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CB - I have missed you from the reviews! I need to get caught up on your story here sometime! I'm a BAD BAD girl! And if you haven't, read the updates at the site - NOOKIE TIME! LOL
Just Me - Hmmm With Miss Tara Maclay, there is absolutely no telling what kinda fun they'll get up to!
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Midnight - Glad you're enjoying!
Chapter 19
"Want to go with me when I walk Xander home?" Buffy questions Tara softly, looking up into the blue eyes smiling down at her.
"Of course." Tara runs her finger gently over the slayer's eyebrow. Giles had left earlier and Xander was sitting at the other end of the couch while Buffy was lying down with her head in Tara's lap.
"What are you two going to do tomorrow?" Joyce questions from the chair, smiling at the two women.
"I'm going to paint some more in the morning." Tara starts, smiling gently at Joyce.
"Then we're going to go to the hospital." Buffy continues glancing over at her mother. "Visit for a while."
Joyce nods her head in understanding, glancing over at Xander, who looks uncomfortable. "Have you visited Faith lately?" Joyce questions softly.
"I went last Sunday." Xander admits. "There's been no change."
"No, there hasn't." Buffy frowns hard at the thought of Faith possibly being in a coma for the rest of her life.
"I'll see if I can help, sweetie." Tara murmurs, running a finger soothingly over the slayer's furrowed brow. "There's probably something else causing the coma. Something spiritual. I didn't tell you about the feelings and clips from the past I got when I touched her knife." Tara admits quietly, watching as Buffy's eyes widen as she shifts up and around to face Tara.
"What?" Buffy questions hoarsely.
"Sunday night when I came back here with your mom getting a bag together for you, I was getting your weapons when I came across Faith's knife. I opened the box and touched it." Tara shivers uncontrollably. "I saw what happened on the rooftop, I saw glimpses into her soul. Her spirit's shattered from what I could tell. She didn't know if she was coming or going, literally. One moment she cared and loved you like a sister, the next minute she hated your guts. It shifted back and forth so much." Tara frowns in remembrance. "She's literally a lost soul. I don't know how much I can do, but I'll do what I can." Tara offers quietly.
"Will you need to do any actual spells?" Buffy questions, watching the turmoil on Tara's face.
"Cleansing spells could help." Tara nods her head, finally smiling. "I was planning on doing a meditation to try and search out the cause of the fracture."
"Excuse me for sounding stupid, but what kind of meditation?" Xander questions watching the witch intently.
"Yeah. I don't want you doing anything that might hurt you." Buffy clasps Tara's hand in hers. "If there's any danger to you, whatsoever, you're not doing it." Buffy states adamantly.
"I should be okay." Tara soothes Buffy.
"No, no should." Buffy growls quietly. "Either you will be, or you're not doing it. Simple as that."
"Buffy, sweetie." Tara sighs quietly watching Buffy's face. Finally giving in, she shakes her head. "I can use someone to anchor me, someone that Faith wouldn't feel antagonistic towards." Tara continues as she sees Buffy about ready to offer her own services.
"That leaves me out." Buffy shakes her head. "Xander, what do you think?" Buffy shifts to look at the young man.
"I don't know, Buff." Xander shakes his head. "I mean, I'll do it in a heartbeat. But I'm not so sure there isn't bad blood between us, too. You know, the whole trying to kill me thing."
"That wasn't because of you, Xander." Buffy shakes her head. "You know that."
"I should be able to tell if there's a problem when we get there." Tara softly speaks up, looking from Buffy to Xander. "And, I guess there's another story that I will need to be told?"
Xander blushes a deep red looking down at the couch. "Faith and I kind of have a little bit of a past."
"She used you and threw you out of the room, Xander. She tried to strangle you." Buffy winces at saying this out loud.
"Yeah, and she was totally fucked up with everything that happened, and I never should have slept with her." Xander bitches. "I let my hormones take over. I was a stupid idiot." Xander realizes what he said and he looks apologetically at Joyce. "I'm sorry, Mrs. S."
Joyce shakes her head. "Xander, I've heard worse from Buffy when she gets on one of her rants. And I may not know everything that went on, but from my understanding, you were in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"And hindsight is twenty twenty." Tara smiles encouragingly at the young man. "From what I can deduce from what Buffy's told me and the bit you've just said, there were mistakes on both sides. And there's a very good possibility that Faith's problems started long before she came to Sunnydale."
Joyce smiles and shakes her head at the young woman. "If you can tell there's a problem with Xander anchoring you, let me know. I'll come to the hospital."
Buffy blinks in surprise at her mother. "That's probably not a bad idea, mom. I think out of all of us, she liked you the most. And you never did anything to piss her off." Buffy whispers the last.
Tara looks at Joyce, nodding her head. "You may be the best choice. I honestly would have to say your concentration would be better than Xander's." Tara looks apologetically at Xander.
"That's okay, Tara. You're right. My concentration is for shit most of the time." Xander admits, frowning.
"What would anchoring you consist of?" Joyce questions quietly.
"Well, you'd have to hold my hand." Tara starts and then laughs at Xander's pout. "I would tether my essence to yours. You would need to keep your concentration on me while I kind of immerse myself in Faith's being." Tara shrugs her shoulder "It's kind of hard to explain. You'll just basically need to mentally hold onto the thread that will be me."
"You were going to do this without being anchored?" Buffy questions, a note of anger in her voice as she looks at Tara. "You were planning on going into Faith's head without a way out?" Buffy's jaw clenches.
Tara's eyes widen perceptibly. "Ummm. I need to get something to drink, will you help me, Buffy?" Tara stands, quickly walking towards the kitchen, with Buffy following right on her heels.
"Uh, oh." Xander whispers as he watches the two women quickly exit the living room before turning his gaze on Joyce. "That don't look to good."
"They'll work it out." Joyce hopefully states, frowning. "I hope."
Xander nods his head, sighing quietly.
Tara doesn't stop in the kitchen, she continues on out the back door, stopping on the back porch as Buffy shuts the door behind her. Turning to face the slayer, Tara tilts her head looking into her angry eyes.
"You don't ever take a chance with your life. Not on something you have a choice on. On this I will not be flexible." Buffy states firmly, with a hint of the anger she's feeling in her tones.
"There honestly isn't that much of a likelihood that something would go wrong, Buffy." Tara calmly starts, watching Buffy. "She doesn't know me. Since she doesn't know me, she shouldn't bear me any ill will. That would be the only way I could be in any danger, whatsoever, of not being able to come back to myself. Being tethered to someone is just an extra precaution. Depending on how cognizant Faith is, she'll be able to follow the line back to whoever is holding me. I would actually be in more danger of something happening if someone was on the other end that she didn't like, or was angry at." Tara explains quietly. "In that case she could take it out on me. But I'm kind of hoping if I'm in there with her, I can get her to…talk to me. For lack of better wording. Let me in to possibly help her mend what's broken."
Buffy frowns, walking down the steps to the back yard, pacing back and forth in front of Tara as she finishes speaking. "So you're telling me you'll actually be in more danger with someone anchoring you than you would be just doing it yourself?" She glances up at Tara and as her girlfriend nods, Buffy growls out. "Is there anything else we can do? Can we make some kind of fail-safe that we can call you back to yourself? Or maybe after a certain amount of time you'll come back to your body no matter what?" Buffy looks up pleadingly at the witch. "I can understand there possibly being a problem with someone anchoring you, and I see why you didn't mention it at first. I still don't like it." Buffy narrows her gaze on Tara, before sighing, walking up the steps to lean in against the witch. "I can't let anything happen to you."
"I'm sorry, sweetie." Tara wraps her arms comfortingly around the slayer. "I love you. I could make a fail-safe to where I would come back to my body after a certain amount of time. The only problem with that is if I'm making serious headway and get called back to my body, there's a chance it may do more harm than good." Tara softly explains, running her hands up and down the slayer's tense back.
"Can you do it so that I could call you back?" Buffy slowly feels herself relaxing against Tara.
"We can stop by the Magic Box and pick up a couple ingredients. But I want you to promise me to wait before calling me back, okay? I may need three or more hours in there just to get her to trust me." Tara sighs quietly. "This will probably take multiple trips."
"I don't like this." Buffy admits.
"Do you want the chance of getting her back and helping her?" Tara pulls back, looking into Buffy's upset eyes.
"Yes, but not at the possibility of losing you." Buffy sighs quietly.
"You won't lose me, I promise." Tara bites her lip. "I love you and trust me, I don't want you to lose me either." Tara giggles, watching Buffy roll her eyes. "Are you okay now?" Tara becomes serious, running a hand through Buffy's hair.
"Not completely." Buffy smiles briefly at Tara. "But I'm getting there."
"Anything I can do to help you get there a little quicker?" Tara whispers, before leaning in and placing a soft kiss on Buffy's cheek, slowly working her way down to Buffy's jaw.
Buffy groans, closing her eyes to the soft kisses Tara's placing down her jaw, finally reaching her neck. "This is good." Buffy whimpers.
Tara smiles as she works her way to Buffy's pulse point, nipping it lightly. As Buffy pushes her neck more into her lips, Tara sucks down firmly on the skin for long minutes, to the obvious pleasure of the slayer. Finally releasing the soft, hot flesh, Tara eases back so she can see Buffy's eyes. "I wouldn't do anything that I honestly didn't believe would be safe, Buffy. Believe me."
Buffy sighs quietly, before nodding her head. "If you got a glimpse into Faith's mind from touching that knife, I guess you got a good idea what it's going to be like, right?"
Tara frowns, biting her lip. "She's so confused. With just the little bit I saw, she's so lost and hurt." Tara's sad blue eyes look into the slayer's hazel eyes. "She needs help, Buffy. She needs someone that she can trust and come to no matter what. If you're okay with it, I want to offer myself as that person."
Buffy grumbles under her breath before looking back up at Tara. "So you're basically going to be, what? A sister, confidante, best friend?" She questions quietly.
"Yes." Tara answers grinning crookedly. "Pretty much all three, if she'll have me as such. There's no guarantee that she'll talk to me, or open up. But I'm hoping, given time, we can bring her back and help her in the real world."
"I'll have to talk to Giles. The Watcher's Council will send their goon squad after her again if she wakes up." Buffy rubs a hand over her forehead, thinking. "Then there's the police. I don't know if they're still looking for her or not."
"I hate to say it, but if either the Council or the police come after her, it would only make things worse." Tara admits softly.
"Yeah, I kind of figured that. Especially after Wesley fucked up when we were almost able to help her." Buffy growls out at the thought of how things might have been different if it hadn't been for the Watcher's Council. "Make a fail-safe. We'll discuss this more before we get there tomorrow. I want a time limit set to where if you're not back I can call you back."
"Thank you." Tara runs her hand gently down Buffy's cheek before leaning in and kissing her softly.
"I don't know why you're thanking me. You're doing this to help out Faith for me." Buffy finally smiles easier at the witch. "I guess we should go back in. Mom and Xander are probably worried we're out here ready to come to magical and slayer blows or something." Buffy chuckles quietly.
"Had me worried for a minute." Tara quirks her lip up, joking with the slayer.
"Never happen. I'll never hurt you." Buffy shakes her head before pulling Tara in for a gentle hug.
"Accidents happen, Buffy." Tara whispers hugging Buffy back. "Say I'm coming out of the laundry room carrying a basket full of laundry and you bounce into me knocking me on my butt." Tara pulls back, her eyes full of mischief.
"Hey! You didn't fall." Buffy grumbles before smiling. "I get what you're saying. I'll never intentionally hurt you, or raise a hand to you in anger. Is that better?"
"Much." Tara smiles softly. "Come on, let's set their worried minds to rest."
"Ah, they're probably thinking we're out here making out." Buffy smirks as they walk back through the kitchen into the living room.
Joyce breathes a sigh of relief as the two women come back smiling and holding hands. "That's a relief." She mutters glancing over at Xander who nods his head quickly in agreement.
"So…what's the what?" Xander questions looking from one woman to the other.
"Tara's going to do the thing by herself, but I'm going to have the capability of bringing her back if I get worried." Buffy looks towards Tara. "She kind of explained that Faith might get angry at whoever's holding her and take it out on her instead. So we talked about it and decided this way might be best."
"If you're sure?" Joyce nods her head looking towards Tara, who smiles softly in reply.
"I honestly believe it would be for the best." Tara admits looking towards Buffy. "I'll have a come back to me button for Buffy to press." Tara smirks at the slayer.
Buffy's eyes glint mischievously at Tara. "Could be interesting." Buffy whispers after leaning in close to the witch. "Where would this…button, be located?"
Tara blushes, before chuckling quietly. "Wait and see." Tara grins crookedly at the slayer, laughing silently.
"Could be fun." Buffy nods her head. "Xander, you want to stick around a while longer, or head home?"
Xander watches the two women, grinning. "I don't know. I'm kinda enjoying watching you two."
"Xander, don't make me hurt you." Buffy grumbles narrowing her eyes on the young man.
"And on that note, I think I should go home." Xander jumps up walking over to the door, grabbing his jacket on the way.
"Be nice, sweetie." Tara chuckles at her girlfriend. "Let's walk him home and do a patrol to make Mr. Giles happy."
"Rather make us happy." Buffy mutters, quietly following Tara out of the house. When Tara stops turning around, looking at her, Buffy raises her eyebrows. "Did I say that out loud?"
"Exactly how were you wanting to make us happy?" Tara questions softly, easing her body till there's just a short distance between them.
"DO NOT do this to me, you two!" Xander whimpers out loud. "I really don't want my ass kicked!"
Tara backs away from Buffy, blushing. "S-sorry, Xander." Tara looks down embarrassed.
"Tara!" Buffy gripes, tilting Tara's chin up. "Stop, stop, stop! Don't stop the blushing…." Buffy grins as Tara's eyes fill with mischief. "But stop hiding those beautiful eyes."
"Sorry." Tara smiles. "Come on, let's stop getting Xander in trouble. I don't want him to not like me because I'm the reason he's always got bruised shins." Tara giggles glancing towards Xander.
"Occasionally bruised shins, I can deal with." Xander jokes. "I expect I'll have them frequently. I just don't want major mojo'd slayer there to literally kick my ass across Sunnydale."
"Okay, okay." Buffy grumbles wrapping her arm around Tara's waist while threading her other arm through Xander's. "Walk the poor, bruised man home."
"The sooner we get done with taking Xander home and patrol, the quicker you get more smoochies…." Tara entices, smirking at her girlfriend.
"Can you up the smoochies to…" Buffy starts, before realizing she's about to say something very, very naughty in front of Xander. Blushing a deep red, Buffy snaps her mouth shut.
Tara blushes, before laughing quietly. "At least I'm not the only one that blushes." Tara wiggles her eyebrows before leaning around like she's trying to see how far the blush goes. Giggling quietly as Buffy gently squeezes her waist.
"And you didn't even make her blush, she did it all on her own." Xander puts in, watching Buffy curiously. "I'm kinda curious as to what was floating through her head to make her blush like that."
"If she told you, I might have to turn you into a frog." Tara narrows her gaze on Xander and wiggles her fingers, laughing as he jumps back.
Buffy groans quietly, pulling the two with her. "Let's get you home. I am not telling you what went through my head."
"What about me?" Tara questions softly. "Are you going to tell me what you almost said?"
"Play your cards right, and I'll show you." Buffy chuckles, before squealing. "That wasn't nice!" Buffy grumps rubbing her butt.
Tara leans in till her lips are right against Buffy's ear. "I could offer to kiss it and make it better?"
"GUYS!" Xander yells looking at the two women. "Walk, home, now!"
"I'm going to shift around." Tara blushes deeply, before shifting to Xander's other side.
Buffy pouts, before muttering quietly. "Didn't have to do that."
"Come on, Xander. Let's walk you home." Tara bites her lip.
Xander breaths a heavy sigh of relief. "Maybe I'll make it home in one piece, now." He grumbles before offering both his arms to the women on either side of him. As they thread their arms with his, he chuckles. "A dream come true. A beautiful woman on each arm, unfortunately they're with each other and not with me. Damn!"
The two women laugh with Xander.
"Want to go to the Bronze tomorrow night?" Xander questions, grinning. "It's been a while since we went to the old haunt for you to dance, and for me to make a fool of myself."
Buffy chuckles. "We'll have to talk Tara into going. She's been a little on the apprehensive side about going."
"Why?" Xander glances at a lightly blushing Tara. "She can't be any worse than me at dancing."
"I don't know how to dance." Tara murmurs quietly.
"Neither do I. Doesn't stop me." Xander laughs.
"See, Tara? It isn't that big of a deal. I promise I'll show you how to dance." Buffy states softly looking around Xander towards Tara as they walk Xander home.
"Uh, oh." Xander mumbles before whimpering.
"What now?" Buffy grumbles looking at Xander.
"You…her…Bronze…dancing!" Xander whimpers. "Lots and lots of bruises, smacks and hits coming my way. Not a good idea. Nope, not at all. You two go, I'll stay home. Yes, that will help me keep my sanity along with all my body parts my own."
"You'll be okay, Xander." Tara giggles. "I don't think we'll do anything naughty at the Bronze."
"Speak for yourself." Buffy whispers a little louder than she meant to. As Tara and Xander both stop, looking at her, she looks from one to the other. "Ummm, did I say that out loud?"
Tara shakes her head at Buffy before heading up the walkway to the front of the apartment building with a slightly dazed Xander stumbling along with Buffy. "I'm assuming this is Xander's apartment building?"
"Yes, it is." Buffy chuckles quietly, lightly smacking Xander on the shoulder. "You're home Xander."
"Finally." Xander shakes his head getting thoughts of the two women doing some very serious, naughty dancing out of his head. "Do you two want anything to drink?"
"I'm fine, thanks." Tara smiles softly before glancing and chuckling at Buffy shaking her head vehemently. "I guess we're going to go finish patrol. You have a wonderful night, Xander."
"Yeah, Xander. I'll call you tomorrow, see if I can talk my girlfriend here into going to the Bronze." Buffy smirks at the young man as he quickly nods his head before running into the apartment building.
"Are you trying to get him in trouble?" Tara questions Buffy softly, wrapping her arms gently around Buffy's waist.
"Would I do something like that?" Buffy questions, grinning as she eases her body into Tara's. Groaning quietly at the pressure, Buffy places a soft kiss on Tara's neck.
"Don't try and distract me." Tara chuckles quietly as Buffy continues to place butterfly kisses up her neck. "And yes, you would do something like that."
"Hmmm. You taste wonderful." Buffy murmurs licking softly over the witch's pulse point.
"Sweetie?" Tara questions softly, moaning quietly as Buffy starts sucking on the skin she had been licking. "This isn't the place to do this."
"You trying to stop me?" Buffy pouts as she pulls away, before whimpering as Tara leans in capturing her lip, stroking it softly with her tongue. As Tara pulls away, Buffy groans. "That was a tease."
Tara laughs quietly. "Come on, sweetie. Let's walk around Sunnydale." Tara threads her fingers through Buffy's urging the slayer along.
"There aren't any demons around here to kill." Buffy gently squeezes Tara's hand. "I don't feel anything for at least a…" Buffy sends out her senses, tilting her head. "Huh."
"What is it, sweetie?" Tara questions.
"I feel a high concentration of demons close to the campus. I bet that's the Initiatives hide out." Buffy frowns heavily. "Going to have to figure out what to do about that group."
"You can't take them on yourself, sweetie." Tara looks around as they walk slowly through Sunnydale. "Plus, until you know exactly what they're up to, and who they are…"
"Yeah, yeah. Not a lot I can do. I just don't like them capturing the demons and performing experiments on them. God only knows what they're doing." Buffy sighs quietly.
"I guess this means we'll be patrolling around the campus a little heavier now?" Tara leans into Buffy, smiling as Buffy eases her hand away and wraps her arm around her waist.
"Yes, we will." Buffy admits. "Or, at least, I will. Not so sure about you."
"Now, that isn't going to work for me." Tara murmurs quietly. "See, if I can be with you, I want to patrol. Want to help you out whenever possible."
"Is this going to cause a problem?" Buffy questions, frowning.
"Not if you don't argue with me." Tara's lip quirks up.
"I don't want you to be in the line of fire." Buffy bitches, pulling to a stop.
Tara turns to look at Buffy. "Like I wasn't in the line of fire before? If it wasn't for you, I'd either be pushing up daisies or deciding which tasty co-ed I want to have for dinner." Tara cups Buffy's cheek, smiling softly as the slayer leans into her hand. "Sweetie, I want to help. Plus you're all big with the slayer powers, so you'll be there to protect me. And if you need help, I'm there for you."
"You aren't going to be talked out of this, are you? No matter what I say or do, you're going to insist on going with me." Buffy looks into the loving blue eyes.
"When I can, sweetie. Like I said, whenever possible. It won't be an every night thing, I have to study, paint and do my papers for school. But when I can swing going out with you on patrol, I want to be there for you." Tara explains softly.
Buffy sighs heavily, before smiling at her girlfriend. "That I can deal with." Buffy closes the short distance, kissing Tara softly. Smiling as Tara quickly deepens the kiss, invading her mouth, rolling her tongue strongly against hers.
Pulling back, Tara smiles. "So no demons for you to hunt out and demolish?"
"No, no demons." Buffy strokes her hands down the witch's arms.
"Home?" Tara offers up, smirking.
"Definitely." Buffy nods her head, grinning hugely. "More smoochie action."
"Play your cards right, there'll be lots more than smoochies when we get there." Tara giggles as she backs down the street watching Buffy slowly prowl after her.
Buffy smirks as she starts to stalk after Tara. "How much more than smoochies?"
Tara's eyes sparkle with laughter as she picks up her pace a little, occasionally glancing behind her to make sure she doesn't run into anything. "Well, for starters, I kind of thought I could enjoy your charms, since you have a tendency to stop me when I'm just getting started."
"As long as what's good for the goose, is good for the gander." Buffy offers, her eyes glinting with mischief.
"Okay." Tara chuckles. "Which of us is which?" Tara questions, biting her lip.
Buffy looks knowingly up and down the witch. "You are definitely not the gander. Though I do enjoy taking a gander at your charms."
"So that makes you the gander?" Tara quirks an eyebrow up. "I guess you do buy the meals."
"Be careful, or I'll cook your goose." Buffy picks up her pace, slowly closing the distance between them.
"Sounds kinky." Tara smirks at Buffy, before squealing as she turns to run towards Revello Drive.
"Kinky?" Buffy murmurs to herself as she chases after the witch. "Be careful what you say around me!" Buffy yells out, letting Tara stay ahead of her, chuckling at the witch.
"You trying to say you're kinky?" Tara yells back as she runs up the steps to the house, laughing as she tries to catch her breath.
"Don't really know. But I'm willing to find out, if you are?" Buffy chuckles, hopping up the steps to land right in front of Tara. "In a year or two." Buffy finishes, before pushing Tara back against the door gently.
"That long?" Tara murmurs, grinning as Buffy's body presses softly into hers. "I guess it depends on your version of kinky, huh?" Capturing Buffy's lips with hers, they battle gently against each other for long moments. Finally breaking off the kiss, Tara pants heavily, burying her forehead against Buffy's strong shoulder. Clenching the slayer's waist with her hands, Tara shifts to place gentle kisses against Buffy's neck.
"Maybe we should move this inside. I would rather not give the neighbors a free show." Buffy murmurs as she runs her hands up and down Tara's sides, thumbs brushing ever so gently against the starting swell of her breasts.
"Inside." Tara agrees, unconsciously pressing into the soft caresses, before reaching behind her to open the door, both women walking into the house.