Fourteen

WHO DO YOU LOVE

“Okay...that’s...freaky,” Buffy said. “You’re...I mean, if you’re sure the cards are giving you the right answer? You’re...gonna travel through time.”

“The cards don’t lie to me,” Willow said. “I’m the witch. Someday, I’m gonna go around looking for people in the past...to help me fight some kind of big apocalyptic battle.”

They looked at the card. The High Priestess.

“It’s a pretty card,” Buffy said.

“Yeah,” Willow said. “I always think of Becca when I see it.”

“Time travel,” Buffy said. “How would you even do it? Does Michael J. Fox take you out on a date? Is there some kinda spell you know about?”

“No,” Willow said. “I’ve never even heard a rumor of any kind of magic that can create that effect...or any deity who grants that kind of power. I wouldn’t even know how to begin. But someday I’m gonna know.”

“I just realized, there’s one easy way to figure this out once and for all. I mean, yeah okay, you believe the cards. But...if we go find Tara, assuming she remembers what the witch looked like, we can just ask her if you’re her. Just tell her, y’know, picture you with dark hair.”

“Doesn’t matter. The cards don’t lie to me.”

Willow got up, and walked away from the table. She stood in the middle of the kitchen, looking away from Buffy, looking toward the window. The night was black.

“I know I’m the witch,” Willow said.

Buffy got up, and put her arms around her.

“Whatever happens?” Buffy said. “I’ll be there to help you, Will. I’ll always be there for you. Okay?”

Willow turned around, and leaned her head on Buffy’s shoulder.

Willow was shaking.

“Before you ask? No idea why...why I’m all, wiggin’ out over this,” Willow said. “It’s just...you’re Buffy. I’m supposed to...I’m supposed to help you but...you’re the one who’s supposed to lead. And this thing Tara talked about, it sounds like I have to do it all alone and...I’m...I don’t know, I guess...I’m scared.”

“Wanna know a secret?” Buffy said.

Willow looked up at her.

“I always thought you should be the leader,” Buffy said. “Out of me, you, Xander and Giles? I always thought you’d make the best leader.”

“Really?” Willow said. “You’re not just...trying to make feel better?”

“Nope. You’re smarter than all of us, and more disciplined. Sometimes I run out and go looking for a fight? But you always see the big picture. Whenever we’re in like, crisis mode and I have to rally the troops, you know what I do?”

“What?”

Buffy kissed her cheek.

“I try to relax, take a breath, and then I think to myself, how would Willow handle this? What angles would she be seeing here that I haven’t looked at yet? That’s what I do. It’s what I always do now.”

“I love you, Buffy,” Willow whispered. “I need you, I can’t...stop thinking about you. I keep thinking about us...together...making love. I’m...I’m in love with you.”

Buffy looked at her for a moment. She looked down into Willow’s green eyes, and caressed her cheek.

Then she lifted her up in her arms.

“What...what are you doing?” Willow said.

“Sshhh,” Buffy said, and carried her into the living room.

Willow rested her head on Buffy’s shoulder as Buffy carried her into the dark room, and laid her down on the couch.

Willow’s heart was beating like a jackhammer. Buffy could hear it. There were no other sounds. The only light came from a streetlamp outside, stealing in through a gap in the curtains.

Buffy stood in the light, only partly revealed. Her face was a shadowy hint, her eyes two pinpoint gleams focused directly on Willow now. As Buffy looked down at Willow, she cast a long shadow on the wall behind her. The shadow seemed to move of its own accord. Willow couldn’t figure out how it was moving; the light from the street lamp was fixed, and Buffy stood perfectly still... Buffy’s shadow shouldn’t have been moving.

But it was...

It danced.

Willow was frozen. She tried to look away from Buffy’s eyes, but they held her.

Buffy took off her nightgown, raising her arms above her head as she did; Willow could see the strong muscles in her arms and shoulders flexing. Buffy dropped the nightgown to the floor.

“Is this what you want?” Buffy said.

Buffy’s voice was a cold wind rustling through leaves at night...it was stealthy footfalls in the tall grass.

Buffy moved closer to Willow, and stood in front of her. The light played across her stomach. Buffy’s stomach was hard and flat, but her skin was milky white and Willow knew it was soft. Buffy’s face was still a shadow. Her eyes were two diamond points of light now, holding Willow, freezing her in place.

Buffy took off her bra. Willow looked up at her breasts, as Buffy moved closer to her, and the light from the streetlamp flitted across them. Buffy’s nipples were hard, sticking straight out like they always did when she was aroused...

At that moment, she was the most beautiful thing Willow had ever seen.

Buffy pulled down her panties. Willow watched the long, hard muscles in Buffy’s thighs moving as she bent over, and slipped them down her legs, and stepped out of them.

“Take off your pajamas,” Buffy said.

Willow hesitated. Buffy watched her; Buffy’s eyes never left Willow’s. They held her in place.

Willow blushed.

She unbuttoned her pajama top, with trembling hands.

She wasn’t wearing a bra underneath her pajamas. Her breasts were exposed. She moved her hand to cover them...then moved it away.

“You’re beautiful,” Buffy said. “I always thought you were beautiful.”

Willow’s nipples were hard. She slipped her top off her shoulders, and dropped it on the floor.

Buffy looked at her, and waited.

Willow pulled down her pajama bottoms, and kicked them off. She was naked, except for her panties.

Buffy knelt down beside her.

Willow moved her hands on top of her legs, blocking her panties.

Buffy took Willow’s hands in hers, and caressed them.

“Is this what you want?” Buffy whispered.

Buffy gently moved Willow’s hands aside.

“I’d never hurt you,” Buffy said.

“I know,” Willow said.

Buffy slowly pulled down Willow’s panties.

Buffy could smell it, and see it now, too; Willow was wet.

Buffy slipped Willow’s panties off, and set them aside.

Buffy smiled, and caressed Willow’s hair.

“You’re beautiful,” Buffy said.

“So are you,” Willow said.

“We need to talk now,” Buffy said. “About us.”

Buffy laid down on the couch next to Willow, and took her in her arms. Willow hugged her. It felt perfectly natural to be doing this...it felt right.

Buffy’s body felt warm. Her arms were strong.

“Do you remember when I did this with Faith?” Buffy said. “The day after we made love?”

“Yeah,” Willow said. “You wanted to talk, and she was nervous...and, um, horny. So...you did this.”

“It didn’t work out so well,” Buffy said. “I didn’t know her then. I didn’t know that she might think I was taking advantage of her...teasing her. I didn’t mean to do that...I would never do that. And I would never do that to you, either. I’m not teasing you, Willow. If you want me to make love to you, I will. But first we need to talk.”

Willow rested her head against Buffy’s breasts.

“I love you, Willow,” Buffy said, as she caressed her hair. “But you don’t love me. You think you do. But you don’t. Not the way I love you.”

Willow looked up into Buffy’s eyes. She felt warm, lying in Buffy’s arms. Buffy’s breasts were soft, against her cheek.

Buffy took Willow’s hand.

“I’ve been in love with you since the day we first met,” Buffy said. “My diary? Every entry up until I met Angel is about you. Whenever you slept over, we’d do each other’s hair and hang out and stuff? And you’d talk about Xander, and movie star guys you thought were cute, and I’d play along, and pretend I wasn’t in love with you. Do you know how much it hurt me? Do you know how much it’s always hurt me, being around you, knowing I can’t have you? And then when you slept over you’d go to sleep in the spare room, and I’d go to my bed, alone, and cry. Because I knew you’d never be mine.”

“I’m sorry,” Willow whispered. “But...I love you now. I love you so much, Buffy. I...I need you. I think about you all the time...about us...like this.”

“You’ve been thinking about me since around eight-thirty,” Buffy said. “That’s when you got Faith’s memories. Yeah, you’ve lived her life in your head but you’ve only had her memories for like, eight hours. Before that, you loved me as your best friend. Everything else? Everything else is Faith. These feelings you have are Faith’s, not yours. It’s not you fault you have them, you didn’t know this would happen. But they don’t belong to you, Willow. They belong to her.”

Buffy tilted Willow’s chin up, and looked into her eyes.

“I belong to her,” Buffy said.

Tears filled Willow’s eyes.

“Do you know why your eyes go black sometimes?” Buffy said.

Willow shook her head.

“I do,” Buffy said. “They go black because you’ve spent your life doing what everyone else wants, living according to other people’s expectations. You have a lot of anger all bottled up inside, and it comes out sometimes now, and your eyes go black. You’ve never made decisions for yourself. All your life, you’ve let other people decide for you. But, tonight? You’re gonna decide. You’re gonna decide about us. I love you. You don’t love me, but I love you. And you can have me tonight, if that’s what you really want. I’ll make love to you, if that’s what you really want.”

Willow looked up at Buffy, searched her eyes.

“What do you want, Willow?” Buffy said. “If you could have your wish, what would it be? Do you want me to make love to you, the way I did to Faith? Do you want to cheat on Xander? Do you want me to cheat on Faith?”

Willow felt stuck, suspended. She didn’t know what to do. She was at the top of the roller coaster, in that one moment when the car teeters on the brink, just before it falls...

“There was a night, that I know you remember,” Buffy said. “And I know you think I don’t remember it, but I do. It was the night I took Faith...the night she opened her legs for me, and let me inside. The Slayer and I were separate, then. That’s why I didn’t remember at first. But we aren’t separate anymore. I’m the Slayer, Willow. I’m the one who loved you, that night. Who took you over and over again. Who bit you and scratched you and took you from behind and whispered those things in your ear, the things that scared you. I’m the one who took your blood. You want that again? You want that, for real? You want me to take you? I will, if you want.”

Willow thought about it. She did want it; it was all she’d been thinking about all night. Opening her legs for Buffy, and feeling Buffy inside...hearing Buffy growling and whispering in her ear...

Willow thought about her life. She saw it, for a second; she saw her whole life, saw all the intricate patterns, the infinite connections, all the paths, and where they led...she saw life, for just a second, for what it really was...

Buffy held Willow’s hand, and looked into her eyes.

“Our lives are in your hands tonight,” Buffy said. “Not just yours and mine. Faith’s and Xander’s too...and maybe Tara’s. Because here’s the catch, baby. Rebecca’s always right. I’ll love you tonight if you want. But I won’t lie about it. I’ll tell Faith, and if you don’t tell Xander I will. Faith will leave me, and maybe end up with Tara. Xander will leave you. Who knows, maybe he’ll end up with Cordy. You’re right, she’s been looking at him in a funny way lately. I think maybe she wants him just because he’s like, the one guy she’s not able to have.”

Willow knew life was a series of decisions.

“It’s gonna take time, Willow,” Buffy said. “Time to find yourself. You’re still in there. I don’t know if you can ever go back to the way you were before. But I know you can find a balance...a way to be strong, to adjust to this and still be you. In the meantime? You have to decide what you want. Do you want me, or Xander? Decide, Willow. Decide, for the rest of your life. Decide, for all of us...all of our lives. Now.”

Buffy caressed Willow’s cheek.

“Who do you love?” Buffy whispered.

It was as if the world had paused. Willow felt like the world was watching her, and waiting.

She knew life was a series of decisions...

So she made one.

“Xander,” Willow said.

“And we have a winner,” Buffy said, and smiled.

“You knew this was how it would go,” Willow said. “All of this...you were never gonna cheat on Faith. You knew I wouldn’t let that happen.”

“You’re Willow,” Buffy said. “You’d never let me hurt Faith. You’d never let yourself hurt Xander.”

Willow nodded.

“It’s why you can lead,” Buffy said. “You think about other people first. That’s why I know, when you have to do all that stuff someday? When you have to go back in time looking for people, for that big war that’s coming? I know you’ll be fine, baby. I know everything will be okay.”

Willow didn’t feel nervous about the future anymore. She realized that Buffy was right: she realized she could do it...that whatever the future threw at her, she could deal with it. She could be strong.

“I love you, Willow,” Buffy said. “I trust you with my life. Faith is my life. And I knew you wouldn’t let me lose her.”

“I love you too,” Willow said. “I know there’s a universe where you and I are together. But...not this one. Some things are meant to be...and some things...

“Aren’t,” Buffy said.

Willow looked up into Buffy’s eyes. Buffy was crying.

Willow realized she was crying too.

“A goodbye kiss?” Willow whispered. “Just...one kiss? Just one?”

“Just one,” Buffy whispered, and kissed her.

“Baby?” Buffy whispered. “Wake up, baby.”

“Lose my place in line,” Faith muttered, into Buffy’s breasts.

Buffy smiled.

“Faith,” Buffy whispered, in Faith’s ear. “It’s time for your pills. You gotta wake up, baby.”

“But...what about our tickets?” Faith muttered, as she opened her eyes, and looked up. “It’s the season opener.”

Faith looked around. She looked up into Buffy’s eyes. Buffy smiled down at her, and kissed her.

“Uh...what was I just saying?” Faith said.

“No idea,” Buffy said. “As usual. How’s your pain? You feel okay?”

“Yeah. Stomach’s like, a little pinchy feeling. Everything else is cool.”

“Okay,” Buffy said, and held out two morphine pills to Faith. Faith took them, and Buffy reached over to the nightstand and came back with a glass of water. Faith drank the whole glass down.

“Want more water?” Buffy said. “Still thirsty?”

“Nah, I’m good,” Faith said. “Kinda beat but...other than that I’m good.” She yawned, and looked at Buffy’s eyes.

“What?” Buffy said.

“You been sleepin’?” Faith said. “Got dark circles under your eyes.”

Buffy shook her head. “I’ve been watching you sleep,” she said.

“What time is it?” Faith said.

“Five,” Buffy said.

“Listen, beautiful,” Faith said. “I want you to sleep, okay?”

Buffy didn’t want to. She didn’t want to miss another moment...

She didn’t know how many they had left.

“Buffy,” Faith said, and caressed her cheek with her good hand. “I want you to sleep, honey. Okay?”

“Okay,” Buffy said.

Faith curled up against Buffy’s breasts. Buffy put her arms around her, and drew the covers over her, and held her tight...and closed her eyes.

“Love you,” Faith said.

“Love you too,” Buffy said. “I always will, Faith. No matter what.”

Buffy dreamed she was flying.

She soared into the sky, and floated gently back down to earth...

She bounded through the clouds. The sun was on her face, and the wind was in her hair, and she was weightless. She leaped into the sky, and flew, and then drifted back down...and leaped back into the sky and flew again...

She opened her eyes. The sun was shining in through the window. The bedroom was bright.

The ceiling kept getting closer, then farther away again, for some reason.

She looked around.

Faith was jumping up and down on the bed.

“Rise and shine, B,” Faith said.

“What are you doing?” Buffy said.

“This a trick question?” Faith said, grinning down at her. Every time she jumped Buffy’s body bounced into the air and Faith’s head nearly touched the ceiling. Buffy noticed that the bruises on Faith’s legs were a faded yellow color now, and much smaller.

Buffy stood on the bed, caught Faith in mid-air, and swept her up in her arms.

“C’mere, kitty cat,” Buffy said, and laid her back down on the bed, and kissed her. “How come you’re jumping around on a broken ankle? Doctor Buffy didn’t say you could jump around.”

“I don’t know,” Faith said, and hugged her. “Felt like jumpin’.”

“Let me see your ankle,” Buffy said, and moved down the bed, and gently took Faith’s ankle in her hand. “I’m gonna take this bandage off, have a look. I’ll give you a new bandage.”

“Anything else you wanna do while you’re down there?” Faith said.

“Maybe,” Buffy said, and smiled, and gently removed Faith’s bandage. “If you’re a good kitty-cat and stop disobeying doctor’s orders. This hurt?” she said, and ran her fingers over Faith’s ankle.

“Nope,” Faith said.

Buffy kissed it. “Wanna try walking on it?” she said.

“Yeah,” Faith said.

“Okay,” Buffy said, and took Faith’s hand, and sat her up on the bed. She stood up, and Faith stood up with her.

Faith took a few steps. She limped slightly.

“How’s it feel?” Buffy said.

“Feels pretty good,” Faith said. “No pain. Just like a tiny little twinge.”

“No more swelling either. I think it’s almost healed up. But do me a favor, don’t like, go running around or kicking anything, at least for today, okay?”

“Sure. I’m a little gimpy. But...at least I can walk again though.”

“What, you didn’t like me carrying you everywhere?”

Faith kissed her.

“Kinda loved it,” Faith said. A tear rolled down her cheek.

“Hey, hey...” Buffy said, and hugged her. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“Nothing. I just...you just always take care of me and...I just really love you, Buffy. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby,” Buffy said, and wiped her tears away. “No more crying now, okay?”
Faith nodded.

“Come to bed?” Faith said.

They laid on the bed together, and kissed.

Buffy kissed Faith’s neck, and her breasts, and her stomach...

“You’ve been a good kitty-cat,” Buffy said, and looked up at her, and smiled. “Good kitty-cats get extra-special kisses from Doctor Buffy.”

“Wait...let’s sixty-nine” Faith said. “I wanna kiss your pussy, honey.”

“Okay, pretty kitty,” Buffy said. She looked at the alarm clock. “But first Doctor Buffy says it’s time for your pills. Be right back.” She picked up the empty glass from the nightstand, walked out of the room, and came back a minute later with a glass of water. She opened the bottle of pills and took out two. “Take these,” Buffy said, and handed Faith the pills, and kissed her. “Then you can take me, baby.”

Faith took her pills, and set the glass back down on the nightstand. Buffy moved on top of her, and turned around.

Faith smiled. “This is gonna be fun,” she said. “Last bunch of times we sixty-nined you always made me be on top.”

“Because I love looking at your perfect beautiful bubble butt while I’m licking you,” Buffy said. “Once you’re better you’re going back on top again.”

Faith giggled. “So not fair,” she said, as Buffy backed up toward her face. “I’m gonna like, file a complaint. Maybe start a petition.”

“Xander will sign it if you bring pictures,” Buffy said. “Maybe next time you’re on top I’ll have a special treat for you to make up for it.”

“Oh yeah?” Faith said, and began kissing Buffy’s pussy. “What’s that gonna be, beautiful?”

“You never know,” Buffy said, and giggled, and buried her face between Faith’s legs.

They were quiet after that; only their quick breathing, and their soft moans, disturbed the stillness. Faith gave Buffy’s pussy little kisses, and fucked it with her tongue, and gently stroked Buffy’s clit with her left hand. Buffy’s pussy was already dripping; her juice was warm and sticky and it had a sweet, tangy taste that Faith loved. Faith licked that nectar up, from the bottom of Buffy’s pussy, just below her ass, all the way around to her clit, and then went back to fucking Buffy’s pussy with her tongue.

“I like it down here, honey,” Faith whispered, between moans. “Everything’s easy to reach, got everything I need right here, like, handy. Got my finger on the button.”

“You gonna start world war three back there?” Buffy said, and sucked on Faith’s clit, and began fucking Faith’s face, moving her ass back onto it and thrusting against it, as Faith darted her long tongue in and out of her pussy, and focused on Buffy’s scent; it was at its most concentrated there, between her legs. Faith felt her blood pumping through her veins, when she took in Buffy’s sweet pussy scent; she felt her energy shooting through her.

“Hell yeah,” Faith said. “My girl always comes like a bomb goin’ off. Gonna get you to Defcon one soon, honey.”

“I love you, baby,” Buffy said.

“I love you too,” Faith said, and suddenly squealed, as Buffy stuck two fingers into her pussy, and began fucking her. At the same time Buffy began thrusting her ass back into Faith’s face even harder, and her own moans got louder, and began coming quicker.

Their bodies moved together now, rocking gently back and forth, causing the bed to creak in time with their moans.

Their scents filled the room. Buffy’s pussy juice was all over Faith’s lips now. She lapped as much of it out of Buffy’s pussy as she could with her tongue, like a cat drinking milk from a saucer, and swallowed it.

“I love swallowing it for you, Buffy,” Faith whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Buffy whispered.

Faith began sucking on Buffy’s clit; Buffy’s clit was small but it was engorged now from Faith’s expert stroking, and when Faith took it in her mouth and gently sucked on it, it was hard. Buffy began to tremble. Faith ran her hand up and down Buffy’s thick, muscular calves, and she sucked on Buffy’s clit, as Buffy’s pussy dripped all over her lips, and Buffy fucked her with her fingers.

Buffy began curling her fingers up inside Faith’s pussy as she fucked her. Faith’s legs began to shake.

“Think...there’s...really a G-spot?” Faith said, breathlessly. She knew she’d be coming soon.

“Don’t know. All that matters is my baby’s spot,” Buffy whispered, as she sucked on Faith’s clit and fucked her with her fingers. “And I know it’s right here. I’m gonna call it the F-spot.”

Faith felt a pressure building in her. She caressed Buffy’s ass, reveling in the feel of the rock-hard muscles moving underneath it, and then stuck her fingers as far as they would go up Buffy’s pussy, and sucked harder on her clit. Buffy screamed, and Faith lifted Buffy’s legs and angled them up and away from the wall, just as Buffy kicked back with them. Faith knew Buffy could easily kick through the wall; she’d seen her do it before, when she came. Buffy held onto the bedsheet, shredding it with her fingernails, as her orgasm ripped through her like an earthquake. Faith came next; she wailed and bucked beneath Buffy and nearly threw her off the bed. But Buffy held onto her, as the aftershocks from the earthquake rippled through her own body, and she shook all over...

They laid together like that for a moment, catching their breath. They focused on each other’s scents, and their heartbeats; they could hear them.

Tears ran down Faith’s cheeks. Buffy reached out and massaged Faith’s feet, and Faith ran her fingers over Buffy’s ass, and down her thighs.

“I love you,” Buffy whispered. “I love you, baby.”

“I love you too,” Faith whispered. “Come up here, honey.”

Buffy turned around, and kissed her way back up Faith’s body. When she reached Faith’s lips, she hugged her, and kissed her tears, until they were gone.

“You’re my kitten,” Buffy whispered, running her fingers through Faith’s hair, as Faith ran her left hand up and down Buffy’s strong, muscular back.

“Yeah,” Faith said. “But I’m gonna be a grown-up cat soon. I’m gonna be a grown-up alley cat. Get up on my lips, honey. I wanna make you purr again.”

“You always make me purr, baby,” Buffy said, and smiled down at Faith as she sat up and straddled her face. “But...alley cat? I don’t want you to be an alley cat. I don’t like the way that sounds.”

Uh...yeah,” Faith said, and brought Buffy’s pussy down to her lips, and kissed it. “Just...a regular old grown-up cat then.”

“My strong, beautiful cat,” Buffy said. “The most beautiful cat in the world.”

“But I’ll still always be your kitten, Buffy,” Faith whispered, and began licking her.

“I know, baby,” Buffy murmured, and closed her eyes.

“Wow,” Buffy said, much later. “You’re like some kinda prodigy. You’re an oral sex prodigy. And I’m not even kidding. If licking me was an Olympic event you’d be like the Dorothy Hamill of licking me.”

“Got me some strong tongue muscles,” Faith said.

“I don’t think there’s a single drop of any kind of moisture left in me,” Buffy said. “I feel like the bottom of a slurpee cup.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, girlfriend,” Faith said. “Had me purring. What time is it anyway?”

They were lying naked in bed together. Faith was resting her head on Buffy’s breasts and Buffy was rubbing her feet against Faith’s. A fine film of sweat covered their bodies, from head to toe. Faith no longer had the bandage on her stomach, and the slash there had scabbed over and already begun to fade to a pinkish color. The bed was rather rumpled. The lamp that had been on the nightstand was on the floor now, in pieces. Buffy looked over at the alarm clock she kept on the nightstand. It was on the floor too, in pieces.

“Um...” Buffy said. “Well judging by the clock I guess it was a little past eleven when you made me come that third time.”

“Gonna have to do something about how you always kick out like a mule when I get you off, hon,” Faith said. “Maybe like, Buffy-proof your room. Maybe I can start tying you up. Big pervo lesbian like you, bet you’d get off on that.”

“Maybe I would,” Buffy said, with a wicked smile. “I’m a bad girl.”

“Gonna test that theory sometime,” Faith said. “Hungry. How about we get cleaned up, then see if Xan Man’s been up to anything in the kitchen. Gotta keep that boy around. He can cook his butt off.”

“Will’s kinda fond of him too. So yeah, guess we can keep him. They’re probably out shopping by now, they had some errands to run today.”

“Xander better stop makin’ fun of my accent.”

“He’s never, ever gonna stop making fun of your accent.”

“Gonna get his D.O.R.”

“Yeah, and thank you very much for that bit of pissing me off, by the way. Like he doesn’t almost die enough? Now I gotta worry about you training him and him being all Kung Fu Boy and showing off and getting in over his head and not having the sense to run anymore and maybe getting killed that way? I should kick your ass. If I didn’t love that perfect amazing ass of yours so much I’d kick it.”

“You’re beautiful when you’re angry, honey,” Faith said, and kissed her. “Plus all the other times.”

“We still need to argue about this,” Buffy said. “I need to like, be annoyed at you and maybe get pouty and even intractable.”

“Pretty damn impertinent of me, telling Xander I’d train him without runnin’ it by you, huh?” Faith said.

“Totally impertinent,” Buffy said. “I think I’m gonna start being annoyed at you now. Ready? In three...two...one...now.”

Faith took Buffy’s hand and pulled her from the bed. “You can be annoyed with me in the tub,” she said.

“Is this gonna be our first bubblebath together?” Buffy said, as they made sure the coast was clear and scooted naked into the bathroom across the hall.

Buffy wasn’t letting herself think about it...but she knew her time was running out. The moment was drawing closer when she would have to tell Faith about Angel...and Faith might leave her. She wanted to make love to Faith again, before then. She wanted to hold her in her arms, and tell her she loved her.

One perfect day, she decided. She wanted to give her one perfect day.

“Is this like, a significant moment in our relationship?” Buffy said, and put the thought aside. She’d deal with it when the time came; for now she was going to enjoy every second. “Should there be candles and Yanni music? Should we mark this date on the calendar?”

“Nah, it’s just we’re all sweaty and I wanna feel you up, plus, hey, bubbles,” Faith said. “Candles optional. No Yanni.”

“Works for me,” Buffy said. “I can’t get over how much better that cut on your stomach looks. You heal faster than me. You’re already stronger than me, now you get awesome quick healing too?”

“Plus super strong tongue muscles. But hey, you got stuff. You’re faster than me, plus you pick up scents quicker, and you’re better at the stealthy stuff too. I mean, I can be slick and everything, sneak up on guys, but you’re quiet as a damn ninja. Seriously, when you move even I can’t tell you’re moving.”

“So my power is the power of super quietness? You get to heal up from anything in like two seconds and I just get to be quiet?”

“Except when you’re in my bed. Your quietness power kinda skips town right around then.”

“Right around the time when your super tongue muscle power gets going. How’s your arm?”

“Y’know,” Faith said, and felt her right arm with her left, running her left hand across her splint. “I think I might just be able to move it.”

“One way to find out. How about we take the splint off and if you still can’t move it I’ll just make you another one. The way your ankle healed there’s a good chance your arm’s pretty okay too.”

“Yeah, okay,” Faith said, and Buffy carefully removed her splint, and untied her sling. Faith slowly, gingerly stretched out her arm.

“Houston, we’ve got arm movement,” Buffy said. “Does it feel okay?”

“‘Houston, we’ve got arm movement’?”

“My badinage isn’t at its best,” Buffy said, and started running the bathwater. “You just made me come like fifteen times and I got four hours of sleep. Leave me alone.”

Faith started taking off her bandages. “Arm’s a little tender, but it’s not broke anymore at least. Figure if the arm and the ankle are okay I definitely won’t need these bandages either,” she said.

“Your bruises are almost gone too,” Buffy said.

“Good,” Faith said. “Cuttin’ into my sexiness. Hard to be fab when you’re all like, purplish.”

“Aw, you’re still a pretty kitty,” Buffy said, and put her arms around Faith’s waist, and brought her close to her.

They kissed, and ran their hands over each other’s bodies.

“Don’t be jealous of my perfect butt,” Faith said.

“It’s all mine,” Buffy said, and gave Faith’s butt a little pat, and giggled. She grabbed bubblebath from the medicine cabinet and sprinkled it into the water.

“Big pervo lesbian,” Faith said. “Seducing an impressionable young straight girl like me.”

“Yup, that’s exactly how it happened, baby,” Buffy said.

“So what do you think? Facin’ each other or like, lyin’ beside each other?”

“Beside each other. Easier to cop feels.”

They got into the tub together.

“Xander needs to know how to fight, B,” Faith said. “You know I’m right on this.”

“Yeah,” Buffy said.

“You gonna give him a hard time on this? Be all on his ass about how you don’t want him and Will gettin’ in trouble?”

Buffy put her arm around Faith, and they laid beside each other in the tub. Faith took the bar of soap, lathered up her hands, and began running them over Buffy’s body. Buffy raised her long legs into the air, first one and then the other, and let Faith wash her. Faith ran her soapy hands down Buffy’s legs, caressing them from the top of Buffy’s thighs to the soles of her feet.

“No,” Buffy said. “You were right. I can’t do this alone. I have no right to tell Will and Xander to just stay home after all the times they’ve stuck their necks out for me. But...I just worry.”

“Don’t worry about Xan Man,” Faith said. “Yeah, I’ll train him up, but part of the training’s gonna be when to fight, not just how. There are gonna be lots of times when him gettin’ the hell out of there is gonna help me and you out a lot more than him gettin’ in the thick of it would.”

“He’s not the one I’m worried about,” Buffy said.

After they got out of the tub, Buffy carried Faith naked back to her bedroom, and laid her on the bed.

“Time for more treatment from Doctor Buffy,” Buffy said.

“I love my appointments with Doctor Buffy,” Faith said.

“It’s a highly effective treatment regimen,” Buffy said. “My kisses are what’s been healing you up. They’re making you all better.”

“It’s definitely the kisses,” Faith said.

Buffy took Faith’s right foot in her hand. She looked closely at it, and touched Faith’s big toe. Faith’s big toe and the one next to it didn’t have toenails. “How does your foot feel here?” Buffy said.

“Feels good,” Faith said. “No pain or nothin’. Now if I could just get my damn toenails back.”

“They’re growing back,” Buffy said. “I can see like, the beginning of the new ones.” Buffy kissed each of the toes on Faith’s foot, and smiled at her. “I told you I’d worship you,” Buffy whispered. “Remember? I said I’d kiss your feet.”

“I love you,” Faith whispered.

“I love you too,” Buffy said, and kissed Faith’s left ankle, and then her right knee. Faith opened her legs.

“I think my baby wants an extra-special kiss somewhere else,” Buffy whispered, as she kissed the bruises on Faith’s right side, moving up toward her breasts. The bruises were a faded yellow now.

“Maybe,” Faith said, and smiled. Faith’s nipples were hard. Buffy gave each of them a kiss.

Faith moaned; her pussy was wet now, too. Buffy could smell it.

Buffy took Faith’s right hand in hers, and kissed her index finger and her thumb. She kissed her way up Faith’s right arm. She kissed Faith’s collarbone, and licked her neck, and kissed the back of her head. She moved her hand to Faith’s pussy lips, and caressed them. Faith closed her eyes, and moaned again.

Buffy gently turned Faith onto her side and kissed her butt, up near her tailbone, where she had a bruise. Faith giggled.

“You’re a real thorough doctor,” Faith said.

“Yup. Everyone wants an appointment with Doctor Buffy,” Buffy whispered. “There’s a waiting list a mile long.” She laid down beside Faith, and took her in her arms. Faith rested her head on Buffy’s breasts, as Buffy gently stroked her pussy.

“I think my baby wants me to take care of her, huh?” Buffy whispered. Faith nodded, and moaned, and ran her feet up and down Buffy’s calves.

“How does she want me to take care of her?” Buffy whispered. “Whisper it in my ear, baby. Whisper what you want momma to do.”

Faith whispered something in her ear. Buffy nodded, and kissed her.

“We’ll have to go slow though, okay, baby?” Buffy whispered. “You’re not a hundred percent yet, so we’ll have to go nice and slow.”

Faith nodded.

Buffy got up, went to her bureau, and opened her bottom drawer. She fished around beneath a dozen hand-knitted Christmas sweaters and came out with the dildo she’d made love to Faith with the month before.

“I wanna put it on you,” Faith said. “I wanna kneel down in front of you and put it on you.”

“No,” Buffy said. “Your knee’s not a hundred percent, I don’t want you kneeling. You can sit up and put it on me, okay?”

Faith nodded, and sat on the edge of the bed. Buffy came back to the bed, and gave her the dildo. She stood in front of her, and caressed her hair.

“Stand up on the bed,” Faith whispered.

Buffy got up onto the bed.

Faith took Buffy’s right foot in her hand, and kissed it; she did the same with the left. Then she held out the dildo, and Buffy stepped into it. Faith pulled the panties up, and strapped the dildo in place between Buffy’s legs. She kissed the tip of the dildo, and looked up into Buffy’s eyes.

“Does my baby want to suck it?” Buffy whispered.

Faith nodded, and laid herself down on the bed. Buffy knelt over Faith’s face, and rubbed the dildo against Faith’s cheek.

Faith kissed the dildo, up and down along its shaft, as Buffy caressed her cheek with it. Then she took it in her mouth, and began sucking on it.

Buffy looked down at Faith, and began gently thrusting into her mouth.

They were quiet. Buffy fucked Faith’s mouth, and began caressing her pussy again. Faith spread her legs for Buffy, and looked up into her eyes, and kept her hands down by her sides, in a submissive pose. She didn’t touch the dildo, didn’t try to control it in any way. Instead she laid on the bed beneath Buffy, with her legs spread, and looked up into Buffy’s eyes, as Buffy slowly fucked her mouth, and stroked her pussy.

Faith’s pussy was drenched. Buffy ran her long fingers up and down Faith’s slick pussy lips, and began massaging her clit. Faith moaned, with the dildo in her mouth. Buffy took it out, and bent down and kissed her, as she went on stroking her clit.

“I think my baby’s all ready to be fucked,” Buffy whispered.

Faith nodded.

Buffy laid herself on top of Faith, and entered her.

Faith was wet enough that the dildo went straight in; Faith took all of it with a soft moan, and a shudder.

“Is it okay?” Buffy whispered. “It doesn’t hurt, does it?”

“No,” Faith whispered back, and kissed her. “Feels just right.”

Buffy began fucking Faith, slowly. She looked into her eyes, and kissed her, gently.

They were quiet. The bed creaked beneath them. They breathed together. Faith moaned, as Buffy fucked her. Those were the only sounds.

Faith arched her hips, to take Buffy deeper. Buffy kissed her, and caressed her cheek. Their bodies moved together, in perfect rhythm.

Faith wrapped her legs around Buffy, and ran her feet up and down the backs of her thighs. Buffy kissed Faith’s neck, and fucked her, still going slow. She felt Faith’s pussy tighten around the dildo, holding it and drawing it in. She took in Faith’s peach scent, as she kissed Faith’s neck, just below her ear, where her scent was always strong.

Faith’s breathing was speeding up; it felt warm on Buffy’s cheek. Faith’s moans were a sweet, soft whisper in Buffy’s ear.

“That’s it, baby,” Buffy whispered, and kissed her. “That’s it. Take it all for me, baby. Take me all the way inside, okay?”

Faith nodded, and hugged Buffy, holding her tight, and caressed her thighs with her feet. Faith’s nipples were hard against Buffy’s breasts, and Buffy could feel Faith’s heart, beating fast beneath her now. Faith’s body felt warm. Buffy liked how strong Faith’s arms felt around her, as they moved up and down her back now, caressing her from her shoulders all the way down her sides to her ass, and then all the way back up again.

Buffy plunged into her. She went as deep as she was able to, and held Faith in her arms as tightly as she could, as Faith’s sweet moans came to her, and her musky peach scent made her blood race. Buffy wanted to become part of Faith, to melt into her.

“Does my baby like it?” Buffy whispered, as their bodies rocked back and forth together. “Does my baby like it when I fuck her with my dick?”

“Yeah...yeah...yeah...” Faith moaned, in time with Buffy’s thrusts. “Love you...love you...inside.”

Buffy looked down into Faith’s eyes, and smiled, as she fucked her.

Faith blushed a little, and smiled back.

“I love you, Buffy,” Faith whispered.

“I love you too, Faith,” Buffy whispered.

After a few more minutes, Buffy began thrusting faster, and Faith matched her speed. Buffy moved up a little, so she could move against Faith’s clit. Faith’s moans got louder.

Faith’s peach scent filled the room. Buffy didn’t think she could live without that scent, now.

Their bodies moved together, and they held onto each other, as tight as they could. They both began breathing in quick little gasps, and Faith’s moans had become a series of squeals now.

They looked into each other’s eyes, as Buffy plunged herself as deep into Faith as she could go, and Faith took all of her inside.

“Do you know...know how much I love you, baby?” Buffy whispered, and her eyes filled with tears. “How, how I’ll love you forever? No matter what, baby? No matter what happens?”

“I love you so much, Buffy,” Faith said, her voice breaking, as her breathing sped up again, and tears fell down her cheeks. “I love you, I love you. I love you so much...”

Buffy nodded, and smiled, and made love to her.

They didn’t say anything else.

Faith began to scream, as Buffy thrust into her. The bed creaked louder beneath them. Their bodies, slick with their sweat now, moved together. Their scents filled the air. Faith’s arms and legs were wrapped around Buffy, holding on tight to her. Faith’s pussy clamped down on the dildo as it filled her.

When Faith came, bucking underneath Buffy, her whole body trembling, Buffy came with her. Buffy wasn’t prepared for it; her orgasm snuck up on her, as if it was in direct response to Faith’s. Suddenly, without warning, Buffy had felt like she was caught up in a tidal wave. She screamed as she rode the wave, as it crashed through her; she grabbed the bedsheets, and ripped through them with her fingernails. Faith was crying underneath her, sobbing and wailing, and hugging Buffy as hard as she could.

Buffy held Faith to her breasts, as the tidal wave subsided, and she whispered that it would be okay...she whispered to Faith that she loved her, and would always take care of her, and that it would be okay...

Faith always cried when she came. Buffy always held her, and kissed her, and told her it would be okay.

This time, Buffy cried too.

“So where did everyone go?” Faith said. They were sitting in the kitchen half an hour later, eating waffles and bacon. They’d realized after they finished fucking that they’d had a whole lot of sex since they’d got up that morning but hadn’t had a single thing to eat. Being a Slayer meant you were either hunting, horny or hungry at all times and right now it was time to be hungry. They attacked the waffles and bacon like two lions charging a herd of antelope.

“Will and Xander had some errands to do,” Buffy said. “They’ll be back before sunset. Those wolf vamps are pretty out there but they’re still vamps. They won’t make a play for Will during the day. And they’ve got the car anyway, and Giles is with them.”

“Too bad. I wanted to see what kind of breakfast Xan Man can do.”

“Well, it is pretty far past breakfast.”

“Yeah. When we get into it we really get into it. Time flies when you’re having fun.”

“And then comes to a crashing halt when you make me come and I destroy the alarm clock.”

“Told you. Gonna have to tie you up.”

“I’ve been a bad girl,” Buffy said. “Anyway you’re just gonna have to make do with Buffy’s world-famous waffles.”

“That stuff you were sayin’ about Will,” Faith said. “About her eyes goin’ all black and stuff, and how she acts kinda different now when she’s doin’ the spells. What do you think it means?”

“Wish I knew. It’s only been going on for a couple of months, but...”

“It started with the lightning, right? That was the first time you saw her eyes do that?”

“Yeah.”

“You know what almost happened to her that night.”

“Yeah. But you stopped it. Another one of the things I owe you that I can never pay back.”

Faith took Buffy’s hand, and kissed it. “We both owe each other a lot of stuff, B,” she said. “Anyway...maybe all this stuff with Will...maybe it’s like a phase. Maybe she just needs time to deal with all the crazy shit that’s goin’ on and eventually she’ll settle down.”

Buffy saw Willow, sitting in the closet...swallowed up by the darkness.

She saw her black eyes.

Some things are just gonna happen, no matter how hard we try to stop them, Buffy saw Willow saying.

They’re inevitable.

“Yeah,” Buffy said. “Maybe.”

Buffy and Faith sat on the couch in the living room after they were through eating, and held hands, and kissed.

“I like it...when it’s like this,” Faith said. “I mean yeah, gettin’ horizontal is great too but...when it’s like this...it’s just...”

“Yeah,” Buffy said, and caressed her cheek. “Yeah, baby. It is.”

Buffy laid her head down in Faith’s lap, and Faith stroked her hair.

“You’re really worried about Willow,” Faith said.

Buffy nodded.

“Whatever comes, we’ll deal with it, honey,” Faith said. “We’ll deal with it, okay? You and me.”

“Okay,” Buffy said.

Then she knelt down in front of Faith, and smiled.

“What are you doin’ down there?” Faith said. “Are you being a bad girl?”

Buffy nodded. Faith was wearing one of Buffy’s skirts again. Buffy reached under it, and started pulling Faith’s panties down.

The doorbell rang.

“Shit,” Buffy said, and they both giggled. They kissed.

“Plenty of time to make me purr later, honey,” Faith whispered in her ear. She pulled up her panties and smoothed down her skirt.

“Yeah. And, hey, you know what?” Buffy said, and smiled as she got up and walked to the door. “That’s probably Giles at the door. Can you run up to my room and grab the Key? It’s in one of the drawers of my bureau, I forget which. He’ll wanna see it. New ancient evil artifacts always get him excited.”

“Sure,” Faith said, and walked out of the room. Buffy waited until she heard her going up the stairs, and then opened the door. Willow and Xander and Giles were standing there. Willow had a big shopping bag in her hand, and Xander was carrying a pastry box and a case of Rolling Rock beer. Giles had a leather satchel over his shoulder.

“We swung by Tara’s place?” Willow said. “Went by a couple of times, but she wasn’t there and her car was gone. Sorry.”

“Okay, we tried,” Buffy said, and let them in. “We can try calling her later tonight. You guys got all the stuff?”

“Yup,” Willow said. “Found the coat for you. It’s really nice. I kinda want it for myself. I’m all jealous.”

“Yeah, actually when I saw it in the store I kinda thought it would look pretty on me too,” Buffy said. “But--”

Willow suddenly put her shopping bag down, and took Buffy’s hands in hers, and started quivering with excitement. “But oh Goddess oh Goddess oh Goddess oh Goddess Buffy! You won’t believe what I found when I did an internet search on Becca,” she said. “Giles had me like, downloading Becca’s Watchers diaries from the Council database for Faith? And then I started digging around and I found...oh my Goddess you won’t believe it!”

“Won’t believe it? Believe what?” Buffy said.

“Not telling,” Willow said, and giggled. “Faith needs to hear it first.”

“She’s been like this for the past hour,” Xander said, and set the pastry box and the case of beer down on the table. “She’s been grinning like a lunatic and getting all shaky like she’s about to meet James Van Der Beek.”

“Oh Goddess oh Goddess oh Goddess!” Willow squealed.

“Yes, well, be that as it may, I just want you to know I refuse to wear one of those party hats,” Giles said. “I’m drawing a firm line. No hat. How’s Faith?”

“Almost a hundred percent,” Buffy said. “She heals even faster than me.”

“Really?” Giles said. “Splendid. I still want to have a look at her though.”

“Okay, now everybody put your party hats on,” Buffy said. “Quick, before she comes back down.”

Willow pulled five party hats from the shopping bag. Xander and Willow and Buffy each put one on. Buffy looked at Giles, with a party hat in her hand.

“Please?” Buffy said. “With crumpets on top?”

“You’re going to make me wear that, aren’t you?” Giles said. “You’re going to stand there looking at me like that until I put that bloody thing on.”

“Your Slayer is always right,” Buffy said.

Giles sighed, and put the party hat on. Buffy kissed his cheek.

“I’m a lesbian and Faith and I are dating,” Buffy said. “So what’s new with you?”

Xander giggled. Willow laughed out loud.

“Yes,” Giles said with a sigh, and wiped his glasses at her. “Since I’m not deaf, dumb and blind I was able to figure that out.”

“Are you okay with it?” Buffy said. “With me and Faith? Giles, it’s... really important to me that you’re okay with it.”

“Yes,” he said, and smiled. “As long as you’re both happy.”

“Okay,” Buffy said. “Good. And hey, I’ve um, been meaning to ask you something. Do you...would you like to...go to the ice capades with me? It’s...in town for a little while longer.” She looked down at the floor. “I mean, y’know, if, you’re real busy with Watcher stuff, hey, no big, I’ll understand...”

He smiled again. “Yes Buffy, I’d love to take you to the ice capades,” he said. “And was that how you’re planning on telling Joyce about you and Faith?”

Buffy grinned. “Think it’ll work?” she said.

Faith walked into the room, with the Key in her hand.

“Hey,” she said. “What’s with the...?”

“Happy birthday, baby!” Buffy said, and ran up to her with a big smile, and threw her arms around her. “Um, one day late but, y’know, it’s not like you actually told us or anything.”

Buffy kissed her, a little peck on the lips. Faith blushed.

“Everybody knows,” Buffy said, and put a party hat on Faith’s head. “They’re all cool with it. They’re all cool with how you’re a big huge lesbian and you totally seduced me.”

Faith started giggling.

“Okay, so, cake and presents,” Buffy said. “Let’s--”

“Me first, me first!” Willow squealed, and ran up to Faith and took her hands. “Faith, you are not going to believe this,” she said.

“Hey girlfriend, what’s up?” Faith said. “You look like someone just sent you a Brad Pitt strip-o-gram.”

“This is better than a Brad Pitt strip-o-gram,” Willow said. “It might even be better than a James Van Der Beek strip-o-gram.”

“Get outta here,” Faith said. “Okay, spill.”

“Giles was doing some research, Watchers Council stuff, and he needed me to help him access some records online. Faith...Becca’s estate...”

“Becca...what? Her estate?”

“She had no living relatives,” Willow said. “She left everything to you.”

“What?” Xander said, and came over to them with Giles.

“Oh my God,” Buffy said.

“Becca...she left...everything to me?” Faith said.

“Faith,” Willow said, and put her hands on Faith’s shoulders. “Becca’s family was rich. Becca left you more than a hundred and fifty million dollars.”

“Oh my...fricking God,” Xander said.

“My word,” Giles said, and wiped his glasses, and put them on, and took them back off, and started wiping them again.

“Will...are you sure?” Buffy said. “Are you totally sure?”

Faith just stood there, looking back at Willow, in a daze.

“I triple-checked, and I even put in a call to the law firm handling Becca’s estate in England,” Willow said. “I talked to one of their solicitors at home. They’ve been looking for you, Faith. All you have to do is walk into their offices and claim the money. And it’s not just money, it’s property too, Becca’s family had an estate in England. It’s yours now, Faith. It’s all yours.”

“Becca always took care of me,” Faith said. “I guess...she still is.”

Faith sat on the couch. Buffy sat with her, and hugged her.

“I think she wanted to be with you today, baby,” Buffy said. “I think Rebecca wanted to celebrate your birthday with us, and give you a present too, and let you know she loves you.”

Faith nodded, and smiled, and started to cry.