FIC: Life's Surprises Series - Someone Different (Part 2)

Faith couldn't wait to ditch Sunnydale; with Buffy's body the world was open to her, she just had to keep the act up a little while longer. She was sitting in the Bronze across from Tara, a girl Buffy was supposed to know, so she'd nearly blown her cover. Willow was getting the blonde a bottle of water. The way she was being looked at - did the chick have the hots for Miss Goodie Two-Shoes? Holy sh...there was no mistaking that damn mushy gaze. There wasno mistaking the feeling happening down below and between the legs, either.

What the hell? Where'd this come from? Tara was okay if you liked the, "Disney, G-Rated" type, but she didn't really go for the innocent act - those people were the ones you shoved knives into. Wait, this body was still technically a loner...since when did Buffy get all warm over the smoother sex? The undead were usually more her style. So not only did she decide to the hop the fence, she decided to hop the fence for Minnie-Frickin'-Mouse? Jesus, it was pitiful how unadventurous she was.

"B's not driving stick anymore." She whispered in a voice that had yet to become anything other than foreign to her. "Who'd a thought it?"

If she'd been aware that Buffy was capable of swinging, she would've pushed a little harder last year. Well, if she had more time to play she would've taken full advantage of the development, but seeing as how time was of the essence, she'd have to settle with screwing with the girl's mind instead. The girl who was sitting there all awkward and mute after Willow practically made her take a seat. Oh, she wasn't going to pour her heart out, was she? That's just what Faith wanted - a Hallmark moment. Gag. Her choice to don leather seemed to be distracting the quiet one.

Faith gave her a sly grin. "So what's up?"

The second she saw her, Tara felt like...oh no. The pieces were just starting to fit, and on other hand, they didn't. That was the problem. She had to be calm - she couldn't let on that...poor Buffy. The witch was surprised she knew the slayer's aura that well; she saw the holes in an instant. Goddess, where was she?

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Hmm. Maybe I oughta rephrase the question."

"Ca-ca-ca..." Damn it! She hated when she stuttered.

"You gonna spit that out sometime today, sweetie? Time's a precious thing, ya know."

"C-can we talk?"

"Sure, *I* can talk, but you? So far, the evidence doesn't look like it's working in your favor." The witch swallowed. "Listen, here's some free advice. Get help. That little broken record of a voice you got, isn't doin' you any good. I say this as a friend who cares about you, cause not pointing this stuff out...well, that would be just plain wrong. We can't have you embarrassing the group, can we? I love that gang of mine to death."

The rogue slayer knew this was out of character, but when she had fun, she had a tendency to get carried away. One of her many flaws.

Willow came over just in time, sounding out of breath. "Buffy, guy in the corner."

Faith found the guy she was talking about leading a girl towards the back area of the club,but wasn't exactly enthralled. "Yeah. Good call."

"What?" Tara questioned cautiously.

"Vampire." The redhead elaborated.

"Wicked obvious." Again, Faith was disinterested. Until she realized what Willow expected from her. "So I should slay him." She got up.

"You want help?"

"Nah, I got it."

While the impostor walked away, Tara knew they had to getout of there, and fast. Buffy's life was at stake.

***

"Okay, are you really feeling all blechy, or was that you trying to avoid Buffy?" Willow asked as they entered Tara's dorm. "Cause it's never gonna work if you can't be in the same place for more than five minutes."

"She's not Buffy." Tara told her.

"Are you sure? I mean, the resemblance was very Buffy-like."

"But she's not."

"You lost me."

"Well, uh, a person's energy has a flow, a unity. Buffy's was...was fragmented. It-it's grated, like something forced in where it doesn't belong. Plus, she was, um, she was kind of mean." The blonde fiddled with her hands.

That got the redhead on board. "So you think Buffy's not herself? Like she's been possessed or something?"

"I'm not sure."

"You didn't sense a hyena energy at all, did you?" Her magick partner asked with concern. "Because hyena possession is just...unpleasant."

"I-I think there's a way we can..." Tara went to her desk and opened the book that was lying out. Next to it sat Mr. Gordo - he could help. "Here..."

Willow joined her, and smiled, seeingthe animal. "When did she give you him?"

"Oh, uh, she said I could borrow him. She thought I needed it more than she did." The witch got focused again quickly. "The passage to the nether realm. There-there's a ritual. If you can find Buffy there, you should be able to see."

"If it'll help her." Then she noticed Tara's worried _expression_. "What?"

"Well, the nether realm exists beyond the physical world. Accessing it is...it-it's kind of like astral projection. It's very intense. I'd have to be your anchor. Keep you on this plane."

"I trust you."

"I'd go, I-I wanna go, but I have more practice with anchoring, and it's not like anything we've ever -"

"Hey, how many times do I have to say it? I trust you. With my life and with Buffy's. Now let's get her back."

***

"Oh, oh! When I had psychic power, I heard my mom think that you were like a
stevedore during sex." Buffy in Faith's body was saying to Giles, trying to convince him that she was telling the truth. With his look, she stopped. "Do you want me to continue?"

"Actually, I beg you to stop." The ex-watcher responded.

"What's a stevedore?" She asked quizzically.

"All right, let's...um, I need you to explain everything."

"And I will. *After* we get Faith."

He probably had no idea what it took for her to get here, what she was forced to do. The Council's team treated her like an animal. There was so much distrust and loathing in their eyes, that it wasn't even funny. She got a taste of what it was like for Faith, and for a moment or two she felt sorry for her, but then she remembered that the brunette had brought it upon herself. Maybe she was partially to blame; she could've been there for her more. But damn it, Faith had to take responsibility for her own actions.

Key words? Her own. She didn't drive her to murder, and she hated being made to feel guilty for that.

Mostly what kept her from quitting was her desire to save her friends from whatever Faith was planning to do to them. And Tara. Tara didn't know Faith like they did, and she would be caught in the middle. If the Bostonian figured out that the witch had feelings for her, and that she wassort of thinking she possibly did, too, it could've been bad. That's what got her inside Giles' house. She didn't even get the chance to talk to her yet, after what happened with Spike. She was - she was attracted to every aspect of the girl, and she wasn't sure how to deal with it.

The front door opened and Willow and Tara rushed in

"Giles!" The redhead called.

"Will." Buffy turned to her.

"Oh my God."

"Willow, wait. You don't understand."

"You're Buffy. You and Faith switched bodies." She spoke to the English bachelor. "Probably through a Draconian Katra spell."

Giles raised his eyebrows. "She understands it better than I do."

"Tara knew right away that you weren't you. So we connected with the nether realms to find out what happened. And we conjured this." She opened the jewelry-box to reveal a small, emerald sphere inside. "It's a katra. Or the home-conjured version."She gave it to Giles. "It-it should switch you back, if you can get a hold of Faith."

Buffy looked at Tara, who had been silent, and squeezed her in a tight hug. "Tara, thank God." The witch hugged her back, despite the oddness. "If this is too weird, we can stop and wait till I get my body back."

"You're still you."

Buffy smiled, pulling away. "Thanks, but I'm kinda fond of my flesh."

"Me too." Tara said under her breath as the slayer faced Giles.

"Where's Faith?"

Then the phone rang.

***

It was night in the cemetery. The vampires that had been in the church were dust, Buffy had her body back, and Faith had run. It was doubtful that she'd return, but in that split second when they switched, there was a flicker of the real Faithin her eyes. But whatever threads were still holding the other slayer together, were extremely thin ones. She was exhausted; she just couldn't chase after her again. Too many lines were crossed, and she'd probably push her over the edge, anyway. Maybe someone else had the power to save her from herself.

She was with Tara - Willow had told her what the blonde had said about being a demon, and that simply wasn't true. It wasn't something she'd enjoy, but there was only one way to prove it to her. Her dad and brother sounded like two, very close-minded individuals, so she had her own suspicions about why they would lie to her. She wondered if they cared at all about the trauma they had obviously put her through. With the exception of Giles, Xander, and that guy who lent her a pencil in class last week, she was having difficulty not hating the male race.

"Do you really think you should be out here?" Tara was asking her. "You've been t-through a lot; you should rest."

"Don't worry, no slaying on the agenda, and this'll only take a minute, I promise." Buffy assured the witch. "I'm not letting you go around thinking you're not human."

She tried to kill the butterflies and her stomach, but didn't say a word. She wanted to believe she was human. What Faith said was sticking with her, though.

"B-Buffy? When I...do what I just did..."

"Stutter?"

"Does it b-bother you? I've done it, um, since I was a little girl. I get nervous and-and...I sound like a dork."

"You're definitely far from being a dork. It's...cute." They both turned red. "But there's no reason to be nervous. Everyone met you, right? They liked you, Willow likes you, I like you -"

"That's k-kinda what makes me..."

"Oh." Buffy coughed. "Yeah, I guess we should talk about...things. First you have to see that you're as human as the next, uh, human person, though. Which is gonna get cleared up right now."

They reached a crypt that was inhabitedby a certain vampire, and Buffy shoved the door open to find Spike watching his television. He turned his head in their direction with a scowl, clicking the off button on the remote. Taking a cigarette out of the pack that was sitting on the arm of his chair, he stood, moving to acknowledge the visitors who weren't polite enough to knock. When he could see the vein pulsing in Buffy's neck,he stopped and lit the cigarette.

"Ellen," He addressed Tara, "Anne," He glanced at the slayer, "long time no see. What brings you by the grave? Unannounced, no less."

"We need you to do something for us, Spike." Buffy said, already annoyed.

He raised his eyebrows. "Off thetop of my head...nope, can't do it. See, here's the thing. Charity got old a century and a half ago, never been the generous type. And last time I checked, helping out slayers' little girlfriends wasn't on my 'To-Do' list."

"Does it look like I care?"

"Does it look like I do?" He shot back."Go on, you're interrupting my Tele-Time."

She charged him, planting her forearm against his neck so he would stay in place along the right wallof the crypt. The cigarette dropped from his mouth, and she promptly stomped on it.

"You don't have a choice."

"Buffy, maybe we -" Tara tried, thinking it wasn't worth this much trouble.

"It's okay, Tara." She focused on Spike. "Look, her family made her think she was a demon, all right?"

Spike eyed the witch over Buffy's shoulder. "Her? A demon? Oh, that's rich. Musta been some tale...I knew it. She is as gullible as she looks. Had her pegged from the start."

"Stop talking." She increased the pressure. "Help me show her she's not a demon, you live."

"That threat has me quakin' more and more every time I hear it." He pushed her off. "You offering me a free shot, Slayer? I wouldn't wanna leave a mark on that face, even though I don't see anything worth saving there, anyway. What's the big draw?"

"Good, and lots of it. Somethingyou don't have, so I'll be watching." Buffy spat. "Tara, c'mere." The witch hurried to the slayer's side, who was suddenly having doubts. "We can just go. Him hurting you..."

Tara shook her head. "I have to know. And he won't h-hurt me that bad, right?"

"Not while I'm here, and not if he wants to avoid a massive headache followed by a staking." The last comment was pointedly directed at him, as she wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulders. "I mean it."

"I trust you." Tara smiled.

Spike looked bored. "Where're the violins and the choir? Let's just get on with it." He hit her nose with the thick part of his palm, and then reeled back in pain, grabbing his head and gritting his teeth, which forced back any screams that would've made him appear any less tough. "Happy?!"

She broughther hands to her nose, wincing. "He hit my nose!"

"And it hurt him." Buffy cringed, but sort of smiled, grabbing Tara's hands and checking her nose for injuries. It looked fine. "So what's that mean?"

"I'm not a demon?" The wicca asked, her eyes growing wide.

"You're not a demon."

Tara wanted to cry, both out of pain and relief. "He still hit my nose."

"Then you have my permission to stick him on the ceiling."

Spike was floating almost instantaneously. "Hey! Come on now!"

The girls looked up, giggling.

"How's the weather up there? Any cobwebs?" Buffy called. Leaving, her arm remained on Tara's shoulders. "You know, I watched Chasing Amy a few days ago,and I think I figured out why you like Joey Lauren Adams." Her friend flushed. "Can she kiss or what? But what I thought was even cooler, was how someone who liked girls, could fall in love with a guy. You think that works in reverse, but with a happier ending? Like, on occasion?"

When they stepped back outside, Spike fell to the floor. "Bloody hell!"

***

Twenty-four hours later, Tara walked into the Bronze, finding Buffy sitting at a table near the stage. Willow had asked to meet here, but she didn't see her fellow wicca anywhere in the club. She was happy to see the slayer, though, and hoped she didn't mind some company until their mutual friend made her appearance. The witch was in high spirits, secure in her humanity, and there was a chance Buffy might feel like she did abouther.

Best of all, the revelation hadn't scared her off.

"Tara!" Buffy called when she got closer to the table, motioning her over. "What're you doing here?"

She pulled out one of the empty seats. "Willow called me...can I?"

"Yeah, sit." The slayer was confused. "She called you, too? Huh."

"You mean...?I w-wonder where she is, then." Tara looked around as she situated herself inthe chair.

"Beats me. When she shows, she shows, I guess." Fingers drummed on the tabletop. "Want a drink?"

"No thanks."

They moved their heads to the beat for a few minutes before speech resumed.

"So, been here before?"

"O-once. When um, Faith was -"

Buffy sather hand over Tara's, anger bubbling up. "Whatever she said to you, it's not true."

"I know. I got it the f-first ten times." She smiled when her friend blushed. "I appreciated all of them, though."

The music being played distracted them from talking, and so their only other option was to look at each other, which they did quite extensively until Buffy cleared her throat.

"How about this band? Not too shabby, but what kind ofname is 'The Spayed Cats'?"

"A funny one?" Tara smirked.

"Good point." Buffy matched that look, and laughed.

"I've wanted a kitten since I was four. I'd get one, but there's n-no pets allowed on campus."

"Rules are meant to be broken." Came Buffy's less than legal endorsement for her having an animal companion. "But it's just, every time I watch people play up there now, I think about Oz. And that leads to him and Willow, and that leads to what he did."

"Do you think h-he'll come back?"

"He was always smart; let's hopehe still is, because then he will. Who'd be dumb enough to let Willow go for good? The werewolf issue doesn't cut it."

"I don't know the whole story, but the way she talks, she l-loves him a lot. I'd hate to see her stay lonely. It's not fun."

"I hear that. Our lives are really twisted. Theonly guys we can see ourselves with are vampires and ones that turn into dogs three nights a month. We need therapy." The fact that Tara was attracted to her was flattering, and the more she thought about it, the fact that the attractionwent both ways became less of a concern. "I dunno what the hold up is with her, but are sure you're not thirsty? Cause I was gonna get sodas."

"No, I'll come I'm up."

"Have you thought about what you're gonna call it?"

They left the table holding hands, and from her viewpoint backstage, even though she couldn't hear the words, a redhead threw a fist in the air with an exclamation of, "Yes!"

***

Buffywas sitting on the floor in Tara's room two weeks later, eating pizza, drinking soda, and watching Mall Rats. Willow had talked to them both earlier in the day, telling them to meet her at a restaurant, where reservations were made. If she wasn't there when they showed, the instructions were to order without her. But she wouldn't ever show, because given that similar conversations had taken place over the past fourteen days with the same result, it was considered a pretty safe bet. Willow's efforts were appreciated, but they were capableof hanging out without her assistance.

There was the Bronze, the movies, the Pump, and they were always duped. It was part of the redhead's crack plan to hook them up. When they realized she wasn't going to arrive, they figured they'd stay anyway, so as not to waste a trip. Three unofficial dates had transpired, but they were finally wise to her tricks. Staying in and pigging out was their original, very own idea, and the blondes were continuing to discover more about one another. Now that Tara didn't have to carry the burden of being a demon, she talked more openly, and with confidence.

"This I don't get." Buffy commented, watching the screen. "In Chasing Amy I don't think she was naked once, and you think she would've been. Was there or was there not some serious sex talk in that movie?" She pointed. "But here, she plays a totally different person, and you see her breasts for two seconds in a mall dressing room."

"Disappointed?" Tara grinned.

The slayer, who was taking a sip of her soda, spit it out when she heard that, and swatted the witch. "Y-you...you don't say that when someone's drinking! Especially Coke! What if it came out my nose? It burns, you know. Could be toxic."

Tara laughed, and they continued eating their dinner and watching the film.

"I never see the Magic Eye pictures, either. Some witch." She said, frowning at one of the numerous scenes where that guy was trying desperately to see the sailboat. "What is it?"

Buffy had grown quiet. She was physically and emotionally feeling things around Tara that hadn't been issues until her arrival. On their 'dates,' she was completely relaxed, but her small quip just now had the shorter blonde questioning whether or not she really was disappointed in the lack of nudity in that dressing room. Which then led down a tricky path, ending with a question she wasn't sure she had a right to ask. It was none of her business, but the words left her lips before her brain could catch up with her train of thought.

"You don't have to answer, but...when did you realize...?"

"That I was gay?" She received a nod. "You really wanna know?"

"Only if you wanna tell me. No pressure - pressure free question."

Tara smiled, took a bite of a slice, and once it was swallowed, she began. "It was after my mom died. Between her and my cousin Beth, they were like, my w-world. When she was gone, Beth didn't come around much, and it...I got lonely. I think her dad told her what mine told me, and she was the only family I felt comfortable around."

"The 'demon' story?" That still fried her.

"Uh huh. My dad always had his friends over - sometimes their sons came, but they weren't allowed to talk to me. I guess they were good-looking, but I didn't notice; I didn't even knowI was supposed to. I went to school and all, but I didn't have girls as friends because I was...kinda scared of them, cause I didn't know what to say, o-ordo. And guys t-thought I was weird. Usually it was okay, I could handle it. I had my mom, and we'd do magick when my dad and brother were out of the house; thatwas all I cared about. With her not there, though, I was pretty lost.

"In tenth grade I, uh, got the courage to sit next to Ashley Michaels. I wanted a friend; I needed to t-talk to someone so much that it was driving me crazy. I missed her, but I had to heal, you know? Anyway, at first it was awkward, and then you couldn't separate us." Buffy smiled at Tara's wistful look. "We stayed best friends through senior year. Michaels and Maclay. M&M. That was our nickname. The only thing she didn't know about me was what...what I could do. We lived in a small town - mom always told me not to tell anybody, dad especially. But I wanted to. I wanted to show her everything.

"I loved her, but I didn't know it was in *that* way until a week before Prom.We were talking about who we were gonna ask, and I was staring at her and something inside of me just said, 'Kiss her.' It surprised both of us when I did, butthen I knew, and I figured she would, too. I mean, I hadn't felt that close to anyone since mom, but at the same time, it was totally different." She hung her head. "T-that's when she screamed to her parents and called me a d-dy..."

Buffy placed a finger underneath her chin, and guidedher head back up, seeing tears streaming down her face. "You don't have to say it, Tara. Ever."

She had to finish. "Well, m-my dad gave me the money he'd been saving to fix our camper, and pr-practically ordered me to buy a bus ticket. He didn't want me embarrassing him anymore." She sighed. "So I packed my things, then I l-left. It was a good thing I got accepted to UC Sunnydale, otherwise I would've had no place to go."

While Tara wiped the tears from her eyes, Buffy hugged her with enthusiasm. "Thank you. And yes,your enrollment here is a very good thing. There's much gladness for your attendance. Somebody in this town actually did something right for a change. It's a miracle that should be documented."

"You do right things all the time." The witch sniffed.

"I think that's a slight exaggeration. My mistakes have my good, slayerish deeds outnumbered by like, a thousand."

"Maybe, but all I know is, you're a better person than Ashley. *M-multiplied* by a thousand." She cracked a smile. "You've been socool about letting me into your life, g-great about it. I'm not what I thought Iwas, and thanks to you and Willow, I know the truth now. You...you guys, are thebest thing that's ever... I'm glad I'm here, too."

"Happy to hear that; and the Fates must be on your side." The slayer grinned, pulling back so she could see her face. "I've been doing my homework again, can you tell?"

"Oh, They wouldn't care about what h-happens to me..."

Buffy decided something then. To hell with that other meaningless crap. She was falling in love with this girl. Or was she there already? This girl appeared so plain and ordinary upon a glance, but was really indescribable. Still, it was worth a shot - sexy while being cute, incredibly sweet and polite, powerful, knowledgeable, caring...and despite some attacks, innocent. Her innocence was taken from her, and she could never reclaim it.She had to make sure Tara kept hers for as long as possible; she'd failed Willow as soon as Oz left.

"If you had a quick cram session, you'd remember that nothing and nobody is not and will not, ever be considered insignificant to the Fates - you're slipping. We've all got important parts to play, right?"

"Yeah," Tara conceded, "and They did g-get me to you."

"I'm sorry you had to go through what you did." Buffy said sincerely. "But it would stink, after They went to all that trouble, if we didn't just do this, don't you think?" She paused. "You've never had a girlfriend." Tara nodded. "I've never had a girlfriend." Nodding again. "But we both want one."

"We...I...w-what are you saying?"

"Not saying anything." The slayer leaned forward, effectively capturing the wicca's lips, and staking a claim, so to speak. It was brief, however. "I didn't misread the whole situation, did I?"

Tara's response was to kiss her back. Again and again and again. All the things she could possibly want she was getting, and she wouldn't have believed Buffy would ever feel like she did.It was just another way in which the strong blonde was different than her once friend back home; she was *not* going to shy away from this. She wasn't going to shy away from much any longer.

"Aha! I knew I'd..." Willow charged into the room to find them in the midst of their intimate activity. "Eep."

The blondes turned in her direction, and Buffy spoke for them. "Willow, hey. What, you call the restaurant and we weren't there?"

"How'd you know?" The redhead frowned. "Shoot. I didn't do a darn thing. Cupid? Sure, a Super Stupid Cupid."

"No, you did, and we'll happily give you all the credit if anyone asks." Her new magickally-inclined girlfriend was busy brushing the same lock of hair behind her ear. "Won't we?"

"Absolutely."

"Really? You promise?" They nodded their heads affirmatively. "Okay, but I'm still owed some more vicarious smoochin'. So get the show on the road."

"Will!" Both girls exclaimed.

"Fine, if you won't kiss, then...then I get to eat the rest of that pizza!" She stuck her tongue out. "It's only fair."

***

"Whatcha up to, Buff?" Xander said as he sat beside her on Giles' couch that weekend. She lifted up the magazine she was reading. "Ah,the feminine joy that is Cosmo. Which thrilling article is so engrossing?"

"Not an article. Quiz. Significant other. Important. Ssh." She responded distractedly, and then he took the magazine from her. "Hey!"

"What's Tara's favorite color?" He asked a random question off the page.

Yeah, the gang knew about them. She didn't wasteany time conveying the news. To Xander it would've made more sense for Willow and Tara to be together, but he had little objection. After all, what did he know about girls? He was an ex-demon's sex slave for crying out loud. It led himto the conclusion that Angel had to be quite the male if Buffy felt the need to change her gender preference now that he was gone. That didn't do much for his pride, but he'd learned to shut up.

She bit her lip. "White. She's got white Christmas lights hanging in her dorm. That makes it her favorite color, right?"

"White's a color?"

"Of course it'sa color. There's different shades; like off-white and milky-white."

"Isn't white the lacking of color?"

They looked at one another. Stumped, they looked toward the kitchen and questioned together, "Giles, is white a color!?"

"I'm rather busy...at the moment. I'd like to keep my house in one piece." He couldn't figure out how Anya had talked him into cooking something in his oven; smoke was emerging from it. "Back away. Please."

"I don't get it! The overweight man on TV just says 'Bam' and the food appears. What amI doing wrong?"

"For starters...everything."

"Xander says all we do is have orgasms, and that that's not enough. Wouldn't you be happy with orgasms?" He shuddered. "Well, I don't know what his problem is,but I just wanted to make him an appetizing meal for some variety so we could have sex with the leftovers afterwards. See, I've been reading about fetishes -:"

"Anya, disappear. Go."

"Xander, tell him to stop being cranky cause he was reincarnated British! It's not my fault he's got such an odd and easily misinterpreted vocabulary!"

Xander slouched out of view, and whispered to Buffy. "This is me ducking." She snickered. "Where's your witchy woman, anyway?"

"She and Willow went to the magic shop. They should be back any minute."

"That's brave. You can really leave them alone?" She glared at him. "Which is a dumb thing for me to say cause when it comes to gayness and girls and boundaries, I'm clueless." He paused. "Are there orgies?"

"Just ask me another question." Buffy shook her head. "One from the *quiz*."

"Hmm." Xander scanned the page. "Two blondes walk into a bar. One's a slayer and one's a witch. How long does ittake them to screw..." She gaped. "...in a light bulb?"

"That's notin there!"

"Sure it is." He stuck the magazine behind his back.

"Then let me see."

"Why, don't you trust me? That hurts."

She grinned sweetly. "Xander, do you like your arm?" The wiccas had good timing, walking in then. This distracted him, so she took back her property. "I knew it wasn't! Now make room for my girlfriend."

"Would someone remove her from my kitchen?" Gileswas on the verge of pleading, so Xander jumped to it.

Tara occupied his vacated spot, accepting a kiss and a small squeeze around her waist.

"Get good stuff?" Buffy wondered.

"Too expensive." She was disappointed about that. "We r-ran by the campus, though, and there were all these police outside Lowell House."

"The Initiative's place? What was going on?" Tara's face went red. "Will?"

The redhead sat on the arm of the sofa. "We asked a couple people. They uh, they all said that they heard two uh, you know, somebodys inside, having sex every time they walked by. Since yesterday morning, I think...it must've been noisy...and they're, um, sorta dead now."

"That's horrible! Does this mean I have to be celibate? Cause I can't do that!" Anya exclaimed.

"An, calm down." Her boyfriend said quickly.

"No! You don't understand! I've had a few nuns as clients, and they're always frustrated! Sometimes to the point of insanity!You have to do something!"

Buffy was sure they would. Once they all stopped being embarrassed. "Tara, white's a color, isn't it?"
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