Hey guys,
Thanks for all the feedback and support…
Hope you enjoy it!
WA
Note: Ariel's conception is fully explained in 'Forever you'!!!
Part 4
Some weeks later the witch and the slayer were practically inseparable. Faith had developed a new routine, she spent as much time as possible with the blonde; they did almost everything together from breakfast to dinner, the work out trainings and even research sections like the one they were doing at Giles living room
"I'm so, so, so bored" Faith whined rolling her head from side to side making Tara giggle
"Come on Faith" she shook her head "it's not that bad"
"Oh please!!!" she said leaping from the chair "I'm a slayer, T…my body craves for action" she bounced up and down to release some piled energy "what do I care if the demon looks like a fish or a porcupine?"
"Well, what if the porcupine demon has some poisoning spikes coming out of its skin?" Tara asked in a challenge
"Then I'll fight it with a spear" she shrugged nonchalantly and the blonde shook her head
"Here, I brought some snacks" Simone announced putting down the tray
"Thank you Mary Popins" Faith said already chomping her sandwich "I love you" she declared with her mouth full
"Did Giles call?" Tara asked to the nanny
"Oh, yes…he said he'll arrive before the weekend" she informed
"Where is he anyway?" Faith asked between bites
"Scotland" Tara answered "something to do with the council"
"Tara, would you help me with dinner?" Simone asked gently
"I'll go" Faith offered hopefully, she'd do anything to get away from the books
"No…you stay" Tara commanded and she pouted causing the blonde to smile "you can watch over Ariel" she suggested taking pity on the brunette
"Kid versus books…uh…" she considered the options "okay…kid beats books" she said and moved to pick up the baby. Tara and Simone left shaking her heads and giggling
The slayer sat on the carpet with Ariel next to her; the little baby was mumbling some unintelligible sounds
"What was that?" she asked to the oblivious kid "sorry kiddo, I don't speak babish" the baby produced a high pitched sound in a revolted gesture and started climbing on the couch "oh, you want to stand up?!!" she said helping the baby up "hey, look at you" she praised the little girl "you'll be walking soon…yes you will" the little blonde was happily tapping the couch and jouncing up and down "yes…and I will teach you how to fight…just like your mama"
"Mama" the girl mimicked the word
"Yeah, mama…she's so cool, ain't she?" she said helping the baby who was crawling over her legs "you have a cool mama" she said grasping the little girl "wanna play outside? Come on…" she stood up carrying Ariel in her arms she then stopped at the kitchen door and shouted "hey, T…I'm taking kiddo outside, okay?"
"Okay" the witch poked her head outside "be careful…"
Some time later Tara stepped at the garden to see her child playing gladly on a blanket Faith had spread on the grass
"Dinner, ready?" the brunette asked seeing the blonde approaching
"Almost…" she replied and turned to the baby "hey, want some juice?" she asked her child waving the cute pink cup in front of her
"Ju…ju" she pointed to the cup "wanna" Tara knelt and helped the kid drink her fluid. Faith watched the interaction between mother and daughter and got curious
"Can I ask you something?" Tara sat down and looked at the brunette
"Yeah, sure…go ahead"
"Who's the father?" she asked and nodded towards Ariel
"Oh…" Tara looked at her child and back at the slayer "it's Willow… kinda…it's a long story" she answered shyly
"Red's the father?" the slayer bit the inside of her cheek trying to process the information "how?"
"Magic" Tara answered simply; she leaned against a tree and started telling the story of Ariel's conception
Week after week their routine didn't change and the more time they spent together the closer they got.
The front door of Giles' house opened and Tara entered meeting him in the living room
"Hey" she greeted
"Hi…how was the meeting?" he asked
"Longer than I expected" she answered depositing her material on the table "Where's Simone?" she asked fussing her bag
"I think she had some kind of emergency" he informed "she left before I arrived"
"What?" Tara asked alarmed "where's Ariel?" Giles moved to the side and she saw Faith lying on the floor with her head resting against the couch and the little blonde on top of her, both sleeping peacefully "oh my god" her eyes widened at the sight "she's gonna get all sore" Tara said and lowered to try to move the baby
"Uh, be careful" Giles warned and she pulled back raising a questioning eyebrow at him "slayers can be…rather protective" he said rubbing his wrist; Tara smiled and turned back to the girls
"Hey, sleeping beauty" she called softly "wake up" the brunette opened her eyes and looked at the blonde without moving, in order not to disturb the baby "let me take her"
"Yeah, okay" she whispered hoarsely. Tara cradled her daughter and stood up, Faith started to move and felt her neck complain "ow" she massaged it and rolled her head from side to side causing a popping sound "she's clean and fed"
"Thank you" Tara whispered and turned to go to the bedroom; the brunette couldn't help but watch the retreating blonde. Giles observed the scene with keen interest
"It's so easy to fall for her, isn't it?" he commented and she snapped her head to look at him
"Excuse me?" she asked harshly
"I mean…she's a lovable young woman" he decided to back away
"Yes, she is" she relaxed visibly
"I can't believe Willow let her go" he shook his head
"Red is a fool" she declared "Tara deserves better than that"
"Absolutely" he agreed "she deserves to find happiness again" he declared and she nodded with a pensive look on her face
"Yeah" she used both hands to massage her sore neck and moved towards the bedroom. The slayer stopped at Ariel's room, leaned against the doorframe and watched Tara tucking her little girl in singing softly to her; sensing someone else's presence, the blonde witch turned and smiled at the brunette; she then turned again, kissed her baby, dimmed the lights and moved to the door
"Thank you for taking care of her" she whispered
"No problem" Faith shrugged "kid is great"
"She is, isn't she?" Tara agreed proudly
"She has a great mom" the slayer complimented and the witch blushed
"I'm not p-p-perfect" she stuttered for the first time in a long time
"Maybe not" she locked eyes with the blonde "but you're very close to it" Tara stared mutely at her, then leaned forward and kissed her cheek softly
"You're very sweet…thank you again for watching her" she walked past the brunette and disappeared towards her own room; Faith didn't move, she just lifted her hand and touched the tingling spot on her face.
A week later Faith entered home excited about some new responsibilities the council had given her
"Hey, Mary Popins…where is Tara?" she was eager to tell the blonde
"Uh, in the study room…" she pointed with her thumb
"Thanks" she rushed there but froze at the threshold; Tara was sitting at the table with lots of books spread in front of her and a hot blonde at her side. The grin on the slayer's face was immediately replaced by a frown; she could feel her heart racing and a sensation of being punched on the stomach when she saw the woman touching the witch's arm. The blonde bimbo had a predatory look on her face and Faith didn't like it a bit, she had a bitter taste on her mouth and her fists were clenched; Tara, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the other blonde's intention, she was explaining something animatedly while the other woman checked her out hungrily. Faith could feel her blood beginning to boil, she needed to get out or she would cause some serious damage on that bitch's face; in a lightening speed, she crossed the room to the front door
"Dinner is almost ready" Simone informed
"I'm not hungry" she barked and stormed out the house. The nanny stood there looking at the slammed door and back to the study room, picturing what might have happened; having a pretty good idea formed, she shook her head and moved her attention back to Ariel.
Latter that night, Faith was at the park punching and kicking demons and vampires trying to steam out some anger. She was now fighting a fat vampire who charged at her; He punched her in the face and she fell to the ground. He smirked at her, she narrowed her eyes and grabbed her stake, she jumped up and landed a punch; he punched her back and she kicked his leg, he staggered and she staked him. She drew the stack back angrily and watched him disappear into dust
"Boy…aren't we mad today?" she heard a voice and spun around
"What are you doing here?" she snapped "shouldn't you be singing for some needing child?"
"Nah…it's my night off" the nanny shrugged simply
"Good for you" she faked a cheering gesture and started walking
"Wouldn't it be easier if you just told her how you feel?" she decided to cut to the chase
"What are you talking about?" Faith practically hissed
"Tara" she answered calmly "why don't you tell her that you're in love with her"
"Because I'm not" she denied it
"Please, Faith" she rolled her eyes "who are you trying to kid?"
"Mary Popins, what kind if herb have you used in your tea?" she asked with her hands on her hips
"I'm a witch, Faith" she smiled softly "I can see what's in your heart" she said ignoring the slayer's threatening look "your feelings for her are strong, stop fooling yourself and admit them" she moved closer "you fell in love with her, but you're trying to convince yourself that it's nothing"
"It is nothing…it's just a crush" she said dismissively "it'll go away"
"What if it doesn't?" she asked
"Then I'll make it go away" she answered and the older woman shook her head "I'm just gonna have to stick to my original plan" the slayer nodded vehemently
"And that was?" the nanny raised a questioning eyebrow
"Stay away" she explained "I'll just do what I have to do until I'm free to go" she started pacing "yeah…and when the probation time is over I'll just disappear and never seer her again"
"That's your master plan?" she asked crossing her arms in front of her chest "go back to your unhealthy and self-destructive lifestyle?"
"Yes" she nodded "no emotional bonds"
"I think it's a little late for that" she smirked at the brunette slayer
"Let's see" Faith replied confidently