Time Frame: After the chitauri attack.

Rating: T (But Faith wanted it to be M so she could curse more)

This story contains a gay relationship, consider yourselves forewarned.

Pairings: Fuffy 4 eva

Legalities: All B:TVS characters are that of the Mighty Whedon and his glorious intellect, All Marvel characters are not mine. This work is meant only in celebration and nothing ulterior.


Hellicarrier - New York City

"Does my relationship with my wife bother you, Captain?" Buffy Summers Lehane's slight smirk was the only indication of amusement. Steve Rogers, Captain America, veteran,soldier and war hero cringed at the question.

"No ma'am, not a bit." And it shouldn't, he thought to himself.

"'Cuz if it does, we can always just sit down and talk about it." She gave a casual smile, like a cat meeting a mouse for the first time. Again, the timeless soldier felt icy shivers down his back at the notion.

"I've fought side by side with plenty of folk, ma'am. Things like that aren't important." He meant it, foxholes bred plenty different kinds of relationships, that rarely ever made a difference in a soldier. He wasn't so old fashioned that he thought who a person loved affected how hard they fought. In fact, when he found out Don't Ask Don't Tell was being repealed he vocally backed it with out hesitation. Talking about it out loud? You leave that kind of stuff at home with whom ever you share that home with. Captain America had charged Nazi Tiger Tanks muzzle first with out flinching. The Red Skull? Just a busy day a the office, sir. But put the soldier in front of something like the subject of female sexuality? Cap wanted to run away and hide.

"Sure, as a generality you're okay with it, but tell me Captain," Buffy pressed the super soldier, "how many gay people do you actually know?" That wasn't fair and she knew it. He was barely out of the ice before the chitauri attacked, the idea of making any semblance of friends would be difficult enough let alone with a demographic that comprised of an ever shifting digit. Buffy really enjoyed teasing him though, so she gave him another light hit.

"There's half a million gay people in New York state alone, Cap," she teased, "I'm sure you know a few." Captain America paused in his step. They were on their way to see Fury and the liaison for Buffy's organization. The Captain had asked the spy master about them after meeting the tiny blonde on the killing fields of the Battle of New York City. An entire squad of those alien foot soldiers was torn apart by a woman who was driving a minivan. The super soldier watched as the petite blonde got out of her vehicle and literally threw the nearest chitauri into another and proceeded to go hand-to-hand with the rest. The Captain was about to go in to pull her out but then she started punching well above her weight-class and was fast enough to make the aliens look stupid as she fought them.

He had seen women fight before, there was nothing new about that. The novelty of witnessing Buffy fight was something else entirely. The ferocity in her grace, the almost terrifying strength and the brutal efficiency of her movements, nothing could compare to it. Captain Rogers had seen master assassins ply their grisly trades, but those were learned skills that did no justice to a creature born in and made for war.

In that moment, Steve Rogers felt kinship.

"Hey, moron! You gonna help out my wife or is that stupid frickin' hat for show?!" and the moment was gone.

The angry words came from a scowling brunette, she looked worried and was holding a young boy to her chest. She sat at the front passenger seat of the vehicle Buffy was protecting and seemed like she wanted to say something much more caustic than the PG scolding Cap was given. As he stood in place, unsure of how to respond, the woman gave him and his inaction a deeply annoyed look.

"C'mon, spandex. Quit gawkin' and go do - your - frickin' - job." She banged on the outside of the car door with with her palms punctuating the last few syllables. That's how Captain America met Faith Lehane, Buffy's wife. Shaken from his reverie, the super soldier stuttered out a "Yes, ma'am." before bounding into the fray.

Back in the present, Steve Rogers made an observation that had not occurred to him. "I don't think I know any gay people at all." he realized. Looking to Buffy, he asked her sincerely "Do you and Faith count?"

Buffy scrunched her face. "Um, we may not be the best example of the gay population."

The Captain made a face in turn. "You're a woman married to another woman, has the definition changed?"

Before the door to Col. Fury's command center, Buffy stopped and turned to Steve. She looked him over as though taking his measure. She had sized him up the moment she had laid eye one his uniform, this was different. "Almost all my previous relationships were with men and Faith was happy with either gender since she was a teen." The small blonde paused a heartbeat in thought, Cap was polite enough not to interrupt.

"I've been in love with maybe two men and with only one woman in my entire life. Does that qualify me to any strict definition? Buffy tapped her chin in thought.

"Bisexuality?" Steve offered.

"Maybe," Another thoughtful look from the petite woman, "but I'm not sure that's the right fit either. I read somewhere that women's sexuality is kinda like a moving target. Which might explain things in a broader sense, I guess." Steve regarded Buffy a moment. "But in my case maybe it's close. "

"Maybe we shelve this discussion for the moment and get back to work." He suggested, they were standing in front of Fury's office already, might as well take care of business at hand first. Buffy gave a non-committal shrug in reply.

The door slid open to reveal the Helicarrier's command center. The huge windows at the fore let the in the beautiful sight of blue sky and clouds the ship flew over. It was a busy area, stations were manned by uniformed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. The command post was filled with a tall man in a black leather duster. His dark face was scarred and an eye-patch covered his right eye. Not for the first time, Buffy wondered if the spymaster had yet met Xander and if the two would exchange notes on pirate wear. Besides him an older gentlemen in a tweed jacket, they were conversing quietly. The watcher smiled when he caught sight of his slayer.

"Giles!" Buffy gave a surprised squeal. She ran over to hug her adoptive father. "I thought you were sending Will over?"

"She's over at Stark Towers inspecting the spacial breach." The Englishman informed. "Captain, how do you do?" He received a polite nod from Cap.

"Mrs. Lehane, how are you? I hope Capt. Rogers was a capable tour guide." The scarred spy asked in greeting.

Pleasantries out of the way, Buffy leaned over to Cap and muttered. "You think you were uncomfortable? Watch this."

"Hey Giles," Buffy spoke up. "I was just wondering" The old watcher perked at the possible question, "how are you on the subject of human sexuality?"

Rupert Giles' flustered face and sudden stammer made a slayer giggle mischievously and an old soldier held a sympathetic smile in check.