A/N Warning! Sensitive subject matter discussed in this chapter. No disrespect is meant by the author.

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"Buffy, I need to talk to you." Joyce addressed her daughter. "And before we begin, there's no one else here, Dawn's visiting her friend Janice for supper. What we need to discuss is personal and your business."

"Is it about the Council's tests?"

"No, it was discovered because of their visit, but isn't related to it. You're aware of Faith's interest in both men and women?"

"Yeah, she's never made a secret about it, it's just there, ya know? No big deal."

"Some of her behavior towards you is suggestive that she may be interested in you personally, but may not be willing to say anything."

"If Faith is interested in someone, she says it, Mom. She hasn't said anything to me."

"Would you have a problem if she did? She may be worried about risking your friendship."

"I never thought about it."

"Well, you should, Buffy, because Faith isn't the only girl who might be interested in you as a girl. Willow has realized that she is interested in you, the first time she's ever been interested in a girl. I don't want any of you to get hurt and I don't want you to be blindsided by a girl showing interest in you. You could hurt their feelings, possibly badly, if you react badly."

"Willow likes me, like-likes, me?" Buffy wasn't sure how she felt about that.

"Back when you began dating, we discussed the fact that some of the boys that asked you for dates would be ones you weren't interested in and that you'd have to let them know that. Hopefully in a way that didn't hurt them, well too badly, because regardless of how careful you are, rejection hurts. It hurts even more in the case of someone who's sexuality is outside societal expectations. Faith is more sensitive than she lets anyone see, but Willow, Willow will be destroyed if a rejection isn't handled carefully. You need to take the time to understand how you'd react if a girl in general asked you out and then you need to decide how you'd feel if Faith or Willow asked you out. Once you think you know how you'll react, then you'll be able to answer them if they put themselves out there to tell you their feelings."

"I don't know if Willow would risk herself at all, Mom, even with me, she's come a long way since the mousy girl I first met, but she's still not one to make the first move."

"You're probably right, which means you might not ever have known Willow cares about you as more than a friend and that could have damaged your friendship at some point. Her crush on Alex made Alex uncomfortable which says she can be obvious about a crush, but unwilling to talk about it. Which could have made you uncomfortable. If Willow and Faith were interested in each other, I have no doubt you'd be a supportive friend. But both of them have an interest in you and that's a different matter. You need to figure out if you're even comfortable with a woman being interested in you personally. Does it flatter or annoy you? And then you need to figure out if you could return those feelings. Just because you've never been interested in a girl before, or never let yourself be interested simply because you never considered the possibility doesn't mean you have to outright reject it. It's your life and your choice, be with who makes you happy, not who someone tells you should make you happy. And regardless of what you choose, I'll still be your mother and still love you. But if you deliberately hurt either of their feelings, I'll be disappointed in you. I don't think you will, you're not the girl you were before becoming the Slayer, she was a bully and would hurt someone's feelings on purpose. You've learned to care and I'm very proud of you for that."

"Thanks, Mom. I guess I have some thinking to do."

"The Watchers Council is going to supply a Counselor for you and Faith and anyone in your support team who wants or needs it. I suggest you talk to them if you don't feel comfortable talking to me. Willow and Faith will also be advised to see them. They have their own personal reasons for it being recommended and if they feel like discussing it with you they will, don't push okay? Just let them know you're their friend and you're there for them."

Buffy nodded and Joyce left her daughter to consider ideas she'd never considered before.