A/N: I'M BACK! WOOHOO LET'S DIG BACK IN WITH SLAYER IN RED.

XOXO

"You should take it easy." Diggle warns his best friend as he leans against the doorway of her living room watching as she swings her bandaged still healing leg at the punching bag in front of her.

"You're talking to the wrong gal." Buffy replies simply before kicking her leg out again only to feel a sharp pain shoot up her leg.

Not realizing she had cried out she could feel Diggle's arm around her in a second as he examined her to make sure she was okay.

Buffy sighs slightly as Dig moves her over to the couch, yes she loved the fact that he cared but he was totally in big brother mode. The second he had shown up after Oliver had told him about her condition he had come straight away. And seeing her covered in blood again had caused him to yell at her before hugging her.

Honestly, Buffy was still confused about the whole thing but she knew he was just trying to protect her, he had had a go at her because her leg wasn't completely healed yet from a few months ago and she kept fighting on it.

She could practically see him begging to say those four little words "I swear if you say I told you so I'm gonna throw you out my window."
Diggle chuckles slightly before cupping her cheek and kissing her forehead before wrapping a hand around her shoulder "You like me too much."

"That can change." She points out with a smirk causing him to laugh softly before he looks at her seriously "Seriously Buff though you gotta take this seriously, I get you heal fast but the fact you keep getting hurt is gonna make healing fast a little difficult. Hence the physical therapy."

Buffy groans "Oh dooey." She moans in annoyance before placing her head on his shoulder, the two of them falling into a nice comfortable silence.

Finally, after a few minutes however he breaks that silence to ask her the dread question "How's Dean?"

At the question Buffy swallows the lump in her throat "He's um...out of the hospital but..." Buffy takes a shaky breath before looking at Diggle, he was still to this day one of the only people she would openly get this emotional around "He has four broken ribs, bruises all over him, his lung almost collapsed...he could have died because of me Dig."

"Buffy..." Diggle tries hating the fact she was blaming herself for this, if she kept thinking that everything was her fault she would never let anyone in "It wasn't..."
Buffy chuckles slightly "I appreciate it Dig, but it was my fault. The man who did this was sending a message making it clear he can get to anyone I care about."
"So what are you gonna do then."
Buffy takes a shaky breath and leans her head on the couch staring up at the ceiling as she does "I can't be with him. I need to end before I get him killed."

Diggle sighs as he watches the different waves of emotion flood his best friend's face, he knew this was killing her. Taking her hand he entangles her fingers with his own letting her clutch onto him.

Buffy smiles at him, the gesture was sweet and simple, Diggle was a man who could say a lot with very little.

"Subject change please?" She asks playfully, this whole evening becoming way too forbidden romance for her.
Diggle chuckles slightly before he remembers there is actually something he needs to talk to her about "Okay...Oliver wants to meet you."

Buffy arches a brow at that "Huh? Is he really that blonde?"
"The other you." Diggle rephrases trying not to laugh at her comment "Red flying around ninja you."

"Oh. Again I say huh and not a chance in hell."

As Willow watches the news regarding the DA's case about the Nickel's fire she glances up from her computer to where Oliver was currently doing pull ups on the bars on the ceiling.

"John Nickel is one of the wealthiest real estate developers in Starling City he is also one of the dirtiest." Oliver grunts out in effort as he continues to pull his strong muscular body up and down while Willow watches him unashamed.

She may be into girls but that didn't mean she couldn't admire the male form in all it's chiseled glory.
"The building that burnt down last night..." Oliver continues "the wiring was not up to code."
"And maybe just a thought...maybe he didn't know." She suggests as she continues to stare at him.

Oliver glances down at the red head now holding onto the metal pole with one arm "I guess he also didn't know about the seven people who've frozen to death in his other buildings over the past three years."

When Willow shrugs and continues to stare at him Oliver frowns "You're staring at me."
She merely smirks "I'm gay which ergo means I can stare at you and your man pecks for as long as I want, without it being uncomfortable."
"It's a little uncomfortable." He mumbles under his breath before continuing with his pull ups.

Willow chuckles before turning to her computer and frowning at the articles her search had brought up "Yeah I can totally see that becoming man of the people." She argues sarcastically just as Oliver drops to the ground beside her.

As he lands Oliver frowns in confusion as he realizes that it was only him and the former Witch in the room "Where's Dig?"

Willow sighs before running a hand through her fiery red hair "Helping Buffy. Her leg's still in pretty bad shape, she hurt it a few months ago and Buffy being Buffy didn't let it heal completely, so after what happened a few weeks ago it's a lot worse."

Oliver tenses at Buffy's name as he remembers back to how he found her in the hospital so broken and different from the cold sarcastic exterior he was accustomed to.

"Did she..." Oliver pauses for a moment worry for the young Slayer filling his brain before he focused on Willow "Did she tell you what happened yet?"
Willow sighs a little unsure of what to say to him, there were so many aspects of their lives they kept from Oliver and Diggle, mainly the demon stuff but...Buffy hadn't exactly told her or Xander a lot about it.
"It's not my thing to tell you." She says kindly before turning back to the computer hoping to change the subject "So this guy?"

Oliver sighs before focusing on the computer "The DA ignores this and the police can't do anything because all these slums are in The Glades. So tonight, Willow, we cross Mr. Nickel's name off the list."

Handing the red head his father's journal where Nickel's name was written Oliver waits for her response "You ok with that?" He asks her.

Willow pauses and turns back to the computer watching in disbelief as Nickel's is released yet again, clenching her jaw she nods "Just get it over with."

Five Years Ago – Palm Springs, California

"Ah...feels like home." Buffy says as she practically skips down the street beside Gunn who was watching her in amusement.
"California girl huh?"
Buffy grins "L.A, but this will do." As she smiles she glances around at the people around them she really had missed L.A, God had spring break come at the perfect time.

"So where is this joint?" Gunn asks as the blonde Slayer continues to lead her through the streets of people like she owned the place.
Buffy chuckles before stopping just outside of what looked like a red metal door to a loft.
Gunn arches a brow unimpressed at the door "This is it?"
Buffy smiles softly before nudging his shoulder playfully "Appearances can be deceiving."
"Says the tiny blonde who's stronger than a damn body builder."

"Exactly." She laughs before grasping the door handle "One more thing, don't kill anything gross."
"Say what?" He asks in confusion only for his eyes to widen as before him was a loud bar with demon and vampires filling the room.

"I think I actually prefer Lorne's place." Gunn mumbles as he follows the blonde through the demon bar.

Buffy smiles at the comment before the two of them head towards the bar where a certain familiar snitch was pouring out blood shots for a few of the vamps at the bar.

Clearing her throat Willy's eyes shoot to her widening in shock before he claps his together loudly "Slayer!" He yells loudly, immediately causing every vampire in the room to stand and leave in a rush towards the sewer exit.
"Okay I'm liking it here." Gunn laughs "Beer blondie?"
Buffy grins before moving to sit beside Gunn as he takes a seat at the bar, turning her head she focuses on Willy "On the house right?"
"Yes..." He stutters "Yes, of course, I'd never charge you Slayer."

"Okay enough with the ass kissing." At her words he immediately stops speaking and leans in close whispering "Not that I'm not happy to see you all not dead and all but what you doing here Slayer?"

Buffy sighs before smiling brightly "Why else would I visit my favorite snitch? I need ticket's to a Broadway show."

Not sensing her sarcasm Willy quickly nods in agreement "Sure sure sure, I can make that happen. I know people. You wanna see Cats? I can get you tickets to Cats!"
Buffy rolls her eyes before slamming Willy's head against the bar painfully only making the snitch cry out in agony.

"Not here for tickets Willy."

Present Day

"He was just gone?" Willow asks in shock as Oliver informs him, Diggle and Buffy of what had happened when he had gone after the target.
Buffy arches a brow at that "You sure, people don't just go poof and then gone." She points out clapping her hands together to make a point.
"You've done that on multiple occasions." Diggle points out making Buffy pause before shrugging "Fair point. But still. How is he gone? You sure he's not dead, dead people tend to stay gone."

Willow arches a brow and glances at the blonde but Buffy merely rolls her eyes, coming back from the dead a few times so did not count.
"No, not gone." Oliver hisses in frustration "Taken."
Buffy rolls her eyes "Okay we get it Liam Neeson."
"Why are you even here?" He hisses out as he glares at the blonde who merely grins up at him.

"Dig won't let me out of his sight, unless I'm with my cousin. So I guess you're stuck with me Legolas."
Diggle sighs ignoring the tension building between the two warriors and focuses on Oliver "Looks like Nickel was on somebody's else's list too."

Oliver groans "Well, after the fire last night, it's not entirely surprising. Willow, I need you to get me everything you can on Nickel. Focus on his tenants, anyone who might have filed a formal complaint against him, or people that lost something in the fire."
Willow sighs at that, what he was asking for wasn't exactly easy "Yeah cause it's not like this list is gonna be a billion pages long."

Buffy chuckles at the sarcasms before turning to Oliver "Come on green-y, think about it, slumlord douche bags aren't generally known to be the nicest guys. Pretty sure you're looking at a list the size of Texas here, anyway I thought we were all with the wanting him dead. I say your work here is done."

Oliver sighs before focusing his gaze on the blonde "I don't like the idea that someone dangerous is out there."
"Well technically..." She drawls off gesturing to his bow and arrow only making him glare at her unamused.
"Someone other than me."

Both Willow and Diggle then raise their hands pointing at Buffy who grins "She's more dangerous than you." They both say in unison only making Oliver groan in annoyance while Buffy grins "The people have spoken."

Oliver sighs "Someone other than Buffy or me. Because typically, they don't show my level of restraint."
Buffy rolls her eyes before standing "I'll kill him." She says with a shrug only making Oliver glare at her "You're still hurt—sit-down."

Buffy groans in annoyance before sitting make down while Oliver moves across the room.
"So you're going to cross Nickel off anyway?" Diggle asks the vigilante who shakes his head.
"No, I'm finding somebody else who needs a talking to."

Diggle frowns realizing what Oliver meant by that, he couldn't be serious "Wait, wait, you're going out there again, Oliver? Why don't you go home be with your family, man?"

"That's when the work is done, Diggle." Oliver replies almost robotically while Diggle sighs before moving over to Buffy yanking her off her feet.
"Ok." Diggle comments before focusing back on Oliver "Then I'm taking you both out to dinner."
"What!" Buffy exclaims the same time Oliver says "I'm not hungry."
"I'm not asking." Diggle tells them both as he raises Oliver's book and Buffy's car keys making it clear neither of them were going anywhere.

Buffy groans "Oh doey."