Shades of Gray

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Willow, Tara, Xander, Giles and all other characters who have appeared in the syndicated series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, together with the names, titles and back story are the sole copyright property of Josh Wheldon, Fox and Mutant Enemy. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Please contact the author for permission to reproduce this story on any other fan fiction site.
Distribution: The Rainbow Writer's Homepage: http://www.therainbowwriters.com/
Mystic Muse: http://mysticmuse.net
Spoilers: Season 7.
Feedback: All feedback is welcome.
Pairing: Willow/Tara    Buffy/Other    Faith/Dawn

Part Six

Buffy paced around the living room obviously agitated. The last thing she had wanted was to receive a frantic call from her sister that had told her almost nothing but filled her with a very real fear she was going to arrive to find more people she cared about dead.

"So basically if it wasn't for Kennedy none of this would have happened?" She looked at Tara who was sitting sipping some tea as she gave Buffy the explanation.

"Well not technically no." Tara shook her head. "If it wasn't for Kennedy both her and Willow may have been hurt."

"No but the hot head Queen was the one who left Willow alone in the first place." Buffy pointed out. "I'm taking a strip off her ass." She turned towards the door.

"Buffy wait." Tara pushed up from her place and Buffy stopped and turned looking at her.

"Could Kennedy have killed it?" Tara asked seriously.

"No." Buffy shook her head without hesitation. "It's tore through dozens of them, it almost killed me the first two times."

"Then if it wasn't for her, then Willow would be dead." She shivered sitting back down.

"I don't understand you said you were the one who killed it?" Buffy paced back to her.

"I was, but if Kennedy hadn't have woken me up I would have slept through Willow's murder." She blinked blue eyes.

"It's not that simple." Buffy sat down with a sigh. "God every time we get a foot ahead it beats us back down."

"This vampires, what are they?" Tara asked softly.

"First breed, some sorta bad fairy tale that gets passed from older vamps to the sires. The ones that came first before they were deluded with human blood." She tried to explain. "The pure vampires."

"And the main differences?" She pressed for details.

"Harder to kill, chest cavities like iron, takes a sledge to get a stake in them. Decapitation works, sunlight but they are hardy bastards." Buffy ran her hand through her hair. "They come right out of the Hellmouth."

"How?" Tara leaned back.

"You open the seal with blood, then the start popping out like corn." Buffy turned to look at her. "We closed it though, well for now."

"Well that's something then." Tara pointed out the positive.

"So any chance I can get you to take Dawn and Willow, put them on a plane and head back to Florence?" Buffy gave her a lopsided smile.

"I will willingly put Dawn and Willow on a plane out of here." Tara nodded. "But you know I can't leave."

"Damn it Tara, this isn't your fight. You just walked into this." Buffy stood up again. "It doesn't even know you're here, get out now while you can."

"Buffy you said yourself, you're not winning this right now and having a witch…" She paused. "Having a powerful witch on your side might help tip the scales."

"No offence but Willow can't even do anything." Buffy looked at her sadly sitting down only because she didn't want to tower over the quiet blonde. "She tries and the First sends a full force of evil into her threatening to turn her."

"Willow and I are very different witches Buffy." Tara looked up though long eyelashes.

"I know." Buffy held the gaze. "Tara, I know you know a lot but this is a whole other arena. This is full contact, those things, the First they don't pull punches and twinkle bell isn't going to cut it."

Tara looked down briefly closing her eyes she whispered a few words and looked at Buffy.

"Try and get out of the chair." She instructed her voice soft.

"Ha, ha funny Tara." Buffy went to stand up again and found she couldn't move. "Yeah okay so..." She pushed harder using her strength but got nowhere, she found quickly she couldn't even turn her head. "I can... so..." She locked her jaw and pushed harder and harder. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Trying to show you something." Tara replied firmly.

"What that you can glue me to a chair? Nice trick." Buffy growled and managed to raise the top of her finger.

"Liber." Tara whispered blinking, she hoped Buffy had stopping pushing up because she knew that instantly the Slayer would be free and if she wasn't careful would topple out of the chair.

"I think it's time you tell me what you've been up to while you've been away Tara." Buffy hand flung up but the rest of stayed down.

"Training." Tara took a breath and looked down.

"Training for what?" The question was instantaneous.

"To come back here." She replied relaxing back into the chair again and crossing her long legs.

"To what kick my ass?" Buffy gave a soft laugh.

"Not to kick your ass no." Tara shook her head.

"Well if not mine then..." Buffy's face went pale. "Tara, tell me I've gone insane."

"I didn't know it was Willow and for all I know now it isn't Willow." Tara shook her head. "I worked with a coven in Italy." She explained with a soft sigh matched by the Slayer.

"How powerful are you?" She moved over closer to the blonde. "And I want the truth, no being modest or hiding behind anything. How powerful?"

"Powerful enough to face what it is they sent me here to face, at least I hope I am." Tara blinked at Buffy. "The coven were sent word of a dark power source which they traced here. I volunteered to be the one they trained and sent."

"Because if it was Willow?" Buffy turned to her and the blonde looked away. "Don't answer that." Buffy stood up shaking her head. "Please... I had to face down Willow, I tried to face down Willow. I don't ever want to hear that answer again." She took a few deep breaths. "You are so messing up my Dawn and her happy lesbian moms fantasy you know that right?" She looked at the blonde frowning.

"I love Willow Buffy." She whispered looking back at her. "I love all of you."

"Maybe there was a really good reason the First sent a shadow of you." Buffy looked at her; the Slayer's voice was soft but honest. "Maybe this is our sign that we can win this."

"I'm not sure I know what you mean." Tara admitted confused by the logic.

"Tara, we're losing." Buffy admitted sadly moving over to sit on the coffee table in front of the witch. "It's picking off the SIT's and there's nothing we can do to stop it." She looked down. "You killed an uber by yourself. Up till tonight only I'd done that and it kicked my ass while I did."

"Well technically the fireball killed it." Tara smiled softly.

"Smart ass." Buffy looked up and smiled back at her.

"So do you want me to book two tickets?" Tara asked softly, her blue eyes gentle.

"Willow won't leave you." Buffy admitted. "Dawn won't leave." She sighed. "We just need to come up with a plan."

"A plan it is then." Tara nodded. "How is Owl?"

"Worse for wear but she's tough." Buffy leaned her elbows on her knees.

"What do you know about what you are facing?" Tara asked for information gently.

"You want another tea? I'll give you the full story." Buffy pointed to her cup.

Willow pulled the ice pack off her head when she heard the bedroom door close and looked up in the dim light to the figure that moved in and over to the bed.

"Are you okay?" She questioned her lover softly, easily seeing the ginger way that she tried not to jostle herself around as she laid down in bed.

"Headache." Tara replied in a whisper.

"Let me get you a heat pack and some pills." The redhead immediately pushed up knowing that whenever the blonde had gotten a headache there was a certain regime that must be followed to get rid of it.

"No angel, you rest, hopefully it'll just pass." Tara reached out blindly to her side to keep the redhead laying down, having not already seen her sit up.

"Nope. I know the drill." Willow moved around drawing the blanket up over Tara's body. "Heat pack, three pills and nice large glass of ice water." She leaned down kissing Tara's cheek very softly. "Please baby, I want to take care of you." She whispered her voice a little shaky. "I never dreamed I'd get to do it again."

"But..." The blonde stopped. "How is your neck?" She asked gently smiling.

"Mmmm feels like I have a very large vampire trying to choke me but he's only using a quarter of his strength now." Willow assured her. "I'll be right back." She kissed her lover's cheek again and moved out.

Tara took a light breath and closed her eyes trying to force her body to relax into the comfort of the bed and make her head to settle from its crazy cartwheeling whirl.

It didn't take long before Willow returned with a long thin heat pack and another one shaped like a crescent moon. Both were toasty warm, in her other hand she had three painkillers and a large glass of ice water.

"Here we go, just need to get these down." Willow sat down on the edge trying not to rattle the bed.

"Is Buffy still here?" Tara asked softly as she took the pills and leaned forward. "She went in to talk to Dawn."

"I think so, Dawn's door was shut." Willow nodded letting Tara swallow the pills before she settled the large heat pack behind her shoulders and then helped her lie down, settling the long one over her forehead. "How's that baby?"

"Mmmm better." Tara closed her eyes again. "You're not getting up are you?" She checked.

"No, I got a lot of ice left to melt." Willow smiled and slowly moved around to her side of the bed settling down beside her. "Did you talk with Buffy?"

"Yes." Tara replied and then paused for a moment. "Do you want to talk to me about Kennedy?" She asked in an even quieter voice.

"I... I'm sorry." The redhead apologized turning over to look at the blonde even though most of her face was obscured. "She's really a very nice girl, she's just hurting I guess and not thinking straight and it wasn't her fault with the Uber, you know that right?"

"Well I can't say I wasn't mad at her for being so foolish as to leave you alone." Tara replied honestly.

"She wasn't thinking very straight at that moment." Willow bit her lip thinking about how helpless she had begun to feel when Kennedy had kept baring the door.

"Again I ask is there anything you want to tell me about Kennedy." Tara turned her head slightly and opened on blue eye.

"She had this crazy notion that I might still want to be with her and not you." The redhead pointed out sheepishly. "She didn't react well when I corrected her."

"Didn't react well how?" Tara frowned and opened the other eye.

"She kept talking, trying to get me to agree to what she was saying, agree that I should have space from both of you to make my decision." Willow didn't answer right away but then she saw Tara frown harder. "She boxed me in, kept shutting the door to the elevator because she wanted to 'talk with me alone'."

"I don't think I want to know the answer to this really, but just h-h-h-how serious were you two?" She asked in a whisper.

"Not that serious... No! We never slept together." Willow shook her head against the pillow. "Well no we slept in the same bed because it was so cramped at Buffy's and I didn't want to have to sleep on the floor but we didn't.... Didn't have sex." Her voice went down to a whisper.

Tara took another breath and turned on her side, feeling the heat pack slip from her forehead.

"And was she right, do you need time, space?" She asked softly.

"No!" Willow shook her head leaning up on one elbow. "Tara I love you, I don't ever need time or space to think about whether or not I want to be with you. The answer is always yes, right now." She looked at the blonde. "Baby, if... If I hadn't of thought... If the First hadn't of tricked me." She scowled. "Then there never would have been anything at all with Kennedy, ever. Only you, I want to marry you remember?"

"I want to marry you too." Tara cupped the redhead's cheek. "Though I think there may be a need for that to be underlined to a few people." She added softly. "As does the little matter of your safety." She rubbed her thumb lightly in place.

"She's not a bad person and I've never seen her act like that." Willow leaned her hand into the touch. "But she needs to know, I... We need to tell her so that she understands." She shifted closer to the blonde. "That there is only you."

"Guy's I need to get back to the house." The bedroom door opened and Buffy's head appeared around it.

"Okay... Okay that's great." Willow pulled back a bit almost feeling like some silly teenager who'd been caught with her girlfriend in her room. "Oh wait." She saw the Slayer closing the door and called her back. "Buffy, we need to tell you something." She gripped onto Tara's hand.

"Okay." Buffy stopped and turned trying not to frown. "Shoot, that is tell me." She frowned at her own insensitivity.

"Tara and I, well when all this crazy First stuff is over and you've defeated it and we've closed the Hellmouth... We're getting married." Willow looked at her lover and smiled lovingly.

"You're..." Buffy looked between them. "Married?" She whispered the foreign word.

"Going to get, yes." Willow grinned as best as she could with the ring of bruising around her throat and looked between them. "Aren't we baby?"

"When everything is over and sorted." Tara nodded. "It's the plan." She looked at Buffy whose hazel eyes looked right back at her.

"Well that's, that's great Will, for both of you." She tried to move her eyes back to Willow.

"We wanted to tell you, to tell everyone." Willow smiled leaning into Tara's shoulder carefully. "You'll be careful on your way home right?"

"Super careful." Buffy nodded. "You want me to drop Dawn off at Anya's so you two can you know, celebrate?" She checked thinking it had been a spur of the moment recent decision.

"No she's fine, we both need to rest our heads." The redhead secured Tara's arm around her body.

"Rest, yeah, rest is good." Buffy backed up a bit. "Have you told Dawn?"

"Not yet, you're the first to know." Willow smiled at her best friend. "Is she still up we could tell her?" She looked at Tara.

"I'm up, tell me what?" Dawn bounced into the room carrying a large bag of chips.

"Hey I thought I told you know coming into Willow and Tara's bedroom, adult private place." Buffy turned and scowled at her.

"Hello Buffy you're in it, they're hardly going to be making out with you watching." The teenager defended herself. "You wouldn't right?" She glanced at Willow.

"Not much." Willow teased Dawn, hoping the teenager would remember how they used to tease Buffy about stuff like this. "Right Tara?"

"Just small amounts of smooching." Tara smiled.

"We have something to tell you Dawn." Willow looked at the blonde. "You should tell her, I got to tell Buffy."

"Dawnie." Tara looked at the teenager who had looped her arm through her sister's and was looking over at the both of them on the bed. "Willow and I are engaged."

"You're what?" Dawn's face lit up. "Oh my God, Buffy did you hear?"

"Yeah." Buffy smiled, though there was something strained about the emotion.

"No actual big thing until after all of this is over, when things get settled." Willow grinned at her enthusiasm. "But once we've defeated the First nothing will stop us." She turned giving Tara a soft kiss.

"Oh my God!" Dawn pulled her arm free of Buffy's and clapped skipping over to the bed and bouncing down on it. "This is so amazing, first we get Tara back and now you two are getting married." She dropped forward and hugged them both in unison. "We need a party." She looked over at Buffy.

"We have to deal with the First Dawn then we can think about having a party." Buffy watched the three of them. The ease and familiarity between them making her feel more and more like an outsider. "I should get home though. Dawn don't bother them all night." She warned. "Congratulations guys, I'm really happy for you." She smiled lightly and then pushed out into the hallway.

Buffy felt heavy as she dragged herself up the stairs of the quiet house. Though she'd never admit it to anyone, she'd actually gotten used to the constant din of SIT's fighting and talking. It meant life was going on around her but right now in the quiet she felt like life was going on somewhere far away without her.

Not that she wasn't happy for Willow, somewhere inside she was so relieved but in another instance she just felt apathy about it. Here it was Tara was alive back in town and planning on marrying the redhead, for what? So that in the battles ahead they could both see each other suffer and die?

She sighed again pressing into her room without thought that it was where she had set Owl up to rest when they'd gotten her back from the hospital. She walked to the closet in the dark and pulled off her blouse, kicking off her boots and moving to undo her belt.

"Carry on I have my eyes closed." Owl's voice came from the bed.

"What?" Buffy turned around a bit startled staring at the bed. "Oh Owl, I'm sorry I forgot. I'm sorry." She grabbed her robe from the back of the closet door.

"You can stop apologizing it's okay." The SIT said shaking her head. "And do you want me to leave you in peace, I'm pretty sure I could make it out of the room and collapse in the hallway."

"No, you better stay right there. I didn't drag you up here to drag you back in later." Buffy shook her head and moved over. "Why aren't you asleep?"

"Pain killers wore off. How's my bike?" Owl asked. "The girls told me you'd gone round to the apartment building. I hope Willow didn't mind me asking, I didn't mean to make you go over."

"You're bike is... Well... Really good considering." Buffy bit her lip. "It sorta had a run in with an Uber vamp."

"I'm thinking oh crap." Owl frowned. "Shit tell me Willow wasn't hurt, God I'm an ass, it's just a bike I didn't think."

"Tara saved her." Buffy shook her head. "She's just got a nice ring of nasty bruises..." She put her hand by her throat. "It's not really oh crap, just gonna need a good wash and shine."

"Okay relaxing about the bike and Willow." Owl was visibly relieved. "But run that by me again, Tara saved her? I thought Tara was well just Tara."

"No." Buffy shook her head and sank down on the edge of the bed. "Apparently she's been all witchy combat training while she was away, some coven sent her back her to help with the evil uprising in Sunnydale."

"Well that's good news isn't it?" Owl frowned wondering why Buffy wasn't being brighter about this. "I mean a super trained witch specially focused to put the First through her magical paces, one for the good guys."

"If that was the possible case then Willow would have been able to slice and dice it." Buffy shook her head. "Oh and they're getting married, with the woo and the hoo." She frowned more.

"Okay let me get this straight, Willow is your best friend, Tara her lover who you all thought was dead is back and healthy and trained to kick ass. Now add that she and your best friend just got engaged and you are moping around like you just lost the key to a deposit box of hundred dollar bills." The potential raised an eyebrow.

"No, no I'm not moping I'm happy for them, very happy. I just wish they weren't making all these expectations when we're in the middle of a war with Evil." Buffy looked at the SIT in the dark. "I saw what happened when Willow thought she was dead, what if this time she dies for sure? Or worse Willow dies and now Tara's poised for world ending witch power."

"Are you always this optimistic or am I just getting a special Buffy show?" Owl asked from her place.

"Look I should go, do you want more painkillers? They're in the drawer." Buffy moved to pull it out.

"Buffy slow down sit a while yeah?" The SIT offered.

"You need to heal and rest, you don't need me running down non-optimistic lane dragging you along." She rummaged around and found a large unmarked bottle.

"Buffy please." Owl restated. "Sit with me for at least a minute, I've been up here alone for what feels like forever."

"Its quiet here isn't it?" Buffy managed to settle down on the edge.

"Yeah very, the girls are all huddled together downstairs." The potential explained. "They felt safer in the basement with you not home."

"It's been a madhouse." The Slayer admitted. "But you miss it sadly enough when it's gone."

"Then get them back." Owl offered with a shrug.

"I would like to be able to say they are safer where they are, but the whole Willow attack doesn't scream that does it?" Buffy leaned her arm over Owl's lower legs so she could rest on it.

"No it doesn't, that kind screams in the middle of no where with no protection." Owl was honest.

"Now you're panicking me." Buffy looked at her. "I should round everyone up and get them home." She began to push up again.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." Owl shook her head and made a move to push up wincing. "I'll come with."

"Hey Miss staying in bed girl." Buffy reached up to guide her back down. "Notice the clever name denotes what you are going to do."

"I need to be useful." Owl pointed out.

"You need to rest and heal." Buffy shook her head and lightly held her there.

"It's probably not wise to move everyone tonight, the First doesn't bother to waste more than one Uber at a time yet."

"So you can stand down and relax a little?" Owl pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess some sleep wouldn't kill me." Buffy nodded pulling her arms back.

"Are you sure there's nothing else bothering you?" Owl watched the move carefully.

"Why don't you tell me?" Buffy leaned back retying her robe.

"Well you're tense, you're bordering on exhaustion, you're concerned that your best friend has been given her life back on a plate and that it might be all taken away from her. You're facing an enemy you know little about, without any real idea of how you are going to kill it." The potential began with the obvious facts.

"Mmmm yes." Buffy nodded sadly.

"And you're thinking about going out to find Spike aren't you?" Owl added.

Buffy stopped and turned her eyes flashing in the dark showing the SIT was right long before she managed to object.

"No, of course not." She pressed the two ties into a tighter bow.

"It's okay Buffy, I get it. Well no, I don't, but I understand why you would." Owl replied softly.

"Can you explain it to me because I have no clue?" The Slayer pushed up and moved to retrieve her brush and started running it through her hair.

"Willow has Tara back, no doubt your sister is like on cloud nine if they've told her about the engagement. Xander and Anya are well, lets be honest, they'll be sleeping together again soon if nothing else and your facing the end of the world and you're, alone." She summed up. "Spike may not be any of the things you actually want right now but he's better than having nothing."

"Wow you're good at that." Buffy put the brush down with a slight thump.

"My first attempt." Owl watched her.

"And what do you want right now?" Buffy asked the simple question moving back over and sitting down again, something about the way that Owl just jabbed in the accusation without malice or pretence was comforting.

"To stop you from going." Owl answered honestly. "Because you're better than that."

"Piper you don't know me." Buffy shook her head.

"I don't need to know you to know you are worth more that sleeping with someone who would rape you." Owl retaliated.

"I'm sick of being alone." Buffy looked away the word biting into her as she flashed back to a scene from the bathroom.

"You're not alone Buffy, you have amazing friends and a great little sister." Owl shook her head.

"I am alone, I'm the slayer and I'm my own sinking island." Buffy disagreed.

"Shame you're straight." The SIT on the bed said with a smile.

"What does that matter?" Buffy looked at her confused.

"Oh come on Buffy, I mean I've never met Tara, but hello! Willow and you have been around each other for an age, if you'd leant her way at all, the two of you would be celebrating your golden wedding anniversary soon." Owl smiled at the image.

"Isn't that a bit inclusive to say that if I was remotely gay I'd be with Willow?"

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Maybe Willow's not my type."

"Maybe she's not." Owl nodded laughing softly. "In fact we know she's not."

"She's my best friend, there's that line there." Buffy turned a bit. "Who was the first girl you were with? The one that told you that you weren't straight."

"Oh go for the jugular Buffy why don't you." Owl winced slightly and leaned back.

"You don't pull punches why should I?" Buffy challenged.

"Good point." Owl conceded the point easily. "The first girl I kissed was called Joanne, we were both sixteen."

"And you knew?" The Slayer leaned again relaxing more.

"Well I lost my virginity to a girl, that helped seal the deal." Owl gave a wide smile.

"I lost my virginity to a vampire." Buffy rolled her eyes. "I'm doomed." She leaned back on the bed fully.

"No, you just like setting yourself a challenge." Owl shook her head. "So I'm taking it that vampire isn't this vampire."

"No, I really loved Angel. More than anything." Buffy sighed. "He has a soul, long story but if he has a moment of pure happiness he turns back into a soulless monster. Guess when he lost it?"

"I'm thinking it's linked to the virginity story." The potential frowned at the irony.

"Great for a girl's ego, one night with me and you turn into a bloodthirsty killer." Buffy sighed harder. "I think I should just give up on living."

"I think you should start." Owl replied instantly.

"What?" Buffy turned pushing up so she could see into the SIT's eyes in the dim light.

"I want to make a bet with you." The SIT said meeting the look.

"A bet?" Buffy laughed lightly at the idea.

"Yeah, it's a blind bet. I bet if you decide that you're going to live the life you have left before whatever happens- happens, something will happen to you that has never happened before."

"How do we know when one of us has won?" The blonde wasn't completely convinced.

"Easy, it'll happen pretty quick after you decide and if it doesn't you win and I have to do the laundry for a week, and if it does you have to." Owl paused to think for a moment. "You have to repeat the event at least twice to give it a fair shot."

"We're betting my eternal happiness on laundry duty." Buffy couldn't help but laugh, rather loudly as she looked at the SIT's serious face. "Fine you're on."

"Cool, now all you have to do is think about whether or not you want to live." Owl leaned her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes. "Oh and you have to tell me when you've decided." She opened on eye.

"Owl, everyone wants to live. If I didn't I would just let some two bit vampire bite me." Buffy watched her settle down almost pleased to see the injured woman relax.

"You're confusing living with existing Buffy." Owl closed her eye again and shook her head. Buffy sat there for a few minutes, choosing to look at the window until she took a big breath.

"I want to live, I want to see Willow and Tara married, see Dawn grow up." She whispered feeling her body grow heavier.

"Sure?" Owl asked from beside her.

"Yes." Buffy nodded closing her eyes. "I want to live."

Painfully shifting up on the bed Owl moved swiftly forward, sliding one hand up Buffy's cheek and boldly pressed her lips to the Slayer's. She kissed her with passion but tenderness for a moment, releasing her just as quickly to drop back on her pillows.

"Good choice." She said smirking closing her eyes and fighting the wave of pain that flooded over her.

"You just..." Buffy sat up her fingertips going to her lips as she tried to consolidate just how there was a shot of pleasure going through her.

"Kissed you, never been kissed by a girl before have you?" Owl kept her eyes closed.

"No." The Slayer was forced to draw in a long breath as she pushed out the word.

"Well looks like I won, good job really I hate laundry." Owl forced her cramping muscles to relax, not wanting to break the strange spell that seemed to hang in the air.

"You won? How have you won?" Buffy leaned over looking at her inquisitively.

"Our bet, I bet you that if you decided to live life then something would happen to you that has never happened before. You decided, I kissed you, I win." Owl smirked and closed her eyes.

"Ah actually I believe you said it had to happen at least twice." Buffy put forward her eyes glancing down to the SIT's lips.

"No, you're penalty for losing was that you had to repeat it at least twice." Owl smirked behind closed lids.

"I guess I should go find Willow then." Buffy made a calculated guess waiting to see Owl's eyes open.

"I wouldn't, not if Tara is all big magic trained because she'll kick your ass." Slowly Owl opened one eye.

"Guess I'll just have to settle for a repeat." Buffy didn't know what possessed her but before she could stop herself she leaned forward and meshed her lips to Owl's.

Owl had to be honest she had not expected the Slayer to return her kiss. One of the reasons she had done it was because she had wanted to from the moment she had sat on her bike and wrapped her arms around her, and the opportunity to at least kiss her once had been too good to pass up. Especially as being injured already she doubted Buffy would hit her for her boldness.

Owl was even more surprised when instead of pulling back, Buffy pressed harder into the kiss her mouth opening as she moved her lips against the SIT's. Lifting her strangely no longer aching arm, Owl cupped the back of Buffy's head and pressed slightly harder in the kiss herself, trailing her tongue lightly over the Slayer's lips. It only took the briefest contact to make Buffy open her mouth more, urging Owl's tongue to move further.

Owl wasn't about to refuse the invitation as she slid her tongue passed Buffy's lips into the warm mouth beyond, moaning softly as she did so. The Slayer, who was surprised by the noise that came out of her own body, echoed the moan. For a body she knew had been gearing up in its own way for another round of hard, dangerous sex with Spike, now found itself in a soft embrace and engaged in a toe curling kiss.

"Wow." She summed up pulling her head back a little she opened both eyes and looked at Buffy.

"I don't do laundry for just anything." Buffy blinked trying to keep her cool veneer but finding it failing.

"Buffy I think maybe I should explain, oh hell why should we..." Owl pushed back to recapture the Slayer's mouth, this time going into the kiss with an open mouth and an eager tongue.

"Just what I was thinking." Buffy groaned when their hot mouths parted for a moment, a moment she didn't let linger as she sunk into the luscious feeling their kisses brought her and kissed Owl a fourth time.

Ignoring the flares of pain through her body, Owl moved her arms loosely around Buffy gently suggesting to her that they recline. The other woman's body followed her down immediately, settling tentatively as if aware of her aching ribs but still eagerly increasing the contact between them as she caught Owl's tongue in her mouth and sucked on it.

Owl groaned again, the pleasure Buffy created overtaking the pain she was feeling. Buffy knew she didn't know what she was doing, but she didn't imagine that enjoying time with a woman wasn't much different minus the glaring differences.

She leaned her arm up so she could hover, assaulting Owl's mouth with continuous kisses. She was in that vulnerable position, when she heard a hard knock come to the window behind the closed curtains. She pulled back almost panicked, acting like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Ow." Owl made the small noise as she was painfully jolted back to reality.

"Stay there." Buffy rolled expertly off the bed coming down on the other side without a noise, she pulled a stake out from under it and crept her way to the window peeking out. "Spike, what the hell are you doing?" She pulled it back staring at him angrily.

"Heard about the fire at the apartment, was wondering if everyone was okay." The vampire replied his eyes narrowing a little.

"Everyone's fine." She stared at him.

"Are you sure, you're looking a little, peaky." He balanced more on the sill.

"I was almost asleep." Buffy looked back to where Owl was on the covers. "Go home Spike." She reached up to close the window.

"Hey, hey now be friendly slayer." Spike put his hands up to stop the move. "I could come in."

"Baby is the window open, I'm cold." Owl groaned sleepily from the bed.

"Spike..." Buffy glanced to the bed then looked back at him. "Goodnight."

"Are you busy slayer?" He asked in a low voice his eyes narrowing.

"I'm always busy Spike, the world is attempting to end and I'm trying to stop it." She hissed back at him.

"You're a surprise every time aren't you." Spike heard his voice growl slightly.

"You have no idea what you are talking about." Buffy leaned in growling at him more. "Now go home."

"Who's the lucky SIT eh Buffy?" Spike pushed his hand around the open window as if to push himself in

"Get out." Buffy arm bared him back out the window.

"You know I can give you what you need now, you don't have to do this." Spike tried to reason with her.

"You can never give me what I need Spike." Buffy shook her head. "It's time for me to start living and you smell like death." She leaned back closing the window on him and locking it.

"Buffy!" Spike slammed his palm flat out on the glass.

Defiantly she flicked the curtain back to cover up his view.

"Damn you slayer!" He cursed and then could be heard to jumping down to the lawn.

"I'm sorry about that." Buffy lay down on the side away from Owl taking a deep breath.

"Will he go now?" Owl asked noting how Buffy secluded herself again.

"He'll lurk outside for awhile, see if I come around and go out to meet him."

Buffy pulled the bottom of her robe down to cover her legs even though she still had her pants on.

"Are you going to?" She asked without edge or malice.

"I don't want to smell death tonight." Buffy's voice was as fractured as her spirit.

"You've done nothing wrong Buffy." Owl reached out and placed her hand lightly on Buffy's back.

"Didn't I? All those times I didn't send him away." Buffy's body shivered relaxing a bit with the touch.

"Everyone wants to feel something Buffy, everyone." Owl rubbed her hand back and forth slightly.

"What do you do when you want to feel something?" She whispered pulling her arms up to her body.

"Reach out and touch it." Owl replied her voice soft. "Just touch it, hold it." She added turning slightly she laid her arm over Buffy and pressed her head against her back.

Buffy felt the SIT's warm body settle against her, seeping heat through her thin robe into her skin. She felt her body break into a silent sob, not even registering in her own mind that she was crying as slowly her hand moved down and covered the one resting open on her stomach.

Buffy was woken from her comfortable sleep, without registering the warm body next to her she pushed out of bed and down the stairs towards the door that had starting banging and been the reason for an end to her slumber. Retying her robe she looked out the security glass and laughed in disbelief.

"Look what the cat dragged in." She opened the door with a scowl.

"Nice to see you to B." Faith smiled and looked the blonde up and down. "Did I get you out of bed?"

"I was..." Buffy suddenly realized what she was wearing and pulled it tighter. "It is six in the morning Faith."

"Yeah and you'd be up having your Wheaties right about now last I knew you." The dark Slayer nodded.

"Things change." Buffy looked her up and down seeing the classic leather on leather style that the dark Slayer loved.

"Well everything apart from my dress sense it seems." Faith caught on to the other Slayer's evaluation of her. "Hadn't you better hop back to bed before Mr. Right wakes up?" She eyed the stairs behind Buffy.

"For your information I was keeping watch on an injured potential." Buffy sighed and stepped back waving her in. "Join the mayhem devil child." She rolled her eyes at the predicament. After all she needed every fighter she could get and could hardly afford to send Faith away.

"Been called worse things by better." Faith strode in and picked up an apple from the fruit bowl near the door. "So where's the hubbub, I'd heard there was big trouble."

"It's called the First, as in the first evil." Buffy followed it in. "It's trying to end the slayer line. We figured you were safe in prison, oh by the way... why the hell aren't you in prison?" She looked at the dark Slayer.

"Got bored of going down on girls I normally wouldn't look twice at." She gave Buffy a charming smile and bit into the apple.

"You know I almost missed that crude way you have of dragging a conversation down to the lowest possible point." Buffy shook her head and sat down on the couch.

"Hey at least you know it can only go up from here." Faith sat on the arm of a chair. "So again I say where is everyone? I expected at least Red to be up and with the research, not to mention the G-man. Though doesn't she do that shit now that... well you know I heard that the shy blonde got shot." Faith actually winced. "Tough break."

"Actually..." Buffy was forced to laugh. "She didn't get shot, a shadow that the First planted died in her place. She's back in Willow's arms as we speak."

"Wow the LA grapevine screwed that one up." Faith shrugged. "Still doesn't tell me where the love birds are."

"We have a lot of potential slayers here for safety, I've got them split up over three other locations to try and keep some of them alive. Dawn is with Tara and Willow and Giles is with Xander at his place, Anya has some girls at hers. The rest are here." Buffy finally gave her the answers.

"Hmmm okay I'll ask since when has divide and be stronger been a tactic?" Faith frowned.

"Since they are getting killed off more than one a night." Buffy looked away. "Faith, if you're here to help fight this fine I'll bury the hatchet somewhere other than your head but if you're here to cause trouble I will pull up on the blade this time." She looked back her stare hard.

"Easy B easy." Faith frowned and pulled back dropping onto the cushion of her chair. "I'm one of the good guys now, all redeemed and righteous. Well you know trying not to kill the innocent anyway." She gave a usual smoldering smile.

"Then I should tell you all the details." Buffy took a breath and started the long story.

"The girls are getting married, the girls are getting married." Dawn did a little dance across the kitchen singing her little song vaguely to the tune of some old conga like song. Dropping two slices of bread into the toaster she pushed it down and pulled open the fridge.

"Morning." Willow pushed in grumbling as she rubbed at her neck.

"The girls are get... Oh hello." She squeaked. "You're not supposed to be up. I'm making engagement breakfast."

"Oh... I didn't know." Willow blinked at her.

"Well you wouldn't, it's a surprise." Dawn replied grinning. "Are you okay?" She added loosing a little of her momentum.

"Neck feels mushy." Willow explained. "Remind me never to let an Uber corner me again."

"We have muscle rub and pain killers to help." Dawn offered. "Is Tara awake?"

"Not yet." Willow shook her head. "Want me to help you with it and we can surprise her?"

"I wanted to surprise you both." Dawn grumbled looking at her. "Unless, do you not want a celebratory breakfast?" She softened her disappointment.

"No, I'll go back to bed." Willow moved over and hugged her. "Thank you."

Dawn's smile went back to full force as she went back to work on her toast and other breakfast items. Just as Willow left the kitchen the doorbell sounded making her veer away from the bedrooms and to the front of the apartment.

"I'll get it then straight to bed I go." Willow moved to the door to stop Dawn from following. Seeing who was there through the safety glass she opened the door slowly. "Kennedy." She said the SIT's name leaning on the door.

"I… I just wanted to apologize." Kennedy stood where she was and looked uncharacteristically sorry for herself.

"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Willow checked, looking her up and down.

"No." Kennedy shook her head. "The witch… I mean Tara, she took care of everything."

"I'm glad you weren't hurt." Willow didn't rise to the way that Kennedy said her lover's name.

"Well, like I said I only came to say sorry and to check that you were okay." Kennedy shifted a little in her place. "And to apologize for being an ass, it's just..."

She took a breath. "You could have told me." She glanced into the apartment. "About Tara."

"Could have told you?" Willow looked at her. "Kennedy she's been back three days, I haven't really had a chance to do much. I'm sorry, I was going to speak to you as soon as I could."

"No, I know I meant more tell me that she was like hello Super Witch." Kennedy shook her head. "I mean there's me with the I can protect her and look after her and then she throws a jeep at an Uber and makes you disappear, makes me fly through the air and then makes a car explode." She coughed lightly. "I mean even as a slayer I couldn't better that."

"What?" Willow looked at her confused. "I thought... she made me disappear? She blew up a car?"

"Awesome." Kennedy nodded. "You really should have told me Will, I'd have been you know, more respectful." She shuffled a little more. "Its just you made her sound you know, kinda, well." She struggled to find a word. "Weak."

"Kennedy, I don't know what went on down there but Tara was never weak, she's not super witch either." The redhead shook her head. "That you ever thought she was weak isn't something I ever told you."

"No you never said it, just you know with all the you were private talk, and everything, I just got the impression she was little miss do not a lot. But hey." Kennedy shook her head. "Respect to her, she totally kicks ass."

"She does." Willow tried to keep her mind on the conversation but she was confused and glanced back down the hallway.

"Well look it's early, I only, well like I said." Kennedy shifted on the spot again and then took a step back. "You should put some rub on your neck."

"I was just going to. I'll see you later okay? Willow nodded and put her hand on the door.

"Yeah, later." Kennedy put her hand up in a still wave before turning and walking to the lift.

Willow found herself moving on automatic as she shut the door and plodded back to the bedroom. She closed the door behind her and moved over to the bed.

"Mmmm my Willow pillow moved." Tara blinked blue eyes at the redhead.

"I went to get some heat rub." She moved over and sat down taking her lover's hand.

"Oh sweetie I'm sorry, you should have woke me to get it." Tara frowned holding onto the hand lightly.

"No, its fine." Willow shook her head. "Tara..." She looked at the blonde. "What spells did you do yesterday?" She tried to keep her voice even.

"Spells?" Tara looked away briefly. "Oh nothing really, Kennedy deserves the credit for carrying you away to safety, I was just you know the bait to keep the ugly away from you." She offered trying one of her best innocent shrugs.

"Kennedy just stopped by to apologize." Willow looked at her. "Baby, what spells did you do?" She asked again.

Tara took another breath and turned to look at Willow.

"I..." She stopped. "I did a primal release, to get the Uber to let you go. Then I did a mask to cover you, a levitation to move a car and then a combustion to blow its engine." She relayed the information. "And a shield, for me, so I wasn't turned into Tara toast." She tried a goofy smile.

"All together?" Willow reached up smoothing her thumb over Tara's cheek the smile melting her.

"I had someone precious to keep safe." She whispered with a nod.

"How?' Willow whispered back reaching down to cup her hands around Tara's.

"Carefully." Tara offered as an answer.

"You didn't just go sightseeing in Florence did you?" Willow checked her brain finally catching up. Tara shook her head slowly. "How powerful?" She brought Tara's hand up and kissed it.

"The people I worked with, oh they were very powerful." Tara nodded her head sounding very much like she had a good two years before she and like she was hiding something

"I meant you." Willow corrected breathing out.

"Me?" Tara's voice squeaked a little. "I'm just me Willow."

"Tara, you were always powerful but you never used that much power in a year before." Willow tried not to make her words sound accusatory. "I just want to understand."

"I trained." Tara replied softly. "With some witches and warlocks in Italy." The blonde looked down for a moment. "I did a lot of work with them on harnessing and channeling my energy."

"All white magic." Willow checked holding her breath. "Please don't tell me I drove you to the other stuff."

"All magic is benign Will, I know you know that, it's how you use it that changes it." Tara said gently, this time raising her hand to cup Willow's cheek.

"Thank Goddess." Willow moved forward hugging into the blonde's body. "I would never forgive myself if you channeled it to dark."

"I could never do that Willow." Tara cradled the back of her head lightly. "It nearly took everything from me."

"I'm sorry." Willow hugged her tighter. "I let it hurt you."

"No sorries baby." Tara held tighter in return. "The past is done."

"I love you." Willow sniffled slightly.

"I... I was going to tell you about the magic, the training." Tara pulled back and looked at her lover.

"Oh Tara, I didn't think you weren't." Willow looked into blue eyes. "You've only been back a few days, it's been crazy here. It's still crazy here."

"It is." Tara nodded in agreement, "But it'll calm..." She was about to continue when Dawn pushed the door open.

"The girls are getting married." She sung loudly not actually bothering with a key or a tune now. "I made breakfast."

"Dawnie made breakfast." Willow repeated, almost trying to push down the emotion that she knew must be on their faces with the words.

"Wow." Tara subtly slid her hand down and clasped it tighter around Willow's. "Now I feel all super special."

"What are we having?" Willow pushed up a bit, thankful when Tara wiggled over so they could share more of the bed.

"Toast, and toast, oh and juice." Dawn giggled at her nicely presented but sparse offering.

"I would love some toast." Willow grinned at the teenager being infused with her silliness.

"And I would love some juice." Tara smiled.

"So…" Dawn took a big breath and beamed. "Have you thought about bridesmaids?"

"I'm not sure." Willow looked at Tara trying not to laugh. "What do you think Tara?"

"Mmmm I'm really not sure, I think didn't we have a list of things that we needed in a bridesmaid, I think anyone we even consider has to fill all of those." Tara winked back.

"Oh the list." Willow nodded. "Yes, very stringent."

"And very, very long." Tara put in her blue eyes sparkling.

"You two are mean." Dawn laughed.

"Dawn, you know we want you to be in the wedding." Willow laughed with her. "The question is whose side do you want to be on?"

"You do?" Dawn bounced in her place. "Oh, oh." She continued glancing between the two of them. "Hmmm." She frowned Tara laughed softly.

"You don't have to decide now." Tara assured her.

"No, I know, but I want to be on Tara's." She announced bouncing down on the bed and lying over the blonde's legs.

"Didn't take long to ditch me." Willow put on a mock pout.

"No but you'll have Buffy and anyway, I'm taller than you and that won't look right." The teenager pointed out seriously to defend her position.

"Dawn, it's fine." Willow leaned over and rubbed her hand over dark hair. "You'll look great on Tara's side."

"I love you guys." Dawn closed her eyes briefly at the touch and wound both arms around Tara's legs through the duvet.

"We love you too." Willow reached up putting her arm around Tara.

"We're going to beat this aren't we." Dawn snuggled into place.

The redhead looked sideways at Tara and the blonde caught her green glance.

"We're not going to let it win." She said softly holding her lover's eyes.

"Never." Willow looked back at her lovingly.

Faith looked around at everyone and flicked to the next page of the book she'd been given. If one thing time had dulled it was her memory of just how numbingly boring a Scooby research meeting could be. This one especially as they had nothing to go on at all.

"So we've got nothing and you want us back in the house?" Kennedy pushed her book back and looked at the Slayer.

"Yeah, unless you want to face another Uber there pop and fresh girl." Faith looked up meeting eyes with the potential. She could smell the adrenaline and aggression on her.

"We've faced them before and it didn't stop one of us being murdered right here in this house." Kennedy bit back. "I don't see what has changed, why we should comeback?"

"Because there are two Slayers now." Faith pushed up. "Gonna make this evil shit think twice."

"Yes well." Giles coughed and looked over to Faith. "As glad as I am that you are here Faith, I do understand Kennedy's worry, a potential was killed in the grounds of the house, lured to her death by the First." He unnecessarily recounted the details.

Owl sat uncomfortably on he couch, doing her best to dumb down the feeling of uselessness inside her.

"You see even the watcher doesn't think we should do it." One of the nameless SIT's spoke up.

"Well I do." Anya piped up. "I think it's a great idea, all of you move back out of my apartment."

"Have we tried to shake and bake one of these Bringers for info?" Faith put forward. "See if this First has a flaw."

"It's the First evil, how can evil have a flaw?" A SIT asked from her chair.

"Because everything, everyone, even evil has a flaw." Faith put the law down.

"Even pure evil?" Kennedy challenged.

"If it was pure evil and didn't have a flaw or a fear why the hell hasn't it just done a full scale attack on you all and wiped you out? Why is it using us like sport game? That's its flaw, it's enjoying this, it isn't eye on the prize, it wants to play this game out step by step." Faith summed it up as she saw it.

"Well we could all kill ourselves that would end its game." A glum suggestion came from a chair.

"Okay everyone time out." Buffy pushed up from her place. "Firstly, we are not going to make the First's job any easier by doing its job for him. Secondly, Faith is right, its time we got proactive rather than just taking this shit and thirdly..." She stopped. "Where is Dawn?" She added frowning and looking around.

"She went to the kitchen to get drinks." Willow pointed down the small hallway.

"Oh right." She nodded feeling silly she'd missed that fact.

"Awhile ago." The redhead glanced at the clock. "Dawnie?" She pushed up off the chair she was sharing with Tara. "Dawnie?" She kept moving and pulled open the kitchen door. The sight of the teenager dancing around the kitchen while she made nachos made her heart start beating again. "Are you okay?"

"Uh-huh, sorry?" She plucked a half-eaten sausage roll out of her mouth. "I was making snacks, what's up?"

"We just were talking and missed you." Willow smiled at her. "I'll tell everyone to expect snacks."

"Sorry was I a long time? Did I miss anything important." Dawn frowned and glanced at the clock. "Have you told every your other news?" She ran forward and stopped Willow leaving.

"Not yet." Willow shook her head. "Everyone is really focused on the First."

"Oh goodie I didn't want to have missed it." Dawn released her and clapped. "Should I get champagne?" She glanced at the basement door.

"Dawn, I think maybe we're not going to tell everyone for a bit. Just till we have a First defeat plan." The redhead came into the room away from the door.

"What?" Dawn stopped and frowned. "But, but this will like perk them up. Think of how perky we were with Xander and Anya."

"I know, which is why we told you and Buffy. I don't think the SIT's will care that much." She tried to convince the teenager.

"But Anya and Xander will and Giles. Even Andrew, I mean he's still a bit freaked with her in the room and everything but I think he'd be super happy." The teenager tried to make a case.

"Yes of course, but maybe telling them on their own." Willow helped her put the nachos on a double plate to carry.

"But a party might be what we need, get everyone to calm down a bit." Dawn gave her doe eyes.

"What are you two doing?" Opening the door softly Tara stepped in.

"Dawn was just suggesting some things." Willow turned smiling at the blonde.

"Oh yes, what things?" Tara reached in and stole a nacho.

"About telling everyone, having an engagement party." Willow informed her trying not so sound against the idea, even though she was.

"An... Are you sure?" Tara frowned softly.

"I was just trying to say it might not be the right time." Willow broke in to stop her panicking.

"But it is." Dawn interrupted again. "It's a perfect time. Buffy wants us all back in the house, we can even drink because no one would be going anywhere after wards."

Willow looked at Tara for help, desperately not sure how to let Dawn down easy.

"If there's a suitable opportunity we'll tell them how about that?" Tara offered looking at Willow for support.

"There we go, perfect plan." Willow nodded enthusiastically.

"So cool." Dawn clapped again and skipped through completely forgetting the food she had prepared.

"She's so happy." Willow looked at Tara.

"She is." Tara nodded and held out her hand. "Are you?" She checked softly.

"Tara, I am so happy that happy as a word is woefully inadequate." Willow moved over and slipped her hands onto the blonde's waist. "I just don't know if flaunting that to everyone is a good idea, not with what we are facing and..." She hesitated. "A part of me is afraid that telling the world will make the world want to hurt us."

"Oh baby." Tara kissed Willow softly just as the door behind them opened again, this time revealing Faith.

"Hey, don't mind me there." The dark slayer smiled and moved by to pick up plates.

"We won't." Willow smiled and kissed Tara again lightly.

"You know when B said she wants us all back at ground zero she sure as hell wasn't taking into consideration the pheromones you two will feed us all with." Faith balanced four plates expertly and picked up a beer with her teeth.

"Tara, this is Faith." Willow rolled her eyes lightly. "Last time you only got to meet her spirit, this is the whole package."

Faith put down the plates and wiped her hands on her leathers.

"Worth giving up the stick for Red." She offered Tara her hand, Tara took it and shook it lightly. "All the things she told me about you, they're true." She smiled and was surprised when the blonde didn't look away and smiled back.

"Faith we both know stick is nothing when you have a beautiful woman." Willow gave her a stare.

"Well I don't know, I kinda miss a bit of stick now and again. In prison they don't allow that kind of add on." She winked at the redhead. "Right I think it's time for me to get this food through." She added picking up the plates again.

"Yes, I think so." Willow shook her head at the comment.

"You want me to keep everyone out of here for what, an hour or so?" Faith asked from the door.

"I doubt the meeting will go on long enough for that Faith." Tara replied before drawing Willow closer and kissing her deeply only stopping when she her a soft laugh and the door click shut.

"That was very vixen Tara." Willow was left swaging in pleasure when Tara pulled back.

"How could I resist?" Tara replied beaming.

"You couldn't, she was asking to be shut up." Willow laughed and leaned to kiss her again.

The nachos that Dawn had made and Faith had delivered didn't go far in filling the empty stomachs of the gathered and so the two witches had volunteered to go back into the kitchen and make more. The procedure had given them some alone time in the crowded house, and as Willow continued shredding cheese she felt Tara's arms slipped from around her waist ending the nice warm hug she'd been getting.

"Mmm so how much cheese do we need?" She checked as she looked at the small pile in the bowl.

"Mmmm, well the last lot got demolished." Tara smiled softly. "So I'm thinking more than that."

"Okay, just call me the magic cheese grater." Willow began shredding with more vigor.

"I'd rather call you the sexy cheese grater." Tara teased.

"Promises, promises." Willow wiggled her butt.

"S-e-x-y- g-r-a-t-e-r." Tara shimmied back over and slid her hand back around Willow's waist pressing against her lightly.

"Mmmm will get distracted if you do that more." The redhead pushed back into her.

"But you're in meeting mode, I know my Willow she doesn't get distracted in meeting mode." Tara slowed the motion a little.

"Oh I can get distracted, remember all the times at the Magic Box." Willow swayed against her.

"Mmmm remember the Talion demon research?" Tara leaned and hooked her head over Willow's shoulder breathing lightly in her ear.

"I still don't think I know what a Talion demon is." Willow giggled and put down the grater slipping her hands over Tara's.

"Mmmm I think it has a long tail or was it horns?" Tara rubbed her fingertips lightly on Willow's tummy.

"Isn't it slimy?" Willow closed her eyes tipping her head back a bit to rest on Tara's.

"I have no idea." Tara admitted she slid her hands further around and loosened the bottom button on Willow's button down shirt so she could draw her fingers around soft warm skin.

"We're bad." Willow groaned as Tara's fingers did another circle on her stomach.

"We're in love." Tara pointed out her subtle division.

"Mmmm we might miss this meeting too." Willow groaned lightly. "Because I want to love you right now."

"Well why don't you get that through to them, then come back to get drinks. I'm just going to slip to the washroom, we could meet back in here in five minutes or you could join me upstairs in the bathroom." Tara swirled in the other direction.

"Perfect." Willow nodded turning to watch her with a sexy smile.

"Which." Tara chuckled as she drew back.

"I'll meet you in the bathroom, we can lock the door." Willow winked at her.

"Oh you always think of the little things." Tara wrinkled her nose in a cheeky smile. "Don't be long."

"Grating like the wind." Willow began to quickly grate the cheese.

Tara blew the redhead a kiss and then hurried around through the dining room and up the stairs.

She was rather surprised when she went into the Summers' bathroom, it had been painted and themed in soft blue with gentle waves on the tiles and shower curtain.

She eyed the large deep pile blue mats with a smile. At least they would give her some thing rather than the cold flooring to lay on.

"Remember to wash your hands baby girl, and actually use the soap to wash them not to play with the bubbles." A soft feminine voice followed Tara into the bathroom very close behind her.

Tara's head shot up instantly recognizing the voice, but seeing nothing in the large mirror over the sink.

"Now now, Tara. I'm right here." The voice sounded again.

"Mommy?" Tara turned around, her hand wrapped tightly in the small flannel beside the sink.

"Baby girl." The blonde woman was older than Tara her shoulder length hair pulled back from her ears and her bangs perfectly curled on her forehead. She wore a simple but flattering flowered dress that went down to simple white sandals.

"You... you can't be here." Tara shook her head.

"You're in Sunnydale Tara, don't many weird things happen here?" She smiled softly.

"Yes, yes they do, b-b-but not this." Tara frowned.

"That's because this time is special, I came to talk to you. You have to leave, you have to get away from here and never come back." Her mother warned.

"What?" Tara frowned more. "But mommy, I... Willow...Mommy you know my heart is here."

"Tara, you left her remember? That was the right choice." She gave her a concerned look. "If you're here in Sunnydale only bad things will happen, you'll watch them all die."

"But Momma bad things happened when I left, people I love were hurt." Tara shook her head. "I can't leave them to face that alone."

"Then you're going to die with them." The older woman shook her head sadly. "What was it your father used to say, die like the dogs in the dirt?"

"Why mention him?" Tara's eyes flicked up. "Momma?" She frowned and took a slight step forward.

"I'm mentioning him because he was right baby girl, you're lifestyle is wrong, it's going to kill you." She frowned more. "There is a way you can stop all of this Tara, keep all of them safe, save the world."

"My l-l-lifestyle, what?" Tara's face screwed up more. "You mean I'm going to help the First? If I stay, I'm going to hurt them?" She asked for clarification.

"You will be if you don't do what I tell you, now I know it will hurt Tara, it will break your heart but you have to do what is right." The woman nodded. "Are you listening?"

Tara dropped down and sat on the edge of the tub nodding obediently.

"That witch, your Willow. You have to bind her magic." Tara's mother moved around standing in front of her a few feet away. "Then you must leave her."

"Bind her?" Tara shook her head. "Mommy I can't do that to Willow, why would I do that to her?"

"So that she can never hurt you again, so that she can't be used by the First." Her mother underlined. "She's dangerous Tara, she's a time bomb."

"But that all happened because I left her." Tara rubbed her hand on her forehead.

"Tara, are you okay?" Buffy questioned suddenly from the bathroom door seeing the small way that Tara was curled up on her perch rubbing her head almost in agony.

"Buffy." Tara's head shot up.

"Are you okay?" The Slayer questioned stepping in tentatively.

"I... my..." Tara blinked. "Mother." She whispered.

"You're... Tara stand up." Buffy held out her hand for her looking around.

Pushing some strength into her trembling legs Tara pushed off the side of the tub, her hand reaching for Buffy's.

"She was there." Tara blinked large blue eyes into the now empty space.

"It wasn't your mother." Buffy said firmly pulling her out of the bathroom concerned.

"You didn't tell her did you Slayer?" The first appeared again, this time as Buffy herself in the hallway. "Interesting technique. Though I have to ask when did I lose you're obedience? When I said you had to leave or you had to bind her?" The Buffy copy looked at Tara.

"You're…" She breathed. "You're the First."

"Can't slip anything by you can I witch." The second Buffy laughed.

"Get out." Buffy warned her in a firm voice.

"Or what?" The First challenged her. "I know your little secret, do you think I care if she's in Florence or Sunnydale? You're all going to die."

"Get out." Tara added her demand to Buffy's.

"Fine, fine, and here I was going to ask if I could have nachos too." The First shrugged and blinked out of existence.

"Are you okay? Did it hurt you?" Buffy turned to Tara.

"No, no it didn't." Tara shook her head and rubbed her arm with her hand. "I just feel." She shivered. "My skin is crawling."

"One way you can know it's the First." Buffy nodded. "What did it say?"

"It told me to leave, to bind Willow and leave." Tara shivered again.

"It wants you out of Sunnydale." The Slayer tried to get her mind thinking. "It wants you to bind Willow's magic?"

"Which means we can hurt it." Tara nodded. "Or we can do something to it."

"Yes." She nodded. "What we need to find out is what."

"I think... I think I need a drink." Tara admitted weakly.

"Come on lets go tell Giles about this." Buffy urged her to come down the hallway.

"Why don't you have this place shielded?" Tara found her feet moving as she asked the question.

"I would answer that question if I had a clue what you were asking me." Buffy admitted stopping her. "We can shield it out?"

"Yes, if it's an entity, a non-corporeal being." Tara nodded. "We can but a barrier spell up around the house."

"What do you need to do that? We didn't know you could." Buffy almost jumped on her excited for something that they could use.

"We would start with a low level one and build up if it doesn't work." Tara went on. "Well it takes maintenance that is probably why Willow didn't suggest it."

"Maintenance she can't do?" Buffy questioned her voice lower.

"No maintenance in that." She took a breath and look at Buffy. "A person." She explained badly.

"I don't understand." Buffy looked at her confused.

"It's a channeling spell." Tara explained. "It requires energy like a battery." She tried to explain.

"You need a non witchy person to channel it constantly?" Buffy caught on a little.

"Yes, a battery." She nodded. "It's doesn't do them any harm, just makes you kind a tired, oh and means you can't do anything else at the same time."

"Andrew." Buffy said without a thought. "Can you use him for it? He doesn't serve any other purpose."

"If you're sure you can spare him." Tara nodded.

"Oh trust me we can spare him." The Slayer nodded.

"Then I'd need a room to centralize the shield, as near to the middle of the house as we can." Tara continued to give details.

"The hall?" Buffy tried to think what would fit the criteria.

"If we can make Andrew comfortable there." Tara nodded. "He wouldn't have to do it all the time, I mean I could take rotational turns with him."

"Tara, I don't care if he's comfortable. All I want is a way to keep that damn First out of this house." Buffy pointed out firmly.

"Okay so that was me being selfish about wanting to be comfortable on my shifts."

Tara gave a gentle smile.

"Would the living room be good then? If we move a couch over to the middle wall?" Buffy smiled back seeing what she meant now.

"Perfect." Tara nodded. "I have to get some things from the apartment." She took the stairs carefully.

"Everyone's coming back here, if you can get a block up I want everyone behind it." Buffy assured her feeling like they finally had been given some sort of break.

Part Seven

Buffy wasn't aware that her quick three steps turn three steps turn pattern back and forth through her bedroom would even garner Owl's attention let alone disturb her.

Giles' had managed to convince the SIT to get back to resting and letting her ribs heal after their meeting and she was propped up on the bed now researching to pass the 'boring' time as she called it. The Slayer instead was impatiently waiting for Tara to finish working out what she needed for the barrier spell with Willow so that they could go shopping for ingredients.

"Buffy, please, what's wrong." Owl closed the book she was reading. "With the super witches being all magic downstairs, don't you even get five minutes non pacing?

"I'm trying to work things out." Buffy admitted still on the move. "Figure out why the First would want them gone, why she'd want Willow bound? How she found out Tara is back?" She looked at the SIT. "Now I'm even calling her a she, she's an it, an it."

"Well I'm thinking that the Uber that tried to wipe out Willow must have had some kind of feedback loop thing wouldn't it?" Owl offered her own explanation.

"Great, big bad had telepathic connections." Buffy moved over and plopped down on the bed obviously pissed off by the idea.

"Sorry for suggesting it." Owl frowned opening her book again.

"Oh and don't get any big kick ass ideas from Faith, understand? You've got enough gun ho in you without her filling you full of her live wild, die young thing." Buffy turned pointing a finger.

"I was going to ask about her." Owl admitted pausing from reading. "Well more about you and her."

"Old enemies, I put her in a coma." Buffy related but found the words didn't bring her any satisfaction. "She got lost to the dark side, killed some innocent people. It was a bad time."

"But you guys are on the same side, I mean, I heard that stuff about her past but you know she's here and she wouldn't be here if she didn't want to do the right thing, right?" Owl explained her viewpoint.

"No, you're right. Faith wouldn't be here if she didn't think it would one hell of a fight and she wanted a piece of it. She'll help us defeat the First." Buffy nodded. "Its just there's no excuse for what she did but now I'm not sure how much better than her I am."

"Buffy you slept with a vampire who tried to rape you, how does that make you bad?" Owl frowned and put her book down again.

"Because I am." The Slayer didn't really come back with that much strength. "I used to think she was a slut." She admitted. "Okay I still think that but how can I?"

"Okay now wait." Owl shuffled al little in her place. "Including Spike how many people and vampires have you slept with?"

"Four." Buffy played with the cuff on her silky gray shirt.

"Okay now I could be wrong but Faith looks like the kind of girl who had that many in a week." Owl didn't pull a punch.

"She claimed that in one night once." Buffy turned to her.

"So how are you anything like a slut?" Owl countered.

"You know why, because I feel empty inside. How can I not be if slept with Spike just to feel something?" She blinked at the SIT.

"That makes you lonely, sad, maybe even desperate, it doesn't make you a slut."

Owl pointed out the very enormous difference.

"I think slut might sound better than desperate at this point." Buffy laughed sadly at herself.

"Most people are desperate for something Buffy." Owl shook her head slightly.

"I don't know what I'm desperate for." Buffy looked back fidgeting with her sleeve.

"Well whenever you're in the same room with Faith for more than ten minutes I'd wager desperate for a fight." Owl smirked.

"She just..." Buffy gripped her fists. "GRMMMM... she just gets on my one nerve and I want to smack her in the head."

"Or kiss her." Owl pointed out.

"WHAT?" Buffy turned to her horrified. "Are you feeling okay? I so do not want to kiss Faith."

"Buffy come on." Owl chuckled laughing at the display. "The sexual tension between you is like palpable."

"No, it isn't because there isn't any sexual tension." Buffy shook her head standing up aghast. "Maybe okay just maybe a very long time ago before she became Miss. American Psycho I had slightly confusing thoughts about her but not now, nope completely clear."

"Slightly confusing thoughts?" Owl raised an eyebrow. "Buffy she's hot, there's no getting around it and you were how old? Late teens, we're talking sexual tension level ten."

"Ewww I don't believe we are even discussing this." Buffy moved around sitting on Owl's side of the bed. "The last person on earth I would kiss is Faith. I would never be a notch on her very notchy bedpost."

"Okay." Owl looked at the blonde Slayer and smiled.

"Wait, is this because of last night?" Buffy questioned checking Owl's face.

"What?" Owl frowned more than a little confused.

"Because of what happened, now Faith is here and you're thinking you see all this huge tension. I am so not Faith, I'm not a notch on the bedpost girl." Buffy tried to assure her.

"Buffy I know that." Owl assured her back. "Me either." She underlined softly.

"So we're okay?" The blonde checked her own voice soft, not that if she was honest she was quite sure what she was checking on.

"What are you asking Buffy?" Owl frowned again. "Of course we're okay, you're the Slayer, I'm a SIT, I know my place, we're good."

"Great, and please remember your place is in bed healing." Buffy pushed up to stand smoothing out her shirt. "I'm going to go see about magic shopping."

"Like I can forget that." Owl leaned into the pillows wincing at the pain in her side.

"So her ribs are healing, I'm sure it was some sorta First thing with the car veering, you know, way too convenient." Buffy felt herself babbling a little as they walked down the dark alleyway. "Are you sure that there is a shop down here?"

"Positive." Tara nodded. "It's n-n-not like the magic shop though." She pointed out.

"Well I think everyone is starting to head out of town slowly, it's unlikely anyone reputable or who can go out during the day is left." Buffy admitted as she sidestepped some garbage that had spilled out of an overturned dumpster.

"Bad news travels fast." Tara glanced at her sadly.

"Let's just get what you need, any extra's you think that'll come in handy and get you home to Willow okay?" Buffy stopped in front of a dark door that had a long reddish stain on it. "I'm assuming creepy door number one?"

"Yes, you'd better stay out here." Tara pointed out putting her hand up to the rusted handle.

"Um no." Buffy put her hand out. "I'm not letting you go into creepy door by yourself." She shook her head.

"Buffy please." Tara glanced at her. "This really isn't your average Sunnydale high street store."

"Tara, that's exactly my point." Buffy's voice was firm.

The blonde witch raised her hand and gave a series of three short knocks on the stained wood.

"Enter witch, leave the half breed human outside" A gravely voice called through when a small peephole opened.

"I'm sorry Buffy." Tara glanced at the Slayer. "I really have to do this alone." She glanced back at the door and said something to the person behind it in Italian.

"Okay so I'm right there." Buffy pointed to the wall on the other side a few feet away. "You need me you yell." She admitted defeated.

"Really Buffy, I'll be fine." Tara assured her.

"Just get this done." Buffy leaned against the brickwork looking agitated.

Tara turned back with a small breath, pushing open the ajar door to reveal a dark shadowed hall beyond.

"If I'm longer than fifteen minutes then you can worry." Tara smiled as she eased into the inky blackness.

"How is Marveni?" The gravely voice questioned as Tara emerged into a dimly lit room filled with rows of dusty shelves.

"Well, very well, you are sent blessings." Tara offered in a friendly tone.

"I shouldn't keep you with pleasantries you're half breed is agitated." A hooded figure stepped out from amongst the selves. "If she's not careful she will get the death she think she deserves."

"As we all will if she is not served and supported as she should be." Tara nodded not rising to the verbal attack.

"How might I serve?" The hood was pulled back to reveal a withered gnarled woman's face.

"I prepared a list." Tara slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled it out offering it to the other woman.

"As always efficient." The aged face managed a slight smiled before it looked over it. "You have big plans."

"There are big times ahead." Tara nodded watching as the other witch collected a basket from an overcrowded desk and began to fill it with ingredients. "Marveni asked me to make a plea to you to leave this place."

"Her pleas are heard." The hag nodded. "But you needed assistance, if I may add a few things you might need when I leave this place."

"She told me of your gift to see that which is to come." Tara glanced down. "And of your wisdom and courage."

"I wish this I could see young one, but there is much undetermined." She handed Tara the first basket and started on another. "Do not doubt you have a chance." She whispered passing by behind Tara in another lane.

"I shall try not to." Tara nodded. "Wistarnia." She turned and looked at the figure almost reverently whispering her name.

"Yes?" She stooped and looked and Tara.

"If I could ask you for one other thing." She swallowed and lifted her eyes.

"Anything I can offer." The hag walked closer to her handing her the heavy second basket.

"Could you fashion a pair of restrainers." Tara whispered.

"Ah little one." The hag shook her head sadly and moved back to her desk picking up a small black box. "You do not trust enough in your heart." She moved back holding it out. "If you do not trust you will not prevail."

"I try and trust." Tara whispered. "But, I have proof that both my heart and the love of my heart have their weaknesses."

"Then with my blessings I have made you these." She nodded to the box she held out.

"You knew I would ask?" Tara reached out a slightly shaking hand.

"Be warned, you are not weak and if you use them or use them on your love, they will burn into place, it is the only way they will work." The hag nodded to her knowledge. "And they will never move again."

"I can't let her be taken." Tara whispered.

"I cannot tell you what you or she will do, but I beg you heed my warning." She urged her to take the box.

Tara had tucked the small box into the inside pocket of her jacket and man handled the two baskets down the dark narrow hallway to the large heavy door that lead outside. Putting the baskets down she pulled it open.

"Twelve minutes I was starting to worry." Buffy moved forward to help her.

"Sorry, we got chatting." Tara apologized and happily handed over one of the baskets.

"Did you get everything you needed?" Buffy questioned taking the heavy basket without noticing the weight.

"Yes." Tara nodded as they began their walk. "I'm taking it that was nice and quiet out here."

"Very quite, too quiet." Buffy nodded. "It went okay yeah?" She checked again.

"Yes, she was." Tara paused. "Insightful."

"Any hints on how to beat the First?" Buffy questioned knowing more than likely there would be no easy answer.

"Insightful, not the answer to all our problems." Tara gave the Slayer a soft, very Tara smile.

"Sorry unfair question." Buffy nodded. "So anywhere else we need to shop?"

"You want a coffee?" Tara glanced at the closed Expresso bar. "Or not." She added with a sigh. "Looks like we really are living in a ghost town."

"Yeah, a mass exodus has occurred." Buffy looked over at the deserted buildings. "We could go in and make our own, I don't think anyone would mind if we clean up."

"Or would you rather get back to the house, I know that you don't exactly." She took a breath trying to weight out her words. "Trust Faith."

"No it's okay, she's not the only one there. Willow and Giles will keep everyone in line and Owl has a good head on her shoulders. She'll point out they're being stupid." Buffy explained moving over to yank the door and found it was actually not locked.

"Apart from the fact that she's confined to bed or have you relaxed that rule in the last hour?" Tara arched an eyebrow.

"Oh course not, her ribs need to heal." Buffy moved in flicking on the lights and moving back towards the counter.

"Is she settling in?" Tara asked as she put her basket down.

"Seems to be." Buffy shrugged pouring water into one of the pots and with a quick inspection clicked on the coffee maker after filling it with freshly opened coffee grounds. "She's been through a lot."

"From what I gather all of them have." Tara appraised sadly.

"The First murdered her lover, who was her Watcher." Buffy filled in quietly. "Shanti." She gave the name softly.

"Oh." Tara's head dropped. "Now I feel a little like a dork."

"Don't, Giles was the one who really put his British sized twelve in his mouth."

Buffy reassured her and was glad to see the other blonde smile a little.

"He's still not very…" She thought of the scene at the Watcher's house when Willow had announced they were going out. "Up to date is he." She smiled more.

"Well I think he's move into the twentieth century, two bad we're in the twenty first." The Slayer laughed.

"And how are you now?" Tara asked setting out cups.

"How am I?" Buffy looked at her not sure where the question had come from. "In need of a good cup of coffee." She sniffed as the hot water started to strain down filling the room with a more familiar smell.

"I talked a little to Willow, about last year, about after I'd gone." Tara glanced over at the blonde.

"Oh that." Buffy turned to the fridge. "I think this is still good, do you want milk or cream?" She looked at the labels.

"Neither thank you." Tara shook her head.

"Tara, whatever Willow told you about its over and done." Buffy turned back with a small container of milk.

"Spike." Tara replied giving the Slayer her best sympathetic look.

"Over." Buffy couldn't contain the small shiver that went through her back. "So last year."

"That's good." Tara nodded. "Willow hinted that, that he hurt you." She explained her judgment. "And how are you feeling, inside and I don't mean about the First and all that's going on."

"He did." Buffy looked away moving to find spoons and cups.

"I wish I had been here for you, the real me that is." Tara whispered softly.

"Tara, you couldn't have stopped what he did, I barely did." The Slayer tried to explain. "It's not your fault, trust me I would rather have you here now then here then."

"Thank you." Tara said softly and honestly. "You haven't answered my how are you now question."

"I'm focused on killing the First." Buffy answered honestly. "There's not room for anything else."

"There has to be Buffy." Tara found herself frowning. "You have to have something."

"There can't be, we've got a bus load of new SIT's due in. The First is threatening you and Willow directly. I have to make this all stop, that's the only thing I can focus on." Buffy disagreed firmly.

"But you're not in it alone." Tara pointed out. "We're with you, beside you, I'm sure that you could find security and comfort within that."

"I do." Buffy looked at her and nodded slightly. "It's just we both know when it comes to the shove Tara I'm going to have to make the hard decisions."

"Why?" Tara challenged softly.

"Because I'm the Slayer, I'm the one everyone looks to. I'm the one who has to decide." Buffy rinsed out their cups.

"Faith is a Slayer." Tara challenged the line Buffy had drawn.

"Yes but we both know she can't organize anything other than a kegger." Buffy challenged back.

"How do we?" Tara shook her head. "She's older, wiser and smarter than she used to be Buffy. Prison has to have taught her things."

"Apparently how to give better oral sex." Buffy huffed putting sugar into both their coffees and t comment made the tips of Tara's cheeks tinged pink.

"You'd better keep her away from Owl then." She said with a rare cheeky smile.

"Why?" Buffy's head came up quickly.

"Well I..." Tara blushed harder. "I just meant you know Faith being a Slayer, Owl being a potential, them both enjoying girl on g..." She stopped far too embarrassed to continue.

"Piper would not sleep with Faith." Buffy stirred the coffee with a stronger force.

"Piper?" Tara looked at Buffy watching the motion of her spoon.

"Owl, her real name is Piper." Buffy explained stopping and moving the cup and saucer forward for Tara.

"Oh I see." Tara leaned back a little nursing her coffee. "Pretty." She assessed the soft name.

"And she wouldn't sleep with Faith.' Buffy underlined again sipping her coffee.

"You seem very sure of that." Tara noted.

"Well I don't know for sure, she just seems to have higher tastes than Faith.'

Buffy shook her head.

"The two of them seem oddly similar in some ways." Tara noted blowing over the top of her hot drink.

"In what ways?" Buffy moved around with her coffee sitting on the stool next to Tara.

"Confidence, enthusiasm, leather." Tara smiled.

"But wouldn't I fit into the same category?" Buffy looked down at her pants.

"You don't have the same kind of…" Tara paused. "For want of a better word, butch streak."

"Well I'm not sure I want to be a butch so I'll take that as a good thing."

Buffy smiled lightly.

"It's nice to have a mix of both." Tara laughed softly. "So you and Piper, have you…" She took a sip of coffee. "Talked much?"

"Some." Buffy nodded drinking her slowly.

"Some as in more than the other SITS." Tara pushed a little.

"A lot more." Buffy admitted. "She's mobile and has been in her fair share of fights. She's more like a mini Slayer than an SIT."

"And she's not afraid of you." Tara nodded.

"No." The Slayer shook her head.

"Which has to help right?" Tara pushed more.

"It's nice that someone sees that I'm not some scary mythical creature." Buffy reached to top up her coffee then topped up Tara's.

"Thank you." Tara nodded in appreciation. "Buffy I have to ask you something." She glanced down.

"What?" Buffy saw her demeanor retract slightly.

"You and Owl... Piper, are ... is there..." Tara shook her head. "Oh ignore me, I think I am back, engaged and endorphin happy."

"Wait, are you asking me if there is something going on between Piper and me?" Buffy's eyes went wide.

"Sorry I... I had no right." Tara shook her head.

"No, no. Why would you ask me that?" The Slayer waited impatiently for an answer.

"Just there's something about you two, the way she looks at you, the way you focus on her during a conversation." Tara offered the brief reasoning.

"I focus?" Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, you look at her, just quickly trying to find out her reaction to suggestions before gaining other peoples." Tara nodded. "Almost like I am sure I used to with Willow, only not so intense."

"She's got a level head." Buffy tried to explain.

"She has, and she's very..." Tara paused not sure what word to use. "Attractive."

"Who wouldn't be when they're tall, have great hair and the face of a super model?' Buffy shrugged off the appraisal as she drank her coffee and was surprised when Tara snorted into her cup. "What?" Buffy looked at her concerned after the noise.

"Oh nothing, it's just you sounded like Willow describing someone she's trying not to stare at." Tara explained with a shrug.

"But Willow has that whole girl loving appreciation thing." Buffy countered with a light laugh. "Though I haven't seen her eyes go off you since you've come back."

"Oh no they have, once to check out Owl, and once to check out Faith." Tara laughed gently.

"Only to confirm she thinks you are the sexist woman on earth." Buffy smiled.

"Anyway Buffy what I was pointing out was that wasn't a very heterosexual description of another woman." The blonde witch tried to draw back to her original conversation and not get sidetracked by talk of Willow.

"Wasn't it?" Buffy questioned softly.

"Tall, great hair and the face of a super model?" Tara repeated the evaluation. "Wouldn't the usual be 'God I hate it, her hair is too perfect, and why was anyone born looking that pretty?'."

"Okay, so she kissed me." Buffy suddenly blurted out chugging her coffee. "Do you want something flavored?" She pushed up moving around the counter.

"She kissed you?" Tara's blue eyes shot up from examining the contents of her coffee cup as she repeated the words in a whisper. "When?"

"Last night." Buffy began fidgeting with the coffee blend canisters.

"Oh, and you didn't want her to?" Tara pushed.

"I kissed her back." Buffy admitted her voice almost transparent.

"Oh." Tara nodded trying not to let her reaction go to any extreme when she saw Buffy's concern. "Why?" She asked gently.

"I don't know." Buffy shook her head sadly. "She just... She just knows how to get in my head."

"And you find her attractive." Tara made the gentle clarification.

"Yes, yes okay I find her attractive." Buffy answered her voice agitated. "But before you ask me I have no idea what that means."

"It's not a trick question Buffy and as for what it means, it means just that you find her attractive, its no different that looking at a boy and thinking, mmm yes I'd like to find out how he can move me." Tara replied gently.

"It's confusing because of Spike." The Slayer breathed out putting on a second pot of coffee.

"You love Spike?" Tara was shocked an emotion that clearly showed itself on her face.

"No! No." Buffy looked up shaking her head firmly. "He..." She looked down again.

"He wants Piper?" Tara remained completely confused.

"He tried... before he got his soul... he tried too..." The Slayer looked up her words broken as she tried to get them out. "Force me." She managed the words looking into blue eyes long enough to manage the two words before she turned to the sink.

"Oh Buffy." Tara frowned even more. "I... I didn't know." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. Goddess that's a stupid thing to say." She brushed her hair back behind her ear.

"It's fine, there's no way you would. Willow doesn't know." Buffy assured her turning on the water to wash out her cup. "Willow... you can't tell her." She turned back shaking her head as the fact dawned on her.

"I won't." Tara quickly shook her head.

"It wasn't important anyway, I'm the Slayer." Buffy moved to watch the coffee drip out of the other machine.

"Buffy please, not with me." Tara shook her head. "You know I don't think in terms of labels or titles. What happened with Spike does it make you afraid of Piper?"

"Oh Piper?" Buffy shook her head. "She'd never do that, to anyone." She answered confidently. "It makes me more worried I'm going to hurt her, use her."

"Like you used Spike?" Tara offered understanding.

"Yes." Buffy whispered ashamed.

"Does Piper know what happened with Spike, all of it?" She checked and she couldn't say she was surprised when Buffy nodded. If the Slayer felt that Piper was able to get into her head then Tara was sure that Spike would have been one of the first things to shake out into the open. "Then I think that she understands you fears doesn't she?"

"Her lover was just murdered I'm not sure she knows up from down right now." The Slayer admitted.

"Which puts her in a vulnerable place Buffy but not necessarily one that needs isolation. People need different things in life." She continued. "I'm not sure Piper strikes me as someone who lists personal detachment as one of those things."

"I'm confused and this is not the time to be confused." Buffy shook her head.

"Have you talked to her about this?" Tara asked hoping that she had.

"She knows." Buffy began looking in the cupboards for cookies or something.

"She knows what?" Tara checked.

"That I'm confused." Buffy looked at her.

"Oh right." Tara nodded.

"I don't even know if she thinks I'm attractive or if she's just trying to shore me up to get the First killed." Buffy shrugged.

"You think her kissing you was just a way to get you to focus?" Tara shook her head even as she asked the question.

"No… maybe... I don't know why she did it other than she wanted me to feel alive." Buffy pulled out a box of cookies.

"Ohhh." Tara made a longer sound of contemplation.

"What does 'Ohhh' mean?" Buffy studied her.

"Ohhh means." Tara shifted a little. "I think you can guarantee that she thinks you're attractive."

"How can I guarantee that?" Buffy moved to lean on the counter.

"Depends what you want." Tara replied honestly. "I could be wrong Buffy and I mean completely wrong because I'm not, I'm not like this, but a lot of people don't have an issue or a second thought about meeting someone thinking 'wow' and then enjoying each other." She phrased cautiously.

"I tried that with Spike Tara, look where it got me." Buffy condemned herself.

"I said enjoying each other Buffy, not hurting each other." Tara clarified.

"I'm not sure what that is anymore." The Slayer shook her head finally pouring out the new batch of coffee.

"Then perhaps you should take her up on her all be it subtle offer." Tara suggested.

"You mean be gay?" Buffy looked at her unconvinced.

"No Buffy, I mean live." Tara shook her head and clarified softly. She just knew the Slayer was the one who would have an enormous problem with labeling herself that.

"We'll see." Buffy answered not committed to the idea. "We should take these to go, it's starting to get dark."

"You're right." Tara looked out at the darkening sky. "Buffy, what ever you decide, all you need to remember is to check yourself. Check and ask am I hurting, is Piper hurting, and does it feel good?"

"Thanks, I really appreciate you talking to me about this." Buffy put the lids on cups though her voice was a little stiff.

"Apparently one thing the First got right was my shades ability to listen." Tara sighed at how sadly ironic it was.

"I'm sorry." Buffy frowned slightly. "That we didn't know."

"How could you?" Tara shook her head and picked up the basket.

"I should have known." Buffy handed Tara her coffee.

"Buffy no, if you'd have known then the First would just have found another way." Tara took it. "Another way to hurt you."

"It didn't win though." Buffy smiled at her. "You're alive."

"Alive and very annoyed." Tara nodded smiling.

"The First is so in trouble now." Buffy laughed picking up the basket by her stool. "One pissed off Tara Maclay is something it didn't count on."

"Let's get these back to the house." Tara smiled and then reached out and put her hand on Buffy's hand. "It's good to be home." She whispered.

The Slayer squeezed her hand and smiled back.

Buffy led in everyone from the beleaguered group, watching as on automatic they went to tend to each other's injuries and relive their patrol experience. They'd bagged three vamps and had to fend off a half dozen Bringers but at least no one was lost this time. She tried to comfort herself with that fact.

"Andrew don't even start." She walked past the young man who was sitting pouting on the couch. It was obvious that Tara and Willow had completed the house shield.

"But my cheeks are numb." The young man whined.

"You can move Andrew just not off the couch other than the bathroom." She rolled her eyes. "They didn't tell you that you had to stay in one position."

"In fact you were told that moving was fine as long as you didn't spend more than thirty minutes out of the contact zone." Tara clarified as she brought in a tall glass filled with blue drink and ice she handed it to Andrew.

"Everything okay?" Buffy checked with Tara.

"The battery is being a pain." Anya stalked through staring at him as she thumped down a freshly toasted bagel.

"Other than that?" Buffy clarified her question.

"Everything's fine Buffy." Giles nodded coming in from the dinging room.

"I'm going to grab a shower then before the potentials make me line up." She moved to the stairs. She was very relieved when no one interrupted her and she pressed upstairs heading to her room. "It's late you should be asleep." She commented softly when she saw that Owl wasn't.

"I was waiting up." Owl explained simply.

"Everyone's fine, three vamps and a six Bringers less in the world." Buffy filled in for her.

"Spike's in the basement." Owl's eyes flicked up and looked at Buffy.

"I was going to take a shower, I got graveyard smell." Buffy nodded that she had figured that. "Do you need anything?"

"Maybe to move out." Owl frowned but then shook her head. "No, go have your shower."

"Move out?" Buffy went over to the bed. "Why?"

"He's been up here three times Buffy." Owl growled slightly. "Dropping off your laundry, bringing up pills in case you need them in the night if you get hurt in patrol."

"If he comes up again I'll tell him to stop bothering you. This is your room now." Buffy spelled out.

"No it's not, it's your room." The SIT replied. "The third visit was to remind me of that, he's set a cot up for me in the basement for when I'm feeling better."

"Owl, Spike doesn't make my decisions for me." Buffy shook her head. "You're here. There's not room for anyone else in the basement and I want you up here."

She added in a softer tone.

"Go grab your shower, I shouldn't have mentioned it." Piper's voice was quiet.

"Do you want to go to the basement?" Buffy asked her becoming confused by the conversation.

"How could I get to kiss you again if I did that?" Owl replied quickly looking up into the Slayer's eyes.

"You want that?" Buffy felt her body instantly go flush and her heart race a little.

"Only if and when you do." Owl leaned back into her pillows.

Again Buffy surprised herself when she pushed forward and a little more forcefully then she intended to kissed the potential. Kissing her back for a long moment Owl pulled back and ran her hand over Buffy's hair.

"Easy, I'm right here." She whispered kissing her again this time a little gentler.

"I'm sorry." Buffy breathed in between meetings of their lips.

"Don't be sorry." Piper shook her head while kissing the blonde's lips over and over softly getting her to relax. Buffy kissed her back each time. "I was worried you were avoiding me." She pulled back further for a moment and held her hand on Buffy's cheek."

"I wasn't, there was just stuff to do." Buffy tried to make her understand. "Willow and Tara have erected a shield so the First can't come in the house anymore. We had to get ingredients and then there was patrol with some of the others."

"Wow, one for the mega witches." Owl smiled and stroked the skin behind the Slayer's ear over and over with the fingertip.

"How are your ribs?" Buffy checked her voice low as her eyes dipped closed from the touch.

"Better, only hurts in certain places now." Owl replied swirling her fingertip in a smooth circle

"Good." Buffy felt her eyes dip more closed.

"How does that feel?" Piper asked softly letting her fingers play lightly in a more erratic movement.

"Mmmm makes me realize what a long day it's been because I can feel so much tension relaxing." The Slayer admitted.

"Lay down." Owl shifted the books on the bed bedside her off and dropped them down to the floor. Obediently Buffy slid down onto the bed on her side facing the potential. "On your stomach." Piper instructed gently.

"Why?" Buffy questioned but she moved as she was asked.

"Then I can do both at once." Owl shifted with minimum wincing.

"Do both?" Buffy put her hands up under her head turning her head to look at the potential.

Piper stretched her fingers and leaned over the Slayer slightly drawing two fingertips up and around the back of both of Buffy's ears.

"Ohhhhh." Buffy let out a long sigh at the relaxing motion as she put her head in a more central position.

"There you go." Piper smiled. "That's the noise I wanted."

"Mmmm you're good at that." Buffy admitted her eyes closing as her shoulder's relaxed.

"I should be, I got enough practice." Owl replied as she followed the muscles around down the Slayer's neck.

"Mmmm good luck for me." Buffy breathed out again deeply.

"Good for any of the house who've got muscle aches and pains wouldn't you say?" Piper went back up to caressing behind Buffy's ears.

"Mmmm who said I'm sharing." Buffy whispered relaxing more into the bed.

"Your personal masseur huh." Owl slid her whole hands down to Buffy's shoulders lightly drawing them over her shirt.

"Maybe." Buffy groaned as she felt strong hands on her knotted shoulders.

"Go have a shower Buffy." Owl pulled away.

"What?" The Slayer's eyes popped open and she pushed up confused before it settled down to understanding. "Yes, right..." She locked her jaw and swung off the bed.

"You'll only need your towel on when you come back." Piper smiled gently.

"I won't be too long." Buffy stopped turning back before her face relaxed a bit.

"Good." Owl nodded softly.

Spike made his way up the stairs to the main level and pushed down the hall, he stalled at the front door and then turned up the main stairs.

"You got a problem Spike?" Tara asked from her place on the couch.

"Just wanted to talk to the Slayer." He looked at her. "None of your concern."

"She's having a shower, I think she's tired." Tara challenged.

"It'll only take a minute." He turned to go up the stairs.

"Spike, leave her." Tara's voice went icy.

"Or what witchy?" Spike turned glaring at her.

"Go back down into the basement or better yet go out and do a quick tour of the grounds and the block." Tara suggested the alternative.

"I meant more what are you doing to do when I don't jump at your little instruction?" Spike came down a few steps to the doorway where he faced off with her.

"Well that depends on what you want me to do Spike?" The blonde challenged didn't waiver.

"I want you to mind your own business." He winked at her and turned back to the stairs.

"Transa farata." Tara whispered waving her hand and the vampire disappeared to reappear outside the front window.

"Nice trick witch." He banged on the window with his fist. He moved around and tried the front door only to find he couldn't open it. "Fine have it your way for now, we'll see how she likes you abusing our powers." He stomped down the front walk.

"Tara, is everything okay?" Willow came out of the kitchen carrying some popcorn.

*I know what you did Spike.* Tara spoke into his mind as he stepped away.

"I love her." He turned with the unlit smoke in his mouth.

*If you try and rape someone you love, I don't want to know what you do to someone you dislike.* Tara blinked not meaning to ignore Willow as the vampire turned on his heel and stalking off.

"Baby are you okay?" Willow sat down beside her.

"S-S-Sorry." Tara blinked and looked at the redhead.

"Are you okay?" Willow asked again. "I heard a bang and you seemed distracted." She looked to where Andrew was curled up sucking his thumb. "Is he bothering you?"

"No, it was... I had a moment with Spike." She replied. "I had to... I transported him outside."

"Spike?" Willow looked out the dark window. "Did he threaten you?"

"He was just being pushy about disturbing Buffy's rest." Tara shook her head.

"I don't know why he can't just let it go and leave her alone." Willow snuggled in next to her.

"Maybe if we underline it enough for him, he'll understand." Tara, oddly for her, suggested direct intervention.

"She doesn't need anything distracting her." Willow nodded.

"Not something trivial like Spike." Tara said almost caustically.

"You don't like him do you?" Willow turned questioning her. "Not even with his new soul?"

"I'll try harder with him." She dropped her head a little.

"I don't like him either, he's creepy with the soul." Willow admitted softly.

"I just don't like how he treats Buffy." Tara clarified her reasons a little, but knew she couldn't tell Willow the complete one.

"If Buffy wasn't the Slayer I'd worry about her more, but she can kick his butt if she needs too." Willow underlined faithfully.

"But she shouldn't have to say no or leave me alone." Tara frowned unevenly.

"Oh of course not, if she doesn't want him harassing her then he should stop."

Willow agreed. "What do you think we can do to convince him?"

"Just whenever we can just put him carefully in place, okay?" Tara offered.

"If anyone can help it's me and you working together." Willow leaned up and kissed her.

"Yes." Tara leaned in for her kiss. Willow kissed her harder, hoping for a moment everyone would stay out of the living room. "Mmmm do you want to take this up to our room?" Tara purred softly.

"Mmm please." Willow smiled excitedly.

"You sure?" Tara eased back a little.

"Oh yes, very sure." Willow nodded. "It's been hours since we..." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Seven hours thirteen minutes." Tara winked.

"Way too long." Willow grabbed her hand and helped pull her up off the couch.

"I think he's asleep yes?" Tara checked glancing at Andrew as she stopped on the stairs.

"He's very asleep." Willow nodded seeing him sucking his thumb harder.

"I hope Dawn's room has thick walls." Tara gave a sloping smirk.

"Mmmm we'll have to see." Willow grinned as they raced upstairs.

Buffy slowly pushed out of the steamy bathroom securing the knotted towel around her body as she did. After all there were supposed to have one other potential on the floor in her with them and she wasn't sure if she'd come up yet.

"Hey there." Owl greeted softly as the door opened, revealing a low-lit room heavy with the smell of incense and warm from the myriad of candles that burnt on the windowsill.

"Hi." Buffy smiled softly when she saw the relaxing atmosphere.

"Come lay down." Piper was stood at the side of the bed, the bedclothes tied in a knotted pile on the floor beside the window.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Buffy questioned even as her feet moved her over and she lay on the bed.

"I can give massages in my sleep." Owl nodded coming happily up along side the Slayer and resting her butt lightly on the edge of the bed. She gently gathered wet blonde hair out of the way. Buffy relaxed against the mattress. "So now you need to close your eyes and relax." Piper smoothed her hands over soft still damp shoulders.

"Yes ma'am." Buffy teased as she did just that.

"How was patrol?" Piper asked as she lightly pressed her hands over lines of muscles testing their tension.

"Quiet, the town is almost deserted." The Slayer's voice was warmer as she relaxed.

"But the Bringers still managed to make it a party eh?" Owl said as she actually put a little pressure into her movements.

"They just keep coming." Buffy groaned both as a knot release in her shoulder and the frustration of the Bringers.

"Yeah but you'll beat this thing, we'll beat this thing and then you won't have to face another one." Owl worked carefully on the muscle.

"That I will enjoy." Buffy nodded letting out a slow breath.

"You and me both." Owl agreed.

"There is nothing I want more than to just be able to lay back and relax without any big bads or worries." Buffy shifted a bit, the towel loosening around her.

"I bet." Owl nodded using the new looseness to move further down the Slayer's back. "So can I come out with you tomorrow?"

"If you're well enough." Buffy put the stipulation down immediately.

"What am I going to have to do to prove that one?" Owl drew her hands up and down the Slayer's spine.

"Not wince when you move or groan all the time." Buffy teased. "You couldn't roll over last night without making that pathetic noise."

"I make a pathetic noise?" Owl arched an eyebrow.

"Erugh." Buffy imitated it and smiled. "Erughe."

"Okay note to self, too noisy." Owl laughed as she stroked warm skin.

"No, not too noisy, I just know you're in pain." Buffy opened one eye. "And you're not patrolling until your healthy or we're absolutely desperate."

"Thanks so I'm too noisy and to be brought out when you're desperate. I think it's a good job I don't have confidence issues." Owl laughed.

"Owl, that's not what I meant." Buffy pushed up to look at her. "We're not risking you on some stupid Bringers on a Wednesday night."

"But if I was decent at what I trained, then it wouldn't be much of a risk." Owl countered.

"You are decent, you're a great fighter who got hit by a car." Buffy pointed out. "You deserve a few days off."

"How unlucky am I!" Owl laughed drawing her hands back up the Slayer's body.

"Now I should be horrified." Buffy put her head back down. "Here I am half naked and you're saying you're unlucky."

"Oh no, God no, hugely lucky. I just didn't want to draw attention to it in case you'd forgotten that it was me." She chuckled stroking softly over her back.

"I know it's you Piper." Buffy admitted softly.

"Good." Piper leaned down and placed a kiss between her shoulder blades.

"Mmmm." Buffy's body moved under the kiss slightly as through the relaxation of the massage a shudder of pleasure ran through her.

"Just so you know, I don't do that in most massages." Owl whispered massaging again.

"Mmmm lucky me." Buffy pushed her legs more apart the towel falling off her back.

"Hopefully." Owl placed another kiss lower.

"Very." Buffy groaned her hips arching into the bed.

"Buffy." Owl pulled back a little. "Stop me any time, I don't want to do anything you don't want me to."

"I don't want to stop yet." Buffy admitted not moving away.

"Good." Owl refocused again on the massage.

"You're really, really good at that." Buffy whispered her voice thick and obviously at ease.

"Thank you." Owl smiled. "Buffy." She dropped her voice a notch. "Would it be okay if I got on the bed? To get the best position for this I really need to be astride you."

"Mmmm yes, whatever you need." Buffy groaned as hands slid over her flesh.

Very gently Owl eased up on the bed and eased one of her legs over Buffy's legs to settle back on her calves. Buffy realized she was almost impatient for her to settle and continue touching her. Happy with her place Owl reached up and slid her hands up Buffy's spine and over her shoulders.

"MMMMM." Buffy groaned her approval.

"Too hard?" Owl checked it hadn't been a moan of discomfort.

"No, no, you have magic hands." Buffy whispered.

"I wouldn't say that, I have trained hands." Piper ran them up and down and over Buffy's shoulders.

"You trained in massage?" Buffy checked only vaguely concentrating on anything other than the relaxing strokes.

"Yes." Owl nodded. "I have a diploma somewhere."

"Wow." Buffy groaned in pleasure. "You should have got a gold star too."

"No, no gold star." Owl focused on Buffy's right shoulder.

"I'll get you one." Buffy groaned as a tight lifelong knot was worked on.

"This had been here a while." Owl gently kneaded the soft skin.

"Don't remember what demon, but yeah awhile." Buffy confirmed.

"With work I could probably ease the tension in it." The potential predicted.

"Mmmm I'm happier with it already." Buffy shifted and rested her other cheek on the bed.

"Good." Owl shifted from it to run over Buffy's whole back again. "You have beautiful skin."

"Thank you." Buffy whispered arching slightly in the long strokes.

"My pleasure, it's really soft, hardly scarred." Owl worked back up to the trouble spot.

"I try to take good care of it to keep the scars down." Buffy admitted. "Vain I know."

"Not vain, feminine." Owl shook her head and changed her massage to light gentle strokes.

"Just because I'm the Slayer doesn't mean I shouldn't stay feminine." Buffy agreed her body arching lightly with the pleasant strokes.

"Oh no, I agree." Piper smiled more even though Buffy couldn't see. "Though with all these curves in just the right places, you'll always be feminine." She let her hand wander over Buffy's hip.

"I feel feminine." Buffy wiggled slightly into her touch.

"You should." Owl encouraged. "You are beautiful Buffy." She added in a whisper.

"I'm not." Buffy objected lightly.

"Buffy shush." Owl chided softly. "Disagreeing is not conducive to relaxation.

"Okay." Buffy settled down again.

"Better," She laughed lightly. "How are your shoulders feeling?"

"Loose." Buffy breathed out. "Like I've never thrown a punch."

"Well you haven't during the massage," Piper pointed out softly leaning down and placing a soft kiss on each of the Slayer's shoulder blades.

"Mmmm nice." Buffy pressed under the kisses.

"What ever you want, what ever you need Buffy, you can always ask anything of me." Piper whispered as she kissed the base of her neck.

"But it has to be what you want too." Buffy didn't miss the noise from the back of her throat that the kisses caused.

"I think we can guarantee that and anyway I would say if it weren't." Piper replied moving her kisses to behind Buffy's ear.

"Then don't stop." Buffy whispered her hand coming up to thread her fingers into soft brown hair.

"Okay, I won't." Owl promised moving the kisses around Buffy's left side then crossing to her right. Buffy let her fingers slip away as Owl moved. "Buffy I don't want to rush you, and I want to do everything with clear and direct permission, but I'd love you to turn over."

"Turn over?" Buffy opened her eyes checking the request.

"You can hang on to the towel." She smiled.

"Okay." The Slayer nodded. She waited until Owl lifted up some of her weight and putting one hand down to keep the towel over her breasts she turned over.

"There you go." Piper smiled at her warmly.

"Hi." Buffy looked at her with relaxed pleasured eyes.

"Hi." She replied softly reaching down a fingertip to flick away some of the Slayer's hair off her face. "You're beautiful." She whispered again, leaning down to lightly kiss her forehead.

"I would object but it wastes relaxation." Buffy smirked.

"You have a great learning curve." Piper smiled. "To add to the list of all your other great curves."

"You have to when you're in my line of work." Buffy smiled as the other woman's eyes drifted over her. Putting her fingers lightly on Buffy's temple the potential began a head massage. "You just... umm… discovered the Summers' girls Achilles heel." Buffy's eyes closed and her lips parted slightly.

"Enjoy." Owl whispered. "Here let me get off you." She added slipping off from over Buffy's body resting on the bed beside her.

"You were fine." Buffy objected lightly though her focus was on the rubbing over her temples.

"This way you don't have any pressure on your body, it's all just about relaxation." Owl explained her fingers never stopping.

"Mmmm I feel relaxed." She admitted.

"Good, it's nice to know though slightly car spoiled I have my old touch." Owl gave a quirky smile.

"I think your touch is just fine." Buffy opened her eyes a sliver.

"Good, I want you to feel good." Owl stroked over and over Buffy's forehead and temple.

"Mmm so good its like I could just fall asleep." She admitted then opened her eyes completely. "I mean not that you're boring or that I want too..." She panicked thinking she'd said the wrong thing.

"Buffy, shush." Piper leaned in placed a kiss on the Slayer's lips. "Sleep if you want to sleep."

"I don't want to sleep." Buffy looked up into the potential's eyes. For a moment Tara's words came back to her and she ran through the short checklist. This wasn't hurting her, she felt warm and relaxed and beautiful. "Piper, is this hurting you?" She asked very softly.

"No." Piper said gently. "It's not hurting in the slightest. You?"

"No." Buffy felt herself smile. "So what else does this massage entail?"

"That's up to you Buffy." Owl stated simply. "If you want nothing more, and to just give in and sleep, that's fine." She drew her fingers around across Buffy's collarbone slowly.

"I don't think I do." Buffy shook her head. "I think I want..." She leaned up and kissed Piper. "To see the rest of your massage." She looked her straight in the eye.

"This doesn't tie you to anything Buffy." Owl pressed back into a deeper kiss after her words. "Even if we spend the whole night enjoying each other, it doesn't have to be more than that." She pulled back again. "But if you're sure." She moved her hand to play with the towel. "Then this needs to go."

"Just promise me that this won't hurt you, just enjoying tonight won't hurt you?" Buffy put her hand over Piper's.

"It won't hurt me Buffy." Piper shook her head.

"Then we don't need the towel." Buffy used both their hands to pull it off her body and toss it away.

"God, you're hot." Piper breathed out, letting her eyes linger on the Slayer's body. Buffy felt her stomach shiver as the words spun down, forming a hot pool between her legs.

"So are you." She echoed softly.

"Nah right now I'm a bruised car wreck." Owl laughed. "Hence the still fully clothed."

"I was going to point out your way overdressed." Buffy reached up toying with the collar on her shirt.

"Well beneath this are bandages which are sexier." Owl chuckled and without a care reached up easing her shirt off to reveal the slightly lesser strapping around her torso, now under her breasts.

"But... oh my." Buffy's eyes strayed down to see Piper's full breasts and it made her stop all thoughts.

"My legs look better though see." Owl pulled back and pushed her red plaid pants down off her hips in a gentle motion.

"Piper, God you're beautiful." Buffy couldn't take her eyes off the potential's body.

"In that very fashionable blue and purple blotched way." She poked at a bruise on her leg.

"I'm used to bruises, they are signs of truth." Buffy reached and ran her hand softly over it. "They are signs of courage."

"I want to kiss you." Piper felt her body push gently into the touches.

"I want you to kiss me too." Buffy leaned closer.

"Good because this time I'm really going to mean it." Piper vowed.

"Wait, you didn't before?" Buffy stopped her.

"Buffy that was my subtle way of telling you I may well touch you this time."

Owl explained seeing the flare of confusion.

"Touching is good." Buffy nodded leaning into the potential's lips.

"Good." Piper pressed close into the kiss, her hand sliding over to rest on her side, just at her waist.

The Slayer was with the kiss wholeheartedly as she felt the warm strong hand on her skin and she wound her arms around Piper's body pulling her closer. Piper slid her leg up without encouragement to guide over Buffy's calf, rhythmically sliding up and down as she explored the Slayer's lips with her own. Before introducing her tongue into the sweet caress, her hand ran up the side of Buffy's body and then downward over her hip.

A momentary mental check confirmed to Buffy this didn't hurt, it wasn't rushed and the body against her was warm and attentive rather than trying to rip pleasure out of her. She pressed her leg between Owl's as she brought her hand around cupping it around a hot breast.

"Yes Buffy, mmmmm yes." Owl encouraged her in a low moan before pressing her tongue deep into the other woman's mouth, her hand sliding around to cup the Slayer's butt cheek.

Buffy felt her lips opening to the questing muscle as she kneaded the flesh she held, finding it too much for her small hands she pressed side to side, bringing her thumb to caress over a hard nipple.

"Mmmmmmhhmmmm." Owl encouraged with a moan and a nodded, reluctant to answer her verbally as she was happily exploring the Slayer's mouth.

Buffy didn't bother with words either as she pressed her tongue back against Owl's chasing her into the potential's mouth as she pulled and pressed more on her breast enjoying every hot moan it caused. Piper let Buffy's tongue slide into her mouth sucking on it lightly to welcome her. Sliding her hands off the Slayer's ass she drew them up her spine, all the while arching her back, pressing her breast to Buffy's hands.

On the prompting Buffy brought her other hand up between them, lavishing equal attention on both of the potential's breasts while her hips pressed to Owl's over and over.

"God you're so hot." Pulling her head back breaking the kiss Piper looked at Buffy.

"Not as hot as you." Buffy squeezed her hands. "You're like liquid fire."

"I promise not to burn you." Owl vowed.

"I believe you." Buffy nodded.

"Good." Owl smiled and moved her hand to run over the back of Buffy's head. "Why don't you taste them?" She asked arching her back slightly more.

Buffy licked her lips for a moment before she took the slight prompting and lowered her head, she flicked out her tongue first feeling how Owl arched harder to her before she closed her lips and sucked hard.

"Ohhh yes." For a moment Owl went to tighten her hand at the back of Buffy's head, but not wanting her to feel in any way restrained or forced she drew it lower and massaged her shoulder lightly. "Feel how they like that, how I like that."

Buffy growled lightly as she licked and sucked harder easily feeling just that.

"Slide over onto me Buffy." Owl encouraged drawing her hand lightly up and down the top of her spine.

Buffy followed her easily, landing with her hips straddling low to avoid the po