The Stakes Are Raised

Bree panted heavily as Faith crawled back up her body and kissed her lightly on the lips before flopping down beside her. They both let out a long contented sigh.

"Okay..morning sex definitely does not suck," Faith grinned, looking sideways at Bree who was still looking slightly amazed.

"No, it definitely does not," she replied, trying to get her wits together again. Faith curled into Bree's side, one arm draped across her waist. She didn't know how, but it seemed that, now she had gotten over her intimacy problems, she seemed to crave it. Bree chuckled slightly as Faith nuzzled into her neck lovingly.

"I think I kinda love you," Faith said seriously. Bree looked down at the brunette in her arms, startled.

"I...love you too," she replied, kissing Faith's forehead. They lay there in comfortable silence for a while, just enjoying each other's presence.

Suddenly, they heard the front door bang open and movement occurring downstairs. They both sat up immediately, slight panic and confusion filling them.

"Hey Mom!"

"Mom, we're home!"

Faith visibly relaxed but Bree had a slightly different reaction. Faith suddenly felt herself being dragged out of bed, completely naked, and shoved into the bathroom. The door slammed shut in her face before she could say anything.

"Coming, coming! I'll be there in a minute!" Faith heard Bree shout down to her children. Faith couldn't help but get the feeling that she had forgotten her kids were coming back from camp today. Grumbling to herself about bad timing, Faith sank down to the floor and waited until she could be let out.

Bree was panicking. She had hungry children downstairs and a naked slayer in her bathroom. It really couldn't get any worse. Throwing her robe on, she hurried down to Andrew and Danielle, sending a silent apology Faith's way.

"Hey Mom, why are you still in your robe? It's like 11:30," Danielle asked with a frown.

"Hmm? Oh I just had a long lie in. I know you both love those," Bree said, a smile fixed onto her face.

"Yeah, but you haven't slept past 8:30 since...like forever," Andrew helpfully chipped in.

"Well that's because, Andrew, I've always been looking after you, doing your chores," she argued back. "So how was summer camp?" Bree hurried on to say, quickly changing the topic.

As soon as she got the opportunity, Bree went upstairs to let Faith out.

"Sorry sorry!" she apologised profusely as she opened the bathroom door to a seething and naked slayer.

"It's fine, Bree. I get it. It just wasn't so fun hiding out in your bathroom for 45 minutes," Faith said, throwing on her clothes. She couldn't shake the feeling that Bree wanted her to leave.

"So.. We gonna tell them about me anytime soon?" she asked pointedly.

"Now really isn't the time, Faith. I'll tell them. I will. Just not now," Bree said, ushering Faith towards the window.

"You want me to leave through the window? God Bree, didn't we just say we loved each other?" Faith said, annoyed. Bree assured her that it was just this once and she just needed to get through today. Faith shook her head in disbelief as she exited through the window.

"But you will tell them..." Faith said as she was leaving.

"Yes of course. Soon," Bree replied feebly.

Two weeks had passed and Faith had hardly seen Bree at all. Whenever she had, Bree kept reassuring her that she would tell her children about them soon but 'soon' never came about. Now Buffy had moved out, Faith was living alone and she was really missing Bree. An idea started to form in her head. Sometimes you have to be harsh to be kind right?

That very evening, Bree was sitting down for dinner with Andrew and Danielle. Small talk ensued and she couldn't help but feel that attitude was radiating off Andrew more than ever.

"Danielle, could you please pass the salt?" Bree said, looking pointedly at Andrew who had made a particularly rude comment. Sometimes she got the impression he was hiding something from her and she didn't like it one bit. They were interrupted by the doorbell. Bree was slightly startled. She didn't think that she was expecting anyone.

"Andrew, would you?" she said, looking from him to the door. Andrew let out an exasperated sigh before standing up and walking to the door. His mother was really getting on his nerves lately. He thought it was completely ridiculous that they had to change into smarter clothes for dinner in their own home. Without his dad to reel her in, his mom was acting even crazier than normal. Andrew started when he opened the door to a very sexy looking Faith who had gone to the trouble of wearing her sexiest outfit she could find without looking like a hooker, everything being tight in all the right places.

"Hey, is your mom there?" she asked, her voice husky and oozing sensuality. Andrew swallowed deeply before calling Bree to the door. Bree turned a shade whiter as she saw Faith leaning against the door frame.

"Can we help you?" she asked innocently, trying to act calm. Faith smiled a slow and seductive smile before striding forward, into the house, and kissing Bree hard and passionately on the mouth. Bree gasped and Faith ran her hands through Bree's neatly done red hair. Bree quickly got a hold of herself and shoved Faith away, looking at her, appalled. Faith looked back defiantly.

"What the hell is going on?"

They both turned to look at a very confused Andrew, who's mouth was hanging open slightly in shock