Buffy whistled lightly as she travelled down the lighted white hallway. She reached down adjusting the Velcro on the utility pocket on her thigh so that it sat squarely. She’s just come of a tiny thirty-six hours stretch of R&R after three weeks tracking a Valordo demon in the jungles of Madagascar. She’d expected more time to herself but when her small beeper had gone off late the night before she’d found herself on a plane going to the main underground installation in Nevada to be prepped for a top secret assignment.

It had been awhile since she’d been within this hidden base, mostly since she was the Council’s number one operations agent and her skills were best used out in the field.

Reaching the small glowing plate on the wall she put her palm up to be scanned before she leaned down towards the voice plate next to it.

"Buffy Ann Summers." She spoke clearly. "Designation Slayer One."

She waited and a door separated out of the solid wall winging open sideways so that she could pass through into the interior corridor.

Her hands clasped lightly behind her back she walked down the second smaller hallway and repeated the security measure before she moved into a larger warehouse sized area. She took an immediate right turn past some fenced weapons enclosures and reached up tucking her shoulder length blonde hair behind her ear before she tapped on the door to the Monarch’s office.

"Come." The clear instruction sounded through the door.

Buffy opened the door and strode in coming to a brisk stop in front of the long desk.

"Slayer Summers reporting for duty Sir." She saluted and the heels of her heavy boots clicked together.

"Ah yes Summers." Dark grey eyes looked up to the blonde from the cover of thick glasses. "Take a seat."

Buffy slid down onto the small plastic moulded chair waiting.

"We have a situation." A well-weathered hand pushed a thick manila folder across the table towards the Slayer.

"Where?" Buffy picked up the file and flipped it open to read quickly down the ops history that should have been on the first page, the information she found however made her stop. "This isn’t a ops problem this is magical division." She looked back up after the brief read.

"I beg your pardon?" The dark eyes looked up again wondering who exactly dared to challenge a decision already made far higher up the ladder than even him.

"With all do respect Monarch, this isn’t a simple track and capture. These demons run under magic influence which would designation magical division not combat ops." Buffy looked at him firmly.

"With respect if we wanted your tactical opinion we’d have asked you for it already. You’re here to listen not comment." The growled reply came as grey eyes looked down. "We’re waiting for the arrival of Dr. Maclay and Dr. Rosenberg."

As if on cue a knock came to the door. Willow heard the grunt to enter and came in a bit frazzled as she managed a weak salute.

"Dr. Rosenberg as requested." She stood a bit awkwardly in her long white coat and gave Buffy a tiny wave.

"And where is Dr. Maclay?" The older man behind the desk looked up at the red haired woman with a scowl.

"I beeped her, she should be on the way." Willow sat down looking at her watch.

"And people wonder why I objected to the merger of units." He looked down again and slid a matching folder across the table towards the latest arrival not saying another word.

"Thank you." Willow took the folder and skimmed over the first pages her eyes going wider.

A minute passed but it felt like at least ten in the silence filled room. The figure seated behind the desk stared unfocused at the open folder in front of him, his dark eyes flicking up occasionally to look at the clock as the second hand marked the agonisingly slow passing of time.

"I could um try beeping her again." Willow offered tapping the folder against her leg.

A knock almost no louder than the tick of the clock made the older man’s eyes flick up to the door.

"In." He barked.

The door opened just enough to let the tall shapely figure of the blonde haired doctor slide in. She held a silver clipboard tight to her chest and her head was tipped forward so that dark blonde hair hung to cover her features. She closed the door behind her and then straightened up her pose, tossing her hair back and pushing the glasses that rested on her nose up a little.

"Sorry." She apologised softly and only received a grunt from the man at the desk as he pushed the final folder towards her.

Buffy looked over to the newly arrived blonde, unable to keep her eyes in place as they traced down the woman’s generous curves of her body and then back up again.

"Professor Giles told me a little about this yesterday." Dr Maclay said as she moved towards the free chair. "I’m Dr. Tara Maclay by the way." She said turning blue eyes to look at Buffy, her hand extended in greeting.

"Buffy Summers." Buffy put her hand out and shook the offered one.

"He was told to keep this to himself." The man growled angrily scrawling something on the note pad to his right. Ignoring the introductions that were going on, as he’d never understood the need for pleasantries. Tara sat down and looked at the redhead.

"Long time no see Will." She whispered with a smile.

"Hi." Willow smiled back.

"Okay everyone is here now can we discuss what a bad idea this is sir?" Buffy questioned seeing from their interaction the two were obviously more than common colleagues. She’d have to grill Willow later on the Doctor’s credentials.

"Everything you need to know is in the folders." The man leaned back in his chair and looked between the three women.

"Yes and I’ve already tried to express that I don’t believe my section needs to be involved in this operation." Buffy put forward again.

"It is foolish to risk losing two of this establishments top researchers and scientists by sending them into something like this unprotected." For the first time his dark eyes turned back to Buffy. "You’re our way of guaranteeing we get them back."

"You’re sending us to the hot zone?" Willow’s green eyes went wide.

"Page 3." The older man didn’t turn.

They all duly flipped to the prescribed page.

"We’re setting up a sub unit?" It was Tara’s turn to look up as she read on a little. "Do we really need a thirty strong team?"

"How exactly are we going to walk into this small English town with a 30 plus force crew and not expect massive press?" Buffy shook her head.

"Some of the team are already there." The explanation came easily. "Awaiting your arrival so that suspicion can be minimised. We’ll be sending the rest out to you slowly, you won’t be up to full compliment until the end of the month but you will need that time to set up all you need to."

"Is that all?" Buffy flicked the folder closed.

"Be ready to leave a eighteen hundred hours." With a shuffle of papers the older man stowed them back into the folder.

"One last question." Buffy looked at him glancing at Tara briefly having discerned enough from the folder to know she wasn’t going to like this. "As head of regional Magicks Dr. Maclay outranks me, does that mean I’m answering to her?"

"Dr. Maclay out ranks you all but you are the military commander in this situation, I’d expect you to come to agreed decisions on most matters." The Monarch outlined.

"Final decision falls to who?" Buffy checked the point she needed clarification on most.

"Professor Giles, you will have a closed line of communication to him available at all times." He closed his folder. "Dismissed."

***

"I don’t like it." Dawn sat on the lab counter and shook her long dark hair out over the crisp white shirt she wore. "Sounds like a set up."

"A set up to what Dawn?" Tara pushed her glasses up onto her head looking at the other woman.

"I don’t know yet, but my senses are wiggling." Dawn picked up a beaker full of brownish sludge. "They’ve never set you anywhere before."

"Well if its a conspiracy to get me out of here and then re furbish my lab, I’ll rely on you to protect the important things." Tara gave the brown haired young woman a smile.

"Can’t you get me assigned to go with?" Dawn questioned again.

"Why would I?" Tara leaned forward and plucked the beaker out of Dawn’s hand before putting it down on the side with a slight scowl.

"Because if they’re doing a switchblade run on you then I can get you out of the country ASAP." Dawn’s voice went serious as she hopped down off the counter. "I’m telling you Tare I don’t like this at all. No one knows anything about it, and I mean no one. People are just getting assigned and shipping in a few hours, it makes no sense."

"It’ll be ok." Tara moved a little closer and put her hand on Dawn’s arm.

"Please, get them to assign me. I can be your lab assistant." Dawn reached up and put her hand over Tara’s. "I have magic clearance."

"Dawn why, if this is in anyway dangerous, would I want you there? I want you safe baby." Tara looked up into brown eyes.

"How safe am I with you out playing combat ops commander when you didn’t even finish basic training?" Dawn shook her head. "You need me there or you could pull medical and get reassigned."

"I don’t want to leave you here, you know that don’t you?" Tara softened her voice a little in an attempt to keep calm.

"So don’t go without me." Dawn offered in a whisper. "You know I’m capable, I passed all my colours with high honours."

"You are capable and goddess I can’t even begin to tell you how hard being so far away from you will be." Tara whispered back.

"But you don’t care?" Dawn pulled back scowling.

"I don’t care?" The words choked in Tara’s throat and only just were comprehensible.

"You’re going off on a mission you’re not ready for." Dawn frowned hating how she was feeling.

"I’m following orders." Tara pointed out.

"And you’re not questioning why?" Dawn bit back. "Why are they sending the head of regional magicks out on an ops detail?"

"Because it’s a magical distortion anomaly." Tara replied. "And it’s throwing out all kinds of things that do not have a place in our world."

"So let me go." Dawn tried again.

"Dawn, sweetie." Tara sighed tensely but then breathed in and moved to run her hand over long brown hair. "I need to keep you safe."

"I need you safe." Dawn agreed.

"I hear I have the best military girl they have." Tara made an attempt to cheer the mood.

"Who?" Dawn jumped on it immediately.

"Buffy Summers, I think that was her name." Tara gave the information without thinking

"Whoa." Dawn stopped. "You’re ops unit leader is one of the slayers and you’re trying to tell me this isn’t out of your league?"

"Maybe its a different Summers." For a moment the doctor stalled.

"Fine." Dawn stiffened. "Did you pick up ops gear?"

"Dawn please, don’t let us fall out over this." Tara frowned seeing how the brunette was reacting.

"Were not falling out, I’m offering to go get you the proper gear because I’m guessing that you’ve never gone to actually pick up your combat equipment." Dawn shook her head.

"That would be great. Though if they give you khaki pants can you try and change their minds?" She grinned. "I don’t look great in browns."

"I think khaki is standard." Dawn shook her head leaning in to kiss Tara’s cheek before she moved to the door.

"I love you Dawn." Tara called to her.

"I love you Tare." She called back.

A few short moments later a knock echoed on the back lab door as Buffy stood there.

"Miss. Summers." Tara looked up. "I mean… I’m sorry I didn’t get your rank."

"Slayer."

"So I call you Slayer?" Tara checked as she moved to put the beaker she had recently taken off Dawn into a small glass sided refrigeration unit.

"You can call me Buffy." The blonde came in further. "Or Summers if you’re so inclined."

"I prefer Buffy." Tara admitted. "Should we salute?" She questioned with a slight frown.

"Not unless the troops are around Doc." Buffy smiled. "But that’s just for show."

"I’m sorry I held the meeting up this morning." Tara apologised. "I promise I am usually far more punctual." She watched Buffy’s movements carefully, impressed at the slim and agile figure that so obviously hid beneath standard ops uniform.

"Punctuality isn’t something that is necessarily needed in magicks I imagine." Buffy offered.

"No if we’re running short of time we usually just flip it back an hour or so." The blonde grinned for a moment and then lost her confidence. "That’s a joke by he way." She added nervously making the Slayer laugh lightly.

"And here I was thinking I could use it as a whole new battle tactic." Buffy winked at her.

"Have you read the file?" Tara crossed the lab to tidy away a few things.

"Yes. That’s why I wanted to come speak with you." Buffy leaned a little against a metal table. "I wanted to know how familiar you are with this type of anomaly."

"I’ve studied two before now, but never one of this apparent hardiness. They are usually sealed with a fairly simple ritual." Tara gave the information freely.

"I think we have more than enough intelligence indication that a coven of rogue witches are helping the anomaly survive." Buffy pointed out.

"Agreed, but what is interesting about this one is the variety of clients this is allowing to travel here. I’m concerned it may be multidimensional." She carefully tucked more vials of strange liquids away.

"Agreed." Buffy was glad they were on the same page. "I think we might have to support a containment lab if we discover any new species of Aggressives."

"I’m not sure the location lends itself to one of those." Tara admitted her concern as she pulled off her glasses and put them away in a silver case that had a small pink paw print on the corner.

"Then I’ll suggest removal to the permanent location in Siberia if required." Buffy was pleased with the doctor’s level of knowledge.

"Buffy…" Tara stopped her packing away of things and looked up at the other blonde. "I know you probably don’t like the idea of this assignment to be a glorified body guard and I know that you might think that I am a scientific grunt with little or no actual ‘knowledge’ about the way things work out in the field. But…" She paused looking up. "I know some things about how hard it is doing the job you do and I hope that we can maybe even come through this as good working colleagues."

"I don’t think you are just a scientific grunt. I think you are a highly educated brilliant woman with over one hundred and fifty classified papers to her credit that if released to the public would put medical science on its ear." Buffy smiled and offered her hand again.

Tara took it smiling brightly.

"So we have eight hours till departure and may I suggest that you do take the khaki’s your girlfriend brings you back." Buffy offered the small piece of advice. "Security is going to be an issue and I have this rule about us all being in one piece when we finish this."

"Girlfriend?" Tara frowned.

"Sorry colleague." Buffy corrected herself.

Tara thought for a moment trying to understand the other woman’s point, her discussion with Dawn almost forgotten when the Slayer had come in.

"Dawn?" Tara whispered the brown haired girl’s name.

"Sorry I didn’t spy, I was just coming in and well I’m trained to hear a pin drop."

Buffy apologised lightly.

"I didn’t think for a moment you were spying." Tara admitted as her mind cleared. "Though I have to admit I am not sure how Dawn ever managed to pass her stealth ops tests, she never been very subtle."

"She’s ops is she?" Buffy questioned figuring there was not point being subtle. "I haven’t seen her around."

"She’s only just got her pass, she was only eighteen in January." Tara filled in the reason Buffy didn’t know her.

"Oh." Buffy took a breath in. "Cadet then."

"To me she’ll always be little Dawnie." Tara admitted as Buffy underlined the correct titles.

Buffy’s eyebrow rose as the words sounded odd with what she had witnessed. Tara caught the arched eyebrow and for a moment felt a little confused, then she remembered Buffy’s original comment about her ‘girlfriend’ getting her khakis and it all made a little more sense.

"Dawn is my little sister." She pointed out gently.

"Now you wonder how I passed level one investigation." Buffy laughed lightly at herself and put her hand to her forehead as she blushed. Tara chuckled softly and shook her head. "Sorry. It’s just so uncommon to have siblings working here." She tried to explain herself.

"Believe me if I had my way she’ be just about to start some university degree, in some nice safe city but Dawn is Dawn, and..." Tara stopped pausing for a moment before saying. "We’re very close. She’s the only family I have and visa-versa obviously." The blonde head tipped forward.

"Has she got her station assignment yet?" Buffy nodded that she understood.

"I managed to pull a few strings for her to stay around me for as long as she could." The Doctor admitted. "I guess I just don’t want to let her go."

"Do you want her with you this time?" Buffy didn’t quite know why she was offering this but there was something about the doctor’s soft demeanour that just edged her on to be as accommodating as possible.

"Like you mentioned earlier Buffy, I’m quite an intelligent woman and I have read the file. I have processed the fact that they have assigned you as the military leader, which when processed leads to one conclusion." She looked at the Slayer to see if she knew what she was getting at.

"Which means if you want your sister on the core doing pick up duty inside out of harms way, I can arrange that." Buffy gave her a soft smile.

"I don’t suppose while you’re at it you could get Willow off it too?" Tara returned the smile.

"Mmmm that I don’t think I can unless we can prove she’s incompetent." Buffy shook her head.

"She’s most definitely not that." Tara shook her head. "And indoor duty, is that something no more dangerous than making my coffee and getting us snacks because if it’s not I’d rather she was somewhere super safe doing outdoor duty."

"Indoor duty will put her close with you within our security area. So unless we face an all out siege she’s snug as a bug in a rug." Buffy smiled at the blonde’s worry. "Though I’ll have to post her for a rotation in the security rounds, but only so she doesn’t feel like she’s been played. Totally indoor door guarding."

"And would you be a good boss?" Tara checked with a soft grin.

"Depends." Buffy stood up straight. "You want her thinking she got detail cause of her good scores or cause her sister pulled strings? In the former I make sure to put her through her paces which will make her a better Cadet, the latter she gets pudding in her boots from the others for being a sissy girl."

"No, I know she has to do everything on her own it’s just you know, I..." Tara stopped her explanation.

"Doc, if she’s not up to spec I can’t bring her. If she’s up then she’s earned it so how she got my attention isn’t so important." Buffy shook her head. "And well sometimes the best way to get experience is when you have a safety net."

"You think I’m foolish don’t you." Tara turned away and finished packing the rather ludicrously large shoulder bag that she had on the table.

"What for loving and worrying about your sister?" Buffy moved closer and put her hand up on Tara’s shoulder. "No, I think that’s wonderful and rare in a place like this."

"Thank you." Tara stopped when she felt Buffy’s hand on her shoulder. She turned just her head to smile at Buffy.

"Do you need some help in here loading gear?" Buffy looked at the large bag.

"No, I have little people to do that." Tara gave an almost silly smile. "Grunts, I believe you people call them. I prefer the term little people."

"Cute." Buffy smiled. "But when you’re little people are trained soldiers, grunts makes them feel better about themselves."

"Are you going to see Willow before we leave?" Tara checked as she went back to closing her bag.

"No, Rosenberg doesn’t like it when I touch her stuff." Buffy laughed and stepped back. "I’ll go speak with your sister and see you on the tarmac." She gave a soft salute.

"Summers!" Tara called as the blonde got to the door.

"Yes Ma’am." Buffy turned grinning.

"Don’t be fooled by her youthful enthusiasm." Tara grinned back.

***

Dawn wasn’t happy to be here, she wanted to spend every moment she could in the four hours left that Tara had on her side of the ocean with her big sister, not waiting to see one of the most formidable top ranking officers in the whole organization.

She shifted uncomfortably in her place against the wall, running her hands down the side of her pants as her palms sweated and her fingers itched. She stood motionless in the corridor by the door to the Slayer’s office.

"Maclay!" Buffy’s door opened and her voice came out firmly. "In."

Dawn jumped to attention and with precise movements took herself into the small room.

"Door." Buffy didn’t yet look up from the file on her desk.

With textbook clarity Dawn moved to shut the door and then resumed her stand at attention on the front side of the desk.

"Sit down Maclay." Buffy looked up and saluted. Silently Dawn did as she was instructed. "Tell me why a second class amoeba like you made it through basic training without getting your ass kicked?" She looked up fixing her with hard eyes.

"Hard work Sir." Dawn replied instantly.

"There are three possible exits in this room name them." Buffy tested her expecting a quick decisive answer.

"Three." Dawn replied quickly. "Ceiling, air vent and the door." She pointed to the three in turn.

"You’d be surprised how many privates get stunned and forget the door." Buffy held her in a firm look. "So Maclay tell me why I should pick you out of all the others in your ranking to shine my shoes on my next mission?"

Dawn wanted to answer quickly and concisely but the words ‘next mission’ had made a part of her brain freeze.

"I…" Dawn began forcing her inner reactions to calm. "I’m the best boot shiner of my year Sir."

"I want you on the tarmac and ready to fly at 18:00. Ops gear and weapons are ready for your pickup at supplies." Buffy signed the paper in front of her. "And I don’t like too much shine Maclay."

"Yes Sir, No Sir." Dawn jumped up and to attention.

"Top secret protocol Maclay." Buffy looked up and saluted. "Dismissed."

Dawn tried to hide her grin of delight as she returned the salute and marched out of the office.

***

Buffy returned a salute as she passed by a hallway guard and knocked on the inner door at the end of the thin hall.

"Come in." Tara’s less than bright call came from the room beyond.

"Morning Doctor." Buffy came in and stood near the door after she closed it. "I just wanted to check you were settled before I put the troops on minimal duty so that everyone can get some rest."

"Well I know I’m on the ground again." Tara replied as she emerged from the room’s en-suite bathroom carrying a glass of water in one hand as the other curled around the side of her head.

"We are indeed." Buffy nodded having learned to adjust to the quick travel. "Did you need a medic or some aspirin?" She offered worried for the tenseness in the blonde’s forehead.

"No, no." Tara shook her head very, very gingerly. "I don’t fly too well, well not long haul but I’ll survive." She tried a light smile.

"A light meal and some sleep helps even out the time change." Buffy gave a little insight.

"So if I munch on some chips and nap till eight then I’ll be bright and shiny like you?" Tara appraised reluctantly.

"Oh no, this is years of training." Buffy laughed lightly. "Staying awake hung upside down in dark places and such."

"Please tell me you are joking." Blue eyes went wide.

"Hunting Riagian demons in the jungle. They can spot movement a few hundred feet away." Buffy shook her head that she was indeed telling the truth. "The villagers hang the dead cattle up for them to feast on in the hopes they won’t eat them. Easiest way to get the jump."

"Please I really have enough details now." Tara held up her hand going a few shades paler.

"Sorry." Buffy apologised. "Shall I bring you up dinner then?" She tried to backtrack.

"There’s no need to apologise." Tara too retracted her statement. "Normally I can handle all the details going, but just not right now." She explained.

"I’ll save details for another time then." Buffy nodded.

"Did Dawn turn out for six a.m. round up?" Tara checked subtly as she sipped her water and sat down in a chair near the window.

"Private Maclay pulled first watch and set up on the weapons brig." Buffy informed Tara. "She seems to work well on little sleep."

"She does." Tara nodded smiling.

"Good quality to have in this business." Buffy agreed.

"I was about to bore you senseless with a family story." Tara chuckled as she put the glass down on the windowsill.

"No please." The slayer walked closer. "Flying wakes me up."

"But don’t you have something better to do?" The blonde questioned.

"Orders are all given out. I trust everyone will do what needs to be done. We don’t have any slackers." Buffy shook her head.

"When Dawnie was very little, about four, she liked to sleep on the floor in my room." Tara glanced out of the large bay window in the room looking out to the mass of green fields beyond. In the very distance at the gates to the large estate a pair of neatly suited guards walked sentry. "I slept in the loft, with a sky light that had the best view in the world. I was eleven then, so I went to bed a long time after her, well it felt like a long time." Tara chuckled softly. "But whenever I went up, Dawn would be there sitting cross legged on the top step, waiting for me to let her in my room. She made me read her stories for hours, folk legends mainly, anything with demons and brave knights that fought the brave fight and won."

"She has a strong sense of family, it makes her tough." Buffy nodded leaning against the back of the small couch in the room across from where Tara sat.

"You think, I’m worried it will make her weak." Tara admitted blinking her eyes slightly to dispel the childhood image from her mind.

"When you get dropped into a hot zone one of the best things to bring with you is the need to get back home at the end of the mission." Buffy explained. "Knowing you have something more important waiting for you."

"So the pull of who at home has made you into the legend you are?" Tara turned to look at Buffy.

"I don’t have any family." Buffy shook her head feeling sadness in her heart. "My Mom died a few years ago, she was pretty much it. I fight cause I’m good at it."

"I’m sorry." Tara looked down.

"Brain tumour, there was nothing anyone could do." Buffy’s voice was soft.

"Our mother died when Dawn was ten." Tara revealed sadly.

"I’m sorry." Buffy stepped slowly closer. She knew it was almost a stupid line after her own dismissal of the blonde’s apology.

"Our father died a year later." Tara shook her head. "I had to fight so hard to keep Dawn."

"What made you join the military?" Buffy slid into the seat opposite to her.

"They wanted me." Tara replied with a shrug. "Made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, it included keeping Dawn."

"Sounds familiar." Buffy smiled gently.

"When did you join?" Tara looked over at the Slayer.

"The town I lived in had a large vampire population. I showed a talent for killing them and as you said they came looking for me." Buffy explained briefly. "And they gave me a way to help people."

"Didn’t your mother and father mind?" Tara asked unable to believe that this would be the kind of job that the parents of this lovely young woman would want for their daughter.

"My dad walked out on us when I was about thirteen." She admitted with a frown. "And my mom objected but she knew I had to find something for myself."

"So who do you come home to now?" Tara returned to their conversation start.

"Work." Buffy shrugged.

"Work?" Tara frowned.

"Keeping the world safe from Aggressive Non-Human scum." She explained exactly. "ANH slayer."

"I know what your job is." Tara smiled gently. "I meant more, isn’t there an attractive ops soldier who has your heart. That kind of thing." She explained more. "Though now having re-asked I feel terribly nosy."

"Only fair play since I assumed incorrectly earlier." Buffy waved it off. "But no, no attractive anyone. The job really doesn’t lead to easy relationships as you probably know."

"I have a cat." Tara smiled understanding Buffy’s point.

"I sponsor a polar bear at the San Diego Zoo." The Slayer laughed.

"Please tell me its not called Snowy." Tara laughed.

"Sierra." Buffy laughed.

"I suppose I should get down to the lab." Tara’s laughter settled a little.

"Lab isn’t operational yet Doctor, you’re off duty until at least 14:30." Buffy smiled. "So I am back to offering you Tylenol and dinner..." She looked at her watch. "Well breakfast technically."

"I accept." Tara finished her glass of water.

"Would you like your meal here or down in the mess?" Buffy nodded and stood up.

"How messy is the mess?" Tara questioned feeling silly as her words came out like a Dr. Seus verse.

***

"I was beginning to think you were ignoring me." Tara smiled brightly as she wandered into the enormous dining room to find that the only person tucking into a late evening meal was Willow. "I mean I know this house is large but two days is a long time to not see someone."

"Oh course I’m not ignoring you." Willow pouted and shook her head. "I’ve just been insanely busy. This place is a dead zone for electronics and I had to install another two dozen cameras for surveillance."

"I noticed you buzzing around a few times but you always looked far too busy to interrupt." Tara shook the juice she was carrying.

"Sorry." Willow motioned to the place in front of her. "Please you have my total attention now."

"And I thought Lee had managed to get you out of the incessant apologising problem you have." Tara chuckled as she took her place putting down her small plate of salad.

"Only when Lee is around." Willow laughed lightly. "But she’s in Australia researching her wombats."

"Did the three legged one make it?" Tara looked at Willow worriedly.

"Don’t even talk to me about that little critter." Willow waved her fork. "Did I tell you she got a baby carrier for it? She’s attached to it like it’s a child." She laughed. "But yes the little guy is fine."

"Well I have to admit the last time she chatted he was doing well, though I was concerned that she seemed set on calling him William, something about having a Big Will and a Little Will to look after." Tara arched her eyebrows high.

"I think my better half is hearing the ticking of her biological clock." Willow admitted with a sheepish look. "I keep reminding her it means she can’t roam around the world on her expeditions but that isn’t deterring her anymore."

"Do you think you’re ever going to get her to settle down?" Tara asked genuinely interested.

"One day." Willow mused. "About the same time we get you someone to make you happy." She pointed at her friend. "So come on anyone looking hopeful?"

"I think I am looking for the impossible." Tara admitted as she started to eat.

"You with high standards?" Willow teased. "Never."

"Perhaps I’m just meant to be me against the world." Tara sighed softly.

"Now come on, no negativity. You above anyone should know that there is someone out there meant for you." Willow reached out and patted her friend’s hand. "Maybe we’ll get lucky and we can fix this anomaly and have a vacation."

"You think there are many English people just waiting to snap up someone like me?" Tara chuckled but it wasn’t a positive laugh.

"Sure, you’re beautiful, extremely intelligent, witty and funny." Willow listed as she ate her meal. "You never know all these cute ops crew running around you might get hit by cupid’s arrow."

"Maybe but remember Dawn’s here too, she’s just as likely to jump on it and intercept it worried that it might hurt me." Tara munched on her salad her smile dimming.

"I’ve seen her running around. I’m going to have to poke Buffy for marching her ragged." Willow scowled as she drank her coffee. "I mean just cause she’s low on the totem pole doesn’t mean she gets all the dirty jobs."

"Dirty safe jobs." Tara said a little sheepishly looking up at the green eyed red head.

"She hasn’t seen daylight in days. Safe as she can be." Willow reassured.

"I’m so proud of her." Tara admitted slightly wistfully. "Though I find myself desperately hoping she doesn’t latch onto Buffy as some idol or anything like that."

"I think every ops cadet holds Buffy in some esteem Tara. She’s really nice when you get to know her." Willow tried to quell her worry. "I worked a lot with her in the early years. She’s got a good heart."

"Was that before or after someone so obviously smashed it?" Tara queried.

"Smashed it?" Willow stopped putting her fork down a little thrown by Tara’s assumption.

"Or am I reading her all wrong?" The blonde instantly doubted her take on the situation.

"No, you’re reading her right but it’s not something she lets most people read." Willow looked at Tara thoughtfully.

"In that case I’m glad I’ve not mentioned it to her." Tara admitted thinking about the few times she had been tempted to do just that.

"You two getting chummy?" Willow checked carefully nursing her coffee.

"No!" Tara said quickly. "She’s just doing her best to be nice I think, what with the whole out ranking thing and the baby sitting job spec."

"Nice?" Willow almost spit her coffee out. "Buffy isn’t nice to her superiors Tara, she drives them crazy."

"Really?" Tara questioned wondering why she had never got this vibe from the blonde.

"She’s got her own way of doing things Tara and well lucky for her its almost always the best way." Willow tried to explain. "I’m surprised she hasn’t been driving you crazy with ops requests and changes to the itinerary."

"Perhaps it’s just a familiarisation period we’re having then." Tara reasoned to herself more than Willow. "Because she’s being really… nice." She reluctantly used the word again.

"Nice how?" Willow checked.

"Chatty, thoughtful, she got Dawn her place on this team." Tara explained.

"Chatty about what?" Willow’s eyes perked open.

"Her family, joining the military, that kind of thing." Tara gave a brief outline to the half dozen chats they’d enjoyed since their initial meeting. She was surprised when Willow’s jaw dropped slightly. "Why do you look like I just suggested you should officially adopt William the wombat?"

"Tara, I’ve known Buffy for about four five years do you know how many times we’ve talked about her family and such?" Willow asked the question back.

"No."

"Once." Willow filled in easily. "So thus the look."

"Was that when her mother died?" Tara asked softly.

"A few months afterwards." The redhead nodded.

"Before or after the heart smashing?" Tara inquired feeling more and more intrigued by the Slayer.

"About the same time." Willow frowned. "It was when she starting doing nothing but work, shutting out everything and everyone."

"There was someone to shut out?" Tara pressed gently for details.

"Her name was Angel." Willow said the comment softly knowing there wasn’t anyone in the dining room with them to hear the personal information. "High school sweethearts but after her Mom died Angel just couldn’t help her through the pain and well lets say shore leave provided a little more unexpected information than Buffy wanted one weekend."

"For what?" Tara asked instantly. "That is, for who?" She realised she wasn’t making sense or at least not too much of it as her mind still was whirling from the ‘HER name was Angel.’ line.

"She caught Angel in bed with someone else." Willow spelled it out.

"Goddess no." Tara raised her hand to cove her mouth.

"Smashed." Willow nodded sadly.

"When was that?" Tara asked her voice very low as if they were sharing a great secret.

"Not quite a year after her Mom died." Willow vaguely remembered.

"And since then?" Tara’s questions jumbled out.

"You know brief thing here and there but never anything lasting." Willow waved her fork lightly. "Never got over it."

"Poor Buffy." Tara whispered the heartfelt words.

"Life is lonely at the top." Willow gave a sad smile. "Okay so now I just want to break the communications ban and phone Lee to tell her I love her."

"Like you said, maybe we’ll get lucky wrap this up and you can fly off and deliver that message personally." Tara encouraged pushing away her salad not feeling hungry anymore.

***

Buffy strode into the lab with a file folder walking among the dark aisles till she came to the soft candle lit area where Tara was reading.

"We do have electricity." Buffy admitted in a soft voice as she watched the doctor pouring over an old text.

"Sorry? Oh yes, I just like to add atmosphere when reading ancient tomes, oh that at bright strip lighting can adversely effect the pages." Tara looked up smiling.

"The scouting report form the ruins you wanted." Buffy laid the folder on the table.

"Thank you, you didn’t have to deliver them personally." Tara rewarded the Slayer with a brighter smile.

"Gives me an excuse..." Buffy smiled back watching the candlelight flicker in soft blue eyes before she corrected herself. "An excuse to check that everything is secure."

"Check all you like." Tara leaned back in her chair slightly and arched her back trying to work out the kink in it from her semi-slouch.

"Someone hasn’t been observing proper posture." Buffy noted.

"I know." Tara chuckled. "Every time I seize I tell myself the same thing."

"Seize where?" Not thinking really Buffy moved around and put her hand over the lower area of Tara’s neck on the right side.

"I have this back issue." Tara explained as warm hands came to rest on her skin.

"Here?" She massaged her hand lightly into the knot there. Tara grimaced momentarily as Buffy’s hands went right to the spot.

"Yes, there." She said softly.

"What did the back problem come from?" Buffy quizzed softly bringing up both hands to work over the length of her shoulder muscle.

"Do you really want to know?" Tara replied as she brought one hand around to gather her hair and move it slightly out of the way.

"Sorry." Buffy assumed the question in return meant she’d been getting to personal and she’d been going to pull her hands back until Tara neatly tucked her hair out of the way. She kept her up massage though she abandoned the question.

"You don’t have to apologies, I meant do you really want to know not particularly interesting Tara tales?" Reaching out a hand Tara turned the CD player on the side near her pile of books back on. Soft classical music filled the background noise.

"Yes, I do." Buffy admitted massaging back to the base of her neck.

Wordlessly Tara moved her hand to the top button of her pale blue shirt. She undid the first three and than eased the light material from her right shoulder revealing a light but all too traceable scar that ran from her neck down and around her back, more or less exactly running along the edge of her shoulder blade.

"How?" Buffy felt the word stick in her throat like a rock as she drew her hands back to look at the scar.

"Demon." Tara replied her voice low.

"Is it dead already or do I need to go kill it?" Buffy’s voice went low as well laced with concern.

"Dead. Very dead." Tara replied and though no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t stop the shiver that ran through her.

"I’m sorry." Buffy whispered as she reached out to draw her hand down the scar.

"When?" She questioned tracing back up the line.

"Four years ago." Tara shivered again though this time not with the same intensity. Briefly Tara wondered why she wasn’t hurrying to pull her shirt back in place as she normally would.

"What was the demon?" Buffy asked in lieu of getting more details, the ‘what’ would probably tell her most of them.

"A mistthral." Tara replied quietly.

"Why were you anywhere near a mistthral?" Buffy asked confused, it was a violent demon, high propensity for casualties. There was no reason for Tara to be anywhere near it.

"I..." Tara began. "I was stupid." There was an edge to Tara’s voice that Buffy had never heard before.

"You are not stupid." Buffy shook her head reaching to slowly bring the shirt up over Tara’s shoulder again seeing the blonde tense. "Especially if you survived a Mistthral attack."

"On that occasion I was stupid." She reiterated while her hands moved automatically to button the shirt back up.

"What happened?" Buffy questioned slowly her hand staying for some reason, gently holding over the material she’d moved back.

"Ironically, I was on vacation. Isn’t it funny how sometimes it seems that bad things follow you around? Anyway I was staying with a friend, there had been rumours of strange goings on it’s one of the reasons I went to be honest. You know I was twenty one, wanted to save the world even on my days off." Tara shook her head sadly.

"I know the feeling." Buffy moved around slightly to the edge of the desk at Tara’s left leaning on it. "Still you must be a lot braver then you like people to think if you faced off a mistthral."

"Brave maybe, but stupid." Tara wouldn’t accept any shred of praise. "What uses is being a high level Spellcaster and a doctor of magic when facing a Mistthral demon who binds you the instant it senses you?"

"The use is that you had the sense to fight." Buffy offered in an honest voice.

"Yes, but if I’d bothered to read footnote 3ii before I went to take it down one on one I would have known that magic was a dead end and this was one for the big guns." Tara noted ashamed.

"We’ve all done it." Buffy reassured her.

"Have we all got someone else killed doing it?" Tara pushed up from her chair wrapping her arms around herself.

"I have lost thirty one members of my command in one battle or another." Buffy didn’t follow as she looked down at the shiny surface. "I can tell you their full names, the date they died, where and how... I can even tell you the names of their next of kin who I could never write to and explain how brave their loved ones had been." She took a deep breath. "The one thing I have learned is whether you read 3ii or not sometimes good people don’t make it back."

"But bad ones do." Tara’s breathed reply could not even be classed as a whisper.

"You’re going to blame yourself no matter what I say." Buffy looked up to meet blue eyes.

"Is that you way of saying it’s not worth talking to me?" Tara’s voice held no hint of judgement or anger.

"No." Buffy stood up shaking her head firmly. "It only means I can see it in your eyes, you don’t want to forgive yourself because you’ll always believe you could have done more. It’s that strength that keeps you fighting, keep you trying to save the world." She hesitated for a moment as she held blue eyes. "It’s what makes you so beautiful."

"Beautiful?" The doctor questioned the Slayer’s choice of words unable to break the eye contact.

"As in she who possesses great beauty." Buffy gave the soft definition. "I should leave you to your reading, Sorry for interrupting but I wanted you input on the ruins." She straightened herself out as she recomposed herself.

Tara watched as the other woman literally withdrew back into herself and a thick layer of armour encased her again.

"I’ll read it through until I’m done, you’ll have my notes by the morning." The blonde nodded.

"We’re having a ten am briefing if you want to join in." Buffy nodded curtly. "Sleep well Doctor." She walked towards the exit.

"Sleep well Summers." Tara whispered softly as she thought the blonde drew out of earshot. "I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you."

Buffy’s boots made an unusually crisp sudden stop and she turned back in the doorway.

"You haven’t and I doubt you could." She mouthed the words more than she gave them volume, not waiting to hear anything else Tara could say to disparage herself she walked on.

***

Buffy held the internal door open for the smaller redhead as they walked. They’d been doing a visual check of the newest security measures that Willow had installed and discussing future requirements. So far with less than a week on location they’d managed to whip the large estate into almost perfect working order despite the lack of manpower.

"Will, I’m not sure how we could need more cameras. You can already watch us do about everything but go to the bathroom." Buffy laughed at the technician’s latest suggestion.

"I could put them there too." Willow looked across at the Slayer unsure whether or not to contemplate the matter seriously.

"I don’t think anything that devious is going on there. As long as the ductwork to the areas are covered by motion sensors." Buffy realised the worry and quelled it. "Besides the point that anything getting to a bathroom has to pass at least a dozen check points."

"You think I’m paranoid." Willow noted looking away.

"No, I think you are the most through and conscientious security advocate." Buffy reassured her. "And I appreciate it."

"I’ll be happier when we’re up to full compliment." The redhead admitted.

"Agreed." Buffy gave a nod to a sentry guard as they passed through another area. "So far we’ve integrated everyone and the equipment on clockwork."

"I guess I got used to my safe little lab in my safe little high security headquarters, I’ve not been out in the field for…" The redhead paused. "Three years, two months and 18 days."

"We’re not putting you out in the field Will." Buffy smiled at her old friend. "This place is a fortress, I guarantee you’re safe."

"It feels like the field." Willow almost gave the Slayer a pout. "I want to call Lee." She admitted the real reason for her glum frame of mind with a sigh.

"Ah Lee withdrawal, I knew it was something much bigger." Buffy pulled them to a stop. "Willow if you want to encrypt a message I’m sure I can get Giles to transfer it out from headquarters for you." She made the offer quietly. "Though you know nothing X-rated." She tried to get the redhead to smile.

"No X-rated." Willow actually chuckled.

"What can I say if Dr. Lee Klagsbrun is the world’s most dedicated authority on all things necessary for our operation?" Buffy winked.

"After all who knows what secrets wombats hold." Willow joined in with another light giggle.

"Going to break it all wide open." Buffy laughed at the idea of wombats holding the secrets to world security.

"Don’t react badly to this Buffy." Willow began cautiously after a brief pause and she shied as the Slayer waited for her to continue. "But, well…" Willow seemed to search for a way to say what she wanted to. "You seem very relaxed and dare I say it happy, considering the assignment."

"Why would I take that the wrong way?" Buffy questioned her.

"Well you know you had that whole ‘serious slayer’ thing going for a long while." The redhead mused. "I was just I guess, surprised at the difference."

"I guess I’m just feeling relaxed." Buffy shrugged.

"Well yeah cause like that a natural way to feel while being positioned in the hot spot of supernatural activity!" Willow joked.

"This is me Will, being in a hot spot is familiar." Buffy smirked.

"Yes, but you’re in the hot spot basically babysitting." The redhead pointed out. "That is not familiar."

"Yes, but as was pointed out to me I am babysitting the Council’s top two non ops personnel." Buffy countered. "I plan on doing that well."

"Well I assure you I intend on being a well behaved baby, I can’t say the same for Dr. Maclay." Willow put her hands in the pockets of her long white lab coat.

"She doesn’t strike me as the type to not follow protocol." The Slayer held open the door to the technician’s internal lab.

"She’s not, I was kidding with you." Willow chuckled as she passed through the door.

"So how long have you known her?" Buffy followed in after her.

"About two years." Willow replied. "Though not well, I’ve only got to know her better fairly recently while she’s been stationed at headquarters."

"She seems extremely competent." Buffy followed over to the workstation that Willow had wanted her to look over.

"She is." Willow nodded. "If she wasn’t so technophobic she’d be great in the technical division."

"I have her younger sister in my third section." Buffy watched as Willow brought up the schematics they had been discussing earlier.

"Dawn, yeah I know." Willow commented absently as she worked.

"Looks good." She nodded at the outlay of security. "Dr. Maclay is going out with an ops team to scout the ruins this morning." She commented even though she figured Willow already knew the vital information.

"Unlike me Tara can’t wait to get her hands on the scene." Willow admitted her own reluctance easily, she’d learnt everything she need to from machines or cameras not by getting her hands dirty.

"She did seem rather excited about exploring the area, something about the latent energy." Buffy laughed at the enthusiastic conversation they’d had. It had taken some convincing to make the Doctor realise she wasn’t getting out of the estate without an escort.

"Did I say something funny?" Willow questioned the Slayer’s chuckle just looking up with green eyes to the blonde not moving her head from its tilted position to the screen.

"Oh... no just I was thinking of last night when Tara and I were discussing the ruins. She was like a little girl on her way to the zoo for the first time." Buffy summed up.

"You were discussing the ruins? Are you feeling all right? I remember there was a time when I’d have to draw a small creature on each page of a report just so you would look through the whole thing." Willow mocked gently but there was deep warmth behind her smile. "And even then you used to use it as a flick book to make the little puppy dance or the kitten chase the string."

"Hey you just have to know how to get me interested." The Slayer smiled softly. "Her myths about the ruins were... compelling."

"I bet she didn’t draw little puppies." Willow chuckled, her green eyes still watching her friend interested.

"I got a chalk sketch of the ghost that haunts the area." Buffy laughed remembering the blob drawing.

"You still prefer The Great Bonzo and Miss. Kitty though right?" Willow smiled truly appreciating hearing her friend laugh since splitting up with Angel it wasn’t that common a thing to hear. The redhead took two seconds out from looking at the screen to doodle the two little animals on a piece of scrap paper.

"Will nothing brings fonder memories then The Great Bonzo and Miss. Kitty." Buffy laughed again. "How else did I make it through all that senior tech training?"

"Madagascar must have done you good." Willow turned her attention back to the screen. "Or was it the short R&R after it?" She commented lightly checking the power routes and the full area power grid. "Okay now that’s odd." The redhead sat up in her chair momentarily. She moved her optical mouse slightly and zoomed into an area on the screen.

"What?" Buffy came to look over her shoulder immediately. For a moment the redhead’s hands and eyes worked feverishly clicking and opening window after window. "Less with the clicking more with the info." Buffy prompted feeling tension creep into her neck. Willow didn’t use words like odd, unless something was wrong.

"The security power sweep’s incomplete." She informed.

"In what quadrant?" Buffy stared as she opened more windows.

"Ex 5, the external perimeter." Willow focused down on the flashing red square on the screen. "Some one literally left a door open." Willow looked over her shoulder at Buffy and frowned.

"I’m going to have someone’s ass on a tray." Buffy stalked away towards the door hitting the communications button on the wall.

"I’ll remote close and lock it." Willow called after her.

"Armed security team to Ex-5 now!" Buffy barked into the machine as ran out.

"And I’ll err stay in here." The technological expert called after the long distant solider. "Where its safe."

***

Buffy had an Electro rifle in her hands and an escort of three offices coming behind her as she burst out of the back door into the covered garage.

"Sir, Slayer, Sir." The area squad leader was awaiting their arrival and jumped to attention instantly.

"Raymond, what the hell is going on here?" Buffy stalked up to a young man who stood into her path.

"Going on Sir?" A weak frown creased his brow.

"You’re area has a perimeter breech!" She screamed at him. "Are you unaware Ex-5 is now being remotely locked after you have left it open?"

"Exit Five Sir?" Raymond’s frown deepened in confusion. "I was not aware of that Sir." He stood tense and agitated as he realised he was in serious trouble.

"Where are your grunts?" She stalked further past him through the neat lines of trucks doing a general sweep.

"Squad fall in." Raymond barked the command and five young soldiers scrambled into a neat line by the trucks.

Buffy went the full length of the area to the tall back garage door that was now locked into place.

"I want a full molecular sweep done of this entire area." She turned with a hard stone like stare. "I want to know how many ants are crawling around in here by the time you’re done and if one glitch shows... one single glitch… you’re all going to be guarding grub worms in southern Antarctica."

"Sir, yes Sir." Two of the men that had accompanied the Slayer to the area immediately set to work.

The five on duty men stayed stock still to attention waiting for their dressing down and questioning. Beside them Raymond stood his eyes never moving from a point in the distance.

"Now I have one question." The Slayer came over to them slinging the gun over her back. "The cadet in charge of that door step forward."

Immediately the second young man in the line stepped forward his chin shaking slightly was the only outward sign of his nervousness.

"Who was the last to be authorised through that door?" She stood right up to him literally smelling the fear drop off him.

The cadet was about to answer when the radio on Buffy’s belt crackled.

"Slayer." She reached down and brought the slim unit up to her mouth.

"Summers… you know I hate calling you that." Willow replied quickly. "You’re not going to like this."

"Listening." Buffy waited for Willow to continue.

"We’re a jeep short."

"One vehicle is with Dr. Maclay’s party." Buffy’s mind snapped off knowing where each of the large vehicles was at any given time. "I’m seeing the rest here."

"I know, you assigned vehicle Tech3 to take her but Civ jeep 2’s not in the garage. At least she’s not registering." Willow explained.

"Who removed Civ Jeep 2?" Buffy turned to Raymond with a frightening glare.

Raymond’s look went completely blank for a moment, when just to his side the eyes of the first solider, just for a fraction of a second darted across to look at one of his companions.

"Whose in charge of Civ Jeeps?" Buffy asked the question again. She could hardly believe that something as simple as motor pool was suddenly turning into the greatest fiasco. "Tech leader is the tracker on Civ2 working?" She questioned into the radio.

"According to this no, who ever took it didn’t turn it on." Willow double-checked her information. "And I know don’t say I can’t believe it has to be turned on either."

"I think you’ve already registered my next tech request. Slayer out." Buffy clipped the radio back onto her belt. "Each of you pick a vehicle and stand with it, if either you or the vehicle moves a hair by the time I return watching grub worms is going to seem like a pleasure." She snapped her heel against the ground sending them scrambling.

She stamped her way over to another exit and went though it in a whirlwind.

"Squad present now!" She screamed in a strong voice as she came out between the rows of civilian unmarked vehicles and within seconds the six-person team had assembled. "Where is Civ jeep 2?" She barked not bothering to focus on any of them.

When none of the others answered, Dawn who was the fourth in the line, stepped forward.

"Parked in its slip Sir." She informed quickly.

"Well then why exactly is Civ Jeep 2 registering out of compound if it is in slip cadet?" Buffy walked right up to her.

"O-O-Out Sir?" Dawns eyes flared wide.

"Do I have a stutter?" Buffy barked at her. "Civ jeep 2 is out of compound and Tech 3 is without tracking mechanism. I have had one security breech and a shitload of useless cadets."

"Sir, permission to speak Sir." The cadet at the end of the line said clearly the very fact he did so made him receive a flash stare form the solider stood next to him.

"Make it quick." Buffy turned to look at him not backing away from Dawn.

"Civilian jeep 2 was taken out of the compound at 5:47 this morning, by Dr. Tara Maclay Sir." He looked at the wall but answered her in a clear voice.

"Then who exactly took out Tech 3 if Dr. Maclay took Civ2?" Buffy stepped over to him.

"Technical Vehicles exit from gate five Sir." The cadet pointed out.

"DO YOU THINK I AM UNAWARE OF THAT FACT MAGGOT?" Buffy screamed so loud she could feel her own ears hurt.

"No Sir, sorry Sir." The cadet’s head dropped a little.

"Exit five." Buffy picked up her radio and barked into it. "What time did Tech 3 leave port?"

There was a brief pause.

"05:56 Sir." Raymond’s voice responded quickly.

"Each of you pick a vehicle." Buffy growled as she walked over to Civ Jeep 1. "No one moves until I get back. Open the exit."

In a scurry of movement the instructions were followed with the mechanical sound of the gate lifting open slowly.

"Sir Permission to accompany you." Dawn marched over to Civ1. She had tried to not react as the drama that had unfolded but as it had become quickly apparent this was about her sister she wanted to know what was going on.

"Get your ass back by a car cadet." Buffy shook her head.

"But..." Before she could stop herself the small word squeaked out.

"Cadet Maclay, unless you want your next day off to include giving an oil change to every vehicle in Britain I suggest you get your ass back to a car." Buffy snapped at her with narrowing eyes.

Her professionalism snapping back into place Dawn moved back to the nearest vehicle and stood stiffly at attention as the Slayer drove out of the gate.

***

It hadn’t taken her long to reach the prescribed location of the ruins. Buffy pulled the jeep into the dirt area next to the other two missing vehicles and tucking the large rifle under the seat she eased a smaller handgun into a pocket in her coat.

A quick glance around showed her the designated team was now in place despite being twenty-six minutes behind the doctor in departure from the compound. She headed directly to a blonde sergeant approaching the tall woman with firm steps.

"You have two seconds to explain to me what the fuck is going on Ashby." She kept her voice hushed trying not to draw attention.

It was obvious from the flicker in the tall woman’s eye that she was making a fast decision in her head. One along the lines of; the Slayer is here therefore what happened this morning is obviously common knowledge so I can either act dumb get into more trouble or tell the truth and face a very large very public dressing down.

"Unless you want to join a dozen cadets in licking the vehicles clean tonight you better start talking." Buffy glared at her looking around again. She could see Tara just in the distance mapping rock formations.

"I regret to inform you Sir that the escort team for Dr. Maclay’s expedition this morning did not assemble until 05:56 hours this morning Sir. We learned that by this time the Doctor had brought herself to this location in Civ Jeep2 and so we followed after her immediately." Ashby answered succinctly.

"I am well aware of that, what I want to know is what mortal wound kept your team from being assembled as ordered at 05:30?" Buffy growled.

"I believe Sir that Driver Gnash overslept Sir." She gave the information out in an even voice waiting for the backlash.

"I assume you’ll be taking care of this properly." Buffy turned though her eyes stayed fixed on the woman’s face.

"Yes Sir." The sergeant gave a swift curt nod.

"Oh and I’ll see your squad at five am tomorrow morning." Buffy took a slight breath. "Full pack run, since the reason half the cadets will be puking by the third mile is you’re teams fuck up you should join them to provide puke helmets."

"Buffy, er I mean Summers!" Tara’s bright voice suddenly called out across the sight as from her place the doctor rose the wind catching the tails of her long dark coat and blowing it back as she fought to control her wind tussled blonde hair.

Buffy let the comment go before she began to walk to the doctor.

"Yes Ma’am." She walked over. "I apologise for disturbing your investigation but we had a slight situation this morning." She stopped just short of the doctor. "And I wanted to attend personally to assure there was no problems."

"And I was hoping that my tales had inspired you to come and collect rocks and soil samples with... Situation, problem?" Tara frowned as her tone changed markedly. "What’s happened Buffy, are Dawn and Willow ok?"

"Ma’am you left the compound unescorted in an untraceable vehicle without safety means." Buffy outlined the problem. "That is a distinctly serious situation."

"Oh that, the squad was a little late. I guess not everyone is as crazy about early morning rock examinations as I am." Tara continued with the light-hearted approach.

"With all due respect Doctor, despite your obvious competency you have to understand that you can not leave the compound unescorted." Buffy put her hands behind her back.

For a moment Tara seemed to be about to say something but then she reconsidered, her eyes dropped and her head dipped slightly towards the ground.

"I’m sorry." She said quietly.

"You don’t have to apologise to me." Buffy didn’t move knowing that inadvertently all eyes were on them. "You are well within your right to expect a prompt and attentive escort and I offer my direct apology that one was not provide by my officers. They will be dealt with promptly."

"And I will inform you directly and immediately if I feel there is a lapse in performance or attitude from anyone." Realising the situation Tara lifted her head again and brought her back up straight so she was at her true height.

"As you wish Ma’am." Buffy nodded. "Requesting permission to remain and escort you back to the compound."

"Permission granted." Tara gave a short nod. "Though I do not see the need in occupying so many members of your squad." She looked around the small unit that was now five people strong not including the slayer and herself.

"The area is open and any recon mission is delegated to have this minimum sized team." Buffy explained relaxing a little.

"This area is magically screened and protected." Tara replied quietly. "I erected the shield as soon as I got here, being alone and everything." She wanted to show Buffy that she had not been impulsive or stupid when she had made the decision to come out that morning.

"Would you prefer I lowered the escort total then?" Buffy questioned lowering her voice.

"The way I see it we have four excess bodies and two excess vehicles." Tara carefully offered the suggestion ensuring she left Buffy and herself with at least a driver to take them back to the base.

"Yes Ma’am." Buffy turned to her sergeant signalling four people two vehicles back to base. She signalled for the last member of the team to walk perimeter.

Tara watched at the lone solider began the covering patrol before she brought her blue eyes back to look at Buffy. For a long moment it was obvious that the doctor did not know what to say.

"You’re sister is fine, though she will be occupied for the next sixteen hours." Buffy finally broke the tension. "Willow was the one who recognised the discrepancy in the vehicles."

"I didn’t want to get anyone into trouble or to breech any security protocols Buffy." Tara apologised after the Slayer’s explanation.

"I know that but it was a unnecessary situation." Buffy met her softly.

"I should have just waited at the base." The doctor dipped down and put the latest soil sample pot into a padded silver briefcase and snapped it shut.

"With all due respect, you should have called me. I could have dealt with the tardiness." Buffy offered as she watched the Doctor work.

"I knew you had been up till three, I didn’t want to disturb you." Tara moved down to knell on the floor gathering her equipment.

"Doctor it is my job to be disturbed if it means keeping you safe." Buffy moved down with her to help pick up some of the heavier stuff.

"You’re angry with me aren’t you?" Tara turned her head and looked at Buffy directly, though her voice was still soft.

"I was worried about you." Buffy slipped the strap of a bag over her shoulder. "I should have been there to keep things running smoothly."

"I was right about the area being rich in magnetic forces and heavy minerals." Tara said lamely trying to ease the situation.

"I look forward to a full report." Buffy smiled at her. "And I’m glad you got everything you’re looking for."

"No sights of Casper to report though." Tara’s face eased into a charming grin.

"See now you figured out my whole devious plan." Buffy chuckled. "I wanted to come see Casper."

"Did you manage to get any sleep last night?" Tara suddenly enquired gently as she eased up form the floor and began to carry her things towards where she had erected the first of many small white flag markers.

"Standard two and a half hours." Buffy picked up another case in her free hand. "I hope you got a lot more."

"Well I’d already had five before I ran into you in the corridor."

"Let me know if any of the guard movements disturb you." Buffy offered.

"I will." Tara promised with a soft nod.

"Is there anything else you need to do here?" The Slayer checked.

"Just collect my pots." Tara nodded to the screw top jar next to the marker. She glanced around showing the Slayer that there was a similar pot next to each marker. "I gathered the samples when I fist got here, but I like to leave them in situ for as long as possible, so collecting them up is the last thing I do." She explained.

"Should I bring this stuff to the car?" Buffy questioned lifting the equipment.

"That would be helpful, thank you, though be careful of that." Tara pointed to a soft multi-coloured satchel the Slayer had picked up with the other things. It looked like it would be more at home in a student lecture hall, slung over the back of a chair than it did on a military dig site.

"Top secret?" Buffy questioned.

"Badly shaken up can of soda." Tara grinned again.

"If it goes off I promise I’m trained to throw myself over it and make cocktails." Buffy winked as she began to move the equipment.

"I hope your uniform isn’t dry clean only in that case." Tara laughed softly.

***

Buffy walked slowly down through the dark garage with a flashlight glaring down in front of her. She had already dealt with the cadets in garage five tech vehicles and now she had one more area to attend too. She marched all the way down to the door her boots echoing with each step.

"Sound off." She flashed the light into each of their faces in turn as they listed off who they were. She could see the strain and worry on their faces as they’d now been standing at attention in the garage for nearly six hours even as the relief squad came in and continued with their duties.

"As you have heard." Buffy kept her voice firm and even. "We have had a complete breakdown in protocol and duty here this evening boys and girls. One of our organisation’s most valuable assets was allowed to leave this base neither with guard nor the means by which to guard. This as you can well imagine is utterly unacceptable." She marched her way back to the far end high beaming each of them in turn.

Not a one moved, nor even visibly breathed.

"Now I see a few very serious problems arising from this endeavour that we will all learn from." Buffy stopped in the middle of the room. "Will we learn from this grunts?" She barked.

"Sir, yes Sir." They responded in sharp attentive chorus.

"Cadet Damji." Buffy turned in front of the young man who had early stepped forward to speak. "Since earlier you felt the need to be so very helpful and screw your squad mates you have the aspired benefit of sitting in the chair I have placed there and watching..." She shined her light over to a wooden chair near the far internal wall. "While the rest of you boys and girls take these shiny toothbrushes I have retrieved from supply and clean Civ Jeep 3 inside and out so that I can have my morning breakfast off the driver’s seat." She marched to each of them handing off a toothbrush.

"We will learn two very valuable lessons this evening boys and girls. One..." She barked out the words at them. "The only reason you are here is to do your duty. If you do not do your duty I will be here to kick your ass." She lowered her voice. "Right now boys and girls we could very easily be on funeral detail for one of our own due to your incompetence." She stopped at the end of the room and hit the light switch turning on the overheads to a blinding glare.

"Secondly, you are a unit and you will work as a unit or I will tear you apart from the inside like a Harto demon larva. While you could be tucked up in your nice little warm bunks after evening meal, you can thank Cadet Damji as you will now be getting about three hours sleep if you hurry with that vehicle before a five mile full pack hike. So enjoy girls and boys, I’ll see you here at five am for breakfast." She waited for them all to salute in unison before she left.

***

Dawn reached up and wrapped loudly on the outer door knowing it would take a rampaging dinosaur to wake up her sister. The scowls she’d got from the night patrol at the end of the hall didn’t deter her. This might be the highest-ranking person on the estate, but this was off duty time and this was her sister.

"C-C-C-Come in." Tara’s sleepy and confused voice called as she fumbled out of bed.

"Are you asleep? God you won’t believe what a hell night I’ve had." Dawn pushed her way in like a whirlwind.

"I was asleep." Tara stood blinking by the side of the bed. She’d just starting to wrap the tie around her waist of her bathrobe but stopped worrying about it when she saw it was Dawn. The brunette had seen her more than once in her fluffy flannel plaid nightwear. "What’s going on?" She rubbed her eyes.

"It’s only three am you can get plenty of rest while I’m hiking up some mountain she’s found at 05:00am." Dawn paced around. "Do they have mountains around here? I’m sure if she’ll airlift us to the Alps if she can’t find one to torture us with."

"They don’t have anything that still has snow on in it the summer." Tara assured her younger sister with a gentle smile she ran her hand over her hair trying to control the tousled mess.

"I don’t think she cares if there’s snow. She just wants to kill us all." Dawn finally flopped down in a chair.

"I’m assuming that you are talking about Slayer Summers." Tara leaned against the edge of the bed.

"I swear once you’ve cleaned the back end of a Civ jeep with a toothbrush you know who the devil is and it is her." Dawn nodded as her sister caught up. "And do you know why she made us clean a Civ jeep with toothbrushes?"

"Because they were dirty?" Tara asked softly.

"Because Carl Damji decided to usurp the chain of command and blab his big mouth about the fact you left without escort." The brunette stared at her sister. "I mean HELLO, stupid much. You don’t step up and ask the Slayer for permission to speak when she’s ripping all of us apart for being idiots."

"I think perhaps he was just trying to help Summers find out the truth about what had happened." Tara tried to placate the younger woman.

"Sis, you don’t know ops." Dawn shook her head.

"You stick together and go down together." Tara offered the little she did know.

"Exactly." Dawn nodded. "On top of that all squads involved are now going on a five mile full pack hike and rumour is that the security squad is coming so we can puke in their helmets. We get to puke they get to collect it. She’s a sadistic bastard."

"She in charge of you all." Tara pointed out.

"I know she is but I mean this is insanity." Dawn flicked at her pant leg. "I had to stand at attention for six hours. I mean wouldn’t that be enough?"

"Would you like me to run you a bath, make you a nice hot chocolate?" Tara offered sympathetically.

"No." Dawn sighed. "Sorry, I just had to bitch and there’s no one in the squad who’s awake or possibly alive."

"You can bitch at me any time." Tara smiled softly.

"Thanks." Dawn smiled back at her. "I was just glad you were okay. I was worried."

"Hey I’m your sister." The blonde reassured her.

"How pissed was she when she got to the ruins?" The brunette questioned curious as to the Slayer’s mind frame after leaving them to rot at attention.

"Mmmm." Tara thought for a moment. "Pissed, but I outrank her, it helped my case."

"Thank God." Dawn laughed. "If you didn’t outrank her you’d be like Damji, your life is going to be a living hell but at least this way I should find less things missing while everyone is busy razzing him instead of me."

"Things missing?" Tara picked up on her sister’s words, moving back to the bed and sitting on the edge of it.

"Short sheets, no socks... you know the usual for the squad maggot." Dawn shrugged.

"You’re the maggot?" Tara checked.

"I was, now Damji is for screwing up." Dawn smiled growing more relieved.

"So what you going to do to him?" Tara asked the question knowing Dawn would have something up her sleeve.

"Me?" Dawn tried to look innocent. "Would I do anything?"

"Oh come on shock me." Tara’s smile turned into a grin.

"I rigged his security pass so when he tries to get into the mess hall in the morning he’s going to show up on the bio scan as having a blood Rhine larva infection." Dawn crossed her legs. "Should be fun for him when they de-worm him."

"You are cruel, you know sometimes I find it hard to believe that you’re my sister." Tara opened her arms and beckoned for a hug.

"What?" Dawn laughed. "The rest of the squad wanted to put real blood worms in his bunk." Dawn stood up and moved over to hug her.

"Are you okay being here? It’s not the first assignment from hell?" Tara checked.

"It rocks." Dawn hugged her tighter.

"Even as the maggot?"

"Everyone has been the maggot at one time." Dawn mused pulling back. "At least I’ve got to do it somewhere while I actually learn some stuff."

"Good and I know she seems harsh but from everything I’ve heard you’ve got the best boss to learn from." Tara tried to ease the tension.

"She rocks for a hard ass." Dawn laughed. "You should have seen her. I mean she had everyone ready to die on command if she ordered it."

"Well I hope you wouldn’t have followed that particular command." Tara chuckled softly.

"Though Sis next time you want to go out will you please wait for your escort?" Dawn pleaded with her lightly. "We all don’t want to have to puke more than once in your name."

"I’m beginning to feel very guilty about this." Tara admitted.

"Don’t be surprised if every officer and cadet watches your every move. It’s now common knowledge that letting you get into trouble is the best way to get the Slayer to DOA your ass." Dawn grinned at her sister.

"As long as they don’t watch too closely." Tara smirked at the idea of the whole estate eyeing her.

"What you got a secret someone on the base?’ Dawn went to the small fridge in the corner of the room and stole a drink.

"Dawn!" Tara squeaked surprised by her words.

"What?" She looked innocent again. "Sis, you’re allowed to have a personal life."

"Am I?" Tara asked honestly. "I thought we’d agreed, that you were the Maclay sister who was going to have the life."

"I almost wish Dr. Rosenberg didn’t have her wife, you two could be cute and since right now my life is flying under the Slayer’s radar." Dawn chugged the fruit juice. "You have to be the one getting smooches."

"Well I’ll look out for a cute rock to date in the lab!" Tara laughed. "Oh and I am not commenting on the Willow comment."

"I knew you wouldn’t." Dawn laughed. "What about Sergeant Ashby? She’s cute."

"Sergeant Ashby is very nice and actually quite charming, but no." Tara replied calmly.

"Then who’s got your eye?" Dawn sat down again balancing her juice on her knee.

"Dawn, I look at rocks and soil, and plants and study magical energies and auras, when do I have the time to give anyone my little finger let alone my eye!" The Doctor shook her head.

"Mmmm but I have evidence." Dawn sipped her juice.

"Evidence?" Tara looked at her slightly puzzled.

"You’ve been all happy and you were singing in the lab yesterday." Dawn pointed out.

"Aren’t I usually happy?" Tara frowned.

"Yes, but ordering that the mess should bring in chocolate chip mint ice cream for a lunch treat is you in a great mood." She smiled. "Come on just spill, I want to share the happy." She whined softly.

"Honestly Dawn, there isn’t anyone." Tara stressed.

"Fine, don’t tell the maggot." Dawn put on a full pout.

"Dawn if there was anything to tell I would tell you." She shook her head adamantly.

"Well find someone." Dawn stood up again. "You deserve having someone in your life Tare."

"I have people in my life." Tara objected softly.

"Yes, but you deserve someone whose just yours." Dawn walked over to her. "Someone other than a rock or a soil sample."

"How about I promise to think seriously about it?" Tara offered the compromise.

"Okay, I should let you go back to sleep." Dawn moved to hug her again.

"Are you going to sleep for at least an hour of the ninety five minutes you have before your run?" Tara asked lightly embracing her younger sister.

"Naw, no point sleeping now." Dawn shook her head. "I’ll probably go have a meal so at least I have something to puke up."

"If I ever wonder if I should have retried basic ops, you make me see sense every time." Tara laughed.

"You were lucky enough to have too big a brain for basic ops." Dawn laughed. "Or else you’d still be on the obstacle course."

"Or I’d have turned the instructor into a toad and never have seen the outside of the brig." The blonde mused thinking of the brief few hours she had spent at basic ops.

"You could do that to the Slayer anytime you know." Dawn winked as she headed towards the door. "I’d be the hero of the company."

"Funny girl!" Tara chuckled. "Out!" She added pointing at the door.

"Ma’am, yes Ma’am." Dawn turned striking a hard attention and saluted.

"Love you twig." Tara gave a small wave.

"Love you Tare." Dawn waved back and left.

***

Tara watched as Buffy flicked through the thirty-page report she had prepared on her findings from her assessment of the ruin site. It was obvious the solider was doing her best to at least pretend the long tables of figures and percentages meant anything to her without boring her senseless but it was apparently that what she really wanted to know was what they actually ‘meant’.

"You don’t have to wrestle with the paper anymore." Tara said softly putting her hands in her lap.

"Oh sorry, I’m sure it’s really compelling but what is the bottom line?" Buffy looked up and gave a light sigh of relief.

"Bottom line is that it has all the characteristics; soils, mineral and life levels, I would expect from a well aged explosion site. The only glitch being…" Tara glanced up at Buffy as she verbalised what they all knew. "Is that the event that caused this devastation, happened three weeks ago and not twenty years as this table would suggest." Tara leaned forward and tapped to one of the statistic diagrams.

"Mmmm possible explanations?" Buffy saw the point the Doctor was making.

"The power involved in the explosion, the dimension of origin, of the rupture that was present during the explosion." Tara offered a couple of possibilities.

"Area recon has shown one likely magic player." Buffy reached down and opened a drawer bringing out a folder stamped classified. "We’ve done a tax audit on the local pharmacy which stocks some unusual rural remedies and it seems the only one locally purchasing anything likely to have been used in portal production is a man who goes by the name Reverend William."

"The thing that is concerning me is that this anomaly seems to be in no way controlled or predictable. It’s almost like its just flashing open and the rogue coven, one of which is possible led by the good Reverend, just jump on it when it happens." Tara admitted frowning as Buffy flipped open showing a picture of the greying stately gentleman. "In all my time and through all my research, I can’t ever remember of a case of randomly reoccurring anomalies."

"Mmmm interesting." Buffy nodded her mind deep in thought.

"Unless someone, something is generating them but wanting us to think they are random." Tara opened up another of her thoughts to the Slayer.

"Could the production be forced or predicted by anything in the demon realm?" Buffy put the idea out.

"To answer that I would need to know where it is coming from. You see if it’s root is here and it just opens through to a different dimension the answer would be no, it would have to be an anomaly from here. But of course there is the possibility that the source is another dimension and that this anomaly just pierces our dimension on its way to somewhere else." Tara took a breath. "Then it could be being tracked even created anywhere."

"I suggest an undercover operation to infiltrate the local magical society." Buffy put the idea forward.

"I get to ditch my lab coat." She smiled broadly.

"Oh no." The Slayer shook her head firmly. "Too risky, this has got a error ratio of at least seven."

"Who do we have on the team that could fake their way magically if not me?" Tara frowned.

"You are by far the most magically qualified but it’s too dangerous." Buffy shook her head again. "You’ll have to qualify someone else."

"Buffy I can’t just ‘magic’ someone else, it has to be someone with at least a basic knowledge of something and with a basic gift." Tara pointed out the flaws.

"There’s several soldiers with level two magical training." The Slayer wasn’t going to be persuaded. "They have the basic gift for you to counsel them on the specifics."

"It’ll take some time and they’ll have to come off other duties, can we spare any? It would be best to try at least two, in case..." Tara offered reluctantly.

"You have one other option." Buffy leaned back cutting her off softly.

"I do?" Tara looked quizzically at the other woman.

"You can go play covert ops as long as you have an escort, who you promise not to leave behind." Buffy gave her a wide smile.

"And who would I pass my escort off as? Magic users aren’t known for travel in guarded groups." Tara smiled back.

"But high level ones often have a body guard." Buffy waited for her to catch on.

"But do I want to infiltrate high?" Tara queried seriously.

"That would be up to you, but there is a lot of different ways to bring in a second Tara." Buffy leaned forward again. "Especially one like me." She waited to see the blonde’s reaction.

"Can the base afford to have us both out?" Tara’s blue eyes looked openly at the soldier.

"Dr. if you have to be the one to infiltrate then the base cannot afford to have you going without the best." Buffy’s voice and look was even. "And I am the best."

"Would you be happier for me to at least take a look at the troops?" Tara asked honestly.

"Do you think anyone else is remotely qualified?" The Slayer asked the hard question.

"Honestly, no." Tara admitted. "If he’s high level even orchestrating the rifts then he’s going to test powers and I don’t mean systematically and fairly."

"Exactly and we can’t afford being tripped up by something as simple as a game of whose spell is bigger." Buffy nodded. "We can work out easy bios and reasons to be travelling together."

"Willow is great with the identity thing, as well as getting us papers and other documents to prove out authenticity, I think we can trust her to make us into nice people." Tara smiled getting her head around the idea of what was being decided on.

"Any preferences?" Buffy agreed knowing Willow was by far the best in the business.

"I want a pretty name." Tara mused thinking about her new identity.

***

"Cassandra Lisa Drummond." Willow handed over the blue American passport to the doctor. "You have a degree in philosophy from Harvard and three minor arrests for protesting nuclear energy." She smiled and turned to Buffy. "Maxine Rolphan, you have no post secondary and we’re discharged from the marines after a eight month stint in the brig for disobeying orders." She picked up a package. "You both met two years ago at a protest rally in San Diego and as you can see had a lovely beachside wedding at sunset." She smirked as she held up the doctored picture.

"I knew I wouldn’t get you to wear flowers in your hair, even for our special day." Tara chuckled as she glanced at the picture.

"Oh I can put flowers in if you like." Willow was glad to see Tara playing around.

"No kids?" Buffy questioned with a slight shake of her head.

"You’re both too busy on your world adventures in minor governmental subversion." Willow frowned. "Sorry."

"Willow its fine." Tara quickly assured her. "Great job, lets just hope our acting is up to scratch." She grinned quickly.

"Well Cassie I’m sure we’ll manage." Buffy began to unbutton her shirt.

"I’m sure I prefer Cass and what are you doing?" Tara questioned confused as the Slayer untucked the dark khaki shirt from her pants.

"Darling if you noticed I have tattoos in that picture. I’m assuming our wonderful friend Willow has the transfers ready to mark me up." Buffy grinned.

"Willow…" Tara looked back at the picture and was suddenly struck by something else.

"Yes?" Willow looked up from the sheets of artwork that she was preparing to be put onto Buffy’s skin.

"I have black hair in this picture." She pointed out.

"You have a choice, either you had dyed it then or you dye it now." The researcher shrugged. "Oh and you have a belly button ring."

"I do?" Tara looked closely and turned the picture back towards Buffy "I do." She pointed to the sparkling body piercing. "I could put a temporary rinse through my hair make it a little darker at least."

"You were such a brave girl at the shop. You know she almost chickened out." Buffy laughed as the filled out memories. "And you look nice blonde, say you dyed it then to try and throw the cops off."

"One other thing Willow." Tar moved a little closer to the redhead as she spoke. "When would I ever wear pants that low and a top that tight?"

"You don’t but Cass likes to show off for Max." Willow couldn’t keep the broad grin from her face. "I have your suitcases packed already. You have really sexy taste."

"Sometimes I think you do this deliberately, don’t think I’ve for given you yet for Madam Darla." The blonde waggled her finger at the redhead but she smiled broadly.

"Hey she was lovely." Willow laughed. "And I’ve been meaner to Buffy." She turned carefully placing the eagle tattoo on the Slayer’s inner forearm. "You have a room booked at the local inn and a car waiting about an hour away for you to take into town as your transportation." She nodded towards the table. "Your belly button ring is there if you want to place it yourself."

"Thank you, I’m assuming you’ve put going out outfits in our rooms?" Tara took the small item of jewellery.

"Yes, the luggage is in your car already. You two will have to do laundry after a day or so since you’ve been driving over the last two days having come in through the channel tunnel." Willow spoke as she finished up with another barbed wire tattoo that went around Buffy’s throat. "You have a basic case of supplies, crystals and such but you can bring more if you feel you’ll need them. Buffy you have your standard ops requirements built into your suitcase. You can reach us through the barmaid who is a planted agent." She checked the placement.

"I know I probably said it at the time my little Rainbow Warrior, but I find that particular tattoo very aggressive." Tara watched Buffy’s transformation.

"But I didn’t know you when I got it so I didn’t have touch with my softer mushier side." Buffy grinned.

"Okay you two play nice, you’re devoted and in love remember." Willow shook her head at their banter.

"I’ll go and get changed and put this on." Tara nodded and held up the belly button ring moving softly to the door.

"You’ll find normal people’s luggage mixed into your stuff so you might want to go through it as you unpack and settle in. I’ve tried to include enough to make you’re fleeing from all arms of the law believable." Willow nodded. "And be careful." She smiled as the blonde left.

"See you at the garage in an hour baby?" Buffy grinned at the Doctor as she left laughing.

"I’ve always wondered why you never got tattoos?" Willow studied her handiwork carefully for a long moment.

"Because if I did have them you’d have to be covering them up now because they are a dead marker of identity." Buffy commented. "So making us lovers was the easiest cover?" She questioned as Willow played with the back tattoo’s settlement.

"It was either that or sisters or best friends. I thought sisters might freak the younger Maclay a little and well high level magic users aren’t known for their best friends." Willow pointed out the truth.

"But they’re well known for alt lifestyle?" Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"I was trying to stick to you and Tara’s preferences." Willow admitted with a soft smile.

"Dr. Maclay has a preference?" It was Buffy’s opportunity to be something she didn’t do often as she was caught off guard.

"Dr. Maclay has only dated once to my knowledge and that once was a girl." Willow replied nodding.

"Oh." Buffy tried to be nonchalant. "Who?"

"I don’t know her name, it was a long time ago though. She doesn’t really talk about it but I think she was twenty, twenty one age range, I get the feeling all did not end happily." Willow replied in a hushed voice.

"Like love ever does." Buffy grumbled.

"Oh come on, stop that, what happened with Angel..." Willow tried to placate softly.

"What happened with Angel was a lesson." Buffy stood up straighter.

"That taught you what?" Willow asked truly curious.

"My instincts shouldn’t be overplayed by my emotions." Buffy recounted.

"It was a long time ago Buffy." Willow gently reminded.

"So is there anything else I need to know?" She steered the topic to the more neutral mission.

"About the covers, about Dr. Maclay or about the fact that I hate this technological black spot." Willow queried accepting Buffy’s diversion.

"All three." Buffy accepted. "You know I appreciate your take on things."

"The covers are pretty much water tight, the only slip will be if you two have a blazing row or something and even then you can pass it off as nerves and stress." Willow admitted proudly that her sides of things were watertight.

"I’m sure a blazing row might give us a good in at some point. Emotions always do." Buffy nodded. "Dr. Maclay?"

"She’s the most competent witch and scientist I know." Willow admitted. "But she as vulnerable as, well, as Lee."

"I’m not going to let anything happen to her Willow, you know that." Buffy spoke with confidence. "So now the worrying bit, what technical black spot?"

"I know." Willow quickly assured her friend. "Basically this whole area is a dead zone. I’ve had to erect so many signal boosters just to get a decent satellite connection up and running."

"Well there is a way to get over that." Buffy laughed. "I can phone the house line."

"You know why Cassie married you in the first place I’ll never know!" Willow chuckled throwing the small sponge she had used to help her with the tattoo ink application at the Slayer.

"Hey you were there. Not my fault you and Lee were too busy with your flower power sex-a-thon." She teased back catching the sponge.

"You should be able to go get dressed now, you’re outfit doesn’t cover much of the tattoos." Willow grinned getting her own back easily.

"Exactly what have you put us in Willow?" Buffy laughed as she picked up her shirt and slung it over her arm.

"Hey I have to get my kicks some way." Willow waved brightly.

"Well as of 17:20 you are the base commander Dr. Rosenberg." Buffy smiled at her friend. "You’ve got Zahid as your second. He’s good and I warned him not to let you sweat the small stuff."

"I’ll cope." Willow nodded encouragingly.

"And don’t baby my grunts, they need to sweat more after that stunt they pulled." Buffy nodded. "Wish me luck." She walked towards the door.

"Luck." Willow called after her.

"Don’t need it." Buffy winked. "I got skill."

***

Buffy did a last inspection of the alarm line she had wound around the small lead encased window and door in their room. She didn’t want anything or anyone surprising them in the unsecured area.

‘Though.’ Buffy thought to herself as she turned to take in the quaint room with its large ceiling beams and stone fireplace. ‘It’s a nice room.’ She tried to avoid looking at the double bed that filled one end of the room as other than a two chairs around a small table it was the only furniture, other than the large built in closet.

"Perimeter is done." Buffy went back to the luggage. "Should we get this stuff set out and then see about dinner?"

"Isn’t it beautiful?" Tara asked from her place near the fireplace. The blonde witch turned and walked over to the closet. She pulled open the double doors smiling at the array of clothes hangers, all wound with ribbon.

"It is." Buffy nodded. "Very historic."

"I’m not sure they were expecting us both to be girls." Tara chuckled motioning for the Slayer to unzip the bags.

"I think they assumed Max wasn’t me." Buffy laughed as she reached down and flipped one of the bags up onto the bed and opened it.

"More of a Maximillian probably." Tara laughed too.

"The real question is what has Willow packed us." Buffy pulled up a long slinky dress. "Oh Cassie, you vixen." She held it up for the blonde to see.

"I’m not sure if that’s better or worse than this." Tara glanced down, her white jeans hung low and tight on her hips displaying her belly ring to its full. They ended just below the knee, her legs bare until a pair of leather sandals, the top was a tie-dyed halter neck that barely covered her chest.

"It seems all I have is leather." Buffy turned to pick up a pair of black pants that had red stitched into the flared bottoms like licks of fire. She smiled as she looked down to the tight strap top and beige suede pants she was already wearing.

"So you’re the bad girl and I’m the femmie environmentalist?" Tara wiggled her hands to be passed some of the clothes.

"Apparently." Buffy nodding coming over with what she had so far before moving back to the suitcase. She picked up a pile and headed back to the doctor handing them off.

"And to think I thought Willow liked me." Tara shook her head softly as she carefully stowed away the outfits.

"Hey wait." Buffy pulled out more clothes form the second bag. "You’ve got this." She held up a short silk teddy. "But Will didn’t pack me sleepwear."

"She must have." Tara gave up her hanging for a moment crossing over to Buffy to help her look.

"Shirts, socks, few pairs of shorts." Buffy went through the piles again. "Did you look in that bag at all?"

"Which one?" Tara glanced slightly over her shoulder as Buffy pointed to the smaller case on the floor she had assumed was filled with toiletries and such. "Oh that one." Tara shook her head and crossed to it. She picked it up and carried it over.

"It’s the only other non supply one." Buffy checked the front pockets of the suitcase she was unpacking only finding a first aid kit and hairdryer.

Tara quickly unzipped it and casually flicked the top back.

"Toiletries I think." Tara glanced in and saw a few bottles lying on the top. She reached in and picked one up. "I hope you like" She looked at the label. "Cinnamon flavoured body oil?" Her voice changed to a tight-surprised squeak.

"You mean bath oil." Buffy didn’t look up as she checked the first suitcase again for her missing nightwear.

"Spelled b-o-d-y o-i-l?" Tara tossed the plastic bottle towards the Slayer.

"What would we need that for?" Buffy looked up and caught it.

"Sensual massage rub?" She read the second label.

"Where did Willow shop for us?" Buffy raised an eyebrow.

Putting down the bottled filled with dark purple oil Tara took the remaining two out of the small case. She read the labels and then put them down.

"I don’t think I want to know what else is in that case." Tara picked up the bottles and put them back in flicking the top back over.

"Go on hopefully it’s something for me to wear to bed." Buffy urged her as she hung up more clothes. Tara’s splutter and cough briefly made the blonde struggle for breath. "What’s wrong?" Buffy turned hearing her choke.

"I’m not sure you’ll be wearing anything in this case." Tara shook her head. "If this case has in it what I think it must."

"What did she pack?" Buffy reluctantly asked feeling her confusion rising into worry.

"Well the other two bottles were chocolate body paint and…" Tara bit her lip slightly.

"And?" Buffy urged her to finish.

"Luscious watermelon flavoured lubricant." Tara whispered feeling her cheeks blush slightly.

"This has got to be a joke." Buffy shook her head and walked over flipping the top back. "There’s a note or something in here doing the ha-ha the head researcher has lost her mind." She stuck her hand in rummaging past the bottles and stopped as she hit something she thought was familiar. "Oh I get it, just Willow’s way of getting a holster and pistol..." She pulled out the leather strap expecting it to be her shoulder holster but as she found Tara’s face go even redder she looked at what she had in her hand. "I’m going to kill her." She stared at the soft leather harness.

"No, Buffy, Buffy wait." Tara looked away but her voice was controlled she could feel her cheeks burning but she did actually understand why Willow might have put them in.

"There better be a gun in here." Buffy stuffed the harness back in and rummaged around trying to keep her own reaction in check.

"I some how doubt it." Tara moved back to the closet turned so that her back was to the Slayer.

"I’m sorry... this was completely inappropriate of her. I honestly had no idea." Buffy stammered as she tied up the bag feeling like a complete idiot. How embarrassing was it to have the head of tech outfitting them with a storehouse of sexual aids to torture her?

"It wasn’t though was it." Tara slipped back into her ‘doctor’ mode. "We’re a happy committed lesbian couple, its quite natural that our luggage would contain such items."

"Yes." Buffy thoughts had been spiralling into a completely other realm and she forced them to come back to the logical. It had to be a little far fetched to think even Willow would have packed all this as some effort to see if something would start. No that was just her overactive mind wishing something would. "That makes sense."

"Yes." Tara blew cool air up over her own face before turning back around to look at the Slayer.

"Though perhaps we should make a run to the store tomorrow for the normal essentials that Willow as failed to pack." Buffy tried to formalise a plan of action as put the bag down and stuffed it under the bed.

"Will you be alright this evening? Perhaps you could wear a pair of shorts, and maybe one of my white strap tops?" Tara offered a solution to the missing clothes.

"That’s fine, I can make due. I didn’t mean to sound like a wuss." Buffy stood up.

"No, no you didn’t." Tara shook her head adamantly. "Believe me, wearing that." Tara pointed to the short silky number. "Will be just as odd for me."

Buffy smiled a little as she superimposed the teddy over the blonde’s body.

"Did you want to go down for dinner?" She questioned shaking herself out of her miniature fantasy.

"I’m not sure I’m hungry." Tara admitted. "Are you?"

"I’m okay." Buffy shook her head.

"Are you sure, I imagine with a metabolism like yours you must burn energy just by standing still." Tara smiled at the other blonde.

"I’ve never heard the fact that ops soldiers eat too much put quite so nicely." Buffy moved over to sit in one of the chairs. The doctor laughed gently. "I think I’ll wait and run to the fish and chips shop later. Been ages since I had authentic battered cod." Buffy admitted her selfish plan. This only made Tara laughed harder. "What?" The Slayer wondered what was so amusing.

"Oh Max." She strolled over to where Buffy sat. "You’re so lovely." She ruffled the shorter blonde hair.

"Does that mean I can entice you into sharing a portion of chips with me lassie?" Buffy tried her best English accent, which sounded as convincing as a high school kid trying to do a Shakespearean soliloquy.

"Definitely." Tara nodded chuckling. "But first I am going to get out of these jeans."

"Did you find anything in there that you liked better?" Buffy questioned worried that the array of ‘revealing’ clothing wasn’t going to sit well with the Doctor.

"I think I remember at least one pair of sweats didn’t I?" Tara turned back to the closet.

"You can wear the ones she packed for me if you wanted. I’m not to bad in these." Buffy slid her hands over the leather.

"I just want something to cover my stomach." Tara chuckled. "I hate it and having it so on show." She shivered slightly.

"Please don’t seriously tell me you don’t recognise the..." Buffy caught herself as she looked up at the blonde near the closet. "The fact that you look completely attractive in that outfit." She tried to find a complimentarily compromise between saying nothing and blurting out ‘you look hot’ which was the first thing she had come to her lips.

"You would say that you’re my wife." Tara pointed out pulling out the light blue sweat pants from the closet.

"Yes but the fact that we’ve been together for forever and I still get butterflies in my stomach when I look at you has to say that it’s the truth." Buffy explained with a smile.

Without checking herself Tara eased the four buttons on her jeans open and eased them down her long legs. She stepped out of them and pulling on the loose fitting cotton pants, tying them loosely in place.

"It was lines like that that got you where you are right now." She picked up the white denim and shook the jeans out folding them neatly over a hanger.

Buffy was strangely silent for the long moments it took the blonde to change. She did her best to respectfully look away without appearing somehow conscious because after all it shouldn’t be a big deal that Tara was getting change.

"Did you want anything?" Tara asked holding the closet door open.

"No, I’m fine. I’m used to leather." Buffy shook her head.

"I meant for you arms, it’s going to get chilly later." The blonde appraised the weather.

"I’ll probably throw the jean shirt she put in on." Buffy thought ahead. "Would you prefer I go down to the grocery and picked you up something?"

Tara flicked through the assortments of long sleeved shirts, finding the denim one and pulling it off its coat hanger.

"Well I did wonder if we wanted anything to keep in the room, you know chocolate bars or cold drinks." She turned and lightly threw the shirt onto the bed and then looked back for something she could put on.

"That might be best if we’re keeping odd hours." Buffy nodded.

"I seem to only have things made of see through fabrics. Any preferences?" Tara opened the door to the closet for her to see.

"The long white button down would look nice." Buffy offered the shirt that was in with her stuff.

"Okay." Tara pulled out the shirt Buffy had suggested. She slipped it straight on flicking her long hair out of the collar. "Okay?" She did a small twirl.

"Beautiful." Buffy smiled and stood up. She reached in and checked the wad of bills she had in her pocket. "We could get some flowers or something too if you like."

"How did you guess I like to put flowers in my room?" Tara picked up the denim shirt and walked towards the Slayer.

"I’m your wife, I know these things." Buffy gave her a bright smile.

"Of course, silly me does that mean I get candles too." Tara returned the bright smile.

"I think the rule is you get anything you like." Buffy winked at her. "Shall we?" She offered her hand figuring there was no time like the present to get more comfortable with their outward portrayal of their cover. With only a momentary double take Tara took the offered hand.

***

"Miss. Rolphan, Miss. Drummond." As Tara and Buffy walked through the small cosy bar area, into the main reception, the on duty manager greeted them politely.

"Hey." Buffy looked up at his greeting. Tara turned and merely smiled.

"I hope the room is to your liking." He enquired.

"Yeah, it’s great." Buffy nodded. "We need to pick up some flowers and maybe get some shampoo and stuff, any suggestions?"

"I’m afraid we only have two stores that will be open at this time." His answer made Tara frown slightly as she glanced at her watch to discover it was just after six.

"Nearby?" Buffy wondered if they could walk.

"Just down the main street." The manager nodded. "It makes quite a pleasant walk actually. They should stock all you are looking for." He added obviously trying ‘not’ to notice as Buffy made her move closer to Tara.

"Perfect." Buffy slipped her arm around Tara’s waist. "Ready beautiful?"

"Ready." Tara nodded.

Buffy reached out and held the door open letting Tara move out onto the small cobblestone sidewalk.

"He was nice." She said softly.

"Can you believe everything shuts at six?" Buffy laughed lightly at the closed up storefronts as they headed down the quiet street.

"Yes." Tara admitted. "I think it’s quite quaint really. Don’t you?" She glanced at the Slayer.

"Quaint." The blonde nodded. "So what flowers do you want?"

"Well Max darling, I think I should make you pick, see how well you know me." Tara teased.

"Oh so it’s going to be like that isn’t it?" Buffy laughed. "I would get you what I always get you." She kept her arm around Tara’s waist. "A dozen white star lilies."

"And what scented candles?" The doctor smirked leaning herself sideways into Buffy’s grip.

"That one is easy. Vanilla bean if they only carry standard and if they have exotic you like orchid or amber." Buffy couldn’t help but smile as they padded their way through town, a light night breeze sliding through the streets.

"Did you notice by the way." Tara asked softly.

"Notice?" Buffy questioned.

"On the notice board in the hotel." Tara kept her voice low "There was a poster that had a picture of our Rev friend. I didn’t get the chance to read it."

"Yes, seems he’s having a garden party tomorrow night. A revival of the pagan I believe it said." Buffy filled in what she had read. "Looks like we have plans."

"We do." Tara nodded. "I’m not sure I expected an opportunity quite so quickly, do I take it this was all thanks to our researching friend."

"Either that or we’re the luckiest pair on earth." Buffy let go of her grip to hold open the shop door for the taller blonde.

"Thanks Max." Tara said softly as she slipped inside.

The local Eight till late store had four small but well stocked aisles holding everything from small plastic water pistols, to tinned salmon.

"So anything else on your agenda?" Buffy questioned as she picked up a basket.

"For tomorrow?" Tara shook her head. "Not really, though it would be nice to get a feel of the place." She hoped from her choice of words Buffy realised she meant in a ‘witch scientific’ way.

"Most definitely." Buffy nodded picking up some energy bars and dropping them in the basket.

"Do you think these are like Oreo’s?" Tara held up a long cylindrical packet for Buffy to look at.

"Mmmm look close." Buffy nodded. "Why do they call them biscuits though?"

"I don’t know." Tara scrunched up her nose. "I miss Oreo’s." She said wistfully.

"The Wesco’s or whatever that is should have them." Buffy tried to appease. "But we can try these tonight." She reached to put the cylinder in the basket.

"So what do you want to do tomorrow?" Tara asked turning her attention to the shampoo range.

"Maybe go see some sights." Buffy shrugged leaving their itinerary up to the Doctor.

"No desires?" Tara checked selecting some shower gel and some 2in1 shampoo.

"I can try and drag you out for a morning run." Buffy smiled at her as she dropped some razors and toothpaste in.

"I think we only packed one set of sweats darling." Tara smiled brightly and lightly patted Buffy’s mid abdomen. "So maybe not. Red or blue?" She held up two toothbrushes.

"Red please." She smiled at the choice not able to ignore the wave of warmth that spread through her after Tara touched her.

"Aw that means you clash with my orange, I’ll have to have the yellow instead." Tara made the swap of the toothbrushes.

"No take the blue then if you want orange." Buffy conceded. "And I can run in shorts, you can run in the joggers."

"But you wanted red." Tara looked at the Slayer for a moment her smile soft, her blue stare warm.

"Blue." Slayer underlined.

Still smiling and gazing Tara made the swap again wondering why she couldn’t draw her eyes away from Buffy’s face.

"Did we need anything else?" She asked after a long moment.

"Do we need anything else?" Buffy found herself asking the question at the same time and Tara laughed as her words were echoed back to her.

"I noticed they had lilies in the buckets outside." Tara pointed over her shoulder.

"You want to pick some out while I grab candles for you?" Buffy queried.

"No, you choose." Tara smiled "I’ll look at the candles and get some drinks."

"Okay baby." Buffy agreed and moved to the front of the store. "Oh and can you pick out some candy." She turned back grinning.

"You are such a child." Tara called as she moved to the candy section and picked a variety. Buffy laughed as she went to the outside and began picking through the blossoms. After discovering that the candle section only included red or white household varieties she moved to put the basket on the counter.

"Evening." With a nod the shopkeeper flicked the handles of the basket down and turned the key in the register.

"How’s this?" Buffy came back in awkwardly carrying an armful of lilies and roses.

"Lovely." Tara nodded. "And hello." She added to the middle aged man behind the counter.

"Hey." Buffy looked up at him as she reached into her pocket.

"Not seen you folks in the village before." He said casually.

"We’re having a second honeymoon." Buffy grinned as she picked up a pack of gum and put in into the pile. "The brochure said you had some interesting spots around here."

"Oh you and your husbands staying in The Ash are you?" He started totting up the bill, packing the items into bags for them.

"Don’t know, where’s your husband baby?" Buffy looked at Tara with a mischievous grin. Tara gave Buffy a look that said ‘behave’ but a smile that appreciated the other woman’s humour.

"Oh I think they’re hanging around somewhere close by." She replied smirking.

"From America are you?" The shopkeeper continued his work slowly.

"Guess the accents got us." Buffy nodded. "California."

"I’ve got a friend moved out to Texas, oh it’d be about four years ago now." He held the packed bags out towards Buffy.

"It’s hot in Texas but nice steak." She took them in one hand and held out the money for him.

"Can’t understand the attraction myself, far too rowdy and loud over there for my liking." He took the money with a smile and was quick to get her change.

"That’s why we wanted to come somewhere quiet to get back to nature didn’t we love?" Buffy smiled as Tara gathered up the flowers.

"Well I hope you enjoy your stay." He nodded again.

"I’m sure we will." Tara nodded and smiled politely.

"Thanks." Buffy took her change and moved to open the door.

"You’re terrible." Tara hissed as they breached the shop and were on the sidewalk again.

"What? He was doing twenty questions on us." Buffy stuck up for herself.

"But that’s because we’re new in town." Tara replied thoughtfully.

"Oh come on you’re husbands are at the hotel?" Buffy rolled her eyes." Hello twenty first century."

"Well maybe we’re just not convincing lesbians." Tara’s voice was low but held an amused tone.

"You don’t think?" Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"I don’t know." Tara admitted.

"You do realise t