Weeks passed with heavy training on both Pellin and in England. Buffy, Willow, and Kennedy moved into their new house. Kennedy was right about Lenara, Zaz, and Mahzi being great movers. But with their new found abilities, Kennedy and Buffy were able to keep up. Buffy and Kennedy were also able to create their own energy balls and had begun being able to control their movement as well.

"See?" Buffy giggled as she moved her ball across the room and back.

"Very good," Lenara clapped, "you are becoming quite adept at this."

Buffy nipped her girlfriend's lips, "Amongst other things…"

Lenara laughed. "Practice, practice, practice…"

Buffy laughed with her. "Speaking of which," Buffy whispered, her eyes sweeping over Lenara's body.

"Shameless." Lenara lightly chided.

"I know, right?" Buffy giggled. "I can't help it. I love looking at you, especially when you are clinging to me, sweating…"

Lenara put a finger on Buffy's lips, embarrassed at what her girlfriend was saying. 'Buffy, what if someone hears you?"

"I'm pretty sure that has already happened at some point." Buffy laughed, and snaked her hands around Lenara's waist. "And frankly I don't care."

"Right. Because you wouldn't care if Kennedy and Willow heard us having sex?"

Buffy shrugged and moved her hands higher until she was lightly brushing Lenara's breasts. Lenara closed her eyes and Buffy grinned broadly. She slipped her hands under Lenara's shirt.

"Buffy, you can't, ahhh…"

The moan came as Buffy gently pushed up on Lenara's bra, exposing the flesh to Buffy's hands. She cupped each one lightly, stroking the nipples with her thumbs.

"You are, ah, incorrigible." Lenara breathily sighed.

"You are encouraging." Buffy giggled, lowering her head.

"BUFFY!" came the yell from upstairs.

Buffy's head shot up. "Dammit," she mumbled. Lenara quickly covered up. "No, don't do that…" Buffy pleaded.

"BUFFY!" Kennedy yelled.

"WHAT?" came the response.

Kennedy poked her head downstairs. "Willow and I are going to Pellin to visit Nessa. Willow is making progress with the mixed magic, and she's practically giddy all the time. And Zaz and I are going to eat buffet, Nessa style. You guys coming?"

"No," Buffy answered, "we have plans."

"Sexual I'm assuming. Train or sex. Quite the variety Buffy. That won't get old." Kennedy's response dripped with sarcasm.

"Stuff it Kennedy." Buffy retorted.

"Whatever. See you later." Kennedy disappeared back upstairs.

Buffy sighed. She ran her fingers through her hair. "Shit," she muttered.

"What's wrong?" Lenara asked.

"Kennedy's right you know. And I didn't realize it until just now."

"What?"

"I am a horrible girlfriend!"

"WHAT?"

"Seriously Lenara. You are my girlfriend, and all we do is have sex and train."

Lenara looked at Buffy with a concerned face. "Buffy, what are you saying?"

Buffy returned the look, and then smiled. She took Lenara's hands into her own. "What I am saying is that I have been a crappy girlfriend. I have kept you all to myself. But we should be dating. I should be taking you to movies, dinner, the park, shopping, or figuring out what type of activities we like to do together."

Lenara let the breath she was holding escape. "Oh. Okay."

"What did you think I meant?"

"I thought maybe…"

"Not a chance."

"Okay."

"So, Lenara, would you like to have dinner with me?"

Lenara nodded. "I would."

"And a movie?"

"Okay."

"Do you know what a movie is?"

"No."

"Then why say yes?"

"Because you said I'd be with you. How can that be bad?"

"Lenara…"

"Buffy…"

"So, traditionally the way this works is I take you out to eat, and then to a movie. Then afterwards you show your gratitude." Buffy giggled.

Lenara laughed. "Exactly how do I do that?"

"Well," Buffy inched closer, "we would go to your place or mine…"

"And?"

"And I get to kiss you."

"But you get to do that now."

"I get to do other things too…"

Lenara giggled and whispered, "You already get to do that as well."

Buffy looked into Lenara's eyes. "You know, keep saying things like that and I won't take you to dinner. Seriously I want to take you out. I…I want to do more things with you. Like a normal couple would."

"We aren't exactly normal you know."

"True, but we could try and have a normal life. Well, aside from everything that isn't."

"Okay."

"You are so easy, you know that?"

"Easy?"

"Easy to be with is what I meant."

"Not everything has to be complicated."

"With me it usually is."

"So, we'll deal. Easy when it's easy, and not when it isn't."

"You know what else Lenara?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you." The moment Buffy said it, she knew it was true.

"Buffy, I…"

"You don't have to feel obligated to say it back."

"I don't."

"Oh…"

"But I do Buffy. I love you too."

Buffy smiled and relished the words. Then she spoke softly, "Who are you?"

"I don't understand."

"You give yourself so freely. You don't ask for anything. You don't just take from me. I've never had that before. There's always been a price I had to pay. Some part of me that I had to give up. But you never ask for anything."

"I'd like to ask for something now Buffy."

"What?"

"Say it again?"

"I love you."

The two girls just stood staring at each other. Buffy leaned in and kissed Lenara. She tried to pour every ounce of her emotions into the kiss. She felt everything she gave reciprocated back to her. When they broke apart, Buffy immediately felt giddy.

"So, Lenara, have dinner with me tonight."

"Yes."

"Maybe we'll skip the movie."

"Sounds like a good plan."

Buffy grabbed Lenara's hand and walked upstairs with her. Elated, she couldn't stop thinking to herself, she loves me.

Nessa smiled at Willow. Such a sweet girl, she thought. "I really cannot tell you how happy I am at how quickly you learn from me."

"It is an honor really."

"There's nothing more to show you."

"Now what?"

"I think you have that worked out already. Tell me."

"Well, with Kennedy and Buffy growing stronger every day, it's probably close to the time to end your war. Since Lenara is the strongest, she'll have the best advantage at defeating Savon. With our help of course."

Nessa nodded. "Promise me something."

"Of course."

"Once this is over, make sure she has the support of everyone when she opens the locket."

"I will."

"My magical transformation of her will break, and she will look different. And feel different."

Willow asked, "Will she still be Lenara? Because Buffy…"

"Loves her. I know. It's obvious when they look at each other. She will still have Lenara's memories, feelings, but she will remember everything else too."

"I promise Nessa that we will help her. Whoever she is, or was…"

"Good. I am glad she has found you all."

"Sort of like the universe planned it."

"Yes."

"But I can tell you are worried."

"I don't fully understand everything. She may not like what she finds."

"It may also be nothing traumatic though."

"True, but somehow I doubt that."

"Buffy won't abandon her. None of us will. She's part of the Scooby gang now."

"Scooby gang?"

"It's a nickname we gave to our group of friends. She's part of us now, and we take care of our own."

"Thank you Willlow."

"No. Thank you. When this is all over I will be so relieved."

"Me too. I would like my family to be whole again. Zaz, Mahzi, and Lenara are what I have left. I would like to see them all happy."

"They will be. I can't explain it, but we always manage."

A/N: You know what I want...please leave one...