mom can come and take her home, if you want her to. Faith's probably good enough to make it to the car."

"No. She's perfectly fine where she is." Tara states adamantly, not wanting the slayer to go anywhere. "I'll be here all weekend, studying for finals anyway."

Buffy unconsciously takes a step back at the witch's strong words. "Tara, what's going on? You hardly say boo to anyone, then last night you were ordering us around and just now you're being very…" Buffy trails off, trying to think of the proper wording.

"Stubborn and forceful." Tara offers, raising her eyebrow. "Depending on the situation, I do what I have to, Buffy. Can you let Willow know that I think we should skip our Sunday meeting?"

Buffy nods her head, hearing the note of dismissal in Tara's tones. Buffy unconsciously shifts her gaze to Faith, swearing she sees a small playing on the slayer's mouth. Confused about what the hell is going on, Buffy decides she'll wait and discuss it with Willow. "Well, I guess I'll see you later. If you need anything, you got our number."

"Thanks, Buffy. I'll let Faith know you were worried about her." Tara follows the slayer out to the hallway. "Be careful."

"Yeah, you too." Buffy answers, confusion lacing her words as she quickly walks away.

Tara chuckles quietly as she shuts the door, walking back into the room. "Did you enjoy that?" Tara questions the possum-playing slayer.

"You knew I was awake?" Faith hoarsely questions, opening her eyes.

"Yes." Tara let's a smile play across her lips at the surprised slayer's look. "So, what do you need first? Something to drink, eat, bathroom or something else?"

"You offerin'?" Faith's eyes trail over the witch's clothes. "I gotta ask. You got anythin' besides long skirts and baggy shirts?" Faith looks back up Tara's form, laughing at the look of embarrassment crossing the witch's face.

"Faith, we'll discuss this later. What do you need now?" Tara questions, blushing deeply.

"Need, want, come on. Close enough." Faith smirks as Tara gets a stubborn look on her face and places her hands on her hips. "'Kay. I gotta go to the bathroom. And I know you guys kinda cleaned me, but I feel cruddy." Faith admits, shifting her body around.

"That can be taken care of." Tara nods, eyeing Faith for a moment. Pulling out one of her oversized t-shirts and a pair of her shorts, Tara grabs her sleepwear, consisting of a pair of shorts and tank top. Putting them in her small carryall, Tara grabs her shower kit. "Do I need to grab a razor or anything for you?" Tara glances over her shoulder at the slayer as she grabs the personal items Joyce had brought with her.

"I would say yeah, but I'm afraid of tryin' to bend over and shave." Faith grins crookedly at the witch.

Tara chuckles quietly, going back and pulling out a fresh razor throwing it in the bag. Grabbing a couple towels and wash rags, Tara lays them on top before walking towards Faith. "Come on, sweetie. Let's get you cleaned up."

Faith eases her body off the bed, grunting quietly. "As long as I don't move too quickly, it ain't bad." Faith admits, slowly standing.

"Uh, huh." Tara murmurs, wrapping an arm around the woman as she helps her walk out of the room and towards the showers. "Bathroom first?" Tara looks up at Faith, smiling as the woman nods. "You okay by yourself?"

"Yeah, I can handle going potty by myself, mom." Faith grumbles limping the last couple steps into the stall.

"Smart ass." Tara grumbles at Faith as the woman smirks and shuts the door. Tara walks down to the largest stall on the end, placing their stuff on the floor outside the large shower stall set up for just that purpose. Picking up the small wooden bench, she sets it down inside the stall, leaving the water off for now.

Faith eases out of the stall, smiling at Tara. "So, betcha didn't realize you were gonna be takin' care of an invalid this weekend."

"I didn't expect to open my door to a broken slayer last night." Tara admits as she helps Faith into the shower. Closing and locking the outer door, Tara helps her into the stall, leaning the slayer against the wall. Looking up, Tara smirks as she quickly unbuttons the slayer's shirt easing it off the woman's shoulders before laying it over her shoulder and sliding her hands in the waist band of the sweat pants, pushing them gently down the slayers strong legs, easing them off as Faith lifts her feet a couple inches with just a small grunt of pain.

"So, I see you're getting me naked quick." Faith wiggles her eyebrows at Tara when she stands, tossing the clothes into the little alcove behind them.

"Been there." Tara smirks, before she removes the bandage on the slayer's shoulder, inspecting the healing wound, front and back. "What the hell did he use?"

"Do you mean to tell me that you took advantage of me when I was unconscious?" Faith grumbles, frowning. "Some long spiky thing that came out of his arm."

"Sorry, I was checking for wounds and trying to clean you up." Tara tosses the used bandaging after the clothes.

"Nah, it ain't that. It's the fact that I was unconscious while you were doin' it that upsets me." Faith smirks at the witch.

Tara raises an eyebrow at the slayer before pulling her own shirt off, tossing it in the alcove. Quickly unbuttoning and unzipping her skirt before sliding it down her legs, stepping out of the garment before unhooking her bra and sliding her panties off, tossing them after her clothes.

Faith's eyes follow Tara's hand movements as she quickly disrobes, as the pale flesh comes into view, Faith's eyes become more desire filled with each piece of clothing that disappears. As the bra slides down arms to be flicked into the other small area, Faith can feel her mouth watering at the soft, large breasts topped with rosy colored aureoles come into view. As she watches Tara slide her panties off, Faith groans quietly at the narrow strip of hair being revealed. As Faith's eyes continue to caress over the witch's body, she realizes the witch hides a voluptuous, and absolutely gorgeous, body under those frumpy clothes.

Tara smirks for a moment, letting Faith look her fill. Tara finally allows herself to look at Faith's body in more than a clinical way, letting her eyes slide over the woman's high, firm, round breasts, down over the muscular stomach, slight hips, bald mound to the firm, muscular legs. As she looks back at the slayer's face, she can't help the little chuckle that escapes her lips as Faith's eyes seem to be fixated on her breasts.

"Looked your fill yet?" Tara questions as she steps back, turning the water on, waiting for it to heat up properly before walking back to the slayer.

"No." Faith finds it hard to speak, as she finally drags her eyes up to look into twinkling blue eyes. "Why do you hide your gorgeous body under those damn clothes?" Faith has to question.

"They're comfortable and inexpensive." Tara admits as she wraps an arm around the slayer's waist, urging the woman over to the seat, having the slayer sit with her back to the water, letting the hot water beat down on her back. Turning around, she grabs her shower kit, bringing it into the large shower stall, placing it on the small shelf under the water as she unzips it, pulling out the new razor and the shave gel.

Faith closes her eyes, letting the water play over her body, almost wishing the witch had turned it to cold. When she feels a warm hand run down her leg, gently lifting it up, she opens her eyes looking at Tara. Surprised at the sight of Tara sitting in front of her, Faith frowns deeply when Tara sets her foot on her lap. "What'cha doing?"

"Shaving your legs for you." Tara explains softly as she places a dollop of the shave gel in her hand before lathering up the slayer's leg.

Faith stares at the witch in stunned surprise, rendered mute at the sight of the woman calmly and gently shaving her legs while sitting on the shower floor.

"Do you shave your thighs?" Tara questions looking curiously at the items in question. "I don't shave mine, the hairs are so soft and fine that it's a waste." Tara allows her hand to run over the silky smooth leg, glancing up when she hears a low groan come from the slayer. "Sorry." Tara eases her hand away.

Faith captures the hand, placing it back on her thigh. "You were fine." Faith whispers in a husky voice. "Why are you doin' this?" Faith questions.

"You aren't up to doing it yourself yet." Tara's eyes watch the varying emotions crossing Faith's face.

"That ain't what I meant, and you know it." Faith growls quietly.

"I thought it was kind of obvious, Faith." Tara smiles softly as she runs a hand over the slayer's cheek. "Let's get you showered before we run out the hot water heaters."

"Yeah." Faith watches as Tara stands. "Let me have the razor, I can shave the rest." Faith accepts the shave gel and razor from Tara, shaving the rest of her assorted areas. Moaning quietly as Tara's hands start working shampoo into her hair, Tara's fingers gently massaging against her scalp and through the long strands.

"I had to trim some of the hair away from your wound. Not much, it shouldn't even be noticeable to see, but you'll probably feel it when you wash your own hair." Tara explains quietly.

"'S'kay." Faith's eyes close, enjoying the tender ministrations. "Tell me about you." Faith states quietly.

"What about me?" Tara questions before shifting her body out of the way, allowing the shower water to rinse Faith's hair, while she continues to run her fingers through the heavy mass.

"Brothers, sisters, who was the first person you loved, that type of thing." Faith answers.

"Hmmm. No sisters, one brother, Donnie. He's a couple years older than me. Same mindset as my father, we never got along. I'm assuming by first person I ever loved, you don't mean family." Tara chuckles as she hears the snort come from Faith. "Are you wanting to know who my first crush was, or the first person I had sex with?" Tara questions, her lip curling up.

"Damn, and they say I'm blunt." Faith chuckles quietly, before groaning as her stomach protests. "How about whatever you're comfortable talkin' about?"

"Hmm. My first crush that I remember was my third grade teacher. Her name was Mrs. Sanderson. She had beautiful black hair that hung straight down her back, with ice blue eyes. I always sat at the front of the class and would spend half the day daydreaming about her eyes and hair." Tara chuckles as Faith raises an eyebrow at her as she tilts her head back. "Hey, I was in third grade! I was only eight years old."

"Okay, I'll give ya' a break." Faith groans as she feels Tara start to wash her shoulders and back.

"This would probably work better if you stood up. You can lean forward against the stall while I wash your back, then use me to support you when I wash your front." Tara offers quietly.

"You gonna spoil me?" Faith questions as she slowly stands, doing as Tara suggested and placing her hands against the shower stall wall.

"Let me move this." Tara leans down moving the make-shift seat out of the way before walking back to Faith. Pouring some more shower gel on the washcloth, Tara washes over Faith's back, slowly working her way down the slayer's body, smiling as Faith spreads her legs wider. "I might spoil you. I might decide to be a major pain." Tara runs the washcloth gently between the slayer's strong butt cheeks before washing down the strong legs.

"That's good. I can be a pain, also." Faith admits, biting back the groan at the desire the woman is building inside her body. Knowing that the witch isn't actually doing it to turn her on, but nonetheless it's becoming a rising concern.

"I never would have guessed." Tara chuckles quietly as she washes the slayer's feet, smiling softly as Faith bites back a giggle when she runs over an obviously ticklish spot.

"So, Mrs. Sanderson was your crush…" Faith hints.

"Turn around." Tara softly orders before soaping up the washcloth again, smiling into the obviously desire filled eyes of the slayer. Nibbling on her lower lip, Tara slowly starts washing the front of the slayer. "Toni was the first person I ever had sex with." Tara, closes her eyes momentarily before easing the washcloth gently between the slayer's legs, her eyes lifting to make contact with the brown eyes in front of her.

"So, Tony?" Faith groans, her hands clenching the witch's shoulders gently while she tries her damnedest not to rock into the witch.

"Toni, Antonia. She was my best friend growing up. We were fifteen and she'd found her older brothers stash of marijuana and decided it'd be fun to check it out." Tara smirks at the look of shock coming across Faith's face. "Yeah, well, it was only the one time. I haven't done it since."

Faith starts chuckling. "You smoking pot, hard to imagine. You seem so sweet and innocent."

"Looks have been known to fool people." Tara quirks her lip up, before kneeling in front of the slayer, washing the woman's legs.

"So you got stoned and got laid?" Faith raises an eyebrow in question.

"Pretty much, we were smoking, getting silly. Started tickling each other, I kind of ended up on top of her. The next thing I know we're kissing and hands are caressing various body parts. We kind of broke apart looked at each other in surprise, before we slowly went into kissing each other and it continued from there." Tara shrugged. "Here, let's get you rinsed off." Tara makes sure the slayer is suds free before urging her back out of the way to help her sit down.

Faith accepts the towel Tara hands her, slowly drying her body as she watch's Tara quickly clean her own body. "Were you two together for long after that?" Faith questions quietly.

"A few months. She ended up getting this thing for a guy in the grade above us. Said it'd be easier dealing with a relationship out in the open, instead of dealing with our hidden relationship." Tara finishes rinsing her body before turning the water off. Running her hands through her hair, trying to squeeze some of the excess water out before squeezing out the extra water from the washcloths, throwing them into the plastic bag she pulls out of her shower kit. Gathering her items, she takes them to the little room, setting them on the floor before grabbing a towel, drying herself off quickly.

"That's shit." Faith finally whispers.

"We were fifteen, Faith. There's no way my father would have been okay with it. Her parents would have freaked. It is what it is." Tara shrugs as she quickly pulls on her shorts and tank top before wrapping the towel around her head. Grabbing the clothes for the slayer, she helps her dress.

"You said your father, not anything about your mother." Faith frowns, looking at Tara.

"She knew before I did, that I was gay." Tara grins crookedly. "That's part of why it was so hard on me when she died. She always accepted me as I was and loved me."

"But she couldn't tell ya' if you're demon or not?" Faith questions, confused.

"Mom had a certain way of doing things, Faith. She always figured that sometimes it was best to learn things on your own. Like finding out I was gay." Tara shrugs as she gathers their items, wrapping her arm around the slayer's waist as they slowly make their way out of the communal showers. Tara nods to one of the girls that lives down the hall as they stop to brush their teeth.

Faith raises an eyebrow as the woman stares at them. "Take a picture, honey, it'll last longer." Faith chuckles as the woman turns around and leaves the bathroom.

"Faith, that wasn't nice." Tara mumbles as she finishes brushing her teeth.

"She was starin'. I don't like people starin'." Faith shrugs as she spit's the toothpaste into the sink, before rinsing her mouth out.

"I bet you get irritated a lot, then." Tara states as she tosses her toothbrush in her kit, accepting Faith's and placing it in the holder before tossing it in her kit.

"Huh?" Faith questions as she turns and limps out of the bathroom, smirking as she feels an arm wrap around her waist and a hand squeezing her waist in admonishment.

"You're beautiful. I'm sure people stare all the time." Tara explains as she unlocks the door, helping Faith onto the bed.

"So, how are you about being out and proud, now?" Faith questions shifting her body back against the headboard, wincing slightly.

"Hasn't really come up. I dated a girl last year for a couple months. But I think it was more of an experimentation stage for her." Tara grabs a couple plates, dumping one container of the food with the red spicy smelling sauce on it for Faith, before throwing it in the microwave. "But it isn't something I hide, it's just been a non-factor." Tara glances, smiling at the slayer. "What about you? Obviously not gay, but not straight either."

"Nah. I pretty much like both. As I mentioned before, I'm more of a get some get gone kinda gal." Faith accepts the plate and fork from the witch before quickly attacking the food.

"Never been in love?" Tara questions softly as she waits for her food to heat.

"Not real sure I know what that is. Part of my discussions with Mrs. S." Faith admits.

"So, I'm just causing you an itch that needs to be scratched?" Tara questions as she curls up in the chair, gingerly blowing on her piece of chicken before popping it in her mouth to eat.

"FUCK NO!" Faith glances up in horror at the witch. "I mean, not that you aren't causing an itch, but I ain't plannin' on scratchin' it and disappearin'!" Faith frowns heavily at the witch.

"Good." Tara smirks at the slayer.

"You testin' me?" Faith narrows her gaze on the woman. "I'm aimin' for this to be a proper relationship. Not just fuckin' you and leavin' you."

"Good. As long as we understand this is going to be a relationship. I don't want to hide anything. Just to let you know." Tara states unequivocally.

"I ain't got a problem with that. You know more about me than anyone else in Sunnydale. But I'd be more than willing to tell you everything about me if you want to know. I mean, I done told you the big shit." Faith shrugs. "As for the rest of the crew, I think they already know something's up, but it won't occur to any of that crew that we like each other in the hot and heavy way. They're to tight assed for that." Faith chuckles as she thinks about Joyce. "Well, most of that crew, anyways."

Tara frowns at Faith, trying to figure out who Faith's talking about. "Mrs. Summers." Tara finally comes to the conclusion, with the comments Joyce had made, the fact that Faith had spoken with the woman about them.

"Mrs. S is cool." Faith smirks as she finishes her food.

"Here, let me get you some more." Tara sets her plate aside, standing up to grab Faith's plate piling some more food on it before throwing it in the microwave. "So, I assume she's okay with same sex relationships?"

Faith chuckles at that comment. "Yeah, I'd say she's okay with them." Faith winces slightly, grumbling as she thinks to herself that she wishes the damn aches and pains would go away already.

"Here. I want you to eat your fill of food, then take more pain pills to get more rest." Tara hands the plate to Faith.

"Had enough fuckin' rest." Faith growls as she accepts the plate.

"Are you trying to say being cooped up in the r-room and sleeping all the time is irritating you?" Tara questions as she sits back down, grabbing her plate.

"The sleeping all the time thing is irritating me." Faith admits.

"You need to heal, Faith." Tara comments quietly. "The quickest way, besides making a trip out of town, is for you to rest and eat."

"Trip out of town?" Faith questions, trying to remember if anyone had said anything about that before. "Yeah, Mrs. S said something about that."

"Just to let you know, I re-charge over time, naturally. However, the amount of energy I used on you, I d-drained completely and needed more to finish helping out the worst of your wounds. The Hellmouth has tainted most of nature h-here inside Sunnydale. I had to go out of town to draw from natural sources, in effect, charging my batteries to come back and help you." Tara explains quietly as she finishes her dinner, setting the plate aside as she watches Faith think heavily.

"So…" Faith finally smirks wickedly. "I got my own Energizer Bunny that can get a recharge whenever she needs it?" Faith starts to chuckle as Tara narrows her gaze on her. "Okay, maybe not bunny. I'll think of somethin'. How long does it take you normally to re-charge?" Faith questions seriously as she finishes her plate of food.

"Want some more, sweetie?" Tara questions softly as she stands holding her hand out for the plate. "Just depends on how deeply I dig into my stores of energy."

"Please." Faith groans as she reaches for the soda, holding her side. When Tara growls and grabs the drink, handing it to her, Faith smiles apologetically.

"Ask if you need something, please." Tara admonishes gently. "More red sauce covered food, or do you want some…" Tara trails off opening a couple containers out of the refrigerator as they'd finished off the other boxes. "Looks like we have pepper steak, chicken fried rice, lo mein, and a couple things I can't figure out what they are." Tara chuckles.

"Hmm. Pepper steak would be good this time. Maybe a little bit of the fried rice to go with it." Faith grins as she watches Tara dump a good portion of the steak and rice on the plate.

"Want me to brush your hair?" Tara offers as she unwraps her own hair from the towel, running her fingers through the still damp strands.

Faith blinks, realizing she still has the towel wrapped around her head, starting to reach for it, she drops her hands when Tara narrows her gaze. "Yes, please." Faith sighs, grumbling mentally. "Just to let you know, I'm gonna pay you back. This ain't exactly normal behavior of…" Faith trails off, frowning. Not knowing exactly what they are.

Tara chuckles at the confusion crossing the slayer's face. "Friends wanting more would be the proper phrasing for right now." Tara hands the slayer the plate, taking the empty soda can and tossing it in the trash, grabbing another soda out of the refrigerator as she walks back to Faith, placing it on the night stand. Unwrapping the towel from Faith's head, Tara smiles gently at the woman before placing it in the hamper and grabbing her brush.

"Definitely want more." Faith watches Tara as she walks around the back of the bed, still pulled out from the wall. "Why don't you have this thing against the wall?"

"It was." Tara let's out a small laugh. "I wanted to make sure you didn't jerk while I was s-stitching your head. So Buffy pulled it away from the wall, while Willow held your head and Buffy held your shoulders down." Tara gently starts brushing the beautiful dark locks.

"So, you ordered those two around, huh?" Faith questions in between bites of pepper steak.

"Yes." Tara admits, blushing. "I think I kind of shocked Buffy." Tara bites her lip, debating on asking the slayer about her relationship with the group.

"I get the distinct impression you're wantin' to ask somethin'." Faith tilts her head back, looking at the serious blue eyes.

"I do." Tara strokes the brush over the now tangle free hair. "You have absolutely gorgeous hair." Tara runs a hand through the dark strands.

"Thanks." Faith shifts around a little, uncomfortable with the compliment. "What'cha want to ask?"

"I'm not sure I have the right to ask." Tara admits leaning down to place a soft kiss on the top of the slayer's head, before going to put up the brush.

"Not hiding anythin' 'member?" Faith watches the witch curiously.

"I know, but…" Tara frowns as she sits back down in the chair, tucking her legs up under her. As she makes eye contact with Faith, Tara sighs quietly. "Do they try to make you a part of their group, or do they just use you when they need you?" Tara finally questions bluntly, the anger noticeable in her tones.

"Don't be mad at them." Faith looks at the witch. "I've always been more of a loner, than part of the group thing. I kind of like being on my own." Faith shrugs, wincing a little as her shoulder pulls, starting to feel the aches and pains more, as the last of the drugs break down. Placing the plate on the table, she continues. "Plus they'd been together a coupla years before I came on the scene. They already had their thing down. So no biggie."

Tara sighs quietly. "So correct me if I'm wrong, but Buffy has Willow, Xander, Giles, and Riley to fall back on, while you have who?" Tara looks up, anger simmering under the surface of her eyes.

"Yo! Easy there. They're there if I need 'em. Giles is sort of my watcher, also." Faith watches Tara, trying to figure out if she's going to stay angry or calm down.

"But it's more of a work-related way, not in a friend way. Who the fuck do you call your friends, Faith? Buffy has Xander and Willow that have obviously been her friends for years. Who do you have?" Tara leans forward, watching the slayer intently. "Who can you go to, to bitch about stuff, how crappy a night you had? Who do you have to share the happy times with? Anything?"

Faith realizes what's making Tara angry, finally. Faith allows a huge, genuine smile to cross her face. "Joyce." Faith starts laughing. "Believe it or not, Buffy's mom let's me talk to her about anythin' and everythin'. She's like a friend and mom all rolled into one for me. She just said a while back that Buffy kind of keeps her out of the loop, never really lets her do her motherin' duties and such. I actually don't mind. If it wasn't for her, there's no tellin' what woulda happened with me." Faith finally admits looking down at the bed. "If she hadn't insisted on me movin' in, stayin' with them, it could have ended very badly."

Tara considers the woman's words, knowing how hard it is for her, sometimes to be by herself, she couldn't imagine doing it without the love and care she'd grown up receiving from her mom. "Your mom wasn't a very good mother, was she?"

"Nah, like I mentioned, she was an alcoholic. Most important thing for her was makin' sure she had booze. Food and electricity came in second." Faith looks up at the ceiling, as she shifts down in the bed, stretching out. Faith works on a little meditation to help her manage the pain working through her body.

Tara watches Faith for a moment, as she tunes into the woman's aura. Sighing quietly, Tara stands gathering the other empty soda can and plate, putting them up. "Want something else to drink?"

"Water would be good." Faith watches Tara as she silently works her way around the room.

Tara sits down gently on the edge of the bed, placing the water on the nightstand. Placing a hand on the other side of the slayer's waist, she looks down at the woman.

Faith watches as Tara seems to be studying her, wondering what it is that she sees when she's looking at her. Watching as Tara raises her other hand, cupping her face gently, Faith closes her eyes, leaning into the caress.

Tara smiles briefly at the beautiful woman, watching as her features soften. "Since you're going to refuse to take the pills for a while, just to piss me off, I guess I have to distract you from the pain." Tara murmurs quietly, leaning down and capturing the woman's lips in a soft, tantalizing kiss. As Tara brushes her lips repeatedly against Faith's, she finally captures the slayer's full bottom lip between both of hers, gently sucking on it, before running her tongue over the captured flesh, finally releasing the slayer's lip, Tara eases back away from the slayer. Placing her hands on the bed, on either side of the slayer's shoulders, Tara watches as Faith's eyelids slowly open, showing dark brown eyes gazing up at her.

"More." Faith whispers, wrapping her left hand around the witch's neck, urging her down. Groaning quietly as their lips come into contact, Faith runs her tongue over the witch's lips, growling as she allows her entrance. Quickly delving her tongue into the warm cavern, Faith battles gently against Tara's tongue, groaning as Tara captures her tongue and sucks gently on the muscle.

Tara finally releases Faith's tongue, gently pulling back to place soft kisses on the slayer's panting mouth, as she tries to get control of her own breathing, after the intense kiss.

"I'm gonna suggest blonde Witchy kisses for what ails a slayer." Faith whimpers quietly, as she feels the witch's hot breath cross her cheek as full lips kiss softly across her cheek towards her ear.

"Any slayer, or a particular slayer?" Tara breathes in the slayer's ear, chuckling as she hears the disgusted grunt come from Faith. Leaning back, Tara smirks at the dark haired woman.

"Yeah, like B would know a good thing if it hit her upside the head." Faith comments snarkily. "That woman needs to get that fuckin' stick out of her ass."

"Hmmm. Talk like that around Joyce, do you?" Tara raises an eyebrow, laughing quietly.

"Actually, yeah." Faith grins at the surprise on Tara's face. "She and I thought it might be good for her to have fun, check out the different options there are instead of going from Fang to All-American corn-fed boy."

Tara laughs loudly at that. "That's priceless. You and Buffy's mom talking about Buffy's love life!"

"Not so much love life, as the fact that she should try being laid just for the hell of it. Maybe try a woman, you know, that type of thing." Faith smirks as Tara pulls back, laughing even more.

"Oh, Goddess!" Tara wipes a tear from her eye. "Just imagining Buffy, with the way her and Riley are, even remotely being interested in a woman is unimaginable. You and her own mother talking about her being laid by a woman is just…hilarious." Tara finally admits, chuckling. "Goddess, I think I want to get to know Mrs. Summers better. She seems like a wonderful woman."

"She's the best. B don't know how lucky she is. Sometimes I just want to smack her and tell her not to take her mom for granted, ya' know?" Faith frowns deeply. "Our lives are pretty much forfeit, and we could cash in at any time. Both of us should spend as much time as we can with people we care about."

"She is. She cares about Riley." Tara sighs quietly. "Unfortunately we can't always spend as much time with the people that we want to. If I could have, I would have spent every waking minute with my mother at the end, but she made me promise to continue going to school. She wanted me to make something of myself."

"I'm sorry, babe." Faith rests a hand on the woman's thigh, stroking her fingers soothingly over the warm skin.

Tara allows a small smile to cross her face and wipes a tear from her face. "Yeah, me too. I need to run to the bathroom. When I get back I want you to take your pills and get some rest."

Faith scowls at the witch. "I don't wanna take anymore."

Tara chuckles as she walks towards the door, opening it slightly, she glances back at the slayer. "The sooner you're better, the sooner you can get more than just kisses. So, you might want to take that into consideration when you think about taking your pain pills and sleeping."

"Bitch." Faith grumbles, then smiles as Tara's tinkling laughter follows the witch out of the room. "No fair, playing dirty like that." Faith laughs quietly at the thought, that Joyce was right. They would make a good couple.

"What's wrong?" Buffy questions Riley as she sits down across from the pale looking soldier.

"Walsh was killed." Riley turns haunted eyes to his girlfriend. "In the depths of the Initiative, she was killed." Riley runs a shaking hand through his hair. "Buffy…"

"What is it Riley?" Buffy reaches across the small table, clasping his large hand in between her two smaller ones.

"She…they created a super soldier. Adam. He killed her and now he's out there, somewhere. From what little bit I could find out, he's made up of all kinds of different demons and computer parts." Riley admits quietly.

Buffy frowns deeply. "Frankenstein." Buffy whispers. She looks at Riley. "He's what attacked Faith. He's the one that almost killed her. You've got to find out what he is, and what we can do to take him out. Faith said they fought for only a little over a minute and he did that kind of damage to her."

"I don't know if I can, Buffy. The Initiative is in an uproar right now. I should be there, I had to come and tell you what was going on. I could get in some serious trouble for telling you what I have." Riley slowly stands, squeezing Buffy's hand in his. "I've got to get back, hopefully they won't have noticed I've been gone."

"Try, Riley. If that thing is that tough, and it's killed, it needs to be taken down." Buffy narrows her gaze on her boyfriend.

"I know. I've got to go, Buffy. I'll contact you when I can." Riley sighs before quickly striding out of the small coffee shop.

Buffy continues to sit at the table, running her thumb over her lip as she thinks. Standing up, she walks over to the phone. Dropping the coins in, she dials Giles' number. "Giles, you going to be home?"

"Yes, Buffy. What's wrong?" Giles questions, hearing a note in his slayer's voice that he can't quite place.

"I'll discuss it when I get there. I'll be there in ten minutes. 'Bye." Buffy gently replaces the phone before heading towards the door, smiling briefly at the employees as she leaves.

"Buffy, I'll send out all the feelers I can about this Adam character." Giles pinches his nose. "Do you think Riley will be able to give you any information about this Adam?"

"I don't know, Giles." Buffy stands at his front window looking out on the front yard. "He didn't make me feel real confident about his abilities to get us anything." Buffy slowly turns to look at Giles. "We got to get anything we can on this…monster. We can't take the chance that it won't start attacking the public. After what he did to Faith…" Buffy takes a deep breath, shaking her head. "I have a feeling if Tara hadn't healed her, Faith could very well be dead."

"I meant to ask, could you give me Tara's phone number? I would like to call and ask after Faith. Maybe see if I can see how's she doing tomorrow, stop by." Giles allows a small smile to cross his face.

"Sure." Buffy walks over to the notepad by the phone, writing Tara's number down quickly. "Just be prepared. If you say or do anything to irritate Faith, Tara will possibly take you down about it."

"Sorry?" Giles looks at Buffy with a seriously confused look on his face.

"Tara seems to be very…protective of Faith. Why that is, I haven't a clue since as far as I am aware, they've only met the once. Plus Faith going to her room when she was attacked. I don't know, I'm just confused." Buffy frowns, not able to figure it out.

"Have you asked Faith why she went to Tara's room?" Giles questions, leaning forward in his chair.

"No. But I asked mom when I called to check on Faith this afternoon. Mom said Faith told her it was because Tara's room was the closest." Buffy tilts her head. "I mean, it makes sense. But why go to this woman's room, that she only met the one time, instead of to our room?"

"Don't you think you're worrying about this a bit much? I mean, Faith was hurt horribly, and she was probably just thinking closest place to crawl to that was a safe haven. Somewhere where she could get help, or help could be sent for her." Giles leans back in his seat. "I don't see this being a problem, Buffy. Or anything to worry about. I mean, Miss Maclay has helped us numerous times in the past month since she found out about everything."

"No, no. I trust Tara. Even with her…forceful attitude last night. She's helped Willow so much with her magic skills. Not just showing her how to do spells, but the right way of doing it. At least that's what Willow tells me. I don't understand, but she said something about not drawing on the energy around her, but to draw on the energy within herself. I don't know, Willow went on a babble fest and I kind of was lost during the majority of the rest of what she said." Buffy admits, grinning slightly.

Giles chuckles, understanding completely. "She does have a tendency to ramble on. What Miss Maclay is showing her, is the proper way to learn and use magic. I must commend the young woman for taking the time to show Willow the proper usage when I see her next. From what you explained before, Tara was trying to heal Faith to the best of her abilities and didn't have the time, nor the inclination to explain. Which is probably a good thing, it may very well have saved her life."

"You're probably right. I'm just thinking it's something more. You know Faith, she doesn't much like anyone." Buffy shrugs.

"That's not quite true, Buffy. She just isn't as…trusting as most people. She's had some hard knocks growing up that has made her naturally distrustful of people. And before you ask, no I cannot disclose what information I am in possession of." Giles sighs quietly.

"Fat lot of help you are." Buffy grumbles. "I guess I better go finish patrol."

"If you come across Adam, I would suggest you head the other direction. Or be sure that he doesn't see you. I don't want you to end up like Faith, or worse." Giles suggests quietly.

"No problem. After seeing Faith, like that." Buffy shivers for a moment. "Not something I'm in a hurry to happen to me." Buffy nods to Giles as she slowly opens the door. "I'll see you later. Anything and everything, Giles. We're going to need it." Buffy slips out of the room, gently closing the door behind her.

Giles glances up at the clock, seeing it's almost 10:00 debating for a minute, Giles picks up the phone, dialing Tara's number.

"Miss Maclay, this is Rupert Giles." Giles starts, smiling at the soft tones answering him back.

"Yes, Mr. Giles. How are you?" Tara questions, leaning against the wall by the phone, smiling gently at Faith as she slowly wakes up from the phone ringing.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking. I was actually calling about Faith. How is she doing?" Giles chews on the earpiece of his glasses, waiting for Tara to answer.

"A lot better than she was last night. I've been trying to keep her drugged so she can get some sleep and let her slayer healing finish what I started. Of course, she's being stubborn about it, but I'm winning so far." Tara smirks as Faith snarls her lip at her.

"She is a bit…stubborn." Giles chuckles quietly. "Do you need anything, dear? Does Faith need anything? Maybe some more pills or clothes, food?" Giles questions softly.

"No, I have pretty much everything under control. I think there's enough pills for me to knock her out for a few more times. The slayer healing is great, but slayer metabolism breaks down the pills something like five times quicker than normal." Tara reaches down in the refrigerator and grabs a water, stretching the phone cord so she can hand Faith the drink, smiling as Faith mouths the words thank you, as she opens the bottle, quickly downing the water.

"If you would like, I could bring some more pills by tomorrow and see Faith. I would like to see how she's doing." Giles admits. "Don't tell her, but I've been worried about her."

Tara chuckles softly. "Well, she's in good hands, if I do say so myself. I'll make sure she's very well taken care of. But you are more than welcome to stop by tomorrow." Tara let's Giles know which dorm she's in and her room number before they say goodbye and hang up.

"So, tweed man is planning on coming by tomorrow, huh?" Faith questions, smirking. "Definitely in good hands. But next time we take a shower together, we'll be takin' a shower together." Faith huskily states, her eyes roaming the witch's body, the insinuation very clear in her voice.

"Is that so?" Tara raises an eyebrow at the slayer. "How are you, sweetie?" Tara questions seriously as she grabs another water out of the refrigerator, walking over to the bed, handing it to the dark-haired woman.

Faith shifts over in the bed a bit, giving Tara more room to sit down. Smiling as the witch takes her up on her obvious offer. "Every time I come to, I feel a lot better. The pain doesn't seem to be as bad."

Tara nods her head. "You telling me the truth, or are you sugar coating it?" Tara questions quietly. "I want the truth, Faith. I don't want to question whether you will lie to me, about anything." Tara searches the slayer's eyes as she makes the statement.

"Honestly, I feel a lot better. I'm still getting twinges, especially if I move a certain way. Some aches and pains, but not anything serious." Faith explains softly. Faith shifts up further in the bed, pulling the pillow behind her to help prop her up some. "Can we go without the pills for a while? See how I do without them? Because I really don't like takin' that shit." Faith scratches the back of her head, where the gash was. "Damn things itchin'." Faith grumbles.

Tara chuckles quietly. "Let me look at it. It's probably just natural healing, but it won't hurt to make sure there's no infection."

"Not like it'd be botherin' anythin' if it was." Faith jokes, turning her head for Tara.

"Are you putting yourself down, sweetie?" Tara gently separates the hair looking at the area. "Just a little dry, nothing else. I have something that might help that." Tara offers as she stands digging around in her bottom dresser drawer, pulling out a small baby-food sized jar with some dark red stuff in it.

"What's that?" Faith looks at the jar curiously.

"I sometimes get extremely dry skin, this is a cream I created that clears it up in record time." Tara smiles as she sits back down on the bed, gently separating the hair and scooping up a small dab of the cream on the end of a finger, gently working it into the dry area. "There, that should help." Tara closes the jar, placing it on the table.

"Thanks." Faith quickly grabs the witch around the waist, as she turns back towards her, dragging her in against her body as she captures the woman's lips in a heated kiss. Running one hand up to cup the back of the woman's head, Faith groans as Tara's tongue matches hers stroke for stroke. As she feels a warm hand slide under her shirt, stroking over her back, and another hand cupping her neck, Faith whimpers at the pleasure shooting through her body from the two points of contact.

Tara pulls back at hearing the whimper, when she realizes it's a whimper of desire and not pain, she dives back in, kissing the slayer even stronger, tongue battling against tongue, before she nips at the end of the quicksilver muscle, trying to capture it in her mouth as it escapes. Growling deeply, Tara finally captures the teasing muscle, sucking strongly before nipping gently. Finally releasing Faith, as she has to break away to breathe, Tara groans as the slayer tilts her head, nipping her way along her jaw-line. When Faith sucks her ear lobe into her mouth, Tara whimpers in need. As Faith releases the lobe and strokes her tongue up and over her ear, Tara's body shakes with desire. "Faith…Goddess!" Tara whimpers loudly.

Easing away from the witch, Faith's dark eyes look into the blue, desire-filled eyes of the witch. "I want you. I'm not going to act like I don't. And, honestly? I'm horny as hell. That damn shower got my motor revvin' and it ain't completely went away yet." Faith growls, when she sees the obvious look of distress cross the witch's face, Faith shakes her head quickly. "I know you didn't try to turn me on, on purpose. It's just…Fuck! It's been a while, okay? And you're sexy as hell!" Faith's eyes drop down to the breasts straining against the witch's tank top, the obviously aroused nipples.

Tara moves a slightly shaking hand to Faith's face, cupping her cheek while running her thumb over the kiss-swollen lips. "I'm not so sure you're healed enough for what you're wanting. 'Cause I got a serious feeling you aren't just going to lay there calmly and let me give you what you want."

"Nope. First off, me and lying still? Not much of an option. Second, this won't be just a me thing, I'm planning on spending some time acquainting myself with your body. Intimately acquainting myself." Faith slides her hands from the witch's waist where they'd been resting, up her sides to cup her breasts, brushing her thumbs over the witch's nipples, watching them harden even more through the tank top. Faith shifts her hands down to the bottom of the tank top, grasping it gently before looking up into Tara's eyes, silently asking the witch if she can remove the piece of clothing.

"It hurts, we stop." Tara whispers, smiling gently as Faith nods her head, grinning. Raising her arms, Tara whimpers as Faith doesn't even wait to get the tank top off completely before she captures a nipple in her mouth, sucking strongly.

Faith tosses the tank top away as she releases the nipple in her mouth, kissing her way over to the other one, nibbling gently on the hard nub, her hands urging the witch to shift over her.

"Faith, your top." Tara whimpers, as she shifts her body, straddling the slayer, easing her body down on the woman, being careful not to put her full weight on the woman. As Faith leans back and looks at her questioningly, Tara smirks as she reaches down, pulling the slayer's top off quickly tossing it behind her. "Shift down." Tara orders, lifting her hips up, groaning as eager fingers slide under the edge of her shorts. As Faith slides down farther than she wanted her to, Tara starts to complain, then cries out the slayer's name as an eager mouth and tongue start kissing and licking up her inner thighs. Grasping the headboard as a pair of thumbs stroke over her lips, one sliding in to stroke firmly through her wetness, circling her clit teasingly. Unable to stop, Tara starts rocking her hips, urging the slayer to stop the teasing.

"Be easier without the shorts." Faith pants, her mouth watering at the witch's smell. Wanting to bury her tongue as deeply inside the witch as she can, Faith growls quietly. Shifting around from between the witch's legs, she unceremoniously pushes the witch's shorts down, grinning as Tara quickly slides her legs together. Working the witch's shorts the rest of the way off her, Faith urges the witch further up towards the head of the bed, separating her legs again before sliding back under her.

"Faith, I want…Goddess!" Tara cries out loudly as Faith pulls her down and without warning slides her tongue deeply within her, stroking in and out at a furious pace, her nose grinding against her clit while her hands grasp and knead her ass cheeks. "FUCK!" Tara screams, grinding her body down on Faith as she comes hard and quick.

Faith groans as she laps at the sweet flavor of the witch, gathering all the fluid she can find before moving one hand, sliding three fingers into the witch while capturing her clit between her lips, flicking her tongue over the quivering muscle while searching deep within the witch. Releasing the clit, Faith hoarsely calls to the witch. "I want you to explode, to soak me completely. Don't hold back, I want everything you got."

Tara pants heavily, her body arching and pushing against the fingers inside her, stroking over her g-spot. "Keep…that…up….mmmmm, yes!" Tara groans, rotating her hips. "You'll…get…it….SHIT!" Tara arches her body, her whole body tensing as Faith rubs more firmly and quickly over the spot.

Faith gently scrapes her teeth over the witch's clit, finally tipping the woman over the edge. Moaning at the flood of liquid saturating her, Faith tries to capture the warm flood. Sucking and licking the witch, keeping up her rubbing as Tara whimpers and groans, her body shaking uncontrollably, extending the woman's orgasm, Faith whimpers as she laps up the last of the liquid readily available. As Tara's shaking finally starts to slow, and her clenching muscles ease, Faith gently slides her fingers out, lapping up the additional liquid ambrosia escaping from the witch.

Dropping her chest on the headboard, Tara whimpers loudly as Faith continues stroking her tongue over her, causing miniature orgasms as she flicks strongly over her clit. "Faith…" Tara softly calls the woman's name, unable to stop her hips rocking motion.

"God, I could spend days just like this." Faith admits as she finally eases back from the witch, dropping her head back onto the pillow, nipping the leg beside her head lightly.

"Not…possible." Tara finally pants out the words, trying to get control of her breathing, and the small tremors still working their way through her body.

"Why not?" Faith growls, starting to alternate nipping the skin by her mouth with licking over it.

"I would collapse." Tara finally is able to say, without panting too terribly much. Shifting her body down the bed, Tara stops, looking into Faith's twinkling eyes. "How are you feeling?" Tara questions softly as she leans down, kissing down the slayer's neck, stopping to suck on the woman's pulse point.

"The…oh, yeah. Suck hard." Faith arches up into the witch's mouth. "Feeling wonderful. Honestly I don't feel any pain at all right now, except the pounding going on between my legs." Faith's sex roughened voice admits.

"You said you want a pounding to go on between your legs?" Tara questions, trying not to laugh as her hands reach down, cupping the woman through her shorts.

"God, yes!" Faith cries, arching into the hand pressing firmly against her sex.

"Hmmm. I might be able to do something about that." Tara admits as she shifts and strips the slayer of the shorts quickly, before gently easing the woman's legs apart, allowing herself to see the woman's aura, smiling as she only sees the briefest flash of pain occasionally flaring, knowing that the endorphins from the sex was probably keeping the slayer from noticing the occasional sparks of pain from being noticed.

Sliding up between the slayer's thighs, Tara groans at the musky/sweet smell of the slayer's arousal, her eyes traveling over the bald mound and the juices glistening on the outer lips.

"Don't tease." Faith growls deeply, the desire thick in her voice. "I'm about ready…FUCK YEAH!" Faith cries out as Tara simultaneously slams three fingers inside her while sucking down hard on her swollen clit. Arching into the witch, Faith's body rocks hard against the welcome intrusion. As Tara starts a fast paced, firm stroking inside her body while alternating sucking and flicking her quivering clit, Faith grunts in approval. As she's rocking her body faster against the witch, Faith moans loudly as Tara curls her fingers, stroking repeatedly over her inner sweet spot. Feeling the orgasm starting to coil through her body, Faith whimpers. "Gonna be a flood." Faith warns, as she feels the tell-tale signs of an expert lover quickly bringing her to the point of female ejaculation. When she hears a quickly grunted good before Tara sucks even more strongly, Faith whimpers continuously as it feels like even the tip of her nose is about to climax. As her body explodes, Faith screams out Tara's name as a rainbow of colors burst behind her eyelids, her body arching hard.

Tara moans into Faith, keeping her fingers buried in the woman's heated core, not able to move them because of the muscles clenching down firmly. Lapping up all the fluid she can, Tara isn't aware of the whimpers coming from her as she eagerly gathers the slayers essence. "So good." Tara murmurs softly, in between slowing strokes of her tongue over the collapsing slayer. As she feels the slayer's flexing muscles finally relaxing, Tara gently eases her fingers out from inside her lover. After she finishes cleaning the slayer, she smirks as she laps the fluid from her fingers as she climbs up the slayer's body, stopping at Faith's breasts, sucking firmly on the brown aureoles alternately, before working her way up to the panting mouth of the slayer, placing a gentle kiss on her lips before easing down beside the woman.

After a few minutes, Tara whispers quietly. "Was it good for you?"

Faith groans loudly. "I'll let you know when I stop seein' pretty sparklin' colors." Faith turns her head, allowing a smirk to cross her face at the knowing gleam in the woman's blue eyes. "Like you don't know."

"Just making sure." Tara places a kiss on the slayer's cheek, as she runs a hand softly up and down the woman's body. "I don't want to possibly scare you off, Faith. But I think I can fall deeply in love with you." Tara admits, circling a finger around the slayer's belly button. "And you don't have to say anything back. I just want you to know that. I thought about you quite frequently the past month also. I always carefully listened whenever Willow or Buffy mentioned you, I wanted to know how you were doing."

"Why didn't you call, or tell them to let me know you wanted to see me?" Faith questions, capturing the witch's fingers with hers, lacing them together.

"I didn't know if you were interested. Plus the whole demon thing." Tara admits quietly. "I'm serious about that, Faith. If I become evil, I want you to take me down."

"I know you are." Faith sighs deeply. "Only if you're evil, if not, we'll work around it. But I honestly don't think it'll come to that, Tara. I think it's a load of shit."

"Promise me." Tara states softly, leaning up on an elbow to look the slayer in the eyes. "Say it, please." Tara begs quietly.

Faith clenches her jaw for a moment, searching the beautiful blue eyes, finally sighing. "I promise if you become an evil, killing monster, I will be the one to take you down." Faith whispers, watching as the relief floods the witch's eyes. Reaching up, Faith strokes the back of her hand down the soft skin. "Come here." Faith tugs her down, wrapping her arm around the woman, urging her in tightly against her side.

"Thanks, Faith." Tara whispers placing a gentle kiss on the cheek before she buries her face in the strong column of the slayer's neck. "Do you want the pain pills, or do you want to wait?"

"Wanna wait." Faith smiles as she hears the quiet chuckle coming from the witch. "Sleep, Tare. I know you didn't get any last night." Faith frowns as she realizes the woman has to be running on fumes.

"Had a cat nap late this afternoon before Buffy showed up. It helped." Tara cautiously runs her leg up the slayer's thigh. "Does this hurt?"

"Nah." Faith shakes her head, reaching down and grasping the leg. "Go ahead and lay across me, if you want."

"Let me know, and I'll move it if I have to." Tara murmurs, not realizing how tired she was, but as she allows her body to relax after the mind blowing sex, she feels how heavy her eyelids are actually getting.

"Sleep. You're tired." Faith strokes over the woman's hair with one hand, while stroking the part of the witch's leg she can reach easily.

"Thank you, Faith." Tara whispers as she slowly falls asleep.

Faith frowns, wondering what the witch is thanking her for, about ready to ask when she feels her settling more heavily into her, her breathing deep. Sighing quietly as she allows a soft smile to cross her face, Faith whispers. "I think I should thank you for comin' into my life." Faith wonders if there's something Giles might be able to find out about a person possibly becoming a demon when they turn 20. Filing that thought away to ask later, Faith gets more comfortable, closing her eyes thinking about the blonde woman lying partially on her, feeling at peace with the thought of being with this woman, not having the urge to leave as she would normally.

"Go 'way." Faith grumbles pulling Tara in tighter against her.

Tara groans, slowly opening her eyes. As she realizes where she is, she tries to figure out how she came to be practically laying across the slayer. Smirking as she realizes the slayer is holding her hostage against her, she realizes the woman probably dragged her on top of her sometime during the night. As a firm knock sounds on the door, Tara frowns, looking at the clock, surprised when she sees it's almost 9:00.

"Go the fuck away! Sleepin'." Faith yells, slowly opening her eyes, a smile working it's way across her face at the laughing blue eyes looking down at her. "'Mornin'." Faith rumbles as she captures the witch's lips in a heated kiss.

As Faith finally releases her, Tara raises an eyebrow. "You going to let me up so I can find out who's at the door?"

"Nope. They can come back at a decent hour." Faith grumbles before looking at the clock, her eyes opening wide at the time. "Oops, guess this is a decent hour, huh?" She smiles happily. "Slept good. Probably the spectacular sex that did me in. Got to do it more, see if that's what caused me being able to sleep so good and for so long." Faith leers at the witch, finally releasing her from her grasp, chuckling as Tara pinches her gently on the hip.

"Clothes or cover up with the bedding?" Tara questions quickly as she drags on clothes as another loud knock sounds on the door. "COMING!" Tara yells, rolling her eyes.

"Throw me that t-shirt. I won't bother about the shorts." Faith grins wickedly at the witch, making her laugh.

"You're bad." Tara throws the t-shirt at the woman, going to stand by the door, grinning hugely at the smirk on the slayer's face. As Faith sits up in the bed, tucking the sheets around her lower body, she grins innocently at Tara, making her laugh as she opens the door. "Mr. Giles, good morning." Tara allows the older gentleman to come into the room, blushing lightly.

"Yo, tweed man. What's up?" Faith bites her lip to keep from laughing as Tara blushes.

"You seem to be doing well." Giles comments, setting the bag of donuts on the desk as he walks over to the chair, pulling it up to the bed.

"Yeah. I suggest Witchy healing for what ails a person." Faith allows a small smirk to cross her face as she hears an extremely quiet whimper come from Tara as she's digging around in the refrigerator.

"Ah, yes. Miss Maclay, I want to thank you for taking care of Faith in her time of need." Giles looks back at the blushing witch.

"It wasn't anything." Tara smiles self consciously at the watcher. "Would you like a soda, or maybe some water?" Tara questions turning her gaze quickly on the slayer, silently asking her what she wants.

"I'm fine, thank you." Giles smiles gently at the witch.

"Soda, thanks, Tare." Faith let's Tara know what she wants, smiling as the witch grabs two sodas out of the refrigerator, bringing one to her. Faith pats the bed beside her, letting Tara know she wants her to sit down. "So, what brings you by here early this morning? I figured you'd be at the shop." Faith questions, opening the soda and taking a long swig.

"I was wanting to see how you were fairing. I must admit, I was expecting to see you doing poorly, but you seem quite well." Giles raises an eyebrow questioning the slayer, without saying anything.

"Witch." Faith pats Tara's leg, grinning ear from ear. "She's got magical healing down pat. Plus she's been shoving damn pills down my throat and makin' me sleep." Faith leaves her hand on Tara's thigh, squeezing gently.

"I can only take partial credit. Faith's not been arguing too terribly much, and her slayer healing has been working overtime on healing the rest of her. Actually, if Faith and I could get out of town, I could finish healing her completely. It might make her tired, for the rest of today and tonight, but she would in effect be healed completely." Tara smiles softly at Faith, before glancing back at a curious looking Giles.

"How long would you need?" Giles questions, watching the interaction between the two women. When he realizes that Faith seems to be almost caressing the woman's thigh, and Tara is leaning her body more into the slayer, Giles blushes lightly, yanking his glasses off and pinching the bridge of his nose, missing the look Faith gives to Tara.

Faith smirks wickedly as Giles figures it out, turning her grin on Tara, she can't help but give the witch a quick kiss. "Two down." Faith whispers.

Chuckling, Tara slides her arm behind the slayer, pinching the slayer's ass on her way to hugging her against her side.

"Dear, Lord." Giles mutters as he opens his eyes as Faith kisses Tara. "When did this…" Giles blushes and waves his hand between the two.

"What, Giles?" Faith questions with a lift of her eyebrow, smirking as she hears Tara whispering vixen.

"You two, when did you two happen?" Giles coughs, blushing a little darker.

"Why? Does it matter?" Faith questions curiously, watching the watcher.

"No. No, it doesn't." Giles leans back, the surprise evident on his face. "You're seeing each other?"

"Not yet, but planning on it as soon as the witch says she'll go out with me, instead of just screwing me insane." Faith grins.

"Faith!" Tara hisses. "I'll go out with you whenever you want. When I'm not studying for finals." Tara qualifies. "That is, if you behave, at least a little bit."

"No, studying and school is important for you. Tare…" Faith hesitates looking in the witch's eyes. "Can I ask him?" Faith questions softly, more breathing the words into Tara's ear, as she raises her eyebrows and tilts her head towards the watcher.

"Not now, please." Tara pleads silently with the slayer, smiling in relief as Faith nods her assent. "Thank you."

Giles wait's patiently for the two to finish their whispered conversation, watching the slayer intently. Surprised as he noticed the obvious care showing on her face and her mannerisms for Tara. When they both glance back at him, he raises an eyebrow. "I was going to offer you a ride to wherever it is that you need to go, if you want." Giles offers.

"Giles, I hate to say it, but we could probably walk to wherever it is before you could get there in that excuse you call a car." Faith snarks at the watcher.

"That is a fine automobile. There is nothing wrong with it." Giles states stiffly.

"Giles, that thing won't go faster than 35 mph!" Faith grumbles at the man. "You need to put it out of everyone's misery, is what you need to do."

Tara laughs quietly at the two bickering back and forth. "Sweetie?" Tara questions softly, watching as Faith turns to look at her immediately. Running a thumb over the still lightly bruised cheek, she smiles gently. "He's offering to take us out there so you can be healed completely. I think we should take him up on it."

"Okay." Faith sighs quietly. "But I warned ya'." Faith narrows her eyes on the witch, before smiling gently. "We're gonna have to get dressed." Faith frowns deeply. "What am I gonna wear?"

"I think I might have something you can wear. It isn't your normal attire, but it'll cover you." Tara smiles apologetically at the slayer.

"Beggars can't be choosers." Faith states shrugging her shoulders, looking back at the watcher. Faith wait's a few minutes, raising her eyebrow when he continues to sit there. "Giles, you got thirty seconds to get out of here, or I'm getting dressed in front of ya'." Faith chuckles loudly as his eyes go wide, he jumps up and makes a mad dash out of the room.

Tara can't help but laugh at the comical display of the watcher almost tripping over his own two feet to get out of the room. "You are rotten." Tara finally gets out between laughing fits.

"No, if I'd been rotten, I would have just stood up and stripped off this t-shirt." Faith states as she does just that, smirking as Tara's eyes caress over her body. "Now, that would have been rotten."

"No, that would have been downright cruel." Tara whispers standing, kissing Faith deeply. "Teasing Mr. Giles with this hot, sexy, muscular body." Tara runs a hand down the woman's sides, clasping her hips gently. "Then he really would have been embarrassed when I did what I just did." Tara kisses her briefly.

Faith sighs, as she realizes they aren't going to have any morning lovings. Accepting the shirt and jeans Tara hands her, she eyes them for a moment, before pulling them on.

Tara chuckles at the baggy jeans. "Here, sweetie." Tara hands her a belt and socks. "Would you like a tank top to wear under the button down shirt? I know my bras won't fit you, so I won't even ask."

"You didn't ask if I wanted a pair of panties." Faith lifts her eyebrow questioningly as she accepts the tank top, pulling it on and tucking it into the jeans. Threading the belt through the loops, she pulls it tight before sitting down on the edge of the bed, inhaling deeply. "I'm surprised he didn't smell the sex when he came in here." Faith admits, grinning as she pulls on the socks then her heavy boots.

"Maybe it's been so long, he's forgotten what it smells like." Tara offers as she quickly changes, glancing up smiling, as Faith chuckles.

"And you say I'm rotten!" Faith pulls the other shirt on, leaving it unbuttoned while she flips up the cuffs, watching Tara. "I want to take you shopping." Faith whispers. "Will you let me?"

Tara looks up with confused eyes. "Shopping for what?" Tara pulls on her boots, tying them quickly before standing and making the bed quickly watching as Faith grabs her shower kit and walks to the door.

"Come on in, tweed." Faith grins at the watcher. "We gotta go to the bathroom we'll be back in a couple minutes."

Tara chuckles as she pulls an extra blanket out from her bottom drawer, placing it on the end of the bed to take with them. "Make yourself comfortable, Mr. Giles." Tara smiles briefly at the watcher as she quickly follows a chuckling Faith down to the bathroom.

"Are you sure you won't need me for a couple hours?" Giles questions as he pulls off the road, looking at the two women.

"Give us at least three hours." Tara smiles at the watcher. "I want to make sure she's healed completely and have time to re-charge my own batteries. Actually four would probably be better."

Giles glances at his watch. "So two o'clock?" He questions looking back at the two women.

"Two would be great." Tara bites the inside of her lip before a grin crosses her face.

"Tweed?" Faith looks at the watcher, when he nods his head for her to go ahead, she smirks. "Don't tell the rest about us. I wanna see how long it takes them to figure it out."

Giles shakes his head, blushing. "Buffy already feels that something's going on, but she just can't figure out what."

"I don't think it'll ever occur to her, unless she sees us makin' out, or somethin'." Faith admits, laughing. "But I feel like fuckin' with them some."

"As long as it doesn't interfere with anything, I have no problem with it." Giles finally chuckles quietly. "I honestly don't know how you two came to get together. And I don't think I want to know!" Giles raises a hand as he watches Faith start opening her mouth, a wicked glint in her eyes. "Especially whatever is going through your mind, Faith. But as long as you two are happy, I'm not going to begrudge you being together. I'll be back at two." Giles chuckles again as he pulls away.

Faith carries the small backpack Tara insisted on bringing while Tara carries the blanket. "So, how come I got this feeling you told tweed that it'd take longer than it actually will?"

"Maybe because your feeling is right." Tara smirks at the slayer. "Have you ever spent hours making love in the afternoon sun by a beautiful lake?"

Faith laughs at the purely wicked gleam in Tara's eyes. "No, but I have a feeling I'm about to."

"Well, you do realize sex magic is some of the most powerful magic there is, don't you?" Tara nibbles on her lip as they walk towards the lake.

"It is?" Faith wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her in snugly against her side. "I feel pretty good, you know that, don't you?"

"Yes, but I also see some of the pain streaking through your body. I know you block part of it out, I'm assuming it's your normal reaction with your slayerness, but I want you healed completely. No hints of pain, no bruises, no phantom pains, even." Tara runs her hand up, playing softly over the skin at the nape of the slayer's neck.

"How you gonna do that?" Faith questions, moaning quietly as the fingers stroke firmly over her neck.

"Do you like a firm touch?" Tara questions softly, hearing the moan.

"Yeah. The firmer the better." Faith's moans turn into groans as Tara kneads a lot firmer. "You didn't answer my question."

"With your actual wounds, I'll heal them. The phantom pain is somewhat different." Tara admits softly as they walk around the far side of the lake.

"How different?" Faith questions. "It isn't that bad."

"That's because you're blocking it out. But eventually it'll need to work its way out of you. I'm going to take it away from you, recycling it back into nature." Tara smiles as she comes to her favorite spot, stopping she spreads the blanket out on the ground. Bending down, she quickly unties her boots, sliding them off before she pulls off her socks. Standing, her eyes twinkling, Tara slowly unbuttons her shirt, shrugging it off to fold it neatly, laying it beside her shoes before unsnapping her bra, laying it on top of her shirt.

Faith unconsciously licks her lips as the witch finishes stripping.

"It helps if you take your clothes off." Tara grins crookedly at her lover before she sits down on the blanket, leaning back on her elbows as she watches the slayer strip in record time. Watching as Faith bends over, she sees the brief flare of pain in her aura. "One thing, you're going to have to let me do this, sweetie. At my own pace. You can touch me and do anything to me, but you can't make me climax or interfere in what I'm doing. Do you think you can do that?"

"What's it going to consist of?" Faith questions hoarsely as she finishes yanking off her clothes, lying down over the witch, forcing her to lay down flat on the blanket, her body brushing lightly against the witch's.

"Pretty much multiple orgasms for you." Tara grins wickedly at the slayer.

"I'm all for that. But what does it mean for you?" Faith questions, shifting one of her thighs between Tara's legs, pressing it gently into the witch, smiling at the heat she encounters.

"Being on the brink of going crazy from not being able to climax until I've drawn all the pain out of your body and psyche." Tara's eyes darken as Faith starts a slow rocking motion, her thigh rubbing against her clit.

"And what happens after you draw it out?" Faith starts nipping down the witch's neck, sucking at the woman's pulse point, smiling as she releases the skin as she hears a low moan.

"I take it from where I've gathered it within myself, dispersing it into mother nature as I orgasm." Tara arches her back as Faith licks her way down her chest.

"Gather it into you?" Faith frowns slightly.

"Yes. Don't worry about it, sweetie. I've done this before." Tara runs a thumb over the slayers furrowed brows. "Roll over, sweetie. Touch me wherever you want, kiss whatever is in reach."

"I don't like the sounds of you doing this." Faith shakes her head. "You can heal me, but leave the pains. I'll deal."

"Don't make me force you, Faith." Tara raises an eyebrow. "I have a lot of energy in this area to call upon. I can, and will, play dirty. I want you healed completely. So, you can have use of your body, or I'll keep you…immobile as I take advantage of you." Tara wiggles her eyebrows at the slayer, grinning.

"This ain't funny." Faith growls, her eyes searching the witch. "When did you do this before?"

"For my mother." Tara admits softly. "Anything you have floating around isn't going to be anything remotely close to what I did before. She needed a couple extra weeks to finish taking care of things for me. I can do it without the sex, like I did for her, but it actually works better with the sexual tension, and for you, the releases." Tara grins shyly. "After I've gathered all of it within me, according to the book, it's an extremely powerful release. It might knock me out for a while."

"So, for putting up with the pain, you get a huge happy?" Faith looks at the witch considering her for a few moments. "You took the pain your mother had with her Leukemia within yourself?"

"Yes." Tara nods, biting her lip. "It was an unimaginable amount of pain. What you have is honestly not even a drop in the bucket compared to hers."

"I don't necessarily like the idea, but if you promise it isn't gonna be that bad?" Faith worries her bottom lip looking down into the blue eyes of her lover. As Faith thinks that to herself for the first time, she smiles.

"I promise, sweetie. I would have brought you out here that night if I thought you could have made the trip. But you weren't strong enough." Tara smiles as Faith finally relents, rolling over onto her back.

"So, you were thinking about jumping my bones that night?" Faith smirks at Tara as the witch settles her body on top of hers, almost exactly the same way Faith had been lying, except that both of the witch's legs are between hers.

"Wasn't planning on doing it that way. Was planning on doing it the same way I did with my mother." Tara explains. "Now, shush. Stop trying to distract me with talk." Tara smiles gently at the slayer as she starts off kissing the woman gently, smiling as she feels Faith's hands already roaming over her back and butt. Slowly placing soft gentle kisses over Faith's face, Tara works her way over to the slayer's ear, sucking gently, smiling as Faith groans lightly.

Moaning into the slayer's ear, Tara arches up into the hands stroking gently over her ass, getting her mind back on bringing the slayer to a fever pitch of desire, knowing it probably won't take a lot, with her sexually charged girlfriend, Tara slowly works her way over Faith's body, spending a longer time over every area the woman had been hurt. Opening her senses fully, Tara feels the desire already building up strongly in the slayer. From where her hands were stroking firmly over her lover's thighs, she slides a hand between their bodies. Groaning at the copious amount of fluid leaking from the slayer, Tara gently rubs her thumb over the extremely swollen nub of her lover, as she captures Faith's nipple in her mouth sucking strongly. Groaning as she feels the orgasm working through her lover's body, Tara slides three fingers deep within Faith, tipping her over the edge. As Faith arches up, screaming as she climaxes, Tara groans, burying her face into the slayer's chest as the first release of pain eases into her from her connection deep within the slayer.

Taking a few minutes to center herself, Tara works her way repeatedly over Faith's chest, spending a longer time on the woman's ribs and internal organs, sending her healing energy within the woman, forcing the pain towards the slayer's center, to be released with her next orgasm, like she'd done with the slayer's bruises, scalp and shoulder injuries.

"Damn, Tara!" Faith whimpers as Tara continues to kiss and lick across her body, bringing her quickly to a second orgasm, her hand continuing to stroke within her body. As Tara's fingers curl inside her, starting to stroke over her g-spot, Faith's rocking hips start to jerk faster and harder into her lover's hand. As she explodes again, Faith grinds into the pleasure giving fingers, her body shaking.

Tara whimpers a little louder as the pain comes into her body, but as she realizes that the strong orgasm had exchanged all the pain from the slayer's upper body, Tara smiles briefly as she continues to work her way down the slayer's body.

"Can…you…turn…around?" Faith pants out, her hips continuing to jump into her lover's hand as she keeps up the stroking and rubbing. "Tara slide your fourth finger in, please?" Faith groans deeply as she feels Tara ease up on her stroking to work the four fingers in her.

"Tease, touch, but no making me come until I say so, okay?" Tara whimpers quietly, her eyes making contact with Faith's unfocused gaze.

"Promise. Please, want to taste, touch." Faith begs softly, arching as Tara's continuous stroking makes her explode in a flood, closing her eyes with the pleasure, Faith sees stars, even after she opens her eyes a few long minutes later.

Tara swallows hard as more of the pain releases into her body, realizing that she could continue doing exactly what she's doing now and that the rest of it would find its release into her. Gently shifting her body around, making sure to keep up the pace of her fingers, Tara gently eases her body down, giving Faith access to her own swollen sex. Seeing the rest of the pain coalescing within the slayer, Tara double-checks the slayer, making sure she didn't miss anything, smiling briefly, Tara cries out softly. "Be prepared, I think one more time might do it."

"One more time, might kill me." Faith grunts, rocking her hips even faster into Tara's hand. "But what a way to go." Faith slides two fingers through the witch's wetness, groaning as it literally runs down her fingers and hand. Sliding three fingers deep within the witch's core, Faith gather's the escaping juices with her mouth and tongue, trying to drink up all the nectar she can find, while starting a slow easy pace within the witch, to bring her to the edge and keep her there, until she's ready.

"Goddess!" Tara whimpers at the pleasure and pain mingling through her body. Amazed at how it feels, Tara concentrates on bringing Faith to an earth shattering climax. As she feels the slayer getting close, Tara stops stroking for a long few minutes, until she hears Faith whimpering loudly behind her, trying to force her to start again. As the pain works it's way into an ever more pronounced ball within the slayer, Tara smiles softly before capturing the slayer's clit within her mouth and working her fingers in and out of the slayer at a feverish pace, stroking over her sweet spot repeatedly until Faith's jumping hips almost threaten to throw her off the woman, smiling as her lover wraps an arm around her, helping to keep her in place, while Faith continues stroking her tongue around her swollen clit to her fingers sliding repeatedly into her hot canal.

As Faith finally climaxes again, the rest of the pain slams into Tara, making her release the slayer's clit, crying out. Whimpering loudly, Tara cries. "Now, Faith!!"

Faith groans loudly into her lover's body, trying to concentrate enough to give Tara the release she needs, as her own body jumps and jerks, the orgasm ripping through her. Finally, Faith curls her fingers while capturing the clit in her mouth sucking the swollen muscle strongly. Rubbing her fingers strongly against the witch, she feels Tara's inner muscles clenching against her fingers, and her clit starting to spasm at a fast rate in her mouth. Feeling her lover's body shaking above her, almost as if it's going to collapse, Faith quickly rolls them over, so she's on top of Tara. Flicking her tongue firmly over Tara, Faith runs her pinky on her other hand through the escaping fluid before teasing the witch's rosebud, as Tara bucks strongly against her the climax getting ready to explode from the witch, Faith gently slides the pinky in, while burying her fingers deep within Tara, pressing against her sweet spot and sucking strongly on the quivering muscle, making Tara scream as she climaxes, flooding Faith's mouth and hand with her essence, as her body keeps jerking and jumping into the slayer.

Faith slowly eases off the witch, feeling the tremors still working through both of their bodies. Finally turning her body around, she climbs over the witch, supporting her own, pleasantly aching, extremely charged, body to look at Tara, who's lying there with a smile on her face, and breathing rapidly, sweat glistening over both their bodies, Faith runs a shaking hand down Tara's cheek and neck, watching the woman intently.

"You didn't tell me that this would charge me at the same time, Tare." Faith whispers as she waits for Tara to finally come back to the land of the living. Feeling her own body buzzing with energy, and all the aches and pains gone, except for the pleasant ache between her legs, Faith smirks. "You are so getting paid back for this." Faith eases her body beside the witch, to wait for Tara to wake up.

Tara smiles softly as the first thing she notices as she comes to, is a hand stroking softly down her face and neck. The second thing she notices is a sexy, rough voice, singing softly. As Faith slowly tapers off, she feels soft lips pressing against hers, wrapping her arms around Faith's neck, Tara pulls the slayer more against her as she deepens the kiss. As Faith slowly breaks off the kiss, placing soft kisses along the witch's cheekbone, Tara groans quietly. "How long was I out for?"

"Hmmm. I'd say roughly ten minutes." Faith murmurs as she kisses down the side of the witch's neck, nipping gently.

"Goddess." Tara whimpers as Faith finally works her way down to her breasts, gently kneading one breast as she circles the other nipple with a strong tongue. "What…are…you…doing?" Tara finally pants out, the desire heavy in her body.

"I thought it was kinda obvious." Faith states around the nipple she's now sucking on. Easing her body between the witch's legs, Faith grins before working her way over to the other breast, nipping gently on the nipple, before scraping her teeth repeatedly over the hard nub. As Tara's body arches and her lover hooks one leg around her body, Faith presses her lower stomach against the witch, tightening her stomach muscles while grinding against the woman.

Tara moans, her hips jerking as she drags her lower body against her lover. "Faith!" Tara cries out, orgasming as Faith bites gently on her nipple.

Faith releases the witch's breast, moaning as she feels the warmth of Tara's release ease onto her stomach. As Tara slowly eases her body back down onto the blanket, Faith shifts up, burying her face in the witch's neck. "Can we come back here, spend all day one day making love?" Faith questions softly, feeling a deep connection with the witch, especially out here in both women's special place. Realizing she hasn't told Tara about liking to come out here when she runs, Faith chuckles softly.

Tara smiles as she hears the words, wondering if the woman was even aware she called it making love instead of having sex. When she hears the soft chuckle, she moves her hands from the strong back, she'd unconsciously been stroking to thread through the woman's hair, she urges Faith to look up. "What's so entertaining, sweetie?" Tara questions, allow her lip to quirk up.

"This may be sort of weird, but whenever I go running by myself, I always come out here. I like the beauty, the calmness." Faith states almost shyly.

"Oh, sweetie." Tara smiles, pulling Faith down against her, hugging her tightly. "You probably need the calmness to counteract the violence of your life."

Faith hums as Tara strokes over her back. Burying her face against the witch's neck again, Faith places gentle kisses on the skin. "What do you do to me? You make me feel sappy and soft." Faith grumbles, stroking her thumb over the witch's collar bone.

Tara smiles softly, knowing the slayer is falling in love with her, whether she's aware of it or not. As the realization actually sinks in, Tara's smile slowly turns into a frown, realizing that it would make it that much harder on the woman if she does turn into a demon. Kissing Faith's head, Tara continues stroking over her back, silently wondering if she has the right to put Faith through this. Through the possibility of falling in love with her, then maybe having to kill her.

Faith realizes she's practically draped across the witch, her weight fully on the witch. "I'm sorry." Faith shifts, moving to lay beside Tara on the blanket.

"Why did you move?" Tara frowns as she shifts on her side, facing the slayer. "You were fine."

"I weigh too much to be laying on you like that." Faith smiles as she mirrors her lover, reaching up to tuck the woman's hair behind her ear, running her fingertip down the flesh of the outer ear.

Tara groans, closing her eyes as the soft caress sends a bolt of desire straight to her center, making it clench in want.

Faith watches the witch's reaction to her soft caress with a small smile. Gently circling the finger around the flesh, Faith smells the witch's obvious arousal with the caress. Easing her body into Tara's, Faith urges Tara onto her back again, continuing the stroking as she wraps the thigh closest to her between her legs, effectively spreading the witch's legs. Wrapping her arm around the witch's head, she switches hands stroking over the ear, while running the other hand down Tara's body, smirking as Tara makes the most delicious sounds in the back of her throat. Faith moans quietly as Tara runs a hand up and through her hair, grasping gently.

Tara starts whimpering deep in the back of her throat, her hips starting a slow circle as Faith's hand teases over her outer lips for long moments before fingers dip between the swollen lips, traversing up and down her slit, sliding easily through the thoroughly soaked area, gliding over her hard nub, pressing into the swollen muscle, rubbing softly, gradually building up the speed and pressure as Tara's hips work faster against the firm touch.

Faith quickly slides two of her fingers down and inside the witch while replacing them on the woman's clit with her thumb, keeping up the firm, fast pressure while stroking inside the witch. Continuing to caress over the woman's other ear, Faith places kisses on the woman's jaw, working towards the ear closest to her. As the witch's body stops working in a smooth fast stroke, and starts jerking, her muscles start clenching her fingers firmly, Faith reaches the woman's other ear, licking over the delicate lobe, the response instantaneous as Tara's body arches, shaking as the orgasm works through her whole body, saturating Faith's hand with her release. Faith watches as the pleasure crosses the witch's face before leaning her forehead against the side of the witch while continuing the soft in and out of her fingers, prolonging the witch's orgasm before Tara finally collapses, whimpering, her body covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

Swallowing repeatedly, Tara slowly opens her eyes. "No…Not…" Tara lets out a shaky breath, her body shakes and tries to recover from the intense orgasm. "Not…that…I'm…complaining…"

Faith chuckles at the witch's attempt to speak. Slowing down her strokes, she finally stops her fingers movements, leaving them within the witch, not wanting to leave the witch's core just yet, enjoying the continuing clenching motion.

"Not…funny." Tara mutters, another aftershock working through her body. "Why?"

"Why am I drivin' you to distraction?" Faith questions. "Why have I decided I want to wear you out every chance I get? Because I can." Faith smirks at the witch, her eyes twinkling.

"Bitch." Tara grumbles, then laughs as Faith nods her head in agreement. "Goddess, you're going to drive me insane." Tara's smiles at the slayer leaning up to kiss her briefly. "It's probably getting close to two o'clock, if not after. If we don't want to shock Mr. Giles, if he decides to come looking for us, we should get dressed."

"Spoilsport." Faith growls, easing her fingers from within Tara before slowly unwrapping her legs from around the witch's leg, just now realizing she'd kept it hostage, before she stands, offering her hands to the witch. Helping her up, Faith pulls her body in flush against hers, leaning down the short distance, capturing her lips in a soft kiss. "What are we going to do the rest of today and tonight?" Faith questions as she finally releases the witch, watching as Tara opens the backpack, pulling out a Ziploc bag with damp washcloths in them.

"I should have been a boy scout." Tara smirks as she hands a washcloth to Faith. "Isn't their motto 'Always be Prepared'?"

"I like you as you are, I don't want a boy scout. I want a very prepared, very beautiful witch." Faith admits honestly as she cleans herself quickly.

Tara tilts Faith's chin up and kisses her firmly on the lips. "Thank you." Tara smiles crookedly at the slayer before wiping her body down, the two women companionably dressing silently before gathering the items, packing them away.

Faith chuckles as Tara hands her a couple granola bars and a large water. Watching as she tucks a couple bars in her own pocket, grasping a water out for herself as she folds up the blanket tightly, shoving it in the backpack. "You didn't answer me, what're we doing the rest of today and tonight?"

"Well, we're both probably going to crash in about three or four hours time. So I figure we'll want to shower, get some actual real food in us. Then let nature take its course." Tara smiles at Faith, as the slayer tucks the water under her arm while ripping into one of the granola bars, scarfing it down quickly, tucking the wrapper in her pocket before she tears into the other bar finishing it in record time.

Faith smiles self-consciously. "All we've had are those donuts." Faith defends herself.

"I know sweetie, that's why I brought the bars." Tara smiles at the slayer as she pulls the other two out of her pocket handing them to the slayer. "I'm okay, so you go ahead and eat these." Tara smiles encouragingly as Faith hesitates looking at her.

"You sure?" Faith finally accepts the bars as Tara places them in her hand. "Thank you."

"No problem." Tara smiles as they continue walking, Faith making short work of the last two bars before she sucks down the water. Tara sips on her water, as they get closer to the road.

"Huh." Faith states looking at the Jeep in the distance. "Looks like Mrs. S is picking us up. Wonder if there's a problem?"

"I doubt it, I'm sure they would have come after us, if there was." Tara smiles at Faith.

"Yeah, or they would have called." Faith digs her cell phone out, flipping it open. "No phone calls." Faith shrugs. "I guess we'll find out what's up when we get to her."

"Yo, Mrs. S. Everything okay?" Faith questions, tossing Tara's backpack in the back of the Jeep as she looks at the older woman.

"Everything's fine. Rupert called and asked if I'd mind picking you two up out here, they got in a large shipment that he needed to unpack and inventory." Joyce smiles at the two women. "So, how's everything with you two?"

"Wonderful." Tara smiles shyly at the woman as she climbs in the backseat.

"Mrs. S?" Faith questions quietly, grasping the older woman's arm before she can open the door to the vehicle.

"What is it, Faith?" Joyce turns concerned eyes on the dark-haired slayer.

"Ummm…Is it okay if Tare stays at the house tonight?" Faith looks up with pleading eyes.

Joyce bites her lip to keep from laughing at the young woman. "I don't know, Faith. I mean, you might get up to all kinds of mischief, and my poor house will probably be in shock with whatever you two get up to in your room."

"Mrs. S.!" Faith grumbles, a light blush actually crossing her face. "According to Tare we're probably going to crash in another four hours, give or take. And I'm absolutely starving. So there probably won't be a lot of anything going on tonight." Faith admits quietly. "I want her to eat a good meal and maybe curl up with me to sleep tonight, is all."

"Of course she can stay, Faith. I was just kidding with you." Joyce wraps an arm around the slayer, hugging her gently.

"I know you were, but I want you to know that wasn't the reason I wanted her to stay. Plus, I kind of sleep better when she's with me." Faith grins crookedly looking in the Jeep at Tara who's turned her head, giving them privacy.

"So things went well with you two?" Joyce questions with a knowing lift of her eyebrow.

"So well, you wouldn't believe it. Damn, the woman has a body to absolutely fuckin' die for." Faith growls quietly, at remembering said body. "My first project will be taking her out on a shopping spree and buying her something other than those damn long skirts, and baggy shirts."

Joyce chuckles at the young woman. "Faith, don't corrupt the poor dear."

"Corrupt her? Mrs. S. you might want to be more concerned with the fact that she might actually be able to corrupt me." Faith grins before patting the woman on the shoulder. "Not only is she hot, but the things she does…" Faith unconsciously licks her lips.

"TMI, dear." Joyce chuckles. "Climb in the back with her, I'll play chauffeur."

"Thanks." Faith grins as she quickly walks the short distance to the Jeep climbing in beside Tara, kissing her softly on the lips as Joyce climbs in the front seat.

"What do you ladies want for dinner?" Joyce starts the vehicle, glancing up in the rearview mirror at the two women before pulling out onto the road, heading back into Sunnydale.

"Steak, potatoes, salad and bread." Faith suggests looking at Tara. "Sound okay to you?"

"That would be perfect." Tara smiles as Faith wraps an arm around her tugging her into her body gently.

"We'll have to stop at the store." Joyce glances in the rearview mirror making eye contact with Faith.

"That's fine. I'm buying, anyhow." Faith grins as she runs a comforting hand down Tara's arm. "Don't argue, Mrs. S." Faith states seeing the look crossing Buffy's mom's face.

"You don't have to buy all the groceries, Faith." Joyce grumbles as she pulls into Sunnydale city limits.

"Considering the fact that I eat 90% of it, yeah, I do." Faith wraps both arms around Tara, hugging her gently. "Come, take a shower, eat dinner with us and stay the night?" Faith offers.

"I don't have a change of clothes." Tara glances down at her clothes.

"I could loan you something." Faith wiggles her eyebrows at the witch.

"I don't think you'll have anything that'll fit, Faith." Tara chuckles at the slayer. "I guess I could always put these back on to wear back to the dorms tomorrow."

"Actually, I could throw them in the washer for you, if you want. I washed your bedding. I got all the blood out." Joyce offers as she pulls into the grocery store parking lot.

"You don't have to do that. And thanks, I might need to get your recipe for getting blood stains out." Tara turns her gaze on Faith, narrowing her eyes at the slayer.

"I try not to get like that." Faith raises a hand in defense of herself. "Honest!"

Tara chuckles softly. "I know, sweetie. We going in?" Tara questions, reaching for the door handle.

"Yeah. Pick out some snacks and stuff while we're there." Faith follows Tara out of the Jeep, the three women walking towards the grocery store. "What all do you like to eat?"

"Pretty much everything." Tara smiles softly at the slayer. "I'm not a picky eater."

"What's your favorite dessert?" Faith smirks as Joyce starts looking at the rib eyes, talking with the butcher. "Mrs. S. is gonna be a little while. Let's pick out some other items."

"Peanut butter cup ice cream." Tara grins at the slayer as they go down the fresh vegetable aisle. "What do you like, or don't like?" Tara questions softly as she checks out the Romaine lettuce, placing it in the hand carrier the slayer had grabbed.

"Everythin' but green peppers." Faith admits, grinning "No, make that green peppers, anchovies and smoked oysters. Don't much care for those three."

"Okay, things you don't like, check. What do you like?" Tara places a cucumber in the carrier before looking at the green onions.

"Hmmm. What do I like?" Faith half questions, easing her body in close to the witch's. "I like blonde haired, blue eyed witch's with bodies to die for, that can make me scream to the heavens." Faith whispers into the witch's ear, smirking as she watches her blush.

Tara giggles before the green onions follow the lettuce and cucumber into the hand basket. "I'm not very filling, though. So, come on, what do you like to eat?" Tara places a couple large tomato's in the basket.

Faith grabs some white radishes and throws them in the basket she's carrying. "I'm assuming you mean sweets, since you know I like everythin' else. I like banana splits." Faith admits, smiling shyly. "The banana's, the vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, nuts, whipped cream and even the cherry on top."

"Hmmm. I like banana splits too. I usually ask for extra cherries." Tara smirks as they walk over to the potatoes. "I like these big baking potatoes."

"Won't hear me complain." Faith grins, as she turns and looks at Joyce as she pushes the cart towards them. "Got fixin's for the salad. Tara's putting in a bid for these potatoes from hell."

"I've got the steaks, munchies and sour cream." Joyce chuckles as Faith starts putting the items for the salad in the cart. "Tara, you might want to grab at least ten of those potatoes."

"Ten?" Tara looks up, surprised.

"That way we might actually have a few left over for hash browns in the morning." Joyce grins patting Faith on the head. "We just need to keep the darling here to only a couple potatoes, but we do have extra steaks."

"Yeah, yeah." Faith grumbles good-naturedly. "Anything else?"

"What do you ladies want for dessert?" Joyce questions looking at the two women.

"Banana splits." Tara pipes up, grinning at the slayer.

"We need banana's and whipped cream. I think we have everything else at the house." Joyce states thinking.

"We should. That all we need?" Faith looks over the items in the cart. "Dressings, what kind of salad dressing do you like, Tare?"

"Ranch, French, Thousand Island, Bleu Cheese, Italian…" Tara starts naming them off, laughing as Faith rolls her eyes. "Pretty much all of them."

"Well, we have quite a few at the house, so we should be okay there." Joyce chuckles as she pushes the cart towards the checkout line. "I'll probably have to boil the potatoes to get them cooked in a decent amount of time."

"That's fine. When we get home, I'll drag the grill out and get it set up." Faith offers as she pulls the money out of her pocket, paying for the food. "Tare can go ahead and shower, getting cleaned up, if you want."

"Thanks, I'd like that." Tara watches as Faith takes the cart from Joyce and pushes it quickly before hopping on it, riding it towards the Jeep. Laughing loudly at the playful slayer, she looks towards an indulgently smiling Joyce. "She's just like a daughter to you, isn't she?"

"A very rotten, intense daughter, yes." Joyce admits watching as Faith opens the back, quickly putting the bags in the Jeep. "She's rough around the edges, but she has a good heart. Not that you will, but…Please don't hurt her." Joyce turns serious eyes on the witch. "She's never cared for anyone before, like she does you."

"I'm not planning on it, Mrs. Summers." Tara softly admits. "I won't ever knowingly hurt her."

"That's all I can ask for." Joyce smiles softly at the young woman.

Tara climbs in the back of the Jeep, smiling as Faith climbs in beside her kissing her quickly.

"How do you like your steak?" Faith questions, running a hand down Tara's thigh, clasping it gently.

"Medium." Tara answers softly, watching as Joyce turns up a nice subdivision, pulling into the driveway of a beautiful two story house.

"Good. I was afraid you were gonna be like B and prefer to have it killed twice." Faith smirks as she opens the door hopping out. "Waste of a good steak, if you ask me."

Tara chuckles as she follows Faith around to the back of the vehicle, helping carry the bags in. "Does she always rag on Buffy?" Tara questions Joyce as they walk up to the front door.

"Almost always." Joyce admits, smiling as she quickly unlocks the door, walking towards the kitchen. "You want the usual seasonings on yours, Faith?"

"Please." Faith grins as she sets down the bags, pulling the cold items out, placing them in the refrigerator.

"Let me guess, something hot and spicy?" Tara questions, laughing as Joyce rolls her eyes. "Cayenne pepper?"

"A mixture of Cayenne, blackening seasoning, garlic, pepper, and dried red peppers crushed and sprinkled over the steaks." Joyce chuckles as she pulls out a big Tupperware container half filled. "In other words, this."

Tara laughs quietly as she opens the container. "Whoa! This will cure what ails a person."

"It's good." Faith smirks as she places the snacks in the pantry.

"I have to say this, and I don't mean it in a bad way. But you seem a lot more domesticated than I would have expected." Tara watches Faith, surprised.

"Don't even go there." Faith quietly mutters. "I'm gonna pull the grill around back. Let me know when you want me to fire it up."

"Thanks, Faith." Joyce smiles as Faith heads out to the garage before turning to Tara. "She doesn't like anyone to know, so you have to promise not to tell." When Tara looks inquisitively at her and nods her head, Joyce smirks. "She does almost all the cleaning around here, along with the laundry, even ironing my clothes."

Tara blinks in surprise, glancing out the window of the back door watching as Faith pulls the grill out on the patio. "She doesn't seem the type. She hides a lot of stuff, doesn't she?"

"Yes. I think she's afraid of being made fun of. No one, and I mean NO ONE is aware of this, but me, you and Faith. Just like the fact that she buys all the food. She's actually been saving up to buy a motorcycle, I've been trying to talk her out of it. I'm afraid she'll break her fool neck on the thing." Joyce admits as she grabs the potatoes, scrubbing them quickly before putting them in a large pot of water.

"Anything I can do to help?" Tara offers watching as Joyce places the last of the potatoes on the stove, turning the burner on high.

"If you want to go ahead and grab the steaks back out of the refrigerator, I'll treat her four with her mixture from hell. Anything you want on your steaks?" Joyce questions as she pulls down some regular steak seasoning for her steak.

"Steak, only one!" Tara laughs as she stacks the steaks on the island, pulling off the wrapping, lining the steaks up for Joyce. "The regular steak seasoning is fine. I'll see if Faith will mind my trying a bite of one of her steaks after they're cooked. See if I like that concoction of hers."

"Of course you can." Faith answers as she walks into the kitchen. "Mrs. S.? Is it okay if I go ahead and take Tara up so she can shower and get cleaned up?"

"Of course. I'm assuming you'll want to get cleaned up also. Bring the laundry down and I'll make sure they get thrown in the wash." Joyce looks up, smiling at the two women, before going back to putting a fine coating of Faith's seasonings on her steaks before rubbing it in, flipping them and repeating.

"Come on. I'll give ya' the nickel tour." Faith placing her hand on the small of Tara's back, urging her towards the dining room. "Of course, this is the dining room, the living room…" Faith trails off wrapping her arms around the witch's waist before kissing her gently on the back of the neck. "There's a small study over there." Faith points to the door. "And then we've got the upstairs with the bedrooms and the bathroom. Come on." Faith smirks as she tugs Tara gently up the stairs.

Tara laughs quietly following the slayer. "You aren't planning naughty things once we make it upstairs are you?" Tara questions as they reach the landing.

"Who, me?" Faith turns, leering at the witch. "I got a pair of sweat pants, if you want." Faith leads the way into her bedroom, pulling open a drawer and handing the witch the pair of sweat pants. "I think they oughta fit okay. I got a t-shirt in here somewhere that I accidentally got a size to big." Faith shifts her clothes around looking for the black t-shirt.

"Faith, you don't have to go to this trouble. I can put these clothes back on." Tara places a hand on the slayer's back, stroking it gently. "It's okay."

"Nah, I know what it's like to put on dirty clothes after taking a shower. Takes that nice clean feeling and tosses it away." Faith looks over her shoulder, smiling.

Tara can't help but reach out, stroking a thumb over the dimple flashing at her.

Faith leans into the caress, her eyes closing momentarily. "Let me get your shirt, that way you can take a shower, or bath, whichever you prefer." Faith smiles quickly before turning back to her drawers, opening another one, finally coming across the t-shirt. "Here ya' go. Let me get you towels and a washcloth."

"You aren't joining me?" Tara questions with a lift of her eyebrow, a small smile playing around her lips.

"I figured I'd take our clothes down and throw them in the laundry while you were getting cleaned up. Plus, if I join ya', you won't be getting clean." Faith admits, chuckling. Pulling a couple towels and a washcloth out of the linen closet.

"Hmmm. Not seeing a problem." Tara grins as she follows Faith into the bathroom.

"Don't tempt me, woman!" Faith smiles at Tara, groaning quietly as Tara quickly starts stripping. "So not helpin'." Faith growls as the woman finishes taking her clothes off. Frowning as she notices the bright pink skin, Faith gently runs a finger over one of Tara's breasts. "I need to get something for this, that way you can sleep comfortably. Should have probably made you cover up, instead of taking advantage of you for that last hour." Faith bitches at herself.

"It'll be okay, Faith." Tara smiles gently at the woman.

"Take a cool bath, that'll help pull some of the heat from your skin. I'll see if Mrs. S. has something to help. I think she's got one of those Aloe plants around here somewhere for burns, that might help." Faith states worriedly as she quickly gather's the witch's clothes, leaving a bemused Tara alone in the bathroom.

"I guess I'll take a bath." Tara states to the empty room, chuckling quietly.

Faith strips quickly, placing Tara's belt on the bed before yanking on a pair of shorts and tank top, gathering the clothes and running downstairs. "Mrs. S.?" Faith questions, skidding to a stop watching as Joyce slices the cucumber.

"What is it, Faith?" Joyce questions looking up, placing the knife on the cutting board.

"You got one of those Aloe plants around here, don't ya'?" Faith questions quickly.

"Yes, actually I have a couple. One outside and one up in my bedroom, why?" Joyce frowns watching as Faith bounces worriedly.

"Tare's a little on the red side from being out in the sun for four hours today. She's gonna be in some pain if we don't do somethin'." Faith admits, frowning.

Joyce bites her lip to keep from laughing, after realizing it wasn't anything serious. "I'll go cut a couple sections on the one outside, it's bigger and has more medicine in the sections. After she takes her shower, she should spread it liberally over the red areas."

"Ummm…Probably going to need more than a few sections, then." Faith blushes lightly, looking down at the floor.

"Oh." Joyce blinks in realization. "Okay, then." Joyce walks out to the garage, grabbing her pruning shears and a large jar.

"I'm gonna go throw these in the laundry." Faith mutters as Joyce heads towards the back door.

"Going to have to introduce those two to sunscreen." Joyce chuckles as she starts cutting the sections, tilting them so the medicine stays in them while placing them in the jar. "Oh, to be young again." Joyce smirks as she hears Faith come out the door. "Those were the days."

"Ain't funny." Faith grumbles. "I didn't realize she was turning red till just a few minutes ago. I should have known better with her fair skin, that she'd probably burn." Faith bitches as she paces back and forth as Joyce keeps cutting sections.

"So, I would probably be assuming correctly if I were to say her whole body is going to need to be coated?" Joyce questions softly.

"Yeah." Faith sighs deeply. "She goes and does this to help heal me, and she's gonna be hurting because of it! Just ain't right."

"This'll take the heat out of it. If you want, I can run to the store real quick and pick up some of the Aloe Vera in a bottle, to help. I don't know if I'll have enough to treat her body more than once." Joyce admits quietly as she clips the plant down as far as she dares. "Come with me, I'll cut what I can off my plant upstairs."

"Good, I'll take them into the bathroom and see if Tare's finished with her bath, then I'll help put this on her." Faith holds her hand out for the jar, following Joyce up the stairs.

"She taking a cool bath?" Joyce smiles softly at the obvious worry in the slayer's voice for the witch.

"I told her to, so I hope she listened." Faith grumbles. "But she's stubborn."

"Hmmm. Reminds me of someone else." Joyce smirks at the slayer before finishing cutting the sections of plant. "There you go. I'll run to the store now, if you can put up the cucumber."

"Please." Faith looks at the woman with a pleading look in her eyes.

"You got it bad, Faith." Joyce pats the woman on the shoulder.

"I know." Faith admits, rubbing a hand over the back of her neck. "It was bad enough before, without knowing her that well, but after her helping me, us talking and then last night and today." Faith blows a heavy breath of air up into her hair. "Damn, girl's hiding a body from hell under those damn frumpy clothes. She makes me feel things I ain't never felt before, and I don't mean just physically."

"Life's short, Faith. Grab onto it with both hands." Joyce suggests quietly. "Go take care of your woman, I'm going to run to the store."

"Thanks, Mrs. S. I appreciate everythin' you do for me." Faith smiles at the woman.

"Thanks for letting me." Joyce smiles softly at the young woman. "I'll be back in a little while. Don't forget the stuff downstairs."

"I won't, thanks." Faith follows Joyce out of her bedroom, stopping outside the bathroom door as Joyce continues to the stairs. Knocking gently, Faith smiles as Tara calls for her to come in.

Tara smiles as Faith comes in carrying the jar with the Aloe plant in it. "Hi, sweetie."

"Hey. Mrs. S. is running to the store to pick up some Aloe Vera in a bottle, since we pretty much grabbed all her plants for this. Is the bath pulling the heat from your skin?" Faith questions placing the jar on the sink, walking over to the tub, checking the temperature.

"Yes, I used cool water, and yes it's helping." Tara sighs watching Faith.

Faith looks over Tara's body, frowning as it seems she's becoming redder. Pulling her cell phone out of her pocket, she dials Joyce's cell. "Mrs. S.? Can you pick up a pair of sweat shorts for Tara to wear, I don't think sweat pants are gonna get it. And a large tank top? That way they'll be loose on her and less fabric to rub against her skin. Thanks." Faith smiles as she disconnects, tucking the phone back away.

"Do you carry that thing with you everywhere?" Tara questions.

"Pretty much. I tuck it away in a pants pocket or jacket pocket on automatic." Faith frowns as she lightly brushes her thumb over the reddening cheek of the witch. "You soak for a while longer, place the washrag on your face, to help pull some of the heat from it. I'll be back up in a few minutes to help you put the aloe on, okay?"

"Faith…" Tara starts to tell the slayer not to worry, but when she frowns even harder, Tara sighs and smiles. "Okay, sweetie."

"Good." Faith nods, brushing her thumb over the bottom lip of the witch. "I need to check on the potatoes and finish slicing the cucumber that Mrs. S. was working on. You need me, yell."

"I'll be okay. I'll just soak until you come back up, so take your time." Tara places a kiss on Faith's thumb as it strokes continuously over her bottom lip as she talks.

"'Kay." Faith leans in placing a soft kiss on Tara's lips. "I'll be back in a few."

Tara shakes her head as the slayer quickly leaves the bathroom. "Goodness, you're going to spoil me, aren't you?" Tara questions the empty room as she slides down further in the water, groaning quietly as the coolness counteracts with her heated skin.

Faith quickly slices and chops everything for the salad, placing them in containers and putting them back in the refrigerator, as she listens intently for any sounds from upstairs. Taking a fork, she stabs one of the potatoes. "Not yet." Faith mutters as she sets the fork on the counter to check them again later. Double-checking to make sure she's done everything she can, she grabs a water as she runs up the stairs, knocking lightly on the bathroom door.

"You don't have to knock, Faith." Tara calls quietly, smiling as Faith opens the door.

"Yeah, well, Mrs. S. has been getting on me about just barging in all the time." Faith admits. "Told her she needs to lock the damn door."

Tara laughs quietly at the mischievous looking slayer. "You two act more like best friends than anything."

"Yeah, well, she kinda is my best friend." Faith sits down on the toilet seat looking at the witch. "You wanna continue soaking for a while longer, or do you want to come out and me slick you up with the aloe?"

"I'm about to become a prune." Tara admits, as she pulls the plug and stands.

Faith grabs the towel, gently wrapping the witch as she steps out of the tub. "Want me to pat you dry? I'll try to be gentle as to not irritate you." Faith offers.

"You'll probably be easier on me than I would be." Tara grins crookedly at Faith. "I'll be okay, Faith. Just a little sunburn."

"Yeah, well I shoulda insisted that you put your clothes on. I didn't notice you getting red until you were getting ready to take a bath." Faith grumps as she gently pats the woman dry, slowly working over her body.

"It takes a while to show up, but when it does, I look like a lobster." Tara admits, biting her lip at the slight burning sensation over her more sensitive areas.

"I know this is hurtin' ya'." Faith looks worriedly into the witch's eyes. "Want me to hit the worst places first?" Faith questions, her eyes dropping down to Tara's breasts, frowning.

"Please." Tara smiles as Faith hands her the water before grabbing the first section of aloe, squeezing the medicine out.

Faith liberally coats Tara's breasts, frowning as the witch flinches. "Can you heal yourself?" Faith questions softly as she slowly works her way through the aloe plant, gently coating the witch's body with the sticky substance.

"Unfortunately, no. It isn't part of what I can do. I can heal other people to a certain degree, but not myself." Tara admits, sighing quietly as the medicine from the plant finally starts to ease the pain of the sunburn.

"Your front is bad, but your back is worse." Faith comments as she finishes the last of the aloe, placing an extra layer over the woman's back and butt cheeks. "Should we put your hair up, to help keep you a little cooler?" Faith grabs her brush, gently brushing the blonde hair.

"No, it'll be okay." Tara whisper, closing her eyes at the soft ministrations of the slayer, knowing that, except herself and Joyce, no one ever sees this side of the slayer.

"Want to stay in here with me while I take a shower, or would you rather lay down in my room for a while?" Faith questions placing a gentle kiss on the back of the witch's neck, one of the few places that isn't red. "Or I could kiss all the places that aren't red."

Tara chuckles quietly as she looks down at her body. "Not many places to choose from in that case."

"Hmmm. No, not many places." Faith whispers as she washes her hands before walking around the woman. "The spot on your neck I just kissed, your face isn't real bad. A little on the pink side, but still kissable." Faith brushes her lips over the Tara's cheek, working her way to her ears. "Your ears are definitely kissable." Faith smiles as Tara whimpers as she kisses the sensitive ears. "And there's one other area that is definitely kissable." Faith breathes into Tara's ear as she brushes gently over the witch's mound, her fingers playfully tickling the woman.

"Faith!" Tara goes from moaning to chuckling at the slayer's playfulness.

"What'sa matter?" Faith grins at the witch, playfully plucking at the short hairs. Chuckling as Tara squirms, Faith laughs quietly as she slowly stops her hand. Placing a gentle kiss on Tara's jaw, Faith pulls away from the witch, smiling.

"Brat." Tara smiles softly at the slayer. "How's the food?"

"Potatoes are still on the stove, I guess I should check them again before taking a shower." Faith admits. "Want to lay down until dinner?"

"I'm afraid if I lie down, I won't get back up. And I'm kind of hungry." Tara admits.

"Well, you can stay here until Mrs. S. comes back. She shouldn't be much longer." Faith explains softly, brushing her thumb over the woman's full bottom lip. "And honestly, if I stay in here with you? I'm going to be kissing all of your non-burnt areas."

Tara whimpers quietly as Faith winks and eases out of the bathroom. "She's trying to drive me crazy. When we're both healthy, I have a feeling we're in for some serious fun."

Faith pokes her head back in the bathroom, grinning. "You have no earthly idea." Faith chuckles as Tara throws a wash rag towards her. Laughing, Faith quickly pulls her head back, heading downstairs.

Faith pokes the potatoes, smiling as it goes in easier, knowing they're almost done. Running outside, she starts the grill. Walking back into the house, she smiles as she hears the Jeep pull back in the driveway. Opening the front door, she smiles as Joyce walks up the steps, handing her the bags.

"I got everything you asked for, along with some sleeping pills, in case she has trouble getting to sleep." Joyce explains as she sets down her purse. "Did the Aloe help?"

"Yes, it did. Thanks." Faith smiles gratefully at the older woman. "Potatoes are close to being done. I have all the fixings ready for the salad to be put together and the grill is heating up. I'm gonna give the witch her clothes and then take a shower, myself."

"I'll throw the salad together and put the steaks on." Joyce smirks as Faith nods her head before practically running up the stairs. Joyce chuckles as she heads to the kitchen.

"Here." Faith pulls the shorts and tank top out of the bag as she walks into the bathroom. Yanking the tags off, she throws them in the trash as she kneels in front of Tara.

Tara rolls her eyes as she lifts her foot, stepping into the shorts before lifting her other foot, stepping into the other side, watching as Faith stretches the shorts out, gently pulling them up, trying to be careful not to rub the shorts over her skin.

Gently releasing the shorts, Faith nods her head as they're nice and loose on the witch. "How do they feel?" Faith questions looking up into Tara's beautiful blue eyes.

"They feel fine. Faith, you really don't have to dress me." Tara chuckles as Faith snarls her nose up.

"Yeah, like you didn't need to bathe me, shave my legs, heal me, dress me and so on." Faith explains as she grasps the tank top, grinning at the white top. "Oooh. Thin white tank top, no bra. Hmmm. Joyce was thinking." Faith smirks as she licks her lips.

"Goddess!" Tara whimpers at the realization. "Surely she didn't do that on purpose."

"I don't know, but I'm sure as hell gonna thank her." Faith smirks as she eases the tank top over Tara, grinning at the nipples barely showing through the shirt. Not able to resist, Faith brushes her fingertips gently over the nipples, groaning as they quickly harden in response. "So sensitive."

"Take a shower." Tara orders as she heads out the bathroom door, going to Faith's bedroom, looking for some kind of cover shirt to wear over the tank top.

"Here, you can wear this." Joyce smiles as she hands Tara one of her oversized shirts. "They only had white tank tops in a large enough size for you to wear comfortably. I figured you might be uncomfortable wearing the thin white top."

"Thank you." Tara smiles at the older woman, easing the shirt gently on.

"I got a big bottle of Aloe Vera for you to use, along with some sleeping pills, just in case you might need the extra help to get a good nights sleep." Joyce smiles. "Time to check the steaks."

"Anything else you need help with?" Tara questions as she follows Joyce downstairs.

"If you want to throw the salad together. Faith already cleaned, sliced and diced everything, so all one of us has to do is toss it together." Joyce throws over her shoulder as she walks out the back door.

Tara gathers the items out of the refrigerator, munching on a piece of radish as she throws the salad together.

"Damn. Why'd ya' cover up, for?" Faith pouts as she walks into the kitchen, running her hands through her damp hair.

"To help make a certain slayer behave." Joyce explains, a definite smirk on her face as she walks in carrying the steaks on two different platters. "Faith, can you set the table?"

"Of course." Faith quickly pulls down plates, and silverware carrying them to the dining room.

"I'll take the salad and potatoes in." Tara gather's the two large bowls, following Faith, as Joyce carries in the steaks, setting them down in the middle of the table.

"What do you two ladies want to drink?" Joyce questions as she gets ready to head back into the kitchen.

"Soda." Faith looks up, grinning as she places the plates on the table, ready to place the silverware beside them.

"I should probably have a big glass of water." Tara smiles. "Let me help." Tara follows Joyce in, grabbing a two liter of soda for Faith while Joyce fills the glasses with ice. Tara notices the butter and sour cream on the island, grabbing the three items, she quickly takes them into the dining room. "What else do we need, sweetie?" Tara questions softly setting the items down.

"I'll get the rest. Go ahead and sit down, I brought a pillow and placed it in the chair, that way it might be a little more comfortable for you." Faith admits quietly as she walks into the kitchen.

Joyce chuckles as she comes in, setting the water down in front of Tara. "Go ahead and grab what you want, Tara. You'll have to fight Faith off the food with a baseball bat, if you don't."

"I heard that." Faith growls as she carries in the bread and salad tongs.

"Thanks for inviting me." Tara smiles as Faith hands her the steaks.

"No thanks necessary. Thank you." Joyce smiles as Tara hands her the platter, the women quickly filling their plates.

"Here, babe." Faith cuts off a piece of the tender steak, offering Tara a bite.

"Is it gonna set me on fire?" Tara questions, trying not to laugh.

"Do you like spicy food?" Faith questions with a raised eyebrow.

"Spicy, but not set my ass on fire food." Tara jokes, finally accepting the piece of meat off the offered fork, chewing gently, swallowing the small bite of food. "Pretty good." Tara finally admits, grinning.

"Want one for yourself?" Faith questions, reaching for one of her steaks.

"I'm not going to eat your steak, Faith." Tara pats the woman gently on the leg. "You eat. Both of us are probably going to be crashing in around an hour, and not be good for much of anything but snoring."

"Will you both really crash like that?" Joyce questions as she takes a bite of her salad watching the two women curiously.

"I definitely will. Faith might not crash quite as bad as I will, but she'll definitely be tired." Tara smiles at Joyce. "What I did, healed Faith, re-charged my Witchy batteries and probably gave Faith something of a charge." Tara blushes lightly. "But it'll eventually take its toll on me physically and I'll crash. And probably crash hard. Before I was out for almost a week."

Faith frowns turning towards Tara. "What?" Faith growls.

"I won't crash that bad, probably 10-12 hours max." Tara pats the slayer's leg gently before she digs into her potato.

Faith watch's Tara for a few minutes, frowning, before working her way through her first plate of food, reaching for another steak.

"Dinner is wonderful, Mrs. Summers." Tara smiles as she finishes the last bite of her steak.

"Have some more, dear." Joyce smiles at the woman.

"I think I will." Tara grins as she reaches for a potato, cutting a section of it off, offering the rest to Faith. "I can't eat another whole one, do you want the other part?"

"Sure. If you really like my steak, you take part of it?" Faith offers, cutting a section off, holding it over the witch's plate.

"Please." Tara grins as Faith smirks placing the steak on her plate.

"More bread or salad?" Faith questions as she places a piece of bread on her plate, offering it to Tara.

"I'm going to crash just from having a full tummy." Tara groans as she accepts the bread.

Joyce chuckles as she finishes eating dinner, watching the two women. "Did you get enough to eat, Faith?"

"Yes, thanks." Faith grins as she finally finishes her dinner, patting her stomach.

"Did you leave room for dessert?" Joyce questions, laughing at the look of misery on Tara's face.

"No room." Tara mumbles, unconsciously leaning towards Faith, whimpering as she places her hand on her shoulder.

"Okay, let's get you slicked up again." Faith eases her hand away from the woman, frowning at the heat coming from her lover's body. "Mrs. S. I'll come back down in a few and help you clean up."

"Don't worry about it, Faith. Take care of Tara. I'll clean up from dinner. Do you guys want banana splits or not?" Joyce questions seriously as she starts gathering the dirty dishes.

"Nah, maybe for breakfast." Faith smirks at the look she gets from Joyce. "Thanks, Mrs. S. Come on, Blondie. Let's get you upstairs and pour half that bottle on you."

"Okay." Tara whimpers quietly as the pain starts working through her body a little more. Slowly she stands walking up the stairs.

"Do you want a couple of those sleepin' pills Mrs. S. bought?" Faith questions after she generously coats the witch's body with the Aloe Vera. Flipping the covers down to the end of the bed, she frowns as Tara gingerly climbs in.

"No, thank you, sweetie. I have a feeling I won't wake up for a while, even with the sunburn." Tara smiles at the slayer.

"You don't want a sheet over you, do you?" Faith kneels down beside the bed, looking Tara in the eye. "I'm gonna bring up a big glass of water, that way if you get thirsty it'll be here."

"You going to stay up for a little while before coming to bed?" Tara questions as she yawns, her eyes getting heavy.

"Just a little longer. Then I'll come up here and make sure you're okay before curling up to sleep." Faith gently pushes the hair back from Tara's face, smiling at the witch. "Go to sleep. I'll be back up in a little while."

"Thank you, Faith." Tara smiles softly as Faith leans in brushing her lips gently.

"Sleep." Faith orders gently, watching as Tara finally starts to breathe regularly and deeply as she falls asleep. Watching Tara, Faith is unaware of the time passing as she realizes this woman has really come to mean a lot to her in just a few days. "We need to figure out what's going on with you. I still think it's a load of shit." Faith whispers leaning up to brush her lips gently over the woman's forehead before standing looking down her back, shaking her head at the sun burnt body. "I hope you're right that this'll be better in a couple days. This isn't exactly the time for you to have a sun burnt body!!"

Faith smiles at Joyce as she comes into the kitchen, helping her put the food away.

"She sleeping?" Joyce questions quietly as she loads the dishwasher.

"Yeah. I wish there was more I could do to help her." Faith admits. "Thanks for getting her stuff, I laid the money for it by your purse." Faith hops up on the island watching Joyce. "What'cha think of her?" Faith questions seriously.

"Well, I don't know her that well. But what I have seen and noticed, she seems like a very caring, beautiful young woman." Joyce turns to face the slayer, leaning against the counter as she dries her hands.

"Add stubborn, pig headed and absolutely the most wonderful person I think I've ever met to the list." Faith smiles. "How many people do you know that would have done what she did for me, without hardly knowin' me?"

"Not many." Joyce admits, smiling softly. "She's falling for you, Faith. As I believe you are for her, also." Joyce comments gently.

"You think she is?" Faith questions hoarsely, her eyes serious. "Mrs. S…" Faith starts frowning deeply, not knowing whether or not she should talk to the woman about the possibility of Tara becoming a demon.

"What is it, Faith?" Joyce questions watching the slayer intently, noticing the worry on her face.

"I ain't got the right to talk to you about this. But I know you won't say anything." Faith sighs running a rough hand through her hair, her shoulders slumping. "It might make her mad at me if I talk about it to someone else."

"Faith, if it's regarding Tara, don't jeopardize your relationship over talking about something to me. See if it's okay for you to discuss whatever it is first." Joyce offers softly.

Faith looks at Joyce, worry in her eyes. "Okay." Faith sighs looking down at her clenched hands. "I better get her something to drink. Do you think it would be good to maybe put cool wet towels over her body, help bring the heat out?"

"It probably would. But I'd wait until she's awake, otherwise it might be a shock and wake her from her sleep." Joyce smiles at Faith, as the wheels keep turning in the slayer's brain, trying to think of ways to help Tara. "Go head upstairs. If you need me to get anything else, let me know."

"Thanks, Mrs. S." Faith smiles as she hops down, gently squeezing the woman's arm before grabbing Tara's glass and filling it with ice and water.

Joyce smiles gently as Faith quickly heads out of the kitchen, before walking into the living room, sitting down to finish reading the mystery novel Tara let her borrow.

Faith curls up in the chair in the corner of the room, silently watching Tara sleep. She doesn't know how long she's been sitting there dozing off and on, but as Tara moans and shifts on the bed, she realizes the room is dark. Quickly standing she walks to the woman, gently brushing her hair away from her face. "I'm going to put some more Aloe Vera on your back." Faith whispers to the sleeping woman. Grabbing the bottle, Faith gently sits down beside her on the bed, covering every section of exposed skin with the gel. When she hears the door shut downstairs, Faith frowns, realizing Buffy just came in as she feels the other slayer.

"What the hell are you doing?" Buffy questions hoarsely as she walks in Faith's room, noticing Tara lying on the bed, with Faith running her hands down her naked torso.

"Treating Tare's sunburn." Faith explains, raising an eyebrow. "Ever heard of knockin'?" Faith growls quietly.

"Buffy, leave them alone." Joyce states calmly, grabbing onto her daughter's arm, smiling apologetically at Faith. "I told you both of them were here and okay, so let them get some rest."

"Mom, you can't honestly be okay with her having her hands all over Tara like that! My God! That woman helped heal her, and now Faith's taking advantage of her." Buffy growls, pulling her arm away from her mother, striding towards the bed.

"Kind of hard to take advantage of someone, when they're okay with it." Tara sleepily mutters, dragging an eye open. "She's more than welcome to do whatever she wants. She's helping me, and my front needs to be treated, so unless you want to get a complete view, I suggest you leave."

Faith smirks down at the witch, noticing her lover's eyes light up with mischief as Buffy continues to stand there, even with Joyce pulling gently on her arm. As she watches Tara shrug and shift, Faith chuckles quietly as she turns her gaze to Buffy, noticing the shock and surprise cross Buffy's face as she quickly shuts her eyes, her face turning a deep red.

"She warned ya'." Faith shrugs, shifting to kneel beside the bed, smiling as Tara shifts her legs, allowing her to come in close as Faith squirts some more gel on her hands, gently treating Tara's face as she works down her body, ignoring the sputtering slayer behind her, and the quiet chuckles coming from Joyce.

"Thank you." Tara smiles as she runs a finger down Faith's face as she finishes treating her upper body as she slowly works her way down her legs.

"Welcome." Faith smirks up at the witch. "I'm probably going to have to treat your back again, when you lay back down."

"After I go to the bathroom." Tara admits quietly, slowly standing and walking naked as the day she was born to the bathroom, leaving a chuckling Faith, a giggling Joyce and a stunned, red faced Buffy standing in the room behind her.

"What the FUCK is going on?" Buffy yells after Tara leaves the room, looking from her mother to Faith and back again.

"B, get a friggin' clue." Faith growls as she sets the gel on the nightstand, turning on a bedroom lamp. "She finished healing me today, and needless to say, she got sun burnt when she did it." Faith's eyes catch the laughing eyes of Joyce.

"She did it in the nude?" Buffy questions confused.

"Yep." Faith smirks as she leans against the wall, hearing Tara opening the bathroom door, watching her as she walks back in the room. "Do you want me to wet down some towels, help draw the heat out?"

"No, thank you. The aloe is starting to work better. Of course, I know you've been treating my back when I've been asleep, haven't you?" Tara smiles at the slayer, stopping to stroke a thumb down her cheek.

"Yeah." Faith admits, smiling. "You do realize you're standing here naked as the day you were born, in front of B and Mrs. S., right?"

"Yep." Tara smirks at the slayer. "I figured Mrs. Summers is used to you running around like this, so seeing me would just be disappointing. As for Buffy, she had the chance to leave and decided to stay." Tara shrugs, slowly climbing back on the bed, groaning quietly.

"Faith, just for the record?" Joyce smirks at the dark-haired slayer, as she turns her gaze from the witch to her. "You're right. Body from hell. Definitely not disappointing!" Joyce chuckles as she leaves the room.

"Talking about me behind my back?" Tara questions, smirking as Faith quickly starts coating her back again.

"Maybe a little." Faith admits grinning.

"What exactly is going on here?" Buffy questions hoarsely, as she watches Faith run her hands gently over the woman's back as she puts more Aloe Vera on the woman's burnt body. Not even wanting to think about her mother's comments. "And how come I got this very serious feeling I'm going to have to apologize?"

"You want me to tell her?" Tara questions looking at Faith.

"If you wanna." Faith shrugs, grinning.

"Well, let's see. I got her to eat, take her pills and start the healing pretty good yesterday. Last night after she got more food in her, a nice shower to help her feel better, and another nap with more pills, she woke up feeling better and on the frisky side, so we fucked each others brains out and fell asleep. Woke up this morning to Giles knocking on the door, took her out to the lake, finished healing her and fucked each others brains out for another four hours. Hence my being burnt." Tara quickly explains, trying not to laugh as she hears the deep chuckles coming from Faith.

Buffy stands there, her mouth dropped open in shock and surprise. "Huh?" She intelligently questions, not believing what she heard.

"Damn, B! Surely you ain't that damn slow." Faith looks in surprise at the blonde slayer. "We had hot and heavy sex last night, the witch rocked my world!"

"It was a mutual rocking, sweetie." Tara offers, reaching to caress her hand over the slayer's thigh.

"And we won't even say what this afternoon was like." Faith grins down at the witch. "There is no question that I definitely want to do that again, without the healing and with some major sun block."

"Definitely need the sun block. You being hurt, I'd rather not. Didn't mind my portion of healing you, truth be told." Tara grins as the slayer's eyes light up at her comment. "I guess I'm really not a boy scout, huh?" Tara smirks at Faith, as she lays her head down on the pillow, her eyes trying to close. "Don't sleep in the chair again. Come to bed." Tara whispers as she finally stops fighting trying to stay awake, as she's dragged back under to sleep land.

"B, we like each other. For some stupid, crazy reason, the witch likes me. That's all you need to know. Now get out of here so we can get some rest." Faith growls as she stands, stripping off her tank top and shorts, before climbing in beside the witch, being careful not to touch her as she punches the pillow, tucking it under her head, watching Buffy.

Buffy scratches her head, trying to figure out what's going on. "You're serious?"

"Yes, B. I'm serious. I like the witch, pretty much have since I saw her that night when I walked Red to the witch meeting." Faith sighs, hoping that Buffy will get it through her head.

"I didn't know you liked women." Buffy frowns looking from a sleeping Tara to Faith. "I didn't know Tara did either."

"Yeah, well, sometimes you need something to hit you upside the head for you to see it, B. But, just to let you know, this ain't my normal thing, here. I like her and ain't planning on dropping her, if you know what I mean. So, if you can't deal, you can just fuckin' ignore us, 'kay?"

"I…Okay." Buffy blinks still looking in surprise at the two women. "I came by to tell you that Frankenstein has a name, Adam. It seems the Initiative is to thank for his construction. They made him out of computer and demon parts, he killed Professor Walsh. We're trying to figure out something to take him out."

"Fuckin' idiots." Faith growls, leaning up in the bed. "What's soldier boy got to say?"

"He says he didn't know they were making him. Hopefully he's trying to get me some information I can use, but…" Buffy trails off, running a hand through her hair, as she sits down in the chair, thinking. Not paying attention that she's in the room with two naked women.

"Don't trust him?" Faith questions, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I don't." Buffy finally admits. "I got a weird vibe from him last night, and I don't know what to think about it."

"I'm kind of dragging right now, but I'll be good as new tomorrow, according to the witch. Let me know what you need, and I'll be there." Faith offers quietly, as she shifts up in the bed, her back against the headboard as she unconsciously plays with Tara's hair while talking with Buffy.

Buffy nods her head in thanks. "You know, that makes things make a little more sense now." Buffy tilts her head watching Faith.

"What makes sense?" Faith questions dragging her eyes away from Tara, to look at Buffy.

"The way Tara was acting when she was working on you. She was ordering us around and she pretty much told me to shut the hell up and help." Buffy admits, smirking. "But she surprises me. I never would have taken her for being so…" Buffy waves her hands towards the witch.

"So blatantly sexy? Gorgeous? Take charge?" Faith suggests, chuckling. "I wasn't joking earlier, she literally rocks my world. I was seeing stars and everythin'." Faith admits softly her gaze back on the witch. "I feel things for her I ain't ever felt before, B. I like it, and want to feel more." Faith looks up, her eyes serious.

Buffy silently watches the slayer, listening to her. Surprised at the depth of emotion in Faith's tones. "Can I ask you something, Faith?" Buffy questions softly, watching as Faith hesitantly nods her head. "I'm not asking this to piss you off, but are you falling in love with her?"

Faith takes a deep breath, looking down at the witch. "I honestly don't know what love is, B. I've been talkin' with Mrs. S. about Tara for the last month, even questioned her what love felt like. She thinks I'm fallin' for her. Hell, I think she's right." Faith whispers softly stroking the blonde hair, listening to the deep even breathing of the witch.

"Well, I sure as hell can't throw stones." Buffy smiles gently at the slayer as she stands. "It may take you hitting me upside the head with a baseball bat to see something, but I know I can't say one word about who you fall in love with." Buffy winks at the slayer, smirking. "I never would have thought Tara had that damn fine of a body under those clothes she wears, or be that comfortable showing it!"

"You're telling me." Faith groans, her eyes caressing over the firm, but shapely body. "Can't wait till she gets over the sunburn, and finals are finished. Plan on taking this baby for a serious spin." Faith licks her lips in anticipation, smirking as Buffy squeaks.

"I SO did not need that picture in my head, Faith." Buffy mutters, walking towards the door. "What's it like?" Buffy questions, not able to help herself.

"What's what like?" Faith looks up confused.

"Being with a woman." Buffy hesitantly questions, looking seriously at the slayer.

"B, it's a lot different from a guy. First off, most women, not all, but most take their time, make sure their lover is thoroughly pleased. Plus it's always of the good being with someone that's already familiar with the parts." Faith smirks as Buffy blushes. "Of course, there ain't no stick, but it isn't like that attachment can't be bought. So, personally I prefer a woman over a guy any day of the week. But guys are easier to find." Faith shrugs as she slides down beside Tara, turning on her side so she's looking at Buffy.

"I can't believe I'm discussing this with you, but I always thought you liked the roughness." Buffy tilts her head, frowning.

Faith chuckles loudly. "B, just because we're both women, don't mean everythin's all soft and sweet. Find you someone, B. Try it out, you might like it." Faith continues chuckling as she settles in beside Tara, stroking her hand gently over the woman's head, before leaning in to place a soft kiss on her ear, smiling as she hears the soft moan. "Go spend time with your mom, B. I'll talk at ya' tomorrow."

"Yeah." Buffy mutters, looking at the women, but not really seeing them as she considers what Faith said.

Joyce watch's Buffy as she plops down on the couch, a thoughtful, somewhat confused look on her face. Placing a marker in the book, she closes it and sets it down on the coffee table, turning her gaze fully on her daughter.

Buffy rubs her chin for a moment, finally turning her gaze on her mother. "You knew about them?"

"They just happened, Buffy." Joyce offers quietly.

"No. About Faith liking Tara before this. Faith liking a woman." Buffy frowns looking at her mother.

"Yes." Joyce answers simply, wondering where Buffy's trying to go with this.

"It doesn't bother you, does it?" Buffy actually makes it more of a statement as she stares intently at her mother, seeing no sign of her mother being upset, or bothered by the two women

"No, it doesn't. Did you expect it to?" Joyce leans forward tilting her head at her daughter, smiling gently as Buffy hesitantly nods her head. "Buffy, I know you think of me as your mother, and you don't want to think of me as a sexual being, but…" Joyce hesitates taking a deep breath looking at her daughter as she seems to sharpen her gaze in even more. "There is more to me and life in general, than you realize. Faith actually accepts me as I am, talks to me as a friend and equal, not as a mother. Nothing against you, honey. I am your mother after all, and I know that it's hard to talk to me about certain things, but Faith doesn't have any problems discussing anything with me. We're kind of there for each other." Joyce admits quietly, watching as Buffy frowns hard at her words.

"I haven't been a very good daughter to you, have I?" Buffy finally questions, realizing between the slaying, school and Riley she hasn't been around much.

"Buffy, honey, don't think that. You have your life to live. I understand that you want to spend time with your friends and Riley. You have your slayer duties to do. I'll never begrudge you of anything that you do." Joyce states softly as she comes to sit by Buffy, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I love you, honey. I know you love me, that's what's most important."

"Thanks, mom." Buffy whispers, turning and hugging Joyce tightly. "So, you would be okay with me if I brought home a girlfriend?" Buffy jokes, waiting for her mother to yell.

"Of course." Joyce admits, pulling back, smiling.

Buffy blinks in surprise seeing the serious look in her mother's eyes. "You're serious. I just thought you were more accepting of Faith, because she wasn't your daughter." Buffy whispers, the shock evident in her tones.

"Oh, no, I'm fine with that, dear." Joyce smirks at her daughter. "It isn't like same sex relations is a new thing, you know!"

Buffy narrows her gaze on her mother's smirking countenance. "Is there something here that you're trying to tell me without telling me, mother?"

Joyce chuckles at her daughter. "I don't know if you could handle the things I could tell you, Buffy."

"Please tell me Faith hasn't corrupted you!" Buffy whines, falling back against the couch, rubbing a hand over her face.

"Nope. I was corrupted before Faith." Joyce pats her daughter on the leg. "We have fixings for banana splits, if you would like one. Those two wanted one, but they filled up on dinner and then Tara was to the point of passing out."

"I would love a banana split. What'd you have for dinner?" Buffy questions, following her mother into the kitchen.

"Hungry?" Joyce turns, grinning at her daughter.

"Actually, yes." Buffy admits, smiling.

"Well, there is a couple steaks left from dinner and potatoes, plus a little bit of salad, if you'd like me to reheat the steaks and potatoes?" Joyce questions as she opens the refrigerator door, pulling the items out.

"Faith's steaks or your kind of steaks?" Buffy questions, pulling down a plate, bowl and silverware.

"Actually one of each." Joyce admits, grinning. "You want my steak?" Joyce pulls out a skillet throwing the steak in the pan as Buffy nods. "So, you going to tell the rest of the group, or let Faith tell them in her own way?"

"If I don't tell Willow, she'll be mad at me for keeping it from her. Anya and Xander isn't that much of a big deal, we don't see them a lot with school and everything." Buffy shrugs as she puts some salad in the bowl, pouring the dressing over it, before sitting down to quickly work her way through the salad.

"What about Riley?" Joyce leans against the counter watching as her daughter makes short work of the salad.

"I don't know about him, mom." Buffy finally admits after a few minutes. "Things just aren't clicking between us, then this thing with Adam." Buffy groans, realizing she hasn't explained to her mom about Adam, which she quickly remedies.

"Sounds like this might take everyone working together to take him out, if he's that strong." Joyce murmurs as she turns the steak.

"Everyone and then some." Buffy sighs as she grabs a piece of bread, buttering it to munch on. "I'm hoping I'm wrong about Riley, but there's something just bothering me about him and this whole deal with the Initiative. I'm wondering if he knew they were building that thing, and just kept it from us."

"Honey, if you're questioning him, you don't trust him." Joyce offers silently. "If you don't trust him, it isn't going to work."

Buffy nods her head silently in agreement, knowing that her mother's right. "Thanks, mom." Buffy smiles as her mother slides the steak on her plate and pulls the potato out of the microwave oven. "Oooh. You got the huge baking potatoes." Buffy quickly slices it open dumping butter and sour cream on it.

"You staying here tonight, or going back to the dorm?" Joyce sits down sipping the tea she'd made while cooking Buffy's steak.

"Was planning on going back to the dorm, doing another patrol on my way back." Buffy scoops a big forkful of potato in her mouth.

"So, is your plan the same, or changed?" Joyce grins at her daughter, glancing at the clock on the stove.

"Same. I need to do another sweep around town, see if I can get a bead on Adam while I'm out, find out where he's hiding." Buffy admits as she quickly finishes the steak.

"Want a sundae before you leave?" Joyce laughs at the quick smile she gets in response to the question as Buffy works on finishing her potato. Joyce stands grabbing down the items, quickly putting two sundaes together, placing one in front of Buffy before sitting down with a spoon in front of hers.

"Thanks, mom." Buffy grins as she quickly works her way through the sundae.

"You're welcome, honey. How are things going at school?" Joyce scoops up another bite of the sundae, eating it at a more sedate pace than her daughter.

"Actually pretty good. Figure I'll be home in two weeks time for the summer." Buffy smirks at her mother. "And I actually plan on spending some time with you." Buffy states seriously. "And before you go off, don't say it. Anyway, if Faith and Tara get serious, you may not have Faith around as much."

"I don't think there's much of an if to them." Joyce smiles as she thinks about the two women. "I think Faith might have finally met her match." Joyce chuckles as she thinks about Tara.

"Tara confuses the hell out of me." Buffy admits as she sets her spoon down after finishing the sundae.

"How does she confuse you, honey?" Joyce questions, her eyes focusing in on her daughter. "Please don't tell me you like her, too! Faith'll kick your ass."

Buffy blushes, before chuckling quietly. "No, mom. I mean, yeah, I like her. But not in the way Faith likes her." Buffy shakes her head at her mother's smirking countenance. "You did that on purpose!"

"Maybe." Joyce chuckles. "Seriously, how does she confuse you?"

"She's always been shy, quiet, pretty much kept to herself. She helps Willow with her magic, us when we need her for spells. But I didn't know she was in her third year of college, studying to be a Veterinarian or that she liked women." Buffy frowns, running a hand through her hair. "Then when Faith showed up at her door, she was ready to rip into me when I made a stupid comment. It's like I thought she was one thing, but she's just the opposite."

"So, because Tara has pretty much kept to herself, you thought she was a pushover. When Faith was hurt, she showed her claws and what she's capable of and that confuses you?" Joyce questions softly.

"Not just that. And I don't mean so much her being a pushover, as easy going. But it's kind of like upstairs earlier. I never would have taken her for just…flashing us like that!" Buffy blushes again in remembrance.

"She did warn you, Buffy." Joyce chuckles quietly at her daughter.

"I didn't think she'd do it!" Buffy whines, brushing a hand over her eyes. "And how is it that you and Faith were discussing her body?"

Joyce laughs at her daughter. "Faith was just talking about how she likes being with her, and that she had a body from hell under her…frumpy clothes, is what I believe she called them." Joyce shrugs, grinning. "She likes her, actually I'd say they like each other, especially after this weekend."

"And I really do not know why I'm discussing this with you." Buffy chuckles as she stands, still blushing lightly. "Well, let me dump Riley and see if I can't find me a hot woman to hook up with." Buffy smirks as her mom laughs at her.

"Be sure to bring her home for dinner one night." Joyce quirks her lip at her daughter.

"Aaarrrggghhhh!" Buffy grumbles, brushing a hand down her face again. "I can't get a rise out of you at all, can I?"

"So, you're trying to?" Joyce shakes her head at her daughter. "I'll see you tomorrow, honey. Be careful." Joyce smiles and hugs Buffy back as her daughter wraps her up in her arms.

"I love you, mom." Buffy finally releases her mother, stepping back, smiling.

"I love you, too, honey." Joyce smiles gently at her daughter, as Buffy heads out of the kitchen, quickly leaving the house.

Faith slowly starts to stretch as she wakes up, and stops, staying still as she realizes Tara is lying half across her. Frowning, Faith tries to figure out if she pulled the witch on top of her, or if Tara just migrated to this position. Gently lowering her hands over the witch's back, she smiles in relief as she feels the witch's normal body heat, instead of the hot blasting heat from the sunburn coming from her body.

Placing a gentle kiss on the blonde's head, Faith gently wraps her arms around the woman, smiling as Tara shifts, snuggling in tighter against her.

"Time to get up?" Tara questions hoarsely, slowly dragging her heavy eyelids open, looking around for a clock.

"Only if you want to." Faith smiles as hazy blue eyes make contact with her. "You're not so much of a furnace now."

"It doesn't feel as bad now, either." Tara admits, smiling, tucking her head back into the slayer's neck. "How did I end up here?" Tara questions, frowning as she realizes where she's lying.

"I honestly haven't a clue." Faith chuckles. "I don't know if I dragged you over here, or if you decided to come visit on your own."

"Buffy is gone, right?" Tara questions softly as she slowly works a hand up the slayer's side.

"Yeah, B's gone." Faith snickers at the thought of Buffy. "I think you shocked her."

"Hmmm. She should have left." Tara whispers, her hand coming up to cup the slayer's breast, her thumb stroking over the velvety skin.

"Well, if nothing else, seeing you made her start thinkin' about the possibility of being with a woman." Faith chuckles as Tara squeals in surprise.

"What?" Tara shifts to look down at the slayer, a surprised look on her face.

"She kinda questioned me about what it was like being with a woman." Faith shrugged. "I figured it was your hot body that got her to thinkin' about it. As long as she doesn't hit on you, I don't care."

Tara frowns and scratches her head in confusion. "You two talked about what sex was like with another woman, or with me?"

"Not with you! In general. Ain't none of her damn business the things you do. If she knew that, she'd definitely be after ya'." Faith leers at the witch. "I just told her that it helps when you're with someone that's already familiar with the equipment. And that most women take their time, making sure their lover is satisfied. Not all, but most." Faith shrugs, tugging the witch back against her. "I think I kinda confused her, making her think about somethin' she ain't ever thought of before."

Tara chuckles quietly as she gets comfortable. "So she was just curious about what sex could be like with a woman, huh?"

"Yeah, well, she made the comment that she thought I liked it kinda rough, and she has it in her head that just because we're two women, it's all soft and sweet." Faith shrugs, her hands gently brushing down the witch's back, being careful not to put too much pressure on the tender flesh.

"Did you tell her it could be anything and everything you want it to be?" Tara smiles as she feels Faith nod, the chuckles coming deep from the slayer.

"Told her the only thing that would be different is the stick, and that was an add-on you could buy." Faith smirks as Tara pinches her waist.

"And you don't have to worry about it deflating before you're ready." Tara smirks as Faith laughs.

"I probably need to treat your body again. I know you're feeling better, but it'll help keeping you coated." Faith runs a gentle hand through the blonde hair.

"I want to take a shower first, get rid of a couple layers of the dried stuff." Tara admits, placing a soft kiss on the slayer's neck, before nipping gently.

"Do you want to put on the loose tank and shorts again, after the shower? Just to keep the clothing to a minimum?" Faith questions seriously, as Tara gently eases away to stand by the bed.

"Probably would be for the best." Tara admits, smiling down at the slayer. "I need to get back to the dorm. I have a paper I need to finish typing at the library today."

Faith nods as she turns on her side, propping her head up on her hand while watching Tara pull on the clothes. "Is it okay if I walk you back to the dorm, or maybe see if Mrs. S. will let me borrow the Jeep, and drive you back?"

Tara looks up at the almost hesitant tones of the slayer, tilting her head to the side. "Of course you can."

Faith allows a quiet sigh of relief to ease out, a small smile playing across her face. "I don't want to crowd you, is all."

Tara sits down on the edge of the bed, running a hand through the slayer's dark hair. "You're more than welcome to come by any time. I just need to get that paper done today and study for finals. There's just two weeks left in the year and it's going to be busy."

Faith nods her understanding. "I won't push you. But maybe you can call me if you have time and we can go out for coffee, or somethin'?"

"Of course, we can." Tara smiles down at the slayer. "I'll have a little more free time once school let's out. I'll be working, and I still have to find an apartment to move into for the summer, but most of my evenings will be free."

Faith frowns at the witch's words. "Working?"

"Yes, I have to pay for somewhere to live, Faith." Tara smiles at the slayer. "I normally work part-time at the veterinarian's office, getting some on-site training. Because of the end of the year and all the extra work, they let me slide the last few weeks of the school year, then I work pretty much full-time during the summer. That way I can pay for an apartment, and my food."

"Makes sense. Didn't even consider the fact that you would need somewhere to live after school ends." Faith frowns, thinking. "If you want to go apartment hunting, let me know. I'll go with you."

"I'm just going to try and find a little one room efficiency, like I've done the last two summers." Tara leans down, pressing a kiss to the slayer's cheek. "I need to take a shower Then I'd appreciate your help coating my back."

"You got it." Faith watch's as Tara walks out of the door of the bedroom, her brows furrowed in thought. After a few minutes, she hears a knock on the door. "Come in, Mrs. S." Faith calls out to the woman, smiling as she pokes her head in the door.

"Tara feeling better?" Joyce questions quietly.

"Yeah. She's taking a shower right now, then I'm gonna treat her back again." Faith smiles at the older woman.

"Then you guys are probably about ready for some food then, I would assume." Joyce chuckles as Faith nods her head quickly. "I'll go start the hash browns. How do you want your eggs this morning?"

"Just scramble 'em. That's easier to deal with." Faith stands looking around for her shorts and top, quickly pulling them on. "I'm assuming B went back to the dorms last night."

"You're assuming right. I think you two really did a number on her." Joyce chuckles as she walks down the stairs, quickly followed by Faith.

"Well, if nothing else, we got her thinking about broadening her horizons." Faith smirks at Joyce. "I'm gonna head down and gather Tara's clothes and items from the basement. Need anything while I'm down there?"

"Want to throw up a couple packages of sausage links?" Joyce questions as she grabs the potatoes out of the refrigerator.

"Gotcha." Faith grins before jogging down the stairs, opening the freezer and pulling out three packages of links before stopping and gathering up the stack of items off the dryer, trotting back up the stairs. "Is it okay if I borrow the Jeep to take Tara and her stuff back to school?"

"That's fine, dear." Joyce smiles as she accepts the links.

"You got contacts around town, you know of any small decent apartments for rent, that just do it by the month?" Faith questions before going back upstairs.

"You looking to move out?" Joyce frowns as she turns to look at the slayer.

"Nah. Tare needs somewhere to stay during the summer while schools out. She hasn't had a chance to look for a place yet, and I was wondering if you knew of anywhere." Faith grins at the woman. "She said she usually rents a little one room efficiency."

"I'll see what I can come up with." Joyce tilts her head considering the slayer. "I know this is sudden between you two, but how serious do you think you're going to be?"

"Huh? What do ya' mean?" Faith turns looking back at Joyce.

"Are you planning on spending a lot of time together?" Joyce questions as she opens the packages of links, throwing them in the skillet.

"Yeah, if she wants to." Faith blinks at the woman. "I mean, she's gonna be working, but I plan on spending as much time with her as I can. See if this is a for real thing, or just my hormones going off their rocker."

Joyce chuckles quietly. "I don't think it's just your hormones dear. And you know that as well as I do. We'll see what we can do." Joyce murmurs softly as she starts grating the potatoes into the butter laden skillet.

"Thanks, Mrs. S." Faith grins before jogging out of the room and up the stairs.

"If you're only gonna write a paper, why are you taking all those different books with ya'?" Faith questions as she leans against the door watching Tara gathering a stack of different books.

"Finals. A lot of kids are typing up their term papers at the library. I'll probably have to wait to get on a computer, so I'm bringing my other books with me to study while I'm waiting." Tara explains as she tucks the books into her over-sized back pack, zipping it closed before she reaches over for her computer disks and jump drive, placing them in the front pocket.

"Can I borrow the phone?" Faith questions an idea popping into her head.

"Sure." Tara watch's Faith curiously.

"Yo! Mrs. S. You planning on using the computer today?" Faith questions after Joyce picks up the phone.

"Actually, no. I did what I needed to do yesterday, why?" Joyce questions as she slides the cake pan in the oven, setting the timer.

"Is it okay if Tara uses it to write her paper on?" Faith questions, smirking as Tara's eyes widen in surprise.

"Faith, that computer is yours, of course it's okay for her to use it." Joyce rolls her eyes at the slayer.

"I know, but I like to ask." Faith grumbles. "But I bought it for both of us to use."

"I know, Faith. Yes, it's okay if she uses the computer, if she wants to. Hell, she can stay for dinner tonight while she's here before you drive her back to the dorm later." Joyce offers as she sits down at the island, picking up her glass of iced cola.

"I'll see what she says. Thanks, Mrs. S." Faith chuckles as she hangs up, looking at a surprised Tara. "Wanna use our computer at the house? No line, no waiting. You can go straight to typing your report."

Tara's mouth opens and shuts a couple times. "I don't want to be an imposition." Tara finally states softly.

"No imposition. That all your stuff that you need?" Faith questions as she lifts Tara's bag, slinging it over her shoulder. "By the way, you can stay for dinner. Then I'll drive ya' back here afterwards."

Tara sighs quietly, while smiling gently at the dark-haired slayer. "I would love to. Thank you, Faith." Tara closes the small distance between them to brush her thumb gently over the slayer's cheek, caressing the dimple as it appears.

"Anything to help you out." Faith smiles at the blonde, her eyes searching the deep blue eyes of the witch.

"You're a wonderful woman, Faith." Tara whispers as she closes the short distance between them, capturing Faith's full bottom lip between her two lips, stroking her tongue gently over the flesh for a few minutes before releasing it, smiling as she steps back. "We should go, before I decide to hell with studying and the term paper and just decide to spend the rest of the day and night taking advantage of you."

"I think I rather like that idea." Faith hoarsely admits, her eyes twinkling with devilment.

Tara moans quietly at the thought, pressing her body more firmly against the slayer's. Capturing her lips quickly, Tara flicks her tongue against the slayer's eager tongue, dueling fast and hard. Wrapping her hands in the slayer's brown tresses, Tara presses herself harder against the woman, whimpering into the kiss as Faith grasps her butt, sliding her thigh firmly between her legs. Pressing herself hard against the rock hard thigh, Tara whimpers louder as Faith's fingers dig gently into her ass.

Breaking off the kiss, Faith slowly works her way down Tara's neck, nipping firmly, while caressing the witch's ass, smiling as Tara grinds her body against her thigh. Finally burying her face in Tara's neck, Faith licks across the tantalizing skin for a few minutes, before easing her grip. "I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but I think we should go. I don't want to screw up your grades or your papers." Faith quietly admits, moving her hands around the witch's waist to hug her tightly.

"Goddess!" Tara grumbles, dropping her forehead onto Faith's shoulder as Faith eases her leg away from her needy center. "Are you basically telling me we aren't going to be together until after finals?" Tara questions hoarsely, pinching the slayer hard on a butt cheek when she laughs and nods.

"Hey! That wasn't nice." Faith growls, rubbing the sore spot. "You got some wicked strong fingers."

"You weren't complaining yesterday or the night before." Tara smirks at the slayer.

"Hmm." Faith pretends to think, before chuckling. "No, I wasn't. Come on, let's get you over to the house so you can write your paper and do some studying before eating a good nutritious dinner and coming back here to sleep." Faith states seriously, running a hand down the witch's cheek, leaning in to kiss swollen lips gently.

Sighing deeply, Tara nods. "Thank you for thinking about me."

"Yeah, well, don't let everyone know it." Faith smirks. "I have a reputation to uphold."

Tara shakes her head, chuckling as she follows Faith out of the dorm room. "You don't want people to know what a kind, caring, loving woman you are?"

"Nope. Anyway, I ain't like that with everybody else." Faith admits, her eyes unconsciously watching the people hurrying around the campus as they walk to Joyce's Jeep.

"Why not?" Tara questions gently, watching as Faith looks for trouble.

"Just ain't." Faith shrugs, turning her gaze on Tara as they reach the vehicle. Placing the book bag in the back seat, Faith climbs in behind the wheel watching as Tara buckles her seatbelt.

"Lucky me." Tara whispers, reaching out to play with the long dark hair, as Faith drives them back to the Summer's residence.

Faith grumbles quietly as she waits for Buffy to show up at the house to go on patrol.

"What's wrong, Faith?" Joyce sighs as she turns from the computer she's putting her figures in.

"I wanna patrol. But B said to wait for her, she's wanting to do a patrol together tonight." Faith growls as she starts pacing back and forth.

Joyce raises an eyebrow at the slayer. "Have you seen Tara this week?"

"No." Faith snarls. "She's got some major studying to do for her finals, so I told her I'd let her be."

"Uh huh." Joyce nods her head, finally understanding the slayer's turmoil. "Has she found somewhere to live yet?"

"She ain't had time to look." Faith admits, rubbing a hand roughly over the back of her neck. "I offered to look for her, but she just smiled at me and said she'd take care of it. Something about she would have a week after school was finished before she had to be out of the dorms."

Joyce looks up at the ceiling, considering for a few minutes. "I know you two haven't really been able to see each other for the last week, and obviously so far this week."

"Yeah, stupid idea of mine." Faith admits, snarling quietly into the room.

"Your idea?" Joyce questions, frowning.

"Yeah. I told her I'd leave her be while she was doing her studying for finals. She's called me a couple times to tell me I could come over and visit for a while, if I wanted. But when I asked her if she had studying that she should be doing, she admitted she did, so I didn't go over." Faith plops down in a chair by Joyce.

"Why didn't you go and see her, Faith?" Joyce looks at the slayer in surprise.

"'Cause it wouldn't have just been seeing her. I would probably jump her and she wouldn't be able to study at all." Faith admits groaning quietly. "I just think about her blue eyes and I'm a fuckin' goner. If I see 'em and her sexy body, she won't be able to get rid of me for a week."

"So, your feelings obviously haven't lessened with this time apart." Joyce comments wryly.

"Fuck no. I catch myself heading to the damn college and patrolling outside her fuckin' dorm. I feel like a damn kid crushing on my neighbor, or somethin'." Faith admits as she rubs a hand over her forehead. "Probably a good thing I ain't seen her or I'd be jumpin' her bones."

"I'm probably going to regret making this offer, but if you would like, she can stay here with you this summer." Joyce offers quietly looking at Faith.

"Huh?" Faith blinks in surprise at the offer. "I can't do that, Mrs. S. Buffy's gonna be here, you and me. That's three women sharing the one bathroom. Remember last summer? That was bad enough."

Joyce chuckles thinking about the two slayers coming in from a patrol, fighting over who got first dibs on the shower. "Is that the only reason?" Joyce questions softly, turning her gaze back on Faith.

"Yeah, what else would there be?" Faith frowns looking at Joyce.

"Maybe you're afraid of being that close to her." Joyce shrugs her shoulders as she considers the young woman.

"Nah. At least I don't think so. Ain't like I been around her enough to know whether or not we'll get on each others nerves." Faith grumbles, running her finger around in a circle on the dining room table.

"But you want to." Joyce makes the statement smiling softly as Faith nods her head briefly in agreement. "I could see about putting a second bathroom in."

"It'll take to long. It'll probably take a month or longer to put one in, Mrs. S." Faith admits tilting back in the chair as she considers the woman. "Maybe I'll go out lookin' for a place anyway. See what I can scrounge up. I could offer to go in halves with her, since I'll probably be spending a lot of time over there if she wants me."

"Faith, there isn't any if about it. You know she does." Joyce admonishes the slayer softly.

"Yeah, but I don't know what to do. I ain't never had a relationship before, Mrs. S." Faith frowns heavily. "I don't know the do's and don'ts. I mean, we know each other, but we don't, you know? I want to spend time with her whenever I can, and this has been driving me up a fuckin' wall. But I ain't sure of what she wants. Does she want me around all the time? I ain't the fuckin' easiest person to live with." Faith sighs quietly.

"Faith, you're a wonderful person to live with. I can attest to that fact. You go out of your way to be helpful around here." Joyce comments quietly.

"Yeah, but I walk around the house naked, leave my weapons laying around quite frequently and play my music too loud." Faith throws her hands up in the air. "I don't see how you put up with that."

"Well, I must say the naked part kind of threw me for a loop to begin with, but I honestly don't even pay any attention to it. Tara would probably love for you to run around naked all the time." Joyce smirks at the slayer, making Faith finally laugh quietly. "The weapons aren't a big deal. And usually it's only a stake or knife that's left on a coffee table or end table when you set it down, forgetting to grab it when you head upstairs. As for the music, we just have different tastes. I play my music loud, also! I just like my music a little softer and on the instrumental side."

Faith chuckles quietly at Buffy's mom. "Okay, okay. I get it. I need to talk to her and see what she wants to do." Faith finally admits quietly.

"That's the best thing, honey." Joyce smiles at the slayer. "Call her."

Faith sighs softly.

"Now, Faith." Joyce softly orders the slayer when she doesn't get up and call the woman.

"Yes, mom." Faith rolls her eyes before heading into the kitchen, leaving Joyce chuckling quietly behind her.

"Yeah, Tara…It's me. Well, obviously you ain't there. Give me a call." Faith sighs quietly before disconnecting the phone and hanging up after leaving the witch the message. Walking back to the dining room she sits down dejectedly.

"What's wrong?" Joyce questions seeing the slump of Faith's shoulders.

"She's not picking up her phone. Or she ain't there, one." Faith admits, sighing. "About fuckin' time." Faith growls as she hears the front door open, standing quickly Faith strides into the living room, stopping at the sight before her.

"Muhammad won't come to the mountain…" Tara raises an eyebrow at the slayer before smiling a thanks at Buffy. "Thank you for the bodyguard service."

"No problem." Buffy smirks at Faith, seeing the stunned look on the slayer's face. "Don't worry about patrol tonight, Faith. I'll take care of it on my way back to the dorm." Buffy chuckles as she leaves the house, yelling to her mother. "Love you, mom. See you this weekend!"

Joyce comes out of the dining room, looking at the now closed door to Tara standing there watching Faith. "I think I'll go upstairs, make an early night of it." Joyce can't help the small grin crossing her face as she quickly heads up the stairs.

"Do you want me to go?" Tara questions hesitantly, realizing this might not be a good idea.

"No." Faith answers quietly, still staring in surprise at the witch, before closing the short distance between them, pulling the witch in for a gentle but deep kiss, reacquainting herself with the taste of Tara. Slowly ending the kiss, Faith looks into the dark blue eyes, a slow smile crossing her face. "I just tried to call you."

"Well, I've done all the studying I can stand. I have two, sort of, more finals and was wondering if you would like to possibly spend some time together." Tara brushes a thumb over the cleft of Faith's chin. "I don't want to push you for anything, but I've missed you the last week." Tara whispers softly, her eyes searching the brown depths of the slayer.

Faith hesitates momentarily, almost afraid of allowing this woman to know how much she's come to care for her in such a short period of time. Finally deciding she doesn't really have much of a choice, she sighs softly. "I've missed you, too." Faith finally admits. "Wanna sit down? Or should I walk you back to the dorm to spend time there?"

"Whichever you prefer. I will need to go back to the dorm in a little while." Tara admits quietly running one hand gently through the dark waves while moving the other hand up to cup the slayer's cheek. Leaning in Tara captures the full bow shaped bottom lip, sucking gently.

Faith moans quietly, pressing her body more firmly against Tara's. "Let's go to your dorm room. We can talk on the way there, and maybe I can keep from attacking you."

"Do you want to let Joyce know you're leaving?" Tara whispers quietly, looking deeply into the brown eyes that show so much of the slayer's feelings, whether the woman is aware of it or not. Seeing the caring and love coming from those orbs, and also the hint of fear.

"Yeah. I'll be back down in a minute." Faith hesitates, looking down at the ground before looking back at Tara. "Should I…" Faith rubs a hand over the back of her neck roughly before finally blurting out. "Should I bring a change of clothes?"

"Yes." Tara answers softly with no hesitation, watching the small smile cross the slayer's face as she turns to run up the stairs.

Faith knocks on Joyce's closed door softly, smiling as the woman eases it open with a questioning look. "I'm gonna be gone tonight. Will you be okay by yourself?"

"Yes, Faith. I'll be fine." Joyce smiles knowingly at the slayer. "Have fun, and my offer still stands if you think she might want to stay here."

"I'll mention it. Maybe we can see if they can put a partial bath down in the basement, or something where it might not be as bad. A shower stall and toilet type thing." Faith offers as she thinks for a few minutes.

"That might be a good idea, probably wouldn't take as much to do, either. I might want to do it anyway." Joyce smiles as Faith bounces uncontrollably on the balls of her feet. "See you later, Faith." Joyce laughs as she shuts the door after Faith nods and runs into her bedroom. "Whether you realize it or not, you're in love with her, Faith."

Faith nibbles her lip as the two women walk slowly back to the college campus. Glancing over towards the blonde a couple times, wondering how to broach the subject, Faith sighs quietly.

Tara allows her lip to quirk up, knowing Faith's wanting to say something, but for some reason is afraid to say it. "What is it, sweetie?" Tara finally questions softly.

"How do you know I wanna say somethin'?" Faith grumbles, her brows furrowed.

"You keep sliding me glances, and acting very un-Faith-like." Tara smiles gently at the slayer, stroking her finger over the slayer's cheek as they slow down, Faith looking at her seriously.

"What's Faith-like?" Faith rolls her eyes at her wording, smiling as Tara chuckles.

"She likes to act like she's all tough, and doesn't care about anything. But underneath she's a kind, caring, loving person. She's also afraid of saying whatever it is she wants to say to me for some reason. And she normally just says whatever she wants." Tara's eyes twinkle at the last.

"Nice way of saying I'm blunt?" Faith's lip starts to twitch as she watches Tara try to keep from laughing.

"Not blunt, honest and to the point." Tara explains, the smile she'd been trying to hold back finally breaking across her face. "What did you want to say, sweetie?"

"You're gonna drive me crazy." Faith mumbles before closing the short distance between them, kissing Tara firmly. "Okay, have you found a place to live yet?"

"No, I haven't had time to look." Tara admits softly, watching Faith curiously.

"Well, I got a couple ideas for ya'." Faith nods her head for them to continue walking towards the college. "Actually one was from Joyce. She'd be more than happy for you to come and stay at the house with me, if you want. Not that you have to stay with me, we can figure somethin' out." Faith quickly offers, continuing before Tara can say anything. "I'll go look tomorrow while you're in class to see what's available apartment wise for you."

Tara stays quiet, surprised at the offer from Joyce before the rest of what Faith said sinks in. "Faith, thank Joyce for me, but I can't accept her offer. That wouldn't be right."

"Then let me help ya' find a place to stay in. I gotta ask you a question." Faith stops as Tara grasps her arm gently, tugging on it.

"Just ask, sweetie." Tara whispers, running her thumb softly over the slayer's arm.

"You wanna possibly share a place?" Faith looks down at the ground. "I kinda figure between my patrolling and your working that we might not see each other much, otherwise. And I kinda would like to spend as much time with you as possible. See where this might lead."

Tara blinks a couple times staring over the slayer's shoulder. "You want to move in together?" Tara tilts her head considering the thought. "Faith?"

"Yeah." Faith hesitantly answers, not sure what the look on Tara's face means.

"The closer you come to me, the more you care, the harder it will be." Tara whispers, hating to bring up the possibility of her becoming a demon. Seeing the narrowing eyes of the slayer, Tara sighs quietly. "Faith, it's a possibility. You can't ignore it, it's a possibility that it is going to happen. If something wasn't going to happen, my mother would have told me, I know it."

"So, you become a demon. Grow a tail one night a month, become a sex maniac, whatever!! You ain't gonna become evil, Tara, I know it, so don't even worry about it." Faith growls angrily.

"Okay, say I don't become evil. But what if I do grow a tail, turn purple and cross-eyed? What then?" Tara throws her hands up in the air. "What if I turn into a small little furry rabbit? Or, or maybe a cat."

Faith chuckles at the last. "I'll always have a pussy…cat around." Faith wiggles her eyebrows at Tara.

Tara groans and smacks the slayer on the arm. "You know what I mean! You want to carry on with a demon twice your size? Or a quarter of your size? One that's got three heads, or is rainbow colored?"

Faith drops her bag on the ground and places her hands on either side of Tara's face, looking deeply into the worried blue eyes. "It'll be you. And we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. If your mom didn't change into anything, I very seriously doubt you will. Will you let me talk to Giles about it? See if there's any information on something becoming a demon at a certain age? I won't have to tell him it's you, I can just mention that I overheard some demons talking before I killed them and was wondering if there was such a thing."

Tara looks into the serious brown eyes before slowly nodding her head. "If you can do it without bringing my name up, I'd appreciate it." Tara closes her eyes as Faith caresses her hands gently over her cheek and neck.

"I promise, babe." Faith whispers, a small smile crossing her face at the quiet groans working their way through the witch. Capturing the witch's lips in a heated kiss, Faith starts groaning herself as Tara's tongue battles strongly with hers.

"Hmmm. Good kisses." Tara murmurs as they slowly ease back from each other.

"Great kisses." Faith takes a moment to get her breath under control, her body already starting to ache with desire. "You gonna let me help out with an apartment?" Faith finally questions, since Tara never really said anything about it.

"If I'm going to want you to stay there as much as possible, you're going to want to help pay, aren't you?" Tara finally questions.

"You do want me there?" Faith starts to smile as Tara nods her head quickly in answer. "Wicked cool." Faith grins hugely. "I'll look tomorrow, is there an amount that you were usually willing to pay a month?"

"Last year it cost me $400 a month for a little one room efficiency. It allowed me to put away money for the college year for books and other odds and ends I need to buy that my grants and tuition doesn't cover." Tara admits as Faith grabs her bag, throwing it over her shoulder as they continue on their way towards the dorm.

"So, you want to try and keep it to that amount or less that you pay out for the apartment, right?" Faith considers the thought quietly. "Joyce won't mind us coming and doing the laundry at her house, or even eating dinner there if you don't cook."

"I can cook." Tara smiles at the slayer. "We don't have to take advantage of her for that. Laundry might not be a bad idea, especially since she has her magic solution to get blood out."

"Blood, demon guts and god only knows what else." Faith chuckles at the thought of Buffy's mom. "Do you have to pay for the dorm, or do you get an allowance type thing?" Faith questions wondering.

"One of the grants I have is for living allowance. It isn't quite enough for the dorm, but with my working at the animal clinic, it makes up the difference and allows me to eat and pay for my odds and ends. I'm able to put a little away to save up for when I need to take time off work. I only usually work 20 hours a week during school, that's about all I can do with my full class load." Tara admits as they walk up the steps to her dorm. "Can I ask you a question?" Tara smiles as Faith strokes her hand down her back.

"Ask what you want." Faith watches as Tara unlocks the door to her room, following her in to set her bag beside the door, shutting and locking it back behind her.

"Where does the money you spend come from?" Tara slides off her shoes before climbing on the bed, tucking her legs under her as she watches Faith.

Faith chuckles as she pulls the chair out from Tara's desk, turning it around backwards as she straddles it, resting her arms on the back of the chair. "The Council pays us a monthly stipend. It's actually a pretty decent chunk of change, especially after B and I talked to them about the fact how much food we eat, along with the clothes needing to be replaced, weapons and so on. I've got plenty enough money saved up for a bike." Faith's eyes light up as she mentions the bike.

"You really want to buy a motorcycle don't you?" Tara questions, as she shifts to lie on the bed watching the huge smile cross the slayer's mouth.

"I always wanted a bike. I want a big hog." Faith grins, her eyes looking in the distance. "That way if I get a chance to go off for a week, I can just hop on and take off wherever I feel like going."

"Would this be something you'd be doing a lot?" Tara questions quietly, propping her head on her hand.

"Not a lot, maybe a couple times a year." Faith still imagines what it'd be like to hop on the bike and maybe go down to Mexico for a week, enjoying the sun and sand. "Wouldn't want to leave the Hellmouth to Buffy for long. It's better with both of us working it." Faith admits, her gaze finally coming to rest on the blonde. "Do you think you might want to go to Mexico for a week? A little sun and sand, margaritas on the beach? Four hour siesta's in our room?"

Tara laughs quietly. "So, you're wanting me to go with you on your little getaway?"

"If you ain't sick and tired of me by the time we can do it. And if you don't mind riding a motorcycle that far." Faith smiles as she rocks the chair forward on the two legs, watching Tara.

"Hours wrapped around you? I think I can deal with that." Tara smirks at the dark-haired woman.

"Yeah, you can. It'll probably drive me nuts." Faith chuckles as she leans her chin down on top of her arms, realizing how much she's enjoying just being with the witch and talking with her about inconsequential things. "What do your dreams consist of? I pretty much just told you one of mine." Faith questions softly, watching Tara as she obviously thinks about the question.

"Setting up my own clinic, finding someone to spend the rest of my life with. Someone that will understand my being called away for emergency surgeries at odd hours, my propensity for bringing home strays and my other idiosyncrasies." Tara admits smiling, but the seriousness of her words showing in her eyes.

Faith nods her understanding. "Kind of like with me. Finding someone that won't freak over the whole slayer thing and how demons are real. The fact that the person is taking a chance on someone that one night won't be coming back." Faith looks down at the ground as she whispers the last.

"There's a chance that any of us could die at a moments notice, Faith. We could get run over by a vehicle, trip down the stairs and break our neck, any number of illness'." Tara sighs softly as she thinks of her mother. "Anything can happen, sweetie. None of us have a guarantee, it would be wonderful if we did, but life doesn't work that way."

"So, are you sayin' we should grab onto what we got with both hands and enjoy it while we can?" Faith questions seriously.

"Pretty much. Or just curl up and hide away from life." Tara lays her head down on the bed watching Faith as she considers her words. "Personally my heart tells me to grab onto you and hold you as tight as I can. While my mind is honestly telling me to put as much distance as I can between us." Tara admits the last softly as she runs a finger around on her comforter, tracing the patterns.

Faith sets the chair down on all four legs before standing, closing the short distance between them to kneel beside the bed and look at the witch intently. "What are you going to listen to?"

Tara reaches for the slayer's cheek, stroking her fingers gently down the soft skin, finally cupping the cheek in her hand while brushing her thumb repeatedly over the full bottom lip. "My mom always told me to listen to my heart." Tara whispers seriously. "Come up here and lay with me?" Tara questions softly.

Faith doesn't say anything, she just unties her boots, pulling them off before climbing on the bed. Gently easing beside Tara, allowing the witch to pull her in against her.

Tara wraps her arms tightly around Faith, gently urging her to get comfortable against her, smiling softly as the slayer shifts down, burying her face in her neck. Tara inhales deeply of Faith's scent, a grin crossing her face at the hint of leather that the woman seems to always smell like.

Faith wiggles her fingers under Tara's top, stroking over the soft warm skin, surprised at her own lack of wanting to take the woman at the earliest opportunity, enjoying the closeness of just being held against the witch's body.

"What do you want to do, sweetie?" Tara softly whispers as she places a kiss on the top of Faith's head.

"I kinda like this." Faith admits, her lip quirking at the thought of the original want, take, have woman wanting and content just to be held, being close to the witch.

"Would you like to get ready for bed? Make ourselves more comfortable while lying here?" Tara offers as she strokes her hands down Faith's back.

"Do I get skin to caress?" Faith questions hopefully, easing up so she can look down into Tara's twinkling blue eyes.

"Are you asking me if I'll sleep in the buff?" Tara jokes, a smirk crossing her face at the obvious look or approval on Faith's face.

"Please?" Faith almost begs quietly, her eyes hopeful.

"Ease back, that way I can strip." Tara chuckles as Faith literally jumps up and off the bed. Watching as Faith starts yanking her own clothes off, Tara laughs at the slayer's eagerness. Rolling off the bed, Tara slowly disrobes, watching as Faith pulls down the bed covers before turning on the lamp sitting on the nightstand while turning the overhead lights off. When she notices Faith hesitating as to what side of the bed to climb in on, Tara smiles at the woman's consideration. "Whichever side you prefer to lie on, is fine."

Faith turns, grinning at the witch before climbing in, moving to the side furthest from Tara, watching with eyes half-lidded as Tara slides her panties down before easing into the bed beside her. Flipping the covers up over both of them, Faith stops and looks at Tara. "Want me to snuggle up against you or do you feel like using me for a pillow?"

"You seemed pretty comfortable a few minutes ago." Tara offers as she shifts onto her back, smiling as Faith takes her up on the offer. Wrapping her arms around the slayer, Tara gently strokes over Faith's back chuckling as Faith throws a strong thigh over her legs while her hand strokes soothingly over her stomach.

Faith allows her eyes to close as she places a kiss on the witch's neck, her hand stroking up Tara's stomach and rib cage to come to a halt cupping the full breast. Stroking her thumb over the swell, Faith grins as Tara hums quietly in pleasure.

"Are you planning on just stroking softly over my body until I fall asleep?" Tara's questions in a deeper voice than normal.

"You probably haven't been sleepin' much lately." Faith admits quietly. "And, to be honest, I ain't slept that good either. Wanna see if you help me sleep."

Tara kisses the top of Faith's head before reaching over to turn off the small lamp, placing her hand back on Faith, stroking gently over her lover's back. "Not much sleep is a definite." Tara admits quietly.

"Then I'll behave and let you get some sleep." Faith whispers, smiling as Tara hugs her tightly. Leaning up, Faith places soft wet kisses along Tara's jaw line.

"Hmmm. Keep that up and we won't be sleeping." Tara murmurs, smiling.

"Do wanna kiss you goodnight, though." Faith admits as she brushes her lips firmly over Tara's, groaning quietly as Tara strokes her tongue gently over her bottom lip before capturing it between her two lips, sucking softly. Faith eases back after Tara releases her lip to look into the loving blue gaze. Her heart stops for a moment at the look, finally realizing it for what it is. Shifting her body, Faith hovers above the witch, stroking a finger across her eyebrow, just gazing into those blue depths, trying to figure out when this woman captured her heart.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Tara questions softly, her hands easing to a stop where they'd been stroking over Faith's back, seeing the contemplation in Faith's eyes.

"Honestly?" Faith questions smiling softly at Tara's nod. "Nothin'. I'm just tryin' to figure out when you snuck into my heart." Faith more breathes the words than says them as she brushes her lips lightly over Tara's as she hears the surprised inhale from the witch.

Tara threads a hand gently through Faith's hair, looking into the caring brown eyes of her lover, seeing the love glimmering deeply. With her other hand, Tara urges Faith to where she's lying more fully over her, legs tangled together and their breasts pressing softly into each other. "I think you snuck into my heart the day we met." Tara finally admits quietly. Bringing her hand up, Tara traces the bow shaped lips, smiling softly. "A knowing smirk shot its way straight to my heart, confusing the hell out of me because it was attached to a woman that seemed to be the complete opposite of me. One very gorgeous woman, that I believed would be out of my league."

"You could say that about us seeming to be opposite, not the out of league stuff." Faith gently presses her hips more firmly against Tara's as she leans down kissing her gently. "You wanting to hide behind your hair and being shy and stuttering. By the way, what happened to that?" Faith questions curiously, actually realizing she sort of missed the endearing affliction.

"It goes away around people that I become comfortable around." Tara admits, smiling at the slayer. "Or when I'm in serious have to get something done, mode."

"Like ordering people around when someone's hurt, huh?" Faith grins as the smile grows bigger on Tara's face. "I think she's still in shock over that. Kind of wondering what else you might do. Then there was the fact that you didn't seem to have a bit of problem walking around naked."

"Naked is a natural state of being." Tara shrugs, smiling. "And you know us witch's are all about being sky clad." Tara jokes, chuckling as Faith's eyes grow wide and she wiggles her eyebrows.

"Can I put in that I definitely like that idea? And when we get our place I'd prefer it?" Faith eagerly questions.

"So, no clothing is a requirement when we find an apartment?" Tara's lip quirks as her eyes twinkle. "And, I'm assuming that you aren't going to be wearing any either, right?"

"So right." Faith grins her agreement as she shifts slightly, stroking one hand around the witch's ear, loving the automatic response she receives from the barely there caress.

"Goddess." Tara moans quietly, her body pressing up against Faith's body as the soft caress sends a liquid heat through her body.

"Like that response." Faith murmurs, pressing her body down into the witch. Slowly placing kisses along Tara's jaw, Faith gently works her way down her neck, running her tongue repeatedly around the pulse point pumping blood more quickly through the witch's body as she continues to stroke Tara's ear.

"Faith!" Tara calls out the slayer's name as she starts to lick earnestly along her neck while bringing her other hand to stroke both ears gently at the same time, caressing over the outer shell. Arching her body up into the slayer's, Tara moans as Faith slides a rock hard thigh firmly against her center.

Faith eases her upper body up slightly, still keeping firm contact with Tara's as she smiles down into dark blue, passion filled eyes. Easing into a slow, steady rock against Tara, Faith kisses her gently, groaning as Tara quickly deepens the kiss. Moaning when Tara shifts her leg slightly, pressing more firmly into her, Faith growls quietly as Tara nips her way across her jaw line. The two women slowly building up to a faster, harder rocking motion as their desire grows.

Feeling the orgasm working through her body, Tara groans at the wetness escaping from Faith as she slides and grinds almost effortlessly against her. "So, close." Tara whimpers as Faith finally kisses her way to her ear, running a hot wet tongue over it.

"What you do to me…" Faith groans into the ear, her hot breath making Tara arch and shudder under her as she tips over the edge, softly calling Faith's name. Rocking a little more firmly, Faith moans as she feels her own desire building to a fever pitch, finally crying out Tara's name as she grinds her body against Tara, her release easing onto the already slick leg.

Tara whimpers quietly as the two women slow their rocking motion, easing her death grip on the slayer's ass, briefly wondering when her hands ended up there. Sliding them up and over the strong back flinching and quivering under her hands, enjoying the slightly sweat dampened skin as she wraps her arms tightly around Faith, sighing softly as Faith buries her face in her neck, kissing the skin softly.

Lying on Tara for a few minutes as she let's her heart calm down, smiling at the still pounding heartbeat of her lover, Faith places another kiss on Tara's neck, before stroking her tongue softly over the damp skin. "I need to move, I weigh too much to lay on you like this." Faith finally admits.

"Don't go." Tara holds on tighter to the slayer, wanting to keep her close.

"I'm not going anywhere." Faith chuckles quietly. "I just don't wanna crush you."

"You're not crushing me." Tara explains. "I like being close."

"Me, too." Faith admits. "But why don't we shift 'round so I ain't worried about hurtin' you?"

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Tara grumbles quietly.

"Nope." Faith shakes her head, easing up to look into sated blue eyes. "How about I pull up the covers from wherever they slid to and wrap myself around you from behind, see how that goes."

Tara considers the thought for a moment, before finally nodding her head. "Fine, this time. But we're going to talk about this, because you're not too heavy."

Faith chuckles quietly as she reaches down with one hand while shifting her body to lie beside the witch. Pulling the covers back over them, she wiggles one arm under Tara's neck while wrapping the other arm around her middle, pulling her in tightly against her front. "Sleep, I want you to do well on your tests tomorrow." Faith murmurs softly as she hears the slowly deepening breath of her lover.

Tara's eyes are getting heavy as she tries to fight falling asleep. As sleep slowly overtakes her, she whispers softly, not realizing she's saying it out loud instead of just in her head. "I love you, Faith."

Faith buries her face in Tara's hair after hearing those four beautiful words, unconsciously hugging the witch even tighter. "Me, too." Faith finally admits out loud, stroking her fingers gently over the witch's stomach. "Love you." Faith whispers as she slowly falls asleep, her body as close to Tara's as physically possible.

Faith chuckles quietly as she sets down the donuts and juice she bought, smiling at the sleeping witch. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Faith strokes a finger gently over the witch's eyebrow.

"Hmmm. What time is it?" Tara murmurs as she slowly wakens at the soft touch.

"A little after 8:00." Faith smiles as Tara mumbles and buries her face a little deeper in the pillow. "Not a morning person?" Faith questions, laughing as one blue eye blinks open looking at her in disbelief.

"Yes, but my class isn't until 11:00." Tara grumbles, rolling over onto her back stretching as she yawns deeply.

"Sorry." Faith grins as the sheet starts to slide down Tara's body, with a little help. Leaning over Tara, Faith nips playfully at a full breast, chuckling as she hears Tara squeal in surprise.

"You're going to pay for that." Tara growls wrapping her arms around the slayer, pulling her down on the bed and rolling over on top of the slayer kissing her deeply. "To many clothes." Tara bitches as her hands reach under the slayer's clothes.

"Randy in the mornings, are you?" Faith chuckles as Tara quickly strips her top and bra off. Growling, Faith rolls them back over, so she's hovering above the witch.

"I am right now." Tara smirks as she runs her hands over the already hard nipples of the dark-haired slayer. Pinching them firmly, Tara's eyes gleam with mischief as her hands work down Faith's body quickly unbuttoning the slayer's jeans.

"What'cha doin'?" Faith questions, smirking at the witch.

"What do you think?" Tara raises an eyebrow in question as she slides her hands around the back of the slayer, sliding them under the jeans, grasping the strong butt cheeks, digging her fingers in gently.

Faith groans, pressing her lower body down into the witch. Whimpering as the strong fingers start to stroke her butt firmly.

"This would work better without the jeans in the way." Tara grins at the slayer.

"I don't know how, but it's almost as if you can turn me on with a simple touch." Faith growls leaning down capturing Tara's mouth in a battle of dominance. Arching her body to help Tara's hands shift her jeans to her knees, Faith slides her lower body back down, toeing off her boots roughly, frowning as she hears the laces break. Groaning loudly as a strong hand slides around her hip, caressing her outer lips teasingly. Biting back a squeak, Faith finds herself on her back with blue eyes looking down into her eyes.

"Jeans are coming all the way off." Tara slides down, pushing the jeans off the slayer's strong legs, tossing them to the side as she pushes the slayer's legs gently apart, smiling at the juices already glistening on the inner thighs.

"Tara!" Faith cries out quietly as Tara starts licking across her without any warning.

Tara grins at the note of surprise in Faith's voice. Stroking her tongue up and over the slayer's hidden nub, Tara brings her hands up, pulling the hood away from the pearl, Tara presses the tip of her tongue firmly against the muscle, flicking strongly.

Faith moans as she pushes up into the witch's mouth, sliding her hand down, she buries one in the witch's hair while grasping a handful of covers with the other. "Fuck, me!" Faith growls, her hips starting to jump as she feels the desire building in her body, surprised at how quickly the witch is bringing her to the edge of climax.

Tara hums into the slayer's body as she releases the flesh that normally hides the pleasure giving muscle, smiling at how swiftly the muscle swelled at her ministrations, feeling the heat and the twitching coming faster. Sliding her fingers through the nectar easing from the slayer, Tara slides two fingers deeply into the slayer at the same time she sucks strongly on the spasming muscle.

"SHIT!" Faith arches hard at the dual pleasure of Tara's fingers sliding deeply into her at the same time she starts to suck earnestly. Groaning as her hips buck uncontrollably, coming close to dislodging the witch.

Tara wraps her free arm around Faith's thigh, holding on for dear life while trying to ride out the bucking slayer, a brief thought of being able to hold onto the slayer for eight seconds would be hard compared to a bucking bronco, before she clamps down strongly on the muscle giving up the slayer's sweet nectar while stroking firmly against the slayer's muscles that are clenching and unclenching at a feverish pace. Finally releasing the hot muscle, Tara pants heavily, burying her fingers deeply into the slayer as more nectar floods her hand, her upper body being held aloft by the slayer's shaking body as she cries out her release, holding the position for a few long moments before Faith collapses back on the bed. Tara chuckles quietly as they bounce a couple times on the bed, Faith's body still shaking with the occasional aftershock as Tara is finally able to ease her fingers from inside her body. Gradually getting her breathing under control, Tara strokes her tongue softly over the slayer's body, gathering up the stray juices before working her way slowly up the slayer's body. Stopping for a few minutes enjoying the firm, round breasts, sucking eagerly on first one nipple then the other, smiling as she feels Faith's hands sliding up and down her back as the slayer's body finally relaxes.

Faith whimpers quietly as Tara nips up her neck. "I don't know how ya' do it, but I'm not gonna complain." Faith wraps her arms strongly around Tara, enjoying the closeness for a few moments before rolling back over, looking down into deep blue eyes. Glancing up at the clock Faith groans and buries her face in the witch's neck. "I don't have time to do to ya' what I want."

"What are you wanting to do?" Tara questions in a sex roughened voice, groaning quietly as strong fingers start to stroke down her sides.

"Take my time making love to every part of your body." Faith admits softly as she kisses her way quickly down Tara's body, nipping on the breast that started this before sliding her body between Tara's thighs. "So, I'm going to have to be content with bringing you to climax and thinking about what I'm going to do to you here, very soon." Faith growls as she lifts Tara's legs over her shoulder, sliding her tongue deeply within the witch, stroking strongly while nudging the witch's clit with her nose.

"Goddess!" Tara moans loudly, her body trying to get closer to the slayer. Jerking her hips as Faith manages to slide the tip of her tongue over her g-spot. "There!" Tara whimpers loudly as Faith strokes quickly and strongly over the spot.

Faith inhales deeply through her nose while she keeps her tongue curled up, pressing against the witch, groaning as she tastes the difference of the witch's nectar and as her lover's inner muscles clench firmly down on her tongue, tapping her tongue strongly against the muscle, Faith starts to swallow the witch's nectar quickly as she screams out her release, flooding her mouth.

"FAITH!!" Tara screams as she clenches her thighs tightly against the slayer's head as she grinds her body into the slayer's pleasure giving mouth for a few moments before whimpering loudly as the slayer eases away after her release.

Faith pants heavily, sliding her hands around the witch's thighs, squeezing gently as she places her head on top of the witch's mound, placing gentle kisses on the sex swollen area. Faith smiles as she closes her eyes. "Thank God for slayer strength and stamina."

Tara chuckles quietly, her hands stroking softly through the long brown hair. "I didn't think that would be possible."

"What?" Faith questions as she finally releases Tara's legs and eases up the witch's body so she can look down into sated blue eyes.

"You must have an extremely long tongue." Tara's eyes start to twinkle. "Reaching that deeply inside me? Length and strength is a definite to do what you just did."

Faith chuckles as she props herself up with an elbow on either side of Tara's head before she leans down kissing the witch softly, accepting the invitation to deepen the kiss.

Tara groans quietly as Faith finally eases back from the deep, strong kiss. "I'll have to practice and see if I'm capable of doing that." Tara smiles as Faith chuckles, burying her face in her neck.

"Lots and lots of practicing." Faith murmurs, finally easing her weight completely on Tara as the witch urges her to do. "You probably should eat breakfast and get ready for class."

"Probably." Tara agrees softly, her hands continuing their stroking over the slayer's body.

"I should move, then." Faith's lip quirks as Tara nods her head in agreement while wrapping her strongly in her arms so she can't move. Placing a soft kiss on the skin of the witch's neck, Faith finally lifts her body off the witch, smiling down into beautiful blue eyes. "Shower first, or food first?" Faith questions softly.

Tara sighs quietly. "I guess shower."

Faith leans down pressing her lips briefly against Tara's before rolling off the bed, watching as Tara grabs a robe, yanking it on and tying it quickly before grabbing her shower kit, smiling briefly before easing out of the door quickly shutting it behind her. Faith closes her eyes and inhales deeply of the scent of their lovemaking. "I definitely like that smell." Faith whispers to the empty room before she quickly makes the bed.

Faith strides alongside Tara as she walks her to the building her class is in. Watching as Tara stops, turning to her before heading up the steps, Faith groans quietly as Tara quickly pulls her in for a deep kiss.

"See you later." Tara whispers, looking intently into the brown eyes of the slayer, smiling softly as Faith nods her head. "Good." Tara leans in kissing her quickly before turning on her heel to run up the stairs and into the building.

Faith watches Tara until she disappears from sight. Patting her pocket, she double-checks to make sure she has the witch's information in case she finds an apartment and they ask for references. Striding away, Faith heads towards town to grab a newspaper seeing what's available.

Faith sighs as she meets the fourth manager in as many apartment complexes.

"You the one lookin' for a furnished apartment?" Kevin looks up and down the woman, with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, I am. Lookin' to rent it for three months with a possibility for longer, but don't want to be tied down more than that." Faith explains as she eyes the apartment complex. Glad to see it looks well-kept unlike a couple of the other ones she had already seen.

"I'm Kevin. We have a security system that you have to have a code to get in." Kevin smiles briefly at the woman as he punches in the code and opens the door, allowing the young woman in ahead of him. "We have four different apartments available. Two are one bedroom and the other two are two bedroom."

"Faith." Faith smiles introducing herself. "What's the price difference?" Faith questions as she walks up the steps behind the man, noticing the clean staircase.

"Hundred a month." He opens the door to the third floor, walking down the hallway. "I guess I shoulda' asked if you wanted to take the elevator, but I'm so used to hiking up and down the stairs, I didn't think about it. Sorry."

"That's okay, three flights of stairs is nothin'." Faith allows a small smile to cross her face at the man, deciding she likes him. "How often do you come out here?"

"Me?" He turns surprised eyes on her. "I live here permanently." Kevin chuckles as he comes to a halt in front of the door on 3E unlocking it.

"I thought you were the manager of the building." Faith walks in, looking around the apartment, surprised at how clean and up kept it seems.

"Own it, manage it and am the superintendent." He chuckles as her surprised look. "Didn't have anything better to do, so decided to take care of the place myself." He shrugs. "Got to the point it seemed like I was replacing the superintendents every three or so months. They'd just up and disappear. Got old, so I decided to move in and take care of it myself."

Faith laughs quietly as she inspects the apartment. "I have to admit, I'm surprised at how good it looks. Most of the other apartments I checked out had trashed furniture in them. No televisions or stereos either." Faith looks at the decent television, nothing fancy, but pretty good for a furnished apartment.

"This is one of the two bedroom apartments." Kevin explains as he walks through the small, but sunny kitchen. "I also supply dishware, which a lot of the furnished apartments don't." He opens a couple cabinets showing the glasses and plates. "Nothing fancy, just regular pots and skillets come with the apartment, so you might need something else."

"That's great." Faith grins as she follows him through the kitchen peeking into the bathroom, noticing the bigger than average tub along with the big vanity and mirror.

"Don't supply towels or the like, they have a tendency to disappear." Kevin shrugs.

"I'm surprised the plates and stuff doesn't disappear on ya'." Faith admits as she walks into one of the bedrooms, nodding at the full-sized bed, night stands, functional dresser and closet. Nothing spectacular, but definitely functional.

"They do, but I honestly think a lot of them get broken." Kevin chuckles loudly. "Get some doozies of fights in these apartments, I'm thankful that they have pretty thick walls, don't get too many complaints."

"Thick walls?" Faith's interest is peaked. "How thick?"

"Why? Ya' planning on having screaming matches?" Kevin raises an eyebrow in question at the woman.

"Yeah, but not that kind." Faith smirks at the tall, gruff man. She steps into the bigger bedroom, eyebrow raised in surprise at the queen sized bed sitting in the middle of the room against the wall, before turning her gaze to the furniture, still nothing fancy, but definitely functional and well-kept. Walking over to the closet, Faith slides the door open, nodding at the size. "Is the other two bedroom pretty much set up the same?" Faith questions as she slides the closet door shut as she follows Kevin out to the living room.

"Yeah. Apartment is more or less the same. Furniture and the like is a little different, but same basic size and set-up." Kevin admits. "Wanna see one of the one bedrooms next?"

"Sure." Faith grins as she follows him out of the apartment, already deciding that with the security system getting into the apartment building, the fact that the actual owner lived and worked there and how clean and up kept the place was, this was definitely going to be the best possibility.

"Up two more flights, if you wanna walk." Kevin stops by the door to the stairs, chuckling as Faith nods her head. "So, you gonna be renting by yourself?"

"Nah, me and my girlfriend are looking for a place." Faith explains as she quickly follows him up the stairs.

"Girlfriend, huh?" Kevin glances over his shoulder eyeing her up and down. "Wouldn't have figured ya' for that."

"That a problem?" Faith raises an eyebrow in question, her eyes serious.

"Nah. You just didn't look the type. Got one gay couple on the second floor, butch city for the one girl and ultra feminine for her girlfriend." Kevin chuckles as he walks down the hallway to 5B, quickly unlocking the door. "Then there's Fred and Justin on this floor. No getting around them two being gay, they're always fawning all over each other." Kevin laughs quietly as he follows her into the apartment. "I'd much rather see two women fawning all over each other, but I ain't got a problem with it."

"Good." Faith grins, letting the tension ease back out of her shoulders as she walks in the apartment. Noticing the slightly bigger living room/kitchen combination, Faith stops at the bathroom, her eyes opening wide in surprise.

"Yeah, one of the selling points of the one bedrooms. I put in the bigger Jacuzzi tubs in them. I mean on the two bedrooms, I have the oversized tubs when I remodeled, but the Jacuzzi tubs a lot of the people enjoy." Kevin smirks as Faith walks into the bathroom, checking out the big tub.

"God, this would be good after a rough night." Faith's eyes look at the tub, already imagining getting Tara in it and driving the woman crazy. Quickly trying to get those thoughts out of her head, she smiles, turning around to check out the master bedroom. "Bigger bedroom, also." Faith comments as she eyes the two different closets and the bed. Walking over to the bed, she sits down before plopping back on it, grinning at the firm mattress. "How much is this one?"

"Six hundred a month. I supply cable with the apartment. You want a DVD player or VCR player, you gotta supply your own." Kevin explains. "Got any problems with something not working right, let me know and I'll get here as quickly as I can, which usually isn't very long. If I can't fix it, I'll do my damnedest to get someone in here to fix it within a day."

"You seem to keep the place up pretty good." Faith comments as she stands up. "And you don't charge an outrageous price for it, either."

"Ain't no reason to. I make a living, get enough to keep up on the repairs, putting some money away in case anything major comes up. It's all good." Kevin grins watching as Faith walks back to the kitchen, nosily looking through the cabinets and drawers.

Faith pulls her phone out of her pocket to see what time it is. Smiling slightly as she realizes Tara should probably be back in her dorm room by now, she glances up to Kevin. "Is it okay if I call my girl?"

"Sure, I can wait out in the hallway if you want." Kevin offers starting to walk that way.

"Nah, you're good." Faith smiles as she punches the speed dial, waiting for Tara to pick up.

"Hello?" Tara answer the phone as she sets down her text book she'd been studying.

"Hey, babe. How'd test go?" Faith questions leaning a hip against the counter.

"Good, I hope." Tara smiles. "How's apartment hunting going?"

"I think pretty good. Can you call a cab and maybe come here to check it out with me?" Faith runs a hand through her hair. "I'll pay for the cab if you ain't got enough cash on ya'."

"It's okay, sweetie. Where do I need to go?" Tara grabs a pen and paper, quickly writing down the address as Faith rattles it off. "I'll call a cab and hopefully be there in fifteen or twenty minutes."

"'Kay, babe. Have him honk when he gets here and we'll meet you downstairs." Faith softly offers, glancing out the window, noticing it has a great view of the sidewalk leading up to the apartment building.

"I will. I'll be there in a little bit. 'Bye." Tara smiles at the soft spoken goodbye from Faith.

"Hope you don't mind me callin' to get her here to look. Personally, I'm leaning towards the one bedroom, but since we're moving in together, it might be best for her to be given a choice. That way if I do somethin' to piss her off, she has another bedroom to kick my ass to." Faith explains to a chuckling Kevin.

"That's what the couch is for." Kevin points to the object. "It actually folds out to a bed, if you need it. So she's the butch, huh?"

Faith laughs at that comment. "She can be." Faith smirks remembering the witch threatening her when she was hurt. "What's the utilities run on a place like this a month?"

"During the summer it's more, because of the A/C unit. But my apartment is usually around $75 – $100 a month during the summer, depending on how much of a heat wave we have it will get over $100 a month." Kevin explains. "Of course, I usually leave half my lights on all the time, so if you're good about turning shit off, yours will probably be lower."

"Nah, ours will probably be more. I usually work in the evenings and she works during the day, so someone will probably always be here." Faith shrugs looking out the window.

"What do you two do?" Kevin questions sitting down at the kitchen table, watching the pretty brunette.

"She's in school, going to be a veterinarian. She works at a vet's office during the summer and during the school year when she ain't going through finals, like she is now. I work unloading stuff and setting it up at one of the local galleries in town." Faith shrugs, giving her normal reply for where her money comes from. Even though, technically she did work for Joyce, but more just to help out than anything, but the woman had already told her to use her as a reference if needed. "I got Tara's references, if you want them. I can give ya' mine, if you'd like. I didn't think about writing them down." Faith pulls the paper out of her pocket.

"Don't worry about it, right now. Wait 'til your girlfriend gets here, see what she thinks then we'll go from there." Kevin offers quietly, already having a good feeling about this woman, not really worried about the references, but holding out until he meets the other half.

Faith looks out the window, grinning as she watches the cab pull up outside. "She's here." Faith chuckles as the horn beeps.

"Let's go down, then." Kevin stands, following the brunette out of the apartment, surprised at how much the woman seemed to light up as her girlfriend got there.

Kevin stares in surprise at the pretty blonde walking up the sidewalk. Turning a raised eyebrow towards the brunette. "She's the butch?"

"Like I said, she can be." Faith grins at the guy before walking down to meet Tara. "Hey." Faith whispers, grasping Tara's hand gently before kissing her quickly.

"Hi, sweetie." Tara smiles lovingly at Faith as the woman practically hums with happiness. "Happy to see me, or happy with the apartment you found?"

"Both." Faith grins as she urges Tara up to the building, laughing. "Tare, this is Kevin. Kevin, this is Tara."

"Nice to meet you." Tara smiles, shaking the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you, too." Kevin shakes his head, pointing his finger at Faith. "I think you're pulling my leg, miss."

"Am not. She's wicked mean when she gets going. Tell him, Tare. Let him know that you definitely are butch." Faith wiggles her eyebrows at the blushing witch.

"What have you been discussing?" Tara squeaks, her eyes wide on her lover.

"He didn't think I looked the butch type, so…" Faith chuckles as Tara groans quietly. "Tell me you ain't butch when the mood strikes you." Faith leans in whispering in her ear. "Who was all take charge this mornin', huh? And who ordered Red and B around? You gotta admit it."

"Fine, you pain in the ass. Just remember this at a later date." Tara offers, growling quietly. "So, what are we here to see?"

Kevin laughs quietly at the two women. "You want to check out the two bedroom or the one bedroom?"

"Faith?" Tara questions, her eyebrow lifted.

"I'm kinda partial to the one bedroom." Faith admits, smiling hopefully.

"Other than the obvious reason, why?" Tara laughs as Faith's eyes light up.

"Jacuzzi tub and bigger bedroom." Faith explains quickly.

"Let's check it out." Tara follows the other two up the five flights of stairs. Leaning in, Tara whispers softly in Faith's ear. "Is the whole apartment building this clean?"

"Yep. Kevin owns, runs and fixes the place." Faith explains softly. "He even lives here."

Tara looks in surprise at her lover. "He does?"

"Yes, he does." Faith admits, grinning hugely. "Check it out, babe. See if you like it. It's way above the rest clean wise, let alone the condition the furniture's in." Faith follows Tara into the apartment, letting her check it out as she walks through from the living room to the kitchen, laughing quietly at the bathroom before she walks into the bedroom, a hand trailing over the bed, unconsciously pressing down firmly, nodding at the firmness of the mattress.

"How much, sweetie?" Tara questions opening a closet door, checking out the size before closing it back, turning her gaze on Faith.

"It's $600 a month, and includes cable." Faith looks eagerly at the witch.

"I'll let you two talk it over, if you want. Come up to the 8D and get me when you're done." Kevin hands the keys to Faith as he smiles and walks out of the apartment, letting the two women discuss things in private.

Faith watches as he shuts the door behind him, before turning her gaze back on Tara. "What'cha think?"

"I think it's a damn good price for what we've got here." Tara admits, following Faith as she walks back out of the bedroom.

"He even supplies basic kitchen ware with the apartment." Faith explains as she opens cabinets and drawers showing Tara the functional dishes. "Like he said, nothing fancy, but it'll get the job done."

Tara walks into the living room, sitting down on the couch. "Not bad, should be relatively comfortable to sit on for a period of time."

Faith plops down beside Tara before turning to lay her head on the witch's lap while propping her feet up on the end of the couch. Wiggling her body, Faith looks up, grinning at the witch. "I can deal."

Tara laughs as she reaches down, stroking a hand through the slayer's dark hair. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah, I do. It's clean, he obviously takes care of the place, it has the codes to get into the apartment building. He's on the premises and from the sounds of it, is available pretty much 24/7 for any problems we have." Faith ticks off the pluses.

"And it has a big Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom, to help soothe achy slayer muscles after you come in from a hard night slaying." Tara softly whispers, smiling gently into Faith's eyes.

"I was thinkin' more along the lines of a tub big enough for both of us to get into some serious mischief in. But your idea has some merit." Faith wiggles her eyebrows, smirking before she lifts her body and shifts to face Tara. "You ready to take a big step and move into an apartment with me?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Tara softly admits running her thumb over Faith's cheekbone.

"I want to. It feels right." Faith smiles at Tara before leaning in to kiss her softly. "Being with you feels right."

"Then, let's do it." Tara smiles softly as Faith starts to grin. Tara squeals Faith's name as the slayer pounces on her, kissing her hungrily.

"You said let's do it." Faith's eyes twinkle merrily. "He said the apartments got thick walls, just thought maybe we should check them out, see how thick they are."

"Evil slayer." Tara leans in kissing Faith before laughing. "After we get the apartment, let's not push it, just yet!"

"Spoil sport." Faith grumbles, before chuckling at her lover.

Tara becomes serious for a moment, stroking her hands down Faith's cheeks, looking into the gorgeous brown eyes that showed more than the slayer probably realized they did. Seeing the caring, and yes, the obvious desire, but also seeing the love slowly growing within the slayer. "You realize I haven't lived with anyone for three years, right?" Tara softly explains, a small smile working across her face. "I might be the problem child in this relationship."

"Nah. You'll be great. You'll probably want to take care of me and everythin'." Faith has a small smile on her face, but a serious look in her eyes as she says the words.

"As much as you'll let me." Tara agrees softly, pulling Faith to her and kissing her lovingly.

"Plus, you said you can cook. I can fix a minimum of things, but Mrs. S. usually does the majority of cooking at the house. I can fix things like burgers and throwing shit in the oven to cook." Faith grins hugely. "I can chop, dice and slice also. So prepping things I've gotten real good at."

"I guess we can figure out the particulars later. Let's see what we need to fill out to rent this place." Tara smiles as Faith helps her up, the two women leaving the apartment to go upstairs to Kevin's place.

Tara leans against the wall by the door as Faith knocks smartly on the door, laughing quietly at the slayer's never ending energy as she rocks back and forth on her feet.

"You're laughin' at me, ain't ya'?" Faith's smiles at Tara's laughter, enjoying the musical sound.

"Sort of." Tara admits, chuckling. "Your energy is probably going to be the end of me."

"I don't know 'bout that. You're pretty strong, which was sort of surprising. You like to run?" Faith questions, eyeing the witch. "Oops." Faith murmurs as Kevin opens the door.

"Sorry about the delay." Kevin steps back, letting the two women in his apartment. "Was running the vacuum cleaner and thought I heard something."

"That's okay." Tara smiles as she walks into the apartment, smiling at the huge open space. "What did you do, combine two apartments into one?"

"Yeah. I like the open space." Kevin admits, grinning. "Don't like feeling closed in. I forgot to tell you, but there's washers and dryers down in the basement for use. They're pay ones, but it saves you from having to go out and do the laundry elsewhere."

"Thanks, that might come in handy." Faith admits smiling. "So, if you want us, we'd like to rent the place."

"Sure, come on over here and sit down." Kevin motions to the desk set up in the corner, handing the papers to the two women. "Standard rental agreement. I have it set up for a month by month basis since you weren't too terribly sure how long you wanted to rent the place. Which is kind of the usual around here, for some reason."

"A lot of people do seem to come and go in this town." Tara murmurs softly as she reads the papers that Faith just handed over to her.

"Don't worry about filling out the reference section. I got a pretty good feel for people, and I don't think I need to worry about you two trashing the place." Kevin watch's Tara as she quickly flips the page of the agreement.

"If you're sure. I don't mind filling it out." Tara glances up, smiling quickly before looking back down, finishing the rental agreement. "Pretty cut and dried. Did you want to read it, sweetie?" Tara glances towards Faith.

"Nah. You're the brains of this outfit." Faith taps her fingers lightly on her leg. "When can we move in?"

"As soon as you want. As you could tell, they're ready for someone to come at a moments notice." Kevin explains, smiling.

"Do you want to work on moving in now, or wait 'til the end of the week?" Faith questions looking at Tara. "I know you got school 'til Friday. But we can move the majority of your stuff in here, if you want."

"I really don't have that much to move." Tara admits quietly as she looks back at Faith, smiling at the slayer.

"So a trip with the Jeep will get it done?" Faith smiles as Tara nods. "Pretty much the same with me. Though I think I got more clothes than you do."

"You're rougher on your clothes than I am." Tara smirks at the slayer.

"Can't help it." Faith shrugs, smiling. "I guess we can go ahead and take it now. I'll work on slowly bringing my stuff over, I'm sure Mrs. S. wouldn't mind me borrowing the Jeep to move. Gotta help move B and Red anyway this weekend."

"We'll go ahead and take it now." Tara smiles at Kevin as she pulls out her checkbook. "Maybe we can borrow Mrs. Summers' vehicle before this weekend and get the majority of it moved, that way we can help Willow and Buffy this weekend."

"I can do that during the day while you're in school." Faith offers softly watching as Tara makes out the check for the full amount of the last and first months deposit along with the security deposit. "Hey, I need to pay part of that." Faith growls quietly.

"I kind of figured you'd want to stop at the store and stock up on groceries. That's going to be expensive." Tara allows a small smile to cross her face.

"Was planning on paying for groceries anyways. You don't eat next to nothin', especially compared to me." Faith allows a quick smile to cross her face. "I'll pay the next two months rent, so you ain't gotta worry about it."

"We'll discuss it later." Tara murmurs softly as she signs the rental agreement before handing it to Faith.

"Already discussed and decided." Faith growls quietly as she signs below Tara's name.

Kevin bites his lip to keep from laughing at the two women as they argue over paying the rent. Pulling out the drawer, he pulls out two sets of keys, setting them on the desk for the women. "If you two have any questions, concerns or just want to talk, I'm pretty much here all the time. Those keys also have the keys to your mailbox on them."

Tara accepts their copy of the rental agreement, tucking it away in her purse while Faith grabs the keys.

"There's parking around back, it's marked for each apartment, so if anyone's in your spot, let me know." Kevin explains as he hands a map to the two women showing the parking spots and where their spots were for the apartment.

"We don't have a vehicle, so it doesn't much matter." Faith shrugs looking at the map.

"But if you have friends over, they can use those spots to park in, along with the parking along the side of the road." Kevin smiles. "It isn't that much of a problem normally, but occasionally one of the crew here will have a party and the open spots get filled by other people."

"What about the code to get in?" Tara questions as they stand.

"I'll go out with you and set up your own code." Kevin grabs a piece of paper and pen. "Give me five digits that you can remember for your password."

Tara and Faith look at each other questioningly. "My birthday's in October." Tara admits shrugging.

Faith grins. "Mine's in August. We met in April, how about 40810?" Faith offers, smiling as Tara nods her head in agreement. "There it is." Faith watch's as Kevin nods his head writing down the numbers.

Tara laughs quietly as Faith literally wraps her arms around her and spins her around. "Put me down, you beast!"

"Don't wanna." Faith chuckles as she eases Tara down her body. "We need to pick up some packing boxes to put our stuff in. Mrs. S. probably has some extra boxes floating around at the gallery, we can stop there on the way back to the dorm."

The two women follow Kevin down the stairs, waiting for him to program their code in, then trying it out to make sure it works. "Well, ladies. You have a wonderful night, and I'll look forward to seeing you here. If you end up needing any help, let me know." Kevin smiles and waves as the two women walk down the steps. Chuckling at the two women.

"Thanks, Kev." Faith smirks as she walks backwards, her hand playing over Tara's stomach, teasingly.

"Thank you." Tara grasps Faith's hand as she turns back and smiles at Kevin before the two women turn, walking down the sidewalk towards town.

"Stop that!" Tara smacks Faith's hand as it slides over her ass again as they walk towards the gallery Joyce owns. Tara tries to keep from laughing at the slayer's playfulness.

"Why?" Faith tries not to laugh as Tara starts grumbling and trying to swerve out of reach of the slayer. "You got a great looking ass, can't help that my hands have a mind of their own." Faith slides behind the witch, grabbing her butt with both hands, making her squeal.

Tara jumps ahead and turns, walking backwards as she stares at Faith. "What has gotten into you?" Tara's twinkling eyes widen as Faith grins wickedly as her eyes drop to a new area, raising her hands teasingly. "FAITH!"

Faith laughs before wrapping her arms around Tara, hugging her tightly. "I like teasin' ya'." Faith admits burying her face in Tara's neck, inhaling deeply of the witch's scent.

"You are rotten." Tara whispers, hugging Faith strongly, closing her eyes at the strong arms holding her like they never want to let her go. "Come on, sweetie. Let's go by Mrs. Summers' gallery and see if she has any boxes for me to start packing my stuff up before you have to head out on patrol."

Faith sighs quietly. "Only a couple more days, right?" Faith pulls back, smiling at the witch.

"Then I'll be working full days at the vet's office." Tara admits, smiling at Faith.

"What days and hours?" Faith finally releases Tara as they continue on their way to the art gallery.

"Mondays through Fridays and most of the time I'll be working 8:00 'til 5:00 with an hour for lunch as I can sneak away." Tara smiles softly. "There will be times where I'll be stuck there later."

"Can I sneak by to take you out to lunch occasionally?" Faith asks curiously. "Or would you rather they not know about us?"

"Why would I want to keep us a secret?" Tara looks seriously at Faith.

"Didn't know if it might cause you problems at work. A lot of people are still very much against same-sex couples." Faith softly admits, looking at Tara. "I don't wanna cause you any troubles."

"They don't like it, I'll find somewhere else to work." Tara blinks, not really thinking the people she works with would have a problem with it, but not really knowing. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, Faith."

"'Kay. But I don't wanna cause any waves, and if it would be easier for me just not to come and take you to lunch, I won't." Faith opens the door to the gallery, watching as Tara stops in front of her.

"I'm not going to hide our relationship, Faith. If I want to kiss you in front of all of them, I will." Tara brushes a hand gently over the slayer's cheek before kissing her softly on the lips. "But it doesn't mean we're going to tongue wrestle and grab each other's butt's in front of them either!" Tara smiles at the pout crossing Faith's lips.

"Why not? I kinda like when you grab my ass." Faith wiggles her eyebrows, laughing as she follows Tara in the store quickly smacking her on the butt before looking innocently around as Tara turns and glares at her.

"The innocent look doesn't work for you, Faith. Just to let you know." Tara murmurs softly as she smiles at the receptionist.

"Hi, Faith. We didn't get in any shipments today." Becky smiles at the two women.

"I know, I was wondering if Mrs. S. was available. I'm needing some empty boxes to move stuff and was wantin' to ask her for some." Faith smiles at Becky, while wrapping her arm gently around Tara's waist, squeezing gently.

"I'm sure there's some boxes back there. You know how much of a pack rat she is." Becky eyes the arm Faith wraps around the blonde, raising an eyebrow in surprise. Picking up the phone, she dials Joyce's extension. "Joyce, Faith's here."

"Send her back." Joyce grins as she hangs up the phone.

"Go on back, Faith. She's in her office." Becky smiles as Faith grins and urges the blonde back towards Joyce's office.

Tara slowly follows Faith in Joyce's office, allowing a quick smile to cross her face as Joyce tosses Faith a water as soon as she walks in.

"Hi, Tara! Do you want something to drink?" Joyce looks in surprise at the blonde as she reaches back into the refrigerator, grabbing one out for Tara as the blonde nods. "So, what brings you two by here?"

"Kinda found a place today, Mrs. S." Faith gets straight to the point.

"I'm losing my roomie?" Joyce sighs quietly, sitting down in her chair. "So, I couldn't talk you into moving into the house?" Joyce eyes light on Tara, grinning as the blonde blushes.

"It's probably for the best that I not move in." Tara murmurs, blushing a little redder.

Faith sits down on the chair, propping her feet up on the edge of Joyce's desk while she balances on the back two legs of the chair, her eyes caressing over the blonde. "She gets a little loud, Mrs. S. Wouldn't want to keep you from your beauty sleep."

"FAITH!" Tara turns surprised eyes on the dark-haired slayer.

Faith chuckles wickedly as Joyce laughs in appreciation. Joyce turns twinkling eyes on the blonde. "That's okay, Tara. I'm sure you aren't the only one that gets loud, Faith's just conveniently forgetting that."

"Did not. Just wasn't bringin' it up." Faith admits, smirking at Joyce. "I was wonderin' if we could steal some of your boxes to pack up our stuff with. Then maybe borrow the Jeep to move stuff in the next couple days."

"Of course. Did you want to borrow the Jeep now?" Joyce questions looking seriously at Faith.

"If you don't mind my using it to take the boxes to Tara's dorm room, then I'll bring it back and load up more for me to use, you can bring those home with you tonight." Faith rattles off what she's thinking looking from Joyce to Tara and back.

"What do you two ladies need for the apartment?" Joyce questions softly smiling as Tara looks questioningly at Faith.

"We need sheets and stuff for the bed, towels and wash clothes for the bathroom along with dishtowels and dishcloths for the kitchen." Faith looks at Tara, wondering if there was anything else she could think of.

"That's pretty much the majority of it. I have some towels and washcloths, along with dishtowels and dishcloths. But not many, not enough for Faith and I both." Tara explains smiling briefly.

"If you don't mind mixing and matching, I have some extra towels and stuff put up, that aren't matching at the house in the basement." Joyce offers looking at the two women. "I think there's some dish towels and the like down there also."

"You don't mind?" Tara questions softly, smiling as the older woman shakes her head. "Thank you, very much."

"No problem. They're not being used for anything and I have a tendency to replace the towels every couple years whether they need it or not!" Joyce admits, grinning. "Faith, you know where I keep the boxes. Grab a couple rolls of packing tape while you're back there, you'll need it." Joyce opens her desk drawer, pulling out the extra set of keys she keeps there. Tossing them to Faith, she chuckles quietly. "Need anything else?"

"Not that I can think of right now." Faith turns her gaze on Tara. "What about you, babe?"

"No, thank you, Mrs. Summers. We'll need to go to the store and get bedding is about it, I guess." Tara watches Faith, smiling softly at the slayer. "And groceries."

Joyce groans quietly. "She'll eat you guys out of house and home. Got any room in that apartment for a small chest freezer? You might want to pick one up, if you do." Joyce jokes looking at the young woman. "And just to let you two know, I expect you at the house on Sunday nights for dinner. You're welcome anytime, but there will be no excuses not to show up for Sunday Dinner."

"Yes, mom." Faith grins at Joyce.

"Might as well be." Joyce chuckles quietly. "Go get what you need, Faith. I'll see you later. You coming back to the house tonight?"

Faith glances at Tara, smiling briefly. "Yeah, I guess I better. Don't want to keep Tara up to all hours of the night. I'll be back in plenty of time for you to have the Jeep to drive home." Faith looks up at the clock. "Still working till 8:00 tonight?"

"Yes, I am. If you need longer, just call and I'll order a cab." Joyce smiles knowingly at the slayer.

"You're pretty cool, Mrs. S." Faith drops the chair back down on all four feet, grinning at Joyce. "I'll let you know."

"See you two later." Joyce smiles as the two women quickly leave the room, chuckling quietly.

Faith turns her gaze on Tara before she starts the Jeep. "Do you wanna stop at the store and pick out the bed sheets? I think the superstore had those bed-in-a-bag things on sale, if you wanna look. That is if you don't have to study."

"We can look. That way we can maybe wash the sheets before we use them." Tara shifts her body so she's facing Faith, tilting her head against the head rest, looking over the beautiful features. Reaching out, Tara strokes a finger gently down the slayer's cheek, dipping her finger into the slayer's dimple.

Faith can't help but close her eyes at the soft caress. "Washed sheets softened with fabric softener is a much better idea, than rough new sheets." Faith sighs softly, pressing her face into the witch's hand.

Tara covers the short distance, capturing the slayer's lips in a soft, but passionate kiss. Languorously wrapping her tongue repeatedly over and around the slayer's for a few long minutes, before both women gently ease back.

"Store." Faith whispers, slowly opening her eyes closing the distance to press a quick kiss to Tara's full, pouty lips. "When do you find out what your grades are?" Faith questions quietly as she starts the Jeep, driving quickly but carefully to the store.

"Next week. They're supposed to have them posted by Wednesday." Tara watches Faith, smiling as the woman's eyes continue to flicker everywhere, watching for any kind of danger.

Faith pulls into the parking spot, quickly putting the vehicle into park before shutting the engine off. As the two women walk toward the store, Faith strokes the back of her fingers over Tara's hand, smiling as Tara threads their fingers together. "I'll go by the Sunnydale Power company and get the electricity turned on tomorrow. I'll stop by the phone company and see about getting the phone turned on, while I'm out also."

"You don't have to do that all by yourself, sweetie." Tara looks at Faith as they walk in the store, watching Faith grab one of the carts.

"It makes sense that I do it. You've got classes, and I don't do much during the day anyways." Faith smiles as Tara runs a hand gently over her back. "We probably need to pick up a phone, also."

"So we need bed ware and a phone. What else, sweetie?" Tara questions as they walk back to house wares.

"Got a question for ya'." Faith hesitates, glancing at the woman. Seeing her questioning look, Faith sighs. "Could you use a computer to do your work on? I mean, I know it's the end of the year and all, but for next school year, wouldn't it be helpful to have a computer of your own?"

Tara nods her head hesitantly. "But it wasn't something that I could explain away the cost of. Had too many other expenditures, and since there were the computers in the library…" Tara shrugs.

"And how much time do you waste waitin' for one of them to open up so you can use it?" Faith questions as she turns the cart down the aisle looking at the bed sets.

"Quite a bit." Tara admits softly.

"And can't you do a lot of researching and shit on-line if you had access to it, effectively keepin' you outta the library? That way you ain't out there after dark?" Faith puts forward that point, also.

"Point made." Tara sighs quietly. "What design or colors do you like?" Tara questions looking at the different items, eyeing the queen size sets.

"Don't much care one way or another." Faith picks up one queen set, grinning as she looks at Tara. "Wanna have the moon and stars with the dark navy blue background? I kinda like it."

"The comforter is two-sided, isn't it?" Tara looks at the items, noticing the lighter side. "We can maybe alternate the sides from week to week. Throw it in the cart." Tara smiles as Faith grins happily, tossing the bed set in the cart, watching as Tara looks through the sheet sets. "It's almost cheaper to buy another bed set compared to the sheet sets." Tara grumbles, looking at the prices.

"It is, in the long run." Faith chuckles as she watch's Tara. "You figure we got the shams, PILLOWS!! Is the pillow you have on your bed yours, or does it come with the dorm?" Faith questions, frowning.

"It's mine." Tara looks up at Faith, smiling. "Why?"

"Well, I need a pillow, I don't wanna take the one that Mrs. S. bought." Faith chuckles as Tara grins at her. "Anyway, the sets have the skirt thingy, shams, comforter and the sheets and pillow cases. And costs what, something like $20 more?" Faith points at the sale price compared to the sheets Tara's looking at.

"And it would give us another comforter to use if we need to wash that one." Tara admits, grinning. "Talked me into it."

"You get to pick out the next set." Faith walks down the aisle, checking out the pillows. "I don't like feather pillows." Faith grumbles as she works her way past them, looking at the queen sized pillows, squeezing the different ones until she finds one that looks promising. Pulling it out, she punches it a couple time and buries her face in the pillow, frowning as she hears the laughter coming from Tara.

Tara's eyes twinkle merrily as she watches Faith. "You are absolutely one of a kind, love." Tara eases up, wrapping her arms gently around Faith's waist, placing a kiss on the back of her neck. "And I can't believe someone hasn't snatched you up before now."

"Someone has." Faith admits, squeezing Tara's hands gently. "A blue-eyed, blonde came and stole my heart."

Tara inhales deeply at the slayer's admittance. Tightening her arms around the slayer, Tara buries her face in the slayer's hair, whimpering quietly. "I didn't want to steal it, Faith. I was kind of hoping it would be offered to me." Tara states softly.

Faith turns slowly in the witch's arms, looking deep into the loving blue eyes, finally realizing that's what she sees. Love shining from the depths of the witch's blue eyes. "Do you really want this jaded heart?" Faith questions hoarsely.

"With my entire being." Tara reaches up to stroke her thumb over the velvety soft cheek. "Whether you realize it or not, you already have mine." Tara whispers, her eyes searching out the deep brown gaze.

Faith whimpers quietly gently kissing Tara before hugging her tightly. "You know there's a good chance you're fallin' in love with someone that has a very short life expectancy, don't ya'?"

"I'm planning on doing everything in my powers to make sure that life expectancy is as long as possible." Tara swallows hard, closing her eyes at the slayer's hands stroking softly over her back.

"Why the hell are we havin' this conversation in a damn store?" Faith finally questions, trying to lighten the mood some.

"Because we need mental help." Tara allows a smile to cross her face as she eases back from Faith, quickly pressing her lips against the slayer's before turning back to the bed sets. Picking out a light blue striped set with a solid blue on the other side, Tara places it in the cart, watching as Faith throws a couple pillows in the cart. "Better grab a couple more, that way we have pillows for the shams."

"Good thinkin'." Faith grabs a couple more. "Did you wanna pick out a couple pillows that you like?"

"I'm sure you picked out the best ones, sweetie." Tara's eyes twinkle happily at the slayer. "Let's get a phone, along with laundry detergent and fabric softener. I know I'm getting low, so I'd rather get some more to be on the safe side."

"Whatever you wish." Faith follows behind Tara, grinning at the swaying hips. Faith makes a note that tomorrow when she's running around, she's going to pick Tara up some more jeans and tops.

"Anything else you think we should pick up now?" Tara questions as she makes her way to the electronics department, looking at the phones.

"Should we get one with an answering machine?" Faith questions, frowning as she looks at the cordless phones.

"We don't have to spend the money on a cordless phone, sweetie." Tara points to the regular phones. "These are a lot cheaper and some of them have an answering machine with them."

"Yeah, but if we're playing in the Jacuzzi and somebody calls, we can have the cordless within hands reach." Faith explains as she grabs one of the cordless phone/answering machine combinations placing it in the cart.

"Sweetie, I don't have the money to be spending it like this." Tara softly whispers, explaining her thoughts on the matter.

"But I do." Faith answers just as softly. "I have enough money put away to buy three motorcycles, but I just can't decide which one I want. I pay for my clothes and groceries, but Mrs. S. won't let me give her money for rent. And honestly, I hit the thrift stores for my jeans ninety percent of the time. I go through them too damn quick slaying to go to the mall and spend $60 or more on a pair of jeans. I think it's a fuckin' waste doing that. But don't tell B I said that. That's where most of her money goes, shopping at the mall." Faith admits, smiling at the witch.

Tara stares in stunned disbelief at the slayer, her mouth opening and shutting repeatedly, before she sighs quietly. "I still don't want you wasting your money, sweetie. You risk your life repeatedly for that money. You earned it a hundred times over."

"Yeah, it's my money, so I decide how I'm gonna spend it." Faith explains quietly. "If I want to drop $30,000 on anything I can think of for you, I'm gonna do it. Because I can, and I want to." Faith closes the distance between them, clasping the witch's cheek in her hand. "I've got over $50,000 saved in the bank, babe. Pick out what you want, without worrying about the cost, 'kay?" Faith looks seriously into Tara's surprised blue eyes.

"Faith…" Tara starts, but as she notices the stubborn look crossing the slayer's face, Tara drops her head. "You're planning on keeping the apartment after the new school year starts, aren't you?" Tara finally lifts her head, looking deeply into the slayer's eyes.

"With you, yes." Faith admits, stroking her thumb over Tara's face. "Maybe buy a small used car for you to drive back and forth to school. Come on, babe. Let's finish shopping. I wanna talk to you some more before I need to go out on patrol." Faith glances down at Tara's watch, seeing it's after 6:30.

Tara nods, quickly following behind Faith as she works her way through the store, grabbing laundry detergent and fabric softener before heading towards the checkout lanes. "You aren't going to let me pay for any of this, are you?" Tara questions quietly.

"Nope." Faith glances at the witch, smiling quickly as she loads up the belt with their items. "I'm gonna come back tomorrow to pick up cleaning supplies and the like. So, if there's anything in particular you like better than the other, let me know."

Tara growls quietly, before rolling her eyes at her lover. "Arguing with you isn't going to do me a damn bit of good, is it?"

"No, it isn't." Faith answers, pushing the cart ahead as the cashier rings up the items. Grabbing her wallet out of her pocket, Faith waits patiently for the total. Handing the woman the money, Faith watches Tara placing their bags in the cart while she frowns lightly. "Babe, it isn't a big deal. Don't worry about it, please." Faith whispers, watching as Tara lifts her head, looking at her sadly.

"It isn't fair, Faith. It's not right to expect you to pay for the majority of whatever we need to buy." Tara waves her hand towards the cart, sighing heavily.

Faith accepts her change, before pushing the cart quickly towards the exit without saying anything else to the witch. Loading the items in the back of the jeep, Faith clenches her jaw, not looking at Tara. Shutting the back, Faith walks around, unlocking the door for Tara before quickly striding to her door, unlocking and climbing in before starting the vehicle and driving towards the college.

Tara glances over at the silent slayer, seeing the firm set of her jaw and the narrowed gaze. Rubbing a hand over her forehead, Tara closes her eyes wondering what she can say to Faith.

Faith pulls in the college parking lot, closest to Tara's dorm room. As she shuts off the vehicle, she turns her gaze on sad blue eyes that are hesitantly looking at her. "We're not going to have this conversation again. You will allow me to buy the groceries, pay my fair share of the rent and utilities, along with whatever I deem necessary. No arguments, no complaining that I shouldn't be spending it on you or anything else, understood?"

Tara searches the ungiving dark brown eyes, seeing no room for argument or compromise in the slayer's unwavering gaze. "Are you going to let me spend any of my money on the necessities?" Tara questions softly.

"Some." Faith admits, tilting her head, she watches as Tara sighs heavily. "Tara, they deposit $4,000 a month in my checking account. The first of the year it's being bumped up to $5,000 a month. That's not counting the weapon allowance they give me. Though I do usually use the majority of it for weapons. Of course some of the swords I've bought aren't really for use…" Faith allows her lip to curl up, finally seeing Tara smile. "Babe, let me do this."

Tara shakes her head, smiling gently at the stubborn slayer. "You're going to drive me crazy, sweetie. But I'm not going to argue with you over this anymore. I promise." Tara's surprised at the absolutely beautiful smile that crosses the slayer's face in response to her words.

"Thanks, babe." Faith leans in, pressing her lips strongly against Tara's, quickly easing her tongue between the witch's lips, searching out the sweet mouth. Groaning as Tara captures her tongue, sucking firmly for a few moments before releasing it and chasing it back into her mouth, sliding over and around before the two women ease away, panting heavily.

Tara slowly untangles her hands from the slayer's dark hair, surprised at where they are. "You have a tendency to make me forget what I'm doing." Tara admits softly between pants.

"Trust me, it's mutual." Faith huskily admits. "Let's get you in the dorm. I guess we shoulda picked up something to eat while we were out."

"I can order pizza if you like." Tara offers as they walk around to the back of the Jeep grabbing the boxes and one roll of tape. "We leaving the other stuff in here for now?"

"Yeah. I'll work on getting things washed and taken care of tonight and tomorrow." Faith juggles the boxes while shutting and locking the back of the Jeep.

Tara rolls her eyes, but doesn't argue with the slayer as they walk towards the dormitory, Tara smiles and thanks the student that holds the door open for them as they quickly traipse up the stairs to her room. Shifting the boxes, Tara quickly unlocks the door, shoving it open as they walk in. Dropping the boxes on the floor by her closet, she turns to help Faith with the pile of boxes, dropping them on top of the other ones.

Faith walks over to the bulletin board pulling down the pizza menu. "What'cha like on your pizza?" Faith looks up watching as Tara starts taping the bottom of the boxes so she can start packing.

"Anything, everything." Tara smiles as Faith nods her head, picking up the phone and placing the order. Turning back to the box, Tara contemplates for a few moments before gently placing her books in an empty box, quickly filling it before taping it shut and moving it to an empty corner. Grabbing another box, she finishes filling it with the rest of her books, taping it shut and setting that box on top of the other box.

"What'cha want me to do?" Faith questions softly as she looks around the room.

"I have a few items under the bed, if you want to slide them out and place them in the corner." Tara opens the dresser drawers leaving enough underwear for the rest of the week while boxing up the rest of the clothes.

Faith kneels down by the bed, pulling the items out, frowning at the sketch pads and charcoals. Curiously she flips one pad open, surprised when she sees a very good likeness of herself. The first thing her eyes are drawn to are the lips curled up in a knowing smirk, before she really looks at the rest of the drawing. It finally dawn's on her that Tara drew the day they first met at the witch meeting. Looking up quickly Faith watches the blonde as she gently folds and places clothes from her closet in a box. Swallowing Faith gently shuts the sketch pad and places the items almost reverently in the corner.

"What are you gonna pack your crystals and knick knacks up in?" Faith questions softly as she looks at the items on the witch's book case.

"Hmmm. I guess I can place them between my clothes. That'll probably keep them from getting broken." Tara glances up, smiling at Faith as the woman carefully brings a couple of the items over to her. Accepting them, Tara lifts up some of the clothes, placing one of the crystals between them before placing the other item between another layer, quickly protecting all the breakables. "Thank you, sweetie."

"That must be the pizza." Faith grabs the cash out of her pocket opening the door. "Thanks." Faith hesitates for a moment with the pizza and wings in her hands before setting them down on the desk. "Wanna eat on the floor?"

"We can eat on the bed, if you want." Tara grabs plates and napkins, setting them on the desk while leaning down and grabbing a couple sodas out of the mini fridge.

Faith's eyes can't help but caress over the woman's body, sighing quietly at the long skirt that hides the woman's figure. Turning and placing a couple slices of pizza on each of the plates, Faith opens the hot wings and dumps a few on a plate for Tara and the rest on hers.

"Have you talked to Buffy lately?" Tara questions as she nibbles on a chicken wing, watching as Faith quickly demolishes a couple slices of pizza.

"Yeah. She seems to be pissed at soldier boy." Faith shrugs. "He ain't come through for her with any information on Frankenweenie."

"Well, right now with finals, it kind of makes things more difficult." Tara finishes her pizza before picking up a chicken wing.

"Yeah, but it's getting quieter out on patrols. I know summertime it lets up some, because of the longer days, but it's kinda got me worried." Faith admits finishing the wings, frowning. "Don't make much sense, and it's giving me a bad vibe."

"Please be careful." Tara whispers, reaching out to stroke down the slayer's arm, looking at her intently. "Promise me that if you see Adam, you won't try to fight him. We need to have everyone in on this. I've been trying to think of a way to help as much as possible. I may have come up with something, we'll have to talk about it when we have more time." Tara smiles softly at the slayer.

Faith glances at the clock, frowning. "Can you give me a hint as to what you're thinkin'?"

"I found a spell where I can tie my essence to another person." Tara explains softly.

"What do you mean, tie your essence. Isn't your essence like your life force or somethin'?" Faith frowns heavily.

"Yes. If I tie myself, say to you. It'll be like I'm there with you, inside you. You'll have me and my powers at your disposal." Tara explains quickly.

"Where would you be and what would be happening to you at that time?" Faith frowns heavily. "Because I'm honestly not seeing the plus in this."

"I can be at the lake, drawing on the unlimited supply of magic out there. That's the plus, sweetie." Tara offers softly. "That way my magic can come into play, and I can continue to feed it without worrying about draining myself."

"Wouldn't it be better to have someone, like Red, do that for you? Since she's Witchy like you?" Faith rubs a hand across her neck as she thinks about the possibility of having her lover's power there at her disposal when they have to fight Adam. "I mean, isn't there some kind of natural affinity between you two because of your witchiness?"

Tara laughs quietly. "In a way, yes. But we already have a link between us, sweetie. And honestly, I don't want to develop that kind of link with Willow." Tara grins crookedly at the slayer.

"Huh?" Faith blinks as she tries to decipher what Tara's saying. "Is this something to do with sex?"

"Sort of. We've already started a bond between us, especially when I did the healing on you. The sex magic kind of linked us. The more time we spend together, making love the stronger the link will become. There are things I can do to dissolve that link, if you don't want it. Just as there are things I can do to make the link stronger." Tara admits softly. "It isn't anything bad, just something that's there."

"What does this link thing do?" Faith looks curiously at Tara.

"Right now? Nothing much. If we're close we can feel more of what the other person is feeling. We're just kind of in tune with each other. Nothing that couples after they've been together for a while don't have." Tara shrugs her shoulders.

"What if you make it stronger?" Faith shifts their plates to the nightstand, shifting closer to Tara as she watches her intently.

"We can communicate through the link. I can share my power with you if I open myself to you fully, almost becoming a part of you. I'm sure there are other things, what I've come across isn't real heavy with the details, just more of an outline type thing." Tara admits.

"But if you're part of me, what about your physical body? Do you still have control of it?" Faith's mind starts thinking faster about the possibilities.

"When I'm open to you completely, no. I'll be in a trance, and I really won't be aware of what's going on around me." Tara nibbles on her lip gently. "I guess it would be best if there's someone around me to protect my body when this happens, just in case someone or something would be interested in hurting me."

"Yeah." Faith nods, still thinking heavily. "I want ya' to find out all the information you can on this. This might come in handy, but I ain't wantin' you to possibly get hurt. Frankenweenie is wicked strong, and anything we have on our side to help us out is a definite plus. But I ain't gonna chance something happening to you, understand?" Faith focuses in on Tara, her tone serious.

"I understand, sweetie." Tara smiles gently at the slayer. "It isn't like it's going to happen right now, anyway. And we'll probably need a day to strengthen the link, if you want it there." Tara admits shyly.

"I want you." Faith whispers before leaning in and kissing Tara briefly. "I better get going. What time will you be back here tomorrow?" Faith questions softly as she stands.

"My last class ends at 2:00, so probably around 2:15, give or take." Tara stands, walking with Faith to the door, watching as the slayer opens the door and turns to look at her.

"I'll come by then." Faith stands in the doorway, ignoring the kids walking up and down the hallway behind her. Reaching the short distance, Faith pulls Tara to her, kissing her softly, the kiss deepening slowly before the two women gently ease back to soft brushes of lips against each other. "I'd much rather be stayin'." Faith admits looking into loving blue eyes.

"I'd rather you did, also." Tara smiles softly. "Faith, be careful, okay?"

"I promise." Faith eases out the door, her eyes on the witch. "See you tomorrow, Tare."

Tara steps out into the hallway watching as Faith strides quickly out of sight. "Goddess, I love you, Faith." Tara calls out quietly before walking back into her room, closing the door gently behind her.

Faith hesitates on the stairs, the softly spoken heartfelt words ringing in her ears. Knowing Tara probably didn't think she'd hear them, but nonetheless they make her heart swell with the knowledge that someone loves her for her. Smiling, Faith quickly heads down the stairs and out of the building, driving the vehicle to the gallery to pick up Joyce.

Faith looks around the apartment glancing up at the clock she'd hung in the kitchen. "Damn, didn't realize it was getting that late." Faith pulls out her cell phone as she walks out of the apartment, locking the door behind her. "Hey, babe. I'm on my way to you, I got busy and didn't realize it was almost 3:00."

"That's okay, sweetie. I figured it was something like that." Tara smiles as she tucks the phone against her ear as she finishes taping up the last of her items, having decided she'd pack everything up and just plan on walking to school the last two days of the week from the apartment.

Faith climbs in the Jeep, starting it. "I'll be there in like five minutes. You hungry?"

"A little bit. We can maybe pick up something on the way to the apartment, if you want." Tara offers quietly while eyeing the empty looking room, with the pile of boxes in the corner. Methodically, she works her way around the room, making sure she didn't miss anything, smiling as she comes across an escapee earring, placing it in her pocket.

"I got fixings for hamburgers and french fries here, if you want to do that instead of ordering somethin'." Faith double-checks for traffic before pulling out, quickly driving towards the college campus.

"That sounds wonderful. Be careful and I'll see you in a few minutes." Tara smiles softly as she sits down on the edge of the unmade bed.

"I will be, bye." Faith smiles as she disconnects the call, before dialing Joyce's number. "Yo, Mrs. S. I'm all moved in and am going to go ahead and start staying at the apartment. After we get the majority of Tara's stuff moved and eat dinner, I'll come by and pick you up, or drop off the Jeep."

"That's fine, Faith. I'm going to miss having you around the house, you know that don't you?" Joyce sighs quietly.

"I'll come and pick on ya'." Faith chuckles. "Plus I'll still be coming by the gallery pretty much every day. I'll even go by your house and help out, if you want."

"No. You aren't going to do that, dear. But I definitely want you two to come to dinner anytime you want. Just give me some advance warning, so I can make sure to fix enough to feed you."

"I promise." Faith laughs quietly as she pulls into the college campus, parking the vehicle. "And you ain't got to remind me. Sunday dinners at 5:00, we will be there unless an emergency comes up."

"That's right. I'll see you later, dear." Joyce smiles and hangs up after Faith says goodbye. "I am going to miss having you around the house all the time." Joyce sighs quietly as she leans back in her seat staring at the phone. "But Buffy will be there, and she's already promised that she's going to try and be around more. So maybe this is a good thing." Joyce smiles softly before leaning forward to finish her paperwork.

Faith walks in the room, opening her eyes wide in surprise as she looks at the empty room with the pile of boxes in the corner. "I thought you were planning on staying here for the last couple days?"

"Changed my mind." Tara shrugs smiling. "I did keep what I would need for the next couple days in one box, just in case the apartment wasn't ready to be moved into. But since you said something about cooking dinner there tonight, I assume everything is up and running."

Faith allows a happy smile to cross her face as she advances on Tara, her eyes twinkling merrily. "Oh, yeah. Everything is definitely up and running. The phone won't get turned on 'til tomorrow, but we got electricity and just about everything else we'll need." Faith wraps her arms around Tara, quickly invading the witch's mouth in a carnal kiss.

"Gosh, guys. If you're going to do that, the least you could do is shut the door." Buffy grumbles walking into the dorm room, grabbing a couple boxes to take out to the Jeep.

"What the fuck?" Faith turns looking at Buffy, watching as a blushing Willow grabs a box and heads towards the door.

"Since you two are going to be helping us this weekend, we thought we'd help you with Tara's stuff today." Willow laughs quietly before walking out the door.

"I ran into Buffy earlier today, she asked what was going on." Tara grins at a surprised Faith. "So, she offered to help. As soon as you got off the phone, I called her to let her know you were on your way here."

"Okay." Faith blinks a couple times before turning her gaze back on Tara. "Not happy about my lovings being interrupted, but I guess I can deal." Faith growls before swooping in to continue the kiss where they left off, groaning quietly as she hears Buffy behind her again. "Damn, B. Can't you just give me a couple minutes?"

"You'll have all the minutes you need later." Buffy chuckles, surprised at herself at not being bothered watching the two women kiss.

Willow whimpers quietly. "Come on, guys. I'm not getting any smoochies, so you two need to stop!"

"Why ain't ya' getting any smoochies?" Faith questions before placing a quick kiss on the end of Tara's nose and winking at her as she whispers softly. "Definitely later."

"Oz finished his finals yesterday and had to go out of town with the band." Willow sighs quietly as she grabs another box.

"That sucks, red." Faith grabs a couple of the heavier boxes, watching as Tara gathers up her sketch pads and another box. Following Willow outside, they quickly load the Jeep. "You two wanna come to the apartment? We're gonna have burgers and fries for dinner, if you want?"

Tara raises an eyebrow in surprise at Faith making the offer. Smiling softly at her lover, Tara winks before heading back into the dorm to pick up the last couple boxes.

"We won't be interrupting your time together?" Buffy questions with a raised eyebrow.

"Nah. Like you said, we got plenty of time for that. Plus I can give you two a ride back to campus when I take the Jeep back to the gallery." Faith shrugs, smiling. "Ain't that much of a biggie." Faith's eyes gaze towards the building watching Tara carry the last of her stuff down, striding towards her and gathering the boxes from the witch, Faith places them in the back.

"So, are you two coming to check out the apartment and have dinner?" Tara questions as she leans back into Faith's body as the slayer stands behind her.

"You sure you two don't mind?" Buffy questions, before grinning as the two women shake their heads. "What do you say, Willow? I'm up for burgers and fries."

"Sure." Willow grins. "We need to know where these two are living anyway, that way we can come and bother them."

"Hah. It's got a security code and key to get in the front door! Won't be no unannounced visits from you guys." Faith laughs as the women climb in the vehicle.

"That's not fair." Buffy pouts as she sits in the back watching as Faith quickly drives them across town. "After you unbox your stuff Tara, Willow and I can use the boxes for our stuff."

"They're yours, if you need them." Tara smiles over her shoulder at the two women.

"I got my empty boxes at the apartment broken down by the door, if you want them, too." Faith admits as she pulls into their designated parking spot behind the apartment complex. Faith chuckles as she climbs out of the Jeep watching as Kevin brings the dolly towards them.

"Did he help you move, sweetie?" Tara questions as she walks around back.

"Yeah. I think he was kinda disappointed that you weren't here, though. He asked about ya'." Faith wiggles her eyebrows at her lover, making Tara blush lightly. "Hey, Kev!! This is Willow, and this is Buffy. Guys, this is Kevin, the owner, landlord and all around good guy." Faith introduces them as she grabs the heavier boxes placing them on the dolly.

"Nice to meet you." Kevin smiles at the two women, sighing quietly at the four beautiful women. "Are these two family, also?"

Tara laughs quietly at the look of confusion on Buffy and Willow's face. "No, Kevin, they're not. Just good friends."

Faith chuckles as Buffy and Willow turn questioning eyes towards her. "He's wantin' to know if you two like girls."

Willow blushes a deep red and shakes her head. "Nope, got a boyfriend."

Buffy laughs quietly, even as she turns pink. "Not so much, but it has started occurring to me more frequently lately. Which I need to thank you two for." Buffy growls as she grabs a couple boxes.

"I gave you fair warning." Tara's eyes twinkle with mischief. "I think you were wanting to see me completely naked."

"BUFFY!" Willow turns wide eyes on the slayer. "You didn't tell me that!"

"Ooops." Buffy shrugs, smiling in apology. "Willow, I saw Tara and Faith naked. Now you know." Buffy quickly follows a chuckling Faith into the apartment building.

"You have some explaining to do!" Willow calls out after the slayer, her hands on her hips. Turning her gaze on Tara, Willow raises an eyebrow.

"Don't look at me." Tara raises a hand at the redhead. "I had to go to the bathroom, I couldn't help it that I was naked and sun burnt at the time, and Faith was treating my sun burn."

"She told me about how she found out about you and Faith, but she didn't say there was no clothes!" Willow closes her eyes and whimpers quietly. "But anybody that would think about it, would know…Wait! Your whole body was sun burnt?" Willow grabs a couple boxes following the laughing blonde into the apartment building.

Kevin stands there looking at the four women as they quickly disappear inside the apartment building. Shaking his head in disbelief, he grabs the last couple boxes and shuts the back of the Jeep. "How come I have this feeling things are going to get real interesting around here?" He grins as he walks towards the doors.

"Kevin, you can stay for dinner, if you want." Tara offers as Kevin grabs the dolly, ready to head out of the apartment. "We appreciate your help."

"Nah, you guys go ahead and get settled. I might take you up on dinner some other night, though." Kevin grins and waves at the group of women before heading out the door.

"He seems super nice." Willow comments as she unpacks Tara's books, placing them on the book case Faith had bought at the store and put together earlier that day.

"He is. He helped me move in earlier today and even helped me put together the bookcases I bought." Faith grins as she places the hamburgers in the skillets and the fries in the oven, before washing her hands. "He was going to help me unpack, but considering that half the boxes had weapons in them, I thought it might be best to do that part myself."

"You were busy today, sweetie." Tara comments looking up at Faith.

"Got up and was at the utility place at 8:00 when they opened." Faith admits, smiling as she gathers the bathroom items, taking them into the bathroom and putting them up.

Tara follows behind Faith, noticing the stacks of towels and washcloths along with the varying shampoos, conditioners, lotions and body washes that adorned the bathroom closet. "Looks like someone went and spent some serious money at the store today, also."

Faith blushes lightly and nods her head. "I noticed you seemed to like the vanilla and citrus-y type stuff, so I stocked up on it." Faith smiles as Tara inspects the items.

"Looks like we won't need any of this type stuff for months." Tara whispers turning her gaze on her lover. "What else did you buy today, sweetie?" Tara questions softly.

"A little bit of this and a little bit of that." Faith steps into Tara's embrace, hugging her back gently. "Since there's some room in the kitchen, I bought a small freezer chest so we can stock up on meat when it's on sale. They'll be delivering it on Monday."

"Putting it in that empty area on the other side of the refrigerator?" Tara questions stroking her hands down the slayer's strong back.

"Yeah. I measured the distance to make sure it'd fit before I went back and bought it." Faith closes her eyes at the soft stroking.

"Come on, you two! What else do you need us to unpack?" Buffy grumbles standing in the doorway with her arms crossed.

"I'll get my clothes and things later. It's not that big of a deal." Tara eases her arms from around Faith, smiling at her lover before kissing her gently on the lips. "Let's be proper hosts, sweetie."

"Why? They don't expect me to be nice." Faith grumbles good-naturedly as she follows the witch out of the bathroom. Faith checks the hamburgers, turning them before walking out into the living room, smiling as Tara places her crystals on one of the empty shelves on the book case. Looking around, Faith eyes Tara's sketch pad, her hands itching to look and see what else she might have drawn.

"Hey, Tara! Did you draw these?" Buffy questions as she picks up the framed drawings, looking at them closely.

"Yes, I did." Tara glances towards Buffy seeing what she has in her hands. "Sweetie, we don't have to hang those up, if you don't want to. We can look for actual pictures to hang on the wall." Tara turns her gaze towards Faith, watching as the slayer stops as if she was caught doing something she shouldn't be. Frowning, Tara looks around seeing what the slayer might have been making her way towards. When her eyes light on her sketch pads, Tara raises an eyebrow and turns her gaze back to Faith.

"No, I like 'em. We can hang 'em wherever you want." Faith smiles and works her way back to the pile of boxes, gathering the ones with clothes in them and taking them to the bedroom.

"Uh, huh." Tara considers her lover before she finishes putting her little knick knacks around the living room. Frowning briefly at the few items adorning the living room.

"Well, unless you want me to hang the pictures, I think that's about it." Buffy shrugs her shoulders sitting down on the end of the couch, watching as Tara shifts things around to her liking.

"I want to thank you two for helping." Tara smiles at Buffy and Willow.

"No biggie, and no thanks necessary. We'll be using you here pretty soon." Buffy grins as she flicks the television on, clicking through the stations.

Tara laughs at Buffy. "You have a point." Tara leaves Buffy and Willow arguing good naturedly about what they want to watch while she checks on the food, turning the hamburgers again before opening the oven to see how the fries are doing. "Do either of you need anything else to drink?"

"I'm good." Willow answers before smacking Buffy on the leg. "I wanted to watch that, turn it back!"

"Come on, Willow! How much nature can you deal with?" Buffy grumbles flicking the station back. "I'm okay, thanks, Tara." Buffy answers finally handing the remote to Willow, sighing.

Tara chuckles as she walks over, grabbing her sketch pads and carrying them back to the bedroom, watching as Faith hangs the clothes up in, what she's assuming, is going to be her closet. Tilting her head, Tara sets the pads down on the bed, walking towards the closet, looking inquiringly at the tops and jeans hanging there. "I don't remember having those."

"You didn't have 'em." Faith admits as she smoothes the skirt she just finished hanging up in the closet. "You need to try 'em on and make sure they fit when you get the chance."

Tara turns her gaze on Faith. "Anything else you bought that I should know about?" Tara questions softly leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

"Uhhh…" Faith hesitates her eyes glancing towards Tara.

Tara raises an eyebrow in question.

"Some other clothes and stuff." Faith admits as she slowly shuts the closet door, walking towards the dresser.

Tara cautiously follows Faith, glancing in the drawer, seeing what looks like a serious quantity of skimpy panties and lacy bras adorning the drawers Faith's opening. "Did you get the right sizes?" Tara questions softly as she pulls out a bra, looking at the sizing. "Yes, you did." Tara slowly slides the drawers shut and leans against the dresser looking at Faith for a few moments, trying not to smile at the fidgeting slayer. "Just to clarify a few things, sweetie. Christmas is a good time to buy clothes as gifts. Otherwise, that's one of those things I should probably spend my own money on, okay?"

Faith slowly raises guilty brown eyes, to look at Tara. "You ain't gonna make me take 'em back, are ya'?" Faith hesitantly questions, watching as a small smile crosses Tara's face as she shakes her head no. Sighing heavily, Faith wraps her arms around Tara. "I noticed you didn't have much in the ways of clothes, and wanted to buy you some."

"Did you buy yourself anything while you were out?" Tara questions running her hands through the dark hair. "And we should probably check the food."

"Yeah, I bought some things." Faith grins as she walks out of the bedroom, looking at the hamburgers, turning them once more before pulling the fries out of the oven. Glancing towards Tara as she pulls out an onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles and condiments out of the fridge.

"Anything we can do to help?" Willow offers as she watches the two women.

"Nah, we got it under control." Faith answers as she pulls a couple cutting boards out and a couple sharp good knives she'd bought today, also.

"I don't think these came with the apartment." Tara appraises the knife Faith handed her before quickly cleaning and slicing the onion.

"Nah, I picked up some quality items while I was out today. I knew that he'd only have the basic stuff here." Faith cleans the head of lettuce before tearing it up and placing it in a bowl. Grabbing the tomato she rinses it off and hands to Tara, watching as Tara quickly slices it. Reaching into the pantry, Faith grabs a couple bags of hamburger buns, tossing them on the table before grabbing the plates down and setting the table.

"It's about ready, if you two want to come and start fixing your burgers." Tara offers as she places the hamburgers out of the three skillets on the stove on to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the grease, quickly placing the plate on the table before grabbing sodas out of the fridge and setting them on the table as Faith dumps the fries into a big bowl and setting them down in the middle of the table.

Faith grabs a roll of paper towels and sets it on the table. "Forgot to buy napkins." She grins as she sits down grabbing a couple hamburgers and throwing everything on them before starting to eat.

"Have you heard anything else from Riley?" Tara questions Buffy as she dips her fry in the ketchup, eating it.

"Just a quick call that he was going to try and get away this weekend after things have calmed down from finals and the kids are leaving campus." Buffy shrugs as she slides some more french fries on her plate. "I think he's trying to avoid me, to be honest."

"Why do ya' think that?" Faith questions as she makes another hamburger.

"Because I've seen the rest of his group out and around the campus." Buffy admits. "Forrest and Graham I've seen multiple times, and when they catch sight of me, they high tail it away from me." Buffy frowns as she takes a drink of soda. "Then the fact I've left something like fifteen messages for Riley to call me and he just finally called today."

"So no more news on the Adam front?" Tara questions softly as she picks up her hamburger.

"No, nothing." Buffy looks towards Faith. "You haven't seen him or run into him again, have you?"

"Nah. Haven't seen hide nor hair of him." Faith admits, setting down her hamburger. "Kinda glad, to tell ya' the truth."

"You and me both." Tara whispers softly as she looks down at her plate.

Faith reaches out for Tara, running a soothing hand down her arm. "Tare has an idea of something we can do to help fight him, but we need to see if we can find out anymore information on him."

"What idea?" Willow questions as she finishes her hamburger.

Tara hesitates for a moment before slowly explaining. "I can hook my essence to Faith, basically giving her me and my abilities with a psychic link. If I'm out at the lake, I'll have an unlimited supply of power to draw on, so I can keep feeding it to Faith. Or myself as the case may be." Tara smiles apologetically at the women. "I'll be at the lake, the physical me, but the spiritual me would be with Faith."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Willow whispers frowning as she looks at Tara. "You're projecting yourself out of your body into Faith, right?" As Tara nods her head, Willow turns her gaze on Faith. "If, Goddess forbid, something happened to Faith while you were in her, it would effect you too, right? Just like if your physical body is killed you would permanently be part of Faith. That's very strong, high magic."

Faith turns her gaze on Tara. "You didn't quite explain that part, Tare." Faith's eyes narrow on the witch.

"Someone could protect my physical body, that's not a big deal. As long as you don't get hurt badly, I'll be fine." Tara explains softly. "And, I can pull out if it looks like I'll need to." Tara offers frowning at that thought. "But I'm not planning on that being an option."

Faith keeps her narrowed gaze on the witch. "I'm going to want you to explain this to me in complete detail soon, understand?" Faith growls, her eyes deadly serious.

Tara sighs deeply at Faith's serious look. "I understand. This isn't something that's going to happen anytime soon, anyway. I'll have to work on the link between us, strengthening it and we have to find out what Adam's weakness is. He may be immune to magic and this whole conversation is a moot point."

"There's things immune to magic?" Buffy questions surprised.

"Actually there are quite a few things that have a natural defense against magic. Some things it kind of slides off of. Some absorb magic, then there's others that can reflect the magic back on the caster." Tara explains quietly. When Faith turns surprised eyes on her, Tara smiles embarrassedly. "I've been researching since I found out about demons and the like being real." Tara explains, seeing the acknowledgement in her lover's eyes that she understood what she'd been trying to research.

"So, how are we gonna figure out if Frankenshit is immune to magic?" Faith frowns at the thought.

"Try a small spell against him that won't harm whoever casts it to see what happens." Tara shrugs looking at Faith. "That's going to be our best bet. Since he's not an actual 'demon' but a hybrid military construct, I'm betting he doesn't have immunity to magic, if any of the demon parts used to make him had immunity, it was weakened when they decided to make it into a piece of another whole."

The women decide to change the conversation to more mundane things as they finish eating dinner.

Faith looks towards Tara as they put the dishes in the sink to be washed as Buffy and Willow put the other items in the refrigerator. "I'm gonna go take them back to the college, babe. Then I'm gonna drop off the Jeep and do a patrol before coming back, 'kay?"

"Do you want company?" Tara offers quietly as she grabs the dishcloth, wiping down the oven and counters before working her way to the kitchen table.

"You offerin' to go on patrol with me?" Faith questions to make sure she understands what Tara's offering.

"Yes, I am. If you want me to go with you." Tara smiles at the slayer. "You said it's been kind of quiet lately."

"It has been. What time is your classes tomorrow?" Faith walks over to the pantry and pulls out the Tupperware box in the bottom, pulling out a couple stakes, tucking them in her pants.

"I really only have one class I need to be at tomorrow. It's the second part of a three part final." Tara rinses the wash cloth before placing it over the sink to dry.

"Second part of a three part final? What the hell?" Faith turns her gaze on Tara.

"First part was dissecting and naming parts of a couple animals last week. Tomorrow is a written question and Friday is the multiple question section." Tara explains rolling her eyes.

"A written question?" Faith frowns at Tara, trying to figure out if she misheard her.

"Yes, one written question. It just happens that the question has fifty parts to it." Tara grumbles quietly. "The professor said to plan on the test taking three hours. Knowing him, it's probably closer to four hours to do it."

"That long? What if you have other finals that conflict with it?" Willow questions surprised.

"Oh, he makes sure that there are no other finals during that time. Do either one of you have finals tomorrow?" Tara questions with a raised eyebrow.

"First thing in the morning and that's it." Willow admits as she thinks about it.

"Same here." Buffy turns her gaze on Tara.

"My test is from 11:00 on." Tara smirks knowingly. "He's the only professor that has a test tomorrow from 11:00 or later."

"That's just cruel." Faith growls looking at her lover. "Do you need to study for it?"

"No. Either I know it by now or I don't." Tara admits, smiling softly. "So, am I allowed to come with?"

"Yeah." Faith nods as she walks back to the pantry, pulling the box out again. Grabbing the fanny pack she'd filled for Tara, she turns and hands it to the witch. "That's yours. I'd like for you to have it on you at all times when you're out and about." Faith explains quietly.

Tara raises an eyebrow in surprise before unzipping the fanny pack, as she sorts through the items, she chuckles. "Oh, sweetie. You'll turn a girls head giving her gifts like this." Tara's eyes look up, twinkling merrily.

"Smart ass." Faith grumbles as she kneels down, double-checking her knife that's strapped to her leg.

"What's in there?" Buffy questions leaning over Tara's shoulder.

"Oh, there's a couple bottles of holy water, a large wooden cross with a sharpened end and a stake." Tara laughs quietly as she looks over at a smirking Buffy.

"Come on, let's get goin'." Faith grumbles heading towards the door, watching as the rest of the group laugh as they make their way towards her.

"Thank you, sweetie." Tara stops and places a soft kiss on the slayer's cheek before heading out of the apartment.

"See, borin'." Faith waves a hand around the empty cemetery. "We ain't seen a single vampire or demon."

"That's okay. We can consider this a quiet evening stroll." Tara smiles at Faith as she runs a hand gently over the slayer's shoulder.

"I could think of more scenic places to walk than a cemetery." Faith frowns as her senses start to tingle. Sharpening her gaze, she starts looking around more intently.

Tara notices Faith tensing immediately. Looking around Tara doesn't notice anything, but as she notices which way Faith's looking, she sharpens her gaze and sees a blonde guy heading towards them.

"Spike." Faith hisses out the name, snarling her nose at the vampire.

"That's right, luv." Spike gets within distance, grinning at the dark-haired slayer. Inhaling deeply, he raises an eyebrow. "Getting yourself a bit of the blonde one there, are you?" He questions as he lights a cigarette. "No need to worry about me, luv. The government group fixed me up right good." Spike taps his head as he notices the blonde woman backing away from him.

"Faith?" Tara questions softly.

Spike rolls his eyes. "Got a chip in my head, luv. Can't hurt a human." Spike's eyes open wide as the blondes fear literally quadruples as he finishes his comments. Taking a chance, he vamps out, shoving Faith away before she has a chance to get at him. Pouncing on Tara, he sinks his teeth in her neck as soon as the first drop of blood enters his mouth, he shoves the woman away from him. Spitting strongly on the ground and wiping his tongue, he yells as he's slammed into the ground by a furious slayer.

"YOU'RE GONNA FUCKIN' DIE!" Faith screams into his face, slamming her fist repeatedly into his head.

"I CAN'T EAT HER! SHE AIN'T DEMON!" Spike yells at the top of his lungs as he tries to protect himself, wrapping his arms around his head and curling his body in a tight ball as Faith pounds away at every available part of him.

"You didn't have brain pain, you asshole! Why didn't…" Faith looks up with shocked eyes at Tara.

"She ain't demon." Spike whimpers quietly in pain. "She ain't human, but she ain't demon, you bloody bint!"

Faith hops up, looking at Tara's neck, seeing the barely pierced skin, her worried eyes looking into her shocked lovers eyes. Quickly wrapping her arms around Tara she turns her gaze back on Spike. "Whatever you know, spill it now and you might fuckin' live, as much as you can live you fuckin' vamp." Faith snarls at the bleached blonde vampire.

"You don't know what you are?" Spike turns surprised eyes on the blonde. "Ain't you gonna introduce us, luv?" Spike questions as he slowly stands, wiping the blood from his busted lip, while staying hunched over, favoring his side.

"You don't deserve a fuckin' introduction. Spit it out, now!" Faith takes a threatening step towards the vampire, stopped by Tara.

"Give him a chance, if he knows something…" Tara's soft voice soothes the slayer. Turning her gaze towards the vampire, Tara sighs as she pulls her hand away from her neck, seeing the small dots of blood on her hand, surprised at the lack of blood. "I'm Tara." Tara finally whispers as she looks at the blonde vampire, ignoring his outstretched hand.

"Well, right lovely you are. Not very friendly though, are you?" Spike pulls his hand back digging his cigarettes out again and lighting one.

"Why should she be friendly to a blood suckin' ass that just tried to have her for dinner?" Faith growls dangerously, her eyes flashing with anger. "Start talking Spike before you become dust buster feed."

"Alright, alright." Spike raises his hands in supplication. "Obviously the bint here ain't reached her maturity yet, or I'd already be dust buster feed, as you so rightly put it." Spike growls quietly.

"Information, Spike." Faith snaps and breaks his nose with a quick fast hit.

"FUCK! No call for that." Spike holds his nose, grimacing in pain. "She's fuckin' elf, you dumb bint. She comes into her full power when she turns 20. You can't mean to tell me you didn't know? There's obvious physical differences and she's stronger than most normal humans right now, affinity for earth magic and healing, that will become unbelievable when she matures. Might even match you for strength. If I'd tried to eat her when she reached maturity, a single drop of her blood would have killed me. Damn blood tastes like honey, most demons don't know what it means and would have kept on drinking." Spike growls as he sets his nose, grunting in pain. "Now, I'll be goin' then."

"Elf?" Tara and Faith both turn at each other in surprise. "I thought that was one of the fairy tale creatures." Tara murmurs softly, her eyes showing her surprise as her hand raises to stroke her fingers over the tips of her pointy ears.

"Nah, not fairy tales. Just extremely rare nowadays." Spike admits as he slowly backs away from the two women, hoping to escape with his undead life. "Only came across one other elf before, he was a right spooky bloke. Killed one of the vamps me and Dru was runnin' with at the time. Didn't realize what he was and teased the other vamp until it finally attacked him, Dru tried to warn the bloody pillock. Very wicked, painful death by elf's blood. Saw that with my own two eyes. He explained a bit about elf's before disappearing. Dru had her usual psychic picturing stuff that I was able to decipher the rest out of. Now you know what I do. I'll be going now." Spike quickly turns and runs away as quickly as he can, before they decide to stake him.

Tara looks at surprise at Faith. "But I'm not completely human." Tara whispers.

"You aren't demon, love." Faith cups the witch's face between her two hands. "Not demon, no growing a tail or becoming evil." A wicked smile crosses the slayer's face. "I got my own female version of Legolas!"

"Faith!" Tara smacks the slayer on the hip.

"Hey! That explains your wicked strong fingers that you like to pinch me with." Faith starts to frown. "Stronger, healing and earth magic. Your bloods obviously bad news for vamps, but what else?" Faith looks at Tara's watch before digging her phone out of her pocket.

Tara watch's Faith curiously, feeling a sense of relief that she isn't going to turn into an evil demon, but wondering what this means and why her mother didn't tell her.

"G-man. Got a question for ya'." Faith can't help but wrap an arm around Tara, pulling the witch in against her body at the shell shocked look on her face.

"Yes, Faith. What is it that you need to know?" Giles questions as he sighs, wondering what the dark-haired teen might be wanting, since she hardly ever calls him asking for help.

"Elves, G-man. Do you got any information on them that I can borrow to read up on?" Faith strokes her free hand down Tara's back while she places a kiss on the witch's head.

"Elves?" Giles pulls his glasses off in surprise. "There hasn't been a documented case of an elf for over five hundred years, Faith. Why are you wanting information on elves?"

"Giles!" Faith growls the watchers name. "Do you have information that I can borrow or not?"

"Well, I'm sure I have a couple books that have information on them." Giles quickly starts sorting through his books. "I might have another one or two at the store."

"Fine. We'll meet you at the Magic Box in twenty minutes." Faith states as she disconnects the phone, not giving Giles a chance to argue. Tucking the phone away, Faith wraps both arms around Tara, holding the slightly shaking woman in her arms. "You're not a demon, babe. And it is so much a plus that you're pretty much a no no for vampires to put on a buffet, so I don't have to worry about them eatin' ya'." Faith runs a hand up to cup behind Tara's head.

Tara nods her understanding into the slayer's neck, but isn't able to control her shaking. "But what does it mean?" Tara finally questions, shifting back from the slayer, looking into the warm brown eyes.

"That's what we're gonna work on finding out, babe. But what we know is, is that you are stronger, have gorgeous pointy ears that seriously turn me on…" Faith's eyes twinkle as Tara laughs at that comment. "And vampires absolutely die for your blood…literally."

"As long as I'm not an evil elf, I guess that's of the good." Tara finally smiles crookedly at her lover.

"I don't see where you could be anything evil, babe." Faith whispers seriously. "You're too good-hearted to become evil."

Tara whimpers quietly as Faith kisses her softly. Unable to resist, Tara delves into the slayer's mouth, stroking her tongue firmly around the slayer's as she presses her body in tightly against the firm muscular body of her lover.

Groaning, Faith finally eases away from Tara, her eyes heavy with desire as she looks upon her lover. "Maybe we should head to the Magic Box."

Tara pants heavily, nodding her head in agreement before pulling Faith in for another strong kiss. Finally releasing the slayer, Tara steps back a couple feet. "Go, now." Tara whispers as she slowly starts walking towards the Magic Box.

Faith nods her head, following Tara, her heart still beating hard in her chest. After a few minutes, Faith thanks her lucky stars that some demon didn't take advantage of the two women being distracted. Getting her head back into the game, Faith keeps an eye out for anything that might cause them or someone else problems.

"Babe?" Faith questions as they get close to the Magic Box.

"Yes." Tara turns to look at her lover questioningly.

"Do we have to keep this a secret, now? I mean it isn't anythin' bad, so what do ya' think?" Faith hesitantly voices her thoughts.

"I…" Tara blinks a couple times running a hand through her hair while considering it for a few minutes. "I guess we don't have to."

"I don't have to tell him why I want the books, if you don't want me to." Faith offers quietly.

"No, no." Tara shakes her head. "I guess it might be best to get this out, now. And if I'm not going to actually turn into a demon, that's of the good, I hope." Tara's brows furrow momentarily.

"Is it so hard to believe that you aren't a demon?" Faith stops Tara outside the Magic Box, her hand stroking down the witch's cheek. "Instead you're a sexy elf." Faith raises her hand, brushing the hair behind the witch's ear. Stroking softly over the tip, Faith smiles at the sexy groan coming from the witch at her soft caress. "I wonder if those books mention what an erotic zone your ears are." Faith's sex roughened voice offers.

Tara reaches up and pulls the teasing hand down, her eyes opening slowly. "Hope there aren't any other erogenous zones that you're going to try and find in those books. You use that particular zone frequently enough." Tara hoarsely admits, a wicked smile crossing her face.

"Yeah, but I want to try just kissing, licking and nipping an ear and see if I can get ya' to climax that way, without me touchin' you anywhere else." Faith grins knowingly at her lover.

Tara whimpers quietly. "So not fair."

"Everythin's fair." Faith smirks as she grasps Tara's hand in hers. "Come on, babe. Let's go in, G-man's already here." Faith tilts her head towards the lit up shop.

Taking a deep breath, Tara nods her head and follows Faith into the shop.

Giles looks down from the stacks, watching as Faith and Tara walk into the shop. "If you don't mind, throw the lock behind you, that way we aren't bothered."

Faith turns and locks the door before walking down to the table looking at the books already sitting there. Flipping them open to the pages marked, Faith gives one of the books a cursory glance before shifting them in front of Tara.

"Now, would you care to tell me what the bloody hell is going on?" Giles questions as he carries a couple books down the stairs, placing them on the table before he sits down heavily in one of the chairs, his gaze going from Faith to Tara and back again.

"Tare?" Faith questions softly looking at the witch.

Tara sighs quietly looking at Giles as he turns his gaze on her. Walking around the table and sitting down beside the watcher, Tara gently tucks her hair behind her ear. "She's wanting to know because of me, Mr. Giles." Tara softly admits.

"Dear, Lord." Giles' eyes bug out and his hand reaches towards the ear.

"Uh, don't do that, Mr. G." Faith's hand intercedes his. "They're a bit on the sensitive side." Faith states diplomatically smiling at Tara, who just quirks her lip.

"Yes, yes, quite." Giles blinks repeatedly in surprise. "Why didn't you tell us, dear?" Giles questions as he yanks off his glasses wiping them furiously.

"Because she didn't know." Faith growls as she sits down beside Tara pulling one of the books towards her. "We ran into Spike tonight, and he kind of decided to try and make her dinner when he sensed her fear ratchet up after he told her he couldn't hurt a HUMAN." Faith spits out the word.

"Elf blood is sure death for demons." Giles looks in surprise at the slayer. "Is he dead?"

"He spit it out before he swallowed. He didn't even sink his fangs in all the way." Faith shows the two small puncture wounds on the witch's neck. "Let me go get something to clean those." Faith frowns at her own insensitivity, jumping up and running into the bathroom to get the small first aid kit.

"You didn't know, dear?" Giles questions, still not understanding.

"No. My mother never told me." Tara admits quietly.

"I wonder why not." Giles blinks in surprise. "Well, what I know is that the female elf begets the line through the female of the species. She can't have a male child and him be elf. Same for the male species, they can, of course, have female children, but to carry on the elfin line they must have a male."

"That's why my brother didn't have the pointy ears." Tara whispers softly, watching as Faith strides back into the room, kneeling beside her and cleansing the wound.

"Exactly." Giles smiles at the witch. Reaching across the table, he shifts the books, grabbing one in particular. Flipping it open, he smiles as he points to the picture of a beautiful elfin maiden.

"Tell her she ain't gonna turn evil, G-man." Faith looks at the watcher, her eyes begging him.

"Evil? She's not evil, she's part of the circle of life. She is part of what balances the world. That's why she was able to heal you so well, Faith." His eyes open wide as they turn to consider the witch. "It started a link, didn't it?"

Tara hesitantly nods. "I know how to dissolve it, if she wishes. I explained to her what it means." Tara winces as whatever Faith is doing stings briefly.

"Dear, I hate to tell you this…But if you aren't aware of being an elf, you probably aren't quite aware of what the link entails." Giles runs a hand through his graying hair.

"G-man, tell us already!" Faith growls as she places a band aid on the wound before tossing the kit on the table and plopping down in the chair beside Tara.

"I only remember bits and pieces…" Giles starts then sighs heavily as Faith growls at him. "Alright, then. If an elf takes a mate, and that love is returned, it causes a link between the two. An unbreakable bond is formed, and even death can't break it."

"What do you mean, death can't break it?" Tara questions softly as she pulls the book towards her, running a fingertip over the picture of the beautiful elfin maiden.

"That is actually up for debate." Giles raises his hand as Faith turns angry eyes on him. "There isn't a lot known about elves, Faith. What I said about the bond is all that was written in the books I have here. There are comments about what people think it means, but no one knows for sure. It ranges from where the elf can bring it's mate back to life if she or he dies, to where they will follow them in death with both being reincarnated to find each other again in their next life."

"So, it's pretty much conjecture." Tara whispers. "Did it say how long it takes for the bond to reach that stage?" Tara eyes raise to look at the watcher.

"No. But from everything I read, the bond is formed as soon as the love is returned. The link itself gets stronger with time, with things you can do to strengthen it quickly, but if the love is returned, you can never dissolve the link completely." Giles sighs quietly looking at the two women. "Those words supposedly come straight from one of the elder elves, according to the book. My honest suggestion is, take these books with you and read everything on it. Unfortunately, they'll probably make you have more questions than giving you the answers you seek."

Faith growls deeply before gathering the book into a neat pile, standing to grab a bag to carry them in. "Find out more information, G-man. Contact the Council and see if they have any more info."

"I'll get what I can, Faith." Giles sighs quietly as he follows the two women towards the front of the shop. "I just don't think there's much more we will have. You would need to find one of the elders to get the information you seek, and unfortunately it's been over 500 years since the Council has recorded seeing an elf."

"Yeah, well, they obviously still exist." Faith points towards Tara. "We got livin' proof right here. Personally, I don't much care what all this shit means as long as Tare isn't gonna turn evil. That's the only thing I really care about. But I know she wants to find out everything she can and we're gonna help."

Giles nods his understanding. "I'll contact the Council tomorrow, Faith. You two ladies be careful."

"Thank you, Mr. Giles." Tara allows a small smile to cross her face as she and Faith walk out of the shop.

"Sorry I wasn't of more help." Giles whispers as he watches the two women walk down the sidewalk. Turning off the lights, Giles sets the alarm and locks the door before walking to his car.

Faith nibbles her lip as she looks occasionally at Tara as they walk back to the apartment in silence. Walking up the steps, Faith punches in their code before opening the door, allowing Tara to walk into the building in front of her. Deciding to take the elevator, Faith punches the button before turning her gaze on the quiet witch. "Tara?" Faith finally questions softly.

Tara's eyes turn towards Faith, taking a moment to focus in. "I'm sorry, Faith." Tara smiles sadly at Faith before reaching up to stroke down the slayer's face. "I'm kind of having a thousand thoughts running around uncontrollably in my mind right now."

"I can understand that." Faith follows Tara into the elevator. "Can I kind of make a suggestion?" Faith hesitantly questions Tara.

"Sure, sweetie." Tara smiles a more genuine smile at the slayer.

"Maybe you should wait 'til this weekend to read these books?" Faith lifts the books in question, holding the door open as they arrive on their floor.

"I think that's a very smart idea." Tara unlocks the door to their apartment, flipping the light on as Faith follows her in, locking it behind her. Tara reaches down and unties her shoes, placing them by the door, watching Faith as she quickly divests herself of her weapons before untying her own shoes. "Would you like something to munch on, sweetie?"

Faith eyes Tara for a moment, grinning. "Maybe a bowl of ice cream would be good." Faith finally answers.

"A bowl or a whole half gallon?" Tara jokes as she pulls down a large bowl, digging around in the drawers until she finds the ice cream scoop. Opening the freezer, Tara tilts her head. "Hmmm. Vanilla, chocolate, rocky road, butter pecan, peanut butter cup or chocolate chocolate chip?" Tara blinks as she turns back to Faith her eyebrow cocked so high it disappears into her hair.

Faith sighs as she sets the books on the coffee table. "How come I got the feelin' you're pickin' on me about the ice cream? And rocky road, please."

Tara chuckles as she pulls out the ice cream, scooping out a good portion before replacing it in the freezer and carrying the bowl and spoon over to the slayer. Sitting down on the couch, Tara glances at the books, sighing quietly.

"Should I move them?" Faith offers reaching for the books.

"No, sit and eat your ice cream, sweetie." Tara smiles as she stands and moves the books to the bookcase before sitting back down on the couch, leaning against Faith. "No demon." Tara whispers.

"No. No demon." Faith answers softly, turning to place a kiss on Tara's cheek. "Does that make you feel better?" Faith questions seriously.

"Yes…and no." Tara looks up at Faith. "I am very, very happy I'm not going to turn evil. But now I'm wondering why my mother wouldn't tell me about being an elf. It just doesn't make any sense."

"You said she usually had her reasons for what she did, babe. Maybe it'll just take time for her reasons to make themselves known." Faith finishes her ice cream, placing the empty bowl on the end table and turning on the couch to face Tara.

"If they ever do." Tara sighs quietly, her eyes sad.

"Why don't you go fill up the tub with lots of hot water and bubbles while I take care of the dishes?" Faith offers quietly. "A nice long soak with relaxing bubbles and jets pounding away at what's bothering you will make you feel better.

Tara smiles at her lover. "I so owe you, for everything you've done, sweetie."

"We'll figure out some kind of payment." Faith jokes softly, reaching up to stroke her fingers lightly down Tara's cheek.

"I'm sure we will." Tara smiles knowingly at the slayer before leaning in and kissing her softly, the two women slowly easing their mouths open to let their tongues entwine gently. Softly stroking over each other for a few long minutes before mutually easing back to look at each other. "Are you going to join me?" Tara questions as she slowly stands.

"Try to stop me." Faith grabs her bowl, following Tara as far as the kitchen before running the water to wash the dishes, smiling as she hears Tara turn the water on in the bathroom.

Faith looks up at the clock on the wall before glancing back down at the book she's reading. "Ain't much more information in here than what we've been told." Faith bitches quietly before snapping the book closed, standing up to replace it on the book shelf before going to the small stereo system, turning it on and plugging her MP3 player in it, putting some hard pounding rock through the small speakers.

Deciding to find hiding spots for some of her weapons, she tucks away knives and stakes in various area of the apartment before finishing putting away the rest of Tara's clothes. Sighing quietly after finishing that, Faith walks back into the kitchen, deciding to throw the frozen lasagna in the oven, noticing that it's going to take over two hours for the thing to cook, and hopefully Tara will be home soon.

Bouncing on her feet, Faith walks back into the bedroom, her eyes drawn inexorably towards the sketch pads. "You've been fuckin' teasing me all day, you asses." Faith growls, but doesn't go closer to the items in question. Snarling, Faith turns around on her heel and walks back out to the living room, grabbing another of the books plopping down on the couch as she flips it open.

"Let's see…" Faith starts reading, sighing quietly. "Yeah, yeah. We know that her blood is bad for demons, tell me something I don't already know." Faith's eyes continue to skim the book. "This must be the book that has the information from the real elf dude." Faith murmurs as she notices the comments about the bond and link. "'The elf can give his/her mate the same powers and abilities they have.', Huh." Faith tilts her head at the comment. "What the fuck does that mean? Is that where she's talking about the link where she's part of me and can use her powers through me?" Faith questions the empty apartment as she continues reading.

Running her hand through her hair, Faith re-reads the section for the fifth time, trying to make sense of what it says. "'The sharing of life force between the elf and the chosen one will be unbreakable and undeniable. Even death will not be able to tear it apart.'" Faith slams the book shut, snarling angrily. "What the fuck does that mean? Is that the fuckin' link/bond thingy that the other books talk about, or is it somethin' else? And chosen one, they surely the hell ain't talkin' specifically about slayers." Faith tosses the book on the coffee table, tilting her head back against the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling. When she hears the key in the door, she frowns and looks at the clock. "Damn."

"Hi, sweetie." Tara smiles at her lover as she turns and locks the door behind her, frowning as she notices the tenseness and irritation coming from Faith. "What's wrong, sweetie?" Tara questions dropping her book bag by the door and walking towards the slayer.

"I can't make heads or tales out of this shit." Faith finally growls, her eyes turning to the book.

Tara follows Faith's gaze, realizing what has her lover irritated, she sits down beside Faith and strokes her fingers gently down her neck. "I thought we were going to read them this weekend."

"Well…" Faith winces as she turns her gaze on Tara. "They were buggin' me sitting there."

"So you had to start reading them, right?" Tara smiles in understanding.

"They don't give us much more information than what we already know. Just little fuckin' tidbits that drive me crazy." Faith admits, sighing.

Tara glances at the clock, seeing it's a little before 3:00. "What do I smell?" Tara questions softly.

"Lasagna I threw in the oven. I figured we could have lasagna, garlic bread and salad for dinner tonight, if that's okay." Faith slowly starts to relax as she looks into Tara's blue eyes.

"How much longer before it's ready?" Tara questions, smiling as she notices Faith relaxing.

"About an hour-in-a-half." Faith admits. "I didn't want dinner to be too early. Plus it'll probably need longer to cook than what it says. Then time to cool down afterwards." Faith chuckles quietly.

"I'm going to get something to drink, do you want anything, sweetie?" Tara questions as she stands heading towards the kitchen.

"A water would be great." Faith leans forward, grabbing the book, studying the cover for a few minutes.

"Leave it out, I want to go ahead and read it." Tara calls to Faith as she watches her start to stand.

"You sure?" Faith questions as she sits back down on the couch.

"Why not? Maybe you can get my sketch pads and look at them, if you haven't already." Tara tries to keep the smile from her face at Faith's combination of a guilty and happy look.

"Only looked at one drawin' when I got them from under your bed yesterday. But I ain't gonna lie, they've been drivin' me nuts." Faith admits as she stands running by Tara into the bedroom.

Tara laughs quietly as she brings their drinks back out to the living room, setting them down on the coffee table as she grabs the additional books from the book case, curling up in the corner of the couch with the books piled beside her.

Faith grins as she walks back into the living room, easing down on the opposite end of the couch, propping her feet up on the coffee table as she flips open the first sketch pad.

Tara glances up from the book, smiling at Faith before looking back down, reading quietly.

"Damn, did you want me to turn the music down?" Faith questions, realizing she still had it playing pretty loud.

"It's okay." Tara smiles at Faith.

"Nah, its not. It's loud." Faith chuckles as she stands and walks over to the unit, turning the volume down so it's just playing softly in the background. Stopping beside Tara, Faith leans down brushing her lips softly over the top of her head. "I'm gonna have to find something to do during the day when you're working. Helping out Mrs. S doesn't take up much of the week."

"Maybe I could see if we need someone part-time at the vet's office." Tara offers softly, tilting her head to look up into brown eyes. "We can always use someone to help with the animals. Pay isn't great but it'd give you something to do."

"Hmmm. Might have to offer to pay them to let me be by you all day." Faith grins at the blonde.

"Sap." Tara grins back, her eyes twinkling as she watches Faith walk around to sit at the end of the couch starting to gently turn the pages of her sketch pad. Laughing quietly, Tara turns back to the book.

Faith slowly flips the first book, smiling at the different animals sketched on the pages. Some of the animals being held by, what she's assuming, the people Tara works with. Glancing over at Tara, Faith hesitates to interrupt the witch as she seems to be engrossed in what she's reading, so she turns her gaze back on the pad, finishing looking through the drawings before gently setting it down and picking up another one. Biting her lip as this is the one that showed the drawing of herself in it, Faith slowly works through the pad, which consists mostly of sketches of her.

Frowning as she sees the one where she's hidden in half shadows upstairs at the Bronze, she realizes how much of a loner she must seem as she looks at that drawing. Slowly flipping through the book, she chuckles quietly at the caricature drawings Tara had done of the Scooby gang sitting around the table. Realizing she'd obviously done these drawings after she found out about demons, since she made Oz look more wolfy, Willow with a witches hat, Buffy with a steely gaze and a stake in her hand instead of a glass, Anya with little horns and a tail that curls around Xander. Xander grinning goofily with a big heart showing on his shirt and Riley dressed in overalls with a straw hat, but holding a rifle.

Flipping to the last sketch in this pad, is a drawing of herself, with an obviously sad look on her face. As she looks more closely at the drawing, she realizes it was where she'd just finished telling Tara about demons being real and she was getting ready to leave the woman's dorm room. Slowly closing the pad, Faith sets it down with the other one, almost afraid to pick up the last one.

Tara glances up from reading as she looks over at Faith as she hesitates picking up the sketch pad. She silently watches the struggle on the woman's face as she finally grasps it and slowly flips it open. Biting her lip, Tara watches Faith more intently as she looks at the pad, wondering how she'll react to the drawings.

Faith stops at the first drawing of herself, obviously how she must have looked when she came to the witch's door when Adam had tossed her around like she was yesterdays lunch. The obvious pain she was in, almost screaming from the page. Swallowing hard, Faith slowly flips to the next page. Showing herself asleep, or probably more accurately, passed out, with a sheet across her and a hand obviously stroking gently through her hair. Knowing the hand is Tara's, Faith smiles at the drawing before turning the page, blushing lightly at the drawing of her in the shower, the obvious desire in her eyes as she's leaning against the shower stall, her arms obviously reaching forward, knowing that this was when Tara was cleaning her gently. But the drawing is just above her breasts and up, not showing anything else.

Tara whispers softly. "That look in your eyes is something I hope to always see there."

Faith drags her eyes away from the drawing. "When did you do these?" Faith questions, her voice husky. "I mean, obviously you didn't do them when it was happenin'."

"No." Tara sets down the book shifting her body to sit beside Faith. "I did them when I wasn't studying, late at night when I couldn't sleep." Tara shrugs as she runs her finger over the features of the dark slayer on the pad. "Thoughts of you would haunt my dreams." Tara finally admits quietly. "I had to draw them."

"Why ain't ya' taking classes to become an artist?" Faith hesitantly questions looking back at the drawing. "I mean, I ain't no art critic, but these are damn good!"

Tara chuckles quietly. "I just do it for my own pleasure, sweetie. Plus I only sketch, I've never been any good at painting or anything else like that." Tara admits. "Do you know how hard it is to make a living as an artist? Almost impossible. I'll keep to doing sketches, when I get my own clinic, I may decorate it with ones I've drawn of the different animals I've seen and helped." Tara shrugs as she leans against the slayer. "Go ahead and finish looking through that one, sweetie."

"Are there naughty ones?" Faith looks at Tara with a wicked grin on her face.

"Would I do something like that?" Tara questions, her eyes dancing with mischief.

"I don't know. You're kept them pretty clean so far. Though I know when this drawing was done, and what you were doing at the time." Faith points to the sketch. "I know you didn't mean to turn me on, but when you made eye contact with me as you slid the washcloth between my legs it gave me a major charge."

"No, I didn't mean to excite you." Tara admits softly. "You were healing really well by that time, and I honestly couldn't help but take in the sight. I allowed myself to enjoy touching you."

"Good." Faith grins. "I enjoyed you touching me. And still do, as a matter of fact." Faith wiggles her eyebrows.

Tara chuckles and shifts her body, so she can prop her arm up on the back of the couch and stroke gently through Faith's hair. Smiling she watches as Faith slowly flips the page, her attention back on the drawings.

Faith's eyes bug out at the obvious look of rapture on her face in the drawing. "Anyone with half a brain will know what's going on outside the view of this drawin'." Faith points to the drawing.

"You think?" Tara laughs quietly.

"God, I don't know if it could be more sexual if you did show me completely. This is pretty damn hot by itself." Faith swallows at the drawing.

"I don't know, you tell me." Tara chuckles softly as she reaches down to flip the page to the next sheet, enjoying the sharp inhaled breath of the slayer.

"Fuck me!" Faith growls looking at the drawing of her spread out in all her glory with, what is obviously, Tara's head buried between her thighs. Seeing the obviously hard nipples, her hands buried in Tara's hair as her body arches off the bed. The obvious pleasure on her face as she climaxes.

"I think I sort of was at the time, sweetie." Tara answers the non-question, laughing quietly.

Faith whimpers and slowly closes the art pad. "I think I need to not look any further at these drawings. Especially if they have more of that. That was fuckin' hot. Can we frame some of these and hang them up around the apartment?"

Tara laughs and leans her head on Faith's shoulder. "Whatever you want, sweetie."

"You might regret that." Faith shifts a little on the couch, so she's reclining against the arm, pulling Tara so she's lying partially on top of her, between her legs. Wrapping both arms around the witch, Faith eyes the closed pad. "Did it have more of the explicit drawings in that one?"

"A couple more." Tara answers softly, gently rubbing her cheek against Faith's chest.

"Did any of them show more of you?" Faith wonders out loud.

"No, pretty much the last one you looked at showed the most of me." Tara runs her hand gently over Faith's side. "Why?"

"Can you draw some with you in 'em? I don't want the apartment to be of just me." Faith admits.

"Well, I don't normally know how I look when I'm climaxing, but we can probably figure something out." Tara places a gentle kiss on the breast she's lying on.

"Sure we can. I can buy a camcorder and record everything, or we can have our whole bedroom mirrored that way you can see exactly what you look like from different angles." Faith suggests, grinning as she feels fingers pinching her.

"Stop being rotten." Tara laughs quietly at her lover's comments.

"Actually, I was kind of serious about the camcorder portion, not the mirror portion though. I think that would be kinda tacky." Faith admits as she strokes her hands up and down Tara's back. "So, did you finish reading the information in the books?"

"Yes, I did. Like Mr. Giles said, it causes more questions than it answers." Tara sighs at the thought of the books.

"That one section had me wonderin'." Faith finally states after a few minutes of the two women just lying there quietly.

"Which section?" Tara questions shifting her body so she can look into Faith's eyes.

"The part about the elf sharing their life force with the chosen one. I mean, I doubt that they meant chosen one as in slayer, but probably more as in your chosen mate." Faith explains softly.

"It's hard to say, sweetie. It confused things more than helped them, truth be told." Tara sighs as she lies back down on Faith.

"I hate to tell ya', but I probably should check the lasagna." Faith looks up at the clock, smiling as Tara shifts slowly.

"You stay, I'll go look." Tara brushes her thumb gently over Faith's chin before standing and walking towards the kitchen.

Faith's eyes follow Tara as she walks in the kitchen.

"I'm going to pull off the foil and throw it back in the oven for another fifteen minutes." Tara explains as she looks at the lasagna. Placing it back in the oven, she turns to the refrigerator, planning on preparing the salad, when she notices the big bowl sitting on the bottom shelf. Shaking her head at the realization she didn't even notice it when she got the drinks out of the refrigerator earlier.

"What'cha doin'?" Faith questions watching Tara.

"Thought I would prepare the salad, but it looks like you've already done that." Tara chuckles as she closes the door and walks back to the couch. Handing the sketch pad to Faith, Tara sits down beside her lover. "Go ahead and finish looking through them, sweetie." Tara sighs quietly and tilts her head, resting it on the back of the couch.

"How did your test go, babe?" Faith questions as she flips open the pad looking at the remaining drawings. Surprised at the drawing of herself asleep, looking almost innocent.

"Good. Find out for sure next week." Tara laughs quietly as she looks up at the ceiling.

"I don't look like that." Faith points to the drawing.

"Yes, you do. You don't look like that awake, though." Tara laughs as she flips the page showing Faith with a devilish look on her face and mischief filling her eyes. "That's the look you usually have when you're awake."

"Yeah, yeah." Faith chuckles as she dives in nipping at Tara's neck. "Let me check the lasagna." Tara's tinkling laughter follows Faith into the kitchen, making her smile as she checks the lasagna. Pulling it out and setting it on the oven mitts, Faith grabs down the garlic bread out of the freezer opening it and sliding it onto the pan before adjusting the temperature of the oven and sliding it in.

Tara walks in and grabs down the plates and silverware, setting the table as Faith grabs out the salad.

"What dressing do you want, babe?" Faith questions as she pulls out Zesty Italian for herself, setting it on the table.

"Don't tell me you bought most different flavors of dressing also?" Tara raises an eyebrow in question at her lover, laughing at the guilty look.

"Well, I ain't gotten the chance to know what you like and don't like. I remember ya' saying you like all different kinds." Faith shrugs in admittance.

"I'm pretty easy, sweetie. Only a few things I don't like." Tara smiles at the slayer. "Just don't do cooked cabbage or sauerkraut around me and we'll be fine."

"That's that stinky shit, right?" Faith looks at Tara as she laughs.

"Yes, it's stinky." Tara shakes her head at Faith. "Goddess, you're beautiful." Tara whispers, wrapping her arms around Faith, kissing her softly.

"Hmmm." Faith quickly deepens the kiss, rolling her tongue around Tara's teasing her by flicking the tip against the roof of the witch's mouth before retreating.

Tara growls into Faith's mouth and captures Faith's tongue, sucking it strongly as it tries to sneak back into her mouth.

Faith laughs quietly as they break apart. Pressing her lips firmly against Tara's, Faith turns to grab the bread out of the oven before it burns. "Should I just put the whole containers on the table or fill the plates and we can come back for more?"

"Just set the containers on the table, love. You'll eat the majority of it anyway." Tara grabs a spatula out of the drawer, along with a butter knife and a sharp knife setting them on the table.

Tara turns in surprise as the phone rings. "Who has our number?" Tara turns questioning eyes on the slayer.

"Uh, just about everyone." Faith admits, picking up the phone. "Yeah."

"Hello, Faith. I wanted you and Tara to know that there was a couple more books available from our friends regarding what we discussed last night, that I'm having sent to me. I should have them by Tuesday." Giles explains as he watches the couple as they look at the items.

"Thank you, G-man!" Faith grins. "Do you know what info they got?"

"Not off the top of my head, no. But Jeffries said they were a lot more detailed and gave a little bit more information. He's also sending another book that he said is written in Elfish, however no one can translate it. I don't know if Tara might be able to, or not." Giles admits.

"Well, considering she didn't even know she was elf, probably not." Faith rolls her eyes at Tara, making the witch laugh. "Babe, did your mom teach you any weird languages?"

"I don't know about weird, but there were some I needed to learn for the spells in her books." Tara shrugs looking curiously at her lover.

"Any that you don't know what they were called?" Faith raises an eyebrow in question.

"Yes, as a matter of fact." Tara nods her head watching Faith.

"G-man, it may be a possibility. So, we'll keep our fingers crossed. Let me know when it comes in." Faith states quickly placing the bread on the table as Tara cuts the lasagna.

"Of course, my dear. Have a wonderful night." Giles chuckles as the click on the other end as Faith hangs up.

"Buffy and Willow have already packed most of their stuff." Tara takes a bite of her lasagna, smiling as Faith works her way quickly through her first piece of lasagna before attacking her salad.

"What time does your test end tomorrow?" Faith questions, glancing up from her food.

"I should be finished by 1:00." Tara nibbles on her salad quirking her lip as Faith slides another section of lasagna out of the pan before grabbing another piece of bread. "I figured I would just go to their dorm room after I finish."

"Makes sense." Faith agrees as she sprinkles more parmesan cheese on the lasagna. "Mrs. S said she'd order pizza tomorrow as a late lunch, if we wanted."

"Is she going to be at the house?" Tara questions surprised.

"She's plannin' on leavin' work early tomorrow." Faith admits, looking up with her eyes twinkling. "She's planning on driving us back here, so she can see the apartment. I figured I'd go to the store and look at frames for a few of those drawings and hang them tomorrow morning, see how long it takes for her to make a comment on 'em."

Tara raises an eyebrow at Faith in silent question, blushing lightly at the wicked grin crossing her lover's face in response. "Can you try to keep to the somewhat less x-rated ones?"

"What's the fun in that?" Faith smirks as she eats the rest of her dinner.

"I could just tear them up, you know." Tara finishes her salad, leaning back in her seat as she watches Faith eat.

"Don't you dare!" Faith looks up, shock in her eyes. "I won't put the more explicit ones up, I promise."

Tara chuckles quietly. "You can put them in our room, if you really want. The only thing is, people will still see them in there if you show them our room."

"I don't care if they see 'em. That's our private space, if they don't like what I decorate it with, tough shit." Faith looks at the little bit of lasagna left, frowning.

"Go ahead and finish it, sweetie." Tara grins crookedly at her lover as she gathers the rest of the dirty dishes, placing them in the sink while running hot water to wash the dishes.

"You don't want no more?" Faith questions as she slowly reaches for the last piece.

"No, I've had enough. I might have a small bowl of ice cream later." Tara smiles, gathering the trash and empty containers from the table, throwing them in the trash can.

"There's nuts, caramel, chocolate and other toppings in the pantry." Faith points towards the door unnecessarily.

Tara sighs, her lip curling up in disbelief at her lover. Turning to the sink, Tara makes short work of the dishes, smiling as Faith slides her dishes in the water while placing a kiss on her neck.

"I've been putting off sharpening a couple of my knives. Is it okay if I do it out here on the kitchen table?" Faith questions softly, sneaking her arms around Tara's waist, hugging her gently.

"Of course it is, sweetie." Tara washes the last couple items, rinsing them and placing them in the drainer before drying her hands, placing them on top of Faith's arms. "Why would I have a problem with that?"

"I don't know. Just thought I'd ask, I kinda don't want to do something to piss you off." Faith buries her face in Tara's hair, inhaling deeply.

"Like I won't get pissed off anyway?" Tara laughs quietly as Faith squeezes her. "And like I'm not going to piss you off?"

"I'm sure we will have our moments." Faith admits, grinning. "But I don't think we would have the passion between us that's there if we don't butt heads occasionally."

"As long as we don't go to bed angry with each other, I don't have a problem with it." Tara shifts around in Faith's arms, hooking her arms over Faith's shoulders. "Promise me that we won't go to bed angry."

"I promise, babe." Faith readily agrees. "I was wonderin' if you'd mind if I picked up one of them super duper track running things and set it up in the living room off to the side?"

"Hmmm. You might be able to talk me into it." Tara wiggles her eyebrows, laughing as Faith starts nipping playfully at her neck. "That's a good start."

"Would I also be able to talk you into runnin' with me occasionally?" Faith places a kiss on the witch's pulse point, smiling as she hears Tara's heartbeat pick up.

"I'm not much of one for running." Tara admits, closing her eyes as Faith starts to suck gently on her neck.

"I've had those legs wrapped around me, babe. Those muscles come from somewhere." Faith murmurs as she works her way up Tara's neck, flicking her tongue gently on Tara's earlobe.

Tara groans quietly as Faith presses her softly back into the counter, sliding a strong thigh between her legs, pulling her skirt taut. "Lots and lots of walking among other things." Tara whimpers quietly as a strong tongue licks slowly up the outer shell of her ear, playfully flicking the tip, making her shiver with desire.

"What other things?" Faith questions as she captures the tip of Tara's ear between her lips, sucking lightly, groaning as Tara jerks into her body at the caress. Running her hands down Tara's thighs, Faith slowly starts to pull up the witch's skirt.

"Goddess, Faith!" Tara cries out softly as she gently digs her fingers into Faith's ass cheeks. "SHIT!" Tara growls the word angrily as the buzzer rings. "Do you think if we ignore them, they'll go away?"

Faith chuckles, stopping her hands from finishing their past time. Taking a deep breath, Faith pulls slowly away from Tara. "Don't know who it is, but I can try and get rid of 'em."

"Please do. We've only initiated the tub and the bed so far." Tara grumbles watching as Faith laughs walking towards speaker. Looking down at her skirt, Tara grins before trying to smooth it back down from where Faith had managed to pull up to her mid thighs.

"Who is it?" Faith growls pressing the speaker button. Releasing it she turns her gaze back on Tara. "Better be fuckin' important."

Tara winks at Faith before turning around to rinse out the sink grabbing a towel to dry the dishes and put them away.

"Beware of Greek's bearing gifts." Joyce chuckles as she presses the button.

"Didn't know you was Greek." Faith presses the button back. "Give me a sec, and I'll be down to help ya'." Turning towards Tara, she laughs as Tara grins and waves her to go on.

Opening the door, Faith jogs out and down the stairs, opening the front door for Joyce, Grabbing the bags from the woman. "Got anythin' else?"

"That's it for today." Joyce laughs, following Faith.

"I'll be nice to ya' and take the elevator." Faith punches the elevator button with her elbow. "Why ain't ya' at work?"

"Playing hooky this afternoon." Joyce looks around the apartment building. "This place looks nice and up kept."

"It is." Faith follows Joyce into the elevator. "Five. The owner actually lives here and does a lot of the fixing of stuff himself. He's pretty cool and nice. He helped me move in, but I think it was more a thing about me and Tara being together. For some reason he always chuckles at that." Faith walks out of the elevator leading the way to the apartment.

"Why would he laugh at you two being together?" Joyce questions walking into the apartment.

Tara looks up, laughing quietly. "Because she told him I was the butch. For some strange reason, he doesn't believe it."

"Have him see you order everyone around and he'll believe it." Joyce laughs.

"What's even better was his thinkin' B and Red were family." Faith smirks at Joyce when Joyce busts out laughing.

"He didn't?" Joyce shakes her head, laughing.

"Yep, he questioned it. What surprised me was B." Faith admits setting down the bags on the kitchen table.

"Why, what did she do?" Joyce looks curiously at Faith.

"She said it's startin' to cross her mind somewhat." Faith wiggles her eyebrows at the older Summers, chuckling.

"I'll have to get her down to the gallery and introduce her to Jess." Joyce tilts her head considering the thought.

"Don't do that to B! Jess'll eat her up!" Faith laughs knowingly at Joyce. "She tried to get her claws in me when I first came there to help you, remember?"

"Always made me wonder why you didn't take her up on her offer." Joyce admits.

"I'm used to being the one to use and abuse. Not the other way around." Faith shrugs, grinning.

"I think your tune might have changed some, hasn't it?" Tara questions with a lifted eyebrow, a small smile slowly working its way across her face.

"You can use me and abuse me whenever ya' want, babe." Faith looks knowingly at the blonde.

"Would you like something to drink, Mrs. Summers?" Tara questions, her eyes twinkling merrily. "We have water, soda and juice."

"A water would be wonderful, and please, it's Joyce." Joyce grins at the two women. "This is actually a pretty nice looking apartment." Joyce glances around.

"Here, let me give ya' the penny tour." Faith winks at Joyce. "Living room, dining room, kitchen, witch…" Faith points to each before grabbing Tara on the butt on the word witch, laughing.

"Faith!" Tara smacks at Faith, chuckling. "Here's your water Mrs…" Tara hesitates at Joyce's' look. "Joyce."

"Better. Thank you, Tara." Joyce accepts the glass of iced water, following Faith.

"Bathroom, with nice Jacuzzi tub. Very nice, large Jacuzzi tub." Faith looks back at Joyce and wiggles her eyebrows. "It got initiated yesterday. We were working on the kitchen when someone interrupted."

"FAITH!" Tara yells from the kitchen at her lover.

"Hell, Tare! Ain't nothin' she ain't probably already done!" Faith grumbles before grinning wickedly at Joyce. "Right, Mrs. S?"

"I'm not telling!" Joyce laughs as she backs out of the bathroom, following Faith into the bedroom. "I must say, this is a nice apartment. The furniture is well-kept, obviously."

"Yeah. Nothing fancy, but it is functional and meant to last." Faith opens her closet door, pulling out the box of knives that she needs to work on sharpening. "I'm gonna need to get some frames for Tara's drawings and hang a few of 'em."

"I thought those were her sketches in her dorm." Joyce follows Faith out of the bedroom. "Quite good."

"Ya' oughta see the other ones she's done." Faith smirks evilly as she sets her knives down on the table before grabbing an older towel from under the sink, spreading it on the table.

"Faith." Tara states the name as a warning.

"Come on! She's an art gallery owner. She can appreciate them for the lines and shading and shit, instead of the content." Faith laughs as Tara blushes.

"You're bound and determined to show my drawings, aren't you?" Tara places her hands on her hips as she stares at the dark-haired slayer.

"Yep. They're hot." Faith nods her head, smiling in agreement.

"I'm not so sure I want to see them." Joyce laughs looking from one woman to the other.

"Might as well. Faith isn't going to shut up until you do." Tara sighs, shifting the sketch pads around to the order Faith looked at them in. "Do you want to look at them in the dining room or here in the living room? And please remember, these were just for me. Well and Faith, now, but some of them aren't meant to be seen by anyone else." Tara narrows her eyes on Faith who's started to whistle as she pulls out the sharpening stone. Grabbing the pads, Tara walks into the kitchen, handing them to Joyce.

Joyce raises an eyebrow as Faith sits humming to herself as she slowly and methodically starts sharpening her knives. Turning her gaze to look at a bemused Tara, Joyce chuckles before sitting down at the other side of the table looking at the sketches.

"You gonna go out with me tonight?" Faith questions as she glances at Tara. "Or are you wantin' to stay here and study for your last test tomorrow?"

"I don't need to study for the test. Would you like me to go with you, or would you be able to do it quicker without me?" Tara questions as she sits down watching her lover.

"Yeah, I could run around town and get done in record time, but I don't mind walking with ya'. Gives us time to talk and get to know each other better." Faith looks up grinning. "Less likely to get sidetracked while we're out in public."

Joyce chuckles quietly at the two women as she finishes looking through the first sketch pad, setting it aside before picking up the second one.

"As long as we don't come across someone else trying to make me a snack." Tara frowns, her fingers unconsciously lifting to her neck.

"Yeah, he better be outta town, if I come across him, I'm gonna beat him until he begs me to fuckin' stake him." Faith growls, her eyes flashing angrily.

"What happened?" Joyce looks up in surprise glancing from one woman to the other, worriedly.

"Fuck." Faith looks apologetically at Tara.

"It's okay, sweetie. I was pretty much planning on everyone knowing eventually anyway. I was just hoping to find out more information first." Tara smiles softly at Faith watching as Faith sighs in relief. Tara turns towards Joyce and shrugs her shoulders. "It seems I'm not exactly human. We found out last night that I'm part elf." Tara shifts her hair away from her ear. "My dad told me I was a demon when I was growing up and my mother never said anything one way or another about it."

Faith starts to open her mouth to stop Joyce from touching Tara's ear, but snaps it shut too late.

Tara's eyes twinkle at Faith as Joyce touches her ear. "You're the only one that causes that reaction, love."

Faith turns surprised eyes on Tara. "Why didn't you say something last night? And why me?" Faith frowns heavily.

"You had already stopped Mr. Giles, so it was kind of moot. As for you, I'll give you a couple guesses." Tara wiggles her eyebrows at the slayer.

Joyce frowns looking at the two women. "What are you two talking about?" Joyce questions as she moves her hand back down to the sketch pad.

"This." Faith reaches out and strokes her fingers over Tara's other ear, making the witch groan deeply and close her eyes.

"Tease." Tara growls as Faith pulls her hand away, her eyes opening slowly, the desire obvious in their depths.

"Oh, dear." Joyce looks down at her own hand and back at Tara's ear, blushing lightly. "How did you know someone else…" Joyce trails off, blushing darker. "Stupid, Joyce."

Tara laughs quietly. "Well, first off it didn't happen with my previous lovers, and I certainly don't get that reaction when I touch them myself."

"Change of subject might be in order." Joyce shakes her head laughing quietly. "Why don't you sort through the bags. I just picked up some odds and ends. Buffy mentioned you didn't have a lot of knick knacks, so I kind of picked some up while I was out today."

"You didn't have to." Tara smiles in thanks at Joyce as she unpacks the candles, incense and glass candy dishes, chuckling as she pulls out the large bag of hard candy. "Hmmm. I bet I know who you had in mind for this."

Faith glances up, chuckling. "Can't help it. I got a sweet tooth."

"Thank you, Joyce." Tara smiles at the woman as she stands to set the candles around the living room. Placing one of the candy dishes on the coffee table, Tara fills it before placing the lid on the glass dish.

"Goodness." Joyce looks at the drawings, blushing lightly. Glancing up at a smirking Faith, Joyce shakes her head. "I have to admit, these are very well done. And now I understand why Tara was saying that these were for her eyes, and in turn yours only." Joyce starts to chuckle as Faith wiggles her eyebrows.

"They're hot, ain't they?" Faith yelps as she turns her eyes on Tara. "No call for the pinching. That just ain't right." Faith rubs her arm. "Damn wicked strong fingers." Faith bitches quietly as she grabs another knife, running it across the whetstone.

Tara blushes lightly as she picks up the sketch pads. "They were in my head wanting to get out." Tara shrugs as she carries them back to the bedroom.

"They're wonderful." Joyce admits watching as Tara walks back in, carrying one of them.

"I kind of thought you'd like to have the one of Buffy." Tara shrugs. "I've actually been thinking about doing different ones of all the group as Christmas presents. Of course, not the caricature ones." Tara grins lopsidedly. "I kind of couldn't help drawing them after I found out about everybody."

"Sometimes it happens that way." Joyce smiles at the two women. "You two have a lovely apartment. I guess I should leave you two lovebirds alone, that way you can finish initiating the kitchen." Joyce laughs softly as Tara blushes lightly and Faith's eyes start to gleam.

"Please come back, you're welcome at any time." Tara walks Joyce to the door, smiling at the woman.

"Thank you, dear." Joyce looks back and laughs at Faith wiggling her eyebrows from the table. "Glad you two are getting along." Joyce whispers softly.

"I'm sure we'll have our ups and downs, pretty much like anyone, but it'll be worth it." Tara's eyes shift to look at Faith. "She's a little rough around the edges, but that's definitely part of her charm." Tara admits quietly.

"It is, isn't it?" Joyce smiles in acknowledgement. "She's a wonderful woman and deserves the best. I think the two of you compliment each other." Joyce gently squeezes Tara's shoulder. "Life's short, dear. Grab on with both hands and enjoy the ride."

Tara smiles, her gaze on Faith as the slayer sings quietly to herself as she slides the knife over the stone, sharpening it. "I have a feeling it's going to be the ride of a lifetime. Thanks, Joyce. You're always welcome, so please stop in at any time."

"Thank you, Tara. I may take you up on it when Buffy and the crew get going." Joyce chuckles. "I'm going to miss having Faith around the house. It was always interesting, never knowing what she would get up to. You two have a wonderful night, see you tomorrow." Joyce smiles softly before slowly working her way to the elevator.

Tara stands there for a few moments watching Joyce get on the elevator, waving as the doors shut, Tara gently steps back into the apartment and locks the door behind her as she works her way over to Faith, gently wrapping her arms around Faith's upper chest, squeezing gently. Leaning down Tara places a kiss on top of Faith's head Tara whispers softly. "I haven't said it, you may be aware of it, but I want you to know I've fallen in love with you, Faith."

Faith closes her eyes, smiling softly at the obvious feeling in the witch's words. Running her hands up over Tara's hands, Faith tilts her head back looking up into the loving blue eyes. "You have said it, babe." Faith whispers watching the surprise cross Tara's face. "You said it the other night when you fell asleep, after you decided you'd had enough of my being stubborn and came to Joyce's house." Faith reaches up, cupping Tara's neck. "I gotta admit that I've fallen for you, too, babe." Faith admits quietly.

"Oh, sweetie." Tara whispers leaning down, capturing the slayer's lips in a loving kiss.

Faith smiles as they slowly ease away from each other. "Kind of weird at that angle."

"You have a point." Tara smiles as she walks around and gently eases onto Faith's lap as the slayer pushes back from the table. Wrapping her arms around Faith's neck, Tara captures the slayer's lips with hers, stroking her tongue tantalizing over Faith's lips, delving inside the welcoming opening.

Faith whimpers into the witch's mouth as Tara softly battles with her tongue before teasingly flicking the roof of her mouth. Wrapping her hand in Tara's hair, Faith reaches her other hand around the witch's waist, holding her tightly while invading Tara's mouth, kissing her strongly, wrapping her tongue repeatedly around Tara's for a few long minutes, before easing away, panting heavily.

"Goddess." Tara whimpers, slowly opening her eyes, looking into the passion filled eyes of her lover. Breathing heavily, Tara tilts her head against Faith's.

Faith takes in a shuddering breath as she gently squeezes Tara as she wraps her arms around the witch. Burying her face against Tara's shoulder, Faith runs one hand down her leg, growling at the skirt, Faith pulls it up so she can stroke her fingers over silky flesh.

Tara smiles softly as Faith's fingers slowly, but surely work their way up her thigh. Closing her eyes, Tara swallows at the desire coursing through her at Faith's stroking fingers.

Faith grins as her fingers work closer to the witch's center, feeling the heat coming from the area, Faith softly presses a finger against the cotton covered mound, groaning as she feels the dampness. "This a new pair or one of your older pair?" Faith questions hoarsely, gently sliding a finger around the edge of the panties, sliding it up and down the slick outer lips.

"Old." Tara whimpers as a wiggling finger presses determinedly between her lips to flick teasingly over her swollen clit. Shifting her left leg, Tara gives Faith more room to maneuver.

"Good." Faith growls as she slides her fingers to the edge at Tara's hip, maneuvering her fingers so that she rips the cloth without hurting Tara. Running her fingers quickly to the other side, Faith repeats the gesture before flipping the panties down out of the way, smiling as Tara whimpers loudly as she slides two fingers firmly in the witch. Teasingly brushing her thumb over the hardening muscle, Faith nips on the shoulder she'd been resting her head on, watching Tara intently as the witch closes her eyes. Inhaling deeply at the look of pure pleasure crossing Tara's face as she swirls her fingers within the witch while alternating pressing firmly against the swollen clit, barely brushing over it and teasing the sensitive gland with a flick of her short thumb nail.

Tara bites her lip as the slayer's teasing brings her to edge without allowing her to tip over. "Faith!" Tara cries out softly, her body trying to press into Faith's hand, her eyes finally opening, she turns so she looks into Faith's dark brown eyes.

"Now?" Faith questions softly, while continuing to inhale deeply of the witch's arousal, her own desire almost unbearable.

As Tara whimpers, nodding her head, she cries out loudly as Faith stops teasing and hooks her fingers within her, caressing over her pleasure spot while circling quickly and firmly over her twitching clit, making her climax almost instantly. Shifting her hips into Faith's pleasure giving hand, Tara tilts her head back screaming Faith's name as another orgasm rips through her body, making her whole body shake uncontrollably.

Faith tenses her arm that's wrapped around Tara, making sure she's supported so she doesn't fall off her lap, while continuing to stroke slowly within the witch, easing her thumb's pressure from the rock hard flinching muscle. Bringing her stroking fingers to a slow halt, Faith leaves them buried within Tara, while she tries to control her own desire.

"Goddess." Tara sighs out the word, her body still uncontrollably clenching on the fingers inside her as she feels more liquid ease from her body onto Faith's hand. Gently easing her fingers from where they're tangled within the slayer's hair, Tara whispers softly. "Sorry."

"No sorry's." Faith closes her eyes leaning her forehead against Tara as fingers gently soothe her scalp from where they'd inadvertently pulled some hairs. Faith smiles softly as she eases her fingers back to Tara's opening before quickly sliding them back deep within the witch, making Tara jerk. "I just realized something good about your skirts." Faith finally admits.

Tara chuckles deeply. "Easy access?"

"Oh, yeah." Faith nods before sliding her fingers all the way out of Tara. "I think somebody sprung a very serious leak." Faith growls as the witch's nectar slides down her hand as she holds it up in front of them.

"Very serious." Tara's lip curls up in amusement as Faith works on cleaning the fluid from her fingers and hand with an eager tongue. "Faith, love?"

"Mmmmhmmmm." Faith answers as she sucks on her fingers, her eyes glancing up making contact with twinkling blue eyes.

"My turn." Tara shifts off Faith, kneeling on the floor in front of the slayer while her hands quickly unbutton the slayer's jeans, pulling them down quickly as Faith lifts her hips to help. Smiling as Faith spreads her legs wide, Tara inhales deeply of the rich musky aroma literally oozing from Faith as she looks upon the dew covered swollen lips. "We need to have a discussion about your lack of underwear sometime." Tara murmurs as she nips quickly up the slayer's inner thighs while wrapping an arm under and around each leg, sliding Faith's body to the edge of the chair seat before capturing the swollen nub between her lips, sucking gently.

"No…discussion." Faith pants, burying her fingers in Tara's hair as she rotates her hips as the steady suction makes it hard to think. "Underwear…is…evil." Faith jerks into Tara's mouth as the witch starts to flick her tongue quickly and firmly against her clit.

"Mmmmhmmmm." Tara hums into Faith's body, holding onto the slayer, trying to make sure she stays firmly attached as she continues to suck and lick the woman to orgasm.

"FUCK!" Faith cries out loudly as Tara gently scrapes her bottom teeth over the sensitive gland, making her climax, before soothing it with gentle strokes of her tongue.

Placing soft kisses over the twitching muscle, Tara looks up into the heavily lidded brown eyes. Slowly running her tongue over her lips, Tara continues watching Faith as she slowly slides her tongue over the slayer's lips, gathering all the escaped fluid. Delving quickly between the slayer's lips, Tara's lip quirks as Faith moans loudly, her eyes closing in pleasure. Burying her tongue deeply within the slayer, Tara strokes within the woman, twirling her tongue around for a few moments enjoying the feeling of the slayer's muscles clenching around her tongue.

Growling deeply, Faith releases one hands grip to run down the front of her body, whimpering as Tara leaves her body, then looking in surprise as she feels a warm, wet tongue licking her fingers, leaving them damp. Opening her eyes to look down into twinkling blue eyes, Faith smiles quickly as she watches Tara delve deeply back within her. Pressing her fingers over her own clit, Faith starts an almost punishing rubbing motion. When she feels Tara's tongue stroke over her inner sweet spot, Faith jerks in pleasure, rubbing quicker over her own swollen muscle. "There…babe…"

Tara keeps up her tongues stroking over the rough inner wall of the slayer, groaning into Faith's body as the slayer's inner muscles clench strongly on her tongue.

"TARA!" Faith screams as she comes, flooding the witch's mouth and face with her orgasm. Faith groans as her body continues to jerk and twitch as Tara's soft tongue strokes softly over her body.

Slowly working her way over Faith's body, Tara gather's all the escaped liquid before scooting her body in close to Faith, rubbing her cheek against the still twitching stomach muscles.

Wrapping her legs around Tara, Faith squeezes gently before loosening her legs. "Come up here, babe." Faith hoarsely calls to Tara, smiling as Tara stands. Running her hands down Tara's legs, Faith pushes her skirt up her thighs, Faith urges her to straddle her and sit down on her lap. Wrapping her arms around Tara's waist, Faith buries her face in Tara's neck, pressing firm kisses against the sweat dampened skin.

Tara chuckles as she drapes her arms over Faith's shoulders, relaxing her body into the slayer's. "I think this only counts as initiating this particular chair, what do you think?"

Faith laughs and nods her head against Tara's neck. "We got all the other chairs to initiate, along with the table, the countertops, the refrigerator…"

"Refrigerator?" Tara questions wonderingly.

"Sure. We can pull everything out, climb inside and get it on." Faith tries not to laugh as Tara tugs gently on her hair. "What, you don't like that idea?"

"Might be a little bit on the chilly side." Tara rolls her eyes as Faith chuckles. "I'm surprised you haven't suggested I stand on my head while we do it."

"Hmmm." Faith tilts her head considering the thought. "Might not be comfortable, but would be doable."

"Faith!" Tara gently smacks the slayer on the shoulder, laughing as she pulls back to look into laughing brown eyes. "You're rotten."

"Yep." Faith agrees readily, smirking. "But that's part of the reason why ya' love me."

"Yes, it is." Tara admits, her eyes becoming serious. "Don't ever change, sweetie. I like you being rotten, mischief filled and full of life."

"Rude, coarse, crude, foul mouthed, and I'm sure a bunch of other things, also." Faith admits, frowning lightly.

"I love all of that about you, sweetie. Don't change, I'm serious." Tara brushes her thumb gently over the slayer's cheek. "In short, I love you." Tara whispers as she gently brushes her lips over Faith's.

Faith returns the soft kiss, before gently kissing across Tara's jaw, hugging the witch tightly as she buries her face against her shoulder. "I love you, too." Faith whispers softly, closing her eyes while taking a deep breath.

Tara smiles as she strokes her finger gently through the soft dark waves. "Do you want me to go on patrol with you tonight?"

"Yeah." Faith brushes her cheek gently against Tara's shoulder. "Do ya' think we should buy a car?" Faith questions softly before frowning briefly. "Where do ya' work at, babe? I know it's a vet's office, but where's it located at? I didn't even take that into consideration when we rented this place."

Tara chuckles quietly. "It's actually only six blocks away, sweetie. So you did extremely good getting this place. As for a car, that may not be an expenditure we should have just yet. Maybe we can buy a couple bicycles, or at least one for me to ride back and forth."

"I was just thinkin' that a vehicle would kinda come in handy when we go to the store." Faith admits, stroking her hands up and down Tara's back. "I'm sure Mrs. S. wouldn't mind me borrowing the Jeep whenever I need it, though. So maybe it's not that big a deal."

"We'll see how it goes, sweetie. Don't they have those little pull behind things for bicycles that we could use to put the groceries in?" Tara murmurs as she wiggles in closer to the slayer.

"Kinda like a pull behind baby carrier?" Faith questions, the laughter obvious in her voice.

"Something like that." Tara grumbles before nipping playfully at the slayer's shoulder. "You mean you don't want to have children?" Tara jokes quietly.

"That would be kinda interestin'." Faith raises her eyebrows at the thought. "Not do-able…Damn better not say that, this is the Hellmouth, after all!"

Tara laughs at the slayer. "Could you imagine trying to explain that? No sir, there is no father. She's the father."

Faith snorts in laughter. "There was no male body parts or bodily fluids used in the making of this child – I'm just damn good!"

"Who said I was the one going to carry the child?" Tara raises an eyebrow in mock anger.

Faith growls, picking Tara up and striding into the bedroom. "I sure the hell ain't, and though you're butch, I'm butchier." Faith chuckles, gently tossing Tara in the middle of the bed before pouncing on top of her. "So that makes me the boss, and you the little woman. And it's time for the little woman to…be tickled unmercifully!" Faith growls before her fingers dance up and down the witch's side, making Tara squirm and laugh.

"Faith!" Tara cries out quietly, trying to squirm away from the relentless fingers.

"Clothes in the way." Faith grins evilly as she slides Tara's top off, before continuing to tickle the witch.

"I got to…" Tara laughs harder. "Need to pee…"

Faith laughs and rolls off the witch, chuckling as Tara runs to the bathroom. "We'll continue this later!" Faith glances at the window, sighing at the darkening sky. "Guess I should get ready for patrol.'

The three women groan as they bring in the last of the boxes. "I can't believe Willow's parents were actually home." Buffy grumbles, rolling her eyes. "They guilt her into going to dinner with them, like it's her fault they're never around!"

"I got the distinct impression she really didn't want to go with them." Tara murmurs softly. "But she didn't argue with them."

"She wouldn't. Red's got the perfect daughter syndrome. No matter how much they shit on her, she's gonna do what they want." Faith growls as they carry the boxes up the stairs, placing them in Buffy's room.

"Faith." Tara softly reprimands the slayer.

"It's the truth. Dumb ass parents. Got a great daughter, smart as a whip, she's any parents fuckin' wet dream, and they don't have the fuckin' decency to even be around her. Jeeze, her mom even tried to burn her and B at the stake!" Faith growls angrily.

Tara blinks in surprise glancing towards Buffy. Buffy blushes and lightly nods her head. "Mom was there, also right along with the rest of the group. They kind of conveniently forgot it, the Hellmouth syndrome at its best." Buffy shrugs.

"Where is your mom?" Tara questions as they walk back downstairs.

"Picking up the pizzas and more soda." Buffy grins looking at Faith. "I think she just didn't want to help load stuff in the house."

"Did you want help unpacking?" Tara questions, following the two slayers into the kitchen as they grab waters out, smiling in thanks Tara winks at Faith as the dark-haired slayer hands her a water.

"No. Gives me something to do later. Won't take long anyway." Buffy shrugs sitting down at the island, watching as Faith sits down, urging Tara to sit on her lap. "I'll take patrol this weekend, let you two have some private time."

"Ain't ya' supposed to be meetin' farm boy tomorrow?" Faith frowns looking at Buffy.

"Late tomorrow afternoon." Buffy sighs quietly. "We'll see if he has any information for us. The demon population still on the low side?" Buffy reconfirms with Faith.

"Yeah. Ran into the bleached wonder the other night." Faith growls angrily, her eyes flashing.

"It ended up helping us, sweetie." Tara murmurs softly, shifting so she can stroke her hand over the slayer's furrowed eyebrows.

"Yeah, but I'm still gonna dust his ass." Faith sneers at the thought of the blonde vampire, looking at Tara's neck and the two small scabs there.

"What have I missed?" Buffy questions looking from one woman to the other.

"Sorry, B." Faith looks apologetically at the blonde slayer. "I guess we kinda forgot to tell ya' what's going on." Faith unconsciously hugs Tara tightly. "You wanna tell her?"

Tara sighs as she nods her head, looking down at the island, before slowly explaining to Buffy about her father telling her she was going to turn into a demon, through Faith's explanation about demons being real, her own thoughts of being a demon, to Spikes stunning revelation. Seeing the inquisitive look on Buffy's face, Tara chuckles, pulling her hair back from her ear, leaning towards the blonde slayer.

"Damn." Buffy whispers, her eyes surprised at the pointy ears. "Can I touch them?"

Faith growls quietly, but doesn't say anything as Tara smacks her gently. "Go ahead." Faith grumbles lowly.

Buffy gently eases her fingertips over the flesh, chuckling. "I don't know what I was expecting, maybe for it to feel different?"

"Nope. They don't feel no different. They're just sexy as hell." Faith growls, running her finger up Tara's neck, inching closer to her ear before Tara captures her hand, pulling it down. "Ain't no fun." Faith grumbles.

Buffy watches the exchange with a questioning look on her face. "She isn't allowed to touch them?"

"Yes, but not when she's being rotten." Tara turns her gaze on Faith, as Faith sniggers. "And not out in public, and not anytime soon if she keeps this up." Tara pinches Faith's upper arm.

"Ouch! Damn it, I wish you'd stop doin' that. I get little bruises all over my body from you." Faith pouts, her eyes twinkling at the witch.

"Right, big bad slayer Faith is being pinched by sweet, kind Tara and it hurts. I'm not believing that." Buffy snorts in laughter, looking at the two women.

"Let her pinch you, B." Faith raises an eyebrow in dare looking at Buffy. "She's got wicked strong fingers, B. The vamp said elves are a lot stronger than humans. And I've got to say I agree, and she's not at full power, if he's to be believed."

"She isn't that strong." Buffy huffs as she puts out her arm, watching as Tara leans forward. Buffy yelps and rubs her arm where Tara pinched her, looking in surprise at the blonde witch. "Maybe she is."

Faith chuckles. "Told ya'. Now if we can find out what all the pain in the ass information we got actually means, I'll feel a hell of a lot better."

"Me, too." Tara whispers leaning her body more heavily against the slayer.

"When were you guys planning on saying something?" Buffy questions, frowning at the two women.

"Tare didn't want to say anything to anyone else to begin with when she thought she was going to turn into a demon. She and I kind of had an understanding." Faith stiffens in remembrance, the look on her face indescribable to the blonde slayer.

"What kind of understanding?" Buffy questions looking from an obviously upset Faith to Tara looking down at the island, running her finger over the tiles.

"I made her make me a promise." Tara finally whispers.

"And there ain't no sense in discussin' it, since that is no longer gonna happen." Faith growls angrily, shifting Tara off her lap as she stands to look out the kitchen window.

Buffy frowns looking from one woman to the other, wondering what Tara might have made Faith promise her. Looking questioningly at the blonde witch, Buffy tilts her head.

Tara looks up, seeing the hazel eyes studying her trying to figure it out. Looking behind her at Faith standing there, rigid and unforgiving, Tara sighs heavily looking back at Buffy. Keeping eye contact with the slayer, Tara slowly drags her finger across her own throat before dropping her gaze and looking back down at the counter.

Buffy stares in stunned disbelief at the witch, her gaze finally shifting up to the stiff backed slayer. "We wouldn't have allowed it to come to that, Faith. And I can't believe you didn't say something to us, Tara! What were you thinking? We could have all been researching trying to find any and all information we could!"

Faith slowly turns to look at her lover's slumped shoulder's to Buffy's flashing hazel eyes. "Thanks, B." Faith finally allows a brief smile to cross her face. "She didn't want me to say anythin', so I didn't. But I was trying to find out as much as I could on my own." Faith slowly wraps her arms around Tara, pulling her gently against her. "See, nobody would have freaked or anything, babe. They would have all been tryin' to help ya'. So, from now on, ya' gotta just tell us, 'kay?" Faith places a gentle kiss on top of Tara's head.

"Okay." Tara sighs, closing her eyes as she presses her back against Faith. "I know better now."

"Good." Buffy hears the car door slam. "I'll help mom." Buffy hops up, running out of the kitchen, leaving the two women alone.

"I'm sorry for making you promise me what you did, Faith." Tara whispers softly, gently squeezing the slayer's arms that are wrapped around her waist.

"I didn't like makin' that promise." Faith admits quietly. "I would have done it, but I would have tried to figure out any other way to help ya' before it came to that. Even if it was putting you in a cage and making G-man call anyone and everyone he knew to make you right."

Tara chuckles at her lover's words. "I hope the information Mr. Giles is having sent here has more details than what he had does."

"Yeah. I'm seriously wondering about that bo