Summary: Post-Chosen Buffy, and the rest of the gang leave for L.A. To find a new place to establish their home. Willow doesn't show it, but the Tara's death slowly killed her on the inside, but what is to happen when the powers that be bring her back?
Pairings: W/T ((My fave -)) B/F, D/A, (Others to come)
Rating: Pg13
Chapter Summary: The gang get used to life on an active hellmouth again. Just when things start to look up everything comes crashing down again.
Special thanks: Lauren for Betaing, and helping me do some character placements.
((Thoughts in Italics))
CHAPTER TWO – All Things Old Are New Again
After a couple of days the living arrangements in the house were clear. There were only three bedrooms. Buffy and Faith got one, Willow and Dawn got one, and Xander and Andrew got the last. Buffy and Faith claimed the master bedroom which only had one bed while the others all had two. Even though Willow had suggested they could buy a new bed for cheap Buffy insisted it that it was fine.
Dawn enrolled in the local high school, which luckily wasn't placed over the hellmouth of Cleveland. The rest looked for jobs minus Willow who looked to enroll in the local college. Andrew got a job at a video store called Epic Videos; Xander got a job working repairs on the new school which also gave Dawn her ride to school. Faith never really landed any of her jobs, and Buffy got a job working in the local Doublemeat Palace by blackmailing them for knowing there secret.
Willow didn't have a hard time getting into C.S.U. It was still summer so Xander, Willow, and Dawn weren't busy during the days, but nights were full as usual.
The gang plus Faith was sitting in the living room of there new home eating pizza that the local cook Andrew had prepared. Andrew and Dawn were in the kitchen washing the dishes, and talking.
"I can't believe we still haven't found it." Buffy said pacing in the living room.
"Well we only found the other one when the master tried to open it" Willow said grimacing at the memory.
"Yea I'm pretty sure you remember that encounter with ol' suck-face." Xander said trying to forget that memory.
"Well I'm not going to let anyone get that close to opening this one, but in order for me to stop it from opening I actually have to know where it is." Buffy said finally taking a seat next to faith on their couch.
"No worries B we'll find it. I mean its like the center of all the evil right? We'll just see were we kill the most things at." Faith said laughing.
"Faith I'm sure it's not that simple." Buffy smirked.
"Actually no she's right." Willow exclaimed opening up her laptop.
"I am?" Faith said wide-eyed.
"She is?" Buffy and Xander said simultaneously.
"Yea you tell me were you kill the most demons and vampires, and I'll cross reference them with a map, and find out were the most demonic activity is. Once we know that we should know the general area the hellmouth is in." Willow said typing on the laptop.
"Hey what do you know I had a good idea B!" Faith said as surprised as the others.
"So how long until we actually know where the hellmouth is?" Buffy said putting a hand on faiths knee.
"Well depends on how many demons want to show their ugly heads, and let us chop em' off" Faith said.
"Depending on how many demons you kill it could be a while before we have enough data to pinpoint an exact location, but we should know the general area in a couple of weeks." Willow said closing her laptop.
"Well that's a start. So Buff you gonna patrol tonight?" Xander asked.
"Yea I think Faith and I are going to head out, and see if we can get a good start on the map." Buffy said getting up.
"Yup me and B will have that location in no time." Faith said confidently.
With that Faith walked out the door followed by Buffy as soon as Buffy closed the door Faith pressed her lips to hers.
"Hey" Buffy exclaimed.
"Sorry just kinda had that coming from making me hold back in there." Faith said with a smirk.
"Do you think they noticed?" Buffy asked with a hint of fear in her voice.
"Would it really matter to you if they did? I mean you know red is attracted to girls, and I'm sure Tara had a pretty big impact on Dawn." Faith said smiling as Buffy grew wide-eyed.
"You think Dawn might-" Buffy stared.
"No, no I was just kidding. She clearly has the hots for nerd boy in there" Faith said still smiling away.
"ANDREW? She like Andrew?" Buffy said with even more surprise.
"Yup well at least she's driving stick eh?" Faith said putting a hand on Buffy's shoulder to calm her down.
"Well Andrew is kind of evil." Buffy said still trying to get over Andrew. "Are you kidding around? Please say you are."
"Nope not this time Twinkie. Brat's got a craving for him big time. It's clear as day" Faith smiled as they walked off towards the town.
Dawn, and Andrew were in the kitchen washing dishes.
"That's so funny. You're so funny." Dawn said between laughs
"I-I am?" Andrew said in a serious tone.
"Yea ever since I met you in Sunnydale you have always made me laugh." Dawn said scrubbing the dish she was on.
"Well thanks. Ya know I never had anyone especially a girl tell me that before." Andrew said slightly blushing.
"Well it's true. I'm glad you came along with us." Dawn said putting her dish down, and moving to the next.
"You are?" Andrew said in shock. "W-Why?"
"Well you are nice, and you are the only one that really notices me for me. Not just as something that needs protecting." Dawn said smiling.
"Thanks, and you are the only one that looks to me as a friend" Andrew said shyly cursing the way his voice squeaks.
"Well you are my friend. You're the closeted to my age here, and you are funny which I've already said, and you're kinda cute." Dawn said with smiling.
"C-C-Cute? That is also a first." He said squeakily.
"Well sure you are a geek, but then again Xander is to, and I liked him" Dawn said remembering her childish crush on Xander.
"You like me?" Andrew said with pure astonishment.
"Well yea. Sure you used to be evil, and you did kill you're friend, but you've done a lot to help us, and you have been really nice to me." Dawn said moving closer to him.
"Well I like you too" He said still in shock.
"That's a first." Dawn said mimicking him.
"No way. You're beautiful how could that be a first?" Andrew said not really thinking about what he was saying.
"I'm beautiful?" Dawn said blushing.
Andrew blushed after realizing what he had said. "Well yea. I'm surprised no one ever told you before."
"Well I usually am the one out of the loop" She said blushing, and turning back to the dishes.
"Well I've admired you ever since Sunnydale. I mean you were the only one ever to really talk to me, or care that I was there." Andrew said now unloading the dishwasher.
"Yea…" Dawn said scrubbing the dish, and handing it to him to put into the dishwasher.
"Yea…" He said taking the dish, and putting it in the dishwasher. They stood there for a while before Andrew decided to say something he knew he would regret.
"Do you want to go somewhere with me tomorrow?" He asked quickly just trying to get the words out.
"Sure" She responded instantly.
Buffy kicked the last vampire into Faith as she dusted him.
"So far we've only gotten four. Why don't we move on B?"
"Okay were to then?" Buffy said as Faith put her arm around her.
"How about The Spade?" Faith said as the turned out of the alley they were in.
"Not in the mood for clubbing at the moment Faiths." Buffy said using a kind of pet name she had for Faith.
"Well we could head home. Ya know see if anything's left to eat. If not I could think of something" Faith said grinning wildly.
"Faith!" Buffy said with a blush.
"Oh come on B. We've been together for like a week, and no one knows, and we've done nothing as if we are a couple. Ya know a girl might think you're ashamed of her." Faith said as they walked.
"I'm not ashamed, Just well I don't know how to tell them yet. I mean I don't know how Xander or Dawn would take it." Buffy said trying to make Faith feel better.
"Scared they won't like you, won't accept it?" Faith asked in a more serious tone.
"How could they? Dawn still doesn't like you because of you trying to kill me, and Xander just kinda doesn't like you." Buffy said frowning.
"Well they can get over it B! You can't keep me a secret forever. I mean we live in the same house; we sleep in the same bed! Though you could change that if you want." Faith said suddenly way more serious.
"No I love you. I just don't know how to tell them. I will don't worry." Buffy said still frowning.
"Soon?" Faith asked tightening her grip.
"Soon." Buffy reassured
"Promise?" Faith asked.
"Promise." Buffy reassured.
"Vamp." Faith said spotting a couple of vampires heading at them.
"Vamp." Buffy said with a sigh, and a smile.
Willow continued looking up sightings of extraordinary creatures, and compiling them on map as she got an email from Giles.
"Hey Giles emailed me" She said so Xander could hear.
"Oh what's mister British got to say?"
"It says everything is going well. They have a little over two hundred slayers enrolled in the new slayer school, and most of the slayers from Sunnydale are there teaching combat classes." She said as she read.
"Vi's there, Rona's there, Kennedy's there" She said as she read off the list."Oh they are also having a memorial for all the slayers that died in the final battle Like Amanda, and Chao-Ann" Willow said smiling that they remembered them.
"And Anya." Xander added grimly.
"Yea, and Anya." She confirmed.
"He also asks how we are, and asks if any of us would like to come teach at the school, or say anything for the memorial." Willow said.
"Well I'm not going I have to help find the hellmouth. Andrew, and Dawn aren't leaving unless Buffy is. That goes for Faith as well I suppose. What about you Xand? Wanna go say some things at the memorial?" Willow asked.
"No I don't think I could." He said still saddened.
A couple of hours later after everyone was in bed Faith, and Buffy got home. They ran up to there rooms, and got to sleep. The next day Andrew, and Buffy had a day off. They we're all sitting in the living room after lunch.
"So how many last night?" Willow asked.
"Well four around the park, Two around the graveyard, and another four around The Spade." Buffy said listing them off on her fingers.
"Ten in one night? Sure seems like a lot." Xander pointed out.
"Well there hasn't been a slayer here. They've had time to increase in numbers, and now they have two slayers to deal with. So the bulk of them will be coming around to get us." Buffy said brandishing her scythe.
Andrew looked at the time, and nodded to Dawn. "Oh um Andrew and I are going out to the movies okay?" Dawn said quickly putting on her coat.
"As in a date?" Buffy asked as Xander and Willow went wide-eyed, A Faith just smiled.
Dawn nodded, and Andrew shrunk in fear.
"Be back by night, and Andrew don't let anything happen to her or else I'll rip your head off." Andrew nodded in fear, and the walked out the door. "Oh have a nice time" Buffy called out to them
"As in date?" Willow, and Xander said at the same time as soon as they were out the door.
"Yea they like each other. I mean it's clear as day." Buffy said smirking, and glancing at Faith.
"Which also brings me to something else." Buffy said blushing, and clearing her throat.
"Huh?" Willow said still in shock about Dawn and Andrew.
"Well Faith is my girlfriend." Buffy said so quick they almost didn't catch it.
Willows eyes grew wider even though she didn't think it was possible.
"Wha?" Was all Xander managed to say.
"When" Willow finally said.
"Only about a week ago." Buffy replied.
"Ya know it has to be me." Xander said in amazement. "Both of my best friends end up to be gay. It has to be me." Xander said again looking down.
"No it's not! We just kind of realized we like women" Willow said trying to reassure her friend.
"Exactly has nothing to do with you Xand. Besides you managed to make a girl who spent a thousand years torturing guys to fall in love with you. If anyone had potential to be gay it was her." Buffy said as the phone rang.
"I'll get it" Faith said picking up the phone which was right behind her.
"It's for you B" Faith said tossing her the phone.
"Hello?" Buffy answered and after a couple of responses she hung up the phone wide-eyed, and a tear falling down her face.
"What is it?" Faith and Willow asked.
"It's Giles… He's dead"
Hope you like my story so far - I am trying to update both of my stories at the same time which is the reason they might come out slow. Also I have had a little trouble attaching files so getting them betaed is becoming a pain. The next chapter of both of my stories should be up soon.