Fic: One Step pt 2

["Selenay" <selenay@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Title: One Step pt 2
Author: Selenay
E-mail: selenay@xxxxxxxxxx
Summary: The first part in a series that is a sequel to Conversations. The
series has no name yet because I'm lame at names, so all suggestions will be
gratefully received. This picks up right where Conversations left off. Well,
maybe a couple of seconds have passed but...
Spoilers: None yet. This is just filling in events before I tackle season 5
Distribution: My site, anyone else please ask first.
Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy and her friends. It all belongs to Joss
Whedon, Mutant Enemy et al. I'm only playing, and sadly make nothing from
this.
Feedback: Gratefully received


Laughing, Buffy and Willow ran up the final street to the Rosenberg house
although their speed made no difference; they were both soaked to the skin.
The storm had unleashed as they went round the final graveyard and it was
raining harder than it had earlier. Willow fumbled in her pocket and found
the key but her hands were so stiff from the cold that she could not manage
to get it into the lock. Buffy took the key from her and unlocked the door,
holding it open and bowing her love inside. The redheaded witch giggled and
stepped inside, shaking her head to send droplets of water flying
everywhere.

"Oops," she giggled as she noticed the water droplets now covering the
walls, floor and hall mirror.

"It'll dry," Buffy said, closing the door behind her. "We'd better get you
out of those clothes."

Willow looked at her.

"And into dry ones," the blonde girl added, feeling a blush creeping its way
up her face.

Without warning, Willow pulled Buffy into a tight hug and kissed her,
whispering, "I love you."

Then she released the surprised Slayer and ran lightly upstairs.

Buffy stood still for a few minutes, feeling the tingle in her lips from the
kiss, and then she grinned. She was about to follow the redhead upstairs
when the phone rang.

"Buffy, can you get that?" Willow called down.

It took her moment to locate the phone and she dripped more water through
the hall as she did so.

"Hello?"

"Buffy? Is that you?" Joyce's voice echoed strangely down crackling line due
to the interference from the storm.

"Yeah, mom, it's me. What's up?"

"I've been looking for you everywhere. You didn't tell me you'd be out so
late, and then I spoke to Mr Giles and he said you were patrolling. In this
weather!"

"Mom, it was only a quick sweep and the weather wasn't that bad when we set
out."

"Buffy, that storm out there just brought down three trees in Mrs
Pinnkersill's garden."

"I know. That's why I'm at Willow's - it was closer than trying to come
home."

"Are you all right?"

"Well I'm soaked through and cold, but otherwise I'm of the good. Thanks."

Joyce paused. "Are you going to stay there?"

"Unless the storm lets up I'll have to. We've got pizza, and videos, and
Will's finding me some dry clothes, so we'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure."

"You don't want me to come out and get you?"

"Five minutes ago you were telling me about how worried you were that I was
out in the storm and how somebody's trees have fallen over. Why would you
want to come out and get me? Is everything ok?"

"Oh, uh, no reason. I guess I just don't like not knowing where my daughter
is when there's a bad storm."

"Well, you know now. I'm fine, or I will be when I'm dry. I'll see you
tomorrow."

Buffy could hear her mother sighing down the phone. "Ok, honey. Good night."

Willow walked past as Buffy put down the receiver and handed her a towel.
"Who was that?"

"Mom, freaked out about the storm," she replied, towelling her hair.

"Oh. Is everything ok?"

"I think so," Buffy said uncertainly. "She sounded a bit weird, but it's
probably nothing."

"There's some clean clothes in the bathroom if you want to change," Willow
offered. "Then I've got some pizza in the freezer."

"Sounds good."

***

Much later the remains of the pizza lay on plates on the coffee table in the
lounge, along with the carton from a tub of ice cream. Willow was curled up
in a corner of the sofa while Buffy scanned the shelf of videos looking for
something to watch.

"Parenting: A psychologists guide?" she asked, looking a particularly dull
video.

"It makes them feel like they're taking an interest."

Buffy pulled down to boxes. "Ok, 'Notting Hill' or 'The Man in the Iron
Mask'?"

Willow thought for a moment. "My vote goes for 'Notting Hill' - I'm in a
mushy mood."

"Cool." Buffy pushed the video into the machine and grabbed the remote
before sitting down on the sofa next to Willow. "Ready?"

The redheaded girl looked at her for a moment and shook her head.

"What's missing?"

"This." Willow shifted and pulled Buffy towards her, not satisfied until
they were comfortably curled up against each other with Buffy's head resting
on her shoulder. "Much better."

"No argument here."

The Slayer started the video and for five minutes she was absorbed in the
tale. Then her eyes slowly drooped until she eventually fell asleep with a
contented smile on her face. Willow looked down at the softly sleeping girl
and smiled before also falling into a deep sleep.

***

Buffy woke up wondering why one side of her was snugly warm and yet there
were shivers down her other side. She reached round to pull the covers
closer and froze when, instead of feeling a quilt, she found warm skin
beneath her fingers. Shifting slightly, and stifling a groan as stiff
muscles protested the movement, she turned her head to look up.

And met Willow amused green eyes. The warm flesh her fingers had touched
turned out to be the hacker's soft neck and she quirked a grin at Buffy.

"Morning," she said quietly, her throat husky from sleep.

Buffy looked up at her and the events of the previous day replayed through
her mind. "Morning."

For a long moment they lay there, looking in each other's eyes, until Buffy
nervously licked her lips and said, "Would it be ok to kiss you?"

"Buff, you never need to ask. It's always ok. Unless we're in the middle of
a fight, or distractions would be really bad or Giles is around or-"

The Slayer cut her off by kissing her. It was a gentle kiss, full of the
love she felt, and she softly kissed and nibbled at the other girl's lips.
Willow sighed, the warm air flowing across Buffy's cheek, and returned the
kiss. Buffy felt as though she was floating away in the gentle warmth of the
kiss and she smiled slightly as she felt rather than heard Willow give a low
moan. And then the redhead nipped her lip and she felt heat rush through
her.

As the kiss turned from gentle to passionate Buffy knew she had to stop. It
was so tempting to continue but she knew if they did things would get out of
hand and they could end up regretting it. When they took that step, she
wanted it to be right, without any doubts, so now was not the time.

Reluctantly she pulled back, darting back for one final taste, but forcing
herself to sit up and put some distance between her and temptation. Willow
gave a tiny whimper of protest and opened her eyes.

Buffy tucked her blonde hair behind her ears and looked at her. "We should
probably get up. Because it's day and that's what people do in the day."

"Are you ok?" Willow asked.

"Sure I am."

Willow looked at her uncertainly.

"I'm fine," Buffy said. "I just think that in view of our one day at a time
rule we shouldn't rush anything. And that was definitely leading up to some
rushing."

The hacker nodded her understanding. "So everything's all right?"

"More than all right. I love you, y'know?"

"You might have mentioned it once or twice."

Buffy stood and held out a hand. "I should get going. Mom sounded a bit
weird last night so I'd better get back and find out what's going on."

Willow took the proffered hand and allowed herself to be pulled up. "Can't
you stay for breakfast?"

For a moment Buffy hesitated, weighing the delights of breakfast with her
girlfriend against breakfast with her mother. There was really no contest.
"Ok. But then I really have to leave."

Smiling, Willow bounced out of the room and headed towards the kitchen.
"What do you want? I've got cereal, and Pop Tarts, and toast, and I think
there might be some bacon, or you could have yoghurt or there's fruit or I
could make waffles or pancakes or-"

"Will, relax. I've had breakfast here loads of time," Buffy said, shaking
her head at her overexcited hacker.

"Yeah, I know, but it's never been . . . *breakfast*. Together." She paused.
"Did that make any sense to you? Because I think I got lost somewhere."

"It made sense. It's the first time you've made me breakfast when it means
more than normal breakfast."

"Right. So, what do you want?"

They settled on cereal and toast and Buffy had to force herself not to
deliberately eat slowly so she had more time with Willow. Neither of them
spoke much, but that did not matter because sometimes there are things that
cannot be said with words.

Eventually, Buffy forced herself to admit that she was just time wasting to
put off the moment when she had to leave and drank down the last of her
juice.

"Guess I'd better get home," she said.

"Yeah."

They walked out into the hall and Willow handed her the pile of damp
clothing she had worn the previous night.

"Thanks."

They stood awkwardly in the hall for a moment, looking at each other, and
then Buffy took a handful of her girlfriend's shirt so she could pull her in
for a kiss. It was more of a reassurance that she would be back than the
lazy passion they had shared earlier but they were both breathing faster
when they separated.

"I'll call you when I get in," Buffy promised.

"I'll be waiting."

"Bye then."

"Yeah."

With that Buffy opened the door and walked out.

***

The house was quiet when she walked in and she dumped the damp clothing on
the staircase before heading towards the kitchen in search of her mother.
Joyce was sitting at the breakfast bar with a cup of coffee and the paper
but she looked up as her daughter entered.

"Buffy," she greeted. "I though you'd be back earlier than this."

"Yeah, sorry mom. We kinda woke up late."

"Oh."

For a long time Joyce looked at Buffy closely and the blonde Slayer squirmed
under the knowing look. As soon as the older woman looked away Buffy walked
to the fridge and began searching for some more juice.

"So, did you have a nice time with Willow?" Joyce asked.

"Uh-huh. Watched videos, ate pizza - you know, girly stuff."

"Good." Joyce paused awkwardly. "I know about you."

"Pardon?"

"I know about you and Willow."

To be continued...

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