Witness by The Rainbow Writers

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Giles, Dawn, Spike and all other characters who have appeared in the syndicated series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, together with the names, titles and back story are the sole copyright property of Joss Whedon, Fox and Mutant Enemy. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the authors. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Please contact the authors for permission to reproduce this story on any other fan fiction site.
Distribution: The Rainbow Writer's Homepage: http://www.therainbowwriters.com/
Mystic Muse: http://mysticmuse.net
Spoilers: Season 6.
Feedback: All feedback is welcome.
Pairing: Willow/Other

Summary: Willow struggles with her rehabilitation in England.

Faith pulled off her sunglasses and knocked on the door with a solid motion. She wasn't sure with Ruth being the only one at home that she would be anywhere near the door so she wanted to make sure her arrival wasn't missed.

"Just coming Faith, two seconds." Ruth's soft English accent filtered through the still closed door, just minutes before soft footfalls moved up to it and pulled the heavy wood open. "Hello there." She greeted with a smile.

"Hey C." Faith couldn't help but smile back. Ruth was the only one, other than Rosie, who didn't have a personally lived reason to hold a reasonable grudge against her and unlike the very kind older woman, Ruth had been given a all access tour of even some of the most regressed areas of her memories and feelings. All that added up to the fact that for Faith, Ruth was one of the few possible 'friends' she actually had. "I knew that Red was out for a run with B so I figured I'd stop by and check up on you, oh and guess which bakery had a fresh batch of white chocolate chunk cookies just begging to be devoured?" She held up the crisp paper bag marked Decadence Delight Cookie Factory on the side.

"Faith that bakery is miles away." Ruth shook her head smiling as she pulled open the door wider, "Come on in I had just finished doing my meditations and a few exercises Rupert and I are working on." She backed up and ushered the dark Slayer in.

"I had to test the new engine settings on the bike; I was tweaking a few things earlier." Faith pulled off her coat, hanging it and the helmet she was carrying on the coat rack. "So exercises? Like what? I could show you some if you wanted."

"Not physical exercises." She explained. "I mean look at me." Ruth took up a mock fighting stance. "About as scary as a poodle with one of those funny hair cuts." She dropped her tensed arms, now free of bandages with just the clear marks of the still healing cuts visible.

"Now see that's where you're wrong, intimidation is based on how you look. Physical strength is built and crafted." Faith moved closer to her. "Now you're never going to be 'big like Arnold' but you could pack one hell of a wallop if you wanted to."

"And why would I want to with people like you and Buffy around?" She smiled. "Oh and what do you think." She held out her arms again. "Rupert got them etched." She twisted her wrists up to show Faith the intricate carving in the solid obsidian cuff that snapped around both her wrists.

"Cool." Faith admired them with a nod. "Very butch." She winked at the witch. "But come on seriously, B and I aren't always free to punch people in the head for you. It's a useful skill on the Hellmouth."

"Maybe when the arms have healed, Lo wouldn't forgive me if I opened them up after so long of being good." She smiled. "How you doing?" She asked quickly.

"Dying for a cookie." Faith summed up flopping down on the couch. "I can scram if you want, it's just B was doing her obsessive thing about taking Red out and leaving you on your own so I wanted to put her mind at ease, but I mean hello, it's not like you're going to melt in the rain or something." She tried to be supportive.

"I don't want you to scram, it's fine." Ruth took the cookies and put them on a rainbow-striped plate. Putting them down on the coffee table she sat on the couch too. "So how is life at the Summers place? Rose fattened everyone up yet?" She grinned

"You should have heard B this morning, she tried to put on her black jeans and she couldn't zip them up." Faith laughed loudly. "She was hopping around cursing and then said she wasn't eating anything but salad from now on."

"She'll even out, with the metabolism you two must have, she'll lose it all before she knows it." She reasoned with a laugh. "Has your friend Angel been in touch with any more information about the 'big bad' he sent you here to deal with?"

"Nothing concrete yet." Faith shook her head. "Just more rumblings about some big magick bad." She grabbed a cookie and devoured it in two mouthfuls. "So how is the hardware doing?"

"Well…" Ruth glanced down at one wrist and raised the other hand to her neck lightly fingering her choker. "They're great." She assessed. "It was Rupert's idea to have them etched with the blocking charms, so that they are self balancing."

"And Red must be lovin' them because they are dead sexy." Faith gave her a long wink.

"They are?" Ruth glanced down at her wrist again with a curious tweak of her eyebrow.

"Think about Willow in a pair of solid platinum cuffs and a solid choker." Faith wiggled her eyebrows. "I mean I've known people who would be licking your boots."

"They would be licking your boots Faith, just like they always did." Ruth grinned but then let the smile fade slightly. "Have you told her yet?" She slipped into the conversation as if she was asking the dark haired Slayer if she wanted another cookie.

"Have I told who what yet?" Faith smiled at her as she did indeed grab another cookie.

"Buffy, any of the things you have to tell her." Ruth eased her legs up onto the seat and turned to fully face Faith.

"To be honest, I'm not exactly sure that telling her any of it would do any good right now." Faith shook her head more slowly eating a third cookie.

"Well there might be practical complications." Ruth propped her head up on her knees. "Though if you need to I can always do the patch up thing."

"Practical complications? C this is the girl who put a six inch blade in my side, be it for very valid reasons but still." Faith couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not sure we do practical complications well, I mean it's not like she's going to cry and tear up all my letters."

"I was thinking more who's going to stitch you back together when you're not as quick as the demon trying to rip your head off." Ruth replied succinctly.

"I will." Faith shrugged. "I know the risks, I'm not going to let anyone be unnecessarily exposed I wouldn't do that." She couldn't help but retaliate to the non-existent accusation. "And you know, so if things are that bad you can rope off the area till the ambulance gets there." She stood up. "You want a drink? I'm dry." She moved towards the kitchen.

"Faith." Ruth followed her. "I'm not judging you, I'm not accusing you and I am not trying to push you into a corner." She said softly. "I just think you're carrying things alone that you don't need to." She frowned slightly.

"I know you're not." Faith pulled out a soda from the fridge. "I just wanted a drink." She smiled over the can. "She's not ready to hear anything near this C, you know that better than anyone. She's all over the place, I mean one moment she looks like she's going to kick my ass and the next minute she's acting like I'm invisible and then she's suddenly looking to me for advice."

"I know you know what happened between Buffy and Spike." Ruth leaned her slim hip on the kitchen counter. "But that is the tip of her iceberg." The empath sighed sadly. "It's crazy here, I am in a foreign country, surrounded by people I don't really know and yet, I'm more or less the most happy and content person here." She frowned but only through sadness. "I'm surrounded by at least six people who are the closest of friends, and who would literally die for each other, but who are all lonely, scared and isolated." She shook her head. "Buffy is so frightened that she's going to get everything wrong, and believe it or not part of the ways she feels she could fail right now is you." She looked at Faith with warm navy eyes. "It's just hard to be in the center of a group of people who are so close and yet so fractured."

"It's all more than a bit of a mess." Faith agreed with her, she knew she didn't need to have Ruth's power in order to figure out that everyone was broken. "How are you and Red doing? You both seem happy at least." She smiled at the witch.

"We're good." Ruth nodded. "There are a couple of small things that are bothering me right now but nothing that…" She stopped and smiled and looked at Faith. "So that's how you do it." She said suddenly.

"Get people to completely forget that the conversation they were having with you was about you." Ruth chastised gently laughing and shaking her head. "Have you always been Miss. Evasive?"

"It's part of my mysterious charm." Faith winked at her and hopped up to sit on the counter. "Now come on, what small things? I'll play fair, give and take."

Ruth thought about it for a moment before leaning more heavily against the counter.

"Tara." Ruth said quickly. "Not that I mean she's a small thing, because of course I would never say that." She stopped and drew in a breath.

"More like a huge honking shadow over everything? Oh and I don't mean that in a bad way either just as a fact." Faith nodded.

"I was meaning more…" Ruth smiled. "She's not been to see her yet." The dark haired witch's smile vanished. "We've been here nearly two weeks." She shared her concern openly with the other Slayer.

"Have you asked her about it?" Faith checked the obvious question was answered before she said anything else.

"No." Ruth shook her head. "This is going to sound crazy, but with getting the hardware sorted, and the gloves designed and sorted, it's seemed like I'm always asking her for something or needing her to do something."

"Yeah but C this isn't for you, this is for her. I know Red a little." Faith held up two fingers smiling. "And I know one thing she's good at is keeping busy to avoid doing what she should be doing for herself. I mean I spend most of my nights in graveyards but they don't hold anyone important to me. She needs to get over that bit."

"I was thinking of bringing it up on Saturday," Ruth admitted. "But then Rupert mentioned that he was taking you and Buffy into the desert for that training, and I'm not sure it's something she should do without a full support team as it were."

"Look you mention what you want to do to B and she'll veto anything that the Giles has planned. Red's a much higher priority then her and I beating the hell out of each other again and again just because one of us is dropping a guard." Faith chugged more of her drink. "The one and only time I met Tara I wasn't actually in my own body and to sum up 'I was mean to her'." She gave a quick smile. "So my support might be best served by going MIA for the day."

"I know." Ruth smiled gently. "But that's in the past and not important, especially not to Tara." She shook her head. "She was a very astute young woman and she bore you no malice, well no more than I do for being mean to Willow in the past." She gave Faith a mock hard stern stare. "Which by the way, I won't settle for again." She added just to say that she had warned the Slayer in her own subtle way. Ruth pushed up from her leaning position and pulled open the fridge taking out a small milkshake. "So I should mention it?" She checked.

"I think you should." Faith nodded. "And I have no intention of having a face off with you Big Scary C." She smiled at the witch's attempt at intimidation. "Even if it's not the right time for her yet she needs to have it on the radar to deal with sooner than later."

"What inch do you want?" Faith nodded her agreement that those were the established rules.

"Beautiful, smart, witty and the Slayer, is there any skill that you don't possess?" Ruth laughed.

"Well I can't do what you do with the mind reading thing." Faith grinned. "Go on, what about Buffy, I don't want you saying that I don't keep up my end."

"Why do you resort two throwing each other across the work out mats rather than just holding her?" Ruth asked openly.

"Big jump there girl." Faith slipped down to stand. "And a lot of assumptions, like the fact that B has never had any inclination of the Sapphic kind like ever."

"I wasn't talking Sapphic." Ruth retaliated. "I was talking friendship." She pointed out. "Faith do you know how long it has been since Buffy has been held?" She was careful about her wording, "I'm not talking about hugging someone who needs her support, or her protection or her whatever, I'm talking about being taking into someone's arms who is just as strong, who doesn't 'need' her to do anything other than stand there and be hugged."

"But I'm not sure if I'm the best person to do that for her, all those practical complications." Faith leaned down onto the counter with her elbows looking at the calendar.

"Those complications have nothing to do with that Faith." Ruth raised her eyebrow. "It's just a hug."

"This might not be a fair statement Faith but…" Ruth paused. "Right now, Buffy needs someone."

"Isn't it?" Ruth turned the question right around with a soft but at the same time challenging tone.

As they breeched the top of the steep hill, Willow felt the strength in her legs biting into the slightly rocky terrain in order to not lose any of her momentum. She was surprised as she glanced around at the trees and then back down the hill that she wasn't even out of breath yet.

At her guess she and the Slayer had run at least five miles, that wasn't counting the actual journey from her house to the park and it appeared at a glance that their fast pace was at least sufficient to keep Buffy's Slayer stamina amused.

She thought of the first time she had tried to go on a run with the Slayer so many years ago. The journey had been a quick one, as she'd been doubled over gasping for breath by the time they got to the park. Valiantly she'd urged Buffy to continue on while she lay sprawled on a park bench trying to stop the burning in her chest and massage a cramp in her calf out.

"Not doing too bad are we?" she commented breaking the silent forest as she glanced over at her running partner.

"No, you're getting top star ratings Will." Buffy flashed Willow a smile and flicked back her hair, which she had gathered in a short high ponytail. "You need to slow down?" She checked that the redhead's comment hadn't been a subtle hint at something else. "I'm fine." Willow shook her head softly. "Unless you want to stop and do some meditating for a bit, it's so peaceful out here."

"Sure that sounds like a great idea." Buffy slowed her run to a light jog and then stopped. "So how's it all going?" She asked as Willow joined her.

"It's going okay. Giles had Ruth's bracelets and choker etched with symbols to help make the barrier spell more powerful and self propelling." Willow matched the drop in speed and then moved to stretch her calf against a fallen branch. "And Anya said that the gloves should be ready in a day or two tops."

"Wow that told me how Ruth was doing very efficiently." Buffy raised an eyebrow in her best friend's direction.

"Sorry." The redhead smiled softly. "She's doing really great considering new house, new city, new country." She sat down on the log. "We're doing well though, happy." She looked up at her best friend. "How are you doing?"

"Next question." Buffy shrugged. "Tai Chi or mediation?" She asked before choosing a stance.

"No yours." Buffy swung her arms around her body back and forth. "Though Will can I just say, it feels so good being here with you." She took a breath. "I can never tell you how much you were missed."

"I missed being here too." Willow admitted softly. "I missed best friend time." She felt her voice drop to a gentle tone.

"Are you really okay Will, being back and everything?" The Slayer looked carefully into green eyes.

"It's hard, it's very hard." Willow conceded sitting back down on her makeshift seat. "But it's worth it just to be able to do stuff like this." She motioned between them. "Makes me feel like I'm winning."

"You're winning." Buffy smiled at her. "I can hardly believe how much you are winning." She nodded encouragingly. "Even if you didn't exactly opt to come back here just yet." She conceded.

"Is it my imagination or did you ask that question already?" Buffy looked away from the redhead and glanced up at the sky.

"Your imagination." Willow smiled slightly. "I especially haven't asked how you're doing having Faith around."

"How has she been on patrol?" Willow noticed the change in the blonde's demeanor.

"Faithish, you know with the fast moves and the big talk. She still likes to beat then kill rather than just kill." Buffy assessed.

"She does." Willow nodded. "But at least with her around you can have a bit of a vacation, I mean you don't have to be out there slaying every minute."

"Why not?" Willow asked her seriously. "She hasn't been able to do any slaying for a long time, she's raring to do it as you just said and she's more than capable. Letting her take over slaying for a bit will just give her something to keep busy doing while you have some time off. I mean if something big comes up you can help but the day to day vampires."

"But Angel sent her here for a reason, he didn't send her to give me a holiday." Buffy argued. "Maybe he wanted me to watch her, you know to check she was okay."

"Angel would have told you that directly if he wanted that Buffy." Willow shook her head. "And there isn't any reason that you shouldn't concentrate on his big bad theory while Faith does the vamps."

"But I'm not sure that time off is what I need." Buffy shook her head. "I mean I don't need time to sit around and contemplate how much of a screw up I am." She kicked out at a tree root.

"You're not a screw up." The redhead watched her surprised by the words. "You are so not a screw up. I know what being a screw up is and you are definitely not one."

"How do you know what being a screw up is Will." The Slayer stopped. "You didn't screw up Will, things happened that were not your fault," she stressed.

"I've screwed up a lot Buffy…magical addiction ring a bell?" The redhead frowned. "All I am saying is that sometimes everyone needs a break from the stress, you don't have to sit at home just thinking. You could spend more time with Dawn and do the things around the house that you wish you had more time for."

"Oh Dawn doesn't need me anymore." Buffy shook her head. "The marvelous Mrs. Lauder is the answer to all her needs."

"I know how great Rose is, but Dawn still needs you." Willow pushed her thin body up. "You're her sister Buffy and there is nothing Dawn has ever wanted but to get to spend time with you being a family."

"But she's back at school now; I get to see her on the weekends." Buffy sighed. "No, I think I am better off just being Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the girl with no life."

"Buffy, there is no reason for you not to have a life." Willow moved over closer to her. "I know Faith isn't the poster girl for goodness or reliability but she has always been good at slaying. There isn't any reason for you to be out there beside her every night when you could be doing other things. Remember how you wanted to go back to school? You could start taking some courses."

"I don't know Will." Buffy sighed again and pushed a hand up over her hair. "Nothing much is making sense in my head right now." She rubbed at her eye for a moment. "Oh God, why am I even burdening you with this?" Buffy suddenly felt a stab of guilt.

"Because I'm your best friend and because I really need to know that you can talk to me about stuff." Willow put her arms up around her body. "I know what I did was horrible, a thousand times worse than Faith because she at least had gone psycho…I …I knew what I was doing but I'm trying to believe that I can make things better. I need to know that maybe one day you can trust me again."

"I do." Buffy looked straight at Willow. "I do trust you Will, you're my best friend and what you did, what happened, that wasn't all your fault." She took a breath and rubbed her hands on the legs of her jogging pants.

"Then how about you trust me on this, just like I do Buffy you need some time off. Some time where you're not the head of the pack anymore and with Faith here you can do that comfortably." Willow stepped a bit closer to her. "It would be nice to have girls movie night like we used to."

"Could Ru cope with that?" Buffy asked honestly worried that the empathic witch wouldn't enjoy such activities.

"She'd love it." Willow enthused. "I mean she might need to take breaks for a bit just to center but she's spent so long isolated. She really wants to be able to live finally now that she is with people who know about her powers and accept them."

"I can't imagine what her life must have been like." Buffy admitted sitting down. "I mean I remember how hard it was for me but at least my Mom was loving and supportive," she said without thinking.

"Joyce was one of the best moms on earth." Willow nodded smiling softly as she thought of the older woman who had brought so much into her teenage years. "I can't imagine how any woman could do what Ru's mother did, just leaving your children while you run off for some new life without at least trying to contact her in all these years. It makes me so sad."

Buffy realized that she'd just been given the way out of what could have been a potentially bad situation.

"Yeah, but hey she got this far without her help right?" She attempted to steer the conversation away from the topic.

"She did." Willow nodded solidly. "She's fought so hard all of her life, she is just so brave."

"You don't know how happy that makes me." Buddy whispered. "But let me just say really, really happy as a pointer in the right direction. So movie night, where and when is good for you?" She asked brightly.

"Tomorrow night?" Willow smiled brightly back. "You and Dawn could come by, we could pop corn and make s'mores."

"Sounds great," she agreed. "You wanna head back?" She glanced back down the track.

"Probably should." Willow began jogging in place. "We could pick up the stuff and make a nice salad for lunch." She offered.

"Oh Willow." Buffy moved over and hugged Willow tightly suddenly stopping her jogging motion. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." Willow hugged her back as tight as she could. "It's good to be with my family again."

Dawn hummed loudly as she swept the duster over the cabinet in the front room. In the background rather loud pop music blared from the small stereo as she did a twirl and then continued to clean.

Buffy pushed open the front door and stood for a long moment just watching as her sister happily cleaned the main room.

"Hey you, done your homework?" She called out to the younger woman and glanced at the clock.

"Only had to read two chapters for English and I did that on my spare." Dawn moved over to the wall to dust the pictures. "How was your day?"

"Good. Will and I had a great run and then I just picked up some leaflets and things about maybe going back to school." She admitted holding up the handful of papers. "Where's Rose?" She listened out for signs of the older woman.

"She's reading in her room." Dawn motioned with the duster up the stairs. "So you want to go back to school?" She turned studying her sister. "You know I could help you fill out the applications and stuff like we did last time."

"I don't know Dawn." Buffy admitted looking at her sister and smiling seeing how genuine the teenager's offer of help was. "What do you think to the idea?"

"I think it's a good idea." Dawn moved over and perched on couch. "You liked school even though you were always bitching about how hard it was. Maybe if you only took a few courses at a time it wouldn't be so hard to keep up patrol and get good grades."

"Why would it bother me?" Dawn blinked not understanding the root of the question.

"Because I'm supposed to be here, I'm your family." Buffy revealed her main concern.

"As long as you don't plan on moving out, is that what your plan is?" Dawn panicked slightly.

"No, no!" The Slayer frowned. "I'd never leave here; well not until you go off to some posh university."

"I don't want to go anywhere posh, I want to go to UC Sunnydale and live at home." Dawn informed her sister.

"Yeah, but you're hardly going to meet Prince Charming at UC Sunnydale." Buffy grinned at her sister. "Don't shatter all of my Auntie Buffy's dreams in one quick go."

"I am way too young for you to be thinking about me pregnant." Dawn laughed at the idea. "In fact I always figured you'd be hoping I wouldn't be anywhere near a boy long enough to get pregnant yet."

"I didn't mean now." Buffy stated quickly. "I meant, you know, in the future, a long time in the future."

"I know. I don't know yet about stuff like what school I want to go to Buffy, I have to try and pass history first this year or I'm not going to get out of sophomore year." Dawn screwed up her nose. "So come on, show me the brochures. Maybe Rose can yell at the Council and they will pay your tuition. They can write it off as Slayer upgrade."

"Giles and I have already talked about money." The Slayer admitted. "Rose has an income like Giles, and apparently so do I, you have a school fund too." She smiled at her sister.

"Cool." Dawn grinned and patted the couch next to her. "So what do you want to take? I think you should stay away from psychology; we don't need another Professor Walsh. What about poetry? You liked the poetry."

Buffy felt herself sit down rather than she consciously directed herself to do so.

"English is good, you could read in between slays." Dawn grinned. "Or hit them with old thick books, sorta your new signature weapon."

"Come on then you can help me look. Oh and while we are talking about plans do you have any for tomorrow night?" Buffy laughed and handed over some of the brochures.

"So how does movies and popcorn at the witches place sound?" The Slayer inquired trying to make it sound as casual as possible.

"Sounds great, are you and Faith going on some big recon mission and need us all in one place?" Dawn skimmed the first brochure.

"No…" Buffy paused to take a breath. "I'm thinking of asking Faith to go solo on patrol and joining you."

"You mean you're going to take a night off to watch movies?" Dawn turned fully to her sister her eyes wide.

"That would be great. I can't remember the last time we did that." The teenager was grinning from ear to ear. "Can I pick out the movie? I can go by Blockbuster on the way home from school."

"Oh course you can. Do you want me to pick you up? We could go together." The Slayer smiled.

"Yeah…I mean if you want…but you don't have too." Dawn hesitated a little. "Amanda, Jude and I usually just hang out at school for a bit and then make our way home but I can meet you at the front."

"Or I could send Willow with the car, if being picked up by your big sister is uncool?" Buffy leaned back into the cushions.

"It's not that it's uncool." Dawn tried to cover it up. "No wait it is. Remember when Mom came by to pick you up and I was there and she was teasing you about wearing those big sunglasses as if no one would recognize you."

"I remember you threatened to take a picture of me." Buffy laughed at the memory. "So I take it Willow and the car got the vote."

"Can't I just pick up the movie and meet you at Willow's?" Dawn shifted slightly bumping her shoulder into Buffy.

"Oh I get it the olds cramping your style." Buffy relented. "Sure you can just meet us at Willow's. But remember, no trying to scam the guy in Blockbusters to say you are older than you are."

"No worries, Ryan knows how old I am." Dawn smiled as she won the small battle and turned her attention back to the brochure.

"Ryan?" Buffy sat up firmly. "The boy at Blockbuster knows how old you are? How come I don't know how old he is? How come I don't know Ryan?"

"Buffy, chill." Dawn turned to her sister and rolled her eyes. "He's a junior, he works there part time. He's really sensitive, he likes drama and he wants to be a director."

"I'm almost seventeen, of course I'm dating." Dawn gave her an incredulous look. "You were dating Angel at my age."

"Yeah tons, Angel is three hundred years older than you, Ryan is sixteen months older than me." Dawn leaned back smiling. "Oh and Ryan isn't a vampire."

"Not long." The teenager admitted. "And there isn't really anything going on. Usually we just talk about movies, I keep waiting for him to ask me out but so far he hasn't." She frowned.

"He should come for dinner." The Slayer tried to remember all the things that her mother had done with Angel but then stopped. Wait, no she hadn't wanted her mother to invite Angel for dinner. "Um…or not."

"Not." Dawn agreed with the later option. "Though how uncool would it be if I asked him to a movie? I mean I know I'm all with the girl power but I don't want to freak him out."

"Maybe if there were a group of you going." She put forward. "Then it would feel less pressured."

"You did, but it's not like I'm going camping with Ryan or something." Dawn turned and leaned against her sister opening up another brochure.

"Camping?" Buffy examined Dawn's eyes for signs that the teenager was testing her.

"Yeah you know, packing nothing but some food and lots of condoms." Dawn tried to keep a straight face. "Start making all those babies you wanted."

"You…clean." Buffy pushed up from the couch. "I'm hungry." She added moving towards the kitchen.

"So you don't want me making babies just yet for you?" Dawn teased as she picked up her duster again.

Faith back flipped and felt the weighted blade of an axe slip into the small space between her arm and her body as she moved. She felt herself grin, as always amazed by her bodies own ability to react and maneuver. When she hit the ground solid again on her feet, she smiled at the thin spindly vampire who had thrown the blade as she rushed at him.

"So you were saying something about tomorrow night B?" She questioned the other Slayer who was perched sitting on the top overhang of a large crypt watching the action.

"I was going to ask you something about it yeah." Buffy admitted watching as Faith literally toyed with the fledgling.

"Well go on then." Faith ducked back and forth away from a few punches as the vamp got more angry and less accurate. "I'm all ears."

"Solo?" Faith turned towards her and timed her moment to throw a backwards punch into his face. "Sure, I can baby sit your Hellmouth anytime." She turned finally and staked him as he held his broken nose.

"It's just that Willow thought it might be nice if I had a night off, watch a movie with Dawn you know, did the family thing, but if you don't feel up to it or would rather not I understand." Buffy explained and offered ways out.

"No, that's cool." Faith dusted off her hands. "I can take patrol, I mean it's not like we've had anything exciting since the regenerator."

"And you can take the cell phone in case anything crops up that you need help with." Buffy added security. "But if you'd rather not, I mean I don't want you to think I'm using you or anything."

"B, I'm a Slayer." Faith moved over to the ground beneath where Buffy was perched and looked up at her. "And hell I've been in jail slacking for the last while, I owe you."

"Thanks, it'd just be for tomorrow night." She underlined. "Then you'll have a companion again."

"Sounds like a plan." Faith nodded. "Oh by the way B, did Giles mention anything to you about a retreat this weekend?"

"He was making some rumblings about it." Buffy shrugged. "Why, did he mention it to you?"

"No, actually Ruth did." Faith moved over and using the overhang of stone pulled herself up and landed to sit next to the blonde. "But she wants us all in Sunnydale this weekend if we can be."

"She'll probably talk to you about it herself but…" Faith hesitated. "She's going to mention to Red about going to see Tara's grave."

"What?" Buffy stared at the other Slayer. "Is she crazy?" The blonde's brow furrowed deeply.

"No." Faith shook her head surprised by Buffy's reaction. "She's worried that Red's not dealing with the things she needs to. I mean it's been over two weeks now, apparently Willow hasn't mentioned it at all."

"She's not likely to." Buffy shook her head. "Willow's got to be ready to do this, not do it because someone else thinks its time for her to do it." She frowned again.

"C knows that." Faith defended. "She just wants Red to at least be thinking about it, instead of pretending it doesn't exist." She turned looking out over the cemetery. "And the tree Dawn planted is nice, Red should see it."

"I went by to see her." Faith kept looking out towards the horizon. "And your mom." She slowly turned to Buffy.

"You did?" Buffy managed to whisper. "Thank you." She added wondering why a hard lump had suddenly formed in her throat.

"Have you gone to see them?" Faith asked the question hoping the Slayer wouldn't think she was being judgmental just in case Buffy hadn't.

"I don't think either of them would want you spending time there if someone else needed you." The dark Slayer watched the blonde turn away and thinking back to her conversation with Ruth bit down the panic inside her as she reached out and very lightly put her hand over the one that Buffy had resting on the stone ledge between them. "And as C says, they are with us all the time."

"I know that's supposed to help." Buffy glanced at their hands. "But I'm not sure it does, I don't want to think that mom was there when…" She stopped and shivered.

"No B, she's not with you in a watching and living with your pain way." Faith shook her head. "She's in your heart, loving you even when you don't love yourself."

"She only loves me because she's my mom, not because I deserve it." Buffy shivered again glancing up at the dark night sky.

"B, your mom loved you because she loved you not because she gave birth to you. A lot of women have daughters B and don't give a shit about them, aka my mother." Faith pointed out squeezing the blonde's hand as her thumb looped around to rest on Buffy's palm. "And I know your mom, if she'd been here during all that's gone on she would have just kept loving you and tried to find a way to help you."

"I wish she'd have told me how to help myself." Buffy admitted looking down at their hands again, part of her wanting to break the contact, demanding of Faith what right she had to do that, but another part of her wanted to just keep the contact, enjoy it, savor it.

"I think some mysteries of the universe you have to figure out on your own." Faith conceded.

For a long moment Buffy just stared at the sky and then pulled her hand free of the other Slayer's. She drew it to her body for a second feeling the temperature difference between it and the other hand that had been kept exposed to the cool night air.

"Do you think we can head home?" She asked looking around at the silent cemetery.

"Only three new graves and three dusted." Faith nodded and hopped down. "Can we swing by the store; I got a craving for some chips."

"Good morning happy lesbians." Anya appeared with a flourish at the end of Willow and Ruth's bed, scaring them both out of deep sleeps.

"ANYA!" Willow snapped at her as she sat up and moved to put a protective arm over the dark haired witch. "You have to stop doing that or I might incant your head off or something."

"Well that's a nice greeting for someone bringing presents." Anya pouted drastically.

"No, but most people don't just appear in our bedroom while we're asleep." Willow took a deep breath. "I mean even if you appeared in the hallway and knocked, maybe?"

"Oh…I hadn't thought about that, my humanity must really be slipping." Anya frowned but quickly shrugged and with a flick of her wrist made a two small white boxes appear, one tied with a black ribbon the other with a navy one. "For the dark haired witch." She grinned and held the boxes out to Willow to take as Ruth pushed up to sit up against the back headboard.

"Already?" Willow looked at the two boxes as she took them with awe. "But you said it would be a few more days."

"Well you know demons, always erring on the side of caution." Anya smiled brightly. "I promise I've not peeked." She sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Ru, I believe these are for you." The redhead turned presenting them to Ruth. "Which do you want to open first?"

"I don't know." Ruth admitted she glanced up at Willow her sleepy eyes showing her almost hidden excitement. "My everyday ones?" She looked at the box with the black ribbon.

Lifting her hands from beneath the covers Ruth took the small box and pulled at the ribbon, which slipped easily undone.

"Oh I didn't the seamstress is a very particular demon everything has to be just so." Anya explained. "Now hurry up." She urged.

Ruth chuckled softly and eased the box open, seeing the almost translucent tissue paper inside. It was sealed closed by a sticker that proudly announced 'Flaya seamstress of the unique'." Not wanting to rip the seal Ruth carefully tore the tissue and peeled it back. The black pair of gloves she eased out of the wrapping looked almost like leather, but with seams and trim in white. Each had an R on the back in white stitching. The gloves themselves looked tiny though as Ruth eased her hand into one it seemed the perfect size, fitting the young witch 'like a glove.'

"How is it?" Willow asked tentatively watching how carefully she had pulled them out and pulled the first one on.

"Cool." Ruth replied looking at her hand and then up at Willow. "And I mean temperature not you know, cool." She smiled.

"In a bad way?" Not thinking the redhead reaching out and clutched Ruth's hand trying to see if she could feel the difference in temperature.

"No, not in a bad way." Ruth shook her head and closed her gloved fingers around Willow's hand.

"They're designed that way." Anya piped up. "Give them a second and they're be at the same temperature that your hands were." She explained.

Ruth glanced at her and nodded as she felt the gloves warm through, but never become uncomfortably hot.

"Thank you Anya, for everything, you've been so helpful." Ruth looked up at the demon her eyes and smile honest and genuine. "I…I don't know how to thank you really." She admitted.

"I just wanted to show that we can be 'good' as well as apparently 'bad'." She said though her smile said that she was more than happy with the witch's words of thanks.

Ruth released Willow's hand and pulled on the second glove, stretching it on her fingers.

"How do they feel? I mean in an empath way." Willow continued to watch her curiously.

"Strange," Ruth admitted as she looked at the redhead. "I can still like feel you," She explained. "Like I know you're here in an empathic way, but I can't focus or read you." She explained. "It's almost like you're a TV on mute, you know?" She frowned wondering if she was explaining things right.

"That sound right doesn't it Anya?" Willow checked with the demon. "It means that you don't lose your powers at all but that you can tone them down as you need to."

"Sounds perfect." Anya nodded. "Right, well I'll be going then." She backed up a little. "Sorry about the not knocking thing." She apologized.

"Thank you Anya, I really appreciate all you've done." Willow looked at the demon as she stood up. "Is there anything we can do for you, you could come for tea and we could cook your favorite?" She tried the small offer.

"Oh I know. We're having videos and popcorn with Buffy and Dawn this evening, why don't you come too?" Ruth smiled encouragingly.

"Why don't I, a vengeance demon who can travel around the world at will, come to a girls night in?" She arched an eyebrow. "What time should I be here?" she smiled.

"Buffy and Dawn are coming for around six." Willow smiled back at her. "So anytime after then."

"You don't mind having a full house tonight do you?" The redhead felt bad for a second. "I should have asked you first, my bad." She bit her lip looking at Ruth.

"Of course I don't mind Lo." Ruth shook her head and smiled happily. "I remember all the stories you used to tell me about the old Scooby days, with video nights and things, I like the idea that maybe we can start things like that again." She encouraged. "I like the thought that you feel up to it." She added with a special smile just for Willow.

"I'm looking forward to it, curling up with my girl under a blanket watching movies with the girls." Willow reached out to hold Ruth's hand again. "So now that Anya's gone how do they really feel?" She questioned softly.

"House owners prerogative." The redhead nodded. "Anya will be all obsessed about the popcorn, Dawn will be happy as long as someone braids her hair and we do facials, that leaves Buffy who just needs lots of chocolate and people agreeing that whatever fight moves they do in the movie are totally lame because she's better."

"Now I'm all excited by it too." She hugged Willow softly. "Do they look stupid?" She asked pulling back and looking down at her hands.

"No, they look very sexy." Willow wiggled her eyebrows. "With the posh embroidered 'R', I mean I'm dating a princess."

"Silly Lo." Ruth shook her head. "It's just me." She ran a finger along the choker around her throat. "Want to go out and test them?" She offered her voice soft, her navy eyes looking up through long dark eyelashes.

"Totally, we can go buy stuff for our big first girls night and flowers. We so need flowers, and a special pressie for the girl with the new things." Willow moved forward and pressed their lips together obviously excited. "I can't wait to show you off to the big brave world."

"Great." Ruth grinned urged on by Willow's excitement. "Guess that calls for outdoor clothes then." She grinned and slipped out of the bed and to the closet. "Any preference precious?" She asked holding the door open.

"You should wear your black jeans and your tight black turtleneck with England in gray on the front and your new jean jacket with the dark cotton arms." Willow had it all set out in her head as she made the appraisal. "Oh and your Harley boots."

"I'm being the butch today huh?" She laughed as she pulled out the chosen items.

"Well I did have this great dream last night and that's what you were wearing." Willow pulled back the covers and swung herself out of bed, turning to carefully make up the tangled sheets. "Didn't you have the same dream?" She turned fluffing a pillow.

"No, I didn't." Ruth admitted shaking her head. "That is not that I remember. I must have been so content I just let you take us wherever." She smiled and dropped her gray pants to the floor.

"So you don't remember what I was wearing, that's disappointing." Willow pouted as she put the pillow back on the bed. "You said it was the one of the most beautiful and memorable outfits I'd ever worn."

"Well that's easy." Ruth shook her head. "It will have been your cream skirt with the lace overlay, and your dark brown peasant top."

"Cheater." Willow laughed as she picked up the hairbrush on the dresser. "Why don't I go make us a quick breakfast and some brew and you can set out what you want me to wear?" She smiled and headed for the hallway.

Ruth agreed happily and set out Willow's clothes before slipping into the outfit that her lover had requested. When she was dressed she moved quickly down the stairs to go towards the kitchen, more or less bumping into Giles on the way.

"I'm feeling bright this morning." She grinned as she caught sight of herself in the mirror and realized the only flaw to her outfit was that her hair was still the untidy mess it had been when she got out of bed. She attempted to tuck an unruly black curl behind her ear.

"Oh I see, I wondered why Willow was humming in the kitchen." He moved through to the downstairs washroom.

"Was I?" Willow turned with a smile as she pulled out some jam and butter from the fridge. "I hear a tummy rumbling for fresh scones, Giles went to the bakery."

"I know." Willow turned as the toaster popped and she pulled out the two toasted halves. "Do you want butter, jam or both?"

"Both please." Ruth gave a wide grin. "I'll go pull the curtains in the front room." She more or less skipped out to fulfill her task.

"Ru, try these on I think they'll be…" Willow turned with the dark sliver framed sunglasses in her head expecting that the other witch was close behind her and instantly her heart leapt up into her throat when she discovered that Ruth wasn't anywhere she could see. "Ru?" She picked up the shopping bags she had by her feet and started looking around. She cursed her short height, as she couldn't see over most of the racks in the large department store. "Ru?" She moved around the jewelry counter becoming more concerned as she waded through groups of teenager girls who were obviously doing some shopping on their lunch hour from school.

"Lo, Lo c'mere." Ruth suddenly ran in from Willow's left side, grabbing hold of her hand and pulling her back the way she had just hurried in from.

"Ru…are you okay?" Willow found she was gasping for breath as a gloved hand finally took hers and pulled her in another direction making her head spin.

"Look they have mini yous…" Ruth's voice trailed off as she stopped in front of a sticker display. "Lo, precious." Ruth's smile evaporated as she saw Willow's look. "Angel…" She lifted her free hand and rested it against the redhead's cheek. "What's wrong?"

"I…I…I turned around." Willow tried to take a deep breath as she blinked a few times and stepped closer to the empath. "I couldn't find you…I was afraid…" She looked into navy eyes. "I'm sorry, what did you find?" She tried to focus.

"No, no sorries." Ruth shook her head, and immediately drew Willow into her arms. "I'm right here." She pressed her lips onto redhead. "I'm sorry Lo, it's just…" She took a breath and then kissed the redhead again. "It's amazing, it's like I'm…normal." She whispered the small word, as she looked across into green eyes.

"You mean you can't feel or read anyone?" Willow blinked holding tight to the other witch's slim body.

"I can feel them." Ruth explained, "But only like they're giving off almost a residual essence, not deafening me with emotions or anything like that. She took a breath and then hugged Willow tighter again. "Oh God Lo it's amazing." She breathed.

"I can't believe it worked." Willow hugged her back forgetting her worry. "I'm so happy Ru." She rocked them back and forth as they hugged.

"Neither can I." Ruth happily moved with her lover. "Oh Lo, thank you, thank you, thank you." She breathed pulling back a little before pressing her lips over and over onto Willow's.

"I'm so happy." Willow kissed her back without thinking about it either, as they were standing in the middle of Wal-Mart and she had never been one for great public displays of affection but this news was just far too monumental to care. "And I love you." She kissed her again.

"Oops." Ruth suddenly giggled and pulled back a little. "I guess I got a little carried away there sorry."

"Do you care if anyone sees you kissing me?" Willow questioned softly not pulling back any further for a moment.

"No." Ruth admitted. "I just thought you know, you might mind, or other people might…God this is so weird, I can't tell if they mind or not." She gave a silly grin.

"I don't care what they think." Willow shook her head. "I used to be so afraid, so afraid that people would think 'hey look lesbians' and do mean things but I don't care anymore because no one can hurt us like that. I know what it's like to have people hurt me, it didn't help me protect…" The redhead's words faltered a bit. "I don't want to miss out kissing you when I want because some yahoo might say something mean." She tried to keep focused on the purpose of the conversation.

"What did you see that you wanted to show me?" Ruth gently directed Willow's thoughts back to shopping.

"I found some nice sunglasses." Willow held up the pair she had tightly gripped in one hand.

Ruth was going to look at them but as she glanced at the redhead she couldn't stop herself from pulling her closer into another embrace.

"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you never get hurt again." She whispered kissing her softly.

"I know you will." Willow kissed her lightly before tucking her head down on Ru's shoulder.

"Are you tired?" The dark haired witch asked as she placed a kiss on Willow's head and just stood there with her.

"No, need retail therapy." Willow pulled back slowly and grinned. "We have a credit card and free rein, let's go to the furniture and electronics section."

"Yeah, we need a pair of writing desks." Willow grabbed her hand and started dragging her off.

"You do realize something, don't you Lo?" She asked as they hurried down the busy Mall.

"We…" The redhead heard the words and then felt herself pulled in a thousand different directions before her mind was able to settle on something. "I love you." She leaned forward and kissed Ruth again.

Willow threw off her coat and fell down on the couch, she quickly pushed off her shoes letting them fall to the floor with two thuds as she reached down and pulled off her socks as well.

"I don't think I've ever walked that much." She looked to the dozen laden bags that she had dropped near her spot. "Or shopped that much." She giggled.

"That was so amazing." Ruth more or less bounced in after the redhead putting down her handful of shopping bags. "Do you need anything?" She glanced at her lover.

"Hardly a hardship." Ruth grinned and more or less jumped onto the sofa next to the redhead.

"How are you feeling? I hope you didn't get too tired, I mean even with the blocks." Willow pulled her closer and ran her fingers around the dark haired witch's ear.

"I don't even think I know what the word tired means." Ruth said happily. "Is it defined as feeling elated, light as a feather and happy as a clam?"

"Nor, really." Willow shook her head with a light laugh. "You're so cute, like a kid in a candy store…though missy no more free samples at the candy store. The clerk was scowling at us something awful."

"I think the fact that you bought almost thirty dollars worth of various gummy things made him get over it." Willow laughed again. "Though I'm dying to know what you bought me when we split up. You had such a grin on your face."

"You can't see it." Ruth shook her head and looked down at the bags at her feet. "In fact talking of that." She pushed up out of their seated embrace. "I need to hide this." She picked up a yellow plastic bag and began walking to the stairs.

"You're leaving me on the couch all alone?" Willow looked up over the back at her. "And I wasn't going to look." She added and Ruth stopped.

"I promise not to look 'cause you're not allowed to look at yours either." Willow explained grinning.

"Okay that's fair enough." Ruth put the bag down and walked slowly back to the couch.

"Very fair." Willow patted the seat next to her and smiled more when Ruth sat down. "Now come on boots off." She bent down and undid the zippers on the dark haired witch's boots. "Need to be all relaxed and homey."

"Angel, before we do this…shouldn't we check that Rupert isn't in?" Ruth ran her hand over Willow's hair.

"Do what?" Willow had the most innocent look but she still got up and walked down the short hall, calling out to the Watcher but receiving no reply. She stopped by the kitchen and found a neatly written note. "He's already left for his folk singer get together thing." She filled Ruth in as she moved back to the couch positioning herself to stand in front of her girlfriend.

"It's a little after three." Willow glanced at the face of her Elmo watch. "So we've got lots of time, everyone is arriving for sixish."

"Lots of time for what Lo?" Ruth reached out and drew a finger up over Willow's knee.

"And what would my Elmo want?" Ruth spoke slowly as she drew light circles on the redhead's skirt.

"Mmmmm…" The redhead bit her lower lip lightly as she found herself kept from going any closer by the couch edge.

Ruth slowly pulled her hand backward and eased off the tight fitting black material. She wiggled her fingers and grinned.

"I should make you work for it then." Willow boldly pulled up her skirt a bit, she slid her knee forward and straddled her body over the other witch's lap.

Ruth couldn't help but smirk as she drew her other hand up to her mouth and pulled the remaining glove off her hand.

"You've not had to use your powers all day." Willow watched the move as she settled closer knowing that the contact between them despite layers of clothing would be telling Ruth enough. "I just thought you might like to give them some attention."

"I'd rather give you attention." Ruth dropped her voice lower and placed her hands on Willow's skirt resting over her thighs. "And you know I've just discovered that putting so much effort into blocking and things wears me out so much." Her smile turned into a more mischievous smirk. "Because I've not had to do that all day I'm positively brimming with energy."

"Brimming?" Willow felt a shiver go through her body with the dark haired words, she reached her hands up to Ruth's hair.

"Yep." Ruth nodded. "Can you think of a way of expelling a little?" She tipped her head back into Willow's hands.

"Maybe I can, if you're in the mood." Willow leaned in and brought her lips to the other witch's. "I just don't know why but I can't even think of resisting you right now." She whispered before she kissed her firmly.

"Then don't." Ruth purred as she slid her hands up Willow's thighs dragging the lightweight flowing skirt up along with the movement. "Because believe me Lo, I really want you." She leaned in and kissed Willow's throat over and over.

"I guess it's something about shopping for things for our house." Willow admitted sliding her hands down the bottom of Ruth's sweater and pulling upwards wanting to quickly get rid of the thick wool material.

Ruth reluctantly loosened her grip on Willow's thighs so that they could pull off the sweater and drop it lightly on the floor, leaving the dark haired young woman in just a black bra. Once the woolen jersey was removed Ruth slid her hands back onto Willow's thighs, this time lightly squeezing the warm flesh.

"You do want to, don't you?" Willow checked as she pressed her hips forwards into the angle of Ruth's hands, her own going to toy with the straps around the dark witch's shoulders.

"More than I want to breathe right now." Ruth nodded dipping her shoulders forward to Willow's fingertips. "Lo, you drive me crazy, the way you look, the way you move, the way you laugh, the way you shop." She smirked.

"You drive me crazy, too." Willow pressed the straps down before she pulled back and with a slight hesitation pulled her own shirt up and off. "I'm wearing a silly bra." She blushed slightly as she realized she had put on a white bra that had small concentric orange circles all over it in a haphazard pattern.

"I love that bra." Ruth shook her head, "Have you never noticed it's kinda see through and the circles are right," She moved one hand up and drew it around one of the circles teasing Willow's nipple beneath the material. "In the right place."

"Mmm…" Willow's eyes flared open slightly as a moan slipped from between her lips. "I never noticed." She admitted pressing slightly into Ruth's hand. "But now I might just have to wear it more often." She moved in closer seeking a kiss as her hips moved against Ruth's body.

Ruth cupped the whole of Willow's breast in her hand as she leaned and kissed her with an open mouth, instantly seeking permission to explore her lover in a deep kiss. Her request was met without hesitation as the redhead's hands pressed down full over Ruth's breasts kneading them through the material.

"Mmmmm Lo." Ruth broke the kiss briefly as she slipped her hands around Willow's back gently unhooking her bra. "Need to see my girl." She explained as she gently lowered the straps off creamy colored shoulders, and then discarded it all together. "Better." She breathed as she placed her hands lightly back on Willow's freckled skin.

"For an empath you're a very visually needy girl." Willow smiled as she watched the way Ruth's eyes traced over her body as if memorizing each of her million freckles. "But I'm not complaining." She whispered to reassure Ruth as she undid the clip at the front of Ruth's bra so that she could peel the material back. "You know me, I'm a breast girl." She smiled as she teased the hard nipples she found with soft strokes of her thumb.

"And I'm so not complaining about that." Ruth underlined as she leaned forward pressing her breasts to Willow's hands and her lips to her shoulders. "I love you Lo." She breathed after each light kiss.

"I love you Ru." Willow added pressing closer. "I think the pants need to go." She reached down to the belt at Ruth's waist.

"Yes." Ruth groaned feeling a pulse of desire flare between her legs as Willow began slipping leather from metal. "Then Lo, would you take my choker and cuffs off, I want to feel you in every way I possibly can, and I know they don't block you as such, but they do dim the world a little."

"Are you sure?" Willow's hand went up to the clasp at Ruth's throat and she began to remove it when she had received a firm nod. Quickly she laid the choker back on the coffee table and moved to undo each of the cuffs. "Better?" Her hand went back to the belt at Ruth's waist as she slid that open.

"Oh yes." She breathed her hands slightly trembling traced a weaving line on connecting light brown freckles. "It's like this place is my sanctuary and you're my guardian angel." She blinked navy eyes up at Willow. "With you I can be both sheltered from the world, and embrace it."

"My little English poet." Willow smiled as she moved to kiss her girlfriend again, the contact a slow and sensuous meeting. "Do you want to go upstairs or just lay down here?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Here feels fine." Ruth replied gently. "Unless you'd feel better in bed?" Ruth hadn't picked up any preference vibes from her lover but she liked to check to be sure. They had made love six times since that first blissful event, each had been carefully approached and undertaken ensuring both felt comfortable and right with both the place and the actions. Ruth felt that Willow needed that level of control at least for now.

"No, too far away." Willow shook her head and shifted slightly sideways so that she could lean down. "Not unless you want to?" She checked worried maybe Ruth was comfortable there.

"I just want to make love to you." Ruth replied. "And I want you to make love to me."

"That's exactly what I want Ru." Willow underlined reaching down to the button and zipper on her skirt and undid the material so she could slip it off.

"I mean it Lo." Ruth took a breath and caught green eyes. "I want you…tonight…" She swallowed. "If you want to that is." She added not wanting to pressure her lover.

"If you don't want to Lo, that's okay." Ruth frowned when she was hit with a wave of emotion from the redhead but was unable to filter or define it.

"No…I didn't mean…I just…are you sure?" Willow reached up and pulled Ruth closer wanting to feel her so she had something solid.

"Yes…I…" Ruth still couldn't focus clearly on what Willow was thinking, "Not if you don't want to though, damn it." She cursed suddenly and pulled back out of reach. "Perhaps the whole buffering outfit isn't such a good idea, as it seems to mess up my empathic ability to read moods."

"No, no Ru." Willow sat up quickly when the dark haired witch moved out of reach. "I didn't mean that I don't want to. It's just…I had myself all focused on the waiting because I thought you'd want to wait that I didn't think you'd want to." She moved on her knees next to Ruth. "I mean I want you to make love to me, completely." She whispered the last word.

"Look at me…of course I do." Willow reached up and held her lover's face. "I love you, you are a completely beautiful and desirable woman. On top of that I am on fire for you." She added putting her forehead to Ruth's. "You have to feel that."

"I do, that is, I think I do, but then I panic and I think that maybe what I feel for you, and how much I want you and want you to…" She stopped blushing slightly, "Well I just think that colors my perception maybe."

"It doesn't." Willow shook her head slightly. "You have to trust this Ru, you have to trust us to do this." She admitted lightly. "I wasn't sure for awhile but now I know I want this, I trust you to make this beautiful and I trust you to be there not only to make love with me but to help me with anything that my crazy brain comes up with later because I think I'm not good enough or that you deserve better."

"Crazy Lo brain." Ruth smiled softly and raised a fingertip to the redhead's temple. "We can wait if you'd rather." The tension disappeared from Ruth's shoulders as she relaxed.

"I don't want to wait, I want to feel you…touch you." Willow's breathing went a bit deeper.

"I want to feel you too, I want to know how it feels to…" Ruth stopped and looked at Willow unable to continue for a moment. She leaned in and placed her lips over the redhead's and kissed her hotly.

Willow met the kiss with a growing need as she wound her arms around Ruth's body not wanting to let her go as she fell back so that she was resting on the cushions.

"Angel." Ruth arched to her back and moaned before leaning in to kiss Willow's throat and cheek. "Yes now."

"Please." Willow tipped her head back and brought her hands to Ruth's hips and pulled her into her own body as she arched her hips.

"I believe we still have way too many clothes on." Ruth only just managed to speak before a groan took her ability to talk clean away.

Ruth nodded quickly and managed to shimmy out of her black jeans the move bringing both of her legs up onto the couch seat, to mask the fact that she only had on a black thong and the unfastened black bra.

"This too." Willow reached and helped her shed the bra. "You are so beautiful." She ran her hands down the length of Ruth's back.

"This might be a good time to give you your present." She whispered after opening her eyes again.

"Is it?" Willow blinked as she tried to focus her mind a little on what Ruth was saying.

Ruth nodded and slipped free from Willow and off the couch, standing up slowly. She crossed to the bag she had moved earlier, dipping carefully in it for a moment, moving something and then easing something out of it.

"It's one of your presents actually." Ruth explained as she pulled the red plaid fleece blanket out of the bag. "It's like the one you stole from my room at the manor." She explained as she walked back towards the couch with it and then laid it out on the floor. "Only softer." She knelt on it and slid the black cotton panties down her thighs.

"It's lovely." Willow smiled at the gesture and moved off the couch to join her on the soft fleece.

"I couldn't resist." Ruth ran one hand over the soft fabric on the floor and reached the other over to stroke Willow's arm softly.

"I can see why." The redhead moved closer so that they were lying down together on the blanket. "It's perfect." She placed her hand on Ruth's stomach.

Ruth couldn't stop the shiver of excitement that rolled through her at the simple touch.

"We have all we need, we have each other." Willow shook her head. "Don't you think?" She traced her fingers upwards and swirled them around one hard nipple.

"I do." Ruth nodded and groaned softly as she felt the trail of Willow's fingers, and the delicious wave of passion that it caused in both her own and Willow's body. "I think you're all I'll ever need." She breathed. "Well you and cookies." She smirked and drew a deep breath in.

"If you hadn't added in cookies I would have been worried." The redhead couldn't help but smile at the comment. She slowly wound her finger around again before she moved across the gap between Ruth's breasts and moved to slide the same treatment around the other nipple.

"It's alright isn't it?" Ruth checked. "To chat whilst…and to you know laugh a little."

"Yes, I love hearing you laugh and babble with me." Willow nodded as she continued tracing the dips and valleys of her lover's body.

"Good, because I like it too." Ruth felt herself relax a little more. "It shows how comfortable we are together and how right what we're doing is."

"Mmmmm have I told you how much I love your lips." Ruth groaned softly arching her back slightly and moving her hand to stroke over red hair.

"Not lately." Willow smiled as she kissed the underside of Ruth's left breast, moving around the soft swell with slow attention.

"Oh Lo, you could do that for hours and I would never complain." Ruth purred in appreciation.

"So could I." Willow agreed with a soft moan as she kissed in a slow concentric circle towards her ultimate goal. "And I might." She added softly.

"Think you can last that long?" Willow teased as she flicked out the tip of her tongue winding it around the straining peak of flesh she had been ignoring.

"Mmmmm maybe not all night." Ruth admitted arching her back higher and panting slightly. "But I could take it for a long time."

"How long do you think?" Willow looked up licking her lips before she bent down and blew a cool stream of air down over the witch's wet skin.

"Ahhhh." Ruth lifted a little off the blanket before settling her back, back down on it. "Not long if you do that often." She breathed.

"Oh no, this isn't wild." The redhead smirked as she pulled her weight back a bit and placed kisses down Ruth's stomach in a slow deliberate pattern.

"Lo…what are you…where are you going?" Ruth's voice hitched up a notch in tone as she breathed out a heavy breath her hand slipping off from the back of Willow's head as the redhead moved lower.

"Somewhere I think you'll like." The redhead whispered descending slower as in her own way she gave Ruth more than enough time to object, with gentle hands she eased the dark haired witch's knees open and up a bit as she settled closer to her goal.

"Oooooh." Ruth made the sudden logical conclusion. "Angel…are you sure? I mean do you like that?" She felt her breath coming a little quicker in anticipation.

"Mmmm do I like…" Willow smiled as she pressed her lips to the inside of Ruth's right thigh, the heavy musk of the witch's arousal filled Willow's senses. "This?" She teased a little as she placed another kiss over the short damp curls nearby.

"Yes." Ruth's reply was almost lost in a gasp as her hips flared up just a little, to land lightly on the mattress as Willow's lips left her sensitized skin again.

"I don't know…I might need more evidence." The redhead grinned as she pressed in with a much stronger kiss, again Ruth's hips rose to her touch and just as the tension began to drop out of Ruth's body she let her tongue slip out running through the witch's wetness.

Ruth moaned considerably louder before catching the edge of her bottom lip with her teeth lightly.

"Lo." She breathed out of her still semi-closed mouth. "Oh angel." She felt exquisite tension wind its way up her spine.

Willow didn't bother wasting a muffled response as she was too busy working her tongue in deeper, seeking out the spot she knew was going to cause a much more wild reaction in the dark haired witch.

Ruth closed her eyes in wonder as she felt Willow's tongue and lips working closer to what she too knew was the redhead witch's goal. She made an effort to control her breathing and her heartbeat, both wanting to lose all rhythm and pattern.

It didn't take experience to hear and feel the changes that her tongue was causing in Ruth's body. Willow could feel the increased pressure each of the empath's hip movements had and as she drew her tongue back and forth in a slightly faster motion, she could feel the subtle difference in the hot flesh she was teasing.

"Lo…oh God baby." Ruth moaned as she pushed her head to the side into the pillow, catching her breath once more as a slight shiver ran through her excited body. "That feels amazing."

A muffled agreement was the only noise that Willow could spare as she concentrated on breathing out of her nose as her mouth remained firmly fixed in place, she alternated the pressure from the tip of her tongue and began lightly sucking on the engorged flesh when she felt Ruth's hips bucking more.

Ruth's small hand slipped out to the side of her body and wound itself into the blanket beneath her as she lightly began to grind her lower body against Willow's gentle pressure, her short fingers balling up the red plaid fleece into her fist as she moaned louder.

As Ruth's responses built Willow felt her own body growing more and more aroused, she could hardly believe that she was enjoying such an intimate moment. Not that she hadn't believed it would happen, just more that her hopes and wishes had settled into the reality of some day much more than soon. Wanting to give Ruth as much pleasure as she could, she began to suck harder, working her tongue against the flesh she captured between her lips. At the same time she ran one hand over Ruth's leg while the other settled on the witch's stomach.

"Oh angel." Ruth groaned, slipping her free hand onto her own stomach to interlace with Willow's. Her hot fingertips pressing tightly against the back of the redhead's hand. "Yes…oh yes."

"Yes." Willow echoed as she pulled back just for a moment, slipping her free hand around to gentle use her fingers to spread Ruth's body more open before she quickly sought the witch's center again with her tongue.

"Ahhhh!" Ruth gasped, pushing her hips higher, her legs inching a little wider and higher also. Her eyes closed again as she felt a pulse of desire rush through her making every nerve down her spine and across her stomach flare, her fingers pressing harder against Willow's hand.

The sudden jolt of ecstasy made Willow moan as the energy reverberated into her own body. Wanting so much at that moment to both feel and taste the empath's release she closed her lips again, she increased the pressure as Ruth's hips rose and released it enough to flick again with her tongue as her hips lowered to the floor.

"Lo…Oh God…Lo…" Ruth panted between hot fast breaths as her hips moved higher and faster. "Angel I…oh God…" Her voice trailed off in a whisper as she arched her back and let her body move with more abandon.

Willow groaned in encouragement as she did her best to keep up with the wild rocking beneath her, she held tighter to Ruth's hand as the strokes of her tongue became less accurate but more pressured against the dark haired witch's body.

Ruth squeezed Willow's hand in return, as tight tremors began in her thighs, her breathing more a pant than a regular pattern. The shaking continued up her spine and in the muscles of her tensed arms.

The redhead held on, her own breathing erratic and her movements a little clumsy as she tried to follow Ruth's movements without losing her place. With each stroke of her tongue she could taste just how close the empath was and she felt her own body quivering in anticipation.

The double onslaught of complete and utter pleasure was too much for the dark haired witch's body and sense, with hard movements and loud pants and passionate cries Ruth let her climax take over, placing herself completely in her lover's tender and loving care.

Willow rode out as long as she could before she breathlessly pulled back, letting Ruth's body come to a natural relaxed position before she leaned up a little lying her cheek down on the dark haired witch's stomach and closing her eyes she listened as Ruth dealt with the aftermath of the incredible release.

Ruth's breathing was almost the last thing to even out as her body and senses fought to find a balance. Releasing the balled up blanket she moved her hand to rest gently over Willow's head, still slightly shaking fingers lightly eased through slightly sweat damp red hair.

"Thank you Lo." She whispered, "No one has ever made me feel like you do. You make me feel beautiful, alive and…free." Her wandering fingertips found the soft edge of the redhead's ear and ran around it lightly.

"You are…all those things." Willow whispered pulling the hand that was still entwined with Ruth's close so that she could hold it near her lips. "I love you."

"I love you too Lo." Ruth echoed stroking her fingers over and over the edge of her lover's ear. "When can I try that on you?" she added with a smirk.

"Whenever you like." Willow finally leaned her head up and slowly moved upwards to lie down half over the other witch's body. "But no rush…you need to recover." She smirked back as she put her head over Ruth's heart listening contently to its fast but gradually slowing pattern.

"Yes but…" Ruth took a much-needed normal sized breath. "You forget I'm an empath and I know." She put slight emphasis on the word. "What you need." She finished.

"I'm not disputing that." Willow looked up her cheeks flushed from both her recent activity and a slight blush. "But there's still no rush Ru." She reached up to tuck a stray hair behind Ruth's ear. "I just like this." She snuggled close.

"Me too." Ruth agreed easily and snuggled her lover back. "You know there's always another option." She smiled slightly.

"Another option?" Willow questioned confused as she turned her head up a little to look into navy eyes.

"One that would involve very little physical activity from either of us." Ruth pulled her hand free and traced it over Willow's cheek. "I'm not suggesting out of control magic indulgence before you panic, I'm merely suggesting using my natural talent."

"I don't want you wearing yourself out further." Willow shook her head lightly in objection, her immediate concern about the magic use quelled by Ruth's direct statement.

"Ah but there's the beauty of it." Ruth smiled. "This way, because we're both asleep, you wake up all refreshed and ready to…" The dark haired witch winked. "Look after me." She smirked.

"Positive." Ruth nodded. "And just think." She smiled broader. "I get to put you in that red bikini again!"

"And you tried to play all innocent the first time." Willow laughed lightly as she tried closing her eyes. "I think the plan might be difficult since I don't feel the least bit sleepy."

"You don't have to sleepy silly." Ruth smiled and slid her fingers up to rest on the redhead's temple. "Just close your eyes and breathe with me."

"Okay." Willow tried to relax as she closed her eyes and then let her own breathing fall into rhythm with the Empath's.

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Witness

By The Rainbow Writers

Copyright © 2003

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