Chapter Nine Annointed Pt 2

She'd been in Sunnydale a little over a week now, and Phoebe was still surprised at how aptly named the town was. As she walked to school alongside Blair, Phoebe marveled at how pretty much every day was sunny and beautiful. Not bad for a town situated above a Hellmouth. Or maybe that was part of the spell.

She looked over at the gorgeous blonde, appreciating how she looked in her red blouse and designer jeans. She smirked a little at the distracted...lonely look on Blair's face.

"Missing somebody?" she asked, knowingly, putting her hand on Blair's shoulder.

Blair blushed but smiled at the shorter girl. "maybe a little," she confessed. "I KNOW we just said goodbye to her, but, well, I keep wishing she could walk to school with us."

"with US or with YOU," Phoebe teased, making Blair blush again.

"With ME," admitted Blair, rolling her eyes. "I just don't get it, Pheebs," she said. "I went to an all girls school. I've showered with other girls after gym class countless times, and I've NEVER looked at another girl. So, why do you girls, ESPECIALLY Faith, er, well, you know."

"Get you going?" asked Phoebe, making her blush again. "I wish I knew. I feel the same way. I never REALLY looked at another girl before, but I was always open to it if the right one came along. We all have this connection, as Charmed Ones. Mr. Shadow-dancer said our animal spirits would make our, er, baser impulses hit us stronger. Maybe it's a combination of the two."

"Maybe," said Blair. "But, why FAITH? Don't get me wrong., Faith is great. She beautiful and funny, and," she blushed again. "sexy. But, she and I have nothing in common." She indicated Buffy and Santana, walking together, very close, their knuckles brushing each others, as if they wanted desperately to hold hands. "Those two make sense. Sure, they have totally different personalities, but, I can SEE them together. They at least have similar upbringings. But, how does a Park Avenue Princess wind up wondering if she's falling for an abused, poor girl from Boston?"

Phoebe shrugged as the two silently decided to not go up to Buffy and Santana. They were so cute together, though Santana would probably kick her ass if she told HER that. Plus, Phoebe wanted to leave a little space between her and Buffy after the graveyard last night. Their little wrestling match had been mostly just a fun thing, but, there WAS a sexual charge to it and she didn't want to horn in on Santana's "territory". God, she was even THINKING like a wolf!. "Opposites attract," she said. "You and Faith compliment each other. I've only known her a little longer than I have the rest of you, but, she seems really happy when she's with you. She needs that." She sighed. "I just hope Grams can get this whole school records thing sorted out."

Blair smiled. "Oh, I think there's a good chance she will," she said mysteriously. Before Phoebe could press the issue, Blair changed the subject. "How about you? Yo usaid you felt like I do. So, is one of the other girls in particular striking your fancy?" She nudged Phoebe teasingly.

"Oddly enough, not in particular," answered Phoebe. "Not so far. I'm equally attracted to all three of them. With them it's weird. Sometimes, it seems like Tara drifts towards Kim, sometimes Brittany."

"Which, again, makes sense, with Britt I mean," said Blair. "Tara is shyer, and Britt, well, Britt seems more airheaded, but, they're both really sweet and gentle."

Phoebe nodded as they spied the three girls in question. All three looked beautiful today, though Brittany was sandwiched between the other two girls, looking tired. Phoebe and Blair exchanged a look, then walked up to the others, and exchanged greetings.

"Are you ok, Britt?" Phoebe asked the tall, leggy blonde.

Brittany's eyes lit up when she looked at Phoebe. "I'm ok," she said. "I just didn't sleep well last night. Had a bad dream."

Kim rolled her eyes. "Tell them the whole story," she said. She looke to the others. "Britt has been dreaming about the night her father died."

Tara nodded. "Almost every night since that night at the park, when the vampire's ambushed us," she said. "I'm worried."

"Oh, Sweetie," said Phoebe, reaching up to cup Brittany's cheek. Way up, as Phoebe and Kim were the shortest, narrowly beating out Buffy, of the group and Britt was the tallest. "Are you ok?"

Brittany smiled and reached up and squeezed her hand. "I will be," she said. "I think the Lynx just missed Daddy. But, I feel better now that you're here."

The other four girls all exchanged looks. Brittany often said off the wall stuff, like the bit about the Lynx just now. Phoebe's breath caught when Britt said "Now that you're here," and she found herself drowning in the blonde's beautiful blue eyes. She looekd over and noticed a smirk on Blair's face. She gave her a look that said "Shut up".

"So, Brittany," Blair said. "My Mom invited Grams, Phoebe and Faith over for dinner tonight. We need to talk to Grams and Faith about something. So, if your parents were cool with it, I imagine Pheobe could come over to your place for dinner, and maybe spend the night. Protect you, and keep the dreams at bay?"

Phoebe had no time to even glare at the little matchmaker before Brittany jumped up and down clapping her hands. "Oh, that would be GREAT!" said Brittany, grabbing Phoebe's hand. "We'll have so much fun! Lord Tubbington was just saying it's been AGES since we had a sleepover!" She dragged the bemused brunette off. Phoebe looked back helplessly to see all three of the others watching with amused smilee on their faces.

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Cordelia was bored and lonely. Xander was off with Spike, as usual/ "Training" they called it. Spike was the biggest brawler of their sire's and Xander had fallen under his wing. Angelus was nowhere to be seen. Oz and Willow were sequestered somewhere, either screwing or reading, Cordy was never sure which. She just knew the two were up to something. With Darla dusted, that left Dru for company, and Cordy could barely stomach being around the crazy vampire. She always wanted to stake Dru when she started her rambling. She wished one of the newbies that she and the others had recently sired was here, instead of at the Warehouse Oz had set them up at. A couple of them really got Cordelia hot. Cordy was actually amazed at how much she missed Darla. Angelus had sired her, but, she had found herself closest to Darla of all their sires. She smirked as she remembered many long, sweaty days of that "closeness".

"DADDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" she heard Dru wail from the living room. Spilke and Xander quickly ran out from the room they had turned into the training room, and Willow and Oz, both fully dressed, Cordy noted, came down from downstairs. Cordelia sighed and followed them.

Drusilla was kneeling on the floor, clutching her thick black hair as if trying to tear it out, wailing as tears ran down her face. "He's gone!" she wailed. "They took him!" Spike and Willow were immediately on their knees next to her.

"What d'you mean, pet," asked Spike soothingly.

"The nasty boy," said Dru. "He sent his goblins and they took Daddy away! Horrid, wicked boy!" Spike looked up at Cordy and Xander who both shrugged, having no idea what she was on about.

"Dru, Sweetie," asked Willow. "Are you saying Angelus has been kidnapped? Is the nasty boy the Annointed One?"

Dru nodded. "YES!" she said. "We spoiled his game and now he wants to punish Daddy."

"His game?" asked Spike. "What the bleedin' Hell you talking about, Love?"

"I think she means we somehow interfered with his plans," said Oz, standing in the background.

Dru suddenly stood. "We have to get him back!" she said, seeming slightly more lucid. "I'm GOING to get him back!"

Cordy could see that Spike knew that tone. Even if they tied Drusilla up, she'd find a way to go after Angelus. "Right, Luv," he said. "But I'm going with you." He looked up at Xander. "Ready for a fight, kid?"

Xander nodded, a slight smile on his face. "Always."

"Guys, guys," said Oz, stepping forward. "I don't want to be a buzz kill, but from what Willow and I have read, the Annointed One is dangerous. He has a lot of power over his minions, and, even though he's a kid, he is pretty powerful himself. I think this is gonna be too dangerous for just the six of us.

"Well, the Slayer and her little friends did a number on our minions," said Cordelia bitterly. "The little princess even took Darla out. I think we're going to need the others."

Spike looked at them. "WHAT others?" he asked. As far as he knew, all of the new vampires the four new members of The Whirlwind had sired had been dusted.

Oz just gave him a mysterious smile.

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"Buffy!" called Santana, speeding up her gate to catch up with the blonde Slayer. The two had no classes together the second half of their day, so, Santana hadn't seen her since lunch.

Buffy stopped and turned with a smile, obviously having recognized Santana's voice. "Hey you," she said, her smile warming Santana's heart.

Oh yeah, you got it BAD Lopez!

"Right back atcha, Slayer," said Santana, the two of them impulsively hugging. "HOW did I miss you, just since lunch?" she whispered in Buffy's ear.

"Same way I missed you five minutes after I got to class after lunch," Buffy whispered back, giving Santana a light kiss on the cheek.

"Ok, that's enough of THAT," came a voice from behind Santana. They disengaged and she turned to see Principal Snyder, looking at them with his usual disdain.

"Is there a problem, Sir?" she asked, a bit less than respectfully.

"Yes, Lopez, there IS," said Snyder. "Public displays of affection have no place in my school. Especially between two people of the same sex. People might get the wrong idea."

"And what, pray tell, IS the wrong idea?" asked Buffy. It had always been pretty clear that Snyder, who clearly hated kids to begin with, had a special loathing for Buffy and her "trouble making" ways, so, Buffy usually tried to NOT antagonize him, but, sometimes, he just pushed her buttons.

He looked at Buffy like she was something he'd scraped off the bottom of his shoe. "Don't get cute with ME, Missy," he said. "People see two girls hugging on each other like that and they might think those two girls are a couple."

"And that's a bad thing BECAUSE?" asked Santana, her hackles rising, the Puma inside her obviously wanting to play a rousing game of Bat The Mouse with him.

Snyder shook his head. "If I have to explain it to you, Lopez, you're already a lost cause," he said. "Arms length, ladies. That's NOT negotiable!" He gave them another glare and walked off.

"What a little troll," growled Santana.

Buffy ran a soothing hand up her arm. "Don't let him get to you," she said. "That was actually one of the more civil conversations I've had with him!"

Santana laughed and looped her arm through Buffy's. "I think we can call this "arms length","she said. Buffy laughed and they walked off.

The two girls didn't exactly live close to each other, but they'd taken to meeting at a certain point on the way to school each morning, then walking as far as they could together on the way home.

"I haven't asked for a couple of days," said Buffy. "How are things around your house?"

Santana sighed. "Mami and I are doing ok," she said. "I hear her crying sometimes at night, after she thinks I'm asleep. She misses Papi, so do I, but we are both sticking to our guns. The magic is a part of us that we've both been denied too long. Plus, he told my Abuela why he left, and now she won't talk to me." She fought back a lump in her throat. She and Abuela had always been really close, and it hurt that both she and Santana's Papi were treating her like this.

Buffy unlinked her arm from Santana's and slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "I'm so sorry you're going through this," she said.

Santana smiled. "Thank you, Slayer,"she said. "Well, between my two destinies, and you girls and your families, well, I've gotten a lot out of the deal as well." Buffy smiled, but she looked a bit nervous all of a sudden. Santana cocked her head to the side and looked at her. "Something on your mind?" she asked.

Buffy blushed a little. "Sorta," she answered. "I've been thinking a lot about what we talked about last week. About "trying this". You know, US."

Santana nodded. "Yeah, we did," she said, suddenly nervous. "Are you saying you've changed your mind?"

Buffy looked at her, her jaw dropping. "oh, no," she said. "No WAY! It's been a long time since I've been this sure about anything, and I definitely want to try this and see where it goes. It's just," she paused, obviously steeling herself. " For me, trying this includes going on dates, which we haven't done yet. So. Santana, will you go out with me tonight? On a date?"

Santana's heart leaped, and she smiled. "Slayer,"she said, a little huskily. "There's nothing I'd like more." She leaned in and softly kissed Buffy on the lips, neither one caring if anyone saw.

They parted, and Buffy said, a little breathlessly," So, pick you up at eight?"

Santana smiled. "I'll be waiting breathlessly," she said.

Neither girl noticed Kimberly and Tara watching them. The two girls looked at each other, smiling.

"That was adorable,' said Kim.

"Yeah," said Tara. "So, by my score card, Buffy and Santana have a date. Faith is having dinner at Blair's, and Phoebe is having dinner and spending the night at Brittany's. I guess that leaves you and me."

Kim smiled. "Yeah, it does," she said. "Why don't you come over to mine tonight. We'll find SOMETHING to do."

Tara smiled and nodded, the two girls walking of, neither noticing they were holding hands.

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A/N: Not really any action this chapter, but, some to come next chapter. Hope you all enjoyed this one. Let me know what you thought.