The night air was cool and brisk as Buffy patrolled with Faith. They'd got wind of Angelus sightings but so far had came up empty-handed. "So, what's with the Faith and Willow bondage the last couple of days." Faith smirked at Buffy's use of the word but knew what she meant.
"The girl needs help before she fucks up like I did is all," Faith said never being big on full explanations.
"Right," Buffy said contorting her face slightly remembering that only two weeks after her return Willow made Tara forget things then went stark raving mad when Dawn busted her. She'd wigged out so badly that Dawn was levitated into the air and only a sharp smack from Spike caused her to drop the frightened teen as it broke her concentration. Dawn ended up with a broken wrist out of the mess and Willow one less girlfriend.
Since that day Buffy and Tara had grown closer, bonding in a sense as they both tried to ease the pain of loss though it was loss in totally different aspects.
"B!" Faith shouted as Buffy looked up just in time to see Angelus being kicked to the ground by Faith.
"Oh come on Faithie, you're nothing but a second rate slayer who fucks witches in need." He shouted stunning Buffy where she stood. He kicked Faith hard in the midsection. "Maybe that'll reopen the knife wound, remind you what Buffy thinks of you bitch!"
She countered with a knee to the groin slowing him down enough for her to shove him back down to the ground. She then straddled him and pounded the hell out of his chest. "I bet you don't want a stake there do ya dead-boy!" She shouted as Buffy stood seeing that old familiar rage in her eyes. "Personally I don't give a flying fuck what B thinks of me! I do however give a care what happens to my friend, Angel you bastard." She kicks him hard in the ribs over and over again until he grits his teeth in pain. "So either you will come out or he will have to die cause he'd want me to kill him if it took that to stop your sadistic ass!"
"You wish you could kill me." He said raising a boot to kick her in the chest but Buffy grabbed hold of the leg and twisted hard.
"Ah see two slayers is better than one." Faith said smiling at the furious vampire.
"She wants to finish it, take credit for what you started." He hissed knowing he'd score a hard blow as Faith clearly wasn't over the entire second fiddle deal and the wondering of what witch Faith did was still running through Buffy's mind.
"Guys Willow is in trouble!" Spike shouted distracting both slayers enough for Angelus to get away. "Bloody hell I'm so dead now."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tara and Willow were managing to coexist long enough to research. They'd been trying to find a prophecy in regards to the mayor being raised from the dead but were not making much progress. "How are you doing Willow? I mean with the magic." Tara asked searching Willow's eyes for answers.
"It's an uphill battle but I'm trying. Faith is helping me a lot, she's got this redemption path thing down pretty good." Willow replied cautiously.
"I'm sorry I can't be of more help Willow, I really am." Tara said sadly. "Every time I try you try to use our love as a crutch."
"You don't have to tell me that, it's hard enough seeing you able to help Buffy and not me. I understand though. I did some terrible things, things I will regret for the rest of my life and-" a little picture in the back of her mind began to show her Tara maybe was getting feelings for another. Her features began to cloud.
"Willow?" Tara asked seeing right away that something wasn't going so well anymore.
"The darkness sometimes shows me things like maybe you're falling out of love with me and in with another." Willow choked out trying to fight the darkness that threatened to overtake her.
"Willow, I will always love you. More than you will probably know. I'm not in love with anyone else, don't listen to it please." Tara begged getting the sense it was falling on deaf ears.
"Then why can't you try to forgive me?" Was the reply with a hint of evil tone in her voice. "You're falling for someone else and couldn't even comfort me!" Her eyes went black as she continued to speak. "You forced me to have to turn to Faith of all people for comfort," about that time the slayers walked into the room unseen. "You pay attention to Buffy and force me to have to seek comfort in the arms of a crazed murderer! How do you like that Tara!"
Buffy gave Faith a quick glance to see if she was visibly shaken by the remark but nothing registered on her face. Certainly though, she was deeply hurt over it seeing as she'd began to develop what she thought was a real bond with the redhead.
"You took advantage of Willow in her time of need like that?" Tara asked turning to Faith with anger in her voice.
"Yeah I guess I did Blondie!" Faith shot back her anger winning out. "So wacha gonna do about it?"
"Stop this right now!" Giles shouted raising his hand.
"Yeah it's over G-man." Faith said turning briskly for the door and slamming it behind her.
Willow had calmed back down now and was crying again as well as shaking. "Why does it have to be me?" She raced out of the house as well.
"Giles?" Buffy questioned.
"Yes something is definitely going on here." He said confirming her suspicion. "Someone or something is obviously using your weaknesses against each other, causing you to lash out. Divide and conquer so to speak and I'd suggest you all try and remember that." He picks up a book exiting the room.
"I'm sorry Tara," Buffy said hugging the distraught wiccan knowing good and well what Willow said in anger was at least partly true. She knew she felt something for the shy blond but vowed it would always remain tucked deep inside her now partly emotionless shell due to the fact she'd never hurt Willow like that.
~~~~~~~~~~
Faith tossed an empty whiskey bottle to the ground and entered a cave on the outskirts of town. She'd been here before during her evil-slayer days. It was a place she'd come to think, to drink and try to sort out her soul, the place she realized she was on the wrong path but didn't know then how to undo the damage she'd done.
She didn't know why she let Willow's words get to her, she knew the witch loved Tara and knew she was nothing to any of the scoobies. She mentally kicked herself for allowing her soul to open up and begin to let Willow in. It only caused hurt and pain and that place was one she promised herself she'd never go to again. "Life is really fucked." She said glancing over to the side wall where she noticed something sticking out between the rocks. She went over and pried them loose withdrawing a weapon, it had a blade on one end and a stake looking thing on the other. It seemed to hum to life at her touch. As it glistened when she rubbed her hands over its surface she could literally feel the energy illuminating from it. It also seemed to kick in her own slayer energy as she held it in her hands. It was like the two went hand in hand.
She stepped out of the cave seeing a couple of vampires preparing to feed off of a young girl. She threw the weapon through the air, it zinged with directness and connected. She was to the fallen weapon quickly and easily disposed of the other vampire.
About that time she heard a crying sound afar off in the distance, she knew it was Willow. Part of her thought she shouldn't go because hurt and anger still filled her core but decided against it quickly.
She stood quietly watching the sobbing redhead for a moment before going over and placing a hand on her arm. "Red don't sweat it man. You'll kick the magic."
"I said cruel things Faith only it didn't feel like me. I'm so scared I'm going to lose total control of myself and that you're going to hate me then who will help me. I'll be all alone again and that terrifies me." Willow finished with trembling hands.
"We got some things to talk about Red but not just now." Faith said putting her arms around the trembling wiccan and kissing her gently. "We just need to relax right now and we'll sort the rest out later." Her inward anger began to subside when Willow relaxed into the embrace returning the kiss.
Neither woman noticed the mayor and Angelus watching angrily.
Chapter 4