Slayers in Beantown “Giles, we just got back from one adventure, and now you want us to go on another?” Buffy complained. “And don’t think you’re getting out of the shovel speech.”
“Yes, and I am sorry. But this young woman needs our help, and I believe Faith may be the only one who can get through to her. I rather naturally assumed that you would want to go as well.”
Buffy just glowered at him.
“As to the shovel speech, you can save your efforts. Willow already gave it to me.”
Buffy’s glower continued.
"Please think it over, and let me know in the morning what you've decided,” he said.” If you choose not to go, I will be forced to-"
"You will be forced to make your sad, frowny face,” Buffy grumped. “And I'll end up going anyway."
"I've no idea what you're talking about,” Giles said with as much dignity as he could muster. “And it’s my ‘disappointed’ face."
Buffy rolled her eyes, but she was smiling just a little.
“Please think it over. And take the file to Faith. We have a limited timeframe Buffy. We do not have long before the limited protection afforded by our activities and Anya’s ruse expires. And this young woman does not have long, if my reading between the lines is correct.”
Buffy huffed mightily, but she did pick up the slim folder.
“When this latest crisis has passed, you owe us so much downtime it’s ridiculous.”
Giles responded with a single word. “Hawaii.”
Buffy blinked and squealed with delight. She darted across the room and engulfed the Englishman in a mighty hug.
Awkwardly he patted her back.
“Thank you Giles! Thankyou thankyou thankyou!”
“That’s quite alright dear girl.”
He struggled unsuccessfully to extricate himself from Buffy’s grip.
“Nope. You stay right there and be hugged. Even stuffy English people need hugs.”
She looked up at his fond gaze, her eyes shining. “Especially stuffy English people.”
“Ah, thank you Buffy,” he said.
“Do you know how long I have wanted to go to Hawaii?”
He smiled a little. “I believe you have mentioned it on and off since… about the second week I have known you.”
She did let him go then, and smiled.
“I do listen you know. I also believe as an extra reward for your good service, I will give you the expense account to be frivolous with.”
Buffy squealed. “Really?! This is going to be amazing!”
Gently he directed her gaze to the folder on the table. “However, before we can celebrate with sun, sand and alarmingly bright shirts, there is the rather more sombre matter of a young woman who needs our help.”
Buffy glanced at the folder and snagged it. “Sure sure,” she said dreamily, her eyes clearly seeing bright floral displays and palm trees.
“Ok Giles, helpful Buffy is on deck.”
“If you could get that to Faith, and come and see me before you go, I would be most grateful. I have included all the relevant information, but I would value the chance to give it a little more context.”
Buffy bobbed her head, grinning glassily, ear to ear.
He smirked. “All you can see right now is Faith, covered in those flower garlands, yes?”
Buffy just nodded, still grinning.
He sighed. “Off you go then. Just make sure to talk to me before you go.”
“Yep!” Buffy said, and almost skipped from the room.
Giles sighed, though he allowed himself a small smile.
+++
“Hawaii? Sweet!”
“I. know,” Buffy pronounced with due gravitas.
“So why’d the G-man hafta bribe us with Hawaii?”
“Well we just got back from one adventure. And I may have whined and pouted just a little.”
Faith just smiled. “Yeah, fallen to that one a few times myself.”
Faith picked up the folder and started leafing through it.
“Also it’s in Boston.”
Faith froze.
“I think that’s why he felt the need to bribe us,” Buffy said apologetically.
“So why was he so hot to get us out there?” Faith asked.
“Young girl, life in danger. That sort of thing. All in the ever-so-official folder-y thing.” Buffy pointed to the manila folder.
“Huh. G-man ain’t too dense, so it must be pretty rough for him to send you an’ me to bean-town.”
She grabbed the folder and started leafing through it.
She stopped and started reading more thoroughly. Buffy felt Faith’s concentration and focus sharpen as she read.
She found that if she focused, she could feel the words as Faith read them. More, she felt Faith’s understanding.
“Yeah. I see why Giles is sending us.”
“Oh?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Had to be me or you. Only someone who’s been through the fire, and come out the other side is gonna reach this chick I figure.”
She held out the folder. “This chick is still in the fire. I don’t think she’d be able to believe anyone who hadn’t lived through it. Or worse.”
Buffy tapped her head. “I read it when you did, which was kind of fun.”
Faith raised an eyebrow. “Huh. I’ll have to try that sometime. You know, if you ever read anything other than Cosmo.”
Buffy smiled, pleased to have discovered something about their link before Faith did. Faith’s constant poking and prodding usually discovered things first.
“But how are we getting to Boston?” she asked. “I mean, it’s a long way, so driving is out. And I don’t think we’ll be allowed to take weapons on a plane. And we are being hunted, so there’s no way in hell I’m going unarmed while various nasties try to eat my pregnant wife.”
“We just teleported back with the rest of the gang. I figure we just ask Glinda and Red to work the mojo and poof!” Faith said wiggling her fingers.
Buffy rubbed Faith’s lower back comfortingly. “Are you sure? Because the grossness really looks like no fun.”
Faith sighed. “Yeah. This whole pregnancy thing sucks. I mean, hey I’m glad I’m having our baby B. But I wish this was something I could have chosen. And I still have no fucking clue how come I’m pregnant. It’s not like you turned into a guy or something. I’da noticed that.”
She shrugged helplessly. “Eh, I just can’t get my head around it.”
Buffy smiled softly. “We are going to be moms. That’s what matters.”
Faith smiled shyly and Buffy was almost overcome with how adorable she looked.
“I’m glad B. I really am. Also I think Red and Snow-white are a teensy bit jealous of us.”
Buffy shook her head in disbelief. “Yeah. I really figured they would be doing the whole girl-girl baby thing waaaay before us.”
Faith frowned. “I really woulda thought that you’d be the one doing the girly-pregnant thing though. I’m totally the dude in this relationship, so how come I gotta be knocked up?”
“More for baby to eat?” Buffy said with a faint smirk.
“Pretty thin, B.”
Buffy shrugged. “I have no idea. Anyway, we have to have our trip while your pants are a bit snug, instead of when you look like you swallowed a beachball.”
Faith just looked annoyed.
“You know, some of those maternity dresses are pretty cute.”
Faith’s frown became a glare. “I am not wearing a frikkin maternity dress. I’ll wear track pants from the big and tall store if I have to, but I ain’t wearing one o’ those fucking mumu things.”
Buffy grinned. “I think you’d look very cute in something floral.”
More glaring.
Buffy giggled. “Ok, no mumu. Let’s pack for Boston and go rescue this girl. Then maybe you can show me around the nice parts of the city.”
Faith smiled. “I’d like that B. It ain’t all bad there. Had some shitty times for sure, but there’s a few good memories. Plus who knows, maybe I can dig up something about my real Da, find out who he is.”
“Maybe he’s a foreign king or something. Ooo! That would make you a princess!”
“Only one princess around here, B.”
“I can’t tell if you’re being sweet or being mean,” Buffy said, frowning.
Faith smirked, not letting on.
“How about this?” She pulled Buffy in for a soft kiss.
When they broke from the kiss, Buffy sighed happily. “Definitely sweet.”
“C’mon, let’s grab our gear and talk to the witch squad.”
“What do we need?”
Faith shrugged. “Dunno. We ain’t going into the wilds, despite part o’ Beantown being called the Boondocks. I’m just taking a few weapons, a few clothes… and a credit card.” She grinned evilly as she mentioned a credit card.
“Ooo, shopping,” Buffy said happily.
“Bean town is stickier than what you’re used to, even at this time of year. Winters are damn cold, but in summer? Kinda humid.”
Buffy brightened. “New wardrobe?”
Faith snorted and laughed a little. “B, we’re gonna be there a couple of days. How much clothing do you need?”
“Two days? Three new outfits. And shoes to go with them.”
“If it makes you happy Bumblebee, go nuts.”
Buffy frowned. “Speaking of people whose names start with B B, are you happy leaving the Buffybot here by herself? Is it safe to do?”
“We were? Uh, sure. Also, she ain’t alone. Xander likes playing with her, and lil’ D and Andy-Pandy are absolutely smitten with her.”
“Really? Why?”
“Really? A genuine artificial intelligence wanderin’ around campus in a short skirt, and you’re wonderin’ why the geeky types have gone all starry-eyed and giggly?”
“Hey, my sister’s not geeky!”
“Sure she is. Lara Croft geeky, but still geeky. She gets excited by books and spells, computer stuff and techno toys. S’not a bad thing B.”
She smirked a little. “You sure they made her outa you, an’ not Red?”
“I’m not stupid! I just have trouble with words… and paying attention.”
“True dat. And you’re a decent cook B. When I force you to stay near the stove, that is.”
“Ok, so I’m a real blonde. We were talking about the
other blonde.”
“She’ll be fine. And as much as I like having her around, I figure i’ll have enough on my plate this weekend without babysitting another crazy blonde.”
“Hey!”
“Crazy like a fox, B.”
“Nice recovery.”
Faith turned serious for a moment. “And B? I don’t wanna share Boston with anyone else. This is just you an’ me shit, yeah?”
Buffy’s gaze softened. She put her hand on Faith’s arm. “I understand Faith. And thank you.”
“B, our world has changed so much, and it’s gonna change some more soon.”
She smiled, a little worriedly. “This might be our last chance to do stuff with just you an’ me. Pretty soon we’re both gonna be moms, and that’s terrifying, and kinda cool. But it won’t ever be just you an’ me anymore.”
“One last hurrah?”
Faith grinned. “Hell yeah girlfriend! Let blow through Beantown like a god-damned hurricane, and leave them wondering what the fuck happened.”
Buffy chuckled.
“No I’m serious B. We’re gonna hafta settle down and be good parents soon. So let’s make the Boston underworld think the apocalypse has come, just for them. Let’s live in a five-star hotel, eating lobster, drinking champagne and wearing fur coats.”
“Sipping champagne very sparingly,” Buffy said, poking Faith gently in the tummy.
“Fine. But to make up for it, you have to fuck me until I pass out. Ok?”
Buffy giggled, and flushed a little. “That seems fair. I think can handle that.”
“I wonder if they make leather preggo pants?”
“God, I hope not. That would look pretty bizarre, you have to admit.”
Faith grinned. “Yeah. Almost worth it.”
She bounced to her feet. “C’mon B! You go get the Witch-brigade to find us some nasties in Beantown, and I’ll get the gear and the money while go chase up Red and her little angel.”
Faith bounced around like a kid on too much sugar, making Buffy smile to see it.
“Ok sugar rush. You go do your bit, I’ll do mine and meet you in the back courtyard.”
“Wicked!” Faith said and made to bolt from the room.
“Ahem!” Buffy said. She pointed to her face. “Kisses please.”
Faith stopped. “Sorry Bumblebee. I just got too excited.”
She grabbed Buffy and swung her around, peppering her face with tiny kisses.
Buffy giggled happily, until Faith kissed her with such passion she just about wet herself.
“Whoa. Someone ate their Wheaties this morning.”
Faith brushed a hair from her face tenderly. “B, we’re off to help a girl that really needs it. And we’re also having kind of a honeymoon, sorta. So, we help the girl. Then it’s you, me and some kind of fur rug, and every naughty, dirty fantasy you’ve ever had.”
Buffy blushed brightly.
“Yeah B, even the one where I-”
Buffy covered her mouth.
She stood up on tippy-toes to whisper in Faith’s ear. “Show. Don’t tell.”
Faith smiled wonderingly. “You naughty little minx. We are going to have to go toy shopping I think.”
“I. Can’t. Wait,” Buffy whispered into Faith’s ear.
Faith moaned at the hot breath on her ear.
“We… uhh. We should go. Now.”
“Ok!” Buffy chirped, and bounced away.
Faith narrowed her eyes. “Tease.”
Buffy bobbed her head cheerfully. “Yup.”
“And now I have to punish you.”
Faith wiggled her fingers.
Buffy’s eyes widened. “Nononono!”
“Yep!”
And with that, Buffy bolted from the room, squealing in tickle-terror, Faith hot on her heels.
+++
Sometime later, after the tickling and squealing had died down, the chosen two were standing in the fields at the back of Slayer central.
“Y’know, if we are going to keep teleporting people around the place, we might need to set up like a transporter pad or something,” Willow said. Currently she was planting big chunks of crystal in a circle around the two.
“Nerd,” Faith said.
Willow poked out her tongue.
“Teleportation isn’t too risky,” she said. “As long as the arrival area is clear.”
She shuddered. “You don’t want to know what happens if there’s someone in the way when you land.”
“Which is why we scry the area before we send anyone,” Tara said.
“Are you guys going to be ok with the witchy-ness?” Buffy asked.
“We’ll be fine Buffy,” Tara said.
“It’s Faith you’ve got to worry about,” Willow added. She finished wedging the last pointy bit of quartz into the earth.
She looked a little awkward and embarrassed. “Sorry Faith, but we haven’t had time to practice the spell and make it any smoother.”
“And you’re sure it’s not going to hurt the baby?” Buffy asked.
Willow shook her head. “Uh-uh. No more threatening than walking into the next room. We put
there next to
here, then we just give you a shove to make you hop across.”
“I think it’s your awareness of world around you that makes you so sensitive to the change,” Tara said.
“I always knew remarkable self-involvement was one of my Slayer powers,” Buffy said. “Who knew it would turn out to actually be useful for something.”
Tara chuckled. “Well, perhaps just a little.”
Faith looked impatient. “C’mon, let’s get this show on the road wonder-witches. I wanna be there and back before we’ve even realized we’re gone.”
“Patience Faith. Just a few more minutes,” Willow said.
“Do you have everything?” Tara asked.
Buffy hefted a sensibly sized backpack and made a glare-y face at Willow. “I have Willow’s monster-map and a sensible amount underwear this time.”
Willow giggled at Buffy’s faux glare. “Sorry Buff. It was kinda funny though.”
Buffy waggled a handle sticking out of the pack. A handle with a now familiar tennis-ball stuck on the end.
“I have the scythe, but Faith’s leaving her monster-axe behind.”
“Yeah. Tried getting it to magically shrink down or somethin’. Not happening though.”
She hefted her own pack, which looked heavier than Buffy’s. “Couple of short swords and some knives should do me. Along with the usual.”
“And I have my
super survival accessory,” Buffy said.
Her eyes glinted mischievously as she held up a shiny gold credit card. “It’s my new favourite word.
Expense account.”
“Do at least try to avoid buying a significant portion of the city,” Giles said dryly. “By all means, have fun. But try not to draw too much attention with your expenditures.”
“Sure Giles. We’ll make sure to stick to portable things. No buildings or islands.”
She turned to Faith. “Gold is portable, right?”
Faith grinned. “According to Mister T it is.”
Giles rolled his eyes. “Very funny. Do you have the post-card?”
Tara held up a post-card showing one of Boston’s more scenic bridges. “This should do to scry with, mister Giles.”
“And you have your insanely expensive, waterproof, smashproof satellite phone?” Dawn asked.
“Yep,” Buffy said, swatting the bottom of the pack.
“I know you’re going for very serious reasons,” Giles said. “And there are serious things happening.”
He smiled gently. “But do try to enjoy yourselves a little.”
Buffy goggled at him. “Who are you? Really Giles, you just gave me a gold-card and told me to have fun.”
Giles quirked a restrained smile, before his face took on a serious expression. “Buffy, you have more than earned any reward. Really, how much would
you pay someone who saved the world as often as you had? Who was so committed, that they had given their life?
Twice?”
Buffy flushed, torn between embarrassment and pride.
“Enjoy yourselves girls. Between the serious things of course.”
“Will do Giles. And thanks.”
Almost shyly, Faith of all people, approached Giles and kissed him on the cheek. “Gonna be a grandpa soon G. Gonna hafta start calling you Gramps.”
His eyes glittered with emotion. “Perish the thought,” he said softly, clearly anything but offended.
“Don’t forget you two,” Faith said seriously. “You need us, you grab us and yank us to you.”
“Day or night,” Buffy added.
Tara smiled warmly at the pair and nodded, glad to have such staunch allies. She held up her own insanely expensive phone and waggled it. “If we do, we will.”
“Promise?” Buffy asked.
“Promise,” Tara replied.
Willow sat down with the big pink crystal and started wafting pungent smoke around, a look of concentration on her face.
Tara nodded to herself thoughtfully and sat down next to her, facing the chosen two.
They joined one pair of hands, and with their free hands they picked up the crystal together.
Tara chanted her spell, focussing on the bridge in the postcard. Sparkles of light rose from her body as she chanted and orbited her head at eye height. Her familiar blue and white theme, now augmented by Willow’s own colours, produced a subtle rainbow effect, neatly highlighting that the two were casting together.
“We have the bridge,” Tara said. her voice echoed with eerie harmonics as she pushed past the magic of the spell to communicate her findings.
“There,” she said to Willow. “That jetty looks good.”
Moments passed.
“Your landing area is clear. It’s also out of the way and dark, so hopefully there won’t be any witnesses,” Tara said.
“You sound kinda trippy when you talk like that,” Faith said.
“Magic-y,” Buffy added.
Tara smiled a little, but did not respond. She shifted her focus to Willow’s spell. No longer in the lead, spell wise, now all she had to do was push. Once more she stood in awe of Willow’s power. Although she carried depth of magical energy every bit as deep as her beloved, she was in awe of the way Willow’s brain worked.
Although she herself understood roughly
how teleportation worked, she had no mind for the mechanics of the spell.
But Willow did.
Lovingly, Willow took the image of the landing site from her mind and wove it into the spell she was casting.
The pattern of the spell flared with light, and in the outer world, the spell circle flared with multi-coloured flames, and the Slayer pair were gone.
+++
Faith blinked in the sudden darkness.
Even the eyes of a Slayer took a while to adapt to the dimness, after the blaze of the spell.
“Goddamn, that’s a bright light. I can’t see shit.”
Buffy waved her hand in front of her face, only barely able to see her fingers. “Oh yeah. I think I can sorta see something though.”
Buffy slowly became aware that a man was staring at her, absolutely… flabbergasted. Yes, flabbergasted was a good word. She was sure she’d heard Giles use it at least once.
“Uh, hey,” Buffy said with a small wave.
“Er…” the man said.
The pair became aware of a distinctly funky smell. There were days when enhanced senses were not fun. This was one of those times.
The homeless man struggled to gather his thoughts. The fumes of some sort of cheap alcohol adding some vital clues as to his mind-state.
“Are you aliens?” he slurred.
Faith stepped forward. “No. We are angels sent by the lord your god,” she said dramatically.
“You are?” he said, awed.
“We are?” Buffy said.
“Yes. We are,” Faith stated confidently. “This is the day your life changes. God has sent us to grant you a gift. A choice.”
She put a wad of cash in his hand. “This simple gift is given to you. You may use it as the first step toward a new life, or the last step in your old.”
She looked at him seriously. “Go now to the church on fifth street and get a good meal in you. But be warned, if you choose to waste this chance, it is the end. There will be no third chances.”
Blearily the man nodded, staring at the two. He hauled himself to his feet and staggered off.
Buffy just stared, amazed.
“What,” she eventually said. “Was that?”
Faith grinned a little sheepishly. “What? You never watched ‘Touched by an Angel?”
“Uh, a little bit. Mom sort of liked it. But hey, explanation please?”
“I just gave the guy a grand and sent him to a church. So either he’s gonna use that to turn his life around, and the church will help him. If not, he’ll drink himself to death. Either way, he’s happy, and I helped him out.”
“But, drinking himself to death is not exactly awesome.”
Faith shrugged. “Look, he may be a drunken homeless guy, but he’s still an adult. If he wants to drink himself to death, it’s his life to do that with. And at least I tried. Plus he’s out of our hair.”
“Uh,” Buffy said uncertainly. “I can’t fault your logic. Still bothers me a little bit though.”
“His choice B. He’s a drunk, so it’s kinda likely he’ll drink himself into an early grave. But that’s still his choice, and dropping outa nowhere in a huge flash and telling him we’re angels? That might just shock him into doing the right thing.”
“I guess,” she said reluctantly.
“Also, about the best I could come up with in 5 seconds.”
“I know. Sorry if I came off bitchy or something. I guess I just don’t know how to handle that sort of thing. Sunnydale never had any homeless people. They tended to get eaten pretty quickly. And um, where I lived in LA was kind of up-market.”
Faith smiled a little and nudged Buffy’s shoulder with her own. “S’ok Bumblebee. At least we ain’t yelling at each other and swinging.”
Buffy smiled a little as they stepped out of the shadows under the bridge. She unhooked the chain on the supposedly locked gate and started climbing the big concrete staircase. Faith took her hand and they climbed the concrete stairs together, going slowly so they didn’t have to encounter the homeless man again, and ruin the impact they’d had on him.
When they made it to the top of the bridge, they stopped and looked around. The wind was blowing fairly strongly, and there was a hint of moisture in the air. Buffy shivered and buried her hands in her nice warm leather jacket, dragging Faith’s hand along with it.
Faith chuckled. They might have lost some of their gear in Bohemia, but the locals had been nice enough to replace the lost stuff.
Handmade shoes and custom fitted leather jackets from Europe. They may not have looked quite as fancy as the store-bought clothing they had replaced, but you couldn’t beat them for comfort. Or Buffy-squeal factor.
And it was quite nice and warm in Buffy’s pocket.
“So, I’m thinking we should get a hotel or something first, then get something to eat, then we see about this girl we are supposed to be rescuing,” Buffy said.
“Sure. Sounds like a plan. Where’re we headed?”
Buffy held up a list. “I got Willow to make me a list of the nice hotels.” Drops of rain spotted the page, and Buffy glared at the darkening sky.
One entry on the rain-spotted page was circled in red and had ‘5 Star!!’ written on it. Buffy currently had her thumb on it.
“This one,” Faith said, pointing to one further down the list.
“Fairmont Copley Plaza? But that’s only four star!” Buffy complained.
Faith grinned. “Yeah, but it’s got history.”
“Uh, did you slay something there?”
Faith chuckled. “Not me B. Someone else did though, an’ I’ve always wanted to see the place.”
“Oh. Well history is cool. Let’s book-in there and you can tell me all about it.”
“Sweet. Let me tell you a story about two nice irish boys…”
+++
“I can’t believe you made us stay here because of a stupid movie,” Buffy complained.
Faith laughed. “I know. I’m such a bitch, making my fiancé stay in this terrible, uh,” she glanced at the brochure. “Four and a half star penthouse.”
She looked puzzled. “Seriously? What’s the diff between four and a half and five anyways?”
“Um, a butler? Gold doorknobs?” Buffy said, not sure herself.
“Whatever. Either way, it’s gonna be pretty fucking sweet.” Faith spun around with her arms out, her bare feet digging into the thick soft carpet.
Nothing said luxury like thick carpet.
She fell on the bed with a happy sigh, and practically vanished into it.
“Seriously B, when we get our own place, I want a bed like this and carpet like that.” She waved her bare foot vaguely around, indicating the plush floor.
Buffy climbed on top of her and rested her head on her generous chest, snuggling close.
“We should really get to work.”
Despite her comment, she showed no real inclination to move from her comfortable snuggle spot.
Faith fiddled with her watch. “We will B. In about 10 minutes. So relax for a little bit. Dig yourself some luxury.”
Buffy hummed and snuggled closer. “I love it when you’re all responsible and stuff. It means I get to be the irresponsible one for a while.”
“Wow, responsibility is a turn on now? Who knew.”
Buffy smiled, something Faith could feel against her breast. She pushed up and gazed lovingly at Faith. “I don’t say it often enough Faith, but I really love you.”
Faith’s gaze softened. “I love you too B. Wouldn’t be here with you, all preggers and shit if I didn’t.”
A frown marred Buffy’s face. “It worries me that we still don’t know how it happened.”
Faith stroked Buffy’s soft hair gently. “I know B. But hey, Snow-white took a bunch of readings before we left. Me, you, some mini-me’s. Maybe when we get back she’ll have some answers for us.”
Buffy traced little circles on Faith’s tummy. “I hope so. At least she said the baby is ok. Like, guaranteed non-demony.”
Faith nodded, moving Buffy’s head just a little. “Yeah. I’d feel it if it was evil or something. It’s nice to have backup on it though.”
“There’s something about all this that is nagging at me. Like there’s something I’ve forgotten, and I’m going to kick myself when I remember.”
“Don’t stress babe. It’ll come to you.”
Buffy stopped tracing circles on Faith’s still-flat tummy. Faith could feel the sudden spike of anticipation/fear that usually heralded Buffy broaching an awkward topic.
“Baby? I have something to ask you, and, um, I don’t know if it’s a good idea or maybe the worst ever, and you know how bad I am with this stuff.”
Whatever it was Buffy was leading up to, it had to be big, given the emotions Buffy was trying hard not to pour down the link.
Faith kept stroking Buffy’s hair lovingly. “It’s ok Bumblebee. Just ask.”
Buffy nodded against Faith’s chest. “I know it’s been too crazy to think straight lately, what with… everything.”
“Yep. That’s why I’m enjoying this so much,” Faith said, cuddling Buffy just a little closer.
“I was wondering… have you thought about names for the baby?” Buffy asked hesitantly.
“Nope,” Faith said. “That’s just one of the many things I’ve been ignoring. I figured if it was some kinda demon, what’s the point? And if it ain’t… well I figure I’ll think of something later.”
“Baby… what about… Hope?” Buffy said hesitantly.
Once again she felt a sudden spike of emotion from Faith, perhaps a little less sharply, a little less painfully than it had once.
Faith was silent for a while.
Buffy was frozen into immobility, hiding her terror that her idea had poured fresh salt on healing wounds.
Faith was unreadable, her face and emotional connection betraying nothing. Long seconds dragged by.
Faith’s watch beeped.
“Time to get back on the clock,” Faith said, her voice rough and unsteady.
Buffy let her up, the pair of them sitting side by side on the edge of the bed in silence.
Buffy hid it as best she could, but she was starting to think that her idea, ‘Hope’ was a bad one. She had been trying to help in some small way, to honour Faith’s loss with new life, new love. And now she had driven Faith back into hiding.
“B?” Faith eventually said.
“Faith honey, are you ok?” Buffy said softly, worry evident on her face.
“It’s a good name,” Faith said, her voice still rough.
“Baby I’m sorry… I just wanted to honour your baby girl and… I so suck at this.”
Faith looked up, emotionally battered and somewhat haunted, but with the ghost of a smile. “It’s a good name, Buffy.”
She had a far-away look. “When I was up there, Cordy told me something. She said that once created, souls can never be destroyed.”
Buffy said nothing, but gently took Faith’s hand to let her talk.
“I asked about visiting her. Y’know, being heaven and all.”
Buffy nodded silently, encouraging Faith to speak.
Eventually she did. “Cordy took me to the well of souls.”
Buffy still said nothing, but Faith could sense her questioning thought.
“It’s where souls that are waiting to be born, uh, wait I guess.”
“It’s this big hole in the world, just goes down forever. They were just little lights, drifting around in space, y’know? Kinda peaceful like.”
“And there was this sound, real quiet. Like someone singing a lullaby. Cordy couldn’t hear it, but I could. Just singing to all those waiting souls.”
“What was she like?” Buffy said softly.
Faith shrugged. “Dunno. Couldn’t go in. Cordy hadda pull out the big guns to keep me out. Told me that they were pure souls. Too fragile to touch, that sorta thing.”
She met Buffy’s eyes at last. Her eyes glittered, but the emotion flooding their link was one of love, and possibly hope.
“There was one light, came a little closer than the rest. It kinda felt a little, dunno, familiar I guess.”
Faith smiled poignantly. “She was so bright B. So much brighter than all the others. I didn’t tell Cordy, but I think she knew.”
Faith pulled her into a tight hug. “Pure gold, B. just like you. The soul of a Slayer.”
Buffy hugged her back just as tightly, unable to speak.
“That was her,” Faith said, her voice thick with emotion. “My baby. My Hope.”
Tears fell silently for them both, as they shared a moment so deep that neither had words to describe it.
Soft rain pattered against the window.
+++
Faith spoke up, sniffling. “Goddamn, you’ve turned me into such a chick.”
Buffy chuckled, glad Faith had broken the solemnity of the moment somewhat. She responded by poking her in the ribs.
Faith yelped. “Hey, no fair tickling the preggo chick.”
“You know, I spoke to Tara about that. Do you know what she told me you couldn’t do if you’re pregnant?”
Faith looked worried. “Don’t tell me we gotta stop fooling around? I can’t take that B!”
Buffy shushed her with a finger. “Smoking, drinking and drugs. Anything else we can do.”
Faith raised one eyebrow and grinned. “Even when you put your whole-”
Buffy shushed her again with a finger and a furious blush. “Yes, even that. And if you want me to keep doing it, you’ll wisely not tease me about it.”
“Fair enough. Goddamn, I am looking forward to it now. Let’s rescue this bitch so I can get some quality Buffy lovin’.”
“And the ritual ‘embarrass Buffy at the sex shop’ time.”
“Only a little bit B, I promise.”
Buffy held up the manila folder.
Faith pushed it back to her and lay back on the very plush bed. “Oh no, your turn now.”
She tapped her temple, “I’m gonna work on reading it with you.”
Buffy grinned. “Neat. Let’s do it.”
She was greeted by laughter. “What?!” she protested.
“When I tell Grampa Giles about this, he’s gonna flat-out call me a liar.”
Buffy snorted and laughed, unable to help herself. She covered her mouth in a vain attempt to stifle the giggles. “Grampa… Giles?!”
Faith grinned. “It’s his new nick-name. You like it?”
Buffy giggled helplessly, emitting an occasional ‘Grampa!’ or ‘Giles!’
Faith just swatted her with the folder, then gave up and tickled her.
Buffy’s giggles turned to squeals, joined shortly thereafter by Faith’s own shrieks as Buffy had her revenge.
Some minutes later the pair were lying on the bed breathing hard.
“We broke the ten minute thing. And weirdly, not for hot lovin’.”
“Yeah. We’d better get up and save the world.”
Buffy responded by groaning, rolling over and grabbing the folder. After some page flipping, she started reading intently.
Faith lay back and closed her eyes, concentrating on the link they shared. She found, as Buffy had, with concentration she could absorb the words and Buffy’s understanding of them. She also discovered that Buffy skipped from point to point with dizzying speed and she really had to concentrate to follow along.
She groaned.
Buffy reached out without looking and rubbed Faith’s tummy reassuringly. “Honey, it works better if you just relax and let it flow into you.”
Faith nodded and tried, mentally taking a step back. It did indeed get easier, if she just let Buffy’s information and knowledge flow into her.
Buffy was discovering all sorts of things, and passing them on to Faith. After a good read, she sat up to talk. Faith still looked a little bit off.
“Are you ok?” she asked.
Faith groaned. “Yeah. Mostly. Just that being in your head is a dizzying experience, B. That and we did just teleport like, an hour ago. I’m just glad I didn’t puke my ring out this time.”
Faith burped slightly. “Still makes me feel a little weird though.”
She looked down at Buffy’s hand, still tracing comforting circles on her tummy. “Better get used to doing that. Baby is going to need burping and shit.”
Buffy chuckled.
“Hey, fair’s fair B. I gotta carry this little punk chick, and pop her out through a hole waaay too small, an’ then feed her. With my tits. Least you can do is deal with the poopy pants and other grossness.”
“Eeew!” Buffy said, wrinkling her nose. “As gross as that sounds, it does seem fair. Given that you’ll be getting all the stretch-marks and droopy bits.”
Faith just grinned. “Nope. Slayer healing and Glinda’s magic say: no stretchmarks, no droopy bits.”
“Thereby becoming hated by every woman in the world.” Buffy added.
Faith shrugged. “Not my problem. So, this girl we’re rescuing?”
“Not really a girl, given that she’s in her thirties, and in the air force.”
“Uh, missed that bit I guess. Maybe tell me the old fashioned way, while I have a read.”
She snagged the folder and started her own reading. Buffy draped herself across Faith and read over her shoulder.
“So she’s been seeing demons and vampires for years?”
Buffy nodded. “Yep, and it got worse-“
“Four months ago,” Faith finished.
“Also yep. I think we made things worse for her,” Buffy added.
“We saved the world, so I can live with that. So now our job is to make things right for her. Any ideas?”
“Well, I thought we’d probably go talk to her, let her know she’s not alone or crazy. Then maybe see if she wants to join us?”
“Evil is a growth industry,” Faith said.
“Well she’s all military and stuff. Maybe she can talk planes or something with Giles’ annoying friend?”
Faith grinned. She liked the charming old letch, but something about him rubbed Buffy the wrong way. Probably the fact that he was a charming old letch. Though it least he was sort of British about it.
“Sure. We could use another pilot I guess.”
She went back to reading.
“Man, I kinda like this chick. She likes to fight, but alla this seeing monsters and shit messed her up.”
“Not as much as being taken off active duty for ‘stress’ did.”
Faith tapped the page. “Or having everyone think she was crazy.”
“What’s ‘conduct unbecoming of an officer’ mean?” Buffy asked.
“Dunno. Maybe she punched someone or… heh.”
“What?”
“Uh, looks like she shares some of our tastes B. Looks like she got caught doing the nasty with some chick, and now she’s in trouble. Which I think, is what set all this off.”
“You can’t be gay in the military?”
“Nope.”
“Oh. Well what about Riley’s friend Graham?”
“The dude with the chin? He’s gay?”
Buffy nodded. “Riley told me a story about waking up to find Graham snuggling him, fast asleep.”
“The Boy Toy is gay too?”
Buffy smirked and gently punched Faith in the shoulder. “No. After the embarrassment wore off, he thought it was kinda funny. But no, he’s married. To a
girl.”
Faith smirked a little. “It is sorta funny.”
She thought for a moment. “I guess maybe he’s in a special unit with different rules, maybe? Or maybe the bosses don’t know?”
Faith brightened. “Hey, don’t ask, don’t tell.
That’s what that is.”
“Well, maybe we can offer…” Buffy read the notes, “
Tamara an exciting new career in evil-fighting.”
“You used to get visions of vamps an’ shit when you were a potential?” Faith asked.
Buffy nodded.
“Me too.”
“That’ll be useful. Check this out.” Faith said holding up a page. “She was busted for fighting in O
‘connor’s. Bet you anything you like, she’s there now.”
“Um, I guess taking Axcalibur is a little overkill,” Buffy said, fiddling with the tennis ball on the handle of the Scythe.
“I don’t think it will fit in the wall-safe, B. might wanna take it downstairs and get them to lock it in the vault.”
“Ok. Sounds like a plan. Let’s go.”
“I believe someone is owed a reward, for being so restrained with the smoking-drinking thing. And I want to get to it,” Buffy said, leaning over to whisper in Faith’s ear. “Fucked until you pass out. That
was what you said wasn’t it?”
Faith swallowed. “Oh yeah. I said that.”
Buffy nibbled her ear, producing a soft moan.
“Then we should go. So we can pick up Tamara, and come back here and fuck your brains out.”
Buffy’s eyes widened as she realized what she’d said. “No! I mean, so she can be safe somewhere else, and then
I can fuck your brains out!”
Faith fell back on the bed laughing, her belly rippling as she laughed. “Priceless. Don’t worry B. Got the real deal right here, not looking for any cheap imitations. Even if she does look like an angry version of that cute blonde from Stargate.”
Buffy buried her face in the comforter.
“Come B. Don’t make me be the responsible one. Be all leadership Buffy ‘n’ stuff.”
Buffy rolled over with a groan. “Fine.”
She huffed, and sat up.
Reaching out to rummage through her bag she asked, “Which do you think is my best ‘hey we’re not crazy’ top?”
She held up a soft pink top and a dark red one. “The pink one is cute, the red one is hot. What look were you going for?”
“Uh. Cute seems safer. Pink it is.”
She looked up at Faith. “And you?”
“That slinky dark blue number. Really shows off my rack.”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “All your clothes show off the goods.”
Faith smirked. “Can’t help looking hot B. Just look on the bright side. Anyone not jealous of you, is gonna be jealous of me. Or is a gay guy.”
Buffy hauled a grumbling Faith to her feet. “Come on you shameless hussy. Let’s get freshened up and go check out this bar.”
“This would be the bar that I can’t drink at?”
“No,” Buffy said, shaking her head. “All bars are bars you can’t drink at.”
Faith shrugged. “Eh. Probably a dive any way.”
+++
Faith stared, clearly annoyed.
“Goddamn! First decent bar I’ve been in for months, and can I get a beer? Hell no.”
Buffy patted her on the butt before scooting in through the doorway.
Faith raised an eyebrow. For Buffy, that was pretty daring, though she was starting to discover, Buffy had an adventurous side.
“Suddenly I’m less worried about the Guinness.”
Buffy scanned the room with a practiced eye, locking on a short-haired blonde woman in a corner booth.
Faith scanned the room also, taking in the smell of wood, fresh beer and gathered folks.
The bar was clean and well kept, with just enough roughness around the edges to give it a level of street cred. A good working-man’s bar.
She sighed. Some days just sucked.
She spotted the blonde that Buffy had picked out, and silently went to the bar.
Buffy moved over and sat down at the table with the blonde woman. She smiled disarmingly.
“Hi, I’m Buffy.”
Tamara looked up. “For real?”
Buffy nodded cheerfully. The woman giving her a measuring look had startling brown eyes, rimmed with grey.
Tamara looked at her, measuring. “Hey Buffy. Not really in the mood for company right now.” Her eyes fell on the gold axe medallion gleaming at Buffy’s throat. “Uh, or a date for that matter.”
“She’s engaged,” Faith said, making an appearance with three tall glasses. The fruit cocktail she slid over to Buffy, who took it without a glance. The dark, creamy-topped beer she pushed over to Tamara, reserving a large coke for herself.
“To her,” Buffy said, taking a sip of her fruity, only slightly alcoholic drink.
Tamara noticed Faith’s matching medallion and ring and looked slightly worried. “Uh… look, you guys are pretty an’ all, but I ain’t into that.”
“Bitch, you couldn’t handle ‘that,’ so just calm the fuck down, ok?”
“Look, I’ve had a shit day. So I don’t wanna hear about Amway, or Jesus or whatever amazing thing saved you, or made you born again.”
Faith smirked. “Yeah, you’re pretty safe there.”
“Ok,” Buffy chirped. “If you don’t wanna listen to us, how about you tell us about why you’re having such a horrible day?”
“About how I’m up on charges, probably gonna get kicked out of the service for somthin’ stupid at a party? Or locked up as a crazy person because I made the mistake of trusting my shrink?”
She took a long swallow of the beer in front of her. “No thanks.”
“That sounds like a shit day alright.”
Faith took a similarly large gulp of her coke.
“So let me tell you about a shit day I had once.”
Tamara looked askance at Faith.
“See I was a kid, and I had issues with foster homes. I didn’t like them and they didn’t like me. The reason they kept after me was because every night I had nightmares. Real bad ones.”
“What the fuck does this have to do with me?” Tamara said angrily.
Buffy bristled, until Faith laid a restraining hand on her arm.
“You’ll see. Hell of a payoff, I promise.”
Faith drank some more of her moisture-beaded coke.
“So every night I’m having these nightmares. Every time I close my eyes I’m seein’ girls dyin’. Every night I’m seeing pale dudes with yellow eyes and bumpy foreheads. Every night I’m seein’ big red and green dudes with horns and shit killin’ all these brave girls. And they don’t go down easy. They go down kickin’ and screamin’, taking the yellow eyed and horned dudes with them.”
Tamara stared at her, white faced and silent.
“But they
do go down. All those brave girls.”
Faith sipped her coke.
“So I make the mistake of tellin’ the one person who I kinda trusted, my shrink. And what does she do? She tells my case worker. And right away I get labelled as ‘delusional’ and ‘problematic’. Suddenly my shit life gets worse.”
“So I get bounced from one shitty home to another, until I end up in this one place. It don’t seem too bad, y’know? I mean the story is, more kids run away from there than anywhere else, but it still don’t seem to bad. The would-be Ma ain’t too bitchy, and the would-be Da ain't too grabby.”
“Turns out their kid is locked in the attic, all bumpy faced and pale. And they try to feed me ta him. The fuckers.”
“Turns out those nightmares, those brave girls, they taught me somethin’. ‘Cos them bumpy headed guys? They don’t like sunlight.”
Faith mimed pulling down a curtain. “Curtain. Window. Poof.”
Faith sipped her coke. In eerie synchronicity, Buffy and Tamara sipped their drinks. In the background, the hubbub of the bar continued, oblivious of the women in the corner.
“But it ain’t all shit. One day it got good.
“See, I’d been raised a good catholic girl. Sorta. And I prayed. Used to pray a fair bit. I prayed for my Ma to get off the bottle, but nothin’ happened. I prayed for someone to protect me from Lenny, my Ma’s boyfriend.”
“No-one came then either. Or when I prayed for someone to come rescue me from juvvie.”
Faith sipped her coke.
“I’d pretty much given up on all that crap. But one night I got cornered on the street. Four real pale dudes cornered me.”
“Didn’t matter how hard I hit them, or how fast I ran. They just laughed and kept coming.”
“I figured I was done for. And to be honest, it was kind of a relief. I was so tired. Tired of the cold, tired of the hunger. Tired of dudes tryin to fuck me over, just because they could.”
“But I still didn’t wanna die. And fuck me, if I didn’t pray for help.”
“They laughed, the bastards. They laughed at the crying shaking girl, praying for her life in some shitty alleyway.”
“They were shoving me around, playing with me like a cat with a mouse. They were letting me hit them, letting me take my best shot. Because I was just some skinny girl. No training, no muscles. I couldn’t hurt them and I knew it. But I was determined to go down fighting, just like those girls in my nightmares.”
Faith looked up, her eyes almost glowing with intensity. “This time, help came. This time my prayer was answered.”
“And I felt them. All those brave girls. The girls who stood alone and fought the night. Thousands of them. They held out their hands, lifted me up, and called me sister. Their strength flowed into me, the strength of a line of women warriors reaching back to the dawn of time. Limitless courage.”
“And the next time I punched one of those guys, he went through a wall.”
Tamara stared at her, and silently drained her drink.
“Cool story sister. Thanks for the drink.”
With that, she slid from her stool and walked off.
Buffy and Faith stared at her retreating back in surprise.
“Huh. Really thought I was getting somewhere there.”
Buffy squeezed her hand. “Well I loved it. That’s so much better than what happened to me. I just felt really oogy and spaced out. I think I stared at the sun for like, five minutes.”
Faith raised an eyebrow. “For real? The strength of the Slayer line flows into you, and you space?”
Buffy just shrugged. “I wasn’t fighting for my life. I was waiting to be picked up from school.”
Faith shook her head in disbelief. “Man, I really opened up to that chick. I never told anyone about that shit before, and she just walks off,” Faith said.
She took a big swallow of coke, clearly wishing it had more of a hit to it.
“Bitch,” She huffed. “Any ideas?”
Buffy nodded. “Yep. Same way we got everyone else on the Scooby train. We rescue her from vampires. I say we slay some vampires in front of her, and then see what she has to say.”
“Gotta work better than this. I really thought that if I told her what happened to me, she’d see she wasn’t alone.”
“I seem to remember this other tough Boston girl. She needed more than one or two attempts to get through to. Took years if I remember rightly.”
Faith grinned wryly. “True.”
“Uh, so. How do we want to do the vamp thing?” Buffy asked.
Faith shrugged. “Dunno. We can either grab a vamp and drag it to her, or y’know, the other way. And I’m pretty sure that’ll cause trouble.”
“Cool,” Buffy said. “You keep an eye on Tamara, and I’ll go bag us a vamp.”
“Oh man, why do I have to be on bitch detail?”
“Of the two of us, which is currently pregnant,
and from Boston?”
Faith glared. “Hey, no fair pulling out the pregnancy card! I only just got frikkin’ pregnant, it’s way too soon to be doing alla that shit.”
“All what?” Buffy said, confused.
“Alla that ‘wrap me in cotton wool’ shit,” Faith grumbled.
“Ugh. Faith, I’m not trying to do that… much. I just don’t know my way around Boston, like, at all and-”
“And that’s why you’re going to keep tabs on Tammy, while I go rustle up some nice vamps,” Faith finished, smiling just a touch smugly.
It was Buffy’s turn to glare.
Faith sighed. “Look B, I’m not being an idiot here, I swear. I know that I’m gonna have to cut back on the slaying, at least until the little princess pops out. But for now, I ain’t pushin’ my belly around in a wheel-barrow, and it’s no major risk, ok?”
A thousand angry and worried protests rushed to Buffy’s tongue, stifled only by supreme effort of will. She could feel how important this was to Faith, and she knew Faith could tell how badly she wanted to say no.
It all came down to trust, Buffy realized.
She stopped, and let out a deep breath. “I trust you Faith.”
And she realized that she did. Faith still gave off a strong reckless vibe, and still talked a good game. But Buffy realized that in the time she’d been back in her life, she had always tried to do the responsible thing, at least as far as she saw it.
“I trust you with my life, the life of my friends and… the life of our baby.”
“Peanut,” Faith corrected.
Buffy glared, “I’m trying to have a moment here, be serious.”
“I am B. But this little princess inside me isn’t even really a baby yet, just sort of a little peanut thing. BB even gave me a picture.”
“Well, she’s our peanut. And please stop calling her that.”
“Rock, paper, scissors?” Faith suggested.
Buffy rolled her eyes with a sneaky smile.
“Ok?” Faith said, holding out her hand. Buffy followed suit.
“1…2…3!” Faith held out her hand fingers spread in a ‘V’.
Buffy held her hand flat.
“What?! You cheated!” she protested. “You were thinking rock, the whole time!”
Faith laughed. “Sucker! C’mon B, I know you. Ya sneaky little minx. I figure you just couldn’t help yourself, and you
had to peak.”
Faith drained the last of her coke. “Now scoot. There’s this freaked out blonde you gotta catch up to. While I go vamp hunting.”
Buffy huffed. “Fine. I’ll go after the angry blonde Bostonian, who thinks I’m after her. Which is entirely true, just not for the reasons she thinks.”
She eyed Faith. “Do you have enough stuff?”
Faith grinned. “Two stakes, two knives, a short sword and a hip flask of holy water. I’m good.”
Buffy blinked. “God Faith, what do you bring on a date?”
“An axe. Now scoot.”
“Ok, I’m scooting, skedaddling even.” Buffy got up, finishing the last of her cocktail.
She looked at her love. All smiles, now that she’d won. “Be careful, muffin.”
“No worries Bumblebee.”
They left the bar together, Faith concentrating hard.
“Ok, I got a few bad guys scattered around, nearest group is over there somewhere.” She gestured vaguely at a rougher looking area. “Can you tell me if they’re vamps?”
Buffy concentrated. “Um, if they’re the nearest group, then yes, they’re vampires. Two new ones and an older vamp.”
“Sweet! See ya in a bit, honey!”
“Ahem?” Buffy said, pointing to her face. “Kisses please.”
Faith grinned. “And you thought I was gonna run of without kissing the little woman goodbye?”
“I am not-” Buffy said, her protests broken off by a passionate kiss. Involuntarily she moaned as Faith’s tongue wrestled with hers, her leg popping up behind her unconsciously.
When they broke for air Buffy looked a little spacey. “Wow. What was I complaining about?”
“Oh yeah, mad skills. See you soon!” and with that, Faith bolted.
Buffy watched her fiancé run off down the road, before mentally kicking herself. “Right… Tamara.”
She pulled out the map Willow had provided. Tamara’s place was directly down the main road from here, as was the gym. Buffy figured if she’d fled the bar, she was likely in one of the two places. She left at a brisk jog.
Some minutes later she felt a surge of triumph from Faith
‘Hey B! got rid of the big one and the other. Got the last one all tied up. Where you at?’
‘Just passing the gym. I think… she’s in there. I can feel… something. Like when you’re around, only really faint.’
‘Awesome. Well, I’ll drag piñata boy over there, and we can put on a show when she gets out.’
‘See you soon.’Buffy bounced into the gym, looking for all the world as though she were looking for a jazzercize class. Ignoring the admiring glances from the gym patrons, she strode through the building until she found Tamara in an obvious dojo area. The area was decked out in the traditional fashion: mats, wooden weapons of various types, and the logos of the numerous martial arts clubs that used the space.
Buffy unobtrusively hid in the shadows and just watched Tamara move. Her blonde hair held back with a sweatband, body clad in a white martial arts outfit. She was moving through a kata, a set series of martial arts moves, with a speed and fluidity that spoke of long practice.
Buffy admired the way she moved, her mind in sync with Tamara’s movements. On occasion, when she just needed time to process, she had resorted to the elegant simplicity of kata. It was good to get the body moving and the brain stopped, from time to time.
In her head she could feel Faith getting closer, the odd swear word drifting across the link as she dealt with the troublesome vampire.
She became aware that she was being stared at.
Tamara had stopped her movements and was staring at Buffy as she stared goofily into the middle distance.
“Uh, hey,” Buffy said with a little wave.
“Are you stalking me?” Tamara asked, clearly annoyed.
“Uh, no? Yes? I don’t know?” Buffy said uncertainly.
“Well that narrows it down,” Tamara said, dripping with sarcasm.
“Look, I’m sorry. We’re just trying to help.”
“So said everyone else in my life who screwed me over. Everyone wants to help. Just seems interesting that this ‘help’ always seems to make my life worse. Now go away. I’m not interested, and I don’t want your ‘help’,” she said putting in little air quotes.
“Hey!” Buffy protested.
“Go away. You’re interrupting my workout.”
“I could work out with you if you like.”
Tamara looked disbelieving. “You?”
“Yes me. I’ll have you know I’m pretty good in a fight.”
Tamara snorted. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”
Five minutes later saw Buffy in clean but worn set of yoga pants, and a belted top scrounged from the lost property.
The two women squared off against each other. Tamara was clearly an advocate of karate from her solid, aggressive stance. Buffy on the other hand simply waited, her stance loose and easy, looking for all the world as though she was waiting for a taxi.
“Are you going to take this seriously?” Tamara complained.
“I am,” Buffy protested. “Do I not look serious?”
“No.”
Buffy sighed. “Story of my life. Look, I’ll make you a deal. Throw me out of the circle, pin me or put me on the ground, and I promise we’ll leave you alone.”
“Ok.”
“And if do any of that to you, you have to let me and Faith talk to you ok?”
“Deal,” Tamara said, moving aggressively towards Buffy. She lashed out with snap-kick. Nothing fancy, just a rock-hard heel to the solar plexus. By rights the tiny blonde she was fighting should have flown back a couple of meters and crumpled.
Instead Buffy just stepped easily to one side and lifted the foot as it went by. Tamara’s other foot left the ground and she slammed into the mat, flat on her back.
Buffy stepped back as Tamara rolled smoothly to her feet and lashed out to sweep her feet from under her.
Again she simply lifted a foot and let Tamara’s leg swing by. The speed of her reactions, and the precision she was able to apply to the movements made everything look effortless.
Something that annoyed Tamara no end. She smoothly flung a series of punches at Buffy’s head, becoming quite annoyed as Buffy simply leaned slightly to the side and watched the fists go by.
“Goddamn it woman! Stop dancing around and fight!”
“Sure!” Buffy replied chirpily.
Next time Tamara lashed out with a roundhouse punch to her head, Buffy blocked it. The thud was audible, as was Tamara’s gasp of pain. Hitting Buffy was like hitting an iron bar, and she didn’t budge a millimetre.
Tamara shook off her arm, now partly numb. She looked at Buffy with new respect.
Buffy’s fist blurred and slammed into Tamara's sternum with the force of a wrecking ball. A grunt was forced from her body as she went flying backwards onto the mats. She gasped for breath like a fish out of water.
“Jesus B, you don’t have to kill her,” Faith said.
“Hey, I only hit her once. And weren’t you supposed to be bringing someone?”
Faith shrugged. “He was slowing me down.”
She brushed a little dust off her jacket. “Don’t look now, but someone’s ready for more.
Tamara was getting painfully to her feet. “Not… out… yet!” she gasped.
“God, is everyone from Boston this stubborn?”
Faith grinned. “Is that a trick question?”
Tamara set herself and kicked at Buffy, a short snappy kick, leaving no chance for Buffy to catch her like last time.
Buffy didn’t move at all and Tamara’s tough foot slammed into her knee, effectively bouncing right off. Tamara gasped in pain again and put her foot down gingerly.
“What’s the deal B?”
“She beats me, we leave her alone. I beat her, she listens to us.”
“Wicked. So beat her already, and then we can talk.”
Tamara glared. “Bring it bitch.”
“God, this is almost exactly like dealing with you, at your most stubborn!”
Faith just laughed.
Buffy sighed as another kick went sailing past her head.
In a blur of motion, she punched Tamara in the thigh muscle, rammed an elbow into her solar plexus and shoved back on her head until she was lifted off her feet. Again Tamara slammed down onto the mat, flat on her back and gasping for breath.
This time Buffy planted a hand on her breastbone and pushed her down.
The angry blonde writhed and gasped. “Lemme… up!”
“Nope. You have to admit defeat, and then we can talk.”
“Never!” Tamara lifted her good leg and tried to ram her knee into the side of Buffy’s head. Buffy caught the knee with her spare hand and pushed it back down.
“Let me go!”
“Nope.”
The woman glared at her, fire in her eyes. She knew she was outmatched, and she didn’t care. Buffy saw a spark of something there, something familiar, and something-
Her head rocked back as Tamara backhanded her face and shoved with her legs. Buffy was certainly strong, but she didn’t mass much and she flew back a short distance. Tamara rolled to her feet and came after her, raining punch after punch against her, not giving her time to dodge. Buffy just blocked them, Tamara slamming against her rock-hard defences again and again.
Buffy went on the offensive, ramming a knee into Tamara’s stomach, and following up with a brutal left-right punch combo to her head. She was pulling her punches as much as she could, but they still hit hard.
Tamara didn’t go down. Buffy battered the woman with short, hard jabs and kicks, trying to get her woozy enough to give up, without actually hurting her.
Tamara grinned savagely, her teeth stained red with blood from her split lip. With a scream she hurled herself at Buffy, kicking low and to the mid-section, spinning to unleash a lethal kick to Buffy’s head. Buffy lifted the flying foot and kicked, sending Tamara flying. Somehow she twisted and slammed into the mat on one knee, instantly springing back for more.
‘B! Something’s not right here!’ Faith shouted in her mind.
‘She’s not goin’ down, she’s getting stronger!’The next punch that came at Buffy’s head, she grabbed and pulled, using the momentum to spin and slam her elbow brutally into the back of Tamara’s skull.
It was a blow that should have dropped
anyone.
Tamara staggered, shaking her head.
Buffy raised her eyebrows in surprise as Tamara turned to face her.
She looked at Buffy, her eyes like blue fire. She spoke, weird harmonics in her voice making her sound as though a great host was speaking through her. “We… we greet you…
sister.”
Buffy froze in shock as she felt something growing, unfurling in the older blonde woman. It prickled at her Slayer senses. But unlike the cold of a vampire, this was hot. It burned like fire, almost overwhelming her senses.
‘B!’ Faith shouted in her mind.
Buffy felt that there should be lights, and possibly exploding windows, to go with the hurricane of supernatural force howling through the room.
Power ancient and vast filled the dojo, unfathomable in its depth. It burned like the power of the summer sun, vast, eternal,
furious. It was born of rage and pain and the absolute, undying resistance of a thousand generations of warriors. And it was utterly familiar to Buffy.
Tamara let out a scream of pain, and loss, and limitless fury.
The birth cry of a new Slayer.
When Tamara opened her blue eyes, Buffy saw something new in them. Recognition.
“They called me sister,” she said wonderingly.
“You’re one of us now Tam,” Faith said softly.
“There’s something magnificent inside a Slayer,” Buffy recited wonderingly. “And it responds to other Slayers.”
“Uh, what?” Faith said.
“Something Giles said a while ago. Something about us bringing out the best in each other.”
Tamara flexed her fingers. “I feel different. Stronger.”
“Tam! Are you ok?” a voice said. The women looked around to see an exceptionally burly man looking into the room.
Tamara smiled. “Yeah Barney, I’m good. Really really good.”
“Because there was this scream? Near made my hair fall out.”
Tamara smiled. “Just getting it out of my system. It’s all good Barn.”
“Ok. If you’re sure,” he said, looking significantly at Buffy and Faith.
“Don’t sweat it Barn. They’re… family.”
He shook his head wonderingly, but he left the room.
“What just happened?” Tamara asked.
“You just became a Slayer,” Faith said.
“How?”
“I got no idea. B?”
Buffy just shrugged. “I’m as lost as you are. I know
what just happened, but the why part? That part’s a little bit fuzzy.”
Tamara looked at her hands. “So much strength. So many lonely girls. So much darkness.”
She looked up at Buffy and Faith. “I know what I am now.”
“Sounds like you got the deluxe package. I blame B for that.”
“Uh, sorry?” Tamara said, still a little spacey.
“The becoming a Slayer thing,” Faith explained. “It takes everyone differently. B here spaced for about five minutes, and I got a real short version of what you got. Sometimes it comes with info and visions, sometimes not.”
“You
were a potential Slayer,” Buffy said. “Now you’re a Slayer for real. A potential becomes a Slayer when the previous Slayer dies…”
She stopped and rummaged in her pocket for her (allegedly) indestructible phone, ignoring the questioning looks as she held up her free hand to still conversation.
She hit the speed dial and waited for a few tense seconds for someone to pick up.
“Giles! What happened?”
“What happened?” he repeated, confused. “Whatever is the matter Buffy?” Giles responded.
“Are all the girls ok?” she asked worriedly.
“As far as I know, yes. There are no patrols out at the moment and things are quiet. What has happened?”
“The girl we came to see-”
“How old are
you exactly?” Tamara interrupted.
Buffy glared. “The
woman we came to see. She just did the Slayer thing.”
“The Slayer thing?” Giles asked, a note of concern in his voice.
“The whatchamacallit when you become a Slayer. The Slayer army is now plus one. And I’m hoping there isn’t a minus one to balance it out.”
“Called, Buffy. She was
Called to life as a Slayer.”
“Right, that. She totally did it.”
“How on earth? What happened?”
“Er,” Buffy hesitated. “I might have been fighting her… a bit.”
“A bit?” Giles asked incredulously.
“A little bit?” Buffy said self-consciously.
“You were supposed to help her, not fight her,” Giles said with a disapproving tone.
“We totally did! We totally helped her, and-and in the process of helping her, a small amount of fighting took place.”
Giles sighed. “As long as everyone is alright.”
Buffy nodded enthusiastically. “Yep. Nothing worse than bruises. Now, about the girls?”
“I’ll get Xander and Dawn to organize a roll call at once. It will take some time to be absolutely certain, but at this stage I’m moderately confidant that no one has met an untimely end.”
“Ok. Well, as much as I’m glad no one died, how can this happen?”
“Buffy,” Giles replied, “I’m in the dark as much as you are. I have access to thousands of years of Watcher and Slayer lore. But all of that is useless, at least for this.”
“But Giles, you’re like, super librarian guy. With the books. And the other things.”
“Scrolls?” he enquired.
“Yep.”
“Which are also books, of a sort.”
“Okay.”
“One girl in all the world Buffy. One,” he stated. “What we are doing now has never happened before. So you might imagine that those books you mentioned are a little light on helpful facts.”
“Any ideas then?” Buffy asked.
Giles ruminated for a moment.
“If I were forced to posit an hypothesis-“
“Which you are,” Buffy interrupted.
“Then I would suggest that perhaps miss O’Neil was in line to be the next Slayer, after Faith. Perhaps Faith’s near death experience called her. Or perhaps simple proximity to active Slayers was enough.”
“The next Slayer? But Giles, she’s way too old for that,” Buffy protested.
“Hey! Who’re you calling old, midget?” Tamara said, irked.
Buffy glared silently at the ‘midget’ comment. Faith tried and failed to hide a chuckle at the exchange.
“While it is true that Slayers are typically called between the ages of fifteen and seventeen, there is historical precedent for Slayers receiving the call much later in life. It’s not common, but it does happen.”
“How come G?” Faith interrupted, pushing close to the phone.
Giles sighed, a frustrated noise. “I honestly don’t know,” he replied. “There were a number of theories among watchers during the days of the old council. The favourites were stress, puberty and sheer proximity to a needful place for a Slayer to be.”
“There is also some evidence to suggest that the former council had a limited degree of control over who was Called. That is something Andrew is investigating in his limited free time.”
“Council?” Tamara asked softly.
“Bunch of tweedy English dudes who ran around telling the ‘one girl in all the world’ what to do,” Faith said.
“And never paid us,” Buffy added acidly.
“Now Buffy, you know that’s not true. The council paid a handsome stipend to me, which I passed on to your mother each month.”
“I got paid?” Buffy said incredulously.
“Oh, yeah,” Faith murmured quietly to Tamara. “It’s a paying gig.”
“Cool.”
“Buffy, how else do you think a gallery manager managed a home like yours, on a single salary? All those clothes, all those house repairs?”
“Alimony? Child support?”
“Yes.
And the stipend paid to your mother,” Giles finished.
“Now regarding miss O’Neil, she is by no means old. Nor is she too old to be called as a Slayer. Why she was suddenly called, I don’t know, though I imagine sheer proximity to the two oldest Slayers had something to do with it.”
“And the fighting,” Faith added. “Fighting always gets a Slayer all juiced up.”
“Just small amount of fighting,” Buffy corrected.
“Quite.”
There was an awkward silence.
“Well. If miss O’Neil is now a fully-fledged Slayer, perhaps you two could explain things to her. And see if she’s interested in joining our cause.”
“Ok Giles. Will do.”
“And please Buffy, no more fighting.”
“Uh Giles? I’m not sure that’s possible. She’s a Slayer. She has to fight.”
He sighed again. “I’ll settle for you at least not fighting
each other.”
“I can do that.”
“Then do speak to miss O’Neil and ask her if she would like to join us.”
“I can do that too. Ok Giles. Bye!”
“Goodbye Buffy, and do
try to be delicate.”
Buffy pushed a button on the phone, satisfied when it beeped and stopped doing phone-y things.
“So, I heard most of that,” Tamara said. “Who’s this Giles guy?”
“Watcher dude,” Faith said. “Kinda looks after us, makes sure we have what we need, figures out how to kill the bad guys, that sort of thing.”
Tamara frowned. “English guy? Kind of older? Green eyes?”
Buffy raised an eyebrow. “How do you know Giles?” she said incredulously.
Tamara frowned, concentrating. “There were two women. Powerful. One had blonde hair with dark roots, the other a red-head.”
“Willow and Tara,” Buffy whispered.
“An older guy. Green eyes. Glasses. He’s crying.”
“Giles,” Buffy said quietly.
“Good looking guy. Dark curly hair, dark eyes.”
“Xander.”
“And a girl. Long hair. Pretty grey eyes.”
“Dawn,” Buffy sighed.
Tamara looked up. “She’s precious. The most important thing in the world.”
Buffy nodded. “How?”
Faith touched Buffy on the arm, and spoke softly. “I’ve seen it too.”
Buffy turned to Faith, puzzled. “You died, B. I saw it happen.”
“You saw?”
Faith nodded, tapping the side of her head. “Went crazy, remember?”
She turned to Tamara. “Most Slayers get visions. Dreams of previous Slayers. Battles, that sort of thing.”
Tamara nodded. “I’ve seen you too,” she said. “You two were fighting. A lot.”
Faith let out a breath as she ran her hand though her tousled hair. “Yeah. Went nuts a while ago. B had to bring me down.”
Buffy touched Faith softly, her eyes glittering. “I’m so sorry.”
Faith shook her head slowly. “Don’t be. It had to be done, and I’m glad it was you. Someone else might have fucked it up.”
She cleared her throat. “So, yeah. I figure you got the deluxe package when it came to visions. All Slayers get some visions, all Slayers are strong and fast and tough. Some are stronger, some are tougher, some get more visions.”
She poked Tamara in the shoulder. “I figure you for vision girl.”
“What are you?” she asked.
“The strong one. B’s the fast one. We both get visions, but not that much.”
“Anything else I should know about?” she asked.
Faith scratched her head. “Uh, strength, speed, healing, slaydar.” She grinned. “And the big
BIG ‘O’.”
“Faith!” Buffy protested.
Faith laughed. “It’s true! Girl needs to know what’s gonna happen next time she gets busy, is all I’m sayin’.”
Tamara raised an eyebrow in question at Faith’s evil grin. Buffy tried very hard to pretend she hadn’t spoken, and continued her explanation.
“Faith has slaydar so good, it’s like she can see through walls. Me, not so much.”
Faith interjected smoothly, “But Buffy here can ID them at range, which I can’t do. I just get ‘Evil! Stab here!”
“Slaydar?” Tamara said, looking at Faith like she’d lost her mind.
Faith slung her arm around Buffy and Tamara’s shoulder. “Girlfriend, get changed. We’ll explain over food, ‘cos I guaran-fucking-tee you are hungry right about now.”
“Starved.”
Faith just grinned.
+++
The three women sat back with a happy sigh, the remains of a demolished Italian meal in front of each of them.
“Jesus, how do Italian women stay thin,” Tamara complained happily.
“Don’t think they do,” Faith said, eying the cheerfully plump chef.
She burped quietly. “Man, I could really use a beer right now. That would make this meal fucking perfect.”
“Pretty sure they got beer here.”
“Nope,” Buffy said cheerfully. “Faith’s eating for two, so no drinking for her.”
“Oh, right. Uh, congrats?”
“Cheers.”
“So, uh, have you guys been trying for long?”
Buffy blushed pinkly.
“Uh, nope. Just happened. Still trying to figure that one out.”
Tamara raised a disbelieving eyebrow. “Think they covered this one in boot camp. Boy plus girl, or turkey baster plus girl, equals baby.”
“And ten minutes ago you weren’t a goddamn super hero. So just accept that you live in a world where weird shit happens sometimes,” Faith said, looking annoyed.
“Jeez, so-ree,” Tamara said.
“Yeah, well. Touchy subject right now.”
“Uh, sorry. What happened?”
“Sore tits, throwing up. Turns out I’m preggo. No dudes. No one knows how.”
“Okaaay,” Tamara said.
“Now you know what we know,” Buffy said cheerily.
“Damn. Suddenly that just took all the fun out of being a lesbian.”
Buffy glared.
“Moving right along,” Tamara said awkwardly.
“So, a few days ago I thought I was losing my mind, and was this close to eating my own gun.”
She took a sip of her drink. “And today I find I’m one of the chosen few. Hell of a trip.”
Faith grinned with just a touch of sadness. “Yeah. Get used to that feeling. Welcome to your new life.”
“Awesome. So what was the British dude on the phone after?”
“You,” Buffy said.
“Me?”
“Yup. He thought you were a potential Slayer. He wanted us to bring you in and show you that you’re not crazy, or alone.”
“And now?”
“Now we’re going to bring you in and train you to fight.”
“Sister, I got a black belt and super powers. I don’t need training.”
Faith just laughed long and hard.
When she eventually recovered she said “Oh shit. You are
really gonna regret saying that.”
Buffy just grinned evilly.
+++
“Bring it blondie.”
“You sure you don’t wanna let your dinner settle, before ya get your ass handed to ya?”
Tamara ignored Faith, to focus on the small blonde currently grinning at her.
“B? I don’t think she respects you yet.”
“That’ll change,” Buffy said.
“Ok chicas. No broken necks or gouged eyes. Other than that, anything goes. Bring your A game ladies.”
They were back in the dojo, geared up as before.
This time the atmosphere was a little more serious. Tamara was certainly locked on Buffy with laser-like intensity.
She rolled her shoulders.
And Buffy
moved.Faith’s breath cut off suddenly. She never seen
anything move that fast.
Buffy stepped smartly to Tamara’s side, and before she could move, she punched her a half dozen times up and down her ribs and the side of her body.
Tamara yelped in pain, but before she was able to say anything, Buffy swept her front leg out and up with a well-placed kick. She used the momentum to drive Tamara into the floor, flat on her back.
Tamara crashed into the mats with shattering force, Buffy then used her momentum to drive an elbow into her midsection and roll off of her. Tamara rolled to her feet, gritting her teeth, only to have Buffy slam a sidekick between her shoulder blades. She bounced off the padded support pillar only to have Buffy hammer a series of three snappy kicks into her leg, midsection and head.
Tamara essayed an angry punch at Buffy’s head, only to have her flip backwards and kick her in the jaw.
She tried to follow up with a fast one two punch and kick combo, only to have Buffy block both punches hard, and block the kick with a kick of her own. All three hits landed with numbing force, and despite that, left Tamara with the feeling that Buffy was
still holding back.
After that, she lost track. It just seemed like Buffy was hitting her everywhere, until at last a bullet-like uppercut lifted her off her feet.
She sailed almost peacefully through the air until she landed with a bone rattling thud on the mats.
Even her newly acquired powers had a hard time dealing with that, and she just lay there groaning.
“Y’know,” Faith said cheerfully, “that looks like respect right there.”
“I think it does,” Buffy said in a bright tone.
Tamara rolled over and staggered to her feet.
“Still thinking you don’t need training?” Faith asked innocently.
Tamara looked askance. Innocent didn’t really suit Faith.
“Jesus, what… just what?” she touched her brow gingerly.
“Don’t worry about a black eye, Buffy said. “Slayers don’t bruise. Like, at all.”
“Yeah, no shiner for you. Just some red marks for a while,” Faith said.
“I barely saw you move!” Tamara protested. She felt her jaw experimentally.
“Oh yeah. Shoulda said. Slayers get stronger and faster over time. B here is the oldest Slayer ever, with me right behind.”
“At least in terms of time served,” Buffy added. “I think the oldest
actual Slayer would now be you,” she said, looking at Tamara
Tamara was still examining her injuries. “Christ, I’ve never been hit that hard in my life!”
Faith grinned again as she twirled a staff. “Yep. You got a killer right hook there B.”
“That looked a lot like Krav Maga, with some other stuff. What technique was that?” Tamara said. she moved over to the two women. Faith noticed that she was moving more smoothly already.
“All of them,” Faith said.
“Krav- what?” Buffy asked.
“Israeli military fighting style,” Tamara explained. “Not flashy, but it gets the job done.”
“Um, nope. Giles taught me karate and judo, and something-or-other-jitsu. He tried to teach me kung-fu, but I got the giggles every time he told me the names for stuff. We just sort of skipped that one.”
“Slayer-fu. Also known as ‘whatever works-jitsu’,” Faith said.
“Not flashy?” Buffy protested.
“Feeling a bit let down there B?”
“Hey, I can do impressive fighting.”
Faith slid out of her leather jacket and started undoing her boots. She parked them neatly next to Buffy’s squeal-inducing pair of hand-made boots.
Faith smirked lazily. “Wanna show the young-un’s how it’s done?”
“Are you sure?” Buffy said, looking significantly at Faith’s tummy.
Faith rolled her eyes, but didn’t protest too much. “B, it’s cool. Just don’t hit me in the baby maker, and we’ll be fine.”
Buffy still looked uncertain.
“C’mon B, it’ll be fun! When was the last time you and me really got the chance to cut loose?”
“Last week?”
Faith made a rude noise and padded out onto the mats. “That doesn’t count.”
Buffy reluctantly assumed a fighting stance, mirrored by Faith.
“Don’t hold back Bumblebee.”
Buffy twirled and spun, the blade of her foot lashing out in a head high spinning-kick. Faith blocked it with an audible thud that was felt through the floor.
She grinned. “It’s on girlfriend.”
She fired a series of three sharp kicks to Buffy’s legs and midsection, only to have them blocked by matching kicks.
Buffy slammed a palm into her breastbone, forcing a grunt from Faith, and a step back.
Faith retaliated by tugging on Buffy’s arm and punching her in the ribs as she went by.
She tried to throw Buffy by her arm, but Buffy went with it, flipping in midair, and lashing out with a heel to the side of Faith’s head. It was only a glancing blow, but it was enough to force her to let go.
“You’re still holdin’ back B!” Faith shouted, and leapt after her.
Tamara’s breath caught as she absorbed the panther-like fluidity of Faith’s attack. She leapt nearly ten feet in the air and came down with a knee strike that shook the room and splintered the hard wood of the floor. For anyone else it would have been a big mistake when Buffy ducked out of the way, and Faith’s knee hit the wood. Faith just grunted and bounced back to her feet to absorb Buffy’s next sally.
Both women traded punches and kicks that moved like lightning, blocking or ignoring the hits with heavy thuds and grunts.
Tamara looked on, her mouth open. Both women, dark and light, were moving so fast she had trouble tracking what was happening.
Eventually Faith managed to land a telling blow on Buffy. Tamara was sure she would go down, but she simply went with the hit, cartwheeling through the air to land smoothly and run up a pillar.
She flipped backwards off the padded concrete beam, over Faith’s head to land behind her. Her brutal kick to the back of Faith’s knee was blocked with a bone-shaking thud.
“I’ve seen the Matrix too, y’know,” Faith said as they paused to take stock.
Buffy just grinned back. “This could go on all night.”
+++
Sometime later, a freshly showered trio of girls staggered out into the night.
“My god! I’ve never seen anything like it!” Tamara said.
She looked at the pair of goofily grinning women arm in arm.
“Y’know, I’ve fought in tournaments. And a bout usually lasts a couple of minutes, tops.”
She ran a hand through her slightly damp hair. “What was that? An hour?”
Buffy stretched lazily. “A good warm up.”
She turned to face Tamara, some of the laziness fading. “Now you have a good idea what a Slayer is.”
She smiled a predatory smile. “Now it’s time to show you
why a Slayer is.”
“You’re nuts. I’m exhausted just from looking at you two.” She shook her head in disbelief. “You guys hit hard enough to break concrete, and there’s not a mark on you.”
“And you just got the crap beaten out of you, and there’s barely a mark on you. Trust me, the more you get hit, the tougher you get.”
“And we’ve been hit a lot,” Buffy finished.
“Sometimes by each other,” Faith said ruefully.
Tamara stared in disbelief. Again.
Buffy just shrugged. “Ours is a complicated relationship.”
The trio walked in silence for a while, Faith sneakily slipping her hand into Buffy’s.
Buffy smiled and nudged Faith affectionately with her shoulder.
“So. We’re going to drop by our place, pick up some gear, and go hunting,” Buffy said.
“What are we hunting?” Tamara said worriedly.
Faith answered, her voice sounding like chocolate and sex. “Vampires.”
Despite herself, Tamara perked up. “Really? Because even after all this, I’m still having trouble taking that seriously.”
Buffy just gave her an incredulous look.
Tamara raised her hands in surrender. “I know, I know. I should really be on board with this stuff. But it’s hard.”
“If it helps, leprechauns aren’t real,” Buffy said smiling sympathetically.
Faith cleared her throat.
“Oh come on!” Buffy protested. “Giles told me that!”
Faith looked awkward. “Uh, yeah. Here not so much, but in the old country, yeah. Fairies, leprechauns, fetches, the whole nine yards.”
She explained to Tamara, “Over there they have other shit goin’ on. Lots of pacts and blood oaths and crap like that keeping things from boiling over. Here in the new world, not so much. So we get the rowdy ones. I figure that’s why there’s more Slayers in the good old US of A.”
“So what do we run into here?” Tamara said, unconsciously using ‘we’.
“Vampires,” Buffy said. “Lots and lots of vampires. And about twenty different kinds of demons. But mainly vamps.”
“You got any gear you need to get” Faith asked.
“Yeah. I need to swing by my place,” Tamara said, already planning out what she needed.
+++
Deep in the tunnels below Boston, a group of vampires awaited the return of their hunters. All was silent until the metal door slammed open and a small blonde woman strode in, flanked by a larger brunette and one in full military gear. Two were dressed for a casual night out: jeans and a nice top. The third was kitted out for war, wearing full military body armour, an assault rifle and a sword.
“Woohoo!” The little blonde said, bouncing on her toes when the vampires growled.
“I love it when we outnumber them!” she said.
She waved an axe casually, almost like a fashion accessory.
“Someone can’t count,” growled the largest vampire.
“And that’s the leader,” the brunette muttered to the military-looking woman. “Just can-not keep their mouths shut.”
“Hey!” said the small blonde, focusing her ire on the leader. “I’m actually quite good at math. Most people look at me and think ‘Oh hey, she’s good at Home EC’ or something.”
“She isn’t,” interjected the brunette, getting an elbow for her troubles.
“But I’m really quite good at the math. We have you outnumbered three to ten, because I’m the Slayer.”
She pointed to the brunette. “And she’s the Slayer.” The brunette took a bow.
“And this one with the gun? Also the Slayer.”
Incongruously, the armed and armoured one waved. She took aim at the leader and triggered a burst into his chest.
The rifle roared, deafening in the confined space. Stale blood sprayed from the vampire’s chest, dark and syrupy. He staggered back with a look of pain.
The little blonde uncovered her ears. “Sorry about that, she’s new. Was that your favourite shirt?”
“That’s why we don’t use guns,” the brunette murmured. “Try for the head.”
“There goes a perfectly good quip about dressing for a funeral,” the blonde complained.
“Get them!” the leader roared.
+++
“Oh my god, what a rush!” Tamara said, dancing around gleefully waving a short sword.
Buffy giggled as the heavily armed woman danced around Faith, like a big kid.
Faith just laughed and went with it, letting Tamara spin her around.
She froze when Tamara planted a big celebratory kiss, right on her mouth.
She backed out of the embrace with a grunt.
“Yeah, I should have mentioned that. Mowing down vamps an’ demons an’ other evil shit will really get your motor running.”
Tamara coughed. “Uh, sorry. I uh, don’t really know why I did that.”
Faith shrugged. “No worries. Think I’ll live. You might not though.”
Tamara felt a polite tap on her shoulder. She turned and got a glimpse of a small fist moving like lightning. It filled her world in the nano-second before her vision exploded into stars.
She came to, lying on the ground some distance away.
Buffy stood between her and Faith, her stance wide and battle ready, everything in her posture screaming possession.
She growled. “Mine.”
Faith smirked. “Shoulda mentioned that B’s the possessive type.”
She looked Buffy up and down. “Jesus B. Anyone ever tell you, you’re hot when you get all bossy?”
Buffy’s combative stance vanished like smoke. “Yup. There’s this nice brunette that I know. She says stuff like that all the time.”
She turned to Tamara. “You get one free pass. That was it. So remember that, and we’ll be fine.”
Tamara coughed and groaned. The world was tilted, and she couldn’t even feel the left side of her face. “That was a free pass?” she mumbled, trailing off with a groan.
“B? You wanna show her what a
real punch looks like?”
Buffy nodded wordlessly and approached the concrete support pillar in the middle of the basement. Her fist snapped out like a striking snake and slammed into the pillar with a sharp crack. She grunted with the force of the blow, and concrete showered out from the impact, smashing a neat scallop of concrete from the pillar. A few last bits of concrete fell, revealing the bent steel reinforcing beneath.
Tamara groaned a little and woozily got to her feet. “Right. Point taken. Sorry.”
Buffy moved back to Faith, picking bits of concrete from her knuckles. “I have an owie. Kisses please.”
Faith smiled as she took the proffered hand. Gently, she kissed the reddened knuckles, smiling at the gooshy feelings flowing from Buffy.
She smiled a little more as the roughened skin smoothed in front of her eyes, and the redness faded away.
“All better,” Buffy said, smiling shyly.
Faith smiled softly back. Even now, that soft, flirty smile took her breath away.
Tamara looked away awkwardly. “Get a room,” she muttered under her breath.
“Good plan,” Buffy said. She rummaged in Faith’s pocket and pulled out a room key.
She tossed it to Tamara. “We got you a room at a fancy hotel. We’re just down the hall.”
She looked surprised, and a little woozy. She looked blankly at the keys in her hand. “Why?”
“We didn’t know your sitch. We thought you might need a place. Or a holiday,” Buffy said. She snuggled into Faith with an appreciative hum.
“Either way Tammy, room’s yours. Have fun. Have a party, and we’ll see you in the morning.”
She rubbed her face ruefully, wincing when her fingers brushed her jaw. “Then what?”
“That’s up to you,” Buffy said. “We have two training programs. One that teaches you how to stay alive, and then sends you back to your life. With a little help, and some new friends.”
“And the other?”
Faith cleared her throat. “The other turns you into a warrior the likes of which the world has never seen. Then you join our crazy little family, and you
slay.”
“So this is what I get to do? Go out in the night and hunt evil things, and kill them?”
“Yeah. How’s that sound?”
“Fuckin’ A,” Tamara breathed. Her eyes were almost glowing.
“Damn B. Think we got ourselves a full-blown warrior princess right here.”
“It made me crazy,” Tamara breathed. “I always wanted to fight, and I always felt bad about it. You’re not supposed to want to kill, right?”
Buffy and Faith both nodded silently in agreement.
“But I was made for it, I
was made to kill. But I was made to kill
evil.”
She quirked a smile. “Destroy all that which is evil, so that which is good may flourish.”
Faith snorted and made a sound, that for anyone else would be a giggle.
Buffy looked at her in amazement.
“Hey, I thought that was pretty good! Why are you giggling?”
More giggling ensued, with Tamara joining in.
Buffy frowned, clearly not enjoying being out of the loop.
“Bumblebee, you remember that movie I told you about?”
+++
“OH FUUUUUUCK!”Faith laughed helplessly as the cry was heard through the walls.
Buffy grumbled. “I would have thought this place would have better soundproofing.”
Between laughs Faith said. “I don’t think she believed me, B.”
She grinned. “Hey, that rhymes. I’m a poet, and I didn’t even know it.”
Buffy made a face.
“Let’s get out of here honey,” she said. “There’s some shopping to do, and a treat for a certain well-behaved Slayer.”
“Shopping? Treat? Fuck the shopping, let’s have that treat!”
“The shopping is
for the treat,” Buffy said.
She leaned over and whispered in her ear. “There’s going to be sexy negligees, a schoolgirl’s uniform, a nun’s outfit and toys.”
Faith whimpered, and said in a small, submissive voice, “Ok.”
Buffy pulled out her purse. “Let’s go shopping.”
“Wicked,” Faith breathed, awestruck. It wasn’t often that Buffy got all bossy and take-charge in the bedroom side of things, or at least the equipment part. But when she did… Faith just about melted on the spot.
+++
One hour later, Faith was in shock.
Or whatever it was, that completely shuts down your brain in the presence of too much sexiness.
Currently she was dressed as a sexy schoolgirl, in an altogether too-short skirt.
Ok, if she was honest with herself, it was ‘slutty schoolgirl.’ But that was fine for tonight.
Buffy was still wearing her sexy nun’s outfit that she’d tried on, and had just finished buying the last of the toys and things.
Part of the wonder of their relationship was their complete equality. They were physically equal, and equal in most other things too.
But watching Buffy going all bossy and demanding in a
sex shop had Faith looking thoughtfully at a collar.
Nah. Bossy Buffy was enough of a turn on.
“Hey B. Got any fun new toys?”
The sternness melted from her face. “Yep!” she said brightly.
Faith smiled softly. She knew what Buffy was doing.
She was using her ‘General Buffy’ hat to get her through the epic embarrassment of buying toys in a sex shop. Buffy wasn’t actually as uptight as Faith had accused her of from time to time, but she was easily embarrassed by emotional or sexual stuff.
“So, what did ya get?”
Buffy closed the small suitcase with a click. She smiled, an expression carrying a welter of emotions. Anticipation, nervousness, embarrassment and lust.
Faith smirked. “I see that look on your face, an’ I can't wait to get back to the hotel.”
“You’ll find out what’s in the case very shortly. But I want them to be a surprise.”
“Them? How many toys did you buy?”
Buffy blushed. “They’re not all toys. But yeah, I got a few… things.”
Faith just grinned, somewhere between evilly, and blissfully.
“I’m not saying our love life is stale or anything, but I have some… treats… for later,” Buffy said shyly.
“Wicked. Be prepared and shit. Y’know, like girl scouts.”
Buffy raised an eyebrow. “You were a girl scout?”
Faith snickered. “Ate one maybe. That’s about as close as I got.”
Buffy cleared her throat. “Do a good deed every day.”
“Uh, what?”
“That’s the girl scout motto,” Buffy said blushing slightly.
“You were a girl scout?” Faith said, a little disbelievingly.
“Uh, no. Mom wanted me to do that stuff, be all self-reliant and… stuff. She was a girl-scout back in the day. I guess she wanted me to follow in her footsteps. At least a little bit.”
Faith was grinning evilly. In her ‘schoolgirl’ outfit it looked decidedly odd.
Buffy sighed. “Yes, I was predictably bad at it. I quit the scouts to go shopping. No malls in the woods,” she explained
“Heh, I can believe that.”
She came closer. “You know B, you don’t have to do all of this. Sex with you is so mind blowing I can barely form thoughts.”
Buffy just gave her a look. “You act like I have to be
persuaded. I like to get a little frisky too from time to time, you know?”
Faith grinned. “You know, there’s a horn-dog under that innocent blonde exterior.”
“Hey, I dated a vampire, a super soldier, a man-whore and arguably another vampire. I can hold my own in the kink department, ok?”
She leaned forward to whisper in Faith’s ear. “Besides, this is not all about sex. This is about anticipation.”
Faith shuddered. Buffy
really knew how to work it, when she put her mind to it.
“And foreplay.”
Faith groaned. “Oh man. I’m so dead.”
“And all your naughty fantasies.”
“Oh wow.”
“Not because our love life needs spicing up. But because I love you, and want to give you an extra special treat. And make some of your naughty dreams come true.”
“Wicked.”
“And hey, I knocked you up. So it’s only fair I pamper you, and cater to your every fantasy,” Buffy said brightly.
That got her a funny look from the sales clerk. Working in a sex shop catering largely to lesbians, she clearly thought she’d heard everything.
“Can I help you?” Buffy said sharply to the clerk.
Embarrassed at being caught eavesdropping, the clerk looked away.
“Right. Let’s get out of here uh, my little parfait.”
She grimaced, as if she couldn’t believe the words coming out of her own mouth.
“Ok, don’t say anything. I was rushed. Let’s just go, because you and me have a date with a bear-skin rug, and a bag full of surprises.”
Faith didn’t say a word. She just walked out the door, towing Buffy by the hand.
Buffy just giggled. “Was it something I said?”
+++
“Miss Lehane. I’m sorry to have to do this, but there must be discipline in our classes.”
Faith shuffled forward, head down.
“I-I understand sister,” she said in a small voice.
Buffy sat primly in the old-style wooden chair, taken from the dining room.
She patted her lap. “Come here dear,” she said crisply, but with a hint of warmth.
Obediently, Faith shuffled over and lay herself in Buffy’s lap, her pleated school skirt barely covering her taut behind.
She felt indescribably vulnerable, and turned on, especially seeing as she wasn’t wearing any panties.
All Buffy had to do was lift her skirt.
“I do this because a love you,” Buffy said softly.
And with that, she brought her hand down for a stinging swat.
Faith gasped, more from the intensity of the situation, than from any actual pain.
She moaned. She didn’t think she could get any wetter, but she was wrong.
Buffy brought her hand down in another stinging swat.
Just the right amount of force to feel it, to make it intense without detracting from the experience.
After the third swat, Faith came.
She tried hard to keep quiet, but she knew Buffy could feel her shudder, and hear her stifled moans.
She whimpered as Buffy slowly slid her hand up her thigh.
The small, warm hand slipped under her skirt, and flipped it over, exposing her naked rear.
The next swat landed on her naked behind.
Faith whimpered, feeling incredibly exposed and vulnerable.
And so turned on it was stupid.
The next sharp swat landed, hitting her other cheek.
Faith was sure she could feel moisture trickling down her inner thigh.
Another sharp swat, and the fleshy, crack sound of Buffy’s dainty hand on her cheek.
God, if this kept up she was going to-
Without warning, Buffy slipped two fingers into her slick folds.
“FUUUUUCK!”+++
Tamara rolled over and buried her head under the pillows with a frustrated groan.
She was definitely discovering some of the minor down-sides to the enhanced-senses part of being a Slayer.
If she heard one more ‘Buffeeee!’ or ‘Faaaaith!’ she was going to lose her mind.
Though Faith hadn’t lied about the orgasm thing, jesus.
Her companion for the evening, was sleeping the blissfully happy sleep of the thoroughly satiated.
Just thinking about what they’d gotten up to over the last few hours, gave her a tingle low in her belly.
She groaned into her pillow.
The girl she’d picked up at the bar had been fun. Happy, cheerful, and up for all sorts of play.
She lacked stamina. Though if she was honest with herself, three hours of sex
was pretty good.
She prized her head out of the pillow and looked at her companion.
Pale skin, long raven-black hair, slim build. And when they were awake, the bluest eyes she’d ever seen.
Even now, asleep, she had a hint of blissful smile on her face.
Jesus that had been good.
She’d been avoiding women for months while the JAG screwed around with her case.
They’d given her an open offer to leave, with an honourable discharge.
Which given the state of things was pretty good.
It was still a fucking cop out, and it pissed her off to this day.
But they’d definitely been dragging their feet with the case.
She’d put up with the foot-dragging, because she really wanted to get back in the saddle again.
Then along came Buffy, and Faith.
She grinned to herself. Now she got to fight evil.
To spend her life fighting side by side with her sister warriors.
And even fly again, if Buffy was to be believed.
She really wanted to meet the guy who had the balls to fly a British warplane around the states, as his own personal taxi.
And
they didn’t give a fuck
who she slept with.
So, she’d handed in her notice, accepted her offer, and gone out with a bang.
Literally.
She’d rolled in to a bar on Jamaica Plains with a weird mix of anticipation and fear. And she’d gone for the first gorgeous woman she could find.
Something about her eyes had attracted her instantly.
She’d ploughed through the crowd like an icebreaker in the arctic and taken her hand, distracting her from whatever conversation she’s been having.
“I want you. Right now,” she’d said, her voice thick with hunger.
The raw
need in her eyes had triggered something in those indigo depths, and her lover had squeezed her hand tight, and nodded her consent.
And Tamara’d scooped her up and carried her out of there.
Corrine (that was her name, Tamara finally remembered) had been swept away at first, but had been a more than enthusiastic participant. And then she’d been an amazed participant, until finally three or more hours of ‘ohmigods’ later, she’d finally passed out.
And Tamara had collapsed next to her.
But her engine was still running, and sleep was eluding her.
She was tempted to get dressed and look for something evil to kill.
She flagged that. She’d seen too many overconfident rookies get themselves blown up, to consider that a good idea.
She poked her companion in the shoulder, and got no response. The gentle breathing didn’t change at all.
She sighed. She’d probably go next door and talk to Buffy and Faith about stuff, but they were still enthusiastically,
annoyingly busy, and showed no signs of slowing down.
She was contemplating getting up and hitting the gym, when Corrine snuggled up to her and mumbled something in her sleep.
‘Ok, that wasn’t so bad,’ she thought to herself.
She thought back to the incident that had started all this.
Drinking too much at a friend’s party, unable to deal with the things she saw all too frequently in her dreams.
And then there was this girl. This pretty, pretty girl.
Kissing her was… amazing.
And for an evening, she’d forgotten everything.
Forgotten the dreams, forgotten what the airforce was like, forgotten all the guys calling her ‘dyke.’
Oh the irony.
Jesus. Even now, just thinking about the sex was exciting.
Maybe not as amazing as half an hour ago, but more amazing because of the newness. Her first time.
Having her friend walk in on them the next morning wasn’t too much of a big deal.
She thought it was hilarious.
But her guest, Clarice, had freaked out when she’d woken.
And had accused her of taking advantage.
Her boyfriend turned out to be less than pleased.
Finding the future ‘missus boyfriend’ in bed with another woman was less fun than he’d thought it would be.
The others had been awoken by the loud voices, and it had not been long before the news had made its way back to the base.
It was surprising how much drama had been generated in a short time.
Probably not helped by the fact that the offended boyfriend had a general for a daddy.
Or knocking him the fuck out, when he’d started throwing words like ’slut’ and ‘dyke’ around.
Tamara groaned, as old and much re-hashed thoughts travelled their well-worn pathways through her brain.
Then she stopped and grinned.
Today was a new day. A day filled with fighting, flying and as much ‘girl time’ as she could handle.
And money. Lots of money.
Buffy hadn’t gone into details, but she had looked at Tamara’s paycheck and said “More. Lots more.”
She grinned in the dark. Maybe this ‘dyke’ thing had something going for it.
Corrine mumbled something happy in her sleep, and snuggled a bit closer.
Yeah, maybe it did have something going for it. Now if only she could get some sleep.
Then maybe she could surprise Corrine when she woke up.
“Faaaaaaith!” came echoing through the wall.
Fuck.
+++
P.S: I was wrong. The Boston chapter is just too huge to do in one post, so you'll have another chapter of Buffy and Faith in Boston to suffer through before we get back to Willow and Tara's big day I'm confident you'll survive.