Faith wasn’t sure this was a good idea at all. Despite herself she’d at least agreed to put on the outfit that Dawn and Miss. Lauder had put together for her.

"Okay, no one laugh." She pulled at the short plaid kilt she was wearing, reaching up to her braided hair. The tight white button down cardigan set she was also wearing did everything it could contain her ample breasts. "And someone please tell me who on earth dresses like this?" She pointed to her hair. "I look like I should be in Grease."

"At least you look like you’ve reached puberty." Buffy glanced down with an uneven frown at her own equally age reducing outfit.

Dawn couldn’t help but start laughing as she looked between the two of them.

"There is something to be said for the innocent look." Mrs. Lauder came up beside Dawn and put an arm around the teenager’s shoulder.

"This is not innocent, this is sad." Faith reached up to pull her hair out. "I need makeup, I feel naked."

"You look lovely." Mrs. Lauder admonished. "Both of you."

"Can I at least put a tight top on?" Faith whined more.

"No." Buffy quickly objected. "You don’t get to look or feel any better than I do."

"Then can we go get this over with so I can put some real clothes on." Faith picked up her stake. "And where do I keep this?" She looked down at herself.

"In these." With a broad smile Anya appeared carrying two small purses, covered with sequins she held them out to both Slayer’s.

"What the fuck is this?" Faith took it looking at it horrified.

"In England we would call it a handbag, now be a good girl and put your cell phone, your stake and enough money for the taxi home in it." Mrs. Lauder chuckled softly at Faith’s face.

"I swear there better be lots of demon butt to kick to make up for this." Faith stuck the items into it and clutched it unhappily. "Let’s go B, if we’re lucky we’ll get our clothes slimed and have to walk home naked."

"If that happens call Rupert immediately, I will not have two young ladies like you exposed to the chilly night air." Rose scooted them from the room and followed to the door.

"Remember you got the flyer from someone in your science class, you just transferred from out of town." Dawn yelled after them.

"Do you think I should have cast some kind of acne spell on them?" Anya pondered as Rose closed the door.

"I don’t even think acne will help them look like they’re in high school." Dawn shook her head. "I could have gone with them; it would have seemed more realistic."

"Oh no my little poppet." Rose shook her head. "We have your room to finish."

****

To Buffy’s surprise the party was actually a really mixed crowd of young people, that were barely if at all legal going right up to people in at least their mid twenties.

"Anyone else feel completely badly dressed." Buffy hissed at Faith as they squeezed past a group of chatty teenage girls.

"Into the bathroom." Faith pushed her down a small hallway and into a small ensuite. "Damage control." She appraised their outfits and quickly took off the outer cardigan she was wearing. She reached down into her boot and pulled out a small knife. Quickly she cut up the material making a V that showed off her belly button and slit up the sleeves so that they hung off her arms slightly.

"Better." Buffy nodded leaning forward to alter the dark haired Slayer’s hairstyle. "Please do something about my outfit." She begged.

"Mmmmm okay take off the bad shirt." Faith bent down and cut a small slit in the long denim skirt before she gripped the ends in both hands and created a long high slit up to Buffy’s thigh. "I have lipstick and eyeliner in that hideous purse." She took the shirt as Buffy stripped down to her bra and began picking out the stitches that kept the sleeves in place.

"So any bad feelings yet, that aren’t caused by the outfit disaster I mean." Buffy asked as the other Slayer worked, and she applied lipstick.

"Well I’m wondering why there are guards to the basement stairs." Faith noted as she finished with the first sleeve. "And what exactly is in those energy drinks they are serving."

"I’ve not been offered one yet, maybe I’m just giving off enough energetic vibes." Buffy shrugged. "Though I noticed at least two of the quarterbacks watching you."

"Then I guess we have a plan. I get a little taste of what they have to offer and you watch my back. Deal?" Faith finished and held the shirt up for Buffy to take as she swapped it for the lipstick.

"Deal." Buffy nodded. "Don’t take any risks though there’s no need."

"No worries, take a few sips. Let them lead as to what they expect to happen to me." Faith checked the mirror feeling a thousand times better with her lipstick on. "Then we can kick ass." She gave the blonde a snarling smile. "You look good." She noted the sliver of thigh and low cut cleavage that was showing since most of the buttons were cut off Buffy’s shirt.

"You too." Buffy nodded, "Just be careful out there, if they turn out to be demon football players they might be a handful."

"We can use the purses to blind them." Faith laughed and fluffed out her hair.

"Do you have any idea how much I want to burn this aberration?" She quizzed picking it up gingerly.

"I double that." Faith put on a bright smile. "Okay let’s do this."

****

Faith tried to hold onto the conversation around her, it had been a difficult task when only the music had been droning on trying to steal her attention but now that the room felt like it was swimming around her it was nearly impossible. She knew she had only taken two maybe three sips of the bright green sluggish drink and it had tasted something more like pureed salad then anything that should be drinkable.

"Don’t you think?" The bimbo girl she was talking to asked the question suddenly and Faith found herself not able to figure out what they were talking about.

"Sorry, I have to go to the bathroom." Faith put her hand up feeling that her face was hot. Turing slowly she tried to find Buffy’s location in the seemingly now packed enormous room. It took her a few moments before she caught hazel eyes and she began to press her way through the crowds.

"Hey Mary, do you need another drink?"

Faith felt the world spin around her uncontrollably as her arm was grabbed and she was turned. When things finally settled down all she could see was a see of red felt and a large letter S.

"No, no I’m fine. Just on the way to the bathroom." Faith tilted her head up and felt her jaw drop as the once human football player now seemed to have horns and glowing red eyes.

"Feeling okay?" the young man asked leaning down a little closer to her.

"Just energized." Faith tried to cover up. "What is in that green stuff anyway? It just really gets you going." She blinked again trying to push the image she was seeing away.

"It has ginseng and shit in it, the coach gets it in." He slid his arm around Faith’s back. "Why don’t you come and sit down, I can get you some more."

"How about I go to the bathroom and then meet you back?" Faith tried to do her best not to freak out as she felt the carpet under her feet wobbling a bit. "That way I’m ready for another jolt."

"Perfect. Where’s your blonde friend?" He didn’t release his light grip on Faith’s arm.

"She’s…" Faith looked around a bit trying to spot Buffy. "Right over there." She tried to point and felt her arm feeling like a lead weight.

"Looks like she’s making friends." The football player nodded over to Buffy who though trying was making little leeway in her escape from the group of six girls that surrounded her raving apparently about her skirt.

"She’s social." Faith tried to catch Buffy’s eye. "So where is the bathroom?" She questioned trying to stay on her escape topic.

"Well there’s the main one over here, but there’s a more private one I can show you, but this time during one of the coaches parties, the main ones are you know, pretty gross." The young man tried to ease Faith backwards.

"Great, can we swing by and get my lipstick from Buffy." Faith felt herself moving and she wasn’t exactly sure how. "She might have to go too."

"What is it about you girls, have to go everywhere in pairs." He laughed and patted her back lightly. "Go get her I’ll take you both with me."

"Don’t go anywhere. I’ve got my eye on you Scott." Faith flashed him the best sexy look she could and aimed herself in Buffy’s direction. "B?" She called trying to find some volume.

"Hey." Buffy finally gave up and pushed the two remaining hangers on out of the way and crossed to Faith. "Are you okay?"

"No." Faith hissed. "The whole fucking world is doing jumping jacks and Scott has horns, whatever was in that shit I’m totally done. We have to get out of here."

"Horns?" Buffy hissed back. "You think the drinks are spiked? I’ve had three." She frowned.

"I don’t know… but I haven’t felt like this since I dropped acid a few years ago." Faith grabbed at Buffy’s hand and placed it against her chest. "My heart is racing."

"God it is." Buffy felt the hard fast drumming of the other Slayer’s heart. "Okay, let’s get you out of here, I can come back with Giles and the gang later and sort this out."

"The players are stalking me; I don’t know how we’re going to get out." Faith looked around to see all the horned creatures in the room were looking at them. "And I can’t walk a straight line." She laughed. "Me straight, funny eh?" She leaned against Buffy. "Wow when did you get wings B?"

"Oh don’t worry there is always a way out." Buffy put her arm securely around Faith and began to move her towards the entrance.

"Out and proud." Faith laughed and leaned into Buffy’s body. "Never knew you had it in you B. Now remember I’m not as easy as I look anymore."

"Okay now I know you’re drugged." Buffy shook her head and helped the other Slayer more.

"Hey girls where you going?" A tall footballer looked down at the pair of them.

"My girlfriend and I are going outside to have sex in your garage." Faith grinned at him.

"Wow really." The young man backed up a little his eyes wide. He glanced over his shoulder before whispering. "Can I come and watch?"

Buffy was about to shoot down the young man in a rush of flame but then she rethought. With a coy smile she reached out and drew her finger down the front of his shirt.

"If you can get us out quicker." She purred shocked at the huskiness she managed to put into her voice.

"Just remember big boy." Faith turned grabbing Buffy’s chin and branded her with a searing long kiss. "You watch, you no get to touch."

Buffy tried not to cough or stare at Faith as she pulled back.

"She’s the jealous type." She put in with a flash of a smile. "And the eager type so do you think we could like, make a move?" She urged him as he seemed a little stunned by the kiss.

"Oh yeah." He grinned and motioned for them both to go through the door to the outside.

****

Dawn let the phone ring and ring praying that someone would hear it and pick up.

"Hello?" Willow’s sleepy voice came over the line after the twentieth ring.

"Willow." Dawn breathed a sigh of relief. "Did Buffy go by your place?" She questioned upset.

"No, what? Dawn why would Buffy come here?" Willow questioned waking up more.

"Her and Faith went to this party, they thought it was where the regenerator might be finding girls to kill. She brought Faith home about a half hour ago and she’s acting really weird. Buffy said it was some drugged drink they gave her but I don’t know… I don’t think this is normal even for a spiked drink." Dawn spoke in a quick high pitched tone.

"Acting weird how?" Willow rubbed at her eyes trying to focus.

"She’s hallucinating really badly, and sweaty and shaking like she has a flu." Dawn filled in. "Oh and her fingernails are going blue."

"When did Buffy say she would be back?" Willow asked the obvious question.

"I don’t know, she said she had to take care of this thing. Rose is here, can we bring her to you?" Dawn put forward the scared suggestion. "We can’t take her to a hospital."

"No, no Dawn of course not, bring her here." Willow agreed quickly. "I can figure out what it is and how to counteract it. Just be careful, all three of you."

****

Willow held the door open as Dawn did her best to help Faith into the house.

"Hey Red, nice of you to invite us to the castle." Faith staggered and flopped down on the couch.

"She’s gotten worse." Dawn frowned as she covered her up with the blanket they had brought.

"This is not good." Willow bent down testing the Slayer’s temperature before she checked her pupils. "At a guess she’s been poisoned."

"You said Buffy and her went to a party?" Ruth tried to clarify the details as she settled down a bowl of ice water on the coffee table. The dark haired witch was dressed in her grey pyjama set, though she was bright and active.

"They got some information it was from this party the girls might have went missing. Buffy said that they were serving some kind of energy drinks and that it was after drinking some of one that she went all funny." Dawn tried to fill them in. "Buffy said her drinks were fine so it must have been targeted at Faith. She said Faith was saying they all had horns but that could be because she’s hallucinating."

"She’s burning up." Willow took the cloth out of the bowl Ruth had brought. "We’re going to have to figure out what she could have ingested."

"Could be henbane or hemlock." Ruth came up with the two names instantly. From behind her Mrs. Lauder made a noise of agreement.

"Or nightshade." Willow agreed with them. "Or something we have no knowledge of."

"Where’s my toga? Why does everyone get a toga but me?" Faith questioned pushing up a bit.

"Why don’t you just relax dearie?" Mrs. Lauder gently tried to ease the Slayer back to the couch cushions.

"I can’t relax, there are vampires." Faith pushed up. "I have to kill them, I have to protect everyone."

"Be careful Rose." Willow eased the older woman back. "With super strength we might be in trouble."

"Faith." Ruth moved passed Rose and knelt down and closed her hand over Faith’s, her navy eyes widening for a brief moment. "Faith, can you hear me?" Ruth tried hard to filter a little of the open confusion and mania that the blur of visions and images flowed from the Slayer to her.

"Hey wonder witch." Faith smiled at Ruth momentarily forgetting her quest to save them all. "You’re looking a lot better then you were."

"Thanks to you." Ruth smiled. "Faith, you’ve been drugged." She kept her words simple and precise as she continued to filter things as best as she could. "Now we need to work out what they used on you."

"Oh that… it was a green sludgy drink." Faith tried to explain. "They mixed it in a blender. I only had a few sips. God I feel like I’m on acid."

"I can help with that." Ruth said softly. "We just need you to relax back for us and trust me." She added the last words softly.

"I don’t have much choice." Faith leaned back onto the couch.

"Thank you." Ruth pulled her hand free for a moment and turned to Willow. "Lo I’m going to dream walk with her." She said softly. "You need to find out what was used, it was added unnoticeably to a drink."

"But… But… Ru, you’re still weak." Willow’s face dropped slightly. "It will be too much on you."

"Lo, you said yourself she’s a Slayer, she could get dangerous." Ruth said reasonably. "This way I can keep her low key and safe."

"Mmmmm are you sure?" Willow tried not to be disparaging.

"Just find out what did this." Ruth leaned forward and kissed Willow’s cheek.

"I will, I promise." Willow leaned in and kissed her on the lips. "And be safe."

"I will, I promise." Ruth kissed her again and then pulled back running her hand over Faith’s sweat soaked forehead. She slipped her other hand into Faith’s and gently leaned in till her forehead touched the Slayer’s arm. "Count with me." She asked tenderly, glancing at Willow. "When I stop counting with you, you’ll know we are elsewhere."

"One, two, three." Willow began with Ruth’s voice joining her softly for a while longer when it tapered out. "Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen." She kept counting just to be sure that Ruth wasn’t going to say anything. "Okay I need to find out quickly what she’s been given." She raced to get books.

****

Xander panted as he ducked his head up just in time to see Buffy take the wide swing with the fire axe and effectively severe the deformed horned head off the coach’s shoulder.

"Wow that was close." He looked around to where all the other football players lay unconsciousness.

"And kinda gross." Buffy shook her hand and sprayed the floor by her feet with thick dark orange goo. "I’m thinking we won’t do as well in the league this year." She trod over the fallen corpse to where Giles was looking through various contains that lined the shelves of the over large cellar. "What you got Giles?"

"Lots of blood." Giles put down yet another file of the thick semi coagulated fluid. "The regeneration idea was right, I believe I am right in saying that that was a Largyl, a Polynesian demon."

"A who-ee-what demon?" Xander walked over to a desk and began to shift through some of the papers and stuff that was there.

"Gross thing from polywhatsisface, that has orange goo." Buffy translated for him.

"So since its dead does that mean that Faith won’t be tripping anymore?" Xander questioned picking up a wiggling worm like thing that he threw across the room when it turned on him.

"Well I’m not completely sure…" Giles began but stopped as he picked up a small jar. "Kava-Kava." He took the lid off and sniffed the plant inside. "Xander open that fridge beside you, are there any bowls or containers with leaves that look like this in it, probably soaking in water."

"Let me check." Xander bent down pulling open the door. "Power bar, eggs, ewww floating green leaves in sludge." He held up a large jar.

"Kava Kava." Giles stated again putting down the glass he held.

"Okay I’ve been patient, what is Kava Kava?" Buffy queried.

"It’s an herb Buffy, a powerful one that cause’s delusions and visions, but in large quantities, causes kidney failure. My guess is that they used this to weaken their victims." The Watcher explained.

"Then this is what they gave Faith." Buffy pointed out horrified. "You saw her, if it took down a Slayer it had to be a large quantity. We have to get her to a hospital."

"Yes you’re probably right; they must have a toxin and poisons speciality." Giles nodded. "You should call Dawn immediately."

Giles turned to Buffy to find the Slayer already on her cell phone.

"There’s no answer." She flipped it closed. "Oh God do you think it’s already happened?" She blanched.

"No, Buffy if she was that sick Dawn or Rose would have taken her to the hospital." Xander shook his head trying to be supportive.

*****

"Willow…" Dawn’s voice wavered as she looked up, "I think you need to read faster." She watched as Faith twitched and shivered.

"I’m reading I’m reading." Willow flipped to another page. "I think you should page Anya." She stopped and ran her finger down the page. "It could be any of a number of herbs, and that’s just taking into account all the natural psychedelic substances. If this is other worldly or even pharmaceutical." Her brow creased with tension.

"Paged." Anya appeared dressed in a green robe with a full face mask on. "Though you do know what time it is don’t you?"

"Sorry, we have a problem. Faith’s been poisoned." Willow pointed to the couch. "Ruth is dream walking to keep her hallucinations down."

"Not nice, any ideas what it was?" Anya peered at the couch.

"A few options, it’s causing hallucinations, sweating, shaking, her temperature is skyrocketed and she’s very flushed." Willow listed them. "It happened while she and Buffy were investigating the regenerator. We think it was using whatever drug it gave Faith when it took the other girls."

"Have you checked the autopsy reports on the other girls?" She suggested hopefully, "They’d be on line by now wouldn’t they?"

"Great idea." Willow moved to her laptop and began flying through screens. "And the toxicology should have been done as well."

"Would they test for herbs though?" Dawn questioned putting a new cold cloth on Faith’s forehead.

"They’d do a full screen for anything from aspirin to heavy metals." Willow began scrolling down. "Here it is… they found methocarbamol, acetetominophin… which means a muscle relaxant." She kept looking. "Some other stuff that add up to an antihistamine, no wait there is some extra notes. Evidence of an extreme dosage of ‘Piper Methysticum’."

"Of what?" Dawn looked up confused.

"Kava-Kava." Anya filled in helpfully. "Very powerful hallucinogenic, if you steep it into liquid you can add it to any drink and incapacitate someone, or at least have them so crazy they won’t know what is real and what is fake."

"Kava-kava causes kidney failure." Willow looked up her colour going even paler. "We have to get something to neutralize it."

"Yes, yes I know… up to the demon to get a cure. Though you know how hard it is to get a witch doctor’s help at this time of night." Anya blinked out of existence.

"Should we wake Ruth up?" Dawn looked at the unmoving dark witch.

"Not yet, she’s doing fine." Willow tried to be supportive; she’d been carefully watching any chances in the witch’s body that would prompt her to severe the link. "I’m going to leave Buffy a message." She picked up the phone and dialled the Slayer’s cell phone.

"Willow what’s wrong?" Buffy answered almost immediately her voice heavy with worry.

"We found out what is wrong with Faith, she’s been poisoned with Kava Kava." Willow didn’t waste time. "Ruth is doing a dream walk to contain her hallucinations."

"How did you know about Faith?" Buffy asked immediately confused.

"Dawn called in a panic and they brought her over here. Rose has gone back in case you got home." Willow explained. "Anya has gone to get a cure but Kava Kava causes kidney failure so we might be too late if the dosage was too high."

"I’ll be there as soon as I can." Buffy replied, "And Will, don’t let Ruth do anything detrimental to herself."

"I won’t, she’s doing great so far." Willow assured the Slayer. "Did you kill it by the way?"

"Yup done and dusted, well orange gooed." She corrected herself. "Won’t be long."

"See you when you get here." Willow hung up the phone.

*****

"I brought donuts." Xander stepped in the door smiling as he held up the bag of donuts. Giles smiled at him tiredly.

"Come in." He motioned.

Lying on the witch’s couch in a pretty similar position to the one she had held some hours before was Faith; on the floor beside her was Buffy, both girls still sleeping. Ruth and Willow were no where to be seen, but Xander guessed that they were still in bed.

"I guess I’m a little early for the celebrations." He glanced at his watch. "Just some of us have to be at work in fifteen minutes." He handed the donuts to Giles just as Dawn came out of the kitchen rubbing her eyes as she headed back towards the stairs.

"Oooo donuts." She steered closer to Giles to steal one. "Has she woken up yet?" She checked as she filled her mouth with chocolate.

"Not yet, but she’s definitely only sleeping." Giles assured the young woman.

"How do you know that?" Xander stole some of Dawn’s donut.

"She snores." The Watcher glanced down.

"Good, I’m going back to sleep." Dawn yawned and went back to the stairs.

"And I have to go to work." Xander waved at them. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Very good then, I think I’ll go over and keep Mrs. Lauder company for a few hours." Giles nodded to everyone and opened the door for Xander.

At the slight sound Buffy sat bolt up right.

"What the hell? Dawn?" She panicked.

"I’m fine Buffy, going back to bed." Dawn yawned as she headed up the stairs.

"Donuts in the kitchen." Giles called as he pulled the door shut.

"Well good morning to everyone." She said to the empty room.

"Mmmmmm what the hell hit me?" Faith’s unsteady voice suddenly answered her.

"Kava Kava." Buffy relaxed a little and turned to look at the dishevelled Slayer.

"No thanks, I just like regular black coffee." Faith reached up to rub her face.

"It was the answer to your question." Buffy restated. "It’s an herb, that the ball boys put in the drink, team effort saved you."

"I can’t remember anything after the party." Faith admitted turning to face the blonde. "Did you get it?"

"Yeah." Buffy nodded, "Though I’m not sure the football groupies are gonna love me for what I did." She laughed.

"Screw em." Faith coughed. "Sorry about getting knocked out."

"Faith you had been drugged, not even Slayer’s can fight that." Buffy shook her head. "How are you feeling?" She checked.

"Dry, and I have this crap taste in my mouth." The dark Slayer coughed again.

"Let me get you a coffee, we have donuts apparently." Buffy offered.

"That would be great." Faith pushed up and held her head as the world spun a bit. "Wow, I haven’t had a hangover like this in years."

Buffy pushed up off the floor and walked the short distance to the kitchen.

"This is Willow’s pad by the way." She said as she flicked the kettle switch. "Dawn brought you here."

"I was going to ask where we were." Faith looked around. "A bit sparse for Red’s taste."

"She’s not exactly had the chance to make it home yet." Buffy replied, adding ingredients to the cups, waiting for the water to heat. "So you don’t remember anything about the party?" She asked somewhat carefully.

"I got a whole bunch of broken pieces." Faith concentrated on the pictures in her mind.

"Don’t try to hard to make them make sense, they probably never will." Buffy poured hot water into the cups.

"Did I hear voices?" From the bottom step Ruth’s sleepy voice enquired.

"Hey Beth, how’s the stitches?" Faith turned without thinking and spoke with her. "I saw there was a rainbow sprinkle in the bag for you."

"I thought we cleared that one up after a few hours, there’s only room for one B in your life." Ruth smiled broadly at the dark haired Slayer. "I didn’t think I’d ever say it, but I agree that you can call me C, but if you ever, ever call me Cookie, I’ll have you."

"C, I told you that phrase doesn’t sound right here." Faith laughed. "Though it’s funny I got a B, C and D now. Oh and Red."

"You collect consonants." Ruth chuckled and crossed to the couch. "How are you?" She touched her fingertips to Faith’s arm. "Buffy make that coffee a peppermint tea." Ruth called to the kitchen. "It’ll sort that headache." The dark haired witch explained pulling her hand back and crossing over to sink into the soft grey beanbag.

"You’re cheating." Faith leaned back and smiled.

"I prefer the term utilising my gifts." Ruth replied.

"Did I miss something?" Buffy asked making a cup of peppermint tea. "Like the twelve years you two knew each other?"

"No C and I…" Faith stopped herself. "I don’t know." She seemed to grow a bit uneasy.

"It’s alright Faith, don’t panic." Ruth said softly, "We shared a lifetime, your life time specifically." She explained. "To help you through the hallucinations I led you in a dream walk, I had to link with your subconscious to do that. Basically everything you know, have known and have been through, I now know. Just like you know a little about me."

"Weird." Faith summed up thinking about it but realizing that nothing about it other than the recap felt strange. "At least I can say someone on earth understands me now." She smiled at the dark witch.

Ruth rewarded her with a soft nod and smile.

"I hope the floor wasn’t too hard Buffy." The dark haired witch called to the Slayer.

"No, it was fine." Buffy came through carrying Faith’s tea, and the coffee she had made, giving it to Ruth instead. "Anya said she needed watching, I watched."

"She’s such a sweetheart." Faith smiled at Ruth and winked.

"You’d do the same for me." Buffy shrugged.

"Thank you." Faith wasn’t quite sure what to say as she sipped her tea.

"Oh here comes my Lo." Ruth put her coffee down and crossed quickly to the bottom of the stairs, pulling a honey glazed donut from the bag waiting expectantly.

"Hi baby." Willow plodded down and smiled as a donut came up to greet her.

"Our house guests woke up before us; does that make us bad hostesses?" Ruth laughed softly as Willow took a small bite from the fresh pastry.

"No, they’re family." Willow looked around. "How are you feeling Faith?"

"C and B and working on making me better." She held up her cup and smiled.

"Whose C?" The redhead looked back a bit confused.

"C is for cookie that’s good enough for me. C is for cookie that’s good enough for me." Faith sang and was soon joined in by Ruth.

"Oh right, C." Willow couldn’t help but laugh.

"Are you sure that herb didn’t have long term side effects?" Buffy checked raising her eyebrow at the Slayer’s antics.

"She’s fine." Willow settled into the beanbag with Ruth, the two small women curled together.

"That’s good." Buffy nodded and walked to the door picking up her orange goo covered jacket. "Because I should go do early morning stuff and you know, be busy."

"B, you need company? I think I’ve had more sleep then I usually get in a week." Faith looked at her.

"No, I mean you’re comfy, and recovering." Buffy shook her head, seeing just how comfortable and relaxed the Slayer was made Buffy feel somewhat ill at ease. Not that she begrudged Faith her place or comfort but she didn’t feel a part of it.

"Yeah, that’s for wusses." Faith pushed up to stand. "And I need to change, these clothes are still hideous." She tried to grin.

"We could take a cab back to the house." Buffy offered, "I’m sure Mrs. Lauder will keep up the careful care."

"Great, you take care of Red there C." She winked at Ruth as she headed for the door and chugged her tea on the way.

"Will, do you need me to take Dawn?" Buffy paused briefly and motioned up the stairs.

"She’s fine, let her sleep. We’ll send her home to you when she wakes up." Willow shook her head, there was no pressing reason to wake up the teenager and make her move.

"Thanks Will, you can keep the donuts." Buffy smiled.

"Faith already stole the jam ones you like; she has them in her pocket!" Ruth winked.

"Snitch!" Faith hissed at her as she opened the door.

"No, you got sugar all over your pants when you did it!" Ruth laughed and tucked her arm around Willow as she shuffled on the bean bag.

"Let’s go B, the lovebirds are getting snugly." She held the door open and shut it as the two of them left.

"Snuggly are we?" Willow smiled. "You and Faith are rather chummy."

"I know her life." Ruth replied cuddling closer. "I understand more now. But that doesn’t mean that I forgive her for being mean to my Elmo." She assured her kissing her briefly.

"And what would you tell someone trying to understand Faith?" Willow questioned softly.

"Talk to her." Ruth replied honestly. "Believe in her, and love her."

"Is that your way of saying I should try to put the past behind me?" Willow snuggled closer.

"It’s my way of saying; judge her on how she is now, not how she was." Ruth paused. "Many things have changed for Faith and she is as vulnerable now as she was the first time she came into Sunnydale."

"And I’ve done a lot of things." Willow darkened a little. "It’s hard to judge her now."

"You both deserve trust, belief and love, believe me my Lo, when I tell you, you have all three from me." Ruth vowed softly.

"I know, and you have them from me." Willow looked up at her.

"We can only hope that Faith finds the same from the one she would seek it from." Ruth glanced at the door.

"How are you feeling after all that work?" Willow checked reaching up to cup the dark haired witch’s cheek.

"Oddly enough better." Ruth admitted. "I mean my arms still itch and my head still aches a little, but I feel, useful, energised." She leaned her head into Willow’s hand. "How does my Lo feel?"

"Useful too." Willow smiled. "Though Anya really did most of the work."

"She has that helpful ability to zip-zap." Ruth pointed out. "I think that’s classed as cheating!"

"Not when you’re a demon." Willow laughed. "So what would you like for breakfast my gorgeous girl?"

"Ooh you are feeling better, my Lo requesting food?" Ruth grinned.

"No, I meant for you." Willow grinned back. "You’re all zippy this morning, you need a good breakfast."

"You’re pretty zippy too." Ru replied. "Don’t you realise what you did this morning without even thinking about it?"

"What did I do?" Willow looked at her confused.

"Woke up without me in safe in the knowledge that I was just down stairs waiting for you." Ruth beamed.

"Oh… I didn’t notice." Willow thought about it and then smiled.

"Exactly." Ruth rewarded the redhead with a quick kiss. "So what does my zippy girl want for breakfast?"

"Time with you." Willow kissed her on the cheek.

"Would that be time with a capital t, or a little one?" Ruth took a slight breath and swallowed.

"Mmmmm with a capital." Willow moved so their faces were close together.

"A capital?" Ruth heard herself hotly breathe out the words.

"Unless you don’t want a capital." Willow questioned softly.

"I do." Ruth nodded shifting a little in the beanbag. "But there’s Dawn." The dark haired woman remembered casting her eyes towards the stairs.

"Dawn will sleep for hours, she didn’t go to bed till after the sun came up." Willow reasoned.

"Would you rather go upstairs?" Ruth asked softly.

"We could." Willow nodded. "The door has a lock."

"It does." Ruth nodded underlining that she did indeed remember this fact. "If you’re sure?" She added.

"I’m sure." Willow leaned in and kissed her lightly.

Ruth pushed up from the beanbag.

"Take my hand." She held it out for Willow.

Willow reached up and took it immediately. Ruth closed her fingers around her girlfriend’s hand before lifting it up and kissing the back of it.

"Ready?" She checked.

"Ready." Willow smiled at the gentle gesture and then pressed up with Ruth’s help to stand.

****

Faith squinted against the bright sunlight as they walked, she would sell her soul right now for a pair of shades. Ruth’s suggestion of peppermint tea had helped the throbbing in her head, but the cutting brightness was doing its best to make it unbearable again.

In her head she made a short list of things she wanted to do when they got back to the house. Top of the list was a shower and a change of clothes, and then maybe they could convince Rose into cooking them something for lunch. While a donut was good, her stomach was far too empty to be satisfied long with a donut.

"Anything we need to be doing today B?" She asked raising her hand up to shield her eyes form the sun.

"You need to take it easy." Buffy pointed out with a quick glance at the other Slayer. "It’s too cold for you to relax in the back yard, but you can crash on the couch, I could rent you movies if you like."

"That would be cool; we didn’t get the greatest selection inside." Faith noted. "Anything on you’re to see list?"

"I’ve no idea to be honest." Buffy admitted. "We’ve not exactly had the time to stop and watch videos recently, it’s not seemed you know, appropriate somehow." The blonde shrugged, she knew she should be feeling happy, after all they had found and eliminated the latest threat to Sunnydale and everyone was okay, even if Faith had gotten a little too close to the edge even for a Slayer. But somehow she just couldn’t catch onto the happy vibe.

"Or we could train?" Faith put forward seeing the dark cloud that was following the blonde around. "I’m sure I need some pointers or something." She attempted to make Buffy feel better.

"Faith you need to rest." Buffy shook her head. "You might be a Slayer, but I did some catching up with Giles and that weird herb, it could have killed you."

"Naw, you had my back it was cool." Faith shook her head. "Though that stuff gives you one crazy trip. All I remember is horny football players and you smelled good." She laughed lightly.

"I had wings too." Buffy laughed lightly too. "And the footballers were only teenager boy horny, not demon horny." She explained.

"Please don’t tell me I was tarting myself out to any of them while I was tripping?" Faith stopped and looked at Buffy.

"No." Buffy shook her head. "You weren’t letting any of them do anything to you." She swallowed as she felt a hot flushed memory of their searing kiss.

"Might sound hard to believe but I’m trying to tone down the tart factor." Faith smiled at the blonde.

"You don’t have to convince me of things Faith, I can see you’ve change, somewhat at least, I’m just…" She stopped. "I’m just a bit of a bitch right now, I know I am." She admitted. "Like you hadn’t guessed that right?" She laughed tightly.

"Naw, you used to be an uptight bitch." Faith winked at her. "I think right now you just have a lot of shit to deal with." She admitted. "And hey I know having me around isn’t your idea of a good deal."

"No maybe it isn’t." Buffy agreed. "But that doesn’t mean I think you should leave." She took a breath and slipped her hand into the tiny pocket of her skirt. "I should be willing to give you a break, I mean, we all mess up sometimes." She sighed. "And after all, you know all there is to know about Buffy the Bad Slayer now, I can’t stand any moral high ground with anybody."

"B, you’re not a bad anything." Faith shook her head. "Life isn’t simple and it sure as hell isn’t happy most of the time. I think what we need to do is take your mind off things for awhile."

"You mean I should watch a video with you?" Buffy glanced at Faith.

"Exactly, I’ll even let you pick the movie." Faith tried to entice her. "And we can get the biggest assed bag of chips and lots of chocolate."

For a moment Buffy whizzed through all the possible objections that flew through her brain, but then she stopped.

"Okay." She nodded. "A day off." She assessed what Faith was proposing. "We could get a fight movie and pull it apart." She smiled.

"Perfect." Faith nodded enthusiastically. "I mean the witches and Dawn will be busy all day so we can just have some proper Slayer laziness."

"Oh God Dawn? I shouldn’t have left her with Ruth and Willow." Buffy stalled for a moment.

"B, why are you panicking?" Faith stopped and looked at her. "You left Dawn with Red, who okay other than when she was Miss. Darkness wouldn’t ever let anything happen to D and on top of that she’s there with Ruth, which means Red’s not going to go postal and on top of Ruth likes Dawn. They’ll have a great day."

"But she’s my responsibility." Buffy felt that odd wave of panic fill her. "I… I should be the one looking after her, not putting her on to other people because I want a day in front of the TV." Her frown got worse.

"I think this is more about the fact that Dawn wanted to go to sleep and she was happy sleeping at Red’s." Faith explained what she was seeing. "She’s not like five or something, if she wants to come home when she wakes up she will and she can watch TV with us."

"I’m sorry I was a bitch." Buffy took another breath. "And thank you, for what you did." She stopped.

"For what?" Faith looked at her curious as to what she meant.

"Doing what I couldn’t." Buffy replied looking down.

"If you mean Spike, it wasn’t yours to do B." Faith shook her head and walked closer reaching up to put her hand on the blonde’s arm. "And I’ll do it again if I have too."

In an uncontrolled response Buffy flinched out of the way.

"Sorry." She apologised quickly.

"No worries, lets go get movies." Faith returned to their previous topic.

*****

Ruth gently eased down onto the edge of the bed her now lightly bandaged arms looped loosely around Willow’s waist as the redhead slipped down beside her, their lips met lightly over and over in quick succession before Ruth pulled her mouth further back.

"You feel so good." The dark haired witch lightly rubbed her fingertips across the waistband of Willow’s pyjama shorts.

"It’s cotton." Willow giggled as she ran her bent one arm up under her head the other rubbed over the dark witch’s bare shoulder.

"I guessed." Ruth smirked. "I can hardly believe I’m here." She admitted, looking into green eyes. "In Sunnydale, America, with you."

"Are you hating it?" Willow checked a bit worried. "I mean it’s not England and its been so much like chaos."

"How could I be hating it?" Ruth shook her head. "I’m with you, for the first time in my life I’m not somewhere I’ve been forced to be, I’m not locked in at night, and I’m not regarded as crazy." She paused for a fraction of a second. "You don’t think I’m crazy right?" She checked.

"Oh course I don’t think you’re crazy." Willow shook her head. "I think you’re beautiful and wonderful and absolutely amazing. What you did with Faith to keep her alive, you’re my brave hero girl."

"That wasn’t brave or heroism; it’s just what I can do." Ruth shrugged. "I’m just glad I could help, you know, a little bit." She smiled and was about to continue when with a slight shimmer Anya appeared in the room.

"Obsidian to order." The demon announced and smiled at the girls. "Oops did I interrupt something," She grinned looking at the close embrace of the girls. "Well whatever." She shrugged and unwrapped the red velvet package she held in her hands. "Two wrist cuffs, platinum hinged." She demonstrated how the cuff clicked open and closed. "And a choker, also platinum hinged." She lifted the broad black chocker from the package. "So what do you think?" She asked.

"I think you need to at least magically knock." Willow reluctantly pulled herself up to sit and took the package. "And wow, you’re demon jeweller is fantastic." She inspected the three pieces.

"She is." Anya nodded. "And she has the most enchanting eyes…anyway enough of me going on, Jared said the cloth should be ready soon, did you want a particular colour?" She looked at Ruth.

"I… that is, I don’t know." The dark haired witch was still slightly over-blown by the Demon’s appearance and her gifts. "What do you think Lo?" She asked for advice.

"I think they’re perfect." Willow grinned from ear to ear. "I can imbue them so that they do the same as your pendant did, but now with triple the power and no worry about them being removed accidentally."

"I think she meant about the colour for the gloves." Anya interrupted.

"Oh the gloves." Willow looked at Anya and laughed lightly. "I guess black would be best wouldn’t it? Most people were black gloves, unless you want navy to match your eyes?" She smiled at Ruth.

"Black may be more universal." Ruth said thoughtfully, catching Willow’s eyes. "But navy might be nice." She sighed softly melting a little under the soft green stare.

"Anya, do you think we could get a pair in navy and another in black?" Willow turned to the demon. "I mean I know it’ll be tough but if anyone can get both colours it would be you."

"I’m glad you have finally realised what an asset I am to the group." Anya smiled. "Well I will go now, and let you continue with your orgasms." In a second shimmer the demon was gone.

"I’m sorry she is so embarrassing sometimes but she is the best sales person I know." Willow leaned closer placing the box in between them.

"She’s got a good heart." Ruth nodded. "Though I’m not overly sure why she’s a vengeance demon."

"I think because Xander hurt her so much, and she didn’t really think she could be anything other than his wife or a vengeance demon." The redhead tried to explain what she believed was the truth.

"It’s so sad." Ruth shook her head. "Because they truly love each other, it’s just Xander is so afraid."

"He is." Willow nodded. "He didn’t have the greatest examples of marriage in his parents."

"I know." Ruth smiled slightly. "But he’s heart is not his fathers." She said softly. "Perhaps in time he will learn that and Anya will learn to believe in him again." She sighed and ran her finger over one obsidian cuff. "They’re quite beautiful really aren’t they?" She said her voice low.

"They are absolutely beautiful, just like you." Willow held up the necklace. "Do you want to try it on for size?"

"Maybe." Ruth nodded and held out her wrist, her hand shaking a little. "I don’t know why I’m shaking." She breathed and looked up into Willow’s eyes.

"Do you want to try them on before or after I imbue them?" Willow reached her hand over and held Ruth’s softly so that it wasn’t shaking so bad.

Ruth thought about it for a moment and looked where Willow’s hand held her own.

"I can’t believe you want to do this for me." Ruth took a slightly staggered breath.

"Ru, there is nothing in the world that I want more for you to never be afraid again and I hope that by making it so that the world can’t always be draining you and scaring you that I can make you feel more confident." Willow offered immediately. "And on a selfish note there are so many wonderful things I want to show you baby, that I want to share with you and I don’t want you to have to fight so hard every time you go out the door when I know that I can make it a little bit easier."

"Will imbuing them be difficult?" Ruth asked the question turning her hand slightly so that her thumb rubbed against the side of Willow’s palm.

"No, just like your amulet just times three." Willow explained softly. "It’s only a temporary solution but I can research ways to make it more permanent. Here let me do the necklace so you can see." She held the necklace in her hand and recited the incantation making the dark stone and metal glow for a few moments before it shimmered down to normal. "Here try." She slowly took her hand back, unclasping the chain to open the mechanism of the choker before she slipped it onto Ruth’s neck and did up the closure again. "Perfect fit."

Ruth let the cold stone rest against her warm skin for a moment; the chocker was a perfect fit, that hung close to, but never constricting her throat. The chilled rock soon warmed to a point that truly she couldn’t feel its presence; so much so that she had to move her free hand to check that it was in place.

"How does it look?" The witch asked, nervously twisting a short curl of coal black hair around her fingertip that she held close to the obsidian chocker.

"It looks stunning." Willow appraised honestly as she glanced at the way the platinum and dark stone contrasted with Ruth’s pale skin. "How does it feel?" She asked in a whisper.

"As an article of jewellery or as a magic charm?" Ruth asked the honest question.

"Both." Willow reached up to trace over the stone and then up to Ruth’s chin with her fingertip.

"As a piece of jewellery, something more perfect than I could ever afford, as a hand fashioned magic charm, something more precious than I could ever be worthy of." Ruth closed her eyes briefly and drew in a long slow breath.

"No Ru, you are completely precious and worthy of this." Willow leaned closer. "Believe in yourself."

"Can’t I just believe in you that would be so much easier?" Ruth breathed out leaning in closer still.

"No, you have to believe in yourself. I believe in you, just believe in yourself." Willow felt her words come out with her own hot breath.

"It still doesn’t block you out." Ruth whispered as she opened her navy eyes and let them catch green ones, she absently ran her tongue over her near to perfect bow lips.

"Do you want it to block me out?" Willow questioned watching as the witch’s pink tongue dancing over the lips in front of her.

"Never." Ruth shook her head. "I always want to feel you, here…" She rested her hand to her temple. "Here…" She moved it to rest over her heart. "And here." She let her fingers trace over her stomach.

"I hear your words and I feel things inside that I never thought I would feel again." Willow reached out a shaking hand and put it over the one that Ruth had on her stomach.

"Things like?" Ruth pushed softly as she moved her fingers in a slow gentle circle.

"Love…" Willow swallowed. "D-Desire." She managed to whisper the word.

"It feels," The dark haired witch breathed in. "Intense." She added hearing her breath shake as it slipped from her lungs, her tongue tracing again over her lips, this time mainly over her top one.

"It is intense." Willow nodded very softly as she watched each of the dark haired witch’s motions. "Do you feel the same?"

"Yes." Ruth nodded as she more or less merely mouthed the words. "Simply being in the same room as you makes my heart beat faster."

"I don’t want to pressure you or rush you though." Willow felt her own wet tongue dart out to wet her dry lips. "I love you; just being close to you means so much to me."

"You can come as close as you like." Ruth smiled gently. "And I don’t feel pressured, I feel, almost anxious. I want you Lo, so much." She heard herself purr.

"I…" Willow felt her body shiver as she shuffled closer, her knee touching Ruth’s thigh where she had it bent up. "I want you too." She whispered letting her fingertips press against Ruth’s stomach. "Ever since the dreams." She acknowledged.

"Exactly." Ruth nodded barely moving her head. "Through them it’s like I know you, know what your touch will bring, and yet I have never felt it." She shifted her hand to the bottom of her short strap top and pulled it so that Willow’s fingertips dropped lightly onto her skin. "It’s like I know that you will love me with such tenderness and passion and my whole body yearns to feel that."

"I want to do that." Willow nodded as she looked down watching amazed as her fingers drew over warm flesh and traced around the witch’s belly button. "Because I know that making love to you will make me feel that little bit more alive and I want to feel that way so that I can love you better."

"One thing about our dreams was right Lo," Ruth felt her breathing jump a little as Willow’s fingers drew across her skin. "I’ve never done this before." She dropped her voice lower still. "With anyone."

"I know." Willow nodded feeling her body shiver again. "That’s one of the reasons I don’t want you to feel rushed, I’m not really experience girl… just Oz and…" She hesitated for just a second. "Tara." She whispered softly.

"I know how much it hurts to even say her name, but Lo…" Ruth breathed. "You and she were like a star in the sky, your love, your passion, your bond will last forever, our love if were lucky and blessed enough will create another, beautiful yes, but unlike the one you already have made with her."

"Different yes, but bright and beautiful all on its own." Willow nodded feeling Ruth’s words soothe down the panic inside her. "Are you sure?" She questioned placing her hand flat against Ruth’s stomach as she moved her lips slowly closer to Ruth’s.

"Am I sure I want the most beautiful girl in the world to kiss me and change my world forever?" She breathed a little faster and moved her lips closer still to the redhead’s. "I’ve never been surer in my life." She made the press to close the last few millimetres meeting lips with lips, pressing her flat stomach against Willow’s hand.

Willow pressed back against the lips that eagerly moved to hers as she let her hand slide around to Ruth’s side so that she could pull the witch’s thin body closer to her own pressing them together completely.

Ruth shifted slightly knocking the box containing her cuffs slightly. Reluctantly pulling back she blinked navy eyes.

"I think we may need to move this." She smiled

"Yes." Willow agreed and reaching for the box she moved it back to the beside table out of the way. "Do you want music on? Or the curtains closed? Or anything?" She checked as she hovered close to Ruth, her hand almost instantly returning to the witch’s bare side to stroke up and down.

"Music might be nice, though.." She stopped. "Will it disturb Dawn?" She asked breathing fast and inching closer all the time.

"She’s usually a very heavy sleeper." Willow felt her own body moving closer and in with an electric connection she felt their bodies pressing against one another more firmly. "What music would you like?" She felt the words come out heavy.

"Something that…" Ruth stopped. "Forget the music." She pressed harder against Willow kissing her urgently. "Oh wow, you, this feels amazing."

"This… you… do." Willow tired to fit in words between hot kisses as she smoothed her hand up and down the length of Ruth’s back.

Ruth ran her hands up Willow’s arms to her shoulder as she leaned in and pulled her lips from the redhead’s lightly latching onto soft pale skin at her throat, kissing over and over for a short time before moving back to kiss her full on her lips.

"Oh Ru." The redhead felt a fiery bolt of desire sweep through her body and for a moment she forgot she was on the bed and felt as if she was falling. "I love you." She whispered pressing her open mouth to Ruth’s for a much deeper kiss.

The dark haired witch fumbled for a short moment not knowing whether to open her mouth or keep it closed, but in an instant such details became irrelevant as she just matched Willow’s movements, working with and against them as her body and heart directed her.

Letting one hand slid down over Willow’s T-Shirt covered shoulder, Ruth drew her hand down until the cotton stopped on her thin arm, before sliding it back up to the redhead’s shoulder, this time beneath the dark navy fabric.

The increased touch of Ruth’s hand on her body, creeping under the material of her shirt even to rest on her shoulder made Willow press closer as she shifted her weight slightly causing her knee to press into the mattress between Ruth’s knees so that she lifted up and over the dark haired witch slightly lost in the luscious kiss.

Ruth heard herself moan slightly as Willow’s movements caused her to alter her own position slightly, leaning more onto the base of her spine her body poised to sink lower onto the mattress at the slightest urge from Willow. It was a natural momentum as the pressed back together to the mattress so that they were fully supported by it. Though weary of Ruth’s injured arms, Willow gently lowered some of her weight on the equally thin body beneath her. She just so needed to feel the full flush that the contact brought as she pulled out of their kiss just enough to place kisses down Ruth’s chin around her neck tracing out the soft skin and even placing a gentle kiss over the warming platinum around her throat.

"Oh Lo." Ruth breathed out feeling her back arch slightly. "You, you might need to remind me to breathe." She took a breath in through almost closed lips as she moaned in pleasure. She slipped her hands onto Willow’s sides, gently rubbing up and down, shifting the cotton of her shirt back and forth with each movement.

"Breathing is very…" Willow kissed over Ruth’s collarbone, dipping her tongue into the hollow at the base of her throat. "Important." She breathed out kissing back up to look into navy eyes. "If you don’t breathe we have to stop." She spelled out the difficult ultimatum as her hips shifted down in a slow rhythm against Ruth’s.

"Breathing." Ruth gave a quick nod that ended in a rather high pitched whimper as their hips brushed together. On the third revolution Ruth pushed hers up a little higher off the mattress to meet with the redhead’s earlier in their descending arc. "Oh God so breathing." She drew in the deepest breath she could to prove it.

"Just like that." Willow closed her eyes as she felt their bodies rocking up and down together with more force, she kissed lower, down to the edge of the cotton material that covered Ruth’s upper body and then pressed kisses lower over the covered swell of her left breast.

Ruth’s exhaling breath caught in her throat as she felt the heat and gentle pressure of Willow’s mouth on her chest.

"Oooohh." She tipped her head sideways to watch the redhead’s slow and infinitely tender progress that she made over her body, "Yes Lo." She encouraged softly.

"Remember to breathe." Willow somewhat warned in a concerned tone as her lips found a small rise in the material and carefully her lips closed around it, the wetness of her mouth soaking through the material almost instantly to the sensitive skin beneath.

"How…how can I?" Ruth arched up off the bed one hand going to rest lightly on the back of Willow’s head. "When you are doing that…ahhhhh." Ruth’s sentence ended with a moan of pleasure as she felt the skin beneath the wet cotton harden and strain towards Willow’s lips.

"Because…" Willow boldly wound the tip of her tongue over the stiffened area. "This is only the beginning and I need you to breathe Ru." She closed her lips again sucking lightly.

"Mmmmmmm" Ruth tipped her head in the other direction this time, closing her eyes and pressing her head back into the pillows somewhat forcing her breath to be as even and regular as she could. "Breathing." She assured Willow, stroking her fingers through red hair.

"Yes." Willow tilted her head to look up at Ruth’s face for a moment, as she did she realized that without much actual thought her right hand had pressed the material up off of Ruth’s stomach. "And I need you to tell me if you want to stop or slow down." She whispered as she bent her head down a little further placing feathery kisses on the dark haired witch’s stomach.

For a flash of a second navy eyes blinked open.

"Don’t stop." She shook her head slightly trying to ease the panic out of her voice.

"Sssssh Ru." Willow kissed up the centre of her body so that she could look deep into navy eyes again. "I don’t want to stop, not unless you want me too… then I will as soon as you say." She placed a light kiss on warm lips before she dipped her head back down, slowly watching pink hued skin becoming visible as she pressed the material a little higher and brought her lips down to kiss over flesh now instead of cotton.

"Lo." Ruth moved the hand not touching Willow to her side curling her fingers around quickly bunching grey cotton. "Do I need to keep this on because I really want to lose it kinda like… now." She looked at Willow with a slightly uneven smile.

"Getting rid of it is great." Willow nodded as she pulled back and helped Ruth press the material up and a little awkwardly they managed to pull it off Ruth’s body without either of them moving much. "You’re so beautiful." She looked down at the exposed body before her, drinking in the slight of the witch’s skin before her desire got the better of her contemplation and she lowered her lips to the other breast wanting to taste it as well.

"Sweet Je…" Ruth bit her lip as her back arched in a flare reaction to the bolt of pleasure that surged through her. "Oh God baby I had no idea…" She moaned and squirmed a little under the redhead.

"How beautiful you were?" Willow smiled up at her as she pressed her hips down harder against Ruth’s rotating body, as they were tight together; a moan broke from her as the contact reverberated through her aroused body.

"No, know how this would feel." Ruth breathed this time fast and shallow. "The dream it…" She paused to arch up and roll her hips again. "It didn’t do this justice."

"It didn’t." Willow assured her as she brought herself up again so that she could kiss Ruth’s full lips. "Not even a tiny bit as good." She pressed closer and feeling the thigh that she straddled come up against her she arched harder and moaned.

"Did I hurt you?" Ruth breathed worried her leg lowering a little.

"No… no… no." Willow shook her head as she adjusted to the disappearing pressure. "It felt very good." She underlined slipping her knee up higher until it was snug against the apex of Ruth’s legs.

"Oh….OH." Realisation dawned on the dark haired witch as Willow shifted her leg placement, the new contact making her groan and grind down a little.

"Mmmmmmm… yes." Willow agreed as the reaction caused Ruth’s leg to press against her own body again. As she moved for another kiss, Willow trailed her hand up the witch’s shivering stomach to close over a full breast, her palm massaging lightly.

Ruth met Willow’s lips eagerly and boldly, with her own mouth open and soft whimpers of pleasure as she arched into the redhead’s touches. Every millimetre of her body felt alive and aroused, almost literally jumping in anticipation of Willow’s next move or touch.

Up until that moment Willow had tried to hold some vaguely acceptable plan of action in her mind, a outline of thresholds and choices that she was very carefully working through in order to ensure that she didn’t move to fast or do to much but as Ruth kissed her back with such force and want, the redhead felt all her careful planning falling apart as her hips began rocking on their own. The motion bringing her the friction the growing throb between her legs was craving as she moved against Ruth’s thigh, and in turn her own motion making Ruth’s whimpers grow louder in the opened mouthed kiss.

Ruth slid her hand to the side of Willow’s body, toying lightly for short moments, with the waistband of her shorts before pressing her hand up underneath the T-Shirt grazing along the skin of Willow’s side. All the while changing the angle and depth of their passionate, strong kiss.

"Ru!" Willow’s mouth jumped back out of the kiss as Ruth’s hand slid up further and came to rest over her small but very sensitive breast. The break revealed that her breath was coming in hard pants as she struggled to keep from gasping for air. The shock of pleasure that the new touch brought made her press closer, her hips angling down against Ruth’s body.

"Oh God Lo." Ruth couldn’t stop the flex of her fingers around the small soft swell of Willow’s breast as she arched up and rotated hard to Willow’s body. "Baby, oh… mmmmmm" Once again she captured her bottom lip with her teeth as from the waist down her body started to tremble slightly.

"Yes, yes Ru." Willow panted harder as she pressed her body both to the dark haired witch’s hand and down onto her thigh, her own body moving in a harder and much faster motion as she braced her hands into the mattress to guide the building friction between them.

Ruth’s reply came out a series of moans whimpers and numerous soft ‘oh God I love you’ as she felt her control of the shaking and motion of her body slip. She had been completely unprepared for the flood of feelings and the wave of pure freedom that washed over her as she embraced the love and release Willow offered.

The redhead was lucky enough to have been just that step behind in her own racing orgasm so she was able to watch as her new lover was driven to hers, the husky groans of love that filled her ears fuelling the growing ache that was further ignited by the now abandoned way in which Ruth’s lower body was grinding and shaking against her own.

"Ruuuuuuuuuu!" Willow’s head tilted down as her body stiffened, her forehead tucking down onto the dark haired witch’s shoulder as her hips spasmed tightly against Ruth’s leg.

"Sweet angel." Ruth only just had the time to cup the back of Willow’s head to her shoulder softly, when she was hit with what felt like a tidal wave of pure emotional power as the force of Willow’s climax, the feelings and emotions it had stirred and released inside the redhead, hit her empathic centre. Literally rocking back hard onto the bed, Ruth arched up back high gasping out in a hot loud breath as her hand unconsciously tightened its grip on Willow’s head.

"I love you." Willow moaned as she felt Ruth’s body stiffen completely underneath her and she wound one arm around the dark haired witch’s body holding her close.

"I know." Ruth closed her eyes and felt all the tension in her body vanish, along with all her energy as the initial flare of her lovers powerful orgasm flared, but like a camera flash remained echoing inside her. Her breathing left helplessly behind, and trying to catch up as she began dragging her focus back to the here and now rather than letting herself drown in the pleasure and passion that flowed through them both.

All Willow could do was shift slightly lowering herself somewhat onto the mattress, though she kept her head on Ruth’s shoulder as she took a long staggered breath and closed her eyes.

"I really do love you." She whispered her voice showing the spent state of her body.

"I really love you too." Ruth echoed she smiled tenderly knowing the redhead would sense it even with her eyes closed. "You didn’t have to move, though I guess I make for a bony pillow."

"I didn’t want to squish you." Willow playfully swatted Ruth’s side with a limp hand. "And you’re not bony."

"Can I be greedy then and ask for at least a leg." She reached across her own body, guiding Willow’s leg with her hand to rest over her hip and stomach. "Unless that’s not comfy for you." She checked.

"Mmmm comfy Ru." Willow’s sleepy content voice was slow to answer as she buried her face down a bit into Ruth’s breast, hooking her leg to make sure it wouldn’t move and squeezing slightly with the arm that was still across the dark haired witch’s stomach.

"Sleep my precious." Ruth dropped a kiss onto Willow’s head, and then surprised herself with a hard yawn. She blinked suddenly tired eyes as she realised that sharing Willow’s ecstasy meant sharing her exhaustion too.

‘Oh well.’ She thought with a beaming smile. ‘What better way to lose a day?’ She let her eyes drift close and within minutes was sound asleep.

*****

Dawn pushed open the front door to the Summers house and breezed into the hall, whistling rather loudly as she let the momentum of the door swing it closed behind her.

"Dawn… shussh." Faith called in a hushed voice from the couch looking through the archway to the hallway. She pointed to Buffy who was curled up against the opposite couch arm, her legs stretched out over most of the dark Slayer’s lap.

"Wow." Dawn tiptoed into the sitting room and perched on the arm of the couch near Faith. "Everyone’s asleep today, when I woke up I tried to find Willow and Ruth to tell them I was leaving and the two of them were curled up sleeping like babies. I tried you know subtly to wake them but they were well asleep. When did sleeping ugly drop off?" She nodded to her sister.

"About a third of the way into the movie, I guess the crouching tiger bored her too much." Faith laughed lightly. "And don’t worry about C and Red, they had a long night like you did looking after me. I think everyone deserves a nap."

"I was really, you know, worried." Dawn pushed off the couch as she made the admittance.

"I bet. Things got really freaky didn’t they?" The dark Slayer watched her move. "I have to admit I don’t remember much but I was worried too I think."

"Oh no you weren’t." Dawn shook her head. "When Buffy brought you in you were just you know being, youish." The teenager blushed.

"Meish?" Faith raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you know, all…" Dawn frowned slightly. "Well…" She pondered for the right wording. "Mom used to say super confident, Buffy always called it ‘tarty’." She admitted not too sure where to look.

"Flaunting the goods eh?" Faith smiled at the teenager. "Guess it wasn’t a pretty sight. C was telling me it was because of the herb they slipped in the drink, makes you have no inhibitions. So should I use this opportunity to tell you not to ever do drugs, and trust me I’ve done them the fun does not out weight the nasty."

"Don’t worry I’m not that dumb." Dawn shook her head. "Though…" She glanced down. "I bet Buffy told you about the shoplifting thing, that I kind forgot to mention in the run down the other day." The teenager looked down embarrassed.

"No, she didn’t bring it up." Faith shook her head. "As you said D, you’re not a dumb girl so I’m willing to bet that you’ve learnt your lesson after a few five finger discounts. We all have to live and learn."

"Why did you try and hurt Buffy? After the coma." Dawn frowned hard and looked at the dark haired Slayer. "I mean I know you know about all that happened before then, but she came to see you all the time, until they moved you to the long term unit and they stopped her, something about maintaining a constant environment or something." She stopped again. "You were gonna hurt Mom." She frowned even more.

"I was." Faith saw the teenager’s confusion and pain. "I can try to say a lot of things to try and pretty things up Dawn but again you’re not dumb. I was angry, I was so full of rage and jealous that I didn’t know up from down but it wasn’t just that it wasn’t just about your sister. It was about a lot of things in my life that had pissed me off or hurt me." She took a deep breath. "I’m sorry for what I did to scare and hurt you Dawn, I really am."

"Mom always said that she felt guilty, that we never gave you what you needed." Dawn shrugged softly. "You were the only one who ever liked her squash and carrot mash." She added pausing to glance up at the wall of photographs. "We didn’t have one of you." She nodded to it.

"Did you actually want one?" Faith questioned a bit surprised the lack of her in a photograph had even come up.

"You were one of the good guys, once upon a time, remember?" Dawn looked back at Faith.

"I do." Faith nodded.

"Maybe this time you know, you’ll hang around long enough for a photo shoot?" Dawn perked up slightly.

"At the very least you and I can get some of those photo booth ones next time we do some grub at the mall." Faith smiled at her hopeful.

"You mean we can go again?" Dawn looked at the Slayer sideways slightly.

"Well I just asked, unless you want to turn me down for a psycho football player." She winked at the younger brunette.

"So what are you and sleepy doing with the rest of your day?" She glanced at the clock, "I mean come on it’s only one in the afternoon."

"No clue, we could always make some lunch for the three of us since Rosie is out spending the G-Man’s money." Faith very slowly eased herself out around Buffy’s legs and then grabbed the blanket at the back of the sofa throwing it over the Slayer.

"You can cook?" Dawn arched an eyebrow in suspicion.

"I can make sandwiches." Faith grinned as she moved toward the kitchen.

"That’s cool." Dawn moved towards the kitchen with the dark haired Slayer, "Are you staying here now? With Rose, Buffy and me?" She asked as they left the blonde sleeping where she lay.

"Yeah, B thought it was best if she had me in the basement where she could keep an eye on me." Faith laughed as she moved to see what was in the fridge.

****

Willow groggily woke up, edged out of her comfortable sleep by the now cool breeze that was coming through the open bedroom window. Though she knew that a blanket covered most of her body, she had her leg sticking out and it was now chilled. As she tried to tuck it back under she felt the warm flesh of Ruth’s stomach and breasts pushed against her back and she shivered as she remembered the pleasure they had so recently shared.

"Ru?" She checked in a whisper.

"Mmmm." A happy contented murmur came from the sleeping witch, her short jet black hair sleep tossed and spiky made her look young and innocent, though the blush on her skin and the deepness of her sleep were more than enough evidence of the passion that she and Willow had shared.

Slowly Willow turned around to so that she could see the dark haired witch still mostly asleep, the sight made her heart choke up into her throat as she had never dared imagine just how beautiful Ruth could look at a moment such as this but yet here she was and it was much more than Willow knew she could ever have even imagined.

Reaching her hand up out of the blanket she reached up her fingertips, dragging one softly over Ruth’s ear.

‘After all I have lost and all I have done to punish this world I never thought I would ever deserve to find someone as beautiful and wonderful as you.’ Willow whispered in her mind even afraid to say the words loudly less something in the universe decided that she didn’t. ‘And I know Tara, I know that you had to be the one that made this possible.’ She felt her eyes well up with tears as she traced her finger over Ruth’s chin.

"Hmmmm" Ruth turned a little following the movement of Willow’s fingertip as slowly navy eyes fluttered open. "Hey Lo." She whispered turning her sleepy head even more to kiss the soft fingertips near her skin. "When did you wake up?" She asked trying to stop her tired eyes from closing again.

"Just a little while." Willow whispered trying to hide how thick her voice was. "Sleep Ru."

"No, not if you’re awake." Ruth shook her head.

"I am, just watching you sleep and thinking about how lucky I am." Willow explained her voice still almost silent.

"You’re not lucky Lo." Ruth shook her head. "You deserve this, we deserve this." The dark haired witch pushed herself up a little and raised her hand to take Willow’s. "Precious, what happened in the past.," She shook her head. "That doesn’t set a standard for how you should be treated from now on." She squeezed her hand gently; getting a wave of Willow’s hidden emotion. "Oh Lo." She moved instantly forward and closed her arms around the redhead pulling her to her naked chest. "You do deserve this. You deserve every moment of happiness that you get." She paused her voice dropping lower. "Though yes, Tara didn’t want you to be alone." She whispered. "Despite my initial fears about being with you, Tara was kinda adamant that if it wasn’t me I had to help find someone that she thought was suitable. She can be very persuasive when she wants to be."

"She can be." Willow whispered as the tears she was trying to hold back broke free. "I didn’t want to do this, I didn’t want to go all sobbing and crying afterwards." She tried to explain and it only made things worse as she took in a staggered breath. "I know she would want me to never forget her but I know she wouldn’t want me to be alone and empty. I know that in my heart Ru, and I know that you love me too. I just… I just don’t love myself sometimes." She felt the words tumbling out without much order in her thoughts. "I’m so overwhelmingly happy I keep waiting for the roof to cave in around me."

"Lo angel, only the very lucky ones in this world manage to love themselves." Ruth soothed rocking her lover softly. "And I think with all that has happened to you, all that you have been through a little fatalistic pessimism is more than allowed." She took a breath. "I’m scared too." She admitted. "Scared that I won’t be good enough for you, that I won’t make you happy, that the world will end before I get a chance to explore it all with you."

"I don’t want you to be scared." Willow held on tighter. "You are so much more…" She sniffled. "Than just good enough. You make me happy, you make me laugh, you get my quirky jokes."

"Your jokes are funny." Ruth chuckled she snuggled Willow a little closer to herself. "The last few weeks have been a blur Lo, you shouldn’t be afraid or worried about feeling a little unnerved and uneven. I’m right here with you, to help balance the wobbly times." She wrinkled her nose in a smile. "And if you ever need me to not be here, if I get too hard to handle, or if you just don’t want me around, that’s okay too, I can slink off and find something to do till you can cope with your cookie monster again." Ruth smiled encouragingly. "The thing to remember angel, is that there is no reason to be anything less or more than you are. And no not because I would know if you were pretending, but more because I love you, and there is no expectations for a cookie monster, other than fresh cookies weekly and to at least see Elmo daily."

"I don’t want you to slink off anywhere." The phrase made the redhead look up into navy eyes as she shook her head firmly. "I want you right where you are." She hugged Ruth slightly her breathing a bit more even. "Maybe I should get some cookies to put in that cookie monster belly, which hasn’t had anything but a donut today." She managed a smile.

"We could get take out." Ruth offered. "Why don’t I go see what Dawn wants?" She looked at the door but didn’t move.

"You could." Willow looked over at it briefly. "I could go make us some brew while you do and meet you downstairs so we can phone the order in."

"Perfect idea." Ruth nodded she remained still for a moment as did Willow. "Er Lo angel you have to move."

"You have to move first." Willow pointed out her demeanour brightening a bit.

"No, I distinctly feel Lo leg on Ru leg." Ruth pushed up her leg to demonstrate the fact.

"Yes but Ru hand is on Lo waist so." Willow wiggled a bit.

"Mmmm at this rate we’ll be in this position until Dawn stomps in demanding food as she has eaten the entire contents of the fridge." Ruth giggled.

"Okay we both move together on three okay?" She looked to see if Ruth agreed and received a firm nod. "One… two… three." The redhead counted down but hesitated moving even at three.

"I so knew you were gonna cheat." Ruth laughed and used the arm that she had around Willow as leverage to turn the redhead on her side, rolling slightly so they lay side by side. "You want to try that again little red furry friend?"

"One… two…" Willow grinned at the other witch. "Two and a half, two and three quarters…" She began.

"The count of Sesame Street would be impressed by your counting skills there Elmo." Ruth shook her head laughing. "How about a new deal, we count again, and then if you don’t move I tickle you mercilessly?" She tested the placement of her finger tips on Willow’s side briefly.

"Three!" Willow squeaked as she was lightly tickled and jumped back swinging her legs up to stand. "Though you cheated so I’m only putting a half tablespoon of honey in your brew." She smiled at the other witch.

"Hey no fair." Ruth scrambled out of the bed and jogged after Willow who was heading for the door.

"Totally fair." Willow turned around her hand on the door. "Okay you get a full tablespoon if you agree to do one thing for me?" She smiled at her dark haired lover.

"Hmmm okay." Ruth faked thinking time briefly before agreeing with a nod.

"Though I love to see more of you in the bedroom, I don’t want to share you with everyone else." Willow glanced down at Ruth’s bare breasts and smiled more. "Though if Dawn wasn’t home I wouldn’t object."

"Ooops." Ruth laughed and stopped as she passed the dresser, pulling out a plain white v necked T-Shirt. "This do?" She asked pulling it on.

"Very sexy. Should I get changed too?" The redhead looked down at her sleepwear. "It is after two, I should get out of my pyjama’s right?"

"Nah, you can do that after we’ve ordered and Dawn is flicking through bad TV." Ruth shrugged.

"Okay, I’ll see you in the kitchen." Willow didn’t move to the door and instead she walked over to Ruth, she leaned down the short distance to kiss her. "Love you." She whispered softly.

"Mmmm." Ruth beamed beneath the kiss. "I love you." She replied. "Even if you’re hard to get out of the bed!"

***

Faith pulled off her sunglasses and knocked on the door with a solid motion. She wasn’t sure with Ruth being the only one at home that she would be anywhere near the door so she wanted to make sure her arrival wasn’t missed.

"Just coming Faith, two seconds." Ruth’s soft English accent filtered through the still closed door, just minutes before soft footfalls moved up to it and pulled the heavy wood open. "Hello there." She greeted with a smile.

"Hey C." Faith couldn’t help but smile back. Ruth was the only one, other than Rosie, who didn’t have a personally lived reason to hold a reasonable grudge against her and unlike the very kind older woman, Ruth had been given a all access tour of even some of the most regressed areas of her memories and feelings. All that added up to the fact that for Faith, Ruth was one of the few possible ‘friends’ she actually had. "I knew that Red was out for a run with B so I figured I’d stop by and check up on you, oh and guess which bakery had a fresh batch of white chocolate chunk cookies just begging to be devoured?" She held up the crisp paper bag marked Decadence Delight Cookie Factory on the side.

"Faith that bakery is miles away." Ruth shook her head smiling as she pulled open the door wider, "Come on in I had just finished doing my meditations and a few exercises Rupert and I are working on." She backed up and ushered the dark Slayer in.

"I had to test the new engine settings on the bike; I was tweaking a few things earlier." Faith pulled off her coat, hanging it and the helmet she was carrying on the coat rack. "So exercises? Like what? I could show you some if you wanted."

Ruth chuckled for a moment then shook her head.

"Not physical exercises." She explained. "I mean look at me." Ruth took up a mock fighting stance. "About as scary as a poodle with one of those funny hair cuts." She dropped her tensed arms, now free of bandages with just the clear marks of the still healing cuts visible.

"Now see that’s where you’re wrong, intimidation is based on how you look. Physical strength is built and crafted." Faith moved closer to her. "Now you’re never going to be ‘big like Arnold’ but you could pack one hell of a wallop if you wanted too."

"And why would I want to with people like you and Buffy around?" She smiled. "Oh and what do you think." She held out her arms again. "Rupert got them etched." She twisted her wrists up to show Faith the intricate carving in the solid obsidian cuff that snapped around both her wrists.

"Cool." Faith admired them with a nod. "Very butch." She winked at the witch. "But come on seriously, B and I aren’t always free to punch people in the head for you. It’s a useful skill on the Hellmouth."

Ruth looked at Faith for a long moment before glancing down.

"Maybe when the arms have healed, Lo wouldn’t forgive me if I opened them up after so long of being good." She smiled. "How you doing?" She asked quickly.

"Dying for a cookie." Faith summed up flopping down on the couch. "I can scram if you want, its just B was doing her obsessive thing about taking Red out and leaving you on your own so I wanted to put her mind at ease but I mean hello it’s not like you’re going to melt in the rain or something." She tried to be supportive.

"I don’t want you to scram, its fine." Ruth took the cookies and put them on a rainbow striped plate. Putting them down on the coffee table she sat on the couch too. "So how is life at the Summers place? Rose fattened everyone up yet?" She grinned

"You should have heard B this morning, she tried to put on her black jeans and she couldn’t zip them up." Faith laughed loudly. "She was hopping around cursing and then said she wasn’t eating anything but salad from now on."

"She’ll even out, with the metabolism you two must have, she’ll lose it all before she knows it." She reasoned with a laugh. "Has your friend Angel been in touch with any more information about the ‘big bad’ he sent you here to deal with?"

"Nothing concrete yet." Faith shook her head. "Just more rumblings about some big magick bad." She grabbed a cookie and devoured it in two mouthfuls. "So how is the hardware doing?"

"Well…" Ruth glanced down at one wrist and raised the other hand to her neck lightly fingering her choker. "They’re great." She assessed. "It was Rupert’s idea to have them etched with the blocking charms, so that they are self balancing."

"And Red must be lovin them because they are dead sexy." Faith gave her a long wink.

"They are?" Ruth glanced down at her wrist again with a curious tweak of her eyebrow.

"Think about Willow in a pair of solid platinum cuffs and a solid choker." Faith wiggled her eyebrows. "I mean I’ve known people who would be licking your boots."

"They would be licking your boots Faith just like they always did." Ruth grinned but then let the smile fade slightly. "Have you told her yet?" She slipped into the conversation as if she was asking the dark haired Slayer if she wanted another cookie.

"Have I told who what yet?" Faith smiled at her as she did indeed grab another cookie.

"Buffy, any of the things you have to tell her." Ruth eased her legs up onto the seat and turned to fully face Faith.

"To be honest I’m not exactly sure that telling her any of it would do any good right now." Faith shook her head more slowly eating a third cookie.

"Well there might be practical complications." Ruth propped her head up on her knees. "Though if you need to I can always do the patch up thing."

"Practical complications? C this is the girl who put a six inch blade in my side, be it for very valid reasons but still." Faith couldn’t help but laugh. "I’m not sure we do practical complications well, I mean it’s not like she’s going to cry and tear up all my letters."

"I was thinking more who’s going to stitch you back together when you’re not as quick as the demon trying to rip your head off." Ruth replied succinctly.

"I will." Faith shrugged. "I know the risks, I’m not going to let anyone be unnecessarily exposed I wouldn’t do that." She couldn’t help but retaliate to the non-existent accusation. "And you know, so if things are that bad you can rope off the area till the ambulance gets there." She stood up. "You want a drink? I’m dry." She moved towards the kitchen.

"Faith." Ruth followed her. "I’m not judging you, I’m not accusing you and I am not trying to push you into a corner." She said softly. "I just think you’re carrying things alone that you don’t need to." She frowned slightly.

"I know you’re not." Faith pulled out a soda from the fridge. "I just wanted a drink." She smiled over the can. "She’s not ready to hear anything near this C, you know that better than anyone. She’s all over the place, I mean one moment she looks like she’s going to kick my ass and the next minute she’s acting like I’m invisible and then she’s suddenly looking to me for advice."

"I know you know what happened between Buffy and Spike." Ruth leaned her slim hip on the kitchen counter. "But that is the tip of her iceberg." The empath sighed sadly. "It’s crazy here, I am in a foreign country, surrounded by people I don’t really know and yet, I’m more or less the most happy and content person here." She frowned but only through sadness. "I’m surrounded by at least six people who are the closest of friends, and who would literally die for each other, but who are all lonely, scared and isolated." She shook her head. "Buffy is so frightened that she’s going to get everything wrong, and believe it or not part of the ways she feels she could fail right now is you." She looked at Faith with warm navy eyes. "It’s just hard to be in the centre of a group of people who are so close and yet so fractured."

"It’s all more than a bit of a mess." Faith agreed with her, she knew she didn’t need to have Ruth’s power in order to figure out that everyone was broken. "How are you and Red doing? You both seem happy at least." She smiled at the witch.

"We’re good." Ruth nodded. "There are a couple of small things that are bothering me right now but nothing that…" She stopped and smiled and looked at Faith. "So that’s how you do it." She said suddenly.

"How I do what?" The dark Slayer looked at her confused.

"Get people to completely forget that the conversation they were having with you was about you." Ruth chastised gently laughing and shaking her head. "Have you always been Miss. Evasive?"

"It’s part of my mysterious charm." Faith winked at her and hopped up to sit on the counter. "Now come on, what small things? I’ll play fair, give and take."

Ruth thought about it for a moment before leaning more heavily against the counter.

"Tara." Ruth said quickly. "Not that I mean she’s a small thing, because of course I would never say that." She stopped and drew in a breath.

"More like a huge honking shadow over everything? Oh and I don’t mean that in a bad way either just as a fact." Faith nodded.

"I was meaning more…" Ruth smiled. "She’s not been to see her yet." The dark haired witch’s smile vanished. "We’ve been here nearly two weeks." She shared her concern openly with the other Slayer.

"Have you asked her about it?" Faith checked the obvious question was answered before she said anything else.

"No." Ruth shook her head. "This is going to sound crazy, but with getting the hardware sorted, and the gloves designed and sorted, it’s seemed like I’m always asking her for something or needing her to do something."

"Yeah but C this isn’t for you, this is for her. I know Red a little." Faith held up two fingers smiling. "And I know one thing she’s good at is keeping busy to avoid doing what she should be doing for herself. I mean I spend most of my nights in graveyards but they don’t hold anyone important to me. She needs to get over that bit."

"I was thinking of bringing it up on Saturday," Ruth admitted. "But then Rupert mentioned that he was taking you and Buffy into the desert for that training, and I’m not sure it’s something she should do without a full support team as it were."

"Look you mention what you want to do to B and she’ll veto anything that the Giles has planned. Red’s a much higher priority then her and I beating the hell out of each other again and again just because one of us is dropping a guard." Faith chugged more of her drink. "The one and only time I met Tara I wasn’t actually in my own body and to sum up ‘I was mean to her’." She gave a quick smile. "So my support might be best served by going MIA for the day."

"I know." Ruth smiled gently. "But that’s in the past and not important, especially not to Tara." She shook her head. "She was a very astute young woman and she bore you no malice, well no more than I do for being mean to Willow in the past." She gave Faith a mock hard stern stare. "Which by the way, I won’t settle for again." She added just to say that she had warned the Slayer in her own subtle way. Ruth pushed up from her leaning position and pulled open the fridge taking out a small milkshake. "So I should mention it?" She checked.

"I think you should." Faith nodded. "And I have no intention of having a face off with you Big scary C." She smiled at the witch’s attempt at intimidation. "Even if it’s not the right time for her yet she needs to have it on the radar to deal with sooner than later."

"Okay so that was me giving an inch, now you." Ruth nodded to the Slayer.

"What inch do you want?" Faith nodded her agreement that those were the established rules.

"Buffy." Ruth named her point of focus.

"Blonde, hazel eyes, Slayer, on a diet apparently." The Dark Slayer smiled.

Ruth raised her hands and clapped slowly.

"Beautiful, smart, witty and the Slayer, is there any skill that you don’t possess?" Ruth laughed.

"Well I can’t do what you do with the mind reading thing." Faith grinned. "Go on what about Buffy, I don’t want you saying that I don’t keep up my end."

"Why do you resort two throwing each other across the work out mats rather than just holding her?" Ruth asked openly.

"Big jump there girl." Faith slipped down to stand. "And a lot of assumptions, like the fact that B has never had any inclination of the Sapphic kind like ever."

"I wasn’t talking Sapphic." Ruth retaliated. "I was talking friendship." She pointed out. "Faith do you know how long it has been since Buffy has been held?" She was careful about her wording, "I’m not talking about hugging someone who needs her support, or her protection or her whatever, I’m talking about being taking into someone’s arms who is just as strong, who doesn’t ‘need’ her to do anything other than stand there and be hugged."

"But I’m not sure if I’m the best person to do that for her, all those practical complications." Faith leaned down onto the counter with her elbows looking at the calendar.

"Those complications have nothing to do with that Faith." Ruth raised her eyebrow. "It’s just a hug."

"I know." Faith turned her head looking at the witch. "Point taken."

"This might not be a fair statement Faith but…" Ruth paused. "Right now, Buffy needs someone."

"But is that someone me?" Faith pushed up to stand straight.

"Isn’t it?" Ruth turned the question right around with a soft but at the same time challenging tone.

****

As they breeched the top of the steep hill, Willow felt the strength in her legs biting into the slightly rocky terrain in order to not lose any of her momentum. She was surprised as she glanced around at the trees and then back down the hill that she wasn’t even out of breath yet.

At her guess she and the Slayer had run at least five miles, that wasn’t counting the actual journey from her house to the park and it appeared at a glance that their fast pace was at least sufficient to keep Buffy’s Slayer stamina amused.

She thought of the first time she had tried to go on a run with the Slayer so many years ago. The journey had been a quick one, as she’d been doubled over gasping for breath by the time they got to the park. Valiantly she’d urged Buffy to continue on while she lay sprawled on a park bench trying to stop the burning in her chest and massage a cramp in her calf out.

"Not doing to bad are we." She commented breaking the silent forest as she glanced over at her running partner.

"No you’re getting top star ratings Will." Buffy flashed Willow a smile and flicked back her hair which she had gathered in a short high ponytail. "You need to slow down?" She checked that the redhead’s comment hadn’t been a subtle hint at something else.

"I’m fine." Willow shook her head softly. "Unless you want to stop and do some meditating for a bit, it’s so peaceful out here."

"Sure that sounds like a great idea." Buffy slowed her run to a light jog and then stopped. "So how’s it all going?" She asked as Willow joined her.

"It’s going okay. Giles had Ruth’s bracelets and choker etched with symbols to help make the barrier spell more powerful and self propelling." Willow matched the drop in speed and then moved to stretch her calf against a fallen branch. "And Anya said that the gloves should be ready in a day or two tops."

"Wow that told me how Ruth was doing very efficiently." Buffy raised an eyebrow in her best friend’s direction.

"Sorry." The redhead smiled softly. "She’s doing really great considering new house, new city, new country." She sat down on the log. "We’re doing well though, happy." She looked up at her best friend. "How are you doing?"

"Next question." Buffy shrugged. "Tai Chi or mediation?" She asked before choosing a stance.

"You’re choice." Willow stood up and shook out her arms.

"No yours." Buffy swung her arms around her body back and forth. "Though Will can I just say, it feels so good being here with you." She took a breath. "I can never tell you how much you were missed."

"I missed being here too." Willow admitted softly. "I missed best friend time." She felt her voice drop to a gentle tone.

"Are you really okay Will, being back and everything?" The Slayer looked carefully into green eyes.

"It’s hard, it’s very hard." Willow conceded sitting back down on her makeshift seat. "But its worth is just to be able to do stuff like this." She motioned between them. "Makes me feel like I’m winning."

"You’re winning." Buffy smiled at her. "I can hardly believe how much you are winning." She nodded encouragingly. "Even if you didn’t exactly opt to come back here just yet." She conceded.

"How are you doing?" Willow questioned carefully watching the Slayer.

"Is it my imagination or did you ask that question already?" Buffy looked away from the redhead and glanced up at the sky.

"You’re imagination." Willow smiled slightly. "I especially haven’t asked how you’re doing having Faith around."

"Faith, yeah well, she seems to be okay." Buffy avoided answering.

"How has she been on patrol?" Willow noticed the change in the blonde’s demeanour.

"Faithish, you know with the fast moves and the big talk. She still likes to beat then kill rather than just kill." Buffy assessed.

"She does." Willow nodded. "But at least with her around you can have a bit of a vacation, I mean you don’t have to be out there slaying every minute."

"Of course I do, I can’t make Faith do it all." Buffy shook her head.

"Why not?" Willow asked her seriously. "She hasn’t been able to do any slaying for along time, she’s raring to do it as you just said and she’s more than capable. Letting her take over slaying for a bit will just give her something to keep busy doing while you have some time off. I mean if something big comes up you can help but the day to day vampires."

"But Angel sent her here for a reason, he didn’t send her to give me a holiday." Buffy argued. "Maybe he wanted me to watch her, you know to check she was okay."

"Angel would have told you that directly if he wanted that Buffy." Willow shook her head. "And there isn’t any reason that you shouldn’t concentrate on his big bad theory while Faith does the vamps."

"But I’m not sure that time off is what I need." Buffy shook her head. "I mean I don’t need time to sit around and contemplate how much of a screw up I am." She kicked out at a tree root.

"You’re not a screw up." The redhead watched her surprised by the words. "You are so not a screw up. I know what being a screw up is and you are definitely not one."

"How do you know what being a screw up is Will." The Slayer stopped. "You didn’t screw up Will, things happened that were not your fault." She stressed.

"I’ve screwed up a lot Buffy… magical addiction ring a bell?" The redhead frowned. "All I am saying is that sometimes everyone needs a break from the stress, you don’t have to sit at home just thinking. You could spend more time with Dawn and do the things around the house that you wish you had more time for."

"Oh Dawn doesn’t need me anymore." Buffy shook her head. "The marvellous Mrs. Lauder is the answer to all her needs."

"I know how great Rose is but Dawn still needs you." Willow pushed her thin body up. "You’re her sister Buffy and there is nothing Dawn has ever wanted but to get to spend time with you being a family."

"But she’s back at school now; I get to see her on the weekends." Buffy sighed. "No, I think I am better off just being Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the girl with no life."

"Buffy, there is no reason for you not to have a life." Willow moved over closer to her. "I know Faith isn’t the poster girl for goodness or reliability but she has always been good at slaying. There isn’t any reason for you to be out there beside her every night when you could be doing other things. Remember how you wanted to go back to school? You could start taking some courses."

"I don’t know Will." Buffy sighed again and pushed a hand up over her hair. "Nothing much is making sense in my head right now." She rubbed at her eye for a moment. "Oh God why am I even burdening you with this?" Buffy suddenly felt a stab of guilt.

"Because I’m your best friend and because I really need to know that you can talk to me about stuff." Willow put her arms up around her body. "I know what I did was horrible, a thousand times worse than Faith because she at least had gone psycho… I … I knew what I was doing but I’m trying to believe that I can make things better. I need to know that maybe one day you can trust me again."

"I do." Buffy looked straight at Willow. "I do trust you Will, you’re my best friend and what you did, what happened, that wasn’t all your fault." She took a breath and rubbed her hands on the legs of her jogging pants.

"Then how about you trust me on this, just like I do Buffy you need some time off. Some time where you’re not the head of the pack anymore and with Faith here you can do that comfortably." Willow stepped a bit closer to her. "It would be nice to have girls’ movie night like we used too."

"Could Ru cope with that?" Buffy asked honestly worried that the empathic witch wouldn’t enjoy such activities.

"She’d love it." Willow enthused. "I mean she might need to take breaks for a bit just to centre but she’s spent so long isolated. She really wants to be able to live finally now that she is with people who know about her powers and accept them."

"I can’t imagine what her life must have been like." Buffy admitted sitting down. "I mean I remember how hard it was for me but at least my Mom was loving and supportive." She said without thinking.

"Joyce was one of the best moms on earth." Willow nodded smiling softly as she thought of the older woman who had brought so much into her teenage years. "I can’t imagine how any woman could do what Ru’s mother did, just leaving your children while you run off for some new life without at least trying to contact her in all these years. It makes me so sad."

Buffy realised that she’d just been given the way out of what could have been a potentially bad situation.

"Yeah, but hey she got this far without her help right?" She attempted to steer the conversation away from the topic.

"She did." Willow nodded solidly. "She’s fought so hard all of her life, she is just so brave."

Buffy looked at Willow for a long moment.

"You really love her don’t you?" The Slayer whispered.

The question made Willow stop for a moment as she took a slow breath.

"I really do." She looked into her best friend’s eyes.

"You don’t know how happy that makes me." Buddy whispered. "But let me just say really, really happy as a pointer in the right direction. So movie night, where and when is good for you?" She asked brightly.

"Tomorrow night?" Willow smiled brightly back. "You and Dawn could come by, we could pop corn and make smores."

"Sounds great." She agreed. "You wanna head back?" She glanced back down the track.

"Probably should." Willow began jogging in place. "We could pick up the stuff and make a nice salad for lunch." She offered.

"Oh Willow." Buffy moved over and hugged Willow tightly suddenly stopping her jogging motion. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." Willow hugged her back as tight as she could. "It’s good to be with my family again."

****

Dawn hummed loudly as she swept the duster over the cabinet in the front room. In the back ground rather loud pop music blared from the small stereo as she did a twirl and then continued to clean.

Buffy pushed open the front door and stood for a long moment just watching as her sister happily cleaned the main room.

"Hey you, done your homework?" She called out to the younger woman and glanced at the clock.

"Only had to read two chapters for English and I did that on my spare." Dawn moved over to the wall to dust the pictures. "How was your day?"

"Good Will and I had a great run and then I just picked up some leaflets and things about maybe going back to school." She admitted holding up the handful of papers. "Where’s Rose?" She listened out for signs of the older woman.

"She’s reading in her room." Dawn motioned with the duster up the stairs. "So you want to go back to school?" She turned studying her sister. "You know I could help you fill out the applications and stuff like we did last time."

"I don’t know Dawn." Buffy admitted looking at her sister and smiling seeing how genuine the teenager’s offer of help was. "What do you think to the idea?"

"I think it’s a good idea." Dawn moved over and perched on couch. "You liked school even though you were always bitching about how hard it was. Maybe if you only took a few courses at a time it wouldn’t be so hard to keep up patrol and get good grades."

"That’s what I was thinking." Buffy agreed. "I just… Would it bother you?"

"Why would it bother me?" Dawn blinked not understanding the root of the question.

"Because I’m supposed to be here, I’m your family." Buffy revealed her main concern.

"As long as you don’t plan on moving out, is that what your plan is?" Dawn panicked slightly.

"No, no!" The Slayer frowned. "I’d never leave here; well not until you go off to some posh university."

"I don’t want to go anywhere posh, I want to go to UC Sunnydale and live at home." Dawn informed her sister.

"You want to stay in Sunnydale?" Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"This is where my family is." Dawn turned the fact around on the blonde.

"Yeah, but you’re hardly going to meet Prince Charming at UC Sunnydale." Buffy grinned at her sister. "Don’t shatter all of my Auntie Buffy’s dreams in one quick go."

"I am way too young for you to be thinking about me pregnant." Dawn laughed at the idea. "In fact I always figured you’d be hoping I wouldn’t be anywhere near a boy long enough to get pregnant yet."

"I didn’t mean now." Buffy stated quickly. "I meant, you know, in the future, a long time in the future."

"I know. I don’t know yet about stuff like what school I want to go to Buffy, I have to try and pass history first this year or I’m not going to get out of sophomore year." Dawn screwed up her nose. "So come on, show me the brochures. Maybe Rose can yell at the Council and they will pay your tuition. They can write it off as Slayer upgrade."

"Giles and I have already talked about money." The Slayer admitted. "Rose has an income like Giles, and apparently so do I, you have a school fund too." She smiled at her sister.

"Cool." Dawn grinned and patted the couch next to her. "So what do you want to take? I think you should stay away from psychology; we don’t need another Professor Walsh. What about poetry? You liked the poetry."

Buffy felt herself sit down rather than she consciously directed herself to do so.

"I did." She agreed. "I could do English."

"English is good, you could read in between slays." Dawn grinned. "Or hit them with old thick books, sorta your new signature weapon."

"Come on then you can help me look. Oh and while we are talking about plans do you have any for tomorrow night?" Buffy laughed and handed over some of the brochures.

"It’s a Wednesday, not a thing." Dawn shrugged.

"So how does movies and popcorn at the witches place sound?" The Slayer inquired trying to make it sound as casual as possible.

"Sounds great, are you and Faith going on some big recon mission and need us all in one place?" Dawn skimmed the first brochure.

"No…" Buffy paused to take a breath. "I’m thinking of asking Faith to go solo on patrol and joining you."

"You mean you’re going to take a night off to watch movies?" Dawn turned fully to her sister her eyes wide.

"If you think you could cope with the shock." She teased lightly.

"That would be great. I can’t remember the last time we did that." The teenager was grinning from ear to ear. "Can I pick out the movie? I can go by Blockbuster on the way home from school."

"Oh course you can. Do you want me to pick you up? We could go together." The Slayer smiled.

"Yeah… I mean if you want… but you don’t have too." Dawn hesitated a little. "Amanda, Jude and I usually just hang out at school for a bit and then make our way home but I can meet you at the front."

"Or I could send Willow with the car, if being picked up by your big sister is uncool?" Buffy leaned back into the cushions.

"It’s not that it’s uncool." Dawn tried to cover it up. "No wait it is. Remember when Mom came by to pick you up and I was there and she was teasing you about wearing those big sunglasses as if no one would recognize you."

"I remember you threatened to take a picture of me." Buffy laughed at the memory. "So I take it Willow and the car got the vote."

"Can’t I just pick up the movie and meet you at Willow’s?" Dawn shifted slightly bumping her shoulder into Buffy.

"Oh I get it the olds cramping your style." Buffy relented. "Sure you can just meet us at Willow’s. But remember, no trying to scam the guy in Blockbusters to say you are older than you are."

"No worries, Ryan knows how old I am." Dawn smiled as she won the small battle and turned her attention back to the brochure.

"Ryan?" Buffy sat up firmly. "The boy at Blockbuster knows how old you are? How come I don’t know how old he is? How come I don’t know Ryan?"

"Buffy, chill." Dawn turned to her sister and rolled her eyes. "He’s a junior, he works there part time. He’s really sensitive, he likes drama and he wants to be a director."

"Are you dating him?" Buffy eyes narrowed. "My God are you dating?"

"I’m almost seventeen, of course I’m dating." Dawn gave her an incredulous look. "You were dating Angel at my age."

"That was different." Buffy objected.

"Yeah tones, Angel is three hundred years older than you, Ryan is sixteen months older than me." Dawn leaned back smiling. "Oh and Ryan isn’t a vampire."

"How long has this been going on?" Buffy felt herself go onto the defensive.

"Not long." The teenager admitted. "And there isn’t really anything going on. Usually we just talk about movies, I keep waiting for him to ask me out but so far he hasn’t." She frowned.

"He should come for dinner." The Slayer tried to remember all the things that her mother had done with Angel but then stopped. Wait, no she hadn’t wanted her mother to invite Angel for dinner. "Um… or not."

"Not." Dawn agreed with the later option. "Though how uncool would it be if I asked him to a movie? I mean I know I’m all with the girl power but I don’t want to freak him out."

Buffy thought about the question for a long moment.

"Maybe if there were a group of you going." She put forward. "Then it would feel less pressured."

"So does that mean I can go to the movies on Friday?" Dawn sat up smiling.

Buffy smiled slowly.

"I talked myself into that one didn’t I?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You did, but it’s not like I’m going camping with Ryan or something." Dawn turned and leaned against her sister opening up another brochure.

"Camping?" Buffy examined Dawn’s eyes for signs that the teenager was testing her.

"Yeah you know, packing nothing but some food and lots of condoms." Dawn tried to keep a straight face. "Start making all those babies you wanted."

"You… clean." Buffy pushed up from the couch. "I’m hungry." She added moving towards the kitchen.

"So you don’t want me making babies just yet for you?" Dawn teased as she picked up her duster again.

****

Faith back flipped and felt the weighted blade of an axe slip into the small space between her arm and her body as she moved. She felt herself grin, as always amazed by her bodies own ability to react and manoeuvre. When she hit the ground solid again on her feet, she smiled at the thin spindly vampire who had thrown the blade as she rushed at him.

"So you were saying something about tomorrow night B?" She questioned the other Slayer who was perched sitting on the top overhang of a large crypt watching the action.

"I was going to ask you something about it yeah." Buffy admitted watching as Faith literally toyed with the fledgling.

"Well go on then." Faith ducked back and forth away from a few punches as the vamp got more angry and less accurate. "I’m all ears."

"You fancy going solo?" Buffy threw in the suggestion casually.

"Solo?" Faith turned towards her and timed her moment to throw a backwards punch into his face. "Sure, I can baby sit your Hellmouth anytime." She turned finally and staked him as he held his broken nose.

"It’s just that Willow thought it might be nice if I had a night off, watch a movie with Dawn you know, did the family thing, but if you don’t feel up to it or would rather not I understand." Buffy explained and offered ways out.

"No, that’s cool." Faith dusted off her hands. "I can take patrol, I mean it’s not like we’ve had anything exciting since the regenerator."

"And you can take the cell phone in case anything crops up that you need help with." Buffy added security. "But if you’d rather not, I mean I don’t want you to think I’m using you or anything."

"B, I’m a Slayer." Faith moved over to the ground beneath where Buffy was perched and looked up at her. "And hell I’ve been in jail slacking for the last while, I owe you."

Buffy smiled slightly.

"Thanks, it’d just be for tomorrow night." She underlined. "Then you’ll have a companion again."

"Sounds like a plan." Faith nodded. "Oh by the way B, did Giles mention anything to you about a retreat this weekend?"

"He was making some rumblings about it." Buffy shrugged. "Why, did he mention it to you?"

"No, actually Ruth did." Faith moved over and using the overhang of stone pulled herself up and landed to sit next to the blonde. "But she wants us all in Sunnydale this weekend if we can be."

"Why?" Buffy screwed up her nose.

"She’ll probably talk to you about it herself but…" Faith hesitated. "She’s going to mention to Red about going to see Tara’s grave."

"What?" Buffy stared at the other Slayer. "Is she crazy?" The blonde’s brow furrowed deeply.

"No." Faith shook her head surprised by Buffy’s reaction. "She’s worried that Red’s not dealing with the things she needs too. I mean it’s been over two weeks now, apparently Willow hasn’t mentioned it at all."

"She’s not likely too." Buffy shook her head. "Willow’s got to be ready to do this, not do it because someone else thinks its time for her to do it." She frowned again.

"C knows that." Faith defended. "She just wants Red to at least be thinking about it, instead of pretending it doesn’t exist." She turned looking out over the cemetery. "And the tree Dawn planted is nice, Red should see it."

"How do you know?" Buffy questioned immediately without thinking.

"I went by to see her." Faith kept looking out towards the horizon. "And your mom." She slowly turned to Buffy.

"You did?" Buffy managed to whisper. "Thank you." She added wondering why a hard lump had suddenly formed in her throat.

"Have you gone to see them?" Faith asked the question hoping the Slayer wouldn’t think she was being judgmental just in case Buffy hadn’t.

"I…. I’ve been busy." Buffy frowned hard and looked away from Faith.

"I don’t think either of them would want you spending time there if someone else needed you." The dark Slayer watched the blonde turn away and thinking back to her conversation with Ruth bit down the panic inside her as she reached out and very lightly put her hand over the one that Buffy had resting on the stone ledge between them