Title: The Only Way is OUT
Disclaimer: This is purely for entertainment; none of the characters are mine.
Rating: PG-13
Note: Again, thanks for the reviews, they are much appreciated. I'm glad you're enjoying it! I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 3 - Skip Town or Go Back?

As far demonic activity went, LA and Sunnydale were not the only hotspots. She held the bags and I did the dirty. One, two, poof; crunch. And I hoped that was the only work I'd have to do for the night.

The nearest motel to the bus station seemed the most logical, though we didn't go for that one. Too risky. Too obvious.

The one we stayed at happened to be cheaper, but a hell of a trek from pretty much ANY civilisation. I guess it was safer for us.

I heard her drop the bags as I looked around. Better than the last one. But it had a bath rather than a shower, that I decided I could do with straight away.

I let the taps run whilst I joined her in the through room once again. She was drawing the curtains when I tapped her upper arm, brushing it over as I moved my arm away. She stopped to look at me and I offered her a timid smile. 'You okay?'

She nodded quickly, and proceeded to close the curtains, though it seemed something stopped her. And without any admonition whatsoever, her lips were on mine. Way receptive as I was, I let her kiss me. Until we were standing, hands clutching at my arms, mine straddling her waist. A rushed apology escaped her lips and then she was holding me. I turned my head in to hers and pressed my lips to her head. 'It's okay, I understand.'

She stepped away from me and smiled a little. 'Great.' Then she was across the room and locking the door, then dimming the lights. Then back at me, lips to mine, tugging at my clothes. Call me damn stupid for refusing but I was WIPED. My senses were screaming "Yes!" but my body was pleading no. And unfortunately the body calls were winning. I covered her hands with mine and removed them slowly from my body, shaking my head slightly. 'B, not now…'

'What's wrong?' she whispered, her eyebrows furrowing upon hearing my words.

I hesitated, but I had to tell her. 'I'm wiped. I need to just have a bath and then sleep. And I think…I think maybe you should do the same.'

Not that I didn't want it, cos heck I'd take it ANYTIME. But right now…on top of everything we'd been through…honestly seemed that we should keep our focus.

I headed back into the bathroom, peeling clothes from my aching self as I did, and clicked the door shut behind me.

When in the bedroom, she was lying on the bed, her forehead slightly creased, her own form tired, but aching for some sort of release. It comforted me that she wanted me, but like she told me…even soldiers need rest.

It only occurred to me that the Scoobs didn't know where we were until B mentioned it. I squinted my eyes from the sun, and strolled beside her. We'd just left a café and decided that now would be a good time to talk about what we were gonna do with ourselves. She kicked the pebbles in front of her and listened to me as I made a suggestion.

'Maybe we…go back…' I said nonchalantly.

She shook her head almost immediately, and I frowned, but dismissed it. Fair enough. I guess I'd feel the same if it was me.

'Will we tell the others?' I questioned, and she shrugged. Again; fair enough. How would she tell her friends that she was the one to stake out the human being outside the Bronze?

'They probably already know. I know we didn't see them since before the…' She took a breath. '…They know it was us otherwise we'd never have left.'

'Even so. It might help if we could have Giles guid-'

'NO WAY. The Council'll drag it out of him, I can't risk it. Plus, they might be able to track us down if we get into contact with him- with ANY of them.'

'Not unless if they have every police officer on the case, tapping phones and-'

'Faith I said I'm not risking it,' she said hurriedly.

I sighed and squinted as I looked out ahead of us. Since we were pretty much on the outskirts of civilisation it seemed ludicrous for a bunch of black-jacket British people gunning us down. But…whatever she wanted.

'So what do we do?' I asked her, hoping that I wasn't treading on quick sand. 'Run indefinitely?'

There was a short silence and we walked. 'Not necessarily.'

'No?' I questioned.

'Didn't you once mention to me something about Mexico being the best place to go if you're goin' on the run?'

I glanced over at her, seeing in her eyes and hearing in the tone of her voice what she was getting at.

We were gonna do it.

We really were.

But then something dawned on me. We were slayers. The both of us; the Chosen Two. We couldn't just abandon that.

I lay staring at the ceiling all night, going over how I was gonna tell her that we had to go back to Sunnydale. But every time I tried to go over what I wanted to say, I found myself stopping mid-thought and thinking instead about Mexico.

Puerto Vallarta. I'd seen it in one of those fancy brochures 'Holidays for the whole Family.' Villa, pool house, wonderful food, even. Away from reality.

That was what I was seeing. Away from reality. If there was anywhere I wanted to be in my life, it was away from reality, with B. and we could have that. A little place on the beach, nothing fancy; we wouldn't have the cash. But it would be away from the demons, and away from the apocalypses.

But they need us. Reality, I mean. To fight, to stop those apocalypses, to protect. Sure, all I wanted to do was protect B, but I had a job. Still do. Always will. And so does she. Regardless of all the wrongs.

So I waited for sunrise. Then I waited for two in the afternoon, when we planned to leave. And after zipping up my duffel bag, I sat down.

'B?' I started. 'We have to talk.'

TBC