A New Start by Buffy Writer

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I own nothing; all the characters belong to Joss apart from the new ones I add.
Distribution: The Mystic Muse: http://mysticmuse.net
My Site: http://www.angelfire.com/vamp/bwriter/
Anyone else, just ask.
Feedback: This is my first ever fic so I want to know if you guys liked it or not.
Spoilers: None.
Author's Notes: I know Giles never called Buffy but for the sake of the story it was he not Merrick who found Buffy as the slayer.
Pairing: Willow/Buffy

Summary: Buffy arrives from L.A. and she's not the carefree Buffy we know and love.

'I'll need to remember to check that new grave later' the young blond thought as she stalked the cemetery at 2.30am. For her it was nothing new. Ever since that day in L.A when she discovered who she really was, she hadn't had night where she had gotten to bed before 3.00am. 'Such is the life of the chosen one' she thought bitterly. Buffy Summers was a petit thing at just 5"3. She may not look all that strong but the Slayer had a strength no other human could ever hope for.

She and her mom had moved to the small town of Sunnydale just last week after her parents got divorced. Tomorrow was to be her first day at her new school. She was stressing but not about the usual back to school worries. She wasn't worried if she had bad hair or looked out of place, the thing she was most worried about was something much more sinister. Sunnydale High was built on the very thing that the Slayer was chosen to fight against by the Powers That Be. Evil. Or the Hellmouth as it was called. This small, and quite frankly, boring town has nothing to offer except for its wide range of demon activity and that's what the Slayer was interested in. Nothing else.

The Slayer was a force to be reckoned with as the seven-foot Zoloth demon found with its deadly clawed hands found out. With surprising swiftness that would have made any bystander dizzy had they been watching, the Slayer had somersaulted over the creatures head and decapitated it using the sword she had sheathed to her back.

"Yes very good Buffy." Rupert Giles praised her Slayer. Giles as she insisted in calling him was Buffy's Watcher. He was the one who found her in L.A and informed her of her destiny to rid the world of evil. He loved the girl like a daughter and it pained him to send her out to fight night after night though he had very little choice in the matter.

Because he was so close to her the changes in her attitude were easy for him to spot. Shortly after becoming the slayer he noticed that she shut herself off form her friends, even going as far as refusing to acknowledge them when they passed her. He knew why she kept people at arms length, all except her mother and him. She was afraid of the demons she fought night hurting anyone close to her. She already blamed herself needlessly for the nameless people she couldn't save from Vampire attacks. He hoped tomorrow would change the no friend rule she had put upon herself.

Monday morning came to soon for Buffy. After a quick shower she dressed and went downstairs to meet her mom in the kitchen. "Oh honey your up good I was just about to call you for breakfast." "Thanks mom this looks great." Buffy replied as she took her seat at the island in the kitchen. "How was patrol last night? Anything happen out of the ordinary?"

"Nah, well unless you count Giles falling over a headstone" laughed Buffy. As they ate each was contemplating the day ahead, Joyce hoped to find space for her to open an Art Gallery while Buffy was thinking of school.

"Well mom I gotta go and meet Giles to get books before class. How cool is it that he's the school librarian?" Not excepting an answer she left to start the walk to school.

When she was passing Westfield Drive a tingling sensation up her spine forced her to look left but all she saw were two other teenagers leaving a house for school. The boy was kinda tall with floppy brown hair and he was wearing the most colorful shirt Buffy had ever seen.

The girl she couldn't see properly because she was turned to face the boy and laughing at something he was saying that even Buffy's super slayer hearing couldn't pick up. She thought nothing of it and continued on her way.

She arrived at school and headed straight for the Library, as she had never been in the school before she just tracked Giles the way she would a vamp and was there in no time.

"Buffy, hello. I trust you slept well?" His question though innocent enough sparked the memory of the dream to return to Buffy. In it she was fighting a normal vamp when all of a sudden he had her backed against a Willow tree and was about to stake her when she grabbed a branch from the tree and drove the makeshift stake home. She never told Giles this though all she replied to the question was.

"Yes, thanks. Hey can I get those books now so I don't look like a total dork in front of others if I get asked questions in class?"

"Yes one second and I shall have them for you," "cool thanks." As she moved to sit down the Library doors opened and in walked the boy and redhead she recognized from earlier.

Buffy thought her heart stopped beating the moment the redhead came into view properly. "Wow" was all she could think.

"Willow the only other person besides you that was ever near me was Jessie and I'm only now just realizing that there is a beautiful blond sitting at the table I've never met." As soon as Buffy heard her name she again thought of her dream and the fact that the tree was a Willow tree didn't go unnoticed by her. 'Shit now they're coming over to me, where the hell is Giles with those books?!

Relax Buffy just ignore them and maybe they'll get the picture, yeah I'll do that.'

The look the Slayer gave them made Xander step back it was so cold, but all Willow did was look at her expecting an answer of some kind. "Buffy" was all she replied in a cold and indifferent tone of voice.

As Willow continued to stare at her the Slayer felt something she didn't usually feel, nervous, this girl who she could snap like a twig was making the all mighty chosen one nervous!

The doors opened again revealing a tall Burnett who looked like she stepped out of a glamour magazine rather that the high school student she was. She walked all the way into the Library, took a seat across from the slayer and bellowed for Giles.

"Hey Giles I really need a book of poems by Emily Dickinson", seeing Willows stare the girl replied with a huff of "God do you need to stare at me you fashion reject!? Why don't you go an find a nerd and maybe if you beg enough he might just agree to go out with you, oh nice dress by the way."

While its true Willow's dress was rather bland Buffy thought the girl wearing it was anything other than bland. She was stunning, with her fiery red hair and pale skin to contrast it, the slayer was very nearly drooling. She turned her attention to the new girl, who she now new was called Cordelia thanks to a witty comeback by Xander for her remarks to Willow. While this girl was beautiful she was nowhere near a lovely as Willow and Buffy felt herself feeling a protectiveness forming inside her for the redhead, who she now realized was leaving the room with her shoulders slumped. Xander threw one last glare at Cordelia and ran after her.

"What's your deal?" Buffy turned toward the girl who had scared off her Willow - and wait did I just think my Willow? Oh god I did! No this is not going to happen, no one here is getting involved with me, even Willow.

Besides her boyfriend went after her Buffy thought with a frown. No even answering Cordelia she shouted to Giles she'd be back later and left the other girl with her mouth hanging open.

So caught up in her own thought the slayer wasn't watching the area around her when suddenly a hard object hit her in the side. Reacting immediately she spun and kicked out sending the object or boy in this case flying into the stairs.

The grunt of pain had her moving like lightening to see how badly she had hurt him. When she was close enough she realized it was Xander.

"Nah I'm good, I think. I gotta find Will, Cordy was pretty hard on her back there" Once she realized that she hadn't hurt the redheads boyfriend bad the indifference was back in place of the worry he had seen only seconds ago.

"Don't get in my way again, you could have been hurt a lot more than you were just now." With that said she left him half standing half leaning against the stair rail in shock.

She entered the girl's toilets to clear her head. God what the hell is wrong with you summers?!? You don't go ga ga over some girl you lay eyes on for all of two minutes for Christ sake; she probably has a boyfriend anyway. Possibly that Xander guy. She was interrupted from getting a further lecture from herself when she heard muffled sobs coming from the end stall. Against her better judgment she called out to see who it was. The door opened and out walked Willow.

"Hey aren't you supposed to be in English?" Off Buffy's questioning stare she elaborated "I help out in the office in between classes, I made out your timetable for you."

"I was on my way there when I bumped into your boyfriend, I just came in here to freshen up before going to class." When the Slayer mentioned boyfriend Willow eyebrows shot up wondering who she was talking about, then it came to her.

"Oh you mean Xander? He's not my boyfriend, he's just a boyfriend, I..I mean a friend who happens to be a boy." God she's even cute when she babbles.

Buffy felt like every nerve was awaking in her body. She could smell Willows strawberry shampoo and body wash and her body went into hyper drive. Aware that she was staring and that her eyes were probably glowing very close to gold now that the Slayer was near the forefront she turned her attention to the taps at the sink.

"It's okay, haven't really seen that much of it" unless you count the graveyards she thought miserably.

"Oh then you haven't been to the Bronze yet have you? Its this really cool club, actually it's the only club apart from seedy bars in Sunnydale. Its just five minutes from the cinema, you should come tonight 'cause there's this really cool band playing and-"

"God you looser, what no guy wants you so you hit on the new girl?" Cordelia's rant at Willow was cut off by the fact that Buffy had her pinned to the wall and a few inches off of the ground.

"Apologize to her now" the slayer stated in a voice that made vamps run for their unlives. And it was the Slayer in charge right now. As soon as Cordelia entered the bathroom the Slayer felt Willow tense up and at first she thought it was her cause she was used to that reaction but the she realized that the fear coming off of Willow wasn't directed at her but Cordy and her protectiveness towards her redhead came through loud and clear. At the shocked gasp coming from behind her Buffy realized that Cordy's friends were standing watching with fear on their faces.

Giving them a feral smile she faced Cordelia again. "Well?" "I…I'm s..sorry Will." Letting go the slayer stepped back and Cordelia took the chance to run from the bathroom shouting after her for all to hear about how the new girl was such a freak and violent to boot.

"Well, I guess that means that my reputation is shot to hell and look I've only been here for thirty minutes. A new record for me." A quiet "thank-you" reminded her that she wasn't alone and that the reason she went into slay mode on Cordy was standing behind her now.

Turning to face Willow, the girl who she was falling for fast, she expected to see shock and fear all over her face but all she saw was a soft smile letting her know that Willow appreciated what Buffy had done for her.

"So are you going tonight or what?" Thinking back to the earlier conversation the Slayer remembered about the club and it was on the tip of her tongue to say no but for some reason she found herself saying yes. "Cool, I'll let Jessie and Xander know and we'll meet you there about eight? That sound good?"

"Ah better make it nine I have to do a quick pat.. I mean I have to meet my mom at the mall at eight so nine then" God when did I turn into a babbling idiot? Any why not just come right out and tell her that you're a vampire slayer while you at it you dork!

She walked into the club with all her slayer senses on alert to let her know if anything of the non-human variety was near. Immediately she antsy. There were vampires in the club. Guess I'm never off duty. Spotting Will quickly she made her way over.

"Oh look who's here, it's the sponsor of my shinny new bruise" Xander said in a non-friendly way. Seeing the frown on Willows face Buffy misinterpreted it thinking that now she wasn't welcome in the redheads company and she felt like someone had stabbed her with her own stake at the thought of Willow hating her. Turning to walk away she was surprised when she felt a warm hand touch her bare arm and tingles exploded through her body at the other girls touch.

"Stay." One word from Willow and Buffy sat down receiving a glare from Xander and a small smile from Jessie. Turning to look at Willow her breath caught at the look on her face. It was across between awe and pride.

"Careful there you nerds, this one is crazy, I mean did you hear about what she did at her old school?"

"Cordelia" the blond warned in a tone of voice that brooked no arguments but Cordelia went on not thinking the blond would attack here in a crowded place.

"Not only did she get kicked out for putting people in hospital but she burned down the school gym!" Buffy lowed her head. Great I finally meet a girl I want to be friends with (yeah right, keep telling yourself that Summers) and now she'll really want nothing to do with me. Buffy raised her head to the girl who had just destroyed the only thing Buffy had really wanted in a long time and that look sent Cordelia off like a bat out of hell. Not waiting to see the look on the redheads faced Buffy left feeling the need to patrol heavily.

Hearing a commotion coming from the ally she un-tucked her stake and rounded the corner to see a blond vamp sucking on a boy who looked vaguely familiar. "Hey! You wanna leave him alone and maybe I'll kill you quick" The blond vamp turned at the voice and let go of the boy.

"Get inside." With that she tuned out everything else and attacked the vamp. She was so caught up she never noticed the slack jawed spectators watching her fight the vampire like she was taking a walk in the park.

Through the vampire dust she finally realized she had an audience and was wondering on what to say when willow saved her the trouble. "So I guess that warning you about vampires and demons in this town would be silly now huh?"

"Yes Buffy how was patrol?" Upon seeing Willow and Xander he hastily added " I..erm.. what I mean to say was.."

"Its cool Giles they know." She waited for the fireworks knowing they weren't far behind. She wasn't disappointed.

"WHAT! How can they know oh good lord you told them? When I said I wanted you to make friends and get yourself out of thinking that everyone you befriend will instantly be harmed I never meant for you to tell them about your destiny! And after only a day I must say I'm very dissapp-"

"Hey! You leave her alone! She never told us we saw her stake a vampire and HELLO we've been living here our whole lives you really don't think we're that stupid do you?" Willow had advanced on Giles throughout her speech until they were nose to nose.

Buffy had her head down. She never liked to disappoint Giles and she knew he was now. Looking over at her he really looked at her since she arrived. True she looked somber now but he was sure he had seen a light in her eyes that hadn't been there before and if these young people were what it took to keep his slayer happy well then sod the rules. Walking over to her took her in his arms and told her he was sorry and that it was good she had made friends. Xander, who had never seen Buffy when she wasn't verbally attacking people or fighting vampires, was amazed at the other side to this girl, and not the slayer part.

After speeches were given about not letting anyone know about Buffy's real identity the guys left with promises from Giles and Buffy that they would talk tomorrow about everything.

Closing the door Giles turned to look at his slayer. He had watched the way she looked Willow and he suspected that his slayer was either in love with this girl or she was very close to it. He understood all about what it mean to be in a relationship with a slayer and he hoped to god that everything worked out okay for them.

"They seemed nice." Buffy nodded at her watcher while she was getting up to get a drink. "Willow seems like a nice girl." That got a response. Giles noted with certain clarity that Buffy's eyes did turn golden for just a few seconds. Seems that both the Slayer side and the girl side of Buffy both liked the girl.

"You should ask her out on a date." Although both Giles and her mom were pretty open minded, that once sentence caused her to spit juice all over his kitchen worktop.

"What makes you think I even like her that way? And what makes you think she even likes me that way for that matter?"

"Oh I don't know it may have been the way you watched her like a hawk or it may have been the fact that the slayer in you likes her just as much as the girl in you does."

"Stupid eyes" she muttered in response. "Its no use anyway Giles. I'm not getting involved with anyone and especially not Willow. She would be a prime target for vamp or demons to get at me. Not to mention the whole slayer package or did you forget about that? Huh? You know the one that says I'm a freak of nature? The one that has every person I have ever gotten close to that way since I became the Slayer got hurt because of me!"

"Only one person got hurt and that was an accident. Stop beating yourself up over Michael. It wasn't your fault he got hurt. It was his own bloody fault, nobody told him to do to the lair to stop Angelus but he went anyway. You did NOT get him Killed!"

"Because I have known her less that a day and I have already fallen in love with her… Oh god this cannot be happening." Giles knew better than to approach the slayer who was warring within herself over the young redhead. His last thought as she was leaving was that she had never looked so unhinged about something.

The next day saw the two teenagers waiting in the Library for them well before school started. While Giles made a beeline for his office Buffy was trying to work out how to get rid of Willow before she broke her own promises to herself.

"What are you two doing here?" Buffy inwardly cringed at how lame that sounded. She had to try better to get rid of them. Not giving them a chance to respond she went on, "look guys to be perfectly honest I neither want or need you both here so could you just leave?" There she praised herself, that sounded better. Xander just glared at her and walked out. Willow looked hurt. Oh god I didn't want her hurt, which is why I'm doing this. Stay focused Summers

"What's your problem?" The question was asked quietly but with a real force behind it.

"Excuse me?" Willow was walking closer to her now and the Slayer was aware of how close ever step brought them.

"You seem to keep everybody at arms length, well everyone except Giles. I was just wondering why?" By the time she had finished asking the question she was right in front of the Slayer. Buffy took a deep breath and then totally regretted doing it because she got a whiff of the perfume Willow was wearing along with the smell she would come to associate with the redhead: strawberries.

"Damn eyes, need to get contacts" Buffy mumbled not thinking she had said it out loud until Willow informed her of it saying:

"Don't. There's nothing wrong with your eye color. So what if they change occasionally to gold."

Buffy stared open mouthed at the girl before closing it with an audible snap. "It's a slayer thing," she mumbled looking anywhere but at the girl she wanted to take in her arms and never let go. She expected her to freak right about now. Michael did. He refused to even look at her or touch her if her eyes even for one second were any color other than the usual hazel.

"I think they're pretty." With those five words all of Buffy's barriers broke and she turned and ran from the room.

She ran until her lungs protested and then she ran some more. With five words Willow had dug emotions out of her that she had thought were long buried. Acceptance, longing and hope. She wondered as she now sat atop the hill looking out over the town if maybe she should give the friendship thing a shot, because no matter how she felt there was no way she was getting Willow involved with her Slayer half. Not if she could help it. She never even knew what she could be capable of when she was intimate with someone because she had never trusted herself to go that far. She was too afraid of loosing control in the heat of things. She couldn't bear it if she hurt Willow that way. When she raised her head again it was night time and time to start patrol. She felt good. She had come to a decision. She would try the friend's aspect with Willow and ultimately Xander because apparently those two were buy one get one free. Crawling into bed at 3.am she finally let herself rest and her dreams were for once of the non-violence variety.

Three months had passed and so far everything was working out fine. Both Willow and Xander had become the best of friends with her and for that she was grateful as she was just truly realizing what she had been missing out on be isolating herself from people. She really should have known better.

The dreams stared one night after a particularly grueling patrol. In the dream she could feel someone calling to her. As she walked down a narrow hall, she came to a large dark oak door. Opening it and going inside she saw herself sitting in a cage. Walking closer she noticed some differences between herself and her double. For one thing the doubles eyes were fully gold. She's the Slayer.

"Huh?" Buffy was mystified. Who the hell is she talking about I don't have a… the thought rose in her that she did have a mate even if they weren't currently together like that.

"I want Mate." The Slayer repeated in a frustrated voice. Buffy was unsure of how to proceed. She knew that the Slayer half of her wanted the girl as much as the Buffy half and she was sure that her Slayer half would never hurt Willow but she was afraid of Willow's reaction to the Slayer. "I WANT mate!" The Slayer taking Buffy's silence as something else whispered in a soft voice, "No hurt. Just want Mate." As Buffy was about to answer she felt herself waking up. The last thing she saw in her dreams was the Slayer, the warrior of the people, weeping.

Willow was waiting in the Library for her when she arrived. "Hey Buffy. Giles is in a meeting and will be until lunch and Xander is helping out Miss Calendar as a favor for Giles. I think he likes her."

"Xander has a crush on Miss Calendar? Why am I not surprised?!" Willow looked bemused for a moment before saying "No I meant Giles." Willow was very surprised when the Slayer stopped walking and growled out:

"She better not hurt him of she'll be eating through a straw." If Willow was surprised by the fierce protectiveness coming from the blond she never said anything, just got up and walked over to her best friend and put her arm round her in a half hug.

"Don't worry. I think she likes him too." But Buffy never heard that because she was trying hard not to be too hyper-aware of Willow's presence. The smell of the strawberry shampoo, melding so well with the red head's owns natural scent was driving the Slayer to distraction.

Willow glanced at her friend. The red head could have swore she caught Buffy looking at her with desire-filled hazel eyes that held a touch of gold but then, when she'd catch the Slayer's gaze, those orbs would be the same color as usual. This had totally confused the green-eyed girl. She needed to make sense of this situation, for her own piece of mind, if nothing else.

"Buffy are you okay?" The sound of Willows voice interrupted the haze of desire that had caught Buffy and she decided that since they were alone it was time to tell Willow how she felt. She had no idea if Will would open her heart to her of kick her to the curb but she was going to find out. Taking her hand Buffy led Willow into Giles office so that if anyone did come across them they had privacy for what was sure to be an emotional talk.

"No nothings wrong… at least I don't think its wrong but you may so just hear me out okay?" Buffy turned to face her friend and the redhead had to take a breath at the need reflecting out from Buffy eyes.

"Buffy, what...." To stop Willow from saying any more Buffy placed her index finger against her mouth.

"Schuss." Knowing that she had finally made the choice about Willow and knowing that the slayer side of her wanted her as much as the female side Buffy used all her courage to utter nine words. "Your very beautiful Willow. Though I've always thought so."

A squeaked "really" was her only reply. Moving on quickly for fear of rejection Buffy continued

"I want to so much," the slayer continued in a voice so soft it was amazing Willow even heard her.

"You Buffy… Are you… are you asking me out on a date here?" At Willows meekly asked question the Slayer once again cursed Cordy for her mistreat of the young redhead.

"Just tell me you want this as badly as I do, Will? Tell me you want me as badly as I want you." The Slayer's eyes had gone from hazel to hazel with gold flecks as she was talking and her eyes were trained on Willows lips as she moved closer to the redhead, but she wouldn't do anything without the go-ahead from Willow. She waited with a feeling or dread as Willow took her time to answer.

"Well that works out well then because I like you that way too." Willow finally replied blushing to the tips of her hair as she did so. And like that hope sprang to life in the Slayer's heart. The red head moved closer to her friend before smiling tenderly at her.

"Really, your not just saying that because it's what I want to hear are you?" The quietly asked question made the girl realize that she had the power to seriously hurt the Chosen One hear.

"Really" was all she said before leaning forward to brush a soft kiss against the Slayer's mouth. It was the softest of kisses Buffy had even been given and it left her hungry and needing more. Not giving any warning Buffy swooped in for a kiss that touched the very souls of both girls.

Needing more still Buffy ran the tip of her tongue alone Willow's bottom lip before pulling it into her mouth to suck on. This enticed a moan to come from Willow and then her hands were in Buffy's hair pulling her closer. In turn Buffy's tongue plunder Willow's mouth until the blond had to break to let the other girl breathe. Every part of Buffy was screaming to let the hungry animalistic side to her out to play but she needed to take this slowly and if she continued to kiss and be kissed by Willow right now that wasn't going to happen.

"We gotta stop." Off Willow's look Buffy clarified "before I make love to you right here on Giles' couch." A wicked grin passed Willows face so quickly the blond thought she had imagined it.

"My parents are in L.A. for the next month. We could go to my place." The look Buffy sent her was pure lust.

By the time the two go up to Willows driveway they had stopped alone the way about nine times for more kisses and Buffy was practically humming with need. She new she had to calm down: for fear of scaring Willow with her enhanced strength.

When the front door was closed Buffy had Willow pressed up hard against the wood with her mouth engaged in a fierce kiss. The kiss was demanding, tongues battling in a playful fight, lips pressed together hard enough to bruise. Buffy had one hand on the back of Willows head and one at the small of her back pulling her closer. Pulling her mouth away to let the girl breathe Buffy moved onto her neck. As she continued to cause little marks to appear on the pale skin she felt the primal side of her personality trying to take control and she suddenly realized that Willow had no idea what she was getting into with her.

Wrenching herself away, she took Willows hand and led her to the couch. "What's wrong?"

"I need to explain some stuff to you before we take our relationship to the next level and I can't have you pressed up against me like that when I'm telling you it." Sitting beside her but not touching she began to talk. " I really need to get this out in the open so please don't interrupt me 'til I'm done okay?" All she got was a nod and a small smile. Getting herself under some kind of control and away from lusty thoughts she began.

"If we begin a relationship, which is something I really want to happen, then you need to know some stuff about me that will play a pivotal part in that relationship. Being the Slayer means more than having a destiny mapped out before me. Its almost like there's two of me. The Buffy half and the Slayer half. The Slayer half is primal. When I fight the Slayer half is more dominant than the Buffy half. Are you following me here?" Again all she got was a nod.

She stood and began pacing wondering how she would start the next part. "Good. Being a Slayer, in a way, is kinda like being a vamp without the evil factor. We're both fiercely protective and possessive. Granted a vamp only feels that way about a Sire or Childe but a Slayer feels that was about all she cares for. I'm sure you've noticed that I'm over-protective with my mom and Giles and that extended to you and Xander, you the very day we met and Xander when we became friends." She paused and took a deep breath before sitting once again beside Willow and starting again.

"If we go down this road all those feelings are going increase ten-fold with you. The protectiveness I'm not worried about because I would never let anything happen to you." A thought occurred to her just then. "You do believe that I wouldn't let anyone or anything hurt you don't you?" Willow just smiled and reached for her hand while saying yes. "Good. It's the possessiveness I'm not sure on. Giles has said that when a Slayer finds someone she wants to be with she basically takes that person as a Mate. It hasn't happened too often, only maybe over a hundred times from the very beginning, so the Watchers don't have a lot of information about it. If we got together you would be my Mate, and I would be yours. Its basically a marriage without the minister." Buffy held her breath and looked up into Willow's green eyes, which had widened to an almost comical degree. Seeing this Buffy's heart sank as she realized that Willow couldn't accept that side of her after all. She looked away and stood up. "It's late and I should go patrol." Walking to the front door, she hoped that she would be asked to stay, but it never came. Shoulders slumped and head bowed she left the house where both her whishes and fears came true. She had Willow and lost Willow.

Long after Buffy left the redhead she was sitting on top of a tomb waiting for vamp number nine to make its appearance when she felt it. The earthquake started with a few rumblings then went into what Buffy would say was probably a six on the Richter scale. When the ground stopped moving she noticed that she was now surrounded by demons.

The closest one to the Slayer took what he thought was a menacing step towards her with a grin on his face.

"Well looks like that was the sign we've been waiting on huh boys?" Out of the corner of her eye Buffy caught a familiar shape coming towards her pretty damn fast. With a screech of ties Giles drove into the mass of demons and jumped out with Xander and Willow in tow.

"What the hell are you guys doing get out of here now before you end up as happy meals on legs!"

"Buff we know how you feel about us being here with you on patrol but Will said you got the wrong idea about something and looked kinda upset when you left her so we called Giles and figured we could drive round and see if we could see you. Which by the way was a good idea seeing as how your outnumber fifteen to one!" Was Xander's answer. If he noticed her flinch when he said Will said she got the wrong idea he didn't show it.

"Okay you're here now but believe me if anyone or you get hurt I'm gonna be mad." This was said while she was looking at Giles and he got the message loud and clear: protect them.

As if they were waiting for a starting shot to be fired the demons attacked as one. The Slayer came fully forward as Buffy's fear of her friends dying powered her. With a wild battle cry she launched herself at the nearest demon and ripped his head off with her bare hands. Not even waiting for the now dead demon to fall she moved on. Giles watched in awe as his Slayer cut down demon after demon with her bear hands or the knife she now held.

"Should we help?" came Xander's question. He was glad his voice was strong even though he felt ill at watching his friend killing so savagely and the result being that she was now covered in blood, both hers and the demons.

Not even ten minutes from she had killed the first demon the Slayer stood among the now dead demons, most of who had limbs missing. The Slayer raised her head and her eyes connected with Willow's. She opened her mouth to speak one word but for some reason her mouth couldn't form the word Mate. It came out gargled sounding like "Ma.. Mauuh" then promptly passed out.

The three hefted her into the car and drove to Giles' house to get her cleaned up. When they arrived the guys left Willow to change Buffy's ripped and bloodied clothing, then they started about stitching her up. One hour later they heard moaning coming from the spare room where she was resting. The site that greeted them was one of Buffy withering in pain on the bed.

"You guys go make some food, she'll probably be hungry and I could eat to. I'll look after her." After the two men left Willow walked over to the bed and sat on its edge. Lifting the Slayer's hand she felt her relax her tense mussels soon after. "So I take it this is what you mean by the over-protectiveness huh? You knew you couldn't let us-me-get hurt so you shut down and the Slayer came out to party? I wish you were awake we have a lot to talk about." Leaning over she placed a small kiss on Buffy's mouth before leaving to join the others.

When she woke she had no idea where she was. It took her a few seconds to get her bearing then she was charging out of the room to check on Willow. "Where is SHE?" Startling the Englishman into spilling his tea the Slayer approached.

"Now Buffy calm down and tell me what's the matter." Giles was trying to appear calm but inside he was quaking with fear for this wasn't Buffy he was talking to, at least not totally Buffy. "MATE! Where is she!?!" Giles had no idea how to respond but luckily he didn't have to because Xander and Willow took that moment to come back from the grocery store. "Buffy! Your up. How you feeling?"

As soon as she stepped into the house the slayer knew she was there. Ignoring Xander's concern she rushed over to Willow and pulled the girl into a firm hug. "Not hurt?" The broken English let everyone know that they were still dealing with the Slayer and they wondered if their friend would be okay. Willow was looking as if she was craving oxygen and the Slayer sensing this loosened her hold.

"Ah Will maybe you shouldn't stand to close to her right now." Xander for all his wit was a dumbass sometimes. As he starting pulling Willow towards him and Giles, Buffy let out a low warning growl before hiding her face in Willow's neck and purring.

"Xander do shut up before the Slayer kills you." Giles carefully edged toward Willow, intent on making sure she was okay. Catching his eyes Willow nodded that she was fine.

"Xander come with me and help me research those demons tonight incase it was part of something bigger."

"Giles you can't seriously be considering leaving-" An even louder growl from the Slayer cut off whatever it was Xander was going to say.

"Why don't we go into the back room.?" Willow carefully led the Slayer into the spare bedroom and sat down on the bed. The Slayer lay down and pulled Willow with her. Feeling the girl tense up the Slayer immediately let go and scooted to the edge of the bed.

"Sorry." The one nearly inaudible word caused Willow to turn her head and stare at her companion. Seeing that she had hurt the Slayer's feelings she moved over and pulled Buffy's arm around her. The Slayer curled herself around Willow and whispered "Mine" before falling once again into a peaceful sleep.

After and hour or two Willow really needed to use the bathroom. "Buffy, please let me up I need to go." She expected the other girl to simply roll away but to her horror the Slayer contracted into a small ball and starting sobbing out "I'm sorry" over and over.

"Hey what's this? What's wrong with you?" Buffy was lost in a haze of pain and hatred at herself that she never heard Willow's cries to tell her what was wrong but Giles and Xander did and they came rushing into the room armed with baseball bats.

"I don't know. I told her to let me up cause I need to go to the bathroom, and she just broke down." Giles set down his bat and walked over to his Slayer.

"Buffy can you hear me?" At the sound of his voice Buffy stiffened, if possible, even more.

"Willow go please!" Waiting for the door to close Giles sat himself beside Buffy and attempted to rouse her from wherever she was in her mind. After a while her mumbling started to make sense. "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry." He was wondering what she was talking about when something Willow said came back to him.

"Buffy, you never hurt Willow. She fine, right outside in fact." This quieted the distraught girl somewhat. When she spoke it was with a voice full of pain,

"I hurt her, she was begging for me to let her go. I HURT her! After everything She said to me. Told me She'd never hurt her and look what happens the first time I give her full control. She HURTS Will."

"Buffy neither you nor your Slayer half hurt Willow. She was asking to be let go because she needed the Bathroom." She raised her head slowly.

"You never hurt her. In point of fact I don't think you ever could. It's not in you to hurt the ones you love, and it's really not in you to hurt your Mate."

"Yes I know you think of Willow as your Mate. Would you like me to send her in?"

"Giles?" She waited 'til he had turned to her again. "Thank you." He nodded and left.

Willow entered the room and rushed over to the bed. Sitting down on its edge she grabbed Buffy's hand. "Are we going to talk about tonight and put it behind us or are we going to let things fester?" Buffy shook for a moment, taking in the intensity of Willow's stare. She felt Willow's fingers touching her cheeks while brushing her hair away from her face. For a long moment they stared at each other, Buffy shuddering again by the enigmatic pull of Willow's eyes. Willow's hands kept stroking her hair, uncovering her face and her right ear.

Whenever she was with Willow, she felt good about herself. But she didn't know if Willow felt good being with her. Buffy reached for Willow and hugged her, feeling the softness of her skin.

"When you Giles and Xander arrived tonight I was spooked because there was so many demons. If any of you had gotten hurt… " Taking a moment to compose herself she then added, "I couldn't let that happen and I couldn't take the risk you guys would be fine so I gave up total control to the warrior half of me. When the fight was over She, I , we needed to recharge so we conked out. When I woke up and you were trying to get away from me I thought that I had f… forced you to do something. I thought you hated me. I thought I'd lost you." The last was said in a whisper.

Willow shook her head "no, you found me." Taking the initiative she threw her arms around Buffy's neck and kissed her passionately. Buffy loved it. She'd never been kissed like this before, so passionately, so desperately. Willow held her tight, and it made her happy Her beautiful Willow, her best friend, was kissing her.

Suddenly Willow stopped. "Why did you stop?" Buffy asked, afraid that her best friend was having second thoughts. Willow smiled and kissed Buffy once again. "If we don't stop then Giles and Xander are going to hear things that I would rather they didn't." Buffy didn't say a word because she couldn't speak. She didn't want to think about anything. "Would you hold me while I sleep?" Willow beamed at her and lay down. Buffy rolled so that Willow was once again encased within her grasp.

"You know nothings going to get me in here you don't have to hold me so tight." "Sorry." Buffy loosened her arms but that was all. Buffy was asleep in seconds. Willow soon followed.

The sun shone in from the window. As Willow awoke, she tried to stretch, and realized she wasn't alone. She was wrapped tightly in Buffy's arms. As Buffy stirred, Willow found it easier to move, and stretch. As she did, Buffy woke up, and smiled her sleepy smile. "Morning." As she greeted her with a sweet morning kiss, Buffy was amazed that she was actually waking up next to her love.

"Wills, what time is it?" She asked, wiping the sleep from her eyes. Looking over at the bedside table she found no clock there. "We're going to have to go out to the living room to find out."

"Uhh, I don't wanna." Willow could hear the pout before she saw it, but before she could answer her stomach started making growling noises. Laughing Buffy said, "come on we can find out the time and you can get some food."

"Aren't you hungry?" At that moment Buffy's stomach staring making noises too. "Guess I am."

Upon walking into Giles living room the Slayer and her partner found the Watcher and his helper pacing the room like cadged animals. "Hey guys? What's up?" Buffy's question brought them both out of their musings. Giles just looked at the two girls and simply said

"There's a new slayer been called. Buffy would you like to tell me when exactly you died?" At this Willow turned fully to Buffy with worry in her eyes.

"Last night. You know how in tune with my body I am Giles? Well last night when I passed out I realized it didn't feel right. There was too much quiet. Even when I'm unconscious I know what's going on around me but know… I was dead from just after the fight ended till I got here." Willow gathered Buffy in her arms and was openly crying. Xander had tears in his eyes too. Joyce was mortified that her baby had died and no one knew.

"I was taking care of Willow and Xander while driving the car but you are right there is no excuse."

"What do we know about this new girl then?" Buffy asked while steering her and Willow to the coach. "She's coming here tomorrow. Here name is Karen. She's from New York. That's all the information I have at the minute."

"We'll worry about her tomorrow then. Meanwhile Willow and I have something to tell you guys." She turned to look at Willow who had a deer-caught-in-headlight look on her face. Seeing Buffy's smile disappearing and wanting it to stay there Willow squared her shoulders and announced:

"Me and Buffy are together in a relationship and if you don't like it that's your problem!" Buffy was stunned and a little turned on by Willows forcefulness. Xander was smiling a small smile, Giles look relieved that they had sorted things out and Joyce looked nonplussed about the thing.

"Buffy honey if I can stand you being a Vampire Slayer then I can stand you being in love with another woman." Buffy got up and hugged her mom whispering an I love you to her. After assurances from Xander and Giles that they were indeed okay with the new development between Buffy and Willow the two left to go to the school to get some books Giles needed to continue his research on the demons from the night before.

Later that night Buffy was at home waiting for Willows parents to drop her off outside. Willow walked into the living room, a small smile on her face as she saw Buffy sitting on the couch watching her with a smile. She tried to look stern as she scolded,

"Yep. Heads no longer dizzy and that blech taste in my mouth seems to have faded."

Buffy leaned forward, her lips brushing ever so gently over Willow's. She ran her tongue over the redhead's lips, teasing them open before deepening the kiss. Willow's hand moved into her hair, drawing her closer. Their bodies met as they gave themselves to the kiss, drawing apart and gasping for air before continuing. Willow moved her right hand down Buffy's back drawing the slayer down beside her. Her legs curled around Buffy's. Her need and want making her more wanton than normal. She cried out in surprise when she felt a hand on her breast, fingers twisting her nipple hard before Buffy pulled back. Buffy looked at Willow, a possessive smile crossing her face as she saw the pink cheeks, the lusty eyes, and the heaving chest.

"Mine," she whispered softly. She wanted everyone to know that Willow was hers, just as she was Willow's.

"Is it too soon?" Willow asked quietly, wanting nothing more than to see Buffy's clothes on the floor as well as her own. "Not soon enough," Buffy whispered, having spent years waiting for this moment. "If you don't wanna, we can just kiss again."

"It was, wasn't it?" Buffy smiled, her fingers moving over Willow's face. "I want you, Willow. I've wanted you since I first met you. If you want to take it slower, I can wait, I don't want to rush you into anything no matter how much I need you."

"I need you, too," Willow said quietly. "We should go upstairs. In-case your mom comes home." Buffy stood and had Willow tucked securely in her arms before taking the stairs two at a time. Reaching the bedroom, Buffy set Willow down and stepped back to look at her flushed face. She reached out to undress Willow. She unbuttoned her shirt making sure her hands stayed in as much contact as they could with Willow's skin. Once the shirt was off Buffy went into meltdown. Willows breasts were encased in a While Silk bra, which pushed them up. She hastily removed the bra and in her rush to get it off ended up ripping it in half.

With an embarrassed mumbled sorry, she went for Willows jeans. Any pretence of going slow was forgotten as her jeans were tossed to the floor. Their mouths met as they lay on the bed. Willow gasped as Buffy moved against her, the slayer's nimble fingers beginning to remove Willow's panties.

Buffy detangled herself to stand and had herself naked and back to Willow in a heartbeat. As the slayer's mouth found her neck, Buffy began nibbling on her pulse point. A cry escaped Willow when she felt Buffy latch onto her neck and start sucking at it and nibbling. She was surprised to find that the rough action made her more aroused. She heard Buffy whisper the word "Mine" a second time right before she felt the tension inside her snap, with the Slayer's lips sucking on her neck Willow cried out in orgasm. When she finally came down, she opened her eyes to find Buffy smiling at her, the blonde pleased with herself.

"I've never… I didn't think it could be so intense, I mean you never even touched me below my neck!" Buffy's eyes landed on the mark she had given Willow.

"Did I hurt you?" Willow smiled and shook her head as she admitted shyly, "I kinda liked it." With a wicked smile Willow rolled Buffy beneath her and started off by kissing her senseless. Feeling the need for air she moved down to her lovers neck and began to suck harshly at the pulse point.

Hearing Buffy gasp and moan gave Willow the confidence she needed to move her kisses downwards. She stopped at the Slayer breasts to pay homage to them. Her hands had not been idle either, as they were currently making their way up the inside of the slayers thighs. "Will please… I can't wait… PLEASE!" Hearing her lover moan for her Willow brought her hand to Buffy's center and stroked from top to bottom. Buffy hips arched off of the bed and very nearly knocked Willow off too.

Buffy threw her arms around Willow's neck and kissed her hard, passionately, pulling her best friend down closer yet to her body. Her legs pressed together against Willow's thigh. Only then Buffy realized how wet she'd become, her sex pulsating...This new information startled her, as she had never been this wet before. Willow felt her jolt and stopped. "Why did you stop?" Buffy asked. "I thought you didn't want it any more." "Oh god no! Please, don't stop!" To prove her point, Buffy passionately kissed Willow's lips, so tasty, so delicious. They were soft, so wonderfully soft, with none of a guy's roughness. "Please, go on. Please!" Willow was astounded by Buffy's pleading. "Please, Willow... Please! Please, don't stop!" Willow returned to Buffy's embrace and they kissed once more with Buffy once again reversing their position so she was again on top. Buffy's shapely legs kept brushing on Willow's thigh. On an irresistible impulse, Willow's hand landed between Buffy's legs. Buffy moaned into Willow's mouth, producing the most erotic shudder in Willow's body.

The shudder converged on her sex, and Willow became deeply aware of her own arousal. Buffy moaned softly, her eyes closed, feeling Willow's mouth on her breasts, kissing them.

"Will" Buffy very nearly growled, "Don't tease me." Buffy moved in closer, She scrambled toward those waiting pink nipples, and she licked and sucked them, like a baby, like a lover, until Willow moaned. Buffy began thrusting her thigh forward which in turn made Willow center connect with Buffy's thigh.

She moved her hand down Willow's slender body and touched her between her legs, feeling how wet her best friend was. "Will," Buffy hissed, "you drive me crazy. You're wet," Buffy whispered, unable to contain her exhilaration. "You're wet for me."

"Yes!" was all Willow could say. Willow heaved a deep sigh, trying to press her thighs together, which was prevented by Buffy's leg in-between them. "Ooh... That's nice, Buffy." Willow's tongue found its way to Buffy's neck and up to her best friend's ear, making her tremble and go weak.

Buffy took her time. Her thigh brushed against Willow's sex, her mouth played with Willow's engorged nipples, sucking them, leaving a trace of saliva behind and returning to her mouth again, while her finger pumped inside of Willow, making sure she wouldn't hurt her, aware of her Slayer strength. Buffy took pleasure knowing that she was the first person who had ever been allowed to go there with Willow. And she would be the last too. Willow was hers.

Buffy's response was a full-blown kiss on her half-open mouth and to increase her thrusting. The realization that she was making love with her Mate excited Buffy. Aroused by this, she was accelerating her attentions toward Willow's sex, soaking her fingers with Willow's essence, and filling her nostrils with the musky scent of female desire. Her fingers began to penetrate Willow, harder and harder. Willow started to thrust her hips up to get more contact with Buffy's fingers and thigh. Buffy used her thumb to tortured Willows Clit. Within seconds of this Willow came a second time and Buffy joined her in release.

"I love you," Buffy replied. Willow smiled and kissed Buffy once again. Willow looked at Buffy and smiled. She'd fallen asleep in her arms. Willow shut her eyes, trying to sleep as well. She felt safe and loved.

"Good. We can stay in bed longer," Buffy returned as she snuggled closer to her lover. A smile crossed her face as she used that word to describe Willow. Being with Willow, thinking about Willow, talking to Willow, pretty much everything about the redhead caused the slayer to smile.

"I love waking up in your arms," Willow said softly, feeling her lover's arms tighten their embrace at her words.

"I love waking up with you in my arms," Buffy admitted with the shy smile as she looked at Willow.

"So what are we going to do today? Wait, dumb question, we have school. We should really get up and get showered." Willow said trying to extract herself from her lovers embrace.

"I'm only letting you out of this bed if I can shower with you, only to conserve the hot water you understand." Buffy said tightening her arms further still around the redhead.

"Of course I mean water bills are – you know what we're wasting time here talking about it come on." With that Buffy hopped up and lifted Willow from the bed, not letting her feet touch the floor until they reached the bathroom.

"What if I like carrying you? It's not like I'm gonna hurt my back or anything." Stepping into the shop she beckoned Willow to her.

Fifty minutes later they came out of the shower very sated. Just seeing water drops roaming over Willow's body made Buffy achingly jealous and wet again, and not from the shower they had just shared. Stepping up behind Willow Buffy snaked her hand around the girl's waist, laying one hand possessively on her tummy and one just above her mound. "Buffy please. I can't take anymore right now. And if we keep this up, we're going to be late for school." Looking up into the mirror she saw the Slayer pout before giving in and stepping back to give her love some room to brush her teeth. While she was doing that Buffy jumped quickly into the shower and lets blasts of cold water quench her desire.

Seeing Willow smirking in the mirror she stuttered out " Don't smirk. It's your fault"

After eating a quick breakfast and leaving a note for her mom, Buffy and Willow left the house. Walking to the school holding hands but not talking, Buffy felt a sense of peace. For once there was no voice in the back of her head telling her that she should be searching for demons to hunt and kill. The Slayer inside her was content. Willow noticed this because after a little while she stopped at turned to face Buffy. "Are you aware that you're purring?" Buffy's eyes widened comically and quickly flashed to gold. Willow knew that the Slayer was Buffy and that Buffy was the Slayer but it was still confusing.

"Sorry. I didn't know. I'll try to stop." Buffy's shoulders slumped and she let go of Willow's hand and the purring stopped. She could feel the Slayer crying but not for her Mate. She was crying because her Mate had rejected her, or so she thought and Buffy was on the verge of tears herself. She thought that after last night that Willow was comfortable with the fact that there were basically three personalities involved in their relationship.

Willow seeing the slumped shoulders wondered what she said to make her lover sad. When she realized what it was she could have smacked herself. Buffy thought that she didn't accept her being the Slayer, but she did. Taking her lovers hand again she promised herself that by the time the day Buffy would know that Willow loved her completely.

Pushing open the Library doors Buffy forced a smile to her face even though she felt like crying.

"Take a book and start reading. We had a break-through last night and have narrowed down the demon tribe to just 7 species." Willow eagerly took a book while Buffy grumbled about how it was her job to Slay them not read about them.

Willow had been keeping an eye on her lover and noticed that she was still looking upset about earlier. Deciding not to let it drag on she jumped out of her seat startling Buffy.

"We need to talk in private." Willow kept her voice low enough so Giles couldn't hear. "Giles we're taking a bathroom rest before our free period. See you later." With that Willow pulled Buffy out of the room and to the girls bathroom happy to find it empty. Locking the door to the entire girl's locker room she turned to face her lover.

"What's going on here?" Buffy was standing holding onto a bench and the wood was cracking under her grip. Willow walked over to Buffy and rested her palm against the Slayer's check smiling when Buffy leaned into the caress like a cat would do.

"I made a mistake earlier." Buffy looked as if Willow had punched her in the stomach, so she rushed to clarify what she meant. "When you were purring before, I never meant to make you feel bad about it. I thought it was sexy, I was just wondering if you were conscience of doing it. You think that I don't love you completely don't you?"

Buffy just looked down at her shoes unable to voice her fear. "Buffy I love you. All of you. Your Slayer side is a part of who you are, how could I not love the Slayer as well as the girl?" Buffy looked up with hope and she felt the Slayer in her coming close to the surface to claim its Mate. For once she wasn't scared of Willow's reaction to the Slayer.

Buffy gave up total control to the Slayer knowing that she wouldn't endanger Willow in any way. The Slayer realizing she was free looked into her Mates eyes letting Willow know that it was the Slayer she was dealing with now, as her eyes were fully gold.

She wasn't used to talking, as that side came from Buffy, who really only let the Slayer out when they were hunting. Her mouth began to water in anticipation of claiming her Mate. Willow not knowing what was going through the slayer's mind had to ask if she was okay.

"I…Want..." She tried to force out what she wanted, "I… want you?" The Slayer hoped these were the right words because she really needed her Mate right now! Willow was standing there waiting for the Slayer to make her move because she figured that the Slayer would be very take charge. She knew that the Slayer had taken her just standing there, as a sign that Willow was unsure when she whispered "Please?" Willow answered her by walking to her and pulling her close for a Kiss.

As they kissed the Slayer's hands start to roam and Willow felt her lover begin to purr again. The Slayer lifted Willow and set her on the bench and stood between her spread legs. Quickly pulling off her Mates top the Slayer paused for a second to take in her Mates beauty before hastily removing the rest of Willow's clothing followed by her own. She moved in closer to her Mate and resumed kissing her until she had to let the girl breathe. Moving her kisses to Willows neck, she let her hands explore the body before her.

Seeing the mark on her Mates neck made the Slayer howl for joy inside. She replaced her lips and tongue with teeth and bit sharply into Willow's neck while pushing two fingers into her core. Feeling her mate reacting to her, the Slayer released the skin between her teeth and began nibbling it, ensuring the mark would stay visible and began moving faster and harder inside her lover.

While Willow was riding out her climax the slayer had repositioned them on the floor with Willow underneath her lover. Slipping a leg between the other girls' the slayer began moving at a maddening pace and quickly brought her Mate to a second climax and herself to her first.

The Slayer rolled off her Mate so that she didn't squash her and cradled the girl to her. Tucking a strand of hair behind Willow's ear the Slayer looked into her eyes and declared fiercely "MINE!"

Willow smiled and replied "Yours. Only yours." The smile she got from the Slayer was blinding. She swooped down to kiss her Mate and when Willow opened her eyes again it was Buffy who was back in control. She had tears in her eyes. "Thank you for trusting Her, me, us."

As they were redressing, Buffy to a moment to study her lover in awe. She never thought that anyone could handle that side of her but her Willow was and she knew Willow got off on the power coming off the Slayer. Buffy was the first to break the silence, "we have to go to class."

"Buffy, good your back. I would like you to meet Karen. Karen this is Buffy, and the young lady beside her is Willow." Willow didn't like the way that Karen was looking at her and evidently neither did Buffy as she moved Willow behind her and gave Karen a look that would send any vamp or demon running for their lives. It seemed to work because Karen gave all her attention to Buffy.

"Hey sorry. Didn't mean to step on any toes, it's just that is one fine piece of a-" Karen was cut off by Buffy's warning growl. "Okay this is me backing away."

"Xander, meet Karen, the second Slayer." Answered Giles. Xander moved over to stand beside Buffy and Willow. "Hey guys, I heard you two were late for class."

"And" The word was growled out as if daring him to comment. Xander quickly moved to stand beside Giles knowing that Buffy could get possessive were Willow was involved. Willow moved from behind Buffy to stand beside her and the growl changed to a soft purr.

"Baby, Xander's our friend. He didn't mean anything bad." Buffy's eyes changed from hazel with gold flecks to hazel again and she smiled apologetically at Xander who just raised an eyebrow.

"We really don't have time for this children. Buffy you'd better sit down for this because I have a feeling what I'm about to say you will not like one bit." Buffy looking strangely at her Watcher moved to comply when a thought hit her:

"God Giles is Mom okay?" The frantic worry in her voice didn't go unnoticed. "Buffy, your mother is fine. I've been researching the recent earthquake and the horde of demons you fought off. It seems they have nothing to do with apocalypses, which is the good news but…" He trailed off wondering how on earth he was supposed to tell Buffy what he was about to tell her. Standing up he motioned for her to follow him into the office away from the others because he just knew how she was going to take this news.

Giving Willow a reassuring squeeze, Buffy followed her Watcher wondering again what this was all about. "Giles what's this all about? You're freaking me out here." He walked over to the open window letting the breeze calm him before turning to his charge.

"Buffy, those demons were sent by someone. They weren't sent to kill you but capture you." The look of surprise on Buffy's face showed clearly.

"Come on Giles don't go quiet on me now. Who sent them after me?" Taking a deep breath he spoke the one word that had the power to break his Slayer in half. "Angelus" Giles was prepared for Buffy to scream, rant and rave at him but he watched as calmness and determination overtook her features.

Buffy felt numb inside. Angelus, she knew would kill everyone around her including Willow. The though of her Mate in danger made the slayer inside her scream with rage. After a few seconds Buffy had come up with a plan to keep her loved ones safe from the devil that had haunted most of her nightmares for the last year.

Turning she walked into the main room and faced her Mate. Looking at her standing there, alive and unhurt, Buffy was even more determined to do what she had planned and not to back out of it. Looking at the people surrounding her Buffy took a deep breath and began.

"Giles get England on the phone and tell them that the Council is going to have two civilians, a Watcher, a Slayer and my Mate staying with them for a while." The reactions differed. Xander seemed happy about having a vacation, Karen was looking confused, Giles was looking worried and Willow was looking confused.

"Ah baby, I think you're missing one person in your little line up." At Buffy's questioning stare, Willow walked over to her lover and stopping a few inches away replied:

"Karen. She's new. You can't leave her here with the Hellmouth while we take a vacation!"

"You misunderstood me." Buffy forced her voice to be as controlled as she could make it. "Karen is going with you, Xander, Giles and my mom. I'm staying here." Walking away from her Mate was hard but she needed to talk to her watcher and sister Slayer.

"Giles your going so don't even start. Karen I know that we've only just met but I'm trusting you with their lives and so help me god but if one hair on Wills head gets damaged you are going to be in a world of pain." This last part was growled out for all to hear, and everyone understood its message.

"Buffy, can I talk to you in private for a minute?" Without waiting for an answer Willow marched into Giles office knowing that her lover was right behind her. Willow was going to put Buffy straight about a few things. First that she was going nowhere without her and secondly that she didn't like being told what to do. That's what she was going to say but she never got the chance because as soon as Giles' office door was shut the Slayer had Willow pinned to it and involved in a heavy make out session that she only ended when Willow needed oxygen.

"Do not fight me on this you're going end of story." Buffy's voice was soft but held conviction.

"I don't want to go to England without you. Why can't I stay here?" Buffy looked into her Mates eyes willing her to just do as the Slayer wanted but she was being stubborn.

"Willow, remember when we had the conversation about what it meant to be with a Slayer? Well this is a big part of that. When I need you to do something, no questions asked, then I really expect you to. When it involves the lives of people I care about the is no questioning." Buffy said this calmly and Willow suddenly understood that whatever was coming was very bad and Buffy didn't know if she could beat it. Also through Buffy speech Willow found herself becoming increasingly aroused by the dominance in her lover's voice. Without noticing she was doing it she had started to rub her core against Buffy's thigh. Buffy noticed though and she also knew what had turned Willow on so strongly in a few seconds.

Buffy's mouth was insistent, demanding, soft growls melting into Willow as Buffy's hands held her closely, pressing them together firmly. Buffy's tongue sliding over her lips softly exploring, withdrawing, kneading, consuming. Their mouths seeking each other out again and again, in short hungry kisses, as if they couldn't bear to let it end.

Pressing herself even closer to willow Buffy began moving her hips to the right while Willow was moving hers to the left. The friction was glorious.

"Baby, god… I need…" Willow trailed off not knowing what she was asking for. Buffy did though and the Slayer was ecstatic. Buffy moved her mouth from Willow's collarbone and zeroed in on her mark at Willows neck.

Sucking harshly while moving her hand in-between their bodies to get at her lovers core Buffy roughly pushed her Mates panties aside and thrust two fingers into her Mate.

Willow muffled her scream of completion in Buffy's neck as Buffy was growling under her breath that Willow was hers and always would be. They stood staring into one another's eyes for a few long moments, letting the aftershocks roll through them. Buffy tightened the hold she had around Willow's waist and placed a kiss of the bare skin of her shoulder. She could feel Willow smile, so she placed another one down.

"We should go back out." Willow whispered so as not to break the peaceful silence.

"Okay. Will, we're okay right?" The vulnerability in Buffy's voice shocked the redhead so instead of answering she just lowered her head and gave Buffy a kiss so soft she wasn't sure she felt it.

Buffy was walking around in territory she thought she had left behind long ago. Los Angeles. The place where it al began. Buffy knew one thing for sure; she was ending the threat of Angelus before she left again.

One week ago she had sent her Mate and everyone close to her away to England for safety reasons. She missed Willow but she knew that she was better off far away where Angelus couldn't get hold of her. Once they had boarded the plane and taken off safely she left for L.A.

At the minute she was checking out a lead that placed Angelus in the warehouse district. She had checked three so far and come up with nothing so she was just about to call it a night when she noticed three people moving towards warehouse number five on her list. The two men and the one woman seemed to be in a rush and Buffy's Slayer sense was telling her it was Vamps so she followed.

Seeing them go through a side door she crept quietly to see if there was a window she could see through when a create fell from above her and the last thing she heard before darkness overtook her was the wickedly smug voice of Angelus. "Buffy, how nice of you to come. I so hoped you would. I have a lot in store for you my love."

"Giles these guys have even more books than you do!" Giles looked mildly put out by Xander's comment but he knew that the council did have a fabulous selection of rare and priceless books.

"Xander these guys as you put it have books so valuable that they have armed guards guarding them. The prophecy books alone on the Slayer are priceless and if lost irreplaceable." A thought occurred to him then. Picking up the phone he asked to be put through to Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, who was the head of the council Library.

"Wesley… yes its good to talk to you as well, it's been too long. No my Slayer is not here, she's in L.A dealing with a… problem, she's the reason I'm calling actually. I was hoping to real the Codex. You do have it don't you? Perfect well I'll be right down. See you soon."

"What was all that about Giles?" The question came from Willow who hadn't spoken much since leaving Buffy last week.

"The Codex holds the most potent of Slayer prophecies. They always come true and I would like to read it." He was soon on his way eager to read the book he had only heard stories of during his youth.

"So Will, fancy going sightseeing. I mean we are in a foreign country and isn't that what people do when they flee from one country to another?" Xander was trying to get even a lip twitch from Willow but she had been extra quiet today.

"I'm not feeling to good Xand. Think I'm just going to crash." /I can't tell them I have a really bad feeling, for one they would think I'm being paranoid and for another they'd get even more worried about me/

"Wakey wakey. Time to get up so I can begin with dishing out pain." Buffy raised her hear slightly to look at her capturer. In the most emotionless voice she could muster she asked,

"Gee Angelus, getting crabby in you're old age? Just cut to the chase and kill me now."

"Oh you wound me. What makes you think I'm going to kill you, I mean you're right but only by fifty percent. See I am going to kill you but that doesn't mean that you'll stay dead now does it?" For the first time seen she'd been captured Angelus smelt fear coming off Buffy. Grinning like the mad man he was he walked closer, "But first I want to have some fun."

Giles had been reading the book for almost three hours and nothing of importance was jumping out at him from the book of prophecies. Hearing a noise he looked up as Wesley entered the small office where he had taken the book to in order to read it in peace.

"No but then we usually only know it's a prophecy when it has already been set in motion so I do not understand much. It reads like riddles if you know none of the interlining factors I'm afraid."

"Yes I agree." Off Giles look he stammered out "Well… see sometimes… oh bloody hell yes I've read it and all I got was a few references here and there. Well apart from the prophecy where a Slayer is turned. That left me with a feeling of unease. Imagine what a Vampire could do with the combined strengths of a Slayer and a demon. Unstoppable comes to mind."

"I haven't come across it yet. I really must get back to the others. I'll be taking the book with me." He bid his goodbyes to Wesley and turned to walk out. He was interrupted by a voice he hated.

"Rupert?" It was Travers. He wasn't the Head of the Council but he liked to think he was.

Travers walked over to the soft leather seats and sat motioning for Giles to do the same.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news for you old chap. At approximately ten thirty our time last night a new slayer was called." All the blood drained from Giles face. His Slayer was dead.

The Vampire stood among the dust that settled around her. Over fifty Vampires had been slain tonight by her hand. Hearing a Whimper coming from behind her she turned and walked over to her creator.

"So Angelus, my Sire, how do you like your new Childe?" She did a slow pivot for him before walking to him and drawing her trusty stake. He was practically broken in two by her last assault and he reeked of fear.

Mumbling out "y..y..you c..can't kill m…me. I'm y… y… you Sire" he tried scooting away from her but as she leaned even closer he knew it was over.

"You turned me into a demon and I came back to haunt you. Your dust." With that she plunged the stake into his unbeating heart and with a final "Buffy" Angelus, the scourge of Europe was dust.

The demon in her cried for her Sire but both the Slayer in her and the woman in her were crying out for their Mate.

Willow had been catatonic from the moment Giles had told her, Xander, Joyce and Karen that a new Slayer had been called meaning that Buffy was dead. Joyce lost a daughter, Xander lost a friend, Giles lost his Slayer, who he loved like a daughter, the world has lost a good warrior and Willow had lost her lover, her friend, her Mate. As silent tears started to slip from her eyes she thought of the girl she loved with her entire being and finally fell into a troubled sleep.

Six months had passed. Life was slowly moving on for most. The new Slayer had been sent to Ireland where there were reports of an uprising among the demons.

Joyce moved from Sunnydale as she said the memories were too bad for her to stay. The last Giles had heard from her she was in England, and had started dating a man named John.

All of them seemed to be moving on with their lives. All apart from Willow that is. She missed Buffy with everything in her. She sometimes thought she saw her when she and Xander patrolled with Karen. She would often see a glimpse of Blonde hair and her heart would speed up like it always did when she was around. Except every time the person had disappeared before she could see them clearly enough.

Tonight was Willow's birthday. After a quick patrol they planned to go to the Bronze for a while. The four were in Restfield cemetery when Karen motioned for them all to stop. Giles stayed close to Willow and Xander while Karen hunted her prey.

There was maybe a one second warning before a lot of Vampire's and demons appeared on the scene.

At once the four had their weapons at the ready and fought back. It wasn't helping, the demons kept coming. Giles was having a sword-fight with and seven-foot vampire while Xander was using his crossbow to dust vamps in all directions. Karen was fighting anything within her reach and Willow was using her super soaker on the Vampires.

Ten minutes into the fight Karen noticed that they had another fighter on their side but was too busy to find out who.

Willow had run out of Holy water and was fending off three over zealous Vamps with a cross when as one they closed in on her. She was trapped beneath them as the fight went on around her knowing that her friends couldn't help her. In what she thought were going to be her last minutes on earth she thought that she would hopefully be with her love again.

Suddenly the Vampires were gone replaced by what she thought was a dream. Buffy stood before her and she looked pissed!

The last six months had been hell for Buffy. After becoming a Vampire she knew that she couldn't go back to her friends and family. She couldn't bear to see the look of disgust they would give her. She missed Willow and wanted her with her. Over time, her demon came to love her Mate as much as she did herself in its own way.

Just because she couldn't interact with her family didn't mean that she was going to abandon them. Every night as the sun set she began patrol, always staying one step ahead of the gang and limiting the amount of trouble they would face.

Tonight she had been late in starting because she had run out of Blood and had to go to the butchers to get more. By the time she had started she was over a hour late. Wondering where the gang was she hit Restfield first as that was were she had fought the most this week.

Entering the clearing she heard signs of fighting and took off. Reaching the fight she didn't think twice as she entered it killing demons left, right and center. She knew that she couldn't let them see her but she couldn't have them fighting alone. When there were only a handful of demons left she smelt fear then acceptance. She knew it was Willow. Turning she saw three Vampires about to make Willow their breakfast and she imploded. Jumping the ten feet in one leap that separated them she ripped the first vamps head off while staking the other two.

Willow and Buffy just stared at each other not noticing that their friends had gathered round them. Buffy was the first to find her voice.

"I told you guys that nothing had better happen to Will and yet here she was nearly joining the ranks of the dead! Who am I going to kill first?"

Buffy could feel her demon close to the surface as well as her Slayer. Now that the threat of Willow's life was gone the Vampire Slayer was angry. Trying to control herself and trying not to vamp out she looked again at Willow.

"Are you okay?" Despite her anger, her voice was very soft when talking to her Mate.

Willow could only stare before opening and closing her mouth like a fish would. Giles was the first to react. Raising his crossbow he aimed at the girl he considered a daughter and fired. Only Buffy's speed stopped her from being staked and the demon sprang forth with the pain of the arrow entering her lung. Falling to her knees and gasping for the breath she no longer needed she waited for the killing blow. Even though she knew they would never accept her there was a small part of her that hoped that her family would see through the demonic issue and see that she was still Buffy underneath it all.

Raising her head she looked at the stars one last time. Since becoming a vampire she could see them a lot more clearly and they helped her find a little peace in her life. Turning her head to look at Willow she mouthed, "I love you" before facing her executioner aware that she was in game face. Giles shuddered and tightened his grip on his weapon when suddenly Buffy was attacked by Willow.

Willow had finally come out of her daze and saw Giles ready to kill Buffy. Not even wondering why Giles was trying to kill Buffy she dove for her love and sent them rolling down the small hill with her lying on top of Buffy. Looking down she realized why Giles was going to kill the girl they all belied to be dead.

Buffy purposely didn't revert back to her human form. She needed to see Willow's reaction. Green eyes locked into the yellow eyes of a vampire. Buffy knew the gang were on their way down the hill and she just wanted more time with Willow before she died…again. And she would die because she could never fight back and risk hurting a member of her family.

Willow studied her love below and was confronted with missed feelings. On one hand she was more than happy Buffy was alive, er undead, but on the other she was sad for her lover who she knew had always feared becoming one of the things she killed nightly.

Buffy saw the sad look and took it to mean that Willow couldn't accept her. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she opened them again to see Willow's hand coming down to trace her ridges. Dimly reregistering Giles call for Willow to run she watched transfixed as Willow studied her face. A lone tear slipped from her eye and Willow leaned down to lick it off whispering, "I'm so sorry."

Buffy nodded thinking she understood and let her human face replace her demon one. "Its okay Will, I'm just sorry you had to see me like this. I just want to tell you that I never stopp-" Willow was suddenly gone replace by Karen's stake.

Buffy let out a low growl at the loss of her Mates weight on top of her. Easily moving Karen off of her without hurting her she stood. Picking up Karen's stake she walked over to her Watcher.

/Ex Watcher?/ Everyone started moving backwards as she came towards them though Willow stayed put. She was favoring her right side as her left lung had a gaping hole in it and was kinda painful. Stopping beside Willow she flinched when Xander shot out his hand thinking he was going to hit her. When her moved to drag Willow back she growled and vamped out. Willow stayed Xander by raising her hand. Walking the few steps to Buffy she again stroked her ridges with her fingertips.

Under the soothing stoke Buffy lost her fangs and started purring rubbing her face along Willow's palm. Willow smiled and leaned into kiss her. As their lips met they got lost in the feel of one another. They had been so long with each other that it felt like their first kiss.

As their lips, teeth and tongues caressed each other's Buffy kept her senses open for potential threats. A polite cough reminded them that there were others with them and they broke lip contact but rested their foreheads against each other's.

"Y…you don't –" Buffy's question was cut short as a dart embedded itself in her neck. Looking Willow in the eye the Slayer mistook shock for approval and thought herself stupid for ever believing Willow could love a thing like her.

"Why?" As the darkness claimed her she just hoped that they would eventually kill her because she couldn't cope with their hatred.

As soon as the dart hit Buffy Giles and Karen circled her, waiting for her to fall. Willow looked on in shock as her lover fell to her knees asking "why?" Willow instinctively knew that Buffy thought that she had knew they were going to shoot her. Willow was wondering just how Buffy had been feeling theses past six months, because knowing Buffy she had convinced herself not to go near any of them for fear that they wouldn't accept her in her altered state. There was never any question in Willow's mind if Buffy was evil or good. She just knew she was still the same Buffy.

The trip back to the Library was filled with dead silence until Willow finally broke it and spoke in a voice filled with remorse.

"Six months. She's been like this for six months ands she's been alone. Two minutes with the people who are supposed to be her family and you – who she thinks of as a dad – tries to stake her then knocks her out with a dart! Anyone think there's something wrong with this picture?"

"Willow, she is not our Buffy. She's a demon. There has never been any record of a turned Slayer but to have one on the loose could bring about Armageddon. She needs to be dealt with."

Willow was about to interrupt but Xander beat her to it. "Giles, she saved Willow's life, hell all our lives tonight. Do you really think a soulless creature would do that?"

Eventually Giles won and Buffy was locked in the bookcase in the Library. He went to retrieve the Codex while Willow sat on a chair right next to the cage so she could stroke Buffy's hair. Xander sat at the table looking into space and Karen was pacing.

Willow noticed first because she was actually touching Buffy but the others caught on soon enough. A low growl filled the room followed by Whimpering. Buffy stared jerking in her sleep and crying out.

The gang jumped when Buffy starting sobbing Willow's name. Willow stopped stroking her hair and cupped her face wiping away the tears, which she saw were blood red.

"Giles is this normal? She's crying blood here." Willow was getting hysterical herself.

Giles emerged from his office with the book and looked shocked as Willow started talking.

"There are stories of Vampires crying blood tears, but none have ever been seen by either a Slayer or a Watcher so I had no idea it was true until just now."

"It means that not only is Buffy's soul crying but her demon is too. That's why its never been seen. The Vampire must have a soul for it to happen. It would appear that I nearly killed our Buffy. Oh God"

"It's okay Giles. You thought I was going to kill you all. Don't quilt yourself over this. Please." Buffy's voice had brought all the attention back to her.

Willow simply stood looking at her lover before a smile crept over her face. "Hey you."

Buffy wouldn't raise her head or acknowledge her in anyway and that hurt, but she knew why and what she had to do to make Buffy realize that she loved her now just as much as when she had a pulse.

Buffy awoke from her forced unconsciousness to hear Giles inform the others that she had her soul. Looking at her Watcher she knew he felt guilty and she didn't want that.

"It's okay Giles. You thought I was going to kill you all. Don't quilt yourself over this. Please." It took a lot to force the words out but she did it. She felt Willow's eyes on her but she couldn't look at her. She didn't want to see distrust or disgust in her eyes, not when she had let herself believe that if even for a second that Willow could accept her as she is.

She did raise her head when the sound of a lock being opened caught her attention. Thinking that they were going to stake her anyway soul or not she didn't move a mussel. Willow was unlocking the cage door, Giles was frowning, Xander had taken over from Karen and began pacing and Karen was edging closer to the cage.

Willow stepped into the cage and closed the door behind her and relocked it. Seeing Buffy's questioning stare she answered her unasked question.

"I need you to believe that I trust you." This part was whispered just for Buffy and not even Karen's sensitive hearing could pick it up. Louder to Giles and the others she demanded,

"Guys you want to clear out for a while? I need to talk to Buffy." To her surprise and Buffy's they complied, well Giles and Xander did and they dragged out a protesting Karen.

When they were gone you could have heard a pin drop it was that quiet. Buffy was the first to find her voice.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" The question was asked in the most unemotional voice she could muster but they both heard the waver in it. She was convinced that this was were Willow explained to her in the nicest way she could that they were over – even though technically they hadn't been together for six months.

She was shocked when Willow came so close to her that she could feel her breath on the face.

"Change." The quiet command had Buffy complying. Yellow eyes looked on reflecting their pain to the green eyes studying them.

Willow came even closer and whispered, "Even with the fangs and the bumpies you're still my Buffy, my Lover, My Mate."

At the whispered declaration Buffy dropped to her knees and buried her face in her Mates stomach and cried for everything she had lost or thought she'd lost.

What felt like an eternity later, which was in fact only thirty minutes, the rest of the gang came back with a wrapped brown paper bag, coffee and donuts. Setting the bag on the table Giles walked over to the cage and smiled reassuringly at Willow and Buffy.

Buffy taking this as a sign Willow wanted to get out of the cage simply rested her palm against the cage door and gave a slight push. The door sprang open and she returned to her place in Willow's arms.

She had noticed the second the library door opened that they had brought Blood with them and she was trying to keep her hungry demon under control, therefore being in Willow's arms was essential.

"Doors open now Will. Come on out." Karen didn't trust the other Slayer. She had been enjoying her stint as the favored Chosen One among the group.

Throwing a glare at Karen, Willow detangled herself from Buffy and walked to the table to retrieve the Coffees that the others had also brought with them along with a donut.

As soon as Willow left her side all of Buffy's insecurities started showing themselves again. Though she knew that Willow loved and accepted her Slayerness, she couldn't help but notice that when Willow was telling her all of what she meant to her, she neglected to say 'my vampire'.

The smell of the Blood was also starting to affect her now that the smell of Willow was taken from her.

Thinking that Willow was going to sit at the table right where the blood was sitting, Buffy decided to just stay in the cage because she had no idea what they wanted her to do. Why bring Blood, surely it wasn't for her… was it? Making herself more comfortable she sat and waited for whatever was to come next. Raising her head she noticed them all staring at her. Willow in confusion and the rest like she was an art piece stuck in a museum somewhere.

Giles and Xander were each wondering why Buffy was staying inside the cage, Karen was wondering how much strength Buffy now had and Willow was wondering why Buffy looked like someone had killed her puppy.

Surprisingly it was Xander who acted first. Walking to the table he picked up the brown bag with the Blood in it and walked into the cage and knelt by Buffy.

"We didn't know if you would be hungry or not so we stopped by the butchers on the way back from the coffee place. It's animal. We weren't sure what you've been living off but we figured this would stop the fangs from getting itchy."

This last part was said as a joke but to Buffy it felt like he had kicked her in the gut. Scooting further back and curling into a tight ball she spoke through the lump in her throat though they all heard her clearly.

"You don't need to worry. I'm not going to eat any of you. Thank you for the B… blood."

Xander reached out to and touched her shoulder pretending not to notice when she flinched.

"Hey it was a joke. I know you would never hurt anyone here. Are you hungry?" A small nod was given followed by nervous talk.

"I ran out of Blood last night that's why I was late staring the sweep…" Trailing off as she was realizing what she was saying she took the bag Xander was offering her but didn't open it even though everything in her was screaming at her to open and feed.

"It was you" Karen had kept quiet when her boyfriend had gone to the cage but now she spoke.

"All those times I sensed something but could never figure out what it was. It was you wasn't it. You were making sweeps so that when I patrolled with Giles, the others or alone there wouldn't be as much danger."

Giles spoke up now asking, "What exactly have you stopped us from facing in six months?"

Buffy debated what to tell them. The truth they probably wouldn't believe so could she lie and minimize her success? Looking at Willow she knew she couldn't lie to her so she began telling of everything she stopped to her audience.

"You stopped three apocalypses alone!?" Buffy cringed thinking they didn't believe her until suddenly her arms were filled with her redheaded lover.

"God were you hurt? You must have been scared to go through all that alone." Rocking Willow, Buffy was trying to get her to stop crying when she just put her lips over Willow's to stop the rambling. It was just reaction. She used to do it all the time when Willow went off on one of her babblefests.

Willow relaxed into the kiss and moved closer into the circle of her lover's arms. Opening her mouth to Buffy, Willow felt her tongue being pulled into a mating dance with Buffy's. As Buffy pulled back into her own mouth Willow followed and began to get reacquainted with her lover. As she was exploring, she ran the tip of her tongue along the secret pouches that hid Buffy's fangs.

With a loud growl Buffy stood, lifted Willow off her feet and pushed her into the wall at the back of her cage. As the kiss intensified and Willow kept up the motions of running her tongue along that spot causing Buffy to growl even louder. She felt her face change and quickly ripped her mouth away from Willow's and turned her face to hide from her lover's stare.

Panting for breath Willow was wondering why Buffy had stopped until she felt the ridged brow against her shoulder. Gently lifting Buffy's vamped out face to her own, she shocked everyone including Buffy when she leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on the Vampires mouth.

To Willow it wasn't that she was kissing a Vampire, who at any moment could rip out her throat. She was just kissing her lover, her Mate. To Buffy the kiss told her everything she had refused to believe or hope could happen. Willow was letting her know through that one kiss that she accepted all of Buffy, including her demon. She began purring into the kiss. To Xander it was seeing his friends happy again after a long period of heartache. Giles was happy for them but he knew they were going to face a lot of problems. Karen thought it was disgusting that anyone would willingly kiss a demon. She had to get those two apart for Willow's own good. She didn't trust Buffy one bit.

Five minutes later saw them all seated around the library table with Buffy's unopened Blood sitting in front of her. She didn't know how they would react if she were to start feeding, although she was getting pretty hungry as she hadn't fed in over twenty-four hours. Willow seemed to notice Buffy was fidgeting more and more. She also noticed the looks the vampire kept giving the Blood.

Willow figured that Buffy was hungry but scared to eat in front of everybody. She thought that they might as well get used to seeing it because it would be a daily recurrence not that they had a vampire in their midst.

Turning to Buffy, she reached for the Blood aware that every eye was on her. Opening the container caused a little trouble so she over compensated by using extra strength. The container opened but a little spilt over Willow's fingers. Looking at them then looking at Buffy she shrugged and offered her Blood covered fingers to her girlfriend who was now sporting a new look.

Buffy hadn't taken her eyes off Willow since she had moved to lift the Blood. Wondering what she was doing, she was surprised when Willow opened the container with a grunt. As soon as the Blood reached her sense her hungry demon overtook the little control Buffy had and came to the surface. Usually she could feed without changing but because she was so hungry she had no control left to fight the change.

When Willow spilt the Blood over her hand, Buffy had to keep from jumping her girlfriend right then. Willow looked to be thinking something over in her head before giving a small shrug and raising her hand to Buffy's mouth.

Buffy looked from Willow's face to her fingers back to her face again. Seeing that her girlfriend didn't look at all scared and that she trusted her, she accepted the offer with a whispered 'Thank-you' for Willow only.

Taking her lover's fingers into her mouth, Buffy was careful not to accidentally cut Willow with her extended fangs. While working her mouth to lick up all traces of the Blood, Buffy began to smell something she hadn't smelt in over six months: Arousal. From Willow. Raising her demonic eyes to Willow's face she saw lust in her eyes and she had her mouth open with small gasps escaping.

Remembering that there were other people around them - and she didn't want the other Slayer to smell HER Mate's arousal - Buffy withdrew Willow's fingers with one last lick noting with desire that Willow audibly groaned with dislike when she did so.

With a smile at Willow Buffy picked up the container and was about to feed feeling nowhere near as nervous about it as she had been earlier when Karen stood up to speak.

"Okay, I never said anything when my boyfriend went willingly into that cage with the freak there –"

"-Which I think I should get brownie points for but I'm not gonna sit here and watch Willow with this thing!"

Giles tuned to look at Buffy to see how she was taking this but to his surprise she looked as if she expected it. He watched as she put the blood back down and stood, walking over to stand toe to toe with Karen.

"I know what you're thinking right now, because I've been thinking it ever since I was turned. You're thinking of everything you've ever learnt about Vampires. Their nature, their love for the kill, the hunt. Right now you're thinking about how long it's going to be before I rip out their throats."

Giving both the gang and Karen time to digest what she had said, Buffy strolled over to the book cage again. Looking pointedly at the door, which was now lying on the floor a few feet from the cage she spoke again.

"You're think that with the strength of a combined Slayer and Vampire that if I was to turn against you, you would lose. And that's what this all boils down to for you isn't it Karen? Just because every person in this room hasn't seen me for the last six months, doesn't mean that I've abandoned my family. It's not in me to do that. I've been with you guys through every minor demon that I was happy to leave to you to deal with, certain you could deal with it. I've been here, listening to Willow cry over me, listening to how mom has a great new life in England and listening to you having you're conversations with Traver's on the phone without Giles or any of the other knowledge."

At this Buffy voice changed from the softly spoken words she was using to a growl.

Hearing her lover's voice change, Willow was surprised to see her still sporting her human guise. Leaving her place at the table she got up and went to her lover and stood beside her as a show of support. Buffy flashed her a quick thank-you smile then watched as one by one Giles then Xander, who threw a glare at his former girlfriend, joined Willow standing by her side.

"So that's it huh? She comes back and you all just decide I'm not needed anymore?" Buffy was surprised to hear Karen's voice shake a little at the end.

"It's not about not needing you, the fact that they are standing by me means nothing other that they support me, even now I'm a thing." Raising her hand to stop any comments she knew Willow was about to make Buffy continued.

"It's about the fact that you've been speaking to a member of the council for over a month about the fact that I'm a vampire and still around and yet have said nothing to either one of them. Why? In fact Why Traver's? That was one thing I could never understand. Why him? There are men higher up than him who had to have known about me, so why talk to Traver's?"

Pausing to give Karen room to answer, Buffy looked at her friends. Giles was looking extremely pissed off; Xander looked betrayed but Willow she looked damn right scary. Fasted that Buffy could have thought she could move, Willow was across the room to where Karen stood and had slapped her hard across the face. Seeing the look in Karen's eye and knowing what she was about to do to Willow Buffy was beside them fasted that anyone could've blinked.

Grabbing Karen by the neck and slamming the taller girl into the counter behind her she let the demon take over.

"You even think of touching her again and there won't be enough pieces of you for anyone to ever thing of burying."

The words were growled out between fangs that were just itching to be buried in the other girl's neck. Buffy or her demon had never felt this must bloodlust for another person since Angelus.

Willow, though she now hated the other Slayer couldn't let Buffy kill her. She wrapped her arms around her irate lover and started whispering into her ear about little things that didn't really make any sense but weren't supposed to anyway. They were supposed to ground Buffy again.

As soon as Buffy felt her lover embrace her she stopped the constant growl and immediately a soft purr escaped her. Letting go of Karen though not moving out of her space she uttered her the words that would seal the other Slayer's fate.

"Get out. If I see you anywhere near any of the people I love ever again I will make good on my promise and not even Willow will be able to stop me."

"Incredible." Giles was the first to find his voice. He was looking at his Slayer/Vampire in awe.

"What is? That my girlfriend had been sending and receiving information to and from Traver's and she didn't even trust me enough to tell me?!?" Xander was hurt. He didn't love Karen but he liked her a lot. He was in love with someone else, but it was someone he could never have and would never be good enough for.

"Actually I was talking about the fact that Buffy is purring. As the Slayer I had heard her purr when Willow was around, but as a vampire… I was unaware that they could. Very few have ever purred. Very few of them feel safe, happy and relaxed enough to allow it to happen."

At the sound of his voice, Buffy stopped purring and turned to face her Watcher and friend. Willow turned to look at Buffy.

"I make you feel safe?" Willow was shocked. Buffy had always been the protector of the group what with her being the Slayer and all, but to hear that the Buffy and ergo the Slayer only felt safe when she was around made Willow feel like the strongest person on earth. She liked that feeling.

Buffy turned to face her lover. Looking her in the eyes and speaking from the heart she answered her.

"What did you think it was? I always have to be the strong one, the person who fights evil and takes care of everyone, but when I'm with you its like all that is insignificant to a degree. I like feeling that way. Its only happened with you with is why I always knew that you were Mine. These last six months have been hell." Taking a breath she no longer need she tried to compose her emotions.

"I felt that I had to stay away to keep you safe, well not just you, all of you really. The longer I went with being able to see you but not touch was… I felt like I was loosing control. My Slayer wanted out to claim you again to know that you still belonged to me… us and my demon had become obsessed with you and it loves you just as much and I do, as the Slayer side of me does."

By this stage Buffy was feeling a little embarrassed that Giles and Xander were there to hear everything but she was worried about what Willow was feeling about her demon being in love with her. She was also getting a little unnerved by Willow's silence and the fact that she was just standing there staring at her like a bug under a microscope.

Willow was amazed. She couldn't get over the fact that Her lover who happened to be a Slayer AND a Vampire felt safe with her. She was snapped out of her trance when she felt Buffy withdraw from her touch. Snapping her gaze to Buffy's eyes she could read the hurt that Buffy was desperately trying to cover up.

Willow had stood to long just staring so Buffy figured that maybe her lover wasn't as okay with things as she had hoped. She really didn't know how she was going to cope with not being able to just throw Willow up against the nearest solid surface and claim her Mate again. Maybe if she just had a slayer inside her screaming for it to happen or maybe even just a vamp she could resist but having both and being around Willow was taking up every ounce of control she had ever mastered. Hiding her hurt and pain she was starting to retreat from Willow when she felt and smelt the change in her lover.

Willow knew that she had to have Buffy and soon. She knew that even after everything that had happened that her lover still doubted her love for her so she knew she had to show her, but for now she just had to convince her with words.

Walking the few steps that Buffy had put between them she took her lover's face in her hands and like Buffy, she spoke from the heart.

"You have no idea how that makes me feel. I'm not even sure I could put it into words but I'm gonna have to because I can't purr the way you do. Ever since we first met it's always been you looking out for me. You even tried warning me off incase our being together meant I got hurt. You took the pain you were worried I would have to bare and you did it selflessly. When you first got vamped you could have came to me, I wouldn't have turned you away but I know you needed that time to figure things out and I'm glad that you did. I like the feeling that I'm the only person you have ever purred with, the only person you are ever gonna purr with. I love knowing that even when you're facing another Slayer, who granted you could take in a fight with your arms tied behind your back, you are still happy and content and most of all feel safe enough to purr."

Turning her head she whispered for Buffy's ears only; "I love you and I really want you right now."

Buffy had tears running down her face but they were tears of happiness. Hearing Willow confess her feelings had swept away all the doubt that had once again filled Buffy's head and heart. However hearing her say that she loved her and wanted her took Buffy's body to an unknown state of arousal. Unable to and no longer wanting to fight the wants of both Slayer and Demon she turned to Giles said a quick bye and see you later, picked Willow up and disappeared from the library all in a heartbeat.

They arrived at Willow's house not five minutes after leaving Giles and Xander at the library. Buffy still had willow in her arms. Stopping at the door with a growl at finding it locked, she realized that she would have to set Willow down, and that was something she wasn't happy doing. Walking around to the back of the house, Buffy looked up and saw that Willow's bedroom window was open slightly. Deciding not to feel pissed off that her girlfriend went out without locking her house up properly she jumped up to the balcony outside willow's room in one leap without dislodging her precious bundle.

Willow was about to ask what Buffy was doing when she noticed that they were leaving the front of the house only to have her girlfriend jump up to her balcony and set her on her feet.

"Buffy…" Whatever else Willow was going to say was cut off by Buffy's lips and tongue.

Breaking away after a few glorious minutes of reclaiming her lover's mouth Buffy gave her a chance to breathe.

"If you don't want this tell me now, cause I wont be able to stop once we start."

Willow's answer was to bring their lips back together. With a low growl Buffy stopped the kiss. At Willow's baffled look she turned to the window. Willow followed her look and put her hand in to turn the handle on the doors before walking inside.

Turning to Buffy she was surprised to see her still standing outside. Then she remembered, vampires had to be invited in. Wanting to tease her lover but knowing that at this point Buffy would take it as a sign that Willow didn't want her Willow just smiled at Buffy and told her to come in.

Buffy was beside her in a heartbeat. Claiming Willow's lips again Buffy started moving them back. Willow felt the wall beside her door at her back and Buffy pressed up against her front. Bring her arms up she encircled Buffy's neck and pulled her even closer

"More..." Buffy growled through the kiss. "...Touch me...." In response Willow moved her hands to the front of Buffy's body and began exploring her lover for the first time in more than half a year.

"There," Buffy gasped almost inaudibly as she clung to Willow. "God...that's...." Unable to express what she was feeling, she simply lost herself in another kiss, drinking in her lover's soft groans of pleasure.

Supernaturally powerful muscles flexed and knotted, holding Willow close and safe. The next thing Willow was aware of was the mattress under her, and a very aroused lover on top.

Buffy raised herself up just a fraction to get Willow's top off her. Not having the control to undo each button she simply ripped it off with a muffled sorry as her mouth was already over Willow's right breast.

Willow gasped at the feel of her lover's hungry mouth on her skin after so long. She arched her back instinctively, pressing her breasts into Buffy's mouth. Willow moaned Buffy's name as her lover finally took her engorged nipple into her mouth while her fingers teased the other.

Stopping abruptly, Buffy lifted herself off the bed and tore herself out of her clothing before removing Willow's and joining her on the bed again. She began a serious of open-mouthed kisses that took her everywhere but Willow's neck. She was just about reigning in her demon but if her lips even touched that piece of flesh she wouldn't be able to stop herself. By the time she got to her belly button Willow was writhing beneath her and letting out little mewls of pleasure. As she was about to move lower she felt Willow's hand in her hair trying to pull her up her body. Giving in to her lover knowing there would be time later for what she had wanted to do she willingly went.

Looking into her lover's eyes she silently asked what was wrong. Willow must have understood her as she answered:

"I want us to be together, to come together." Buffy had a look of understanding on her face and simply smiled and let her lips do the talking. Stroking her hands down Willow's body and relearning her lover's curves she began to make love to her girl. Bringing her hand down to Willow's core she momentarily stopped kissing her to look into her eyes as she brought one finger into play, using it stroke Willow's clit and then sliding it inside her lover's tight body.

Willow wanting to be on even ground and wanting her lover to feel what she was feeling copied her movements and thrust a finger into Buffy. Both let out twin moans and growls of pleasure at the sensation. Buffy could tell that willow was near and in truth so was she so she upped the pressure ever careful not to hurt her lover with her strength. Adding a second finger to the first, thrusting them gently but deeply into Willow's tight core, twisting them gently around and finally curving them up and stimulating her lover's g-spot.

Willow began to buck her hips up and Buffy knew that she was very close. Bringing her mouth into untouched territory unable to stop herself she began nuzzling Willow's neck with her lips and tongue but never teeth.

Willow was in heaven. She felt like Buffy was consuming her entire being. She knew she was close to coming and the feeling of fire spreading through her body turned into molten lava when she felt her lover's mouth on her neck. Vaguely she remembered thinking that Buffy had stayed away from there all night but as she felt her lover's tongue caressing her pulse point she let feeling take over and with her last bit of strength before her orgasm overtook her whispered one word to Buffy.

Buffy lost the little control she had and quicker than she thought possible she had her fangs buried in Willow's neck and was taking small sips pf her blood. When the Blood first touched her tongue she exploded as did Willow when she felt Buffy's fangs entering her neck. Crying out the lover's name as her orgasm rushed through her she was only slightly aware of Buffy's shout of her name followed by her proclaiming in a rough voice Mine.

When she finally came back to earth she was being held securely in her lover's arms while Buffy continued to lick the closing bite marks on her neck. Raising her head to look into Willow's eyes she gave a small smile.

"Thank-you for trusting me. I know you did with the Slayer in me but I honestly didn't think you could with the demon, so thank-you." Lowing her head she rested on Willow's shoulder for a second before turning them over so Willow was on top.

"Buffy, listen to me." Willow started, nudging Buffy's chin up so the blonde would look at her. "I love you. Everything about you. Your strength, your Slayerness and your demoness, your hunger and passion. There's nothing about you I don't love. I love all of you."

With that said she lowered her head to rest on Buffy unmoving chest and closed her eyes to Sleep. The last thing she heard was Buffy's soft voice:

"I love you. We'll make it work." Buffy closed her eyes but didn't sleep. Instead she lay awake and listened to her Mate breath hoping that they would make it work because she had lived without Willow for not even a year and she knew that she would rather be dust than even try it for one more day.

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