AN: I'm moving the story forward to Valentine's Day. So about a month has passed.

"Brooke where are you taking me?" Rachel laughed as the two walked through the woods. Brooke was holding Rachel's hand and guiding her around the tree trunks.

"I'm not telling you, it's a surprise! Just keep your eyes closed!"

"Fine, fine. But if you make me walk into a-" Thump. Brooke accidently guided Rachel smack dab into a tree branch.

"Mother fucker!" Rachel shouted as she put her hand to her now throbbing face.

Brooke tried to stifle her laugh. "Oh baby are you okay?" She attempted to help the now hurt girl but Rachel shrugged her off.

"Don't touch me I'm pissed at you."

"Don't be mad at me, Rachel. It was Nature Mother's fault for growing the tree."

Rachel slowly got back to her feet. "It's Mother Nature, Brooke. Mother. Nature."

"Whatever, you won't be mad at me as soon as we get to your surprise."

"I'm keeping my eyes open this time."

"No."

"Brooke, you just walked me into a tree!"

"Trust me or I'm not taking you." Brooke stubbornly stood her ground and crossed her arms.

Rachel sighed in defeat. "Fine, bitch." She mumbled and closed her eyes, taking Brooke's hand in hers once again.

"Yay!" They walked for a few more minutes before Brooke squealed in delight again. "Okay, open them!"

Rachel opened her eyes and for maybe the second time in her life she was rendered speechless. "Wow."

"I know, right!" Brooke happily agreed.

Rachel was looking out at an isolated frozen pond and a light snow was falling. "How did you do this?"

"I had Tara work her mojo. I know you've always loved to ice skate and since there's no ice to be found in Sunnydale…I had her make you some." Brooke picked up a pair of ice skates and gave them to Rachel. "Enjoy."

Rachel hurriedly put on the skates and got on the ice. "Watch me go!" Rachel sang in sing-song voice. Brooke loved seeing this more childish side of Rachel. She just looked so cute and it made Brooke proud to see Rachel so happy.

Rachel did a little twirl and then skated backwards. "Aren't you going to skate with me?"

Brooke let out a scoff. "No. Don't you remember the last time you made me skate with you? I fell on my ass like twenty times. We couldn't have sex for like a week because my body was to sore."

Rachel laughed at the memory. "You didn't have sex. I never said I didn't."

Brooke glared at her. "Shut up."

"Anyway, now you're a slayer. So I bet you have the coordination automatically."

Brooke seemed to contemplate this new information. "Hmm…"

After another moment Brooke put on her own pair of skates. "What the hell, it's worth a try."

Brooke, with confidence because of her slayer abilities, ran onto the ice…and toppled over on her ass.

Rachel laughed. "That's payback for slamming me into a tree."

"Ugh. I'm not moving." Brooke remained laying flat on the ice while Rachel skated around her.

"Come on." Rachel held out her hands and Brooke reluctantly took them. When she was finally able to get up, she wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist so that she wouldn't fall again.

"Happy Valentine's Day." Brooke whispered into Rachel's ear.

"You too, baby. I loved this, you know. Thank you." Rachel smirked and added, "It was great seeing you fall on your ass."

Faith and Buffy at the cemetery…

The slayers sat with their backs against a crypt, enjoying a meal that Buffy had Giles make them for their mini-picnic. It was the least he could do; he made them patrol on Valentine's Day!

"So any news on Spike?" Faith asked, her mouth full.

"Faith, ew. And no. I think he moved on to another town because he knows we were looking to kill him."

"Man, if I could get my hands on him…"

"Let's not think about him." Buffy threw the rest of her sandwich over her head and sat on top of Faith. "I was thinking we could finally tell the gang…about us…if you want."

"I'm ready when you're ready, B. It's up to you."

Buffy leaned in to kiss Faith but stopped.

"What's the matter?" Faith looked down to see a sword stuck through Buffy's stomach. "Fuck."

Summers House

"No sex for a week, Gattina." Brooke threatened as the two walked to Brooke's bedroom.

"Oh come on! I only let you fall once."

"We have cheerleading tomorrow that's already going to make me sore." Brooke opened the door to find Peyton and Haley studying on Peyton's bed. "My my. Have I interrupted something?"

Peyton glared at Brooke. "No. We're just doing some trig, Brooke. Which you would know how to do if you could make it past addition."

Brooke put her hand to her heart in a mocking manner. "Ouch, P. Sawyer, that one hurt. I do believe you are the one getting tutored. Isn't that right, Rachel?"

Rachel nodded in agreement. Haley knew about Brooke and Rachel, Peyton had told her because she was around a lot and she kind of picked it up on her own.

"So, Tutor-Girl, you've been friends with Peyton for almost a month now and you two are hanging out on Valentine's Day. How long before you ask her out?"

"Brooke! Shut up!" Peyton begged. Haley turned beat red. "Haley don't answer that she's just being dumb. She knows I'm straight."

"Whatever. I'm just trying to speed up the inevitable."

"Says the super lesbian. Just because you lust after every girl you see doesn't mean I do."

Brooke's playfulness was gone. "Peyton you know I'm with Rachel and I'd never go after anyone else. How could you say something like that?"

The tension in the room went up five notches. Haley felt very awkward and Rachel was ready to pounce if her girl needed backup.

Before Peyton could answer they heard a loud crash come from downstairs.

"We'll go check that out." Rachel tugged on Brooke's elbow to get them out of the room.

They found Buffy lying on the kitchen counter with her shirt off and a bleeding wound on her abdomen. "What happened to her?"

"A demon surprised us and got her from behind. Help me stop the bleeding." Rachel ran to find a towel and Faith put her hand on the wound. Brooke went up to Buffy and gently touched her face.

"Don't worry, Buffy. You'll be fine."

Buffy surprised her by answering her. "Oh I know. This just hurts more than the last time."

Brooke jumpd away from Buffy."How did the demon surprise you? What were you guys doing?"

Faith and Buffy frantically looked at each other. "Nothing!" They answered in unison.

Maybe they weren't as ready to come out as they thought they were.