Buffy stalked the vampire through the children's park, her stake gripped firmly and confidently in her right hand, her mind focused but her body loose, ready to spring into action as soon as the stupid moronic cowardly vampire would quit running and turn around and fight, damn it!

The bushes ahead of her rustled, and she held her breath, raising her arm to strike.

There was a chuckle from the shadows. "Is that a stake in your hand, or are ya just glad to see me?"

Buffy let out her breath in a sigh. Suddenly the night seemed a lot warmer. She smiled. "Faith, that doesn't even make sense."

Faith stepped out of the bushes, twirling her own stake absently, her eyes wandering appreciatively over Buffy's body. Buffy found herself doing the same, although Faith's outfit was tame by her standards--the leather pants didn't look painted on, and the t-shirt underneath her jean jacket, while tight, didn't have a neck that plunged down to her belly button. It had been three days since they'd gotten back from their ski trip, and that time had somehow been filled with--in Buffy's opinion--some rather meaningless activities. For one, Willow had convinced her that doing her term-break homework was important before school started again. For another, Mom had been pretty insistent that they do some bonding.

Faith hadn't phoned, or shown up, but Buffy wasn't too worried about that. She knew how Faith felt about "getting mushy", as she called it. They did have a date scheduled for Friday night--their first date!--and Buffy was getting very curious indeed about what Faith had planned. Probably she figured meeting up in a cemetery, stakes in hand, was all the romance a Slayer needed.

Probably she was right.

Faith pocketed her stake and grinned, not her usual leer, and looked like she didn't know what to do with her hands. Buffy could feel her heart tremble. That smile--the real one, that showed off Faith's dimples--wasn't for just anyone. It practically melted Buffy every time she saw it, and last week when they'd been skiing she'd seen it a lot. It was a seduction all on its own...though, in the end, Buffy had been the one to make the first move.

That wasn't going to be the case this time, she could tell. Faith jerked her head back toward the playground and grinned an invitation. Buffy was pretty sure she wasn't turning Faith mushy--the other Slayer was a born romantic, whether she knew it or not. She stepped forward and grabbed Faith's hand.

Instantly she found herself wrapped in Faith's arms, being firmly and insistently kissed. She closed her eyes leaned forward to enjoy everything that was coming to her.

"Jeez, B, three days." Faith spoke between kisses, running her hands down Buffy's back. "I'm gonna show you what you were missing..."

"Wait..."

Faith pulled back a fraction of an inch and paused for only a moment. "What?"

"It's a kid's park," Buffy said, embarrassed to hear the words come out breathless and short. God, she was practically panting. But it had been three days, and Faith's mouth was warm and wet and moving and...

"It's fucking midnight." Faith kissed her way down Buffy's neck, nuzzling behind her ears and over the pulse point under her chin. "No kids, B, don't worry, I wouldn't want to warp their tiny minds..." Her whisper was thick and husky, her breath hot against Buffy's skin. One hand was kneading Buffy's breast over top of her shirt, the other sliding over her jeans and pulling their hips together, tight. Buffy could feel her trembling, and a thrill shot through her to know she did that--she was the reason Faith's breath was coming faster and faster, her breasts pressing against Buffy's as her chest moved.

"But..." Buffy closed her eyes, trying to remember why she was objecting, and instead finding that her fingers were pushing Faith's jacket off her shoulders. "But we're...outdoors...night time...there could be--ah..."

"Hmm? There could be what?" Faith cut off her answer with another kiss, her tongue swirling through Buffy's mouth, until she felt like her bones were melting. How did Faith manage to do this to her, every time? Buffy gave up and turned her full attention to the kiss, moaning. She cupped her hands behind Faith's neck to bring her closer, rubbing the small, tense muscles just under the heavy fall of Faith's dark hair.

Faith finally broke the kiss, her eyes darker than ever as she gazed at Buffy, smirking slighty. "Don't tell me you've never wanted to do it outside," she said. Her hands were roaming, squeezing Buffy's ass. She slipped her thigh between Buffy's legs and started rocking slightly against her. Buffy leaned back, her heart hammering, pleasure drumming through her. "We're the Slayers, B..." With each word, Faith pressed her thigh into Buffy's crotch, making her gasp. "What's gonna...uh...bother us? Demons? Vampires...?"

"Mom!"

"What?" Faith backed off, confused.

Buffy jumped away, out of Faith's arms, and stared over her shoulder. Her mom was walking across the park, carrying a lunch bag and a large thermos. Buffy smiled sheepishly and waved at her. It wasn't like her mom didn't know that she and Faith were together, but they had not yet had The Talk about it. She was pretty sure there was eventually--and inevitably--going to be A Talk, and that it was going to be capitalized.

"Hi, girls! Are there any vampires around?"

Buffy gave a painful smile and mouthed, "Later," at Faith, then walked forward. "Mom, what are you doing here?"

Her mom blinked and shrugged, then held up a bag and a thermos. "I brought you two a snack. I thought it was about time for me to come out and watch. You know, the slaying."

"Mrs. S., the slaying..." Faith flapped a hand, trying to explain. "It's kind of a Slayer thing, you know?"

Buffy rolled her eyes--that was a brilliant explanation--and Faith shrugged back at her.

"But it's such a big part of both your lives, and I'd like to understand it," Mom said. "It's, you know, something we could share."

Buffy groaned inwardly. Apparently she hadn't managed to get in enough mother-daughter time over the past three days--now her mom wanted to come out to the cemetery to bond. Plus, she had a sneaking suspicion that this was her mom's way of ambushing her with The Talk. "Actually, it's pretty dull, it's--" There was a rustling in the bushes to her left and Buffy spun around, mirrored by Faith, who already had her stake out. "You know," she continued, still staring into the shadowy leaves. "Bam, boom, poof."

The vampire she'd been stalking before Faith showed up leaped out of the bushes between the two Slayers. Faith muttered, "Shit!" and hauled him backwards by the scruff of his neck, tossing him head over heels into a nearby bench. It splintered in half under the impact. Buffy followed after him and lashed out with a crescent kick that caught him in the stomach and rolled him over. The vamp got to his feet right on time to run into Faith's fists, a flurry of hard punches to the face that he couldn't block.

For a moment, he backed off, then came swinging back into the fight. Dimly, Buffy could hear her mom cheering as she pounded on him.

"Good, honey! Kill him!"

The vampire shook his head, growling, and backed away cautiously. He glared at the only human who hadn't managed to hurt him, and charged. Buffy and Faith both rushed to get between her mom and the vampire.

"Oh, my God!" Mom exclaimed behind them, as the vampire approached. "It's Mr. Sanderson from the bank!"

The vampire looked back and forth between Buffy and Faith, both of them holding stakes, and realized that discretion was the better part of valour. He feinted at Faith, then ran back into the bushes.

"He's getting away!" Mom cried, and Faith was after him like a shot, disappearing into the darkness.

Buffy gave her a stern look. "Stay!" she said, and followed Faith. Who knew how many friends the dearly departed Mr. Sanderson had? If Faith was ambushed... Buffy ran faster. She came out in a clearing just in time to see Faith launch herself onto the vampire's back, tackling him and driving her stake through his back.

Faith flipped to her feet and turned to Buffy. "Hey! What about your mom?"

Buffy shrugged with exasperation. "I swear I don't know. If she signs me up for a seminar on interpersonal communication, or gives me tickets for all of us to appear on Dr. Phil, I will not be surprised."

"I mean, you left her. You know. Outdoors, at night time, remember?"

"I came to help."

Faith dusted herself off. "I got him. Come on, let's find her."

They arrived back at the park, but there was no one in sight. Buffy called, "Mom?"

Faith glanced towards the playground, and pointed. "There."

Mom was standing over the merry-go-round, staring down. "Oh, my God. Oh..."

Buffy hurried up to her. "Mom? What is it?"

A boy lay on the merry-go-round, his eyes empty and staring. Next to him, in the sand, was a little girl. They were dead. Buffy hugged Mom tight and pulled her away from the children, but she knew what Faith was thinking. The bodies were fresh. How could this happen only a few feet away from them, and they hadn't even noticed?

Well, actually, she knew why they hadn't noticed. Faith met Buffy's eyes behind her mom's back, and she knew exactly what she was thinking.

This was their fault.

Police car sirens whooped, the swirling red and blue lights cutting through the darkness of the kids' playground. Buffy stood next to her mom, waiting for the detective to return and tell them they could go. Faith was half-sitting, half-leaning on the low stone wall that bordered the park. Her arms were crossed, and she glared at any crime scene investigator that ventured too close. Buffy chewed her lip, watching the man taking pictures and roping off the merry-go-round with yellow tape. Her mom was still in shock, staring wide-eyed at the little kids' bodies as if she could never look away.

Finally, the detective broke off his conversation with a small knot of police officers and headed over to them. Buffy put her arm around her mom. Faith stood up and came closer, one hand on Buffy's back, out of the detective's sight. "If there's nothing more you can tell us, you're all free to go," he said.

"Just that we found them," Buffy said. "There's really nothing else...?"

"We'll call you if we need to ask any questions," the detective said.

"Okay." Buffy sighed and started leading her mom to the street. Faith followed, and Buffy smiled at her gratefully. She didn't want to do this alone.

"They were little kids," Mom said. "Did you see them?"

"I saw," Buffy said softly. She'd never seen her mom like this, so lost, as if she were the child and Buffy the parent who was supposed to make it all better. Except, this time, she didn't know how.

"Who could do something like this?" Mom asked. "I just..." She trailed off and looked down.

Buffy met Faith's eyes again. She wanted to cry, more for her mom than for the children. It was a horrible thing to say, but she'd gotten used to people dying. Her mom hadn't. Faith didn't say anything, only walked along beside her, close enough that Buffy could feel the warmth of her body in the cool night air. For now, that was enough.

"I'm so sorry that you had to see this," Buffy told her mom. "But I promise, everything is gonna be okay."

"How?"

"Because, Mrs. S., we're gonna find whatever did it," Faith said, her voice loud and rough with anger. "And we're gonna make 'em pay, whoever they are. Right, B?"

Buffy nodded. "That's what we do, Mom. We're the Slayers."

Her mom smiled, but it was a weak effort. "I guess. It's just you can't...you can't make it right."

Buffy turned and hugged her mom as she started to sob. Faith watched them, shoving her hands into her pockets. She fidgeted, uncomfortable, and Buffy reached out a hand to her behind her mom's back. Faith smiled a bit and held it, squeezing.

"Come on, let's get you home, Mom." Buffy urged her mom to keep walking. They were all silent until they reached Buffy's house. She opened the door for her mom, then hung back while she went in. "I'm just gonna--" she started, edging back onto the porch where Faith was waiting.

Her mom wiped her eyes, but her voice was firm when she said, "I don't want you staying out late, Buffy. Not tonight."

"I'll only be a minute."

Buffy closed the door quietly. She and Faith looked at each other in silence for a few moments, then Buffy let out a half-strangled laugh.

"What?" Faith asked, taking a step closer.

"Just...this wasn't how this evening was supposed to go, was it?" Buffy tried to smile, then realized that tears were streaming down her face. "Faith..."

Faith closed the last step between them and enfolded Buffy in a hug. Buffy wrapped her arms around Faith as tightly as she could, knowing she wouldn't hurt Faith with her strength. She buried her face on Faith's shoulder and cried. She was seventeen years old and used to people dying, for God's sake. She remembered all the times she'd groaned when Giles wanted her to patrol instead of going Bronzing, and wondered how many innocent lives had been lost each time. And tonight, even though they'd been right there, they hadn't stopped it from happening. Two kids were dead, and she was responsible. Her mom was right. She and Faith could kill whatever demon had done this, and it still wouldn't make it right. But even now, Buffy knew she couldn't save everyone. She couldn't be everywhere at once. It just made her feel so helpless.

"Hey, Buffy, shh..." Faith stroked her hair, her hands moving delicately. Buffy burrowed closer. "I know. I'm sorry too." Faith lifted her chin with one hand and placed a kiss on her lips. It was so gentle Buffy hardly felt it, but it burned like fire. "We'll take care of everything," Faith whispered, and kissed her again, slowly, the barest touch of soft lips. "I promise."

Buffy closed her eyes and tipped her head back, pressing up to kiss Faith again, more firmly this time. She opened her mouth and felt Faith's tongue sliding against hers, silky and warm. She whimpered, her hands pulling Faith closer. There was something so tentative in Faith's manner. It made Buffy want to protect her at the same time that Faith was comforting her.

Buffy knew she should go inside; her mom might be upset, but that didn't mean she didn't know exactly what was going on out on her front porch at that precise moment. But the touch of Faith's lips against hers, the heat where their bodies were pressed together, made it so much easier to forget what had happened tonight. She sighed when the kiss ended, as slowly and tenderly as it began.

"I'm sorry," she said, leaning her forhead against Faith's, not loosening her hold a fraction.

"For what?" Faith smiled a bit, a hint of teasing in her easy drawl. "That was hot."

"I meant...you know, tonight. I wanted to--"

"Yeah," Faith breathed. "Me too." She slid her hands down Buffy's back, pulling them together one last time, then releasing her slowly. "It sucks. But we're gonna find the motherfucker, right? We'll talk to Giles tomorrow."

"Thank you so much. For being here." Buffy met Faith's eyes, dark in the darkness. "With my mom...I don't know what I'm supposed to tell her. Why did she have to pick tonight?"

"At least she's okay." Faith brushed a hand across Buffy's cheek. "We still on for Friday?"

Buffy smiled. "Of course."

"And your mom's getting over the whole me-and-you thing?"

"She's...working on it." Buffy shrugged. "She'll be fine. She wanted to bond with you, right?"

"She's an awesome mom, that's all." Faith glanced over Buffy's shoulder at the door. "You should probably go in."

"Yeah." Buffy started to turn, then, with an impatient noise, went back to Faith. She took Faith's face in her hands and kissed her again, hard and quick. "Good night."

"No kidding," Faith said. She shook her head and backed down the porch steps. "I'll be at the school tomorrow."

"Okay," Buffy said. She leaned on the porch post and watched Faith walk away. With a sigh, she entered the house.

Her mom was sitting at the island in the middle of the kitchen. She cupped both hands around a mug of tea and staring out the kitchen windows into the backyard. Buffy said a silent thank you that she hadn't been looking out front instead. She took a seat at the island and poured herself a cup of tea. Breathing the minty steam, Buffy relaxed a bit. It had been horrible in the park, but there was also a plan of action. She was a bit nervous about Faith meeting with them at the library--neither of them had told anyone that they were together. She'd have to cross that bridge when she came to it. She knew that Faith loved her, and she was quickly falling head-over-heels herself. The way Faith kissed her was like a promise she knew would be kept.

"Buffy..."

Buffy glanced up from her tea. "Yeah, Mom?"

Mom sighed, but continued. "I wish you didn't have to go out there every night, that's all."

"But I have to." Buffy hunched over the countertop. "Sacred duty, blah blah blah...it's not about that. It's about keeping people like those kids safe. Because I can."

"I remember when Faith came, you were thinking about retiring..."

Buffy frowned. "I can't--I won't make her do it alone. Together, we can protect each other, we're a team--"

Almost laughing, her mom shook her head. "I did see you when I came into the park, you know. I know we haven't talked about it yet, honey, but..."

"That was different." Buffy stood up and put her mug in the sink, trying to explain how it was different without getting completely wigged. She didn't want to know that her mom had seen. "We were just--"

"Distracted." Mom's eyes were sad as she looked up. "It's just one more thing for me to worry about when you go out. And I don't know if I can ever understand it."

"You don't need to understand it." Buffy hugged herself. "It's not up to you."

"I want you safe." Mom pushed her mug away. "We'll--let's talk about this tomorrow, Buffy, when we're both more awake. But I want you to think about what I've said. I'm not forbidding anything. I'm just trying to tell you how I feel."

"Fine." Buffy looked down. "I'm going to bed."

She left her mom sitting in the dark.

The library was the same as ever. Buffy dumped her books on the check-out counter and leaned across it, trying to see if Giles was in his office. It was the first day back at school after the Christmas break, and so much had happened since she'd been here that it felt like everything should look different. Two weeks ago, she'd been pining for Angel, and desperately trying to save him from the First. Now she and Faith were together, and her mom was close to freaking out--not just about their relationship, but about her Slaying, too. Buffy sighed. Giles' kettle started whistling, and she went into his office to take it off the hot plate.

"Buffy, is that you?" Giles' voice drifted down from the stacks.

"Yeah," she called back. "You want me to make tea, or is it in the Big Book of British Rules that you have to do it yourself?"

Giles appeared at the office door, holding one book open in his hands and two others under his arm. He kept reading even as he took the kettle from her and warmed the teapot, swirling a bit of hot water at the bottom of it. "How was your patrol last night?" he asked.

Buffy slumped down in the desk chair and spun herself around. "Horrible."

Giles frowned and put the books on the desk. He studied her closely for the first time since he'd come in. "You're not injured?"

"No." Buffy stopped the chair from spinning and faced him as he filled a strainer with tea leaves. "My mom found two little kids in the park. Dead. She came out to bond with us about Slaying and she had to see that. Faith and I--"

"Faith was there?" Giles filled the teapot with water and let the tea steep.

"Yeah. Giles--" Buffy fiddled with a ring on her pinkie, twisting it around. "What would you say if I told you...um..." Buffy bit her lip and hesitated, then drew in a deep breath and rushed the words out. "...that Faith is my girlfriend and I'm kind of in love with her?" She hunched her shoulders and peeked up at him.

Giles opened his mouth as if he was going to say something but had forgotten what at the last moment. His ears turned pink. He cleared his throat, carefully poured tea into his mug, stirred it three times counterclockwise, and put down his spoon. "W-well, I, uh, I don't know, Buffy. I--I hadn't thought that, um, you were...uh...Two dead children? Do we know how it happened?"

"No." Buffy stood up and left the office. It was so typical of him to avoid stuff about her life with questions about the slaying. "So are you upset?" she asked, pushing him.

Giles followed her to the table in the middle of the library, currently covered books and parchments. "I-it's not my place to be, to be upset. It's not-- If--if you're, ah, happy...could it have been vampires?"

"There weren't any marks." Buffy sighed and leaned against the back of a chair. "Faith and I...It happened when we went skiing, in case you wanted to know."

Giles nodded. He put his mug down, picked it up again, almost took a sip, then lowered his arm again. "That's, that's, um. And, Angel...he...?"

"I told you I wasn't dating him anymore." Buffy sat down at the table and looked up at him. "I'm not gonna--Giles, when you found out I'd been hiding him, I knew I couldn't risk it, being with him. It was over."

Giles sighed and sat down across from her. He pushed some books aside and met her eyes. "Buffy, why are you telling me this--like this?"

Buffy shrugged. "I didn't want to hide it. I do too much hiding."

"Buffy..." Giles leaned forward. "I think you're asking for my approval."

"You said it wasn't your place to approve." Buffy parroted the words back at him.

"Nor is it." Giles pursed his lips, watching her closely. "I have nothing against you seeing Faith, as long as it doesn't interfere with your Slaying. As it happens, I know how difficult it is to...meet someone...outside of our, um, calling."

"Giles..." Buffy blushed, not wanting to hear about Giles meeting anyone, for anything. Then she remembered Miss Calendar and sank down in her chair, no longer able to meet his gaze.

"Listen to me, Buffy. I'm your Watcher, not your parent. This cannot be a substitute for your mother's blessing." Giles cleared his throat. "And I hope to make it clear that I do not want to catch the two of you--ahem--up to anything in this library."

Buffy buried her face in her hands. "Oh, God, I could have done without that image."

"And so can I." Giles gave her a slight smile. "I plan to continue believing you are a chaste, shy girl who has never had an impure thought in her head...much as the evidence would contradict me. Now." He tapped the table with one finger, signaling the end to that particular discussion. "What more can you tell me about these children your mother discovered?"

Buffy shook her head, trying to remember details. "They were kids, Giles. Little kids. You don't know what it was like to see them there. My mom can't even talk." Which was true, as far as it went. Buffy had slipped out of the house early that morning, before her mom could bring up her concerns about Faith a second time.

"We'll need more than that to go on if we're going to discover the cause of their deaths." Giles started rearranging papers and volumes into stacks.

The library doors swung open and Faith shoved through. Buffy smiled, feeling the familiar flutter in her stomach at her appearance. Faith looked as gorgeous as ever. Buffy could forget a lot of bad things, if she had Faith to stare at. Faith grinned back, cocking an eyebrow at Giles. Buffy nodded. Faith sauntered over and wrapped her arms around Buffy from behind, smoothing her hands over Buffy's stomach and resting her chin on Buffy's shoulder. Buffy sucked in a quiet breath, wishing Giles hadn't put a big old damper on all the library fun she and Faith might have had.

"Hey, G-man. Did B tell ya what's the what?" Faith breath was warm and tickly in Buffy's ear. Buffy felt her face go hot, but she forced herself to look at Giles.

Giles suddenly found the opposite wall to be incredibly fascinating. Buffy had to give him credit for not stuttering too badly when he answered. "Yes, Buffy told me about the children. No vampire markings mean it could be many things, and as such, we will be researching today..."

"No marks?" Faith asked. "I saw some. Not vampire, but..." She let go of Buffy and pulled out the chair beside her, picking up a felt pen and a piece of parchment off the table. "A symbol, like."

"Oh, uh, Faith--" Giles hurriedly set down his mug and reached over to stop her before she could draw anything. "Twelfth century, Papal Encyclical," he muttered. "Here, write on this." He handed her a spiral notebook.

Faith flipped to a blank page. Giles picked up his tea and watched her draw. Buffy leaned closer, enjoying the excuse to press her body against Faith's again.

"This was on their hands. I bet the cops don't say anything about it, but I could see it pretty clear." Faith pushed the notebook over, showing a triangle with a flaring U shape cutting it in half.

"Now why didn't I see that?" Buffy asked, murmuring the question in Faith's ear. She hoped the whole breathing thing had the same effect on Faith that it had on her. Faith shivered, and Buffy smiled to herself. Score one for Buffy.

"'Cause you were too busy checkin' out your really hot girlfriend?" Faith replied, with one eye on Giles to see how he reacted. He only peered at the symbol, but his ears turned pink again. Faith snickered.

"That must be it," Buffy said, amused. "Okay, Giles, find us the thing that uses that symbol and point us at it."

"Hmm." Giles stood up, sipping his tea. He wandered towards the stairs, carrying the notebook with him.

"Hmm?" Faith asked, pushing back from the table and thumping her feet inches from Giles' precious Papal parchment. "Hmm what?"

"Hmm means, 'I know something really bad but I think it'll wig you less if I just make thoughtful noises'," Buffy explained. "It doesn't work the way you think it does, Giles," she called to him. "Tell us what's going on."

"What?" Giles looked up, frowning at Faith's boots on the table. "Sorry. I just wonder if we're looking for a thing. The use of a symbol on a victim like this suggests a ritual murder and a cult sacrifice by a group."

"A group of...human beings?" Buffy asked, incredulous.

Giles nodded. "I'm afraid so."

"Someone with a soul did this? Fuck!" Faith slammed her feet down to the floor and stood up to pace. "Jesus, Giles, I hope you're gonna tell us there's a loophole in that whole 'Slayers don't kill people' rule."

Buffy touched Faith's arm to calm her down, but she was trembling with anger herself. Didn't they have enough to contend with, killing all the demons in the world? Evil couldn't just stay in its nice, Slayable box?

Giles sighed, looking at them sympathetically. "This is a dreadful crime, I know, and you have every right to be upset, both of you." He set down his empty tea mug on the table. "But, Buffy, I wonder if you're not letting yourself get a shade more personal because of your mother's involvement."

"Yeah, no kidding, Giles," Faith said. "Slaying is personal, it has to be. I mean, we gotta have a reason to fight, and it just happens that it's for Buffy's mom this time. She shouldn'ta had to see that."

Buffy met his eyes. "Just find me the people that did this. Please."

Giles nodded. "I'll tell you as soon as I know more."

Buffy and Faith headed for the cafeteria at lunchtime, leaving Giles to continue his research.

"So we're really getting into the telling-people phase of this..." Faith waved a hand, gesturing at the two of them.

"Relationship," Buffy said. "I guess we are. Is that okay?"

Faith glanced at her. "I never thought it would really..." She shrugged. "I mean, that we'd get all corny like that. But, I dunno, I kinda like it."

"Good." Buffy smiled, ducking her head to hide her blush. "So does that mean we can look for that janitor's closet that Xander just happened to mention to me when I first moved here?"

"Oh, man, he didn't!" Faith laughed, then eyed Buffy with a sexy grin. "You wanna sneak in first or should I?" She leaned closer, pinning Buffy against a locker with her gaze. "You got me all kinds of worked up last night. Wanna know what I did when I got to mine...?"

Buffy swallowed, feeling her breathing coming faster. "Yeah," she breathed.

Faith moved so that her body brushed against Buffy's. Buffy felt her nipples harden immediately, pressed against Faith's breasts. Faith dipped her head to whisper in Buffy's ear. Buffy closed her eyes, feeling arousal shudder through her body at the sound of Faith's voice. "I'd rather show you...but I can't, because your fucking principal is walking straight towards us."

Buffy bit back a moan. Faith was right. Snyder was striding down the hall, snapping at students as he passed. Faith stepped away from Buffy and studied a poster on the wall, as if she was desperately interested in joining the knitting club. Snyder glared at Buffy, probably upset that he didn't have a reason to yell at her, other than the fact that she looked red-faced and guilty.

"Oh, God, that is so not fair," she said, her voice shaky. "Come on, before the little troll comes back this way." She took Faith's hand and led her to the cafeteria. There was no way she was going to risk getting caught on school grounds with Faith. She was still on probation, after all, and she had a feeling her mom wouldn't stick up for her this time. "Let's go meet the guys."

Faith sighed. "If that's what you really want..." she said, teasing.

"It's not," Buffy said, her voice almost a growl. "But I am not ravishing you while I'm still thinking about Snyder. That is wrong on so many levels. Each level ickier than the last."

Faith laughed and allowed herself to be led. They entered the cafeteria and headed over to the table where Willow, Oz, and Xander were sitting with Amy.

"Hi, Buffy. Hi, Faith," Willow said as they approached. "Amy, this is Faith...she's another Slayer, it's this whole mystical loophole thing. Faith, Amy. She's a witch. Her mom stole her body for a while, but now she's okay."

Faith and Amy exchanged nods. It was the Hellmouth. Willow's introduction seemed perfectly normal to both of them.

"And a hearty hello to my two favouritest Slayers," Xander said. He stood up and pushed his chair towards Buffy. He grabbed one from a neighbouring table for Faith, but he couldn't find one for himself.

"Don't worry about me, Xan," Faith said, sitting in the chair he'd offered Buffy. "You go ahead."

"Buffy, you don't have to stand," Xander said, shooting Faith an annoyed look for taking the seat he'd meant for Buffy.

"Nope, she sure doesn't." Faith raised an eyebrow at Buffy, leering.

Buffy rolled her eyes at Faith's obvious dare. She was the one who thought it was a good idea to tell people they were together. She might have preferred doing it somewhere other than the cafeteria in front of the whole school, but it wasn't like her social life was much of a secret to Sunnydale High--not now that Cordelia was their enemy again. Besides, she was pretty sure that Faith just wanted to keep...distracting her, since they kept on being interrupted. Buffy's pulse was still racing from their encounter in the hallway. She waved Xander's second chair offering away and sat on Faith's lap.

"Um...okay...interesting seating choice," Xander said, eying them sidelong.

"Wipe away the drool, Zeppo," Faith said, mock-seriously. "It was a chair emergency."

Xander nodded wisely, still staring. "I've heard of those. Very dangerous. Steps must be taken. Laps...filled."

"Okay," Buffy said, holding up a hand to stop Xander before he could start babbling in earnest. "Guys, I...that is, we have some news."

Willow shifted in her seat and shared a look with Oz. "It's we news? News from we? As in, there is a we, and you are in the we, and Faith is we too?"

"Hey, I am not wee. I'm taller than she is." Faith rested one hand on Buffy's knee, massaging it, then started shifting it up her thigh. Buffy thought about slapping it away, then changed her mind and wished she was wearing a skirt instead of pants, and nothing else.

Focus. This was important.

"Faith and I are together." Buffy looked around at a circle of blank faces. Well, Oz's face was usually blank, but at least his blankness conveyed that he was happy for them. "In one of those--relationshippy type things," she clarified.

Oz nodded, his lips twitching briefly into a grin. Amy smiled at them. "Congratulations," she said.

Willow and Xander still looked blank.

Buffy shook her head in despair, wondering just how obvious she was going to have to get. "Faith is my girlfriend," she said slowly and distinctly. "Notice how I am sitting in her lap. And Faith, if you move your hand one inch higher we are going to be banned from all public spaces."

"And that stops me how?" Faith purred.

"No smoochies in a broom closet later," Buffy threatened.

Xander's mouth dropped open. Faith pouted, but stopped moving her hand.

Willow narrowed her eyes at Buffy. "So, when we were doing homework yesterday, and you said you had to go patrol, were you actually patrolling?"

"Yes," Buffy answered.

"No," Faith said at the same time.

Buffy met Faith's eyes for a moment. "Both," she said. "Except then Mom picked last night for a surprise bonding visit, and she found these two little kids instead. They were murdered."

"Oh, my God," Amy said.

Willow shook her head. "Your mom would actually take the time to do that with you? Does she know about--" Willow's voice dropped to a whisper. "--you and Faith?"

"Yeah." Buffy tensed on Faith's lap. She hadn't told Faith what her mom had said yet about Faith being just a 'distraction'. "More bad. She took it well at first, but last night, she started wigging."

"Who's wigging?"

Buffy snapped her head around. Her mom was standing right behind her. Oh, God. Not good. She jumped off Faith's legs and stood up.

"Um... everyone," she said, sending Faith an apologetic look. "You know, 'cause of what happened."

"Oh, it's so awful." Mom shook her head. "I had bad dreams about it all night."

Willow offered her a tentative, "Hi, Mrs. Summers." She met Buffy's eyes and indicated Faith with a nod of her head, worried questions in her eyes. Buffy shrugged at her. Her mom didn't even acknowledge that Faith was there.

Mom smiled around the table absently. "Oh, hi, everybody."

Xander and Amy added their hellos. Everyone fidgeted. Mom didn't notice.

"Buffy, have you talked to Mr. Giles yet about who could have done this?" she asked.

"He thinks it might be a cult," Faith said. "He's still looking. But me and B are gonna add to our patrols, and, y'know, keep an eye out. Don't worry, we're gonna find 'em."

"A cult," Mom said, still staring over Faith's head as if she wasn't there. "Like witches."

Willow coughed, choking on her milk. Amy frowned and stared at the tabletop.

Mom made a tsk-tsk sound. "Oh, I know you kids think that stuff's cool. Buffy told me you dabble."

"Right," Willow said, stumbling over her words. "Absolutely. That's me. I'm a dabbler."

Mom kept talking, not noticing what Willow was saying. "But anybody who could do this isn't cool. And anyone who lets it happen again is a monster."

"Hey!" Buffy glared at her mom. "You know what? We're not going to let it happen again. That's what we do, okay, Mom?"

"Buffy..." Faith started.

Mom seemed to notice Faith for the first time. A small frown creased her forehead. "It's nice that your friends are helping with the investigation. But with the vigil we've set up for tonight..."

"Vigil?" Faith repeated.

"We?" Buffy asked.

"I called everyone I know. Even the Mayor is going to be there. We are going to see some action!" Mom smiled. "It was nice seeing you all." She left them all staring at her as she left the cafeteria.

Buffy slid down onto Faith's lap again, wrapping one arm around her shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "She was fine about it when we were skiing. I don't know what's wrong."

Faith shrugged and looked away.

"Man, that's rough," Xander said. "She was just starting to chill out about your Slaying, and now this."

"Makes me glad my mom doesn't pay attention to my extra-curricular activities," Willow said. She stopped, then frowned. "Or my curricular activities..."

Amy nodded. "And at least she doesn't care so much that she tries to take over your life--literally."

"This is definitely against the rules," Buffy said, rubbing Faith's shoulders with one hand. "School is school, and home is home. She's mixing everything up."

"Yeah, and the secret identity rap is really gonna get tough to pull off if she's calling all her friends," Faith said. "I mean, who'd figure on people from Sunnydale actually noticing when something goes bump in the night?"

Buffy nodded. "I guess this means we're going to the vigil."

Buffy watched in silence as what looked like the entire population of Sunnydale filed into City Hall. She felt sick. She'd never realized until now how much she appreciated her 'secret identity'. Now the whole town was going to know, just because her mom couldn't take a hint.

Mom was already inside, busy blowing the problem even further out of proportion. She'd made Buffy carry in bundles of signs and placards with the dead children's faces on them, all of them blaring "Never Again!" in red letters. There was even talk of a button campaign. Buffy had escaped as soon as she could, while Mom was talking to Sheila Rosenberg and Giles. Willow had promised to stay and report what was said, but Buffy couldn't bear to be surrounded by people who had never paid attention to all the bad stuff happening in Sunnydale until this moment.

That, and Faith hadn't shown up yet. Buffy sat on the bench outside the doors and hugged herself against the cold. Going back to class after lunch had been the last thing she'd wanted to do. Even though Faith didn't say anything, Buffy knew that she was upset about the way Mom had treated her in the cafeteria. Faith looked up to Buffy's mom, and it hurt to see her being repaid like this. Buffy remembered how easily Faith and Mom had talked on the way home from the ski trip. Nothing had changed, since then, so why the hell was Mom being such a--so mean to Faith? It didn't make sense.

Faith had left soon after that, too quickly for Buffy to suggest that she could skip class so they could go and test drive that broom closet. Besides, she knew that ditching her history quiz wasn't the best way to prove to her mom that she was being responsible, and that nothing bad would come of her dating Faith. Buffy felt caught between the two of them, and the way her mom was acting right now, she knew which of the two she'd choose, in a heartbeat.

If only she was here.

Buffy sighed, paying attention to the gathering inside City Hall with half an ear. It sounded like they were starting to get down to business--the crowd quieting, and the squeal of feedback from the microphone. She stood up and paced back and forth, staring down the dark streets looking for the familiar, swaggering form.

Instead, she heard her name called from the air above her head.

"Hey, B!"

Buffy twisted around and looked up. Faith grinned down at her from a small balcony above the foyer of City Hall, lit from behind by the lights in the meeting room.

"What are you doing up there?" she asked, relieved to see Faith, at least. "We're supposed to be busy being vigilant, or something."

"And I have front row seats. C'mon up." Faith pointed to where an oak tree was growing right beside the walls of the building.

Buffy didn't question it. She jumped up to grab the lowest branch of the tree, then swung herself in an easy flip to the small patch of roof where Faith was standing. The whole hall full of people was easily visible from here, and they were at about the level where the heating ducts were spread across the ceiling. The Mayor was speaking, waving one of the "Never Again!" signs, to the obvious approval of the crowd.

Buffy winced. It wasn't like she didn't want to help the kids, and find whoever had murdered them, and then kick that person's ass ten ways from Sunday, but the way the town was going about it just seemed wrong. It was way too torches and pitchforks to do any good. Any demon--or evil cult, or whatever--would see this mob coming from a mile away and probably view it more as a nice light snack than as a threat.

"So, the view?" she asked, glancing sideways at Faith.

"What about it?" Faith kicked a loose pebble off the roof. She shrugged her leather jacket more firmly around her shoulders.

"That's why you're up here? No other reason, like, my mom is a raving psychotic?" Buffy nudged closer to Faith, wrapping her arms around her and resting her head on her shoulder as they peered down into the meeting hall.

"No."

"Because she is."

Faith snorted softly. "Maybe she finally realized I'm bad news. Wouldn't be the first time."

Buffy hugged Faith tighter. "I like your news. It's like the entertainment section. It's the first thing you turn to, because sports are boring and editorials are stupid."

Faith shook her head and said nothing, staring sadly at Buffy's mom, preaching to the converted. People chanted and lifted their signs, following her like an orchestra pursuing the maestro's wildly waving arms.

Buffy wanted to kick the lot of them in the ass. Faith's muscles were tightening under her cheek. Obviously, stronger intervention would be required. "Faith, look at me."

Faith frowned, but after a moment she turned. Buffy didn't wait, but kissed her, her tongue insisting on entering Faith's mouth. Faith grunted but returned the kiss. She was still stiff and tense. Buffy clutched her shoulders and moved forward, being aggressive, pushing her way into Faith's space. She traced the inside of Faith's mouth, their tongues wrestling, wet and slippery. Buffy pressed upwards again, a sharp move, and caught Faith's full lower lip between her teeth, biting down. Faith gasped, and suddenly Buffy was the one being pushed, Faith turning her and catching her foot behind Buffy's knees so that Faith's arms were the only thing holding her up.

Faith leaned in, deepening the kiss, her body tight and heavy against Buffy's. Buffy's breath came quickly, fire shooting from her nipples down between her legs. Her body filled with fire, like lava, hot and liquid between her thighs and spreading outwards. Faith sucked on her tongue and Buffy felt a surge of wetness in her crotch. She moaned, moving her hands upwards, underneath Faith's jacket.

"I know what you're doing," Faith muttered into the curve of her jaw, then set to work sucking and nibbling on the sensitive flesh.

"I'm...umm...showing you..." Buffy whimpered, thoughts deserting her head for a moment. "That this matters. Oh, God, yeah, like that, yesss...Faith...that I want this."

"Yeah," Faith whispered, sliding one hand down Buffy's stomach and cupping her pussy through her pants. "I know, baby."

Buffy opened her mouth to say something intelligent, but all that came out was a low mewing sound as Faith started to undo her pants. She reached for Faith's breasts, thumbs rolling over her nipples through her shirt. She spread her legs as much as she could, bracing against the window behind her, as Faith pushed a hand into her waistband. Sensation rolled along her nerves in waves, centering on Faith's fingers, tingling to the very tips of her toes. Buffy moaned, and pinched Faith's nipples just to hear her gasp a curse.

"Buffy!" Willow's voice drifted up from the tree they'd climbed to reach the roof.

"Oh, fuck," Faith whispered, still sucking on Buffy's neck, her fingers buried inside Buffy's fly. Buffy panted harshly, moving her hips to try and get more friction, and at the same time thinking up a nice, elaborate plan to murder Willow at the first opportunity...like, right after she came.

"Buffy, for real! Faith!"

Buffy groaned in frustration and caught her breath enough to yell, "What?" at Willow.

"You'd better get down here!"

"In a minute!"

"No, now! Your mom's coming!" Willow's voice dropped to the closest she could come to a whisper while still shouting. "You do know windows work both ways, don't you?"

"Shit!" Faith yanked her hand out of Buffy's pants. Buffy whined in disappointment. "You could see us?" Faith called down to Willow.

"Mrs. Summers sure got an eyeful. Everyone else was facing the front. Now get down here!"

Buffy sighed and did up her pants. Faith backed off, getting the closed look on her face again. Buffy grabbed her hand and lifted it to her mouth, licking her own juices off Faith's hand, paying special attention to each finger. Faith stared at her as she did, her eyes dark with arousal, her chest moving quickly. "This doesn't change anything," Buffy said, holding Faith's hand between hers. "Faith...I love you."

Faith's breath caught in her throat.

"I do," Buffy repeated, staring into Faith's dark eyes, wide with surprise and longing. "We'll get through this, okay?"

"Yeah," Faith said. "Buffy. I love you too."

Buffy kissed her, soft and slow, like last night. She'd known Faith loved her--she'd said it before--but never straight to her face, like this. Buffy felt like her heart was hollow, joy and pain tangling together. There was so much happiness, mixed up with the terrible things that had been happening. That, and for the first time in her life, fear of her mom. She was afraid of what her mom would say. Buffy took a deep breath. "Let's get down there," she whispered.

They both swung easily off the roof, reaching the ground before anyone came out of City Hall. Willow eyed them sideways, as if they had suddenly transformed into something weird and she didn't trust that they were still the same people.

"So that's what you guys...uh...do?" she asked, her voice squeaking on the last word.

"We'd do a hell of a lot more if we weren't on a roof," Faith said. "Or getting interrupted all the time."

"Oh," Willow whispered, her face turning as red as her hair. "That's, um...neat." She stared innocently at the wall for a moment, then added, "Nice hickey, Buffy."

"Buffy!"

The three of them turned, guiltily, as Buffy's mom burst out of the front door and strode towards them. She stared at Buffy's neck, well-marked by Faith's mouth. "We're going home," she said tightly. "Now."

Buffy knew better than to argue. She could feel Faith's eyes burning on her back as she left.

Buffy thundered down the stairs, pulling her leather coat on and checking the number of stakes hidden in its pockets. She was about to burst out the front door and escape when Mom stepped out from the living room, arms crossed, and blocked her way. Buffy paused, her muscles knotting the way they did before a fight. She couldn't meet Mom's eyes, so instead she glared at the office set-up in the living room. Fax, phone, white board, memo pads...and about a hundred "Never Again!" signs, piled around like so many accusations. Buffy wanted to snap them into splinters. Fuck MOO with their locker break-ins and their book confiscations and their fucking stupid acronym, and while she was at it, fuck Mom too.

That thought brought her up short, and Buffy tried to reason with herself. Mom thought she was doing the right thing. Mom thought this was helping. Mom was in shock, she was traumatized, she was trying to deal with a hell of a lot all at once. Buffy knew that. She wanted to understand that.

But Mom had no fucking clue how much this all hurt.

"I'm going on patrol," Buffy said, tightly. She sounded defensive and she knew it. Mom hadn't said a word, only stared at her, and she was cracking already. Fuck this. Faith was going to meet up with her, and Buffy wanted nothing more than to wrap herself in Faith's arms, to kill as many unlucky vamps as they could hunt down, and forget each and every idiotic thing MOO had done today. Except Mom had to know she was going to meet Faith, and she probably had a pretty good idea of what the two of them would get up to, and yesterday's freezing silence after the vigil didn't look like it was going to start thawing any time soon.

"I don't want you seeing that Faith anymore," Mom said.

Buffy gaped at her in disbelief. "'That' Faith? Mom!"

Mom's steady voice ran over Buffy's interruption. "She is a bad influence on you. She's wild, shameless, and the way she dresses..." Mom shook her head. "You don't know what kind of forays into the occult she's been a part of."

Buffy opened her mouth, but for a moment she couldn't think of a single thing to say. Mom had never, not once, acted so blind and bigoted and insufferable. Buffy stared at the MOO button pinned to her blouse, focusing on it, hating it, hating everything it represented. She shouldn't have to defend Faith, not to her mom. Mom was the one who'd welcomed Faith in the first place. Mom was the one who'd encouraged Buffy to invite Faith to Christmas dinner. It had been Mom and Faith together who'd planned the ski trip. It simply wasn't fair that Mom was changing, not now. She was freaking over two kids she didn't even know, letting it spill over to Buffy and Faith, and even to Willow, dragged away by Principal Snyder today for having spell ingredients in her locker.

"You're the one who ordered the raid on the school today," Buffy said, dully, saying the only thing she could that wouldn't make her burst into tears.

"Honey, they opened a few lockers," Mom said.

"Lockers, first syllable, lock," Buffy said. "They're private. You had no right--"

Mom held up a hand to stop her. "And that is beside the point. I am trying to have a discussion with you, as one adult to another--"

"And they took all of Giles' books away," Buffy said, pushing away her mom's so-called 'discussion' about Faith. It wasn't a discussion, it was an order. Buffy was not going to let Mom tear apart what she and Faith shared. She wanted to run away, find Faith, never come back...but she'd done that before, over Angel, and she knew it wouldn't work.

Mom sighed impatiently. "He'll get most of them back. MOO just wants to weed out the offensive material. Everything else will be returned to Mr. Giles soon."

"If we're gonna solve this, we need those books now," Buffy said. The books weren't the issue. Willow's aborted protection spell wasn't the issue. None of that mattered, because in the end she'd kill whatever monster was preying on Sunnydale's kids, books or no books, spells or no spells. Right now her mom was the monster, and Buffy didn't know how to fight her. She shouldn't have to fight her!

"Sweetie," Mom said, in a sickly-sweet 'I'm the parent and I know what's good for you' voice, "those books have no place in a public school library. Any student can waltz in there and get all sorts of ideas." She took a step towards Buffy, reaching out one hand to touch her arm. Buffy flinched back. "And not just students," Mom continued, pretending not to notice Buffy's reaction. "People like that Faith, who comes from who-knows-where, and has a life no one's aware of most of the time. I can't even imagine the sort of people she must associate with..." Mom studied Buffy with a worried frown. "Do you understand how that terrifies me?"

Buffy's eyes were hot, her throat filled with a choking, burning weight. "That type of people Faith associates with? I guess I'm that type of person then. That's what you're saying, isn't it?" She cut off any answer Mom might have made with a curt gesture. "Mom, I am sorry that these people scared you so much. And I know you're just trying to help. But you are going too far. You have to let me handle this--me and Faith, who is my girlfriend, who I love. We, together, are going to solve this. That is what we do."

"But is it really?" Mom asked.

Buffy blinked, holding back tears, her voice so tight she could only whisper an incredulous "What?"

Mom gave a little, apologetic shrug, full of fake concern, so fucking calm it just wasn't fair. "I mean, you patrol, you slay...Evil pops up, you undo it. But is Sunnydale getting any better? Are they running out of vampires?"

Buffy said nothing, only stared at her, like Mom was a stranger. This wasn't about vampires, or about evil. Why couldn't she see that?

"It's not your fault," Mom said, warming to her theme, smiling as she reasoned it out, eyes shining as she considered the middle distance thoughtfully. "You don't have a plan. You just react to things. It's bound to be kind of fruitless."

Anger stirred through Buffy, growing with each word out of Mom's mouth. What Mom knew about the Slaying she'd learned because Buffy loved her and wanted her not to worry. Now Mom was throwing it all back in her face, like a teacher grading her badly on a school report. Maybe Buffy wasn't prepared for everything, maybe she hadn't looked at every contingency. But this narrow-minded bullshit was the only thing Buffy hadn't seen coming. "Maybe I don't have a plan," she said bitterly. "Lord knows I don't have lapel buttons..."

"Buffy..."

Buffy shook her head, denying Mom's words. "And maybe next time that the world is getting sucked into Hell, I won't be able to stop it because you told me never to see the only person who can help me! Because you don't want your daughter to be gay!"

Mom sighed in exasperation. "I'm sorry," she said, sounding anything but. "I didn't mean to put down..."

"Yeah, well, you did." Buffy shook her head. "I have to go. I have to go on one of my pointless patrols and react to some vampires, and maybe, just maybe, have all that disgusting wild monkey sex with my girlfriend." She shoved past Mom and opened the door, then looked back one last time. "If that's alright with MOO."

Mom watched her go, but said nothing, her lips pursed tight. Buffy slammed the door, only barely able to restrain herself from smashing it to pieces behind her.

The merry-go-round in the kids' playground was covered in flowers and pictures of the dead children. The tiny flames of the guttering candles emphasized the dark night more than they illuminated the shrine. Buffy walked up to it after her patrol, studying the kids' faces. In the flickering candlelight, their eyes seemed to follow her, judging her, demanding why she hadn't saved them. She saw her mom's eyes there too, disappointed, bewildered, angry. Empty, when Buffy left her behind and refused to listen to her.

She glanced over when Faith walked out of the darkness to stand beside her. "Hi."

"Hey," Faith said.

Buffy wrapped her arms around Faith's neck and simply held her for a long moment. Some of the tension and pain of the evening melted away, and Buffy let out a long sigh, relaxing. "I love you," she murmured into Faith's shoulder.

"Love you too," Faith said. Buffy could hear the smile in her voice, as if Faith would never stop being amazed at hearing those words, or at saying them.

Buffy looked up into Faith's face, searching for a trace of that smile in her expression. Faith's dark eyes seemed very far away. "How are you?" she asked.

"I'm all right." Faith smoothed her hands down Buffy's back, one long stroke after another. Buffy sighed and settled into the touch. "I think I'm better than you right now."

They both looked over at the merry-go-round. Buffy leaned into Faith's body, meeting the dead children's eyes, getting the feeling again that the pictures were watching them. "You heard what happened at school today?"

"Yeah. Xander told me. I came looking for you..."

"Mom wanted me home straight after school." Buffy felt a touch of fury at the thought. She wouldn't let herself be controlled like that any more. She would be eighteen in a week, and she could make her own decisions. "God, Faith, I'm so sorry." She slid her hands up into Faith's hair, combing her fingers through the soft, loose strands. Faith dipped her head and kissed her, softly at first, then more hungrily. Buffy opened her mouth, accepting what Faith offered. It was easy to forget Mom when Faith's lips were so soft, her tongue exploring the sensitive places of Buffy's mouth. Buffy licked the tiny hollow in Faith's lower lip, then Faith caught her mouth again and nibbled and sucked her way across, then back again. Warmth flooded through Buffy's body, letting the fear and anger drain away, until there was nothing left but Faith's mouth, Faith's body, Faith's love.

"Mmm...Faith..."

"Yeah..."

"Let's go to your place."

Faith looked at her, one hand massaging small circles on her lower back. "Your mom okay with that?"

Buffy dropped her eyes. "Maybe I don't care if she is or not."

"Maybe I do."

Buffy felt the helpless anger breaking over her, threatening to drown her. "What does it matter to you? She's not your mother."

She knew the moment the words were out of her mouth that it was the wrong thing to say. Faith's hand stilled on her back. She hated it when anybody mentioned her family. She stared past Buffy, over her head.

"Faith, I just meant--" Buffy loosened her hold, wondering if Faith would leave now; if she'd just broken something before it had a chance to grow.

"Yeah. I know." Faith let go of her and pointed at the carousel covered in mementos. "Because she's fucking right, Buffy. About us distracting each other. We're supposed to be tracking down whoever did this, not copping a feel right in the middle of the crime scene and then ditching patrol because we wanna fuck."

Buffy bridled at Faith's emphasis on the word 'fuck', as if that's all it was. As if she wasn't risking so much to be with Faith--her entire social standing at school, her relationship with her mom--and yes, even the danger of getting caught up in each other while they were patrolling. "If you've got any leads, I'd love to hear them," she said. "I was in there today when they took Giles' books. I want to research. I want to patrol. But, as you remind me so often, that's not all there is to life. Faith, I want you, too."

"There's gotta be something we can do. Hunt a few vamps, see what they know." Faith threw up her arms. "We can't just--we can't just pretend it's all okay, B, because it's just fucking not!"

Buffy's shoulders slumped. Faith was feeling just as guilty as she was over the kids' deaths, and taking it worse. With Giles and Buffy both coaching her, Faith was becoming a better Slayer, but that meant she didn't see patrolling as only a game for her amusement anymore. Probably seeing Mom's reaction to finding the kids had made it worse, because she and Faith were starting to get closer. Faith had finally seen, up close and personal, what it was to be responsible for a death. Buffy walked over to a bench sitting near the merry-go-round and sat down, giving Faith some space.

"It's strange," she said, touching the nearest "Never Again!" sign. "People die in Sunnydale all the time. But I've never seen anything like this."

Faith shrugged. "They were kids. They never hurt anybody. It makes a difference."

Buffy gave a weak laugh. "And Mr. Sanderson from the bank had it coming?" She sighed. "My mom...said some things to me..." Buffy stopped, wondering whether to tell Faith she'd been forbidden to see her. "Some things about being the Slayer," she finished. "That it's fruitless." She waved at the shrine. "No fruit for Buffy."

Faith turned on her heel, pacing angrily. "She's wrong!" she said, nearly shouting, ignoring Buffy holding out a hand, inviting her to sit on the bench beside her.

"Is she?" Buffy asked. Faith grimaced and kept pacing. "Is Sunnydale any better than when you first came here, or since I did? I mean, we battle evil. But we don't really win. The bad keeps coming back and getting stronger. Like that kid in the story." Buffy gestured, trying to keep her train of thought from derailing. "The boy that stuck his finger in the duck."

Faith stopped pacing at that, her anger receding in an instant. Her grin flashed in the darkness. "Dike."

Buffy drew back, confused. "Like you're one to talk, Miss Really Black Pot?"

Faith stared at her in disbelief for a second and then burst out laughing. "B, tell me you learned to spell! Dike with an I, not a Y. It's another word for dam."

"Oh." Buffy felt her face going red. "Oh, okay, that story makes a lot more sense now."

Faith guffawed harder, bending over and wheezing with laughter. "I'd hate...to be the dyke...the boy tried to stick his finger in..."

Buffy rolled her eyes. Faith was holding her stomach, tears leaking out of her eyes. She stumbled over to the bench and sat down beside Buffy to support herself. "Fine, fine, laugh it up," Buffy said. "What I'm trying to say is that we never win."

Faith's giggles subsided and she leaned back, but she was still smiling. "We never win. Not completely. I know."

"Yeah." Buffy leaned back too, studying Faith out of the corner of her eyes, moving her leg slightly so that their knees touched. "But I still have to fight. And I still want to do other stuff, too."

Faith moved her knee, returning the pressure. Now they were nearly facing each other as they sat on the park bench. "At least with vamps, they just show up and we dust 'em. This cult thing--I'm sorry I freaked. You know I'm horny as hell."

Buffy smirked. "I know."

Faith's eyes darkened, and her grin grew. "I loved having my hand down your pants, B, you were so wet, I coulda just fingered you all night, getting your clit all hard for me. I woulda made you scream. I bet you got yourself off last night just thinkin' about it, hmm?"

Buffy quivered at Faith's words, remembering how long she'd tossed and turned in bed last night before giving in to her arousal. Already she could feel it again, her heart pounding faster at the memory. "Faith, you know we're trying. Giles even tried to turn on his computer. Willow's grounded, but she'll be back at it at school tomorrow..."

Faith's smile deepened. She lifted her leg and placed it over Buffy's thigh, placing her foot in Buffy's crotch. "So what you're saying is there's really nothing we can do tonight," she said, emphasizing her words with a quick press of her foot. "About the kids, I mean."

Buffy closed her eyes and nodded, concentrating on the back-and-forth movement of Faith's foot as she flexed her ankle. "That's right..." she said on a shaky breath.

"We're gonna keep fighting the good fight tomorrow?" Faith said, pressing again. Buffy lifted her hips into the pressure, rubbing her pussy as best she could against Faith's boot, which was now making small circles against the seam of her jeans.

"Fight. Yes. Tomorrow. Faith--"

"All right. And your mom's gonna be pissed."

"Uh-huh," Buffy said, not really paying attention to Faith's words anymore. "But tomorrow."

Faith sighed, and suddenly her boot was gone, and Buffy gasped at the loss. "Then I guess we're going to mine," she said, and she hauled Buffy off the bench and kissed her again, like a promise.

They had found another nest of vampires before they finally made it back to Faith's room. Buffy had slayed her share, getting rid of her frustrations on the undead, which was the healthiest way to do it for a Slayer. Faith looked like she had done the same, fighting hard and coming up laughing from her last kill, her eyes bright with energy. She'd smiled that devil-may-care grin at Buffy and stalked over to her after the last of the vamps was dust. Faith pinned her against a wall, holding her there with nothing more than the strength of her personality and the heat of her body. Faith stared at her until Buffy gave up and kissed her first, swallowing Faith's chuckle and some snarky remark about how irresistable she was.

The thing was, Faith was irresistable. Buffy had tried, since Faith had first come to Sunnydale, to resist her. Straight girl. Boyfriend. Not the kind of person who gets lost in thought just watching her 'good friend' sauntering across a dance floor towards her, like a hunter, with that gleam of lust almost-but-not-quite hidden in her dark eyes. Not the kind of person who stares at her boyfriend and thinks about someone else's lips, someone else's body moving in the strobes at the Bronze.

Buffy had known, from the moment Faith asked her to Homecoming, that she was going to kiss Faith, and never let her go. It had taken her a while to figure out she had to dump Angel and then make the first move, and even longer to get her courage up to do it. But now, now, with Faith's fingers loose around her wrists and her kiss so desperate and hot against her mouth, Buffy knew it had all been worth it. "God, I love you," she panted, and Faith's hands spasmed tight around her wrists for a second.

"Buffy." Faith trapped her lower lip between her teeth and suckled it, teeth nibbling, then let go and plunged back into the kiss. "Buffy. So good..."

The kiss was amazing, like every single time before. Buffy had never known that kisses could be like this, that she could feel so much wrapped up in someone else's arms. She'd had boyfriends before, and dates, and Angel, but none of them were Faith. Everyone else's kisses were cold compared to hers. Faith's lips were always hot, always demanding, but soft and giving at the same time. Buffy had never been the demanding one before, the one who moved first, who asked for more. Faith should have been the one to push her, to want to go further.

But Buffy had never once been so hungry for anyone. She pushed, and instead of giving way, Faith pushed right back. It turned her on so bad, and Buffy whimpered into the kiss, lifting her head to let Faith kiss her neck, turning her face to find Faith's ear with her tongue, sucking on her earlobe and sighing, "Please, yes, Faith. Please, more."

"Let's get back to mine," Faith whispered back, nudging closer before sliding away. Buffy tipped her head back and stared at Faith, feeling like she could barely stand. Feeling drugged, warm and relaxed and floating. Faith's eyes on her felt even better, all that desire concentrated on her, and Buffy reached out for her hand. Their fingers twined together easily as they hurried to Faith's motel.

Buffy leaned on Faith, unable to let her go even long enough for her to open the door, and then they were inside, kissing again, getting tangled together as they fought to get each others' clothes off.

Buffy backed away at last, naked, watching Faith curse at her boots because she'd tried to take off her pants first. Finally, Faith sorted out the problem and looked up. Buffy felt a surge of power go through her when Faith's breath caught in her throat as she stared. "Lie on the bed," she said.

"B..." It was barely a sigh. Faith seemed paralysed, and Buffy could only stare back at her. She wanted to leap on her right away, but she held back, feeling the deep ache in her clit that wanted Faith's fingers, Faith's tongue. Not yet.

"Lie down," she said again, and this time Faith moved, laying down slowly, her black eyes fixed on Buffy in the dimness. Buffy's breathing deepened. She could see the shine of Faith's arousal on her thighs, seeping from her pussy. Her nipples were dark and erect, and her breasts looked so soft that Buffy just wanted to rest on them forever, taste them, take them.

But waiting was sweet, too, watching Faith struggle to stay still, not to touch herself or to tackle Buffy. "Fuck, Buffy," she moaned, but her body did her pleading for her, her muscles tightening beneath her skin as she pressed her legs together, looking for some relief.

Buffy couldn't wait any longer. She crawled onto the bed, straddling Faith but not pressing down, the way her body was clamouring for her to do. She kneeled over Faith, supporting herself on her arms, and leaned in for another kiss. Not touching Faith except for that one point, her lips, devouring her. The world dissolved in that kiss. Buffy made it gentle, teasing, tasting Faith deeply and then moving away.

Every time Faith reached for her, Buffy caught her hands and gently pushed them aside. It was a game of back-and-forth, Faith sneaking her hands up Buffy's sides or between her thighs, and Buffy playfully catching her and placing her hands back above her head, pressing them there briefly to tell Faith to keep them still. She wanted to do this for Faith, to show her how much her love meant to her, to show that nothing--not her mom, not cults or covens or all the demons of the Hellmouth--were going to stand between her and loving Faith.

This was only the third time they'd been together, and everything was so new. Buffy wanted to explore every single inch of Faith's body and find all the tiny places that made her shiver and moan. She moved her mouth over Faith's neck, to her chest, then down her arm, purposefully avoiding all the places Faith wanted her to touch. Buffy found the crease inside Faith's elbow, flicked her tongue over the pulse there, smiling when it jumped under her mouth. She moved lower and drifted her fingertips across Faith's tanned, taut stomach, loving the way the muscles jumped. She swept her hands back and forth, now with fingernails, now palms, then plunged her tongue into Faith's bellybutton. Faith gasped and thrust upwards, moaning. Buffy licked her way around Faith's stomach, every now and then coming close to the neatly waxed curls between Faith's legs, then sliding away, as if on a whim. Her fingernails were now drawing lines up and down the insides of Faith's thighs, as light as feathers, reaching up high enough to feel the wetness coating her legs, then returning to her knees, again and again.

Faith was going crazy, trying to keep still because that's how Buffy wanted it, but she was swearing like a sailor and twitching every time Buffy's mouth or fingers came close, so close, and then, as if by accident, glided away.

"Buffy, shit, B, oh God, fucking do it!"

"Hmm," Buffy answered easily, licking her way up between Faith's breasts, spiraling her tongue in towards Faith's straining nipple, then dipping below it.

"Oh, fuck!" Faith shouted, and buried both her hands in Buffy's hair, twining her fingers around the strands so tight it almost hurt--almost, almost--and pushed Buffy down to where she wanted her. "Fucking eat me, Buffy, or I swear--"

Buffy didn't wait to hear what Faith would swear. She thrust her tongue as deep inside Faith as she could reach, sucking down the sudden gush of liquid. Faith was swollen and wet and hot and oh, so good. Buffy licked her way up to Faith's clit and massaged it with the flat of her tongue, bringing her fingers in to push into Faith's wide-open hole.

Faith gave a breathless moan and jerked off the bed, all her muscles tightening, her thighs holding Buffy in place. "Oh, sweet fuck, that's...yes...fuck me--"

Buffy moved faster, loving the sobbing breaths escaping from Faith's lips, the way her hips moved helplessly to the rhythm Buffy set with her mouth and her fingers. Faith's fingers clenching in her hair told her when she hit a perfect spot. Nothing came close to this, giving Faith pleasure with everything she had in her, sucking and nibbling on Faith's swollen clit and thrusting her fingers harder and faster, doing whatever Faith asked and then more. She nudged Faith's legs higher until they were over her shoulders and she could go deeper. Faith threw back her head and screamed. Her pussy clamped down on Buffy's fingers and her hands spasmed on Buffy's head, holding her in place as she came.

Buffy kept going, until Faith's muscles shivered and went loose, and she collapsed back on the bed, panting. Buffy wiped her face with one hand and slowly drew the other out of Faith, kissing her lightly on the stomach.

"Jesus, B...Buffy." Faith didn't seem able to say anything more than that, but then she spoke again. "Love you so much."

Buffy smiled and snuggled into her side. "'S good?"

Faith rolled her eyes and half-laughed, still breathless. "You kidding me? That's one of those things worth saving the world for. Those kids. Their parents. Great head."

Buffy stiffened. "Their parents."

Faith frowned, confused. "Hey, you made the list. Top three reasons for fighting the good fight."

"No. Faith." Buffy sat up and started throwing her clothes on. "Their parents!"

"What about 'em?" Faith leaned on one elbow, watching her. "Don't tell me you're going already?"

"Come on, get dressed." Buffy tossed Faith's pants at her head. "What do we really know about these kids, Faith? Nothing! Where'd the pictures come from? What are their names, for God's sake?"

"It never came up," Faith said, understanding dawning on her face. "Not once."

"We've got to talk to Giles," Buffy said.

"Okay, but then, I'm gonna show you what's worth fighting for." Faith grinned and pulled on her clothes.

Buffy and Faith sprinted through the library doors in unison, leaving them swinging behind them, and coming to a stop in the middle of the room. Xander and Giles were watching Oz, who was at the computer, typing furiously.

"What are the kids' names?" Buffy asked triumphantly when they looked up, not expecting an answer.

"Hansel and Gretel," Oz said blandly, his hands pausing on the keyboard.

"Fairy tales are real," Xander agreed, nodding wisely. "I'm thinking of trading in my cow for a handful of beans."

"Literal antecedants of idiosyncratic folklore--" Giles started, then seemed to notice four pairs of eyes glazing over. He sighed in exasperation. "Yes, well. They aren't children. It's a demon that feeds on mass hysteria."

"Right. And we know they're going after witches," Faith said. "That means Willow's in danger, and that Amy-girl--"

"And us," Buffy said. "You should have heard my mom going on about Slayers."

"Yeah, but nobody's gonna try taking us down if they know what's good for 'em," Faith said. "And unless Red's floating a lot more than a pencil these days, I'm betting she's in way deeper than we are."

"She's gone offline," Oz said, his forehead creasing as he stared at the computer.

"She wouldn't have just logged off," Xander said. "We were just getting into the major research mojo."

"Sheila Rosenberg seemed unduly interested in Joyce's speech at the vigil last night," Giles said. "This can't be good."

Oz stood up and pulled his jacket off the back of his chair and started out of the library.

"Oz, wait!" Buffy followed him and stopped him at the door. "I'm sorry, but I'd better go. It wouldn't help if they got you too."

Oz's face showed as much as it ever did, tight with anger, but he nodded.

"What about us?" Xander asked. "We can't just stand around while the whole town goes Salem on us."

"We gotta find out what's going down, and where," Faith said. "And how to kill this demon."

Buffy nodded. She met Faith's eyes for an instant, long enough for Faith to say, "Be careful," and for her to answer "I always am," without either of them speaking a word.

Buffy ran for Willow's house. She was there in under five minutes, making the most of her Slayer speed. The front door was unlocked, and nobody answered when she called out Willow's name. The house was empty. She was too late. She ran down the steps, glancing through the living room.

There was a "Never Again!" sign leaning against the coffee table.

MOO.

Of course.

Mom.

Buffy closed her eyes and groaned, stopping short of making the "I'm so stupid" forehead slap.

She was at the wrong house.

She ran again.

Giles' car was sitting in her driveway when she arrived. The gang must have figured out that this was Nutcase Central after she'd left the library. Mom's Jeep was gone. Not a good sign.

Buffy opened the front door and gasped. Giles was lying crumpled in the foyer. She could see the lump on the side of his head through his hair.

"Giles!" She knelt beside him. "Giles, wake up!"

God, what if one of the others had been with him? No one else was here now. And all the Scoobies were targets, if only by association. Buffy wanted to slap Giles awake, but she restrained herself.

"Come on, Giles, let's go." She shook his shoulder. This was bad. Of course there was something weird going on with her mom. Why hadn't she seen it before? Mom wasn't the type to go from totally accepting her to practically calling an intervention to save her from herself--or from Faith.

This mass hysteria demon was the cause. Mom had found the kids, and Mom was the one who'd gone off the deep end.

Giles moaned and sat up, holding his face in his hands.

"Giles!" Buffy pulled him up. "What happened?"

"Faith--" Giles blinked at her, one hand pressed to the goose egg on his temple. "Buffy, I'm so sorry. They drugged her...took her. They're going to City Hall."

Buffy's heart froze. "It was supposed to be me. Why did you bring her here?"

"Michael warned us that there was going to be a sacrifice tonight." Giles stumbled after her, heading to his battered car. "Once we realized that your mother was the most likely to be under the influence of the demon, we couldn't stop Faith. Xander and Oz went to help Amy, and I followed Faith here--in time to see Joyce use the chloroform. And to get knocked out, myself."

Buffy gave an empty laugh. "How many times has that happened, anyway?"

Giles stared at her over the car's roof. "Buffy. We will save her. Remember, this isn't your mother acting. It's the demon. This is not your fault."

Buffy shrugged and wrenched her door open. "I should have known something was up. People don't just change."

Giles slid into the driver's seat and started the car. "Parents often do, when faced with...well, with, ah, unconventional..." He shook his head and floored the gas pedal. "Entanglements."

"Right, and you know this how?" Buffy asked bitterly.

Giles merely looked at her.

Buffy said, in a very small voice, "Oh." Those were thoughts she did not want to be having. Giles entangled with Jenny Calendar was bad enough. Anyone 'unconventional'--say, Ethan--was worse.

"Fortunately," Giles said, watching the road as he swung into the street outside City Hall, "I have the spell prepared that will reveal the demon's true form."

"Good." Buffy jumped out of the car almost before it came to a halt. She ran into City Hall. The meeting room's doors were locked, but one hefty kick sent them crashing inwards. Giles hurried up behind her as they pushed through the back of the crowd.

At the front of the room, where the vigil podium had been, there was a huge pile of books, holding three giant stakes. Willow and Amy were tied to the outermost posts, struggling, and between them, dangling limply, dark hair hiding her face--

"Faith!"

Buffy didn't even know she'd shouted the name until the mob turned and looked back at her. She marched to the front, shoving aside anyone not smart enough to get out of her way. Mom stood at the front of the crowd, holding a burning torch.

Buffy stepped up in front of her, on the lowest level of books. Mom stared at her, still with that befuddled look of worry and concern on her face, as if it was Buffy who was acting strangely. "Mom," Buffy said softly, holding out a hand for the torch. "You don't want to do this."

Mom pulled the torch out of her reach. "Since when does it matter what I want?" she asked. "I wanted a normal, happy daughter. Instead, I got a..." She paused, and glanced at Faith. "...a Slayer."

Buffy felt like she'd been sucker-punched in the gut. This wasn't about the occult at all. It was about her and Faith. How could it be just a demon's work, if Mom's hysteria was different from everybody else's?

"Mom, don't..." she whispered, but Mom had already tossed her torch onto the pile. Other men with torches added their flames to the old, dry books. The blaze leapt up, fire licking at the paper. Buffy coughed on the smoke. Mom only shook her head and turned away.

Buffy leapt up the sliding pile, running behind Willow and ripping the ropes off her. "Get down!" she said. "Run!" She moved to Amy next, freeing her quickly.

"Stop them!"

Buffy looked down. Standing in front of Mom were the two children, Hansel and Gretel, holding hands. "You're letting the bad girls escape! They hurt us. You promised. Burn them!"

Mom rested a hand on Gretel's blonde head and nodded. "I'm sorry, Buffy."

"Dead people are talking to you, Mom! Do the math!" Buffy started working on the ropes that bound Faith. There were more of them, and stronger, and the knots wavered before her eyes in the smoke and the heat. She was coughing harder now, and Faith was starting to mumble and pull away from the nearest flames. "I've got you, baby," Buffy whispered in Faith's ear, ripping as hard as she dared at the ropes without taking Faith's hands off at the wrists. "Just wake up, that's all, Faith, we're gonna get you out of this."

Somewhere beyond the fire, Willow and Amy were hauling out the fire hose, and Giles was reciting something in German. All Buffy could see was the children, one on each side of Mom, and Mom's disappointed sigh as she watched Buffy frantically yanking on Faith's ropes.

Then suddenly the children weren't children--they were a single huge, horned demon towering over Mom.

"Oh, my God," she whispered, staring back and forth between the demon and Buffy.

Faith gasped and spat, a deep, wracking cough shaking her. Her eyes opened, and she looked up. Buffy tore through the last of her ropes. Together, they turned to face the demon.

"Protect us," it said. "Kill the bad girls."

"Y'know what?" Faith asked, cracking her knuckles. "Not as convincing without the kid costume."

"Shall we kill it?" Buffy asked her.

"Maybe it's the drugs talking, but I'm thinking yeah," Faith answered.

So they did.

Amy and Willow manhandled the hose closer and doused the last of the flames. Giles dropped down on his knees in the middle of his books, looking like he was either going to faint or cry at the damage.

Buffy wrapped her arms around Faith's waist and refused to look at Mom. "I don't want to go home," she mumbled into Faith's neck.

"I know, B."

Buffy sniffed, and wiped away a few tears that wouldn't stay in her eyes. "You think I should."

Faith shrugged. "I want you with me."

Buffy knew what she meant. If Faith was forever--or longer than a week, even--Buffy would have to make up with her mom eventually. She couldn't just pretend that none of this had happened.

"But, B, you'd better be ready tomorrow. I've still got a date planned, y'know."

Buffy nodded, and loosened her hold on Faith. "I love you," she said. Anyone and everyone could have heard her. Maybe that was the point.

"I love you too, B." Faith smiled. "Now get your cute ass home, and I'll see ya tomorrow."

Mom's face still showed nothing as Buffy followed her out of City Hall.

There was a lot of silence the next day. Buffy tiptoed around the house, and Mom was determined to act as if everything was fine. She didn't seem angry any more, or worried, or upset about Faith. More than anything, she seemed confused. At breakfast, she looked up over the edge of her paper and stared at Buffy as though she didn't even recognise her. Buffy glared at her bagel and ignored her. Okay, she'd been under a spell. Buffy understood that. Buffy was the queen of understanding that. She'd been the one to strip down to a raincoat for Xander while under the influence, after all. It wasn't the burning people at the stake that bothered her. It was the fact that her mom's worst fear--the one the demon knew was worth exploiting--was the one thing that made her happy.

Not soap opera happy, either. The real thing. The kind that was less drama and tears, and more actual...well, happiness. Buffy couldn't help smiling into her cream cheese, remembering last night--before all the hurting and the running and the burning, of course.

Mom's paper twitched again. Buffy's smile dropped. She didn't know how they were ever going to get past this. She left the house without a word.

School passed in a blur. People had the dazed, forgetful look they often got after an almost-apocalypse. They knew weird things had happened, but they were determined to pretend everything was just fine. Buffy spent her lunch hour helping Giles reshelve singed books with Willow and Xander. Faith didn't show up.

Buffy spent most of her classes daydreaming. She was going on a date tonight, which everybody knew, because she couldn't shut up about it. At lunch, Xander got caught up in the spirit and asked Amy if near-death experiences made her want to go dancing, and she agreed that it wouldn't be horrible.

Willow was freaking a bit that Oz had to come to dinner with her parents the next week, but Oz just smiled and kissed her silent whenever her babbling got out of control.

So everything was back to normal. Except at home.

Buffy took a long time getting ready. It was difficult, considering she had no idea where they were going, or what they were doing. Faith wanted it to be a surprise. Besides, she kind of wanted to force her mom to notice, and to say something. But Mom puttered around the kitchen and took the Sunnydale mentality to its extreme. Everything was fine. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

The doorbell rang. Buffy raced down the stairs. Mom was in the living room, cleaning away the last traces of her command center.

"That's Faith," Buffy said.

Mom looked up and nodded, then went back to shredding "Never Again!" signs.

"I'll probably be late," Buffy tried again. If I come home tonight at all, she thought. She pretty much hoped that she wouldn't.

"It's not a school night," Mom said. She smiled. As if everything was hunky-dory and peachy-keen.

It made Buffy want to scream. But the doorbell rang again, and there was a muffled "Hey!" from behind the window, where Faith could probably see her standing in the hallway like a spazz.

"I'm coming," Buffy yelled, and opened the door.

"Not enough for my tastes," Faith said with a grin. "You need to relax, girlfriend. Here." She shoved two large pizza boxes into Buffy's arms, then piled on a stack of rented movies.

Buffy stared plaintively at the pizzas. "This is the romantic surprise?"

"Tuck that lip back in, or you might not like what happens to it," Faith said, running her tongue over her own bottom lip suggestively. Buffy raised her eyebrows and pouted harder. Faith laughed. "And no, this isn't the romantic surprise. I'm doing this whole seduction thing, right?" She stepped into the hall and kicked off her boots, dumping a shoulder bag on the floor near the coat stand. She leaned around the corner and waved at Buffy's mom. "Hey, Mrs. S."

"Hello, Faith." Mom folded her arms and regarded Faith affectionately.

"Oh, come on, that's it?" Buffy glared at her mom. "You guys say two words to each other and suddenly everything's fine? I'm a Slayer, you know, I don't just forget all the demons the way everyone else does."

"We worked it out when I called before," Faith said. "Since you were in school, your mom made me promise that we'd do the bonding thing. 'Cause last time things went--well, you know."

"Oh, no." Buffy tried to hold out her hands defensively, but they were full of pizza. She went into the living room and dumped the boxes and movies on the table. "I am not doing this tonight. This is supposed to be our first date. I am not having The Talk during our first date!"

Faith gave her a pleading look that was way too cute to be fair. "But, B, if we don't, then I won't get to give you the romantic surprise."

"You realize that you're cheating," Buffy said, unable to stop herself from smiling like an idiot.

"Yep," Faith said easily. Her smile was pretty goofy, too, showing off her dimples and the sparkle in her eyes. "Now. Come on. I got one pizza for me, one for you two. Let's eat before the cheese congeals."

Buffy eyed her mom before joining Faith on the couch. "So..." she started.

Mom nodded. "So..."

Faith handed Buffy a slice of pizza after taking an enormous bite from her own. After a long space of silence, Faith finished chewing. "So," she said. "I'm not a vampire, I don't have any diseases, I can't get Buffy pregnant, and I love her."

Buffy blushed. "No, really, Faith, don't hold back," she said.

"Hey," Faith said, standing up and patting Mom on the back, where she was coughing after getting pizza down the wrong tube. "I'm just trying to be reassuring here. I never got taken home to anyone's parents before, y'know."

"I know," Buffy said softly. Love welled up inside her. Faith had chosen her to be the one she'd open up to. She wasn't just some random date. This was the real thing. Faith met her eyes over Mom's head, and she tried to send every ounce of her feeling across the space. Faith was probably nervous, after all. "Okay," Buffy said, taking a deep breath. "The same goes for me. Plus, we know that we're going to protect each other, no matter what happens. And, you know, Mom, Slayers...I mean, I know you don't want to think about it...but they don't live that long..."

Faith nodded. "I nearly didn't even get here from Boston. This, it's for keeps."

Mom set her pizza down on a napkin. "Girls...it's not up to you to convince me. I'm the one who should be explaining."

Faith sat down on the couch next to Buffy. Buffy rested her hand on top of Faith's.

"I was nervous when you said that you were..." Mom cleared her throat. "...together. But I don't want to split you apart. It wouldn't work, anyway. The last few days--that wasn't me. I'm not that monster. I want you to be happy, that's all."

Buffy smiled. "We are."

"In that case...I'm just going to go out. Mark's in town, did you know?"

"Yeah," Buffy said. "Have a good time."

"I'm going to trust you two while I'm gone." There was a warning implicit in Mom's tone--one that said they'd better not get up to anything she'd disapprove of. Or at least, nothing that would wake her up.

"G'night, Mrs. S," Faith called dutifully, watching her as she headed out the door. As soon as she was out of sight, Faith pounced on Buffy and kissed her, using her weight and the blanket tangled around both their legs to press Buffy into the couch. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" she whispered into Buffy's ear.

Buffy shivered at the feel of her breath and pressed upwards, trying to claw the blanket out of the way. "Probably. But why would Amy agree to go on a date with Xander if she wasn't possessed?"

"Wrong..." Faith kissed her again, longer, deeper. "Guess I'm just gonna have to show you what I'm thinking..."

Buffy moaned at the thought, and buried her hands beneath Faith's shirt. "So--hmm--what's...what's my surprise?"

"You know I'm not into all that romantic stuff..." Faith sat up, enjoying Buffy's fingers brushing higher under her shirt.

"I don't know anything of the sort." Buffy pulled Faith down again, devouring her mouth, licking the cleft in her bottom lip, then sucking her tongue into her mouth. "See?" she panted. "Very romantic."

"Okay, you asked for it," Faith said. She leaped off the couch and gave Buffy a hand to pull her to her feet. "Go on up to your room. I'm gonna surprise the hell out of you."

Buffy went, watching over her shoulder as Faith made little shooing gestures. This was going to be good. Images of Faith in underwear...or lingerie...or, well, nothing at all...assaulted her brain. She stripped to nothing as soon as she was in her room and waited.

After a minute, Faith's voice came from outside the door, pitched for her Slayer hearing. "Promise you won't laugh?"

Buffy grinned. "Promise."

The door swung open, and Faith walked in.

Wearing flannel pyjamas covered in skiing penguins. The same ones she'd been wearing on the ski trip, the first night--their first time.

Buffy felt her mouth drop open.

"I look ridiculous," Faith said.

Buffy shook her head. "That...is pretty much the sexiest thing I've ever seen."

Faith leered at her. "Says you when you're spread out...naked...all over your bed..."

"Come here and ravish me," Buffy said.

And Faith didn't need to be asked twice.

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November 16, 2004