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 laughed to herself from her spot sprawled out on the couch in front of the television. Glancing at the clock she confirmed it was only five, meaning she had a ton of time to be ready for her 'solo' patrol as B was calling it but here was the blonde rushing around her as if it wasn't just her 'solo' patrol but in fact her first one.

"B, I know where the stakes are." Faith laughed when Buffy purposely put two on the table in front of her. "And I know how to get dressed, and how to walk and chew gum." She laughed more.

"I know, but this is Sunnydale, it's dangerous here, and cold." Buffy glanced at the other Slayer's attire. "You're going to be too cold like that, and it's not practical to have pants on that are that baggy." Buffy wasn't at all aware of how 'watchery' she sounded.

"These are not outdoor pants." Faith shook her head flicking the corner of the loud plaid flannel. "These are relaxing indoor pants, do you really think I'd patrol in these?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Well…" Buffy stopped and took a good look at the other woman for the first time realizing how ludicrous the idea was. "I don't know maybe your dress sense changed when you were in…" She couldn't bring herself to say the 'P' word.

"Prison." Faith filled in sitting up. "Actually B you weren't allowed to have a fashion sense, it was white shirts and orange overalls most of the time." She flicked off the T.V. "Stop panicking I'll go put some leather on and one of the tops you like to stare at my tits in. Happy?" She began walking towards the hallway.

"Faith, please!" Buffy frowned and glanced around before stupidly realizing there were no 'innocent' ears around to corrupt. "I don't stare." She stated still frowning.

"B, its fine." The dark Slayer turned leaning against the corner of the archway. "I mean I have a very nice rack if I say so myself and come off it, some of your best friends are dykes, would it really be so horrible if you admitted you like to look at women?"

"I don't!!" Buffy's eyes flared open. "I've never looked at a woman with anything other than…" She stopped thinking about her statement. "Well you know just looking." She frowned hard when she couldn't think of a suitable ending for her sentence. "And I have two." She held up two fingers. "Two lesbian friends, that's all."

"You can't even say the word." Faith laughed more as she watched the blonde getting more and more flustered. "B, there is nothing wrong with looking at a girl and thinking damn she's hot. It doesn't mean you're going to switch teams…" She shook her head and turned. "Oh and by the way…three." She smiled and moved down the hall.

"I don't include Xander!" Buffy called after her moving through into the dining room to push the chairs straight.

"I wasn't talking about Xander." Faith had detoured by the fridge to grab a pop before heading for the basement door. "He's way too girlie to be a dyke." She laughed at what Buffy was doing. "It's someone a little closer to home B."

Buffy immediately stopped her hands gripping the back of one of the dining room chairs, and an audible snap of hard wood echoed quickly in the room.

"What…" She turned her head starring at Faith. "Why didn't Dawn tell me?" She frowned.

For a moment Faith just had to try and control the hysterical laugher that was threatening to send her down to the floor and rolling around on the carpet when she saw the chair snap off in the blonde Slayer's hand but then it settled into something much more like disappointment.

"Obviously you're not as cool with the lifestyle as you thought there B." Faith motioned to the chair. "But before you blow a gasket Dawn isn't that I know of, besides the fact I wouldn't out her to you unless she asked me to, that's not cool. Does beg the question though of why you pretend that it's okay for Willow but you can't stand the idea of your sister being one of them?"

"No, no it's not like that." Buffy flustered and released her death grip on the broken wood that clattered noisily to the polished floor. "It's just…" She paused. "Dawn's too young for that kind of thing."

"Dawn is sixteen." Faith looked at Buffy and shook her head. "For all you know she's three or four boys and girls on the go B, don't dismiss her because of her age. We all know what I was doing at sixteen and you were already lusting over Angel."

"That's different." Buffy moved back from the destroyed chair. "Very different, we're Slayer's…" She objected, though unsure of exactly what difference that made. "And…she would have told me about anyone special."

"Okay I'm going to reality check you as gently as I can Buffy." Faith moved in closer to the table. "Dawn loves you but she doesn't always trust you, I know this because I know what its like to be surrounded by people who you don't trust and hide stuff from. She's about as likely to tell you she's blowing a guy in the back of his car after school as you are to tell her what's going on in your life right now, tit for tat really since you're too busy shutting her out of what's going on with you. So don't be surprised if she's not and don't be surprised if she is. She's sixteen for Christ sake, what does every sixteen-year-old want…to be an adult, be in charge of their life and feel wanted. A big part of feeling wanted when you're any age B is having someone 'want' you."

"I'm crude B because it's life and if you try to act like your sister is a nun or something then the only one that is going to hurt is Dawn." Faith smiled more at the perfectly Buffy stance. "She doesn't need you playing mom to her right now, she needs a big sister. She needs to know what she's feeling and what she's thinking is normal. Though we all might want to steer her clear from becoming Sunnydale High's oral champion it doesn't mean that if she finds someone she wants to be with B that we shouldn't be there to give her a few pointers."

"If I'm not her mother figure Faith, who will be?" The blonde Slayer's hazel eyes turned slightly harder. "You might not have noticed, but despite what the great wall'o'pictures would have you believe, my mother is dead."

"She is." Faith nodded and moved closer. "B, no one can expect you to be Joyce. Dawn doesn't, she wants you to be Buffy. She knows her mom is dead too, but she doesn't want her sister to be again."

"Why?" Faith remembered the conversation she had had with Ruth a few days before. "If I get too close are you going to hit me?" She kept moving towards the Slayer knowing Buffy hadn't realized she was moving towards the corner of the room. "If I get too close will this whole concrete bitch thing you've got going will crack and maybe for a minute you will feel something?"

"I am not a concrete anything." Buffy continued backing up. "It's just you, you come here with your redemption and your words of understandING." Her eyes darted from the Slayer to the room and back to the Slayer. "You come here pretending you give a damn when you don't, and I know you don't." She heard her voice shake.

"If I didn't give a damn B why the hell would I be putting up with all this shit?" Faith offered in the best way she could to explain how she was feeling as she pressed even further into the barrier that Buffy had erected to keep everyone away. "You are the only person in the whole world that looks at me and makes me feel like shit, why the hell would I be here putting up with that if I didn't want to be?"

"I make you feel like shit?" Buffy's eyes flared in annoyance, but also in alarm as she felt her heel scuff against the corner wall and she realized she had nowhere else to back up to. "I make you feel like shit?" She repeated her voice tighter. "You…you come here, you come back, after all that you did and you stand here, in my house…"

"I feel like shit because I look at you and I see how much I hurt you." Faith cut her off before the blonde could hit the peak of her rant. "Because goddamn it, you're the one person in this fucked up world I wish I hadn't hurt, okay?"

"But you did." Buffy flicked her eyes up and met with Faith's dark brown ones. "You betrayed me, you used me and you tried to destroy everything I ever had, when all I…all we ever tried to do for you is lov…give you something, a home, a family, all the things you didn't have." She blinked her suddenly stinging eyes.

"Yeah I did." Faith's brow knotted as she hovered for a moment before stepping back and turning, she grabbed the can she had abandoned on the table and moved to the basement door.

"The things that neither of us have anymore." Buffy whispered as Faith walked away her head dipping down sadly.

Dawn shifted the weight of her backpack a little as she rushed down the street and then up the small pathway towards the witches house. She'd been a lot later leaving the video store then she'd wanted and now she was trying to make up for lost time.

"Hey Anya." She called surprised to see that the demon was sitting on the large boxed-in planter near the front door.

"What are you doing?" Dawn glanced between her and the door. "Are they not home?"

"Then why haven't you rung the doorbell?" Dawn shook her head as she moved over raising her hand to do so.

"Because…" Anya shot up form her sitting place and held Dawn's wrist lightly. "Because it's a lovely day and I like sitting on planters." She tried to make a reason. "Here join me, this is a lovely planter."

"Oh my GOD!" Dawn's mouth dropped. "You know they're having sex in there don't you?"

"Yes, but I was trying to be tactful." Anya scowled slightly. "Everyone says I'm not so I was trying to prove a point."

"It's because you didn't mention sex that I knew." Dawn moved over and sat down on the planter. "How long have you been waiting?"

"Willow and…" Dawn slowly took her backpack off and rested it on the ground. "When she and Tara lived at the house, it could be hours."

"It's a lesbian thing." Anya nodded shifting over giving Dawn more room. "They don't need time to stop and do the whole get ready again thing…" Anya stopped and looked at the teenager. "I don't think I should discuss sexual intercourse with you, Buffy may not like it."

"Anya, I'm sixteen." Dawn rolled her eyes. "I am not a little girl anymore, I know about sex…sorta." She admitted.

"Lesbian sex is a whole different thing to teenage boys." Anya shook her head. "There's no unpredictably disappointing moments, it's just all about the squishing and the…" Again Anya stopped. "Or so I hear." She added smiling tightly again.

"So you've never been with a girl?" Dawn questioned turning a little to look at the demon.

This made the demon pause in contemplation. She made various noise of thought and moved her head from side to side as she obviously recalled memories.

"So there's better stuff for each side?" The teenager questioned tucking her leg up and playing with her shoelace.

"Oh yes defiantly." Anya joined her in a more concentrated pose. "You see I, I like a penis, it's a personal thing, and replacements just don't do it for me in the same way." She replied openly.

"You've used…replacements?" Dawn felt herself gulp slightly. "Like ones you buy in stores?"

"Oh yes." Anya settled into the conversation with ease. "The Egyptians invented them, which just proves they were an alien race if you ask me, I mean humanity wouldn't have come up with anything so useful for a woman." She glanced at the teenager. "Have you?" She asked.

"Well I…there was…" Dawn bit her lip and frowned. "No." She added quietly. "I'm a loser aren't I?"

"Oh no." Anya shook her head. "Virginity is under rated." She stated simply. "Though you might want to enjoy getting to know yourself." She smiled brightly as if discussing something as innocent as the change in the weather.

"ANYA!" Dawn went bright red instantly. "I would never…" She tried to object but ended up blushing more.

"Dawn everyone does it." Anya made a dismissive motion with her hand. "Well maybe not your sister, but she has other things on her mind." She tried not to sound judgmental.

"Maybe she'd be less wound up if she did." The teenager commented offhandedly and then put her hand to her mouth unable to believe she'd just said that.

"You see you do understand sex well." Anya nodded at the teenager's appraisal of her sister. She turned her head briefly to the house and then looked at Dawn as if something had just struck her. "Dawn, are you asking me these questions for a reason?"

"No." Dawn finally answered after a few moments of hesitation. "I was just curious and well if I bring up S E X with Buffy she starts talking about Barbies or something equally lame." She stood up.

"Well you can talk about it with me any time you like." Anya shrugged. "I don't find it embarrassing in the least."

"That's cool." The teenager nodded. "A lot of people at school talk about it all the time and I swear they don't know what they are talking about."

"If it's all great and perfect, and that he lasts all night and never misses, they're lying." Anya shrugged again.

"That's what I thought, Cathy Liberman says that this guy she's dating from out of town and her did it seven times one night. It sounded far fetched." Dawn smiled at the demon.

"If it is I want to know his name." The demon sat up. "Xander and I managed five times once, but we worked up to it, and he is older, they get a little more reliable the older they get."

"Oh no, when you get over the initial few times it feels nice." Anya assured her. "Though the first does tend to hurt a little." She looked at Dawn. "Make sure he's gentle with you for the first time." She pointed out carefully.

"I can't imagine Ryan being anything but gentle." Dawn smiled to herself as she looked up at the sky.

"Buffy didn't tell us all you had a boyfriend." Anya sat up straighter suddenly looking far more interested in the conversation, if that was possible.

"She wouldn't." Dawn shook her head. "I haven't told her much about him, well I hadn't told her anything about him till yesterday." She admitted. "He's a junior."

"I meant about the relationship Dawn." Anya replied. "I'm trying to be a responsible adult for you here, you know a guide and a supporting shoulder." She looked at the teenager. "So you haven't done the squishy bit yet?" She asked with the next breath.

"No, no." Dawn shook her head adamantly. "Not yet." She sighed. "We've only just sorta started talking and we're going to the movies on Friday but I know the squishy bit is going to come up, you know?" She used Anya's term reluctantly. "His last girlfriend was a senior and they, well rumor has it they were doing that."

"Well most importantly don't be pressured into it. It should feel natural and the right time." Anya folded her arms across her chest and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Do you want to have orgasms with him?"

"I…" Dawn felt the redness rising in her cheeks again. "I think so." She admitted.

Willow opened her eyes feeling her breath coming a little heavy in her chest as she pressed up off of Ruth's body.

"Hi Angel." Ruth's face broke into a bright smile but her eyes stayed lightly closed.

"Mmmmmm hello." Willow leaned up and kissed her. "Do you want anything, a drink?" She asked lovingly.

"Mmmmm you forever." Ruth wrapped both arms around her lover and kissed her again. "Mmmmm you do know how amazing you are don't you." She breathed deeper.

"Not half as amazing as you." Willow grinned. "Though now I fully expect you to buy me a red bikini." She giggled.

"Oh don't worry, I intend to." Ruth beamed. "Wooo." She blew up into her hairline, "Sorry, but you are sooo good, and we still haven't…you know." She blushed slightly.

"Not yet…but…" Willow leaned down to kiss her again, letting the kiss linger.

Ruth moaned softly at the promise of both Willow's tone and the thoughts she could easily read from the redhead, her tongue gently requesting permission to explore Willow's mouth again.

The deeper kiss was just what Willow had wanted as she teased Ruth's tongue with her own still tasting the dark haired witch as she did.

Ruth held her lover tighter, reaching her leg up to lock loosely around Willow's lower calf as she drew her tongue back and sucked lightly on the one that followed her withdrawal into her mouth.

The move made Willow groan as she pressed closer, her hips fitting over Ruth's as they pressed together.

"Guys it's really great that you keep all the doors locked and everything, and I know I am late, but come on, let a girl in." There came a hard hammering from the back door in the kitchen as Buffy's voice shouted out.

Willow pulled back her eyes wide for a split second as navy shot open to look at her, in a second instant they clouded to be fully dark.

"Hey, hey no." Ruth shook her head and pressed up to kiss Willow tenderly. "We can do this the old fashioned way." She slipped her leg from off her lover's.

"I didn't mean…" Willow pushed back and sat down on her butt turning to look for their clothing as she hastily began putting on her bra. "I didn't…" She frowned feeling the flow of magic through her body.

"Lo." Ruth spoke calmly and reached out place light hands on her arms and making sure she drew her lover's eye contact. "It's okay." She kept her tone soft as she slid her hands up and helped Willow smooth over the straps of her bra. "We're allowed to do this." She smiled tenderly.

"We are." Willow nodded as she blinked her eyes trying to will them to recede. "It's not that…I just…" Her body shook a bit as she slipped her arms into her shirt at Ruth's prompting. "Got startled."

"I know angel." Ruth soothed. "And you wanted to keep us both safe." She added the facts. "Stop it." She added taking hold of Willow's chin lightly, "Stop trying to push yourself into and out of things." She breathed. "Just relax, the magic will ebb in time." She kissed Willow's lips gently. "Now, go let Buffy in while I sort things in here."

"Okay." Willow nodded softly and stood up pulling on her skirt and doing it up before she moved off towards the kitchen and the back door.

"Hey Will." Buffy waved briefly as the redhead came into view through the window in the door.

"Hi." Willow tried to keep her face shielded a bit as she moved to undo the bolt lock and then the opened the door. "You're early." She glanced to the clock on the microwave that read five thirty.

"I'm usually late." Buffy shrugged. "Call it make up time." She smiled. "Though are you okay? You look a little flushed, if you're sick you should have called." She automatically went into worry mode.

"No, no I'm fine." Willow shook her head. "Ru and I were…busy." She tried to say the words calmly as she moved to the fridge. "Do you want a drink? She's just tidying up the lounge."

"You didn't need to tidy for us coming over." Buffy shook her head. "Yeah I I'll have a bottle of water." She smiled. "Shall I go give Ruth a hand?" She took some steps towards the door.

"No!" Willow jumped as she lunged over blocking the path. "She's fine…she wants things to be all neat and special." She looked at the Slayer fully for the first time.

"Anya and Dawn are here I'll just let them in." The sound of her footsteps could be heard going towards the front door.

"No, it's fine." Willow shook her head trying to get some control. "I'll get your water." She moved towards the fridge.

"Oh God you were, weren't you." Buffy sunk against the counter top. "I'm sorry Will, I had no idea, obviously."

"We were, but it's okay." Willow held the bottle once she had retrieved it. "We lost track of time, we knew you were coming…it's fine…I was just startled." She reached up tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Of course you were." Buffy shook her head. "I'm so sorry Will." She apologized again.

"Buffy you don't have to be, it's okay." The redhead finally held out the bottle. "I should have paid attention to the time. I'm sorry that we weren't ready when you arrived."

"Don't be sorry because you got carried away enjoying your girlfriend." Buffy shook her head. "Wait a minute." The Slayer stopped and had a good look at her friend. "What is it?" She frowned. "What's really wrong?" She bit her lip a little.

"I just got startled." Willow tried to explain without really saying anything. "Guess I was a little too carried away." She moved back to the fridge. "Do you think Dawnie and Anya want water too?"

"Best to get it." Buffy nodded. "Startled how?" She asked cautiously, inviting her friend to share the worry.

"Startled in a black eyed flash of magic way." Willow hung her head a bit and leaned against the fridge.

"Oh." Buffy put her bottle of water down on the counter. "And you hoped you were past that?" The Slayer pushed slightly.

"I thought I had more control than that." Willow nodded and sighed. "I can't let it flash up like that just because I get startled."

"Will you were in possibly the most vulnerable position anyone is ever in, you can't berate yourself for having a flare reaction." Buffy tried to sympathize just as Anya, Dawn and Ruth's voices filled the hall outside with bright chatter.

"How can I not? If I had lost any more control I might have hurt you." Willow's frown was more pronounced.

"No, you wouldn't." Buffy shook her head. "As soon as you registered it was me and that everything was okay, crisis mode would have been cancelled."

"Crisis mode wasn't cancelled!" Willow snapped angrily. "My eyes were still black." She reached up rubbing at them.

"Lo…" Ruth appeared in the kitchen doorway the next second hurrying over to the redhead. "No, angel, shush." She gently put her hands over Willow's and eased them away from her face. "That's just a reaction in you; it doesn't mean you're out of control." The dark haired witch glanced up at Buffy almost as if to inquire exactly what she had done to cause or help the situation so far, at least that's how Buffy took it, what Ruth was checking was that Buffy was okay and could she possible go and be hostess for a moment.

"I know precious I know." Ruth pulled the other witch to her and held her tightly. "You just need time." She vowed.

"I'm ruining everything." Willow leaned into her with more weight as she slipped her arms around hanging onto Ruth's body.

"No, Lo no you're not." Ruth shook her head and rocked her body lightly. Realizing the Slayer wasn't actually going to move unless prompted she looked at her over Willow's shoulder. "Could you go and see if the guys need anything Buffy?" She asked softly.

"Yeah, of course." Buffy blinked and then focused on Ruth. "I'll go look after them." She pointed out the door and then after a hesitating moment exited the kitchen.

Buffy stood up stretching out her legs a bit and picked up the empty pizza box and some empty pop cans.

"Does anyone want dessert?" She questioned seeing that everyone was pretty engrossed in the movie, though to be honest she wasn't. She had found herself glancing out continuously at the night sky and she'd missed a lot of the important plot markers that meant she was lost as to what was going on.

"Yes, lots of chocolate sauce on mine." Dawn didn't look from the screen. "Oh and can I have both cookie dough and chunky monkey mixed."

"I'm fine." Willow shook her head from her place curled up next to Ruth on the couch.

"I would like the cookie dough please, no chocolate." Anya requested from the beanbag chair.

"I'll have an Oreo or two if there are any in the cupboard." Ruth looked up from her place with a soft a smile. "Unless you want a hand."

"Do you need brew Ru?" Willow questioned softly. "You haven't had any for a few hours." She pointed out.

"I'll get us both some." Ruth carefully extracted herself from beside Willow and moved to follow Buffy.

"I was worried for a minute you wanted me to try and make that tea." Buffy led them into the kitchen and moved to the freezer.

"No, it's one of those specifically skilled things, actually no scrap that, it requires no skill, just an ability to know that bad smelling cloudy stuff is right and shouldn't be thrown down the sink like dishwater." Ruth flicked the kettle on.

"I have to admit I'm glad I don't have to drink it." Buffy offered as she pulled the lids off both containers. "Bowls?" She questioned not wanting to start snooping around.

"Second one on the middle shelf." Ruth pointed as she picked out the two hers and hers mugs off the rack. She filled them with the ingredients in silence for a moment before glancing at the Slayer. "You were wrong earlier." She said softly, "I wasn't blaming you or challenging you on anything."

"When I came in earlier, when Lo was upset, you thought I was angry with you, I wasn't." She shook her head.

"Oh…" Buffy pulled out the bowls her back to the empath. "I didn't think you were, just I hadn't done much to help."

"I don't know what to say to Will when she's like that. I try to talk to her, I try to ask her about what she's going through but I just make things worse." Buffy turned back. "And I'm sorry about earlier I didn't know you two were…" She didn't finish.

"It doesn't matter what you say to her." Ruth didn't look over. "Just holding her, touching her, assuring her that it's going to be okay and that she is getting better." She tried to keep any bite from her tone. "Just be the best friend you always were." She pointed out.

"I'm not very good at being anything I used to be." Buffy took a deep breath as she reached in to get some spoons.

"Of course I've been trying, that's all I do." The Slayer's felt her body tense.

"I'm not challenging you Buffy." Ruth shook her head. "I'm asking a question, not everything people level at you is a criticism or an attack."

"I…" Buffy took a step back feeling slapped by Ruth's calm and concise words. "Sorry, I guess I'm just a bit edgy with Faith being out on her own tonight."

"Don't you think she's capable of taking care of the vampires?" Ruth asked softly keeping her calm level demeanor.

"No of course she is, it's just…you never know what you'll run into out there. It's my job to be the one out there." Buffy admitted.

"She's a Slayer Buffy why should it be you and not her out there?" Ruth tilted her head slightly.

"Because…because…" The Slayer was forced to stop. "Does the fact it's my Hellmouth sound silly?" She was forced to smile.

"Are you worried she will do something wrong? Or that she will get hurt? Or maybe that she will betray you again?" She asked her questions carefully.

"You never know with Faith." Buffy admitted finally working to get some of the ice cream into the bowls for everyone. "She's done all three."

"I don't know what to think. She acts like Faith but she doesn't sound like her. She's always making all these observations now, going on about how this or that would help." Buffy explained a bit worn out by the thought. "If you knew Faith before if what she was commenting on didn't involve slaying, food or sex she didn't have anything to say."

The kettle beside the dark haired witch clicked off and she carefully made the brews.

"It's been a lovely evening Buffy thank you for coming." She smiled at the Slayer and stirred one of the cups after adding some honey from a bear shaped jar. "I'd like to get to know you better."

"Yeah it's been great." Buffy smiled at the witch as the conversation again turned quickly. "Giles was telling me you were trying to work on your skills, if you wanted to work out or come running with us you're more than welcome."

"I think it's important that you and Willow have some 'just you two' time, and Faith offered to help me with anything physical." Ruth replied with a gentle smile. "Thank you for asking." She put the spoon on the side. "One thing Buffy." She paused and looked at the Slayer with serious navy eyes. "The person who judges you most severely is not the one you should listen to." She said picking up the two cups and carrying them to the door.

"I know." Ruth stopped and whispered with a sad smile. "But you will." She turned again and slipped out.

Willow waved one last time before she closed the door on their departing guests. Glancing at her watch she was surprised to discover it was now past midnight.

"Where has the time gone?" She smiled at Ruth who was just bringing some glasses into the kitchen.

"Well they say it flies when you are having fun." The dark haired witch replied as she slipped over and slid her arms around Willow's waist. "Did you have fun angel?" She asked softly.

"I did, sorry about the rocky middle bit." The redhead slipped her arms up to Ruth's neck.

The dark haired witch made a point of keeping Willow's eyes as she shook her head.

"I didn't feel rocky." She smiled softly. "I just felt privileged to be able to be there for you."

"Thank you." Willow leaned forward and kissed her briefly. "We can finish cleaning up in the morning right?"

"Oh sorry Lo, I can't have been concentrating are you tired." Ruth frowned and glanced down at the cuffs that were back on her wrists.

"No I'm fine. I was worried that you were since it's after midnight." Willow kissed her again to erase the frown. "How did they work with everyone?"

"They worked fine." Ruth nodded easily. "Better than fine." She kissed Willow gently. "Thank you, my special Elmo." She whispered softly.

"My pleasure, my cookie monster." Willow smiled broadly. "So did you want to go to bed?" She licked her lips slowly.

"Yes to both your spoken and your unspoken question angel." Ruth replied, her eyes watching the slow movement of Willow's tongue.

"You're not too tired?" The redhead questioned as she released her hand and started to lead Ruth towards the stairs.

"Suddenly I'm not in the least bit tired." The dark haired witch followed eagerly.

"Did you want your present now?" Willow asked shyly as they went into their bedroom and she saw the small cardboard bag sitting near her side of the bed.

"Well it would be a good time I think." The redhead nodded. "That's if you want a present now."

"Why don't you get into bed then, maybe light some candles and I'll get it ready for presentation." Willow smiled as she picked up the bag and moved back towards the door intending to go to the bathroom.

"Sounds great." Ruth nodded and pulled open the top drawer with her pajamas in it. "I'll need these?" She checked.

"No." Willow grinned at her, feeling a shiver go through her body as she said the small word.

Ruth smiled even more as she slipped the clothes from off her body and folded them neatly, dropping them lightly on the chair near the window. Picking up the lighter from the bedside table she lit the four small candles that were arranged on it, before crossing over to the other side of the bed and lighting the ones there. She then eased an 'Asian Spice' incense stick out of its metal canister and stood it in the wooden one on the window sill, lighting the tip before blowing out the small flame. Finally she took off her cuffs and choker, putting them in their case on the side.

Silently she padded back to the bed and pulled back the sheets, slipping between them with a soft comfortable sigh. She sat up with her back propped on some pillows as she looked over towards the door Willow had left by.

It was a seemingly long five minutes later when the door finally started to creek open and Willow poked her head around the frame.

"Okay." Ruth agreed chuckling slightly as she let her eyelids drop over navy blue. "Do you want me to put my hand over them too?" She grinned in the warm candlelight.

"No, I just want to get into the room and then see it all at once." Willow slipped in and secured the door behind her. She padded closer to the bed and then stopped tucking her hair behind her ears. "Okay, open your eyes."

Ruth swallowed slowly before easing her eyes open and blinking in Willow's direction.

The redhead was standing with her feet shoulder with apart with her hands by her sides, but the thing that caught Ruth's attention most was the full length deep red silk negligee that she was wearing. The bottom of the material pooled around Willow's ankles, the edges scalloped to swing around to a long slit that ran up to her mid thigh on either side. The spaghetti straps met a bodice of delicate cream lace that did hardly anything to hide her breasts.

"I don't know if you like this stuff." Willow offered her voice thick as she felt Ruth's eyes roaming over her.

"Lo…" Ruth blinked again her voice almost silent, "How could I not?" She breathed. "You look…God, so beautiful." She swallowed again and ran her hands over the sheets.

"I hoped you would like it." Willow managed to make her feet move and got closer to the bed. "I mean not thinking I was being too forward…I just wanted to buy something that was for you."

"It's the greatest present ever." Ruth reached out a hand to encourage the redhead. "Come here my love."

Quickly Willow moved over to the bed and took Ruth's hand. She sat on the edge near the dark haired witch. Ruth placed her other hand on Willow's thigh on top of the red silk, her fingers instantly pressing down on it and rubbing the material between her fingers and against Willow's skin.

"God you're unbelievably sexy." The dark haired witch appraised with a sensuous smile.

"How can you say that?" Ruth shivered shook her head. "Look at you, you're…" Ruth had to take another breath. "Oh Lo." She pushed forward and pressed her lips to Willow's.

Willow met the urgent kiss just a little surprised by the passion that Ruth pressed to her with. It only took a moment though for the anticipation and the additional arousal that the silk outfit caused to bring her equal to the dark haired witch's. She boldly traced her tongue over Ruth's bottom lip and slipped in further when ruby lips opened for her.

Ruth felt her body quiver as she felt Willow's tongue caressing and stroking the inside of her mouth. She moved her hand boldly up the other witch's thigh pushing up the silk, only to rub her hand backwards again letting the silk roll back into place.

"Ru, I want to make love to you." Willow breathed out hotly as she looked deep into navy eyes.

"Please." Ruth nodded. "I need you, my body needs you." She moaned a little lower.

"Yes." Willow nodded back as she lifted up and then reached to pull back the blankets exposing the dark haired witch's naked body. "You are so beautiful." Her voice stuck in her throat as she ran her hand up Ruth's thigh.

"You are." Willow leaned down, moving up onto the bed so that she could press her body against Ruth's. "So beautiful." She ran her finger up higher tracing out the curve of Ruth's slim hip before she circled up around her belly button.

"You don't think I'm small, skinny and scarred." Ruth felt her body shiver beneath the touch even though her voice was slightly shaky. Her blue eyes did their best to follow Willow's fingertips.

"You're beautiful, silky and brave." Willow whispered as she drew them up between the witch's breasts up to her throat where she cupped her chin and kissed her again with a long deep kiss. "Are you sure?" She asked in a whisper. "It's okay if you don't want to do this."

"I want to." Ruth kept her eyes focused on Willow. "I want you." She leaned in briefly and kissed Willow letting her body arched up toward her lover.

"I want you, too." Willow pressed back as she arched trailing her hand back down to Ruth's stomach as she lowered her lips again, kissing over Ruth's shoulder down her collarbone.

"Are you sure?" Ruth felt her breathing shifted faster. "I mean now, that is…Oooh just shut me up, I need this now. I need you to have your gift too."

"I need you too Ru, so very much." Willow whispered as her lips trailed lower before she decided not to prolong the wait as she closed her warms lips over an already hard nipple at the same time that her hand strayed lower cupping between the witch's legs. Ruth threaded the fingers of her left hand into Willow's hair and held her in place a little harder than perhaps she should have.

"So have I." Willow groaned as she swirled her tongue over and over as she pressed lightly with her palm.

"It was so hard, especially when Dawn insisted on covering us up with your blanket." Ruth's breath shook a little as she knew that by now Willow could feel the heat and wetness seeping from her aroused body.

"Mmmm I know." Willow took a slow breath as she stroked her middle finger finding a pool of wetness seeping out to meet her exploration. "And then you started rubbing my thigh."

"I couldn't help it." Ruth admitted sucking her lip slightly. "You might not remember but we spent all day making love." She grinned as much as she could between her whimpers of pleasure.

"Might not remember?" Willow brought her head back up so that she could look into navy eyes. "I couldn't think of anything but…especially when they started making love in the movie. I wanted to take you upstairs." She stroked her finger in deeper and groaned again as she reached even hotter flesh.

"Ahhmmmm." Ruth whimpered louder. "One better than me, I just wanted to have you on the couch." She admitted as she felt her body swell with a new flood that seeped out at Willow's stroking.

"Mmmm best part is…I have you now." Willow rubbed her fingertip over the witch's throbbing center.

Willow waited until Ruth's hips settled back onto the mattress again before she slipped her finger lower, tracing out swollen inner lips. The very feel of velvety flesh made her moan again and lean in to kiss Ruth with a desperate mouth.

Ruth kissed her back quickly and deeply, breathing out into the other woman's mouth in a hot groan she could not stop.

"I love you Ru." Willow inhaled deeply her breath catching as she pressed into Ruth's body slowly.

Ruth knew that the last thing she should do was tense up, she'd read enough biology books, not to mention various works of fiction, but it was hard not to as she felt Willow's finger press between her lips, then in an instant she realized that she was both, safe, protected and most of all in the best position in the world. She was about to share with Willow something that she would never, ever be able to share with anyone else in her life.

"Don't be worried." She breathed out in a whisper as she felt a subtle wave of worry from the redhead as she felt her fingertip met with resistance. "You won't hurt me." She assured her.

"I know it will hurt you a little." Willow whispered placing soft kisses over her lover's mouth as she massaged her finger inside lightly against tight muscles. "I love you." She kissed her again before she pulled her lips back and pressed in deeper in a firm but careful motion.

Ruth drew a tight breath in as she felt her body give to allow Willow's strong but gentle movement to gain full access to her.

"Yes Ru." Willow kissed her cheek lightly as she kept her finger in place while pressing her thumb over Ruth's center, stroking it to ease the pain inside.

A slow, gentle rhythmic rock began in Ruth's hips as she focused on what Willow's thumb and lips were doing, and how they made her feel, as well as the pleasure that Willow was feeling as she loved her.

"I can't believe how beautiful you are." Willow whispered her voice thick as she massaged inside Ruth's body very slightly while her thumb moved faster.

"Mmmm you don't need a silk robe." The redhead groaned back as she swirled her thumb in a circle faster. "Goddess you feel so amazing." She pulled her finger back slightly and pressed in again.

"Oooohhh." Ruth groaned loudly. "Oh God." Her hip movements became a little more marked, "Willow angel, I don't know how much more I can take." She admitted as the feed back loop of emotions began.

"Just feel Ru, feel how wonderful it is to love you." Willow whispered kissing her cheek again as she pressed harder as her thumb swirled faster.

"Are you sure?" Ruth checked letting her eyes dipped close. "I've never done that before, I've never just given up control." She admitted doing her best to breathe and speak as well as move.

"Yessss baby, I'm here. I won't let anything happen, you just need to feel." Willow began stroking her finger in and out in an even soft rhythm in contrast to the quick motion of her thumb.

Ruth nodded softly and let all the remaining tension and control she had within her slip as she put herself into her lover's care.

"I love you precious, I'm telling you now in case I don't manage to later." She whispered.

"I love you too." Willow assured her as she changed the motion of her thumb, flicking firmly over the witch's center while she stroked faster. "You feel so good Ru, I can't believe how wonderful." Her body shivered with her own pleasure as her hips rocked against the side of Ruth's leg.

"You show me how wonderful you think I feel." Ruth assured her, her voice and word becoming harder to control. "I can feel the passion inside you building and filling you." She panted her eyes closing.

"Filling me right up." Willow whispered softly. "Just feeling you Ru, feeling you deep inside…feeling you moving as I touch you." She rocked harder. "Oh Goddess Ru, just touching you makes me so close."

"I know." Ruth groaned. "Oh Lo I know." Her hips bucked harder. "Slip yourself over my leg angel." She encouraged trying to hold onto some element of control, a task that was becoming harder and harder with each passing second as she felt her body inside tremble and flutter.

"Only if you promise to stop worrying and let go." Willow shifted her weight, groaning loudly as she pressed her body over Ruth's thigh and rocked slightly in time with her own hand.

"I prom…." Ruth began but her voice literally became lost in a guttural groan that reverberated through her body as she did just as her lover had asked. Her body moving in a more fluid and yet erratic pattern, her breathing shorter and louder as she panted and shook. "Lo, oh God Lo…" She managed to form a few words as her body began to let go.

"Yes Ru…Yessssssss." Willow found herself moaning too as she watched and felt the passion breaking through Ruth's body. It was such amazing to feel the subtle changes as they rocked through her lover. "You are so beautiful my Ru, so beautiful." She whispered her eyes filling with overwhelmed happy tears.

Ruth knew there was no chance she would make her replies understandable but she knew that there would be no mistaking the flood that pooled out of her body around Willow's fingers. Or the tension that suddenly filled her body, only to be released the next second with an exclamation of joy and fulfillment that even surprised her with its volume.

"Ruuuuuuu." Willow was left a moment behind her as the thrust of the witch's hips drove up against her own body with a firmer pressure causing her to cry out as her own body was rocked by an unexpected release. "Oh baby…oh baby…I love you." She whimpered, her head rested on Ruth's shoulder as she tried to keep up with the spasms that gripped her deep within Ruth's body.

Just when Ruth had thought that her body had peaked the highest it could the added warmth and contact that having Willow's head resting on her and the difference that the other woman's orgasm made to everything, pushed her further

"Looooo, oh God baby yes, yes ooooh…ahhhhh." Suddenly finding her voice Ruth cried out in a loud passionate groan, her body losing all sense of control and rhythm.

Willow didn't know really who said what or did what but for the next very long few minutes they rocked and moved together in a series of spine tingling orgasms before she finally dropped slightly exhausted against Ruth's body.

"Oh God Angel." Ruth's body shook with reducing amounts of severity before gathering her arms around Willow's body. "Lo I love you." She pressed a breathless kiss on Willow's red hair.

"I love you too." Willow slowly extracted her hand dragging it up Ruth's body so that she could hold her back.

"No, you were." Willow managed to raise her head up and kiss Ruth for a moment. "I love you Elizabeth Ruth Mann." She whispered her eyes sparkling with more happy tears.

"I love you too Willow Sheila Rosenberg." Ruth replied moving her thumb to run across Willow's cheekbone just below her tear filled eyes. "I love you too."

"Thank you for not minding sleeping on the couch." Mrs. Lauder's soft voice didn't so much wake Faith but more brought her attention to the here and now. The strong smell of bacon and toast filled the first floor of the Summers' house and the older woman was stood in front of the dark haired Slayer's quickly made bed with a plate full of both. "Rupert is not as young as he likes to think he is sometimes, and he really did need a bed to sleep on even just for the night."

"No problem." Faith shook her head as she sat up. "This couch is comfier than most places I've slept." She grinned taking the plates. "Smells good, I'm starved." She folded a piece of bacon and stuffed it into her mouth.

"Well I thought you might be." Rose tried not to watch the young woman's antics with distain. "I'm afraid you've missed most people this morning." She went on as she crossed to the armchair and puffed a cushion. "But at least that means you can take your time greeting the day."

"Where has everyone gone?" Faith questioned picking up one piece of toast and hastily making a sandwich that she began to devour.

"It's nine thirty dear." Rose smiled again in Faith's direction. "Dawn is at school, Rupert went to check on the girls, and Buffy took some papers into the university."

"To the university?" The dark Slayer stopped eating momentarily when she heard that.

"We're doing our best to try and make her settle into something that resembles normal life." She explained. "Which leads me nicely into talking to you."

"Me?" Faith finally picked up her fork and sectioned one of the fried eggs into four halves before she began to devour that as well.

"Yes." Mrs. Lauder sat down on the chair she had just tidied. "How far did you take your education?" She asked without hesitation.

"Until they kicked me out." Faith couldn't help but smirk as she took another piece of toast to construct an egg and bacon miniature sandwich.

"I bailed on it half way through grade ten to come to Sunnydale. Though I don't think it mattered much, I wasn't likely to pass." Faith shrugged. "No worries though, one good thing about prison. If they find out you can read and write, they make you get your GED while you're wasting away."

"Well, that doesn't mean much to me dearie, but it can't be a bad thing." She smiled brightly. "So what kind of courses would we interest you in?" She continued.

"Slaying is your calling, not your career." Rose pointed out with a gentle shake of her head.

"Career?" The Slayer raised an eyebrow. "You mean like get a degree and a job and shit?"

"You are an intelligent and gifted young woman Faith, why wouldn't I mean a degree and job?" Rose counter queried.

"Because I'm not that sorta girl Rosie." Faith shook her head. "My mother was a waitress, and my dad did anything that put another beer into his hand. I'm not really from a career family."

"I believe Alexander's mother is a housewife and his father is a drunkard off work on, what do you call it, comp? But that hasn't stopped him from being a very successful young business man." Rose said her tone always gentle.

"Xander's different." Faith acknowledged. "Besides universities like girls like Buffy, if I showed up they'd just call security."

"Well that remains something that we will find out shortly." She pushed up from the chair and plumped the cushion before moving to the coffee table to pick up an empty glass from it.

"Hold on Rosie, I am not going to the university so some two bit guy in a bad Sears suit can tell me I'm trash." Faith shook her head back.

"If some one in a bad suit says anything of the sort I shall personally hex him." Rose moved towards the kitchen. "Our appointment is at one thirty, I suggest a shower and I got your red leathers back from the dry cleaner yesterday."

"A) you dry cleaned my leathers?" Faith didn't know if she was horrified or surprised. "B)…what appointment? And C)…" She looked at the older woman and couldn't help but laugh. "I just got duped didn't I?"

"Yes dear." Rose nodded smiling more before stopping and turning to look at the Slayer fully. "And so you know that I do not keep things from you, Rupert is stopping by later to discuss with you your need for a Watcher."

"I don't need a Watcher, I don't do well with Watchers." For the first time in the conversation there was a very real edge of negative emotion in Faith's voice, though whether it was fear or anger wasn't instantly observable.

"The past is the past Faith and The Slayer needs a Watcher, and I for one know there is someone interested in the job." Rose pointed out.

"Who? I don't want the Council sending over some stuffy asshole like Wesley." Faith shook her head firmly. "They don't know a thing about actual slaying."

"This individual is far closer to home and has considerable 'field' knowledge I believe you would call it." Rose smiled at the young woman's defenses.

"G-man?" Faith stopped and then laughed. "He wants double duty with me and B does he? Does that mean he gets paid more?"

"I'll think about it." Faith smiled as she moved to the stairs. "Though Rosie, even going to this interview…you got any bright ideas about what I would actually bother taking at school?"

"Your interview is with the head of the sports and recreational division. I hear they do an excellent course in Martial Arts." Rose beamed.

"Hold on." Faith backtracked. "You want me to go to college and 'learn' to kick people's asses?" She couldn't help but grin.

"No Faith." Rose shook her head laughing softly. "We want you to go to college to learn how to teach people to kick other peoples asses." She explained using the young woman's terminology. "Something I learnt when I was much young Faith is that people will cope better with a situation if they have some belief in the fact that they can handle it before it happens. Just imagine how useful a streetwise, and yet young and approachable self defense teacher would be in a town like Sunnydale." She explained more fully.

"Cool." Faith grinned as she began to job up the stairs. "I'll pack my sais." She jokingly yelled down as she headed for the bathroom.

The slight balding man looked from the computer screen to the petite blonde in front of him and then to the papers on the table and back again with a slightly curious stare.

"Eh…Miss. Buffy Ann Summers?" He confirmed one more time and watched her nod enthusiastically. "I'm sorry then but I can't process these registration papers."

"Oh." Buffy lost the will to try and maintain her somewhat cheesy smile. "Well, thank you for you time anyway." She reached out to take them back a little despondent.

"No, Miss Summers you don't understand." He shook his head at her and turned the computer screen so she could see. "You're enrolled here." He pointed to the little status bar that said active next to her name. "We have a record that you had dropped out of your second semester courses in…" He double-checked. "Well the year before last but you had paid your university fees that year and…though you didn't take any courses last year you paid for them as well so, you're still a student. You just need to pay up this year's fee." He smiled at her. "And you're in luck because you have about three more days to sign up for classes before this term's registry is closed."

"You mean you can't process me as a new student because I'm already an old student." She dumbed it down for herself.

"Exactly." He nodded and shuffled around under the counter. "Here's a course calendar and the supplements. Oh and a fee receipt you can take to the bank, I'll print you off a basic account balance though that will change depending on what courses you register in." He handed her a package of material.

"Thank you." Buffy couldn't help but smile as she took the papers. "Really." She said as she pushed up from the uncomfortable chair. "Really, thank you." She nodded underlining her point.

Faith strolled in through the back door to find that the kitchen was already full of people. She tucked her helmet up on top of the fridge, the compromise area she had reached with Rosie as she didn't want the interior being ruined if it was hanging on a hook.

"Did the world end again?" She looked around at them and then realized that everyone was smiling, even Buffy. "Okay too happy, did the Hellmouth freeze closed?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"No, better." Dawn grinned and pointed at her sister. "Buffy's back at university."

"And Rose is making stir fry for dinner." Buffy put in as she took a large wok out of the cupboard.

"A plethora of reasons to celebrate." Giles agreed as he continued cutting vegetables. "You should tell them your good news as well Faith."

"Oh nothing big." Faith shook her head and immediately saw Mrs. Lauder and Giles go to object. "I finally found this part I needed for my bike, been a bitch of a time searching for it all day but B's news way outdoes that." She gave them both a brief stare to shut them up. "So come on brainiac B, what classes you taking?"

"I have three days to decide." Buffy replied immediately catching onto the look that Faith gave the older people in the room. "I'm going to see what Willow thinks when we have our run tomorrow."

"Cool." Faith nodded reaching to steal a mushroom. "Since you've got it all covered I'm going to go take a shower, full of bike grease." She stole another one before heading down the hallway.

"I need to get changed too." Buffy made a quick glance around and hurried after the other Slayer.

"B, I called the shower first." Faith turned when she reached the top landing and found the blonde following right behind her.

"That was you having good news and me congratulating you." Faith answered her immediately.

"Stop playing games Faith, you know what I'm asking about." Buffy crossed her arms. "What good news do you have? Did Angel call, are you heading back to LA?"

"Why would that be good news?" Faith questioned watching the way Buffy's body language changed.

"Because then you get let off babysitting duty, and I know how much you hate it." The blonde replied. "So come on, share, are you?"

"Hadn't planned on it." Faith shook her head not saying more until she saw Buffy's reaction.

"I told you B I got a part for my bike." Faith shrugged. "Nothing close to what's going on with you."

"Don't even try that one again." Buffy shook her head. "I doubt Giles knows you have a bike, let alone is interested enough to make a big deal out of the fact you got a part for it."

"Okay, fine. G-man asked if he could be both our Watchers, and I agreed." Faith gave her the smallest bit of information she could.

"Oh." Buffy's frown deepened for a second. "The Council wants you back?" She queried.

"Apparently." The dark Slayer nodded. "I think it's 'cause they want to keep an eye on me, but hey, it gets Giles a second pay check so all good."

"Will Wesley be taking over when you go back?" Buffy still didn't ease the tension in her arms.

"B, is this your subtle way of hinting you want me to leave again?" Faith stepped away and continued down towards the bathroom.

"You've just felt the need to ask every which way from Sunday if I'm leaving yet." Faith looked back at her. "I mean I'm thick but I can take a hint."

"Oh just forget I even bothered to ask." Buffy dropped her arms, turned and stalked back to the stairs.

"Hold on." Faith moved after her. "Why are you getting huffy? I'm the one who you keep asking if I'm leaving, I mean aren't I the one who's supposed to get huffy?"

"No you're the one who's supposed to give me a straight answer, 'no Buffy I'm not planning on going anywhere for a while' or 'yes B, I'm gonna work out a bit with Giles and then head on out of here so you can fend for yourself' again." Buffy retaliated.

"Fine." Faith barked. "No, B I'm not planning on going anywhere for a while other than maybe dancing tonight. Happy?"

"Okay, I'll cover patrol." Buffy turned again and put her hand on the stair rail.

"I was going to ask if you wanted to come and we could do patrol in between." Faith added to her back.

"No, I wouldn't want to cramp your style." She replied. "You always told me I was a stuck up tight ass at the bronze." She turned back.

"Do I look like I've changed?" Buffy couldn't help but continue the tense banter.

"B, if you're waiting for me to beg you to come you're going to grow old in that spot." Faith laughed tightly and then moved to finally head to the bathroom. "If you want to join then come, if not I'll celebrate your good news myself. I'm used to having to go solo."

"Yeah you know loose slut whores like me B." She turned in the doorway trying to push away the hurt she felt and make it boil down into anger right away. "We always get what we're looking for." She slammed the bathroom door so hard it rattled against the hinges.

Willow carried the large wooden tray into the bedroom. She knew she wasn't the best cook in the world but she also knew that fundamentally it was impossible to ruin jacket potatoes. Well unless any of the toppings she had bought were expired or the potatoes had gone soft but she had checked for all those factors and nothing should be ruining this meal.

"Here we go." She beamed as she brought the tray over. "Jackets with your choice of sour cream, cheese, butter, tuna mix, ham, mayo, and what I know are your favorite baked beans." She tried not to screw up her nose. "Oh and fresh grapefruit juice with all its goodly vitamins and natural sugar."

"Wow I feel like a princess or something." Ruth wiggled up the bed a little and leaned on the headboard.

"You are." Willow pointed out as she settled down with her on the bed with the tray. "Oh and Buffy phoned to see if we wanted to go to the Bronze but I said we were having a quiet night, unless you want to go?"

"I'm not sure I want to move." Ruth was honest in her reply. "Well not out of the house at any rate.' She beamed.

"Sounds perfect to me." The redhead grinned. "So what would you like on your potato?"

"Hmmmmm." Ruth thought for a moment. "Butter and cheese." She looked over the tray. "For starters." She added.

"To start eh, does someone have a big appetite?" Willow teased as she got the witch's dinner ready.

"Well I've expelled a lot of energy." Ruth winked. "So have you come to think of it, so what are you eating." She added with a more serious look.

"My usual…cheese and sour cream." The redhead admitted as she handed over the witch's bowl.

Ruth took it patting down the sheets to rest it in a semi stable place. She looked up as Willow got her own.

"I love you too." Willow smiled her heart melting at the soft endearment. "Do you want anything else?" She asked gently.

"I know I have said it several times Lo, but thank you, for last night, for loving me, for everything." Ruth took a light breath and blinked her navy eyes.

"You never have to thank me for loving you, ever." Willow reminded her. "It's me who has to thank you."

"It's not silly…I'm the one who has to thank you for loving me." Willow explained. "I know it's not an easy thing to do."

"Whoever told you that was lying." Ruth reached out and brushed Willow's cheek, "You are the most loveable person I know."

"I'm eating I'm eating." Ruth laughed as she took a small forkful to her mouth, her eyes never leaving Willow's face.

"I want to see all of that eaten." Willow pointed out. "You need your strength."

The Bronze was its usually energetic pace, even on a weekday night. Faith had amused herself with a game of pool until one of the other participants had started becoming a little too friendly. It was almost odd for her now, after what some would call a short time in prison and others would call a long time she didn't like people all over her anymore. There had been a time in her life when she would have probably just taken him in the back and rode him until he begged her to stop but now she couldn't even fake interest.

Nursing only her second beer of the night she leaned against the low metal bar that mapped out the railing near the staircase to the upper catwalk and watched as life went on around her.

"Just watching Slayer?" Spike's voice came from just behind the dark haired woman.

Faith couldn't help but let out a long sigh as she heard and recognized the voice.

"You have a death wish don't you?" She questioned without turning around to him.

"And I thought it was Buffy I wasn't allowed to look at or touch." Spike rubbed at his still swollen eyebrow.

"Oh trust me she is." Faith finally turned. "But I thought you'd be smart enough to stay out of my radar just in case I decided you were healing up a little too quickly." She appraised the way he hunched from his broken ribs and the way he cradled his limp arm.

"You beat me up good Faith I'm not going to deny that, but come on, isn't this vendetta thing a little old, don't I deserve some kind of second chance?" He tried to appeal to her better nature.

"Second chance?" Faith felt her anger flare up. "Let me tell you what you deserve." She stepped up to him and knowing he wouldn't expect the move she stepped even closer her strong hand coming up to grab him harshly by the manhood as she squeezed. "You deserve to have this little bit of you ripped off and shoved down your throat because you think some little soul you have has given you humanity. Your second chance Spike is that I haven't just killed you and been done with it, so consider yourself lucky."

The peroxide vampire had to stifle the cough that hit him, knowing it would cause even more pain.

"You know." He squeaked. "The reputation you have does you wrong, the Faith I heard about probably wasn't any more innocent than I am."

"You know you're good at those mind games, you think you can taunt me or twist me into thinking you have some tally of the score." Faith twisted and then she let go. "What I am and what you are, they don't equate Spike. Whatever I am, innocent or not, is not yours to judge."

"Just making an observation." Once released and in control of the pain Spike moved closer to her raising his hand as if to brush down the side of her wavy hair.

"Don't touch her." Buffy's steely voice growled low. Spike stopped mid motion and turned to see the blonde Slayer stood staring at him. Dressed in dark brown leather pants and a matching jacket, her feet a little apart, her hands on her hips, and her eyes staring at him hard.

"I believe the lady told you to do something." Faith glanced at Buffy and looked at Spike with a slight smile.

"A Slayer tag team, once upon a time Buffy I could have gotten excited by this." Spike dropped his hand and smirked.

"I'm going to beat the shit out of him now okay B?" For some reason the dark Slayer looked at Buffy before she actually did anything.

"Bye Spike." Faith reached out and with a light hand pushed him away as she walked over to Buffy. "Can I buy you a drink?"

"I came more to dance." Buffy took a breath and slowly let her hands slip off her hips.

"You really know how to woo me." Faith smiled and grabbing Buffy's hand led her towards the dance floor.

Buffy felt herself move along with Faith rather than consciously followed her. Within a few beats of the fast dance track she was moving to the rhythm trying to do her best to ignore Spike who had moved to get a clearer view of them from above.

"B, I know he's not worth it but he also has no right to be stalking you." Faith danced closer and leaned in to speak directly into the other Slayer's ear.

"He's allowed to be in a club." Buffy's earlier resolve seem to waiver slightly as she glanced up at the leering vampire.

"I'm glad you came." Faith changed veins in their conversation not pulling back as the crowd crushed around them.

"Earlier, I was a bitch." Buffy shook her head again. "I wanted to say sorry, what I was trying to say didn't come out right." She explained more.

"So you want me around?" Faith questioned trying to catch hazel eyes as they danced.

"Are you happy here, well you know, not unhappy at least?" Buffy didn't answer directly.

"Then here is good." Buffy was forced closer as more people crowded the dance floor.

"Are you happy about the school thing?" The dark Slayer felt her hand brush over Buffy's hip as they moved in the tight surroundings.

"I'm thinking it will make life feel more normal even if it doesn't actually change anything." Buffy admitted, her eyes glancing down to where her hip was brushed.

"You're smart B, don't take shit from any professor." Faith added before she concentrated more on the music, enjoying the casual brushes between them.

"I think you're confusing me with Willow there." Buffy shook her head glancing up to the scaffold, tensing instantly when she didn't see Spike.

"He moved down and headed out the back." Faith saw the immediate change in the blonde.

"Where is he now?" Buffy hissed, her hazel eyes darting around all rhythm in her dancing gone.

"He circled around and now he's by the dark edge of the bar, B, I really have to kick his ass now." Faith growled.

"No." The dark Slayer shook her head immediately. "You're not causing the problem here, he is. Let me take care of this okay, I'll be right back." She reached down and squeezed Buffy's hand before she moved away.

Faith caught eyes with the defiant vampire and smiled at him knowing that he expected her to go straight over to him but instead she veered sideways. She found the first of the clubs bouncers she could find, a very large broad guy in a tight black T-Shirt and holding his arm lightly she had him bend down so she could whisper something to him. Almost immediately he spoke into the low-tech walkie-talkie he had.

Confidently Faith stepped back and watched with a smile as within a few moments three similar gigantic bouncers surrounded Spike and despite his protests dragged him out the door. With a quick thank you to the bouncer Faith moved back to where Buffy was still dancing half- heartedly.

"Sometimes head on the hard way isn't the best way." Faith acknowledged. "And in prison you learn quickly that breaking people's bones just lands you in the hole."

"Prison or the hole?" Faith felt her feet grow heavier too as she clarified the question.

"It's hard, dirty and dangerous." Faith admitted. "But it's structured; you learn how to get along quickly." She blinked for a moment. "It was lonely."

"I know." Faith nodded softly. "I think the worse part was having everyone taking shots at me because I was the one to beat you know?"

"Not your fault B." The dark Slayer shook her head. "I did my crime, I did my time."

"There are lots of things we all could have done different, trust me there is no reason for us to live in the past like that." She shook her head. "It just kills you slowly." She added.

"You have to be alive to die." Buffy slipped away from the other Slayer and walked off the dance floor.

"B…" Faith followed after her and put her hand on the blonde's shoulder to stop her and turn her. "You are alive." She put forward firmly.

"Then come on, let's grab a little life." Faith grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the dance floor again. "No talk, no baggage from the past."

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Witness

By The Rainbow Writers

Copyright © 2003

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