Tara frowns as she looks at her watch, not having meant to be out this late, having been engrossed in a new novel at The Book Attic, one of the few places that stays open past dusk, smiling as she remembers the crosses worked into the store in the window designs, and even on the handle of the door. Unknowingly the religious mindset of the owner with his decorations providing a natural deterrent to the demons.
Tara frowns as she hears heavy footfalls behind her, grabbing her stake out of her purse while murmuring a spell, ready to cast it at a moments notice as she picks up her pace.
“Look what we have here, boys. A nice tasty appetizer.” The lead vampire grins at his three brethren as they close in on the blonde.
Tara bites her lip, knowing that she can handle a couple vampires on her own, but if they attack her at the same time, there is no way in hell she can take them all out. Swallowing hard, Tara hesitates for a second, that’s almost her downfall as she turns around to send a fireball at the lead demon, crying out in pain as another vampire snatches her by her hair yanking her into him as he growls angrily.
***
Faith frowns as her senses go off, having decided to start doing a patrol earlier, working her way towards Restfield Cemetery. Picking up her gate, she breaks into a run as she hears a scream of pain, turning the corner to see three vampires holding onto a blonde woman.
Growling angrily, Faith wades in, grabbing two of the vampires that are standing the closest together, slamming their heads together as hard as she can before spinning around and backhanding the other vampire, sparing a quick glance for the blonde, not seeing any blood, Faith sighs in relief.
Tara stares in stunned disbelief, it taking a few seconds for it to sink in that it’s Faith that has come to her rescue. Slowly Tara backs up to allow the dark-haired slayer room to fight the vampires. Frowning as she hears more footsteps heading their way. “Please, Goddess, not what we need.” Tara turns quickly looking in all directions, watching as another group of vampires head towards them. Quickly tucking away the stake, Tara quickly incants the fireball spells, sending out the twin balls of flame towards the two leading vampires, even as she hears Faith snarling angrily behind her.
“Fuckin’ assholes.” Faith quickly stakes one vampire that was still unconscious even as she kicks out the feet of one of the other vampires, and slings a stake into the heart of the third vampire. Grabbing out a spare stake from the back of her jeans at the same time she slams her foot down on the vampire starting to get up Faith kneels, staking him even as she watches the blonde send the fireballs towards the new group of vampires headed towards them. “Fuckin’ convention?” Faith snarls.
“I think they heard you were back in town.” Buffy yells coming up behind the group of vampires, smirking even as she jumps up into a spin kick, knocking two down as Faith comes in from the other direction swinging.
Tara watches the two slayers take on the last six vampires, stunned at the difference in their fighting skills. Whereas Buffy was controlled in her skills, but not telegraphing any of her movements, moving like a sleek panther from one strike to another. Tara’s eyes are drawn irrevocably to the dark-haired slayer’s movements, the wildness, the strength and power that seems to explode from the woman. Watching as the strength coils up before she springs into action again, like a snake striking quickly and deadly at its victim.
“Shit! That was my last stake.” Faith growls angrily as the stake dusts with the vampire she’d just killed.
“Here, Faith.” Tara calls out softly, tossing her stake to the slayer, watching as she reaches up, grabbing it out of the air even as she spins around and slams the stake home through the last vampire’s back, dusting him quickly.
Faith flips the stake, catching it quickly as she strides over to the blonde. “Thanks, Blondie.” Faith hands it back, unconsciously eyeing the blonde up and down, realizing she looks familiar. “How come ya’ ain’t runnin’ screamin’ from here?”
Buffy chuckles as she comes up on the two women as she dusts off her jeans. “Faith, you obviously don’t remember Tara from your one meeting with her. This is Tara Maclay, Wiccan extraordinaire and Scooby.”
Faith tilts her head at the blonde, trying to place her when Buffy’s earlier conversation makes another trip through her mind about Tara being Red’s ex. As the realization of what she did in their first meeting sinks in, Faith shifts uncomfortably as she looks down at the ground. “I remember. I was a bitch to her.” Faith admits softly.
“What?” Buffy frowns as she looks at Faith, silently asking for a little more clarification.
“When I was in your body, I ran into Red and Blondie here at the Bronze. I made fun of her.” Faith looks up into guarded blue eyes. “I made fun of her stutter, and was a flat out mean bitch to her. She didn’t do nothin’ but just be there and I was being my normal, hateful self.”
Buffy sighs as she looks from Faith to Tara, watching as Tara tilts her head as she looks at the dark-haired slayer.
“What would happen if you saw us there together today?” Tara questions the slayer softly.
“What?” Faith frowns at the blonde Wiccan. “I was in a seriously fucked up place at the time, and I wouldn’t even think about doing somethin’ like that now.” Faith answers truthfully. “I can’t undo what I did, but I can apologize. I’m sorry I was a bitch.” Faith murmurs softly as she looks back down at the ground, unable to keep eye contact with the blue eyes that seem to look into her soul.
Tara unconsciously reaches out and lifts the slayer’s chin until she’s looking into worried brown eyes. “I accept your apology, and you’re forgiven.” Tara grins crookedly at the slayer, even as she sees the surprise at the easy forgiveness in the brown gaze.
Buffy purses her lips as she looks from Tara to Faith, her mind starting to wander as the two women continue to look at each other for a few minutes, a small smile finally crossing Faith’s face as it sinks in that Tara was sincere. “Tara, you know better than to be out here, what the hell were you thinking?” Buffy finally questions, a little rougher than she meant to, watching in surprise as Faith unconsciously shifts closer to Tara placing her body partially between her and the Wiccan. Raising an eyebrow at the move, it takes Buffy a moment to realize Faith wasn’t even aware of what she’d done.
“I was reading at the Book Attic, and time got away from me.” Tara admits, blushing in embarrassment. “I was trying to hurry back to my apartment, but…” Tara shrugs, frowning.
“Everyone’s okay, no worse for the wear, B. Let’s walk Blondie here home, and finish patrol.” Faith offers quietly.
Tara raises an eyebrow at the dark-haired slayer, surprised at her stepping in to play peacemaker. Everything that she had heard about the slayer having led her to believe the woman would be more inclined to aggravate a situation instead of trying to help it. But something inside her telling her that the woman standing in front of her isn’t the same person she was. That she had changed deep within, not just on the surface.
Buffy looks intently at Faith for a few minutes, before nodding her head in agreement. “Yes, she is okay, but she also knows I have this aversion to people I consider family being hurt and putting themselves in danger.”
“And when said people do either of those things they know they’re in for an ass-chewing.” Tara winces as she looks at Buffy. “I also know she does it because she can’t stand the thought of losing someone else.” Tara continues, smiling softly at the blonde slayer.
“Been enough death.” Buffy mumbles, looking into understanding blue eyes for a moment before sighing quietly. “But I’ll forget the ass-chewing tonight. But in payment I want peach cobbler for dessert tomorrow.”
Tara chuckles and winks at the slayer. “Done. Now, am I going to have the company of two slayers to walk me home?”
“Uh, I can finish patrol, B, if you wanna take Blondie here home.” Faith offers quietly, tucking her hands away in her pockets.
“No, we can both go. With that group of vampires we took out, I think it best we stick together to be on the safe side.” Buffy offers leaning down to pick up Tara’s book bag that she’d dropped sometime in midst of the fight.
“Thanks, sweetie.” Tara takes the bag digging in it to grab out two spare stakes, tucking one in her pocket before handing the other one to Faith. Chuckling as the slayer looks at it in surprise, before brown eyes glance up at her with a questioning look in their depths. Not able to help herself, Tara smirks. “It’s a stake. A piece of wood carved to a point to be used in killing vampires… I’m sure you can use it for other things, too, but that’s the approved and suggested method of use.”
Buffy snorts as they start walking down the sidewalk. “I thought you weren’t one for the timber, Tara.”
“Definitely not. I’d rather take one of those any day over the other.” Tara grins wickedly at Buffy.
“Don’t tell me your vibrator broke on you and you resorted to using stakes!” Buffy looks mockingly at the Wiccan, grinning as she turns red. “Gotcha!”
“I wasn’t the only one in the store.” Tara points out her eyebrow rising knowingly at Buffy.
“Thought I would try something a little healthier for me.” Buffy admits softly, a vulnerable look coming across her face.
“I’m sorry, sweetie.” Tara winces. “I didn’t…”
“Shhh. I know, Tara.” Buffy shrugs as she looks around. Seeing the questioning look on Faith’s face, Buffy sighs heavily. “Something else I guess I should talk to you about… but not tonight.”
“Are you two…” Faith questions looking from one blonde to the other blonde, staring at Tara as the Wiccan busts out laughing.
“No. We’ve just become closer over the last few months. Buffy doesn’t play on my side of the fence.” Tara smirks at the blonde slayer. “It just so happened I had just went into Sunnydale’s one and only sex shop just as Buffy was coming out. After the initial embarrassment on both our parts, we’ve alluded to the encounter a couple times, but not quite as much as we have tonight.” Tara shrugs as she looks apologetically at the blonde slayer.
“If I did swing that way, Willow would probably nail my hide to the wall if I went after Tara.” Buffy grumbles, her voice more serious than she meant it to sound.
“I thought you two were broken up.” Faith frowns, her gaze turning back to the Wiccan.
“We are.” Tara sighs quietly as she unconsciously tips her head forward, hiding her face. “I think she has a problem dealing with the fact that I’m not coming back to her.”
“I think it hit home a little more the day she left for England.” Buffy offers quietly. “I saw the knowledge in her eyes.”
“And the hurt and anger, also.” Tara shakes her head at the remembrance.
“Why’d you two break up?” Faith frowns looking at Tara. Watching the Wiccan seem to shrink even more at her question, Faith shoves her hands in her pockets and kicks a stone out of the way. “Never mind. Ain’t none of my business.”
Buffy tilts her head so she can look a little better at Tara, seeing the Wiccan’s shoulders slump even more with the dark-haired slayer’s words. Deciding not to say anything, because it truthfully isn’t her place, waiting to see what Tara will do. Knowing the Wiccan is still hurt from the redhead’s actions, even though she was trying to go on with her life.
“No, Faith.” Tara starts after a few minutes, running a hand through her hair, straightening slightly as she tucks it behind her ear, glancing at the dark-haired slayer, frowning as she notices the slayer has shifted further away from Buffy’s other side, distancing herself from them. “It’s just that it’s still somewhat a sore subject with me. And I’m afraid it will be for a long time to come.” Tara admits.
“Do you want me to talk with her?” Buffy offers after a few seconds. “If you don’t want to re-hash it right now…”
“No.” Tara smiles and pats Buffy gently on the shoulder. “Thanks for the offer, sweetie. I’m sure you two are going to be discussing a lot of things as it is, you don’t need to add in my problems.” Tara takes a deep calming breath, situating what she wants to say to give the basic explanation, without going into too much detail. “Since what happened to Willow and I isn’t really going to have a bearing on what’s going on right now, I’ll just give you a little basic idea. Later on if you want, we can get together to go into more detail.” Tara offers softly.
Faith looks across Buffy to see blue eyes looking back at her, not hiding what happened, but honestly believing that her problems aren’t that big a deal that they all need to be laid bare right at this moment. Slowly nodding her head, Faith splits her concentration between feeling for demons, watching where she’s going and looking over at the two women on the one side of her as they walk to Tara’s apartment.
“Willow has trouble with dark magic, that’s why she’s in England. She performed a spell on me… Needless to say she destroyed the trust in our relationship with what she did, and in doing so, she destroyed something that is essential for me to have in a partnership.” Tara explains with downcast eyes.
“What…” Faith snaps her mouth shut on the question she was going to ask, realizing it isn’t any of her business.
Buffy looks questioningly at Tara, wondering if she wants her to tell Faith.
Tara shakes her head, sighing quietly. “We had an argument over magic usage. So, she placed a forget spell on me so I wouldn’t remember the argument.”
Buffy growls quietly. “But Tara didn’t leave her after she found out what Willow did. She gave her another chance, and less than a day later Willow did another forget spell on her.”
Faith unconsciously stops and stares at the two women, watching them as they stop and turn to face her, having made it a couple more steps in front of her. “Let me get this right… Red, the woman that loved you, did a spell on you where she reached into your head and took your fuckin’ memories from you?” Faith questions hoarsely, her eyes staying on blue eyes, seeing the answer in their depths. Quickly glancing at Buffy, Faith is surprised to see the slight anger on the blonde slayer’s face, before her eyes go back to Tara’s. “So, she took from you without your permission, in essence, raping you.” Faith growls angrily, shaking her head. “I never woulda’ thought Red would do somethin’ so…”
“Idiotic? Asinine? To the one person she supposedly loved more than anything in the world… her everything?” Tara throws out there to the night air, her tone at once biting and sarcastic before a sad, lonely note hits on the last two words. “Well, believe it. The magic was more important than me.” Tara turns on her heel to head towards home.
Faith watches the blonde stride down the sidewalk before turning her gaze towards Buffy. “There was one thing in the big house that was considered worse than murder, B. Care to guess what it was?”
Buffy sighs heavily, before motioning Faith to follow after Tara. “Rape. I never really thought of it that way, before. But you’re right, it was a rape. An emotional and mental rape… though it might even be considered a physical rape also.” Buffy whispers softly as they follow at a distance behind Tara.
“What’cha mean?” Faith unconsciously stiffens, feeling the anger boiling under the surface.
“I remember after Willow cast the first spell, we were researching a new demon in town, and the two of them snuck off to be together. After talking with Tara, I realize that was after the first forget spell was done, before Tara found out about it. I’ve come to know Tara better in the months since then, and she never would have been physical with Willow until they had ironed out their differences. So, because of the forget spell, she slept with Willow, so does that count as physical rape?” Buffy glances at Faith, surprised to see the flushed and angry face of the slayer.
“Yeah, that’s what I would consider it.” Faith growls deeply. “Good thing Red ain’t here or I’d give her a piece of my mind. There’re things you don’t do to loved ones… and rape is definitely one of ‘em.” Faith stares up at the night sky for a few moments before picking up her gate, to eat up the distance between them and Tara as she feels an uncontrollable urge to protect the blonde Wiccan from any and all things that might try and hurt her.
Buffy blinks in surprise at the dark slayer’s reaction even as she watches Faith catch up to Tara, walking just slightly behind and to the left of her. Picking up the pace, but staying behind them, Buffy watches Faith curiously.
“Umm. If ya’ want and ever are out at night, or think you’re gonna be, could you call me?” Faith offers quietly. When she notices the surprised look coming from the Wiccan, Faith shrugs. “I’ll make sure you get to where you need to be. I can give ya’ my home phone, but I gotta go get a cell phone. It actually would be a good idea for all of us to get phones.” Faith glances over her shoulder at Buffy.
“Cell phones are expensive.” Buffy shakes her head at the dark haired slayer, letting her know that she couldn’t afford one.
“They got them plans where you can add additional phones for next to nothin’. Maybe one of those walky-talky type things would be good.” Faith frowns heavily at the slayer, narrowing her gaze, trying to silently communicate to Buffy that she would take care of it. “Family plans, ain’t that what they call ‘em?”
“They advertise the hell out of them, but I never checked into them.” Buffy sighs, slowly nodding her head at the slayer, but narrowing her gaze on her to let her know they were going to talk about this.
Faith nods her head once, sharply before facing forward again, her eyes being caught by curious blue eyes.
“What’s with the silent conversation?” Tara questions with a lifted eyebrow, watching as Faith sighs and looks down.
“I was gonna get phones for us tomorrow.” Faith explains quietly.
“How?” Tara tilts her head as she watches Faith, crossing her arms over her chest as the slayer fidgets slightly.
“With the money I have.” Faith winces as she can imagine what the next question is going to be, deciding to head it off at the pass. “Yeah, it’s blood money, B. It came from the Mayor, but what better way to use it than to help in the fight?”
Buffy snarls her lip as she stares at the dark-haired slayer. “You know how I feel about evil!”
Tara raises a hand as she looks from one to the other slayer, understanding Buffy’s knee-jerk reaction to the thought of using the money, but also seeing Faith’s point. “Buffy, I know you would be more than happy for Faith to burn the money and never ever have to think about it again, but what good will that do? Wouldn’t it be more like thumbing your nose in evil’s face by using the money that one of their biggest supporters amassed, to fight the people it was to help?” Tara glances at Faith before turning her gaze on Buffy, seeing the conflicting emotions crossing Buffy’s face. “Sweetie…” Tara gently grasps Buffy’s shoulder, looking into confused hazel eyes. “Have you ever used or kept a weapon that a demon had used, Buffy?”
Buffy looks down at the ground and nods her head. “But Tara…”
“I know, sweetie. You feel that it’s wrong and I understand, but you need to think about this. What good would it do to throw the money away?” Tara glances over at Faith looking intently into the brown eyes, seeing something in the depths that she never expected to see, sadness. For a moment, Tara sees into Faith’s soul, sees the anger, the hurt, the sadness and the pain before Faith pulls the shutters down again. Turning back to Buffy, Tara squeezes the slayer’s shoulder again. “Just think about it, sweetie.”
Buffy sighs quietly, studying Tara for a few minutes. “How do you feel on this matter, Tara?”
Tara sighs quietly and shrugs her shoulders. “I see both sides, Buffy. But one thing you have to remember… I’ve watched what you’ve gone through over the past few years… are going through.” Tara looks intently into hazel eyes. “Use what’s available to you, anything you’re able to use to help, use it!”
Buffy growls quietly before looking away. “I’ll think about it.” Buffy finally offers a partial compromise.
“I’ll settle for that.” Tara pats Buffy gently before glancing again at Faith before heading towards her apartment.
Faith tucks her hands in her pockets as she slowly follows behind Tara, watching as Buffy comes up beside her to walk with her, both slayers flanking the Wiccan. Faith frowns as they walk more towards the worst part of town, tilting her head to look at Buffy as they continue to walk with Tara.
Buffy feels the other slayer’s eyes on her and slowly raises hers, seeing the questioning look in Faith’s eyes, Buffy just shakes her head, before whispering so only Faith can hear. “Later.”
Faith growls quietly as Tara finally turns up the broken sidewalk of a run down apartment building. Faith’s nose curls up at the sight of the littered stairs, along with fetid smelling air.
“Tara, I wish…” Buffy starts before Tara cuts her off quickly.
“We’ve been over this before, Buffy.” Tara growls quietly as she makes it up to the second landing, unlocking the door to her small efficiency apartment.
Faith looks from Buffy to Tara, watching the two women before she eases into the apartment, frowning at the small space, swearing it almost seems smaller than most of the motel rooms she’s stayed in.
“Would either of you like some water or juice?” Tara offers as she tosses her backpack in the corner.
“Nah, I’m okay.” Faith shakes her head, as she looks at the clean, but sparse apartment. What items that were in it, were obviously hand-me-downs from about ten families ago.
“I’m fine. I’ll see you tomorrow early afternoon?” Buffy looks at Tara still feeling a slight anger under the surface at the Wiccan’s unwillingness to move back into the house.
“I’ll be there.” Tara smiles at Buffy, knowing the slayer gets angry every time they have this conversation, also knowing her trying to cut it off at the pass, didn’t stop the anger. “Be careful, sweetie.” Tara hugs Buffy gently and brushes her lips softly over Buffy’s forehead. “Take care of yourself.”
“Like I have a choice with you ready to kick my ass.” Buffy slowly relaxes and smiles back at the Wiccan as Tara steps away after giving her one more squeeze.
Faith watches the interaction between the two women, still not entirely positive that there wasn’t something going on between them. When Tara turns to her and does that damn thing where she seems to be looking in her soul again, Faith unconsciously backs up a step and drops her gaze, not realizing that her thoughts were plain to the Wiccan.
Tara sighs softly as the dark-haired slayer backs away from her even as she breaks off the gaze, having noticed the silent question in the brown eyes about the relationship between her and Buffy. “Be careful out there, Faith.” Tara whispers softly, even as she watches the slayer edge her way to the door.
“Yeah, thanks.” Faith practically bolts out the door.
“What the hell?” Buffy questions, looking from the empty doorway to Tara.
“I don’t know why, but for some reason she thinks that you and I are a couple and it’s bothering her.” Tara explains quietly, staring at the empty doorway.
“Could our lives get any more complicated?” Buffy mutters rhetorically as she waves at Tara before jogging out of the apartment to head after the rogue slayer.
Tara locks the door behind Buffy before turning around and leaning against it as she thinks about the night’s happenings. “Yes, Buffy. I think our lives can get a hell of a lot more complicated.” Tara runs a lightly shaking hand through her hair in the realization that the dark-haired slayer had struck a chord deep inside her. “Right, Tara. Like that woman would ever even think about someone like you, let alone be attracted to you. She’s wild, chance-taking and out to have a good time. One look at her and you know her motto is ‘Live Wild and Free and Die Young’. You’re everything she’s not.” Tara shakes her head before slowly getting ready for bed.
