A Witch in L.A. by Kinetic-Kid

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Definitely no money being made. All characters belong to Joss Whedon and ME. I own nothing except whatever characters I may make up for this story.
Distribution: The Mystic Muse: http://mysticmuse.net
Forever Faith: http://mysticmuse.net/faith
Kinetic-Kid's Site: http://www.kinetic-kid.com
Oh yeah, anywhere, anytime. Just make sure I get credit and let me know where it is.
Feedback: Please Please PLEASE. I live for feedback. I get irritable and upset if I don't get any and I might not continue writing. Of course, if you don't like the story and think it sucks you may not want me to continue!
Spoilers: Tabula Rasa
Author's Notes: This is more of an Angel/Buffy crossover. I'm taking BTVS the way it happened up to Tabula Rasa – then goes AU. Everything is un-beta'd – so any and all mistakes are solely mine! Sorry in advance for any screw-ups.
Pairing: Faith/Tara

Summary: Tara decides she needs to leave Sunnydale.

Tara sighs as she packs the last of her bags glancing around the dorm room. "Time for me to leave." She whispers to the empty room. Just as she's ready to open the door, she jumps slightly as there's a knock. Shaking her head and smiling to herself, she opens the door, surprised to see Buffy standing there.

"Thanks, Tara." Buffy walks in to the room and looks around in surprise, seeing the bags packed and the room emptied of everything but the furniture that was provided. Turning to look at the blonde, she frowns slightly. "Where are you going?"

"Why?" Buffy growls roughly, thinking about the backwoods rejects that had come trying to take her away.

Tara shakes her head slightly. "The semester's over, and I can't really stay here, Buffy. Not now." Glancing up briefly Tara looks back down. "W-why are you here?"

"Because I'm an idiot." Buffy grumbles quietly. "Tara you're family. You can't just leave."

"I have to, Buffy. I-I can't b-be around her." Tara sighs before sitting down on the edge of the bed. "For my own p-piece of mind I need to leave."

"What about college? What about the fact you want to teach?" Buffy kneels before the blonde. "What about your family here?" Buffy whispers the last.

"Dawn has you back, now. She'll be fine." Tara feels tears gathering in her eyes. "I'll try and keep in t-touch with her."

Buffy hops up onto her feet, surprising Tara making her look up watching her pace back and forth in front of her. "I can't let you go back to that family, Tara." Buffy growls, glancing at Tara.

"I don't have much of a choice." Tara murmurs quietly, looking back down at her clasped hands.

"Maybe you do. I understand why you can't stay here. Not after what Willow did to you." Buffy sighs slightly, thinking about her best friend. "I still can't believe…" Buffy sits down beside the witch. "Answer me this, do you really want to go back home?"

"NO." Tara states almost vehemently. Thinking about the abuse, physical and mental she had went through at home, she shakes almost in terror.

"Give me two days? Let me see if I can figure something out?" Buffy almost begs.

The question hits Buffy hard, even knowing that Tara didn't mean it to. "Because I should have been a friend to you. You were there for me when mom died. You helped take care of Dawn when I was gone. She considers you a mother figure. I should have been by to talk to you after that fiasco with the mind wipe that Willow did. Not counting the fact when she changed Amy back into a human, you can't find one without the other being there." When Tara flinches slightly at that, Buffy groans. "I'm sorry."

Tara shakes her head at the slayer. "No, no. It's not your fault. I just can't stay in this town. Running into W-willow. It hurts. I need to leave and try and make a life for myself. Why are you here, Buffy? Why did you show up today?" Tara looks up for the first time making eye contact with the slayer, looking intently at her.

"Dawn." Buffy whispers quietly. "She was crying this morning telling me you were leaving. I didn't realize you were planning on doing it today. Thank God I didn't wait too long and you were gone. You're family, Tara. I won't let you go back to your Father. Do you have to leave the dorm room today? I want to make a couple phone calls."

Tara sits there slightly in shock, watching the slayer. "The dorm room is mine until the end of next week. Buffy…" Tara shakes her head slightly, trying to figure out what's going on.

"Please. Give me two days." Buffy looks pleadingly at her. "You don't want me to follow you home and drag you away, do you?"

Tara chuckles slightly. "No, I guess not. You have two days, but I'm leaving after that."

"Thank you." Buffy whispers, lightly placing a hand on the witch's shoulder and squeezing gently. Walking towards the door, Buffy stops, turning around to look at Tara. "You're family. I haven't always acted like it, which I regret deeply, now. But you are sister and mother figure to Dawn. I would love for you to consider me a sister, also." Buffy stops here, seeing the tears forming in the blondes eyes. "Even if you can't stay here, in Sunnydale, I want you to know we are here for you. Family. Your chosen family." Buffy quietly opens the door and walks out.

Sitting in the silence of the room, stunned, Tara looks at the closed door. Wondering what the slayer has in mind. Knowing in her heart that anything would be better than going back home at this moment, as long as she didn't have to stay here.

"Dawn, can I speak with you for a moment?" Buffy questions, looking into the living room, seeing Willow and Amy curled up on the couch together talking quietly, with Dawn sitting in the chair, turned slightly away from them.

"It isn't going to do any good being upset about them, Dawn." Buffy whispers as they walk into the kitchen. "Willow's decided she wants to be with Amy."

"Why would she decide to be with Amy when she had Tara?" Dawn hisses out. "I can't stand the woman."

"I know. Neither can I." Buffy sighs heavily, looking out the window over the sink. "After Tara left, and she made Amy human again, I guess she thought Amy was the perfect person for her. Thought having someone to do dark magic's with all the time without giving her any grief is what she wants." Buffy starts to run dish water in the sink to clean the dishes.

"Stupid." Dawn mumbles before looking at her sister. "Did you see Tara?" At Buffy's nod she looks worriedly at her sister. "Were you able to talk her out of it?"

"No." Buffy whispers gently. "She's going to leave one way or another, Dawn. She can't stay here. It's too hard on her." Washing the same plate over and over again, Buffy glances over at Dawn and smiles softly. "I got her to stay for two more days. Maybe we can run by there later and you can spend some time with her?"

"Please." Dawn cries silently. "Too bad we can't get Willow to leave town and keep Tara."

"Dawn." Buffy shakes her head and quickly dries her hands, pulling the teen in against her. "She's a grown woman. But there is something I'm going to do. I need to make a phone call. Can you make sure that neither one of the witch's disturb me?"

"I'm going to call Angel. See if he's in need of a witch." Buffy smiles slightly as Dawn's eyes light up. "She's planning on going back home, Dawn. No matter what, we can't let that happen."

"No. That's not going to happen. God, Buffy they abused her!" Dawn cried out almost silently.

"How do you know that?" Buffy looks at her sister, shocked. Knowing in her heart that the woman had a terrible life with her family, but not knowing what exactly happened.

"I overheard her and Willow talking one night when they thought I was asleep." Dawn whispers, looking down at her shoes. "Both her father and brother beat her. Broke bones. Put her in the hospital. Some movie they were watching brought it up and Tara finally broke down, telling Willow about it."

Buffy feels her heart constrict in pain, realizing that Tara would rather go back to that than stay here around Willow. Running her hands down Dawn's hair, Buffy pulls her a little tighter against her. "We won't let her go back there. We'll figure out something. Why don't you play lookout for me and I'll take the phone out on the back porch?"

Dawn nods her head, pulling away and wiping the tears off her face. "Tell Angel I'll actually be nice to him, if he'll help." Dawn whispers seriously, looking at Buffy.

"I will." Buffy smiles sadly, knowing that Dawn never cared for the vampire, and that this was a big concession for her. Watching Dawn go stand in the kitchen doorway, Buffy grabs the cordless phone and walks out the back door.

Quickly dialing Angels number, she chuckles at Cordelia answering the phone. "Hi Cordy, this is Buffy."

"Buffy, what are you calling for? We hardly hear from you." Cordelia asks in an almost nice way.

"I've kind of got a little problem that I need to talk with Angel about. Is he there?" Buffy listens quietly as Cordelia yells for Angel.

"Hi, Angel. How are things?" Buffy asks the vampire as she sits down on the concrete step.

"I'm fine. Why are you calling?" Angel gets right to the point, knowing there's a reason for Buffy to call.

"Well, I know you don't really know what's been going on here lately, but let me give you a quick run down…" Buffy quickly explains the situation to the vampire, letting him know that even Dawn would appreciate any help he could offer.

"I didn't realize." Angel shakes his head thinking deeply. "We could always use an extra hand around here. Wes has some magical abilities but another person would be a great help. And it isn't like it would be a hardship her living here. One more person in this hotel is nothing. If she is willing to come here, let her know she has a place to stay and a job." Stopping for a moment, Angel asks quietly. "Do you need any help?"

Buffy smiles at the offer. "Thanks Angel. But no, I'm okay. Just be prepared that Dawn will probably want to come visit with Tara being there. That is, if Tara will go for this. I'll talk to her later and see what we can do. Thank you for your help."

"No thanks necessary, Buffy. I wish I could do more." Angel smiles sadly at the thought. "How are things with you?"

"They're getting there. Still not quite up to par. But doing better." Buffy frowns, thinking about Spike. "Angel, can I ask you something?"

"Do you honestly think Spike is capable of love?" Buffy quickly asks before chickening out.

"Buffy?" Angel's shocked voice comes over the phone. "Why would you want to know that?"

"When he was turned, it was a little strange. I don't know if it had something to do with Drusilla, but he's always been different. And I guess in his own way, yes he is capable of love. How else would he have spent roughly 150 years with Dru?" Angel clenches his hand tightly. "Is there something…?"

"I don't know." Buffy whispers. "I know it isn't fair to talk to you about this, but things are a little strange right now. He says he loves me."

Taking a deep, unneeded breath Angel looks up to the ceiling. "It's possible, Buffy. But be careful. I don't have any say in your life, but he is my grandchilde. He was almost as vicious a killer as Angelus was. So keep that in mind, okay?"

"I will. It's just that he's helped out so much the last year. It's like he wants to do good." Buffy shakes her head, wondering if she should give the bleached blonde vampire a real chance.

"It's a possibility. He wouldn't be the first vampire that changed. It just doesn't happen that often. Sometimes the human host can re-exert itself over the demon. It's not a soul being returned, but more of the way the human was before, coming to the forefront. Kind of like the demon keeps all the memories of the host. Just take care of yourself." Angel worriedly tells the slayer.

"She's doing better." Angel chuckles at that. "Still the Dark Slayer, still the attitude but not on self-destruct mode anymore. She's helping out on patrol and keeping up with helping around the hotel."

"Good. She'll always be a little rough around the edges, but I hope she does well." Buffy smiles slightly. "Tell the group I said hi. I'll let you know when Tara will be getting in, so maybe you can have someone pick her up at the bus station."

"Please do." Angel nods and smiles as he hears Buffy whisper goodbye before hanging up.

"Be sure to keep in touch." Dawn hugs Tara to her tightly. "And if any of them give you any hassle, tell them I'll come and kick their asses."

"Dawn!" Buffy reprimands her sister, before chuckling quietly. As she watches Dawn release the witch, she's surprised to find a pair of arms wrapped around her. "Tara." Buffy softly says her name before hugging her back tightly.

"It's what family does." Smiling as Tara finally releases her and steps back, Buffy reaches out and brushes the hair away from the blondes face. "We love you. And I'm sure the group there will love you, also. Give them time. They're a little different." Buffy smirks slightly. "Cordelia's a bitch, or at least she used to be. Angel said she was better, but who knows."

"Hopefully all will go well. Can't be no worse than my family, right?" Tara grins lopsidedly at the two women. "I appreciate your help. I'll write, Dawnie. And I know you're planning on spending some of your summer vacation there."

Buffy smiles at the two and wraps her arm around Dawn's waist, as they call for the boarding to LA. "Take care of yourself, Tara. Please, if you need anything let me know." Buffy watches as a little of the light that had been missing in Tara's eyes flashes.

"New life. Changes." Shaking her head and smiling genuinely at the two Summers women. "Thanks for the chance." Turning to see the bus loading she looks back at the two women. "It's exciting in a way. You two take care of yourselves."

Buffy and Dawn watch as Tara climbs on the bus, carrying her small backpack while her other luggage is loaded below. Waving to her as the bus pulls out, they slowly turn to walk back home.

"I think this will be good for her." Dawn whispers. "Being away from Willow, the Hellmouth. Around new people that she doesn't have any kind of a history with. It's like a whole new start."

"I think so, also Dawn." Buffy smiles, rubbing her hand over her sisters hair slightly. "Want to stop and get something to eat?"

"As long as it isn't the Double Meat Palace." Dawn rolls her nose up in disgust.

Angel stands quietly in the background at the bus station, waiting for the bus from Sunnydale to unload. As he watches the people, he sees a blonde woman, with blue eyes carrying a backpack step down off the bus, glancing around nervously. Wondering if this could be Tara, he slowly walks towards the woman.

Tara looks up quickly to the tall vampire, realizing that this must be Angel. "Angel?" As he quirks his lip up slightly and nods his head, Tara relaxes. "I only have a couple bags."

Angel watches her walk towards the luggage that was being off-loaded and start to pick them up. "Here, let me." He offers reaching down, grasping the two bags, looking back up into the blue eyes that seem to show so much pain and hardship, but underneath he sees a strength warring to get out. Nodding his head to himself, he smiles softly. This woman will do. "Let's go to the hotel, get you introduced to the group."

"Okay." Tara whispers quietly, following the tall vampire. As she sits down and he closes the door behind her she watches him put the luggage in the back before sliding in behind the wheel. "Thank you for letting me s-stay here." Tara looks up briefly, before looking back down at her clasped hands.

"Oh, I'll put you to work." Angel smiles softly. "We can use all the help we can. Between Cordy's visions, Fred who's not quite with us." At Tara's questioning look he chuckles quietly. "Our group is a little strange. Cordy was given visions from Doyle before he died, long story. Fred - actually Winifred but she prefers to be called Fred, we just saved her from Pylea and brought her back. Brilliant woman, but being a slave for roughly five years kind of cracked her a bit. Then there's Wes, ex-watcher, Gunn street tough that is just a normal guy, Lorne, host of Caritas a bar."

"Charity?" Tara questions, chuckling quietly. "Isn't that kind of a weird name for a bar?"

"Yeah, it's more of a Sanctuary. It's a demon bar where the demons go to relax, no fighting. Karaoke bar, so be prepared to sing." Angel grins slightly at the witch.

"Yes, at one time or another, we all have to sing. And trust me, no one is worse than me." Angel sighs.

"You'll like it. It's homey in a demon way." Shaking his head at that thought he smiled briefly, before continuing. "Then we have Faith, our slayer."

Tara frowns, nodding her head slightly, looking out the window. "I sort of met her briefly."

"You did?" Angel glances over at the woman as he pulls in front of the Hyperion. Seeing her frown slightly, he shuts the engine off and turns towards her. "How did you sort of meet her?"

Tara shakes her head slightly and smiles. "Buffy was kind of having an out of body experience at the time. Faith was in residence." Opening the door, she quickly grabs her backpack, smiling. "No time like the present, I guess?" Tara turns towards the door to the hotel, feeling the latent demon energy coming from it. "If you want, I can work on doing cleansings of the hotel to help with the left over energy."

"Could you? I sometimes think we draw more demons here because of that than anything." Angel quickly grabs her bags out of the trunk and walks up to the door, opening it for her.

"Yes, I'll need a few ingredients for the cleansing." Tara looks down, her hair shifting forward to cover her face as she walks into the hotel.

"Just let Wesley know. If he doesn't have it, he'll get it." Angel suggests quietly, looking into the hotel, seeing the gang spread out. "Looks like most of the gang is here. Lorne's probably at his bar."

Walking down the steps he's followed by Tara. Glancing up she looks around quickly, seeing the different people scattered around the room.

"Gang, I want you to meet Tara Maclay, recently from Sunnydale. She's going to be staying with us, and hopefully helping out with the magic side of things." Tara looks up, stiffening her resolve to meet these people with her chin held high. Swallowing hard she makes herself make eye contact with each person.

"Tara, over by the weapons cabinet is Charles Gunn. Behind the counter is Cordelia and beside her is Wesley. Faith is the one standing on the stairs." He stops looking around. "Did Fred go back up to her room?"

"No, she went to make herself some tea." Cordelia rolls her eyes slightly. "Let me get her."

As Cordelia brings Fred out, Tara smiles slightly seeing an almost kindred spirit in the woman.

"H-hello everybody." Tara looks again from one person to the other, surprised to see Gunn approaching.

Holding out his hand, he smiles. "Nice to meet you, Tara. Welcome to our dysfunctional family."

"Let's get you settled then maybe we'll order dinner." Angel suggests, heading towards the stairs.

Faith steps down looking at the blonde woman, trying to figure out where she knows her from. Obviously Sunnydale, but not able to place her just yet, she shakes her head slightly. "Here, I'll show her the room I got ready." Faith holds her hands out to the Vampire.

Angel raises an eyebrow at the slayer, and hands the cases over to her. "None of us are that great at cooking. We can all pretty much toast bagels and heat up cans of soup. Even occasionally they've been known to make sandwiches. So we order out frequently."

"If you want, I can cook." Tara offers quietly. "Help earn my stay here, if you like."

"Please!" Cordelia exclaims. "All this eating out is going directly to my thighs. What I wouldn't give for a good home-cooked meal. These guys think a soda and a bag of chips is a meal half the time."

Tara's lip slides up slightly, watching the woman throw her hands around while she's talking. So that's Queen C. She doesn't seem so bad so far, Tara quietly thinks to herself. "Of course, we will need to g-go grocery shopping and I need to s-see what cookware you have and will need."

Angel chuckles loudly at that. "That I don't think is going to be a problem. This hotel has an industrial sized kitchen with all the cookware there, from the looks of things. Probably just needs a good cleaning. I'll need to switch the breakers on for that part of the hotel. But to keep this group happy, I'll do it."

Walking back towards the front of the hotel he grumps loudly. "It'll probably be a hell of a lot cheaper than buying take-out all the time."

Giggling, Tara looks down at her feet, before looking back up, seeing the slayer's dark gaze centered on her questioningly. "S-something I can help you with?" Tara questions quietly.

"I know you, don't I?" Faith looks at the woman, trying to figure it out. At the blonde's nod she raises an eyebrow. "You gonna tell me, or do I hafta guess?"

Tara frowns slightly, glancing down before making herself look up again. "You were having an in-Buffy experience at the time."

Faith frowns, before realization dawns in her eyes. "Red's girl. At the Bronze."

"Was. Not anymore." Tara clenches her jaw, before looking up at the stairs. "You going to show me which room is mine?"

Faith frowns slightly. "Yeah, sorry. Come on." Faith turns quickly, walking up the stairs to the third floor, opening the door to a nice Suite with a king size bed. Obviously the room had just been cleaned and fresh sheets and comfortor put on the bed. "Where would you like me to put these at?" Faith looks towards the blonde, noticing for the first time the strength behind the sad blue eyes.

"Just set them down there. I'll go ahead and unpack. Not like it'll take me that long." Tara looks at the two bags and her backpack she sets down on the bed.

"Want help?" Faith doesn't know why she offers, but she feels compelled to make the attempt.

"No, thank you." Tara smiles suddenly, surprised at the offer. Looking at Faith, she looks slightly closer, seeing that she's changed. Just getting a surface reading from the woman she notices that she isn't as angry.

"Well, when you're ready come on downstairs. I think Gunn, Wes and Angel are planning on doing patrol tonight, leaving us girls here alone." Faith rolls her eyes slightly. "Yay. Queen C will give you the low down, I'm sure."

"Thanks, Faith. I'll be down in a few minutes after I unpack and freshen up." Tara watches Faith turn and head towards the door. She sees the slayer hesitate slightly, with her hand on the door knob.

"I'm sorry I was a bitch to you." Faith whispers quietly, before walking quickly out the door, shutting it behind her.

Tara stands there slightly stunned, not expecting an apology from the slayer. Shaking her head she smiles genuinely at the thought that she definitely has changed to apologize. Looking around, Tara quickly unpacks and takes a shower before heading downstairs.

Tara giggles slightly at Faith and Cordelia snarking back and forth at each other. Glancing up she sees Fred trying not to grin. "Are they always like this?" Tara questions quietly to Fred.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe how much they go on and on. Just watch when they really get going. I usually go hide in my room." Fred nervously bounces in her seat.

Faith glances between the two women, giving up on irritating Cordy, for the moment. "Did you get enough to eat? Want anything else?"

"I'm fine." Tara smiles slightly looking down at her plate. Realizing she had actually eaten the majority of the food. Something she hadn't been doing with any regularity lately.

Fred shakes and looks around nervously. "I'm going to go back upstairs." She jumps up hurrying out of the room.

Cordelia sighs quietly. "Don't pay any attention to Fred. We're lucky she's even spending any time down here with us. Up till a few days ago we couldn't even get her to come out of her room. Now she's up to spending maybe a couple hours total a day down here."

"Yeah, haven't been able to get her out of the hotel yet." Faith adds quietly, grabbing up the empty containers and throwing them in the trash. "You tired?" Faith questions Tara.

"Wanna look at the kitchen? I could show you so maybe you can see if there's anything you need." Faith offers.

Cordelia looks at the slayer with a surprised look. Faith was actually being pleasant. Shaking her head at the thought, she almost chuckles. "Well, I'm going home. Dennis is probably getting worried."

"Yeah, my resident ghost. He's a sweetie." Cordelia smiles at Tara. "I think you and I might actually get along. Unlike some people." Cordelia snarls her nose up, looking at Faith.

Tara shakes her head slightly at the two women. "Do you two even try to be civil to each other?"

With a shake of her head and a small quirking of her lip, Tara stands up. "I guess none. If you wouldn't mind showing me the kitchen, I'd appreciate it."

Tara follows the slayer, glancing over the strong, compact body. Shaking her head at the sudden feeling of longing working through her, Tara looks at the hotel. "This hotel is quite beautiful."

Tara tries to hold back a smile at the obvious lack of interest coming from the slayer. "This must have been absolutely gorgeous back in it's day. If you care about that kind of thing." Tara chuckles quietly when she hears a grunt come from the slayer.

"Oh, wow." Tara looks around as they walk into the kitchen, seeing the stainless steel appliances still looking almost brand new, if a bit dirty. Seeing the pots and pans hanging over the prep table she grins before digging through the drawers and cabinets, seeing all the utensils they would ever need. Opening the refrigerators and walk-ins she frowns slightly at the musty smell.

Faith leans back against the prep table, watching Tara opening and closing the cabinets and drawers. Smirking slightly as she sees the witch's nose twitch at the smell coming from the fridges. As Tara finally takes a step back with her hands on her hips looking at everything, Faith raises an eyebrow. "Well, what do you need?"

"Food and seasonings for the actual cooking. Everything needs a good scrubbing and disinfecting." Tara glances down at her clothes frowning slightly. "I'm going to need to change into some old clothes. I might as well get a start on it tonight." Looking up at the slayer, Tara smiles crookedly. "Can you point me in the direction of the cleaning supplies?"

Faith shakes her head in disbelief. "You're planning on starting to clean this up tonight? It's like 9:00."

Faith's mouth twitches slightly, looking at the blonde. "Come on." Faith quickly heads out of the kitchen. Glancing beside her as the witch keeps pace with her, she has the urge to laugh. "Go ahead and get changed. I'll get the supplies together. Meet you back in the kitchen." Faith heads off down another hallway, leaving Tara standing there in surprise.

"Is that an offer of help?" Tara whispers, watching the slayer as she turns out of sight. Quickly heading upstairs, Tara changes from her long flowing skirt and long sleeved shirt to an old pair of cargo pants and t-shirt. Looking down she's surprised to see how baggy they've become. "Hmm. Must have lost more weight than I realized." Pulling her hair back with a rubber band into a loose pony tail, she heads back to the kitchen.

Tara stops in surprise, seeing the slayer standing in front of one of the big double refrigerators scrubbing away. Seeing the slayer wearing an old, holy tank top and jeans that looks like they should have been thrown away about 50 washings ago, Tara inhales silently. Closing her eyes, trying to get the image out of her mind, she walks over and grabs the dish detergent and heads towards the sink. Running the water in the huge sink, Tara squirts a good dollop of detergent in it before turning to Faith, while the sink fills.

"You know you don't have to help." Tara tilts her head, watching the slayer lean down, rinsing the rag out before glancing her way.

"You going to do it all by yourself?" Faith questions with a raised eyebrow. "Figured you wouldn't mind the help." Faith quickly leans back into the fridge, scrubbing the inside with the bleach water to cut through the musty smell and the small amount of mildew that had been gathering. Stopping for a moment, Faith glances back at the witch. "Did you not want help?"

Tara looks up from where she's scrubbing one of the pots. "No, I appreciate the help. I wouldn't even mind just the company while I clean. Kind of missed having people around the last couple months."

Faith eyes the witch for a minute, really looking at her, noticing how the clothes seemed to hang from her. Trying to remember what the woman looked like before, Faith seems to remember soft feminine curves, not the skinny woman in front of her. Wondering what made such a drastic difference in the witch, Faith narrows her eyes slightly.

Tara feels Faith's eyes still on her and she glances back at the slayer, seeing her look at her with narrowed eyes. "Something wrong?"

"What happened?" Faith bluntly asks, dropping the rag in the bucket and leaning against the refrigerator.

"What happened to make you come here?" Faith looks her up and down before looking in her eyes. "Why does it look like you lost some serious weight, that if I remember correctly, is a damn shame that you've lost?"

Tara blushes slightly at the last, before glancing down at the sink. Quietly contemplating whether or not to talk to the slayer.

"Never mind, ain't none of my business no-how." Faith grunts out quietly, before turning back to finish cleaning the refrigerator. "Should I leave this open to air out? Think that might help?"

Tara sighs quietly. Turning to make eye contact with Faith, she nods her head. "Yes, it would probably help, letting it dry completely." Looking searchingly into the closed off face of the slayer, Tara glances down to the floor.

"You know, W-willow and I were a couple." Looking up she sees the slayer nod. Smiling slightly, Tara looks up towards the ceiling. "I think you were the first one to realize. When they fought Glory, she delved into dark magic to get back my mind. Anyway, I'm sure you know Buffy died during the fight with Glory, Willow brought her back. To do that she used dark magic, again." At Faith's questioning glance Tara shakes her head. "It's bad. Opens yourself to evil forces, it can consume you. It's almost addictive like a drug." Tara walks over and hops up onto the prep table. "She started using magic for everything, laundry, cleaning, research." Shaking her head, she looks down and picks at her pants. "I tried to talk to her about the magic. I'm assuming we must have had an argument, who knows what happened, but it was probably about the magic, anyhow she did a memory spell on me." Hearing Faith inhale deeply, Tara looks up seeing the compassion in the woman's eyes and smiles slightly. "Needless to say, after I found out later, I almost left. She begged me to stay and promised she wouldn't do anymore magic." Feeling a tear start to slide down her face, she quickly wipes it away. "She promised me to go one week without a spell. She lasted roughly 12 hours. She did another memory spell, fortunately this time it backfired. Everyone's memory got wiped and finally the crystal she used got broken, returning our memory's to us. I left her that night."

Faith watches the witch intently, thinking about what she said. "Sounds almost like rape." Faith growls out quietly. When Tara's head jerks up looking at her in surprise, Faith shrugs her shoulders. "Well it is. She took from you without your permission. You weren't given a choice. Can I ask you something?" At Tara's slight nod Faith frowns. "You said something about getting your mind back, what'd you mean?"

Tara frowns slightly, before clasping her hands tightly in front of her. Thinking too much about this, always gives her nightmares. "Glory, Hell Goddess, sucked brains to maintain her own so-called sanity. Needless to say, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time." Looking down at her right hand, running her fingers over the crooked index and middle fingers that didn't heal right from where Glory had crushed her hand. "I was insane for roughly six months. Willow found a spell in one of the books and as a last ditch effort to restore my sanity and weaken Glory, she tried it. Fortunately it worked. But I would have rather she left me insane than to have dealt in black magic."

"It wasn't worth Willow possibly losing herself to the dark just to save me." Tara quietly states.

Faith watches in stunned disbelief as the woman hops back off the table and continues washing the dishes. Realizing this was the end of the talk, Faith frowns. Thinking over what the woman said, she realizes that she was very serious about the fact to save Red, she would have been willing to stay crazy. What the hell could be going through Willow's head to rape her girlfriends mind like she did? Faith doesn't even consider the fact that Tara could be lying. Her gut told her that everything the woman said was true. If anything she was possibly leaving the worst of it out.

"It probably would be a good idea. That way we can stock up on meat and other items that are freezable when they're on sale." Tara glances up briefly, looking at the slayer as she grabs the bucket of bleach water heading towards the walk-in. "Thank you for your help, Faith."

Faith looks up and smiles slightly. "It serves my own self interest. Tired of eating pizza, burgers and Chinese food all the time." Grinning a little bigger she chuckles. "The sooner this place is cleaned, the sooner we start getting real meals."

"Hopefully the refrigerators and freezers work okay, after being off all this time." Tara contemplates the thought. "Maybe we should have someone come in and check them out, make sure they're running okay and don't need any work."

"Yeah, I'll check with Fang and see if he has some contact to come look at them." Faith opens the freezer door and heads in to scrub it clean.

Tara stretches as she wakes up, feeling her body ache from the scrubbing she had done the night before. Groaning, she smiles realizing she didn't have any nightmares and actually slept the night through. "Maybe there's something to be said for five hours of scrubbing pots and pans." Tara quietly chuckles, before easing her legs over the side of the bed and heading to the bathroom.

Heading down the stairs after taking a shower and getting dressed, she's surprised to see a green demon with horns and…red eyes? Seeing him talking to Angel, Tara realizes this must be the demon Lorne that Angel had mentioned the night before.

Angel looks up from where he's talking with Lorne and grins slightly as he watches Tara head towards them. Faith had already told him about them spending a good portion of the previous night scrubbing the kitchen. As a matter of fact, he had already contacted one of his acquaintances to come out and check the refrigerators and freezers. The Bonegi Demon that came to check them should be done anytime.

"Oooh, you didn't mention what a scrumptious morsel she was, Angel-cakes." Lorne giggles, before reaching for Tara's hand and kissing the top of it gallantly. "You, sweet cheeks, must be Tara. I'm Lorne, the Host of Caritas."

Tara blushes at the demons flirting, before smiling shyly. "Hi. And yes, I'm Tara."

"Oh, she's just precious. I want you to sing for me, sweet cheeks." Lorne smiles encouragingly at the witch.

"I-I don't think so." Tara shakes her head blushing even redder. "I'm not any g-good in crowd's."

Lorne looks around at the empty hotel. "There's only us three here, right now. Why don't you sing me a little number. I bet you have an absolute gorgeous voice to go along with the rest of you." Seeing that Tara is about to refuse again, Lorne looks at her pleadingly, batting his eyelashes. "Please? I can beg."

Tara giggles at the demon, before smiling softly. "What would you like me to sing?" She questions quietly.

"Whatever you would like." Lorne smiles encouragingly at the young witch. "Just not Barry Manilow." Lorne slides a sidewise glance at the vampire.

Tara chuckles quietly, catching the look Lorne slid Angel. Thinking for a moment, Tara gets a wicked smile on her face, before singing the Eagles 'Witchy Woman'.

Lorne chuckles as he hears her start the song, then his eyes widen as he listens and watches the witch intently. Swallowing hard at the clips of so many different images he sees, he takes a deep breath. As Tara finishes the song, he smiles and claps loudly. "Oh, Sweet Cheeks. You have definitely got to come to Caritas and sing on stage."

As Faith walks downstairs, she tries not to laugh at the song Tara has chosen to sing for Lorne. As she listens, she's surprised at how beautiful of a voice the woman has. Seeing Tara blush at Lorne's compliments, Faith fades into the background, not wanting her to feel more embarrassed. 'Why the hell do I care how she feels?' Faith wonders momentarily, before forgetting the thought and watches quietly.

"I don't know about that." Tara looks down, shaking her head slightly while blushing.

"Oh, honey. You definitely should come. Maybe you can talk Faith-y into singing for us again. I would love to hear her doing a Bonnie Raitt song." Lorne shivers slightly to that thought. "Oooh. Just thinking about it makes me all tingly."

Tara giggles watching the demon. "I don't know about that. But I would like to hear her sing."

"Absolutely to die for." Lorne grins. "Angel-cakes can I speak with you for a moment?"

Angel nods his head and smiles slightly at the witch. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere, I was wanting to talk to you."

"Okay." Tara nods her head, wondering slightly what's going on. Walking towards the front door, she looks outside, smiling at the sunny day.

"So, what did you see that you had to drag me in here to talk about it?" Angel gets right to the point.

"Angel-cakes it isn't that easy with this one." Lorne shakes his head looking at the vampire as he sits down. "There's too many variables. Each thing she does it changes things. I saw no less than ten different futures while she was singing, all depending on the choices she makes." Lorne turns a paler green. "And I think I saw a future that would have happened if she hadn't come to LA. Not pretty."

Angel leans back in his chair, looking upon the demon broodingly. "So it's pretty much a crap-shoot."

Lorne nods his head and smiles apologetically. "I can give you this much, she's going to do a lot of good. You having her come here, is the right decision, no matter what."

Lorne stands and smiles slightly. "Do your best to get that beauty down to Caritas. If we can get her to sing regularly, I'd be willing to pay!" Chuckling, he hums Witchy Woman as he leaves.

Faith quietly watches Tara standing at the front doors, looking out upon the day. Slowly walking towards her, she smiles slightly, realizing for the first time how beautiful the woman actually was. "I was gonna fix myself some coffee, you want something?" Faith quietly asks the question, and frowns as she sees Tara jump slightly.

Tara turns and smiles softly at the slayer. "Thank you. I wouldn't mind a cup of tea." Walking towards the slayer, Tara shakes off the feeling that Faith was checking her out. Knowing there was no way the slayer would even remotely be interested in her.

Both women walk into the break room, Tara clicks on the kettle while getting down a couple mugs, handing one silently to Faith while looking through the tea bags before grabbing a Chamomile out and placing it in her mug.

Quickly adding the water after the kettle clicks off, Tara smiles slightly as she watches Faith add three sugars to her black instant coffee. Before sitting down across from her.

Gunn smiles at the new recruit and nods towards Faith. "I know pretty much what everyone else around here eats, but I didn't have a clue about you, Tara. So I got a mix." Gently setting the boxes down, he sits down beside the woman.

Standing up, Gunn grabs down some plates, handing one to Tara while putting the rest in the middle of the table. Sitting back down he smiles as he watches the woman pick out a cream filled donut. "Oh, here." Gunn reaches over and grabs her a napkin. "You might need this."

Faith rolls her eyes, watching Gunn flirting with Tara. Wondering if she should give the guy a clue or just watch the show.

Tara smiles before whispering. "Thank you, Charles." Gently taking the napkin away from him, she spreads it across her lap and delicately tears a piece off her donut before eating it. Glancing up she sees Faith smirking slightly and wonders why.

Faith tilts the chair onto the two back legs until she's leaning against the wall behind her, sipping on her coffee. Watching Tara eat her donut, and the way Gunn was watching the witch, Faith chuckles quietly.

Tara raises an eyebrow as Faith chuckles. "Is there something here that amuses you?"

Faith actually laughs. "Yes, there is." Faith admits with a twinkle in her eye, watching Tara intently.

"Nope. Not right now anyways." Faith shakes her head chuckling. The blonde has no clue.

Everyone turns as Angel walks into the room. He nods his head and then looks questioningly at the smirking slayer. Deciding to ignore the woman for now he smiles at Tara. "I just had the refrigerators and freezers looked at downstairs. They have been charged and checked out. He said give them twelve hours and they should be cold and ready to go." Tilting his head, he appraises the witch quietly. "I heard you spent a good portion of last night and early this morning cleaning in the kitchen."

Tara looks towards Faith questioningly. Just seeing a raised eyebrow in response she grins slightly. "Well I wasn't the only one. Faith scrubbed down all the refrigerators and freezers."

"Yes, and that's surprising in and of itself." Angel mutters imperceptibly. Thinking how the woman never voluntarily spent time with anyone unless it was to try and piss them off.

Faith frowns at the vampire, before tilting forward on her chair and placing her cup in the sink. Grabbing a donut she heads out the door.

"Ignore Faith. She gets a little testy occasionally." Gunn smiles at Tara. "Well, I guess that means tomorrow morning we need to go grocery shopping. I'd be happy to take you."

Tara nods her head and quirks her mouth slightly. "I can make a list of the items we need."

Angel watches Tara quietly, before speaking up. "Just let me know before you leave and I'll give you the money to go to the store. If you go by my butcher shop, he'll probably give you a good price on meat."

Tara shakes her head and smirks slightly. "Wouldn't be the first time I've bought blood from a butcher's shop. Just let me know how much you want me to get while I'm there." Looking around, Tara smiles apologetically. "Do you have a notepad and pen I can borrow to make a list on. I actually wouldn't mind talking to everyone to see what their preferences food wise are."

"This group isn't real particular. They seem to eat everything with equal gusto." Angel smirks slightly. "Come with me and I'll get you a pad and pen."

Tara stands up to follow Angel out of the room stopping at the doorway, turning to look at Gunn she smiles slightly. "I would appreciate you helping me shop tomorrow."

"No problem." Gunn grins hugely watching her turn around and follow Angel. "No problem at all." He continues to himself.

Wes smiles as he watches Tara do the cleansing around the hotel. "I can already tell the difference in the energy."

Tara glances at the ex-watcher and smiles slightly. "I'll probably need to do it at least a few more times to dispel all the demonic energy. But I'm sure, given time, I'll be able to get rid of it."

"I can't tell you how much help you will be." Wes grins slightly as she finishes. "If you need anything, let me know."

"Thank you, Wesley." Tara smiles softly as she packs away the items she used. "Is there anything food wise that you like or don't like?" Tara glances up briefly making eye contact with the ex-watcher.

"No, I pretty much eat anything. Just don't much care for sauerkraut. Other than that I'm game." Wes watches as the woman picks up her bag of implements.

"Good. It looks like the majority of you guys aren't picky eaters." Tara looks around, seeing Faith sharpening a sword. "Thanks, Wesley."

Faith unconsciously sits down on one of the couch's that is in sight of what the witch is doing. Sharpening her sword, she glances up occasionally, watching the woman and Wes talk as she performed her spell.

Tara walks slowly towards the slayer, seeing Faith glance up briefly, Tara sits down beside the woman. "I haven't seen you since this morning." Tara quietly starts.

Faith glances briefly at the witch before looking back down as she runs the whetstone across the blade.

"Is there anything you particularly like to eat, or maybe don't like?" Tara continues.

Faith jerks her head up, looking at the downcast features of the blonde. "What would make you think that?"

"Just that after I made the comment that you helped out in the kitchen, you disappeared." Tara quietly comments on it as she understands what happened.

"Wasn't you." Faith looks back at the sword. Testing the sharpness with a thumb, she sets it down with the stone beside it. "I like just about anything." Faith offers quietly.

"Anything in particular that you like?" Tara questions, tilting her head slightly to watch the slayer.

"There was this place in Philly I came across that made great cheese steak subs. Steak, grilled onions, mushrooms and cheese piled high on this toasted sub roll that you couldn't open your mouth wide enough to get in." Chuckling quietly Faith looks out upon the quiet hotel lobby. "Half the toppings would slide out from between the bread before you finished eating it."

"It was." Faith smiles slightly. Quickly standing, Faith grabs her sword and stone, glancing at the witch. "Need anymore help in the kitchen?" Faith offers.

"I got all the pots, pans and skillets washed last night along with the plates. I need to go back down and work on the bowls, cups, glasses and silverware." Tara curiously looks at the slayer.

Looking down at her feet before glancing back up, Faith quirks her lips slightly. "Want help?"

"I won't turn it down." Tara smiles thankfully at the slayer. Looking down at her hands she giggles slightly. "I'm going to have dish-pan hands before I finish."

Faith glances down at the woman's hands, noticing for the first time her crooked index and middle finger on her right hand. Frowning, wondering what caused it, Faith starts to open her mouth before clicking it shut hard. Realizing it isn't any of her business and if the woman wanted to tell her, she would. "I can wash, if you want." Faith nods her head towards the witch. "I'll meet you down there in a few." Faith turns on her heel, heading up the stairs.

Angel quietly watches the interaction between the two women, surprised at listening to Faith offer to help the witch. Wondering at how the slayer seems to be reaching out to Tara. Deciding to keep an eye on them and see how she acts, Angel quietly slips back into his office.

Faith reaches the kitchen first, bringing her boom box with her. She plugs it in, setting it out of the way and drops the stack of cd's beside it. Flipping it on, she grins as Seether comes over the speakers. Realizing the witch probably liked something softer, she figured she'd enjoy it while she has the chance. Starting the dish water, Faith glances around grabbing a handful of dishes that needs to be washed. Gently setting them down in the hot water, Faith grabs another handful, unconsciously singing along with the song Gasoline.

Tara chuckles, watching Faith as she bumps and grinds singing along with Seether. Walking in, Tara throws the extra towels she brought down to dry the dishes with on the prep table.

Faith stops singing when she realizes Tara is behind her. "You can change the CD if you want. Or put the radio on." Faith offers quietly.

"I like Seether." Tara grins at Faith. "And you don't have to stop singing on my account."

Faith blushes slightly, and turns away. "I would have taken you more for ballads or soft instrumental shit."

Tara chuckles quietly. "People always assume that. I listen to pretty much everything. Seether, Kid Rock, Aerosmith, some bands most people haven't ever heard of. Country, blues, rap, you name it. And even ballads and soft instrumental shit, occasionally."

Smiling and glancing at the witch, Faith smirks slightly. "If you promise not to pick on me about my singin'. If you plan on pickin' on me put country or some shit on that I don't know."

Faith nods her head, actually smiling fully for the first time in appreciation. "You got a deal."

Tara blinks in surprise at the dimples flashing as Faith smiles. Smiling in return Tara nods. "Deal."

As the women relax, they both slowly start singing along with the CD's while they wash the dishes. Before long they're singing loudly along with the music. Occasionally laughter rings out as they change the CD and become more comfortable with each other.

Angel hears the music and the two women singing with his enhanced hearing, walking slowly closer he stops at the top of the stairs and chuckles as the two women obviously are now just belting out the words, not even trying to actually sing. Shaking his head at hearing Faith laughing, he smiles. "Yes, obviously good things are going to happen." Angel whispers quietly, before heading back to his office.

Faith smirks as she sees Gunn look at her with disgust as he walks out of the hotel with Tara. Deciding to tag along, Faith chuckles quietly.

Tara glances up, seeing Faith and smiles warmly. "You going with us to the store?"

"If you don't mind my tagging along." Faith offers, completely ignoring Gunn's obvious looks and watching Tara.

"No, that would be great." Tara smiles and watches as Gunn opens the door, and Faith hops in quickly to sit in the middle, Tara climbs in beside her and thanks Gunn.

"So, what time did you guys get in last night from patrol?" Tara asks to cover up the awkward silence.

"Around three." Gunn answers smiling slightly. "There was a vamps nest in one of the bigger cemetery's."

"They do seem to like the mausoleums." Tara offers smiling slightly as she looks out the window. "I'm surprised you two are up this early if you didn't get in till late. I know whenever Buffy had a late or rough patrol she could sleep in till ten or eleven."

"She would usually wake up if she smelled bacon cooking. Seems food was a good motivator." Tara chuckles quietly.

"I can understand that." Faith nods her head. "Hungry is one of a slayer's middle names." Faith smirks.

Faith laughs quietly. Sliding a sideways glance at the witch, Faith smirks. "HH factor. After a good night slaying, Slayers get hungry and horny."

Tara blushes slightly, turning to look out the window from where she had been looking at the slayer.

Gunn grunts and shakes his head. "Damn, girl. Do you think you could say that a little blunter?"

Faith raises an eyebrow looking at Gunn and grinning. "Yeah, I could. You want me to?"

Faith smiles genuinely at hearing Tara chuckle at her comment, leaning back into the seat she crosses her arms, happy. "What all we gonna need to pick up?"

"Everything." Tara grins pulling out a two page list. "Everything from condiments to bread, buns, flour, sugar, meat, cheese, pasta, fruit, vegetables, milk, juice, coffee. I came across this antique coffee maker, but it seemed to work fine when I test ran it with water."

Hearing Faith groan, Tara laughs. "Yes, real coffee. If you like real coffee so much, why didn't anyone ever buy a coffee pot?"

"Well, I'll make you a big pot of fresh brewed coffee when we get back." Tara offers grinning, ignoring Gunn.

Tara stops outside the door that belongs to Fred. Gently knocking, she wait's a couple minutes then smiles softly as Fred opens the door, peaking out. "Hi, Fred. I just wanted you to know I'm fixing sausage gravy and biscuits with scrambled eggs for breakfast if you would like to come down. It'll probably be done in roughly 15 minutes."

Fred nervously smiles before glancing up and down the hallway. "I like sausage gravy and biscuits." Nodding her head she looks up briefly, making eye contact with Tara before looking away. "I'll be down."

"Good." Tara smiles encouragingly at the woman. "We are using one of the big tables down in the dining room by the kitchen. I'll see you in a few."

Quickly heading back down the stairs to the kitchen, Tara chuckles as she see's Faith filling up a coffee cup and inhaling deeply. Checking the biscuits, Tara smiles as they're almost done. Stirring the gravy, she looks towards Faith. "Want to taste the sausage gravy? I used a mixture of hot and spicy with mild sausage in it."

Tara pulls the biscuits out and sets them on the stainless steel counter before pouring the eggs into the skillet and throwing the cheese she had grated previously in with them. Grabbing a bowl down and a spoon, she grabs a biscuit off the pan, tossing it between her hands to try and cool it down.

Faith chuckles watching the witch play hot potato with the biscuit. "Here, let me have it." Faith reaches out and grabs it out of the air and quickly tears it into a few pieces throwing it in the bowl.

Scooping out some of the sausage gravy, Tara pours it over the biscuit and hands Faith the spoon. Moving to the skillet with the eggs, Tara flips them.

Faith licks her lips as she finishes the biscuit and gravy. "Hope you fixed plenty of this. I can probably eat a couple dozen biscuits with gravy."

Tara chuckles, turning to the slayer. "I made four dozen biscuits and of course this big pot of gravy. Along with the two dozen scrambled eggs with cheese." Turning and scooping the eggs out into a bowl, Tara grabs it and carries it out to the table before coming back in and scooping the sausage gravy into a big bowl.

"If you want to put the biscuits in that basket and put them and the gravy on the table, I'd appreciate it." Tara smiles as she turns to the refrigerator pulling out a gallon of milk and orange juice. Following the slayer as she carries the other items out to the table.

After setting the table, Tara smirks as Faith sits down and starts helping herself. Looking up as the doors swing open, Tara watches as all the AI team, Angel included walk in and sit down. Tara walks up to Angel. "Would you like me to heat you up some blood?"

"Angel. Would you like me to heat some up?" Tara puts her hands on her hips and raises an eyebrow.

Angel looks embarrassed slightly. "If you don't mind. But I don't expect you to wait on me."

"That's okay." Tara smiles softly before heading in and filling a mug with blood and putting it in the microwave she'd commandeered from the break room for now. Setting down the warmed blood in front of Angel, Tara sits down in the last seat open by Gunn.

"Nice, Queen C. Live up to your name." Faith growls out as she scoops up another bite of gravy with biscuits. "It's great, Blondie." Faith glances across the table at Tara before narrowing her gaze on Gunn. She had watched him hold back as everyone sat down and took the seat that would have Tara sitting by him.

Tara grabs a biscuit and places it on her plate before looking for the apple jelly she had placed on the table. "Gunn, could you pass me the apple jelly, please?"

Gunn grins grabbing the apple jelly and handing it to Tara. "Do you need anything else?"

"No, thank you." Tara smiles gently as she separates the biscuit and scoops out a small amount of jelly, spreading it gently over the two halves of the biscuit.

Cordelia finishes the eggs and biscuit that she had scooped out on her plate and drinking her juice, noticing everyone seems to be eating like there is going to be no tomorrow. "Tara, I must admit. This was very good."

Faith frowns, watching as the witch is obviously only planning on eating a biscuit for breakfast. Slowly reaching out, Faith grabs three more biscuits, tearing them apart and placing them on her plate before looking at Wes. "Can you pass the gravy, W?"

Wesley looks up and grabs the bowl, handing it to Faith, as he finishes his eggs and cup of tea. "This was quite delicious. Thank you Tara."

"Thanks." Faith mutters to Wes before scooping some more gravy over her biscuits. Looking out over the table, she notices that the eggs are completely gone and from the looks of it, the biscuits and gravy wouldn't make it. Of course, if she cared to count, Faith knows she probably ate two dozen biscuits herself. Looking up and seeing that Tara had finished her biscuit and was sipping her orange juice, Faith frowns again.

"Blondie, you need to have some of this gravy. Here." Faith doesn't give her a chance and puts a biscuit on her plate and scoops some gravy over top of it.

Before Tara has a chance to refuse, the food is sitting in front of her. Looking up into the slayer's eyes she notices under the thin layer of who gives a shit, that she can see worry. Finally smiling slightly, Tara cuts up the biscuit before slowly eating the biscuit and gravy.

Gunn grabs the last couple of biscuits and puts them on his plate before scooping out the rest of the gravy over them. "Tara, I have to say this is the best sausage gravy and biscuits I've ever had."

Angel quietly sits watching the people that work for him and help save the world. Watching the obvious flirting that Gunn is doing. Pretty much everybody else was chowing down, except for Faith. Not that she wasn't eating. By his figuring she pretty much is eating half of the food. But for some reason she seems to be paying an inordinate amount of attention to Tara. Frowning slightly he contemplates the slayer. Shaking off the thoughts running through his head, he finishes his blood and watches as the rest of the group gradually leaves one by one. Leaving Tara, Faith and himself the last ones sitting at the table.

Angel stands up and takes his mug into the kitchen, placing it in the sink as he quickly follows the rest of the group out. "Guys meet me in my office." He demands, quickly walking to the door, as Cordy, Gunn, Wes and Fred enter his office. Closing the door, he works his way to the desk sitting down, he laces his fingers together, and looks from one person to the next until he's looked at every single one of them.

Leaning back in his chair he shakes his head. "I'm going to say this once, and only once. Tara was kind enough to offer to fix food for you guys. The least you lazy asses can do is help clean up afterwards. She isn't a maid and I'll be damned if you're going to treat her as one. Get out of here."

Cordy frowns and looks at the vampire. "Why aren't you telling this to Faith, also? I mean she ate the majority of the food."

Angel looks in surprise at Cordelia. "You are not that clueless, are you?" He questions in a low, rough voice. "Faith scrubbed out the refrigerators and freezers by herself. She helped Tara wash all the dishes and pots and pans and everything else down there in that kitchen. She helped set the table this morning and brought out the food. So tell me, should I tell her to get off her lazy ass? Seems to me she's the only one that's helped."

"I'll even be willing to bet Faith is helping Tara clean up now." Angel stands up pacing back and forth. "I don't care how it happens, but if you guys are willing to eat the food that you so obviously enjoyed, you need to help clean everything up afterwards. It's only fair. If you guys want to split it up between you, go for it. If you want to alternate cleaning up, that's fine. I don't care. But I do NOT expect Tara to be the one left with clean up. Understood? I'll be willing to bet they probably have the majority of the cleaning done by now, so I suggest at lunch time you guys don't offer, you just do." As everyone nods, even Cordelia, he sits back down. Flipping open a file he glances back up at the group. "What are you guys waiting for?"

After the group leaves the office, closing the door behind them, Angel chuckles quietly.

Faith watches as the rest of the group walk out the door, leaving their dishes on the table. Growling low under her breath, she shakes her head. Pouring herself another cup of coffee, she watches as Tara starts gathering the dirty dishes, picking them up before taking a handful into the kitchen. Bitching about inconsiderate co-workers, Faith stands up and quickly gathers the rest of the dirty dishes and follows Tara.

Reaching around Tara to place the dirty dishes in the huge industrial sink Tara's running the water in, Faith reaches down grabbing the wash rag, accidentally brushing against Tara. "Let me wipe down the table." Faith growls out quietly, enjoying the brief contact more than she would have thought.

Tara's surprised at the close proximity of the slayer and smiles her thanks. "You don't have to, you know."

"No, but it ain't right you cookin' and havin' to do the cleanin' on top of it." Faith shakes her head before going to wipe down the table, grabbing the empty pot of coffee and her cup.

Tara watches as Faith walks back into the kitchen. "Would you like some more coffee?"

Faith's eyes light up, making Tara giggle. "Give me the pot, Faith." Tara takes the pot from her rinsing it out before readying the coffee machine. Setting the brew function, Tara turns to see Faith already elbows deep in water washing the dishes.

Grabbing a towel, Tara starts drying the dishes and putting them away. Glancing at Faith, Tara smiles softly. "What would you like for lunch, Faith?"

Faith glances up from the pot she's scrubbing to look at Tara. "I ain't the only one that's eatin' here."

Tara grins wickedly. "Maybe not, but you're the only one helping clean up. Gives you an in with the cook."

Faith chuckles quietly before laughing out loud. "Payback is a bitch." Shaking her head she smiles before commenting "I don't know."

"Would you like me to make some Cheese Steak sandwiches?" Tara offers leaning on her hip against the sink facing the slayer. "I'm not going to guarantee they'll be as good as the ones you had in Philly…"

"I'm sure they'll be great." Faith shakes her head facing Tara. Frowning looking at the witch's fingers, she hesitantly reaches out, running her hand over them. Looking back up into surprised blue eyes, Faith whispers. "How did that happen?"

Tara frowns, looking down at her fingers before glancing back up. "Glory again. She crushed my hand." Tara answers quietly.

Faith reaches down, gently clasping the hand bringing it up to inspect the fingers, seeing the scars. Running her fingers over the scars, Faith frowns. "Did this happen at the same time…"

Tara swallows and nods her head. "Yes, she thought I was the key and crushed my hand when I wouldn't tell her who was. After crushing my hand she sucked my sanity away."

"You've been through hell, literally. And you're still willing to help." Faith quietly states, continuing running her fingers over the witch's hand. "What did you go through in your life to make you so strong?" Faith asks seriously looking into the blue eyes.

Tara looks at the sorrow filled eyes of the slayer and uses her words back. "Went through hell, literally." Tara whispers before glancing down watching the strong hand of the slayer. The hand that is used to beating, crushing and killing, that is now gently holding and caressing hers.

Faith nods and swallows, before gently raising the hand to her lips and placing a gentle kiss on the fingers. "I get that." Faith murmurs as she releases the witch's hand and turns back to finish scrubbing the dishes.

Tara stands there in stunned silence for a few moments, a tingling sensation in her hand from where the slayer had kissed her fingers. Silently contemplating the now silent slayer, Tara tilts her head watching her. Deciding for now not to question the slayer about what just happened, Tara turns to dry and put away the dishes that had built up in the time of her contemplating the silent slayer.

As she's putting up the last of the dishes, she watches Faith rinse out the sink. "How many sandwiches do you think you'll be able to eat?"

"Oh, I just thought I'd be sure to make enough." Tara tries to hold back a grin glancing out of the corner of her eye at Faith.

"Hmmm. Almost sounds like you're sayin' I eat a lot." Faith's lip quirks up in a half smile.

"No, you wouldn't. You'd just hint to the fact." Faith chuckles quietly. "I could probably eat four or five."

"Would you like help? I'm handy with a knife." Faith tries to keep a straight face.

"I'm sure you are. The thing is are you good at slicing?" Tara feels the laughter trying to break free.

Tara can't help but laugh with her. "Actually there's a slicer. I just need to take it apart and clean it good. It'll probably make short work of slicing the rib roast baking in the oven."

Faith looks up surprised. "You were planning on the sandwiches anyway, weren't you?"

"Probably." Tara smirks slightly. Turning around, she walks over to one of the other tables and uncovers the equipment there. Tilting her head at the slicer she frowns slightly.

"Here, let me. I'm pretty good at mechanical things." Faith offers walking over beside the witch. Making sure it's unplugged, Faith starts tearing it apart and taking the pieces over to the sink to wash. "Do you have some Vaseline? We'll probably need to grease the gears."

"I have some upstairs." Tara nods her head as she runs some fresh dishwater over the parts.

"I'll get this, you go ahead and get the Vaseline." Faith finishes taking the slicer apart and sets the pieces in the water before shutting the water off and taking the rag back over to the slicer, wiping it down and continuing to wipe down the table real good. Looking over at the boom box, Faith grins and throws in Kid Rock's Cocky CD. "Can't believe the witch knew all the words to this CD. She definitely aint the sweet innocent that she looks saying them kind of words" Faith growls out before she starts singing and dancing in place to the music as she washes the parts.

"Tara, may I talk with you for a moment?" Angel tilts his head towards his office.

"Sorry." Tara looks down briefly before looking back up making eye contact. "What did you need, Angel?"

"I want to apologize for the rest of the group here. There is nothing I can say, but if anything like this morning happens again, please let me know." Angel gets straight to the point and smiles apologetically at the witch.

Tara looks in surprise at Angel and smiles in appreciation. "Thanks Angel. Is that all you wanted?" At Angel's nod, Tara stands up. "Well, I better get back downstairs, Faith being left alone for too long in the kitchen is just a recipe for disaster."

Angel opens his hearing up and chuckles quietly. "Actually she seems to be singing and the lyrics are…You ain't never met a mother…ooops sorry."

Tara chuckles, "Kid Rock. That's also the title of the song." Tara smiles then frowns. "Damn, I missed the song Lay it on Me. I'll have to kick it back." Tara jumps up and heads out of the office, leaving a confused vampire sitting in his office alone.

"You are definitely not quite what you appear to be, are you Tara Maclay?" Angel chuckles quietly. "But I have a feeling it's going to be interesting having you around."

"What do you think you're doing playing this without me being here?" Tara growls, before running over to the CD player and starting it over again, interrupting the song Picture.

Faith jumps slightly at the witch growling out loudly at her before grinning. "Well it took you long enough to get back. If you had come back right away you wouldn't have missed your song."

"Angel's fault. He knows better now." Tara states before laughing. "Here's the Vaseline."

Faith finishes drying the last piece and walks over to the slicer. Opening the jar of Vaseline, she generously coats the gears before closing the jar and setting it aside. Looking over the parts she puts them in the order that they need to go in. Quickly putting the slicer back together and making sure the pieces are snug, Faith turns and grins at the watching witch. "Moment of truth." Faith plugs the slicer in and flips the switch. As the blade starts spinning, she chuckles.

Tara watches as the slicer starts up and the blade starts whirring. Grabbing Faith, Tara hugs her tightly to her before releasing her. "Looks like we got a slicer! You're a genius." Tara smiles hugely at the slayer, before turning the slicer off.

"Faith, I know you did more than that. The slicer didn't work before." Tara smirks slightly.

"You knew it didn't work?" At Tara's nod Faith rolls her eyes. "It had a couple loose wires. I reconnected them."

"Figured as much." Tara grins. Looking over at the huge mixer, she plugs it in and flips it on. Frowning she looks at Faith. "Could you look at this, see if you can get it working. I saw the loose wires on the slicer, so I hoped that wouldn't be a problem."

"Yeah, I'll look at it. Anything else you want checked out?" Faith walks over to a supply drawer she remembered seeing some tools in. Grabbing out a couple screwdrivers she heads over to the mixer.

"I think that's pretty much it. The refrigerators and freezers are working, the stove and oven works. The deep fryer works. One thing good about gas appliances, not a lot to go wrong with them. You have the slicer working and the coffee pot works." Tara grins.

"Yes, the most important thing. Coffee." Faith looks up grinning from where she's just finished with the last screw and pulls the casing off the mixer.

Tara grabs the couple pints of strawberries out of the refrigerator, cleaning and slicing them. Adding sugar she covers them and throws them back in the refrigerator.

Faith glances over as Tara puts the strawberries back in the fridge. "What's that for?"

"I bought a couple pound cakes. Thought we could have strawberry shortcake later." Tara glances up eyes twinkling. "And if the rest of the group helps clean up, they might get some, too."

"Okay, wicked witch." Faith glances back down looking at the mixer. "Looks like this thing is fried."

Tara comes over to stand beside the slayer and sees the scorch marks and burnt wires. "Good thing there wasn't enough of a connection when I plugged it in, with my luck I would have started a fire."

Faith shakes her head. "We were both here, we would had it unplugged in plenty of time. Want me to take this thing out to the dumpster?"

"If you don't mind. It isn't any good." Tara looks at the attachments. "Do you think we should keep the attachments?"

Faith shrugs, "Don't know. If we got another mixer that they fit with, they might come in handy. But with this thing being so old, would they have changed?"

Tara shakes her head. "I guess we'll keep them. It isn't like we don't have the room for them."

Tara turns off the boom box as she follows Faith upstairs, knowing the meat would need another couple hours cooking before it would be done.

Tara walks up to Angel's office door and knocks, before poking her head in. "Can I speak with you for a minute?"

"Should I try and set up standard times for meals? I know things happen, but if everyone knows the round about time food will be ready…" Tara smiles crookedly at the vampire. "Of course it doesn't matter to you."

Angel chuckles quietly. "That's true. Breakfast and lunches there shouldn't be much of a problem with. Most problems happen later in the day and around dinner-time. And let's not forget the middle of the night. So if you want to set times, I don't see a problem with it. If they can't make it, they're on their own."

Tara smiles slightly. "Isn't that the way it normally is?" Looking up, her eyes twinkling, she looks at Angel. "So, what did Lorne see when I sang for him?"

Angel looks at the witch with surprise, then shakes his head actually laughing. "Should have known better."

"I am a witch, Angel. I knew of his abilities when he touched me." Tara leans back against the wall, waiting for an answer.

Angel sighs quietly. "Actually, it seems there isn't anything clear cut. Just that it was definitely the right thing to bring you here and that you were going to be a big help."

Angel feels uncomfortable, and shifts slightly, not used to that feeling. "Honestly. He said there was at least ten different futures that he saw. All depending on your choices."

Tara nods her head quietly. "I don't know what all Buffy told you about me, but I've decided I'm not going to be a door mat any longer. I need to take control of my life, my future. I'm doing it now." Standing up straight, she smiles, to lessen her next statement. "I suggest you ask before doing something like that again."

Turning to walk out of the office, she's stopped by Angel's hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again. And just so you know, I appreciate you." Angel pulls his hands away.

Tara nods her head, smiling. "Thank you, Angel. I'm not one to hold grudges, in case you're worried, at least not over something like this." Looking up at the vampire, Tara grins.

Nodding his head in appreciation of the statement, he watches her walk out across the lobby. "There is definitely more to you than anyone realizes."

Faith growls under her breath as she watches Gunn sitting down by Tara. The last couple weeks, Faith realizes that she's been feeling more and more protective over the woman. And for some reason, Gunn seems to piss her off, as he seems to be around her whenever possible. Faith doesn't even realize that she's doing the same thing. The two women had kind of gotten into a groove, Faith helping Tara out in the kitchen with cooking and setting the table while the rest of the gang took turns cleaning up afterwards.

Tara helps out in the office and with anything they need help with in the magic department, occasionally going out on patrols and helping with the cases and research whenever possible.

Faith watches as Gunn casually drapes his arm around the back of the couch behind Tara. Watching Tara smile slightly at something the man said, makes Faith bounce on her heels before turning around and striding down to the basement and the work out room Fang has set up. Stripping off her top and wearing just a tank top and jeans, Faith starts hitting and kicking the weight bag, thinking about the witch, while sweat starts pouring off her, not realizing she's been working out for an hour straight.

Angel smirks as he watches Gunn sit down by Tara, wondering if the guy was ever going to get a clue that the witch wasn't interested in him. Every time Gunn tries to maneuver things so that Tara and him were alone, Faith usually popped up. Thinking about it, Angel looks around and sure enough, across the room, Faith is standing, silently watching the two. Angel shakes his head at the slayer. Having spent the two hundred plus years watching humans, Angel knows Faith cares for the witch, but for some reason hasn't acted on her feelings. Watching Faith take off, he quietly follows her and watches while she destroys the heavy weight bag, that he had specially reinforced.

"What'cha want?" Faith does a quick spinning kick, splitting the bag open. "Fuck!" She growls out before bending over with her hands on her knees, panting heavily.

"Why don't you take tonight off. Maybe take the convertible and see if anyone wants to go to dinner and a movie with you." Angel suggests as he throws her the keys to his car.

"What?" Faith looks at the keys she caught on automatic, before looking up at the vampire.

"Ask Tara out to dinner and a movie. The group can eat take out." Angel calmly suggests before turning and heading back upstairs.

Faith slowly walks over to a chair and sits down looking at the stairs where Angel had disappeared. Looking back down at the keys in her hand she thinks about what Angel said. "Ask her out on a date?" Faith whispers quietly to the empty room. "Oh, fuck." Faith closes her eyes, finally realizing she was jealous of Gunn because she liked Tara.

Contemplating this new revelation, Faith groans quietly. Is the witch even interested in her? Faith wonders looking down at the keys before taking a deep fortifying breath and standing. "No time like the present to find out." Faith growls out before quickly running up the stairs.

Tara smiles at Gunn as he tells her about his first meeting with Angel. Glancing up she sees Faith watching them from across the room before she spins around on her heels and heads out of the lobby. Tara frowns slightly at the maneuver, wondering what caused it. Seeing Angel silently walk after the slayer, Tara decides he'll probably take care of it.

"So, Tara. I was wondering." Gunn starts quietly, smiling at the witch. "Would you maybe like to go out this Saturday?"

Tara blinks in surprise at Gunn. "Ummm. Charles, I like you. You're a really good guy and sweet." Tara finally realizes that all this time Gunn has been flirting with her and she hadn't even realized. Blushing slightly at her own denseness, she smiles softly. "Charles I like you as a friend. Unfortunately, you aren't quite what I look for in a date." Tara tries to say diplomatically.

Gunn sits there looking stunned at the witch, not believing that because he was black she wasn't interested in dating him. "You didn't come across as having a problem with dating a black man."

Tara's eyes open wide in realization of what he thinks. "Oh, Charles!! I didn't mean it that way. I thought you knew. But then why would you know? I haven't exactly went around telling anyone." When Gunn looks at her with a confused, hurt look, she sighs quietly. "I'm sorry Charles, I should just say it. I'm gay. If I wasn't, trust me I would love to go out on a date with you."

Gunn's eyes open wide in shock. Then blushes, thankful that because of his skin tone, it isn't noticeable. "I'm so sorry, Tara. I didn't realize."

"Charles, it's not your fault. I'm just used to everyone knowing." Tara shrugs, smiling crookedly at him. "Everyone that knew me in Sunnydale knows I'm gay and I honestly didn't even think about it when I came here."

"I feel like an idiot." Gunn starts smiling slightly. "My thinking you weren't interested in me because I'm black and it's because I'm male. I don't know which is worse." He jokes before laughing.

Laughing with him, Tara shakes her head. "I do like you as a friend Charles. And if you ever want to go out as friends, I'd feel privileged."

Gunn nods his head. "I guess friends it is." Standing up he smiles down at the witch. "I better get to sharpening the axes and knives. It's that time of the month again."

Tara smiles as she watches Gunn go to the weapons cabinet and start grabbing out the more used items. Shaking her head and chuckling to herself, she stands looking around the hotel, trying to decide what to do. Heading into the office and grabbing down one of the Magic books, she slowly walks upstairs to her room. Leaving the door open, she moves to one of the chairs she placed by the window, setting the book down on the side table, she opens the window for a breath of fresh air before sitting down to read up on different spells.

Faith stops outside Tara's room, looking in the open door. Quietly watching as the woman pushes a stray hair behind her ear before turning the page of the book she's reading.

Taking a deep breath, she knocks lightly on the door and watches as Tara turns to look. Seeing the smile cross the witches face, Faith feels her heart skip a beat. 'Oh, yeah. I got it bad. How the fuck didn't I notice?' Faith thinks to herself.

Tara turns at the light knock and smiles as she sees Faith standing in the doorway. "Faith, you don't have to knock. Come on in." Tara watches as Faith smiles almost shyly. Tilting her head she watches her walk slowly in the room.

Tara sets the book down on the table and pulls her legs up to tuck under her while she watches Faith walk towards her.

"Umm." Faith shifts from one foot to another, wondering how to ask Tara out. Looking down at her hands she growls lowly.

"Is there something wrong?" Tara questions watching the completely out of character way that Faith is acting. "You can sit, if you want, Faith."

Faith shakes her head and glances up looking into worried blue eyes. Taking a deep breath, she clasps her hands behind her back and holds contact with Tara's eyes. "I was wonderin' if maybe you would like to go out to dinner and a movie tonight."

Tara's eyes widen slightly as she looks into the slayer's scared warm brown eyes. Scared? Tara blinks a couple times before having to ask. "Are you asking as friends or something else?"

Faith swallows and glances down before looking back up. "Somethin' else." She whispers quietly.

Tara feels her heart swell at the obviously worried slayer. Being around the woman, Tara has come to realize she cares for her deeply, but never thought that the slayer would, or possibly even could, return the feelings. She's been taking the time they spent together as friendship and nothing more. Just sending the angry young woman her calming influence.

Realizing that she was starting to go off to her own little world, Tara slides her legs out from under her and gracefully stands up to walk up in front of the slayer, who is now looking down at the floor and mumbling quietly to herself. As she gets closer, she realizes the slayer thinks she might have screwed up their friendship.

Shaking her head slightly, Tara hooks a finger gently under the slayer's chin, urging her to look up. As Faith's soulful brown eyes make contact with hers, Tara smiles gently. "I would love to go out with you tonight."

Faith's eyes widen as the witch's words sink in. "I didn't fuck up?" Faith asks incredulously.

Chuckling quietly, Tara shakes her head. "No, you didn't fuck up, Faith." Gently running a finger down the slayer's cheek, Tara smiles softly as Faith unconsciously presses into the caress.

Faith smiles, feeling relief at the witch's words. "Where would you like to go?" Faith asks huskily watching Tara's blue eyes, seeing the strength that was now so much a part of the woman that was just hinted at when she came here little less than a month ago.

"Anywhere would be wonderful." Tara smiles gently, before frowning. "I better figure out something for dinner quickly."

Faith shakes her head. "They're gonna eat take-out. Fang's orders." Faith smirks.

"He practically ordered me to take you out on a date and threw me the keys to his car. I guess he got tired of watching me stalk you or somethin'." Faith lips twitch up in a half smile.

"I've been wondering if it was coincidence or on purpose that every time Gunn was around, you showed up." Tara raises an eyebrow questioningly at the slayer.

Tara chuckles quietly. "Well, I have actually been asked out today by two people."

"I didn't realize Gunn was hitting on me." Tara laughs self consciously. "Needless to say I don't think you have to worry about him hanging around me much anymore."

"He asked you out." Faith mutters and at Tara's nod she growls lowly, before the rest of what the witch said sinks in. "You told him no?" Faith looks back up surprised.

"Yes. I almost made an idiot out of myself. The way I phrased it made him think it was because he's black." Tara rolls her eyes at her own stupidity.

"You would never turn someone down because of that." Faith shakes her head, knowing the witch would never even think to take that into consideration.

"Thank you." Tara smiles quietly. "But needless to say I explained that I was gay. Now everything's fine."

"You still haven't been to Caritas. I know it isn't necessarily a great place to go for a date, but they do have good food." Faith offers hopefully.

"We could sing Picture it would be a good song to sing." Faith suggests watching as Tara laughs. Reaching up, Faith gently pushes a stray hair off Tara's face.

Tara stops laughing, watching as Faith's eyes darken slightly. Reaching up, Tara runs her thumb over the full bottom lip of the slayer. Allowing herself to wonder what it would be like to kiss those full lips. So many times, she had to make herself stop thinking about kissing the woman. Unconsciously running her tongue over her own lips, she hears Faith groan. Glancing up from where she's been mesmerized by the slayers lips, Tara swallows at the look of pure hunger on the slayer's face.

Faith reaches up and runs her hand through Tara's dark honey blonde hair. Cupping behind her head, Faith gently leans down the short distance to brush her lips over Tara's.

Tara returns the kiss, gently pressing her lips against the slayers before pulling away briefly to look in the slayers eyes before wrapping her arms around the slayers neck and tilting her head going in for a deeper, exploring kiss.

Faith groans and opens her mouth slightly in invitation as she feels Tara's tongue gently run over her lips.

Tara feels her knees weaken slightly as she gently eases into the slayer's mouth, slowly stroking against her tongue before wrapping a hand in the dark tresses, pulling her in for a tighter fit. As Faith takes control of the kiss, Tara groans loudly as she sucks on her tongue. After a few minutes of battling, both women pull gently away, panting. Tara swallows slightly before opening her eyes.

Faith watches silently as Tara finally opens her eyes. Seeing the dark blue eyes staring back at her, Faith growls lowly, before pressing a quick hard kiss against the pillowy soft lips, before pulling away. "I need to take a shower." Faith huskily whispers. "I kinda destroyed Fang's heavy bag earlier."

Tara nods her head slightly before reaching out and pulling the slayer's body in tight against hers, before kissing her again. Tara's tongue searches out it's mate, strongly flicking her tongue against Faith's before mapping out the inside of the slayer's mouth, groaning as she feels Faith run her hands down her back, placing her hands low, pulling her body in tighter against her. Finally pulling away and resting her forehead against Faith's, Tara plays with the hair she finds her hands buried in.

Faith groans quietly at the pressure of the witch's body pressed against hers. "How did we go from talking about Kid Rock to a serious make-out session?" Faith hoarsely gets out.

"Couldn't resist." Tara whispers out. "It's been driving me nuts wondering how your lips would feel pressed against mine."

"Not sure you were interested in me as more than being a friend." Tara breathes out slightly. Pulling back to look in Faith's eyes, Tara smiles sardonically. "You do run hot and cold occasionally."

Rolling her eyes, Faith chuckles quietly. "Probably because I didn't realize I wanted more. Guess that means I owe Fang. Shit." Faith bitches.

Tara chuckles at Faith. "We'll need to get him a new heavy bag at least. Why did you destroy it?" Tara questions, tilting her head slightly.

"I didn't know at the time why, but I now realize I was jealous." Faith mumbles quietly looking down.

"You don't have a reason to be jealous." Tara whispers. Gently cupping the side of the slayer's face, she urges her to look up. Looking in her eyes Tara shakes her head. "I would never give you a reason to be jealous."

Faith smiles gently at the witch before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "Let me go get showered and changed. Did you want to go to Caritas? We don't have to if you would rather go elsewhere." Smiling shyly, Faith whispers. "They have great wings, and they have this sauce that would probably give me an ulcer if I wasn't the slayer."

Tara giggles at the slayer and shakes her head. "Caritas is fine. I wouldn't mind getting cleaned up either." Running her hand down the slayer's cheek, Tara purrs quietly, before leaning in and kissing along Faith's jaw line to nibble up behind her ear. "Taste good." Tara murmurs before sucking the ear lobe in her mouth.

Faith growls deeply at the witches ministrations. "Blondie, unless you want me to throw you on that bed right now, you might want to stop that."

Tara smirks to herself, thinking that probably wouldn't be a bad thing. Finally deciding that it would be best to go a little slower, Tara pulls away and rests her head against the slayer's strong shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she steps back and nods towards the door. "Might want to go now."

"No. And if you don't get out of here, you may be the one thrown on the bed." Tara growls out quietly. Tara realizes that yes, she'd loved Willow. She and Willow had definitely been physically compatible. But there was something about Faith that literally had her wanting to pounce on her. After all this time, the talking and getting to know each other, Tara feels like she knows Faith better than probably anybody else does. Knows that even though neither one of them has talked about it, that she was abused and worse as a child, also.

Faith grins at Tara and glances over at the bed before looking back with a raised eyebrow.

"Go, Faith." Tara narrows her eyes slightly. "I'm having a hard enough time fighting my own desires. Don't make it worse."

Faith's eyes open wide in surprise before realizing that though the witch obviously wanted her, she was wanting to take her time. "'Kay. See you in an hour?" Faith offers backing towards the door watching Tara.

"I'll be ready." Tara agrees quietly, watching Faith. The strong body moving silently and strongly backwards. "Go, Faith, please."

Faith watches as the passion flairs deeper in the witches eyes and inhales deeply at the depth. As the smell of arousal hits her nostrils, Faith groans. Feeling her own body urging her to finish what they started, Faith growls before turning and slamming the door behind her as she heads to her room.

Tara walks to her bed and collapses on it, trying to get her traitorous body under control after Faith left. "Goddess, what is happening to me?" Tara moans, looking up at the ceiling, her body aching to be touched. "I know it's been roughly five months. But I have never known my body to act this way."

Reaching up, Tara runs her hand gently over her breast and moans at the feeling. Shaking her head, she quickly pulls her hand away and stands up to take a shower. "A cold shower is exactly what the doctor ordered." Tara mumbles to herself as she grabs a pair of flare legged jeans and a blue short sleeved button-up shirt out of the closet to wear. Heading into the bathroom, she flips the cold water on before stripping and jumping in, almost crying out as the cold hits her overheated body. "Shut up, body." Tara grumbles, before proceeding to clean herself and get ready for her date.

Faith whistles as she finishes dressing. Smiling at the thought of the witch. "Damn, girl is hot." Faith shakes her head in disbelief. "And can she kiss." Faith growls lowly. "I ain't never gotten that turned on by just kissing someone. Damn."

Looking over at the clock she realizes she's already used up the hour and quickly grabs the keys putting them in her pocket before grabbing the cash that she hasn't used. Not much to spend money on here, except clothes. Faith thinks to herself grinning. Room, board and meals. Can't beat it.

Quickly heading down the hallway to Tara's room, she smoothes a slightly sweaty palm over her newest pair of jeans and double checks to make sure her tank top is tucked in. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she knocks lightly on Tara's door.

Tara hears the light knock on the door and glances at the clock quickly finishing putting on a light layer of lipstick, she opens the door and smiles at the slayer.

Faith bounces on her feet slightly before settling down and quirking her lip at the witch. "Ready?"

"Let me grab my purse." Tara walks over to the dresser grabbing her purse before walking back to the slayer standing in the doorway. Tilting her head slightly, Tara smiles.

Faith smiles back, then realizes she's blocking the door. "Sorry." She whispers before stepping back to let Tara out of her room.

Tara chuckles quietly. "I wouldn't think you would be so…" Tara stops trying to think of the word.

Tara looks at the slayer, shocked. "You've never…" Tara sees Faith shaking her head she sighs quietly. "Well, we are a pair, aren't we?" Tara grins. As Faith's dimples appear, Tara groans under her breath. "Let's head out before I decide to kiss you again."

Faith chuckles before smiling even bigger. "I don't see anything wrong with another kiss."

"The problem is it won't be just one." Tara growls before turning to head down the stairs.

"Hell yeah!" Faith growls out and then groans as Tara pulls her in for a quick passionate kiss before releasing her. Blinking her eyes at the blonde, Faith shakes her head to get her bearings. "Fuck me."

Tara grins and raises an eyebrow. "Soon. Very soon." Before turning around and leaving a stunned slayer standing at the top of the stairs.

"Damn girl. Were you like this before?" Faith asks as she hurries up to catch the witch halfway down the stairs.

"Not so much." Looking with mischievous eyes at the slayer, Tara grins. "I mean there wasn't the quickness that we have happening between us. Before it took time to develop. But never to this degree." Tara smirks slightly before heading out to the main staircase to walk down them, seeing Angel lurking by the front counter, smirking at them.

Angel raises his hands. "I can't help it. It wasn't like you were being quiet or anything." Angel smiles slightly. "So everything is good?"

"Very, very good." Faith smirks before sliding her eyes to the witch, watching her blush slightly.

"Figured as much." Angel chuckles and actually laughs as he watches Tara blush darker.

"That just isn't fair." Tara looks at him with narrowed eyes. "If it wasn't for your help in this matter, I would be thinking very seriously about hiding your blood."

"His help with what?" Cordelia asks coming out from the break room, looking at the witch.

Tara looks at Faith and raises an eyebrow, silently questioning if she wants everyone to know or not.

Faith smirks before wiggling her eyebrows at Cordelia. "Hooking me and the witch up so we can get hot and heavy with each other."

Cordelia's eyes grow wide and she looks from one woman to the other before narrowing her gaze. "Ha ha, funny, Faith."

Tara shrugs her shoulders and grins. "She's actually telling you the truth, more or less, Cordy." Turning to look at Faith she smiles. "Ready?"

"Better believe it. Thanks for the use of the wheels." Faith smiles at Angel, before grinning as she feels Tara lace their fingers together.

Cordelia stands there stunned watching the two women walk out of the hotel before looking back at a silently laughing vampire. "You have got to be kidding me."

Angel shakes his head. "Nope. Those two are hell on wheels now. It's going to be fun to see what kind of mischief they get up to together."

"Tara is. Faith pretty much swings whichever way she wants to, from what I can figure out." Turning serious for a second, Angel looks in Cordelia's eyes. "There's a very good chance that something serious is happening with those two. If you haven't noticed, since Tara came here Faith has been a lot more easy going and not so moody."

Cordelia stops and thinks about it for a moment. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But why?"

"I think Tara's soul calls out to the hurt and angry soul of the slayer, calming it." Angel glances out at the darkening sky. "If I would hazard a guess, I would say Faith could very easily fall in love with Tara. If she knows what love is."

"Damn." Cordelia whispers quietly. "I'm glad someone has a chance at happiness." Cordelia quickly turns on her heel and heads back to the break room.

Angel watches her leave and sighs heavily. "Me, too." Angel agrees quietly before walking into his office and gently shutting the door.

"You are out and out evil." Tara laughs as Faith hops in the seat beside her heading towards Caritas.

"I realize I haven't been irritating her lately. Seemed like a good time to start again." Faith smirks slightly.

"Uh, huh." Tara raises an eyebrow before shifting in the seat so she's partially facing the slayer. Sliding her arm across the seat, Tara gently runs her fingers through Faith's hair, smiling softly.

Faith glances over when she feels Tara's hands in her hair. "What's that smile for?"

"You." Tara tilts her head looking at the slayer. "Do you have any idea how absolutely beautiful you are?"

Faith blushes slightly and shakes her head. "I ain't beautiful." Glancing over making brief eye contact, Faith turns to watch the road again. "Look in the mirror and you'll know what beautiful is."

Pulling into the parking lot, Faith quickly turns the engine off and turns looking at Tara. Lifting her chin gently she looks into the beautiful blue eyes. "You are absolutely gorgeous. Don't ever doubt that."

Looking searchingly into the dark brown eyes, Tara smiles softly. "Only if you believe you're beautiful."

"Hmmm. Only if you want me to be," Tara smirks slightly before leaning in the short distance and kissing her softly. "Now, do you believe?" Tara whispers quietly as she pulls back out of the kiss.

Looking in Tara's eyes, Faith sees the truth looking back at her. Smiling she nods.

Smiling beautifully, Tara runs her hand down the side of Faith's cheek. "What do you do to me?" Tara murmurs quietly before leaning in and brushing her lips over the slayers briefly.

"Whatever it is, I have a feeling you're doin' it to me, too." Faith growls before pulling the witch in for a brief, but deeply passionate kiss. "Let's go in."

Lorne glances up from where he's talking with a Fyral Demon and grins widely. "Oh, my. Sweet cheeks and Faith-y have come to visit. Come, come ladies. I have a booth for you." Lorne quickly ushers the two chuckling women to a booth in the corner.

"So where's the rest of the gang?" Lorne questions as he sits down beside Faith looking from her to Tara and back.

Tara tilts her head watching Lorne, realizing this was something that he hadn't seen. "Lorne, Faith and I are here on a date. This wasn't one of the possibilities you saw?"

"Yes. I let Angel know if he pulled anything like that again, I wouldn't be happy." Tara states seriously.

Lorne nods his head. "I have this feeling that all the possibilities I saw before just went out the window." Grinning slightly he raises an eyebrow. "Is there a chance?"

"Bring over the menu and let me look at it. Then we'll decide." Tara rolls her eyes before grinning. "And bring the real food menu, also please."

Snapping his fingers, Lorne has a waitress instantly at his side. "Get beautiful over here the human menu and the song menu. What would you two like to drink?"

"Cola would be good." Tara smiles before reaching across the table, running a finger down Faith's hand, unable to keep from touching the slayer.

Faith feels her hand tingling from where Tara is running her finger up and down and glances up at the witch. Turning her hand over slowly, Faith gently clasps Tara's hand in hers smiling slightly at the touch.

"Faith-y sweetums. Would you like something to drink?" Lorne watches the tender way the slayer was acting, surprised. Knowing the change is in due mostly to Tara and partly to Faith wanting to change.

"I think she might want some of your killer wings, too." Tara quirks her lips slightly.

"Of course she does." Lorne smiles. "She never leaves here without eating at least four dozen of them." Lorne nods to the waitress, smiling. "Why aren't you two sitting on the same side?" Lorne questions.

Lorne snorts back a laugh. "I have got to get you up on stage. I want to know what's going on with you two, it they'll let me see."

"It's funny how powers only let you see certain things, isn't it?" Tara questions quietly. "Sometimes they show you just enough to make something seem totally different than what it is." Making eye contact with Lorne she shakes her head. "I'm not so sure I would want to know. There's a very good possibility it only shows part and leaves out the most important thing."

"You have a point, sweet cheeks." Lorne smiles slightly before hopping up. "Time to get this party going."

Tara shifts around to see the stage and frowns. "If I promise to keep my lips to myself, is it okay if I sit by you?" Tara turns back, smirking at Faith.

Faith chuckles and nods her head. "You don't have to keep your lips to yourself though."

Tara slides out of the booth and sits down beside Faith, leaving a little distance between them. Glancing up, Tara sees the waitress approaching and smiles as she's handed both menus and the sodas are placed in front of her and Faith. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Faith's wings will be up in a few minutes. Please let me know when you're ready to order." The waitress quickly turns and heads over to another table.

Faith leans closer to Tara, flipping open the food menu. "They have different wings, if you want some. The burgers are good, also."

As Faith looks her way, she sees Tara's deep blue eyes, watching her intently. "Yes?"

"I don't know what's happening between us, but I have this very serious urge to kiss you senseless right now. And I can honestly tell you, I've never felt this way before." Tara breathes the words more than says them. Tara can almost feel her heart reaching for the slayer. Swallowing slightly, she realizes she has fallen deeply in love with this woman, without even realizing it.

Easing her arm around the back of the booth, Faith leans in and in a quiet tones starts talking. "I want you to know me. Everything about me. You may not want to know me after I tell you." Shifting closer, she leans her forehead against Tara's temple. "You've opened up something inside me that I had given up on ever feeling. How do you do that? How can you make me want to talk to you, to want to feel and care?"

"I think you wanted to open up. You want to feel love and be loved, Faith." Tara whispers quietly. "And as for what happened in Sunnydale, I would like to hear your side of things. I only heard W-willow's side." Tara stutters slightly over her ex-lovers name.

Faith hears the stutter, and she frowns. Feeling the anger starting to rise in her at the thought of the redhead. Looking into Tara's blue eyes, Faith promises her. "If she comes here and even thinks about harming you in any way, I'm gonna kill her." Seeing the witch is about to argue with her, Faith growls and shakes her head. "Not open for discussion. She comes here, she better be on her best behavior is all I got to say."

Tara looks into the angry brown eyes of the slayer and realizes there will be no talking the slayer out of her mind set. Frowning slightly, she raises her hand and gently runs a finger between Faith's brows. "Easy, love. She doesn't have any reason to come here. And honestly, she doesn't want me anyway. So she would have no reason to cause me harm." Shifting her hand to cup the slayer's cheek, Tara smiles as she watches the anger bleed from the slayer's eyes. Brushing her thumb gently against the slayer's skin, Tara watches as Faith's eyes shift to look at her lips before looking back up.

"She's stupid." Faith whispers hoarsely. Looking into the deep blue eyes of the witch, Faith can't understand how the redhead could do what she did.

Just then the waitress sets the wings down on the table, along with a basket of bread and stack of napkins, having waited but afraid the wings would get cold. "Sorry for interrupting." She looks apologetically at the two women.

"S'okay." Faith looks up smiling slightly. Looking back at Tara she tilts her head. "Did you see somethin' you liked?"

Tara smirks at the phrasing, before wiggling her eyebrows slightly, making Faith chuckle. Glancing back up at the waitress she smiles "I'll need a few more minutes, if you don't mind."

"No problem, just flag me over when you're ready." She nods to the two women before heading off to check the other tables.

Tara reaches for one of Faith's wings and raises an eyebrow as Faith catches her hand lightly.

"They are extremely hot. You might want to try some other ones." Faith suggests quietly.

"These smell great." Tara smiles slightly. "It shouldn't kill me to try one." As Faith releases her hand and sighs quietly, Tara chuckles to herself.

Faith shakes her head and grabs the bread basket putting it closer to the witch. Faith watches as Tara takes a bite out of the wing, chewing slowly and closing her eyes grinning before quickly finishing it and grabbing another one. Faith blinks in surprise as the witch eats down six of them quickly. "They can't be as hot as normal with the way you're sucking them down." Faith growls pulling her arm from the back of the booth and grabbing a wing to eat and swallows, surprised at the heat, figuring they weren't hot.

Tara chuckles loudly. "Faith, sweetie. I grew up in Texas. These have a bite, but I've had hotter."

"Hope not." Tara's eyes twinkle merrily as she grabs another wing. "Maybe we should ask for some more wings."

"I'm just happy to see you eating without me forcing it on you." Faith quirks her lip up slightly.

Tara narrows her eyes at the slayer. "All those times you insisted on something additional, you were doing it on purpose?"

"Yep." Faith answers and grins unrepentantly at the witch. "You still have weight to gain back, but you're lookin' more…" Faith hesitates eyeing the witch slightly. "Filled out? Still not as curvaceous as you were, if my memory serves me right, but I'm workin' on it."

Tara shakes her head and sighs heavily. Looking for the waitress, she waves and smiles as she heads towards them.

"Did you decide?" She asks grinning slightly. The two women had been so absorbed with each other, that they didn't realize half the clientele had been sneaking peaks at them the whole time.

"Can you bring two more dozen of these wings?" Tara smiles slightly as she grabs another wing.

The woman raises an eyebrow in surprise and nods her head. "I'll put the order in right now. Is there anything else you would like?"

Faith grins "I could use one of your double cheeseburgers with the works and fries."

"Consider it done." The waitress smiles before turning to put the order in with the kitchen.

Faith half closes her eyes watching Tara eat the wings. Unconsciously she runs her tongue over her own lips as she sees the sauce at the edge of the witch's lips.

Tara turns and looks at Faith's half-lidded gaze. Seeing the heat in the eyes, Tara swallows hard. "What?"

Faith move her eyes up to look into the blue gaze and smirks slightly. Debating for a minute, she glances around the bar and realizes they were garnering quite a bit attention between the people and demons in the bar. Snarling slightly, Faith turns her look back to Tara and changing her snarl to a smile, she reaches up with a thumb and gently wipes the sauce away. Smiling she looks at the sauce before sucking her thumb in her mouth, grinning around it.

Tara groans quietly and looks up at the ceiling. "Goddess, save me from this wanton creature that is bent on driving me insane."

Faith chuckles at the witch. "Personally, I think you're trying to drive me insane."

"Maybe we should pay attention to the entertainment for a while." Tara murmurs quietly, dragging her eyes away from Faith. Actually tuning in to the demon singing on stage and winces slightly at the warbling tones. "Or maybe not."

Faith holds back her laughter and reaches for another wing. Silently the two women work their way through the wings and just as they finish, the waitress brings them some more sodas and the wings and burger that were ordered.

Faith looks from her burger that she's about ready to take a bite out of to the witch. Setting it back down on her plate she asks. "Would you like some of my burger?"

Tara looks down at the burger with wide eyes. The thing had to be almost six inches tall. "I don't think I could fit it in my mouth."

"Take it in sections. Would you like some?" Faith grins engagingly at the witch. "Or at least try a bite?"

"Smaller sections, I think." Tara smirks slightly. "Maybe the top half then the bottom half?" Tara suggests.

Faith takes a section and holds it up and grins as Tara gently takes it between her teeth and chews, watching the slayer intently before swallowing. Faith groans quietly and just pushes the plate to the witch. "Feed yourself, this is getting a little too much for me right now."

"We probably should stop with the teasing." Tara murmurs quietly, looking down at the plate before looking into Faith's brown eyes.

"No, not stop. Maybe cut back for now." Faith watches as Tara finishes the other section she had cut for her. As Tara pushes the plate back in front of her, Faith smiles before pushing it down to make it more manageable, picks it up and takes a huge bite out of it.

Tara shakes her head and raises an eyebrow "Why didn't you do that before cutting me a piece?"

Chewing the food in her mouth and quickly swallowing it, Faith mutters. "Not as much fun." Before taking another bite.

Tara looks back upstage and the demon singing and smirks. "What kind of demon is that?"

Faith looks up and shrugs her shoulders. "Don't know, but she's right up your alley."

Faith chuckles quietly glancing back up at the demon that had to have at least six breasts. "At least she sings halfway decently."

"That she does." Tara works on another wing before sighing and pushing the plate towards Faith. "I'm finished." Grabbing up a wet wipe, Tara cleans her hands thoroughly, before picking up the song menu, looking over the songs offered.

Faith watches Tara as she finishes her burger and pushes the plate aside while grabbing the rest of the wings, pulling them closer to her. "Find anything interesting?"

"Depends. Do you want to sing together or separately?" Tara questions flipping the page.

"How about together." Faith gives in and grabs the last wing, quickly finishing it off. Debating with herself to order something else to eat, while wiping her fingers and hands.

"An actual duet song or just sing a song together?" Tara watches Faith roll her eyes and nods her head. "Okay, it doesn't matter. How about old school rock and roll or something brand new?" Getting a frown this time Tara sighs. "Aren't you going to help me out some how or another?"

"Well, he does have Picture on the machine. I was also thinking Every Rose Has a Thorn by Poison, Broken by Seether, Jesse James by Cher." Here Tara looks up grinning.

Shrugging Tara looks back down, trying not to laugh. "Hmmm. Proud Mary…" Tara trails off as she hears a snort come from Faith.

"You know you're cute when you get aggravated?" Tara whispers quietly, flipping the list closed and pushing it to the top of the table.

"The Slayer is not cute. The Slayer is a kick ass bitch. Remember that." Faith growls out.

"Mmmm. Cute, gorgeous, beautiful, hot, sexy, a great kisser and a kick ass bitch." Tara stops and sighs dramatically. "The perfect woman."

Faith blushes slightly before grinning wickedly and leaning in to whisper in the witch's ear. "You're going to need to add spectacular lover to that list." Pulling back, she watches as Tara's eyes darken to a midnight blue. Inhaling deeply, Faith closes her eyes and groans loudly. "Note to self, dark eyes equals extremely turned on witch." Faith mutters quietly, before inhaling deeply again.

"That is so not fair." Tara growls, before quickly standing up and moving to the other side of the table again. "Distance might be a good thing, or we're going to go back to the hotel so I can see how good of a lover you are."

Faith quickly slides out and digs some money out of her pocket throwing it on the table. "Let's go."

Tara chuckles at the immediate response her words caused. "Sit back down, Faith. We'll sing for Lorne then we can leave."

"Oooh. Did I hear the magic word?" Lorne looks from one lady to the other. "I was afraid you two were planning on leaving before treating us."

"Picture by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow." Tara smirks slightly at Faith. Tara watches as Lorne walks up to the stage. Looking at Faith, she grins slightly. "You know this is something that I would never have even considered doing, let alone actually doing it, a short while ago."

"You're stronger, more confident." Faith whispers quietly. "You're becoming the woman you should have been all along."

"Thank you." Tara accepts the compliment, seeing the truth in Faith's eyes. She glances up as she hears Lorne on stage.

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen. It seems we have a special treat for you tonight. We have two lovely young women going to come up here and sing a duet for us. I have a feeling all of you have noticed them by now…" Lorne trails off laughing as quite a few heads turn towards Faith and Tara's table. "And can I just say these two are absolutely scrumptious. But to get on with the singing, here is Faith and Tara."

Tara and Faith look at each other grinning before walking up on stage. "Thanks Lorne." Tara whispers as she accepts one of the mic's from him and watches Faith accept the other one. Tara watches as Lorne smiles encouragingly at them before quickly walking off stage to go stand by the bar, watching them intently.

"Are you ready to do this?" Faith questions quietly, and at Tara's nod she looks over and gives the queue to start the song.

Lorne watches as Faith starts singing. Seeing glimpses of the slayer fighting for the greater good, being a warrior to be reckoned with for many, many years to come with Tara by her side. As Tara starts singing the other part, Lorne reaches for a chair and sits down heavily. "Oh, my." Lorne whispers quietly. Seeing a different future from what he did when the slayer sang. Saw the two fighting and loving side by side. Champions of the PTB. Then another image flashes of Tara being killed and Faith going after the creatures that did it, succeeding on the suicide mission delivering the death blow as she collapses and dies. As they both start singing together, Lorne presses his hands against his eyes and groans as image after image fly by him, hundreds of images, things that happen just because they turned left instead of right, stayed home instead of going out. Simple choices that can make huge differences in their lives. But one re-occurring theme through all the images is that the two are together through it all. Meant to be together, balancing each other, loving each other throughout time. If nothing else, he realizes they are meant to be together.

Lorne finally gives up and just listens as the two women finish singing the song. As everyone in the bar starts clapping and yelling for more, he quickly heads up to the stage.

"Absolutely wonderful." Lorne gushes as he accepts the mics back from the two women before leaning down and kissing each one on the cheek. "You most definitely need to grace us with your presence again, ladies." He smiles before turning and introducing the next singer. Quickly heading off the stage he works his way over to the two women, who are sitting back down quietly talking.

Tara glances up as Lorne sits down. "Are you okay?" She questions seeing the unsettled look about him.

"Yes, I am. But I'll be damned if I'm ever going to try and read your future again." Lorne exclaims waving a waitress over for a drink.

He quickly downs his drink handing the empty glass back to the waitress, before turning and looking at the witch. "The number of possible futures I saw was unbelievable. The only re-occurring theme that was in each and every one of them, was you two are together through it all."

Lorne shakes his head looking at the slayer. "Faith-y sweet-cheeks, I could tell you, but what would be the use? If you decide to use Sure deodorant instead of Secret one day it makes a difference. But the one main thing is you two fighting and loving side by side through it all. You may have thought you knew your soul-mate before." Lorne whispers, turning his gaze towards Tara. "But she wasn't it." He looks towards Faith and grins. "A true soul-mate will do everything within their power to protect you. They will love you as you are and given a choice they will always choose to help you over anything else."

Faith smirks slightly, sending a sidelong glance at Tara. "And do they get turned on at the drop of a hat?"

Lorne giggles, as Tara blushes. "Faith-y, sweety. You have no idea." Lorne grins before standing up, pushing the money on the table at the two women. "Dinner is on me. Any time you two wish to sing, dinner and drinks are on the house." Lorne starts humming under his breath as he walks up on stage.

"He shouldn't have said that." Tara smirks at Faith. "You'll eat him out of business."

"Is that any way to talk to your soul mate?" Faith growls, before chuckling. "Would explain the way I feel, wouldn't it?" Faith comments seriously looking into Tara's blue eyes. "How I want to be beside you every minute of the day? Even before today?"

"How whenever you're near, I smile, and my heart jumps a beat." Tara whispers looking in the beautiful brown eyes of the slayer. "Should we be nice and sing another song or two?"

"He's got this thing in his head for me to sing Bonnie Raitt songs, who the fuck is she anyway?" Faith questions, clearly mystified.

Tara chuckles quietly, then it turns into outright laughter. "How about we come back some other time and we'll sing for him. I'll introduce you to Bonnie Raitt, we'll need to go to a shop and pick up some other CD's that I want, also."

Faith smiles standing up. "Anything you want, babe. There's a music store on the way home that stays open late. And since we got free meals, I feel guilty about our date." Faith winces.

"Don't feel guilty." Tara shakes her head as she stands up, running a hand lightly down the slayers arm. "I had a wonderful time, and I wouldn't have if it wasn't for you." Seeing Faith smile, Tara grins in response. "Let's go check out this music store." Tara turns and waves to Lorne as they head out.

"Okay, I'll give you Queen, Poison, Aerosmith and Motley Crue. Rock and Roll - classics. Good music. But who the hell is Sister Hazel?" Faith grumbles looking at the CD's Tara's putting in their basket.

Tara smirks, grabbing a Bonnie Raitt Greatest Hits CD adding it to the collection. "Oooh. Gotta have this." Tara throws a couple Prince CD's in on top of the Bonnie Raitt.

"Prince?" Faith groans and slumps her shoulders. "You're trying to kill me here, aren't you?"

"What songs do you know by Prince?" Tara questions, working her way down the aisles.

"Little Red Corvette, 1999, Purple Rain, When Doves Cry, You've Got the Look - which he wrote for Sheena Easton." Leaning in close to Faith she whispers. "Some of his early stuff is really funky. Bitch, Dirty Mind and all kinds of songs that are great. Trust me, you'll like more of them than you realize." Tara chuckles before placing a quick kiss on her cheek before pulling away.

Shaking her head, she watches as Tara works her way through the CD's randomly picking them out and occasionally putting one in the basket she's carrying or setting it back down. Tilting her head watching the blonde, Faith smiles softly, watching as she pushes the hair behind her ear before reaching for another CD. Walking up to the blonde, Faith wraps her free arm around her waist and places a quick kiss on her neck.

"Hmmm. Did you find all you were looking for?" Tara questions as she continues browsing, enjoying the slayer's arm wrapped around her waist, leaning into the warm body.

"Yeah, picked up 3 Doors Down, the two Kid Rock CD's that I hadn't picked up yet." Faith murmurs shifting with the witch as she moved down the aisle. "You gonna pick up any softer stuff?"

"Maybe. I wouldn't mind picking up Michelle Branch's Spirit Room to replace my old one." Tara murmurs quietly.

"What happened to the old one?" Faith looks up and grabs down a Rolling Stones CD, grinning before flipping it into the basket.

"Sunnydale." Tara answers with the one word before looking at the basket that's almost over flowing. "Maybe I'll wait. I think we've done enough damage tonight. That's probably a couple hundred dollars on music."

"Probably." Faith agrees grinning, before heading over to the right aisle and grabbing the Michelle Branch CD Tara wants and throwing it in the basket. "Ready, babe?"

"We don't have to get it right now." Tara looks into the basket before looking into brown eyes twinkling happily at her. Unable to resist, Tara closes the distance between them and places a soft kiss on the slayer's lips. "Let's go home." Tara whispers as she pulls back.

"'kay." Faith agrees smiling. Quickly walking up to the checkout counter, Faith digs in her pocket for the money.

"You're not paying for all that, yourself." Tara opens her purse pulling out her wallet watching as the CD's are rung up.

"And you did take me out tonight. But that doesn't mean you have to pay for music that I want." Tara explains.

"My point exactly. So let me pay for half." Tara grins as the slayer frowns, realizing she'd been tricked.

"You're one sneaky damn witch." Faith growls before handing half the money to the clerk as Tara pays the rest.

"What are you wanting to do?" Faith asks as they walk into the hotel. "It's still early."

Tara smirks slightly and sends a sidelong glance at the slayer. "Well, I'm sure there are some things I can think of."

"I want to talk to you first." Faith mutters quietly looking down at her feet as she slowly walks across the lobby.

"Faith." Tara gently places her hand on the slayer's arm, pulling her to a stop. Looking deeply into the dark eyes, Tara smiles softly. "Let's talk, then. Do you want some coffee? We can make some and bring a thermos up to the room."

"Sure. Let's go." Tara smiles before running her hand down the slayer's neck and shoulder till she clasps Faith's hand in hers. "What time is it anyway?" Tara murmurs.

"I wonder what the rest of the gang is up to?" Tara looks around at the empty hotel.

"Queen C is probably home being pampered by her ghost. Fred is probably hiding up in her room. The guys are probably out patrolling, if Queen C didn't get a vision. We don't have any other cases right now." Faith runs down the list smiling slightly.

Tara smirks, as they walk into the kitchen. She gets out the coffee grinder and turns to look at Faith with her head tilted. "Do you want flavored or regular?"

"Hmmm. Depends. You going to join me?" Faith questions, hopping up on the prep table to watch the witch.

"Okay, what would you like to have?" Faith leans back on her palms, swinging her legs watching Tara intently.

"That's definitely a loaded question." Tara looks at Faith raising an eyebrow. "But I personally think Vanilla Hazelnut wouldn't go amiss tonight." Quickly putting the beans in the grinder, Tara smiles as she watches Faith out of the corner of her eye.

Faith quietly watches as Tara makes the coffee. Watching Tara walk towards her after she puts the coffee on to brew, Faith straightens up slightly, seeing the gleam in Tara's eyes.

Walking towards Faith, Tara eyes the slayer, before coming to a halt in front of her. Placing her hands lightly on Faith's knees, Tara glances down before easing them apart so she can snuggle in between the slayer's thighs. Placing her hands behind the slayer's waist, Tara grins slightly. "What are we going to do while the coffees brewing?"

Faith growls before swooping in, capturing the witch's lips in a heated kiss. Wrapping her tongue around the witch's, battling for long moments, Faith groans as she pulls back, panting heavily. As she feels Tara placing small wet kisses down her jaw and neck, Faith arches into the caresses. Running a hand up over the witch's shoulder to bury it in the woman's hair, Faith urges her back up, flicking her tongue against the witches repeatedly, before sucking her tongue gently. Hearing the witch groan, Faith nibbles on the tip before releasing it completely.

Tara pants as Faith finally pulls back. Leaning her head in against the slayer's shoulder, Tara presses her body closer against Faith's. Realizing she has her hands resting against the skin of the slayer's back, Tara groans, flexing her fingers. Hearing the last gurgle of the coffee pot, signaling it was finished brewing, Tara rubs her face against the shoulder she's resting on before nibbling on the skin briefly. Taking a deep breath, Tara pulls away looking into the slayer's dark brown eyes and smiles, running a hand down her cheek and placing a chaste kiss on her swollen lips.

Faith growls as she watches Tara turn and get a thermos out to pour the coffee into. Hopping down from the table, Faith grabs the bag of CD's and the thermos while Tara grabs a couple coffee mugs. The two women silently make their way up to Tara's room.

Tara stops a couple steps inside her room as Faith follows her in. Turning she gently shuts and locks the door before walking over to the bed, setting the coffee cups down on the nightstand. Turning she watches Faith kind of shift from one foot to the other. Tilting her head, Tara smiles softly for a moment. "Why don't you set the bag down on the table and come pour us a cup while I get more comfortable."

"Ummm." Faith's eyes shift from the coffee cups to the bed and nods her head in agreement. "Okay."

Tara smirks as she turns grabbing a sleeveless t-shirt and shorts to put on. Quickly heading to the bathroom, she chuckles as she hears Faith grumbling quietly behind her.

Faith watches the closed door for a moment before taking a deep breath and filling the two mugs with coffee. Setting the thermos down, she quickly unties her boots and slides them off, placing them near the door. Not knowing if the witch was wanting to sit on the bed or move to the chairs, Faith paces silently back and forth. As she hears the door to the bathroom open, she stops and watches as Tara walks out, groaning at the long legs on display, over the hips finally starting to take shape again to the tantalizing breasts and feels her heart beating strongly as she reaches the deep blue eyes, her heart literally skipping a beat.

Tara watches as Faith appraises her body and let's out the breath of air she had unconsciously been holding. Walking slowly towards the bed, Tara sits down, her back against the headboard while crossing her legs watching Faith quietly, for long moments. Reaching over for a mug of coffee, Tara smiles. "Would you like to borrow a pair of shorts?"

Faith looks from Tara's pink tipped toes all the way up the long slightly muscular legs, slight hips, waist, chest and dark honey blonde hair to the classic features. Bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet she glances down at herself and smirks before answering. "No, I think it's better that one of us keeps some kind of barrier between us for now."

"Is my wearing shorts a problem?" Tara questions while sipping the coffee, enjoying watching the rogue slayer.

"Not a problem as much as a distraction." Faith growls quietly striding over to the two chairs and picking one up to place it at the end of the bed before grabbing her cup of coffee. Sitting down and propping her feet up on the bed smiling slightly, Faith sips her coffee.

"If I climb in that bed with you we won't be talkin'" Faith growls roughly. "And we really need to talk before we take this any further."

"Faith.." Tara sighs quietly watching the slayer's body language. "Where do you want to start?"

"I guess the beginning." Faith stands up to pour more coffee in her mug before offering some to Tara and at her nod, she tops her cup off.

"Can you at least shift the chair down here beside me, if you aren't going to sit beside me on the bed?" Tara questions quietly. Watching Faith with a hopeful look in her eye.

Faith turns to appraise the witch for a moment. Grinning slightly she looks to the other side of the bed. "Can you keep your hands to yourself?"

"How about I promise to keep them to non-erogenous zones?" Tara offers a compromise.

Faith chuckles quietly, before repeating. "Can you keep your hands to yourself?"

Tara eyes widen slightly and she laughs. "What about touching your hand? Will I be able to do that?"

Faith considers for a moment, narrowing her eyes slightly trying to see a trap, but gives in and smiles. "Okay." Slowly walking around to the other side of the bed, she climbs in gently so as not to spill her coffee before stretching out beside the witch. Plucking at the comforter for a moment, she smiles sadly as Tara grasps her hand gently.

Tara knows that Faith is having a hard time getting started and as she runs her thumb over the slayer's calloused, weapon roughened hand, she leans her body closer to the slayer. Setting her coffee cup on the nightstand, Tara shifts slightly so she's partially facing Faith. "My earliest memory was my mom teaching me about being a Wicca. A White Witch. How to balance myself, to never take my powers for granted and to never abuse them." Tara smiles at the happy times. Slowly frowning she looks down where she's clasping the slayer's hand. "The memories of my mother are some of the happiest memories of my life. Except for when she died. My second earliest memory is my father beating me black and blue. He said it was to beat the demon out of me, since that's where my magic supposedly came from." Smiling sadly as she feels Faith shift closer and clasp her hand strongly, she shakes her head slightly. "When my brother Donnie was old enough, my father taught him the proper way to beat the demon in me. To beat me. I can't tell you how many times I ended up at the hospital because of bruises, broken bones and one time because of the internal damage I took because they decided that they'd add their feet to the fists they normally beat me with."

Faith growls deeply, quickly setting her cup down before shifting up against the witch, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. "Where are the bastards? I'll fucking teach them to beat on a woman."

Tara sighs heavily, feeling a tear slip down her face. "It's a long time ago, Faith. At least as far as I'm concerned it is. It isn't worth my possibly losing you to go after them." Tara smiles softly as she feels Faith running her hand down her shoulder. "I graduated high school and earned grants and scholarships to go to Sunnydale. I met Willow at an on-campus Wicca meeting." Tara goes on explaining through meeting, falling in love and ultimately leaving the redhead, finishing with coming to L.A.

Faith nods her head while lightly running her hand up and down the witch's back in silent support, thinking heavily. "I'm gonna hafta call B and tell her thanks." Faith mentions sincerely.

"Dawnie's going to be coming to stay for a week here soon. The last time I talked they were discussing her coming in roughly two more weeks, before school starts." Tara smiles slightly. "Buffy said something about having Xander drive her and Dawn up so she can visit for the day before heading back the following day."

"Not exactly." Tara shakes her head slightly glancing at Faith out of the corner of her eye. "Spike will be watching it while she's here."

"I'm not sure." Tara shakes her head remembering the brief conversation with Buffy about Spike, how she cared about him, but was confused because he was a vampire without a soul. "I'd rather not even discuss it. I'm not sure…" Tara trails off frowning slightly.

"That's okay, you don't hafta say anything else." Faith realizes it isn't something that Tara feels comfortable with discussing. Tilting her head to rest against Tara's, she inhales quietly. Thinking of her own life, trying to figure out where to start when she feels Tara shift her head slightly and place a kiss on her cheek.

"Whenever you're comfortable, love." Tara whispers quietly. "If you want to wait, we can wait."

Faith shakes her head before smirking "If I want to get more smoochies, I need to tell you my story."

"I know you say you don't care and it won't make a difference, but I gotta tell you." Faith stops and hugs her before pulling away to stand up and get her coffee cup, walking around the bed to the thermos filling it back up. "Do you want some more?"

"Just a little." Tara watches as Faith pours some more coffee in her cup before pacing back and forth sipping on her coffee. Tara waits patiently for Faith to start. Picking up her cup she takes a sip as she watches the troubled slayer. Knowing she needs the time to get everything straight in her head before telling her, Tara silently waits.

"I never knew who my father was." Faith starts out, pacing slowly across the room, finally having gotten up the nerve to talk about her life. The life she never talked to anyone about before. "My mother was a whore and a drug addict." Faith takes a sip of her coffee, not looking at Tara. "My earliest memories was digging around for enough change to get a bag of chips from the corner store for dinner."

Tara winces in pain for the slayer, but having a gut feeling that this was the least of the problems with her life. Patiently waiting for her to continue, not wanting to interrupt, Tara watches her with loving eyes.

"When I was 13 my mom's johns started noticing me when she brought them home." Faith finishes off the coffee and sets the cup down before she crushes it in remembered pain. "I always tried to stay in my room and not get noticed, but I didn't hear her come in one night and was eating a can of soup that I had been given by one of the tenants that felt sorry for me." Faith stops pacing clenching her hands slightly and looking up at the ceiling. "The john offered my mom twice the amount he was going to pay her for me instead."

Tara inhales, her heart aching for the dark haired woman in front of her. But somehow knowing in her gut that this is what had happened to her.

"When she realized she could get more money out of prostituting me out, that's what she did. After a year of being a whore for my mother, I ran away from home. I lived on the streets stealing what I had to, to survive. Occasionally selling my body if I had to." Faith finally gets up the nerve to look Tara in the eyes, seeing the compassion and love coming from the witch, she feels a sob start to work its way up her throat. "Roughly a year later my watcher found me and took me in. She was more of a mother to me than my own mother ever could have been. Unfortunately right after I was called we ran into Kakistos, a very old, very nasty vampire. He literally ripped her to shreds. She was always going on about Buffy, that if anything should happen, I needed to get to Sunnydale. After I watched what he did to her, I ran. I hopped trains and hitchhiked my way from Boston to Sunnydale."

Tara watches as the tear Faith had been trying to hold back, finally works its way down her cheek. Slowly standing she walks up to the slayer and wraps her arms gently around her waist. Pulling her into a comforting hug, Tara runs her hands up and down her back. Feeling the sobs start to work up and out of the slayer, Tara pulls her into a tight embrace, rocking her back and forth while the slayer finally cries, letting her anguish and hurt start to work its way out.

Faith desperately holds onto the witch as she finally cries, something she can't ever remember doing. Burying her face into the witch's neck, Faith holds on tightly. After long moments, as the tears slowly abate, she continues the story holding onto Tara. "I was trying to be big bad Faith when I came to Sunny D. I shut myself off, didn't really let anyone help me. Buffy tried a few times to get through to me. But she had her gang, and I know I was never a part of the group. The Scoobies were hers and hers alone." Faith shakes her head slightly. "Things started going downhill with Gwendolyn Post that was supposedly my new watcher but was an ex-watcher turned bad, later on the deal with me accidentally staking Deputy Mayor Finch. It really was an accident." Faith stops for a moment realizing that if at that moment, she had actually looked for help, things could have been different, she shakes her head. "Everything went downhill fast after that. I tried to say B staked Finch, almost strangled Xander to death when he tried to help me, then I ended up working for the Mayor. I did actually kill a guy for him. He helped Wilky with his plans for Ascension. I held Red captive at knife point when she and the rest of the group came to the Mayor's office. Well, needless to say I poisoned Angel, B came after me when she found the cure was to drain a slayer of blood, we fought on the rooftop. She stabbed me I really more or less jumped off the roof and was in a coma for the next 8 months. When I came to, I realized B and the gang had stopped the Ascension and killed Wilky, but he left me a present, which of course you know about." Faith stops here loosening her grip on the witch before pulling away. "If you hate me and want me to go, I will." She murmurs quietly looking at the soft features of the blonde, afraid to look in her eyes. "Before you answer, I do want you to realize I was a hateful fuckin' bitch. I've changed, and if I could take back what I did I would in a heartbeat. But one thing I really, truly regret now is the fact that you, a woman that didn't even know who I was at the time, can even consider having some kind of future with me when I treated you so badly in the one meeting you had with me. You haven't said one thing about that to me. I really truly am sorry for that, it was just plain out and out cruel. No reason for it." Faith stops inhaling deeply, looking down.

"Oh, Faith." Tara whispers pulling the woman in and placing a kiss on her forehead. Finally understanding the depth of the hurt that was caused to this woman. Never having anyone love or care for her, made her naturally shy away from it when it was being offered. Thankful that their souls, that reached out for each other, was allowing her to open up so she can become the loving woman Tara knows she can be.

"You know the rest that happened in Sunny D. When I came here Wolfram & Hart recruited me to kill Angel. I couldn't do it. I actually tried to get him to put me out my misery, but he wouldn't. B showed up, the Watcher's Council goons showed up again trying to kill me." Here Faith chuckles quietly. "B actually saved my life that day. I turned myself in to the police confessed the murders. But for some reason there wasn't anything for them to go by except my confession, so I was eventually released. I've been here ever since." Faith finally finishes. Pulling away she finally gets up the nerve to look into Tara's blue eyes. "So, do I need to leave?" She whispers quietly.

Tara shakes her head and reaches up with both hands, placing them gently on the slayer's face. "Never." She whispers before leaning in and gently kissing the woman. Pulling back she watches a soft smile cross the slayer's face and her eyes lose some of the haunted look in them. "Would you like to stay here, with me?" Tara offers watching the emotions crossing the beautiful woman's face.

"Maybe just for tonight. But I won't say no to some serious smoochie action first." Tara smiles at the slayer. "Do you want shorts now?"

Faith chuckles quietly. "Yeah, shorts would be good, I can wear my tank top." Faith eyes the witch for a few moments as she slowly walks over to the dresser pulling out a pair of shorts. "But, just to let you know…" Faith trails off watching as Tara turns to look at her, feeling the urge to go and kiss the woman, Faith hesitates a moment before quickly striding over to her and placing a firm kiss on her lips.

As Faith pulls back, Tara blinks a couple times to remember what the woman was saying before the kiss. "Let me know what?" Tara asks huskily.

Licking her lips at the thought of the slayer naked, Tara shakes her head before grinning and replying. "Good."

Chuckling Faith eases the shorts out of the woman's hands and kisses her quickly on the cheek. "Thank you."

Tara watches as Faith walks into the bathroom, pushing the door gently to. Quickly turning on one of the bedside lamps, Tara walks over and turns the overhead light off before moving the coffee cups and thermos over to the small table. Hearing the door open, she watches as Faith walks out and growls at the strong, muscular body walking towards her. Looking up the muscular calves and thighs to the slight hips and tight stomach across the full breasts and bow shaped mouth, Tara feels her heartbeat pick up and her body tighten in appreciation.

Faith watches as the witch's eyes roam slowly up her body, feeling her own body react to the obvious appraisal. Watching as her eyes stop at her mouth, Faith quirks her lips slightly. "Maybe it's not a good idea me stayin' here tonight."

Tara glances up finally making eye contact with the slayer and shakes her head. "I think it's a wonderful idea." Slowly walking towards the slayer, Tara smiles softly. "Do you want to go back to your room?"

Faith shakes her head almost vehemently. "No. I would much rather be where you are."

"Good decision." Tara murmurs as she stops in front of the slayer. Looking in the slayer's warm brown eyes, Tara reaches up and runs her hand over her cheek before threading her fingers in the woman's hair. Leaning up the short distance she brushes her lips over the bow-shaped lips of the slayer. Easing the other hand up over the slayer's arm and shoulder to cup behind her neck, Tara tilts her head before pressing more firmly against the lips in front of her and groans as she feels them part. Eagerly accepting the invitation, Tara slips her tongue in to reacquaint it with the dark slayer's mouth. Slowly wrapping her tongue around the slayer's, Tara eases in closer to the strong body standing in front of her before sliding the hand cupping her neck over her shoulder and down her waist to grip strongly and pulling her in tighter.

Faith groans into the kiss as she feels Tara's hand easing down her body and pulling her in more snugly against the witch. Running her own hands down the witch's side to slide around and cup her butt, Faith slides a thigh between the woman's legs and pulls her tight against her.

Slowly pulling out of the kiss, Tara starts kissing her way across the slayer's jaw to her ear, sucking gently on the lobe before nipping it lightly. Smiling to herself as she hear's Faith groan and push her body against hers, Tara starts working down the slayer's neck, stopping and sucking on the slayer's pulse point. Moving both hands down to the slayer's waist, Tara slides them under her shirt and runs them up the slayer's warm muscular back, groaning as she feels it flinch and contract under her nails.

Faith growls and tilts her head more, giving the witch better access before shifting one of her hands up and playing with the waist band of the shorts, slowly edging her fingers under the band and caressing the flesh beneath.

Tara inhales and buries her head in the slayer's neck, pushing against the hand caressing her ass. Running her hands further up the slayer's back, she works her thumbs to the side of the slayer's breasts and strokes gently over the velvety hot flesh.

Faith moans at the thumbs gently caressing the sides of her breasts. Easing her other hand under Tara's shorts, she gently kneads both ass cheeks while pulling the witch firmly against her and grinding her body slowly down on the witch's thigh. Leaning down and kissing the woman on the neck, Faith arches up into the hands that slowly edged there way to cup her breasts and run strong thumbs over her aching nipples. "God, Tara!" Faith hoarsely calls out, feeling the pleasure shooting through her whole body at the touch.

Tara pulls a couple inches away to look at the flushed, body of the slayer. Unable to resist, she pushes the shirt up uncovering the slayer's breasts and leans down running her tongue around one hard nipple while lightly pinching the other one with her thumb and finger.

Faith feels her heart stall at the caresses of the witch, feeling the connection shoot straight to her center, feeling it ache and swell in need. Finally after swallowing a few times, Faith growls hoarsely. "I thought you wanted to take things slow."

"Changed my mind." Tara mumbles against the breast she's licking, before sucking it in strongly and flicking the tip of her tongue over the rock hard nipple. Closing her teeth gently around the nipple and tugging, Tara lets it pop out of her mouth before quickly reaching back up and attacking Faith's lips.

As Tara pulls away after thoroughly kissing her, Faith growls deep and low. "Are you sure?" At Tara's nod in between nips down her neck, Faith shifts her hands and quickly picks the witch up striding the short distance to the bed and kneeling on it to gently lay the woman in the center. Pulling back, Faith looks at the hungry gaze directed at her and closes her eyes as she feels the desire oozing from her and takes a deep steadying breath in through her nostrils and almost attacks the witch at the smell of arousal permeating the room. "Damn! You don't know just how close you are to being attacked, wench." Faith growls, stripping her top over her head before pushing the shorts quickly down her legs and crawling across the bed looking into dark blue, passion filled eyes.

Tara groans quietly as she watches the firm full breasts come into view before Faith quickly strips off her shorts, showing the neatly trimmed strip of hair, with the obvious desire glistening on the swollen lips and down the thighs. Watching Faith prowl towards her across the bed, Tara smirks. Slowly raising her hands she pulls her t-shirt off and groans as Faith quickly reaches out and grasps one breast in her hand while leaning down and sucking roughly on the other one. Reaching up and pulling Faith in even tighter against her, Tara arches up into the slayer's mouth. Running a hand down her back to her ass, urging the slayer over her.

Faith shifts her body before pulling her mouth away from the witch's breast. Looking up into the dark blue, almost black eyes of the witch she quirks a lip slightly. "Someone is a little more dressed than I would like them to be."

Tara watches Faith's lips as she talks, taking a moment to catch up to what the slayer is saying before making eye contact and raising an eyebrow. "Well then you better do something about it, hadn't you?"

Faith's eyes flare with passion looking searchingly into the witch's eyes. "If I go anywhere near that area I won't be coming back up for a very, very long time." She huskily states watching as the witch's breath catches and her eyes get impossibly darker.

"That won't do." Tara huskily gets out before burying both hands in Faith's hair, pulling her down for an intensely passionate kiss. Groaning as she feels Faith ease her body between her thighs, Tara shifts her legs wider open giving the woman room and jerks up as Faith presses her body down into her. "Oh, Goddess!" Tara groans out as she presses up into the slayer, rotating her hips and closing her eyes at the intense pleasure she's receiving just from this simple movement.

Faith growls and buries her face in the witches neck, pressing back against the witch. "Fuck me." Faith groans as she feels the orgasm working through her body quicker than ever before in her life.

Tara can tell Faith is already on the edge and gently slides a hand between their bodies on the next rotation. Tara closes her eyes at the slickness of the slayer and quickly presses two fingers inside her and starts a quick-paced stroking, grunting as her own knuckles come in contact with her clit through the shorts. Settling her thumb in just the right spot and setting up a steady pressured rub against the slayer's clit, gasping as she feels the slayer clench down on her fingers. Feeling the flood of wetness soak her hand and Faith screaming out her name in her neck, Tara arches up grinding herself against her own knuckles as she climaxes.

Pushing her hips down against the witch hard, burying her fingers deep inside her, Faith groans quietly. Trying to catch her breath, her eyes pop open wide as she feels Tara's fingers shift inside her, rubbing in a gentle but firm circular motion over the muscle inside her. "God!" Faith moans, her hips working with the witch's fingers, feeling the slow build up as Tara gradually brings her body to a quivering, shaking mass of need. "Tara." Whimpering into the witch, her hips shifting in a more exaggerated circle, Faith pants heavily before biting down on the witch's shoulder as her body releases, soaking the witch.

Tara places kisses across the strong shoulder as she slows the motion of her hand down as the tremors work through the slayer's body. Feeling the tremors slow, Tara eases her fingers out of the slayer and slowly shifts it out from between their bodies and wraps her arms around the woman, hugging her tightly. Licking slowly up the slayer's neck, Tara groans in pleasure at the slightly spicy taste of the woman as she laps up the thin layer of sweat.

Finally getting enough breath to speak, Faith quietly moans. "To heavy, need to move."

"You're fine." Tara shakes her head slightly, tightening her arms around the slayer to hold her in place. Running one hand up to thread through the slayer's hair and one stroking down to the slayers hip, playing gently over the skin there.

Shifting her body slightly, easing one leg over the witch and sliding her body so that it's only partially laying across her, Faith inhales as her body shifts inside, sending another bolt of pleasure through her. "My God, what did you do to me woman?"

"And how." Faith whispers before leaning over placing a kiss on the shoulder she had bitten, feeling bad as she sees the teeth marks in the fair skin. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Tara opens her eyes turning to look at the slayer. Frowning slightly as she sees the worried look on the slayer's face, she reaches up and runs her hand gently down her cheek. "What's wrong, love?"

"I bit you." Faith growls out, running her fingers lightly over the reddened flesh.

"Hmmm. Didn't notice." Tara hums quietly as Faith strokes her fingers over her body. "My attentions must have been elsewhere at the time." Tara smirks, watching Faith.

Faith looks from the impression on the woman's skin up to the smirking countenance and frowns slightly. "It had to hurt." Faith growls quietly.

Tara chuckles stroking her hand through the woman's hair. "Faith, with everything I went through with my life? You could have drew blood when you bit and it wouldn't have hurt that much."

"Damn it, Tara!" Faith growls harshly, pulling away from the stroking hands. "I could have seriously hurt you. I don't ever want to be the one to cause you pain."

"Oh, Faith." Tara whispers quietly. "It's okay, really it is. You didn't hurt me. You couldn't hurt me." Tara tugs Faith down and pulls her close. "Come now, love. You're fine. My pain tolerance became quite high with the life I had. I honestly didn't even feel you bite me."

"You didn't feel that?" Faith shifts, still keeping contact with the witch, but running her hand once again over the reddened flesh, still feeling bad.

"Maybe the pressure more than anything, but it didn't hurt." Tara smiles softly as she watches the relief cross Faith's face, before anger comes quickly chasing it away. "What's wrong?"

"The shit you went through, I could really rip your family to shreds for what they put you through." Faith snarls, feeling the pain of not being able to help the woman, making her all the angrier.

"Faith, honey." Tara reaches up to run a hand between the slayer's scowling eyes, sending her love and calming influence to the woman. Smiling softly as the anger slowly fades from her eyes and face. "If my life had been different, there would be a very good chance we would have never met. So, the way I look at it, I should send the two bastards a thank you note." Tara smiles crookedly at the slayer.

"Yeah, and let me deliver the fuckin' thing." Faith growls before slowly smiling at the witch. Shifting her body to more lay beside the woman, Faith slowly starts running her fingers over the witches chest and stomach, caressing her gently before chuckling.

"Hmmm." Tara hums in pleasure at the soft caresses, her eyes closed. "What're you laughing about?" She questions quietly, arching up into Faith's hand as she lightly scrapes her fingernails over her stomach.

"The fact you're still overdressed." Faith smirks watching the emotions crossing the witch's face, seeing the love and tenderness, the pleasure and the want.

Tara quirks her lip up slightly and whispers quietly. "What are you going to do about it?"

Faith stops her caressing for a moment watching Tara closely before asking. "Is there anything that you don't like?"

Tara opens her eyes to look into Faith's serious brown ones. "Anything I don't like, as in when I make love, have sex, do the nasty, get vertical…" Tara laughs into the slayers mouth that cut short her descriptions.

Faith growls quietly as she pulls out of the kiss. "Yeah that was what I was asking." Faith smirks momentarily before eyeing the witch up and down. "Do you like to be touched, caressed, kissed, licked, sucked on, fingers inserted into various body…" This time Faith chuckles into the mouth stopping her narrative.

Tara shakes her head slightly as she pulls back away from the slayer before capturing the slayer's bottom lip and suckling on it gently for a few long moments before releasing it and smiling. "How about I just say I'm open to suggestions?" Tara smiles seeing the slayer's eyes darken immediately.

"So pretty much anything will be a go?" Faith huskily asks and at Tara's nod groans and closes her eyes. "Doing or being done to?" Faith questions opening her eyes.

Faith leans in and kisses the witch gently but thoroughly before shifting her body up over Tara and slowly kissing her way down her neck, smiling as she hears the witch purr into the caresses. Growling loudly as she feels Tara grasp her head firmly as she sucks down on a nipple while flicking the other one with her thumb nail. Capturing the nipple between her teeth, Faith nibbles gently before licking strongly over the breast to the other one, treating it similarly. Feeling Tara arch her hips and rotate them in the air, Faith quickly shifts her body down, kneeling beside the witch's hips grasping the shorts looking up at the woman's eyes. "You want this?" Faith hoarsely asks and at Tara's nod and darkening eyes, she groans and slides the shorts down the long silky legs. Sliding the shorts completely off the witch, she slides the legs apart as she slowly eases up kissing the pale legs on either side of her as she slowly works her way up to the woman's thighs, seeing the fluid glistening tantalizingly. Inhaling deeply of the witch's earthy arousal, Faith reaches out with a shaking hand, slowly stroking her fingers gently up and over the witch, tickling her fingertips over the closely trimmed mound before kissing the thigh to her left. Gently lapping up the fluid beneath her mouth, Faith closes her eyes and groans at the rich flavor before quickly licking up all fluid on both thighs.

Tara squirms as Faith licks both thighs, feeling the blood pounding in her center, aching to be stroked. "Faith, please!" Tara cries out almost silently.

Faith comes out of her self induced trance of gently licking up the witch's thighs and stroking her fingers over the short hairs of Tara's mound to realize the witch has been rocking her hips looking for relief, while grasping the comforter on either side of her in a death grip, "I'm sorry." Faith whispers before easing two fingers quickly but gently into the witch's needy center before sliding up the short distance to quickly flick her tongue over the witch's swollen clit. Slowly sliding in and out of the witch, Faith drags her tongue up and over the swollen clit repeatedly until she feels it starting to spasm and then sucks it gently into her mouth, setting up a steady suction while picking up the speed of her fingers, curling one up slightly to rub over the inner muscle to give the witch the most pleasure possible.

"Oh, Goddess!" Tara screams out loudly as she feels her body start shaking at the pleasure coursing through her from the slayer's caresses. Grasping the slayer's head with both hands, Tara arches up as she feels her body explode in a shower of lights. Long moments later, Tara collapses back on the bed almost passing out from the pleasure.

Faith quickly starts lapping up the juices flooding from the witch, having a hard time trying to keep up and finally gives in to the inevitable that she can't. Smiling softly as she hears the hard fast pants of the witch slowly ease and the hands that were clasped almost in a punishing grip in her hair slowly relax. As the witch releases her death grip on the fingers inside her, Faith slowly eases them out and places gentle kisses over the witch's swollen sex before slowly working her way up placing alternating kisses and light nibbles along the witch's stomach up over her breasts, sucking for a moment on the tender skin where it meets the ribs, leaving a bright red mark before working up along the witch's neck to place a gentle kiss on her lips. Smiling at the extremely sated look the witch is wearing, Faith shifts to lay beside her, pressing her body softly into the witch's side before glancing up at the clock and chuckling quietly before burying her face in Tara's neck.

Taking a few more moments to get her breath back, Tara finally questions the slayer. "What are you laughing at?"

Gently running her fingertips over the witch's breast in a soothing caress Faith smiles softly. "The fact that we need to be downstairs to start breakfast in roughly an hour."

Glancing quickly at the clock and seeing the slayer is speaking the truth, Tara flops her head back on the pillow growling quietly. "You know what?" Tara questions.

"What?" Faith asks stroking her hand down the witch's ribcage to gently play over her stomach.

"It was so worth it." Tara smirks. "I guess a shower wouldn't go amiss before going downstairs to start breakfast, huh?"

"That would probably be a good thing." Faith agrees quietly, continuing to stroke the witch's body. "You know I've never spent the night with anyone before?"

"Hopefully you'll want to spend the night from now on." Tara offers feeling a shot of sadness shoot through her for this woman that so deserved to be cared for and loved.

"No regrets?" Faith questions watching the woman that has become her life in such a short time.

"Never." Tara smiles softly, running her hand down the slayer's cheek before shifting her body to press it against Faith's kissing her gently. "I would gladly spend the rest of my life loving you."

Faith chuckles and raises an eyebrow looking at the witch with an absolutely wicked grin on her face. "Do you think they would bring us food if we decided to stay in the room from now on?"

"Probably not." Tara laughs before giving her another quick kiss and slowly easing out of the bed. "I guess it's shower time." Walking over to her dresser she quickly grabs out underwear and a t-shirt before going to the wardrobe and pulling out a pair of jeans, smiling slightly as she feels the slayer's strong arms wrap around her waist. Leaning back into the hug, she purrs quietly at the strong fingers stroking her stomach.

"You sound like a cat when you purr like that." Faith murmurs before kissing her neck. "And I should probably head back to my room, since that's where my clothes are."

"You know that can be remedied, don't you?" Tara shifts her head to give the slayer free reign over the area she's attracted to.

"Mmmm, how is that?" Faith questions nipping lightly on the witch's shoulder while bringing her hands up to cup her breasts, running her rough thumbs over the nipples, smirking slightly at hearing the sharp intake of air from the witch.

"I'll give you forever to stop that." Tara groans out at the caresses before shaking her head slightly and dropping her clothes on the floor, pressing the slayer's hands against her breasts to stop the caresses. "But we need to shower and get downstairs to fix breakfast."

"I can yell out the door for them to go get donuts for breakfast?" Faith offers seriously.

Tara chuckles as she turns in the slayers embrace and wraps her arms around her neck. "After them eating take-out last night, you want them to eat donuts for breakfast?"

"Sure, why not?" Faith smirks before tilting her head slightly looking at the laughing blue eyes. "Now you said something about a remedy for my clothes?"

Tara blushes slightly and shifts from one hip to the other before looking into the slayer's brown eyes. "If you want, no pressure. But if you would like to maybe share a room?" Tara offers quietly.

Faith stops and blinks momentarily before smiling. "You want to share a room with me?"

"Faith, don't take this the wrong way, but that is about the stupidest question I have ever heard." Tara rolls her eyes at the slayer.

Faith chuckles loudly and pulls her in close. "Okay, it was a stupid question. Help me move after breakfast?"

"Better believe it." Tara growls out before placing a quick firm kiss on the slayer's lips before easing out of the embrace, picking up her clothes and heading towards the bathroom. "Meet you downstairs?"

"Oh, yeah." Faith nods her head watching the blonde walk into the bathroom, having the urge to follow her and help her with her shower. Smirking slightly taking a step towards the bathroom, Faith growls and glances around grabbing her jeans and shirt, quickly pulling them on before shoving her bra and panties in her pockets and heading to her room.

"So scrambled eggs, sausage and toast with a side order of pancakes for breakfast." Tara rattles off as she turns the sausage and flips another pancake onto the platter.

"Don't sound bad." Faith murmurs, watching Tara as she halfway pays attention to the buttering of the toast and throwing a few more slices into the toaster.

"You need to eat real food, Faith." Tara blushes before pouring more pancake batter in the skillet.

"Maybe. But I'm liking the idea of throwing the food on the table and carrying your ass back upstairs." Faith eases towards the witch before wrapping her arms around her waist and nibbling on her neck. "Throw you on the bed, rip your clothes off and have my wicked way with you."

Tara groans quietly and pushes back against the slayer's body. "I'm the wicked one, remember?" Tara murmurs before shifting around and pulling the slayer in for a heated kiss. "Go finish the toast." Tara whispers quietly before turning and flipping the pancakes in the skillet frowning as they were slightly browner than she liked.

"I'll eat 'em." Faith sees the look on the witch's face before chuckling and heading over to the toaster.

Tara smiles in appreciation at the slayer. Quickly finishing the breakfast and putting everything on big plates, she grabs two and puts them on the table before heading back to the kitchen watching as Faith grabs plates and silverware to set the table. Smiling slightly at the coffee pot that's almost empty, Tara pours what's left in a thermos and brews a fresh pot.

As the two work together to finish setting the table, Faith makes sure she has Tara's coffee cup and juice sitting beside her normal seat. "And I'll rip off anyone's arms that fuckin' moves them." Faith growls to herself as she watches the group come wandering in. Watching as Tara brings out a mug of blood for Angel, Faith smirks.

Angel's lips quirk up slightly as he looks from one woman to the other before raising an eyebrow at the slayer. "Good night?"

Faith smirks at the vampire and Tara blushes lightly looking down at her plate that now has three pancakes and four sausages on it. Turning and frowning at the slayer she points down to the food. "Did you do that?"

Angel snorts back a laugh. "Yeah, especially since it seems some people didn't get any sleep last night."

Tara's eyes open wide and she looks at the smirking vampire before she blushes a deep red. "That is so not fair." She whispers quietly.

"Who didn't get any sleep last night?" Wesley questions grabbing a couple sausage links, eggs and toast.

Cordelia is quietly watching the interaction between the two women, how Faith had quickly filled the witch's plate and filled her glass with orange juice. Shaking her head, not believing this is the same pain in the ass woman that had lived with them for over a year. "I don't know for sure, but I would assume Faith and Tara." Cordelia comments, grabbing a couple pancakes and the orange juice.

Wes looks up confused. Glancing at the other people at the table he sees an obviously smirking vampire and slayer, a blushing witch, Cordy just calmly eating her breakfast, Fred who isn't looking or saying anything and Gunn, who looks as if he's been hit by a two by four. "Okay, what am I missing?"

Faith starts to open her mouth, but Cordelia beats her to it, stating. "Seems Faith and Tara are a couple." Cordy raises an eyebrow slightly at the slayer.

"It could be put that way." Faith smirks, glancing towards Tara. "Seems we totally fucked with Lorne's visions last night, though."

Tara at first blushes then laughs quietly. "He said something about not ever trying to read our futures again."

"Just the fact that there were too many futures that every decision we made changed the outcome. But the only thing that was a constant through them all was that we were together." Tara explains quietly, glancing up at the other people at the table. Seeing Cordy not really having any reaction, just eating her breakfast while Gunn keeps looking between her and Faith, Wesley almost looking like he was going to pass out, to a slightly smiling Fred.

Faith grins broadly. "Oh, don't forget the little matter of soul-mates, babe." She wiggles her eyebrows slightly before running her hand down Tara's thigh. "Seems that might have somethin' to do with it also."

"Really?" Angel questions looking from one woman to the other and seeing them both nod and smile, he starts laughing quietly. "Do I need to order lunch in for this crew so you can get some sleep?" He stops, frowning for a moment, before catching their eyes. "And maybe we should move you to a different section of the hotel."

Faith snorts back a laugh and as she sees the confused look on Tara's face she leans in and whispers in the witch's ear. "I think he's tryin' to say we're a little noisy."

Tara looks up at a smirking vampire and smacks him on the arm. "It isn't nice listening in."

"Couldn't help it." Angel grins while unconsciously rubbing over the spot where the witch hit him.

"It's the truth. You did make me scream." Faith mumbles quietly, before deciding to behave.

Gunn shakes his head in disbelief before chuckling quietly. "I should have figgered something was up."

"We're cool." Gunn nods his head looking at the two women before grinning. "I didn't have the right equipment no how."

Tara blushes and quickly finishes her breakfast before heading into the kitchen with her dirty dishes.

"I think you two make a great looking couple." Fred explains quietly as she follows Tara in with her own dirty dishes.

"Thank you, Fred." Tara smiles softly at the woman. "I was thinking about seeing if Faith wanted to go for a walk after breakfast, would you like to join us?" Tara thinks about the past month, and the fact that Fred was slowly becoming more friendly and interactive with everyone, but still shied away from going out in public. "You couldn't have much better body guards than a slayer and a witch?"

"Come on, Freddy. Keep us out of trouble." Faith walks forward from where she had been standing by the doorway to the kitchen. "We'll stop at that taco stand you like. Sit out in the sun and enjoy the morning."

Tara smiles appreciatively at the slayer. "I think that sounds like a wonderful idea. What do you say, Fred?"

Tara and Faith watch the woman leave the room. Tara turns to Faith and gently walks up to stand in front of her, wrapping her arms around the slightly taller brunettes neck. "You're wonderful."

"Nah. She just needs to get back out there with people. She can't be spendin' the rest of her life living in this place." Faith smiles at Tara while wrapping her arms around her waist, pulling her in snugly against her. "And I know you have this sense of always wanting to help everyone out. Look at me." Faith grins before leaning down and kissing the witch gently.

"Okay guys. None of that. The rest of us people that aren't getting any don't need to be reminded of what we're missing." Cordelia grumps as she comes into the kitchen.

Tara pulls out of the kiss before grinning wickedly. "Well, I would think Angel would be more than willing to kiss you whenever you wanted."

Cordelia looks up in surprised shock. "NO. No kissing or anything else is allowed for Angel. He's not allowed to get his happys."

"You didn't hear all about the perfect night of happiness with Buffy and him turning into Angelus killing dozens of people?" Cordelia asks stunned.

"Well, yes. But I'm pretty sure his soul is anchored now." Tara looks up seeing Angel standing in the doorway. "If you like, I could do a spell to check and see. If not, I'm sure there's something to make it so it doesn't leave again."

"I can swear when I look at you Angel, I see your soul without any weakness' in it. Usually curses that have clauses in them there's a weakness, that will unravel, for lack of a better word, when the clause has been activated." Tara explains quietly, hoping they understand what she's trying to say.

"But Willow used the Romanii curse to re-soul me. It would have used the same clause, wouldn't it?" Angel questions not wanting to believe that it could be true.

"Not necessarily, Angel." Tara shakes her head. "A lot of curses have to do with intent when it's placed. If she didn't intend to put the clause in it, it won't be there. She just wanted you to be re-souled if I remember what they told me about that time."

"Is there some way you can check, to make sure?" Angel questions quietly feeling a surge of hope working through him at the thought, glancing quickly towards Cordelia, seeing a slight glimmer of hope on her face.

"I think I remember reading a spell in one of the books. I'll research it and let you know, if you want." Tara offers tilting her head slightly. "If it's okay, I'll actually delve deeper into your aura, if you would like. I only usually get the surface readings off people. I can't block that out completely. But I don't like to read any deeper unless I have a very good reason."

"Would this afternoon be okay? I kind of already talked Fred into going out on a walk with Faith and I." Tara looks apologetically at the vampire.

Chuckling quietly, Angel shakes his head. "It's waited all these years, Tara. A few more hours isn't going to hurt."

Angel and Cordy watch as the two women quickly leave the kitchen and Angel turns to look intently at Cordy. When the door to the kitchen opens with Wes and Gunn bringing the rest of the dirty dishes in, Angel speaks up. "Guys, Cordy and I'll do clean up."

The two men glance at each other and nod. "See you later Angel." Gunn grunts out and leaves, quickly followed by Wesley.

Cordy walks over to the sink, quickly running water to wash the dishes in while thinking about what Tara said. Not daring to look at Angel, she slowly starts washing the dishes watching in surprise as Angel grabs a towel and starts drying and stacking them on the prep table.

"Angel, I want to make sure what she says is right before I even consider the possibility." Cordelia glances at the vampire as she starts scrubbing the silverware and skillets. "I don't want to get my hopes up."

Angel nods before turning to look more at the woman. "Fair enough." Angel smirks slightly. "So Tara seemed to pick up on the fact that there could be something between us."

"Damn witch." Cordy smiles slightly. "You know until you mentioned it yesterday, I didn't realize that Faith hadn't been her usual bitchy self lately. How'd she do it?"

"Tame the wild child." Cordelia finishes the dishes and starts wiping down the stove.

"From what I can figure, she was just talking to Faith. Being around her and being friendly. Tara has the natural calming influence and with the soul-mate thing going on it actually ties them together and probably helps calm Faith." Angel frowns slightly, then starts chuckling. "And that probably means she's given Tara some of her attitude. Definitely interesting times ahead."

"Oh, God. That's all we need, two Faith's in the place." Cordelia groans, before smirking slightly. "Even though it would be good for Tara. She seems almost too easy going most of the time."

Angel chuckles and shakes his head. "Sorry she may be easy going, but she isn't going to let anyone treat her badly again. She called me on what I did to her with Lorne. Told me in no uncertain terms not to do it again."

Cordelia stops for a moment thinking about what Angel said, concentrating on one particular part. "Treat her badly, again? What are you talking about, Angel?"

Angel stops and frowns. "Cordelia, I don't know that I should talk to you about it. It's personal and I just know what Buffy told me."

Cordelia watches Angel silently and nods her head. "Okay, Angel. Maybe she'll want to talk about it sometime."

Angel shakes his head silently. "If she talks to anyone I'm sure it will be Faith. As a matter of fact I would bet that Faith knows everything by now. And Tara probably knows everything about Faith. From what I know about soul-mates is that they can't keep secrets from each other and are almost compulsive in talking to each other about everything. Part of being connected at that level."

"Angelus' favorite past time was searching for soul-mates. He found two couples, the first couple was by accident, and let's just say it wasn't pretty." Angel turns and starts putting up the dried dishes. Smiling slightly as Cordelia helps.

"Had a feeling, wasn't positive until yesterday." Angel starts to reach out a hand toward Cordelia but jerks it back before touching her. Growling quietly under his breath he heads towards the door. "We'll talk later."

Cordelia watches Angel stride out of the room and looks up at the ceiling. "God, I hope you're right, Tara." Shaking her head and taking a deep breath, she finishes wiping down the table and quietly heads back to work.

"Why didn't you tell me you like Mexican food?" Tara tilts her head questioningly.

"Didn't want to be a bother." Fred answers quietly, glancing up to Tara then Faith. "Umm, why did you two want me to come with you today?"

Tara shrugs her shoulders and smiles softly at the woman. "You need to get out into the world again, Fred."

Fred looks down eating the rest of her taco before glancing back up. "I really don't know what I want to do, now."

"You don't have to make a decision any time soon. But being cooped up in the hotel or your room all the time really isn't healthy." Tara explains quietly. "If you're up for it, maybe every day we can spend a short time walking around town and gradually spend more and more time outside, if you want."

Tara smiles glancing at her lover and at Faith's wink she feels a hundred percent better. "Now, is it just tacos you like or do you like all kinds of Mexican?"

"I grew up in South Texas near the border, I lived on Mexican food." Fred explains, smiling shyly.

"So everything, right?" Tara grins. "Well we have more in common than I thought. I grew up in a small town in Texas but northern Texas. Since you had tacos today, would you like me to make Mexican tomorrow or maybe Saturday?" Tara offers and scoots closer as she feels Faith wrap her arm around her waist.

"You don't have to go to the trouble." Fred shakes her head before eating her last taco glancing around the now bustling shack. Starting to feel a little antsy she bounces slightly in her seat.

Faith watches as Fred starts getting worried and stands quickly. "Why don't we head back to the hotel?"

Tara nods her head noticing Fred's change in demeanor. "Come on, we'll talk on the way back." Tara quickly gather's up the wrappers and trash to throw in the trash can as they stroll back to the hotel. "I'll fix a big Mexican meal Saturday for lunch." Tara let's Fred know, since she obviously isn't going to get an answer from the woman.

Fred looks up starting to argue the point when she sees the determined look on the woman's face and smiles slightly whispering. "Okay."

"Good." Tara nods her head squeezing Faith a little tighter into her side as they walk into the hotel. She watches silently as Fred scampers up the stairs heading towards her room. Sighing quietly, she turns and wraps both arms around Faith.

"She did good, babe." Faith whispers quietly hugging the witch, lightly running her hands up and down her back. "It's gonna take time and we were gone for a good forty-five minutes. That's damn good considering we haven't even been able to get her out of the hotel before now."

"I know." Tara smiles as she pulls back placing a quick kiss on the slayer's lips. "I think I'm going to cheat today and put a couple of those frozen lasagnas in the oven for lunch that way we can shift you into my room."

"If you want, I can go put them in the oven." Faith offers quietly, smirking slightly. "That way you can hunt out that book to help Fang."

Tara smiles appreciatively at Faith, leaning in and brushing her lips softly over Faith's before deepening the kiss, wrapping a hand in the hair at the nape of her neck groaning as she wraps her tongue around the slayers.

Tara blushes and shakes her head slightly. "Sorry, Cordelia. I'm not normally this demonstrative in public places."

"But you're gonna be from now on." Faith growls. before smirking. "'Cause I ain't gonna go without smoochie action."

"Faith!" Tara frowns at the slayer before quirking her lip up. "I don't think I'll be able to help myself anyhow."

"I'll go get the lasagnas in the oven. Meet you upstairs?" Faith questions shifting back from Tara, running a hand down the witch's arm.

"Yes. Thank you." Tara smiles as she watches Faith walk away. Turning she looks at Cordelia, seeing her looking with disbelief at Faith. "What's wrong, Cordy?"

"I would never believe it if I didn't see it." Cordelia shakes her head looking back towards Tara. As Tara raises a questioning eyebrow Cordelia laughs. "You taming the wild child. I wouldn't think it was possible."

"I didn't tame her, Cordy." Tara slowly walks towards Cordelia. "She will always be the Rogue Slayer, or Dark Slayer as the case may be. But she's learning to love and care about life again. Or maybe I should say for the first time." Narrowing her gaze staring off into the past, Tara tilts her head slightly, thinking for a few long moments. "Neither one of us had a very good life growing up, hell, life period. We understand each other and take each other as we are. I don't want to change her. I love her the way she is." Tara nods slightly towards the brunette before heading to get the book to research a spell to check on Angel's soul.

Faith runs down the stairs quickly opening the freezer and reading the instructions, turns the oven on and pulls the outer plastic off the containers grabbing a big sheet pan she sets both lasagnas on it and slides them into the oven, checking the time, seeing that they'd be done around 12:30 she smiles and heads quickly back upstairs.

Stopping at the main floor, catching the tail end of Tara's conversation with Cordy, Faith feels her heart jump at the obvious love and support in the witch's tones. Watching Cordy shake her head slowly and head behind the counter, Faith slowly follows her into the room.

Cordelia sits down heavily in front of the computer, tapping her nails on the desk thinking about what Tara said. The woman obviously loves Faith completely, it's in her words and on her face. Wondering what could have been so bad in both women's past she doesn't realize Faith has walked in the room.

Faith watch's Cordelia for a few moments seeing the emotions crossing her face. Deciding to forgo being a bitch this once to the woman, Faith walks up to lean a hip on her desk. "What's got you so confused, Queenie?"

Cordelia watches the woman for a moment and bluntly asks. "What happened to you two growing up?"

Faith pales slightly looking at Cordelia, even knowing Cordy's habit of being blunt and to the point, she wasn't expecting that question.

Cordelia's surprised to see Faith pale at her question and wonders if she shouldn't have asked, when Faith tucks her hands in her pockets and hunches her shoulders slightly.

"Let's just say I had a drug-addicted whore for a mother that tried to bring me into the trade and Tara had an abusive brother and father and leave it at that, okay?" Faith growls out quietly before turning on her heel and leaving a stunned Cordelia sitting in the office alone.

Angel listens to the brief conversation from his office shaking his head sadly, hearing the unspoken pain and grief in the slayer's voice. Thinking to himself that that explained the two women's attitudes to a certain degree, even though he's surprised at Tara being as strong as she is if the abuse is as bad as his guts telling him it is. Faith's abuse equally horrifying, if not worse, in its own way, if he heard the undertones correctly. Leaning back in his chair he silently contemplates the two women.

Tara slowly walks up the stairs to her room reading through the magic tome, finally coming across the spell she remembered from before. Easing open the door to her room she looks up to see Faith standing quietly at the windows looking out. Frowning as she feels the slayer's unsettled soul, even with her standing calmly, Tara sets the book down on her dresser and walks towards the woman. Tilting her head as she sees Faith stiffen slightly, Tara feels her heart sadden. Stopping and not coming any closer, Tara softly asks. "What's wrong, love?"

Sighing and dropping her head down she whispers. "Queen C asked what happened to us growing up and I told her. No details just about my mom being a drug addicted whore and wanting me to walk in her footsteps and your father and brother being abusive."

Shaking her head, not knowing why Faith is upset she slowly takes a step closer. "Other than the obvious reasons, why are you upset?"

"I don't have any right to discuss your life with anyone." Faith finally growls out after a few minutes.

"You're afraid I'm going to be angry with you over that?" Tara questions watching as Faith nods her head and sighs sadly closing the space between them. Wrapping her arms around the slayer's waist from behind, Tara rests her chin on her slumped shoulder. "It'll take a hell of a lot more than that to make me angry at you, love." Tara whispers in her ear before placing a gentle kiss on her neck.

Sighing quietly in relief, Faith finally smiles before running her hands up and over Tara's. "Do you think Fang was serious about moving us to another part of the hotel?"

"Don't know. Maybe we should talk with Fang and see if we can head on up. I wouldn't mind putting some distance between us and the rest of the crew." Faith grins.

Tara smiles as she feels the last of Faith's tenseness ease from her body and senses the calming of her soul. "How about you go ahead and pack your clothes and stuff up while I go down to talk with Angel. You'll be staying in here anyway, if we don't move. Right?"

"Oh, yeah. Definitely gonna be wherever you are." Faith smirks slightly before turning in the witch's arms and wrapping her arms around Tara's waist. "Thanks for not being mad at me."

"Like I said, it'll take a lot more than that." Tara smiles softly before leaning in and placing a gentle, sweet kiss on the slayer's mouth. "I just know you haven't told anyone about what happened to you. And before you, I only told W-willow." Tara hesitates breathing deeply. "And I only told her part of it, I didn't explain to her the whole thing. Just that they abused me and broke some bones, putting me in the hospital."

"That in itself is bad enough." Faith looks over her lover's face, smiling sadly. "I wish there was something I could do for you."

"You already are." Tara whispers, running her hands up to bury them in the slayer's dark locks and kissing her passionately. Languorously wrapping her tongue around Faith's, stroking it gently, Tara groans into the slayer's mouth as Faith captures her tongue and sucks on it gently.

"Ooops. Sorry." Angel growls roughly, before starting to turn away from the open door.

"Wait Angel!" Tara pulls out of the kiss yelling for him before whispering sorry to Faith.

"That's okay." Faith smirks, looking up towards the door. "But from now on you may want to shut the door when you come into our room."

"Good idea." Tara blushes slightly before turning towards Angel seeing him shift uncomfortably. "Sorry Angel."

Angel waves his hand, thankful he can't blush. "No problem. I just wanted you to know if you want to give yourselves some privacy you're more than welcome to move to a different part of the hotel."

"How far away will we need to move to keep you from hearing us?" Faith laughingly asks.

"Probably pretty damn loud." Tara admits quirking her lip slightly when she sees the stunned look cross the vampires face. "Given the right incentive I can be a screamer." Seeing his eyes widen, Tara giggles.

Opening his mouth and shutting it a couple times, Angel gives in and growls quietly. "You obviously had the right incentive last night."

Tara blushes before pinching Faith's ass. "Hopefully I'll have the right incentive all the time."

"Oooh, sounds like the gauntlet has been thrown." Faith smirks eyeing the witch.

"Well, if my hearing was right." Angel quirks an eyebrow smirking before continuing. "She wasn't the only one screaming last night. Or I guess I should say this morning."

"Now that's something I never thought I'd see." Angel chuckles. "Pick out whatever room you guys want. Tara, don't worry about the spell for me today. I'm going to head down and get some rest. I'll talk to you guys later." Angel spins around and leaves the room quickly.

"Might have. You're becoming quite the saucy little witch, aren't you?" Faith growls out, grasping Tara' hips pulling her in close.

"I think you're rubbing off on me." Tara smiles lopsidedly at the slayer. "I don't usually talk that way to other people. Especially men. Or in Angel's case, a male vampire."

Faith chuckles before leaning in and kissing Tara briefly. "Wanna go and check upstairs out?"

"Hmm. I think I'd rather keep doing what we're doing." Tara murmurs leaning in and kissing Faith longer and more deeply.

As they break apart to breathe in some much needed oxygen, Faith growls quietly. "Lunch is gonna be ready in roughly an hour, I need to pack up my stuff. Which admittedly won't take too long, since I don't have much. And we need to find another room away from everyone else because I want to see just how loudly you can scream."

"Or you can see how loudly you can make me scream right here in the hour we have before lunch?" Tara quirks an eyebrow and smirks.

"An hour ain't long enough for what I want to do to you." Faith pulls the witch in tight against her body, gripping her ass and grinding their lower bodies together groaning.

"Oh, shit!" Tara moans pushing against the slayer. "You better stop this, then."

"Yeah, probably. Fang didn't shut the door when he left. Might be a little more embarrassing this time 'round." Faith buries her face in the witch's neck nipping lightly, but continuing to push her body into Tara's.

Tara groans and grasps Faith firmly at the waist, digging her fingers into the slayer. "Faith." She quietly pleads. Not knowing whether she wants the slayer to finish what they started or to back off for the time being. Moaning quietly as Faith slowly pulls away.

"Patience is supposed to be a virtue, right?" Faith hoarsely gets out, finally stepping back out of the witch's embrace.

"Yes, but I think it's highly overrated right now." Tara watches the slayer with hungry eyes.

"Girlfriend, I'm barely hanging on by a thread. Any and all help you can give me would be appreciated." Faith grunts out, backing up slowly.

Tara watches Faith intently, slowly taking a step towards the slayer when her words register in her brain. Growling, she nods her head. "I'm going downstairs to make garlic bread and a salad to go with the lasagna. You might want to pack up your stuff or check out the rest of the hotel for another room." Quickly turning and leaving the room before she attacks Faith, Tara heads to the kitchen.

Faith closes her eyes groaning quietly. "God damn." Faith shakes her head opening her eyes glancing around the room, still able to smell the witch's arousal. "Get out of here." She quickly strides out of the room and heads up to the top of the stairs, deciding to look at the rooms on the top floor first.

Faith glances over at Tara as they're sitting quietly eating with the rest of the group minus Angel. Bouncing her leg nervously while she scoops up another bite of lasagna.

Glancing up and looking at Wes then Gunn, Faith tilts her head slightly. "What're we doing tonight?"

Wes and Gunn both shake their heads. "Probably just the normal patrol. You gonna go?" Gunn questions glancing from her to Tara.

"Do you think you'll need me?" Faith continues bouncing her leg until she feels a firm hand grasp her leg. Slowing down the bouncing she glances over to a slightly smirking Tara.

"Only if you want to come." Wes grins slightly. "Nothing big seems to be going on right now."

Tara smiles "It's like that in Sunnydale. For some reason it seems most of the demons decide to take a vacation during the summer."

"You know, I never thought about it, but you're right." Wes blinks slightly before chuckling. "Maybe the longer days makes the vampires look for somewhere else to roost."

"Well, if you guys don't need me, I ain't complainin'" Faith grins slightly as she feels Tara squeeze her leg gently before pulling her hand away.

"Be nice, Queenie or I'll have Witchy-pooh over here not check into that little matter for Angel." Faith threatens with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, but if what you think is true, do you think she's gonna want to hang with us or go out on patrols?" Faith questions with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I can guarantee you I won't." Cordy snarks back before grinning. "I'll thank you very nicely and then you won't see either one of us for weeks."

Tara shakes her head and eats her last bite of lasagna before standing up. "I'll go upstairs and watch the front for a while, if you want me to, Cordy."

Cordelia shakes her head. "I got it. Wes and Gunn are on clean-up duty this afternoon. Thanks for offering."

Faith smirks slightly watching Tara walk away. Quickly finishing her lunch, she grabs her dishes and heads into the kitchen. "You better not be planning on heading upstairs without me." Faith growls quietly as Tara heads toward the kitchen door.

Tara grins stopping and slowly turning to watch as Faith sets her dishes down in the sink. "Depends."

"Oh, I can promise all kinds of good things." Faith smirks before wrapping an arm around her waist and turning Tara towards the door whispering. "But not anything we're going to start down here. Our track record isn't too good today."

Tara grins as she's ushered up the stairs. Yawning slightly, she shakes her head, trying to wake up.

Faith catches the yawn and smiles softly at the obviously tired witch, that would probably be more than willing to stay up all day even without getting any sleep the night before. "Come on, babe. Let's get you in bed so you can take a nap."

"No buts. You didn't get any sleep last night. So you're going to take a nap this afternoon. No arguments." Faith whispers before placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"Nope. Did look around upstairs, however. On the top floor there's a suite of rooms that I think would be perfect for us. It'll probably take a whole day to clean out because it's being used for storage." Faith answers grinning.

"You are not doing anything this afternoon but sleeping." Fait raises an eyebrow at the witch. "And I do mean that's all you're doing."

"I know you're tired, babe. So you're napping. If you promise to nap with me here, I'll stay. If you can't sleep, I'm going to go start work on the rooms upstairs." Faith states calmly and seriously.

Sighing quietly Tara nods her head and actually feels her body relaxing slightly as she makes the decision to get some sleep. "Sleep it is. But I want your extremely sexy, hot body next to mine."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Faith smirks then groans as Tara starts stripping her clothes off. Her eyes widening, Faith turns and runs back to the door slamming it shut and locking it. "You need to be a little more careful." Faith growls out walking towards the witch. "I'm not sharing you with everyone else. They see your sexy, voluptuous body and they'll want it. I will get very, very upset then." Faith watches as Tara finishes taking off her clothes and growls deeply. "Maybe I shouldn't stay for your nap."

Tara smirks slightly, before shaking her head. "You can behave, I know you can. Strip and get in bed with me." Tara pulls back the covers and slowly eases into the bed watching as Faith hesitates for a moment watching her before slowly taking her clothes off and climbing in on the other side. Tara turns to shift her body, pressing it against the slayers side and wrapping an arm around her stomach. Wriggling her body in tightly against the woman, Tara rubs her face against Faith's neck, feeling her body slowly relaxing and whispers quietly before falling asleep. "I love you."

"Ah, hell. You were fighting it all the way, weren't you babe?" Faith whispers wrapping her arm tightly around Tara and kissing her gently on the head. "And God help you, I love you, too." Faith murmurs quietly, feeling a tear ease from her eye at saying those words for the first time in her life.

"Hmmm. You wakin' up babe?" Faith moans quietly as she slowly comes to then groans out arching up as her nipple is sucked into a warm wet mouth. "I'll take that as a yes."

"You…Oh God…" Faith pants quietly as she feels Tara's stomach pressing into her. Arching her hips up rotating slightly. "You can bite harder." Faith finally gets out and jerks up hard as Tara bites down firmly on her nipple.

Tara pulls the nipple up letting her teeth scrape across it as she lets it escape from her grasp. "Like that?" Tara looks up with dark blue eyes at Faith, seeing her half-lidded gaze and moans before pressing her stomach harder into Faith's apex.

"Yeah, that's good for starters." Faith grins slightly before running her hands down Tara's hair and upper back. "I thought you were supposed to be napping."

"I did." Tara smiles wickedly before easing her body a little further down Faith's to place wet firm kisses around her belly button. "I grew up on a farm. I can run on three hours sleep. Trained myself so I had time to do everything needed around the house, the farm and school. Of course I do better with at least five hours sleep. But…" Tara trails off shrugging before nipping firmly across Faith's lower abdomen. Slowly running her hand along the scar on her stomach, Tara frowns slightly before placing loving kisses across it before licking gently. Finally covering the scar completely she glances up looking into the dark eyes of the slayer and whispers one word. "Buffy?"

Faith nods her head swallowing hard. "Yeah. Deserved it and worse." Faith admits quietly.

"No, Faith. No one deserves something bad happening to them. And you definitely don't deserve anything bad now. You deserve to be held, kissed and loved from now on." Tara reaches up and runs her hand down the slayer's cheek. "We all make mistakes. We just need to learn from them. And I know you've learned from yours."

"You're too good for me." Faith growls out before grasping the hand stroking her cheek and placing kisses over the fingertips. "But I'll be damned if I'm gonna give ya up."

Tara smiles and quirks an eyebrow at her lover. "And I'll be damned if I'll let you give me up." She laughs quietly as she sees a smile cross Faith's face. Becoming serious for a moment Tara tilts her head and runs a finger over Faith's lips. Easing her body back up the slayers, she leans in and kisses her lovingly. Running a hand through the brown hair, Tara places a kiss on one dimple then the other one before sucking the cleft on Faith's chin.

Faith smiles at the tender kisses the witch is placing over face and groans as the woman sucks on her chin, never realizing the pleasure she could receive from this simple caress. "Tara?"

Tara pulls away from where she's sucking gently and places a lick up over the cleft before answering. "Yes."

"Are there any other places that I wouldn't think would turn me on that you want to show me?" Faith smirks at the witch. Watching the witch, her eyes widen at the wicked look coming across Tara's face.

"Want me to show you now? Or do you want to be surprised for future love-making?" Tara smiles crookedly at the slayer. Watching the emotions crossing the slayer's face, Tara giggles slightly before leaning in and kissing her. "With the proper motivation anywhere can be a turn-on, Faith." Tara runs her hand down one of the slayer's arms and brings the hand up to her lips and licks up one weapon roughened finger before nibbling on the pad. Working her way down the finger and nipping gently on the skin between the thumb and forefinger, Tara sucks it into her mouth before caressing it with her tongue.

Hitching in a breath, Faith groans, feeling like the skin Tara is sucking and licking has a direct link to her center. "Oh, shit." Faith grounds out.

Tara smiles before nibbling up one side of a finger and around the other side before licking between the fingers. Gently easing a hand down the slayer's side and hip, before tickling along a thigh. Running her fingertips over Faith's knee, Tara sucks a finger in her mouth playing her tongue over it while shifting her body slightly to run the hand from Faith's knee up the inside of the slayer's thigh to caress gently over the slayer's swollen, juice laden lips. Stroking a finger gently between the lips, Tara groans at the flood of liquid working its way out of the slayer. Taking three fingers and scooping up the juices easing out of the slayer, Tara smirks slightly around the finger in her mouth as Faith's hips buck up hard at the caress. Bringing the fingers up to Faith's nipples, Tara coats both of them before releasing the finger in her mouth and shifting her body slightly, Tara grins at the glistening juices now coating each of the hardening nipples.

"So Faith. What do you think?" Tara questions huskily watching the almost black eyes looking back at her. Blowing a cool breath of air across one nipple, Tara grins as it contracts to a smaller nub. Glancing at her fingers that are still covered in the slayer's juices she smirks glancing up at the slayer's lips. Shifting up to straddle the slayer's hips, Tara leans down holding her fingers close to the slayer's lips. "Do you mind?"

Faith groans deeply and closes her eyes shaking her head. It takes a couple tries but she finally gets out. "No, not at all. But are you tryin' to kill me?"

"Oh, no. Maybe see if I can make you scream loud enough to make everyone in the hotel hear you. Or maybe make you pass out from the pleasure. I haven't quite decided yet." Tara whispers while gently coating the slayer's lips with her own juices. Looking intently at the slayer's lips, Tara licks her own lips. Smelling the slayer has been driving her nuts and she's letting her own desires build almost to an unbearable level. Wanting to taste the slayer, Tara finally gives in and dives in kissing her roughly, licking up the juices before sliding her tongue into the slayer's welcoming mouth.

Faith strokes her tongue strongly against Tara's, enjoying the taste of herself on Tara's tongue. Moving her hands from where they were caressing the witch's back, Faith moves them around and pinches Tara's nipples firmly before caressing each breast as she hears Tara growl into her mouth.

Tara pulls away burying her face in the slayer's neck, breathing heavily for a few moments, her body rocking back and forth. Nipping almost roughly at the skin under her lips, Tara shifts down and quickly licks up and over the slayer's nipples alternating from one to the other biting down roughly on the hardened nub.

Faith growls out loudly while wrapping her hands in Tara's hair, gently trying to tug her back up to kiss her.

Tara quickly comes up kissing Faith, wrapping her tongue repeatedly around the slayer's until they both need to breathe. "I want you, Faith." Tara growls as she nips down her neck and across her breasts, licking across her ribs. Quickly working her way down the slayer's body.

"Not yet I don't." Tara nips down Faith's stomach before sliding down to nip Faith's thighs. Inhaling deeply, Tara groans quietly before slowly running both hands up, separating the slayer's outer lips before starting at the bottom of the slayer's slit slowly licking up, gathering all the juices she can, before flicking her tongue quickly over the slayer's swollen clit, making Faith jerk up hard. Wrapping an arm around one of the slayer's thighs, anchoring herself to the woman, Tara quickly sucks the hot swollen muscle in her mouth, alternating sucking and licking while sliding two fingers easily into the slayer's hot center. On the next stroke in her lover's body, Tara adds another finger, stroking firmly, curling her middle finger up to stroke over the slayer's sweet spot on each shift. Feeling Faith's body tensing under her and her hands gripping in her hair tighter, Tara hums into Faith while sucking strongly and groans as she feels the slayer's inner muscles clenching on her fingers.

"SWEET MOTHER!!" Faith screams out as her body arches up lifting Tara with her as the orgasm works through her whole body, making her shake and cry out. "OH GOD TARAAAAA" Faith's body shakes and crashes from one orgasm into another as Tara keeps up her stroking and sucking.

Tara holds onto the bucking slayer, groaning into the woman, making her squirm even more. Finally pulling her mouth away, Tara pants heavily, keeping up the stroking in the slayer, not believing the response of the woman. "God, Faith. You taste so good." Tara growls before leaning down licking up the fluid literally flowing from the slayer. Still holding on as she rolls from one orgasm into another, finally collapsing on the bed her body still shaking uncontrollably. Tara finally slows her fingers down to a stop before easing them out. Quickly climbing back up the shuddering body of the slayer, Tara lays her body gently on top of hers, holding it tightly while placing gentle kisses on her face while stroking any body part she can reach, slowly calming her down.

Faith tries to raise her arms to wrap around Tara, but doesn't have the strength. Whimpering quietly instead and slowly opening her eyes, Faith sees stars instead of the room and groans closing her eyes back, feeling as another strong orgasm works through her body. Long moments of Tara placing small kisses over her face and neck. Hands stroking through her hair, down her neck, arms and sides, Faith finally has enough energy to raise her arms and wrap them around Tara. Her body still working with the aftershocks of the multiple orgasms, Faith partially gets her breath back and whispers. "Shit!"

Tara hears Faith's heartfelt word and chuckles quietly in response. Leaning up slightly to look in the slayer's eyes she smiles softly seeing the completely dazed eyes of the slayer looking back at her. "Are you okay, love?" Watching as it takes a moment for Faith to process the question, Tara smiles when she gets a half-smirk in response. "I'll take that as a better than okay."

"You fuckin' killed me." Faith hoarsely grunts out, closing her eyes as another small orgasm works through her body, making her shift her hips up slightly. "What did you do?"

"Loved you with everything in me." Tara whispers placing a kiss on her neck as she shifts her body down to rest her head on the slayer's chest. Shifting her stomach to rest firmly against the slayer, smiling as she hears Faith groan and wrap her legs around hers, grinding herself slowly into her.

Faith jerks after grinding herself into the witch's stomach as another orgasm works through her body from her slow grind. "Fuck me." She growls shaking her head. "Don't do that again."

"Why not?" Tara whispers placing small kisses on the velvety soft skin of the slayer's breast.

"Because I don't have the fuckin' energy to return the favor." Faith finally gets out before chuckling quietly. "Ah, hell. Who's that?" Faith snarls loudly as she hears a knock at their door.

"It's me. I drew short straw to tell you guys not to worry about dinner, we're eating the left over lasagna and we'll make sandwiches if we need it. Oh, and by the way, if you get any louder, Faith, they'll be able to hear you at Caritas." Cordelia snarks through the door, before quietly laughing as she heads back downstairs.

"Bitch." Faith growls before shifting her head and looking at the clock. "Did we sleep that late or were you driving me crazy for that long?"

Chuckling quietly, Tara looks at the clock and then lays her head back down on the slayer's chest. "Maybe a combination of both. I didn't really look to see what time it was when I woke up."

Tara continues running her hands gently over the slayer before shifting her body to lay beside her so she can stroke more of the warm soft skin. Lying on her side, she props her head up with her hand while lightly stroking the slayer. Smiling as she hears what can only be called purrs coming from Faith she glances up looking in the dark eyes with laughing blue eyes. "You like this?"

Faith nods her head watching as Tara smiles softly as she goes back to watching her hand play over her body. Finally having enough strength, Faith reaches up and wraps her arm around the back of Tara, stroking firmly down her back smirking as Tara groans and arches into her body.

"I'm starting to get my energy back." Faith growls out, before shifting her body so she's facing Tara. "Slayer stamina finally shows back up."

Tara smirks at Faith. "So what are you going to do now that you got your second wind?"

Leaning in Faith presses a strong kiss on the side of Tara's neck before pulling away looking into the midnight blue eyes. "I'm gonna see if I can make you scream louder than I did."

Tara grins and raises an eyebrow. "I guess that's only fair." Tara runs her hand up to slide through Faith's hair clasping gently behind the slayer's neck, urging her in for a long passionate kiss.

"Guys I hate to tell you this, but Cordy had a vision and we're gonna need you, Faith." Angel calls through the door after knocking on it quickly.

"Go, love. I'll help Cordy, Angel." Tara yells as she hops up out of the bed dressing quickly.

"Do I have time for a shower, Fang?" Faith yells as she rolls out of bed looking for her clothes.

"Quick one, we'll get the weapons together." Angel yells before turning to head back downstairs.

"Go ahead and shower here, I'll go get you some clothes." Tara offers as she heads towards the door.

Turning to look at Faith, Tara smiles softly. "It's okay, love. Things happen. Take a shower, I'll be back in a few minutes." Tara quickly unlocks the door before running down the hallway to Faith's room grabbing a pair of her leather pants, tank top, socks, bra and her leather jacket just in case. Running back to her bedroom, she places the clothes on the bed and grabs the slayer's boots setting them on the floor by the clothes. Smiling softly towards the shower door hearing the water running, Tara turns around heading downstairs, being sure to shut the door behind her.

"Can I get you anything else, Cordy?" Tara asks softly after getting the woman some aspirin and juice. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, laying a cool cloth over her forehead.

"No, thanks." Cordelia closes her eyes against the pain shooting through her head. Taking a brief breath she whispers. "I'm afraid I may have upset Faith earlier. I really didn't mean to."

"Shhh. It's okay, Cordy." Tara runs a gentle hand over her forehead, sending a soothing energy to the woman. "She's okay. I think it upset her more that she mentioned what happened to me."

"She didn't give any details or anything if you were wondering." Cordelia opens her eyes and looks into Tara's calm blue eyes.

"She told me what she said." Tara's lip quirks up slightly. "She knows now that I'm not upset."

Cordy chuckles then groans as it sends a pain shooting through her head. "Damn it was feeling better until I laughed." Opening her eyes again a few moments later she looks into blue eyes. "I would say she definitely knows you're not mad at her, if the screams coming from the room were anything to go by." Cordy smirks slightly as she sees the slight blush cross Tara's face before Tara laughs in acknowledgement.

"I guess that would be a dead give-a-way, wouldn't it?" Tara shakes her head slightly. "We'll definitely be moving to a different room tomorrow."

"Don't rush. Wesley turns this funny color then runs into another room whenever it happens. It's quite entertaining." Cordy smiles slightly.

Tara chuckles at first then laughs quietly. "Faith wouldn't care. Hell, she'd probably be willing to put on a show just to irritate you guys." Tara shakes her head blushing again, before opening her eyes wide. "Shit. I've been the one unconsciously leaving the doors open and she's the one been running to shut them. Maybe you need to worry about me more than Faith."

Cordy can't help but chuckle at the look on the witch's face. "Angel gave me an idea as to why that might be happening." At the questioning lift of the witch's eyebrow Cordelia smirks slightly. "Something about the soul mate thing. You two more or less sharing your personality traits is one of the side effects."

Tara blinks a couple times thinking about it. "Hmm. That gives me something to seriously consider. If she's learning some of my calmness, and I'm getting some of her bravado and attitude…" Tara trails off tilting her head slightly. "That might explain a few things." Nodding her head she smiles slightly. "I think this will actually be a good thing for both of us."

Cordelia smiles before patting Tara's hand that was unconsciously still stroking her forehead. "My headache's gone. You can stop the mojo now."

Cordelia smiles slightly. "Yes. Thank you for your help." Cordelia shifts in the bed to lay on her side, propping her head up and watching as Tara shifts to cross her legs up and rest her elbows on her knees. "You don't have to answer or anything, but what brought you here to LA?"

Tara stops all movement for a moment before reaching down to pluck gently at the comforter. "Something happened that made it impossible for me to stay in Sunnydale." Tara explains quietly.

"The question is, is what?" Cordelia questions shifting up to sit facing the witch.

Tara shakes her head looking down briefly before looking up and seeing the very real concern and worry in Cordelia's eyes. Sighing quietly, Tara slowly explains everything that happened in Sunnydale with Willow.

Cordelia's mouth dropped open at the beginning of the story and had never completely closed through the whole thing. At the end of the story she shakes her head and swallows quietly. "I don't know what's more shocking, the fact that Willow is gay or that she's turned into an evil bitch."

Tara looks up with surprise on her face. "She isn't evil so much as addicted to the black magic. She can't help it. I'm afraid something pretty earth shattering is going to have to happen for her to have some sense knocked into her." Tara shrugs slightly before frowning. "She would actually be considered bi-sexual. She has been with a man, and she would probably be open to being with a man in the future."

Cordelia waves her hand before stating "Whatever. I wouldn't have thought she would have the balls to be out like that. Not little mousy Willow. Then you add the black magic woman into the mix and it's just mind boggling."

Tara sighs before dropping her face into her hands grumbling quietly to herself.

Cordelia thinks about what she'd said and groans quietly. "Tara, I'm sorry. It just kind of shocked me that the little redhead I grew up tormenting has changed so much. It just kind of sent me off on a tangent."

"That's okay, Cordelia." Tara stops and tilts her head slightly before frowning deeply. "SHIT!" Tara jumps off the bed and runs out the door, followed quickly by a shocked Cordelia.

Tara runs down the stairs as Wes, helped by Gunn comes limping in with Angel helping Faith. "What happened?" Tara growls out running up to Faith reaching out a shaking hand to the bloodied and bruised slayer.

"There were six of the demons, not the three that Cordelia saw in the vision." Wesley mutters before groaning as Gunn helps him sit down.

"Yeah, and they were some tough bastards." Gunn growls out, before slowly working his way to the First Aid kit.

"Who's hurt worse?" Tara murmurs while helping her lover sit down on one of the couches in the lobby, brushing the hair back away from the bruised face. "Love?" She whispers quietly.

"Help Gunn and Wes first." Faith groans out quietly opening her one good idea seeing the worried look in her lovers blue eyes. "I'll heal from my wounds faster, and I ain't dyin' so you should work on those two."

Tara looks searchingly in her lovers eye before easing up and kissing her lightly on her forehead. Looking over to Angel she cocks her head. "Can you get her upstairs and into our bed. I'll help out Gunn and Wes first. Are you going to be okay?"

Angel nods his head. "All I'll need is probably a couple quarts of blood and some rest. I'll be good in a day or two." Angel reaches down and helps Faith stand "Come on, you've been ordered to bed."

Tara starts unpacking the First Aid kit before turning to watch Angel help Faith up the stairs. "Please tell me you killed the demons."

"All gone." Faith nods towards her lover trying to smile slightly through her bloodied lip.

"Lay down and don't fucking move until I tell you to." Tara growls out watching Faith's slow progress.

"Yes, mom." Faith murmurs groaning as she put down too much weight on her twisted left ankle.

Cordelia looks stunned as she watches Angel help Faith up the stairs before turning to an obviously beat up Wesley and Gunn, but they were in a hell of a lot better shape than Faith. "What can I do. And how come Faith is so messed up?"

Gunn leans his head back and closes his eyes. "Because she saved our lives, is why. Her Sixth Sense kicked in when the other three demons snuck up behind us, she went after them herself as they were ready to attack me and Wes."

Wes nods his head while grabbing out the alcohol, rubbing it over a cut on his own chest, cleaning it before pressing a bandage on it, taping it down as he watches Tara cut the shirt off Gunn, probing his ribs gently.

"I think you've got a couple broken ribs, Charles." Tara looks up with worried eyes. "It doesn't look like they punctured a lung, but I should strap them up for you."

Gunn nods his head before looking down smiling slightly. "You sure you wanna stick with the slayer? I could use you around."

Tara smirks up at Gunn "Sorry, but you're a little too firm in certain places." Tara pokes gently at his pecs. "I like a little more softness."

Gunn chuckles, then groans at the pain from his side. "Don't make me laugh, witch."

"Sorry, Charles." Tara smiles apologetically at the man before reaching around for the Ace bandages. "Can you lean forward so I can tape up your ribs?" Tara watches as Gunn leans forward slightly and she works at gently wrapping the bandages around Gunn. Glancing over at Wes, Tara watches as Cordelia cuts his pants away from the wound on his calf. "Do you need any help, Cordelia?"

"I've got it." Cordelia glances up smiling slightly. "I think Faith got the worse of it."

"I'm good." Gunn smiles as Tara finishes bandaging his ribs. "Go take care of Faith."

Angel comes slowly down the stairs "I got her lying in your bed. I took her socks and shoes off, but I didn't think you'd want me taking the rest of her clothes off…." Angel trails off frowning "She kind of passed out, but I think she'll be okay."

Tara pales at Angels comment. "I need to probably get some ice and the bigger First Aid kit." Tara jumps up running down towards the kitchen.

Cordelia frowns before heading quickly into the break room grabbing the big First Aid kit. Walking back out she watches as Tara comes jogging back through with a bucket of ice.

"Thanks Cordy." Tara whispers as she grabs the kit from the woman before heading quickly up the stairs and to Faith.

"Is Faith going to be okay?" Cordelia questions Angel as he walks closer to them.

"She's tough. She's a Slayer. She's pretty banged up but she should be fine in a week or so." Angel answers quietly.

"She better be. I don't want to have a very seriously pissed off witch around here." Cordelia mutters before kneeling back down to finish bandaging up Wes' leg. "There you go Wes. Do either one of you need anything else? Hurt anywhere else?"

Wes and Gunn both shake their heads. "Just need to head to the room. Sleep in" Gunn grunts out quietly as he slowly stands, clasping his ribs. "I'll go run out and get breakfast in the morning. I have a feeling the witch won't be cooking for a while."

Angel shakes his head. "No, I wouldn't think she will. Dig out the take-out menus guys." Angel heads down to the kitchen to grab some blood to take back to his apartment.

Tara closes the door to their room gently seeing Faith lying on her bed, she feels her heart skip a beat at the wounded slayer. "Oh, love." Tara cries out quietly before quickly walking to the bed, setting the kit on the bed while putting the ice on the nightstand. Looking at her lovers ripped and bloody clothes she shakes her head and opens the kit, pulling out the scissors to gently cut the clothes away from her body.

"Sorry about the clothes. We'll get you a new pair of leather pants when you feel up to it." Tara whispers more to herself than the slayer. Reaching up to brush the hair from Faith's face she frowns running a gentle hand down her bruised cheek. "What did you do to yourself? Am I going to have to out with you from now on to make sure you're okay?" Sighing quietly Tara walks into the bathroom and runs warm water over a couple wash rags and grabs a towel before heading back into the bedroom.

Gently easing to sit beside Faith, Tara gently washes the dried blood off the slayer's body. Seeing the numerous cuts and bruises Tara scowls. Seeing that some of the cuts were already trying to heal she growls and grabs out the rubbing alcohol to quickly clean the wounds. "Don't need you to get an infection because these damn things heal up before I have a chance to clean them." Double checking the slayers front, she gently rolls her over on her stomach and checks out her back, breathing a sigh of relief when she doesn't see any wounds or bruises on her back. Gently easing her onto her back again, Tara gently runs her fingers over the slayer's body, feeling a couple broken ribs and what looks like possible internal damage. Frowning heavily, Tara takes a deep breath and prays to the Goddess to help Faith. Praying and sending as much healing energy as she has into the slayer, hoping that it will do some good. Unfortunately knowing that healing is definitely not her strong point, Tara makes a mental note to work heavily on strengthening her healing ability. Finally giving as much as she has she pulls her hands away softly smiling to see the lessening in the bruises. Pressing her fingers gently against the slayer's stomach, she sighs in relief as it gives properly this time. "Never thought I'd be glad to know as much about the human anatomy as I do." Tara whispers quietly thinking about her own abuse, learning what was serious and what wasn't.

Slowly working her way down the rest of her lover's body, she doesn't feel anything else damaged. Remembering her limping slightly, Tara looks again at the ankles and sees her left ankle swollen slightly. Grabbing a small hand towel, Tara puts some of the ice in it before grabbing an Ace bandage. Gently wrapping the ice around her ankle, Tara wraps the bandage around it to keep it in place. Working back to her ribs, Tara shifts her up and gently slides her body behind Faith's to help prop her up while slowly wrapping her ribs. Gently lying her back down she puts more ice in a couple of the wash cloths. Grabbing another small Ace bandage, she places the ice on the slayer's ribs and tucks the ace bandage into the ones wrapped around her ribs. Gently shifting it to make sure it will stay put, Tara sighs before standing up to get a blanket from the drawer to gently drape across the slayer's body before sitting back down beside her lover and placing the other ice-laden cloth gently on the slayer's cheek and eye. Running her other hand through Faith's hair, she smiles softly as she hears the slayer moan quietly.

"You'll be okay, love." Tara quietly whispers to Faith. "Just rest. If you're a good girl I'll fix you the biggest omelet you've ever seen for breakfast."

Faith slowly opens her eye smiling slightly. "Do I get hash browns with that omelet?"

Tara's eyes lighten and she smiles at Faith. "Two dozen egg omelet with sausage, bacon, ham, tomato's, green peppers, cheese oozing from it. A plate full of nice crispy hash browns and a dozen home made biscuits. I might even bring you up a pot of coffee and some orange juice, also."

Tara shakes her head and shifts her body so she's leaning over Faith, but not touching her anywhere but where's she's holding the ice to her face. "You'll be fine. You did worry me, though." Tara swallows heavily. "Want me to get you some pain killers and juice?"

Faith concentrates on her body, noticing that her ribs and stomach already feel a hundred percent better than they had before. "You helped my ribs and internals, didn't you?"

"As much as I could. I think the Goddess took pity on you and helped me out somewhat." Tara smiles crookedly at her lover. "Do you want anything?"

Faith nods her head slightly. "I am thirsty. I'm hungry also, but I probably shouldn't eat much of anything right now."

"I can run downstairs and bring you up a pitcher of juice and water to drink. Maybe make you some toast with butter and a little bit of jam to eat?" Tara offers quietly before leaning down and placing a kiss gently on the slayer's lips before pulling back running a finger lightly over the split on her bottom lip.

"Would you mind?" Faith questions after Tara pulls away from the feather light kiss.

Tara smiles gently. "Let me look under the ice." Tara gently pulls the wash cloth away looking at her lover's face, seeing the swelling has started going down, but was still very bruised and swollen. Gently placing it back on her cheek, she looks in Faith's good eye. "Can you hold this to your face while I run downstairs?"

"You're welcome love." Tara whispers as she quickly stands up, gathering the kit and placing it on the table before hesitating at the door. "Do you need anything else?"

Tara nods as she slides out of the room and hurries down the stairs to gather up the items for Faith.

Tara quickly places everything on a large tray, grabbing more ice before she quickly heads back upstairs to their bedroom. Juggling the tray carefully, she opens the door and walks in, pushing it closed with her hip smiling softly as she see's Faith has shifted herself more towards the middle of the bed.

Faith looks up when she hears the door open and smirks at her witch. Placing the almost completely melted rag over in the ice bucket, Faith reaches down, feeling the ice almost melted on her ribs, also.

"I'll take care of that." Tara quickly crosses to the bed, setting the tray on the bed gently, she hands the slayer a piece of toast. "Here, eat this while I get some more ice fixed for you." Tara turns and looks in the other ice bucket, seeing a small amount. Quickly squeezing the water out of the wrap, she packs the rest of the ice before grabbing the other bucket to put more in it. Walking around the bed to gently ease the other cloth and melted ice from the slayer's ribs while replacing it with the ice in her hands. Walking back around she grabs a glass of juice and helps prop the slayer up so she can drink. Tara smiles softly as she watches her drain the glass. "Do you want some more juice?"

Tara helps hold her up while grabbing the pillows to prop her up so she can drink and eat easier. Grasping the glass from Faith, she pours more orange juice in it and hands it to the slayer. Walking down to the end of the bed, Tara unwraps the Ace bandage and pulls the wet cloth away from the ankle, seeing the swelling's gone, she smiles. Walking back up she grabs another dry towel and Ace bandage before drying the slayer's ankle and wrapping it up. Placing the towel on the bed where the ice had melted and soaked the comforter, Tara covers the slayer's legs with the blanket.

Faith curiously watches as the witch continues checking her wounds and helping her. Reaching forward the slight distance, she grabs another piece of toast munching it quickly.

Tara carefully sits down watching as Faith makes short work of the toast. Filling the glass with the last of the juice, Tara hands it to Faith along with a couple pain pills.

"Take them Faith. Make me feel better that you might get a couple hours of sleep." Tara runs a hand gently across Faith's blanket covered thigh.

Faith frowns before quickly popping them in her mouth and swallowing them down with the rest of her juice. Finally allowing her body to give in, Faith looks up at Tara. "I think I'm about ready to crash."

"That's all right, love." Tara grabs the glass from the slayer, placing it on the tray, Tara stands and moves the tray to the table before walking back to the bed, removing the pillows propping Faith up and helping her to gently lie back down on the bed. "Sleep love."

"Do you need another blanket?" Tara questions and at Faith's shake of the head, she slowly strips her clothes off before easing under the blanket to lay beside the slayer, keeping a small distance between her body and Faiths.

Faith closes her good eye as she feels her limbs getting heavier. "Closer." She whispers wrapping an arm around the witch urging her closer as she falls asleep.

"I love you." Tara whispers before gently pressing her body against the slayer's side and gently easing her arm low across the slayer's stomach, away from her hurt body, snuggling into her shoulder and sighing quietly. "I need you to be more careful in the future, love. I don't know how much of you being hurt, my heart can handle."

Tara silently lies there beside the slayer gently stroking her fingers over the woman's lower abdomen, quietly watching Faith sleep. Softly kissing the strong shoulder, Tara smiles sadly. "Anything you want, if it's within my power I'll give it to you." Tara whispers quietly. "You already have my heart, soul and body. I thought I knew love, but I was so, so wrong." Tara places another kiss on the shoulder before shifting in more comfortably against the slayer and slowly falling asleep.

Tara smiles as she eases back in the bedroom, glancing at a still sleeping Faith. Obviously between her being hurt, the healing spell and the pain killers they knocked her out good. Setting the platter of food and drinks on the table she walks to the bed and eases down running a gentle hand down the slayer's cheek. Still badly bruised, but the swelling was down. As she starts to pull her hand away, she jumps slightly when Faith clasps it and presses it back against her cheek.

"Good mornin'" Faith opens her eyes and smiles as she can now see out of both eyes.

Tara chuckles seeing Faith's nose start to twitch. "Let me get your breakfast." As she starts to pull away, Faith captures her hand again.

"Not before I get a kiss." Faith growls out pulling Tara in for a quick hard kiss. "That'll do until I get some food in me."

Tara laughs running her hand gently through the slayer's hair. "Want to hit the bathroom first?"

Faith growls then smiles apologetically. "I probably should. My bladder is a little on the full side."

Tara grins "I would say so after the amount of fluids you drank last night. Do you want to try on your own, or do you want some help?" Tara shifts off the bed to stand ready to help the slayer.

"Let me see what I'm workin' with." Faith growls as she slides her body to the edge of the bed and swings her legs down, glancing up as Tara wraps an arm around her to help her stand. "Thanks." Faith stands up and gingerly puts some weight on her ankle, as it supports her she adds more weight and sighs quietly. "Ankle seems like it can support me. Let me try it."

Tara steps back away from Faith and watches her with concerned eyes as she slowly takes a couple steps, just a hint of a limp to her steps. "How's your ribs and abdomen feeling?"

Faith glances up and smiles. "Almost good as new. I don't know what you did, but you took care of my busted ribs and I'm pretty sure some serious internal damage."

Tara nods her head in agreement. "Do you want me to go get you some clothes? Or do you want to wear one of my shirts and pair of shorts?"

"No, because you'll be lying back down to rest." Tara seriously eyes the slayer, no give in her look.

"You're gonna be a pain in the ass, ain't ya?" Faith growls out as she walks towards the bathroom.

"Yes." Tara smiles as she walks to the dresser and grabs clothes out for the slayer, walking to the bathroom door. Leaning against the wall, she smirks as she hears Faith tell her to come on in. Easing open the door, she watches as Faith finishes washing her face. "If you want, after you eat, you can take either a bath or shower to clean what I wasn't able to get off you last night. And if you're a really good slayer, I'll even help clean you up."

Faith grins appreciatively her eyes roaming over the witch. "You going to join me in the shower?"

"If you're a good girl." Tara grins as she walks up to Faith. "Here's you something to wear. If you need help, yell."

"You're welcome." Tara calls back over her shoulder as she walks to the table, pouring a cup of coffee out for Faith and a glass of juice. Pouring herself a cup, she sits down and crosses her legs watching as Faith walks slowly to the chair and gingerly sits down, wincing slightly.

Faith glances up into Tara's blue eyes and nods. "A bit. A good long soak in the tub might help."

"That can be arranged." Tara watches as Faith quickly works her way through the plates of food she brought up. Reaching over, she refills Faiths coffee cup before topping off her own.

As Faith reaches for another biscuit, she glances up seeing Tara watching her intently. "What?"

"I enjoy watching you eat." Tara smiles looking in the slayer's eyes. "You eat, fight and make love the same way."

"Total concentration on the task at hand." Tara grins. "And that is definitely a good thing" Tara winks watching Faith's eyes darken slightly.

"Just wait." Faith growls lightly "I still owe you for last night. We were interrupted, you know."

"I know." Tara nods in agreement. "But that isn't a problem. I just want to make sure you're healed up properly."

"I'm healed good 'nough." Faith growls out, stretching her leg to run up Tara's under the table. "And I still got the HH factor going on, here."

Tara quirks her eyebrow at the slayer. "I can help you out with that, but you are to behave yourself. I don't want you twisting around and causing yourself pain."

"I ain't lettin' you fix my problem, if you're not going to let me have fun." Faith snarls her lip up slightly. "At one time, I would've been all over that. But not with you. Never with you."

Tara tilts her head watching the slayer intently for a few long moments. "Faith…" She sighs trying to think of the best way to phrase what she wants to say. "Don't look at it as you're the only one receiving any pleasure. I enjoy giving pleasure to you immensely. More than I ever would have thought possible. I can guarantee that this won't be one-sided. I'm sure in the future the tables will be turned.." Tara stops and smirks slightly at this. "But don't think just because I want to please you that you have to return the favor. Sometimes a loving relationship is allowing the other person to love you. And that's what you really got to remember, Faith. This is a relationship. You can tell me if I'm wrong, but you're never had one before and it's about give and take. Let me give you this, please."

Faith listens quietly as her witch tries to explain how she looks at their relationship. Realizing she's thinking about her usual one-night stands, her get some get gone attitude. This is a forever deal, things were different. Looking deeply into blue eyes, Faith sees the love and caring this wonderful woman has for her, and feels humbled by the intensity of the emotions. "You know I'm gonna fuck up at times, don't ya?" Faith mutters quietly. "I'm gonna say stupid things and probably hurt your feelings. I'm gonna get angry and need to go out to blow off steam."

Tara nods her head at the rogue slayer. "That's who you are, love. I don't ever want you to change. You are who you are."

Faith smiles crookedly at Tara before becoming very serious. "One thing I do wanna tell ya', I won't ever do anything to hurt ya' physically and I'll never cheat on ya'. I give ya' my solemn oath."

Tara shakes her head "It never even occurred to me that you would do either of those things, Faith. Whether you realize it or not, we are a part of each other now. You've already changed more than most people realize. So have I." Tara chuckles quietly. "But you still have your attitude. It's just a little more tempered with my calmness. Whereas my calmness now has more attitude."

"So, you're trying to say that in a round about way, I wanted to jump myself?" Faith smirks thinking about it.

Tara blinks a couple times and then laughs. "Very well could be. I've never been like that with anyone before. Your asking me out on a date then a few minutes later being attacked by me, is not how I would normally act."

Faith grins as she finishes her breakfast and picks up her coffee cup. "So, does this soul-mate thingy with our sharing personalities, mean we're gonna share other things?"

"Am I gonna be able to turn Cordelia into a snake? And will you be able to knock Angel on his ass?" Faith tries not to laugh as she watches the emotions crossing the woman's face. "I mean we're influencing each other in other ways, I was just wondering if it would change other stuff."

Tara opens her mouth and then closes it back, tilting her head slightly thinking heavily about what the slayer was saying. Finally shaking her head Tara smirks slightly. "That could be very interesting, but I don't think so. I think it's more on an emotional level that the changes happen, not the physical level."

Faith nods her head sighing heavily and almost whining. "Damn, I was so looking forward to watching you kick Angel's ass. That would'a been somethin' to see."

Tara chuckles at the kidding slayer. "Sure you were. You were imagining Cordelia slithering around on the floor, is what you were thinking about!"

Tara smiles as Faith continues gently running her foot up and down her leg. "Did you get enough to eat, or do you want more?"

Faith looks at the empty plates and chuckles. "I'm good for now." Shifting up in the chair to grab the coffee, Faith groans quietly as her ribs pull.

"Here, let me get it." Tara quickly reaches for the coffee and fills the slayer's cup with the last of the coffee. "Do you think you're going to want some more coffee?"

Faith watches as Tara quickly fills her cup and grins quietly. "Yeah, I can probably drink some more."

Tara nods her head and stands stacking everything and putting it back on the tray. "Do you want to take a bath, soak for a while in hot water to see if that loosens you up some?" As Faith nods Tara kneels down beside the slayer, running her hand gently through her dark hair. "Do you want bubbles, or maybe some nice smelling salts in the water?"

"You gonna make me all girly?" Faith chuckles and leans into the hand that's now cupping the side of her cheek.

"Well you are a girl." Tara giggles. "Maybe I should say a woman. An extremely, gorgeous, sexy woman." Tara leans up and kisses Faith gently. "Plus I have some healing salts I was going to put in the tub to help you out."

"That's fine." Faith agrees quietly, while capturing Tara before she can pull too far away and pulls her in for a deeper, longer kiss.

"Mmmm." Tara hums as she pulls away. Looking into the darkening eyes of the slayer, Tara quirks her lip up and presses a quick kiss on her lips before standing and walking towards the bathroom. "Let me get your bath ready. After I help you in I'll run downstairs and make some more coffee."

Faith feels a happiness and contentment that she can't ever remember feeling before. Standing quickly before grunting as she grasps her ribs she shakes her head. "Damn, maybe I shouldn't have moved so quick. Girlfriend did a good job, but they're gonna still need time."

Tara stands at the door watching and listening to Faith and shakes her head. "Told you." Tara walks over and wraps an arm gently around the slayer's waist and leans in hugging her softly. "Take it easy. Let me help. I know it goes against your nature, but humor me, okay?"

Faith growls quietly and nods her head. "'kay. But just know this isn't gonna become a habit."

Tara chuckles. "I hope not. I'd rather you come home to me whole, not in multi-colored, broken pieces."

"I know." Tara leans up and kisses Faith on the forehead before shifting to her side and walking with her to the bathroom. "Let's get you all safe and snug in a nice hot bath."

"It isn't quite big enough for two people, Faith. Especially if you lay down and soak in it like you should." Tara explains as she turns and helps Faith take her clothes off. Running a gentle hand over the bruised and discolored ribs. "Check the water and tell me if it's too hot."

Faith watches the witch, really wanting to kiss her breathless, but refraining for the time being. "Yeah, check the water." Faith mumbles turning and shifting down to put her hand in, smiling as it's good and hot, but not scalding. Just the way she likes it. "It's good." Faith leans back up and turns to Tara who's shifted closer to the tub.

"Let's get you in, love." Tara whispers, and offer's Faith her arms to make sure she's steady as she steps in and slowly lowers her body into the hot water, groaning and smiling. As she gets settled, Tara turns the water off and watches as Faith slides a little deeper into the aromatic water. "I'll be back in a bit. Do you want anything else besides more coffee?"

"You." Faith opens her eyes and runs her tongue unconsciously over her lips while eyeing the witch up and down.

Faith watches as Tara walks out of the bathroom and sighs quietly, "I don't deserve you. You deserve someone that can give you the world." Faith whispers. "But I dare anyone to try and take you away from me. I'll rip their fuckin' hearts out." Faith growls out roughly. Easing further down in the water so it comes up over her shoulders she leans her head back on the towel Tara had rolled up and placed there earlier, closing her eyes and enjoying the heat seeping into her body.

"How's Faith?" Cordelia questions Tara as she watches the woman heading towards the kitchen with the tray filled with empty plates.

"Better. Her ribs and abdomen are trying to seize up on her. The side of her face is still bruised badly, but the swelling has gone down immensely." Tara smiles softly at Cordelia. "Thanks for asking."

"I figure she must be feeling halfway decent if she ate all that." Cordelia waves towards the tray.

"Food is one thing that Faith won't ever give up easily." Tara quirks her lip up slightly. "I won't bother telling you the other."

Cordelia rolls her eyes before laughing. "You don't need to. Everybody learned about her hungry and horny theory in Sunnydale."

"I would have liked to have known her then." Tara whispers quietly unconsciously glancing upwards as if seeking Faith out.

Cordelia stops and thinks about the slayer when she first came to Sunnydale, how tough and brash the woman was. Wondering now how much of that was a front. "I know you two talked, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to. But did she talk about when she came to Sunnydale?"

Tara looks curiously at Cordelia. "If you want to talk, would you mind following me downstairs so I can fix her some more coffee? We can talk while I'm getting the dishes done and the coffees brewing."

Cordelia nods and walks with Tara down to the kitchen watching as the witch places the dishes in the sink, running water to wash them while grinding coffee beans and preparing the coffee maker.

"She talked about how she came in acting all big and bad." Tara quietly admits after she gets the coffee started before turning to start the dishes. "If you're wondering, it was all pretty much an act. She was hurting and scared."

"I kind of figured it was. But hindsight's twenty twenty." Cordelia admits sadly. "I was a bitch to her. Hell I still am, but now it's almost like a habit more than anything."

Tara smiles as she rinses the dishes. "Well don't change. She likes irritating the hell out of you."

"Oh, great. Now I'm entertainment." Cordelia snarks before laughing quietly. "Have you seen the guys this morning?"

"I ran into Gunn as he was heading out to get donuts. I offered to fix breakfast for them, but he told me not to worry. While the biscuits were baking I ran up to check on Wesley. He was limping around, but said he was okay." Tara finishes washing the dishes before grabbing a towel to dry and put them away.

"I saw Gunn. I haven't seen Wes yet." Cordelia admits. "I'm glad it looks like everyone will be okay. Faith had me worried last night."

"Me too." Tara admits almost indiscernibly. Grabbing the thermos, Tara quickly fills it with the coffee.

"Go take care of her. Don't worry about food, we'll be ordering lunch and dinner out. Oh, and don't you dare tell her I was worried about her!!" Cordelia smiles as Tara grins at her before hurrying out of the kitchen.

Placing the coffee on the table, Tara quickly walks into the bathroom. Smiling as she sees Faith stretched out with her body completely submerged in the hot water and her head lying back on the towel. Easing down to sit on the side of the tub, Tara runs her hand through the water, noticing it's starting to cool. Quietly watching Faith for a few moments she smirks, realizing the slayer has fallen asleep. "Good thing you didn't shift down under the water and drown. You would really piss me off." Tara whispers reaching up and running her hand through Faith's hair.

"Nah. Wanna stick around and piss you off other ways instead." Faith smirks opening her eyes looking at the witch.

"Hmmm." Tara murmurs quietly just looking at the slayer. "Your water's cooling. Want me to add some more hot water and salts so you can soak a while longer?"

Faith shifts feeling her side moving easier, debating on soaking a while longer or washing and getting out.

Tara watches as Faith debates and shakes her head making the decision for the slayer. "Soak longer." Tara let's some of the cooling water out while turning the hot water on, using her hand to swirl it around to mix with the other water before plugging the tub back up, letting the hot water continue to run adding more healing salts. Continuing to swirl her hand around she glances up to Faith and smiles as she's closed her eyes again and slid a little deeper into the water. As the water heats up nicely, Tara turns the hot water off and gingerly sits down beside the tub, her hand still trailing in the water watching Faith soak.

"You gonna just watch me soak?" Faith asks huskily before opening her eyes and smirking at the witch.

"Yes." Tara admits softly. Shifting her hand slightly so the back of her hand runs up the outside of Faith's thigh. "How are you feeling, love?" Tara whispers as she takes inventory of the slayer's body.

"Better. You gonna join me in here?" Faith raises an eyebrow and smiles hopefully at the witch.

Shaking her head, Tara smiles and runs her other hand down the slayer's shoulder and arm. "No. There isn't enough room in there for both of us, especially with you being hurt."

Faith growls deeply, making Tara roll her eyes. "When you're healed we can have all the showers together you want."

Faith perks up at that thought before grinning hugely. "The rooms I got picked out upstairs has a huge tub in it. One of those old fashioned claw-footed tubs that would fit three people. Maybe we can have a bath there?"

"Whatever you wish, after you're healed." Tara smiles at the slayer. As she watches a calculating look come into the slayer's eyes, Tara groans. "How come I think I just made a huge mistake."

Faith chuckles reaching up and wrapping her hand around Tara's neck, urging her to come in close. "Because you just gave me free reign. But trust me, it ain't gonna be a mistake." Faith growls out before kissing Tara thoroughly.

Tara carefully pulls away, eyes still closed as she tries to calm her rapidly beating heart. "Let's get you washed and back in the bed to rest."

Tara blushes before growling at the slayer. "You can just stop that. It isn't fair." Tara shifts around and grabs the shampoo. "Want to slide on down and wet your hair?" Tara watches as Faith quirks an eyebrow at her before slowly shifting down the tub. Tara reaches down and runs her hands through Faith's hair, making sure its good and wet before Faith comes back up from the water and wipes the excess off her face. Tara smiles as she starts working the shampoo into Faiths hair and chuckles as Faith groans deeply.

"I'm not complainin' or nothing', but you don't have to bathe me, you know." Faith groans as Tara works her fingers more firmly over her scalp.

Tara smiles sadly at the slayer. "You deserve to be spoiled, love. I can't afford to buy you expensive leather pants or take you to the islands for a hot sexy vacation, lying on a nudist beach." Tara smirks at the slayer as Faith groans at the last. "So, I do what I can. And one thing I can do is love you."

Faith looks up into the witch's blue eyes taking a deep breath. "You know I've never known love, or loved anyone before." Faith's husky voice deepens as she reaches up with a damp hand and runs it down the witch's face. "Every time you smile at me, my heart skips a beat. I feel this uncontrollable urge to keep you in my line of sight, to touch you and be near you. Whenever I think about how you've been hurt in the past I switch from being angry to sad to absolutely fuckin' pissed." Faith growls quietly thinking about Tara's family and Willow. Leaning into Tara's hand as it cups her face, Faith sighs. "Is that what love is? I want to do everything to make you happy, I would willingly give up my pleasure to please you. I've never, ever taken someone else's wants above my own." Faith admits quietly.

Tara rubs the slayer's shoulder and leans in pressing a kiss against her temple. "Let's rinse your hair, love." Tara watches as Faith nods her head and takes a deep breath sliding down under the water. Tara quickly works the shampoo out of the slayer's dark locks and watches as she comes back up. Running her hand down her cheek, she leans in and kisses her briefly on the lips. "And yes, that's what love is. Along with a thousand other things. You've never been shown love to know what it is." Tara stops for a minute thinking about Faith's mother, her eyes becoming a pale blue as she feels untold power rising up in her at the thought of the bitch that would sell her own child's body.

Faith watches Tara and her eyes widen in shock, then with a hint of fear. "Tara? Please babe?" She whispers trying to get her attention.

Tara shakes her head and looks into Faith's scared eyes. "What's wrong, love?" She whispers.

"You're eyes turned a real pale blue. I-it kind of scared me. You set off my slayer senses to the tenth degree." Faith admits quietly as she feels her senses settling back to normal.

"I don't know what happened." Tara swallows looking into her lover's eyes. "I would never harm you, Faith." Seeing Faith smile at her makes Tara sigh and quirk her lip up slightly before leaning in and placing her forehead against Faith's. "With the talk, I started thinking about your mother. How a mother is supposed to love, support and protect her child at all costs. Then I started getting royally pissed off." Taking a deep breath she pulls away and places a kiss on the tip of Faith's nose. "I'll try and not do that again."

Faith watches as Tara pulls back and grabs a wash cloth along with a couple different shower gels she has.

"I'll wash your back for you, then let you finish. If you need any help, yell." Tara quietly whispers before looking up at Faith. "What kind would you like me to use?"

Faith glances down and smiles slightly. "I don't think I'm the flowery type, or the raspberry type."

Tara looks down and smiles slightly. "Vanilla it is then. Can you shift forward slightly so I can wash your back?" As Faith shifts forward, Tara starts gently running the washcloth over the strong tan shoulders, feeling her heartbeat kick up a notch at the play of muscles under the skin. Closing her eyes briefly to try and get control of her hormones, she quickly finishes scrubbing Faith's back. Rinsing the washcloth out in the water, she runs clean water over the slayers back, rinsing the bubbles away. "Anything else you would like me to do before I leave you to your bath?"

Faith shakes her head. "No, you won't join me in here, so I just need to finish washing." Faith watches as Tara smiles softly at her and hands her the washcloth and shower gel. As she watches Tara slowly stand and walk towards the bathroom door, Faith whispers "I love you."

Tara feels her heart stop at hearing those three little, yet so gigantic words come from the slayer. "Oh, Goddess." Tara whispers placing a hand up against the door frame to steady herself.

Faith watches Tara intently, hearing her whispered words. Knowing in her heart how deeply it affected the witch. Faith's eyes widen slightly as she watches Tara slowly turn and walk back towards her, her eyes a dark navy blue. Inhaling deeply, Faith closes her eyes moaning as the smell of the witch invades her whole being.

"I'm not going to climb in the bathtub with you. It's just asking for you to hurt your ribs." Tara starts quietly, kneeling beside the tub. "But if you can have anything that is in my power to give you right now, what would you want?"

"I want you." Faith growls out, inhaling deeply. "And if you're not gonna be joinin' me in the tub, you best head out to the bedroom."

Tara looks into the serious eyes of the slayer and nods her head. Slowly standing she looks down at her lover. "Be careful. If you need any help, yell for me." Tara slowly walks backwards to the door of the bathroom, tilting her head. "I love you, too." Tara quietly makes the statement before turning on her heel, leaving Faith alone in the bathroom.

Faith watches the empty doorway for a long moment before grinning. "I'm gonna get the witch. Oh, yeah." She quickly washes her body before slowly standing up, surprised at how much better her ribs feel. Quickly stepping out of the tub she grabs a towel to dry herself off. Running a brush through her towel dried hair, Faith throws it down on the counter taking a deep breath, smiling. "You are so mine, woman." Faith growls out quietly, heading towards the door.

Tara smiles softly at the sleeping slayer, who's literally holding her captive. Running her hands gently over her back, Tara chuckles quietly. "This position can't be good on your ribs, love." Tara whispers quietly looking down at the slayer that has her head buried against her breast, arm wrapped around her waist and a leg over her thigh. Leaning down and placing a kiss on the top of her head, Tara hugs her gently before continuing her soothing strokes down her back.

Faith shifts slightly and rubs her face against the breast it's resting on. "Why aren't you sleepin'?"

Tara chuckles and runs her hands down the slayer's back a little more firmly. "I'm enjoying having you in my arms. But I really would like you to move so that you don't hurt your ribs."

"Like where I'm at." Faith growls rubbing her leg against Tara's, while running her hand up to cup the witch's other breast.

Tara smiles as she shifts onto her side and runs a hand down her lovers body, checking the ribs in particular. Running her fingers lightly over them before pressing gently over her abdomen, she sighs and nods her head. "They're better. Are they trying to seize up on you any more?" Tara glances up looking into the soulful brown eyes, her breath catching at the love shining there.

"They're fine." Faith whisper reaching up and pulling Tara down for a gentle, passionate kiss. "I still want you."

Tara chuckles and shifts to run her leg up and over Faith's while running her hand down the side of her face. Looking over the beautiful features of the slayer, even discolored as it is. "You already had me, love. Multiple times."

Faith nips the finger playing with her lips before smiling. "And I wanta have ya more."

Tara shakes her head and shifts down slightly to rest her head on the slayer's shoulder while running her hand down the strong column of her neck to caress lightly down across the slayer's chest. "You are supposed to be recuperating from some serious injuries, not spending all day in bed making love to me."

"I think that's an extremely worthwhile way of spending a day. And what better way to recuperate than being taken care of by a beautiful, caring, witch that does a wicked healing spell." Faith runs a hand down the witch's back, smiling as she arches slightly into her body.

"Wasn't all me, love." Tara whispers shaking her head before placing a gentle kiss on the nipple closest to her.

"We've got Chinese downstairs if you want some." Cordelia knocks before yelling through the door. "We even got extra for the horny…oops I mean hungry slayer."

"Thanks Cordy." Faith yells and then snorts back a laugh as she hears Cordelia laughing.

"I think I should make you go down and get the food." Tara murmurs quietly, before laughing.

"Actually I feel good enough to go downstairs." Faith admits quietly. "If you'll let me move around?"

Tara pulls away and props herself up looking at Faith. "You sure?" As Faith nods and smiles Tara grins back before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on the slayer's lips. "I'm not going to force you to stay here if you feel good enough to move around. Let me go to your room and pack up some of your clothes to bring back." Tara whispers placing another kiss on Faith's lips and rolls over and off the bed grabbing up her clothes dressing quickly.

Faith silently watches as Tara quickly dresses and slips out of the room, closing the door behind her. Smiling at the thought of keeping the witch in their bed all day long. "Gonna have to do that soon. See how she holds up." Faith smirks at the thought of wearing the witch out.

Standing up Faith slowly stretches, groaning as her back pops. Shifting slowly from side to side, she feels a pinching in her ribs, but smiles as she shifts a little further and they don't cause any pain. Pushing in on her abdomen, she pushes and feels around a lot firmer than the witch was doing, just feeling a slight tenderness at her firm prodding. Not bothering to check her face, she already knows it's still a mass of bruises. But all in all she's healed, and feeling good.

Tara quickly eases into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her and looks up seeing Faith standing in the middle of the room, stark naked. Chuckling quietly she walks over and hands her the pile of clothes. "You might want to wear something when you go downstairs."

Faith grins and throws the clothes on the bed before grasping Tara in a hug, picking her up and spinning her around. As she let's the witch slide back down her body, she leans in the short distance, quickly covering the witch's lips that were opening to give her hell. Running a hand up to capture the back of Tara's head, Faith tilts her head for a tighter fit before easing her tongue out to run across the witch's lips. Groaning into the blonde's mouth as her lips grant her tongue access, quickly invading the warm cavern, Faith wraps her tongue repeatedly around Tara's, moaning as Tara captures her tongue and sucks on it firmly.

Tara finally releases the slayer's tongue and as they both pull back a short distance, Tara keeps her eyes closed, panting heavily. "Sweet Goddess." Tara finally pants out before leaning in and placing her forehead against the slayer's shoulder. "What the hell are you trying to do to me?"

"Drive you to the horniest state imaginable, then I plan on locking the door and seeing how long it takes me to completely wear you out. And as soon as ya' get your breath back, do it all over again. Keep doing it for hours on end." Faith growls out running both hands down to clasp Tara's ass, shifting her legs further open and pulling Tara in tight against her. "Maybe days on end." Faith whispers as she nibbles on the tender skin behind Tara's ear, smiling as she hears Tara's breath hitch. Smelling deeply of the witch's arousal, Faith eases a hand under the witch's underwear, running a finger delicately between her two cheeks. Nipping softly down the side of her neck, Faith strokes a little firmer and growls as Tara pushes back against her finger.

"Faith!" Tara growls out before finally pushing her way out of the slayer's grasp. "Food. You need food. Helps you heal." Tara slowly backs away from the slayer, seeing the intensely passionate look on her face. "Food first, me second."

Tara walks backwards, keeping Faith in her eyesight, feeling an unbelievable shot of arousal shooting through her body as the slayer stalks her. "Faith, I'll let you do absolutely anything you want to me, if you'll eat first."

Faith smirks and shakes her head. "Not gonna work, witch. You'll let me do what I wanna anyway."

Tara growls quietly under her breath. "I'll bake you the biggest batch of brownies with cream cheese icing, just for you. You won't have to share with anyone."

Faith chuckles, slowly closing in on the witch. "You'd fix 'em for me if I ask."

Tara realizes she's close to the door, taking a gamble she turns and quickly opens it, running out laughing.

"Don't think that's gonna stop me witch." Faith growls coming right behind her quickly catching her and picking her up.

"Faith! You're naked." Tara gasps out between laughs. "Anyone can come by and see you."

"Don't care. Got what I came out here to get." Faith laughs carrying the witch back into their room.

"You are so bad." Tara giggles as Faith sets her down on her feet and kisses her firmly on the lips.

"I've heard that before." Faith grins running a hand down the witch's neck. Giving her another brief kiss, she chuckles quietly. "Remind me to tell you about the time I saved this group of church goers from a vampire attack." Winking at Tara, Faith turns to walk toward the bed, grabbing a pair of jeans, quickly pulling them on and a t-shirt. Sitting down on the edge of the bed she pulls a pair of socks on and glances around looking for her boots. Smiling as Tara grabs them and brings them to her. "Thanks babe."

"You mean after all that, you're getting dressed to go downstairs and eat?" Tara chuckles quietly as she watches Faith slide her feet in the boots and ties them.

"I would have probably ran downstairs grabbed up all the containers of food I could and ran back up here so you could have your evil way with me." Tara admits, smiling crookedly.

"Oooh, now she tells me." Faith chuckles as she heads to the bathroom washing her hands and brushing her hair. "That's okay, I plan on doing all kinds of evil wicked things to you."

"Uh, uh. Wicked is my forte'. Not yours." Tara opens the door, waiting for Faith and smiles as she heads towards her. "You're definitely doing a lot better than I thought you would be. Especially considering you were almost on death's door." Tara frowns slightly thinking about that.

"I wasn't that bad." Faith whispers easing her arms around Tara and hugging her gently. "I was fucked up. But nothing I wouldn't have been completely healed from in a weeks time normally."

Tara sighs and hugs her lightly. "I think I'm going to make it a habit to go with you on your outings. I know some defense spells and I can work on more. I can do a good barrier spell and hold it for a while, also."

Faith frowns at the thought of Tara coming out with them, but knowing in her heart that she wouldn't be able to stop the witch if she got it in her head to come with them. Thinking about it momentarily, she realizes that she might feel better if she was with her all the time. Lord knows the hotel itself has been attacked before, and what would happen if Tara was here by herself. Her heart skips a beat thinking about something happening to the woman when she couldn't be there to help her. "Might be a good idea." Faith acknowledges.

Tara leans back looking at the slayer in shock that she gave in that easily, figuring that she would have an argument on her hands. Looking in the slayer's eyes, she sees the worry and tilts her head slightly. "Why the worried look?"

"Just bad thoughts runnin' through my head that somethin' could happen to you while I was out on patrol." Faith admits quietly, running a hand through the blonde hair. "Can't have that."

Tara leans in and brushes her lips lightly across Faith's. "And I don't want anything to happen to you. So it's a good thing we agree."

"Very." Faith admits smiling. "Let's see if there's any food left." Tara smiles as they walk out of the bedroom.

"It's okay, love." Tara runs a hand gently down the slayer's back. Grabbing clean plates and utensils, Tara places them on the table before walking in the kitchen to grab some drinks.

Faith narrows her eyes on Cordy as she sits down. "You can't pick on my witch. You can do or say what you want to me. But not her."

Cordelia opens her eyes in surprise at the slayer. Blinking a couple times Cordelia opens her mouth and whispers "Faith, I like Tara."

Faith nods her head and reaches out to grab containers looking to see what they have left. Quickly scooping out some of the chicken fried rice on the two plates, chicken lo-mein for the witch and some General Tso's Chicken for herself. "Is this the extra hot, or regular?"

"I'm not sure." Cordelia admits. "Gunn ordered it. The rest of the group already finished eating and went back to their rooms, and Fred's watching the front while I decided to eat."

Faith nods her understanding and turns to watch as the door opens and Tara comes out with a couple glasses of soda in her hands. "Babe, do you want some General Tso's Chicken? I already got you some chicken fried rice and chicken lo mein on your plate."

"Extra hot?" Tara questions sitting the drinks down and looking up at a laughing slayer and Seer. "What did I say?"

"Same thing Faith did, basically." Cordelia shakes her head. "I don't know. You'll just have to eat it and find out."

Tara glances at Faith who's holding the container by her plate with a questioning look on her face. "Please." Tara nods her head and smiles. Grabbing up a pair of chopsticks, Tara tries some of the chicken, smiling she nods at Faith.

"And you end up with the calm sedate witch?" Cordelia raises an eyebrow in disbelief at the slayer.

"Watch it." Faith growls quietly before grinning. "She ain't as calm and sedate or as innocent as her looks lead you to believe." Faith smirks glancing towards the witch, seeing the color rise in her cheeks.

Cordelia quickly covers her mouth as she starts to laugh. "I would say not with the noises coming down from upstairs. Damn good thing I don't live here. I'd probably never get any sleep."

"It's gonna take a few hours at least just to move the storage furniture out." Faith comments reaching up and pushing hair off the side of Tara's face and tucking it behind her ear. "You won't get all pissed at me if I start lifting and carrying that stuff out?"

"If you promise not to push it. And if you start feeling tired, or feel the least little soreness I want you to stop." Tara looks into the soulful brown eyes, feeling her heart kick up a notch. "If you hurt yourself, I'll not just get pissed, I'll kick your ass and make you stay in bed by yourself for two days."

"That's just downright cruel." Faith growls out quietly. "Your kicking my ass I would actually probably enjoy. But being in bed by myself for two days without you being there with me? Cruel and unusual punishment."

Tara grins before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "That's the terms." She raises an eyebrow at the slayer as she pulls away.

"'kay." Faith agrees quietly after a few minutes of contemplation. Perking up she grins. "Do I get anything special for being a good slayer?"

"Ah hell." Cordelia rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Pat her on the head like a good dog and give her a treat."

Tara holds back a laugh glancing over at Cordelia with twinkling blue eyes. "Want me to do it here Cordy? You might get embarrassed with the kind of treat she would get for being a good slayer."

"Damn. I don't know which one of you is worst." Cordy grumbles quietly scooping up some more of her pork fried rice.

Faith grins and snickers quietly as she scoops some more food on her plate. "Need any more?"

"Thanks, I'm good." Tara smiles watching as Faith pours more food onto her plate. "And Cordy, honestly I haven't a clue as to which one of us is worse." Tara chuckles quietly as she finishes her egg roll and sips on her soda watching Faith eat.

Angel silently comes in and chuckles. "That's probably a loaded question. How are you feeling, Faith?"

"Pretty damn good. Witchy over here fixed me up and has been taking care of me." Faith smirks at the witch. "How about you, Fang?"

"I'm better. Just a little stiff. I'll actually probably be pretty good come tonight." He turns and looks at Tara with a narrow gaze. "Seems someone sprang for the good stuff."

"Talked with Lorne. He got me an in with a supplier. It's all on the up and up. It actually costs the same as the pigs blood you'd been drinking. And I know you heal better with human blood." Tara admits quietly looking down running a finger around the edge of her plate. "If you don't want it, I'll go back to the butchers and get pigs blood again."

Angel quietly contemplates the witch and catches Faith's eye, seeing her quietly urging him to accept the offer. "Lorne would make sure that the blood was coming from a legitimate source." Sighing he eyes the witch as she glances up. "I guess I can't complain." Angel watches as an absolutely beautiful smile crosses the witch's face and his eyes widen in surprise, then he chuckles. Looking towards Faith who's watching Tara with what could only be called absolute love shining from her eyes, Angel growls out "You must be one lucky slayer."

"Don't I know it." Faith admits leaning in and kissing a blushing Tara on the cheek. "She's absolutely gorgeous, sexy, kind, generous and grrrrrrrrrrr." Faith growls before nipping lightly on Tara's ear. "She gets the motor revving."

"That ain't gonna make me behave, witch." Faith admits quietly in her ear. "Maybe make me worse."

Angel shakes his head and glances at Cordy who's sitting there silently looking off at nothing. "You okay, Cordy?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Cordelia answers after a few moments. Smiling at the two women. "And I honestly believe they're both lucky." Cordelia smiles softly. "If you two want an extra pair of hands to help you move, I'll be willing to help."

Faith opens her eyes in shock, Cordy offering to do manual labor was almost unheard of. "I, uh…" Faith trails off in stunned shock before looking towards Tara for help.

"Cordy, we'd appreciate any help we can get. I'm assuming not all the stuff is big and heavy, right?" Tara looks towards Faith.

"No, there's a lot of lamps and night stands and other stuff." Faith admits smiling into the blue eyes of her witch. "There's probably enough space left over in the other rooms to work the extra stuff in them, so we don't have to take it down to another floor."

"Are there heavy drapes in the room?" Angel questions. "Or can we put up some blankets and I'll help you shift stuff out."

"There's heavy drapes up. Don't remember what kind of condition they're in." Faith admits. "We can check it out and throw some blankets over them to be on the safe side."

"Do you want a mug of blood?" Tara offers the vampire as she stands gathering her dirty dishes.

"Offering to help. Being nice to my witch." Faith admits the last on quiet sigh.

Cordelia reaches across the table and places a hand over the slayers. "I like her Faith. And I believe you're both good for each other. I must admit I never expected you to like…" Cordelia trails off not knowing how to phrase it.

"To like women?" Faith looks up and smirks at the seer. "Queenie if you ain't ever been with a woman, you ought to try it. Not that Tara is like any other woman." Faith's smirk changes into a soft smile. "I think she's done ruint me for the rest of the human race. Not that I would even consider being with anyone else, now."

Cordelia smiles at the slayer. "I don't foresee any women in my future, Faith. Hopefully here soon we'll get the deal with Angel taken care of."

Faith nods and looks towards the kitchen door. "Tara has the spell to double check. I have a feeling she's right in regards to Fang. But to be on the safe side, when you guys get to the stage of getting it on." Faith smirks slightly turning her gaze to Cordelia. "You might want to get the heavy duty chains and tie him down somewhere to have your way with him. Then have Tara check him out to make sure the soul's still there."

"I'm serious, Queenie. Protect yourself and the rest of us. Just think of the chains as a big condom." Faith seriously makes the comment.

Tara places her dirty dishes in the sink before walking over to the refrigerator she keeps Angels blood in. Pulling out a container she grabs his mug down and fills it before placing it in the microwave and putting the container back in the refrigerator. Watching as Angel grabs the warmed blood out of the microwave and sips on it, Tara tilts her head. "You ready for me to read your aura?"

Angel looks back into the calm blue eyes and silently nods his assent. He watches curiously as Tara's eyes seem to lose their focus and turn a paler blue.

Tara searches the vampires soul for any weakness'. Slowly working layer by layer deeper and deeper into the very being of the vampire. Making sure to not miss anything, Tara sees a soul anchored, no weakness'. Coming out of her trance like state Tara's eyes bleed back to her normal blue color and she smiles. "Angel, I see a soul anchored. I didn't see a single weakness anywhere."

Angel let's our an unnecessary breath of air. "How long before you can do the spell as a double-check?"

"I can do it today, if you wish. I have the spell up in the room and I believe we have all the ingredients." Tara sees a light of hope in the vampires eyes and smiles softly. "Do you want to do…"

Just then Cordelia yells Faith's name and the vampire and witch look at each other before turning and running to the kitchen door.

"What the hell happened?" Angel growls out looking from one woman to the other, not seeing any blood and actually being surprised to see the two women sitting calmly across from each other.

"She…She…" Cordy shakes her head blushing deeply and whispering "I can't say it."

Tara sees the soft smile pointed at her and can't resist coming over on the other side of Faith to sit and wrap her arms around the slayer. "What rotten mean things did you say to Cordy, love?" Tara questions.

"It wasn't, honest." Faith leans into the witch's arms. "I was just explainin' to her that she needs to be extra careful when it came time for those two to get their groove on. I thought it would be a good idea to chain Angel up while she made him a happy vampire. Afterwards you could check out to make sure the soul was still intact."

Angel chuckles and turns his back on the three women, as he feels laughter boiling up inside him at how embarrassed Cordelia was. Finally getting control of himself he turns back around and sits down beside the seer. "That's actually a very good idea." Angel admits seriously nodding towards Faith. "And if and when we are at that point, I'll want you to make sure I'm properly chained." Angel searches the slayer's eyes.

"I'll make sure you're good to go, Fang." Faith acknowledges the seriousness of what Angel was asking her to do.

"Love you too, babe." Faith whispers leaning down and kissing her on the top of the head. "So what's the plan?"

Tara squeezes the slayer tight before shifting back up, loosening her grip around her waist. "I'm going to go check the ingredients to do the spell to double-check for Angel. Plus I need to do up the dishes quickly and maybe figure out something for dinner tonight."

"We'll order pizzas for everyone. Don't worry about dinner." Angel smiles at the witch.

"Well then, I guess I'll just do the spell and the dishes then." Tara grins at the vampire.

"Your witch?" Cordy pipes up watching the two women. "That sounds kind of possessive."

"She's my slayer, so it's only fair." Tara snuggles back into the slayer's side. "We belong to each other. Hence being mine." Tara smirks before nipping lightly at the slayer's ear lobe.

"And I wouldn't want it any other way." Faith growls as Tara nips more firmly on her ear lobe. "But if you keep that up, we won't be movin' today."

Tara sighs as she pulls away. "You're no fun. Chase me all around upstairs then don't follow through. Not good for a girlfriends ego, you know."

"Don't tell me what I heard was the truth?" Angel growls out and rolls his eyes as Tara grins at him. "Faith, you might want to think about keeping clothes on when you're not in your room."

"I wasn't out of the room for long." Faith growls back. "Plus I don't much like clothes anyway."

Tara laughs before grinning at the vampire. "Don't even bother, Angel. Won't do any good. My slayer here is an exhibitionist. Be thankful…" Tara stops and tilts her head slightly before looking her lover up and down before smirking. "Or be pissed that she doesn't come down here nude."

"Jeeze, horny much?" Cordelia growls before standing and taking her dirty dishes to the kitchen. "I'll be upstairs in the lobby when you guys need me."

Angel and Faith look at each other with surprised looks on their faces. "No, just think something might be bothering her somewhat." Angel coughs out.

Faith smirks at Angel. "Be careful with her Angel. I did make a suggestion that she should try the home team."

"Thanks Faith." Angel growls out before smirking. "You didn't make her an offer, did you?"

"Hell no. I'm the witch's and nobody else's." Faith growls pulling Tara onto her lap. "Don't want nobody else. Finally got what I want."

Angel smirks at the witch. "I'll try to make sure nobody comes down here." He spins around and quickly leaves the two women alone.

Tara leans in and kisses Faith on the forehead and looks deeply in her eyes. "You're mine, as I'm yours. Do you know when I fell in love with you? I know the exact moment." Tara whispers. "Of course I didn't admit it to myself till just recently."

"Do you remember when I first came here and you were helping me clean the kitchen?" Tara questions watching the slayer as she nods her head. Running her fingers lightly over the bruised cheek, smiling as Faith presses into the gentle caress, Tara continues "Remember stroking my crooked fingers as we talked about my hand being crushed?" Faith's eyes open and look into Tara's blue eyes and nods her head again. "Do you remember what you did?"

"Yes, you kissed my crooked, scarred fingers. That's when you stole my heart." Tara leans in and places a short sweet kiss on Faith's lips. "I didn't come here looking for love. As a matter of fact I didn't want to find love again after what I went through in Sunnydale." Tara admits softly. "But it found me. You found me. I wouldn't trade it for the world."

"I think you saved me." Faith admits quietly hugging her tightly. "In more ways than one. I honestly was just living day to day. Getting my kicks outta pissing the rest of the group off whenever I felt like it. I didn't care if I lived or died. Now I do. I wanna be there for you."

"I love you. And God, was Lorne right. I didn't know what love was before. Let alone who my soul mate was." Tara huskily groans as she leans in and kisses Faith deeply and lovingly. Pulling away just an inch Tara runs her hands through her love's hair. "I would really, really like to take this further…" Tara trails off and places a brief kiss on Faith's lips.

"But we gotta get the rooms situated so we don't get razzed so much, right?" Faith's lip quirks up slightly and her eyes twinkle with laughter.

"That would be a good thing." Tara admits grinning. "Plus I need to do the dishes up real quick."

"Well, one more kiss then I'll help ya' with the dishes." Faith growls quietly leaning in the short distance and kisses Tara firmly.

Tara chuckles watching the slayer. "We still have to clean everything. And obviously the mattress needs to be taken out and beat."

"Obviously." Faith growls standing up and looking at her dusty clothes. "I'm dustier now than I usually am after killing ten or fifteen vamps."

Cordelia coughs and waves her hand around. "I don't mind helping but this is ridiculous."

Angel smirks at the three women as he picks up the dresser the two women wanted moved. "Is that all?"

Tara smiles as she looks at the huge bed, the three dressers, the two wardrobes, table, chairs and nightstands. "Yes it is. Thank you two for your help."

"Welcome." Angel smirks at the two women. "I don't do cleaning. I'll leave that up to you."

"I offered to help move stuff, not clean." Cordelia slowly works her way to the door.

"Angel when do you want to do the spell?" Tara questions before he heads out of the room.

"There's no rush." Angel quirks his lip slightly. "It isn't like anything will be happening within the next few days."

Cordelia rolls her eyes. "No, talking and discussing will have to happen. Make sure this is what we both want." She eyes the vampire silently before leaving the room.

Faith waits till she hears the woman get a distance away from the room before looking at Angel. "She's afraid you still have unresolved feelings for B."

"I'm sure she understands that, Angel." Tara speaks up quietly. "But I think what Faith is trying to say, is that she's afraid you're still in love with her."

Angel looks at the witch and nods his head. "I'll keep that in mind when we talk. Thank you." He quickly heads out of the room.

"I have a feeling things aren't gonna be as easy for them as it was for us." Faith mutters quietly as she walks towards Tara.

"Love isn't usually an easy road." Tara leans back into the slayer as she wraps her arms around her waist.

"Hell, life ain't usually easy." Faith growls out quietly. "We wanna open the windows and let me beat the mattress by them, or do you want me to drag it out on the roof?"

"That's fine. The dust would probably just make more of a mess in here. What should I beat the damn thing with?" Faith frowns thinking about it.

"I don't know if you should beat it. I don't want it to end up like Angel's weight bag." Tara smirks at Faith.

Tara giggles before turning into the slayer's arms. Running a hand through Faith's hair, Tara leans in and tucks her face into the slayer's neck, pressing a kiss over the pulse point. "Probably a stick, a baseball bat, tennis racquet. Even possibly a broom would work."

"I can run down and get one of the baseball bats, prop it up against something and swing away." Faith grins.

"I'll beat it, love. Your ribs are doing good but the twisting you would be doing will aggravate them." Tara murmurs tucking herself in tighter to the slayer's body. Running her hands down to caress her ass.

Faith clenches her butt cheeks as Tara caress' them. Groaning Faith reaches down and nibbles on the witch's shoulder. "Keep that up and we'll both be very dusty and probably sneezing for a week."

"Got an idea." Faith pulls away and wiggles her eyebrows. "Actually a couple…but anyway what if I take the mattress upstairs throw it up in the air and let it smack down on the roof a couple dozen times. Will that work?"

Tara quirks an eyebrow at Faith before laughing quietly. "Yes, that should work. But you'll be careful, right?"

"Yeah, I'll be careful." Faith's eyes darken slightly as she looks at the witch's lips. Pulling her hand up she runs her thumb gently over the pillowy soft lips. "I love your lips." Faith growls out before leaning in and kissing them gently. Pulling away she grins before easing her tongue out to gently stroke over first the top lip and then the bottom lip. Growling as she watches the lips part, Faith dives in quickly penetrating her mouth groaning as Tara's eager tongue strokes strongly and quickly against hers.

Tara buries both hands in the slayer's dark hair, tilting her head to get a tighter mouth to mouth fit as she battles Faith's tongue. Sliding a thigh between the slayer's parted legs, Tara pushes in firmly and smiles as Faith grinds back against her.

Faith pulls back from the witch growling quietly. "We don't exactly got a good place to finish this at, witch. So maybe I'll drag the bed to the roof."

Tara's dark blue eyes rake over the slayer's body. "You are so going to owe me. Making me all horny earlier, and pulling away now? So not a good move." Tara gets a wicked grin across her face. "I won't bitch too much if you let me have my way with you later."

Faith's eyes darken considerably. "Have your way with me? Ya' ain't gonna make me do all kinds of naughty things to you?"

"Hmmm. What kind of naughty things?" Tara slowly closes the distance between them, reaching out and running a finger from the slayer's full bottom lip down across her chin. Trailing it down her throat to detour around one breast, then the other one, Tara smirks as she trails down over the slayer's belly. Reaching the top of her jeans, Tara presses firmer as she slides down over the outside of the zipper. Tara growls and looks up as Faith clasps her hand, stopping her progress. "I was just getting started."

Faith growls deeply. "We ain't got no where to do anything. And I ain't gonna do it on a dirty, dusty floor. You deserve better than that."

Tara smirks as she eases her body into Faith's pressing firmly, forcing her backwards. As Faith's back hit's the wall, Tara raises an eyebrow and runs her hands around the waist band of her jeans until they meet in the front, keeping eye contact with Faith, Tara slowly unbuttons and pulls the zipper down. Grinning as she feels skin under the jeans, Tara plays her fingers over the warm mound. Cupping the slayer, Tara groans as she feels the wetness that's already escaped. Massaging the outer lips gently, spreading the juice Tara inhales deeply as the slayer's aroma invades the room. Sliding her two middle fingers between the swollen lips Tara watches the emotions on the slayer's face as she pulls her fingers through the wetness oozing from the woman's center, catching her clit between the two fingers, squeezing gently.

As Faith jerks into the caress and closes her eyes moaning deeply, Tara squeezes more firmly. Watching as the intense pleasure crosses the slayer's face, Tara quickly slides the two fingers down and in the slayer, rubbing her thumb against the slayer's clit as she firmly presses against the muscle inside the slayer. Watching the liquid brown eyes open and look at her with such desire, Tara moans quietly, feeling her heart quicken. Starting to caress the muscle inside the slayer with the same firmness she's using against her clit, Tara pushes her body in closer as she feels Faith's body starting to clench and spasm against her hand. Knowing she's close as Faith closes her eyes and pushes harder against her hand, Tara quickly slides her tongue into Faith's panting mouth, flicking strongly against Faith's tongue, battling for long moments before Faith pulls away grunting almost silently as she floods her hand with her juices.

Tara pulls Faith's head down to her shoulder as she shivers with her release. Slowing her stroking down gradually, Tara finally brings her fingers to a stop. As she feels the slayer finally stop spasming against her fingers, Tara gently pulls her hand out from her jeans. Turning her head to kiss and nibble on the slayer's neck, Tara moans quietly at the salty, slightly spicy flavor of the woman. Lapping up the flavor of the slayer with her tongue, Tara can't resist and bites down gently on the tender skin of the slayers neck. Pulling it into her mouth, she sucks strongly. Raising the hand with the still damp fingers up to the slayers neck, Tara caresses it while easing up on her sucking to lave the area with her tongue. Her nose twitching with the smell of the slayer's most intimate aroma so close, Tara growls. Quickly licking up the slight amount of juices she had unconsciously stroked onto the slayer's neck, Tara pulls away looking into the deep brown eyes of the slayer. Slowly bringing her coated fingers to her lips, Tara places them gently in her mouth, sucking the flavor of the slayer from them.

"Fuck, girl." Faith gravelly groans out. Finally feeling like her legs might be able to support her without the witch pressing her into the wall.

Tara smiles as she eases the now cleaned fingers out of her mouth. "See, no dirty dusty floor."

Faith chuckles and presses her forehead against Tara's. "That was a major fuckin' turn on."

"What?" Tara questions running her hand down to play along the slayer's waist. "Being taken against a wall? I wouldn't think that would be that much of a turn on."

"No, not that. Not that I wasn't turned on…" Faith shakes her head before brushing her lips across Tara's. "Your watching me, keeping eye contact. My God that was unbelievable."

"Hmmm." Tara hums quietly easing her body a couple inches away from the slayer. "I sure enjoyed it." Running her hands up and under the t-shirt the slayer is wearing, Tara frowns as Faith captures her hands, pressing them against her ribs, just shy of their destination.

"You know I'm gonna need to change my pants now, don't ya?" Faith growls quietly.

"Your point being?" Tara raises an eyebrow and looks back down at her captured hands. "You already need to change, so why can't I continue having my wicked way with you?"

Faith blinks at the witch and thinks momentarily before laughing. "That's not a reason for ya to not having your wicked way with me. It was more of a statement. But wouldn't ya like to fix this room up so we can make good use of the humongous bed over there." Faith nods her head towards the huge bed. "And the sooner we get to cleaning this place up, the sooner I can have ya on that bed and doing all kinds of rotten, evil things to you."

"I thought I just demonstrated that we didn't need a bed." Tara leans in kissing along the slayers jaw.

Faith groans and closes her eyes. "What I'm wantin' to do to you, You're gonna need to be laying down for. I don't think your legs are gonna hold you up."

Tara's shoulders slump and she presses her forehead into the strong shoulder of the slayer. "You're bound and determined to make me work and clean instead of touch, stroke, rub, lick, nibble and maybe even bite various parts of your body, aren't you?"

"But it ain't gonna work. I'm goin' upstairs and dust out the mattress." Faith chuckles as Tara pulls away and places her hands on her hips growling quietly. "You're gonna be mine. No more having your way today."

"I love you too." Quirking her lip up slightly at the slayer she winks. "Let's get this room done so we can get moved in. I want to see if you can make me scream loud enough that the people in the rest of hotel will still be able to hear me."

Faith chuckles and pulls her in for a quick hug and kiss. Releasing the witch she looks down and shakes her head quickly zipping and buttoning her pants. "I need another pair of pants."

"I'll go downstairs and grab them." Tara offers smirking. "After all it's my fault they're a little damp."

"A little damp she says." Faith grins. "A lot would be a better word. I'm gonna go ahead and drag the mattress out on the roof."

Tara smiles as she watches Faith walk over to the bed and yank the mattress off it, flipping it on end and sliding it easily across the floor to the door. "Good thing the doors are big in this place, huh?"

"Nah, I think got it." Faith looks back smiling at the witch. "See ya in a little while."

"I will." Faith answers seriously as she quickly works the mattress up and onto the roof.

Tara groans as she stretches her back out from scrubbing the bathroom. Looking over the sparkling clean room, she smiles. Not wanting to look at the bedroom, yet, she leans back against the wall and closes her eyes. Faith was right, that tub was definitely big enough for both of them to get up to all kinds of mischief in. As a matter of fact, she's hoping they both have enough energy left after cleaning the rooms up to take advantage of that tub tonight. Smiling as she hears Faith working her way back into the bedroom, Tara eases out of the bathroom watching her manhandle the mattress. As she leans it against the wall, Tara grins at the dust covered slayer. "You really should check which way the wind is blowing to make sure you're upwind so you don't get covered in dust."

Faith snarls up a lip at the witch. "Thanks for giving me that little grain of advice before I went out on the roof. After the first big cloud of dust covered me I figgered that out."

Chuckling quietly Tara walks up to Faith and gently runs her fingers down her face, leaving streaks through the dust. "You're still gorgeous."

"Yeah, yeah." Faith grumbles before smiling. "I'm gonna drag the box spring up and give it a couple flips, figure it wouldn't hurt."

Tara glances over at the box springs and nods. "You've got a point. I just finished cleaning the bathroom and am getting ready to start in here. Your jeans are on the dresser if you want to change."

"Nah. No sense in dirtying up another pair of pants. Plus these have partially dried out." Winking at Tara she grins. "Want me to help you clean this room up before going upstairs with the box springs?"

"No. Go ahead and get the box springs done. I've got the vacuum cleaner here and the dusting supplies. This room shouldn't be too bad. The bathroom needed the most work." Tara eyes Faith momentarily. "How's your ribs?"

"You pulled them again, didn't you?" Tara grumbles walking over to Faith pulling her shirt up, running her fingers gently over the ribs and frowns as she gets an involuntary flinch. "Damn it Faith." Tara growls out. "Sit the fuck down."

Faith watches as Tara strides out of the bedroom and sighs quietly as she walks over to the chairs and gingerly sits down, wincing slightly. "There goes my having my evil way with the witch. She's gonna make me sleep tonight." Faith grumbles quietly to the empty room.

Tara bitches about stubborn slayer's as she quickly heads down to their room. Grabbing ace bandages and quickly walking into the bathroom, she grabs up some more of her healing salts frowning at what's left. "I'm going to have to get the ingredients and make some more." Quickly spinning around and jogging up the stairs she strides into the bedroom watching a quiet slayer running her fingers over the table.

Faith glances up as Tara walks in. Seeing the frown on the witch's face, Faith sighs. "I fucked up, I know it. But I couldn't leave the mattress still full of dust."

"No, but you could have left it for tomorrow or the day after when you felt better and we could have stayed downstairs tonight." Tara explains quietly. Shaking her head she walks into the bathroom, running water in the tub, she dumps some of the salts in the tub. Frowning as she realizes she didn't grab any towels, she walks back out to the bedroom. "Get in the tub and soak. I need to go get towels and other items." Tara quickly walks out the door.

Faith groans as she watches her upset lover leave the room. Frowning she stands up and slowly walks towards the bathroom stopping just outside the door, she strips off her clothes dropping them in a pile beside the wall before walking in and carefully climbing into the big tub. Moaning as the heat starts working into her body, Faith slides further down in the water, watching the water slowly fill the tub. Reaching up, she backs off the cold water slightly to let more of the hot water flow. Glancing up and watching the door as she hears Tara close the door to the outer hotel. Watching intently as Tara comes in with items piled up in her arms and gently sets them down on the sink.

Tara turns to Faith checking the depth of the water before reaching over and turning the water off. Gingerly sitting down on the large rolled edge of the tub Tara considers the slayer silently for a few long moments. "You're going to have to not be so stubborn, love. At least on stuff like this. It isn't like anyone's life was in danger or we would be hurt if the bed wasn't prepared today, so there was no reason to re-injure your ribs."

"I wanted to get it done today." Faith admits quietly. "I had all kinds of wicked things runnin' through my mind that I was planning on doing to ya."

"Wicked is my shtick, remember?" Tara crookedly smiles at the slayer. "I'm going to have to tie your ass to the bed to make sure you don't re-injure your ribs, aren't I?" Tara laughs at the obvious look of arousal crosses the slayer's face at her wording. "Like that idea do you?"

"Normally, no. With you in charge, definitely." Faith smirks at the witch and reaches a hand up running it down the side of her neck in a gentle caress. "Sorry, babe. Slayer brain ain't the brightest."

"Don't try that cop out. I don't believe that for a minute." Tara growls out. "And I don't ever want you to put yourself down again, understand?"

"Come on, Tara. I'm fuckin' stupid. I ain't even graduated high school." Faith snarls quietly.

"That doesn't make you stupid, Faith. That makes you a victim of circumstances. And you can change that. If you want to." Tara finishes quietly.

"What be a twenty year old freshman in high school? I don't think so." Faith growls.

"You can do courses on-line. A lot of colleges have classes a couple nights a week that you could take. I would love to help you. That's what I've been going to college for." Tara admits quietly.

"To teach." Tara smiles at the slayer. "Think on it, love. Just keep in mind you would have me here to help you. Now, let's get your hair washed and get you cleaned so you can soak for a while."

Faith glances at the tub and raises an eyebrow smirking at the witch. "You could probably help me better if you were in here with me."

"Probably." Tara admits quirking her eyebrow. Slowly Tara considers the size of the tub, it was big enough where they could both literally lie side by side in it and have room left over. Debating internally for a few minutes She watches as Faith tries to use puppy dog eyes on her. "That's not nice."

"I'm not a nice person." Faith wiggles her eyebrows smirking at the witch. "Come on, you know ya wanna."

"I was planning on it earlier. However, that was before you re-injured your ribs." Tara admits softly running a finger down the slayer's bruised cheek, chuckling at the streak she leaves behind. Standing up, Tara turns her back on the slayer and grabs shampoo, the vanilla body wash and a wash cloth. Looking at the tub, she tilts her head. "The edges can hold the items, but there's a good chance they'll slide off. I think we might need to run to a store and look into something to place our stuff on."

Faith chuckles as Tara flips the wash rag into the tub and carefully balances the shampoo and body wash in the edge of the tub. "You know I just pulled it a bit. It ain't that bad."

"Right. That's why you flinched when I barely ran my fingers over it." Tara murmurs quietly. "Next time I'm going to cut you off. No getting or receiving any smoochies or anything else, understood?"

Faith nods her head slowly wondering what the witch was up to, before smiling hugely as she starts stripping. Watching the creamy skin come into view, Faith groans quietly. As Tara slowly eases the bra away and exposes the milky white breasts, Faith clenches the edge of the tub tightly as she feels a shot of arousal course through her body. Swallowing as the witch slowly peels off her pants after kicking her shoes off, Faith unconsciously licks her lips at the silky legs being revealed.

"Get those thoughts out of your head, Faith." Tara murmurs glancing up seeing the look on the slayer's face, knowing she was entertaining thoughts of ravishing her.

"Fuck, Tara." Faith bitches. "It ain't like I can't please you without hurting myself. Come here and let me show ya." Faith smirks and points to the tub. "Come on babe."

Tara sighs and leans her hip against the counter tilting her head at the slayer. "And what will happen if I don't?"

Faith frowns before eyeing the witch up and down starting to grin. "You wouldn't do that to me after teasing me with all that delectable skin. Please?" Faith whispers the word with a fluttering of eyelashes.

"Then don't." Faith grins, dimples flashing. Shifting her body to sit up, instead of relaxing in the tub "come 'ere."

Shaking her head and giving an 'I can't believe I'm doing this' look, Tara walks the short distance to the tub. Starting to ease in beside the slayer, she's stopped by a hand on her leg. "What?"

"Face me." Faith grins at the witch. Watching a slight blush come up on her face, Faith smirks. Watching as Tara continues to place her foot in the water beside her, Faith raises an eyebrow questioningly until Tara spins her body around so she's straddling her body, facing her. Running her hands gently up the silky legs, Faith wiggles her eyebrows at the witch before shifting up that tad bit further and delving her tongue gently between the blondes spread legs.

"Shit." Tara calls out loudly as Faith goes straight to licking strongly over her clit, pulling it out of its hiding place. Quickly clenching her hands in Faith's hair, Tara groans as Faith brings her quickly to a state of intense arousal. "F-f-faith." Tara stutters out, closing her eyes as Faith starts flicking her tongue quickly against the swollen muscle.

Faith feels the muscle starting to shiver and convulse against her flicking tongue, sucking the muscle into her mouth, Faith groans as the witch climaxes. Continuing to suck and lick over the muscle, while wrapping her arms around Tara's thighs to help support her as her legs start shaking with her release.

Tara pants with her release, as Faith continues her ministrations on her, Tara jerks harder into her mouth. "Oh, Goddess." Tara whimpers out as another orgasm rips through her body.

Faith eases up and gently laps the swollen red muscle, smiling as it continues to spasm. Realizing the witch was trying her best to stand on her wobbly legs, Faith eases back away from her. "Ease down, babe." Faith hoarsely mutters, helping her down into the tub, straddling her waist. Wrapping her arms around Tara's back, Faith pulls her in for a tight embrace tucking her head in the witch's neck.

Tara gently untangles her hands from Faith's hair, running them over the strong shoulders to rake her nails gently down the slayer's back. Her body finally calming down, Tara chuckles quietly.

"I was planning on taking advantage of you tonight in this thing they call a tub, but you ended up turning the tables on me." Tara smirks and goes to kiss the top of Faith's head and frowns seeing the dust coating it. "Love, we need to wash you and get a couple layers of dirt off you."

"You tryin' to say I'm dirty?" Faith's shoulders shake from trying not to laugh. "And I don't get no kissage or anythin' else until I'm clean, right?"

"You got it." Tara digs her short nails into the slayer's lower back just the tiniest bit.

"Babe, you can do that much, much harder than that. I ain't gonna break." Faith growls quietly.

"Is that a request for rougher treatment, love?" Tara grins as she feels Faith nod against her neck. "Are you trying to tell me that you like things a little more on the violent side on a more personal level and not just when you're slaying?" Tara whispers into Faith's ear quietly. Tara frowns as she feels Faith tense just the tiniest bit. Waiting for an answer and not receiving one, Tara pulls back to look in her lovers worried eyes. "What's wrong?"

Faith glances down, dropping eye contact while gently caressing Tara's back and sides.

"Honey?" Tara gently lifts Faith's chin looking in her eyes. "Tell me." Tara tilts her head not letting Faith break eye contact.

Faith shakes her head and doesn't open her mouth, knowing if she says anything she'll just blurt it out.

Tara let's her connection with the slayer open and feels the slight hint of fear coming from the slayer. "Faith, open your mouth and tell me what you're scared of."

"What are you afraid of saying that will upset me?" Tara runs her hand through Faith's hair, while still holding her chin with her other hand. "Tell me, love."

Faith whimpers closing her eyes. "I like the occasional roughness, the violence. Being bitten hard enough to draw blood, nails scraped roughly across my back. Not that often, but occasionally." Faith stops afraid Tara will be disgusted.

"Oh, love. I think that would be natural with what you are. Being the slayer, the violence you take and dish out is a part of you." Tara strokes her finger over her eyebrow. "Look at me, love."

Faith finally opens her eyes and sees the acceptance in Tara's. "How can that not bother ya?" Seeing Tara frown in confusion, Faith searches the blue eyes. "With your past, what happened to ya? How can ya be so understandin' and it not bother ya?"

Tara smiles softly as she finally understands what Faith's problem is. "Is it something you like? Is it something you enjoy? Is it something that you want?" As Faith nods yes to each question, Tara quirks her lip up. "That's how." Seeing the confusion in Faith's eyes, Tara sighs. "You want it, Faith. You enjoy it. You will ask me when you want rougher treatment. It won't be done against your will. That's how."

Faith sighs in relief and leans back in tucking her face in the witch's neck. "Thank you."

"There's nothing to thank me for, love. Just remember I will insist on you telling me when you want that. Don't hesitate, don't ever hesitate in asking for something that you want or need, love." Tara murmurs quietly hugging Faith gently. "Okay?"

Tara smiles when she feels Faith's grin against her neck. "Let's get you cleaned and more hot water and healing salts in here for you."

"Are you being a pain on purpose?" Tara laughs as Faith nods her head. Unwrapping her legs from around the slayer's waist, Tara braces her feet against the back of the tub and pushes gently sliding her and Faith away from that end of the tub. Pulling her legs up ready to shift them, Tara murmurs "Ease back if you're not going to release me." Tara laughs as Faith falls backwards into the water, dragging her with her.

Faith laughs as she pushes both of them back up out of the water. Shaking her head to disperse the water running down her face, she opens her eyes and pulls back looking into the laughing blue eyes of her witch. "Your gonna make me pay for that, aren't ya?"

"Yes." Tara grins at Faith. "Let me go, love." Tara shifts her body to sit beside Faith, debating for a moment. Finally deciding, she stands and eases her body behind Faiths and slides down behind the slayer, her legs on either side of the slayer's. Reaching for the shampoo she squirts a heavy amount in her palm. Working it through the slayer's hair, Tara chuckles as the bubbles turn gray. "Love you were really, really dirty."

"Gonna take multiple washings?" Faith closes her eyes, enjoying the strong fingers working through her hair and over her scalp.

"Oh, hell no." Faith chuckles. "I would be more than willing to let you use those surprisingly strong fingers wash my body as often as ya want."

Chuckling Tara wraps one arm around the slayer hugging her. "I love you. Now, let's get you cleaned."

"When are they supposed to be here, babe?" Faith questions worriedly as she paces back and forth in the lobby of the hotel.

"Sit down, love." Tara smiles at her lover. "I don't know why you're so worried about them coming here."

"Well I wasn't exactly the paragon of virtue I am today." Faith growls out quietly.

"Oh, like you're really a paragon of virtue now." Cordelia snidely remarks to the slayer.

"Bite me, Queenie." Faith snarls at the seer. "Or I'll tell B what you've been up to with her ex."

"Faith, don't start a fight." Tara shakes her head mouthing sorry to Cordy. Smiling softly as Cordy winks and quirks her lip up. Tara shakes her head, those two still love to push each other's buttons no matter what she does or says. Knowing in her heart they always will, drives Tara nuts, but knowing that it's not really meant to be hateful, just the way the two women dealt with each other.

"I thought that was Tara's job." Cordy snarks at Faith, then laughs at the confused look on the slayer. "Biting you, Faith-y." Cordy singsongs like Lorne.

Faith rolls her eyes at the seer as she continues to stride around the lobby. "Babe, me and B didn't end on the best of terms. I mean, yeah she helped save me from the goon squad, but I ain't under no misconceptions that she likes me. Little D probably hates my fuckin' guts because I tried to kill Xan-man and B both, let alone held Red at knifepoint. Of course, my fuckin' Xander." Faith smirks at Cordy here and laughs when she gets a glare from the woman. "Then trying to kill him later, when all he was tryin' to do was help me, doesn't make for being fuckin' calm."

"And let's not forget the fact that you're now all hot and heavy with Tara, that'll probably make Dawn even angrier, after all she does consider her a mother figure." Cordy smirks at the slayer.

"Cordelia, please. She's got herself wired enough on her own. You really don't need to add to it." Angel growls out quietly coming up from his rooms.

"Goddess." Tara whispers before quickly striding towards Faith and wrapping her up in her arms, sending her calming vibes through their connection. Stroking her back, Tara smiles as she feels Faith slowly calm down. "I love you, and no matter what anyone says or does, that isn't going to change, love. And the Scoobies are a very forgiving group. Just give them time."

"Damn, Tara. I tried to kill almost every one of them at one point or another. I don't think they're gonna forgive me for that." Faith growls out.

Tara pulls back so she can look in Faith's eyes. Placing a hand on either side of her face, Tara looks deeply into the worried brown eyes and strokes the slayer's cheeks with her thumbs. "Give them a chance, love. Please." Leaning in Tara brushes her lips gently over Faith's. "Please."

Faith sighs and nods her head. "But don't be surprised that they hate my fuckin' guts. I'm gonna go get a cup of coffee."

"I'll go with you, I need some blood." Angel quietly follows the slayer down to the kitchen.

Tara sighs and collapses on one of the couches in the lobby and flops her head back, closing her eyes. "Goddess, I should have sent her on errands or something today."

Chuckling, Cordelia sits down beside Tara. "Like that would have worked. You know she wouldn't have gone without you. Neither one of you will let each other out of your sight for very long. Don't think everyone hasn't noticed since she got hurt, that you've gone out on every patrol and on every case. Hell she goes shopping with you every time you need to make a run to the store. Getting her to pick up donuts at the local bakery before was a major task."

Tara chuckles at the truth of what Cordelia is saying. "So, how are you and Angel coming along? Any closer to consummating the relationship?"

Cordelia sighs and shakes her head. "Tara, I don't know. I'm drawn to him. I like him a lot, but something seems to come up between us whenever we get close. It's almost like one, or the other of us, is afraid to take that last step."

"Cordy, if you're not sure, take your time. Maybe he isn't the one for you after all." Tara runs a comforting hand down the seer's arm.

"You went to all the trouble of making sure his soul was intact, and then we can't do the deed to make sure." Cordy laughs at herself.

"If you don't love him, or if you're not sure if you love him, don't do it." Tara smiles sadly at the woman. "Just having sex for sex's sake is empty."

Cordelia looks in surprise at the witch. "Sounds like you know what you're talking about."

"Probably because I do." Tara admits quietly. "I don't suggest it. Not that there isn't satisfaction to be had, but it just doesn't mean anything." Tara looks at Cordy with sad eyes.

Cordelia nods silently in agreement, thinking about her and Angel's relationship.

"Faith, you need to relax." Angel murmurs as he watches her pace back and forth as she waits for the coffee to brew. "It isn't going to be that bad."

"How the fuck do you know?" Faith growls out looking at the vampire as she makes another trip around the kitchen. "I'm fuckin' in love with the most wonderful person in the world. Oh, and by the way, this person just happens to be the apple of everyone's eye that I tried to kill!!" Faith shoves her hands into her pockets and hunches her shoulders as she stands in front of the coffee pot waiting for it to finish. "Did she ever tell ya' about our first meeting?"

Angel shakes his head. "She just mentioned that you two had met previously while you were in Buffy's body."

Chuckling sadly Faith glances up. "That's all she said?" At the vampires nod, she shakes her head. "I was cruisin' The Bronze looking for some action when her and Red walk in. Red introduced her as her friend then went to get somethin' to drink at the bar. I said somethin' to her, and she stuttered out her response. Needless to say I was sarcastic and hateful to her. Made fun of her stutterin'." Faith growls out, self hatred in her tone. "That shy, stuttering, woman is now my fuckin' life. She ain't never said one thing to me about what a hateful bitch I was. And she won't, she ain't like that." Faith looks up with the saddest eyes imaginable. "I don't fuckin' deserve her. And the rest of that group knows it, and will probably hate me even more than they already do."

"Faith, she loves you totally. And God help anyone that tries to hurt you." Angel thinks for a long moment. "I don't think she'll let them be mean to you." Chuckling suddenly, he smirks as Faith looks at him with narrowed eyes. "She's not a shy, stuttering woman anymore, Faith. That might have been who she was a couple years ago, but not now. How would you describe her now?"

"Beautiful, caring, strong, loving, brave." Faith whispers out, thinking about her lover before grinning. "And a fuckin' fantastic lover."

Angel coughs and takes a sip of his blood, before smirking. "I would assume so with some of the sounds that I've heard coming from your room in the past."

Angel sighs and frowns, shaking his head. Looking up into the frowning face of the slayer, he takes another sip. "It isn't going. One of us always pulls back. I don't know if it's me, or her or maybe just a combination. I think Tara might have went to all that trouble for nothing."

Faith looks in surprise at the vampire. "So you're no closer to bumpin' uglies with the cheerleader?"

Angel scowls at the slayer before shaking his head. "No. I'm starting to think it was just something that we were playing at and when it was feasible we both went running in the other direction."

"Maybe the timing ain't right." Faith shrugs her shoulders. "And if you don't love her, you don't love her. I never realized what a difference it makes, but it's huge." Grabbing a coffee mug down she fills it, frowning slightly. "Can I ask ya' a question?" Faith looks at Angel, still frowning. As he nods she looks back down into her coffee cup. "Do ya' think Tara would have had anythin' to do with me if it wasn't for being soul mates?"

Angel looks at Faith in stunned disbelief. "You can't be serious? If nothing else, I can say this without any doubt, that woman would probably give the devil himself a chance at being good. Then she'd probably wipe his ass from the universe if he wasn't." Angel smirks at that thought. "She gives me the distinct impression that she won't ever back down from anyone again. No matter what."

Faith's eyes widen as she thinks for a minute. "You know, that reminds me. A little while back after we talked about our pasts, Tara started thinkin' about my mother, and she got pissed. She set off my slayer senses somethin' major until she calmed back down. I ain't really thought about it since, but somethin' you just said triggered it. You got any idea what would have caused it?"

Angel frowns considering the slayer for a few minutes. "Did she set off your senses before, maybe just a little?"

"I was wondering if it had something to do with her being a Witch. But if she didn't set it off before, that might not be it." Angel finishes his mug and sets it down in the sink, rinsing it. Crossing his arms over his chest he looks at Faith. "Did anything else happen when she set off your senses?"

Faith frowns thinking about it. "Yeah, as a matter of fact, her eyes turned a pale blue."

"What? What do you mean, power build-up?" Faith growls quietly, looking at Angel.

"You said that she got angry when she was thinking about your mother?" Angel starts and at Faith's nod, he continues. "What was she thinking in regards to your mother?"

"Sort of." Faith admits. "More her selling me to her John's for her drug habit."

Angel winces at the thought of what Faith obviously went through. "So she obviously got really upset thinking about that, her anger building up. Strong emotions will bring a witch's powers to the forefront. I have always sensed that Tara was a very powerful witch, but she only does the minimum to take care of what is needed."

"No. It's actually the absolute best thing. Look at it this way, Faith. You're a very powerful woman, do you use all your power to shut a door or close a jar of pickles?" Angel questions quietly.

"Fuck no! I'd make a door disintegrate if I used all my strength. The jar would shatter." Faith growls out quietly. Stopping and thinking about it, Faith looks at the vampire. "So you're telling me she's got all this power stored up and only uses what she needs to, because it would be overkill and dangerous if she used it all the time?"

Angel laughs at the slayer. "One thing you're going to have to keep in mind, your being harmed obviously brings out her…protective side. I have a feeling if something should try to harm you, she won't have a problem taking care of it."

"But we've been on patrol, and she ain't gotten pissed at the vampires or other demons I've fought." Faith tries to counter Angel's comment.

"Fuck." Faith whispers, looking down at her cooling coffee. Gulping some of it down she looks back at Angel. "Lorne said something about a soul mate doing everything in their power to protect the other one. But if that's the case, it wasn't like my mom was there and it was happening right then. Why would it have appeared then?"

"Maybe her feelings were so strong that it triggered her natural reaction." Angel hazards a guess.

"Makes sense." Faith agrees quietly before turning and filling her cup again. "I wanna see my witch." She growls out quietly as she quickly leaves the kitchen.

"Sure, go ahead. We weren't in the middle of a conversation or anything." Angel mutters to himself before slowly heading up the stairs.

Tara glances up, feeling Faith getting closer and smiles as she quickly strides towards her.

"Hmmm. Someone is a little calmer now." Tara reaches up and runs her hand down the side of Faith's face. "Sit down, love."

Faith eases down beside Tara and wraps an arm around her shoulders, setting the coffee cup aside. "Still worried but not so upset." Faith admits quietly leaning in and rubbing her nose against Tara's cheek.

Tara leans in and runs a hand through the slayer's hair. "I love you." Turning her head, she brushes her lips over Faith's and smiles as Faith extends the kiss, pressing more firmly, but not deepening the kiss.

Faith smiles and kisses Tara's nose. "Love you." Wrapping both arms around Tara, she gives her a quick hug before releasing her.

"Ah, hell. I should have asked if you wanted some. You want me to get you a cup?" Faith offers as she grabs her coffee cup handing it to the witch.

"Why? Afraid it'll keep you up all night?" Faith smirks leaning back watching the witch.

"No, I have something else that likes to keep me up all night." Tara looks up with twinkling blue eyes at the slayer.

"What has the nerve to keep you up all night? I'll slay it!" Faith growls out mock angrily.

"Oh, no, no, no." Tara grins wickedly. "I get to do the slaying of the evilness that keeps me awake all night."

"Oh, yes. I think some serious slaying is called for tonight." Tara whispers threading a hand through Faith's dark hair and pulling her in for a deep, loving kiss.

"Do you two ever give it up?" Cordelia groans out as she walks through the lobby to the front desk.

"No." Faith growls briefly, before licking over Tara's lips, then nipping gently at the pouty bottom lip.

Tara chuckles quietly as she eases back from the slayer. "Okay, okay. I get the hint." Tara strokes Faith's neck before the slayer slowly stands up.

"That just isn't fair." Faith growls out before grabbing her coffee cup back up and draining it. "I'm gonna get some more. You want anything?" Faith questions Tara.

"A water would be good." Tara smiles as Faith winks at her and heads back down to the kitchen. "Goddess, would they just get here already. It's going to be a matter of time before Faith winds herself up again." Tara mutters to herself, standing to walk to the front door of the hotel. Opening the doors, she steps out inhaling deeply of the morning air. Smiling as she hears a bird singing in the distance, Tara closes her eyes enjoying the sun soaking into her body. After a few minutes she hears a car pull up and opens her eyes, smiling as she sees Xander wave, turning she frowns seeing red hair sitting beside him. Unconsciously backing up a step, Tara narrows her eyes.

Faith smiles as she watches Tara standing outside in the sunlight. The sun glinting off her hair beautifully, urging her to run her fingers through the silky mass. Starting to open the door, she feels the brief flash of fear come from her lover. Realizing they had finally arrived, and obviously the redhead was with them, Faith quickly opens the door and walks out to stand closely beside her lover in support. The two having previously discussed that they would wait until they actually talked to the crew from Sunnydale, before showing affection for each other.

Glancing at Faith, Tara smiles, relaxing. Fighting back the urge to run her hand down the slayer's arm, Tara looks back at the group as they pile out of the car. Watching Dawn climb out of the back, Tara smiles before noting her arm's in a cast and growls quietly looking back up in concern. Quickly striding to the teen, she clasps her in a tight embrace. "What happened, Dawnie?" Tara questions quietly smiling as the teen hugs her back just as tight.

Tara pulls back to look searchingly in the teenager's eyes. Seeing sadness, pain and finally happiness coming into the gaze, she leans in hugging her again before releasing her. "Soon." Tara whispers back.

Dawn nods her head in understanding. "Very soon." Dawn glances towards Willow before looking down.

Tara narrows her eyes, catching the look. Turning her gaze to Willow she actually looks at her ex-lover. Noticing the witch has obviously lost weight, her hair is lackluster and she actually seems…scared? Deciding, for now, not to acknowledge the redhead, Tara turns and smiles at an obviously worried Buffy. Watching as she glances from Willow back to her, Tara steps slowly towards the blonde slayer smiling softly.

Buffy breathes a sigh of relief that Tara obviously isn't going to say anything yet. Looking her up and down, Buffy grins. "Looking good." Buffy's eyes twinkle looking at the witch and laughs as Tara pulls her in to a tight embrace.

"I owe you so much for this, you don't even know." Tara whispers in the slayer's ear.

"I guess that means you're going to have to tell me." Buffy chuckles hugging the witch back.

"I think I might let someone else tell you." Tara smirks as she pulls gently away.

Buffy raises an eyebrow at the merriment and mischievousness twinkling in the witch's blue eyes.

"Do I get a hug, too? I mean, I think I deserve a hug. Traveling all this way with three hormonal women?" Xander grins cheesily at Tara and laughs as she runs up to him, hugging him tightly. "Whoa! If I knew all these years all I had to do was ask for a hug…Damn!" Xander smiles, even though he's surprised, hugging Tara back gently. "Looking good there, Tara."

Tara smiles as she pulls back. "Thanks, Xander. I think my coming here was definitely the right thing. No, actually I know it was." Tara glances behind her to an obviously uncomfortable Faith. Winking at her lover, she smiles softly as Faith calms down slightly and smiles back at her.

"Got any bags I can carry up for ya'?" Faith hoarsely questions Dawn. "We got a room ready for ya' in the hotel." Looking up making eye contact with Buffy, who's watching her intently, but with a hint of warmth in her eyes, Faith let's out a small smile.

Buffy looks at Faith and grins, having a feeling Tara's worked her magic on Faith, also. "I'll help you carry our stuff up. We've only brought one change of clothes apiece. The rest of the gear is Dawn's." Buffy rolls her eyes at the fact that her sister had to bring nearly her whole closet for a week's stay.

"'Kay." Faith looks questioningly at Tara and sees her nodding and smiling in support. Grinning at her witch, Faith winks before walking behind the car grabbing a couple of the bigger bags, leaving the smaller items for Buffy. "Follow me, we only got three rooms ready, but one of the other ones ain't in too bad of shape, I can get it ready for Red."

"You don't have too. I-I can use Buffy's." Willow whispers out. "We discussed it on the way here, Buffy will bunk down with Dawn tonight."

Faith narrows her eyes on Willow and nods her head, before turning around and heading into the hotel, with Buffy following her, with a questioning look on her face.

Willow looks down at the ground and wraps her arms around her waist. Seeing Tara obviously happy and doing so well, makes her heart ache at the thought of what she had so royally screwed up. "I'm going to go in." Willow mumbles before quickly heading into the hotel, with her head down.

Tara frowns as she watches the obviously hurting witch. Shaking her head deciding that it really has nothing to do with her anymore, she watches as Xander quickly follows the redhead into the hotel. Turning to Dawn, Tara feels her lips twitch up before wrapping her arms back around the teen. "I've missed you, Dawnie."

"I've missed you too, Tara." Dawn cries out quietly. Hugging the witch to her tightly, she takes a deep breath to get her emotions under control. "Sorry about Willow, but we kind of couldn't leave her on her own."

Tara stiffens slightly at the teen's comment. Pulling back slightly, but keeping her arms around the teen, she questions quietly. "What's happened since I've been gone, Dawnie?"

"Can we go somewhere away from everyone to talk quietly?" Dawn frowns looking up to Tara's worried blue eyes.

"We can go out to the small garden off the hotel." Tara offers, keeping one arm around the teen's waist as she walks up to the hotel's main doors, quickly urging her to the garden, they walk through the other set of doors.

"Start at the beginning." Tara urges quietly watching the teen. "Start with what happened to your arm."

Dawn sighs quietly looking down at her cast. "Well, Amy and Willow started going to a black magic dealer not long after you left." Dawn glances up and watches as a look of absolute disgust crosses Tara's face. "Yeah, well. Willow needed a fix, and took me with her. And before you interrupt, let me finish. This is going to be hard enough as it is." Dawn whispers picking at the cast. "Anyway, she got her fix and ended calling up this demon that chased us, she wrecked the car, I broke my arm in the accident." Dawn looks up and watches Tara clench her jaw. "Well, her and Buffy had a yelling and screaming match. When Willow finally came down from her high, she realized what she had done and decided to clean up her act. She's been magic free and Amy free since then." Dawn looks up at Tara smiling sadly. "I think she's wanting a chance at getting you back."

"Not going to happen." Tara quietly admits kneeling down in front of the teen. "I don't love Willow anymore, Dawn." Looking up at the sky, she sighs.

"I kind of got that feeling when you seemed happy to see everyone, but her." Dawn whispers, looking intently at Tara. "You aren't planning on coming back to Sunnydale, are you?"

"Oh, Dawnie." Tara stands up to sit beside the teen. Wrapping an arm around her, she tilts her head so it leans against the teenager's. "Things have changed so much since I came here, Dawn. I have so much to tell you." Tara smiles before shifting her arm to gently run over the back of Dawn's head and down her hair. "First off, I want to tell you I have never been happier in my whole life than I am right now."

Dawn shifts and looks in surprise at Tara. Seeing the beautiful smile crossing Tara's face, Dawn smiles. "I guess I can't complain too much if you're happy. That's what I wanted for you. So, can I ask why you're so happy?"

Tara grins from ear to ear. "One word would answer that question, Dawn. But before I say that word, I want you to really realize that I have found absolutely the most wonderful person, that loves me completely and would never let me come to harm."

Dawn blinks in surprise. "You found someone? You're in love?" Dawn watches as Tara nods her head grinning at her.

"More than love, Dawnie. She's my other half. She completes me more than I ever thought possible. She's helped me, made me stronger inside. Supports me and is there for me. She knows everything about me. And, just to let you know, I know everything about her, also. Everything, and she had a shit life and wasn't given much of a chance, but I want you to please, please remember she's my life." Tara begs quietly. "You mean a lot to me, Dawnie, and I really want your approval."

Dawn frowns thinking over what Tara's said looking into the worried blue eyes, she blinks trying to…paling suddenly she looks at Tara. "Not…"

Tara clasps Dawn's hand in her both of hers. "Remember, I love her and nothing is going to change that, Dawnie. I love Faith with my whole heart and soul." Tara finally names the slayer, watching Dawn hoping that she can eventually accept the slayer.

Dawn's mouth opens and shuts multiple times before looking down. "You love her?" Dawn whispers before looking up into Tara's blue eyes.

"She loves you?" Dawn questions watching as Tara's eyes brighten with the thought of Faith.

Dawn sighs and reaches up with her broken arm, running a finger down the witch's cheek. "If she can make you smile like that, I guess I don't have much choice but to accept her, huh?"

Tara's eyes focus back in on Dawn and searching the teen's eyes, seeing acceptance, Tara hugs her tightly. "Thank you, Dawnie."

"Yeah, yeah. But I'm going to let her know if she hurts you, I'm going to get Angel's biggest club and beat her with it." Dawn jokes quietly.

"She won't ever hurt me, Dawn." Tara smiles at the teen. "For someone with so much power at her disposal, she can be the gentlest most loving person…" Tara trails off, thinking about Faith.

Dawn coughs a couple times. "Are we sure we're talking about the same woman? Faith, the Dark Slayer. Miss Get Some Get Gone? HH factor Faith?" Dawn questions in disbelief.

Tara chuckles quietly. "She's definitely the Dark Slayer. Or as I like to think of her, my Rogue Slayer. Not the Get some Get gone slayer anymore. HH factor…" Tara smirks at the teen not continuing that statement.

"You'll be surprised, Dawn. She's calmer than she was. But she's still Faith. And I don't ever want that to change." Tara admits to the teen. "That's who I fell in love with. I'm just glad that she's not as angry as she was. She was on self-destruct, and it was only a matter of time. That's what's changed more than anything. Thank the Goddess!"

"I'm taking your word for it. I'm here for a week, I'm sure I'll see it for myself. But I'm still warning her about treating you right. But I'll give her a chance, Tara." Hesitating for a moment, Dawn smiles. "Don't you dare tell Buffy, but I always liked Faith. At least until she went off the deep end."

"Yes, and a lot of things happened then. Faith takes the blame for everything, but I think there were a lot of mistakes that were made on both sides." Tara admits quietly.

"Yeah, I can see that." Dawn nods her head. "That's when Angel came back from Hell and Buffy was more worried about him. And, though I love my sister, she can be a selfish pain in the butt."

Tara giggles at Dawn. "I am NOT going to repeat that to Buffy. I owe her so much for getting me here." Shaking her head, she stands looking down at the teen. "Come on, let's see what the rest of the crew are up to."

"Well, we can take care of that. Follow me to the kitchen. We have all kinds of drinks!!" Tara chuckles while rubbing the teen's hair. "I've missed you, Dawnie."

"I've missed you, too." Dawn wraps her good arm around Tara's waist as they walk into the hotel.

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A Witch in L.A.

by Kinetic-Kid

Copyright © 2005

kwhite14@yahoo.com