To Thine Own Self Be True by mike

Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox.
Distribution: The Mystic Muse http://mysticmuse.net
Anywhere else, please ask me first.
Feedback: Constructive comments are encouraged.
Spoilers: None.
Author's Notes: This is the first fan fiction I've ever written. I was an immediate fan of BtVS from the first episode falling in love with the characters, especially Buffy and Willow. When season six started to turn the characters that I'd come to love into people I no longer recognized I began to search the web to see if anyone else was as disheartened as I. What I discovered was fan fiction, especially Buffy/Willow. I decided to rewrite things the way I would like them to be and I came up with this.
I started writing in third person but as I became lost in the writing process I switched to first person without realizing it.
Pairing: Willow/Buffy

I heard an echoing mumble to mine from the gorgeous face peeking through flaming soft wisps of hair.

I slowly turned my head back towards Willow to see a sleepy but very happy smile on her face.

"Oh yea, I was just remembering last night and all the places you took my body too, so many times." She said with barely concealed lust as she tightened her arm that was draped across my waist.

The memories caused my breath to quicken and I felt my body flush with heat and desire and I moved my body against her thigh that I had one leg draped over with a deep down aching need.

"And that would be bad?" She whispered huskily as she inched her lips closer to mine and pressed her thigh into me.

"Ahhh." I was momentarily brain dead as currents of ecstasy short circuited my higher brain functions. I felt her warm breath touch my lips and the hot flesh of her leg sliding in between mine, "Mom, she'll come back if she doesn't hear us getting ready for school." I finally said in real fear, just picturing us in a passionate embrace with mom pounding on the door.

My fear got through and Willow pulled back from certain disaster, like if the Titanic had been able to pull away from the iceberg in time kinda disaster. We moaned and sat up, flung back the blankets and got out of bed. I looked at her across the bed, her naked skin glowing in the morning sun coming through the window. My heart quickened immediately at the sight of her body, and glancing at her face, I could see that she was having a similar reaction looking at me. We both looked down in an attempt to stop our raging desires.

"I am so in love with you Willow that I don't think the rest of my life will be enough to tell you." I whispered back.

We raised our heads to look at each other again and saw the rising lust in each others eyes that still hadn't had time to fully quell. Realizing our mutual condition and the possible consequences of giving into them, we both broke out into giggles as our final defense, and grabbed our robes before our continued nudity could have us veering back towards that iceberg.

We had our morning routine down, but if we took a few minutes longer because of adding a few additional touches, quick kisses and passing brushes of our bodies, who could blame us.

"Morning mom." Willow echoed my greeting and smile, well actually, she kinda drowned my smile out but you get the picture.

Mom turned and looked at the both of us showing a careful smile of her own. "Well you two sure are chipper this morning and I think; actually glowing I'm afraid so I don't want to know. I'm just going to remind myself to be glad that you're happy." And with that she set down a pitcher of juice and toasted bagels on the table along with the cereal and milk already there.

As we ate breakfast, we gave her a quick rundown on how well things went last night, except for the end. After explaining how we took care of the vamps remote like, she got quiet for a moment.

"If you can take care of things remotely, why put yourself in danger in the first place?" It was actually a good question, but we had a good answer which Willow supplied.

"It's too exhausting to use on a regular basis. After we finished, Buffy actually passed out and I nearly did. I think I handled it better 'cause I'm more tuned to the magic side, while Buffy's mystical strength is on the physical." Willow explained succinctly.

"So, it's a use once emergency type weapon. I guess we should be grateful that it happened at the end of the evening, rather than the beginning." Mom said, understanding showing on her face.

"Yea, if we had pulled that right away, we could never have taken care of the others." I quickly agreed.

I'm glad that mom understood, but not just for the obvious reasons. I needed her to continue to allow me to fight my way. It wasn't like I had a death wish or anything; in fact, I more than ever wanted to live now that I had Willow. But what I couldn't admit to her was that I enjoyed the fighting. It was an incredible rush. When I had told Willow about this, she said my body must turn into an incredible hormone factory while fighting, adrenaline, endorphins and anything else that heightened senses, speed and strength. She thinks that it's nature's way of thanking me for doing such a good job. Then she would go on to say it's just like nature makes sex so pleasurable, so that people will be inclined to reproduce. I personally don't recall reading that in any of my biology books, so I made a mental note to find out what supplemental readings my not so shy lover was into.

"Well, it does sound like you're being careful. And I hate to think how many people may have been hurt if you hadn't done your patrol. But after getting so many last night, do you think there will be fewer from here on out? You could hear the hope in her voice.

"That's what we're hoping also, but with the hell mouthy thing, this place will continue to attract baddies. We just need to catch them before they hurt anyone." I tried to assure her.

"OK, so when do I get to meet this watcher guy. Mr. Giles did you say his name was?" She went on.

"Well, Giles thinks you don't know anything about the slayer thing and we want to keep it that way for awhile. We're working on him to become more independent from the Council before we do. But in the meantime, we'll see if we can arrange some kind of meeting around school type activities. That way he'll feel comfortable coming around and you can feed us your take on him." I explained.

"So, I get to play secret agent. This should be fun." She actually grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"Yea, he doesn't stand a chance against three determined women." Willow matched her grin.

Mom looked at Willow and then me, "Yes, against three women." She put emphasis on the women.

After a couple moments of uncomfortable contemplation, mom was back in action. "All right, just clean up your breakfast dishes and get to school. I'll be home for dinner tonight. I expect both of you here, and have a nice day at school." She then left to go finish getting ready for work.

Willow and I just looked at each other for a moment and then I began to smile and she began to smile and I started to giggle and she started to giggle and then we were in each others arms.

We made a conscious effort not to hold hands walking to school, but we did walk pretty close together as we talked and laughed. We seemed to have an uncanny ability to describe things to each other in ways that the other found incredible amusing. Isn't love grand?

The next couple of days went by without any big surprises. We gave Giles pretty much the same explanation we gave mom about the remote slayage, and he agreed that it was too dangerous to use considering how debilitating it was at this time. He said he was getting resistance about the training facility, but thought he would get approval by early next week.

[So that's when hell is due to freeze over.] Willow smirked. A smirking Willow is a sight to behold.

Thursday night went real smooth, only one newbie vamp that arose from the North Oaks cemetery around 9:30. The only other spot on the radar was our souled stalker. Would be nice to get a name, but he was just watching. What he didn't know was that we were watching him and doing a much better job of it than he was doing watching us.

We also peeked in on Giles, and after he went to bed, we spent some time perusing his watchers journal. This wasn't anywhere near as exhausting as dusting those vamps the previous night, but I still left most of the work to Willow since she had a higher tolerance for it than I did. We were gratified to read that even though he had previously trained two potential slayers, he had never had been assigned an active slayer before me. We were gratified because this meant that he didn't already have any preconceptions of actually being with an active slayer before which made us believe that he was trainable.

This belief was fortified when we noticed that he had a personal journal, separate from his watcher's journal, that he would make more personal observations into, the ones he never planned on sharing. In fact, this is the one we saw him writing in the first time we peeked in on him. This made for some very interesting reading; in fact it embarrassed us so much that we stopped. That's when we realized that we were beginning to think of Giles as a friend and that what we were doing was an invasion of his privacy. All I'll say is that Giles is not as straight laced as he portrays.

We did discover that he had made contact with someone that had access to original Council history's, supposedly describing the actual reason for the founding of the Council, and he expected to receive this history within a couple of weeks. In the meantime, we prepared for the weekend, meaning Saturday daytime activities.

Friday afternoon came and my first week at Sunnydale High School ended, absolutely the best week of my life. I meet the girl of my dreams, my soul mate. We joined on mystical planes and became full partners in my destiny, now our destiny, though I suspect it was always her destiny too. I actually expect Giles to come up with some prophecy about us sooner or later. This week we became women together, by each other, you just can't top that.

After homework, dinner and patrol, Willow had promised to meet Xander at the Bronze. He was feeling a little neglected by Willow. I told Willow that it was just him, his hormones and two day of thinking about us as a couple that made him want to spend an evening bronzing with us. Willow started to defend him, then paused, grinned sheepishly and said "Absolutely!" We laughed together for several minutes talking of how many ways we could get him to drop his jaw.

We spent two hours monitoring the town and only spotted one vamp. Yea, soul boy was the only one out and getting very lonely apparently. We gave up driving around about 9pm and had Giles drop us a block from the bronze.

We had dressed for dancing; I was in a navy mini and red halter that left my ribbed stomach quite visible and accessible to the right red head. Willow was going to wear some fluffy sweater with a daisy. Actually, it was about the best she had, along with a pink skirt. I intervened and got her to wear my chocolate mini with a forest green blouse that just set her eyes and hair on fire. She was completely embarrassed until she noticed the look of total wanton lust in my face as I slowly ogled her. Her embarrassment soon turned to "Buffy can't keep her eyes off me so this is what I'm wearing." We had both worn wind breakers while out with Giles but left them on the back of the chairs Xander had saved for us right after we arrived. Jesse was with him and they both went speechless after we took off the wind breakers. Willow had brushed her fingers back through her hair while winking at me and I went speechless momentarily also.

We wiggled our way onto the dance floor and found a spot near where several other girls were also dancing together; kinda the friends who are girls dance together area.

I could tell Willow was nervous and my mission was to get her to just enjoy the dancing and forget about everyone else. The best way to do this was to have her feel the heat and give into it. As we danced, I moved my body languidly and quite suggestively. Reaching my hands out to brush her hip, glide down her arm and lightly run my fingers over her hands. Very soon, Willow was only watching me. Her breathing was getting heavy and the stiffness disappeared from her movements. She began to get a little bolder, returning my touches with suggestive movements of her eyebrows. Slow movements of her tongue over her moist lips. Just after the start of the third song which had a slower, deeper penetrating rhythm, I moved real close, and put my left hand on her hip while keeping her eyes locked to mine. I slid my left leg outside of her right leg and moved in so that my pelvis slid up her right thigh. Her eyes opened wide and her mouth opened slightly with a little gasp. I smiled and drew back to repeat the motion once more with a hungry smile on my face. She put both her hands on my shoulders while leaning her upper body back, keeping her leg between my thighs and began this incredibly sexy rotation of her shoulders while kneading her fingers into my shoulders and upper arms. Willow then rotated to my side and began to slowly slide her pelvis up and down my thigh. As she did, here eyes began to flutter and her eyes were rolling up into her head. Then the song ended and with a shudder, we drew apart. "I need some water." Willow practically croaked.

"Water is the least I can do for the sexiest dance partner in the world." I said while wetting my lips slowly with my tongue.

With a smile, we began to walk towards our table and only then noticed that people were looking at us. Most of the guys were staring with out and out lust while most of the girls just looked surprised except for a couple that I thought were looking with something akin to longing.

[Bask in the feeling and ignore everyone. Looking cool and unafraid is how to get accepted. Showing fear invites attack.] I was hoping that Willow would find this thought encouraging.

I then felt Will's arm slide around my waist and her lips brush across my cheek. I turned my head to see this cat eating grin. [How's that for looking cool?]

I smiled deliciously right back at her. [Except for the fact that I think you caused me to just melt into a big puddle, it was perfect.]

No one said a word to us as we walked back to our table, but we could feel the looks. As we approached, we saw Xander and Jesse.

I was overcome with a sudden desire. [You look so beautiful; your skin is glistening and your hair slightly damp. Please run your fingers back through your hair slowly, for me? ] My heart was racing at the sight of her.

Willow then lifted her head with her jaw just a little forward and with both hands, slowly and sensuously pushed them through her hair starting at the temples all the was back, finishing with a little double flick of her head and a half lidded smile. [Anything for you my love.]

We returned to our seats, finding two bottles of water waiting for us. We looked at Xander and he shrugged sheepishly. "You looked like you were going to need some water."

"I suggested a fire hose." Jesse spoke up with a truly disturbing grin across his face.

"The nights not over." Willow spoke suggestively. She was definitely feeling the heat and she is mine, hear me, all mine. I gave her my best come hither smile.

She put her hand on mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. "That was so much fun. Are we going to dance some more?"

I grabbed Willow's hand quickly and squeezed. [Don't let Cordelia get to you, she's pissed because you're getting more attention.]

I saw the look on Willow's face change from conditioned fear to wonderment and then relax completely as she realized the truth in what I just told her.

We both casually turned to see Cordelia with her arms crossed below her chest looking like someone just gave her a wedgie.

Willow looked her up and down very slowly, keeping her face casual. Willow then looked at me and leaned over to whisper in my ear, I think she wants dance lessons," which got us both to giggling.

My hand shot out, stopping hers about six inches before it reached Willow. I held her arm immobile at the wrist with the minimum force necessary so that I didn't hurt her. She tried yanking her arm free and was surprised that she wasn't able to do so. I looked up at her casually and with a slight arch to my brow. "I'm going to let go of your hand and you are never going to threaten Willow ever again." With that, I gave her wrist just enough of a squeeze to make her wince and then let go.

She yanked her hand back to her chest, holding it with her other hand. She was staring at me in shock.

"How dare you threaten me?" She hissed at me and then I felt the skin on my face tighten as I went calm and cold inside.

Cordelia's face turned fearful as she stared at my face. "The stories about you at Hemry are true, aren't they?" She said softly, turned and walked quickly away.

I felt Willow's hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at her and the smile on her face caused me to relax. Without realizing it, I had gone into slayer mode. The look Cordelia had been witness to was the one that I had previously saved only for demons. I guess in Cordelia's case, the look was understandable.

"Wow." Xander exclaimed, "I've never seen Cordy scared before, what did she mean the stories are true. You're not an ax murderer, are you Buff?"

"Xander, don't be ridiculous. You're not going to buy into anything Cordelia say's, are you?" Willow launched to my defense.

"It's OK Willow." I turned to Xander. "The gym got burned down during a dance and I was blamed for it, but they never proved it."

"Well, if there is something else, I have no idea what it is. You know how rumors are, by the third retelling; a dropped water balloon turns into blowing up the federal building." I explained with a shrug of my shoulders.

Right then, the band started up and Willow grabbed my hand. "Dance with me." Her eyes lighted up which lit up my whole body.

Willow was into it right away this time and we quickly became two sinuous beings melding and parting and melding again to the beat of the music. The fourth song was a slow, grungy ballad that caused the soles of our feet to vibrate right up our legs. Willow is a little taller than I am so I wrapped my arms around her neck and she put hers around my waist, letting her hand rest just below my lower back, her finger tips grazing my derriere. I rested my head on her shoulder and she leaned her head against mine as we slowly moved to the music. We were just reveling in the feel of each other. All memory and thoughts of Cordelia were gone as we danced 'till the band finished their last number around 12:30.

Grabbing our wind breakers, we walked out with Xander and Jesse. I felt confident that they would be safe going home, the demon scape looking demon free but Xander and Jesse insisted on walking us home.

The night had been incredible and I even felt comfortable talking and kidding with Xander and Jesse as we walked. I was even starting to see that Xander had a good sense of humor, a little on the sophomoric side, but not too bad. And heck, he is a sophomore after all.

[Buffy!] Willow's exclamation shot through my brain. She had been casually looking ahead using the sight part of the virtual landscape and seen something that startled her. I quickly joined her sighting to see four hulking guys behind a fence that we would all be walking by about 40 yards ahead of us.

We could see that they were watching us approach through cracks in the wooden fence. Their intentions were becoming more obvious as we got closer.

[I want to find out what's going on, which means I need to question them, preferably the ring leader. Any idea who? ]

[Got him. Ok, about ten feet before we reach the fence, I want you to stop. Be ready to use remote control if things get out of hand since it doesn't knock you out like it does me. This is going to be tricky because their human and I can't kill them.]

[Don't let that get you hurt Buffy, because I'll have to beat anyone to a pulp that hurts you.] There was an under current to her statement that almost made me fear for anyone unfortunate enough to hurt me.

I gave her hand a squeeze and let it go as she stopped ten feet before we reached the fence. I slowed down and let Xander and Jesse get a few extra steps ahead to give me a little extra reaction time. Just as the boys passed the fence, all four of the ambushers jumped out and Xander and Jesse were grabbed by two each.

"So, Xander, you baby sit dykes now." The one that Willow had pointed out as the leader spoke menacingly.

I lost it right there. Before another word could be said I had knocked down the ones holding Xander with a flying kick to one and an elbow to the forehead of the other as I passed. I landed on my feet behind the other two holding Jesse and as they turned, I sucker punched them both, hard enough to put them down and out for a few minutes.

"Xander, Jesse, make sure those two don't get back up." I barked out, and they automatically complied, taking a watchful stance over the two I had just knocked out.

The one I had elbowed in the head was down for the count, but Rick, the one that I had sent flying into a bush with the kick was just getting up.

"What the hell." He's screaming, trying to look all bad. "I'm going to kill whoever did that."

"Is this a joke?" He sneered, trying to intimidate me with his size. He was about six four and pushing 220 pounds.

I grabbed the offered arm and twisted it up behind his back. With my other hand, I reached up and grabbed his neck and then kicked his legs out in front of him so that he fell forward. I controlled his fall so that his face didn't smash into anything hard. Once down, I forced his arm up hard and ground his face into the ground 'till he screamed in pain.

"Now the only things I want to hear coming out of your mouth are answers. Truthful answers will keep me from breaking your arm. Anything else and you won't ever play football again. Understand?" I gave his arm just a little extra nudge.

"Good, now what were you planning on doing and whose idea was it?" Another nudge, another scream followed by a whimper as I relaxed just a little.

"Cordelia" he sobbed, "Cordelia said it would be fun to scare you guys. She said you needed to be taught a lesson."

I looked over at Xander and Jesse and then Willow who had come up right after I had Rick on the ground.

"OK Rick, here is how things are going to work. I'm going to release your arm and let you up. If you make one move that I don't like, I'm going to smash your collar bone to pieces. Understand? I said firmly.

"Yes, I understand. I won't do anything, I promise." He was on the verge of tears.

I slowly eased the pressure on his arm, slowly moving it back to his side. I then removed my hand from the back of his neck and went over to stand by Willow, but about a step in front of her.

Rick slowly pushed himself to his knees, mostly using his left arm. He was letting his right arm just dangle for the time being.

"Rick, I said as he slowly stood and faced me, "I did not like hurting you. And I don't want to ever have to do it again. To make sure I never have to hurt you again, here are the rules. You are a senior, so all you have to do is make it to the end of the school year without any harm coming to Willow, Xander or Jesse. If anyone hurts either of them, after I take care of them, I'm coming after you. Even if you had nothing to do with it, I'm still going to break both your arms. Do you know why?"

He knew that if he put the word out to leave us alone, then everyone would leave us alone. If he didn't say anything, he would be giving tacit approval for retribution.

"And Rick, we just want to be left alone. It's a simple request. I hope you someday develop enough character to have friends of the quality of Willow, Xander and Jesse. Goodnight." I then reached back and took Willow's hand and continued our walk home with Xander and Jesse silently following behind us.

Willow put her arm around my shoulder and I put mine around her waist and we walked the rest of the way home just like that.

When we arrived in front of my house, we turned, "Thanks for walking us home guys." I told them sincerely.

"Good night Xander." Willow said giving him a hug, repeating the process with Jesse.

"So Buff, you're some kind of fifth degree black belt or something, right?" Xander's voice cracked just a little.

People try all their lives to imagine what heaven may be like. They search the bible, esoteric texts and hang on the words of every crackpot looking for attention. They try and try, but never get close. As for me, I get to experience heaven every morning. It's warm, safe and totally encompassing in love. Heaven is waking in the arms of a soft warm body with red hair and green eyes, simply Willow.

Through half open eyes, I gazed at the serenity of her sleeping face. Smooth ivory flesh, soft delicate lips and long sweeping lashes resting on her delicate skin. All framed in soft waves of red hair. I don't move, I just look and feel. I feel her arm gently draped across my waist with her hand resting on my arm. Our legs are tangled intimately, contrasting feelings of delicious heat where we touched and cooling desire where we didn't. I don't want this time to ever end, but I know it must eventually. But since it is Saturday, there is no rush. So I just continue to enjoy my heaven for as long as I can.

A fluttering eyelid alerts me that I am about to be treated to the vision of Willow's beautiful eyes and if I am truly blessed, a Willow morning smile, a smile so languid and comforting that it would melt Gibraltar. Her eyes open, then the smile. Epiphany! Her arms tighten around me and she draws her lips close to mine and we kiss, a soft, delicate kiss with tantalizing currents that bring color to both our faces. We break before our hearts can begin to race, and she lays her head on my chest.

"I'm not sure; time seemed to have no meaning while I watched you sleep." I answered truthfully.

She tilted her head, and looked me in the eye. "Why Buffy, I do believe you're a romantic." Then she smiled. "And the idea of a romantic slayer just makes me tingle all over."

"Mmmmmm, a tingly Willow makes my thoughts go to some very nice places, soon to be followed by my hands." I slowly rolled over so that I was now face to face with her, both of us on our sides.

Her eyes grew heavy with desire and as the sun peeked through the window, highlighting Willows hair into a glorious blaze, we took each other to heaven.

We eventually made our way downstairs, showered and dressed around ten thirty. Mom had already left for the gallery. Until she could hire and train competent assistants, she didn't expect any free Saturdays. After setting things up for a late breakfast of cereal and fruit, we started discussing the coming day between mouthfuls.

"Carefully." I watched relief spread across her face and I knew I had just said the magic word.

"Good, 'cause I know it should be a cinch to get them while they're sleeping but this isn't an ambush that we've setup ahead of time. You have to go in where they live, and it's kinda like the cornered rat situation... Ya know what I mean?" She was speaking very carefully, and I could feel the concern in her voice.

I reached out my hand and placed it over hers, and slowly caressed the back of her hand. She looked into my eyes and I gave her my most reassuring smile.

"Willow, thank you for caring, but most of all thank you for not letting it interfere with me as the slayer or with us. I want you to know that you should never be afraid to let me know when you're worried or concerned about something. I trust your instincts completely. You are my advisor, the one I need to make sure I don't overlook something that will get you or me hurt." As I spoke, she began to smile shyly and by the time I finished, her face was lit up with her patented make Buffy melt and put a goofy grin on her face smile.

Then I began to feel soft, magical fingers of energy spread across my body in a most loving and very arousing way. Willow's face had turned mischievous as my eyelids drooped and I began to moan. Incredible waves of desire crashing against the shores of need quickly had my body quivering around my warm, moist center. I grasped her hand and sent my own magical fingers spreading across her body, but I was too aroused, there was no time for play. I went right for her core spots and had her flushed and panting in moments.

We crested together and rode each other on waves of ecstasy, finally laying our heated heads on our outstretched arms that were still tightly clutching each others hand.

"Willow, you must promise to only use your power for good." I finally gasped in a wheezy whisper.

"Wasn't that good?" I heard the playfulness in her voice despite the lack of breath behind the words.

"Oh yea, definitely of the good, but much evil could ensue. What with the kitchen and mom could have walked in and now we need to shower again 'cause I am just wet all over and I think I'm not the only one miss let's distract Buffy from vamp laundry day" I spoke while lifting my head to look at her face.

"It's your fault, you made me feel so incredibly wonderful and loved that I couldn't help myself. And you should be grateful, 'cause my first thought was to rip your clothes off and make love to you right on the table." She stuck her bottom lip out in what she knew was an irresistible pout.

"Oh god willow, you're killing me." I moaned. "OK, thanks for not ripping my clothes off and giving new meaning to breakfast is served."

Willow giggled and then I giggled and pretty soon we were laughing uncontrollably.

We finally helped each other up off the floor, made it through a shower and clothes change and after cleaning up the breakfast dishes, got down to the business for the day.

"All their sleeping places must be underground because we don't see them during the day." I began.

She rested her head on my shoulder. "I'm your girl." She whispered as she wrapped her arms about me.

We reached out to each other and began to draw upon the pool for energy. Once we felt ready, we pushed or perception below the ground. This was difficult; we could feel resistance, like we were trying to push a heavy object. [Stop Buffy, we're doing this wrong.]

[I agree, got any ideas on how to do it right?] I said trying to ignore the headache that had quickly sprung up.

[Yea let's first find some access to below ground that isn't solid and then just expand along the path of least resistance, ignoring all the solid ground. We're only interested in the open spaces underground anyway, right? ]

We located the nearest sewer cover and were able to quickly extend our perception throughout the tunnel. Even though it was pitch black, we had no trouble seeing our way because we're not using our eyes, which are dependent on light. Our vision was of a mystical nature, not photons. We spent nearly two hours exploring the tunnels, finding branches to other types of tunnels and soon discovered that Sunnydale had quite a subterranean highway system. Electrical service tunnels, sewer and even hewn out tunnels that linked certain areas like cross streets. About two hours in, we finally located some sleeping vamps, about six of them in a small cavern just off this electrical service tunnel that seemed to crisscross under most of the city. We carefully traced the quickest way to the cavern and noted two other routes in and out of the cavern.

"Looks like a front door and two back doors." I said as we returned to our natural perception.

"Just a sec." Willow said as she dashed off, quickly returning with a notepad and pencil. She then carefully drew a detailed map, occasionally returning to the scene in her mind to fill in any necessary details. I added a couple of points to the drawing denoting what I perceived were the dimensions of the tunnels and writing descriptions of their surface entrances.

When done, we felt that we had a completely detailed map and were ready to plan our assault. We finally agreed on a plan, Willow reluctantly because there were too many unknowns and I had to agree with her, but I convinced her finally with logic.

"This is the best way to solve the unknowns for future planning. And you know we can handle six of them." She couldn't argue with the need to do it without bringing the whole slaying gig into question.

It was now close to two PM and needed to get this show on the road. We called Giles and told him what we came up with. He agreed to meet us with the weapons in fifteen minutes.

The idea of the plan was that Willow and I could see in the dark using our vision scape so we would each take one of the back doors that were open to the cavern and Giles would take the service tunnel so he could use a flashlight. We would know when he was in position. He had a super soaker and crossbow. Willow had her super soaker plus a dozen very pointy stakes. Willow had discovered with some experimentation that she could mind fling the stakes without too much effort when she was in her body without the exhausting effects of doing it completely by remote. We hadn't filled Giles in on this yet, wanting to keep Willow's abilities under wraps as much as possible for the time being. When Giles was in place, Willow would be taking up guard at her tunnel entrance and I would sneak into position. If I could, I was to try and stake the vamps in their sleep. If they woke up, I would yell 'Now' and Giles would enter from the service tunnel with two high powered lanterns to light up the room and begin shooting holy water at their faces along with Willow while I got on with quick slayage like we had done in several ambushes previously.

Everything went perfectly. Yea, and I'm going to homecoming with Xander. After Giles was setup, I took a couple of quiet steps towards the nearest vamp and stepped on a home made alarm covered with a thin layer of dirt. All of a sudden, six vamps jumped up with swords in their hands.

Willow immediately began super soaking causing a major distraction and Giles entered within seconds with the two lanterns and joined in. Willow and I were wearing sunglasses so that we weren't blinded by the sudden light, unlike the even more confused undead.

I immediately leapt at the nearest confused vamp and shoved a stake through his heart while he was swinging wildly. I ducked a swing from another and blocked a second with my sword. I dusted another and was decapitating a third when I felt something approaching from behind and started to turn, not in time to completely avoid a lunge from a saber that grazed my side.

"Buffy!" I heard willow scream and then there was a big poof of dust as a dozen wooden missiles totally decimated the remaining three vamps including the one trying to skewer me.

I felt Willow's hands, carefully but urgently pulling my shirt up to see my wound. I rested my hand on her shoulder. "It's OK Will, just a scratch." I tried to assure her.

"Scratches are little tiny things that you can put some antiseptic on and a band aid and its all better. A four inch gash, half an inch deep that is bleeding really bad is not a scratch Buffy." I can tell she's about to cry, but she won't. Not until she knows I'm OK.

Giles walked up and pulled what turned out to be a pretty complete emergency first aid kit out of his utility bag. "I was hoping not to need this, but I remembered your better to have it and not need it speech Willow and made sure to pack it." Giles spoke while opening the case.

He handed Willow a clean cloth and a bottle of alcohol. Willow quickly cleaned the wound and then she held the wound closed as Giles applied butterfly type surgical tape along the slightly more than four inches of open flesh. Willow then finished wiping blood and Giles applied a field dressing over the wound and had me hold a towel over it to keep up pressure. Giles took all our weapons and we slowly made it back through the shortest tunnel to fresh air and sunlight.

"Erm, I think we can forego patrol tonight." Giles stated hesitantly as he and Willow got me seated into the back of his car.

"Willow, I'm going to be fine, but I'm not so sure you are?" I reached up and cupped her cheek with my hand.

"Just let me get through this and know you're OK and then I'll deal, OK Buffy?" She pleaded.

She looked me in the eyes and gave me a little grin [love you too you crazy slayer.]

"Giles, Buffy needs that training facility. She needs to get better with weapons. You better come through quick or I'm going to make your life a living hell, understand? Willow said just before we pulled up in front of the house.

"Yes, I agree completely. Buffy's raw talent is incredible but she could be nearly invincible when fully trained. And I'll be pushing for it as quickly as possible." He spoke with true sincerity, knowing Willow needed the comfort but mostly to counter her wrath.

Willow had apparently been doing a lot of thinking on the ride home and that thinking apparently included the memory of my rather clumsy attempt to deflect the thrust that nearly skewered me. A part of me thought that I should be insulted, but when it came to Willow, personal pride didn't stand a chance against the fierce pride I felt by being loved and cared for by this incredible woman. Plus, it was going to be fun watching her make Gile's life miserable until he came through. I nearly chuckled out loud at the thought.

"But in the meantime, could someone tell me what happened to the last three vampires after Buffy was wounded? It was if they just disappeared." He looked at both of us now, slowly switching his gaze between us.

"Uh, how about we let you know after we figure out what happened." I said cautiously.

"So, you're not sure what happened either?" He asked slowly. He had apparently learned that demanding tones only made us defensive and pissed off.

She looked at me, [we tell him, but not yet.] Willow took a big breath and looked back at Giles. "We know what happened; we just want some time to figure out how to tell you."

"Ah, I look forward to the moment." Giles smiled softly, accepting the bone Willow tossed him.

Mom wasn't due 'till five, so we had about forty-five minutes to get cleaned up and looking normal before she got home. Then I had a thought, video party at Willow's. This would give me all night to heal without mom's observational skills to deceive. I mentioned this to Willow and she agreed and we asked Giles to wait a couple of minutes so he could give us a ride. He was all in favor of anything that would lessen the chance of my mother discovering that I'd been injured.

I called mom at the gallery and explained how Willow needed to check on her house and since she had a great entertainment center, I wanted to do a movie marathon to celebrate my first week in Sunnydale and everything. She was a little resistant, I could almost hear the things going through her head and she was probably right about some of them. I then pleaded, "come on mom, I promise. No boys or alcohol, what could be safer?" I could hear her chuckle at my absurd comment and then sigh.

"OK Buffy, but if anything goes wrong, you're both grounded in separate rooms." She finally relented with a warning that sent cold shivers down my spine.

"Thanks mom. We'll be home tomorrow by noon. Love you." I saw Willow jump up and mouth a silent yes as she went up to pack our overnight things and something to wear tomorrow. I stayed on the couch and she was back in five minutes with my small overnight bag packed for us both.

Giles dropped us off at Willow's with a "have a good night", and Willow called for pizza delivery right after we got inside.

"Any movies in particular you want to see?" She asked after ordering a large spinach, garlic and pepperoni with extra cheese.

"I'd love to see 'Personal Best', but I've never been able to rent it." I said sadly.

"Really? Well consider this your lucky night, the advantages of having shrinks for parents. Not only do we have 'Personal Best' in the library, but also 'Bound', 'Desert Hearts' and just a great all around love story, 'Princess Bride'." She said smugly.

I threw my arms up in joy and quickly lowered them as I felt my wound open with a sharp pain and wince on my face.

"Let me look and make sure it hasn't started bleeding again." Her voice was soft but confident and betrayed none of the panic I sensed through our mental link.

"Won't have time, I'll be too busy inventing impenetrable armor that I can get you to actually wear." She chided back while gently removing my shirt.

"I packed you a button blouse to replace this thing so you wouldn't have to raise your arms." She explained as she gently pulled my black T over my head and slid it off one arm and then the other so I didn't have to raise them up. She then pulled back the dressing and had me lay on my side. "Stay still while I get some supplies."

She returned in a couple of minutes with gauze, bandages and betadine. I actually thought of telling her not to bother until I saw the look on her face. I knew that she was doing this for me, but she needed to do it. And denying her would have been truly selfish. It's amazing how when you truly care and love someone how your perspective totally changes. Without my love for Willow, I would have been self centered and considered it selfish to accept her help. Now I knew better. Even though I was wounded, she was the one who was scared. She was the one who needed to make sure I healed. I needed to heal for her. And the selfless thing to do was let her help me.

"Thank you; I really appreciate all this loving attention. If I didn't think you'd kill me yourself, I might be tempted to get wounded more often." I gave her a soft smile to let her know that I really did appreciate her help and also let her know I understood.

"Don't joke." She said softly. "Next time, I could be the one who didn't get out of the way in time."

All of a sudden my breathing stopped, my eyes bulged and I could feel myself going into something that I never imagined I would ever feel a full blown panic attack. She saw the fear on my face and immediately leaned over and held me. "It's OK, I know that wasn't fair, but you seemed to understand what I was feeling. I just wanted you to know the full extent of it." She said soothingly.

"And you really shouldn't worry about that happening. I'm not as stupid as you." She then gave me her smarty smile. I relaxed and even chuckled a little.

The pizza arrived and Willow set things up, not letting me move from the couch except for a bathroom run, which I did with a slow walk. I knew from experience that in a few more hours, the wound would just be an angry red scar and by morning, fading to a thin white line and be almost invisible in a couple of days. But I also new that the more I pampered it in the first 12 hours, the more invisible that scar would be. So I settled back into my lover's arms and let her feed me pizza and spring water as we watched the movies. I got to cross out a couple more items on my things to do one day list that night. Unfortunately, Willow wouldn't let me act on the state of arousal the movies put me into, especially with being so close to her.

"How do you stand it?" I finally asked her after she gently pushed my hands away for the umteempth time.

She grinned slowly and wickedly, "I'm just thinking how you are going to be so begging for it by tomorrow night, that I'll able to get you to do anything."

"Don't worry, you'll love it. You just don't know it yet." She whispered with hot breath into my ear.

After the movies, she gave me a sponge bath that nearly drove me through the roof.

"You're driving me crazy, Willow." I told her as she gently dried my clean, but now very aroused flesh.

She helped me into night clothes and put me in bed and then put on a dark blue silk teddy and casually climbed into bed with me.

"G'night Buffy." She kissed me gently, rolled over and turned out the light. She then put her arms around me and put my head on her shoulder so that my cheek was resting on her upper chest. I could feel the silk of her teddy against my face and the gentle rise and fall of her chest. I thought it would take me hours to fall asleep but without even realizing it, I was opening my eyes to a bright sun lit room and the warmth of a soft body holding me safely in her arms.

I carefully turned my head to see sparkling green eyes watching me. "Good morning." Willow whispered huskily. I raised my eyebrows as I wondered what was going through her mind to have her aroused already. I decided to get a little fun revenge and got an image of me kissing her breasts and when I had it vivid and sharp, I shared it with her along with the passion I feel while kissing her. She rolled her eyes back, arched her body and moaned. I immediately slid her top up to expose her breasts and brought to her the reality of the vision.

"Oh goddess, Buffy, noooo..." And she pushed away, stumbling as she got her feet on the floor. "Bad Buffy." She wagged her finger at me. "You haven't been cleared for anything like that."

"Well, why don't you play doctor, and then we can play doctor." I said suggestively.

"Let me look at your side." I rolled over so that my injured side was up and she unbuttoned my night shirt to expose the dressing. Very carefully, she removed the dressing to expose the wound and gently removed the butterfly adhesive bandages. I could feel her fingers touch the fading wound and carefully caress it with her finger tips. I was watching her face and knew that the wound was nearly healed and I heard her sigh.

"Thank goodness, but I want to see you stretch your arms slowly while I watch your face." There was so much relief in her voice that I wanted to put her concerns totally at rest.

I rolled slowly onto my back and as I lifted my arms up to begin my stretch, I slid my unbuttoned night shirt off my shoulders and began a very languid stretch watching to see if she could keep her eyes on my face. She nearly succeeded, but I caught her glance down and lick her lips.

"Well, it still hasn't been a full twenty four hours so I should probably have some help in the shower to make sure I don't get dizzy and fall, don't you think?" I watched her breath quicken.

"Yea, that's probably a good idea." She reached out her hand to help me up. I'm not the only with a patience problem.

We made it home about a quarter to noon and just in time for lunch. We found mom in the kitchen preparing food.

"Yep, really, really nice with lots of good sound sleep, waking very refreshed type sleep and all very healthy." Willow was about to give everything away as if she had just been tortured for twelve hours.

Mom looked at Willow curiously, then at me. "Buffy, I don't want to put Willow on the spot. So why don't you tell me what she is trying so hard not to spill."

[I'll make it up to you, I promise.] Then she gave me a vision of how she'd make it up to me. Time held still for a moment as my mind absorbed the vision until...

"Buffy, Buffy. Do you hear me?" Mom was waving a hand in front of my face that just went all flushed.

"Oh yea, mom, just thinking of wear to start." I answered quickly and slightly flustered.

"Just the facts and supporting details will be fine." She arched her eyebrows and jutted her head towards me.

"We located a vamp lair and set up an attack to take them during the day while sleeping. Well, the plan was good but they had an alarm that woke them up just as I approached them and all six of them jumped up with swords. We got them all, but I got scratched in the side by one of their swords. But it was just a scratch, really." I lifted up my shirt far enough for her to see the fading scar on my side.

She came around the counter and looked at the thin white line with just a hint of redness and touched it with her hand, pulling it back after she was satisfied that she couldn't feel anything significant.

"Willow, how deep was this little scratch right after it happened." Mom turned penetrating eyes on Willow.

"Half an inch, maybe more, maybe less I didn't measure how deep. Oh god, it just didn't look very good, but like Buffy said, its all better now, like it never even happened, but it did happen cause you can see this little white line as if it had happened years ago but it really happened less than twenty four hours ago and can I please shut up now. Please mom." Willow was starting to sob and tears were running down her cheeks. Mom took Willow totally off guard and everything Willow was feeling just came spilling out, mom got just what she wanted but also a lot more.

"Oh Willow, I'm so sorry honey." Mom threw her arms around Willow and hugged her tight. "I'm so sorry Willow, I promise never to use you like that again. That was very insensitive of me. I just needed to know how badly Buffy was really hurt and while I know she won't lie to me, she is really good at being evasive. But that's no excuse for using you. Will you forgive me?" Mom nearly did a babble of her own except her voice wasn't frantic; it was calm, soothing and very motherly.

"It's OK, nothing to forgive." Willow held on to mom tight. They finally parted and mom grabbed a tissue and wiped Willow's tear stained face and kissed her on the cheek. She then turned to me and said one word. "Buffy?"

I went to Willow and put my arm around her shoulder. I then looked at mom. "The cut was about three quarters of an inch deep in the middle and tapered at both ends. It bled pretty badly for a few minutes, but Willow and Giles bandaged me up really good. Then Willow took good care of me, not letting me barely move for twelve hours. It scared Willow at first and I think the memory of it is still prone to freaking her out right now. So if you want to punish me for not dodging quickly enough, go ahead, but please don't do anything to Willow." I then kissed Willow on the cheek.

"Buffy, I'm not going to punish anyone, especially Willow. I didn't realize how fragile Willow would be to my questioning her. And I'm truly sorry about that." The tone of her voice and the downcast look truly indicated her sorrow. But it wasn't enough for me.

"But mom, you knew Willow would cave easier. That's why you went after her for answers. You used her." I was getting angry; I couldn't believe my mother had used Willow like that. I actually felt ashamed.

Mom saw the look on my face and I saw the horror develop on hers as she realized what she had been willing to sacrifice in the holy name of getting to the truth, no matter the cost.

"Oh Buffy, Willow, please forgive me, I'm just so scared. I'm so afraid that Buffy is going to be hurt that I can barely think straight." Her face was pleading with us.

I felt Willow's hand on the side of my face, turning my face towards hers until she was looking me in the eye.

"Buffy, I know how afraid she is, and I forgive her and I need you to forgive her too. She is every bit as afraid as I am, but as a mother, she has a responsibility to interfere when she thinks it's in your best interest. As your lover, I don't have that responsibility. I have the responsibility of helping you be who are even if it gets you killed. So I'm not going to fault anyone who might help keep that from happening. Ok?" Then she kissed me lightly on the lips. Just a gentle warm breeze of energy flooded me, conveying all her love and trust. We broke with a sigh and I turned to mom.

"Sorry I got angry mom, I just don't like to see Willow hurt. And I understand the whole don't want to see me hurt thing. So, just want to let you know that we learned a very valuable lesson yesterday. We will be much better prepared next time." I didn't want to claim that I would never get hurt, 'cause she knows that would be a lie. I just wanted her to know that we would continue to be careful and work to minimize any risk.

"I think we're all pretty sorry and learned another valuable lesson. If you want me to trust you, I need your trust and apparently, I didn't feel I could trust you to tell me the whole truth. I don't know if I can forgive myself for using Willow as I did, but I promise I will never do it again." Mom pulled us both into a big hug.

"OK, who's up for brunch? French toast, turkey sausage and poached eggs with hollandaise." Mom said as we separated.

Have I mentioned how incredible Willow is lately? Well let me just do it again just in case. Willow is incredible. Instead of just being grateful that we made it through our first vamp cleaning day like me, she looked at what happened and got ideas. And her idea got her working on setting up our own alarm system. She had managed to create a kind of an energy trip wire in our demon scape that would give us a little jolt while sleeping if anything popped up. We had gone to bed around ten thirty after getting nothing on the old radar all evening. And after some great smoochies, had wrapped ourselves around each other and gone to sleep.

We desperately untangled ourselves blindly because our total focus was on the two vamps that had appeared on our demon scape. They appeared about 2 miles away, near the electrical plant.

"Two vamps, about 2 miles away. We need a ride before they find a midnight snack." I told her desperately.

"OK, let me throw something on and I'll meet you downstairs." She swung her legs out and stood up as I dashed back to my room to throw on the clothes that Willow had insisted that we leave out just in case. Willow had already dressed and was double checking the equipment bag. I was dressed in a minute flat and we met mom at the car.

We were pulling into the street 5 minutes after we woke up. The two vamps were moving rapidly towards downtown.

"The bus station, Willow whispered. "They're going to the bus station. There is a 1:30 am bus that comes in 3 days a week."

About a block from the bus station, we stopped in front of the alley we knew they were coming down. Willow had a super soaker and a couple of stakes ready, taking up position from the back seat with the window down. I got out of the car with my short sword pressed to my leg so that it wasn't noticeable.

"Hey guys." I called out as they came into sight. "Would you mind giving us directions?"

They were now about ften feet away and I leaped at the one on my right, a flying kick right to his jaw which sent him crashing to the ground. Willow had immediately super soaked the other right in the face. I came down right on top of the one I had kicked and plunged my stake into his chest as I heard the one behind me scream as the holy water blinded him. I quickly turned and swung my razor sharp sword through his neck, decapitating him cleanly. A gentle breeze caused a little dust to settle on me as I walked back to the car with a satisfied smile. I looked at Willow and felt this incredible expression of love and pride pouring out from her, so much so that I blushed and looked down at the ground.

"Don't you go all modest on me." She said softly, pulling me into a very nice hug.

"Come on girls, it is a school night. And don't think I'm going to let monster slaying get in the way of your education. And Buffy, you shower before getting into bed. I don't think Willow would appreciate sleeping with you all dusty and everything." Mom dead panned the last part beautifully. Yea, things were definitely all right.

Monday morning and anticipation was a cold lump in our stomachs of what was waiting for us at school after our confrontation Friday night with Cordy's chumps. But that realization wouldn't rear its ugly head for a while yet. Why, you ask? If you had woken up next to an angel, would you let anything as trivial as total societal expulsion bother you? Well at least not until we were completely awake, that is. I just wasn't sure what I would or could do if my threat to Rick backfired.

We were in the last days of winter, just a couple of weeks before spring in sunny southern California, and while the morning was cool, the day promised warmth and called for shorts and light spring tops. Willow and I were about the same size, so I had her dressed in some of my over abundance provided by a guilty father. Willow's alabaster legs looked incredible in olive shorts and a light gray T which left her incredibly delicious belly button exposed to my wanton glances. It was those wanton glances that convinced Willow to overcome her natural desire to be unnoticed. I dressed in white shorts with a baby blue halter hoping to give her something to appreciate. We were a block from school before we actually remembered about Friday night and the possible repercussions that could occur today.

"Buffy, you know what I'm really worried most about?" She looked over at me, her eyes showed her concern.

I stopped when I saw her look and gently took her hand. "No, I don't know, but you know you can tell me."

"Xander, and to a lesser extent Jesse, I'm afraid that they may take advantage of the situation and become what they've always claimed they've hated." She spoke softly and I new instantly that her concerns were well founded.

"I see your point. We should try and talk with them ASAP, before they do something we'll all regret." I gave her hand a squeeze and we continued walking, intent on finding Xander before class started.

We had entered the main building, and started towards the Library when I heard. "Yea, those creeps know better than to mess with us." Xander's voice froze us both.

Willow ran forward grabbing Xander's arm and yanked him away from the fortunately still small group that he had been bragging to.

I came up behind her as she started to lay into him. "Xander, are you six years old? Are you mentally retarded, no strike that, someone mentally retarded would never do something so stupid."

"What, what's wrong Will. What did I do?" Xander had his hands up, shaking them, totally clue less.

Willow was speaking very quietly, but forcefully. "You have been given a get out of jail free card, and the first thing you do is go taunt the jailers. Next thing you know, you'll go up and tweak Rick's nose." She finished with the sarcasm just dripping from her tongue.

Xander's face began to show some understanding, but it was like watching the sunrise. The light dawns slowly. And I think I finally understood the saying 'always darkest before the dawn'.

"Now listen to me. You will just keep your mouth shut about Friday night. You will make sure Jesse keeps his trap shut too. If you don't, I'll ask Buffy to tell Rick to withdraw your protection. Do you hear me? "She punctuated each of the last four words by poking her finger into his chest.

"Do you understand Mr. big shot can't keep his mouth shut Harris?" Willow demanded with finality.

"Uh, yea Will, gotcha." Xander looked over her head at me standing there. I nodded my head, letting him know I'd do it. I'd do it if Willow really asked me to, but I knew she never would. She just needed to scare him. Xander didn't know how to react in the vacuum of not being afraid, so Willow just refilled the vacuum with something for him to be afraid of.

"Good, make sure Jesse understands also." She turned to look at me and winked so that Xander couldn't see. I glared at Xander. "Don't blow it."

"I'll take care of Jesse right away." He stammered out and then took off in search of the other half of his wit.

[I would, but then I would miss out on the making up.] she grinned mischievously.

I walked into history class right behind Willow and immediately caught Cordelia's stare. She had apparently been watching for us. Her face flushed with rage as she first saw us. I couldn't see Willow's face, being behind her, but I could tell Cordy wasn't getting any reaction out of her. Especially when Willow looked back at me with a smile, "Looks like someone's having a bad day."

I smiled back at her and then turned cold eyes while maintaining the smile right at Cordy as we took our seats. From there on out, we pretty much ignored her and everyone else, 'till the end of that class at least.

Willow and I were just heading to the cafeteria for lunch when we noticed Xander standing in front of the Main Bulletin Board.

"Hey Will, Buffy. Check it out. Cheer leader tryouts." Xander wasn't even trying to conceal his hormonal enthusiasm.

"No way, I just thought you guys would be as interested as I am in the jumping, bouncing scantily clad ladies." He offered, starting to sound a little defensive.

"But Xander, we can see that just by jumping around in our undoes in front of each other." I said completely innocently. Willow nearly choked trying not to laugh.

Xander's eyes glazed over until Willow punched him in the arm, then "Hey, don't blame me, it was Buffy's fault." He responded with mock pain.

Willow quickly regaining her composure, "Well we could keep you company at the try outs, you know, just so you don't look too out of place." She said sounding properly supportive.

"That'd be great, if you don't mind too much. If it's just me and Jesse, we could get some bad looks, you know." Now he was embarrassed.

[Willow, you really do want to go, don't you?] I thought with ripples of amusement.

[Well sorta, it's like I've suppressed my desires for so long, I just want to take them out for a spin. ] She responded with mild humor.

[Not a problem lover. As for Xander I so don't want him thinking that we like checking out scantily clad girls as much as they do.] Willow's thoughts carried a little shiver.

[Well, differently. Our enjoyment is more appreciation of the female as an art form.] She offered in defense.

[Ah, so our enjoyment is strictly intellectual, is that what you're saying?] I wrap my thoughts in a teasing package.

[How about we just go and watch and discuss it later tonight...] I left the trailing thought to tease her along and end her sudden discomfort. I was just realizing that even though Willow has shown herself to be sexually aggressive with me, it had only been a week since she acknowledged her attraction for women, even to herself. It was unfair of me to expect her to be as comfortable with her feelings as I am having had years being aware of my orientation.

She looked at me and saw the warm, gentle smile I had to try and convey my understanding.

[Thanks Buffy. You do understand, don't you?] She responded with a smile of her own.

"So Xander, say when and where and we'll be your chaperones." We had hopefully disarmed him and headed off any sharing he may have been planning at the prospect of watching cheerleaders with his 'lesbian' buds.

"The tryouts are after school at 3:15 in the gym. Wanna meet out front?" He was back to excited. I was just remembering how easily he reverts to hormonal control.

We picked up sandwiches and sodas, and then headed for the library for our meeting with Giles.

We were comfortably seated at the main table half way through our sandwiches when Giles walked in from the back office.

"Good news. The council has approved the training facility. Last week I discovered a perfect facility for our purposes. It's only a couple of blocks from here. The contractors will begin work tomorrow and should be finished by the end of the following week with the modifications." He was practically beaming.

"Did they approve everything on the list?" Willow asked with emphasis on everything.

"Ah, yes they did, though they did question the weight equipment. I told them it was to help build stamina." He didn't have a clue either, but he gets points for creativity.

"We'll tell you if you promise to keep it to yourself." I said between mouthfuls of turkey on rye.

"Precisely, and anyone else who could possibly reveal it to the council." I clarified.

"Why would you not want the council to know? This information could be used to help future slayers." He was truly curious and clue less.

"It could also be used to harm future slayers. We just don't feel it's in the best interest of me and future slayers for the council to have anymore insight than they already have into the makeup of a slayer." I summed up.

"OK, you have my word. The council will not know your reasons for the equipment from me." He promised solemnly.

I looked at Willow, giving her the go ahead to explain. It was her theory, so she's the one that should explain it.

"After Buffy gave me some demonstrations of how strong she was, I had her do some experiments. Buffy is right handed. In a normal person, a right handed person's right arm is stronger than their left arm. If Buffy's strength is completely mystical, there should be no difference between the strength of her left and right arms. Well, there is a difference. Buffy's right arm is 5% stronger than her left. This is a clear indication that her strength is not solely mystical, but augmented mystically. Weight training should make her even stronger. Along with martial arts and gymnastics, she could be the strongest slayer ever." She finished her explanation with a satisfied grin.

I decided to clear up some other points for him. "The council has focused slayer training on weapons and some martial arts. Their focus was to get the slayer to rely on speed and agility to overcome stronger opponents. The result of this was, every slayer eventually met an opponent that was too strong for speed and agility alone. True?" I finished with the pointed question.

"Yes, that is true. Most slayers have been taken in solitary combat with stronger, more experienced master vampires or demons." He confirmed.

"Well, for as long as records have been kept, one slayer called at the age of 13, lasted 8 years. There was one called at 16 who lasted nearly 6 years. But the average is about 2 years." He finished softly, his voice barely a whisper.

"And master vamps are hundreds of years old, having lots of time to develop their skills. While all but a handful of young girls make it past their 18th birthday." I watched his face carefully as I said this last part.

As I finished speaking, he glanced at me quickly and then away, pulling his glasses off with one hand and pulling a handkerchief out to wipe the lenses with his other.

"Ah, that does appear to be the case." Nervousness seemed to undermine his composure.

"So, what are your feelings about helping me to live past my 18th birthday?" I asked him carefully, my desire to know if we could trust him was making me less cautious. I could feel Willow's fear mixed with her own desire to know. We both knew the possible consequences of guessing wrong with the watcher.

"I will of course do everything I can to prepare you for your duties, to assist you in any way I can." He responded evasively.

"Are you prepared to deceive the council in their efforts to kill Buffy?" Willow had had enough. The threat that accompanied her words set Giles back on his heels.

"I'm not quite sure what you're talking about. Why would the council want to kill Buffy?" His face actually showed fear.

"Cruciamentum." Willow literally hissed the word at him, her fear causing her to throw caution to the winds.

This meeting had diverged on a path none of us had expected, but maybe we should have as soon as we started to discuss survival and slayer longevity. Giles hadn't known that we knew that the council itself was responsible for the majority of slayer deaths. Not the demons they face. All the preparation in the world could hardly prepare you for betrayal. And complicity in betrayal is what was just thrown in Giles's face.

"Does it really matter how we know that it's actually the council that kills most slayers?" I responded firmly, with steel in my words. He hadn't demonstrated anything worthy of compassion as of yet, only sorrow at being discovered.

"I suppose not. But I'm still not sure what you want to hear. Will I deceive the council? I suppose I would if I could, but I don't see how it's possible." He explained defeated.

"Giles, how has your investigation of the council progressed? Find anything yet?" I softened my words at this hopeful concession.

"Actually, I'm expecting something by the end of the week. I just don't know how revealing it will be." He explained, taking a big breath halfway through.

"Do you have any intention of revealing to anyone our awareness of the Cruciamentum?" I asked while staring determinedly into his eyes.

"No, I don't even want to contemplate what would happen if that got out. I thought that I could just ignore the bloody test and deal with it in a couple of years. I'd prefer to just go back to that blissful state of ignorance." There was no deceit in his eyes, no twitch to any part of his face. I'm sure he could lie, but not so well under such stress induced circumstances.

I sighed, "OK, but after you uncover the real reason for the founding of the council, we'll discuss this further." I left it at that.

"From the way you say that, I suspect you already know what I'll discover. And I suspect that I won't like it either." I just raised my eyebrows slightly to his question.

[Yea, I just hope he can keep his mouth shut.] There was trepidation in her thought.

"Oh Buffy, you were going to explain what happened to the vampires on Saturday." Giles got out before we could fully exit the library.

She then looked at Giles. "I killed the vamps. When I saw Buffy wounded, I mentally flung the stakes I had at the three remaining vamps. We had only discovered that I could do it the day before and hadn't planned on using it because my aim wasn't so good. As it was, I was lucky I didn't hit Buffy, but I guess panic improved my aim."

"You're becoming as formidable as Buffy in your own right." Giles spoke slowly, with a bit of awe in his voice.

"You're loosing perspective Giles. I'm artillery. But battles are still won by the ground troops." Willow stated the obvious.

"Yes, I understand. You're a team. You're Buffy's support and Buffy is your strength." He clarified things for himself.

"Your powers though, I can't help wondering if they are rooted in magic. Are you a witch?" He asked truly curious.

[I recall Merrik mentioning witches once. He said they could be good or bad, but the power had a tendency to corrupt.] I told her everything I knew.

[But Giles has personal experience from what we've read.] Willow responded back.

"How about we discuss this on patrol tonight." I called out to him after grabbing Willow's hand and dashing for the door. "Usual place, eight PM." Not giving him a chance to reply.

Xander and Jesse were chuckling conspiratorially as Willow and I walked up to them outside the gym a little after three.

"I so don't want to know what you two are talking about, and you will behave in there or you're totally on your own." Willow laid down the ground rules right away.

"You know Will; you weren't so bossy when you were pretending to be straight." Xander griped.

"I'm not bossy, and I wasn't pretending to be anything, I was just undeclared!" Willow accentuated the ending.

"Come on guy's, we're here to have a some laughs and fun, and Willow, most of the laugh's are going to come from watching what our restraint challenged ward's will be doing, so relax and go with the flow." I grinned at her and gave her a wink.

Willow started to say something and then grinned herself. "Yea, you're right. Guess I was getting a bit with the controlling and none of the go with the flow fun, sorry Xander, you too Jesse."

"That's my Will. My best bud that always lets me make a complete fool of myself and always forgives me." Xander had a big dopey smile, one that apparently conveyed something special to Willow because she just smiled sweetly and didn't say another word.

"Can we go watch the chicks already?" Jesse said impatiently. If Jesse had any depth at all, he was doing a great job of hiding it.

About two dozen girls in skimpy outfits were all busy stretching and loosening up around the gym floor as we entered, including Cordelia. She noticed us after coming out of a toe touch and immediately moved as far away as possible. There were a couple dozen students scattered around the bleachers. We passed an incredibly limber girl doing a split above the floor, balanced between two chairs.

Xander and Jesse had stopped dead in their tracks, eyes locked on the girl's dexterous exhibition. Willow and I just looked at each other.

"Let's just give them some room. Just be prepared in case they do something really extreme." Willow said with resignation to the boys' inevitable antics.

"Agreed." I chuckled as we moved over by a group of girls gathering for the tryouts.

Joy, the squad leader, stepped up with her clipboard. "Okay, listen up! Let's begin with Amber Grove. If you're not auditioning, move off the floor."

Willow then asked, "I didn't know you wanted to be a cheerleader! You lost a lot of weight."

We all then turned to watch Amber begin her routine. It's very athletic. She starts off with a needle-split lift followed by a double spin and a jumping double spin. After landing, Amber launches herself into an aerial and a cartwheel. Jazz slides are then followed by a single spin. Everyone in the gym is intent on watching her.

Amy says to me from just over my shoulder. "She trained with Benson. He's one of the best coaches money can buy."

Amy replies. "Oh, yeah! I train with my mom, three hours in the morning, three at night. Oh, I know it's hokey. But she's really great."

Jesse and Xander are watching Amber in amazement. I was pretty impressed myself. I glanced at Willow and caught her eye.

[I'd be really impressed if I hadn't seen you in action. After watching you move, nothing else comes even close.] Willow added a look that caused me to blush in embarrassment. Not knowing how to respond to Willow's praise in comparison to a truly phenomenal performance, I just looked back at Amber with an appreciative smile on my face.

Then the strangest thing happened. Here it is, we're in the school gym in the middle of the afternoon. Sunlight streaming in the high windows and this demon thing pops up on the demon scape, right next to us! [What the hell.] I ask looking over at Willow.

I jumped up onto the stands and pull down a banner. Then I dashed over to Amber, knock her down and snuff out the flames with the banner. Everyone else except Willow is just staring in shock.

I just kept saying over and over to her as I held her tight. "It's okay, it's okay, you're gonna be... Okay."

[Will, I got kinda distracted. Were you able to figure out that demon thing that showed up right before her hands caught on fire?] I looked over at her and saw her standing stiff as a board, staring at me big eyed.

[Buffy, it was like a black and reddish snake, but real thin like a string. But it was almost alive. It went from amber back to Amy. And there's this demon essence coming off of Amy.] She was starting to relax her face and posture but didn't dare look at Amy.

The gym teacher had come over along with another teacher and took Amber off my hands. I was then able to focus on what Willow had been describing. There in the demon scape was the black and red smoky presence but it was starting to fade away, like smoke dissipating in the wind. And right there in the middle of it was Amy. Amy was standing right behind Willow and I casually looked around but stopped just momentarily on Amy's face and saw her expression. She was watching Amber intently as she was being led out of the gym on her way to the emergency room. Amy's face was a study in conflict. One moment it was cold and emotionless and the next it reflected the same stunned amazement everyone else had. I sent Willow a vision of Amy's face.

[Buffy, I think she's acting surprised. I think Amy caused this, but I don't know how. I've know Amy for years. I know she's not a demon. ] Willow's thoughts were confused and hurt.

[Willow, I think you're right. But I also think I know just who can help us figure this out.] I told her conveying assurance and confidence.

[Giles?] She had walked over to me and gave me a hug as she made this final query.

We were to meet Giles at eight for patrolling, so we decided to wait 'till then to discuss this with him. In the meantime, we decided to keep a metaphysical eye on Amy. Amy had gone home right after the events at the gym and when she entered her house, we could tell she was calling to someone. [I hate this willow, why can't we hear?] I asked the brainy one in exasperation.

[Sound waves, we have to figure out a way to tune into sound waves so that they travel to our minds just like what we see does. Remember, we aren't really seeing with our eyes. Just need to figure out how to hear without our ears.] Willow's thoughts carried some of the same frustration that I felt, but also determination that we would figure it out.

As we watched an older woman with dark brown hair approach Amy with what can only be described as a fearful posture, Willow had given me an inspiration. I worked some energy just like our magical fingers, but this time I imagined it as an extension to my ear. I extended it into the scope of our shared vision of Amy's house and all of a sudden...

"...upstairs. Have dinner ready in an hour. I should be finished by then, if not, keep it warm." We both heard, sort of. They were just words without emotion. They completely lacked any tonal quality.

[Buffy, that's great! You're a genius. ] Willow's pride in my little accomplishment made me blush.

[Actually, it was your idea. I just sent out an ear extension. It works, just not very well.] I finished letting her feel the disappointment that the sound was so poor.

[Hey, none of that, I'm the pondering thinking type, you're the take the idea and make it work, just another reason why we are such a great team.] Willow's words reminded me that we are a partnership and how our differences made us more of a whole.

[Love you willow. You always know just what to say to keep me from being a poop.] I conveyed with affection.

[Love you too, Buffy.] She replied as we watched Amy go upstairs and enter the attic, which turned out to be a good sized room with little Barbie dolls hanging from wires and a cauldron with something green and bubbly in it.

[Boy, looks like a scene from Macbeth.] Willow's thoughts were filled with awe. It was very apparent that Amy was a witch.

[Nope, never even knew they existed except for what Merrik told me. Buffy the vampire slayer, remember? Witches aren't exactly in my job description.] I offered lamely.

We continued to watch Amy as she went to a large chest against the wall and took a very Gile's looking book from it. She read for a while, occasionally making notes on a pad of paper. It looked like a shopping list for Halloween. She eventually closed it up and left the room, joining her mother for dinner.

We had to get ready for Giles and patrol, so we decided to just check in on her now and then the rest of the evening.

We met up with Giles at eight and after taking caring of three early diners, went over for coffee and to discuss Amy.

"It was disgusting Giles, this black and reddish shroud enveloping Amy. I had reached out to touch it with my mind, but when I got close, I nearly became physically sick. I had to pull back right away or lose my lunch!" I felt Willow's memory of the incident as she recalled it in vivid detail. I felt myself grow queasy just from her memory.

"This is fascinating." Giles started out. "Whatever power the two of you are drawing upon, it's not traditional magic. From what you have described to me, Amy is most certainly delving into the darker powers. The book you described her referencing has all the traits of a dark tome. You have just answered my question earlier today about whether or not you are a witch. If you are, you're not any kind of witch I have ever heard described. See, witch's use spells and other aids to create their magic. You and Buffy have tapped into something pure and already ordered. It doesn't require spell casting to be controlled. Traditional magic taps into the elemental forces of the universe, the one's that are akin to chaos and require energy and manipulation to form into anything coherent. I suspect that whatever mystical union you have formed between the two of you is completely tuned to the powers of light and order. Can you describe a bit more what you are able to do with this power and anything you have perceived regarding its source or appearance? It may help me formulate a suggestion on how to deal with the traditional magic's that apparently cause you such physical distress."

Willow and I looked at each other. [I'll go first, and you jump in where you think I miss something.] I stated as much as asked.

She smiled beatifically. I never new what beatific was before, but knew her warm compassionate smile had to be it. [No problem Buffy.]

"The power we draw upon is like a fountain of sky blue and gold in the midst of darkness. The closer you get to the fountain the brighter it becomes, the illumination coming from the fountain and all these little lights swirling around. The fountain is like warm, soft water that tingles. We are able to drink from it, but also able to channel it, like acting like a hose with a controlling spout on the end. We think of how we want it to come out and it does just like we think." I summarized several hours of perceptions and discussions between Willow and myself.

Willow then added, "I think the channeling part is what caused Buffy to pass out the other night. In our desperation to stop the vampires, we channeled more energy than we were ready to handle and we kinda overloaded a bit."

"Also," I continued, "when we use the energy, it's kinda like an extension of ourselves. Kinda like an extra hand." When I said this, Giles eyes lit up.

"Eureka! That's it. That's why Willow got ill from touching the magic around Amy. Your power is the opposite of the energy that Amy is drawing upon. They don't coexist well together. They try and destroy each other. While Amy's power is chaos in nature, its natural state is to dissipate. When you came close to it, you just hastened its dissolution." He was truly excited now, and I glanced around to make certain that we were somewhat alone. The closest people to us were a couple of tables over and were engrossed in their own conversation.

"But you power is ordered, its natural state is to be ordered. And using it as an extension to yourself, you felt personally the push towards disorder. You need to distance yourself, like make the energy into a tool that you can manipulate but is not connected to you. The same way you would use a hammer." He was quite pleased with his explanation until he noticed the looks of disbelief on both our faces.

"But Giles that would violate the second law of thermodynamics." Willow exclaimed as I nodded my head in agreement.

"Huh, oh yes. I can see where you would draw that conclusion. And I'm sure your science teacher would agree, but while the power behind traditional magic might obey the laws of entropy, the power you are tapped into I suspect transcends the laws of physics as we currently understand them. Now I have no proof for this hypothesis, but that's why it's merely a hypothesis." He smiled just like a little boy who had just handed his teacher an apple, hoping for a kind word in return.

[It makes sense Buffy.] Willow's thought's also conveyed the shock over realizing that what we had been tapping into was something entirely unheard of in the realms of science.

[Willow, you took to it like a duck to water. That's why I never questioned the source. It just felt so naturally good, no bad. You know what I mean.] I brought my face to within a centimeter of hers, our noses nearly touching.

She brought her forehead gently against mine and sighed. [That's what I did also. I just can't believe that I didn't even think about the magnitude before this. I think I was just on the euphoric high of being in love with you that anything, no matter how incredible was possible.] I saw emerald glints as her eyes opened and I felt her smile ruefully.

[I know what you mean. Loving you has made everything seem possible. After all, if an angel can come to earth and love me, what's a little violation of the laws of nature?] I saw her rueful expression and raised her a big happy.

"We were just discussing how easily we accepted what's happened this past week." I explained to him.

"Yes, but it's actually quite normal when confronted with many new things at once to just accept them for the time being until you are at a time and place to better deal with the matter." Giles actually made sense.

"Glad to see you didn't waste getting old Giles." I grinned at him and Willow giggled next to me.

"Oh, but Giles, you were saying something about using our energy like a tool." Willow's thoughts were catching up more quickly than mine, bless her and before Giles could respond to the left handed compliment.

"Thank you for listening Willow, at least one of you doesn't spend all their time thinking up sarcastic witticisms. Obviously not quick enough.

"But Giles, they don't take anytime at all. They just pop out naturally." I smiled sweetly.

"I'm quite sure. As for my recommendation, the two of you should see if you can form the energy you are working with into something outside of yourself that you manipulate separately. Like your hand would use a hammer to drive in a nail, rather than using your hand to do so." He completed his explanation.

"Yes, I can cast a small spell to levitate an object tomorrow before school and you can try and disrupt the spell with the implement you create. Seven all right with you ladies." He asked.

"Ugh, then we better get home and to bed if we have to be up before the crack of dawn." I moaned.

Halfway home, a demon showed up in one of the cemeteries. Fortunately, this one was close. We got a visual on it and noticed it was bluish green with a fish like fin on its back and really big claws. We described it to Giles as we approached the cemetery.

"Probably best to use the longer double edged sword for this one Buffy." Giles offered.

I was about to agree with him when Willow interrupted. "Oh, yea, take the big sword. But I want to try something else first."

Willow then shared with me her idea to create an energy sword that we could wield from a safer distance.

Giles stopped on the access road about thirty yards from where the demon was prowling around some graves. We all got out. I had the broad sword in my right hand and took Willows in my left. I let Willow lead. I saw her take the energy, molding it into a long sword much like the one I was holding. I then concentrated on making the edges sharp and the blade strong and rigid. The next thing to do was separate it from Willow. I reached out with a pseudo limb and grasped the pommel. Willow then focused on disconnecting herself from the sword and sealing the connection as she did so. During the minute or so this took, the demon had noticed our presence and began approaching us. When he was about 10 yard away, I thrust the sword at his chest. At the last moment, he seemed to see it approaching and leaped to the side. He turned to watch it pass him and I quickly halted it and swung the blade at his neck which he ducked. I was a bit slow and awkward with this form of fighting. But I halted the blade more quickly this time and brought it back quick enough to slice through his upraised arm just above the elbow. He screamed in agony and orange blood spurted from the stump. The other problem was that the sword disintegrated with a flash.

"Oh well, back to basics." I said launching myself at the injured demon making quick work of him with my traditional blade of tempered steel.

The demon melted into a puddle of orange and green goop as I walked back to where Willow and Giles stood. Willow's eyes were carefully examining me to make sure I was unharmed and Giles stood there with a speculative look on his face.

"That was most enlightening. I could actually see the mystical energy sword as a translucent blue and gold. Apparently the demon could also. And it appeared to disintegrate upon cutting the demons arm. I have a lot of research to do." His anticipation of this bordered on the look of a chocoholic in a Godiva shop.

"Well glad you enjoyed it, but swords that go poof are of not the fun." Willow sad sadly. "Buffy needs weapons that hang around 'till all the bad is gone. I was thinking we could make you some armor with this, but not if it goes poof at first contact."

"Hey, didn't Thomas Edison make a gazillion light bulbs before he got one to work?" I asked her reassuringly.

"Willow, I am so ahead of the game now. We just made this great leap in the last week, acquiring a power that will probably take the rest of our lives to fully understand, if even then." I said while drawing her into my arms. "I had no idea you were so impatient."

"Only when it comes to your safety." She said softly. [And making love of course.]

"And I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate that, but this is just another reminder to proceed with caution," I gently reaffirmed, [except for the making love part.]

We both immediately started laughing so hard, we fell on the ground. Giles just looked at us like we were two crazy loons.

We made it back to our feet wiping tears from our eyes, "yea, Giles concurs so let's get to it." I giggled softly so Giles wouldn't hear.

"Yea and we got a witch to check in on." Willow remembered as we walked back toward the car.

My left eye opened and my right tried to follow suit but it was deliciously buried in the soft warm flesh of Willow's breast. While it was quite content right where it was, I was sort of wondering why I was trying to write bad poetry in my sleep. My slightly opened eye, the one not enjoying blissful contentment, registered a very slight graying to the night. From numerous occasions of being up all night, I knew there was a good hour before I needed to wake up even with our early appointment with Giles, so why was I awake. My head gently rode the rhythmic rise and fall of Willow's breast, a motion that should lull the most indefatigable insomniac to sleep, but not me for some reason. I slowly expanded my awareness to the rest of my body. I noticed that my own breathing was a bit faster than Willow's. I then noticed a warm tingly feeling all over my body, building around a dampening between my thighs. Oh dear, I've woken up horny!

My one open eye was now focused in the dim light on the slightly raised peak just inches away from my wanton gaze. As I continued to focus in on this immediate object of desire, I slowly extended my tongue from between my lips until the moist tip touched the soft slightly puckered nipple. As I very slowly and gently began to stroke and caress the exquisite flesh, it began to distend itself as if to expose more of its quickly heating member to the tantalizing ministrations I was lavishing on it. I raised my cheek slightly as Willow's breathing began to accelerate. As I continued to tease her now fully extended nipple with flicks and sweeps of my tongue, I heard a soft moan from my lover as her hand slowly caressed the back of my neck. At this juncture, I raised my head sufficiently to suck the now very eager nipple into my mouth. I sucked, nibbled and stroked slowly and deliberately, creating a sensory treat for my love.

I allowed myself a self congratulatory smile as I leaned up and slid my tongue across her cleavage before lavishing my attention on her other delicious morsel. I felt the waves of passion I had so quickly aroused within Willow come cascading through my own passion as she opened herself fully to me. Her hands were stroking my back in passionate urging as I brought her right nipple to the same level of ecstasy as her left. Her moans and ragged breathing drove my hungry mouth down across her smooth tight stomach, trailing kisses and loving nips as I traveled towards the juncture of her thighs. The scent of her arousal drove my passion higher as my lips passed across her soft auburn curls. As I firmly placed my lips over her nether lips and parted them with my tongue, "Oh Goddess Buffy!" Willow called out as she in a surprisingly strong move rolled both of us on our sides, raising her right leg up to allow me unobstructed access and simultaneously forcing mine up as she planted her eager mouth firmly on my own very moist center. In matching positions and desire we began to lavish each other with our eager tongues. On cue, we sucked each others clits between our lips and began stroking each other in unison. We then each inserted one and then two fingers between our wet silky lips, matching each other stroke for stroke, lick for lick in total synchronicity. Our heated breathing through our flaring nostrils also fell into rhythm and then the beat of our hearts. Two completely in tune waves, building together, adding together up and up, higher and higher, rainbow flashes of light strobing across our vision as our perfectly sequenced ministrations created a tsunami of monumental proportions to finally crest and crest some more to a climax that seemed to have no end, time no longer existed. The mutual screams starting deep within our throats were frozen in a blinding flash of brilliant light and out of this light a figure slowly appeared, a woman of indescribable beauty, beauty that could only be comprehended while in the throws of ultimate ecstasy. The lady approached us with a look of complete love as her raised arms reached towards us to place a warm soft hand on each of our foreheads and all conscience to evaporate in a blinding flash.

"Huh." I mumbled, my face still buried in Willows sweet, moist center. I could feel Willow duplicating my incoherent action causing a delicious tingle to the incredible afterglow that suffused my still heated flesh. We reluctantly pulled away from each other as mom followed up.

I rolled back and with great effort raised myself up to look at Willow. Willow had left her head resting on my naked pelvis, half open eyes glinting with an incredible rich green, her whole mouth glistening with moisture and slightly turned in a very satisfied grin.

I leaned over and kissed her thigh gently. [Let's get some strength.] I then joined with her mind, gently urging her to travel with me to the fountain. She joined my thought and we were floating above the beautiful flow of blue and gold. We slowly dipped our essences into the energy flow and let it fill us, our mental acuity and vitality quickly returned to normal. Upon returning to our bodies, we felt the extreme lethargy had left us to be replaced with the most incredible feeling of relaxation. We now had the strength to slowly raise ourselves up, and the look on Willow's face was absolutely the most precious. The look of love she had completely melted my insides. I was helpless as she brought her lips to mine and gave me the most lovingly gentle kiss I could ever imagine.

"No, thank you for the reality altering experience and I think we saw the Goddess." She said while softly stroking my cheek with hers.

"Oh, is that who that was. Knew it had to be someone important. Maybe we can visit longer next time." I said semi seriously.

"Buffy, any more and I don't think we could come back." Willow spoke completely seriously.

"And spending the rest of eternity in orgasm heaven would be bad?" I asked arching my eyebrows as I maintained full eye contact with her.

"Well maybe not bad, but we wouldn't be able to accomplish anything else." She said only somewhat convinced herself as both of us were still savoring the incredible physical and mental experience.

"Gotcha, getting ready for school before mom comes back and drags us out of bed I think will be the big accomplishment of the day." I gently pushed her back with a passionate kiss then when I felt her losing herself to my lips; I leaped up, grabbed my robe and for the first time ever beat her to the bathroom.

As we walked into the main hall at school a little before eight, [Buffy, weren't we supposed to meet Giles at seven?] Willow exclaimed in panic.

I reached out my hand and placed it on her shoulder to calm her. [Yes willow, but having a vision of the goddess kinda takes precedence don't you think?]

[Oh yea, its just my natural reaction to adult type authority figures and the fear of disapproval that puts me into panic mode and the whole punishment possibility, like detention which I've never had but the thought of it gives me the wiggins.] Willow babble takes on a whole new perspective when it comes in at the speed of Willow thought.

[Slow down willow, he'll be fine with it. And just imagine how excited he'll be when we tell him about the vision.] I gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

[Ok, but we don't have to tell him what we were doing that put us into the vision state, do we?] Her embarrassment was spreading quickly down her neck just thinking of sharing our mind blowing experience with anyone, let alone Mr. prim and proper Giles made me blush too.

[Nope.] I reassured her. [We'll just tell him that we woke up early to get ready but immediately went into a trance, had the vision and when we came out of it, an hour had passed. That is pretty much what happened, just without all the stuff that would prevent the G rating. That's G for Giles, not General.] I added.

With a snicker from Willow, we entered the Library almost an hour later than we told Giles we would meet him. Giles was behind the counter doing his librarian thing to some books and quickly looked up as we entered.

Sorry Giles, we didn't forget. Something came up that delayed us. I quickly got out before he could launch an attack of his own. His expression quickly turned from one of those stern adult frowns to one of concern.

Nope, more of the life interesting, well actually interesting doesn't come close. Is there a word that sums up mind blowing incredible? Willow jumped in, her excitement brimming over. Giles then got past his rehearsed mindset of lecturing two errant teenagers and began to notice the very happy faces before him.

It appears not, and I believe the only word that might fit your description is not a word at all. But I doubt that would stop you so try supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. He then grinned widely at his little joke.

So, are you Mary Poppins or do you sweep chimneys in you spare time? Hey, I'm up to date on the classics.

What do you think Will, can't you see Giles in drag with an umbrella, walking around like he's got a big stick up his... I was quickly cut off.

That imagery is quite unnecessary, and does nothing to tell me why the two of you are late. Mr. snooty was back, the Mary Poppins thing must have hit close to home. I could hear Willow chuckle as she picked up on my thought.

Ok, well basically, we woke up early enough to meet you here by seven, but as we were waking up, we saw this bright light and went into like a dream. But it was a vision because everything was so clear and sharp. And Willow and I were in this very bright place and the most indescribably beautiful lady appeared and smiled at us. Then she touched our foreheads and there was another bright light. We came out of the vision and it was almost an hour later. Willow thinks it was the Goddess. I was so hoping he wouldn't notice how monstrously edited this story was. I reached out and clutched Willow's hand as I felt her memories of the morning begin to mix with her apprehension of explaining all to Giles. As I held her hand, I poured calming energy into her and quickly noticed her breathing calm and her color return to normal. Unfortunately, it wasn't quick enough for Giles' quick eyes to take notice.

While I am quite astounded at your ability to calm Willow and prevent her from entering one of her rambling diatribes, I'm not oblivious to the evidence that your story is lacking a lot of detail. Would you care to elaborate? He arched his eyebrows and looked quite pleased with himself.

[Can I leave now?] Willow's thoughts were ready to reenter the panic zone again.

Giles, are you truly interested in the uh let's say intimate details that preceded our entering the vision? I raised my eyebrows putting my face into what I hoped was a big question mark of 'you don't want to go there'.

Oh, well I suppose those details are not really relevant to the matter of the vision. He was wiping his glasses and looking as embarrassed as Willow.

Willow got her voice back and proceeded to share her thoughts. The curious thing is that the time lapse of the vision doesn't match our memory. The vision seemed to last only a couple of minutes, but nearly an hour went by.

Well, if your minds truly traveled to a realm where you meet a heavenly personage, time does not exist at the same speed. The other possibility is that you don't remember everything that occurred. Of the two explanations Giles had just offered, I was so hoping for the first. Unfortunately, I was pretty certain that he had hit the nail on the head with the second.

Buried memories? Willow was thinking the same thing I was. Could they be like post hypnotic instructions? Like anytime somebody says chicken, we start flapping our arms and cluck? Or maybe... Giles quickly interrupted her.

I think it's more likely information that will be revealed to you at a later time when you need it. That is usually the case with situations like this, or so the two other cases of this that I am aware of have revealed. His words calmed Willow a little; at least she was no longer afraid of turning into a chicken.

It's ok Willow. Remember who we saw, you have to believe that She would not have done anything bad or evil to us, right? I reached up and put my fingers under her chin and turned her head to look at me. I smiled reassuringly at her and recalled the memory of the vision and shared it with her to strengthen my point.

She smiled back at me as she shared the memory. You're absolutely right. And if we're not supposed to know now, it's probably because we might misuse or not understand the information until we have learned something important. My Willow's confidence was back. I just love that look on her face when she says something with that calm serenity she uses when she knows something is true. Willow has a built in truth meter. That doesn't mean she always know when something is true or false, her meter just lets her know sometimes when something is absolutely, completely and irrevocably true. Her meter was telling her that now. Her calm assuredness washed over me and I was totally satisfied. The discussion was over and Giles must have correctly interpreted the expressions on our faces because the next words out of his mouth were.

I wasn't aware that Willow was an Oracle. He offered not in sarcasm but in concession.

I groaned out loud but my own internal nerd that had developed as a consequence of my three years of isolation in junior high actually smiled. I especially loved the complete look of incomprehension on Giles' face.

[I won't admit this publicly, but that was great just for the look on his face.] I silently complemented her.

Classes are about to commence. Could we meet here in the library at lunch to research the matter that we were unable to accomplish this morning? Giles asked looking at the clock above the door.

I looked at Willow, basically letting her know it was up to her. She nodded and I responded.

Lunch it is, but we expect turkey and Swiss on rye, mustard, and no mayo. And don't forget the Pepsi's. I grinned innocently and pulled Willow out the door with me before he could respond.

[And you tell me I have to use my powers for good. What about you? ] she asked me in a mockingly serious tone.

[But its good to exert power over those who think they have power over you.] I replied seriously.

During all this fun and frivolity, we had been keeping an eye on Amy. This is why we both stopped as we sensed her coming up the hall. She had the same History class as we did. Willow smiled brightly at Amy as she caught her eye.

Hey Amy, did you happen to hear how Amber is? Like is she going to be OK? Willow asked her old friend.

Yea, she's going to be OK, but they say her hands will be bandaged for a month at least. Amy's face showed concern, but our alternate vision revealed a darkness floating around her with these tiny red and black threads going off in different directions.

Well, if you want to do a brownie fest, just let me know. I'm sure Buffy wouldn't mind joining in, Willow offered in friendly support.

Brownie's, I never eat brownies, I have to keep my weight down. She looked incredulously at Willow.

I looked over at Willow carefully, feeling her confusion immediately. Class is starting, we better go in. I quickly said to divert attention away from Willow's confusion.

As we entered the class and took our seats, a couple rows over and in front of Amy, I asked Willow. [What was that all about? ]

[Buffy, that's not Amy.] Willow thoughts were streaking around like crazy but this time I just let her go, knowing that when she figured it out, her thoughts would all just lay out.

[I've never met her before, so I'm going to go out on a limb and say she at least looks like the Amy you know.] I replied as we both looked towards the front of the class with properly attentive looks on our faces.

[Yea, it looks like Amy but Amy loves brownies. Her mother is a real fanatic about weight. If she gained a pound, she'd pad lock the refrigerator. Amy would come over and we would pig out on brownies.] Willow was still juggling conflicting thoughts.

[Well, her mother sounds like a real Nazi. But just yesterday she was saying how great her mother was.] I offered up this new information.

[That's not right, Amy was afraid of her mother, hated her for driving her father away.] Willow was processing this new information.

[Well why would she think it's so great that her mother is working with her on the cheerleading? And when we looked in on them last night, she bossed her mother around. Could she have gone crazy with power?] I was playing devil's advocate.

[That could be possible but wouldn't explain the lack of knowledge about the brownies. It's more like Amy is her mother and her mother is Amy.] I heard an audible sigh come from Willow as she processed this thought. We both knew Willow had hit on something and it took all our will power not to look at each other in amazement.

Maintaining a modicum of attention in the class room, we mentally traveled to Amy's house and there we observed Amy's mother. She was sitting on the couch, watching TV with a plate of brownies sitting next to her. While we did not observe any darkness shrouding her, there was a faint glow of green and red to her and one of those threads.

We followed the thread all the way back to the very classroom we were in to where it terminated into Amy.

[Ok Willow, this doesn't look like something that Amy would do to herself, becoming a thirty-five year old couch potato, but why would Amy's mom do it?] I asked, and in the back of my mind I was wondering if my mom would want to switch with me.

[I think you're right Buffy, and I just remembered that Amy's mom was this big cheer leader during high school. She won some kind of trophy. The trophy is in the display cabinet in the main hall. Reliving her youth vicariously through Amy isn't enough for her.] Willow's thought had completely stopped. I could feel that she was completely focused on one concept. Amy's mom had switched bodies with her childhood friend.

[We have to help her Buffy.] The hurt for her friend was very evident in Willow's thoughts and our connection enabled me to feel that pain.

[We will, love. Maybe Giles can take us over during lunch to talk to Amy and find out what is going on and see what we can do to help.] I calmed her down and then added, [and you need to not give anything away. There's no telling what she may do if she catches on that we know.]

[ yea, I'm just glad she's not your mom 'cause then I would completely blow it but she's really Amy's mom then again, I never liked Amy's mom so I'm not likely to feel compelled to spill the beans to that old goose stepping bag. I just need to avoid her completely.] I had started to get worried with Willows' latest babble but she finished up great. I placed a gentle energy kiss on her cheek and caught her blushing out of the corner of my eye.

The rest of the morning was impatience hell waiting for lunch to roll around. And when we got to the library, Giles wasn't around. There was a note on the white board behind the counter.

What are we going to do now? The whimper in her voice broke my heart and I immediately gathered her into a comforting hug.

It will be ok Willow. We've been keeping watch on her all morning. She hasn't done anything else. I put my arms around her. I could feel her body shiver as if she was freezing. I very gently opened my mind to her, inviting her to open hers in return. I could feel her fear, not of me but of letting me see something that she wasn't proud of, the fear that comes from losing control.

I love you Willow. The time will come when I will need you to help me when I'm afraid. And I'll know I can let you in because you love me and I trust you. My voice was soft and as soothing as I could make it. I gently stroked her hair as I spoke. Then I felt her open to me, like a morning glory opening to the sun. I didn't push; I merely presented to her my unconditional love. Just because we don't have an answer now, doesn't mean we won't figure this out. So Giles isn't here, let's put our heads together and see what we can figure out on our own just like we've done with the vamps. OK Willow? I then gently kissed her.

Her shivers had ceased and her arms were now around me holding me tight. You're right Buffy, sorry about the whole losing it bit, this is kinda what I was like before you knew me. I was hoping that I had left fall apart Willow when things get out of control behind. She whispered into my shoulder.

Oh Willow, don't feel bad. I spoke softly with her ear so close to my lips. It's just that your desire to help your friends or just make things better in general is so strong that when things don't go right, your frustration just gets out of control and triggers the little fear demons. But from here on out you are going to see that you can find a solution to any problem. And once you get used to doing that, the way you handle frustration will become more positive. All you need is some experience with things going right for awhile even when obstacles get thrown in the way. I felt her sigh as my words penetrated through years of feeling that other people and circumstances always had control and power over her. Words that helped her see that she didn't have to give up anymore just because something went wrong. We had so many successes the past week and a half that Willow hadn't relearned how to handle those times when Murphy's Law makes an appearance.

I guided Willow over to the conference table and sat her down. I took the seat next to her and grabbed her book bag. I pulled out her notebook and as I opened it to a fresh page, I gave her a reassuring smile. I then took her favorite purple pen and placed it on the pad.

OK now. How about we start with what we know. I placed my hand on her back and rubbed it encouragingly.

Yea, she said, picking up the pen, what we know. Writing as she spoke on the top of the page.

Number three; Amy's mom in Amy's body is doing dark mojo to get on the cheer leading squad.

Number four; the dark mojo or chaotic energy shows up as black and reddish threads and smoky vapor.

Number five; when we touch the dark with our energy, it feels awful and destroys the dark mojo and our energy.

Number seven; we can form tools with our energy so we can touch the chaotic energy without getting sick but it's like a one time only thing because it destroys the tool.

Not off the top of my head, but let's start on our questions and then see if we can come up with some answers. I smiled and gently stroked her cheek with the back of my fingers.

Willow sighed and then turned back to the paper. Alright, question one; how do we stop Amy's mom?

That's the big question Willow. I think we need to break it down a bit. I wasn't anymore sure of where this was going than Willow was, but I figured that if I kept asking enough questions; my answer girl would eventually come up with something.

Oh yea, good idea, break the problem into its smallest parts and work on them individually. So question one should be more like how do we stop the magic, or can we block it somehow and can these strings be cut but what would happen if we cut like the string between Amy and her mom. Would they go back to their own bodies or would they stay in each others permanently? Willow voice was getting stronger and more confident. She had a problem that was becoming more clearly defined and I knew she wouldn't quit until she solved it.

That sounds more like, oh let me see, four or five questions. And I would like to throw one more in. Can we experiment on breaking the dark energy without tipping off Amy's mom? Willow's questions were begging for answers that required experimenting.

Ah, so question one is how do we experiment and the answer is Giles setting up dark mojo tests for us. She exclaimed brightly.

Experiment one; something linking the user to an object that creates one of those strings. We create energy scissors or knife and cut it to see what happens.

Experiment three; create a reflector, bounce it back at the person doing the magic.

Good one Will. I can't wait to see what that would do to Giles but we'll have to make sure it's something small and harmless so he doesn't get hurt too badly. I was feeling better with our accomplishments but realized that we needed answers and couldn't get them without either alerting Amy's mom that someone was on to her or waiting for Giles.

Hey, it's just until after school and we can keep an eye on Amy. I said while gently rubbing her shoulder.

What if she tries some more of that black magic on someone? Willow's concern wouldn't let up, as it shouldn't. She is the most caring person I have ever met and just one of the many reason's I love her so much.

We've got a little lunch time left, lets experiment with that reflector idea of yours so at least we have something in case of an emergency. My idea was to just give her something to do to occupy her time and her mind but as always her active mind jumped on it.

Yea and we are on a hell mouth, there has to be other dark mojo out there besides Amy's. She grabbed my leg just above the knee and squeezed in her excitement. There were other ways to occupy our time I remembered as warmth spread up my leg from her touch.

Buffy, keep your mind on the problem at hand. Willow chided me as she noticed the flush spread across my face from her touch as she quickly removed her hand.

I'd rather focus on the problem your hand just caused, but for you no sacrifice is too great. I then smiled sweetly.

Willow laughed and rewarded me with a great big smile. I think we should move this to someplace where we won't be disturbed. We grabbed our things and I followed her up the stairs into the dark recesses of the book stacks. Willow led me to a dark corner behind the last book case where there was enough room for us both of us to sit on the floor. I got an idea and sat down with my back against the wall and spread my legs, making room for Willow. She sat down between legs and snuggled up against my body as I pulled her tight.

Mmmmm, very comfy. But no getting me distracted. As much as I like your distractions, this is really important. She had placed her hands over mine that were folded across her firm flat tummy.

I know baby, it's important to me also. So let's get started. I whispered in her ear.

We closed our eyes and opened ourselves completely to each other. It was easier this way; we knew what each other was thinking as we thought. It prevented miscues and misunderstandings. All it required was complete and total trust in each other.

We agreed that we should try and find something to experiment on that wasn't connected to Amy first. With our new knowledge of this dark energy and how it could manifest itself on the demon scape we began to adjust our perception. After several minutes, we began to see dark pulsations spreading out all around us. It was almost too much to handle, seeing how it spread over everything. We then looked to see if it was touching us. What we saw drew a dual gasp from us both. The dark pulsing stopped about six inches from our bodies, flowing around us like water around a rock in a stream but appeared to penetrate everything else, walls included. It appeared that we had a natural shield to it. But what was it? We determined after some exploration that the pulsations were emanating from below us and traveling out over all of Sunnydale. Taking a birds eye view of the city, the mystical darkness pulsed like some dark light with the darkest concentration centered under the library, right beneath our previous position at the conference table. Our melded minds reached the same conclusion. Hell mouth. They built the high school right on top of the hell mouth. This was a perfect trial for our experiment. We reached into the well of coherent energy and began to create a shield which we placed on the floor. The shield did not destruct and the dark energy seemed to flow around it. As we expanded the size of the shield, it began to float above the floor. We came to the conclusion that to really shield the library, we needed to somehow merge the shield with the structure of the floors and walls and create an all encompassing box that would block that energy, but nothing else. This was going to take more time and effort than we had right now, but it provided more things that we know and a lot more questions.

Returning to ourselves, I hugged Willow a little more tightly as I felt our minds part. [Would making love while we're like that be considered masturbation?]

Buffy! Willow squeaked at the thought, then [you are so bad. But it is an intriguing question. Maybe we should experiment.] She turned her head and body enough to kiss my nose and then pushed herself up.

You have a promising future in R&D Willow. I said seriously with a smile as I also stood up.

Yep, just call me research gal. She responded with a delightful glint to her eyes.

As the last class of the day ended, we checked the library right after checking on Amy. Giles was definitely in the library so we headed there at a brisk walk.

Hey Giles, missed you at lunch. I said as we approached him standing behind the counter.

It's that idiot Flutie. He had some feel idiot psychologist in to tell us how to feel good about ourselves and the work we do. He wanted everybody in the staff to hug each other. It was quite unpleasant. He huffed then got a little smile and said quietly. Well mostly.

I looked at Willow. Willow looked at me. [Bet it was Miss Calendar.] Willow smirked knowingly as she said it.

[Ah, they are about the same age, aren't they and too old for that kind of stuff anyway don't you think.] I just couldn't wrap my mind around Giles getting intimate with the computer science teacher.

If you two are quite finished discussing whatever you don't want me to hear we could get on with business at hand. We both looked at him to see an impatient glare.

Sure Giles, we even outlined some of the experiments we want to try out. It's going to be up to you how to set up the mojo part though. I said quickly, refocusing every ones attention.

Well, the levitation spell should work for the first experiment. Let's start with that since I have everything all prepared. As he talked, he motioned us both back into his office where he had a table set up.

OK, let me know when you're ready and I will commence the levitation spell. He said as we sat down in two of the chairs and clasped hands.

As Giles sprinkled something over some coals in the small ceramic dish on the table and began speaking some words in a foreign language, Willow and I put all or focus into the demon scape. As he chanted, we saw tendrils from the dark pulsating energy around us began to separate and attach themselves to Giles forming a thread that wrapped around him and then attached itself to him centered between his eyes but a little higher. The other end slowly moved out and attached itself to the glass paper weight on the table. Then very slowly, the paper weight began to rise.

[Show time.] Willow said and we worked together to form a pair of scissors, separated them and each grasped a handle with a pseudo hand. We moved the scissors over the string and together close the blades over the black thread. The ball began to fall then stopped as the string reattached itself after the quick dissipation of our scissors.

[That didn't work.] I stated the obvious. [Let's try wrapping it in energy.] I stated in sudden inspiration.

[Ok, I'm willing to try just about anything.] Willow then concentrated with me on bringing forth a blanket of energy that we draped over the thread, wrapping it up like a hot dog in a bun. The paper weight fell with a thud and so did Giles.

Giles! Willow and I both shrieked and dashed over to his crumpled body. I picked him up and sat him in his chair. I gently patted his cheek hoping to rouse him.

His eyes opened up. Oh my, that was a most decidedly painful experience. He then reached up and was rubbing the area where the thread had been.

It turned out that Giles was OK and rather than bore you with two hours of experimenting, I'll just sum up what we found out. We finally figured out through trial and error that spells took the dark chaotic energy and focused it for whatever the spell caster intended. Prior to being formed by a spell, we could use our shields to block the dark energy without any destruction to the shield. This is interesting because we discovered we could create an area where no dark energy could get into, and no magic could be performed. Once the energy was focused by a spell however, using our energy on it cancelled out both and if done abruptly, left the spell caster with some kind of mystical opening that was painful as it closed down quickly in the absence of the thread. Then we discovered that we could replace the dark thread with one of our own and then we had complete control over the magic. We were even able to levitate Giles. That was most amusing, especially to his frantic cries of 'let me down now'. Willow's reflector idea also worked great. Giles had cast a spell that would cause a wart to appear on the castee. Giles now has a nice wart on his chin that he claims will disappear by morning. If its still there tomorrow, I'm afraid Willow and I will be laughing to hard to make first period. So the plan is watch for the next thing that Amy does and to transform it so that she doesn't catch on that someone else is blocking her. We got a hint of something when we checked on Amy in the girls' locker room after cheer leader try outs. Cordelia had come in and threatened Amy and at first Amy looked frightened then after Cordy left, she just looked pissed.

We had homework to do, finals before spring break to study for and a body stealing witch to keep tabs on. Definitely time to get home.

We didn't get home until five thirty and we promised mom we would be available for dinner at six. I put the prepared lasagna in the oven per mom's written instructions and Willow started on the salad. Mom was determined to keep up on everything and the path she was taking was actually pretty successful. We would sit down for dinner and tell her everything going on and she would just listen attentively. She didn't criticize or harangue. The most she did was offer helpful suggestions. After a few days of this, we found ourselves telling her everything without fear. I think that was her plan. I tell you, that woman is truly devious.

After dinner, mom gave Willow a hug and told her everything with Amy would work out just fine. That she was proud that we had taken the time to properly research what to do and had come up with a sound logical strategy for helping her friend. Willow was absolutely glowing after this and was once again my confident, take charge soul mate.

After dinner we dived into homework and studying for finals with just a little focus on what was going on over at Amy's. A little after eight, we saw Amy going up to her attic and stopped our study's to pay more attention.

We watched and listened to what Amy was doing. Amy stirred the pot. "Give me the power. Give me the dark." She goes to grab a doll from her rack. "I call on you, the laughing gods." She yanks one of the dolls off of the rack. "Let your blackness crawl beneath my skin." She wraps a scrunchie around the doll's head. "Accept thy sacrifice... of Cordelia. Feed on her." She drops the doll into the brew.

Calm down, lets follow the thread and see what it does. I said taking her hand into mine.

Yea, follow the thread. She repeated and that's exactly what we did. We followed this black thread from Amy as it traveled quickly to the Bronze where it attached itself to Cordelia as she stood court. We continued to watch for fifteen minutes but nothing appeared to be happening.

Something tells me that whatever is going to happen won't take place until tomorrow at school. Willow slowly said.

Gotta agree with you Will. And since it doesn't look like anything evil is out and about right now, I say dessert time. I leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

Alright, but I want a slayer back ride. Willow jumped on my back before I was even up, wrapping her legs and arms around me tightly and as I stood up, she managed to slide the center of her pelvis against my back bone. The heat she generated doing so nearly made me stumble.

I put my hand under legs to hold her firmly in place and paused. Is that where you want your ice cream? I said with a very throaty voice.

If you're the one eating it then most definitely yes. She whispered into my ear finishing by sucking on my earlobe.

Ok, fill bowls and bring back to room. As my pulse quickened, I took off towards the kitchen with sweet lusty thoughts on my mind and Willow yelling whoopee and giddyup.

Hi girls! Mom greeted us with a very amused smirk on her face as I skidded to a halt.

I'm guessing ice cream. Mom said as I headed for the fridge and Willow was grabbing bowls and spoons, though I didn't think we were planning on using the spoons but don't want eagle eye mom to know what I was thinking.

[No siree, sure don't want mom getting any ideas.] Willow thought back and I realized that we were still linked. I looked at her and shrugged my shoulders as I heard her thoughts that she didn't care and it really didn't bother me and it was convenient as we didn't have to waste time trying to figure out how to say something as we both already knew what the intention was and we're both mind babbling so that might be a good reason to break the connection but for the time being its kinda fun and all this is going on in the background, just like regular thinking. We know who's thought is who's and follow up thoughts were often responses to the others thoughts but now its getting confusing because it's a little difficult to focus on anything else so we are mutually agreeing to break the connection.

Willow and I both started laughing and mom just looked at us as if we were crazy even though she knew we had been having a silent discussion.

Want to let me in on the joke? Mom asked as we tried to stifle our giggles over the joint mind babble we had just shared.

Uh, just a little joint mind babble that got away from us. I explained since Willow was still trying to get herself under control.

Willow and I both stopped abruptly as a major demon presence showed up. Nine vamps in one of the large mausoleums in the largest cemetery that was just six blocks from us.

You call Giles; tell him to meet us at the corner. I'll get the bag and change into better clothes and fill mom in. I spoke out loud so mom would know what was going on and then I dashed up to my room all lusty thoughts gone for the time being.

I changed into some black stretchy workout pants, put on my cross trainers and grabbed Willow's shoes and the equipment bag. I was back downstairs with Willow waiting by the door and mom looking anxious.

They're splitting up into groups. Three groups of two and one of three and heading off in different directions. Willow explained for mom's edification as she grabbed her shoes from me.

And Giles just left his place. Fortunately he doesn't live far because the way he drives it's still going to take him five more minutes. I explained also.

I wish I could go with you. Please be careful. Mom gave us both a hug and we hugged her back then went to meet Giles.

Fortunately the vamps were not moving fast. In fact they looked downright cautious.

[Do they look like they're being cautious?] Willow had noticed the same thing I had.

[Yea, you don't think we had anything to do with that, do you?] I couldn't help but feel somewhat proud and amused at the thought.

[Maybe, but all the more reason not to get all cocky. Not that you're the cocky type because you're a girl and all and not in the least with the cocky thingy, damn it focus.] Willow mentally slapped herself.

[Its ok willow, there's no over confidence going on her. Just start focusing on what order would be best to go after the groups. ]

[Yea, focus on plan of attack.] I could almost hear her brain whirring and then she opened our link and I knew her thought process. I joined in with my logistical take on things and our plan was worked out just as Giles pulled up. We noticed that of the four groups, two of each were actually going in the same direction. It was like they were scouting but the following groups were trying to stay undetected while keeping the lead group visible. We directed Giles to an alley and had him wait about fifty yards from where the lead group was passing by with the engine off and lights out. After they passed by, we all grabbed our weapons and got in position for the three trailing vamps to pass by. As they did, I stomped my foot and they all turned. Giles and I took out two of them with the crossbows and Willow did her stake fling at the third and we were dashing back to the car before the dust had settled.

Giles drove up in front of the other two vamps and I jumped out with my short sword and a stake. The looked startled but saw it was just a tiny little girl and quickly both leaped at me. I also leaped at them and kicked one in the head sending him sprawling and decapitated the other as I went flying by. The one I knocked down was quickly getting up as I landed in front of him. My left hand with the stake flashed out as I ducked under his reaching arms and he was dust as wood connected with undead heart.

I turned to see Willow holding two stakes. Only Willow can look apprehensive and happy at the same time. It's kinda like her eyes do one thing but the rest of her face is doing something else. No one can multitask like my Willow.

That was fun, lets go get some more. I said as I kissed her on the cheek. Giles, who had barely gotten out of the car, quickly got back in and we followed suit. We guided Giles to the other follow group, coming up behind them. They were staying in the shadows of a residential street, following about a block behind the scout group. We had reloaded the crossbows on the way, so as we pulled in front of them as they were walking across someone's lawn. I jumped out with both crossbows and nailed both of them. I leapt back into the car with a cat eating grin on my face and we motored after the final pair. They were staying out in the open; it was pretty obvious now that they were supposed to be bait. They just didn't know that their hook was gone. We pulled in front of them just like we did with the other scouting pair but instead of dusting the one that I had kicked to the ground; I cut off both his arms and grabbed him by the neck. I held him writhing on the ground armless as Giles and Willow came up beside us.

Very good Buffy, I just hope this one can answer our questions. Giles voice had a dangerous edge to it that I had never heard before and even Willow glanced at him quickly.

No, you won't. What you will do is tell me everything I want to know or I start cutting you into little pieces. And if you don't tell me still, I will mail all those pieces all over the place, leaving just your head and torso, so that you stay undead and starving for eternity. I spoke softly so that we would know how serious I was.

I handed the Sword to Giles. Would you please cut off his toes? I asked sweetly.

It's the Master. He sent us out to find out why his children are not coming back from hunting. His voice was breaking up bad. I think he would be crying if he could.

Does the Master have any clues as to what is happening? I asked softly and slowly.

I think so, especially if you're the Slayer. The fear in his eyes was quite evident now.

Your eight buddies are dead. How many more are with the Master. This one was really important, I had to know if he was telling the truth so I kept my eyes locked on his and saw any shred of hope he may have been harboring leave at hearing that he was the last.

He stared at me and could see my determination. He has only two children left, but even though he can't leave he can summon others to come to his aid. The extra information convinced me he was telling the truth.

How would these others arrive and how do they get into town undetected? I grasped his neck more firmly, driving in my control.

By ship and train, when they come by train, they leave the train outside of the city and enter the main sewer and travel underground to the main electrical tunnel. The ones by ship enter the sewer under the dock. He was speaking as if he was in a trance now. He had relinquished all control to me to escape his fear and the knowledge of his ultimate doom.

In an old buried church next to the hell mouth. With this answer I broke eye contact. I had previously linked with Willow and all the questions asked were ours. I now looked at Giles. Anything else?

I'm sure I could think of something given some more time, but I believe that you have covered all the pertinent issues. The dangerous edge was gone from his voice. He was regular Giles now, not the Mr. Jekyll version.

Good. I said and drove the stake through the vamps heart and he turned to dust with just the smallest of sighs.

While this was going on, Willow had very carefully floated a stake up beside the twelve foot high rooftop of the one story building we were next to. With the staking of the vamp, I leapt up to the roof to confront soul boy who was spying on us.

Don't you know it's not polite to eavesdrop? I didn't feel threatened by him, but his activities had passed annoying.

He looked startled but quickly recovered with his patented easy smile. You are good. The Master must be screaming right about now, I can almost hear him. You got all of them again so none could return with the information he wants. No other slayer could have done that. He is probably suspecting that another Master has moved into town. He chuckled as he finished, amused with himself no doubt.

The cryptic stuff was just my having fun and I thought a young thing like you would find the dark and mysterious attractive. He glanced down at Willow below us and continued. But it appears I'm not your type. He shrugged innocently.

He could be cute, but mostly he was annoying and Willow was agreeing with me big time. She did especially not like the being attractive to me line. I know that stake twitched when he said it.

What could possibly make you think a slayer would be attracted to a vampire? I asked with complete wonderment in my voice.

Oh, I thought I had disguised the vampire thing pretty well. But if you know I'm a vampire, why haven't you killed me? He started to move closer when he said this.

Don't move an inch. Willow screamed and her floating stake was suddenly pressed against his chest.

You're not dead yet because you have a soul, that and the fact that you don't feed on people but get your blood from the butcher. This look of utter amazement just spread across his face. Willow and I were enjoying this immensely.

Is there anything about me you don't know? He finally asked as he slowly regained his composure.

Yes, just Angel. I guess he figured if he couldn't attract me, he could irritate me. He might be able to get away with irritating me, but I think Willow had some repressed regression she was dying to let out as the stake nudged him.

Hey, can you lay off the stake? I told you my name already. Now he looked irritated, which made Willow happy. I reached out my hand and the stake floated into it.

I've never heard of a Slayer doing the things you do. He went serious with this question. We decided that it was his turn to be irritated.

You probably never heard of a slayer who could read before either. We're about to enter the twenty-first century, about time the Slayer got updated, don't you think? I spun the stake on the end of my finger while telling him this, or I spun it with the help of Willow that is.

Yea, I guess it is. But I'm wondering why I was sent here now. He was staying with the serious.

You were sent here? Who sent you here and why? I grasped the stake and pointed the blunt end at him.

Supposedly the powers that be, a demon that works for them said you would need my help. But it doesn't look like you do. He was now sounding almost dejected.

We can always use help, but maybe you should talk to this demon to see if it was something specific that you're supposed to help with? I offered encouragingly. The moment he started sound dejected, Willow's big heart opened up and she immediately felt sorry for the creature that she wanted to turn to dust a couple minutes earlier.

I guess that works for now. There was a real note of sadness to his voice. I started wondering if he was just trying to manipulate us with this new attitude. The thought did give Willow pause and slowed down her help the hurting compulsion.

Angel, that's Giles. And this is Willow. I walked up next to Willow and after putting my arm around her waist I kissed her cheek.

After the exchange of pleasantries, Angel said he would get in touch with Whistler, the name of the demon that he had referred to earlier, and see what he could do.

Yes, I can tell you lots. But let me track down Whistler first and then we can meet in a better place. It will take awhile to tell you everything. He responded after a moments thought.

He nodded so I told him to leave a note on his door when he was ready to meet again. We said our good nights and went home.

In exchange for cocoa and marshmallows, Willow and I gave mom the run down on what happened. She was relieved but reminded us before we went up to bed to work on Giles to set up the extra credit project so that she could finally meet with him. With happy thoughts of once again stopping the bad guys before they could hurt anyone and no angst of hiding anything from mom, our thoughts turned towards the prospect of snuggling into bed together albeit sans ice cream. The ice cream wasn't really important right now because remember how Willow explained how slaying makes me feel really good? Well it also makes me excited if you catch my drift and with Willow sharing my thoughts while slaying, well let me just say sleep wasn't going to come very soon.

As consciousness slowly came upon me, I had this wonderful feeling of warmth and comfort. I slowly realized that Willow's warm body was draped over me like a personal comforter. Her silky smooth skin felt exquisite every where we touched. Chest, stomach, pelvis and thighs all were heated by her incredible warmth. I was on my back and my arms were flat on the bed on each side of my head held in place by her hands interlocked with mine. Her warm breath gently flowed in cadence across my neck where her head was nuzzled into. Memory of last night slowly crept upon my foggy wits and I remembered that we finally passed out in mutual exhaustion. Our current position was not too dissimilar to the one we passed out in. The only difference being the placement of our hands. Noticing the time on the nightstand clock, I very gently rolled Willow onto her back and kissed her softly awake.

Willow reached over and gently stroked my nipple and as I gasped at her touch, she covered my lips with hers. In moment I was lost in the feeling and then the next thing I know, I'm left touch less and kiss less as Willow dashes off to the bathroom leaving me with only the sound of her laughter.

At school, we were at our lockers talking with Xander and Jesse. Xander had just told us that Cordelia made the cheer leading squad but Amy wound up as an alternate. Just then I saw Cordelia trying to unlock a locker that I didn't think was hers and then she gave up and walked by without even seeing us.

I looked at Willow and we both immediately focused on the black thread which now had a slightly reddish tint to it. I dashed after Cordelia and got her by the arm just before she left the building.

Yea, you look really pale, maybe you should go to the nurse. Willow said gently taking her other arm.

We guided Cordelia into an empty room and sat her down. We know what's wrong Cordy, please trust us for just a minute. I put all the concern I could into my words to keep he calm.

OK, I feel a little better just with both of you here. She spoke still somewhat in a daze.

Willow and I had already started pulling on the energy needed to cancel the thread. We wrapped it all the way back to Amy and replaced it as we did with Giles. As we did so, the cloudiness in Cordelia's eyes disappeared. When it was totally gone, we slowly shrunk our thread allowing the connections to close normally.

I feel fine. What the hell happened? What did you guys do? The normal Cordelia was returning quickly.

Willow couldn't restrain herself. Well Cordelia, you pissed off a powerful witch who cast a curse on you and we just broke the curse. Don't bother thanking us or anything. Did I mention Willow had repressed anger issues?

Witch, what kind of fool do you take me for. She was raising her voice, there was anger fueled by fear.

Cordelia, it doesn't matter if you believe or not. You were losing your vision and now it's restored. Let's just leave it at that because you really don't want to take me on, now do you? I decided to interfere before Cordelia got a full dose of Willow.

Willow was smiling. We broke the spell and I got to tell Cordelia off. It's looking like a pretty good day.

Yes my fiery tigress. But I think it's time to put a real end to this before Amy or should I say Amy's mom catches on. I said as I cupped her cheek with my hand.

I'm with you. Should we do it from the library? She then turned her head and kissed the palm of my hand.

Giles was out when we got there but his office door was open. We went into his office and closed the door behind us. We sat down and opened up to each other, fully joining. Checking on Amy, we say her out by the parking lot watching Cordelia driving a car through the obstacle course flawlessly. The look on her face was not good. We fully revived our energy stores and formed a replacement thread between Amy and her mom. As we carefully replaced the thread, we could feel the essences of Amy and her mom sucked in opposite directions as if each was on a rubber band that was suddenly released. Once we sensed that they were back where they belonged, we diminished the thread until it was gone. We then quickly got up and ran to where Amy was looking around in shock. When we got there, she had slumped to the ground and was just sitting there crying.

I had run ahead of Willow and gathered Amy into my arms soothing her and telling her everything was alright now. Willow reached us and helped me guide her to a bench. We noticed some students looking at us curiously, but they kept their distance.

Amy, it's me Willow. You're back in your own body now and we'll protect you from your mom. Willow had pulled out a tissue and was drying Amy's tears.

Buffy and I can detect and fight black magic. We figured out what your mom had done and reversed it. Willow told her truthfully.

No. I explained. We don't do magic. We work with only the positive coherent energy of the universe.

Girlfriend as in friend who is a girl? Amy was now looking at Willow a little oddly.

No Amy, girlfriend as in lover and soul mate. Willow said softly, keeping a soft and friendly expression.

Oh. Amy looked back and forth between us. I guess I'm not really surprised Willow. It's just with the Xander obsession I never thought you might be gay. But now that I think about it, it does make sense. Her voice was small and weak as if there was more crying to come.

Uh, yea, I think so. I feel OK. And I'm OK with you guys but I'm worried about what my mom is going to do. Fear accompanied those last words.

Well right now, your mom is home, upstairs in her attic cursing and yelling. Buffy and I are keeping watch on her to see what she is going to do. And trust me. We'll stop her, no matter what. We won't let her hurt you again.

Amy's mom was tossing stuff into her cauldron and chanting again. Dark wisps began taking form. Willow and I immediately enshrouded her with a shield that cancelled out what she was doing with a bang, causing her to be flung against the wall. She was really angry now. She ran down stairs, grabbed her purse and keys and went to her car.

[Tell Amy to stay out of site. We'll confront her before she can get in the school.] I was ready. This wasn't going to be slaying. But what we were fighting was worse than vampires. Vampires will kill and occasionally turn their victims into vampires, and they are evil also but that almost in a wild animal kingdom sort of way. This woman was downright selfish, mean, vindictive, cruel and totally evil. The slayer title was really a misnomer, created by the council to help limit the activities of the chosen one. I knew that I was fulfilling the true role of the chosen one for the first time in millennia.

Amy, your mom is headed this way. Buffy and I are going to stop her, but we want you to get to class and keep low until we come get you. OK? Willow had taken both of Amy's hands into her own and spoke her words with complete confidence and a warm smile on her face.

Amy nodded her head, and then hugged Willow, took a step away and then turned around and hugged me also. I gave her a quick squeeze and she ran off to class.

Willow and I looked at each other and now fully joined, gave each other smiles that completely conveyed our desire to end this evil.

We walked towards the front of the school as the first period bell rang. The last stragglers disappeared quickly just as we stopped at the top of the steps leading up to school.

Amy's mom was just pulling up in front of the school and slammed the car door. As she reached the first step, she looked up quickly and saw us waiting. She stopped, and quickly surmised that we knew why she was there.

Are you the little bitches who dare interfere with my power? She nearly screamed in her unbridled rage.

A small part of our vision flashed across our memories. The Lady with a hand on each of us saying 'You are the chosen.'

She paused for a moment, but was too consumed by her anger to ponder the situation more. Craning her neck and stretching out her arms she begins casting a spell.

I shall look upon my enemies. I shall look upon them and the dark place shall have their souls. The dark energy swirled about her. Lights and reddish violet energy swirled.

Willow and I cast our reflective shield with a regular shield behind it just in case.

The energy of the spell was launched at us, bounced off the reflective barrier and consumed Amy's mom, twisting around her and finally taking her away in a roar.

I reached out for Willow's hand. I looked at her feeling all my love just welling up and the tears started flowing. We shared for a moment and then smiled at each other.

You like it? You don't mind being the only one? She already knew I didn't but she couldn't help herself. She still needed the confirmation.

Hey, I might argue with one Goddess, but certainly not with two. I said winking at her as we turned knowing that Giles was watching us. He was the only one around who saw our encounter.

She went to whatever dark place she was planning on sending us too. I told him feeling just a little quiver thinking of what we avoided for ourselves.

Well, I'm grateful that you two are all right. But I have two hall passes for the both of you. You better get to class now. He handed the passes to us.

Slamming lockers, clicking, plopping, sliding and thudding of feet all marching to what ever they fancy. Occasional laughter, the calling of a name and the murmur of many voices all make up the sounds of school ending and the exodus away from the hell that is called high school.

Bright sun made us squint as we exited the less than hallowed halls of SHS. Amy between Willow and me was very quiet. We had told her right after first period that her mother was gone and would never bother her again but also any further explanation would need to wait until we could get her home. This didn't keep her from asking us questions about us however.

"So Buffy, mom switched bodies with me three weeks ago and I don't recall seeing you here at school before then. When did you start here?" Amy's tone and endearing smile made me smile.

"A week ago last Monday, the first day of the happiest time of my life." I smiled also and winked as I caught Willow's eye.

"Was this love at first sight 'cause it seems like you two have known each other forever?" Amy directed this question mainly at Willow.

"I don't know if it was love at first sight. More like definite wondering and then attraction with suspicion when Buffy said she would rather hang with me than Cordelia but then Buffy tells me she's gay and would really like to be my friend and I'm all Oh cool, a real female friend but what about the gay part, is she going to be gay for me or maybe I'm not attractive to her and she really just wants to be friends which I don't think I like because while I would really like one especially one who is so beautiful and gets the most adorable dopey grins just because I smile and then the funny feelings would come. The ones that felt all warm and made it hard to breath and tingly all over and then we kissed and nothing else mattered in the whole world. It was the most wonderful feeling ever and then it was total and complete love which didn't happen until lunchtime so I wouldn't exactly call it love at first sight." Willow took a big breath.

"That's the Willow I know." Amy grinned broadly and I had to laugh also at Willow's one breath summation of how we met.

We both broke into giggles and Amy looked back and forth between us. "You can talk without talking, can't you?" She said amazed.

I felt Willow's comfort in revealing this to Amy as she spoke. "Yea Amy, we can and a lot more." Willow grinned broadly.

"Wow, you two were like made for each other. That is so cool. Does anybody in school know about you guys yet?" Willow and I both rolled our eyes.

"Pretty much everybody I would guess after last Friday night at the Bronze." Willow said silently preparing herself on how to respond to Amy's next question.

"What happened?" Simple question and Willow went ahead and explained the events of Friday night, having fun describing our dancing and the incident with Cordelia. The incident on the way home was tinged with stronger emotion as she recalled the events for Amy. Willow was unable to hide her anger over the senselessness of the attack. Listening to Willow's account I also felt my anger rise within me so I was taken a little off guard with Amy's next question.

"How did Buffy beat up four football players so easily?" Disbelief and a little awe and fear were all evident in her words and tone.

"Oh, that's another story, one that Buffy will need to explain and only if she wants." Willow explained softly but I could see the smirk forming on her lips as I glanced over at her.

Amy looked over at me and I reached up and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze to reassure her. "I would like to explain, but maybe at a later time. OK?"

"Sure Buffy, whenever you like." I could tell Amy was curious but also understanding enough to be patient.

We had arrived at Amy's house and went inside. We all sat down and Willow and I took turns explaining the circumstances that led us to uncover what Amy's mom was doing. Amy's inquisitive mind led to us revealing a bit more than we had planned but nothing we weren't comfortable with. But to properly explain things, I wound up giving Amy the ten minute explanation of what a slayer was with a demonstration of lifting Willow over my head with one hand. Willow suggested the demonstration and I was a bit curious until she showed me where to place my hand. I think Willow enjoyed the demonstration a little too much because I noticed Amy blushing terribly after she looked at Willow's contented expression as I held her aloft with my hand cradling her like a bicycle seat.

After answering Amy's questions, she called her dad. He wasn't home so Amy left him a message and I quickly gave her my number to give him to call. She raised her eyebrows but left the number on the message. I told her to pack an overnight bag because she was coming with us. She started to protest then just smiled and ran to her room to pack.

Arriving home about five, we hit the books to cram in as much homework and study as possible before mom got home. I also took 15 minutes to straighten out the guest room for Amy, moving the unpacking overflow out of the way.

I was waiting in the kitchen as mom came in, looking industrious getting dinner started.

[I'm sure; besides, if I get in trouble you'll know right away and can come to my rescue.] I couldn't help but grin over Willow's worrying, she's just so cute.

"Hi mom, have a good day I hope?" I started off pleasantly, but pretty sure she would figure out by my phrasing that I needed her in a good mood.

She unloaded her purse on the counter and appraised me for a few moments. "It wasn't too bad, please tell me it's not about to get worse."

"No, not worse, just a little extra company for tonight. A friend from school, her name is Amy, lost her mother today and hasn't been able to get in touch with her father yet." I tried to keep my tone light so she wouldn't think things were too serious.

"She lost her mother? Buffy, what do you mean she lost her mother?" Mom's hand had moved to her throat with a look of fearful concern.

"Well, Amy's mom was or maybe still is since we don't know where she is except that she isn't coming back a witch. She got really upset when we reversed her spell to switch bodies with Amy and showed up at school to get revenge. Willow and I met her out front and she figured out right away that we were the ones that had reversed the spell and she tried to cast a spell on us but we bounced it back at her so where ever she had tried to send us is where she went." I took a big breath and smiled weakly at her.

"Are you channeling Willow?" She asked as she digested the information I had just spewed out.

[I would say I'm spending too much time with you but that would imply that I should maybe spend less and that would be completely unacceptable.]

[I would hope so. And it's to be expected that we would rub off on each other a little bit; it's not a bad thing, is it? ]

"Buffy, stop talking to Willow when I'm talking to you, in fact, ask her to come down her and bring Amy with her." Mom said snapping her fingers in front of my face.

"Well yea, she's like my mother-in-law." Willow answered with a big cat eating grin.

"How much does Amy know about you two?" Mom interjected before Amy got too far off track.

"Well she knows we're together and are like soul mates. Oh and that I'm the slayer and we're able to control positive energy." I summed up quickly.

Amy looked at Willow with big round eyes, then at me and then at my mom and then back at me. "Your mom knows about you and Willow? And she's ok with it?" I think Amy's jaw just came unhinged.

"It's ok Amy. It was a big surprise at first but it didn't take long to figure out that accepting Buffy and Willow as a couple was just like sunshine or rain. They're just as normal and natural as can be." Mom spoke softly and with confidence, the love on her face quite evident.

"I wish my mom could be, uh could have been half as accepting as you." Amy spoke softly as a tear started to roll down her cheek.

All the guilt that Willow and I had been feeling all day but suppressed to keep up a good helpful front for Amy broke loose with that one tear. All day Willow and I had been having non-stop conversations of how we were responsible for Amy losing her mother. Yea, we told ourselves that we saved Amy and that her mother was evil. That if we hadn't defended ourselves, we would be the ones gone to who knows where. But we also thought that there must have been something else we could have done so that Amy would still have her mother. We just couldn't think of anything that wouldn't have endangered Amy and possibly a lot of other people, including ourselves. The thought of losing mom was indescribably painful for both of us and while Amy's mom wasn't my mom, Amy must have still loved her, thus the tears and our unresolved guilt.

So Willow and I started crying our guilt and remorse as we put our arms around Amy telling her how sorry we were for killing her mom.

"Well, even if we don't, wherever she is has to be as good as dead if not worse." I answered in complete surrender to the guilt.

"Oh God, I know I should be grateful that you saved me, but it's so hard to believe that she's gone. As mean and wicked as she was, she did love me in her own weird way. She can't help it that she was obsessed with wanting to be a teenage cheerleader." Amy moaned as she buried her head into Willow's shoulder.

Mom, who had been watching silently decided to make her presence known. With gentle hands on Amy's shoulders and an even gentler voice she spoke. "I think we should all sit down and discuss this. I sense a lot of hurt, misguided guilt and remorse. Talking will set everyone on the right path."

Mom guided Amy into the living room and sat her on the couch, keeping a comforting arm around the distraught girl's shoulders. Willow and I took the arm chair, Willow sitting in my lap and we waited for mom. We were both certain that we lacked the experience and knowledge to help Amy. We were equally certain that mom would make everything better.

"Amy, tell me about your mother. Tell me all the good and the bad things that you can recall." Mom spoke softly while gently rubbing Amy's back.

Amy took a big breath and looked at mom. As she looked at mom's face and the patient, caring expression she had Amy's face relaxed into a look of complete trust?

"Mom always took good care of me. She rode me a lot about eating too much or being lazy but it was for my own good. She kept me healthy and safe. She worked hard and we have a nice home. I always felt safe and if not exactly loved, at least cared for." Amy spoke on and on, from her mother's derogatory comments about Amy's father to her mom's obsessions about dieting and fitness. Amy kept this up for a little over an hour, emotion cracking her voice at times. We all remained silent with rapt attention. Mom continued providing Amy with comforting contact and occasional encouraging comments. Eventually Amy wound down with the events since her waking up in her mother's body to the final events of the morning.

"Amy?" Mom asked gently getting her attention. When she had Amy's eye, she continued.

"Do you miss your mother or do you miss the mother you never had but really wanted?" The question caused Amy to draw a quick intake of breath. Her hesitation was evidence that she hadn't considered this alternative.

"I don't really know. I thought I was just missing my mom but thinking about your question it does feel like I am also missing what I never had and I think I'm just realizing that now I never can." Fresh tears accompanied Amy's latest personal revelation.

"Who do you think is the reason you'll never have the mother you always wanted?" Willow and I both tensed in anticipation of Amy's answer.

"I know this probably isn't fair, but I'm kinda blaming Willow and Buffy. Because of them, she can't be here to be my mother." Amy's voice was almost apologetic but also accusing as she glanced in our direction.

"If your mother was here right now, what do you think she would be doing?" Amy's eye's shot open and her whole body stiffened at this question. The thought obviously terrified her.

"She'd be cursing anyone who got in her way and trying to get my body back for her own use." Amy finally admitted.

"That is very brave of you to admit Amy. And admitting the truth should enable you to see that your mother would never be the mother you want. Do you see that Amy?" Mom gently cupped Amy's cheek, turning her face to look into her eyes.

"Yes, she could never be that mother but that doesn't stop me from still wanting it." Amy replied with a little anger in her tone.

"And there is nothing wrong with wanting Amy. But you need to keep your wants realistic or you wind up wasting your life on pursuing hopeless desires and before you know it, your life has passed you by leaving you with nothing but regrets." Mom paused for a moment and then added.

"Just like your mother Amy and I don't think you want to be like her." With these words, we watched Amy's face transition as the realization dawned on her. Amy spent several silent minutes processing this latest concept. She finally looked at Willow and I and then back to mom before she spoke.

"I have to accept my mother for what she is and was, a bitter woman who felt her only happiness came from being a high school cheerleader. She never loved me. I was merely a tool for reclaiming what she thought she had lost." She then looked at Willow and I and continued. "And if I blame Willow and Buffy for the loss of a mother I never really had, it would be just like my mother blaming my father for having to grow up instead of continuing to lead the life of a care free and popular cheerleader." This last part revealed something that Amy had obviously concluded long ago from her mother's own comments over the years. As much as it hurt to let go of her dream of a loving mother, Amy appeared strong enough to move on.

Mom wrapped Amy up in a big mom hug. "Amy, this is a good start but knowing isn't enough to heal. You need to give yourself time and also accept the support and love of your friends. Being alone can seem like the best thing when you're hurting, but it's actually the worst. I know Buffy and Willow will always be there for you and so will I. Life is hard but sharing the burden makes it easier."

Willow got up from my lap and I followed her over to Amy. Willow carefully drew Amy into a hug as mom released her own arms from around her. Amy hesitantly put her arms around Willow at first and then more firmly as she felt the reassuring tightness of Willows arms. I approached from the other side and enveloped them both with my own arms.

"We love you Amy. We can't give you the mother you wanted but I promise that we'll be there for you when ever you need us." I heard Willow speak softly into Amy's ear.

"Thanks guys, sorry I blamed you but it was easier than believing that my mother didn't really love me and only used me to reclaim her lost youth." Amy took a big breath and released her tears and sorrow. We held her until she finally took a big breath and released us. Mom was holding out a handful of tissues which Amy took with a grateful smile.

"Willow, take Amy to get cleaned up for dinner. Buffy, you can help me." Mom returned order with those simple instructions and life moved on.

Amy's dad had called at seven in the morning. He had gotten back into town late the previous night from a business trip. Arrangements were made to meet him at Amy's house at five that afternoon.

Before leaving for school the next morning, mom took Willow and I aside while Amy was still getting dressed.

"I am very proud of what you are both doing for Amy but sense that you're partially doing it out of guilt. Amy doesn't need or want pity or guilt. She needs honest friendship. Be careful that you don't go overboard with the support. Be available but not intrusive." Mom said this last part with raised eyebrows glancing back and forth between us until we nodded our understanding.

Willow and I had discussed late into the night everything we were going to do to make Amy's life better. Mom's words completely exposed us for the guilt ridden wrecks we were.

[I don't think so. My mom never does that and it's pretty plain that Amy's mom never did also.] Willow confirmed my lameness.

"Not really, I just know you two. You both feel responsible for curing all the troubles in the world and if you don't learn to accept your own limitations, you'll both go crazy and take me with you." Mom answered with a loving smirk.

School was uneventful until lunch. We met Amy in the cafeteria; grabbing sandwiches and sodas we headed for the outside where we thought we would have some privacy.

"Do you want us to go with you after school to wait for your dad to pick you up?" Willow asked Amy.

"Uh, if you don't mind, that would be great. I haven't seen him for six month's and feel weird about the whole thing. And I don't have a clue about what to explain about mom." Amy shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh yea, that's one of the reasons he stayed away. I heard him say before he left that he wanted to take me with him but mom threatened him with a curse if he tried." The memory made Amy grimace.

"Then why don't you tell him one of her spells backfired causing her to go away. It's the truth and doesn't really need any further explanation." I offered.

She pondered the idea for a moment, and then nodded her head. "Yea, that should work and he won't be too concerned about her coming back to curse him."

[Did you see what I saw?] Willow asked me while not letting anything show in her expression.

[Yea, looks like Amy and Jesse might be interested in each other. You've known them for like ever. Is this the first you've seen of this?] I responded while continuing to pay attention to the group.

[Yea, this is the first that I'm aware of.] She said while also conveying her surprise.

"So Amy, does your hanging with Will and Buffy mean you're into the female on female scene also." This got him a big slug from Willow, a gasp from Amy and a look of panic from Jesse. Willow showed me my expression. I think it was shock. I think I just looked stupefied but shock sounds better.

"Ouch, Will. What's the what? What'd I say? It's just a question." Xander tried to explain his remark away quickly.

"You made a prejudicial judgment Xander. Amy having lunch with us should in no way reflect on her sexual orientation." Willow answered angrily.

"Maybe it shouldn't but it's what everyone will think." Xander offered this small truth that rendered us all silent.

Amy was silent and eventually looked at us. "He's right. No guy will come near me if they think I'm gay. You guys know I don't have a problem with you being together but I don't want to risk not having any social life."

[Buffy, she's right. I like her and want to be her friend but she shouldn't have to give up any chance at happiness just to hang with us.]

"Amy, as stupid as Xander sounded, he's also right and so are you. It's sad because people would rather be stupid than open minded, closed to new possibilities than open to all that life has to offer. But I might have an acceptable compromise." I finished with a mischievous smile that piqued Amy's curiosity.

"Well, what if people saw you being close with a guy, holding hands, dancing at the bronze and even some good old fashioned necking. That would cement your preference for guys in everyone's mind so that if you were hanging with us, they should realize that we're just friends." Amy's eye's got bigger and bigger as I spoke and I could see Jesse's mouth begin to open. Xander just started to smile smugly as he apparently went into some private fantasy.

"You're talking about a boyfriend. While that sounds really nice, I'm not going to make out with just anyone." Amy spoke indignantly.

"And I don't expect you to. But what if it was someone you've known for a long time. Someone you trust and cute. You would have control of what happens and have fun at the same time." I spoke quickly to keep her interest.

I looked over at Jesse and gently put my hand on his shoulder. "Jesse, something tells me that you respect and care enough about Amy to help her with this. If Amy's ok with it will you give it a try?" I had locked eyes with him trying to keep him from looking at Amy. Willow was feeding me Amy's expression which was a mix of hope and fear.

"If Amy's ok with it, it's ok with me." He answered timidly, so uncharacteristic compared with his usual adolescent bravado.

[Oh yea, he's got it bad for Amy. I can't believe I never saw this before. I am going to have to pump Amy for details.] Willow said excitedly.

"I guess we could give it a try. Who knows, could be fun." She said this last looking at Jesse.

"Jesse, why don't you stand up, help Amy up and just go for a walk holding hands to see if your both comfortable with the idea." I said giving him a little nudge.

"Oh sure, would you like to go Amy." Jesse stood up and reached down for Amy's hand, drawing upon some gentlemanly skills that I never suspected he had.

Amy took his hand and they walked off hand in hand, exchanging shy glances with each other.

I looked back to Willow but caught the expression on Xander's face. His face was stretched to near caricature proportions with his dumbfounded amazement. I then understood and felt a twinge of sympathy. Xander felt alone now. I looked at Willow and she also understood her old friend's problem.

Willow put her hand on Xander's shoulder. "You haven't lost a friend Xander. And you still got me. I'll always be your friend."

Xander set his jaw. "Yea, I've got friends who are all coupled up. Just another reminder of what a loser I am."

I moved over to his other side. "Xander, you have a choice now. You can feel sorry for yourself and continue to try and convince yourself that you're a loser or you can think of this as a contagion, get infected and be open to finding your own partner."

Xander thought for a moment and then smiled wickedly. "Is this a sexually transmitted disease?"

Our last period of the day was study hall and Willow and I went to the bathroom to beat the after school rush. We were washing our hands when the door opened. We knew it was Cordelia. We had been in the habit of monitoring our surroundings to prevent any surprises. We quietly finished and headed for the door which she was blocking.

She looked at me with her arms folded. She didn't have her usual smug superior look. Willow could see it also and was just as curious as me.

"I can't afford to apologize but I can recognize that you guys helped me and you had every right not to. So thank you. To everybody else I'll just say you're a couple of loser saps but I know good people when I see them. Also, I don't know what you did to Rick and the other guys and it really doesn't matter. What matter's is that my popularity took a major hit. Being popular and in control is all I have and all I want. The word is out to just leave you guys alone and that is just fine with me. I only did what I did to show my power, not because I have a problem with your relationship. It backfired on me and I'll just have to live with it. This is my peace offering, lets just ignore each other and everything should be cool."

"Are you happy?" Willow surprised Cordelia with this question. Cordelia looked absolutely shocked.

"I'm beautiful, popular and rich. Why wouldn't I be happy?" She finally retorted.

"I don't think it matters what you have, as long as you're doing things for appearance rather than substance, how can you be happy?" Willow said sincerely.

Cordelia narrowed her eye's and seemed about to blast Willow when she caught the warning look in my eye. I could see her take a moment to think.

"Maybe I'm not happy, but it's safer to be in control." She turned and quickly left.

Willow and I looked at each other. "That is one unhappy, frightened little girl." I said.

"Yea, I can't believe I feel sorry for Cordelia Chase. Actually I don't but I feel like I should and I can't believe that." Willow seemed amused with herself. I gave her a quick hug and we left after making sure Cordy had a good head start.

We stopped at my house to pick up Amy's overnight bag and walked her over to her house. Things actually went smoothly with her dad. He seems really nice and genuinely happy to see her. We said our goodbyes and see you tomorrows. Willow had extracted a promise to spill the details about Jesse. We departed with hope that Amy would be all right.

We had been grateful last night when nothing showed up on the demon scape, thus giving us a night off. But we had lots to prepare for. Tomorrow was Friday, the day that the new training facility was supposed to be ready. Also the day that Giles was expecting information about the council. We definitely want to observe things when Giles reads whatever he receives. Mom was right, we couldn't do everything but what we could do, we could do well.

We had just finished our homework and heard mom's call that dinner was ready. The sun was setting, just a yellow and orange sliver on the horizon shedding it's last beams of daylight through the window. My breath caught as Willow lifted and turned her head into the light. Her hair shone brightly from the sun and the sparkle in her eyes mesmerized me. She notices the adoring expression on my face. Her cheeks turn that rosy color I love so much then her mouth slides into that impish smile with the slight tilting of her head that totally undoes me. I reached my hand out and gently stroked my fingers across her cheek, the tips coming to rest on her soft, delicate lips. Her eyes slowly darkened as she raises her hand up to carefully grasp mine, opening her mouth to kiss my palm, then she languidly sucks on the ends of my fingers. My skin tingles and heat flashes up my spine. I lean in to replace my fingers with my lips. Our kiss was slow as we sample each others lips, gently sucking and nibbling with long slow sweeps of our soft moist tongues. Sighing heavily, we draw back slowly, the passion in our eyes almost too much to bear.

"Buffy! Willow! Dinner now!" Mom's voice reverberated through the house causing us to jump slightly.

Willow giggled as we clasped hands and headed down for what we hoped would be a quick and not too filling meal.

After getting settled in with dinner, mom set her water back on the table after taking a drink. She had her 'It's time to tell me everything look'. Glancing at Willow, [are you ready for this?]

[Sure, and even though we don't have everything worked out her input has always been helpful. Maybe she can help us fill in the gaps.] Willow raised her eyebrows as she conveyed this thought to me.

[Hope so 'cause I'm feeling the grand canyon right now] I responded with pursed lips.

I felt a soft touch on my cheek and felt it deepen. Eliciting enticing feelings as Willow's gentle extension caressed my face with the care and gentleness of her love. Almost immediately I was much calmer. I had become much more comfortable discussing things with mom but the recent years of her not having time to listen were very difficult to overcome. Fortunately Willow had no such history and actually relished sharing things with her.

[Thanks will. You make everything better.] I looked at her and smiled my contentment.

Willow returned my smile with a soft combination of sexy down turned head with eyes peeking out through falling hair and a smile that would melt the largest iceberg.

"Do I need to remind you two that you're at the dinner table and not alone?" Mom's stern voice snapped both our heads around.

Expecting to see a stern look of disapproval we were instead greeted to a mom smirk that immediately brought giggles of relief to both of us.

"OK mom, where would you like us to start?" I snickered out as I tried to get my tension induced relief under control.

"How about we start with what happened at school today. Anything happen there that I need to know about?" Mom's tone while calm and non-threatening also was able to convey the thought 'tell me everything and I'll decide what I need to know'.

"Well, there was no evil goings on. Classes went fine. And nothing unusual happened except for Amy and Jesse possibly getting together." I spoke while absentmindedly pushing my food across my plate.

Mom then looked to Willow for the non Cliff notes version and Willow happily obliged. I sat back and watched my green eyed beauty gesture with her hands, toss her head for effect and punctuate all her words with facial expressions that made the words almost unnecessary.

"So Amy seemed OK going with her father?" Mom's concern was evident with the scrunch of her eyebrows.

"Oh more than OK, she was totally jazzed." I added my own endorsement wrapped around a mouthful of food.

"Good. Now when do I get to meet Mr. Giles? She annunciated the question with a couple taps of her dinner fork.

"Hopefully we can get you guys together tomorrow evening. We haven't discussed it with him yet but after checking out the new training facility, we're hoping he will come in when he drops us off and explain the college extension program he's setting up for us." I kept my voice even and steady to belie my actual nervousness over their impending meeting.

"That would be great. I've found someone to help out and this would be a perfect opportunity for Kim to close up. I can leave at five so she'll only be by herself until eight." Mom paused a moment, then pointedly asked, "So you get to see the training facility tomorrow? Will you get keys so you can go there on your own, meaning you can show your mother around?"

"That's a great idea. That way Buffy and I can train on things we don't want Giles to see yet." Willow chimed in helpfully.

"Yea mom that is a good idea. We hadn't thought that far ahead yet." I added my own suck up.

"That's not like you two. Your planning so far while not perfect has not missed the obvious details. Is something bothering you?" Mom's concerns were clearly defined in her voice and her face.

I glanced at Will and she gave me a little nod and smile for encouragement. "Yea, Giles is supposed to be receiving something today or tomorrow that may reveal the origins of the Watcher's council and how they came to oversee the Slayers. We are torn whether or not to spy on his reading or wait for him to tell us. We're starting to like him and feel we should start trusting him. He has done some things to earn our trust and we feel a bit guilty spying on him." I gave a slight shrug of my shoulders and looked down at my plate as I spoke.

Mom was thoughtful for a few moments and then fixed us both with her most understanding and supportive expression. "I'm very proud of you both for wanting to extend your trust to Mr. Giles. And I agree that his actions are heading in a trustworthy direction. But this could mean your lives."

Mom paused momentarily while she made certain we both understood where her priorities were. "And while I don't believe Mr. Giles would willingly hurt either of you, there are still too many unknowns and potential for deceit and disaster to throw caution to the winds. I know this won't make it any easier for you but I'm going to have to insist that you continue to monitor Mr. Giles for the time being. At least until we know this Council's agenda and how much control they are able to exert over Mr. Giles. Good people with good intentions often perform heinous acts merely because their natures lend them to be loyal, even when the agency they are being loyal to does not deserve it."

Mom's words washed over us like being splashed in the face with ice water. She was right and wrong. It would still bother us to monitor a person we felt we should be trusting, but what she said eased our doubts and reservations against doing so.

"Yea, me too. Thanks mom. I'm no longer all yucky guilt girl about spying on Giles, just uncomfortable that we aren't able to fully trust him yet." Willow expressed her feelings on the matter with an exhalation of resigned relief and just a slight pout to her mouth.

"Remember girls, only martyrs can afford to never leave the moral high ground. For the rest of us, there will always be compromises. Keep your intentions focused and you're unlikely to make a compromise that will harm you." Mom's gaze had slowly traveled from me to Willow and back as she spoke.

"Now for some news of my own, I spoke with your parents this afternoon Willow. They expect to arrive home around eight tomorrow evening. I suggested that you spend tomorrow night with us and we all get together for lunch on Saturday. They said that would be wonderful. They are looking forward to seeing you and meeting Buffy and I. They said they would be here at noon on Saturday, after which they would take you home with them." Mom finished speaking and watched carefully for our reactions.

"They're going to take me home?" Willow's words were gasped as she stared at mom with growing horror and then her face turned towards me. I got out of my chair at Slayer speed and immediately wrapped my arms around her as we both were confronted with our imminent separation. The thought of being apart for even a single night was as if some cold pit of icy darkness had opened within us and was slowly eating us from the inside out.

"I love you." Willow spoke in a pained voice. With those three words, I felt warmth in the center of my chest dispelling the internal cold that had a moment before nearly engulfed me. I became calm and opened myself to the love I felt from this incredible woman.

"I love you." I spoke also and began to caress her with waves of my love. Pouring out from the depths of my being the certainty of our being together forever no matter what obstacles we encountered in our lives.

I felt her body calm as her arms more tightly squeezed me. She relaxed and the rigid ness slowly left her. With a soft sigh, "Oh Buffy, the thought of sleeping without you scares me so much but I guess it's something we'll have to get used to."

"Yea, I guess it's something we should learn to at least tolerate without falling apart. If your parents don't have any objections to sleepovers, there's no reason that sleeping apart has to be the norm. Maybe it can just be the annoying exception." I pulled my head back and smiled at her. I gently stroked her cheek and she did the same for me. We then leaned in and kissed gently our deep love for each other.

"I can see that you girls will be just fine. And if the Rosenberg's have no objections, I don't see why you can't have your first sleepover at Willow's on Saturday. It's the school nights that will be the problem." Mom had waited until we had finished our little joint melt down and recovery before tossing us the small but appreciated bone.

The rest of dinner went smoothly with some really comical banter as mom regaled us about some eccentric customers. We were just completing clean up when a demon made its presence known.

I looked to Willow for confirmation about the location and she replied, "It's at the docks." She confirmed.

"Call Giles, I'll get the bag." I called back over my shoulder as I leaped up the stairs. We had decided to keep these conversations audible for moms' sake and so as not to have to repeat ourselves.

With experienced precision, we quickly gathered ourselves at the corner in wait of Giles. Giles appeared in his decrepit car within minutes of our arrival, obviously pushing his natural inclination for speed limits. With barely a glance we both jumped in the back seat and we took off for the docks per Willow's instructions.

Keeping the demon under observation, we took the time during the drive to get a visual, and what a visual we got. It was a giant bug, like something out of a 1950's horror movie. It had just entered an alley leading through the warehouse district and we gave Giles directions for heading it off. As we pulled into the alley the headlights fully illuminated the thing in all its ugliness.

"Jeezus, is that thing ugly. You sure you want to go up against it with just a sword Buffy?" Willow asked as she gripped my arm.

Before I could reply, Giles interrupted. "Girls, are you sure of what you are seeing?"

"Yep, big ugly bug with really long pincher thingies. How about you Will?" I leaned over the car seat to stare at Giles not believing he didn't see the thing.

"That's right, big ugly bug." Willow leaned over my shoulder to get a closer look at Giles whose face was a portrait of serenity as it gazed upon this Vincent Price nightmare as it approached the car.

[Buffy, look at what's coming from the bug. It's like a grayish wave that's washing over Giles. I think it's affecting what he's seeing.] Willow's desperation came across in waves as she tuned me into the vision.

[I see it will, can we block it some how?] I gasped as I watched this sickening emanation penetrated everything except for our own natural shields.

[Will, I'm such a dummy, our shields are blocking it. Let's just extend a shield to Giles.] I said while slapping my forehead.

Quickly extending a shield around Giles, it was amazing to see the transformation his face under went as his sight was no longer being fooled.

"Oh lord, where did that come from and why didn't I see it before?" His voice raised an octave and his eyes shot wide open.

"We'll explain later, now we kill it." I exclaimed as I clamber out of the car with a nice heavy battle axe in my hand.

[Be careful and I got your back.] Willow let me know and as I approached the creature, I felt Willow creating shields to cover me if necessary.

The thing had an incredible reach I quickly discovered and was a lot faster than it looked. I barely ducked under a snapping pincer but was now close enough to swing my axe into its lower abdomen. The blade bit with a nice crunching thunk eliciting a high pitched squeal. But before I could wrench the blade free, it was able to hit me with one of its arms sending me tumbling. I rolled and quickly came to my feet to see my axe still imbedded in the things body with lots of yellow fluid leaking onto the ground. As it attacked, I got under its guard and grabbed the axe, ripping it free with all my might. The damage this caused sent the creature stumbling. I quickly followed up by swinging at one of its flailing arms as it tried to keep its balance. I took the appendage off half way to its shoulder but at the same time it tried to blind side me with its other arm which was stopped about a foot from my head by a quickly interjected shield from my lovely protector. It screeched in pain and frustration as I then followed up by cutting its leg off and as it lurched forward I finished the task with a satisfying decapitation.

Swinging the axe to my shoulder, I turned and walked over to my gorgeous counterpart. With an anticipatory smile, Willow leaned forward and captured my lips. Our mouths melded and became one symbiotic organism that gave and received soft, moist affection. With gentle sighs of contentment we slowly pulled back from our mutual appreciation of each others mouths.

I turned to see what Giles was doing and beheld him vigorously wiping his glasses while his gaze was focused on the sky.

Just then we became aware of a new demon presence, and not in a cemetery like normal. This one was downtown, a few blocks from the Bronze.

"Wow, where'd he come from?" Willow's gasp and look of befuddlement was precious, and probably mirrored my own.

"Hey Giles, got a new one. Get your butt in gear and let's go." I called to him then turned and followed Willow to the car.

I heard Giles quickly move to the car and entered as we settled ourselves in the backseat.

"Couple blocks this side of the Bronze. Head up Main and we'll let you know when to turn left." Willow advised him with a bit of excitement in her voice.

[After the fight, then the kiss I was already excited!] She told me as she squeezed my thigh and bumped shoulders. I didn't have to look but I did anyway just to see that sexy grin on her face.

[Hope this is quick, 'cause I need more willow kissage.] I grinned back and gently scraped my short finger nails up her inner thigh.

Willow started to grin then turned all serious. [No rushing things and you need to keep your mind on the slayage or their might not be any kissage.]

[Ok will, slayer mode now but you better be ready for some serious lip lockage after the dust settles.] I settled back in the seat and grabbed a rag out of the bag to wipe my axe clean.

"Turn left at the next street, then there's a parking lot next to what looks like a bar a block and a half on the right." Willow instructed Giles as she leaned over the seat and pointed with her right arm.

Giles swung into the parking lot which was mostly empty except for a very large demon that was trying to corner a small cat next to a garbage bin.

As Giles came to a stop, I jumped out the left side with a sword that I had swapped for my axe. Willow was right behind me. The demon turned and I beheld a really ugly greenish grey body looking something like the creature from the black lagoon.

"Buffy, it's a Polgara demon. It has long spikes that come out of its wrists. Beheading it should kill it." I took in Giles information and slowed my approach a bit watching his movements carefully. With a roar, he suddenly charged and as it swung its right arm at me, a long spike sprung from his arm aimed right at my chest. I leapt above his strike throwing a flying kick into his face knocking the creature onto his back. As he rolled to his left to get back up, I swung my sword as hard as I could right at his neck. His head came cleanly off, rolling across the pavement with a soft bumping sound.

"Well, that was disappointing." I quipped as I turned back towards Willow and Giles.

"Buffy, this place isn't right. I can't see inside. There's some kind of shield around it." Willow's concern was evident in her voice as she met me and took my free hand in hers.

We looked over at Giles' to see him take a few steps towards the dark building with a single light over a solid steel door. A sign was on the wall beside the door saying simply 'Willy's Place'.

Giles turned back to us and with a thoughtful expression asked us earnestly. "You say it has a shield on it Willow? Can you do anything with it?"

I looked at Willow to see her adorable face as she slowly smiled and her eyes light up.

We quickly slipped off to our wondrous fountain until we felt fully powered and returned, the time elapsed was only a few minutes.

[We need to create a blanket that we bring in contact with it all at once. Since we can't surround it from both sides, I'm not sure what will happen so I want to put a thick shield between us and the building in case the thing implodes.]

"Giles, stand behind us and don't move. Willow thinks it might implode so we're putting up a shield in front of us." I told Giles without looking at him. I heard him move behind us as we erected a shield in front of us with wings on each side bent back towards us. We anchored the shield into the ground and then began preparing the blanket Willow wanted to use to cancel the dark shield around the bar.

It took us about five minutes before Willow was satisfied with the shape of the blanket. I felt her squeeze my hand then she spoke out loud for Giles' sake.

"Now!" And with that we brought the blanket into contact with the magical shield covering the bar.

An unearthly groan sent chills down our spines turning quickly into a loud screeching noise like a train slamming on its breaks. Then a hellish rainbow of light spread everywhere. Purple, red, dark sickly greens quickly turned to bright yellow and red of a giant fireball as we were simultaneously hit with a giant roar and pieces of the building flying at us. The heat wave from the explosion rolled over our shield and over our heads baking us with its intensity. We instinctively ducked to our knees and I covered Willow's body with my own. Debris rained down upon us but Will quickly raised another shield above us. As the last sound of falling building parts passed, we looked up to survey our handiwork.

Streaming from the building was as mixed a bunch of demons and vampires as I had ever seen. Our demon scape had gone bonkers just seconds after the shield collapsed so we knew to expect twenty-two demons. There were seven vamps on fire that quickly turned to dust so the count was quickly down to fifteen.

[I can't let any of them escape.] I told Willow as I clenched my sword tight and released Willow's hand so that I could replace it with a stake.

[We can't Buffy, and we won't. I'll keep them separated into small groups. Work with me Buffy and we can do this.] Willow corrected my thinking with a mental resolve that hit me like a bucket of ice water. I looked back at her and winked.

[You got my back and I won't do anything stupid. Is that pretty much what you wanted to say?]

[Yea, pretty much. Now that you've got the right idea, what are you waiting for?] She asked while tilting her head.

With that I headed towards the first group of demons who finding that they couldn't escape to the back left or right were charging right towards us. The others were boxed in three groups. As the closest demon came within reach with his arms stretched out in front of him I went low and cut his right leg off just above the knee. This positioned my sword to run the next demon right through the chest. I kicked out knocking the next demon back as I yanked my sword free swinging it around to decapitate the third and last demon in this group. I then went back to the one legged demon who was howling bloody murder and removed his head.

[Sure will, what did you have in mind?] I asked wondering about why she was so timid in asking.

[Well, you know those horror movies where the walls move in on you with the spikes?] She asked with anticipation in her thoughts and on her face.

[Ah, taking all my fun away.] I now knew why she was timid with her request. She was afraid that I would be disappointed about missing out on the personal combat. And I would, but there were still twelve big mean ugly suckers that wanted nothing more than to rip us limb from limb. Hey, I might be an adrenalin junkie but I'm not stupid. Well not as a rule at least or not while Willow was watching is more like it.

[Sure will, lets do it together.] I put my stake away and took her hand. I heard her sigh of relief and we quickly restructured the first cell with spike on two of the opposing walls and then slammed them together. As they pierced the first demons, the walls broke down, leaving two demons mostly unscathed. I quickly released Willow's hand and attacked the closest demon just as we heard sirens approaching.

"Buffy, Willow, the authorities are approaching. We can't be discovered here. We must go quickly." Giles spoke quickly with only a hint of panic in his voice.

"We can't leave these demons alive with the police. They'd be slaughtered." Willow hissed angrily at him.

I let Willow handle Giles as I finished ugly number 1 and ducked under number two's clumsy swat at my head. With a back swing I removed the offending arm and then split his chest wide open with a powerful swing that almost cut him in half.

[Will, do the spike wall on the rest quick. I'll take care of the ones that survive.] I felt Willow focus on the remaining two cells and watched three get taken out in the first but only two in the second before they realized they were free and quickly rushed towards me just as I heard the squeal of tires into the parking lot.

"Everybody on the ground now. This is the police." Was heard very clearly over their loudspeaker.

[Just keep a shield between me and the cops so they can't shoot me and don't forget to shield Giles and yourself.] I told her quickly as two of the demons converged on me at once.

These guys were a lot more agile than the previous ones and I was dodging, jumping and swinging for all I was worth allowing bad guy number three to get by me. As I critically wounded one of the demons facing me, the one that got by decided to for the police.

"Stop or I'll fire." Was immediately followed by gunfire and raging howls from the demon. I finished up my demons and turned to see a demon just about to grab a policeman who was desperately trying to reload his gun. I flung my arm back and threw my sword with every once of strength I had. I was rewarded with the gurgling groan of the demon as my sword pierced his back all the way to the hilt.

I ran towards the officer who had been dropped and fortunately moved out of the way of the collapsing demon. I reached him in moments and bent down slowly, placing my hand on his shoulder.

"It's OK, its dead. You're going to be alright." I assured him in the most soothing tone I could manage.

He just gazed at me all shocked, then shook his head and tried to regain his feet. I grabbed his forearm and pulled him the rest of the way up.

"Damn, I'd heard about these damn things but they said they left us cops alone." He said while running his hand over his short dark hair.

"Well, I'm Buffy." I felt Willow join me with Giles a step behind. "And this is Willow and the guy behind me is Giles. Willow and I are students at Sunnydale High School and Giles is our extension course counselor. And we also kill demons."

He looked at me incredulously for a moment then I could see him replay the events he witnessed through his mind. "You saved my life." He said softly.

"Well thank you anyway." He was now smiling a little. "I'm officer Stanwyck, Brett Stanwyck"

Giles took this moment to make his presence felt. "Officer Stanwyck, we'd prefer not to be here when the rest of the authorities appear. If you have any questions you can reach us at the school. May we go now?

"Yea, don't know how I'm going to explain this, but something tells me that once they see the bodies, my bosses aren't going to want to know." He grimaced, and then raised his hand in a shooing motion.

"Go, get out of here. Things will actually be easier for me if you're not here. And thanks again Buffy." He waved as we quickly made our way to the car waving and saying our goodbyes.

"It's been a long night, I better get you and Willow home." Giles said glancing over his shoulder at me as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"Home sounds really nice right now." Willow sighed and slumped back into her seat.

[Uh will, remember who's waiting for us at home.] I asked trying to figure out how we were going to tell mom about this night.

[Yea, you're mom. oh you're mom! Well you'll just talk to her while I run upstairs quickly to take a shower.] She answered nervously knowing how she opens up to mom.

[I think mom's shown us the best thing is to just tell her everything, holding nothing back. Besides she'll know if we do. And look at the bright side, no one got hurt this time.] I told her in a way that I hoped would assure her.

[Ok, but be ready when she asks me for my version, you know how I get.] Willow sounded so meek and adorable I just melted and put my arms around her kissing her cheek.

[I love you and mom loves you. You've got nothing to worry about. I've got your back this time.] I sent her waves of love and comfort and felt her immediately relax.

As Giles came to the corner, Mom stepped out into the light and leaned her head into the car. "Mr. Giles, please pull your car into the driveway. It's time we talked." Mom withdrew her head before Gile's could sputter a response.

"You better do as she says. Pissing mom off is never a good idea." I said as I could see his indecision.

"It's just that I have no idea what I'm going to say to her. I can't imagine what she thinks what with an older man out at night with two teenage girls. How can I explain nothing inappropriate is going on when I can't tell her the truth?" He sputtered out haltingly as drove the car into our driveway with mom standing on the front porch watching our arrival.

"My only suggestion is don't lie. If you lie, well you don't want to know and neither do I so just don't." I said quickly as Willow exited the back of the car and I quickly followed.

Giles cut the engine and we could hear him following us slowly. As we walked up the steps, I smiled at mom.

"Hi mom, home safe and sound. How was your evening?" I asked her as walked up the steps.

"It was going fine until an explosion rattled every plate and window in the house. I don't suppose you know anything about that, do you." She asked pointedly. She then pulled us both into a big hug. "I'm so relieved that you're both alright. I was so worried. Now I want you both to go upstairs and get cleaned up and stay there until I call you. I'm going to have a talk with your Mr. Giles. Feel free to listen in." She whispered softly while her head was between both of ours.

"Come in Mr. Giles." As she released us from her arms we quickly went inside and up the stairs, grateful that we didn't have to explain to mom what went down tonight.

Willow and I immediately tuned into the conversation downstairs as we started to get undressed for our shower.

["Make yourself comfortable, could I get you something to drink? I imagine some tea would be nice."

"Well I really need to be going. I don't really have time for tea but thank you for offering."

"Mr. Giles, you're going to be here for as long as it takes to come to an understanding. I prepared a whole pot of water so it's no problem. I have Early Grey or would you prefer an herbal?"

Willow and I had taken this opportunity to finish undressing and get in the shower. Our interest in the conversation downstairs took most of our focus leaving getting clean to just getting clean.

"Mom's back." Willow whispered and we focused again on the happenings in the living room.

"Thank you. It appears you have something of importance to discuss. Would you like to begin?"

"I think I'll just cut to the chase. Buffy's the Slayer and your her Watcher. Buffy has convinced me that she can't stop being the Slayer. And as much as it frightens me, I do realize the importance of her calling. I plan on supporting her in this cause but my primary goal is probably different than yours. Your goal is to use Buffy to destroy Vampires and demons. My goal is to see that Buffy lives a long happy life. I believe that our two goals can coexist if we work together. What do you think?"

"Errr, the Slayer is the instrument of the Council for battling the demonic evils in the world. A long and happy life for the Slayer has never been the council's objective. Frankly, while I applaud your determination to support Buffy, I don't see how the two objectives can coexist."

"No, I don't suppose you can, considering that your knowledge of dealing with Slayers is thousands of years old and probably hasn't changed much since the beginning. Tell me how the first Slayer came to be and how the council came about."

"The origins of the Slayer and Council have been hidden, but with Buffy's prodding I was compelled to call in a few favors and received today a manuscript that describes their origins. I've only had a chance to scan it but the gist is that three sorcerers, concerned with the rising tide of vampires decided to chain a young girl to a rock that was a powerful conduit. They performed a ceremony that imbued the girl with dark power, making her supernaturally strong and fast. This girl was to be their instrument to fight the vampires."]

As Giles completed this description, Willow and I had a shared vision, obviously another of the Goddess' time delayed messages. We hovered over a dark cave, dimly lit with flickering torches. A young girl was chained to an oily black rock in the center of the cave. Three men with staffs stood around chanting as a dark smoky thing undulated its way towards the helpless girl. The darkness began to enter the girl and there was a bright flash of light that blinded the three men. If they could have seen, they would have witnessed a blue and gold light wrap itself around the darkness trying to enter the girl and seen it destroyed, and replaced by the light which merged itself with the body and spirit of the girl. As it did so, another light split off and traveled far away to enter another girl but not merge. Merely to lie dormant until called.

Our minds were again back home again after receiving this newest fragment from our visit with the Goddess. I looked at Willow in amazement over this incredible revelation.

"The Goddess intervened. And only we know the real truth." Willow gasped. "They think the Slayer is imbued with darkness, but you're not. You were given your power by the pure light and power of the Goddess."

"But what does this mean? Would the council even care? They just want a Slayer. What difference does it make where she gets her power from?" I asked Willow feeling my head spinning while I tried to understand the implications.

"I don't know Buffy, let's finish listening. Maybe Giles has more information." Willow whispered while slowly shaking her head.

["...everything to do with how the Council treats the Slayer. Its long been the belief of the Council that since the Slayer derives her power from darkness that eventually it will consume her, making her more dangerous than the evil she battles. That is their reasoning for making certain that Slayer's do not have a long life."

"That is preposterous; there is no evil or darkness in Buffy! Their arrogance and fear and need to control prevent them from discovering the truth."

"Two weeks ago, I would have just treated what you just said as the typical response from a loving mother. But now, after having observed repeatedly Buffy and Willow's handling of pure positive energy and the way it reacts to dark magic's I too must conclude that the Councils beliefs are based on faulty information. But I still don't know how to give Buffy a long and happy life. At some point, the Council will step in and attempt to end her life for fear of her becoming consumed by the darkness they believe is the source of her power."

"I'll tell you how. We do it slowly and by keeping the Council in the dark as to what's really going on. All they need to know is that Buffy is a dedicated and reliable Slayer. I'm guessing they'll keep their distance until her 18th birthday as long as they don't suspect anything unusual."

"I believe you to be correct in that assumption. With minimal support, Slayers tend to expire earlier rather than later, just they way they like it."

"Good, then we have almost two years to prepare for their coming. If we do this right, they'll never know what hit them."]

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